Dear Friend,
Jyotish and I are back at Ananda Village from Los Angeles for the Christmas holidays and are drinking in the peace and quiet of the country. We’ve had a wonderful time being in LA for these past four months — reaching and teaching new friends, sharing Master’s love through Swamiji’s Sunday satsangs, and watching the remarkable process of a new community emerging. Now we have a few weeks to absorb the inner blessings of Christmas before returning to Los Angeles to celebrate Master’s birthday on January 5th.
Live creche scene at Ananda Village
I love the Christmas season. There’s a mysterious spiritual quality present that I’m sure we’re all aware of, but that’s hard to define. It starts with humility — in my mind’s eye I see the travel-weary Holy Family making their way to Bethlehem for the census according to Roman decree. Without any sense of importance, Joseph and Mary know that she is about to give birth to a great world savior. Finding no room in the inn, they make their way to a little hut filled with fresh straw and the sweet warmth of farm animals. When her son is born, Mary lays him in the manger, in a feeding trough. The divine Christ lies there in the humblest of circumstances, but the little hut is filled with the presence of angels.
Then there is patience born of love. Holding that tiny baby in her arms, Mary must have known that the life of her son would be filled with great suffering and sacrifice. Still with that perfected love for God and for man, she accepted it all willingly, patiently, knowing that through their offering people’s hearts would never be the same.
The spirit of hope is a part of it. At that dark time in history when people were oppressed by materialistic consciousness and their was faith tested, the Divine Consciousness took birth again to remind us that there is always “a light that shineth in darkness.” The hope that Christ brought — as shown by his own life — is not that all trials would be taken from our path, but that we would always find the strength to deal with them, and in the end to triumph.
And finally there is joy. I believe the angels still celebrate that sacred birth, because they know that his birth is our own birth to a higher life of God-consciousness. The simple joys of giving gifts, of enjoying the company of friends and family, and of feeling a sense of universal brotherhood are acts that sustain and renew us each Christmas.
Who can define Christmas, or would even want to? We can only inwardly prepare ourselves to receive the grace that flows down at this time, and pray that people everywhere will be uplifted to express peace and good will toward all.
Our Guru has written a beautiful Christmas prayer:
O Lord! Make my heart big enough to hold Thee, that it throb with the Christ Consciousness in everything. Then shall I enjoy the festivity of Thy birth in my mind, my soul, and in oneness with every pulsing atom.
With divine love and sincere wishes for a blessed Christmas for you and your loved ones,
Nayaswami Jyotish and Nayaswami Devi, and all your Ananda Family
48 Comments
It is a 1daful season called christmas that brings us all to 1mind, 1faith, 1beleive, 1wish, 1dream, and 1hope. What a lovely season. Realy, it is christmas in the mind that brings christmas in the air. Just Tryin 2serve life. May it be
Dear Nayaswami Jyotish and Nayaswami Devi,
It is amazing just this morning during my walk I was getting this mysterious feeling you are talking about. And as the events of the day have started enfolding the feeling has become stronger.
In Ananda, are we not always connecting ourselves with Jesus along with other Gurus . It is a blessing indeed then to get that mysterious feeling.
Thanks for explaining what that mysterious feeling is -the new awakening?
Om,
Kamini Bhasin
The heart of Christmas,
and Heart of all,
“O Christ, live in me,
E’en one so small.”
God’s love to all
AUM
maitreyi
Master is guiding me now. This Christmas is being experienced, as if for the first time. I feel like a young child seeing his very first snow!
With intense gratitude, I bow to His Ever-Present Love.
Thank you.
Wishing everyone at Ananda a Merry, Blessed Christmas and a Happy, healthy, prosperous New year.
I appreciate all that you do to keep the wisdom of Guruji alive and accessible to all who seek his teachings. May Christ Consciousness live in your hearts this Xmas season and always.
Namaste
Merry Christmas!, Jyotish and Devi.
Hope you are well. I really enjoy keeping up with you through the e-mails from Ananda. Hope I can someday come and visit. I love practicing and teaching yoga. Miss mom a lot.
Love and peace to you,
Cathy
Dear Jyotish, Devi and all my spiritual family in America, India, Europe and all over the world,
Thanks for you words, Devi. That this Christmas time and the New Year 2011 may bring us all Masters grace and inspiration in all we do, think and feel.
That the work for Master may grow worldwide bij all the sincere devotees in their own places and situations.
May God’s Light shine forever on the sanctuary of my devotion, and may I be able to awaken God’s love in all hearts.
Thank you for sharing Master’s Christmas prayer and your insightful thoughts on Christmas. I am blessed to be sharing the holidays with my grown children and your thoughts help to deepen my appreciation. Blessings!
Beautiful…thank you.
Have a good season! My the growing days warm your souls!
Chip
Thank you, Jyotish & Devi, for your inspiring reminder. May the Divine Light of Christ Consciousness fill us all this holy season.
Jyotish and Devi,
Thank you from my heart, mind and soul for your beautiful Chistmas greetings!
The letters, updates and blogs are so thoughtful and helpful!
Have a blessed Christmas and a wonderful New Year!
So inspiring!! This touches upon the essence of Christianity and Christmas. Thank you for the truly lovely gift.
Thank you for your inspiring letter, Devi. Warmest wishes for a blessed Christmas to you and Jyotish.
Thank you dear blessed Nayaswami Jyotish and Nayaswami Devi for this beautiful Christmas letter and for your selfless and continuous service in Master’s vision and for the divine patience and love you exemplify.
Happy Christmas everyone!
As I will be sitting around our festive dinner table on the 25th in the happy company of my family I will be wishing that all celebrating people on earth could with the rest of their lives contribute to peace in our world, where there is no peace today!
Devi, thank you for your wonderful words. I have felt this peaceful, heart expanding sensation lately.Words don’t do it justice. Thank you for your selfless service. May you and Jyotish have a blessed holiday season. In friendship, Jerry.
Dear Jyotish and Devi,
Thank you for wrapping your loving aura around our large and growing family of sincere devotees of Master’s ray.
With love,
Liladevi
I thank God that Christmas can still be celebrated by everyone in this country. May the true spirit of Christmas touches every hearts and bring them much love, peace and happiness and may Christ trully be born anew in our heart whereby we can meet the living Savior face to face.
It was a great blessing to read this wonderful thought early morning. Thank you, for such an inspirational writing. It rekindled my understanding and my desire to connect my consciousness to the christ consciousness especially on this christmas eve. I wish the whole Ananda a very happy christmas.
Halleluja! Praise the Lord. Jesus is the reason for this season. The birth of the only Saviour. Jesus came to earth to reconcile God with man. Immanuel. God with us.
He forgave our sins. So we are free indeed.
May Jesus be in our minds through His Holy Spirit.
Merry Christmas.
A sublime message that paints a beautiful portrait and inspires the right attitude for the mystery of Christmas. Thank you Joytish, Devi, and all of Ananda for all that you do.
you guys r spreading a lot of joy
Dear Jyotish and Devi thanks for your deep presence at Ananda and in the world, your light and love sustein so many souls. Your devotion to God and our Gurus is pure and thank you for share it
In joy and love of Master merry christmas.
Anna maria Nocilla