Our monastic vows have many gems that can be taken as spiritual goals, not only for monks but for any sincere aspirant on the path of inner transformation. This excerpt from the Vow of Humility, is instructive for all:

“Humility is the state of profound maturity in which the soul, immersed in the depths of understanding and compassion, radiates the qualities of mildness, modesty, reverent obeisance and unpretentiousness. There is an analogy in the Saivite tradition that compares the unfolding soul to wheat. When young and growing, the stalks of wheat stand tall and proud, but when mature their heads bend low under the weight of the grains they yield. Similarly, man is self-assertive, arrogant and vain only in the early stages of his spiritual growth. As he matures and yields the harvest of divine knowledge, he too bends his head. In the Tamil language this absence of pride or self-assertion is known as pannivu. Pannivu also means “jewel.” In the Holy Kural it is said that “Humility and pleasant words are the jewels that adorn a man; there are none other.”

Humility does not consist in concealing our merits and virtues or in thinking ourselves as worse or more ordinary than we are. Nor is it a pretended meekness. Rather it lies in not exalting ourselves before others, for we perceive the grandeur of God Siva in every human being and reverently acknowledge Him there. Humility in this ideal is the awakened perception that “Siva is All.” It is the inner being predominating over the outer nature.

One of the projects in the works is to put Dancing with Siva on the web. What make this edition so remarkable is the large number of exquisite color paintings rendered throughout the book. These graceful works by S. Rajam show us a lifestyle of religious dedication and simplicity. Of course, for the real gold you should get the actual hard bound copy of the book. Dancing with Siva remains our best seller.

Deva Magdelena and her relative from Germany visited our aadheenam this morning. They also had an opportunity to meet with Bodhinatha.