“May the times of the autumn and spring equinoxes not be neglected. They are of immeasurable importance to the disciple of yoga/discipleship.”

Following this hint of Sri Kumar, we met again at autumn equinox in the WTT Paracelsus Centre to celebrate this cardinal point of the year in meditative orientation.

We wanted to meet at the mountain ridge near the Etzel pass but it was not so easy to get there for many roads in the area were blocked because of an “Iron Bike” festival around Einsiedeln.

Also the road at the top of the pass was blocked but somehow we managed to get to the fire place where we had already met the years before. The clouds looked grey but there was a majestic ambiance and a grand panorama view.

While we were singing the mantrams of the fire ritual, the flames rose and spread their magnetic radiation.

Afterwards we met at the Paracelsus-Center. As usual, we started with a little ritual and a short meditation. Afterwards, I spoke a bit about the importance of the eqinox celebration and the energies of Libra.

In the afternoon we made a walk along the Sihl River to Egg and returned via the other side of the river.

We greeted a group of cows on a meadow – it was cute to see a cow couple in exchange of affections.

Later in the afternoon, we read a little text about the spiritual importance of Libra and closed the meeting with the evening meditation. It was again a profound experience to meet and meditate at such a beautiful place.

In 1993, when Sri Kumar on a journey to Switzerland came to know that it was the 500th anniversary of Paracelsus (1493-1541), he did a hike with two friends to the birthplace of this great alchemist initiate. At this birthplace next to a bridge across the Sihl river (known as Teufelsbrücke, Devil’s Bridge) near Einsiedeln, he had the vision of an eagle, symbol of an initiate and that it is a very sacred place.

During the May Call celebration 1999 on Mount Rigi he did an excursion with the entire group to this place and proposed that it would be good to have a centre there to enable being in the presence of the energies of Paracelsus.

Some group members picked up the proposal and within two weeks they had rented a small apartment in the house at the site of the birthplace. In June, we visited the rooms and planted some trees on the meadow near the house (which a bit later goats used for their meal….). And then we furnished the apartment.

In December 1999 around the birthday of Paracelsus, Sri Kumar gave a seminar on Paracelsus in Einsiedeln and the entire group came for the inauguration of the Paracelsus Centre. And with Sri Kumar as editor-in-chief, an international team started to publish the “Paracelsus Health and Healing” magazine from 2003 on.

In the beginning, we did regular weekly meetings at the Paracelsus Centre to study the teachings of Paracelsus and other wisdom teachings. It was a lot of travelling, and about 10 years later, the frequency of these meetings got less. Since 2014, we have been meeting there during equinoxes and solstices. And also the team of the Paracelsus magazine does an annual retreat at this beautiful serene place.

On summer equinox morning, we met on the nearby mountain ridge for a fire ritual and later celebrated this cardinal point of the year in the Paracelsus centre – with meditations, little rituals, study of the importance of summer solstice, cooking and eating together as well as a walk to experience the solstice energy. At summer solstice, there is a subtle change of energies in nature and in us – witnessing it is a good preparation for the transformations it brings.

Around the house at the birthplace of Paracelsus, there had been some changes: the Cultural Heritage and Historic Monuments office has recently renovated the place with the Paracelsus memorial plate and some civil service workers had built a new fountain at the roadside. Hikers now stop there to drink some fresh water.

In the early morning hours of 18 February 3102 BC, Lord Krishna dropped his physical body in a forest near Dwaraka at the west coast of India. His departure happened after a bloody massacre where all men of the Yadu clan had killed each other. It was the end of an incredible incarnation and a turning point of human history. This moment is seen as the beginning of the present dark age, of Kali Yuga.

The date is given in the prefaces of the books “Music of the Soul” and “Man Sacrifice” of Dr. Ekkirala Krishnamacharya (Master EK) and, with some more details, in the biography of Sripada Srivallabha. There it says:

“The demise of Sri Krishna took place during 3102 B.C., 18th day of February, during the night at 02 hours 27 minutes and 30 seconds. It happened in the year named Pramadi, in the month of Chaitra, Padyami of the first fortnight of the lunar month, Friday, and Ashwini star; Kali entered after the niryana of Sri Krishna.”

Sri Kumar (Master KPK) explained in 2014:
“The Kali Yuga is said to have begun in 3102 BC and most of you know the period of this Yuga as 432000 years. We have Dwapara, Treta and Kruta yugas as twice, thrice and 4 times the period of Kali Yuga. All the 4 Yugas added together is called Maha Yuga and 1000 such Maha yugas form 1 manvantara and 14 such manvantaras form one day of Brahma, 360 such days of Brahma form 1 year and 100 such years is the life time of Brahma.”

If you are interested in more details, please read the related chapter in “Man Sacrifice” – how Krishna instructed Lord Maitreya before his departure and what happened afterwards.

Ritualistic work is the conscious following of a rhythm, aligning with the rhythm of nature. An important annual rhythm are the cardinal points of the year, the equinoxes and the solstices.

At spring equinox – 24 March 2018 – we met at the Paracelsus centre, like in previous years, to celebrate the beginning of the new annual cycle, the entrance of the sun into Aries. Outside, it looked still like winter; it was cold, snow and fog were covering the nearby meadows and hills. But the air was filled with the dynamic impulse of the transition which was taking place in nature. And we created spring ambiance with some primroses, candles and colourful fruit. It is always like magic when a little altar is set up – beauty and the geometry of the arrangement manifest a subtle magnetism uplifting the surrounding.

Our little group of seven members tuned up to the energies of spring equinox by lighting candles, singing mantrams and reciting the Equinox Prayers. Afterwards, I read and commented on the message of Sri Kumar for the New Year (contained in the Aries Vaisakh News Letter). In the South Indian cycle of 60 years it is called Vilambhi, meaning slow down – to clear hindrances and to lay the foundation for a deeper, sustained growth.

After lunch, we made a little walk along the nearby pathway which is part of the European pilgrimage network leading to Santiago de Compostela in north-western Spain. Later we had a vivid exchange about principles of yoga and how we apply them in daily life. After the evening meditation we set out for our journeys home.

Like in previous years, we met again at the Paracelsus centre to celebrate autumn equinox. The four festivals of equinoxes and the solstices form the great cardinal cross of the year. They are points of transition in the movement of energies which you can clearly feel if you align to them in a contemplative attitude. They are like portals in time which allow you to move inward more easily. The equinoxes are times of balance and represent the yogic consciousness.

Interestingly, the International Day of Peace (Peace Day) is held annually at Libra equinox on September 21st. Established in 1981 by unanimous United Nations resolution, the Peace Day now reaches hundreds of millions of people to commit to Peace above all differences and to contribute to building a Culture of Peace.

Although we were just a small group, we aligned with all groups celebrating the equinox and the spirit of peace all around the globe. Here are some impressions of our celebration.

The Paracelsus Centre in the valley at the Devils Bridge near the Etzel Pass

Benjamin, a good friend of mine from Munich, has built an app which shows daily astro-events as a calendar. He calls it smoon and makes it available for free:

The new app is launched today, at Virgo full moon. smoon stands for “sun and moon”. It runs on smartphones and tablets with iOS or Android, in English German or Spanish, in a few days also in French, later will come Portuguese.

At a glance you can see moon phases, constellations, sunrise and sunset, day and quarter rulers; short keywords indicate the specific quality of time. All calculations are done for your local position and time zone – everywhere in the world.

For installation on iOS download “smoon” in the AppStore, on Android search for “smoon” in the PlayStore.

The app is a practical tool for working with the daily constellations, for meditation or interpretation. It might help you to have the energies of the time in mind.

Sunday, 20 August at 10:40 pm (CEST, Central European Daylight Saving Time, UT + 2) the phase of the 2nd Leo New Moon will start; the exact new moon time will be Monday, 08:30 pm CEST). Since the Sun is near the north node, which is moving through Leo, there is a solar eclipse at the same time, which will be seen in North and Central America and part of South America. The subtle effects of the eclipse will also be felt in other parts of the globe, although not so strong. During the eclipse time there is also a perfect trine between the Sun in Leo and Uranus in Aries, intensifying the energy. Such an eclipse in Leo only happens every 18.5 years and is a karmic cycle.

You find here an extract of the book of Sri K. Parvathi Kumar on “Sound – The Key and its Application” about the Utilization of the Solar and Lunar Eclipses”.
January 2010, there was a solar eclipse during the seminar in India, where he spoke in detail about the effect of an eclipse and the related preparation. Please Eclipses.

Photo by Gustavo Cattivelli, eclipse September 2007

UTILIZATION OF THE SOLAR AND LUNAR ECLIPSES
An opportunity like a solar eclipse or a lunar eclipse can be favourably utilized to get the seed sounds initiated in us. The Eclipse time is found favourable to stimulate the seed sounds in us. Also the New Moon time is very favourable for such activities, but the eclipse is a greater opportunity.

We must learn how to live with an eclipse. Because we are eclipsed we are not able to make use of the Eclipse happening in the system. We should make use of the eclipse happening in the system instead of getting eclipsed.

1) There are certain fundamentals relating to how to behave with an eclipse. This morning we have experienced an eclipse, and it was very deeply experienced. It requires a preparation.

You should get ready, purifying your body before the eclipse happens; that means, take a shower and keep the body pure, keep the mind calm and do not engage in speeches and maintain a quiet attitude and tranquillity as the hour of the eclipse approaches.

2) At the beginning of the eclipse you can start meditating upon sounds which are interior or a mantra given to you, or keep chanting OM inside in the Heart Centre.

3) You should not have a heavy Stomach when there is an eclipse; it will have an impact on your Solar Plexus.

4) You must make sure that the bowels are cleared and the stomach is not heavy with food. Then engage with the sound OM throughout the time of the eclipse.

5) Make sure that you don’t have any activity in the outer world during the time of the eclipse, so that you can tune up to it.

6) Till the eclipse is over do not think of any intake, do not think of any speeches, do not think of any actions. Make a total tuning up with the eclipse and practise the sound with which you are familiar.

You realize the best effects of the sound during that time. Same is the situation when we are entering into the New Moon, and same is the situation whenever we are ending up a cycle and beginning a new one. It can be a lunar cycle or a solar cycle. It can be the Full moon time, 11th ascending and descending moon phases, 8th ascending and descending moon phases, equinox days, solstices. All these days are propitious to practice sound. Likewise daily, the dawn, the dusk, the noon and the midnight hours are favourable times to practice sound. Initiates make good use of these aspects of time.

When initiates utter, they utter that which is to be. This is because they are responsible in their utterances. Because they are responsible they utter only that which is to be and by proper utterance only they always maintain the magnetism in them. They are fully aware that if they make an irresponsible utterance they get demagnetized. To them, utterance is much more valuable than the most valuable currency on the planet.

They do not care for the value of money, but they do at all times care for their utterance, because their utterance is capable of manifesting. They are able to bring things from the state of imperceptibility to the state of perceptibility through utterance.

We are also uttering from imperceptible to perceptible layers, but we are not responsible in uttering and hence our utterances may come true or may not come true. An utterance of an average human being creates more confusion than construction. An utterance of an overcritical person always creates negative manifestations.

K. Parvathi Kumar: “Sound – The Key and its Application“

Master EK was born during the evening hours of 11 August 1926 in Bapatla, Andhra Pradesh, India, and Madame Blavatsky (HPB) was born during the morning hours of 12 August 1831. There is just a difference of 12 hours between their birthdays. So we celebrate both birthdays together and recollect them on this occasion.

Below you find some extracts from Master Kumar’s discourse on 11 August 2016 at Radhamadhavam, Visakhapatnam, India about qualities of Master EK, followed by a photo of Master EK and a painting of HPB. (See here the fascinating biography of Master EK.)

“Master EK was born on 11th August, 1926, Wednesday, 5:30 PM in a town called Bapatla. Master EK himself has given us the tradition to celebrate birthdays as per the solar calendar and that is why we follow the dates. Master CVV, Master EK and Master MN were all born in the same month (Sravana – Leo) as per the solar calendar. Madam HPB was also born in this month during the early hours of 12th August. As per Indian Time, there is a difference of 12 hours between the births of Master EK and Madam HPB. Madam HPB was born 96 years before Master EK and we have the tradition of celebrations both their birthdays together. So we try to recollect both of them on this occasion.

Both of them were great souls and they come from the same Hierarchy and both of them were entrusted with the work of handing over grand wisdom to the humanity in two consecutive centuries. They are self-luminous ones. The light inside them permeates into the surroundings.

As his followers, we too should try to follow what he demonstrated to us. Then we too can become self-luminous like him. Without following the path, if we just talk about a Master, nothing will happen. Master EK said in his 50th birthday message “I have not come to be worshipped by the crazy followers as their God.” The problem with us is we talk a lot but do little.

Master EK said “Those who follow the path I follow are with me. The others who just remain around me will just remain there.” He only cared for the work one does and not whether one is with him or not.

We used to feel very enlightened by his discourses but Master EK never had glamour on his discourses as well. He never asked anyone how the discourses are. I once asked him “Master! Why do you not ask us about how we feel about your discourses?” He replied “If you like, you will take the import. If you do not like, I do not bother about that.”

He never taught for fame. He never cared how were present for a discourse. The same was his view towards the books that he wrote. He never tried to promote them. He was only concerned of the work to happen through him. He never bothered of what people thought of his teachings or books.

Master EK used to give great importance to time. He used to say that any work is to be done when it is to be done. When someone is hungry, you feed him at that time, not at your convenience. The purpose of an act is lost when it is not done at the right time. When someone needs help urgently, help if you can. Don’t delay it until it is convenient for you.

He used to give away all the money that he had when someone was need. He never thought of repayment and never asked for the money again. That was the kind of renunciation he had towards worldly things. He was never interested in accumulating things.

He used to never live in the past or future. He only cared of the present and the work in hand. For him, life is to live in the present and remain in service of the needy. That way of life was highly joyful to him.

The only single instance where Master CVV himself appeared and initiated someone into his path was in the case of Master EK. Everyone else went to Master CVV to get initiated but the case of Master EK was unique. That is the speciality of Master EK. Master EK is the chosen disciple of Master CVV. It was possible because Master EK was so prepared to walk the path.

Master EK was even contacted by Master Koot Hoomi and then the reading of Secret Doctrine happened. He informs Master EK that he was chosen for a grand work and he with Master CVV. Master EK used to do prayers with Master MN for some days. There only he received the Occult Meditations that we follow now. Then he was contacted by Master Maruvu (Master Morya) and also some more Masters later. So all the Grand Masters came to Master EK. Master EK did not ask for it. He was just doing his work sincerely and everyone came to him.

Master EK used to take great care of people around him. He never discriminated among people. It was possible because he could see the Lord in all. He was ever in relation with the Lord.

He still remains accessible when one is in need. So his worship was not limited to prayer or ritual, it is an ever happening thing.

Master EK used to work as per the Divine Plan and he responded as per the situation. Serving others was his priority. He demonstrated various ways of service. It was all possible because of his Divine alignment at all times.

28 July is the 12th anniversary of the passing of my mother, 28 July 2005, 11.32h. I normally don’t post much about private things but I would like to make an exception and share with you some thoughts from the talk I gave at the church during the farewell ceremony. She still means a lot to me.

“When I think back in my life, to the very first traces of memory, my mother was already there. After all, it was she, or more precisely, father and mother, who gave us children the bodies. She has guided us into life, taught us the first things and coined our attitudes. Now she has passed on. Her departure touches deeply, provokes emotions, pictures, impressions and thoughts.

For me, a decisive imprint was her deep spirituality that characterized her life. This includes the feeling of being embedded into a larger whole, of being carried by it and of devoting one’s life to it. For Ursula, this meant wanting to give more than to receive. To give without expecting anything, in a silent, modest attitude. For her, giving meant not only to give us children food, to ensure a well functioning household. It meant being there with an inner presence, being interested in the others, taking part in what they were doing, and perceiving where others needed help. And thus, Ursula gave – with her visits to the sick, with her commitment in the church community, to people in her circle of acquaintances who needed help.

Ursula had a very big heart and she was always helpful, and often it was with inconspicuous things, seemingly self-evident things like ironing for the family, sewing on buttons or taking care of some errands for someone.

Ursula’s day began early, and I have probably inherited from her the tendency to get up early. When during my visits in the last few years I came out of the bathroom  she prepared already something in the kitchen before she sat down in her room for her “holy hour” from half past five to half past six, meditating, reading, writing down her thoughts. From out of this time of contemplation, she drew strength for the tasks of everyday life before she went into the daily routine.

For many years, as long as her powers permitted, she drove to the public swimming pool early in the morning to make her rounds immediately after the doors were opened. My father took over from her this early morning exercise and he also started his day by going to the swimming pool.

After breakfast and household duties, she went for errands, for visits to the hospital, to women’s congregations or devotions. The regular church visits to the Mass and to devotions were important rhythms and cornerstones of her life.

Ursula was a person of action and not of many words, but she took part in what was happening in the world. She clearly adressed injustices, particularly discriminations and discriminatory attitudes towards women. It was something that I especially observed and appreciated in her older years.

Ursula had her attitudes and principles, but she did not impose them onto others. She was able to accept other opinions and ways of life without condemning, and she could give people space. She was open to our inner search and our experiments with life, even if they were not hers. As if from the background, she supported the family and thus, gave home, a home for our father, for us children, even for the grand-children. The house had open doors for the people who came.

With her passing, we feel even more clearly what she had given us, and it fills me with gratitude. Although we will miss her, I know from Ursula that it is not her wish to see us sad. It is not without reason that the tombstone of her parents, where she is buried, carries the symbol of the risen Christ, and Ursula also lived with the firm knowledge of the immortality of the soul. May this knowledge keep us connected with her.

To conclude, I would like to draw a small picture of her with a short poem for Ursula:

Remained at one place and still walked far
Lived with one man and yet loved much
Remained loyal to one path and yet open other ways
Having given space for being together
Given food, ground and support
Looked for the sky, but not far from the earth
Inconspicuously silent and yet great
A light, a tower, a rock
A heart, a depth, a sea
Woman, mother, and also child
Simply just simple, simple and one”

Ursula Philips, 3.3.1926 – 28.07.2005

 

 

 

 

Summer solstice is one of the cardinal points of the year, where a change of the energies takes place. It is not just the moment where the Sun starts its Southern journey but an entry point for inner alignment to the soul – at summer solstice the Sun is located in our heart.

Last Wednesday we celebrated summer solstice at the Paracelsus centre of the WTT at the birth place of this great initiate near Einsiedeln, Switzerland. We started with a fire ritual on the crest near the pass road of Mount Etzel. It was a brilliant day and there was a grand panorama to all sides. When the fire rose we all experienced the enchanted atmosphere.

Afterwards we met at the Paracelsus centre for celebrating with a little light ritual, meditation, reading, exchanging and joint cooking. We all enjoyed the summer solstice celebration and we are looking forward for the next celebration around autumn equinox.