Disclaimer: The following report is a fictitious article. All innuendos are unintentional, and the speakers referred to are all fake, I mean 'fake' as the antonym of 'real', not the synonym of 'one who engages in only lip-service'.
All in all, a great experience. Although this could have been conducted in our Mandir itself, it was decided otherwise, as a Mandir conference wouldn't afford the opportunity for spending AED 150/- per person, and the hotel venue would ensure that only the rich can participate.
By the way, I also learned a few important things that I never knew till now:
- I am also God (no, seriously!).
- Love all, Serve All (one can never have any Conference without this very strong statement fired from hollow cylinders).
- God made the universe as the Vedas say so (with audio effects to make it sound even more impressive).
- I should see God in everyone (not joking, although this came from a speaker well-known for doing just the opposite).
But my dear friends, I also have to reveal a shocking bit of news relayed by an old student during our workshop, and this will shake you to your spiritual core, which is the stomach. "There is politics even in OUR organization!!!" I know this comes as a shock to you, but yes, it is true. The whole workshop shook with the concurrent gasps of 40 appalled participants, as this student made this statement.
But if this is true, I do hope it remains at the lower levels of the organization, and not at the level of the eminent preachers, I mean speakers, who are mostly above the spiritual law of practice what we preach. In fact, one of the true-blue preakers (preacher-speaker) averred that: 'I am not nothing, I am everything'. The overpowering conviction of this person's statement, founded on the ubiquitous officer-level air of being indispensable to the movement, made me realize how much emptier I have to be inside before I can reach the level of a spiritual smooth-talker of that preaker's lofty stature.
But this shock (from the old student) apart, it was a great Conference. And there was enough ice-cream for everyone.
What the Youth member said is not shocking. But to know that there is "Politics even in our organisation" is very shocking! I am happy I did not attend the conference- I would not have had the stomach to know this- I would have been a nervous wreck!
ReplyDeleteWe are all His instruments- how could anyone of us be political instruments?? Morever if we are to see God in everyone, How can we see so many Political Gods in one organisation? One Krishna dabbled in lot of politics- To see more than one Krishna in our organisation will be apocalyspse now -Shocking, Very Shocking!
On the other hand I would have had the stomach to have the Ice Cream -Not allowing me to have those deserts is His will!
On your remark on Sense control- I object- "He" says Liberation is detachment from senses and those who do genuine seva do not even seek liberation.
Our brother and sisters do work with such selfless intent that they do not even seek liberation from this worldly existence. If in the process of not seeking liberation, they are thrust unwillingly with mouthwatering objects, like in the "ideal" conference, and get bound to this world -this is another cross they have to bear to do His work!- It is all His will, they and the five "star" feast are just His instruments!
Finally, SABN is speaking in Praveen style, while Praveen is somehow trying to get rid of his self-injuring sarcasm!
ReplyDeleteI have been reading Ramesh Balsekar's work lately - He wrote a book by name "Who cares" referring to an enlightened soul's disinterest even with liberation and thus the statements on liberation
ReplyDeleteSarcasm- although I enjoyed writing as above is not my cup of "GREEN" tea and I am sure not the hallmark of a sincere spiritual seeker. I consider it as "emotional himsa" and many a time it injures the perpetrator more than the prey!
Notwithstanding this I also believe in being courageous because of what Mata Amritanandamayi, or Amma / Ammachi, has said: "Watching an unrighteous act that you know is against dharma, while keeping your mouth shut, is the greatest form of unrighteousness. That is the conduct of a coward, not a person of courage"
You know something sir, I truly appreciate criticism from people I truly appreciate. Specifically, the point that sarcasm is not the hallmark of a sincere spiritual seeker. My question is, how do you move from sarcasm to satire? I want to get to satire at some point!
ReplyDeleteA lazy excuse for me would be to blame Krishna for having introduced the three Gunas into this already complicated universe. My scorpio gunas make me sarcastic! Jokes apart, you can tell me how to change for the better, and I will HONESTLY and SINCERELY attempt it.
On another note, a very close friend of mine suggested that I edit my blog a little bit as it is currently somewhat suggestive. Although any allusions very purely unintentional (but of course!), I am still rewording the stuff a little bit!
This is an totally unbiased comment forthcoming from my soul. If the corporate world wanted to groom & nurture aspiring and potential project managers, they should assign them to a stint at the organization. We have people leaving their slippers outside the hall but none leaving their "emotional & psychological attyachaar" behind.Do always spirituality need to be attached to a give & take quotient or is it our outrageous right to demand our space in the so called "spiritual world"
ReplyDeleteAlthough I quite didn't make out what Anonymous said, I do acknowledge it to be a serious comment. Maybe you could restate for the majority of us. Speaking of majority, my Google Analytics tells me that I have had over 20 visits to my blog over the past 24 hours, which obviously means this post has raised controversy, which obviously means I am waiting to be had, which obviously means they haven't read the disclaimer.
ReplyDeleteOn the serious side, I find the last statement of Anonymous' post very noteworthy, and specifically the last phrase: '...is it our outrageous right to demand our space in the so called "spiritual world"
Actually, it is the right ONLY of those who walk, talk and demonstrate the spiritual flamboyance expected out of the affluent of wealth or intellect to demand anything out of the 'spiritual world', specifically our 'spiritual world', very specifically our 'centre'. I haven't seen otherwise.
As I have said before, no one in history has taken his/her BMW/Merc to the next life. Yet, we believe and act as if the world revolves around our spinal cords, and as if God truly finds us indispensable for His mission.
One of the most profound Truths for me ever has been Geetha Ram's recount of the Avatar's statement that she was 'just a tape-recoder, and that when He would press play, she would play; when He will press stop, she WILL stop'. That is the sum and substance of existence, which we are so comfortable overlooking.
We can talk, bark and write till the cows come home about the way things are run or way the people are here in the Centre but that is the way HE wants it to be here. It is indeed His Will. We can see Hubris, Hypocrisy, Selfishness and all the trappings and attributes of a Corporate enterprise in our spiritual organization where only the Head dominates. There is no place for the Heart and this is definitely not the place for the weak hearted. Again the way things are is His Will- the profound truth.
ReplyDeleteOur job is to accept this reality. We can fight, resist and even attempt to change people and processes in the Centre and scores of devout followers have attempted this in the past but have inevitably given it up at some stage or the other guided no doubt but His wisdom and Grace to realize that their purpose is to reach the destination which is something else-This Centre is only a train station – Good or Bad, its utility is ephemeral but the (hard) lessons to be learnt here are of lifelong relevance and value. The Centre is for us. We are not for the Centre. Those who believe otherwise are in a state of gross delusion mistaking the banana skin to be the banana!
If everything here is His Will, what should we do. I have concluded this. Our mandate is to achieve greatness by learning acquiring and practicing very simple but essentially divine traits- Humility, Forbearance, tolerance and compassion. We should do very regular Bhajans and some Seva if possible this is the only way we will nurture Divine Love which incidentally is the principal objective with which the organization was formed. The real problem is not the Centre or the people running it. It is us- we do not want to be humble, tolerant and compassionate
Humility is, as per founder of Iskon, “freedom from the anxiety of having the satisfaction of being honored by others. Tolerance per him is the “freedom to be fixed on to our goals irrespective of our circumstances”. Office bearers does not walk the talk, conveners are utterly selfish, there is blatant nepotism and favoritism, active workers are treated like slaves all such situations offer rich premiums for the spiritually tolerant. Once greatness is not by the front premium seat that one occupies during conferences or Bhajans or but by the ability to practice humility or tolerance in such provoking and revolting situations.
We are here to learn to tolerate the non sense not change the things that do not make any sense in the first place.
Point well noted. As an office bearer, the only rule that we are subjected to is to obey all rules without question. I have done that. As an observer, I write what I observe. I only did that.
ReplyDeleteHaving said that, as an aspirant, I have to agree to what you say.
The difference between an office bearer and a regular devotee is that the devotee need not keep his conscience at home.
That is why some were instructed by Swamy to become just an ordinary devotee!
ReplyDelete