Haidakhandi International Journal Who or What is Babaji for you ?

Haidakhandi International Journal
Spring 2016
Who or What is 1Babaji for you ?
“I am nobody and nothing”
th
Welcome to the 13 Edition of this Journal, which is renamed the
Haidakhan International Journal and has its own lovely new website
designed by Mukundi from France on: www.hi-journal.com
CONTENTS
Theme:
Who or What is Babaji for you ?
Experiences of Babaji
3-20
21-23
News from Around the World
Serbia
24
Gurupurnima 2016 - in Holland
25
Portugal
26
Bhakti Festivals
- UK (April) and Germany (August)
27
USA – Reaching Out
28-29
Italy
30
Bulgaria
31
Australia
32
News from India
Chilianaula Navaratra October 2015
33-34
Shri Babaji’s Charitable Hospitals
35
Recent developments in the Indian Samaj
36
Hindu Festival Dates for 2016
38
Letters
New Book by Malti
Editorial
Next Generation Gathering – Holland July 2016
(Front page Tanka painted by Paulo Polli and owned by Kharku)
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39-41
42
43
Back Page
Theme for this 13th edition of the Journal:
Who or What is Babaji for You ?
It has been over thirty years since Babaji’s Maha Samadhi and
we wanted to ask how we have come to understand his
presence on this Earth in the meantime. So we posed this
question: Who or what is he for us today ? Is he outside or
inside or beyond ? And how have we distilled our experience
of him ? On the following pages are some enlightening and
profound answers from a broad range of contributors.
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What Babaji is for me ? - by Mukundi from France:
This warm, sustaining and loving presence that I feel around
me. This space of pure love in my heart and mind. This
world of silence and peace superimposed on the mundane
agitation. A deep joy, and an energy that pushes me.
- A help and a guide to access what I have always sought to reach,
- My flame of life and my reason for living,
- Beyond conventions, morals or religious precepts,
- A special atmosphere and presence that appears when people of
goodwill gather together, putting their ego aside, working and celebrating
the Divine.
- A fascinating mystery that I strive to study and understand….
Isaac Smith (USA and Thailand): For me Babaji is an
icon, an image that connotes countless stories, teachings,
principles and experiences. But he is also the anti-icon in
many ways - a stand-in for the absence of ego and an often
friendly reminder to prostrate to selflessness. Not having met the guy, it is
hard to get past this essential sketch of Babaji. He's certainly not the only
one to have taught these things. But unlike the careers of Jesus or
Muhammad, etc., there are colour photos of my half naked father
standing sunburnt next to Babaji. So my feelings for him are a bit more
visceral than with most of the great spiritual teachers.
Tamayra – from Sydney, Australia
Babaji is so part of me that there is no separation and so I
think of him as my inner beloved, my inner partner. I cannot
project him out because he is not outside but on the inside,
an intrinsic part of me, part of my everyday life. I therefore
see no point in doing rituals to try and get high !
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Atmaram from Greece: Haidakhan Bhole Baba gave us His
blessings.
He us.
gaveHe
usgave
His protection
(Abhaya Dhan). He gave
dispels the darkness
inside
us the promise
a us
paradise
(Haidakhan
Mahadham)
the world. He us
gave
the Aarti,
the Yagna Viswa
and the
Om Namahwhere
Shivayaone
so
month
of practice
equivalent
many
years ofHe
practice
in
as our mind can
be purified
andisbe
filled by to
divine
energies.
gave us
the
world.
His name which dispels the darkness inside us. He gave us the promise
that He is responsible for our liberation. What more do we need to be
liberated from ego? A bit of faith and much work! He is my Father, my
Mother, my Protector and my Saviour. Babaji is within and without, He is
everywhere, He dwells always in my heart, Babaji & I are one. I don´t
want even to think how my life would be without Bhole Baba. Glory, glory
to Bhole Baba whose Love is infinite, whose light dispels our ignorance
and takes us from darkness to light
Patsy (UK):
“Who or What is Babaji to Me ?”
Well, that’s the 64,000 Dollar question !
I walk around my flat reminiscing about some of the extraordinary
experiences I had when He was in His body; then I find myself asking Him
to help me not only write Christmas cards, but pay for them as well! When
someone I know is sick I always go to Baba for help, but don’t expect that
person to get well if it’s not in their karma. As I grow older, things I
expected to happen say 20 years ago (if I prayed to Babaji) have changed
considerably. It’s not so much a lack of faith, as a deeper understanding of
what is and is not possible. I’ve always believed that as long as a torch is
burning in England for Babaji, be it a Herakhan type Ashram, or something
simpler, that’s all that matters. The torch is what matters, the burning
flame. Nothing else. That flame burns in all His devotees. It gets turned up
and flares for a while and then it calms down and cools, but it never goes
out.
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Charlotte Yonge (UK):
I am aware of the pure intent of love, Babaji is one of the
names for this, as it manifests in many varied forms
universally. This impulse can be hidden in our lives,
and
and then when
we look back over our lives, it emerges clear as daylight.
All things can be surrendered to it, as it is the source of all things. The
way it works in my life is a mystery, but I do know its presence reveals
itself to me through several groups with whom I am involved, and I feel
privileged. One very moving presence happened to me in Bristol, I don't
know why, but it has guided and protected me in my little ways, to be
creative and understand many things, and is always there when I call out.
Chandani, Haidiyakhandi (Portugal):
For me Shri Shri Babaji is GOD, Lord Shiva in human form. As a
Silent Watcher, taking a body from time to time upon His Will, He
is eternally guiding mankind, protecting, teaching and uplifting
everyone of us, whether we are conscious about that or not.
I am not ashamed to say that He is ALL for me: Mahadev, Mahaguru,
Father, Mother, Brother, Friend... He is unfathomable, and all our
conceptions are far beyond what He really might be. He is much more
than a Guru, since he is The Lord Himself. We cannot know Him through
the mind but only through a pure heart. I feel that Haidakhan Babaji
Mahavatar has been guiding me for many lifetimes. I can never be grateful
enough for all He has been doing for me. He is pure Divine Love and
Compassion. He is THE LIGHT of Lights, THE GURU of Gurus, THE KING of
Kings. The only reason of my life is to worship Him and to serve Him.
Rob – Ramachandra (England)
For me, Babaji is Teacher and Master
O Haidakhan vale, Sadguru hai nam tera
- You are the supreme Guru.
He is also in my heart. He is represented in me every time I open my heart.
Then he exists beyond me, blossoming as compassion throughout the
universe. That alone is Love and there is no other reality in existence.
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Roxi and Rai Dass (Bulgaria):
What Babaji means to us: Babaji to us is in the
face of every visitor, in every small act of
kindness, in every word of daily kirtan.
He is what can be felt between the words of satsang, in the simple joys of
karma yoga and the loving exchanges between all who come here. He is
pure love, pure simplicity, and pure truth. We are sure his wish wasn’t for
us to blindly worship him as the One and Only, but to find the Divinity
within us, and assist others in finding theirs. It is clear to us, through the
interactions with people who come here, especially the younger
generations, that people nowadays are more cautious with regards to
religion: they don’t want always, or immediately, to attach a form to the
feeling they experience within. Babaji said, ‘I am your own self’, and he
meant it for each of us. He is in all beings, so we should start treating each
other with the same love, reverence and respect we would offer to Baba
himself.
Martin Hodgson (Australia)
A perspective on Babaji in the family: For me a family,
whether it’s your blood family or the greater Babaji
family, is like a soccer team.
In a soccer team the challenge is to all play together, to the best of each
person’s ability, for the common good of all. The key player is the goal
keeper and when the team has total trust in the goal keeper the team
plays with more confidence and is more united. So what is the goal
keeper’s role? They are the last line of defence, they keep disaster at arm’s
length, and they are the protector who allows the team to fulfil their
individual roles representing the team. But the goalkeeper can’t do the
job of the other individual players; each one must do their duty to their
utmost but they can do it knowing that each time they play, the
goalkeeper is there at the back protecting them. Babaji is my goalkeeper.
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Gomati Gilchrist (New Zealand):
I
Bhole Baba is my best friend, my spiritual mentor,
know I can always ask for and rely on His support and
protector and my dearest love. He has always been and
protection, in absolutely everything. It is clear there are few
will be. In my life Baba is always there smiling and
humans in this world who
laughing, no matter how much of a fool I can be in
I know I can always ask for and rely on His support and
attempting to live this life, or how deeply into slumber I
protection, in absolutely everything. It is clear there are few o
choose to fall... I know I can always ask for and rely on
His support and protection.
It is clear there are few humans in this world that could fill this role in
one’s personal life. I am eternally grateful for this highest gift and boon:
having Babaji’s constant presence by my side in this way. Worship of
Babaji as Shiva Maha Avatar can be formalised into rituals and pujas,
images and teachings, centres and ashrams, all of which assist our
humanness to remain connected with Him and with each other, but I feel
He has no need for these forms in order to reach us. They are for our
benefit , not His.
I have realised from direct experience that he lives within me, as close as
ever, in my every breath, every second, regardless of the outer forms I
look to for His presence. The forms and practices that bring us closer to
Him and bring us closer together as devotees are very precious indeed;
but they are not what make a devotional life real. Now that Baba is no
longer in a physical body where we have easy human contact with Him,
His ongoing presence in spirit is drawing us all upward on the spiral of
spiritual evolution, to truly let go and simply live in divine oneness, from
our own true sense of authentic spiritual authority. He is teaching us how
to live with Him in our own form, without His physical form manifest. The
more I surrender to this reality, the more I know that the inner yoga of
devotion is all I need. Through this tantra, He becomes me and lives
through me, in every step I take in this world, no matter where I am, what I
do, or who I am with. In this way His energy can instantly transmit to other
people, heart to heart, without the barriers of religion and doctrine that an
established spiritual path can sometimes impose on others.
It is my intention to continue living into and manifesting these
understandings in physical form, on 33 hectares of majestic and abundant
land tucked away in the temperate climes of far north New Zealand. Here
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it is possible to live a healthier life, closer to nature and thus closer to God
~ Mother Earth and Father Sky. It is a place to live simply, care for the land
and co-create sacred space with love. A place where diverse types of
people can quietly retreat to share in Baba's blessing, to experience fire
ceremony, to contribute to community, to find inner healing and to
nurture a deeper divine connection; without feeling they are entering a
religiously righteous zone. Soon I know I will be sharing this place in the
same spirit with other souls; all smiling with Baba alive in our hearts.
Elisabeth (Germany)
During Navaratri (1991) in Chilianaula I received a big
"Haidakhandeshwari" murti for our temple in Berlin. Over
the years we received several murtis and in April 2012
Munirajji inaugurated the fifth murti.
Since then (1991) the service of these murtis has become part of my daily
life. Aarti and pujas at a specific time on a daily basis are also part of this
karma yoga. I learned a lot about attentiveness, discipline, and releasing
my thoughts, wishes and even desires. Ever since I met Babaji, 34 years
ago, the mantra "Om Namah Shivay" impacted on me every day of my life!
Over the years I have felt that through this “temple work” (sadhana) I am
deeply connected to the Divine, i.e. with Babaji. The energy in the temple
became more refined and so much stronger. During the day I make a
conscious effort to transform and implement the many inner impulses I
become aware of in my day-to-day-life. More and more I perceived
Babaji’s guidance through the inspirations and impulses. During our
weekly aarti singing and at our monthly havan with all friends, I feel
Babaji’s Presence, His Guidance, and His Blessings so very strongly ! A
number of times, especially during the winter, we were surprised by the
presence of a butterfly that appeared ‘out of nowhere’ and we took this as
a special present and sign from Babaji for our group. A long time ago I
realised that the "Birth of the DIVINE" must happen within.
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Tara (Tatjana), Belgrade, Serbia:
Babaji is a pure Essence, my Inner True Self. He is what
remains when I do not identify with my body, emotions
and thoughts. He is protector, guide and inspirer. He is a
challenge and the obstacle, darkness and light and beyond.
When I was meditating in the dhuni, and at my home, I sometimes identify
myself with his physical body. I feel like I am him and in that moment I can
feel how pure I am despite having a body. I see Babaji in some people
that I know and in the hearts of some of my spiritual brothers and sisters.
I see it even on a physical level, since Baba transformed his appearance so
much, as if he almost could be anybody and anything. I was fascinated
when 30 years ago I saw Babaji’s picture and heard stories about him
including the fact that it is possible to materialize one’s own body. The
combination of his outside beauty and what he represents felt like a
perfect example of a human ability to connect the material with the
spiritual.
In the beginning I meditated on Babaji’s picture for a year, but he seemed
to be too far away from me with his perfection. It took me years to be able
to come back to him purified enough to start feeling his presence. For
many years I was sure that he left me and that maybe he was just an
illusion I needed, as some kind of artificial mental support. When I was
going through my darkness and hardships I felt left alone. It took me many
years to realise that he was there all the time leading me through. I felt
him as a strong awakening force that doesn’t care for my pleasure or pain,
but leads me directly to myself.
I realised what he meant when he said:
“I will teach you to be beyond pleasure and pain”. Babaji is always
teaching me about how to face darkness and light at the same time, being
aware of both but not attaching to any. This path is a combination of
discipline and play, following rules, but staying authentic, being serious in
a fight with ego, but also being able to be joyful and humorous and take it
all as a big play of universe.
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He is a powerful Wish Master. Everything I truly seek he will bring: I have
learned that I have to be careful what I wish for and many times it’s not
exactly how I imagined it would be.
Through Aarti I feel like I make connection with Babaji as a great force that
sets me free. Babaji for me is all the deities that are mentioned in the
Aarti and when I manage to stay out of the way, they solve impossible
situations in the simplest way. I see how the people around me can
change behaviour by this. I feel like all the deities are my true parents that
I’d longed for in my life. Babaji is my father and mother: strong, pure and
innocent at the same time. Sometimes I speak with him and tell him what
is in my heart; then I’m relieved of my burden and see things more clearly
and simply. It’s like I am speaking to my inner true self. When I was in
Haidakhan I felt so welcomed by him: his presence there in the kitchen
during lunch, it was like he was feeding me with love. When I leant my
cheek on the tree by his Kutir I felt like he really understood my soul, and
he is that tree. I saw him as two little monkeys playing and laughing on
this tree.
Babaji is also for me a great mystery which I have yet to
experience and fully understand: the fact that all things we see and live,
whether good or bad are just an illusion. I look forward to having this
experience one day and I feel that Babaji will show me the way.
Jelena, Serbia:
I saw Babaji in photos and read what people who met him
wrote about him. So I have experienced Babaji through
these stories, and I started to feel happy about him coming
back to us again.
One night in a dream Babaji approached me with a group of young
people; he looked very serious, like pure consciousness. His energy
started to flow through me which made my body shake from that power.
He said: “I will come again when you die”. I woke up in shock and realised
how superficial and emotional this wish is, and how far away I am from
True Pureness, Simplicity and Love.
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Deva Lila- Svetlana, Serbia:
The Silence with which my heart is speaking
That strange feeling and the sound of my heart which dances, that is You.
You lead me through Yourself with an inexplicable music of Godly notes.
As I listen to you in silence, knowing that it has sounds of its own, I feel
alive and joyful in a limitless unattainable space. Now, I am completely
sure that everything inside me has the strong echo of that wonderful and
so inexplicable, live Silence.
And that note which I am listening to…. each noise and tone is You.
And while I am listening, it caresses and leads my heart, and tells me how
wonderful it is to be free, alone and oneself.
Totally carefree
Because wherever I go
Wherever I am
I really Am There.
That limitless, inexplicable and miraculous feeling of you shows me the
way of the water, in a way that I need to see flowing within myself. Free
water, where there is no stopping, like a living stream.
Simply being
Simply loving
Simply living
Simply listening,
while I am totally surrendering to You in that divine silence within myself.
We understand perfectly everything without many words.
And we understand Divine sounds which make us unique in what we are,
Together with you Babaji.
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Donna (UK)
It seems that Babaji has many faces for me or roles to
play, even when I am not aware he is there orchestrating
events, sometimes shadow, sometimes light. One image
is of a joyful friend, he is the one who smiles and offers encouragement.
Then there is the tester and teacher who forges my spirit in the fire of
experience, the protector and guardian with constant mantra, the
supporter with wisdom and love. Through meditation Babaji was
instrumental in bringing my husband and me together and later our
cherished daughter arrived for which we are so blessed and thankful.
Sundar (Schweibenalp, Switzerland):
For me, to say "Who is Babaji" or
"What is Babaji" is a big difference !
“Who is Babaji” - speaks about his person, his Being, the divine manifest
as the maha-avatar, in human form, playing human lila; the one who was
historically present with us from 1970 to 1984 and ever before and since.
He comes as Shiva, as God manifest, as the aspects of an avatar needed at
this moment on Earth to re-establish the dharma, to help humanity to
grow and evolve collectively, and also he comes to support his/her
devotees. Oh! – But is he actually she? Or is she – him? If he is she then
he also answers and fulfils all my female projections. Yes she does.
To me, the divine-personality-Babaji appeared in my meetings with him in
body between 1979 and 1984, and since then in soul and spirit with the
divinity inside and outside. It involves our melting, our merging, our
meeting and my evolving in the past 36 years as Sundar. But I’m also a
divine manifestation in human form, and my journey involves my
purification, clearing, rising, and ever evolving in this communion and
communication with Babaji. He is Maha-Prabhuji, Babaji Shiva Avatara,
Babaji Father Mother Sister Brother Beloved. Through this meeting and
this devotional communion I received and receive all I can imagine and
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more. My life, my creative work, my slow rising and evolving is, ever and
always, connected to he whom I call Babaji, my Gurudev with whom I am
One and who is my direct mediator and not separate from God-GoddessAbsolute (Ed: see ‘What is Babaji’ below).
I have an evolving relationship
through 36 years, from being his creature and devotee to being his
brother and co-creator of lila and life. Being One, Him being in me and me
being nothing but Him, and to me being the unity of Him and me. So
acting in the World has become very unified, has become very smooth,
very intuitive and guided knowing Babaji is with me. Babaji has become a
voice in me speaking to me at times in various situations and
circumstances. He has become a ‘voice’ answering my questions and
although he has never failed, I still don’t rely on him completely. I also
take full responsibility for myself.
So ‘Who is Babaji?’ – He is the one in the pictures and yet he is more and
different. He is the one in the temple, even more powerful and almost
overwhelming; almost physically present he is the one present in the Kutir
here in Schweibenalp. Here, often, He is one and unified with many other
divine beings and all aspects of the great collective Avatar community,
which combines so many aspects of Love, Light and all life.
"What is Babaji’. For me, I call it Purusha. Essence. Christ. The Christbody.
Purushotama Sat-chit-ananda. Yes, every attribute and every name given
to him is what he also is for me. My heart beats with all these attributes
and all these names of God that I know, in all traditions. Life and creation
are such a miracle and so multifaceted and multidimensional. Regarding
all this universal higher knowledge and understanding, I myself focus best
on it as His/Her Unity and Oneness.
Speaking and writing about you Babaji makes me drunk, crazy and
boundary-less. Can’t you stop it? Aren’t you exaggerating now?
As Jalaludin Rumi sings:
“All I hear is the Call of the Beloved.
All I feel is the Touch of the Beloved.
All I See is the Face of the Beloved. “
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Harita Lynn (Köln, Germany):
I am looking back on 27 years with Babaji.
His picture
struck me like lightening . I had found it in the library of a
Buddhist center during the lunch break of a seminar. Some
weeks later I had my first chandan in Schweibenalp from Sundar: I was
standing in line expecting what I considered to be just yellow stripes; this
whole centre and ceremony seemed just folklore to me. I liked to be part
of it, but didn‘t have any idea of it‘s deeper meaning. While standing in
line, somebody talked to me and explained that you could ask Babaji to
take something away from you, something that troubles you, something
that you don‘t need anymore in your life. Oh that‘s an interesting thing I
thought,
I can try that out.
So suddenly waiting in line became a
contemplation about what I would want to get rid of, now having an
unexpected chance to do this.
It came to my mind that I was often in
trouble because I did things differently to others. However this was never
my intention but it seemed to be because of something twisted in me.
That lead me to a certain focus on doing things right, in the sense of how I
was expected to do things, and so it led me straight to the life of a rebel.
That again caused a lot of fighting which prevented the loving energy from
flowing.
I had done a lot of analysis on this already: it was a diagnosed
obstacle, a feeling of "being wrong" in general that was corrupting my
system like a virus.
So by now I was standing in front of Sundar and going down on my knees
and presenting my forehead to receive, what I considered to be, my
stripes. "The other way round!" I heard Sundar say. I realised that I had
put my head down "the wrong way". It was like a clap on my brain. I was
bursting out in laughter while I turned my head on the other side.
Chandan was cooooool and smelled so good. Then this red point
...KumKum and the rice. I received all blessings with that truth, that it is
really no big deal to be different. But if you don‘t know better you listen to
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others and cooperate. Be yourself and be kind to those who make
mistakes. Even to yourself. Go beyond wrong and right. So simple. So
true. So full of love. Nobody behind me in the line reacted as if something
special had happened. People seemed to be familiar with what they called
"Babaji Lilas". When I got up I looked differently at the world. I started to
see what it means to teach without words. What happend inside me could
not possibly be put into words. My cells KNEW. It was like an antibiotic,
the size of the sun, releasing that virus.
Of course it did not vanish from my life from one moment to the other.
But I learned to transform situations and fights Babaji created for me over
the years, and I found out that "doing things wrong" actually can lead to
the most amazing experiences with people, if I am able to let go of
judgement. In fact it has become a daily practice. I never met Babaji in his
body but I am ever so grateful that he blesses me with the presencepresent of his spirit, and he smiles at me even in my darkest moments. If I
can be the last of the pupils...I am still in the class. But it is not about
wrong or right. It is not about good or bad either. It‘s just about being in
his presence...it is there, where we receive the presents... :-)
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Gaby (UK):
In 1983 before I met Babaji I just had come through a
series of unpleasant and confidence shattering events
both on a personal and professional level. So
somewhat bankrupt, I met Babaji. Right from the very
start this felt like I had been running my life on a 25 watt light bulb, but
now had entered a 1000 watt light bulb field. Consequently my six weeks
with him turned into a 24/7 light shower experience, which kept mirroring
and cleansing me of my negative mental debris, my nagging self doubt
and infused me with constant transformative surprise teachings. It turned
into the most enlivening and radical healing event of my life, incomparable
to anything I had experienced before (or after). After his Samadhi I kept
topping up the experience mainly by attending navaratri festivals in India
and more recently through the European Guru Purnima festivals, apart
from the various solo practices at home.
What helps the most is simply remembering. When I remember just his
name, it works like a cue word that logs me straight into him and the
mysterious reality of the present moment. Babaji is so sound. There are
many times when this doesn’t work, mainly because I have not tried to
remember or because I have lost faith. Faith is key. At this very moment I
am glad to say that my faith and therefore experience of the intangible
nature of Babaji comes more freely, it’s less of a struggle. It is like grace.
Ask me what was going on last week, I might tell a different story. But even
the difficult times I see as his grace now, a new lesson he wants to teach
me even though it may involve a lot of soul searching hard work and
discipline.
So meeting Haidakhan Babaji was the most mindblowing experience of a
lifetime. Back then, and for many years after his mahasamadhi, he was a
perfect blank canvas for my idealistic projections. Nowadays the photos
and the rituals have lessened in importance. What is left is a Feeling. A
Feeling which often comes through silence and stillness, in the absence of
photos, words and concepts. A Feeling I get through friendship, work and
nature, and it comes with an increasing sense of gratitude.
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Nagini Devi (USA and New Zealand):
“Getting to the top of the mountain”
I will cut to the chase, to talk about the first of a zillion
“What Babaji means to me” stories.
The time period was 1977-1978. I had already had a rather difficult long
haul getting to India, as we all did in those days. The physical journey
started in San Francisco. Eventually, through a laborious circuitous route,
the last plane arrived into New Delhi at the usual 4am. “Now let the Games
begin.” The assault to the senses included the very air itself, which had a
“peculiar to India” smell of smoke and body odours. Visually, the
atmosphere could only be described as a dense brown haze that tangibly
“hung there” letting the newly landed visitor or the returnee know that one
had truly “arrived” in India.
Off I went with a perfect stranger to Arvind Lal’s clinic, where Babaji had
told me, through letters, to go immediately upon arriving. Once there, a
funky, black Ambassador taxi cab, with a white turbaned driver, agreed to
take a few of the latest arriving devotees to Haldwani. Ten dusty hours
later, the taxi dropped us off in front of Muni Raj’s rather small storefront.
We sat inside on a long bench, while Muni Raj conducted business with
three gentlemen. He read the newspaper, smoked a cigarette, served tea,
and then arranged for us to be taken by bus to the Dam site. I seem to
remember a huge mound of unwashed potatoes in one dark corner.
Nobody ever talked to us directly, either. More hours drifted by. At the
Dam site, we walked across a suspension bridge stretching the width of
the river Ganga below. We had no guide. None of us knew each other, nor
had we ever been to Babaji’s ashram. On the other side of the swaying
bridge, we simply turned left and started walking. Because the river was
flooded in many areas, we had to wade across up to our chin in places, 11
different times, switching from side to side, until we could finally go uphill
to a jungle pass that took us the rest of the way. We never saw another
inhabitant or habitat for that matter. Yet it never crossed our minds to be
worried. We knew with a silent, unshaken belief, that we were in Babaji’s
territory, therefore, protected. We never even talked to each other the
whole trek. The scenery was spectacular, from the far mountains, the
18
green verdant terraced rice fields, and the huge blue sky that stretched
forever, to the meandering famous river below. One of the young men
from Southern India, coming to see Babaji for the first time, had a relapse
of malaria about four hours into the walk. I dosed him with the Bach
Rescue remedy so he was able to continue the rest of the day. He thought
it was a miracle. 13 hours after we came to Haldwani, we saw the ashram
buildings in the distance. That certainly felt like a miracle to all of us,
coming across Shangri-La.
My first “Live” encounter with Babaji, found me on my knees, nothing new
there, washing my face in the concrete trough, so hot and thirsty, drinking
the water right out of the spigot, without concern for the quality. I was so
thoroughly absorbed that when I did open my eyes, I was surprised to see
two plump brown feet balancing on the edge of the trough right in front of
me. I looked a bit higher, stunned by a flash of neon blue silk. Gazing
upward, my heart beginning to race, I saw a full on figure of the exact
Babaji I had already been seeing in my dreams and meditations for the
last year. I finally met His magnificent sparkling eyes, His drop dead
gorgeous handsome smiling face, and that ‘Cheshire cat’, all knowing,
obviously amused, GRIN! I screamed at the top of my lungs, falling
forward in a dead swoon. When I recovered he had vanished.
At Darshan that evening, I went forward in the cue, bowed full length, and
then turned to leave. He had Sheila Devi stop me. Babaji put a mala
around my neck and said through Sheila Devi:
“It has been exactly 108 years since you have been with me. Lord Lakulish,
all the gurus and the teachers you have studied with, have gotten you to
this moment. There is nothing more for you to do. You have reached the
Top of the Mountain.”
19
Paramanand (Poland):
Lately Babaji acts more as my Manager. Every day a meeting for five
minutes helps me find the right line of action. I was dissatisfied by the
poor abilities of my manager on the job and had to put the problem at
Babaji's feet. It helped a lot to get edgy solutions on controversial issues.
Also it helps me to get the right behavior towards the right persons. If all
companies would have Babaji as their manager, there would be much less
waste. Most of the people talk too much, do too much, but not the right
things. Five minutes every day with the manager of the universe with your
tiny little and big matters, makes a world of difference.
Shri Munirajji Maharaj
20
“I am only a mirror in which you can see yourself.”
Experiences of Babaji
First Christmas in Herakhan
In December & January 1981/82 my husband Ramananda and I visited
Shri Babaji in Herakhan. These three weeks were an unforgettable
highlight of my life right up to today. This is what I wish to share with you.
Herakhan was filled with Babaji’s divine presence. I was wrapped up in
this presence day and night when I was doing Karma Yoga and especially
in the temple. Babaji created many situations for me that shed a new
light of consciousness on several parts of my personality. Step by step I
was able to let go of things, and I was getting more and more familiar
with the mantra Om Namah Shivay.
Up to that point in my life I didn't know much about spiritual masters, and
the meaning of mantras, etc. I was learning something new every day.
Every time I made pranam in the temple I was getting more conscious
about the importance of letting go of all my secret thoughts and wishes.
In that very moment when I was bowing to Babaji he always ‘showed’ me
these secret wishes. One of the most important aspects of his teaching
was to show me – inside, without speaking to me – that I was welcome to
bow in front him, but at the same time I was being asked to connect with
the most High. It was as if he did not want any cult around his person.
Every time I wanted something from him for myself he simply ignored
me, but if I succeeded in connecting with the ‘Highest’ while doing
pranam, he smiled at me when he gave me prasad. Every morning and
evening, every pranam, he was a clear mirror. So he was giving me the
clearest of signs to connect to the ‘source of all creation’. This teaching
still has a very strong impact on my life today.
So my experiences in Herakhan are still with me today. I am deeply
grateful for these presents full of mercy!
By Elisabeth from Berlin (Haidakhandi Spiritual Unity Center, founded 1983).
21
Babaji in daily family life
By Nan Singh from Australia
In 1977 I was living in Haidakhan with Shri Babaji. At the end of the year I
returned to London and later, in 1979, I met my wife who was from
Australia. I told her that I wanted to see Babaji again. She also wanted to
meet Baba: we felt that if we were to be together we should seek Baba’s
blessing on our union.
Once again I came into His presence, and we lived in Haidakhan for some
months. Having received His Blessings we came to Australia, but within
two months we discovered that Bhuri was pregnant with Twins! We had
little money and now a family on the way so all thoughts of a quick return
to India disappeared. When the twins were born I sent their photos to
Baba and asked “Would he please name them?” After sending the photos I
received a strong letter from my father in England saying that if I gave the
twins Indian names he would never forgive me. Duly the photos arrived
back from India, Baba gave the twin boys the names Herbert and Martin!
With no thought of being able to return soon to India we opened a small
whole food store. In the middle of the store was a big picture of Babaji
and our customers often asked who it was ? In 1984 the first meeting of
what would later become the Australian Samaj was held in our home in
Melbourne by which time we had a dedicated puja room in the house,
which people visited each week. In 1986 our third son was born (my
father had mellowed a little by then) so Shri Muniraji named him Govind.
When Govind was about 18 months old we awoke one night to find he had
disappeared - we found him sitting cross legged and upright in front of
Baba’s shrine where a light was kept burning 24 hours a day.
Eventually we moved to the countryside where we live today and where
Shri Munirajji visited in 1991. Now we have a temple in the forest on the
property (Shri Muniraj named this temple Shri Maha Deva Dham Mandir
and he activated our murtis here of Shri Maha Dev and Shri Batuk
Bhairav). Many people have come for darshan of the murtis and to attend
fire ceremonies at the dhuni. When I go to the houses of our sons I see
pictures of Shri Babaji, when I look at the wrists of not only my sons but
also my daughter-in-law, they wear Om Namaha Shivaya bracelets. My
22
sister-in-law and mother-in-law keep photos of Baba and talk to him.
Recently a friend of my mother-in-law was having the experience of
objects banging in the night and things moving around in the house. My
mother-in-law gave her a picture of Babaji and told her to put it in the
house. From that moment all the disturbances ceased.
In 2015 my brother and my sister from England visited us separately, both
expressed an interest in coming to the haven and both were deeply
touched. Govind now lives in London and before coming home for
Christmas said to me on Skype: “Dad can we make sure we do a havan
together when I’m home”. Our grandson regularly travels with me on car
journeys and every trip begins with a loud chorus in unison of “Bhole Baba
Ki Jai !” and, “Om Narayan !”
So if you have had the patience to read this far, what does all this mean
for our experience of Babaji in our daily life ? He is a part of our lives,
always somehow present, never too far away, frequently in our
conversations and the guiding light for the whole family. Does this mean
we don’t experience all the stresses, difficulties and sometimes frictions of
family and individual lives? Of course not. Our weaknesses, illusions,
desires, fears and frailties are as strong as anyone’s, but beyond that
when we care to look - there is this loving light burning in our midst
sometimes we experience it strong and clear, and other times it’s harder
for us to see, but it is always burning.
23
News from Around the World
Serbia
by Tara
Hejrakandi, Belgrade, Serbia
c/o Tara (Tatjana), Belgrade
[email protected]
+38-1640-551-972
Two years ago in Babaji’s Haidakhan ashram I received the message that I
should open a Babaji centre in my homeland. Since I am international
traveller I wasn’t sure that I am the most suitable person for this and also I
was not sure in which place to do it. So I started with daily Aarti practice in
my home, unsure what to do with this task that was always in the back of
my mind. I then realized that I am the “Center” by myself, so maybe that’s
what it is all about. How to transfer this inner feeling to others? And I’m
also unsure as to how long I will live here. But then my friend Jelena
contacted me and we start feeling strong spiritual connection. I asked her
if she would join me for Aarti and she was very happy to do so and felt
herself totally in it. I realised that now two of us are the “Center.” So I
organised weekly Aarti in my modest home and call the centre Hejrakandi.
Recently a third friend Deva Lila (Svetlana) joined, and then another. Our
rd
first group Aarti was on October 23 2015. This ‘Centre’ is really just a
small pioneer project. I perform a short Puja at the beginning of Aarti,
and printed out books (some in English and some I’ve found in Serbian
language) and photos of Babaji. I made a small donation box and started
sharing information on Facebook. Someone came with an Indian drum
and now I am searching for the best way to get a harmonium.
All the time I am meditating on this one message Babaji left us: to unite
around similarities instead of being focused on differences.
I would
appreciate any suggestions about the best way to present Haidakhan Aarti
and its meaning to people. [email protected]
24
Gurupurnima – Holland - 16th – 19th July
Guru Purnima is the ‘birthday’ celebration of the inner and outer
Guru. This festival is dedicated to Mahavatar Haidakhan Babaji and
Shri Muniraj Maharaj, who are the inspiration and guiding force for
our ashram. The outer and inner Guru represents the Light that
dispels darkness. To book: www.babaji.nl/en/guru-purnima-2016/
25
Portugal – A New Babaji Samaj
by Anandi
Portugal’s Babaji Samaj is located in Funchal the capital city of the
Autonomous Region of Madera, which is a Portuguese archipelago in the
Atlantic Ocean, 980 km southwest of Lisbon, 660 km west from the African
Coast (Morocco) and 400 km north of the Spanish Canary Islands.
Madera is 50 km long and 20 km wide. It is a territory of 747 Km2 with a
population of 254,000 - 40% of which is concentrated in Funchal.
Our Association ‘Light-to-Earth‘, which is our Babaji Samaj, is situated in
São Roque, the most rural parish of Funchal town, in a quiet housing area
with good accessibility and is 7km from city center. The Samaj has 14
associates, but there is a larger group of around 30 people who attend the
ceremonies (havan, aarti and paduka’s puja) and all are connected to
Sadguru Haidakhan Babaji. The foundation dates from 3rd of November
2013 (Diwali day).
The President of the Samaj is: Anandi (Ana Isabel
Teixeira de Freitas). Address: Rua Dr. José Maria da Silva nº 26, 9020-415
Funchal, Madeira Island – Portugal Phone: Mobile 00/351/96 315 0414
(Anandi) Email: anaisabel.108mail.com Webpage: www.yogainjoy.com
Dear Anandi,
How nice to hear from you and to get this wonderful news that we now have
an official Babaji association in Portugal in the name " Light to Earth " My
heartiest congratulations to you and all your members for your dedicated
service to get this association registered. I wish you all success and may Shree
Babaji guide you to move forward in spreading His message and to do service
to humanity. In case you need my guidance or advice , I am there to serve
you. Bhole Baba Ki Jai !
With much love & good wishes. Alok
26
UK – Bhakti Gathering - 29th April to 2nd May
http://www.ukbhaktigatherings.co.uk/
Germany - Bhakti Soul Festival – 18th August to 21 st August
We are so happy to announce the First Bhakti Soul Festival
from August 18th to 21st here in our ashram in Rieferath. Four
days of celebration, dance, poetry and satsang, embracing and
fostering the Bhakti Soul: the energy of love and devotion to
God that expresses itself in so many beautiful spiritual
traditions, and in their many different forms of divine music
and art. See: https://www.facebook.com/BhaktiSoulRieferath/?fref=ts
27
USA - Reaching Out – the purpose of an Ashram
By Ramloti
I am so grateful to have been a part of this Ashram for over 25 years now.
Yes it is located in a unique place in the world where 26 spiritual groups
from around the world are gathered together in friendship and
cooperation. Yes it is located in one of the most beautiful places in the
world where the air, the water, and the land are still in its pristine state.
Yes, it is perched on the side of 14,000 foot mountains that have quartz
and gold in them and at an altitude of almost 3,000 meters bringing
amazing energy to the place. Yes, all of these make for a special place but
they all pale in comparison to what this Ashram decided many years ago
and continues to honour in its 30-year history. I remember many years
ago, after building the smaller part of the temple, huddling in front of the
wood burning stove in the one small building with no electricity or
plumbing. As we discussed why we were building this Ashram, we all
agreed it was to live lives of truth, simplicity, love, and service as Shri
Babaji had taught us. We talked a bit of how some communities give up
their vision and ideals to become big and profitable, and we decided at
that time that we would rather live in tents the rest of our lives and stay
true to our vision of Babaji than to compromise for growth or power.
I am grateful to say that we have stayed pretty true to that vision. I told the
Board of Directors that we were short handed and if we cannot be there
for the people to share with them about Shri Babaji and His teachings,
what are we here for? So all twelve Board members agreed and we hired
our first employee to help with the cooking. As we hired a few more
people for other jobs, there is less money for building, but we trust in
Babaji and so it has happened. Eventually there was money to expand the
temple to seat over 200 people. After sleeping on the crowded floor in the
yurt for nearly ten years, the beautiful solar, straw bale, five-bedroom
dormitory was built. In time, I imagine, as we cram 150 people for dinner
into our earthship kitchen overflowing it to sitting on the shop floor, we
will get a larger space, but there is joy in not having and a certain flexibility
and adventure in learning to deal with what is. We all learned this with Shri
Babaji. Really, who ever thought you could get 15 people into one car and
survive in the over 100 degree Fahrenheit (45C) weather of India! What a
28
master trainer He is!
And now, as we have our weekly family meeting,
we often discuss the importance of being there for our visitors. On a
personal level, I feel that every meeting is an encounter with the Divine
whether it is a shop customer or a tourist coming to see the temple. All are
invited to share a meal, to have something to eat or drink, and to ask any
questions. I am often amazed at the satsang that happens in the Maha
Lakshmi Shop and how deep and lasting associations to the Ashram are
made from these seemingly random occasions. We also reach out by
going on tour with Shri Babaji’s padukas leading chanting and fire
ceremonies around the country. We do our best to honour requests to
come and bless new homes, babies, birthdays, and businesses. When
people call in any kind of pain, we offer to put their names or their family’s
name at the Divine Mother’s and Shri Babaji’s feet.
We also continually try to reach out to our Crestone community. I serve on
the Crestone Spiritual Alliance Executive Board, several of us are members
and train with the Crestone Mountain Fire Coalition (I look pretty funny in
my fire fighting outfit!). Just today, the director of Dharma Ocean Buddhist
Retreat Center came with a cake for us to thank us for cutting wood for
their large retreat that is going on, as they were running out. This morning
three of us at the Ashram attended the Karma Kagyu Buddhist Center as
they offered prayers and lamps at dawn for World Peace. Today’s New
Year’s lunch will be full with folks from all over the world and from the
many different spiritual traditions. I am so grateful to be part of this
Babaji Ashram in the beautiful Rocky Mountains of Colorado.
For more information go to: www.babajiashram.org
Reaching Out - to Florida in 2016
29
Italy
News about Villa San Secondo, Asti
from Jai Anand and Daniela
We spent our New Year celebration in Villa San Secondo, the Babaji Centre
in Asti, North Italy. We were about 30 people, including many young
people. We are very pleased with these younger people, who increasingly
live in the Ashram feeling at home, taking more and more responsibility.
Now they are beginning to organise seminars, the first of which is in
March this year on the subject: ‘Communication’. They have invited a
professor from the University of Turin who will hold the seminar. Great !
We had a Havan on the first of January and it was really nice. We spent
four wonderful days in warmth, harmony and serenity. Thanks to Baba
everything goes well.
Bhole Baba Center Cisternino
from Enzo
Since January 1, 2016 the Bhole Baba Center of Cisternino is managed by
the new Association Bhole Baba, created thanks to the joint efforts of the
Bhole Baba Foundation and the Italian Samaji. The Centre has stepped up
its activities and is hosting events and seminars that can be followed on
the website www.bholebaba.org And especially on the Facebook page:
www.facebook.com/pages/Fondazione-BholeBaba/848668171837989?ref=aymt_homepage_panel
The new association is made up of a group of devotees, both old and new,
and it is working profitably and with great understanding. They improved
both the welcome and the hospitality thanks to the contribution of new
energy. The intense Karma Yoga has allowed us to collect more than 300
kilograms of olive oil. The garden is still active and pujas are practiced
daily. Due to the blessings of our Master the centre remains alive and vital,
and we also thank those who support us with their financial aid and with
their affection.
30
Bulgaria - Sri Haidhakandi Surya Kiran Dham
by Roxi & Rai Dass
th
We are in the 7 year since the Bulgarian ashram was born, completing
the first major cycle. It was marked by an extraordinarily high level of
materialisation. New spaces have been created or upgraded, and it’s clear
that filling this space with life will be the main focus of the next 7 years,
with more practices that serve truth, simplicity and love. As a first taste we
had the Heart Oracle seminar, which was very successful, leaving everyone
enriched and uplifted with a powerful new tool for intuitive insight.
This year we decided to put the ashram online for volunteers (e.g.
www.workaway.info). This has been a great new way of connecting with
people from all walks of life. Many different volunteers came, some
spiritual, some not, some became good friends. Most of them had never
even heard of Babaji before and it was a joy for them to learn new things
and experience the devotional energy of the ashram. Many found new
views on life and were inspired toward their inner growth. We also had
visits from the Haidakhandi family, and we hope that such visits will
increase in the years to come. Next year we will be constructing a new
multi-functional building that will serve as accommodation, as well as a
space for group events. We are holding the first Spring Navaratra hosted
in the ashram. It will take place at the end of this first cycle, to express the
gratitude for our experience of the last 7 years, and it will invoke the grace
for the future. We are very excited by these future developments and
wish & hope that many of you will come to experience the place with us.
Feel welcome to visit us any time.
[email protected]
31
Australia - Babaji Centre at Tanja in Southern NSW
by Nan Singh
As we wrote in December: The Australian Samaj has a major decision to be
th
addressed at the next AGM on 17 January 2016. The Samaj faces some
serious financial issues. The decision to be taken is about the future of
the centre.
nd
Writing on 22 January: Well we have now held the AGM and I am so
happy to report that it was probably one of the most productive meetings
the Australian Samaj has ever held with some devotees travelling
hundreds of kilometres to attend. The energy for the centre and the
Samaj was renewed, revitalised and re-energised with a strong
commitment from the members to support the centre with both money
and effort. Some of the outcomes and motions passed at the meeting:
- All members are to be asked to pledge by direct debit, a small weekly
amount to help with the current financial situation and to date there are
seven pledges.
- There was a re commitment from all who can to attend regular Karma
Yoga days to maintain the property.
- The Samaj will advertise, within the Babaji family and friends, for a
pujari/caretaker to live at the centre.
- Nan Singh will spend at least one night a week at the centre and
undertake Aartis and Kirtans and provide training for those who wish to
learn Aarti puja. Lakshmi will also come to play harmonium and sing
Kirtan and Bhajans .
- There will be fortnightly Havans at the centre in addition to the
regular havans and pujas led by Tiger Singh and Nan Singh at the temples
in their homes.
We now go forward asking for His blessings on all these activities.
32
News from India
With the divine blessings of Shri 1008 Babaji, I take immense delight in
sharing this report of the Ashwin Navratra Celebrations 2015, at the
Anandpuri Ashram at Chilianaula. The fact that the celebrations
occasioned only peace, joy and love, is a testimony of the astounding hard
work put in by the devotees and functionaries of the ashram. My heartfelt
thanks to everyone who worked in the selfless spirit of karmayoga to
make these celebrations so wondrously joyful. May Babaji fill each one of
us with his divine grace. Shri Alok Banerjee, Chairman, Haidakhandi Sama j
The picturesque Anandpuri Ashram was abuzz with heightened energy
th
st
as we entered the Ashwin Navaratras (13 to 21 October 2015). The
freshly painted walls radiated a charged atmosphere: the work of visible
and invisible Karma-yogis moving the proceedings forward seamlessly.
The seemingly effortless proceedings were the culmination of countless
hours of effort put in by the ashram residents and staff. Babaji’s grace
descended upon several new young devotees who added to the charm
and magic of these sacred celebrations. As always, the numbers of
devotees kept growing each day. The Ashram had to borrow rooms from
the Ayurveda facility to accommodate them. Many were already staying in
nearby guest houses. The celebrations were enriched by devotees from
Russia, Germany, USA, Latvia, Bulgaria, UK, Greece, Romania, Holland,
France, Ireland, Slovenia, Egypt, Poland, Sweden, Italy, Australia, Canada,
Hungry and Korea. From within India, devotees came from Jammu,
Bombay, Bihar, Rajasthan, Ludhiana and Southern India.
The morning chandan & arti was sublime; the paduka and devi pujas were
warm; the Saptasati & havan were intense. The bhandara was indulgent.
We built-up to the devi bhagwat ushered-in Babaji’s padukas and
crescendoed through the bhajans accompanied by passionate dance at
night. It was all a miracle of divine orchestration: what we call ‘Baba’s
leela’. We have all been through it a number of times, but still it always
feels as if it was happening for the very first time. We never know what to
33
call it - his love, his grace, his kripa… Bhakta vatsalta tumhari kaun hai nahin
janta, par bhakt main to hoon nahin yeh satya hi main manta !
There were
old kirtan singers singing alongside the new, with the old dancers dancing
with the new. As Udaybhai put it so well: “the rising up of a Spiritual
discotheque.” There were all kinds of dancing: our very own Devi
performed an inspired traditional devotional dance; an impromptu
Bulgarian belly dance performance from another devotee; and the joyous
dance expressions from Bihar, Rajasthan; and finally, of course, the
ecstatic rhythmic swaying of the seated audience - all were expressions of
the divine choreography, all orchestrated by Mahaprabhuji, Shri Shri 1008
Haidakhandi Bhagwan.
By Shri Sanjeev Sarna
"Unite in love to elevate yourself. Each one of you must vow today to
sacrifice everything to obtain oneness with yourself" - Babaji
34
Shri Babaji’s Charitable Hospitals
www.babajiayurveda.com
www.babajihospital.com
GOOD NEWS
for the New Year !
I am delighted to share some good news regarding the Shree Baba
Haidakhan Charitable and Research Hospital - we have just tied up with
Dr. Shroff’s Charity Eye Hospital, New Delhi, one of India’s foremost
facilities in the domain of eye treatment and surgery, with a view to
improving the standards of treatment and service for the poor in the
Kumaon Himalayas. Shroffs offers cutting edge treatment on a par with
the best in the world. They will be helping us re-vamp our processes and
services in a structured manner. They have extensive experience in
mentoring organisations like ours and will be assisting us as follows:
1. Helping us develop proper strategic direction to develop a long term
expansion plan with regards the needs of our region.
2. Conducting manpower audits and training gap analyses and provide
training to different categories of employees.
3. Providing an ophthalmologist on rotation, and identifying and training
an administrator.
4. Assisting and training for proper quality systems, and developing audits.
5. Advising us on requisite equipment in line with our needs.
6. Helping in capacity-building and in demand creation.
7. Assisting us in the development of information systems and in sourcing
integrated hospital management software and training.
Our arrangement with SCEH will run for 2 years from1 January 2016. With
these professional inputs and experience on board, we expect the hospital
to truly serve the people in a manner that is world class. We are all
working very hard together to make this vision a reality. I hope every
member of the Samaj will be as happy as I am with the progress made
thus far and will work united to take this further.
Alok Banerjee
Chairman
Haidakhandi Samaj
35
Recent developments in the Indian Samaj
Dr Schroff’s
by Shri Uday Chatterjee
Shri Babaji’s Hospitals
In addition to the Indian Samaj signing the landmark agreement between
these two hospitals, the following projects are active:
1. Your Indian Samaj is working on a plan to implement a Girl Child
Initiative to cover about two hundred girls in Haidakhan and Chilianoula
area, who are from economically deprived families and are deserving and
who will be identified through due diligence. We propose to take care of
tuition fees, books and uniforms for these girls, and to monitor their
progress. This Initiative is still being formulated and will in all likelihood be
operational by spring Navaratri.
2. We are undertaking an initiative for the Ayurveda Hospital to upgrade
the interiors and facilities, as well as implementing a software system for
the Ayurveda Hospital to offer its advisory services on the internet to
clients all over the world.
3. This year we have had a busy Shivaratri Program with Babaji’s Padukas
going to three homes in Bombay before going to Manda Ashram for
Mahashivaratri.
4. We are proposing to have a whole day Thinking and Planning Session in
early March in Delhi to discuss long term plans to improve our activities
and discuss comprehensive measures to make the Samaj more relevant
for the future.
I have one other humble comment to make, not so much as an advice to
anyone, but something I would like to encourage for the Indian Samaj: to
identify noble programs and involve more participation by devotees. This
can help to lift the level of discourse and make the Samaj more relevant to
society and its devotees.
36
I am Bhole Baba (Simple Father)
37
2016 DATES
AUGUST
nd
2
Amavasya
th
7
Nag Panchami
th
15
Independence Day
th
18
Purnima & Raksha Bandhan
st
21
Shri Muniraj Samadhi Divas
th
th
24 /25 Krishna Janmashtami
SEPTEMBER
st
1
Amavasya
th
5
Ganesh Chaturthi
th
9
Radha Ashtami
th
15
Anant Chaudas
th
16
Purnima
th
30
Pittar Amavasya
OCTOBER
st
1
Ashwin Navratri STARTS
nd
2
Gandhi Jayanti
th
9
Durga Navami (Navratri ENDS)
th
10
Vijay Dashami
th
15
Sharad Purnima
th
19
Karwa Chauth
rd
23
Ahoi Astami
th
28
Dhan Teras
th
29
Choti Diwali
th
30
Diwali, Amavasya & Lakshmi
Pujan
st
31
Annakoot
NOVEMBER
st
1
Bhaiya Dooj
th
14
Purnima & Guru Nanak Jayanti
st
21
MahaKal Bhairav Jayanti
th
29
Amavsaya
DECEMBER
th
13
Purnima, Dattatreya Jayanti
th
25
Christmas Day
th
29
Amavasya
FEBRUARY
th
8
Amavasya
th
13
Basant Panchami
th
20
Babaji Mahasamadhi
nd
22
Magh Purnima
MARCH
th
7
Maha Shivratri
th
9
Amavasya
th
12
Babaji Prakatya Divas
nd
22
Holika Dahan & Purnima
rd
23
Dhulandi
APRIL
th
7
Amavasya
th
8
Chaitra Navratri (Samvat
2073 starts)
th
13
Baishakhi
th
15
Shri Ram Navmi
th
16
Navaratri Ends
th
20
Mahaveer Jayanti
nd
22
Hanuman Jayanti & Purnima
MAY
th
6
Amavasya
th
8
Parshuram Jayanti
th
9
Akshay Tritiya
st
21
Buddha Purnima
JUNE
5th
Amavasya & Bat Pujan
th
14
Ganga Dushera
th
20
Purnima & Kabir Jayanti
JULY
th
4
Amavasya
th
6
Rath Yatra
th
15
Dev Shayam Ekadashi
th
16 Shri Muniraj Jayanti, Kark Sankranti
th
19
Gurupurnima & Vyas Puja
PROVISIONAL DATES FOR 2017:
th
Maha Shivaratri
25 February 2017
th
th
Chaitra Navratri
28 March to 5 April
38
Letters
From Sundar Baba (Schweibenalp),
Dear sisters and brothers.
Please receive my best wishes for the next year of work and joy!
I feel Babaji is very close with us and helping us in these difficult times for
the planet and humanity. All of us are very protected by His grace and
whatever will happen we are with the knowledge of being part of the
Divine Being, Energy and Love – eternally and also independent of this
body and incarnation, while we do our best here.
The two weeks around Xmas and New Year we had a full house of about
100 guests at Schweibenalp, coming and going, letting go and refueling for
the coming year. It is a great pleasure to see, how they drink the spiritiual
energy of the place loaded with Divine energy of Babaji and universal
spirituality, peace and unity. Only a very few of them were devotees of
Babaji. Anyway, by communicating freely with each other and with nature,
and through introspection and pujas, the guests experienced their
authentic selves, and opened up to share love and receive love and let go
of stress. Without exception they gave thanks when they left and we who
live here as community members all know this opening up is the most
natural and human way to be and live. Thank you Divine mother, thank
you Babaji.
I was personally very fortunate to have my entire family here visiting: my
brother and his family, my children with their partners and in the
meantime 4 small grand-daughters. What a grace and blessing by the Lord
to see all this young life! For four days Gaby, Rob, Usha (and Stefano)
were with us, our extended family since 30 years, a special treat and gift to
all of us, as years ago we spent lots of time with each other when the
children were small. There is so much deep bonding between all of us.
Rob, Gaby and I and our kids shared a lot, and also about Jai Ho and how
important fellowships of friends are for the Babaji family, how meaningful
our readiness to be there in this time for the spiritual family and to be able
to encourage and support wholesome impulses.
39
We also shared our belief that inspite of the difficult situations on the
planet in economics, ecology, religions, global culture, violence, injustice,
wars…..inspite of the present strength of the holders of the ritual of hatred
and war, greed, money accumulation and power etc.....our coming
together for rituals of love through fire, arati, friendships, becomes even
more important. We also feel that anytime a shift can happen for the
good, an unexpected turn around with the help of the Divine forces.
As before I want to assure you of my strong feeling of support for Jai Ho,
even though I am so occupied with several other projects. I am looking
forward to our next Gurupurnima in Holland and hope our first Next
Generation Gathering will have great success.
From Nila Caddy:
Happiness - the Core Teaching of Babaji
Happiness is like the Sun, it radiates out, wants to give of itself… Everyone
who is happy likes also to make other people happy. Babaji kept saying to
us again and again: Be alert ! Be attentive ! At the beginning of the path
our emotional being, as well as our mental being, are generally filled up
with a lot of plus and minus programming, until we get liberated from this
by our own inner work and endeavours. We must become alert and learn
to discern what makes us happy and unhappy. Om Namah Shivay! And
always call for divine assistance to help us extract what pulls us down, all
the anxieties etc. Through focus and inner devotion the certainty grows
that God really does everything: moves our difficulties out of the way so
that we can receive what we really need. With this certainty comes peace;
happiness can bloom and increasingly fill us up. But even then be alert,
for the human ego is deceptive and cunning.
‘Overworked and under
loved’ – who does not know this feeling ? “Work is love in action” (a
Findhorn teaching). So if you work with love, you will never be underloved, because you are in the space of Love. And that fills us with
Happiness. The loving partner, the true friends – boys and girls – the
fulfilment of our heart´s deepest desires – all these are toffees given to us
40
by God at the right time on our path, so that our trust in the Love and
Grace of God increases. It is then that we begin to wander on this earth
with Him as our best friend. Inspired by Him to do all actions, being his
hands, his eyes, his feet with all our heart and full of Joy. That way we
serve him, by doing good to all beings near and far, but not forgetting
ourselves, for we are also precious to Him, and if the instrument is not fit
we cannot fully serve with joy.
Thankfulness: if bliss is Heaven, gratefulness is the key to heaven. The
small demons of dissatisfaction will never be satisfied, never have enough.
Meanwhile the angels are living in happy thankfulness praising God in
blissful joy, just like our soul is blooming through devotion to God. Our
ego does not like to be devotional and cannot imagine God to be more
intelligent than itself. It wants to control us with its presumptions,
haughty dissatisfaction, criticism and judgements. But the Soul is waiting
to be recognised so that it can take over the guidance for our being, and
Babaji is waiting too….… and time is running out.
“We are all one with each other and with God.”
41
MANTRAS FROM THE VEDAS - MEDITATION IN MOVEMENT
Maria-Gabriele Wosien (Malti www.sacreddance-wosien.net) is publishing a
wonderful 60 page DVD-box, containing the book + DVD of the Mantras in
Movement, in February 2016. It includes 19 watercolour paintings by
Babaji. To buy (€25 or £20 +p&p) please contact: [email protected] (Helen and Werner Dormann) and www.metanoia-verlag.ch
I Cosmic Landscapes – Images of the Soul:
III Stage and Filming
with Babaji Paintings
1. Gayatri Mantra
2. Shanti Mantra (1): ‘Om Dyauh Shanti‘
3. Mahamrityunjai Mantra
4. Shanti Mantra (2): ‘Om Sahanau vavatu’
5. Shanti Mantra (3): ‘Om Purnamadah’
II Aspects of Sacred Art
1. Time – The Yugas
2. Rishis
3. Mandalas
IV Steps and Mudras
All Five Vedic Mantras - Texts and
Movements
4. Mantras
5. Mudras
42
Editorial
What can we say ! Such an amazing variety of contributions to the theme.
It was Gayatridevi who suggested the theme for this Journal. She helped
us realise the importance of an enquiry on ‘Who or What is Babaji today
for us’. How we have come to understand his presence on this
Earth? How we have distilled our experience of him ? Many write that
our awareness of his presence has shifted from his outer form to an inner
feeling of love, oneness, inner beloved, and as Sundar writes: “Being One,
Him being in me and me being nothing but Him….He is One and unified
with many other divine beings and all aspects of the great collective” So it
seems that we all have a profound personal relationship with him still, an
eternal Presence of the numinous in our lives. Om Namah Shivay.
Please continue your support of his charitable hospitals and ashrams in
India both by coming to our festivals and Ashrams, and by donating to our
Indian charitable projects (See: http://hi-journal.com/index.php/news-fromindia/open-giving-site-for-donating-to-indian-hospitals-and-ashrams/
The now named Haidakhandi International Journal (HIJ) is published twice
a year for each Navaratri time. It is edited and published by Rob and Gaby
in Oxford supported by the Jai HO admin group and the Editorial Advisory
Board of Alok, Gayatri Devi, Lok Nath, Raghuvir and Kharku. Publication is
on the website http://hi-journal.com/ administered by Mukundi in France,
and also on the Indian Samaj website: www.haidakhandisamaj.org
administered by Maheshanand in Holland.
The responsibility for the
content lies with the Editors supported by their Advisory Board. However
the Editors do not take responsibility for individual’s stories or articles. We
often need to edit information sent to us for the purpose of shortening
the length of articles or improving written English or presentation.
Please contact the Editors on [email protected]
Journal 14 will be published in September 2016 on the theme:
Service to Humanity/Service to our Community
- What are we doing as an organisation?
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