Suggestion - Vinod on Bhajans

[Guest guest]

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

[Guest guest]

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

[Guest guest]

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