Dance Til the Stars Come Down From the Rafters汇总.doc

Dance Til the Stars Come Down From the Rafters Talks given from 1/1/80 to 31/1/80 Darshan Diary 31 Chapters Year published: Unpublished Dance Til the Stars Come Down From the Rafters Chapter #1 Chapter title: None 1 January 1980 pm in Chuang Tzu Auditorium Archive code: 8001015 ShortTitle: RAFTER01 Audio: No Video: No [NOTE: This is an unedited tape transcript of an unpublished darshan diary, which has been copy-typed. It is for reference purposes only.] (To Susan) -- This is your new name: Ma Nartano. Nartano means dance and dance is the essential core of sannyas. I dont believe in renunciation, I believe in rejoicing. Life should be a song, a dance, not sadness. The so-called saints have been too heavy, sad, sombre, and they have created an atmosphere of sadness all over the world. Churches have become cemeteries, they are no more celebrations. Even if celebrations are arranged, they are done in such a way that they lose the very quality of celebration. They become formal. They are no more fun, they are serious. Holiness has become too identified with seriousness. My work is to destroy that identification totally. Holiness should be wholeness, and wholeness is always a dancing state, a state where the dancer disappears into the dance Dance your way to God. Dance till the stars come down from the rafters. Dance creates the fire in which all that is useless is burned, only the essential remains. Dance creates the fire in which gold becomes purer and purer and purer, and ultimately only purity is left. (To Amy) -- This is your new name: Ma Gito. Gito means song. Become a song... just a small song will do! Good! (To Helmut) -- Your name: Swami Helmut. Helmut means courage, great courage. Sannyas needs it. It is the most fundamental requirement because you will be moving from the known into the unknown, from the mind to no-mind, from the visible to the invisible. Ordinary courage is not enough, total courage is needed. Because one almost has to die, to die to