Yesterday had a surprise ending to the day. When travelling with Mohanji, there’s always an element of the unexpected. Once you think you’re settling into some comfort zone, it’s quickly changed.
Yesterday, Devi was conducting a meditation for some of the local people here in Slovenia. They’d been meeting regularly for some weeks at a small yoga studio in the town of Lenart. The group was growing each week. Yesterday Mohanji called me and said that he’d like to go to the meditation. He would join the group after the meditation was over.
We went to the hall where a small group of around 10 to 12 people had gathered. Mohanji spoke in satsang, probably for over an hour or two, on various topics – fears and general aspects of life. Some people had gone for meditation for the first time. I don’t know if they’d only gone to meditation for the first time or the Power of Purity meditation for the first time. They didn’t even know who Mohanji was until that day.
I thought to myself, “What a real blessing it was for those people that probably don’t even know what they were able to experience there, the level of closeness and intimacy at that satsang. “One of the topics he spoke on yesterday was an excellent reminder for me, and I wanted to share this today.
It’s something which, in business and activity, I can regularly miss, or I can forget to remember. This was about relationships – with our closest, our nearest and dearest, with those people we’re most connected to in our life. For me, these can be the sources of happiness and/or frustrations and disappointments. Nevertheless, close relationships and genuine relationships are very important.
One lady in the Satsang asked questions about fear – one of the things that she feared was what would happen to her family, what could happen to them and how to help. He simply said, “All we need to do in that situation (and I think this applies to any relationship) is to simply love them, and appreciate them in our life, now while we can.” Very simple words.
He said that usually, it’s funny that when a person is alive, we don’t really show them anything. Normally, they’ll pay attention, or there might be some types of interaction, which might not be so pleasant, but as soon as they pass on, as soon as they’re gone, we are sad, upset and miss them. Then often, we even begin to take flowers to their grave once they’ve passed.
He said that he’d much rather give flowers now while they’re alive. “Give flowers in the form of your appreciation, love, kindness, support, recognition; all the colours and varieties of richness that can enhance our life, just through the act of giving.” In return, we also get that back. This was a good reminder of a lesson that has been shared many times, but I still forget from time to time.
Day 156 – The past is gone
Living and working closely with Mohanji, constant movement is dynamic, and time is well used. We’re here now in Slovenia, and Mohanji has initiated new activities in India – two major projects coming out very soon. Teams are already working hard to bring them to reality.
Yesterday, I was contemplating that Mohanji neither speaks about past troubles nor does he dwell on past mistakes. It’s simply not talked about. It’s always about what we can do today and now. A good reminder for me to leave the past in the past.
Before meeting Mohanji, there were several mistakes, regrets, and guilt which I carried from certain situations in life. Even though life was moving forward and I was exploring new ideas, new ways of being, new opportunities, and going to different places, part of my mind was still stuck with past events. This became a real burden and would often stop me from enjoying this moment. Unnecessarily carrying weight, not forgiving people and more detrimentally, not forgiving myself for those situations.
We have many practices available for this. The Power Purity is an excellent meditation for unhooking from these things. Still, I think it’s a good lesson to remember: there’s always movement, we’re always moving forward, and the past is finished. It’s gone, and there’s no need to carry the weight or burden from everything that’s happened before.
Each day can be a new fresh day if we allow it.
|| JAI BRAHMARISHI MOHANJI ||
Edited & Published by – Testimonials Team, 28th August 2022
Disclaimer:
The views, opinions, and positions expressed by the authors and those providing comments on these blogs are theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions or positions of Mohanji, Mohanji Foundation, it’s members, employees or any other individual or entity associated with Mohanji or Mohanji Foundation. We make no representations as to accuracy, completeness, timeliness, suitability or validity of any information presented by individual authors and/or commenters on our blogs and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries or damages arising from its display or use.
We reserve the right to delete, edit, or alter in any manner we see fit blog entries or comments that we, in our sole discretion, deem to be obscene, offensive, defamatory, threatening, in violation of trademark, copyright or other laws, of an express commercial nature, or otherwise unacceptable.
Deliberately flying towards a war zone would appear, on the face of it, to be a completely insane, grown-up choice to make. For some people, yes, but not, however, for the people connected to the ACT Foundation.
Driven by a supreme desire to serve others, these selfless people shine as a beacon of bright light into the darkest of human corners, setting examples for us all to follow. Totally unafraid and stridently stepping forward over the borders into the terrified and desolate arms of those Mothers and children who’ve fled from the bombs and rubble.
More than 7 million displaced Ukrainian people, to date, are living in makeshift homes as far away from the noise of shelling as possible throughout Ukraine. Mostly these people are women and children who’ve also had the added, unimaginable heartbreak of having to bid farewell to their menfolk (and sons of fighting age), never knowing for certain if they’ll ever meet again, leaving them to face destruction and possible death.
Impossible to empathise with this group of people; the only thing left to do is to bring a glimmer of light into their sorrowful lives in the way of genuine, heartfelt kindness and compassion. Helping to make their children smile again and, by default themselves.
The ACT team arrived in Ukraine with truckloads of food, clothing, medical equipment, toys etc. and a plethora of psychological tools to help these once normal, everyday citizens – just like you and me – cope just a little bit better: simple, relaxing, traditional yoga, walking meditations and conscious dancing that all go towards taking one’s mind away from its imminent worries and off into a calmer more peaceful place.
The displaced children are focal to the ACT team’s efforts as they attempt to reignite some sparks of fun in the shape of new toys, face painting, craft making and playground games. Witnessing the unnatural strain and mistrust etched into their young and once innocent faces is something awful to recall.
Six of the ACT4Ukraine group are aged between 11-22, with four adults in tow, one of them me! I was completely blown away by the unexpected joy I felt, witnessing, day in, day out, heart-melting small acts of spontaneous love and kindness from the younger team towards all of the displaced, no matter the age or disability. Their innate and unsullied ability to connect with other children despite the obvious language barriers was a miracle to behold. Once again, smiling became effortless for the displaced children as their trust was reassured in the most authentic ways.
These young people were testament to the natural goodness and love inside us all. A love that’s sadly eventually plastered over as we navigate the rocky pathways of life. The difference their unabashed, compassionate embraces brought to the faces of the less fortunate we encountered as we travelled through Ukraine will be etched onto my memory box for all time.
Coming away from this experience, some find it strange that my feelings aren’t sorrowful (as one might imagine). But on the contrary, I feel a renewed sense of hope, having had the privilege to be part of this selfless team, with the younger gang leading the way, demonstrating a purity of heart that’s a welcome reminder to us all.
Back in the UK …
Having previously received a £250 donation towards the July ’22 truck of Ukrainian aid from our local golf club in Ormskirk, Julie and I were delighted to be asked to their women’s golf presentation event on 16th August. The General Manager, Lee, would present us with a huge cardboard cheque to help garner some publicity for our cause.
The afternoon was well attended, with a festival-like atmosphere; lots of families with younger children came along to support their lady golfers’, and of course, there was plenty of free food – and a free bar!
Julie and I were excited to be representing ACT4Ukraine (T-shirts duly donned and keenly aware of the implications, responsibilities and privilege attached to such a uniform), and saw this as an ideal opportunity to mingle, help spread awareness of the ACT foundation, and perhaps, find some spare moments to highlight the upcoming Acharya event we’d booked for early September at the same venue.
Following the formalities of the awards presentation, Lee informed the assembled crowd as to how the club had supported Act4Ukraine and that Julie and I would be visible in the crowd, wearing the Act T-Shirts should anyone wish to approach us.
Slowly, a trickle of people began to drift towards us, their interest now piqued, as Julie and I continued to engage. One particularly friendly young man (I’d spoken at length to earlier), watching from the side lines as donations of money changed hands, began to ask probing questions about the set-up of the organisation. And just who this ‘Mohanji’ guy was – as was illustrated by Mohanji’s signature on the back of our shirts.
My hackles began to slowly rise, perceiving an overt tone of cynicism as I attempted to quell the growing defensive senses rising within me. Like a lioness with her cubs, inwardly preparing my armour for this unexpected attack, yet, also keenly aware of the alcohol tainting the breath from this once very amiable chap.
Confusion began to cloud my judgement as I wrestled with the instincts of reaction versus the wisdom of responding, as the bubbling emotions, begging for the freedom to defend my best friend and hero, came frothing towards the top. My feelings, lost in their footings, stumbled to navigate this mean, yet ultimately, unconscious and intoxicated assault.
Irrational and as petty as this alcohol-infused onslaught was, in reality, this was the moment my ego decided to march in, shoving down the door of resistance in the face of this perceived slight: masking his so-called concern for the sake of my naiveté, brought forth my tightly held, snappy retort, to put right his ridiculous wrong, but inside, I was crumbling, knowing for sure, I was letting the side down.
(How foolish I felt: own-goal scoring, wearing the sacred team kit, under the divine gaze of Mohanji, in the face of such ignorance. I’d bitten the bait!) Eventually, managing to gather my senses and divert the focus of this attention, the heat, most thankfully, began to abate.
Not, however, the simmering, inner feelings of disappointment; having failed to respond with more conscious composure, with less defensiveness and with more grace, of reacting with confused emotions, peppered with anger, and of momentarily losing my hard-won and well-practised ‘Mohanji cool’ whilst wearing the team kit.
Finally, seizing an opportunity to extricate myself from this sticky situation, I swiftly found fresh ground with another group, eager and willing, with money in hand, wanting to share in this common cause and felt far better armed for any further probing curiosity.
Yet inwardly though, still smarting from the last unpleasant encounter, suddenly, I became aware of tapping on my forearm and, looking down, saw a shy little girl, holding up a tiny black serviette for me to take hold.
Upon closer inspection, Bella had painstakingly chalked/scrubbed the shape of a heart (copy of our ACT4Ukraine logo) with her wonky, child-like writing of the word ‘Ukraine’ written above.
This spontaneous display of innocent love shoved the dark clouds of the previous encounter into their rightful place (out into the ether) and stood loud and proud, as yet further proof of what truly lies within.
Time after time (during my relatively short public journey, volunteering for the ACT Foundation) I am privy to witness such simple, heart-felt episodes recurring, again and again, hammering home the real meaning of our time on this earth, and that are usually delivered by the most gentle, unassuming and innocent of hands.
Volunteering for ACT has been immensely rewarding, enriching my life in so many ways and helping to cement some life-long friendships with memories to treasure.
Thank you, Mohanji, for the ACT Foundation. Thank you for supplying the balm to soothe my furrowed brow. With love from my heart to your heart, my dear, dear beloved Mohanji, for all of eternity.
|| JAI BRAHMARISHI MOHANJI ||
Edited & Published by – Testimonials Team, 25th August 2022
Disclaimer:
The views, opinions, and positions expressed by the authors and those providing comments on these blogs are theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions or positions of Mohanji, Mohanji Foundation, it’s members, employees or any other individual or entity associated with Mohanji or Mohanji Foundation. We make no representations as to accuracy, completeness, timeliness, suitability or validity of any information presented by individual authors and/or commenters on our blogs and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries or damages arising from its display or use.
We reserve the right to delete, edit, or alter in any manner we see fit blog entries or comments that we, in our sole discretion, deem to be obscene, offensive, defamatory, threatening, in violation of trademark, copyright or other laws, of an express commercial nature, or otherwise unacceptable.
As we’re here in Slovenia, we’re looking at everything that we can do to move the activities on the land and on the ground forward. I visited the land for the first time, and we were conducting the fruit tree plantation. It was really fun to go there to see the land, the whole area, and what space we have.
We have the forest, the stream at the bottom, the place where we’ll have a pond looking out across all of the surrounding nature, all beautiful. It’s been snowing here, and it’s been pretty cold, so we wanted to go back and check on the trees, make sure that they are okay and also walk the boundaries again so that we can make sure that we’ve got our space clear and we can begin the work.
Today I share a lesson which has come from discussions with Mohanji about these activities. That is: making sure that there’s always purposefulness to an activity, that we’re always looking to reach the end goal or the outcome in everything we do related to a specific activity, so that we’re very clear about what we want to get and nothing is vague, nothing is confused, or nothing’s lost. That brings efficiency, and that time is used well.
It’s exciting for me to think that soon, there’ll be a space where all of us can come. For example, the land here is large, with clean air. There’ll be the forest, which will have all the rishis and the munies like sages Agastya and Lopamudra. There’ll be the lake with all the beings of the water, turtles and fish. There will probably be some decking down there at the bottom because it catches the sun in the afternoon. Maybe there’s some space for outdoor yoga or meditation. It could maybe even be a little refreshment place down there at the bottom of the land.
Then, across the stream, when you look across the flatland, which could even have accommodations, small chalets or yurts, or something like this. The main Center will be at the top of the land, where all the meditations, yoga and canteen will be. Because it’s a unique shape, with sloping land, all the banks could be landscaped really well and uniquely with caves there as well; a place of real peace.
As it’s Covid times, it is a little more challenging to do everything we’d like to do, but we are still moving something along. Today in the morning, I spoke about the plan for the next few days. That’s when Mohanji reminded me that, now especially, we always need to be purposeful with everything that we’re doing because we haven’t got the luxury of time. We don’t know what tomorrow will bring. If we’re doing something, let’s make sure we’re doing it with purpose, so it cannot be loose, and we cannot take time for granted because we don’t know what’s coming. He really stressed this.
I thought that this was a good lesson to share today for bringing efficiency and effectiveness to our activities. There were three things which he spoke about for this. The first was responsibility. That’s somebody who takes on a job, is entrusted with the task, and says they’re going to do it. Finding that person and ensuring that they understand what they need to do and what they will achieve.
The second is accountability. When someone’s taking on the job, they must also take on the accountability to see it right through to the end, to ensure that it is completed. The third was always a definitive timeline. This is the difference between people saying, “Yes, sure, I can do this,” and saying, “Yeah, sure, I can do this, and I’ll finish it by this date.” That’s very important because even if the date is some time out in the future, if they’ve given it, then at least it can be supervised at that point in time.
That accountability within the activities and tasks is really important. Because if someone has taken on a job, but then it has not been completed or finished, or perhaps not coming with a timeline means that things become loose. The activity doesn’t happen as it should have or planned, which can create inefficiencies because you have to go back and you have to check whether things are being done well.
In summary, making sure there is responsibility – someone is taking the role. Accountability – seeing it through to the end. Lastly, putting on a timeline of when something will be done by.
I’ve spoken about these things in previous messages, but now in the context of moving forward with our activities here at the land in Slovenia, I thought it’s good to share how we’re approaching it and most especially since we’re working with limited time.
Have a great day ahead.
Day 154 – Overthinking suffocates action
Yesterday we visited the land in Slovenia, which, as I’ve mentioned before, is really stunning. It was a beautiful, sunny day, very crisp, a little bit cold, but a perfect day to walk around the boundaries and check, to look at the trees we planted, which all are still flourishing, which is fantastic. I look forward to the day when we can all come together there, when we can meet there, and people will be staying, the structures will be in place, and it will be a real place of peace, ‘Shanti’.
I was thinking about Mohanji’s approach to activities, not only how he’s very effective in creating an initiative, an idea, but then also in executing them or putting them into action. This is one area in which I’ve really learned a lot. Sometimes previously, I could become very stuck in the paralysis of over-analysis, over-thinking about an idea or an approach before actually taking a step to do something. To implement something, I’d like to have the full information, all the small details, everything in place, and everything considered before taking steps. Making sure that everything was looked at. But what happened then is that I felt burdened because I’d have all of these ideas but no tangible output for them. I wouldn’t feel good. That would be a hit to self-esteem, which would take some time to rebuild.
I was always thinking I could do that, but then there was no implementation of something, and as Mohanji said before, which was really useful for me, is that a person who has a very, very, very small bit of knowledge, but can execute it well, is more effective for the world, because they’re doing more for the world than someone who has the all world’s knowledge in their head, but then can’t do anything about it and just regurgitate. This was an interesting outlook for me and so learning from Mohanji, I’ve pushed myself, or not pushed, but encouraged myself to change this approach and follow his lead.
The key here lesson for me is that when you think too much about something, action won’t happen. I think that this is an optimum time for thinking, for considering everything now, to assess the whole picture, to make sure that you’ve got good enough of an understanding and then quickly move into action. Otherwise, the thinking was a trap which I used to fall into.
I felt like something was happening, but in reality, it wasn’t. It was just a mental activity. When I observe Mohanji, he’s very quick into action. He thinks, and then, “Okay, let’s do this”. Then the action happens. It’s where the dynamics come from for the office. He doesn’t sit and think and think and think about things. He just does enough. Thinking about me, one mistake I can make is thinking and then going into the micro details about everything and in the end, nothing happens.
What’s more effective, because when an action happens, it benefits people, is to think, get the picture, give it due consideration and then, when needed, make changes and put it into action, but quickly. This also brings a good feeling of accomplishment, and then we can move on to the next task.
Hope you have a great day ahead.
|| JAI BRAHMARISHI MOHANJI ||
Edited & Published by – Testimonials Team, 21st August 2022
Disclaimer:
The views, opinions, and positions expressed by the authors and those providing comments on these blogs are theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions or positions of Mohanji, Mohanji Foundation, it’s members, employees or any other individual or entity associated with Mohanji or Mohanji Foundation. We make no representations as to accuracy, completeness, timeliness, suitability or validity of any information presented by individual authors and/or commenters on our blogs and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries or damages arising from its display or use.
We reserve the right to delete, edit, or alter in any manner we see fit blog entries or comments that we, in our sole discretion, deem to be obscene, offensive, defamatory, threatening, in violation of trademark, copyright or other laws, of an express commercial nature, or otherwise unacceptable.
In the first part of the testimonial, I wrote about Mohanji, catching the plane to Manchester just in time, the suitcase miracle and the amazing Protection Ring story.
After the delicious meal at the Mexican restaurant, we continued our journey to Skanda Vale through the beautiful rolling countryside of Wales, which was a treat in itself, and we could not tell Rahul, who had graciously consented to drive us, how grateful we were. Fortunately for him, it was like a vacation trip. Just a day away from two busy kids. A win-win situation. I like that.
Arriving in Skanda Vale felt like coming home. At home with dedicated people with a beautiful frequency and at home in nature: a world without Wi-Fi. Although it took some getting used to, it was precisely this freedom from radiation, emailing, and apps that proved to calm my overheated mind.
The wooden cabin with the bunk bed where I would sleep turned out to be very basic indeed. And quite dark with a small window. The toilet was further down the road in a detached building, and the showers were a little further still. But I was grateful that I had a place to stay, and I was used to some sobriety in terms of sleeping in an ashram. However, I did have a young and flexible body back then.
Selma had really provided everything I could have wished for: a warm comforter, sheets, towels and even a warm, woolen vest and socks because she knew that could be needed in Skanda Vale. I felt blessed. Vijay and Brother Andy seemed much more bothered by the fact that I didn’t have a luxurious room than I was. I reassured them. After all, I had known about it from the beginning and was not forced to say yes to it by anyone. They wouldn’t hear me whining.
Fifteen minutes later, Brother Andy came walking up to us happy. Someone had just cancelled, and I was immediately given the key to a beautiful room with a bathroom and a sweeping view of the valley! The building was called Saraswati, which is the equivalent of my Indian Swami-given name Bharati. Everyone was elated, including me, because everything felt so predestined and welcome. And my cold problem was solved because there was heating and the bed proved to be good support for my osteoarthritic shoulders. I slept wonderfully there.
We slipped seamlessly into the ashram routine, from puja to abhishekam, from Murugan temple to Shakti temple to Vishnu temple. A Shirdi temple was still under construction. We were scheduled for four hours of seva each day that consisted of helping serve and clear food, cleaning, and cutting vegetables; fortunately, these were the only chores that we were capable of, as Nico and I had some disabilities. The heavier work in the gardens or around the Samadhi of Swami Subramaniam was done by fitter and more muscular residents and visitors.
What dedication among the resident Brothers and Sisters! There was a quiet mood of devotion, seriousness, humor and work ethic. Nothing was too much for the Swamis and Sisters. ‘We just do the work in front of us, and we don’t think beyond that.’ Unceasingly one saw them working in many different places in the ashram. Then again in jeans, then in a sober brown habit or in dark blue rain pants. Rain or shine, the open-air pujas also continue throughout the year with a little bit of adjustment. A high energy frequency is built up and radiates from the area… one would almost wonder why there is still darkness left in the world.
On Wednesday, Mohanji participated in the Vishnu puja. An elaborate puja for the large statue of Vishnu, who lies on a huge snake surrounded by water. We were seated under a canopy, but the statue of Vishnu was in the open with only the sky as a roof.
After the puja, all attendees walked to the statue of Dattatreya, situated next to the Vishnu temple. Mohanji would partake in the arathi ceremony and waited quietly for his turn, with his hands in a namaste gesture in front of his chest. He bowed reverently to the statue, and I saw that he was making the same gesture – very subtly – to a small bird that was searching for food under the bush behind the statue, watching curiously as to what was going on.
The deity had been placed in the open, embraced by the trees and the birds. I looked intensely from Mohanji to the statue and thought of the morning when I had inwardly asked him: who are you? At the time, I had known him only for a few days and knew virtually nothing about him. He answered immediately and unexpectedly, “I am Dattatreya.” I had heard the name dropped but hardly knew who that was and looked it up on the Internet.
There I found not only all the information about Dattatreya but also the connection with Mohanji and the Tradition. Dattatreya was an incarnation of the trinity from Hinduism: Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva – the creating, sustaining and destroying aspects of the universe. I was truly amazed by the magnificence of his state and since then have not seen him as my big, wise brother as I had initially, but as all-encompassing. In everything and beyond everything. The totality.
While looking at the deity, the thought occurred to me that Mohanji – as soon as he finished the arathi and came down the steps, would look directly at me and at no one else. There were many of us standing. But he would say something to me. It didn’t matter what. It wasn’t just mind-matter, and it had nothing to do with me. It was a kind of knowing. It would be a confirmation of the inner statement that he was Dattatreya.
In that high-energy bubble, I followed the puja. Mohanji always confirms one’s state. If it had been only the mind, there would have been some doubt. But there was none. Mohanji walked down the little stairs after the arathi, carefully watching where he walked. At the bottom of the steps, he looked up and straight into my eyes. His gaze confirmed what I had already felt. He and Datta are one consciousness, one state of being.
He then said, “Nice sari,” which seems like a nonsensical comment in this context. But it was another confirmation. A double one, even. The sari I was wearing I had picked out and put on with love that morning. It had been given to me by Swami Gopal Baba. My Master who had passed away in 2020. An Avadhoota from the same Tradition as Mohanji. Swami loved saris, and when I wore this same color (white, with orange borders) for the first time in his presence during an interview, Swami made almost the same comment.
Even then, I had lovingly put on the sari for him five minutes before the interview because I knew he appreciated it. And maybe you know how difficult it is to put on a sari, but in those few minutes, I had managed to go up and down three flights of stairs and wrap the sari elegantly around myself. Mohanji confirmed his oneness with Swami, the Tradition and Dattatreya with a penetrating look and two simple words: “Nice sari.” In the same manner, Swami Gopal Baba had always spoken, short and sweet. And with the same loving look in his eyes.
On Thursday morning, I meditated while sitting on the lower part of the bunk bed in my room. In Skanda Vale, my alarm clock went off at 3:33 every morning. Then I had plenty of time for personal grooming, yoga and Kriya before the 5 o’clock Murugan puja began in the temple. Everyone staying at the ashram was expected to attend the daily pujas. Since I was rather groggy, my eyes threatened to close. I heard inside, ‘Don’t fall asleep.’ I asked, ‘How?’ ‘You can stay awake.’ Again I asked, ‘But how? I fall asleep.’ ‘Fall awake!’ was the surprising and original reply. ‘This is Shakti. It is within me.’
How unique! Fall awake. Normally we fall asleep. But for me, that often happens with a little jolt when I sit up. Then one is actually startled awake from falling asleep. And often, because of such a small ‘fall’, I am afterwards clearer and more expansive than before. I thought about it often that day and shared it with whoever wanted to hear it: Fall Awake!
During several moments that week, especially moments with Mohanji, I was overcome by an intense need to fall asleep acutely. You can understand that I seized all those moments to ‘fall in the vastness of being present.’ It was not easy; I have to admit. Fortunately, everything Mohanji said was so catchy that I had a good reason to want to stay awake.
More than one week later, back in the Netherlands, I understood the real reason for his words. When I go to sleep, I often listen to Mohanji’s mediation while lying in bed, and within minutes I feel safe and relaxed and fall asleep listening. It felt a little like cheating, but I didn’t want to be too hard on myself and allowed myself my divine ‘sleeping pill’.
But it turned out to be a bad idea, after all. The body had gotten quickly programmed and seemed to express: when I hear Mohanji’s deep resonating voice, I fall asleep! That is exactly what happened during every Q&A during the week in Skanda Vale and London. As soon as I heard Mohanji’s voice, I would start yawning. And I would try to hide it for Mohanji, of course, for the last thing I wanted was to look disinterested. You can imagine that there was no meditative ‘Mohanji sleeping pills’ hereafter!
After the Murugan puja in the temple, I did my Kriya practice at the statue of Dattatreya. I sat there very awkwardly on a wobbly, wooden bench, and my hands and feet got cold. I visualized a warm sun in my solar plexus chakra but to no avail. So I stopped my visualization attempt. As I was about to get up to leave, my hands and feet began to radiate lovely softness and warmth from within. I stayed. And enjoyed it. Normally without an external source of heat – once I was cold – I did not get warm. This was really exceptional.
In the evening, like on other evenings, we went to the Shakti temple for puja. High up on the mountain, near the enclosure of the three elephants, the bird sanctuary and the horse stable. The temple was full, and fortunately, I was practically sitting in the doorway because I could breathe freely there. The low ceiling and the many visitors made it stuffy. Suddenly I saw Chris, Mohanji’s executive assistant, Tea, the photographer and Subhasree, Mohanji’s personal assistant. Where there is Chris, Tea and Subha, there must be Mohanji! And indeed, I had not seen him coming at all. The mood and the bhav were intense. The energy rose to the ceiling, as did the warmth.
During the last mantra, we walked forward in a line to pay our respects to Kali (an aspect of Shakti, the Mother Goddess / universal energy). Mohanji is Kali, I thought to myself. So before I bowed to Kali, I looked Mohanji straight in his eyes as I walked past him, bowed to him and chanted the Kali mantra to him. Mohanji looked at me with an intense and piercing gaze and blessed me. Another confirmation of his omnipresence as any form of God. I continued walking towards the altar, glowing with Shakti.
It wasn’t until the next day that I realized how much more depth this brief event carried. After all, Mohanji’s inner guidance from yesterday morning had been: ‘This is Shakti. It is within me,’ which was a bit of a puzzle for me back then. That is why I had kind of ignored it. Now clarity started dawning.
The day before we left Skanda Vale ashram, I was lying on my bed and suddenly got overwhelmed by the dread of the possibility that Mohanji could be attacked by dark energy. Or by people’s actions. My creative mind took over quickly. What can we do to protect him? I prayed to Sai for a solution. Mohanji would never stop his mission out of fear. And he wouldn’t ask for anything for himself, either. That only left a possibility for the devotees. Could we not pray for him altogether? Back then, I didn’t realize that my prayer had already been answered by Dirk’s donation of the Protection Ring. I had heard Mohanji talk about the story of the ring while having lunch at the Mexican restaurant, but the word protection had not reached my ears.
Part 3 to be contd…….
|| JAI BRAHMARISHI MOHANJI ||
Edited & Published by – Testimonials Team, 18th August 2022
Disclaimer:
The views, opinions, and positions expressed by the authors and those providing comments on these blogs are theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions or positions of Mohanji, Mohanji Foundation, it’s members, employees or any other individual or entity associated with Mohanji or Mohanji Foundation. We make no representations as to accuracy, completeness, timeliness, suitability or validity of any information presented by individual authors and/or commenters on our blogs and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries or damages arising from its display or use.
We reserve the right to delete, edit, or alter in any manner we see fit blog entries or comments that we, in our sole discretion, deem to be obscene, offensive, defamatory, threatening, in violation of trademark, copyright or other laws, of an express commercial nature, or otherwise unacceptable.
We are in Slovenia at the moment, taking steps to complete activities on the land we have here, which will be one of the spaces for the Center of Benevolence. Whilst here, we’re doing all we can despite the changing and unpredictable situation with COVID, lockdown restrictions and things changing daily.
Since arriving, I’ve been getting more involved in helping where I can with the activities here. Yesterday, I met a person who had come to help us during the fruit tree plantation drive. He brought the tools and some of the materials and showed us how to plant the trees – a nice bloke. He has his own land here and his center. We talked as he showed me around, and later, we had tea. Our talk was generally about what we’re doing here, our idea for the space, and the center we will be building.
He asked, “How are you managing to do things? What would be your approach?” He had ideas and plans, but COVID had halted them. He said, “How are you doing this when everything is uncertain?” This is where I was able to share one of the lessons I’ve learned from Mohanji and how Mohanji is practically moving all of the activities forward across all platforms.
It’s very practical; simply doing what we can today. Whatever possible we can do, we do without delay. COVID has created a level of uncertainty such that we don’t know what’s coming tomorrow. I shared that we are now not looking at months or years to come; as situations are changing quickly, one is looking at days. What can we do in the coming days – with the resources that we’ve got, with the time that we’ve got, so that at least we’re taking steps forward, even if they’re very, very small steps, something’s happening. It’s progress, and over time it amounts to something much bigger. Plus, it gives us momentum, focus and inspiration, as we can see things are progressing.
As I spoke and shared this, it clicked for him; he lit up and said, “Of course, so simple.” This inspired him. He said many people were simply waiting to see what would happen with the situation and waiting. But, doing what you can today was an excellent way to build momentum. The best step is to do something today. As I mentioned, this itself brings inspiration. Whilst there are many major activities here to progress, for example, the planning for the major constructions, there are some things which we can do on the ground, which we’re planning and we will be doing.
What I shared was an inspiring message for him – to recognize that there’s always something we can do each day within our capacity. Pre-planning, checking everything that needs to be done the day before, even if that includes spending time with family and friends or sleeping – accounting for all so that when the day comes, we’re doing everything we can.
Have a good day!
Day 152 – The tough situations – ‘Knots of life.’
Mohanji records a morning message each day for the 4 am Club, which goes to hundreds of thousands of people across the world. It’s in Malayalam, so sometimes it’s not the easiest to follow, although you can often catch the gist because many English words are placed in sentences, so you can get a rough feel of the subject.
Each day, the topic changes; the topic is given in the morning, and then Mohanji speaks on that topic. The other day, he gave some practical advice, which sounded really good. We asked him what the topic was, and it was on the knots of life. These are the situations which aren’t simple to overcome. They’re persistent, long-lasting, or simply challenging to work with. These situations may be complex in their makeup; maybe there are some relationships or it’s tough, requires some time to handle, or people don’t have the skills or experience to handle them.
As always, I found Mohanji’s approach very practical, and they are as follows:
1) Meet every situation afresh – Every situation is new; there’s a new time, new space, a new configuration of all the events which have come together. That means that what may have worked for us in the past may not work now. It needs a new recipe.
2) Acceptance – acceptance of the situation as it is without distortion, fully accepting it.
3) Consideration – Give proper consideration to all the eventualities, all the possibilities, all the permutations so that we fully understand what we’re handling.
4) Flexibility – Both external and internal flexibility. This aligns well with the message I shared previously from Mohanji’s teachings: “Don’t try to tackle situations but rather tackle yourself.” I recorded this a few days back about responding to situations and the flexibility of our external options.
5) Think fresh – This can also mean consulting with people who know more about the subject than we do, making use of contacts, seeking experts in their field and sometimes putting aside our pride or ego to handle the situation ourselves and look for others who can really help give guidance because the aim is to get things moving forward.
6) Patience – This is the interesting one for me to add to the mix – sometimes you simply have to wait. We may have only been able to do what we can at the time, but we still have to wait patiently because something can’t move or simply because of the nature of the situation. There’s nothing more to be done at that time.
Mohanji said that when there’s very cold weather, there are many things that we can’t do. So it’s best to wait for the time when there’s something better, then we can approach it again.
Today was on handling the knots of life: meeting every situation fresh, accepting situations as they are, giving proper consideration for all eventualities, flexibility for both our external and internal states and the options, thinking fresh, consulting with others and then sometimes simply having patience.
Have a great day ahead!
|| JAI BRAHMARISHI MOHANJI ||
Edited & Published by – Testimonials Team, 14th August 2022
Disclaimer:
The views, opinions, and positions expressed by the authors and those providing comments on these blogs are theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions or positions of Mohanji, Mohanji Foundation, it’s members, employees or any other individual or entity associated with Mohanji or Mohanji Foundation. We make no representations as to accuracy, completeness, timeliness, suitability or validity of any information presented by individual authors and/or commenters on our blogs and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries or damages arising from its display or use.
We reserve the right to delete, edit, or alter in any manner we see fit blog entries or comments that we, in our sole discretion, deem to be obscene, offensive, defamatory, threatening, in violation of trademark, copyright or other laws, of an express commercial nature, or otherwise unacceptable.
I feel that Baba Sai has to work really hard and long for my spiritual growth. I feel I was in inertia mode, not understanding what Baba was trying to teach me. In short, there was no urgency to reach my purpose, but Baba knew how trapped I was in my patterns and knew I needed a good kick, and he brought me to Mohanji.
I saw an intense change in my frequency. I have always heard people saying that you burn a lot with a living Master. The very first program (sadhana) that I did with the Mohanji family was a 41-day Power of Purity meditation. I felt something inside me shift. Actually, I tasted ecstasy for the first time in my life. I was happy, purpose-oriented, singing all the time, getting up early, doing spiritual practices, and eager to be useful to the world. This was sheer Guru’s grace. However, it didn’t last very long as I could not maintain it.
I started getting tired and felt fatigued all the time. I was struggling to keep up with my practices. Well, when you are blessed with something so precious, there are bound to be tests to see if you are steady or you run away from your Master in adverse situations. Now, I had reached a point where I felt it was hard to even sit down for half an hour after waking up.
I had taken medical leave from work and was home for about four months, but the irony was that even after four months of rest, there was no improvement, and the doctor could not figure out what was happening. In between, some cells started showing up in my blood, which was not good and could indicate worrisome blood disorders.
All through whatever was going on, I didn’t complain; this was his grace that I was mentally stable. Mohanji has taught me to be grateful and in complete surrender mode always, no matter what. This was my time to apply that teaching, and I was able to do so with his blessings. Mohanji said, “I will take care. I am with you.” Knowing this, I never worried about the outcome of this unknown illness. I was in total acceptance mode, prepared that he was holding my hand, whatever would happen.
Mohanji has been very, very kind to me. I work in the medical field, and I love my job. Keeping my physical limitations in mind, I started with part-time, working alternative days. Some of my blood work did show some autoimmune activity, but it was not that prominent to blame the autoimmune condition for my extreme fatigue. An autoimmune condition is when your own body cells start recognizing your organs as a foreign body and start killing or destroying them.
I remember it was October 2021, and I had participated in a food donation activity during the month of shradh, organized by Ammucare. After the rituals finished, the very next day, I saw Mohanji in my dream. In my dream, I saw that I was in my maternal family’s house, and Mohanji came there. I saw my maternal uncle and his family, my maternal aunts and their families and also there was a very weak old man lying in bed in one of the rooms. It felt like he was someone in the family, but I had never seen him in my life.
I wanted to massage Mohanji’s feet, so I asked him to come to the room to lie in bed so he could rest, and I would get the opportunity to serve him. I found that the old man was lying in the same bed on one side. I went into the kitchen to bring oil for a massage, and when I came back, Mohanji was lying on the floor close to the bed.
I felt so bad and worried and said, “Baba, why are you lying on the floor? Please lie on the bed.” I helped him get up and lie on the bed. It seemed as if Mohanji had no energy at all; he seemed very, very tired and fatigued. Here my dream ended. When I woke up, I thought this was strange as no one in my maternal family knew Mohanji. How come I saw them all in my dream with Mohanji? What could be the significance?
That’s when I realized that Mohanji took some ancestral karma from my maternal side on himself. As autoimmune runs in my maternal family, it all made sense, and probably the old man in bed must be my very first ancestor from where it all started. This dream came in October 2021, and presently it is June 2022.
I am almost back to where I used to be. Don’t know where all those pains and fatigue went. Even when the pains are there, they don’t limit me. This is all the sheer grace and kindness of my Guru towards me. I have no words to thank Mohanji for his Infinite unconditional love. I prostrate at the lotus feet of Mohanji and thank him for taking care of all of us in the ways we need; always grateful to you, Mohanji.
Empowered Series
The Empowered program was announced for September 2021. I was unsure if I should attend this program as it was a nine-day program, and I was working full time then. Although videos were available to watch later if you missed the program, being in a different country and time zone, time always seems short. Therefore I was in a dilemma. I prayed to Mohanji that if you want me to join the program, please give me a sign.
Just one day before the program started, my friend called me and said, “I feel you should come for this program.” I considered it a sign from Mohanji. So I joined the program. In the program, I did get a chance to talk to Mohanji. I asked him that because of my physical condition, I could not do my practices, which troubled me. What could I do to improve?
Mohanji replied, “Don’t punish your body; take care of your body. Park your mind with the Supreme Consciousness/Guru, and the rest will come to you on its own.” He gave the example of Hanumanji and Ram. I am so grateful to my Baba Mohanji. He has been so kind to hold my hand and show me the way even in my test. I did stick to that advice and followed it with all my heart. I feel I am being transformed every moment. People around me see the change within me. I feel so much calmer and more stable within.
After Empowered 1.0 came Empowered 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0. For the rest of the programs afterwards, I knew for sure that I had to attend no matter what. These four programs have been more than amazing – A manual on how to live our life, how to do our dharma and still be detached; how to recognize and come out of our fears and patterns, and how to channel the mind to bring out the positives all around.
I never understood life so well before. Rather than burning yourself on why this happened and staying in the past, move on to the present. A beautiful present filled with your Master, his blessings and numerous opportunities waiting for you!
I knew about many of the teachings and ethics of life before but never understood how to truly apply them in my life. Never had that awareness or urgency to shed the unnecessary burdens I was carrying. Thank you, Mohanji, for bringing me to this Empowered workshop and for giving me the opportunity to bloom! Always grateful, koti koti pranams at your lotus feet!
|| JAI BRAHMARISHI MOHANJI ||
Edited & Published by – Testimonials Team, 11th August 2022
Disclaimer:
The views, opinions, and positions expressed by the authors and those providing comments on these blogs are theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions or positions of Mohanji, Mohanji Foundation, it’s members, employees or any other individual or entity associated with Mohanji or Mohanji Foundation. We make no representations as to accuracy, completeness, timeliness, suitability or validity of any information presented by individual authors and/or commenters on our blogs and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries or damages arising from its display or use.
We reserve the right to delete, edit, or alter in any manner we see fit blog entries or comments that we, in our sole discretion, deem to be obscene, offensive, defamatory, threatening, in violation of trademark, copyright or other laws, of an express commercial nature, or otherwise unacceptable.
I started this morning with a quote from Mohanji: “Faith is the antidote for fear”. Whenever we have fear, we can understand that faith is lacking.
Faith is the antidote for fear.
Mohanji
This is a quote from Mohanji that I use as one of my personal barometers, or checks, or tests for all the work that I do and my interactions with people. The absence of fear, or recognizing that there is no fear, is a display not only of that faith but also of the awareness that whatever is happening, whatever is taking place, there is no need to have fear because fear always creates blockages.
I’ve learned that faith is something that needs to be built up over time. I was a very sceptical and analytical person. I always wanted to have the answers and to understand how and why. I was never a person to blindly believe in something. Now, brick by brick, as on a wall, all the experiences that I’ve had with Mohanji have built up my faith in him and my faith in myself.
I’ve shared many of these experiences in the recordings, and many of them have simply been impossible for me to understand with the level of awareness that I have. For example, the changes I’ve seen in Mohanji’s body shape or witnessing confirmation that he has been with other people while sitting there with me and speaking to me. I can’t explain this; it’s not possible, so the only thing I can do is: accept it and have faith. I see the effects, and that brushes aside any real questions that I have, the questions of “why?” and “how?”, which I’m happy about because it was actually a waste of time and energy. It’s much easier to just get on with work now.
There’s a change that comes with having a real, rooted faith, something that I can consider established on a level. I wouldn’t ever say that anything is complete or final, but at least I’ve reached a point I feel where I can firmly say, “Okay, this is where I stand.” I’m learning that this is built up over time.
The recent example of the incident at Frankfurt and the humane airports campaign is giving me an opportunity to reflect on me now versus me some years ago. I can recognize this change because I’m not sure I would have approached the situation with the same attitude of, “Let’s just get this done. This needs to happen”. The major difference is that I have developed faith; faith in that which is speaking for a good cause and needs to happen, that injustice has to be spoken about. I know that I can only do what I can, and that’s good enough, even if people don’t agree or criticize.
Finally, most importantly, faith in Mohanji is the complete backing to this. It’s his energy that’s empowering this. I already see doors open more easily. The right people are coming together to give their skills and the right inputs. It’s incredibly humbling to be a part of this and have the opportunity to take it forward. Deeply recognizing, as he has said many times before, “If you take one step, I take 100 for you. The tradition takes steps for you”. I can see that happening. It’s moving, and I’m simply the instrument to help this happen. I know from my previous experience that there’s no room for fears, doubts and anxieties because they really do block progress. I mentioned in the quote earlier that whenever we have fear, there’s a lack of faith.
Reflecting on this, I can now say that I’m incredibly thankful to Mohanji for the opportunity to spend time with him, practice his teachings as best as I can and for what he shares with us all. This has really brought some transformation in life. He said before that you would never really know what has changed in his presence until you look back and see where you came from. That’s when you can see the difference, and that’s what I’ve been experiencing now, especially with respect to the quote I’ve shared today.
Now, for me, faith is knowing that someone completely has my back in all this, in what I’m doing, and especially so with the campaign for humane airports; it is something that is good for the world, and something that needs to be done, so what’s there to fear?
I would only emphasize that whenever there’s a feeling of fear or anxiety, it’s always our own personal experiences with Mohanji that can remind us of who is there with us and what they’re doing.
Have a great day ahead.
Day 150 – The trap called ‘Ownership’
A few weeks back, we had a global volunteers’ meeting, which was a really great opportunity to listen to all the volunteers who are working across various Mohanji platforms. They were sharing their activities and plans. We also had some really good experience-sharing from some of the longer-term volunteers, such as Hanumatananda, who has been with Mohanji in the foundation for over ten years.
Mohanji himself also gave a great talk, and one of the topics he spoke about was the traps that can emerge when we are on the path of volunteering. He mentioned that the number one trap is ownership – ownership of our actions.
This is something that I’ve learned over time. I’ve learned to make sure that ownership of work is kept in check because it can be really detrimental. After taking a cue from Mohanji and watching how he is with all his activities, I started to make changes in my own working pattern. I know from experience that it can be very easy to begin to develop ownership of tasks and initiatives, especially when we’ve been entrusted with serious responsibilities. I like to do my best; this means that, in the past, I would become very attached to that initiative, having my own view of how something should be done, rather than simply focusing on giving what I can to the activity.
I found it was very subtle because when I started, it was simply about giving my time: whatever I can give, I will give, and that’s what I’d be happy with. But as soon as I had something new to start, I developed an attachment to it. What I found is that once ownership started to creep in, I began to compare much more. This was a slippery slope because I’d compare myself with others, how they were doing their tasks and what they were doing. This not only affected my self-esteem, but I began to form opinions of others, which I had never done before, didn’t need to do, and sometimes I even developed prejudices. Then the work became much heavier, and control started to creep in, which is the complete opposite of what Mohanji is teaching. The irony and the beautiful drama at play was that I was taking steps and volunteering so that I could move towards liberation but actually ended up creating more bindings, which really is a comedy.
So, this is the trap of ownership in volunteering, and taking my cue from Mohanji, I began to correct this. I brought much more surrender into my work and began to live his example. I simply looked at delivering the best I could with what had been entrusted to me. Let me do my best. More than anything, simply let the actions speak for themselves.
Letting go of this ownership or control brought much more lightness to the work. That doesn’t mean I’ve completely let go of responsibilities. Obviously, I have to keep some element of steadiness and direction in what I’m doing, but it means that there’s much less heaviness. It’s more joyful each day.
“Okay, what can I do today to the best of my ability?” This is what I’ve done, and I’ve simply let whatever I’ve done speak for itself. The best example of this attitude of having no ownership is Mohanji himself. When I look at everything – all of the platforms, all the meditations that exist, all the careers, all the practices – he has given it completely free, and once it has been delivered, it’s handed over to somebody else to take forward. Rarely does he interfere; he simply delivers, and he keeps on delivering. Many more initiatives and ideas are coming forward, but at no point in time is he concerned about having control over them, nor does he have ownership.
Mohanji also asked a rhetorical question in the meeting, which was: “What do we actually have control of in our life?”. He said, “We can’t even control the heartbeat, circulation or digestion, so there’s nothing called control really.” He concluded by saying that, with our work, there’s no need to prove anything. We simply focus on delivering what we can, and the actions will speak for themselves, which I think is always a good reminder.
Hope you have a great day ahead.
|| JAI BRAHMARISHI MOHANJI ||
Edited & Published by – Testimonials Team, 7th August 2022
Disclaimer:
The views, opinions, and positions expressed by the authors and those providing comments on these blogs are theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions or positions of Mohanji, Mohanji Foundation, it’s members, employees or any other individual or entity associated with Mohanji or Mohanji Foundation. We make no representations as to accuracy, completeness, timeliness, suitability or validity of any information presented by individual authors and/or commenters on our blogs and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries or damages arising from its display or use.
We reserve the right to delete, edit, or alter in any manner we see fit blog entries or comments that we, in our sole discretion, deem to be obscene, offensive, defamatory, threatening, in violation of trademark, copyright or other laws, of an express commercial nature, or otherwise unacceptable.
‘We booked tickets to Skanda Vale and got a room even though everything was said to be full!’ Sita is clearly touched when she shares the good news with me. For it was in Skanda Vale that she married Nico, during the time when Swami Subramanian was alive, more than 45 years ago. It was the most beautiful time of their lives. They preferred to live there permanently.
I had not made a decision to go to the UK until then because the excitement of Mohanji’s stay in the Netherlands (early June 2022) a week prior to this call was still tangible in my cells, and I was integrating all experiences. But there were only a few days left, and I really had to decide now before everything was full and sold out. Still, I was relaxed because if Mohanji wanted me to come, it would work out anyway.
Skanda Vale had a certain attraction for me. Why? I did not know. I had never even seen a picture of the ashram or Guru Subramanian, the inspirator and initiator. But the sound in Sita’s voice when she told of her desire to visit Skanda Vale again and the prospect of a week in divine and natural surroundings sounded very attractive to me. It felt special and familiar at the same time. And when I heard that they would most probably be on the same plane as Mohanji, who would also go to Skanda Vale, I was convinced.
For over thirty years, with countless blessings from my beloved Masters, it had never happened that I had been on a plane with my Guru. Only a few small problems to tackle:
A plane that was full.
No place to sleep.
A ticket sale that could come to a close at any moment.
I decided to call Selma – who was very familiar with Skanda Vale – to ask if she would know of a place to sleep somewhere near the ashram since there were no more available rooms in the ashram. Selma liked the prospect of us coming so much that she immediately offered that she and Peter would sleep in the camper and I could sleep in Peter’s room. She had even spoken to him about the possibility beforehand!
‘And you should book the June 24 event soon because Vijay is about to close ticket sales as we speak this afternoon. He’s just waiting for you! I will then bring you a comforter, pillowcase, towels, thick woollen cardigan, and anything else you might need. It’s a very small wooden shack with no bathroom or toilet, though. Do you mind?’ No, of course not! I had no expectations, so everything was a bonus.
How could it be that she had already talked to Peter about the possibility of my coming, and how could it be that Vijay was waiting for my ticket request? And how could it be that Selma and Peter were willing to squeeze themselves into a camper with three children to grant me a room at the ashram and that she was also willing to arrange bedding, towels and clothing for me? If this wasn’t a higher plan?
The cold was a bit worrisome because just two weeks before, I had received the diagnosis ‘cold agglutination’ from the haematologist, a fairly rare condition that belongs to the autoimmune varieties. The blood attacks itself when it gets cold. It will then start to clot, and red blood cells get destroyed. But with all the help Selma so spontaneously offered, it could only work out well, right? It was too surprising for words.
Within the record time of half an hour, I had a room, a ticket for the event at the end of the week in London, about the last plane ticket to Manchester, and an extra night’s accommodation on the night before the event. And someone was showing so much care for even the smallest details of my comfort! Being able to book such a complicated trip so quickly and surprisingly felt like a warm welcome and divine grace.
My husband took us all to the airport on June 20. There were huge crowds at Schiphol Airport due to major staff shortages and long lines blocking the counters. Due to physical problems, Sita had booked airport assistance for Nico, so we sailed with the help of a friendly assistant along each row and were at the right gate in no time.
Loes, Sita’s girlfriend, apprised us every few minutes of the whereabouts of Mohanji’s plane from Belgrade, which she followed via a sky scanner app on her phone. But their plane turned out to be delayed, and with our simple calculation, it didn’t seem possible that they were going to catch the plane to Manchester. I prayed quickly, and then Loes reported that our plane was also delayed. That would solve the problem, I thought gratefully, because once in my life, taking off with my Guru, even if only in kilometres instead of energy frequency, felt like an unexpected blessing I had never had the chance to experience before.
One often reads in books on Sathya Sai Baba about people ending up in the skies with him, and somewhere deep inside, it must have settled in me as an unconscious wish. And my experience is that the Guru makes every wish come true even if you don’t know you have it. For years I have been trying to be without expectations towards the Guru. My way of dealing with desires was: I noticed them. If it was a good desire, I would picture the outcome, feel the happiness of it and let it go. And it has produced the most wonderful experiences.
I even thought that my Guru Swami Gopal Baba, who passed away in 2020, had already fulfilled all my unconscious and conscious desires that a devotee can have. He was masterful at that, with divine timing and precision.
At one point, we heard that we would probably leave at the scheduled time after all, to the relief of many and the sadness of us. Mohanji’s plane had yet to land, and to get out and arrive at the right terminal and gate on time would be a witch’s errand. Would he start running if he had to? Sita got antsy and started walking up and down the hall looking for Mohanji and the team.
When she came back, I burst out, “Look! Behind you!” I threw everything off – including my bag with all my important papers, passport and cards that I always guarded like a guard dog when travelling – and flew up to greet Mohanji. His arms were immediately wide open, and his smile radiant. What a welcome! And they had made it! Miraculous. When I commented on it, Mohanji said, “I ran.” With which he immediately answered my unspoken question.
He gave me a second warm hug. What had I done to deserve that? No idea. And why should I wonder? His love has no limits. Because I was so absorbed in his presence, I accidentally went through boarding with him while my section was still far from being called. On board, it felt like the entire plane was sparkling with Mohanji’s energy.
Even though, of course, I saw nothing of him during the trip. I didn’t even want to read my brought book. Just enjoying the energy because when do you experience something like this? ‘Live like it’s your last day’ became very tangible. At Manchester airport, I lost Sita and Nico. Since they were in front of me on the plane, I assumed they were already at the baggage claim and quickly walked over. No Sita and Nico but Mohanji, who was waiting for his bags.
Meanwhile, he was fumbling with the Wi-Fi connection, which wasn’t working, and he said it was probably because he didn’t like all that messaging but had to; otherwise others would complain that he wasn’t answering. I mentioned that I had lost Sita and Nico, and as the suitcases began to roll onto the conveyor belt, I wondered aloud which ones were theirs again. Without a moment’s thought, Mohanji looked up from his cell phone for a moment and, pointing to a burgundy suitcase, he said casually, “I think this one,” and continued searching for a Wi-Fi connection.
To my utter surprise, when I turned the suitcase, I saw that it was indeed the one. Sita had tied a red ribbon to the handle. I smiled warmly and said, “That’s what happens when one travels with divinity.” We both laughed. Sita, who had just arrived, asked why we were laughing, and I explained to her. Mohanji simply added, “I see those things,” – so ‘matter-of-factly’ that you would think it was nothing special.
Masters at airports have something very special. Years ago, when we waved goodbye to Swami Gopal Baba at Schiphol Airport, the clasp of my backpack was tangled in my hair, and my mother tried to undo it gently. It was a hassle. Swami suddenly watched the spectacle with a laser look, and the clasp came loose.
A seemingly useless miracle but with great meaning. It probably helped me detach from my identification with the personality, whose clues were all in the bag, such as ID, bank cards, etc. What would this suitcase miracle mean except the proof that Mohanji is hugely involved, even in the smallest details, despite knowing and leading thousands of people. A ‘superhero’, Ana Divac (Guru Leela volume 3) would say.
At the Luton Airport, Mohanji was lovingly welcomed by Vijay, Subhasree and others. Pictures could not be taken since Tea’s suitcase with her camera equipment was missing. In the parking lot, I heard Mohanji say that we should go somewhere for lunch. Because he felt the gnawing hunger of all the people, and he could not stand it. He doesn’t think about himself. He feels what others feel and reacts.
We stopped at a Mexican restaurant after a short drive along the way. Not only flying with my Guru but also driving together (not in the same car, as we were sitting with Rahul) and eating together on the road were unconscious wishes that I thought I had let go of for a long time. Seeing those wishes fulfilled made my heart sing.
At the restaurant, we were all seated at a table. And I realised that this was the second time I ate together with Mohanji at the table. Just like a few months ago in London after the BE YOU event in April. That was enough for me to consider the whole trip a loving sequence of unexpected, beautiful moments. Were they in my stars, or had they ended up there spontaneously by ‘fresh’ Mohanji’s grace?
Mohanji was seated opposite Vijay, the president of Mohanji Foundation UK, and showed him his hand with a beautiful ring with nine stones. An amazing story followed, which turned out to be really significant. For the world ánd for Mohanji. And a little bit for me, for it turned out to be the answer to my prayer, which I will describe later.
During an interview, Sathya Sai Baba materialized a diamond ring for Dirk van de Wijngaard (different from this ring). But Dirk was not interested in the ring. What was the value of a ring when the Divine Maker, who was infinitely more important to him, was sitting right in front of him? When he found out that the ring was incredibly valuable in terms of money, he cried all night. Not out of happiness but out of sheer pain. He didn’t want gold or diamonds. He wanted only God!
Please read the beautiful and authentic testimonial of Biljana and Dirk about the miraculous way the diamond ring turned into a nine-stone Protection Ring that ended up on Mohanji’s finger. Dirk, in his characteristic, childlike innocence and modesty, had expressed his sincere desire to remain anonymous as the giver of the ring to Mohanji. But he had not taken into account that Mohanji had different plans. I am getting the feeling that the anonymity thing didn’t work out very well after Mohanji himself told about the divine gift to different people. Then Dirk surrendered to Mohanji’s will and shared the amazing ‘Protection-Ring story’ with the world:
Let’s look at the amazing significance of this Protection-Ring-event! In Miraculous Days with Mohanji, the book of Rajesh Kamath that every devotee should read and that I am translating at the moment, I have just read: He (Tyagananda) took out a long rudraksha mala (a string of prayer beads) and put it around Mohanji’s neck. He then narrated the story of the mala and the reason for his advent. This mala was worn by his Guru’s Guru, Swami Poornananda. He said that Swami Poornananda had done hundreds of millions of chants on this very mala. Swami Poornananda attained mahasamadhi on April 6, 2000.
Before this event, he handed over the mala to Tyagananda and said, “One day, you will meet a powerful Master. Give this mala to him.” Tyagananda asked, “How will I recognise him?” Swami Poornananda replied, “His third eye will be like a blazing sun. You won’t fail to recognise him.” When he left Hyderabad, Tyagananda had doubts about Mohanji – whether Mohanji was a real Guru and whether Mohanji was the person to receive the mala. But now that he had met Mohanji, he was convinced that he had to come here to accomplish the task of handing over the mala entrusted to him by his Guru’s Guru fourteen years ago.
Let’s just look at the similarities! A great Master (Swami Poornananda) recognised Mohanji’s divine and omnipotent nature and stature through a gift through his disciple (Tyagananda), many years after his mahasamadhi.
And here we are; Sri Sathya Sai Baba, a Divine Master and avatar, left a gift for Mohanji to be given to him by a disciple who recognised him. And that too, many years after his mahasamadhi. And like Tyagananda, Dirk had strong doubts about Mohanji at first. Doubts that evaporated after meeting Mohanji in person.
Imagine this seemingly small event’s significance for many Sai devotees! As a Sai devotee, it might have felt like a valuable reassurance from Sai on the authenticity of Mohanji’s divine stature if I hadn’t already fallen in love with Mohanji completely and wholeheartedly!
sdr
|| JAI BRAHMARISHI MOHANJI ||
Edited & Published by – Testimonials Team, 4th August 2022
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Experiences With Mohanji 