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Jai Ganesha!

Recently, we visited our greenhouse and saw a new batch of basil growing. We use our fresh basil to make pesto, which we serve with noodles and on our monthly pizza treat, baked in our wood-fired oven. During our visit, we saw Sadhaka Shankaranatha and Sivanadiyar Arinien working together in the greenhouse. It was heartwarming to see how happy they were while working side by side.

Jai Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami!

Guru Purnima was observed at the Aadheenam early this morning with a beautiful pilgrimage to Iraivan Temple, where monks, devotees and guests gathered to honor Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami and the unbroken lineage of the Guru Parampara.

At 6:00 a.m., Satguru’s chariot led the procession down Siva Saalai to the temple. Upon reaching Iraivan, Pravinkumar greeted Satguru with an arati before everyone entered the temple for a sacred pada puja. The ceremony was performed by Sannyasin Mayilnathaswami and Sivanadiyar Arinien as Satguru sat in deep meditation. At its conclusion, Satguru blessed everyone with vibhuti, bringing the morning’s observances to a peaceful and inspiring close.

Aum Namah Sivaya.

Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami gives his weekly upadesha in Kadavul Temple at Kauai’s Hindu Monastery in Hawaii. It is part of a series of talks elaborating on the inspired teachings of Satguru Śivaya Subramuniyaswami as found in his book Merging With Śiva.

“Television is a window into the āṇava mārga. We see extremely successful professional people who maybe have started on the āṇava mārga and have bypassed it to the artful acting portrayal of people on the āṇava mārga. We can see in their eyes, they have a life that is seeking and searching, understanding and knowing, and their magnetism keeps them before the public year after year after year. These are the professionals. Then we see on TV the āṇava mārgīs by the dozens. They come and go, are hired and not rehired. ¶Before the āṇava mārga, there is only confusion, unqualified thoughts, desires that are only motivative or directional, not crystallized into any kind of a concept that can be manifested toward a fulfillment. The confusion arises out of the drive for self preservation. All animal instincts are alive in such a human being. He does not hold to promises, does not seek to strive, is a proverbial burden on society. Society is made up of āṇava mārgīs and those who live in the other mārgas. Deception, theft, murder, anger, jealousy and fear are often the occupation and the emotions of those living without a personal identity, a well-defined ego.“