On Saturday, some of the other volunteers and I made a trip out to Chennai to visit the Shri Ram Chandra Mission Ashram. We were just going to check it out, get a tour, and learn more. It was an absolutely beautiful place.
Dan, from Holland, a prefect of the mission who has been there a total of 22 times, took us around and told us his conversion story. He said some really beautiful and inspiring things that made me really think. As I've come to believe, most religions have the same base: LOVE. And love is service, love is peace. Dan gave this example: Love is like the sun. The sun shines through the whole universe. The sun cannot choose whom to give it's light to, the sun cannot ostracize any one part- the sun just shines. As people, as we give love, we contort what love is. We assume love is a gift, that we choose who we love. But like the sun, if you truly allow yourself to have real love, it should radiate through your soul and throughout your whole body. Your whole self should shine with love and light. I loved this thought. Not only for the comparison of Christ and the sun, but because just like Christ, we should strive to radiate unconditional love, to emulate the savior. To be love, rather than to feel love.
The only thing in life that is permanent is change. We are constantly being thrown curve balls and being forced to adapt and grow. One idea of this particular ashram is to strive to develop vertically rather than developing horizontally. Now, I love the tree of life. When I teach the little kids here, I always start by warming them up with 'growing to be as big as they can be, and then getting really small' or 'reaching as far as they can up, as far as they can to each side, being bigger and bigger and bigger', just like a tree. A tree is incredibly rooted in the ground, rooted in it's beginning. From that point, the tree never stops growing up. Reaching for the sky, it gets bigger and bigger- but, it not only has one pillar. A tree is composed of many branches. Branches moving in every direction, making each tree large and expanding- as big as it can be. As a person, we should always be looking up, positive. Our goal should be moving up and forward, toward the Lord. But to truly be as big as we can be, we have to expand in all directions, be open to learning and accepting the people around us, helping them expand up, too.
One way to expand up is through listening. The idea of meditation and having a "master" is kind of a funny thing. As he talked more about meditation, it became more clear that it is simply preparing yourself to listen. Most of the time, we pray. We speak to the Lord and then go on our merry little way. It is all about talking. Rarely, do we stop and wait for an answer. To have a true, loving relationship with a person, it can't just be one-sided. You talk and then you have to listen to what the other person has to say. How often do you sit quietly and just listen to what the spirit has to say to you? Meditation is just a way to practice controlling your thoughts and preparing yourself to listen to the spirit.
As I was talking to Diana later in the evening about the experience we had had that day, she brought up another analogy that Dan gave (Mom, you are gonna love this one. Think of 'Real Love'). He talked about how material laws are almost opposite of spiritual laws. He said, "Say I pulled out my wallet and gave each of you 10 rupees. Materialistically, I would be poorer. But, say I gave you each a little love. Then, spiritual law would mean that, together, we all became richer." This reminded me of this silly story my mom always tells us about 'Real Love'. She says, "You are sitting at a restaurant with a few dollars left on the table. Someone walks by and takes those dollars from you. If those were your last dollars in the world, you would be very angry. But, if those were just a few dollars part of a million, you wouldn't even notice. So, fill your 'love bank' up as much as you, then nothing can bring you down." This visit taught me that service is the best way to fill up my 'love bank.'
I loved having this experience. Dan was, honestly, inspiring and showed me basics of the gospel in a new light that really touched my heart. As we were going to leave, Kenady and I were talking about if we would ever actually want to stay in an Ashram. Both of us agreed that, although you find beautiful peace and are given a chance to really feel the spirit, you can have those things in all places. For example, I would rather have Arun asleep on my chest with his little fingers entwined in mine and M. Vignesh holding my big toe on the floor, just to be holding any part of me, with Nagaraj asleep on my shoulder, and realizing how freaking lucky I am to be able to feel their spirits and their happiness because they need someone to hold them every once in a while. I would rather find peace and love in service, rather than find peace and love in selfishness while attempting to 'find myself'. Nothing beats being at Rising Star Outreach.
Dan, from Holland, a prefect of the mission who has been there a total of 22 times, took us around and told us his conversion story. He said some really beautiful and inspiring things that made me really think. As I've come to believe, most religions have the same base: LOVE. And love is service, love is peace. Dan gave this example: Love is like the sun. The sun shines through the whole universe. The sun cannot choose whom to give it's light to, the sun cannot ostracize any one part- the sun just shines. As people, as we give love, we contort what love is. We assume love is a gift, that we choose who we love. But like the sun, if you truly allow yourself to have real love, it should radiate through your soul and throughout your whole body. Your whole self should shine with love and light. I loved this thought. Not only for the comparison of Christ and the sun, but because just like Christ, we should strive to radiate unconditional love, to emulate the savior. To be love, rather than to feel love.
The only thing in life that is permanent is change. We are constantly being thrown curve balls and being forced to adapt and grow. One idea of this particular ashram is to strive to develop vertically rather than developing horizontally. Now, I love the tree of life. When I teach the little kids here, I always start by warming them up with 'growing to be as big as they can be, and then getting really small' or 'reaching as far as they can up, as far as they can to each side, being bigger and bigger and bigger', just like a tree. A tree is incredibly rooted in the ground, rooted in it's beginning. From that point, the tree never stops growing up. Reaching for the sky, it gets bigger and bigger- but, it not only has one pillar. A tree is composed of many branches. Branches moving in every direction, making each tree large and expanding- as big as it can be. As a person, we should always be looking up, positive. Our goal should be moving up and forward, toward the Lord. But to truly be as big as we can be, we have to expand in all directions, be open to learning and accepting the people around us, helping them expand up, too.
One way to expand up is through listening. The idea of meditation and having a "master" is kind of a funny thing. As he talked more about meditation, it became more clear that it is simply preparing yourself to listen. Most of the time, we pray. We speak to the Lord and then go on our merry little way. It is all about talking. Rarely, do we stop and wait for an answer. To have a true, loving relationship with a person, it can't just be one-sided. You talk and then you have to listen to what the other person has to say. How often do you sit quietly and just listen to what the spirit has to say to you? Meditation is just a way to practice controlling your thoughts and preparing yourself to listen to the spirit.
In meditation, there is a sanskrit word, "Ham-sa" meaning "I am That." As for having a "master", that word is pretty heavy for me. It puts a picture into my head that I'm not sure if I am okay with, but Dan gave this example: throughout our lives, we have teachers who give us knowledge, we have parents who give us perspective, we have friends who give us individuality. As kids, these are all people that we wish we could be like. We strive to learn from them and parts of their personalities fold into our own. Well, a "master" is simply someone we strive to be like. A physical example of the gospel. He talked about how being in the presence of his "master" was like nothing else. Being LDS, the prophet is our "master". President Gordon B. Hinckley was one of the most Christ-like people in this world. I remember when Janeen Anderson took me to meet him. The spirit was overwhelmingly strong and I remember wanting to be like him so badly. He was my physical example of the gospel, my "master".
As I was talking to Diana later in the evening about the experience we had had that day, she brought up another analogy that Dan gave (Mom, you are gonna love this one. Think of 'Real Love'). He talked about how material laws are almost opposite of spiritual laws. He said, "Say I pulled out my wallet and gave each of you 10 rupees. Materialistically, I would be poorer. But, say I gave you each a little love. Then, spiritual law would mean that, together, we all became richer." This reminded me of this silly story my mom always tells us about 'Real Love'. She says, "You are sitting at a restaurant with a few dollars left on the table. Someone walks by and takes those dollars from you. If those were your last dollars in the world, you would be very angry. But, if those were just a few dollars part of a million, you wouldn't even notice. So, fill your 'love bank' up as much as you, then nothing can bring you down." This visit taught me that service is the best way to fill up my 'love bank.'
I loved having this experience. Dan was, honestly, inspiring and showed me basics of the gospel in a new light that really touched my heart. As we were going to leave, Kenady and I were talking about if we would ever actually want to stay in an Ashram. Both of us agreed that, although you find beautiful peace and are given a chance to really feel the spirit, you can have those things in all places. For example, I would rather have Arun asleep on my chest with his little fingers entwined in mine and M. Vignesh holding my big toe on the floor, just to be holding any part of me, with Nagaraj asleep on my shoulder, and realizing how freaking lucky I am to be able to feel their spirits and their happiness because they need someone to hold them every once in a while. I would rather find peace and love in service, rather than find peace and love in selfishness while attempting to 'find myself'. Nothing beats being at Rising Star Outreach.
2 Comments:
I absolutely loved this entry, Angeline Robina. So beautiful. Every day I read your blog, I am overwhelmingly inspired. I commend you for picking up and taking yourself on this journey, and I know it will change your entire life. I am so proud of you. You are my very best friend.
Anne - Amazing experience - I loved what you said about being love - I just read an article by Elder Oaks that said, "the reason charity never fails is because charity is something one becomes!" This was an aha moment for me - I loved it and it tied in with everything you said! Love you Mom
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