Narayanjot ji
I wrote what I did because you ended your reply with, "So the answer is no."
However; you're not being 'dense', you're just being (or, sounding a lot like many of the) a socially liberated woman (whom I've known), from a somewhat chauvanistic culture, and you're simply expressing your desire - even demanding your Right - to be your own person; to not be 'attached to' or 'dependant upon' the Man/Men in your life; be he your Husband, Father, Uncle, or Brother.
I KNOW where Narayanjot Kaur ji is coming from; I watched it happen to the women in my life - especially my sister - during that 'revolution' thing they (burning their you-know-whats) went through in the 1960's.
You are, of course, right; a Woman - a Wife - is both a Person, and a Soul, unto herself - with her own bhagti; which is a fact that Sikhism, unlike most religions (Woman are 'impure' because they 'bleed'; they 'ate the apple'; it's as if they'll 'make up' any excuse to keep a Good Woman in ter place! The Kitchen, The Field - The Bed.) seems to address in a much more unbiased manner than most faiths.
You're also right in saying that achieving Mukhti is also more than just entering a state of Transcendental Meditation; it's what you learn while in such a state; it's how this experience affects you; it's in how you apply it - in how it changes your view of Life, The Universe, and Everything.
On the other hand, it is NOT just strict adherence to Dogma; as achieving Muhkti will cause one to face challenges that defy any kind of 'order', and kind of black and white definitions of right or wrong.
I say this because you know that I've been put through Hell by some very bad people, via some of our personal communiques; perhaps you know that I've also had to do what would arguably be called 'bad things' (often just to survive being put in a bad position!) as part of my concerted efforts to catch the 'bad people' who, oh, raped, murdered, slashed open, then doused with lighter fluid and set on fire the mentally retarded young african american girl that I've mentioned.
In the task of identifying those who sent these truly abominable killers to do this nasty, nasty deed - so that I can try to put them in the Prison where they belong - I've had to take an 'anything goes' type of approach; to do things that would, under 'normal' circumstances, be quite appalling to me!
I am, of course, saying this in my own defense; as I was about as bold as I'd ever care to get in the above post (putting all humility aside, for the sake of trying to help Roger ji find what he's seeking); for though I think you know that I've been tested to the limit by these challenges - that I may have seemed to have strayed from the True Path -I've NEVER lost my Right Mindfulness; as my objectives, I believe, have always justified my means.
Besides, I'm friends with a local Asst. DA's child - and was granted a kind of 'immunity', so that I could help him do what we both want to see happen.
I'm reminded of a Respected Lama who started telling his Acolytes to go out and steal things for him; knowing that, out of respect for his oh-so venerable reputation, they would willingly comply with his every whim.
Finally, after several weeks of blind devotion to thier Master, one of his Acolytes rose to his feet and said, "But Master, isn't it WRONG to steal things?" At which point he said, "Aha! You are the first of my students to learn the lesson that I've been teaching all of you for these last few weeks."
Thus, because right can become wrong as easlily as wrong can become right; blind devotion to a Dogma, no matter how Noble, is also not what Muhkt is all about.:yes:
