I’m the only child and my family does not follow any specific religion or spiritual tradition. I still remember when I was around 9 years old, I read the explanation of Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching from my father’s old books and that has a great influence in my point of view later. Majoring in environmental engineering, I continued with master study on environmental and resource management in Germany in 2003. After graduating, I got a grant to do research at one laboratory in Finland.
Before coming back to Vietnam in 2009, I went on a pilgrimage to India, visiting the four Buddhist holy sites. Also in that year, I got a scholarship to study another master on urban development planning. Then, I worked for GIZ in a project on natural resource management in the coastal areas of Soc Trang province. In 2014, thanks to the support and encouragement of my Professor, I came back to Finland to complete my research thesis. It was a special year as I had chances to listen to the two Masters, Thich Nhat Hanh on Mindfulness in Education at the conference in Barcelona and the Dalai Lama on Compassion in Hamburg. I visited Plum Village in France and was so much enchanted by the peaceful, loving and happy life there. Back to Vietnam again, I felt lost and did not fit in...
I worked as a coordinator at the research management department in a university. Then, I joined my friend’s start-up project. It was the job that I really love as it gave me the chance to study deeper in spirituality. But we did not have the funding to continue. So, we had to stop there, hoping that we all may be back again together someday in the future. Currently, I’m working as a fellow in a 2-year program of Teach for Vietnam in Tay Ninh province.
2. Working with the same categories that we covered in the course (Cleavage, Integration, and the various parts of the Stimulation problem), what psychological challenge have you experienced or are still experiencing? (Remember that as we all struggle towards enlightenment, all these conditions and challenges are a normal and natural part of our soul experience. They provide the various initiation tests that we have to take). How did it play out and affect you, your life, your relationships? If you have experienced more than one of these problems, choose just one to work with.
I guess perhaps the psychological challenge that I have experienced is the cleavage within the astral body. I felt myself isolated, depressed and losing interest with the outside world, being somehow more introverted and less socialized (but not anti-social).
3. What do you believe the “problem” ray is - one that is likely to be related to this disorder? Do you have this ray in your ray makeup? If so where? How has it contributed to the problem?
I guess the “problem” ray here is the Ray 2, which I think is my emotional ray. Maybe that has made me too soft, sensitive and weak.
4. Which of your Ascendant, Sun or Moon Signs do you think, was most influential in contributing to the problem? What Astro/ ray forces or traits of that sign in particular?
My Ascendant and Sun, both are in Aquarius, and my Moon is in Scorpio. I guess my Scorpio Moon was influential in contributing to the problem as Scorpio is quite private and does not want socializing much.
5. Which chakras do you think have been involved with this experience? Have there been health complications?
The solar plexus chakra has been involved in this experience, I guess, as this chakra is related to the emotional problem. Fortunately, I did not have any serious health problem. It was just some stress, depression, loneliness and isolated feelings.
6. What therapy is recommended for this challenge? What virtues would balance the ray excesses? What soul word instructions given in esoteric astrology would help the condition? Have you applied any of these counterbalancing techniques - consciously or unconsciously, and if so, which and with what result?
The therapy recommended for this challenge is letting the soul work through the mind to heal the cleavage. The virtues that help balance the ray excesses are firmness, strong will, and self-love.
I think the soul word instruction for Aquarius given in esoteric astrology that would help the condition is: “Water of life am I, poured forth for thirsty men.” Since this soul keynote reminds us of our mission to our community, it facilitates the connection between ourselves and our community.
7. As a loving friend skilled in esoteric psychological analysis, what advice would you have given to yourself in the past, to help you work through the challenge? Are there words of advice you would like to give yourself today?
The advice that I would have given to myself in the past and even to myself today would be “Stay strong! You are not alone, you are loved.” I would told myself to practice Loving-Kindness Meditation, sending positive energy and love to myself and then keep expanding further to family, friends, relatives and others all over the world. And again, practicing mindfulness and meditation so that the light of the soul can pour through our bodies and heal the cleavage.
8. Finally, write a paragraph about yourself today as an aspirant or disciple, and what you think this course has added to your range of skills, to assist you in your future service work. What do you envision this work will be?
I have joined Morya Federation School for more than 2 years and I’m always grateful to my Mentor, Ms. Eva, to other Teachers and for all the teachings that I have learned here. I think that I’m an aspirant on the Path and this course is very useful for me. It has opened up my mind, helping me expand my consciousness. Though there is still a lot of work that I have to do, thanks to the teaching here, I’m getting more and more discrimination, calmness and closer to my soul. For future service work, I would love to learn more and practice further in esoteric study so that I will be able to become a healer and to share (through writing, teaching, translating, etc...) these ageless wisdom to others.
Thank you Daisy for this self analysis. I personally really enjoyed learning of your studies, your travels and your experiences. It allows me to better know you.
You seem to have a good grasp of what you had learned and applying it to yourself.
I cursorily looked at your astrology. With the moon in Scorpio trining your Mercury in Pisces there is the emotional/astral component. This combo can definitely influence your thinking because so much of what we think about we feel and vice versa.
Saturn in Virgo is opposite your Mercury. This makes for a mind that is structured, disciplined and practical.
Jupiter, the ruler of both your Asc and Sun square your moon. Jupiter is about muchness, a lot of, as it expands whatever it touches. So we come back again to your emotions. The good think is that it is a jovial planet and can help you feel happy and positive.
You should be able to draw upon your strengths – Pluto trines Mars, while Uranus (Asc/sun ruler) squares Mars. How driven are you????
*****
GQ2.6 Means 2: Nijama/Rule 5 - Devotion to Ishvara
I’ve learned that Ishvara is the Holiness, the Buddha Nature, the Christ, the Light of the Soul, our real Master, the Master in the Heart. In practical terms, to be devoted to Ishvara means to listen deeply to our little inner voice, our conscience for its guiding. These principles would be integrity, love and compassion.
These principles of integrity, love, compassion are the guiding force in my life. In order to increase the ability to love purely as a soul, I think that I need to practice more of loving-kindness meditation, opening my heart and let the pure energy of love prevail inside. Moreover, I need to devote myself more in service to others, bringing these principles into practical works.
GQ2.7 Spiritual Discipline 1 - Discrimination
I’ve learned that Discrimination is the ability for not identifying ourselves with our lower bodies, the appearance as well as all the “labels” given by society. It is also the ability to distinguish between what is true, genuine and really matter and essential to us and what is not. Discrimination frees us from ignorance, being trapped in the illusion of the material world.
I still have a lot of work to do as my emotional nature is sensitive. I think I need to practice more and more in mindfulness, in order to strengthen my discrimination ability.
From all the hindrances, I think I need to work more on attachment and clinging to life. So it’s about detachment for you, letting go, surrendering. Clinging speaks to holding on to that which we like. It’s good to become aware of what is it that we like and why and then to ask ourselves, “do we need that to feel whole?”
GQ2.9-10 Pratyahara - Detachment
I’ve learned the important technique of right detachment, turning the mind and senses inward through steady self-reflection, self-observation, not identifying our real self, our soul with our lower bodies and seeing things as they truly are, in the light of the soul, without the glamour of our emotional realm and the illusion of the mental realm.
Controlling the mind is not an easy job but requiring lots of hard work, patience and steadiness. However, being free from our sensation gives us immense reward of increasing soul love, brighter light, deeper joy and stronger will. We can see more and hear more when our mind is quiet and silent.
That’s right. Only through being the witnessing presence, the watcher, eventually the soul, can we see what the attachments are and then to let them go, thereby freeing ourselves.
GQ2.11 Concentration
Dharana, concentration, is intense focusing your attention on a specific seed thought or object. When the whole mind become single-minded, oneness, the yogi reaches the state of Samadhi. The ability to concentrate is very important for the spiritual Path as it results in meditation (Dhyana) and contemplation, which will facilitating the building of Rainbow Bridge or the Antahkarana that connecting our lower bodies with our Soul. Through concentration, we can have the laser power for mind controlling. Moreover, through concentration on which is dearest to our heart, we can attain inner peace.
To develop better concentration, I think we need to practice more and more, as practice will strengthen it.
GQ2.12 Meditation - Contemplation - Illumination
I’ve learned that, Dharana (concentration) results in Dhyana (meditation - sustained concentration) and Dhyana results in Samadhi (contemplation). Samadhi is attained when the mind’s focus passes through the outer forms to go deeper into the essential meaning. It is the expansion of consciousness from the lower planes into the higher realms of the soul.
I too, continually work on this. By now, as meditators, we all know how to concentrate, to focus the mind on a singularity. For myself, I am so aware how difficult it is to keep the mind from thinking, from commenting, from wandering. I play games with myself to see if I can actually do it to the count of 20 without any fluctuations whatsoever in the mind and so far I fall short. Even noticing that my mind is not wandering is a fluctuation.
Well done, Daisy. Good understanding of the Work...
With love and light in the New Year,
Eva
From all the hindrances, I think I need to work more on attachment and clinging to life. So it’s about detachment for you, letting go, surrendering. Clinging speaks to holding on to that which we like. It’s good to become aware of what is it that we like and why and then to ask ourselves, “do we need that to feel whole?”
GQ2.9-10 Pratyahara - Detachment
I’ve learned the important technique of right detachment, turning the mind and senses inward through steady self-reflection, self-observation, not identifying our real self, our soul with our lower bodies and seeing things as they truly are, in the light of the soul, without the glamour of our emotional realm and the illusion of the mental realm.
Controlling the mind is not an easy job but requiring lots of hard work, patience and steadiness. However, being free from our sensation gives us immense reward of increasing soul love, brighter light, deeper joy and stronger will. We can see more and hear more when our mind is quiet and silent.
That’s right. Only through being the witnessing presence, the watcher, eventually the soul, can we see what the attachments are and then to let them go, thereby freeing ourselves.
GQ2.11 Concentration
Dharana, concentration, is intense focusing your attention on a specific seed thought or object. When the whole mind become single-minded, oneness, the yogi reaches the state of Samadhi. The ability to concentrate is very important for the spiritual Path as it results in meditation (Dhyana) and contemplation, which will facilitating the building of Rainbow Bridge or the Antahkarana that connecting our lower bodies with our Soul. Through concentration, we can have the laser power for mind controlling. Moreover, through concentration on which is dearest to our heart, we can attain inner peace.
To develop better concentration, I think we need to practice more and more, as practice will strengthen it.
GQ2.12 Meditation - Contemplation - Illumination
I’ve learned that, Dharana (concentration) results in Dhyana (meditation - sustained concentration) and Dhyana results in Samadhi (contemplation). Samadhi is attained when the mind’s focus passes through the outer forms to go deeper into the essential meaning. It is the expansion of consciousness from the lower planes into the higher realms of the soul.
I too, continually work on this. By now, as meditators, we all know how to concentrate, to focus the mind on a singularity. For myself, I am so aware how difficult it is to keep the mind from thinking, from commenting, from wandering. I play games with myself to see if I can actually do it to the count of 20 without any fluctuations whatsoever in the mind and so far I fall short. Even noticing that my mind is not wandering is a fluctuation.
Well done, Daisy. Good understanding of the Work...
With love and light in the New Year,
Eva
