No matter how much I struggle to stick with my day-to-day routines (including meditation), I’m always grateful for the boost of bliss and inspiration I feel after a Kriya initiation!
Feeling inspired
A red-letter day!
Yes, our new recording of Swami Kriyananda’s Christ Lives: An Oratorio was officially released today! You can find it HERE.
Equally thrilling was the return of Jyotish and Devi to Ananda Village, after more than three months (which felt like forever) in Italy, the Netherlands, and India.
The entire community met them as they arrived at the entrance to the Village late this morning. I had hoped to find a pic to share here, but it seems that nobody — not even one of our usual photo-happy folks — thought to pull out phone or camera.
On the one hand, I wish I had a photo. But on the other hand, I appreciate that we were all just in the moment, being with Jyotish and Devi, giving them our undivided attention.
The truth is that I specifically grabbed my phone when I got out of the car for exactly that reason. But I didn’t think of it once while we were all there.
Below is the next best thing — a photo of Jyotish and Devi just before they caught the flight home from Mumbai.
A beautiful leaf
I was taking a little walk and happened upon this leaf.
I paused to note its beauty, and started to walk on. But then I stopped and went back to pick it up.
It was just too beautiful. So beautiful, in fact, that I feel it deserves its own blog post!
The marathon begins
Our Christmas music “marathon” is off to an early start this year.
It’s usually not until the second week of December starts that I have the sensation of drowning in non-stop details and events, but here we are — barely reaching the end of November — and the feeling is already very much with me.
True, we just had a wedding, which doesn’t usually happen between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Of course, it was beautiful and inspiring. BUT…now that that’s done, it’s “all hands on deck” and “full speed ahead” to Christmas!
Swimming in details
I’m so very, very ready to turn my brain off for the night.
A double whammy
I was on Facebook yesterday when I saw the above quote.
It definitely made me think. But then, it was immediately followed by this quote as the very next post:
“Perhaps the most valuable result of all education is the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do, when it ought to be done, whether you like it or not.” — Thomas Henry Huxley
Reading the two, one right after another like that, made me pause and reflect. I think of myself as educated and mature. And yet, I still struggle to live up to the standards expressed within those two quotes.
I guess the truth is that, no matter one’s chronological age, our true educational process of reaching our full human potential is never completely done.
Hanging on
This got my attention today.
You can see that one branch out of the whole tree is still hanging on to its leaves. It’s obviously not quite ready to let them go. Or vice versa?
Perhaps I’m projecting meaning onto the tree, but the fact is, I can totally resonate with this branch/leaves.
Living in a golden aura
I keep attempting to capture in a photograph how it feels to live in the midst of a forest of oak trees in the late fall.
The California oaks seem to be on a slightly slower rhythm than most of the other deciduous trees. Most of the dramatic red and orange foliage finished a while ago, but the golden oak foliage seems to go on and on and on.
We see oak trees from every window in our house and I marvel at their beauty each passing day — especially when the sky provides a brilliant blue background.
It’s also cool to look across at the surrounding hills and see big patches of gold, and to realize that that’s how our neighborhood looks from the other side.
But best of all is living in this beautiful golden glow. It feels almost astral. (Maybe it is!)
Beginning to look a lot like you-know-what!
Yep, it’s the day after Thanksgiving and we’re off and running!
We both love the Christmas season, but Ramesha is definitely more of a traditionalist than I am.
Which means that, right on schedule…
1. The tree is mostly decorated.
2. We’re already using some of the Christmas mugs.
3. We’ve had our first seasonal listening to Julie Andrews’ Christmas album.
It also means an avalanche of final details for Christmas events, but I’m trying not to think about all that until next week.
Thanksgiving praise
Thanksgiving is one of the times during the year that I’m drawn to revisit hymns from when I was a child growing up in the Methodist church.
This has always been one of my favorites, but I have a much deeper appreciation of the words’ meaning after my years on the spiritual path.
I hope you enjoy the hymn and that you had a blessed and joyful Thanksgiving.
LYRICS
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty,
the King of creation!
O my soul, praise Him, for He is thy
health and salvation!
All ye who hear,
Now to His temple draw near;
Sing now in glad adoration!
Praise to the Lord, who o’er all
things so wondrously reigneth,
Who, as on wings of an eagle,
uplifteth, sustaineth.
Hast thou not seen
How thy desires all have been
Granted in what He ordaineth?
Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper
thy work and defend thee,
Who from the heavens the streams of
His mercy doth send thee.
Ponder anew
What the Almighty can do,
Who with His love doth befriend thee.
Praise to the Lord! Oh, let all that
is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath, come
now with praises before Him!
Let the Amen
Sound from His people again;
Gladly for aye we adore Him.