March 2007 संस्करण
UK Haidakhandi Newssheets
Haidakhandi Samaj (UK)
01
Bhole Baba Ki Jai!
Dear Friends
We welcome you to the 5th UK Haidakhandi Newssheet sent out by email. We recommend you print it out and keep it as a paper copy, as it contains important information for everyone interested in our community and its work for Shri Babaji in the UK. If you know of people who would be interested in reading this Newssheet but who are unlikely to be on our emailing list, please send it on to them or let us know their details. God bless and Om Namaha Shivaya. Rob and Gaby.
Forthcoming Events - everyone invited !
The Story of the Paduka Puja in Delhi in December 2006.
An Invitation to host Babaji’s new pakukas in the UK.
Interview with Shri Muniraji in September 2006, translated from German (3 pages). The Healing Fires
It is with deep thanks we give to the Mother of all life and Shri Babaji for the success of the three ‘Healing Fires’ conducted by the UK Babaji community in 2006 and 2007. Our gratitude is extended to Gopal Hari and family for their generosity in hosting the events, and Rob and Kanchan for initiating and organising the idea. These three weekend events came out of an inspiration when Shri Muniraji said to Kanchan at Spring Navaratri in 2006 that in the UK: "You must come together, not one here (right hand up) and not one there (left hand up), but you must come together (he brought both his hands together)."
In all forty two people from the UK Babaji community attended these events which lead to a deeper sense of sanga between us all. Our community has stepped beyond the old rifts, and met together for aarati and havan puja, satsang and fun. The release of a unified creative energy is palpable as a result of these fires, and including your prayers. Thank you for the dedication of so many for travelling long distances to once again be together.
The UK Questionnaire
It is partly as a result of this unified creative energy from the Healing Fires that the Haidakhandi Samaj (UK) Committee is disseminating a Questionnaire to everyone in the UK, asking the two questions: 1. What is your vision/wish for the Babaji ashram/centre in the UK ? and 2. How do you see this as being realisable ? You will be sent this questionnaire by post - please take time to reply as the more of us that participate means that the results are more accurately representing the whole community. There is a detailed procedure for the consultation of everyone after the receipt of your replies to the Questionnaire. Everyone is invited to be part of this new unifying process. At the AGM in London in May we will be sharing the results of this first step in this process of UK wide consultation. So please make a special effort to attend the AGM in London on May 19th and consider re-joining the Samaj if you are no longer a member.
Navaratri - at Blaengors Sanatan Dharma Ashram. This ‘nine nights’ festival to the divine mother begins on Monday 19th March. Sangita and Pete Dale will be at the Ashram the weekend before to prepare the dhuni and temple for this festival. Everyone is invited to attend the main ashram weekend on the 23rd to the 25th March to celebrate this sacred festival. Please contact Sangita on 01453-765736 or bringtolight@clara.co.uk . If you wish to visit the ashram other than this weekend then please contact Sangita to discuss access and to find out who else might be present.
Navaratri in Devon Please contact Atmaram and Kanchan for details of fire ceremonies to be performed in their dhuni in Crediton during Navaratri. Tel: 01363-773096 or atmaram@tiscali.co.uk .
Annual General Meeting of the Samaj in London in May 2007
You are invited to attend a Babaji community puja, bhajans, aarati and the Annual General Meeting of the Haidakhandi Samaj (UK), on Saturday 19th May 2007 at the Hindu Centre, London
Bhajans12 noon Lunch:12.30 (please bring food to share) AGM:2pm prompt start. We hope to finish the meeting by 5pm, followed by Aarati to Shri Babaji.
Address:39 Grafton Terrace, Chalk Farm, London NW5 (Nearest Railway Station is Gospel Oak & nearest Tube is Belsize Park). There is plenty of room for free parking in the locality.
02
AGM Details
This Sheet constitutes the statutory 21+ days notice of the AGM to all Members of the Charity. The annual report and accounts will be presented.
In the written Constitution of the HS(UK) the executive committee:
1. Shall consist of not less than 6 members of the Charity and not more than 12 members being:
(a) the honorary officers to be elected are from amongst the Membership are ‘a chairman, a secretary and a
(b) Not less than 1 and not more than 6 members elected at the AGM who shall hold office from the
2. The Executive Committee (EC) may in addition appoint no more than 3 co-opted members. Each such appointment shall be made at a special meeting of the Executive Committee (under clause J1….etc).
3. All members of the EC shall retire from office at the end of the AGM…but they may be re-elected or re-appointed.
There are three other items under this section of the Constitution. The Constitution is 9 pages long. To be sent a copy, please send an s.a.e. plus £1 to Rob Waygood at 59, Warwick Street, Oxford OX4 1SZ or Kalika James, 19B Fairbridge Road, London N19 3EW.
Also under the Constitution: Nominations for election to the Executive Committee must be made by members of the Charity in writing and must be in the hands of the secretary (NB: Kalika is acting as such since the resignation of Stephen Slater) at least 14 days before the AGM.
However, under the recently passed Charities Act 2006 there are “new powers for all charities which aren’t companies to change their rules about how they are to be run. (for details contact www.charitycommission.gov.uk)
To access the Charity Commission news on these changes cut and paste the following into your internet search: www.charitycommission.gov.uk/tcc/newslist.asp.
03
Would you like to be on the Haidakhandi Samaj (UK) Executive Committee for the year from 19th May 2007 ? From the above you will read that we can vote in a maximum of 9 people at the AGM, of which three are the chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer. To be eligible you need to have a nomination of you sent in writing to Kalika by Friday 4th May 2007. We strongly encourage new people to step forward to stand for election. Only if nominations exceed vacancies will there be a ballot (Section P (5) of the Constitution). There are new healing winds blowing through our thoughts ! Babaji instructed us to set up these national organisations and ours cannot exist without management - its also the perfect opportunity for seva/karma yoga and to get involved. Come on! New blood especially welcome!
04
GOMA - UK concerts and events in 2007
March Workshop in Gloucestershire: Saturday 3 March - Hay Barn, Daylesford near Kingham, Glos. GL56 0YG Contact : 01608 - 731 703 * March Concert in London Saturday 10 March - Special Yoga Centre, 2a Wrentham Ave, London NW10 Contact : 020 - 8968 1900 * March Concert in Bradford-on-Avon Saturday 31 March - Mount Pleasant Community Centre, Bradford-on-Avon Contact : 01225 - 864 398 * April Concert in Stroud Sunday 1 April - Trinity Rooms (opposite Maternity Hospital ), Stroud Contact : 01453 - 861 623 * April Concert in Totnes Saturday 14 April - St John's Church, Totnes Contact : 01803 - 868 744 * April Workshop in Gloucestershire Saturday 21 April - Hay Barn, Daylesford near Kingham, Glos. GL56 0YG Contact : 01608 - 731 703 * May Concert & Workshop in Glastonbury Saturday 5 & Sunday 6 May - Shekin Ashram, Glastonbury Contact : 01458 - 832 300 * May Workshop in Gloucestershire Saturday 26 May - Haybarn, Daylesford near Kingham, Glos. GL56 0YG Contact : 01608 - 731 703
05
3rd European Babaji Guru Purnima Celebration Dutch Ashram 28th July – 1st August Not to be missed ! Many of us are going !
For further information please contact the Dutch Ashram: martin@babaji.nl or phone: 0031-55-505-2871
06
Paduka Puja - Delhi December 2006
What is padukha puja? Once a year, Babaji’s Padukas leave the Haidakhan temple and together with Shri Muniraji and his entourage go travelling. This is very similar to the times when Babaji himself went onto a yatra, visiting the homes and temples of those devotees who wanted him to come and were in the position to host an open house event.
Below please read this report of a three day padukha puja event with Shri Muniraji at Drs. Arvind and Vandana Lal’s home in Delhi December 2006:
The Venue Arvind and Vandana’s private residence was turned into one big home for Babaji and his devotees. The living room became the main temple and Muniraji performed daily havans in the garden with it’s permanent fire pit. Prasaad was being served in a tent adjacent to the house and tea and coffee and snacks were almost permanently available in the drive way, which was laid out with grass carpets. People slept either at the Lal’s house or, like myself and others, were put up in a nearby hotel with permanent cars and chauffeurs available. The climate was supremely pleasant: warm, sunny and no humidity!
The daily procedure Just as during Navaratri, around 6.30am the first padukha puja took place in Babaji’s private kurtir, at the top of the house. Then Vandana, as the lady of the house carried Babaji’s feet on her head down to the main temple while all sang “Hoshiar, Savdan, Shri Shri Mahaprabuji Badhare He He” - (Wake up, be alert, here comes the the Great Lord! ) Then came the public padukha puja followed by aarati and havan. In addition, we were showered with daily performances of sacred music performed by a group of five superb musicians.
First Babaji World concert This special event, which was organised by our hosts, took place at the Shri Chinmoy auditorium hall in Lodhi Road, after the second padukha puja. Great care was taken to make this a most special event. The lobby and auditorium were decorated with thousands of marigold and rosepetal mandals and garlands. In the front row the guest of honour: Shri Muniraji, Dr. Karun Singh, Ex governmental minister, Vedic scholar and son of the Ex-King of Kashmir and our hosts. On stage: Ganga, Motima, Karku, Elisabeth and Somnath, who blessed the 150-200 audience with Haidakhandi bajans for the first 20 or 30 minutes. This was followed by a spell-bounding speech by Dr. Karun Singh, which began by him saying: we are living in an age of great conflict and distress, we have to look at our spiritual heritage to get courage….he talked about his meeting with great beings that shine….
The Chopra brothers continued with their amplified Haidakhandi Bajans, loud and passionate and full of shakti. At the end all performers plus those devotees who had especially come from abroad for this event were called on stage and with impreccable hospitality and grace were presented with orchid flower bouquets. We all left the auditorium in a speechless daze.
Karma Yoga The most memorable thing about those three days was how much Arvind, Vandana, Arjun and Munna made everyone feel at once at home. It had that personal touch, which you just don’t get in an ashram. The show of hospitality, generosity, care and friendship within this spiritual context must surely be one of the most beautiful ways of societal gatherings. The impeccable organisation of the entire event down to the smallest detail, spurred on by nothing more and nothing less than the host’s deep love for Babaji, made it possible, yet again, for the Guru’s grace to come through. Thus the entire purpose for the event had succeeded.
At the last puja, our weary winter hearts were refilled, eyes were sparkling, the singing was lively and joyful and the whole community felt like one united body. Muniraji looked young and glowing: sitting amongst us in his unassuming, simple way that we all know so well… giving the appearance of doing nothing. Bhole Baba ki Jai! New Padukhas for England At the above event a new pair of padukhas were inaugrated for the UK and brought back to England. For the time being these padukhas are meant to travel throughout the country, visiting the homes of those who wish to have them and are willing to take care of them for a limited period of time. Padukha puja requires a twice daily short ritual, followed by aarati. Those who have had the padukhas will all confirm that looking after them will seriously deepen and intensify devotion and connection with Babaji!
If therefore you detect a desire in your heart to be the host for the guru’s feet, for either a longer period of time or just a week-end open house event, please don’t hesitate and contact any of us on the list below. When Muniraji was asked in December who should have the UK padukhas, he said very sweetly: “Ask who wants to have them”.
Gaby (Oxford) 01865-247-851 Kalika (London) 020-7687-0772 Kanchan (Devon) 01363-773-096
Please note that the padukhas are at Kanchan & Atmaram’s house at present. All are invited to attend their weekly aarati on a Tuesday evening.
German devotees interview Shri Muniraji in Chilianaula 29.09.2006
Q: As a German, do I have a special task? Is there a particular duty for me in Germany, or in India?
Shri Muniraji: Everybody has his duty, no matter where he’s been born.
Q: I do Pancha Karma parallel with Navaratri. Do they work together or can there be problems in combining the two? My experience has been that after 8 days both compliment each other – everything that comes up during the Pancha Karma Therapy can then be dissolved in the fire.
M: Everyone can do what they enjoy.
Q: I really enjoy reciting part of the aarti in the German language, such as the Father aarti. Is that o.k.?
M: There is nothing wrong with it.
Q: Babaji said that we should go out into the world and spread what he has said. However, it is my experience that it is very difficult, to talk with people. Many think they know everything already and cannot listen. What shall I do?
M: People believe and follow their paths in different ways. Communicate the path according to the way you do it. If people cannot accept it, then let them go their own way. Babaji had no interest in people changing their religion or creating a new religion – only that a human being is humane. The highest religion is humanity. When somone is born the first thing is that that they are born as a human being, without already having a religion.
Q: I have heard, that everything that one thinks and says has effects on many different levels. Could you explain this?
M: The mind, our desires are very quick. However, we need a strength, a potential, so that we can we put it into something. For example if we want to eat something sweet, we first have to get up, go to the cupboard and get the sweet. So we need the ability to manifest something. Not everyone has that ability. There are endless levels. The stream of thoughts has no end. The mind can travel everywhere, but what really matters is what it can manifest. Rather than running here and there with the mind.
Q: Babaji has said there will be much destruction. I feel there is a lot of fear amongst people around me about this distruction. How can we instill trust? M: I already knew you were going to ask this. You should only make sure that YOU are without fear. What will come, no one will be able to stop. But because of this you should not change your direction. Stay in touch what is going on for you.
Q: How do you see the political situation in Iran?
M: Political situations are ever changing. New things always happen.
Q: I have been given the information that in 2012 the great transformation should already have taken place. Many people around me are already preparing for this and stock up provisions for survival. Is it wrong that I don’t prepare myself for this by stocking up goods?
M: This is another rumour. One person says something and another one spins it on. One should not engage with this.
Q: What is the meaning of Mundan (head shaving). I cannot get into this, because I don’t really understand it. What are it’s spiritual benefits?
M: Apart form some other rituals, mundan is particularly beneficial for your mental and emotional health. These rituals have been part of religion since time immemorial. Of all 16 Sanskars (important situations for the spiritual search) mundan is the first ritual and therefore should be carried out before anything else. But everyone has to know this for themselves. Everyone who has the feeling that it will be beneficial for them, should do it. Mundan serves also as a protection against physical illness (such as viruses).
Q: Mundan is often carried out on children at the age of 1 and a half to 2 years. How come?
M: The main benefit of mundan for children is for their health.
Q: What makes a yogi a yogi and a sadhu a sadhu?
M: To become a sadhu, it takes a lot. In this yuga there are no real sadhus. Those who appear as Sadhus, only appear as such. To be a sadhu means to renounce everything. In this yuga no one is really able to do this – and it is not what is being asked. The materialistic attraction in this yuga is very strong – like a magnet. People who want to go this path, cannot succeed – or carry it to the end. Anyway, it does not make any sense in this age. There are 8.4 million types of yoga. It is Karma yoga that is appropriate for this age.
Q: What is Karma Yoga?
M: Whatever you do is Karma Yoga. You should not sit around – you should always be enganged in activity. That is Karma Yoga.
Q: When I write my diary, is that also Karma Yoga?
M: That is also part of it, because with that, you can inspire other people. Whoever does something is a Karma Yogi.
Q: I cannot understand what it means to do nothing, when everything is Karma Yoga?
M: When you do something bad, that is not Karma Yoga. You should always be busy. It is important to have a goal in life and to focus your activities accordingly. That is Karma Yoga.
Q: The Germans have always done a lot. Have they not exaggeraterd? Isn’t stillness also a part of it?
M: When a person has set their goal and focuses their entire energy towards that goal, then it transforms into a spiritual exercise. When they follow that goal with wholeheartedness then they will harvest sweet fruits. The other possibility is: to pursue your goal wholeheartedly only in the beginning, but later only with halfheartedness – with half the energy. Then everything will dissipate and end in a dead-end street. When you set yourself a goal and pursue it with full determination – then everything is possible. When you complete your intention, you will reap its fruits. Then he is a yogi. It is the same when we build a house. When the house is complete, we can move in and start living in it. Then we can eat the fruit. The scientist does research. When he has discovered something, it will benefit humanity. The same rule applies for the yogi. A yogi does not walk the path for himself, but for the whole of humanity. When you want to make use of a field you first have to irrigate it and sow the seeds…..then comes the time for the harvest. At harvest time, however, you will reap much more than what you need for your family. It is enough for many more, and they all can benefit.
Q: What are the wisest steps?
M: Everybody should work. Do you only want to travel around? If you want to achieve something – you must do Karma Yoga. You have to give everything. Nothing comes from nothing. If someone sits around, nothing will happen. Appropriate measures must be taken in order to put things into action.
Q: Surely it isn’t good to sing aarati and bajans all day long or to pray 24 hours a day. Where is the limit? Where does one stop?
M: Everyone should give as much time as they can manage. Everyone has to decide for themselves how much time they can spare on top of their daily duties and activities. Someone who has to battle with hunger and feed their family cannot sit and meditate. They need to provide for their family so they can eat. If someone offers God a flower with a pure heart, that is wonderful spiritual worship. The most importatnt thing is the feeling with which you do something, not the length. Our hearts need to be pure.
Q: I have read in a book that Babaji wants us to do japa 24 hours a day. The usual kind of praying is too boring. I have another way of communicating with God. I prefer the direct way.
M: I have not heard that someone prays 24 hours a day. All we should do is be conscious that nothing belongs to us and that nothing we do comes from us. Nothing belongs to us. In the end it is only God who is active and present in everything – and we should act out of that awareness.
Q: Is there a mantra to ground us?
M: There are endless mantras, but without action they are of no use. It also requires a particular sanskar (initiation) and a particular culture, to make a mantra effective. It makes no sense to receive a mantra with our mind. There is no use if we run here and there with our mind. To step into action is the only way. That way it bears fruit.
Q: Some people think it is important to protect oneself from negative energies. This is what is being said in light work. Do we really have to be afraid of negative energies?
M: When you purify your own mind, you will be protected. When we are jealous and think negatively about others or act negatively then we get scared that it will backfire on us. Those who purify their own mind don’t need to be frightened. The same is with a thief: the moment he sees a policeman he thinks: let’s hope I won’t be found out. An innocent person has nothing to worry about. When you have the feeling your actions have been good actions then there is no room for fear. Your conscience knows whether you’ve done good. Sometimes you do something but you know what you do is not good, but you do it anyway. This power comes from past actions, karma, and can’t be avoided. Look at a school class. All children have the same teacher and the same conditions, but everyone turns out differently. One turns into a minister, the next into a doctor and another into a road sweeper. It is karmic. If we think and act in the right way now, we plant the best seeds into the ground for the future. It is in our power.
Q: Is chara (healing with peacock feathers) good for me?
M: This is up to whether you believe in it or not. If you do, it will help.
Someone else asks Muniraji for his blessings for all present.
M: At the moment there is too little life, too little activity in the German ashram. (Since this interview was given, we hear that the German ashram activities have much improved!).