Editor
Sahaja Yoga Workshop participants
On the weekend of 11-12 October 2008 a Sahaja Yoga seminar/workshop was held in Northern Tasmania at Golden Valley. “Mountainside Nature Retreat” was the venue, set on the side of an old volcano-shaped peak amongst blooming blackwoods, daffodils, and very happy birds.
The Goddess of Spring gave Her best show with warm clear sunshine, morning mist and many flowers. On the Friday night there was a welcome, and then the Theatre of Eternal Values’ production of “Friends” was played, followed by songs and meditation.
This was followed by a sumptuous dinner that set the standard for the weekend. The twenty people who came were very generous with food and marvelled at the quantity and quality.
Meditations and workshops happened on Saturday, using the elements: water for foot-soaking and sitting on the earth. The film, “Freedom and Liberation”, was played, before the usual scrumptious dinner.
Sunday morning’s meditation was very beautiful and strong. A talk given by Shri Mataji in Brisbane was played on video.
The barbeque lunch was very joyous and everyone enjoyed the open air, eating a local butcher’s chicken sausages and patties.
Here are some comments from the people who attended the workshop:
“When I go to meditation groups, after a while I need my own space. I couldn’t stay away from you all!”
“I didn’t know people could be so happy and beautiful. ‘Spirituality’ is usually serious.”
“Her photo fills this room with love and joy.”
One lady was monitoring her acid levels, and couldn’t believe they were neutral after all the food she ate at the weekend!
Phillip and Sarah Frankcombe
Sahaja Yoga is again holding a Self-realisation Stall in Chatswood Shopping Mall, Chatswood in Sydney, on Friday 7th November, from 9.00 am till 4.00 pm.
This will be held as part of the twice-yearly Charities Day held in Victoria Avenue, Chatswood, just down from Chatswood station.
Please come along. We would love to see you there!
Trees reflected in lake
“Why has God created this beautiful universe?” has been a question asked for thousands of years. The reason is very simple to understand. This beauty that is created cannot see itself. In the same way, God who is the source of beauty, cannot see His own beauty. Like a pearl cannot enter into itself to see its beauty, like the sky cannot understand its own beauty, the stars cannot see their own beauty, the sun cannot behold its brilliance. In the same way, God Almighty cannot behold His own being. He needs a mirror. And that’s how He has created this beautiful universe as His mirror.
In this mirror, He has created now the beautiful things like the sun. The sun has to see his own reflection also. So He has created these beautiful trees to see that when he shines they come up so well and look so green.
Reflections in lake
Then He has created those birds to rise early in the morning to greet the sun, so that the sun knows that “Yes, I am there, I am existing.” Or else He has created these beautiful lakes for these trees to see their reflection and the lakes to feel their existence when the ripples start moving within themselves.
So then He created human beings. The human beings also cannot see their own beauty, their own glory. That’s why they are in the darkness. They are ignorant. They cannot see what lies within themselves. So they are running after something which is absolutely against themselves, which is ugliness, which is self-destructive. And the struggle to get to reality is such a lot that, as a result, they destroy themselves – like people have taken to these drugs, taken to all bad habits because they do not know what beautiful things they are.
So now a mirror has to be created for them to see for themselves, how beautiful they are. Their mirror is their spirit. That spirit is to be brought in their consciousness, in their attention. If it comes in their attention, then they can see their image.
Shri Mataji, 1983
(First photograph: estrip.org; Second photograph: cavinguk.co)
I was gardening, or should I say weeding. As I did so I asked that Shri Ganesha would cleanse my chakras and take away all the obstacles to the success of the Sahaja Yoga programs in Newcastle, Australia, as well as to my own ascent.
Financial concerns popped up for a moment, as my mind went to the cost of new photos, CDs, DVDs and hire of a hall, as it was about the same time as the new Sahaja Yoga programs were beginning in Newcastle. I knew my car needed new brake pads, and so my busy mind attempted to tell me I needed at least $1000 to register the car. I stopped my thoughts and told myself that I have all the faith in Shri Mataji and if my faith was complete, then I shouldn’t need to replace anything. The pads should fix themselves. Why not? If Shri Mataji says so, then it is possible. The thoughts drifted away and I went back to weeding.
The reason I knew I had to replace the brake pads is that I had been told last year at vehicle registration time that the brakes had only just passed the test. An NRMA safety check had also told me that I needed new rear brake pads.
On the morning that the film about Shri Mataji was to be shown in Charlestown, a suburb of Newcastle, I took my car to Goodyear Tyres to get the brake pads fixed. I was told the job would take two hours. So I came armed with my laptop, and started to do some work sitting in the sun. About twenty minutes after they had taken my car for repair, I was stunned to see it was back in the car park already.
I walked back inside and the receptionist told me that she would be with me in a minute. I was a little confused. I hadn’t wanted to hang around there for two hours but I did want the work done. I was then told by the owner that my brakes were fine and didn’t need anything done to them. She had even had two more mechanics check them and they all agreed that there was no problem with the brakes.
My face lit up with a ridiculous grin as I said, “Never mind that they are OK when they shouldn’t be. You are honest enough to tell me!”
The message is simple: JUST HAVE FAITH! Forget what our logic and reasoning say and have faith that things will work out. Please believe in Shri Mataji and that we truly do operate in a Divine world.
Lisa