Dasarath Markus 
Nov 1919-Feb 2013

                                   


Our beloved Guru Bhai, Dasarath Markus left this world, surrounded by loving friends and family on Feb 1, 2013 at the age of 93.  He was the patriarch of a big family, many of them Maharaji and Hanuman devotees.  In the early 70’s he traveled to India to meet Maharaji. He generously hosted so many of the western devotees at his farm in Quebec - and helped with their reentry back to America after long pilgrimages to the East. 
He is survived by his wife, Uma Markus and his children, Raghu, Laxman , Devaki,  Sam and David as well as  7 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren and all the rest of his large extended family.  He will be very much missed by all of us, his satsang family. 

Krishna Das' album, LIVE ANANDA,  has been nominated for a Grammy for Best New Age Album of 2012. This live recording was originally released digitally in January of 2012 and is now being physically released for the first time.

LIVE ANANDA is the first-time release of live recordings of classic Krishna Das favorites drawn from his early studio recordings. These tracks capture the depth and spirit of the group of chanters on a 3 - day retreat in the foothills of the Catskill Mountains. Krishna Das accompanied by tabla, khol mridanga, bass, violin, flute, and cymbals, blends the musical and spiritual tradition of the east with the voice of the west to create this rendition of call-and-response chanting that lead us into Ananda – Happiness and our true state of Being.
KD -- sings at Grammys Sun Feb 10! Please share with your friends so we can all tune in to free online streaming Sun Feb 10 1pm PT/4pm ET (US time) on http://www.grammy.com/live
GRAMMY Pre-Telecast Ceremony will take place live for the first time at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013, from 1 - 3:30 p.m. PT, and will be streamed live internationally at GRAMMY.com/live and CBS.com beginning at 1 p.m. PT. Attended by nominees and industry VIPs, the star-studded ceremony with be hosted by actor/singer/comedian David Alan Grier. The Pre-Telecast will feature performances by current nominees Krishna Das, eighth blackbird, John Fullbright, Hugh Masekela, Tyrese, Elle Varner. Presenting the first GRAMMY Awards of the day in approximately 70 categories will be current nominees Radmilla Cody, Janis Ian, Kaskade, Britt Nicole, and Manuel Valera as well as five-time GRAMMY-winning producer Jimmy Jam. The live stream of the Pre-Telecast will remain on GRAMMY.com as video on demand for 30 days following the event. Following the ceremony, the 55th Annual GRAMMY Awards will be broadcast live on the CBS Television Network from 8 - 11:30 p.m. ET/PT. 

LIVE ANANDA is available for purchase through the PUJA DUKAN at the Neem Karoli Baba AShram.  Go to our online store www.pujadukan.myshopify.com or call in your order 575-751-4080.  

"You've Gotta Be Ready For The Change" - 

Shyamdas
1953-2013

It is a considerable challenge to come to terms with the sudden loss of our dear brother in Guru's grace, Shyamdas.

He passed away over the weekend in the southern part of India known as Goa, the result of a motor cycle accident. He was rushed to the hospital accompanied by satsang that included one of his dearest friends, Mohan Baum and left his body soon after.

Shyamdas met Maharaji in the 1970's while Maharaji was still in the body.  Having Maharaji's darshan transformed Shyamdas' life and he became inspired to remain in India long after Maharaji's maha sammadhi, becoming a devout student and eventual scholar and teacher of the devotional poetry and lineage of Bhakti Yoga, in particular the aspects of Lord Krishna.

Shyamdas lived consistently India, traveling back and forth from East to West in a period time that spanned 4 decades.  His influence on the modern popularization of Kirtan in the west is extraordinary.  Considered a dear friend by fellow devotees Krishna Das and Jai Uttal amongst many musical leaders in both the Bhakti Community and mainstream musical community (multi platinum icons Sting and Mike D of the Beastie Boys, claimed Shyamdas as a close friend and confidant), Shyamdas dedicated his entire life to sharing these sacred practices and teaching people in the west how to connect further with their own soul and heart through the yoga of devotion.

When the idea for the first ever multi day Kirtan festival in the West known as Bhakti Fest was conceived, the first leader invited to participate was Shyamdas and his continued involvement in the festival has been an essential component in the festival's ongoing success.

Fortunately, Shyamdas was able to record and release many transformational sacred chant recordings including "Beloved Chants" (which Ram Dass gave a loving seal of recommendation) and "Sweet Radhe" that are available on iTunes, Amazon and at the Taos Ashram puja store.

Shyamdas loved the Taos ashram as he loved Maharaji and often quoted Maharaji teaching "Sub Ek/All One".  He had a deep love for the Hanuman Chalisa and its meaning.

And indeed he was loved dearly by satsang local and worldwide. He will be remembered for his great sense of humor, his unquenchable passion for Bhakti, for his true nature of including all who wished to share in the sacred wisdom, and for his love of God.

He lived this love up until the very last moments of his life.

In learning of Shyamdas' sudden passing, his friend Radhanath Swami says, "Our hearts have become one in our love and gratitude to Shyamdasji. Now, we are left with only our tears to celebrate his beautiful life of love and compassion."

Today, his body is set to be cremated and on January 25th a sacred ceremony will be held approximately 100kilometers from Vraj in the Ganges for his ashes to be received.

Where the sacred names of the divine are chanted, you will find the presence of Shyamdas there. Always.

In loving service,

Shiva Baum
son of Mohan and Radha
January 21st, 2013

Win a 5 day personal retreat with Ram Dass at his home in Maui, Hawaii. (airfare not included)
This is an extraordinary once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to deepen your spiritual practice under master guidance.  Stay in a peaceful guest suite with private kitchen, yoga/meditation area and pool with panoramic ocean views in the healing environment of Maui.  Delicious, healthy dinners prepared daily by a vegetarian chef.  Optional arrangements are available for yoga, meditation and/or chant instruction.  Guests will participate with Ram Dass in personalizing a retreat program on the first day.  The retreat will conclude with another one-on-one session with Ram Dass.

Tickets are $108 each.

Purchase tickets from the Puja Dukan 575-751-4080

or purchase from our online shop  http://pujadukan.myshopify.com/products/temple-raffle-a-5-day-personal-retreat-with-ram-dass  

Drawing will be held at the Bhandara in Taos on Saturday, September 29, 2012

You need not be present to win.

A new stone pathway has been completed.  The broad uninterrupted pathway leads directly from the seal at the temple’s front gate to the dhuni & doors of the temple.  The stone path adds much to the ease of temple accessibility, literally paving the way for Hanuman’s devotees including those travelling with the aid of walkers, wheelchairs and strollers.  

Special thanks to the English stonemasons and to Garryt, local devotee and ashram caretaker, for laying by hand the approximately twenty-five five hundred pound stones which comprise the walkway.  Thanks also to local devotee and board member Punya for his generosity.

 

Yesterday’s Bake sale was a modest success, selling out quickly.  We are getting closer to our goal and expect Phase 1 to be complete in a few more weeks.  Phase 1 plans involve the installation of a new climbing structure for our temple’s young monkeys.  Phase 2 will involve the introduction of a Slide!  Guru’s swingset will remain.   Many thanks to Kailash, Romeo & Gabe for your efforts during the bakesale!

Same, Same But Different is the new book out by children’s author/illustrator Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw who is also part of our Taos Satsang and a devotee of Baba.
The story is about Elliot who lives in America and Kailash who lives in India. They are penpals and by exchanging letters and pictures, they learn they both love to climb trees, have pets, and go to school. Their worlds (and their alphabets) might look different, but they are quite similar. Same, same. But different! Throughout the book are Elliot and Kailash's artist signatures "E" and "K" which spell "EK", One. Baba even makes a cameo riding in a taxi with "Sub Ek" on the side.

Jenny Sue is donating a signed copy of her book to ONE of you!  Please leave a comment below to enter. ALSO, you can purchase Same, Same But Different through the ashram's Puja Dukan . It would make a sweet holiday gift to a young child who loves India!

Winner will be announced Tuesday December 6th! 

CONGRATULATIONS TO SUSANNAH!  YOU WON.

Thanks to all of you who put in your comments!

Here is our new baby peacock, the first one born at the ashram.   This little fella hatched on the day after Krishna's birthday in August and we don't know yet if its a female or male… but we have named it Little Govinda.

We have 7 peafowl- (2 peacocks, 4 peahens, and one pea chick-- ) here at the ashram.. They wander freely about the grounds, sometimes in places they shouldn't be .  Peacocks are India's national bird, associated with the goddess Laxmi and represents benevolence, patience, kindness, compassion and luck. Its just a delight for any visitors that come here to see them.  Especially when the males show off their magnificent plumes.  
Some things you many not know about peacocks…  they are known for calling in the monsoon rainy season - their call, which sounds like "Jai Ho"  brings the first rains of the year.   They can live through the winter outdoors and they don't get affected when they eat poisonous plants.  
We are in the process of rebuilding their pen into a Peacock Palace!    Stay tuned to see the finished product.   

Also wanted to include some photos of the autumn colors taken two days ago… today there is snow on the ground. Weather changes rapidly here in the high desert.  Taos Dham Ki Jai!

On a hot day from the back porch of the Neem Karoli Baba Ashram, one can see project director Rico Zook and his team of five volunteers from the Lama Foundation working a large patch of unforgiving ground in the field behind the ashram. Their mission is to turn an expanse of the hard ground, which at present hosts only coarse grasses and bindweed, into the fertile bed of a future herb garden.

To enrich the soil Rico and his team employ a method of fertilization called "sheet mulching" or "sheet composting," in which an entire area of land is essentially transformed into an in situ composting site. Instead of treating the ground with compost that has already been decomposed and prepared for gardening, the volunteers bring the components of organic compost to the site and let them process on the spot.

They layer manure, green vegetable matter, straw, and cardboard to create an environment in which the carbon and nitrogen of decomposing ingredients fertilize the soil below, which is kept weed-free thanks to the sunlight-blocking cardboard. This year they build on their similar work of last year, and aim to do some planting in tandem with ground maintenance each season until the garden's completion. 

Rico, an experienced permaculture designer, has big plans for the garden-in-progress. The shape of the egg and the crescent moon feature prominently in the layout of the garden's different sections, and are symbols which represent creation--a fitting theme for what will be a site of much new life. He expects to have the soil ready for its final planting within three to five years, at which point it will stand out as yet another example of natural beauty on the ashram's grounds, and of the beauty of the selfless service that created it. 

 

Due to insurance requirements, the large play structure at the ashram that includes the slide has been removed. (thank you to local satsang seva crew!) The play structure has served children at the ashram for over ten years and now that its gone we need to rebuild a new play structure that aligns with acceptable safety standards.  Our plan is to replace the slide with a new one and add a play house and a climbing area. The gravel will be removed and sand placed under all the play equipment. Landscaping will be used to create natural play spaces and a children's meditation path. A space for parents and children to sit and eat will be created as well. The fencing around the playground will be redone for safety. All of this activity will take several summers to complete, but over time we will create a beautiful and safe place for the children and all of the satsang to enjoy. There are many ways to contribute to the playground renovation. Monetary donations are always welcome and accepted through the office, but you can also contribute by donating materials or seva/time/energy. 

BHAKTI BAKE SALE - we already had a successful bake sale this past Monday- thanks to all who baked, attended and helped to make it a great day!
And we will have another on JULY 1st. The money raised from the bake sales will help raise funds for the new slide. Contact Nikki – 575-776-1264 – if you want to contribute baked goods, or help at the table during the day. This is a local event taking place at Cid's Market in Taos.


We also need the following materials:

Sand
Adobe Dirt
Straw
4ft diameter by 3-6 ft long culvert

Additional Seva at the site:

We hope to have some kid-friendly times to get together and work so that the kids can help out too. To be announced.

Look for flyers around the ashram for more in the moment information about this exciting new project!

Thank you!

Ram Ram!