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Thread: Prideful Postures

  1. #1

    Prideful Postures

    Namaste,

    I receive a daily master course email from Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami's trilogy: Dancing with Siva, Living with Siva and Merging with Siva, and one of the excerpts from yesterday's lesson made me wonder. Here is what it said:

    Sutra 79 of the Nandinatha Sutras

    Guarding Against Pride

    Siva's devotees treasure humility. They never boast, point with their index finger or assume prideful postures, such as with arms folded and chin held high, or with one foot resting on the knee when sitting. Aum.


    This made me wonder: are these postures considered rude? I may practice these without even noticing, and never would think twice about it.

    What are others' thoughts on this, as well as any other other postures or actions that westerners may practice without second thought, that may be seen as inappropriate?

    Pranam.
    Om Namah Shivaya

  2. #2
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    Re: Prideful Postures

    Vannakkam fp: At temple, some people will sit with legs pointed towards the deities, because they don't know it's considered disrespectful.

    I think some of these things vary within groups too ... male/female interaction might be another. In Tamil custom, it's considered rude to ask how another person's spouse is doing for example. Direct eye contact is another. Many people will look at the face but not make direct eye contact.

    It's very tough to tell some days between pride and just plain confidence. A confident person walks with straight back, head up, shoulders back.

    I remember doing experiments with students on the arms crossed one. Most children felt like the other person wasn't truly listening when they had their arms crossed.

    All these subtle things are learned over time. I'm still learning stuff.

    Here's an Indian etiquette website.. http://www.a-to-z-of-manners-and-eti...etiquette.html

    Aum Namasivaya
    Last edited by Eastern Mind; 01 July 2014 at 12:54 PM.

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    Re: Prideful Postures

    hari o
    ~~~~~~
    namasté

    Who owns this pride (abhimāna¹)? Find this landlord and be rid of it, then one never needs to worry.

    iti śivaṁ


    1. abhimāna - high opinion of one's self , self-conceit , pride ;
    an erroneous conception one regarding one's self; abhi+ māna =
    superior/above + opinion
    Last edited by yajvan; 01 July 2014 at 06:21 PM.
    यतस्त्वं शिवसमोऽसि
    yatastvaṁ śivasamo'si
    because you are identical with śiva

    _

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