Hello! Blessings to you all from India.
We have just returned from a big Narayani puja. All of us were up out of bed early to walk in the relative stillness of the pre-dawn into the temple precinct, where a bevvy of devotional practices take place every day. We took our places as the bells began calling Narayani to wake up from her Cosmic sleep, and arise into the chamber of our hearts.
We had a very blissful time, then meditated in Shanti Mandapam (the hall where Amma performs puja almost everyday). Saraswati took us on an internal journey, into the presence of the Devi. One of our party, Paul had his disciple initiation, right on the stage in front of where Amma sits to do puja. It was profound. He told us that he had been praying all day yesterday for this initiation, and that he had dreamt last night that he was being initiated on the stage in Shanti Mandapam, which he thought was ridiculous because we don’t ordinarily have Shakti Durga sessions there. Well, clearly the Devi had other ideas and there we were, just like in his vision. Shankara from Adelaide also had disciple initiation and was flying high and I think he still is.
When we returned to the Narayani temple for the second half of the Puja, we felt Narayani within responding each time one of the many aarti lamps were waved before the Murti.
We only have a few days left on our retreat, which has whizzed by so fast. Everyone is well (Yay) and the energy is high. We are now beginning to envisage the year that is to come, and asking that the blessings pour into everything that is going to occur, so it can happen with as much ease and grace as possible.
This year Shanti Mission will have teachers in England, Scotland, Germany, Brazil, China, New Zealand, USA and Canada, connecting people to the Divine and helping them to bring the Divine into every day life. It hardly seems long ago when there was just one class of people meeting each Thursday morning in Cooranbong. I remember saying at the time, one day we will be all over world and will look back with gratitude at this sacred time we have had together. And here we are.
For my part, I am very excited to be developing Ignite Your Spirit (IYS) therapist training to a new level, and teaching it this year each Monday. I think our healing clinics will be spaces of miracles and illumination, so if you are unwell or have friends or relatives who need help, get them to come and book in to our clinics each Monday and Wednesday morning.
We have also been given the floor plan for the guesthouse we stay in at Peedam, and Amma has blessed the building of a similar structure at Cooranbong. We have engaged an architect, a disciple Sita (Christina Kim) who has already started to adapt the building to the given circumstances.
Namaste, and happy new year. I am so looking forward to seeing everyone soon, and merging with you to ignite the spirit of the Divine Mother within us all.
Shakti Durga
