Our SSC sishya Padmaja Patel's brother Kapilbhai and his family are making their first visit to Kauai from Toronto area.

Click here for a description of the event and many more photos

On the beautiful and blessed night of Mahasivaratri, Satguru Bodhinatha comments on Gurudeva's introduction to Merging with Siva, where he elucidates nine different ways that we can merge with God Siva. Bodhinatha's insightful and practical commentary offers a most lucid and compelling visions of the path of the soul's evolution.

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Happy Ardra!
Today is the beginning of a new phase and also happens to be Ardra Nakshatra. On this day of the month, Siva's divine energies are more easily felt. The morning began with the usual homa, to be followed a few hours later by the 9:00am puja and Abhishekam to Lord Nataraja. This is a six day phase, so the monks will have some extra time to put into their kulam related projects.

Unequalled, free from pain, subtle, all-pervading, unending, unchanging, incapable of decay, sovereign--such is the essence of Siva, Lord of the summit of all paths.
Svayambhuva Agama 4.3. SA, 56

Now have I realized the path of Hara. In the past I sought Him in narrow paths and strayed. Lo! All the while He stood before me like a beacon light in firmament, guiding my voyage across the sea of my soul's longing. The path of Siva is the proven path. It led them to Hara. It is the royal path that renowned souls have walked, the path divine that took the devout to cosmic space. That path do seek, enter and persevere. Still your wandering thoughts, chant the sacred syllable Si and so persevere on the path of Hara. You shall envision primal light effulgent.
Tirumantiram 1562-1563

Today is Kanda Alahan's last day at the Aadheenam. He has been a wonderful help to the Ganapati Kulam's construction efforts during his visit. In the short time he's been here, kanda has completed the two wall shrines and helped to create the vent frames for the two ventilation ceiling coffers.

Work has also continued on the desks for the Kulam. In the woodshop, some of the monks have been working on creating the tops, all made from mango which was milled in 2008. For the desk bases, we've purchased raisable ones. These will allow for monks to stand while working at their computers, which is a much healthier approach to their long hours of media work.

Recently, a class of local school children visited the monastery. The school's curriculum is very unique, all being taught in the Hawaiian language until 5th grade, after which it continues with an hour of it each day. The children had a tour out to see Iraivan Temple. On the way they did a beautiful Hawaiian chant at the flag pole. It is rare these days to hear the Hawaiian language spoken. Following their tour they had a question and answer session with one of the monks. The group asked many good questions about the monastery and how it functions, and were particularly interested in why one might become a monk. Afterwards they had a chance to enjoy Kadavul Temple, many of them writing notes to the devas before ending their day's visit.

Catholic Brother David Steindle-Rast from Austria, recently visited the aadheenam. He and his small group were given a tour of the grounds, after which they had a meeting with Satguru Bodhinatha. Later he sat down for a talk with Sadasivanathaswami and Brahmanathaswami. Brother David actively promotes the practice of gratefulness and was involved in past interfaith Global Forums in Moscow. He had some wonderful words to say about many topics, including the importance of religion as something which brings man into unity with God, stating that any beliefs or practices that separate people or divide the world, could not be called religion.

On Wednesday, February 19, Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami joined a Jewish rabbi, a Catholic monsignor, an Episcopal bishop and a Baptist pastor for the fourth annual Permian Basin Interfaith Event. The two-hour event was videotaped, and as soon as the monastery receives it on DVD, it will be uploaded to YouTube for everyone to see.

The five speakers this year were (left to right in the first photo above):

• Rabbi Holly Levin Cohn of Temple Beth El, Odessa, Texas


• Msgr. Larry Droll, Pastor, St. Ann's Catholic Church, Midland, Texas


• Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami of Kauai's Hindu Monastery, Hawaii


• Rt. Rev. Sam B. Hulsey, Bishop (Retd.), Episcopal Diocese of Northwest Texas


• Dr. Randel Everett, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Midland, Texas

The following questions were asked of the five speakers, which each addressed with three minutes of prepared remarks:

1. Do you actively seek new members? How do you deal with inquirers seeking information to consider membership?


2. How does your faith influence your views on gay marriage, and more broadly on homosexuality in general.


3. What does your faith tradition have to say to those of us who do not believe in a Supernatural World, one with Gods, Spirits, Ghosts, and Demons?


4. Throughout the year there are many public events such as awards, banquets, board meeting for the numerous non-profit organizations and regular meetings held by Government bodies. And they are often opened with a prayer which honors or beseeches Jesus Christ.
   How do you feel about this, given that often-times members of non-Christian faiths are present?


5. Non-Christian children are frequently told by their peers that they are going to go to hell. Knowing that such comments can create fear and insecurity in young minds, how would you address this topic with your congregation?

The answers were significantly more approachable this year, perhaps owing to the fact that the questions were less philosophical and more socio-cultural in nature than in previous years. The group has also developed a bond and momentum that displayed itself in an increased cordiality and respectful banter between them, particularly when the moderator opened the floor for the panelists to speak and pose inquiries to each other for a while before taking follow-up questions from the audience.

An article about the event appeared in the local newspaper, The Midland Reporter-Telegram, and can be read here. We look forward to presenting the video of the entire event here in the weeks to come. Stay tuned.

Our Malaysian members left Lanka today, we tried our best to give them a memorable yantra in Yogaswami's land. Took them to all the major temples in Jaffna and the places connected to our paramparai. I believe they had a nice visit.

We had a nice sivaratri puja at the Alaveddy pasupathiswarar temple. Kumbilavalai Chandran Kurukkal is in London now, his son returned to Sri Lanka and now is a priest at the Nallur temple. His name is Prasana Kurukkal, did the pumas and, herewith I am enclosing a photo of him, Malaysian members also attended the puja.

Love,

Thondunathan