As we being our new phase, we have just received this message from Mauritius from Kulapati Manon Mardemootoo: “Bodhinatha left last night. It was again a beautiful and very fruitful visit for everyone.”

He is in transit now…and will be home early morning on Sun 3 after a long journey. We take you now back to events in Mauritius…Rajen Manick and Saravananathaswami have each sent a set of photos.

On Friday, all members of the Mardemootoo and Manick Kutumbas (extended families) residing in the north met at Kulapati Sivakumaren’s newly built house at Cap Malheureux. Bodhinatha is being welcomed at the entrance by Kulapati Sivakumaren.

Sivakumaran performs the traditional pada puja to the arriving holy man…

Next in the shrine room for an arati…

Sivakumaren assisted by Brahmachari Vel Mahalingum did the pada puja.

The Holy Feet of the Satguru…

We could not get good photos of devotees due incense burning in the room. Here is a rather good one of sishyas singing.

Bodhinatha giving a talk…

By the end of the ceremony, little Sivarathna Manick had his ears pierced by Saravanathaswami. After this Bodhinatha, Swami and all those present were invited to have dinner at Kulapati Sivakumaren and Kulamata Kavita’s lovely home.

Saravananathaswami writes:

“Most of the photos of Mauritius activities are being taken by Kulapati Rajen Manick and should be coming soon to TAKA if they have not already.

Meanwhile the following are a few photos that we took ourselves. Some beautiful birds reside outside the first bungalow we stayed in. Here is one waiting for a piece of bread…”

Bougainvillea outside our bungalow

Prithviraj Putten to Bodhinatha’s left

Mr. Bahadoor, who runs the Krishnanand Seva Ashram

Mr. and Mrs. Anil Baichoo. Mr. Baichoo has been a Minister in the Mauritius government for many years and wants to help improve our Spiritual Park property in Riviere du Rempart. He is now Minister for Environment

So many people throng the large Panchamukha Ganapati shrine at our property that there is not enough room for them all to perform simple archanas. So, we arranged for a small replica of the murti to be placed outside so everyone could perform archanas. It recently arrived from India.

A base was created, and soon a simple roof will be constructed

Government Minister Anil Baichoo came to the Spiritual Park for the official gifting ceremony of the six granite signs, which you should be seeing photos of separately.

He is also surveying the property to identify some physical improvements that his Ministry can undertake.

Paying a short visit to the main Panchamukha Ganapati mandapam

Visiting some sishyas families at the home of Kulapati Mougam and Kulamata Saranamutha Pareatumbee in the town of Flacq. Here the children are singing a song in English that praises Bodhinatha.

Today someone brought this amazing garland for the crystal. It has a circle at the top and strands hanging down. It must have taken a long time to make by hand…

Over our three-day retreat there was a Polihale-Kokee outing… A clear day for looking out into the Kalalau Valley. It is one of Kauai’ most famous sight-seeing locations.

The down to Polihale Beach for a night’s camp out. It is one of those amazing places… like being on the edge of the planet. The sun sets here bring a new vision to the soul.

We witness the turning of the worlds and the mind expands..

“But what is it that is aware? When awareness moves through superconsciousness, it seems to expand, for it looks out into the vastness of superconsciousness from within and identifies with that vastness. This is what is meant by an expanded state of awareness. What is awareness? Discover that. Go deep within it. Make it a great study.” — Gurudeva

“Awareness of perfection i
s attained by sitting down and arriving at the state of expanded cosmic consciousness inside yourself. It’s there only to be discovered. You can do that in nine minutes, nine hours, nine days or nine years. Take as long as you like. The fact remains that deep inside you is perfection. So, you see, you have a choice. You can remain in the valley, live in fear of the stormy ocean of life and death, or you can scale the nearby mountain and see from the top how it is from that perspective. Either way, you and everyone in the world are all right in the now. “

–Gurudeva