In The Temple

I was so happy to see 2006 come to an end. I, along with many other people, breathed a sigh of relief at midnight on December 31st. Surely 2007 would be better or at least a little easier. I , for one, was to the point of making deals with any power that exists. I won't, I promised, scream curses at people that insist on trying to drive with a cell phone glued to their ear. I won't forget to pay my electric bill on time. I will never get annoyed at loud, abrasive or whiny children that are just mirroring their parent's behavior. I will continue to practise not being judgemental (although I still think I have a right to my opinion, I just won't give voice to that opinion). I am still human and I will still make mistakes and missteps but if I can just get a break, I swear I will do my very best to keep every promise I have ever made, I swear!

Now let's move to the last week of December. My dear friend Susan invited me to spend New Year's Day at the Siddhi Hindu Temple in Atlanta to participate in a ceremony to welcome in the New Year. This ritual removes any and all blockages to success and happiness and is only performed on New Year's Day. I was hesitant because I knew there would be a lot of walking and standing and I have chronic tendonitis. One trip up even a short flight of stairs or just being
on my feet for more than 20 minutes or so can set off low back and leg pain that would make me want to sit on the floor and cry. I pondered the situation for a day or so and I decided that, pain or no pain, I was making this trip.

The experience was amazing. When we entered the Temple we walked through a gauzy curtain of smoke from the Holy Fire and an undercurrent of burning incense. The chanting of the priests immediately lulled the senses and put one in a relaxed, meditative state of mind. We actually participated in the ritual and I truly believe that this experience was of benefit to my battered psyche. I just didn't even begin to grasp the benefits.

We spent the rest of the day eating the blessed, specially prepared food and meeting the most wonderful people. We walked and walked and saw wonders of an ancient civilization and faith. The statues of the Gods were breath taking, covered in diamonds, emeralds and rubies. We got to see the newest arrivals from India, statues of the transportation used by the Gods and Goddesses, beautifully carved and brightly painted.

We were called to participate in the last ceremony of the day. I'm quite sure that I can't explain this next experience properly, but I will try. We were allowed to bathe the "Lingum" (not sure on the spelling). I was under the spell of the ancient rituals and was just riding the wave. I didn't really mind that my usually detail oriented brain was not grasping all the wonderful meanings and stories of this ritual, I was just overjoyed that I was there and actually a part of everything. We stood in line to approach the Lingum, a magnificently carved chunk of 2000 year old emerald jade. We poured milk from a conch shell over the Holy statue to wash away all those blockages and obstacles. The priests then touched our foreheads with Holy Ash from the fire.
The rituals were finally complete.

We were walking down the stairs when one of my companions looked at me and started to laugh. "What," I demanded.
"You look like you've been viciously stabbed in the fore head," he replied.

I looked at my reflection in a glass door. The many blessings, bestowed by the priest by touching my forehead with the gray and black Holy Ash and the vermillion of the Holy oils had run together and I did indeed look like I had a fatal head wound, but...at that minute I realized that I was walking down a long flight of stairs for probably the fifth or sixth time that day and I had very little pain. That was Monday, today is Thursday and the pain level is still well below normal. I believe in miracles and I take my miracles where I find them.
Happy New Year!!!!