For the summer gathering devotees made a bold decision to convert the shed at Glen Lodge into a kirtan hall. The creative energy of Shiva Shakti, combined with the talents of Sarasvati, Madonna, Satchitananda and Gayatri, transformed this severely functional structure, an unadorned space where Swamiji had worked and stored his tools, into a ‘Bollywood palace’, softly candle-lit and opulently decorated with hangings and drapes of many colours. A long table flanked with comfortable chairs and covered with cloths ran almost the whole length of the carpeted floor, and at the end was a shrine where images of Swami Ambikananda, Sri Ramakrishna and Sarada Devi watched benignly over the proceedings.
In a happily relaxed atmosphere devotees enjoyed delicious prasad, lovely singing from Tryambaka and Yogini and others, enjoyable bhajans led by Gayatri, and a great deal of chatting, laughing and strolling about. Ambika wearing a brilliant blue sari performed a set of impeccably executed and very elegant dances in classical Indian style on the lawn between the shed and the house, ably accompanied by Amrita and Madonna. Later on the vibe grew still stronger when devotees chanted together in the improvised kirtan hall, and Tryambaka sang a beautiful new song to Holy Mother Sarada.
The weather contributed greatly to the devotees’ mood, with plenty of sunshine confounding the weather men’s dire forecasts (by the grace of Swamiji, who always liked to emphasize meteorological and spiritual ‘coincidences’). All day long, it seemed, everyone was enjoying this excellent combination of secular and spiritual activity. There was a spirit of Shiva-Christ Consciousness prevalent, with devotees singing ‘Mother is an Ocean of Mercy’ while the Litany of Divine Mercy dictated to St Faustina was read out. And this was followed by a reading of Swamiji’s words at a kirtan spoken two years before his passing. Yogini and devotees then sang her lovely version of the Our Father.
From Diary of Sr Faustina: Litany of Divine Mercy
+ The Love of God is the flower – Mercy the fruit.
Let the doubting soul read these considerations on Divine Mercy and become trusting.
Divine Mercy, gushing from the bosom of the Father, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy,greatest attribute of God, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, incomprehensible mystery, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, gushing forth from the mystery of the Most Blessed Trinity, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, unfathomed by any intellect, human or angelic, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, from which wells forth all life and happiness, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, better than the heavens, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, source of miracles and wonders, I trust in You,
Divine Mercy, encompassing the whole universe, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, descending to earth in the Person of the Incarnate Word, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, which flowed out from the open wound of the Heart of Jesus, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, enclosed in the Heart of Jesus for us, and especially for sinners, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, unfathomed in the institution of the Sacred Host, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, in the founding of Holy Church, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, in the Sacrament of Holy Baptism, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, in our justification through Jesus Christ, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, accompanying us through our whole life, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, embracing us especially at the hour of death, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, endowing us with immortal life, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, accompanying us every moment of our life, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, shielding us from the fire of hell, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, in the conversion of hardened sinners, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, astonishment for angels, incomprehensible to Saints, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, unfathomed in all the mysteries of God, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, lifting us out of every misery, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, source of our happiness and joy, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, in calling us forth from nothingness to existence, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, embracing all the works of His hands, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, crown of all God’s handiwork, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, in which we are all immersed, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, sweet relief for anguished hearts, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, only hope of despairing souls, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, repose of hearts, peace amidst fear, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, delight and ecstasy of holy souls, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, inspiring hope against all hope, I trust in You.
+ Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself.
+ O incomprehensible and limitless Mercy Divine, To extol and adore You worthily, who can? Supreme attribute of Almighty God, You are the sweet hope for sinful man.
Into one hymn yourselves unite, stars, earth and sea, and in one accord, thankfully and fervently sing of the incomprehensible Divine Mercy.
From Swamiji’s talk at a kirtan at Atmananda’s house,, Newbury 18 November 1995
‘…People are lonely; they need friends, they need to ‘belch’ out. Otherwise it causes indigestion, mental suffocation, they have to be free in their minds. ….There’s nothing for me to say but to unloose that rusty, dusty, lusty bond, too tight for years, that long tedious waiting for the wave… But high tide is coming now, and the other shore is high bliss. Enough of dark shore… Flesh is weak,but spirit is willing. And when spirit comes out of the body, after death, the body is just a carcase for the breaker’s yard. So this meeting is MOT, you all come for a new MOT.
‘”Make me mad, make me mad.”… You have to be mad, but to be mad with worries is no good. There’s pressure there, there’s loneliness there, the cordon gets more tight, this doesn’t help. Come here to feel loose, to breathe, to imbibe, to be truthful, to share, and to belch out. … You have to be together, you have to be loving, you have to be born anew. You have to be small, a small bird, a small babe, a small you. You can restart, eternity is vast, you have all the time to mess about outside. But here we come back, coiled, shrunk, back to the seed, original. Either original or nothing, says Vivekananda. Is it too much, to bear with us for a day? Nine months you will be carrying in your family way, your householder way, here it’s to shrink everything in one day, one hour, two hours, a good time, it’s fun.
‘In old age we come back to rejuvenation…. So relax, be good…Think of Lord Shiva, think you are all in Lord Shiva’s light… Now think Ramakrishna is in front of you, meditate on the heart of Ramakrishna, meditate on the journeying of Ramakrishna’s heart to Lord Shiva. Shiva. Pure love. Pure love. Pure love. Get inside your mind, your brain, your subconscious. Think of the one who has experienced samadhi, who has many hearts, who is in the plane of the subconscious, who sports in the depth of your heart, pure love, your tears, water of love and tears, gazing at Lord Shiva, a love uncontaminated by worldly desire, beyond.
‘Meditation transcends space and time, transcends destination. Meditation of search is destination and goal. God bless you!…
‘”Give me pure bhakti, give me pure love.”…Closer than close, that love unconditional – you are here, now, today, bow your head, get rid of this old condition, give your neck in exchange. …
‘”Give me pure bhakti, give me pure love.” Love that cheers, gives, illumines, love that makes us proud again, love that is at home, a blissful trip. Full! Love is full, there’s nothing else to want. It dispels darkness and ignorance.… Pure knowledge and love will meet at the end.
‘”Give me pure bhakti, give me pure love.”… Love is spontaneous. Yogic mind is innocent. guileless, like a child. Away darkness! What you need is love and light… Freedom, joy, joy! Pure love.
‘”Give me pure bhakti, give me pure love.”…Get rid of your fetters. Go beyond man and woman. Soul, soul. God is that one soul, there is room for everybody in that one soul. I told you you are Shiva. The Word was with God and the Word was God. One word has become that effect…
‘”Give me pure bhakti, give me pure love.” … Get inside the heart of Ramakrishna, the heart of Ramakrishna, pure love. ‘Bhakti yoga, Bhakti yoga, Bhakti yoga, Bhakti yoga’.
RAMAKRISHNAYA!
That’s it! Hari Om Tat Sat!
Yogini sings: ‘Glory, glory, be to Thee, Father of the universe. Our Father, who art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name, Thy kingdom come Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver uis from all evil…’
Swamiji prays: ‘Forgive us our trespasses, forgive us our trespasses, forgive us our trespasses, forgive us our trespasses, forgive us our trespasses. Repent, repent… As we forgive those that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from all evil. Put it in your subconscious! for Thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory for ever and ever Amen.’
AMEN! AMEN! AMEN! AMEN!
