《Letters from Shanti Ashram, India》67. Concepts & Philosophies - Nov - Dec 2000
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As Time Passes, Things will Become more Routine
November 2, 2000
Shanti Ashram
Dear Parents,
As time passes, things will grow steadier and the vision can be even clearer. In other words, the sudden honeymoon of mind-changes will subside and things will become more routine. Life is change, not stagnation. Change-settle, change-settle, it goes like that.
All this said and done, I have nearly decided to return to America, and leave everything open to returning here or not. Future is unsure so I am not planning anything in that respect. However, I think speaking in a practical sense that it is better for me to come there when the weather is more favorable for a slow adjustment.
Interesting what you wrote about the American Consulate helping stranded Americans. Very happy for them. You may not remember my own experience with them, in Chennai. (American Consulates are in several places in India I believe, I know for sure in Delhi and Chennai. Probably in Mumbai and Calcutta also.)
I went to them after the authorities requested me to scat as I did not have a visa for the last year. I had neither money nor visa. The American Consulate told me, "We can give you the money for a plane ticket only after receiving word from at least two of your relatives in America, that they definitely do not have the money to send for it." (This happened and I ended up getting the loan.)
Then they continued, "As for visa, that is the matter of the Indian authorities and we have nothing to do with it. You have to fix the visa yourself, only then we can help you to leave the country."
Due to the timely help of the parents of Malini (for which I will always be grateful and indebted), I could get the visa extension in Chennai on my own. Perhaps the rules have changed now, and they are helping with visa's also (my experience was in 1986).
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Another point is, I have not heard anywhere of police keeping visa papers or passport's, leaving the foreigners stranded, ESPECIALLY in Puttaparthi. As I have the most experience there. Remember I lived there for nine years, had extensive experience with visa renewals and many foreigner friends and contacts.
The ONLY time the passports and papers had to be confiscated is when the stupid foreigners did not renew their visa, and stayed on illegally (which was going on a lot with devotees in the 80's). Then they understandably had to pay the price of being illegal. I am only speaking from first-hand experience though I admit there may be other cases I am not aware of, propagated on the Internet, which may be true or false.
Everyone here still thinks it is good if I visit the parents, except for Mataji who came out with the surprising statement, "Yes, it is right that the mother and father should be respected as God. However, Great Ones also state that if anyone comes in the way of your spiritual progress, even the parents, they should be ignored. What will you do for them there, anyway?"
The spiritual path is certainly wrought full of contradictions, as God is the biggest embodiment of contradiction. However, I feel that I know what is best for me and I have always done what I wished to do in life, going with the flow fully, and not listening to anyone else. You know this well!
Re- closer to SRF Gurus: Dead and gone Gurus are so much easier to deal with, isn't it? I am sure that certainly there were various rumors surrounding Yogananda when he was around, but now that he is dead and gone (the body and personality), he is so much easier to have faith in, right? This is a normal thing with the world. That is why we are advised to have love and respect for all living beings, as all are manifestations of the Divine. Easy to say, but mighty hard to practice, eh?
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Love,
Divya
_____________________
No Interest in Concepts
December 4-6, 2000
Shanti Ashram
Dear Parents,
Namaskars, Hari Om and Sai Ram! All is OK here. Hope the same with you all there.
Mom, I received your 29 November e-mail but sorry to say that it makes me feel sick. You seem to be happy to let the mind dwell on deep spiritual matters, over which billions and trillions of people have argued over the ages. If this helps you, I am happy for you and by all means, spend your days trying to figure them all out and pick and peck ruthlessly through the teachings and lives of anyone you want to.
For me, please do not call or consider me a 'spiritual aspirant.' People suppose all sorts of things with a label like that. I have left all that. I am coming back to be an ordinary person in society. I will live in a down to earth way, practicing and digesting all I have learned in all these years. My concentration is on practice.
I have no interest in concepts like the meaning of life, what and where is God, who and what is an Avatar or half or one-forth incarnation, where each person is on the so-called spiritual ladder and all the other concepts like that. I have no interest in these things and I do not want to talk about them, because TO ME (not to you or others, maybe) they are a waste of words, time and energy.
You may kindly pick up your discussions with any other intellectual of your choice. I know that you know, there are so many willing people in the world. I am not willing. Everything I want to say, I have said in the previous two long letters. I am living by trying to practice a point or two of the noble ones, the teachings in common to ALL spiritual institutions. I do not have time left over to perform amazing acrobatics of the mind like you. Thank you very much!
You may or may not wonder why no mention of dogs lately! It is because the new friend I mentioned, an elderly lady dog whom we named Girijamma (daughter of the mountain), has stuck around. She is keeping Vijay company and giving him courage to stick up to the two or three rowdy dogs when they come, twice or thrice a day usually. They usually do not come near, but go away at a distance, seeing the support of Girijamma and me. On rare occasions if they find Vijay alone, he runs like a bullet train until he reaches some place with humans. Everyone is familiar with Vijay here ("Divya's dog" !) so they protect him and shoo away the rowdy dogs. So it's OK now!
Here it has got pretty cold in the nights and mornings. Perhaps it is as low as 70's. I am wearing a shawl and coming to evening Satsang. All the others say, "Is it cold for you?!" No one else is wearing anything warm!
All for now, OM OM OM!
Love,
Divya
___________________
Laying Low
December 13, 2000
Shanti Ashram
Dear Dad,
Namaskars! I received Mom’s letter, please thank her. Sorry, I don’t like to upset her, but after nearly 20 years on the spiritual path, I'm so full of philosophies that I think it’s time I only concentrate on practicing a few good teachings and not to give the mind to deep matters that have no practical relevance in my day to day life. When we drop the physical body, what do we take? No matter what we believe in, it is only the actions done and the feelings in the heart that accompany us. I am remembering this and living.
I guess God is having me take the Indian way, and I'm laying low for now. I guess it is not His plan to take me immediately to America. But one can never tell when the moment will come.
Love,
Divya
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