"Giving is an essential for spiritual unfoldment, for until we give and give abundantly, we don't really realize that we are not the giver; we are just a channel for giving. "
Gurudeva
Every year Rishi Thondunatha goes to various Sri Lankan communities in North America and shares Gurudeva's teachings with the children and youth. Here are pictures of the programs from the summer of 2011
Today Bodhinatha presented his last class for the ladies retreat. They presented him with a gift of an orange suitcase, ipad keyboard and orange case
Presenting part of a new keynote to retreat group
about process of unfoldment being like lotus blossoming
A small Saiva Siddhanta Church ladies retreat is taking place on Kauai for a week
Bodhinatha speaks to them about relationships from perspective of karma and dharma
This is a garland the ladies group learned how to make yesterday.
The ladies retreat began today. In the morning they had a class with Paramacharya Sadasivanathaswami. Then in the afternoon they had a class with Sivakatirswami on our sacred songs program and then with Yoginathaswami on garland making. These garlands will be used in the Ardra Darshanam Puja on the 8th.
This slide show covers events in Malaysia on November 25, 26 and 27—including darshan meetings, youth day and homa satsang with vratas and initiations of various members.
One of Gurudeva's teachings to all his sishya was to encourage respect, care and nuture of our elders. He promoted the idea that elders should live near temples and have an opportunity to pursue spiritual life. Of course this can only happen if we teach this ideal to the next the younger generation
Sishya, Thondunathan, is very active in the Tamil Sri Lankan community and he write: "One of the important goals of my teaching mission is to encourage our youth to love and respect the elderly and learn from them. Whenever I visit Canada, I accompany my students to the elderly homes and we sing, play instruments and entertain them.
In July, when we were at one such home, one of the residents named Mr. Mohamed (of Pakistani origin), told us that day was his birthday. We wished him a happy birthday; later, one of the nurses told us that Mr. Mohamed did not have a family, and even on his birthday no one visits him. The next day, we went back to see Mr. Mohamed, sang "Happy Birthday," gave him gifts and lots of hugs. Yes, tears began to roll down his face. We told the children that this is Sivathondu - "Service to God." It was a great learning experience for the students.
In Sri Lanka, once a month, students travel from the neighboring schools to our Sivapoomi Elderly Home and perform cultural programs for the elderly. The elders love the programs and they look forward to them. So, whenever I am in Sri Lanka, I give talks in public schools, and one of my main topics is always about loving and caring for the elderly and the needy.
I hope and pray that more and more schools and parents in the East and West will get involved in this kind of Sivathondu, and give their children such a meaningful firsthand experience of life and service.
In Peace,
Rishi Thondunathan
About the photos: Our visit to the eldely home in Canada in July, the Sivapoomi Elderly Home and some of the school talks in Sri Lanka in March of this year.
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