Who Is Your Real Family?

We have heard much about the value of family and how, in the end, family is really the most important thing. It is the relationships within family that brings us the greatest happiness and are the foundation and the stability of our individual lives and our society.

But what if we considered the whole world as our family? Every country a part of the family of nations? And everyone we meet as dear to us as our own folk? As the Tamil poet Poongundranar wrote over two millennia ago, “every place is my hometown, everyone my kith and kin…”

Oh, how this world could change! Economics, politics, government and distribution of global resources would all be transformed. This is the ideal behind the saying “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,” from Vedic literature and Hindu traditions. Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam  translates approximately as “the World is my Family.” This declaration of spiritual philosophy gives us the key to making all of our relationships sacred.

Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam goes hand-in-hand with the Lakota prayer phrase “Mitakuye Oyasin” which translates closely to “all my relations” or “we are all related.”

All children are our children.
All elders are our elders.
The illness or health of one of us, is the concern of all of us.
We are our brothers’ and our sisters’ keepers.
We survive and thrive depending on our relationships to one another.

Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam is the 2015 theme for Shiva Sai Mandir, Denver, Colorado USA.

Here are two uplifting music videos:
Click here for a VasudhaivaKutumbakam music video!
Click here for a MitakuyeOyasin music video!

“We all have families who are longing for peace in the world and an end to the suffering caused by poverty, disease, and hunger. Untold numbers of our friends, our neighbors, our parents, and our children, are hoping that there is more understanding, more generosity, more genuine friendship, and more caring among people of all faiths and cultures.”

-John Conyers, Politician & Social Change Advocate

Guru Purnima is almost here! The Inner Meaning of Guru Purnima

The Full Moon of July is a holiday called Guru Purnima. Guru means “esteemed teacher” and Purnima means “Full Moon Day.” On Guru Purnima we celebrate all that our Gurus have given us in gratitude and appreciation. And we joyfully honor our relationship to our personal Gurus and teachers.
But what about those of us who don’t feel that personal connection to one person or even one tradition? The Vedas say that the only and ultimate Guru is the supreme Self within. Guru Purnima is a day to honor all spiritual lineages, teachings and teachers and experiences which have enriched our lives. It is the one day of the year when the cosmic energies between student and teacher are most open and flowing.

There are three important aspects to Guru Purnima. The first is to take stock of where we are in our spiritual development. How have we grown in the past year? What has opened and unfolded for us? What understanding or perspective do we have now that we didn’t have a year ago?

The second aspect is to humbly and sincerely express gratitude for our growth and for our magnificent good fortune that we desire to work on spiritual development as humans on this planet during these amazing times.  It is this gratitude that activates the flow and amplifies the energy between our guardians, guides, lightworkers, teachers and ourselves.

The third aspect is to identify how we want to grow and increase our enlightenment and abilities in the coming year. What will we dedicate ourselves to? How can we work to be better? Then we can take all of our achievements of the past and present them as a gift to those who have taught and helped us. At the same time we can request divine assistance for all that we still wish to become. It is said that no heartfelt request will be denied on this auspicious day of Guru Purnima, all requests will be fulfilled in time.

No matter what your tradition or beliefs, if you are a soul on earth working to become better and to have more wisdom and love; you can leverage the power of this day in your favor.  This is the time to recognize who you are and where you are going- and to receive a blessing and a gift for your journey.

Wishing you a happy Guru Purnima 2015!

 Guru Purnima is being celebrated around the world on the full moon days of July between the 29th and the 31st.

 We are celebrating here in Denver on the 30th, click here fore more details.

A Personal Note to Hanuman

 Dear Hanuman,

I want to tell you a little bit about myself. I am a 60-year-old white lady. I first saw your name on a menu at a health food store in the middle of America in 1972. The menu item was called “Hanuman’s sandwich.” At the time I inferred from this that you had invented or especially liked sandwiches on whole wheat bread with avocados and beansprouts.

Then a few years later I saw a picture of you in an Indian gift shop. You were tearing your heart open with your own hands. It reminded me of a Catholic store Jesus (I also noticed at the time that you were a monkey).

I learned a more and more about you in bits and pieces over the years. I once heard that you stole Sita’s lipstick and put it on yourself so that Rama might love you more. I don’t know if that story is true. I liked the songs I heard about you. They were all bouncy and fun. At some point I began to delight in the sound of your name.

Then I met a teacher who told me that the real love story in the Ramayana was about you. I took notice.

At some point over the years, I realized you had been walking along side me in life. You have given me strength. I know you’ve helped me complete my studies and remember to do my practices. I call on your valor when I need it. Your Divine Mace has rescued me many times.

So here we are, years since I first heard your name. Isn’t it something? Now I can pull open my own heart. 

And there you are.

Mother Divine Victory is at Hand!

Tomorrow is the concluding day of Navaratri.

The story of Navaratri tells how the best of the best gave their all to endow Mother Divine with weapons and tools for the grand battle. Her Bow and Arrow, Discus, Thunderbolt, and Trident were manifested from the collective and universal good, intelligence, right duty, and vigilance. These weapons were forged in the fire of faith and courage. 

Mother Divine battled for nine days and nights against myriad demons. Every demon she smote sprang back up ten-fold, hundred-fold, thousand-fold! Still, she battled on from deeper and deeper levels of her own inexhaustible force of Everything until there was stillness, calm, and peace. 

Who were those demons? Mother Divine fought against the demons who are our very own weaknesses, greed, egoisms, and ignorances. She won over the legions of our fear, disgrace, and our every ineptitude  and sin. When was this battle waged? It was waged long ago, it is waged now, and forevermore, and whenever it needs to be fought. There will always be victory over ignorance and there will always be Divine Mother's valiant grace and protection. 

Visit ShivaMandir.org to learn about our local Navarati celebration in Denver, CO. USA!

May your heart be filled with the blessings of Mother Divine this Spring!

Navaratri, the Nine Days of Mother Divine, March 21st-28th 2015

   The Spring celebration of Divine Mother is now underway. Navaratri or the Nine Days of Mother Divine is a most auspicious time for devotional practice and meditation. Observing Navaratri increases and material well-being. Nava means nine, ratri means night. Navaratri is nine nights or “lunar days” long.

   Navaratri is celebrated at by many different traditions depending on local customs, but wherever it is celebrated, each night of the festival builds in energy, exuberance and devotion until the grand finale: the Day of Victory (Vijaya Dashami). Victory Day refers to Mother Divine vanquishing the enemy - which is egoism - after nine continuous days of battle.

    Throughout the world, Navaratri is celebrated at the change of seasons. By some traditions it is celebrated one time a year in the Fall. In other traditions it is celebrated twice yearly, during the Fall and Spring. In still other traditions it is celebrated during all four seasons, four times a year. 

    At the change of seasons, the laws of nature are shifting and the climatic and solar influences are in transition. These shifts in the seasons are wonderful opportunities for shifts in consciousness and spiritual growth. By honoring Mother Divine at these junctures in time, we are using the intelligence inherent in nature to optimize our spiritual growth and our connection to the Divine Mother.

    During these days of Navaratri, it is an ideal time to appreciate nature and increase our devotional practices. Take a walk today and notice the new signs of Spring. Then thank your Divine Mother for her beautiful creation.

Shiva Sai Mandir is observing Navaratri with pujas

 every from 6 to 6:30 pm and a 

Victory Day Celebration on 

Saturday, March 28 from 7 to 9 pm. 

You are warmly invited to attend!

Click here for more details 

about our Navaratri observances.

                Happy Navaratri!

                              Shiva Sai Mandir
                         1391 S. Pennsylvania St.
                            Denver, CO 80210

                          ShivaMandir.org

Your Mother is Coming and She is Bringing a Wild Surprise!

   This year, 2015, the Spring observance of the Nine Days of Mother Divine 

(Vasant Navaratri) is marked with rare astronomical occurrences.

  

   This New Moon (which immediately precedes Navaratri) is a Super Moon. A Super Moon is when the Moon is at its closest orbital point to the earth. The gravitational pull of this Super Moon will profoundly affect the Earth and her oceans, possibly causing unusual tidal events and power outages.

   This Super Moon will be coming between the Sun and the earth, blocking the Sun’s direct light to the earth - a solar eclipse. The eclipse will not be visible in the USA; it will be visible in Norway and parts of Europe, Asia and Africa. This happens just as the days and nights of the earth are equal in duration – which is the equinox, the astrological marker of the Spring season. The convergence of all these events happening at one time is extremely rare.

   So what is the spiritual and energetic significance of these events? Navaratri is a sacred time. Spring Navaratri or Vasant Navaratri is a time of rebirth and new growth. Navaratri is nine lunar days (moonrise to moonset) set aside to celebrate nature and renew our relationship with our Divine Mother.

   This Vasant Navaratri commences under the influence of a solar eclipse that is amplified by a Super Moon. The energetic influence of this eclipse will be directly impacting for six months and diminishing gradually after that. It will bring sweeping changes. The old systems, institutions, patterns and perspectives will collapse and fall away -- to be replaced by rebirth and new growth. 

   During the transition, relationships will change and conflicts may potentially increase. The consequences of whatever decisions and actions humans will take in the coming six months will be especially intensified. Avoid beginning any new endeavors or making any contractual agreements from March 18^th through March 22^nd. This is an unstable period of time. Use the next 10 days (through March 28th) for deepened spiritual practices and introspection to make the most of this extremely rare and powerful time. This is an opportunity to set a new trajectory for maximum spiritual evolution.

Actual times (MDT, GMT -6), Friday, March 20, 2015: 

Eclipse: 1:41 am

New Moon: 3:36 am

Equinox: 8:45 am

Vasant Navaratri (adjusted times for North America):

March 21st - 28th

Visit ShivaMandir.Org for info on our local Navaratri celebrations in Denver, CO!

Shiva Is About to Emerge from His Eternal Meditation

There are many stories associated with Maha Shivaratri. This particular description from the Puranas reveals the benefits to mortals of observing this blessed day. Shiva resides on Mount Kailash. There he sits in the rarefied air of the snow-clad and highest peak of the mountain range at the top of the world. Clothed only in a tiger skin, his gaze is cast inward and his eyes are closed. He is deeply absorbed in meditation. The silence and power of his meditation is generating the consciousness and intelligence that underlies and supports all of created existence.
 
Once a year, on Maha Shivaratri, he stirs a bit in his meditation. His eyes flutter open briefly. As he looks upon all of creation, wherever he sees devotees assembled in song, meditation and worship, he smiles and is pleased.

His blessings and boons immediately fall upon the devotees. Their sins are forgiven. Their spiritual aspirations are granted. They are gifted with expanded awareness and deeper understanding. They are blessed with Divine protection.
 
Then his eyes are cast downward again, the eyelids close, and he settles back into his eternal and all-sustaining meditation.