VoyForums Notice -- Quick Contributions:
Donate $10 to the Red Cross: Text the word REDCROSS to 90999
Donate $10 to the Salvation Army: Text the word STORM to 80888
* The charge will appear on your cellphone bill.
Date Posted:13:54:43 09/11/06 Mon Author: a disciple - 28 Aug 2006 Subject: Re: (no subject) In reply to:
ketch - 28 Aug 2006
's message, "Re: (no subject)" on 13:53:30 09/11/06 Mon
DEAR BROTHERS AND SISTERS,
I AM DEEPLY MOVED BY YOUR COMMENTS AND HAVE DECIDED, IF YOU ALLOW, TO POST A FOLLOW UP MESSAGE. MOST OF THE COMMENTS MADE HAVE GREAT MERIT.
1) REGARDING PAYMENT, KETCH IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
2) KETCH IS AGAIN CORRECT REGARDING THE LIFESTYLE OF YOGANANDA'S PARENTS. PLEASE NOTE THEY WERE THE NORM AMONGST LAHIRI BABA'S DISCIPLES.
3) THE POST BY "H" AS TO WHO WILL BE ABLE TO MEET THE QUALIFICATIONS MIRRORS BABAJI'S RESPONSE TO LAHIRI BABA WHEN LAHIRI BEGGED HIM TO ALLOW DIKSHA TO BE GIVEN TO THOSE WHO ASKED. THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT POINT.
4) "H" BRINGS UP ANOTHER CONSIDERATION -- ALL OF THIS IS TO BE PRACTICED IN THE CONTEXT OF FAMILY LIFE. A LIFE LIVED INVOLVING RELATIONS WITH ONE'S WIFE ONCE A YEAR IS CONSIDERED UNBROKEN BRAHMACHARYA. WE TEND TO VIEW "NORMALCY" FROM WHERE WE STAND; IN FACT THE LIFESTYLE TODAY IS FAR FROM NORMAL.
5) I HAVE NOT MENTIONED DIET. STRANGELY, AT LEAST WITH ME, MY BABA DID NOT INSIST ON A VEGETARIAN DIET.
6) WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO THE GURU IS THE SINCERITY, HONESTY, AND LONGING OF THE ASPIRANT. ONE ALSO MUST BE HONEST ABOUT WHAT HE WANTS -- DOES HE REALLY WANT GOD REALIZATION, OR DOES HE WISH TO MEDITATE FOR A LITTLE WHILE EACH DAY AND THEN BE INVOLVED IN THE WORLD OF MAYA. AS I MENTIONED IN THE STORY OF MY MEETING WITH MY GURU, AS SOON AS I TOLD HIM THAT I " DIDN'T QUALIFY" HE BECAME INTERESTED. HE UNDERSTOOD WHAT I MEANT AND TOLD ME THAT MAN HAS THE ABILITY TO CONTROL HIMSELF WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ONE AREA -- THE SEX INSTINCT. THIS COMES THROUGH THE GRACE OF THE GURU AND GOD. SO WHO HAS THE ABILITY TO QUALIFY FOR KRIYA? IN TRUTH NO ONE. THE QUESTION THAT ONE MUST ASK IS IF HE WAS ABLE TO FOLLOW YAMA/NIYAMA WOULD HE REALLY WANT TO -- TO BE HONEST IN THIS AREA INVOLVES A GOOD DEAL OF INTROSPECTION. I DID NOT QUALIFY, NOR HAVE I EVER QUALIFIED. MY GURU BLESSED ME. HE ENABLED ME TO LIVE THIS LIFE. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH "ME"; IN FACT, THE MORE ONE REMOVES THIS "ME" FROM HIS CONSCIOUSNESS THE MORE SPIRITUAL HE BECOMES.
7) OH, YES -- ONE MORE POINT. LAHIRI BABA CERTAINLY DID NOT HIMSELF WRITE THE DIRECTIONS I READ. THEY WERE WRITTEN BY MY GURU. BUT THEY ARE LAHIRI BABA' WORDS.
