2014 08 29 Ganesha Chaturthi - Ganesha Birthday Celebration

Ganesha Chaturthi (गणेश चतुर्थी) is the Hindu festival celebrated in honour of the god Ganesha, the elephant-headed remover of obstacles and the god of beginnings and wisdom. The festival, also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi, is observed in the Hindu calendar month of Bhaadrapada, starting on the shukla chaturthi (fourth day of the waxing moon period). The date usually falls between 19 August and 20 September. The festival lasts for 10 days, ending on Anant Chaturdashi (fourteenth day of the waxing moon period). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganesh_Chaturthi



1 - Ganesha Gayathri Mantra  2:28

OM Ekadantaaya Viddhamahe,
VakratunDaaya DhImahi,
Tanno danti prachodayaat.

Translation: We pray to the one with the single-tusked elephant tooth (ekadantaya) who is omnipresent (viddhamahe).
We meditate upon and pray for greater intellect (dhimahi) to the Lord with the curved, elephant-shaped trunk (vakratun?aya).
We bow before the one with the single-tusked elephant tooth (tanno danti) to illuminate our minds with wisdom (pracodayat).


2 - Ganesha Saranam 7:39
Uploaded on Aug 27, 2008
Art of Living satsang in Boisar near Mumbai


3 - Ganesha Pancharatna Sthothram by M.S.Subbulakshmi 4:48


4 - David Newman - Jai Ganesha 10:50

Jai Ganesha Jai Ganesha Jai Ganesha Pahimam
Shri Ganesha Shri Ganesha Shri Ganesha Rakshamam
Gung Ganapataye Namo Namah X 2

Salutations to Ganesha the remover of
suffering and the bestower of grace.
 May we seek Your protection and refuge.


5 - Ganesha Atharvashirsha 7:21
Ganesha Atharvashirsha rendition by Sri M.N. Venkata Sastry.
For English lyrics and meaning:
http://www.adwaitjoshi.com/atharvashirsha.php


6 - GANESH BHAJAN,KIRTAN -Vinayaka vinayaka by Leepikaa 4:56


7 - Jaya Ganesha mit Sukadev 8:30
Vidy Yoga [Germany] 2008


8 - Om Gann Ganapataye Namo Namaha 13:43
Om Gann Ganapatye Namo Namah
Shri Sidhivinayak Namo Namah
Ashtavinayak Namo Namah
Ganpatibappa Morya


9 - Ganesh Bhajan (Ganapati Bappa Moriya) 6:00


10 - Om gan ganapataye namaha (ganesha mantra) 7:44
Jai Ganapati Bapa


11 - Ganesha Sharanam by Narendra [in Germany] 7:39


12 - Ganesh Mantra (Deva Premal) 8:28
A  chant to Ganesh, remover of obstacles
Om Gum Ganapate


13 - "Jai Ganesh Jai Ganesh Jai Ganesh Deva"- Lord Ganesh Aarti 4:33
"Jai Ganesh Jai Ganesh Jai Ganesh Deva - Mata Jaki Parvati Pita Mahadeva"




Playlist url:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLACmwZPBGZMccLRDVQtC5eHF3-DGMPS0Z

2014 07 12 Guru Purnima

This year for Guru Purnima, I chose songs and satsangs for the three gurus whose ashrams I visited in 2012, Haidakhan Babaji, Paramahansa Yogananda, and Sathya Sai Baba. EnJOY!


Guru Purnima
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guru_Purnima
(IAST: Guru Pūrṇimā, sanskrit: गुरु पूर्णिमा) is a Hindu festival dedicated to spiritual and academic teachers. This festival traditionally celebrated by Hindus and Buddhists, to thank their teachers. It is marked by ritualistic respect to the Guru, Guru Puja. The Guru Principle is a thousand times more active on the day of Gurupournima than on any other day. The word Guru is derived from two words, 'Gu' and 'Ru'. The Sanskrit root "Gu" means darkness or ignorance. "Ru" denotes the remover of that darkness. Therefore one who removes darkness of our ignorance is a Guru. Gurus are believed by many to be the most necessary part of lives. On this day, disciples offer puja (worship) or pay respect to their Guru (Spiritual Guide). It falls on the day of full moon, Purnima, in the month of Ashadh (June-July) of the Shaka Samvat, Indian national calendar and Hindu calendar.

9 videos play for 58 minutes

1 - Gayatri Mantra (27 Repetitions)  9:14

2 - HAIDAKHAN BABAJI - The Lord Samba Sada Shiva in human form (Om Namah Shivaya chant) 9:07
artist: Ashit Desai

3 - HAIDAKHAN BABAJI SPEECH 7:07

4 - Door of my heart (song) 9:24
Played and chanted by Swami Nirvanananda Saraswati & Joseph Achatz at the April 2012 International Kriya Yoga Seminar, Montbarry, Switzerland.

5 - Paramahansa Yogananda - On Sleep 2:23

6 - Paramhansa Yogananda about Kriya Yoga 5:11
(I am not certain this is Yogananda speaking, but the talk is good.)

7 SAI GAYATRI - Sathya Sai Baba (chant) 2:39
artist: Sumeet Tappoo

8 - Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, President of India from 2002 to 2007, with Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba 6:45

9 - Asato Ma Sad Gamaya - Shiva Mantras from Music for Deep Meditation [Vidura Barrios, Kim Engler, Nate Morgan] 6:04

Playlist url:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLACmwZPBGZMeCKduGIOip4JJbs8rgu6w4

2014 06 08 Holy Mother Ganga, Daughter of the Mountains

GANGA DASHAHARA
June 8, 2014
http://www.shivamandir.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/GANGA-DASHAHARA.pdf

"Ganga Dashahara is celebrated every year between May and June. Hindus celebrate this festival very significantly because Ganga fell down on this day from heaven to earth. According to the Hindu alendar Ganga Dashahara or dashami is celebrated (on tenth day of the month) in waxing moon of the month of Jyestha.

"Devotees take holy baths during this festival of Ganga Dashahara at the Varanasi Ghats. On this day devotees gather at the banks of the river Ganges and take a soak in the Holy water of the Ganges in order to get rid of the ten sins (dasha means ten and hara means to destroy).

"One who cannot travel to the river Ganges, can take a bath at his home by mixing some amount of Gange Jal to the normal water, he will achieve the same benefit. At this occasion, devotees keep a fast for all day and they do not drink water for full day, In the evening they take a bath and break their fast (by taking only fruit) after moon arises. After the bath they offer jal and agarbatti to the Ganges and then break their fast.

"Ganga Dashahara 2014 would be celebrated by the people on Sunday, on the 8th of June.


"Religious and Cultural Beliefs and Significance 

"Woman in India offer floating lamps in the sacred water of the river Ganges. Hindus take baths in the Holy water and wash out their sins. They also offer flowers as well as rose petals with the clay diyas filled with oil or ghee lit with wicks. They bring holy water of Ganges to their home for other puja purposes. The Ganges is the incarnation of all holy waters in Hinduism. Ganges has been an emblem of purity in India for culture and civilization for a long time.


"History of Avatarana or Descent of the Ganges 

"According to the Ramayana, Mahabharata and several Puranas, the history of Avatarana of Gange begins with a clever king Kapila. It is considered that Kapila was doing intense meditation but bothered by the sixty thousand sons of the King Sagara. Then Kapila burned them with his irritated stare and diminished them to ashes, and send them out to the netherworld. They could get their salvation only by the holy water of Ganga. That time Ganges was in heaven. The great offspring of those sons was the King Bhagiratha who was much worried to renovate his ancestors. He had done a great Tap for years to bring Gange on the earth.

"Finally he granted the reward of Ganga’s fall to earth from heaven. Ganga gave him a Vardan that she agreed to go to earth but her tumultuous and forceful water flow will definitely destroy the earth. Bhagiratha convinces Lord Shiva on his habitat Mount Kailash to control the flow of Ganga to earth by the coils of his matted hair. Lord Shiva agreed with Bhagiratha for Ganga to descend. She then led Bhagiratha down to earth at Haridwar, flowing together with the Yamuna at Prayag and Kashi and finally meeting the Ganga Sagar, ocean. In this way Bhagiratha became successful in saving the life of his ancestors."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My first view of the Ganga was on October 14, 2012 as I taxied through Rishikesh on my way to Guptkashi. Little did I know, I would have an amazing, mystical Rebirthing experience during a Chaat (Sun) Festival on November 19, 2012 in the Ganga on the ghats at Varanasi. I saw Her again in Kolkata (Calcutta) from the Yogananda Yogoda Satsanga Math Ashram in Dakshineswar. A few pics of Mother Ganga follow the playlist. ~ Shellie

EnJOY!

1 - OM Namah Shivaya - Krishna Das (Extended Version_HQ Audio) 9:55

2 - GANGES or GANGA - A COMPLETE Documentary: [MUST WATCH] 49:07

3 - Om Namah Shivaya With Shiva Manasa Pooja [Shri Yogi Hari] 10:33




Playlist url
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLACmwZPBGZMeomEl4txkAgETPWhVKKpYV

This is the view of the Ganga from the terrace outside my room at the Ganesha Inn Hotel in Rishikesh, October 14, 2012. Little did I know that I would experience a powerful rebirthing in the Ganga in Varanasi approximately one month later.

My Rebirth in the Ganga in Varanasi at a Chaat Festival on Assi Ghat, November 19, 2012.

The Ganga as seen at the Serampore Roy Ghat in Kolkata (Calcutta) where Paramhansa Yogananda and Swami Sri Yukteshwar sat and talked.

2014 05 09 Yogis of Tibet

From the introduction to the documentary:
"The Yogis you will see in this film took unprecedented risks. Once vowed to extreme secrecy to maintain the purity of their practices, they agreed to these unique interviews and rare demonstrations to help preserve for posterity their vanishing culture.

"It is to these Yogis that this film is dedicated."

C 2002 June Bug Films, aka JEHM Films


1 - Gayatri Mantra ( 3 Times ) Artist: Rattan Mohan Sharma 1:51

2 - Yogis Of Tibet - Rare Documentary 1:16:36
C 2002 June Bug Films, aka JEHM Films

3 - Asato Ma Sadgamaya, shanti mantra, by Ravi Shankar and George Harrison 3:23

Playlist url
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLACmwZPBGZMeJTQT0xaW8d7L8DT1vaeAP

2014 05 02 Satsang Fr Richard Rohr, Christian Mystical Tradition

If nothing else, I am eclectic in my beliefs, and along with Daoism and Vedic tradtions, I very much enJOY the daily inspirational messages sent by the Center for Action and Contemplation.

There is a tradition that says Jesus visited India for a period of time, and I would not be a bit surprised since the non-dualist teachings of the Christian mystical tradition are so closely compatible. Having been on pilgrimage in India for 74 days, and having spoken to many Indians as well as Westerners while I was there, as well as having had mystical experiences of my own, I can whole-heartedly say that the non-dualist teachings of Fr. Rohr fit perfectly with the Vedic teachings one finds in India. I also follow and teach A Course In Miracles which offers no conflict with these experiences as well. Divine harmony at its finest!

Every true Yogi is a Mystic. It is the only way to experience Oneness.


1 - Gayatri Mantra 9:04

2 - Fr. Richard Rohr: The Paradox of Truth - an Aspect of Christian Mysticism 42:48
Published on Feb 23, 2014
Paradox is at the heart of reality, says Franciscan Priest Fr Richard Rohr, but we're just too wedded to our egos and dualism to embrace it.

In this Interview Fr. Richard Rohr talks about his latest book The Naked Now: Learning to See as the Mystics See, which offers an understanding of the Christian mystic tradition as a nondualistic way of seeing the moment. This is what Fr. Rohr says is the most important book that he has written to date.

Fr. Rohr is a Franciscan priest, founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation in Albuquerque, and the author of Everything Belongs and Things Hidden. Center for Action and Contemplation (CAC) https://cac.org/richard-rohr


3 - OM TRAYAMBAKAM YAJAMAHAE Version 2    7:24


Playlist url:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLACmwZPBGZMdXDWUiF4wVMROe2lcO9IwB