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Thread: Coincidence... Or?

  1. #1
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    Coincidence... Or?

    Namaskar,

    It was recently pointed out to me by a friend that I need to interact more. I tend to try and be reserved as much as possible for many reasons, but a key one is I worry how I will be perceived. My friend pointed out that ego is something I am working on recently and isn't it true that worrying how others will perceive me is still allowing my ego to get in my way? She kind of had me there...

    So, I am going to try and interact more freely and not worry about it.

    I don't talk about my own religious experiences much because A) I was raised that you don't, and B) I feel like it would be somehow rude or egotistic. Forgetting entirely that the only thing I can do is speak from my own experience. LOL But this is why my introduction post was so general, nothing I had to say was particularly new or unique, others have had many similar experiences to mine I know. However part of the reason I joined was not just to learn but to speak with others who might understand some of the things I am struggling with and get perspective, advice and maybe a little validation, as well as guidance as I learn.

    I have never been an atheist, I always knew there was "something" out there and that I hadn't found it yet, even as much as I had wanted to and searched. But I never had a certainty or 'faith', per se, nor had I ever had any direct experiences of God. Guru and supernatural, yes, God no. Then, in a matter of a couple of months, my life was spun 180 degrees. This is the first thing I am wrestling with.

    I went from , 'yeah sure there's... 'something' but your guess is as good as mine', to concrete certainty, not just in faith but in the expression of God that speaks to me, and I have experienced it directly. I have, for lack of a better word, Bhakti, for the first time. I have never wanted to go to a Church or Temple regularly before, now I am actively searching for one because I want to so badly. After a very bad medical situation as a young adult, I have never tried to be totally Vegetarian nor really desired to change completely, I enjoyed it. Since coming back from my trip in Sept, meat has held absolutely no appeal to me and it tastes unpleasant. I occasionally choke some down because of that medical thing, but I am in the process of seeking a nutritionist in the hopes that maybe I can try again, supervised, and maybe my epigenome has changed in some of it's expression, or something. Heck, so many other things have changed, why not? My daily routine has changed, without a whole lot of thought paid to it, and I am now trying to consciously alter it some more because I desire to in a way I never have cared to before.

    What has happened to me? Where did all of this come from? I am not complaining, I am not unhappy - in fact, I am ecstatic - I don't dislike the change. But it is WAY out of left field, and I am left more than a little stunned when I stop and think about it. Sure I've studied religions in the search for my Personal God for as long as I can remember in this life, but I've looked at Hinduism before but I had only found information on sects that just didn't resonate with me, and I had never run into Saivism before. Maybe I never really thought I would find what I was looking for, or would get a response. But wow, what a response! Everything has changed, for the better, but I'm still not sure what it all means... or if having a meaning even matters.

    The other thing I am struggling with is Coincidence. Sure, I believe there is such a thing as coincidence. But there comes a point when one coincidence leads to another, and another, and then the next and so on... The odds of the whole string of them happening in that order in that way... there has to come a point when this is no longer Coincidence but is a message. I am starting to see these as signs that I am on the correct path and maybe the occasional signpost of the next step or turn in the road.

    Is this common? Do others experience this? Am I reading into things? Certainly I don't remember ever having such a string of coincidences over such a long span of time before...

    Thank you for your indulgence.

    Pranams
    Last edited by Aanandinii; 23 February 2014 at 01:13 AM.
    ~~~~~
    What has Learning profited a man, if it has not led him to worship the good feet of Him who is pure knowledge itself?
    They alone dispel the mind's distress, who take refuge at the feet of the incomparable one.
    ~~Tirukural 2, 7

    Anbe Sivamayam, Satyame Parasivam

  2. #2
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    Re: Coincidence... Or?

    I have, for lack of a better word, Bhakti, for the first time.
    Namaste Aanandinii

    I do not know your background, but since it seems you are from Boston I assume you had some sort of communion with the Divine that is taking you to where you are now. There is no way it is coincidence.

    Often, it is Ganesha who first calls one, but "reading between the lines" in your case, it seems the Cosmic Family of Shiva is definitely surrounding you with welcoming blessings.

    Each Saiva is his or her own soul on a path, there might be times also when you feel you are associating with others who you might have even had association in past life. Actually, I am not implying that, my instinct is I do not know you either now or in the past, but there may come others soon that you will "notice something". However, I might volunteer some friendly ideas which might "fit" for you.

    The Cosmic Family of Shiva is Shiva, Mother Parvati, Ganesha and Murugan. Something tells me, if you want to really "super charge" some Bhakti in the mix which seems to be beneficial for you, take a few days to look into Muruga.

    Here is an interesting website:

    http://murugan.org/links.htm

    Some are not aware, but there is a strong Bhakti movement in Saivism associated with Muruga. I am not saying it is your path per say, but it certainly is worth spending some time to communicate with Lord Muruga and see where it takes you. Lord Muruga and his Consorts are very welcoming and send direct energy to you.

    Om Namah Sivaya

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    Re: Coincidence... Or?

    Namaskar ShivaFan-ji,

    Thank you for your reply. It is something of a relief to know my experiences are normal.
    I'm sorry, I know I still haven't said much about myself. I am from Boston Massachusetts, yes. Born, raised, lived in UK for 3 years, traveled a lot. When I said in my intro there were some things I've always known without being taught, what I meant was I've understood the basics of reincarnation and karma, (not the usual western use of the term), literally for as long as I can remember, it was one reason I had such a strong rejection of my Parents' religions - one Catholic one Unitarian, which is actually kind of an interesting dynamic. I remember a little of my last life and am pretty sure I've known a few other souls I've met in this birth in past lives as well.

    There's more but this could get long, LOL. I should maybe look at a way to put things in my profile or updating my intro thread or something. Then people can look if they're interested.
    Quote Originally Posted by ShivaFan View Post
    Here is an interesting website:

    http://murugan.org/links.htm

    Some are not aware, but there is a strong Bhakti movement in Saivism associated with Muruga. I am not saying it is your path per say, but it certainly is worth spending some time to communicate with Lord Muruga and see where it takes you. Lord Muruga and his Consorts are very welcoming and send direct energy to you.

    Om Namah Sivaya
    Thank you so much for the link! As it happens, I have been starting to learn more about Lord Murugan. I had never seen Him before I bought a lovely marble murthi of Shiva and His Family. I had been looking for one for weeks and this one spoke to me - it was also the first I'd seen with Lord Murugan. I wasn't sure who He was but I knew couldn't ignore Him and felt I must also acknowledge and worship Him. I have since learned He is the Lord of Yoga and Will, which are things I badly need right now. I have been starting to learn more so that I may worship Him better and ask for His help. Your link is timely and a great help!

    Mata Di is there too, she has been with me in various forms since I was a young adult. She and I are fairly familiar, and so while I also pray to her feel her I feel she is happy, and happy to hang back and watch for the time being.
    Thank you again, ShivaFan-ji.

    Pranams
    ~~~~~
    What has Learning profited a man, if it has not led him to worship the good feet of Him who is pure knowledge itself?
    They alone dispel the mind's distress, who take refuge at the feet of the incomparable one.
    ~~Tirukural 2, 7

    Anbe Sivamayam, Satyame Parasivam

  4. #4

    Re: Coincidence... Or?

    Namaste Aanandinii,

    Wonderful advice from ShivaFan already; which has delightfully assisted me in my understanding also.

    Whilst on the topic of lord Murgan and yoga; If I might add that the nature of the flow of time is a very beautiful thing to observe, few are ever still enough to do so; with to much chatter in cit; either of their own or of others creation. We should all take time to do so you are blessed to have found that space.
    So, if you are becoming aware of this, be mindful of patanjali's Yoga sutras, and simply ignore any effect that you might notice that are out of your usual everyday experience; they are distractions that will cause you to eventually fall.
    Enjoy your observations of the divine, above all; learn from them, its is quite natural.

    Kind regards.

  5. #5

    Re: Coincidence... Or?

    Ānandini-ji,

    Your post in @Webimpulse's thread regarding Nandi is very beautiful, and illuminating. "Nandi - a guru - and a Promise - of Immortality - again, a guru, who literally carries Shiva with him".

    So, "Coincidence... Or?" Or what?

    I'd say, Coincidence..or..Guru. Coincidences are the gurus that come and go and teach us something that lasts. It can take on a human form, or some circumstances, and even some thing other such as a bird..or whatever.

    With a growing awareness we see interconnected ness of things and people. We are interconnected.

    Also, what ShivaFan has said here is something very personal. Reading books makes us believe some other things.

    Jai Hanuman
    KT
    Things to remember:

    1. Life = yajña
    2. Depth of Āstika knowledge is directly proportional
    to the richness of Sanskrit it is written in
    3. Āstika = Bhārata ("east") / Ārya ("west")
    4. Varṇa = tripartite division of Vedic polity
    5. r = c. x²
    where,
    r = realisation
    constant c = intelligence
    variable x = bhakti

  6. #6

    Re: Coincidence... Or?

    Namaste Aanandinii!

    I can relate to your situation very much. I too always felt deeply that there was something out there which didn't fit with what I had always been taught. I knew intuitively of karma and reincarnation. I felt like a spiritual person but with no outlet that made any sense to me.

    My series of coincidences began one week, I fell into a deep depression and cried my eyes out for several nights in a row, and prayed to whatever it was that I knew was out there for some sort of a connection.

    The depression passed and I went about my life and kind of forgot about it. Then I came upon a song that I liked and the chorus said "hara hara hara mahadeva." I had no idea what it meant, I just knew it was spiritual and I liked the way it made me feel. Then one day I was on Facebook (of all places!) and came across an image of Lord Shiva, and I was absolutely entranced. I opened up the picture, and there were several comments on it, some of them say "Hara Hara Mahadeva" which I recognized from the song! I knew then that Lord Shiva was what I had been looking for.

    I decided a few days later to go to the bookstore and see if I could find a book about Shiva or Hinduism. When I was browsing there, a song that was playing in the store caught my attention. It was a reggae song, but then I heard the chorus "Jai Om Namah Shivaya." I swear I am not making this up. I even went to the guy in the Audio/video section to ask what was playing, and it was a song called Om Namah Shivaya from a Reggae around the World CD. What are the chances of that, right there in Barnes & Noble?

    Ever since then I have been pursuing this path with the same passion and enthusiasm that you have described. I can't seem to get enough. I have so many books I want to read and so much that I want to understand that there is not enough time in the day to absorb it all. It's very exciting, and I can't remember the last time I've ever felt so passionately certain about anything.

    So could all of this be coincidence? Or an accident?

    Aum Namah Shivaya!!
    Om Namah Shivaya

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    Re: Coincidence... Or?

    Namaste F_P,
    Quote Originally Posted by fem_phoenix1109 View Post
    I have so many books I want to read and so much that I want to understand ......
    Don't forget to apply some of it to your everyday life.

    The ancient Hindu concept of 'sanjog' was reinvented by good old Carl Jung and defined as synchronicity,
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synchronicity

    Pranam.

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    Re: Coincidence... Or?

    Namaskar All,

    My apologies it has been some time since I could post again, and I'm on lunch break so don't have a whole lot of time at the moment, but I very much wanted to thank you all for your replies, they are so appreciated!
    Quote Originally Posted by Kalicharan Tuvij View Post
    Ānandini-ji,
    So, "Coincidence... Or?" Or what?
    I think what was on my mind at the time (and still is sometimes), but that I couldn't come right out and state at the time, Kalicharan-ji, is "Coincidence... Or am I losing my mind?" LOL

    It is difficult for me. The things that have been happening are things that in the past, if told to me by someone else, I would have dismissed as psychosomatic response and rationalization of events. My degree is in the Arts, but I have ended up working in the sciences and have a strong affinity for science as well as art. I have always believed in something, yes, and while I always knew that God is aware of us and loves us, I never believed God's touch would truly be so personal and immanent once we actually reach out openly and unguardedly. But experiencing these things myself, it is becoming very apparent that it is, God is. And because of many of the changes that have happened in my life since, and the consistent string of 'coincidence', 'synchronicity' or 'messages', sometimes I do find myself questioning my grip on my sanity, largely because of that background in the modern sciences. And yet that same Science lead me right back to God's feet.

    On Nandi, I read shortly after posting in that thread that to some schools Nandi is also representative of the "everyman" or "every-soul" anyway, and the path to attainment. Then yesterday, I read in a book on the school I am studying that 'Pasu' can mean Cow or Beast and is meant to represent the Jiva-Soul, and 'Pati' is a name for Shiva, the combination of which is meant to reflect the path of attainment to God. Interesting.

    Quote Originally Posted by Mana View Post
    If I might add that the nature of the flow of time is a very beautiful thing to observe, few are ever still enough to do so;...
    Thank you Mana-ji, though I don't know that I am particularly still or quiet in cit, myself. Though it is something I have striven to work on for years. But the experience of the Divine I had did happen to be at MahaKaaleshwar, so perhaps that's what brought out my awareness of these events. I think I can feel Sri Shiv-ji chuckling as I type.

    Quote Originally Posted by fem_phoenix1109 View Post
    My series of coincidences began one week, I fell into a deep depression and cried my eyes out for several nights in a row, and prayed to whatever it was that I knew was out there for some sort of a connection...
    ...Then I came upon a song that I liked... ...I had no idea what it meant, I just knew it was spiritual and I liked the way it made me feel....
    ...I decided a few days later to go to the bookstore and see if I could find a book about Shiva or Hinduism. When I was browsing there, a song that was playing in the store caught my attention. It was a reggae song, but then I heard the chorus "Jai Om Namah Shivaya." I swear I am not making this up... ...What are the chances of that, right there in Barnes & Noble?
    I apologize for cutting up your post so much, Fem-Phoenix-ji, I'm hoping to not write a tl;dr post. But your experience and mine are similar is several ways that I find far more surprising than I probably should.
    I was already on the path to Hinduism after over a decade of practicing a loose kind of Buddhism. We were just about to go on a trip to India that we had been planning for over a year, when I lost someone very dear to me. In some ways it was a good thing, and I even had a premonition of the time it would happen, but it tore me apart literally days before we took off on the trip. I had recently turned to Sri Ganapati for help with a different challenge and had a response, so I turned to him again, and repeatedy throughout our trip during Chaturthi, asking for him to remove obstacles on her journey through the other worlds and to a better birth, and to watch over her. I asked the same of Sri Vishnu and Sri Hanuman, getting Arcana Darshans at various temples along our journey. At the Jyotorlinga at MahaKaal, I whispered her name in Nandi-ji's ear before making offerings to Lord Shiva at all three open shrines and getting Darshan at a special shrine to Sri Ganesha that had been set up in the compound for Chaturthi. I felt much better after that and a certain powerful experience in the last Lingam Shrine at MahaKaal... The whole time I had one song stuck in my head, one I had associated with my friend just before she passed on - "Memories" from 'Cats'. After, I found myself not singing that song, but a Shiva Bhajan I had heard before our trip.

    I felt strongly after MahaKaaleshwar that there were certain murtis I wanted to bring home after all of this. It took me until the end of the trip to find most of them. The last one, I found on the very last day, hours before we took off for home. In a little shop in Mumbai, playing Bollywood and Indian Dance music. I picked it up, knowing that was it, and "Memories" started playing over the store's radio. I just about dropped it and ran out. My spouse gave me a strange look and remarked that it seemed I should buy it.

    As you said, what are the odds? We hadn't heard any Western music our whole trip, expect when my friend was playing her iPod in her car. I am told Lord Shiva is the Patron of the arts, particularly music and dance. I shouldn't have been surprised.

    Like you, my heart was fully open and in a very painful and plaintive state when I reached out. I didn't really have much knowledge of or about Lord Shiva, though I had seen some pictures of Him I didn't know what a Lingam was till I went to MahaKaal. I hadn't heard of the Shaivite sects at all and really was only aware of Vaishnava sects and ISKON up until that point. But when I reached for Him, just as when I reached for His son Sri Ganesha, He reached back.

    I love the thread you started with songs and Bhajans, by the way, the songs you mention you posted there and they have become some of my favorites! I hope to get my stuff together to post there as well. My thanks for that too.

    Quote Originally Posted by Believer View Post
    The ancient Hindu concept of 'sanjog' was reinvented by good old Carl Jung and defined as synchronicity,
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synchronicity
    Synchronicity indeed. Thank you for that, Believer-ji, I had not heard of Sanjog.
    The above mentioned experiences were just the beginning. They keep coming more and more and faster to a point now where I know it cannot be coincidence, but the years up till now still make me stop and wonder sometimes. I am learning to get past that and just accept in joy and gratitude, and this helps a lot in that regard.

    You all have helped a lot, even those who have not replied to this thread but post elsewhere. Thank you. I feel much more secure in myself.

    ~Pranams <3
    Last edited by Aanandinii; 07 March 2014 at 01:35 PM.
    ~~~~~
    What has Learning profited a man, if it has not led him to worship the good feet of Him who is pure knowledge itself?
    They alone dispel the mind's distress, who take refuge at the feet of the incomparable one.
    ~~Tirukural 2, 7

    Anbe Sivamayam, Satyame Parasivam

  9. #9
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    Re: Coincidence... Or?

    Vannakkam: One of Ganesha's jobs is to provide good timing to his devotees.

    I am rarely surprised at 'coincidence'.

    Aum Namasivaya

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