Several days ago the monastery observed a homa and a flag raising to welcome our new season, the Nartana Ritau. This also marks the beginning of Vikari, our new year. Aum Namah Sivaya.

Mahasivaratri Upadesha
The Nature of Mahasivaratri

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Trilogy Commentaries
On the Brink of the Absolute

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Click here to go to an index of all of Bodhinatha's and Gurudeva's online audio.

Our Innersearch photographer reports: Yogi Jayanatha and Yogi Dayanatha shouldered lots of responsibilities on a daily basis. Before and during Innersearch they worked tirelessly to make sure Innersearch pilgrims stay, transportation, food and all coordination with Rishi Thondunatha's team work seamlessly. But this is what they do as part of their duty and responsibility apart from their intense daily sadhanas. Shown here are photos at Kadaitswami's Samadhi Temple in Jaffna, Both Yogis got on a different role during the visit to Jaffna at Kadaitswami's shrine carrying the Palanquin of Lord Siva with Uma Maheswari and Rajeswary. Kadaitswami's bronze murthy was placed in the front of the palanquin as the procession was taken around the temple perimeters

Jai Ganesha!

As Ramesh and Vel return home, another taskforcer has graced our midsts. For the next three months Adi Srikantha will be helping in and around the monastery with our many projects.

We bring gold from Gurudeva's audio archive. A classic talk from 1973. The ultimate goal of life itself. Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami explains Makaif--a shum word defined as the ultimate attainment of Siddhanta. Using the shum language, Gurudeva describes the path to the Self-Realization. How to live a lifestyle dedicated to the practice of Raja Yoga. Vumtyemka described as a sadhana. The Search for the Self. Iikaif. Sadhana, tapas, austerity, obey spiritual laws. Siva as Divine Dancer, life force, divine energy, pure consciousness. Realize Siva in all of His fullness and all of His nothingness and realize that which you always have been. (26 minutes)

Bodhinatha's Latest Upadesha
Path to Siva Commentaries

What Is the Ideal Home?

"Harmony is a fragile vibration which the family protects." Gurudeva expressed how deeply integral the Tirukural was to his teachings. It is not enough to take care of immediate family members, you need to reach out to others. Increase and master self-control through facing greater challenges, being steadfast in domestic life.

Path to Siva, Lesson 51

Tirukural

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Click here to go to an index of all of Bodhinatha's and Gurudeva's online audio.

The darshan bellowed into Kadavul Temple this morning as Ganesha Chaturthi comes closer. Chitra nakshatra means Chitra puja to our Gurudeva. Yogi Rajanatha and Natyam Dayanatha perform today's ceremony.

Slideshow quotes are from Gurudeva's Cognazantability in Merging with Siva, and ends with a few quotes from Merging with Siva's "Death of the Ego."

Today marks the beginning of the Jivana Ritau, the rainy season from from mid-August to mid-December. The morning began with a Siva homa in Kadavul temple, followed by a parade out to the flag pole to change the dvaja for the coming season. Afterwards, monks and devotees paraded out to Iraivan Temple for a short arati. Aum Namah Sivaya.

"The key word of this season is work. The colors are rust, copper-maroon and all shades of red rust for earthy preservation, copper-maroon for fulfillment and red for physical energy. The Aadheenams 60-foot flag pole flies the rust-colored dhvaja, symbolizing environmental care. Copper-maroon and all shades of red adorn our smaller flags. This is the season of honoring and showing appreciation for those in the vanaprastha ashrama, life's elder advisor stage.

"The focus is on preserving what has been created, manifesting goals and fulfilling plans made in the past. Inwardly the emphasis is on direct cognition and caring for the practical details of the external world. Practicality is a word much used this season. In the monasteries and the missions, there is a big push on studying the sutras of Living with Siva and the Saiva Dharma Shastras. The format of the mission satsanga changes into one that in fact helps everyone live and breathe with Lord Siva through personal adjustment to the aphorisms of Living with Siva, which define tradition, culture and protocol.

"It is a time of building and repairing and caring for what has been built, planted or created in any realm of life. It is a physical time, of exercise and exertion in the Bhuloka, a magnetic time for action and willpower, of finishing all jobs started since the first ritau. On the farm, there is harvesting of the lands fruits as we celebrate abundance."

Right now the island of Kauai is getting blessings from the sky with a constant light rain that persists just enough to remind you it's wet outside. The monks are ending their phase is a quiet way and getting ready to work on various projects during their two day retreat. Some will harvest noni or carve away at tropical woods; some monks will study scripture late into the night. Satguru will go on his long contemplative walks while others will bake, stir-fry or griddle their way to a savory seva--we get our happiness by making others happy. I foresee an early morning bike ride, web work, app building, astrology reading, budget maintenance and many many other tasks these next few days.

The Deity remains throughout it all, Jiva really is Siva. Our monistic theist-Saiva Siddhanta is unparalleled theology that harnesses the power of creation right into the very heart of your being. While Siva remains detached from the tattvas, the bhogas and all karmic manifestations, He/She remains an ever-grounded part of the whole. From Parashiva, mysteriously to Parashakti and into you and your experience as Parameshwara.

Through sadhanas such as temple worship, yogic meditation and scriptural study, we reign-in the mind's thirst for the gunas and evolve into higher consciousness. The monks are here to root you on as you struggle through the perfect chaos of Parashakti and find your way back to the all-encompassing perfect order of Parashiva.

Love, light and upliftment is our creed. Sacrifice, responsibility and trust is our dharma. The Nandinatha Sampradaya is our lineage, family and history. God Siva is immanent love and transcendent reality. That means Parashakti and Parashiva, that means you, that means me, and that means everything is undoubtedly a perfect one being. Aum.

A photo of the Siddhidatta Kulam (minus the photographer). This was Jayendra Mardemootoo's last day with the kulam while on his pilgrimage to Kauai. Our thanks to him for his selfless service while visiting the Aadheenam!