Articles in the Thoughts Category

Young Narayanan Krishnan was on his way to landing a dream job working as a restaurant chef in Switzerland. But just a few days before he was to leave the country, he visited his hometown of Madurai one last time. While on his way to a temple, he saw something that shook him to his core, and his life would never be the same….

It was Lalita Panchami, the fifth night of Navaratri and a night drenched in the glory of Mother Lalita’s love and bliss. I had walked back to my hotel after the Panchami festivities at Amma’s Devi temple. As I was lying in bed waiting to drift off into the arms of Nidra Devi, the Goddess of Sleep, I began to feel a little strange, and I was totally unprepared for what happened next…

No, not the cold, slushy kind…a Snowball microphone is on its way! Why, you ask? Well, over the years, I’ve found myself involved in teaching seekers how to chant and pronounce mantras and prayers in Sanskrit. I’ve done this through one-on-one tutoring and also through chanting booklets that I created for Amma Sri Karunamayi’s bookstore. I consider it a great honor and blessing to do this, and have felt very gratified by people’s sincere appreciation for my help.

Obama’s choice of Rick Warren to give the invocation at his Inauguration caused a minor uproar among many liberal progressives, but after some thought I find myself truly inspired by Obama’s choice. There is a beautiful saying in the Vedas, the ancient spiritual scriptures of India — “Vasudhaiva kutumbakam.” In this short and sweet sentence, the enlightened Vedic rishis, or seers, have given us a profound truth as well as a lofty standard for our conduct.

Over the past few years, I have felt called to create a life of balance, one that allows me to seek enlightenment while also doing something for the planet. A life in which I seek to serve others without losing my health and my sanity. In which I meditate and purify my subtle body but also take care of my physical body and mental balance. In which I listen to both my heart and my head, and in which I balance faith and tradition with my God-given reason and intelligence.

I just finished watching the inauguration of President Barack Hussein Obama, and I can’t even describe how moved, touched, awed, and inspired I’m feeling. I’ve been shedding tears all day, getting choked up every time I see the images of all those beautiful, smiling American faces of every color and creed, all calling out in unison to their new president. This is such a special, rare and unique moment in history, and I wonder if we have truly grasped its import. Of course, there are many levels of significance to Obama’s ascendance. He represents the victory of unity over division, of optimism over cynicism, of common human decency over political backbiting, of sincerity over smarminess and snarkiness.