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Dr. Aditya with young patients

Dear ones,

I am grateful for this opportunity to share with you all, my spiritual family.

My name is Aditya. I am a medical doctor, and a recent addition to the ever-expanding Ananda family in Pune, India. I’m a monk. Since joining my brothers in the monastery, my life has been filled with many opportunities for growth and expansion. Each one has brought a challenge, but also joy.

“Building Spiritual Power of Our Times” was the topic of the 2009 Spiritual Renewal Week at Ananda Village. That is a great topic, much needed today. And for devotees, it’s also a great responsibility! This spiritual power can be built individually, and also as a group.

“Don’t disband your group, pray, pray together!” —Padre Pio, a great modern-day mystic of the Catholic Church, used to say to his disciples, sensing difficult times ahead.

Yogananda, too, said that whenever two magnets come closer, the magnetism of the stronger magnet overpowers the weaker one.

I have been on this path for a short while, but I already had a chance to see how easy it is for devotees to go astray. Even young, energetic, and seemingly devotional people sometimes are gone without a trace!

This world has seen enough spiritual “casualties.” It is time we band together.

When discussing spiritual power, it’s impossible to overlook the magnetism created by spiritual communities.

When I left my home almost a year ago, my family had no clue whatsoever what my search was all about, or what possible good can come from seeking God. I guess their biggest thought was, “Does God even exist?”  Even so, my younger sister said this to me, “Bhaiya (brother), don’t worry. I will tell Daddy that you are doing a good thing, even though it is something we don’t understand!”

Swami Kriyananda said that in one man’s search for God he could easily be thought by the world as a madman. But when a thousand “madmen” come together to work, pray, meditate, and live harmoniously, it makes people stop and take notice.

Life at Ananda is beautiful!

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The Villagers at the job site

Speaking of our Pune community, it is amazing to see the consciousness of people around change so much (for the good!), even in a few months. The nearby villagers are gradually coming to realise that we are not here only to build something for ourselves, but also to share it with them — whether providing them with solar electricity, or serving them through our medical clinic, or creating a library.

We set up a free clinic for the villagers with medicines for most of the common illnesses. In the past, the villagers would have to go to the city for medical care — over an hour away on dirt roads. With the help of some devotees, I even invested in a decent surgical kit too!

On any given day around 30 villagers come to work at the Ashram building site, earning daily wages. As they told us often, they have never met such joyful employers!

Our exchange is two-way. We buy our grain from them, hire their bullock carts, and at times, share our meals together.

“Once you live in this way (in spiritual community), you would not want to live in any other way!” said Swami Kriyananda. It Is True!

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Dr. Aditya lending a hand

Attitudes of renunciation, selfless service to others and God, come easily in gathering of renunciates. Living in community gives one endless opportunities to offer seva or service, right from day one.

I know I am strongly recommending Ananda to you all. But I can’t help it! It is simply too precious a gift to keep away from you. To use a medical term, there’s something about Ananda that is almost “infectious” — in a good way! You don’t have to be a saint to come here, but you can get a lot of help to become one!

46 Comments

  1. Dear friend, thank you so very much for your uplifting story.I’ve been on this path for some time now and can relate so very well to your story.I live in Medford,Oregon and work as a nurse.We have a small meditation group here and it is wonderful to be with other like minded souls.Good luck with the clinic.In Masters love,Jerry Champagne.

  2. Thanks, Aditya, very inspiring! Bless you all there. Much love in Master, Dambara Begley (Ananda Palo Alto)

  3. Aditya, what a wonderful testimonial. You are a gem in our Pune work and it is a Joy to serve with you here…

  4. I am totally agreeing with us all banding together , now more than ever….leave the duality for the ONENESS…..we can do it !
    Namaste
    Vash

  5. Hi Aditya,
    You have correctly stated that even young, energetic, and seemingly devotional people sometimes are gone without a trace!

    Such is the power of delusion. So we need communities scattered all over the globe. This will help to transcend the delusion.

    Your words are sure to spread the contagion. May God and Guru bless you!

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    Dear Aditya,

    Thank you so much for this beautiful article. You are doing a great service with the medical clinic and against many odds. May Divine Mother continue to bless your efforts to serve Her by serving Her sick children. I look forward to seeing you in January!
    in Master’s joy, Miriam Brown (Ananda Village, Assisi, and Pune)

  7. Aditya, the article is truly beautiful, radiates the spirit that is building the community in Pune.
    Many Blessings to you!
    Eva,a devotee in Memphis

  8. Dear Aditya: Thank you. One is not only proud of you and Jemal, Jaidhara and Steve…. with thoughts expressed so sincerely and simply, one is inspired by you! May the Gurus see us all grow, together.

  9. Hey Aditya, Such a awesome blog. It really explain everything about your love to god and devotion. You are our role model. May God and Guru bless you.

    Jai Gurudeva.
    Sushil Shrivastava

  10. Dear Aditya,I am medical practitioner GP in Mauritius.You doing service to mankind is service to God.I wish one day come help you.May God and Guru bless you .dr,pradip

  11. Dear Aditya,
    When reading your blog, I was reminded how when I first discovered Ananda …. I knew I was home. Just looking into the eyes of those who live within the communities filled my heart with joy.
    Thank you for your work at the clinic. What a blessing to serve those in need. As a OB nurse, I have found being truly “present” with women and their families while I provide care is my most valuable tool. Working within a hospital system, we have all the latest technology, but can easily forget to first look into our patients eyes with compassion and see the Divine looking back.
    Hospitals can also be very wasteful. Are there any supplies that might be frequently discarded that would be helpful to you? I can attempt to obtain permission to collect unused clean supplies and send them on. An example would be a disposable instrument kit with one instrument used in the kit and the rest discarded because even though they are unused, they are no longer sterile. Let me know.
    May God and Guru bless you and all those you serve.

    Judy Dekun – Ananda Michigan

  12. YES! In Oneness We Evolve !With conviction and confidence , in Service to the Humanity , Jai Guru !
    With Joy !

  13. Hi Aditya,

    Your message is very inspiring and would like to express my encouragement and admiration for the work you do in the Pune community both spiritually and with the villagers. So many people suffer without access to basic medical care across India and your service would make so much of a difference to the lives of these villagers around our community. I would like support your work by way of a donation that would reach you shortly.

    Thank You Aditya

    Latha
    Ananda Gurgaon

  14. Dear Aditya,

    Thank you for your beautiful testimonial of the joy you find in living for God. I am very inspired by you and all our family there in Pune. You are definitely on the front lines and are doing a wonderful job. I know God and Guru are very pleased with you. God bless you.

    Anjali—formerly in Gurgaon; now in Assisi

  15. Dear Aditya
    thank you for the truly inspiring words. Some day we will be with you, together in our search for higher truth.

    aum
    pankaj

  16. Dear Dr Aditya,

    Your words were healing to my heart to see the pictures and to read your story at Ananda Pune. Starting this community is no small endeavor, but Swamiji has heard Master’s guidance to move there and to help transform lives. It gives me courage to see this. When we are intune and trust miracles happen. Your testimony and those of the villagers says it all!

    Master’s and Swamiji’s grace flows coupled together will transform the world like a pebble being dropped in a pond and the wavelets rippling-out, touching the lives of everyone on the planet.

    Blessings and Light,
    Ram from Ananda Kingston, Rhode Island -USA

  17. Thank you Aditya for this beautiful article and for your enthusiasm, encouragement and joy. These are evident in your letter and obviously in your seva to God and Guru. They too are “contagious” and will reach many souls who read this article and see your photos.

    God bless you,
    Dhyana, Ananda Gurgaon

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    Dear Ones,
    Your response gives me much Joy and Energy.Thank you so much for your love,support and blessings,we all need it so much ! I will surely share it with all.
    Dear brother Pradip it would be our utmost pleasure to have you here with us,working together for God.Do let me know what we can do from our side to have you here.My email is aditya@anandaindia.org.God Bless You.
    And Judy,I like your proposal very much.I could surely find ways to sterilise the instruments sent here for I recently invested in a tiny autoclave! Instruments can otherwise be so expensive! Can you suggest me ways to get the stuff here? My email is aditya@anandaindia.org.
    Blessings and many thanks to you.. Aum Guru..

  19. How wonderful to see both your inspiring blog and you doing what you’re doing!

    I remember when we first met in Gurgaon last year, you told me your plans to become a monk plus your background in medicine that you assumed you’d be giving up. It was my deep hope that there’d be a way for you to do both. I am so grateful for that answered prayer!

  20. dear aditya,
    your comment on so many people who are victims of delusion, fall off without a trace was so true. and what is frightening is that if we let go of our practice or if we dont make a conscious effort to stay in touch with ananda this could happen to any of us who may be going well in our practice right now.
    your article and work are truly inspiring.
    lets remind ourselves to be untiring and relentless in our efforts to find god. joy to you. gurus and god be with you always. manju

  21. Dear Aditya,

    Thank you for so clearly and joyfully expressing the power of living for God and doing it with others. May that particular infection spread like wildfire in India and everywhere.

    And may the blessings of the Kriya Gurus be with you and your service,
    Dave Warner

  22. Dear Aditya,

    I read your blog and wanted to express my happiness which is beyond anything at this very moment…. I know how excited I am to live in Pune Community here I wrote a little note by mail this afternoon to my hubby thought would be really nice to share with you after reading such beautiful inspiring comments from you…..
    ————————————————–
    My dear Hubby,

    I really want to share with you that living at such a “Heaven Alike” place was my dream…… I always imagined so much greenery, flowers , trees and beautiful place to live with blessed people…… now when this is happening for us I just can’t wait to go there and live…… this all is happening with his grace….. My Meditation is also getting deeper and deeper as I meditate I try to tune in more deeper with GOD…. I am listening to him…… he wants me to meditate more and with much devotion & dedication!

    Now when I am in your company meditation is not “Mount Everest”….. rather with all your support and love we will climb it together and reach the peak to finally see him and meet the Divine eternally…..

    I love you and want to tell you that this is so so much you have done for me in this lifetime…

    —————————————————–

    This I just sent him this afternoon and if you remember you were the first man we met when we came to Ananda Pune very first time!

    Thank you being so kind to us…

    We love you!
    Sonya & Baljinder

  23. Hi Aditya

    I have just returned from Pune weekend retreat, and met you there briefly.
    My stay of 3 days in the community land would become a cherished experience of my lifetime.
    It is really amazing to see and feel that how harmoniously, lovingly, and joyfully everyone lives there.
    Your work is really very good, and I wish you all the best for your work and spiritual practices.

    Regards,
    Shilpa

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