RE: Santoshi Ma
Excellent points Crystal Cub, I really like what you said there, quite inspiring. I also feel the same way.There are few deities that I try toconnect with or cultivateunconditional love for, but when I do, I feel a great love outward, which comes back inward, so the loveautomatically is omnipotent, because love itself is when thingsbecome complete and whole (the whole idea ofYoga/union).
Crystal Cub, I think that deity worship can lead to Union with God, but it must have love intended, or it is useless. Love is God, and the more complete we feel, the more unified we are with God.
Some tend to think that union happens in a flash. Although that may be the case for some, more likely we gain it with acceleration. Just like waking up out of a dream, at first we are tired, but then once we get going, we are wide awake. Hehehe, I wouldn't get into the whole idea of which is actually reality right now though, lol.
I tend toconnect more with ascended masters, Babaji in specific. I also feel Paramhansa Yogananda's presence with me eternally, especially after reading his book. But I can find joyin cultivating love for the one and all God. Some may find it difficult because they think, "where do I even begin to comprehend a finite andinfinite God." My advice is, dont worry about that, just concentrate on one thing, and"everything" will come to you(lol, oooh, doublespeach). But of course, you can do whichever way works best for you! And thats why I think worship of higher deities is worship of the higher self.
wor·ship [link= https://secure.reference.com/premium/login.html?rd=2&u=http%3A%2F%2Fdictionary.reference.com%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dworship ]
[/link] (P)[link= http://dictionary.reference.com/help/ahd4/pronkey.html ]Pronunciation Key[/link](wûr
sh
p)
n.
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The reverent love and devotion accorded a deity, an idol, or a sacred object.
The ceremonies, prayers, or other religious forms by which this love is expressed.
So then, if love is involved, then the devotee is able to cultivate a love for a higher source, which penetrates the lower self, bringing us to the same vibration as the higher God or self. So maybe when we love a higher god, we arealso loving that higher god within ourselves, and we are loving our higher self.
Its just important to connect the outer to the inner. I could see where some may get flustered when all they do is pray for good things to happen to them, and yet they do not take on self-mastery in the name of sevice.
What do you think?
love and light
Elyezual.
RE: Santoshi Ma
Hi C Cub,
I can only agree - entirely. One can use a named 'deity' as a way of reaching the one God, no doubt about it.
For a Caucasian Westerner who has never lived long-term in India I am very Hindu-oriented, but my main source of contact with Hinduism is through friends who are in the Ramakrishna Order. Now this Order "worships" Ramakrishna, his consort Sarada Devi, and his main pupil, Vivekananda. In their pujas I simply adjust my own mind and heart, so when there is worship to, say, Sarada Devi, in my own heart I am doing it to the entire 'feminine' aspect of the allness of God - not just to the person who lived and passed on. So I think it's all a question of what is going on in your heart / mind.
V xxx
RE: Santoshi Ma
ORIGINAL: venetian
To worship a god, goddess, or any form of deity is to worship something outside of yourself.
Exactly which is why God does not ask for worship. Worship was created by man.
It often, or usually, gets to the stage of being on hands and knees and praying for that outside agency to give you something, even if it's a very good thing. It can be begging. It can be promising to do this or that so long as the outside agency will just, please, listen and respond. Or you will fast in some way, etc., etc. Then various rituals are formed such as the old killing of calves, or Christian and Hindu rituals. (Does an image of Krishna really need to be fed??)
When you surrender all to God, God surrenders all to you.
My understanding is that we are upon Earth to gain self-mastery.
Good to see you writing about it David 😉
Not that the human or mortal ego can ever gain spiritual mastery, but that's the unreal part of ourselves anyway.
That is part of the illusion promoted by the East and this has kept people in separation and duality. EGO is the power of GOD and it is only when this power is misqualified that it becomes 'altered' and as we know by purifying the misqualified energies and bringing them into alignment one can achieve self mastery and use the power of Gods will-to-good for good purpose.
Edit next morning to add: I STILL don't think I've explained my own background on how I've understood worship of 'gods' or 'goddesses' to be something to be transcended. I should stress that you do Love the higher being, you do Love the God in them. But you don't feel that they are something totally above you and that you yourself can never be. If Santoshi Ma exists as an actual personage, therefore, I'd say she wants to be treated like an elder sister, or a spiritual advisor - but only so that the disciple can become the same kind of being she is.
I agree
Love beyond measure
Kim xx
RE: Santoshi Ma
Hi El,
Glad you liked the post. Can I come back to you later, my brains too foggy to think straight at mo . . . been a long day
Hi V - glad I understood your post # 9 okay 😀
love,
Cub