International Haidakhandi Journal

Spring 2015

Death and Birth - the cycle of life

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For On-Line version of this Journal see: www.internationalhaidakhandijournal.com

Babaji 3 Fire of Transformation - by Gaura 4 Theme – Death and Birth - The Cycle of Life Birth of the World - a Hindu Creation Myth 6 Play your part in life, but never forget - by Gayatri 7-8 ‘Kicking the Bucket’ - Festival of Living & Dying 9 Make friends with the Mystery that is Death 10-11 The World Child - stained glass by www.rodfriend.com 12 News from Around the World Russia 13 Holland 14-15 Italy 16-17 USA 18-19 United Kingdom 20-21 Poland 22 Germany 23 Sweden 24 Haidakhandi Samaj - News from India 25 Shri Babaji’s Charitable Hospitals and Ashrams 26-27 Last in Chilianaula –by Kanta, Germany 28-29 Hindu Festival Dates for 2015 30 Jai Haidakhandi Outreach 31-34 Letters 35-37 Planetbabaji and Radio Haidakhan 38 Editorial 39

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We all must offer our lives for the welfare and security of society.

This is our , this is our , this is our repetition of the Name.

Babaji 3

Quote from ‘Fire of Transformation’ by Gaura Devi

6 November 1981: Today there is a huge crowd of people around and Babaji looks tired, irritated and He tells many of them that they should leave. I feel a heavy presence in the atmosphere, a chaos of energies which have to be ordered, cleaned, purified. When people arrive here they think that Babaji can solve all of the problems they have in their lives; I sense their intolerable level of suffering, it is apparent to me and the situation seems inextricable.

However, within two or three hours Babaji has changed the dynamics, making everybody work a lot at various tasks, not allowing anybody time to meditate or think about their personal problems. People have to move quickly, adapt their minds to the task in hand. In the evening all the people are so tired that they can hardly move and Babaji smiles with amusement, because now people’s minds are in a state of surrender and He can begin His work. He works with the energy of the heart, directly, straight and powerful, cutting through everything. We have to come to terms with all our feelings, confront the darkest and most painful aspects of ourselves, which can be distressing, and become fully aware of who we really are. He promises us tremendous joy at the end of the journey, a joy emerging from His eyes, in all of His gestures and movements. He is sure of Himself, perfect, impeccable, strong, gentle and flexible, ever changing, totally free and spontaneous, the all.

Please keep Gaura Devi in your prayers. Her health is not good now.

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Why are you looking for me here or there ? I Am the one who fulfils everything. I breathe through your breath; I speak through your voice. I Am the supreme creativity in you, I sustain and support you. I Am the one who walks with your feet, I Am the great mystery of the sweet simplicity. There is no place or particle in Creation that my Fire does not penetrate. I Am both, the seeker and the object of the search. I exist from time immemorial and I will always exist. Whatever path you seek, you will always find me. I Am the way, I Am the wanderer, the eternal flame and the Sun of the Suns. I am who I am and I will always be. 5

Theme – Death and Birth - The Cycle of Life

Birth of the World - a Hindu Creation Myth One Hindu creation myth says that before time began, there was no heaven, no earth and no space between. A vast dark ocean washed upon the shores of nothingness and licked the edges of the night.

A giant Cobra floated on the waters. Asleep within its endless coils, lay Lord . He was watched over by the mighty serpent. Everything was so silent and peaceful that Vishnu slept undisturbed by dreams. Then from the depths a humming sound began to tremble… ….. It grew and spread, filling the emptiness and throbbing with energy.

The night ended, Vishnu awoke. As the dawn began to break, from Vishnu's navel grew a magnificent lotus flower. In the middle of the blossom sat Vishnu's servant, . He awaited the Lord's command. Vishnu spoke to his servant Brahma: "It's time to begin….Create the World !"

And a wind swept across the waters. Vishnu and the serpent vanished. Brahma remained in the lotus flower, floating and tossing on the sea. He lifted up his arms and calmed the wind and the ocean. Then Brahma split the lotus flower into three. He stretched one part into the heavens. He made another part into the earth. With the third part of the flower, he created the skies.

The earth was bare. Brahma set to work. He created grass, flowers, trees and plants of all kinds. To these he gave feeling. Next he created animals and the insects to live on the land. He made birds and many fish. To all these creatures he gave the sense of touch and smell. He gave them the power to see, hear and move. The world was soon bristling with life and the air was filled with the sound of Brahma's creation.

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Play your part in life, but never forget that it is only a role. by Gayatridevi

I have recently been hearing about various personality conflicts in our Babaji family around the world which are preventing people from working together, and so I would like to share with you a few quotes that might be helpful in dissolving the blockages that our egos construct. I don’t think it helps to hear the different justifications for any rebellion, because the reasons are unimportant. What I do feel is vital is that we each make a commitment to question our stance, our thoughts and our projections, and be willing to look deeply into who or what is actually driving the bus !

Once you attribute your behaviour to a cause outside of yourself, you are caught in a trap, and I think we can all benefit from a reminder of the underlying truth of who we are, so that we might break free of the illusions that cause so much pain to our hearts. Real can be born out of discord when we realize that we’re all in the same boat, constantly faced with the paradox of being in a semi functional human suit while at the same time being the divine totality itself.

The first quote that I wish to share is from a Course in Miracles: “Beware of the temptation to perceive yourself mistreated.”

I love this and it has come in handy many times when I have been involved in a personal drama, because I always like to think it’s someone else’s fault. But this quote reminds me that the problem actually stems from my inability to see clearly! In other words, when the temptation this quote speaks of presents itself, if we could shift our awareness to noticing rather than reacting, we could then see the gift or possibility being offered and use the conflict as a doorway to higher consciousness rather than get trapped in the outer circumstances.

I think this is what Walt Whitman was pointing to in this quote: “Have you learned lessons only of those who admired you, and were tender with you, and stood aside for you? Have you not learned lessons from those who braced themselves against you, and disputed the passage with you?”

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I know for myself, it was really hard sometimes when we were building the ashram in Colorado to accept the decisions made by a majority vote, especially when they weren’t my preferred choices. We had to make the harmony of the group a primary objective, setting aside our personal agendas over and over, so that progress could be made. And now, when I look back, I am grateful to the ones who seemingly stood in my way. They helped me to realize that it doesn’t matter so much what the ashram looks like, but rather the spirit of unity in which it was built. When Babaji was in physical form, we all worked tirelessly in this spirit, out of love for Him, and this is the only way we will be able to progress in peace and harmony.

Here is another quote, this time from , which for me is a crucial point to remember:

“Do not take Life’s experiences too seriously. Above all, do not let them hurt you, for in reality they are nothing but dream experiences… If circumstances are bad and you have to bear them, do not make them a part of you. Play your part in life, but never forget that it is only a role.”

In my experience, this is one of the direct teachings of Babaji, that we suffer only in as much as we are attached to this theatre and believing in the importance of our roles! He existed as the pure mirror of our divine nature, while at the same time reflecting that joyful hopelessness of the characters we all play. If we could see that this life, these positions, opinions and roles we often fight to uphold, the desired outcomes we strive to achieve, and the whole spectrum of emotions which arise, are no more or less important than what we were dreaming last night, then we could enjoy being in these human forms much more than we do, without turning everything into such a serious drama.

And this brings me to the last quote I want to share, by Denis Waitley:

“Life is the movie you see through your own unique eyes. It makes little difference what’s happening out there. It’s how you take it that counts.”

I want to end by saying that the divine in me truly sees, loves and honours the divine in you, no matter what the roles we hide behind ! 8

‘Kicking the Bucket’ - Festival of Living & Dying - by Gaby

As part of the Oxford UK ‘Kicking the Bucket Festival of living and dying’ kickingthebucket.co.uk, I attended an evening entitled Why we need rituals in our lives, with an emphasis on last rites. Speakers, representing Judaic, Hindu, Pagan, Buddhist, Humanist and Muslim traditions, shared how their last rites are carried out. This gave a rich and varied tapestry of the many different ways we honour our dead.

While each presentation was very different and unique, all of them had at the same time a universal appeal which felt very comforting and unifying. In the Jewish tradition for example, there is the ‘shiver’, a seven day period in which the family and community take over all the daily chores for the bereaved, allowing them to do the one thing they really need to do at that time, which is to mourn. The pagans light a big fire; sing songs to Mother Earth and her cycles of death and rebirth, where death is merely seen as dormancy, a sleep before the next awakening. In both the Hindu and Buddhist traditions chanting the Name of God, and the recitation of mantras, is part of the ritual in support of the deceased, but also as a comfort for those who remain behind. A Christian priest who works in a hospice offers his dying patients Holy Communion and anointment with oils or simple non-Christian prayers containing words of love, peace and blessings and the offering of rose petals - a ceremony that invites the entire family. All cultures perform rituals to mark the important stages in a human life, including that of our death. So Why Rituals ? –

- Rituals create order - at a time of destabilising transition - Rituals give meaning – at a time of uncertainty - Rituals create community - at times when we might feel lonely and isolated - Rituals handle ambivalence – which often occurs when we are at the threshold of something new. - Rituals engender mystery – When we live in an age of materialism and control, rituals give a sense of search, play, mystery and wonder which is vital for the human soul to live and thrive.

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Make friends with the Unifying Force and Mystery that is Death

This is a short article inspired by ‘Griefwalker’ - a film

During the UK Gathering in Swindon, on Lord Bhairava’s day last November, and again in the Oxford ‘Kicking the Bucket’ Festival, a Canadian called Stephen Jenkinson talked about dying. He also introduced his film on the subject (see link below). Stephen works in Canada and the USA with the dying and their families. He also teaches doctors and nurses about how to work with those who are dying. He found that there is a strong desire among people to talk about their experiences of death and grief, and especially to be heard by others. It is clear that in some cultures, particularly Western, a palpable feeling of isolation grows up around people’s encounters with dying.

Working with the dying, such as in a Hospice, provides conversations around people’s fears of dying or being bereaved. It offers something vital and needed for both the dying and their relatives and friends. Starting such conversations amongst our friends or loved ones earlier in our life helps us make friends with the great unifying force and mystery that is death. Our Bhakti Gathering in UK helped provide just such a needed soulful, community building experience around our fears about this subject. Stephen encouraged us to embrace death: “Death as the great equaliser: rich, poor, left wing, right wing, female, male, atheist or religious death does not discriminate between us, and we will all die successfully.” He emphasised that we all should make friends with our future death. And if we are grieving we should not isolate ourselves but talk about our feelings of grief and loss, however unbearable it might seem. In fact he says that grieving is a skill rather than a feeling. He even suggested we should sing our hearts out about it, to dance and to celebrate death today. These conversations, and even celebrations, help us attend to and meet our fears.

From research in this field it seems that our most common fear is that we will have no presence among the living after our death. Let’s give thanks

10 for our lives, and approach our dying as if it is an ‘achievement.’ “Try not to come to your dying as an amateur !” Stephen says.

If our loved ones are terrified of us dying, know that that terror will not be present in our loved ones after our death. One grieves – one shares it with others - but one feels loss alone. “I cannot go on – but, I am going on….” So it helps us to really embrace grief, like a lament. Real human kinship is rooted in grief - it helps build community.

Griefwalker is a 1½ hour National Film Board of Canada feature documentary film, directed by Tim Wilson. It is a lyrical, poetic portrait of death. If you would like to see a trailer of this film click on: winterbhaktigathering.co.uk/film-griefwalker/ A few of the themes appearing in the film: Where does our culture’s death phobia come from? Is there such a thing as good dying? How is it that grief could be a skill instead of an affliction? Who are the dead to us? How can seeing your life’s end be the beginning of your deep love of being alive?

On The Death of the Beloved everything, to which we bring our best John O’Donohue (extracts from a poem) refinement.

Though we need to weep your loss, Let us not look for you only in memory, you dwell in that safe place in our hearts, where we would grow lonely without you. where no storm or night or pain can You would want us to find you in reach you. Your love was like the dawn, presence, beside us when beauty brightening over our lives... brightens, when kindness glows and music echoes eternal tones. The sound of your voice found for us a new music that brightened everything…. When orchids brighten the earth, Your mind always sparkled with wonder darkest winter has turned to spring; at things. Though your days here were may this dark grief flower with hope brief, your spirit was live, awake, in every heart that loves you. complete. May you continue to inspire us: to enter We look towards each other no longer each day with a generous heart. from the old distance of our names; now To serve the call of courage and love you dwell inside the rhythm of breath, as until we see your beautiful face again close to us as we are to ourselves. in that land where there is no more Though we cannot see you with outward separation, where all tears will be wiped eyes, we know our soul’s gaze is upon from our mind, and where we will never your face, smiling back at us from within lose you again. 11

The World Child born out of fire and water (+ earth and air) – view sideways 12

News from Around the World

Haidakhandi Love Center (Russia, Zaluchnoe) is preparing for next spring-summer season. The real, pure and austere beauty of this place, little by little, starts to open through the debris and thickets, and it becomes a little comfort of life for people. Of course, it would be good to become a part of a Russian Samaj. But with the Samaj organization difficulties still remain. While the organization is not yet ready, the land remains in private ownership. We believe that this is a temporary phenomenon.

And Pujari writes from Drozhzhino project Russia:

I had a meeting with Giriraj at the end of last year and understand that the Russian Samaj registration was not accepted by the authorities. First he had to change the name from Organisation to Association, but then for other small reasons it was still not accepted. He felt, and I agree, it was Babaji not letting it happen yet. So Giriraj will facilitate one or more meetings with Durgadas, him and me, to see if we can come to peace about the past, and create a Samaj that all devotees would like to be part of. We also need some clearing about the Drozhzhino project.

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Holland and the Kirtan Festival in May 2015 - by Aradhana & Kailash

Inspired by the Bhakti festival organized by devotees in the UK, we are inviting everyone to a Kirtan Charitable Festival at Sada Dham Ashram in Holland on 29th to 31st May 2015. We hope to keep kirtan going for a continuous 48 hours! We want to make it an open festival where we devotees of Babaji can exhibit what fits in our programs like: Ayurvedic healing & food, Hatha , yoga, Healing & consultations, workshops, chai-shop, market, etc. How much of all this we can muster up depends on your participation as we are but a limited group in Holland but very open to the international community. Please contact us if you like to participate, and we have some space for consultations. The regular ashram program of aarti, havan, will continue as usual. To maintain the wonderful project going that we do in our hospital in Chilianaula, we are dedicating the profits of this festival to the eye department there. There will be a stand with information about the latest developments in the Hospital. We hope that our Chairman of the Indian Samaj Alok Banerjee will come over from India for this occasion. Alok is a great dolak player and has a great feel for kirtan also. If you have any ideas how to maximize the donations we can create together for the hospital please contact us. 14

There will be an international array of musicians including: Turkantam, Moti Ma, Pujari, Tabla Tom and Dharmanada. From outside our group we can also enjoy the internationally famed Praful, Maneesh the Moor and whoever else Babaji may guide to the stage here. We hope that this event can be a continuous devotional offering to the Divine, and invite you all to come. It will be a great help in our organization if you can reserve in advance. Please spread this news and use the poster. See the website kirtanbenefitfestival2015.com for information. For questions and reservations write to [email protected] News, video’s etc. is also given on www.facebook.com/KirtanBenefitkirtanfestival

Sada Shiva Dham Ashram by Bhaskaranand

Through the years the Dutch ashram has received many visitors. Yes, people come here to attend Aarti, Havan, or , but also our place is visited by people who ask for a guided tour and want to understand what we are doing here. It’s not only those who pass by on a walk in this attractive environment who show interest, but we also regularly receive groups such as: neighbourhood groups, families, housewives, rotary club, teachers with their students, etc. They will often ask for a guided tour which takes of about one and a half hours. Most of these visitors are very open and it is a joy to show them around the ashram and tell them about our temple and Babaji and his universal teachings. For us here this is a good way, and a great delight, to share Babaji's teachings with others.

Soon, at the end of May, the Kirtan-Benefit-Festival is coming and we also hope to attract people who are completely new and have come to enjoy the vibrations which kirtan singing brings. And as usual we will be celebrating a full Navaratri from 21st to 29th March. If you don't go to Haidakhan then this is a good place to celebrate !

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Italy - and Gurupurnima 2015 by Raghuvir

Cisternino Stories of disagreement in Babaji’s family in South Italy have circled the globe. Since 15 years or so, each chairman or organizer has been confronted with enormous criticism and non-cooperation. One after the other was met with the same fate. We pray that with their big Italian hearts they will pull it together again and we will once again celebrate Babaji’s harmony there this summer. It will take REAL harmony to preserve one of Babaji’s oldest ashrams outside India. And after India, Italy has more Babaji devotees than any other country. This is what can happen anywhere really, if we cannot overcome our small me-and-mine world. Instead let us selflessly, creatively support Babaji's works into the future !

We all, world-wide, have to take a lesson from this as we are now missing the physical guidance of Shri Muniraj who cannot intervene or guide anybody when we go off track. We need to do this work together - to keep Babaji's energy places around the world in good working condition for Babaji and ourselves, but also for those who may come to His feet in the future. If we cannot work together, we will go down….and not only do we fail Babaji, but we actually fail ourselves.

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However there is a small group that is pushing forward to organise Gurupurnima in Cisternino. So happily we now announce that the international 2015 will be held in Cisternino, Italy this year. The celebrations are at the height of summer and are promising to be warm, colourful and exciting - we can count on these qualities from the Italians ! They are less famous for their organisation skills and to give them a hand it will be great if you can make your reservations to attend as early as you can. It would be great if you have time to go there before and help with the preparations. Support of all sorts for the Cisternino Ashram, including financial, is highly appreciated !

The Gurupurnima in Cisternino is 30th July to 2nd August

And Jai Anand writes: “For the Summer 2015 edition of the International Haidakhandi Journal we will write an article on the situations in all the Babaji centers in Italy.“

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USA by Ramloti, Haidakhandi Universal Ashram

Death and Birth – The Cycle of Life

This morning at 7:30am three of us from the Ashram arrived at the outdoor cremation site for Crestone. One of only two such sites in the country, it was begun in 2006 by people who wanted to support simple, natural, and humanizing end-of-life choices. The group called: “Crestone End of Life Project” is a voluntary organization that counsels grieving families, helps to arrange for the deceased to repose at home before cremation, helps with the legalities, and finally orchestrates the amazing open-air cremation or green burial. This cremation, attended by about 150 people, was for Robin Ross. She and her husband Noah were pretty regular attendees at our new and full-moon fire ceremonies. I spoke at the ceremony about their sweet presence at the Ashram and their devotion and tenacity over our somewhat rough terrain with Robin’s frail body. I reminded Noah, that we are here for him whenever he needs some companionship or just a good meal. I was grateful that Jonathan, Brent, and I could attend. As I listened and watched the rest of the ceremony I was struck by how many other spiritual traditions were represented at the Cremation. Besides the Sanskrit chanting to the Divine Mother, there was a recitation of the Jewish Kaddish, and other poems and prayers. The Shumeis (our Japanese neighbours) attended the ceremony, were part of the fire team, and offered their large 15-seat van for ferrying participants to the site. A Buddhist monk was there in her garb, several people from the Catholic Carmelite monastery as well as many members of the other Buddhist sanghas and spiritual traditions in the area.

One of the main organizers for the project had lived and worked at the Ashram when she first arrived in Crestone. As I thanked her for the work she put into the beautiful cremation, I told her that it seemed she had truly found her spiritual practice serving in this way. She agreed and said 18

that when she cares for the dying people with so much love and tenderness she realizes that she learned much of this from caring for the Divine Mother, Haidakhandeswari, at the Ashram. With her statement and this beautiful display of spiritual diversity, I realized once again how our Babaji Ashram, in the beautiful Sangre de Cristo Mountains here, plays a part in this much larger example of a loving, inclusive community of such great diversity of spiritual traditions, a real living tribute to world peace.

After arriving back at the Ashram, the realization of how we play a very expansive role continued. Gujarati families arrived from Denver for lunch, so grateful to have Mother and Baba’s darshan. A Telagu family came a bit later from Colorado Springs to say goodbye to the temple and us, as they were moving to Dallas. They shared how they would miss the Ashram here, for even though there were many temples in Dallas there were none that was as peaceful and loving as ours. A Montessori teacher from outside of Denver arrived and wanted to know if she could bring her class to the Ashram for a tour and talk. I told her we had just had the Crestone Charter School here a few days ago for a fire ceremony and chanting, and that we loved to host school groups, particularly the young children.

Finally in the afternoon another young Indian family arrived from Denver with their new baby. They had been pregnant a couple of years ago and after nine months of what appeared to be a normal pregnancy, delivered a stillborn child. Needless to say, this last pregnancy was very trying on them and they came several times to pray at the temple here to Mother and Baba for the safe delivery of their child. When the wife went into labor, they called us to pray for her. By Baba and Mother’s grace, all turned out fine and they have a healthy two and a half month old little boy. This was his first road trip because before they took him anyplace else, they wanted to bring him here to thank Mother and Baba for their gift to them.

And so the Ashram seems to span lives from birth to death. We are part of so many people’s lives in whatever way we can be of service. We are grateful to be here for everyone. Bhole Baba Ki Jai!

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United Kingdom by Rob and Gaby

Our ashram at Haccadown in South Devon has been sold. A number of factors combined to make this unavoidable, including the terms of a large loan, lack of support from members, disagreements regarding the location of the ashram, and unbearably difficult interpersonal relationships around the ashram community. All this has inhibited the thriving of our second attempt at having an ashram for Babaji in the UK. It seems that from the beginning of acquiring bricks and mortar, whether the ashram is based in Blaengors, West Wales or Haccadown, Devon, issues of control, dissension and apathy have shown themselves in their most destructive form. There were many attempts to heal these rifts but all to no avail. This being said, and as in some other countries, there has only ever been a small contingent of Babaji devotees in the UK.

The sale proceeds from the ashram are being invested and the interest will be used to support initiatives that share Babaji's teachings. We understand that there remains a spirit of goodwill in the HSUK Committee to support and encourage those devotees and HSUK members, in different parts of the country, who want to put energy into building communities locally, dedicated to Babaji’s teachings and the Sanatan .

One of the first projects funded by Haidakhandi Samaj (UK) will be the printing of this Journal for free dissemination to all Babaji Devotees in the UK. If you live in the UK and have not received a printed copy of this Journal by Navaratri time, please inform the Editors (email contact is given at the end of this Journal) and we will send a copy to you.

Gayatri, who was pujari and caretaker of Haccadown, is now living in her own home in Exeter, and we wish her well in her new life there. The and padukas from the ashram temple are being cared for by Durgadas and Harisudha at their home near Glastonbury. Devotees can contact them to arrange a visit on 01458-272980 or email [email protected]

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United Kingdom continued

On Lord Bhairava’s day 15th November 2014, 200 people from many religious groups gathered in Swindon in the UK for Kirtan, , Yoga and a talk on ‘Griefwalking’ by Stephen Jenkinson.

The event was organised by Babaji devotees in the UK and the kirtan included the Babaji musicians Harisudha, Durgadas, Tabla Tom and also Danesh and his Amma group and Tim Chalice. After a day of and kirtan, Narayana and Durgadas performed a beautiful evening puja and aarati to the of Kal Bhairav and every person

present came forward to swaha flower petals.

Thank you Thrisha and friends for this lovely opportunity for intercultural celebration and devotion of the many faces of the One.

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Poland - Bhole Baba Seva Dham Ashram, Lanckorona, near Krakow

Three or four times a year I visit this ashram in Poland. It is one of the two Polish ashrams, the other being Haidakhandi Seva Dham, Makolno (near Wroclaw), set up by Megha and Mohan. Visitors come now and then to Bhole Baba Seva Dham Ashram, and also groups who have their own program and join partly in with the ashram programme. In this way the ashram was able to progress through the years. There’s not a lot of money in Poland to support ashrams and other centres; supporting one’s family is hard enough for many given the economic situation. It is a completely different situation here than say in Holland.

Radha and Paramanand developed a formula so that the ashram can survive financially and to enable it to pay back the loans which were taken out to establish this place. So they host groups, and people for bed & breakfast, ayurvedic massage and a lifestyle programs. The building has been improved a lot, which includes a newly renovated dining hall. A special room for ayurvedic massage is coming soon. But much more work is planned for the future as the building needs further renovation. If anyone is interested in investing in this place and would like to be a partner (and tourism is growing locally so the prospect is good), or if you would like to take part in the lifestyle training or program, you are heartily welcome.

The ashram area now belongs completely to Babaji, and as advised by Shri Munirajji, it is run by a Bhole Baba Foundation. Everybody is heartily welcome to visit here and enjoy a Haidakhandi Holiday. And you are of course welcome here for the forthcoming Navaratri celebrations, 21-29 March. The staff are used to receiving international guests.

See: www.babaji.pl (- click on Welcome for English version) & www.ayur-garden.com and also www.heart-of-europe.pl.

- written by Bhaskaranand in collaboration with Paramanand

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Germany by Urmila (the Swiss)

Looking back on this last year of ashram life, it feels like a good one: many people came for the yagnas, and a charity party for Chilianaula. In the last days of the year we were up to 50 persons singing great kirtan, with wonderful singers and musicians such as Tabla Tom, Turkantam, Uma, Saradambe and many others. I have a feeling of prosperity and growth and more and more younger people are arriving in this beautiful place to share their vision and their way of interpreting Babaji‘s Message. It makes the community more light, there is more diversity and fun and we are discussing new projects for the ashram. For instance we have this beautiful garden, and thank Ishwarchand for his great work. What an incredible array of vegetables came out of this garden and how great the joy about all these berries, mangold, pumkins and cabbages !

The ashram has been growing for over thirty years now and I feel so much gratitude towards all these people who perform the daily duties in the ashram, despite it being 4am and a temperature of minus 2º. I also see that things in society in general are definitly getting worse: it is more difficult for people here to get a job that gives sufficient income, many people suffer from personal problems and a growing feeling of being left on their own. This also reaches the community in many forms. Sometimes it is difficult to clear problems, we always have some conflicts going on, and it is painful to be misunderstood, not respected, and yes, this can happen. I would really love to have some support regarding our struggles, also from outside. Please let us know any suggestions. This doesn`t mean we are only quarreling, we do have very good times and there is also much LOVE here as well. So in a society that just seems to be able to collapse in an instant, it is vital now for us to reach a solidarity or we will not be able to carry on. We need more sharing, also financially, and learning how to work together better. (Ed: Please see Letters page 35 at the end of this Journal).

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Sweden Sambasadashiva Dham by Bo Wahlström

The Swedish ashram was purchased in 1992 and is beautifully located about 120 km north of Stockholm. It consists of 9 hectares of forest, with a temple and dhuni (inaugurated by Shri Alok Banerjee). The forest is pure and free from acid, which has allowed unusual biodiversity of plants, flowers and herbs. Over the years we had many visits. Among them we had the privilege to receive Shri Mahamandaleshwar during his last trip to Europe in 2003. In 2010 we received a gift from India of a Sambasadashiva Lingam, designed in black and white marble, and had it installed with the help of the local Hindu priest and the Indian Ambassador to Sweden.

We have now succeeded in transferring the ownership to the Sambasadashiva Foundation, which means that the land can never come out on the market again and we can begin long-term planning and investment in the property. The Swedish National Television, SVT, made half an hour program about us. Shri Babaji was giving blessings from the TV screen. The film team inserted parts of a Babaji movie from the internet. This led to a lot of mail and phone calls which were overall positive and interesting. The municipal authorities were interested in our claims of having an ecological sound piece of land and came to check it. They found almost 20 species which are ‘red-listed’, meaning they are in danger of extinction. We are seriously checking out the possibilities of hosting the Gurupurnima celebration here in 2016. Let’s see - the blessings of Shri Babaji are great. Website: www.babaji.se Contact: [email protected] Address: Haidakhan Baba Center Ortalavägen 183, 764 91 Väddö, Sweden

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News from India

The Chairman of our Haidakhandi Samaj, Shri Alok Banerjee is inviting you to come and celebrate the Chaitra Navaratri with us

Herakhan Vishwa Mahadham 21st to 29th of March 2015.

Celebrating the nine nights dedicated to The Divine Mother, The Origin of the entire Universe can be done everywhere and probably in many different ways. To celebrate this in His holy abode, using the formula created by Shri Babaji, and performed with dedication is the ‘sum mum’ for His devotees and a guarantee of high spiritual experience. So please come and join us in these festivities to connect with the Divine Mother and lift your spirit !

If for personal reasons you cannot come to India this time, please make an effort to rip yourself out of your busy lives and spend some time in your local ashram during these particular days or at least observe these days in your home for She who rules this Universe really deserves your attention more than anything else.

Raghuvir writes regarding Herakhan Ashram renovations (see next page): “There have been no donations since the last call for this and we are digging into the Samaj reserves to pay for this at the moment. Any financial contributions towards the upkeep of our beloved Herakhan would be highly appreciated.” (Please see page 27 for donating suggestion).

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Shri Babaji’s Charitable Hospitals and Ashrams www.babajiayurveda.com www.babajihospital.com by Alok Feb 2015

Bhole Baba Ayurveda Hospital In order to upgrade the present facilities of our Ayurvedic Hospital in Chilianaula a team consisting of Shree Vijay Bhatiani, Col. B S Rana and Shree Chris Baskaran (Director, Trovisha Designs Pvt Ltd of New Delhi) visited this January for a survey, with a team of technicians. They have submitted their report. To provide on-going facilities and service to our patients, extensive renovations and upgrade is needed. We are working out the cost estimates and shall give you the details soon. We seek your advice, guidance and cooperation in making this project a success.

The following areas are the main ones that have been identified for renovation and restocking: Ayurvedic Kitchen, Treatment Rooms, and Oil Preparation Room, Reception, Waiting Room, Front door, Porch, Patient Rest Room, Staff Rest Room, Bathrooms, Electrical Fittings, Exhaust Fans, False Ceiling, Curtains etc., Intercom and Music System.

Haidakhan Ashram Renovation Report by Col BS Rana The following waterproofing work has been completed: roof tops of office building, Russian building, Munirajji's room, hospital building and Panchkarma building, to include newly constructed rooms. The re- surfacing of the passageway from the main gate to the Pooja Bhandar Shop is in progress. Tin roofing on Fakirabad building will soon be finished and the internal false ceiling would be started within a week. There is no change inside the rooms. Walls and floor will be of mud only. Project is expected to be completed some time before Navratri.

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Open Giving Site for donating to Indian Hospitals and Ashrams

Lok Nath writes: ‘It has long been our shared privilege in the Babaji community to be a part of the healing that flows out of our Charitable Hospitals in Chilianaula and Haidakhan. Because India does not have PayPal or other on-line and accessible donation system, we have had focused conversations about how to make donating easier and cheaper. (When we make our single donations into the Indian Samaj account - the banks take quite a large slice each time). Jai HO has researched how to transfer money to India the cheapest way, and via a charitable organization so that there can be no tax or money-laundering issues. In this spirit we want to bring to your attention to the American Haidakhan Samaj, see: www.babajisamaj.us charitable giving system. It has an established PayPal account for donating to the Babaji Hospitals, Herakhan or Chilianaula Ashrams in India. Under the Join or Make Donation heading on the first page there is the following notice: “You are welcome to make a donation at any time, and can earmark whether you want it to go to the Hospital or Ashrams in India…..” The American Haidakhan Samaj is a non-profit organization and it is not necessary to be American or live in the USA to make a donation for India using the PayPal system. If you are not a US citizen the PayPal receipt will be your documentation of the gift. When designating your donation please complete the ‘Comments’ section on the form to state where you want the gift to go to. Click on: www.babajisamaj.us Where it says ‘Send to’, insert: American Haidakhan Samaj For any problems please email P.O. Box 20205 The American Samaj Treasurer: Seattle, WA 98102 Richard Cahall, - on: United States [email protected]

( In the near future The German Samaj will offer the same system for donating from Euro countries – more info soon).

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Last Navaratri in Chilianaula - by Kanta from Germany

This was something like looking into the stream of life. Everything was as before, just the people changed. Others came to take over the duties or functions done over years by those who were absent now. So the energy was new, and this again and again was a beautiful experience. A small group of Westerners and Indians prepared it all to make the festival a success. The atmosphere was calm and loving, and also with fun and laughter. This togetherness and harmonic interplay were a highly enriching experience of Navaratri. “I don’t need many”, Babaji said, and this showed once again at our festival.

It was wonderful to see: with her calm energy carrying the Thalis for the Paduka Pujas all through the ashram; Neelam with her 76 years supervising our young Indians adorning the Temple; in the yagna passing Alok the gifts to be offered, and caring for the Mala and the Prasad; Sandeep taking over the functions of Raghuvir, giving the speech in a very beautiful way, and announcing the names of those who were allowed to do the offering. Our old fire Rai Dass cared for the Dhuni in his calm way, together with Govadan; and Chamkur most beautifully preparing Munirajji’s Dhuni for the morning Havan. Pratibha was untiring in her harmonium play every morning, and Acharya Vinod did the same in the evenings. Faithfully and loyally our Swiss Sushila made wonderful tea in Munirajji’s house. Nirmala from the Netherlands was the epitome of patience and endurance as she tried to accommodate the Indians who came streaming in after the fourth day. And I’m only naming a few here so I also want to honour the unnamed karma such as the local Indian people who after evening Aarati took to the brooms and helped clean the Temple in five minutes !

Numbers of visitors were down at first; in fact we were so few that we could easily sit in a double row at the fire for the first few days. From the 28 fourth day on more and more came. There was a really joyful atmosphere: I remember passing Alokji as he sat reading on Munirajji’s terrace and I called out to him: “What a sweet Navratri”, and he stuck up both his thumbs as if to say: “Yes”. And yet, after some days, missing old well-known faces from the West and with less people about, I did feel an emptiness arise. But it doesn’t matter how many people are present, Baba brings all internal processes onto the stage and as always you are thrown back onto what’s going on inside yourself. It seems as if, in spite of my many years visiting India, the intensity of these processes is increasing rather than lessening !

From the fourth day onwards, the energy changed again, many Indian people arrived and the Temple filled up. Many came to partake of the Prasad and the noise of the big crowd became so loud that our songs could hardly be heard any more. In my experience, this caused the to decrease, which was a big change to the wondrous energy of the first days. We will have to find another solution for the future such as large tents like during the Kumbha Mela. But Navratri remains a process for each participant that leads towards a deeper experience of ourselves and our unfolding soul journey.

To those who are choosing not to visit India because Munirajji is no longer in his physical body, I want to say this: I also long to sit near him once again and I miss his physical presence terribly, but this sense of longing and even weeping brings me actually closer to my inner self, where I feel great gentleness and peace. And it is this peace which lays the ground for his presence in my heart. There is a saying which I heard a long time ago: The Longing for God…..this IS God. By this I mean that the longing for our Guru is HE Himself, which means He is present, He is here with us. When Munirajji was once asked by a devotee in Chilianaula: “When do you go (‘to Haldwani’) ?” He answered: “WHERE ?”

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2015 DATES

MARCH 29th Purnima & 5th Holika Dahan & Purnima 6th Dhulandi SEPTEMBER 20th 1st Maha Munirajji 21st Chaitra Navratri starts Samadhi Divas and Samvat 2072 5th Shri Janamashtami 28th Shri Ram Navmi 13th Amavasya 29th Navratri Ends 17th APRIL 21st Ashtam 2nd Mahavir Jayanti 27th Anant Chaudas 4th Jayanti & 28th Purnima & Ekam Shradha Purnima OCTOBER 14th Baishakhi 2nd Gandhi Jayanti 18th Amavasya 12th Pittar Amavasya 20th Parashuram Jayanti 13th (Autumn ) 21st Akshay Tritiya Navratri Starts MAY 21st Navmi 4th Buddha Purnima Navratri Ends 18th Amavasya & Bat Pujan 22nd Vijay Dashmi 28th Ganga Dushera 27th JUNE 30th Karwa Chauth 2nd Purnima & Jayanti 16th Amavasya NOVEMBER 17th Adhik Mas starts 3rd Ahoi Ashtami JULY 9th Dhan Teras 16th Adhik Mas ends 10th Choti 17th Kark & Shri 11th Diwali, Amavasya & Munirajji Jayanti Laxmi Puja 18th Rath Yatra 12th Annakoot 27th Dev Shayan Ekadasi 13th Bhaiya Dooj 31st Vyas Puja & 25th Purnima & Guru Nanak Guru Purnima Jayanti AUGUST DECEMBER 14th Amavasya 3rd Mahakal Bhairav Jayanti 15th Independence Day 11th Amavasya 19th Nag Panchami 25th Christmas, Purnima & Dattatreya Jayanti

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New Working Document - of Jai Haidakhandi Outreach

Our Challenge: Our Satguru Sri Maha Avatar Babaji, and our guide and teacher Sri Maha Muniraj have left their bodies and direct physical guidance through them is no longer available. We are aware that they have not gone, but are spiritually present as they now live actively in our hearts. In order to continue and thrive as a spiritual family and global community of diverse people, we seek a conversation that will examine and inspire our activities and structures into the future, without the presence of a living master.

Jai Ho Vision Aims to inspire a new impulse and connectedness in the international Babaji community for service, teaching and action. An initiative that will unite people anew and help promote Babaji’s teachings of the Sanatan Dharma, the eternal path in life and service to humanity which embraces all religions and spiritual paths.

Jai HO Objectives: To invite a spirit of radical and far-reaching questioning and opening of ourselves within the Babaji community for a positive future. To create a platform for this questioning and conversation, in a spirit of truth, simplicity and love. To create an initiative which will further bring our Babaji community together in service and mutual support across nations. An initiative that, through its modern interactive process, is a compliment to the Indian Haidakhandi Samaj, and which is founded on the question: Is everything we do in alignment with the sacred Presence of Babaji?

Jai HO Structure: A). Jai Ho is a charitable/not-for-profit association that can help focus and support Babaji ashrams, centres and interest groups. A Jai HO Administrative Group has initiated this project and offers to perform coordinating functions. The admin group is not an executive but an advisory group of long-time devotees, and it was born out of those who have initiated and inspired the ongoing Gurupurnima celebrations in Europe since 2004. B). Ashrams, Organisations and Centres who are devoted to the work of 31

Babaji, while remaining autonomous, are invited into cooperative relationships with the Jai Ho admin group. C). Interest Groups are cooperative circles made up of people interested in sharing particular forms of service such as: Healing and Education; Sustainable Living; Business and Entrepreneurship; Crafts and Production; IT Technology, Tours and Pujas; and Networking beyond the Babaji community. Some of these groups are active on Facebook (e.g. Haidakhandi Health and Healing Group, Haidakhandi Musicians and Tour Group, Haidakhandi Craft and Business Group, etc).

Jai HO Tasks: 1. Interest Groups / Projects: Continue supporting meaningful connections between the various Babaji community endeavours and the connections within Interest Groups.

2. Young People: To encourage the involvement of younger people who are inspired to help carry on the work into the future, beyond the older devotees, to improve our ashrams and initiate new projects and ideas.

3. Support, Education and Practices: Starting conversations with Babaji Ashrams, Centres and projects about developing resources of teaching and practices that have shown to be effective in other Ashrams and other settings. To organize visits/tours to the ashrams to hold satsang, sing bhajans, provide training/support for puja, and meditation, give teachings and share communication skills, to facilitate conflict resolution when and where requested, to explore with Ashrams and Centres how to help with local community needs through local voluntary service projects, and to encourage businesses opportunities.

4. Communication: Continue establishing an internet presence (blog, website, Facebook, etc.); communicating with the Indian Haidakhandi Samaj; continue the publication and promotion of the International Haidakhandi Journal; network within and beyond the Babaji community; and to encourage increased support of initiatives (such as Planetbabaji). 32

5. International Fund Development: To support fundraising groups in countries where there are Babaji projects, and allocate funds in accordance with the Vision and Objectives of Jai HO.

The initial Admin Group includes: Raghuvir (Thailand), Uday (India), Rob (UK), Mukundi (France), MayaRam (Slovenia), Lok Nath (USA), Sundar (Switzerland), Kharku (Thailand), Jamuna (Thailand), Gayatri (USA), Ramloti (USA), Bo (Sweden), Raghunandan (Italy) and Giuliano (Switzerland & Italy).

While reading this you might like to listen to the original soundtrack on: www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxLSZoFK8EM the lyrics translate as: Jai Ho ! “Come, come my Life, under the canopy Come under the blue brocade sky! Iota by iota, I have lost my life, in faith I've passed this night dancing on coals I blew away the sleep that was in my eyes I counted the stars till my finger burned Come, come my Life, under the canopy Come under the blue brocade sky! Taste it, taste it, this night is honey Taste it, and keep it, It's a heart; the heart is the final limit You dark black kohl It's some black magic, isn't it? Come, come my Life, under the canopy Come under the blue brocade sky! For how long, how very long It's been on your lips Say it, now say it The eye is downcast Such lit up eyes Are they two lit-up diamonds ? Come, come my Life, under the canopy Come under the blue brocade sky!

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Jai HO Seva

The Jai HO Admin Group has been meeting on Google Hangout regularly over this winter. The meetings begin with each of us checking in with how we are personally, and sharing our concerns and fears regarding the task we have set out to do: to inspire Babaji family activities and structures into the future. They then move on to cover some of the current issues and areas of Seva, for example:

- Discussing how to support various country’s ashrams, and Babaji families, that are struggling; and how to encourage mutual support across different countries; - Encouraging the Italian devotees to hold Gurupurnima in Cisternino this year; - How to set up funding to help ashrams and other projects; - Facilitating an easier way to donate money to the Indian Babaji hospitals and the renovation of Haidakhan Ashram; - Discussing methods of conflict resolution, ashram succession plans, and how to encourage younger people to be more involved; - Writing a document entitled: ‘Helpful Communication and Conflict Resolution Practices’. - Whether to conduct tours by old devotees and musicians to help raise support for ashrams and centres that might want a visit; - Supporting the publication of the International Haidakhandi Journal. - Starting a prayer circle of those willing to provide prayers, for those needing prayers. Any volunteer for coordinator of a prayer circle ? - Creating a Blog to inspire a new impulse and connectedness in the international Babaji community. If you are able to help Jai Ho set up a Blog, (or even a website), please contact us.

If you need help from the Jai HO admin group, please do not hesitate to contact:

Mukundi on [email protected] or Raghuvir on [email protected]

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Letters

From Urmila in Germany: “I want to make a suggestion to the Jai HO admin group, regarding the things mentioned at the end of the article on Germany: how to get support in overcoming the conflicts that seem to be constant and stuck. Would there be a possibility to develop a group of consultants, able in negotiating, supervising and clearing, people with psychological skills who are trained in facilitating group process and willing to do this in different ashrams - as karma yoga ? We had an excellent supervisor last year - a psychotherapist of the Ridhwa school - but he cost 2000€ and we can`t afford this every year. And the Haidakhandi scene has many good therapists. Once a year or so we could have a weekend of group work or supervision together (whatever one calls it), with a group facilitator. Maybe in addition we could arrange an exchange of devotees to help the ashram/Samaj groups. Let’s say, the Dutch come once a year to Rieferath, and we Rieferathees go there once a year in order to share our specific experiences. People coming from outside can always bring a new point of view. When Muniraji was still alive, we as a group had the structure of a sort of hierarchic triangle, with the guru at the top, now we need to form a circle, with the divine as the central focus. Please let me hear your opinion, Urmila” (ED: Jai Ho admin group will be responding to this letter and in the meantime we have sent Urmila a document entitled: Helpful Communication and Conflict Resolution Practices).

Simple Conversation - from Lok Nath, USA: “My particular encouragement for our time leading to Navaratri and Gurupurnima is the simple, familiar act of conversation. It offers the most hope for changing the world. Here is a quote from a great American teacher of leadership, Margaret Wheatley: “I believe we can change the world if we start listening to one another again. Simple, honest, human conversation. Not meditation, negotiation, problem-solving, debate, or public meetings. Simple, truthful conversation, where we each have a chance to speak, we each feel heard, and we each listen well.”

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Kharku writes: (regarding Helpful Communication and Conflict – Ed) “I believe any and all help is useful for ashrams and other Babaji organisations. At Kamalaya we have many meetings and workshops, it keeps us busy but we work through a lot of issues that continuously arise. We understand that if we don’t work on issues they grow more serious, regardless of belief and training. Issues arise and dealing with them clears the air and makes everything more effective. We also make use of professionals plus in-house talent: full-on 2-3 day workshops twice a year for all who work here. In addition Jamuna, MayaRam and I meet every week for several hours, and we also hold intensives for the 3 of us to discuss more personal issues. That being said, in an ashram, which Kamalaya is not, one has to obey the organisation’s rules of structure to be effective. Dealing with the world (laws, rules and practicalities) is a necessary component for a community to thrive.”

From Nila Caddy - on Babaji’s return in body: “It’s lovely to hear that the Autumn Navaratri in Chilianaula was so good. We also celebrated it here in Daisendorf, Germany. But after Navaratri Babaji appeared ! Three times at 5am there was a powerful banging on our front door, but nobody was there. In a day-dream I found myself in Herakhan and Babaji appeared from top to toe in an unbelievable radiant white light. His hair though not long was intensely black. He went into a tent which was covered in blue/green blankets. I dared to enter too. He sat there with a few people in a circle around Him. My neighbour introduced himself and Babaji said: “This is Nila,” very lovingly. ……. After this radiant and so happy an event, I feel and trust that Babaji will soon appear for everyone. In gratitude and with love, Nila.”

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Banduk Singh

In loving memory of our Guru Bhai, Banduk Singh, who left the body last November. He was with Baba, and was a great karma yogi, known and loved by many. He was actually very special to many of us. His family are bringing his ashes to Haidakhan next month.

O Death, my Death? Come with your conch-shells sounding, come in the sleepless night, Dress me with a crimson mantle, grasp my hand and take me. Let your chariot be ready at my door with your horses neighing impatiently. Raise my veil and look at me proudly, O Death, my Death.

Rabindranath Tagore

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www.radiohaidakhan.com

Radio Haidakhan, the new cosmic broadcasting station on the web went ‘omline’ and started a 24 hour non-stop service in the spirit of Bhole Baba. If you open this page press the play icon on the little radio picture. The player should work on every computer, tablet or Smartphone. After a few moments loading, the player will start.

(Also on this page is a URL address which you can copy and paste into your computer music programme such as iTunes or others). Enjoy this programme !

For the musicians amongst us: if you’d like to spread your music worldwide please send me your music. Go to www.planetbabaji.com and click on the contact button or mail to [email protected] and let’s discuss how to transfer these files.

Editor: Happy Birthday Radio Haidakhan !

For donations for planetbabaji or RadioHaidakhan there is a link on this site: planetbabaji.com/crowdfunding.html scroll to the bottom and there is a PayPal account under the name: [email protected].

Travelling in India Lal Baba writes: Here is a link for connecting people who wish to travel together from Delhi to Haidakhan, etc. www.facebook.com/pages/Babajis-family-travel-site/600748350035795

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Editorial

Jai Haidakhandi Outreach – Jai HO - has been initiated as an opportunity to encourage new support systems in our worldwide Babaji family. It will only be effective if you want such a new impulse and you send in your comments, needs and ideas - by emailing Mukundi [email protected] or Raghuvir [email protected] One of the tasks of Jai HO has been to encourage ashrams, samajs and devotees to be honest about the struggles faced by many organisations and individuals in our Babaji family. This is in order to help us face what, to many of us, feels like a death transformation, but also to give us all hope and vision for the future. Please continue your support of our charitable hospitals and ashrams in India both by coming to our festivals and Ashrams, and by donating to our Indian charitable projects - see our recommended method on page 27.

The International Haidakhandi Journal (IHJ) 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. Primarily publication is on the website of the International Haidakhandi Journal, administered by Planetbabaji: www.internationalhaidakhandijournal.com 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 12 will be published in August 2015 and we expect the theme will be - the Goddess who represents knowledge, music, arts, wisdom and learning. Please send in copy to the Editors before Gurupurnima on July 31st 2015.

Working for God on this Earth doesn’t pay much, but His retirement plan is out of this world ! 39

3 This Journal is printed in India by the Haidakhandi Samaj (Regd Office: 54 Hanuman Road, New Delhi -110 001 Regd No. Delhi – S-1455).