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Living with Siva.
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Bodhinatha will be leaving next week for San Francisco, Mauritius and Malaysia.

Bodhinatha's Sun One Video. Most Recent update: July 30, 2003.

Bodhinatha speaks on Japa, Mantra Repetition, niyama # 9, elucidating the many dimensions of the sacred science of mantrams, chanting a holy syllable, word or sentence again and again.

Japa may be done silently or aloud. Sometimes it is best to begin aloud, so the mind is more focused, then slowly let it become internalized as concentration improves. Often japa is done right after attending a puja. Japa is not used to acquire worldly things. Instead, prayers are used for that. People who anger should not practice japa.

The simplest japa is A-U-M. This is the primary sound of the universe. Initiation is important before starting the practice of japa yoga. Once initiated it is essential to continue the practice, to strive consistently and to chant as instructed by the guru.

14 minutes, 2 seconds

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We had the honor of a visit from the young head of the Gaudiya Math in Calcutta: Bhakti Bibudha Bodhayan Swami. This is an eminent lineage of the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition. He enjoyed his visit and had a good discussion with Bodhinatha.

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A big forklift has been hired to move the Capstone from its place of protection and sanctuary near the monastery out to Iraivan.

Going down hill backwards is safer with a heavy load like this.

The capstone weighs about 12 tons.

A sand pile has been readied for it to rest on.

Raising up a set of blocks...

Shakti Mahadevan and her daughter Chudika watch the operation.

OK, that's high enough...

Checking everything very carefully for flipping the stone over on to its side, as sthapati wants to inspect the inside.

Ok, slip off onto the sand pile...

Now, push, upright on its side.

Almost a solid block, with a foot deep hollow center and a small hole all the way through to the top...

Then, later at 12 noon we had the joyful simple flag raising ceremony to inaugurate the new season of Jivana Ritau. First the bright orange flag of the Nartana Ritau comes down.

Paramacharya PalaniswamI talks with Kulapati Durvasa Alahan.

The rust colored flag goes up.

And away we go for another season.

Sannyasin Shanmuganathaswami and Sadhaka Jothinatha hoist the flag.

Already for a dynamic Jivana Ritau, a time for action, housekeeping and living the teachings.

Paramacharya Ceyonswami

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Date: May_29_2003
Title: Mahasivaratri, 2003, Part 3
Category: Festivals and Sacraments
Duration: 4 min., 2 seconds
Date Given: February 28, 2003
Given by: Bodhinatha

I just pulled out of an old book, very old, some notes from Yogaswami's sayings, combining the various sayings from 'Words of our Master' on being still. Eleven different sayings.

"Practice remaining summa for ten minutes."

that is like just taking ten minutes time after a puja to find a quiet place and sit and worship Siva inside, that is the idea.

"Practice remaining summa for ten minutes."

"Without remaining summa, the mind is running here and there. That is its nature."

"Remaining summa is the best exercise."

"On the highest level, you do not have to control even the mind. Because to control the mind there must be a second. There will come a time when the mind becomes quiet by itself."

So, that is a nice insight into what stillness is. When we just quiet down the mind, stillness is there. It is just that the mind is an activity that covers up our inner stillness.

"The atman, the soul is summa. Movement is for the body and mind."

"Bliss will come if you remain summa."

"If you remain summa, the sound of voices outside will not reach you. When you come down you can see the world."

Here is another statement which is similar. He talks about like you have guests downstairs and nobody is upstairs in your house.

He says, "You just go upstairs and be quiet and then when you are done, come back downstairs."

So this is the same idea, come down and see the world.

"You sing and learn because you are unable to remain summa."

Sounds like Gurudeva there, a small scolding!

"There is nothing to know. Remain summa."

And the last one. "Meditation is silence."

As we focused on in our meditation, breathing is very important., regulating the breath. The breathing that Ceyonswami asked us to do is 9 counts in, hold 2, 9 counts out, hold 2. That is a regulated breath, the in and the out breath are the same length. Regulating the breath is the common practice for quieting down the thinking mind.

If you are sitting down and you are trying to meditate, you need to regulate the breath. If still the mind is running wild, keep going. Regulate the breath some more and eventually it will quiet down. Regulated breath has the ability to quiet the mind and help us experience the state of summa iru, being still.

Those are our thoughts for this evening, thank you very much.

Aum Namah Sivaya.

transcription ends

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