And Mother Claps Her Hands…
SRV welcomes a new initiate in Portland. She has been bestowed by Babaji with the name Paragati, which means “Supreme Goal.”  She took initiation during our Holy Mother’s Birthday Celebration. Paragati is a therapist in private practice and also teaches group classes in mindfulness training. Her primary focus is working with archetypal pattern analysis and hakomi.
Since initiation she has experienced a deepening in her practice and meditation and feels closer to Mother and a grace that burns through karmas. She says that making such a commitment as initiation brings clarity of focus that calls us to a new level of being.

Art, Poetry & Vedanta
Prashanta Prakasha/ Benjamin Cavalcanti our dear sangha brother has recently published a book of poems and drawings entitled “Drawings, Questions, and Statements.” The book is a collection of drawings and philosophical writings created over a three-year span and gathered together during a period of profound transition in the artist’s life. Prakasha left the Portland Ashram after having lived there as a resident for several months and upon arriving in Oakland found himself swirling in a maelstrom of life changes and transitions, not the least of which was impending fatherhood.

Sri Ramakrishna advised the householders to spend time in retreat, solitude, and holy company. In this way the “chronic disease” of worldliness, also described as “mundane human convention” by Lex Hixon, could be lessened, and love for God intensified. As Shankaracharya sings in Bhaja Govindam: “From the company of the good arises nonattachment, from nonattachment arises freedom from delusion, from freedom from delusion arises steadfastness, and from steadfastness arises liberation in this life.”

Spring, Summer & Fall Retreats
In 2009, SRV Associations is offering three retreats and Babaji is leading a pilgrimage to India.

Spring: Retreat on An All-Inclusive Advaita

Summer: American River Retreat over Guru Purnima

Fall: Mother Kali Retreat

December 2009 Pilgrimage: Sri Ramakrishna world headquarters in Kolkata, Dakshineswar Kali Temple, Benares, Delhi, and Rishikesh.  If you are interested please contact Babaji directly.

Elucidation from Babaji
on retreats and Jnana (spiritual Knowledge) and the blessings they confer:

Namaste and Namaskar from the timeless realm of India, and aloha from the ocean-locked lands of Hawaii,

The present issue of SRV Association’s Mundamala arrives to you in time for my forthcoming dharma visit to the mainland centers in Oregon and San Francisco, and is adequately demonstrative of all the sterling ideals which we strive to meditate upon in spiritual life.  And since selfless service and detached activity are very much a part of our life and path in the world, this email newsletter finds the mark there as well, sporting articles on the several branches of religious endeavor SRV undertakes to fulfill, all evinced from the powerful platform of sacrifice in nonduality.  And here is where life in the world and existence in the Spirit come together so well in Sri Ramakrishna’s realm.  Not content to merely act selflessly and dharmically amidst the changing stream of phenomena which plays itself out daily and yearly in physical space, SRV devotees, initiates, members, and students move to further their understanding of universal dharma and deepen their commitment and dedication to its tenets at the same time, thus transforming what is otherwise only a relative existence into a divine life of realization and spiritual expression.

The antaranga, or inner circle of intimate devotees of Sri Ramakrishna, have a special role in his Lila, or Divine Play. Each one has a unique story worth telling which reveals an aspect of the phenomenon and mission of the Master

A Devotee: “Sir, who may be called an antaranga?”

Master: “Let me give an illustration. A natmandir has pillars inside and outside. An antaranga is like the inside pillars. Those who always live near the guru are the antarangas.” — from the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna

Jessica Fritts of La Grande, Oregon was initiated in Portland and received the name Daivi Devi, which translates as “Divine Goddess.” Daivi Devi recently started a new business called “Errand Angels,” which is an errand service. This new business offers great teachings in the practice of Karma Yoga. Babaji has been extremely helpful in guiding her through the challenges and …

SRV Portland – Call 503-774-2410: Babaji returns for 4 weekends of classes, satsangs, and worship. Complete Portland Schedule Dec. 7, Sun., 9am-2pm, Older Childrens’ class. Dec. 13, Sat., 9:30am, Babaji’s First Teaching. Dec. 17, Wed., 7pm, Special Class with Babaji: Sri Sarada Vijnanagita Dec. 20, Sat., 6pm, Holy Mother’s Jayanti Puja. Dec. 24, Wed., 7pm, Special Class with Babaji: Christ’s …

Transformation of Mind and Transcendent Action

Dear Babaji,

I’ve just returned from three days in Honolulu attending our annual conservation conference.  It was a good conference.  As usual there was a lot of disturbing information being shared about the plight of Hawaii’s native species.  So many are critically endangered or have already gone extinct.  It’s pretty alarming.

As you may recall in September, we received a call for help from the Ramakrishna Headquarters, Belur Math, regarding a devastating flood in the western part of India. Sanga members contributed to this fund in answer to the plea for food, supplies, and medical relief. The following letter was sent to us upon receiving our donation.

Greetings to all the devotees, students, and participants of SRV Association’s movement and its events – and aloha from Hawaii:

In the wake of our previous gathering in October, and in anticipation of our next meeting over Christmas and New Year’s, I hereupon take this welcome opportunity to write words of both appreciation and encouragement to all of you.  Here in our world, in Saradaramakrishna Loka, we are fortunate to be able to live an extraordinary life of sadhana and service, each of these accomplished selflessly and meticulously under the Brahman-banner of dharma and its incomparable tenets.  What a great and gracious boon this is!  It has been conferred upon us by the Mother of the Universe Herself, She who came to earth again as Sri Sarada Devi, the Holy Mother, gracing the world of name and form as recently as the 1920’s.  And She came as both the Universal Mother in Her own right, and as the consort of the Avatar, Sri Ramakrishna, Himself an incarnation of Mother Kali and the manifestation of Ram and Krishna conjoined.  To quote Swami Vivekananda, a paragon of Truth and truthfulness himself:

Nectar of Non-dual Truth

Advaita-Satya-Amritam

A Journal of Universal Religious and Philosophical Teachings

Welcoming the new Nectar!

Nectar has entered a whole new phase. As we send out this newsletter, our small staff is preparing issue number 24, coming out this Winter, which will be almost twice the size of prior issues. This alone — the opportunity to offer so many inspiring articles in the spirit of true Universalism — is the cause of very high spirits!