Tags
Ashram, Grace, India, Japa, Om Namah Shivaya, Rukmini Abbruzzi, Swami, Vibhuti
When I came back from India, I knew I wanted to do seva. I quickly filled out the application form and sent it in. I was offered the opportunity to lead the team organizing a Japathon! How very exciting! Grace flowed at the very mention of it. The Grace continued flowing throughout. What a gift. Were there bumps in the road? Yes, there were. Were there uncertainties? Absolutely! Were there questions? Tons! Were there answers? Always. Throughout it all the Grace flowed and love swelled within me for all. Tears come to my eyes just writing this.
Swamiji’s hands
I want to thank Swami Nirmalananda Saraswati for the idea, for guidance, for making this the Year of Japa, for all the beautiful recordings about japa, for her superb editing skills, for being. I thank Devapriyaa Hills for her wise words and fielding all those questions! Rukmini Abbruzzi for her steady responses and guidance. Janice O’Brien for her work on the web site Japathon! page and Glen Christensen for helping me figure out how to play a recording clearly.
Thanks to Sharada Macdonald and Kanchan Mohn, who were called to other services; although your time on our team was brief, you made an impact. I thank the Meditation Group Leaders who so quickly responded to our requests and those who led the Japathon! — Rukmini Abbruzzi, Vibhuti King, Rudrani Nogue and Niranjan Matanich. I especially want to thank the Japathon! team — Deborah Woodward, Gayatri Hess, and Vicharinee Chafin. I could feel the Grace coming through every call and email. Your words brought me to tears on more than one occasion and inspire me to do more japa — thank you.
To those who participated in the Ashram’s fourth birthday — thank you! The Japathon!, our gift from the Ashram, to the Ashram and to each other, will continue to resonate with Grace, love and joy through us all. Om Namah Shivaya
A Note from Swamiji
I echo Ellen’s thanks along with so many others who had a great experience on the call. Your shares on FaceBook keep trickling in – each one touches my heart deeply. This is truly the type of birthday celebration I like! Instead of candles and cheers (as fun as they are), the event is another opportunity to experience your hidden Divinity, your own Self – and an opportunity to express it into the world.
Congratulations to the whole Japathon! team, who really picked up the ball and ran with it. Behind the scenes, we were served by Ellen Mitchell (coordinator), Deborah Woodward, Gayatri (Barbara) Hess and Vicharinee (Su) Chafin. Our phone japa was led by Niranjan Matanich, Vibhuti Courtney, Rudrani Nogue and Rukmini Abbruzzi. And of course Baba – without whom none of this would exist. I owe it all to my Guru!
OM svaroopa svasvabhava.h namo nama.h
Svaroopa® Yoga 