Guest guest Posted June 24, 2006 Report Share Posted June 24, 2006 Dear Amalia, I have to disagree with you here. Amma is everything...there is nothing that She is not. She is the eternal, supreme omnipresent consciousness that exists within everything and everyone. This is why Christ told His disciples; "Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do unto me." On page 163 of Lead Us To the Light, someone asks Amma:" What is meant by real service to the Master?" Amma answers: "When we talk about a true master, we don't mean just an individual; we mean the divine consciousness- the Truth. The master permeates the entire universe. We need to understand this, for only then can we advance spiritually. A disciple should never be attached to the physical body of the master. We should broaden our view so that we see every sentient and insentient being as the master, and serve others with devotion. It is through our bond with the master that we acquire this expansiveness. On the other hand, the service rendered by a person who desires physical proximity to the master for purely selfish reasons is not real service to the master." "You should serve others with the attitude that you are serving the master. Such is the true disciple who has absorbed the real essence of the master. As a true disciple, you find that you are ready to give up your life for the master's sake. And yet, your concept of the master is not confined to the limited individual. You see your master in all living beings. And thus, you actually see that to serve anyone is to serve the master. The true disciple gets contentment and happiness from this." It has been my experience that although being near Amma and serving Her is precious and wonderful, it is the seva we do when we see Her in the eyes of a drunk person laying on the street, when we realize we are holding Her hand when we are with someone who is dying, Hearing Her voice when we listen to the problems of the elderly, and seeing Her as we take on the pain and problems of the people around us while we channel Her Love and Light to them, is where seva becomes even more precious to the Guru. All seva is an opportunity to open our hearts, be an ever more clear and perfect instrument of Her Love and Peace, and release the bondage of the ego into selflessness and universal motherhood. to me, there is no longer a difference between any seva which is labled this or labled that. She take us beyond all labels and distinctions, into unity and pure love. In Her Love and Light, Sanatani amalia_darling94804 <amaliadarling (AT) hotmail (DOT) com> wrote: << for the true Lover of God, it is ALL "seva" regardless if it's "paid work" or "unpaid work"...>> While this is surely true in general, this discussion is specifically about the practice of "Guru Seva" -- direct service to the Guru. For Amma devotees in the US this is unpaid work done during Her tours, working at Her ashrams and working in designated service projects that are done in Her name such as Mother's Kitchen, AIMS, etc. I myself do unpaid work that I feel to be in Amma's service and in my paid work I feel that I am serving God also, but I do not consider it to be the same as if I am able to go to the ashram to help get ready for tour or work in the kitchen etc. while Amma is here. I'm not saying it's not equally valuable---just not the same kind of service. in Amma, Amalia Ôm Amriteswaryai Namah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 24, 2006 Report Share Posted June 24, 2006 Ammachi, sanatani urban <sanatani wrote: > > Dear Amalia, > > I have to disagree with you here. Amma is everything...there is nothing that She is not....All seva is an opportunity to open our hearts......>> Hi Sanatani, I agree with you. I am not engaging in philisophical discussion about the concept of Guru seva. I'm talking about something that exists in the mundane world of duality/reality. Let me give a concrete example. When Amma is in San Ramon, She instructs the coordinators as to who is invited to "do prasad seva" i.e.to be given the privilage of putting the prasad into Her hand that she gives people when they come for darshan. She usually tells them that the criteria is people who have done a lot of seva throughout the year at the ashram or in connection with one of the seva project such as Mother's Kitchen. Or people who are doing many hours (she specifies how much) of service during the tour. In other words, people who are offering direct service to Her physical form, so to speak. Occasionally she invites everyone who attends satsang in Northern California. Again, I am not at all discounting all other forms of seva just tring to clarify what Aikya and I were commenting on. And now I must also bow out of this discussion. Love in Amma, Amalia Ôm Amriteswaryai Namah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 25, 2006 Report Share Posted June 25, 2006 beautiful sanatani! sanatani urban wrote: > > > It has been my experience that although being near Amma and serving > Her is precious and wonderful, it is the seva we do when we see Her in > the eyes of a drunk person laying on the street, when we realize we > are holding Her hand when we are with someone who is dying, Hearing > Her voice when we listen to the problems of the elderly, and seeing > Her as we take on the pain and problems of the people around us while > we channel Her Love and Light to them, is where seva becomes even more > precious to the Guru. All seva is an opportunity to open our hearts, > be an ever more clear and perfect instrument of Her Love and Peace, > and release the bondage of the ego into selflessness and universal > motherhood. to me, there is no longer a difference between any seva > which is labled this or labled that. She take us beyond all labels and > distinctions, into unity and pure love. > > In Her Love and Light, > Sanatani > -- Be Love, Egyirba -=-=- .... Laughing at our mistakes can lengthen our own life. Laughing at someone else's can shorten it.~Cullen Hightower Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 25, 2006 Report Share Posted June 25, 2006 Thank you Sanantani....what you said below echoes my heart precisely. THAT is the essence of Amma. THAT is all there is. Jai Ma! Ananthasree Ammachi, Devi's Daughter <devi.daughter wrote: > > beautiful sanatani! > > sanatani urban wrote: > > > > > > It has been my experience that although being near Amma and serving > > Her is precious and wonderful, it is the seva we do when we see Her in > > the eyes of a drunk person laying on the street, when we realize we > > are holding Her hand when we are with someone who is dying, Hearing > > Her voice when we listen to the problems of the elderly, and seeing > > Her as we take on the pain and problems of the people around us while > > we channel Her Love and Light to them, is where seva becomes even more > > precious to the Guru. All seva is an opportunity to open our hearts, > > be an ever more clear and perfect instrument of Her Love and Peace, > > and release the bondage of the ego into selflessness and universal > > motherhood. to me, there is no longer a difference between any seva > > which is labled this or labled that. She take us beyond all labels and > > distinctions, into unity and pure love. > > > > In Her Love and Light, > > Sanatani > > > > -- > Be Love, > Egyirba > > > > -=-=- > ... Laughing at our mistakes can lengthen our own life. Laughing at > someone else's can shorten it.~Cullen Hightower > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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