Practical Hinduism

[Shivani Devi]

Namaste.

Today I will relate an incident from my life which just happened.

I suffer with social phobia terribly! So much so, that I hardly leave my flat and spend most of my time couped up inside it, afraid to leave my "comfort zone".

It isn't that I am afraid of people really...it is that I am afraid of getting myself into uncomfortable situations which I find it very difficult to politely extricate myself from...so I avoid ALL situations so I don't have to face that possibility or inevitably...I am also fully aware that avoiding life is no way to live it.

I am relatively just a "new soul" on this planet of human beings, so I also realise that it is going to take me quite a few more births here before I learn how to be able to interact with other people on their level.

However, I am a Hindu...I am a Shaivite...I should not be afraid because I am loved and protected by Lord Shiva...so something doesn't seem right here, isn't it? If everyone and everything is Lord Shiva, what is there to be afraid of? So armed with Shiva Kavacham, I left home for the local coffee shop with this thought; "today, I will practice seeing everything and everyone as Shiva....and my beloved Shiva, if you have anything you would like to teach me today, I will try my best to keep my awareness open to it"...and so, off I went to get a latte.

Upon arriving at the coffee shop, I noticed that it was packed to the rafters..Shiva was sitting in every seat..all except for a single vacancy at a table for two. My immediate and conditioned response was to turn around and high tail it back home...but NO..today I wasn't going to do that...today I would trust Shiva, so I approached the vacant seat and asked if the seat was taken and if not, would the gentleman (Shiva) object if I sat there to drink my coffee.

He responded with a "be my guest" and so, I sat opposite this man..he appeared to be in his late 50's, early 60's...obese, balding, wearing a suit but dripping with gold jewellery and precious stones, and doing some kind of chanting on a small rosary whilst sipping water...I thought to myself "the best I could hope for here, is that this guy is just going to keep to himself, ignore my presence and not try to engage me in conversation"...how wrong I was.

I also felt very hungry, so along with the latte, I ordered a rather large serving of gozleme.

While I was waiting for my order to be delivered, the gentleman opposite started to speak:

Stranger: "Do you come here often?
Me: "About once a week or so"
Stranger: "Do you live locally?"
Me: "I live just around the corner...what about you?"
Stranger: "I live in the next town, but I like the atmosphere here, so I come here about once a week myself"
Me: "yeah, it is really nice here".

After a few minutes of this small talk which was making me very uncomfortable, my coffee and plate of gozleme arrived..

Stranger: "that looks very nice...you are making me hungry now".
Me: "This place makes the best Turkish food...why don't you order some yourself? You won't regret it".
Stranger: "I am broke and cannot afford to eat right now...it is why I am just sitting here, drinking water".

This surprised me, but also I saw the opportunity of being in service to my Lord..

Me: "I have a lot here..maybe I won't be able to eat all of it...would you like to share my meal with me? We can go halves...and would you like a cup of coffee? I will buy you one if you like..."

Stranger: "Oh, yes please..that would be awesome and thank you so much".

So I ordered him a coffee, got another plate and divided the meal.

Stranger: " You are a very beautiful person, inside and out..you have a very pure and kind heart".

Now, if I wasn't already uncomfortable, this made me even moreso. I could feel myself flushing a bright red, squirming in my chair and I wanted to just shrink down to nothing and crawl under the table...I was feeling terrible.

It wasn't that I didn't think of myself as NOT being beautiful, kind, pure, deserving of praise...quite the opposite..I have no sense of self at ALL. I am totally detached from any concept of self, so when another puts me in a position of relating to a characteristic of ego, I just cannot handle it because this is something to which I am totally unaccustomed...my brain started working overtime and I though "he is chatting you up here...he is just saying that to get you to sleep with him" and then I admonished myself for even having that thought.."STOP IT! You are in NO position to judge the motives of others you don't even know...and look at those tickets you are placing on yourself to believe this guy wants to have sex with you...get real!"

Stranger: "I notice you are walking with a cane, may I ask why?"
Me: "I have very painful arthritis in my knees and lower back.. walking is very painful for me and the cane helps with that".
Stranger: "what you need is a good massage".
Me: "I cannot afford a massage".
Stranger: "I will give you one for free if you like...look, there's no other way to say this..would you consider having sex with me?"

Me (to Higher Self in my head): "TOLD YA SO!!...when will you ever learn?"

Me (to Stranger): Well, apart from the fact we just met ten minutes ago, I am celibate. I just don't do the whole "sex thing".

Stranger: "why not? a beautiful woman like yourself should be having sex"
Me: "it is against my Religious practice to indulge in pleasures of the flesh"
Stranger: "I am religious myself..I am Macedonian Orthodox and my religion allows us to have sex".
Me: "the answer is NO, pure and simple".
Stranger: "well, that is a shame, but hey I visit this coffee shop every Wednesday at midday...I will be here next week if you happen to change your mind"

(Makes mental 'note to self' not to visit that coffee shop on Wednesdays anymore). LOL

After that, my coffee and meal was finished and I told the man that I really should be on my way..I couldn't wait to get out of there and to high tail it back home like my instincts told me to do in the first place.

After arriving home, I prayed to Shiva again "so my Lord, what was THAT all about then? What is it you were trying to show me? What was I meant to take away from that whole exchange? I am at a total loss to interpret that in any meaningful way".... It was met with uproarious laughter.

What I wanted to know is what do you guys make of this? Is there anything I could have done differently as a Hindu and how to see the Divine in all? I mean, God wanting to get intimate with me is a pretty novel idea, albeit a repulsive one...

Aum Namah Shivaya

[NoOne]

Honestly, I don't know what to make of it. Just as confused as you are.

Guybrain would have jumped at the opportunity, but this guy sounded kinda creepy. I think you did the right thing in not engaging with him.

Also, did you really mean it, when you said to him, that your religion forbade you to have sex? You are not a sannyasin or a nun, are you? Or was it just deflection?

[Shivani Devi]

Originally Posted by NoOne

Honestly, I don't know what to make of it. Just as confused as you are.

Guybrain would have jumped at the opportunity, but this guy sounded kinda creepy. I think you did the right thing in not engaging with him.

Also, did you really mean it, when you said to him, that your religion forbade you to have sex? You are not a sannyasin or a nun, are you? Or was it just deflection?

Yeah, this guy was "sleaze on legs" but I was also trying to see beyond the superficial in a superficial world and realized just how difficult that was.

To answer your second question, sex, to me, is more than just physical and when I engage in the act, there is a whole ritual surrounding it...which basically doesn't include a physical orgasm.

The guybrain pretty much needs to be Tantric and have immense self control and so no, it wasn't a deflection. Expecting a guy to go through the whole eye gazing, synchronized breathing, hour of foreplay thing is a huge ask, so I just prefer to say that I am celibate...easier that way. Sex is something I don't really miss and can do without and I much prefer it to be that way.

[NoOne]

Yes, I get your motivation. You were trying to see the God in everyone, except reality came knocking.

Here's my philosophy: People are idiots, stupidity is contagious and it is best to avoid contact with the general public, lest you become infected yourself. One can of course take a punt with friends and family, but others are off limits.

Technically it is true, that Shiva is in everyone, but that doesn't mean that person has realised their true nature. Unless and until a person realises God, they are just flesh and blood, little more than a primate. It is the Self-realisation part that makes a person worthy of becoming a vessel for the divine. Do not waste your time with trying to find God in people who are unworthy to hold him.

As for the sex part, yeah, I get it, I'm in more-or-less the same situation.

[Miss Hepburn]

You are so entertaining and tell great, honest stories!!!!
I could say many things being an attractive woman - a curse, I might add.
But, I don't need to make many comments...oh, except at his request to have sex...I would have been standing up while saying, ''Ba-bye''.
I happen to know what inappropriate conversation is - and have big boundaries.
I don't put up with much.
(But, I'm never mean to men...just clear.
They are my dopey brothers and need clarity and guidance; obviously, if you follow the bad behavior
of men in the USA coming to light.)

However, from a Law of Attraction perspective - what we dread, what we fear, what we think about -
comes right to us as if we were a magnet with a Neon sign on us.
People often say things like, "But, I wasn't thinking anything."
Yeah, it's in there, in the unconscious mind...that's why they call it UNconscious.

If it were me - I would be programming my subconscious mind with my solid beliefs and intentions.
"My trip to the store will be safe and pleasant.
My trip to the store with be safe and filled with kindnesses galore!!
For I know that is what You want for me, Lord."

"My trip to the store will be safe and pleasant.
My trip to the store with be safe and filled with kindnesses galore!!
For I know that is what You want for me, Lord." Amen, So Be It. Thank You.

You’re incredibly talented, SD and a marvelous story teller. What a skill Thanks for relaying that story for us. It’s an interesting one.

[Jainarayan]

"I am religious myself..I am Macedonian Orthodox and my religion allows us to have sex".

Yeah, uh... no. Sleaze alarm blaring full blast. Macedonian Orthodox is Eastern Orthodox Christianity which certainly does not encourage extramarital sex.

I ordinarily don't believe in coincidences, and this is no different. There is a message that, while there may be (may be!? ) crazies out there, you can venture out and "survive it" because you were aware and alert. Small steps, at your own pace, eyes wide open.

Btw, while it's true Bhagavan is within everyone, there are things about them that cloud the view of Bhagavan and hide Him. Trying to see Him in everyone doesn't mean the body is the same as the atman.

[Shivani Devi]

Originally Posted by Jainarayan

"I am religious myself..I am Macedonian Orthodox and my religion allows us to have sex".

Yeah, uh... no. Sleaze alarm blaring full blast. Macedonian Orthodox is Eastern Orthodox Christianity which certainly does not encourage extramarital sex.

I ordinarily don't believe in coincidences, and this is no different. There is a message that, while there may be (may be!? ) crazies out there, you can venture out and "survive it" because you were aware and alert. Small steps, at your own pace, eyes wide open.

Btw, while it's true Bhagavan is within everyone, there are things about them that cloud the view of Bhagavan and hide Him. Trying to see Him in everyone doesn't mean the body is the same as the atman.

This is the whole point and purpose of this thread.

Bhagavan Krishna says we should see God in everyone, but how can one do that if "human" always gets in the way of "Divine"?

For me, it is much easier to see the Lord within myself than in another and I want to learn how to externalize this awareness instead of always internalizing it, but how does one do that?

Why can I only see the Light of the Lord in those who have realised Him, when I should also be able to see Him in those who have not?

... but yes, I also realise I should be proud of myself for taking the step outside my front door and surviving it, you are right.

I just wish I could relate to myself in that way and I really need to work on my ego a bit more, instead of trying to ignore it. If one isn't being constantly referenced by others, they cease to physically exist...and that is what has happened to me.

I ALSO thank Miss H and Janielee for their kind words. <3

I should do more creative writing as I have a talent for it...I also have a talent for translating Sanskrit religious texts (I need to continue with that) and delving into the esoteric secrets of the Universe which many do not understand.... unfortunately, human behaviour is still a total mystery to me...and why do I always get the feeling that I am not the same as others? Not even human?

Like my mum says: "you never cease to amaze me...you watch programs about Quantum Physics and understand every word, yet you cannot do a simple thing like folding a fitted sheet". What can I say?

Aum Namah Shivaya

Your talents are limitless , my friend



Jl

[Jainarayan]

Originally Posted by Shivani Devi

This is the whole point and purpose of this thread.

Bhagavan Krishna says we should see God in everyone, but how can one do that if "human" always gets in the way of "Divine"?

For me, it is much easier to see the Lord within myself than in another and I want to learn how to externalize this awareness instead of always internalizing it, but how does one do that?

I wrestle with it too, and don't have an answer. We can understand it intellectually, but not experientially. I don't think it's easy at all. It probably takes meditation, which I'm not good at.