There are several highlights to this week - we crossed our first million in japa , and then a phone conversation with Swamiji on the sankalpa.

He asked, "Have you watched the broadcasts before the evening program on weekdays? We have been chanting the peace sankalpa mantra, atleast 1 mala a day, but we dont count!"

"Oh you count alright Swamiji", I hastened to clarify ,"In fact you are like Florida, you count AND count ! You count a LOT !" (Readers will doubtless remember the election of 2000 in Florida, but we will not probe into those boring political details here !)

Anyway, having Swamiji and the Mandir residents join our sankalpa is beyond value! Our heartfelt thanks to Swamiji for adding momentum to our progress .

There was a beautiful post by our beloved Rick Veda, on this sankalpa . Here is what he had to say

"The Universal Peace Sankalpa has taken on a life of its own in me. One thought I had was that being the UPS, it always delivers the package, and always on time! But it has become universal in a much more profound way to me. It is the first thought I have when I awake, and it follows with me in every moment, every conversation, every interaction I have all through the day. It has become my universe. I am so grateful to Shree Maa for giving this great blessing to me. Although I have been chanting mantras for years, there is a wonderful difference with this sankalpa because the mantra is chanting itself through me.

Swamiji's inspired translation likewise blesses my spirit. The two words that keep coming back into my awareness are "disturbances" and "hostility." I ask her to "terminate all disturbance in the three worlds." It always begins with a disturbance. If I am kept from becoming disturbed, I will not lose my connection with Maa. But if I allow disturbances into my thinking, they will take root and create hostility. I do not have to experience hostility. But it is inevitable if I nurture any disturbance.

Shree Maa is the Spirit of the Supreme Sovereign. I am so grateful to pray this mantra to her, and know the bliss of deliverance from all disturbances. By her grace I am experiencing more of this each day. "

Thank you for your beautiful and profound words , Rick - it struck a chord in my heart, and am sure resonates with our other participants too.

Our friend Chris from Tacoma, WA , agrees with Rick and says "I am amazed every time I sit down for my japa of this mantra how strong the shakti is and how connected t is to Mother."

Thanks to all for sharing in your numbers. Congratulations to Mausumi for completing 100 malas at the fire.

As of Feb 25, here are the totals for those of us that prefer to do the sankalpa at the fire

And below are the counts for those of us that do the sadhana without the fire

~~OM~~

March 19 - March 26

Chaitra Navaratri 2007

Navaratri literally means Nine (Nava) Nights (Ratri) – Night Nights of worship of Divine Mother. Traditionally, Navaratri is celebrated four times a year – Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. Shree Maa said that in spring time the stars and planets shine very brightly and so whoever does tapasya (spiritual austerities) in this Navaratri will be similarly endowed with brightness. We began celebration of Spring Navaratri in Devi Mandir from Monday, March 19.

On Sunday, everybody partook of their last full meal which consisted of boiled rice with lentils and vegetables. Some vowed to fast on milk and fruits, some on liquids, some on water and others chose to abstain from all grains. Swamiji said that each of us according to our circumstances, capacities and desires can take a sankalpa for fasting.

At 4:00 a.m. on the first day of Navaratri, we did “avahan” to Divine Mother – invited Her to come and bless us. We invited Her with songs. Our voices rose in unison as we called Mother to come and arise within us – Jago Tumi Jago, Jago Durga (Arise Mother Durga). Shortly thereafter, Shree Maa sang the Chandi Path and the temple was filled with sounds of mantras from Swamiji’s beautiful cosmic puja. Each day this was the morning program and web cam viewers from 47 countries peeped in to share the bhava!

Shree Maa had suggested that we take a group sankalpa to chant 100,000 Navarna mantras at the Homa and throughout the week, the temple resounded with “Om Aim Hrim Klim Chamundayai Vicce” from time to time.

In the evenings, Swamiji taught us how to chant the Sundara Kanda with pranayam and samputs. We asked questions both on the Sundara Kanda and chanting as well as on sadhana and other general topics. Viewers from Holland, India and different parts of the USA asked Swamiji live questions via the internet. It felt like we are one family, celebrating our love for God together!

Saturday, saptami (seventh day of Navaratri) was the day of Kumaari Puja. Kumaari literally means a young girl and this puja or worship teaches us to see Divine Mother in a little girl - and all of creation. A young girl called Radhika who is around 7 years of age came to the temple at 5 pm in the evening and many ladies joined together to dress her up as a little Goddess! You can see her picture here. Radhika sat on a little throne in front of the Cosmic Altar and smiled joyously at everyone present! Swamiji voiced our thoughts when He said to her, “You look just like all the Goddesses standing in the altar.” Swamiji did puja to this little girl and she blessed us all with peace, pure love and wisdom. We learned to see the Divine in her and she learned to look at us with divine eyes! As the little girl was blessing everybody, Shree Maa led us in singing magical songs to Divine Mother.

On ashtami day (the eight day of Navaratri) we chanted the Chandi as a group by the Homa in the morning. In the afternoon, it is traditional to break the Navaratri fast after doing Annapurna Puja and Homa. We chanted the sublime thousand names of Mother Annapurna and Shree Maa blessed us all with charanamrit from Her own hands and we broke our Navartri fast.

Monday the ninth day of the Chaitra Navaratri is the birthday of Sri Ram. What better way to celebrate it than to sing the Sundara Kanda? We chanted and sang this beautiful epic in the evening of Ram Navami. In the day time, Vishnu puja was performed at the Ram altar and special sweets were offered to Sri Ram. Swamiji blessed us by saying “Happy Birthday! May Sri Ram take birth in you today!”

Jai Sri Ram! Jai Maa!

February 26 - March 11

Holi 2007

In early spring each year, the festival of Holi is celebrated in many parts of India. It is a called the festival of colors and people greet each other by smearing different color powders on each other and also pouring water and bursting balloons. It is a day when differences of wealth, station, age are all forgotten and everybody plays together with colors and water. As with all Indian festivals, many sweets are offered as prasad to God and shared together.

What is Holi? Why do we celebrate it? We all wondered and Swamiji explained it to us in a special class. Swamiji read the story of Hiranyakashipu, Prahalad, and Vishnu from the Swami Purana book. He answered questions sent to us by viewers around the world to mandirclass@yahoo.com. Knowing the stories from the Puranas and understanding the spiritual principles made the celebration meaningful and more applicable to our lives in the present time.

Swamiji explained to us that Prahalad, a devotee of Vishnu who was saved time and again from many dangers by His devotion to the Lord. Shree Maa sang songs to awaken that same devotion in our hearts. On Saturday night satsang, a week before Holi, Shree Maa sang songs to Lord Krishna and we all joined joyously in anticipation and devotion. Shree Maa sang a new song that She had just composed and viewers on the web cam across the world wrote in to say how inspired and moved they were by the sublime music!

On the day of Holi, all the Gods were greeted by red holi color in the morning! Holi falls on the full moon day in the month of Phalgun, and in the evening we all performed the Satya Narayana Vrat Homa. We read the story and renewed our promise to God to live in truth. After reading the story and doing arati to God, Shree Maa led us all in devotional singing. Once again, we felt we were with Krishna and the Gopis in Vrindavan, dancing with God and playing with colors together! At the end of the evening, Shree Maa and Swamiji blessed us with Holi colors and we prayed that we could be colorful flowers at the Feet of Divine Mother and be steadfast in our devotion like Prahlad.

February 19 - February 25

Shivaratri 2007

Early in the morning of Shivaratri, we saw our beloved Swamiji sitting in asan by the sacred fire and chanting many, many scriptures – the Chandi, Rudri, Shiva Sahasranama. For 24 hours, the fire was blazing with the offering of various mantras, especially “Om Namah Sivaya”. The temple was decorated and Maa adorned Lord Shiva with new cloth, flowers and decorations. Everybody was busy preparing for the evening – making prasad, arranging flowers, setting up puja. In the bustle of activity was the sweet feeling of love, fellowship, devotion and anticipation.

At 6 in the evening, Maa and Swamiji arrived at the Temple and we all sang “Jai Shiva Omkara”, arati to Lord Shiva. We began the worship by doing a group Shiva puja led by Maa and Swamiji. Then devotees went up to the Shiva lingam, one by one, as Swamiji guided them with mantras to offer milk, chandan (sandalwood), ganga jal (Ganges water) and flowers to Lord Shiva. Swamiji says we should build a personal relationship with God and through this guided puja, He taught us how to do it!!! It was thrilling, exciting and enlightening at the same time.

Everybody offered milk to the Shiva Lingams in the temple and then walked up to Napeswar to make offerings. As we walked to Napeswar, we burnt frankincense and rang bells and blew conches and sang together “Om Namah Sivaya”. It felt like we were in the Himalayas going to see Lord Shiva in Kailash!

There were four pujas conducted through out the night. In the first puja we offered milk, followed by yogurt in the second puja, and ghee and honey in the last two pujas. In addition to this, various prasad items such as kitchuri, vegetables, moong daal, sweet pudding etc were offered following scriptural guidelines.

As devotees were doing puja, Maa sang to Lord Shiva. Her voice resounded within the temple and across the word via the web cam. In fact, viewers from twenty-nine countries watched the festival and communicated by email and chat. As Maa sang “Shiva Shiva Shiva Shambo”, devotees danced around the room waving white flags. We prayed we could be ambassadors of peace and love and carry these magical moments in our hearts and into our lives.

As the evening slipped into night, Swamiji led us in a powerful group chanting of the Rudri. From time to time, Swamiji welcomed our online viewers from different parts of the world. He said “Welcome to viewers from Czechoslovakia”. A little later He said “Welcome to our family in India, where it is morning now. Thanks for joining us!” It felt like we are all one family, praying together and lighting the lamp of purity in every heart’s temple all over the world.

After the four pujas were over, Swamiji blessed us with Holy Ash and Maa fed everybody with “Paaran,” a drink made of milk, cashews, raisins and powdered rice, traditionally taken to break the Shivaratri fast.

The next day, Shree Maa and Swamiji led us at Devi Mandir and all across the globe in a Nava Graha homa. We offered flowers, mantras and various grains to each of the 9 planets and prayed for world peace.

Later in the week, on the first day of the next lunar month, the Shiva sankalpa was completed. The over 3,000 Shiva lingams that Shree Maa had made during the preceding month were taken to the flowing water of the Devi Mandir creek and dissolved. Some devotees carried the Shiva lingams in baskets on their heads and others accompanied the procession playing drums, conches, bells and everybody sang “Om Namah Sivaya”.

Swamiji led us in reciting the appropriate mantras to dissolve the Shiva lingams. We did arati and danced back to the temple with God’s name on our lips. On the way, we saw a line of peacocks watching the entire procession intently. It felt like all of nature was joining us in our prayers to Lord Shiva to bring peace and love to all creation!

Om Namah Sivaya!

Saturday, Mar 3 2007

5.30 PM PT - Hanuman Puja.

Tune into http://www.shreemaa.org/broadcasts and watch our weekly puja to Hanumanji. Please keep a copy of "Hanuman Puja" text handy. The book is available at our bookstore - http://www.shreemaa.org/bookstore

6.30 PM PT - Holi Celebration and Evening Satsang.

For permission to visit/participate at this event at the Mandir, please write to info@shreemaa.org. Tune into http://www.shreemaa.org/broadcasts and watch the evening proceedings. Please keep a copy of Vishnu Sahasranam text handy. The book is available at our bookstore - http://www.shreemaa.org/bookstore .

Friday, Mar 2 2007

All day - Join the worship at the Mandir.

To watch our sadhaks chant various texts throughout the day, go to http://www.shreemaa.org/broadcasts

Thursday, Mar 1 2007

6.30 PM PT - Swamiji gives a talk on the Holi Festival at the Mandir.

To participate online, go to http://www.shreemaa.org/broadcasts . To ask questions live from where ever you are located, add Mandirclass@yahoo.com to your yahoo messenger buddy list and login at 6.30 PM PT. You can also email Mandirclass@yahoo.com with your questions.

Wednesday, Feb 28 2007

6.30 PM PT - General Q&A with Swamiji at the Mandir.

To participate online, go to http://www.shreemaa.org/broadcasts . To ask questions live from where ever you are located, add Mandirclass@yahoo.com to your yahoo messenger buddy list and login at 6.30 PM PT. You can also email Mandirclass@yahoo.com with your questions. The Bhagavad Gita book can be obtained at http://www.shreemaa.org/bookstore . You can view the earlier classes in our archives - http://www.shreemaa.org/drupal/node/894

Tuesday, Feb 27 2007

6.30 PM PT - Bhagavad Gita class (Chapter 18 , conclusion) with Swamiji at the Mandir.

To participate online, go to http://www.shreemaa.org/broadcasts . To ask questions live from where ever you are located, add Mandirclass@yahoo.com to your yahoo messenger buddy list and login at 6.30 PM PT. You can also email Mandirclass@yahoo.com with your questions. The Bhagavad Gita book can be obtained at http://www.shreemaa.org/bookstore . You can view the earlier classes in our archives - http://www.shreemaa.org/drupal/node/894

Monday, Feb 26 2007

6.30 PM PT - Bhagavad Gita class (Chapter 18 , continued) with Swamiji at the Mandir.

To participate online, go to http://www.shreemaa.org/broadcasts . To ask questions live from where ever you are located, add Mandirclass@yahoo.com to your yahoo messenger buddy list and login at 6.30 PM PT. You can also email Mandirclass@yahoo.com with your questions. The Bhagavad Gita book can be obtained at http://www.shreemaa.org/bookstore . You can view the earlier classes in our archives - http://www.shreemaa.org/drupal/node/894

Sunday, Feb 25 2007

9.30 AM PT - Chant the Chandi Path with Swamiji at the Mandir.

For permission to visit/participate at this event, please write to info@shreemaa.org. To participate online, login to http://www.shreemaa.org/broadcasts . The Chandi Path book can be obtained at http://www.shreemaa.org/bookstore . The audio/mp3 CD of this recitation is available at our music store - http://www.shreemaa.org/drupal/taxonomy_menu/55/107

Photo of the week of Feb 18 - Feb 24 2007
(Taken on MahaShivaratri, Feb 15 2007 at Devi Mandir, Napa, CA)

Check out our weekly blogs.

~~OM~~

At first analysis, two celibate spiritual teachers may seem like an interesting choice for a discussion about male-female relationships, but Shree Maa and Swami Satyananda have some unusual credentials. Swami Satyananda is an American who, as a young graduate student, decided to travel around the world before settling into corporate life. He fell so deeply in love with India that he lived there for twenty years and became a full Swami. He offers the perspective of a westerner intimately aware of the issues facing men and women today and a swami who understands relationship karma as seen from the Eastern point of view.

After Shree Maa graduated from college in Assam, India, she walked off alone into the jungles of India. There she became so absorbed in God that she spent eight years eating only a touch of sandal paste smeared on a betel leaf as her daily meal. Although a well respected saint in India, Shree Maa came to the US with Swami Satyananda to bring the spiritual wisdom of the East to this country. Because she is involved in the daily lives of her many devotees in the US, she understands the melodrama of relationships as we play it, and also can see our dilemma from the perspective of someone completely outside our paradigm. Here are some of their views about male female relationships as told to transpersonal psychologist, Charles Hogan.

MEN AND WOMEN, WHAT'S THE POINT?

Why do you think so many marriages end in divorce in this country?

Shree Maa: This country? It's happening all over the world. Relationships have become competitive instead of being an opportunity to learn respect. Everybody wants to win, but where is the peace?

So competition and selfishness are at the root of the problem?

Shree Maa: Yes. We have not yet learned how to give. If each person would practice giving to their partner, their relationships would be peaceful and harmonious. Instead, most of us are selfish. We are only thinking about ourselves. Therefore in the Indian system, this time in the history of this planet is called the Kali Yuga, or the Age of Darkness. Another reason for unsuccessful relationships is overpopulation.

How does overpopulation affect our relationships?

Shree Maa: People are increasing the population, but they don't have a goal or purpose . They are bringing souls to the earth and not teaching them spiritual wisdom. Therefore, individuals are competing for resources which are growing ever more scarce.

What does a person do who doesn't have a purpose?

Swamiji: I suggest that a person without a purpose better find one. Without a purpose it is difficult to have a meaningful life. How can you find the path, if you do know the goal? How can you accomplish anything if you don't know what your path is? We need to find a goal in life that will be worthy of our commitment.

Certainly our goal in life would not be to have a transient relationship with someone who doesn't have a purpose either. That's where most of us make our mistake. We don't have a purpose of our own, and we feel empty and look for another person to give us fulfillment. But they don't have a purpose either. Then we have two people without purpose, trying to give meaning to each other's lives.

It's hard enough when you have a partnership with common goals. But if you don't have common goals, and the purpose of your relationship is just to assuage your loneliness, then as soon as your needs are no longer being fulfilled the relationship is history.

The best thing to do is to stop and think, "What would be a commitment worthy of my dedication? What do I want to give to this world?"

What is the purpose of men and women having a relationship?

Shree Maa: For the illumination of true consciousness and bliss, it is necessary for the masculine and feminine principles to unite, for men and women to harmonize their various natures to work together.

Swamiji: When you put the qualities of men and women together, you have a more dynamic capacity for working effectively in creation. If a man can treat a woman like a Goddess, she will turn him into a God. If a woman can treat her man like a God, he will make her into a Goddess.

How do you treat someone like a God or a Goddess?

Shree Maa: Love and respect them with all your heart.

Swamiji: Completely surrender to your partner.

Shree Maa: This body is not eternal. Inside is God. You have to wake up!

You have to see the God within?

Shree Maa: Yes!

How do you do that?

Shree Maa: How did you get here?

You mean here to this ashram? (laughing, not knowing where she is going.)

Shree Maa: Do you think you decided to come here, or did somebody send for you?

Somebody sent for me?

Shree Maa: Yes. The divine power.

Swamiji: Who told you to come to this ashram? The consciousness within you. The divine spark said, "I want to find out what those people are doing, to see if they have something I can add to my life." That was the divine being within you. If we can pay respect to that being within our partner, we can recognize his or her Godliness.

That's hard. We tend to see the personality and the body, and we don't see the God within the other person.

Shree Maa: Yes. Nowadays it is very hard.

Swamiji: Having a relationship is a sadhana, a spiritual discipline.

Do you have any suggestions for how people can see God in their partners?

Swamiji: We suggest learning puja or worship, which trains you to see the God within.

So if you practice performing worship to a Goddess, you will be better able to see the Goddess in your partner?

Swamiji: Yes, and you can perform puja to your spouse, which will help you see the God within him or her.

Let's say you are with your partner and she is doing something that irritates you and you are upset with her. For instance, she left her dishes in the sink. How do you see the God in her at a moment like that?

Swamiji: In these kinds of situations, we want to develop the kind of communication where we can discuss any problems that arise. Those moments will occur, but they can be diffused with appropriate communication. In a healthy relationship, we will find a way to talk about everything.

Shree Maa: You have to prepare yourself internally first, so that you can see everyone as God.

Is that the purpose of relationships, to experience that state of realization?

Swamiji: Absolutely. Relationships require us to surrender our selfishness and in doing that we attain Godliness.

I know many people have trouble with the concept of surrender. I’ll bet when they hear that, they'll think, "I surrendered to Joe, and he cheated on me and broke my heart."

Shree Maa: We are not talking about surrendering blindly. We are talking about surrendering your ego. You have to surrender to your own self.

Swamiji: In English, surrender is the last thing we want to do when we have exhausted all other options. In Samskrit the term we use is samarpana, to offer ourselves in equilibrium. It is the goal of all our spiritual longing.

When we talk about surrender, it does not absolve us from discriminating. In surrender, we offer ourselves in equilibrium to the God within, our partner, and ourselves. That doesn't mean we obey their every order. We have a duty to discriminate: what is part of my path and what is not. Then we'll say to our partner, "Please explain to me how what you are asking is going to manifest our purpose, our highest Godliness. If it does, I'll probably be all for it. If it doesn't, I still respect the God within you, but I can't do what you want in this case."

Is it enough for one person to surrender, or do both need to surrender?

Shree Maa: If you live together, it is important that both people surrender.

What if you live with somebody who doesn't want to surrender?

Shree Maa: You will never have peace. There is a great verse in the Lalita Trishati which says that Shiva and Shakti revolve around each other mutually and reciprocally. Who understands this, understands the center of energy.

What do you do if your partner is sabotaging your spiritual practices? Let's say they make fun of your meditations, but you really love them, and otherwise you get along?

Shree Maa: We are back to our first discussion. Why would we have a relationship without a common goal?

Swamiji: If you do have a relationship without a common goal, you had better stop right now and say, "Partner, what is the purpose of our being together, and how can we make that purpose manifest itself. If we can't manifest our purpose together, let's be honest about it and either make it happen alone or with another partner. Let's see how we can negotiate, how we can support each other's goals. Otherwise, both of us will have to come back to this planet and start all over again."

If you do have a relationship without a common goal, you had better stop right now and say, "Partner, what is the purpose of our being together, and how can we make that purpose manifest itself. If we can't manifest our purpose together, let's be honest about it and either make it happen alone or with another partner. Let's see how we can negotiate, how we can support each other's goals. Otherwise, both of us will have to come back to this planet and start all over again."

So you are saying that the purpose is more important than anything else.

Swamiji: The romance, the attachment, the infatuation, the honeymoon stuff is so transitory. Unless we have a common goal, it will be very difficult to make it through life. As soon as we wake up and become aware of this, let's get to the business of defining our purpose and working together to make it manifest.

How should we deal with the loneliness of not having a partner? Is there a lesson to be learned in that situation?

Swamiji: Yes, there is a lesson. The reason we don't have a partner is because we are not a good partner, nor are we ready to become a good partner. We should cultivate a partnership with God. When we are alone, but not lonely, we will become a good partner. If you are lonely and don't want to be alone, and you meet someone who is lonely and doesn't want to be alone, then you start a relationship based on fulfilling each other's needs. That's not the same as having a relationship because I love you and have something to contribute to you.

Once you have a relationship with God and you have divinity inside you, and you are not lonely, you have a direction in life. Then you can find someone with a similar direction with whom you can relate on many different levels at the same time. If you have a relationship with God, you will automatically come to a point where you will have a relationship with God's children. You have to give your love away in order to make it grow.

Do you advise celibacy for someone who is single?

Swamiji: My suggestion is promiscuity brings confusion and conflict, and relationships without commitment don't bring satisfaction. They create a transitory fulfillment on a very superficial level, and there remains an unfulfilled need to be accepted one hundred percent. Celibacy is a fact of life, not a discipline. Many people practice celibacy by thinking about what they are trying to avoid. We carry our desire with us and perceive the world through an unfulfilled desire. So real celibacy, I believe, is not a practice. It is where the thought doesn't come to our minds. As long as the thought comes to our mind, and we are forcefully restraining ourselves, we are practicing celibacy, not living it.

What is the best way to choose a partner?

Swamiji: The best way to begin to search for a partner is to clarify your goals. What do you want? What are your values? What is important to you? What is your life-style? From that understanding of what you want, you can ask potential partners what their goal in life is. You can develop a list of issues that are important to you. Then you have to determine if people are giving you the answers they think you want to hear, or if they are sincere.

Next, get involved in pursuing your goal. When you do that, you automatically come into contact with other people who have similar goals. You are liable to meet someone in the context of that pursuit, rather than finding someone who has no long-term goal or vision.

What is the logic behind arranged marriages in India? That approach to choosing mates seems very strange to Westerners.

Shree Maa: First, someone looks at your horoscope. From looking at the horoscope, they determine what you should do on this earth. What are your basic tendencies and what are your strengths and weaknesses.

Is your fate in the stars? What does the chart tell you?

Shree Maa: We are born on this earth, but we have a relationship with the whole universe. Various planets at various times are closer to us and they have a greater capacity to attract our energies. When we take birth, an astrologer determines which planets are closest to us and which planets are most influential in our growth and development. Some of the planets have malevolent influences, which can be cured through our sadhana.

Before coming into this lifetime, do we decide who we are going to have as a partner?

Shree Maa: I believe we do, but it looks like they don't believe that in this country. They think they choose their partners. But ultimately God does.

It's all planned in a way. Is that why the astrologers can read our charts?

Shree Maa: In the Indian culture our faith is that birth, death and marriage are written before we come into this world.

Swamiji: We will enjoy the fruit of our karma, whether we like it or not, and we still we have the choice of whether or not we want to change it. Both are occurring at the same time. Our Mother is the Goddess Parvati, who presides over the law of cause and effect. Our father is the Lord Shiva, who allows us free will to choose.

Shree Maa: Ultimately we have to change, and that is God's blessing.

Read more Q&A