(not necessarily in that order)
Sometimes when there’s so much to do (as is happening in these days!) I can feel the overwhelm slowly but surely starting to paralyze me.
So, I’m grateful to be reminded that I can ask for help, for guidance, which makes all the difference in the world.
I found my guru in 1998 and my life was transformed.
So on this — his 130th birthday — I once again give him my loving devotion and deep gratitude.
Today was about my usual post-Christmas ritual of catching up.
It involves sleeping a little later; having a chance to finally view the many Christmas e-cards, emails, and texts that accumulated during the past week; shopping for groceries; and attending to household matters.
Of course, there’s not a whole lot of time to focus on catching up because we have to start planning the music for the celebration of Yogananda’s birthday on January 5 — and that’s right around the corner!
Today was our annual community-wide workday, honoring Rajarsi Janakananda (James Lynn), Yogananda’s most advanced disciple.
It had been a full and very intense week, and I was moving very slow this morning. I missed the opening circle and found myself wondering if I would make it at all.
But I’ve learned the lesson enough times by now that I knew I had to just get there. And sure enough — I got to enjoy the company of dear friends while doing something useful, amidst lots of joy and laughter.
Our project was to separate oregano leaves from the stems so they could be dried and made into Italian seasoning. There was whole group of us, having what in another time and place would have been a “quilting bee,” but we were having an “oregano bee.”
It was great fun, leaving me energized, and once again grateful to be living the truth that service is joy!
Happy Birthday to my guru, Paramhansa Yogananda!
We had a beautiful program tonight, which included this slideshow. Enjoy!
One of my most favorite songs of all time (thank you, Maitri Jones!), made even more beautiful with the addition of the perfect images (thank you, Neha Chakravarty)!
Thanks also to my sweet hubby, Ramesha, with whom I get to make such glorious music.
And thanks most of all to Swami Kriyananda and Paramhansa Yogananda…for everything.
Sunday service in the morning and a celebration of Swamiji’s spiritual anniversary in the evening, followed by 24 hours of global focus on the chant “Aum Guru”!
A triple whammy of spiritual power which has impacted every level of my being.
I’m filled to overflowing with love, joy, and immense gratitude.
Thank you, Master and Swamiji.
What an amazing new paradigm we’re experiencing when it comes to our Ananda events. The necessity for doing everything online is leading to expansive breakthroughs in so many ways!
Tonight we celebrated Yogananda’s Mahasamadhi a day early (from a USA perspective) in order to be able to collaborate with Ananda India in putting on the event. So monks from the India monastery started off with chanting; then Jaya, Jyotish, and Devi spoke from the Temple of Light at Ananda Village; and then it was back to India, with Dhyana closing the event with healing prayers.
But things weren’t over yet! Everyone was invited to a virtual “meet & greet” on Airmeet afterwards. It was great fun to see so many friends from India (Vineet, Varun, Priti, Hari, Rajesh, Priya, Lakshmi, Dhyana!), but it was equally a treat to greet devotees from here in America that we hadn’t seen in ages (Jeanne, Tarini, and even the Viscogliosi’s!).
This is definitely a beautiful aspect of technology.
Today Ramesha did a livestream where he shared this Cosmic Chant (by Yogananda) and it got me thinking…
I was mainly pondering the fact that I have to consciously choose the sweetness of life, joy, health, and praise. Not just once, but moment by moment, day after day after day.
I also have to remind myself — again and again — that death, sorrow, sickness, and blame are the dream. And, yes, I’ve lost many loved ones to death; I’ve felt deep sorrow; I’ve experienced sickness; and I’ve both cast blame and deserved it myself. On the level of consciousness which I currently inhabit, these experiences are very real, indeed!
But that’s why I’m on the spiritual path, doing my best to live in the light, to raise my consciousness, and wake up to a higher reality. And I love this chant because when I sing it or hear it, that higher reality feels more and more real, which is especially comforting in challenging times like these.
I pray that we may all do our best to allow the Divine Song to flow through us a little more every day. 🙏
When Thy Song Flows Through Me
O life is sweet
And death a dream
O life is sweet
And death a dream
When Thy song flows through me, my Lord
When Thy song flows through me
Then joy is sweet
Sorrow a dream
Then joy is sweet
Sorrow a dream
When Thy song flows through me, my Lord
When Thy song flows through me
Then health is sweet
Sickness a dream
Then health is sweet
Sickness a dream
When Thy song flows through me, my Lord
When Thy song flows through me
Then praise is sweet
And blame a dream
Then praise is sweet
And blame a dream
When Thy song flows through me, my Lord
When Thy song flows through me
It’s Yogananda’s birthday, but I’m the one receiving the gift of his many blessings!
Thank you, Master, for all the ways you have transformed (and continue transforming) my life.