Photo of the week – Mar 4 – Mar 10 2007
(Picture taken early 2007 at Devi Mandir, Napa, CA)
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Temple of Divine Mother
Photo of the week – Mar 4 – Mar 10 2007
(Picture taken early 2007 at Devi Mandir, Napa, CA)
Check out our new weekly blogs.
Photo of the week of Feb 25 – Mar 3 2007
(Taken on MahaShivaratri, Feb 15 2007 in front of Yajneshwar, at Devi Mandir, Napa, CA)
Check out our weekly blogs.
Congratulations to Surya for completing the sankalpa ! He completed 111,111 recitations. Thank you Surya for blessing this universe with your sadhana. Surya had a few words to share on his experience, but first here is a Q&A with our beloved Swamiji.
Sadhu Maa had two questions on the meaning of the mantra.
Sadhu Maa asked : In the UPS mantra there is reference to "the three worlds". Will you please explain what is meant by "the three worlds"?
Swamiji says: The gross body, subtle body and causal body: what can be perceived through the senses, conceived in the mind, and known through intuition.
Sadhu Maa asked: When we say "and in like manner, remove from us all hostility", are we talking about hostility present in our subtle, vital and gross bodies?
Swamiji says: Yes, as well as all hostility within us, or directed to us, and ultimately all hostility from creation.
Here is what Maruthi had to say "I really feel blessed that Shree MAA gave us the opportunity to take part in the Universal Peace Sankalpa."
And here is Surya‘s sharing from this sankalpa – the feeling of what an honor and privilege it is to serve Her.
"I finished the 100,000 repetitions Monday night. I figured since it was Shiva’s Day (and Night) it would be an auspicious way to end, so I pushed it and did the last 4030 reps that day/night. Now I am just finishing another 11,111 so that I can have a total of 111,111–an auspicious Gauri Shankar number. Om Shiva Shakti Aikya Rupinyai Namah!
This sadhana has really changed me and my outlook on many things. Some shift definitely occured that night. I really felt a big change starting on Maha Shivaratri and this "sealed the deal", so to speak.
I decided that from now on, I am going to really apply myself to see everything in my life as a true and beautiful gift from the Goddess.
I am truly thankful for all these Blessings She has given me. My family, my partner, my kids and all that makes up my life. I gladly accept my karma and dharma and will work hard to live up to what is required of me.
I must admit that becoming a householder has been a very difficult road for me. In many ways I have fought it tooth and nail. But this was/is just silly. Everything is how it should be and I am very grateful for it.
We can always choose to look at our circumstances in many different ways. We can complain about our lot in life or we can see that it is all Her Will and be grateful for the Honor and Privilege of Serving Her, the Universe and Our Self in the way that She has chosen for us. She always knows what is Best for us and gives us Everything we need, even without us asking for it. So why not trust Her?
It is said that Life is what you make it. I firmly believe this. The grass isn’t greener anywhere else. So lets make Life a Celebration–a Truly Joyous Event. Lets revel in the Bliss. This is my ideal that I am going to do my utmost to embody each and every day."
Thanks Sadhu Maa for your questions, and to Maruthi and Surya for sharing your sentiments.
Here are the numbers for those of us that preferred to chant the mantra at the fire (Week ending March 4th 2007)
Name |
Number of Mantras
|
Swamiji & Mandir Residents |
Priceless
|
Michael |
12960
|
Janitri |
4384
|
Mousumi |
10908
|
Total |
28,252
|
And for those of us that chanted without the fire
Name |
Number of Mantras
|
Babu |
1296
|
Bharata |
46000
|
Bharati |
10800
|
Brendan |
3160
|
Carie |
1282
|
Chocatane |
19116
|
Chris K |
15228
|
Chris W |
19128
|
Debi |
70848
|
Donna |
21590
|
Durga |
5616
|
Egyirba |
8424
|
Eric |
46656
|
Gauri |
5832
|
Georgiann |
5762
|
Henny |
23112
|
Janitri |
11484
|
Jayadeva |
22140
|
Julia |
15810
|
Kalachandra |
15876
|
Kaliananda |
15984
|
Kamalaji |
19630
|
Kanda |
17280
|
Karen |
18000
|
Kathy |
15580
|
Marsha |
15552
|
Maruthi |
37000
|
Mausumi |
12852
|
Michael |
10800
|
Michele |
4792
|
Morningsong |
20520
|
Muktimaa |
11664
|
Nickolas |
1188
|
Nirmal |
5184
|
Nirmalananda |
11100
|
Nanda |
12015
|
Papia |
15120
|
Parvati |
6480
|
Patty |
18712
|
Prasana |
9568
|
Prathibha |
10617
|
Raghu |
19872
|
Rebeca |
16100
|
Rick Veda |
63180
|
Robin |
14200
|
Rolf |
15336
|
Rukmani |
6048
|
Sadhu Maa |
8670
|
Shubal |
12420
|
Sitara |
3464
|
Sundari |
19224
|
Shankari |
10476
|
Surya |
111111
|
Susan |
18900
|
Usha |
53136
|
Vasantha |
51000
|
Wendel |
15100
|
Wendy |
20844
|
Vinay |
2160
|
Visveshwar |
34236
|
Yogini |
51840
|
Total |
1,206,115
|
There are several highlights to this week – we crossed our first million in japa , and then a phone conversation with Swamiji on the sankalpa.
He asked, "Have you watched the broadcasts before the evening program on weekdays? We have been chanting the peace sankalpa mantra, atleast 1 mala a day, but we dont count!"
"Oh you count alright Swamiji", I hastened to clarify ,"In fact you are like Florida, you count AND count ! You count a LOT !" (Readers will doubtless remember the election of 2000 in Florida, but we will not probe into those boring political details here !)
Anyway, having Swamiji and the Mandir residents join our sankalpa is beyond value! Our heartfelt thanks to Swamiji for adding momentum to our progress .
There was a beautiful post by our beloved Rick Veda, on this sankalpa . Here is what he had to say
"The Universal Peace Sankalpa has taken on a life of its own in me. One thought I had was that being the UPS, it always delivers the package, and always on time! But it has become universal in a much more profound way to me. It is the first thought I have when I awake, and it follows with me in every moment, every conversation, every interaction I have all through the day. It has become my universe. I am so grateful to Shree Maa for giving this great blessing to me. Although I have been chanting mantras for years, there is a wonderful difference with this sankalpa because the mantra is chanting itself through me.
Swamiji’s inspired translation likewise blesses my spirit. The two words that keep coming back into my awareness are "disturbances" and "hostility." I ask her to "terminate all disturbance in the three worlds." It always begins with a disturbance. If I am kept from becoming disturbed, I will not lose my connection with Maa. But if I allow disturbances into my thinking, they will take root and create hostility. I do not have to experience hostility. But it is inevitable if I nurture any disturbance.
Shree Maa is the Spirit of the Supreme Sovereign. I am so grateful to pray this mantra to her, and know the bliss of deliverance from all disturbances. By her grace I am experiencing more of this each day. "
Thank you for your beautiful and profound words , Rick – it struck a chord in my heart, and am sure resonates with our other participants too.
Our friend Chris from Tacoma, WA , agrees with Rick and says "I am amazed every time I sit down for my japa of this mantra how strong the shakti is and how connected t is to Mother."
Thanks to all for sharing in your numbers. Congratulations to Mausumi for completing 100 malas at the fire.
As of Feb 25, here are the totals for those of us that prefer to do the sankalpa at the fire
Name |
Number of Mantras
|
Swamiji & Mandir Residents |
Priceless
|
Michael |
12960
|
Janitri |
4084
|
Mausumi |
10908
|
Total |
27,952
|
And below are the counts for those of us that do the sadhana without the fire
Name |
Number of Mantras
|
Babu | 1296 |
Bharata | 39000 |
Bharati | 9450 |
Brendan | 2878 |
Carie | 919 |
Chocatane | 15660 |
Chris K | 13392 |
Chris W | 15481 |
Debi | 51948 |
Donna | 18790 |
Durga | 5616 |
Egyirba | 6048 |
Eric | 39204 |
Gauri | 5832 |
Georgiann | 4913 |
Henny | 20412 |
Janitri | 9684 |
Jayadeva | 19764 |
Julia | 15480 |
Kalachandra | 15876 |
Kaliananda | 13392 |
Kamalaji | 14040 |
Kanda | 15120 |
Karen | 16000 |
Kathy | 11044 |
Marsha | 12960 |
Maruthi | 30000 |
Mausumi | 11880 |
Michael | 10800 |
Michele | 4792 |
Morningsong | 17820 |
Muktimaa | 10800 |
Nirmal | 5184 |
Nirmalananda | 11100 |
Nanda | 12015 |
Papia | 15120 |
Parvati | 6480 |
Patty | 15944 |
Prasana | 9568 |
Prathibha | 10617 |
Raghu | 18036 |
Rebeca | 8100 |
Rick Veda | 53460 |
Robin | 12000 |
Rolf | 12312 |
Rukmani | 6048 |
Sadhu Maa | 7668 |
Shubal | 7884 |
Sitara | 2694 |
Sundari | 16200 |
Shankari | 8856 |
Surya | 95580 |
Susan | 17172 |
Usha | 42768 |
Vasantha | 34000 |
Wendel | 12300 |
Wendy | 20844 |
Vinay | 2160 |
Visveshwar | 31512 |
Yogini | 46440 |
Total | 1,022,353 |
Photo of the week of Feb 18 – Feb 24 2007
(Taken on MahaShivaratri, Feb 15 2007 at Devi Mandir, Napa, CA)
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Week 6 of the Sankalpa has completed. Some of us are trying to keep up with this sankalpa AND balance a sadhana for Shivaratri AND with the demands that life puts in our way to test our sincerity and resolve in this sadhana!
Shivaratri – reminds me of a Swamiji story. Swamiji had gotten badly scorched at a fire ceremony several years ago, one that he never fully healed from. This Shivaratri, during the chanting of a text, he got more blisters on the same spot that he had been scorched, but to paraphrase his own inimitable words "a little burn is no reason to break one’s asana or sadhana"
May we all derive the inspiration from Swamiji’s sadhana to keep at our tapasya this year . May our minds be filled with that firm determination of Shiva, the Consciousness of Infinite Goodness.
Here is a photo taken at the Dharamshala at the Mandir, in early Jan 2007 – with our friends from New Jersey, learning to pronounce the mantra for this sankalpa. Guess who is who ?
As of Feb 18 2007, here are totals of those of us that prefer to do the sankalpa at the fire
Name |
Number of Mantras
|
Michael | 12960 |
Janitri | 4084 |
Total | 17,044 |
and below are the counts for those of us that do the sadhana without a fire
Name |
Number of Mantras
|
Babu | 1296 |
Bharata | 32000 |
Bharati | 8640 |
Brendan | 2150 |
Carie | 618 |
Chocatane | 13068 |
Chris K | 11448 |
Chris W | 12120 |
Debi | 36828 |
Donna | 15690 |
Durga | 4752 |
Egyirba | 6048 |
Eric | 32508 |
Gauri | 5832 |
Georgiann | 4117 |
Henny | 17496 |
Janitri | 7584 |
Jayadeva | 13824 |
Julia | 10860 |
Kalachandra | 9072 |
Kaliananda | 11988 |
Kamalaji | 9770 |
Kanda | 12960 |
Karen | 14000 |
Kathy | 11044 |
Marsha | 7884 |
Maruthi | 23000 |
Mausumi | 11880 |
Michael | 7884 |
Michele | 4218 |
Morningsong | 15120 |
Muktimaa | 9936 |
Nirmalananda | 9300 |
Nanda | 10115 |
Papia | 11880 |
Parvati | 6480 |
Patty | 13365 |
Prasana | 9568 |
Prathibha | 10617 |
Raghu | 15444 |
Rebeca | 8100 |
Rick Veda | 43740 |
Robin | 9900 |
Rolf | 10800 |
Rukmani | 6048 |
Sadhu Maa | 7668 |
Shubal | 7884 |
Sitara | 1124 |
Sundari | 11340 |
Shankari | 6048 |
Surya | 73224 |
Susan | 11664 |
Usha | 32724 |
Vasantha | 21000 |
Wendel | 10200 |
Wendy | 17712 |
Vinay | 2160 |
Visveshwar | 31512 |
Yogini | 35640 |
Total | 820,892 |
Welcome to the latest addition to our sankalpa group – Brendan from Massachusetts. Congratulations to Michael for completing his sankalpa at the fire.
Thanks to our participants Shankari Kali and Henny for sharing their progress on the sankalpa. Here is what Shankari Kali has to say
"I have noticed that since I started the peace sankalpa, I have developed more
discipline. This has affected many areas of my life. I could never stick with
anything. My weight was spiralling out of control, and my health was
deteriorating. By requiring myself to say this daily as many times as I could
muster, I even noticed that I had more energy. I have since developed a daily
exercise program.
I have been saying at least two malas of Om Namah Shivaya everyday along with other mantras. I have never had this much energy or desire to meditate."
And here is what Henny has to say
"The first week, I embarked upon daily chanting as one more task to be done and my chanting was very much directed outwards. I was chanting to someone ‘out here’, and in fact the volume was loud enough to be heard by the neighbours, I think. And I was very conscious of myself sitting there, chanting, and there was a feeling of ‘wanting to get the job done’.
Then one afternoon (early morning in California), I tuned into the live broadcast from the Devi Mandir, and I heard a Devi Mandir sadhu doing japa very, very quietly, tenderly and with great patience, and just listening to that voice made me realize what I had been doing. So, the next time I sat down for japa, I ‘listened’ to the memory of that voice in my mind, and that made me more centered and quiet, and then I began my chanting.
Gradually, over the next few days, I was gently drawn inside to the Presence listening within. And my chanting followed and it has become much more subtle, softer, and also much more peaceful. And now, when the mantra has taken me to that inner place where She listens, I forget to think about myself as one who chants, and chanting goes on inside of its own accord. Now, it is no longer a task to be accomplished, but an opportunity to enter into the Presence more and more, and something to look forward to. "
In the words of Swamiji, "We are trying to give ourselves the privilege of loving passionately"
As of Feb 11 2007, here are totals of those of us that prefer to do the sankalpa at the fire
Name |
Number of Mantras
|
Michael | 12960 |
Janitri | 4084 |
Total | 17,044 |
and below are the counts for those of us that do the sadhana without a fire
Name |
Number of Mantras
|
Babu | 1296 |
Bharata | 25000 |
Bharati | 8424 |
Brendan | 2150 |
Carie | 360 |
Chocatane | 10260 |
Chris K | 9180 |
Chris W | 9351 |
Debi | 26676 |
Donna | 12190 |
Durga | 2808 |
Egyirba | 6048 |
Eric | 27108 |
Gauri | 5400 |
Georgiann | 2591 |
Henny | 15120 |
Janitri | 5316 |
Jayadeva | 11664 |
Julia | 10860 |
Kalachandra | 9072 |
Kaliananda | 10368 |
Kamalaji | 9770 |
Kanda | 10800 |
Karen | 12000 |
Kathy | 8776 |
Marsha | 7884 |
Maruthi | 20000 |
Mausumi | 9720 |
Michael | 7884 |
Michele | 3370 |
Morningsong | 12420 |
Muktimaa | 9288 |
Nirmalananda | 5300 |
Nanda | 9115 |
Papia | 11880 |
Parvati | 4320 |
Patty | 11388 |
Prasana | 9568 |
Prathibha | 10617 |
Raghu | 13284 |
Rebeca | 8100 |
Rick Veda | 34020 |
Robin | 7800 |
Rolf | 6264 |
Rukmani | 6048 |
Sadhu Maa | 6804 |
Sadhvi | 25600 |
Shubal | 5616 |
Sitara | 1124 |
Sundari | 11340 |
Shankari | 3780 |
Surya | 73224 |
Susan | 8532 |
Usha | 26136 |
Vasantha | 11000 |
Wendel | 7200 |
Wendy | 15444 |
Vinay | 2160 |
Visveshwar | 24732 |
Yogini | 25920 |
Total | 709,470 |
The Jyotirlingams are among the most revered holy places for the worship of Lord Shiva. The twelve Jyotirlingams are:
Somanatham, Mallikarjunam, Mahakalam, Omkareswaram, Kedaranatham, Bhimasankaram, Visveswaram, Tryambakam, Baijanatham, Nageswaram, Ramesvaram and Ghusmesvaram.
{ NOTE – If you are wondering about the title "Prathamam Sailaputri Cha", it means "First is the Goddess of Inspiration" and refers to the first of the Navadurgas. To know more about the Navadurgas, please read the Cosmic Puja or Chandi Path (the verse is in the Armor of the Goddess)}
The sankalpa has touched the participants in many many ways. It prompted Vishweshwar, a disciple of Shree Maa to reach out and ask each participant to spread the word and get more people to sign up. Like ever spreading ripples caused by throwing a single pebble into a lake, just one inspiration from Shree Maa has us doing more, and getting the word out to more people. It was also heartwarming to see two fairly "new" additions to the Mandir family, Prathibha and Prasana, energetically share their enthusiasm for the sankalpa with others that had gathered at the Mandir on Sunday. Prathibha, in the true spirit of motivating another, even gifted her friend with her own recently acquired hand tally counter to demonstrate how easy it was to keep adding mantras chanted in random free moments.
First Maa gives us an idea, and then Her beautiful family give it the momentum. May this positive energy continue to generate and bless Mother Earth !
As a group we have crossed 320,000 repetitions of japa and over 9000 at the fire. Here are the numbers as of the week ending 28th Jan 2007.
This is the total for those that preferred to do their sadhana at the fire
Name |
Number of Mantras
|
Michael | 6372 |
Janitri | 3024 |
Total | 9,396 |
and below are the counts for those of us that do the sadhana without a fire
Name |
Number of Mantras
|
Babu | 1296 |
Bharata | 11000 |
Bharati | 2052 |
Carie | 30 |
Chris | 5076 |
Debi | 8640 |
Donna | 5390 |
Durga | 2808 |
Egyirba | 3780 |
Eric | 11664 |
Gauri | 3132 |
Georgiann | 1583 |
Henny | 6480 |
Janitri | 1624 |
Jayadeva | 7020 |
Julia | 6240 |
Kalachandra | 4536 |
Kaliananda | 6372 |
Kamalaji | 5184 |
Kanda | 6480 |
Karen | 7000 |
Kathy | 3240 |
Marsha | 2484 |
Mausumi | 4752 |
Michele | 1372 |
Morningsong | 7344 |
Muktimaa | 5940 |
Nirmalananda | 2500 |
Nanda | 6900 |
Papia | 5400 |
Parvati | 2700 |
Patty | 6852 |
Prasana | 7000 |
Prathibha | 7201 |
Raghu | 8748 |
Rebeca | 2700 |
Rick Veda | 20412 |
Robin | 3400 |
Rolf | 5076 |
Rukmani | 3672 |
Sadhu Maa | 2376 |
Sadhvi | 8146 |
Shubal | 1512 |
Sundari | 4536 |
Shankari | 2808 |
Surya | 45522 |
Susan | 2916 |
Usha | 13608 |
Wendel | 1296 |
Wendy | 6372 |
Vinay | 2160 |
Visveshwar | 11340 |
Yogini | 11880 |
Total | 320,588 |
Guru: The syllable Gu means darkness, Ru means light. The Supreme Divinity which destroys ignorance is verily the Guru, without a doubt. The Guru is Brahma, the Guru is Vishnu, […]
This has been a very eventful week for the sankalpa. The highlight was a wonderful note from Shree Maa blessing the sadhaks.
Shree Maa said (in an email)
Beloved Children,
I am thrilled with your sankalpa.
Earth Mother needs you. Keep going with Her. Earth Mother and you guys are not separate. All of you will get lots of blessings.
Alright! Arise! We are marching ahead with Earth Mother’s Flag!
I love you all.
Shree Maa
A lot of us, charged with the power of Maa’s words gave an extra push to do more this week. Our group’s grand total crossed 170,000 repetitions.
Some of the devotees organized a satsang in their home town, and began their practice with the group. Here is what the devotee had to say:
Many that we emailed expressed interest in joining the 2007 peace mantra sankalpa. Around ten joined us tonight for satsang. It was FUN! We discussed the Chandi Path, the mantra and mantra practice based on teachings and sharings from Swamiji, others in the on line group and our experiences. We did the sankalpa prayer, started the practice, sang araati and kirtan. The bhav was high and participants seemed inspired.
Hearing these experiences motivated our group and participants even more. Here are the individual totals as of this week (21 Jan 2007).
This is the total for those that preferred to do their sadhana at the fire
Name |
Number of Mantras
|
Michael | 3132 |
Janitri | 1080 |
Total | 4,212 |
and below are the counts for those of us that do the sadhana without a fire
Name |
Number of Mantras
|
Babu | 1296 |
Chris | 2808 |
Debi | 5076 |
Donna | 1790 |
Durga | 756 |
Egyirba | 2160 |
Eric | 7452 |
Gauri | 3132 |
Henny | 2700 |
Janitri | 540 |
Jayadeva | 4428 |
Julia | 1620 |
Kalachandra | 4536 |
Kaliananda | 3888 |
Kamalaji | 2916 |
Kanda | 4320 |
Karen | 4800 |
Marsha | 324 |
Mausumi | 2592 |
Michele | 700 |
Morningsong | 5400 |
Muktimaa | 3564 |
Nirmalananda | 700 |
Nanda | 3360 |
Papia | 648 |
Parvati | 1080 |
Patty | 4584 |
Prasana | 3540 |
Prathibha | 3665 |
Raghu | 3564 |
Rick Veda | 13176 |
Robin | 1088 |
Rolf | 2700 |
Rukmani | 756 |
Sadhu Maa | 1620 |
Sadhvi | 4410 |
Sundari | 2484 |
Shankari | 1944 |
Surya | 31050 |
Susan | 1080 |
Usha | 9828 |
Wendy | 2656 |
Visveshwar | 3780 |
Yogini | 6480 |
Total | 170,991 |
~~OM~~
Sati, the consort of Shiva was the daughter of Daksha Prajapati a descendant of Brahma. Sati had married Shiva against the wishes of her father. The vain Daksha performed a great yagna (with the sole aim of insulting Shiva), to which he invited all of the gods and goddesses except his son-in-law Shiva. Sati learned about her father’s yajna from Narad Muni. She asked Shiva’s permission to attend the yajna, saying that a daughter did not need an invitation from her father. Shiva said that Daksha was trying to insult him, and so even if Sati attended the yajna, the fruit of the sacrifice would not be auspicious. Therefore he bade Sati not to attend the yajna.
Sati became furious – She thought that Shiva was treating her like an ignorant lady and not as the mother of Universe. So to show Shiva who she really was, she assumed a different form – the one of the Divine Mother. The oceans raged and the mountains shook, the atmosphere was filled with the wonder of her form. Shiva began to shake and tried to flee. In every direction that he tried to flee, the Divine mother stopped him. The Divine Mother had multiplied herself into ten different forms guarding the ten different directions and try as Shiva might, he could not escape from her, as she had blocked every escape route.
~~OM~~
This Week Last Week Archive Previous Page
November 4 – November 10
– from Ramakrishna: The Nectar of Eternal Bliss
– from Gems of Wisdom
– from Ramakrishna: The Nectar of Eternal Bliss
– from Shree Maa: The Life of a Saint
– from Shree Maa: The Life of a Saint
– from Shree Maa: The Life of a Saint
November 11 – November 17
– from Gems of Wisdom
– from Ramakrishna: The Nectar of Eternal Bliss
– from Ramakrishna: The Nectar of Eternal Bliss
– from Ramakrishna: The Nectar of Eternal Bliss
– from Shree Maa: The Guru and the Goddess
– from Shree Maa: The Guru and the Goddess
– from Shree Maa: The Guru and the Goddess
November 18 – November 24
– from Gems of Wisdom
– from Before Becoming This
– from Shree Maa: The Life of a Saint
– from Shree Maa: The Life of a Saint
– from Shree Maa: The Life of a Saint
– from Shree Maa: The Life of a Saint
– Shree Maa: The Life of a Saint
November 25 – December 1
– from Gems of Wisdom
– from Before Becoming This
– from Before Becoming This
– from Before Becoming This
– from Before Becoming This
– from Before Becoming This
– from Ramakrishna: The Nectar of Eternal Bliss
December 2 – December 8
– from Gems of Wisdom
– from Gems of Wisdom
– from Gems of Wisdom
– from Gems of Wisdom
– from Gems of Wisdom
– from Gems of Wisdom
– from Gems of Wisdom
December 9 – December 15
– from Gems of Wisdom
– from Gems of Wisdom
Question: What does a person do who doesn’t have a purpose?
Swamiji: I suggest that a person without a purpose better find one. Without a purpose it is difficult to have a meaningful life. How can you accomplish anything if you don’t know what your purpose is? We need to find a goal that would be worthy of our commitment.
– from Before Becoming This
– from Before Becoming This
– from Before Becoming This
– from Before Becoming This
– from Before Becoming This
December 16 – December 22
– from Gems of Wisdom
– from Ramakrishna: The Nectar of Eternal Bliss
Maa says to us. “Ok, kids go out and play in this world.” What is the fault of the mind? If she is compassionate to us, then She’ll bring our minds back to Her. Then we find liberation from all these worldly thoughts, and we keep our minds at the Lotus Feet of the Divine.
– from Ramakrishna: The Nectar of Eternal Bliss
– from Ramakrishna: The Nectar of Eternal Bliss
In the Sundar Kanda of the Ramayan, Tulasidas wrote a beautiful verse:
“Dear one, take all the pleasure between heaven and earth and count them as one. As great a delight as that might be, it can’t possibly be as enjoyable as satsanga.”
– from Shree Maa: The Guru and the Goddess
– from Shree Maa: The Guru and the Goddess
– from Shree Maa: The Guru and the Goddess
December 23 – December 29
– from Siva Puja and Advanced Yajna
– from Siva Puja and Advanced Yajna
– from Siva Puja and Advanced Yajna
– from Siva Puja and Advanced Yajna
– from Siva Puja and Advanced Yajna
– from Siva Puja and Advanced Yajna
– from Siva Puja and Advanced Yajna
This Week Last Week Archive Previous Page
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September 2 – September 8
– from Shree Maa: The Life of a Saint
– from Before Becoming This
– from Gems of Wisdom
– from Ramakrishna: The Nectar of Eternal Bliss
– from Ramakrishna: The Nectar of Eternal Bliss
– from Shree Maa: The Guru and The Goddess
– from Sahib Sadhu: The White Sadhu
September 9 – September 15
– from Shree Maa: The Life of a Saint
– from Shree Maa: The Life of a Saint
– from Shree Maa: The Life of a Saint
– from Shree Maa: The Life of a Saint
– from Shree Maa: The Life of a Saint
– from Shree Maa: The Life of a Saint
– from Shree Maa: The Life of a Saint
September 16 – September 22
– from Sahib Sadhu: The White Sadhu
– from Sahib Sadhu: The White Sadhu
– from Sahib Sadhu: The White Sadhu
– from Sahib Sadhu: The White Sadhu
– from Sahib Sadhu: The White Sadhu
– from Before Becoming This
– from Before Becoming This
September 23 – September 29
– from Gems of Wisdom
– from Before Becoming This
– from Before Becoming This
– from Shree Maa: The Life of a Saint
– from Gems of Wisdom
– from Shree Maa: The Life of a Saint
– from Shree Maa: The Guru and the Goddess
September 30 – October 6
– from Gems of Wisdom
– from Gems of Wisdom
– from Gems of Wisdom
– from Gems of Wisdom
– from Gems of Wisdom
– from Gems of Wisdom
– from Gems of Wisdom
October 7 – October 13
– from Gems of Wisdom
– from Sahib Sadhu: The White Sadhu
At the same point in his puja every day, and at a different time of day while his eyes were closed and he was performing meditaion and doing japa (reciting the mantra of the deity), a man dressed in orange clothes with an orange turban wrapped on his head went up to Swamiji and put a mala (garland of flowers) around his neck and smeared his forehead with ashes. I witnessed this daily for nine consecutive days. On the last day, Swamiji started his puja while the doors were still locked. And yet, even with the doors bolted shut, the same man still came and placed a garland around Swamiji’s neck and smeared his forehead with ashes.
After we left the temple and headed back to our rooms that last morning, Shree Maa turned to us and said, “Did you see that man who put ashes on Swamiji’s forehead and put a mala around his neck?”
“Yes,” we replied.
“That man was Shiva.”
– from Sahib Sadhu: The White Sadhu
– from Before Becoming This
– from Before Becoming This
– from Gems of Wisdom
– from Shree Maa: The Life of a Saint
October 14 – October 20
– from Gems of Wisdom
– from Shree Maa: The Life of a Saint
– from Before Becoming This
Question: Does the Guru have a responsibility to her/his disciple.
Answer: Of Course. If the Guru gives a disciple initiation, it is a big responsibility. You have to take care of the disciple for many lifetimes.
– from Before Becoming This
– from Before Becoming This
– from Shree Maa: The Guru and the Goddess
– from Shree Maa: The Guru and the Goddess
October 21 – October 27
– from Shree Maa: The Guru and the Goddess
– from Shree Maa: The Guru and the Goddess
– from Shree Maa: The Guru and the Goddess
– from Shree Maa: The Guru and the Goddess
– from Gems of Wisdom
– from Ramakrishna: The Nectar of Eternal Bliss
October 28 – November 3
– from Ramakrishna: The Nectar of Eternal Bliss
– from Gems of Wisdom
Question: How do you feel about debt?
Answer: We are seeking freedom. When you incur debt, what you are saying is, “I am going enjoy today and pay tomorrow.” So you are obligating your self tomorrow for today’s pleasure. We would say that’s not a good idea from a spiritual point of view. If you encumber yourself for tomorrow, then you won’t be free today. You have obligated yourself to spend time working in the marketplace in order to pay for yesterday’s enjoyments. You are borrowing karma.
– from Before Becoming This
Answer: Absolutely. You have to go work to do what you don’t want to do to pay off what you enjoyed yesterday.
– from Before Becoming This
Response: Not necessarily. You might create a different standard of life and spend less time working. Then you would work for God instead, and whatever you need will come to you.
– from Before Becoming This
– from Ramakrishna: The Nectar of Eternal Bliss
– from Ramakrishna: The Nectar of Eternal Bliss
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