CORNETTO BLACKFOREST RED ICE CREAM...

Off we went to pick something to cool ourselves due to the heating weather….

Well, the best option was definitely the CREAM with lots of ICE…

I was already beginning to savor the taste of the ICED CHOCOLATE CREAM in my mouth….

As we headed straight to the Ice-cream section of the shop…each of us began picking our choices…

I really wanted the chocolate cream but I stumbled upon this new flavor – BLACKFOREST RED..

And thought to myself…Let’s try this…for a change…

As I unwrapped it…little pink rosettes and chocolate flakes greeted me…

Arrghhhh…but there was no chocolate, much to my dismay…. L
As I journeyed into the first layer, I was surprised to greet the second layer ie CHOCOLATE CREAM….Yippee J

Ah! How my heart leapt to finally see my CHOCOLATE CREAM….

                                           

I savored every bit of it…only to be further surprised with a pool of RASPBERRY SAUCE…right at the end of the journey…

And the rest of the journey was only filled with more sweetness…
And then it dawned upon me…

Many a time, when our heart is filled with a desire, and if the desire is pure and untainted, we are blessed even more than our hearts’ desire by the Cosmos…

But before our desires are gratified, we are put through a testing/trial period – to test the ability of the Soul/Self to face down the mind…to face down the tricks of the monkey mind…to eventually be able to leap back into the Supreme Awareness which is filled with divine nectar..

The first layer of the pink rosettes can be equated to a trial/testing period - something that the mind does not favour, for this is the phase, it will be challenged head on to face the Self.

And if the Self triumphs, it qualifies itself to then be bestowed with the respective desires ie journeying into the next layer/level...much desired CHOCOLATE CREAM..

As it savors the bestowed desires with a sincere heart, the Cosmos desires to bless the Self with even more, and thus, the RASPBERRY SAUCE…

In other words, let us (SELF) face down the mind, no matter what it takes, and no matter how tricky it can be, for if we don't…we will never be able to go beyond the pink rosettes….and thus ultimately miss out on the yummy CHOCOLATE CREAM AND RASPBERRY SAUCE….  J
 
                                          

A BAGFULL OF BLESSINGS AT THE MAHANIRVANI AKHARA/AKHADA in HARIDWAR (CHIEF DEITY : SRI KAPIL(A) MAHAMUNI)

We were indeed blessed to be hosted by the Mahanirvani Akhada for a dinner meal, gratefulness to Swami Paramahamsa Nithyananda, under whom we are being tutored into the Inner Awakening process..

As we walked into the physical compound of the Akhada, we were greeted by a sudden sense of serenity and peace enveloping us – it was so engaging…

A large building stood ahead of us as our steps advanced…the building is basically a ‘home’/’residence’ to the many male ‘Sadhus’ – ‘holy men’ who are pursuing a spiritual/religious pursuit.

 I felt so connected to the place and its surroundings…

We were first led to the upper floor, where we were blessed with the vision of Sri Kapil(a) MahaMuni, who is the Chief Deity of this Akhada.

Structurally, the building has rooms for the residents, lavatories, a kitchen, an open area, prayer area, etc. But, beyond its physical structure, the building and its surrounding was filled and contained with a sense of divine energy – so refreshing and so enlightening….

A life where there is no TV, Internet, Facebook or other forms of worldly entertainment to engage in – yet I felt so engaged while being in the surroundings of this wonderful place….

These are the places that trigger us to turn inwards to engage with Ourselves – to shut down our outer space to allow the inner space to unfold….

We were later, directed to a huge eating area, that could accommodate at least a 100 people. We were all seated on mats that were laid out for us on the ground.

As I found a seat for myself, I felt so glad – it was beyond the joy and excitement of winning a seat in the Musical Chairs event..

All of us were seated on the ground, waiting to be fed..just like children being seated in rows, before the Head of the Family serves the daily meal…J

As I sat there, I felt myself so small….the ‘I’ in me had become so insignificant….almost like non-existent….as I sat there – ‘I’ felt I was no one….

No name, no age, no identity, no profession, no nationality, no background, NOTHING…

The name and identity that we cling on to, as a form of support and recognition for our existence on this earthly plane –  all of it became so insignificant here….

We were all given plates and several bowls, for we were going to be fed with 21 dishes, all made with divine love and nectar….

As I sat there, ‘I’ felt so grateful and blessed, for being able to receive and partake this blessed food…

We had rice (one plain and one coloured), fruit yoghurt, dhals (lentils), paneer (cottage cheese) curry, chapatti, sweet chappati, chick pea curry, dry brinjal, samosas, pakoras, chutney, kheer (sweet milk)…

Each morsel of the food was filled with so much nectar…that it filled us up – beyond words…

It was a receiving experience – there was no giving – only RECEIVING, RECEIVING and RECEIVING….

When the Lord decides to shower us – He showers us with so much till even our both hands fall short in size to receive them ALL….

It was a day, the Divine Mother decided to cook Herself and feed Her dear children, to their hearts content….and subsequently for us to merge into Her….

TRIP TO HARIDWAR/HARDWAR (‘HARI’ (means Lord Vishnu), ‘HAR’ (means Lord Shiva), ‘DWAR’ (means gateway/door/entrance)}

Trip to the Gateway to Lord (Shiva/Vishnu)

A mystical land where, although filled with so much physical noise due to the uninterrupted honking of the various vehicles - resides in this, is the underlying and unexplainable silence and calmness in this city..

Displayed by the light-hearted and contented minds of the people residing here…

The physical space is shared by both man and nature – lots of cattle grazing in the greens, walking by the roads….with little conflict between the two….as both understand the Oneness of the Space they belong in…

 

One is sure to also witness the ‘Sadhus’ (India Holy men) – they radiate so much peace and calmness, without a slight taint of impurity or incompletion…..a state of just Being…

Residing in Haridwar is also Mother Ganga – the Goddess River – She starts to flow from the mountains here to flow out upon the Indian plains, gracing all with Her celestial touch……

She is full with energy and compassion…ever gracing her children who come to her to seek Her blessings…A dip in Mother Ganga will refine one of all impurities and incompletions..

Also to witness the Ganga Aarti (waving of the Fire in honour of Mother Ganga). A beautiful scenic of the Ganga Aarti  - blend of two energies – fire and water…

The lush greenery of the surrounding hills also add to its beauty and underlying mystery – trip to the Neelkanth Mahadev temple. A journey uphill, with a bird’s view of the everflowing Mother Ganga…

 

Daksheswar Mahadev temple – associated with the annihilation of King Daksh’s arrogance and ego by Mahadev and self-immolation of Goddess Sati – also to experience the wrath of Mahadev upon seeing His Sati in lifeless state…all these happenings of destruction was a start of a new cycle of creation.

 

The various body parts of Goddess Sati fell on Mother Earth and formed sites which are known as Shakti Peethas. (Shakti Peethas are shrines or divine places of the Mother Goddess)

Annihiliation and destruction is always associated with Shiva and Shakti – destruction of one cycle to make way for the other, destruction of one happening to make way for the other, destruction of the lower self to make way for the Higher Self – all leading to an INNER AWAKENING…