Month: March 2020

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Nutrient-dense music?

Spent another evening with the Living Discipleship program sharing Swami Kriyananda’s songs for children — a fun and powerful experience, as always! When I got home and started writing tonight’s blog post, I spontaneously decided to write out one phrase from each of the songs we sang.

Looking at the random selection of lyrics I’m struck by how these words are like the verbal equivalent of nutrient-dense foods. What a blessing for children to absorb such wisdom wrapped up in joyful melodies!

Sing out a blessing to ev’ryone!
Just live in joy, be free inside.
Let me feel Thy strength in me. Give me joy to share.
God is our dearest treasure.
Guide me, Lord, throughout this day; in all I do, in all I say.
All the world is my friend when I learn how to share my love.
Move, all you mountains that stand in my way, nothing can stop my progress!
Thank You, God, for your love.💕

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Oh no!

Later bedtimes, later mornings. It seems to be gradual but inexorable… and the time change certainly didn’t help matters any. 🙁

I guess I’m going to have to get really strict with myself (yet) again!

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Doing our part

Ronja, my friend from way back in Assisi days, wrote this to me a few days ago:

Hi! So I think it’s time… Could you, as a talented musician, please share your favorite 20 seconds of Swami’s or Master’s music? I’m getting a little tired of Happy Birthday twice and Yankee Doodle isn’t really that uplifting either….😉🙃

To be honest it took a few moments for me to make the connection and realize she was looking for music to time her hand-washing by! But then I totally got it, because I had experienced the same frustration of wanting to sing something uplifting while washing my hands but not knowing how much of any particular song or chant would take up 20 seconds. I usually ended up counting “one thousand, two thousand, three thousand…” instead!

I’m happy to say that Ronja’s request was the catalyst for Ramesha and me to create this short (and hopefully fun) little video. We’ll be sharing it more widely via social media tomorrow, but I wanted to mention it in today’s blog post because…well, I feel pretty good about it! 💖

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A song for the times

It’s in times like these that Swami Kriyananda’s song, Go On Alone, really speaks to me. We sang it for Sunday service this morning and I felt more strongly than ever the message of Truth that is so powerfully expressed through this thrilling combination of melody, harmony, rhythm, and lyrics! (The song is at approximately the 16:45 mark in the video below, if you want to listen to it.)

But what is that message? For me, this song is all about being in the spine. About standing strong and living life from one’s center. About having courage of conviction and feeling so secure in who you are that you can act with kindness and compassion towards others. Wow, that pretty much describes a hero/heroine, doesn’t it? Which is what I believe these times are calling us to be, because our world sure has need of more everyday heroes and heroines.

Swami’s brief introduction to the song pretty much says it all:
“The path to truth is not for weaklings!
Seek approval not from others,
But in your self, with God.
-Truth Can Never Die”

GO ON ALONE
Some men call it progress—
Down with those who doubt!—
To join the causes others join,
And shout when others shout.
CHORUS
Come, you’re a man,
No passive stone!
Stand up, and call your soul your own!
Go on alone! Go on alone!
Banish weakness: Go on alone!
Go on alone! Go on alone!
Don’t look back! just go on alone!

Some men lack the daring
Ever to be free!
They shun the heights, and crowd the depths,
And court security.
CHORUS

Cowards see but pride in
Singularity,
“Oh, never mind if men are wrong,
So long as they agree!”
CHORUS

Claim the power within you
Error to defy!
The world may change or disappear,
But truth can never die!
CHORUS

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Only love…

I can’t find words to express how grateful I am for this life and my spiritual path. “Thank you” will have to do. 💖

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Spread LOVE

Just imagine if LOVE were to go viral!

If the idea of spreading love seems too much, you can start with a smile. Spread smiles! Or a teeny tiny act of kindness. Spread kindness! It’s all directional…and any of these will be moving us in the direction of LOVE. 💗💗💗

By Driven Hope
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A special Guru Day

Thursdays are Guru Day and today’s was extra special! A beautiful statue of Yogananda took up residence on the ridge overlooking Ananda Village. From this vantage point he will bless the community, the region, and all the world.

Moving the statue into place…

Yogananda’s feet are firmly grounded at the Village…

Applying the finishing touches…

Jai Guru!

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Drawing a blank

But it’s actually kind of cool to realize how infrequently this happens lately. Seems like I mostly find something to write about.

But not tonight. 🙂

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Positive, helpful, proactive!

At Ananda Assisi they’re “living the experience of the Coronavirus with high and positive energy and… as a really good opportunity to practice what we know!” Toward that end, they’ve decided to follow Yogananda’s Nine-Day Cleansing and Vitalizing Diet as a group, inviting people from all around the world to join them (when you go to the above link, scroll down to read the text in English)!

Here at Ananda Village, a group of friends is adding energy to the endeavor by pledging to practice the Energization Exercises three times a day!

Take that Coronavirus!

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One of my favorite days!

We’ve had a delightful time celebrating Ramesha’s birthday (we actually got an early start, with a fun gathering Sunday night). And it’s with a great deal of joy, love, and gratitude that I look forward to sharing another year of life together. 💖