Aum Namah Sivaya

Recently Kadavul Temple has been receiving a good roof tile cleaning. Though the temple's monier tiles might look nice covered in green moss, all that growing green can do a good deal of damage to the roof over time. Our taskforcer Alexander captured this nice timelapse of the process. Aum.

Aum Namah Sivaya

Lyla Tanzi offers us more of her artistic photographs, taken during her time on pilgrimage to Kauai Aadheenam. She's here on the island with her parents, Rudy and Asha. So sit back and enjoy this slideshow, as we journey across the Aadheenam through Lyla's iPhone lens. Aum.

These past few weeks, the monks have enjoyed the presence of Erasenthiran Poonjolai and his son Naavalan. They've been joining the monks for the morning Siva Puja at 5:30am, attending lunch with the monks and satguru, and have been working alongside the mathavasis in the various kulams. Yesterday, with their pilgrimage drawing to a close, they met with satguru in the guru peedam, and today Naavalan had his ears pierced following the 3pm Ganesha puja. Aum Namah Sivaya.

Jai Gurudeva!
Jai Kailasa Parampara!

Over their recent 2-day retreat, our monastics enjoyed their monthly Chitra Padapuja to Gurudeva. In the late afternoon, everyone gathered around Gurudeva's corner shrine in Kadavul Temple. Sannyasin Tillainathaswami and Nirvani Tejadevanatha performed the abhishekam to Gurudeva's granite sandals, offering milk, curd, honey, citrus and more. All the while, Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami and the other mathavasis chanted Sri Rudram. Aum Namah Sivaya.

"When the philosophy is properly understood, we possess right thought, right speech and right action, which is proper behavior. This is culture."
- Sivaya Subramuniyaswami

Today we find Sannyasin Yoginathaswami brushing up on his welding skills in our machine shop. He's working on a part of Iraivan Temple's kodimaram that was in need of further welding. This ornamental piece runs at a diagonal from the top of the flagpole to the underside of the lowest flag section. While the ingenious structure of the flag pieces ensures that they stay horizontal, this piece still gives some added stability. When we received it, it was held together with tack welds, so Yoginathaswami has spent several days applying full welds to each joint.

Jai Ganesha!

Today Alexander arrived at the monastery to begin his time on our taskforce program. Our new taskforcer is originally from Northern California and he's here at Kauai Aadheenam to experience more of what it's like to be a monk. While here he'll live nearby the monastery, coming to the temple in the morning to attend Siva Puja and also learning about meditation with the monks. He'll then spend the day participating in the varied works that the monastic kulams do as their daily seva. Welcome to the Aadheenam Alexander! Aum Namah Sivaya.

Listen, while I tell you the Path to Liberation—
Truth, patience, calmness and discipline of self;
Discrimination between the eternal
And the passing;
Devotion to the humble servants of the Lord;
Rising in the early morning
And bathing before daybreak;
Repeating in the way prescribed
The flawless Letters Five;
Worshipping the Guru’s Feet;
Applying Holy Ash;
Eating but when hungry;
With the whole heart giving praise;
Studying the Shastras; seeing others as oneself;
Severing attachment to all property and wealth;
Speaking with fit courtesy; avoiding argument;
Driving from the mind
All thought of family and caste;
Being ever free of the smallest like or dislike;
Living and abiding beneath
The Lord’s Eternal Feet.
- Jnanaguru Yoganathan

Today we found this ripe little pineapple along the short wall which overlooks the pali (our cliff). Last year, one of our monks noticed that a planter along the wall had some space. Since he just happened to have a pineapple top in hand to place there, in it went. Something useful to remember, if you have a pineapple top (cut so that some of the fruit is left on it) you can plant it anywhere that it will get warmth and sun. Pretty soon (well... maybe in a few years) you'll have another fruit!

Aum Namah Sivaya

This month our island has seen a near-complete return of our large tourist population, but that also means that many of the aadheenam's devoted pilgrims are beginning to return as well. In just one example (of many) the Tanzi's from Boston have arrived for an extended stay on the island. Their daughter Lyla took these artistic photos to share with all of you. A reminder that this tropical and sacred paradise is still here, as silent and reenergizing as ever. Perhaps you yourself will be seeing it soon? Aum.

Click here to view our June 2021 Newsletter: www.himalayanacademy.com/monastery/newsletter

Jai Ganesha!

Gone are the days of placing buckets under leaks in our wood shop roof. Recently, a hired team completed the installation of new roofing material for the wood shop. The previous roof was made of clear, corrugated, plastic roofing, which over time had succumb to our strong UV and heavy rains. Our new metal roofing should last much longer. It also includes several clear sections as skylights, letting in some sun to keep the shop well lit. Aum.