Today was another quiet day at the Aadheenam. Work goes on as usual. Many small projects are moving forward in all areas.

Today we posted the audio and transcript of Bodhinatha’s fabulous Sun One talk
on the Story of Awareness. Those interested in meditation and Shum will be
very interested in this one. Don’t miss it!

~~~~~~~~~~~
END OF PHASE
Today is the last day of our phase.
This edition of TAKA will remain posted
over our coming two-day retreat,
until Dvitiya Tithi, Sun One, Thursday, May 17th.

(R/L) Ram and Gita Ganeshan from Sugarland, Texas; Leo and Paru McGuire from Ohio, and Babul and Meena Bhagawandas, also from Texas, all thoroughly enjoyed their visit to the Aadheenam. Ram and Gita said they definitely plan to make a longer pilgrimage here next time. As Gita explained “Its such a peaceful and spiritual place, it’s hard to leave here.”

A pause in front of Lord Ganesha on this beautiful spring day as everyone returned to the Kadavul Siva Temple

On Saturday Paramacharya Palaniswami scheduled a meeting for the youth of Mauritius who are from the membership and Saivite Hindu Religion class students. Many older youth were are able to make it due to taking private tuitions on that day. The meeting was mostly attended by the younger ones following Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami’s ‘Saivite Hindu Religion’ Saturday classes at the Spiritual Park.

Paramacharya Palaniswami and Yogi taught about how to sit with the spine erect and about feeling being an ordinary being compared to being a special being….. Paramacharya also talked about affirmation and how everyone was to develop positive affirmations… Other practical explanations were given to help the youth develop further their spiritual life. Then swami talked about the brahmacharya vrata that four boys were going to take on that day…

Yogi Jivanandanatha performing an arati to Lord Ganesha before the brahmacharya cord ceremony….

The four High school boys, Sanjeeva Apavoo, Poshan Munian, Lunadosha Valaytan and Sivarathna Manick read their vows aloud:
” I seek the blessings of God, Gods and guru as I declare of my own volition my firm intention to live a pure and virtuous life and now take this brahmacharya vrata. Then Paramacharya Palaniswami chanted a powerful mantra and passed the sacred flame on each of the boy’s head…

Paramacharya Palaniswami tying the sacred cord Lunadosha…..
“I vow to value and protect purity in thought, word and deed, and chastity in body, to sublimate and transmute the sexual energies and the instinctive impulses of anger, jealousy, greed, hatred and selfishness.”

Then to Poshan …….
“I promise to remain chaste and pure until marriage and wear this sacred brahmacharya cord around my waist to betoken this solemn oath. At such time that I marry, I promise to marry a Saivite Hindu virgin by arrangement of both families and with the blessings of my guru.”

……. and to Sivarathna ……

All the youth gathered for a photo with Paramacharya Palaniswami…..

The four boys who took the brahmacharya vows with Paramacharya Palaniswami.

Pizza and ice cream was served to all…

Everyone is happy to have been with Paramacharya Palaniswami

These youth are growing up as a wonderful homogeneous Saivite peer group around the Spiritual Park with the teachings of Satguru Bodhinatha….

Paramacharya Palaniswami is signing Sivarathna’s book “Saivite Virtue” that he will be daily reading for his brahmacharya sadhana.