Children’s Summer Programs at Ancient Oaks Homa Farm Satsang July/August 2016 | Volume 44 #3 | New Era 73

Children’s Summer Programs at Ancient Oaks Homa Farm

Maria Broom

Children, children, children, and young people! From the time the Baltimore Homa Community began to envision our Homa farm, we could always see children there playing, singing, dancing, drumming, hiking, bringing their happy, excited energy and blessing us with just their presence. Well, after two and a half years, our Ancient Oaks Homa Farm in Westminster, Maryland was able to welcome almost 300 children and youthful counselors from the heart of Baltimore city… from five different summer programs, on five separate field trips.

Welcome circle Maria
Maria Broom, left, welcomes the Freedom School from William Pinderhughes Elementary/Middle School.

 

Hike
Nature Hike into the woods.
Cows
Ryan Couto, center, introduces the students to the farm’s Scottish Highlander cows, Savannah, Aurora and Acorn.
AtFarm2
Students and staff meet the farm’s African Grey parrots, Mani and Lamo.
Blessed to receive a generous grant, BHC was able to provide tasty vegetarian lunches for everyone and secure wonderful facilitators who led drum circles, taught Yoga and dance, guided hikes around the farm into the woods and introduced the concept of mindfulness.
Bonnie yoga
Hatha Yoga in the Peace Garden with Bonnie Maltby, co-author of Yoga and Meditation for Children.
Patricia storytelling
Homa fire, storytelling and singing bowls in the backyard with Ancient Oaks resident Patricia Norton.
Maria Homa fire
Quiet time with Miss Maria and Homa fire.
Maria dancing
Students dancing in the community studio with Miss Maria. They all want to come back!
A conversation between Ancient Oaks resident Taylor Logsdon and a visiting child underscores the need for these programs:
“One little girl, about ten years old, asked me, ‘Do you live here?’
‘Yes.’
‘By yourself?’
‘No, with several other people.’
‘Aren’t you scared?’
‘Of what?’
‘What if someone comes and shoots up the place?’
‘Why would they do that?’
‘It happens all the time.'”
For one day, children who grow up and play in city streets, wary of cars and violence, got to run, to play, explore nature and experience a calming Homa atmosphere. One child said, “Everything here was FUN!”
Blue shirts group
Freedom Schools students and staff chant their ‘hello’ and their ‘goodbye’ in the community studio.
Goodbye
Time to say goodbye and head back into the city–thoroughly refreshed!
One of the counsellors commented that the best behaviour he’d ever seen from his group was when they were on the farm.
The feedback from attending adults assured us that the children were happy and relaxed, and they plan to include us in their regular summer schedules.  We’re grateful. Happy. Always Idam Na Mama. [Idam Na Mama basically means, “Not my will, but Thy Will be done.”]

Agnihotra Radio Show

Ed.

It was a wonderful privilege to be interviewed by  Lisa Wolf of UTOPIAN REALITIES S.L.O.P.E. EARTH AID on the radio show AGNIHOTRA: THE SACRED FIRE FOR JOY AND HEALING THE PLANET. The program aired on Sunday, July 3rd from 5-7 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time.

A wide range of topics was discussed, from Agnihotra basics to details and fine points of performance, Agnihotra’s varied applications in healing the environment, its uses in personal healing, and its effects on relieving mental stress.

If you’d like to learn more about Agnihotra, the show can be accessed at the following archive site:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/wbnslope/2016/07/03/lisa-powers-on-agnihotra-the-sacred-fire-for-joy–healing-the-planet

Heartfelt thanks to Lisa Wolf for presenting this program.

Agnihotra in Togo

Marco Brutschin

Komla, a farmer from Togo, with his friend Marco Brutschin.

My farmer friend Komla from Togo told me that after starting with Agnihotra, despite the current drought, it rained heavily on his farm, but not in the surrounding areas.

It has also helped him greatly with his health. I asked him to write something about his experiences with Agnihotra and here are excerpts from his letter:

“In 2011, we started working on this place where the farm is now. The soil is very poor.

“We bought it because we could not find a better place next to a river. Practicing and applying all our knowledge of organic agriculture, we have always tried to improve this dead soil.

“When Marco Brutschin (from Germany) came in January this year, he gave us training in biodynamic agriculture and taught us the technique of Agnihotra.

On the farm “Gavisa”

“He said that Agnihotra could help revitalize the soil, among many other things. As I am a seeker, I have taken the teachings of Marcus seriously. With the arrival of the first rains in March, I have seen an unusual phenomenon:

“There were some small spots of insects throughout the farm. I have consulted other farmers, since I did not know what that was. One of them told me that these insects are found only in the very fertile soil of mountains or forests and he said that it seemed curious to see them in such infertile land.

“In five years it is the first time I see them around here and I think the Homa fires have played an important role in their appearance.

“The practice of Agnihotra also helped me with another problem. Since 2014 I have often dreamed about my own death. As I’ve had premonitory dreams many times, this began to disturb me psychologically.

“Before leaving Togo, Marco did Agnihotra on our farm, followed by a meditation. He left us all the materials to continue this practice.

“I started doing Agnihotra and meditation in the mornings and evenings, but not every day.
And in less than one week, I noticed that I had no further such disturbing and bad dreams. And this continues till today.”

From the Orion Transmissions

received by Parvati Rosen-Bizberg
Wysoka, Poland

June 13, 2016 On Carrying the Spark of Light

Yes, yes. In the world there are senseless crimes against humanity, but not only humanity—also, senseless injustice toward the animal kingdom, and the beleaguered environment. There can be no more cries from the hungry, those in pain, those alone and suffering, in every corner of this tumultuous, troubled world.

Those of you who have seen and experienced Light, Truth and Love that surpass understanding, can and must carry that spark of Light to all human beings, high and low, around the globe.

Cease the fretting and unnecessary woes, curb your worrying tendencies and strengthen yourselves in unity. Move as one force through the darkness that surrounds this world.

Chant. Pray. Sing. Write.

If you think you can isolate and achieve this purpose, you will find yourselves feeling something is amiss.

It is not time for isolation, nor time to insulate yourselves, even within your tribes or even within your family units. It is time to make full use of all your creative gifts to spread the Light.

Many will speak words of inspiration, which will awaken others through the power of the word of TRUTH.

Others will inspire and awaken via the majestic power of MUSIC.

Still others, with ART.

There are many avenues, like streets paved with gold, all of which lead Home.

Choose your path wisely. Hold true to those tenets you learned along the way. Speak out.

Dance. Sing. Paint. Build. Create.

Blessings abound.

Build and fortify your faith.

Walk in Light.

OM TAT SAT.

For further information:
www.oriontransmissions.com

Healing with Homa Therapy

Lita Lopez Fernandez
Comas, North Lima, Peru, South America

I am 17 years old. For one year I suffered with stomach pain. After every meal, my stomach started to hurt and I was afraid to eat. I often did not eat so I would have no pain. When I went to a doctor, he prescribed me pills and all that, but it did not help.Then I visited my aunt who knows about Homa. My aunt practices Agnihotra and I asked her to please include me in this because of my stomach pain. I started using the Agnihotra ash and that same day, when I ate the food, it no longer hurt. I thought, Wow, this works! Since then, I’m fine and I feel no pain, and that makes me very happy.
Benigno Antonio Izquierdo Montalván
Bagua Grande, Amazonas, Peru, South America
Mr. Benigno Izquierdo and his daughter Luisa practicing Agnihotra in the auditorium of the City Hall of Bagua Grande.

I am 78 years of age. I have been suffering from diabetes since a long time and for five years from arthritic and rheumatic pain in my knees. I also have an obstructed prostate and I was about to have surgery.

My son Lucho (Mayor of Bagua Grande) invited me to participate in Homa Therapy in the city hall and since then I have not stopped coming, except when I travel for a few days. Now, I can climb the stairs and walk very well.

Before, I had to hang on to the railing in order to be able to climb up the stairs. Now, my prostate is also much better. Before, I got up three or four times at night. Now, I get up only once. In addition, Homa Therapy helps me to control the diabetes. I am doing Agnihotra and taking its ash.

My temperament has improved almost 100%. I am now very peaceful.

From Shree Vasant’s Teachings

On Discomfort
Remember, we are here to serve. Never mind if you are experiencing discomfort. If you focus on your discomfort you will not see the discomfort of others. Certainly this does not mean that you do not care for yourself.

Take care. Eat properly. Rest properly. Do all meditations, AGNIHOTRA and your work. That is all you can do. Feelings of discomfort will pass. See that you resist old habits, then discomfort will also go away.

On Patience
Try to become more patient, more tolerant of others. Go out of your way to express positive things to people. You are here to serve, only to serve. How can I serve? If you want to ask anything, ask this of HIM only.

You are here to serve whether you feel sick or well, high or low. In everyday life there will always be ups and downs, life’s difficulties, tiredness, etc. As you rise higher you rise above such things. If you feel them now do not become attached to them.

Stay Focused on the Positive
If you have difficult days, so what? We have to stay focused and positive even during the difficult times. Do your disciplines, meditation timings. Do HOMA fires. Then automatically everything falls into place which is conducive to your development.

Only reason why mistakes are made is people are not maintaining proper disciplines. They are not incapable of proper decision-making.

Fivefold Path
We say we want freedom. What do we mean by that word freedom? How can we really be free when we are bound by the chains of desire? We must break that cycle. Ordinarily it is a difficult task.

If we use the modus operandi stated in the science of YAJNYA (the science of HOMA) , the science of atmospheric purification through the agency of fire, the need for our efforts is reduced, the pain is less. Atmosphere, PRANA and mind are connected. You use the technique of Agnihotra which is copper pyramid fire tuned to the biorhythm of sunrise/sunset and immediately the stress on mind is reduced, the thinking becomes clear and automatically we become more aware that it is always, “reap as you sow,” and we tend to do the right action.

Then the next step is to practice DAAN, i.e., sharing your material possessions in a spirit of humility. This reduces further burden from the mind and the pull of desires and hankerings are reduced. Thus the way becomes clear for Grace to unfold.

Then comes TAPA (self-discipline), KARMA (right action without attachment to the fruit thereof) and SWADHYAYA (self-study.) This is the Fivefold Path. Our path is clear and simple even for a child to follow.

On Desire
Desire is mind energy in action. Mind energy can be made to turn in any direction we choose with a little training. When desire sticks to sensory pleasures you get momentary pleasure but it is followed by much turbulence.

Let us get out of the habit of extracting pleasure through sensory apparatus of the body. Desire which is turned on to material objects acts as an instrument to reduce the capacity of the intellect to choose between right and wrong action. Soiled intellect pushes man to perform evil Karma for gratification of his desire by any means. The person thus makes a laughingstock of himself.

On Self-importance
It is just as harmful to think that you are a bad person as it is to think that you are a great person. Where is the question of self-importance? Be humble. Think less on yourself and more on others. Then you are always taken care of. Always think of the next person, never of yourself. HE will take care of you. You need not worry.

Only, “How can I serve? How can I further help?” Further beyond that comes the realization that “I” is not responsible, that all Light that is given through you is coming through you, not from you. “Thy will be done.”

 

Fivefold Path for Happy Living

  1. Yajnya
    HOMA Therapy is the science of purification of the atmosphere through the agency of FIRE. AGNIHOTRA HOMA (YAJNYA) is the basic HOMA. It is tuned to the biorhythm of sunrise/sunset and gives nutrients to the plant kingdom, removes diseases in a certain area and removes tension on the mind. This is the basic process in the science of medicine, agriculture, climate engineering and interplanetary communication.
  2. Daan
    Sharing of your assets in a spirit of humility. This corrects imbalance in financial matters and creates non-attachment to worldly possessions.
  3. Tapa
    Discipline of body and mind. This is conducive to a change in attitudes of mind and body. It results in a harmonious state of mind.
  4. Karma
    “You reap as you sow.” Always practicing good Karma (actions) diminishes the burden of negative Karma and one begins to invest in his own future. This means that what you do today will bring its fruits. Sowing seeds of love and kindness will bless my garden with plenty of love. Do Karma for self purification.
  5. Swadhyaya
    Practice Swadhyaya (Self-study) for liberation. Who am I? Why am I here? My work on this planet is to learn to react with total LOVE with each opportunity given to me.

This is the Fivefold Path for happy living on the planet. By practicing the Fivefold Path you become better members of your society, group, religion, community, etc.

 

Publisher: Fivefold Path Inc.
Parama Dham (House of Almighty Father), 278 N. White Oak Dr., Madison, VA 22727 USA
Editor: Lisa Powers
Published seven times yearly.
Please direct all Satsang correspondence to the Editor.
Opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of Satsang.
ISSN 0735-1321