June, 2007
Dear Friends of the Ashram,
 This beautiful picture of Shri Babaji was taken in Almora in August, 1982. I remember sitting with Him there and feeling so much love emanating from His being. I had already spent several months with Babaji and had many experiences of His complete, unconditional love. It often blew my mind away when I realized that there was nothing I had to do to earn that love and that there was nothing that I could do to diminish that love. I just had to open myself up to receive it. This trip to Almora was at the end of my stay there and the last time I saw Baba in physical form. The love I felt bathed in filled me deeply. I feel His presence and love so strongly in my life. What gratitude I have to Him.
It has been a full time at the Ashram, particularly with the beautiful Spring weather and Memorial Day weekend which always brings more visitors. All of our activities and programs have been well attended and joyfully received. As we look forward through the summer, the following dates are noteworthy.
Family Week at the Ashram will run from Monday, July 23 to Friday, July 27. The concurrent workshop this year will be on the Bhagavad Gita. The dorm is pretty full already with families, so call and let's see if we can accommodate you. Read below for more details. From there we move directly into the Annual American Samaj meeting and Guru Purnima day. The details for that wonderful weekend are below as well.
Our evening aarati is at 7pm and morning aarati is at 7am. Our next new-moon fire ceremony is on Thursday, June 14, and the full-moon fire ceremony is on Saturday, June 30. The fire ceremonies begin at 10:08am and are followed by a meal. If you would like to sponsor a fire ceremony ($108) or bhandara (feast) ($108) you may make the donation on line by just clicking here or call 719-256-4108 or e-mail the Ashram at info@BabajiAshram.org or send us a check at P.O. Box 9, Crestone, CO 81131. We wish to continually thank you for all of your support.
In truth and love, Ramloti
Annual Family Week July 23 - July 27
Each year we set aside a week that is particularly dedicated to families having an Ashram experience in a very child-friendly way. Last year Uma's birthday was celebrated with many of the younger children looking on. This year the week will run from Monday, July 23 until Friday, July 27, with arrival and registration on Sunday, July 22.
Each day from 10am until 1pm the children and teens will meet in groups according to age and participate in a variety of activities. These will include: arts and crafts, chanting, hatha yoga, storytelling, wilderness exploration, hiking, horseback riding, Taiko drumming, and much more. Last year the all-day hike for the boys ended up being rainy, but that did not deter these hikers!
Lunch is at 1pm and is followed by field trips to the hot springs swimming pool, Sand Dunes, and other places organized and supervised by the parents. This is always a very popular week. Some families have attended for the last six years. The rooms in the dorm are pretty full, so we suggest you call as soon as possible so we can see if we can accommodate you. There is still camping space available. Please call the Ashram at 719-256-4108 or email us at info@BabajiAshram.org.
Exploring the Bhagavad Gita Workshop
July 23 - July 27
 We are excited to present a workshop on the Bhagavad Gita during Family week facilitated by Melinda Staley from Columbia, MO, who is pictured here on her recent trip to Haidakhan. We hope to bring the Bhagavad Gita to all in a new light and show how the teachings are similar to the Sanatan Dharma which Shri Babaji demonstrated for us. Running concurrently with the children's program from 10am until 1pm each day, we will have time to dive deeply into some of the major verses and their meaning, meditate on them and learn some applicable chants for them. The suggested donation for the workshop is $108. Some scholarships are available. You may call the Ashram at 719-256-4108 or email us at info@BabajiAshram.org to register.
Annual American Samaj Meeting Weekend
July 28 - 29
 Coming together as devotees to share stories, experiences, ideas, and ceremony is always an uplifting and inspiring experience. We invite you to our annual Samaj weekend which this year ends on Guru Purnima Day (the day you honor your teacher). We will begin with the Annual meeting at 9am on Saturday, July 28. We will have time to share ideas and experiences at this time.
The next morning we will have a large fire ceremony in honor of Guru Purnima at 10:08am followed by an Indian feast. Our Samaj president, Nirmal Sharma from Massachusetts, will preside over the meeting and the fire ceremony. This is a very special time to be together. We hope you can all attend. Please call the Ashram at 719-256-4108 for room reservations. For more information about the work of the American Haidakhan Samaj please go to their web site at BabajiSamaj.org.
Kirtan Hall Update
Memorial Day weekend saw a hundred or more visitors to the Ashram and as always, we were grateful that we could all chant together in the new kirtan hall. We are continuing to pay down our outstanding loan on the completion of the hall. We now owe about $63,000. We are looking for ways to help pay this loan off more quickly, if you have any ideas, please call the Ashram at 719-256-4108.
We want to thank you for all of your continued support in this meaningful project. If you are able to contribute to help us pay the loan off, you can send a check to the Ashram at P.O. Box 9, Crestone, CO 81131 or donate online by clicking here.
Our Ashram
 The world is a blessed place. Every country, every mountain range, every river and every creek is of the Divine essence. We are forever surrounded by the manifestations of Shiva-Shakti. How lucky we are.
I have talked with many visitors to the Ashram who have commented on the good energy and the atmosphere of peace here. You can see the relief in their eyes when they walk into the temple and have Mother’s darshan. I distinctly remember the first time I had the fortune of coming to the Ashram. It seemed that I had stepped into another reality, one free from the dramas and destructions of the world at large. I do not know if any of you out there have found a moment that felt so perfect that you knew everything would (always) be all right. That is how I feel at the Ashram. It is a feeling I have no other description for than home. It feels like home. I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you for making this place feel like home. To all of you who open your hearts and share your love here, to all of you karma yogis who have pulled weeds or cooked food, to all of you generous souls who find a little extra money to support our mission, thank you. Thank you for being beautiful and thank you especially for contributing your beauty here.
For that is what truly makes a place holy. The love that comes from the recognition and appreciation that Divinity is not something hidden from view, it is right here waiting to be seen. This vision naturally compels our higher being to help beautify, protect and serve. That is the feeling so many people sense at the Ashram.
This morning I had the honor of helping bathe and clothe Mother for the day. As I stood in Her Presence in those quiet dawn moments, it became obvious that the love we offer God in all forms is the same love we see reflected in the land, in the murti, and in our hearts. We all owe a debt of gratitude to Ramloti, Johnathan, Premanand and every one else who has poured their heart into keeping this place sacred. For making this place feel like home.
Love, Travis Flynn
Recent Events
New Expanded Parking Area
As you may have read about in the last newsletter, the Earth Day Karma Yoga project was to take down the old storage area and expand the area for much-needed additional parking. A few days after all the generous karma yogis cleared the area, we had it graded, brought in road base and outlined parking slots. This has already proved invaluable during our busy weekends and fire ceremonies. Thank you again to everyone who helped out.
Hanuman Receives a River Bath
In honor of Hanuman Day, we took our Hanuman murti to the beautiful Spanish Creek for a bath. The morning was lovely and the creek was full from the melting snow. Several of us had a chance to bath and help dress this great deity dedicated to service and humility.
When we placed Him back in the temple, He was definitely glowing
Raw Food Day a Big Success
Over 20 people participated in the raw food preparation class, even more for the great lecture by Matt Monarch, and even more for the raw food lunch (over 60!). Many people were inspired to consider their diet and its influence on health. We are grateful to Matt for sharing his knowledge with us.
Children at the Ashram
Twenty fifth-graders from the Boulder area Waldorf School attended our most recent full-moon fire ceremony. This brought the attendance to over 50, pretty large for a mid-week fire. The students sang two Sanskrit chants for us which they had learned at school in conjunction with a class on Indian culture. It is always a pleasure to host children at the Ashram. Their bright enthusiasm adds a lot to the atmosphere here.
After the fire as Premanand and I led some chanting, a couple of our local children crawled up in my lap, as they often do. Once again, children are a huge part of the Ashram! We are so grateful that they feel at home here! Some of our children who visit from Denver and Colorado Springs actually tell their parents that they would like to come and visit the Ashram and Divine Mother!
Calendar for 2007
July 23 - July 27 - Annual Family Week and Bhagavad Gita Workshop.
July 28 - Annual American Haidakhan Samaj Meeting. (click here to learn more about the Samaj)
July 29 - Guru Purnima, the day you honor your teacher with paduka puja, fire ceremony and bhandara.
October 10 - 18 - Fall Navratri, nine days honoring the Divine Mother. Same as Spring Navratri.
November 9 - Diwali, Festival of Lights.
Maha Lakshmi Shop Report
 The Shop continues to be full of wonderful items with new things arriving weekly. One of our latest acquisitions is this lovely print of Paramahansa Yogananda. This handsome piece is framed in a dark wood and finishes at 23 inches by 28 inches. We are asking $216 for this picture.
You can call the shop toll-free at 866-686-4185 to order or for more information. We are open daily from 9am until 5pm. We do take Mastercard, Discover, and Visa. To view all the items in the Maha Lakshmi Shop, please refer to our newly updated web site at BabajiAshram.org. You may order on line through paypal or e-mail us at shop@babajiashram.org, or of course, place the order over the phone. We love to talk with you. We thank you for all of your shop purchases as the revenue from the shop is a huge support for the Ashram. Bhole Baba Ki Jai!
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