Dedicated to Sri Sarada Devi

A Place where devotees gather to share inspiration.


"Holy Mother" painted by Swami Tadatmananda

Used courtesy of the Vedanta Society of Southern California

http://www.vedanta.org




Dedicated to Sri Sarada Devi
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Re: Re: Trials and tribulations

Thanks Unni for your post.

However sometimes it does get too much to bear and I too ask Mother why?

Once I asked Pravrajika Mokshapranaji, "Mataji, when will Mother stop testing me?" She looked and me and said, "Till this body lasts"

Another day I was at Belur and told Swami Bhuteshanandaji, "Maharaj, when I am here at Belur or the temple, I feel inspired and elevated. However, this mood does not persist when I leave the premises." He smiled at me and responded, "Till you look to the outside it will come and go but when you look within for inspiration, then it will always be with you."

Both these things I have heard are true yet so difficult to translate into daily living. May Mother give me the strength and give all her children devotion and strength to continue to understand that the Mother is within each one of us and is guiding and protecting us ALWAYS.

Re: Trials and tribulations

Hi Paritosh,
I am sure that if we look " inward and upward" , we will get all the strength we need. As said in Dr.Kalam's "wings of fire", an entire nation will benefit from strong inward looking individuals.

Best Wishes,
Unni

Re: Trials and tribulations

Dear Brother Paritosh,
Please once again, remember that we are in this together. Where would we all be without dear Brother Paritosh encouraging us on. Our struggle is very hard, but we must keep up the fight until we receive that peace and promise.

Location: North Carolina

Re: Re: Trials and tribulations

Thank you for your words Unni . Isn’t this what all of spiritual life is? The journey inward and upwards. True we will gain that strength from within but do we have that strength? I personally believe that the strength will come in the form of Divine Grace so I like not to think of myself as being all powerful to gather that strength. But this is not a passive issue or a weakness of the mind. When a true child of the Mother is able to see Her hand in every trial then the child knows that irrespective of the burden or the trial the presence of the Mother is itself the strength the child seeks. Always repeat to yourself, I am a child of the Mother, She is holding me and She is within me, nothing bad will happen to me.

Rosemary, a few random thoughts about “we are in all of this together.” We are just co travelers, we enter the world alone and leave alone, along the way we find co travelers with whom we can share the journey, our burden and receive encouragement. But remember the traveling has to be done alone. I am not underestimating the value of spiritual company or support groups but we have to do it ourselves and only the Mother keeps us company. The journey and conversations we have in the courtyard are so essential yet the true test is when we are away from the courtyard. Do we still carry the ambience of this place? Do we always remember we are in the presence of the Mother? Do our actions make people wonder about our spirit and what has touched us?

Whatever you may think, it is essential that the connection is always primarily with the Mother and knowing that relationship is eternal is strength for the journey inward and upwards.

Re: Trials and tribulations

You are absolutely right, and I thought the same things after I made the post. You put it beautifully.
And yet, something whispers to me... "Yes, perhaps it is our individual work and sadhana, and yes, it is ours alone to relinquish the burden to Mother, but never think of us as separate and alone." It is no accident that we are brought here together.
I am feeling particularyl burdened myself right now. I keep thinking of the analogy that Ramana Maharishi gave. It's like traveling on a train. Why carry the baggage ourselves, when there is a comparment overhead. (Something like this). It is our choice to carry the bag.

Location: North Carolina

Re: Re: Trials and tribulations

Your post makes me smile. You have got the essence of each life here being connected and each being a part of the whole. There is NO doubt that we are here together in the courtyard and this is no accident. It is the Mother’s way of telling each one of us that we are Her children. It is this relationship of being Mother’s children which gives all of us strength.

I think there is something in the air and I am also feeling burdened. I think Vriju’s post also sheds light on the issue. The compartment analogy by Ramana Maharishi is so wonderful and appropriate. But Rosemary it’s the practice that is tough. We can all discuss the philosophies but the reality is in living the life. As Sri Ramakrishna would say, “The almanac gives you an idea of when it will rain but you cannot get a drop of water by squeezing it” (or something similar not sure of exact words)

But why do you fear? You are Mother’s child aren’t you? How can you even doubt that fact? When you accept that you are Mother’s child then She will take care of you, there is no doubt about that. Her caring about you is a characteristic of Hers’ and is not dependent on you or what you are or how spiritual you are or your past or future. As Mother has told us, Her children “Difficulties come, but they do not last for ever. You will see that they pass away like water under a bridge.”

Mother is with and within each one of us.