My decision to conduct experiments with Time and Space started in September 2011 after a year long research on topics such as Astral Projection, Space Time continuum, Time Travel and other similar topics that may sound ‘out there’ to an average so-called intellectual. After going through the procedures involved and initial preparation, I conducted my first experiment on the afternoon of 18th September 2011. The day had been slightly warm (temperature was in 80s) but the inside of my apartment was pleasant. The focus of my first experiment was to be able to Astrally Project on a chosen date and place.

Before I proceed ahead – I must disclose the fact that this experiment is ideal for early morning around sun-rise or just prior to sleeping. Just the fact that I conducted this cycle in the middle of afternoon showed that i.) I was not expecting any results and ii.) I may not have been that serious as I would be in my future experiments.

Sitting down/Preparation

After tuning into my consciousness and confirming the set-up, I requested Providence for assisting me to astrally project at Rohtak (India), which is where my parents live. This cycle lasted for about 10 minutes. My initial tuning was not 100% to my satisfaction yet I decided to proceed ahead for the sake of time. I later found out that results may significantly improve if this cycle were to last for 20 minutes. I plan to extend my time-frame in my future experiments. After wrapping up, I sat down on my reclining chair for a period of about 25 minutes. The goal was to relax and clear the mind to arrive at a state of tranquility. In scientific terms, one could say that you are looking to reach somewhere between an Alpha State and Theta State. For those not aware with these terms; here is how it is explained:

• Alpha brainwaves are slower, and higher in amplitude. Their frequency ranges from 8 to 12 Hz (cycles per second). A person who takes time out to reflect or meditate is usually in an alpha state.
• Theta brainwaves are typically of even greater amplitude and slower frequency. This frequency range is normally between 6 and 10 Hz (cycles per second). A person who is driving on a freeway, and discovers that they can’t recall the last five miles, is often in a theta state–induced by the process of freeway driving.

After the relaxation period, I resumed my normal chores, but stayed away from anything too physical. The actual results were to reveal themselves at night.

Astral Projection and OOBE

After a late dinner and reading a book, I went to bed at around 12:30 at night. After saying my nightly prayers, I put myself into a state of conscious sleep where you are aware that you’re sleeping yet your mind is observing (not participating). I must also mention that just when I was about to drift off to sleep, I noticed a strange sensation in my body as if some invisible force was causing me to levitate (as noticed in different body limbs). Now the most interesting part of the night was to happen around 3 AM. I found myself lying on my bed in my room at our house in Rohtak. The room was dark so I assumed it was night-time. What happened next is still hard for me to explain given the surreal nature of the experience. It was almost like watching a movie, BUT where you get to participate instead of simply being an observer.
Even though I was in Rohtak, I was consciously aware of the goings on about 8000 miles away in my apartment in US.

Out of Body Experience

My astral self/soul (or whatever term you wish to use) gradually started to separate from my physical body. It felt as if an elastic was being stretched and then going back to the starting point. I merged back into my physical body after a couple of small jumps, and afterwards a full disjunction was observed. I had now fully left my physical body and was floating above it while observing it consciously. This is very critical as this is one of the things that separates such an experience from a Dream (which is mostly done sub-consciously, hence most of us don’t remember our dreams or forget them soon after waking up).

After floating above my body for a while, I decided to explore further and moved outside the room. I followed the stairs and floated all the way to the ceiling and lingered there for a while. Since this was the first such experience for me, I repeated this process a few times where I went back to my physical body still lying on the bed in my room and floated right back up to where the stairs ended. At this point, I made an attempt to cross through a physical barrier, which in this case was the ceiling itself (made of concrete). To my surprise, I was able to pass through the ceiling and found myself outside in dark on the terrace (still floating). I felt a sensation as one feels while inserting hand within an object made of rubber/gas. While I was out, I noticed the darkness and the quiet of the night when suddenly – a feeling of fear engulfed me for some reason and I decided to drift back inside.

Location Confirmed

Here is where I encountered my mother and for the next bit, things took an unexplained turn. Firstly, she was not surprised to see me floating. Based on what I know, an average physical person can not detect an astral being/soul/spirit with bare eyes. We conversed for a few moments and this is when I consciously remembered (to my surprise and relief) to ask and confirm – What time period I had travelled to.

Going back to the beginning of my experiment, my goal was to astrally travel to Rohtak on 30th December 2010.

I asked, “What date is it today”? My mother then looked at the Calendar hanging on the nearby wall and informed me of the current date; 5th August. I could not confirm the year as I could not retain that information. I do, however, remember staring at the calendar to confirm the date myself, but my clouded vision prevented me from doing so.

Soon after that I merged back with my physical body and got up from my bed (back in my apartment in US). The time was around 4AM and I could recollect every tiny detail of what had happened. I was glad that the Experiment number 1 had shown solid results and paved way for future experiments.

Final Notes

To sum it up, I have had vivid dreams before, but nowhere close to what I experienced this time. It was a mixture of Astral Projection at will – later combined with an OOBE (Out of Body Experience). I am not sure what the Divine will is behind this, but with the grace of Providence, I will soon conduct my second experiment. Some observations and notes for the future are noted below.

I also pray that these experiments do not conflict with my Spiritual Sadhna and I trust the Divine Powers to show me the right path.

Observations/Notes for Future Experiments:

• The tuning requires acute concentration and focus. You must find yourself in a state of meditation and clear your mind of the goings on in your life.
• In my next experiment, I plan to use only Month and Year and drop the date out of my requirements. I also plan to use a different location this time to visit astrally.
• The overall tuning and focus period is advised to be around 20-30 minutes. I plan to implement this. Also the pre-set up stage for tuning needs to be refined.
• The time of running this experiment is most critical. Either Sunrise or just before sleeping are considered to be most apt.
• Mind should be calmed and relaxed as much as possible. Perhaps somewhere between Alpha and Theta state is where I will strive to be.

Gautam Dhar
Documented on: 19th September 2011
Experiment Date: 18th September 2011
Sunnyvale, CA (US)

*EDIT: An updated version of this article is available at india travelogue‘s Travel Section. My thanks to the Editor!*

The month was July and it was the rainy season again. Almost 2 years had passed when I took the Journey to Mahavatar Baba’s Cave in 2009. The journey we took during the course of a week involved mystic experiences with people and places alike. After last year’s torrential floods and landslides in Himalayas and most of Northern part of India, this year in 2011, (despite being the rainy season again!) the weather gods kept the days clear. At times, mist and fog rolled in, clouding our view completely, but it wasn’t too long before the sunlight shone through.

The places we covered during this trip are tucked away quietly amidst the lap of the Himalayas, far from the crowds and rituals of modern day temples. With advancing times, even many Siddha places have not remained untouched by the so-called rituals and tourists, yet some places lie quiet and unnoticed, as destined by Providence. I strongly believe that one can only get to these places when the divine call comes. No map or planning will lead you there. Such has been my experience.  I consider and rightly found myself blessed on visiting these places. For obvious reasons, I will give everyone an idea of the locations, but leave it to the reader to follow their own beckoning and visit the places, if the divine wish be so.

Click Here to see some of the Photos from our Journey

After a long flight from US, I landed in Delhi at about 6.30 in the morning on 19^th July and the very next day we set out for our journey in the Himalayas. But first, Father and I made a night stop in Haridwar to drop my mother off  in Jolly Grant where my Mamaji is a doctor at HIMS (Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences) established by Swami Ram.

To Lansdowne…

The next day, we left for Lansdowne located in the Garhwal range of Himalayas. Getting an early start, we left Haridwar at 8.30 after a heavy breakfast of Poori Bhaaji. We encountered Kawariyas during most of our journey through the plains (UP), the scenery started to become hilly as we approached Kotdwar, which is a small and bustling town 130 Kms. from Lansdowne. We arrived at the outskirts of Lansdowne at about 1.30 PM. We decided to stay away from the population and halted at Kasang Regency Hill Resort, 5 KMs outside of Lansdowne. After imbibing a panoramic view of the Himalayan Mountains from our room’s balcony and a decent lunch – we set out for our destination – Tarkeshwar Mahadham.

Tarkeshwar Mahadham

Tarkeshwar Mahadham is a 600-year old sacred shrine located on a hill-top nestled within a deep forest at about 6,800 feet above sea level. The ancient Tarkeshwar Dham in the Himalayas is also where Swami Ram of the Himalayas attained enlightenment. Here is also where Swami Ram and his master would come often for Tapa.
Amazingly, the wild animals ambulating about are quite indifferent to any human inhabitant, as Swami Hari often found out in his encounters with Bears, Tigers and local Cobras (The Laughing Swami).

Around February – April in 2010, while the Kumbh Mela was in progress in Haridwar, I had some strange visions with one of them being of Swami Hari. I had merely read about Tarkeshwar a few times back then, and also in Swami Ram’s book “Living with Himalayan Masters”. It was a surreal dream where Swami Hari and I talked about random things beside a temple in the mountains and then towards the end he invited me to visit Tarkeshwar. Afterwards, the dream remained etched in my memory as if I had met Swamiji in real life. Things became more intense when a friend told me that Swami Hari had left his mortal body in June 2008, which was almost 2 years prior to my dream. I knew right then and there that Tarkeshwar beckoned strong – but it would take 2 trips to Himalayas before my Sankalpa became a reality.

Back to the journey now…
The road to Tarkeshwar was more or less deserted as there is no habitation along the way. We did not encounter any villages, not even a tea shop. It was definitely one of the most desolate roads I’ve seen in Himalayas. We saw barely 3-4 vehicles that passed us in the 1 hour we spent driving. The road itself was narrow, yet maintained, and offered severe landslides at places. It took us little more than an hour to cover 39 Kms. The environment was serene, quiet and filled with a vibrant energy, as if the sages from time immemorial were (and probably are) still engrossed in their Tapasya. The way to the Shrine is narrow yet paved, about a 15 min. walk. Before you arrive at the Shrine, you pass through the Meditation Hall and a Dharamshala on the left, located on a hillock. The entire area is surrounded by thick blue pine forests, oak trees and dense Deodars.

A feeling of rejuvenation enveloped us as we arrived at Tarkeshwar Mahadham. There were a few cows roaming around, but we did not see anyone else. There was no caretaker or even a visitor other than a few lads who left within a few minutes of our arrival. My father breathed in the environment and went his way while I sat in Dhyana at the Yagna  Kund. As I dived deep within my psyche, I imagined Swami Ram and Swami Hari performing a Yagna. After paying silent obeisance to the Siddha Bhoomi and Swamiji, we departed from the sacred shrine after spending an hour or so. We did remember to have a cup of hot and sweet Himalayan tea at the only tea stop located at the entrance of Tarkeshwar. I tried my utmost best to capture the entire journey in my camera lens, but to drink in the vibes – one must visit the place when the beckoning comes.

Siddhashram at Sitalakhet – Hariakhand Baba

There are many places all over India, especially in remote reaches of Himalayas where everyday visitors do not step foot. The sound of constantly ringing bells and arti will be missing. There will be no sign-boards to guide you – nor will the place be listed on any maps. Such places can only be found if the Divine wish guides and beckons you.

Siddhashram is associated with Hariakhand Baba or Hairakhan Baba. There are many names and spellings by which people know the Siddha Yogi. However, such Siddhas are beyond name and identification. As listed in the the book “Sri Babaji: Immortal Yogi of the Himalayas” by Romola Butalia, “Some people refer to him as Mahavatar Babaji, from Lahiri Mahashaya’s meeting in 1861, made popular by Paramhamsa Yogananda-ji’s book, Autobiography of a Yogi. Others have mentioned the legendary Kripacharya, or the Chiranjeevi Ashwatthama from the days of the Mahabharata, when referring to him. He is also known as Kriya Babaji. As a perfect siddha, he has been associated with Guru Gorakhnath, also known as Shiva Goraksha.”

It is best to not get confused in identifying who’s who, but focus on the eternal truth, which is ever present.

Siddhashram at Sitalakhet came to my knowledge after I read a book called “Sri Babaji: Immortal Yogi of the Himalayas”. Going back to my visit to Hariakhand Baba’s Ashram at Chiliyanaula (about 5 Kms. outside of Ranikhet) in 2005, my inner experiences have always kept me within close proximity to Babaji in form of the other. I’m sure there’s a divine wish behind that, which is not always easy to comprehend by our mortal minds.

Back to the journey now…
We left Ranikhet around 9AM on 25^th July for Sitalakhet. Sitalakhet (also known/spelled as Sheetalakhet, Sitlakhet) is a small paradise at a distance of 38 Kms. from Ranikhet. You will not find Sitalakhet on any map or GPS device. Just two kilometers below Sitalakhet there is the village ‘Khoont’, which is the ancestral village of the late Pandit Govind Ballabh Pant, the first chief minister of Uttar Pradesh and the famous freedom fighter of India.

Siddashram is not located in Sitalakhet, but one must take a low road before you reach Sitalakhet. I am not drawing an exact map of the place for as stated above – such places can only be visited when the Divine wish beckons you – and that is when the map will automatically unfold in front of you and you will be led by an invisible force. This is what happened in our case and I trust the same for you.

In the Kumaon hills, Baba is popularly known as Hariakhand Babaji and many tales are told about him in these parts dating back to mid 1800s. After wandering around the narrow mountain road back and forth – we discovered a slight climb going up a hill. On the hill-top – Siddhashram stood tall. There was an unmistakable silence all around, yet the echo and unpolluted air reverberated with divinity that surrounded the place. After paying our respects and doing Arti – our host, guide, narrator and the Ashram care-taker Joshiji invited me and my father in his house for a hospitable cup of tea. We sat in silence reflecting up on several artifacts and photos associated with Babaji and several siddha yogis and yoginis while Joshiji attended to his duties. After finishing our tea, we exchanged several incidents and legends with Joshiji associated with Hariakhand Baba, formation of the Ashram, sacred trees Nar and Narayan that stand there (planted by Babaji in early 1900s). There is a sacred water source that flows there ever since the day Babaji requested the mother earth to split open and provide the locals with the nectar like water. Needless to say, the first sip of the water rejuvenated all our senses.

The ancient Kutir where Babaji did Tapasya still stands since the early days though I’m not sure of the exact year. When the ever-moving Yogis and Siddhas descend from higher Himalayas to the area, they invoke the sacred energies present there and conduct Havan etc. We spent around 3 hours at Siddhashram, and in the end conversed with Joshiji as he took us around the ashram and spoke about Babaji. I then informed him of a common acquaintance (also a well-known Author) that both he and I had, which added yet another surprise factor to our visit. An impromptu phone conversation then followed on the phone.

After a promise of a return visit soon, we took Joshiji’s leave and paid our respects to the sacred place. As a very well known Author, whom I know put it – “The time spent there was in an entirely different realm of timelessness, perfection, and infinite possibilities”.
On our way from Sitalakhet to our next destination, we passed through Kainchi for Tea and paid silent respects to Neem Karoli Baba’s Ashram.

Sombari Baba – Padampuri

Sombari Baba and Hariakhand Baba often travelled and did Tapasya together in early 1900s across Kumaon region of Himalayas. The region still echoes with their stories. Sombari Baba was also one of the teachers of Swami Ram whose master, Bengali Baba had sent him to Sombari Baba during his early days. As stated by Swami Ram, no one knew Sombari Baba’s birthplace or his original name, so people began to call him Sombari Baba because he held a public bhandara (feast) in his ashram every Monday.
Gudari Baba, Sombari Baba, Hariakhand Baba, were all sages of highest state who travelled and did Tapasya in Himalayas. I believe that only by an inner urge to seek them or by divine wish can one come to the point of visiting the places associated with them.

Numerous tales about Sombari Baba have been told over last 90+ years and I will let the reader find their own beckoning to visit the place.  As was the case with Siddhashram – Sombari Baba’s call in fact came to my Father on several occasions and I found divine play behind all of those stories that he told me. And that was what took us to Padampuri, which was a 106 Kms. journey for us from Sitalakhet.

Most people I met along the way had not heard of Padampuri. In fact it is known for being the birth place of veteran Congress Leader, Narayan Dutt Tiwari.

Back to the journey now…

Padampuri is about 30 Kms east of Nainital and you’ll need to leave the Highway 87 to travel for about an hour on narrow mountain roads (be prepared for bad roads and landslides in you travel during Rains). The ever-youthful Parmanand Puriji maharaj (born 1889 AD) was not present at the Padampuri ashram, but was living at the Palra ashram where Sombari Baba’s gufa is also located. Since it was almost twilight when we reached Padampuri – we decided to stop at Padampuri and not proceed to Palra. That would be another trip, if destined. Atal Baba who has stayed at the Padampuri ashram for 15 years sat engrossed in front of a Dhuni. He spoke in intervals about Sombari Baba, but mostly sat engrossed in another world. It seemed as if he was “half here, half there” – which is often said about Siddha Yogis.

The timeless environment in the small room was filled with the warmth and scent of Dhuni and Dhoop (incense). After accepting Prasad – we sat there listening to stories of Sombari Baba (narrated by a local villager who sat there) and Atal Baba’s (often) mystic messages that he spoke with a mysterious twinkle in his eyes. Towards the end of our visit, Atal Baba gave his message in yet more mystic terms, which was further visible in his conversations with my Father. I sat quietly and observed the divine play at large. Towards the end – we accepted his blessings, and went down to pay our respects to Sombari Baba’s Samadhi, where Baba’s presence can still be felt.

After a long, yet mystic day that took us from Ranikhet to Sitalakhet to Padampuri, we left around 6.30 PM for Haldwani when the sun was about to set. The 40 Kms drive back to Haldwani was mostly covered in silence for obvious reasons. There was some exchange of thoughts on what had gone on during the day. Upon our return to Rishikesh the next day – several strange visions followed. But that is best left for another narration…

Wishing you all well,
Gautam Dhar, Anupam Dhar

Distances:

Lansdowne (Kasang Regency) to Tarkeshwar: 39 Kms
Ranikhet to Sitalakhet: 38 Kms
Sitalakhet to Padampuri: 106 Kms
Haldwani to Padampuri: 40 Kms
Almora to Padampuri: 68 Kms

Photos from the Journey

For many of us who were born in the 80s and did not get to experience India’s triumph in the 1983 Cricket World Cup, it was an unbelievable experience watching India defeat Sri Lanka team on 2nd April 2011 at Wankhede Stadium, Bombay (India). For those of us in the Western Hemisphere, especially US – getting up at 2 in the night and watch India defeat the invincible Australia in Quarter-Finals, Pakistan in Semis and the mighty Sri Lankans in the FINAL…it all seems like a dream now!! I have been watching World Cup since 1992 and still remember the humiliating defeat/forfeit India had to accept when the unruly crowd in Calcutta lost it and Sri Lanka won by default in the Semis in 1996. All Cricket fans still remember the inconsolable Vinod Kambli in tears towards the end of the game.

This victory was an apt reply in a lot of ways:

• Dhoni led from the front and played a Captain’s innings in its truest form.
• Sweet revenge after the 1996 humiliation at the hands of Sri Lanka
• A perfect come back after a disastrous defeat at the hands of Australia in the 2003 final
• Spot on reply to all who doubted Team India’s ability, especially after the forgettable 2007 World Cup!
• SACHIN TENDULKAR finally has the ultimate prize after a golden 20 year career!!

Hearty Congratulations to Team India and all Indians on winning the Cricket World Cup 2011!!!

Team Image Courtesy: Cricinfo

Live like a monk, retire early, author says

By Jessie Mangaliman

Mercury News
Posted: 04/15/2009 06:10:51 PM PDT

At 44, Peter Lawrence walked away last year from a well paying job as a manager at Hewlett-Packard.

These days he does not work. He doesn’t have to.

Peter has retired.

His mornings are unhurried. He sits in front of a picture window at his 6th floor Santa Clara condominium to a view of nearby redwoods and beyond the trees, the Mt. Hamilton Observatory, a gleaming white speck on distant mountains.

Envious yet?

Retirement is within anyone’s reach, he said, if we all consume less.

He lives without furniture or a bed, keeps one pot, one pan in the kitchen, and instead of surfing a television with 200 cable channels, watches the changing colors of the sky from his window.

A single, foldable lawn chair with arm rests sits in front of the floor-to-ceiling window. In the bedroom, a maroon sleeping bag is laid out neatly like a pallet on the beige carpeted floor. An ironing board nearby doubles as his desk. His laptop sits on it.

He drives an inexpensive 2009 Hyundai Accent GLS. He often eats in and cooks spartan meals, usually steamed vegetables, chicken boiled in water.

This is the life he describes in “The Happy Minimalist,” a slim volume he self-published, whose simple premise — pare down, save money, save the planet — may find resonance during these tough economic times.

Is this about being frugal?

“No, not that,” said Lawrence, whose thick wire rim glasses and a lean frame suggests
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the studious air of a school boy. Or a monk.

This is not the life of a cheapskate or of deprivation, he said, but of calibrated life choices that “gets the best bang for the buck.” He likened it to the corporate cleanup that HP CEO Mark Hurd embarked on after taking the job.

“He identified all the excesses, the wastage,” Lawrence said, “and re-directed them to other things that would have better returns. That’s what I’ve done.”

And so he watches his two favorite shows — “24,” and “Real Time with Bill Maher,” online, for free He has no telephone at home. He uses a cell phone. When he needs a book to read, he checks them out of the public library. He walks when he can, or takes public transportation.

“This is my closet,” he said, sliding open the doors to reveal its meager contents: A pair of jeans. A pair of dress pants. A pair of dress shoes. A pair of sports shoes. A few shirts.

If he had an hour, he said, he can pack all his possessions in one suitcase.

Lawrence would not say how much he has banked to allow him to retire so young, but he said he lives well below his means.

The way Lawrence sees it, he’s consuming less of the world’s finite resources by using only what he really needs. What he doesn’t spend, he saves. But, he insists, that he’s not depriving himself.

At a new Morrocan restaurant in San Jose recently, after a lunch of grilled lamb kofta, the waiter offered a cup of sweet mint tea.

“Traditional,” the waiter said, “on the house.”

Lawrence, smiling, declined. “I’ve tasted it, thank you.”

After the waiter left, he declared something right out of his book: “Just because it’s free doesn’t mean you should have it.”

Lawrence was born and raised in Singapore to a family of modest means. Early in his career with HP, he took a leave and lived in a Catholic monastery in New Zealand. He immigrated to the United States in 1997, part of an international wave of engineers who came to Silicon Valley during the technology boom. And like many young, high-flying techies then, he lived in a well-furnished condo. He drove a Miata, a convertible sports car.

Jean-Sebastien Riehl, a former HP engineer, has seen his friend evolve into a young retiree seemingly content to have few material possessions.

“Peter is not somebody you forget,” said Riehl, who bought and read “Minimalist.” “Some people might call him eccentric, but he’s true to his convictions.”

“When you read the book and you meet the person,” he said, “they match.”

After the merger of HP and Compaq, Lawrence moved for about two years to Houston in 2002.

That was about the time that he began scaling back. He digitized everything. His laptop, he said, is his photo album, electronic filing cabinet, CD and DVD player. When he moved back to Santa Clara, he packed everything he had in his car.

In 2007, after his doctor diagnosed high cholesterol, Lawrence eschewed prescribed medication. He changed his diet. His cholesterol level dropped. At first Lawrence thought he would write about his own medical journey. But a friend suggested instead that he write about “his unique lifestyle.”

Lawrence spent $1,500 to self-publish the small volume through Xlibris. Many of his friends bought and read the book. Some posted supportive comments on Amazon.

“I definitely can not live the way he does,” said Lawrence’s sister, Carmel Fox, a registered nurse in Columbus, Ohio. “I like sitting and reading a book in my living room. He likes to sit outside and look at trees.”

Since retiring, Lawrence has volunteered with a Bay Area group as a mentor and role model to students. He’s also volunteered with “Village Harvest,” a San Jose group that collects backyard fruit and vegetables and donates them to food banks and programs that feed the hungry.

“Right now, I’m very happy and content with life,” he said. “I consider myself blessed.”

The following audio clips are taken from Swami Vivekananda’s speech that he delieverd in Chicago, USA during the World Parliament of Religions on 11th Sept. 1893. I don’t think anyone knows the true source of this Audio recording, which is now more than 115 years old. It is amazing to listen to hear the great sage’s own voice. Please allow time to buffer for slow connections.You can also download the MP3 (Right click on Clip 1/2 > Save target as) both for Clip 1 and Clip 2.

Clip 1:

Clip 2:

WELCOME ADDRESS – Chicago, Sept 11, 1893

Sisters and Brothers of America,

It fills my heart with joy unspeakable to rise in response to the warm and cordial welcome which you have given us. I thank you in the name of the most ancient order of monks in the world; I thank you in the name of the mother of religions, and I thank you in the name of millions and millions of Hindu people of all classes and sects.

My thanks, also, to some of the speakers on this platform who, referring to the delegates from the Orient, have told you that these men from far-off nations may well claim the honor of bearing to different lands the idea of toleration. I am proud to belong to a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance. We believe not only in universal toleration, but we accept all religions as true. I am proud to belong to a nation which has sheltered the persecuted and the refugees of all religions and all nations of the earth. I am proud to tell you that we have gathered in our bosom the purest remnant of the Israelites, who came to Southern India and took refuge with us in the very year in which their holy temple was shattered to pieces by Roman tyranny. I am proud to belong to the religion which has sheltered and is still fostering the remnant of the grand Zoroastrian nation. I will quote to you, brethren, a few lines from a hymn which I remember to have repeated from my earliest boyhood, which is every day repeated by millions of human beings: “As the different streams having their sources in different paths which men take through different tendencies, various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to Thee.”

The present convention, which is one of the most august assemblies ever held, is in itself a vindication, a declaration to the world of the wonderful doctrine preached in the Gita: “Whosoever comes to Me, through whatsoever form, I reach him; all men are struggling through paths which in the end lead to me.” Sectarianism, bigotry, and its horrible descendant, fanaticism, have long possessed this beautiful earth. They have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilization and sent whole nations to despair. Had it not been for these horrible demons, human society would be far more advanced than it is now. But their time is come; and I fervently hope that the bell that tolled this morning in honor of this convention may be the death-knell of all fanaticism, of all persecutions with the sword or with the pen, and of all uncharitable feelings between persons wending their way to the same goal.

CONCLUDING ADDRESS – Chicago, Sept 27, 1893

The World’s Parliament of Religions has become an accomplished fact, and the merciful Father has helped those who laboured to bring it into existence, and crowned with success their most unselfish labour.

My thanks to those noble souls whose large hearts and love of truth first dreamed this wonderful dream and then realized it. My thanks to the shower of liberal sentiments that has overflowed this platform. My thanks to this enlightened audience for their uniform kindness to me and for their appreciation of every thought that tends to smooth the friction of religions. A few jarring notes were heard from time to time in this harmony. My special thanks to them, for they have, by their striking contrast, made general harmony the sweeter.

Much has been said of the common ground of religious unity. I am not going just now to venture my own theory. But if any one here hopes that this unity will come by the triumph of any one of the religions and the destruction of the others, to him I say, “Brother, yours is an impossible hope.” Do I wish that the Christian would become Hindu? God forbid. Do I wish that the Hindu or Buddhist would become Christian? God forbid.

The seed is put in the ground, and earth and air and water are placed around it. Does the seed become the earth, or the air, or the water? No. It becomes a plant. It develops after the law of its own growth, assimilates the air, the earth, and the water, converts them into plant substance, and grows into a plant.

Similar is the case with religion. The Christian is not to become a Hindu or a Buddhist, nor a Hindu or a Buddhist to become a Christian. But each must assimilate the spirit of the others and yet preserve his individuality and grow according to his own law of growth.

If the Parliament of Religions has shown anything to the world, it is this: It has proved to the world that holiness, purity and charity are not the exclusive possessions of any church in the world, and that every system has produced men and women of the most exalted character. In the face of this evidence, if anybody dreams of the exclusive survival of his own religion and the destruction of the others, I pity him from the bottom of my heart, and point out to him that upon the banner of every religion will soon be written in spite of resistance: “Help and not fight,” “Assimilation and not Destruction,” “Harmony and Peace and not Dissension.”

Speech Text Courtesy: About.com

All images taken from CNN-IBNLive

Today after my early morning laundry, I visited the famous/infamous Rengstorff Mansion that stands on Shoreline Blvd. in Mountain View, California. Last weekend, I decided to do some research on any possible strange places locally, and came across the Pioneer Park and the Rengstorff Mansion. I did not find anything documented about the Park other than the fact that it is built on a Graveyard where most of the Pioneers/early settlers are buried. So next time, you’re there – you might be walking on someone’s grave!

But, my real interest was in the Rengstorff Mansion, the oldest building in Mountain View, which was built by the early settler, Henry Rengstorff. He built the 12 room Victorian Italianate style mansion around 1867 in 164 acres. After reading about the house and the unexplained events that happened there during 1950s-1970s, my curiousity was aroused and I decided to go check it out.

The Mansion lies about 2 miles from Google Headquarters in Mountain View. As one heads North on Shoreline, the road becomes narrow and starts to curve towards left (East). As the office buildings fade away, Shoreline Golf Links area comes in sight. The Mansion lies on the East side where the road dead ends. It is surrounded by trees, winds and silence (especially early in the morning). There is a windmill in the back and picket fence circles around to the right. I had some chills, but mostly due to the eerie environment and the absolute silence that prevailed during the early morning with nothing but the sound of the winds brushing across the old trees.

Given below are the most well-known incidents about the House and the incidents that took place here.

Stories as told by residents of the house

Things seemed to have been fine until after the last descendants of the Rengstorff family left the house in the 1959. At that date, Perry Askam, a famous opera singer and descendant of the Rengstorff family, sold the house to a land development company. For 20 years the house went through a variety of owners and residents. The era between 1959 and 1979 is believed to be time period when the house was most well know for the strange things that occurred within it. Former residents of the house have often been willing to tell their stories.

The following stories were taken from “You are Now Entering Mountain View,” a collection of short writings about Mountain View done by students of Old Mountain View High in 1976. The Rengstorff Mansion chapter was written by Ann Tamaru and Pat Catolico, who interviewed the Crump family, the last residents of the mansion.

~The Crumps said that they often heard the sound of a non existent baby crying at night and the sounds of something walking up and down the house’s narrow staircase.  During the night the Crumps would be awakened by the sound of a child crying but investigations could never find the source.

~When the Crumps were out, there friends once dropped by, and when they knocked on the empty house’s door, its doorknob turned by itself.

~An old Mexican man used to walk by the house as a short cut to get to the nearby dumps. When the Crumps moved into the house he asked for permission to walk through the property. He also told Mr. Crump the story of a young woman with long dark hair that he often would see staring out of the houses large bay windows.

~At one time, Psychic Sylvia Brown was called in to investigate. She had several psychic impressions of what had happened in the house. One was of a man who had been strangled in a second floor bedroom for his money. Another was of an angry crippled man bound to a wheelchair after loosing one leg in a farming accident, the other crippled with arthritis. Neither of these events could be tied to the house through the stories handed down by the family. Most intriguing is the story of the secret attic room. One day Mr. Crump was putting a hook in a closet, the wall board slipped a bit and a previously covered up stairway was exposed. Mr. Crump removed the loose board and walked up the cobweb filled staircase. At the end of it he found a “secret room” that only had a hospital bed with leather restraint cuffs on it.

Sources of the Stories above:
http://members.aol.com/GCSP/hauntedmv.htm

http://www.hauntedbay.com/features/rengstorff.shtml

Photos from my visit: Click here for the Photo collection.

Peace.

In tatters they wish for two meals a day
Prashant K. Nanda

New Delhi, January 1
“I wish, me and my four kids get two meals a day in the new year,” said Noor Jehan, as she tried her best to cover her children — two boys and two girls — with a pair of gunnysacks and a torn blanket.

“For me New Year is another day of survival and sleeping on the roadside. Allah ko pata hai kal kya hone wala hai (Only Allah knows what is in store for me tomorrow),” said the 40-year-old woman, who sleeps on a pavement near the Delhi Gate monument that intersects the New and Old Delhi.

While the affluent spent the New Year eve enjoying the midnight revelry in hotels, clubs and homes or watching TV from under their warm quilts, for over 1,40,000 pavement dwellers in the Indian Capital, it was just another day of destitution and struggle for survival.

Jagdish Lal, another homeless person, who huddles under a shop front on Netaji Subhas Marg, said he does not understand the difference between old year and New Year.

“Hamare liye kal, aaj sab saman hai. Only rich people enjoy their life and unfortunate people like us shiver in the cold and wait till death,” Lal, 56, told IANS, wondering why anyone who would talk to him about it at midnight.

“For us every day is a fight for food and survival,” he said, as he held the hand of another homeless person with tears in his eyes.

Lal and Noor Jehan are just a few of the tens of thousands of homeless in the national Capital who feel that any special day like — New Year’s, only intensifies their sorrow. In a way they are a stark pointer to the growing disparity between the rich and the poor, as the Indian economy surges with nine per cent GDP growth, marginalising in the process a significant segment of its 1.1 billion population.

“It reminds us of our poverty. It reminds of our helplessness and it reminds us of our fight for survival,” said Aslam, 62, another pavement refugee.

Aslam, who came here from Agra some 40 years back, has been sleeping on the roadside for over a decade near the Jama Masjid.

“Earlier, I used to work in a factory, but after the factory was closed down, I am on the roads,” he said while sitting in front of a shop.

A cement sack containing a thin blanket, a couple of half-burnt bamboo sticks and a bundle of bidi (handrolled cheap cigarette) is all he had to fight the numbing cold with on New Year’s eve night, when the city recorded its lowest temperature in five years at 2.6 degrees Celsius.

For Mohammad Khan, 32, Vinod, 22, and Khurshid, 37, three rickshaw pullers in the Paharganj area near New Delhi Railway station, New Year meant another day of wait in vain.

“After pulling rickshaws, we sleep on the roadside. Sometime we get food and sometime we manage without it in the night. Last year, on New Year’s day I had no money. I spent the day without even a single piece of roti (bread),” said Vinod.

“I wish to earn at least Rs 80 a day so that I can feed my three kids. I may stay without it, but how can I tell my four-year-old daughter that she has to spend the day without food,” said Khurshid almost in tears.

But there was a bright side to this poignant tale.

Ram Kumar, 7, who sells balloons at a south Delhi traffic signal, said, “New Year means more money for me. People purchase balloons from me and my five-year-old sister is selling flowers. I have sold 10 balloons tonight.

“One lady gave me Rs 10 but did not purchase any balloon,” Kumar said as her sister Saloni ran to another car with a bunch of flowers.

Like always, some pavement dwellers are a little hopeful, if only for the sake of their children.

“I want my two kids to study and become officers. Every day, I pray god to give my children a better life, at least they should not live in hunger and sleep on the roadside,” said Yuvraj, 29, a physically-challenged beggar, crawling on the sidewalks on two stumps in place of amputated legs. — IANS

BY Arundhati Bhanot

Once in a while, one comes across a soul who has let go of the world. And when such a deep meditative being speaks its truth, one can but listen in silence.

There are places that bring out the meditative spirit in you. There are places where you meet those who are in the meditative spirit. Rishikesh combines both. Located on the banks of the river Ganga (Ganges), this quaint and bustling town sees religious seekers from all over the world congregating at its doorstep in search of the meaning of life—and sometimes, just sometimes, some even seem to find it.

This is where my journey leads me when I decide to seek out sages who wander in the Himalayan wilderness and rarely come down amongst mere mortals.

Meeting a true sadhu (ascetic), seekers believe, is like opening the doors of perception. It is like being in the presence of an inexplicable power that defies the laws of this world.

After a day’s search amidst the narrow by-lanes and the bustling spiritual fervour, I chance upon one such sadhu, Baba Mahesh Das, on the Rishikesh-Dehradun highway—walking by himself, bare-feet, knotted hair, a single saffron cloth wrapped around his waist. He walks so fast that he disappears as quickly as he had appeared. Then I see him again at a distance and run towards him.

“What do you want?” he says curtly. “I want to speak to a holy man,” I insist, referring to his garb of a sadhu. He is quick to respond: “This is just a persona. What you see is not the truth but an illusion.”

For the past five years Baba has lived in a jungle near Rishikesh, in the company of wild elephants. So, I feel that at a time when Meditation is becoming a household word, a recluse such as he might have a different perspective on the subject. “What is sadhana (meditation)?” I ask. He closes his eyes and speaks with urgency: “Can a deaf person describe sound? Can you define the taste of sweetness or happiness? Name and form are the illusions of God. Both are beyond expression. The only self-existence of the supreme sovereign is atma (Self). This is the only reality.”

But how does one realise the existence of the supreme sovereign? “It can be realised by going beyond the non-conscious realm,” Baba continues. “There are four non-conscious realms—sthula (gross, the everyday experience), sukshma (subtle, astral plane), karana (causal) and mahakarana (supra-causal). It is important to gain control over our five senses and desires, intellect, emotions and our ego to attain perfect knowledge of the self.”

Baba believes in the tradition of Guru bhakti (devotion towards the teacher) and avers that only a sadguru (true master) can show the way. “Your destiny and previous karmas bring you to this path of self-discovery,” he explains. For beginners, he suggests mantra jap (recital of mantras). The mantra should be short and simple. He describes three stages in japa—vachik, speaking it aloud; upanshu, to speak and hear oneself; and manasa, that which you recite mentally.

The recitation of mantras allows for concentration of the heart and mind and leads to the first stage called dhyana (contemplation). A prolonged state of internal focus is called samadhi (complete concentration of mind). “At this point you may see the image of a God or a Guru smiling at you. Your strength lies in maintaining internal focus till you see the emergence of a bindu (dot). One attains one-pointedness by uniting the rays of both eyes on the locus and gazing on it with a steady mind. Your vision begins to precede your mind till there is a pervading sense of calm. This is the starting point of your journey.”

“When all devotional practices are completed, only then does one reach the nameless state and attain moksha,” he says. While I close my eyes to contemplate on the subject, Baba departs for Tapovan in the Himalayas for his final quest. “It does not matter what happens to my body, it’s knowledge of the ultimate truth that I seek,” he states.

As the sun departs and the moon makes an appearance amidst the beautifully lit night sky, I meet a beaming Bodhi Chitananda strolling leisurely in the market area. His orange dhoti-kurta and shawl defy the darkness. When I stop him in his tracks and ask him about his life, he smiles and tells me that he left the USA about 25 years ago to lead an ascetic life. I ask him about his past—his earlier name and profession. “An ascetic must leave his past behind to make a fresh start,” he explains. He has spent many years understanding the spiritual texts and will be residing in a hut in a forest sometime soon.

We sit in a small, extended verandah of a temple in Rishikesh on the roadside with the moon shining above. There begins the discourse. He says: “Mind is supported by prana (vital air), pranas control the mind.” He prescribes internal prana yoga, withdrawing the consciousness up the spine into higher centres, purifying the nadis (nerves). “We need to go beyond the states of mind and direct our energy within into the stillness of the self. There will be brief moments when the breath and mind stop altogether. Make the space between the thoughts longer. Stay in that silence. Identify who you are, reside in yourself,” he adds.

“God can be realised only by leading a simple life, hence the need to take the retreat”, Chitananda clarifies. “One may use any of the yoga techniques or a combination of all, depending on your temperament—be it karma yoga, bhakti yoga, raja yoga or jnana yoga, it is the intention which has to be pure.”

Swami Hariharan shoulders his wisdom like a child, unaware. He has done penance for 15 years in the forests of Tarkeshwar. I meet him at one of the ashrams where he has taken abode. I ask him about the correct meditation technique. He merely laughs and says: “What you ‘do’ is work, not dhyana. Thoughtlessness and full consciousness is meditation. He who has attained shanti (peace of mind) is a saint.”

“What made you renounce the world and live in the jungles?” I ask. “Your destiny, your circumstances lead you to search for peace, but there is no technique to get there,” he believes.

“What is meditation? Desireless desire is dhyana, complete knowledge of oneself and the supreme external force is dhyana,” he simplifies. “We meditate every day, but are simply not aware of it. You sleep well but do you watch yourself sleep? When you begin to perceive that you were asleep and someone was watching you go to sleep, you will have reached a state of contemplation,” he says.

Perhaps that’s where the truth lies. To know that you don’t know. Because, it is only when you are aware of your slumber that you can wake up. I leave with a sense of wonder. All journeys begin with an element of exploration and end with a destination. I pack my bags for another cycle of departure and arrival.

-Arundhati Bhanot

Original article at: http://www.lifepositive.com/spirit/meditation/Free_Spirits.asp