quote:
Originally posted by Ananda
Dear friends, as i said earlier i don't want to do any bashing but just to make smthg clear i wasn't talking about the mental state of these people. If anything they are really smart and cunning. Maybe a visit to the x amma group on yahoo could explain what's on my mind. May god forgive me if i am unfair but i've seen and heard things which makes a person unease... I really fell in love with amma during my stay. If there is an avatar on earth then it's her... But i couldn't shake off that uneasy feeling while there. Plus talking to some of the people who have been there for a long time and reading about gayatri's account... One of the first western devotees who stayed with amma for many years and then left... Needless to say i have my doubts. I think of amma as another adi da, best to approach with caution and not get too involved.
Hi Ananda,
Even people who are really smart or cunning can have psychological issues. In fact mental pain is the first and foremost characteristic of the unawakened state. Enlightenment is largely the awakening from a state of mental pain and psychological imbalance into a state of balance, bliss and love.
One of the ways that Amma works is through directly challenging people's sense of identity and psychological contraction. Some people welcome this and are grateful for the chance to surrender more fully and open further in trust and love, whereas other people find it more challenging and difficult.
Being in the presence of a master is a huge opportunity for spiritual growth, but it can also be very challenging on many levels.
One word of advice that Yogani often gives is to take the good and leave the bad. Another, that I would give, is not to get too caught up in other people's struggles. Remember that a lot of what you hear may not be true at all, or may be tarnished by the pain that someone else is going through as they awaken more fully to reality. It can be a hard journey for some people. Be open and supportive, but do not get dragged down or side-tracked.
Christi
