It's Thanksgiving Day, and we are feeling the Fullness of Everything, within and without. Gurudeva placed great stress on being thankful, feeling it a necessary spiritual milestone to reach. Here he speaks of how gratitude can help us better our karmas when things seem rough.

Gurudeva taught us:

We are essentially pure souls temporarily living in a physical body. We can and should use our God-given gift of free will encased in love to make a difference in the world today, even if it is in a small way. All of us making the same difference together do so in a big way. Íishyas should be grateful to their gurus, husbands to their wives, wives to their husbands, parents to their children, children to their parents, students to their teachers and teachers to their students. It's far more effective to praise others and appreciate what we have than to find fault and complain about what we don't have!


Gratitude and appreciation are the key virtues for a better life. They are the spell that is cast to dissolve hatred, hurt and sadness, the medicine which heals subjective states of mind, restoring self-respect, confidence and security. Shall we review them one at a time and consider a practice, a sâ dhana, for each?

First, gratitude. It is a feeling within the heart that we cannot suppress for long when overcome with abundant memories of all the good that has come into our lives. Most often, people remember the bad happenings, perhaps because they make the deepest impressions in the subconscious and are not expected. Good happenings are expected and therefore tend to be overlooked.

The sâdhana here is to take out paper and pen and list all the good that has come into your life during the past five years. The list will grow as memory is stimulated. Should it not be possible to think of even one good thing, then write the affirmation several times, "I am a spiritual being of light maturing in the ocean of experience." Soon a good memory will come up, followed by more. Feelings of loving appreciation will begin to flow toward those who participated in the good times. Forgiveness then wells up for the bad times. Amazingly, on the day I was writing down these thoughts about gratitude, a Kauai islander handed me a paper on which was written the following wisdom from the Catholic mystic, Meister Eckhart: "If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough."

Now let's look at appreciation, turning our thanks toward the people in our lives. The sâdhana of appreciation is to approach those you are grateful to and tell them, to their face, while looking deep into their eyes, how much you esteem and value them. Be specific. Find details to share so they know this is not a shallow compliment. Explain what each one has done to inspire this loving confrontation and convince each in turn that you are sincere. The look of a full smiling face, eyes shining and heart full of love, perhaps followed by a big hug, is convincing enough in itself. Words of appreciation are words people do not often hear. These loving confrontations do not happen nearly often enough among friends and relatives in today's world.

Loving appreciation is a life-changing force just waiting to be used. Express appreciation to community leaders, business associates, spiritual mentors, family members and friends as often as you can. Loving appreciation is a magic formula that works both ways. When we commend another, we are automatically uplifted.

Today the monks begin their phase with a homa fire. Communing with the inner worlds is an integral part of their lives. The Gods and devas lend help in everything, assisting the monks with their seva, giving them insights and energizing their meditations

The woodshop continues to be bustling with activity, as our team fine tunes the wood elements for the ceiling of the new media studio. Here are some of the pieces, made from rainbow eucalyptus.

How sweetly He smiles
my dear Lord Murugan
reflection true of what is
in my heart
My face may, perchance,
show it not

At the start He seemed serious
just as surely I was
anxiety, anticipation
a little trepidation
so many feelings
so many thoughts

He stands unadorned
just a single cloth on Him
ready to accept all that is offered
gross, dense, sweet and sour
ash and water when they are poured

Blessed are those who draw near
touch Him as they are touched
one chants, one invokes
sacred words ring so true
subtle gestures have powers too
another carries His Vel
while he who proudly bears that name
bears the holy waters
with which He will bathe

I watch as in my mind
I offer much the same
my dense thoughts, actions gross
big and small, however they come
poured at His Holy Feet
Out pour the sour feelings
and emotions sweet
unplugged by hours
at the Guru's Lotus Feet

Washed clean I stand
as the waters on Him pour
preparing for the days ahead
strengthened by His words of solace
encouraged by actions Brave
as He slays the demons
that held me in sway

He now stands, shining
holding His blazing Vel
dressed in stately garbs
befitting the Prince of Hearts
that He is!
The drums beat
conches blow
cymbals clang
'tis the silence inside
that is unbearbly loud
Flames pass over His Face
and He smiles
and then
He smiles a little bit more

And, I smile too
and even dare to chuckle
at the drama and dance
that the egos serve
for the souls to progress
finally to merge
sparks into the Light
drops into the Ocean -
Knowing this He smiles!

How sweetly He smiles
my dear Lord Murugan
reflection true of what is
in my heart
Now, knowing why He smiles
my face smiles too!

Infinite love and eternal gratitude

Aum Namah Sivaya!

Here are a few of the darshan meetings with Satguru Bodhinatha after the Gurudeva Mahasamadhi pujas were finished.

Our Saiva Siddhanta Church sishya observed Mahasamadhi in Mauritius.

Click here for report and more slides of the events in Mauritius

There was also an observance held at the Sivathondan Niliyam in Toronto, Canada.

Today we celebrate the final day of Skanda Shasthi, honoring lord Kartikkeya, first renunciate and master of Kundalini yoga. A time to turn inward and connect with His powerful shakti.