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Ashram Mission Statement
We aspire to live the Teachings of Haidakhan Baba, to share the Love of Babaji
and the Divine Mother with others, to hold this Ashram as Their Home,
to serve humanity, and to be stewards and caretakers of the land.
March, 2009
Dear Friends of the Ashram,
After a wonderful time with my huge family, I am back at the Ashram in all of its fullness and pristine beauty. Shortly after my arrival home, we celebrated Shivaratri with all night chanting and a fire ceremony in the morning. It was deeply moving and full of Shri Babaji's energy. As we sat quietly after the last chant before performing the final puja to the Shiva Lingam, the air was palpably crackling with energy. Once again Baba and Mother organized for several out-of-town attendees who, combined with our staff and local friends, made the event so special and helped keep every thing flowing smoothly. Although I always miss my family deeply when I leave them, it is such a blessing to live in so loving a community as this Ashram.
Moving into the month of March, there are the fund-raisers in Denver and Colorado Springs on the first weekend. We have our next Bal Gokulam on Saturday, March 14 and a few weeks later, we being Spring Navratri which runs from March 26 through April 3. Running concurrently with Navratri until Hanuman's birthday (March 26 - April 9) is our very fun and exciting on-line auction to help pay down the kirtan hall loan. Click here at babajiashram.cmarket.com to see what is up already. Read below for more information about these events.
Evening aarati at the temple is at 6pm and morning aarati is at 7am. Lunch is served around 12:30 and we love you to visit. The full-moon fire ceremony is on Tuesday, March 10 and the new-moon fire ceremony is on Thursday, March 26 (the first day of Spring Navratri). All fire ceremonies begin at 10:08am and are followed by a meal. If you would like to participate by sponsoring a fire, we would like to send you a blessed item from the ceremony. They are:
- $27 sponsorship - Copper, brass, nickel Om Namah Shivaya bracelet
$54 sponsorship - Rose Quartz, Rosewood, Sandalwood, or Tulsi Mala
$108 sponsorship - Rudraksha or Crystal Mala
You can make the donation online by just clicking here or call 719-256-4108 or e-mail the Ashram at info@BabajiAshram.org or send us a check at P.O. Box 9, Crestone, CO 81131. We are continually grateful for all of your support.
In truth and love, Ramloti
Bal Gokulam - Saturday, March 14
It is very obvious when the local children come to the temple and fire ceremonies at the Ashram that they have been learning about these traditions in their monthly children's program, Bal Gokulam. The Ashram is very grateful to Cindy Cleary and Shila for beginning this over a year ago and dedicating their time and energy to it one Saturday a month.
The program is so dear to and popular with the local families. There are normally around 20 participants and a few new folks come each month. Every time there is a different focus on a particular deity or aspect of the Divine. The program includes stories, yoga, chanting, coloring, sharing, and puja.
Our next Bal Gokulam will be on Saturday, March 14, from 10am until noon followed by a potluck lunch. You are welcomed to attend with children of any age. Please call Cindy at 719-256-5007 or Shila at 719-256-4477 for more information.
Meditation and Chanting in Denver Saturday, March 7 from 10am - 1pm
Shashi Agarwal, who serves on the Ashram Board of Directors, is always looking for ways to support the Ashram. Her presence at Shivaratri (as shown in the photo) has become a yearly tradition and a lovely addition to the celebration. She has also organized a fundraiser at her home to help pay down the kirtan hall loan.
The program will begin with a short presentation by Ramloti about Shri Babaji and His teachings and the Ashram in Crestone. This will be followed by some simple meditation instructions and a meditation. Next we will have some chanting led by Prabodh Telang on the Tablas and Ramloti on the harmonium. This will all culminate in a Yogic Indian vegetarian lunch made by Shashi, Smita Telang, and the Masalaa Restaurant. It is bound to be delicious. All donation will go to the Ashram. The time is 10am to 1pm on Saturday, March 7. The location is at the home of Shashi and Bipin Agarwal in Englewood. Please call to let them know you are coming as it is a gated community. Their number is 303-523-8627. We hope you can join us.
Kirtan in Colorado Springs - March 8
Prashant and Vandana Sharma have been frequent visitors at the Ashram. They were here over the New Year holiday and offered to host a kirtan and satsang followed by a potluck at their home to raise funds to pay down the kirtan hall loan. The event will on Sunday morning, March 8, begin at 11am. The location is 1211 Lawn Lake Tr., Colorado Springs, CO 80921.
Ramloti will be leading the kirtan accompanied by a tabla player from the Springs. All donations will go Ashram. For more information and to RSVP, please call 719-302-3887. It will be wonderful to be together singing kirtan, please join us.
Spring Navratri - March 26 - April 3
It has certainly been Spring-like weather at the Ashram, so it is not surprising that Spring Navratri is around the corner. The Ashram is already busy with preparations: sewing new saris for Ma for each day; preparing discourses to be given daily on the Sri Mad Devi Bhagavatam; ordering extra food for all of the feasts that are served daily; filling the bags of gifts for all of the children that attend; repairing the havan kund after winter for the daily fire ceremonies; and organizing the rooms for all of the visitors that will attend. So far we have folks coming from New Zealand, several from Florida, California, Denver, Colorado Springs, and New Mexico.
The celebration this year will begin on Thursday, March 26 and complete on Friday, April 3. Each day, a different aspect of the Divine Mother will be honored. There will be daily fire ceremonies, pujas, chanting, readings, discourses, and aarati all beginning at 6:40am in the morning. On the last day, April 3, we will honor the children with gifts of crowns, veils, lunghis, ornaments, malas, sweets, and money. If your child is under 10 years of age, we would love him or her to be part of the ceremony.
If you can not make it in person, please join us in spirit as it is such an auspicious time to honor the Divine Mother. You might decide to set aside a certain amount of time each day to chant, pray or meditate on the Divine Mother. If you would like to sponsor one of the fire ceremonies, please call us at 719-256-4108 or email us at info@babajiashram.org and let us know which aspect of the Mother you would like to honor.
This is always a very busy time at the Ashram and the dormitory is already booked for families on Saturday, March 28. If you are traveling here by yourself or can stay in the yurt (no electricity or plumbing) there would be room still for you on that busy night. You may call to be put on a waiting list and we can give you the phone number for local accommodations. You may chose to stay over a different night. Call us at 719-256-4108 or email us at info@babajashram.org when you know your plans. It is such a special time to pray and sing together honoring our Mother.
Kirtan Hall Update
The Spring Navratri Online Auction
March 26 - April 3
Help pay off the Divine Mother's Home!
March will be a great month for paying down our kirtan hall loan because of so many generous folks. The two fundraisers at the beginning of the month which are described in articles above and then our huge on-line auction should bring a sizeable payment for our kirtan hall loan.
The Spring Navratri Online Auction will begin on the auspicious first day of Spring Navratri (New Moon), at 10:08am on March 26, 2009. It will end on the Full Moon, Hanuman's birthday, April 9, 2009 at 10:08am. The Ashram will auction off a number of fun and unique items to raise money for our Mother's home, the Kirtan Hall. The more items we have the more money we can raise, so we're asking for your help.
Our goal is to raise $10,008 toward paying down the Kirtan Hall loan. We need at least 108 items in our catalog to reach our goal - and a total of 18 sponsors. Here are a few of the many items that have already been donated. Click on them for more information.
Whether you have 1 item or 100 items to contribute, your participation is an invaluable part of our fundraising efforts. By donating an item or service directly online, you'll be helping to raise money for the temple, and you'll receive a mention on our site that can link back to your own web page. Go to babajiashram.cmarket.com to get in on all the fun.
We are pleased to let you know that through your donations, matching pledges, monthly tithes, and all of your shop purchases, our kirtan hall loan now has been paid down to $24,000. If you would like to organize something in your area, please call the Ashram at 719-256-4108.
We would like to encourage you to make a monthly automatic pledge to pay down the kirtan hall loan. Either call the Ashram at 719-256-4108 with your credit card number and ask us to charge a set amount every month ($501, $108, $54, $27, $10.08....) or go to our website and ask PayPal to deduct a certain amount from your account each month, Click Here. You can also send a check to the Ashram at P.O. Box 9, Crestone, CO 81131. We want to thank you for all of your continued support in this meaningful project.
Recent Events
A Very Special Fire Ceremony in the Bay Area
by Saradambe
Note: Our dear friend, Bhakti Baba, who is now 84 years old, first met Babaji in the early 1980's. His love for Baba has always remained strong and has been a loyal participant at all the Baba events in the Bay area until recently. He loved to attend the monthly fire ceremonies at Saradambe's home. A big treat was for him was to come, once again after many years, to the Ashram here in Crestone in 2005 for the Kirtan Hall dedication. This photo is from one of his trips to Haidakhan. Saradambe's account follows.
I want to share with you a very touching and beautiful fire ceremony experience on February 15, we had in the home of Bhakti Baba's neighbor Bob. Bob invited friends who never experienced a ceremony like this and don't know about Baba or the Vedic tradition. Yet I never experienced so much love. Bhakti's doctors told him he had only two more months to live. Which of course is relative...as I know well from hospice work. Mindia and Denise went with me and the ceremony took place in my vessel in Bob's fire place. It was so beautiful, I never felt so elated afterwards. Bhakti is giving things away, he gave me objects that were on Baba's body. He is very conscious about his dying and everybody spoke freely and openly about it. His neighbors help him through this process. It was really a fire of Love that was spreading its Light.
When I asked if we could publish this in the newsletter and ask for prayers for him, Bhakti said he would be absolutely delighted. He said "What a lovely, lovely idea." He blesses everybody and appreciates so much people praying for him. Bhakti's birthday is April 23, and he is working on celebrating it here on earth.
Shivaratri - A Special Feast
The night of Lord Shiva, Shivaratri, was truly that. The energy was so strong and the chanting and pujas inspirational. It was a great boon to have VK Sharma join us. He recited strong and beautiful prayers to Lord Shiva in Sanskirt and explained them to us as well.
The Shiva Lingam and Mother looked as if they were ready for their wedding. (Shivaratri celebrates the wedding of Shiva and Parvati.)
Staying awake all night is always easier with all the energy, dancing, and drumming.
Even Kailou, age nine, stayed up all night for the first time. At the end he said it was cool but sort of hard for him. Meanwhile his sister, Jade, and other of the children that attended, slept while the parents chanted.
The next morning we had the fire ceremony followed by a meal. Surprising for this time of year, the weather was warm and sunny. A beautiful day for the culmination of Shivaratri.
Visitors, Families, and Children
Having so many visitors to the Ashram keeps everything fresh and alive. Whether it is weekend visitors, families and children from the community, or just drop in folks for darshan and lunch, they always add so much. Here are a few photos including some from our last Bal Gokulam (children's program) and the anniversary of one of our Board members, Sastry and Bhargavi Jayanty.
Calendar for 2009
March 7 - Fundraiser in Denver with meditation, satsang, chanting, and vegetarian Indian meal. Call Shashi at 303-303-523-8627.
March 8 - Fundraiser in Colorado Springs with satsang, chanting, and vegetarian Indian meal. Call Prashant and Vandana at 719-302-3887
March 10 - Full-moon fire ceremony at 10:08am followed by a meal.
March 14 - Bal Gokulam (children's program) from 10am until noon followed by a potluck. For more information call Cindy at 719-256-5007 or Shila at 719-256-4477.
March 26 - April 3 - Spring Navratri, the Divine Mother Festival.
March 26 - April 9 - Ashram On-line auction to pay down the kirtan hall loan. Go to www.BabajiAshram.cmarket.com to donate items, sponsor the event, or bid on items.
July 7 - Guru Purnima Day with Paduka Puja at 9:30am, fire ceremony at 10:08am, followed by feast.
July 19 - 25 - Annual Family Week and Concurrent Workshop at the Ashram.
September 18 - 26 Fall Navratri, the Divine Mother Festival.
October 17 - Diwali, Festival of Lights. Fire ceremony at 10am. Chanting at 7pm.
Maha Lakshmi Shop Report
The Maha Lakshmi Shop continues to receive more of the items from the last India shopping spree carried home by loyal devotees. One of the latest arrivals are children's turbans. Shown here on Ramloti's two grandsons (no wonder she misses them so much!) they sell for $10.
The Shop has also restocked their supply of heavy golden embroidered edged silk altar clothes for $25. Find all the colors on our website where you can see all of our items at BabajiAshram.org and order on line through pay pal or e-mail us at shop@babajiashram.org.
You can also always call us on our toll-free number at 866-686-4185 to order or for more information. We thank you for all of your shop purchases as the revenue from the shop is a huge support for the Ashram. We are open daily from 9am until 5pm. We take Mastercard, Discover, and Visa.
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