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New Baby | Congratulations
to Japa Kaur and Harpal Singh on their new baby boy Akal Dyan Singh |
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Workshops | |
Guru Ram Das
The Throne of Raj Yog
Led by Amandeep Singh
Feb. 17-20, 2012
For more information
SuperHealth Specialty Professional Training
March 16-24, 2012
Espanola, NM
By launching this specialty training, SuperHealth broadens its impact and puts more qualified people on the front in the fight against addictions of all kinds. Read complete details here > |
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New Indian Restaurant
Raaga Fine Indian
Dining
www.raagacuisine.com
We have enjoyed their super delicious, extremely fresh, high quality food each of the handful of times we have visited. They offer many vegetarian and vegan dishes and are willing to accommodate any special dietary request.
(Recommended by
Harsimrit Kaur Khalsa) |
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Local Healers | |
Sangat Healing Arts Directory
We are beginning the process of creating a Sangat Healing Arts Directory to be accessed on our Ashram website. All of our New Mexico Sangat is encouraged to participate. We are a mother lode of wealth in the art and science of wellbeing and healing.
We encourage everyone to include themselves in this directory as we all represent Guru Ram Das and Siri Singh Sahaib Ji in our presence, discipline and study. Individuals and groups are looking to us for guidance and leadership locally, nationally and globally.
Please review the attached categories list. Add to them as needed. If it is your area of expertise, feel free to supply a concise description. Include your name, contact information, short bio and photo. Please email your responses to Hari Har Kaur at:
hhk1011@hotmail.com
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Sat Siri Kaur completed a five-year course in the Himalayas in November 2011.
She was named a Certified Jaimini Scholar, proficient in a foundation classic of Jyotish (the astrology of the Vedas). Here she is with the group of graduating scholars; teacher Sanjay Rath is second from left in the back row. |
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A large tray of blueberry scones made by the baking class with Amrit Kaur awaits the oven. |
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Espanola Ashram Website
Make it your home page! |
This newsletter has been compiled by Guru Meher Kaur, Jr. for your reading pleasure. To submit articles, pictures or feedback please email: |
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A Publication of: | |
Hacienda de Guru Ram Das Ashram
1A Ram Das Guru Place
Espanola, NM 87532
505-753-6341
Ashram Secretary
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You in Community December 2011 |
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December Events
December 6 - Akal Takhat Wish and Dish Gurdwara
December 18-24 - Winter Solstice Sadhana
December 21 - First day of Chanukah
December 22 - Winter Solstice Day
December 25 - Christmas
December 31 - New Year's Eve |
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he Age of Aquarius - 11-11-11
For many the experience of 11-11-11 was a very uplifting and exciting day. Here in Espanola we hosted an event that won't be forgotten. To begin the day we prayed, we did yoga, we sang, we danced, we ate...and then did it all over again that evening. It was a wonderful beginning of the Age of Aquarius.
 | | Krishna Kaur leading a yoga class at HGRD |
 | | Prayers at Ram Das Puri |
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Read to Spot Program Comes to Espanola Library
(Reprinted from the Rio Grande Sun Arts)
The Espanola Public Library will host a "meet and greet" for the new Read to Spot program on December 6, 13 and 20 from 4:30-6:30 pm. The Read to Spot program is designed to help young readers gain confidence and enhance reading skills. The youg reader will read aloud to a dog and its handler to fifteen to twenty minutes once a week.
 The Read to Spot program will begin with readers 6-12 years old. The Read to Spot Program is based on R.E.A.D. (Reading Education Assistance Dogs), a program of Intermountain Therapy Animals. All dogs are specially trained to be therapy dogs by the "Good Citizenship" program and are then registered with Pet Outreach program in Santa Fe, sponsored by the SF Humane Society.
Parents and/or teachers interested in having their child/student participate in the Read to Spot program are invited to meet the dog and handler teams - Jivan Joti Kaur and her dog, Pranee, and also Nirinjan Kaur and her two dogs, Raja and Rani. The dog handlers and library staff can answer questions about the Read to Spot program. Read to Spot will officially begin in January is free to all participants. Space is limited, parents who attend the meet and great will be the first to enroll children.
For more information please call Christine at the library at 505-747-6087 or visit their website at www.youseemore.com/espanola |
 Welcome!
New Ashram Members
Sada Anand Singh and
Siri Amrita Kaur
Sada Anand Singh and his daughter, Siri Amrita Kaur have come here from their home in Japan. Sada Anand has lived in Japan since 1989 and runs an active yoga retreat center in Nara, just 40 minutes outside of Osaka where Siri Amrita was born. He has lived in Japan through the 1995 earthquake and just recently during the Tsunami. Sada Anand will continue to travel back and forth to Japan to keep up with his active yoga community. Siri Amrita Kaur's desire to come here was to experience life in America and specifically in the Espanola ashram. She attends the Waldorf school in Santa Fe. She enjoys singing and is part of a chorus and is on the basketball team. She is excelling in school despite it being her first time in an all English-speaking school. She has met so many wonderful people here and loves being part of our sangat.
We are so happy to have them here and especially enjoy their sweet music in Gurdwara. Please introduce yourselves and make them feel welcome as new members in our sangat! |
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 Espanola Community Market
By Guru Meher Kaur
You're probably wondering who these people are in the photo? They are the friendly staff who are working hard to keep the Espanola Community Market alive. On Saturday, December 9th, they had their first holiday open house at the old Chamber of Commerce building, with music by our very own Khalsa band (including Pritpal Singh, Matamandir Singh, Richard, and Gurudarshan Singh) Everyone feasted on the homemade sweets brought in by coop members and there was plenty of holiday spirit.
To raise money for the opening of their retail store, the Espanola Community Market has launched their bulk online market. So what do you do if you don't want to order a case? I would like to try to organize a joint order so we can buy these items in bulk and divide it up amongst ourselves until they can open their retail store front. If you are interested in participating in this ordering, please contact me and I will organize a bulk order sometime at the beginning of January when the new ordering begins. khalsa44@hotmail.com Don't see the items you want to order? Contact the Espanola Community Market staff at espanolacm@gmail.com and they will be more than happy to assist you. Not a member yet? Go online to their new beautiful website at www.espanolacommunitymarket.com and become a member today. Let's Keep It Local! |
| In India, Spreading A Green Gospel Among Pilgrims
by Corey Flintoff, NPR
 The Golden Temple at Amritsar, India, doesn't look like an environmental pressure point. The gold-sheathed building gleams serenely as a jewel box in the midst of a broad reflecting pond. Music serenades pilgrims as they cross a causeway to reach the shrine.
Devout Sikhs from all over India and the world come to Amritsar by the tens of thousands every day - and therein lies the rub: The pilgrims eat, pray and love their shrine almost to death. Pilgrims add to a sizable carbon footprint in the northern Indian city, where a dense population and heavy industry already are degrading air and water quality.
Amritsar is by no means unusual. Travel groups, such as the World Tourism Organization, say more than 300 million people travel for religious purposes each year. Read or listen to entire article > |
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Computer Corner
By Guruka Singh
Smart surge protectors can cut your power bill
Just about everything attached to your computer needs electricity. Unfortunately, they use power all the time - even when they don't need it.
But there is a solution - a better type of surge protector that can put cash back into your pocket and help the planet, too.
Your monitor, speakers, printer, and scanner all serve incredibly useful functions. So the electricity they use isn't going to waste - except, ironically, when they're off. I emphasize that word for a reason: most of these devices don't actually turn off. When not in use, they go into a power-saving standby mode. But that just means they're using less electricity than when they're actually doing something. Some devices burn as much as five or even ten watts per hour in standby mode. Over the course of months and years, that's a lot of wasted power.
Know your 24/7, power-consuming culprits
How do you know whether a device is a power vampire (or phantom), sucking electricity when it's "off"? You could buy a power meter that goes between the device and the power outlet and shows you the wattage. But in my experience, these meters are either very expensive or not particularly accurate - especially with the low wattages consumed by peripherals in standby mode. I've seen these meters tell me that a device was not using any electricity when I knew for a fact that it was.
Read entire article > |
 Food for Health
Maple Almond Granola
4 c. old fashioned rolled oats (not quick) 1/2 tsp. salt 2/3 c. pure maple syrup 1/4 c. vegetable oil 2 c. sliced almonds 1/2 c. sunflower seeds 1/3 c. unsweetened shredded coconut 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Place oats on a large baking pan with sides. Bake 15 minutes, stirring twice. Transfer to a large bowl. In a separate bowl combine salt, maple syrup and vegetable oil. Add to baked oats, along with almonds, sunflower seeds and coconut. Toss to coat evenly. Evenly spread onto the prepared lined baking sheets. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Serve with chilled milk or top with yogurt and fruit. Store in sealed container. Makes 9 cups.
(Feel free to alter this recipe to include any of your favorite ingredients such as raisins, dried cranberries, cashews, pumpkin seeds, etc. If you add dried fruit, add during the last 10 minutes of baking to preserve their moisture.) |
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Yogi Bhajan, Spanish Road to Lessen the Load
By Hari Jiwan Singh
In earlier years, the end of July/August was always fun. The Master would travel to Europe for the European Yoga Festival and to Spain for a holiday/Meditation Course. A rather large contingent would accompany him so there were always familiar faces to have fun with. The beach, the food, the European friends, the culture, the history, and the course were a highlight of the year's events. Life was good serving the Master.
On one occasion, a score or so years ago, we were driving from the Costa Brava back down towards Barcelona to a beautiful monastery about halfway in between where he was to teach a Meditation Course. One of the European teachers was driving the hour or so journey. The Siri Singh Sahib was in the passenger seat and I was in the rear seat. The security car and several others were following. It was a magnificent drive down the coast with lots of new scenery to enjoy.
I had recently been reading a lot about Vedic Gods. I remember asking him, "Sir, Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, were they real people?" I was fully expecting to hear him answer that they were mythological figures and representations of higher beings, not real live humans. He looked at me like I was crazy to ask such a stupid question, and said, "Of course they were real." He said it with such conviction, such authority, that I had no reason to doubt or ask anything more about it, which, thankfully, I didn't. I decided to go to the next question.
Read entire article > |
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To our beloved Sadh Sangat,
 Wahe Guru ji ka Khalsa, Wahe Guru ji ki Fateh! We are deeply grateful for all the blessings and support, your love, your prayers, your spirit of Chardi Kala that blessed our joyous wedding day and that continue to bless our marriage.
More than 40 days have come and gone, and during this time since we all gathered on September 25th we have both become the couple that we had hoped to become, and a new kind of happiness of love and partnership has come into our lives that we had never known before. And now as we have all crossed the unique threshold of November 11, to enter a new time and definitive era of experience that our beloved teacher Siri Singh Sahib ji had foretold to us for all these 42 years, we wanted to formally acknowledge and give thanks for all these profound blessings that have come to us as a "new" couple in sacred partnership. Read entire letter >
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Classified Ads
Thanks to the volunteer efforts of Darshan Kaur, we now are able to keep the classified ads current and up-to-date. Please send your ads to hgrdads@gmail.com. A link is now featured on the home page of the ashram website under Sangat Notices that will be updated on a weekly basis so you can get the latest ads. |
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Sangat Birthday's for December
Now featured on the ashram website at: http://espanolaashram.com/ |
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Monthly Missal Duties
(Listed by Missal numbers )
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Date |
Set Up |
Langar |
Clean Up |
Akand Path | |
11/28-12/4 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 | |
12/5-12/11 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
1 | |
12/12-12/18 |
3 |
4 |
1 |
2 | |
12/19-12/25 |
4 |
1 |
2 |
3 | |
12/26-12/31 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
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If God has guided you here and has given you the virtue to do service here, and has given you that chance, then don't waste it. It's a place to gain and to be what is yours to be. Therefore, I say to you that take the very earth of this place and put it on your forehead. It will rewrite your destiny."
~Yogi Bhajan
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