Gurudeva at lunch today... the monks share news from their different departments and some world news relating to the recent tragic events in New York. In response to the general query from all of us on "how to handle these events in our minds," Gurudeva has asked us to run excerpts from some of his teachings in this area.

Also Jutikadevi in Atlanta, Georgia asked if his devotees can participate in donating blood for the victims and Gurudeva responded that, "Yes indeed... now is the time to come forward and help those in need."

What To Tell our Children

The question has also arisen among so many regarding what to tell our children about the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington. Here are some simple guidelines gathered from experts who counsel children professionally about tragedies and violence.

TALK, TALK, TALK: They say to sit for more time than usual with your kids and talk to them. Talk about democracy and how wonderful it is, and about freedom, and how these can be abused, as in the case of terrorists. Talk to them about violence and about peace, about why people get violent and why we should not respond with violence. Talk about ahimsa, the great spiritual law of noninjuriousness. Talk about karma and how when we hurt others, that hurt comes back one day and causes us to suffer, and when we love others we are naturally loved. Experts say to admit to children when you don't know the answer to their questions. This shows our sincerity and lets them know we don't have all the answers. It will actually help their trust grow.

ENVELOP THEM IN SAFETY: Kids can become insecure easily, especially if the parents are themselves uncertain or upset. So, be calm, be an example. Hug them, tell them stories, make them special meals, take a walk. Time spent with them is invaluable. Don't let them watch TV for hours. Do carefully limit the images of violence they see. Show them ways in which the world is a safe place, and assure them they are safe with you, in their home, far from the source of these awful happenings (most are). Give them a strong sense of the future, and speak about how such problems are being worked on by thousands of very smart and good men and women. You can tell older kids details about finding and punishing those who did it, but not the very young. Give them hope by your words and your assurances. Young ones can be distracted into happy play and experiences. Kids, like all people, want to feel safe.

American Academy of Pediatrics Offers Advice on Communicating with Children about Disasters

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In response to the tragic events unfolding in New York and Washington, DC, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) would like to offer some advice on how to communicate with children and adolescents during times of crisis.

* It's important to communicate to children that they're safe. Given what they may have seen on television, they need to know that the violence is isolated to certain areas and they will not be harmed. Parents should try to assure children that they've done everything they can to keep their children safe.

* Adolescents in particular can be hard hit by these kinds of events and parents might want to watch for signs such as: sleep disturbances, fatigue, lack of pleasure in activities enjoyed previously, and initiation of illicit substance abuse.

* Overexposure to the media can be traumatizing. It's unwise to let children or adolescents view footage of traumatic events over and over. Children and adolescents should not watch these events alone.

* Adults need to help children understand the significance of these events. Discussion is critical. It should be stressed that the terrorist acts are ones of desperation and horror -- that there are "bad" people out there, and bad people do bad things. But not all people in a particular group are bad. Children should know that lashing out at members of a particular religious or ethnic group will only cause more harm.

Cybertalk: A cyberspace devotee from India wants to know if the soul is also learning when the mind is being educated. Gurudeva says we are the soul and anything that is taken in through the layers of the mind the soul will be aware of it. In today's second question a cyberspace devotee wants to know why there is sin and suffering. Gurudeva says the first thing to do is to define the path that you are on. The Saivite path looks at suffering and happiness as different intensities of the emotions.

Cybertalk Ends"
For more information about listening to Gurudeva's talks online and to hear them in other formats, click here.

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Gurudeva will be happy to hold "Prasnottara Satsang" -- "Questions and Answers" over the telephone with any Hindu religious societies, Hindu youth groups, Radio talk show hosts etc. All you need is a phone with a speaker and an enthusiastic audience. Arrangements may be made in advance by sending email to Sadhaka Mahadevan

LESSON 11 from Living with Siva

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Ahimsa: Noninjury

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The first yama is ahimsa, noninjury. To practice ahimsa, one has to practice santosha, contentment. The sadhana is to seek joy and serenity in life, remaining content with what one has, knows, is doing and those with whom he associates. Bear your karma cheerfully. Live within your situation contentedly. Himsa, or injury, and the desire to harm, comes from discontent.

The rishis who revealed the principles of dharma or divine law in Hindu scripture knew full well the potential for human suffering and the path which could avert it. To them a one spiritual power flowed in and through all things in this universe, animate and inanimate, conferring existence by its presence. To them life was a coherent process leading all souls without exception to enlightenment, and no violence could be carried to the higher reaches of that ascent.

These rishis were mystics whose revelation disclosed a cosmos in which all beings exist in interlaced dependence. The whole is contained in the part, and the part in the whole. Based on this cognition, they taught a philosophy of nondifference of self and other, asserting that in the final analysis we are not separate from the world and its manifest forms, nor from the Divine which shines forth in all things, all beings, all peoples. From this understanding of oneness arose the philosophical basis for the practice of noninjury and Hinduism's ancient commitment to it. (to be continued)

The Remarkable Vision

Iraivan Temple Progress Update

Join this historic undertaking. Please contribute generously. Sponsor a stone today! Monthly Report Sponsor a stone Iraivan Wonders

In India, several containers of stone have left Bangalore, bound for Kauai. Our team there took photos of the amazing process of crating and preparing stones for departure.

A lot of man hours to protect each stone.

A special protective material made from recycled rubber and coconut husks is also wrapped around the stones.

Gurudeva's first ever visit to Norway and here he is worshiping at the Murugan temple. He and the Innersearchers were welcomed by a wonderful group of Tamil devotees.

Gurudeva gave a wonderful talk to all who attended and he also gave a talk on a Tamil radio station, from the temple using a cell phone, that was broadcasted live across Europe.

There are about 7000 Sri Lankan Tamils in Norway.

Gurudeva and the Innersearchers were treated to a "Mahesvara puja" which is the devotional feeding of devotees of the Lord -- an authentic Sri Lankan meal served in the traditional way �- on banana leaves. As our hosts were not able to get banana leaves in Norway they had them flown in all the way from Sri Lanka just for this special event.

Narayanan Rao (from London on the left) and Rohini Kumar Nair from Malaysia.

After the temple event our wonderful hosts took us on a tour of Oslo.

From the left: Sadhaka Mahadevan and Darmaguhan (London), two of our Innersearchers stand here at a beautiful park along with Ajay Wimalnathan (from Oslo) who lovingly hosted Gurudeva and the Innersearchers.

Click to send Gurudeva a spiritual question he will later answer for all to benefit. Study Gurudeva's teachings. Visit the Master Course site!

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Date: January_29_2000
Title: Why do we fear death? Part 1
Category:
Duration:

Our cyberspace congregation has a very interesting question about death and dying. "How is it that we all do it? We all die, we get reborn. But, we fear death and we fear being reborn."

Well, that's very easily answered. Because, we always have a little trepidation about the unknown, a little anxiety of what's going to happen. How do we prepare to die? By living according to the laws of dharma, which are based on the understanding of karma, the understanding of reincarnation, and the existence of God everywhere.

Even though we may be of a totally different religion, if we picked up this background of a heaven and a hell, then there is really pre-programmed fear of "Maybe, we'll go to hell forever. Or, maybe, we'll get to heaven and what would that be like?" Because, the heaven and hell concept is based on "We only go around once. This is the life, that's it and then, there's the cut-off point, where we either go down or we go up."

If we come from a religious background where we know about reincarnation, life after death, the laws of karma, and the existence of God everywhere, we don't fear death. We may have a trepidation of the unknown. But, we have that trepidation going into an unknown building or going on a dark street, here in daily life. That kind of caution is very wise.

Today, at this beautiful fire-ceremony that we are having, we are having a memorial service. A service of good memory of two beautiful souls, that left a wonderful family behind them. Aditya Vinadhara's daddy and Sundari Katir's daddy, Dr. Shanmugasundaram passed on into the other world. Where did they go? They went to what they were thinking about prior to departure. They left during the final days of a full eclipse, which is a very auspicious time for them to drop off the physical body and enter into the antaraloka, full-time, in their astral body. They were received by family and friends, who departed their physical body a long time ago. Family and friends who were sleeping and in their inner body, received them as well.

To ascertain the life of an individual who has passed on to the inner world, we must look at the people that he left behind, the pattern of life which he lived, the daughters, the sons, the grandsons and how they are flourishing. In the case of these two gentlemen, their families are flourishing beautifully. That is the token and the hallmark of their entire life.
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MORE UPLIFTING THINGS		Innersearch postponed Due to the horrific tragedies of September 11th, Himalayan Academy has indefinitely postponed the Canadian Innersearch scheduled to leave next July. Please be assured, we will re-schedule the Innersearch, but only when the present insecurity around the world settles down. Until then, if you are planning to go on a future Innersearch program with Gurudeva, continue to set aside a little income each month in a special fund. www.innersearch.org
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