Guest guest Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 I love this story, Jeanette. Thank you so much for sending it. I really needed it today. I woke up with a fair share of "righteous indignation" today. It was a very uncomfortable feeling. It made me feel depressed. I tried to examine it and to "get rid" of it but it kept on bothering me like a swarm of gnats. I tried to counteract it with feelings of gratitude and joy. This story was just the medicine I needed. It worked wonders. Thank you. Pahari Maa (Ardis) On Feb 19, 2006, at 6:52 PM, jmcs_06 wrote: > The story below is something I need to be reminded of, and maybe > others might like it too. Just think of "Amma" and Amma's teachings > (and "devotee" instead of monk). > > The Room of Righteous Indignation > > The guestmaster of the Magic Monestery looked at me, a visiting > monk, very carefully and then lead me to a room marked, "Righteous > Indignation." > > "Good," I thought, "Back home some people don't understand me. They > think I'm judgmental. But this man understands. He sees the purity > of my righteousness." > > There wasn't much in the room besides the four walls, and that was > all right with me. I sat down and meditated a while. Then I read my > Bible. I found myself looking at those walls. I read some more, > meditated, then looked at the walls again. Late in the evening, as I > was staring at one of the walls, it became transparent, and I found > myself looking into my own monastery! Fascinating. I found I could > see right through its walls and into its church and cloisters. > > I could even see inside the cell of each monk. I saw what each monk > had in his room and what he was doing. I saw some praying, some > sleeping, some reading. I could even see what each one was reading. > Brother! Do you see what that one is reading? And look at the > private property! And I could hear everything that was said - the > complaints, the backbiting. My own name was mentioned. Huh!--that > one to be complaining of me1 > > I began to take notes. I filled page after page. I had thought the > place was bad before, but here were the facts - what they said, what > they did, what they had. Nothing subjective just cold facts. As I > kept writing, I began to see right into their heads, to see their > thoughts. These also I wrote down. > > Once, when I was resting my eyes, the thought came to me, "I wonder > what I would see if the other wall were transparent?" Perhaps if I > kept looking at it long enough.... and through it I saw the Magic > Monastery, every bit of it. What an eyeful! I thought my own place > was bad. Talk about individualism. I began to write that down too. > > Then I began to wonder what's behind the other two walls? I took to > staring at these walls. I became uncomfortable. I rang for the > Brother. I asked him what was behind the other walls. The Brother > said that behind the one wall were the deceased members of the Magic > Monastery, and behind the other were the deceased members of my own > monastary. > > "Ah," I said, "but why can't I see them? I want to see them." > > "You won't like it," he said. > > "Truth, that's all I want. That's all I've ever wanted. I call a > spade a spade. Show me!" > > "You'll only get angry." > > "Show me," I insisted, but he refused and hurried away. I was > determined that when he returned the next day I would get the truth > out of him. > >  I did. I took him by the throat and demanded to know what was > going on behind those walls. "Behind this one," he gasped, "are the > deceased members of your own community. They are all looking in at > you. They are weeping and praying for you. > >  "Behind this other wall are all the deceased members of the Magic > Monastery. They are all looking at you and laughing." > > (from "Tales of a Magic Monastery" by Theophane the Monk) > > ----------- > > Anyone who takes their faith seriously goes through through a > righteous indignation phase. But judgment and criticism and > condemnation do not inspire people to act with the charity and love > that God expects of us. The whole vine and branches illustration > attributed to Christ, in John's gospel, is about passing on what we > have received. We are the branches that need to remain attached to > the vine so that we are open to receive that continuous supply of > God's love toward us, in order to pass it on to others. > > love, > > Jeanette/Kalika/querida > >             > > > > > > Aum Amriteswarayai Namaha! > > > > > > > Mata amritanandamayi > > > > > > ▪  Visit your group "Ammachi" on the web. >  > ▪  >  Ammachi >  > ▪  Terms of > Service. > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 21, 2006 Report Share Posted February 21, 2006 I can't imagine what it must be like for you to be moving, starting a new job and a new relationship all at once! Any one of those changes can be a real challenge. I will pray that you are blessed with peace in the midst of it all. Pahari Maa On Feb 21, 2006, at 2:34 PM, jmcs_06 wrote: > Hi Pahari Maa (Ardis), Sorry for delay in response--lots of > changes/transition going on as I am moving, starting a new job, new > relationship, etc. I too was experiencing some of what you describe > below in your post so I hear and understand where you're coming from > and am thankful we worked through some of this stuff with each > other's help and the help of others who posted last weekend > expressing their various thoughts and feelings. Hard to admit, but > it was something I needed to be reminded of (righteous indignation, > being judgemental, watching how i word things in the heat/passion of > the moment). I feel gratitude to you and others for the opportunity > to improve myself, even if it didn't feel so great at the time! > > much love and peace, > Jeanette/Kalika/querida > > Ammachi, Ardis Jackson <ardis1 wrote: > > > > I love this story, Jeanette. Thank you so much for sending it. I > > really needed it today. I woke up with a fair share of "righteous > > indignation" today. It was a very uncomfortable feeling. It made > me > > feel depressed. I tried to examine it and to "get rid" of it but > it > > kept on bothering me like a swarm of gnats. I tried to counteract > it > > with feelings of gratitude and joy. This story was just the > medicine I > > needed. It worked wonders. > > > > Thank you. > > > > Pahari Maa (Ardis) > > > > On Feb 19, 2006, at 6:52 PM, jmcs_06 wrote: > > > > > The story below is something I need to be reminded of, and maybe > > > others might like it too. Just think of "Amma" and Amma's > teachings > > > (and "devotee" instead of monk). > > > > > > The Room of Righteous Indignation > > > > > > The guestmaster of the Magic Monestery looked at me, a visiting > > > monk, very carefully and then lead me to a room > marked, "Righteous > > > Indignation." > > > > > > "Good," I thought, "Back home some people don't understand me. > They > > > think I'm judgmental. But this man understands. He sees the > purity > > > of my righteousness." > > > > > > There wasn't much in the room besides the four walls, and that > was > > > all right with me. I sat down and meditated a while. Then I > read my > > > Bible. I found myself looking at those walls. I read some more, > > > meditated, then looked at the walls again. Late in the evening, > as I > > > was staring at one of the walls, it became transparent, and I > found > > > myself looking into my own monastery! Fascinating. I found I > could > > > see right through its walls and into its church and cloisters. > > > > > > I could even see inside the cell of each monk. I saw what each > monk > > > had in his room and what he was doing. I saw some praying, some > > > sleeping, some reading. I could even see what each one was > reading. > > > Brother! Do you see what that one is reading? And look at the > > > private property! And I could hear everything that was said - > the > > > complaints, the backbiting. My own name was mentioned. Huh!-- > that > > > one to be complaining of me1 > > > > > > I began to take notes. I filled page after page. I had thought > the > > > place was bad before, but here were the facts - what they said, > what > > > they did, what they had. Nothing subjective just cold facts. As > I > > > kept writing, I began to see right into their heads, to see > their > > > thoughts. These also I wrote down. > > > > > > Once, when I was resting my eyes, the thought came to me, "I > wonder > > > what I would see if the other wall were transparent?" Perhaps > if I > > > kept looking at it long enough.... and through it I saw the > Magic > > > Monastery, every bit of it. What an eyeful! I thought my own > place > > > was bad. Talk about individualism. I began to write that down > too. > > > > > > Then I began to wonder what's behind the other two walls? I > took to > > > staring at these walls. I became uncomfortable. I rang for the > > > Brother. I asked him what was behind the other walls. The > Brother > > > said that behind the one wall were the deceased members of the > Magic > > > Monastery, and behind the other were the deceased members of my > own > > > monastary. > > > > > > "Ah," I said, "but why can't I see them? I want to see them." > > > > > > "You won't like it," he said. > > > > > > "Truth, that's all I want. That's all I've ever wanted. I call a > > > spade a spade. Show me!" > > > > > > "You'll only get angry." > > > > > > "Show me," I insisted, but he refused and hurried away. I was > > > determined that when he returned the next day I would get the > truth > > > out of him. > > > > > > Â I did. I took him by the throat and demanded to know what was > > > going on behind those walls. "Behind this one," he gasped, "are > the > > > deceased members of your own community. They are all looking in > at > > > you. They are weeping and praying for you. > > > > > > Â "Behind this other wall are all the deceased members of the > Magic > > > Monastery. They are all looking at you and laughing." > > > > > > (from "Tales of a Magic Monastery" by Theophane the Monk) > > > > > > ----------- > > > > > > Anyone who takes their faith seriously goes through through a > > > righteous indignation phase. But judgment and criticism and > > > condemnation do not inspire people to act with the charity and > love > > > that God expects of us. The whole vine and branches illustration > > > attributed to Christ, in John's gospel, is about passing on > what we > > > have received. We are the branches that need to remain > attached to > > > the vine so that we are open to receive that continuous supply > of > > > God's love toward us, in order to pass it on to others. > > > > > > love, > > > > > > Jeanette/Kalika/querida > > > > > > Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Aum Amriteswarayai Namaha! > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Mata amritanandamayi > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >      â–ª      Â Visit your group "Ammachi" on the web. > > >  > > >      â–ª      Â To from this group, send an email > to: > > >  Ammachi > > >  > > >      â–ª      Â Your use of is subject to the > > Terms of > > > Service. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Aum Amriteswarayai Namaha! > > > > > > > Mata amritanandamayi > > > > > > ▪  Visit your group "Ammachi" on the web. >  > ▪  >  Ammachi >  > ▪  Terms of > Service. > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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