Dear Friend, Welcome to our first newsletter. We are contacting you, because you have purchased items from us. We plan to contact you regularly with articles by Thomas/Namadeva and other information about workshops, books, CDs, DVDs and other events. We hope you enjoy it. |
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Our Personal Spiritual Evolution
 The most important initial idea I can express is that you are immortal. There was never a time you were not. There is never a time you will not be. Your immortality is that which is called by many names: the soul, the self, atman, jiva, lower purusha. These are but a few of various names that refer to your own personal inner divine flame of truth. That which you are, that which is imperishable. It is a part of you that is not actively involved in any of your worldly conditions, yet it watches and, in some hard to describe way, learns.
But even as that flame is your true self, there is another part of us that lives in this world that I call the Ego-Mind-Personality. It is not immortal. It experiences all of the pains and joys of life, and then dissolves at the time of death, to return in a new configuration in a subsequent life.
The day-to-day part of us, the Ego-Mind-Personality, comes and goes from life to life, while an essence of what we have learned and attained in any one life goes forward. But while the Ego-Mind-Personality is not itself immortal, the opportunity for it to become immortal exists as a choice. The Ego-Mind-Personality can choose to evolve to a new, high state of consciousness and become immortal if it chooses to embark upon a program of spiritual discipline that systematically leads to immortality for it.
By viewing what we know about various religions throughout human history, it would seem that the decision for the Ego-Mind-Personality to become immortal is a choice we will all make sooner or later, but as yet there is no proof of that. What is true is that the major religions are trying to convey something important to us. Great spiritual figures throughout history deem it of the highest importance.
According to both the Vedas and the Puranas, in the beginning at the supra cosmic level, there was only a transcendent unity. There was one Being of which we were a part. Then, in a truly enigmatic decision, that Being decided to diversify itself. The idea of many individual parts was conceived, and individual souls sprang from that transcendental Being. From that Being we have come. Ultimately, it is to that Being in its reality to which we will return.
The first step after the decision of that Being to become many was the establishment of each of us as individual beings. Even then, we were still in unity with that Cosmic Truth. We also had the thinnest of veils separating us from complete absorption into that Being, but the essential unity remained. We had commenced a journey for reasons known only to our soul and that Great Being.
When we have finished the first phase of that journey started long, long ago, we will reach a place of great decision that will define our next, great evolution step. No matter what our decision at that point, we will have evolved back into conscious contact with the state of Being from which we have come. Our Ego-Mind-Personality will have traveled up through the mystical energy centers in the subtle body chakras, adding to our experience and knowledge and ultimately we will achieve immortality. |
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February Mantra of the Month 
Om Paramaprema Rupaya Namaha
The form of the highest Divine Love
Chanting this mantra aligns your vibrations to the highest Divine Love in a form. |
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The Ancient Power of Sanskrit Mantra and Ceremony Recordings 
The Ancient Power of Sanskirt Mantra and Ceremony, 2nd. Ed., is now being revised to simplify pronunciation.
As promised some time ago, Namadeva is recording all of the volumes to be sold in CD sets of 10 or more CDs.
Volumes I & II will be for sale at our online store at the end of April.
Volume III will be ready in June 2008. |
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The works of Thomas Ashley-Farrand (Namadeva) give unprecedented, detailed instruction in how to empower yourself using the techniques of the ancient sages and rishis. He and Satyabhama have been given the mission by their Gurus Sadguru Sant Keshavadas and Guru Rama Mata to bring these teachings to everyone.
To that end, he has written and recorded a number of works, and he travels to North America and the UK to teach workshops. Bi-annually they lead a Pilgrimage Tour of India's Holy Places, visiting with the Shankaracharayas at Kanchi Math, Guru Mata at Vishwa Shanti Ashram, and doing fire ceremonies in the Himalayas, among the highlights of the trip.
They have founded a religious organization, Sanatana Dharma Satsang, which has opened a Gayatri Temple in Beaverton, Oregon. Plans are in the works to found temples with residential communities in Oregon, New Mexico, and other locations.
These works are offered in a spirit of service. We sincerely hope that they will further you on your path.
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Prem & Shanti,
Satyabhama (Margalo Ashley-Farrand)
Saraswati Publications, LLC |
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2008 Schedule of Workshops
We will be doing workshops in the following places in 2008:
February - Los Angeles, CA, and Albuquerque, NM
March - Kripalu, MA, and Keene, NH
April - Kansas City, KS
May - St. Louis, MO, and Atlanta, GA
June - London, England
July - Indralaya, Orcas Island and Seattle, WA
August - Far Horizons Camp, Sierra Mountains, CA
September - Charleston, SC, and Kripalu, MA
October - Arlington Hts, Highland Park, and Chicago, IL, and Calgary, Canada
November - Red Deer, Alberta, Canada and Melbourne, Australia
December - Bangalore, India
India Pilgrimage - May 2009
Please see our schedule for details and updates: http://sanskritmantra.com/schedule.shtml |
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