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Radharani
USA
843 Posts |
 Posted - Dec 14 2011 : 03:40:23 AM
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Since my reality changed in May there has been a huge sense of relief, like a burden has been lifted from my shoulders. I no longer worry about the future and things don't bother me like they used to. This has become particularly apparent now at the "holiday season." Let me be honest, I basically hate Christmas because of the commercialism AND the fact that it's just more stuff to DO - the decorating, the cards, writing the Christmas letter, etc. I would prefer to spend the time in meditation on the awesomeness of God taking on human form and hanging out with us, but there's so damn much to DO. In the past I have felt a sense of pressure or oppression around the holiday and dread as it approached and I would fear missing the deadlines. This year, however, there is no dread, no burden, no worry. Everything flows. I have finished the Christmas letter tonight, just in time, and it was relatively effortless. I have to buy a few presents and I'm not worried about it. You're probably thinking "so what, big deal," because I can't really describe how bad it was in the past and how different it feels to me now.
The burden has been lifted. ALL of it. I always felt horribly overwhelmed during the "holidays" before (not a true "holiday" since I don't have vacation and once again, Christmas is on a weekend this year!) just trying to get everything done. Well this year I am now also trying to sell my house and land and find good homes for my beloved horses, in addition to keeping up with my 4 jobs, in the midst of the "holiday." But, I don't feel panicked or pressured. I feel fine despite circumstances that would have been unbearable before. In fact, I feel Divine Love pouring through me and I trust that everything will be ok. It's pretty miraculous. |
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maheswari
Lebanon
2516 Posts |
Posted - Dec 14 2011 : 03:48:14 AM
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Ananda
3115 Posts |
Posted - Dec 14 2011 : 03:56:33 AM
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| [img]icon_heart.gif[/img] |
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Swan
India
256 Posts |
Posted - Dec 14 2011 : 06:28:03 AM
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| Sounds like you have found 'home' - Merry Christmas |
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Kahlia
161 Posts |
Posted - Dec 14 2011 : 08:41:32 AM
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Yay Radha..whats your secret? I want to know  |
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Radharani
USA
843 Posts |
Posted - Dec 14 2011 : 9:05:20 PM
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 isn't yoga awesome?! |
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Etherfish
USA
3615 Posts |
Posted - Dec 14 2011 : 9:18:17 PM
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| It didn't take yoga to lift the burden of the holidays for me. Our family all decided to quit giving gifts altogether. We can bring a consumable for everyone, but not individual gifts. It's so easy now. There are no children, or we would give them gifts. |
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Radharani
USA
843 Posts |
Posted - Dec 15 2011 : 01:26:08 AM
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| Hawk and I only buy gifts for Mom and Dad, his children and my godchildren. We never buy gifts for each other. Our gift is attending New Year's Eve Mass together and then having hours of tantric sex. |
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Ananda
3115 Posts |
Posted - Dec 15 2011 : 05:45:02 AM
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Dear Radha,
This is a small sentence which has been shared by my teacher in a recent email exchange with another friend.
We don't perceive the world, we perceive our perceptions of the world. So we create a world of perceptions.
Love,
Ananda
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Etherfish
USA
3615 Posts |
Posted - Dec 15 2011 : 07:14:27 AM
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True, so some people say we create the world because our only contact is through our perception. Our whole concept of what is out there is filtered through our mind (belief systems etc.) So change your perception, and change the world. . .
This is the reason people disagree. |
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Radharani
USA
843 Posts |
Posted - Dec 15 2011 : 9:01:29 PM
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| thank you, Ananda. and your point [relative to what I said] is?? |
Edited by - Radharani on Dec 15 2011 9:03:10 PM |
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Ananda
3115 Posts |
Posted - Dec 16 2011 : 02:49:22 AM
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| It's pretty much the same as what you shared I wasn't making a point, just validating your insight. |
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Radharani
USA
843 Posts |
Posted - Dec 16 2011 : 03:30:42 AM
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| Dear Ananda, Oh! thanks. Not to be nit-picky, but I guess I should clarify, though: I don't disagree with what your teacher said about perception. But I think where I am coming from is slightly different. I would not say that my perception of the world has changed; it's more like, my relationship to the perception/ world has changed. Like re: the holiday, my perception remains cynical (the commercialization, the endless "to do" list, etc.). It's not as if, like in Carson's case, I'm suddenly seeing the holiday in a new light. I'm not. To be honest, the holiday is almost irrelevant because every day is Christmas, I'm like a child who just opened the best Gift ever!!... and with regard to life in general, from an objective standpoint the particular things that are happening in my life are "bad" and I don't suddenly see them as "good" - being up to my ass in debt, losing my home and my horses - rather, it's just that it doesn't AFFECT me like before. As I explained to Tibetan Ice recently, it's kind of like a movie: not that I'm watching a movie, but I am an actor in the movie. I am playing the role to the best of my ability, with feeling, but none of it can hurt me because it's just a role. Meanwhile I'm behind the scenes hanging out getting high with the Producer and the other actors, laughing about how realistic and ironic the movie is. At the same time, to the extent that I am fully playing and feeling the role, I feel what an incredible opportunity it is for ishvarapranidhana, total trust and surrender, which is kind of what the movie is about. I'm almost delirious with God-intoxication. I hope that makes sense. Anyway, thanks and Merry Christmas! |
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maheswari
Lebanon
2516 Posts |
Posted - Dec 16 2011 : 03:51:33 AM
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good for you dear Radha
Love |
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Ananda
3115 Posts |
Posted - Dec 16 2011 : 05:06:40 AM
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Dear Radha,
I am happy for you and your talk is very much in line with what my teacher points out to and with my ongoing experience due to a shift which has happened recently... The sentence which was shared is part of a long email interaction and when I read it I remembered Carson's topic and yours. This is why I shared it.
Love,
Ananda |
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Radharani
USA
843 Posts |
Posted - Dec 17 2011 : 01:02:19 AM
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| Dear Ananda, yes, I thought I recognized that from Carson's thread. In fact it was funny because when I logged on here to post about my holiday thing changing, I immediately ran across his post and thought to myself, "wow, there seems to be a lot of this happening!" And you also are experiencing the "shift," and I know Maheswari is as well. So we are in good company, huh?! Maybe it will reach "critical mass" soon and there will indeed be peace on earth... Much Love to you! |
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Ananda
3115 Posts |
Posted - Dec 17 2011 : 03:52:07 AM
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| Much love to you too And happy holidays |
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Radharani
USA
843 Posts |
Posted - Dec 20 2011 : 5:59:44 PM
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| same to you! |
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© Contributing Authors (opinions and advice belong to the respective authors) |
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the holiday is less of a pain in the butt now
