Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Getting Along With People

It is easy to get along with those with whom we feel comfortable and somehow connected. It is natural that we may not feel the same level of comfort and connection with some others. Is there some way that spiritual seekers can learn to get along with everyone, connection or no connection, comfort or no comfort? In a spiritual community this question becomes especially important both for collective harmony and individual peace of mind.

Here are a few points that deserve reflection and, if they make sense to us, then remembering these things may help:

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Maya and God

About five years ago--in May 2006, to be more precise--I got an email from a student who wrote: “Everything is Māyā.” Given below is an extract from my response to this student:

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Life Above the Clouds

In June 2006 my flight from Houston was delayed because of rain and stormy conditions in Boston. We finally took off three hours behind schedule. The plane was flying above the clouds: it was a beautiful sight. The world above was full of light, quiet, tranquility. The sky was crystal clear. I could see the moon and a lone star. As Boston neared and the plane began to descend, the passage through the clouds was understandably bumpy. Once we landed, we encountered a world which was dark, rainy, windy, and crowded. The tranquillity that was so palpable when we were above the clouds was lost in a moment. Once we got involved in the world with our feet firmly planted on the earth, the life above the clouds was forgotten.