2009—
year of
anniversaries
This year, we mark not only 30 years of Hinduism Today, we celebrate 60 years of Himalayan Academy!
In 1949, Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami was initiated in Sri Lanka by his Satguru, the great Yogaswami, and given his mission for life, to "build bridges (from East to West), palaces (for the Gods, i.e., temples) and feed thousands (with spiritual sustenance)." Right there and then, it all began.
Oh, yes, we are also marking 10 years of TAKA (Today At Kauai Aadheenam), webpages where, for over a decade, we have shared our monastery's daily goings on, our work, innovations, publications, all manner of multimedia, visitor information and virtually anything you could possibly want to know. Take a look, click "daily news."
You'll want to keep
this issue
handy!
The
April-May-June '09 issue
brings two major articles of vital information and practical pointers that you'll want to refer back to for a long time.
How to present
Hinduism's key points
How do you present Hinduism to your children, or in a talk to the Rotary? How to cover the major points and do them justice? Quite a challenge.
In an unprecedented 8-page editorial, publisher Bodhinatha offers Introduction to Hinduism—a distillation of key points, teachings and practices with clarity and relevance. Hinduism's 9 key beliefs, pictured at right, is a sample. Here is information you can use!
To make this precious material more available, Bodhinatha made a 45-minute video of it. See it on YouTube or on our own Video Library webpage
Another great gift for you—from Hinduism, with love !
How can you improve your life?—a question on top of everybody's priority list, for sure! Luckily, Hinduism is there to offer the great key of affirmations. Simple, anyone can do it, and
it works!
Just talk to yourself in simple and positive words! This issue's 16-page "insight" article will show you how. It is beautifully illustrated with Sri S Rajam's marvelous watercolors (sample above).
• The Hindu American Foundation: young, savvy and giving Hinduism a strong voice. Jai!
• Yep, the New Age has come to India, but with a twist: they are putting the religion back in. Beautiful confluence!
• Animal fat into biofuel for your car? And you won't know it? Hold on,
who gave permission?
• Rameshwaram's
22 magical wells. Experiences, testimonials—you'll feel you're there.
• The psychic ox, another instance of India's endlessly recurring magic. And much more...
After April 7, download the digital edition
of this issue--complete with multimedia
and other digital goodies. No charge.
Subscriptions to the print edition available
here.
Single, bulk or back copies available
here.
now a booklet
The indispensable Parenting with Love article from our last issue is now available as a separate booklet.
Parents and parents-to-be: don't miss these urgent 16 pages of simple, proven ways to raise children with kind and gentle discipline. Single or bulk copies here.
Truth is one
tongues are many
Got family or friends that read in Marathi, Telegu, Tamil, French, Portuguese, Russian, Polish, Italian and more? They needn't feel left out!
We are offering more translations which you or they can read or download from here. This page is just beginning to develop, but already you'll find marvelous material, such as Gurudeva's entire trilogy in exquisite Spanish, and his seminal talk, The Self God, in Italian, Portuguese and Polish! Additionally, the crucial Parenting with Love has just been rendered into French by ace translator J.S.Sahai of Guadeloupe. It is currently available in Mauritius and will be from our website soon.
Like to help? You can help us satisfy a demand huge like the Himalayas by e-mailing us about qualified translators willing to give of their talents.
Video news
YouTube
We now have a total of 28 videos on our YouTube
Hinduism Today magazine channel, 85 on our
Kauai's Hindu Monastery channel, and a dozen on our
Hindu Heritage Endowment channel.
Among them is our most ambitious and substantial offering so far,
Bodhinatha's 45-minute
Introduction to Hinduism
video,
a read-out of the editorial described above.
Video Library
The same video is also visible on our own
Video Library webpage. But here it is whole, and not broken up as on YouTube, and you can download it onto your iPod or laptop and take it wherever you go—an incomparable resource to share with friends, students, or show at formal or informal gatherings. On this Video Library page, you will find our more significant videos—without the 11-minute limit of YouTube.
Bodhinatha speaks
to Australian youth
On February 15 2009, Bodhinatha attended Youth Day at the Sydney Murugan Temple. He spoke on "Insights into temple worship" and gave everyone a copy of the Home Puja booklet, showing how to do a simple home Ganesha puja.
He explained that celebrating puja at home creates deeper understanding and appreciation for temple worship.
Bodhinatha's coming
travels & satsang
Singapore, April 15. Bodhinatha will offer a seminar on Hindu Tools for Success, elucidating five spiritual tools available to everyone for shaping our lives positively. Hindu Centre, 7 to 9 pm.
USA and Canada, June 17-21,
Seattle, Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton
USA, approximately August 9,
Washington DC, Maryland
USA, August 29-30,
Houston TX
USA, October 31-Nov 1,
San Francisco CA
Get latest details of Bodhinatha's travel plans
here.
More about Bodhinatha
here.
Formal invitations for him to visit your area are
received here.
Another
good reason
to visit our monastery,
home of Himalayan Academy
This building was conceived and designed just for you, our future visitor, to make your visit even more memorable. It will be your new library, bookstore, mini.mela gift shop, reading room and a comfortable place to sit, read, think or just relax.
"Spacious" is a key word—lots and lots of room to display books, Hindu art, posters, batiks, murties of all sizes, puja supplies, home-grown-home-made rudraksha malas (from our own rudraksha forest), and wondrous displays of all kinds, a sample home altar, for example. All gathered, and sometimes custom-ordered, by our monks.
"Green" is another key word. The building will be a model of frugality and energy efficiency, equipped with windmills, solar panels and more.
It has been years in the planning and should be ready by July. We'll keep you updated, and you can also watch the progress on TAKA, click "daily news." See you soon!
Teaching Living Hinduism to Malaysian children
"It is great to teach children bhajans and stories, says Malaysian teacher Mogan Ramasamy, "but we feel responsible to also teach actual, living Hinduism, how it applies to their lives and what results they may expect, so they can note and discuss the results. This is what will stay with them and convince them of the value of their religion."
Mogan says "we" because, amazingly enough, he works with other teachers as a team—so closely coordinated that they take turns teaching the same class without losing continuity. "We are fortunate to be all of one mind, and able to work this way. And it gives a fine message to the kids."
Mogan and his team use a variety of materials from Himalayan Academy: the book, What Is Hinduism?, Hinduism Today magazine, the Saivite Hindu Religion course for children, and especially resources they download from Himalayan Academy's website.
The lessons of the
Saivite Hindu Religion course
for children are offered in various languages and graded for ages 7 to 12.
Learn more or order here.
And check out other resources at
minimela.com
Himalayan Academy
Kauai’s Hindu Monastery | 107 Kaholalele Rd
Kapaa, Hawaii 96746-9304 USA