BHAKTI MARGA SA: monthly newsletter july - august 2017

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1 July - August 2017 Events / Prayers 30/06-02/07/2017 Retreat and Seva planting at Sri Vishwananda Nilaya Ashram 09/07/2017 Guru Purnima celebrations at Sri Maha Jwala Narasimha Temple & Sri Maha Shanta Narasimha Temple 09/07/2017 Seva Project, JHB 09/07/2017 Fullmoon Om Chanting at Eagles View Yoga Studio, Gillitts & Sri Maha Shanta Narasimha Temple 07-17/07/2017 Retreat to Shree Peetha Nilaya for Guru Purnima and Just Love Festival 16/07/ Minutes Om Chanting for Nelson Mandela Day with Savitri, JHB 18/07/ Minutes Om Chanting for Nelson Mandela Day with Savitri, JHB 23/07/2017 Om Chanting and Yoga in the Park with Upendrananda at Zoo Lake, JHB 23/07/2017 Narasimha Yagna Tour with Swami Vishwachakradharananda at Bloemfontein Hindu Association 28-30/07/2017 Bhakti Marga Stall at ABH Fair 30/07/2017 Japa Walk & Seva at Sri Vishwananda Nilaya with Swami Vishwachakradharananda 08/08/2017 Om Chanting with Rangadevi Dasi at Live Shanti Yoga Studio, Mpumulanga 04/08/2017 Varalakshmi Vratham Prayers at Sri Maha Shanta Narasimha Temple 07/08/2017 Fullmoon Om Chanting at Corne Place, Malvern, Sri Maha Shanta Narasimha Temple and Isipingo Hindi Sabha 08-14/08/2017 Gita Week at Sri Maha Shanta Narasimha Temple with Swami Vishwachakradharananda 14/08/2017 Krishna Janmashtami Celebrations at Sri Maha Jwala Narasimha Temple & Sri Maha Shanta Narasimha Temple with Swami Vishwachakradharananda 25/08/2017 Ganesha Chaturthi Celebrations at Sri Maha Shanta Narasimha Temple & Sri Maha Jwala Narasimha Temple with Swami Vishwachakradharananda 26/08/2017 Simply Meditation Course with Krubashini at Westville Civic Centre Library 26-27/08/2017 Atma Kriya Yoga Course with Swami Vishwachakradharananda, JHB 27/08/ th Year Sadhana Anniversary Om Chanting and Atma Kriya Group Practice at Botanical Gardens 29/08/2017 Radhastami Celebrations at Sri Maha Jwala Narasimha Temple & Sri Maha Shanta Narasimha Temple with Swami Vishwachakradharananda BM Weekly Calendar Shri Maha Shanta Narasimha Temple - KZN Shri Maha Kripalu Gayatri Devi Temple - KZN Monday Tuesday Thursday Friday Saturday Om Chanting & Bhajan Practice 18H30 Satsang 19H00 Yagna & Abhishekam 18H00 Abhishekam 9H00 & Satsang 18H30 Om Chanting 18H30 Shri Maha Jwala Narasimha Temple Guru Puja, Abhishekam, Yagna & Satsang on Saturdays 14H00-17H00 Full Moon & weekly Om Chantings at various venues in JHB 01 - Bhakti Marga SA Monthly Newsletter July-August (NPO )

2 30/06-02/07/2017 Retreat and Seva planting at Sri Vishwananda Nilaya 09/07/2017 Guru Purnima celebrations at Sri Maha Jwala & Sri Maha Shanta Narasimha Temple 09/07/2017 Seva Project, JHB 16/07/ Minutes Om Chanting for Nelson Mandela Day with Savitri, JHB 02 - Bhakti Marga SA Monthly Newsletter July-August (NPO )

3 23/07/2017 Narasimha Yagna Tour with Swami Vishwachakradharananda at Bloemfontein Hindu Association 28-30/07/2017 Bhakti Marga Stall at ABH Fair 30/07/2017 Japa Walk & Seva at Sri Vishwananda Nilaya with Swami Vishwachakradharananda 04/08/2017 Varalakshmi Vratham Prayers at Sri Maha Shanta Narasimha Temple 26-27/08/2017 Atma Kriya Yoga Course with Swami Vishwachakradharananda, JHB 03 - Bhakti Marga SA Monthly Newsletter July-August (NPO )

4 07-17/07/2017 Retreat to Shree Peetha Nilaya for Guru Purnima and Just Love Festival Reflections by Verushka Pather: I have been blessed with 5 years of Darshan (sighting of God) and many miracles. I know now they are just games to entice my heart, divine gifts, the opportunity to dance in a heightened arena of Shakti worship, Navaratri and the mercy to be enveloped in a cocoon of supreme, pure love. So the invite for JUST LOVE FESTIVAL was a personal gift from my Lord Himself. Swami Vishwananda was so merciful and always blessed me with many opportunities to be close to Him and the special part of my visit is that He gave this time as a personal experience for me to internalize. The holy abode of Paramahamsa Sri Swami Vishwananda, Shree Peetha Nilaya Ashram in Springen, Germany is the meeting of many hearts, a family and community focused on divine love and unity and the journey of travelling souls arriving home to merge into the nectar of pure love. The JUST LOVE FESTIVAL is the coming together of individuals from diverse religious & cultural backgrounds sharing the same goal of Unity and the opportunity to evolve in consciousness. The 3-day festival was a burst of spiritual freedom and the simple acknowledgment that we are one with the divine. The HOLI Festival was a celebration of love, life and happiness. It reminded us to be free from the restrictions that we put on ourselves and simply be in the moment. It was the most amazing day of fun and loads of colour. The KIRTAN, singing that happens daily in the morning and evening is the one accessible form of Bhakti (devotion) that draws upon the energetic vibration of the divine names of our Supreme Deities. And all names and forms from all religions are acknowledged and praised through technically classical to the electrifying modern rock genres of music. For some of us it was the dancing and the letting go in the music and for some it was the sublime silence of MEDITATION that allowed them to receive insightful wisdom, become one with nature and experience the oneness of self through Love. From the blessing of Swami Vishwananda, I have been able to meet amazing artists and souls from all over the globe and after an intoxicating day of Holi, Kirtan, Dancing and Prayer we would gather early hours of the morning to enjoy the mercy of the day, share our experiences and have great laughs over the scrumptious savoury sweets and delectable vegetarian and vegan dishes provided by the Ashram. JUST LOVE contains everything, the entire universe. It describes a Love that has been addressed before - after all, there is essentially nothing new to add to the wisdom of the Holy Scriptures of both East and West - yet the way this Love is addressed is new and speaks to us at the beginning of the 21st century in a way that touches us deeply. Sri Swami Vishwananda's message is simple; Just Love. Yes, just love. Love is all there is. Love is all you have to do; Reflections by Visshudha: This was my first visit to Springen, and it will definitely not be my last. From the moment you enter the ashram grounds there is a very different energy, where the love is almost tangible. The highlight of the trip was Guru Purnima celebrations; it was a spiritually uplifting experience with devotees from around the world. I also enjoyed partaking in seva duties around the ashram in preparation for the colourful festival, most notably the painting of decorations. Last but not least I am in awe of the selfless service of all the devotees that were involved in the festival and are responsible for the seamless operation of SPN Bhakti Marga SA Monthly Newsletter July-August (NPO )

5 Reflections by Syllesha: Driving into Springen (my first time) was an exciting feeling to know that I am at the heart of Bhakti Marga and will be seeing our beloved Guruji, Swamis and fellow bhaktas. Guru Purnima celebrations was no doubt a truly magical time with tons of emotions - couldn't stop thinking how blessed I am to have this opportunity. The 108 bhajan throughout the day was epic, and allowed devotees from all over the world to express their bhakti (devotion) and love at the lotus feet of Guruji. During the lead up to the Just Love Festival we saw the ashram go through a massive makeover. So much effort with immense dedication and love by residents of Shree Peetha Nilaya Ashram as well as devotees from far and wide. It was an incredible experience that exceeded any expectations. The entrance was beautifully styled with vibrant colours, empty fields became populated with campers and the ashram grounds filled up to create three days of partying in the name of love and spirituality. From the yoga hut, to delicious food stalls, fresh fruit juice bars, yoga and meditation classes, rocking kirtan sessions from rap to bhajans, most detailed and beautiful tattoos, colorful Holi festival to the Castell human tower - it was truly 10 days of love intoxication allowing my heart to open and the mind to close. Thank you to my Satguru Paramahamsa Sri Swami Vishwananda for giving us this Festival of Love - if you have not been, it's a not to be missed event. Jai Gurudev? Reflections by Merylene: It was my second time at the Just Love festival and Guru Purnima Celebrations at SPN and it has become my favourite time of the year because I get to celebrate Divine Love with my Satguru and other bhaktas from around the world at this beautiful ashram. It's a real blessing that our Satguru has connected us to a worldwide spiritual family; through this connection via him we become instruments of Peace and Divine Love. These few days allowed me to forget about myself, my identity and my life and just be in the present moment in Divine Love with the Highest Love; it's priceless. I love how at this festival, the east and west spiritual lifestyle is fused together for something contemporary in devotional worship. It starts with the kirtans all the way to the food; Traditional Krishna bhajans mixed with modern rock, electro or rap music, discourses, yoga and healthy nutritious vegetarian food. To live a life of love is a journey, its starts with an experience and becomes a lifestyle and no doubt I have experienced this at the Just Love festival at SPN. Thank you Guruji and Babaji, we remain eternally grateful for such beautiful experiences; words cannot express the heart Bhakti Marga SA Monthly Newsletter July-August (NPO )

6 Reflections by Narayani: Spending 10 days at Shree Peetha Nilaya ashram and seeing our Satguru Paramahamsa Sri Swami Vishwananda everyday was incredible (I don't actually have any word to describe this feeling). Guru Purnima was filled with a feeling of gratitude. The day was packed with soul stirring kirtans and the highlight was just seeing our beloved on this special day! Then we moved onto the Just Love Festival, I have never experienced something so beautiful. Watching people from all cultural backgrounds coming together, singing and dancing for Guru and God was something that every person should experience. During the Just Love Festival we also celebrated Holi... nothing else mattered during that time; we could truly just be intoxicated with LOVE. A couple weeks later and I still feel my heart bursting with LOVE. Jai Gurudev! 14/08/2017 Krishna Janmashtami Celebrations at Sri Maha Shanta Narasimha Temple 25/08/2017 Ganesha Chaturthi Celebrations at Sri Maha Shanta & Sri Maha Jwala Narasimha Temple 27/08/ th Sadhana Anniversary Om Chanting & Atma Kriya Group Practice - Botanical Gardens 29/08/2017 Radhastami Celebrations at Sri Maha Jwala & Sri Maha Shanta Narasimha Temple 06 - Bhakti Marga SA Monthly Newsletter July-August (NPO )