December 8: Time Correction

by Michael Mamas | Thursday, December 4, 2014 | Vedic Technology | 14 comments

Regarding the previous blog about December 8, the time is actually 4:30 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. Asheville, NC time.

On that day, morning meditation at Mount Soma will begin at 4:30 a.m. and will be two rounds. All who practice Surya Ram Meditation are welcome to attend.

Note: Several have asked to attend the ceremony in the temple. Panditji made it clear that this would not work. It is like an arrow, the tip should be at one point. Multiple points blunt the tip. However, what is important is to be part of the arrowhead. All are welcome to join in by meditating while the group is meditating, wherever you are in the world.

Auspicious Time December 8

by Michael Mamas | Wednesday, November 26, 2014 | Vedic Technology | 13 comments

There is a rare jyotish combination on December 8 from 3-4:30 am.  It is said in the Vedas that if all the following are present, it is extremely auspicious.  If a Rudrabhishekam is performed at that time, it will on a subtle level clear karmic obstacles and problems that don’t seem to clear otherwise. Problems in life that have no identifiable cause will simply melt away.  It is very difficult to find remedies to address karma all the way to this subtle level.

These are the factors:

1) The Vedic month is Margashira Maas, which is a Vishnu month.  Lord Krishna said in the Bhagavad Gita that this month is the top for evolution. There are full Vishnu qualities this month.

2) Moon is in Ardra Nakshatra (area around a star in Gemini) on December 8.  It is a Shiva Nakshatra.  On December 8 from 3-4:30 am  (a daily time period called Brahma Muhurtha), you can see this red fiery star in the northeast.  It is very unusual to ever be able to see that star.

3) It is a Monday… the day of Shiva.

It would be very good if you would meditate during this early morning time… 3-4:30 a.m. EST on December 8.  The benefits should be wonderful.  The Age of Enlightenment is blossoming!

To share something personal, I was planning to ask Pandit Prasad if he would perform with me a Rudrabhishekam before he left to India on December 8 (he and Lakshmi will be visiting family).  I did not know why.  It was just a strong and recurring feeling.  Then out of the blue, Lakshmi sent an email to me with a request to attend the Rudrabhishekam.

Approach from Every Angle

by Michael Mamas | Sunday, October 12, 2014 | Vedic Technology | 3 comments

Yesterday after the Ganesh puja in the temple the following came to my mind that I was compelled to get up and share with the group:

“In meditation you rest into the absolute… pure consciousness, pure is-ness.  From that depth of your being, the influence wells up and permeates all levels of your being.  You know that it is something best done twice daily.  Over time it cultures the physiology in the direction of enlightenment.

The pujas, havans, and all the ceremonies at the temple approach from a different angle.  Obviously there is the physical aspect of the procedure.  From there is permeates the physiology more and more deeply… through the levels of thoughts, feelings, etc. ultimately touching and enlivening the depth of your being.

It is as if meditation goes from the bottom [or depth] up and the ceremonies go from the top down.  Meditation awakens you to the unstructured, pure abstraction, which lies at the basis of all life and existence.  The ceremonies awaken you to the deepest structured level of existence and permeate all levels of your being from there.  That is why it is best to not actually meditate during the ceremonies but to instead keep your attention on the ceremony.  To transcend, to bring the attention to the unstructured level, is different from staying with the structured and enliving the Absolute from there.  It is like the distinction between Atman and Buddhi… transcendence and the very finest relative.

Meditation waters the root of life.  The ceremonies, mantras, etc. direct their nourishment through specific aspects of life, depending upon the deity (personified aspect), sankalpa (specific purpose), etc.  You can have a havan for health, wealth, happiness, or even more specific things.  Often the results are felt immediately.  However, as with meditation, it is best viewed as a culturing process.  Every day, every day, every day do your meditations and attend the temple.  Culture your being to live in harmony with nature day by day.

It does not really make a lot of sense to only meditate on special holidays.  No!  Of course not!  People understand that meditation is a culturing process that is done twice daily. But it seems few understand that attending the temple is also a culturing process best done every day.  You can attend pujas, havans, do japa, pradakshina, etc.  It does not have to be for an extended period of time.  Just attend the temple and touch in, touch in, touch in.”

I then asked Panditji to comment to the group about what I said and to feel free to correct or refine anything that he felt was not exactly right.  As he and I both have enjoyed through the years his knowledge gave beautiful confirmation to what I said.

Another important approach is that of knowledge, but not just intellectual facts but true understanding from the depth.  My lectures are for that purpose.  I remember years ago, after attending a number of my lectures someone said, “I think there is a lot more going on here than just a lecture.”  Honestly I was a bit shocked that it took them time to understand that.  Yet I was delighted that they now understood.  What we offer here at Mount Soma, daily group meditation, the temple, and the lectures are all great catalysts to your evolution.  Make hay while the sun shines!

Mandalabhishekam

by Michael Mamas | Thursday, July 17, 2014 | Vedic Technology | 6 comments

You know it was a good day when at the end of the day your cheeks are sore from smiling so much.  Yesterday, July 16 being 45 days since the Hanuman statue installation, was the Mandalabhishekam.

There was something special about the day from the very beginning.  The feeling in the air reminded me of those days, decades ago, when my teacher, Maharshi, was somewhere, anywhere, in the area.  Everything was permeated with His being, with the Divine.  There was a sweet, yet profound sense of crystal clarity within everything.  One could say that every day at Mount Soma feels that way, but yesterday that feeling was particularly tangible.

Proceedings started with a Ganesh Puja in the temple.  Then a Hanuman Havan and Kalash Puja, followed by the Nagadevata Abhishekam and Puja, and concluding with the Hanuman Abhishekam and Puja. Concurrent with all of this is the summer meditation retreat. 

To describe the feeling as joyous would be, for me, an understatement.  The celebrations here are ever-increasingly powerful and profound as our community continues to grow and prosper.

We are all very blessed.