Dear Friends,
As I sink back into my daily practice after a busy Family Week, Garage Sale week, weekend trip to Aspen for my nephew’s wedding, and a five-day woman’s Yoga Retreat with Sofia Diaz; I am grateful for the simplicity of life here at the Ashram. It is certainly not a static life, particularly this time of year as we have visitors, shoppers and groups of students coming in all of the time. But the natural rhythm of getting up in the wee hours of the morning for meditation followed by some hatha yoga and puja, then off to temple for pujari duties some mornings and aarati followed by a fire ceremony is such a balancing way to begin the day. The rest of the day is often a blur of activity but with this start and the repetition of Om Namah Shivaya as often as I can remember (particularly at any trying moments) the day is like a meditation. As I sit for evening aarati, I am usually beginning to feel tired but deeply peaceful and full of gratitude for a great day and Shri Babaji’s intercession at so many moments.
Of course, the greatest miracle of all was to have been with Shri Babaji when He was in physical form. Even after all of these years, it is sometimes difficult for me to wrap my mind around the enormity of it all. To have walked with, sat with, interacted with, and spoken with God seems so impossible. And yet, when I am in the flow, particularly after the fire ceremony in the morning, it all seems like the most natural thing in the world. For during the fire I know I am calling out to the many aspects of God and actually nurturing them with my prayers and offerings of ghee and samagri. As I carry Baba’s photo back to the temple and we call out, “Ho Shar Savadan, Shri Shri Mahaprabhuji Pedara hai hai!” (Stand alert for the great Lord is walking here), I know that Babaji is here and walking on this sacred land.
The feedback from hundreds of people attest to Babaji’s presence and the uncanny peace and aliveness of this Ashram, it is His home. In the last few weeks we have had many new people here: pilgrims from Camino de Crestone; yoga students from Sofia’s retreat; temple dance teachers from India; students from Colorado College; visitors from Canon City, New York, Walsenburg, Florence, Arizona, Monte Vista, Denver, Fort Collins; and on and on. During satsang (sharing of the truth) or as we sit over lunch or tea, the conversation often gravitates to how different it feels here, people sometimes describe it as feeling like they are in a bubble of peace and harmony in an otherwise challenging world. As we all work together, it is like a big graceful dance during which so much gets accomplished in ease and joy.
I want to share just one quick story with you to make this flow more obvious. We have had trouble with the windows in the dorm, which are now fourteen years old. Last fall we had someone fix most of them but one was going to have to be completely replaced necessitating the stucco around it to be totally redone as well. The bill on this was estimated at about $1300! This seemed a big amount for our budget so we decided to get another opinion. I had not even thought about a particular handyman named Howie until I saw him working for the Zen Center next door when I was there on my yoga retreat. On my arrival back to the Ashram on Monday, I found his phone number and called him, or left a message for him wondering if I even had the correct number and if I would ever hear back from him. Well that afternoon, the participants from the Camino de Crestone (see article below) arrived and Howie was one of them! I was stunned, never expecting him to take this pilgrimage! To make a long story short, the next morning they all did karma yoga, Howie worked on the window, and fixed it! Life is full of wonders and I am so profoundly grateful!
With deep love,
Ramloti
Ceremonies and Schedule
The new-moon fire ceremony this month was on Thursday, September 6 and the full-moon fire ceremony is on Thursday, September 19. The fire ceremonies begin at 10am and are followed by a meal. Please arrive freshly bathed, in a long skirt or pants with shoulders covered, and having fasted from grains, cereals, meat, eggs, garlic and onions. (Fruit, yogurt, nuts, veggies and tea or coffee are fine to eat before. Also if you have a dietary need for something more hardy before our meal at 11:30 or so, please partake.)
Our evening aarati is at 6pm and morning aarati is at 7am with a paduka puja in Shri Babaji’s kutir each morning at 6:30am. Lunch is served at about 12:30 pm, and we invite you to join us. (Call if you are a group or have special dietary needs.) The Maha Lakshmi Shop is open every day from 10am until 5pm.
If you would like to participate by sponsoring a fire ceremony or a bhandara (feast), we would like to send you a blessed item from the fire ceremony. They are:
$27 sponsorship - Copper, brass, nickel Om Namah Shivaya bracelet
$54 sponsorship - Rudraksha, Rosewood, or Tulsi Mala
$108 sponsorship - Rose Quartz Mala or a copper, silver, brass bracelet
You can make the donation online by just clicking here or by calling 719-256-4108, or by emailing the Ashram at info@BabajiAshram.org. You may also send us a check made to HUA to: P.O. Box 9, Crestone, CO 81131. We are continually grateful for all of your support of the Ashram.
The special and blessed Fall Navratri, Divine Mother Festival, is right around the corner. It will begin on Friday October 4 and continue through Saturday, October 12. We will have a large fire ceremony everyday at 10am followed by stories about the Mother and then lunch. Each morning begins at 6:15am with paduka puja, chandan, chanting, and aarati. We have special pujas each day focusing on Maha Durga the first three days, Maha Lakshmi the next three days, and finally on Mother Saraswati the final three days. These pujas begin at 8am. After the puja we read the Haidakhandeswari Sapta Sati (700 verses in praise of the Divine Mother). Please join us for whatever parts you are able. It is such a wonderful time to be together.
We already have people booked for these days but call or email the Ashram at 719-256-4108 or email us at info@babajiashram.org and we can see if we can still accommodate you. Haidakhandeswari Mata Ki Jai!
Samaj Meeting, Family Week, & Sofia Diaz Workshop Date Change
It may be a bit early for this but many folks plan to attend our summer events a year in advance. Last month I put some dates in for next year’s Samaj meeting weekend, Family Week, and Sofia Diaz’s workshop that are actually one week later than they will be in reality. The dates are July 19 and 20 for the Samaj weekend and July 23 - 26 for Family Week and Sofia’s workshop. Please mark you calendars and attend if you are able.
The Beauty of Babaji
From the Divya Kathamrit and Mahant Baba
He was the most beautiful being we had ever seen. Those days He used to be in meditation with closed eyes. When with open eyes, He be-stowed blessing with abhay dan, by raising His right hand or lightly placing it on the person's head. One could note that the visitors were so much enamored by Him that they remained standing here and there motionless, virtually like statues. Even atheists were wonderstruck by his glory and handsomeness. No one has ever seen such divine handsomeness in the whole creation.
If someone asks me about the supreme moment of my life, I would say it was the first glance of the Charming Lord. Who could narrate His handsomeness? Only a personage like Mahendra Maharaj could do it, as He has written in Shri Divya Kathamrit:
"His countenance has entered our hearts which nobody could undo even with millions of devices."...We had good fortune to observe Shri Mahaprabhuji's lotus eyes, lotus feet, lotus hands, lotus face and the like. Blessed are those who sat and saw the Divine countenance of the Lord of the Lords.
"The countenance of Shri Babaji was like a flower, adorned with different hues and appeared to be a store house of beauty essence."
An essential quality of beauty is that every moment it appeared new, an ever changing handsome appearance. Whenever we saw Him at intervals, He was there with changed beauty. For this reason, His two photographs were never identical. He emanated a sweet, musk-like fragrance. It was very rare to behold Him. He played the role of a friend, a son, a mother and a father and so on, in the drama of life. Thus He enthralled His devotees with delight, with His sweetness and love by diffusing His glory and grandeur.
Karma Yoga at the Ashram
Recent Events
Sophia Diaz’s Women’s Retreat visit the Ashram
Camino de Crestone
Colorado College Group Comes to the Ashram
Another group of visitors that we often see at the Ashram are our Colorado College Students from Colorado Springs. Since they have a small campus here in the Baca, many classes come for a week to study in Crestone. We often see them for a tour, aarati, fire ceremony, karma yoga, or a meal. This group of new freshman came up for a tour, discussion, and lunch. It is interesting to see how a few of them really gravitate to this tradition and it is not uncommon to see them periodically on their block breaks over the next four years.
Labor Day Weekend
This is one of the reasons that the newsletter is a week late, the weekend began for us on Thursday with visitors and went until Tuesday. So it has been a busy and festive time. Unfortunately we were not able to take photos of even half of the wonderful people because we were so busy. But we enjoyed you all. Thank you for bringing your prayers and love to the Ashram.
Warm Weather Visitors
Five Days at the Ashram by Mohan from Ft. Collins, CO
As a high percentage of population is involved in the spiritual activities, I would call Crestone the spiritual capital of America. Nestled in the Sangre de Cristo mountains this small spiritual city overlooks the San Luis Valley.
Last year (2012) when I went to Haidakhandi Universal Ashram (HUA) at Crestone for
one day, the power of that place was very calming and I felt a new meaning for "Kurai Onrum Illai" written by Rajaji. Wanted to stay longer since it felt like a perfect place for Karma Yoga and Retreat
but had to leave to Taos with my friend for the bhandara. May be some other time.
After a year, I went to HUA for five days from Aug 7 to Aug 12. Ashram had just finished the family week, the new moon celebrations and it was calm. Apart from Ramloti, Jonathan, Premanand, there was summer resident Dharmananda and first time visitor Kent. I checked into a room in dharmashala. After a shower I went to the wonderful evening puja. Only the next day morning I realized my room was named Hanuman. I had been reciting Hanuman Chalisas at least 7 times every day for a month at that point in time. What a coincidence. Room was clean with beds, pillows, comforters,chest with drawers, hangers etc. Pictures of Babaji, Jesus and Krishna playing with gopies adored the anasazi brick walls. Without a TV it was a perfect room to meditate and rest. Hot and cold running water, showers, toilets and wash basins were clean. A small library shelf with spiritual books near the laundry room added to the contemplation.
I was able to wake up by 5:00AM to get ready for meditation, followed by the early morning aarati at 7:00AM. This energetic start gets enhanced with a fire ceremony at 8:00AM. After our breakfast it is time for Karma Yoga. These three hours were wonderful as we do the tasks slowly and steadily. How easy and tranquil it is as we dedicate all that we do to the divine without attaching to the results? Throughly enjoyed it. After lunch we had an hour for ourselves before continuing with the wonderful karma yoga. My tasks were quite varied like washing dishes, cleaning, cutting vegetables and fruits, picking flowers and removing old flowers, doing various tasks for an estate sale, replacing ice in the cool room, cooking, etc. When we prepared for the estate sale, I did not expect that we will be able to sell that many items. The amount of sales exceeded my expectations in 3 short hours. It was jaw dropping. Ramloti was conducting the sale as I mentioned to Kent that her management capabilities were great. He asked me if it is her management capabilities or her energy? I did not know the answer. I could see the same calmness and energy in each one of them at the ashram.
During the week-end the Ashram called for a softball game at the park. We had a good game. Playing after a long time coupled with rapid accelerations and decelerations taxed my muscles. During the last day Ramloti took a picture of me with the Mother. Unwilling to stand tall I bent at the knees with my hands in prayer near the Mother. Ramloti said I looked like Hanuman. No, I am not as I did not even surrender one percent of what He surrendered was my reply. Ramloti mentioned even taking one step towards the divine is enough for the divine to move towards us and we reach Him.
My retreat was wonderful. I will return to the ashram once in a while for a retreat and to be in a state of bliss.
Our experience there was unlike any other. As soon as we drove into the driveway, we acknowledged a sense of mystical power and immediately sensed an atmosphere of peace and love. We met the extraordinary residents there, that immediately welcomed us as if we had met once before. The Ashram is a a place where you find yourself in the silence around you. A place where you learn that the teachings of Haidakhan Babaji embrace unity, karma yoga, simplicity and love.
The day we left the Ashram, I cried. We left the Ashram but it is still and will always be in our hearts. I have experienced a spiritual peace that I have never been able to acknowledge before. We embarked on our journey not knowing what we would find, what we have found is a family and a home away from home in Crestone, Colorado. Thank you for everything you have taught us about ourselves and life. Until the next time, which will be very soon. Love Yascara & Rob
Brandy Wade - Salida, Colorado
Calendar for 2013
October - 4 - 12 - Fall Navratri - Divine Mother Festival with daily fire ceremonies, pujas, discourses, reading, chanting and other ceremonies.
November 3 - Diwali, Festival of Lights.
Calendar for 2014
February 28 - Shivaratri - All-night chanting followed by a fire ceremony at 10am on March 1.
March 30 - April 7 - Spring Navratri - Divine Mother Festival with daily fire ceremonies, pujas, discourses, reading, chanting and other ceremonies.
July 12 - Guru Purnima
July 19 & 20- Annual American Haidakhan Samaj Weekend and Meeting.
July 23 - 26 - Annual Family Week w/ concurrent Sofia Diaz Workshop.
September 23 - October 1, 2014 - Fall Navratri - Divine Mother Festival with daily fire ceremonies, pujas, discourses, reading, chanting and other ceremonies.
October 23, 2014 - Diwali, Festival of Lights.
We have redone the Maha Lakshmi Shop website making it more easy for you to navigate. Please take a look at www.mahalakshmishop/wazala.com and give us some feedback.
You will notice that the wonderful book, Encounters with Babaji by Renata Caddy is back in stock. We also have our Carnelian and Turquoise knotted malas back in the Shop as well.
Many of our Shop items are on line, but you may still call the Ashram at 719-256-4108 and place your orders over the phone (every day from 10am until 5pm Mountain Time). We are happy to answer any questions. We take Visa, Mastercard or Discover. It is really nice to connect in this way. We love to talk to you.
The Shop is a major supporter of the Ashram, so we deeply appreciate your patronage.
Maha Lakshmi Mata Ki Jai!
