It’s up to us to shine our light.
And that means every single one of us, no exceptions!
The world needs as many warriors of light as it can get right now.
Wisdom from Rumi
Forest bathing
Although there’s been quite a lot written and said about forest bathing in the last few years, it’s not something I paid much attention to — other than vaguely thinking it was a good thing.
But this past week I’ve been getting back into a walking routine, going slightly farther each day. And as I went far enough this morning to actually relax and tune into my surroundings more deeply, I suddenly became aware that I was doing a version of forest bathing!
In fact, I live right in the forest, so every time I leave my home I can be forest bathing…if I’m consciously aware of doing so.
Of course, when I went to read more about forest bathing *, I learned that the recommended length for a forest bath is two hours.
Well, maybe I’ll save that for special occasion forest baths!
[* Click here for an article in Time magazine by Dr. Qing Li, the author of Forest Bathing: How Trees Can Help You Find Health and Happiness.]
Grateful for 20 years of marriage
Today Ramesha and I celebrated twenty years of marriage by going out for dinner at a lovely Italian restaurant in Grass Valley.
In looking through wedding photos, this one really jumped out at me. I mean really! Doesn’t Ramesha’s smile just say it all?!?
What a fortunate woman I am, indeed!
Patriotism & freedom
Thank you to my friend, Joni Palita, for the evocative photo and inspiring quotes. Plenty to think about as we celebrate the 4th of July in these interesting times.
“True patriotism springs from a belief in the dignity of the individual, freedom and equality not only for Americans but for all people on earth.”
— Eleanor Roosevelt
“Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves.”
― Abraham Lincoln
“The function of freedom is to free someone else.”
― Toni Morrison, Nobel Peace Prize for Literature
Happy 90th to my wonderful Dad!
Maybe I’m just a little bit biased, but I truly believe that I have the best (and most handsome) Dad ever!
And today he turns 90 years old (still just as handsome as he ever was). How wonderful is that?
So, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Gilbert Brooks! ✨💖✨
Exciting new developments
While we were in Lugano a couple of months ago, I felt a certain amount of inward restlessness. It was hard to pin down and define. The best I could come up with was that I felt some sort of shift was trying to happen.
In fact, for some time I had been becoming aware of a subtle but gradually increasing sense that we needed to be doing something more to accomplish our mission in serving the music of Ananda.
Well, not too long after we got back from Europe, Ramesha made the decision to reduce his teaching schedule in order to serve the music ministry full time. This is a huge shift — for him and for me — which is rippling out and inspiring the exciting new developments which we’re sharing about in the letter that follows.
Dear friend,
We’d like to share some exciting new developments about our work in service to Ananda Music.
Starting in the next few months, Bhagavati and I will be focusing a lot more on traveling to Ananda centers and meditation groups to provide support with learning, singing, and more deeply understanding our music.
We’ve experienced again and again the transforming power of Ananda Music; we want to make it possible for more people to benefit from it.
Our goal is to support everyone who wants to learn and sing our wonderful music!
If this project inspires you and you feel to support our efforts and help with travel expenses, we invite you to join our Bhagavati & Ramesha Patreon.
As a thank you for your generous help you will receive an exclusive video from us every month. 
Yay! The energy is definitely moving and we’re thrilled with the prospect of potentially visiting five different Ananda communities between now and the end of the year!
Knowing what’s important
Loving this by writer Iain Thomas…
And every day, the world will drag you by the hand, yelling, “This is important! And this is important! And this is important! You need to worry about this! And this! And this!” And each day, it’s up to you to yank your hand back, put it on your heart and say, “No. This is what’s important.”
We did it
Moment by moment, day by day, song after song…the music ministry did our best to help create the best Spiritual Renewal Week ever.
Tomorrow we return to “normal” life, but tonight I’m taking it easy.
A fitting conclusion
There was a beautiful sunset as we headed home after tonight’s Indian banquet. A fitting conclusion, with the sun setting on what has been a glorious Spiritual Renewal Week.
Tomorrow is Sunday service and then the numerous guests head home and Village life returns to normal — though after so much inspiration I think it can’t help but be a higher level of normal!
Today’s thrilling moment
This is the song we performed before this morning’s (very inspiring) Spiritual Renewal Class. It’s one of my (many) favorite songs by Swamiji!
(Of course, our ensemble arrangement is a lot simpler than this version from Ramesha’s album — The Inner Temple!)
Today’s thrilling moment came when we invited the audience to join us on the final chorus.
What an amazing experience it is to be one of 300 or so people singing the words, “Dear God, my God, I am Thine for eternity! Dear God, my God, I am Thine eternally!”
And meaning every word.
Here are the complete lyrics:
I WILL ALWAYS THINK OF THEE
Every morning when I greet the sun,
When I move forth through crowded ways,
In my heart, Lord, ever so silently,
I will always think of Thee!
When I laugh, O, and when I cry with pain,
When my best friends misunderstand.
In my heart, Lord, ever so silently,
I will always think of Thee!
Chorus:
Dear God, my God, I am Thine for eternity!
Dear God, my God, I am Thine eternally!
Though my path lead me over desert sands
Though it take me through bitter storms,
In my heart, Lord, ever so silently,
I will always think of Thee!
When I’m working and when in earned repose,
Let come vict’ry or low defeat,
In my heart, Lord, ever so silently,
I will always think of Thee!
Chorus:
Dear God, my God, I am Thine for eternity!
Dear God, my God, I am Thine eternally!