Guest guest Posted October 28, 2006 Report Share Posted October 28, 2006 Arunachala Grace News - November, 2006 Planetary Acupunture [by Martin Gray] When you reach the immediate area of your pilgrimage place make the conscious effort to approach with the focussed intention that you are going to plug an electrical appliance into a wall socket. This metaphor is very helpful to embody; it actually predisposes you to a more intense connection with the sacred site. Be there with a free and open mind. Maybe you will wander around first and then meditate or maybe it will be the other way around. Maybe you will take a nap or pray or play. There are no rules. Simply let the spirit of the place and your own being come into come into relationship and then let go to however that flows. The energy transference at the power place goes both ways; earth to human and human to earth. The wondrously magical living earth gives us tiny human beings subtle infusions of high octane soul food and as pilgrims we give the earth a sort of planetary acupunture in return. True, the power places were mostly discovered in old times but they are still vital today, still charged and emanating a potent field of transformational energy. Open yourself to this power. Let it touch you and teach you while the planet is inturn graced by your own love. Places of Peace and Power Speaking of Forest [by Apeetha Arunagiri) Although the Greening of Arunachala will veil the well known, much loved contours of the hill, it will compensate with aesthetic qualities of its own. The walk up the valley between Sri Ramanasramam and Skandashram now offers a keyhole into a future forested hill and it is beautiful beyond our wildest dreams of the good old days. Wilderness needs to be allowed to be. The wildest part of Arunachala is being regenerated by the Arunachala Kattu Siva Plantation, a group of rural men and women from villages surrounding the feet of Siva. We are most of us illiterate. Because of this we are not a registered Non-Government Organization, we are a village forest committee, a VFC. We are determinedly a VFC: this project is an experiment, a structural alternative to both NGO and GO. Apeetha, Kasi and Paneer are motivated to form a group that succeeds both in a great greening and also in the growth of civic responsibility within the community. The existence of the Village Forest Committee enables previously disempowered rural persons to take responsibility for matters of civic concern. This means that people learn to form opinions of their own and express them and be listened to and listen to others' perspectives. We try as much as possible to reach important decisions by dialogue arriving at consensus; we are learning how to do this. We encourage each person in the core group towards Supervisor capacity. Kasi, Panneer and I are convinced that this swim upstream is the only way for the solution of ecological problems. Each of the other members of our group agree according to their social consciousness. The role of myself Apeetha, is to interfere as little as possible in the everyday workings of the group, which is not to say that I refrain entirely from interfering, but it does mean that I often need to extend the boundaries of my opinions. I can facilitate, encourage, inspire, prod along, give a different perspective, stand up for the ladies, take photographs and work on the website, write about us, talk to like-minded groups in other countries, make suggestions that would not occur to a local, mediate between the work and officialdom and try to skillfully manoeuvre us into the best of both worlds. We are not fighting against the tide of holocausal destruction; we are contributing towards the covering of a sacred mountain with living forms so that our artesian basin will regenerate. We are engaged in this because it is our contribution to the future inhabitants of this sacred place, which we believe has an unimaginable potency entirely irrelevant to ecological considerations. We are doing this because we want to, because we believe that the maha mangalam absorbs the illusory conditioned mind. We are encouraged to believe it a good thing for other persons devoted to Arunachala to know about our work and for this purpose have created the website:www.aksp.org. Since we have an area of flatland within our responsibility that lies across the inner path around Arunachala, any interested person may and is most welcome to visit on their way around the hill. The nursery lies just beyond the Kattu Siva tank. If you walk towards the hill after entering our thorn gate, near the Etty Tree there with the sacred stones beneath it, then you have a good vista of one side of our area for plantation. You may notice us working nearby, may share a cup of tea with us, but we are not entitled to give you a guided tour - this is Reserve Forest and anyway we want to get on with our work. Like trees we respond favourably to encouragement and admiration; we long for donations now that our sponsor is warning us to raise funds on our own feet and we greatly appreciate comments and suggestions. Grow Well! [written by the English voice of the Arunachala Kattu Siva Plantation] Arunachala Kattu Siva Plantation Website Putting the God to Bed [by Apeetha Arunagiri] As you may know all the scheduled routines in Hindu temple worship are replicas of imperial routines for Rajas and Ranis (Kings and Queens), including the very last puja every evening which beds down our deities for a good night with all due courtly ceremony. So listen to how we put our gods to bed: First both sanctums receive a puja - a little ceremony in which all the five elements partake in acknowledging the supremacy of the god and goddess. The lingam/ yoni - the primal symbol for the Supreme God - is in the Siva sanctum, and the Abhithakuchalambal stands in the inner sanctum of her own temple, the Devi Shrine. A sweet little palanquin is made ready in the Devi's hall, musicians begin the melodies to accompany the goddess to bed, and food is brought in huge bronze platters for the supper snack. One little goddess, Bhumi Devi (Earth Mother) is carefully brought out of the shrine and placed in the palanquin, with accompanying music, and long torches of ghee-soaked cloth on the end of long poles are lit ready for the procession which will take the goddess ceremoniously into the bedroom. The bedroom is in the mandapam or hall of the Siva sanctum. A lovely little room it is, entirely lined with mirrors; thousands of little mirrors cover the walls, ceiling and floor. The mirrored room contains only a swing, a wooden seat suspended by bronze chains from the mirrored ceiling. Outside, opposite to the doorway of the bedroom and across the granite arcade of the great hall, hangs a huge mirror so placed that when the divinities are finally seated on the swing they will look out at their own reflections. Back in the Devi shrine preparations are reaching a crescendo. With a great fanfare, the Goddess in her palanquin with her musicians in full swing, blazing torches streaming flames, her supper carried aloft by bare-chested priests, others swinging incense burners, and the hangers on of the night trailing along behind, all parade out of the Mother's shrine and across to the bedroom in Father's shrine. Here the Goddess is taken from her palanquin and carefully put on the swing. Her garments are arranged provocatively, flowers delicately added, incense lit, and the musicians keep her entertained while Lord Siva is brought out of his shrine. No need of a palanquin here, because the Siva who is brought to sleep with the Earth Mother is the Formless Siva: the priests carefully carry out an empty pedestal. More musicians follow and lovely smells waft in the musty temple night air. The pedestal of the Formless Siva is lovingly put on the swing next to the Devi. Now the two of them are garlanded and honored in the wonderful ancient manner: Water is sprinkled first since water was created first, fans move our air now smoky with incense because incense represents earth . The dancing flames of lamps remind us of fire . Bells ripple sound out into our space . Thus are all the ancient elemental deities also honored. The Divinities are offered their supper. Then the music and bells reach the big crescendo as the camphor flame - which leaves no residue - is passed lovingly before their eyes symbolizing to us all the light of consciousness. Finally the swing is set in motion. Happily the gods rock back and forth in their majesty, music envelopes them and us also. Their reflections are gleaming in the motion of thousands of facets from the walls and ceiling and floor, and across the arcade they can contemplate themselves and our backs. The divine couple looks out across the heads of their adoring human beings into the huge mirror opposite, and they smile. The Devi is always smiling; we can't see the formless Siva smiling of course, but we expect he is in his inner eye, since the devotee adoring the formless god has a personal god in his heart. Then the door of the bedroom is shut and everybodygoes home to bed. Our exit is very unceremonious; everyone shuffles out, eating our share of the divine supper -Prasad, which means 'pleasure of the gods'. Priests are locking up, clanking, and arcade shops are closing down. The temple elephant is often asleep by now, snoring loudly. In the morning there is another ceremony to greet the god and goddess and carry them back to their public places, their audience halls. The relationship between Mythology, ritual and devotion is very complex and interesting. Here the Formless, Supreme Godhead is treated to his due as a Great King, whereas on a different occasion the same god may be represented as disreputable enough to offend his bride's family. All those mirrors indicate that the ancient opulent setting for his nightly dalliance with his Queen is a metaphor for infinity. We devotees can go to our own little beds secure in the knowledge that our beloved Earth Mother is suspended with her husband: not the badly behaved hero mythology, but the immutable, omnipotent, eternal and Absolute God. The One and Only, known by so many names. [For the full text of narrative click below link] Putting the God to Bed Base map [base map for Tiruvannamalai showing all existing features and contour levels] Currently Tiruvannamalai Municipality doesn't have an authentic Town Base Map with land details. As part of the Urban Renewal Plan of Tiruvannamalai City and the implementation and maintenance of related projects, knowledge of the town topography is essential. The map, when complete, will serve as the base for all engineering works in the town. In this respect, a project is now underway of preparing a Base Map for the town showing all natural and manmade features superimposed by contour levels in 1:500 scale. The map is being prepared using IKNOS, satellite imagery and ground surveys. As part of innovative technology intervention, this unique project of preparing a base topographical map for the town is being attempted using satellite imageries and aerial photographs with the help of; The Institute of Remote Sensing, Anna University. Rangammal Memorial Rehabilitation Society The Rangammal Memorial Rehabilitation Society was started by an English lady named Sylvia Wright. Who recalls: 'I came to India in 1981 in response to our Lord's call to "Go, sell all that you have, give it to the poor and follow Me". Prior to this I held senior positions in Administration and Teaching in both Hospital and Community Health Fields. Later I worked as a Senior Lecturer in what is now the Metropolitan University of Leeds, with a responsibility for Paediatrics and Community Health. In 1981 there was little health care provision in Tiruvannamalai or the villages of the District. I therefore purchased a van, equipped it with the necessary items to run clinics in the villages, trained five local people in basic health care and set up clinics in six villages, widely spaced but within one hours drive of Tiruvannamalai. We visited each village one day per week, giving care, health education, instruction on the prevention of disease and on early detection of illness and deformity.' Now 25 years later and nearly 70 years old she remains completely committed to the Organisation she set up, The Rangammal Memorial Rehabilitation Society which includes: Rangammal Hospital, Rangammal Memorial Higher Secondary School for the Hearing Impaired, Vasavi Industrial School, Rangammal Memorial Teacher Training School for Hearing Impaired, Rangammal Memorial Day Care Centre for the Mentally Retarded and Cerebral Palsy, Outreach Community Programme, Village Clinics, RSVY Programme and a Pension Scheme. Four hundred staff work for the Organisation and approximately 70,000 patients are treated every year as both in-patients and out-patients. In addition handicapped people are helped in the Organisation's related Schools and Community Programmes. Arunachala Grace Network is working with Sylvia Wright and the Rangammal Memorial Rehabilitation Society developing an in-depth section on her Organisation to appear on our website www.arunachalasamudra.org We hope to have this new section on our site at information>health>rangammal within the next few months. More news about this in next month's Arunachala Grace News. Telemedicine [speciality care for rural patients] The Kanchi Kamakoti Childs Trust Hospital is attempting to "break the time-barrier, the cost-barrier and the distance-barrier" in paediatric healthcare with the recent launch of a telemedicine facility. Their new resource is intended to make speciality care more accessible to rural patients. Apart from allowing videoconference consultation between village primary healthcare centres and specialists in the City, their programme will also aid the training of personnel in remote areas. It is also hoped that it will be helpful in the case of sick babies unable to tolerate the strain of travelling to Chennai for specialist care. The scheme will also allow long-distance post-operative check-ups for outstation patients. The programme envisages links in Tiruvannamalai, Tirupati, Chittur, Arakonam, Chengalpet and Kumbakonam within the upcoming 3-6 months. A second phase of this enterprise will involve a mobile centre equipped to provide telemedicine facilities across the State. Sh@nti Children Project The 'Sh@nti Children Project', originated in the Summer of 2001 to support and sponsor the education of local children from deprived circumstances. It was found that many poor children in the area were unable to attend school because of their family's inability to bear the cost of basic school supplies. Through word of mouth and community networking 'Sh@nti Children Project' finds worthy individual children and supports them throughout their schooling. Often the youngsters are one-parent children, orphans or are handicapped. Particular emphasis is also given to the education of young girls as historically they are less likely than boys to receive a good education. The 'Sh@nti Children Project' currently has 27 children on their rota (17 girls and 10 boys) for whom the Organisation buys school uniforms, pays school and tutition fees and provides medical assistance. The Project recently sponsored their first medical procedure when they took a child to Pondicherry for a kidney stone operation which entailed a two week stay in hospital. The Organisation proposes to take an additional 3 to 5 children a year into their sponsorship programme. The original remit of 'Sh@nti Children Project' continues to develop and it's hoped that the full scope of their assistance will include: Tutition Centre Medical Support (including dental and eye) Financial support to needy parent family Tours and trips Playing park Progressive School Various workshops including handicraft etc Technical Education As well as depending on sponsorship and private donations for funding, the 'Sh@nti Children Project' also generates in-house funding through video movie rentals and the sale of greeting cards and calendars. The 'Sh@nti Children Project' needs continuous and generous support to continue their programme and fund its expansion. For more information about purchasing indigenous, local greeting cards, participating as a volunteer in educational, cultural events or donating funds directly to the Project, please get in touch direct with: S. Kumar Sh@nti Children Project 115A Chengam Road Tiruvannamalai Tamil Nadu 606603, India Email: kumar Phone: +91 (0)4175-236035 In This Issue: Planetary Acupunture Speaking of Forest Putting the God to Bed Base map Rangammal Memorial Rehabilitation Society Telemedicine Sh@nti Children Project Arunachala Grace Network Recommended Services Rules of the Road - Part 1 Inspirational Poems Perandai - Cissus quadrangularis Links Arunachala Grace Network All subscriptions to Arunachala Grace News are completely free. However we invite support for the continued development of: Arunachala Grace Network Arunachala Grace Newsletter http://www.arunachalagrace.blogspot.com http://www.arunachalasamudra.org I am also authoring another Arunachala Blog at: http://www.arunachalanews.com For details on how to help please contact Meenakshi Mammi at arunachalana ************************* We are including a facility on this newsletter for readers who do not yet have their own subscription. Click Here to Subscribe We have been having difficulties with both rediffmail and gmail addresses. Please remember to adjust your 'spam' recognition to facilitate acceptance of the Newsletter. In the case of gmail - the Newsletter doesn't open up properly and thus you will receive a distorted version. If possible use alternate email addresses (other than rediffmail and gmail) to receive Arunachala Grace News. Whatever email address you use, remember to adjust the spam setting of your email account. ************************* Arunachala Samudra Our improved site contains (among others) new features and sections on Herbology, Inspiration, Sacred Power, Tourism and Modern Day Saints, which we will be populating over the coming months. So regularly check back to the site for additions. Our Website Recommended Services This month our emphasis on recommended service is on two health care professionals who work for Rangammal hospital but are also available as independent practioners for private consultation. 1) Doctor (general practioner) Susheel Mukundan. Who has a consultation room (available evenings) near Seshadri Ashram. email: susheel_mukundan +91-944-3335594 2) Dentist, Dr. Bindu. Who can be reached at her office at Rangammal Hospital for consultation for both ordinary dental procedures and also for cosmetic and oral surgery. +91-948-6247929 Residence: +91-(0)4175-237300 ************************ Arunachala Village School For many years the Arunachala Village School has welcomed the participation of a lot of volunteers – most of whom have been teachers from Switzerland. The feedback of their experiences and memories, has always been very positive, in their words: 'a heart school with only happy children and teachers.' To access an article about the school in an earlier issue of Arunachala Grace News (July Issue) please check at Links at bottom of this Newsletter: For information about the history, philosophy and management of the Arunachala Village School please check their updated and redesigned website. Arunachala Village School Rules of the Road - Part 1 As small as Tiruvannamalai is, believe me it gets dangerous on the roads. So read these Rules of the Road and realise what may seem satirical is actually quite literal on the roads of South India. Most Indian road users observe a version of the Highway Code based on a Sanskrit text. These rules of the Indian road are published for the first time in English: ARTICLE I: The assumption of immortality is required of all road users. ARTICLE II: Indian traffic, like Indian society, is structured on a strict caste system. The following precedence must be accorded at all times. In descending order, give way to: Cows, elephants, heavy trucks, buses, official cars, camels, light trucks, buffalo, jeeps, ox-carts, private cars, motorcycles, scooters, auto-rickshaws, pigs, pedal rickshaws, goats, bicycles (goods-carrying), handcarts, bicycles (passenger-carrying), dogs, pedestrians. ARTICLE III: All wheeled vehicles shall be driven in accordance with the maxim: To slow is to falter, to brake is to fail, to stop is defeat. This is the Indian drivers' mantra. ARTICLE IV: Use of horn (also known as the sonic fender or aural amulet): Short blast (urgent) indicate supremacy. Long blast (desperate) denote supplication, i.e. to oncoming truck: "I am going too fast to stop, so unless you slow down we shall both die". Single blast (casual) means: "I have seen someone out of India's 1 billion whom I recognise". Trucks and buses: All horn signals have the same meaning, viz: "I have an all-up weight of approximately 12.5 tons and have no intention of stopping, even if I could." [To be concluded December Newsletter] Inspirational Poems These poems, the former by an Englishman and the latter by a Chinese Buddhist, although written about other places and other times, both convey the potency and impeccablity of sacred power - as does Arunachala: William Wordsworth The Recluse Tis, but I cannot name it, tis the sense of majesty, and beauty, and repose A blended holiness of earth and sky, Something that makes this individual spot This small abiding place of many men, A termination, and a last retreat, A centre, come from whatsoever you will A whole without dependence or defect, Made for itself and happy in itself, Perfect contentment, unity Entire. ************************* Yeh T'ai Chinese Mountain Hermit At a true site . . . there is a touch of magic light. How so, Magic? It can be understood intuitively, but not conveyed in words. The hills are fair, the waters are fine, the sun handsome, the breeze mild; and the sky has a new light: another world. Amid confusion, peace; amid peace, a festive air. Upon coming into its presence, one's eyes are opened; if one sits or lies, one's heart is joyful. Here the breath gathers, and the essence collects. Light shines in the middle, and magic goes out on all side. Above or below, to right or left, it is not thus. No greater than a finger, no more than a spoonful; like a dewdrop,like a pearl, like the moon through a a crack like the reflection in a mirror. Play with it, and it is as if you can catch it; put if off, and it cannot be got rid of. Try to understand! It is hard to describe. ************************* The Question of my Self Who Who am I Talking to, running from, nucleating round? Who am I in love with? Who sorts the red and white Petals of love? Whose scent do I catch through the boarded-up door? In whose presence do I, Sleepwalker, shame myself? Whose sword echoes In the ruined palace? Who excites me with brilliant desire? For whom was this cartwheel Of rough-spoke words composed Before I was? Whose attention do I barely mention? For whom will I lie down In white lilies? Who is glimpsed in strange places? By night, Immense, deserted, blind, anonymous? Who prods My fears? Whose shadow follows me by night When I stumble imperiously home? For whom shall I keep a place vacant at table? Who am I trying to kid? Who shoots me down, Loots my slim identity? Who arranges this strange account of my life? It smiles me? Stops and turns around. I call you hollow, luminous Self [by Rashid Maxwell] Perandai - Cissus quadrangularis Perandai is an indigenous medicinal plant of India found in great quantities all around Arunachala. The use of this plant (by common folk) for promoting fracture healing is an old practice. It has been prescribed in ancient Ayurvedic texts by Bhava Prakash and Chakra Dutta as a general tonic especially for the fracture patient. It contains high amount of vitamin C, carotene A, anabolic steroidal substances and calcium. These anabolic steroidal principles promote fracture-healing by influencing early regeneration of all connective tissues. In clinical trials Perandai has been found to cause reduction in the healing time of fractures by 55-33%. It is shown to neutralize the anti-anabolic effect of steroids like cortisone in healing of fractures. Postmenopausal women are at particular risk to osteoporosis because the loss of estrogen associated with menopause leads to bone loss. Perandai (cissus quadrangularis) is likely to exert beneficial effects on recovery of bone mineral density in postmenopausal osteoporosis. The stem of perandai is recommended in Ayurveda for the treatment of irregular menstruation, asthma, as an analgesic in eye and ear diseases and for complaints of the back and spine. Scientific studies have revealed perandai extract to possess cardiotonic and androgenic property. It will improve appetite, remove constipation, kill stomach worms, cure piles and is also act effective for loose motion, or dysentry. The quantity regarded as optimum by herbologists is a gramme. In Tamil homes perandai is often taken with clarified butter or in the form of a tasty chutney. Chutney: Tender perandai add tamarind, chillies, cumin seeds and ghee, salt, fresh garlic and onion and grind till smooth. Very tasty as a condiment eaten with rice. For more information contact: Herbologist Dr. Manickam [email: drmanickam_tvm] Links: Arunachala updates and informationIn depth Arunachala informationArunachala NewsArunachala Kattu Siva PlantationApeetha Arunagiri WebsitePutting the Gods to BedApeetha Arunagiri StoriesPlaces of Peace and PowerArunachala Village School (AVS)AVS School Article July Newsletter Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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