sunny@sun.uucp (Ms. Sunny Kirsten) (04/08/85)
Does anyone know the whereabouts of or how to contact the Ananda
Meditation Retreat in northern California?
Does anyone know how I can begin to learn about the following things,
given that I know only English, and am new to eastern culture?:
Sacha Sai Baba (what, me know how to spell what I've only heard?)
The Bhagavad Gita
Anything else I should start with for the fundamentals of beginning
the study of the path to enlightenment, and the full activation of
the seven chakras, learning the 5 aspects of the body, the 5 senses,
and the 5 (panic...parity error) of the Avatars?
What questions should I really be asking here to begin my spiritual
growth?
With open heart chakra
Sunny
Does anyone know the whereabouts of or how to contact the Ananda
Meditation Retreat in northern California?
Does anyone know how I can begin to learn about the following things,
given that I know only English, and am new to eastern culture?:
Sacha Sai Baba (what, me know how to spell what I've only heard?)
The Bhagavad Gita
Anything else I should start with for the fundamentals of beginning
the study of the path to enlightenment, and the full activation of
the seven chakras, learning the 5 aspects of the body, the 5 senses,
and the 5 (panic...parity error) of the Avatars?
What questions should I really be asking here to begin my spiritual
growth?
With open heart chakra
Sunny
--
{ucbvax,decvax,ihnp4}!sun!sunny (Ms. Sunny Kirsten)sunny@sun.uucp (Ms. Sunny Kirsten) (04/08/85)
Does anyone know the whereabouts of or how to contact the Ananda
Meditation Retreat in northern California?
Does anyone know how I can begin to learn about the following things,
given that I know only English, and am new to eastern culture?:
Sacha Sai Baba (what, me know how to spell what I've only heard?)
The Bhagavad Gita
Anything else I should start with for the fundamentals of beginning
the study of the path to enlightenment, and the full activation of
the seven chakras, learning the 5 aspects of the body, the 5 senses,
and the 5 (panic...parity error) of the Avatars?
What questions should I really be asking here to begin my spiritual
growth?
With open heart chakra
Sunny
--
{ucbvax,decvax,ihnp4}!sun!sunny (Ms. Sunny Kirsten)slb@drutx.UUCP (Sue Brezden) (04/08/85)
Sunny asked for some information on the Ananda Meditiation Center,
and some other questions. I was going to mail this, but decided that
much of the information could be of general interest. So here goes:
Dear Sunny,
I do not know how to contact the particular center that you mention,
however I thought I would write and let you know of some things that
have helped me in my admittedly lazy spiritual search.
There is a book out called, I believe, "A Pilgrim's Guide to Spiritual
Communities". I don't know if it has been revised and kept up to date.
If it has not, it may be of no use to you unless the center is more
than 10 years old. Unfortunately, I do not have a copy. If you can
find it, it may list the one you are interested in. Ananda means love
or devotion, and may be a common name for groups.
There are several good translations of the Bhagavad Gita about. I
rather like the Penguin edition--as it is translated not with an
eye to any one guru or cult.
I recommend Ram Das's "The Only Dance There Is" and "Be Here Now" as
entry-level guides. Some of what he says pertains more to the acid
generation I grew up in, but he really has some very sensible advice.
In addition, the last section of "Be Here Now" has a great book-list.
It is divided into three sections: 1. Books to Hang Out With, 2. Books
to Visit With Now and Then, 3. Books It's Good to Have Known. I
think this list is worth the price of the book.
An EXCELLENT source for books, as well as dynamite incense, is the
Vedanta Catalog, P.O. Box 509, Summerland CA 93067-0509. They
specialize in Hindu, but have books from all traditions. Try
reading some of Vivikananda's works on the Yogas. Their "Sermon on
the Mount According to Vedanta" is a marvelous work--which I find useful
for making myself remember that all religions are one at the base
(so I don't get into a holier-than-thou-because-I've-left-you-behind
feeling about Christianity. I find I must remind myself that even
though that tradition does nothing for me, it is a valid one.) I wish
all Christians could read this for a real shake-up about what their
religion can mean.
I was going to say something about "Don't get too hung up on one
tradition or guru at first." But, well, maybe that is my present
problem--I see them as all valid and can't make a commitment. Or
maybe I need one diety or tradition to come along and tap me on
the shoulder. Right now I say I'm a Buddhist. But sometimes Vishnu
calls. And if I am a Buddhist, what kind (shades of net.origins!)
am I? I practice irregularly and poorly (those two go together).
I cut down on my practice a few years ago when I realized that
I had to get my outer life together to help my inner life. My outer
life is now as reasonably together as it will ever be, but I have
not really gotten back to it. So guess I will say "Go ahead, plunge."
Oh well. Hope this helps.
Shanti
--
Sue Brezden
Real World: Room 1B17 Net World: ihnp4!drutx!slb
AT&T Information Systems
11900 North Pecos
Westminster, Co. 80234
(303)538-3829
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Honk if you love Shiva!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~nebula@sftig.UUCP (nebula) (04/09/85)
> Does anyone know the whereabouts of or how to contact the Ananda > Meditation Retreat in northern California? > > Does anyone know how I can begin to learn about the following things, > given that I know only English, and am new to eastern culture?: > > Sacha Sai Baba (what, me know how to spell what I've only heard?) > The Bhagavad Gita > Anything else I should start with for the fundamentals of beginning > the study of the path to enlightenment, and the full activation of > the seven chakras, learning the 5 aspects of the body, the 5 senses, > and the 5 (panic...parity error) of the Avatars? > > What questions should I really be asking here to begin my spiritual > growth? > > With open heart chakra > Sunny > -- > {ucbvax,decvax,ihnp4}!sun!sunny (Ms. Sunny Kirsten)