Over the retreat several of the monks spent some time in the wood shop working on individual projects. Here Sadhhaka Jayanatha has hand carved a natural base for a crystal lingam. In the background Nirvani Nilakanthanatha is on the lathe turning a wooden bowl from our own harvested tree.

Satguru Bodhinatha and Shanmuganathaswami visited the home of Vijay and Umayil Eswaran in the hills of Petaling Jaya. They enjoyed watching the 24 minute Annual Update of the monastery and Iraivan Temple building progress on the iPad. After lunch they visited the Eswaran's new home a few hundred feet down the hill, which by the way, is the same hill upon which the Gasing Sivan Temple is located. Bodhinatha presented the Eswaran's with a wooden "Aum Sweet Aum" plaque for their new house, laser etched by the monks from a Kokee cypress wood tree. Their new "smart" home is full of state of the art equipment, and at the same time there are art pieces hundreds of years old, including some very old doors.

Congratulations to Gunasegaran and Mohana Chitravellu for Vishesha Diksha. Congratulations to Eesan and Rajeswari Pasupati for Mantra Diksha and Congratulations to Sivanathan Batumalai for Mantra Diksha. Aum Namah Sivaya!

Today was tour day at the monastery. With an increasing number of guests, this was the second tour day to take place this phase. Over a hundred people arrived today and had an opportunity to see the monastery gardens and have a guided tour of the Iriavan temple site. One recent guest expressing their amazement, commenting at how peaceful and powerful the monastery felt to them.