Monday, September 27, 2010

Swami Buhravananda-- small body, BIG Presence


Look at him. He’s a small man, a vintage being of 70 years. But he exudes a Big Presence. What Kind? Well, a Big Presence, soft and gentle, like a soft, deep pile blanket of warmth and honesty. . Look into his eyes - - tunnels of depth beyond description with no attempt to hide or cover his internal consciousness - - open. He reaches out to touch you - - places his hand softly on your arm and includes you totally in his consciousness - - you might melt and want to be close to this soft fire - - get warm while you can. He is attended by and flanked by his devotees - - young men who are internally lit by love and devotion to his God devotion. He speaks of the Vedas and how God consciousness is a science explained by the Vedas which are accessible to all - - of how there should be nothing in the way of approach to God - - of how each and every sound and thought are a mantra of power invoking some intent, and how the Vedas are a map of correct intent. If you are like me, it might not matter so much what he says - - what matters might be the truth expression that emanates from his being. He is a devotee of Poorananda who is a devotee of Rakhadi Baba who is a devotee of Nityananda Bhagavan, making him of a cousin lineage to our lineage from Nityananda to Muktananda to our beloved guru Mark Griffin.




How wonderful he has come to Fire Mountain to sit in the garden and have tea and a lovely time with us. The tea is unusual for India - - it is black tea with lichee - - a high and sweet vibration. He is making a pilgrimage to visit the Rakhadi Baba Murti, Homa, and Temple next door, as he does on occasion. Kamalakur Swami, who lives at the Anusuya Ashram that Bhagwan Nityananda built for Rakhadi Baba, relates how Buhravananda Swami does wonderful pujas where he explains the meaning of the different parts of the puja so that everyone can understand what is being done. We, as novice puja practitioners express appreciation for this provision of understanding for the participants. Buhravananda Swami is encouraged to do a puja here at Fire Mountain, and he accedes to this request with a date set after late November some time.




His phone rings and we learn that the car has arrived to take him to his next visitation. Warmth, love and happiness from us follows him out the gate as we watch the orange robed figure disappear down the path. May he come again soon.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Greener Than Green at Fire Mountain Retreat

Morning meditation ends - - the rain is falling again in blankets - - it stopped for 3 days - - long enough for the villagers to celebrate the coming and leaving of Gauri (an aspect of Parvati, Shiva consort/wife, goddess of fertility/harvest/abundance - - the rice crop is coming in nicely so far this year) - - they have been drumming and singing and dancing for 3 days now and our staff has not come during this time. Yesterday they took the murti of her to the river with music and drum beat and dancing and procession. The air is heavy with the oceans gift of bringing itself on shore - - the plants everywhere have jumped out of the ground - - there are crowds of plants everywhere jostling for survival-unfoldment, like pieces in a puzzle, greener than green and luxuriating in the moisture denied them during the dry time. the plants at Fire Mountain Retreat are not all wild native and some are struggling under the downpours and have to be covered with shade netting which disperses the blows of drops falling at terminal velocity from above - - the native plants are all reaching for the sky, almost noisy in their growth - - the frogs jump, the birds chirp, the crows shake off the moisture and hang out on top of the Guru chouk waiting to get the remnants of the left over dog food. Everything slows down and is more viscous, more like when scuba diving in the the ocean - - the roads are a mess of monsoon pot holes, the infrastructures are taxed and somewhat intermittent -- people stay home inside and adjust to the rains - - a time of the interior where the exterior is dampened. The rain has stopped again - - during monsoon it turns on and off like a faucet -- when outside, if a few drops fall, it means in a few seconds/minutes it will fall in sheets, so get to shelter or whip out the umbrella if you want to stay dry. Shortly we will do the morning puja with the staff (if they come) and the arati of the Guru Chouk, the grounds and the dome. Breakfast in the garden enjoying the trees plants and loving complex Spirit. Just a quick note to give a taste of life in Nimboli. love and ocean coming on shore d and j