Chain Reaction

How can the Odyssey of others inspire our own present-day journey?

Last week, the MC used a really neat way to tie together the whole sabha. From beginning to end, she related her experience of reading Seductive Poison, a memoir of a once-Jonestown devotee who was misled by her leader, to the sabha topics of Swami’s compassion and the Law of Karma.

I finally dusted the cover of my unread (read: untouched) copy of the Odyssey where Odysseus or Ulysses (from Greek mythology) takes decades to finally return home. It was his journey that even came to coin the concept of “odyssey” in modern English. In our own culture, the Pandavas as well as Shri Rama and Sitaji endured trials and tribulations during their own time in exile. Each protagonist has exhibted perseverance and focus, adapting to their own chain reactions and karmas through the cosmos, in search of truth and righteous living.

It follows, then, that in literature and in life the Journey is paramount for growth.

The prominent philosopher Joseph Campbell regards each Hero’s Journey as “the process that underlies all growth, learning, and self discovery”. Where would Dorothy be without the Wizard of Oz, and where would Frodo be without his journey to Mordor?

Every few minutes, my gaze wanders to the Nilkanth Varni murti on my desk. Maharaj Himself set out on the pious path not so much to find the Truth, rather in order to allow the seekers find Him and attain His dham

In digesting the past few weeks’ presentations and pretty hefty topics about the the domino effect of Cosmic Evolution and Law of Karma as well as in understanding Upasana in an everyday light, I, at least, know that this moment is not a mere coincidence. After reading about the mythological and real journeys of other souls, I am not entirely sure what my own atma has done to arrive here. But I also know that human perception is highly limited, and that what matters at this moment is that my has brought me here today - face to face with clarity about my true identity and the Ekantik Satpurush himself. What I choose to do today and tomorrow is what matters.

How do you relate with the idea of the Cosmic “Odyssey” of the atma? Does reading or learning about the journey of a ficticious or real protagonist inspire you in your daily satsang?

A Great Sabha has nothing to do with Sabha: Why Sabha is a lot like a Table Top (and other fun analogies and scenarios!)

I know. You are really used to outrageous statements to get you and your mandal to start thinking, doing, and living.

But really. I mean it. A Great Sabha has nothing to do with Sabha. Yep. We can go ahead and plan all of the sabhas we want, set up our calendars, and send out the syllabi - but really, they do not guarantee a great sabha.

Come on, think about it. We might have an amazing presenter or Sadguru Sant presenting this week, but what happens if no one shows up! We might have a full house of extremely pumped up youth on the tail end of a Mandal Outing, but the presenter conveniently forgot her materials at home or just plain did prepare and is now reading from the printout and trying her best to ad-lib.

Sound familiar?

So what does make a Great, Remarkable, Excellent, Amazing, Thought-Provoking, Can't-Wait-To-Get-Back-Next-Week SABHA?

Showing Up?

Being Prepared?

Being really, really Well Prepared?

Following up?

Reporting on time?

Knowing our material?

Following our seva consistently?

Keeping Maharaj & Swami front and center?

Well, it is all of these things above and more! It is also all of the points we have been discussing on this blog, at our regular meetings, at shibirs, at trainings, etc.

Let's think of it in another related way. Have you tried Pilates? Yoga? Ever worked out in your life? Well, one of the first things we will likely learn is about Core Conditioning. About building Core Strength before we try to run a marathon or win the game. Everything we do to ensure a Successful Sabha helps us build our core strength in Satsang.

Pilates has a basic position called Table Top, where I stand on all fours, but if my core is not in good shape, then even that basic position becomes a challenge! This is not unlike a table itself.

The table you are sitting at, eating at, or chilling at - you only really look at the surface itself. That's sabha. Sabha is the Table Top. Everything else that gives it support are the foundation. Generally the foundation is made up of 4 legs, but if you are into IKEA's desk systems, you'll know that legs can be made up of trestles, drawers, etc.

A Table is only as strong as its Foundation. And in the fast-paced, youthful life of ours full of adventure, it would be great to have a strong, well-supported table that we and our entire mandal can depend on.

So every week when we get together, we see the results of how much we worked out our core. Did we make the phone calls to the presenter? D id we follow up to make sure we have our AV equipment on time? Did we call kishoris to ensure they will be there on time? Are we doing our part to please Swamishri and, in the process, achieve great sabha?

Can we think of other legs or foundations that can help achieve Great Sabhas?

10 Second President

[Our guest blogger gives us an interesting analogy on Lakh Choraasi (840,000 births we go through before getting a human form). This is a first in a series of post the will explore this topic]

Congratulations, you are now President of the United States of America.

10 seconds later -

OK you are done, you are back to being you.

What did you accomplish? What did you achieve? What were your high points? What were your low points? How does it feel?

That's it. That's what human life is like. Say we were to live 100 years (let's take an optimistic view), we would get to be President for approximately 10 seconds. That is the equivalent of having human form - after 8.4 million births. This is Samsara - a reality that is equally expounded throughout Hindu Sanatan Dharma and beyond).

And today, we not only have we overcome our arduous odyssey and washed ashore to this unique birth not only as a human being but also as a bhakta of our True Guru who is here to guide us in our, relatively, short time here! Let's make the most of our last little bit.