Matrimandir: A Spiritual Meeting Point

“The Matrimandir is there for those who want to learn to concentrate. No fixed meditations, none of all that, but they should stay there in silence and concentration. A place for trying to find one’s consciousness.”(Sri Aurobindo)

Searching for a spiritual uplift on our second visit to India in late February had become an exhausting task as our “Gate One”tour on day six moved briskly along the urban coast of southeastern Tamil Nadu. Clearly feeling then emotionally unsettled by the noticeable sight of homeless desperation and poverty’s wrath in overcrowded cities, our bus now turned southwest from Pondichierry in mid morning through dense tropical undergrowth toward our next destination, the small town of Auroville. At first glance at this seemingly unremarkable setting of human despair, I thus began to wonder what could possibly interest us here. Yet an early afternoon walk along the peaceful grounds of “Matrimandir” near the center of town would soon dramatically reawaken our spiritual curiosities.

How then could Matrimandi’s futuristic golden orb integrated with a series of soul-filled, nature walks change our world for the better? Why might this unique “Mecca”of spiritual Growth entice you to visit there? I invite you to search for your own answers to these important life questions in observing the following photographic collection.

As our tour entered Matrimandir’s spacious grounds, a colorful line of posters revealed a historic timeline of this spiritual place.

Pausing for a video orientation at the Matrimandir Visitor Center, we learned about the spiritual vision of this place named “Temple of the Mother” inspired by the teachings of India philosopher, Sri Aurobindo.

We began a thirty minute walk through a lush garden area called “peace”, from where a future planned township of world unity integrated with nature’s harmony would some day radiate outwards.

A prominent circular marker at the beginning of the trail enlightened us to twelve qualities of spiritual significance we would be viewing along the way.

Surrounding floral inspirations would enhance our understanding about these twelve self growth attributes in strictly enforced silence.

Beyond a bamboo wall, striking rock formations also focused our attention on the meditative solitude of this special place.

Entering an open green field, we spotted a large golden sphere which seemed to be naturally emerging out of the red earth around.

We would soon learn that the spiritual energy of the orb spacious interior projects from a ray of electronically guided sunlight that falls on pure crystal-glass through an opening at the top of the sphere. Click on the following videos for an interactive view of the orb and surrounding gardens.

At the end of our walk, we opted to “cool off, take some photos, and enjoy a satisfying viewpoint of the orb.

Heading back to the tour bus for our mid afternoon departure, I envisioned with renewed optimism a new world where Matrimandi’s vision matters.

April 3, 2020 7

Hindu Spirit Ascension

“A spirtually illumined soul lives in the world, yet is never contaminated by it.” (Swami Bhaskarananda, The Essentials Of Hinduism)

I’ve never been particularly enamored by faith-based tenets requiring me to submit myself to organized religion. For I have always embraced the power of finding my own path to right and wrong behavior in each passing moment. So as I explored my spiritual journey of “now” on our recent South India adventure, the fanatical devotion of followers to the Hindu faith seemed at first oddly strange and out of place. Yet as I continued my walks through the stunningly beautiful mazes of temple corridors, each subtle head nod, pleasing eye glance or gentle Buddhistic smile made me surprisingly realize that I had taken the rare step to reach outward of myself to obtain fresh spiritual guidance. I indeed seem mesmerized to this day by the sacred teachings of “Dharma” and “Karma”, the righteous path to Hindu ways.

Thus our recent South India journey has given me good reason to reconsider what best drives me spiritually these days. For Hinduism has shown me the critical need for practicing daily goodness to nourish my “inner soul. In this “trying” time of the Corona pandemic where so many struggle now to stay healthy and survive, I could certainly use such moral guidance. What places that you have visited in your life similarly evoke new ideas of spirituality in your life.”

At many temples I visited, curious Hindu followers crowded near me to humbly rejoice that I would be sharing my photographs for them to see soon.

Despite all the distractions of crowd noise and loud music from a Sunday service, this pious man seated outside the temple, remained determined to study his Hindu Scriptures.

I stared intently at God-like statues in every temple feeling a strong reverence toward Hinduism’s spiritual beliefs.

As I entered this great temple , I observed the welcoming presence of a Shiva- like figure overhead.

Daily offerings inside each temple provided evidence that Hinduism contains a strong spirit of giving.

Dance and music played a powerful role in entertaining holy gatherings in all of the temples I visited on weekends.

Why do these elephants sculpted along temple walls seem so friendly to others? Maybe only a Hindu would know!

Temple life provided a safe, quiet and clean haven for families/friends to bond away from the congested chaos existing in the nearby city. Contrast these two scenes.

Observe the exalted presence of this Hindu spiritual leader at the daily call to temple service .

When a call to Hindu temple prayer began, all eyes paid dutiful attention to the spiritual leader’s daily teachings.

Note: If you are interested in knowing the names of each of the temples described above, please let me know. Namaste

March 27, 2020 22

Western Ghat Scramble

“The rain on some days whispers to me. Sing it loud. Dance to the core. Fly high with the wind. Forget your sorrows a bit more.“(Selin S.R. impression of Western Ghats)

Crossing into the state of Kerala on day 11 of our South India adventure, our tour bus rose steeply from central lowland plains into the rugged mountains of the Western Ghats. This slow moving road into wild nature’s isolation would hopefully provide us a timely “break” from the urban chaos of our Chennai, Madurai, and Pondicherry visits earlier in Tamil Nadu. The photographic display below documents several Ghats highlights from our , nature-filled days at Periyar National Park.

Ruth and I settled into Elephant Court, a Tiki Hut- like Lodge, in late afternoon and looked forward to quiet time on our patio overlooking this upland sanctuary of tropical bliss for the remaining of the day.

We seemed unprepared, however, that this 1st evening would be filled with jungle uproar of aggressive monkeys, squawking birds, and religious chanting.

So we would decide to join our tour group in booking an optional excursion that night to witness the dazzling theatrics of a local martial arts practice called Kalaripayattu.

When I first heard the word Jeep by our tour guide, I knew it was going to be a very bumpy mountain ride we would join in on the next morning.

Fortunately, the air seemed cooler as our sturdy vehicle dodged potholes on the way up to 4300 feet elevation along the steep mountain called “Ottakathalamedu”.

In spite of the hazy atmosphere beyond, I envisioned a distinct resemblance to the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. This scenic apex also inspiring pleasing group photos of the men and women separately posing on our tour.

It seemed Ruth got “carried” away raising a Communist flag from an Indian “local” then.

Our very busy 2nd day would continue with a thrilling boat ride through the wildlife sanctuary of Periyar Tiger Reserve.There we observed close up views of elephants, water buffalo, monkeys, and deer but no tigers.

After completing another full day schedule of this action packed, Gate 1 tour, we would finally settle into a night of quiet rest. Oh no! Here came the monkeys again.

March 22, 2020 8

India Spirit Of Change

“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” (Mahatma Gandhi)

“Our greatest ability as humans is not to change the world; but to change ourselves.” (Mahatma Gandhi)

In many places we visited on our Southern India tour, I noticed a deep reverence for the enduring legacy of Mahatma Gandhi. At the city of Madurai’s Gandhi Memorial Museum, I particularly observed how he successfully united the diverse masses of India’s people to non- violently resist British colonial rule in India. Ultimately his humble leadership ideals to promote universal non- violence and self-sufficiency of human action positively impacted India’s road to independence as a country. If our government agencies do not adequately deal with our current concerns about the Corona Virus, how might we similarly use Gandhi’s example as exemplified in the following video to foster togetherness to do it ourselves?

March 18, 2020 9

India’s Ritualistic Radiance

“Passionate grave thought, belief enhanced, ritual returned and magic.” (Hilda Doolittle)

As many blog readers know from my past writings, I express a great fondness for living in the present. So in this upcoming blog series, I’ve turned to my 1000+ photos/daily travel logs from our recent South Indian tour to reconstruct honestly some key moments of both “inner” struggle and nourishment along the way of this sixteen day journey. In my first entry below, you might notice that sometimes you might need to “shake up” your customary routines at home to gain the full benefits of International travel. Enter the world of the “Dancing Shiva.”

I’d been relatively at ease folding hands in Namaste greeting, accepting a red dot on my forehead, and eating with my hands, heavily spiced cuisine in the first few days of our South Indian tour. But a daylong tour of Thanjavur and nearby areas of south central Tamil Nadu clearly overloaded my cultural “comfort zone.” For those religious rituals that I observed then indeed proved shocking to my Western culture way of life. But to Hindu followers who we observed at our designated stops at Lord Brihadeeswarar Temple along the the Kaveri River, such seemingly odd behavior observed that day were considered perfectly normal expressions of Hindu spiritual beliefs. In fact, I found that many locals encouraged me to join in with their sacred rituals although I had little understanding about why I was actually doing them. I am curious then how you might react to such South Indian cultural practices as presented in the following photographs?

Consider the sacred cow who must be fed bananas and other fruits by Hindu followers to obtain God’s protection.

Ponder how Hindus use a flip of a cow’s tail to one’s forehead to offer hope of achieving reincarnation in one’s next life?

Visualize being blessed by a 50 year old elephant as he lowers his heavy trunk to meet the shoulders of those on our tour.

Imagine a celebration of eternal life for a past loved one involving a flower filled picnic and aromatic spices along a dirt filled, public path.

Picture an elderly man wading into the polluted river to scatter the cremated remains of a deceased family member as others enter the water nearby to swim, bathe, or wash clothes.

Notice how piles of Indian rupees are counted and shared for all in open gatherings on the floor of the temple.

Observe a homeless child innocently searching for a new home by himself amidst a crowded sea of strangers.

March 15, 2020 8

My India Spiritual Evolution

“The search for wisdom is a great challenge; to act on wisdom is an even greater challenge.” (Siddhaswarupananda)

Ruth and I have completed an arduous yet exhilarating tour of Kerala and Tamil Nadu regions in South India. During the 20+ hour flights home to Miami, I read an article stating that it’s best for tourists these days to travel conservatively. Following such reasoning, one should be wary of traveling to new places on their own and also limit their visits to well established tourist sites home and abroad. In this era of virus pandemics,religious extremism, and nationalistic fervor, such an argument to minimize travel risk today certainly seems very enticing.

Yet we have no regrets for following our free wandering instincts in South India. For by embracing those “off the “beaten track” moments of unfamiliar culture, food, and religion during the past sixteen days in this strangely sublime country, ten spiritual essentials described below seem clearer to me now.

1. Try meditation for myself not to please others.

2. Embrace the temporary moment of everything that surrounds me. For all must pass.

3.Displaying greater compassion for others will inspire me to find authentic spiritual moments.

4. I cannot seek spirituality. It will find me!

5. Spirituality cannot be bought or sold with my money or physical possessions.

6. Say it, sing it, dance it, or be silent with a spiritual idea. It’s all good.

7. An iPhone or WiFi connection can be a serious impediment to my sustained inner reflection.

8. Divide or unite. I must make that spiritual choice.

9. Be kind to animals to enhance my own soul.

10.Be creative in setting up my own spiritual shrine. I don’t always need a church, mosque, or temple to feed my inner soul.

I want to give special thanks to our Gate 1 tour guide Raj, who encouraged us to be free and daring on our 16 day, South India tour. I invite you to check into more blogging snippets of our South India adventure in the coming days.

How might the following photographs from our South India tour inspire you spiritually?

March 9, 2020 16

Blog Talk- USFMAN

Hi Readers:

You can now communicate with me by email in response to my blogs as I’ve added a contact button on my Word Press website for private conversations. You can find the location of this icon along the top right side of my home page when you open a blog. After you click on the word CONTACT, you just fill out the form as shown in the photo above. That would include your name, email address, and a brief message.

On another note, Snippets of the Traveling Mind will be on hiatus for approximately three weeks during our current adventure to India. I’ll get back to your posted comments in early March. I’m truly humbled by your continued support for my blog as Ruth and I continue our traveling ways. Namaste.

February 17, 2020 4

Will The Marlin Soar?

“People ask me what I do in winter when there’s no baseball. I’ll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring.” (Rogers Hornsby)

Whenever I enter a Major League Baseball Stadium, my immediate attention usually focuses on the sheer thrill of winning baseball for the hometown team. Before each game begins, I so often “tune in” to the contagious enthusiasm of the crowd resonating throughout the ballpark waiting for the game to begin. At this year’s Miami Marlins “Fan Fest”, however, I got my baseball juices flowing” in a much different way. For while no game outcome would be decided on this bright sunny afternoon in mid February at Marlins Ball Park, a “behind the scenes” aura of winning Marlins Fever seemed to resonate strongly during my visit.

How liberating it seemed at this inaugural spring training event, that all fan attendees today were granted free roam of the playing field, dugout, seating areas, and team locker facilities for more than three hours. For me, such a personalized tour of Marlins Park stimulated a “deep-seated“ mind probe into the human matter of team culture to win for those who actually play this game so competitively. For how intensely does each hitter practice at batting cages to improve their swing before each game? How efficiently does a rookie sensation pitcher use his modest locker space to help him prepare positively to face competent, major league hitters? What strategies does a valuable bench player have to stay focused in the crowded dugout as he awaits the pressure induced call to pinch-hit later in the contest? To what extent do the established stars of the team selfishly prefer to promote themselves as popular celebrities rather than improve on fundamental baseball skills needed for winning team play?

With these performance issues in mind, I present the following slideshow from “Fan Fest” 2020. Can you spot any signs leading to the sweetness of victory as the Miami’s Marlins strive to soar this year to heights of winning baseball?

February 15, 2020 14

Breathing Soul Into My World

“Your soul is your ultimate guidance system. You can think of your soul as the compass, map, and destination all in one.” (Aletheia Luna)

As I glanced at the latest “Gate One Travel” brochure advertising a tour called “Spiritual Southern India”, it immediately seemed obvious that a second visit to India seemed very compelling. Understand that Ruth and I had enjoyed a fast paced tour of Northern India a few years ago. Yet we both felt a strong need to obtain a greater connection to this country’s spiritual aura that existed seemingly everywhere on this prior visit. Although we knew very little about the southern part of India, the prospect of booking a small group, “Gate One” Company tour at a reasonable price (including airfare) attracted our India revisit interest as well. With our established yoga practice in full gear now, how exciting it would be to also experience for ourselves, the soulfully uplifting practice of yogic maneuvers, South Indian style.

So what exactly have I been doing to prepare for the unknown travel challenges of South India? Given my love of reading, our latest vacation certainly provides me with an ideal opportunity for “brushing up on my India knowledge through a variety of reading materials. For research reference, I am thus consulting the “Lonely Planet” Guide of South India to obtain a strictly factual perspective of this region. For firsthand opinion observations from actual South India travelers, I have turned to Sheldon Smith’s “ A River Of Life: Travels Through Modern India”and Murzban F. Schroff’s “Breathless in Bombay.” Anticipating sporadic Internet availability for the bulk of our trip, I’ve also downloaded the offline version of Southern India’s maps/tourist information on my I phone travel apps “Triposo” and “Maps.me.” The following map might provide my readers with a suitable overview of the cities/towns in the South India region.

The matter of maintaining physical wellness in South India has also preoccupied my attention during the months preceding our upcoming trip. By “upping” my yin-yoga practice to 4-5 days per week , I now feel primed for a more energizing meditative revival there. Adding probiotics to my daily vitamin regimen in the past month for stomach precautions has in addition better prepared me for the spicy Indian cuisine that I will likely encounter. Carrying a load of energy bars as well will come in handy on those rare dining occasions of extreme food intolerance. Desiring to sample a pre-taste of Indian foods prior to our departure, I have also indulged on a few occasions at Indian lunch buffets nearest my South Florida home in the last few weeks. To avoid any exposure to the feared Corona Virus and other respiratory spread ailments, I’ve resolved to pack a face mask and carry an ample supply of hand sanitizers as well.

With our suitcases/knapsacks compactly packed, our tourist visas in order, and our ground transportation to/from the airport successfully arranged, we are now ready to embark on our sixteen day tour of South India. Along the way, we look forward to experiencing authentic cultural encounters and sacred Hindu ways at stunning historic temples. We also look forward to meditating in the spirit of global unity and soul- filled “Shiva” with a living Indian yogi as well. Furthermore, how exciting it might be to slow down our busy minds as we float along tranquil rivers/ lagoons by houseboat or hike in protected wildlife sanctuaries in search of rare birdlife/animal species. The remarkable life of Mahatma Gandhi should also come vividly alive for us as we search for deeper meanings in the prevailing “caste system” that pervades the everyday life of this region’s bustling cities. In spite of our challenging daytime schedule, at night, we might even find time to nourish ourselves in a soothing massage or a refreshing swim at our accommodating hotels as needed.

So perhaps I can whet your spiritual interest in our latest adventure. What “inner” thoughts do you thus feel from each of the twelve photographs below taken during our previous tour of India in the spring of 2017? Namaste.

Additional References:

https://breathedreamgo.com – “ Thirty Reasons To Love Indian Travel

February 11, 2020 13

Maximizing The Writing Moment

“Find out the reason that commands you to write; see whether it has spread its roots into the very depth of your heart; confess to yourself you would have to die if you were forbidden to write.” (Rainer Maria Rilke)

What makes writing so important these days? Consider our regular habit of jotting down our routine obligations on a monthly calendar of what we need and want to do. Or in times of future worry, some of us complete a personal diary or journal as a a daily meditative mantra to offer us emotional support from the frustrations of difficult life challenges As our attention span from each moment to moment seriously shortens in today’s fast paced, urban world, we also rely on our device of digital communication to calm the incessant mental chatter these days.

In this era of fake truth writings, so many of us find greater need to pay closer attention to commercial advertisements and published articles as well. For by examining the written word more carefully, we learn to trust ourselves to avoid making hasty, negative prejudgments or illogical/biased conclusions in our own formal and informal writing endeavors.

We must realize, however, that self serving egoism can never suffice as our sole invitation to write. For while we desire to be heard in a timely text, tweet, or email, we often do not take the time to understand what others have to say. So why make it difficult? Learn the art of two-way written communication. Consider the following blogs reposted below. How might you make practical use of the content of each posting to maximize writing moments in your life?

NOTE: CLICK ON THE URL LINKS FOR EACH OF THE FOLLOWING TITLES

Caressing Catharsis

How can we beat manage our feelings in confrontational situations?

https://onstageformyselfnow.blog/2019/12/26/caressing-catharsis/

Perplexing Paradox Connections

How can on deal effectively with “You’re Wrong I’m Right” thinking?

https://onstageformyselfnow.blog/2019/11/20/perplexing-paradox-connections/

Love Above Hate

What are the underlying motives of love vs. hate filled rhetoric?

https://onstageformyselfnow.blog/2019/10/30/love-above-hate/

Let’s Act Without Labels

How can we avoid assigning inappropriate labels to people ?