Ashram Newsletter - June, 2023

June 1, 2023  |  by Ramloti

Dear Friends,

There is a story in the book, Haidakhan Baba, My years with the Himalayan Mystic by Vijay Gupta, that I would like to share. It is about Shri Babaji meditating on Adi Mt. Kailash for forty-five days shortly after He reappeared in the cave in 1970. He had instructed Chandramani, the villager that first found Babaji in the sacred cave, to bring up a canister of water each day from the Gautama Ganga River, the nearest water source, 4 kilometers (about 2 ½ miles) away. Each day Chandramani trekked up the mountain with a full canister of water. One day, Chandramani said, he stumbled as he approached Babaji’s meditation spot and the canister fell and all the water spilt out. He waited until Babaji came out of His meditative state and asked for permission to go back down and fetch more water. Chandramani relates: “Babaji smiled and said, ‘Look, bhakti (devotee), what’s in that mountain?’ Chandramani looked and saw that the mountains were glittering with gold. He felt a sense of utter bliss and exclaimed, ‘Lord that mountain is golden.’ Babaji smiled again and told him, ‘Look at the canister of water you have been talking about.’ Chandramani could not believe his eyes. The canister stood erect and was full of water.”

One of the benefits of reading or hearing accounts of devotees, is that it often awakens memories of similar experiences in you. In 1981, eleven years after the above story, I was in Haidakhan with Shri Babaji. We were currently working on digging away some of the side of Mt. Kailash to build another of the nine temples that are now there. I had a pickaxe in my hands, trying, pretty unsuccessfully, to break up some rocky soil. Out of nowhere, Babaji was suddenly there, with a smile on His face and took the pickaxe out of my hands. He began to show me how to use it properly. As I watched, I saw that every stroke of Shri Babaji turned the rocks to gold! Like Chandramani, I felt a sense of utter bliss and amazement. At that point, Babaji put down the pickaxe and took me by that hand and suddenly we were on the other side of the mountain. I do not remember anything after that until I was back on the main side of the Ashram being served lunch!

I have not shared this story much as it has seemed so magical and fantastic, maybe it was just my imagination. However, in reading Chandramani’s experience I am helped to remember that with Shri Babaji, all things are possible. I have also grown to understand that Shri Babaji was often giving me guidance for my future life, particularly these 32 years serving at His Ashram here.

At 74 years of age, I do have high blood pressure issues and am doing my best at cutting back on some of my responsibilities. We do have a great crew here with Jonathan and Premanand who have lived at the Ashram for 26 and 27 years and have taken on several of my temple duties on top of all their jobs. Bill and Deb work here part of each week and are also great at doing whatever is needed. And we are all aging, the youngest on our crew is 65! The Ashram buildings are also aging, most are between 20 and 30 years old. We have a persistent leak in the kirtan hall roof that needs attention, the green house needs new plexiglass after many years of hail and sun damage, the back stairs need replacing, the adobe floor of the kirtan hall needs some upkeep, the adobe wall in the Maha Lakshmi Shop need to be redone, some of the buildings need painting, we could really use a new shed out by the havan kund, and many other small repairs. Sometimes this all hangs heavy over my head as we move through each busy day with so many wonderful visitors, each deserving and many requesting time and explanations about the Ashram, Shri Babaji, and the Divine Mother.

So, Shri Babaji’s words: “Keep Faith, everything will be alright”, are very helpful to me and this experience of Shri Babaji showing me that He is capable of everything, even turning rocks into gold, is extremely powerful. It does not mean that we do not need to keep doing the work, looking for contractors and repair folks that can cover these jobs, but with total faith that Shri Babaji and the Divine Mother are at the helm. This is my biggest lesson, to trust in every moment that this Ashram is a Divine Miracle and will always be taken care of by Baba’s and Mother’s Divine Grace. I am just one of the lucky ones that gets to live here and play the role of helper.

Bhole Baba Ki Jai!
Ramloti for the Ashram

To get a deeper perspective on some of my experiences, I often send them to a friend in India that is deeply immersed in spirituality. Here is what the person wrote about the stories above:

What struck me when I re-read Vijay Gupta's section on Chandramani's discovery and service of Babaji, juxtaposed with your own anecdote about the golden mountain, was how supremely identical reality and metaphor are for beings such as the Lord Haidakhan, our Mahaprabhu. This can happen only to the mind of a totally innocent child, for whom the distinction between subject and object, oneself and the world, words and objects, rocks and gold nuggets, doesn't yet exist. Needless to say, the minds that can apprehend such a state, even momentarily, must also touch it.

In Chandramani's case as well as yours, if I may put it thus, the true doer, the eternal actor, revealed Himself. Was it Chandramani who collected the water and brought it up the mountain every one of those 45 days? Was it Ramloti and her axe that created space for the new temple on the side of the wise mountain? Both of you were allowed a glimpse of how things really are, and of who really accomplishes even the littlest of acts.

The gold is the presiding metaphor for spiritual and material value here. But for both of you, the metaphor turned real, for enough time to remember it later, but not enough time, I'd say, for the experience to upset your normal consciousness. If you had both lived on the golden mountain for longer, the value of your own seva, service, would have diminished in value for you so very much that nothing you could ever do afterwards could have retained any meaning or value for you. For both of you, the experience strengthened your faith in your Guru and God, but Babaji's infinite grace allowed you to come back to your world with a renewed sense of value for your own seva, service. In this sense, these incidents accomplish for both of you what Lord Krishna accomplishes for doubt-laden Arjuna in Chapter 11 of the Bhagawad Gita. Chandramani is the little water carrier to the Being that will always be the big and the real water carrier. Ramloti is the little digger to the big and the real digger. Pickaxe and canister obey the will of the real, the true, and the eternal wielder of the pickaxe and carrier of the canister. Chandramani and Ramloti are instruments in the hands of the Supreme Lord. The true accomplisher of deeds hides behind the names Chandramani and Ramloti.

This is so always and for everyone. The Lord delights in our delights and weeps through our tears, He rests when we rest, and toils right through our sweat. There are no exceptions here. The Lord wants nothing, needs nothing, and yet, He is greedy for our love, He is thirsty for our love. He runs after His devotee, as the great Salabega once told Lord Jagannath of Puri, like a hungry calf that runs to its mother. Our tiniest call warms His great heart.

How fortunate indeed was Chandramani and Ramloti that the Lord deemed them worthy, not just of being able to offer Him their love and service, and not just of being able tangibly to perceive His infinite majesty and power, but also of being able clearly to know the value He attached to their services and love. This is where metaphor and reality merge in Babaji's rich vein of gold. 'I can bring up the water merely by wishing it, but it is the water you bring up the mountain that is precious, pure and sweet for Me,' the dear Lord seems to tell Chandramani. ‘I can accomplish all things merely by wishing them, but each little stone dislodged by your little pickaxe is more precious to me than a whole mountain of gold.’ How wonderful that the Lord turned the mountain back to rock for both of you! That is true magnificence. You are His true store of gold. Your service moves mountains for Him.

A Special Havan with the Chairman of the Haidakhan Samaj, Arvind Lal

Arvind Lal, who first met Shri Babaji in the early 1970’s and now serves as the Chairman of the Haidakhan Samaj, will be traveling to the Ashram here in Crestone with his daughter, Archana and son-in-law, Jason. We are so happy to host them, and we will celebrate their time here with a special havan on Thursday, June 22 at 10am followed by a bhandara. All are welcome to attend and meet Arvind and his family. His wife, Vandana, unfortunately cannot make it this time. Arvind has written his story about Babaji in the book, “Corporate Yogi.” You can see details below under the Maha Lakshmi Shop section.

Upcoming Events

June 3, 10am MT – Full-Moon Fire Ceremony

Join us for the Full-Moon Fire Ceremony at 10am followed by chanting and lunch.

June 17, 10am MT – New-Moon Fire Ceremony and Pitru Puja

Join us for the New-Moon Fire Ceremony and Pitru Puja at 10am followed by chanting and lunch.

June 22, 10am MT – Special Fire Ceremony with Dr. Arvind Lal

Join us for this special Fire Ceremony at 10am with the Chairman of the Haidakhandi Samaj in India. It will be followed by lunch.

Most of these will live-stream at Haidakhandi Universal Ashram Facebook Page and posted later on YouTube at the Ramloti Wood Channel.

Daily Fire Ceremonies

Our Daily Fire Ceremonies continue to be live-streamed at Haidakhandi Universal Ashram Facebook Page and posted later on YouTube at the Ramloti Wood Channel. Since I will be traveling to my grandsons’ graduations at the beginning of this month and to the German Ashram for Guru Purnima at the end of the month, they may come from San Diego, Denver, or Germany. The daily ones will continue at the Ashram with Jonathan and you may join in person but call the Ashram (719-256-4108) ahead of time since the time varies depending on weather and the day. It is usually between 8:30am and 10am.

The Ashram still needs a Newer Car

We have had no response yet with our requests for leads for a newer car. Fortunately our 2003 Honda Pilot, which has served us for many years, is still running. However, now that the miles on it are over 250,000, it feels prudent to get a newer vehicle. We would like a 4-cylinder, mid-size SUV, that gets good gas mileage that is 2017 or higher. If you have one that you would like to either donate or sale to the Ashram, please call us at 719-256-4108. Thank you for your support.

Karma Yoga

The Ashram continually needs upkeep, cleaning, repairs, cooking for visitors, stocking the shop, preparing for and cleaning up after ceremonies and much support in so many ways. We are so grateful for all that help. Thank you, this is one of Shri Babaji’s biggest teachings.

Recent Events

Many Groups Visit the Ashram

Many groups came this month from Evergreen Montesorri School, Adams State University, a retreat group on Heart Opening, a group of 6 families from Karnataka, University Youth Group from CU Boulder, a group of University of New Mexico Professors, folks from the Center for Contemplative Research, and participants in the Sun/Moon Dance.

Mother’s Mandir gets Repainted

Every few years Mother and Baba’s room needs a repaint. The large silk jeweled cloth in the back is still being cleaned and repaired.

Memorial Day Weekend

We served over 200 people on this festive weekend. So many new and old friends, what a great joy!

Heavenly Music from the Ashram Visitors

Spontaneity is a common word at the Ashram and it is beautiful to see and be part of. Here are some folks expressing their love and devotion in the Maha Lakshmi Shop and two singers sharing outside as those partaking in lunch on the lawn got a wonderful treat. Jai Ma!

Visitors

We see more and more visitors each week. Many first timers are coming as well as the folks that have been coming for over 30 years. We love and appreciate you all. Here are some of the folks that have been here this last month, other than the Memorial Day Weekend ones, we have already shown. Thank you for coming.

Ways to Support the Ashram

First and foremost is to pray, pray, pray for all the disturbances amongst people and life all over the earth. This is a time of great challenge, and Babaji spoke over and over again about the power of prayer, the mantra, havan, puja, and seeing all as children of one Divine Mother Earth.

You may also support financially by going to …

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

Amazon Wishlist

A few of our visitors noticed that we need different items to keep running this beautiful home of Mother and Babaji in the Rockies. They suggested that we setup a public Amazon Wishlist. This will allow people to buy items for the Ashram using their own Amazon accounts. We appreciate this suggestion, and we have setup our public wishlist. The details are below. Items will be added/removed from time to time, so please check periodically to see if there are any items that you would like to purchase. It is also useful to click on Remember after going to the wishlist. This will add our wishlist to Your Friends list and you can check it periodically, without having to find the link every time. Thank you so much for supporting the Ashram.

Please support the Ashram by going to our public Amazon Shopping List and see if there are any items you would like to buy for the Ashram.

• Start by going to https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3O3WGDJOD3WJY
• Click on Remember to add it to Your Friends list
• Add an item you would like to purchase from the HUA Public Shopping List to your Shopping Cart
• During checkout, please make sure to select Haidakhandi Universal Ashram's Gift Registry Address as the shipping address

Calendar of Events

Please go to our Calendar of Events page for all events.

Maha Lakshmi Shop

We have a great book about Shri Babaji:

Corporate Yogi by Dr. Arvind Lal
https://mahalakshmishop.wazala.com/products/corporate-yogi-my-journey-as-a-spiritual-seeker-and-an-accidental-entreprereneur-by-dr-arvind-la/ Bhole Baba Ki Jai! Jai Ma!