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March 2014 Bhairava International Haidakhandi Journal

Journal 9 Final 5

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  • March 2014

    Bhairava

    International

    Haidakhandi Journal

  • 2

    Babaji the Unfathomable 3

    Shri Munirajjis words 4 Bhairava 5-9

    Exerting Ourselves ~ 17th Karmapa 10

    News from Around the World USA - by Maheshanand and Ramloti 11-15

    Russia - The Drozhzhino Ashram Project 16

    Italys newest Bhole Baba centre 17

    Berlin by Elizabeth 18

    Australia and France 19

    Estonia courses in the Art of Conscious Change 20

    Haidakhandi Samaj - News from India Spring Navaratri invitation and Chairpersons Messages 21-23

    Messages from the General Secretary 23-24

    Medical Camps and Hospital Reports 25-27

    Letters and Articles sent to the Journal On Prayer, Meditation & Contemplation by Raghu 28-29

    Regarding Hospital Activities - by Bipin Agarwal 29

    On Babajis Samadhi Day - 30 years on - by Lok Nath 30-31

    Babaji Disciples Undercover - by Kamini, Germany 32-34

    In Memoriam and Shri Sadashiva Charitamrit 35

    Gurupurnima Schweibenalp Switzerland - July 2014 36-37

    Editorial by Rob and Gaby 38

    Photos of Haidakhan friends 39

    Lord Bhairava

    Bheru Baba

    Kalbhairav Page No.

  • 3

    Never doubt My love, not even when I send you challenges and tests, both inside you and in the outside

    world, because everything is for your highest good and for your inner growth.

    Always, whenever you call Me inwardly, I am already there, waiting to draw you into My heart.

    Be always ready for anything and My blessings will have no end.

    Babaji The Unfathomable

  • 4

    Shri Munirajji

    It is normal to have difficulties, always difficulties come and difficulties go. The difficulties make us stronger; they always teach us something.

    When people really love Babaji and really have this connection with

    Him, they can never really have difficulties or problems. When they

    have devotion and love for Babaji, they can never be really in trouble.

    As far as I understand, things will change but nothing like a total end of the world scenario. Change is part of nature, but there wont be anything final or total. People should not worry, they should get on

    with their work and repeat Gods name. Change is the law of nature. As in politics, within minutes someone can lose their cool with serious

    consequences, but this is not in our hands, therefore do not worry.

    There is no need to fear anything or be afraid of anything that will happen in the future. Mans duty is to do his work, because if he does his work in all sincerity it becomes the duty of the Divine to look after

    him. Extracts from various interviews between 1986 and 2012

  • 5

    Bhairav Baba and His association with the Caduceus

    In the late 1970s one day, Malti brought a wooden caduceus from Findhorn. Babaji kept it with him for fourteen days and everybody had to bow to it.

    Babaji said that it was the symbol for Bhairav Baba who is the true healer. It

    was clear that the caduceus image was His sign.

    Sometime later Nila had a caduceus stick made in bronze for her sacred

    garden near Lake Konstanz. After some time there was a big fire which

    burnt down the entire garden temple, including the temple bells. The only

    item that survived was the bronze caduceus, from which a distinct blue

    colour arose, the colour of a heavenly blue flame, which apparently is the

    colour associated with Bhairav Baba. Nila reports that this indicated to her

    that the whole event was a divine showing. This was fully confirmed by the

    events that happened after the inferno: the arrival of many divine beings in

    the magic temple garden of Quell des Heilens (Source of Healing). Amongst

    them a clear vision of Christ, Babaji and the Divine Mother.

    To read the whole story see Nila Caddys Book: Encounters with Babaji page 154.

    Nilas story tells of divine interception and the transformational power of destruction that can lead to a more expanded state of consciousness. Her

    burning temple and the appearance of Bhairav Baba resonates with the

    famous 17th century haiku poet Mizuta Masahide:

    The barn has burnt down

    Now I can see the moon

    Bhairava (Sanskrit:

    , ("Terrible" or "Frightful") is the

    fierce manifestation

    of Lord Shiva

    associated with

    annihilation

  • 6

    Bhairav Baba by Kharku I felt that Babaji came in the form of Bhairav. When Babaji left his body and I

    was trying to understand the form of worship we were practicing here, a

    devotee used an image to explain to me the deities beginning with Ganesh,

    and then Bhairav and Hanuman who each flanked the Mother and Father at

    the centre. The Mother/feminine principle represents all creation and

    everything we experience; the Father/masculine principle represents where

    or what we go to beyond human experience. Ganesh is wisdom and the

    remover of obstacles and Hanuman is our breath of devotion, he marries the

    feminine and masculine sides within us. Finally Bhairav is the form of Shiva

    that removes the dust of ignorance and clears our fears of uniting with the

    divine. He is the fearless side of Shiva who accepts no nonsense and he can

    appear violent as he cuts through ignorance. In reality he is our healer, and

    as young Bhairav he runs beside the divine Mother who is on her tiger, with

    Hanuman running on the other side. As he runs he carries the peacock

    feather representing energy healing.

    Bhairav Baba: honour him at twilight

    Shastriji said that we should honour Bhairav Baba every evening, best at

    twilight. His day of honour is Sunday. Sunday starts on Saturday evening, so

    the best time to connect with him is then, Saturday evening at twilight. To

    make your appeal bring him some sweets, or even better: a whole cake !

    Bhairav Baba by Peter Dawkins, Quell des Heilen's 1992 I am Bhairav Baba; I am the deep rich ruby red wine of human love

    The fire of love in which nothing that is not love can exist

    I burn away everything that is not love as I am only love

    I am tender, sweet and kind

    I'm not to be feared

    But many fear my fire of love because they dwell in their impurities.

    Only that which is impure has fear of me

    for I am like a roaring lion

    devouring the meat of poisoned tongues and evil minds

    But to those who love I am like a rose that opens her eyes to the sun

    I am like the ground on which she sighs with her lovers moan I am love beyond love

    He who knows me, knows all

  • 7

    Kala Bhairava is Shiva in the form of Time. He is the Guru of the planetary

    deity Shani (Saturn). Also known as Kalbhairav he is seen as a mendicant

    (beggar) with a begging bowl in hand. The begging bowl was not just any

    vessel; it was the skull of Brahma's fifth head. He is depicted ornamented

    with a range of twisted serpents, which serve as earrings, bracelets, anklets,

    and sacred thread (yajnopavita), He wears a tiger skin and a ritual apron

    composed of human bones. Bhairava has a dog (Shvan) as his divine vahana

    (vehicle). Bhairavi is also seen as a fierce and terrifying aspect of the Devi

    who is virtually indistinguishable from Kali. His temples or shrines are

    present within or near most Jyoti lingum temples, the sacred twelve shrines

    dedicated to Shiva across India, including Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Varanasi

    and the Mahakaleshwar Temple at Ujjain, where at the Kal Bhairav Temple,

    he is worshipped by the Kapalika and Aghori sects of Shaivism. There are

    Bhairavnath temples in Uttarakhand at Kedarnath, Bhairon Ghati before

    Gangotri, Bageshwar, Devprayag and finally Eight Bhairava Temples in

    Almora.

    Om bum batukaya apadut haranaya

    kuru kuru batukaya bum om namaha shivay

  • 8

    German Housewife wants to meet Bhairav !

    14 years ago I visited for the first time the Babaji Ashram (in Germany) with

    my family and I realized that Babaji had led me there. Shortly afterwards, I

    had just been for a week in the ashram, being home again I read a book about

    Indian Gods, because I knew nothing about Hinduism. There were a few

    sentences written about Bhairav. They said that Bhairav leads us to love by

    burning away everything that is not love. I could hardly find any love in myself

    or in the world. But everything else the whole pain and sorrow I had more than enough. Suddenly a desire rose up in me. I thought: This one I want to meet! --- Where did that thought come from? Little German

    housewife wants to meet Bhairav? Are you going crazy? Thats impossible! Therefore I didnt think of my wish any more.

    Two weeks later I took part in a sound bowl seminar, which my husband had

    just attended. He immediately led me into the big hall. There was hanging a

    huge picture of Bhairav on the wall, painted on canvas, about six meters high.

    It came from the Bhairav Temple in Bhaktapur. The temple-painter had

    brought it to Germany with his tankas for an exhibition. Full of

    astonishments, I looked at it. In the evening there was a concert with a tabla

    player, who heals people with his music. When finally everybody had gone

    to bed, I thought: I will creep into the hall to have one more look at Bhairav. I wanted to worship him, but I didnt know how to do it. Then I recognized that Bhairav was standing on a little human being and dancing. I

    knew at once what to do: I lay down under the picture and looked up to this

    god dancing in the fire. It was a tremendous feeling! My mind tried to calm

    me, but my heart was beating wildly. So I lay there for a long time, very

    awake and quite anxiously. Finally I went to bed.

    After about an hour I woke up, clear as glass in my head, and heard once

    again the concert with every single tabla beat. There was no one playing

    music there, but nonetheless it was in the air. Then something happened,

    which I had never experienced before. I didnt know how to cope with it. I

    was in the same bedroom, but it sort of became transparent and another

    reality showed itself. There was a huge triangle, about six meters high, its top

    pointed up, a lively shimmering white, and it had the same presence as the

    picture of Bhairav. I was so afraid! This really couldnt be. I closed my eyes, I

    opened them again, I pinched myself, I went out of the room and back again,

    but the triangle stayed there. When I couldnt stand it anymore, I even went

  • 9

    into another room for a few minutes to write in my diary. When I went back,

    the presence was still there. So I accepted that I couldnt flee and just lay

    down in my bed again. Now something like a film went through me: a whole

    lot of pictures mixed with memories and strong feelings. It was all about

    being born, giving birth to a child, having a mother, being myself a mother,

    even despairing because of an abortion, and at last being operated on at the

    cervix (if you translate the German word for it directly, it means `mouth of

    the mother`). When the pictures vanished, there stayed a white ray of light

    starting from my cervix. All this just happened to me.

    After some time I became very calm and saw myself suddenly in the dhuni in

    the ashram. The photo of Babaji, where he sits at the dhuni pouring oil onto

    the fire, merged with the picture of the dhuni, so that he himself was sitting

    at this dhuni. Being very exhausted I sat down at the fire, looked into the

    flames and thought: It is over now. Suddenly I saw a plate of rice on the ground before me. I took a handful of rice and threw it into the fire and

    together with the rice I flew myself into the fire. The last thing I remember is

    flying through the air. Then my consciousness wasnt there anymore.

    The next morning I heard the alarm clock ringing and felt completely

    refreshed. I could remember every detail of that night and I remember

    everything even after 14 years. During these years Bhairav has burned away

    a lot of my pain and sorrow. The last pain was a very big and deep pain.

    First it dissolved on the level of the thoughts and emotions, but it took a

    whole year, until it dissolved at last on the level of the body. Shortly before

    Gurupurnima 2013 the doctor had told me that it would take about another

    six months to get all the poison out of my body. But after Gurupurnima a

    test showed that I was completely free from the illness and healthy again.

    One more thing: I dont feel I have to DO anything to have love in my life: it comes quite imperceptibly and completely by itself as soon as I

    make space for it. What I have learned is this: the moment I disidentify from

    my pain and sorrow and create even the tiniest bit of space, love enters into

    that space imperceptibly and naturally and on its own accord. All I have to

    do is make space for it.

    Thank you Bhairav ! Thank you Babaji ! Bhole Baba ki jai !

  • 10

    Exerting Ourselves ~ 17th Karmapa ~

    Formal practice, as important as it is, needs to spread into our daily life. Sometimes people treat the practice of Dharma as though its a form of relaxation or entertainment. Dharma practice is not done for fun. People say

    to me that theyre busy and tired, and theyre looking forward to their vacation. During their vacation, theyre going to relax by practicing Dharma. They talk about it as though its like going to a spa or getting a massage or going to a park. I think this is a mistake.

    Dharma practice is not supposed to be fun; it is an intensive exercise, like

    military training. It is gaining the ability through difficult practice to

    experience difficulties without great hardship. It is gaining the ability to put on

    the armour of fortitude that enables you not to make a big deal out of

    suffering. So its exertive, much in the same way that physical exercise is exertive. When we engage in physical exercise, we dont think of it as fun in the conventional sense. We are sweating and huffing and puffing. In the same

    way as exercise, Dharma is mental exercise, and it makes us sweat mentally.

    (From Every Virtuous Thought Brings Us Closer To Our Future Buddhahood. Session Four of His Holiness the Karmapas Teaching at KTD, July 19, 2011; Translator: Lama Yeshe Gyamtso; Transcriber: Jeanette DeFries)

  • 11

    News from Around the World

    My Vision Quest to Crestone (CO) USA - by Maheshanand

    16th December 2013 - 1st January 2014

    In 2012 the ashram Sada Shiva Dham from Holland organized an auction for

    fundraising for the new Babaji temple. Ramloti of the Haidakhandi Universal

    Ashram in the USA donated a trip for two persons to several spiritual

    centres around the small village of Crestone, Colorado. Bhaskarananda from

    Holland was the lucky guy who won this auction prize, and in the fall of 2013

    he invited me to join him on this trip. Our plan was to travel in the last two

    weeks of 2013.

    Early 2013 I had travelled in Tibet; so I was totally surprised to find a kind of

    landscape in the USA with a lot of resemblance with the Tibetan landscape.

    The altitude was about 2500m, where Lhasa is situated at about 3500m. In

    Tibet there is almost nothing growing there, and here - in the San Luis Valley

    - it looked the same. Later I realized that it was the snow which gave me this

    impression! Nevertheless we were asked to drink a lot of water, just like in

    Tibet.

    The resemblance even goes further: in the 19th century gold diggers were

    active in that area; so there must be gold in the ground, just as in Tibet; and

    there must be monasteries all around. Of course in Tibet I visited several

    temples and monasteries; and here in and around the village of Crestone

    several Tibetan and Bhutanese centres are situated, beautiful temples are

    springing up and Stupas of various sizes are erected, high in the mountains.

  • 12

    So, there is an obvious magic in the place, situated in this sacred valley once

    reserved for vision quests by the Native Americans. But the magic is not

    limited to the Native Americans or the Tibetans: there are also Japanese,

    Christian, Muslim, Hindu, and Zen centres and temples, among others.

    In the late seventies, a mountain man visioned it this way: many of the worlds great religions and great truths would gather and begin working for a better future for the world and mankind, and that the region would be the laboratory of the future. In 1988 the Manitou foundation came into being to provide land grants and financial support to religions, environmental and

    educational projects in the Baca Grande area and beyond. At present, the

    population of the Crestone/Baca area continues to grow and people seek the

    small-town atmosphere, the breathtaking beauty of the mountains, and the

    sanctity and cultural diversity of the area.

    The goals of our travel schedule were as follows:

    1. Getting information about energy and water supply

    2. Personal puja training

    3. Information exchange with a small group of devotees

    4. Travel plan to spiritual centres.

    1. Energy and water supply

    We learned that water and energy, heating and warm water supply, were a

    crucial factor in the design of the Babaji temple and chalets in Sada Shiva

    Dham ashram; both from a technical as well as financial point of view. In

    Holland we had calculated that a geothermal system would be optimal, but

    after running it for a year it turns out that the system was costlier than

    expected. So we were very interested in the solution of solar energy in HUA.

    What we learned was that there are big differences in the natural ecological

    conditions of both ashrams. In Crestone the sun is always shining and the

    water supply is costly. In Holland only sometimes the sun shines brightly. So

    in Holland we would need a solar energy storage capacity, but this is not yet

    available with its, as yet, unproven technology. So, for future development of our energy systems here in Holland we need better technology than is

    currently available.

    2. Personal Puja training

    In one of the early days of the visit I was invited to support the pujari with

    her work on the daily puja of Maa and some other Murtis. At that time I had

    only limited knowledge about the puja ritual and mantras. My knowledge had

  • 13

    been based on the brochure "The use of Murtis as worship aid and

    meditation device", published in 1996 by the Sada Shiva Dham ashram in

    Holland. I already was familiar with the short form of puja; now it became

    time to train in the long form of puja. Rita, the pujari of HUA, was coaching

    me and she did a wonderful job! She performed her tasks with so much love

    and patience! The puja to the Mother was especially impressive for me. In

    Babas kutir it happened that I became an assistant-pujari: I was allowed to bring Babas padukas to the temple ! Hooshaar, Savedam

    3. Exchange of communication with small groups

    The visit turned out to be a great opportunity to communicate with other

    small Babaji groups and individuals. Gurupurnima in Europe and the Indian

    celebrations provide an initial a basis for networking; but small scale

    exchanges of information between groups have additional advantages. This

    type of contact should be encouraged and social media websites can be the

    medium. Meeting all those spiritual people at different places, combined with

    my puja training, brought me in contact with the old principles of vision quest

    inherited from the original Native Americans. The purpose of such a vision

    quest is - simple to find your path in life.

    Start of the Havan in HUA.

    The Temple is behind with Babaji's kutir on the left

  • 14

    4. Travel plan to other spiritual centres

    It is too much to describe all those impressions and contacts with all those

    lovely people. It was like a warm bath: we were heartily welcomed

    everywhere we went. It was overwhelming, and cannot be described in this

    journal.

    From the bottom of my heart I want to thank the members of the

    Haidakhandi Universal Ashram staff, Rita, Prem and Jonathan, who made this

    tour so special. A special thank is of course for Ramloti; without her love,

    initiatives, network and inspiration this tour would not have been possible.

    Last but not least I would say "thanks" to my spiritual guides on this track

    where a call by the Mother became manifest for me.

    Travelling with Babaji - by Ramloti, Haidakhandi Universal Ashram USA

    When Shri Babaji travelled from home to home He would bless His devotees

    with His Divine Presence. There was always so much anticipation and

    preparation before His arrival, so much excitement as He arrived, and finally

    such deep devotion when He was there. Although the physical form that did

    all this left our mortal view thirty years ago, this tradition still continues

    around the world.

    The padukas (the wooden sandals that He wore) carry His Divine energy. In

    the temple here in Crestone, Colorado (as in most temples of Baba around

    the world) they receive daily pujas and aaratis and are taken from the temple

    to His kutir (Babajis room) each night. When they travel around the country with representatives from the Ashram, the same anticipation, preparation,

    excitement and devotion are elicited from the devotees as when He was in

    physical form. In each place we have travelled in the past we have been

    received with such love. From one person we received a thank you that said

    it was one of the most important days of her life. Another in preparation for

    His visit wrote that it was the answer to a lifelong prayer. It seems that

    everyone wants to be part of these magical tours and so folks fly in from

    Washington, Canada, New Mexico, St. Louis, Colorado, DC and other parts

    of the country to travel with us doing fire ceremonies, paduka pujas,

    presentations, aarati, and chanting.

    The sacred padukas are a physical symbol of Babajis presence but His true presence is in every exchange of love that we make in this world.

  • 15

    Is it Time for Our Lords Return? By Ramloti

    Something is happening and I feel it is big. I have led tours around the

    country since the early 1980s and never before have the gatherings been so full of Shri Babajis energy and love. Miracles abound and the time between seems to have diminished. In an hour or two people experience His

    presence and come to know Him, sometimes for the first time. A few fire

    ceremonies bring rain to a drought area and people report other healings.

    I delight in the emails and phone calls telling me about flowers that last for

    weeks on Shri Babajis padukas after we leave an area. Or of the florist that felt he met Babaji in his shop after donating 108 roses to the fire ceremony.

    Another speaks about a new level of innocence in her teaching, realizing that

    although she must do her part in conveying the knowledge, there is

    something much bigger at work in the process that she must just surrender

    to. For another, she looks forward to the gathering once a year as it is a

    battery charger for her and she listens to our CD almost every day and

    remembers the glow. Another says: One thing that lingered in my mind as

    we met new people, sang and offered together was, This is what love looks like.

    On this tour I was inspired to bring with us Shri Babajis turban or Taj, for people to wear when they were meditating. How many faces glowed like

    they do after a week or two in Haidakhan just by wearing it for 10 minutes

    or so. Here is one report: Time stopped as we all felt the tangible presence of Shri Babaji and Shri Muniraji bathing us in love, oneness

    acceptance and bliss. My personal experience was deep and exquisite as I

    felt my thoughts being rearranged by Baba for more clarity, and patterns and

    beliefs no longer useful being erased and replaced by Babas compassion, kindness, sweetness and bliss

    As I write this on the 30th anniversary of Shri Babajis Mahasamadhi, I know He is close. It is an important time to come together as devotees to

    celebrate His Presence and share our stories and experiences that are

    happening right now. There are enough modalities sharing the material and

    negative aspects of life, so much so that many think that this is the only

    reality. Sharing our miracles and love helps us all remember the larger

    picture, that we are all part of the dance of our manifested Lord

    Sambasadashiva.

  • 16

    Russia - The Drozhzhino Ashram Project

    We had a beautiful and strong start in summer 2013. I spend 3 happy

    months there. With a team of devotees: Durga Das, his son Artiom,

    Jamuna, Ingala, Gautami, Gaudhavri, Katya Laksmi, Amrita and about 15

    visiting devotees, we renovated the old home, cleaned up the land, built a

    Dhuni on a great spot overlooking the Ugra river and planted many flowers,

    bushes and trees. The house has gas, electricity, water and a toilet outside.

    We have a woodstove to keep us warm and we are now moving the summer

    kitchen inside. So it was a joyful, inspiring start with much happy Karma-

    Yoga and daily Aarati's, sometimes Havan, and daily bathing in the great Ugra

    River. And there is an abundance of berries, mushrooms, apples, plums,

    herbs and firewood all around us. So its a small miracle to move from almost nothing to a comfortable and lovely Ashram Home on a great nature

    spot at the most beautiful corner of the village.

    With the help of Giriraj, we are in the process of registering as a charitable

    organisation and have a strong wish to buy a neighbouring property, with a

    house on it, so we can grow the ashram-project without disturbing the

    village. If you can/want to help with this please contact, Durgadas, Jamuna or

    me. We still need about $50,000 to make it happen. Many possibilities open

    up for the ashram-project once we take this step. We will then have three

    joining plots of land with 2 houses.

    Slowly we have made many good relations in the village, and some villagers

    were very helpful to us, and thanks to the help and work of a great man from

    the village (and with the constant support of Durga Das) our house is also

    being built. So the first phase is done, with a temporary roof, next year part

    two.

    Now getting ready for winter, there is work to be finished and we would

    like to make a small Dhuni inside. Phuro - be inspired. It is great to see

    how the inspiration of Muniraji and Babaji is working though this group to

    create an ashram. There is a Facebook page:" Hairakhandi Group in

    Drozhzhino", and you can become a member of this and see many pictures

    and stories.

    With great Love and Thanks to All, Pujari and Anjani

  • 17

    Italys newest Bhole Baba centre

    CENTRO YOGA IL LOTO BLU

    www.illotoblu.it Verbania Intra, Lake Maggiore, Italy

    After a series of dreams and spiritual readings, which gave me the

    opportunity to know Shri Babaji, in 1996 my life completely changed. Until

    then, I had concentrated above all on my career in the administrative and

    executive sphere; but from that moment on, the door of the spiritual

    dimension opened to me. I felt in my heart without any doubt that Shri

    Babaji was the Guru who could inspire my personal growth.

    In Milan I met an Indian teacher of Hatha Yoga (Swami Gurupooja Saraswati).

    She trained me and was my source of inspiration in the ancient yoga

    tradition. At the same time I often visited the Asti ashram Villa San Secondo

    where I learned Herakhandi Yoga. Then during my first journeys to India I

    encountered the sadhana of Shri Babaji, staying several times at the ashram in

    Herakhan, where I was fortunate to meet Shri Muniraji.

    In 2001 during my meditations in Babajis cave I had some intuitions which I told to Shri Muniraji and with his approval and his blessing I decided to leave

    my job at my company and dedicate my life teaching Hatha Yoga and open a

    centre in Italy in order to spread Shri Babajis teachings. Pietro, my brother, followed me on this adventure and thanks to his financial and moral

    support the Blue Lotus Yoga Centre was born, first as an association organising yoga courses in different areas around Milan, and then in Verbania,

    the town where I was born and where in 2004 I came back to live.

    Since then the yoga centre has developed and has spread yoga teachings and

    our Gurus message about Truth, Simplicity and Love. In 2012 a small group of my students, devotees of Herakhan Babaji, and I started the

    association of social work The Blue Lotus, whose aim is to take part in our community through volunteering - Karma yoga. We have raised funds for

    humanitarian aims; we have organised yoga courses at school for children in

    our town; puja in our Mandir; mantra yoga activities; the study of Sanskrit and

    much more. Our association is a member of the Italian Samaj. In 2013 we

    opened a new centre in a much larger space in order to welcome a great

    number of students and to hold activities with the hope that we can see

    them growing thanks to our Gurus blessing. - by Grazia Ugazzi

  • 18

    Berlin:

    Haidakhandi Spiritual

    Unity Centre

    By Elizabeth

    In February 1983 Shri Babaji gave order to write a letter with the following

    text to seven devotees in Germany, one of them was Elisabeth from Berlin.

    "Babaji has asked that an organization, affiliated with the Herakhan Samaj, be

    established in Germany ... it is that you help serve Babaji in this capacity. Its

    purpose is to spread out the Message of Herakhan Baba ... and we must keep

    this organization focused on that...." All of the seven devotees had to inform

    Babaji, whether they accept this responsibility or not. In July 1983 Elisabeth

    and her husband Ramananda decided to establish a Babaji Center in Berlin.

    Due to Babajis wonderful guidance, Elisabeth and Ramananda could purchase

    a house in Berlin-Spandau. With the blessing of Shri Munirajji (he gave the

    name:"Haidakhandi Spiritual Unity Center") the ceremonies take place in the

    temple since January 1990. Ramananda passed away on 2 April 2003.

    Since October 1991, there are three murtis in the temple (Haidakhandeshvari

    Ma, Durga Devi and Shiva Nataraj), all of them have been inaugurated by Shri

    Munirajji. In May 1992 Shri Munirajji and Shri Shastriji came and spent four

    days in Berlin. As this was a special occasion for us, we celebrated a Yagna and

    Aarati in a place called "Zitadelle" in Berlin. It was a real "highlight" for the

    Berlin Center! Moreover, two years ago Shri Munirajji blessed our Ganesha

    and in April 2012 he inaugurated a Kalbhairav murti for our temple. In the

    Center, Puja and Aarati are performed on a daily basis. Once a month we have

    the ceremony of Havan and a Ganesha Puja and weekly we perform Aarati

    together with the devotees. Over the years, our spiritual practice and the

    number of devotees that come has been growing.

    We are very grateful for Babajis guidance, protection and blessing in all these

    years.

  • 19

    Australia

    The Ashram in Australia goes on with regular Havans and Puja and in the last

    year we have celebrated the Navaratris with nine day programmes and also

    Gurupurnima with a three day celebration. The work to convert a large old

    building at the Ashram to a Temple and Kirtan hall goes on slowly as time

    and money permit. A small but flourishing flower garden provides blooms for

    the pujas. The monthly Havans and Pujas have been attended by between

    approximately 12 and 20 people each time and we often see new faces.

    A nine day programme is planned for the upcoming Navaratri at the end of

    March and all are welcome. The Ashram is located on 16hectares (40 acres)

    of forest on the slopes of Mumbulla mountain which has been a sacred place

    for the indigenous people since time immemorial. From Nan Singh

    Our contact details are [email protected] T: 0264953450

    France

    As you know perhaps, we are planning for many years to build an ashram in

    France and as you know perhaps, its not done yet things go very slowly here When Munirajji told us to make an ashram together in France, he clearly emphasized each time the word TOGETHER rather than on the word

    ashram and thats the direction taken by the Samaj in the last years. So we are trying to bring harmony within us, and very slowly, things get better, the

    last annual meeting of the Samaj was more harmonious and more easily

    focussed on a together ashram and actions but how is it possible to describe this in a journal ? Before it becomes a strong and big tree, the plant

    of togetherness is so delicate: it needs a lot of constant effort, support and

    nourishment as trust, respect, and love from everyone its not always easy for any of us, and even when this plant has become a tree, it can be cut so

    quickly

    So we now put more of our attention on TOGERTHERNESS than on an

    ASHRAM and I have no doubt that if we succeed in the first, the second will

    show up very quickly. From Mukundi [email protected]

  • 20

    Estonia

    Haidakhandi Shiva

    Dham Ashram

    The founder of Estonian Haidakhandi Shiva Dham Ashram, Ingvar Villido

    (Ishwarananda) has taught people since 1992, how to become aware, how to

    orientate in ones inner world and how to make conscious changes in life.

    In 2008, he started to offer The Art of Conscious Change I-V courses to the

    general public. In 2014, the courses will take place in Estonia, Germany,

    Austria and Macedonia, plus there are invitations to give courses also in

    Holland, Luxemburg and Finland.

    THE ART OF CONSCIOUS CHANGE I-V

    Course I: Me, My Inner World and the Five Body System

    Course II: Releasing Emotions that Disturb My Life

    Course III: Annulling Concepts that Disturb My Life

    Course IV: Mastering Awareness, Intuition and Inspiration

    Course V: Mastering Life By Conscious Use of Information, Analysis and

    Action

    Students gain personal experience and insights with active participation. The

    acquired techniques can be immediately applied to changing your life in the

    desired direction. The techniques are simple and precise. The more you use

    them, the more effective they will become. While applying awareness, you

    will start to experience wholeness that is complete - a sense of non-

    dependent well-being on all levels of your existence.

    Change yourself and the world will change!

    Further information: [email protected], www.lilleoru.ee

    http://www.haidakhandisamaj.org/ashrams/estonia-lilleoru-talu/

  • 21

    Haidakhandi Samaj - News from India

    Our chairman of the Samaj Shri Alok Banerjee would like to invite you to

    the Chaitra Navaratris Celebrations of 2014 at Herakhan Vishwa

    Mahadham from 31st of March to the 8th of April.

    It would be highly appreciated if you could come a few days before to share

    in the setting up and and afterwards for packing up - this makes these

    glorious Navaratris accessible to so many people. It also gives you a chance

    to enjoy the beauty and power of Babajis home in this marvellous nature setting.

    If Herakhan is too far for whatever reason do please make an effort to visit

    your local ashram to contemplate and celebrate the presence of the Divine

    Mother in our lives. More and more people are often present in Ashrams all

    around the world and it is important to realize that we all carry Babaji in our

    hearts and when we celebrate together there is more of Him present which

    makes your experience uplifting and divine.

    If you are unable because of work, family or sickness etc to visit the ashram

    then do make the effort for a daily extra incense, flower, prayer and an extra

    mala. She is Universal and is with you everywhere.

    Looking forward to meeting you at Her holy Lotus feet.

  • 22

    Messages from Shri Alok Banerjee:

    Ashwin Navaratri 2013 at Chilianaula was concluded well and happily. For

    the organization and the solid service team it was also quite challenging. In

    the first days there were very few people from abroad, but as the days went

    by the number swelled to 90 people from 17 countries. Another 150 people

    came from around India and with that a good crowd had gathered.

    Wonderful pictures with recordings of Havan with Ramayana readings and

    evening Aarti can be viewed on Lal Baba's website:

    http://www.planetbabaji.com/navratri_chilianaula_2013/Archiv.html

    Now it is well over a year that Shri Muniraj is no longer physically present at

    Navaratri and knowing that as well as the financial crises which grip the

    western world probably explains the low numbers from abroad. In the void

    that Shri Muniraj left there was also some readjustment in the organization

    which created some upheaval but we hope that is all behind us now. When

    we celebrate Navaratri as stipulated by Babaji and organized so well for

    almost 30 years by Shri Muniraj, something amazing happens with the Divine

    presence in such days.

    This darshan, this shift in energy that happens is beyond Babaji's or Shri

    Muniraj's physical presence. We hope and pray that we can keep on

    celebrating it for many years to come together as brothers and sisters in

    great numbers. When we are many gathered together with Babaji in our

    hearts there is more of Babaji' presence which is so enormously uplifting in

    these challenging times. Shri Muniraj gave his life to organise this for so many

    years, and so it is now our turn to do so for others to keep the wheel

    turning for future generations. We are looking forward to celebrate with

    you in Herakhan for Chetra Navaratri - 31st March to 8th April this year.

  • 23

    MAKAR SANKRANTI is celebrated on 14th January each year. It is a major

    harvest festival celebrated in various parts of India. According to the lunar

    calendar, it is when the sun moves from the Tropic of Cancer to the Tropic

    of Capricorn or from Dakshinayana to Uttarayana, in the month of Poush in

    mid-January. It commemorates the beginning of the harvest season and

    cessation of the northeast monsoon in South India. The movement of the

    earth from one zodiac sign into another is called Sankranti and as the Sun

    moves into the Capricorn zodiac known as Makar in Hindi, this occasion is

    named as Makar Sankranti. It is one of the few Hindu Indian festivals which

    are celebrated on a fixed date i.e. 14th January every year.

    Makar Sankranti, apart from a harvest festival is also regarded as the

    beginning of an auspicious phase in Indian culture. It is said as the 'holy phase

    of transition'. It marks the end of an inauspicious phase which according to

    the Hindu calendar begins around mid-December. It is believed that any

    auspicious and sacred ritual can be sanctified in any Hindu family, this day

    onwards. Scientifically, this day marks the beginning of warmer and longer

    days compared to the nights. In other words, Sankranti marks the

    termination of winter season and beginning of a new harvest or spring

    season. To Hindus, the Sun stands for knowledge, spiritual light and wisdom.

    Makar Sankranti signifies that we should turn away from the darkness of

    delusion in which we live, and begin to enjoy a new life with bright light

    within us to shine brighter. Om Namah Shivay - Alok Banerjee

    Messages from General Secretary - Shri Uday Chatterjee with the help of Mr

    V.R. Rao our Administration Manager:

    Christmas in Haidakhan and free Woollen Sweaters distributed

    Christmas Celebrations for which Shri Alok Banerjee, myself, Sandeep

    Tandon, Vijay Bhatiani were present has become a great and happy occasion

    for the local with people coming from far off places and we had a big traffic

    jam. There were about six thousand people who joined the Bhandara !

    As with every year during Christmas celebrations 2013, woollen sweaters

    were distributed to children of Aanganbari and Govt primary schools, in

    Haidakhan. Sweaters were also distributed to staff of Haidakhan Ashram and

    Hospitals at Chilianaula. In total 355 sweaters were distributed free in

    Haidakhan. (See photo below).

  • 24

    Samadhi Diwas celebrations at Haidakhan on 12th February

    It began with Akhand Path, a nonstop recital of the holy book 'Shri Sam

    Sadashiv Charitamrit' by Chandra Mani Belwal and Madan Belwal on the

    morning of 11 Feb 2014. Akhand Path was completed on the morning of

    12th. Babas Samadhi was decorated with Rangoli made of flower petals. This followed with the recital of 'Shri Divya Kathamrit' by the devotees from India

    and abroad with great devotion and reverence. This is the first time that

    foreign devotees were able to participate in reciting due to availability of 'Shri

    Divya Kathamrit' in English. Aarti of Shri Samb Sadashiv Charitamrit and

    Babas Samadhi was followed by Bhajans till 12.00 noon. Bhandara was hosted by Col Bhagwan Singh Rana and Devi. It was enjoyed by more than

    150 including people from local villages and school children.

    Paduka Puja at Ludhiana December 2013 Shri Susheel Khanna invited Babajis padukas to Ludhiana, Punjab. Paduka Puja

    was performed at his residence on 4th, 5th, & 6th December 2013. Susheel

    Khanna has the honour of performing Paduka Puja since 2002 except for two

    years. All rituals including Abhishek, Chandan, Aarti & Ma Jagdamba Yagna

    was performed on all the three days by Shree Mayapati Acharya ji and Vinod

    Acharya ji. Paduka Puja was performed with great devotion, love and

    reverence by devotees from India and abroad. Mr. Ramesh Kapoor had a

    vision of Babaji during this event. Among other wonderful visions he

    recounted: Your Bhole Baba ji had the form of Lord Shiva and Lord Krishna at the

    same time. The most astonishing thing I came across was that Lord Shiva was

    offering Pooja to Shiv Lingam. I have never come across such a phenomenon in my

    life". Devotees are grateful for the comforts and delicious meals hosted by

    Khanna family. The Samaj thanks Khanna ji for hosting Paduka Puja and the

    wonderful hospitality extended to all the guests.

  • 25

    Monthly Medical Camps 20th February 2014. by V.R.Rao

    I am happy to report that from this year, we are holding monthly medical

    camps in Chilianoula. We have already had our first camp in January and

    today we have had the camp for February. It has been a bright and sunny

    day, with clear skies and warm weather. More than 300 patients turned up

    from all over this part of Uttarakhand. The entire staff from both the Shree

    Baba Haidakhan Charitable & Research Hospital and the Bhole Baba

    Ayurvedic Hospital joined in the preparations, organizing and attending the

    patients. Their devotion and enthusiasm paid rich dividends in terms of the

    turnout and appreciation from each and every patient. All the physicians,

    including Dr. M.M. Gupta, Dr. Sandeep Kaur, Dr. Mittal and Dr. S.S. Misra,

    were in continuous consultation from early morning. More than 69 patients

    were treated at the Ayurveda outpatients department alone, and in addition

    some of the patients with aches and pains were given a free massage. With

    the response and participation of everyone, we hope and will be able to

    conduct an improved and better camp next month 20th March 2014.

    Medical Camp at Haidakhan on 8th and 9th March 2014 Col. B.S Rana

    Haidakhan and beyond is one of the remotest areas of the Kumaon Hills of

    Uttarakhand. The area is massively under-developed and road connections

    are very poor. People from more than 30 villages have to walk more than

    15Km to reach the tarmac road, and there is no public transportation. Shri

    1008 Haidakhan Baba established a charitable hospital here at Haidakhan in

    1980. Today, a general physician (Ayurvedic) and a dental surgeon provide

    treatment and distribute medicines free of charge. People from

    approximately 60 -70 villages benefit every year from these services. Locals

    suffer from many ailments and treatment is often beyond their reach. For

    these reasons the Haidakhandi Samaj has decided to run two

    Medical Camps every year at Haidakhan. The First Camp for 2014 has

    been planned at Haidakhan on 8 & 9 March 2014.

    Availability of Specialists: The President of the Indian Medical Association of

    Haldwani was approached regarding the availability of doctors and has agreed

    to provide specialists for the camp from Haldwani Hospitals as follows:

    Ophthalmology, Gynecology, ENT, Pediatrics, General Surgery, Dental

  • 26

    Surgery, Pathology and Ayurveda. In addition 4 skilled staff and 16 general

    duty staff will be provided from Chilianaula and Haidakhan. The Camp will be

    conducted under the supervision of two members of the Samaj Executive

    Committee: Mrs Meena Chandra and Mrs Kirti Prem Chand. The area is

    large, underdeveloped and with a huge population. Therefore we expect the

    number of patients might well be over one thousand. Doctors and Staff

    from Chilianaula and Haldwani will be provided with appropriate

    accommodation and meals in the Ashram. A report on the entire Medical

    Camp will be forwarded to Executive Committee by 20 March 2014.

    Resident Eye Surgeon:

    Dr Sinha our Resident Eye Surgeon who had served our hospital for nearly

    ten years has left to pursue his own practice. But we appreciate his services

    and during his tenure our hospital achieved a reputation as a very good

    hospital. We wish him a very good career. We have a new Eye Surgeon

    now and we are planning a lot of exciting expansions to our current scope of

    services.

  • 27

    Bhole Baba Ayurvedic Hospital - Progress Report

    There has been a consistent increase in the number of outpatients and

    Panchakarma treatments over the last 10 months, and our revenue has

    increased by almost 30% compared to last year. We have started a training

    program for Ayurvedic Therapists concentrating on local women and the

    response has been overwhelming.

    We have carried out renovations of the interiors of the Panchakarma Unit

    and treatment facilities. This year we have inaugurated our new guesthouse

    NANDA for accommodating Panchakarma patients, with nice, clean and

    spacious rooms. They are equipped with western style facilities and have

    Solar panel invertor backup. Our American house has been rechristened as

    TRISHUL (the Trident of Shiva). And so we are expanding our marketing of

    our Ayurvedic Hospital with the help of our satisfied clients across many

    countries around the world.

    In addition we have introduced new ayurvedic medicines into the Pharmacy,

    and successful ayurvedic treatments are being carried for diseases like,

    insomnia, stress, obesity, multiple sclerosis, hair loss, arthritis, etc. using

    ayurvedic formulations and Panchakarma treatment. On 20th of every

    month, we are providing free Ayurvedic consultations, medicines and

    Panchakarma treatments as part of the Medical Camps for impoverished local

    villagers at out Hospital.

    Shree Baba Haidakhan Charitable & Research Hospital

    I may just summarise by saying that in the last six months we have focused on

    serving more people through free health Camps in Chilianaula and Haidakhan.

    It is also our plan to increase the scope of services offered in our hospital to

    cover more disciplines. It is a matter of happiness that this has been

    achieved without creating any financial burden and achieving operational

    break-even. The credit for this goes to all the wonderful team we have that is

    working to actualise the vision of selfless service. Babajis blessings and inspiration will continue to drive us to greater and higher levels of service in

    the years to come.

  • 28

    Letters and Articles sent to the Journal

    PRAYER, MEDITATION and CONTEMPLATION by Raghu

    Prayer, meditation and contemplation are the holy trinity of the spiritual path.

    While prayer can be seen like talking to the divine, meditation is listening to

    God and contemplation is bringing the unfathomable to our awareness at our

    present level of consciousness. As we let go of our preconceived notions,

    limiting thoughts, attachments, fears and earthly obligations for even a

    small period each day, we create a vacuum that draws to us our

    hearts deepest longing. In this sacred space of divine harmony, we attune our consciousness to the vibration of love, and are given insight, guidance,

    clarity, and direction.

    Babajis in His public speeches did not particularly promote making time for this on a daily bases. In the daily program He advocated however, a

    considerable part of the day would be dedicated to this. Shri Muniraj was a

    living example and as his life progressed he always increased his reading of

    scriptures, his japa and his days was filled with silent contemplation.

    Most of us are not yogis and have busy lives dedicated to work and family. The spiritual centred person in India has a steadfast discipline in setting time

    apart for dedication to the divine. For those from outside India where this is

    not part of the culture, these disciplines are needed to be learned with all the

    challenges such lifelong commitments may have. Shri Muniraj was inspiring

    many of us to keep up this discipline. This message is to inspire you not to

    forget Shri Munirajs commitment to our spiritual upliftment.

    Once I asked Shri Vishnu Datt Shastri what he did all the time sitting in the

    small kutir with Babaji. He answered that he was reading his daily scriptures

    of Durga & Haidakhandeswari Saptasati. What was Babaji doing while you did that ? I asked and he answered: He was listening of course. Every day ? I asked again with great surprise. Yes of course he said, Who do you think is listening to your recitals and prayers when you do them every

    day ? There and then I realised what I had somehow always taken vaguely for granted but never so literally. This realisation brought the divine a lot

    closer in my prayers from then on, knowing that He really always listens.

    By daily dedicating space in our day to focus on the divine by our

    various practices, we are affirming our relationship with IT, which will shine

  • 29

    through all we do, until separation will melt away and IT will shine through

    us. In this process we experience clarity, inspiration, peace of mind

    and guidance on how to grow and thrive. We find harmony in what we do,

    in what we love, in how to proceed and we are fully opening ourselves to the

    boundless beauty of the Divine.

    There are no new gurus, mantras or practices which can bring you salvation from the outside. You have everything already inside of you. As you are

    reading this I can assume you have come to Babajis door, and it is now your faith and your practice which will invite you inside. Welcome Home !

    Letter to the Indian Samaj regarding the Report on Hospital

    Activities 22nd February 2014

    This is an amazing accomplishment. Thank you for doing it. Being able to serve people is the biggest gift we can give to society. Congratulations to

    your team. One of the activities that have been very effective is the outreach

    program where a van with a Dr or Nurse travels to village and delivers care

    on a monthly or weekly basis. This also helps identify people who need

    care because lot of villagers do not even know that they need care

    until it is too late. Benefits are harder to measure because people are not

    motivated to take care of their health, but the service you and your team is

    doing is not about measurement only. I do not know the financial support

    this effort receives but that is a good cause for all the ashrams to support and

    contribute money, people, volunteers, etc. Love and Peace, Bipin Agarwal

  • 30

    2014 Babaji Mahasamadhi 30 years on! By Lok Nath

    One Christmas I asked for a basketball, everyone in the neighbourhood had

    one, and I got a soccer ball. When I complained, my mother airily said

    something like Well, soccer is important too. For years I carried a festering sense of WHAT * ! - Cant I have what I want? Then it occurred to me that the soccer ball was one mothers way of saying: Dont just follow the crowd, what is life expecting of you? Experiment - discover.

    By February 1984 Id decided that I wanted to live in Haidakhan for the rest of my life: I had a resident visa, a room in the Ashram, and I felt set. On

    February 14th my/our world fell apart. I went into shock. Babajis samadhi felt like a lot more than just not getting what I wanted.

    Over the last 30 years we all, new and old devotees alike, have lamented in

    countless ways the absence of Babajis physical presence. Some pray daily for his return. Some embrace his absence as a gift, a way to live ones own light and presence: a way that would be encumbered if we focus on looking

    outward on a presence as dazzling as Babaji, rather than looking inward

    toward the presence that wants to be expressed through us.

    So now, looking forward to the next 30 years, what can it mean for us as

    individuals and a community to live on a life path without the living Master ?

    For me, there is an incredible richness to what Babaji bequeathed to us.

    Everyone will have their own list and it is a list to have conversations

    about. My list includes:

    - Hospitality (we are a welcoming community that is free of bigotry or

    judgement around the issues of inclusiveness and human sexuality).

    - Open Initiation (we openly initiate all who come with Om Namaha

    Shivaya and the community practices).

    - Wonderful worship (our sung Aarti and fire ceremonies have the added

    quality of being free of doctrine).

    - Earth based Celebrations (the rhythms of Navaratri, Guru Purnima and

    many more festivals, seek to honour).

    - Good stewardship (we care for relationships and the earth, and all who

    dwell on her, to make a better world for all).

    With all of this richness and more, what can our future look like? What

    would it be like for us to name that we have a shared mission: to perpetuate

    the experience and teachings of the Haidakhan Baba lineage and create the

  • 31

    next generation of teachers and practitioners? Is that what we are already

    doing ? Can we pledge to continue to provide opportunities and facilities for

    practitioners to connect with, learn from, and follow in the path

    of the Haidakhan Baba tradition? Can we grow to respect, and work to

    understand, other cultures, traditions, and communities while we strive to

    practice and live in harmony in the Babaji linage? In the spirit of karma yoga,

    can we be caring stewards of this lineage and culture, appreciating that our

    stewardship extends equally to the land, water, animals, and the places of our

    Ashrams and Centres?

    I was thirty five when I met Babaji. This year I will turn seventy. I will not see

    another 30 years, nor will most who knew Babaji in his physical form. I for

    one do not want to go to my death bed having been touched by the

    wonderful richness of Babaji and not work with others to make that wonder

    available to the future.

    TSL - Truth, Simplicity and Love a Koan for Life The first time I heard or saw this expression was at Haidakhan. Memorably,

    someone stitched the letters TSL and the words Truth, Simplicity and Love

    on a piece of cloth, framed it and hung the words next to one of the temples.

    Time and again, Babaji seemed to say that if there was a central teaching of

    his that could be put to words it was: do Japa (repeat Om Namaha

    Shivaya), karma yoga (dedicate time and work to God), and practice

    truth, simplicity and love. With the first two I could at least follow along.

    Truth, Simplicity and Love was different. It has a nice ring, sounds profound,

    easy to say - simple. But what does it mean? Babaji, in my experience, never

    said. So for me it became something of a koan - a kind of inner inquiry where

    I let the words rest over a meaning that wanted to emerge from a deeper

    level of my consciousness than my busy mind. These days during my morning

    practice I say a prayer asking that my thoughts, words and deeds be a

    radiance of truth, simplicity and love. Over the years the saying has meant

    different things. Whether my daily prayer is answered gets to be a daily

    experiment. Babaji himself embodied truth - which is the simplicity of love

    that includes all of creation and everyone and everything within it.

    You may be reading this as a Samaj member or an interested friend.

    Whatever - maybe these simple words can be life giving to you.

    Great peace, Lok Nath

  • 32

    Babaji Disciples Undercover by Kamini - a German medical doctor.

    I want to tell you about a class of Babaji supporters that can easily be

    forgotten as most of the time they remain invisible. They love Him and his

    karmayoga teachings but have no connection to Hinduism. They might have

    other reasons or issues that make them unable or unwilling to practice the

    Haidakhandi devotee lifestyle. They try to be righteous and work in His

    spirit, but normally won't easily call themselves devotees; they might even be

    unsure of being on the right path. To keep faith under such circumstances is a

    hard thing. I would like to tell you my story, not to make myself special, but

    as an example of how an undercover Babaji-supporter might live. I am sure

    there are thousands of people like me in Germany alone. My idea for your

    Samaj would be to deliberately seek out people like me and testimonies like

    mine and to publish them in your Journal. It would be a wonderful satsang.

    I was brought up Catholic and my great aunt, a Franciscan nun, taught me

    Catholic karma yoga and bhakti yoga in a true and simple way. I now revere

    her as an unrecognised saint. But as I could not accept every dogma taught

    by the Catholic Church, I left it in the 1980s. Up until then I had no image of

    God apart from the Catholic image, so I felt lost as, if I had lost God Himself.

    After some confused years, I met with some Babaji devotees in 1988 and

    became a regular visitor to Rieferath. In 1991 Lal Baba lent me his kutir in

    Germany to live in for the winter. It was after this that I made my pilgrimage

    to Haidakhan. On return I started my first doctor job in a mountain village. I

    arrived there bald headed; with a mark on my forehead from a skin

    infection, and with a limp from an infected wound as a result of my climbing

    Mount Kailash. The villagers, old-aged most of them and utterly

    conservative, all shook their heads when they saw me. One year later when

    my contract ran out they had stopped shaking heads and were greeting me in

    the street...

    I was photographed in my room during that time, May 1992, sitting beside a

    table on which a Babaji photo stood. When I showed that photograph of

    mine to a devotee one year after, she said with some astonishment: "Oh

    look, don't you see how much you and Babaji on the photo resemble each

    other, you two have got the same expression on your faces!" That is why I

    dared to write this article. I believe that even undercover devotees like me

    can become like Babaji and most of them won't know it themselves. It must be told to them by others.

  • 33

    But I had no affinity with Hindu rituals, although I had managed to do Japa

    one hour a day from 4am to 5am during the winter in Lal Baba's kutir, in a

    room which was unheated, in order to be prepared for Haidakhan, which I

    thought to be the Capital City of Austerities... but then this was not the

    case, in fact I felt life there to be less difficult and less ascetic than my own life

    during the years before. I could not imagine a future of the whole of

    mankind characterized by constantly prostrating oneself before human demi-

    gods, complicated pujas and lavish burnt-offerings, to be a good future. It

    seemed to me a nightmare, not a dream. I thought: "This Haidakhan game is

    no better than the Roman Catholic game" - and so I left the Herakhandi

    community in 1995 - broken-hearted again.

    The only thing I fully adopted was the karma yoga ideal. Its fruit was my

    writing three thousand pages (3 volumes) of a Homeopathic Materia Medica.

    During all those years I suffered inner torment as to who has the right

    religion? Hindu idolatry is called sinful and demoniacal by Christian dogma as

    well as by the Islamic faith. Bowing down before some mortal human, calling

    him a deity, is forbidden in Christianity, and yet Hindu bhakti and Catholic

    bhakti are very similar. It seemed to me that it would be against all logic, and

    against all justice, to believe that God, who is the God of all humans, would

    ignore prayers of non-Christians. In my prayers I use the names from the

    Christian gospel alternating with the Indian deity names, and fervently call out

    to God again and again, aloud or in thought: Father in Heaven please lead me the right way.

    Shortly after Christmas 2012 God finally sent me a solution to this problem:

    I saw, just for a second, between sleep and waking, an image of

    Jesus Christ and Babaji. They stood beside each other, holding

    each other's hands like brethren, and were of the same physical

    size. They both smiled, in a friendly and somewhat humorous way,

    similar to boys after having won some sporting game together.

    Since that time I know for sure that these two Mahavatars are working

    together, and that the old religious fears of not being taken to heaven or

    even going to eternal hell if one is not Christian at ones time of death, really are wrong. God knows all languages of Earth. I also recognized that they

    smiled because they were contented with the path they had led me.

    In memory of Sri Muni Raji, the King of Under Cover Agents of God.

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    Responses to Babaji Disciples Undercover:

    Babaji spoke about the Sanatan Dharma, and as we all know, it is not a

    specific religion. It is not made only for Hindus, but for all humanity.

    The sanatana dharma has to be understood as a spiritual law which

    shows people the way. All religions exist to show a way. The sanatan

    dharma has to be understood as the basis of all religions. In the Vedic

    tradition, scholars, rishis and holy men made huge efforts to research

    this holy law, to discover and live it. We are all children of these rishis

    all of us. Some people think we follow the Hindu path, but it is not so. We are open to people of all religions. Babaji has directed his call

    to people of all religions. Babaji said that everyone should follow his or

    her own religious path. This way everyone learns how to use their

    religion as a tool for their personal path. Muniraj

    In addition: Paramahansa Yogananda in his book Autobiography of a Yogi

    described Babaji as the Yogi-Christ of modern India. (Ed.)

    In the UK we have a fellowship of people who are undercover agents of

    Babaji, 90% of whom have never performed Hindu puja nor been to any

    ashram anywhere. A number of us meet 8 times a year on the solar festivals

    under the guidance of Peter Dawkins. Peter has always said he sees our

    Teacher Babaji/Christ as the one great Being of the universe. (Ramachandra)

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    In Memoriam

    Mrs Shakuntla Mehta, an old devotee of Babaji has passed away in 2013. We

    offer our condolences to her husband Mr J.L. Mehta, also an ardent devotee

    with his family. Mr Mehta wrote from Ludhiana: Im very sad to inform you

    that my wife Shakuntla Mehta passed away on 14th February 2013, the same

    day as the anniversary of when Babaji left his body. Om Namah Shivay.

    Shri Babajis - Sadashiva Charitamrita A book by Mahavatar Babaji (Autobiography of a Yogi) for the new Golden

    Age. It was revealed in a vision to his first disciple, the saint Mahendra

    Maharaj. By the grace of Mahendra Baba the book was written in Avadh,

    Hindi and Sanskrit and published in 1961.

    Shri Babaji said that everyone should have this book at home, because

    blessing radiated from it. In 1983 after the 9th chapter was dictated by Babaji

    himself and written by Shri Vishnu Datt Shastri, Babaji pressed our present

    chairman Alok Banerjee to get it published very quickly and widely

    distributed. Babaji emphasized the great importance this book has for the

    world and for personal spiritual development. The translation is a very big

    task which should involve all of us as we need to collect funds of around

    100,000 Euro's. The German Samaj is going to oversee and collect the funds

    for the translation in English and German. We humbly request for help in

    realising this project that Shri Babaji has requested of us 30 years ago.

    Below are the banking details : Bank No: 370 502 99 Kreissparkasse

    Kln Account No: 303 13 33 Funds for: Sadashiva Charitamrit IBAN:

    DE83370502990003031333

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    With joy we invite you for Gurupurnima 2014 to the old Siddhashram at

    Schweibenalp. Gurupurnima is a season for celebration and renewal and

    maybe a vision of the future for us personally and our spiritual family. And as

    usual we will follow the daily Haidakhandi program.

    Our two great teachers Babaji and Munirajji have left their bodies and,

    although omnipresent in spirit, their direct physical guidance is no longer

    available. So we feel that it is paramount to meet, reconnect and reorient

    regularly as a family. Our first European Gurupurnima meeting was in 2004

    with Sri Munirajjis blessing. People came from Australia, America, India, Russia, Europe and Asia. We were 220 people from 22 nations and we all

    marvelled how strong the presence and blessings of Sri Babaji were. Since

    then we met every year. One of the reasons we began this programme was

    to further the cooperation between and within national centres, ashrams and

    individuals. Today our central questions are: How do we continue to

    disseminate Babajis teachings? What is our vision? Are we stronger individually or collectively? How to cooperate between our different

    countries? What are our social activities and our outreach? How do we

    communicate within the smaller and the larger networks? How is our

    intergenerational development between elders and the next generation?

    We propose to encourage as many of our youngsters and kids as possible to

    come also to this gathering. If wished they can come together in separate

    meetings to discuss their own issues and/or share with us their views and

    vision.

    10th European Gurupurnima Meeting

    9th 13th July 2014 Schweibenalp, Switzerland

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    For more information please go to:

    http://www.schweibenalp.ch/PDF/Homepage/2014/Gurupurnima_E

    nglisch.pdf

  • 38

    Editorial

    This Edition, dedicated to Lord Bhairava, is about doing our duty, our

    sadhana rigorously, letting go our attachments to what we want or what we

    think we know, and to surrendering the results of our actions to the will of

    the divine. As Kharku says: Bhairav clears our fears of uniting with the divine.

    So in reality Bhairav is our healer. Or as Bhairav says in the poem: I burn away everything that is not love as I am only love.

    About this Journal: as was stated in the last edition, we call this a Journal because we want to invite your articles and letters and to stimulate

    discussion/satsang. Please also send us your country news. For the next

    editions we would particularly like our Indian devotees to tell some

    stories of encounters they had with Babaji. Maximum 400 (1 page) or

    800 words please. If you find the Journal improvable, be bold and let us

    know! So if you want this to be an international journal, choose to be co-

    creators! Thank you to those of you who contributed articles and letters for

    this edition. Oh yes, and lets all continue to support Lal Baba in his work see the website www.planetbabaji.com

    Next Edition: SUMMER 2014 (copy date 26th July 2014). We will include news

    from Gurupurnima in Schweibenalp and we hope for the Journal theme to be

    on Vision Quest. So why not write now and let us know your thoughts and experiences of this theme. Choosing this theme has been inspired by

    Maheshanands visit to Bacca on pages 11 to 14 herein; when he chose to approach his trip there as a Vision Quest. Traditionally a Vision Quest is a

    dedicated wilderness time to re-visioning ones individual path in life. Maybe acting as a seer or elder (and an elder can be of any age), we could choose to

    go into the wilderness to re-vision the future for our tribe or community.

    The responsibility for the content of the IHJ lies with the Editors, with the

    support of their Editorial Board of Alok, Lok Nath, Gayatri Devi, Raghuvir

    and Kharku who assist us in approving the content and style of publication.

    The Editors do not take responsibility for individuals stories or articles. We often need to edit information sent to us, for the purpose of shortening the

    length of articles or improving written English or presentation. Love to all,

    Rob and Gaby. Contact Editors on [email protected]

    This Journal is printed in India by the Haidakhandi Samaj, Regd Office: 54

    Hanuman Road, New Delhi -110 001 Regd No. Delhi S-1455

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    Bhairava has a black dog (Shvan) as his divine vahana.