Haidakhandi International Journal

Incorporating the Indian Haidakhandi Samaj News

Autumn 2017 - Journal 16 - www.hi-journal.com

Embodying Babaji ? 1

CONTENTS

Embodying Babaji

Contributions by 12 devotees 4-22

Gurupurnima in Rieferath

A delightful Gurupurnima celebration 23-24 Why is Gurupurnima Celebrated - by Sanjeev 25 Next Generation Gathering - July 2017 26 Havan speech - Rieferath by Raghuvir 27 Satsang at Rieferath 28-29

News from India

Alok Banerjee 30 Navratri at the Haidakhan Ashram - by Sanjeev 31-32 9 New Publications by the Haidakhandi Samaj 33-35 Chilianaula Ashram Temple Repair - by Vijay 36 Festival dates 37-38 Invitation to Havan Training in Chilianaula 38

Notes from America – by Loknath 39-40

A story of Babaji by Raghuvir 41

Divine Recipes 42

Editorial 43

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Be firm like a rock, deep and serious like the sea. Think of the earth as a mother. This is one earth. Don’t be divided by thinking of yourselves as belonging to different countries. We belong to one earth. Proceed with this in mind. Look to the future with a vision of good1 deeds for the whole world, not just one country.

Have great courage and patience. 7-4-1983

Embodying Babaji

From Alok Banerjee :

My feeling is that Babaji is our focus and Love is our way. This is my fundamental understanding, whether it’s with what you call our whole sangha or in this group here for Gurupurnima at Rieferath. Whatever we are doing, such as our practices on the spiritual path or service for the community, our focus is Babaji. And we should not lose sight of that. When I say focus, I mean that we all know He’s not in His physical body here, but it His energy which is making it all happen for all of us. That’s what is keeping us together – His Energy.

We talk together about what He gave us and how He makes Himself, His presence, felt all the time. And there are different ways He has shown us how to practice, for instance, singing aarti together, in satsang and at the havan – and these are helping us to be together. These big functions, like each Gurupurnima in the West and attending the Navratris in India, etc., it’s all His Energy, and we are all concentrated and all focused on Him. Also in our community services such as in the hospitals in Ranikhet – the centre, our focus is Babaji.

I come from India; you are from England, another from Australia. Why are we coming together: to feel Him in us and to share our feelings together. That is the biggest gift He has given us – that is His blessing. It’s such a big family He has made and, as in our own families, we can have disagreements and misunderstandings. But we can all come back to Babaji. He shows us the road forward, for example what you are doing through the Next Generation Gatherings. Our focus is always the same. Without that focus we can go haywire. The Next Generation Gathering is a wonderful opportunity you are creating. It’s a platform to guide and show the younger generation a path forward. As Babaji said: I have shown you the way and also have given you free will. If you follow me I am there with you and I will show you the way.

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It’s such a wonderful opportunity He creates for all of us to come together, whether we are in harmony or not. He has shown us the way, He says: I am Harmony. That’s how I see Babaji, His spiritual teachings: if we focus our energy on Him, He is always with us and there to guide us. This is what keeps me going. Who am I ? I am nothing: a humble servant of Babaji, to serve Him as best I can. I have my limitations, I have my faults, but beyond that it’s Babaji who guides me. And I want to share with the whole family whatever little I‘ve learnt in the last 30 years, that I have experienced Babaji.

Editor: You have the most difficult job of all of us, leading our international family.

I don’t find it difficult except for my physical abilities. Whenever I ask for His guidance He has always been with me. Also Munirajji was a great guide for me, like my elder brother and my teacher. Though I was initiated by Babaji, I have learnt all the practical things from Munirajji. He initiated murtis and taught me how to do that and the havan mantras, and he helped me in many other ways. He was a wonderful guide for me. At times we would get frustrated ! But his Patience is what I learnt from him. And I would not advise, but can share with all our brothers and sisters that when we are in difficulties if we can have our trust and faith in Babaji, He will guide us. Have faith. It’s not always easy but it’s the only way we can be together, growing together sharing our problems and our love, to have our focus on Babaji. There are many challenges in India too like in the ashrams, it’s not always easy. Ultimately He helps. Sometimes I go wrong, we are all human beings but if I’m driven by an idea or motivation to do something in a particular way, it’s His force, His energy, and it’s beyond us to solve our own problems. Ultimately you come back to Him. We are all a molecular part of Him. What is our common feature? It is Babaji.

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Sanjeev Sarna:

The last five days for me here at Gurupurnima is the search for how to follow Babaji. It’s the only answer and direction for me these days. There was once one teaching: ‘I will make the lion and the goat drink from the same pond’. So how to can we take ourselves, guide ourselves, in this direction? Yes we are all not the same, all Indians are not the same, so can we find a way where we can enjoy our differences and not build walls between those differences. Difference is not bad. The great saint Swami Vivekananda said that each human being is a seed with infinite potential and is different from each other. Therefore it is each individual’s responsibility to think very carefully to create harmony. Culturally we are all different. However my observation is that all human beings are born with the seven sins (pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath and sloth), but our intellectual, emotional and spiritual needs are the same. We all want to be accepted, we all want to be loved and most importantly we all want to be respected. We have a huge opportunity in the Babaji family to find the common goals for the larger good of the community and the world. Each Babaji devotee when he walks in any geography should radiate love, warmth of heart and respect for each and everyone.

There was a time in India when there was a belief that there are 330 million gods and goddesses, in reality there were not 330 million Gods and Goddesses, but 330 million human beings in this world. Each human being is born divine and is divine. While we don’t respect and love the subjective divine in each one of us, we will not be able to find the absolute divine that is Babaji.

The teacher of Swami Vivekananda was Paramahansa Ramakrishna. Ramakrishna said there is no one way to the divine. He further added: ‘Yatha Mat Tatha Pat’ – as many paths, as many minds – no way is better than the other. They are all good. Never commit the sin of saying that my path is better. The way I have embodied Babaji is by the way of first serving my fellow brothers and sisters, then the rest of the world. Serving unconditionally has helped me to sublimate my own ego and my limited self to this service. Twenty-two years back when I was full of myself and

6 hated each and every Babaji devotee, Babaji gave me a vision that the path to Him is to love everyone. He very clearly told me: ‘Until such time that you can love each person that you meet in your life, you will not reach Me’. Over the last five days in Rieferath, He has time and time again told me: ‘Love and Serve everyone with complete acceptance and do not use your own mind’.

Question: Do you think our sangha can or is embodying Babaji?

We are all work in progress, all on the path. We are here in the Babaji sangha because of many past lives we had and it is our good fortune to be part of this family. This path has no destination, with awareness of the tenets of Babaji’s teachings; we have to keep walking together. What we need is a complete awareness of what Babaji said: I Am Harmony. We have to find harmony with each other. Walter just said that: ‘I may completely disagree with you, yet I will always protect your right of expression.’ When someone thinks differently from us, he is not against us, just different, and we can compromise with other people: maybe we are angry about each other’s thoughts, but we can start serving them. By sacrificing the currents of our mind it enables us to sublimate our little ego, which is the path for transcending our limited self.

There is one sloka in our aarti: Raag-Dweshadi Varjita which means: ‘Like and dislike is not allowed in my Kingdom’ !

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Nila Caddy: Embodying Babaji Embodying What and Whom? Divine Love, Light and Power The Infinite Being Lord Shiva in Human Form The “I am you” consciousness The pure Mirror The Being who says: “Give me your problems, I am here to carry your load.” The Being who takes all suffering upon Himself The One who is serving everyone and everything, including the stones The Ocean of Bliss The Lord One with the Divine Mother

Babaji said; “I only like zero land” A land, a state of consciousness of total Oneness where no ego exists – before the separation from God began we were One with the Divine, but unconsciously. When going through evolution (the sinner, the separator) and the unfolding of our personalities we all developed our ego. But finally when we are ready to surrender to the Divine we don’t need the ego anymore, it then becomes our big hindrance on our way to God. When time is ripe, our Creator calls us back to unite with Him – consciously and forever, first in parts then more and more fully.

An inspiring example of “Embodying Babaji” Sri Maha Muniraji, selfless and completely humble, inside very still, had no desires except to do God’s will. Here is a wonderful example that a very close disciple of Babaji – Kharku – experienced. It was Kharku’s birthday and he bowed to Munirajji who was sitting on his couch. When he lifted his head Babaji was sitting there, not Muniraji. Totally shocked Kharku ran out of the room. After a while when he had recovered he came in again to ask Muniraji about this. Munirajji’s simple answer was: “Babaji sometimes does these things”.

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Nila continues: Babaji came into my room in Germany before I met him in Herakhan. It was on New Years Eve 1978 and Gabriele Wosien had shown us a little slide show about Babaji. In the morning I woke up with the sure knowledge that ‘tomorrow I will fly to Him’. But then I had to go through deep inner processes and I was praying for his help from my heart. He came with an absolutely overwhelming presence into my room: first he gave me the book of all my lives which page by page I was able to understand. Then he raised me high above, up to his level where I became one with him – He who was infinite Love, Bliss and a never ending Oneness. I knew who he is: not only a great Master in the Himalayas as I understood from Yogananda’s autobiography, but also he is the Infinite Being: THE LORD - and I knew he had created me. In this state of oneness the feeling was that I never would be in a body again. But then, on realising that I could no longer be in this high state, I knew I could bear this Infinite Love only by bowing deep down in front of Him. So Babaji, I realise that in all the years since then, that when I am full of blissful gratitude and am inside washing your feet with my tears of joy, then there is no more hindrance to you enfolding me with your tremendous Love, Bliss and Power. * When you call him he is immediately there, no second in between! He is there with his Love, his all embracing Love, which penetrates the Universe and goes through you and me and thus we feel part of him.

Embodying Babaji?

Here we can only deeply bow to him!

Note: In October 2017 Schirner publisher will bring out Nila’s second book “Worlds in Transformation – Testimony of a Divine Work”, the continuation of this book will follow (both first in German and then in English). These two books are based on Nila’s book 1 “Blessings of Babaji” which one should read first. [email protected] A website with Nila’s paintings will be launched this fall and can be found under www.nila-renata-caddy.de

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Raghuvir:

On 13th of February 1984 we were standing with 4 ganas (body of attendants) in Babaji's kutir while He was sitting on His bed. He looked not well but was communicating easily with us. At a certain point he got up and stood in the middle of us. He looked us straight in the eye, one by one, and said: “I am you”, turned a quarter and said it to the next one. I do not recall how often He said it, but He made at least 2 rounds of looking us in the eyes saying I am you. It was a pleasant but very strong moment and we did not have the faintest idea of what would happen the next day……

In 1985 Henk Poncin from Holland upgraded several of the old pictures of Babaji and produced high quality negatives. I asked him for a negative from the most known picture of Munindra Maharaj (Old Herakhan Baba) which was the model for most of Babaji’s murtis. I printed 6 big copies for various temples and Munirajji’s home. So, while in Delhi one day I got them beautifully framed and placed them on a wardrobe in my hotel room. While doing my small puja in the morning I opened one of them to have Babaji’s presence more in the room. Sitting there I looked up at the picture and with a big shock I saw my own face under the topi, on that picture. I turned away and looked again but it was still the same. Somewhat in panic, wondering about my state of mind, I got up, rubbed my eyes, shook my head, took some deep breaths and looked again. There Munindra Maharaj was looking at me again. Somehow I felt guilty and doubted my state of mind. A couple of days later in Haldwani I gave one of the framed pictures to Muniraj who had it installed in his shop, where it remained for many years. When I was sitting alone with him, I told him about the experience, still feeling a bit ashamed of what happened in Delhi. He looked at me with an enquiring expression and replied that it was a great blessing from Babaji. This healed my guilt feelings.

Paramguru Shri Mahendra Maharaj (Mahendra Baba) had Babaji’s darshan when he was a child and Babaji became his only focus. After finishing his studies he renounced the world. He walked around India looking for Babaji and spent 22 years doing intense sadhana in Rajasthan, there the Divine Mother told him that he would find Babaji in the Himalayas. After 10

further years of intense sadhana, Babaji finally appeared to him. Babaji offered him a boon for his penance. What did he ask after all these incredible years of hard, deep inner work? ‘Please take form so all of humanity can see you and the whole creation can be uplifted’. And Babaji granted his wish and we are all reaping the benefits still now, as is probably all of creation, in some way. This had been serious selfless- service by Mahendra Maharaj who had spent his life in penance and devotion. Paramguru Shri Mahendra Maharaj ki Jai ! His Sadhana and yearning brought Babaji embodied into that wonderful form we enjoyed on earth from 1970 to 1984.

When this theme of embodying Babaji was proposed I found it a bit of a silly and a mental choice. When we translate the description of Babaji from the aarti etc we see that our Sat Guru is omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent. It is said that Babaji has entered the atomic structure of our creation. Our perception of a Divinity like this can only be extremely limited. So what does the embodiment of that mean? We can fill ourselves with gratitude of His/Her presence in our lives and hence fill our life with devotion. We can do the simple practices Babaji has suggested, and serve the needs of humanity, as He suggested. For He is there for everybody, including those who do not know about Him. He is the supporter of this whole creation: which includes the animals, plants and even the rocks and spirit world - so what does the embodiment of all that mean ? It seems very easy to misunderstand such a theme, which holds ample ego-inflating possibilities. Living His simple teachings is not so easy when we try and sound perhaps less flamboyant than embodying Babaji but a lot more realistic in my opinion. Yes, He said “I am you“ and this is of course valid for everybody, but that is very different from I am Him. Our everyday I, with its concepts and opinions is full of flaws and very limited. Living our practice with awareness in devotion seems to me the only way to embody Babaji.

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Gayatridevi:

When I ponder what the theme of this journal means to me, it occurs to me that “embodying Babaji” is not something one does, meaning it is not a verb, but rather a fact of what we already are and have always been whether or not we awaken to this fact in our lifetime. As Baba said, “Find me inside.” When by grace this will happen, it’s not that you simply find Babaji, but you also realize that you ARE Babaji and you discover you’re true Self. So for me, embodying Babaji is what I am, now and for all time, and I have never NOT embodied That, for there is only ONE ! We could also say “embodying Light, Peace, Truth, and Love", because most people didn’t see Babaji in a body, and yet they are hardly excluded from what He truly is and they themselves are. There is nothing that exists which is separate from That.

Perhaps what was intended by this theme is how to work and relate in the world as this totality. That is not something we can fake or force. Until each of us awakens to the Truth of our Being and Oneness, we will seem to be embodying a “Gayatri", a “devotee", a man or woman, or whatever name or label we identify with. The "descent of eternity into time” is what happens to everything when it comes into the realm of manifestation, and the only seeming difference is that what we call Babaji retained the full awareness of the Totality, whereas the rest of us have forgotten and instead fell into the dream world of maya and separation very soon after our birth. I often tell a story which a friend of mine shared with me of when, after a few months in Haidakhan, she had to leave Babaji to go back to the USA. She was really sad, and when she went to make her last pranam, Babaji asked her why she was crying. She told Him it was because she was really going to miss Him. Babaji then pointed out at the people in the hall and said, “Which me? This me? This me? This me?” So my friend understood that Baba was telling her that He is everything and everyone, and she left Haidakhan knowing it is not possible to leave Him!

Babaji is the infinite supreme self, that pure awareness at the heart of all beings, AS all beings, the reflection of our own ultimate limitless nature. Simply put, to embody Him is to take form, and my greatest wish is that all sentient beings may awaken to this Truth while still residing in the body. 13

Loknath Embodying Babaji – Embodying Connections

Living with Babaji was surprisingly physical - cold river baths; hand washing laundry; moving rocks; carrying water; grooming horses; sweeping and digging in the garden. And then there was the radiant physical presence of Babaji himself. He touched our foreheads for Chandan, hung on our shoulders, had us carry him on our backs, played at water fights and Holi, invited us to help bath him and cooked kitchari for us. It was not off bounds for us to touch him and we were not ‘unclean’ for him to touch. With all of this, we might call Babaji’s tradition one of embodied or ‘incarnational theology’. The Sacred or God is made flesh in Babaji and us - the sacred is not outside the physical but embodied by it.

Our Jai HO initiative and Next Generation Gatherings are for me an extension of this inclusive physicality or embodiedness of Babaji. He did not leave us with an organizational structure or a prescription for how to share his spirit with others. We are left with each other. Our coming together is a sacred body - the body of Babaji. It is in our conversations, celebrations, and constant networking with each other that we physically feel our way into the future together. This is not about creating a great mental model but loving and accepting what each of us is, how we be and what we contribute to the conversation - all are welcome.

In Christianity we read in the Bible St. Paul’s expression - “The body of Christ”. The community is the body of Christ. In like manner, our community is the body of Babaji. The culture of the Babaji community wants to be like St. Paul’s. The heads are one thing; the hands are another, the feet another and so on. It is about honoring each other’s paths – multiculturalism. We want to imagine a multiplicity of voices without homogenizing the voices. At our depth we are all an expression of the sacred.

In Vipassana the teachings point to our experience of the ‘central channel’: a channel of presence and energy that runs through the back of our bodies. It is an open, spacious, already and always present experience. Our awareness is not just of our physical bodies. We are a part of all there is. Babaji was a conscious, playful reality of that. We don’t have to

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‘Indianize’ ourselves to embody Babaji. Touching the heart of service is closer to this invitation from him. It’s not about replicating the form - but the Heart that Babaji was and is.

How do we begin serving? How can activism in this time of crises and chaos be fruitful without daily spiritual practice? Leadership guru Margaret Wheatley in her book: So Far From Home says: “I know of no one who is able to develop insight and compassion without a regular practice of quieting and watching“. And as the world’s insanity continues to escalate, we have to do some form of . . . (somatic) practice every day. We can no longer wait for weekends or vacations. As the university provost said, “Every day it’s another psychotic event” !

Munindra Maharaj - Old Herakhan Baba Babaji said: "That is my real form"

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Moti Prasad from Berlin:

During this Gurupurnima, when I was carrying Babaji’s Padukas on my head, for a moment I could empty myself and I found myself as Him – One, unilocal, one experience. And this happened once before in Chilianaula: I was the pujari for a few hours while the regular pujari was away for the afternoon. People came in and sang a Guru bhajan and for some seconds I was Him, like a pure channel for him, as I was completely empty.

(Non-dual = no time, no space. Unilocal = all time is now, all space is here).

Anonymous

I was sitting on the floor looking intently at Babaji’s photo. I think I had stopped singing but aarti carried on around me. Whether I willed it or it happened spontaneously, I cannot say, but all of a sudden I had become Babaji – I felt myself being His body, larger than my own, but simply sitting there looking at Myself in the photo. I recall I was in Indian men’s clothes - yellow. It was both incredibly simple Beingness, and yet also my everyday self felt really really scared and I think tears were rolling down my face, tears of joy. I felt myself wholly, fully, unequivocally being Babaji. It was many years ago now, and it has stayed with me as a secret for decades. This is the first I have ever spoken of it. I feel now humbled, but then I had felt simply ‘being’ Him.

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Sundar In order to embody Babaji we have to know who or what he was and is, what is that mystical experience of him ? Then only on an intuitive level can we carry that on the outside. I am fascinated by the question: Who is Babaji, if we want to embody him – to understand what a phenomenon Babaji was and is.

We hold a whole ladder of levels of experiences that people would share: from who he was as a guru and a Master; to his being an avatar, meaning an incarnation of the divine on earth; an aspect of the divine, like Shiva; or even a Mahaavatar, Christ, or Christ level, where Christ is the pantokrator, both the son of God and God the creator of the universe. Others write and speak of Babaji as Mahaprabhuji, lord creator of all reality – an incarnation of Brahma, Vishnu and Siva, and Param Brahman.

Isn’t it interesting to write about such hierarchies and levels at a time when we are trying to get rid of hierarchies on our world plane ! We need to understand that hierarchies on our world plane are hierarchies of power, suppression of caste and class – i.e. they are adharmic, so need to be abolished. If not, they will stay in power until they programme themselves out of existence, just as all adharamic civilisations have done in the past. Dharmic hierarchy is for real. Just as we cannot put a cell, organ and the complete organisation on the same level, nor can we see the creator and the created on the same level.

However we see Babaji, he is certainly certain levels beyond most of us ! So if we embody Babaji, we will embody his qualities and not his totality. As expressed by many Masters, like Christ and others in the Bible, by saying we are in the image and likeness of Him, we human beings have unlimited divine potential and it is our challenge to activate this potential - ethically through compassion and love, thought, word and deed and in the evolution of our light body - to try and manifest Masterhood, by letting go of our belief in our limited small self.

Remembering when Babaji was with us in body, I am aware how difficult it is to embody a consciousness so completely free of what is mostly our human identity. Playing lovingly with us and endlessly teaching and being

17 beyond what we knew as normal humanness, and without putting any pressure on us in to change in any direction, but giving us choices and chances with no end – how to embody such behaviour ?

When I think of Babaji leading and guiding me from another plane since his Mahasamadhi, it is way beyond my abilities to act in a similar way in the world. What I can say is that in the past 33 years, since his Mahasamadhi, my life and spiritual practice have developed in a way that I allow him more and more to guide me and to manifest his creative power and teachings through me. (If this sounds proud – then so be it). If we call this embodying Babaji, then I can say, that I hope to do this more and more.

As a scientist who doesn’t really care much about miracles, I am astonished and flabbergasted at how many real miracles Babaji is surprising me with all the time.

Let me bow before you, endlessly at your feet divine Master, Bhagwan Haidakhandi.

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Rob:

Do we assume Babaji will return in a new human body in our lifetime and/or do we as a sangha embody Him consciously or unconsciously for each other ? What is meant by embodying – to be something in corporeal form, to embody truth, simplicity and love is to live these values through our existence, which is a near impossibility for our everyday egos. But we are each trying, trying to embody His teachings; trying to live our lives in the way He teaches us; doing good to humanity; being as authentic and truthful to ourselves and others as we can; living a simple life with simple needs, simple thoughts and having simple requirements of the world; loving others as we would ourselves wish to be loved. Is this a way of embodying Babaji ?

How much do we do spiritual practice and repeat the mantra to the point that we fuse or merge with our lord, our teacher, our All ? Repeating Om Namaha Shivaya enough we are said to get to a point beyond our everyday consciousness that becomes one with His Shakti. Stories abound of devotees near Him who found they had super human strength, or expanded levels of consciousness, numinous experiences or simply a realisation that He knew and knows every secret corner of our being. Sometimes people have one or two of these experiences in a life time and even while not in the immediate presence of Babaji, a Christ being or an incarnation of the divine Mother. My own mother once tore apart a metal machine to get my arm out which was trapped inside when I was six years old. Later that day men much stronger than her were unable to move it a millimetre, that same metal she had torn apart. Seemingly super human strength – there are many stories in times of strife, war and peril where someone performs super human feats. Is this the Shakti of the Mother being accessed by faith, will power and devotion ?

Is the power of prayer and healing enhanced by many people doing it at the same time ? James Twyman thinks so (www.worldpeacepulse.com/ ). And if it is possible then is that a form of embodying the divine power and energy of the universe? And if we do that for the good of the world, humanity, are we in a way all learning how to embody God energy, Babaji Shakti, Love itself. Maybe this is what is meant by embodying Babaji. 19

In the catholic Christ mystery, when we partake of the Holy Communion, we are consuming His Body and His Blood. Is this another way of symbolising the faith that the celebrant embodies Christ – symbolising or actualising our merging with the Christ. Let’s experiment with these experiences, with humility. Let’s imagine being Babaji, looking through His eyes at others, filling ourselves with compassion for them. As He said to a psychotherapist friend of mine: ‘See your client with my eyes placed at the back of your heart, seeing your client through your body’. When I have practiced this visualisation the presence of Babaji in the room is palpable. Is it time to differentiate between a necessary humility of the ego and living our full divine potential for the good of mankind ?

"There are not so many things you have to learn, and even less you have to think about. There is a vibration, a silence, which is already present in you. Recognize it and keep quiet. Be one with it, and it will become your teacher. It will be everything for you. It will be your friend, your God, your teacher, your healer. Stay with Him. He is the Satguru. He is already present inside your Heart. He is the One from whom you can never be separate, you can never be lost. Life after life, body after body, He is with you, until you recognise Him as your own inseparable Self."

~ Mooji

(from Gayatri)

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Saradambe writes of: Father/ Mother Babaji - My Beloved Supreme Guru of No-thing-ness, of Advaita Vedanta

I never met Babaji in His body, but I feel so very blessed that He visits and teaches me in dreams, meditations and/or other forms of presence, and when I look back at my life I am aware that His guidance has been with me whether I was aware of it or not. Oh such Beauty ! One night, in Chilianaula, I received Babaji’s darshan in a dream. I was absolutely speechless and enchanted by His beauty; I had never met such a radiant Being before. Out of my innermost soul arose the question “Do I belong to you?” - “You always belonged to me!” was His answer. He then blessed me and left. Sometime later I asked Muniraji if this was true, if I always had been with Babaji. He confirmed with a strong “Yes!”

I then remembered years ago I had had a dream in which I was walking with Sai Baba, my first teacher, along the darshan lines, engaged in an amicable talk with Him. At the end of it He turned around, smiled at me and pulled off His curly afro hair, like a wig. Beneath it He was wearing shoulder length, wavy black hair. At this time I did not yet recognize Babaji underneath Sai Baba’s form but eventually I understood.

My whole life - it had been Babaji’s guidance, healing, teachings, and protection all along! The most mundane or highly spiritual situations, events, people, other teachers - spiritual or worldly, dreams, colours and music, billboards and romance novels, elements and nature, all of it was His classroom, were His teaching tools. One infinite field of immeasurable Wisdom and Intelligence, Love and Power - from the darkest to the lightest of places, beings, and situations I had received precious teachings and experiences of Oneness, Truth, Love and Wisdom from Him.

Teachings of No-thing-ness: One of these experiences became the foundation for my spiritual quest and explained to me my further path. In the 80’s, during one of my singing lessons, I felt myself suddenly catapulted out of my body and becoming one with the limitless depth, stillness and beauty of the universe. The sentence “I am you and you are me” vibrated within me, repeating itself over and over again.

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In 1990 when I had already been in Chilianaula for 5 months, I had a deep meditative experience in which my heart expanded, embracing everything and everybody and again the sentence “You are me and I am you” vibrated within me. All the human beings appeared that I had treated well and the ones I had treated badly, those I liked and disliked were all embraced by this heart. This time Babaji had touched and opened my heart.

Peter Dawkins:

The embodiment of Babaji is to embody Love - both in men and women alike. This Journal is about the teachings of Babaji, and the main message of Babaji is the same as that of the Christ: for humanity to learn to love each other. And that is the message to give out in every single language and culture in ways that is suited to those cultures. It is a simple message: include stories of how people are doing this, to encourage others with joy. The fire ceremony represents the fire of love inherent in every human being. Set the world on fire with love. This is what will cleanse and purify the world and raise it into a state of pure joy.

And any story which tells of love in action is the message to give out. The Haidakhandi International Journal is a journal of encouragement, to set an example of what can be done. Babaji says the same as Christ taught: leave judgement to God. The judgement of God operates through karma and karmic law will occur: what you sow is what you reap. The only law which transmutes this karma is the law of love, which Christianity calls the law of redemption or grace. Live a life of love and all your sins will be forgiven and transmuted.

‘Baba’ means father, ‘ji’ means beloved. It comes from an older language where AA is the source and BA is the father, the creator. Baba is a double name. This double name is a way of making it feminine, so Baba refers to the divine mother in who is the divine father Ba. Therefore Babaji is the beloved divine mother and father. Babaji says to me: ‘People need to see Me as a woman, just as they see Me as a man’.

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Gurupurnima – Rieferath Germany

A delightful Gurupurnima celebration took place at Bhole Baba Ashram in Germany from 5th to 9th July 2017. There were 4 days of puja and havan led by Shri Alok Banerjee, culminating in a full abhishekam by everyone to Babaji’s Padukas, followed by the final havan on the last day. We would like to heartily thank Alok for leading us so beautifully and to both him and Sanjeev for travelling so far to join us and sharing their wisdom and service. Also thanks for joining us to Shri Ram Narayan and his son Pradeep from Delhi, and Ketan, Manisha and family from Mumbai. The German Samaj and devotees were exemplary in their welcome, hospitality and service to the 200 to 250 devotees who attended.

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Sundar writes: After a very touching and intensive time of 11 days at Rieferath in Germany, I am very impressed with Bhole Baba Ashram, which I have known for over 35 years. At the beginning it was heavy, dark and cold, as was Germany. Now after 35 years of Puja and Karmayoga and learning to love each other, it is light and very pure, a great place for Sadhana and a powerful community. All of Germany has become much lighter I feel. Our duty is to help all these endeavours.

Jamuna writes: Yes, Kharku and I too felt the awesome energy that Germany is holding not only for the Babaji Gurupurnima but also for the world at this time. It was so palpable as well as we continued our journey and remained in other parts of Germany. Incredible! And such a tribute to the devotees holding this with their devotion, selfless service, meaningful and thoughtful living. So beautiful and so palpable.

Gaby writes: One of my favourite moments during Gurupurnima was the early morning havan in the small dhuni: 25 people tightly packed around the fire, turned inward and deeply engrossed in prayer. Total silence. Only the smell of incense, smoke and the rays of the sun streaming through the window from the East - utter peace - not a sound - only the crackling of the fire as Walter in his gentle, calm and measured way, fed the sacred flames with small spoonfuls of ghee. Maybe it was this honouring of life at the crack of dawn, this homage to the Mother of the Universe through our communal silence, devotion (and singing) that helped create such abundance of happiness, joy and laughter that so many of us experienced during those blissful days.

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Why is Gurupurnima Celebrated ? by Sanjeev

Guru Purnima is an ancient Indian tradition that celebrates the day on which students pay due respect and gratitude to their teachers. The day is commemorated by way of offering ritualistic respect to the Guru, Guru Puja and Guru Padam. The Guru's vibrations and essence are said to be a thousand times more active on the day of Guru Purnima than on any other day. The word Guru emerges from two words, gu and ru. The Sanskrit root gu means darkness or ignorance, and ru denotes the remover of that darkness. The one who removes the darkness of ignorance is called a Guru. Gurus are believed by many to be the most necessary part of life. On this day, disciples offer puja (worship) or pay respect to their Guru (spiritual guide). According to the tenets of the yogic tradition, Guru Purnima is celebrated as the occasion when Shiva assumed the form of the first Guru, and began the process of channelling the knowledge of yoga to the Saptarishis. This belief has unique resonance in the Haidakhandi Samaj.

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Next Generation Gathering - July 2017

Gurupurnima was preceded by a joyful and harmonious Next Generation Gathering from 1st to 5th July at Rieferath ashram, attended by 18 young participants and 7 workshop facilitators. As Sundar said: we learned a lot from the new generation how the Babaji movement could grow into the future.

Myra, Sarah, Durga and Bhaskar were unable to join in the group photo here because of child-minding and other commitments.

Workshops and discussions were held on a variety of topics including: Somatic meditation, On Intimacy and Relationships, The Masculine and Feminine Within Us, Living a Mindful & Meaningful Life, Theory U, World Café process training, Aspects of a universal spiritual philosophy, and How to present Babaji and the teachings in a global contemporary way and language.

Our third NGG will take place 20th to 24th July 2018 - just before Gurupurnima in Schweibenalp, Switzerland. To book: [email protected]

Gurupurnima will last from the evening of Tues 24th to Sat 28th July 2018.

NGG is sponsored by Jai HO and therefore the cost of room and board for the five days will be covered by Jai HO. We ask a minimum donation of Euros 50 from each participant, and if you can give more it certainly helps.

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Havan speech - Day 2 - Gurupurnima Rieferath By Raghuvir

Good morning and welcome, brothers and sisters, to the 2nd day of the Gurupurnima celebrations in this lush green valley of Rieferath at Babaji’s ashram. Gathering again around this sacred fireplace for this powerful and magical ritual of havan to which most of us feel so deeply attracted and have different experiences. It is very important that the ritual, the ingredients and the mantras are all executed correctly to have the full benefit. The one who leads the havan, the one who speaks the mantras and those who prepare it all should be knowledgeable of havan, but it really does not seem to matter so much who is actually fulfilling the task apart from the emotional added value. The formula seems to work again and again and benefit all who are present.

To enjoy the full benefit, it is highly recommended to not take this experience as me and mine. Otherwise we create dependence, an attachment in ourselves that in turn creates anxiety which is the opposite of what we really are seeking. Here starts the true path of the spiritual seeker in being aware of these processes inside of us: ‘What are my thoughts and how am I acting on them’. The best way of being here and now is to be present in full awareness during this beautiful ritual, following the words and melodies of the mantras, the crackling of the fire digesting the offerings and absorbing the powerful healing vibrations, and also being aware how our inner being responds. Practicing awareness is the most powerful key in all our spiritual practices. It is through awareness that we can see how necessary it is for us to heal our pains and blockages. We can offer tons of samagree and repeat millions of mantras but without awareness we can get lost in identification with ourselves. It can easily become an ego gratifying act, where many blessings are wasted.

As Babaji expressed it so eloquently: Let your life be like that of the rose, sharing its fragrance and beauty freely with its surroundings. That is where selfless service, where real freedom is hidden. So brothers and sisters together we are offering from our heart, but only a certain number can actually sit in the front row. Let whether you sit there or not, be un- important in your experience of this beautiful ancient ritual. 27

During the 5 days of our Gurupurnima celebration we had a satsang that was recorded. Here is a sample of what was shared:

Alok: Maybe it’s a time for the older ones among us to step back and allow the new generation to step forward. Sometimes our work is not so easy and other times it is easier. How to move forward? We must be together, work and sing together. Togetherness and working in harmony is the way for us. I wish the Jai HO group many blessings for their work in helping our family to move forward, for example: the new publications and their wonderful Next Generation Gatherings at each Gurupurnima time. The five day NGG here has just finished the day Gurupurnima celebrations started, and it was very successful and harmonious.

So if there is anything we can do to help you please ask me. So please come to the feet of Babaji, open your heart and enjoy yourself.

Lok Nath: How to help the next generation feel more welcome ? And how do elders in the Babaji community, including in our very individual styles of ashrams, pass on the lineage to the next generation ? Jai HO has a website as a resource for the whole Babaji community worldwide. If any of you are interested about Jai HO projects, or need help with a project yourself, we are totally open - you can talk to anyone of us or go on the website: www.jai-ho.org

Sundar: We Herakhandis are very use to work on an ashram level and on a national level. We set up Jai HO to be able to also work on an international level, in a communication way, to inspire new ideas and projects, such as working with the next generation. In Russia Muniraji asked us to inspire the younger people to come together in a Prachar Sangh way (a group to share knowledge) bringing out the message of Babaji in many ways. For me the inspiration of the Haidakhandi International Journal published on the internet and printed in India is just such an international project. As also are Raghuvir and Sanjeev’s new publications for the Indian Samaj. 28

Gayatri: We recognise that there are beautiful ashrams all over the world where people put a lot of love, karma yoga and money into them. So we want to think now about what happens when the people who created them and those running them, die off. Is there enough involvement from a younger generation to keep them going? We don’t want them to be empty, of course they could become refugee centres or other things, whatever Baba wants. And we want to create a real community, because sometimes we come to these festival gatherings and there’s so many ceremonies going on that there’s not much time to share and see where people are in their lives and to form deeper bonds. OK we are all Herakhandis, but who are you really and what’s happening in your life? Maybe we can help you or you can help us. With the next generation gatherings we see that the younger people are making great and beautiful connections with each other, so when they come here they make deeper friendships, and then they are more likely to return ! So it’s about getting together again, in friendships and singing together like last night. We need to be a family. We’ve also hoped to find the time to do Yatras – to visit each other’s ashrams more often than just attend Gurupurnima in say Rieferath every four years. Maybe also to be able to offer courses at centres and ashrams too. But mainly it’s simply that we would like to see each other more often.

Sanjeev: The older generation here today have been the road builders for the future, and new people will come forward. Each generation has its own road-building to do. Together we can create a future for all of us. We can be shining lights when we go out into the world with harmony and love in our hearts. Why did I come to Babaji ? To find my own Self ? When driving, you switch on your GPS. Now for ourselves we need to have an inner GPS and the Guru is that for us. Let’s ask ourselves 4 questions: Who am I? Where am I in my life? Where do I want to be in my life? How might I get there?

Gayatri: Babaji said: Follow the path that is in your heart.

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News from India

The Chairman of our Samaj, Shri Alok Banerjee invites you to come to Anandpuri Ashram, Chilianaula to participate in the Divine Mother celebrations of Ashvin Navratri on 21st to 29th September 2017

To Kushal Singh & Members of the Board of the German Samaj: Please accept my heartiest congratulations on a great Gurupurnima function. I can see how much planning and preparation has gone into organising such a big festival of this level. The success of the function was possible only with the dedication and hard work of your team members and volunteers who took care of all the activities. May Babaji bless you all for making it possible for such a large group of His family to come together and be part of the Gurupurnima Celebration 2017.

We are very grateful to Col Vivek Bhatt and another devotee from Patna, Shri Dharmesh (Rs 2 lakhs) for their instant response to our appeal for support of the repairs & maintenance work of Babaji temple in Chilianaula. Thank you so much and we expect that your valuable gesture will inspire other brothers and sisters to join this Babaji project. (Please see page 36 for a description of this project.)

Through the grace & blessings of Shree Babaji, I joyfully share the following report of the happy celebration of the Chaitra Navaratras Spring 2017 at the Haidakhan ashram. All gathered at the feet of Babaji, from all corners of India and the world. My love & gratitude reaches out to all brothers & sisters, who put in so much effort, to make this Navratra congregation blissful & peaceful. May Babaji's blessings be upon all of us in togetherness. Shri Alok Banerjee, Chairman, Haidakhandi Samaj

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Chaitra Navratras at the Haidakhan ashram - Spring 2017 - by Sanjeev

It started well on 27th March evening, when Acharaya Mayapati explained beautifully, the essence of the Navaratras: why we pray and invoke the Divine Mother for 9 days. This is primarily to awaken the power of our own pure intellect and wisdom to overcome the demons inside us, with the beauty of love - which is what we are in our pure state - beyond the self- created illusions of mind. As we moved into the rhythm of the Navratra celebrations, we realised all that exists and is happening, is actually divine intelligence at play, and that we are merely nano-instruments of this divine lila. We have to just plunge ourselves into the motion of things with truth, simplicity & love – that is our duty. We don’t have to concern ourselves with what is or what will be, it is all being looked after by Bhole Baba, our Divine Director, we are merely the part-time actors of his play.

And everything drifted seamlessly and beautifully from very early morning to night and from one day to another. Everyone was automatically a small part of a well lubricated large machine, each playing a role – no role big or small – each role delegated to us by the divine operator, Shri 1008 Haidakhan Wale Baba. 31

About 230 devotees from 38 countries outside India came to participate. Several old-time devotees were present, who had not visited for some years and they added gravitas to the proceedings. Innumerable younger devotees too were present and they took great part in karma yoga and taking on celebration tasks and responsibilities. Devotees also came in huge numbers from all across India - particularly from Rajasthan & Bihar filling the newly expanded ashram to bursting on the last days of Navaratri. The dormitories under construction behind the big white hall were not completely finished but were thankfully used to accommodate the huge numbers of joyful devotees. The new construction is otherwise proceeding well. Plans are afoot to build an activity hall on the top, with plenty of glass so as to enjoy the marvellous panoramic view all around. It will be useful for meetings, yoga and other activities in the future.

One idea dawned this time more clearly than ever before: we are not at Haidakhan Vishwa Mahadham, because we want to be here. It is Babaji who gets us here, when He wants us to be here.

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PUBLICATIONS

Jai HO is supporting the Haidakhandi Samaj in the renewal of publications, including newly published material:

1. Aarati book for harmonium player

Written large, easy to turn over the pages (with one hand), laminated (covered in plastic) to withstand water and smoke, to be put on the top of a harmonium. Launched at Autumn Navaratri 2016, it’s already sold out six months later, and the next edition of this is improved.

2. Havan Booklet. A new simple step-by-step guide to learn how to conduct the Haidakhandi Havan. This booklet is printed on special plastic- infused paper which makes it resistant to damage, water and dirty hands. The package also holds a USB card with a recording of the whole booklet recited by Vinod Acharya.

This booklet is now available through the Haidakhandi Samaj but carries a big personal responsibility. The recitation of the mantras by Vinod Acharya is a guideline to help you memorize the correct pronunciation of the Sanskrit mantras & slokas. To assimilate the correct method of conducting the Havan, it is highly advised to take a short course with Vinod Acharya in India, Maarten Baba in Holland, Raidass in Bulgaria or Pujari in 33

Russia. Havan is very beneficial for personal growth and the environment but if it is not done correctly it can have adverse effects. We therefore highlight the personal responsibility you have not to take this lightly and to avoid conducting the Havan without proper initiation into this practice. Ashwin Navaratri is from 21-29 September 2017 and Vinod Acharya will hold a 5-day course on conducting the Havan. Registration for this course is open now with Sanjeev Sarna ([email protected]) .

3. A Navaratri Booklet:

A comprehensive guide to the Haidakhandi Samaj Navratri celebrations.

In 4 languages (English, Italian, Russian & German).

4. Haidhakandi Saptasati in Romanised Sanskrit. The Haidakhandi Samaj has launched a new Haidakhandi Saptasati last April. Because of a computer glitch 39 mistakes were discovered after printing. This is actually not so much considering compared to most publications. We are doing our very best to get it right and have reprinted it now for your flawless repetition of these sacred texts. You can exchange the one with the yellow border in the Indian ashrams with the complete red one, free of cost. We are sorry for the inconvenience.

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5. Publishing a more accurately written Aarti book in English, inspired by the beautiful one which the Italian Samaj has produced.

6. Babaji’s speeches in a wonderful hard cover book. This has been a long and thorough process to publish the original speeches from Babaji in a new format, and improve on the simultaneous translations by those who were present at the time. It also includes some new speeches that have been found, and the Gorakhvani will be added and published.

7. Mahendra Maharaj collections. Shri Mahendra Baba has written 4 fairly small books. They will be translated again from the original Hindi and then written in good readable English and published in one nice hard cover book to include many of Shri Mahendra Maharaj pictures.

8. Cards with Babaji sayings in a nice box. (Angel card style).

9. Expanded Kirtan Karo book with spiral and clear print

10. I Am You. We are working on publishing an English version of "I Am you" by Malti (Marie Gabriel Wosien)

Shri Sadashiva Charitamrit Jai HO is also promoting others publication projects such as: the translations of the Shri Sadashiva Charitamrit, in German and English. www.babaji-sadashiva-caritamrta.de/englisch

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Anandpuri Ashram, Chilianaula - Temple Repair by Vijay Bhatiani

For the last 3 years the temple at Chilianaula has been facing the challenge of water seepage, as a result water drops keep falling inside the temple in a number of places. We have been exploring the solution with various experts and contractors. It was discovered: that the marble tiles installed 5 years ago were 16 mm thick, whereas the originals used during Babaji’s time in the 1980’s were 25 mm thick; that the later ones were not installed properly; and the ventilation which existed before had been closed during the later repairs. So after elaborate discussion with various experts, the old marble tiles have to be taken out first, and after doing appropriate water proofing on the surface, new marble tiles of 25mm thickness would be re-laid in a professional fashion. 6800 square feet of marble needs to be removed, repairs made to the inside structure damaged on account of water seepage and the marble tiles need re-laying, plus there’s the cost of the shuttering framework.

To get good quality marble at the minimum price we approached Shri Lal Chand Kataria former Union Minister of Government of India, a Babaji devotee. In spite of his busy schedule he very kindly joined us to visit Kishangarh, Asia’s biggest marble market on 22nd of May, 2017. The following people travelled to Kishangarh for this purchase – Shri Vijay Bhatiani, Shri Sanjeev Sarna and Shri Vijay Gupta. Because of the efforts of Shri Lal Chand Kataria we were able to procure good quality marble. So the total cost of the project will be approximately Rs.20 Lakhs (about $45,000).

I would take this opportunity to request all Babaji devotees to generously contribute towards this temple repair work. We will purchase the marble as soon as we are able to organize the funds. The repair work would commence after Ashwin Navaratras 2017 - that is from beginning of October, 2017 because of the monsoon season.

You can donate to this Chilianaula temple repair through haidakhandisamaj.org/babaji/donations.php or the American Samaj website: babajisamaj.us/index.php/membership/ Click on ‘DONATIONS’ at bottom and clearly state on the form where you want your donation to go to where it says: ‘Add special instructions to the seller’. 36

IMPORTANT FESTIVAL DATES YEAR 2018 - SAMVAT 2075 JANUARY 13 Jul: Amavasya 1 Jan : New Year 14 Jul: Rath Yatra 2 Jan: Purnima (Full Moon) 16 Jul: Makar Sakranti & Munirajji Jayanti 13 Jan: Lohiri 23 Jul: Dev Shayan Ekadashi 14 Jan : Makar Sakranti 27 Jul: Vyas Pujan & GuruPurnima 17 Jan: Amavasya(New Moon) 22 Jan : Basant Pachmi AUGUST 26 Jan: Republic Day (India) 11 Aug: Amavasya 29 Jan : Shri Babaji Samadhi Divas 15 Aug: Nag Panchami & Independence 31 Jan: Magh Purnima Day 26 Aug: Purnima & Raksha Bandhan FEBRUARY 29 Aug: Munirajji Samadhi Diwas 14 Feb: Mahashivratri 15 Feb: Amavasya SEPTEMBER 19 Feb: Shri Babaji’s Prakatya Divas 3 Sep: Shri Krsishna Janmashtami 9 Sep: Amavasya MARCH 13 Sep: Ganesh Chaturthi 1 Mar: Holika Dahan & Purnima 17 Sep: Radha Ashtami 2 Mar: Dhulandi Holi 23 Sep: Anant Chaudas 17 Mar: Amavasya 25 Sep: Purnima 18 Mar: 2075 & Chaitra Navratri Starts 26 Mar: Shri Ram Navmi (Navratri Ends) OCTOBER 29 Mar: Mahaveer Jayanti 2 Oct : Gandhi Jayanti 31 Mar: Hanuman Jayanti & Purnima 9 Oct: Pittar Amavasya Navratri Starts 18 Oct: Durga Ramnavmi (Navratri Ends) APRIL 19 Oct: Vijay Dashmi 16 Apr: Amavasya 24. Oct: Sharad Purnima 18 Apr:Parshuram Jayanti & Akshaya 28 Oct: Karva Chauth Tritiya 29 Apr: Buddha Purnima NOVEMBER 5 Nov: Dhanteras MAY 6 Nov: Choti Deepawali 15 May: Amavasya & Bat Pujan 7 Nov: Deepawali Amavasya Laxmi 16 May : Adhik Mas Starts Poojan 29 May: Purnima 8 Nov: Annakoot 23 Nov: Poornima & Guru Nanak Jayanti JUNE 30 Nov: Mahakal Bhairav Jayanti 13 Jun: Amavasya & Adhik Mas Ends 22 Jun: Ganga Dushera DECEMBER 28 Jun: Purnima & Kabir Jayanti 7 Dec: Amavasya 22 Dec: Purnima & Dattatreiya Jayanti JULY 25 Dec: Christmas Day

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IMPORTANT FESTIVAL DATES - 2019

Chaitra (Spring) Navratri: 6th to 14th April 2019

Guru Purnima 16th July 2019

Ashwin (Autumn) Navratri: 29th September to 7th October 2019

Autumn Ashvin Navratri 2017 Invitation to enrol in Havan Learning Program:

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Looking to the Next Generation - Notes from America - Loknath

The American Haidakhan Samaj Our Samaj is a non-profit organization set up to provide a community base for Babaji friends and devotees. It was established with a clear purpose - to support individuals, the locally run Ashram in Crestone and Centers across America. The Samaj has been successful in collaborating with shared board members between the Samaj and the Ashram. We have published and distributed books, hosted annual meetings and Family Camp gatherings in Crestone, co-sponsored tours, and solicited and distributed donations. We have continued to imagine a separate Samaj for membership and development rather than one organization to do everything. I currently serve as Board President for the Samaj and also sit on the Ashram Board. With these two hats on I ask: how do we attract and support new members; how do we inspire a broader interest in Babaji practices; how do we support the development of community that can educate and equip more Ashram residents; how do we develop a robust financial structure that people are happy and gratified in giving to? There are more questions under the surface. We are a volunteer organization and everybody involved has other jobs. At the same time, the world situation calls out for our passionate involvement.

Love our Earth Over the last 12 months Samaj members have worked to form an environmental action team called Love Our Earth. It is inspired by Babaji’s words: “This is one earth. Don't be divided by thinking of yourselves as belonging to different countries. We belong to one earth.” The team offers a comprehensive intention: "With loving reverence, we extend the fruit of our hands, to the needs of this world, for the peace, happiness, joy and contentment of all creation". The team sees, in the words of one member, that it is extremely important to help preserve indigenous cultures here in America and around the world. Theses cultures and very existence are intertwined, through ceremony and way of life, with the honoring of our earth as mother of all. In America they have endured much hardship and suffering, some would say genocide, and continue to be prophetic advocates for the earth (most recently at Standing Rock).

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The Love Our Earth team and the Samaj, through the networks of team member Lorain Davis, have donated two tipis for a “Coming of Age for Young Women and Young Men” project created by Buffalo Nation and Chief Arvol Looking Horse. Their mission is to ‘create a teaching ground of how to be a human being in this society that carries the responsibilities directed from our Ancestors of our bloodline to respect the freedom of choice we are given.’ The elders are bringing back a ceremony that has been banned by the US Government since the 1940s. The focus is to address hopelessness and fear about the future that is epidemic among indigenous youth. The tribe has specifically requested help for the purchase of Tipis - the more they have the more space for youth.

Love Our Earth has other projects. They are working on collaborations for: tree planting; teaching permaculture and solar energy applications; and adopting animals for wildlife refuges.

Babaji with Loknath and other devotees

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Raghuvir recounts a Story of Babaji:

During a trip in Baroda there was a bit of an awkward moment in the morning just before lunch, when a famous Indian bhajan player arrived and wanted to play something at Babaji’s feet. Babaji came out and sat on the assan which was there prepared for Him. There were only 5 or 6 people around at that time. The bhajan player was a bit of a chubby fellow, well dressed in kurta pyjama. He was given a harmonium and his hands flew over the keyboard. I sat next to him. In my mind I was judging him for his untimely appearance as well as his showing off on the keyboard.

Then he opened his mouth and started singing. The heavens opened and my heart stood still…………never have I heard something so beautiful. Sitting so close, I was completely stunned. My mind was still and in awe enjoying this celestial voice and devotional expression. It was Anup Jalota.

Here is one beautiful bhajan from him, well worth looking it up: www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqSRpnKPh_k

Bhagavad Gita Quotes 10.20 Krishna says to Arjuna: aham ātmā guḍākeśa “I am the Self, O Gudakesha, sarva-bh tāśaya-sthitah dwelling in the hearts of all aham ādiś ca madhya ca beings. I am the beginning, the bh tānām anta eva ca middle and the end of all beings.”

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Divine Recipes – Chai

Hold the sadness and pain of samsara in your heart and at the same time the power and vision of the Great Eastern Sun. Then the warrior can make a proper cup of tea. Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche

Tea is India's most popular drink - 837,000 tonnes of it are consumed every year. The ritual of drinking chai transcends all boundaries, and roadsides are dotted with chai wallahs who serve it boiled up with spices, sugar and milk.

Born on a tea estate in Kotagiri in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, Rukmani has been plucking tea leaves all her life. As the eldest member of her group of female workers, she is called Amma, or mother. At lunchtime Amma prepares black chai over a fire of twigs with tea dust provided by a nearby factory. (BBC news magazine).

Paul’s Best chai: Assam tea, ground cardamom seeds, star aniseed or liquorice, fresh ginger, cloves (few), white pepper, jiggery gaur (the light version). Only at the end when brew is ready add milk - in addition for extra creamy taste use evaporated milk!…… Do not boil again, or it will curdle! Sorry no measurements – as this chai wallah works only by instinct.

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Editorial

The theme ‘Embodying Babaji’ has certainly stirred the pot. A number of contributors struggled to relate to it - including the Editors – but that’s what we came up with six months ago ! We have tried to make this Journal as much a discussion/debating publication as a newsletter. This current theme has raised enquiry and some bewilderment. It has provoked an interesting debate between a more literal and exoteric interpretation as opposed to a more symbolic and esoteric way of relating to it. Some see it as one of the deepest mysteries of Haidakhan Babaji’s legacy to all, others see it as relating to the ‘body’ of our community, and yet others see it as a dangerous assertion that could lead to ego inflation. Babaji teaches each of us in our own individualistic ways, resulting in different understandings as to who He is and what He embodied when he was amongst us in human form.

It also, inadvertently, highlighted another issue: namely the fact that the editors and their advisory board are predominantly Western. In the past this has contributed to the journal carrying more of a Western than an Indian flavour, which hopefully can be redressed. Being in the West the editors are less able to interview our Indian brothers and sisters on the themes of each journal. Maybe the themes themselves are too Western in culture? We therefore need more input from India. Also we hope to get more Indian influence on the editorial advisory board. We all really need to ask ourselves whether we feel inspired to be involved in a new journal style or newsletter, new themes or no theme, a new format, and new editors, if the answer is yes, please step forward and help.

The Haidakhandi International Journal (HIJ) is at present edited and published by Rob and Gaby in Oxford and supported by the Jai HO admin group and the Editorial Advisory Board of Alok, Raghuvir, Gayatridevi, Lok Nath, and Kharku. Publication is on the websites: hi- journal.com/ and www.haidakhandisamaj.org. 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 17 will be published in February 2018 on a new theme to be suggested. Please send your suggested theme now, and country news, articles & letters by November 30th 2017 43

This Journal is printed in India by the Haidakhandi Samaj 44