Adi Das hobby of photography is mythologized as a Divine Activity that deserves devotees help: yet another case of Adi Da usurping resources for his own personal benefit.
The following are fairly typical notes that are read to gatherings of devotees in Adidam on a frequent basis by senior members of the group. These particular notes reflect just one more instance where Adi Da has characterized his own personal interests into a Divine Mission and furthermore an Obligation of devotees to provide him with what he wants.
These notes are also a demonstration of how everything Adi Da is involved with is completely mythologized and turned into a Cosmic Event. Nothing is observed plainly for what it is, and that goes for everything from his art work to his demands for money to his demands for others to gratify him sexually.
These notes were originally posted on the Lightmind Daism website.
NOTES OF OCTOBER 19, 2001
Dear friends,
This week, Beloved Adi Da Samraj continued, as last week, devoting Himself to His Art Work for many hours every day, and continuing His strong Calling for devotees to incarnate the Mission, no matter what it takes. He also said repeatedly, "Where are the gifts?" As He pointed out recently, His Blessing Flows in response to the gifts of His devotees tangible gifts, gifts of service and practice altogether. Our gifts to Him personally and to His Work show Him the devotion He needs to feel in order to be able to sustain His Divine Ordeal of World-Blessing.
Beloved Adi Da's Photography Work
In the course of the last two months, there have been only four days when Beloved Adi Da has not engaged in His Artistic Work. Especially in the last few weeks, technical problems have frequently interfered with Beloved's Work, causing Him extreme frustration, and sometimes bringing His Work, temporarily, to a halt. The kinds of disturbances that would once have resulted in His stopping His Photography Work for a period of days or longer, no longer stop Him, because He cannot afford to stop. He is Committed to this Work, with an overwhelming force of Intention. He is dealing with and transforming extraordinary Forces through His Art Work, and everyone at Love's Point can feel that He cannot afford to stop, because this Work is the form of Divine Yoga that He is doing presently to heal and transform the world.
Chandra Maresat, a member of the Adi Chakra, gives an overview of Beloved's Artistic Work at Love's Point and describes her participation in Beloved Adi Da's daily Photographic Shoots:
CHANDRA MARESAT: As everyone who has seen Beloved's most recent Work here at Love's Point knows, Beloved has been Working on a number of Suites called "Happenine" for some time now, but, just recently, He indicated that He was leaving "Happenine" for the time being, and starting a new Work. This new Work, which He says will be "of the magnitude of Funhouse", already runs to some 500 Images, none of which have been seen by devotees yet. So this is the third Work He has entered into at Love's Point Hermitage. First there was "Love's Point Renewed" the three Suites He Shot in June-July, using the members of the Ruchira Sannyasin Order as His subjects. And then there is "Happenine", which He began in August (now 15 suites). All of the Adi Chakra and some other women devotees participated as His subjects in "Happenine". And now there is this new Work in which Beloved is using three members of the Ruchira Sannyasin Order in the Images.
At this point, there is great technical complexity in Beloved's Photography Shoots and a whole range of equipment, And so everyone participating in the Shoots has been given very specific and intense services. I am responsible, with Mei-Ling Israel, for the "styling" of the models on the set. This involves the use of props, including fabrics. Beloved doesn't always indicate exactly how to do something, such as exactly how to drape the fabric on the body of the model. He will sometimes just receive and use what we do, and at other times He will Instruct us very specifically. It is important for devotees to know that almost all of the fabrics used in Beloved's Images are hand-painted by devotees and all the black and white earrings worn by the models are made by devotees also.
A couple of weeks ago, when He was working on some of the suites of "Happenine", Beloved Adi Da used a lot of masks, some of which were made and provided by devotees. Every day He looks at the masks, rearranging them sometimes, placing similar ones together, putting a few close by to potentially use that day. His Photographic space has become a literal Temple where He does His Puja every day with the elements that devotees bring to Him.
Staying with Beloved every day right through every Shoot, and maintaining the discipline of attention 100% of the time is an intensive sadhana. It is a matter of combining with whatever He is doing, so that you do what is required and do not disturb Him. To be effective in our service, we listen to His every Word and remain completely attentive to His Work all the time. He tests us, and any reaction or lack of attentiveness in the midst of His Need for our service can be very disturbing to Him. Beloved Adi Da is involving us in a profound "conscious process" with Him that undermines all other motions of attention.
This Demand is a total Gift. During these past weeks, there has been so much resistance in the body-mind to this, such a level of tapas but the process with Beloved is such a purifying one. Now I am finding that Beloved's Grace is moving me beyond the resistance, so that I become ecstatic with Him. In going beyond yourself you become "Bright" with Him, alive with His Divine Transmission, He is such a Master, creating His Work for the sake of all beings. I am profoundly grateful for the Gift of serving Him.
An Intensification of Service
Beloved Adi Da's Photography Work requires a tremendous amount of service from devotees, from those who participate as His subjects and assistants in the Shoots, to those who prepare the set for the Shoots, those who gather and organize the props, and those who provide the technical expertise that keeps the equipment rightly functioning, and those who print Beloved's Images, keeping the dark room operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
While the service requirements in relation to Beloved's Photography are profound, an intensification of service across the board is required right now for the sake of Beloved's care and protection in His Hermitage and for the sake of His Work altogether. In response to strong Words from Beloved recently that we seriously consider what service to the Master is about, Ruchiradama Jacqueline Grolman, a member of the Ruchira Sannyasin Order felt moved to make a communication to all devotees. Speaking in a private interview at Love's Point Hermitage, this week, she said:
RUCHIRADAMA JACQUELINE: At this time it feels very critical to call all devotees to examine our practice of service. I can feel that there is a tendency for us to lose the thread of service as sadhana, and this is something that Beloved has been addressing lately.
I know that when I first became a devotee, one of the fundamental communications made to me was that service is the principal way of connecting devotionally to Beloved because it is a pouring out of one's bodily energy, I found that this was true service is the major way of connecting to Beloved, especially at a distance from His bodily human Form. And, in fact, even when you are right by His body, service is still the principal connection to Him, because it is about enacting devotion moving the body, offering Him a tangible gift by doing something for Him. The connection that is made with Him through service covers all the faculties. It's a physical matter. It involves the breath and emotion and attention. And it is a Spiritual connection.
Without service, there is no real incarnation of the relationship with Beloved. To serve Beloved is to acknowledge that He is here, He is Alive and needing help from His devotees to be able to do His Work. Whether you are in a region or around Beloved's Body, the sadhana of service is the same.
In terms of Beloved's Hermitage circumstance there are really only a few people consistently serving. In fact, all devotees should know there are many opportunities to serve around Beloved if that is what you are moved to do. All kinds of skills are needed and I want everyone to feel personally that the invitation is always open for you to serve His Hermitage part time, full time, or as a service retreatant for a period of time. There is also Beloved's Art and Photography, communications every area of Beloved's life and work needs more help from devotees.
For me, service to Beloved has always been a very concrete and practical matter "Is His Foot Mat in the right place if He walked in the door of the Communion Hall?" It has always been about remembering that Beloved is here, and acting on that basis.
I know that people are sometimes concerned that they can't do very much service because they have too many responsibilities in the world that they have to handle first. I have noticed that if you give your life and energy and attention and feeling to Beloved then His Grace flows in your life. This world is psycho-physical, and when you invoke Beloved through service, through the giving of your energy, then His Grace transforms your life and pervades you and gives you what you need. In my experience this is absolutely true.
In this moment in the world, service to and care of Beloved is incredibly important. His Body is being affected right now by all that He is having to absorb and purify. And, any disturbances in the service to Him, or any lack of help where it is needed, intensely affects His Body, because His Divine Blessing Work is being interrupted. It is hard for us to appreciate how critically important the service of devotees is at such times in Beloved's Work. I remember at one point last year, when He was dealing with tense situations in the world, that He asked about the practice of devotees. The response was not strong, and He said that if devotees are not fully prepared to support His Work (Spiritually and through service) then He has to do it on His own. And this is not really possible any longer, because of the profound Spiritual transformation in Beloved's bodily human Form. Every disturbance requires Him to be drawn down into His Body and into the business that is ours, causing Him extreme pain. And so we must handle our responsibilities, even more than ever, just to enable Beloved to remain in the Body and to Work Yogically with the world.
When it comes to service, Beloved Adi Da Himself is truly the most Exemplary Servant, He, from the minute He wakes up, to the minute He goes to bed, He is serving our Liberation the Liberation of the world and He literally doesn't stop all day and night.
As a response to the profound need for service that Ruchiradama Jacqueline is speaking of, any devotee who is free to help serve Beloved's Hermitage and His Photography Work, either part time or full time or on service retreat, should contact Subra Sundaram on the Matrix. Skills of many kinds are needed, and Subra can let you know if your skills can be used. In particular, the Samrajya is looking for individuals to serve full time in the dark room (printing Beloved's Images), and for individuals who can help with the building of extensions to Beloved's Temple Residence at Love's Point. (It is important to make any agreements with the Samrajya in relationship with your CSM so that the needs of Beloved's Work everywhere, including service to the Mission, are taken into account.) Because of Lake County devotees' proximity to Beloved's Hermitage residence, this is also a plea for Lake County devotees to consider in what ways they can help provide much needed services at Love's Point.