During this time Swamiji increased the worship of Jesus and the Virgin Mary into kirtans and following the urgent prompting of Ambikananda, a number of devotees began to take formal instruction to enter the Catholic church. Some devotees were ‘exempted’ from this path by Swamiji. Others felt unable to do so. But a considerable number did their best to follow the new way.
Kirtan at Kings Cross, December 1984
“the Virgin and Sarasvati are affiliated“
Swamiji, Dec 1984
The kirtan began with a reading by Ambikananda from a new source, the Catholic stigmatist, visionary and mystic Anne Catherine Emmerich (1774-1824)
The ‘Grotto Kirtan’ Wales, 17/18 November 1984
Discourse from this kirtan in Wales on 17/18 November
This kirtan took place just after Ambikananda’s fiftieth birthday. Swamiji had asked the hosts to make a reconstruction of St Bernardette’s grotto at Lourdes. He had asked for a play to be performed at the kirtan featuring the apparition of the Virgin Mary to Bernardette Soubirous in 1858.
Truth is the austerity of this age
Kirtan at Kings Cross 16 Feb 1985
The Universal Independent Ashram always celebrated the birthday of their Guru Dev, Sri Ramakrishna, on this day.
At this kirtan Ambikananda read from GSR [ pp. 922-3] about a visit to Sri Ramakrishna at Dakshineswar by Misra, a Christian devotee. Read the disourse
Notes from a visit to Ramakrishna Loka April 4 1985
Kirtan at Exeter Rd, April 6, 1985
This Easter week kirtan held in London became known as the ‘Bliss or Cross’ kirtan because that was the choice Swami Ambikananda offered to devotees at a certain key moment of his discourse. Read the full account.
God is invisible in your heart. You must have faith
Kirtan at Exeter Rd, June 8, 1985,
“You have been tested once, twice, a few times in Hinduism; now we have to touch the coin in Christianity…”. Father Macnamee, the priest who had converted many devotees to Catholicism earlier that year was also at this kirtan where Swamiji spoke of the blessedness of the Virgin Mary. Read the full discourse.