January 2004
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SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
Bookings are now open for MARCH 2004 residential retreat in MAUI, HAWAII with Wayne (Ram Tzu) Liquorman (March 28-April 4). Bookings will CLOSE on January 15, 2004. If you wish to attend you must make your reservation before January 15.
More information is available at: http://advaita.org/aftalks.html#Maui or call Donna at the Fellowship office. 310-376-9636
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MESSAGE FROM WAYNE
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Hello my loves,
This New Year opens before me like a garden gate and invites me to peer in for a glimpse of what is inside. Filled with plans and imaginings the year ahead beckons. So many invitations from wonderful people all over the world to come and spend some time and talk about this Advaita and to sit quietly in the Silence of What Is...impossible to accept them all but how amazing to be the vessel for such an outpouring of Love and generosity.
Being grounded in the moment is sometimes misunderstood to mean never thinking about the future...but this is, of course, ridiculous. The ability to plan and to consider future outcomes is essential to a rich human life. The sage is capable of making plans but he does not LIVE in the projected results of his plans. Therefore there is no projected fear of what will become of ME if a particular result occurs and in the absence of the projected fear the planning is practical and immediate. Thus it is possible for the sage to both live in the moment and plan for the future.
I am busy now, working on a new book and preparing to visit Ramesh in a few weeks. I feel so blessed to be able to spend the time with him. Visiting one's guru is about the only thing I can think of that beats sex and chocolate.
For those of you I will be seeing in the next few weeks, either here in Hermosa Beach or in Amsterdam, Bombay or London, I will be able to wish you a happy and contented New Year in person. For the rest of you who are reading this, please know that I am delighted to be connected with you through whatever means and I hope that the year 2004 brings you the Peace that surpasses all understanding.
With much love,
Wayne
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UPCOMING EVENTS
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WITH RAMESH BALSEKAR
Daily Talks in His Home: 9AM Sindhula, N. Gamadia Rd. #10, Bombay, India (Helpful info for people planning to visit Ramesh can be found in the Ramesh Balsekar section of the advaita.org website)
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EVENTS WITH WAYNE LIQUORMAN
Amsterdam Talks............................Jan. 23-25, 2004 Contact Ronald 31-020-646-2160 Email: ronald.valk@wanadoo.nl
London Talks......................................Feb. 6-8, 2004 Conact Alan or Jane 020-7328-6610 Email: alanadamsjacobs@yahoo.co.uk
Ross, CA Talks.................................Feb. 27-29, 2004 Contact: Joanne Phone: 415-457-6686 Email: jfm1@comcast.net
Maui, Hawaii Retreat.........March 28-Apr. 4 Contact Donna Phone 310-376-9636 Email: fellowship@advaita.org
Talks in Wayne's Home
927B Sixth St., Hermosa Beach, CA (check website for times or call 310-376-9636)
These talks will be broadcast LIVE over the Internet. Live broadcasts can be accessed free from the advaita.org website.
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THE ADVAITA PRESS STORE
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NEW BOOKS------------
The Happening of a Guru....A biography of Ramesh S. Balsekar
If you love Ramesh, this book will be one of your most cherished volumes.
It is a magnificently produced hardbound presentation of Ramesh's life in photos (many of them color) and text. In addition to the fascinating historical look at the man and his family, the reader is treated to a recent piece by Ramesh entitled How Do I Live My Life? in which he describes in simple yet exquisite detail the daily experience of the Sage.
This is truly a book not to be missed.
Hardbound, 98 pages, numerous color and b/w photos $25
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Fingers Pointing Towards The Moon
by Wei Wu Wei
This lovely book subtitled Reflections of a Pilgrim on the Way was the first in the series of brilliant non-dual writings of the Irish aristocrat with the pen name, Wei Wu Wei.
This latest edition is graced with a Foreword by Ramesh S. Balsekar who credits WWW with being one of his earliest influences.
Softcover, 160 pages $17.00
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Confusion No More by Ramesh S. Balsekar
This new book contains extracts from three of Ramesh's previous books...
Who Cares?, The Infamous Ego and Sin and Guilt along with an Introduction
and Conclusion newly written by Ramesh. It also contains two nice black and
white photos of Ramesh.
The book centers around two questions:
What exactly is self-realization? and How does a self-realized being live
his daily life?
In addressing these questions, Ramesh gives the reader an insight into the
True Nature of the sage.
Softcover, 256pages, photos, printed and bound in India $16
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NEW ON DVD...
A Morning in the Heart of Advaita DVD
Conversations with Ramesh S. Balsekar
This DVD beautifully captures the feel of a typical morning Talk at Ramesh's flat in Bombay. Recorded in the late 1990's, all the elements of the Teaching are presented with a special emphasis on addictions and the nature of the Sage.
Highly recommended. It is available in both NTSC and PAL video standards.
Running time: 107 minutes $24.00
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Click here http://advaita.org/store/index.htm or go to the www.advaita.org website, click on Advaita Press Store and then Latest Releases and you will find this item as well as a new video about Ramana Maharshi, another video about Nisargadatta Maharaj as well as a new Maharaj pictorial book and DVD's of both Wayne and Ramesh.
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WEBMASTER NEEDED
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The Fellowship is looking for a new webmaster to maintain and update the Fellowship's website and to reply to emails from people having connection and other web related problems. If you have computer skills and would like to volunteer a little of your time for this project, please email Donna at: fellowship@advaita.org
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WE WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR FEEDBACK
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If you have not yet done so, will you take a few minutes to let us know what you think of the website and the newsletter. It is a very simple process. Click on the link below and answer the ten questions you find there. Your responses are annonymous.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=23317286223
That's all there is to it. Thanks!!
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BECOME A MEMBER
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If you have not yet joined the Advaita Fellowship but would like to become a member... click on the link
http://216.86.195.102/members/register.asp
or visit the advaita.org website and click on BECOME A MEMBER
Members, via their TAX DEDUCTIBLE monthly donations, help to make the Fellowship financially viable and ensure the continued free presentations of the Teaching via the web site, webcasts, newsletters and free Talks in Wayne's home.
In thanks to the members for their support they receive unlimited access to the Fellowships online video archives. These archives contain hundreds of streaming videos of Ramesh and Wayne. New ones are being added constantly.
This month new videos have been added of Wayne's Talks from his home as well as videos by Ramesh in Kovalam.
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A LIVING GEM FROM RAMESH (previously unpublished)
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First keep the peace within yourself; then you can also bring peace to others.
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POEM
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I come to you, my love,
with the fury of a bull ready to fight,
I approach you as a lascivious lover
lost in pleasure,
I bow to you like an old monk
devoted to his Lord,
with the terror of a prisoner
sentenced to death,
with the joy of the first kiss,
with the attachment of a young mother.
The fire, the ice, the forbidden rapture,
the suffering of the exiled.
To you I come with that subtle love
that heals and welcomes
and whispers discreet
smiling from far away
and knowing that He, alone,
is the king of everything.
silvia