I’ve sung Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas to Beloved Adi Da many times over the years — at the Manner of Flowers, at Adi Da Samrajashram, at First People / Great Food Dish, etc. (as one of a small group of singers, and usually also as the keyboardist) — and I’m singing it to Him again (and all of you!) here. It is one of my favorite songs at this time of year.
For me (starting with Judy Garland's original film version), it has always been an emotion-filled song, by turns joyful, playful, nostalgic, and wistful — so that is how I sing it here.
This song as a bridge to God. In Beloved Adi Da’s Company, everything (from Mickey Mouse to cookie-making) becomes “a bridge to God”.
ADI DA: “You must Awaken and discover the Divine World wherein everything is a bridge to the Infinite, One Being.”
And so for me, the words of this song have always taken on a significance beyond the usual secular understanding of the song. They lead me through a consideration that I’ll share with you here.
Have yourself a merry little Christmas Let your heart be light From now on our troubles will be out of sight
Have yourself a merry little Christmas Make the Yuletide gay From now on our troubles will be miles away.
Here we are as in olden days Happy golden days of yore Faithful friends who are dear to us Gather near to us once more
Through the years we all will be together If the fates allow Hang a shining star upon the highest bough And have yourself a merry little Christmas now.
That wistfulness: Raymond’s problem. On the surface, the words of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas are purely joyful — "faithful friends" coming together each year in a joyous Christmas celebration. And yet, one of the emotions I feel when I sing this song is wistfulness. So where is the wistfulness coming from? It's that big "IF" in the song: "if the fates allow". In fact, as every one of us knows (more and more, with each passing year), fate (conditional existence) only allows such reunions for a limited number of years. As I sing, I have a vision of a photograph of a gathering of friends, from a Christmas or Danavira Mela many years ago, and, in this vision, each face in the photograph — one by one over the years — turns "ghostly", either through our circumstances (high school, college, living near each other) no longer being shared, or life paths that have moved in different directions, or the passing on of that person. My awareness of that inevitable reality is the source of the wistfulness and nostalgia. The inevitable disappearance of the (mortal) loved one is “Raymond’s problem”, a phrase Adi Da uses, based on the central character of The Mummery Book.
Danavira Mela: A Divine Celebration in the midst of a conditional universe. The joy and playfulness of the song comes from the celebration we can still have together, even in the midst of an ever-changing, conditional universe. One of my (and many other devotees’) favorite quotes of Beloved Adi Da has always been this extraordinary prayer, from “Death is a Perfect Insult” in The Enlightenment of the Whole Body:
“Let us surrender into Infinity with all our friends and hold on to no thing or condition that ever appears. Let us forget all things in present Happiness, and so forgive the universe for all its playful changes. Let us always love one another, and so forgive one another for appearing, for changing, and for passing out of present sight. So be it.”
When I sing this song, I hear it giving further guidance for just how to do this.
No Puedes Satisfacer Las Expectativas de Todos poster: Videos de Adi Da - Español length: 08:18 date added: May 22, 2023 event date: July 7, 2005 language: Spanish views: 716; views this month: 60; views this week: 20 [Contains Spanish subtitles. If the CC icon ("Subtitles/closed captions") has a red line under it, the subtitles should appear. If you don't see them, just press the CC icon to turn them on.]
"No Puedes Satisfacer Las Expectativas de Todos" ("You Cannot Satisfy Everyone's Expectations") is a video excerpt from an Avataric Discourse given by Adi Da Samraj on July 7, 2005, in Land Bridge Pavilion at The Mountain Of Attention.
In this excerpt, Adi Da responds to a devotee from India who asks for Adi Da's guidance on how to reconcile his traditional family obligations with his impulse to serve His Spiritual Master.
This talk is from the first occasion in many years in which Avatar Adi Da spoke directly to a gathering of His devotees in California. Questions from devotees about intimate, familial, and social issues are met with Avatar Adi Da's Compassion and Humor, as well as His Liberating Wisdom.
Ken Welsh Prepares for the Role of Narrator in The Mummery Book poster: AdiDaUpClose speaker: Ken Welsh length: 06:45 date added: May 12, 2022 event date: January 2000 language: English views: 885; views this month: 75; views this week: 47 As part of our commemoration of renowned actor Kenneth Welsh (who passed away on May 5, 2022), we have created this enjoyable "peek" inside Ken's process of preparing to play the role of narrator in the January, 2000 ten-hour long performance of The Mummery Book.
The video excerpt was edited (by Chris Tong) from a much longer, unreleased documentary (created by well-known film director, Terence Gross) about the making of The Mummery Book. (Consequently, the audio and visual quality are a little spotty in places.)
At a certain point in the process (3:02), Avatar Adi Da (“Beloved”) sits in at a rehearsal, and then begins to actively participate in making suggestions for the production. Finally (at 5:45), there is a brief glimpse of the end of the actual performance, after which Adi Da expresses His appreciation by coming up and embracing Ken.
La Condizione Perfetta È poster: Video di Adi Da, Canale italiano length: 22:29 date added: April 25, 2022 event date: July 7, 2005 language: Italian views: 803; views this month: 81; views this week: 19 [Contains Italian subtitles. If the CC icon ("Subtitles/closed captions") has a red line under it, the subtitles should appear. If you don't see them, just press the CC icon to turn them on.]
Adi Da talks about the presumption of the egoic "separate self" sense that is the root of human suffering. He contrasts this with our actual Position in Truth: the Position of Conscious Light.
This talk is from the first occasion in many years in which Avatar Adi Da spoke directly to a gathering of His devotees in California. Questions from devotees about intimate, familial, and social issues are met with Avatar Adi Da's Compassion and Humor, as well as His Liberating Wisdom.
At 19:58, a formal Darshan occasion begins (at Adi Da Samrajashram) and continues to the end of this video clip.tags: Avataric DiscourseItalianDVD
Ratkaisu mielen ongelmaan poster: Adi Da Videot Suomi length: 35:02 date added: April 4, 2022 event date: July 7, 2005 language: Finnish views: 598; views this month: 39; views this week: 16 [Contains Finnish subtitles. If the CC icon ("Subtitles/closed captions") has a red line under it, the subtitles should appear. If you don't see them, just press the CC icon to turn them on.]
"Ratkaisu mielen ongelmaan" ("No One Is Thinking These Words") is a video excerpt from an Avataric Discourse given by Adi Da on July 7, 2005 in Land Bridge Pavilion at the Mountain Of Attention.
This talk is from the first occasion in many years in which Avatar Adi Da spoke directly to a gathering of His devotees in California. Questions from devotees about intimate, familial, and social issues are met with Avatar Adi Da's Compassion and Humor, as well as His Liberating Wisdom.
Nikt nie myśli tych słów poster: Adi Da Video Polska length: 35:02 date added: September 15, 2021 event date: July 7, 2005 language: Polish views: 628; views this month: 34; views this week: 18 [Contains Polish subtitles. If the CC icon ("Subtitles/closed captions") has a red line under it, the subtitles should appear. If you don't see them, just press the CC icon to turn them on.]
"Nikt nie myśli tych słów" ("No One Is Thinking These Words") is a video excerpt from an Avataric Discourse given by Adi Da on July 7, 2005 in Land Bridge Pavilion at the Mountain Of Attention.
This talk is from the first occasion in many years in which Avatar Adi Da spoke directly to a gathering of His devotees in California. Questions from devotees about intimate, familial, and social issues are met with Avatar Adi Da's Compassion and Humor, as well as His Liberating Wisdom.
É impossibile soddisfare le Aspettative di tutti poster: Video di Adi Da, Canale italiano length: 08:18 date added: August 30, 2021 event date: July 7, 2005 language: Italian views: 726; views this month: 42; views this week: 17 [Contains Italian subtitles. If the CC icon ("Subtitles/closed captions") has a red line under it, the subtitles should appear. If you don't see them, just press the CC icon to turn them on.]
"É impossibile soddisfare le Aspettative di tutti" ("You Cannot Satisfy Everyone's Expectations") is a video excerpt from an Avataric Discourse given by Adi Da Samraj on July 7, 2005, in Land Bridge Pavilion at The Mountain Of Attention.
In this excerpt, Adi Da responds to a devotee from India who asks for Adi Da's guidance on how to reconcile his traditional family obligations with his impulse to serve His Spiritual Master.
This talk is from the first occasion in many years in which Avatar Adi Da spoke directly to a gathering of His devotees in California. Questions from devotees about intimate, familial, and social issues are met with Avatar Adi Da's Compassion and Humor, as well as His Liberating Wisdom.
Czy wiesz kim jesteś? poster: Adi Da Video Polska length: 22:29 date added: October 13, 2020 event date: July 7, 2005 language: Polish views: 1192; views this month: 56; views this week: 24 [Contains Polish subtitles. If the CC icon ("Subtitles/closed captions") has a red line under it, the subtitles should appear. If you don't see them, just press the CC icon to turn them on.]
Kiedy mówisz „ja” i „ty” uważasz, że jesteś tym ciałem. Wszyscy rozmawiają o tym, jakby naprawdę wiedzieli o czym mówią. Te imiona, które używają, tożsamości, które sugerują, to po prostu udawanie, wszyscy jesteście przebierańcami. Nikt z was nie zna, tego za kogo się uważacie, nikt z was nie zna ciało-umysłu, a mówicie, że nim jesteście. Nie możecie ogarnąć umysłu, nie możecie zobaczyć całego ciała, nie widzicie tego z każdego możliwego punktu widzenia, w każdym możliwym wymiarze, w którym to rzeczywiście istnieje, a jednak mówicie, jestem tym. Za kogo tak naprawdę się uważacie? Czego tak naprawdę doświadczacie, że daje wam pewność, że tym jesteście? Co jest definiowalne, oczywiste i w pełni doświadczane w każdej chwili?
"Czy wiesz kim jesteś?" ("The Perfect Condition Is") is a video excerpt from an Avataric Discourse given by Adi Da on July 7, 2005 in Land Bridge Pavilion at the Mountain Of Attention.
Adi Da talks about the presumption of the egoic "separate self" sense that is the root of human suffering. He contrasts this with our actual Position in Truth: the Position of Conscious Light.
This talk is from the first occasion in many years in which Avatar Adi Da spoke directly to a gathering of His devotees in California. Questions from devotees about intimate, familial, and social issues are met with Avatar Adi Da's Compassion and Humor, as well as His Liberating Wisdom.
Et voi tyydyttää kaikkien odotuksia poster: Adi Da Videot Suomi length: 08:18 date added: September 9, 2020 event date: July 7, 2005 language: Finnish views: 1036; views this month: 40; views this week: 12 [Contains Finnish subtitles. If the CC icon ("Subtitles/closed captions") has a red line under it, the subtitles should appear. If you don't see them, just press the CC icon to turn them on.]
Adi Dan intialainen omistautuja, joka palvelee Adi Data Hänen Erakkola-Ashramissaan Fidzillä, keskustelee tarvettaan sovittaa yhteen hänen vahvat intialaiset kulttuuri- ja perhevelvoitteensa sekä hänen halunsa palvella ja harjoittaa Tietä Adi Dan omistautujana. Adi Da käsittelee hänen kysymystään myötätunnolla, huumorilla sekä tiedostamalla tämän omistautujan kulttuurin vahvat vaatimukset. Adi Da myös huomioi, että tämä on asia, jonka tämän omistautujan täytyy päättää suhteessa siihen, mikä on hänen perimmäinen aikomuksensa elämässä.
"Et voi tyydyttää kaikkien odotuksia" ("You Cannot Satisfy Everyone's Expectations") is a video excerpt from an Avataric Discourse given by Adi Da Samraj on July 7, 2005, in Land Bridge Pavilion at The Mountain Of Attention.
In this excerpt, Adi Da responds to a devotee from India who asks for Adi Da's guidance on how to reconcile his traditional family obligations with his impulse to serve His Spiritual Master.
This talk is from the first occasion in many years in which Avatar Adi Da spoke directly to a gathering of His devotees in California. Questions from devotees about intimate, familial, and social issues are met with Avatar Adi Da's Compassion and Humor, as well as His Liberating Wisdom.
Il sé Separato è un'illusione poster: Video di Adi Da, Canale italiano length: 06:49 date added: October 17, 2019 event date: July 7, 2005 language: Italian views: 1331; views this month: 31; views this week: 13 [Contains Italian subtitles. If the CC icon ("Subtitles/closed captions") has a red line under it, the subtitles should appear. If you don't see them, just press the CC icon to turn them on.]
"Il sé Separato è un'illusione" ("The separate self 'I' is an Illusion") is a video excerpt from an Avataric Discourse given by Adi Da on July 7, 2005 in Land Bridge Pavilion at The Mountain Of Attention.
Adi Da Samraj speaks about the action of self-contraction, which creates the sense of being a "separate self" - whereas, in Reality, no matter what arises, you are only and merely the Witness Consciousness.
This talk is from the first occasion in many years in which Avatar Adi Da spoke directly to a gathering of His devotees in California. Questions from devotees about intimate, familial, and social issues are met with Avatar Adi Da's Compassion and Humor, as well as His Liberating Wisdom.
Emme ole erillisia olentoja poster: Adi Da Videot Suomi length: 22:29 date added: November 19, 2018 event date: July 7, 2005 language: Finnish views: 2064; views this month: 36; views this week: 19 [Contains Finnish subtitles. If the CC icon ("Subtitles/closed captions") has a red line under it, the subtitles should appear. If you don't see them, just press the CC icon to turn them on.]
Adi Da käsittelee tapaamme olettaa, että olemme "erillisiä olentoja".
Adi Da talks about the presumption of the egoic "separate self" sense that is the root of human suffering. He contrasts this with our actual Position in Truth: the Position of Conscious Light.
This talk is from the first occasion in many years in which Avatar Adi Da spoke directly to a gathering of His devotees in California. Questions from devotees about intimate, familial, and social issues are met with Avatar Adi Da's Compassion and Humor, as well as His Liberating Wisdom.
At 19:58, a formal Darshan occasion begins (at Adi Da Samrajashram) and continues to the end of this video clip.tags: Avataric DiscourseFinnishDarshanDVD
Nie jesteś w stanie spełnić wszystkich oczekiwań poster: Adi Da Video Polska length: 08:18 date added: September 17, 2018 event date: July 7, 2005 language: Polish views: 2467; views this month: 38; views this week: 20 [Contains Polish subtitles. If the CC icon ("Subtitles/closed captions") has a red line under it, the subtitles should appear. If you don't see them, just press the CC icon to turn them on.]
Uczeń Adi Da, który jest Indianinem i który służy w Adi Da Aszramie na Fidżi, omawia próbę pogodzenia jego zobowiązań kulturowych i rodzinnych w Indiach, z pragnieniem służenia i praktykowania jako uczeń Adi Da. Adi Da odpowiada na jego pytanie ze współczuciem, humorem i uznaniem silnych wymagań kultury, z której pochodzi Jego uczeń. Adi Da również wskazuje na to, że decyzja, którą on sam musi podjąć, zależy od tego, do czego zmierza w swoim życiu.
"Nie jesteś w stanie spełnić wszystkich oczekiwań" ("You Cannot Satisfy Everyone's Expectations") is a video excerpt from an Avataric Discourse given by Adi Da Samraj on July 7, 2005, in Land Bridge Pavilion at The Mountain Of Attention.
In this excerpt, Adi Da responds to a devotee from India who asks for Adi Da's guidance on how to reconcile his traditional family obligations with his impulse to serve His Spiritual Master.
This talk is from the first occasion in many years in which Avatar Adi Da spoke directly to a gathering of His devotees in California. Questions from devotees about intimate, familial, and social issues are met with Avatar Adi Da's Compassion and Humor, as well as His Liberating Wisdom.
Le soi-je Séparé Est Une Illusion poster: Vidéos d'Adi Da speakers: Avataric Discourse, DVD length: 06:49 date added: December 11, 2017 event date: July 7, 2005 language: French views: 2453; views this month: 33; views this week: 9 [Contains French subtitles. If the CC icon ("Subtitles/closed captions") has a red line under it, the subtitles should appear. If you don't see them, just press the CC icon to turn them on.]
"Le soi-'je' Séparé Est Une Illusion" ("The separate self 'I' is an Illusion") is a video excerpt from an Avataric Discourse given by Adi Da on July 7, 2005 in Land Bridge Pavilion at The Mountain Of Attention.
Adi Da Samraj speaks about the action of self-contraction, which creates the sense of being a "separate self" - whereas, in Reality, no matter what arises, you are only and merely the Witness Consciousness.
This talk is from the first occasion in many years in which Avatar Adi Da spoke directly to a gathering of His devotees in California. Questions from devotees about intimate, familial, and social issues are met with Avatar Adi Da's Compassion and Humor, as well as His Liberating Wisdom.
La Condición Perfecta Es poster: Videos de Adi Da - Español length: 22:29 date added: December 3, 2017 event date: July 7, 2005 language: Spanish views: 3041; views this month: 33; views this week: 13 [Contains Spanish subtitles. If the CC icon ("Subtitles/closed captions") has a red line under it, the subtitles should appear. If you don't see them, just press the CC icon to turn them on.]
Discurso por el Maestro de todo el mundo, Adi Da Samraj.
"La Condición Perfecta Es" ("The Perfect Condition Is") is a video excerpt from an Avataric Discourse given by Adi Da Samraj on July 7, 2005, in Land Bridge Pavilion at The Mountain Of Attention.
Adi Da talks about the presumption of the egoic "separate self" sense that is the root of human suffering. He contrasts this with our actual Position in Truth: the Position of Conscious Light.
This talk is from the first occasion in many years in which Avatar Adi Da spoke directly to a gathering of His devotees in California. Questions from devotees about intimate, familial, and social issues are met with Avatar Adi Da's Compassion and Humor, as well as His Liberating Wisdom.
At 19:58, a formal Darshan occasion begins (at Adi Da Samrajashram) and continues to the end of this video clip.tags: Avataric DiscourseDVDSpanish
Samostatné ‘já’ je pouze naší iluzí poster: Adi Da Videa, čeština length: 06:49 date added: August 4, 2017 event date: July 7, 2005 language: Czech views: 2943; views this month: 43; views this week: 16 [Contains Czech subtitles. If the CC icon ("Subtitles/closed captions") has a red line under it, the subtitles should appear. If you don't see them, just press the CC icon to turn them on.]
"Samostatné ‘já’ je pouze naší iluzí" ("The Separate Self I Is an Illusion") is a video excerpt from an Avataric Discourse given by Adi Da on July 7, 2005 in Land Bridge Pavilion at The Mountain Of Attention.
Adi Da Samraj speaks about the action of self-contraction, which creates the sense of being a "separate self" - whereas, in Reality, no matter what arises, you are only and merely the Witness Consciousness.
This talk is from the first occasion in many years in which Avatar Adi Da spoke directly to a gathering of His devotees in California. Questions from devotees about intimate, familial, and social issues are met with Avatar Adi Da's Compassion and Humor, as well as His Liberating Wisdom.
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