Mindful Living: Relationships: Romantic Vision vs. Everyday Disappointment (March 2010) In meditation we cut through our fantasies and relate with life as it really is. Then something magical can happen. JUDITH SIMMER-BROWN says it’s exactly the same in our relationships. Bitter, bitter my distress must be, And never, never must my heart give up Its great and overwhelming grief for her, Nor I be granted e'en a passing hope Of joy however sweet, however good. Great joy could acts of prowess bring to me. I'll do none; all I know to want is SHE. —Peire de Rogiers Romantic love, no matter how delicious, is the primary symptom of cultural malaise, the central neurosis of Western civilization. By romantic love I mean that which focuses upon the loved one as an object of passion, devotion, and fixation. Romantic love has become a kind of religion in Western culture. What are the qualities of romantic relationships?
Because romance thrives on separation, it is sexy but never sexually fulfilled. Secondly, romantic love is frightfully impersonal. Traditional vs Neo-Advaita. This section has been added to try to clarify the differing teaching methods of traditional Advaita and so-called 'Neo-Advaita'. Rather than simply express my own views on the subject, a number of essays are presented and an open invitation is extended to anyone else, teacher, writer or seeker, to submit their interpretation.
The only criteria are that any essay should be on topic, reasonably well written (grammatical and logical) and respectful of opposing views. As pointed out by myself and Tony Parsons in two of the following essays, the very meaning of the word Advaita tells us that the purport of any Advaita teaching must be the same. The difference lies in the way that this message is transmitted, i.e. the 'Teaching Method'. Ideally, any essay should clearly define how they understand the terms, since there does not seem to be any concensus view.
To set the scene and provide a provocative provisional definition, the following was suggested recently on the Advaitin List: 1. Heart of Hinduism: Atman. Key Points The real self (atman) is distinct from the temporary body. Material designations do not apply to this eternal soul. The atman is spirit (brahman) – unchanging, eternal and conscious. Consciousness, as spread throughout the body, is a symptom of the soul. In order to understand the Hindu worldview it is essential to grasp this first and foundational concept. Atman refers to the non-material self, which never changes. Ideas of reincarnation are natural extensions of this preliminary concept. A Useful Analogy: The Driver in the Vehicle The body is compared to a vehicle and the soul to the driver A car cannot run without a driver. Scriptural Passages " ... all living beings, are seated as on a machine made of the material energy.
" Bhagavad-gita 18.61 "Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor any of these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be. " Bhagavad-gita 2.12 "That which pervades the entire body is indestructible. " Bhagavad-gita 2.17 Related Stories. Differences between Hinduism and Buddhism.
Buddhist Cults. Buddhist Cults and Cult-like Organisations The following information has been compiled from sources on the web. The content does not contain comment by the Webmaster of this siteand should be considered on its own merit. If any organisation listed can show that it has been misrepresented, we apologise, and, if the content can be proved to be untrue, we will remove it. However, we currently believe the content to have substance. Falun Gong -Falun Da Falun Gong is based upon the belief that the universe consists of magical energies that can be tapped into by certain practices and which can eliminate the need for medicine, bringing one to a state of enlightenment and physical immortality.
Li Hong-Zhi, a former trumpet-player from north-east China, is known as "Living Buddha" to his devotees. He believes aliens walk the Earth and he has reportedly said he can walk through walls and make himself invisible. Li Honqzhi - Founder of Falun Gonq Falun Dafa: "Our Dharma wheel will protect you.. New Age is an evil thing. Dingo, too, is a genuine shaman - the wild dog inhabiting Australia and southern Asia. You, too, can become a Dingo - of course, not by going to a shamanic course but to the woods and without paying for it. Unfortunately, there are many people among us who show their appetite to control and manipulate others. I believe that most people involved with New Age are liars. Albeit some of us perceive the word "esotericism" negatively, anything can be abused - meditation, too, if taken from its place and put where it does not belong.
True esotericism starts with a belief that colors may affect you and ends with an idea that when you sit in the woods and hear gurgling runnels, it helps. A discussion about a bamboo tree in the world where you befriend yourself with Dingos appears more logical than boasting about career achievements. Mother Earth would surely agree with me. Do you know that fortunetellers or magicians deceive you? My point is not to say that "shamanism" is bad. Back. Kali and Eros. Description of Vipassana Meditation. Vipassana, which means to see things as they really are, is one of India's most ancient techniques of meditation. It was rediscovered by Gotama Buddha more than 2500 years ago and was taught by him as a universal remedy for universal ills, i.e., an Art Of Living.
This non-sectarian technique aims for the total eradication of mental impurities and the resultant highest happiness of full liberation. Vipassana is a way of self-transformation through self-observation. It focuses on the deep interconnection between mind and body, which can be experienced directly by disciplined attention to the physical sensations that form the life of the body, and that continuously interconnect and condition the life of the mind. The scientific laws that operate one's thoughts, feelings, judgements and sensations become clear. The Tradition Since the time of Buddha, Vipassana has been handed down, to the present day, by an unbroken chain of teachers. The Courses The course requires hard, serious work.
Ayurveda London - Dr. S. Godagama. Shiva Space Technology. Soham Mantra and Breath. Downstream Dribbles. User Profile: Moog.