After hearing of my decision to embark on this time as monk, a friend here at Ananda Village sent me an excerpt of a talk by Swami Kriyananda where he talks about monasticism. He starts by explaining how it fits into the community of Ananda as a whole.

“I feel that spiritual communities need a monastery to set the example of selfless service, which is something harder for people with children to support to keep in mind. If Ananda becomes too much of a householder community, then I’m afraid it would lose something precious. Yogananda said that the path of worldly responsibility is indeed higher than the monastic path provided the householder does his duty without any attachment or ego involvement. But not many people are able to do this without examples. If you find people who really feel that they don’t want anything except God and all they own belongs to Him, their example will make it easier for everybody to tune in to that attitude.”

Many people have inspired me by there service, devotion and dedication to God. When I see someone overcome a test, or let go of desires and attachments, it inspires me to do the same. When I see people living for God and not for the egos, it inspires me to be more ardent in my own search for God. As one dedicates themselves more ardently to God and Guru, they inspire devotion and determination in others on the path as well.

Swami continues on what a period of monasticism can mean for individuals within the community.

“It would be good if new Ananda residents could get grounded in the monastic attitude before they thought about marriage. In the Buddhist tradition at least the young men live in a monastery for one year. They come to marriage with a certain understanding of self-control, of detachment, of service. Let’s first be devotees seeking God. Then, as we bring that level into marriage, we can begin to set an example for people everywhere of a kind of marriage that our culture doesn’t prepare us for. We need to have a different concept of human love than what Hollywood films give us. It’s got to be on a soul level.”

Whether monasticism becomes a lifelong path or is something done for a year or two, it can be a beautiful expression of the soul’s devotion and dedication to God.

I don’t know how long I will be a monk. I can only say that I am grateful for this time to dedicate myself to God in a more focused way. I now realize that the important part is to be open to what God wants for each of us, and to let nothing come between us and Him.

While we live at Ananda Village, when we vacation (as opposed to seclusion), we like to travel and see other parts of the country and world.

Currently we are traveling in the Southwest U.S. backroads, towing a travel trailer with our pickup which gives us a little sanctuary with our vibration.
I have never visited much of this area before (Arizona yes, but rest no).  Have seen photos, however, the beauty is so much better in person.  I can recommend it for yogis.  So spacious and open.  Deeply peaceful.  This time of year (late Sept. and Oct.) is best with fall colors, tapestries AND so few people!  Easy to meditate, in fact you almost fall into the state.

We rented the trailer in Salt Lake, then drove through SE Utah to Canyonlands National Park. Because we have a truck we were able to drive down into the canyon itself. Wow! As good as the Grand Canyon, yet much more isolated.

When we hike, or even walk, we don’t talk much. We just look and feel while thanking Divine Mother for these incredible creations. Her artwork is unparallelled. Sometimes we walk fast for the exercise, however, often we dawdle while inspecting plants, trees, watching birds and sometimes other animals. We especially like to find places that are quiet, and off the beaten path. Sometimes we stay on the beaten path with many others so have to work at remaining focused within to the Divine and we behold the without. As we travel, we observe and, well, tend to be quite expressive of our amazement at these creations. We talk with Divine Mother with expression like “Wow!”, or “gorgeous, simply gorgeous” and we always give credit the Divine Artist. Try it sometime.

We just arrived at an isolated RV park near East Entrance of Zion.  Well, 5 miles off main road and another 800 ft higher in elevation.  Actually an 8000 acre ranch that has been turned into a resort and not far from start of a 16 mile hike through Narrows of Virgin River.  Am looking out window of trailer in southward direction and can see about 20 miles.  Cloudy as storm is approaching but not expecting much if any rain.  Windy, yet spouse is out searching for birds. will be dark soon so she will be back to roost.  Hope to hike part of the Narrows tomorrow and tour Zion Canyon. (which we did).

I feel deep connection with Divine Mother here.  Did Master visit Zion?  Anyone know?  Anyway, traveling with a spiritual bent is really something.

Recently, before a group sadhana one morning, a friend read beautiful poem from Whispers from Eternity by Paramhansa Yogananda, edited by Swami Kriyananda. It touched me very deeply. It is amazing how answers can come to us when we are listening and ready to accept and learn.

I had been going along having great meditations, feeling very free and joyful, then subtly, certain thoughts started to creep in. “Look how good at meditating I am.” I would think, or “Look at all this joy I am feeling. I bet others don’t feel this much joy.” And then finally, “I must be getting pretty spiritual!” The emphasis in these cases was of course on “I.”

Pretty soon, as this train of thought continued, I forgot entirely where it was that the joy and stillness I was feeling was coming from. Almost like a bird forgetting that its ability to fly depends on the wind under its wing. Slowly, I started feeling the joy and freedom start slipping away, as if it were sand through my fingers. I was trying to control something that was not mine to control.

Before I really knew it was happening, I felt myself going into an inner nosedive (to return to the bird analogy). I knew something had gone wrong inside and I was groping blindly trying to get that joy back. Try as I might, I couldn’t seem to find it again.

So I was fighting this fight, trying to figure out where along the way I had misplaced that joy of mine, and all the while my ego was doing its best to claim credit for everything. Then, by the grace of God, that dear friend read this beautiful poem entitled “Demand Not to Be Enslaved by the Ego, or by Ego-Centered Passivity“:

I want to use my own will, but guide it ever, Father, toward the golden paradise of all fulfillment. For I would be infinity’s smiling child, confident of being imprisoned no longer behind bars of fruitless desire and withered hopes.

I would break the shameful cords of lethargy that have presumed to hold me, and step fearlessly into freedom. Released, I now blaze my way through forests of every limitation and delusion.

Oh, my little, vain ego may strut proudly, saying: “Behold my glory! Worship me!” But I will look through its transparent form and behold Thine unimaginable beauty clothed in the subtle form of the whole universe! The silence-tuned hearing of my soul will ignore that tiny, boasting masquerader, my little self impersonating Thee, and will listen rapturously to the wind-borne, fragrant music of Thine own matchless voice whispering across the ages: “I am He!”

As far as I can remember, I had never heard that poem before. It was immediately one of my favorites. Inwardly I thanked God for giving it to me at that moment. I remembered also that the joy and peace I was feeling come from God alone, and aren’t mine to create or control. I had been marveling at how tricky the ego can be, yet this poem reduces the ego from a formidable foe to a “tiny, boasting masquerader.” Well that’s not so hard to deal with now is it?

I would say that all of the poems in Whispers from Eternity are inspiring, but it is so wonderful when the right one catches you at the right time, telling you exactly what you need to hear. Paramhansa Yogananda said, “There are three Bibles from which I draw my inspiration: the Christian Bible, the Hindu Bhagavad Gita, and my Whispers from Eternity, which were given to me by God.” No wonder those poems speak to us so deeply!

Related

Whispers from Eternity on crystalclarity.com