Change is death. Allowing change is dying without agitation

It appears to me sometimes that none of the contents of my emotions are mine. Depending on the state of my being, my mechanism makes a  connection with different parts of the Cosmos - some which have pain and suffering (the new worlds that are gross and waiting to be born) and some which have joy and peace (close to heart of creation). These places exist even without my visitations and each of my visitation is a responsibility.

 Nothing seems to be really "mine" or "personal" except say localised physical pain and the association of thoughts. 

Then who am I ? If the collection of memory again is a visitation to a local storage or the physical body is seen as a tool for action, then what remains of what I call as me? 

What am I when at  rest. When not in active action? 

What happens at death? A hard disk format of memories and the withdrawal of the tool of action and experience - which is the body? 

Can I live differently then? Can I change my engagement with my memories? How can I enter into a new relationship with this body? Like a tool or like a pet animal who works for me and who I need to take care of.

And the ideas and the intelligence - what should be my engagement with them? Are they mine or do they "arrive" as impulses of a larger intelligence? 

What about my experiences - physical and emotional? What should be my relationship to them? They govern me and act as calibration for fine tuning of the action.

How can I live truly now rather than wait for death to walk me through the experience of what I truly am?

Two Master and Eyes

Let us remember how it is written and said that the soul of Christ had two eyes, a right and a left
eye. In the beginning, when the soul of Christ was created, she fixed her right eye upon eternity
and the Godhead, and remained in the full intuition and enjoyment of the divine Essence and Eternal
Perfection; and continued thus unmoved and undisturbed by all the accidents and travail, suffering,
torment and pain that ever befell the outward man. But with the left eye she beheld the creature
and perceived all things therein, and took note of the difference between the creatures, which were
better or worse, nobler or meaner; and thereafter was the outward man of Christ ordered.





Thus the inner man of Christ, according to the right eye of His soul, stood in the full exercise
of His divine nature, in perfect blessedness, joy and eternal peace. But the outward man and the
left eye of Christ’s soul, stood with Him in perfect suffering, in all tribulation, affliction and travail;
and this in such sort that the inward and right eye remained unmoved, unhindered and untouched
by all the travail, suffering, grief and anguish that ever befell the outward man. It hath been said
that when Christ was bound to the pillar and scourged, and when He hung upon the cross, according
to the outward man, yet His inner man, or soul according to the right eye, stood in as full possession
of divine joy and blessedness as it did after His ascension, or as it doth now. In like manner His
outward man, or soul with the left eye, was never hindered, disturbed or troubled by the inward
eye in its contemplation of the outward things that belonged to it.
Now the created soul of man hath also two eyes. The one is the power of seeing into eternity,
the other of seeing into time and the creatures, of perceiving how they differ from each other as
afore-said, of giving life and needful things to the body, and ordering and governing it for the best.
But these two eyes of the soul of man cannot both perform their work at once; but if the soul shall see with the right eye into eternity, then the left eye must close itself and refrain from working, and be as though it were dead.
For if the left eye be fulfilling its office toward outward things; that is, holding converse with
time and the creatures; then must the right eye be hindered in its working; that is, in its contemplation.
Therefore whosoever will have the one must let the other go; for “no man can serve two masters.
- From Theologica Germanica

Being Completely Open

Early one morning, time stopped. I picked up the phone, then turned to Natasha [Parry] to tell her that Jane Heap had died. The powerful magnet at the center of every activity was gone. “What were her last words?” we asked, only to realize at once the absurdity of the question, because the whole of a teacher’s life work is her only statement. There was grief, there was emptiness and a useless scramble to fill the void. But the pain of deprivation needed to be cherished and respected, and only after mourning was allowed its time and place could new lines of life emerge with their own determination.

“You will see,” said a friend when I first met Madame de Salzmann, “she is like a fan, which gradually opens until more and more is revealed.” After Jane’s death, Natasha and I went frequently to Paris, where Gurdjieff’s work was being maintained with increasing intensity by Madame de Salzmann, who had been close to Gurdjieff since she had met him in the Caucasus during the First World War. Through her own unremitting struggle, she had gained the capacity to transmit to others a unique quality of experience, and I now made a vow to myself always to be available whenever the opportunity arose to be near her.

I would like to be able to draw a portrait with words of this remarkable person, but I know how inadequate this will be. In my work with actors, I have learned that impersonation only succeeds if it can capture the rigid areas in which a personality is imprisoned. Someone whose life flows freely has none of the rigidities on which imitations or even descriptions can comfortably hang.

Madame de Salzmann had achieved this freedom through a life devoted to the service of that unknown source of finer energy that can only become manifest when the human organism is completely open—open in body, feeling, and thought. When this condition is reached, the individuality does not vanish; it is illuminated in every aspect and can play its true role, which is to bend and adapt to every changing need.

Madame de Salzmann would always rise graciously to welcome a visitor. She would sit upright, still and contained, and would respond with laughter or seriousness, finding precisely the words and the idiom that corresponded to the age and understanding of the listener. Her speaking was not for herself, she was never carried away by her own memories or her ideas; out of an awareness of what was needed, out of listening to the other person’s state, she would speak directly to the person so as to evoke a meaning or encourage an action to arise. She was always present, as close as the need demanded—yet in this closeness she was never to be grasped. No one could hold her, and she held on to no one.

There are many reasons for describing a human being as “remarkable”; for Gurdjieff the essential quality of a remarkable man or woman was the capacity to watch equally over “the lamb and the wolf” in his or her care. To cherish the tenderness of the one and the ferocity of the other, to give to each its place, is only possible if there is a special kind of presence that reconciles, unites, and holds them both in balance. Often Madame de Salzmann would describe how at her first meeting with Gurdjieff, she had immediately recognized this remarkableness in him. From then on she had stayed by his side, working with him through a multitude of forms of teaching and conditions of life, watching over both the wolf and lamb.

At Gurdjieff’s death, Madame de Salzmann found herself virtually alone, inheriting the gigantic and volcanic output that Gurdjieff had left behind. All over the world there were groups of students left rudderless, in a state of confusion that seemed destined to splinter, distort, and degrade the material that they had been given. There were unpublished writings, a bewildering quantity of musical compositions, an even greater number of dances, movements, and exercises that she herself had taught and of which she had the truest living memory. Recognizing that uniting all these strands was now her unavoidable role, she devoted all her energy to this task, traveling indefatigably between Europe and America. I would meet her often and was always fascinated by the same observation. Wherever she went, she seemed always in the same place, her stability unaffected by outer change.

One day, I asked Madame de Salzmann a question that gnawed at me constantly, for it was connected to all my major decisions in life. On the surface, all seemed balanced and harmonious, and I certainly had no right to complain. But, deep down, nothing could quench a sense of meaninglessness, both in my own activities and in the world around me—yet to solve this by breaking away or dropping out seemed arrogant and futile. It was a personal version of the ancient dilemma of determining what belongs to Caesar and what truly belongs to that “something else.” “I have an inner search that I cherish and respect but also a work in life for which I am grateful and cannot despise. Both seem valuable, but in different ways,” I said. “What can help me to assess how much I should legitimately give to each, so as to maintain a balance?” She looked at me for a moment, then answered quite simply, “Come back at nine o’clock tonight.” When I returned, to my bewilderment it was not to resume our conversation but to find myself included with others in a session that she guided, leading step by step to a complete silence.

I had expected something to be said that would clarify my question; only as time went by did I see how precise and practical her seemingly indirect answer had been. It was the answer of direct experience. It became clear that it is the quality of silent wakefulness, informing and uniting the organism from moment to moment, that gives meaning to each choice and to every action. On an ordinary level of awareness, all choices will suffer from one’s lack of true vision, and as I had so often painfully experienced, we torture ourselves with decisions that in fact we are in no position to take. The purer the inner state, the clearer the vision. That evening she led us step by step to taste what that state might be and how in it contradictions can be resolved and priorities become real. In a cruder state, all arguments are valid because all choices are the same. The enigma is how to discover what can lead us to another, deeper, truer state. I still believed that somehow or other I could fabricate this state for myself, and I had to face the awkward truth that even this natural desire can become the greatest of obstacles; even the sincerest of wishes can block that special opening toward which all aspiration tends. Effort only has a place if it leads to a mystery called noneffort, and then if for a short instant one’s perception is transformed, this is an act of grace. Although grace cannot be attained, it may sometimes be granted. One has to let go of the leaf to which one is clinging, but it takes no more than another leaf to blow by for one to drop again into the usual state of confusion.

Venus Transits - Need to Watch

Venus Transits in Oct/Nov

• 19 October - Venus transits in Libra
• 12 November - Venus transits in Scorpio

When Venus is in Libra: We are more inclined to employ charm rather than aggressive behavior in order to get what we want during this cycle. Although Venus in Libra virtually lives for relationships, there is an air of cool detachment to this energy. We are very obliging with others--quite willing to negotiate and compromise. We can be especially idealistic about love. We prefer things be done the "right" way, and are turned off by aggressive or uncouth behavior. The shadow side of this position is dependency, inconsistency, and superficiality. In an attempt to avoid unpleasant situations, we could easily gloss over deeper issues at play in our relationships. It's probably best to avoid the trap of acquiescing to our partners but privately resenting the fact or thinking ourselves martyrs for doing so! This is also a time when we are more artistically inclined. We tend to seek balance in our personal environment.

When Venus is in Scorpio: Deeply passionate relations are the focus with Venus in Scorpio. Superficial flirtations and contacts do not satisfy now, as we yearn for "body and soul" contact with someone special--contact that breaks the taboos, that is extreme and intense, and that is unforgettable. This is a highly emotional position for Venus. It is a passionate, sensual, and intense energy. Our relationships are immensely important to us, and we may even feel that they consume us. In fact, we tend to want to be consumed by them! Our drive is toward intense closeness, but blind faith in our partners is extremely hard for us now. Fears of being too vulnerable or of giving up our own power to others are strong. Scorpio is an "all or nothing" energy, and relationships tend to be somewhat of a rollercoaster ride as a result. Disdain for mediocrity and superficiality can compel us to create crises in order to feel alive and vital.

In October Venus is going to be in my 11th House.

11th house> Success in love, happy domestic affairs, good relations with other sex, social success. Transit of Venus in the 11th house from Natal Moon : During this period, Venus will move through your eleventh house from the Moon. This mostly signifies financial security and relief from debts. You may also expect solutions to your other economic problems as well. This period also brings in success in your endeavors. Your popularity increases and your reputation would also see an upward move during this period. You are likely concentrate on acquisition of material comfort, means of pleasure, good food, clothing, jewels and other exotic accessories. You may consider owning a house as well. Socially a bright period could be predicted. You could expect a rise in your status and prestige in the society and cooperation of your friends. You may also expect good times with the members of the opposite sex. If married you are likely to savor conjugal bliss with your spouse.

***

Enjoys marketplace relationships, social networking, economic opportunity

Female partner (if any) assists in development of community-extending networks and obtaining marketplace gains.

Appreciates the value of community networking, social events especially fund-raisers, and progressive social movements, particularly activist movements focused on women's tastes and pleasures Shukra-11 likes to set goals and achieve them.

 Ghorete bhromor elo

A hum of flitting bees bring me a message
From whom, of whom, I solemnly wonder
Stroked by soft sunbeams of a secret sky
Madhobi buds awaken in the arbor,
The bees chant softly to me
Of their magical act of spring-wakening.

How could I stay at home contentedly
When my heart simply wafts away
Counting each moment of trepidation!

What tender spells have they cast over me,
My chores, forgotten, as I lose myself
In webs of lyrical rhapsodies
Reflecting on the one they hum about.

Mercury Retrograde Oct 4 - No arguments

Mercury Retrograde October 2014

by Madhavi on OCTOBER 4, 2014

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The third and final Mercury retrograde of 2014 begins on October 4 and lasts until the 25th. Mercury retrograde will occur in Libra and Virgo in Vedic astrology, or Jyotish. While many people dread the period when Mercury is retrograde, Vedic astrology offers a somewhat varying perspective than Western astrology. In Vedic astrology, Mercury retrograde makes the planet even stronger.  This time, Mercury retrograde October 2014 has some unusual aspects to it.

With Mercury retrograde October 2014, it will be impacted by the October 23 partial solar eclipse in North America.  At that time, Mercury will be very close to North node Rahu. While this makes for innovative communication, people may also be confused by what is said or written. Our ability to reason properly may be hindered by the eclipse.

Mercury will be doubly strong when it goes retrograde into Virgo.  This is its sign of exaltation. When a planet is retrograde, people feel its presence more powerfully than usual.  With retrogression comes the notion of repetition, renewal, and revisiting of situations.

What is most problematic is when a planet goes from being direct (forward motion) to retrograde or from being retrograde to being direct.  For any planet to change direction, it first has to slow down, then stop moving, and slowly regain momentum. Liken this to wanting to make a U-turn but being stuck with traffic from both sides, so you can’t move for a long time.

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Presently, Mercury is at a virtual standstill. Mercury retrograde begins at 10 AM Pacific time on October 4, 2014. This is problematic for Mercury more so than other planets. As the second fastest moving planet after the Moon, Mercury is quick, impulsive, and changeable.  Mercury is back to its normal speed (while retrograde) on the 12th.

Mercury indicates communication, both oral and written.  It is also connoted with technology. Libra is associated with partnerships – both personal and professional.  With Mercury just inching along, there is the potential for communication to be stalled or for disruptions in communication. It may take multiple conversations or emails to convey a particular point.  There can also be misunderstandings with a significant other. Mercury retrograde in Libra can create ambivalence regarding commitments and relationships. Since Mercury will be with an exalted Saturn in Libra, it is important not to get into arguments with your partners.

As the indicator for commerce, Mercury is powerfully able to use its versatility and intellect to create opportunities for itself. Yet, with Mercury retrograde in Libra, there can be the refining and rewording of contracts with business partners.  There is emphasis on the thinking mind in communication, but the thoughts may be repetitive.

On October 16, 2014 at 1 AM Pacific,  Mercury reenters its exaltation sign of Virgo. joining a debilitated Venus and Rahu. The intellect may be over-analyzing what it desires, without making any concrete progress.

Mercury’s proximity to the Sun creates a phenomenon known as combustion, when a planet may feel stifled in expressing its true nature. Combust begins on October 12.  The worst combustion will be on October 16, when Mercury is back in Virgo.  So this makes a mixed bag for Mercury. It is strong by being retrograde and exalted, but the ability to express itself is diminished by its proximity to the Sun.  Then on the 17th, Mercury and Venus engage in a planetary war.  Intellect battles with desire. This damages both planets.  Mercury is no longer combust on the October 21st.

Mercury retrograde October 2014 can still delver powerful results when Mercury is in Virgo. It can provide the opportunity to analyze one’s health regimens and create new routines for oneself. If you are mapping out a plan for yourself, this is a good time to put it in writing.

In Ayurveda, Mercury is our majja dhatu or our nervous system. Mercury’s retrogression can make us even more sensitized, so that people or situations can “get on our nerves” more than usual.  When Mercury is combust we can literally “feel fried”.  Be careful not to overtax yourself during these days.  Mercury likes to move swiftly; when it slows down, we get frustrated and our nervous system is more taxed

Mercury goes direct on October 25, 2014 at 12:15 PM Pacific.  It returns to its regular movement on November 1, 2014

On Lunar Eclipses

The 2014 eclipses are happening in pairs – on the new Moon and the full Moon in April and October. The October 8, 2014 total lunar eclipse is the first of the pair. This total eclipse is visible in Asia, Australia, the Pacific, North America, and South America.  In Vedic astrology or Jyotish, the lunar eclipse is happening in Pisces.

The full Moon and south node Ketu will be in Pisces in the nakshatra or constellation of Revati.  The Sun will be with a debilitated and combust Venus, and north node Rahu in Virgo. The deity of Revati is Pushan, the nurturer. He is responsible for safe travels across large bodies of water.

People with a Pisces rising or with Moon or a node in Uttara Bhadrapada or Revati nakshtaras may most feel the impact of the October 8, 2014 lunar eclipse.

According to NASA, for San Francisco, CA, the October 8, 2014 lunar eclipse will take place from 12:16 AM to 5:34 AM local Pacific time.  Typically,Vedic astrology advises that eclipses are time for inwardly directly activity and not for gazing at the Sun or Moon. It is also best if you stay inside and keep your blinds closed and not expose yourself or any food to the Moon’s rays.  New undertakings should not happen typically three days before or after an eclipse or when the Moon is in Revati for 6 months.

The mythology related to the nodes, Rahu & Ketu, can help explain this reasoning.  What follows is a simplified version of the tale. The nodes were initially embodied in demonic form.  The demons were very desirous of immortality.  The Gods planned to collectively imbibe amrita, the nectar of immortality.  A particular demon especially wanted to join this private party. So he donned a disguise and gained admittance.  As the amrita was passed around, the demon tasted it, but then was immediately discovered. Lord Vishnu threw his discus and chopped the demon into two. The head, Rahu, has tasted the nectar of immortality, is forever questing for that elixir, and is never satiated. The tail, Ketu, is  wandering with his head cut off.

Thus, the nodes are correlated with illusion and disguise. Since they are “nodes”, they are invisible.  Rahu and Ketu have to do with unending questing, desire, ambition, and a hunger for whatever it feels it still needs to attain. There is the connotation of desiring to partake in a situation and with a group where it does not belong.  The nodes have the capacity to grab a hold of our mind and make it engage in relentless pursuits, to make the mind feel that it has so much more to achieve, to seek another source of stimulation, or to unearth a greater challenge. The mind can become unfocused due to the grasping nature of the nodes. This is particularly true during eclipses.

Venus is also a planet of desires and its combustion, debilitation and proximity to Rahucreates a greater craving for worldly pleasures. The eclipse will further amplify the “wanting” of an object or an experience. This is somewhat modified by Venus and Mercury retrogradeexchanging houses during the eclipse.

Even though exalted Jupiter is influencing its own house of Pisces, this does not negate the effects of the eclipse. An exalted Saturn continues to gaze at Jupiter and prevent it from fully delivering its potential.

I spoke with Vedamurti Shri Vivek Shastri Godbole regarding these eclipses. He is a 15th generation Brahmin who has imbibed the Vedic scriptures.  What follows is his discussion regarding the October 8, 2014 lunar eclipse.

The eclipses affect our mind and and our physical body.  The scriptures say eclipses create financial or physical problems and sometimes new diseases.  There can also be natural disasters around the time of an eclipse. This is why people should not look at the eclipse. But, with our our advanced technology and astronomy, people don’t listen to this advice.

People should bathe before and after an eclipse. It is best for adults not to eat 12 hours before an eclipse and not to drink anything for 3 to 3.5 hours before a lunar eclipse. That way, during the eclipse they can focus on their mantra. If you have no mantra, just chant OM. For pregnant women, children, the elderly, and those with medical issues, it is ok to use the bathroom during the eclipse, but we advise that if adults do not eat or drink, then they will not have to the bathroom often.

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The lunar eclipse is connoted with Lord Shiva, since he wears a crescent Moon on his forehead. It is good to chant a Shiva mantra during a lunar eclipse. You can chant Hreem Namah Shivaya, Shreem Namah Shivaya,  Aim Namah Shivaya, or another Shiva mantra you know. Other chants which are powerful to perform during a lunar eclipse are the  Chandi path (Durga Sapta Shlokhi), Shri Rudram,  the Purusha Suktam, or the Guru Gita. Another mantra you may chant is Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya.  As you chant during the eclipse, the mantra becomes siddha or perfected.  Chant for at least 15 to 30 minutes during the eclipse.

Even the eclipse is not visible in your area, it still has an effect on what house Pisces signifies in your Vedic astrology chart or what you have in Revati nakshatra.

Pregnant women need to be most cautious about looking at eclipses. The eclipse’s rays affects the unborn child. In worst cases, it can be born blind, or with its legs or arms crooked. or sometimes with lifelong problems related to the stomach or asthma. Pregnant ladies should not sleep during the eclipse. They should rest in an easy chair and repeat God’s name.

Rahu is more effected by the lunar eclipse as Rahu swallows the Moon in the mythology. Venus is a female planet and it is combust and debilitated. It likes cosmetics, ornaments, and fine clothing.  This eclipse can adversely effect artists, movie stars, those in the beauty or fashion industries, or sports professionals.

Sometimes people can get tax trouble as a result of the eclipse. Some people are hiding their money. If so, they should especially pray during the eclipse and later donate to charity.  All those impacted by the eclipse should set a sankalpa or an intention during the eclipse to donate to a local charity.  Since this eclipse is in Revati nakshatra, they should donate food or water to those in need. Sometime after the eclipse, they can go and physically make the donation.

Because of the eclipse in the water sign of Pisces in the fixed star of Revati, there may be physical problems with food or water.  People in India can put tulsi leaves or durva grass on their food, especially milk, butter, or preserved food. You can also touch your food and say a mantra before you eat.

To find the local times of eclipses in your region, check the NASA lunar eclipse explorer. 

Source http://vedichealing.com/october-8-2014-lunar-eclipse/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+VedicHealing+%28Vedic+Healing%29