Thursday, December 22, 2011

Remembering Rama!!!

(Sharing of Rama Bala on Commonground Fellowship)

One of my best friends just recently passed away.

I am still in total shock of his passing. I found out on Thursday, Dec. 15th, in a text message. I was just waiting for him to get out of a rehab center. He was on his way to health, and he was embarrassed to have me see him the way he was, and requested powerfully for me to not visit him. I now wish I didn't listen to him.

We spoke over the phone often throughout his entire journey to recovery and I feel as though the doctors who were treating him didn't really know how to treat him; they were unsure of what his real diagnosis was and he was treated like a guinea pig. I remember talking to him about filing a complaint on food poisoning to the Health Department as this is what triggered the start of the illness. I may want to follow up on this for him.

This is very sad news for all of us who knew him. Who he was for me was someone who truly cared about humanity and people. He was one of the most kind and loving people I've ever known, and some of the kindness that would come out of him would completely blow me away. He honored, respected and appreciated me more than anyone I've ever known. In truth, he adored me and it was a closeness I haven't had in a very long time. We were incredible friends and he looked up to me often to help him in his relationships.He was someone that always had a smile on his face, but deep down he was really sad and lonely.

People appreciated him, respected him and looked up to him as a teacher. He was an incredible musician; a genius, and has been performing all over the world for the past decade. I just found out last night that his father who taught him everything he knew is a legend in music in India and in the United States and his compositions are all around the world. And my dear friend shared that knowledge with everyone he knew.

He performed in a band with David Newman and he would often come home from being on tour and spend some time with me. He would share with me the difficulties he had with his friend David, but my dear friend Rama never once judged him or made him wrong for who he was. He was incredibly loyal and devoted to the people in his life. He is known by many in the Yoga Communities, as well as some of those in Common Ground.

The past year and 1/2 he started teaching music to young children and a few of his students were at the memorial last night. I got to share with them what he meant to me in private and they shared with me what he meant to them. He was deeply loved, and he will be very very missed.

I will be in communication with his family and available to support them in their time of grieving. I know his father is impacted the most, and I feel more sad for him than anyone. Rama was supporting him in his own health and taking care of him. Now his father is at a treatment center and is being cared for by nurses. My heart is open to his whole family, and my heart has been blown open because of this. I will be grieving for perhaps some time as well.

May you all please pray to him. He is still here hanging around on the Earth realms and is easily available in Spirit when called upon. I know he trying to make sense of all of this as well!

I'm sorry to be writing this to you this late. There was a memorial service for him this past Friday, Dec. 16th at Jai Yoga Studio and on Saturday evening at Yoga on Main in Manayunk, PA. I was grieving deeply all weekend, so to those who are just getting this message, please know my heart is with you. If you wish to reach out to me, or want to connect to anyone who was impacted, feel free to let me know!

Much Love, Asttarte





Teardrop Blues by Cattie


Sharing of Rama Bala on facebook!


It's been so many years that I've had someone this close to me die in my life; not since I was a young child. And, for one thing I am grateful in this moment is the opening he has brought to me in my heart. He is reminding me of the love I have for those I have closed my heart to, or have lost touch with for some time. I am forever grateful and look forward to connecting to you on the Astral Realm Rama! Rama Rama Bolo Jai Jai Sita Rama Bolo! Sri Ram, Jai Ram, Sri Krishna Govinda Hare......Hare Rama. Hare Rama. Sri Rama. Jai Rama. My Beloved Rama! Ommmmmm Love to you!!! (imagine music lyrics to this as you read).


Rama Bala is not the one singing in the video above. It is David Newman's composition from the Kirtan Yoga and Music Community here in Philadelphia I've been a part of for about 10 years. However, Rama is a Musical GENIUS and helped David on many levels become the success he is today. Rama's father taught him everything he knows and is considered a Musical Legend here in the States and in India and has compositions in Ashrams, Temples and places ALL over the Globe! Rama and I played music together often and I was VERY close to recording with him. Perhaps this will inspire to share my musical voice with someone else, in devotion of my friend Rama! I am still trying to accept this myself. I wrote a blogpost on this in my other Spiritual Community, http://CommongroundFellowship.com/. Part of this blogpost is a copy.

Please celebrate this amazing beings life with me! He passed recently, from food poisoning! Please take this as a reminder of what we put in our bodies, and how important it is to use caution when putting food in the body. This is a time of deep grief right now. Please pray for Rama, his family, friends and myself and that we accept this loss easily and with love! I love you all and am thinking of you!

I will forever remember him during the Christmas and Hanukkah Season!


Much Love, Asttarte