September 2009

Volume XXVI No. 5 September 2009
Ma, we send you birthday greetings from the depths of our hearts…
May you have health, prosperity, and happiness, and may you live long.
Love and pranams,
All your disciples
Join us if you can, for a special birthday
celebration!
White Memorial, Litchfield, CT, Sunday, October 11
To register, please contact Jayshree at 860-306-5316
or janahandel@yahoo.com.
S hakti
VOLUME XXVI
A
NUMBER FIVE B SEPTEMBER 2009
Dhyanyoga Centers is a non-profit
organization dedicated to yoga
& meditation for inner peace &
world peace.
Dhyanyoga Centers Newsletter
is published and distributed monthly
by loving and grateful disciples of
Shri Dhyanyogi Madhusudandas and
Shri Anandi Ma.
Dhyanyoga Centers’ mailing address is:
P. O. Box 3194
Antioch, CA 94531
Phone: 925-757-9361
Website: www.dyc.org
U.S. subscription is $20.00 per year.
Please make checks payable to
“Dhyanyoga Centers.” For Visa,
MasterCard, or Discover orders,
call the number below. Please
allow two months for address changes
and renewals. Contact:
Shri Anandi Ma and Dileepji
c/o Dhyanyoga Centers
P.O. Box 3194
Antioch, CA 94531
Dear Ones,
Guruji often said that the Guru-disciple relationship is a partnership.
The grace and love of the Guru and the hard work and faith of the
disciple are the bonds of the partnership.
It is a relationship unlike any other. The Guru never breaks it and never
falters in the commitment to take the disciple to the final goal. Disciples
need to also remain firm, steady, loyal, and regular in both practice
and faith to strengthen the bond with the Guru and enhance the pace
of their evolution.
The nine days of Navratri are a golden opportunity to practice and
win the heart of both the Divine Mother and one of Her most beloved
sons, our Guru, to make the partnership absolutely strong and
complete so that it remains unbroken eternally, ensuring a union of
everlasting peace.
May our love and bonds of faith be strong and unbreakable by any
force in creation.
May the gracious Mother with all Her forms manifest all that is
absolutely needed in your life.
Love and Blessings,
DYC Finance
P. O. Box 3194
Antioch, CA 94531
Tele/Fax: 925-778-1318
DYC Board of Directors:
Shri Anandi Ma
Dileepji Pathak
Avanish Aggarwal
Gopal Chauhan
Craig Krishnaram Cooper
Pankaj Khandelwal
Douglas Dinesh McLeod
Dhyanoga Centers is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit
organization.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES (In U.S. Dollars)
DELIVERY
METHOD
BULK MAIL
US only
1 Year
2 Years
3 Years
6 Years
$ 20
$ 37
$ 54
$ 108
STANDARD MAIL
Can/Mex
Other
$ 25
$ 47
$ 69
$ 165
$ 38
$ 73
$ 108
$ 201
Materials for publication must be received
three months in advance. Send to:
Melissa Maheshwari Vinson
4144 Spaulding Street, Antioch, CA
94531
Phone: 203-528-8217
E-mail: mvinson108@gmail.com
Photographers, we depend on you!
We would welcome your favorite shots for
use in SHAKTI. Please send digital files to:
suerama@sbcglobal.net.
We prefer high resolution photo files which
can be grouped in one folder and sent in one
zip file via www.sendspace.com.
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3
upcoming
&
noteworthy
Programs in Northampton, MA
September 11 & 12—Public Meditations
September 13—Shaktipat (by appointment)
Navratri
September 19–27
During these days of particularly high energy it is
extremely beneficial for spiritual growth to do intensified,
focused, daily practice. See the article “Navratri
Anusthan” in the middle pages of this issue for details.
Dashera Celebration
Programs in Woodbury, CT
September 28
September 3 & 4—Public Meditations
Dashera, the day after Navratri, is the day that Lord Ram
defeated Ravana. It is the best day of the year to begin any
new endeavor.
Other practices are like writing on paper;
meditation will be impacted on rocks.
Dhyanyogiji
September 6—Shaktipat
(by appointment)
VP Applied Anusthan
With shaktipat the student is saturated with Divine Energy.
Dhyanyogiji
October 2–10 Litchfield, CT
Prerequisite: Vajra Panjar Advanced Training
Don’t miss this golden opportunity! This is the only VP
Applied retreat Ma and Bapuji are offering this year.
Chakra Bhedan 2
September 5
Basking Ridge, NJ
See the East Coast registration form in this issue for more
information.
Woodbury, CT
Dileepji describes Chakra Bhedan as “the next best thing to
Shaktipat.” In the workshops, Shri Anandi Ma and Dileepji
work specifically on opening the individual chakras by
chanting the specific bija (seed) mantras associated with
them, and instructing participants on how to continue
this process at home. The practice of Chakra Bhedan
greatly accelerates the clearing of any blockages at the
subtle level and as a result, enhances spiritual growth.
Shri Anandi Ma’s Birthday
Celebration
October 11
Woodbury, CT
The Guru’s birthday is one of the most significant days of the
year to spend time in the Guru’s physical presence. Join us if
you can!
In the Chakra Bhedan 2 Workshop, Anandi Ma and Dileepji
work on opening the third chakra—the Manipur.
To register, please contact Jayshree at 860-306-5316
or janahandel@yahoo.com.
Over time, a series of six Chakra Bhedan workshops, to
be taken in succession, will be offered. Those who have
received shaktipat, particularly more than seven years ago,
will greatly benefit, but shaktipat is not required to attend.
Lakshmi Puja
October 15
See the East Coast registration form in this issue for more
information.
Antioch, CA
Kali Puja
October 15
4
Antioch, CA
Programs in Antioch, CA
Programs in Orlando, FL
October 23 & 24—Public Meditations
October 25—Shaktipat (by appointment)
November 13 & 14—Public Meditations
November 15—Shaktipat (by appointment)
Programs in San Jose, CA
Programs in Fort Worth, TX
October 30 & 31—Public Meditations
November 1—Shaktipat (by appointment)
November 20 & 21—Public Meditations
November 22—Shaktipat (by appointment)
Chakra Bhedan Anusthan
Thanksgiving with Ma and Bapuji
November 7
Woodbury, CT
November 26–27
Antioch, CA
Vajra Panjar: Shield of the Thunderbolt
Vajra Panjar, which literally
means “Shield of the
Thunderbolt,” is the name
of a group of techniques and
mantras given to humankind
by the great rishi Vishvamitra,
who had received them from
Lord Shiva during meditation.
The power of these techniques is described in a
stanza from the scriptures:
Join us for VP Advanced* & Applied
October 2–10
Litchfield, CT
Guruji’s dream was to train a hundred thousand
people with the Vajra Panjar teachings. He
envisioned disciples doing group practices to help
counteract negative influences in the world and at
the same time achieve their own welfare and growth.
Whenever you come to the Vajra Panjar Applied and
Negative or positive energies or spirits wandering
do the group anusthan in the presence of the Guru,
openly or secretly underground, on the earth,
the benefit you receive is a thousandfold.
or in the sky, cannot even look at, let alone hurt,
What Guruji has given is priceless, but what you
the person who is protected by the recital
will continue to receive over the years is indeed even
of the names of Lord Rama as in the composition
more valuable. It’s like a priceless diamond, so don’t
named Vajra Panjar.
consider it a piece of glass and toss it away.
Shri Anandi Ma
The person who is armored with Vajra Panjar, the
* VP Advanced will be held if enough disciples register.
Late registration fee will be waived for VP Advanced
only. If you are interested in attending, please contact
Jayshree at 860-306-5316 (Please call between 6 and 9
p.m. Pacific time.) or janahandel@yahoo.com.
shield consisting of Rama’s names, is victorious,
successful, and blissful without any obstruction.
(Continued on page 6)
5
Vajra Panjar
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(continued)
Vajra Panjar Advanced Training
(Tentative: if enough disciples register)
In the Vajra Panjar (VP) retreats, Shri Anandi Ma
and Dileepji impart techniques that Dhyanyogiji
Prerequisite: Vajra Panjar 3
referred to as the “cream” of His spiritual
In this one-day training, Shri Anandi Ma and
Dileepji initiate disciples with bija (seed)
mantras that Lord Ram Himself gave. These
mantras deeply enhance the powerful effects
of the Ram Raksha Stotram. Disciples who
recite the bija mantras in conjunction with the
RamRaksha Stotram realize an ever-increasing
joy in relationships, a sweeter connection
between themselves and the Guru, and deeper
meditations.
practices, that which He considers the most
fruitful, the most beneficial, the most efficient in
bringing the disciple to enlightenment.
After having received shaktipat, disciples
wanted to spend more time in the presence
of Dhyanyogiji and continue to take pleasure
in the silent flow of joy emanating from His
being. Dhyanyogiji, whose heart was filled with
888888888888888888
compassion, broke from the traditional way
Vajra Panjar Applied Anusthan
of disseminating the knowledge and made it
October 2–10
available to all those He initiated. He designated
Litchfield, CT
Prerequisite: Vajra Panjar Advanced Training
a series of retreats: VP 1, VP 2, VP 3, and VP
This is a profound spiritual practice, where the
recitation of the Ram Raksha Stotram with the
advanced bija mantras is applied for the benefit
of the disciple’s spiritual growth as well as the
welfare of all beings.
Advanced/Applied, in which He taught His
disciples the profound wisdom of the East. Some
of these techniques He had received from yogis
dwelling in secluded Himalayan caves.
People from all over the world and from every
walk of life attend this anusthan. The Gurudisciple relationship is profoundly enhanced
through participation at the VP Applied retreat,
and here the disciple basks in the grace of the
Lord and the Guru continuously.
The saints have protected this ancient, sacred
lineage of Kundalini Maha Yoga, and it is a rare
gift to receive these teachings. Shri Anandi Ma
now follows the format Dhyanyogiji put into
place to transmit the energy of these teachings.
888888888888888888
A variety of instructions in healing techniques,
breathing techniques, and astral travel, among
Don’t miss this golden opportunity! This is
the only VP Applied retreat Ma and Bapuji
are offering this year.
others, are imparted from Guru to disciple. Each
retreat builds upon the techniques practiced
in the previous retreat, culminating in the
See the East Coast registration form in this issue for more
information.
Vajra Panjar Applied retreat. The VP Applied
is a weeklong anusthan designed to apply the
teachings for the protection of the individual and
the benefit and welfare of others.
6
Announcements
BAPUJI WRITES ABOUT B ROADBAND CONNECTIVITY
THE GURU TATTVA works most widely as a parallel to
Ishwar, or God tattva. It is vast, infinite, spontaneous, and
continuous. It is God’s creation that operates through
subtle sound and mind waves without the limitations of
physical tools.
Today, we enjoy many technological advances that
have increased our ability to connect and communicate
with each other, and it wise to use these new tools to
transmit the ancient wisdom..
Having a picture of a saint or one’s Guru in the home
can have a unique and tremendous transformative
influence while removing or blocking “viruses.” In a
similar vein, we would like to bring Ma into your home
via broadband and achieve an even greater effect. If you
can expand your capacity to receive by this means, we can
conduct live broadcasts of certain events and retreats in
the future. This ability will reduce the need for travel, save
costs for both you and the organization, and increase the
duration and benefit of experiencing Ma’s presence more
directly and tangibly at both the physical and subtle
levels.
It may cost a little extra up front, but it can save
thousands in airfare, related travel expenses, and time.
Please think about it and register for DYC webcasts.
Thank you! We seek your cooperation.
A REQUEST TO ALL PHOTOGRAPHERS FROM SHAKTI
The staff of SHAKTI deeply a p preciates all of the
photographers who cover events and contribute their
work for publication. The need for new pictures is
ongoin g, so please kee p them comin g! To make thin g s
simple for our limited staff, we ask that you choose up
to 10 shots from any event and e-mail the hi ghest
resolution versions to sue@suerama.com. If your e-mail is
lar ger than 10 MB, please upload your photos as an
archived (.zi p) folder to www.sendspace.com and put the
event name in the subject line. We thank you in
advance for your consideration and great efforts!
STAY CURRENT WITH DYC’S NEW E-BULLETIN!
Many of you are aware that we have be gun to issue
e-bulletins for communicating timely and important
information. If you have not received one of our e-bulletins
lately, we probably don’t have your current e-mail address!
We want to keep you in the loop, so please make sure that
your current e-mail address is in our circulation database.
You can send your current e-mail address to Linda Wyzinski
at lwyzinski@yahoo.com.
CHAKRA BHEDAN 2 WORKSHOP
Chakra Bhedan is a practice for systematically opening the
chakras so that the jiva—the soul—can rise from the base of the
spine and merge with Shiva, located above the crown of the
head. This process is the essence of God-realization. In this
series of six annual workshops, Shri Anandi Ma and Dileepji
explain the chakra system, teach the bija (seed) mantras that
open each individual chakra, and directly transmit kundalini
energy through mantras and physical touch. Participants will go
home with an ancient and powerful practice that accelerates
the clearing of blockages at the subtle level and, as a result,
greatly enhances spiritual growth. Shaktipat is not a
prerequisite.
CB 2 will be held in Woodbury, CT on September 5th. If
you were not able to attend the CB 1 workshop, you can still
receive the teachings via DVD, available through our online
bookstore at www.dyc.org. Because Ma and Dileepji
recommend that you do the CB practice for as much of the year
as possible, please purchase the DVD soon.
To register for CB 2, please see the East Coast registration
form in this issue.
FOR SALE IN NIKORA: A PARTMENT WITH A VIEW!
A 1-bedroom apartment at the ashram in Nikora is being
offered by the disciple-owners. This unit is located on the 3rd
floor and has a view of the mandir and temple grounds from
the balcony. It comes with a washer and dryer as well as a fully
appointed kitchen. For more information, please contact Anu at
anubhagat2000@gmail.com (preferred) or (650) 965-8568.
Below: Scenes from the fire ceremony at July’s Guru Purnima
West retreat.
Page 1 of 8
What is an Anusthan?
The following article about anusthan, written by Dileepji, was
first published in the September 1987 issue of the Dhyanyoga
Centers Newsletter. We republish it here to inspire us all to
perform anusthan on the powerful days of Navratri —
Saturday, September 19 through Sunday, September 27.
body, yet divine bliss and divine body are not
destroyed. In order to reach this state, you must follow
the proper rules and regulations required for specific
practices. This is called an anusthan.
What is the meaning of the word anusthan? On analysis,
it is composed of two words — anu and sthan. Anu means
firm. Sthan means place, or residence — the chief original
place of residence of the Lord. When one performs the
following activities with firm conviction, that is an
anusthan. Become aware of the qualities of the place of
the Lord; adopt as many qualities of the Lord as you can
while simultaneously cutting off all worldly activities.
Make such an independent place to perform good deeds
of divine nature or to establish a relationship between
your soul and the Lord. Sit with a firm determination to
worship any form of the Lord, or do japa, read the
scriptures, etc. Do these for a period of time you have
fixed beforehand.
For example, you may not have ever seen any form of
the Lord like Rama, but you may know Rama’s
description and qualities from the scriptures. In order to
realize the form or to attain the Lord’s grace, you can
have a murti (statue) made of clay, stone, or metal in
accordance with scriptural description. After selecting
an independent sthan, a place of appropriate purity, you
can alter your mental attitudes in accordance with the
qualities of Ram as described in the scripures and do
japa, puja, read the Ramayana, meditate, etc. By
repeatedly doing this, you will alter your mind to the
form of Rama and begin to acquire Rama’s qualities. On
this basis, you can begin to experience Rama Himself.
Such a practice is called an anusthan. Those seeking
realization can attain it by such repeated anusthans.
By the practice of anusthans, the negative, external,
worldly factors that influence the mind and create
obstacles on the spiritual path are forgotten. The mind
flows toward the Lord and toward your ishta devata
(a favorite or chief form of the Lord). The mind becomes
one with Him more easily and you gradually begin to
forget yourself. You experience that the body is
becoming more pure and divine to enjoy divine bliss,
which many call samadhi.
In this manner, as the practice of anusthan increases,
it becomes very easy, even at the time of death, to
meditate on the Lord and leave the body. By anusthan,
you can experience the world through the physical
If in your current life there are few negative
samskaras and you have adopted some spiritual
practices and have faith and devotion, you may negate
all samskaras in twelve, ten, or eight years, depending
on your worthiness. If you have created a lot of positive
samskaras and your mind is tired of worldly affairs and
your mind is drawn predominantly toward the Lord, at
least four years of regular anusthan are necessary to
remove the samskaras. Depending on the individual,
this may take two to six more years. Even if you die
before completing the required anusthan, it is not
wasted but is taken into account in the next life. Hence,
you can attain realization in a shorter time in the next
life.
If you start an anusthan but cannot finish it due to
some obstacles that come along the way, that is not
wasted. At the first opportunity, you should resume the
anusthan and complete it. Many perform sankalpa for
short anusthans of seven, eleven, or twenty-one days, or
one month duration. When this is completed, they
continue for shorter periods. In this way, they are doing
continuous anusthan. For those who expect no obstacles,
the duration of an anusthan could be from one to four
months or even one and one-fourth to four years. The
regular and continuous practice of an anusthan is an
austerity itself.
In order to obtain the grace of God and Guru,
whatever anusthan is being performed for a specific
period of time is likely to encounter several obstacles.
If you pay no attention to these, disregarding them, not
considering them as obstacles and continuing the
anusthan as planned for the set time, only then is the
anusthan complete. The ultimate state of Para Brahman,
of bliss, is very stable and firm. There are no changes, no
imbalance or modification in the degree of bliss.
These qualities should come to us, and hence it is
very critical that you should select a spot from where the
asan cannot be moved. Only then is the anusthan
accepted.
The main purpose of any anusthan is purification of
the chitta. When the mind is completely pure, it can
attain worldly and spiritual goals very easily. 2
Page 2 of 8
Navratri
Anusthan
Saturday, September 19—
Sunday, September 27
A Powerful Opportunity for
Spiritual Progress
NAVRATRI is a period of very high
energy. The performance of
anusthan—intensified spiritual
practice—during this time brings
auspiciousness and growth in the life
of a disciple. These guidelines for
anusthan are reprinted here to help
us all take advantage of the power of
these days by devoting as much time
as possible to our practices.
GUIDELINES FOR ANUSTHAN
1) Begin anusthan at Brahma-muhurta —
between 4 and 6 A.M.
2) Take a shower and wear clean clothes
before beginning. If possible, keep a
separate outfit of clothing for anusthan
only. If you go for a bowel movement, it
is recommended to shower again. If you
urinate, wash your hands and feet
completely and repeat the purification
mantras (learned at Vajra Panjar) again.
3) Keep your asan and surroundings pure.
Guruji recommends burning a ghee lamp
continuously during anusthan. Ghee is
made from clarified butter (heat butter
and take the clear portion only); a wick
may be made from a portion of a cotton
ball and set in a small bowl. An oil lamp
or candle may be substituted. Fire is
required to be present as a witness to
the anusthan. The ghee lamp makes the
atmosphere pure and sattvic and helps
the energy. Burning incense also helps
to purify the atmosphere. Wash puja
vessels (Vajra Panjar graduates only)
every day and do not drink from them.
4) Do not get up from the asan until you
have finished repetition. If you need to
get up for calls of nature, you can do so,
but begin with the necessary
purification as mentioned in # 2) above.
5) Do not talk. Observe silence as much
as possible throughout the days of the
anusthan. This greatly increases your
energy.
6) Eat as lightly as possible. Eating only
fruit, nuts, and milk is ideal. The next
best is eating only one meal a day, with
fruit and nuts in the evening. Eat only
sattvic foods as just described, and
avoid tamasic foods such as alcohol,
meat, eggs, onion, and garlic. These
latter foods go against the success of
the anusthan.
7) Maintain celibacy. Celibacy is further
recommended beyond the completion of
the anusthan for a period of three times
the length of the anusthan. Remember,
this is only a recommendation.
Page 3 of 8
8) Keep the mind engrossed in spiritual
thoughts. In spare time during the days
of anusthan, read scriptures or books on
saints, etc. The idea is to keep the mind
totally engrossed in sattvic, pure
thoughts. Do not read or expose yourself
to materials that might turn the mind
negatively.
9) Do not go for a walk. The mind
becomes active with walking. Exercise
at home with hatha yoga asana, etc. It
is recommended that you not leave the
area of the anusthan. This is a strict rule
and not all may be able to follow it.
Although many people have to go out to
work, avoid any unnecessary ventures
during anusthan.
10) Do not get angry or curse anyone during
anusthan. This can be dangerous.
Remain calm. See the Lord in everyone,
and spread love all around.
11) When possible, make arrangements not
to be disturbed during the anusthan.
12) Perform the anusthan with love, faith,
and devotion. Do not worry about the
fruits. Offer them to God and Guru.
13) Women who begin menstruating during
anusthan should stop for four days and,
after bathing and washing their hair,
resume on the fifth day where they have
left off. In any event, the anusthan
should be completed by the full moon.
These are some of the basic rules for
general anusthan. Specific anusthans may
have more specific rules. The degree of
success and evolution will depend on your
faith, concentration, and attention to
following these rules as much as possible.
T
We pray to God and Guru that you all
can perform many successful anusthans
in this lifetime and reach the goal.
Love and Blessings,
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Please photocopy this form if you will be registering for events separately�
�
Guru Purnima Retreat � GP Day
Chakra Bhedan � Workshop ���
Vajra Panjar Applied Anusthan �
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Chakra Bhedan Anusthan �
Litchfield� CT
Woodbury� CT
Litchfield� CT
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Woodbury� CT
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� Tentative fee
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Registration for the Chakra Bhedan Anusthan mailed after October ��
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Page 4 of 8
Dhyanyoga Centers, Inc.
SPIRITUAL SERVICES
OFFERED AT NIKORA TEMPLE
Gurujis presence has become more tangible with the completion of the prana pratistha ceremony in Nikora and disciples can now
benefit by having pujas and japa performed and offered at the temple by the priest Pujas bring special blessings for the entire family as
well as for the individual
For each puja you would like to have performed please fill out a box on the back of this form and send a PHOTOGRAPH of the person
for whom the puja or japa is being done Please submit this form at least ONE MONTH BEFORE THE DATE OF THE PUJA to allow us
sufficient time to process your request
Thank you! Sita Ram!
mäÉ~ëÉ=éÉêÑçêã=íÜÉ=ÑçääçïáåÖ=éìà~EëF=~í=íÜÉ=íÉãéäÉW
Cost per Order
No of Orders
Total
Guru Puja
For birthdays wedding anniversaries shaktipat anniversaries and the new year
Special Laxmi Puja on a Shri Yantra
For removing financial difficulties
/ with bija seed mantras
/ without bija seed mantras
Lord RamShaligram Puja
For spiritual growth
/ with names of Lord Ram
/ without names of Lord Ram
mäÉ~ëÉ=éÉêÑçêã=íÜÉ=ÑçääçïáåÖ=à~é~=~í=íÜÉ=íÉãéäÉW
Japa of the Ram Mantra recitations
Helps spiritual growth
Japa of the Tryambakum Mantra recitations
Helps with health and recovery
Japa of the Gayatri Mantra recitations
Helps reduce the intensity of fruits of a past specific negative karma
Japa of Shri Hanuman recitations
Helps overcome mental weakness
Recitation of the planet Stotram
Helps nullify the negative influence of planets
/ Stotrams for days
/ Stotrams for days
/ Stotrams for days
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kfhlo^=qbjmib=pmfofqr^i=pbosf`bp=loabo=cloj=—=m^db=O
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Please photocopy this form if you would like to order more pujas andor japa • If you have questions please call Page 6 of 8
MAKING IT HAPPEN
A home for expanding our ability to serve the world
“Whatever I am offered in devotion with a pure heart — a leaf, a flower, fruit, or water — I accept with joy.”
— Bhagavad Gita 9.26
DHYANYOGA CENTERS, INC. is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that operates under the authority of a board of directors.
Shri Anandi Ma and Dileepji serve as chair and president, respectively. The other board members are longtime disciples committed
to fulfilling Guruji’s vision and expanding His legacy as continued by Anandi Ma. Each volunteer board member oversees specific
operations within the organization, including committees of disciples and sevaks who volunteer their time and resources to support
DYC in its global mission.
DYC board members provide countless hours of seva to support Ma and Bapuji in their ongoing efforts to promote Guruji’s work
and message. In future issues of SHAKTI, individual board members will share their thoughts on what it means to be a part of the
DYC community and their hopes for the future of the organization.
The following is a partial list of items needed to complete ������� of DYC’s meditation center in Antioch:
����������������� ����������
• Compact microphone kit
• Projector ceiling mount
• Rubber standing mats (kitchen)
• End tables (main hall)
• Scanner (office)
• Lamps (office)
• Retractable projector screen
• Stainless steel backsplash (kitchen)
• TV for kitchen staff
• New chairs for Pravinji & Bhabhi
• Caster legs for portable work surfaces
• Inventory software (bookstore)
• Computer (office)
• 3-door refrigerator (kitchen)
• Bose music system (main hall)
• Water treatment system
• HiDef videocam with hard drive
����������������� ������������
• New futon frame for Ma & Bapuji
• Bose multimedia speaker system
����������������� ��������������
• Stackable washer & dryer
• Altar for the NE corner (main hall)
����������������� ����������������
• Projector (main hall)
• Upright freezer (kitchen)
����������������� �������������
• Landscaping & related maintenance
DONATION / PLEDGE FORM
I wish to donate/pledge:
� $100
� $ 250
� $ 5,000 *
� $ 500
$
� $1,000
� $ 2,500 *
(specify amount)
This gift is in honor / memory of:
MAIL TO:
Name:
Dhyanyoga Centers, Inc.
attn: Finance Team
P.O. Box 3194
Antioch, CA 94531
Address:
� I enclose a check or money order.
� You may charge my credit card (check one):
� Visa
Credit Card Number:
� Mastercard
� Discover
Expiration date (mm/yy):
Name on Card:
� I would like more information about planned gifts to DYC (e.g., bequests, gifts of securities, insurance).
� I am interested in providing in kind gifts to DYC. Please contact me at:
* Gifts and pledges of $2,500 or more may be spread out over 5 years.
Page 7 of 8
Calendar
September
3/4
Full Moon
3, 4
Public Meditation Programs
Woodbury, CT
4–18
Shraddh
The energy of this fortnight supports the evolution
of the souls of one’s deceased ancestors. You
may do malas for relatives who have passed away
and/or give to charity in their names. Avoid
beginning any new projects during this time.
5
Chakra Bhedan 2 Worksho� *
Woodbury, CT
6
Shaktipat
Woodbury, CT
������������������������������������������
11, 12
Public Meditation Programs
Northampton, MA
13
Shaktipat
Northampton, MA
����������������������������������������
14
Ekadashi
Fasting † is beneficial / recommended
17/18
New Moon
19-27
Navratri
These are extremely powerful days for spiritual
practice.
28
PDT
PDT
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�����
������
������
���������
���������
Ekadashi
Fasting † is beneficial / recommended
15-17
Lakshmi Puja (10/15), Kali Puja (10/16),
Sharda (Saraswati) Puja (10/17)
Antioch, CA
��������������������������������������������
The final days of the Indian year are permeated
with the energy of three main aspects of the
Divine Mother: Mahalakshmi— giver of wealth and
prosperity in every aspect of life, Mahakali— the
great protectress, destroyer of demons and egoic
attachments, and Mahasaraswati— Mother of
learning and divine knowledge.
17
New Moon
PDT
������
����
������
������
����������
����������
Diwali (Deepawali)
This is the festival of lights, symbolizing the
victory of righteousness and the lifting of spiritual
darkness. ����������literally means rows of �����
(clay lamps). This festive occasion also marks the
beginning of the Hindu new year, and the Lord is
worshipped on this day.
18
23, 24
25
���������
����������
29
30, 31
Dashera
This is the best day of the year to begin any new
venture.
1/2
Ekadashi
Fasting † is beneficial / recommended
New Year’s Day (India)
Public Meditation Programs
Antioch, CA
Shaktipat
Antioch, CA
��������������������������������������������
Ekadashi
Fasting † is beneficial / recommended
Public Meditation Programs
San Jose, CA
November
1
Dashera Celebration
Basking Ridge, NJ
��������������������������������������������
29
13
Shaktipat
Los Altos, CA
������������������������������������������
Full Moon
PST
October
4
������
����
�����
�����
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Dileepji’s Birthday
Happy birthday, Bapuji!
2/3
Full Moon (Sharad Purnima)
2-10
Vajra Panjar Applied Anustha� ‡
Litchfield, CT
12
11
Shri Anandi Ma’s Birthday
This is one of the most significant days of the year
to do group practices.
15/16
Shri Anandi Ma’s Birthday Celebration
�����������������������
��������������������������������������������
* See the East Coast registration form in this issue.
† The traditional Indian fast means avoiding grains and beans, but one
may eat root vegetables, spinach, dairy products, fruits, and nuts.
PDT
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�����
�����
7
����������
����������
Chakra Bhedan Anustha� *
Woodbury, CT
Ekadashi
Fasting † is beneficial / recommended
New Moon
PST
Page 8 of 8
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Bapuji Writes
A Guru To Provide Safe Harbor
by Kamlesh Dixit
Lord Rama’s Twenty Points of Spiritual Growth
This article in republished from an Indian newspaper.
P
The spiritual path encompasses several aspects. It’s not just
practice on the asan. That, of course, is the key, but there are
several contributing factors that will enhance and support
the fruit of that practice.
rince or commoner, rich or poor, every individual
who wishes to get empowered and enlightened benefits
greatly from the guidance of an able guru. Even the gods
sought out gurus for themselves. Lord Krishna’s guru was
Sandipanirishi. Rama and Lakshmana, along with many
other princes, learned all skills from their spiritual master,
Guru Vasishtha.
When Swami Vivekananda first visited Ramakrishna
Paramahansa, he asked, “I have read the Bhagavad Gita and
other scriptures several times. I lecture and give discourses on
the Gita and Ramayana. Do I still need harbor of a saint? Do
I still need a guru?”
Ramakrishna didn’t reply to Vivekananda’s question.
After a few days Ramakrishna called upon Vivekananda
and handed him a parcel to be delivered at a nearby village
a few hours away by the sea route. Early morning the boat
and sailor would be ready and all he needed to do was to go
to the village and deliver the parcel to the designated person.
Vivekananda agreed and decided to start early. He found the
boat and the sailor ready to put out to sea. Suddenly, upon
sitting in the boat, Vivekananda realized that he didn’t know
the road to the village. He inquired of the sailor, who had no
clue either. Vivekananda decided to go back to his guru to ask
him the shortest way to the village. Upon this, Ramakrishna
said, “Narendra, this is my reply to the question you asked
me when we met the first time: Today, you have the medium
(the boat), you have the resource (the sailor), you have the
road (the sea), you know what to do (deliver the parcel),
and you also know where to go, but you don’t know the
way. Likewise you have read all the scriptures, and you can
conduct wonderful discourses on them. However, to realize
the wisdom of scriptures one needs a guru, someone who has
already traversed that path so that he can guide you through
the journey and encourage you to not give up.”
In Sanskrit, ‘gu’ is one who dispels and ‘ru’ means
darkness. Every individual who wishes to rise above his
existing levels needs a lighthouse, a guiding star to guide him
on the journey of life, who can help by dispelling darkness at
every step.
Lord Swaminarayan ordained Sikshapatri, containing
212 conventions of code of conduct for every human being.
One of the points reads: “Even the most learned of men will
become morally declined if he is not involved in devotion to
God and in good acquaintance.”
Our path of yoga, as an example, has eight parts or limbs—
yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana,
dhyana, and samadhi. Yamas and niyamas have some
categories like non-violence, truthfulness, satisfaction,
non-stealing, mitahar (moderation in food), and purity.
Asanas and pranayama are multitudes. The techniques for
pratyahara, dharana, and dhyana are vast, and samadhi
itself holds many stages. Thus we see a wide diversification
of steps and requirements toward the goal. Samadhi is the
goal, but a realized being cannot discard yama and niyama
until the last day the soul resides in the body. So all aspects
remain an integral part of spirituality until the last breath.
Lord Rama gave twenty aspects as tools of knowledge
to Lakshman. In a nutshell, they are as follows and are
summarized in twelve steps:
1) Be rid of ego
2) Give up falsehood and violence
3) Bear the accusations (criticism) of others
4) Be simple and straightforward in nature
5) Serve the Guru with mind, speech, and body
6) Keep internal and external purity
7) Be firmly established in good action only
8) Control body, speech, and mind
9) Do not be busy with worldly pleasures
10) Develop distaste for those who are deeply
immersed in the world
11) Work hard constantly for self-knowledge
12) Contemplate the meaning of Vedanta
The spiritual seeker must take care that nothing is being
done to counteract the results of the hard work of practice
or worse yet even negate it. The law of karma bears sweet
fruits for positive actions and sour for the negative, thus we
all have in our baskets a mixture of sweet and sour. Take
care to remove the sour ones and leave only sweet.
Try to maintain the above twelve steps in daily life. It will
deepen your spiritual growth. \
(Continued on page 9)
7
 Guruji’s
Wisdom 
Question (Q): How is it that the energy used for shaktipat
for one individual is the same as for a group of one
thousand people?
Dhyanyogiji (A): Does it make any difference to the ocean
if any number of pots of water are taken from it? Is the
consumption of electricity dependent on the number of
persons sitting under the same bulb? No. It does not make
any difference.
This article, along with installments that will appear in
upcoming months, is taken from interviews with Dhyanyogiji
published in Indian newspapers. The previous installment
was in January 2009 SHAKTI, pages 7 & 8.
Although it is true that the body’s temperature goes high
when I do shaktipat, indicating some temporary loss of
my energy, soon it gets replenished. Shakti is fullness in
itself, so that addition or subtraction does not make any
difference.
Kriyas during meditation
Q: At times some weird things are observed during the
meditation session. Some meditators are singing, some
are shouting, some are rolling on the floor. Why does that
happen?
A: This is one type of kriya. When wind blows forcefully
through a small, two-inch-diameter pipe, it makes sound.
Similarly, when prana flows forcefully through nadis,
all kinds of kriyas take place. We hear sounds. At the
same time, eight types of sattvic manifestations—such as
weeping, dancing, singing, and jumping—also take place.
There is no place for any evil thought. They are simply
dancing and jumping in their own exalted state.
There is no place for miracles in
Dharma and Dhyana.
Abundant energy flows through the human soul.
It’s a tragic irony of mankind that due to the ignorance of
the infinite energy residing within, people are chasing it
illusively in the outer world.
Meaningless miracles
Q: Nowadays people are mad after miracles. If they see
someone showing miracles, they run after him thinking
that he is God. What is your opinion about it?
As soon as the veil of ignorance is removed, the actions
from the purified mind emanate spontaneously. A
staunch proponent of the method of shaktipat, Dhyanyogi
Madhusudandasji awakened the dormant energy in
many individuals, who could directly experience its
manifestation without disturbing their worldly lives.
A: Miracles have nothing to do with dharma or dhyana.
If a miracle happens on its own, it is fine. I can cure a
fever, but it is just an external action. Our real goal is selfrealization, dissolution of conflict within and without. A
child plays with fake coins, but when he grows up, he is
not pleased with fake coins. Similarly, when real things are
understood, no one will go for unreal things. That is why I
tell you to come here and sit for meditation. Reading books
will help your reasoning power, but only the experience
can lead you to the real. Once Vivekananda requested his
Guru, Ramakrishna, to bestow him such a grace so that
he could unlearn whatever he learned in his life. Vinobaji,
a social reformer and a saint, confessed in his later years
that he had made a big mistake by going after so much
unnecessary formal education.
The conversation of Dhyanyogiji (Guruji) explaining that
shaktipat can be given not just to an isolated individual but
also to the group is presented here:
Guruji: Group meditation creates an auspicious spiritual
atmosphere. The seekers experience immense joy in such
an environment. The other important aspect of group
meditation is that the energy used in shaktipat is the same,
irrespective of whether it is for one or many individuals.
That’s the reason I emphasize group meditation.
8
Q: Many people create things from air. How do you
explain it?
A: The formation of all human bodies is the same. So
everyone is capable of awakening the shakti, which is
already there in a dormant form. It’s just that he is not
aware of it. A child does not know how much wealth
his father left for him when he died until the child’s
relatives tell him about it. Similarly, everyone possesses
this energy, but until the cover of the ignorance is
removed, the shakti will not be manifested.
A: If you have control over the elements, you can have this
siddhi. One can create things not just from air but from
any of the five elements. Although there are some jugglers
who can perform such feats, it’s not a yogic siddhi. One can
attain siddhis through sadhana, but that has no relevance
to his inner quest. It does not give you inner joy.
The fire beneath the cover of ashes is not made visible
until someone blows the ashes away.
Is there a next life?
Q: Do you mean to say that it’s not necessary to become
a yogi for shaktipat, and that one can get shaktipat even
as a householder?
Q: Is there any significance of past lives’ samskaras in this
present life?
A: Yes, it does have significance. A child in Baroda,
even when he was hardly eight months old, was doing
pranayama. Who taught him pranayama? [Pointing at
Anandi Ma, who was sitting by his side] Ashi (Anandi
Ma) is not even a high-school graduate. She hardly knows
any English. But when she is in a trance merging with
Vivekananda, she speaks English amazingly. This is
nothing but the past life’s samskaras.
A: Yes, even as a householder one can practice yoga.
Krishna asked Arjuna to practice yoga without
renouncing his family. You may continue your
household duties, but you can be a yogi on your mental
plane.
Q: One can achieve a lot if his actions are pure. Today
one has everything except mental peace. How can
shaktipat be useful in his life?
A: The society also gets benefited directly by shaktipat.
Irrespective of class, creed, or religion, shaktipat can
be given to all who will develop the sense of oneness
among themselves. There is a common desire to
improve interactions. The individual may continue to
live in the world, but he will not be attached to it.
to be continued...
Is it the external power achieved
or the internal power invoked
by shaktipat?
Q: Can shaktipat give you the experience of God
realization?
A: Yes. God is not the subject of logic or reasoning. It is
to be experienced. One cannot realize God if external
props like pranayam or asanas are used as the means
towards that end. Pratyahar, dharana, and dhyan make
up the inner sadhana, which is beyond logic.
XXXXXXXX
Safe Harbor
A scientist may conduct research on a sweet ball and
collect all the information about it without eating
it, whereas an uneducated villager who has already
eaten the sweet ball knows its real taste and so has the
firsthand knowledge about the sweet ball.
(Continued from page 7)
Many seers have made various suggestions on how to
embark on the spiritual path according to their perceived
wisdom. Is there a universally accepted spiritual definition?
How should one lead one’s life in a way which balances both
the spiritual and the material? To understand all this and
choose the right path for a balanced life of duty, responsibility,
love, detachment, and striving for higher consciousness, you
need the grace and guidance of a spiritual master. As the
saying goes, “When the disciple is ready the Master arrives.”
Like a lone ship sailing in turbulent waters hunts for a
safe harbor to anchorage, similarly one needs to constantly
endeavor in the journey of life for a true guru, a harbor
against all storms.
One doctor did not have faith in God. I made him sit for
meditation. He went into deep meditation for one and a
half hours. I asked him if he developed faith in God. He
said that it wasn’t a question anymore.
So the external search does not give you the inner
experience which can remove all the doubt.
X
Q: Does shaktipat make the energy available from an
external source or an internal one?
9
had a layover in San Francisco. She just so happened
to run into a disciple she’d known from the past, and
learned that Ma was there in the airport. Sensing that
this was no accident, the woman came to receive Ma’s
blessing and went on to make arrangements to attend
the mahasamadhi retreat in August when she returns
from India.
Those of us who were unable to make it to the
airport on time met Ma when she arrived home
later that night. There is nothing like the joy of Ma
returning. It’s like the sun rising again after a period
of darkness or the electricity coming back on after a
blackout. And on Guru Purnima Day, the blessings are
like fireworks!
SADA GURU DEVA KI JAI!
Ishwari
News
from
Antioch
AIRPORT DARSHAN ON GURU PURNIMA
One of the unique things about living in the Bay
Area is going to meet Ma at the airport when she flies
home and seeing her off when she flies out. The crowd
that sees her off when she and Bapuji leave for India is
usually thirty to forty people. But the biggest turnout is
when Ma flies home on Guru Purnima Day.
Each year, Ma offers the Guru Purnima retreat on
both the east and west coasts. Sometimes the actual full
moon lands on a weekend, and then one of the coasts is
fortunate enough to have the energy of the day during
their retreat. Ma always says that even if you are at the
other retreat and aren’t with her on Guru Purnima Day,
you will still receive the blessings of that energy, but
there’s no doubt that there’s something special about
being with her on Guru Purnima. When the full moon
falls mid-week, Ma has always done her best to fly
between coasts that day so that the maximum number
of people can see her. In fact, I remember past years
when she and Bapuji even planned a layover in Denver
so that the Colorado disciples could receive her darshan
on Guru Purnima Day. Guruji also traveled on Guru
Purnima, visiting Ahmedabad and Mumbai and other
places where He had disciples so that they could receive
His darshan or perform Guru Puja on that day.
This year Ma planned to fly home on Tuesday,
July 7, Guru Purnima day, so that both east and west
coast disciples could see her.That night, fifty people
received her darshan in California, including some
airport employees who were drawn into her energy. In
fact, one disciple commented that given the number of
airport workers who are attracted to meeting her at the
airport, we should probably come with some brochures
to help those people understand what they are seeing!
Before ending her airport darshan, Ma gave everyone,
including these airport employees, prasad.
One remarkable occurrence was that a disciple of
Ma’s who hadn’t seen her in years just so happened to
be in the airport on Tuesday evening. She was supposed
to have had a direct flight to India, but unexpectedly
10
Disciples’ Experiences
From the East Coast Guru Purnima Retreat
Litchfield, Connecticut, July 2–5, 2009
I was on my one-and-a-half-hour drive to the Guru
Purnima retreat, and for the first time in my experience
I found that I did not want to come. I had seedlings at
home that needed to be taken care of, curtains to hang,
a family barbeque to attend, and I felt all these things
pulling me away from the retreat. I didn’t like this
feeling, and it bothered me that I would feel this way. I
love my seva; I feel that it’s the only thing I have that I
can give to Ma and Bapuji, and I longed for the feeling
I usually have before a retreat, where I can’t wait to see
them, can’t wait to come to the retreat and do my seva.
So as I drove, I asked Guruji to bring me to that place
again, to that feeling where I can’t wait to see them.
All I did was ask, and within minutes, I felt that I was
no longer driving but instead gliding so fast along the
incredible, overwhelming feeling that I couldn’t wait
to be here. I just laughed all the rest of the way to the
retreat! I realized that sometimes we make things so
difficult, when all we have to do is ask from our heart.
I had chills when I realized that I just asked, and there
it was.
and gratitude poured through me as I cried. The pain in
my legs was still there, but it was no longer a source of
suffering. In that moment, Guruji taught me a pure and
simple lesson about the true meaning of giving.
Sadaguru Deva ki jai!
Suryakant Small
The day of the fire ceremony, the weather was mostly
cloudy, with rain possible at any moment. But at the very
instant Ma and Bapuji intoned the third OM to begin the
ceremony, the sun burst through, causing us all to laugh
and smile with joy.
A disciple
Thank you, Guruji!
All day Hanumanji was very strong around me. His
devotion and strength are precious to me. During
the fire ceremony, the wind came—Bipra, father of
Hanumanji. He was in the wind. During the Hanuman
Chalisa chanting, he came very strongly. I felt my
mouth changing to a “monkey-like” face—lips covering
teeth. I felt this presence. Guruji kept telling me all was
and would be O.K., I should relax. It was, and is at this
point, too much to continue.
Sita Ram!
Toni (Trupti)
Ma is my rudder that has steered my life. She is its one
constant.
Lydia Sati Towery
At the Guru Purnima Day Celebration, during the
bija mantrochar meditation, my legs started to feel
very sore from so much cross-legged floor sitting.
I was in meditation, but the pain in my legs was pulling
at my attention. An emotional kriya came over me,
and I heard my mind praying for the pain in my legs
to take away some of the pain Dhyanyogiji must have
felt during the early years of His sadhana. My mind
was asking Ram to let me take on some of the pain
Kashinath Mishra must have suffered, to relieve His
suffering, across the dimensions of space and time.
What happened next is difficult to put into words. A
wave of love washed through me and poured out of
my eyes in the form of tears. Wave after wave of love
This was my first retreat with DYC. I was immediately struck by
how many people there “felt” familiar to me, despite my never
having met anyone on the East Coast. The weekend opened my
heart in many ways.
I sat quietly before Guru puja began, gazing at a portrait
of Lord Ram at the front of the room. Roses sat in a vase
on the floor below the portrait. Sunlight through the
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window lit one rose in particular and threw its reflection onto
the glass covering the portrait. The effect was astonishing.
Ram’s heart was a hugely blooming, transparent red rose,
pulling me through the two dimensions of the portrait into
the depths of His being. Gazing at Ram’s heart, I felt my own
heart open like a rose to the glory of the puja.
Shri Ramachandra Bhagavana Ki Jai!
I’ve often heard teachings about merging with the Guru, or the
Guru being inside us, but generally I have no concept for what this
could mean.
Yet often, as happened at this retreat, when there is a fire ceremony,
I find myself going into a particular kind of deep state, only to
realize later that at that same moment Ma was going into a state
of bhav samadhi.
Following this retreat, I saw a video someone
had taken as I went up to do Guru Puja. Ma
unexpectedly reached out and plucked a blessing
rose. In surprise and gratitude, I bowed my
head and closed my eyes. But then in the video
I saw that something else occurred as my eyes
were closed. Ma raised the rose to one eye,
then the other, and then Her third eye. To my
astonishment the video showed my hand making
the exact same movements as Ma’s, at precisely
the same time. Without a trace of volition, I was
mirroring my Guru as She blessed me.
Jai Jai Ma!
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