For "Their Unconditional Love and Acceptance" - Reasons People Come to the Ashram

Why do you come to Divine Art of Yoga Center ashram?

Claudia: "After a long absence from the weekly pranayama breathing exercises I went back - having had to battle my tendency towards isolation and separation, or my ego - and immediately felt the warm welcome of the Baijis, their unconditional love and acceptance, and it felt like coming back home. The weekly meditation reminds me to come back to me, to stop everything and really listen to my inner self, or to watch it, and be okay with it. It energizes me and gives me a more positive outlook on my everyday activities. Thanks for all you do at the ashram!"

"I Love the Baijis!" - Reasons People Come to the Ashram

Why do you come to Divine Art of Yoga Center ashram?

Abha: I come because I love the baijis (nuns)! And I come for myself, actually. To make me a better person. Ever since I was a child, I've always wanted to do for others. I've always believed in karma. I want to do more than go to the temple and listen to aarti and all, I'd rather do something with my life, and that's why I'm here, where I can do more for other people. The baijis encourage me. 

I feel better coming here. I'm able to control my mind a little bit better and make myself a better person. Coming here and listening to the baijis means I help a lot more people in my life. Sharing with people about what a good life looks like - how you can do it, why you should do it. The baijis always encourage us to help others."

One Year Anniversary of this Blog

One year ago, on April 12, 2015, I created this blog and wrote a short post about joining the ashram Divine Art of Yoga Center which is run by Mahatma Rammurti Baiji and Mahatma Gautum Baiji.

270 satsangs, stories, and memes later, here we are: wiser, more spiritual, and on the path.

This blog started as a place to explore and share my spiritual experience; I later realized it was much more interesting and beneficial to share the baijis' satsangs, for the world to experience (as well as other gurus' wisdom).

I'd like to thank the baijis for being my gurus, blessing me with their saintly company and their spiritual teachings.

I am also very grateful to the devotees here and around the world - they are a wonderful and giving community of people that I consider family.

I look forward to more contributions to the blog from devotees and to make it a repository of shared wisdom from everyone involved with the ashram to help us achieve lasting peace and move towards Samadhi and ultimately Moksha.

Jai Sat Chit Anand

(Some of the devotees)

God Decides How it Goes - Satsang by Rakeshbai Pandya, Part 2

Saint Rammurti Baiji asked Rakeshbhai Pandya to give satsang about his experience with spirituality, part 2: 

"When I do meditation, I get so many things. God gives me different messages. 

In 1990 I took photography classes as part of my GE requirements. I went to Self-Realization Fellowship in Los Angeles on Mount Washington. 

It's such a peaceful place there. Parmahansa Yogananda used to sit there in meditation under the pepper tree, which is still preserved there. I saw some devotees working there, and I said, "What if I get a chance to work in this kind of place for seva, for service." 

Within a year or two we got connected with the baijis, the saints,and their elder sister. Their satsang was going on at the Norwalk temple where we went every Sunday. We got more into it and we received the knowledge.

During the Northridge earthquake we lived in Sun Valley. Just three weeks before that, we received the knowledge. You won't believe, the earthquake epicenter was 14 miles from where we lived. I felt like the townhome was lifted and just... pounding. 

Me and my wife sat under the door and we started doing meditation. All the books and bookshelves were (shaking and falling), and after that, whatever was the lesson or message from God, we don't know. 

Then this ashram property was purchased, and they needed someone to take care of it. So we decided to rent our other property and we will move here and do seva and whatever we can. 

The reason I'm saying this is I started from Babaji, who was in my mind as I wanted to do seva. 

So God arranged this. We both moved here. We did seva here for four or five years. We had a daughter here and stayed nearby after that. And we still did satsang and meditation. 

So what I'm saying is that middle part of that breach... I started with Babaji and came back full circle to Babaji. 

I'm not just believing that. How it starts, how it ends, God decides that."

The Baijis - A Life of Giving, a Life of Service

   

For a good example of living in humble service to others, I look no further than the baijis (nuns) at the Ashram.

They receive visitors at all hours of the day, every day of the week, even on Tuesday, which is supposed to be their day of rest, chores, paperwork, catching up. But there is always a need.

People come for blessings or to get counsel. The baijis gladly oblige, frequently serving tea and snacks, even cooking meals for out of town visitors.

In fact, if someone with a need is walking up their driveway as they are driving out, they will stop, turn around, and change their plans (unless it was a firm commitment where they are expected). They put everyone else's needs above their own at all times.

Devotees travel from around the country to see the baijis. I met a couple from Florida (where the baijis used to be based) who told me how extremely lucky we were to have them here in La Habra. I met another family from the Midwest who planned their family vacation around visiting the baijis. Some people come from as far as India.

In addition to visiting with and ministering to their devotees, they lead yoga classes throughout the week, as well as meditation sessions and other devotions, culminating in their Sunday satsang service (full of parables, singing and prayer) followed by a delicious vegetarian meal (anyone is welcome for any part of the evening).

People call for them at all hours with news of births and deaths and everything in between. There are also earthquake updates from their sister Ashram in Katmandu, along with emailed photos of the area you won't see in the press.

And if someone is very ill, they go to them. Few things give as much elation to a sick devotee than a visit from the baijis.

Fund raising events for Nepal are attended, whether it’s at a Punjabi festival, a Sikh church or temple, or any event that will have them. People have been very generous.

The baijis know there is much to be gained in giving, and they open up the Ashram – their home – to anyone who wants to participate and reap the same benefits. In addition to their good deeds, they serve as an excellent example of a good way to live, for which I'm grateful. 

Once There Was a Crow...

One of the baijis told this story recently: Once there was a crow who lived in the forest, foraging for food and living his life.

One day, he saw something remarkable: a beautiful white swan. He thought, “Surely this is the most beautiful bird I’ve ever seen.”

So when the crow expressed this, the swan replied, “There is a bird even more beautiful than me over there, who has two amazing colors – red and green. Surely this is the most beautiful bird in the world.” 

So the crow approached the parrot and expressed how beautiful it was, to which the parrot replied, “Over in the zoo is a much more beautiful bird with a multitude of colors. Surely the peacock is the most beautiful bird in the world.” 

The crow went to the zoo and found the peacock. 

Indeed, it was very, very beautiful. The crow declared as much, which only served to sadden the peacock.

“It’s true, I am the most beautiful of all the birds. But I am in a cage. People may not want to keep crows in the zoo to look at, but when I see you through the bars flying freely through the air, I think you are the luckiest of all.”  

Aside from the valuable moral that we all have something to be grateful for, I love this story because it's a bit unpredictable to American ears. We're more used to the Cinderella/The-Ugly-Duckling-is-really-a-beautiful-swan story, not one that says, "Yes, Virginia, some people look like movie stars and some people don't."

But it's okay, because I can fly.