Ashram News Update - July, 2021

July 15, 2021  |  by Ramloti

Dear Friends,

As we approach the full-moon in July, I am remembering my first Guru Purnima with Shri Babaji in 1981. I was in bliss being in Haidakhan with Babaji and watching my children; Jacob, 10-years-old and Amil, 8-years-old, and their growing relationships with Baba after only a week or so. Jacob was going down with the Yogis to help Babaji with His bath in the afternoon and Amil loved it when Babaji would come over him and pinch his cheek and laugh with him.

I had always attempted to raise them in out-of-town places where there was plenty of nature around them, so jumping into the simplicity of the Ashram life of no electricity or running water was pretty easy for them. They loved helping in the shop or carry rocks in the river for their karma yoga.

As the word began to circulate that Babaji would travel to Vrindavan for Guru Purnima in a few weeks, I wanted to take my children. This is the sacred city where Lord Krishna had spent his boyhood and it seemed like a wonderful opportunity and blessing to go there with Shri Babaji. I was told you needed permission to join in the traveling party so I went immediately to ask. Shri Babaji, mirroring my desire to go, said “yes”. As the days went on, however He kept asking me, “You go Vrindavan, you like hot, very hot, very, very hot?” My answer was always the same, “I do not like very, very hot, but we are going with you to Vrindavan.” Not understanding the warning from Baba that this was perhaps a poor choice that might be too much for the children after their long trip from America a few weeks before, we all left the Ashram in a big group. The Gautama Ganga River was huge at this point, swollen by the monsoon. So we had to take the much longer hike through the mountains rather than through the river as we had coming in. Right from the start, misfortune seemed to loom, as we got totally lost for a while and felt scared and abandoned in the mountains. When we finally caught up, we were hot and exhausted and Jacob seemed to be coming down with a fever. As we waited for the hand-drawn tram to take us across the river, you can see that Jacob’s expression was not the excited look it had been hiking into the Ashram a few weeks before.

The long, hot trip went from bad to worse. Both boys were very ill with fevers and I really did not know where to turn to in a strange city, in a hotel quite far from Baba’s Ashram, and not knowing most of the people there. I actually did not even get to be with Babaji on Guru Purnima. Finally though, after a few more days of staying in the hotel with the sick boys, I felt safe leaving them alone for a little bit to go have Babaji’s darshan. I told Him the boys were quite sick and He told me they would be okay, not to worry. So that felt better but I could not help but think how Baba had tried to warn me that going to Vrindvan was not a good choice. The day before Baba was to leave back for Haidakhan, the boys got better and they had darshan of Baba. But then they were playing outside and must have been thirsty and drank out of a garden hose. So the next morning when we were all to leave with Baba, they were so sick from the untreated water, there was no way they could move.

So I sent word that we would not be with the group, cancelled the train tickets, and tried to find the appropriate medicine to give the children. Day by day they were getting thinner and thinner as they could not keep anything down and it seemed like they were not getting any better. Finally I told them that we needed to get back to the healing energy of Babaji and Haidakhan. I said I would hire porters to carry them in, as I knew they were too weak to climb through the mountains.

So that is what we did and it was once again a grueling trip, paritularly with the boys getting sick to their stomachs constantly. But we got potters who were willing to carry the boys on their backs through the mountain. I was so grateful to be out of the crowded city and on our way back to Babaji. And as we neared Haidakhan, an amazing thing happened, the boys seemed to be getting better. They finally asked to walk themselves and as we came to the bottom of the 108 stairs, they ran up them right into Shri Babaji’s loving arms, totally healed.

So this first Guru Purnima, I never had the physical darshan of Shri Babaji, but He was certainly there constantly teaching me the repercussions of not listening to the voice of His loving guidance. Do I listen better today than in 1981? I am certainly constantly working on it and definitely the practices that Shri Babaji gave to us such as; fire ceremony, japa, aarati, and karma yoga are my best practice grounds.

We will be live streaming the sacred fire ceremony at 10am on Guru Purnima, July 23, we hope you can join us. See the details below and a blessed Guru Purnima to all.

In truth and love, Ramloti

Upcoming Events

Saturday, July 17 - 10am MT
Zoom Satsang with Kharku, Jamuna, and Maria Elana
from Kamalaya, Thailand

Zoom Link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84820406020?pwd=RXRKYnJYSDFKYmhxYVMrNXBOVGo4UT09
Meeting ID: 848 2040 6020
Passcode: 474473
One tap mobile: +16699006833,,84820406020#,,,,*474473# (US)

Friday, July 23 – 10am MT
Guru Purnima Sacred Fire Ceremony

This will be live-streamed at Haidakhandi Universal Ashram Facebook Page. We also have a few openings left for attending personally. Please call the Ashram at 719-256-4108 to reserve a space.

Saturday, July 24 - 7pm India Time
Mahavatar Baba Haidakhan Conclave

The objective of the gathering is to virtually bring Babaji's devotees together and encourage universal brotherhood.

Google Meet video call link:
https://meet.google.com/uxo-kqze-yfn

Sunday, July 25 - 10am MT
Special Guru Purnima Zoom Satsang

Everyone is invited to share their special experience of Shri Babaji as their Guru.

Zoom Link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84820406020?pwd=RXRKYnJYSDFKYmhxYVMrNXBOVGo4UT09
Meeting ID: 848 2040 6020
Passcode: 474473
One tap mobile: +16699006833,,84820406020#,,,,*474473# (US)

Saturday, July 31 - 10am MT
Zoom Satsang with Sundar Singh and Prasadini
from Schwiebenalp, Center of Unity in Switzerland

Zoom Link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84820406020?pwd=RXRKYnJYSDFKYmhxYVMrNXBOVGo4UT09
Meeting ID: 848 2040 6020
Passcode: 474473
One tap mobile: +16699006833,,84820406020#,,,,*474473# (US)

The Ashram Temple is Open for Darshan on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays

We are happy to announce that the Ashram has begun a gradual, phased opening process, which will be for a limited amount of people at a time and by appointment only to have darshan in the Temple. We will make adjustments over time as best safety practices dictate. We have been guided by a continuous process of examining how to ensure the greatest safety and wellbeing for all, as an ashram that hosts thousands of visitors from around the world. We look forward to seeing you.

For this first phase, the Temple will be open on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays at three different timings of one and a half hour each (20 people per time slot). Please call the Ashram at 719-256-4108 to reserve one of the times below.

10:00am – 11:30am
12:00pm – 1:30pm
2:00pm – 3:30pm

If the Full or New-Moon Fire Ceremony Day falls during the week, the Ashram will open from 10:00am-11:30am on that day as well (15 people maximum).

During this initial stage; the Temple, dormitory bathrooms, and lawn area will be open. You are welcome to bring your own food or snacks to eat outside but the earthship bathrooms, kitchen, and shop will remain closed to visitors.

We require that everyone wear a mask, observe social distancing, and be fully vaccinated, have had a recent negative Covid-19 test, or a preexisting condition that would disallow them from being vaccinated and are taking precautions. We appreciate your cooperation with this first step of reopening.

Jai Ma! Bhole Baba Ki Jai!

The GoFundMe Campaign and Other Fundraising Tools

We continue to be supported by many of you through different fundraising modalities. Thank you to all. It is so important during this time. Here are the links below. We are aware that many do not have the funds to donate at this time and please know that we appreciate your prayers and loving support as well.

• GoFundMe Campaign
• Amazon Smile
• Donate Page (this page has links to Paypal, Amazon Smile, and GoFundMe)