 Satguru Siva Yogaswami Jaffna, Sri Lanka  Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami Hawaii, USA |
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 Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami Kauai's Hindu Monastery, USA 
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November 9, 2002
November 9: Uttarashadha Until 5:46AM Sun HST November 10: Sravana Until 6:57AM Mon HST Hindu Year 5104: Chitrabhanu, the "Year of Varied Splendors" |
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 Skanda Shasti Day! In Living with Siva Gurudeva writes: "Our Supreme God Siva has created the Mahadevas, the Gods, to help us, to protect us, to inspire us--such as Lord Murugan, Lord Ganesha and many others. Ganesha, above all others, is the God, the great Mahadeva, to be invoked before every act and especially worshiped and prayed to when changes occur in our lives as we move from the old established patterns into new ones. Lord Ganesha is always there to steady our minds and open the proper doors as we evolve and progress. He never, ever fails. He is always there for us when we need Him. Lord Murugan was created by God Siva's shakti and given a vel of spiritual discernment, a lance of divine intelligence. Pray to Lord Murugan to unravel the great mysteries of the universe. Pray to Lord Murugan to make you a spiritual person. Pray to Lord Murugan to release you into the arms of Lord Siva by teaching you more about your Saivite religion. "
Our Beloved and Revered Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami
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Cybertalk: Bodhinatha welcomes everyone to the first annual observances of Gurudeva's mahasamadhi with a talk on the mahavakya, or great sayings. Citing several classics from the Upanishads, Bodhinatha repeats and elucidates on the great sayings of Chellappaswami and Yogaswami in this, Part 1 of 2, of his talk.
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This morning's homa was for the invocation of Lord Muruga's power into the huge Silver Vel that was taken out of the Muruga shrine and placed in front of the homa.
Lord Muruga always brings an unusual, high, actinic power that must be felt to be understood, silent, electric, brilliant light blue, piercing purifying, quieting, deepening, clarifying... in the ceremonies this morning we could also feel deeply Gurudeva's presence as he himself was such an embodiment of these qualities.
Vetri Vel Muruganukku!
Shailesh repeats aloud the vows.
Many have asked about the nature of our monastic vows. Today we share with you the directions for the aspirant from the aspirant booklet as well as the Vow of Purity which he takes and signs.
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"The aspirant now
declares: 1. That he solemnly aspires to continue
to perfect a life of virtue and good conduct
in order to resolve the misdeeds, debts
and transgressions of the past and to create
a positive foundation for future religious life,
and 2. That he solemnly aspires to serve and
be trained in the Saivite Hindu monastic tradition
through the Theological Seminary of
Saiva Siddhanta Church."
The Duties and Disciplines of the Aspirant:
THE ASPIRANT SHOULD master the art of concentration, holding the mind one-pointedly on every task, completing one work fully before going on to the next. He should not day-dream or allow the mind to wander unattended, but develop through a constant practice of concentration and mindfulness a consciousness that remains steady regardless of external circumstances. This practice of concentration is the cornerstone of effective service and strength of character. It is also a prerequisite for meditation.
The aspirant is encouraged to work closely with the guru's mind, to get to know him well, to contact him regularly. Each aspirant should keep a diary, record in it all of Bodhinatha's instructions and conversations whether received in person or on the telephone, and meditate often upon the guru's words.
Signing the Aspirancy Agreement and Vows.
The Duties and Disciplines of the Aspirant: [cont.]
The aspirant should work diligently to nurture an inquiring mind, a strong will, a compassionate heart, a disciplined nature and an attitude of affectionate detachment, viewing this new premonastic status with great humility and realizing that this is a rudimentary inauguration of the inner quest. Each aspirant is directed by Bodhinatha and hereby agrees during this time as an aspirant not to engage in the disciplines of raja or kundalini yoga or to impose upon himself any severe ascetic practices in order that the emphasis of religious practice and training may be fully directed toward scriptural study and temple worship. Aspirants are enjoined to attend temple pujas, ceremonies, satsang and festivals frequently and to make every effort to express devotion in humble ways such as bringing flowers and food offerings to the temple, cleaning the floors and steps of the shrines, polishing the brass oil lamps and so forth. Each should practice japa often, repeating the names of the Lord. Each is encouraged to strive for the perfection of service and for the monastic ideals of humility, industry and responsibility, renouncing personal needs for the benefit of others. In this service each one should strive for transparency, that quality of anonymous virtue in which the aspirant lives in full harmony with others, remaining centered within and not standing out or disturbing the surroundings. It is this unseen service and unperturbable stability that the aspirant seeks to emulate, realizing that serving in unknown ways and renouncing the fruits of even good deeds averts the pitfalls of the ego and nurtures unpretentiousness. By putting great energy into pre-monastic life and by serving tirelessly for the benefit not of oneself but of others, the aspirant opens to the inflow of Lord Siva's grace.
This is a time of profound worship of Lord Ganesha. It is also a time of study, challenge and inner change.
Bodhinatha puts his signature on the vows:
The Sacred Vow of Purity:
ASPIRATIONS OF PURITY: KNOWN IN TAMIL AS TIRIKARANNASUTTI URITY IS THE PRISTINE and natural state of the soul. It is not something which the aspirant or pre-monastic attains as much as that which he already is, and which becomes evident as the layers of adulterating experience and beclouding conceptions are dissipated. Purity is clarity and clearness in all dimensions of being. It is innocence as opposed to familiarity with the ways of the world. It is for pre-monastics the observance of chastity, called brahmacharya. In Tamil purity is given its fullest expression in the term tirikarannasutti, which means "purity in mind, speech and body." These three„also called thought, word and deed„convey the fullness of the ideal of purity.
Purity does not consist in merely doing good and being good, though these are essential, nor is it an outward appearance or show of such goodness. It is primarily an inner quality, equally present in the saint who outwardly reflects the purity of his attainment and in the sage who inwardly rests in that same purity though his attainment is not apparent. Purity is not a manner of behavior, though it may be reflected in our behavior, and there is no merit in taking on the appearance of being pure when one is not yet pure.
Sacred Vow of Purity Continued:
"Purity for the pre-monastic may be defined as wisdom in handling the forces of the mind and body, including the sexual instincts. In aspiring toward the ideals of purity, Saivite pre-monastics must attune to the inner worlds, the Second and Third Worlds. They must strive to live the contemplative life, cautiously avoiding undue or unseemly involvement with the world. They must associate with other Hindu devotees, seeking the company of good and holy men. They must be pure in thought, never allowing the mind to indulge in sexual fantasies. They must speak pure words that reflect the purity of their thought, never using harsh, angered or indecent language.
Thambynathans cultivate purity through harnessing the sexual energies which are a natural concomitant of human nature. They cultivate purity through maintaining a clean and healthy physical body. They cultivate purity through observance of non-violence and nonkilling. They cultivate purity through acting virtuously and living righteously, returning kindness for injuries received. They cultivate purity through being honest, fair, scrupulous and truthful. They cultivate purity through avoidance of worldly knowledge and cunning, seeking instead the artless innocence found in children and great bhaktas. They cultivate purity through controlling the patterns and content of thought, bringing the mind ever to the Feet of the Lord. They cultivate purity through seeking out their own faults and bad habits, through admitting their failings and making the necessary corrections. They cultivate purity through transmutation of the sexual energies and instinctive nature, bringing them under the control of the will. "
Vow of Purity, Continued:
In fulfillment of these Aspirations of Purity, pre-monastics are enjoined to follow to the best of their ability codes of living that are intended to enhance the purificatory process. A pure body is the foundation„and the reflection„of a pure mind, and they exercise regularly to maintain their natural strength and vigor and health. They practice hatha yoga regularly. They bathe often and care for fingernails, teeth, skin, etc.
Pre-monastics live in the Eternal Now, not letting the mind wander into memories of the past or fantasies of the future. They observe the discipline of avoiding waste, are conservative in spending money, carefully avoid accumulating debt and frugally use resources available to them. This includes not wasting food or water, not throwing away items that may have value, not neglecting the care and maintenance of tools or equipment that they use, and in general being thrifty and resourceful. A clean, uncluttered environment is important in spiritual life, keeping the darshan strong and not attracting negative forces. When they leave a room, it should be improved by their presence; they should never leave behind a mess for someone else to attend to or a dish or cup for someone else to clean. Their own work area should be kept clean and tidy.
When impure thoughts arise, Thambynathans should turn their thoughts to positive, high-minded concerns. If the premonastic finds that in spite of all efforts the mind dwells on impure thoughts, he should take refuge at the feet of Lord Ganesha, praying that these obstacles may be removed. Attending the temple is at all times purifying as it cleans the aura, clears the mind and opens the heart to divine darshan. There is no better remedy for impurity. The Tirukural advises us to "Keep the mind free from impurity. This alone is the practice of virtue. All else is nothing but empty display."
I promise to abide by the Pledge of Purity.
After the vow signing the Muruga Abhishekam begins. Here is the auspicious moment of the yogurt bath. Always a stunning vision as it flows over the exquisitely carved face of Muruga.
In the back of the temple the shrine to Gurudeva brings his presence into the room as the devotees chant Skanda Kavacham and Muruga Bhajans.
Final Arati. Vetri Vel Muruganukku! Haro Hara!
Our silpis are with us today, here receiving the flame.
Aum Muruga Aum.....
Mr. and Mrs. Jothi and Vasuki Sendan brought their new-born child to the temple today. The little girl's name is Shaila Pushpa Sendan. Despite all the sights and sounds Shaila was sound asleep in her mother's arms.
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Off we go again to Bangalore to continue our series of photos from the Ayudha Puja festivities held last month.
"This Thurai's (one of my son's) future mother in law with her daughter, Sapna (presently a student of the Himalayan Academy.).
This is Manikandan(brother of Adaikalam working in Kauai) with his wife and his new born baby girl To the left is Manikandan's sister in law. Manikandan is a trainee supervisor who took the place of Sundaramachari.
Here is Mushi and Kanmani Rajasankara watching the games in process.
Evening activities were dancing to songs sung by silpis.
Evening dances were quite humorous.
Dancing with the torch.
Break dance by silpis?
Announcements during the evening show.
A rapt audience.
A volunteer for the next dance.
He's the winner!
Mushi - our Lasapso guard dog never misses any event . He attends the 7.30 am puja for the silpis daily without fail and also presents himself in all activities of the worksite. Here he is watching the dance. "Can i go next?"
Pot breaking. Tying the pot.
Ok, almost ready.
Blind fold the first player.
How long will it take him to break the pot?
Good luck! Don't fall down!
Next man to try.
Pull the stick game...
The challenge is to pull the opponent over...
OK, you win... a few extra pounds helps... better eat more dosai. More games tomorrow. meanwhile, give generously to the iraivan temple project. These men are normally working day and night on the stones of Iraivan, they need your support.
| FULL INDEX OF 650+ CYBERTALKS  |
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Date: April_08_2000
Title: Using the Subsuperconscious Mind
Category: The Mind
Duration: 1 min., 58 seconds
That's a very good question. The question is, "How would one use the subsuperconscious mind during the day, and make it a workhorse for the individual?"
The answer is - What is the subsuperconscious mind? It is the subconscious memory pattern of the mind, stimulated by intuition. The subsuperconscious mind is a container, which contains knowledge, for a short period of time, until the intuition of superconsciousness reveals that knowledge to your external mind. It gives you the answers, for what you need.
For instance, you are having a problem with your computer. Analyze the problem the very best you can. Place all the facts in your subconscious mind, one after the other. Then, distract yourself. Go for a walk or do something else. All of a sudden, an hour later, half an hour later, the answer will be revealed to you, so clearly from your superconscious mind working through the subconscious mind. Almost everyone has had this experience at one time or another. It happens automatically. However, once you identify the mechanism of the mind, you can use this state of mind, daily. What we call the subsuperconscious mind is a wonderful tool for a better life.
Any more questions?
| MORE UPLIFTING THINGS |
Innersearch 2003-4 in India! We just completed the July 17-23 Kauai Innersearch, 2002. Bodhinatha will lead the next Innersearch to India, between Dec 2003 and Jan 2004. We will visit Bangalore and the Iraivan Carving Village, and settle in the South in Tamil Nadu, Click on the above for details on what will be an inspiring journey to our holy land of Bharat! |
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