Diversity. there are many words that can describe India and diversity is one of them. It is especially relevant to our pilgrimage.
We will experience the diversity of the land - from the majestic Himalayas in the North to the lush tropics of Kerala in the South
and from the sacred flowing river Ganges to the warm sands of the deserts.

We will find the diversity in religions - from the every day practices of the Tibetan Buddhists, the guru within through the Sikhs,
the call to prayer of the Muslims to the devotion of the many gods of the Hindus.

We will experience the diversity in the visuals--the sea of color in the markets selling exotic goods,
the sea of color as the beautiful women in their flowing saris and golden arm bangles wait patiently on the train platforms--
the sun dancing on the regal marbled Taj Mahal to the subsistent living of the cardboard / tin slums of Mumbai --
the narrow passageways of Varanasi as the family carry the bodies of the departed souls of their loved ones
to the cremation sites on the ganges to the happy, smiling beautiful faces of the children playing in the streets.

We will hear the diversity in sound - from the busy organized chaos of the streets of Delhi as three cows take a rest
at a busy intersection and the horns honk not at them but to acknowledge the other cars passing by
to the gentle humming chant  of a burgundy robed monk lovingly washing the monk's robes
in the river and carefully lining the rocks along the rushing river with a path of burgundy -
the haunting music waking up your soul and moving you to devotion
to the crashing waves of the Arabian Sea beaconing you to their power.

This is India.
The diversity int he oneness.
It really is like no other place on earth.
Paramahansa Yogananda said
"I am blessed to touch this hallowed ground."

Earnest Holmes, founder of Religious Science in the late 1800's said as he studied the world's various religions,
that there is a golden Thread of spiritual Truth that weaves through the world's faith traditions.
That among these threads of truth we understand the Oneness of All is found in its creation,
that the power of love heals and that we live, move and have our very being in pure Spirit.
Because of this we blend the rich and diverse experiences of spiritual tradition to honor the many paths to god.

We are going on pilgrimage to a land that has called its people for generations. We hope you will be one of those people.

Our journey will begin in Delhi, symbol of old India and the new.
We will visit the ancient bazaars near the heart of the Muslim tradition at Jami Masjid, India's largest mosque.
We will take in the Red Fort which really is more like a royal citadel modeled after the grandeur of Agra.
We will honor Mahatma Gandhi with a meditative stroll down the boulevard
where thousands gathered to honor this great peacemaker.

While near Delhi we will drive to Agra to experience the Taj Mahal.
Just sitting on the marbled steps and watching the people is an event itself.
Gem stone inlay, white marbled turrets, ahhhh.
This has to be one of the world's most photographed sites.

Boarding an overnight train, we will head up to the Himalayas to Dharmasala, home to the Dali Lama,
the 17th Karmapa and the Tibetan government in exile. Here we venture into the heart of Tibetan Buddhism.
The mountains are beautiful, the waterfalls grand and the Tibetan Buddhist people are soft, devotional and walk down
the street with their malas saying their chants. Tibetan food is wonderful. We are certain that we will have an opportunity
to be with the Karmapa and we are "putting it out there" for an opportunity with the Dali Lama as well.

Leaving Dharmasala by coach we move on to Amritsar,site of the spectacular Golden Temple,
the spiritual center of the Sikh faith. it is simply resplendent. here we will be moved by the music (kirtans) the readings
from the sacred book (Adi Granth) and even can bathe in the purifying waters of the temple "pool of immortality-giving nector."
Feeling the energy at dusk, as the sacred book is "out to bed,"
being with the Sikhs expressing their devotion in this most beautiful place,
is an experience that stays with you forever.

From Amritsar we will over night train or fly (haven't decided yet) to Vearanasi, also known as Benares.
Varanasi stretches along Mother Ganga, the holy Ganges.
Being one of the oldest living cities in the world, the sacred river is dominated by the bathing ghats
where thousands of pilgrims come for their daily devotions, cremations and ceremonies.
This is the heart of the Hindu tradition.
Besides the ashrams, temples and Hindu gods and goddess,
the narrow streets of Varanasi teem with shopping delights.
No pilgrimage is complete without some serious shopping.
This is the place to have Punjabi outfits made,
select silk saris and find all the wonderful items for your devotional needs!

Our pilgrims then fly to the South to Kerala, here we will enjoy relaxing days on the small bamboo houseboats,
feeling the serenity of the backwaters of Kerala. The boats will deliver us to the Amruthananthamayi Ashram,
resident of the famed Ammachi, who gives thousands of hugs in one day.
We are "putting it out there" that she will be in residence at the time of our visit.
Here we will have a good glimpse of ashram life.
Kerala is also famous for ayurvedic medicine and its beaches.
Being here for a couple days gives us relaxing time to integrate the entire journey,
the external pilgrimage into the Golden Thread of Spiritual Truth
and the internal pilgrimage of our own self-realization
before flying back to Delhi or Mumbai (haven't decided yet) and then, home

This is just a snapshot of this pilgrimage.
We have designed this to have lots of experiences beyond what is mentioned here,
go to the heart and soul of India with her diversity and yet, do this as relaxing as possible.
In most places, we stay more than one or two nights and have free time for self-exploration.

Why pilgrimage?

When one undertakes a pilgrimage of any kind, the outer journey becomes reflective of the inner journey.
By spiritual pilgrimage, we mean traveling with the intention of interacting with people, the sites, the land
and our world with conscious awareness. Our intention is to grow, transform to give and to receive.
The experience is life changing in many ways.

Spiritual pilgrimage takes you out of the familiar groove of life; how we think,
how we know ourselves and what we attempt to control each day while following a set course.
When on pilgrimage, we enter chaos and change.
We enter the unpredictable, as we cannot control events and situations.
What we take for granted at home is suddenly not there.

The law of chaos stimulates our experience, like Shiva the Destroyer breaking the status quo,
we are guided to new levels of awareness. The left-brain, which likes to control and organize, has to literally, take a vacation.
The wandering aware right brain opens to new possibilities and inspirations.
Dropped into an alien world, we must explore and discover the unfamiliar by doing things differently.

On pilgrimage it seems everything around us appears richer, fuller and more alive as our awareness expands.
Time takes on a different dimension. Theres is no past or future, only this moment and what is in front of us
. We create a new environment energetically and physically each day.

To do this, we must say YES to the urge of our Spirit so that the flow of Synchronicity can bring us people, places
and opportunities that make us expand, learn and grow even more. Through these experiences we see the symbiotic
relationship in all things and all people, the connection. The diversity within the oneness.

As a spiritual pilgrim, the context of our life expands as we see our world and our place in it.
We see that we are a part of something grand and gracious.
Places and people become real and not just an abstract place on the map.
They become a part of us. And then when we are back home flipping through the television channels
and we see an image of a special place we have visited, we will remember the sounds, the smells,
the feeling and the whole experience revisits us. We then hold a silent smile and send forth a prayer of gratitude
to the people and the creatures of that place and once again, our lives are richer and fuller.

We are an emissary of the light and we leave the imprint of that everywhere we go in this world.
We are journeying not only to see what we can receive but especially what we can give.
In this way, we leave a place we visit, energetically higher than before we came and of course,
we leave energetically higher ourselves.

Engaging with the serendipitous moments while on pilgrimage will flush, cleanse, expose, process,
exalt and expand evolution, for ourselves and for our world.
On pilgrimage, we have an opportunity to represent in all our words, thoughts,
actions and deeds, the best of humanity.

On this pilgrimage to india, all the logistics are taken care of for you.
You do not have to think about anything.
You are free to immerse your consciousness in spirit for 19 days
and explore, grow, expand, shift and be.
We hope you will join us as we travel through the Golden Thread of Spiritual Truth in India,
realizing the diversity within the oneness.

With gratitude and respect,

Juelle and Donovan

Light Star Mission
PO Box 476
Crestone, CO. 81131
www.bluestarofhope.org

Can't wait to see you!

It is our reality. We can make up whatever story we want about things and that is reality.
"How you perceive it, is how you believe it, is how you receive it," so says The Council
India
The Golden Thread of Spiritual Truth
Diversity in the Oneness
Join a Spiritual Pilgrimage
with Juelle & Donovan
September 3 - 22, 2010

Cost: $5,000
Includes international air, all ground costs; hotels, domestic flights and trains,
entrance to the Taj, some meals and Light Star Mission Fees.
Contact Juelle & Donovan for more information
719-256-4223
lightstarmission@yahoo.com