Imagine and/or remember playing jacks with stones, cricket with a stick, marking your hopscotch & game grids with a rock, drag racing pieces of slate.  India’s future is BRIGHT; our human family will benefit!!!

May you bask in the joy of unbridled creativity today!

For the last 2 1/2 months, I’ve had the privilege of living the dream of a lifetime with Cara.  Here she’s shown receiving a warm Maher send-off.

Feel the joy and take whatever leap of faith your heart is calling you to take now!

The first Himalayan contribution I experienced was this amazing health pancake at The Madras Cafe.  Then, following a yoga session, the teacher recommended From Living with the Himalayan Masters by Swami Rama, founder of The Himalayan Institute.  As Swami Rama was preparing to go to the West (Japan and the U.S.), he asked his master to prepare him.

Here is the guidance he was given, “Though these cultures live in the same world with the same purpose of life, they are each extreme.  Both East and West are still doing experiments on the right ways of living.  The message of the Himalayan masters is timeless and has nothing to do with the primitive concepts of East or West.  Extremes will not help humanity to attain the higher step of civilization for which we are all striving.  Inner strength, cheerfulness, and selfless service are the basic principles of life.  It is immaterial whether one lives in the East or West.  A human being should be a human first.  A real human being is a member of the cosmos.  Geographical boundaries have no powers to divide humanity.” p. 444-445

May you bring the gentle openness of relaxation to all you meet~

Namaste

One of Cara’s favorite new pasttimes is making chappatis for dinner with the lovely ladies at Vatsalyadham.  Here her teachers are helping her learn this fine art.  It takes between 60 and 90 mins. each night to make enough chappatis for dinner.  Laughter and conversation are a part of the process.

Most meals at Maher are veg in keeping with Gandhi’s principles of ahimsa, or non-harming.  Eggs are served occasionally.  And, because some of the women and children are non-veg, friends of Maher occasionally host a ”chicken day” to accommodate all preferences.  Many of our vegetables and fruits come from Vatsalydham’s large garden, which is maintained by the ladies who live there. 

Cara is looking forward to bringing her new found skills back to the US to share with family and friends. 

May you fully appreciate the blessing, beauty and bounty of  the food you eat today!

Namaste. . .

Here the children have run to wave goodbye to Sister Lucy after one of her recent visits.  They delight in her arrival, experience joy in her presence and spontaneously send her off with blessings.  

Wishing you many people in your life who would make such an effort to send you off with waves, good wishes and love and look so forward to your return!

It seems as though the world is coming to Maher!  The countries represented include Austria, Germany, US, UK, New Zealand, Dubai, Netherlands, and many parts of India.  People are always surprised when they learn about the length of our visit and many want to know how we learned about Maher.  What is fascinating is that few of the people in India are aware of the book on Maher entitled, Women Healing Women.  It makes sense since the Indian version was just released earlier this year.

Today’s photo was taken at the initiation of Maher’s 24th home, Rising Star, which was named by the children.  It is home to young men 18 years and older.  Much of the funding came from an organization in the Netherlands.   More than 800 people attended the five-hour initiation party, which included dinner for all.   The house opened last night.  The residents wanted to wait to occupy it until Sister Lucy could join them for evening prayer.  Such is the love, respect and admiration the children have for this amazing woman!

This photo of Cara and several of the lovely ladies at Vatsalyadham was taken on the 4th of July.  All the women and children who were able attended the inauguration of Maher’s 24th home.  Named Rising Star, it will be home for young men over the age of 18 who are a part of the Maher family.   “It is Maher’s fond hope that one day these children will carry Maher’s message of peace and love to all corners of the world.”

Help the Maher children by bringing peace to as many corners of the world as possible today!

Namaste~