Category: Love and Blessings

Posted in Being Prayerful, Blessings from Appaji, Celebrate Today, Love and Blessings, Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji

Celebrating Appaji!

Posted on by rachaelathomasj

Jaya Guru Datta!

In this post I am celebrating His Holiness, Param Pujya Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji! 

To some He is Sri Swamiji but to many of us He is Sadguru Deva, Appaji and Tataji!

He is the bearded Master who loves all of us and mankind unconditionally! He is the one who takes care of us selflessly, whose love transitions everything. He is the one with the priceless smile, with the overflowing energy, who gives and gives and only asks when He needs us to do what is necessary for our own good. 

The past couple days have been a testimony of Appaji’s unwavering love and selflessness. His entire life is but this has been one microcosm of a much longer story that is representative of His life and transitions everything else! He is Nada Brahma, friend, teacher, Sadguru, healer, protector, Appaji, Tataji, and so much more in one physical form. He is Lord Datta!

In spite of health challenges, prior commitments, His extremely hectic schedule and so much more, Appaji came to Trinidad from Mysore for His devotees in Trinidad and Tobago and created history once again as His every action resulted in a most memorable visit that would forever be in the hearts of all whose lives have been touched by the events of this very short but blessed visit where so many blessed things have happened.

With Appaji’s Grace, an entourage of learned vedic pundits and scholars, all a part of Appaji’s mission travelled to Trinidad from Mysore, India and some from the USA and Canada to ensure that the Maha Rudra Yagam was conducted as it should be and from Day 1 of their arrival, they did excellent service. 

In addition to this, devotees came from several different countries to witness the very same and some also, to see His Holiness for the very first time and to do seva. While on one hand His presence is a testimony of His greatness, His every action is a testimony of His greatness! He is the epitome of Truth, Knowledge, Bliss, Grace and Humility! He is Sachchidananda. 

Appaji we pray for Your Health. Appaji thank You immensely for all You do for us moment after moment, day after day. Thank You for all that You do for all mankind! You are a blessing to us all! We love You more than words can ever say and value You immensely! You are our Appaji, Tataji to our children, Sadgurudeva to us all! Thank You for loving us, Thank You for guiding us constantly, Thank You for showing us how to live and all the reminders You share with us through social media platforms and Apps. Please accept our humble prostrations at Your Lotus Feet! 

Posted in Love and Blessings, Music

Celebrating Appaji’s Music!

Posted on by rachaelathomasj

Jaya Guru Datta!

In this post I am happy to share Appaji’s music with you!

His Holiness, Param Pujya Dr Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji is Nada Brahma. His music is Universal and like His messages, serve to guide us and protect us! Appaji’s music is nothing short of being full of spiritual vibrations, being therapeutic and being full of energy. Allow me to share this playlist with you!

His energy is Cosmic and Healing and nothing short of Divine! This is why we must listen to it fully and never pass up on an opportunity to listen to it and to enjoy it!

The reality is that words are inadequate to fully describe Appaji’s music and one thing we can agree on is that we are blessed to hear them, learn them, enjoy them and share them with others!

Appaji has also been imploring us to learn Bhagavad Gita and as with every other instruction by His Holiness, this too must be heeded. As such I am happy to share this playlist with you! Please feel free to share it with others.

Posted in Celebrate Today, Celebrating Life, Helping Others, Life, Love and Blessings

Celebrating Life: Lending a Helping Hand!

Posted on by rachaelathomasj

The focus of this post is on Lending a Helping Hand!

Why? This is necessary for so many reasons:

  • We cannot always tell what someone else’s circumstances are!
  • A smile does not mean everything is okay!
  • We cannot tell someone else how to feel or what to do because many of the times we cannot stand in anyone else’s shoes.
  • Hardly ever will two people treat the same situation the same way!

As you go through your life, people will always judge you no matter what you do! Let them!

As you go through your life, you will come across others that think they know your reality better than you do! Let them!

As you go through your life, some will put you through hell in order to feel better about themselves! Pray for them! God is with you and He always takes care of His children!

These are just some of the reasons why you should always lend a helping hand!

The reality is there are many who need your help though no fault of their own! The reality is many others may be going through some of the unfortunate things you are coping with! The reality is that there are many who may not be able to ask for help!

The reality- always be you! Always do the best you can. Live without regret and never do anything looking for something in return.

Posted in Celebrate Today, Celebrating Life, Love and Blessings

Celebrating the way forward! Growth and Experience!

Posted on by rachaelathomasj

They say in life you win some and you lose some. The reality is every experience is meant to be learnt from. From every experience whether it is negative or positive, there will be a positive and the positive you walk away with is the lesson you learn. Treating someone as they treat you is not the answer and it should never be. The answer is to treat others as you would want to be treated and more so, never do anything you would regret.

Quote by Mother Teresa; Photo Credit: Word on Fire

With experience you will be wiser or at least you should be. Do not let anyone take advantage of you and distance yourself from toxic people.

                                                                 

Now, to look back at 2022 just for example, is to look back at so much and also to relive so much- loss, pain, hurt and negativity. Being the person that I am, I don’t want to go down that road.

Those that we lost are no longer in pain and they are no longer suffering. This is my comfort.

If people chose to come out of our lives then I guess it’s safe to say they did what they wanted to. If people choose to judge us, then so be it. That’s on them, not us!

Also, if people chose to be unfair to us, that’s their cross to bear, not ours.

This being said, it means what you need to do more than anything is to keep your focus and be thankful for your blessings! Remember,

  1. An Attitude of Gratitude
  2. Be Positive 
  3. Carry Only What You need 
  4. Do not give up
  5. Enjoy each moment
  6. Focus your energy on what needs to be done
  7. Give your best always
  8. Have fun doing the things you love
  9. Isolate yourself from toxic people
  10. Judge no one- instead practice self-reflection and analysis
  11. Kindly treat people the way you want to be treated
  12. Live life everyday as if it is your last
  13. Make it your duty not to harm any human or animal
  14. Notice changes all around you- it’s inevitable
  15. Overcoming your obstacles is not out of your reach
  16. Placing yourself in harm’s way is never advised
  17. Quitting is not an option so quit quitting
  18. Realize this journey is yours and not anyone else’s
  19. Search deep within and find what you need
  20. Trust that everything will fall in place
  21. Understand that lots of people where masks and not all smiles are real
  22. Value those who are true to you
  23. Worrying about tomorrow doesn’t help.
  24. Xanadu is the Utopia you create for yourself. 
  25. Yesterday is gone! Learn from it, don’t dwell on it!
  26. Zero in on your tasks 1 by 1!

Surely, we can agree that Everyday Life shares several pertinent messages! Higher Power compliments it perfectly as well! Enjoy the music!

Posted in Celebrating Life, International Women's Day!, Life, Love and Blessings

Celebrating International Women’s Day 2023!

Posted on by rachaelathomasj

Happy International Women’s Day to all women the world over!

In this post I give thanks to the Divine Mother and I celebrate my Mom, all the special women in my life and all women the world over! As I always say, I am forever grateful and eternally blessed!

Far too often we sell ourselves short and this explains it perfectly. Let your inner beauty shine and always be true to yourself! Always do your best to be better and if others cannot accept you for that, then don’t let them get the better of you! Remove toxic people and anyone who is pulling you down!

Here’s another very positive message! Don’t lose your faith! Don’t lose yourself! Don’t give up your dreams! Don’t let anyone’s false perception cloud your judgement!

Life is never what we expect but giving up is never an option! Trust that you have come a long way and that the Divine Master is always with you and will never abandon you!

Further to this, keep your resolve and be resilient!

  1. Celebrate your journey!
  2. Celebrate God’s blessings in your life and all He has showered on you and spared you from!
  3. Celebrate your parents because your existence would not be possible without them! Celebrate them for the incredible people they are and all they have done and continue to do!
  4. Celebrate all that you are!
  5. Celebrate where you have come from!
  6. Celebrate the lessons you learned along the way!
  7. Celebrate the experience you have gained!
  8. Celebrate the illusions that have been shattered!
  9. Celebrate those who stood by you!
  10. Celebrate your present, be grateful for your past and look forward to your future!
  11. Celebrate you!
Posted in Celebrating Life, Life, Love and Blessings, Nature and the Environment, Reading, Trinidad and Tobago, You Tube

Celebrating Time to Travel to Trinidad and Tobago!

Posted on by rachaelathomasj

Yes, you read it correctly!

Also, yes, I am celebrating this project as it helped me to meet some really awesome people within my country.

Many would not know but the last couple months have been very interesting, and it has also meant getting help from many special people in my life with photographs within the book that you will love.

Time to Travel to Trinidad and Tobago features our places, our food, our culture and so much more. It’s one of those projects I was enthusiastic about from the beginning and I am privileged to connect with so many valuable entities within our country. Here are some:

Angelo Bissessarsingh Heritage House, Green Market, We Foods, Sylvia’s Kitchen (Tobago) the Pointe-a-Pierre Wild Fowl Trust, Uncle Sam and Sons, The First People of Trinidad and Tobago and Corbin’s Local Wildlife (Tobago) just to name a few.

The great news is that this book is just the beginning with so many stories to tell. Further to this, when the interview was done this blog was being viewed in 132 countries and to date it has increased to 137 countries other than my own home country.

I am really happy that it is being published by IziMarkPublishing! With IziMarkPublishing there are lots of positives and lots to look forward to!

Enjoy looking at the interview! Like, subscribe and share!

Posted in Being Prayerful, Blessings from Appaji, Celebrate Today, Love and Blessings, Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji

Celebrating Sri Karya Siddhi Hanuman’s Anniversary and Appaji’s Birthday!

Posted on by rachaelathomasj

Jaya Guru Datta!

Yes, you have read the title correctly!

“It’s a Happy, Happy, Happy Day! It’s a Holy, Holy Day! “

These are the words which have been playing in my head all day, because for us (meaning the devotees in Trinidad), the celebration is two-fold! The difference is, I am hearing it in Sri Bala Swamiji’s voice and the only other song I stopped to sing today was “Vande Santam Hanumantam” when I heard it in Pt Ganesh Maharaj’s TikTok video being sung by His Holiness Param Pujya Dr Sri Sri Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda!

@punditganeshmaharaj

♬ Vande Santam – Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji

This was one of the first bhajans of His Holiness that I heard and today I was reminded of my initial visits to the majestically tall Sri Karya Siddhi Hanuman Murti which stands tall in Carapichaima. It is one many Datta devotees enjoy listening to, so I am sharing the YouTube link here.

Why is the celebration two-fold?

Let me explain:

  1. June 9, 2022 marks the 19th Anniversary of the consecration of the 85ft Sri Karya Siddhi Hanuman Murti by His Holiness Pujya Appaji.
  2. At the time when this post is being written, it is already Jyestha Sudha Ekadasi in India. It is also the day when we celebrate the Lunar Birthday of His Holiness and we wish His Holiness a very Happy 80th Birthday!

The 85ft Karya Siddhi Hanuman Murti here in Trinidad is one that reminds us day after day, how blessed we truly are here in Trinidad. No amount of words can ever say how truly grateful we are!

As the day began, for me it didn’t feel like one where I wanted to be rushing and sorting work! Yes, I know work is important and it takes so much of my time, but it was a day when I wanted a different pace and in more ways than one, I got it.

The energy, the peace and the way the entire day unfolded was proof of it!

For those wondering about Sri Karya Siddhi Hanuman, please allow me to share an excerpt from a post on Trinidad Hanuman Datta Mala, “Apart from that, Sri Appaji has always realised from His early visits, that our ancestors brought Hanuman worship in their hearts and minds and would sing his Chalisa if physical worship was not always possible, because of the difficulties they faced! This Hanuman devotion sustained them and helps us now also to overcome all obstacles!”

Please take the time to click on https://www.dattamalatt.com/post/happy-19th-consecration-anniversary and read the article in its entirety. Also, please take the time to view the video on the page in its entirety.

As described in “The Journey- Memoirs of A Devotee of Parama Pujya Sri Sri Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji,”  by Sheetal Prasadji, a very humble and gentle soul who is widely known as a musician and author, who is Trinidadian by birth, “On that most auspicious day, Sri Sri Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji, Pontiff of Datta Peetham and Spiritual Master to countless devotees all over the world, by His Divine Sankalpa, consecrated the Karya Siddhi Anjaneya Temple and later stated, Now He had synthesized Himself with Sri Hanuman and taken permanent residence in my ‘Bhoomi’ my home land (Chapter 31).

For those wondering about the consecration day itself, please take the time to view this video posted by Hanuman Hoffman. https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=YcgT5S_1360 Also take the time to view this video posted below:

With an abundance of posts on Social Media, namely on Facebook to mark this historic occasion, the energy and celebration were evident. They were all filled with so much love with several special moments and memories shared by Datta devotees. For most of the day messages and posts celebrating the anniversary of Lord Hanuman dominated social media and messages celebrating Appaji’s birthday were evident as soon as it was either morning in India or it was morning in other parts of the world.

What made my day was being able to view Puja and Purnahuti live from Avadhoota Datta Peetham in Ashrama and being able to hear Appaji’s message as before one of the live sessions concluded. It gave me renewed energy to do one of the things I love most- writing!

Today was a day of peace, a day of giving thanks and a day for counting blessings! It was also a day of positivity and gentle reminders.

Happy 80th Birthday year Appaji!

In closing I take this opportunity to wish Appaji a very Happy Birthday 80th Birthday year to You! Please accept our humble Prostrations at Your Lotus Feet!

@punditganeshmaharaj

#punditganeshmaharaj #85fthanumanmurti #hanuman #karyasidhihanuman #trinidad #westindies #caribbean #oneofakind #hinduism #sculpture #murti

♬ original sound – punditganeshmaharaj
Posted in Celebrate Today, Celebrating Existence, Education, Learning Opportunity, Life, Love and Blessings, Uncategorized

Celebrating my experiences with Premier TEFL!

Posted on by rachaelathomasj

Do you want to teach online? Do you also want to enhance your chances so that you can teach, travel and settle anywhere in the world? Then you need to read this post!

My review!

In case you are wondering if you read the title correctly, yes you did! So if you are looking for recognized school to do your TEFL Training with, this is certainly it! Premier TEFL is certainly it!

Photo Credit: Premier TEFL This is exactly what I needed in this pandemic- FULLY ONLINE!!!

This is because a couple months ago I began my journey with this institution and trust me when I say that I have not been disappointed. Having had the choice of quite a lot of institutions I did my research well and thankfully, good research has paid off.

My course was fully online, it was easy to access my study material and chart my progress every step of the way. What made it easier is that even though I had a very busy schedule I was able to study at my pace and ask for more time to complete my studies in case I needed to.

While I know not everyone’s experience will be the same, I am quite happy to share my experience! My advice to you would be to use this link https://premiertefl.com?ptaff=900 and check out their courses for yourself as you will realize there are many options to choose from. What becomes vitally important is knowing how recognized your qualification is and ensuring that you give your best.

Photo credit: Premier TEFL
Here is a review someone else shared about Premier TEFL!

Here is a review I posted: https://goo.gl/maps/CFhCNc3XTwLKifY88 as this may also prove helpful to you!

Photo Credit: Premier TEFL- Facebook

What’s even better is that thanks to Premier TEFL I am a trained and TEFL Instructor who is happily working my way through other courses at Premier TEFL.

As I do this I can easily reach out to the support team and I am always being informed to the best places to apply for TEFL jobs. Trust me, it is a journey you will enjoy so get ready to ‘wet your feet’ and begin a new adventure, for you as well as your family!

Photo Credit: Premier TEFL This is true on so many levels!

Thank you Premier TEFL!

Posted in Celebrate Today, Celebrating Existence, Life, Love and Blessings

Celebrating the Journey!

Posted on by rachaelathomasj

There are times when you think you know but then you realize that you don’t. You think you need it but then you realize you really want it. 


This being said in this post I am celebrating the journey! Where are you on yours? Have you taken the time to celebrate it? Have you stopped to think about it? If not, please know it’s time to! 


This is in every sense the myriad of life! This is something we all go through at one point or another. However, through it all it is imperative that we understand this is what life is- experience, highs, lows, ups, downs, and so many other forms of contrast other than what has been mentioned before.

Think about it- you are where you are because of where you have come from! You are where you are because you made a decision to start somewhere! You are where you are because you saw something and you put one foot in front the other and started a walk that led you to where you are today! 


So it’s not the road you wanted- not the straight path you envisioned. It’s not the road you imagined it would be. Instead there are bumps (unexpected surprises that are not so good), maybe some potholes (disappointments that cause you pain) and winding bends (things that show you the need for added caution). 


Stop and think or at least try to think! What is the last thing that made you smile? When was the last time you laughed? Where were you? What were you doing? What prompted it? Who was there? What made you so happy?


Hopefully this begins to get you thinking but don’t just think- feel and experience! Replace pain and sadness with something that is the opposite. Don’t ignore it and don’t forget it but don’t let it get the better of you. 


Find some positives that can replace the negatives!  Remind yourself of why you started and remind yourself of why you need to finish! Think of what you are sure about and focus on that to help you clear the path of uncertainty. 


It may sound tough to do but once you get started it will become easier. Remember too that procrastination may just be a hindrance. It always helps to be your best friend rather than your worst enemy. Similarly it always pays to be true to yourself! 


This is your journey and it needs to be celebrated. If you don’t celebrate it then it is highly unlikely that anyone will do it for you! Don’t wait until tomorrow because tomorrow we can agree is promised to no one!


It’s yours for the taking. The moment is yours for the making. Make the most of it! Live with no regrets because simply put, they are not worth it! Regrets are like weights that hold you back and weigh you down! What’s important is to live without regrets! Learn from mistakes. Try to right the wrongs! Treat people as you would like to be treated! Live each day like if it is your last.