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140Spring 2011Ananda Marga (Malta)
Newsletter
Editor: Dada ShantimayaAddress allcorrespondence : Namaskar, 84, St. Albert Street, Gzira GZR 05, Malta.
E-mail: [email protected]
Inspiration
‘’Fully utilize your strength and all the other qualities you have received from Parama Purusa. When you have exhausted them, when you have no strength, intelligence or spiritual power left in you, Parama Purusa will provide you with the things you need most. You should not waste your valuable time by entreating Parama Purusa to give you this or that. Remember, you are never alone and should never have any fear or apprehension. You should not sit down and lament, “Oh, what will happen to me now?” Such thinking is totally absurd. Parama Purusa will certainly see the problem and take the necessary steps in all circumstances. Just as a small child never has to think about itself – its parents think about its well-being – similarly, you should not concern yourself about your own needs. Let Parama Purusa worry about that while you carry on your duty fearlessly and cheerfully. You will see that Parama Purusa will certainly do everything necessary to protect the interests of His affectionate and beloved children. You should not have any sort of inferiority complex in your mind – you are not inferior to anyone, nor are you any less significant than anyone.’’
Shrii Shrii Anandamurti
This newsletter comes to you quarterly. The main purpose is to have regular contact and inspiration to sustain our local Margii community.Feel free to send your comments and material for inclusion to the committee at: [email protected]
Farewell to Didi AnandarainjanaDidi Anandarainjana has been working in Malta for the past many years with full dedication and sincerity.
Before the end of 2010 she moved to another field to Manila Sector and now she is based in one Master Unit in Thailand and taking care of one children’s home there. Over 200 persons live there
and beside other duties Didi is also the medical in-charge for the Master Unit and the children’s home.With her wisdom, service mindedness and broad giving heart she is a source of inspiration for many of us and she continues to do so with the wonderful service she is rendering in the Thailand Master Unit.“We wish you all the best our dear Didi and we hope to see you again!”
Welcome to LFT brother MukulBrother Mukul came from Sweden to work in Malta as a full time volunteer. He is staying at the jagrti and greatly helping with the local activities of Ananda Marga and contributing to bring its message to a wider category of people.He is also teaching the drop in yoga classes which are received with much pleasure from the students. We were asked to teach yoga in one Junior Lyceum in il-Blata l-Bajda and Mukul has started teaching the classes.Welcome to our new LFT brother and we wish him a pleasant stay and lots of Baba’s Grace.
Detox Retreat at Wardija 24 people attended the retreat which took place from 4th to 6th March at Wardija Hilltop Village. The retreat was meant for detoxification of body and mind for a Sublime spiritual life. Besides that there was a workshop given during the retreat, on social detoxification.The retreat was strong in the one family feeling which Ananda Marga always creates for every one of us. Thanks to Margiis and Acaryas for making this retreat a success with so much harmony and love.On the last day of the retreat we had a fundraising lunch and an additional 20 people participated. We would like to take the opportunity to thank everyone once again for their sincere help and effort making the whole programme smooth and joyful!
17 people participated in the yoga health camp in Gozo which took place on Feb 10-13th. The atmosphere was very positive and inspiring.Participants commented during the retreat that until only a few days before we never knew each other and now we have become like one family, so close and so dear to each other. Here is what one participant wrote: “I continue to confirm for myself that the path to happiness is found on the inside, not the outside of us. This camp continued to confirm it. I felt really welcomed and had a warm feeling inside all the time. And most of all, I felt comfortable, at ease and relaxed since I knew that we were all together for one scope - to get closer
to REAL happiness. This dispelled any fears I had when in a social setting such as this. All doubts, all fears, all worries, all problems, all challenges had one answer… love, how liberating, how genuine, how simple!!!! With the constant guidance of Didi and Dada, it was a real success. They are exemplary in their manner and really inspiring people. I felt Didi was like a mother taking care of me at a time when I’m a mother myself, so it felt really energizing. I felt Dada was really uplifting.And the food, yummy!!!!!The following days I felt the peace and serenity still inside of me and cannot wait for the next yoga camp.”
Yoga Health Camp
Dada Shantimaya gave a talk on Yoga and the fundamental human longing at the Junior College in Msida. About 25 persons attended including students and lecturers.
HomeopathyDada Shantimaya continues to render his homeopathic services from the jagrti in Malta. Many people have been treated and relieved from their illnesses. Dada is going to set up a homeopathic course to spread the knowledge of this natural and alternative medicine. Dates of the course will be announced soon.
The EnneagramDidi Ananda Samprajina ran various courses on Enneagram in our jagrti. She also gave a seminar on this subject at Centru Tbexbix.The Enneagram is a more than hundred year old description of 9 personality types – a deep description since it is a map of people’s deeper motives for the
Dada spoke on the fundamental human longing and how yoga and meditation can lead to the fulfillment of this longing.Thanks for sister Raginii for organizing the talk.
Talk at the Junior College
things they do and how they act. The Enneagram helps us understand our own and others' personality patterns and can thus help us understand our surroundings and ourselves better. The Enneagram also shows us how we can move on and let go of our patterns and through that establish a deeper contact to our inner core.
Kitchen of LoveA new vegetarian cook book “Kitchen of Love’’ written by Dada Shantimaya was published.‘’Kitchen of Love’’ gives a practical guide on how to become vegetarian with more than 180 recipes packed into one amazing volume of 170 pages — easy-to-prepare appetizers, soups, salads, main courses, side dishes, desserts and dozens of Mediterranean recipes — this book gives a lifetime of great recipes
and inspiration. The book has also many vegan, raw and sugar free recipes.
Recipe of the season:Now it is the season of nettles which you can find easily in your house garden or around in the fields. Here is a special recipe from the ‘’Kitchen of Love’’ to make a wonderful....
NETTLE SOUP 4 cups chopped nettles (fresh or frozen); 3 cups milk; 2-3 tablespoons melted butter; 4 tablespoons white flour; 1⁄2 teaspoon cardamom; 1⁄2 teaspoon hing; 1⁄2 teaspoon ginger; Salt & Black pepper.
Blend milk with flour and butter. Pour the mixture in a cooking pot and boil while stirring. After boiling for 3 minutes add the chopped nettles and keep boiling for 10 minutes. At the end add the rest of the ingredients and keep boiling for another 2 minutes before turning off the heat.
Kaoshiki Kaoshiki is derived from the Sanskrit word Kosa which means the layer of the mind. So Kaoshiki is the name of the yogic dance that helps to open up the layers of the mind, like opening the petals of a flower. It helps to expand the mind and achieve control over emotionsIt was invented by Baba. And here in Malta it has become one of the most popular dances at our Jagrti. Everyone is enjoying doing the dance for 10-20 minutes every time we meet at the jagrti, whether after Dharma Chakra or before the Conscious Movie night or at any collective meditation we do.
Yoga students love it very much. One yoga student commented that she feels that doing Kaoshiki is like eating a cake J
‘’ Furthermore, it is found that human beings are sometimes affected by various diseases; and frequently they are faced with various difficulties with respect to their sadhana. These impediments many or may not be major. For instance, small diseases like liver trouble may cause problems from time to time, and to remove these types of hindrances, I invented the Kaoshikii dance on the 6th of September 1978. This dance serves as an antidote to twenty-two types of diseases. All these are primarily meant to first of all vibrate the ectoplasmic stuff (cittanu) which in turn is concentrated at a certain point touching the point of the soul, where Parama Purusa resides.’’ Ba’ba’
Yoga Classes
We have different yoga classes running in different places.
Dada is teaching in the Jagrti
Iishana is teaching in the Jagrti, in Centru Tbexbix and in Naxxar Local Council
Mukul is teaching in the Jagrti and in the Blata l-Bajda Junior Lyceum
Schedule with more details is on the opposite page.
(Check the new coming courses and feel free to forward to your friends)
N.B. Booking for courses is required, especially for the yoga asanas courses as space is limited.
Kiirtan WaveStrong awareness about Kiirtan is blooming all over the world and many margiis in many countries have started a continuous flow of kiirtan; Kiirtan wave.
Regularly in Malta and beside Sunday Dharma Chakra there is collective meditation on Thursdays at 7.00 pm.
‘’…. intelligent people should do kiirtan as much as possible.........Thus if you have even only one minute’s time, do kiirtan for one minute. If even two or three people gather together, they can do kiirtan collectively; if one thousand people assemble together, then also they can do kiirtan. When you do kiirtan and move towards Parama Purusa, the Supreme Father, then in Parama Purusa’s mind also there will be a flow of bliss, because so many minds are coming towards Him with love. He will feel very happy. Seeing the bliss of His devotees, Parama Purusa will also become overwhelmed with joy, because of His enormous love for His devotees. “How good these devotees are!” – He says. Parama Purusa loves each and everyone, but He loves those who do kiirtan still more. He will say to them, “Come, come, come, – come near to Me.”
Ba’ba’
Personal Meditation Lessons Follow upIt is always important from time to time to check your personal meditation lessons with Dada and Didi.For brothers Dada Shatimaya is in Malta most of the time and you can reach him on 2733 6071 or 9963 0451For sisters Didi Ananda Samprajina will be in Malta from 14th May till mid June. You can reach her on 9957 4500, or you can contact her in advance on her email [email protected]
Meditation Sessions and Course for new peopleWe have new people's Dharma Cakra on Thursdays and many people are joining. Last Thursday on 10th March we were 17 persons.Many topics have been covered during these sessions like Neo-humanism, Microvita, Spiritual philosophy, etc… Margiis are also participating in these sessions and giving inspiration to their new brothers and sisters.Meditation Courses are also held regularly to introduce new people to the basics of Tantra meditation and yoga lifestyle.
Shiila & ShiilabhadraShiila & Shiilabhadra were very regular students of yoga classes, and they have a long time ago decided to spend their lives together.From the first time they joined the class they were very inspired with the practice of yoga and meditation, and they started to come every time about half an hour before the class would start so that they can do meditation before.They got inspired for initiation into the spiritual path of Ananda Marga and they were both initiated on the same day by Dada Shantimaya and Didi Ananda Rainjana in two separated rooms in the jagrti.On Sunday 29th August 2010 we had their marriage ceremony in the jagrti and we all enjoyed celebrating this auspicious event witnessing this holy tight between this wonderful couple.
Shiva was the first husband in human society. Baba Says: “Prior to Shiva, there was no system of marriage in human society. And as there was no recognized marriage system, the matrilineal order was in vogue, because it was easy to identify the mothers. In the case of the fathers, it was impossible to identify them. Shiva, for the first time, introduced the system of marriage which has continued until this day. The Sanskrit word for marriage, vivaha (derived vi – vah + ghain-), literally means “to follow a particular system”. This system of marriage is known as Shaeva vivaha. According to this system, the bride and the bridegroom will equally share full responsibility for their marriage, without any consideration of caste or community. Shiva was above all sorts of geo-sentiment and socio-sentiment.”
Revolutionary Marriage betweenMaetreya & MadhuriitaMadhuriita wrote: ‘’ Once upon a time I received an add on facebook from a fellow named Maetreya, who had one friend in common with me— Didi Anandarama, who initiated me not so long before. My practices had never been as regular and my work was fruitful, teaching English and Yoga and having lots of free time to enjoy my apartment in Beirut/ Lebanon with good friends!..The only thing I regretted is that life had blessed me with such love in my heart that it felt like a pity that I couldn’t share it with a special true one... But perhaps Baba knew this and had plans for me anyway! From Maetreya’s response and picture,
I got a good feeling and accepted his add.From facebook to skype, to a quick visit to Malta, very quickly our love began to grow. And there was always a feeling that Divine Intervention was behind all of it! Consequently, the very day I arrived in Malta, there was an Ananda Marga Retreat starting and being in the program really eased my first meeting face to face with Maetreya! We were quite nervous that our meeting might be a flop, so it was relieving to be in the atmosphere of a program where love is flourishing and unfolding from everywhere and everyone. Again it was Baba’s great orchestra of events! It was perfect. By day four we were madly in love and knew we had to be together, so since Maetreya was planning to go around the world after his training in the jagrti in Sweden, I proposed we go together to
Nepal and start our journeys from there. He promptly agreed.But there would be four months before he came to meet me in Lebanon...It was enough time to somehow magically transform our plans from going around the world, to getting married and having our honeymoon around the world! Coincidentally, there was an Ananda Marga Retreat in Lebanon and it was a perfect opportunity to have the wedding there. We wed in the beautiful Cedar Forest of Lebanon showered with love from Margis from all over the Middle East and Malta. Our union was a revolutionary marriage which would please Baba very much as it blends different cultures and helps to unite human cultures into one universal culture.After Nepal we ventured on to India for New Year DMS in Ananda Nagar to witness hundreds of thousands of Margis and hundreds of Baba’s soldiers of orange robes doing Akhanda Kiirtan for days until New Year’s Eve. It was wonderful to seal our love there in Baba’s abode where His energies were permeating the very air. And now that we were bathing in His energies, we let go and decided to let Baba have His way with us. And He has blessed us with a child. I am pregnant now and expecting around November—a third generation Margi, as Maetreya’s mother Kalyani was already a Margi when Maetreya was born!Baba has blessed our lives, enriched our lives. I had never imagined that Baba would fill my life with such love. I thank Him every day for this beauty in our life. And Maetreya never imagined he would find someone as compatible as myself. We both devote our lives to the betterment
of ourselves and the world around us; we love animals and have a strict healthy vegetarian diet! Our ideals come from Baba and we try to live up to them every day! ‘’
PCAP MaltaPCAP is a department in Ananda Marga which stands for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Plants.
PCAP Malta was launched in December 2010 when together in coalition with other animal rights groups and environment friendly NGOs organized a protest against the use of Animals in Circuses. The protest was held in front of the circus location in Floriana and many people were there. The protest was also highlighted in the news and information media.
The animal rights coalition in Malta is still working on issuing a plan to prevent allowing animal circus in Malta. We had a meeting with the local Council in Floriana. Members of the coalition were there and Dada Shantimaya and Jagadiish represented PCAP Malta.
Organic FarmOur brother Ananta is currently working on the possibility of utilizing one organic farm in Malta and forming a coop or partnership with the owner.
Ananta, Jayavanii and Nirmalendu went and looked at the farm which seems very promising land for the production of organic vegetables, olives, grapes and wheat industry, hydrophonics and
greenhouses. An agro-tourism project can also be developed on it.
On entering the farm one immediately can sense the intense biodiversity on the farm as no toxic chemicals have been used over the past ten years.
Ananta is working now on the possibility of reaching an agreement with the owner regarding the use of the farm.
Social DetoxThe theme of our last retreat in Wardija was body and mind detoxificiation for a Sublime Spiritual life.Furthermore we can also go through social detoxification. Below are guidelines given by Baba as ‘’Rules of Behaviour’’
PAINCADASHA SHIILATHE FIFTEEN RULES OF BEHAVIOUR1. Forgiveness.2. Magnanimity of mind.3. Perpetual restraint on behavior and temper.4. Readiness to sacrifice everything of individual life for Ideology.5. All-round self-restraint.6. Sweet and smiling behavior.7. Moral courage. 8. Setting an example by individual conduct before asking anybody to do the same.9. Keeping oneself aloof from criticizing others, condemning others, mudslinging and all sorts of groupism.10. Strict adherence to the principles of Yama and Niyama.11. Due to carelessness, if any mistake has been committed unknowingly or unconsciously, one must admit it immediately and ask for punishment.12. Even while dealing with a person of inimical nature, one must keep oneself free from hatred, anger and vanity.13. Keeping oneself aloof from talkativeness.14. Obedience to the structural code of discipline.15. Sense of responsibility.
Centru TbexbixOur project in Cospicua continues to be a source of inspiration for many with all the dedicated service that has been rendered there and with all the benefits that it brings to the children of Cospicua.
For the latest news about what is happening at Centru Tbexbix, go to:http://www.tbexbix.org/eng/news.htm
FastingWe are having very strong collective flow of fasting and many margiis are enjoying this important practice which is also part of our 16 points.
Mar 29 (Tue) EkadashiApr 3 (Sun) AmavasyaApr 13 (Wed) EkadashiApr 17 (Sun) PurnimaApr 27 (Wed) EkadashiMay 2 (Mon) AmavasyaMay 12 (Thu) EkadashiMay 16 (Mon) PurnimaMay 27 (Fri) EkadashiMay 31 (Tue) AmavasyaJun 11 (Sat) EkadashiJun 14 (Tue) PurnimaJun 26 (Sun) EkadashiJun 30 (Thu) Amavasya
The committee recommends:That more Margiis pledge a regular monthly donation towards the Bhukti expenses, according to individual means. This will facilitate our work and bring margiis more in line with Carya Carya.
AKHANDA KIIRTANis normally held on the
1st Sunday of each month from8.00 am onwards
at the Gzira Jagrti.
REGULAR DHARMACAKRA
(Collective Kiirtan & Meditation)
Every Friday7.00 pm at Cospicua
Every Sunday9.00 am at Gzira
except every first Sunday of the monthwhen we hold Akhanda Kiirtanat the Gzira Jagrti at 8.00 am.
84, ST. ALBERT STREET, GZIRA GZR 05, MALTA.
ANANDA MARGA YOGA CENTRES :84, ST. ALBERT STREET, GZIRA GZR 05. (2133 6071)
32, ST. ROCCO STREET, COSPICUA CSP 03. (2166 2262)5, ST. PETER FLATS, ST. PETER STREET, SLIEMA SLM 07. (2131 0830)
