Dear Ramji and Sundari,
I wasn’t expecting anything to occur today in satsanga. I intentionally submitted a question in chat rather than verbalizing my question. I was attempting to fly under the radar asking about point (5) What is trust? Is it dangerous?. As a result of my question, I was somehow initiated into the Shiningworld Sampradaya with Ramji’s ever present intuitive gaze and directed truth. It was miraculous to be told (in so many words) to settle down.
Advaita Vedanta, as you teach it, provides the complete teachings. I love studying scriptures and am shining with what I know and what I don’t know. Shiningworld has been a foundational presence in my life for many years.
My ashram-life-guru is no longer my guru, for obvious reasons that I have shared with you. I never imagined being open to trust a spiritual teacher again. I have been content studying with many teachers. I hadn’t settled with you, Ramji, as my Guru. I hadn’t settled anywhere. I wasn’t looking to settle. I thought the guru-shishya tradition was behind me.
Your teachings in the last three Snday satsangas, along with Sundari’s, and Rory’s, and the group dynamics, embraced my values and wrapped me in safety. Honoring both of you, and my closeness with Rory, allowed me to receive your guidance open heartedly today. I am more aligned with Shiningworld than ever. I believe a healing of a rift, a crack, a fissure, a schism occurred deep in my soul.
Thank you both for your impeccable values: attentiveness to Consciousness, to each other, to the teachings, to your students, and to the sampradaya.
I am blessed.
Ishvara done me good today!
Sundari: Thank you for this wonderful testimonial, not just to Shiningworld and us as teachers, but to the impeccable teachings of Vedanta, and the timeless lineage. Trust is an interesting topic because in mithya, there is nothing that can be trusted not to change, so trusting can be dangerous. How to know if one can trust a teacher and the teaching? You have been through the experience of a teacher whose ego was not actualized, and there is much of that in the spiritual world.
Vedanta stands independent of any teacher, and if such a teacher is qualified, they will make sure that you do not depend on them and you know this upfront. Faith in the teacher and Vedanta is faith pending your own investigation. If you are qualified, as you are, you will find that Vedanta works to free you from existential suffering, which you have. The proof is in that.
The only thing dangerous about trust when you have the good grace to have found Vedanta and a qualified teacher is to fail to trust in the scripture, and thus, the teacher.
To come through a spiritual path as you have, with gratitude despite the bad experiences, is a testament to you and your devotion to moksa. I can understand why you were loath to ‘settle’ after that. But to settle in Vedanta is to stand as the Self, to acknowledge that you are home, and always were. There never was anywhere to go or anything to gain. You are Existence shining as Consciousness, and the sweetness of your being never fades or changes.
Thank you for your support on the latest satsang drama. You and Rory became voices for the truth regarding what really transpired and why it was important to point it out. As Vedantins, Isvara places us all in a position of protecting the scripture, and e do that by living them. You and Rory both make wonderful guardians.
With love and many blessings
Sundari
