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Satguru in California

Jai Ganesha!

Recently, Satguru and our two other traveling sannyasins enjoyed some time in California as a final stop on their short mainland trip. While there they visited the Concord Temple construction site in the Bay Area, and also enjoyed a hike in Mount Tamalpais state park. They then made a short drive to visit the home of Easan and Sundari Katir. Next they headed south to LA where they had a group meal with Southern California members. Tomorrow Satguru returns to Kauai. Aum Namah Sivaya

Satguru’s Current Travels

Satguru along with some Pillaiyar Kulam members are on a nine-day trip primarily to continue the process of closing down our publications warehouse space in Kansas City, Missouri. On the way, they stopped in Chicago to visit SSC sishya Malhotra family's renovated home and held satsang there. Now they are in Kansas City coordinating the shipment of all our books on pallets over to Kauai.  

Off to Portland

Portland, Oregon, is our last stop before flying back to Kauai. At breakfast, the Kondapi family hosted a breakfast feast at their home. Afterwards, the Regade family took us (and other guests) to a small garden with massive Douglas Fir trees. That night was the satsang at the Regade home, with 23 participants who listened to our talks on the Seven Dimensions of the Mind and Karma Management. Indivar Sivanathan filmed it and so it may be available in the days ahead.

Loveland Visits

Our day in Loveland included two visits to key artisans. First was Kathy Page, shown below with Holly Young. Kathy showed us through the renovations she has undertaken, preparing her shop for a new era. She is making an apartment for artists.

Then off to Patrick and Nancy Kipper's amazing home (he is the patineur who did such magic on Hanuman). Their home is truly museum-like, filled with sacred images of Buddha, Siva, Ganesha and more.

Gathering of the Craftsmen

You all know Gurudeva's genius idea to honor the silpis and sthapatis, which seeded the unique creation of the Temple Builders' Pavilion near Iraivan. In a meaningful continuation of the concept, Paramacharya honored the artisans who made that pavilion (reminding us of "the servants of the servants of Lord Siva").

These are among the best of the best in American bronze work, and they joined the monks at Biaggio's restaurant for dinner and a presentation of the past work they accomplished for the monastery. In the private room were our sculptress, wax chasers, metal casters, welders and more. Paramacharya gave a talk recounting their amazing work, with dozens of informative images, many taken by Rajkumar Manikam who also arranged the evening event.

Paramacharya called on Kathy Page to say a few words about her husband, Bobby, who passed last year and who was something of a legend among this group. Kathy's tears provoked more from those in the room who loved and now miss Bobby. Bryan Bukima and wife Amber were introduced as Bobby's successor. The new chain he made for the Stone Bell Tower was displayed for the first time.

Interestingly, though these different shops have worked together for decades on bronze creations, some had never met in person, and we delighted to see the faces behind their many conversations. The next day the monks flew to Portland, Oregon.

Colorado Bronze Visit

Our traveling swamis visited the somewhat remote workshop of Bryan Buikema, called C8. Bryan was an apprentice to Bobby Page who crafted all of our bronzes over the years: the amazing silpi statues, Hanuman and more. When Bobby decided to take the Great Journey last year, his wife Kathy introduced us to his successor Bryan, and this was our first meeting with him.

He took us through his shop in rural Colorado where he is working on two projects for the monastery: the 35 bronze panels for Iraivan Temple and a custom-crafted chain for our new Bell Tower.

It proved to be a creative meeting during which the details of the chain were brainstormed and additional refinements revealed. Such oneness of mind is a key to successful creative projects.

Bryan's assistant, Tim, shared with us the technical process of making the chain, a bit too convoluted for this story but fascinating. You will see more of Bryan's metal craftsmanship in the years ahead.

Visiting the Concord Temple

The Golden Gate Mission arrange a special visit to the Shiva-Murugan Temple in Concord, California. The new temple is moving quickly as a team of silpis, both plaster and granite, make the shrines. After a wonderful puja and visit to Gurudeva's shrine downstairs, we were taken on what is said to be the very first tour for visitors. We met the silpis, toured the cultural center and spent some time with Mr. Patel, the project supervisor. The temple will take another 18-24 months to complete, and when it is finished will be one of the city's most rich cultural and architectural gems.

Picnic and Satsang in the Bay Area

Golden Gate Mission members arranged a sweet picnic on a reservoir in Layaffette, under the only shade trees, for which they had to get up at dawn to reserve since it was Labor Day! One of our monastic candidates, Alex, flew in from Washington state to meet the monks for the first time. Lots of "talk-story" ensued. Then a satsang at the home of Janaka and Bhavani Param, with singing and inspired talks by Paramacharya and Tillainathaswami.

LA Satsang

It is said in India that nothing makes a Śivabhaktar happier than being with other Śivabhaktars. So it will not surprise that the home of Suresh and Shanthi was aglow with love of Śiva filled with the sweet sounds of the Guru Parampara Vandanam. Tillainathaswami gave an astute tour of the seven dimensions of the mind, the five states, all to enhance a great talk he shared where Gurudeva speaks of the nature of odic and actinic force fields and how to manage them. Paramacharya shared some recent visual drone shots of the Aadheenam and activities there, then offered thoughts on karma, especially the importance on the spiritual path of accepting all things that happen to us as our own creation. He urged everyone to embrace karmas fully, and to not project our problems, our conflicts, our troubles into the outer mind, but to take them within and work them out inside ourselves. He offered that we can't change the world, but as Gurudeva said, the ability to change ourselves lies in the palm of our hand. On the way to the satsang, perhaps not coincidentally, there were two large billboards for some film, saying "The battle is won within." Most engaging were questions from the young ones, brave questions about karma and the soul and the Hindu view on various ethical issues. All enjoyed a South Indian feast afterwards. Stay turned for the further adventures of our swamis on the Very Big Island!

Nine Day Trip Departure

Paramacharya Sadasivanathaswami and Tillainathaswami flew off this morning for the west coast in the US mainland. They plan to spend time with formal and informal devotees at satsangs in California and Oregon, visit the construction site of the Shiva-Murugan Temple's new traditional building in Concord, California, and visit the bronze foundry team in Colorado who cast our Hanuman and shilpi metal statues.

Archives are now available through 2001. Light colored days have no posts. 1998-2001 coming later.

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