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Description:
We have a great skepticism in the west that can become our ally because it can turn into great discernment. Although often it is just bitterness or just a dism
We have a great skepticism in the west that can become our ally because it can turn into great discernment. Although often it is just bitterness or just a dismissal of anything outside of our "normal" experience without further examination.
SATSANG is sometimes defined as a MEETING IN TRUTH. Speaking about the truth that always is, or the truth that never changes MAY SOUND PRETTY PRETENTIOUS, especially if it is your truth or my truth. But it is just logical that if something as complex as this universe is existing for as long as we can determine, something very stable must be behind it all. Surely the real truth about each and every one of us on this planet is here and now present. But why are there millions if not billions of theories about it?
I am going to call SATSANG A SCIENCE OF THE INNER EXPERIENCE. Everyone is able to manipulate and change his or her outer life circumstances to a certain degree. This is being done daily to improve the conditions of life, and it works up to a point. But it never lasts very long because immediately there is another more pressing project to work on, that robs all attention from any satisfaction gained by previous successes.
Fortunately there are those who say that they live from the space of knowing this truth. BEING IN THE PRESENCE OF SUCH A PERSON IS WHAT I UNDERSTAND TO BE SATSANG.
Every story told of a different way to be, or a different way to see is a sales job of some sorts. It usually sets up the typical desire and fear pattern that much of life seems to be made of. That is what causes a going toward and a running away from external objects to get more of the "good" and less of the "bad" in my life. The risk is that now the search gets much nobler and therefore much more addicting than other more mundane searching for a good glass of beer, a night on the town or a "soul mate" lover.
The good thing about Satsang is that there are surprisingly quite a few people around who say that they recognize this truth, and that Satsang probably happens somewhere close to your town. Once you become aware that these things exist, you can go and check them out. Of course some are going to be false, others might see more or less of what's real. Some have methods and practices, others ask how can you practice to get where you already are? These differences are up to you to feel out and form your own opinion.
The purpose of SATSANG DISCOVERY GROUP is to find out the magnitude of Satsang activity and to give a method to contact and research when and where you could visit one of these sittings. With that said the following guidelines will be useful:
1. When posting videos, ONLY LIVING TEACHERS (guides, friends, gurus, masters, saints, and seers) should be considered as appropriate to this group. I do not know if Satsang can be held in the presence of a deceased master, but please start another group for those opportunities.
2. There is no intention to portray all teachers as equal, nor to determine who's better, whose worse, what Gurus are true or not, what practices are correct or more efficient. If you have a video of someone who meets with others, maybe talks, maybe is silent, maybe answers a few questions, and those that go to them feel they get some clarity out of it, we'd like to see it.
3. All comments should be about your own experience and about how "such and such" has impacted your own life. Nobody will be coming to get your good or bad opinion of him or her. Please curb abusiveness and try to hold in your superiority. Satsang is a beginner activity anyway and actually everything you upload, post, say or do is a direct expression of who you are. But for those of us who get triggered when outward actions seem to be pointing toward us, let's avoid it.
4. East or West? Does the truth have a preference? Let's find out.
5. If your Guru or teacher climbs mountains, whirls, chants, goes to temple or sings and dances, please post it. The only requirement is that they also hold Satsang, and not every video needs to be of a Satsang. Let's see some action, let's see some pageantry too, how do they live?
6. I hope that this group can be very inclusive since we are all doing our "thing" to the best of our understanding, but videos and comments way off the mark will need to be removed. Finally if you have a good spoof from Swami Gotcha Ananda, we really appreciate the extra attention you are giving to our little group (your most valuable asset) but please keep it for another time, even though we all like to laugh too.
LET'S GO FOR IT!
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Tags: Satsang, Meditation, Guru, Spiritual, Yoga Master Sage
Status: Public
Created: May 07, 2006
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AC (Author of The Audible Life Stream: Ancient Secret of Dying While Living).
Dave
Dave