Author Archives: Mataji
Comfort, Discomfort, Both OK
View Post Generally we choose comfort over discomfort, and that seems wonderfully reasonable, doesn’t it? But just consider, whenever you choose comfort you are pushing away about 99.9% of what is available. Reality is vast, while your comfort area is … Continue reading
Noxious guru
Supposing that you find you have a noxious guru, what do you do? How might you discover it? You may have encountered unpalatable aspects of his personality, but assumed that he was a high-functioning narcissist
Yoga Retreat, or Yoga Treat?
When I was in fourth grade, our teacher left the room for a bit, and told us to be very quiet as we were now on retreat. Another teacher came in, and I proudly wrote her a note saying that … Continue reading
Hurting and Growing
I owe much to guru and lineage. Without having had a guru, I would not have discovered this yogic path, nor ventured far upon it. Without his guru, I would not have met him. Without the great Nityananda, none of us would … Continue reading
End 2014, Year of Changes
Changes – some painful, some joyful or even ecstatic, some that come simply with the turning of the Earth.This time last year, somehow I had a feeling that 2014 would be a year of changes… and I was right. Maybe,on … Continue reading
Sit with your anger, dive deep through pain
Some years ago now I sat with a spiritual community in trauma. Their spiritual leader was in disgrace from allegations of sexual impropriety. The hall that is normally full was half-empty, and of those attending, half were quietly weeping. The … Continue reading
Spirituality and Women
Prior to Vedic times, women were fully equal participants in ritual celebration – then along came Vedic Brahmanism and women were not even permitted to hear the vedas recited. I heard this when attending an address by the scholar and … Continue reading
Mission Beach – Rainforest in Winter
As winter 2014 approaches, I’m reminded of the time I spend, once a year for a week, in the mysterious rainforest of Northern Queensland. Sanctuary Retreat is not too far north – an hour’s drive south of Cairns. I go in July, … Continue reading
Truthfulness …Being Truthful to Yourself – so that you can be truthful about yourself
Truthfulness is a strange phenomenon. Scrupulous truth-telling may not be the same as real truthfulness. (Why?) Likewise with lying. A persistent liar is very unlikely to be able to be truthful to himself. And if untruthful to themselves, neither the scrupulous … Continue reading
Let ’em think what they like!
Do you try to make sure people understand you? Waste of time! After you have said your bit as best you can, take as a given that your hearers will filter your communication through their own preconceptions. For your listeners, “you” … Continue reading