Himalayan Academy Travel Study Programs

Northern European Innersearch, 2001
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Date: March 06 1999
Topic: Hotel-lobby or Home
Category:
Duration: 4 min., 50 seconds

Today at Kauai Aadheenam, it is March 6, and it's a busy day in cyberspace ashram, on the beautiful garden island of Kauai.

We had 2 students from the county college come with cameras, to film us and all the beautiful lakes, ponds and rivers that we have flowing through the ashram here. It's a class project.

Also, the Vedic Astrology Convention is being held on our island. Last night, we sent Sri Rudram chanters, about 6 or 8 monks there, swamis and sadhakas and yogis, to give a beautiful homa and blessing for the conference. Today, in a few hours, I'll be giving a talk, about how to use Vedic Astrology, for purifying your subconscious mind, for performing penance, which is traditional in Sanatana Dharma. Also explain to the astrologers, whether or not they are Hindu or not. People of Abrahamic religions i.e., Christianity, Judaism, Islam, don't believe in reincarnation, the existence of God everywhere, the law of karma and all that. If you have accepted those beliefs and made them a part of your life, obviously, you are a Hindu. No doubt about it.

We'll be talking about that, answering questions, and then having a signing of books. The new book, 'Merging with Siva' will be there. 365 daily lessons, which is a lifetime study. Certainly has been for me, because it has been 50 years of all of my classes, talks and lectures, programs, here and around the world, to thousands and thousands of beautiful souls.

We talked yesterday about making a house, a home. I don't know what we can do about a hotel lobby, where husband and wife work and kids are running in and out and the neighbor's kids are running in and out, and nobody is chaperoning anybody. Nobody knows what anybody is doing. Girls are getting pregnant, boys are making girls pregnant. Drugs, swearing, and all the nasty things of life. That's the hotel-lobby home, of a dysfunctional family.

It's a slow process, for a mother and a father to turn a house into a home. They move into a beautiful home. They have to be there. The aura of each mother and father and the children have to permeate the walls of the home. The devas and guardian devas and ancestors have to be worshipped and invoked into the home. That is turning a house into a home, because it is a vibration, it is a place that you want to come back to. You never want to leave, because ... why? It is your home.

Nowadays in dysfunctional families, kids want to leave home as quickly as possible. Soon as they are able to get a job and rent an apartment, they are out of there. That is no way to live. That is a wonderful way to die - lonely, uncared for, forgotten. We want to reverse that. It is only intelligence that can reverse a negative situation and turn it into a positive situation.

Everyone in cyberspace - I don't know who I am talking to. I may be talking to 15 or 20 of the daily listeners to these inspired talks. But, I hope that I have convinced you to turn your house into a home. And, if you have a hotel lobby where everybody is running in and out, try to turn that hotel lobby into a house and the house into a home.

We'll be back with you tomorrow. We're going off to the Vedic Astrology Conference, to give a nice talk to these beautiful astrologers that have come in from all parts of the world, to our little garden island in the middle of nowhere.

Aum Namah Sivaya
transcription ends

At the Aadheenam today, Sadhu Paksha is over and the regular morning routines begin again. Here is a wonderful picture of the Sun One homa...

After the homa Paramacharya gave a wonderful talk on the meaning of "grace" in Saiva Siddhanta. Referring to Gurudeva's books he brought forth the understanding of grace being a divine intervention that goes beyond what we can invoke by our own will or action. Grace is something that comes when one is consistent in his or her sadhana and devotion to God. At the right moment, Lord Ganesha, or Lord Muruga or Lord Siva "steps in" and makes powerful changes in our lives, outlooks and spiritual unfoldment.

Here's Don Judges and Chandana Becker, legal and health care professionals and followers of the Siddha Yoga tradition. They were here for last week's tour day but wanted one more darshan of the temple before flying home to Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Madan Avadhani and family visiting from Fremont, California. He heard about the temple from friends at Intel.

Innersearcher Rohini Kumar from Malaysia. Rohini is in the filmmaking business in Malaysia and has been working hard for many years and this was a great spiritual break for him.

Happy Malaysian Innersearcher Mrs. Nageswary Nagalingam with her daughters Dhanika and Meena in St. Petersburg. Their trip with Gurudeva was a gift to them from Dad, Pathmarajah, who stayed home to hold the fort.

Out innersearch staff writes:

"
Aloha from St. Petersburg, Russia. We're having a
great time. What a city! Lots of work is being done to clean it up, but there are still many run
down streets, buildings and abandoned places.
Amazing post-war evidence all around, but at the same
time the Hermitage Museum and Ballet, for example,
were totally exquisite.

Indivar Sivanathan, a long time sishya (devotee) of Gurudeva.

Acharya Palaniswami with Gurudeva and Chandra Shekharan and his daughter Julia.
Sadhaka Japendranatha writes:

"We have had a great time with Alexander Ivantsov
the past 2 days in Petersburg. He's so sincere. Today, Gurudeva gave the first
namakarana samskara ever performed in the Neptune
Suite Lounge aboard a Holland America Line vessel in
the Petersburg Harbor! Yes, we had Alex, his daughter
and their friend Devasena aboard the ship for a while
with us today. Alexander's new
name is Chandra Shekharan.

Gurudeva holds up a gift given by the Innersearchers, a gold pen.

Inside the Hermitage Art museum which houses some of Russia's great artistic treasures.

Loganathan Shivam, one of Gurudeva's devotees from Los Angeles, originally from Iran. Loganathan runs a business dealing with fine artifacts imported from Asia and the Middle East.

Jeff Weiske from Kauai, Hawaii. Jeff is a physical therapist and has been very helpful teaching Gurudeva and the monks the Pilates system of exercises to strengthen and maintain a healthy back.

Kamala Srinivasan from Toronto, Canada. Innersearch... a time to look within and consider the profound things of life.

Acharya Ceyonswami and Sadhaka Thondunatha outside the Hermitage Museum with the gold dome of St Isaacs
cathedral in the background

Sheela Venkatakrishanan in the Hudson Room onboard the Amsterdam. We have our very own private room onboard the ship where daily classes are conducted by Gurudeva. Sheela has been very active in helping with this website and working in cooperation with Asha Alahan, the two of them are responsible for the daily transcriptions of Gurudeva's talks.

Gurudeva giving his daily lesson. Today it appears to be on color meditation.

Jim Daugherty from Pennsylvania.
Our staff reports:

"All is going really well here. This
group is wonderful. All of them have such big smiles
and are getting many great inner things out of this
voyage with Gurudeva. Lots of profound outer
experiences, too! Many of them went to Hindu temples
for the first time, ate with their hands on a banana
leaf (imported from Jaffna!) for the first time, even
visited the Winter Palace for the first time. Many
other firsts, too, of course, not to mention the
cruise itself which is an amazing experience in what
hospitality can be.

Marianne and Oisin Thompson. She discovered Merging with Siva and became a student of Himalayan Academy. Her little boy has been to Kadavul temple and simply loves to be with the monks and watch the homa fire.

A time to make friends for life.

MORE UPLIFTING THINGS		One Chance in a Lifetime! Imagine spending 10 days with one of the greatest spiritual leaders of this century. Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami personally leads his annual Innersearch Travel Study programs combining the mystical path of Indian spirituality with a superlative retreat and joyous satsang with Hindu communities in far off locations. If you couldn't make it on the European Innersearch now in progress, make your plans today to come with us on an inner and outer voyage to Canada and New England in October 2002! www.innersearch.org
	Join Gurudeva on Innersearch 2002 to Canada
1. SIGN OUR GUESTBOOK and receive a FREE GIFT
2. Newest Book: HOW TO BECOME A HINDU
3. Visiting KAUAI'S HINDU MONASTERY
4. Contribute to the THANK YOU, GURUDEVA FUND

Cybertalk: A cyberspace devotee from Michigan, USA asks about the difference
in Guru as God between Islam and Hinduism. Gurudeva explains how it is a
different view of God.

Cybertalk Ends"
For more information about listening to Gurudeva's talks online and to hear them in other formats, click here.

Gurudeva will be happy to hold "Prasnottara Satsang" -- "Questions and Answers" over the telephone with any Hindu religious societies, Hindu youth groups, Radio talk show hosts etc. All you need is a phone with a speaker and an enthusiastic audience. Arrangements may be made in advance by sending email to Sadhaka Mahadevan

Click to send Gurudeva a spiritual question he will later answer for all to benefit.

transcription begins

Date: February 02, 1999
Topic: Having a Positive Lifestyle
Category:
Duration: 4 min., 11 seconds

Today at Kauai Aadhenam. Aloha! February 2, 1999. Well, I'm off to Alaska in June. If you would like to have a brochure mailed to you, send us your name and address and we will be happy to send you an invitation to a 7-day journey from Vancouver, Canada to Anchorage, Alaska. It will be a wonderful event.

We are going to talk about the inner self and how to build up your self image within you, so that you look at yourself as somebody important on this planet. Not somebody with a big ego, but somebody who has all parts of their being, functioning.

For all of you out there in cyberspace, what does this mean? This means, that your intuition is functioning, your positive qualities are functioning, and are stronger than your negative qualities, your intellect is keen. This means that you are a happy person. If you are not a happy person, make somebody else happy and you will begin to feel happiness. Don't underestimate yourself and above all, don't look on the negative side of projects, people or yourself.

When you have a bright idea, it may come in your karmas, from your superconsciousness, from your intuition. That bright idea can be developed, if you find ways and means within yourself to do that. It is not going to be, if you just say, "It can't be done. I don't have enough of this, I don't have enough of that, I don't have enough time, I don't have enough money, I don't have enough intelligence." Why did you get the bright idea in the first place? Because you are a complete person. You have your destiny.

Look on the positive side. All great ideas have taken much time to develop. For some people, even years to develop, many years to develop. Work at it a little bit, little bit, and a little bit more. You will build up the positive within you and that will overcome the negative within you. Everyone is an on-and-off switch. They can either be positive or they can be negative. There is not much middle ground there between the positive and negative. Either one way or the other.

Many people discourage their children, when their children want to do something of a positive nature. They discourage themselves, they discourage their family. It is better to encourage and to lift every one up, rather than to discourage and push everyone down. It is just a change of attitude.

That is the sadhana today, everyone. We'll be seeing you in cyberspace again, tomorrow. Aum Namah Sivaya.
transcription ends

At the Aadheenam today we had the wonderful pleasure of having the Sun Five discourse by Paramacharya Bodhinathaswami and also by Swami Bhaktirupananda, President of the Ramakrishna Mission in Fiji. Swami described in an articulate and cogent story the history of the Ramakrishna Mission and how it came to it place of service in the world today. The Ramakrishna Mission has played a significant role in social service in India, primarily through its schools. This has been in fulfillment of the vision that Swami Vivekananda had, that what was required to uplift the masses of India was education. Swami went on to describe the history of the RK Mission in Fiji. In the early 1900's the Sangam, an organization of Hindus in Fiji, wrote to the Ramakrishna Mission in India and requested spiritual leadership. A swami was sent for one year, and subsequently Swami Rudrananda was sent and stayed on for 47 years and revolutionized the situation for Hindus in that country. His successor, Swami Damodhara continued the work and has now retired to India and three years ago Swami Bhaktirupananda came to continue the work. We were all impressed by swami's wonderful speaking style and very much inspired to hear about the great work of the Ramakrishna Mission.

Today was guest day and we had over 70 people arrive after being closed for two weeks during Sadhu Paksha. It was quite an array of souls!

Walking from the ship to a nearby park in Warnem�nde for a
picnic provided by the Veeragatiyar family who drove 2.5 hours from Berlin.

This park was aside a waterfront nearby the pier where our ship docked. The path was lined with a plantation of enormous yellow marigolds. This little port village really only comes alive when a big ship like ours docks.

The ladies served an absolutely delicious Jaffna style rice and curry lunch prepared early the same morning by the ladies of our Berlin mission.

Feeding the devotees of the Guru is a time honored Hindu tradition and considered a form of worship by those who serve them.

Selvaraja (in the veshti) to Gurudeva's left with his family.

Gurudeva with Kulapati Veeragatiyar, his wife and son,
Nirmalan from Berlin.

James Daugherty enjoying another delicious Sri Lankan meal... These ladies can really cook!

Gurudeva visiting with Srinivasan Iyengar and his wife,
Kamala, two of our wonderful Innersearchers.

Innersearch and German devotees.

Sivaprintha (right), Veeragatiyar's daughter, with Devika
Ajaya (middle), an Innersearcher, along with another lady from Berlin.

Rohini Kumar Nair, Ruth Ann Delph, Jeff Weiske, Ariel Lewin
and Clive Roberts just outside the Hudson Room, our classroom on the ship.

Standing outside the Ganesha temple in Stockholm.

Arati to the Guru by the local Tamil ladies in Stockholm before entering the temple.

Pada puja for Gurudeva in the Ganesha temple.

Oisin Thompson, Rohini Kumar Nair, Alex Ruberto and Meena Nagalingam enjoy another luscious Jaffna style lunch prepared by the devotees in Stockholm.

Sherilyn Benner, an Innersearcher from Pennsylvania, standing on a balcony overlooking Stockholm.

Adi Srikantha with Stockholm harbor in the background.

Bill Atwood and Acharya Palaniswami returning to the ship with our Innersearchers who had taken a bus tour of Stockholm after the temple event. It rained buckets and buckets while we toured the islands of Stockholm by bus that afternoon. Murugan also blessed us with some thunder and lightning. We were just happy it wasn't a walking tour! Stockholm is an amazingly old and beautiful European city made up of hundreds of large and small islands.

Kailash Dhaksinamurthi, our intrepid travel agent who
arranged many aspects of our travel in Northern Europe.

Gurudeva in one of many striking silk outfits at a formal
dinner on the ship.

A small island in the Swedish archipelago as we leave Sweden at sunset. The Swedish archipelago is composed of something like 24,000 islands, each one of them beautiful, some of them inhabited. An amazing site to be seen while we drove into the harbor that morning and out that night at dinner.

MORE UPLIFTING THINGS		One Chance in a Lifetime! Imagine spending 10 days with one of the greatest spiritual leaders of this century. Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami personally leads his annual Innersearch Travel Study programs combining the mystical path of Indian spirituality with a superlative retreat and joyous satsang with Hindu communities in far off locations. If you couldn't make it on the European Innersearch now in progress, make your plans today to come with us on an inner and outer voyage to Canada and New England in October 2002! www.innersearch.org
	Join Gurudeva on Innersearch 2002 to Canada
1. SIGN OUR GUESTBOOK and receive a FREE GIFT
2. Newest Book: HOW TO BECOME A HINDU
3. Visiting KAUAI'S HINDU MONASTERY
4. Contribute to the THANK YOU, GURUDEVA FUND

And please note that this is our third year anniversary of these TAKA pages which began on August 16th, 1998. We want to thank everyone who has participated in the grand team that has put this all together day after day including photographers in other nations, our transcribers, Asha and Sheela, Uncle Sadhunathan and is incredible patience and dedication and those on his team handling audio, Tiru Srikantha and many others. Thank you!
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transcription begins

Date: January_28_1999
Topic: Maintaining Harmony
Category:
Duration: 4 min., 10 seconds

A question that is normally always asked is "How is it possible to have a harmonious ashram?"

Well, there are various ways and it is possible. An ashram is a big home. All those in charge should show no favoritism. Father and mother in charge of the home, should know no favoritism, make one child special over another. This causes division, hurt feelings, neglect. The one who is neglected therefore, often does bad things, to gain the attention of the mother and father.

It is no different within an ashram of 50-60 or 100 people. Favoritism is division. Treat everybody the same. The same noble spirit is within everyone. If one can do this, harmony takes place. An ashram doing religious work, is a one, big mind of many minds blended together in a oneness, performing a mission - the mission of the ashram. Of course, the mission goals must be clearly defined, absolutely clearly defined, of what the institution stands for, and what it is going to do, is doing and will do in the future. These goals must be clear in everyone's mind, so that all are pointed in the same direction and all are working together, in a oneness, co-operating with each other. This means that every single ashramite helps all the others. So, everyone is helping the entire group. This is called religious service.

If everyone is not helping the group, and is forming likes and dislikes - "I like this person and that person, better than the other 49 people." That makes division. That begins to break up the mission of the mission. No wonder if the ashram is not fulfilling its total goal. No wonder it is not as successful as it should be. Why? Not because the mission statement was wrong. It was because wrong people are living in the ashram. They have to be taught, just as children at home and mothers and fathers, that working with togetherness is a creative force, working with favoritism is a destructive force and also liking one or two people, more than others, making friends. Obviously, enemies are made at the same time.

We hope this answers the question of how to make an ashram harmonious. It is the same as a harmonious home and a great extended family or a joint family, living together in one house, who bring success upon themselves or failure upon themselves, simply by the policies that are implemented by the leaders - be it a mother or father, swami or guru, minister or priest. Doesn't matter. The principle applies to every group of human beings.

See you again tomorrow. Aum Namah Sivaya.
transcription ends

We have a most honored guest here today from Fiji, Swami Bhaktirupananda, the current president of the Ramakrishna Mission in Fiji, Swami has just arrived from Fiji yesterday and this is his very first visit to the US. He has heard much about our small monastery in the middle of the Pacific and is a reader of Hinduism Today. Swami has been in Fiji for three years, having been posted there from India. He is on a tour of all the Ramakrishna centers on mainland USA of which there are 20 or more. Swami has years of experience behind him, haviing served at various RK mission centers throughout India over the years.

This morning was the "changing of the seasons" as we pass from the Nartana Ritau to the Jivana Ritau. We paraded out to the flag pole to raise up the "fall colors" of the Hindu Dvaja -- the Flag of Sanatana Dharma.

Sannyasins Yoginathaswami, Shanmuganathaswami and our silpis pull the rope. It's a really big flag!

Jai Sanatana Dharmaki Jai!

After many years of training in Gurudeva's office, Sannyasin Saravananathaswami is now serving there as the coordinator for the Master Course area of Himalayan Academy and corresponding with all the new students and those interested in becoming students.

He is working here these past few days on getting some of the Master Course programs prepared for the Internet... stay tuned for the new Master Course home page.

Gurudeva's spiritual center in the island country of Mauritius
in the Indian Ocean near South Africa

Almost every week we have large groups of pilgrims visiting the Spiritual Park. Some prefer to stay here for a whole day like these ladies led by Mrs. Rajendri Coopamah of Quatre Bornes, who are enjoying the peaceful atmosphere pervading the Mandapam.

The ladies singing devotional songs to Lord Pancha Mukha Ganapati...

The mango trees around the Ganesha Mandapam are in full bloom and swarms of bees are happily buzzing around. In a few weeks one will be able to see green mangos all over these trees. Mangos when ripe are sweet tropical fruits associated with Lord Ganesha who says: " It was given to Me from Lord Siva's own hand after performing My first wisdom act. It represents the highest spiritual fruition."

Jacquesson Claude and his wife, lovers of green tourism live in Paris and work for France Telecoms. On their drive in the north of the island they saw the signpost of the Dharmasala and were curious to know what this place looked like. "We are happy to not see so much concrete here. Mauritians should continue to preserve the natural beauties of this island. This is an ideal place for eco-tourism!" they said.

MORE UPLIFTING THINGS		One Chance in a Lifetime! Imagine spending 10 days with one of the greatest spiritual leaders of this century. Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami personally leads his annual Innersearch Travel Study programs combining the mystical path of Indian spirituality with a superlative retreat and joyous satsang with Hindu communities in far off locations. If you couldn't make it on the European Innersearch now in progress, make your plans today to come with us on an inner and outer voyage to Canada and New England in October 2002! www.innersearch.org
	Join Gurudeva on Innersearch 2002 to Canada
1. SIGN OUR GUESTBOOK and receive a FREE GIFT
2. Newest Book: HOW TO BECOME A Hindu
3. Visiting KAUAI'S Hindu MONASTERY
4. Contribute to the THANK YOU, GURUDEVA FUND

Announcement! Audio is Back!

We are happy to let everyone know that our sound room and our new high speed internet connection are functional and we can continue to post audio of Gurudeva's answers to cyber questions. Enjoy!

Cybertalk: A cyberspace devotee from Singapore wants to know how rituals
contribute to moksha. Gurudeva says ritual practices are a natural
expression of a person wanting moksha, but it also requires the deepest yoga
and a mature handling of karmas.

Cybertalk Ends"
For more information about listening to Gurudeva's talks online and to hear them in other formats, click here.

Gurudeva will be happy to hold "Prasnottara Satsang" -- "Questions and Answers" over the telephone with any Hindu religious societies, Hindu youth groups, Radio talk show hosts etc. All you need is a phone with a speaker and an enthusiastic audience. Arrangements may be made in advance by sending email to Sadhaka Mahadevan

Click to send Gurudeva a spiritual question he will later answer for all to benefit.

transcription begins

Date: February_01_2000
Title: How to view death and dying
Category:
Duration:

As far as I am concerned, when the soul departs the physical body for good, one chapter of life is ended and another chapter of life has begun. A total continuum, except that, now after departing the physical body, they are full-time alive, they don't have to sleep.

In the fifty years of our spiritual organization, we have documented birth, death and birth again, within lives of our devotees and close initiates. A continuum of birth to death, to birth to death. A continuum of the karmas in unbroken continuity. That makes up a spiritual, alive, religious organization.

Aum Namah Sivaya
transcription ends

All is quiet at Kauai Aadheenam... meanwhile on the distribution side our publications efforts sales of Gurudeva's books are going well. And for the "cyber techies" and also those who follow the Master Course Lesson of the Day... we are happy to announce that we have written a CGI program that posts the Lesson everyday, 365 days a year. Just click "Lesson" above and you will go there. At midnight tonight Hawaii time, the Lesson will change to the one for tomorrow. So if you are following the Master Course on the internet, you will have continuity...even on retreats!

The Remarkable Vision

Iraivan Temple Progress Update

Join this historic undertaking. Please contribute generously. Sponsor a stone today! Monthly Report Sponsor a stone Iraivan Wonders

Course number three is nearly complete and the silpi team has begun marking the stone in preparation for the next course to come.

They have only to finish this edge and they will be ready to fill in the space between the inner and outer sanctum walls of course number three.

Shanmugam Stapathi, who usually watches and keeps the overview, steps in at the critical moment to mark a stone.

Still no captions from our very, very busy Innersearch staff, who called to share some news with us.... Sadhaka Japendranatha said: "We haven't even had time yet to take a tour of the ship. We have been so taken up with the Innersearch program and the events offshore at the ports of call."

Innersearch participant couple with the priest at a temple...we think it was Oslo...

Innersearch is a time of reflection... traveling on a bus to visit Hindus in a far off land... one is free from the distractions of family and job and the conscious mind is "cut loose" and able to get a new perspective on life.

Perhaps this was in Finland... a beautiful monument... Natyam Mahadevan networks with new friends in far off lands.

Gurudeva on board the ship, giving his daily classes. He asked everyone: "Do you want me to be very sweet and diplomatic, or do you want straight talk?" Everyone agreed, "Give us straight talk!"

Meeting Hindus on shore.

A new and up-and-coming generation... a new breed of "international citizen" meets Gurudeva.

These young people will be the leaders of tomorrow.

MORE UPLIFTING THINGS		One Chance in a Lifetime! Imagine spending 10 days with one of the greatest spiritual leaders of this century. Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami personally leads his annual Innersearch Travel Study programs combining the mystical path of Indian spirituality with a superlative retreat and joyous satsang with Hindu communities in far off locations. If you couldn't make it on the European Innersearch now in progress, make your plans today to come with us on an inner and outer voyage to Canada and New England in October 2002! www.innersearch.org
	Join Gurudeva on Innersearch 2002 to Canada
1. SIGN OUR GUESTBOOK and receive a FREE GIFT
2. Newest Book: HOW TO BECOME A HINDU
3. Visiting KAUAI'S HINDU MONASTERY
4. Contribute to the THANK YOU, GURUDEVA FUND

Be surprised! No new audio today.
Take this opportunity for an adventure.
Close your eyes and click to get a message
picked at random from our vast audio archives

Click to send Gurudeva a spiritual question he will later answer for all to benefit.

transcription begins

Date: October_26_1998
Topic: Many Questions Answered
Category:
Duration: 9 min., 26 sec.
Date Given: October 26, 1998

Today at Kauai Aadheenam. It is October 26 and it is a very special day, 'Skanda Shasti', an international Hindu festival, especially for the Tamil people. These are the people from Tamil Nadu, South India. Millions and millions and millions are celebrating in temples all over the world. We are too, here at Kauai Aadheenam.

In Sri Lanka, a beautiful, big { } temple in Jaffna, is as active as ever, as it was, celebrating 'Skanda Shasti'. All sorts of penance being done, tears being shed, thanks being given for the great God, Muruga, who is none other than the Hawaiian God Ku. He has been the guardian of peoples on this Earth, for hundred thousand years and more. Wonderful, powerful God from the Pleiades. He comes from the Pleiades.

Our Puja today is a beautiful homa, fire-puja, sponsored by Sadhu and Dhanya Nadesan. They set up an endowment for the Lord Muruga shrine, as well as for a beautiful fire-puja once a year, on this very special day. It is a wonderful day for performing penance for misdeeds in the past and this is done in Singapore, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, India, Canada. All over the world, people put spears through their cheeks and tongue and various other parts of their body, carry bottles of milk to bathe the deity in the Hindu way.

Well, you know, this talk on 'Drugs' has caught the imagination. We have been having several questions come in. Shall I give the answer to the questions, now?

"What about street people? What makes a person go on the streets?"

Many come from wealthy families. Were their families on the streets? No. It is often that drugs have burnt out their brains. They cannot hold their job, they cannot concentrate, they cannot function in modern day society. So, they form their own society on the street. After a lot of LSD, their brains do not work properly. I have seen this to be true. They are totally dysfunctional members of society.

Answer to your question about street people. Maybe not all, but some are there because basically, part of the brain has been destroyed. If those of you who can see auras were to look at the aura, you would see something that did not look very pretty, was not very 'New Age', was not very spiritual.

Anybody who takes drugs thinks, "This won't happen to me. I can handle it." Every junkie on the street, has said that at one time or another. People on steroids think, "I can handle it." But, they cannot. Alcoholics once said, "I can handle it". But, they could not. Why do we have an AA, 'Alcoholics Anonymous'? Why do we have groups talking about how to handle drugs? Why do we have drug rehabilitation centers, which are very expensive for states and counties to run? Why do we have private organizations? It is because you cannot handle it. So, don't get started. Just say, "No."

We want our beautiful Garden Island of Kauai to be drug-free.We want people coming to this beautiful island to come to be one with nature, to be in higher consciousness.

Here is another question. "Why are so many people in high positions, executives and all, spending their money on drugs?"

Well, those who have high-powered jobs, are working under stress. Many go on drugs, LSD, cocaine high-powered things like that. Eventually you will lose everything. It is like going out with your secretary. You lose your wife, you lose your life, you lose your children. Drugs are different. Why are they different? Because, you lose your brain. You lose your intelligence. Everything you worked for, all your life, goes down the drain. You want that? Then, just say, "No."

Here is another question on karma. "Could you explain a little more about the karma as action and reaction, involved with someone who is selling drugs to somebody else?"

Well, if you sell drugs to someone else, you start a chain reaction of karma that you cannot stop, which I explained yesterday. Introducing someone to the use of drugs is the same as selling drugs to that person. The karma is yours to face, life after life. Introducing someone to drugs, building it up in their minds as something that they should do. Whatever they do after that, throughout life, you reap that karma. That karma will come back to you. You are starting a chain of action and reaction in other people's lives. One day something bad is going to happen and that bad will come back to you, because you started this chain. Is this the 'New Age' that we want? Is this the 'New Age' that we are talking about? Is this what we want in the next century? No way.

Question on DNA and mutation.

Well, I don't know a lot about DNA and mutation. There is some evidence, I have heard, that a permanent change in the DNA comes from the use of LSD. A lot of letters - DNA, LSD. They don't get along. One affects the other. I don't know about all the kinds of other things that people are using now. But, this is very serious. People who are using LSD and other high-powered ones, you should take note at what you are doing to yourself. Look around you. How about the other folks? Do they look bright and shiny?

Oh, Oh ... here is another question. "Speak a little bit about deformed children. What if you gave birth to a crack-baby, a deformed child or an AIDS baby? What is that, in the karma for you?"

Capturing a soul in a bad body, capturing a soul in a deformed body, that is what you did. Like imprisonment. Therefore, you shall, in the future be imprisoned. Do you want that? You can avoid all this by just saying, "No."

The program 'Drug Free Kauai' teaches the children in our schools to just say, "No." Be a leader. Be different. Say "No." Others will follow.
transcription ends

At Kauai Aadheenam things have been quiet... temple visitors continue to flow through.

And old friend sent Rich Anderson, pictured here in front of our little gift shop, to the temple today. After a quick meditation Rich took the opportunity to gather up some words of wisdom in the form of most of Gurudeva's books.

Rich's lifelong quest for purification is reflected in his profession: running the Herb & Health shop in Mount Shasta and the Aqua Vita health food store in Tucson, Arizona.

Coleen Haynes and Trish Summerville wisely set aside one very peaceful hour of their two days on Kauai visiting the monastery. They especially loved the magical sprawling banyan tree at the entrance to the temple.

Trish was inspired to visit after reading Weaver's Wisdom which she got at the Koan Gallery in Los Angeles. Some readers may recognise these ladies from their work in music video production and costume design.

Acharya Ceyonswami on the left with Acharya Palaniswami getting their "land legs" for a few hours after being on the ship.

Small shrine at a temple in one of the ports of call

Temple gathering... Oslo maybe?

Imagine this, and it's a true story: The Tamils flew banana leaves in all the way from Sri Lanka to serve the innersearchers with a traditional South Indian meal.

Oh my, little ones have come along and how we love those crunch papadams!

For some who haven't had the experience, eating with your hands off a banana leaf can be a challenge.

Hindu Priest shows his copy of an old edition of "Living with Siva." How far have the Hindus gone... to places far and wide and Innersearch is always a wonderful opportunity to meet, connect and strengthen associations to help build Sanatana Dharma for the children of tomorrow. And what a new generation it will be, Sadhaka Thondunatha in his phone message said: "These young Sri Lankans children are so bright, intelligent, showing us their awards of excellence in school. One of them spoke Tamil, English, Swedish and French and German!"

MORE UPLIFTING THINGS		One Chance in a Lifetime! Imagine spending 10 days with one of the greatest spiritual leaders of this century. Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami personally leads his annual Innersearch Travel Study programs combining the mystical path of Indian spirituality with a superlative retreat and joyous satsang with Hindu communities in far off locations. If you couldn't make it on the European Innersearch now in progress, make your plans today to come with us on an inner and outer voyage to Canada and New England in October 2002! www.innersearch.org
	Join Gurudeva on Innersearch 2002 to Canada
1. SIGN OUR GUESTBOOK and receive a FREE GIFT
2. Newest Book: HOW TO BECOME A HINDU
3. Visiting KAUAI'S HINDU MONASTERY
4. Contribute to the THANK YOU, GURUDEVA FUND

"We had a wonderful time yesterday (August 12th) stopping over in Oslo... We were taken by the Sri Lankan community to a two-story building. Outside you would never know that it was a temple, but inside it looked wonderful. I gave a message to the community and thanked the King of Norway for keeping the doors open for the Sri Lankan refugees."

Acharya Ceyonswami said: "The whole innersearch group is really harmonious and having a wonderful time. It was quite an experience for many of them to depart from the atmosphere aboard the ship and go into this traditional Hindu gathering with priests all the way from Sri Lankan performing puja in Norway!"

As we write, Gurudeva and group are sleeping on the North sea...having spent April 13th on board with a stop over in Sweden where they met privately with a group of Hindus there.
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transcription begins

Date: October_25_1998
Topic: Karmic Chain
Category:
Duration: 11 min, 2 sec.
Date Given: October 25, 1998

Today at Kauai Aadheenam. October 25. We are coming to the end of our week, our phase. It is what we call, according to our Vedic calendar, Sun 5. Acharya Kumaraswami gives a talk to the congregation of Saiva Siddhanta Church who come to listen to his wisdom. We don't know what he is going to talk about and probably he doesn't either, because it is an inspired talk and we always try to speak to the needs of the people, once we feel their vibration.

Congratulations to the mothers and fathers, of our Saiva Siddhanta Church families, who have for many years, taught their children at home. Home schooling is on the front page of 'Newsweek', this week. They find it as a very effective education. It is very precise, concise and good results are obtained. We have many children in Saiva Siddhanta Church that have been home schooled for many, many years. They are bright and competent. They do not lack for companionship, because companionship comes from going to the temple with others of their own age, some of the retreats here at Kauai Aadheenam, on the beautiful Garden Island of Kauai and many other activities. 'Newsweek' mentions that there are a million children in America, who are being taught at home. We would recommend this for other countries, too. One of our young men in Singapore, who is 11 going on 12, is being home schooled now. He is being prepared to become a trainee to be a Swami in our Order. Now, we don't want him to mix with the riff-raff of the country, so to speak.

Well, today I did more correspondence. The way we do our correspondence is this. All the emails that come are read to me by a mechanical voice. Then, I dictate to Sannyasin Shanmuganathaswami how to reply for me. He reads to me all the paper mail that comes in from all of you and we do the very best we can to keep up and keep current. Sometimes, it is very difficult.

Also, this time of the year, I am working on receiving - here is a Sanskrit word, stay with me - 'aparadha svikara'. That means confessions. What do you do when you get a confession? You take it into yourself and understand it. We, mystical people, try to locate one of our past lives, when we went through the same experience. We know we can't hear anything that anyone else has ever done, but what we have done ourselves. Therefore, to find a way out for them, all we have to do is go into our mind, even into past lives to find out how we wiggled out of the situation. Wiggling out of the situation is called 'prayaschitta' or penance. Every action, every 'aparadha svikara', or confession, is a series of karmas that have been made, usually from this life. That conglomerate of psychic energy piles up and makes a mark within the subconscious mind. That mark can be seen in the inner aura. We want to mitigate that. We want to fuzz it up a little. We don't want it to come back at a future time, full force. So, we do a penance.

For this to actually work properly, the individual has to feel remorseful. Usually people in the lower nature, half-way down there in the darker worlds, don't feel remorseful or guilty about anything. They feel it is their right to do whatever they want, have perfect freedom to hurt others and to retaliate upon others, if they are hurt by others. But, as they come into the spiritual life, the first thing that awakens is conscience. They begin to be conscience-struck. This is the superconscious of their own mind, shining light upon the situation that they have created. They feel that they don't want to repeat the situation because it did not work out very well.

Oh, this is a dirty job, listening to the confessions that come in on email, that come in on the telephone, that come in through the mail at this particular time of the year. So we take it into ourselves and out through the top of the head, until it dissolves. Then, if there is anything left, the individual has to do some kind of a penance.

Yesterday, we were talking about bad money, good money, drugs, selling drugs and all those naughty, naughty things that people are doing. Would you like to hear about the karmic chain?

Now, many people say, "Drugs are okay. It is the laws against the drugs and the taking of drugs, that are not right." Well, the laws are very severe. If you fly into Malaysia, on the airplane, they will announce that the penalty is death, if you are carrying drugs, or if you take drugs. The penalty is death. Many have experienced going through that tunnel of light and or that tunnel of darkness in Malaysia. That is a very severe penalty. But, they made up their mind that they are not going to put up with drugs, drug selling or drug taking, and all of that.

The karmic chain is this. Suppose someone sold drugs to another and that person overdosed and killed himself. The karma would be murder. Maybe the law would not be murder, but the karma would be murder.This means that the person who sold the drugs, would be killed in their next life. It is as simple as that, a mathematical equation. One act creates another act, and that act comes back on the one that helped create the other act. Similarly, if movie actors and actresses cause others to hurt themselves or kill another person or rob or anything like that because of what they are acting out, that karma comes back on them, as well as the director and the writer. Really messy business, to fool around with the law of karma. That is the karmic chain. So, be careful what you do.

There is an easy way to control drugs. Simple say, "No." Here, on the island of Kauai, we have an organization called 'Drug Free Kauai'. This organization works with children in the schools, to teach them to say one word - No. To teach them to be leaders. Most people who take drugs are followers. They are not leaders, they are followers. A leader takes a stand. A leader stands for what he believes and believes what he stands for. We are training these children on our beautiful Garden Island to be leaders and to stand up against that which they know is wrong. Some people are trying to be strong, believing in the 'Drug Free Kauai' program. Therefore, those who come in on this community, with their fast-talking sales talk and convert some of these people are making very, very bad karma for themselves. Basically, twice as much bad karma as talking to somebody, who was not under this very productive, very useful and very potent program. To tear down the morality of a person has very great karmic consequences.

Most of the Abrahamic religions don't believe in karma, but some of their followers do. Now, for those who do not believe in the law of karma, this does not make any sense whatsoever. This is just 'Hindu talk'. But, look at it like this. What goes around, comes around. What you sow, you finally will, probably, reap and eat. Therefore, if you have got to eat it when it comes back, make sure it tastes good.

Aum Namasivaya!
transcription ends

At Kauai Aadheenam, all is very quiet and peaceful as the monks stay focused on their work and inner life to keep up the spiritual power that backs up our team on the mission in Europe.

Oh My! What wonders the ponds are giving us this year with mature lilies showing off their spectacular designs. Really, Lord Siva/Sakti has the best designers on staff!

A statue of the child saint Sambandar in the fountain of the temple pool.

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Iraivan Temple Progress Update

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In India, work is in progress getting more stones ready for shipment to Kauai.

The packing material is an unusual vulcanized (impregnated with rubber) coconut husk material that is really tough, but resilient enough to give the stones a flexible cushion.

Ready for the final crating.

And ready to enter the containers to come to Kauai.

MORE UPLIFTING THINGS		One Chance in a Lifetime! Imagine spending 10 days with one of the greatest spiritual leaders of this century. Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami personally leads his annual Innersearch Travel Study programs combining the mystical path of Indian spirituality with a superlative retreat and joyous satsang with Hindu communities in far off locations. If you couldn't make it on the European Innersearch now in progress, make your plans today to come with us on an inner and outer voyage to Canada and New England in October 2002! www.innersearch.org
	Join Gurudeva on Innersearch 2002 to Canada
1. SIGN OUR GUESTBOOK and receive a FREE GIFT
2. Newest Book: HOW TO BECOME A HINDU
3. Visiting KAUAI'S HINDU MONASTERY
4. Contribute to the THANK YOU, GURUDEVA FUND