Karnamrita das:<\/p>\n
Many ways to look at our embodiment:
\nlayers upon layers of gross and subtle coverings,
\ninnumerable parts, different competing potent voices,
\nyet the soul is the origin or seat of consciousness
\na spark of Divinity, lost, though searching blindly
\nfor itself, for love, connection, fulfillment, happiness
\nthat will endure in a fleeting, dark, restrictive world.<\/p>\n
Ignorance that covers everyone\u2019s eyes and good sense
\nis the all-pervading, much advertised false promise
\nthat our heart\u2019s desires will come in time, w\/ friends and things
\ncompletely realizing its highest ideals and dreams
\nbut alas\u2014like the never reached carrot, luring the donkey on
\nor getting only appetizers, while hungry for the full meal\u2014
\nthe shadow, imitation world, gives only future, well-dressed promises.<\/p>\n
Wisdom, truth, light, and grace are required
\nto wake us up form the repeated dream
\nwe undergo though countless births and deaths
\ntrying to be what we aren\u2019t\u2014the Center and Enjoyer,
\nthen we realize that no material happiness attempt
\ncan satisfy the souls\u2019 spiritual appetite and nature
\nto return to the World of Light, with our true Beloved.<\/p>\n
Fortunate souls take up the path of Light and Love
\nby service to the true Master, and Dear Most Friend
\nhearing the Naked Truth of illusory material pursuits
\nand the activities of the Supreme Beloved, and his lovers,
\nwe gradually rise up from the Never Ending Bad Story
\nseeing the world with new eyes and insights
\ngaining a higher spiritual taste and standing in the Light.<\/p>\n
While blessed to travel the royal path of Pure Love
\nthe journey requires much preparation and stamina
\nas the road has both roses with hidden thorns and poison ivy\u2014
\nnor is the road always smooth, or flat and easy going,
\nin one\u2019s way come boulders, fallen trees, mud slides,
\nrivers to be forded, mountains climbed, tiredness overcome
\ntemptations passed in alluring beautiful lush valleys.<\/p>\n
As one takes the Road Less Traveled, forgoing the
\nfreeways to walk at times in doubt and uncertainty
\nthe path may appear to disappear all together
\nor many forks appear, forcing one to make uneasy choices
\nand one may find oneself in a seemingly endless plateau
\nor descending into a desert which challenges one to stop,
\nyet we have to continue in faith, knowledge and determination.<\/p>\n
For the sincere devotee, though stumbling, is never lost
\nif companions are prayer, faith, gratitude, positive expectancy
\nthat despite reverses, any situation can help us grow in strength
\nand in taking shelter of Guru and Krishna, and experiencing the power
\nof devotion\u2014hearing, chanting and Krishna\u2019s service in saintly association;
\nsince pain, depression, dissatisfaction in Bhakti are feedback that we need
\nto search out offenses\/anarthas, changing course within or without.<\/p>\n
Following the rules of behavior are meant to foster virtue in us
\ncreating favorable conditions for our inner life of contemplation,
\nrequiring knowledge to keep on with our \u201csadhana\u201d practices by which we
\ndevelop realized steady faith, bringing us the love beyond reason
\nyet pure love has its own reasoning—\u201cwhen we love, we know what to do!\u201d
\ncreating lemonade from lemons, or opportunities from challenges\u2014
\ncrossing the highest peak, w\/o looking back, Krishna\u2019s valley of love.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Karnamrita das: Many ways to look at our embodiment: layers upon layers of gross and subtle coverings, innumerable parts, different competing potent voices, yet the soul is the origin or seat of consciousness a spark of Divinity, lost, though searching blindly for itself, for love, connection, fulfillment, happiness that will endure in a fleeting, dark, restrictive world.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[92,21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6688","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-karnamrita-dasa","category-poetry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6688","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6688"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6688\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6688"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6688"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6688"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}