Homework Assignment Check

Restoring beauty

"Good." "Yes it is possible."  At least useful homework assignments are downloading with the rest of the program.  I probably should have asked if it was possible in this lifetime, but no need to be greedy at this point.

Nice greens and something to eat while waiting

Gave my room a bucket bath.  It is probably cleaner than when I moved in a year and a half ago.

Recycling

Spotted "the dog" on my walk home from town.  I thought of his will to live in spite of his life condition.  Even if it is from the point of the animal soul, it is still beautiful.  Sensing a step in my homework with this approach.  Just like my daily search for photographic harmony, looking for it in all aspects of living.

Resting in a shady place

I am finding it in myself as well, I realized today.  Gurudev keeps encouraging the don't copy and follow your own path.  I haven't really been a person to copy out of neediness, but I have taken comments and criticism as points of learning and shaping the path.  Living in California there is a lot of pressure on your outward appearance.  Being a woman without classic beauty is not always a pleasant path to travel.  Being a white woman in India is not always a pleasant path to travel either, so there has been a chance to examine what is my design as a woman and not the culture's design, man's design, or anyone else's design.  Funny to be bald, on the slim side for American standards (lost 10 lbs since I have been here), casual attire, no jewelry, no make-up, and more content than ever.  Maintaining a healthy vessel while diving into the interior.  Adding the outer decorations will be easy in comparison to this inward process.

It is in a pile for pickup.

Thank You Bowl of Saki

The Bowl of Saki--thank you for the wonderful, daily teachings!

In man's search for truth, the first lesson and the last is love. There must be no separation, no "I am" and "thou art not". Until man has arrived at that selfless consciousness, he cannot know life and truth.                         Bowl of Saki, November 3, by Hazrat Inayat Khan

Commentary by Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan: When we look at this subject from a mystic's point of view, we see that love has two aspects. Love in itself, and the shadow of love fallen on the earth. The former is heavenly the latter is earthly. The former develops self-abnegation in a person; the latter makes him more selfish than he was before. Virtues such as tolerance, mercy, forgiveness and compassion rise of themselves in the heart which is awakened to love. The infirmities such as jealousy, hatred and all manner of prejudice begin to spring up when the shadow of love has fallen on the heart of the mortal. The former love raises man to immortality, the latter turns the immortal soul into a mortal being. A poet has said that the first step in love teaches selflessness, if it is not experienced then one has taken a step in the wrong direction, although one calls it love. For man has learned from the moment he was born on earth the words 'I am'. It is love alone that teaches him to say, 'Thou art, not I'. For no soul can love and yet affirm its own existence.    from  http://wahiduddin.net/mv2/XI/XI_III_11.htm What the Sufi calls riyazat, a process of achievement, is nothing else than digging constantly in that holy land which is the heart of man. Surely in the depth man will find the water of life. However, digging is not enough. Love and devotion, no doubt, help to bring out frequent merits hidden in the soul, as sincerity, thankfulness, gentleness and forgiving qualities, all things which produce an harmonious atmosphere, and all things which bring men in tune with life, the saintly life and the outer life. All those merits come, no doubt, by kindling the fire of love in the heart. But it is possible that in this process of digging one may only reach mud and lose patience. So dismay, discontentment may follow and man may withdraw himself from further pursuit. It is patient pursuit which will bring the water from the depth of the ground; for until one reaches the water of life, one meets with mud in digging. It is not love, but the pretense of love, that imposes the claim of the self. The first and last lesson in love is, 'I am not -- Thou art' and unless man is moved to that selflessness he does not know justice, right or truth; his self stands above or between him and God.    from  http://wahiduddin.net/mv2/VIII/VIII_2_7.htm

Sue's Personal Homework Assignment

Can I look at these three photos and see the beauty in all of them with my heart?  I may be trying to run before I can walk, but the dog photo sends me over the edge.  It was not pleasant experiencing the Indian men laughing at the dog as it tried to drink out of a puddle.  Winter is coming and the dog has no hair besides having its' legs tangled-up.  I am so grateful to know Timmie Kumar who heads Help In Suffering.   She has notified the team.  I took action, but not without reaction yet.

So much capacity to grow.  Gurudev and I talked about Christ and his forgiveness in spite of being nailed to a cross.  He shared a few stories about tortured Saints and their capacities for love.  I cannot even make it down the road to they gym, so ginormous (gigantic + enormous) amounts of homework?

Thank you Divine for at least letting me in the incubator.  This is a very small assignment compared to the insanity program that covers the planet, so maybe I am walking before I run--and I know there are no answers.

Postings

When I see a posted sign do I tend to ignore it?  Not usually.  If I don't see it, I might accidentally ignore it, but I usually figure it is posted for a reason.  This is the second round of sign posting, so it must be legitimate and not just a temporary request?  I am human and when I carry a cell phone almost 24-7 at home, I might forget to turn it to silent or vibrate when I should, (rare, but it has happened on occasion.)  

I have been mystified by the lack of following the postings, so I asked a few people.  All justifiable answers in the mind's of the people, but when I ask about the reality of being in a holy place and at the feet of a holy man--is there anything more important in life than a living embodiment of the Divine?  The answer has been no when put in that perspective.  In the West, we are so tied to our phones that I love a good reason to take the leash off and leave it in the car.  It feels like a moment of liberation and that I don't have to divide my attention between the small, mechanical device and what is unfolding in the moment.

No problem for me to just sink in when the phones are going off or people are talking, it was just another point of curiosity.  People drive both directions on the road, don't stop at crossings, and more, so I was wondering if no rules apply in India. Fun!

Feet And Shoes

Touching the guru's feet has still not been sitting well with me.  When I have respect and gratitude for something profound and remarkable, I tend to stand back, admire, feel gratitude, and appreciate the beauty.  I was told to try and touch "the guru's feet" when possible, but it has been a labor of love and not feeling in alignment with my nature.  When I pranam, I feel like I need a shovel, so I can dig a hole and go deeper, but the feet have been a mystery.  Gurudev is so patient to answer all these small and tedious questions.  He okayed me to go with my heart and said, "No, it won't diminish my connection to the Divine or him if I don't make physical contact.  Best to go with my path and my heart."

I still couldn't figure out how the guru's shoes are more important than the guru.  What a beautiful teaching followed that question.  They are under the guru constantly in service to the support of the guru and thus the humility of their job.  Touching the shoes will become a periodic aim.  I have been drawn to touch the one's near Pahari Baba's picture when I say good night and thank you to the Divine Genealogy.

Nothing To Reconcile

Observing Gurudev walking into the ashram vs. seeing him already in the ashram says it all--nothing to reconcile.  The Divine in a body making an entrance--the light is unmistakable.

He speaks of his rigidity, but to me it is his authenticity/Absolute Truth--hearing about his beliefs around one's relationship to the Divine.

Reconciliation

Last night, I reminded the Committee not to forget about the monkey stick.  How to reconcile the inner and outer world?  This was the root of the pain which surfaced again thanks to the animal world. While diving into the small Pahari Baba Room to ask the Divine Genealogy for a path--not an answer--just a path, the question and path arose as I "let go" once again.  In my head I can understand the inner and outer world now, but how to reconcile both with my heart wide open? Take action without reaction.  "Difficult, but yes it is the way."

The lesson isn't in living; the lesson is living.  Over and over the lessons come from living and thank you India for providing such extremes.

Well wishes to the victims of Hurricane Sandy/Franken-storm and to their safe expedient recovery.

Please, please, please (political moment) Vote Obama!