Q&A with Swami Satyananda Saraswati: On Life In An Ashram

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What does the word "ashram" mean? What is it's root?

 

Here's some wisdom from Swami on life in an ashram:

 

Q&A with Swami Satyananda Saraswati: On Life In An Ashram

 

 

1. When there is a group of serious seekers, searching for union

with the

universe or God, what principles need to be honored to create harmony and mutual

respect?

 

The question is extremely subjective, and there is no one answer that will fit

all the

time in all circumstances. However, we have all observed that there are four

main

elements in each of our disciplines: attention, knowledge, devotion, and

service;

dhyan, jnan, bhakti, and karma. These four are present in everyone's discipline,

no

matter what path we choose to practice. But the emphasis is constantly shifting

for us

all. At one time we are more a student, another time we are called upon to be a

teacher; sometimes we are engaged in deep meditation, while other times we are

called to serve.

 

When we realize that our balance is always changing, and the needs of our

associates and community is always changing, then we find that in acknowledging

the

elasticity of our paths, we create greater harmony and mutual respect. In giving

up

our dogmatic nature, we build bridges of harmony which demonstrate respect.

 

2. What is the proper attitude for living in an ashram, what is needed in

terms of

behavior and attitude to gain the most from contact with a Saint?

 

Sincerity and humility. A guru is an example that we wish to follow. In order

to

become a disciple, it is required to have a sincere desire to follow the example

of the

guru. Disciples are people who make changes in their lives. They do what the

guru

does, chant the way she chants, worship the way she worships, cook and clean as

per

the example provided.

 

If we do not have the humility to admit that my former way of life was not

satisfying,

then we cannot seek to make changes with sincerity. It is not important to find

the

best guru. What is important is to become the best disciple. Remember, it is not

about performing spiritual practices. The goal is to lead a spiritual life.

Practices are

only important in so far as they help us to remember that the objective is to

lead a

spiritual life! Spirituality means giving more than we take.

 

3. What do the days look like in an ashram, what are the regular daily

activities at

Devi Mandir?

 

Shree Maa says that God means "Go on Duty". God gave us twenty four hours in a

day so that we can work eight hours a day for God, eight hours a day for our

families

and communities, and eight hours a day for ourselves. We believe that the person

who accomplishes 24 hours of work in a 24 hour period stands still. In order to

gain a

benefit, one must accomplish 25 hours or work in a 24 hour period. Then there is

gain.

 

Sadhu means efficient. Sadhus become so efficient at everything they do, that

they

don't waste time or resources. Then they don't require to repeat actions that

are

incomplete. They get it done right the first time.

 

Our days begin with worship and they end with worship. Throughout the day there

are structured breaks for worship. The length of the worship varies according to

the

activities that we are performing, and those activities vary according to the

needs of

our community. But the most important remembrance of living in an ashram is our

sense of purpose: to keep God in the center of our lives, to serve God, to serve

the

gurus, to serve each other.

 

4. You are responsible for maintaining this structure called an ashram, how

does

that support and how does it conflict with your personal sadhana? What

sacrifices are

needed to be a "leader" or "servant" of the aspirants living in the ashram

community?

 

There is always a balance between too much and too little to be maintained,

and I

consider it my privilege to have an ashram community to assist me in making

those

decisions. Like every family, we have a limited amount of resources, and we are

constantly working to adjust the allocation of those resources so we can

accomplish

the goals of our community in the most efficient manner.

 

Therefore, the ashram community does not conflict with my personal sadhana. It

is

one of the expressions of my sadhana. It is a result of my sadhana. Love is such

an

experience -- you have to give it away in order to make it grow.

 

There are three things that are necessary to leadership: Pure love,

Inspiration, and

Appreciation. Pure love means I accept you the way you are. Inspiration

motivates you

to make changes. Appreciation expresses gratitude for every effort. These three

are

the necessary ingredients for inspiring participation. I believe that is the

only way we

can serve.

 

5. What is the proper attitude around money? I never see "fundraisers" for

Devi

Mandir, yet things get done -- can you talk a little about "Dakshina" and how it

works

in India and here in America?

 

Money is a form of energy that we are all accustomed to using. But we all know

that

it is neither the most important energy nor the most efficient energy. It is

only one

form of energy. When we fall in love, money is relatively unimportant. In fact,

when

we fall in love, food and sleep also become relatively unimportant.

 

Now we all know how little effort is required to fall in love. It just happens

of its own

accord. What is difficult is how to stay in love? That requires effort,

understanding,

communication, surrender.

 

Dakshina means that which is given without effort, because of our

understanding, in

order to communicate the intensity of our surrender, a token of our respect

which

demonstrates the sincerity of our love, and how much we appreciate what your

being

means to me. Dakshina is not an agreed upon business transaction. It is not a

fee

levied for the performance of a religious ritual, nor a tax collected by a guru

or

ashram in exchange for teachings or initiations or participation in religious

functions.

 

Dakshina is offered as a privilege to support what I believe in, to honor the

conveyor

of knowledge, in all humility to share respect, and to enable the recipient to

do more

in order to make this world a better place.

 

In the Devi Mandir, Shree Maa and I believe in the functions of nature. We see

that it

is both the duty and the privilege for the flowers to give their nectar to the

bees. It is

both the duty and the privilege for the bees to take the nectar from the

flowers.

Neither need to advertise or to fundraise. If we will only exude our wonderful

fragrances, the bees will come of their own accord. We are only responsible for

fun

raising.

 

6. How does an ashram relate to the larger community? Is there any

responsibility to

have contact with the larger community, or is self sufficiency a goal? Does an

ashram

have a responsibility to perform Seva in the larger community?

 

As many as there are seekers, so many are the paths. Each individual and each

ashram has its own goals and relationships with the larger community. Some

ashrams

have one or two devotees, others have thousands. This is by no means a measure

of

the success of the ashrams. It is rather an expression of the intentions of the

participants. Some sadhus want to fund raise and engage in social service

projects,

while others want to stay home and perform sadhana.

 

In either case there will come a time when we want to give back to our

communities.

Even Hereclitus, after years of wandering on the mountain tops naked, left a

copy of

his book in the temple of Apollo. No one stays on the top of the mountain.

Either they

do not find what they are looking for and require to return to society for the

needs of

the body, or they do find what they are looking for and feel they must share it.

 

Jai Maa

[Guest guest]

Dear Swamiji,

 

Must a person be single to live at Devi Mandir? May married couples live

there? Families?

 

Best wishes and warmest regards,

Karen

 

> [Original Message]

> devnath9 <devnath

> <>

> 10/25/2003 3:37:21 PM

> Q&A with Swami Satyananda Saraswati: On Life In An

Ashram

>

> Message-ID: <bnemfs+smpt (AT) eGroups (DOT) com>

> User-Agent: eGroups-EW/0.82

> MIME-Version: 1.0

> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

> Content-Length: 7825

> X-Mailer: Message Poster

> X-Originating-IP: 66.82.48.1

> X--GPoster: eGYvFRVoLG7v8WJP

>

> What does the word "ashram" mean? What is it's root?

>

> Here's some wisdom from Swami on life in an ashram:

>

> Q&A with Swami Satyananda Saraswati: On Life In An Ashram

>

>

> 1. When there is a group of serious seekers, searching

for union with the

> universe or God, what principles need to be honored to create harmony and

mutual

> respect?

>

> The question is extremely subjective, and there is no one answer that

will fit all the

> time in all circumstances. However, we have all observed that there are

four main

> elements in each of our disciplines: attention, knowledge, devotion, and

service;

> dhyan, jnan, bhakti, and karma. These four are present in everyone's

discipline, no

> matter what path we choose to practice. But the emphasis is constantly

shifting for us

> all. At one time we are more a student, another time we are called upon

to be a

> teacher; sometimes we are engaged in deep meditation, while other times

we are

> called to serve.

>

> When we realize that our balance is always changing, and the needs of

our

> associates and community is always changing, then we find that in

acknowledging the

> elasticity of our paths, we create greater harmony and mutual respect. In

giving up

> our dogmatic nature, we build bridges of harmony which demonstrate

respect.

>

> 2. What is the proper attitude for living in an ashram, what is needed

in terms of

> behavior and attitude to gain the most from contact with a Saint?

>

> Sincerity and humility. A guru is an example that we wish to follow. In

order to

> become a disciple, it is required to have a sincere desire to follow the

example of the

> guru. Disciples are people who make changes in their lives. They do what

the guru

> does, chant the way she chants, worship the way she worships, cook and

clean as per

> the example provided.

>

> If we do not have the humility to admit that my former way of life was

not satisfying,

> then we cannot seek to make changes with sincerity. It is not important

to find the

> best guru. What is important is to become the best disciple. Remember, it

is not

> about performing spiritual practices. The goal is to lead a spiritual

life. Practices are

> only important in so far as they help us to remember that the objective

is to lead a

> spiritual life! Spirituality means giving more than we take.

>

> 3. What do the days look like in an ashram, what are the regular daily

activities at

> Devi Mandir?

>

> Shree Maa says that God means "Go on Duty". God gave us twenty four

hours in a

> day so that we can work eight hours a day for God, eight hours a day for

our families

> and communities, and eight hours a day for ourselves. We believe that the

person

> who accomplishes 24 hours of work in a 24 hour period stands still. In

order to gain a

> benefit, one must accomplish 25 hours or work in a 24 hour period. Then

there is

> gain.

>

> Sadhu means efficient. Sadhus become so efficient at everything they do,

that they

> don't waste time or resources. Then they don't require to repeat actions

that are

> incomplete. They get it done right the first time.

>

> Our days begin with worship and they end with worship. Throughout the

day there

> are structured breaks for worship. The length of the worship varies

according to the

> activities that we are performing, and those activities vary according to

the needs of

> our community. But the most important remembrance of living in an ashram

is our

> sense of purpose: to keep God in the center of our lives, to serve God,

to serve the

> gurus, to serve each other.

>

> 4. You are responsible for maintaining this structure called an ashram,

how does

> that support and how does it conflict with your personal sadhana? What

sacrifices are

> needed to be a "leader" or "servant" of the aspirants living in the

ashram community?

>

> There is always a balance between too much and too little to be

maintained, and I

> consider it my privilege to have an ashram community to assist me in

making those

> decisions. Like every family, we have a limited amount of resources, and

we are

> constantly working to adjust the allocation of those resources so we can

accomplish

> the goals of our community in the most efficient manner.

>

> Therefore, the ashram community does not conflict with my personal

sadhana. It is

> one of the expressions of my sadhana. It is a result of my sadhana. Love

is such an

> experience -- you have to give it away in order to make it grow.

>

> There are three things that are necessary to leadership: Pure love,

Inspiration, and

> Appreciation. Pure love means I accept you the way you are. Inspiration

motivates you

> to make changes. Appreciation expresses gratitude for every effort. These

three are

> the necessary ingredients for inspiring participation. I believe that is

the only way we

> can serve.

>

> 5. What is the proper attitude around money? I never see "fundraisers"

for Devi

> Mandir, yet things get done -- can you talk a little about "Dakshina" and

how it works

> in India and here in America?

>

> Money is a form of energy that we are all accustomed to using. But we

all know that

> it is neither the most important energy nor the most efficient energy. It

is only one

> form of energy. When we fall in love, money is relatively unimportant. In

fact, when

> we fall in love, food and sleep also become relatively unimportant.

>

> Now we all know how little effort is required to fall in love. It just

happens of its own

> accord. What is difficult is how to stay in love? That requires effort,

understanding,

> communication, surrender.

>

> Dakshina means that which is given without effort, because of our

understanding, in

> order to communicate the intensity of our surrender, a token of our

respect which

> demonstrates the sincerity of our love, and how much we appreciate what

your being

> means to me. Dakshina is not an agreed upon business transaction. It is

not a fee

> levied for the performance of a religious ritual, nor a tax collected by

a guru or

> ashram in exchange for teachings or initiations or participation in

religious functions.

>

> Dakshina is offered as a privilege to support what I believe in, to

honor the conveyor

> of knowledge, in all humility to share respect, and to enable the

recipient to do more

> in order to make this world a better place.

>

> In the Devi Mandir, Shree Maa and I believe in the functions of nature.

We see that it

> is both the duty and the privilege for the flowers to give their nectar

to the bees. It is

> both the duty and the privilege for the bees to take the nectar from the

flowers.

> Neither need to advertise or to fundraise. If we will only exude our

wonderful

> fragrances, the bees will come of their own accord. We are only

responsible for fun

> raising.

>

> 6. How does an ashram relate to the larger community? Is there any

responsibility to

> have contact with the larger community, or is self sufficiency a goal?

Does an ashram

> have a responsibility to perform Seva in the larger community?

>

> As many as there are seekers, so many are the paths. Each individual

and each

> ashram has its own goals and relationships with the larger community.

Some ashrams

> have one or two devotees, others have thousands. This is by no means a

measure of

> the success of the ashrams. It is rather an expression of the intentions

of the

> participants. Some sadhus want to fund raise and engage in social service

projects,

> while others want to stay home and perform sadhana.

>

> In either case there will come a time when we want to give back to our

communities.

> Even Hereclitus, after years of wandering on the mountain tops naked,

left a copy of

> his book in the temple of Apollo. No one stays on the top of the

mountain. Either they

> do not find what they are looking for and require to return to society

for the needs of

> the body, or they do find what they are looking for and feel they must

share it.

>

> Jai Maa

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Your use of is subject to

>