Respecting ASPIRATION...

[kalpana]

Barin Chaki has provided an excellent social network for those who are seriously interested in the work and lives of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, and also for those people aspiring to know more about Them.
That is my reason for joining.


People who might want share their knowledge and experience from similar spiritual viewpoints have always been welcome, to my knowledge, as long as they do not 'preach or evangelise', or disrespect the Mother and Sri Aurobindo.

Similarly, subjects such as science, arts, health etc are welcome, as long as they connect/reflect on the themes of ASPIRATION network.

To me, the purpose of ASPIRATION network is clear.

Are other members clear too, especially new members?

Barin has asked Lalith, Jordi, Mamata, Gopal and myself to help as co-moderators.

It is with this 'hat' on that I ask the question:

Why do some members use this network to promote and advertise themselves and their services, especially when not relevant to the purpose of ASPIRATION ?

Are they confused that this is a business or dating or chit-chat network ?
From the way some people display photographs of themselves, it would appear so. I might be wrong.
Barin has also specified what is not acceptable.

Why do new members not introduce themselves, as requested by moderators [listed above]?

Do members feel it might be useful to have some sort of 'terms of reference' or 'ground-rules'?

[Gopal]

Dear Kalpana di....

it so happens with the internet that it is very easy to disguise onself and hide the true intentions. because you have got to belive the person by what he says or what he posts.

when a member joins any such social community, no one openly says his true intentions unless he or she is joining with the purpose which harmonious with the Aspiration.

it only sirfaces later on.

this is a weed which can grow anywhere and we have to prune Aspiration continuously by eradicating such weeds.

yesterday in my chat with Barin da, i had given him some 4 profiles which are not fit to be member profiles of Aspiration. further action will be taken soon with rest of the moderators.

this is my heartily request to all the "aspiring" members of Aspiration, to report such profile immediately to Barin da, so that action can be taken.

Dedicated to Her Feet,

Gopal

[Abhijit Banerjee]

We have been devotees of The Mother and Sri Aurobindo for four generations and we try, as far as possible to go by their teachings. I, on my part have a long, long way to go. Maybe this lifetiem will not be enough for me to be a true devotee. The pull of external world becomes too much to resist. I am happy to be in this community

But I also have a mission. There are people dwelling in indifferent levels of consciousness, and our effort is to point them, however modestly, to the path of self discovery. At least they have taken a turn, in the right direction. I feel we have to still talk to them in the language they understand, or are beginning to understand. That's what we are trying to do in our website Copperstrings.

I don't know if this will be considered spamming. Grateful to hear your views.

[kalpana]

I understand what you are saying Abhijit, and as long as it is in a relevant context, it doesn't bother me personally. Of course, it is a fine balance.
You are also posting items that are relevant and encourage one to engage and think in a positive way, living in the so-called 'real-world'.

Hopefully, even those who are just interested in self-promotion and self-display, may find something in the works of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother that inspires and enriches!

We human beings are still much in love with our chains and fetters, and still fear the greater Light.


Abhijit Banerjee said:

We have been devotees of The Mother and Sri Aurobindo for four generations and we try, as far as possible to go by their teachings. I, on my part have a long, long way to go. Maybe this lifetiem will not be enough for me to be a true devotee. The pull of external world becomes too much to resist. I am happy to be in this community

But I also have a mission. There are people dwelling in indifferent levels of consciousness, and our effort is to point them, however modestly, to the path of self discovery. At least they have taken a turn, in the right direction. I feel we have to still talk to them in the language they understand, or are beginning to understand. That's what we are trying to do in our website Copperstrings.

I don't know if this will be considered spamming. Grateful to hear your views.

[Jordi Valero]

In fact, all life and all manifestations of life are aspects of the Divine. Therefore, we might think that everything that comes from the human being must be accepted in a place like this. Especially in a place like this that discusses the work of Sri Aurobindo and Mother for whom any nature (including the vital nature) must be changed for become in the receptacle of God in Matter.

But we are not the Master

We are beings who have taken their first steps on a long and difficult path towards the divine consciousness in the matter. We are, therefore, children that need to be holding hands to avoid falling into certain pitfalls that border on the way. Put another way: we are beginners in the path of yoga. We are still essentially mental beings, without any power to change the trends of others.
Therefore, this social network cannot neither must admit those members that only use it to promote themselves in matters that have nothing to do with spirituality.

This is my standpoin about the topic.

Jordi.

[Jennifer Surdam]

Sometimes one gets an invite to a group and doesn't exactly know what that group is. Aspirations is a great name for a group. As an aspiring writer, I think it's a great place to be, but I may not necessarily know what to do when I get here. I'm one to hang back before I go posting all over the place, and I like to see what a site is before I go playing around with it. Also, with being somewhat disabled, it's a little hard to go and plop myself in a chair and explore a site and comment on every single post or put myself out there right away, without taking some time to look around first. It's good to digest things before you open mouth and insert foot, as they say...

Perhaps it's not a bad idea, either, to have some sort of terms of reference or ground-rules, either. I didn't know where I was going nor what I was being invited to when I received the invite to this site. But it sounded good, and I'm glad to be here.

Hugs and BB,
jen :)

[kalpana]

Thanks for posting on this discussion.
You are right about getting invited and not knowing what a group/network is about!
I tend to turn down many invites, unless I am very sure it is what I want.
This network is focussed on the teachings of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, providing inspiration and strengthening spiritual aspiration.
Even if you don't post anything, Jennifer, I hope you will find something useful here, in furthering your own creative aspirations.
Thanks again for your post.

Jennifer Surdam said:

Sometimes one gets an invite to a group and doesn't exactly know what that group is. Aspirations is a great name for a group. As an aspiring writer, I think it's a great place to be, but I may not necessarily know what to do when I get here. I'm one to hang back before I go posting all over the place, and I like to see what a site is before I go playing around with it. Also, with being somewhat disabled, it's a little hard to go and plop myself in a chair and explore a site and comment on every single post or put myself out there right away, without taking some time to look around first. It's good to digest things before you open mouth and insert foot, as they say...

Perhaps it's not a bad idea, either, to have some sort of terms of reference or ground-rules, either. I didn't know where I was going nor what I was being invited to when I received the invite to this site. But it sounded good, and I'm glad to be here.

Hugs and BB,
jen :)

[Jennifer Surdam]

Oh, I'm definitely finding useful things here--some I do and some I don't necessarily agree with. It's a most interesting site, to be sure! :D I like it here, and I am finding my way around now. I'm not sure I'll actually ever feel completely comfortable posting my own blogs, but I enjoy reading, and I'm getting comfortable with posting some of my own opinions here.
Thanks for your comments, Kaplana.
Hugs and BB,
Jen :)

[Barindranath Chaki]

All life is Yoga, says Sri Aurobindo. There is nothing in life and in existence which is outside the purview and scope of Yoga. And Sri Aurobindo's Yoga is the completest form of Yoga, the Integral Yoga.

In this Yoga, not ony should we unveil and realize the Inner Divine, the Psychic Being, but we should also manifest the Inner Divine in the external life, in our outer world, so that gradually but surely the entire existence around us on earth becomes a Divine existence, by the way of Transformation. We should change ourselves. We should change this earth. And for that a much higher plane of existence should be allowed to take the leadership — the Supramental Plane. And for the information of the new and the beginners, let me say that Sri Aurobindo and The Mother have already caused the Descent of the Supramental Consciousness and Being here on earth. The details they may know in due course of time.

And I fully agree with what Abhijit Bannerjee says:

I also have a mission. There are people dwelling in indifferent levels of consciousness, and our effort is to point them, however modestly, to the path of self discovery. At least they have taken a turn, in the right direction. I feel we have to still talk to them in the language they understand, or are beginning to understand. That's what we are trying to do in our website Copperstrings.

Insofar as posting of Blogs concerned, one may post whatever is meaningful and useful for us here, following the principle: All life is Yoga. I invite Jennifer Surdam to become completely comfortable and free here, breaking all the irrational barriers apprehensions!

Only in general, one should not post here anything that goes against the spiritual norm. But I know members here will never will do that.

Barin Chaki
27-11-2009

[M Johnson]

It is not a matter of hiding, but internet also have many shady personalities, and we have to be websmart, that includes not giving too many personal details. Most people will be ok, but lets face it, identity theft is not uncommon on web these days. I think some kind of middle way can be achieved. You can be sincere and honest even without giving others every detail of your private life.