Kauai Aadheenam

The Path to Siva workshop

Doing vasana daha tantra

Visit with the Valluvan family

endless palm fields

Recent travel days for our monks in Malaysia saw a variety of events. The team took an hour’s drive from Petaling Jaya to Seremban, where the second “Path to Siva” seminar was held at the Sri Maha Raja Rajeswarar Shivan Kovil. About 50 to 60 students joined for the two-hour seminar. Swami’s talk was very focused, and even though the group was initially quite shy, they opened up after the Vasana Daha Tantra, asking thoughtful questions. A delicious meal was served, followed by a quick tour of the temple. The meditation hall had a beautiful vibration and a Siva lingam in the center. After thanking the organizers, our monks returned to their hotel in Petaling Jaya.

Inspired by the Seremban workshop, the teachers who attended decided to begin monthly Path to Siva sessions for a group of students who had participated. They plan to study the teachings in more depth. Several students shared how the workshop had changed their lives.

The most recent day was a travel day from PJ to Manjung, a drive of roughly three hours. The landscape was filled with endless oil palm estates—a striking sight. The group visited Bri. Santha Devi’s home, met with members, and enjoyed a delicious lunch. After a good rest, they had an early dinner and turned in for the night. More uplifting days await. Aum

Swami gives a presentation at
the Sri Sakti Karpaga Vinayagar Temple in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur

The team starts their journey with a long flight to Japan

Arriving in Malaysia

The next day’s event takes place at
the Sri Sakti Karpaga Vinayagar Temple

Our monks our welcomed by the priests

After a smooth and timely journey spanning over 16 hours, Sannyasin Yoginathaswami and Nirvani Tejadevanatha arrived safely in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Their route took them from Kauai to Honolulu, then on to Tokyo’s Narita Airport, before landing at KLIA. At the airport, they were warmly received by local church members who greeted them with garlands and traditional Malaysian Pau with tempi sambal. Several other members joined the welcome shortly afterward, adding to the joyful atmosphere.

The team is now settled in Petaling Jaya and has had some time to organize and prepare for several weeks of Path to Siva workshops scheduled across Malaysia. 

The first event took place at the Sri Sakti Karpaga Vinayagar Temple in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur. It drew a modest yet engaged audience of 30 to 40 participants. Yoginathaswami gave a powerful talk on Karma Management, addressing the challenges and opportunities of karma in daily life. The session concluded with an open Q&A and the offering of vibhuti to all attendees. It was a strong and uplifting beginning to the team’s time in Malaysia.

Aum Aum.

Satguru and swamis depart Kauai

The new temple entrance

The structure is built for all seasons, and houses its kodimaram inside

To adorn the temple vinamanam and gopurams

The yagasala has been going to several days already, building up power for the consecration

Pitchai Gurukkal was also present

Aum Namah Sivaya!

Several days ago, Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami, and Sannyasins Shanmuganathaswami and Siddhanathaswami boarded a flight bound for the Bay Area. They arrived in Concord to attend the Mahakumbhabhishekam for the newly completed Concord Shiva Murugan Temple that replaces the aging temple, which was established here from Gurudeva’s original Palaniswami Sivan temple in San Francisco. It was later managed as Himalayan Academy, California branch, by our monks and devotees, and then given over to the Hindu community when Gurudeva consolidated all his teaching activities at Kauai Aadheenam. It has come a long way, and the new temple is a beautiful structure, complete with more parking and a nearby community center which was built in tandem. Aum.

Paramacharya gives his presentation, and offers valuable digital resources for all present

Flying over Germany reveals a landscape of countless small towns and farmland, separated by foothills and wind turbines

Several large buses take attendees from the airport to the ashram

Yoga Vidya Ashram in Bad Meinberg is one of Europe’s largest yoga centers, set in a forested campus offering classes, events and quiet retreat.

Each day of the congress included new speakers and topics. Here, Swamini Atmaprakashananda from the UK gives some inspiring words

Our monks got to stay in a 3rd generation, family-owned hotel in the German countryside, with farms on one side and woodlands on the other

After long flights, a walk among meadows and flowering cherry trees is greatly appreciated

There’s friendly, wild bunnies and deer everywhere you go

The air here is perfectly fresh, imbued with the smell of spring blossoms

A nice use for an old well as a flower planter

This pony lived behind the hotel, he wasn’t much of a talker. Maybe he only knew German.

Our monks gave their presentations on the final day. Here, Paramacharya begins his talk.

Earlier in the morning Tillainathaswami guided the group meditation. In the afternoon He gave a talk about personal practice and sadhana

Even the graffiti here is worshipful

Jai Ganesha!

Our two traveling monks have recently returned from a short trip to Germany, where they attended the 2025 European and World Yoga Congress. Paramacharya Sadasivanathaswami and Sannyasin Tillainathaswami made the eight-day journey across the globe and back. They arrived in Germany on the 24th to begin the event on the 25th. The venue was the Yoga Vidya Ashram in Bad Meinberg. This ashram is one of the largest in Central Europe and follows the Saivite Hindu teachings and lineage of Swami Sivananda. The event included speakers from Germany, Portugal, the UK, India, Venezuela, Iceland, the US and more. Of the hundreds of attendees, the majority were deeply devoted to their meditations and daily spiritual practice—not merely interested in asana (hatha) yoga, as one might have assumed from the name of the congress. When asked about the ultimate goal of their yoga practice, each responded, “Self-realization,” of course.

Aum Namah Sivaya

Aum Namah Sivaya

Each season during Sadhu Paksha, the monks of Kauai Aadheenam enter a period of retreat and quiet reflection. Morning routines shift to include silent walks through the monastery grounds, offering time to observe and connect with the natural surroundings. This photo collection captures the peaceful environment during this season—sunlight filtering through trees, quiet pathways and the subtle changes in nature that mark this introspective time. It’s a glimpse into the stillness and focus that define these days at the monastery.

“The devotee’s path is to merge—in the totality of his I have seen myself, in a certain state of samadhi, as pure life force flowing through a jungle, through trees, through plants, through water, through air. That is superconsciousness. It is so permanent. It is so real., willpower and life force—into the Self, God, Siva.“

– Sivaya Subramuniyaswami

Aum Namah Sivaya. Today we thought we’d bring you something a little different. It’s a little word game by which you can work out some of Gurudeva’s many quotes. Enjoy playing, and hopefully something resonates with you along the way. Aum

Note: it was coded fairly quickly… so bugs are to be expected. Just hit refresh and try again!

To enjoy more quotes by Gurudeva, you can download the Gurudeva app for your smartphone.