 Satguru Siva Yogaswami Jaffna, Sri Lanka |
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 Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami Kauai's Hindu Monastery, USA |
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December 29, 2000
December 29: Dhanishtha Until 1:18AM Sat HST December 30: Satabhisha Until 4:18AM Sun HST Hindu Year 5102: Vikrama, the "Year of Fulfillment" |
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 Gurudeva sends his love and blessings to all. Update on his health is that he had a wonderful sleep last nigth and is moving around more and more each day. One of the monks mentioned that we really missed him, especially at the morning meditations and he said: "Well, its good to know that I am not just being taken for granite (smile.) But the point of the meditation is to find That within yourself!"
Cybertalk: A cyberspace devotee in Singapore wonders if he has to get his parents approval to convert to Hinduism. Gurudeva says that if he is under 21 years old then he needs his parents approval. A cyberspace devotee wonders why Gurudeva invokes Hanuman and not just ask him to bring Iraivan temple over. Gurudeva says that he has asked Hanuman to do so and that the periodic homas that are held are merely to remind him to do so. Another question is put forth to Gurudeva this time asking how a particular form of a deity is chosen for a temple. Gurudeva says that it is often done in one of three ways: seen in a dream, Gurudeva is asked to choose a form or the form is chosen by the stewards of the temple.
Do you have questions for Gurudeva? Send to questions@hindu.org.
Please note: Gurudeva only responds to questions from the general public on matters that are suitable for our public cyber audience. Personal or intimate questions sent to this address are not answered. A detailed index of past inspired talks is available here. Transcription of One of Gurudeva's CyberTalks Date: December_23_2000 Title: Using Drugs for Spiritual Unfoldment Category: Drugs Duration: 3 min., 27 seconds Date Given: November 5, 2000 Mohan in Australia reminds us that, "In Sanatana Dharma, Saivite Hinduism drugs do not play a part in spiritual unfoldment. But they are prevalent in the world today and are promoted and sold for the purpose of spiritualizing someone. What do I do about my 15-year old boy who is using drugs for spiritual awakening?" Tell him to be cautious, because there is a consequence to every short cut. What are the consequences? One, drugs are illegal. Two, one simple drug, for instance marijuana, will lead to the next and the next till finally, brain damage. Dangerous drugs are distributed, the very same way that the medical profession distributes new kinds of drugs. First, they give away free samples. If they work, then they sell them to you. There are many psychedelic, unscrupulous gurus out there, who will give away free drugs to innocent people seeking a spiritual life and until they get, shall we say, hooked on them, need them, desire them. Then they have to pay. We have talked to ladies and men at our penal institution here on this beautiful island of Kauai, who started with free drugs. One lead to another more potent. They developed a habit, which developed an expense of $2000 a week. This required them to steal, to also sell drugs and now they have free room and board for many, many years. Apart from kidney damage, brain damage and awakening lower chakras are some of the consequences. When the psychedelic stimulates the higher chakra, it also stimulates the lower chakra of the instinctive mind and that accounts for big mood swings. Depression, anger, happiness, elation, jealousies, competitiveness, weird states of mind. So, Mohan in Australia, talk frankly to your 15-year old boy. Then, you have done your parental duty by explaining the consequences of the short-cut to spirituality through drugs. He probably knows more about life and all these things than you know now at perhaps 28, 30 or 35 years of age. Only he can make up his own mind, whether he wants to bear the burden of the consequences, once he knows the consequences. In our religion sadhana, the arduous path of tapas is the sustaining path for spirituality.  The young ladies waiting at the lovely atrium of the county building. . .here's a report on their visit.  Around 3pm on December 28 the Young Ladies Retreat participants arrived at Mayor Maryanne Kusaka's office in Lihue for a brief courtesy call. After a day of meetings she was delighted and uplifted to speak with the young ladies in her office.  She first passed an Aloha card to each one, asking all their names and where they were from, and what they thought of Kauai. The girls explained what they are doing at the retreat and one from Malaysia, Nalakini Niranjana, expressed her happiness at witnessing so much unspoiled, unpopulated land on Kauai. So the Mayor discussed the plan to keep it that way, maintaining Kauai's pristine purity. She told the story of how she went from being a teacher for 33 years to running for Mayor at the request of her former students who felt she could make a real difference on Kauai.  When asked by the girls if she experienced any pressure/resistance for being a woman, she replied "not at all." To the contrary, many prominent men supported her and continue to do so. She's hired many women in her government and explained that often women do a better job then men in this area because they are more compassionate and actually follow through on the details of promises made to the voting public, whereas men have often not paid attention to real needs of Kauaians. Mrs. Kusaka reminisced her attendance at the Iraivan stone-laying ceremony in 1995 where she witnessed many young children sitting still and quietly for many hours, which left a great impression on her. She explained the recent creation, with Gurudeva's inspiration and Paramacharya Bodhinatha's careful guidance, of the Kauai Aloha Endowment which now has about US$40,000 and another $26,000 on the way. It was a happy meeting.  Afterwards, the girls continued on to Poipu beach area where they first visited the Spouting Horn and then drove to a beach area next to the Hyatt Regency. They climbed to the top of a bluff with a telescope and two swamis where they could quietly contemplate the wide blue ocean as the sun slowly set.
 But things weren't quiet for long, because suddenly many spouts of water were seen all over. Whales! There must have been a dozen at least, showing their backs and sometimes part of their tail fins, blowing water over and over.  It was exciting to try and catch them in the act through the telescope and binoculars.  It was another nature-ocean-therapy experience, quieting and calming on the minds of everyone.  Wonderful things are happening here. . .recently the ladies of the Kauai mission completed, at Gurudeva's request, a giant sewing project: a 300-foot long decorative siding for the Iraivan temple foundation, made of panels of red and white cloth about 5 feet wide and four feet high that covers three sides of the foundation. Here is a "long distance shot" of the decorations.  Here is Arthur Pacheco a well known trance medium from Honolulu who has known Gurudeva for many years and also studied Gurudeva's teachings and books. In his early years Arthur planned to be a medical doctor, but then embarked upon a spiritual journey, investigating the paranormal and was chosen by some inner plane beings to serve as a "channel." Gurudeva asked him to come and go into trance here at the Aadheenam as a "demonstration" for the Young Ladies Retreat.  Arthur sits quietly in the Guru Peedam with Acharya Ceyonswami by his side who asks questions. Arthur began by tuning in to the devas nearby and they gave him messages to tell to the group. He also answered some questions from this still conscious state saying that Gurudeva's injury was in the nature of taking on certain karmas relating to the temple project, but that it also gave Gurudeva a break from some of the duties and obligations that he would normally never allow himself time for.  Then Arthur felt a tremendous force of withdrawal and announces that it is time for him to go into trance. After a few moments Arthur appears to "disappear" and the entity we once knew as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle takes over the body of Mr. Pacheco. What is remarkable is the Scottish accent of the entity that speaks through Arthur, whose whole face, countenance, demeanour will change dramatically. The Scotsman who doesn't like to use his old earth name because "that is not really who I am" answered many questions posed by Ceyonswami that were previously collected from the youth. On being asked about the future earth changes he said that possibly both California and Japan will experience changes in the next 12 months. He also spoke at length about the spiritual power of this temple site here on Kauai as "a timeless beacon of light."  The Rajaratnam family, originally from Sri Lanka now living in Boston. They were visiting the island, but did not know about the monastery. When they were making preparations to depart to Maui the travel agent asked them if they had been to the Hindu Temple. Upon hearing this they immediately ran out to the car and drove up before the temple closed.  Here's our wonderful task force from Malaysia: Left to Right: Ananda Sivanesan on the left is with us for nine days only. . .then he will be taking his daughter to California. Next we have Aravind Raj, in the back Sivaneswaran and on the right Saravanan Vadivelu Kalimuthu who just arrived yesterday from Malaysia. The latter three are here for three to six months. They are wonderful team and are making some fantastic improvements around the property.  An eleven acre site in Bangalore, India, where 75 Indian families live and daily carve the sacred white granite edifice of Iraivan Temple which will soon begin to be assembled on the island of Kauai  This is silpi A.L. Pandy who is mute. He is very good at his work and also a good dancer.  Gurudeva's other monastery in the island country of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean near South Africa  Utam Damry and his wife from nearby Goodlands. A quick visit on their way to the Krishna Mandir near Flacq. On the way home they thoughtfully stopped to offer us some of the temple prasadam.  Mr Choollun and his son. The last time he visited he marvelled at the immensity of the gardening maintenance required to keep the 12 acre Park looking nice. He offered to "help us out sometime." Mrs Choolun accompanied them to offer betel leaf, fruits and incense to Ganesha.  Fresh vegetables delivered to the back door of the monastery at least once a week from Ram's street side vegetable stand in Riviere du Rempart. One woven bag hangs on each of the delivery motorcycle's handlebars!  Mr. Serge Henri Dominique Louis installing a new water heater, plumbing and bathroom fixtures for the brahmachari guest quarters. Dominique came to help on his day off from his regular job. He works in the maintenance department for the "world class" Le Touessrok Hotel.  The Podiapen, Ramsamy and Luchmun families, an extended family, pose next to the "abhishekam Ganesh" in front of the Mandapam. (This little statue receives the oil, water and milk baths that some of the devotees wish to give to Ganesh.) This family lives on two islands--Ile Maurice and the isle of Britain, a 10 hour flight to the North. They have been visiting the park for many years. This day last year was a retreat day. No page is archived. "How to Become A Hindu"! Gurudeva's latest book release is now available Hot Off the Press! Visit the Himalayan Academy Book Store Web Site get the book and read the incredible testimonies of the early pioneers from the west who chose to make a full and complete conversion to Hinduism, legally change both their first and last names to Hindu names, change their lifestyles, sever their formal connections to previous faiths and joyously face the challenges in joining the tribe of the Sanatana Dharma Visiting Kauai's Hindu Monastery If you are planning to visit Kauai, please go first to our our visitor's page. Thank you. 
and One Chance in a Lifetime! Imagine spending 12 days with one of the greatest spiritual leaders of this century. Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami will be leading this exotic educational and spiritual voyage himself combining the mystical path of Indian spirituality with a superlative retreat from it all. Take advantage of this one chance to be in close proximity with a living master. Come with us on an inner and outer voyage to Northern Europe and Russia. Sign our guestbook and we will send you a free issue of our global full-color bi-monthly magazine, Hinduism Today. For those who have been touched spiritually by Gurudeva's work, his books, his guidance, his inspired life and example and even his website, the "Thank You, Gurudeva Fund" has been established within Hindu Heritage Endowment. Proceeds from this fund last forever; they're not a one-time gift. So gifts to this fund have eternal gratitude built into them. They live on in perpetuity. Each month Gurudeva receives the income from the fund to be used at his own discretion to promote his work and mission around the globe. He loves this, for he knows that it comes from all the good souls who have met him and studied with him, traveled with him or just talked with him over the years. A contribution to this fund is tax-deductible. |
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