Darshan

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“One of the single, most powerful blessings bestowed upon an individual,
by way of the gaze or touch from a God-realized being.”

Louix’s darshan is available to people of all faiths, beliefs, and walks of life—for His love is truly unconditional and embraces all. The Grace of the Master has profound transformational and healing effects, often evoking exalted states of bliss, spiritual awakening, and even, at times, healing of physical ailments. For thousands of years, people have come before God-realized beings to receive this immense blessing which, by its own nature, augments and strengthens one’s spiritual or religious beliefs.

Louix’s Holiday Message 2008

Greetings, My beloveds!

It is with great joy that I offer this holiday message as we approach the end of 2008, The Year of Rebirth. And what a year this has been… for Myself, as I know it has been for many of you, and, as we can all see, so it has been for the world. So many changes. So many beginnings and endings. So much ahead….

During these year-end holidays, for many it is an important time to celebrate and show our gratefulness for whatever we have in life, and the act of feasting is a way to acknowledge, nurture, and reward oneself for all the labors given over the months that have passed. However, watching all the madness, the suffering, the warring, the earth changes, and the economic collapse in this year alone—the latter of which has had devastating effects in many sectors of society and in our lives, many people are finding themselves torn about how they can, in good conscience, truly “celebrate” this holiday season (much less indulge), when so many are suffering like never before.

At the same time, what is happening in the world now has also created a need for showing even greater empathy and compassion for the plights of others. There is a more urgent need than ever to share, to serve, to help our sisters and brothers all over the world, in our own communities, and in our own families. This dynamic shall increase over time, and soon no longer be an “option” as it is now; it will be a mandate, one of the solutions to this world crisis. Increasing crises and collapse—and the interdependence they will, by Divine design, create amongst all nations and cultures—will be a major factor in ending the wars, drawing the human race together, and restoring it as one family.

Questions arise as to just how to find the right balance, how to celebrate the holidays when so many others are in pain. It is for this reason that I have written this letter. There is a way that each of us can celebrate this holiday season and be assisting those in need, and it will not cost anyone anything but a good dose of caring and a little of your time. While most people know how sharing what you have can help others, few know the true alchemy of what Sacrifice can do to serve, uplift, and transmute the circumstances and suffering of others.

The holiday program I have designed has two parts:  one is sacrifice; the other is service. What I am inviting everyone to do this Christmas—as your gift to this world, and even more so to yourself—is to sacrifice your usual holiday traditions as a great act of compassion and empathy for others:  the poor, the war-torn, the ailing, and of course the millions who have been suddenly and drastically affected by the rapid economic collapse that has happened this year. What this would entail would be to relinquish the usual feasting that most people enjoy during the holiday season. At the very least (if you must eat), have the simplest, most humble meal you could make on Christmas Eve and/or Christmas Day; at the very most, choose perhaps to enter a 24-hour fast (to whatever degree you know your body can safely handle this—be it water only, or juices only, or fruit only, etc.), in the knowing that this will alchemically transfer the food (you would have had) to others who are without food; in the knowing that it will also create food in places where there is/was none. Naturally, you must honor your bodies and feed your children, engaging in any type of fasting only in a way and to the degree that you can.

The other sacrifice I am inviting everyone to consider this year is that of gift giving and receiving. In much of the world, the gross consumerism that happens in December is (for most, though not all) not only spawned by a tragic blend of guilt, obligation, and sense gratification, but also creates more pollution and waste on this planet than in most of the prior 11 months—combined. Please consider sacrificing the whole “obligated” gift buying theme and routine this season. Instead, base whatever gifts you do buy or give on a person’s need, rather than on wants or desires—yours or theirs. Find people in need and give there. Maybe it won’t even be a relative (many of whom might be receiving gifts from other friends and relatives anyway), but a child in your neighborhood, a needy family from your child’s school, someone in a hospice or hospital, an elderly person whom you know is lonely and alone. For others, maybe your sacrifice could be to simply put fewer people on your gift-giving list.

For those who will still be giving gifts, perhaps you could practice a tradition I began years ago, one which is practiced every year in all My ashrams and centers:  gifting another with some special keepsake or item of your own, which you treasure. This form of “green” or “eco-friendly” gift giving not only reduces consumerism and waste, it also infuses your gift with a very big part of your own heart and soul. Sacrificing something that means a great deal to you creates love and healing in and for the recipient. It also creates abundance in the world and reduces poverty. The more you treasure the item you are gifting, the greater transmuting power that gift wields. Another wonderful tradition is to make a gift to the poor in the name of your intended recipient. For example:  As the present for your niece or nephew, you could purchase a goat or 10 chickens or a month’s supply of water for a family in a Third World country. Or you could sponsor a child—either with schooling, clothes, etc. One of the best websites I have found serving this purpose is www.worldvision.org. The inner fulfillment this brings, to giver and recipient—knowing that you personally saved several human lives by sacrificing something so simple as one Christmas present—will only be surpassed by the alchemical impact this offering will have on that family or village.

Of course I am in no way saying to stop giving gifts; quite the contrary. What I am doing is redefining what and how we give, expanding it in a way that brings untold blessings to giver and recipient… to, truly, the whole of humanity.

The second part of this year’s offering is to be in service as your way of celebrating the holidays. There are many organizations in the major cities which serve free meals to the poor on Christmas Day, some of them needing hundreds of volunteers to feed the multitudes who come from far and wide. Other forms of service this Christmas might be visiting with children in intensive care wards of hospitals, children who physically cannot spend the holidays at home; visiting with the elderly in nursing homes, some of whom have no families or whose families do not visit them over the holidays; or serving at an A.I.D.S. or other kind of hospice.

One of the greatest gifts you can ever give another person is a moment of your time.

I humbly ask that you consider sharing and spending this holiday season in this way. I promise that you will be glad you did. As for Myself, I will be going far into California’s desert wilderness, away from all contact with civilization, on a three-day fast, spent almost entirely in prayer and meditation to source this program while it is being participated in by My beloveds worldwide. I shall hold you all in My prayers and in My heart. And I know that many of you will find yourselves, come January 1st, joyously telling others of all the miraculous and wondrous experiences you just had, the most auspicious of which will be the warmth and fulfillment you feel in your heart.

May your holiday season be filled with peace, love, and joy…

 

With My love and eternal blessing,

Louix Dor Dempriey
 

 

Discourse on Self-Forgiveness

Louix offers the key to our own salvation in this profound discourse on self-forgiveness:                                    

"…all the different things that are in your life that you have refused to forgive, and all the different people who have wronged you and hurt you, whom you have refused to forgive—you chose, wanted, needed, and created so that you could forgive them, and thereby learn to forgive and then love yourself."

- Louix Dor Dempriey

(Running time:  16 min. 43 sec.)

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Fasting

Many people choose to abstain from eating at this time, as an annual sacred tradition; others choose to at least to forego certain foods for this period, particularly foods which may be indulged, such as sugar, caffeine, soda, or chocolate. For those who find fasting too difficult or medically challenging, you may want to monitor your overall food intake and make a concerted effort to reduce the amount of food you eat during this period. It can be very powerful to abstain from something important to you throughout the celebration, as a gift to Louix and symbol of your love. This could be a time to abstain from indulgences such as sex, smoking, or watching television. The objective is to make choices that lead toward greater self-purification, thus increasing the amount of shakti (Divine light) that you will receive during this sacred time.

Fasting is an excellent way to purify the mind, body, and soul, and to bring every cell of our bodies into deeper connection with the Divine. Many people choose to do this on the day of His birthday, and some for all three days. By abstaining from food and other behaviors during this time, you can deepen your experience of God by reaching to Him/Her for nourishment and sustenance on all levels of your being.

Whatever you choose to do, please honor and listen to your body’s capabilities. Most of all, make your offering to Louix in honor of His presence in your life, and let your heart be filled with the joy, peace, and gratitude that come with the blessings received by all that you do in His most holy name.

Aarti

Aarti is an ancient ceremony, originating from Jainism and Hinduism, which is performed with fire to honor one’s Guru, spiritual Master, or favored deity. There are dozens of interpretations of the traditional aarti ceremony, many of which are very elaborate. The primary offering during the ceremony is the flame, which is waved before the Guru to symbolize the dissolution of the ego. The purpose of this ceremony is to invoke the illumination that Louix brings into our lives and to surrender to Him for Divine guidance and transformation. The following is a guideline for the aarti ceremony that will be performed to honor Louix during His birthday celebrations. We invite you to perform your own ceremony, using the Master’s portrait. Have the following items prepared and placed in front of the altar before beginning the ceremony:

• A bell, finger symbols, or chime;
• Flower petals;
• Incense;
• A small, open container of water;
• Flame:  Traditionally, camphor is burned in a special spoon for the aarti flame, but a special candle allocated for this purpose can also be used; and
• Matches or a lighter to light the flame.

All offerings are made with the right hand, representing the giving of your self.

Ring bell:  Begin the aarti ceremony by ringing the bell with your left hand. Traditionally, the bell is rung consistently throughout the ceremony. (This may not be possible if doing the ceremony alone, which is fine.)

Singing:  Begin chanting “Pranananda-Om,” repeating this mantra 108 times. Aarti is always accompanied by singing beautiful prayers that glorify God and Guru. Continue singing and ringing the bell throughout the ceremony as much as possible.

Flower petal offering:  Offer flower petals to the lotus feet of Louix. Incense:  Next, light a stick of incense or sage, rotating it in graceful circles three times in a clockwise direction before Louix’s image, then place it upon the altar. The incense represents a purified state of mind.

Water:  At this point, place a small container of water upon the altar to represent emotional purification. The container will remain on the altar for all three days.

Aarti flame:  Holding the flame with your right hand, wave the flame in a circular clockwise direction to light the entire form of Louix. When finished, pass your hands over the flame and then gently touch your eyes and the top of your head. If in a group, the person holding the flame passes the flame before all present so that they, too, may pass their hands over it. Perform the ceremony with loving intention:

May the Light of God illuminate my consciousness, may my vision be Divine;
and may my heart be filled with the unconditional love of God.

Water anointing:  Finally, place the flame in front of Louix’s picture and place the tip of your middle finger from your right hand into the bowl of water, then press it upon your third eye to represent the clear eyes with which you now see. If in a group, a person will bring the bowl to everyone present, and then place it back upon the altar, giving the blessing to him/herself last.

Closing:  The singing draws to a close as everyone bows to the Master.

Aarti Ceremony in summary:

• Ring bell
• Singing begins
• Flower offering
• Incense
• Water (first day only)
• Aarti flame
• Pass hands over flame
• Water upon third eye
• Singing ends
• Bow to the Master

Louix’s Birthday Celebrations

 

It is with heartfelt joy that we announce this year’s celebrations to honor the 47th birthday of Louix Dor Dempriey (Bhagavan Sri Pranananda). At this time each year, disciples and devotees around the world hold a three-day celebration as an expression of our gratitude for the unconditional love He offers to each of us and to all of humanity, and to receive the immense amount of Light that is available on the Master’s birthday.

This year, Louix will attend His birthday celebrations at Prema Drala Ashram, in Laguna Hills, California. His ashrams will host various events and gatherings, which all are welcome to attend. To begin each day of celebrations, Louix’s ashrams will perform an aarti ceremony. During these three days, many people also choose to fast or abstain from particular habits, as an act of devotion.

To invoke Louix’s presence during this auspicious time, you may wish to create a sacred space in your home, which can include an altar with His picture and other adornments upon it, or a special chair decorated with fabrics. Cleansing your home by burning sage or incense, or ringing bells, is a powerful way to increase sacredness during the celebrations. You can also invoke Louix into your dreams and meditations to experience more deeply His essence of unconditional love.

To help you commune with Him during this special time, we offer this audio recording and free downloadable portrait of Guruji: 

  •   Free downloadable Master’s portrait (5×7)  
  •   Guruji speaks about self-forgiveness   

 

It is your devotion and your humble, selfless service
that multiplies God’s love and blessing, and spreads it far and wide.
 

The first day of celebrations will be dedicated to serving others. You may choose to offer service to a family member, a friend, someone whom you have taken for granted, or a group in your local community in need of assistance. You may also choose to serve Mother Earth by participating Louix’s Global Clean-up Project or Forests of Fruit initiative.

 

On the second night of celebrations, we will express our love for Louix with an evening of Devotional Singing—a public event which will be hosted by His ashrams and study groups. We will invoke His presence with songs and chants from many spiritual and cultural traditions. If you are unable to attend this event, you may celebrate by inviting friends and family to join in your own night of devotional singing or listening to your favorite uplifting music.

This past year (2008) Louix gifted His beloveds with two chants He composed, which invoke His Divine presence and blessing, while integrating more of one’s atma (Higher Self, soul) by their very words and essence—in true mantra fashion.

•   Jai Jai Ram (audio clip)	Get the Flash Player to see the wordTube Media Player.
•    I Am One With Thee (audio clip)	Get the Flash Player to see the wordTube Media Player.

 

 

On this day, everyone is encouraged to spend time in Nature to help cleanse and uplift the body, mind, and spirit, and to help integrate the immense amount of shakti (Divine Light) that is available to us during this time.

In the evening, the community of Prema Drala Ashram will gather at a local beach to enjoy a family meal around a bonfire as the sun sets upon the Pacific Ocean’s horizon. Find out how Louix’s other ashrams and study groups are celebrating His birthday.

For those not located near an ashram or study group, there are many ways you can connect with and honor Louix on His birthday; for example:  preparing and eating a special meal with loved ones, followed by viewing or listening to one of His many guided meditations or discourses; sharing stories (lilas) about your experiences with Louix; or a quiet evening of prayer gazing into a photo of Louix.

Whatever you do to celebrate this special day, imbue it with all your love, devotion, and gratitude for the immense blessing of having Louix’s presence and guidance in your life!