Focus, Strength and Creativity

Aloha everyone, the monastics and local church members celebrated a wonderful chitra puja on Sun 1. We lost internet connectivity on Sun 2 and today we bring you a look into the areas of service that we all hold as monks. Push that next button and slide on over with us on this journey full of focus, strength and creativity.

The chitra puja is always simple and effective. The beginning of our day is full of concentrated focus in both outer worship and then inner worship. Monistic theists enjoy the outer worship of the deity and the inner worship of the deity. No difference.

Nirvani Tejadevanatha focuses on finishing a new trailor and tank setup for gas. The monks use focus as a way to push the mission forward everyday.

Focus on outward tasks gives us the power to go inward and focus on what really matters: self realization

When we stay focused on each task the mind gets trained slowly. Over time the mind begins to obey our command and we move from one area to another and to yet another with ease. Nirvani Adinatha focuses on putting our main building siding back after installing some emergency network cables. The storm tried to slow us down some, didn\

t work. '

Focus is seen wherever I go this afternoon. Some monks, such as Yoginathaswami, hardly know you\

re even there until they here the click of the camera. When we focus and concentrate with machine-like accuracy, our willpower grows and grows until focus is just a normal habit. '

Brahmanathaswami is hard at work on our new top secret project in the Ganapati Kulam. Much focus is needed for new and large projects. Without focus we might take two steps forward and one backwards, ending up in circles. The monastics are trained in carefully dissecting projects into parts and fully concentrating on one part at a time.

The monastery is a focused battery, ever charging in every area. Vel Alahan and Deva Ceyon get ready for tomorrow\

s tour day. '

True focus can take hours away from you. There is only twenty four of them in a day, so we use them wisely. Natyam Mayuranatha powers through his accounting work, focused yet flexible to deal with a large camera lens in his way!

The Lambodara Kulam is the most difficult room to photograph! There is a sunny, orange hue of focus into the afternoon as Paramacharya Sivanathaswami and Saravananathaswami discuss church matters.

And I thought I could get away unseen. Being focused doesn\

t mean you are oblivious to life around you. On the contrary, life becomes even more clear as our capacity to observe and become aware increases. '

Natyam Jayanatha back at work from his trip with Acharya Arumuganathaswami. Does focus say take a break? NO. We keep moving no matter what. No coming, no going.

Acharya Arumanathaswami hard at work and focused on trip recap

The more advanced we get, the more pure the focus. Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami serves tirelessly. From the early morning hours to evening, Satguru remains unstoppable in his mission.

Constant focus leads to strength, and Nirvani Nilakanthanatha is no stranger to strength. Chainsawing requires much focus and strength. Nirvani clears a large area of weed trees with ease.

Strength is both an outer and inner quality that we can develop over time. As Satguru Bodhinatha says, we don\

t expect perfection but progress. '

Strength in our routine leads to a type of regularity not usually found in life. Our regular day to day tasks performed well will lead to an enormous amount of strength. We can then take that strength and conquer any task we set out to do. Natyam Nandinatha is perfecting his craft as he lovingly cooks for the monastics almost every day. Often unseen, Nandinatha works as he worships and worships as he works.

From focus to strength to creativity, we find ourselves on the outer edges of the monastery where new creative boundries are broken everyday. Our new laser etcher is now guided by its own laptop.

Natyam Mayuranatha stops work and shows me how the whole creation works

Creativity is a byproduct of our soul nature. When we come into our real selves we open up many channels of creativity hardly seen before we found ourselves.

Like a puzzle, when the pieces of the guru\

s teachings are applied to our lives everything begins to become clear and a natural shaping of our character takes place'

This box of creativity can be put together several ways. Stepping on the path and not only finding your guru, but using his teachings, is like the glue needed to make the walls of this puzzle box stick together. Shanmuganathaswami carefully tightens the last clamp on the Mini Mela\

s new inventory system. Swami is a constant reminder of focus, strength and creativity. '

Once the box of dharma is put together we can finally do as Gurudeva said and live life joyously. This new us is brimming with creative energies that are just waiting to come out and express themselves.

Nirvani Haranandinatha is gathering the needed items for making yogurt. He serves the monastics creatively everyday. He makes sure breakfast is setup, yogurt is made and Iraivan donations carry on smoothly, all without asking for anything in return. Thank you for this soul Siva!

The ingredients of focus, strength and creativity come together quite well actually. One leads to the other in a perfect way. Stirring it all together in the end makes for a dynamic life indeed.

As long as we remain ever empty, the guru can fill and fill and fill us with knowledge that we in turn make into wisdom.

A little focus poured in to a pot of strength and mixed together with creativity can make a hub of power. This band of monks is something else indeed. My guru, your guru, our guru.

From the beginning to the end we found a story to tell. Of course it had already been told long ago. May you begin your week with focus, enjoy this strength and be o so creative on this path of self-mastery. Aum Namah Sivaya

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