March
20, 2005
Dear Friends,
Greetings
from Nainital. We have shifted here as at Dwarahat the Sethi House
was no longer available, and we had thought to see Rob Ivie (a
devotee of Mother's dating back to the early 70s) in Kausani, but he
is in the middle of a remodel job of his place and wanted us to come
and bless it when it was completed, April 8. We had seen a picture
of the lovely setting of Nainital when we were in Almora, so thought
this may be a good place to come (there was no lodging in the small
town of Dwarahat available.
Oddly
enough I felt a strange joy on coming to this area and intuitively
knew that we were going to meet a great Soul (we have yet to meet
that one); in fact our seemingly random journey was being directed.
Nainital
is filled with scriptural history, as it is the place that Shiva
came after the immolation of his wife, Parvati (when she was refused
entry by her father to a special ceremony, as he did not approve of
his son-in-law¾not
thinking he was good enough for his daughter!) In grief Shiva
carried his dead wife and was in a rage. Parts of her were said to
drop off at various points. Nainital (Naina means eye in Sanskrit;
Tal means lake) was the emerald green eye of Parvati and it is
considered sacred by the hill people of Kumaon (the region we are
now in).
The Lake
is situated in an extinct volcano and is surrounded on three sides
by steep hills covered in Deadora, pines and oaks. The town is now a
tourist town due to its beauty and cooler climate in the summer time
(compared to Delhi and the plains).
We found a
magnificent 1920s English built hotel. Its walls are made of three
foot thick hand cut stones held together by powdered lentil (yes
like dahl!) and lime mixed together. It was originally built for WWI
British widows and was taken over in 1925 by the YWCA. A few years
back Parveen Kumar bought the place and restored it (restoration is
his passion, and he does it well), tastefully adding some modern
amenities. Rock paths lined with flower pots greet the visitor, with
green lawns on the terrace. We overlook the lake and have a large
Deadora tree in front, which a monkey climbed up upon (over a
hundred feet high) on our first morning and looked over his kingdom
with as much dignity as Hanuman.
This has
been a lovely place for the body, mind and spirit to rest after the
trials at Dwarahat. Carla's body is just now recovering, and some of
the darkness met at Dwarahat followed us here. It has been quite a
journey, but with all of its trials have come blessings as well.
Anytime I think of Dronagiri, the mountain we lived at the base of,
I feel its spiritual power. Also, Babaji's Cave has left a lasting
impression, as it did the previous times I have visited it.
We have
also continued to enjoy Himalayan style thunder and lightning
storms! One English author listed the many places in the world he
had experienced such storms, but none compared to those of the
Himalayas. They are truly magnificent productions. The lightning
comes as frequent as a strobe light, most often the lightning is
between cloud and cloud and the light produced is brilliant. The
thunder rolls and rolls, making for a kettle drum re-percussion that
seems to go off into infinity. The rain then comes as a downpour.
All of this usually happens at night and by daybreak it has all
cleared away, leaving the air clean and clear for a new day. When
safe in a sturdy building, all of this is a spectacle really worth
being in the middle of!
The
blessings that come with such pilgrimages are really of note. Once
the consciousness has attuned itself to the place of a pilgrimage,
and the mind has been purified, anytime one puts their mind upon
such a place, or a holy person, an instant blessing comes from it or
them.
We have
made arrangements (always an interesting and trying experience in
India, one Swami said that just living in India is sadhana!) to go
to Benares (now Varanasai) on March 21, arriving on the 22. Swami
Vishwananda and K.K. Gyonko were very helpful in securing the
apartment above the boys’ Sanskrit school where we were lodged in
1998. I remember it to be a quiet, very nice accommodation not far
from Lahiri Mahasaya's home.
We feel
you with us each step and continue to pray that as you attune
yourselves with us that you feel the blessings we have received from
this journey. The darkness at this point appears to be banished.
Overcoming such things is the stuff of which this life seems to be
here for.
One thing
to remember: Darkness is always weaker than the Light. Only by
giving into fear or desire (for improper powers) can darkness gain a
foothold. By remaining ever focused on the Light, dark cannot
prevail. Never!
May you
remain always in the Light and be a blessing to all those who your
lives touch.
In Divine
Grace and Blessings,
David
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