Haidakhandi Universal Ashram Newsletter
 
 




Dear Friends,


Another amazing and blessed month at the Ashram.  The amount of love and generosity that comes this way never ceases to astound me.  It feels like we are in this bubble of grace held fast by Baba and Mother.


The auction was incredibly successful and even many that did not have a chance to bid sent donations for the hermitage.  We received some sacred items from Shri Babaji’s room in Haidakhan at the end of the auction and with only three days left, they still raised over $2,000.  Just putting them up on the auction seemed to add a huge blast of shakti to it.


We have also had huge gatherings for Navratri, Hanuman’s birthday and Easter Sunday.  So many new folks are finding their way here through both mysterious and mundane occurrences.  We also continue to see and be in touch with devotees and friends who have been coming here for over twenty years.


On our Samaj conference call the other day, a couple of people spoke about how strong the shakti was in Haidakhan with 400 or more people chanting in the kirtan hall together.  They commented on a deep knowingness that the energy poured out to the whole world.  That is certainly my experience as well.  We may not have 400 people but even 20 people with one-pointed devotion and love chanting together makes the hair on my arms stand up and I am certain that the power of the name of God is radiated throughout the cosmos.


Shri Babaji said that the mantra, Om Namah Shivaya, is more powerful than the atomic bomb and I definitely agree whole heartedly with that.  When we sing it or repeat it quietly, it not only affects all the surrounding area but it is also like a bomb bursting through the Maha Maya (Great Illusion) that can pervade my mind at times.  Babaji also said that He wished all words would disappear except three, Om Namah Shivaya!  Interesting to think about this.


Bhole Baba Ki Jai!

Ramloti





This Month’s Fire Ceremonies and Schedule


The new-moon fire ceremony this month is on Tuesday, May 3 and the full-moon fire will be on Tuesday, May 17.  The fire ceremonies begin at 10:08 am and are followed by a meal.  Our evening aarati is at 6pm and morning aarati is at 7am with a paduka puja in Shri Babaji’s kutir each morning at 6:40am.  Lunch is served at about 12:30pm. The Maha Lakshmi Shop is open every day from 10am until 5pm.


If you would like to participate by sponsoring a fire ceremony, we would like to send you a blessed item from the fire ceremony. They are:


$27 sponsorship - Copper, brass, nickel Om Namah Shivaya bracelet

$54 sponsorship - Rose Quartz, Rosewood, Garnet or Tulsi Mala

$108 sponsorship - Rudraksha Mala or Copper, silver, brass bracelet


You can make the donation online by just clicking here or call 719-256-4108 or e-mail the Ashram at info@BabajiAshram.org or send us a check to: P.O. Box 9, Crestone, CO 81131.

We are continually grateful for all of your support of the Ashram.




Hermitage Fundraiser in Denver on Sunday, May 15 at 4pm


On Sunday afternoon at 4pm we will have a hermitage Fundraiser event at Shashi and Bipin Agarwal’s home in Englewood, Colorado.
 
It will begin with a puja and chanting led by Ramloti.


This will be followed by a short Bharatnatyam dance performance by Puja Allepalli.


Next will be a celebratory dance offering by Sofia Diaz from the Balasaraswati lineage of Devadasi Sadir. 



As if this is not enough glorious activities, we will then enjoy a sumptuous Indian feast made by Shashi’s 80 year-old mother, Ram Sakhi.  This will be accompanied by a silent auction of some of the items that did not sell during the on-line auction.


The hermitage is going up quickly and even with the graciousness of so many people, we still have about $15,000 in funds to raise to complete it.  We hope you can attend and please invite your friends that may be interested in supporting the Ashram. 


Call Shashi at 303-523-8627 for directions and to let her know you are coming so she knows how much food to prepare.


Om Namah Shivaya!




The Hermitages for Jonathan, Ramloti and Premanand


The building of the hermitage is amazing to watch as the progress seems to go so quickly.  Already the foundation, radiant heat, plumbing, straw bale walls and trusses are up.  It is very exciting to see, and the idea of moving into it in early June is even more exciting.  Thank you to all who have given so generously to make it possible this far.


We still have $15,000 more to raise before the completion of the project so if you have ideas for fundraisers, please give us a call at 719-256-4108. We ask each of you to look into your hearts and see what this Ashram and its staff means to you and to please donate as you are able. You may go to our website and donate through PayPal (you can even set up a monthly tithe). You can also send a check made out to HUA and designated for the hermitages at P.O. Box 9, Crestone, CO 81131 or you can call us at 719-256-4108 with a credit card number. We want to thank you in advance for your support, love and prayers.  Together, with Baba’s and Mother’s grace, we can make this happen! 




Mark your Calendar!


Annual Samaj Weekend & Vastu Puja for Ramloti’s New Home  July 23-24


The Annual weekend for the American Haidakhan Samaj will be on Saturday and Sunday, July 23 and 24.  This is our annual gathering when we share stories, inspiration, friendship and ideas for spreading Shri Babaji’s message and love more fully around the country.  There will be daily paduka pujas, fire ceremonies, aaratis, chanting and satsang.  We will also have a meeting on Saturday morning at 9am when everyone can give their input.  For more information on the American Haidakhan Samaj please go to www.Babajisamaj.org.


In addition to this, on Sunday morning we will have a Vastu Puja (home blessing) for Ramloti’s new little hermitage.  It will be so lovely for everyone to see her new home and for so many people to pray together for her new home.  To the left is a rendering of the three hermitages drawn by our Vastu architect, Simon Bialobroda.


We fill up quickly for this weekend so reserve as soon as possible by calling 719-256-4108 or emailing us at info@ info@babajiashram.org  This is always a joyful time together.






Family Week with Bobbi and Larry Cecio - July 26 - 29


The Ashram is very excited to be bringing Bobbi and Larry Cecio (and their two sons) to Crestone to conduct this year’s family camp entitled “Creating Team.”   Bobbi and Larry founded Village Gate Children’s Academy in Encinitas as well as the Village Gate Wellness Collective. Both organizations have a common purpose… To create environments where children and families are nurtured, connected and empowered.




Bobbi has spent over 17 years in the field of Education, providing learning experiences for both adults and children. Bobbi’s passion is to create environments where each and every person is known and celebrated for their unique gifts.  She has a Masters of Business Administration and Bachelors in Mathematics. For 15 years she was the head of two large private Montessori schools in New Jersey as well as serving for six years for the New Jersey Montessori Administrator’s Council.  She also has a variety of other additional certifications and trainings: She is a Certified Corporate Empowerment Consultant, a Certified Parent Educator and Parent Educator Trainer through the International Network of Children and Families and a Certified Trainer of Redirecting for a Cooperative Classroom. Additionally, she is an Instructor for Your Infinite Life Training and Coaching Company and has facilitated classes nationally for schools, individuals, families and corporations.


Larry Cecio has been a Montessori elementary teacher for the past 17 years. He began the first Elementary Program for a school in Central New Jersey where he taught for 10 years. From there he became the Director of Elementary Education for Acorn Montessori School for four years prior to founding Village Gate Academy.  Larry has a Bachelor's Degree in Education from both the Princeton Center for Teacher Education in Princeton, New Jersey and the New Gate School for Teacher Education in Sarasota, Florida.  Larry is a certified Redirecting Children’s Behavior Instructor and has an extensive background in coaching and personal growth.

Space is definitely at a premium during Family Week and it is beginning to fill up already, so reserve as soon as possible by calling 719-256-4108 or email us at info@ info@babajiashram.org.  We suggest a donation of $135 per week for adults to stay at the Ashram, children stay free. The Children’s camp is a gift of the Ashram and American Haidakhan Samaj to our families.  This should be a very fun week together.




Concurrent Workshop with Sofia Diaz - July 26 - 29


We are deeply grateful that Sofia Diaz has agreed to come for the fourth year in a row and conduct our workshop during Family Week.  Each year the topics have been deeply engaging and this years workshop, “The Spectrum of Divine Colors,” promises to be equally so.
  We are affected all the time by the energy of the Divine and some people are more aware than others of the physical properties of this energy.  We experience this through feeling, hearing and seeing.  All energy gives off a particular color and becoming more conscious of this and being able to speak about it often creates growth in our spiritual life.  Take a leap into visual and verbal awareness during this wonderful workshop.


The workshop will be each morning from Tuesday, July 26 through Friday, July 29 from 10am until 1pm.  If you have children over three years-old, they are welcome to attend the children’s program (described above) while you participate in this one.  The suggested donation for Sofia’s workshop is $108 for Samaj members and $135 for non-Samaj members.  For information about joining and supporting the Samaj go to www.Babajisamaj.org.   Scholarships are available.


The dormitory is definitely filling up quickly, so reserve as soon as possible by calling 719-256-4108 or emailing us at info@ info@babajiashram.org  This is always a transformative week together.

   



Recent Events


Spring Navratri


Spring Navratri was great.  We were so fortunate to be together during this festival and the blessings of the Divine Mother have been abundant in our lives since then.  Here are the photos of Ma for the last five days of the celebration.






Hundreds of people attended the fire ceremonies, discourses and pujas.

Ram Sakhi, Shashi’s eighty year old mother from India, was our pujari in Babaji’s kutir each morning, just like she takes care of the Babaji temple in her home village each day.  To receive chandan from her was as sweet as the touch of an angel.


We honored the children on the eighth day of Navratri and nearly forty children received little gifts.
 



The littlest girls all wanted saris at the end of Navratri, so Shashi dressed them up so beautifully.




The Third Annual On-Line Auction  - A Huge Success


So many people generously participated in this year’s auction making it the biggest success in all three years!  We raised over $13,500 toward the building of the hermitage and here it is.

It was both fun and so gratifying to see how many folks donated, referred friends, sponsored or bid on items during the auction.  There is not much more to be said other than a huge “THANK YOU” and we will do it again next year!




Hanuman’s Birthday!


The full moon in April was Hanuman’s birthday.  With the help of some of our local friends, we made a great feast and a lovely Hanuman birthday cake.  At the fire ceremony that day, we gave Hanuman a yummy panchamrit bath and dressed Him in fresh clothes.  Folks attended from all over the country, both new and old friends.







Easter at the Ashram


Seems like there is no end to surprises at the Ashram but we ended up having a huge Indian feast for over 40 people on Easter this year. The little children kept themselves busy by making paper Easter eggs and bunnies while the parents cooked. As guest arrived for lunch, each was given an Easter egg.  One gent put it perfectly when he said, the perfect Ashram eggless Easter egg!  It was a lovely day.





Calendar for 2011


May 15 - Hermitage Fundraiser in Englewood, CO with Ramloti, Sofia Diaz and Puja Allepalli at 4pm.  Call Shashi at 303- 523-8627 for directions and more information.


July 14 - Guru Purnima Day


July 23 - 24 - Annual American Samaj Weekend and Vastu Puja for Ramloti’s hermitage.


July 26 - 29 - Annual Family Week and Concurrent Workshop with Sofia Diaz.


September 27 - October 5 - Fall Navratri, the Divine Mother Festival.


October 26 - Diwali, Festival of Lights. Fire ceremony at 10am. Chanting at 7pm.




Maha Lakshmi Shop Report


The Maha Lakshmi Shop just received new shipments with new bracelets, om t-shirts, prayer flags, wrist malas, semi-precious malas, deity comic books, om kurtas and havan kunds.  Not all of the items are reflected on our website yet but you can call with questions.


Our Shop Zencart seems to be doing better but is still having some difficulties sending items to certain places in the country. Although you can view most of our items on line at www.shop.babajiashram.org you may not be able to order them.  If you come up with this problem, just call us (every day from 10am until 5pm Mountain Time) at 719-256-4185 or 256-4108 with your order, questions and a credit card number like in the olden days.  It is really nice to connect in this way, we love to talk to you.  We accept visa, mastercard or discover.


The Shop is a major support of the Ashram, so we deeply appreciate your patronage.


Maha Lakshmi Mata Ki Jai!

 

May, 2011