ARUNACHALA MOUNTAIN
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Girivalam and Darshan with a Saint
Girivalam, or Giri Pradakshina, involves walking clockwise around sacred Arunachala Mountain. This 14-kilometer, barefoot walk is a holy rite that should be performed with devotion, humility, and a focus on self-purification. Pilgrims make several stops at eight important shrines along the way. Since Arunachala Mountain is the physical manifestation of Lord Shiva, a reverent stroll…
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Heart of the Mountain
On the second day things started feeling different on Arunachala Mountain. In fact, the whole town of Tiruvannamalai took some time for me to adjust to. Up until now — except for in the Karnataka region of ancient temples and a few days in Rishikesh — I had seen very few Westerners. I never felt…
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The Temple of Silence
We live in such a noisy world that most have lost touch with the wisdom of silence, yet it is in the temple of silence where we will find the answers to our deepest questions. In Santa Barbara I followed Yogananda’s advice and created a “Himalayan cave” in my bedroom closet (fortunately, it was big:).…
Divine Warrior 