Dedicated to Sri Sarada Devi

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"Holy Mother" painted by Swami Tadatmananda

Used courtesy of the Vedanta Society of Southern California

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Dedicated to Sri Sarada Devi
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Musings again on Mother's Discrimination (vs self preservation)

Hello again to all,
Once again my mind is diving deep. I remember a previous post about Mother's discrimination where my point was that Mother knew what was in peoples hearts and what their purity and intentions were. Most replies, quite correctly, addressed the very firm point that Mother was unmitigating in her love for all, the wicked and the pure.

However in life, how does one protect oneself? Not everyone has your best interests at heart. If a horse is intent on trampling, do you lay down for his benefit? Mother saw very few men in her married life, and yet her husband was concerned for her when she went to bathe in the Ganges. (I believe that alligators were the concern) Later in life she had very many men as well as women looking after her and protecting her interests and well being.
Ramana Maharshi once was beaten by robbers, and he asked the robber did he feel a need to hit him again. He also had concerns about women walking on the Sacred Mountain alone.
These are simply musings aloud but if anyone has any comments, they would be appreciated. It helps to write this out.

Love to all,
Rosemary

Location: New Bern, NC

Re: Musings again on Mother's Discrimination (vs self preservation)

You ask about protecting oneself. Yes you must. Till you reach the stage where you can see God in everyone you need to keep a distance from people who you know can do you harm. Sri Ramakrishna in the Gospel talks about the “tiger God” who needs to be saluted from a distance. There is a nice parable in the Gospel about it. There have been other occasions where Sri Ramakrishna says that just because you are spiritual doesn’t mean you have to be foolish. I think he talked about this to one of the direct disciples.

The concern about walking alone in the spiritual path is not just for women but men too. It is good reminder that the Supreme Reality is beyond the sex of the aspirant. Who said walking on the path will be easy? It has been described as walking on the razor’s edge. Not easy at all but worth it … or so they say. Have you read the book “Meditation and Spiritual Life” by Swami Yatishwarananda. It’s a tough book but an excellent resource for serious aspirants.

For me personally, I just hold on to Mother and let Her lead me.

Re: Re: Musings again on Mother's Discrimination (vs self preservation)

One is never called to be a doormat. Not even highly evolved souls are doormats. This is a really difficult thing to imagine, as we are only capable of seeing and experiencing this word of manifestation as our individualized selves. But what is important to remember -- and ponder -- is that when a realized person beholds God in the thief or attacker such a person ALSO SEES GOD IN HIS OR HER OWN SELF. There is no "other", no division, no subservience: ONLY GOD, the divine playing with itself.

For the rest of us, we must discriminate between what is good and what is harmful to us, and we must take appropriate action.

What makes our action spiritual? We learn to discriminate and act as spiritual aspirants when we practice making our assessments without being "run by emotions" -- negative emotions in particular. But positive emotions too. The "bleeding heart" who stands idle or is ovecome by pity is just as incompasitated by emotion as the person driven by hate. And, practically speaking, neither extreme produces the best response.

Think of the ideal parent. Love does not render him or her incapable of correcting and guiding the child. Yet this correction, even when seeming firm or even fierce when needed, is never fueled by hate or disgust or loathing.

This ideal of the parent illustrates the qualities which we seek as spiritual aspirants. We seek to act appropriately, without incompacitating love or driving hate.

Holy Mother was once chased by a crazed devotee. When she could not calm him by any other means, she assumed a fierceness and threw him down, got on top of him and beat him. Eventually the fellow regained his senses. Now, we may think that she was dealing with some special instance and powers, but the significance here is that she took the necessary action and did not act from hate, nor think the needed "fierceness" inappropriate.

Two other parables come to mind. Perhaps Vriju, our resident story teller, can provide them. One involves a snake who reminded to hiss. The other reminds the aspirant that God takes many forms, that of a runaway elephant as well as that of the elephant driver shouting at us to move aside

Location: San Diego, California, USA

Re: Musings again on Mother's Discrimination (vs self preservation)

Very, very good thoughts from my brother and sister.
I thank you sincerely.

Location: New Bern, NC