Weblog van: Swami Dharmananda

Makar Sankranti

Toegevoegd op 14-01-2011 om 23:51

Today is Makar Sankranti. When the sun shifts its location from one zodiac sign to the other that day is called sankranti. Makar Sankranti is the day when the sun enters the zodiac Capricorn.

It is the first of the holy days in the New Year in Hindu calendar. It is from this day,' Uttarayana'  or the movement of the sun towards the northern hemisphere starts. According to the present scientific calculations this takes place from the 22nd of Dec. For some specific reasons  the Rishis of ancient India considered the northern movement to start from this day. This uttarayan consist of six month period when the sun's rays fall more and more and is considered a very auspicious time for the people of the northern hemisphere.

In India  people take a early morning Ganga bath and spend the day in fasting, prayer, silence and solitude. In spiritual life our duty is to develop the qualities of the sun and act like the sun. The sun is Pushne nourisher, Savitur creator giver of light, warmth and life. Let us as teachers and healers and instruments of the Divine radiate peace, love and cheer and thru our loving service bring health and well being in the lives of as many as possible. Let us who are already doing this work simply grow in this work more and more.

Life is an ever increasing onward movement towards a never ending infinite perfection. Let this onward movement towards increasing perfection become the source of our joy and total self satisfaction.

Silence and activity  are two aspects of God. Both are source of joy and love and there has to be a balance between these two aspects in our lives. From the depths of inner silence thru daily meditation in the morning let us bring forth creative ideas, and manifests them in our daily lives and then at night again retire to that silence by meditating before falling to sleep. Sleep is unconscious meditation and meditation is conscious sleep.

With best wishes and deep love

Swami Dharmananda

 

Meaning and Purpose of Life

Toegevoegd op 13-12-2010 om 01:24

Dear Friends, Ever since I read the spiritual classic, Autobiography of a Yogi, more than 30 years ago my mind has always been in learning about the occult Science.

Dear Friends, Ever since I read the spiritual classic, Autobiogrqaphy of a Yogi, more than 30 years ago my mind has always been in learning about the occult Science. I never ever desired for things like Moksha, Nirvana, Salvation etc. My mind always wanted to know the meaning and purpose of life, where we come from, where we go after death. What sort of life we live after death. How did man first arrive on planet earth.

How does human civilization move from a Golden age downwards to a material age and again upwards to a Golden age. What causes human civilization to flourish and then disappear. Why there is evil and injustice in this world and how to cope with it. Today as my destiny places me in America I am studying much about the western civilisation and its roots. I cam across a very interesting story of Saint Germain. His re-incarnational journey, his final ascendency from the human kingdom to the Spiritual kingdom and the present work that he is doing connected with our human kingdom. His present role in our human life.

This story will be difficult for some of you to believe, so just take it as a food for thought. Others who are conversant with such stories relish it with joy. We have so many of such illustrious stories in our Indian culture. Human beings struggling in life, facing all types of pain and suffering, injuries and losses but through all these struggles the soul of man is steadily moving on from a human to an angelic being and from there to an ascended Master willing serving God and His plans in the trillions of aeons and countless Universes which come and go with each wink of His eye as we say in India.

My love to you all

http://www.onelittleangel.com

 

From the Mystic Land of Colorado

Toegevoegd op 08-06-2010 om 13:27

Dear Friends,

I informed you about my inspiring trip to California. Well my next beautiful experience. In this small city of Lyons I beheld an art exhibition laid out not at one place but many places in individual houses on the 5th and 6th of Jun2010. I was taken to these places by Qiyra on Sat and Lisa on Sun. It was a real eye-opener to me to see such gifted artists and so many of them in such a small place with hardly any population. All warm open hearted people expressing their appreciation of God’s gift of life thru the medium of their art on paper, canvass, cloth, wood, metals. A very special and probably the biggest banjo in the world in the house of Athena and Jacob was something very amusing and entertaining. Art is an expression of man,s joy and love of life. Science is an expression of his adventurous spirit. Yoga is an expression of his seeking and manifesting divinity. Art expresses the heart, Science the head and Yoga expresses both in its best integrated state.

What can I say about my host Adeshaji and Dennisji.

Adeshaji is preparing 6 to 8 cups of tea daily , most of the time carrying it to my room, cooking both the meals, doing the laundry and cleaning my room when I am not present. All these when she is herself the main teacher involved in hours of counselling 4 to 5 clients each day, organising spiritual retreats, satsangs, musical evenings. She is a talented spiritual teacher, qualified counsellor, extremely good cook and an inspiring devotional singer and musician.

She is a good mother and has given to her three children the best of spiritual education. Each child has grown up very well and has specialised in very creative and spiritual activities.She has inspired and developed around her a community of very talented spiritual seekers. Most of them are themselves talented Yoga teachers, healers, counsellors, musicians and gifted Psychics. The word psychic I understand is not a very socially respectable term. I feel the society has to understand the term better. Psychics are evolved and gifted souls. In India we will call them as Yogis or Yoginis. They are individuals who are experiencing a range of truths not readily available thru the medium of the ordinary senses but available thru the medium of partially developed or well developed intuition. Therefore ordinary people do not understand them and their experiences.

A word about Dennisji. A tall, slim, amiable, affectionate wise man, always calm and always cheerful. He is presently involved in watering and mowing the green grass of the extensive lawn around the house. He is a computer proffessional specialising in designing web sites, talented musician and by his mere presence lends to this place an air of calm serenity.

The house also has an ideal location. To the east we have the St.Vrain river now at her best rapidity and movement flowing majestically in front. Budding flowers, chirping birds, tall trees, green grass, clear sky, occassional snowing, surrounding mountains and a deep silence characterises this place.

In this mystic land of Colorado, in this isolated quiet town of Lyons, in this spiritual atmosphere of Adeshaji’s house I am deeply grateful to all those powers and forces who worked to place me here. I am placed here by unknown forces whose purpose I do not understand but I do feel extremely grateful for the experiences it is giving me.

With love to all those people who are making this place so beautiful.

Swamiji

Swami in the USA

Toegevoegd op 04-06-2010 om 14:09

Sitting in the spacious hotel room in the Leguna Hotel in one of the most picturesque spot in the world the Laguna Beach, CA ; I am overlooking the vast blue crystal clear expanse of water outside the window pane stretching itself towards infinity.

Dear friends,

Sitting in the spacious hotel room in the Leguna Hotel in one of the most picturesque spot in the world the Laguna Beach, CA ; I am overlooking the vast blue crystal clear expanse of water outside the window pane stretching itself towards infinity. My mind at peace with itself trying to reach out to the horizon to fathom the vastness of the ocean on the outside and also trying to go within the deepest recesses of my own being seeking answer to that one question which I often asked as I stepped out of my ashram on the 19th Apr 2010. What is the reason I am going to America? What do I have to learn or receive or experience there? Why my life so meticulously worked out the details to prepare for this trip. I pondered the same question now but with no better result than earlier.

My heart however, well ed up in the deepest of gratitude towards Adeshaji and Dennisji my host in America who has been the Divine instrument to give me this most spiritually rewarding trip. In this mystic land of Colorado, Lyons my hosts conducts spiritual retreats, teachings and psychological ministrations to a community of advance and very sincere truth seekers.

I have no idea even now as to what inspired their hearts to do this favor unto me. They sent Sam and Isha two of the most devoted students of their’s to escort me from India. They planned for me this car trip across the Rocky mountains covering four states Utah, Arizona, Nevada and California. Two weeks of one of the grandest experience of my life.

On 16th May on a bright sunny morning we began the trip. As soon as we reached Vail, The Rocky mountains began unfolding to my inquisitive vision its majestic beauty. We crossed the Eisenhower Tunnel and entered Frisco and then halted for the night at the Glendale Springs in one of the most well known and historically famous Hotel Colorado. On the 17th we moved thru mainly the rugged , desolate, exceedingly enchanting , ever changing landscape, the mountain terrain of Utah and halted for the night crossing Las Vegas in a hotel situated in beautiful mountain valley of Primm. On the 18th we reached California and the majestic blue colored vast Pacific ocean unfolded in front of our gaze. We camped the night on Mount Malibu. My host took pains and carried sleeping tents so that one night we can experience the joy of the oceanic beauty from outside. The starlit night sky, cool wind blowing, the sound of ocean waves breaking on the shore a superb inspiring treat to the soul.

Visit to Lake Shrine-This is where Mahatma Gandhi’s, ashes are kept. That is the only place outside India. The beauty of the place with its well laid out gardens, flowering profusely in all shades and colors, shading trees, the lake, the ducks, the fishes all testifying to the spiritual glory and beauty of God and the man He chose to create that place, Paramahansa Yogananda.

Visit to Kern River Valley- On the 19th Charlotte a dear friend and student greeted me in the Lake shrine and volunteered to take me to the Kern River Valley. The valley with the Kern River in full flow and emptying itself in the man made lake Isabelle was a sight whose beauty both during the setting sun and the rising sun is difficult to express. That evening Charlotte and I had the privilege to see the trail of 100 giant world famous Sequoia or the Red wood trees. These trees are one of Natures greatest wonders. They are over 2000 and at times 3000 years old. They rise to a height of over 300 ft. they have a girth whose diameter at the base is over 30 ft.

Visit to Mount Washington and Encinitas- These two places connected With Paramahansa Yogananda like the Lake shrine was sheer joy to move around for its uplifting spiritual energy and the beauty of the well laid out landscape. It was in Encinitas that the great Guru wrote his famous spiritual classic, Autobiography of a yogi.

Blessing Dana Maria’s marriage- On 21st and 22nd we attended Dana Maria a dear student’s marriage in the Church and the Beach party ceremony followed by bon fire and inspiring singing by the groom Daniel. It was very pleasant surprise for me to see that in a distant country as two families with their friends were meeting for a marriage there were five individuals in that group who had been to my ashram. The well known Indian dictum often repeated in India for the last 10,000 years- ‘The whole world is my family’ appeared to be literally so. The marriages that break thru nationalities, religious denominations, economic disparities literally bring the world together.

Meeting with Dolly and her psychic friend- Dolly has been known to me for over 20 years. It was a nice reunion. I loved her daughter Jogmaya who thru just a few well spoken sentences revealed the truth behind the belief of the Indigo children in the west. Dolly a proud mother of a very gifted child. Dolly introduced me to her friend Shama who was very kind to take me to her house and present me two woolen jackets which came to real use in the cold of the Bryce canyons and as we travelled that evening thru snow covered mountains over 10,000 ft high.

Visit to Bryce canyon and the Zion canyon-as cakes are topped with cream so this trip was topped by the unplanned visit to Bryce and Zion canyons. Who can ever in words describe the superb architecture of Mother Nature. Rains, thunder showers, running rivers, soft snow, furious storms are the tools with which Nature painstakingly over millions of years carved out one of Her grandest architecture for the eyes to marvel and the soul to simply surrender in awe of the grandeur. It is believed 50 million years ago this place was under the ocean. In fact we saw an eagle canyon which was once the bottom of the ocean.

Once again I thank from the bottom of my heart and express my deepest gratitude to Adeshaji. All along she took special care to offer me the best food, best lodging and the best experiences. Dennisji’s calm gentle and extremely efficient driving took us to the right places at the right time. No problems.

With warm regards to both of you

Swami Dharmananda

Swami Dharmananda to Colorado

Toegevoegd op 02-06-2010 om 17:39

This blog was written before Swamiji left on the 19th of April, 2010 we follow his life stories in America from now on - The Divine Mother has made her intentions clear. I have to go to America. I was hoping for a three month visa, but I got a 10 year visa. Thanks to very sincere and persistent efforts of Christine Dubois and her partner Dennis, the day has come for me to leave.

In what words can I express my gratitude to them for opening up this door for me? They are not only sponsoring my trip but have also been kind enough to send Isha to escort me all the way from the ashram to America. How many well meaning friends are willing or able to do such things? I will be staying in Colorado.

Also those of you know her, Dana Maria, a quiet, Indian-looking woman from America, has done an extremely efficient work in handling the very technical visa application needs. She was also God-sent; the right person at the right time.

After 25 years of teaching I am going out from the ashram for the first time. I am leaving at a time when the ashram situation is still tense but we are in a very legally sound position. Mataji will be alone in the ashram Sri Ved Niketan. All of you who have known her over the years know that she is a very emotionally stable and strong woman. Every day of my association with her I have learnt what it means to be loyal to the guru, faithful to the guru, obedient to the guru and provide ungrudging service to the guru.

Even after guru’s death she has not deviated one bit from what her guru had told her to do and I am seeing the tangible help that the dead guru is giving to her. It is nice to know that one uneducated village woman, by the sheer power of her loyal service to her guru, has defeated a group of 18 trustees with money and political connections.