Though we hold no tours the temple is open daily from 9-12 and we are getting a steady stream of visitors and the monks may find themselves bumping into guests on the path.

This is group of students of the oriental energy healing areas under the teacher Kazue Otsu. They are graduates from different prefectures of Japan come here under the guidance of Haru Natsume and Masaka Uematsu from Japan and Louise Mita from Oahu. If you know Japanese you can go to find out more at www.superlifegallery.com and see www.taoenergy.com

Meditating in the temple

December 6, Yoginathaswami and Arumugaswami were at Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s Art of Living Foundation in Bangalore to visit their priest training school, or padasala. Every Monday morning they perform Rudra Abhishekam to a crystal Siva Lingam with all the padasala boys chanting. As Sri Sri was himself in residence, he personally performed the puja before some 800 ashram residents and guests.

From the top of the lotus-shaped meditation hall. We noted the natural amphitheater, a design which could be used on San Marga for the rainbow amphitheater.

A view toward the residence halls, and at left the free feeding all with a roof full of solar water heaters used for the cooking. At right is a long line off to the horizon where they are installed a 12-foot diameter pipe to bring water from the Cauvery River 80 miles into Bangalore City. The pipeline passes right through the ashram grounds.

The ashram’s elephants move by. We have some movie footage of them we’ll post later.

Sundaramurthy Sivam introduces our monks, telling about his visit to Kauai Aadheenam.

We explained to the boys our program for preserving and translating the Saiva Agamas. The padasala may work with the project.

Posing for group photo.

The swamis meet with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. He joked while the photo was being taken than he should be standing on a stool next to Yoginathaswami, who’s head barely cleared the ceiling.

Sundaramurthy Sivam and the padasala boys who hosted us during our brief stay.

We line up with the runway in Singapore.

A rare sight, the Andaman Islands from the air. These islands lay in the Bay of Bengal between India and the Malay peninsular. They are part of India and home to one of the most primitive tribes on earth, a group who did not even know how to make fire. On the other hand, they did know what the signs of a coming tsunami were and escaped the disaster of 2005 by running into the hills. Contact with them is highly restricted.

Yoginathaswami looking at the elephant destined for the steps of Iraivan temple, at the top of the hill from the river. A map of the Earth will be carved into the ball.

Sitting on this makeshift stool, the silpi carves the intricate designs upon the stone.

A view of the upper entry way to our Mauritius property. Freshly painted.