the process of unlearning on durgashtami
7 Oct 2008, Amritapuri
amma left for the europe yatra.
today is durga-ashtami. today is the day we keep books and implements at the feet of devi. and then no study for about 1.5 days. it was one of the most happiest days of my school life. according to the tradition, the practice is that when you keep the books for the puja, you are not supposed to study anything. the day after tomorrow morning is the ceremony of vidyarambham- the beginning of learning – aksharabhyas. you are initiated in to ‘akshram’. akshram has two meanings – the world of alphabets and that which is imperishable.
i see many students are coming and placing their text books, musical instruments at the decorated altar on the stage, the one newly made for navaratri.
i was thinking… which book or instruments should i keep for puja? why?
what all we have learned has to be unlearned to deepen or widen our periphery of knowledge. unless one leaves the known, one cannot enter into the unknown. god has always remained as the unknown.
we have been doing something (for eg. some technical work), some one suggests a better way to do it, first thing we do is to resist. if the change in the technology or the demand of the situation asks you to change your working style, you protest. because you dont want to imbibe more/different knowledge. the fear stops you. shraddha is what is required. by living a life of 60 or 80 years, we have recorded, engraved a lot into our minds. it has become sooooo thick and very difficult to remove. we follow the same pattern. we cannot step out. when we cannot accept a new concept or new idea, we are closed like a writing session closed cd. you cannot write anything onto it even if it has space.. we have lost the beginner hood. If we have stopped learning it means that we are dead. in fact the last learning lesson is about death, when you meet him directly.
the symbolism of vijaya dasami is that you offer all that you have learned, all that you know is surrendered at Her feet. you renounce it for two days. unlearn; then you begin afresh. ‘be a beginner always’ amma says often. become a hollow bamboo so that the Lord can play his music through you.
having said all this now what should i submit to Devi. all my learning, all my ignorance. but how? i don’t know. how will i begin? i dont know?
She is holding my finger. that i know.
~ dhyanamrita
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Indeed this is food for thought ! it applies to our whole being, our way of living.
“become a hollow bamboo so that the Lord can play his music through you” I pray and hope to live up to this more and more !
Our beloved Mother having left for Europe is exiting for I will soon be able to see again the most sweetest and beautiful Divine Mother, coming to Milan mid of november. My heart starts racing and oh, there are no words that can express the joy of seeing He again !
Thanks for this wonderful sharing and much love and light to all.
your laptop!
A rare opportunity, a Devine chance to become a baby once every year. We can be a beginner, AMMA tells us to be a beginner always so that there will be less ego or no ego.
Let AMMA hold my hands to write or let me be a pen/paint brush in AMMAs hands to make a beautiful picutre (my life) which will be helpful for all others.