Wednesday 20 January the group left the Retreat Centre around 3 am to the train station. Around 5.30 pm we arrived at Chennai, where the Indian brotherhood arranged transportation from the Central station to Egmore station, from where the night train was to depart at half past 10 pm. We were served a dinner at the station and then continued our ride to Kumbakonam, where we arrived next morning at about 8 am.

Busses then transported the group from the different hotels to gather near the Yoga School Friends’ Society building, which Master CVV had started in the beginning of the last century. Since our group arrived early, we went into Master CVVs house and had a short meditation in the room of Master CVV. A vibrant energy could be felt.

In front of the house of Master CVV

Inside the room where Master CVV meditated and received the Aquarian energy.

We then assembled en face in an assembly hall, where Master Kumar gave a short introduction:
“A heartening welcome to all of you to Master CVV Yoga Centre, from where the yoga has spread all over the globe. It was conceived that the fusion of East and West meets in the Master Centre, which is the heart centre in us. And it was chosen by the Higher Ones as the centre of the energies of synthesis. You may not be conscious of what is happening here. In the prayer hall the Master did prayer for 11 years and 11 months and he received the energy in the house on the other side of the road. Those who are his friends never know what he does, some have done the prayer, some not. You are all friends, that is how it started, and the speed has taken on by the effect of the Master all over.
… During the prayer we are at the centre where the yoga emerged. Do not have an expectant mind, do not think about emotional attitudes, it blocks the mind. Close your eyes, the Master works. “It is a direct line, mine is a direct line.” When the mind is clean and vibrant, it will happen. There are many people who do not pray morning and evening, for them also the grace is granted, this is for sure, don’t block it. We are the only obstruction, the personality obstructs the soul. Do not stand in the way. ”

When we arrived there was still a scaffold in front of the Yoga hall, fixing the decoration.

We then went into the Yoga School and had 72 minutes prayer. We were a group of 195 members, many Indian members had come from different parts of the country to join this celebration of 100 years of Master CVV Yoga.

Friday 22 Jan. 10: In the morning after prayer and breakfast the group assembled in the lecture hall, where the Master introduced to us the most senior member of Master CVV Yoga, Sri Shanmugam. He had taken initiation into the yoga of Master CVV on 28th May 1944. He has been with the yoga the whole time and has been the guardian of the Yoga School. Master Kumar honoured him and the work he does. Then he introduced to us the great-grandson of Master CVV.

The city is called Kumbakonam (meaning the “Aquarian Angle”) because one great cycle of 26′000 years ago, at the beginning of the previous Aquarian age, the energies of Aquarius had chosen this place for a descent, and Master CVV also decided to descend in Kumbakonam for the present cycle. There is a temple called Kumbha Ishvara, the primary Master of Aquarius. The descent happened there and then went into the tank (a little lake), where it was anchored. It is most sacred in this region and Master Kumar proposed that we take a chance of bathing in that tank either in the morning or evening hours. “The outer structure of the temple changed, but the place is protected. Therefore it is suggested to visit the temple in the morning with singing OM Namah Sivaya.”

The group went to the Adi Kumbeshvari Temple in which a Shiva lingam is worshipped. At the entrance of the temple there was a temple elephant blessing those who seek its blessings. In the temple priests were performing a little Pooja, while the group was singing OM Namah Sivaya.

Later the group assembled in the hall of the Yoga School Friends’ Society for the noon prayer and also in the evening.
At night I took a bath in the tank, with a beautiful moonlight shining over the scenery.

Saturday, 23 January we visited the temple of Thanjavur (English: Tanjore), about 40 km from Kumbakonam. The temple is about 1000 years old and it has a large Shiva lingam inside. In front of the main temple there is a huge statue of Nandi, the vehicle of Lord Shiva.

The Master gave some explanations about the temple and said:

“Moving around the temple should always be done in the right direction. Moving to the right is turning to the spirit. Three times going around the temple is the physical, vital and mental planes. It is not recommended moving to the left, anti-clockwise. Moving to the left stands for materialisation, the right side is spiritualisation. … Every temple has its own number, symbol etc. Here it is the 5, the 5-pointed star, OM Namah Sivaya. All temples are built by Masonic measures. … There are so many bulls on the walks of the temple all around, hundreds, they carry a watchful eye. There are more than 1000 bulls there. Normally to see the details of the temple takes one day. You also have Shiva lingams all around.”

We visited the temple and experienced the presence of the Siva Lingam. Later we went back to Kumbhakonam.

On Sunday we had two more prayers in the Master CVV Yoga School Friends’ Society, and afterwards  the group members set on their ways home or to other places in India. We joined the group to Bangalore, where our train arrived in the early morning hours of January 25th.

We received a very warm welcome and stayed in the beautiful site of Sadguru Tapovan, a colony of houses of WTT group members.  There were cordial exchanges and in the evening a question-answer session.

In front of the lecture hall the group was about to finalize the erection of a beautiful stupa (pillar) of grey marble, 100 inches high with a big rock crystal on the top to be inaugurated the next day, in commemoration of 100 years of Master CVV Yoga.

Tuesday 26 January around 11.30 am the group assembled in front of the hall for the inauguration of the stupa. At first Master Kumar and his wife Kumari Garu intonated different mantrams, followed by some talks and honoring of the members who had contributed to the realisation of the stupa within less than 4 weeks. Master Kumar then said:

“As much as we open ourselves, so much The Master descends into us. We feel that not we exist, but the Master exists. The lower self is absorbed into the higher, then we don’t have a mind. … All becomes possible when the mind cooperates. The mind is exceedingly oriented to the matter, it cannot receive the influx from the Master. … The crystal (on the top of the obelisk) can bring down energy tremendously. Wisdom science can enter into you, and the sciences can enter when you let the energy flow into you, it is like a fish taking to water. It is a daily dedication of the mind. … More and more you are absorbed into him and he expresses through you. … It is a multiplication of abilities, and things happen with greater ease. … Master CVV received the energy and transmitted it. It gets into you, penetrates and transforms everything into light, and therefore it is a happy story and you enjoy it. ”

Afterwards the Master and Krishna Kumari unveiled the stupa and decorated it with flowers. Then the different groups came to the front for a group photo. Afterwards a delicious lunch was offered to all members present. It was a beautiful end of our time in India. More information can be made available on request.

Since 10 days we are at the international group living of the World Teacher Trust (WTT) going on in Visakhapatnam, India. We had a very intense week, with the 3 days of the Guru Pooja festival followed by for days of a seminar with discourses of Sri Parvathi Kumar.

Last Sunday a marriage ritual for a young Spanish couple was done at the house of Sri Kumar, where about 20 media people came to report for different national TV and radio stations and some mayor Indian newspapers, where the event was published yesterday. Such a big publicity was strange, since the work of the WTT is normally done more in silence and with a minimum of publicity.

Sunday evening we had been invited to a very impressive Indian ballet presentation, “Tripadi Ganga”, on the story of the descent of Ganga, the cosmic energies of space coming doown to earth in the form of the sacred river Ganges.

Yesterday we were at the Planetary Healing Centre near Visakhapatnam, whereMaster Kumar gave a detailed explanation of the spiritual meaning of this story. Here are some short extracts from his discourse:

“The river Ganga is the Aquarian energies. When Jupiter is in Aquarius according to lunar calendar, the Kumbha Mela happens once in 12 years. Jupiter in Pisces according to solar calendar corresponds to Jupiter in Aquarius according to lunar calendar… From this month on there is a gathering of millions and millions in Hardwar, that is located at the very heart centre of Ganga. Even the Hierarchy comes and takes a dip. Many disciples experience Lord Maitreya and his team of adepts at Kumbha Mela, it is a great grand festival, and it is in this year…

The entire planet needed someone to receive the energy for the first descent. And no one is able to receive the powerful energy of Ganga. It is the energy of pure consciousness, which carries the energy of will, love and activity. The solar king prayed and the mother Ganga appeared and said, I am pleased with you, I will come down, but please find someone who can receive me. If I directly descend on earth, the earth will break, it will be destruction. So you have to find someone who is able to receive a thunderbolt on the head…

The solar king asked, who can do it, and the mother Ganga said, only Shiva can receive it, others cannot. He has the fire of will, he has the stability, he can receive me, and for that you have to pray for the Lord Shiva….

So the solar king worshipped Lord Shiva. He is very special, he could please the Mother Ganga and also get the clue from her how to get the energy down. And he could also win the favour of Lord Shiva…

The story of Ganga is the story of involution and evolution. Till date, if you follow the course of Ganga you get very inspired. There are so many ashrams and such a strong flow of water at all times, regardless all seasons. It carries the best flow of waters in India. Those who have done bath in Ganga even from our group they feel they cannot come out of the river, it is such an experience. When time permits, you may have a dip into Ganga, it is very useful.”

Master Kumar in the garden of the Planetary Healing Centre

After the discourse at noon we had a beautiful group meditation in the Planetary Healing Centre and then continued to Ramadri, a temple compound developed by the WTT. A that place the sound of Ram, representing the energies of Cosmic Fire is being continuously intonated and millions of written  versions of the mantram have been installed in the earth so as to anchor the energies.

There were pupils of different Mithila schools run for free by the Circle of Good Will, India, for poor children at different places in Andhra Pradesh who had come to this site. In these schools children are educated, who normally don’t have access to regular classes due financial needs. Besides the normal education they are instructed in the ancient Indian values and principles of living.

Tthe teachers of the schools were presented to us and the heads of the schools were honoured by Master Kumar.

Then the children recited verses or songs. It was very impressive and touching to see the devotion with which the children presented their songs.

Today was the close of the seminar part, and tonight the whole group will go by train to Kumbhakonam in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The meaning of the word is “Aquarian angle”, and in that town 100 years ago Master CVV received the energies of synthesis. It says that the name of the town indicates that when the last Aquarian age starte, one platonic year or 26000 years ago, it was in this place that the energies manifested.

Last Wednesday we went to visit a friend in another part of Switzerland. She had invited us to the full moon meditation meeting of a well-known astrologer, at the lake of Zurich. On our way we had to cross the lake with a ferry-boat, through the night. The glittering lights on the surface reminded me of the far-away stars hidden behind clouds.

The meeting was in a meditation centre at the board of the lake.The astrologer, as the cashier for the entrance fee, welcomed the people. I saw her for the first time, she cordially welcomed me, for we are exchanging our newsletters since several years.

By and by almost 80 people assembled in the hall, around the circle of candles in the centre.

The astrologer gave a vivid introduction into the qualities of the current time and then conducted the Capricorn full moon meditation, enriched with elements from the Arcane-school full moon meditation. At the end she went around with a big singing bowl, bringing a constant, vibrating sound to all people present. The atmosphere was filled with this OM-like vibration.

After meditation an “apero” was served, a little buffet with snacks and sparkling wine, as a New Year’s Eve celebration. My wife and me felt the atmosphere strongly turning. We talked with some friends who also had come and then went outside, joking that it seems we had been in the wrong film. Later in the night we exchanged a bit about the experience. Social convenience and outer shine can easily cover the magic of the inner light. Is it star-like glitter or glittering of the inner star?

Angels in the garden of our friend, where we passed the night.

This morning there was an extremely beautiful sunrise, so I took a few photos from inside and outside of our flat.

Sunrise-view from the little garden in front of our apartment through the hedge now void of leaves

A little pentagram-sun with bells, on the terrace

The old castle of Muri in the background

Sunrise reflection in the living room windows…

and on the terrace

Two last roses in the autumn sky

Rose-hips in front of the fassade

The balcony of our neighbours above our flat, who enjoy our roses climbing up the fassade to their flat

Sunrise behind a leave…

and through the living room window

Inside the living room with an ironing board left from yesterday night’s work of my wife

Elephants on the piano, gifts from our teacher, Sri K. Parvathi Kumar

Yesterday there was an extremely intense day with a strong, pulsating flow, and I would like to share its main facets.

The day started around 4.40. After getting up, starting the computer, I went into the garden to sing 10 times Om Namah Sivaya, standing in the position of a five-pointed star. I follow this little ritual since several years and I like it very much. It was a bit below zero degrees in the dark. Back into the house, I had a look through the e-mails and answered some which had come during the night. Then taking a shower, preparing the kitchen and breakfast, yoga asanas. Before meditation I re-read a letter I received two days ago and which had deeply touched me. I felt like a door being opened in me. After 19 years of no more painting there was suddenly an impulse and images coming for future picture. Details of techniques I could use, colours, impressions. I decided to buy painting utensils during the day.

After meditation I wrote a little card of thanks to the author of the letter. Then breakfast, a quick look through the newspaper, getting my bicycle and setting off to work. I like the small path along a little forest, then along the autobahn, through roads where the traffic gets dense. Dropping the card, going on. When I crossed the bridge to the centre of Berne, I took a pedestrians walk under the arcades of the Swiss Federal Office building, where it isn’t allowed to go there by bike, but there were just a few walkers. I wanted to take some pictures of the sunrise and a little statue standing there – it was a beautiful view over the city, with the Alps in the background.

A statue of a woman in front of the Federal Office Building

Sitting in the autumn morning light

View over the city, with the historical museum and the Alps

Arriving at the office I took some pictures of my working place, from outside and inside.

My office room seen from the outside, with a little statue in front of the window

And seen from the inside.

A short chat with my colleague from the web-team, then going through the mails, preparing and publishing a news from the Samaritans about pandemia preparation home care courses on the web, Facebook, intranet, checking other news to be published. Then a meeting about an analysis of the needs of document management with a consultant from an agency and a staff member from another department. Afterwards a meeting with a colleague to evaluate his further vocational training application. Mails, phone calls, fixing appointments for the next week. Friday I’m having off in the afternoon.

So at noon time I went to my naturopath / homeopath, where I wanted to finish a 2-years treatment. We had a very good conversation. I like his in-depth reflections, he has a tremendous knowledge and an unconventional style. Both of us felt it the right time to end the treatment: Though there was no healing with my ear problem, the situation is stable and can be left like that. I asked him about Swine flue prevention and told him about the discussions which had been going on, mentioning the proposal of a friend for homoeopathic vaccinations. He said he is neither in favour of vaccination nor of homeopathic vaccinations: For him the time of taking a medicine is when the disease shows up, and not to interfere with a healthy system. He proposed the same two medicines my friend had indicated (though in other potencies and with different accents in treatment), these being classical homeopathic preparations in case of flu and swine flu – and of course support in case of any complications. He gave me the globuli with some instructions when to take them.

Leaving his practice I took my bike and went to an artist colours shop. A beautiful shop with many colours, pencils, brushes, papers. I selected a number of pens, colours and  papers. On the way home it was raining, but I felt in a symphony of colours.

After a quick lunch and a short chat with my wife I already had to leave again, to bring the BMW of my mother-in-law (who is at the hospital at the moment) to the garage in another town for a tyre change. I hadn’t been there before, but googled the website of the garage. Getting the car keys from her apartment, highway, finding the garage. While the service took charge of the car, I sat in a café corner of the garage, surrounding by big BMWs, drinking a cup of tea and studying papers for the next Lunar Messenger on Saturn. It was a funny feeling.

The BMW cafeteria

Three quarters of an hour later the mechanic brought back the keys. Riding through some side ways to another part of Berne, to a big Red Cross hospital where my mother-in-law is at the moment. A long way through underground passages, elevators, floors. Then an intense talk for half an hour.

Hospital beds in the underground passage

Back through the hospital floors to the parking, evening traffic via the autobahn, to her home, changing cars.

At home a short nap and some minutes evening meditation, before getting off again: Yesterday evening there was the annual Red Cross office party in the logistic centre in a suburb of Berne. The rain had become heavier, so I took my motor cycle with rainwear and went through side-ways, over a pedestrians bridge to the logistic centre, where the ground floor had been prepared for the party.

I had a lot of good talks. First with a young lady from the youth section, doing a maternity replacement for 6 months. She’s still a student of Islamic sciences / comparative and Arabic studies. I also had studied, among others, comparative religions and told her that, while I was head of a psycho-social counseling centre for 7 years I had been publishing, together with a colleague from Iran, a series on information about culture and backgrounds of middle eastern refugees, and inter-cultural conflict analyses. A very lively talk which was interrupted by a visitor from Swaziland, who for a week is here for an exchange. He is doing Aids prevention activities. Then several other short “hello’s” and the fondue dinner started. I sat together with people from the marketing section and had some small-talk.

I like these office parties, giving a good possibility for exchanges with people I normally don’t see or talk to during the year. So I had a short, intense exchange with the head of an asylum seekers centre in the centre of Switzerland, whom I know since 19 years. He is a humorous guy from Iraqi Kurdistan. Later a talk with the human resources section which I also know since many years. Another talk with members of the health and integration department, the former migration department, where I had worked for 11 years. While waiting in the queue for the dessert buffet I had another talk with the head of the International cooperation department who just had returned from an International Red Cross conference in Nairobi, he is another long-time acquaintance. Further short exchanges, and then a beautiful final talk with my office room-mate who just has left the office to start as a full-time yoga teacher and professional writer. Though we had been working together for two years, we had consciously kept the private worlds apart. But now I came to know that he is also meditating and gave him a short insight into my colourful “spiritual carreer”. While the others slowly went to the dance floor I decided to return home.

Riding through the rain, back over the pedestrian bridge and along side ways through a forest and nightly quarters of the city I returned home. A final intense talk with my wife and then the day slipped away into sleep.

Last Wednesday morning it was quite misty around the house shedding a magical light, and so I took some photos from out of the entrance:

A Christmas star the caretaker has fixed in the entrance

Misty lights like a scene from some subtle worlds

In the evening on the way back home: Magical ambiance over the old city of Berne surrounded by the Aare river, with a violet sunset

At the motorbike garage, where the mechanic had to repair my motor-cycle

A gear mandala at the wall

Today my wife and I made an excursion into the French part of Switzerland, about 70 km away from our home. We wanted to go for a hike on the Moleson. On the way, after leaving the highway, we came into a traffic jam, which became more and more stagnant, until we saw the reason why: There was an “Alpabzug”, a cow train back into the valley from the mountains, where they had staid over the summer. Young and old farmers in traditional costumes were accompanying the beautifully decorated cows:

Most of the cows were wearing big bells producing a loud ringing.

All the roads were blocked and the cars had to stop for several kilometers.

Finally we could go on to the downhill station of Mount Moleson (2002 m). The sky and the air around was full of clouds, and we wondered how it would be on the top. At first a funicular brought us half way up, then we changed into an aerial cableway. On the way up suddenly we came through the clouds and saw a beautiful blue sky.

After lunch we started our downhill tour along a beautiful mountain crest.

On the way clouds from the valley mounted up and crossed for a while our way, caressing us with a tender breeze.

Along the way: carline thistles

The whole way downhill was filled with a golden light, an enchanting atmosphere full of beautiful impressions and a good talk.

At the midway station

Magic light over the top of the Moleson, from the middle station

On the way back at a highway service area: another kind of a cow train

And more rotating cows in a work of art inside the service station

A few days ago I got an e-mail from an acquaintance from another country, with whom I had stopped correspondence some years ago. He asked me if I already heard that 2012 there would be the end of the world.

I answered him that I had heard about these rumours and that I already had outlived several ends of the world in the 70ies, 80ies and 90ies.

He then replied with a long e-mail telling about a book of David Icke, which would make change the world, about extraterrestrials in reptile bodies, about illuminati conspiration, ufos, and the background of weakening humanity through the separation of sexes. He asked my opinion about it – I doubted it was my opinion or if it was convincing me. So I answered him that long times ago I had read about such theories and that I don’t care about them any more, wishing him a good way through the clouds.

He then answered with a longer e-mail about the infiltration of governments and that my indifference shows obviously that the extraterrestrials already have implanted a microchip into me, controlling my mind, or that I’m one of them. There followed some more explanations about the work of the ETs and their dangerous efforts towards 2012 and that the masses have to be awakened, and for this, men and women have to be re-united again, because we have been separated against our wills through the work of the ETs.

I replied that as per the separation of sexes in the human race I more follow what the Masters of Wisdom are teaching. He answered that I seem to support the existing reality, that humanity is divided and controlled by the will of an extra-terrestrial race and that the teachings of the Masters are also part of their intrigues, as per the policy of “divide and conquer”. He wants to fight against this and that the horrible separation between man and woman has to be overcome. Then followed lines about his great love of a TV-star, being his soulmate.

I won’t answer anymore. I somehow feel helpless towards such mental constructs and confusions. You can express your sympathies with an errant brother, but how to help finding out of a maze of speculations? Maybe there is some truth in some of these thoughts, and maybe I’m blinded by conventions – but so what? I have stopped trying to stumble through lofty chimerical theories and prefer walking my steps through my next neighbourhood of thoughts, letting me guide by the light of my soul.

Buddha meditating in the night – in the garden of friends

The last times were full of intense processes, which I tried to reflect in the form of poems I wrote on my observations. I try to translate two of them:

Unsettled thoughts,
kept back and unrecognized
in their haze of interwovenness,
block like stones
the stream of life
pressing forward
and form dangerous rapids,
which threaten to carry away
the swimmer of consciousness
and to drag him under the waters.
The passage between
Skylla and Charybdis
is difficult
and every word surfaces
like a whirl in the current
to be steered around
so that the boat of the freeing idea
doesn’t get dashed
against a rock
and emotionally charged spindrift
doesn’t obstruct the view.
During such transits
utmost vigilance is needed and
a calm eye of the steersman,
who sees the shallow depths and,
navigating with a firm hand,
brings the boat
nearer to the next harbor,
knowing about the distant goal.

Iguaçu, Argentina 2008

Towers crumble,
when the time-ground
lets its eroding movements
work slowly.
Even the plates of the continents
dance on the fragile ground
of the rhythmical movements
of the Great Mother.
It is the love towards new life,
which makes the old one
collapse
to give way to
virginal striving.
However, change gives pain,
if we hold on to stones falling down
or
seek stability
on the wavering ship
at times of tempest.
But where shall I
cast my anchor?
How can I
offer you a supporting hand,
when the dark clouds
seem to hide for you
the rays of the sun?
Dancing with firm steps
the rhythm of unbridled change
gives joy,
when the hold
in the salvaging silence
is the anchorage
and gives protection
in the deep ground.

Iguaçu, Brasil 2008

The last day in Munich, the next to last day of our journey, was a dive back into the “outer world”, in different regards: After 12 stages of the journey and 20 visits at houses of friends from our spiritual movement, we stayed for the 21st visit with friends of the family of my wife. They were warm-hearted doctors, but living in a quite different world. So we didn’t speak about our background or our journey, but about different general topics. We slept and meditated in the basement, surrounded by used books, toy railways and other artefacts of memories, in a stagnant energy. It reminded me of the souls stuck in matter, suffocating and somehow crying for the light of the spirit. At the second day I also had a lively talk with the daughter of our friends, who is working at a video art installation place in an underpass in the center of Munich.

Toy train in a show case

During the day we enjoyed strolling through the center of Munich, where we were astonished about the many Muslim women walking around through the hot summer streets in black robes, with covered heads, wearing gold chains and rings. Later our friends told us that each year in August there is an “invasion” of people from the Arab world coming for shopping and holidays to Munich, enjoying the leisurely and safe atmosphere of the city.

We, too, enjoyed it, looking into some shops, having lunch and tea time there and doing a bit of sightseeing.

A fountain at the Marienplatz in the center of Munich: Fighting with serpents and dragons – or integrating the dark with the lightful side of life.

Aquarian plays: children enjoying a fountain in the center of Munich

On our way back to Switzerland we reflected on our tour: It has been the most intense summer holidays we ever had, filled with so many impressions and exchanges, observations and insights. We meditated together with many different groups, where all were following the same spiritual line as we do, but where the individual expressions were quiet varied. We had exchanged about the lightful and the darker sides of life, about crises and transformations, about aspiration and commitment to the path. We experienced many individual worlds from close in a very short time. We were richly showered with presents of warmth and openness and felt very grateful for this.