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-- Gurudeva

Bodhinatha continues to focus on the Yamas and Niyamas, the Hindu guidelines for good conduct. Over the years people keep asking us for materials for young people and he is working material for the Hindu Center in Singapore that will lay out the guidelines for conducting in simple practical terms. This indeed is exactly what all the youth need.

Bodhinatha's Sun One Video. Most Recent update: May 18, 2003, "Bodhinatha speaks on the tenth yama, saucha purity: 11 minutes and 7 seconds. Opens in separate Window. Quicktime 6.0 required to view this MP4 video.

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Several Hindu families visited us today.

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Current Overview

Speaking of the dance of Siva, Shankar Nathan from Koloa is working on some fund raising films for Iraivan and also an animation of the 108 Tandava poses in the temple. He writes:

"We shot the 108 poses of Shiva with borrowed lights and makeshift light filters. Big thanks to Miss Penny, the art teacher at Island School for lending us the much needed pottery wheel.

Its a good thing film veteran, Ra Anand, from Chennai, is at hand to ensure things go smoothly!

Setting up and doing the shoot...

Tandavas all lined up for the shoot in the Cedar room:

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A Pilgrim's Testimony

[We received this report from a recent pilgrim who wrote us after returning home.]

"What calls us to pilgrimage? What forces and ideas come together to prepare us for the journey to sacred places? For me, pilgrimage is about life, and I can see how all the events of my life led me to take this journey to Iraivan. Believing that each moment of my life is a pilgrimage has impressed my causal self, ever leading me onward. I received my copy of the Hinduism Today edition on the life and Maha Samadhi of Gurudeva when it was published, but for some reason never read it. Usually I devour each issue instantly. When I pulled it from the stack this March, Gurudeva came alive for me personally. Before I had an interest and appreciation for his work, but now he spoke to me, literally. His voice rang out with certainty, with authority. "Come my son, come to Iraivan! " Even now as I write this my heart soars.

Ananda is from Chennai, an experienced video editor, he is an Apple Certified Final Cut Pro Trainer. Shankar has brought him to Kauai to help with his video projects here.

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A Pilgrim's Testimony (cont.)

"The next few days saw the way open for me. I found out there would be a few weeks slowdown in my work. A few e-mails to the Temple and travel sites, and all was ready. For the weeks prior to my departure, I paid close attention to my Sadhana, working on a cleansing, eating mostly fresh fruit. I worked at cleansing the stress and entanglements of my business and personal life. I went for the blessing of my Teacher, Hari Nam Baba Prem. I was ready.
As I tread the pathway from the parking area, I paused at the Ganesha Shrine for a blessing. A deep sense of peace filled me as I passed the banyan tree, sparkling with fresh rain, dancing in the breeze, alive with prana. With a bow I entered the temple for the Shiva Puja, sitting silently, mind calm, heart open. For the next few days I returned in the mornings finally touring the ashram grounds.

Each of the Tandava poses that sit in the temple were brought to our small conference room.
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A Pilgrim's Testimony (cont.)

This pilgrimage allowed me to work through so many personal issues. I was able to let go of resentments, long over due. I could see all the complexity of my garbage and see just how unimportant it all is. What really matters is how freely I can give and receive Love. I also moved from seeing Puja as a dualistic invocation of the deities within myself, to a surrender of self into the flows of the stream that is the Deity. I gained new sensitivities to the nadis and their workings, and an awareness of what I can only call inner mudras or the merging of inner currents into a singular flow.

Anand places them on a pottery wheel and rotates them carefully as they are filmed.

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A Pilgrim's Testimony (cont.)

When I see the monks, young and old, my heart wells up and overflows. In today's world, with so much opportunity in the west for wealth and fame, these men have chosen renunciation. The world talks so much of heroism, these are truly our greatest. Never have I seen such courage. And perhaps even greater is their strength, the strength to remain steadfast in their path. I write this as a thank you and to suggest to others the power of pilgrimage. The transformation, and peace I have gained are beyond words. May we all visit such Holy places, giving them our full support, as they support us on the deeper pilgrimage within.

OM Shanthi.
All hail to Iraivan and to your devotees,
Lord, I bow. Aum Shanti"

The story behind these images is fascinating: Gurudeva discovered a small booklet from South India for Bharata Natyam dancers with these 108 poses in line drawings. It was something rare, and in risk of being lost forever. Later he had the monks prepare a poster of these which in those days we printed on our on print presses, called "Siva's Cosmic Dance," then later he commissioned the metal statues be cast in Tamil Nadu and after many years they finally arrived at their destination here in Lord Nataraja's home in Hawaii.

It was a big job, going through all 108 poses.

In the preview clips we have seen with many poses in frames one after another, it does indeed feel as if Lord Nataraja had come to life.

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