To Iswari Prayer, chanting, missing the ashram

[Guest guest]

Iswari wrote:

 

One of my favorite things about being there, for

sure, was chanting LS and Mahisasuramardini stotram in the Kali temple in

the early AM.

 

 

 

Dear Iswari ~ surely you will find yourself back at the ashram if it is

meant to be. In the meantime, best of luck on your dissertation. I remember

awhile back hearing something about the Mahisasuramardini stotram. Is this on

any

of the CDs or tapes in Amma's bookstore? What is it? Is it focused on a

particular diety? What is your doctorate in?

See how curious I am. : ) Blessings ~ Linda

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Dear Linda,

 

Yes, I felt it last night, in my heart....I will return there.

 

The Mahisasuramardini stotram is a hymn to Durga, as she slays a powerful demon,

which

represent the ego. See here for more information and a translation:

 

http://shaktisadhana.50megs.com/DEVI/mahishasuramardini.html

 

It's on the MA Center's "Chant" CD, and that is a particularly powerful version!

At the

ashram, the women chant it in the temple every (very early!) morning after the

1000

names, in the darkness, with the door to the inner temple open and the Kali

murti shining!

 

I'm working on my doctorate in clinical psychology. My clinical training has

been fantastic

and very rich/fruitful, and I've done really well in my coursework....but I have

to wonder if

Amma's been testing/teaching me with the research aspect of my program, because

it's

been a real nightmare of delays and nearly missing important deadlines, due to

circumstances beyond my control (i.e., my "mentors" being MIA). Last summer

(right

before Amma's arrival in NYC), I didn't find out if I was going to be allowed to

take my

doctoral comprehensive exams until a few days beforehand (we're required to have

our

masters' level research done first, and my "mentor" had to get me an extension

from my

program director, because he hadn't been available for months and then had me

spend

weeks writing a proposal for a study for which he thought he had data, but

didn't!). Now

(just a few weeks before Amma's arrival!), I'm under the wire because the

dissertation

propsal must be approved before we're allowed to apply for the 2006-7 internship

match

(a very competitive and time-consuming process, with the deadlines mostly in the

first few

weeks of November)....but my dissertation "mentor" was MIA for all of October.

Not only

was he unavailable to meet with me, but I couldn't even reach him by phone or

email! My

program director ultimately had to intervene. I was finally able to speak with

him late last

week to clarify some questions I had and am now scrambling to draft my proposal

for

tomorrow. I'm hoping he'll approve it quickly, because otherwise, I will miss

some or all of

the deadlines for this year and will be delayed an entire extra year (I was

already delayed

by two years, due to some health issues and would like to just get on with it,

already!).

 

It's been interesting, observing myself through all of this...and trying not to

completely

succumb to frustration/tension and pessimism since it's always seeming it won't

work out!

 

The other day, I'd been up all night working the night before and was so tired

that I had to

take a nap. I had a dream that I was with Amma in a small hotel ballroom, but

only about

10 people. I got the first darshan and then sat down to meditate. I felt

something powerful

move through me, shift inside me, and I was just about to cry tears of ecstasy

when my

alarm woke me from the dream....but I've felt her presence so strongly in me

since then.

For this, I'm very grateful, as it can be deeply challenging to balance graduate

school

(mental, often all-consuming) and spirituality, particularly during times of

stress....

 

Thanks for your good wishes!

 

Blessings,

Iswari

 

Ammachi, nierika@a... wrote:

> Dear Iswari ~ surely you will find yourself back at the ashram if it is

> meant to be. In the meantime, best of luck on your dissertation. I remember

> awhile back hearing something about the Mahisasuramardini stotram. Is this on

any

> of the CDs or tapes in Amma's bookstore? What is it? Is it focused on a

> particular diety? What is your doctorate in?

> See how curious I am. : ) Blessings ~ Linda

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Iswari wrote:

 

The Mahisasuramardini stotram is a hymn to Durga, as she slays a powerful

demon, which represent the ego...

 

 

Dear Iswari ~ wow, you've got a lot on your shoulders. Just before I sat

down to finish reading the digest, I was online making myself a birthday order

: ) I was torn between the Sri Lalita Sahasranama and the Mahisasuramardini

stotram. I ended up getting the first, so will have to wait til payday again

to get the other. But your description of how it is sung at the ashram was

so beautiful; I could envision myself there, listening to it in the early

morning.

 

I'm very familiar with the story of Durga (and many other of the Divine

Mothers) slaying the demon as well as the demon's army because this is the

"story" of the Chandi Path. Besides being a puja, the Chandi Path is also a

marvelous story, with tales within the tale. I have read it many times now, and

every time, I learn something knew or read something I didn't notice before.

 

What you are going through with your doctorate sounds very frustrating, but

it sounds like you have a good ally in your program director. I will pray that

you get it all done and approved, tied with a nice pink ribbon with plenty

of time to go see Amma. Jai Ma ~ Linda