RE: Personal Info, Stephanie

[Guest guest]

I am an American. I lived in both Pakistan and India for a combination of 10

years because my father is a military diplomat and his area of "expertise" is

Southeast Asia. I speak Italian, French, and I'm learning Bengali. My fiancee

is Indian but I started my journey on the path of hinduism a few years before I

met him however. I am currently working on a phd in rhetorical studies and I

do teach rhetoric courses. My area of specialization is postcolonialism and

India. More specifically, I study and mark the co-opting of Hindu culture by

Americans and how those appropriations are used, abused, diffused, etc (we

should study what we are passionate about). So for example, one of my recent

papers is about the American twist to Tantra and what it says about our society

when we take Tantra and re-define it to meet our very materialistic self

indulgent desires. I also study how Americans over eroticize Indians (esp.

Indian women)

through myths surrounding the Kama Sutra etc. Right now, I've got my eye on the

the rising Indian porn industry and how it is packaged and sold to the West.

But it seems that just when I come up with answers, I have more questions.

 

I am open to reading about jyotish and I would like to know how to access the

Vedas in English if at all possible. One step at a time. I am very well versed

in Western astrology but I know it's shortcomings, 23 degrees of them to be

exact and as one of our members rightly noted, too much focus on the Sun. For

those that might be curious here are my stats:

 

June 5, 1973 1:16pm

Tacoma Washington, Pierce County

 

At this point I'm only familiar with my Vedic moon sign (it's really difficult

to adapt when coming from the Western school of thought but I'm a quick study)

and from what I know of it, I have a LOT OF GROWING to do in this lifetime.

))

 

Renee Serrano <firecracker (AT) maineline (DOT) net> wrote:

No problem:o) May I ask an ignorant question? Please forgive if I am a big

clod but I am so curious. Your name is Stephanie which from my limited

experience is possibly American or British perhaps. Are you living in India

and are you Indian or ?? Just curious.

Do you have children? Are you going to school for a higher degree as well as

teaching? Sounds incredibly busy! Do you mean what books would be good for

jyotish? Do you have a jyotish program?

 

Sincerely,

 

Renee

 

Stephanie Marie

[chotoprajapati ] Sunday, January 18, 2004 7:09 PMTo:

Subject: RE: Re: Attachments , Marriage,

Women, Hindu-->

Stephanie

 

Renee... thank you so much for chiming in. I was beginning to wonder if I was

a) the only woman here and b) the only one with these kinds of concerns. Like

so many others on this list, I do not have the advantage of a master teacher.

Instead, I am blessed with a patient and thoughtful mother-in-law to be who

tries to answer with her limited knowledge, my more complex questions and

concerns. Between completing my dissertation, my teaching, and my home duties,

it's difficult to get in as much study as I would like.

 

Any suggestions that you have for reading I would appreciate. Thanks again.

StephanieRenee Serrano <firecracker (AT) maineline (DOT) net> wrote:

You know, coming from Paramhansa Yogananda…..he brought Kriya Yoga to the

‘householder’ as well as the West. It was his utmost belief that one can

attain self realization even if one is a householder or common ‘person’. Here

in the U.S. there are many cultures and many follow traditional roles despite

how we may appear to the rest of the world (as women). I come from a Hispanic

and British background and my spouse is Hispanic.

Women are very subservient in traditional Hispanic households. Even though I am

anything but traditionally subservient, I am very dovoted and loyal to my spouse

and bend in ways that is hard for me to communicate (as he has multiple health

issues). I, too, run a big household with several children…work full time and

so on. It would be unthinkable for me, however, to ever doubt that I am going

to continue on a spiritual and astrological path despite the fact that I

sometimes have no time to pursue it. I still ‘do’ irregardless and find the

time to study just because it is something important to me….as important as my

physical duties in this world.

 

Just my 2 cents worth. That description of a Hindu marriage and its principles

was absolutely beautiful, Sanjay. Thank you.

 

Renee

 

Stephanie Marie

[chotoprajapati ] Sunday, January 18, 2004 2:59 PMTo:

Subject: Re: Re: Attachments , Marriage,

Women, Hindu--> Stephanie

 

Dear Sanjay:

 

This is enlightening. Would you mind forwarding to me the titles of the texts

you are quoting from? Given that you are citing them in English, I presume

they are available in English or are you translating? I appreciate the indepth

discussion but I also want to be able to read these things for myself.

 

For All Others:

 

Does anyone have any information about Ram Thakur (another name, forgive the

phonetic misspelling koebolonath)? This is the guru I will be taking diksha

under. I know quite a bit about him but my intellectual self would always like

to know more. It's strange because I've always felt a stronger affinity toward

the Siva side versus the Vishnu side but I'm told that it's easier, when

managing a household, to have the same guru as that of your husband.

 

I realize these comments may appear ridiculously mundane for many of you who

want to pursue higher philosophical meditations. But this is the first time

I've been able to address some of my concerns without fear of

misinterpretation. Thank you for your patience and your willingness to share

your own understandings.

 

Have there been Indian couples that challenge some of the vows? For example,

the ones that emphasize sons over daughters? Just curious.

 

sanjaytechnology <sanjaytechnology > wrote:

Dear Stephanie:Please read every sentence in this response very carefully. The

role of Hindu women in society and the significance of marriage and other

things associated with it is a very vast, enlightening and interesting subject.

I do not know at what level of detail you want to pursue this. Starting from the

7 Pheras of marriage and the marriage significance to the Vedas is mind boggling

and reaches the ultimate levels of knowledge of the SELF. I leave you with a few

fundamentals. "According to Hinduism, a woman is a form of energy

(shaktiswarupini) or an aspect of Shakti. She is mata, the Mother Goddess, or

devi the auspicious one. As a young child she is kanya, the goddess Durga. As

a wife she is patni and saha dharma charini, a partner in her husbands

religious duties. As a mother she is worthy of worship (matrudevobhava).A

Marriage vowI take hold of your hand for good fortune, so that with me, your

New'">husband, you may attain to old age. The gods, Bhaga, Aryaman, Savitur and

Pushan gave you to me for leading the life of a householder. (Rig Veda X.

85.36)A marriage blessingBounteous Indra, endow this bride with great sons and

fortune. Give her ten sons and make the husband the eleventh. (Rig Veda

X.85.46)While Tying the Sacred Thread O maiden of many auspicious qualities, I

tie this sacred thread around your neck for my long life. May you live happily

for a hundred

years! "

New'">A few simple and straight facts about Hindu marriages:1. Hindus consider

marriage as a sacred relationship, between two souls, not just two bodies.2.

Hindus believe that the marriage relationship extends beyond one life. This is

a very very powerful concept. I would love to have a discussion on this 3. In

the traditional marriage, the bride and the bridegroom are considered as

divinities. The bride is first married to gods and then placed under the

bridegroom's protection as a gift from

gods.4. At the time of marriage, the bridegroom ties a sacred thread around the

bride's neck and accepts her hand (panigrahanam.) in marriage. Then they both

take seven steps (saptapadi) together around the fire uttering vows of

friendship and mutual loyalty.5. Hindu marriage tradition recognizes the

importance of a woman in the family. She is expected to share the

responsibilities of the household like a goddess (grihalakshmi) and enjoy the

love and care of her husband and children.--- In

, Stephanie Marie <chotoprajapati> wrote:>

>From a broad based philosophical vantage point, I do understand the concept of

attachment and desire as the bonds that cause suffering. In fact, a scholar in

my field once wrote that "coherence in contradiction marks the force of desire."

And it does seem to me that we often find ourselves continually making sense of

the pain and frustrations because of certain desires that we have; appetites;

attachments.> > But also, while our overarching destination is detachment from

all (liberation from desire and therefore liberation from pain and suffering)

isn't it also the case that most of us will not achieve such a state in our

current lifetimes? How can we be members of families, partners in

relationships, employees and employers, in fact members of this Internet group

discussion, without a profound sense of attachment to ideologies, desires,

etc??> > The grander more esoteric concepts are wonderful intellectual fuel

for the spirit. But as you can see, I'm also asking more pragmatic questions

about living day to day

inside a Hindu family. How do I draw intersections between these grander issues

and those of more pragmatic ones like mothering, being a wife/lover, a best

friend, a daughter, a sister, etc. > > In a society, and for that matter a

culture, that places heavy emphasis on certain types of roles for women.... a

woman is under tremendous social pressure to perform certain functions. She

often has no time to pursue these kinds of ideas. Surely, you all see the

complications that arise here? Might someone speak to this? > > I teach my

students high rhetorical theory. But at the same time, I provide them with a

field of visualization that puts that theory into motion, into play in their

very real very messy very complicated lives. Thus far, much of what I've read

here has been incredibly helpful and informative. I've taken lots of notes as

your comments serve as points of departure for me in my own study. Yet... I

still need to understand how these ideas fuse with the busy and sometimes

laborious life of a hindu woman keeping up tradition.>

> astroneed <astroneed> wrote:> Dear Sir, > > how about Gaj kesari yog in

12th house. What does that mean ? > Also does ketu in 12th mean highly

spiritual person.> > > Regards> > > ASTRONEED> > > --- In

, "sanjaytechnology" >

<sanjaytechnology> wrote:> > All:> > > > We have become one very big

family. This group is very inspiring > and > > very learned. Let us keep

pointing to the RIGHT PATH. > > > > > > The 12th house & the spiritual LINK> >

=====================================> > > > The 12th house, is not a very

easy house in materialistic terms;

New">> > however, there exist hints in ancient texts that indicate the > >

spiritual significance of the 12th house! It is a house of > paramount > >

importance in the horoscopes of religious figures and ascetics. > >

Confusingly, though, it has also been vested with attributes and > > matters

such as 'pleasures of the couch' > > > > Generally speaking, one's spiritual

growth, also known as the quest > > for knowing oneself, gets a kick start in a

major way when one > > faces 'choices'

that pertain to losing something or someone who is > > extremely dear. > > > >

During most spiritual journeys, a time comes when one's attachments > > and

clinging must be challenged and subsequently shed. Invariably, > > experiences

at such points in time prove to be the pivots around > > which the wheel of

spiritual progress turns! Whether one actually > > suffers the loss or merely

faces the possibilities of such, and the > > degree of metamorphosis that such

an event or eventuality can bring > > within oneself, varies between

individuals, the profundity of the > > effect, however, is felt unambiguously.>

> > > A loss in the materialistic plane could mean a GAIN in the > >

spiritualistic. > > > > > > Example:> > > > Saturn in 12 the points

to 2nd which indicates money loss

New'">through > > charities is extremely beneficial. > > > > 12th in general

means overcoming the materialistic aspects to a > tilt > > towards the

spiritual. '> > > > VENUS in 12th could indicate a battle that is fought less

at the > > mental level. However I have seen a VENUS in 12th with KETU for a >

> Gemini Ascendant. Very interesting combination. Here VENUS is in > > own

conjunct with debilitated KETU. > > > > ""The sun represents the individuality

and ego (which can readily > > become EGO!) and by virtue of being placed in

the 12th house would > > signify the lure of EGO, WHICH must be overcome by the

nativity > > before any real spiritual advancement can commence. This would be >

> even more so, should Leo be rising in the ascendant, thereby > > imparting the

sun with a natural and

temporal or chart-specific > > focus as during double duty as a significator of

the self and ego, > > two keywords that are primarily studied from the first

house! > Should > > such a situation (sun in cancer in a Leo rising nativity)

be > present > > in a chart where Saturn the epitome of humbleness rises, the

path > > towards self-effacement becomes harder and not easier! The task, > >

signified by the sun in the 12th remains the same, but the > >

expression and self-perception, thanks to the Saturn in

New'">ascendant, > > lulls one into minimizing the extent of the task! "After

all, how > > much more humble can one appear", is what such a nativity feels? >

The > > mantra for someone with such a horoscopic signature obviously is > > to

'become' humble and not merely be contented with > > simply "appearing" to be

humble!""> > > > Please feel free to respond and ADD. > > > > Aum Shanti Shanti

Shanti.

New'">> > > > Warm Regards. > > > > --Sanjay Aggarwal> > > > ~! LIFE MEANS

STRUGGLE, THE FITTEST WINS SURVIVAL !~ > > > >

> Links> > To visit your

group on the web, go to:> /> >

>

> > Your use of

is subject to the > > > > "WHEN LIFE HANDS YOU LEMONS,

DEMAND A CORONA TO GO WITH IT."> > "I'M NOT CRAZY, JUST INTELLECTUALLY

INDEPENDENT."~! LIFE MEANS STRUGGLE, THE FITTEST WINS SURVIVAL !~ · To visit your group on the web, go

to:/

· To from this group, send an email

to:

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"WHEN LIFE HANDS YOU LEMONS, DEMAND A CORONA TO GO WITH IT."

 

"I'M NOT CRAZY, JUST INTELLECTUALLY INDEPENDENT."

 

 

~! LIFE MEANS STRUGGLE, THE FITTEST WINS SURVIVAL !~ · To visit your group on the web, go

to:/

· To from this group, send an email

to:

·

~! LIFE MEANS STRUGGLE, THE FITTEST WINS SURVIVAL !~ · To visit your group on the web, go

to:/

· To from this group, send an email

to:

·

 

 

"WHEN LIFE HANDS YOU LEMONS, DEMAND A CORONA TO GO WITH IT."

 

"I'M NOT CRAZY, JUST INTELLECTUALLY INDEPENDENT."

 

 

~! LIFE MEANS STRUGGLE, THE FITTEST WINS SURVIVAL !~ · To visit your group on the web, go

to:/

· To from this group, send an email

to:

· ~!

LIFE MEANS STRUGGLE, THE FITTEST WINS SURVIVAL !~ To visit your group on the web, go

to:/ To from this

group, send an email to: Your use

of is subject to the

"WHEN LIFE HANDS YOU LEMONS, DEMAND A CORONA TO GO WITH IT."

 

"I'M NOT CRAZY, JUST INTELLECTUALLY INDEPENDENT."