Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami gives his weekly Upadesha, discussing the focus of awareness during meditations and the practice of samyama.

Samyama is a continuous meditation on a single concept to gain revelation on a particular subject or area of consciousness. Cognizantability defines it as focusing the mind on three facts or points about the subject of meditation. As explained by Sage Patanjali in his Yoga Sutras, samyama consists of dharana, dhyana and samadhi.

This upcoming full moon is Lord Hanuman’s Jayanti.
A wonderful time to inwardly connect with this powerful God of Service and Devotion.
Aum Anjaneyaya Namah

Swinging through the trees is my delight.
Romping in the leaves is my instinctive mind.
As you play in the force fields of your emotions,
I hang and scratch myself.
We are the same in that respect.
As you maneuver through your intellect,
I sit with eyes wide with a banana in my mouth,
Accruing dismay at what you have become
And think you are.
My inner body is Supreme, as tall as Mount Kailas.
I trample the earth.
My footprints are everywhere.
Have you seen them in your mind?
They look like humility.
For I am the funniest,
the lowliest of creatures,
Tall and short, big and small,
Somehow able to be of service to Him,
my Siva. He is very busy. He keeps me upon my toes.
He makes me almost Human.
For I cannot be instinctive around Him,
Nor can I think like you do, or I used to.
He is free, and I’m alert.
He doesn’t see me, but I serve Him.
My timing is perfect.
I learned that because I fear Him,
Because I love Him, my Siva.
Take heed of this message.
I applies to me and you.
These constant reminders are the sandal and the shoe
Which support us from the blisters on the path,
Of our ego and His wrath.
I love my Siva.
I would do anything for Him.
He keeps me swinging toward His favor.
And I love my Siva;
I don’t know who I am.
I gave me up long ago
When I let go
The last branch.

Aum Namah Sivaya

Today we celebrate the completion of the stone laying for Iraivan Temple's lava rock wall! Jai!
There are still a few finishing touches, primarily the of staining grout joints, but the main wall structure is finished. Umut and his team have set the last stone, relocated the leftover stones, and deconstructed their tenting around the perimeter. Now we can all marvel at this wonderful addition which bring the temple ever closer to its completion. Aum.

A 2003 upadesha by Satguru Bodhinatha Velyanswami in which he discusses the aftermath of Self Realization.
Go here for the full transcript: The Aftermath of Self Realization

Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami gives part four of a series of talks which give insight and elaboration into a variety of fascinating concepts revealed in the Shum language of meditation. Here, Satguru gives special attention to the 54 mambashum—important areas of the mind detailed by Shum.

You can get started with learning and practicing basic Shum meditations through this book: https://www.himalayanacademy.com/media/books/twelve-shum-meditations/web/

Each year a special group visits the monastery around this time. It is part of a training program provided to island movers and shakers who wish to hone their leadership skill set. This year it was lead by Char Revalo who brought 22 Kauaians with her for the visit. These men and women come from every section of our island: business, military, government, education, art, Hawaiian culture and more. An unusually competent gathering. Sadasivanathaswami took them on a tour of Iraivan Temple and shared Gurudeva's profound ideas about how to empower others as a way of attaining your own greatest power and possibilities.