Bodhinatha at Sheep World in Auckland New Zealand… More photos from the last days of Innersearch below…

(Fasten your web surfer browser belts for we are delivering over 50 photos today!)

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 Dasami Tithi, Sun One, Tuesday, January 24th.

Today was Chitra Puja for this month…

Yogi Japendranatha and Sadhaka Tejadevanatha perform the puja to invoke Gurudeva’s blessings.

We have an amazing new resource that is coming through. This is an old book of quotes of Gurudeva compiled in 1974… which is being typed in by Patricia Hickey… Here is a sampling:

“Many people think they can meditate. They don’t meditate at all, because they don’t live the life that produces meditation.

The knowing state of consciousness in which you can know the Truth only comes when you can control the outer states of mind and live a perfect life each day.
Stand on your own two feet and start fixing up the illusion, which surrounds you…..

“Basic principles are the mental laws governing action and reaction.

“When the [spiritual laws] are heeded they create the subconscious mind in a positive state leading the consciousness of man into his transcendental state of being, his superconscious mind.

“It behooves you to understand very acutely and discriminately these basic principles and immediately to put them into action in your life. Seize every spiritual opportunity you have to advance your soul because when you do, the reaction is glorious on you. When you resent and when you fight within yourself, the reaction is disastrous unto yourself because you lose the battle when you begin to fight your own inner self. You win the battle when you begin to express yourself spiritually.

“The picture is changing. It has to change as you all practice these basic laws of nature.

“You have no choice but to give recognition to spiritual laws…

“They think that freedom is going to be something like being able to walk down the street and cross the street on a red light. You cannot run through a red light and get a ticket, and tell the officer, “I didn’t know.” He does not say, “well, do better next time.” I have heard people say, “I don’t want to be bound by laws; I want to be free.”

“And, they are free and then they find they are not free because they can’t think straight. Their mind is all confused. Only by obeying laws are you free. Only by obeying spiritual laws do you wake up.”

–Gurudeva

After Chitra puja our devotees have prasadam together.

Here are Mr. and Mrs. Panchanathan, both physicians from Los Angeles, originally Chennai, very devout, looking forward to coming back to Kauai on pilgrimage, eventually retiring on Kauai. Mr. Panchanathan celebrated his 61st birthday today with an archana in Kadavul.

Our Kauai Kulapatis chat together…

Another record crowd for the end of phase tour today… 115 people! Our TAKA photographer goes up to the Aadheenam roof.

The guests were charmed at being photographed from the roof.

It was a day for religious interfaith meetings. Here is Father Angelos Youssef on the left from Saint Mark Coptic Orthodox Church in Honolulu and Bishop Serapion Bishop of Los Angeles. They are both part of the Diocese of Los Angeles, Southern California and Hawaii. With Sivakatirswami and Yogi Japendranatha.

This particular Coptic tradition is from Egypt and one of the oldest, if not the oldest living tradition of Christianity. With them was also an ordained monk (who was talking with Ceyonswami in the temple) Father Anastasi Saint Antony, who is now also stationed in Honolulu.

Though small (only 70 members of in their Hawaiian congregation) we could feel the power of a long and strong spiritual tradition. The Coptic tradition is known for its strong focus on experiential religious practice and we felt a kinship with these fine souls.

This Indian lady is amazed to find Kauai Aadheenam, tucked away, hidden in the middle of the Pacific.

Jan 18th (2nd last day of Innersearch) – Auckland: Our first outing this morning took us to Sheep World. We learnt about the types of sheep and how they are sheered. A sheep dog rounds up a flock of sheep.

Devi Tandavan tries her hand at sorting sheep.

We learnt that the world record for sheering a sheep completely is 17 seconds. That includes getting the sheep out of the pen, sheering and putting him back.

All done and there was 5 kilograms of wool on the ground,

We were all amazed by the demonstration. We also learnt that professional sheep sheerers can sheer a sheep in 45 seconds on average over 8 hours in a day.

Next, bottle feeding baby sheep

Shivani Rajan (left) and Shakuntalai Krishnan enjoy this moment.

A little piggy tried to disguise as a little sheep and get some milk.

Time to wander around the farm…

After Sheep World we drove along Snells Beach to Martins Bay. Palaniswami conducted a brief class on gratitude and appreciation.

Everybody teams off in twos and share their gratitude and appreciation.

Suselah Periasamy from Singapore

Palaniswami with Arjunan Subramaniam from Malaysia

Dora Kovacs and Hama Patel

Marlene Carter from California

Rudy Tanzi and Deva Rajan.

Shakuntalai Krishnan shares her feelings with Nilufer Clubwala

Shivani Rajan and Lisa Marston

Then it was lunch at the Salty Dog Inn before heading off to the Auckland Museum

Kailash takes a break from helping to coordinate and chats with Bodhinatha.

The museum has some amazing display of Maori history

The tallest tower in the southern hemisphere

That evening we visited the Thiru Murugan temple in Auckland.

Bodhinatha and the Innersearchers are lovingly welcomed,

Bodhinatha gives a talk on devotion to Lord Muruga

Bodhinatha also honours Mrs. Ratna Sithambaranathan who has been over the years a STAR temple builder for Iraivan Temple.

Bodhinatha presents her with a certificate of appreciation and a shawl. She has over the years collected donations from friends and family plus sold cds and other items to raise money for the temple.

There were about 200 people at the temple, all of whom came up to Bodhinatha for vibhuthi blessings.

Saravananathaswami shares with an Auckland Hindu a little about our monastery. Then the Auckland devotees took us to a nearby hall for an Indian style dinner.