It is very pleasant and peaceful, Being Here Now, though it can slip through our fingers quite easily. Here one moment, and gone the next. Let us see what we can learn about Being Here Now :-)
Be Here Now Sita, the Suffering Saint. Sita is the chaste wife of Sri Ram who was abducted by the lustful Ravan. Hanumanji finds her in the royal garden, Ashok Vatika, under the Ashok tree where she spend most of her time waiting for her beloved to rescue her. Sheis harassed by the troop of demons guarding her day and night with mortal threat and bribery to give into Ravan's demands of a marriage. This would break her vow and life Dharma or purpose to remain a chaste wife to Sri Ram. Hanumanji saw this all unfolding, hiding behind trees and shrubs till the demon guards left for a time. He appeared before Sita in a diminutive form speaking humbly. He showed her the signet ring Lord Ram had entrusted to him, so that Mother Sita might recognize him as Ram's messenger. He shared with her the information that Sri Ram was still alive, searching for her sleeplessly. This message brought much comfort to Mother Sita, but there was still much suffering in her from being separated from her Beloved, wondering if death would be preferable to this anguish. Seeing this, Being Here Now with Mother Sita's state of suffering, Sri Hanuman offered to carry her back to Lord Ram that very moment. However, Mother Sita was also Being Here Now, rather than wrapped up in her own drama. She realized that the Dhrama of her husband was to rescue his wife, and bring glory and salvation to all that were suffering under the great evil that Ravan perpetuates. Mother Sita told Hanumanji that she would continue to wait for her Beloved Ram. She urged that he come soon for Ravan had promised that she would die in a month's time if she had not married the demon king by then. Hanumanji left blessing the lotus feet of Mother Sita and honoring the Suffering Saint's resolve to Be Here Now, to bring about the greatest good despite all temptation.
To me, the saga of the Suffering Saint, of Sita held captive in Lanka, spurn, prodded by temptation of evil near constantly, reminds me of the phrase “dark season of the soul.” In this darkness that is threatening to consume her, Mother Sita remains true to her Beloved Lord Ram, to her Dharma as a chaste wife promised to Ram. Ravan offers her a life filled with every luxury and comfort, which was the exact opposite of the simple, often harsh life of a wondering aesthetic that she had been living with Sri Ram and Lakshman in the forest before her abduction. Still she resists and waits for the coming of the Lord! Blessed are you Mother Sita! Jai Sitaram!
Practice in waiting for the Lord's liberation. Is there something that I can abstain from, that I can live apart from, even if just for a little while, something I like to indulge in? Can I instead wait through the suffering that comes with separation from the habitual nature and welcome the feeling of Peace that comes to replace this activity, food, consumable, indulgence when it comes to bless me? I am not inviting you to feel guilt or shame, but rather to Be Here Now with your suffering and to pray for the courage to gain the knowledge of how to alleviate it. I am inviting you to proclaim, “enough misery is enough!” Experiment in leaving something behind that you is hurting you. Maybe you do not quite know how to let go. This is the power of pray, abstinence, and waiting for the blessing of the Lord. This something could even be that guilt or shame. Forgive yourself. dear one, allow Love to enter in. There is no need to hide behind the shadows of arrogance, substance, or indulgence. Forgive yourself and be free! Give yourself a chance to live apart from the decadent luxuries that Ravan offers. Allow yourself to wait for the Love and Peace of the Lord to fill the void of desires. Jai Sri Ram! :-)
Thank you for Being Here Now with me my dear friend, my brother and sister in the Lord :-) You are invited to join me next week for Hanumanji's Mischief in Lanka, the Warning of the Lord.