We regret to announce the passing of Mrs. Daniella Buxbaum O”H, wife of Rabbi Asher Buxbaum. The levaya will take place on Sunday Nov. 29th at the Shomrei Hachomos Chapels, 43rd St & Ft. Hamilton Pkwy, at 11:30 AM. Shiva will be held at the Buxbaum home, 916 E 29th St until Friday afternoon.

My favorite mantra, Om Namah Shivaya, celebrates creative energy – by invoking Shiva, the Destroyer. It taps into the reality that in order to create something new, we often must get rid of something that already exists. This is true whether we’re talking about people, things or emotions.

The yama that helps us in this process is the fifth one, aparigrapha, or non-hording/non-coveteousness. It’s a concept that occurs in many cultures and religions, the idea that we need to share with others and know we can’t have everything. It’s the yama that asks us to let go and embrace non-attachment.

Non-attachment is one of the most challenging concepts to embrace along this yogic path. Simply put, it means that we accept what happens without attaching value judgments to it. Just as a wet bar of soap will slip from our grasp if we squeeze it too tightly, so too does the rest of our life suffer when we hold too tightly to any part of it.

Think of an item we desire, maybe something on our holiday wish list. The more we focus on it, the more we want the item. Yet the way our brains are wired, once we get the item, we then look for something else to desire. It’s a cycle that can drive us further and further away from simplicity as we get into this “OK, got that. Now what?” mentality. And we live in a culture that encourages that, making it all the more challenging to break free.

On a more personal level, we can become attached to emotions or people as well. This is especially true as we move away from the present moment. We start thinking about how something will turn out, what a person’s reaction will be to a series of events. On the more extreme end of the spectrum, co-dependency, enabling and other unhealthy behaviors can be traced back to attachment. Through the way our brains are wired or the past experiences in our lives, we find ourselves walking in these less-healthy paths because we believe we have security there.

Finally, within ourselves we can be attached. How many of identify with our job or role in the family or spot in the community? We think of these things as “I am a …”, elevating that aspect of our life to be our life. That can lead us to elevate that aspect of our life to an unhealthy importance. Think of the person who identifies completely with their job – what happens when s/he loses that job? What about people who identify completely with their role in their family – what happens as the family members grow and change?

The first step to releasing attachments is identifying them. What are you attached to?

Jag gillar ryggradsvridningar. Det är en sån skön sträckning för musklerna i midjan, magen och framför allt stimulerar de nerverna kring ryggraden. Att ha en rörlig och frisk ryggrad är viktigt för det totala välmåendet. Jag försöker jobba mycket med asanas som är bra för ryggraden, speciellt som jag sen tonåren haft en lätt scolios. Min favorit bland ryggradsvridningarna är Ardha Matsyendrasana som man kan göra flera varianter av, mer eller mindre avancerade. Ardha betyder halv och Matsyendra, han är fiskkungen, enligt en gammal indisk sägen:

Shiva satt på en strand och förklarade yogans mysterier för hans maka Parvati. En stor fisk i vattnet tjuvlyssnade och när Shiva upptäckte fisken och att den lärt sig yoga förkunnade han honom Fiskarnas kung. Fisken antog mänsklig form, kom upp ur vattnet och satte sig i en ryggradsvridande asana, för att helt absorbera det han lärt sig.

Matsyendra nämns i Hatha Yoga Pradipika (skriven på 1300-talet och den första skriften om hatha yoga) som den första hatha yoga läraren, och att asanan uppkallad efter honom botar alla sjukdomar och väcker kundalini energin, den slumrande energin i basen av ryggraden, och som enligt yogan måste väckas för att man ska nå samadhi, upplysning.

The pain of change my salvation,
the road to peace a quiet place,
with eyes closed,
a non-movement,
and i focus on that searing scream,
the penetrating hum–
shiva destroying the old.

Days pass in psychological examination,
physical malady an imperative insistence,
for through the one body a path to one be found–
body may confuse with its dependable integrity,
its example of integrity earns my admiration.

Pain roams my nervous byways,
gingerly i follow the siren alarm,
and eventually the alert fades to silence,
left at peace i rest in comfort–
this trial passed,
my strength gathering for the next.

We are going to Ujjain.

The word Ujjain brings to mind Mahakavi Kalidas.

In pure lyrical quality, he is way ahead of all the poets of the world. Shakespeare is a better dramatist, a philosopher and an observer of character. But when it comes to poetic charm, I vote for Kalidas. Upama Kalidasassia. His simile is superb. Shakuntalam, a love story, has been translated into several Indian languages.

According to legend, he was an idiot, but was blessed by Kali and became Kalidas. The Kali temple, where the poet received the blessings of the Goddess, is still there. He was one of the nine Jewels who were guests of the King Vikramaditya.

Ujjain is famous for Shiva as Mahakal and is one of the places where Kumbhamela is held.

It is well connected by rail and road.

The first rule of  fight club is you do not talk about fight club… the legendary dialogue from the movie Fight Club. Hollywood has made some  really cool and awesome movies on Mixed Martial Arts… Fight Club, Never Back Down, Red Belt, each of these leave one awe struck!

All the awesome workout sessions, your head automatically has the Rocky Balboa, “Eye of the Tiger,” playing…  Shootfighters have all of these amazing training sessions, that would transport you to any one of these flicks… strengthening exercises, conditioning, free- running… all of that you can ask for!

But there is a catch! When it comes to Shootfighters, there is more than what meets the eye… there is always something new and exciting to be offered by Shootfighters… While speaking of MMA, we have, taken this term very seriously and to the point!

Ashwin has been practising martial arts for over 2 decades now… and these arts range from Karate, Kickboxing, Brazilian Jujutsu, a bit of Sambo, Taekwondo, Aikido, Jujutsu, Kalaripayattu, Tamil Kalaripayattu, Wing-Tsun, Kenjutsu, Garadi, Vajramushti, Judo, Tai Chi, Baghuazhang, Various types of Kung Fu- Eagle Claw, Tiger, Snake and a bit of Manthis… and each of these forms have been blended in Shootfighters…

This unique blend makes the classes, complete fun and totally exciting. Martial Arts has a huge history, and there are wide array of arts… each place has adapted and taken an art form to suit their own needs and requirements. Thus, the existence of this melting pot of so to say, martial arts under one roof… makes it a complete martial treat!

“One needs to enjoy what they teach… and I would personally find only striking pretty boring… after sometime plain old kickboxing without grappling, take-downs… gets very boring. It is not even practical in a real fight, where you are grabbed, pushed, clawed, slapped. Also, in most cases, you are up against more than one opponent… where one person does the hitting, while the others do the holding.” Says Ashwin.

Hmmm, only strikes and kicks seem like so much of a constriction here… one needs to know different techniques and ways to get out of any attack situation. Shootfighters Inc, takes in all the useful martial arts and makes it a part of their course curriculum.

Sounds fun right! Different martial arts, being blended and taught with some really cool moves… but behind all of this is a serious effort made, with tremendous hard work, and passion for Martial arts.

Ashwin has been in constant touch with different people in the world of Martial art, making friends, getting to know their art forms. Many masters do not teach you some art forms that easily… they need to know whether one can handle it. Ashwin had to go through years of patient waiting before he was introduced into numerous arts.

“It is a complete course you need to go through, most teachers do not teach you what part you want and leave the rest… you need to wait it out patiently and get the useful information out. Every martial art has some very useful and amazing techniques, and some may not work.”

With real-time experience of numerous fights, Ashwin knows that one needs to have a multitude of techniques that work.

“My instructors like Siddarth are very good fighters, because they have only learnt techniques that work and nothing else.” Adds Ashwin.

The most tough to capture have been the Indian Martial Arts… these seem to be very well hidden and shrouded, many have been lost and left only to a chosen few., as they need to make sure whether one can wield the power given by the arts.

The organization is doing a lot to preserve and document lesser known Indian martial arts such as Garadi, Vajramushti, Varmakalai, Silammbam so that they don’t die out entirely.

“I had this curiosity to understand and know, why an agriculture based civilization would need Martial Arts. Hunters and gatherers, it is understandable, but Indus Valley Civilization, the first civilization to develop a deep cultural setup of Martial arts was something I wanted to learn about.” Says Ashwin.

The great sages of India like Agastyar, Thirumular, Boghanathar… all of them have made huge contributions to Martial Arts, also incidentally the word ‘Chi‘ is derived from Chivaya (a tamil way of saying Shiva). The insights provided by them in Martial arts is very profound and deep. It set a base for the growth of martial arts all over the world.

“Martial arts, is about being strong, self-defence and all of that… but then there is more to Martial arts… it has a deeper ethereal meaning. When many students had signed up for self-defence or fitness, they continued classes even after achieving fitness and self-defence. Out of sheer curiosity I enquired, and found out that they felt a sense of achievement and strong confidence while be a part of our classes.” Says Ashwin.

Thus, martial arts works directly on the mind of the person, which in turn reflects in the body. “Martial arts is like Kundalini Yoga, where the aim is to achieve enlightenment, thus sages like Agastyar practised the arts. In order to see a mental change, physical vigour need to be done, once there is a mental change it is seen in the spirit… all of them are interconnected. “ Adds Ashwin.

The best part about these arts are, they are very nicely blended and gelled in to make a perfect school for martial arts- Independent Shootfighters Inc.

“Yoga on the Dance Floor will uplift and inspire your practice. The grooves will electrify your body and energize your vinyasa flow. Movement becomes a natural expression of their music”

~Fredric Schwartz, VayuWear  founder

Those are the words of the founder of  VayuWear , a hemp and cotton organic yoga inspired sports line who has  created a small series of togs just for men.  What were Mr. Schwartzs reasons for founding  his company? Perhaps Fredric’s motivations were selfish born out of the frustration of not being able to find clothes that he actually wanted to wear himself. Perhaps it was a deep concern for the environment born out of years of Native American study.  Whatever his impetus, Mr. Schwartz has come out with two pants –  the Varuna knicker which is nipped at the knee envisioned as  being used for cycling and downward dog and the best selling longer legged Mitra pant that can be worn as casual wear. All selections are  available in small to extra large sizes in Natural and Black.  There is also a great looking image of the Lord of Dance Natyaraja, popularly known as Shiva, in a kind of  comic book style depiction on a sustainable edition tee using water based inks.

The company is offering a special promotional deal until December 31 making Black Friday a day to remember for men and yoga. The generous 20% discount on all three of these men’s items can be had  with the coupon code EkayaniTomGlide.  15% of the proceeds are going to support the Southwestern leg of  Ekayani and the Tom Glide Space a yoga themed musical act whose  tour is promoting their  new album Yoga on the Dance Floor and Sanskrit Mantras. Mr. Schwartz has commented that the music is as conducive to meditation as it may be to working up a sweat on the dance floor.

In existence for a year , VayuWear  based in Philaldelphia is looking ahead to create a woman’s line. Until then you can also get eKo yoga mats and  mat sack bags during online checkout. Visit http://www.VayuWear.com

The Lord of Dance loves Yoga on the Dance Floor

Khajuraho is the appealing in the heart of India, Madhya Pradesh. This is different from other temples of India because it not about worshiping or deities. The temple Khajuraho is famous for its eroticism carving on the walls in the form of sculptures. It is a mixture of art and science of architecture, during the 11th-12th century temple has a great story and origin of Chandela dynasty. It is said that, the God Moon seduces and raped a Brahmin girl , Hemavati, resulting in the birth of Chandravarman founder of Chandela Dynasty. After some days, Chandravarman had a dream in which his mother is saying him to make a temple in which it will show all aspect of treasure of passion and erotic fantasy of the world.After that people are believing that it is depicted of Kamasutra or art and sexual relation of Lord Shiva and Parvati. This temple was lost into darkness but after discovering it has become most favorable place after Taj Mahal,only 22 temples are there out of 85 temples. It is made by unique stone carving in the year1986 and declared World Heritage Site.

This temple is build in different way then the other temples of India, it took more than 200 hundred year to complete and all the 85 temples are similar to each other. The temple build several meters off ground on high platforms. It is beautifully build with granite and sandstone, in the entrance their is a huge hall, beautifully carved. Khajuraho is divided in three groups- Eastern group, Southern group and Western group

Eastern Group- This group take isolated sub-groups and situated in and around the present town of Khajuraho. There is three Brahmical temples said that these temples are of Brahma, Vamana and Javari and three Jain temples Ghantai, Adinath and Parsvanath.

Southern Group- This is located at the distant location and two temples come under this group- Duladeo and Chaturbhuja which is near Khudarnala.

Western Group- This group is the largest among all the two groups. It is located in the centre and includes monuments built during reign of Chandela dynasty. The most famous temple under this group is Lakshamana temple, Matengesvara temple ,Varaha temple, Vishwanatha and Nandi temple situated near Chitragupta, agdamba and Kandariya temple.

Khajuraho festival is the most festival all over the world it is held on 25 February to 2nd of March every year, dance festival takes place in the open theatre dedicated to God Sun (Surya) and Shiva. Best artists and dancer participates from all over the world to perform Indian classical dance forms like Bharathnatyam, Khatak, Odissi, Manipuri, Kuchipuri.

Before I begin, I’ll have to give you all a little background on what this is. A couple of days ago I had an interesting and rather a weird dream. The dream and what I could make out of it is as given below.

Shiva and Parvati were at their home in the Himalayas when they ended up getting into an argument and it went on to become a full-fledged fight. Shiva got irritated with Parvati and decided to move out, he left Parvati on the Himalayas and sought refuge on a different planet somewhere in this galaxy.

Shiva, the creator and the destroyer of this universe is also known for his frightening temper. He was angry with Parvati and decided to teach her a lesson. He launched an attack on earth. Parvati, who is kind, gentle and protective; is deeply attached to earth since that is after all her home. Shiva attacks earth with fire balls that were powerful enough to burn the earth to ashes (this part of my dream was complete with video-game style 3-D effects and several slow motion sequences!). Parvati does everything she can to protect the earth, she dodges every single fire ball that Shiva flung her way and did everything she could to protect it. Never did she attack Shiva, not even once, not even for defense.

After a few days of this massive attack and frustrated at not being able to strike earth even once, Shiva decided to make peace with Parvati. He returned back to their home in the Himalayas and said “Now you know who the powerful one in this relationship is.” Parvati just smiled at him and said nothing.

So this was the dream, and this is what I learnt from it:

• The protector is always more powerful than the attacker.
• It is essential to take control of your anger, when angry we end up hurting the ones we love the most.
• Be gentle, understanding and respectful like Parvati. Shiva was her husband; she loved him and respected him. No matter what he did, she never struck back, never attacked, never showed her anger or irritation and never lost her cool during the entire event.
• Shiva and Parvati are the two halfs of the same person. Only when both parts are combined can a person be complete. If we combine the gentleness of Parvati and the power of Shiva, the humility of Parvati and the confidence of Shiva, we can be unstoppable.

P.S.- I totally respect and admire both Shiva and Parvati, so this was in no way meant to be disrespectful.

Shiva meaning the Auspicious one, also known as Rudra or the feared one, is one of the Trimurti, Brahma being the creator, Vishnu the preserver and Shiva the destroyer or transformer. In the Shaiva tradition, he is seen as the Supreme God. Shiva is usually worshipped in the form of Shiva linga.

In images, he is generally represented as immersed in deep meditation or dancing the Tandava upon Maya, the demon of ignorance in his manifestation of Nataraja, the lord of the dance- the same dance is also known as the dance of death, great cosmic dance… and many martial arts forms are seen in the Tandava. As Rudra, he is known as the wind, and the hunt.

The name has been translated as “Roarer” The earliest mentions of Rudra occur in the Rig Veda, where three entire hymns are devoted to him. There are about seventy-five references to Rudra in the Rig Veda overall. In the Rig Veda Rudra’s role as a frightening god is apparent in references to him as ghora (“terrible”), or simply as asau devam (“that god”). He is “fierce like a formidable wild beast” The Sanskrit name Rudra is usually derived from the root rud- which means “to cry, howl.” According to this etymology, the name Rudra has been translated as “the Roarer.” Known as “The Archer”, he is referred to as “One who can kill the forces of darkness.” The names Dhanvin (“Bowman”) and Banahasta (“Archer” or “Armed with arrows in his Hands.)

There are numerous references of Rudra/ Shiva, defeating many in the art of archery, and other martial arts. One famous story of Shiva coming in the form of a hunter to Arjuna and defeating him, re-establishes the fact that he is a great warrior and archer. The two most common forms of Shiva’s dance are the Lasya, which is associated with the creation of the world, and the Tandava, is associated with the destruction of the world. These two dance forms are said to be the source of many ancient martial arts like Tai Chi. As also the father of Murugan, the god of war, Shiva is said to be one of the most powerful war gods of India.

 According to legend, Puru Maharshi did meditation at the hill, where the temple of Shiva now stands. It was a dense forest in those days; hence its name Puruvanam, which became peruvanam. The rishi brought the image of Shiva, the Lingam, a half cylinder, to be installed on top of the hill. Afterwards, the upper half of the hill, leaving the small area where the Lingam was placed, was razed down to its present size, making a vast plane, with the central high ground standing tall (MADATHILAPPAN) which is protected by massive walls on all sides, with twin temples of Eratteppan and Madathilappan, the latter standing tall, with a number of granite steps leading to the sanctum, from where, you get a sky view of the surrounding landscape. I am never tired of watching it, from childhood days, as my mother’s home was near the southern Gopuram (gate).

There were several venerable, old trees in the compound, including peepal tree and one perillamaram (meaning- tree without name, as it was a stranger there), all looking very old and about to die. New trees have replaced them.

 The big koothampalam, where chakyar koothu was a regular ritual in those days, is rare in the other temples.

The koothu is a sort of mono act and Ramayanam is the theme. The Chakyar will make fun of any body among the audience, however high his status!

Once, the chakyar came very near to the man, a VIP who had just entered the hall, stood there  for a few seconds, and commented: a real monkey, only the tail is missing!

 One is supposed to suffer and grin, never retort.

Every year, for one month or so, there is thevaruseva, when there will be feasting, both times in the day, only for Brahmins. The dining hall is very long, some four feet in height, cut into three segments to allow devotees to pass through. As children we had difficulty in jumping up on to the dining place.

Throughout the year, there is simple food served to brahmins which we avoided as something below our status. Tamil Brahmins made use of this facility. My maternal grandfather’s brother lived at the western gopuram, eating the free food.

The circular sanctum of Eratteppan ( there is one big lingam and one small lingam by its side, hence this name) is very spacious, with a circular covered veranda, allowing the poojary to go from Shiva in the west to Parvathy in the back of the sanctum. In Keralam, Shiva is alone; in rare cases, where she is allowed inside, she is at the back of the temple.

The eastern entrance, where the gopuram was destroyed by the soldiers of Tippu Sultan, leads to the broad sloping arena, where seven elephants can stand side by side, during pooram festival. Farther down is the spacious temple pond. All the villagers take bath in this waterhole, with steps to climb down and a pucca shed on one side, where the poojary takes bath before entering the temple.The pond will not dry up even in summer, in rainy season it will be full.

Mekavil Bhagavathy is near the western gopuram. Oorakath Ammathiruvady, Thiruvullakavu Sasthavu, and several other temples are in the vicinity.

The location of the temple is twelve KM from Trichur, on the road to Triprayar temple of Lord Ram.

Sample: Gabbro (solid cylinder)
Normal load: ~8 MPa
Velocity: 5 m/s

This is a preliminary test of the new High Velocity Rotary Friction Apparatus in Rome, at the High Pressure High Temperature Laboratory of Experimental Volcanology and Geophysics of INGV. The primary investigator for the project is Giulio Di Toro

I am involved in investigating earthquake parameters, also utilizing a rotational apparatus much like the one showed on the video. But, our runs are a bit more tame in comparison.

Nous connaissons tous les boutiques Ludivine Passion et apprécions son univers ….

Mais qu’a t’il de si particulier
l’univers Ludivine Passion ????

L’univers Ludivine 
 C’est un acceuil personnalisé et un service privilégié dans une ambiance conviviale et  joviale

L’univers Ludivine
C’est la féminité maîtrisée, la recherche du plaisir unique à travers un sac pour soi

L’univers Ludivine
C’est découvrir  les plus belles tendances, des intemporels classiques réactualisés aux créations inédites les plus impertinentes avec des nouveautés chaque semaine.

Ligne BARRY à 31,50 €

CUIR SHIVA à 63,80 €

His hair was a mass of impenetrable dreadlocks and fell past his shoulders, sheltering the snake coiled around his neck. Water flowed down his arms to pool in his upturned hands, cascading between his fingers to land on the earth in little splashes. An explosion of new life surrounded him: horsetails, blades of wild iris and new grass, and brown mushroom caps, all pointing upward.

I’m a hoarder by nature, so my drawers and cupboards are full of all sorts of useless old tat – buttons for shirts I’ve long since got rid of, Top Trumps cards I haven’t used since I was 11, that sort of thing.

But when I go on holiday I can legitimately hoard things, and often what looks like nothing to other people has great significance to me: sat in front of me, for example, is a big stone which I am using as a paperweight to keep an unruly pile of receipts in check.  But it’s not just any old stone.  It was a stone I washed Bosante the elephant with in a crocodile-infested river in Nepal in the summer. 

Having a bath with an elephant - out of shot to the left is a crocodile...

I’m probably a bit sentimental with souvenirs, and I do tend to keep nigh-on anything as a reminder or keepsake.  But I love buying things which show the culture of the place I’ve been to, and Nepal was brilliant for that.

Ganesh painting

Above is a painting of the Hindu God Ganesh which I picked up in Pokhara for less than £5.  It is painted onto cloth and the colours and design are stunning.  Held up to the light or placed in a well-lit window, the colours glow and shimmer – it took somebody hours to make, and I feel privileged to own it and be blessed by its ‘good luck’ charm.

Hand-carved wooden face mask

Hanging beneath Ganesh on my wall is this slightly scary face mask which I picked up for the equivalent of about £3.50 in Pokhara.  I particularly like the third eye in the middle of the forehead, which I think is a nod to the wrath of the Hindu God Shiva whose third eye opens to see the evils of the world…

Buddhist prayer wheel

More religious iconography, this time recognising the influence of Tibetan culture into Nepal from the displaced refugees who have set up villages and monasteries throughout the country.  This prayer wheel opens up to reveal Buddhist scriptures and mantras which are chanted as the wheel is spun.

An Indian wall-hanging

To diverge away from Nepal, my greatest souvenir extravagance this summer was the above wall-hanging (£10.50) which I bought in Mandawa in the northwest of India.  According to the vendor, it was hand-stitched by “gypsy women” over a period of several weeks. 

I don’t doubt he was telling the truth, but maybe I do doubt his judgement (or his eyesight).  As I walked into his shop he beamed at me and shouted “James Bond!”

August 13 cont.

Dasaswamedh Ghat, Varanasi

Our lively bicycle rickshaw ride came to an end at the Dasaswamedh Ghat, the grandest steps down to the Ganges; “Ganga” as it’s called in India. The ghat was occupied by sadhus (holy men) in various stages of undress, body paint and emaciation; little girls charming visitors into purchasing their little hand-formed butter candles adorned with bright orange marigolds; freshly-shaved pilgrims; sellers of Hindu religious trinkets; cows and tourists.  Lots and lots of tourists.  To paraphrase a quote from the October 2008 Departures Magazine, Varanasi swarms with tourists more than it does with actual pilgrims and citizens.

Our guide, Devesh, pointed out the water line demarcating the extent to which the Ganga normally swells during the monsoon.  In a normal season we should have been standing under water; businesses along the river are used to moving out while the Ganges moves in for a few weeks. But given that the Ganga records human fecal counts 3000 times the safe limit not to mention harbours countless other unsanitary nasties, I was quite happy to be on dry land.

Devesh explained to Josh, Aaron and me that people travel from all over India to Varanasi for yatra, a Ganges pilgrimage. These pilgrims believe that the river is the incarnation of the Goddes Ganga who flows down from its Himalayan source on the strands of Shiva’s hair. By bathing in the Ganga, or Ganges (the “eez” comes from a suffix given in Hindu as a sign of respect – Devesh hence forward became “Devesh-ji”), Hindus believe they are cleansed of Karma – the measurement of deeds of previous and present lives – and prepared for death.  This in turn leads to rebirth and hopefully a better life.

I asked Devesh-ji if he had bathed in the Ganga.  “Once,” he said, “and I got sick.” I didn’t probe the nature of his ailments, but I sensed he was unhappy by it and perhaps a bit envious of those who ingested and bathed in its waters with impunity… if you disregard the infinite parasites and other ills they no doubt suffer on a constant basis, Ganges or not.

There are many old people in Varanasi who carefully navigate the steep and treacherously slippery back alleyways barefoot. They believe that anyone who dies on the banks of the Ganga achieves moksha, deliverance from the cycle of reincarnation.  This explains why dead bodies receive one final dip before cremation.

I asked Devesh when Hinduism began.  He answers that no one really knows.

We each bought a butter candle from a girl who flirted persistently with Josh and Aaron and walked down to our boat. Our boatman’s oars peacefully swept through the obliging river as we glided slowly toward the Manikarnika cremation ghat. Devesh-ji asked us to lower our cameras, out of respect for the mourners.

The orange flames of the pyres stood out starkly from the concrete steps. The heat of the crematorium pressed against my face, but I was amazed that there was no noticeable smell. Stacks of wood towered over the throngs of workers, mourners, cows and dogs who moved deliberately among blackened ashes strewn with the tattered yellow and orange remains of discarded shrouds. On the steps bodies wrapped in saffron patiently waited for family members to carry them down to the river for one final immersion.  Devesh pointed out an older man with a shaved head who had a white scarf wrapped around his privates – the eldest son of the deceased. He explained that the two main crematoria run 24 hours a day, every day of the year, and that the caste who manages this operation has become quite wealthy selling wood, sandalwood dusts, shrouds and other cremation accoutrements. We sat in quiet contemplation as the sky turned indigo with dusk.

On our return to the main ghat we lit our marigold butter candles and released them into the Ganga. Aaron’s fell apart as soon as it hit the water, a sign that he should stick to Buddhism.

By now the Dasaswamedh Ghat was buzzing with people preparing for the daily aarti ritual where Hindu priests pay homage to the Ganga in an elaborately-choreographed ceremony [Mariellen Ward wrote an excellent article on the Varanasi experience.] Devesh ensconced us on stairs above a raised platform next to a cow pen. We were soon surrounded by a group of chattering young Japanese ladies who jockeyed with us for precious bum space. I drank in the scene of hundreds of people and many cows milling about, extended families wedging themselves into narrow seated groups, the loudspeakers broadcasting tabla drums and monotone singing.  The tension and emotion palpably mounted as boats filled with tourists and pilgrims crowded into each other at the base of the landing, forming a nautical chain 12 boats deep in places. At the centre of the crowd were seven priest stands – one for each day of the week – and while the organizer fretted with the priests’ diyas (large brass candlesticks), tourists peppered the night with camera flashes. The sense of festivity and anticipation increased as more people streamed into the crowd, Westerners in their sober tech-wear colours amidst the rainbow of Indian saris. The slight breeze did nothing to stem the sweat trickling down my brow.

The priests ascended their posts.  The air filled with the sounds of accordion, tabla and chanting. The priests were quite young and a couple of them, with their short hair, glasses and seeming uncertainty with the lyrics, looked like they were better suited for a university campus than leading a Hindu service. I was captivated by one priest with long hair and incredible bone structure and watched intently as he swung his diya with purpose, spelling “Om” with his arms and chanting the prayers majestically. I decided to get closer.

Josh and I descended in the crowd and sat amongst the pilgrims.  The older gentleman next to me was very friendly and encouraged us to take lots of photos.  I was surprised at the ceremony’s informality – it was perfectly acceptable to move around, chat with your neighbour, take photos – and how little the congregation was directly involved in the ritual. Suddenly, the crowd burst into a flury of hand flourishes. They clapped, namaste’ed and raised their arms.  For a fleeting moment it was pure electricity. The priests gathered at the central platform to sing the Broadway finale, then distributed blessed flowers to their devotees like celebrities dispensing autographs.

We ascended the steps – tourists, locals and pilgrims criss-crossing each others’ paths. I was surprised to discover that our bicycle rickshaw drivers had been waiting patiently for us.  We had a marvelous ride back to the Surya hotel.  The crowd was happy and energized. Because of a power outage, many of the shops were lit by candles, making the experience dream-like.  Figures glided in and out of the shadows in a cacophony of bells, horns, motors, voices and rattling metal. An auto rickshaw behind us honked passionately. I looked over my shoulder and gave him a “what can we do?” smile.  He shrugged and smiled: honking is in the Indian’s DNA. We passed the ox. Given that it was after 8 pm, he was now outside the shop.

When we arrive at the Surya hotel, Josh and I decide to give the rickshaw drivers 200 rupees instead of the negotiated 150.  We pay Josh and Aaron’s driver first, and just as we’re sorting out the second driver’s payment by some perplexing motive Aaron runs over and gives the first driver another 100. Josh and I stare dumbfounded and the driver solemnly holds the money to his head in an extreme gesture of danyavad. The other driver waited expectantly. So we gave him 300 rupees too.  More head pressing.  Felt good to be generous.

We bid Devesh goodnight, arranging a 4:45 am pick up. To our surprise the Surya at night looked like a wedding reception, with candlelit tables distributed across a perfectly-manicured lawn. Because all the tables were full we tried to persuade the waiter to let us site on the grass, picnic style, to which he disdainfully replied, “No. We treat our guests with respect.” We eventually crashed a table with two very blond English gals from Bath who extolled the virtues of Indian goat and mutton meat but who couldn’t wrap their heads around “cheese curry” (paneer).  Listening to carnivore culinary stories challenged Josh and Aaron’s commitment to their vegetarian diet, notwithstanding Aaron’s dreadful spring roll experience in Rajasthan. To drink I ordered a “sahlab”, described as “warm, thick milk with cinnamon, coconut and raisins”. The table made fun of my selection until they tried it – hot, creamy, sweet and textured (thanks to cashews), it was like pudding in a glass.

At midnight we closed down the joint. I went to bed and Josh and Aaron tried to walk back to their hotel. As Josh told me the next morning, they were stalked by a persistent bicycle rickshaw who wouldn’t go away.  They got lost and ended up on the main road. Who should find them but their bicycle rickshaw walla from earlier in the evening, pissed out of his mind.  Whether it was alcohol or drugs wasn’t clear, but he was speaking Hindi to them in dramatic, unbalanced sweeping arm gestures.  Yet again Aaron showed wacky judgement and hopped on the rickshaw before Josh could stop him.  A terrifying 50 rupee ride later (during which said walla careened blindly into oncoming traffic), they made it home.

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Innenfor hinduismen har du kanskje hørt om trimurti? Det er i hvert fall en treenighet mellom gudene Brahma, Vishnu og Shiva. Mange hinduister mener at verden, tiden er syklisk: verdens skapes, består og ødelegger om og om igjen, og de gudene som sørger for dette er de tre ovenforstående. Brahma er skaperen, Vishnu er opprettholderen og Shiva er ødeleggeren.

En historie som kan knyttes til akkurat dette er en historie om Vishnu som sovende. Før hver syklus begynner, ligger han og hviler i uendelig lange perioder (i motsetning til oss som leser til eksamen om dagen…). Og ikke nok med det, han ligger på en slange (se bildet under) som flyter ute på havet. Da Vishnu omsider våkner, stiger skaperguden Brahma ut av navlen hans. Brahma skaper så universet på nytt, sittende på en lotusblomst.  Da Shiva har ødelagt universet, forsvinner Brahma inn i lotusblomsten igjen, som så forsvinner inn i Vishnus navle. Og nok en gang er Vishnu tilbake i dyp søvn, liggende på slangen, og passer på at verden opprettholdes fram til Brahma starter en ny syklus.

(Bildet er hentet fra: http://api.ning.com/files/WpaiUGhUGkbiQoMJ50KOv1CtoYM6uunijIsUkOln6Fhr-o3cT7F7cY49YE7trOayjj5F8O3XVUL3nGf0PbkNXX8Z*2ZqkSdC/941LakshmiVishnu.jpg )

Visste du dette? Jeg har bare fått med meg bruddstykker av denne historien før jeg begynte med RLE 101. Synes det er veldig interessant å ha fått med seg hele poenget rundt dette med treenigheten, ikke bare ta det for god fisk. Spennende!

I include this article written by freelancer Mariellen Ward because she does an excellent job of capturing nightfall in Varanasi through the eyes of a visitor.

Cremation fires burn day and night on the ghats in India’s holy city of Varanasi, powerful symbols of the cycle of death and life
Mariellen Ward.  Toronto Star.  Toronto, Ont.:Aug 29, 2009.  p. T.1

The veil between life and death seems very thin here, and aboat ride on the river can become a journey to the other side.

It was just before twilight when I stepped onto the creaky planking of a small wood boat. The old knotty boatman pushed us away from the muddy shore and rowed. With each pull of the oars we crept along the surface of India’s most sacred river, the Ganges, past the scythe-like curve of ghats (steps) that line the western shore, toward Dasaswamedh Ghat, the main ghat, and the aarti (ceremony). The aarti is performed each evening at dusk to honour Ganga Ma, the Ganges River. Behind the ghats, and a wall of soaring stone palaces and pavilions, pulses the holy city of Varanasi.

As the sky darkened, the moist air filled with swarms of mosquitoes, huge flying insects and the damp, putrid smell of the river.

The riverfront darkness was broken at Dasaswamedh Ghat as crowds gathered for the aarti, performed by Hindu priests in flowing robes brandishing huge burning diyas (brass candles).

Loud music and chanting accompanied the choreographed ritual. I watched from my boat, tethered to many other boats jostling their cargoes of Indian pilgrims and tourists.

When the aarti ended, we untethered and continued to glide slowly north, the hypnotic current of the Ganga leading us along as we crossed the weakly lit ghats. Out of the darkness, a white shape appeared, wedged in the black water. Instinctively, I knew what it was and I froze. I prayed the boatman would not notice, would not point. I wanted to observe the blunt presence of death, wrapped tightly in a white shroud and floating in the Ganga, in my own quiet contemplation.

On we went, the boatman didn’t notice, and I breathed again.

Varanasi is the city of Shiva, Hindu god of destruction, and his energy is intensely present. I thought about the figure in the river and felt shaken as some of my own fears were confronted and destroyed. I wondered if this figure was recently one of the many dhoti- or sari-wearing pilgrims I saw descending the ghats for ritual immersion in the sacred river that they consider Shiva’s divine essence.

Was he or she one of the unending stream of believers who have made pilgrimages to Varanasi for 3,000 years, to seek salvation, to be absolved of sin, to become a jivan mukta, one who is liberated while still alive, or to die and cross over?

Crossing is a spiritual practise here in one of India’s holiest tirthas (crossing places). The souls of faithful Hindus are believed to cross to the other side in Varanasi, the most visited pilgrimage destination in India.

To die and be cremated here helps to achieve moksha, a release from the continuous cycle of life-death-rebirth. Those who cannot afford a full cremation are released into the river as partially cremated corpses.

It takes a long time to cross the six kilometres of Varanasi ghats in a small boat.

Finally, we reached Manikarnika Ghat, the main cremation ghat, one of the oldest and most sacred ghats in Varanasi. It is said that Vishnu, the preserver, dug a well here at the time of creation and Shiva was also present. This ghat symbolizes the cycle of creation and destruction.

In most Indian cities, the cremation grounds are well-removed and hidden from view. But Varanasi is Mahashamshana, the great cremation ground, and death is ever present. At any time of the day or night, Manikarnika Ghat is busy. As we passed slowly we were on our way back and travelling against the current several cremation fires burned and I saw the bearded face of one man being consumed by flames.

Varanasi is a cauldron of Hindu beliefs made manifest. The careful avoidance of death often practised in the West is burned away and the knife-like demarcation between this world and the next dissolves in an instant.

It’s strong medicine and the effect can be shocking. And beguiling. Along with mourners, pilgrims, tourists, citizens and students, Varanasi seethes with wayward foreigners who wear layers of dishevelled clothes and far-away expressions on their sunburnt faces.

I spent a week in Varanasi and often felt bombarded with intense energy and surreal disorientation. But on my last night, I took a boat across the Ganga to the flat, wide sandbank on the other side to watch the sunset over the city and the ghats.

Some time after the sun disappeared behind the ancient buildings, the pink sky faded, leaving a pale glow that made the entire scene soft and indelibly beautiful.

I began to understand why this spot is considered so very sacred.

Lights appeared and shimmered gently on the crystal surface of the sacred river and soon after the aarti began way down the river at the main ghat. But I could hear the powerful chants and see the huge flames of the diyas from where I was seated on the sand, across from Assi Ghat. I felt in that moment in harmony with the rhythm of Varanasi. It is so peaceful on the sand bank, yet very few living souls cross over to this other side.

I lit two diyas that I had purchased on the ghats, spoke the prayer to the mother of India, Jai Ganga Mata, and set the candles afloat on the river in the twilight as the boatman rowed me back to shore.

Mariellen Ward is a Toronto-based freelance writer.

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Yesterday, my mother-in-law Mary Rosen finally passed away, after almost 20 years with Parkinsons. We are very thankful that we got to say goodbye, although being without her is difficult to imagine.

Although her life was very difficult for 10 of those 20 years, she never once complained. She was always unselfish, thinking about those around her quick to make a funny comment or helpful suggestion.

Today I’m going to eat lightly in her honor, and to prepare for the possibility of eating some of the salty and protein-rich foods typically found at any jewish shiva.

Here’s an example of what I might eat when I’m on a healing diet…small amounts, chewed very well:

Breakfast

-Miso Soup

-Brown Rice

Lunch

-Sweet Vegetable Drink (no-sodium broth made from sweet organic vegetables, ask me for the recipe)

Dinner

-Fried brown rice w/veggies (use a small amount of sesame oil, with tofu and veggies)

-kinpira (sauteed burdock root and carrot)

-shiitake tea

-pickle

(Part 3 – Synopsis of a lecture given by Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj on November 17, 2009, in Bhatinda, India)

So the conclusion is that it is the mind alone that has to be purified. Whether you practice devotion to the world or to God, wherever the mind is attached is where you will have raga or love. Vairagya or without raga means to detach the mind from the world. But what do we think detachment means? “Look! That renunciate is living in the jungle! He doesn’t wear any clothing and he only eats fruits! He never speaks to anyone!” But we don’t see that he is still thinking of the world. Instead we fall at his feet thinking he is as great as God’s own father.

This is due to our ignorance. Renunciation means to have no mental attachment in the world. There were uncountable Saints in the age of Sat Yuga, some who ruled over this entire earth like Prahlad, Dhruva and Ambarish. There were Saints like Vasishtha and Bharadwaj, and Lord Ram, Bharat, Lakshman, and Shatrughan – they were all living in family life. The Gopis, whose foot dust was desired even by Brahma and Shankar, were all in family life. But if we had seen them, we would have thought, “Poor things, they are attached to the world.” And when we see a so-called holy man in the jungle sitting under a tree, we think, “This is a God realised Saint.”

We don’t recognize who has love for the world and who has love for God. Everything depends on the mind. For the amount of time your mind remains lovingly attached to God, your devotion is correct. Everything apart from this is just acting, and there is no devotional benefit from this. If someone in the world discovers that you are merely acting with them, they will consider you an enemy. The fact is we act with others all the time.

If a dangerous criminal came to your home, you would say to your wife, “Quick! Serve him tea and make sure he has some snacks.” If you don’t pretend to be hospitable he could turn against you. You do this out of fear. A person may say to his business partner about a rich businessman, doctor or lawyer, “Show him a lot of respect and spend a hundred rupees on him, and then later we’ll make two thousand rupees off of him!” We act like this all the time.

All souls are suffering. Even in one’s own home there is so much tension, fighting, and arguing between family members. But if you ask someone, “Hello, Mr. Srivastava, how are you?” He will say, “I’m alright!” There is not a single right thing happening in his life. It is all wrong, yet he lies and says the opposite, “I’m fine!” Apart from the sufferings we undergo from our family, we also have physical suffering, and even more frightening than this is our mental suffering – lust, anger, greed, jealousy and so on. The emotional pain caused by family emergencies – a mother or wife becomes sick, a son has an accident – is in addition to these other sufferings. Yet we tell others, “I’m all right.” This means we keep on acting with others. The problem is we also want to do this same kind of acting with God.

We get what we want in the world by acting and fooling others. But God is residing in our heart, noting all our actions. When you had a thought, He noted it. He noted what you thought. And you claim to want God’s grace! “You are extremely compassionate! Oh, God, grace me!” Should He grace you when you are deceiving Him? The only way He will listen to You and give you His grace is if you sincerely call out to Him and shed tears. This won’t happen through cleverness and cunning. Learning and scholarliness won’t work here, and neither will the wealth of being a billionaire. You have to shed tears and beg God for His love. Please pay attention to this particular point.

Tirupati Temple

Vaishno Devi Temple

Prabhu vyapak sarvatra samana.
“God is equally omnipresent everywhere .”

Just as ghee (clarified butter) is subtly present in milk and fire is subtly present in wood, so God is subtly present everywhere in the world. Whether you go to one temple or another or even to God’s actual divine abode, there is no difference. But our intellect doesn’t understand this. We think, “In Vaishno Devi, God is 100%, and in the temple next door to my house, He is only 10%.”

In fact, the very same God who resides in His own divine abode is also seated in your heart. God is only one, whether one is a Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian or anything else. There is only one God. Give Him any name you wish; He has uncountable names according to our scriptures. You could even leave the names that have been written in our scriptures for God and make your own name for Him. The Ved says that even the individual letters of the alphabet are God’s names.

Shri Krishna’s mother, Yashoda, never called her son “Shri Krishna”. Instead she said, “Oh! Kanua! Come here!” Where is the word ‘Kanua’ written in the scriptures? The Gopis used to make Shri Krishna dance in exchange for chhach, what is left of milk when the butter is taken out. He happily danced for them, in spite of how many bad names they called Him. Krishna is walking behind a Gopi. She would angrily say, “Where are you going? Lafanga! Shameless womaniser!” Even in the scriptures He was referred to as chaur jar shikhamani, the foremost leader of thieves and adulterers. Hearing these names, Shri Krishna would become overwhelmed with love.

It matters not what name or form of God you adopt. Call out to Him with whatever name you prefer, whether that is in Hindi, Urdu, English, Punjabi or any other language. But however you remember Him, do it with love.

Continued in Part 4

© Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat and Bhakti Bliss, 2009