July, 2007
Dear Friends of the Ashram,
 It has been such a magnificent summer and I never seize to be amazed and eternally grateful to live in one of the most beautiful places on this earth. Baba and Mother certainly picked an awesome place for Their home.
Today I went hiking into the woods behind the Ashram and discovered a new waterfall. The melting snows are still gushing down Spanish Creek, making it full and fast. The trail crosses back and forth over the creek many times and the fuller the creek the more challenging and fun the cross. There are also many fallen trees on the trail, sometimes it is hard to find the way. But it is lovely to pause on a log, as I climb over it, and just look around at the majesty of this place.
Spanish Creek runs through a valley of rocks; huge, towering ones that go up hundreds of yards on either side. Then jumping out against the dark rocks is the sparkling blue sky with perhaps a few billowy white clouds floating in it. All this amidst the white trunks and brilliant green leaves of the aspen trees and lots of wild flowers sometimes takes my breath away. I remember walking here in 1986 with Shri Muniraji and Shri Shastriji and as we were looking at the beautiful mountains, I told them I thought they were like the Himalayas in India. Muniraji first nodded then he said no, they are like heaven. Bhole Baba Ki Jai!
 I am looking forward to Family Week at the Ashram this year and seeing all our friends that often only have this chance to travel here from around the country. The Week will run from Monday, July 23 to Friday, July 27. The concurrent workshop this year will be on the Bhagavad Gita. The dorm is 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 Saturday, July 14, and the full-moon fire ceremony is on Sunday, July 29 (Guru Purnima). 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 are continually grateful for all of your support.
In truth and love, Ramloti
Annual Family Week July 23 - July 27
 We are very excited to announce that the theme of this year's family week is "Peacemakers". We are also excited to let you know that Susie Walton from San Diego will be back to lead one of the kid groups. Joining her, from Luecadia, California will be Alicia Isen. Ramloti will be assisting them as well. Each are well versed in conflict resolution, non-violent communication, and peer mediation skills. They will be passing this on to the children and asking them to practice during the week. There will also be a couple of sessions where the children will actually teach the parents the skills that they have learned. Other activities will include making peace flags, peace journals, and learning songs about peace. The children will also learn Tieko drumming and natural agriculture at the Shumei center and the older children will learn Zazen at the neighboring Zen Center. There will also be the all-day hike (a short hike for the youngsters) and an afternoon trip to the Sand Dunes, horseback riding, and trips to the hot springs swimming pool. All this along with karma yoga, chanting, and hatha yoga is going to make it a pretty full and exciting week. We hope you can join us!
The dorm is already completely booked. 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 pleased to present a workshop on the Bhagavad Gita during Family week facilitated by Melinda Staley from Columbia, MO. Here is what she says about this workshop which she has led around MO.
"There is so much joy to be discovered in this practice, and it is such a delight to share it! The classes will focus much less on “how to do it,” and much more on “doing it.”
We will be going over some of the content in chapters I-III of the Bhagavad Gita, as well as some of the comments in the Introduction by Aldous Huxley. The format will be reading and discussion - chanting – meditating – reading again at a deeper level.
These classes are only two-hours long, so we won’t be going for breadth of content so much as depth of content. For this reason it would be a good idea to pre-read the Introduction and Chapters I-III. We will be using the Bhagavad Gita by Swami Prabhavandand and Christopher Isherwood. It was originally published by Vedanta Society of Southern California."
Melinda Staley has practiced meditation since 1970 and has intermittently taught it within several spiritual traditions since 1987. She was raised in a family that practiced yoga daily. In college she studied comparative religions, music, and graduated with a B.S. in Education. She is a wife, mother, grandmother and teaches in the Columbia, MO, public school system. She is currently mentored by Ginny Morgan and Matt Flickstein in the Vipassana tradition, Firdousi Wyrick in the Sufi tradition, and Sri Muniraji Trilok Singh, Sri Har Govind and Ramloti in the Sanatan Dharma. Melinda serves on the Board of Directors of the American Haidakhan Samaj and teaches devotional yoga.
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
 It is really heart warming to hear from so many devotees that are flying in from all parts of the country to attend the Annual Samaj weekend. 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. These meetings are often the impetus for new activities and creative ways to help serve the devotees around the country. The meeting will be followed by lunch.
There will also be lots of opportunities to attend fire ceremonies, sing araati, chant together and share stories of Babaji with one another. Coming together as devotees is always an uplifting and inspiring experience.
It is a extra special Samaj weekend this year since it ends on Guru Purnima Day (the day you honor your teacher) on Sunday, July 29. We will begin in the temple with a Paduka Puja (washing of Babaji's sandals) at 9:30am followed by a large fire ceremony at 10:08am. All are then invited for a delicious 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
 With summer here, we have more and more visitors coming to the temple. We are so grateful to have this new beautiful space so that we can all fit. We are continuing to pay down our outstanding loan on the completion of the hall. We now owe about $62,500. 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.
Recent Events
New Babaji Temple Opens
 As you may have remembered from the April newsletter, while in India I was invited to come to Etawah, Uttar Pradesh to visit a new temple being constructed in Shri Babaji's honor. Shashi Agarwal, from Denver, had a vision to build a temple in her native village outside of the town of Etawah in Uttar Pradesh. Her family, that still lives in the town and village agreed to the idea, donated some of the familial land, and have been busily at work for the last year. It has several murtis, including one of Old Haidakhan Babaji. The marble temple is lovely, the havan kund and water tank are also very nice, and the surrounding farm land lends such a tranquil environment to it all.
 On June 18th they had the prana pratistha ceremony (enlivening ceremony) for all of the murtis and a large feast for hundreds. The name that Shri Muniraji gave to the new temple is Shri Shri 1008 Haidakhandi Shiv-Shakti Dham. It was a grand and very successful event. There were Babaji devotess there as well as the many family members, community members and other guests. I had been graciously invited to the ceremony, but I could not make it back to India at that time. I am so grateful that the function went so well. Bhole Baba Ki Jai!
Greenhouse and Garden Abundant
Premanand and other karma yogis have been busy in the garden and greenhouse. We have already been reaping the benefits of the work. Above you see our beautiful Divine Mother bedecked in Peonies from the garden. Below are a few rows of the garden. It is a very delicious time of year!
Summer Time Means A Full Table at Mealtime!
Lots of visitors, both new and old friends sharing meals with us, spending the night in the dormitory, and helping with the karma yoga. We enjoy greeting you all and appreciate what you bring to the Ashram.
Children at the Ashram
Soon to be more children at the Ashram! Both Angela (pictured here with Matias) and Jen are expecting babies in mid-September. It will be so fun to have more babies around! We wish them and their husbands many blessings. Please keep them in your prayers.
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 is awaiting its newest shipment from India, due to arrive in the next several weeks. The shipment will have many beautiful murtis, like this 24 inch one of Lord Shiva (sales for $396). It will also have harmoniums, drums, puja items, cymbals, and scented oils. The Shop continues to be full of wonderful items with new things arriving weekly.
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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