June 5th. : The first Saturday of June was celebrated with a vegetarian pot-luck supper and a special program on Aromatherapy, presented by June Maher. Beautiful flower arrangements and refined culinary and floral fragrances pervaded the atmosphere and captured everybody's hearts.

This was the best pot-luck yet and was featured by LA Times in the Food section. Basmati Lemon Rice, Moong Dal with Potato and Swiss Chard, Paneer Capsicum, fresh Salads and Juices and Rice Pudding with Cherry Topping and Glazed Almonds were some of the exotic dishes of the day.

June's Aromatherapy workshop was wonderfully illumining. We learnt from her that almost all essential oils are anti-microbial and help to gently heal and balance our emotional, mental and physical beings. They are readily absorbed by the body and effective where needed. The use of herbal oils was as ancient as the Vedic civilization and was also known to the Egyptians and Greco-Romans. June has her own Company, - Divine Essences, in Aptos, California, selling Aromatherapy products.

The month of Birthdays. 4 Birthdays were celebrated this month. Robert Dane, Prasun and Manjari De and Amrita.

August 15: Our Lord's Birthday and India's Independence Day were celebrated at the Center on August 15th. with readings, songs, chants, meditation and 'prasad'. It was a magical event that bonded all together in His Love.

Sandip Thakur (a descendent of the Tagore family) visited during the Aug. 15th. Darshan day celebration. Shri Thakur is domiciled in Osaka, with his Japanese wife, Eiko. They had started a Sri Aurobindo Center in Osaka for some time. He is a versatile dilletante in art, music and schollarship. He sang some very soulful Tagore songs after all had left, in front of Sri Aurobindo's altar. There was the sense of a genuine offering and joy in the celebration.

Sanjeev from Auroville also visited us during the Darshan celebration. He came briefly again the next day and shared with us about the education-system in Auroville.

Jacky from Northern California also attended during this auspicious occasion and made her artistic and devotional offerings in flower-arrangements at the altar.

The flower ladies (Anie, Manjari di, Jackie, Linda and MaryAnne) formed a joyous team together. It was amazing to see all the spring flowers still hold up for Sri Aurobindo's Birthday.

September 3rd.: Guy and Shivaya of Auroville did a slide presentation on Auroville as a fund-raiser for land in Auroville. Anie provided her kind hospitality once again and helped organise this event at the Center.

September 9th.: A very special day of great significance (9-9-99). The Mother has given the meaning of the number 9 as 'power of static fulfilment' or 'new birth'.

September 19th.: Ustad Aminuddin Dagar's students gave an enrapturing vocal recital at the Center. Smt.Ashoka Dhar sang in the ancient Dhrupad style that has been kept alive for ~17 generations by her guru's family, the Dagars. Shri Risabh accompanied his mother on the Pakhavaj (a very pure sounding drum, used specifically for this style of music).

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This brings us to the end of our news section for now. Stay in touch and join us in aspiration for manifesting Mother's endless treasures.