Blog Archives
“As you sit to meditate, awareness may wander into past memories or future happenings. It may be distracted by the senses, by a sound or by a feeling of discomfort in the body. This is natural in the early stages. Gently bring awareness back to your point of concentration. Don’t criticize awareness for wandering, for that is yet another distraction. Distractions will disappear if you become intensely interested and involved in your meditation. In such a state, you won’t even feel the physical body. You have gone to a movie, read a book or sat working on a project on your computer that was so engrossing you only later discovered your foot had fallen asleep for a half hour because it was in an awkward position. Similarly, once we are totally conscious on the inside, we will never be distracted by the physical body or the outside.”
–Gurudeva
Today was Bodhinatha’s last day in Atlanta. He attended temple functions in the morning and has, by the time you read this, already flown to Bethesda, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C. to go to the Murugan temple there. Photos and captions from the trip will come later when Shanmuganathaswami gets a bit of free time… meanwhile here a report that came by phone:
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Swami says, on a voice mail:
“Temple ceremonies are going well for the opening of the new Siva temple at the Hindu Temple of Atlanta. They already have an existing Vishnu temple which has to be one of the most beautiful temples in the US, if not the world. The Siva temple, when completely finished, will look very similar. Many happy, a little tired, priests are here for the kumbhabhishekam and they all came up to meet Bodhinatha.”
Very inspired by the temple, priests, ceremonies, overall organization of the activities. Yesterday they had the “opening of the eye” ceremony for the deity, where the new deity image sees a certain order of things for the first time. First they brought a cow, then a young girl, then saints (Bodhinatha), then an elderly couple, and some others. In the evening Bodhinatha gave a talk on how to teach children Hinduism, and also on “Work is Worship.” The talk was very well received, lots of nodding heads and agreement in the audience. After that the children gave a chanting demonstration of various Sanskrit chants.
Our darshan sessions with different families and people have been going well. We’ll try to send some photos in a few days when we have more time.
Bodhinatha’s next travel is to Atlanta, Georgia, and Bethesda, Maryland. Please visit his travel page for more information.
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Click for most recent TAKA page with an Iraivan Temple progress update. |
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It’s that magical time of year when the Rudraksha fruits are dropping by the tens of thousands from the trees. Now you can see why they are called “Blue Marble” trees.
Guests are having a joyous time picking them up.
It’s another beautiful, quiet and peaceful day at the Aadheenam.
Now that the last book of the Trilogy in full color is complete: Dancing with Siva. The Ganapati Kulam is working on re-purposing the volume for other contexts. Acharya Kumarswami, Yogi Japendranatha and Sannyasin Natarajnathaswami are working on a black and white version for Motilal Benarsidas who will print it in India. Sivakatirswami is working on a web version that will match the current books, Living with Siva and Merging with Siva on the web.
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Himalayan Academy Travel Study Programs |
Images from the Recent 2004 Indian OdysseyJanuary 19, 2004 – February 5, 2004 Bangalore, Madurai, Tanjavur, Chennai and |
Newly painted Gopurams at Kailas Ashram, Bangalore.
Blessings for a birthday.
Classes with Bodhinatha…
Joyful young one dedicated to Lord Muruga.
Greeting Bodhinatha…
Don’t worry about your luggage at the train station. Just be sure you have honed your negotiation skills, then hire the incredibly efficient porters…
Go for darshan at Palani Hills.
A tube well provide precious waters to ladies who have come from all around.
Just try to mentally picture the literally millions of flowers that are offered in all the temples in South India in a single day. And, yet, one never sees a field of flowers on any bus ride. Where do they all come from!?
Successor of the venerable Trichy Swamigal, new current head of Kailas Ashram, the very clear-minded young Swami Jeyendrapuri…. greeting our group.
Good advice for all.
Seeing India from the bus…
Elderly devotee.
Priests of Chidambaram meeting us on arrival at that temple town.
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MORE UPLIFTING THINGS |
Color Trilogy Complete! We are happy to announce that the new edition of the enormously popular Dancing with Siva is now available in hard back with all new color artwork. It’s truly an amazing and beautiful work, with more art than any of the collection. This completes the fulfillment of the vision that Gurudeva had of his Master Course Trilogy being produced in full color. In addition, Bodhinatha is taking pro-active steps to bring Gurudeva’s teachings out in a new forms that can be broadly disseminated in the mass mind. With this in mind we, are also pleased to announce that the Dancing with Siva pocketbook is also available. Keep the three-pound book in your shrine room, and take the little one with you on the airplane or subway! How little? It’s just 3″ by 4.5″ — truly pocket-sized, and just over half an inch thick. Yet it is a full 375 pages, containing ALL of the 155 sutras. Available now at our online store. The complete Trilogy is being offered at a discount. |
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View the fabulous full-color PDF’s of the latest edition of Island Temple Magazine, and order copies if you don’t have one. | |
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| 2. Newest Book: DANCING WITH SIVA — Pocketbook | ||
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From Our Gurus' Teachings
Archives are now available through 2001. Light colored days have no posts. 1998-2001 coming later.
