2026 April Sangha Insight

Satsang with Babaji 3/16/26

In meditation sometimes cobras appear!  So, you just sit there and be happy. Don’t analyze it. Some of these symbols that are part of the yogic, and even the Tibetan Buddhist system, are names to forms of things that happen to them. In India often you will see a Buddhist sitting under a hood of a many-headed cobra. It’s a symbol of kundalini. There is nothing to do about it. Just absorb it. Don’t try to create it. A lot of times those of you who read so many books are trying to feel the experience of what is in a book. If you want to experience the real deal then meditate. That will give you the real deal, because intellectual understanding is not the same thing. Certainly books are inspiring. Certainly great teachers have written wonderful things. But ultimately you have to gain the experience. You are not going to gain it by reading about how somebody else did it. That is intellectual knowledge. The neat thing about Kashmir Saivism is that instead of serving everybody bean soup, and that’s all you get, you get a buffet. And sometimes cobras appear!

Satsang with Babaji

A Seat by the Fire, p 240

Question:  In Kashmir Shaivism, is enlightenment the same thing as Shiva consciousness?

Answer:  Yes. The state of pure consciousness is called Shiva consciousness. In Shaivism they say that you see Shiva everywhere. What does that mean? Does it mean that you see this four-armed god dancing around everywhere? Well it could be that, but you start to see this divine consciousness. First you find it in your own being. You can’t see it anywhere else unless you find it in yourself. When you find it in yourself, you can start to see it in other people. You can see it even in your worst enemies. You can see this consciousness everywhere. You can see it in nature.

The experience resembles going into a dark room and turning on the light switch. It is almost impossible to describe. It is an inner experience. It is a transcendental kind of experience that has been described as divine love, and cosmic bliss. It’s been described as pure consciousness. Consciousness is awareness without judgement, without even form. It’s pure awareness without thoughts. Rudi called it a state of being. The problem that most people have is that they take that experience and attach it to another thing and say, “Well, this is happiness and bliss.” All they have to do is look and see the source. The source of all that bliss and happiness is inside of you. If in the moment of a peak experience you could trace it to the source, you would find out that it’s inside of you. Staying in the space all the time is enlightenment.

Once you arrive in that state death becomes meaningless. Your body might go away, but that’s not who you are. When you realize that state, you realize you are not your body. You are not the body, you are not the mind, you are not your thoughts, and you are not your breath. You are not any of these things. When you arrive at the state of consciousness, you are free of all of that.

Detachment and Devotion

by Acharya Satyam Ehinger, Konalani Ashram, Kailua-Kona, HI

There is a line from the Guru Gita that I see almost every time I chant it. Maybe you have a line like that in the Guru Gita— you aren’t looking for it, but there it is, popping up at you each time. It has a horoscope like feel to it, these personalized moments in the Gita, giving us a focal point for our practice. For me, it is line 20:

“Abandon all thoughts of your own stage in life, your rank, reputation, or increasing your well being. Think of nothing other than the Guru.”

This is one of the best ways I have of understanding devotion, of really just opening one’s heart to the connection we have to our lineage and trusting that above all— no matter what happens in the building department of Hawaii, no matter if people sign up for a training or don’t, or if lunch is ready on time— trusting this connection to our lineage, and to our own hearts. And how do we find this trust? According to the Gita, we have to let go of all the things we are trying to accomplish, and open up deeply to the present, to what’s in front of us. When we are chanting the Gita, chant the Gita— when we are chopping carrots, or metal 2×4 studs, chop carrots and studs. When we work with detachment, the door to the heart opens up and we can find great devotion and great joy in our work. Article continues towards the end of this April Sangha Insight newsletter.

Springtime Retreat with Babaji

By Swami Omkari Devananda, Shoshoni Yoga Retreat, Rollinsville, CO

The best way to celebrate spring is deepening your inner work at the Sangha Retreat. These weekend retreats have consistently helped me grow in ways I didn’t expect, offering both inspiration, steady encouragement and often kind-hearted challenges to deepen my practice. From the powerful energy of these retreats to the ongoing opportunity to expand, they’ve become an essential part of my inner journey. I love the feeling of reconnecting deeply to Kashmir Saivism, our lineage roots and to feel the alchemy of manifesting the teachings here and now, especially in the building of the Konalani Temple.

The April Sangha Retreat with Babaji, April 10-12, 2026, hosted by Konalani, offers a beautiful chance to reconnect and recharge. Whether you join in person or online, you can tap into the peaceful island energy while stepping away from daily distractions. You immerse yourself in meditation, explore new experiences, and strengthen your connection to that inner calm, centered place. Even a simple moment of relaxation and visualization can bring you right into that aloha sangha spirit that flows in connection to Babaji. You can deepen your practice, feel uplifted by the group energy, and leave with a lasting sense of peace, clarity, and renewed motivation to deepen your practice in this unmatched tradition.

Just Bloom

by Emily Daugherty, Framingham, MA, Shoshoni Workstudy Staff

Flowers don’t overthink it—they just bloom. No group chat, no “Am I ready?” spiral. Turns out,  you’ve got that same built-in wisdom too.

Spring is here today at Shoshoni, although mountain snows are still under trees. The birds are out performing in the sunshine, the elk and deer are browsing, and the sun is lingering after evening temple like it doesn’t want to leave. In the greenhouse, sage, basil, barley (and more) have all been planted with love, mantra and a little dirt under the fingernails.

Just like those seeds that have been quietly doing their thing underground, we’re coming back to life too. With a little water, some care, and a bit of patience, things start to grow. By June there will be the payoff in flowers, veggies, and fresh herbs.

Here’s the wild part: the same life force guiding those seeds? Yep, it’s in us too, just buried under mental clutter, old stories, and inner tensions. So how do we reconnect?

We weed. (Gently—but go for the root when you can.)
We make a little space between thoughts.
We show up for each step like it actually matters (because it does).
We water ourselves with love, mantra, and maybe a nap.
We loosen our grip and let growth happen.

And then, without forcing, without rushing, something within opens. Before long, we’re blooming too. Sweet heart opening, unexpected beauty, maybe even a little glow we didn’t see coming. 

Seva and Community Support

by Swami Omkari Devananda, Shoshoni Yoga Retreat, Rollinsville, CO

I was looking for a way to inspire others about the importance of seva in our spiritual work, when I found it in a most unexpected spot: listening to the resident chatter after the Olympics from my home state of Vermont. The outpouring of civic pride surrounding the 2026 Milan Olympian medalists in Vermont (20% of the medalists including gold, silver and bronze were from or trained there) reflects more than admiration for athletic achievement. It reveals the quiet architecture of communal encouragement: teachers who stayed late on the slopes, neighbors who attended local competitions, volunteers who believed in a young athlete’s dedication long before the world noticed. This is how the residents of the state talk about the contribution to this year’s Winter Olympics. In many ways, I feel that this sort of civic support mirrors the atmosphere within an ashram, where individual effort is sustained by a shared commitment to something larger than the self. Just as a skier heads for the first chair up the mountain carrying the hopes of a community, a seeker in the ashram and in the community sangha in their own home steps into daily practice upheld by the collective intention, to grow.

Within an ashram, selfless service, seva, creates a similar network of unseen strength. Each person’s task, whether sweeping a floor or preparing a meal, quietly reinforces the spiritual journey of everyone else. The community does not merely observe progress; it actively nourishes it. This dynamic echoes the civic ecosystem that supports a local Olympian: many small acts of belief and effort combine into the conditions that allow excellence to emerge. In both spaces, success is never purely individual. It is the visible crest of a wave generated by many hearts moving in the same direction.

Over time, such unity becomes a source of enduring inspiration. When a community celebrates an athlete’s achievement, it affirms the idea that collective faith along with one’s own effort can lift someone to extraordinary heights. In the ashram collective faith builds Temples! The shared discipline of an ashram under the steady guidance of the Guru, reminds its members that growth unfolds most deeply when nurtured together in sangha’s grace and effort. Whether on the slopes or in the meditation halls, the same quiet truth persists: when people align their energies in encouragement, service, and aspiration, they create a field where individuals flourish and the entire community rises with them.

Hanuman 

By Chaitanya Tumuluri, Hyderabad, India

(Note: Hanuman Jayanti Celebration is April 2, 2026. Tune into Philosophy class at 7:00 pm MST)

Almost all of us know Rama and Hanuman from the Hindu epic Ramayana. When Sita, Rama’s wife, is abducted by Ravana, Rama sets out to rescue her and meets Hanuman, who becomes deeply devoted to him. With Hanuman’s support, Rama builds alliances with forest clans and ultimately defeats Ravana. Hanuman shines as a heroic figure and a powerful embodiment of Bhakti (devotion). While Rama represents the perfected soul, Hanuman reflects the sincere seeker—one who rediscovers that same perfection through Bhakti Sadhana. His life can be understood as an allegory of spiritual practice (Sadhana) and the awakening of inner powers (Siddhis).

Born with remarkable Siddhis—immense strength, speed, and the ability to change form—Hanuman’s playful energy sometimes led him off course. In his youthful mischief, he disturbed sages and even leapt toward the sun, mistaking it for fruit. Struck down by a thunderbolt, he came to be known as Hanu-Maan (one with a prominent jaw). Eventually, the sages, both firm and compassionate, placed a gentle restraint on him: he would forget his powers until the moment they were truly needed.

Later, when Hanuman meets Rama, his devotion naturally deepens as he witnesses Rama’s unwavering commitment to Dharma. At the ocean’s edge, when uncertainty arises within the search party, Jambavan reminds Hanuman of the strength within him. In that moment of encouragement, Hanuman’s forgotten powers return—now aligned with a higher purpose. His Siddhis are no longer used for distraction, but in service of Dharma.

The message here is both simple and empowering. Like Hanuman, we may not always recognize the full extent of our gifts, or we may use them without clear direction. Yet those abilities are never truly lost. As life calls us forward, they can reawaken—especially when we align with something greater than ourselves. With the help of inspiring ideals and supportive guides—like Rama and Jambavan—we can remember what we’re capable of, even in moments of doubt. Growth doesn’t require force. It unfolds naturally when devotion, guidance, and willingness come together, helping us step into our potential and serve a purpose beyond ourselves.

Thank You Ganesh!

By Yogita Pierce, Boulder, CO

When I first came to the  Ashram back in 1981 we did not have the Murti’s that we have now. Because of my Southern Baptist upbringing I had trouble opening up to them. I remember when the first Murti of Nityananda came it actually scared me. (Perhaps, also, I felt that way because it brought in a new higher energy and instinctively I knew it would bring change and new levels of growth.) They put him behind a curtain in the Ashram. There was no way I was going behind that curtain!  But, by the time Ganesh came to Shoshoni in the 1990’s I was able to open up to him immediately. Maybe it was that he was so colorful and had such a playful form. Also by that time I had learned how to go beyond the form. I had experienced how a Murti was a sacred image that embodies a divine spirit, serving as a focal point to help you find it within yourself.

The first Puja that I did was the Ganesh Puja. I started doing it 60 days before my birthday and around the first of the year. Through the years I’ve developed a relationship regularly and he helped me out of many jams and I learned to depend on him. But what inspired me to write this article was the amazing way he has helped me out recently. 

In December 2025 I decided that I wanted to go to Hawaii and see the new temple being built. I had been a part of building both Eldorado and Shoshoni. At 76 I didn’t know if I could make the trip in a year. Instead of just saying, “I don’t have the money,” I started chanting to Ganesh. The Kona ashram let me do a payment plan and someone in the Ashram anonymously helped me make the payments. This enabled me to buy a spur of the moment plane ticket to Georgia when my sister passed on January 4^th. Ganesh not only helped me financially but also physically. I had been concerned about making the 6-hour trip from Denver to Kona, but I ended up making a 15-hour trip (with two layovers and a 5-hour time change) to family with Ganesh’s help. I chanted the whole way.

There have been times that there has been no visible way out of a situation, where I could have freaked out. However my trust in Ganesh helped me stay calm giving me the clarity that I needed to work things out. So l just wanted to say, “Thank you Ganesh!!”

Springtime Rejuvenation with Ayurveda Facials

by Swami Omkari Devananda, Shoshoni Yoga Retreat, Rollinsville, CO

Here are two enlivening Ayurveda facial mixes to try at home this springtime. The first uses pineapple, yogurt and oils with rose petals, the favorite amongst the Shoshoni staff. The second uses aloe vera and pomegranate mash. These home facials will keep you looking youthful and beautiful. Both provide the refreshment and skin toning you are after following the winter season.

Pureed Pineapple Facial (anti-wrinkle)

2 Tablespoons of pureed fresh pineapple 

6 Tablespoons yogurt

1 Tablespoon almond oil

1  Tablespoon coconut oil

1 Tablespoon honey

Pinch of turmeric (optional)

2 Teaspoons pink rose petals

Mix ingredients together and apply to the face avoiding the eyes. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes and rinse off with cool water. 

Pomegranate and Aloe Vera Facial (Cooling, Stress Reducing)

2 Tablespoons Aloe Vera gel

1 Teaspoon caster oil

2 Tablespoons pomegranate seeds mashed

1/2 Fresh lemon, juiced

Mix ingredients together and apply to the face avoiding the eyes. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes and rinse off with cool water. 

Tips to Create Your Home Spa

Put towels on the counter and floor and apply the facial mix in the bathroom for easy cleanup. Gently cleanse the skin first. Try using a headband to draw your hair back when applying the product. Also, you can steam the face over a bowl of hot water and lavender to open the pores before applying the mask. 

Use a clean facial brush to apply the mix and if it is very messy you can lie down in the bath so the juices and oils don’t get on your clothing. Use a fresh face cloth and warm water to remove the facial easily. Although these masks may be used at anytime, if applied at night, then the skin is already in repair mode and will better absorb the nutrients during sleep.

Detachment & Devotion, by Satyam (Continued from top of this April Sangha Insight)

I feel like the word detachment can have many negative connotations in our culture— often depicted as an aloofness, a coldness— like removing yourself from relationships, moving away, separating yourself. But this is not the yogic understanding of detachment, as Patanjali describes it in Yoga Sutra 1.23:

“One may attract profound grace through wholehearted detachment and immersion in the Self.” Here we see that detachment is synonymous with grace, a spontaneous recognition of our true nature (in Sanskrit, Ishwara Pranidhana, the title of Babji’s first Satsang book) a bliss that outshines all of our worldly concerns. Profound Grace and wholehearted detachment go hand in hand— through one we find the other. In our tradition, the term surrender seems to be the key to a deeper understanding of what is meant by detachment— we aren’t pushing anything away, we are letting them go in order to feel what’s inside of us.

The Zen story, “No Loving Kindness,” shows us the unity of detachment and devotion.  As it is transcribed in Paul Reps book, Zen Flesh Zen Bones:

“There was an old woman in China who had supported a monk for over twenty years. She had built a little hut for him and fed him while he was meditating. Finally she wondered just what progress he had made in all this time. To find out, she obtained the help of a girl rich in desire. “Go and embrace him,” she told her, “and then ask him suddenly: ‘What now?’” The girl called upon the monk and without much ado caressed him, asking him what he was going to do about it. “An old tree grows on a cold rock in winter,” replied the monk somewhat poetically. “Nowhere is there any warmth.” The girl returned and related what he had said. “To think I fed that fellow for twenty years!” exclaimed the old woman in anger. “He showed no consideration for your need, no disposition to explain your condition. He need not have responded to passion, but at least he should have evidenced some compassion. She at once went to the hut of the monk and burned it down.

True detachment, true surrender, doesn’t make you cold and aloof, it should make you warm, open hearted, and help you serve others selflessly. And as this story shows us, be careful if it doesn’t! Detachment, or surrender as we know it, isn’t pushing away the world, it’s letting go of pushing and pulling so we can finally put our energy into what our lives require.

There are a few practical ways that I’ve seen this concept play out in ashram life. The first is that when you start to meditate, you begin to find joy in simpler experiences. You don’t have to look at your phone for entertainment at lunch, you can look across the table and talk to someone about their day, or see fun shapes in the clouds. You don’t have to have a crazy adventure on your day off to feel fulfilled, you can just feel the cool ocean water on your body and swim with a turtle. When you begin to detach from your mind a little each day, you naturally begin to feel more devotion for what’s around you. We can open our hearts to our sangha, even they don’t share your taste in music or are your same age— letting go of those needs helps you connect at a deeper level and find devotion for what your life actually is—as Babaji says you begin to “see what’s possible”.

Selfless service, or seva, is another example. When a job or task pushes you a little beyond your comfort zone, you have a choice— tighten up or loosen up. Attach to your frustration and close up, or detach from it and open up. A few months ago here building the temple we learned that we had to re-tighten every bolt of our entire building by hand because the people we paid to do it didn’t do it. This also had to be done within a matter of days. Long story short, it took a lot of effort from everyone, and we worked well past our normal cut off time— but if you look at the picture of those sunset moments tightening bolts, we’re all smiles. At a certain point with service, you just let go and open up to what needs to be done, and this has been, for me, when I have felt the most joy or devotion in my work. Although, of course, I wouldn’t have chosen to do it that way, but lucky for us, the universe is in charge of those bigger decisions.

And finally, raising a child continues to teach me the story of detachment and devotion. Having a child has been the most meaningful thing I’ve done, and simultaneously, as so many parents will tell each other, the most challenging. I have had to detach from the things that may have been my outlets for fun, but have found fun in the smallest things imaginable through Narayani. There may be no better example of the juxtaposition of these two terms of detachment and devotion then having a kid— they strip you of everything and they bestow you with everything. And as I am learning each day as a parent, the more I detach from my agenda, the more I enjoy what we do together. Narayani does this every day, and that may be why she’s so happy. I literally saw her fall down on the ground the other day, and instead of crying, she looked over and saw something interesting on the ground next to her and just laid there and played with it for a few minutes before getting up. Seeing what’s possible! I thought we were walking to the trampoline to have fun, but nope, the fun was along the way.

Which brings us to the Zen Dharana of the Month, the shortest and perhaps sweetest Dharana in the collection— are you ready for it? “Devotion Frees”. Take a breath into that on your own and see if you feel the relationship between feeling devotion and an open heart. As Babaji teaches, bhakti or devotion is the fastest path to enlightenment, so you might feel that freedom in a single breath! We have all felt the intoxicating power of devotion in our lives at different times, horizontally speaking— such as falling in love. The summer before ninth grade I fell in love with the girl down the street, and was so enamored of her that I didn’t want to do anything else, I just wanted to hang out with her. Even when my mom took me back to school shopping, something that I usually looked forward to, I just wanted to get back home and see her. Imagine this kind of devotion to your own heart! Imagine if you had an experience of your true nature that was so intoxicating that instead of shopping you just wanted to meditate— this is not only possible, it’s downright practical. It is the power of devotion, a power that allows for real surrender, or detachment, from our worldly concerns. As Swami Lakshmanjoo comments, “When there is the intensity of love, you can’t understand anything else in this world. When there is the intensity of love for God, you won’t recognize [your own child] you won’t recognize [yourself], you won’t recognize your body, you won’t recognize anything in this world. Viraktasya, vairāgya (detachment) appears from all sides except for that intensity of love of God.” (Manual for Self Realization, stanza 121). So when the Guru Gita teaches us to abandon our thoughts of increasing our rank or stage in life, its not about rejecting one’s life, its about opening up to one’s heart, or helping us find a devotion to our practice that will yield the happiness we are seeking in these external adventures. Devotion frees…

So take a moment to feel inside yourself for devotion— to see if it frees you, if it opens you. This is a practice to experiment with on and off the cushion. We can practice letting go of our thoughts in order to find devotion, or we can practice devotion as a means of letting go of our thoughts. Either way, we find, devotion frees.

Ashram Updates

Eldorado Ashram

 Intro to Meditation 4-week Series

May 2 Finding Bliss in Transitions, Women’s Retreat 9am-4pm

Aug 8 – Dec 19 200-Hr Yoga Teacher Training

Konalani Ashram

2026 In Hawaii Training Dates:

• May 12 – May 26

• August 18 – September 1

• October 20 – November 2

Shoshoni Yoga Retreat

April 14 – May 7 200-hr Yoga Teacher Training

April 4  Introduction to Vedic Astrology Workshop

April 4  The Power of Sound Workshop

May 2  Drawing Yantras Workshop

2026 April Sangha Insight, Editor Swami Omkari Devananda

Copyrighted by SGRY