The Storytelling Monk's Blog

We have moved to a new home!

2008-05-29T11:14:00.000-07:00

Beloved Self,

I am pleased to invite you to visit us at our new home at http://www.hariharanandakriyayoga.org/blog/. This space on Blogspot is now closed. Kindly update your bookmark to point to the new home.

Looking forward to having you there.
God bless you all.

Humble,
Swamito

Last podcast in the series "The Monk and the Businessman"

2008-05-19T22:50:00.000-07:00

Hari om from our sweltering little corner of India. The mercury is already hitting 47 degrees Celsius in Delhi, but the promise of the refreshing monsoon rains next month keeps us going...

Today is the last podcast of The Monk and the Businessman series, concluding with the fourth installment on empowerment from a spiritual perspective. This week we discuss the metaphorical meaning of Moses' transformation from exiled shepherd to prophet. The new leader's role and vision. From stockholders to stakeholders. New directions and new questions. Business as one of the tools to manifest the kingdom of God.

In our next series of podcast from the Storytelling Monk we will return to our beloved Wisdom Tales from around the world.

Happy listening!
God bless you all.
Swamito

Matri Chhaya opens its doors... and new podcast installment

2008-05-08T00:18:00.000-07:00

Hari om from Haridwar again!
Here our little orphanage is gradually getting in gear.
We now have four children staying with us full-time (and expecting seven more this month): Vidya (3), Vivek (8), Arshid (10), and Aman (12). Vidya means "Knowledge", Vivek "Discrimination", Arshid "Love", and Aman "Peace".
We also have one old lady staying with us: Santosh ("Contentment").
Our other residents include three dogs (Jackie, Jimmy and Chris), one horse called Chetak (which means "horse"--how original!), one cow called Kapila (name of a great sage). We also receive the visit of many wild peacocks, squirrels, monkeys, and the occasional elephants.
And maybe one day we will have the joy of receiving your visit? You are always welcome!

We continue here our ongoing The Monk and the Businessman series with a third installment on empowerment from a spiritual perspective. This week we draw some analogies between religious and corporate structures: their rise and fall and transformation; the training and testing of leaders; how King Janaka tested his disciple Shakti.

Happy listening!
God bless you all.
Swamito

New fusion CD!... and new podcast installment

2008-04-22T19:13:00.000-07:00

Hari om from Haridwar!
Just back from another trip to Delhi, where I finished mixing my new double CD of fusion music which I created with Swami Chetan (an expert tabla player and wonderful composer/singer). This fund-raising CD, entitled Bhakti and Shakti: A Fusion Experience, was made to share our mutual passion for fusion – of minds, souls, and music – where East meets West, and Shakti and Bhakti embrace each other. It will be released in early June 2008 through our website's publishing section as well through our various centers. You can already listen to some samples here.

We continue also our ongoing The Monk and the Businessman series with a second installment on empowerment from a spiritual perspective. This week: illustrations on the difference between patriarchal contract and the empowering contract, and how to to delegate and empower, with quotes from the Scriptures and examples from ancient spiritual traditions.

Finally, my 2008 tour schedule is finalized and up on our website! Click on "Tour and Event Schedules" to find out about all future Kriya Yoga initiations, conferences, workshops, retreats, pilgrimages, peace concerts, storytelling events, Ark of love activities, and more...
Happy listening, and I look forward to seeing you somewhere, somehow, sometime!
God bless you all.
Swamito

A Year of Love

2008-04-14T09:12:00.000-07:00

2007: A Year of Love at the
"Ark of Love Hariharananda - São Paolo"

A report by Bia Alves

A tree is recognized by its fruits, and a human being through his/her actions and attitude.
- Paramahamsa Hariharananda

Another full year of activities has been completed, and our Ark continues sailing with a lot of love.

The year of 2007 was special in the Ark of Love Hariharananda São Paulo: we improved our pedagogical project “Peaceful and loving relationship amongst beings”; we reinforced its implementation and forged stronger bonds of unity among the volunteers by introducing Pedagogical Supervision meetings; we continued the partnership with Casa Francisco and carried on our social work, every Saturday morning, in this comfortable and cozy house; we took care of 20 children age 7 to 14 years, who live in the Glicerio district in downtown São Paulo.

Our goal was to create a small theater production which was performed by the children on November 2^nd, graced and blessed by the presence of our teacher Swami Sarveshwaranandaji.

This event was an important moment for integrating families, children and volunteers, as well as an opportunity to talk with the families about important issues regarding our little ones’ education: drugs, physical abuse and other problems.

Daniel, focused on the altar.

Theater show.

The children, volunteers, and Swami after the presentation.

Breathing exercises with the families and volunteers.

Volunteers serving lunch.

2007 in numbers

42 Saturday mornings dedicated to volunteer work.
Over 210 hours of activities full of love.
8 cultural outdoor activities with the children - museum, theatre, park...
1,780 nutritious dinners served with care
15 volunteers offering their work of love
15 families assisted by the Ark of Love

Swami Sarveshwarananda’s visit

Between 1 and 14 November we received the precious visit of Swami Sarveshwarananda. During his stay in São Paolo, he performed many different activities, including lectures, storytelling and singing events, retreats, initiations… and even the marriage of our beloved Ark sailors Joyce and Ivan!

Special - Baba Hariharananda’s 100^th birthday

During the month of May 2007, we had three events celebrating Baba Hariharananda’s hundredth birthday, who inspires the humanitarian work done by the Ark of Love and the Mission bearing his name.

On the 26^th, the children saw the play “The Knight and the Centipede” at the Vento Forte theater. Afterwards, we had a puja (ecumenical worship). All children received blessed roses to take to their families as a memento.

On May 27^th, Baba’s birthday, a special meeting for kriyavans was held, with puja, guided meditation, readings, and videos. It was a very special moment for everyone.

On May 28^th, at the weekly group meditation, we had another puja and meditation.

Ark of Love activities

The Ark of Love activities are becoming more interesting all the time! To kick off 2007, we listened to the story of Noah’s Ark and contemplated on it for a while, reflecting on the life amongst the different animals inside the ark. Between the months of March to June, we visited the Zoo and the São Paulo Aquarium and had the opportunity to learn a little more about the characteristic of many different animals, and heard some curious stories!

During the second semester, our activities at the Ark of Love focused on the production of a small theater play. We created and decorated our clay masks with different animal features; we designed costumes, self-portraits and the set for the play. We learned dances, songs and mantras. And we had some exciting rehearsals before the final presentation!

During this time, we also had the opportunity to watch various plays: “Who counts stars tells tales?”; “The Knight and the Centipede”; “The boy who ran away from the play”. We visited the Ipiranga Museum, we played at the park, and enjoyed many types of physical activities such as kempo, skipping rope, yoga and Thai massage.

The children and Carlos, the bus driver.

At the Vento Forte theatre.

Activities at Casa Francisco.

Painting and decorating masks.

Masked Monkey.

Children at the Thai massage workshop.

Divine light

We finished our yearly activities with a joyful Treasure Hunt, where we could find that togetherness, love, peace, kindness, joy and friendship are our most precious divine gifts!

All children received clothes, books, shoes and a special mp3 player pre-loaded with various songs, stories and mantras, including a recording of themselves singing a mantra with the name of God in different religions. All generously donated by loving godparents!

The 15 families helped by our work also received Christmas packages, kindly donated by our collaborators Angélica Arbex and Antônio Couto from Lello Condomínios. The delivery of these gift baskets was done by our volunteer Ark sailors, who visited each family on December 15^th.

The Monk and the Businessman on Empowerment - Part 1

2008-04-07T20:56:00.000-07:00

Hari om from Haridwar again! With our little group of devoted volunteers, we have just returned from Joop village, near Champawat, where we spent 10 enchanting days in our Children's Academy of Joy. In this extremely poor and remote village in the high Himalayas, the Hariharananda Mission established its first ever little school for poor children four years ago. Despite enormous obstacles and rigorous environment, it is blossoming beautifully under the loving care of our principal and co-founder, Mr. Ramesh Pandey, assisted by all members of his beloved family. Please visit also our photo gallery and click on School > CAF School Champawat, India. This gallery will be updated soon with new photos and videos of our recently-concluded Annual Function day performed entirely by the children.

In our ongoing The Monk and the Businessman series we begin today a new series on empowerment from a spiritual perspective. To begin with, David Fischman presents an overview of the two basic types of companies—bureaucratic-centric, and empowerment-centric, and what it means in terms of customer satisfaction, time management, and employee performance.
Happy listening!
God bless you all.
Swamito

The Monk and the Businessman on Time Management - Part 5 and final

2008-03-19T21:05:00.000-07:00

Hari om from New Delhi! After a week spent in a recording studio with Swami Chetan, I am now mixing the 20 tracks of our upcoming double CD of fusion music tentatively titled "Bhakti and Shakti". It should be completed within a week or so. I will post some excerpts on the blog soon.

We continue with our The Monk and the Businessman series with the fifth and last installment on time management. Today: To know how to manage your time, it is important to know what is the final goal of life. A useful tool: the Buddhist practice of mindfulness—to always ask "Why?", about one's activities, thoughts, or words. "Out of evil cometh good"—faced with mounting stress and work load, employees and management have new opportunities to develop new processes, and grow personally and professionally.
Happy listening!
God bless you all.
Swamito

Christmas 2007 at the Ark of Love - Curitiba, Brazil

2008-03-11T23:01:00.000-07:00

Project “Christmas at the Ark of Love-Curitiba” by the Hariharananda Mission West

80 children in a devastated neighborhood of Curitiba
received the warmth of your generosity!
(Captions taken from the book
Mystical Poems by Jalal ud-Din Rumi)

“Make your wish to be the wish of the world.
May the world contemplate eternity after your acts.”

“Love your life! Shout in a state of bliss!
There is no mess at the life feast!"

“O life! O my beloved!
Only in you there is eternal love! Only in you the eternal thought resides!”

“O friend! Life fulfills the world!
You and I are in eternal union!”

”As the rain comes to the dried ground,
thus it comes the perfume of your love!”

“Do not go too far! Come closer!
Find the antidote in the poison!”

“Would you know how to prepare a remedy
made with the matter of the encounter
and give it to the injured who gave you eyes and heart?”

“Leave your home and do like the shepherds:
help to cure the soul of the one near you.”

“In the cold and in the rain ,my beloved is
sweeter. Noble, dignified, graceful. Smooth like a flower.’’

“Smile with me like a rose bud.
Let us understand ourselves
through our thoughts, no tongue, no lips.”

“O! What a dizzy mildness that comes from
this love which does not know limits!”

”Devotion is the death of the will, when only
the eternity lies...”

“Can you tell me which simple flower the
bees take out the sweet honey from?”

“When we enter in the garden, the colors of
the road and the voice of the birds will make us immortals
- Me and You.”

“Nobody talks to himself out loud.
Since we all are one, let us talk this other way.”

“Your place is the hot climate in the heart,
it does not survive the ice of the world.”

“When one is truly beloved,
there is no room at all in the world for lack.”

“When you have your journey done,
surely you will return as an angel,
and your station will surely be heaven.”

“Out there where the true love is born,
the self dies. You let it expire in the dark of the night
and freely the light of the morning breathes.”

”Come, be alert for the subtleness
where there is no words."

“He looked at me as though he was a dagger
and then I dived in the water of his eyes.
I quit existing!
I suffered for the unbearable pain
of the non existence.”

OM SHANTIH, SHANTIH, SHANTIH!!!
- Gurusandesh Ma

The Monk and the Businessman on Time Management - Part 4

2008-03-04T05:35:00.000-08:00

Hari om from Haridwar again! We have just returned from a heavenly visit to Ganeshpur in the Himalayas, where we stayed in Swami Chetan's delightful little holistic school for poor children which the Hariharananda Mission West supports. Soon we will post a colorful little report.

Today we officially moved in our new Matri Chhaya orphanage and training center in Jagjitpur, on the outskirts of Haridwar. A million thanks to all of you who contributed to make this distant dream a reality for our little ones! Stay tuned for more information about the project's development...

We continue with our The Monk and the Businessman series with a fourth installment on time management. Today: a review of inspiring quotes on what is important in life and work. The concept of svadharma (one's assigned duty in life) and mindful living. Summary of the spiritual time management techniques covered so far.
Happy listening!
God bless you all.
Swamito

Brahmachari Initiation in the Holy City of Haridwar

2008-02-22T09:11:00.001-08:00

Brahmachari Devananda

Born in Haridwar, India on February 21st, 2008

Once, I don’t remember when, I met you on the path to eternity. Today I find you much closer to your final destination, and I rejoice because today you have boarded the final train on your way back home.

Congratulations Devanandaji for your brahmacharya initiation! May you always roam (chara), in God (Brahma)!

Did you pause a moment to think about our extraordinary good fortune? Do you realize that the driver of this train is our beloved Gurudev Paramahamsa Hariharananda?

Do you know that Swamiji is his divine instrument in this world? I’m sure you know all this, otherwise you would not have taken such important step in this life. I’m so happy for you!

Today, Thursday (guruvar), was a memorable and auspicious day at Tripura Yoga Ashram, in the holy city of Haridwar, where at 11:30 am you took the vows of celibacy, sense control and remembering God all the time, in every inhalation in every exhalation. You did not relinquish your religion to adopt a new one, as Yoga is not a religion; on the contrary you entered the holy stream of renunciation and purity to better serve your own and all religions. Your sacrifice is a blessing for this great vast world.

Ganga Ma took you in her arms to lovingly cleanse you, and sister moon (today is the full moon) lit your path so that you never lose your way towards wisdom and truth in the midst of the darkness of this world. You also have such a loving teacher as Swamiji, who will nurture you and protect you in every moment of your life. Your new name was chosen by our divine and beloved Rajarshi Raghabanandaji. So many blessings Brahmachariji!

Many divine souls were present at your diksha (initiation): Swami Amlanand Giri (Head of the Tripura Yogashram), Swami Sharad Puri (Director of Shivedale’s school), Swami Chetan (Founder of the Vivekananda foundation), Mahant Suddhir Giri (a great monk and sadhaka), and Pandit Chintamani, the great-souled priest who conducted the ceremony.

First there was a puja (worship). You began by worshiping the five deities symbolizing various aspects of our consciousness: Ganesha, the remover of obstacles; Ma Durga, the destroyer of selfishness; Surya, the sun-god who illuminates our mind; Lord Shiva, the destroyer of our evil qualities; and Vishnu, the preserver and protector of our spirituality. You offered them sandal paste, kumkum (vermillion), flowers, incense, Ganga water, bell sound, light (ghee lamp), and fruits.

The main focus of your puja was for Lord Shiva as he is ‘Yogeshwar”, the Lord of yogis, and your performed the sacred Rudra abhishekam or washing of the Shiva lingam with milk, curd, honey, ghee, butter, sandalwood paste, ashes, and Ganga water.

The main part of the worship was dedicated to Lord Shiva as he is known as Yogeshwara, the Lord of yogis. For this you performed the sacred Rudra Abhishekam, smearing the Shiva lingam (symbol of infinity) successively with milk, curd, honey, ghee, butter, sandalwood paste, ashes, and Ganga water. This puja ended with the waving of the lamp (arati). All these rituals symbolized your surrender, and the offering of your five senses and mind to God.

Afterwards Swamiji offered you the new clothes you ll be wearing from now, and in return you applied kumkum (vermillion) to his forehead and bowed to him.

Afterwards you went through a fire ceremony (havan), where you burned your old personality and habits; you offered to the holy fire clarified butter (ghee) and a mixture of grains, seeds and fragrant spices, as well as a coconut as the symbol of your ego.

Then you bathed in Ganga Ma to be reborn through her purifying waters, and you were covered with a white shawl by Swamiji.

The most heart-touching part was when Swamiji gave you the sacred Guru Mantra along with a pair of rudraksha malas over which he had prayed and meditated.

At the end you introduced yourself with your new name and offered food to all guests.

I am writing to you about all these details because maybe you want to have a written record of what happened on this glorious day.

Bon voyage Brahmachari Devanandaji!!!

Om namah Shivaya
Om namo Narayanaya
Om namo Bhagavate Hariharananda devaya

I pray that divine bliss be ever with you.

Love,

Rafael

The Monk and the Businessman on Time Management - Part 3

2008-02-18T07:40:00.000-08:00

Hari om from Delhi... on our way to Haridwar and Uttarkashi. We are now a group of ten kriyavans pursuing the path of divine joy and deep meditation, from the the heavenly Banabira Kriya village in Western Orissa, to the majestic Himalayan heights in Uttarkashi.
In Haridwar we will perform the Brahmachari initiation of our sweet and loving Lionel Baba. We will also visit our newly-opened school Matri Chhaya on the outskirts of the holy city of Kankhal, and train Basanti Ma, our new headmistress who is travelling with us from the divine Banabira village to take up this position.
Our hearts are over-flowing with gratitude for the ceaseless showers of spiritual treasures that Raghabananda Baba has bestowed on us. Many new projects of working closely together are being formed... Stay tuned for more divine news soon!

Today we continue with our The Monk and the Businessman series with a third installment on time management. Differentiating between essential and non-essential things and activities, according to the world's religions. Learning from children how to remain relaxed and happy. A review of what the great sages of various world religions define as being the most important thing in life. The example of the Peace Pilgrim.
Happy listening!
God bless you all.
Swamito

The Monk and the Businessman on Time Management - Part 2

2008-02-05T23:57:00.000-08:00

Hari om from Sambalpur in the state of Orissa!
Today we continue with our The Monk and the Businessman series with a second installment on time management. With two captivating questions: What is the true meaning of the Sabbath? And why are holidays and "time out" periods often so stressful?
Happy listening!
God bless you all.
Swamito

Visit to a Kriya Village

2008-02-02T23:59:00.001-08:00

Banabira (Hero’s Forest)

Orissa, India
February 1st, 2008

By Gurudev Baba Hariharananda’s grace, we had the blessing to see his work in progress through the saintly guidance of Rajarshi Raghabanandaji in a remote village in the Indian state of Orissa. The village’s name denotes the godly work done here on earth by a “Divine Hero”, our beloved Raghabanandaji, Gurudev’s twin soul.

Rajarshi Raghabananda

We could observe how his seva is in perfect alignment with Gurudev’s and God’s will. A perfect expression of love, which flows in all directions, from guru to disciples and from disciples to guru.

Guru is revered as God in human form

Banabira is the only Kriya Village in the world, where Raghabanandaji has been nurturing a Kriya community since 1986. There one can breathe peace and calmness and observe the villagers living a very poor and simple life, yet immersed in an extraordinary state of consciousness and happiness. Out of 1,400 villagers, an outstanding two thirds are kriyavans! In every home there is an altar dedicated to Gurudev Baba Hariharananda…

Nurturing life and love

There is so much devotion to God, Baba and Raghabanandaji and so much faith in Kriya Yoga, that since 2002 the village kriyavans have been building out of their own meagre resources a beautiful ashram. The place is a little heaven on earth, full of flowers, fruit trees, and bird songs. Only love can be felt in all directions, inviting you to dive deep into cosmic and God consciousness. Nearby is a beautiful pond on which banks sits a peaceful little Shiva temple.

Heaven on earth...

Thank you God, Paramahansa Hariharanandaji, Rajarshi Raghabanandaji and Swami Sarveshwaranandaji for allowing us to be a useful instrument of your divine deeds.

Love, love, love…….

Rafael

The Monk and the Businessman on Time Management - Part 1

2008-01-23T22:51:00.000-08:00

Hari om from Haridwar! After a few days running around trying to find an internet connection in between endless power cuts, I am finally able to upload a NEW The Monk and the Businessman series. Today is the first installment on time management. We begin by examining the two different Greek words used in the Bible both of which have been loosely translated as "time" in English: kronos (chronological time), and kairos (relational time). Why "time management" really means "desire management."
Happy listening!
God bless you all.
Swamito

Recovering the compassionate Islam

2008-01-18T00:54:00.000-08:00

Irshad Manji is a name to be reckoned with in the battle to rescue the compassionate Islam from the hands of terrorists, fundamentalists, and other over-hyped fanatics... a battle largely abandoned by the Muslim moderate majority as well as by Western thinkers in general.
Among her many remarkable and courageous achievements is her effort to revive "ijtihad," Islam's tradition of debate and dissent which flourished during its golden age, between 750 and 1250 C.E.
But her voice reaches far beyond the challenges currently facing Islam. At the invitation of the University of New York, she created this January a course on Moral Courage, and was recently the subject of a PBS special on Faith without Fear.
I salute this kindred spirit engaged in the eternal battle to bring reason, compassion, and light to the too-often muddied waters of literalist religion.
God bless her and protect her always.
Humble,
Swamito.
P.S. Interested to know more on Islam? Listen to my series of podcasts on this great religion here.

The Monk and the Businessman on Stress Management - Part 8 and Final

2008-01-08T12:32:00.000-08:00

Today in our The Monk and the Businessman series we come to the last installment on stress management. We discuss the three types of business people--moral, amoral, and immoral, and examine how stress emerges from a system of interlocking patterns. September 11 is for instance a symptom of a deep spiritual disease—religious hypocrisy, and a chance for inner cleansing.
With my approaching return to India, land of immense Light and intermittent internet and electrical service, I will publish the next series of podcasts--on Time Management--on a bi-monthly basis from now on, instead of on a weekly basis: Swamito needs to manage his time too...
Thank you very much.
God bless you all.
Swamito

The Monk and the Businessman on Stress Management - Part 7

2008-01-01T10:55:00.000-08:00

To help overcome the stress of the New Year festivities, why not tune in our continuing The Monk and the Businessman series? Today is the seventh installment on stress management, and we talk about practical solutions to eliminate and prevent the three major types of stressors. Mahatma Gandhi's cardinal advice "You are never obligated to give an answer to a question"... is illustrated by famous stories from the world scriptures.
Happy listening!
God bless you all.
Swamito

Happy New You in the New Year!

2007-12-31T07:28:00.000-08:00

My beloved and divine Souls,

Hari om and Happy New Year!
I pray that your every sacred wish be fulfilled in this Holy New Year.

A New Year is also a time to reflect back and give thanks to all the joys, sorrows, opportunities and challenges God has given us in this retreating year 2007. And to stand humbly at the door of 2008 and say, "Yes, Lord, I am ready and grateful for what you will send me in this New Year. All comes from Thee, and all shall return to Thee. Please make me a worthy vessel for Thy grace."

And indeed, the year 2007 was graced by God and Baba with many wonderful new centers, Kriya programs, and Ark of Love activities with poor children.

Here is a brief summary of this delightful year:

. Several new Kriya Yoga centers were started in Latin America -- Cali and Popayan in Colombia; Cochabamba and Santa Cruz in Bolivia; and Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. Please see the list of Kriya Yoga centers for contact information.

. We are also very pleased to welcome one new Ark of Love center -- in Medellin, Colombia, where we work in partnership with "La Escuela de las Cometas." Please see the list of Ark of Love centers for contact information.

. In India, our three little schools for abandoned children and poor widows have been progressing nicely in Haridwar, Uttarkashi, and Champawat. Our waiting list of poor children, senior citizens and widows is ever-growing, and we are doing the maximum we can to accommodate all. Please see the list of Network of Love schools (new photo and video galleries are on their way!).

. Would you kindly consider making a donation to help sustain these charitable and educational projects? Or even come and volunteer for some time? That would be a divine blessing for our little ones! Please see here for information on how to contribute.

. New Yogic workshop were very successfully introduced in several Latin American countries as well -- Yogic stress Management, Emotional Integration, and Ayurvedic Cooking workshops. People from all walks of life -- executives, housewives, adolescents, teachers, doctors were able to attend these yogic workshops and learn to lead a more balanced and joyful life. Please see here for more information on this type of workshops (a photo gallery will be added soon!).

. We also completed an incredible 2-week pilgrimage from Lake Titicaca in Bolivia to Machhu Pichhu in Peru. See here for more information (a photo gallery will be added soon!).
Next destination: the Santiago de Compostella pilgrimage in July 2008. See here for registration and details (more details will be added soon).

. Finally, we launched our first round of Spiritual Training intensives in both Miami and Lima in 2007. A total of 50 participants graduated from the first level training, "Friends of Humanity". A photo gallery will be added soon!

Not to mention all the peace concerts, theater encounters, storytelling events, silent retreats, and Kriya weddings... what a year it has been! My deepest thanks and heartful prayers to you all who have organized and participated in these programs.

2008 is already full of joyful promises, too...
You can already take a peek at the proposed activities here.

Thank you very much. May God and Gurus continue to bless you, inspire you, and uplift you to the peak of Joyful Living!

With eternal love and tender smiles,
yours,
Swamito.

The Monk and the Businessman on Stress Management - Part 6

2007-12-25T04:30:00.000-08:00

We continue our The Monk and the Businessman series with a sixth installment on stress management.
This week we make a distinction between the three types of stresses—natural, man-made, and mental, illustrated with several classic wisdom tales and examples from the life of Paramahamsa Hariharananda.
Happy listening!
God bless you all.
Swamito

The Monk and the Businessman on Stress Management - Part 5

2007-12-18T13:18:00.000-08:00

We continue our The Monk and the Businessman series with a fifth installment on stress management.
This week it's storytelling time! Swamiji and David trade wisdom tales on the theme of greed and desire.
Happy listening!
God bless you all.
Swamito

Labyrinth Treasure Hunt

2007-12-16T05:07:00.000-08:00

One of our Arca do Amor volunteers in Saõ Paolo has designed this wonderful
little labyrinth for our children to play with as they learn about the spiritual treasures hidden within themselves. Click on the icon to view and download the larger image.
Happy hunting!
Swamito

The Monk and the Businessman on Stress Management - Part 4

2007-12-11T10:59:00.000-08:00

We continue our The Monk and the Businessman series with a fourth installment on stress management.
This week we correlate yoga's three personality types—type T (tamasic, or dull), type R (rajasic, or passionate), and type S (sattvic, or harmonious)—with people's constitution: kapha (earthy and resilient), pitta (fiery and strong), and vata (airy and vivacious). The solution to eliminate stress as found in the Chhandogya Upanishad.
Happy listening!
God bless you all.
Swamito

Baba videos on YouTube

2007-12-10T12:43:00.000-08:00

This year several people have started uploading a number of rare videos of our Baba Hariharananda on www.youtube.com. God bless them!
Just do a search under "Hariharananda". Or click here to see the current crop.
Wish you could save these lovely videos on your hard drive for sharing with friends and reviewing them again and again? It is possible via an external free service called KeepVid.com. Just log on, paste the URL of page of the YouTube video you want to download in the top box, and follow the instructions.
Please note that the file you will download is an Adobe "Flash Video File" (which must end with the extension .flv). In order to play it on your computer, you need to download and install a small free FLV player on your computer first. Here is a list of such FLV players you can download for free.
Blessed viewing!
Swamito

The Monk and the Businessman on Stress Management - Part 3

2007-12-04T03:16:00.001-08:00

We continue our The Monk and the Businessman series with a third installment on stress management.
This week we talk about the body's physiological response to stress, and the three major sources of stress as identified by the yogic scriptures. Understanding and using the psycho-spiritual model of sattva, rajas, and tamas.
Happy listening!
God bless you all.
Swamito

The Monk and the Businessman on Stress Management - Part 2

2007-11-27T05:46:00.000-08:00

We continue our The Monk and the Businessman series with a second installment on stress management.
This week we talk about unrealistic goals as a major cause of stress, and the need to abandon control—because we never had it in the first place! The Bhagavad Gita as the perfect manual of stress management.
Happy listening!
God bless you all.
Swamito

New Podcast series: The Monk and the Businessman

2007-11-20T04:00:00.000-08:00

Today we start a NEW series titled The Monk and the Businessman. It consists of a series of conversations between Swamiji and David Fischman, a noted business leadership author. Together they explore a wide range of issues relevant both to the business environment as well as to one's personal life—stress management, time management, empowerment, communication, learning from experience, vision and motivation, taking responsibility, and team spirit.
The first section — stress management — deals with stress identification, interpretation and resolution.
This week we talk about the difference between eustress (positive) stress and negative stress, and how the stress response is largely an unconscious choice. Story of how the racist woman gradually overcame her prejudice. How to see all difficulties as gifts, and how St Teresa of Lisieux could attain peace in the midst of the most intense suffering.
Happy listening!
God bless you all.
Swamito

Listening to Silence podcast - Part 3 (and final)

2007-11-13T08:07:00.000-08:00

We conclude with our series on Listening to Silence — the fine art of speaking, listening... and knowing when to leave things unsaid.
This week we talk about the art of spiritual contentment: example for children — the Birthday Gift; how the Master answered the question "What does it feel like to be enlightened?"; and The Three Reasons Why We Need To Go to School (humor).
Happy listening!
God bless you all.
Swamito

Hailstorms devastating poor families in Latin America

2007-11-11T04:14:00.000-08:00

A series of violent hailstorms have affected many cities in Latin America this month. While in Curitiba two weeks ago, I witnessed the destuction of a very poor district. It ravaged a little school for poor children where we do some of our Ark of Love activities, as well as 150 houses in the poor neighborhood. These poor people have lost everything — house, clothes, beds, furniture, food, and whatever meagre resources they had.
The Ark of Love and Kriya Yoga disciples immediately joined hands with the local Kundalini Yoga community headed by Gurusandesh Kaur and her husband Akal Murth and are organizing relief efforts (click on the image to see the flyer). We have already received and delivered to the affected families three vans full of basic essentials, but much more is needed! If you are interested in contribuing to this relief effort in any way, please email the Instituto Guru Nanak in Curitiba.

Listening to Silence podcast - part 2

2007-11-06T02:56:00.000-08:00

We continue with our series on Listening to Silence — the fine art of speaking, listening... and knowing when to leave things unsaid.
This week we examine the difference between outer silence and inner peace, and how the master "cooks" the disciples to perfection.
Happy listening!
God bless you all.
Swamito

NEW: Financial Yoga

2007-11-03T07:29:00.000-07:00

We begin today our series on "Dehypnotizing Ourselves" with a first installment on dispelling a few common myths about money, credit, and debt.

We have all heard (or should have heard by now) how we must all get serious about eliminating personal debt, cutting spending, increasing savings, and being smart about investing those savings... and yet few of us actually act on this vital advice.

One of the reason for this tragic passivity is that we get hypnotized by the media and government inaction into a false sense of security, and fail to see the consequences. We usually reason that financial markets have always a way to right themselves after a while, and that we will be able to ride out the next crisis as well.

Unfortunately, this is no longer the case, and all the signs of an enormous financial crisis looming on the horizon are clearly present for all to see. No single event will precipitate the crisis; rather it will be the slow and inevitable compounded effect of the approaching exhaustion of traditional energy sources (such as gas and oil), pension funds bankruptcy, global warming and its economic and ecological effects, the ever-increasing national deficit of most nations, the unsustainable monetary system of many nations, the unwillingness of most developed nations to reduce spending, the lack of savings, the renewed arms race... which will plunge the world into economic and social chaos.

As early as half a century ago, Paramahamsa Yoganandaji in his talk "World Crisis" had already warned his disciples in these strict terms: "There is a world revolution going on. It will change the financial system… How can you meet the world crisis that is coming? The best way is to adopt plain living and high thinking. Unless you make drastic changes in your living habits immediately, you will be rudely surprised; conditions will change in a way you cannot imagine now. You still have food and clothing, even luxuries, that people in other nations do not. So it is best to accustom yourself now to simple living. Choose a dwelling place that is adequate, but not larger than you really need, and if possible in an area where taxes and other living expenses are reasonable. Make your own clothes; can your own food. Grow your own vegetable garden, and if feasible, keep a few chickens to produce eggs .... Keep life simple and enjoy what God has provided, without seeking false and expensive pleasures."

To help us shake off our hypnotic state and start taking action NOW, we need to understand a little more clearly what money is and how it is created. I highly recommend watching the excellent little animation feature called Money as Debt by Paul Grignon.

You will also find additional information in our new website section Dehypnotizing the Mind.

So meditate, arm yourselves with peacefulness, and start reducing that economic footprint! This is also Yoga. Financial Yoga.
God bless you all.
Swamito

Listening to Silence podcast - Part 1

2007-10-30T09:05:00.000-07:00

We begin today a new series on Listening to Silence — the fine art of speaking, listening... and knowing when to leave things unsaid.
In this first part we discover how to listen to the master's silence more than to his words, and let it set us on fire.
As Thomas Hardy said, "A man's silence is wonderful to listen to."
Happy listening!
God bless you all.
Swamito

Grace and Deception podcast - Part 2 (and final)

2007-10-23T15:18:00.000-07:00

We continue today with the second and last installment of our series on Grace and Deception.
Happy listening!
God bless you all.
Swamito

Welcome to our first Brahmachari!

2007-10-21T04:49:00.000-07:00

We are delighted to welcome Lionel Vega as our first brahmachari (renunciant noviciate). From now on he will be known as Br. Lionel.
Originally from Argentina, Br. Lionelji has relocated to Lima, Peru, where he is actively helping coordinate all the Ark of Love and Kriya activities around the world.
Thanks to the generous patronage of our Rafaelji in Lima, Br. Lionelji will be coming to India with Rafael and myself in February to receive the traditional brahmachari initiation in the holy city of Haridwar, on the banks of the Ganga river, and deepen his study of Kriya Yoga and monastic lifestyle.
For those of you who are interested to know more about the brahmachari lifestyle and training, I have put some information here.
I have also uploaded Gurudev Baba Hariharanandaji's priceless Yogacharyas' Code of Conduct.
Finally, an excellent book for all to know about the practice of sense-control is the classic "Practice of Brahmacharya" by Swami Sivananda, available for free download here.
Please join me in welcoming Br. Lionelji in this difficult and noble path of renunciation, and praying for his all-around success. May God and gurus bless his spirited endeavor.
Humble,
Swamiji

The Hariharananda.org has a new face... and the podcast is re-started!

2007-10-18T05:10:00.000-07:00

After months of redesign, our three websites www.hariharananda.org, www.arcadelamor.org and www.storytellingmonk.org are now integrated into a single portal. Besides providing a much better navigation system, more attractive design and a wealth of new information, the portal is now offered in two version (broadband and dial-up) and gives better access to its three languages (English, Spanish and Portuguese).

We are also taking this opportunity to re-launch The Storytelling Monk's Podcast which had been dormant for a few months, starting today with a new series on Grace and Deception.
From now we will resume our regular schedule of publishing a new podcast every Tuesday. Happy listening!
God bless you all.
Swamito

Return from the Inca Trails

2007-09-07T21:04:00.000-07:00

Our valiant and ecstatic little group of twelve pilgrims just returned tonight to the home base in Urubamba, after two thrilling weeks on the Inca (and pre-Inca) trails.
Our journey went from wonder to wonder on a trail originating in the mysterious Isla del Sol in Lake Titicaca (see photo) and ending in the mystical Macchu Picchu.
As Pedro Cieza de Leon put it,
"... From the city of Cusco there are two roads of royal highways which are two thousand miles long; one goes along the plains and the other along the mountain tops. In order to make them the way they are, it was necessary to raise the valleys, cut the stones and rocks, and humble the heights of the mountains."
Along the way we were deeply moved by the natural spirituality and enormous love and generosity of the indigenous people we met both in Bolivia and in Peru.
It was our good fortune to be led by two exceptional guides, Alan in Bolivia and Pepe in Peru with whom we established many bridges between Vedic and Andean religions, arriving at the conclusion that a much more ancient religious matrix must have pre-dated both. Through participating in authentic ancient rituals, trekking along indigenous energy lines, and meditating in power places, we had a rare glimpse into the extraordinary Andean mysticism which still bathes these holy mountains and lakes.
In our contemplative tradition, an outer pilgrimage is only the context to travel deeper into consciousness, and arrive at a different perspective than when we started. And with more questions than answers... Check out the photo galleries and reports which will be posted soon in our "Inca Trails pilgrimage" section.
Next year, if God wants, we shall travel the glorious Santiago de Compostella trail, with the help of our Spanish devotees.
Tomorrow we are off to Lima to begin our first Latin "Friends of Humanity" Training course, where we will be joined by 30 more participants. The trail of Joy continues...

A Lifetime of Learning

2007-08-13T15:25:00.000-07:00

Loving greetings to all,

I have not been able to post anything in 6 weeks, due to a whirlwind of activities in North and South America... My apologies for this. The good news is that thanks to the generous contributions of Ursula Ma and the St Petersburg group in Florida, we are now able to afford to hire a professional webmaster, which should allow me to devote more time to publishing and maintaining this blog. The podcast will have to wait a little longer to resume, as I am still looking for someone to help me on this front.
Now it is with great joy that I am finally able to catch up and share with you a few new ideas and documents.

For those of you who read (or would like to learn) French, our popular "Puja and Prayer Guidebook" is now available for free download in French (thanks to the devoted translation and editing efforts of Pepita Ma, Roland Baba and Dadaji).

Another devoted soul, Isabel Ma from Bogota, has accepted the HUGE challenge of turning my seemingly endless collection of photos and video clips of our charitable activities from around the world into Flash and PowerPoint presentations, to share with you all the face of innocent love. Look out for the first flash presentation in a week or so.

Finally, I have just posted a LIFETIME worth of reading, viewing, and studying material as part of our Friends for Humanity training. It comprises what I found to be the best collection of books, videos, internet sites, and audio recordings in subjects as diverse as Sanskrit, Yoga, Tantra, Ayurveda, Chanting, Financial Yoga, Nutrition, Metaphorical interpretation of the scriptures, Wisdom Storytelling, Dehypnotization from the media and advertising, Holistic Education, Parenting, Spiritual Games and Exercises, Stress and Time Management, and much more!

Stay tuned for more... very soon (promised!)
God bless you all.
Humble,
Swamito.

Shopping now benefits charities!

2007-07-01T08:56:00.000-07:00

A kind soul just registered us with a new online service called Giveline, a discount shopping website with a social conscience: a portion of every purchase made will benefit the charitable organization of your choice. It is like shopping via Amazon with a heart.
To start shopping via Giveline, simply go to www.giveline.com and click on "Click here to select your cause" in the top right corner, and enter "Hariharananda Mission West" in the "Organization Name" box (don't bother filling the other boxes unless you really want to), then click on "Search now", and then on "Select this cause" once you see the confirmation listing of Hariharananda Mission West appearing. That's it!

Please also remember to keep using the Goodsearch engine service mentioned in an earlier post, which works on a similar principle: this Yahoo-powered search engine with a social mission donates one penny to the charity of your choice everytime you search for a word on the internet.
In order to start using Goodsearch.org simply follow these steps:
1. Go to the www.Goodsearch.com website.
2. In the box "Who do you goodsearch for?" type: Hariharananda Mission West.
3. Start searching the internet. It is that simple!
Love and blessings,
Swamiji

Yogacharya Miguel Bermudez returns to his true home

2007-06-18T15:16:00.000-07:00

This morning at 2 am a very dear disciple and devoted Yogacharya of our Baba Hariharananda took his last earthly breath and returned to his eternal home to be reunited with his beloved master.

Yogacharya Miguel Bermudez had been initiated in 1975 in Bogota during Baba's second visit to the West, and had devotedly kept up the flame of Kriya Yoga burning in Colombia ever since, despite many problems and difficulties.

Miguel Baba was responsible for bringing back Kriya Yoga to Colombia when he invited Swami Prajnanananda and myself to do a program in Bogota in 1998 -- the first in 22 years!

Baba empowered Miguel Baba to be a Yogacharya a few years later, and he assumed his role with greatest care and devotion, all the while remaining in the closest touch with Gurudev Baba Hariharananda.

To honor this great soul and pillar of faith in the Latin American Kriya community, I am humbly requesting all centers to kindly inform their members and place his picture (which you will attached) on the meditation altar and hold a special service of prayers and puja for him.

I would like to also extend an invitation to all Bogota kriyavans and all people who loved him and have been touched by him to join me for a special celebration of Miguel Baba's service to the cause of Kriya Yoga next month (early July) when I return to Bogota.

Miguel Baba's life was and is forever intimately associated with the great mission of Gurudev Baba Hariharananda and the history of Kriya Yoga.

I humbly bow to this great soul and pray to God and Gurus to shower him with infinite Grace and Blessings forever more. Amen.

God bless you all.
Humble,

The Eternal Wisdom Alliance is born!

2007-06-08T13:47:00.000-07:00

My shiny souls,

Loving greetings from Madrid, Spain, where we are having our first ever Kriya Yoga program! People are literaly driving from the four corners of Spain to attend this initiation--their love and sincerity is so beautiful.

Because of constant travels since Baba's birthday, I have not been able to keep up with the podcast or blog, but I am finally able to be near an internet connection long enough to share some beautiful news from India...

A number of monastics and scholars at the head of different schools, monasteries, ashrams, and research institutes (including this Swamito) founded the Eternal Wisdom Alliance in Haridwar in the Himalayas in April 2007. Through the power of this network of small but efficient organizations working on different aspects of human development, we are able to pool our resources together and offer a large number of classes in various parts of India (Haridwar, Uttarkashi, and Champawat in Uttarkhand; Varanasi and Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh; Mount Abu in Rajasthan; and Delhi, to start with), and, in the future, in Latin America.

Each organization member of the Alliance works independently, yet follows a common goal: the formation of inter-religious, multi-disciplinary students, who are comfortable with and adept at drawing from the best of prominent schools, traditions and knowledge without confusing the specificity of each stream.

See you there!
Blessings, Swamiji

Baba's Golden Voice on the Net - Part 3 (and final)

2007-05-25T00:05:00.000-07:00

Dearest ones,
A few days late due to internet problems here in India, but now it is ready: the final part of Baba's 1986 interview on Infinity Radio .
In this segment Paramahamsa Hariharananda speaks on treading the spiritual path, who is God, the social and personal benefits of calmness, and the practice of spirituality in the scientific age.

Happy listening and Happy Centenary Birthday Celebration to all this May 27!

Blessings, Swamiji

Baba's Golden Voice on the Net - Part 2

2007-05-15T02:57:00.000-07:00

Beloved souls,
Namaste.
We continue our special series of podcasts featuring the beloved master's lilting voice: Baba on San Francisco's Infinity Radio - Part 2. In this segment, you will hear Baba responding to questions on developing spiritual discernment, the effect of food and intoxicants on meditation, and the universal application of Kriya Yoga.

Enjoy and be joy.
Love and blessings,
Swamiji

Baba's Golden Voice on the Net

2007-05-08T09:33:00.000-07:00

As devotees around the world are preparing to celebrate Baba Hariharananda's Centenary Anniversary on May 27, we will have a special series of podcasts featuring the beloved master's voice.
To hear a God-realized master's voice is in itself a supreme blessing.
This week we start with part 1 of a KCBS interview of Paramahamsa Hariharananda in 1986 when Baba was 79-years young: Baba on San Francisco's Infinity Radio - Part 1. A rare gem!

Enjoy the sweetness and become even sweeter.
Love and blessings,
Swamiji

How the River of Yoga Flowed to the West - Revisited!

2007-05-07T01:12:00.000-07:00

Based on some very useful feedback from Dadaji, I have considerably revised and clarified my article How the River of Yoga Flowed to the West. Do give it a second reading, if you get a chance.
Thank you very much.
Love and blessings,
Swamiji

Two New Books on Yoga coming up!

2007-05-07T00:13:00.000-07:00

Loving friends,
It is with great joy that I can give you a little progress report on our newly- formed SHREYAS Editorial Board (see previous post). I am currently co-authoring our first two books and hopefully will have both available by the fall of '07.
The first is a Yoga Diary based on Patañjali's Yoga Sutras--each page contains a sutra to meditate upon, chant, memorize and learn in Sanskrit, if it is your wish. A wealth of tips on memorization, study, pronunciation, spiritual routine is included, as well as a unique Divine Prescription section in which we have identified particular sutras to be meditated upon for the correction of various psychological and/or physical imbalances.
The second, called Yoga: A Journey from Confusion to Fusion, is a clear and comprehensive exposition of what exactly constitutes the classic yoga of the ancient sages, free from exaggerations and deviations, and how it can help us manage our busy lives.
We hope yo uwill enjoy these practical guides.
Love and blessings,
Swamiji

The SHREYAS Editorial Board is born

2007-05-02T05:28:00.000-07:00

No podcast this week due to other pressing matters... Let us tune in next week again.

In the meantime, I am delighted to have been asked to participate in a new research and publishing venture called SHREYAS. Here is the official announcement:
In April 2007, a number of yoga masters and Vedic scholars at the head of various schools, orphanages, ashrams, and Yoga and Ayurveda institutes came together in Haridwar, the sacred city at the foothills of the Himalayas on the banks of the mystical Ganga River. Their purpose was to research the roots of the classic yoga taught by the ancient rishis (seers) of India and present this eternal tradition free from superstition and deviations to the modern world in a way which accords with scientific methods and reason. This unique team of dedicated researchers and advanced practitioners are the members of the SHREYAS Editorial Board, the publishing arm of their investigation.
You can read more about it and preview our first joint publication: a Yoga Diary based on the Yoga Sutras of Patañjali.

Inca Trails Pilgrimage Update

2007-04-29T02:53:00.000-07:00

GOOD NEWS! Thanks to the incredible hard work of our volunteers in Peru under the guidance of Rafael, we are now able to reduce the price of the complete two-week "Inca Trails Storytelling Pilgrimage" to only $1,900 (which includes all travels within Peru). Take advantage and sign-up now, there are still a few place available...

"My Kingdom is not of this World" - Part 4 (and final)

2007-04-25T09:51:00.000-07:00

Namaste. I have just returned from a delightful week in Western Orissa, India, re-discovering long-forgotten gems from the authentic Kriya Yoga tradition of Paramahamsa Hariharananda. I may expand on this in future posts.
For now, I am happy to let you know that the fourth and last installment of the podcast on the New Testament is now available. Come and find out the distinction beween Meditation and Contemplation in the East and the West, and re-discover the four steps of Lectio Divina--Christianity's original meditation technique.
Happy listening!
Love and blessings,
Swamiji

"My Kingdom is not of this World" - Part 3

2007-04-17T07:36:00.000-07:00

In this third installment of our meditative journey through the New Testament, we come to the Gospel of John and the special emphasis that this Beloved Friend -- as Lord Jesus referred to him -- placed on the Logos.
Happy listening!
Love and blessings,
Swamiji

"My Kingdom is not of this World" - Part 2

2007-04-10T05:18:00.000-07:00

Yes, I had to skip a week in my postings due to traveling to our little school for poor children in Champawat, in a very remote corner of the Himalayas where electricity is a myth, telephone connection a distant dream, and poverty very real. But more about this in a later post. Back in Haridwar, I have just posted the second installment of our meditative journey through the New Testament.
This week: The disciples gather their field notes; Four Gospels, four teaching styles; The Gospel of Matthew, manual of knowledge; The Gospel of Mark, manual of action; The Gospel of Luke, manual of devotion.
Happy listening!
Love and blessings,
Swamiji

"My Kingdom is not of this World" - Part 1

2007-03-27T05:28:00.000-07:00

This week in our podcast section we begin a meditative journey through the New Testament -- using the tools of deep metaphorical interpretation given to us by the Kriya Yoga masters.
This week: Return Again (song); Different revelations, different platforms; Structure of the New Testament; Teaching to the Inner Circle vs. to the Multitudes.
Happy listening!
Love and blessings,
Swamiji

How the River of Yoga Flowed to the West

2007-03-24T05:34:00.000-07:00

As part of the upcoming book Yoga — A Journey from Confusion to Fusion which I have been asked to co-author with a number of other monks and scholars in India, I have posted a first chapter about how Yoga flowed from the East to the West (and vice-versa) and the cross-fertilization process between these two radically different cultures. I hope it will help to clarify many conceptions regarding Yoga, Hinduism and religion in general. There are also a number of interesting legends and tales in there.
Happy reading!
Love and blessings,
Swamiji

The Wisdom of the Idiots - Part 3 (and final)

2007-03-20T07:30:00.000-07:00

We now conclude our podcast series on "The Wisdom of the Idiots" this week with two more tales from the inimitable Mullah Nasruddin, and a European tale with a surprising twist...
Tune in the Hariharananda Mission West's Holy Humor podcast section.
Happy listening!
Love and blessings,
Swamiji

The Wisdom of the Idiots - Part 2

2007-03-13T08:03:00.000-07:00

We continue our podcast series on "The Wisdom of the Idiots" this week with instructive tales from rabbis, fakirs, monks, or plain folks who, in their own inimitable ways, caution us against jumping to conclusions based on surface appearances. And yes, we will meet our beloved Mullah Nasruddin again!
Tune in the Hariharananda Mission West's Holy Humor podcast section.
Happy listening!
Love and blessings,
Swamiji

The Inca Trails 2007 Storytelling Pilgrimage

2007-03-11T00:30:00.000-08:00

The new storytelling pilgrimage guided by Swami Sarveshwarananda is now finalized.
"The Inca Trails Pilgrimage and Friends Training" will take the participants from Lake Titicaca to Macchu Picchu on a meditative encounter with the ancient ways and paths of the Inca and pre-Inca civilizations.
The first two weeks is the pilgrimage proper, in which we will explore their ancient holy sites, participate in ancestral cultural and religious ceremonies, retell their legends and stories, and trek in the natural splendor of the Andes.
The last (optional) week culminates with the first "Friends of Humanity" FREE training program in Urubamba, the "Valley of the Gods" near Macchu Picchu.
For starters, you can already enjoy the Macchu Picchu via this beautiful slideshow put together by our Peruvian devotees...

Register quickly if you are interested, as the number of places are very limited... and going fast.
Love and blessings,
Swamiji

The Wisdom of the Idiots - Part 1: Mullah Nasruddin

2007-03-06T20:31:00.000-08:00

Who is Mullah Nasruddin, a fool or a sage? This endearing character's antics has left his audience in profound stupefaction for centuries. It is even said in the Middle East that hearing seven of his mystical stories in succession is enough to prepare an individual for enlightenment. Let our cosmic joker friend be our guide to kick off our new podcast series "The Wisdom of the Idiots", which you will find in the Hariharananda Mission West's Holy Humor podcast section.
Happy listening!
Love and blessings,
Swamiji

Clicking for Charity!

2007-03-01T04:47:00.000-08:00

There is now a new and wonderful way to contribute to our charitable and educational work of the "Ark of Love" and the "Hariharananda Mission West", and that is simply by... searching the internet using the Goodsearch.com service.
GoodSearch is a Yahoo-powered search engine with a social mission--they donate one penny to the charity of your choice everytime you search for a word on the internet. Although a penny does not sound like much, most of us spend some time searching something on the internet every day. If 1,000 of us search the internet just twice a day in favor of the Hariharananda Mission West, it would earn $7300/year for our charity!

In order to start using Goodsearch.org simply follow these steps:
1. Go to the www.Goodsearch.com website.
2. In the box "Who do you goodsearch for?" type: Hariharananda Mission West.
3. Start searching the internet. It is that simple!
Love and blessings,
Swamiji

The Deeper Islam - Part 4 (and final)

2007-02-27T05:16:00.000-08:00

And we are coming to the end of our series with this last podcast on Islam. This week: The salient features of Islam and of the Muslim way of life. Tune in to the Hariharananda Mission West's Metaphorical Interpretation of Religion podcast section.
Next week we start a new category: Holy Humor. Our cosmic joker friend Mullah Nasruddin will be our guide to kick off the series "The Wisdom of the Idiots".
Happy listening!
Love and blessings,
Swamiji

The Deeper Islam - Part 3

2007-02-22T05:35:00.000-08:00

A little late (due to difficult internet connections in my dear India) but still we proceed... This week, in our third of a 4-part series on Islam: The Five Pillars of Faith; the real meaning of jihad (holy war); Muslims beliefs; on idol worship. Tune in to the Hariharananda Mission West's Metaphorical Interpretation of Religion podcast section. Happy listening!
Love and blessings,
Swamiji

The Deeper Islam - Part 2

2007-02-13T07:41:00.001-08:00

We continue this week with the second of a 4-part series on Islam with the recounting of the early preaching of the Prophet; the flight to Medina; the two subsequent divisions of Islam; and the emergence of Sufism. Tune in to the Hariharananda Mission West's Metaphorical Interpretation of Religion podcast section. Happy listening!
Love and blessings,
Swamiji

The Deeper Islam - Part 1

2007-02-06T08:44:00.000-08:00

This week in our podcast section we start a 4-part series on Islam -- An opportunity to distinguish tribal customs from religious tenets, and fanatical attitudes from the deeper Islam. This week we examine the true meaning of Islam; the life of the Prophet Mohammad; the revelation of the Qu'ran. Tune in to the Hariharananda Mission West's Metaphorical interpretation of religion podcast section. Happy listening!
Love and blessings,
Swamiji

Making Assumptions - Part 2 (and final)

2007-01-30T08:03:00.000-08:00

This week in the podcast section we continue exploring how we make assumptions, especially in terms of religious dogmas and spiritual routines. See how Guru Nanak taught both Muslims and Hindus the true meaning of worship, and how a bumbling little tailor triumphed over a fierce samurai once he learned how to control his imagination... among several stories. Tune in to the Hariharananda Mission West's Wisdom Tales podcast section. Happy listening!
Love and blessings,
Swamiji

Mahabharata Pilgrimage Photo Album

2007-01-27T06:50:00.000-08:00

The photo album of the Mahabharata Pilgrimage (which took place in India last September 2006) is up! 1192 photos, arranged in 71 categories, encapsulate the highlights of "the journey of a lifetime"...
Thanks to all participants who have contributed their photos. God bless you all.

In related news: the next two storytelling pilgrimages are already under preparation:
1) Following the Inca (and pre-Inca) Trails, from Lake Titicaca to Macchu Picchu... culminating with a one-week yoga camp in Urubamba, the "Valley of the Gods" near Macchu Picchu. Duration: three weeks (August 19 - September 8, 2007)
2) The Santiago de Compostela trail. This pilgrimage will follow the end of the famous Santiago de Compostela trail in Galicia (Spain's northern coast). Duration: 9 days (July 7 - 15, 2008).
Please remember to book early, as places are limited.
Love and blessings always,
Swamiji

The Storytelling Monk's Podcast now on iTunes

2007-01-25T03:39:00.000-08:00

You can now listen (and subscribe) to the Storytelling Monk's Podcast through iTunes by following this link.
All podcasts are free, and you do not need an iTunes account to listen to or download them (although you do need the iTunes software installed on your computer, available for free here).
Happy listening!
Love always,
Swamiji

Making assumptions - Part 1

2007-01-23T15:08:00.000-08:00

This week in the podcast section we go back to some basics: making assumptions -- how our mind constantly engages in a guessing game about the significance of any given event. Sometimes fairly correctly, but most of the times dead wrong. Which leads to conflicts, wars, misery... and a good number of comical situations!
You will find this podcast in the Hariharananda Mission West's Wisdom Tales podcast section. Happy listening!
Love and blessings,
Swamiji

Do You Want the Truth? - Part 2 (and final)

2007-01-16T14:43:00.000-08:00

Aaaah, the fascinating ways we ignore, bend, or "clarify" the Truth. A subject which never goes out of style. And yet there are ways to remain truthful in a world of falsehood...
I have just posted the second podcast on Truth in the Hariharananda Mission West's Wisdom Tales podcast section. Go have a listen about how Mahatma Gandhi, the Prophet Mohammad, and an ancient sage called Satyavrata grappled with these issues. Happy listening!
Love and blessings,
Swamiji

The Baba Stories

2007-01-09T16:06:00.000-08:00

Paramahamsa Hariharananda, known affectionately as Baba (meaning "father" in Sanskrit), was a divine mystery, a fountain of chaotic beauty and bliss. As Baba himself once said, "If anyone tried to know who is Baba, he would go mad"... Coming to his touch, even for a fleeting moment, could change a destiny. It certainly changed mine.
Never in my existence had I met a master so audacious, so unconventional, and so caring that he would risk EVERYTHING to pull out his disciples from their own self-created darkness.
Baba left us on December 3, 2002, but his teachings live on through his beautiful flowers (as he would endearingly refer to his disciples).
I have posted a few Baba stories, a faint echo of the immense love that visited us for 95 blessed years. The history of Kriya Yoga was changed for ever.
If you have some Baba stories to share, please leave a comment.
In love with all flowers,
Swamiji

First podcast available - Do You Want the Truth?

2007-01-08T06:01:00.000-08:00

To start the New Year with a challenging new question... and a few wise, intriguing, and humorous ways to look at it, I have posted a first podcast on Truth!
You can find it in the Hariharananda Mission West's Wisdom Tales podcast section.

I will post a new podcast every week.
Happy listening!
Love and blessings,
Swamiji

Welcome!

2007-01-08T03:20:00.000-08:00

This is your friendly storytelling monk welcoming you to his latest edition—the blog. Here we will explore the practical aspects of spirituality, as taught by the lineage of Kriya Yoga masters and my own guru, Paramahamsa Hariharananda (1907-2002).
Here is a space to discuss how people in various ages, places, religions, and cultures have always dealt with various issues by relying on the strength of their faith and devotion, the development of their intuition through prayer and meditation, the guidance of sages and scriptures, and the grace of God.
All religions are treated with the same respect, but only their more practical and open-minded aspects will be presented—religious controversies, sectarian disputes, and fanatic views are not entertained. As Jonathan Swift once said, We have just enough religion to make us hate, but not enough to make us love one another.
Now more than ever is the time to build and share an all-encompassing love, for a change! This is the philosophy of the Hariharananda Mission West's and the Ark of Love's philosophy.
We hope you will join us in this adventure.
Blessings,
Swamiji