tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5211673002367960332.post971762530939098390..comments2023-09-09T02:41:47.167-07:00Comments on Beyond Advaita: Sexual Instincts and Spiritual Pursuit - A Question Ramesam Vemurihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13670447320400400816noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5211673002367960332.post-38077555771587024202018-02-20T15:17:52.624-08:002018-02-20T15:17:52.624-08:00Part of the exoteric meaning of virginity prior to...Part of the exoteric meaning of virginity prior to marriage was to ensure that transmission of genetic material (sperm) was exclusively from the husband.<br /><br />The esoteric meaning of virginity and virgin birth refers to the lower nature of man and also nature itself, that can be represented as the second of the following two pairs (besides other dualities): purusha and prakriti, Self and no-Self, etc. Buddha, Christ, and Zoroaster can be symbols of the higher Self being incarnate in the lower nature (‘Buddha nature’ as the higher in the first case, and so on). The pure virgin/virginity signifies the purified part of the lower nature – in both sexes. In Christianity every soul is female with respect of Christ, its lord and model. The expressions: virgin nature, virgin forest, virgin oil! suggest being untouched or unpolluted. There are other meanings, e.g. two Greek virgin goddesses, Minerva the huntress, and Athena, symbol of wisdom and the arts. The latter enjoyed the company of outstanding males (gods and heroes), be it in wisdom or in courage and skill in battle – she would outperform anyone of them (same as ferocious Durga!) – but did not allow sexual contact with them, beautiful as she was; she wanted to keep her independence and self-reliance. There are probably other meanings attached to 'virgin', as happens with much of symbolism and the arcane 'science' of mythology…<br /><br />Martin.Martinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5211673002367960332.post-73523855165258247742018-02-17T09:28:25.479-08:002018-02-17T09:28:25.479-08:00Ifn fact, the word used in the early Hebrew versio...Ifn fact, the word used in the early Hebrew version of the Bible was 'almah'--which meant "a young woman of child-bearing age, whether married or unmarried," but which was later translated as 'virgin' in the 2nd Century. However, the old Hebrew word for an actual virgin was 'betulah', a term with which ‘Mary’ (actually, Miriam) was never described. So the whole erroneous concept appears to have devloped from there. <br /><br /><br />Muz MURRAYhttp://www.mantyra-yoga.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5211673002367960332.post-42928918923424542172018-02-16T01:20:42.451-08:002018-02-16T01:20:42.451-08:00In the language of the times of Jesus (Yeshua ben ...In the language of the times of Jesus (Yeshua ben Joseph) a woman was known as a 'virgin' until she had conceived a child. Hence the mistaken notion that she conceived without sex. <br />Muz Murrayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13998584344846669833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5211673002367960332.post-85179795258675191902014-11-06T21:26:19.863-08:002014-11-06T21:26:19.863-08:00Even the saints and the holiest of holy people got...Even the saints and the holiest of holy people got their body through the sex act of their parents.<br />Perhaps in the case of Jesus, as it is told, his mother was impregnated by God. <br />While one may consider such a virgin birth purer and free of sex, I prefer to laugh and picture that even the formless omnipresent God is enjoying making love to Mary, for the blessing of humanity.<br />Though Ramana says there is no sex in the Self, I take it to mean, 1) that the Self is not a thing like the body is and 2) the Self, not being a thing, never acts. <br />Thanks for the lovely sharing.<br />May saintly beings continue to have sex and give birth to more Ramakrishna's, who can then refrain from sex, as a testimony to the one-pointed focus on the ultimate realization of God. What a paradox this manifestation is!A. H. https://www.blogger.com/profile/15575931333538621870noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5211673002367960332.post-91832606988233817292014-09-26T18:40:59.952-07:002014-09-26T18:40:59.952-07:00Dear Sitara,
It is very gracious of you to say so...Dear Sitara,<br /><br />It is very gracious of you to say so. The credit goes entirely to you only for the excellent way you have been kind to give practical guidance. What I did was merely an editorial job.<br /><br />warm regards,Ramesam Vemurihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13670447320400400816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5211673002367960332.post-35507607245859152862014-09-26T00:29:34.106-07:002014-09-26T00:29:34.106-07:00Dear Vijay,
yes this is a very beautiful wording,...Dear Vijay, <br />yes this is a very beautiful wording, which incidentally came from Ramesam who was kind enough to help me phrasing what I wanted to say.Sitaranoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5211673002367960332.post-48631340623354188332014-09-24T13:10:04.817-07:002014-09-24T13:10:04.817-07:00Dear Sitara
I like your explanation "Sex as a...Dear Sitara<br />I like your explanation "Sex as an ego-less offering" better than the one in UG's quote.<br />Men (like me) take longer to grasp the concept of offering/giving in this context. <br />Thanks for your good article on such a sensitive subject.<br />VijayAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10082178799750420663noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5211673002367960332.post-41579995799271217792014-09-21T07:48:44.617-07:002014-09-21T07:48:44.617-07:00RESPOSNE FROM SITARA:
Dear Vijay,
Thank you for ...RESPOSNE FROM SITARA:<br /><br />Dear Vijay,<br /><br />Thank you for commenting although I must say that I find the quote unsatisfactory.<br /><br />UG: It is just a simple biological need of the living organism. <br />Sitara (S): Agreed.<br /><br />UG: But sex has become a tremendous problem for us,<br />S: For who? And what kind of a problem?<br /><br />UG: We have turned the basic biological functioning of the body into a pleasure movement.<br />S: No, we have not. Sex IS pleasurable, no need to turn anything into anything.<br /><br />UG: if there is no thought, there is no sex at all.<br />S: True. But if there is no thought, there anyway is no manifestation at all. I am not sure what this sentence is meant to convey.<br /><br />UG: it is not just the sex act that is important [to us], but the build-up that is there, the romantic structure that we have built around the love play.<br />S: Again, what does UG mean to say here? The sex act can become a sense object to which one becomes attached, as much as the romantic play, as well as virtually anything that is experienceable in the universe.<br /><br />So, to me UG seems to say very little here.<br />-- SitaraRamesam Vemurihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13670447320400400816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5211673002367960332.post-8183072322525238172014-09-20T19:07:15.466-07:002014-09-20T19:07:15.466-07:00Dear Sitara & Ramesam
Here is another take on ...Dear Sitara & Ramesam<br />Here is another take on sexuality, rather brutal, from UG:<br />" Unfortunately, we have blown this business of sex<br />out of proportion. It is just a simple biological need<br />of the living organism. The body is interested in only<br />two things - to survive, and to reproduce one like<br />itself. It is not interested in anything else. But sex<br />has become a tremendous problem for us, because<br />we have turned the basic biological functioning of<br />the body into a pleasure movement. You see, if<br />there is no thought, there is no sex at all.<br />The second problem is that it is not just the sex act<br />that is important [to us], but the build-up that is<br />there, the romantic structure that we have built<br />around the love play. If you look at a beautiful<br />woman, for example, the moment you say that it is<br />a woman, you have already created a problem - "A<br />beautiful woman!" Then it is more pleasurable to<br />hold her hands than just to look at her. It is more<br />pleasurable to embrace her, even more pleasurable<br />to kiss her, and so on. It is the build-up that is really<br />the problem. The moment you say that she is a<br />beautiful woman, culture comes into the picture.<br />Here [pointing to himself] the build-up is totally<br />absent because there is no way that these [pointing<br />to his eyes] can be focused on any particular object<br />continuously."<br />Vijay<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10082178799750420663noreply@blogger.com