.....than are dreamt of in your philosophy - Hamlet Act 1 ScV

 It's been a turbulent few months.

It was a joyful summer; my (other) wonderful son married his beautiful bride, Gillian. I visited loving friends and relatives in the UK; I was in America for a month where I spent a week at Gloria's cabin beside lake Tahoe -kayaking and hiking and watching the Independence Day fireworks from a boat on the lake;

The joy and grace was somewhat tempered by a lower than usual level of energy due to an amoebic parasite taking up residency in my gut.  This was finally diagnosed and treated appropriately when I returned to India at the end of September.  However, no sooner had I landed in Delhi than a member of the moss-keet-toe squadron spotted me and inoculatd me with  Dengue fever which is very debilitating and takes several weeks for full recovery.  The final blow came with an episode of fever and diarrhoea which ensured that I would spend a few weeks doing little more than lying in bed.

Some folk may think of this as a cleansing or purification.  The yogic term would be "Tapasya" - physical challenge leading to spiritual upliftment. And it is certainly true that the last few days have seen not only the return of higher levels of energy, but also a deeper experience of love and peace in meditation, along with an awareness of a deeper devotion to God and guru. And this carries over into the whole day.  It really feels like the return to a state of grace for which I am extremely grateful.

Up in the mountains at Ananda Rainbow ashram/farm/school/retreat we had a french visitor - Celine - a neuroscientist and a great soul - some might say a "Lightworker".  We witnessed a shamanic style ritual to find and remove a curse that had been placed on the house.  Inside the house 2 drummers drummed and chanted.  A third man went into a trance state. After 5 minutes or so he walked into one of the rooms, threw some coloured rice at a spot on the wall and marked out a10 inch square. The 18 inch thick slate and plaster section of wall was excavated and the debiris collected on a sheet.  When it was examined the source of the curse was discovered - a tooth from a dead body wrapped in thread.  This process of drumming, trance and excavation was repeated and another foreign object found.

The next day my friend Mahavir visited the local "wizard lady"  who said there were more curses.  So that night saw a repeat performance of drumming (this time with dervish dance), trance, and the recovery of 2 more curse objects.  The lady indicated that there were no more, that the process was complete. (The objects were destroyed). 

This raises bundles of questions doesn't it? What are the chances of discovering these small objects in a building comprising 9 rooms (accommodating 10 family, animals, schoolroom, my accommodation, 2 guest rooms and a storeroom) How does this work?  Is it  magic? Voodoo?  And what do these terms mean anyway? And why would anyone wish to harm Mahavir and his family?  Could it be simple jealousy?  Or is it something more sinister?  For what drives such behaviour?  Are there forces at work in the world promoting evil?  Is there in fact a battle in the ether, in the consciousness of the world; a battle between the forces of good and the forces of evil.  Many people would suggest that there is. I would too.  Where does jealousy come from?  Where does hate come from? Are these emotions not manifestations of evil? I have worked for nearly 10 years with clients who have what are sometimes called "entities" .  They are spiritual and energetic parasites and they are as draining and damaging as the physical parasites that I had recently.  I regularly use protection rituals and prayer to guard against these spiritual parasites.  When I remember to do this I generally feel well.  If I forget for a while I often suffer the physical or emotional consequences of what I call "incongruent energy" - or an entity. I recognise it because it feels like I am "not me".  This is a big subject  which cannot be adequately addressed in this blog so I'll write more about this in the next few weeks.

Today is Remembrance Day.  The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month 1918 saw the end of World War 1.  My guru Paramhansa Yogananda ascribed not only war but also natural disasters on the planet  to the consciousness of hate and anger, selfishness and greed in the world.  Mother Theresa would not join a "fight for Peace" because the energy of "fight" adds to the consciousness of hate. The Dalai Lama says that we must BE the peace which we wish to see in the world.  Peace, Joy and Love in the world starts with each of us. Of course we get challenged regularly to maintain our peaceful and loving true nature.  Work, life events, relations, even (especially!) those closest to us can test our patience and love.  As we grow spiritually, as we become more loving - not just to those close to us but to all people -  we can meet these tests more easily.  We can increase the energy of love and peace in the world.  We can support the forces of Good in the world.  As we are loving, peaceful and kind we support the consciousness of the world in those qualities. As we become more loving - not just to those close to us but to all people -  we can meet these tests more easily.  We can increase the energy of love and peace in the world.  We can support the forces of Good in the world.  As we are loving, peaceful and kind we support the consciousness of the world in those qualities.

There is a quote about yoga which I hold very dear " The aim of yoga is to attune to our higher nature - to be all that we can be - loving , peaceful, wise and strong".  You don't have to practise yoga postures to achieve this (though it helps); you don't have to meditate to achieve this (though it helps a lot); all you have to do is practise Peace and Love.  That's why it's called a practice - the more you do it the better you get. Here's a nice practice.  Walk down the street and mentally send love to each person you pass, whether you know them or not.  Just notice how much better you feel after doing this for just a few minutes. So imagine how good you would feel if you did this to every person you saw during the whole day.

A final quote from Paramhansa Yogananda: "Harmony is born of love and wisdom.  These in turn are born of a heart that is pure and outreaching"

May each one of you be filled with Divine Love and Wisdom.  May Harmony fill your lives, and may you, your families and friends, and the peoples of the world be blessed with Peace.

Love and Peace to you

Stan