Bodhinatha describes Nartana Ritau, one of three seasons as created by Gurudeva. Each season corresponds to a book of the Master Course Trilogy. Nartana Ritau-Dancing with Siva-philosophy, begins on the Tamil New Year and is a time for planning.

Unedited Transcript:

Good morning everyone.

Today is the day we're formally starting the new season, ritau. We started last phase, of course, on Tamil New Year but we waited to today to formally start it and change the flag, For those of you who aren't familiar with our system, Gurudeva created a system of three seasons. Normally in the Hindu calendar you have six seasons. But, Gurudeva created three seasons because he had three books. One season for each book. If he had six books, not sure what would have happened. Five, but anyway we have three books, so we have three seasons, one for each book in The Master Course Trilogy. This is the Dancing with Siva season, focusing on philosophy.

And Gurudeva did a writeup for each season which gives different activities. And the activities go along with the natural astrology during that time--what it's natural to do. The last ritau was the moksha ritau. It's the natural time of year to turn within. December 15th through April 15th. This ritau is called Nartana Ritau and it's a great time for planning. Gurudeva himself loved to plan. Had plans for many years into the future at all times. He always had a plan. He said: "The ideal length of plan is six years." Ideally we're always planned, or we've planned our life ahead, in terms of major events, not of terms of lots of details but in terms of major events for six years. And in detail for one year.

This is a great month to do that, Sun's in Aries, good time for intellectual activity. And when everything's on the calendar then it gets done. So, if we do our planning this time of the year, we'll actually have a plan that's up to date.

I'd say the key element in Gurudeva's concept of a plan is a balanced life. The most common form of planning, you can look on the web and look at different programs and websites and books for planning, and they're almost all about financial planning. That's the most common form of planning. We need to plan out our finances, our current budgets, our retirement, so forth. That's the most common form. But, that's only one area. So we need plans for all areas of life and of course, spiritual religious, Gurudeva encouraged going on a pilgrimage every year. That's, finances can afford. Social activities, cultural activities, a schedule for physical exercise schedule. So balanced life is what he recommended. Doing some planning in each of those areas. Not just in one or two but try and, we tend to favor a few areas of life and we're out of balance in other areas. Most people, it's rare to find somebody that puts enough time into all aspects of life. But giving it some thought we can do better and maybe we're culturally not doing enough socially. We're neglecting some of our family, need to have more family events for the whole family than we're having.

So this is a good season for that and of the season this is probably the best month, first month of the ritau for that kind of thought.

So, we'll gather out at the point, go up to the flag pole, raise the flag for the ritau, and then for those who have time we're going to continue at the Iraivan Temple, do a little ceremony there as well.

Have a wonderful day.