A Day of Joy in Wales

Dear Sumangali

I would like to confirm what you said about reading but not
responding. I too, often have nothing constructive to say or I don't
have the time to reply to a message. Some I am printing and reading
later.

Sticking to my East German simplicity, I got your message: You were
happy...!!

Doris

In Sri_Chinmoy_Inspiration@yahoogroups.com, sumangali_m
wrote:
> Dear Assistant Moderator
>
> With true tears of gratitude I want to thank YOU for your
> encouragement. I was very surprised, and very humbled by your
> message. One never knows for sure whether one's own experiences or
> the way they are expressed will be inspiring to others, or even
> understood by others. I am thrilled to think that I have at least
> given one person some joy and inspiration through my writing.
>
> It just goes to show that Sri Chinmoy encourages a simple and
> child- like approach to life for a reason. After a simple, joyful,
> child- like day, one can be so happy, and everything can make so
> much sense. Also, and more significantly, one can be more in tune
> with Universal Creativity instead of actually "being creative." To
> me when I write from the heart it is like I am catching ripe and
> delicious fruits falling in abundance from a tree. I don't feel I
> am doing anything at all. So I feel that any praise, although I
> cherish it, should not really go to me at all! I suppose using the
> mind means climbing the tree and searching under all the leaves to
> see which are ripe. This is harder work and not so much fun, but
> then one cannot always be "in tune."
>
> I only heard about this Inspiration Group at the end of June. It
> has fed me so much, and I cannot really remember being without it.
> Most of the time I have at home I spend alone. I like this very
> much, but at the same time I do sort of crave company sometimes. I
> spend most of my working day talking though, and would not like to
> have to continue this practice for too long in my spare time as
> well! I like to be busy, and I often try to do as many things as
> possible all at the same time. Not very efficient maybe, but it is
> a game which gives me joy. However, while eating a meal there is
> very little else one can do simultaneously! I used to watch DVDs
> or (selective) TV while eating, but now I look at the Inspiration
> Group instead. It's like having my meals with my family, but I
> don't have the pressure of keeping up a conversation. Also, while
> I am getting outer nourishment, I can also have inner nourishment
> in the form of the inspiring messages.
>
> I love this Inspiration Group so much. I am extremely, extremely
> grateful for its existence. Without all the enthusiastic and self-
> giving contributions it could not exist, so I am grateful to every
> single contributor. I am especially grateful to you, A.M. (if I
> may be so familiar) for all your tireless patience and service. I
> am amazed that one person can carry out such a gargantuan task! I
> agree whole-heartedly that praise for my contribution symbolises
> praise for other writers. So often I read something really
> beautiful here, but have nothing constructive to reply, so do not
> want to clutter the message board by responding outwardly.
> Inwardly though, I am so often thrilled by the openness and warmth
> of these messages.
>
> You mentioned the word "freshness." I love this concept. Surely
> the fact that freshness can exist is living proof of the infinite
> and inexhaustible nature of the Supreme. I suppose it is not what
> happens outwardly that creates this freshness, but the way we
> perceive it. I am so grateful to Sri Chinmoy for teaching me by
> example the value of this approach - to see the world anew each
> day and each moment as it unfolds in all its unending splendour.
>
> There is a practical reason for my love of contributing to this
> site. Public speaking turns me to jelly! Even in conversation I am
> often too slow-witted to join in. I am the one who will lose the
> thread in mid-sentence, or get the words in the wrong order, or
> think of an answer to something a week later. In writing,
> everything goes at my pace. I am more at home with my friends
> "backspace," "copy" and "paste." So I hope everyone will forgive
> me for indulging in long passages. I often sit down to write a few
> words, and so many more jump on for the ride. The best thing is
> that I know people can choose to read it or not read it, whereas
> in conversation it is polite to continue listening to the speaker
> without interrupting, looking bored or walking away! This puts
> more pressure on the speaker, and I don't respond AT ALL WELL to
> pressure!
>
> I find it is always a bit of a challenge to actually press the
> "Send" button though, and insecurity rears its ugly head once
> more. I noticed in a recent message from Zdravko a very
> instructive aphorism by Sri Chinmoy, which I shall try to remember
> at such times:
>
> "God does not appreciate my shyness.
> He appreciates my openness."
> -Sri Chinmoy
>
> Hope to see you all soon in NY
> Sumangali
> :oD
>
> --- In Sri_Chinmoy_Inspiration@yahoogroups.com,
> srichinmoyinspiration wrote:
> > Sometimes I get pretty jaded going through all these posts. If I
> > have any qualities that are useful for helping out with the
> > Inspiration Group, maybe it's that I like good writing and am a
> > stickler for detail. I'm not so concerned about the number of
> > postings and members; I just want the quality to be high.
> >
> > Despite being outwardly jaded, deep in my heart I'm grateful for
> > the opportunity to help out, and I know that each posting is
> > valuable in its own way - whether it uses simple everyday language
> > or more complex formulations.
> >
> > That said, I couldn't help letting out a silent gasp of amazement
> > at Sumangali's message below. A while back there was a discussion
> > of whether people needed to try harder to use language that would
> > convey the depths of their spiritual feelings and experiences. I
> > think the consensus was that we are just plain folks here, and we
> > don't need to do a song and dance with language for what we say to
> > be meaningful. But Goddess!, it can be beautiful when someone
> > gifted with a poetic imagination finds words that jump out at you
> > from the page!
> >
> > We are blessed with many, many excellent writers in this group,
> > and I'm sorry that I'm often too tired or distracted to thank them
> > personally. Today, with true tears of gratitude I want to thank
> > Sumangali for her beautiful posting. I hope all the other
> > "excellent writers" will feel that my praise for Sumangali today
> > is also praise for them. Hers is just one example of so many
> > beautiful pieces of writing submitted to the group.
> >
> > Like running, writing is an art. Some runners are writers, and
> > some writers are runners. Maybe the writers and runners can learn
> > from each other, and absorb some of each other's best qualities.
> > That is my fond hope.
> >
> > Both writers and runners need freshness. The heroic 3100-mile race
> > finishers could not have achieved their goal without freshness,
> > and in Sumangali's writing we also see tremendous freshness on the
> > plane of imagination. I am in awe of Sumangali's posting because
> > there is so much that is fresh and new, yet the writing is not
> > ostentatious or contrived.
> >
> > I seem to recall that some months ago, Morris (or another gifted
> > writer) broached the topic of how spiritual practice can help
> > one's writing. I think Sumangali's posting below gives us one
> > answer. It tells us that when our writing is guided by an inner
> > flow, we naturally express the simple truth of life, but in ways
> > that are ever fresh, ever new.
> >
> > This is NOT a suggestion that everyone imitate Sumangali's writing
> > style! What's natural for her might not be natural for you. But
> > maybe we can learn from her ability to be guided by that inner
> > voice, which can help each of us express our own originality.
> >
> > Assistant Moderator
> >
> >
> > --- In Sri_Chinmoy_Inspiration@yahoogroups.com, sumangali_m
> > wrote:
> > > Not a proper Joy Day, but a day of joy it certainly was. On a
> > > damp morning, ten met for a vast and strengthening breakfast.
> > > Bleary eyes were soon opened by the nourishing sight of recent
> > > Sri Chinmoy videos. Two washed dishes while I read favourite AA
> > > Milne poems from my childhood in the voices my father used to
> > > use. The others shrieked and chuckled as they worked. We agreed
> > > Milne was a genius and wished he had written more.
> > >
> > > Out of the whirl and hum of the city, seven set out along the
> > > coast. Now steel mills sit in a slumbering Sunday town. Bright,
> > > wind- swept boarding houses and stout promenades speed past as
> > > we enthuse about the way things are and how they may be soon. A
> > > horned cow firmly stands, blocking the other side of the road.
> > > An international airport boasts a new fence around its one
> > > hangar, one hut and a handful of tiny aircraft.
> > >
> > > We make the last mile on foot across a green cliff. A castle
> > > ruin still looks out to sea after seeing eight centuries. A
> > > stone arch no longer holds a roof, but frames a seascape through
> > > a wall long blown away. This surely is the abode of legends!
> > > Surely King Arthur has seen this very view! Down a sheer slope
> > > of powdered sand, each step creates a downward elevator, making
> > > the body momentarily weightless. Then on to a crescent cove
> > > nestled in greenery. Pale sand and gentle sea.
> > >
> > > We run, practising ChiRunning and analysing our prints in the
> > > sand, then chasing up vertical dunes and flopping to the ground.
> > > Now we swim in the clear sea, which rolls and swells happily.
> > > The cold shock soon fades and the rain starts to fall. I become
> > > a playful fish, a baby in Ocean's loving arms, a drop in the sea
> > > of compassion, then joy just consumes me. For a moment I feel
> > > immersed in oneness. I am so full, I come out again to feel
> > > wrinkles of sand underfoot. I lie flat on the earth surrounded
> > > by sky.
> > >
> > > Then back along a winding rivulet through soft marshes. Verdant
> > > weed clings to the pebbles. Twin velveteen calves stand
> > > motionless, dribbling and frowning. On to a canopied fresh
> > > stream and miniature mossy grottoes. If fairies and goblins are
> > > to live anywhere I am sure they would choose here! The dappled
> > > shade creates the sense that small things are moving just too
> > > cleverly to be caught by human eyes!
> > >
> > > The rain now falls in earnest as we reach our tea-shop
> > > destination. Welsh rain I am sure is wetter than any other. With
> > > sturdy cups of tea, we compare past marathon mistakes and
> > > training insecurities, laughing heartily. Chocolate ice-cream
> > > (almost black with intensity) is served in polystyrene with a
> > > neon spoon and fuels further verbal rambling.
> > >
> > > Scrubbed clean of sand we end a perfect day with meditation at
> > > Centre Meeting. Surrounded by fragrant yellow flowers I feel
> > > alive with a day immersed in simplicity. I offer all my heart's
> > > gratitude for the beauty and joy of life.
> > >
> > > Sumangali
> > > :oD