Pujas still going strong

That Super Holy Strawberry Preserves cold tea jar is starting to look tempting by 11.15pm. The nap is 2 hours now and still going strong.

The red forehead dot really helps

On the third eye it shows Class A Power Meditator Extraordinaire.

Me trying to get to that Bliss state

Note intense concentration and calm smile and peaceful expression after all the chanting.

The wee puja man priest

Tonight he is on fire leading the way with loads of supercharged mantras.


-- Posted from my iPhone

Sunrise on Paradise Island

For me this is G-ds paintbrush at work. Shot whilst I should have been meditating again.

Earlier shot of Bradley in deep sunrise meditation

You see what I mean, he is very convincing indeed and an inspiration to those of us who find it a little tougher to switch out the world. I sneaked this iPhone photo of him when I myself was supposed to be meditating as the sun came up.

Bradley's Ginger and Chai strawberry preserves super holy divinly charged tea jar

He writes mantras all over it such as Ave Maria , Shalom, Jesus Das,halleluyah Yeshua( what does that mean). The question of the night is whether he will ever come back for it or a certain princess will need to deliver it. You see the excitement that goes on at an ashram who needs the superbowl, I say. Ps that tea is stone cold by now. When he told me he normally goes to sleep by 7.30pm it served as a good indicator that our romantic reunion would not be gaining much steam ce soir.

Before his nap

You know I noticed all through meditation and chanting which started the celebrations off, good old Bradley had his eyes closed in deep meditation. I thought to myself wow he is really good at concentrating. All this going on and he doesn't even stir an inch or open his eyes for a second, I guess you become a "power meditator" after 5 months here of meditating over an hour a day.

Now I realize he was actually having a jolly good sleep whilst posing as a champion meditator. This sleeping sitting up art sure is something.

Everyone asked when I arrived if I was here for Sivaratri

"Actually here to visit the lovely chappie I met at New Years, Mr Bradley, but delighted to join these two fabulous happenings together. Meanwhile Bradley already took off for a nap in his tent by his special Jesus altar of sea shells and sea flowers, promising to be back very soon as well this goes on all night and yes no sign of him. What are the chances he comes back to pick up his Chai and Ginger tea jar and white blanket before tomorrow , how about zero to none methinks. Ah well back to Siva songs.....

Everyone sings together and the energy rises higher and higher

The objective is to get into a trance of bliss I think that is why it lasts all night as some people take longer to get to the "ananda/ bliss" state of the others. Meditation is all about concentration according to our Swami Vishnu and New York princesses like moi get very easily distracted - all these pineapples,my favorite fruit, looking at other folks to see if they are blissed out and then wondering why I feel exactly the same or when I will get there, blogging in the temple instead of chanting, all those things probably slow enlightenment down a tad.

This night celebrates the divine union of Siva with his divine goddess

For Valentines Day weekend, love is in the air for all, the little ones like you and I and the Holy Great Gods. I always thought she looks the double of my friend Tati in New York.
I had two hours sleep due to the early flight and may not last all night but let's see if the SP energy can muster up for this special celebration.

Everyone in the temple has a chance for a puja

Even I did it and now am feeling suitably elevated and so inspired I had to post it right away. Namah Sivah Namah Sivah Namaho, sung 100 times or more the vibrations of the mantra put you into a blissful trance and you loose all thoughts of space and time as you are swallowed up by the beautiful singing.

Tonight I am singing Shiva songs all night for the auspicious festival Sivaratri

From snowy East Village to the Bahamas Sivananda Ashram just in time for the most holy Siva party. Tonight all night Siva is honored with songs, offerings of milk on the sacred Lingum( don't ask, it is a tantra custom) and we all bow down to him and have puja ceremonies.

He sits with his eyes half closed in meditation , his loyal snake entwined around his neck, enjoying the pineapples and flowers adorning and surrounding him.

Vegas seen from the 24th floor

At dusk or at dawn, Vegas shimmers and glows with the potential of winning or loosing,the top restaurants to entice you, every top fashion brand to choose from, and hotels more outrageous in design than anywhere in the globe. Walking through Frank Gehry's new mall last night I had a feeling that I was back in T5 British Airways terminal in Heathrow. Fountains of water ripple over concrete slabs, design is a pure hotch potch and the hotels seem to embrace the Chinese New Year with huge pink lanterns hanging down from the ceilings. But the shops seem empty and one wonders how this excess can be sustained at this time. As you walk past the Bellagio, Elton John music rings out from loud speakers on the pavement in time with the fountain jets dancing show. I gasped it was spectacular. Romance, beauty and showtime glamor is something I never tire off and the air seems to carry you along on a wave of thrills and promises of something magical in store.....

No need to go Italy to see Michaelangelo's David

They moved it to the Atrium lobby in Caesar's Palace, very convenient indeed.

Have a lucky day!

There is no day no night just roulette tables in Caesar's Palace. I wasn't tempted but enjoyed the excitement.

Hail Caesar!

Mesa Grill one of about 39 restaurants here in Vegas

Yes I am having a lucky day.

Have a lucky day!

That's what the staff in Caesar's Palace say as they hang up the phone. I like that. I mean it doesn't have to be tied to the Wheel of Fortune, each day should be a lucky day as let's face it anyone reading the blog including the Doggie and Skelly Community and Readers is not buried for ten days under rubble in Haiti you got to think yourself lucky! I heard a story that one woman survived by drinking the blood of those who didn't make it and lasted a week on just that for sustenance, yup , I am pretty lucky. All I do is complain about lack of vegetarian options but really I should be grateful that there is plenty of things around that I choose not to eat.



-- Posted from my iPhone