Random shots of the past fortnight...
Menosukhi Monday
Long-term readers will know that menosukhi is about fond memory, melting heart, a little nostalgia or a soppy happening. It verges just the right side of maudlin, for the YAMster is not an overly emotional being.
Sorting through some piccies last week (trying to come up with something to help the father with the calendar he likes to produce each year), I happened upon a file which had kinda been ignored for a while. Just a few pretty shots in there... but also this.
It struck me with some force that it was already three years and one week since I had left Sandeepany ashram. Crikey. Where did those 1100 days go???
It is rare for me, but there was one of those moments which definitely crossed the line into maudlin and it took a bit of self-management to bring it back to merely menosukhi. It had been such a blessed and focused time, those two plus years in Mumbai. To a large extent, the sattvika life has been maintained. One of the reasons for choosing Scotland's West coast is that it is out of the way and one can simply 'be', without too much of the world invading one's psyche. That said, it is also very difficult to keep it at bay.
When staying with the father, it is hard even to maintain daily prayers and dietary restrictions. Vegetarianism is never lost, but there are certainly more of the processed and 'nonsense' foods here. As mentioned last week, the festival of Navratri has been on the go - today is final night and tomorrow is day of feasting.
The menosukhi deepened the more for not being able to stick to fast and proper foods for the week. This is not to blame the family situation; it is to say that one must work around and with the situation. The simplicity of ashram living has been lost.
Then there is the wondering what is there to show for those three years? Well, perhaps am being a bit hard on myself. The teaching bloggy did get up and running and continues well. That is another box ticked. Further travels; box also ticked. However, these are secondary to the spiritual path and for the personal saadhana, this little review has to face up to the fact that not as much progress has been made as might have been. A little too much Star Trek and not enough astral travel!!! Soon it will be Deepavalli and this will be the time to reset one's spiritual goals. Need to get my list started...
This was the little moment of menosukhi. It is being mended. Thanks for listening.
YAM xx
Sorting through some piccies last week (trying to come up with something to help the father with the calendar he likes to produce each year), I happened upon a file which had kinda been ignored for a while. Just a few pretty shots in there... but also this.
It struck me with some force that it was already three years and one week since I had left Sandeepany ashram. Crikey. Where did those 1100 days go???
It is rare for me, but there was one of those moments which definitely crossed the line into maudlin and it took a bit of self-management to bring it back to merely menosukhi. It had been such a blessed and focused time, those two plus years in Mumbai. To a large extent, the sattvika life has been maintained. One of the reasons for choosing Scotland's West coast is that it is out of the way and one can simply 'be', without too much of the world invading one's psyche. That said, it is also very difficult to keep it at bay.
When staying with the father, it is hard even to maintain daily prayers and dietary restrictions. Vegetarianism is never lost, but there are certainly more of the processed and 'nonsense' foods here. As mentioned last week, the festival of Navratri has been on the go - today is final night and tomorrow is day of feasting.
The menosukhi deepened the more for not being able to stick to fast and proper foods for the week. This is not to blame the family situation; it is to say that one must work around and with the situation. The simplicity of ashram living has been lost.
Then there is the wondering what is there to show for those three years? Well, perhaps am being a bit hard on myself. The teaching bloggy did get up and running and continues well. That is another box ticked. Further travels; box also ticked. However, these are secondary to the spiritual path and for the personal saadhana, this little review has to face up to the fact that not as much progress has been made as might have been. A little too much Star Trek and not enough astral travel!!! Soon it will be Deepavalli and this will be the time to reset one's spiritual goals. Need to get my list started...
This was the little moment of menosukhi. It is being mended. Thanks for listening.
YAM xx
MenoSunday; Life Lived Lovingly
A vid-clip for you today. Possible to watch the first 7+ minutes and catch the gist; the remaining 5 minutes are an indulgence. Still worth the listen. To be honest, the words displayed might be termed a tad pretentious, but there is much beauty here and the intention is pure.
LOVE WINS.
Love Wins 640 MB from Sumbola Inc. on Vimeo.
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