Namaste everybody!

Day six (on the lunar calendar) of the Summer Navaratri and we are jamming!
Every morning Shree Maa and Swami Satyananda Saraswati set the sadhana pace in the temple .  They are joined by Devi Mandir devotees who also do their own puja and Chandi Path recitations.  The energy in there is soooo palpable and everyone leaves the temple to do their daily activities with renewed vigor.

Please join us online on the webcam at http://www.shreemaa.org/broadcasts for worship in the morning and for Swamiji's new fabulous class on the Gayatri Sahasranama every weeknight at 6:30pmPT.

May Divine Mother bless us all with Divine Bliss!!

I went to a car dealership to look for a used truck.  I ended up taking one home for the night that was way more money than I wanted to spend.  I brought it back the next day and thanked the man for letting me try it out.  he tried to talk me into buying it, but I would not.  Then he said he had something else in my price range and, being a good salesman, he had me practically behind the wheel before I knew it.  Suddenly Ramakrishna's image came into my head. Shree Maa (my teacher) always said He would guide Her....and the car wouldn't start!  He tried several times...and nothing.  I left on foot, but not unhappy.

I see it now with much more clarity and it shows me the mirror and says, "Here, dear, is what you need to work on right now!"

In the Hindu tradition there is the perfect word -- satsangh.  Getting together with like-minded people with like-minded goals.  Associating with spiritual people is the way to increase devotion and remind me what my real purpose is.  I also helps when the road takes its twists and the view ahead becomes not so clear.

For all who would like to find this satsangh online, i have a suggestion.  The Devi Mandir temple is the refuge that has kept me inspired of a long time wherever in the world I was.
Check it out at http://www.shreemaa.org

It's unique because it is not comprised solely of my blood relatives.  My brothers and sisters from my spiritual family are from all walks of life, all ethnicities, allcorners of the world.  It's amazing how perfectly we have been chosen for one another. 
It has been said that one always meets the "same" people over and over again.
The ability to see this familiarity proples us to seek the pure nature of the connection...the relationship evolves in a much deeper level.
In our spiritual journey we seek the ultimate union, Yoga with All.  This cannot happen unless we see the One in the all.  There must be love for all and nothing less.  Until that happens we live in duality.

May Divine Mother bless us all with pure devotion!

Tomorrow (Sunday, the 28th) is the last day of the Hindu calendar year.  It is known as Mahaloya or the Great Dissolution.  Tomorrow the universe will dissolve back into the Divine Mother.  On Monday the universe unfolds again and new Creation begins.  Whatever we still have on Monday is what the Goddess has blessed us with for another year.

Swamiji said tonight that this is when we should have all our affairs in order.  There should be no loose ends.  If Divine Mother calls you to heaven, you want to be ready.  He illustrated this point with a story.

"Harischandra was a king who had performed a lot of tapasya (austerities).  One day Indra, Ruler of Heaven, came to him and said, 'You have made great sacrifices; the doors of  are now open to you.'
Harischandra replied that he was a king and that anything he did was for the welfare of his people.  He could not possibly go to Heaven and leave them behind.  'I will only go if all my subjects are allowed to go with me.'
Indra said that was impossible.  Among his subjects there were many good people worthy of Heaven, but there were also many who would not be allowed in.
'Take all the merits I have accumulated over these years and spread them around.  Those who need more take more and this way we can all go to Heaven for one day together, ' said the king.
Indra agreed.
Harischandra went to his subjects and announced the good news.  Many of his subjects were ecstatic at the prospect of visitng Heaven, but some were not!  They did not want to leave all their things/relationships behind!"

So take the day to make sure you have your life in order.....who knows when Indra may come and invite you up to Heaven!  You don't want to miss the opportunity!

That seems silly...prepare??? it's the unknown! there is no preparing.  Preparing evokes an idea of trying to control the circumstances so that whatever comes, we will know what to do....

WHO'S DOING?

it reminds me of an Arab saying that says, "If you want to hear God laugh, tell Him your plans...." 

In the West we are alwasy trying to prepare for the unknown, but as we delve into the spiritual and the unknown, It seems to say to us, "Let it go....whatever comes, comes.....I will be there to guide you....."

Jaaaaaaaaaaaaaaai Maa

True strength is being centered in our Self and not getting lost in the Ego's manipulations.  He (the Great Ego) has an army of millions of thoughts that are poised to attack and undermine our efforts at unity.  By  surrendering our will to Divine Mother -- by acknowledging that She is the poower behind us all -- we become the stongest, shiniest, most beautiful beings!