The next Kauai’s Hindu Monastery monthly newsletter wrapped up editing, and now it’s being printed and folded. Today Yogi Haranandinatha is learning how to manage the finicky folding machine. In a few days, many of the monks will gather at our monthly “Iraivan Day” to stuff the newsletter in envelopes along with vibhuti packets.
The final image is of another addition to our hybrid hibiscus collection.
For a long time our English-only version of Tirukural, called Weaver’s Wisdom, has only been available in black and white. Our editors decided to upgrade to full-color, using artwork by the late S. Rajam for each chapter, and new art created through AI to begin each section of the book.
This second edition is in hardcover for durability. The photos above show a “proof” copy we received from Amazon to check for any final issues to fix. We found several mistakes, fixed those and the book will shortly be available at amazon.com and our minimela.com website.
The final [bonus] photo shows one of our new hybrid hibiscus harvests.
We are running low on copies of the Good Thoughts book of Yogaswami’s songs, so it’s time for a reprint. These days we are using Amazon’s printing service for more books because of the flexibility to print only a few copies at a time (at the same price as many copies).
This third edition will be in hardcover for durability (especially for carrying it around to satsangs and temples), 220 pages and features several new graphics. The photos above show a “proof” copy we received from Amazon to check for any final issues to fix. Soon the book will be available at amazon.com and our minimela.com website.
The third [bonus] photo is of Lord Murugan at the end of Vaikasi Visakham puja the other day.
Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami gives his weekly upadesha in Kadavul Temple at Kauai’s Hindu Monastery in Hawaii. It is part of a series of talks elaborating on the inspired teachings of Satguru Śivaya Subramuniyaswami as found in his book Merging With Śiva.
“Devotees occasionally ask, “When you experience a thought you don’t like, should you go around the thought, or go to the center of the thought and find out why you don’t like it?” Look at thoughts as people. I see thoughts when I’m in the world of thought like a school of fish. I’m there in the ocean, sitting and looking, and a school of fish goes by, right in front of me. Well, look at thoughts as people. You are aware of other people, but you are not other people. You are just aware of other people. So, when you see someone you do not like, you don’t have to do anything about it. Let him be. It’s the same with thoughts. When a thought comes passing by that you don’t like, let it go. You don’t have to glue yourself onto it and psychoanalyze it; it doesn’t do the thought any good to be psychoanalyzed by you!“
This nifty broom automatically gathers debris into a dustbin as you push it
Nearby grass mower maintenance. The mower blade decks frequently need repairs.
The new welding station inside the Siddhidata Kulam’s building is now complete, sequestered by walls on three sides due to the flying sparks and smoke that occurs during welding. The equipment is all inside and the electrical work done.
A couple weeks ago we happened to be in the right place at the right time to capture a rainbow over Iraivan Temple–
Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami gives his weekly upadesha in Kadavul Temple at Kauai’s Hindu Monastery in Hawaii. It is part of a series of talks elaborating on the inspired teachings of Satguru Śivaya Subramuniyaswami as found in his book Merging With Śiva.
“Many seekers work or even struggle regularly with their meditations, especially those who are just beginning. “How does one know if he is really meditating or not?” That’s a question that a lot of people who meditate ask themselves. When you begin to know, having left the process of thinking, you are meditating at that point. When you sit down and think, you are beginning the process of meditation. For instance, if you read a metaphysical book, a deep book, and then sit quietly, breathe and start pondering what you have been reading, well, you’re not quite meditating. You’re in a state called concentration. You’re organizing the subject matter. When you begin to realize the interrelated aspects of what you have read, when you say to yourself, “That’s right. That’s right,” when you get these inner flashes, the process of meditation has just begun. If you sustain this intensity, insights and knowledge will come from the inside of you. You begin to connect all of the inner flashes together like a string of beads. You become just one big inner flash. You know all of these new inner things, and one insight develops into another, into another, into another. Then you move into a deeper state, called contemplation, where you feel these beautiful, blissful energies flow through the body as a result of your meditation. With disciplined control of awareness, you can go deeper and deeper into that. So, basically, meditation begins when you move out of the process of thinking. “
