Ombama Obamananda

The ashram got really excited about Obama's inauguration.

1. They put an Obama/Biden campaign sign on the altar in the Temple of Divine Light on the 18th and I think it is still there.

2. The morning of the 19th, it was announced that just as Barrack and Michelle had designated Martin Luther King Jr Day a "day of service" and were themselves dedicating the day to "karma yoga," so we too would engage in selfless service all day. I vaccuumed the whole Barn. (There are no actual animals in the Barn except for the girls. That's right. They named the building where they keep us "The Barn." Which makes us the...? The painting on my wall, depicting a super-hot Krishna petting his cows, answers the question. And gives me something to focus on when I feel lonely... come on Krishna, pet ME!)

3. On the 20th, in the atrium after dinner, one of the swamis showed us a video of the inauguration. Everyone crowded around and many people even sat in the lotus position with spines erect as though listening to a spiritual talk by an enlightened master. Thank goodness we were "on silence" otherwise I'm sure I would have heard some sensitive new age commentary. Not that there's anything wrong with that...

4. The next day, during evening satsang, we got a lecture featuring many references to the beautiful metaphors for the spiritual path contained in Obama's "talk." Come on, I thought... it wasn't a "talk"! It was a speech!!!

So what do you think about all that?