We really enjoyed talking to the Advanced Techniques students and look forward to doing it again! We also look forward to video streaming with the entire student body as well as the public at large.
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The sun and moon’s rays have an effect on the earth. Of course, when we refer to “rays” here, we mean it not just on the more superficial levels, but also on the astrological and Transcendental level. Normal sun and moon shine create a normal environment for the earth. Physical earth is made up of the five elements and those five elements have a certain balance under normal conditions. The same is true with our physiology.
The eclipse affects the sun and moon rays, creating an abnormal environment for the earth. This also upsets the balance of the five elements, upsetting our environment on earth and also our physiology, including our mind and emotions. Scientists have done research and found that during an eclipse, there is an increase in bacteria and viruses.
Because there is imbalance physically, it is suggested that people not eat or drink because the body does not process food and water correctly. It is a little bit like avoiding certain foods when a person is sick. Some do not eat from sunrise to sunset that day and others just avoid eating near the time of the actual eclipse. Because there is an imbalance mentally and emotionally, it is suggested that people go inward and meditate or chant mantras.
It is advised not to look at eclipses. Even if you do not look at the eclipse, the effects of an eclipse last 3-6 months. It states in the Vedas that as a result of an eclipse, there can be changes in nature and natural disasters can occur.
For people, with the lunar eclipse, the effect is on the mind/emotions, whereas with the solar eclipse, the effect is more on the whole body and health.
During the whole solar eclipse (in Asheville, this would be from 1:00-4:05pm), it is best to stay inside and not look outside or even allow light in. During the eclipse, it is best to meditate or chant, and it is a good time to go inward. Finish solid food 3 hours prior to the start of the eclipse and wait to eat 2 hours after the eclipse ends. Shower right after the eclipse and then you can start cooking. Don’t save cooked food to eat after the eclipse, including in the refrigerator. No showering, drinking, or eating during the eclipse.
Monday, August 21, 2017 – Solar Eclipse info for Asheville:
https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/usa/asheville?iso=20170821
1:08 pm Partial Eclipse begins
2:37 pm Maximum Eclipse
4:01 pm Partial Eclipse ends
If you are visiting or staying at Mount Soma, once Sri Somesvara Temple has been purified (probably after 6:00 pm), then offer a red flower to the Sun (outside at the Navagrahas), and do Pradakshina 9 times while chanting “Shri Ram Ravaye Namaha.”
This particular eclipse especially affects those people whose Moon is in the sign of Cancer, Leo, or Virgo in their Jyotish (Vedic astrology) chart. Those people whose Moon is in Scorpio or Pisces also need to make sure to follow the guidelines suggested above.
May 20, 2017 was another great day. Lots of people fillled Hanuman Park for Hanuman Jayanthi. The chanting and bhajans were wonderful. The feeling of family, community and devotion filled the air. Beautiful!
View more pictures on the Hanuman Jayanthi Photo Gallery.
The Super Bowl was so much fun! Like football or not, last night at Mount Soma the Super Bowl party (pic below) was great fun for everyone. We even had our own Mt. Soma representatives at the game! See pic from their seats below. Our Mt. Soma annual tradition of silly emails back and forth, starting with the playoffs every year, make the game even that much more enjoyable. Lots of laughs! Big smiles! Everyone enjoys!<
Mars, Venus and Moon are together this evening in the western sky. You may want to take a look. Beautiful. Mars is just above Venus and Moon. Here is a pic of it at Mount Soma this evening.
We had a wonderful early Thanksgiving today, Tuesday, Nov. 22 at Mount Soma because Thursday will be busy with guests. It was a potluck with tofu and lentil loaf turkey, and all the trimmings. After the feast, a bunch of us took a walk out past the Wishing Tree through the mountain trails. It was lovely. We found a quiet spot with a very fine feeling and stood there together for quite a while… chatting a bit, listening to the stillness of the woods, looking at the views and fidgeting with twigs, fall leaves, and other little treasures of nature. It was an exquisite day as we all enjoyed the food, the walk, the environment, and most of all, one another.
A wonderful group of fifth graders visited Mount Soma yesterday. Everyone had a lot of fun. Here is the brief talk I gave…
Fabulous clouds and fall weather, all day every day lately here at Mount Soma!
Looking forward to our Mother Divine Meditation Retreat, October 1-10th. It’s always such a special time of inward and outward transformation as the seasons change.
Click here to view a great picture on Instagram.
If you’re not already, you may be interested in following my Instagram account where great images, quotes, and updates are regularly posted.
I will be traveling to San Francisco with my family during the middle of August. I would like to organize an event for students and their guests one day. If anyone would like to assist in that process, please let me know. I will keep everyone informed as plans unfold.
We get a fair number of stray cats around our house. Some of them are incredibly peaceful and affectionate. So it’s very easy to be kind with them and try to find out if they have a home nearby. In some cases, when they end up living under our porch for a number of months and it is clear they don’t have a place to live, Judi often finds them a good home.
There’s a whole spectrum of behavior among these cats, ranging from very tame and affectionate to completely wild and unapproachable. If you do happen to accidentally corner one of the wilder ones, they are all claws and fangs.
It saddens me to see how these cats seal their own fate based upon their behavior. You wish you could just let the wild ones know to calm down—everything’s fine. They are creating their own problems. Of course, you can’t do that.
Humans are strikingly the same way. We create our own heaven or hell, determined by our relationship with the world.
