Today before noon all the monks went down to the monastery entrance to say good-bye to Bodhinatha and Senthilnathaswami.

~~~~~~~~~~~
END OF PHASE
Today is the last day of our phase.
This edition of TAKA will remain posted
over our coming two-day retreat,
until Navami Tithi, Sun One, Friday, August 28th.

Past the new MiniMela which will be landscaped in the next week or so.

Past a Pritchardia palm, a towering native of Hawaii.

Thondunatha had arrived for a week, and offers to help Senthilnahaswami with his luggage.

Right on time, Bodhinatha arrives.

Cheerful and ready to travel, as he often does. They are off to California and Texas for about a week.

All come forward to say aloha.

They will be giving four major Keynote presentations in two places in Texas.

As Gurudeva would often say at this moment, Up, up and away!

On Sun One there was a Chitra Puja for Gurudeva. While watching Yogi Jivanandanatha and Sadhaka Tejadevanatha perform the rites, we offer an excerpt from Gurudeva’s Spiritual Tookbox, a chapter he calls “No time for spiritual practice?” He begins with a key: Consistency is the key to the conquest of karma. Then continues:

For spiritual unfoldment, we must perform sadhana. Sadhana is a
repetition; time and time and time and time and time again of the
same spiritual practice.

The spiritual practice should be reasonable, should not take up too much
time, and should be done at the same time every day. Often seekers who
become associated with Hindu sadhana go to extremes and proceed with
great vigor in an effort to attain results immediately. Sitting two or three
hours a day, they wear themselves out and then stop. Hereís a formula for
beginners: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, twenty minutes
to a half an hour of sadhana at the same time every day; Saturday and
Sunday, no sadhana.

A question came up about meditation. ìWhen is the best time to meditate?
Well, the best time to meditate is before dawn, but there are several
other times to meditate too. Just before you go to bed at night, read some
scripture. Sit and meditate and lift your energies into the head before sleep.

AUM NAMA SIVAYA!

At the monastery we have a special place where no machines are allowed and the nature Devas are free to work their magic.

This place is the Annapurna Gardens where the monks work hand and hand with the devas cultivating the soil and producing organic food. Many years ago Gurudeva was told by the devas to keep machines out of the garden and the devas will grow the food. Many years have passed since Gurudeva told the monks of the Devas vision of a machine free garden. The Garden is thriving with the help of the Devas inner plane guidance and the monks physical world push. Machines have not touch the garden soil for many many many years now.

Ganesha is in the center of the Garden watching the daily dance of the devas.

Ganesha receives an oiling by Brahmachari Vel who is on a six month task force. Vel was over joyed to oil Ganesha and decorate him with flowers grown in the garden. Jai Vel, Jai Ganesha!

This is what Ganesha sees from his raised peedam in the Garden.

Aum Gam Ganapataye Namah! We bring you a first series of photos of the grand Ganesha Chaturthi celebration at the Spiritual Park of Mauritius attended by thousands of devotees from all over the island.

A large banner at the main entrance welcomes devotees who have made it a pious duty to worship Lord Pancha Mukha Ganapati on this auspicious day.

One of the clay Ganeshas for the immersion ceremony from the sishyas of the Spiritual Park.

Devotees came very early to get a seat inside the Mandapam..

A hired Indian sivacharya officiated the ceremony early in the morning. Lord Ganapati is decked with hundreds of flowers and some devotees have lovingly woven from home a variety of garlands, made of marigold flowers, lime fruits and "dhurva" grass, sacred to Ganesha.

Some of our devotees helping at the Mandapam steps would not miss the beginning of the ceremony.

Sishyas Moorooven and Arnasalon…

The first part of the ceremony begins with an arati to Lord Pancha Mukha Ganapati to be followed by ……

an elaborate Saiva Agamic puja.

A little Ganesha made of turmeric paste for the ceremony…

At another part off the Mandapam another group of sishyas are helping to fill bags of sweets to be later offered to devotees.

The small pancha Mukha Ganapati Shrine where all offerings are being made.

Devotees close by preparing their trays of offerings.

The PA system a allowing the whole ceremony to be aired over the property….

Worshipping at the Narmada lingam…

Some devotees discovering our new waterfront.

Kulapati SK Moorghen cleaning at the Siva lingum.

In another small tent all the home made little Ganeshas brought by devotees are displayed

They look wonderful, and most of them were made by the youth. We shall be posting the next series of photos of the event…. stay tuned. Till then. Aum.

Three keys to finding time to engage in spiritual practices.