Guest guest Posted July 26, 2005 Report Share Posted July 26, 2005 You are totally trying to avoid rituals but what is arthi which you do in your centre. Problem is we do not understand meaning of rituals performed so how can we explain to a non-hindu. Swami says do not act do only what you know.But it does not mean that we do not extend ourselves to know further what our faters and forefathers used to do in rituals and find the meaning of them then it becomes very easy for you to explain to others.Once you know the meanings you will be proud to do and explain. It is our duty to go further and not sit with bhajans only. We are so busy passing comments and showing what we are doing, instead of extending our hand to promote spirituality. Last but not least we are promoting bhajans by discounting our own rituals - do you realise thought we get one non-indian but instead how many indians drop off. I am racist but this are the facts what we have to sit and consider Yours in Sai SAI RAM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 27, 2005 Report Share Posted July 27, 2005 Sai Ram Brother Pravin Perhaps my previous message in this thread did not explain things well. With respect, it never intended to say that bhajans were the only thing we aspired to - nor do I recall saying at any stage that we should totally try to avoid rituals. I agree with you that the rituals should be accessible and demystified to enhance the experience of all involved. If you follow the thread of the particular discussion, it stemmed from a brother in Tanzania seeking suggestions how to cater for requests at his centre to add to the ritual and in particular to restrict the offering of Arathi by males only. I can fully understand your message if mine had been the opening message in a discussion thread where (having read through again with that assumption) it could be seen as being 'busy passing comments and showing what we are doing'. My suggestion was not to get bogged down in rituals but to look at the bigger overall picture. Although we are not missionaries we should be prepared to welcome whoever Swami sends to join us and this cannot happen if 30 (or even 300) people are intent on doing just their own thing in a town of 30,000. Look at all the missed opportunity where thousands could appreciate Swami's Work and His Mission if they didn't feel that it was an exclusive club or cult and felt alienated by their first impression. What we do locally was included for comparison (to add to the picture already provided by others on the forum) but it was pointed out that it was very far from being the perfect model. Asking for inclusion of all peoples and groups is to my mind extending the hand of spirituality - although QUALITY not QUANTITY should remain the main criteria. In trying to please some of the membership you may be doing a disfavour to others yet to come and perhaps lose sight of what our Swami has had to repeatedly tell us over the years. It does pain me to find that what could be a mature discussion thread which examines how things could be handled at groups and centres away from India has included segregationist attitudes and that these may possibly exist at some of the points of delivery for Swami's message. Here is a quick reminder of what He has said: There is only one religion, the religion of Love; There is only one language, the language of the Heart; There is only one caste, the caste of Humanity; There is only one God, He is Omnipresent. Loka Samasta Sukhino Bhavantu With Love and Respect Vinod Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 27, 2005 Report Share Posted July 27, 2005 HERE IN MADRID , WE DO NOT MAKE THE ARATHI, BECAUSE IS A HINDU TRADITON...for me it is a pity because I love to wave the ghee lamp...,THE STATUE OF GANESHA IS OUT TOO FOR..HINDU MITOLOGY...for me is a true pity I love TO Ganesh ,but I understand that here are other traditions , in the future we can enter to the center with shoes because we are in Europe... because we need to" preach" to western people... Now We don`t start , with om tat sat... like before ... and we don`t begin with a Ganesh a Bajan Like before , it is doing only if there are" familiar "devotees . wath to say ? perhaps it is showing us that we must to be open to all the opinions... as you say we should be prepared to welcome whoever Swami sends to join us Don`t feel that it is against you brother, perhaps when we write our opinion we have in our eyes other things, Swami is our Father then we are brothers and sisters with bigsailove for you and for all sai family: sairamdoris (AT) (DOT) es Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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