Dear Family,
Jai Shri Mataji!
Please enjoy this latest letter from the Yogis on India Tour:
Nargol Christmas Puja Seminar
We arrived at the Nargol Christmas Puja Seminar to the strains of the Ganesha Atharva Sheesha to mark the beginning of the Havan. We were guided to the front of the crowds. The Havan continued with beautiful shlokas then the auspicious names of the Goddess. Finally, some more negativities were offered before Aarti was performed.
The next morning, many of us rose before dawn and made our way to the Nirmal Tree where HH Shri Mataji opened the Sahasrara of the Virata in 1970. By the time we arrived hundreds of yogis were already seated and listening to Shri Mataji’s talk.
Nirmal Tree in Nargol where HH Shri Mataji opened the Sahasrara of the Virata in 1970
After meditation, the Australian yogis were asked to come forward to perform Aarti. After Aarti, many yogis came forward to offer flowers to Shri Mataji. By this time, the sun had begun to rise, and we made our way down to the beach for a foot soak. The tide was low, so we had to walk out about 100 metres through the cooling mud to reach the water. We said mantras to remove the heat from days, and days, of travelling and we felt completely cleansed.
Foot soaking at Nargol
The rest of the day was spent as we wished, foot soaking, meditating, shoebeating, sleeping …a very welcome respite from the very long bus travel!
That night, Music of Joy opened the entertainment evening and performed a mix of bhajans, Christmas carols and Qawwalis. Once more the audience was up and dancing with one heart, Shri Mataji’s children expressing Her Joy.
At the end of our performance we played a video of Easter Puja 2018, handed out the printed invitations and expressed our desire to host our Indian brothers and sisters in Australia in 2019. (All the Australian events list are here)
Invitation Card to Australia’s 2019 Events
Nargol Puja Day – Inviting Shri Mataji
The next day was Puja Day. The Puja began with inviting Shri Mataji from the Nirmal Tree. Her Divine Lotus Feet were placed on a beautifully painted carriage covered in hundreds of flowers and drawn by two white horses. In front of the horses about 100 yoginis walked in single file carrying a basket with durva grass on their heads to herald the arrival of The Goddess. We walked slowly towards the Puja location, the men physically pushing the carriage along the sandy path. The experience was of biblical proportions, both timeless and placeless; it felt as if we had done this before many times throughout the ages, yet it still felt like the first time, somehow anchored in the present.
Procession to Nargol Puja
As Shri Mataji entered the hall, Swagata Agata was sung and joyful dancing erupted. After Shri Mataji’s speech, the children were invited up for Ganesh Puja. The Lakshmi Puja followed, Shri Mataji’s feet were intricately decorated with kumkum, lotuses and fragrant flowers. She was offered Her jewellery, makeup, comb and sari. Fruits and prasad were offered and Shri Mataji was garlanded.
India Tour Dec 2018 – Nargol Puja
Nargol Puja Procession
Saptashringi – where the three powers of the Kundalini are completely integrated
That evening we travelled through the night to reach the Swayambu of Saptashringi.
H.H. Shri Mataji speaks of Saptashringi:
“You will see on your way to Dhulia, the Incarnation of the Adi Shakti, which is the three powers of the Kundalini completely integrated, expressed here as Saptashringi, meaning seven peaks. Now seven peaks are the seven centers in the brain. And the Kundalini, though She has seven centers to pass through, the governing pithas, the seats, are in the peak, in the head and so Adi Shakti takes place in the Sahasrara. She incarnates in the Sahasrara. So, we can say that this is the Sahasrara of Maharashtra, or of the Universe in a way, though Himalaya is regarded as the real abode of Sadashiva, which is on top. But the Sahasrara part, which is the limbic area, should be here because we have three and a half coils settled here. That’s why the Kundalini of the Universe is here. But as the Saptashringi has come out of Mother Earth, this is the place where we can say resides the Sahasrara.”
Saptashringi – where the three powers of the Kundalini are completely integrated
Climbing to Saptashringi – exquisite vibrations that emanated
We woke from a short half hour sleep. We all were very tired from the previous day of a long bus ride from Nargol. All the Yogis wrapped up in shawls and made the slow trek through the dimly lit alley ways of Vaiduwadi at 4:30 in the morning. We all reluctantly gave our shoes to the shoe clerk and most of us took the stairs up to the Saptashringi temple.
We were one of the first people to greet the Swayambu in the morning. The rock was a bright orange 6-foot figure of the 18 handed Goddess, adorned in a beautiful green sari. The vibrations were immediately cool. Those who have been to the Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi temple next to ISPS may relate to the exquisite vibrations that emanate from the rock which the temple was built on.
We felt the vibrations at Saptashringi were of the same nature. They both have their quality rooted from relation to Sahasrara (ISPS temple – Himalayas, Saptashringi temple – Adi Shakti Swayambu). We felt a deep peace set in quickly.
As tourists and devotees started pouring in, the catches and heat followed. We were glad that we caught the detection of the vibrations before the local devotees poured in.
We were then invited to watch the Aarti. A great big curtain was drawn across the Swayambu and a Brahmin ruffled around behind it for a while the two other Brahmins unwrapped each of the two bell strings. Suddenly, a cacophony of metal and chants erupted as the curtain was quickly drawn back. All the yogis stood with their hands open as the Brahmin did a big circular Aarti while chanting. The loudness caused a slight unease and shudder as the Aarti was performed.
After the Aarti was finished, the Yogis all went back into a little alcove and sat down to meditate in the view of the Swayambu. We began to sing Ayi Giri Nandini and the vibrations started to shift. It was a beautiful moment of harmonious clearing. Afterwards, we took photos and read out a quote that Shri Mataji mentioned about the four Swayambus in Maharashtra as pithas in the collective Sahasrara.
We then took some lovely photos of the sunrise coming over the mountain and the warm orange sky greeting us for the day.
Sunrise over Saptashringi
After Saptashringi, we travelled on to visit the Nasik collective for lunch. We were welcomed with many dhol drums, warm smiles and open hearts.
More Tour news to follow soon!
With love,
The Yogis on India Tour
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