Monday, June 8th, 2009
I’ve been at Chinmaya Viboothi for a week now. So many stories to tell but only a few can make the cut to the blog since my time is limited. Every now and then I’ll have a post on one particular routine that I often on the ashram but not at home. I’ve been attempting to get internet through a company called “Idea”. I’m still having trouble connecting to the internet. I’ll have to call
customer service in India. I guess the run around here is quite common.
It’s only been a week on the ashram yet I feel like I’ve been here at least a month. I already feel that I’ve known the friends here for a life time. It’s interesting how I always seem to get the same feeling whenever I meet other chyks in other regions. Even though our languages are different that doesn’t seem to change our wavelength. There have been so many classes and activities going on that at times it seems a bit overwhelming. I’m learning a lot no doubt but my body needs to catch up with my mind a bit. :) I’ve been nursing a pretty good headache for the last two days. I guess sleeping at 10:30pm and getting up at 4:45am could be the probable cause. That’s not even 8 hours of sleep! Wowsers! My first Sunday was nice and relaxing. I spend some time with my group learning chanting and setting up our activities for the week. We have to teach our talent to each other. I picked communication and acting since most of the Indians here need some help with their English and acting is just another fun way to do it. Last Thursday, June 4th, we had a sharamayagna in the after. This activity usually involves some kind of physical activity around the ashram. We start off transporting likta japas fr
om the main office (swagatam) to a room near the site of the new Ganesha Temple. Likta japas are mantras that devotees around the world have written in books as form of purification of the mind. They will use these books as the foundation for the new Ganesha Temple that will be constructed in the back of Chinmaya Viboothi (the Ashram). Afterwards we all crammed in the back of the auto riksha and had a pretty fun time. Here is the video of that.
Once we got back we were put on brick scrubbing duty near Swagatam (the front office). The exterior is made of this black stone that has accumulated some kind of white limestone like residue. We tried our best in scrubbing the brick. In some areas were successful in others not so much. That stuff doesn’t come off so easy. In the process some of us managed to get wet as well. :)
On Friday, June 5th, we visited Chinmaya Jeevan Darshan. Chinmaya Jeevan Darshan is pretty much a museum about Gurudev’s (Swami Chinmayanada’s) life from birth to samadhi. Swamis don’t ever die they attend samadhi. Even though their body doesn’t exist they live on eternally. I was a duck in water at the museum. I grew up with gurudev until his samadhi in 1993. He was pretty much like a grandfather to me. However, I never understood his glory until entered this place. There were beautiful murals and video
s that answered your every question about life. They also kept a wax figure of him in a 24 hour air conditioned room. It was amazing! It was as if he was there alive before my eyes. Well in some sense you could say he has always been alive.
I was there nearly 2 hours but still didn’t have enough time to see everything. They had to pretty much kick me out since I was so engrossed in every minuet detail. Chinmaya Jevan Dharshan is a must see for all. I’ll be back
there no doubt since it’s located on the on the ashram.
I’ve been at Chinmaya Viboothi for a week now. So many stories to tell but only a few can make the cut to the blog since my time is limited. Every now and then I’ll have a post on one particular routine that I often on the ashram but not at home. I’ve been attempting to get internet through a company called “Idea”. I’m still having trouble connecting to the internet. I’ll have to call
customer service in India. I guess the run around here is quite common.It’s only been a week on the ashram yet I feel like I’ve been here at least a month. I already feel that I’ve known the friends here for a life time. It’s interesting how I always seem to get the same feeling whenever I meet other chyks in other regions. Even though our languages are different that doesn’t seem to change our wavelength. There have been so many classes and activities going on that at times it seems a bit overwhelming. I’m learning a lot no doubt but my body needs to catch up with my mind a bit. :) I’ve been nursing a pretty good headache for the last two days. I guess sleeping at 10:30pm and getting up at 4:45am could be the probable cause. That’s not even 8 hours of sleep! Wowsers! My first Sunday was nice and relaxing. I spend some time with my group learning chanting and setting up our activities for the week. We have to teach our talent to each other. I picked communication and acting since most of the Indians here need some help with their English and acting is just another fun way to do it. Last Thursday, June 4th, we had a sharamayagna in the after. This activity usually involves some kind of physical activity around the ashram. We start off transporting likta japas fr
om the main office (swagatam) to a room near the site of the new Ganesha Temple. Likta japas are mantras that devotees around the world have written in books as form of purification of the mind. They will use these books as the foundation for the new Ganesha Temple that will be constructed in the back of Chinmaya Viboothi (the Ashram). Afterwards we all crammed in the back of the auto riksha and had a pretty fun time. Here is the video of that.
Once we got back we were put on brick scrubbing duty near Swagatam (the front office). The exterior is made of this black stone that has accumulated some kind of white limestone like residue. We tried our best in scrubbing the brick. In some areas were successful in others not so much. That stuff doesn’t come off so easy. In the process some of us managed to get wet as well. :)
On Friday, June 5th, we visited Chinmaya Jeevan Darshan. Chinmaya Jeevan Darshan is pretty much a museum about Gurudev’s (Swami Chinmayanada’s) life from birth to samadhi. Swamis don’t ever die they attend samadhi. Even though their body doesn’t exist they live on eternally. I was a duck in water at the museum. I grew up with gurudev until his samadhi in 1993. He was pretty much like a grandfather to me. However, I never understood his glory until entered this place. There were beautiful murals and video
s that answered your every question about life. They also kept a wax figure of him in a 24 hour air conditioned room. It was amazing! It was as if he was there alive before my eyes. Well in some sense you could say he has always been alive.I was there nearly 2 hours but still didn’t have enough time to see everything. They had to pretty much kick me out since I was so engrossed in every minuet detail. Chinmaya Jevan Dharshan is a must see for all. I’ll be back
there no doubt since it’s located on the on the ashram.