(not necessarily in that order)
It was indeed an honor and a blessing to spend a delightful evening with Jyotish and Devi, eating delicious pizza and watching a classic holiday movie I’d never seen before, “The Christmas Story.”
The perfect corrective to recent days of overwhelm and stress; I feel ever more grateful for the friendship of these great souls. 💖
It was actually a fairly crazy morning.
We were missing singers due to illness; had to make last-minute changes to the Festival of Light musicians; and a miscommunication meant one of our quartet singers didn’t even know we were performing until it was time for rehearsal (yikes!). 🤦♀️
So, I’m obviously very grateful that all those glitches got worked out…thank you, God!
But there are other things for which I’m even more grateful…
🎉 Jyotish and Devi giving their first Sunday service since their return from three months of traveling in Europe and India.
🎉 An incredibly beautiful Thanksgiving-themed altar.
🎉 And a fun and successful CD-signing after service.
All in all, a joyful and productive day.
It’s such a joy having Jyotish and Devi back home at Ananda Village once again.
I’m soooo grateful to be able to call such great souls my friends.
Yay! Inner Renewal Retreat 2024 starts tomorrow morning and goes through Thursday, February 22nd.
Featuring Jyotish and Devi, it’s one of the highlights of the year throughout the world of Ananda.
And for the first time ever, it’s being offered completely free of charge. So, check it out and register to attend online (that way you’ll have access to all the recordings even if you can’t make it in real time).
Of course, there’s music at the beginning of every class, so we’ll be there for sure. 😊🎶
Tonight’s celebration of Master’s birthday was perfect.
It was an incredibly beautiful altar; the choir songs and Jitendra’s chanting were filled with devotion.; the meditation was deep; and Jyotish and Devi gave inspiring talks.
What more could one wish for?
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.
It definitely feels like we cast off our lines yesterday (with Sunday service and a thrilling concert rehearsal) and today finds us well underway on our SRW 2023 voyage.
Judging by this morning’s class with Jyotish and Devi; a wonderful lunch with friends from India; and an inspiring kirtan, it’s clear that we’re in for quite a journey!
I’m talking some serious overload!
This is pretty much how full I feel — mind, body, and spirit — after receiving four days of Inner Renewal Retreat inspiration (thanks to Jyotish, Devi, and today’s wonderful panel).
And…we now have two days of Kriyaban Retreat ahead of us — phew.
I love my life. 😊
Today we got to visit with Jyotish and Devi poolside at Crystal Hermitage gardens, just a few days before they travel to Italy and then India for three and a half months.
We feel so honored to be able to call these great souls our friends. And our gratitude for their wisdom, clarity, humor, and love knows no bounds.
The blessing of divine friendship, indeed!
Jyotish and Devi have been on fire in their classes this Inner Renewal Week.
They express so much wisdom, love, and joy in their every word and action, it’s a thrill to be in the room with them.
And most wondrous of all, is being able to call such great souls our friends.