Bulletin 2021.1 - Thursday, 4 March 2021
Dear sisters and brothers,
Please find the details of all the announcements made by Daaji after the group meditation last Sunday:
1. What to do after one’s relatives have passed on?
I have shared my experience with so many of you about what happened when I was asked by the elderly parents to visit the family of a younger man who passed on because of a heart attack. I knew his parents because they worked in the library at our Manapakkam ashram.
Distraught as they were, on the very first day, I could see that because of the sitting they were freed from the gloomy atmosphere that engulfed the whole family, including the daughter-in-law. Not only were they freed from gloominess, but there was also some sort of spiritual aura gripping the atmosphere. Even the relatives, friends and acquaintances who were present felt relieved. Then, day after day I went for all thirteen days, as something pushed me into experiencing these sessions. This was in 2012 if I remember correctly. And each day, as it proceeded, I could see movement from one level to another level in the departed being, traversing all the thirteen chakras, one day at a time. This does not mean that because of this practice the departed being will reach the thirteenth point, but it will aid their onward journey.
So, this is the beauty of the Heartfulness practices – that we are able to observe some peace during these thirteen days, and something magical happens. Perhaps that’s why our elders created a tradition of thirteen days of prayerful mourning. Only when I attended those particular meditation sessions was I able to appreciate the beauty behind this tradition of the thirteen day observance.
Unfortunately, in the past, people lost the real fragrance and significance of these meditation sessions; they did not follow the practice once the tradition was established in our country. As they say, the knowledge of pranahuti, of how to transmit, how to clean, was gone from amongst humans as soon as that Rishi who made all these things happen seventy-two generations before Raja Dasharatha was no longer there. He did not pass on the knowledge and the tradition.
Today, as Heartfulness practitioners, we can revive this tradition of observing these thirteen day sessions, silently, prayerfully and reverentially. Each evening or morning, as per the convenience of the family members, please meditate together. Also, Lalaji’s desire was that on the twelfth and thirteenth days the family mourning the loss of their dear one should serve food to poor people.
2. Don’t become a prisoner to your own belief system.
It’s a very powerful statement, actually. We have seen the effect of rituals, dogmas and belief systems. When we blindly believe without understanding the true significance of any ritual or practice, we remain trapped. Of course, after many generations, when the significance of a belief system is somehow understood, then we realize the why and how of it. Until then, rituals remain rituals.
Take the tradition of a married lady putting a tika, a bindi on her forehead. It was traditionally done with herbs from a plant source, not with chemicals, and nowadays they put the stickers. It has its own significance, but somehow it is slowly disappearing from amongst us. When an educated person is asked, “Why do you wear this tika?”, not knowing the significance, and not to look like a fool, to avoid future questions, the lady often stops wearing the bindi, and thus avoids the ritual.
While that is understandable, the innocent villagers from amongst Indian society are carrying on this tradition, however blindly they have been following it. They don’t mind if you call them foolish. They say, “Oh, we are all uneducated people. Fine.” One day, someone will realize the true meaning of wearing a bindi, why it was done in the first place, in the same way that now we understand the importance of Ekadashi. I have shared time and again the importance of autophagy and fasting, and now scientists are saying, “Wow, it is a wonderful thing to do.”
But we should also not become a prisoner of our own traditions. We have to understand them carefully and try to apply a scientific approach to that understanding so that our youngsters appreciate these traditions with confidence.
3. Heartfulness Schools
I would also like to make an announcement about our two schools. One is the Omega International School, which offers the State Board, iOS, IB, Cambridge and CBSE programs. It has boarding – boys and girls can choose to stay on campus, and they can also travel back and forth to the school from the local Manapakkam ashram. It is safe: Especially during the COVID period such campuses have become a boon, since entry and exit are very restricted. The danger of contracting COVID is considerably reduced to less than 2%.
At the school here in Kanha, The Heartfulness Learning Centre (THLC), we invite students to enrol up to the 9th Grade. Hopefully, for the coming year, we will be ready with admission up to 10th Grade as well. At Kanha, CBSE is currently the only program available. And, again, it is quite safe: Whoever wants to enter the Kanha campus must undergo 10 to 14 days of quarantine, and we try to protect each other well. I invite parents with children to register their eligible students to join THLC.
4. Sunday Meditations with Daaji
From this coming Sunday, 7 March, the time of our group meditation will change to 7 a.m. for summertime. We welcome all newcomers and invite you to join us by 6:45 a.m. so that you have time to settle and be guided through the Heartfulness Relaxation and instructions for meditation before the session starts. The actual group meditation will start around 7 a.m.
Another good thing that will commence on Sunday, 14 or 21 March, is that the Aastha TV channel will be sharing our Sunday meditation sessions at 9 a.m. As far as I know, this will continue throughout the year, and this program will be known as “Meditation with Daaji.” 5. Universal prayer at 9 p.m.
I also invite all our Heartfulness practitioners to sit at 9 p.m. every evening and offer universal prayer. The following words can be offered prayerfully:
All sisters and brothers throughout the world are developing intense love and devotion, and faith is growing stronger in them. All kinds of distractions faced by our country and our globe are going away. May this entire Earth be engulfed with peace, with love, and with the Master’s Grace.
This is to be done at 9 p.m. sharp, thank you.
