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Date: February_09_2000
Title: Where do We Let Off Steam? Part 2
Category: Family
Duration:

It is really making a lot of really bad karma that will come back in its stronger reaction later on in life for some one, the husband or wife or teenager, to upset the vibration of the home, just because of certain stress at school or in the workplace. It is counter-productive to work all day, in a nice office, produce and control the emotions, be productive and then, go home and upset the vibration within the home. Why is someone working? It's to create the home. Why is someone going to school? It's to eventually create a home. It is counter-productive to destroy that which one works all day to create.

That's why I advice the professional mother, the professional father, the professional son and the professional daughter to use the manners that are learnt in the workplace, in the home and build the vibration of the home, stronger than the vibration of the workplace. So that there is something to come home to.

We have seen so many, many times, professional persons, man or woman, behave exquisitely in the workplace, but not so exquisitely at home, upset the home vibration, eventually destroying the home, breaking up the home. We have seen through the years, a very unhappy person in retirement. A very bitter person in retirement, no one wants him around, no one wants to have him in their home. Therefore, in some nursing home, they die, forgotten.

The Sanatana Dharma and Saiva Samayam must be alive in the home, must be alive in the office, must be alive in the temple for us to have a full life.

I hope that by painting this picture, that we have answered this question. The question was "Oh, where do we vent our emotions, where do we let off steam, if not in our own home?" The answer is - within the temple itself.
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Both ladies were originally born and raised in Fiji. They brought Gurudeva's Master Course Trilogy for his signiture and blessings to begin their study.

This morning Thambynathan Nutanaya, performed his "graduation ceremony" by himself conducting the morning Atmartha Puja for the whole monastery.

He did very well. He had everything perfectly memorized and his Sanskrit chanting was excellent. Normally the daily monastery morning worship service is done in the main shrine of the Siva lingam installed there. On a day like this a small altar is prepared by the one who will do the puja, just like a home altar.

Nutanaya performs the final arati to the small Siva Lingam....

"Om Sadyo jatam prapadyami, sadyo jatayavai namo namaha..."

Our sevaks from Malaysia assist in distributing the prasadam after the puja. Sivaneswaran takes the flame around to all the monks. To "receive the flame" means to pass the tips of the fingers of both hands through the flame and then touch the eyes each time. The devas who have been invoked during the puja can follow the flame as it is passed among the devotees and bless each one. The fire represents the offering of consciousness to God and is returned after ceremony to the devotees as a small spark of the Divine Consciousness of God, which they transfer, literally, to their minds through their eyes by this practice.

Arvindraj passes the next item that is given to the devotees: the sacred holy ashes we call "vibhuti" or, in North India, "bhasma." The devotee takes the vibhuti and applies it to his forehead in three stripes. They represent the purification of the ego, the purification of the effects of past deeds and the purification of worldliness : anava, karma and maya.

Next is the chandanam, sandalwood paste, which is applied to the third eye. Fragrant and cooling, it marks the third eye of consciousness and is followed by the red dot of Kumkum, which is tumeric power mixed with lime juice which turns it red in color. This is place on top of the sandalwood paste and is stimulating.

The daily application of the forehead marks, known as the "Tilak" is common among all denominations of Hinduism. The Tilak will have different meaning and is a sign of one's faith and spiritual affiliations. It is an overt and open reminder that the body is God's vehicle on earth, to be daily consecreted in the spirit of Prapatti, surrender to the Divine.

The small images are decorated with fragrant plumeria flowers that are abundant now as the warm weather stimulates all our plants to flower.

Guest day brought the unusually diverse array of guests that always come on tour day. Hindus from far away, and lots of locals today from the island of Kauai.

Guests today that got a tour of the press shop. on the left Peter Francyk who is a hatha yoga teacher from Utah. Peter is inspired by the wonderful vibration of the temple and to see the traditional Hindu context in which yoga practice would normally find itself. He hopes to take some of the spiritual vibrations back to his practice when he goes home. In front Sunni Rose, web designer, amazed to see all our Macs, optical 100 -base T Ethernet network all running underneath the mango and banyan trees! In the back Judy Peckenpaugh wife of Roger Peckenpaugh who together ran a successful tropical flower business on Kauai. The Peckenpaugh's collaborated actively with Acharya Palaniswami to help gather many of the beautiful plants on our property. She brought a dear old highschool friend of her's, Carli Steers, (on the right) an artist now living in California. Judy and Carli were inspired by the sayings of Tiruvalluvar and purchased copies of Weaver's Wisdom, Merging with Siva and Om Namasivaya bracelets.

The Nandinatha Sutras book is an historial achievement that Gurudeva has been working on for many years. It is now published as part of the book "Living with Siva," which will go to press in Malaysia in two weeks. Meanwhile Gurudeva had a copy of the Sutras made for all the Church members and monks. Here Sivakatirswami has his copy which he laminated the cover of and carries with him to read and re-read this litttle treasure chest of the "jewels of dharma."

If the only Hinduism you knew and practiced were the teachings and philosophy contained in these 365 finely crafted verses, that would be enough to guide you on your spiritual journey of self transformation. You can get your ebook version on line for free right now! Just go to:

Nandinatha Sutras E-Book

Sannyasin Sivadevanathaswami (on the right) has returned from a wonderful mission in Mauritius. For many years before that he was a well-trained member of our publications team. He has been away for some five years. Now that he is home, he is back with his "home team" the publications group...the "Ganapati Kulam." And we are really glad to have him back as his talent and skill are really needed. Here he meets with Acharya Palaniswami (on the left) to work out design details for the annual project called the "Innersearch Study Guide." This is one of those small projects-- only 100 copies will be produced -- which will result in a really precious full color book for the participants of the annual innersearch. The cover of the book is under discussion here and always carries the Innersearch logo, in new colors for the next wonderful journey.

There are only 8 cabins left on the ship that is going to carry our Innersearch study group. Don't delay! If you are wavering, don't waver any longer. This next Innersearch will be a remarkable journey as Gurudeva takes the spirit of "Hinduism Today" to the countries of Northern Europe, teaching on the boat and meeting the Hindu communities at various ports of call.

12 Glorious Days, 8 Enchanting Countries and One Chance in a Lifetime! Imagine spending 12 days with one of the greatest spiritual leaders of this century. Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami will be leading this exotic educational and spiritual voyage himself combining the mystical path of Indian spirituality with a superlative retreat from it all. Take advantage of this one chance to be in close proximity with a living master. Come with us on an inner and outer voyage to Northern Europe and Russia. www.innersearch.org