When we were with Shri Babaji in Haidahkan, we would gather daily in the morning and evening to sing aarati and bhajans. This continues to be a powerful way to connect with Baba. Prem and I will be leading some aaratis and bhajans around the southwest. We will also show a short DVD of the Kirtan Hall Dedication. Please join us if you are able and let your friends know as well. It is always a profound experience when we come together in this way.
Monday, January 16 - Santa Fe - 7pm at Darlene Streit's 505- 920-8001,197 Circle Drive, off Bishop Lodge Rd
Wednesday, January 18 - Phoenix area - 7pm at Morgan Bates' 480-924-1779, 5564 E. Garnett, Mesa, AZ 85206
Sunday, January 29 - Los Angeles - 5pm at Gina Kim's 213-550-6222, 847 E. 21rst St, Los Angeles, CA 90011 (between Washington & San Pedro Blvd) followed by a potluck.
Saturday, February 4 - San Diego area - 7pm at Indigo Village, 609 S Vulcan Ave, Encinitas, 760-633-3754
Wednesday, February 8 - Phoenix area - 7pm (Location to be arranged). Call Morgan at 480-924-1779
Friday, February 10 - Santa Fe area - 10am at Levi Ben - Shmuel, 27 Calle Electra Drive, El Dorado, 505- 466-2884
We have been so blessed here with many, many visitors this winter. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's brought over 100 visitors per weekend. Some spent the night, some came for the day, some cooked us meals, others brought us food. All added their love and prayers to a very special holiday season. We also have had many great karma yogis arrive in the last month adding their skills and energy here. First was David from Florida who painted the earthship entry halls and pantry. Then Armando arrived from Mexico. Not only was he a great chef, he was an excellent artist and made these lovely arches and paintings, pictured below, for our murtis in the temple.
We then had
Romas come for a few days to help with wood and other chores.
Romas is in the military and was on his way to Iraq and we ask that you keep him in your prayers. Here is an e-mail we just received from him:
"Anyhow I made it to the Old Land safely and just wanted to say hi, and let you know I couldn't be so strong in this situation were it not for the Teachings and Presence of Babaji in this world. I rely on Him daily for inner strength, which is what counts most out here on the wasteland. Wherever I am, I am in Herakhan's house! I pray for people to wake up and face the reality of peace rather than letting the war rage on."
Be blessed and at Peace,
Love Romas
Our new residents, that we wrote about in the last newsletter, James and Shila, have added a great deal to the energy and work at the Ashram. James has made new end tables, donation boxes, and a new Navratri altar table for the temple. Shila does many of the pujari duties and loves to have everything clean and tidy in the Ashram. Having five of us living, working, and praying together at the Ashram has helped make this winter even greater.
The Ashram has also been participating in the Crestone Spiritual Alliance, which is an organization formed by the 24 spiritual groups in Crestone to serve as a forum for communication and to articulate and express interests that are common among us. We have invited our County Commissioners for lunch and a tour of the centers and are reaching out in other ways to ensure that our voice be heard, our concerns be addresed, and so that we can be of help to our larger community.
We have also been attending community meetings on sustainablity issues and the food growers network. This networking and idea sharing helps us attain our Ashram goal of being as sustainable as possible.
As we look forward, the big events coming up at the Ashram are Babaji's Maha Samadhi on February 14. We will have a paduka puja at 6pm and then sing aarati and bhajans. In India, they commemorate this day on February 10 (according to the lunar calendar), Prem and I will lead aarati in the Santa Fe area on this day.
Sunday, February 26 is Shivaratri. We will chant all-night beginning at 10pm. The next morning we will have a fire ceremony at 10:08am followed by a bhandara.
Spring Navratri begins on Wednesday, March 29 and ends on Thursday, April 6. These nine days in honor of the Divine Mother are a wonderful time to sing and pray together. The daily fire ceremonies, readings, pujas, and discourses make this a very memorable time. Please attend if you are able.
We send our love to you all and many thanks for all of your support and love. For more information about the Ashram and the Maha Lakshmi Shop please refer to our website at BabajiAshram.org. You may also call us at 719-256-4108 or email us at our new address: info@babajiashram.org. If you would like to make a donation, you may do so on our website, click here, or send it to Haidakhandi Universal Ashram, PO Box 9, Crestone, CO 81131.