Ashram Newsletter - January 2024

January 1, 2024  |  by Ramloti

Dear Friends,

As we move into the New Year, we extend our prayers for greater understanding, patience, compassion, peace, and love. May Mother’s and Baba’s light shine on all of us as we make our way through this Kali Yuga. As I recite the Maha Lakshmi Stotram each day at the fire ceremony, I often see Lakshmi on Her lotus assan rising into the world. As She does, She is bestowing Her sattvic qualities of goodness, purity, positivity, truth, serenity, balance, peacefulness, and virtuousness on the whole world. May we all feel this.

As I shared last month, I was in India at the beginning of this month. I went to Shri Babaji’s beautiful home in Haidakhan at the beginning of the trip and completed my stay in New Delhi at the Paduka Puja at Drs. Arvind and Vandana Lal’s home. It was a time of many emotions, mostly blissful but also some challenging.

A few weeks before the trip I had been walking down to the havan kund at the Ashram and suddenly I felt a jabbing pain in the ball of my right foot. On inspection later, I could see no wound or sticker, but the pain persisted. After a few days, I began soaking my foot more seriously and indeed a small piece of splinter could be extracted with a needle. Even though I put peroxide on it and bandaged it, the foot became infected, and I ended up in the emergency room Thanksgiving morning. Prescribed some antibiotics, the doctor said it was all too swollen to do more at that time. With little improvement and a looming trip to Haidakhan with its rugged terrain in two days, I went to the doctors on Monday, and she prescribed a stronger antibiotic, took x-rays (which showed no fracture or metal or glass in the foot), and said I should be fine going to India.

So, the antibiotics, which I am not accustomed to taking, and the pain if I stood on the foot too much, certainly made my trip to Haidakhan different. I spent a lot more time in bed, limited my trips across the river bottom and up and down the 108 stairs, and did not take my morning and evening baths in the Gautama Ganga River, which I love so much. But different for me is often helpful so that life does not become habitual. I had more time for japa and to contemplate the meaning of what Babaji meant when He said, “This is why we make you all do the japa (chanting). We want to empower you through chanting, so that if we say something in the future, you will follow it.” (Which I wrote about in last month’s newsletter.) As I did my japa and sat at morning and evening aarati, it seemed as if I could feel some of the dross that filled my mind dissipate, leaving me freer to experience the present moment. I also got to experience that Shri Babaji’s energy and presence were equally strong in Haidakhan whether I was 100% healthy or not. Heading to Delhi was a long and hard day. The trip out of Haidakhan is about an hour and a half of bumpy, curvy road. I got sick to my stomach, never a fun experience. The next step to Delhi was waiting at the train station for an hour and then a 51/2-hour train ride and a 45-minute taxi ride. By the time I arrived back to where I was staying in Delhi, I was exhausted, concerned about my aching foot and whether I should see a doctor in Delhi, and wondering if I had made the correct choice to come to India with it.

But after a day of rest, I attended the Haidakhan Bhajan evening at the Stein Auditorium at the Habitat Center and was inspired by the singing and energy of it all. Here is a short unprofessional link to the final bhajan that I took sitting back in the audience. https://youtu.be/ctPzsQRc90s

If you would like to watch the whole 2-hour concert, here is the link professionally recorded by the Haidakhan Samaj. https://youtu.be/zwWuL_KAApc

The next three days were full of chanting, aaratis, chandan, fire ceremonies, recitations, and big feasts.

The event was blissful and sitting with so many devotees singing their hearts out really inspired me. I could feel Shri Babaji’s presence so strongly and His message of universal love as I sat with folks from all walks of life from India and around the world. I was grateful I could be a part of Babaji’s “message of humanity” and grateful I could make the trip despite the foot. I learned a lot about the power of the mantra, as I said it a lot, particularly when I was in pain.

I am deeply grateful to Arvind and Vandana Lal and their family for hosting such a joyous event to bring Shri Babaji’s Padukas from Haidakhan to their home. It was truly an event to remember.

Sending love and prayers to all,
Ramloti for the Ashram

Remembering Marge Devivo

On December 15, Marge Devivo left her body after many months of cancer and hospice care. Right up to the end she was posting inspirational messages on her “on-line Ashram” which served thousands of people. She met Shri Babaji in the early eighties and began a physical Ashram with her husband in Malmo, Nebraska upon their return. It was a sweet and beautiful place in the middle of cornfields of the Midwest which I visited several times. After its closure, she began her “on-line Ashram”: teaching, inspiring, and supplying Babaji items around the world. She is missed by so many, but we are comforted knowing that she is in the arms of Shri Babaji and that her love carries on throughout the world in those that were touched by her love and devotion. If you would like to watch a Zoom Satsang with her and Gayatri Devi on YouTube, here is the link: https://youtu.be/C0RpIb3knLs

Bhole Baba Ki Jai!

Tribute to Jaswant

Our dear brother Jaswant, also known as Jim Craig, passed into the Light on Christmas Day at the age of 87. Jaswant visited his beloved Babaji in Haidakhan many times, sometimes with his wife Kalavati and his son Mohan. In Canada they offered aarti and bhajans to devotees.

We remember him well for his full and loud laughter.

May Babaji continue to bless him.
Bhole Baba ki Jai!

Upcoming Events

January 11 - New Moon Fire Ceremony, 11am MT

New Moon Fire Ceremony, pitru puja, and chanting followed by a meal.
Live-streamed at Haidakhandi Universal Ashram Facebook Page and posted on YouTube at the Ramloti Wood Channel later in the day.

Makar Sankrant and Beyond in Florida

Makar Sankrant is the auspicious day that Shri Babaji said there are no evil influences on the earth. It is believed that the sun begins its upward journey on this day bringing new light and power to our spiritual practices after six months of diminishing energy. In Haidakhan we chant through the night, have a large fire ceremony, and take a special bath in the Gautama Ganga River.

The bath is always cold in Haidakhan (northern India) at this time of year but to celebrate this with a special bath here in Colorado would require a pickaxe to break the ice to even find the water! Wisely, we have found places with warmer water to celebrate Makar Sankranti. It turns out that Florida is pretty lovely in January, so most years we have traveled there.

We will continue this tradition this year. Here is our schedule: January 14 and 15 – Treasure Island. We will have Paduka Puja and Aarati at 10am followed by the Sacred Fire Ceremony at 11am followed by a potluck. On Jan 14 we will take our Makar Sankrant dip in the Gulf of Mexico in the afternoon. Call Sharda for details and directions at: 727-303-5522

We will then move to the east side of Florida, where we will do the following fire ceremonies, all beginning at 11am and followed by potlucks. Friday, January 19 – Tequesta – Call Elaine at 561-398-2711 Saturday, January 20 – Delray Beach – Call Sal (after 6pm ET) at 561-715-7966 Sunday, January 21 – Jupiter Farms – Call Sari at Transformational Studies Institute – 561-744-9123

And then on to Arizona!

Saturday, January 27 – Gilbert, Arizona – 11am Fire Ceremony. Call Vibha at 602-326-1163 for details.

Daily Events

We continue to do Aarati each morning at 7am and evening at 6pm. You are welcome to attend. We also continue our daily fire ceremony, which is generally live-streamed at Haidakhandi Universal Ashram Facebook Page, except when I am traveling. You are still welcome to attend at any time, just call the Ashram first at 719-256-4108 as the timing varies depending on the day and the weather.

Recent Events

Shri Shastriji’s Family

Many of you are familiar with the writings and speeches of Shri Vishnu Datt Shastriji. He was always the high priest at all of Shri Babaji’s functions. He wrote the Haidakhandi Sapta Sati and many other books about Shri Babaji. He was also the one who was given the secret mantra by Mahendra Maharaj by which to identify Shri Babaji when He returned, which he did in Vrindabam in 1970. I was fortunate to travel to Haidakhan with his nephew, BRK and to meet with three of his sons and one daughter on my trip. I felt Shastriji’s blessings often on the trip. Here are a few photos.

Haidakhan

Here are more photos of people and scenes from Shri Babaji’s home in the foothills of the Himalayas.

Paduka Puja

More images from those special days as well as the fire ceremony the following Monday at the Lal’s home.

Mountain Smoke Offering (Riwo Sangchö)

Riwo Sangchö is an ancient and powerful Tibetan ceremony and a strong practice for healing our environment; removing all obstacles to our own health, happiness and spiritual progress; accruing merit; and paying karmic debts. The Ashram was invited to participate in this ceremony and some of us attended. It was organized by White Jewel Mountain and Manitou Foundation. It was held at Hanne Strong’s home and was a great opportunity to partake of this sacred ceremony and connect with many of the spiritual groups in Crestone.

Christmas and the Day after Christmas Fire Ceremony

Karma Yoga

Life continues to be busy at the Ashram and so we have lots of karma yoga to do. Here are some photos.

Visitors

The weather has continued to be primarily mild through this month of December and so we have had so many visitors. We treasure you all.

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
• Venmo (@babajiashram)
• 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

As you have read, I just returned from India. While in our Ashram in Haidakhan, I purchased many malas that I took to the Gautama Ganga River and washed; took to the Sacred Dhuni and blessed; I also took them to Shri Babaji’s assan for blessing and finally they were placed in the Divine Mother Temple for aarati on the Cave side for blessing. There are several on our website if you would like to purchase one and here a few with their links.

54 Bead knotted Rudraksha Mala $45
https://mahalakshmishop.wazala.com/products/sacred-rudraksha-mala-54-beads-blessed-in-haidakhan/

Silver and Tulsi Bead $45
https://mahalakshmishop.wazala.com/products/tulsi-beads-strung-with-silver-and-blessed-in-haidakhan/

Lovely Amethyst 108 Bead Knotted Mala $45
https://mahalakshmishop.wazala.com/products/amethyst-mala-blessed-in-haidakhan/

Heart Opening Rose Quartz 108 Bead Knotted Mala
https://mahalakshmishop.wazala.com/products/rose-quartz-mala-blessed-in-haidakhan/

I also had the opportunity to buy several gorgeous pure silver Om Namah Shivaya bracelets. They are adjustable and fit most any wrist (we also have some extra Large on the website as well):

The thinner 3/8 wide Silver Om Namah Shivaya is $108 and can be found at: https://mahalakshmishop.wazala.com/products/3-8-silver-om-namah-shivaya-bracelet/

And the standard half inch wide with coral stones on the back is $195 and can be found at:
https://mahalakshmishop.wazala.com/products/5-8-silver-om-namah-shivaya-bracelet/

The Maha Lakshmi Shop makes up a large part of the Ashram budget, and is open daily from 10am until 4pm. Thank you for your support.

Bhole Baba Ki Jai! Jai Ma!