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Sannyas Ceremony July 7th-8th,2006
On this year’s Gurupurnima weekend, the Shiva Ashram had the pleasure of sharing in the initiation of three new swamis: Swami Bhaktananda (formerly Frankie), Swami Dayananda (formerly Nancy) and Swami Shaktananda (formerly Joanie Thomas).
On Friday morning the three initiates wore white and had their hair cut, thus becoming Brahmacharyas or novices, the first stage on the way to swamihood.
In the afternoon Premakantha Kurukkal, a brahmin priest from the Shiva Vishnu came to the Shiva Ashram to commence the formal initiation by conducting a puja. This fire ceremony (yagna) was a symbolic representation of the initiates’ funerals, effectively marking the death of the initiates’ personhoods (egos). During the course of the ceremony Premakantha also presented them with a sacred thread, the mark of the Brahmin.
The ceremony continued the following (Sat) morning, where the three initiates walked clockwise around the Shiva Ashram pond and then headed out to the smaller pond in the front garden. Here, they stopped on the bridge, threw their threads in the pond and dipped their feet in the water and took their vows, thereby renouncing worldly life.
In accordance with tradition, the onlookers beseeched them to come back, to serve humanity. At this point, Swamiji presented them with orange robes.
The last phase of the ceremony took place in the tent. One by one, Swamiji called each initiate and with their heads under a shawl gave them a mantra, a name, rudraksha beads and an orange sari. Jan, who has left with Swami Dayananda to establish Shiva Yoga’s Adelaide centre, was also given a name and title Ma Jan Chaitanya, as well as being presented with white clothes. After the new swamis and Ma were welcomed Swamiji gave a talk on the meaning of swamihood. Then it was time for breakfast!
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