Guest guest Posted October 13, 2008 Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 Dear marci ~ all through reading your post, my heart expanded, and again tears of joy well up inside of me. I too have learned and gathered strength from Native American spirituality. I too think these spirituality belief systems, whatever they may be, are all interconnected and, at essence, reveal Truth. If you are interested in finding more about Durga, let me know. How wonderful that you were personally touched by Durga at the temple. She is incredible in how She will fight for us with all Her strength to take away whatever darkness exists. And like you suggest, it's good to center ourselves in the eye of the storm, however we can do that, because these external cycles of culture and finance, come and go. If we are centered in Witness or other peaceful states of being, we can glean what may be good from the cycle and let the rest fall away. In a sense, you gave me a thought that this is like the 4 seasons ... each has it's challenge; each has it's gift, and these have been honored throughout time through ritual, through transformation, even through what have become more " play " based practices, like those at Halloween and Christmas. Before the 9 day celebration of Navaratri, the Ancestors are worshiped because, whether benign or toxic, they brought us forth so we could learn certain lessons. In my case, many have been very difficult, and I have been dragged kicking and screaming into facing them. On the other hand, many have been joyful discoveries of Self and All. So, in September when I take out my " Fall " hearts (fabric quilted hearts I made many years ago) and put my lovely milkweed pods that are still on the stalk, I am honoring the harvest, the love that has brought it forth, and even the transformation of death so new growth can occur. And then in October, I hang up my pumpkin lights. : ) And I thank you so very much for sharing your experience in Mexico, in seeing the woman having just given birth. What an image that made ... a primordial image of Mother holding Child up to the Universe with Love and to say hello world, here I am. Aum Amrteswaryai Namaha ~ Linda marci wrote: Also love hearing the stories you have shared about Durga.. . .I went to a Hindu Temple about ten years ago and sat down in front of Durga and the heart was captivated by something forgotten but so deeply remembered. . .then was lead to Amma. . .and found home. . . There is still so much i have to learn about the mythologies of the Goddess and you write with such clarity. . . Thank you. . . Concerning the financial crisis for me it has felt like starting with Ike we entered a big spin and even though Ike is long gone at one level. . .our nation has continued to spin with the force of Ike concerning the political and the economic. . .along with astrological lineups. . .and my own bad tendencies of allowing the mind to crank up. . . so have used the imagery of just trying to reside at the eye of the storm. .. ..through meditation. . .stillness. . .silence. . .and witnessing. . .but recently it has been more of a struggle and is not coming as easy. . . Also like Linda. . .Amma's life is the message that speaks the strongest for overcoming any crisis for me . . .in Swami Ramakrishnananda Puri's book he quotes a line from Dhammapada. . . " follow them the shining ones. . .The wise .. . .the awakened. . .the loving. . .For they know how to work and forbear. .. Follow them. . As the moon follows the path of the stars. . . " Then remembering Amma's words about the nature of reality and what is real and how the material is just something that will fall away anyway. . . remembering there are no luggage rack on the hearse. . .but the love and good is what will go with us no matter the outward. . . Also in times when things look difficult and challenging remember a couple of strong women that live in my consciousness. . .one i never meet but she resides within through the power of her life. . . This is a story in my family that has been passed down; My Great Grandfather was a Indian U.S.in Indian Territory and when he was 10 years old an Apache woman came to his home in order to bring information to warn the tribal families that an impending raid was coming forth. . .this woman had traveled by dark of night for a couple of hundred miles. . after she fringed death before being scalped. . .then pulled herself together and traveled at night to bring warning that could save Her people. . . While in college volunteered at a remote rural orphanage in Mexico for the summers. . .there was great poverty. . .no running water. . . no electricity. .. .but the kids did have food and shelter. . .each afternoon would take the kids to the canal to play in the water and bathe. . .there was a lone woman that lived by the canal and she lived in a lean-to consisting of rails and cardboard tacked to the south and east walls. . .she was large pregnant. . ..one morning at sunrise went for daily mediation to the canal. . .and as i walked by the woman's home. . .saw that She had just bent up and was lifting her second baby from between her legs and was holding it to her heart. . .i looked at the woman's face and was spell bound by Her beauty and strength. . .i was immobilized by AWE and knew i was in the presence of the sacred. . . such strength. . such divinity. . . So when i become fearful or need strength i gather these strong women around. . .Amma. . .Apache woman. . .and woman from Mexico. . .and for me they are the same woman. . .and they are all Amma. . .and know that She is within all of Her children male and female. . .rich and poor. . .and when we need Her. .. .She will be there. . .Jai Ma **************New MapQuest Local shows what's happening at your destination. Dining, Movies, Events, News & more. Try it out (http://local.mapquest.com/?ncid=emlcntnew00000002) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 13, 2008 Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 Namaste dear Linda. . .thanks for your thoughtful words and kindness. . . cool about the quilt you made yourself. . .when i was a small child use to go the Quilting Bees. . .the women were elderly. . .i would sit real still and they would forget about me. . .then they would talk in the way of Old Women until they would realize little ears was taking it all in. .. .lots of stories. . and love. . .goes into the making of quilts. . . love hearing your Durga stories. . . am all ears for any of the sacred stories and knowledge about the Hindu God/dess so would love whatever you can share. . .just this weekend tried to check with Netflix concerning movies from India that would be educational concerning epic historical movies of India or movies that might be about the stories of the Hindu God or Goddess. . .If anyone have any suggestions would love to hear of them. . .recently watched Jodhaa Akbar about 16th century India and was WOWed. . .waiting to receive Naked in Ashes about the Holy Sadhus in India a documentry. . . Like what you said about the holding the child up to the sun. . .there is an ongoing Native ritual of naming the baby. . .and holding the baby up to the Sun for blessing with its new name. . .the lone woman from Mexico had twins to hold up for blessing. . .i so hope her life is good and those babies have grown up blessed with their Mother's strength. . ..Jai Ma Aum Amriteswaryai Namaha marci Aum Amriteswaryai Namaha marci Ammachi , nierika wrote: > > Dear marci ~ all through reading your post, my heart expanded, and again > tears of joy well up inside of me. > I too have learned and gathered strength from Native American spirituality. > I too think these spirituality belief systems, whatever they may be, are all > interconnected and, at essence, reveal Truth. If you are interested in finding > more about Durga, let me know. How wonderful that you were personally > touched by Durga at the temple. She is incredible in how She will fight for us with > all Her strength to take away whatever darkness exists. > > And like you suggest, it's good to center ourselves in the eye of the storm, > however we can do that, because these external cycles of culture and > finance, come and go. If we are centered in Witness or other peaceful states of > being, we can glean what may be good from the cycle and let the rest fall away. > In a sense, you gave me a thought that this is like the 4 seasons ... each has > it's challenge; each has it's gift, and these have been honored throughout > time through ritual, through transformation, even through what have become more > " play " based practices, like those at Halloween and Christmas. Before the 9 > day celebration of Navaratri, the Ancestors are worshiped because, whether > benign or toxic, they brought us forth so we could learn certain lessons. In my > case, many have been very difficult, and I have been dragged kicking and > screaming into facing them. On the other hand, many have been joyful discoveries > of Self and All. > > So, in September when I take out my " Fall " hearts (fabric quilted hearts I > made many years ago) and put my lovely milkweed pods that are still on the > stalk, I am honoring the harvest, the love that has brought it forth, and even > the transformation of death so new growth can occur. And then in October, I > hang up my pumpkin lights. : ) > > And I thank you so very much for sharing your experience in Mexico, in > seeing the woman having just given birth. What an image that made ... a primordial > image of Mother holding Child up to the Universe with Love and to say hello > world, here I am. Aum Amrteswaryai Namaha > ~ Linda > > marci wrote: > > Also love hearing the stories you have shared about Durga.. . .I went to a > Hindu Temple about ten years ago and sat down in front of Durga and the > heart > was captivated by something forgotten but so deeply remembered. . ..then was > lead to Amma. . .and found home. . . There is still so much i have to learn > about the mythologies of the Goddess and you write with such clarity. .. . > Thank > you. . . > > Concerning the financial crisis for me it has felt like starting with Ike > we > entered a big spin and even though Ike is long gone at one level. . ..our > nation has continued to spin with the force of Ike concerning the > political and > the economic. . .along with astrological lineups. . .and my own bad > tendencies of allowing the mind to crank up. . . > > so have used the imagery of just trying to reside at the eye of the storm. > . > .through meditation. . .stillness. . .silence. . .and witnessing. . ..but > recently it has been more of a struggle and is not coming as easy. . . > > Also like Linda. . .Amma's life is the message that speaks the strongest > for > overcoming any crisis for me . . .in Swami Ramakrishnananda Puri's book he > quotes a line from Dhammapada. . . " follow them the shining ones. . ..The > wise > . . .the awakened. . .the loving. . .For they know how to work and forbear. > . > Follow them. . As the moon follows the path of the stars. . . " > > Then remembering Amma's words about the nature of reality and what is real > and how the material is just something that will fall away anyway. . . > remembering there are no luggage rack on the hearse. . .but the love and > good is > what will go with us no matter the outward. . . > > Also in times when things look difficult and challenging remember a couple > of strong women that live in my consciousness. . .one i never meet but she > resides within through the power of her life. . . This is a story in my > family > that has been passed down; My Great Grandfather was a Indian U.S.in Indian > Territory and when he was 10 years old an Apache woman came to his home in > order to bring information to warn the tribal families that an impending > raid was > coming forth. . .this woman had traveled by dark of night for a couple of > hundred miles. . after she fringed death before being scalped. . .then > pulled > herself together and traveled at night to bring warning that could save > Her > people. . . > > While in college volunteered at a remote rural orphanage in Mexico for the > summers. . .there was great poverty. . .no running water. . . no > electricity. > . .but the kids did have food and shelter. . .each afternoon would take > the > kids to the canal to play in the water and bathe. . .there was a lone woman > that lived by the canal and she lived in a lean-to consisting of rails and > cardboard tacked to the south and east walls. . .she was large pregnant. . > .one > morning at sunrise went for daily mediation to the canal. . .and as i > walked by the woman's home. . .saw that She had just bent up and was > lifting her > second baby from between her legs and was holding it to her heart. . ..i > looked > at the woman's face and was spell bound by Her beauty and strength. . ..i > was > immobilized by AWE and knew i was in the presence of the sacred. . . such > strength. . such divinity. . . > > So when i become fearful or need strength i gather these strong women > around. . .Amma. . .Apache woman. . .and woman from Mexico. . .and for me > they are > the same woman. . .and they are all Amma. . .and know that She is within all > > of Her children male and female. . .rich and poor. . .and when we need > Her. > . .She will be there. . .Jai Ma > > > > **************New MapQuest Local shows what's happening at your destination. > Dining, Movies, Events, News & more. Try it out > (http://local.mapquest.com/?ncid=emlcntnew00000002) > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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