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Your Monthly News & Updates
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Namaste,
November brings to mind gratitude for the many blessings that are so abundant in our lives. Ma has told us," When you awake each morning and open your eyes, remember to say thank you." Each day is a gift and a chance to begin anew. Every moment is precious.
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From Yashoda
Namaste'
Ma has always reminded us of the importance of gratitude.Each day as I open Ma's drapes and look out over the Ashram, I am filled with the deepest gratitude.The feeling of gratitude seems to come in waves, lifting us higher than we normally stand while knowing we have touched something special.
I do believe that what we think becomes our direction, and here is where Ma has told us to gently, ever so gently, keep moving toward the positive. It is good to remind ourselves as we drink to always remember the source. As Ma said, "Remember to write three things you are grateful for each day. It will accumulate to fill your heart and light the lamp for all to see, and then we are asked to give that light away."
Best wishes for a beautiful Thanksgiving. Come join us for an amazing bandhara!
Much love, Yashoda
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November's theme for us is gratitude. It should be easy to write a little about that I thought. Not so, it turns out! I think on the people and events that have populated my life, and I am overwhelmed with the importance all have played in bringing me to where I sit today, none more so than my Ma. I truly believe a life lived at Ma's feet here at Kashi is a gift to be treasured beyond all others. And that gift is as real today as when our Ma walked here in the flesh. It moves and humbles me when I talk to someone who never sat with Ma in those crazy, glorious times, and they tell of how their own experiences of Ma today are as real as ours were then.To paraphrase Ma Jaya, "Ma lives here, you know". And for that, I am truly grateful.
Babarama
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| Happy 50th Anniversary to the Guthrie Center!!!
Last month, while traveling in Massachusetts, Bhakti and Keshav visited Arlo's church for the first time. They were very touched to see all the wonderful service work taking place. They could feel Ma's presence as they walked into the church, seeing more than a dozen volunteers and a group of children about to arrive. After passing through a receiving hall with many historic photos of Woody and others, there is a framed dedication by Ma above the archway leading into the main chapel, it reads:
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ONE GOD, MANY FORMS
ONE RIVER, MANY STREAMS
ONE PEOPLE, MANY FACES
ONE MOTHER, MANY CHILDREN" MA
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Kashi Atlanta Ashram Jail Yoga Program
Devaki Jaya, senior teacher at Kashi Atlanta Ashram, is leading the karma yoga program at DeKalb County Jail, which is part of their "Options for Living and Learning" program. Check out this fabulous interview from Channel 5 with Devaki Jaya.
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This year's Durga Puja was unbelievably beautiful. For the first time in many years, we were able to enjoy all ten pujas outside by the Baba Temple. We were able to experience the magic of honoring all the Mothers by the dhuni at cow dust time. Please enjoy the photos that Krishna Das has taken of Durga Puja. Thank you for your sponsorship of these ancient ceremonies!
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Los Angeles Ashram Update From Swami Laxman Das Jaya
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| The Puja Room at the LA Ashram |
Ma's visits to Los Angeles were bittersweet as she trained us all to be caregivers. In reality she illustrated to us that to continue the work in her absence; we needed to "drink as we poured."
"Evenings with the Mother
" continue on Thursday nights here at the ashram at 8pm. All who come leave satiated and at peace as we sit, and are taken out of ourselves as her voice and presence enters the Puja room.
"Under the Bridges and on the Streets" continues to serve the homeless as more new volunteers continue to show up and feel the joy of doing selfless service. Kali Natha Yoga is shared every Saturday by Swami Laxman Das at a nearby studio every Saturday at 3:00 for 90 minutes.
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Reclaiming the Heart of Our Humanity: 2015 Parliament of the World's Religions
by Swami Anjani
This Parliament was indeed a very inspiring experience for me - all the 9,500 people from many parts of the world...and the colors - not only the varied colors of all of us, but the cavernous rooms and halls of the Salt Palace were alive with colorful flags and yantras and banners and affirmations...not cluttered as one may think, but joyous food for the heart.
The theme was "Reclaiming the Heart of our Humanity." The mission of the Parliament is "to cultivate harmony among the world's religious and spiritual communities and foster their engagement with the world and its guiding institutions in order to achieve a just, peaceful and sustainable world." There was a strong emphasis on the role and the empowerment of women, indigenous peoples' dialogue, undermining extremism, working on climate change, and attacking extreme poverty, with powerful talks by Dr. Jane Goodall, Karen Armstrong, Maya Tewari, Grandmother Mary Lyons, Marianne Williamson, Tariq Ramadan, Rabbi David Saperstein, and many others.
Swami Mata Giri, Jaya Priya, Laxmi Ma and I presented our workshop on Kashi entitled "The Path of Community: Collective approaches to peace, sustainability, equality, and justice." There was a lot of interest in what we are doing, and it felt wonderful to share a bit of Ma, Kashi, and ourselves.
I loved connecting with old friends as well as new ones. I kept bumping into people who looked at my name tag and asked, "Is that Ma's ashram?" before I could say a word. Ma is very much remembered by many, many people. It touched my heart to see "H.H. Ma Jaya Bhagavati" listed in the program, along with the other Trustee Emeriti. It is powerful and transformative to open one's heart to engage in Interfaith dialogue with those of other traditions and paths.
Click Here to Visit Website |
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| Ganga, Kali and Shyam Baba |
Catching Up With Kali Baird
In 2010 we moved to California, and 5 years later life continues to move forward. Ganga is in his second year at Santa Barbara City College and is currently enjoying his writing classes and the life of a 20 year old, four blocks from the beach! I work at San Domenico School but am in my second year out of the classroom - wonderful and weird! I also enjoy exploring the nature around me, which is literally breathtaking, and dipping my toe into the city of San Francisco.
Shyam Baba is still surfing. He now has to layer up in a thick wetsuit, gloves, booties and a hood, but the waves make it all worth it (I still haven't gone into the freezing water, hahahah!) He also has been studying Tai- Chi and I love seeing him go through his forms on our deck - so fluid and focused - a dance of sorts. Overall, life is wonderful BUT this is not to say that I don't have my own shit to deal with...however, at the end of each day, my tally for gratitude is way deeper than my tally for negativity. Love to all! We miss Ma!
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Namaste Everyone!
November has been a huge month for the Grow Kashi Campaign! Most significantly, we have officially finalized Kashi's new logo (see image above). A BIG thank you goes out to the Kashi administration, board, and the community as a whole for helping shape this vision, placing your votes, and caring so much about our collective future. The "symbol" in this logo represents the three lines of Shiva: sacred, simple and unique. Carried over from Kashi's current logo, the symbol signifies destruction, creation, and renewal. What more perfect symbol for a refreshed brand! The "tagline" embodies Kashi's consistent approach of embracing all people, and to continue this legacy as the community changes and grows for many years to come.
Over the next couple of months, the campaign will also be working hard to accomplish some major physical renovations on the Shirdi Campus. We will send more updates on progress shortly. For more detailed information about the variety of exciting initiatives, or any questions, please email Jaya Priya @
Jayareinhalter@gmail.com. Alternatively you can also await the upcoming launch of the Grow Kashi website in December!
So much love and gratitude,
The Grow Kashi Team
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November's Recipe from Swami Rudra Das
Namaste,
We are near Thanksgiving, a time of gratitude.
Ma welcomed everyone all the time; she made a point to not let anyone be alone, especially during the holidays.
Please come for our Thanksgiving meal, and for every meal served on Kashi.
This recipe is a simple soup, as the winter months approach and weather gets colder.
It is easy to make, quick and I think you will like it.
Enjoy! Love, Swami Rudra Das
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The Eco Project's Goat Soap Now Sold in Ma's India!!!
Kwang Mae's Eco Project Soap is made from real goat's milk (the goats live on Kashi) and all natural ingredients. There is no palm oil or lard and the colors that are used are from the Earth. The Eco Project soap comes in five different colors and scents. The colors hold a different healing or cleansing property for your skin and the scents are hand-selected combinations of pure essential oils. Each has its own medicinal properties and is literally handcrafted and one of a kind.
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Agape Love Attunement: Free Concert and Anointing: Sunday Dec 13th from 2pm to 6pm in Shirdi Studio (Concert is at 2pm; workshop at 3-6pm)
Fee: Concert: Love Offering; Workshop is $33 online/$44 at door
The program will be a powerful life-altering merge of Sacred Sound and Divine Transmission that will reignite the remembrance of your own magnificence and the Divine Love within. Be uplifted and inspired through powerful original music, transformational sound and energy healing, to experience the connection of the Oneness that unites us all
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November's Joke
After the telephone was installed in her home, the lady called the operator.
"My telephone cord is too long," she said. "Would you please pull it a little from your end?"
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We thank you for your continuous support, and your love and care of Kashi. We could not do it without you!
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| Kashi Ashram 11155 Roseland Road Sebastian, Florida 32958
772.589.1403 ext 101
www.kashi.org
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