I convey my warmest greetings and earnest blessings to you during the year-end holidays. May your holidays be meaningful, joyful, and free from fear. I pray that your hearts are full of gratitude and kindness despite the tough times that we have had to encounter over this past year.

As holidays embrace us, surrounding our hearts with the warmth of familiar ambience, we often like to reflect and ruminate about our successes or failures in the last year. This reflecting becomes more meaningful when we do not lose the lesson, even if we feel like we’ve lost out. Virtue is strengthened by deeper reflection and learning from the experience.

If you are feeling tired, reflect if this a feeling of good tiredness. During these hard times, it was perhaps not enough to be earnest, you might have needed to exert. Despite good intentions and best of efforts, outcomes might be delayed or not yet visible. Labour of love is a value that builds virtues which seep into the subtle layers of our character. Time well spent in a positive direction and made spiritually meaningful will convert the good tiredness into moral strength.

It is not the kind of tired that comes after staying up too late. This is a kind of good tired that comes with exertion for a good cause. In the back of the mind the notion of good serving is prevalent, and morale is high throughout the labour. It’s the kind of good tired that comes from a brisk walkathon to raise awareness of a just cause, a whole day of gardening to create sustenance, or cooking and distributing food to the underprivileged. This kind of good tired comes from helping a homeless family secure affordable housing or running around to deliver much needed essential supplies to senior living and foster homes.

There is often no time to think about body aches, take a shower or soak the tired feet in salt water. The drive to keep on serving comes from the ideal behind serving, resting on the moral high ground that makes us human. No matter the prick in the conscience about the exploitation by cabals and the decadence of governance that affect our trust, our innate kindness drives us toward that good tiredness.

We learn how to anchor during difficult situations, pivot during transitions, adapt to new mandates that do not make sense, and yet be resilient despite the shaming that is often thrust upon us due to our informed choices. Our nascent immunity is built upon the moral values that embellish us and is at the root of our nourishment. This is a good spiritual way to ruminate while overcoming the shortcomings of this past year. Faith is also behind the hope that we can prevail by being generous and gentle. We need not mind being a little tired. We can ride this turbulent tide with faith and moral strength.

I pray that your holiday season will be a respite from the pressure of living to work. This is not the time to exult while opening gift boxes or gorging on sugar, but rather to reflect on how to glow in the collective warmth of human spirit brought about by well-meaning fellowship with careful and prayerful people. Sugar is not a replacement for love even if past habits attract the fake sweetness unknowingly. It is good to find some time for the much-needed rest over the holidays, all the while knowing that the repose of solace is at the core of our year-to-year stamina and fortitude.

Fortitude builds patience and patience supports quietude. Stillness is a natural consequence of quiet reflection, and the silent pauses grow on you. Those pauses are very useful for our stamina. The idea is not to keep feeling tired. Rejuvenation is a natural need of our lives. However mental clearing is at the root of stamina.

Making the holidays uplifting is within your reach, through attemptable affirmations. We need to adapt to the changes inherent in the nature of the world that is, in spiritual terms, constantly slipping away from us. Our current times feel like they are accelerating, rife with clashes of ethos and bipolar ideologies. Now is the time to anchor with moral strength and practical sense.

Tiredness manifests in the body and is usually not an obstacle as long as the mind is imbued with clarity and inspiration. Residing free of rent in a house that is not really yours, how is it possible to avoid its distemperatures? Ashes collected from cremation are merged into the water as the final ablution, such is the essence of our skeletal framework.

The sole shackle is the invasion of unchecked desires in this house which stoke our afflictions. Satisfaction is temporary, whereas genuine fulfillment is lasting. Food is a satisfaction for hunger but understanding the hunger at a subtle emotional level and sharing the food may bring about a fulfilling experience.

Reflecting deeply on our desires (such as the holiday rush for sugar or toys) might allow access to its psychic counterpart, aspiration. Ask yourself what your true holiday aspiration is. If a light bulb moment happens, then it was worth all the good tiredness and the nagging aches. Both the mind and the body evolve into a greater state of being disaffected by aging or occasional overuse. Physical decay may cause waxing and waning of mental strength but touches not the core of your being.

Aspiration by its own make up is innately spiritual and is at the root of all noble affirmations. From a spiritual perspective your body and home are refractory as they are not really yours. Henceforth puny desires go awry. Complete fulfillment is not easily given to us by means of this intractable body. The body helps us when we know how to cultivate its strengths. Good tiredness is a way to pause for reflection, finding a greater meaning about life’s purpose. We repose in our faith when we search deeper. Faith is the forerunner of all that we care for through serving. Faith is ultimately the conviction about a supreme being who is free from the shackles of karma and its impressions.

We are born free, and never meant to be draped in fancy wrappers that are laced in fear from our projections. The daily dose of general dread can be overcome with spiritual fortitude and faith in the supreme being. Holidays are meant for regaining our confidence and deepening our conviction through faith in the supreme being. God-centred living brings about a faithful and honourable life; this is the experience. Earnest prayers to that supreme being can protect us from the imbalance of adversity and prosperity. Good tiredness might just enable us to repose in our divinity and the purpose of spiritual realization.

Thanksgiving welcomes the season of gratitude and giving. Being thankful is a way of showing appreciation. It is an expression of gratitude and Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on all of our blessings. Giving encompasses the spirit of participation, sharing committed time, ardently serving hand-in-hand, and distributing resources connected to wealth. However, before we can understand how giving enriches the giver evermore, we need to reflect on how gratitude and thanksgiving begin the cycle of reciprocal altruism.

The Thanksgiving tradition in the US started in 1621 by the Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock. It is known to be a harvest celebration, a time to give thanks for the bounty of the new land and to be with those we care about. In 1941, the US Congress made Thanksgiving a national holiday, commemorated on the fourth Thursday of November.

Throughout history and around the world, philosophers, meditators, spiritual practitioners, and religious worshipers have extolled the value of gratitude and the virtue of expressing gratitude. Since ancient times the elements of grace and gratitude have been part of a lifestyle for those who live a prayerful God-centered life.

Recognition of grace and expression of gratitude are imbibed as a foundational way of being by those renunciates and spiritualists who claim that without feeling gratitude, grace cannot be recognized. Before we thank others, we express gratitude toward the creator and his creation by recognizing grace.

There is recognition of this other external source which leads to an upwelling of gratitude after having experienced a favourable outcome, be it a source of joy – and that precedes thanksgiving. We thank the creator for the bounty of harvest and harness the benefit with gratitude. While faith is intangible, grace is deemed tangible – a palpable feeling that is often filled with a spontaneous outpouring of gratitude.

Gratitude is not simply a cultural ethos. It has deep roots in the idea of reciprocal altruism that is embedded in our evolutionary history. Non-humans as varied as birds and fish engage in reciprocal altruism — behaviors in which they reciprocate good deeds done to them by others. Elements of grace and gratitude are both evident among most creatures and are verily behind the drive for reciprocal altruism.

Animals and humans are known to share their virtues and bounties first with their own kith and kin who had groomed them earlier. We are more likely to assist others first who have helped us in the past. Sets of identical twins have been known to show a higher correlation of self-reported gratitude than fraternal twins — the genetic component to gratitude develops over many lifetimes and this blueprint expresses in somewhat predictable ways as we would expect.

As an extension of expression of gratitude, the spirit of monastic service inculcates compassion for all, where serving is imbued with a pleasant expression of gratitude through all times without discrimination. Herein fairness is exhibited due to an unshakable compassion that is prevalent as a state of being – indeed a higher evolved trait where acts of kindness are superseded by the achieved state of compassion.

Kindness is a quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate. It is helpfulness towards someone in need, not in return for anything, nor for the advantage of the giver, but for the sake of giving. While kindness might subside somewhat after the act and might rise again at an appropriate opportunity, compassion is said to be a state of being whereupon the evenness of mind exudes a natural benevolence through constant thanksgiving. A general attitude of kindness is helpful in preparing oneself toward compassion. It is the compassionate one who displays all around equanimity with an expression of gratitude.

The spirit of compassionate serving is deemed as a highly evolved spiritual quality rooted in the feelings of gratitude. Children exhibit gratitude which develops as they mature, and this development is considered to be vital in their upbringing. In the Sanskrit tradition of holistic schooling, elements of nature are also worshipped due to the ideal behind thanksgiving – recognizing what is behind the bounties that sustain us – recognition of grace of God that precedes the reciprocal altruism of thanksgiving and sharing with others.

Ayurveda broadly advises to inculcate the recognition of grace and expression of gratitude, because it claims that more grateful people may be healthier. Developing spiritual values related to the experience of gratitude is said to encourage the adoption of healthier habits and bring about healthfulness.

We are grateful for knowing you and for your honouring us with the giving that sustains us. Let us welcome the season of gratitude despite all challenges on the material plane and seek a spiritual solution to all problems with a calm mind, harnessing our intellectual faculties, and recognizing grace.

Adorable families and venerable parents,

I am writing to all those families whose children have been growing up around me during their most formative years rapidly growing into their youthful state. As you know I continue to offer my earnest blessings for your children, while prayerfully guiding in my heart for them to blossom with fortitude into dignified adulthood.

Even as parents of your precious ones you are still my children, and surely enough your own parents are also like children to me even though they are the kindred spirit – as together we are old souls!

I see through your challenges and keep praying for your moral courage to raise your children in this day and age where the societal pressure of disobedience is further compounded by the atmosphere of dishonesty and an absent labour of love. I carry in my heart the silent ruminations of your joy and wish for your contentment in your family while you gain honour in your community.

I thank God for making you find me. God and guru are the ultimate refuge, if indeed the guru is a traditional satguru – a realized divine being who is transparent with the supreme personality of God, and surely capable of parenting you with the highest wisdom. While guru can be of many types and hail from many backgrounds, a satguru is a true representative of the Lord, the supreme personality of God.

Whenever any deep worry was shared with me about your children’s future regarding their health and study, I was there to alleviate your concern. I was able to remove the karmic obstacle to the extent permitted by the Lord’s command and allow you repose in peace so that you did not have to forbear the tribulation all by yourselves. I was there as a spiritual pillar for you to lean on.

I have been teaching to do your best and leave the rest – to God. Rest assured, only a revealed satguru can intervene regarding your children’s dilemmas, guide at the highest level both verbally and silently, and shower blessings so that you gather fresh momentum to maintain internal harmony within your family.

If I can behold how the supreme personality of God descends and what his pastimes are, then surely I can feel and see through both the drama and dharma in your families. I would not be able to initiate anyone into the path of salvation if I could not see the past and future, even while being silently reposed in the present. I am truly blessed by the supreme personality of God, my Iṣta – my Lord, and this grace is my most precious embellishment with which I have been interacting with you ever since you have known me.

It is very important for you all to not forsake or withdraw from the shelter under my umbrella, for this canopy is not held in place by me, but by the invisible power of the supreme Lord from up above. This umbrella is not just a shade but the shelter of a giant peepal tree. You perhaps know that a peepal tree exudes nonstop oxygen day and night. Yes, the shelter of satguru is indeed like oxygen for thriving, especially for the greater family.

My own monastic satguru, Swami Hariharananda Paramahansa, predicted that I will be like a Buddha whose shelter will be filled with the balmy ambience of holy abundance. Why not take the fullest advantage of knowing me in this life and walk with me strides matched together?

One lifetime is indeed a short span and change is the very nature of the world. This world and its sumptuous cushions are constantly slipping away from us. There is no need to look hither thither or be distracted by short term advice. It is not about whether you relate better with simpler handholding. Higher visionary spiritual advice from a siddha monk is rare in this current epoch’s era.

A realized monk is proclaimed to be the most suitable satguru in this yuga. Keep deep spiritual connection with me as this will be the most prudent dharma. I am not the only witness, there are other higher divine arbiters who keep watching over us. Karmic momentum of misfortunes already set into motion are not exhausted by blessings alone. However, there are multiple levels of general protection that is built in when you study with an esteemed meditation lineage which traces back to our Iṣta – the Lord Himself.

Challenges from uninvited situations come our way due to the very urge that initiated this life. Thus it is best to not give sway to either depression or elation. Freedom is not attained until the full quota of contingent satisfactions from the momentum of karma get exhausted, which may take lifetimes of striving and adhering misery. Advice by satguru may not always seem practical but assists in loosening the karmic shackles of affliction when implemented.

This past year I have been sharing with you about the descension of Lord Kalki amongst us – His place of birth and His formation of Sudharmā Mahāsangha for the establishment of dharma on Earth, matching the revelation of Bhagavad Gita 4th chapter. In the lighted depths of my heart, I can see the young Lord Kalki studying with Lord Paraśurāma in the hidden coves and lush enclaves of a mountainous terrain that I am familiar with from my past lives.

As you have felt, the current age is such that negativity spreads faster and grips harder, but these times will change in the foreseeable future when Lord Kalki reveals His full glory. Then the lives of your children will be memorable and spiritually meaningful in every which way. I am just holding the mast and guiding you through these troubled waters. Times are forthcoming in some years that will bear the fruits of our present service and you will be able to overcome the current challenges of civilizational crises.

Whether embroiled or relatively free, once encumbered, the tentacles of duties cannot be avoided. I have always taught you to discharge the duties of life as a spiritual penance and lovingly offer the fruits of hard work to the Lord. Ultimately only the Lord can protect you from the imbalance of adversity and prosperity.

I thank you profusely for reciprocating my compassion with your charity and kindness. Now I urge you to follow my wise words. I see through your lives and hover silently over your children and parents, while I behold Lord Kalki and await His command. I welcome you heartily to secure with me the citadel of solace with rock solid fortification.

With the holy blessings of Lord Kalki,
Swami Vidyadhishananda

Venerable friends and families,

I convey my heartiest wishes and earnest blessings to you during the year-end holidays. May your holidays be instilled with a prayerful and careful attitude. May you embrace unrushed thoughtful decision-making parsing out the confusion while forbearing the tribulation. May your hearts be overfilled with gratitude and kindness.

Year-end is the time for reflection and rumination. How to make these holidays meaningful and uplifting is within the reach of your own affirmations. Change is the nature of the world and it is constantly slipping away from us. Often at the end of an era or a yuga like this, change is accelerated, bringing in a clash of ethos and bipolar ideologies. There is no other option but to face such times with moral strength and practical sense. These situations prompt us to look deeper within and harness the value of dispassion.

Holidays are meant to be holy days of self-reflection and prayer. They are not meant for simply exchanging packages of material objects that please us. Pleasure gathered from the world makes us indebted to the world, and hence there is the remembrance of worldliness. When we retire at night, we must ruminate on the higher goal of human excellence and not be flooded with memories of worldly engagements while mentally unpacking the material gifts that are laced with likes and dislikes.

One is truly peaceful if one is free from fearful living even in the face of a serious crisis of sustainable livelihood. Giving in to the fears and somewhat manifesting the worries is a much lesser way. We are born free and never meant to be wrapped in fear of the unknown or struggle with a daily dose of general dread. Holidays are meant for regaining our confidence and deepen our conviction through faith in God.

Kindness and charity are both exemplary virtues rooted in compassion. This holiday might beckon you toward gifts of kindness wherein your charitable sharing is meaningful and value-added for both the giver and the recipient. We must remember who the real giver is, and that He made sure there is plenitude waiting to be cultivated in some way or other, despite the imbalance from hoarding and greed.

The current age is such that negativity spreads faster and grips harder, but these times will change in the foreseeable future. Times are forthcoming in a few years that will embrace our fortitude toward the current challenges of civilizational crises. Our efforts become value-added through our faith in God, otherwise they are of limited effectiveness. Love is the best gift that honours our innate compassion for humanity.

Our illusory bondage to materialism cannot last long. Challenges from uninvited situations come our way due to the very urge that initiated this life. Thus it is best to not give sway to either depression or elation. The ramparts that hold us captive due to the karmic shackles get shattered faster when we invoke godliness, thereby freeing the soul from the worldly drama. Otherwise freedom is not attained before the full quota of contingent satisfactions from the momentum of karma get exhausted, which may take lifetimes of striving and adhering misery.

Whether embroiled or relatively free, once encumbered, the tentacles of duties cannot be avoided. Therefore it is best to discharge the duties of life as a spiritual penance. Do your best and leave the rest, to God – who will protect you from the imbalance of adversity and prosperity. Only if we are able to submerge in the spiritual refuge unto the supreme personality of Godhead, by following the wise words of wisdom from realized beings who have seen God, there is then the citadel of solace with rock solid fortification.

With the holy blessings of God and Guru,
Swami Vidyadhishananda

Adorable friends and families,

I convey my heartiest wishes and earnest blessings to you as we begin the holiday season with Thanksgiving. May your holidays be instilled with positive thinking, filled with gratitude and the spirit of sharing.

Milk was ready before we opened our eyes. During our innocent years, we relied on our parents and caregivers for food while being completely surrendered in faith. We cried earnestly and food was served. Some of us threw tantrums and yet were pacified.

Similarly no matter what fears of sustainable livelihood arise due to extremely challenging circumstances and uncertain future, we must surrender in faith to God. This way we can test the blessings of grace when earnestly crying for inspiration amidst diligent hard work.

These difficult times provide an opportunity to express our gratitude and harness our humane qualities. Choking with fear and splitting with worries can be overcome by converting our humane qualities to a divine experience of grace, lest we are brave to transform our fear of God into a love of God.

Imbibing the spirit of gratitude when we are deprived and manipulated allows us to stand up with moral courage while deepening faith in God. Each one of us have been given some special quality upon which we can rely during crises as we collectively continue our inner journey toward God with forbearance and faith.

Thanksgiving is meaningful if elements of gratitude hidden within our humane character drive the spirit of sharing and make us experience the elements of grace. One who receives the grace of God is thus empowered to serve God evermore. One who rests in God will have salvation added to one’s journey – this might be a testable hypothesis for some, but a fact of life for an experienced devotee.

Let your circle of care not only include people in need, but all other beings of our habitat, including birds and animals who want to thrive just like us.

With abounding holy blessings on behalf of my meditation lineages,
Swami Vidyadhishananda

The upcoming total lunar eclipse on the 20th/21st January is the second eclipse of 2019, following the partial solar eclipse that took place on 5th/6th January. An eclipse event never occurs alone; at least one solar eclipse always occurs about two weeks before or after a lunar eclipse, though it might not be visible in the same regions of the world. Sometimes, there are three eclipse events during the same eclipse season.

Anywhere between zero and three lunar eclipses can occur in a calendar year. We know that the shadow of the Earth falling on the Moon brings about a lunar eclipse. This can happen only on a full moon when Moon and Sun are posited opposite of mutual conjunction, while the Earth moves in between them and reduces the Moon’s light source.

In simple terms, the Earth’s shadow that falls on the Moon during a lunar eclipse is either penumbral or umbral. The penumbra is the lighter outer part of Earth’s shadow where only partial sunlight is obscured. The umbra is the dark, central part of Earth’s shadow where all sunlight is blocked—this is the phenomenon that creates ‘nighttime’.

When the Moon is fully encapsulated by the umbral shadow, we observe a total lunar eclipse from the Earth. If the Moon passes partially through the umbral shadow then a partial lunar eclipse is observed from the Earth. An exclusive penumbral eclipse occurs when the Moon passes only through the penumbral portion of the shadow without touching the umbra.

As the Moon enters Earth’s umbral shadow, it will turn a rusty color as it reflects sunlight being refracted through the Earth’s atmosphere. In other words, the lunar eclipse is illuminated by all of Earth’s sunrises and sunsets reaching the moon, hence why a total lunar eclipse is often called a blood moon.

More details about the red hue can be found at:

https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/why-does-moon-look-red-lunar-eclipse.html

The exact time period of this eclipse will depend upon the latitude and longitude of your location.

Here is an interactive map detailing where this eclipse is visible:

https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/lunar/2019-january-21

While this total lunar eclipse is visible in the entire Americas as well as other countries such as England and Norway, it is not visible in India, Australia and Southeast Asia.

The link below provides a good perspective about the umbral timings:

https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/LEplot/LEplot2001/LE2019Jan21T.pdf

A lunar eclipse has nearly equal probability of being a total, partial umbral or only penumbral. Those of you studying or following the Saros cycle on periodicity of eclipses, please refer to this link for details:

https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/LEsaros/LEsaros134.html

As per the ancient Vedic soli-lunar calendar, the umbral eclipse time-period determines the actual impact of a lunar eclipse. For example, the umbral eclipse takes effect in Los Angeles, California on Sunday, 20th January from 7:33pm; the total eclipse begins at 8:41pm; the maximum eclipse is at 9:12pm; the total eclipse ends at 9:43pm; and the umbral eclipse is over after 10:50pm, as shown in this location guide:

https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/usa/los-angeles

You may determine the nature, extent, and time duration of the eclipse relevant to your location using the above link.

In general, eclipses indicate an interruption of the energy of the luminaries and hence are deemed as important events for life on Earth. An eclipse affects all plants and trees especially those on land receiving the sunlight and moonlight directly. Other living creatures such as birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and even insects have been seen harnessing the power of these transitional events.

While animals seem to be attuned to the forces of nature and better informed, the effect of an eclipse on humans tends to manifest in different ways and to varying degrees. These effects can be analyzed based on the particular position or placement of luminaries at the time of one’s birth. This is calculated accurately by Sanskrit-based Jyotiṣa-vidyā, which astronomically maps the coordinates of the celestial bodies, including distant star clusters and asterisms, at the time of birth using a dynamic soli-lunar calendar.

This indigenous knowledge base (gaṇīta-śāstra or Vedic mathematics) is a Vedic Sanskrit heritage that is still practiced in India, and while the tradition retains its authentic depth, it is much less prevalent than before. If and how an eclipse affects an individual is a specific and detailed calculation and is in itself a vast subject. As such effects on an individual level are mostly out of our control, they are best mitigated at a personal level by way of contemplation or meditation.

Based on Jyotiṣa-vidyā, the effects of an eclipse can last for three to six months if of particular significance to an individual, whereas the effects can last for up to a year if relevant to a country. An eclipse of great magnitude influences life across the entire globe to varying degrees. It impacts in such a way that the effects do not necessarily manifest quickly, but rather develop over the subsequent months.

Mindfulness and extra care are the call of these times in making our footprint as minimalistic as possible when it comes to our lives impacting the environment. There is however the geological momentum and forces of nature that are verily beyond our control, and all we can do is share positive energy, mindful service and be prepared as best as possible.

Whereas eclipses and their effects have been either closely followed or studied by many traditions and cultures, meditators patiently wait for such moments to come forth. This is because the depth and power of meditation increases manifold during an eclipse. An event like this brings an excellent opportunity for enhancing one’s spiritual practice.

Regular and persistent practice of meditation can be made to culminate in a new level or the attainment of a special result, a siddhi, from an eclipse. From this perspective, a total eclipse is a greater opportunity to excel in meditation, while a partial eclipse is somewhat less of an opportunity but nevertheless still worthwhile. Seekers in countries where the eclipse is only partially visible can still embrace the meditation practices even though the effects will be milder; however, if the eclipse is not visible at all, the meditation benefits do not multiply.

For a meditator to gain the maximum advantage, Sanskrit literature suggests fasting for 9 hours ahead of the start time for a lunar eclipse (and fasting 12 hours in the case of a solar eclipse). This is of course difficult to practise with the modern lifestyle, especially when working during the day. However, some of the other aspects of preparing for an eclipse could perhaps be done, such as fasting during the entire eclipse period and even abstaining from drinking water during the eclipse. One can drink just enough water ahead of time so that the contemplative practices during the eclipse are not interrupted. Those not able to fast can have a light snack well ahead of the eclipse. Food and drinks are not taken during or at the beginning of the eclipse.

It is traditional among those who follow the eclipse routine to take a wash (a shower) right before the onset of the eclipse and then take another shower just after the end of the eclipse. The two showers or full body ablutions are associated with two changes of fresh clothes, and is known as a samputi system of locking the energy of the eclipse through a customary cleansing. In case of a lunar eclipse, showers or ablutions can be taken during the beginning and ending penumbral periods sandwiching the umbral meditation session.

Taking rest after the second shower would be deemed normal. Fasting can be ended right after this shower and change of clothes. A well-structured pre-planned meditation is usually better practised indoors in a familiar surrounding remaining on one’s own seat of repose (āsana).

In the example for Los Angeles, California, the first shower or ablution can be taken right after the onset of the penumbral eclipse at 6:36pm but before the 7:33pm umbral eclipse and thereafter the second shower or ablution may be taken after 10:50pm at the end of the umbral eclipse but before 11:48pm which is end time of the penumbral eclipse. The entire umbral eclipse time period of 7:33pm until 10:50pm can be used for the meditation practice. Furthermore, maximum intensity of meditation practice can be applied during the total lunar eclipse period of 8:41pm to 9:43pm.

It would be wise to make sure that at least one complete meditation session is done. The peak eclipse is the most intense. Therefore, for those wishing to meditate during the eclipse or preparing to intensify their existing contemplation, may plan the practice to maximize the overlap with the period of the peak eclipse period.

One might need to extend the meditation time by repeating one’s usual meditation techniques a number of times. In that case, repeating a sequence an odd number of times (such as thrice) is better than an even number. However, the depth and quality are more important than number of repetitions.

This is a summary of relevant recommendations from the Sanskrit literature. It is best to utilize this rare opportunity to intensify personal contemplation or meditation practice.

The upcoming total lunar eclipse of Wednesday, 31st January 2018 is on a blue moon, because in some parts of the world this is the second full moon of January. Moreover the full moon also happens to be a super moon and will look bigger and brighter due to its perigee position with respect to Earth. A total lunar eclipse is often called a blood moon because of the reddish orange glow the moon exhibits during the eclipse. Therefore this eclipse is being called the Super Blue Blood Moon Eclipse. The exact time period of this eclipse will depend upon the latitude and longitude of your location.

Here is an interactive map detailing where this eclipse is visible:
https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/map/2018-january-31

While it is visible in North America, Australasia and Asia, the eclipse is not visible in much of Western Europe, except in Scandinavia. The eclipse is also not visible in the majority of South America and Africa.

This link below provides a good perspective about the umbral timings:
https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/LEplot/LEplot2001/LE2018Jan31T.pdf

The umbral eclipse period determines the actual impact of a lunar eclipse. For example, the umbral eclipse will take effect in Los Angeles, California from 3:48am; the total eclipse begins at 4:51am; the maximum eclipse is at 5:29am and the eclipse is no longer visible after 6:07am, as shown in this location guide:
https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/usa/los-angeles

You may determine the nature, extent, and time duration of the eclipse relevant to your location using the above link.

In general, eclipses indicate an interruption of the energy of the luminaries and hence are deemed as important events for life on Earth. An eclipse affects all plants and trees especially those on land receiving the sunlight and moonlight directly. Living creatures such as birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and even insects have been seen harnessing the power of these transitional events.

One such recorded event of eclipse awareness from the animal world is shared herein. During the morning solar eclipse of 15th January 2010 several devotees witnessed a cobra worshipping an altar (Śivalingam) using sacred wood apple leaves (bilwa). This special worship took place at the Thepperumanallur temple of Viśvanāthaswamī (Śivaḥ) near the city of Kumbhakonam in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, India and was recorded by a photographer named Thenappan.

The photographer was called in by the priest during the midmorning when he noticed the cobra mounted on the altar. The cobra was then witnessed dismounting the altar just before the start of the eclipse, fetching the sacred stalk of leaves from the temple’s wood apple tree and re-entering the sanctum sanctorum, remounting the altar, opening its hood and thereafter offering the leaves on top of the altar. By that time the eclipse had started. The sequence was repeated by the cobra as if in a worship gesture of expiation.

Each stalk has three leaves symbolizing the two eyes and the third eye of timelessness, constituting a perfect natural offering to Śivaḥ who is hailed as the Lord of Time. Residents of the Thepperumanallur village say that serpents had been visiting the altar during at least three previous solar eclipses. The priest and local devotees of this temple had thereby prearranged for the photographer to record this event in expectation of a similar interaction. The recorded worship by the cobra demonstrates how creatures are aware of the timing of an eclipse and prepare for such special moments.

While animals seem to be attuned to the forces of nature and better informed, the effect of an eclipse on humans tends to manifest in different ways and to varying degrees. These effects can be analyzed based on the particular position or placement of luminaries at the time of one’s birth. This is calculated accurately by Sanskrit-based Jyotiṣa-vidyā, which astronomically maps the coordinates of the celestial bodies, including distant star clusters and asterisms, at the time of birth using a dynamic soli-lunar calendar.

This indigenous knowledge base (gaṇīta-śāstra or Vedic mathematics) is a Vedic Sanskrit heritage that is still practised in India, and while the tradition retains its authentic depth, it is much less prevalent than before. If and how an eclipse affects an individual is a specific and detailed calculation and is in itself a vast subject. As such effects on an individual level are mostly out of our control, they are best mitigated at a personal level by way of contemplation or meditation.

Based on Jyotiṣa-vidyā, the effects of an eclipse can last for three to six months if of particular significance to an individual, whereas the effects can last for up to a year if relevant to a country. An eclipse of great magnitude influences life across the entire globe to varying degrees. It impacts in such a way that the effects do not necessarily manifest quickly, but develop over the subsequent months.

In the United States we have seen a sequence of severe calamities since the last solar eclipse, compounding an already difficult year affected by warming weather trends and Midwestern drought. The precipitous impact of these calamities has been attributed to the last solar eclipse by the jyotiśa experts (jyotiśvid) who study and follow the effects of eclipses on a country. The onset of natural calamities has been otherwise labelled by such observers as unnatural due to the manner in which these calamities manifest untimely catastrophes.

The time period since the major solar eclipse of 21st August 2017 that cast a shadow through the heartland of United States and Puerto Rico has been majorly calamitous. A trio of devastating hurricanes and multiple wildfires all led to a record-breaking year of losses from catastrophes. The very first hurricane sprung up right after this major solar eclipse and caused destruction from flooding that reached a new level of urban tragedy.

Experienced eclipse trackers and jyotiśa experts indicated that coastal states, especially those south of the eclipse path, were especially vulnerable from this major once-in-a-century total solar eclipse. Moreover the effects were predicted to linger and could last as late as one year, which is until August 2018. As per the experts, September of 2018 could eventually mark the end of the hard times brought about by such a major solar eclipse. This indicates that we have to be extra prepared with a mindset to face calamities, especially when it comes to eclipse related impact affecting the country as a whole.

Since this solar eclipse that spanned the USA from coast to coast, we have had (i) Hurricane Harvey, (ii) Hurricane Maria and (iii) Hurricane Irma, all category-4 storms when they made landfall. Harvey’s devastation was severe due to the historic amount of extreme rainfall causing immense flooding. We are all aware of Maria’s destruction to Puerto Rico’s infrastructure. Lastly, Irma sustained winds of 185 mph for 37 hours, the longest period of high hurricane winds in recorded history.

Thereafter the Western Firestorms ravaged California through the year end. The fires in October brought about urban destruction of neighbourhoods on a scale hitherto unknown in California. The combined destruction of the firestorms represents the most costly fire event on record. The largest fire in California’s history, the Thomas fire in Southern California, scorched an area nearly the size of New York City, and is the cause of a rain provoked mudslide that substantially levelled an idyllic seaside hamlet.

Even though the fires may not have started due to natural causes, the unusual weather conditions that aggravated the catastrophic impact have been attributed to the energy of the solar eclipse. In essence the experts claim that major eclipses carve out a path of transitional impact that cannot be overlooked. It is noteworthy that Oregon, situated at the entry path of the solar eclipse, was impacted by fires, while South Carolina, situated at the exit point of this eclipse, bore the hurricane impact.

Mindfulness and extra care are the call of these times in making our footprint as minimalistic as possible when it comes to our lives impacting the environment. There is however the geological momentum and forces of nature that are verily beyond our control, and all we can do is share positive energy, mindful service and be prepared as best as possible.

Whereas eclipses and their effects have been either closely followed or studied by many traditions and cultures, meditators patiently wait for such moments to come forth. This is because the depth and power of meditation increases manifold during an eclipse. An event like this brings an excellent opportunity for enhancing one’s spiritual practice.

Regular and persistent practice of meditation can be made to culminate in a new level or the attainment of a special result, a siddhi, from an eclipse. From this perspective, a total eclipse is a greater opportunity to excel in meditation, while a partial eclipse is somewhat less of an opportunity but nevertheless still worthwhile. Seekers in countries where the eclipse is only partially visible can still embrace the meditation practices even though the effects will be milder; however, if the eclipse is not visible at all, the meditation benefits do not multiply.

For a meditator to gain the maximum advantage, Sanskrit literature suggests fasting for 9 hours ahead of the start time for a lunar eclipse (and fasting 12 hours in the case of a solar eclipse). This is of course difficult to practise with the modern lifestyle, especially when working during the day. However, some of the other aspects of preparing for an eclipse could perhaps be done, such as fasting during the entire eclipse period and even abstaining from drinking water during the eclipse. One can drink just enough water ahead of time so that the contemplative practices during the eclipse are not interrupted. Those not able to fast can have a light snack well ahead of the eclipse. Food and drinks are not taken during or at the beginning of the eclipse.

It is traditional among those who follow the eclipse routine to take a wash (a shower) right before the onset of the eclipse and then take another shower just after the end of the eclipse. The two showers are associated with two changes of fresh clothes, and is known as a samputi system of locking the energy of the eclipse through a customary cleansing. Taking rest after the second shower would be deemed normal. Fasting can be ended right after this shower and change of clothes. A well-structured pre-planned meditation is usually better practised indoors in a familiar surrounding remaining on one’s own seat of repose (āsana).

In this example for Los Angeles mentioned above, the first shower can be taken right at the onset of the umbral eclipse at 3:48am and thereafter the second shower may be soon after 6:08am when the eclipse is no longer visible. Furthermore, maximum intensity of meditation practice can be applied during the total lunar eclipse period of 4:51am to 6:07am.

It would be wise to make sure that at least one complete meditation session is done. The peak eclipse is the most intense. Therefore for those planning to meditate during the eclipse or preparing to intensify their existing contemplation, please plan your practice to maximize the overlap with the period of the peak eclipse period. One might need to extend the meditation time by repeating one’s usual meditation techniques a number of times. In that case, repeating a sequence an odd number of times (such as thrice) is better than an even number. However, the depth and quality is more important than mere repetitions.

This is a summary of relevant recommendations from the Sanskrit literature. It is best to utilize this rare opportunity to intensify your personal contemplation or meditation practice.

Affectionate Families and Friends,

We are living through incredibly tragic events of the recent mudslide and impact from rock debris in our locality. Our hearts are pouring out for those families who lost their loved ones. Within just a few roaring moments on early Tuesday, 9th January 2018 morning, our precious world slid beneath our foothold of those idyllic neighborhoods in Montecito.

So many lives were shattered in those frightening few moments. Blessed are those who were searched out and rescued by brave responders who held their emotions rummaging through piles of ominous debris. The defining moment was the rescue of a two year old baby muddied all over, crying and trapped underneath debris with a mouthful of mud. Indeed crying is what makes us audible to those who are ready to heed in the time of need.

Nothing but prayers with incessant outpouring of love can give us any solace under these circumstances. We continue to pray for those who might yet be trapped and those who are critically injured, ensnared by the sudden turn to the worst possible scenario. There were many who evacuated before the rainstorm to a southern location, but had to be re-evacuated as the mudslide chased them testing their resolve to survive.

The inflamed fires of last month in the mountainous backcountry left the terrain bare and exposed the way for the flooding and mudslides to precipitate. The very first rainstorm since then brought damage to Montecito’s water distribution system by rupturing the water pipelines at the creek crossings. This resulted in the reservoirs emptying an astounding amount of water within a short time, and 8 – 9 million gallons seems to have flowed out. Most of that water came down the creeks, driving the scale of this catastrophe to its worst possible scenario.

Aerial photos show the beautiful grounds of a much sought after commercial retreat property to be submerged in more than a storey high debris of mud and rocks. What started as a gurgling creek sound rapidly gathered momentum as a wall of water, hurtling trees, boulders and debris. A roaring mudslide descended and emerged from the overflowing creeks uprooting and sweeping the sleeping neighborhood. We were waking up to this disaster seeing how all parts of this idyllic nature that encapsulated the community were completely repainted.

The rainstorm has been followed by bright sunny days as if those few moments of despair were the flashpoints of our lives tucked away in some surreal dark past; seemingly unbelievable as we look back and come to grips with this new ground-reality. Such is the fragility of nature and life. We ruminate on the meaning of it all, and try to breathe in deeply with renewed hope that we shall sustain and continue to live with courage, and not give in to fear of the unknown.

Having trekked in the Himalayan terrain, meditated in caves and lived in mountainous hutments, I am no stranger to the fury of wildfire and the rain driven mudslide. In Himalaya there is the added danger from sudden glacier cracks and snow avalanches close to the hideouts that monks, yogis and siddhas use. Giant boulders come crushing down wiping out all in its path and often close the mouth of an otherwise safe cave entrapping anyone inside with no escape route.

Here in Montecito we have an immense tragedy because of the scale of impact disproportionate to the serenity of neighborhoods. As if the mudslide buried the lands untouched by the recent fires. The backyard gardens with toys and trails are gone. The beauty of Montecito’s backroads and abundant green alleyways are all but wiped out, especially in and around the epicentre of the mudslide.

All of us who are watching the tragic events unfold and those who are local like me and were miraculously spared, may earnestly pray with deepest compassion for relief and solace. When tragedy hits so close to home, we must pick ourselves up and do our part with noblest of goodwill, and support those heroic community servers and relief workers who provide us hope to move forward. May we recognize divine grace and live with gratitude.

With abounding holy blessings,
Swami Vidyadhishananda
(writing from the meditation centre, a few blocks away from the tragedy)

The new moon of 19th/20th Sept. is a special day for ascension rites to honour the departed souls of familial lineages, as per the Vedic soli-lunar calendar. This particular new moon (Mahālayā) is immediately followed by the auspicious nine-night period (Navarātri) leading up to the Victory Day. Thereafter, the auspicious Śaradiyā-navarātri or a nine-night period dedicated to the worship of the Divine Mother will be celebrated. The culmination of this nine-night period ushers in Vijayā-daśamī or the tenth day of victory.

Devotees and seekers of truth continually search for higher applicable wisdom in an effort to establish deeper spiritual values which in turn enrich their lives. If one were to ask a spiritual aspirant what is most precious in their lives, the prompt answer might be ‘time’ itself. Sanskrit spiritual philosophy teaches us to live every moment fully. For an aspirant, each moment is momentous. In meditation, our sense of time is lost and there is the tranquility.

Relief comes in as a flood of peace overcoming the internal chatter. The awareness regains its unbounded freedom. A natural pure state of mind is reclaimed when calmness prevails. Therefore, seekers who have had experiences of tranquility always affirm the preciousness of time in daily life and wish not to fritter away the power of mindfulness.

Though every moment is momentous for a spiritual seeker, special time periods are recognized within our daily calendar to be especially conducive to our practices and participation. We embrace meaningfully special times of the year which are deemed auspicious. As our biorhythms and diurnal cycles are in synergy with and related to the soli-lunar calendar (Vedic jyotiṣa calculations), so are the relationships manifested between us and higher worlds during specific time periods. The Sanskrit literature elucidates on how these relationships are more meaningful at specific time periods.

The fortnight leading into the new moon on 19th/20th September has been dedicated for the familial lineages and forefathers (pitr̥-paxa). During the fortnight leading up to this New Moon, the families get a chance to correct any deficiency in previously undertaken last rites and redeem themselves through spiritual observances and charities. This facilitates the ascension of previous generations who bore us unto this earth. The Sanskrit tradition urges us bring about a closure to the unfinished ceremonies aimed at appeasement of departed souls resting and ascending in peace into the subtle worlds.

Under normal circumstances, the higher quarters of air and space (vāyu-maṇdala and vyoma-maṇdala) above the earth cannot be easily penetrated by the subtle bodies of departed souls who might like to revisit their grieving families or any graves. Vedic sages reveal to us that during this dedicated fortnightly time period, which comes once a year, the higher realms become porous to the subtle bodies. Thus the departed souls can take a closer peek at their progeny as if descending to the lives on earth! Therefore, this time period has been deemed important for remembrance of the departed elders and rounding up any unfulfilled last rites meant for peaceful ascension.

Thereafter the new moon ushers in a special celebration of motherhood wherein inspired seekers get to honour the divinity in motherhood for nine consecutive nights of Śāradiyā-navarātri followed by the tenth day heralding the oncoming of victory, the overcoming of virtues over vices. According to the Vedic soli-lunar calendar, the Navarātri start time is calculated based on the overlap of lunar and solar coordinates in a particular latitude and longitude.

Thus this Navarātri count would begin on 21st Sept in India but may be observed from 20th Sept in California. Even though there are 40 such nine night periods in an average soli-lunar year of 360 days (a lunar year is shorter by about ten days than a solar year), this particular nine night period is deemed especially significant due to it succeeding the fortnight dedicated to honouring the family lineages.

The ability of departed souls in their subtle bodies to partially descend through the perforated subtle layers on earth reveals the secrets of a higher dimension of our earth and environment. This New Moon then allows a crossover to a period when we utilize this subtler perspective in honouring our mother earth during Navarātri by way of Divine Mother worship. This celebration encompasses all aspects of our thoughts, actions and learning (see footnote).

An alert seeker also nurtures the body by honouring the environment, by fully understanding the interrelationship between the dharma of the body and living in harmony with the environment. Thus our meditation and spiritual practices during this auspicious nine night period are more meaningful when we tread the path of environmental empathy utilizing the impetus of rites and remembrances for our departed lineages.

Vedanta philosophy proclaims that the immortal essence or the consciousness cannot be mindfully introspected by those who are physically weakened (nāyāmātmā balahinena labhya). The mindful seeker then considers the gift of a healthy body as a venerable support for introspection and thereby serves for the healing of the earth by recognizing that the body is like wet earth (or soil) in subtle balance with the oxygen and prāna of the higher quarters above earth. The breath of life and vibrant cruelty-free food is very much dependent on a clean environment and sustainable living.

This Navarātri is then an ideal time to participate in healing the earth through the meditation and worship of the Divine Mother. A Vedic fire ceremony or Homa as an offering by devotees and aspirants beholds an immense promise of reciprocation. Meditation mass and fellowship services invoking the Divine Mother with her attributes (see footnote) are a good addition to our personal meditation routine. Many seekers consider affirmations related to targeted community service, such as planting trees or working with farmers as meaningful service to honour the mother.

An ardent seeker is not focused on personal gains from giving charity and spiritual offerings at temple altars, but is more inclined to share resources through mindful practices and meditation that is compassionately healing to the earth (Bhudevī). Such a seeker is after all guided by the revealing signs from the higher quarters of space during the fortnight of forefathers that precedes the honouring of mother-nature during the following Navarātri. Obviously, it is no longer possible to take our lives on earth for granted. Our environment has become severely impacted due to inflicted pollution and mindless experimentation motivated by power and greed. Seekers are beginning to feel concern about their families.

The thriving prāna of micro-clustered water and oxygenated breath is verily rare nowadays. Any mindful prayer or meditative reflection rests upon able bodied application of intellectual force (puruṣārtha) which in turn is sustained by clean water and fresh air alongside sustainable organic food. The prāna or energy resources required for prānāyāma techniques (consisting of various breathing exercises) need replenishment now more than ever. Such is the prevailing sense of urgency.

It is time to extend our goodwill for the sake of future generations of seekers. The children are losing their innocence with a rude awakening as we do not extend our mindfulness to repair our surroundings that are our very seats of meditation. The worship of the Divine Mother includes venerable nurturing of mother earth, without which our bodies cannot sustain the spiritual practices. Those who sacrifice for the greater cause have truly understood the core principles and spiritual values that guide our service or sevā. It is not enough to seek benevolence for oneself by breaking coconuts and offering jewelry to the Divine Mother, but better still to undertake genuine spiritual practices of honouring and serving that elevate our minds and fulfil our hearts without wanting anything in return. After all, a mother wants hardly anything from the child!

This Navarātri will again fructify results of many offerings and spiritual practices by the virtue of its auspiciousness and through the blessings of the Divine Mother. However, a genuine seeker of truth will contemplate on the greater realms and reach out to the core of motherhood and mother earth, and mindfully recognize the grace of this life and plenitude. Such a seeker will recognize that life cannot go on without invoking wisely proactive practices for greater service to the world, albeit brought about through mindful resolution and meditative repose.

Please note that lunar day length and sunrise time overlap determine the duration of the period. This time, in California, the otherwise typical nine-night period lasts an extra day, because there are technically two 8th (aṣtamī) lunar days. In such a situation, one needs to add the spiritual practices for an extra day. However in India, the New Moon is on 20th Sept and the Victory Day is on 30th Sept without any extra solar day to account for during this period.

If you wish to further study the transition of dates for your own area (local latitude and longitude), feel free to explore these links at your own risk. Even though the original Sanskrit significance might not be discernible, the calculations are fairly reliable. Please remember to fill in your local city and year for correct results on applicable day breaks or transitions.

http://www.drikpanchang.com/navratri/ashwin-shardiya-navratri-dates.html?year=2017

A reliable website that is a good resource for relevant dates, is also worth studying.

http://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/

Those practising a daily routine of meditative penance, sublime recitations, or community sevā, can structure their time equally into ten days of steady participation. One tenth of all spiritual practices are deemed as a correction! Therefore nine days of practices must be followed by the tenth portion of correction in addition to any corrective measures taken to avoid distraction from mindfulness during any individual session. While evening time or even midnight time meditation is acceptable for the nine nights, the tenth concluding session should ideally be finished before dark on the tenth day (Vijayā-daśamī).

Victory Day on the tenth day of the coming ascending cycle of the moon is of great significance and merits a deeper understanding. The Divine Mother worship of nine days (and nights) is of course divided into single days of special prayers and additionally into three three-day periods related to the trinity of Shakti (splendorous aspects of the Divine Mother). Spiritual philosophy teachings relate the nine days/nights to the nine doors of the body.

The nine doors are: two nostrils, two eyes, two ears, mouth, and the two bottom exits related to the physical organs of procreation and excretion. These doors are collectively known in the Sanskrit literature as navadwāra implying the entry points into the citadel of the soul. The tenth door is the somewhat hidden passage to the yonder abode either guiding the pathway of light to the soul or the pathway for final exit of the soul upon closure of earthly life.

A materialistic perspective might urge one to live each moment with passion and express the dream through passionate engagement with the world. Whereas a seeker of truth strives to become compassionate by transcending passion. Therefore, the twin virtues of dispassion and spiritual practice are brought about in daily life.

This is of course based on an understanding of how cultivating dispassion and persistent spiritual practices reinforce each other and the bondage of time is overcome to bring about consistent subtle feelings of freedom. The eyes show the deep peace and alert presence so apparent in one who is mindful. Herein passion is not negated but rather is transcended into compassion through the dispassion. Moreover, herein dispassion is not an antithesis to spirited participation as in mindful service (sevā). Thus a seeker’s service becomes an offering for the greater cause, and sevā heals the world every which way.

When nine doors are conquered by a meditator through dispassion (vairāgya) and persistent practice (abhyāsa), the passion to expand the experiences of the external world is transcended into compassion, and all work or action is transmuted into service. Thus the attendant frailties of egoism or egotism are transcended and the sensory delusion comes under control. This helps open the tenth door and bring forth inner victory. This is the spirit of the Sanskrit teaching.

The tenth doorway is the Brahma-randhra (lit. receptacle leading to Brahman) inside the anterior fontanel or the soft spot of the baby, which closes in after the birth. This pathway joins with and leads to the subtle body of the heart (or subtle heart) centered inside the chest directly behind the sternum. Unlike the physical heart, this subtle heart is ellipsoidal and as big as the tip of the thumb. It is just to the left of the sinoatrial node, the pacemaker of the heart.

Similarly, inside the anterior fontanel little more than an inch below the skull is the subtle body comprising the sense organs (not physical organs); this subtle body in the head (or subtle head) is relatively bigger than the subtle heart and is seated near the pituitary gland at the level of the mid-point between the two eyebrows centered inside the head, extending up to about an inch below the bregma. The prāṇa pathway connecting these two subtle bodies links the soul seated in the heart to the doorway in the fontanel that closes in after birth.

This is a short summary about the ethos of birth and death alongside the tenth door as they relate to the count of ten days from the new moon dedicated to ancestors. The Victory Day then heralds the opening of the tenth doorway after controlling the sense organs and the physical gates.