Each season during Sadhu Paksha, the monks of Kauai Aadheenam enter a period of retreat and quiet reflection. Morning routines shift from the usual group worship and meditation, to include silent walks through the monastery grounds or other personal sadhana. It gives us a time to observe and connect with our natural surroundings. This timelapse offers a glimpse of today’s warm, tropical sunrise.
“We are divine souls on a wondrous journey. We came from God, live in God and are evolving into oneness with God. We are, in truth, the Truth we seek.“
During this month’s celebration of Ardra nakshatra, and following our special abhishekam to Lord Nataraja, Sadhaka Sabānatha received his Samaya Diksha. This diksha is the receiving of the sacred Panchakshara Mantra along with special instructions for daily japa from one’s Satguru. In the Saiva Siddhanta tradition, this moment of diksha marks a pivotal step in the soul’s long journey. It is when Lord Śiva’s Power of Revealing Grace flows through the Satguru, opening the inner door and granting the devotee both the opportunity and the means for liberation.
Sadhaka receives instructions for chanting the Namah Śivaya Mantra
Recently, Madan Ganesh from Bengaluru created a small web app that specialized in playing Master Course audio lessons. Note that it currently draws on the formerly non-Gurudeva-narrated version of Dancing with Siva audio lessons, but that will be updated in the near future. You can access it here or click the image below.
One of the magnificent 12-inch flowers from our pitcher plant vine
Rains and morning sunlight produced this recent rainbow over Iraivan Temple
Mahalingeshvara bedecked in blooming flowers
The aadheenam’s only yellow jade vine is also in bloom. Be careful though, flowers from this hue come with little spines!
Evening sun shines through the rudrakshas and bamboo
Our very happy, red tiger lily blooms near Satguru’s office
It’s the only one of this particular type that we have blooming right now. For some reason it will often bloom in the dark of night, and then close midday.
Nene have been stopping by this month. They are our state bird, and always nice to see
The temple gets a sudden rain shower
An eye in the sky! Perhaps somebody is looking out for us.
The Ganesha near our entrance gives protection to a little gold-dust day gecko on His nose
Our monks recently found some aloha near the ocean’s edge
The chariot parades around Iraivan Temple during our recent celebration of Guru Purnima
This has been quite an energizing month at the Aadheenam. We’ve had many guests come through, mostly to attend Guru Purnima celebrations. We’ve also been having bright, sunny day’s, interspersed with sudden, deafening deluges of tropical rains from Kauai’s fast moving clouds. After our cooler spring months, much of our surrounding nature has begun to grow and bloom rapidly, aided by this onset of water and sunlight. In the slideshow are a few photos of some of the sites from our jungle canopies and waterways.
Tirumantiram 2010:
Śiva assumes the form of infinite smallness by being within the minutest atom. At the same time, He assumes the form of infinite vastness by holding all the universes within Himself, such that each universe appears like a small atom. Lord Īśvara who is incomparable and matchless, simultaneously presents Himself within all the objects of the world, both moving and inert. He pervades the entirety of space and all the worlds. There is not even a minute space that is unoccupied by Him. In spite of this presence of Śiva, the worldly-minded do not realize His inseparable oneness with each soul and His presence in everything.
Join us just after 6am (Kauai time) on the morning of July 8th for Kauai Aadheenam’s live stream of our Guru Purnima padapuja, honoring Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami. The event begins with the parade to Iraivan Temple, where the padapuja will take place. This is where the livestream will begin, as Satguru is seated in meditation for the padapuja and abhishekam. This annual festival is always observed on the full moon (Purnima) of the month of Ashadha (June–July), it is a time for devotees to express gratitude, offer worship, and rededicate themselves to the path of wisdom and discipline as outlined by their lineage, and of course to honer their spiritual guide and teacher. Aum.
Kularnava Tantra: GURU devotion
Lord Siva: “There is One Real. Call it Siva. This Parabrahman is formless, stainless, one without a second, changeless, beyond the highest. This Mahesvara is all-knowing, all-doing, sovereign of all, self-luminous, without beginning or end. All embodied souls, jivas, all the born creatures, are portions of Me, like sparks of the fire. But human birth is the most important, for it is then that one becomes awake, aware of his state of bondage and the necessity of release. It is then that one is in a position to take steps for his liberation from bondage’s hold.
“Humans have a self-will and are not totally subject to the impulses and drives of nature as are other creatures. It is only on this earth–and that too in a human body endowed with a soul–that one can choose one’s path for spiritual progress. But not all are aware of the precious opportunity afforded by human birth, which is truly the ladder to Liberation. The Self is to be realized only here in this life. If here you do not find it and work out the means for your Liberation, where else is it possible? It is possible nowhere else. It has to be worked out by yourself from within yourself.
“The world you reach after the physical body is shed is determined by the level of consciousness reached while in the body. So, as long as the body lasts, exert yourself towards the goal of Liberation.
“Remember, the physical body does not last forever. Age prowls like a leopard; diseases attack like an enemy. Death waits not to see what is done or not done. Before the limbs lose their vitality, before adversities crowd in upon you, take to the auspicious path. Therefore, choose, then worship a Satguru. Worship his feet. Cherish the very sandals (paduka) which hold his feet. All knowledge is founded on those paduka. Remember and cherish those paduka, which yield infinitely more merit than any number of observances, gifts, sacrifices, pilgrimages, mantra-japa and rituals of worship.”
Over the last several weeks, Sadhaka Sabanatha has been doing a wonderful job of transforming Path to Siva lessons into truncated instagram posts.
Here’s an example of a recent chapter. If you use Instagram and would like to see them, go ahead and follow /kauaishinumonastery to see more. We publish a new lesson every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Aum.
