== RE: WHY ONE DAY IS ENOUGH ==
Namaskar,
Here is an addendum to the letter about the mother's day and father's
day holidays in the materialistic western nations.
Here are some new points that were not included in the first letter.
MOTHERHOOD NOT EMBRACED IN THE WEST
In the west, the tantric ideal of motherhood is not often embraced by
the general populace - rather it is usually overlooked entirely. In
those materialistic nations, females are victims of the capitalist
mind-set. They are too engrossed in their own sensuality. That obviously
detracts from their ability to serve as mother. Knowingly or
unknowingly, they would rather be seen as sexy or alluring. The dominant
male has imposed this crude notion on them.
For this reason many females in the west do not breast feed, nor do they
sleep with their children, nor do they have time during the day to be
with their children. Mostly those mothers drop off their child at day
care and then go charging off to work to compete with their male
counter-parts in earning a living. And then in the nighttime they put
their toddlers in their own separate bedroom while the "mother" sleeps
alone with her spouse. As soon as the baby is old enough, it is placed
in its own room away from the parents so they can have their privacy.
In this busy cycle, even when they have the opportunity to keep the
child close, they do not hold in the lap. Instead they carry the baby in
a basket. Psychologists and medical professionals have found there to be
a gap in the emotional development of those children who are deprived
the touch of their mother. If children do not have physical contact with
their parents - or if that contact is minimal - then that hinders their
emotional cum psychological development.
Plus the general society in the west is not eager to breastfeed. Some do
but it is rare. Most prefer to bottle feed etc. And those who do choose
to breastfeed then they will usually only do that if they are home, and
not when they are out in public or in the store etc. All these are
instances of females compromising their motherly status.
This below letter describe more about the unfortunate status of mothers
in the west and the terrible effect this has on their children.
Here the point rings true that only those societies and communities
which do not eagerly embrace the meaning of motherhood are anxious to
celebrate mother's day once a year. They can then give lip service to
motherhood that day with roses and sweet words and then forget about
motherhood the other 364 days. Both children and parents follow this
pattern in the west because they do not have a deeply loving link with
one another.
Please understand that neither am I blaming the mothers nor am I blaming
the children. Just the simple fact stands that materialism drove them in
this direction. If anyone wishes to pass judgment or extend blame, then
we should blame the entire society.
BABA DID NOT CALL THEM MOTHER
It was Baba's policy to never go against anyone's psychology hence
during His marriage blessings He would always speak to the newlywed
couple in a particular manner.
When the newly married husband and wife would come up onto the stage for
His marriage blessing during DMC, then they would always offer a garland
to Baba.
Baba would then give His blessing and return the garland back to the wife.
During this sweet and charming interaction, if the newlywed wife was
Indian then Baba would address her as mother and say, "Take this mala
mother and keep it with you...". In contrast, if the newlywed wife was
not Indian then Baba would address her as little girl and say, "Take
this mala little girl and keep it with you...".
Baba took this approach with thousands of newly weds during hundreds of
DMC's.
Here the point is that Baba understood that the newly married wife from
western countries etc, did not like to be called mother. So He called
them "little girl".
And that is how it is. In materialistic places, even older women do not
like to be called mother, yet in those tantric cultures, even little
girls are addressed as maa or mother.
Baba says, "Very often a doting father will take his little daughter on
his lap and call her “mother”. But everyone knows that the child is his
daughter, not his mother." (SC-9)
Of course, as materialism takes its unseemly tour through India, females
there too may fall prey to this negative mindset of wishing to be valued
for their sensual allurement and not their motherly status.
BABA'S BLESSING
By Baba's grace, as Ananda Margiis and as parents we should stand true
to His tantric system and fully embrace our roles as mother and father,
and not get pulled into the crude ocean of materialistic values, where
mother's day and father's day reign.
Baba says, "In the Vajraya'na Buddhist age, the idea first developed
that the basic identity of a woman was neither “sister” nor “daughter”
but “mother”. To support this concept, the Vajraya'na Buddhist Tantrics
used to say that the person whom the newborn baby notices immediately
after its birth is neither its sister, its wife nor its daughter, but
its mother. So that on the wider canvas of this universe the identity of
a woman, from first to last, was portrayed as a mother. She first
appears as a young mother to a newborn and later when she attains
maturity in life, she establishes her identity as the [grand] mother [of
a large household]." (SC-9)
Namaskar,
Hitendra & Ranijta
Note 1: ABOUT THE FIRST LETTER
The basic theme of that letter is that only mothers from the west
appreciate the annual mother's day phenomenon. Whereas mother's in the
tantric tradition do not. This is a very emotional topic so one cannot
pass judgment: All that I can say is that it is beyond my understanding
why they appreciate mother's day. Just as bhaktas do now want to limit
their sadhana, bhajan and kiirtan to a single day annually and call it
God's day, likewise those who embrace motherhood fully do not wish to be
remembered as such just one day a year.
Finally, here is another letter of interest.
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Practical Aspect of Mysticism
Baba says, "Mysticism is a never-ending endeavour to find a link between
finite and infinite." (AV-23, p.101)
Note: Here Baba is indirectly giving the guideline that in the realm of
devotion one should have a particular personal relation with Parama
Purusa. And these relations are known as "bhava"-- whether they be
sakhya bhava, dasya bhava, madhura bhava etc. So these various bhavas
are that very "link between finite and infinite". Because with the help
of these relations devotees gradually come in closer and closer
proximity with Parama Purusa. Until finally by linking up in this way
the sadhaka becomes one with Him.
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