On Mohanji’s birthday, I want to dedicate this testimonial in gratitude for whatever he has done for me and all the transformations he has graced my life with. I have gone through these experiences multiple times but never sat down to pen them.
I met Mohanji physically at the end of 2021. However, my journey started in 2020. At the beginning of 2020, I had been through a very turbulent time; much of it was because of my own wrong choices and decisions, putting my faith in people who did not have my best intentions.
I made choices that I never thought I would make. Looking back, I could have handled things better, but it didn’t happen that way. However, my idea of self crumbled – who I thought I was and what I thought I would do. My self-image was destroyed, leading to an absolute lack of self-confidence and trust and no idea what to do. Everything spiralled down even further; I had no idea how to get myself out of the internal state, and the external mess created.
This went on for a while and got way worse. There was guilt, anxiety, self-pity, self-blame, and a lot of pain, the pain I had caused to others and the pain that was caused to me. I had no acceptance of what was happening and would spend all my energy replaying everything in my mind for a better outcome.
I was always connected to Sai Baba; it depended more upon how much I needed him. However, the connection was always there with him – like a friend. Throughout this time, I would pray to him to help me anyway.
This went on for a while, going from darkness to some light and back to darkness. I was aware of some terms related to spirituality, karma, the law of attraction, etc. Around this time, the lockdown happened, and even though it brought loss to many, for me, it was like some fresh air. I could go back home, away from everything and everyone, and make some changes to the state I was in.
I understood that things, situations, and people were being removed from my life to help me, but still, I deeply drowned in all the emotions of the lower frequency. I was dragging myself through days, relying on guided meditations to sleep at night. My family could sense that something was not right with me, but I was too reserved to share anything. The thought of affecting them added more to the pain and guilt.
My acceptance was too low, and soon, I hit rock bottom. Everything piled up and led to self-hatred; I hated everything about myself, and when my parents would take care of me, I felt unhappy with that too. All I knew was that I needed help and couldn’t continue like this. The idea that I might have to experience more pain in life, just like everyone, scared me deeply.
I could not accept things getting added to the weight that I already had, and the idea that I might have lifetimes more to live was too dreadful. I started looking at ways not to accumulate karma, burn karma, and get out of karma, but I realized that it is not as easy as googling it and finding a solution. Throughout this time, I would share everything with Baba. He made his presence stronger and would send help in all ways, but I would still fall back after some time.
I started watching YouTube videos about Baba and stumbled upon one of the channels dedicated to people sharing their experiences about him. On that channel, I saw videos of Mohanji speaking about Baba. At this point, I was not looking for a Guru, nor did I think I needed a Guru. I simply liked Mohanji’s videos; he spoke simple words with clarity. I watched more videos of him, and one of his videos really touched me and brought about a change.
He spoke about how, no matter what, one should never entertain negative emotions like guilt, hate, and anxiety. Until this point, I believed that one is not truly apologetic if one doesn’t feel guilty and take responsibility for everything happening around them. Once I started accepting his teachings and chose to give up on such emotions, it felt like I could finally breathe. Suddenly I had hope, and slowly with time, the weight of everything became lighter.
Sometime later, someone recommended the book, “Autobiography of a Yogi”, although that person had not read it. That book changed my life; the possibility a human can have in one lifetime and the possibility of a technique to get done with everything was too fascinating. There is a part in the book where Kriya is referred to as the rocket technique to liberation that stuck with me. And I understood that this was what I needed.
After that, I read books about many Masters and their relationships with their disciples. All the books emanate much love. The books really helped me and made me stable, but I was not content with them; I wanted someone to come and guide me in their physical presence. I prayed intently to Baba to send a Guru my way. To make myself eligible, I tried chanting, yoga, and a few different things. All I wanted was a Kriya Guru, and I firmly believed I would get one. I was unsure how long it would take, but I was ready to wait.
I was watching Mohanji’s videos all this while, but I was unsure if he was a realized Master, more so because of how humbly he shared his knowledge and was exceptionally down to earth. My mind had many doubts; how did he get Kriya if he didn’t have a Guru? He did not appear like a typical Guru, and he did not speak like a typical Guru.
There came the point where I looked everywhere and was bombarded with forms of Kriya applications from different Traditions, but I was too low on confidence to make such a big decision by myself. Since Mohanji’s Kriya form was the first one that came my way, I filled it out and sent it with a prayer to Baba that if this is my path and my Guru, let this form get accepted.
Within a week, the reply came, and the application was selected. It was my absolute faith in Baba with which I accepted and understood that it was Baba’s guidance. After that, my life was never the same; everything fell into place, grace came from all directions, and things started happening in my favour.
I came out of all the negative emotions; they left me totally, so much so that now I can’t even believe that there was a time I lived like that. It seems like a memory of some past life. My relationship with Mohanji took its sweet little time to develop. Many tests happened, too; some I failed to see, some I passed, but he did not leave me through them.
In the past two years, I have had miraculous experiences, which I will share soon.
I will conclude this one with just one more incident. When I was going home during Covid, I remember feeling uncertain and crying about the life that I thought lay ahead of me. Still, when returning to college, I distinctly remember feeling absolute gratitude for the change that had happened in my life, for the love, grace, and absolute care that I had experienced only because of Baba and Mohanji.
The transformation was so apparent that even my mind could not deny it. Mohanji truly gave me a new life; he brought me out of self-hate to so much love that it just expressed itself to others around me. There is no way I could see it coming, and there is no way my gratitude can do justice to the grace showered upon me. There is no way I deserve all this grace.
I end this testimonial with gratitude to Mohanji for everything and to Baba for giving me the greatest gift of a lifetime, the presence of a living Master. Mohanji, please always keep me at your feet.
|| JAI BRAHMARISHI MOHANJI ||
Edited & Published by – Testimonials Team, 2nd March 2023
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 wasn’t looking for a Guru. I just wanted that elusive road map to the heart. To that wide, split-open channel through which the source charges. Forcefully. Endlessly. Lovingly. Shining upon every conceivable thing and being. The source of love. God. I wanted that. It was a place I had briefly, powerfully experienced in a dream.
I was 19 then. I’m 46 now. Through the years, the desire for this map waxed and waned but never quite dissipated. Lately, it was pulsating like a deep point of pain. Especially now that I was a parent.
I had always assumed I would be a loving parent.
I am.
But along with love, what I didn’t realize I would also cultivate was a blossoming field of expectations. There’s nothing unconditional about love in the relationships we’re accustomed to in our daily lives. Love holds them together, no doubt, but what it holds turns from desire to expectation to disappointment to resentment in predictable ways, in predictable cycles, repeatedly. And the deepest disappointment, the deepest resentment, is continually, steadily, pointed inward and expressed outward. We judge ourselves harshly and condemn others for it.
But I didn’t know this then. All I knew is, I was tired of being angry. Of being disappointed. Of being furious in love. I tried all manner of meditations and esoteric studies. Each attempt, each avenue I had explored so far, felt like a little vein bearing the pulse of something familiar, something essential. But where was the heart?
In early Autumn 2021, I caught sight of a poster on social media in a language I couldn’t read – someone had written a brief English translation. Two words caught my attention: Self Realization. A person named Mohanji was going to guide folks through 11 days of transformation online. It struck me instantly: this is just what I’m looking for.
But who was Mohanji?
The beloved relative on whose social media page I had seen the poster was a follower, but I had never discussed their engagement with their spiritual mentor. I toyed with the idea. Let it rest. Toyed some more. Before I knew it, the workshop was beginning the next morning. I called my relative, but I couldn’t get through. Not that evening. Not the next day. This was unusual. (Now, as I think back, I chuckle. The leela, the leela.)
By the next evening, I left an urgent message. Finally, I had a response. Calls were made, payments dashed off, and on the third day, I sat at the computer, listening to this bearded man exuding love, humility, and patience. So much love. So, so much love.
It was clear. He was there. In that Godspace. He was channeling pure love. He was Love.
Empowered 1 changed me. It caused me to drop some things easily and overnight for good. Some things were temporary, but the change was palpable.
Several months and a couple of more Empowered workshops later, I recall telling my sister over the phone, “You know, I feel happy for the first time. Truly happy.” Depression is a secret that courses quietly through my family. We don’t talk about it. We just cry silently behind closed doors and ache deeply under broad smiles.
More than a year later, I can say for sure that this happiness is real. That being happy is possible. Even when other emotions rise as they do every day – irritation, disappointment, anger, frustration, the deep undercurrent is one of satisfaction and happiness. Life feels bearable. Enjoyable even. And most significantly, it feels meaningful.
But the anger. It was still there. Nothing had diminished it. It rose as frequently, as powerfully as before. And it swept me off my grounding each time. I was still far from even a glimpse of that place saturated with peace and love.
By the end of Empowered 4, I felt I understood exactly what Mohanji was trying to ingrain in us. If you’d ask me to explain it, I could. Easily. I could see the map now. Clearly, but I hadn’t walked it yet. I didn’t know how to walk it. The practices so far had brought me to a point of deep insight, no doubt – but that subtle shift into actually experiencing the Self, even momentarily, beyond mind, body and ego was proving to be elusive.
Months ago, my local Acharya had reached out as part of an initiative to make a video on how practitioners felt transformed through the practice of Consciousness Kriya. I told her then, “Ever since meeting Mohanji (virtually), I definitely feel transformed. But I don’t notice a shift through Kriya specifically. And I can’t bring myself to make an exaggerated claim – that would feel like a lie.” I respectfully bowed out of submitting a testimonial.
Cue Empowered 5. I couldn’t make it to Serbia to attend the retreat in person. But I committed fully and wholly to participating online. Arrangements were made. People were informed. My partner took full responsibility for everything in our home. I switched off my phone and entered my cave. Doors shut. Ears shut. Eyes shut. The only thing I kept on was the zoom call. I let it stream through all 8 hours each day. Even though there was mostly silence, keeping it on brought in a shared energy with the satsang and a sense of being in Mohanji’s presence.
Day 1 ended. I didn’t feel particularly successful with the practice. I had kept my eyes covered, my ears plugged, and I did the breathing as instructed. But nothing. I felt nothing. No shift.
That night the dreams arose. Vivid. Incisive. Showing me a clear mirror to the things that drive this person called me. Hidden things. Unacknowledged little traits of vanity and pride, desires, and the subconscious projection of a carefully cultivated personality.
On day 2, the breathing was slower and longer. I struggled with it a bit. But I practiced steadfastly – again, with little sense of success. There was no conscious, waking breakthrough. I hadn’t seen my family in two full days. I hadn’t checked my phone in 48 hours. I didn’t know what I was doing. It all seemed a bit pointless. I was weepy and exhausted. And I wanted something to hold on to, something familiar. Again, that night, more dreams. More hidden desires and traits revealed.
Day 3, by now, the dreams were arising during daytime naps as well. (I was waking up at 2:30 am in my time zone to catch the start of the program, so I was quite drowsy by 6 am). For the first time, I felt I was getting the hang of it. Don’t expect any breakthroughs. Just power on. Breathe. Just breathe. No expectations. Just put in the work and connect with Mohanji. The breathing was even longer and slower. At some point, without realizing it, I switched to doing Kriya because it somehow made the breath less laboured. It felt natural.
At some point, I dozed off again, and there they were. More dreams. This time bringing to light issues of shame around certain aspects of my life. Interestingly enough, there was time travel. Beings that existed outside of time (a Master) and from other timelines (some friendly, several hostile) made appearances.
That evening I had every intention of getting to bed, falling asleep, and receiving more insight through my dreams. But I tossed and turned. And every little sound in the house brought me out of my effort to sleep. At some point, the agitation was so high I directed it at my children and partner, accusing them mentally of sabotaging my ‘great spiritual effort’ by walking loudly, resenting them for willfully being in the way of my big awakening with their clumsy footsteps.
There it was. The trap of expectation. Followed immediately by its beloved bedfellow, guilt. This time, during the brief couple of hours of fitful sleep, the dreams revealed some of my hidden fears. This was getting more and more unpleasant.
Day 4, during the morning satsang, I learned that many people hadn’t been able to sleep the previous night. Mohanji smiled mischievously and said, “Me neither”. Aha! (A stab of guilt resurfaced for my resentment towards my family).
Mohanji explained, “What happens is, this whole thing is churning you. Your usual patterns, habits are changed… the toxins are leaving. It’s all connected to the expulsion of toxins”. Mental apologies were beamed off to my beloved family immediately. It wasn’t them; it was me. It always is. The flavour of every experience originates in one’s own mental state. Of course. Didn’t I already know this?
The breathing was even longer and slower. And again, Kriya did the magic. By now, it was dawning on me that there really was something to the cleansing powers of Kriya. Earlier, I had to drag myself to go through the preparatory steps of Kriya – now, I couldn’t wait to do them.
By the end of the day, the first waking realization occurred. Everything had quietened down a fair bit. The inside of my body felt like a vast dark emptiness. Everything else was outside it. Every sound, every physical thing. The only sound that lay within was my heartbeat, pulsing loudly. Boom. Boom. Boom. And further inward was the dot of awareness that was noticing this. Noticing everything.
That’s it. Then it was gone. The briefest moment of cognition.
The whole day, my head felt strange, and my eyesight felt different. Like I was looking out through several layers of reality. This was likely due to wearing an eye mask for most of the day. Sudden re-exposure to light was perception-bending. A potent reminder that one mustn’t always trust in sensory perception or rest in the comfort of seeing things only in certain accustomed conditions. It was incredible how each aspect of Empowered 5 brought in so much insight!
That night I went to bed with fewer expectations. I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that I was also excited at the prospect of being reunited with my family soon – it was the last day of isolation. I felt so much love and gratitude for them. I missed them. I felt their preciousness so intensely. But I also felt a familiar pain at the imminence of not being in satsang with Mohanji after the next day. Though this time, the tears were not so much from the pain of separation but from gratitude. This time, I was able to fully trust in the ever-present knowing that my Guru, the Guru Tattva, is ALWAYS available in the spiritual heart; that I can access it anytime, anywhere.
This realization has a lot to do with Devi’s group Mai-Tri sessions during Empowered 5. In the past, whenever I had been part of group Mai-Tri sessions, I would eventually feel completely disengaged because of my intellectual discomfort with the heightened emotionality of parts of the practice. The moment I’d hear emotion rising in the instructor’s voice, I’d be jolted out of the experience by a snarky voice in my head. “WHAT?! This is so dramatic! How can this be spiritual practice?!” the voice would say unkindly. That’s it. I’d sit there, eyes closed, fully in judgement mode.
This time, just as I was beginning to feel discomfort from hearing deep emotion in Devi’s voice, something urgently asked me to trust. Just trust the process. That’s all it took. The snarky voice in my head was quietened by the revelation that drama IS the very nature of existence. Of the Divine Mother. Isn’t ALL of it drama? Aren’t we all here, mired in Maya because of the Mother? This is all the play of Shakti, and if She’s sitting here, guiding me Herself, then sit back and bask in it. Feel each bit of the instruction. My deepest gratitude to Devi for her sessions and for bringing the grace of the Divine Mother to our practice during Empowered 5.
The second session with Devi revealed the biggest gift of all. It removed the veil of duality between all the beloved Gurus empanelled in my heart. During one of the early Empowered workshops long ago, I had asked Mohanji, “What if you hold more than one Guru dear in your heart?” and he said, “That’s fine, as long as you’re not connecting to the form.” I couldn’t fully comprehend it then. When Devi guided us to connect with the Tradition during Mai-Tri, even though not all of my beloved Gurus belong to the Datta tradition, I felt each one’s energy melded inextricably with that of the Tradition.
The Tradition was a gateway to my Gurus, and my Gurus were a gateway to the Tradition. I truly felt what it means for all Gurus to be an expression of one Consciousness. Now Mohanji doesn’t just sit with Babaji and Baba in my heart; they transform into one another playfully, one speaking lovingly through the words of the other. They still have their forms, but they are one in love.
That night, the dream was hazy. I was hovering above the ground (not walking on it) with a group of others who, like me, were dressed in white. We were all connected, and there was uniformity in our appearance. I wasn’t even in my current form or body anymore. There was a sense that we were upholding the very fabric of order. Fighting an ancient fight, not with weapons, but with an indwelling strength that was inherently loving. But it wasn’t a happy dream or a victorious one. There was uncertainty and strife on the ground.
It wasn’t surprising when, the next day, Mohanji reiterated the need to create a strong community of brightness and positivity in each region to prepare for an uncertain future. During Mohanji’s satsang that day, I noticed a feeling of agitation rising. The online participants couldn’t have many of their questions read out and answered. Though I didn’t type any questions for Mohanji in the chatbox, many others did. And most of them seemed to be going unasked. Were the onliners being overlooked?
This feeling was short-lived. It soon became clear that this was another instance of Mohanji’s leela. Even though he would occasionally ask if there were any online questions, he didn’t need this drama of physical-world engagement. He was meeting each one of us exactly where we were in our hearts, in our homes, through every channel available to our senses. However, we still needed the drama. And so, he played along, turning to the online coordinator every now and then to check, “Any online questions?”
How could I even entertain a doubt? Of course, I know he knows every heart. On my best days, he’s the one beaming out of mine.
I found EACH of my questions was answered. The moment I felt I needed an answer, someone in the audience in Serbia would raise their hand and out trotted the very words that were in my head, followed by his loving answers. A few weeks later, when I met one of the in-person participants, I grinned and thanked her for asking my question. She laughed, “So it was you! I was wondering who prompted that question because I’m usually too shy to speak in front of Mohanji, but at that moment, I don’t know how the urge to raise my hand took over.”
When Empowered 5 ended, even though I hadn’t yet experienced what I’d been looking for all these years (through lifetimes, likely), I did have the deep conviction that I had placed my first foot forward. Beyond all ideas and notions I had gathered along the way on the ‘how’ and ‘why’, I had taken my first step into actually experiencing this ineffable realm in my waking hours in a way that only this set of mental lenses called me could truly appreciate or comprehend.
A lot of fundamental things became clear in a tangible way during those hours of seclusion and silence. Witnesshood is one such biggie. Thanks to Empowered 5, it isn’t just limited to the times I practice Mohanji’s Feel-the-Feelings process. I find I’m being able to cultivate it in my daily life – with shorter and shorter gaps between occurrence and witnessing.
I’m able to see the cycles and patterns of unlove and closed-heartedness in tense interactions. I’ve become quicker at accepting the role of personality and conditioned defensiveness at these moments. Because of this, I’m also quicker to seek the ever-outheld hand and love-drenched embrace of my beloved Guru at such times to make a rapid recovery and to make amends that were beyond the reach of my ego earlier.
I’m deeply flawed, but I’m beginning to get past the frustration of its endless drag. Because when the weight of the ego gets too heavy to carry, there it is, my beloved Guru’s grace, love, and acceptance. All I need is to let go, allow grace to take over, and retire Sisyphus for a moment.
To briefly loosen the suffocating grip of this karmic garb and let the cool breeze of grace waft in for respite, lightness, and a whiff of what it could mean to be free.
Most significantly, very slowly, I’m beginning to allow others their own perfection. To reduce the distance between my resistance (and consequent suffering), and their roles in being instruments of grace through their karma-garbed perfect presences. I see this now, clearly, though mostly still in hindsight. I’m yet to learn to be present to this Truth in the moment.
I’m not an accomplished cartographer of the heart by far yet, but with my Guru’s infinite grace, I’ve made my first firm step into an arterial inroad.
|| JAI BRAHMARISHI MOHANJI ||
Edited & Published by – Testimonials Team, 23rd February 2023
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.
Surya Sujan, a dear friend and follower of Mohanji shares her recent experience with Mohanji during the Nila Aarati that took place in Kerala in January 2023.
For participating in the Nila Aarti, Sreeja, her son and I travelled from Kannur by the 5 am train. Sreeja and her son were there to get the Shaktipat and meet Mohanji. We reached the Nila Aarti venue by eight o’clock. Devadas, his family, and I helped set the stage at the venue. Mohanji also reached the hotel, which was near the venue where the event was going on. Soon the guests and those who had registered for this event started arriving.
By 9 am – 9: 35am, I went to the hotel with Vipin Kudiyath because I wanted to meet Mohanji. I wanted to welcome him. I was planning to surprise Mohanji, as Mohanji didn’t know I was coming to Palakkad for the Nila Aarti and this was the third time I was going to see Mohanji, so I didn’t tell him I would be coming. When I knocked on the door and went in, Mohanji was sitting alone. We had a great hug with lots of love from Mohanji. I was so happy. I felt the love as if it came from my mother, my Guruji, or my friend.
We then went to the Nila Aarti event. The Nila Aarti is celebrated on the banks of the Nila River located at Cheruthurti, Paangavu Shiva Kshetra, Trichur, Kerala. From that time onwards, I was with Mohanji. I managed the entire program as Mohanji instructed me to take the lead. We were seated in the first row. After the ‘Ashtapathy’ rendition, Mohanji was seated in a grand chair on the stage and the satsang began.
Initially, I was sitting with Mohanji, and I felt uncomfortable sitting in the same level as the Guru. I slowly tried to sit at the second-level seating position. But Mohanji indicated for me to remain seated next to him. The Nila Aarti was powerful to witness in the presence of Mohanji.
We had our lunch together at Mohanji’s insistence and were the first to have lunch. Then he told me that he had a meeting with Moksha Trust and I (Surya) should go to the room and wait for him there. I said I’d be waiting for him at the banks of Nila because I wanted to arrange the lamps – to pour oil on the wicks. I went straight from there with Sreeja. It was a huge surprise for me that Sreeja, with her four young, vibrant team from Ernakulum had come to volunteer.
Chitra, myself, Sreeja and her teams arranged the earthen lamps on the banks of Nila by 6 pm. Around 6.15 pm, Mohanji arrived and we welcomed Mohanji. A good concert of music and dance highlighting the importance of river Nila, followed by a Kathakali recital on Ashtapathi padam was organised. Mohanji then gave a brief speech that was direct, and precise regarding the importance of a river, the importance of a river to a human being and how it affects our lives etc. It was a powerful and succinct speech by Mohanji.
I had booked my return ticket along with Mohanji, but my booking was in another coach. Mohanji called me over the mike and said it was very late. Devadas came to say that Mohanji was calling me for dinner. I sat next to Mohanji for dinner as well. I feel so blessed and touched that Mohanji assigned various tasks that needed to be done and he wanted me next to him. I don’t know what connection I have with him that he gives me so much love and importance in front of everyone. After we had dinner, there was cake cutting. I washed Mohanji’s plates and we left together for the hotel where Mohanji and I had an important talk regarding some other things. After the HSTY yoga trainer left, I told Mohanji to rest or take a short nap. I set the alarm and took care of the other needed arrangements.
While Mohanji was resting, I read the small Gita book he had gifted me. I had just finished the preface and the first chapter when Mohanji woke up. It was 10 pm. Mohanji said, “Let us go. The train is at 11pm.” Soon Vipin, Mohanji and I came to the railway station, got into the train, and settled in our berths. My stop was Kannur, and the train would stop there at 2:00 am. Mohanji said it was an odd time to get off the train and that I should join him and go to Udupi. But I had not told my family about this and my car was parked at the Kannur railway station from the previous morning five am. So I said, “Mohanji, I’ll meet you at Palakkad on January 31.”
At two o’clock, I got down from the train after prostrating at his Lotus feet and quickly got into my car. While I was starting the car, somebody came and asked me to slide the window down. He said, “Your left wheel has a puncture.” I was shocked! He said, “Actually I was waiting for you, chechi. Your car was punctured early in the morning itself. We didn’t have your number. How can you go at this time? So I got a number from some other guy who can change the tyre with a spare tyre. I said, “I can’t sit here. Nobody’s here.” He said, “No. Don’t worry. You sit in this tent, and in the meantime, we’ll call the car mechanic and get your car fixed.”
There was no policeman around. Nothing was there on that quiet night besides a shed in the parking area. As I sat in the tent, after about 10 to 15 min, the mechanic came to fix the car. It was just the parking attendant, the repair guy and me in the parking lot. And this was because I had told the parking attendant man who was on night duty the day I boarded the train that I would arrive at 2 am early the next day, and the kind man was waiting for me after finishing his morning duty. He waited for me in the parking lot, not only to inform me that my car tyre had a puncture but also had rallied someone to repair my car. He said, “If you can repair it now, it will be fine. Otherwise tomorrow in the hot sun and this heavy traffic you can’t do all these things here. So I waited for you!” In 10-15 minutes, the repairman changed the car stepney.
Early that morning, we travelled to Shornur and were in the AC coach of a train, the 15th coach from the engine. Two elderly ladies aged 79 or 80, somehow got into the AC coach with three big bags as they could not locate their coaches. The elderly ladies sat down and desperately tried to figure out their seats, not knowing they were not in their allotted coaches. When I saw their tickets, I mentioned that their coach was closest to the engine, 14 coaches away from the current one. It was difficult for them to make their way to their coach with their pieces of luggage on a moving train.
As the elderly women reminded me of my mother, I carried their bags to their coach, helped them to their seats, and then returned to my seat. Everyone watched me walk up and down to help these elderly women including the Governor of Goa, Sridharan Pillai. I came back half an hour or 20 minutes later, fully drenched in sweat, but I helped them.
One of the elderly ladies told me, “You are like God to me! Jesus himself has brought you to help us.” I said, “You deserve this help. It could be Jesus or Allah or any God! But you deserve this help because you are like my mother,” and returned to my seat. What you sow, so you reap! That’s probably why the guy in the parking lot waited for me till 2 am and also arranged a mechanic to change the car tyre.
I wonder who is orchestrating all this behind the lines. In Mohanji’s talk, he said, to accept our karma, accept ourselves and be a role-model to the society and our children. The parents should be role-model to children as children imbibe or follow the actions of the parents. This was a wonderful opportunity to serve two elderly people considering them as my parents.
|| JAI BRAHMARISHI MOHANJI ||
Edited & Published by – Testimonials Team, 16th February 2023
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 final part of this testimonial, Linda shares some of her beautiful experiences with Mohanji in India after the Empowered programme.
The moment I got home from Serbia at the end of October 2022, my existing problems worsened. It was as if the Kailash challenge had come home with me. And not unsolicited or unwanted. It was welcome but also extremely painful.
Energy prices were skyrocketing, and our popular vegetarian Indian restaurant, where energy is used in abundance for the tandoor oven, the big gas stove, and all the refrigerators and freezers, the dishwashers, the grease filtering system and lighting, was quickly heading toward bankruptcy.
My husband’s depression worsened together with our marital problems. And that to an unbearable point where my husband and I began to discuss divorce seriously. Since I didn’t have a job, ageing and osteoarthritis made the chance of finding a job difficult – living on my own seemed virtually impossible. Not wanting to depend on others, I faced the worst-case scenario of becoming homeless.
I simply witnessed the possibility and was amazed at how balanced and empowered I felt beneath the emotions and mind games. I kept my back straight and continued to practice my focus on alignment by concentrating on Guru Consciousness, self-acceptance, Kriya, inner silence and, in extreme situations, Pause Technique.
The same issue I faced during the days of the Empowered retreat in Serbia surfaced again and again – misunderstanding – but with more intensity. To the extent that I thought that no one really understood my pure intentions. Many loved ones seemed to look at me through a veil of their convictions, colours, ideas, and opinions and judged me for almost every decision I made with a pure heart.
My decisions seemed totally egoistic in the eyes of nearly all my dear ones, and their judgment seemed final. I felt extreme loneliness. Kailash and Empowered 5 energies seemed to intensify my challenges. Shiva takes everything and leaves you empty, but only with your permission. It is like buying a ticket for a rollercoaster ride and yet being surprised by its ferocity.
Fortunately, I didn’t resist even the deepest feeling of desperation and fear of the unknown and stayed considerably stable. Both Kailash and Empowered didn’t only trigger the trials. They gave the ‘medicines’ as well in the form of a deep underlying peace, acceptance and a feeling of absolute safety, no matter what happened.
In the midst of all personal trouble and trauma, I bought my ticket for India to attend Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s birthday celebration, which was being conducted yearly on the 23rd of November 2022 in Sri Soma Sai Skanda Ashram in Nidugatha, Maddur taluk, near Bangalore. This was the first time the celebrations were held without the presence of Swami Gopal Baba, who took samadhi in 2020.
After his samadhi, covid prevented any celebration in the ashram. While still in the body, he had asked all of us devotees to keep attending the celebrations even after his samadhi. I couldn’t disappoint my Guru, and although our financial situation seemed to be under immense pressure, I completely trusted that the universe (the Tradition) would take care.
But the deciding factor to go was the chance that Mohanji would attend the celebrations. A few months ago, I woke up with a strong feeling: how wonderful would it be to celebrate our beloved Sathya Sai Baba’s birthday in Swami Gopal Baba’s ashram in Mohanji’s divine presence?
Experience has taught me that those ‘satwic desires’ tended to come true. I called my friend Sita and told her of my vision. She said that her husband Nico had a dream in which he saw Mohanji in ‘Kalyanpur’s room’. Kalyanpur was a businessman who donated the money for many constructions in the ashram. He had an apartment in the ashram where he would stay when construction work was going on. This sounded wonderful to me. We decided that B. was the best person to invite Mohanji to the ashram personally, and Sita asked him if he was prepared to do that. He loved the idea and said he would consider it.
We took that as a ‘yes’ and assumed that Mohanji was officially invited. Every time I thought of my coming journey to the ashram, I felt the joy of Mohanji being there. Both Sita and I sent an unofficial WhatsApp message to Chris Greenwood, Mohanji’s EA, and I mentioned in a message to Preeti Duggal – still assuming that Mohanji was already invited – our sincere prayer that he would be willing to be present at the coming celebrations in Sri Soma Sai Skanda Ashram.
Mohanji was in Delhi and appeared to have extended his stay there beyond the expected arrival time in the Sri Soma Sai Skanda Ashram. He was North, and we were South. Somehow, I knew he would change his mind. There was no fear, doubt, or desire, simply a happy anticipation. And a prayer that all Swami’s disciples would feel Gopal Baba’s love through him.
Always when a great Master takes samadhi, and there is no appointed successor, a situation arises where there may be confusion about future plans, convictions, positions and opinions, mixed with intense feelings of mourning about the Master. As far as I could see, despite this turbulent time, Swami’s boys and sevadals did an amazing job of upholding the Guru’s will and maintaining the ashram according to his liking. They never missed performing a ritual that Swami Gopal Baba would have done, even if no attendee or visitor showed up.
A few days before the birthday celebrations, my travel companion, Yvonne, and I visited Mohanji’s ashram in Bangalore to join in the noon aarathi and to embrace Amma and Acchan, Mohanji’s parents. Rajesh Kamath was home and told us that Mohanji had changed his plan and cut his visit to Delhi short to come to the ashram in Nidugatha. I was over the moon with joy, as you can imagine.
On the 23rd of November, I heard Mohanji’s voice inside me: ‘… therefore, I was sent (from Delhi) to the South to look after my children.’ I experienced it as a confirmation of my prayer that Gopal Baba would bring clarity and happiness in the form of Mohanji. Swami Sri Gopal Baba was the embodiment of the divine Mother and – although occupying a male body – would call us her children. Now it was absolutely clear to me that she had come on this auspicious day to look after her children in my beloved Mohanji’s form.
When Mohanji actually arrived, and I got the chance to express a few words of gratitude, he simply said: ‘I had to come!’ What a blessing it was, and what a confirmation! Mohanji was received by Swami’s disciples with all regards, was invited to the sanctum sanctorum of the main (Kamakshi) temple, had lunch in Kalyanpur’s apartment, just like Nico’s dream had already predicted a year earlier, visited Swami’s house, walked hand in hand with the main trustee of the ashram, inaugurated the newly built dispensary and made each and every disciple happy by his unconditional love.
After the celebrations, the real mystery evolved. Who had officially invited Mohanji? It appeared that our assumption B. would do it had not come true. B. had not been able to invite Mohanji for some understandable reasons that he explained to us later. But he told us that Dinesh – one of Swami Gopal Baba’s devotees from Delhi, who happened to have walked the Outer Kora with Mohanji – had invited him during his recent stay in Delhi.
My Sherlock Homes instinct woke up. I sent a message to Dinesh. He answered: ‘No, I didn’t invite Mohanji. I only mentioned the celebrations to him. Mohanji then told me that He had heard about the celebrations from Preeti Duggal and a few others, and He ‘impulsively’ decided to attend them while talking to me.’ I was stunned to hear this.
Then who invited Mohanji officially? How did The Mother come to her children? Was it simply the innocent and sincere prayer of two of her children and a dream of a third that invited her all the way South? Dinesh and Sita said: ‘It was the Tradition that invited Mohanji.’ My inner voice had already confirmed that statement. Which mother needs an official invitation to come to her children? The mother is simply drawn towards her children when they need her. She knows every need, even before her child cries.
Miracles do happen, but it is not a good thing to assume things without checking facts and turning them into a miracle. Therefore I didn’t end my search here. I asked the managing trustee of the Sri Soma Sai Skanda ashram, and the missing part of the mystery got solved.
After hearing from Dinesh about Mohanji’s change of plans and his intention to visit the Sri Soma Skanda Ashram, they officially invited him for lunch and the inauguration ceremony of the dispensary, despite the intern rule of the Trust to not invite any spiritual Gurus or Masters to the ashram during major functions like Swamy aradhana, and Sathya Sai birthday. The reason was understandable and simple. They all would be busy with function activities and probably would not be able to receive their official and holy guests with proper rituals.
So, the actual miracle was that for Mohanji, the Trust members made an exception to their own rule. A miracle was that Mohanji came spontaneously, despite having other plans in Delhi. That it so happened that he had another function in Bangalore on the same day and could combine them conveniently.
Nico’s dream was part of the miracle, and our prayers that came true were part of the miracle. Our hearts being filled to the brim with love and joy was part of the miracle. Kannaiah’s presence and his being able to officially welcome Mohanji and attend to all his needs while Swami’s Indian disciples were busy with the function was part of the miracle.
Seeing Mohanji humbly bowing down in sincere respect to our Guru’s picture in his house, despite his own immeasurable spiritual status, was part of the miracle. Mohanji’s remark during our goodbye was that we were welcome in his ashram in Bangalore during the remainder of our stay in India was part of the miracle.
Sita, Nico, Yvonne and I were blessed to spend three afternoons with Mohanji before we flew home, with many hours of satsang. And with blessings and hugs of dear Amma and Achan, his parents who felt very very close, eating with the family, attending aarathi, watching Mohanji in the set up for a live zoom session, meditating in the guestroom while he was doing some other work.
On the day before our flight, Mohanji served us our meal like a divine Mother. He served every item with his own hands and didn’t forget anybody or anything. Once again, during this journey, he proved that he is not only the embodiment of the Divine Father but the Divine Mother as well!
These were sheer miracles and completely unexpected. On how we deserved this grace while Mohanji had such an incredibly busy life being involved in activities in 91+ countries, He answered (as I remember): ‘It is not easy to get to me like this. You have been involved with sadhana and with Masters for many years.’
We experienced so many blessed miracles on this journey that we had to ask ourselves: are we able to digest all this? As soon as I heard my limited thinking, I recognized the mind talk and directed my mind towards more elevated ways of watching the course of events: being with our Guru involves being open and limitless. There is nothing to digest. Digesting is limited to a person.
Being in divine presence requires simply flowing and experiencing the grace of every living moment. In the best-case scenario, there is only Him. My sincere prayer is: May we all be able to flow in Guru Consciousness, where there is no mine or me. Experience moment by moment. And as soon as we forget, may we wake up to his presence once again.
Edited & Published by – Testimonials Team, 4th February 2023
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 part 2 of this testimonial, Linda shares her wonderful experiences during the Empowered 5 program and her journey afterwards.
For me, the absolute highlight of the event was the following experience which I am so happy to share. In the week before the event, I started the translation of the book Kailash with Mohanji, The Inner Kora. On the evening of the third day, I suddenly felt inspired – and this came from an intense, deep longing from somewhere inside – to write a small note for Mohanji and place it between the cover and the title page of the book.
Having had the opportunity to dive into the vastness and stillness of the Himalayas by translating the Miraculous Days by Rajesh Kamath, a longing to experience the life-changing pilgrimage had occurred. I wanted to honour the authenticity of the experiences described, and what would support that purpose better than becoming an experienced expert? Since it was likely that I would never be able to make the pilgrimage in this life because of a life-threatening blood disease, I asked in my note if Mohanji would bless me to walk two circumambulations around him: one for the Outer Kora and one for the Inner Kora experience. For I suddenly felt very deeply and clearly that He represented both.
Waves of emotions arose from inside of me at the very thought of it. I received his short and sweet answer the next day. He wrote underneath my request: Definitely Linda, Mohanji. I was thrilled and anticipated the feeling of making the rounds and feeling so much freedom, but I had no clue how and when this would happen.
Day 4 arrived. This time, I joined the line of people waiting for a word or a blessing from Mohanji or for a personal question. My heart was pounding with the beats of a sledgehammer when I thought of the question I had already asked in the letter. I literally thought for a moment that I would die on the spot. What would people think of this action? It scared me. But I decided that no fear would stop me from doing what my heart clearly dictated.
The blood condition I was diagnosed with in August, which caused my blood to attack itself, made me vulnerable to a heart attack or a brain infarct. This was not a time to get guided by fears for anybody’s opinion. So I told myself what I learned from my daughter when she was young: be afraid but don’t stop.
When it was my turn to spend some moments with Mohanji, I touched his feet with all my love. He looked at me with bright eyes and with a big smile he said encouragingly: ‘Linda! You wrote me a letter?!’ ‘Yes, Mohanji,’ I smiled back. ‘Repeat your question,’ he said. ‘You are my Kailash, Mohanji, would you kindly permit me to…,’ before I could even finish my sentence, he said: ‘I will stand up,’ and he positioned himself right in front of the stage on the floor, giving me ample space to walk around him.
I bowed down at his feet to receive his blessings to finish the journey safely, for I considered it as The Real Thing. And very reverently, I finished the first circumambulation for the Outer Kora and inwardly asked blessings for the Inner Kora round. It was an intense experience, and I thanked him from the bottom of my heart after the last round. I sat down on my chair to meditate, but my teeth started chattering profusely as if I just came from the coldest of places.
I ordered them to stop and tried to relax to allow it to happen, but it continued with regular spastic movements of the whole body. A clear sign to me that it had not been an ordinary journey. Bodies never lie. Even the next two days, the spastic movements happened but only when Mohanji looked my way or when I felt the Kailash experience. I have no words to describe my gratitude for the immense grace that fell upon me, and I can only thank Mohanji times and again for his consent.
When the alarm rang on the morning after the five silent days, my body was still tired, and I felt like pulling my blanket over my head and continuing my sleep. I said to Mohanji inside: ‘I would like to catch some more sleep.’ His immediate answer came unexpectedly: ‘Better put your mind to sleep.’ But my mind went off enthusiastically, louder than the alarm clock. Again I heard his voice: ‘Better give your mind a break.’ With this valuable advice, I went back to the world of noise. Absolutely sure that my life will never be the same.
On the way home from the Empowered 5 retreat in Zlatibor, we were ready to check in at Belgrade Airport, and I suddenly remembered that I had my fanny pack with my passport in my check-in luggage. I searched my entire suitcase, but to my horror, the passport was not in its usual place in the bag. My friends asked if it was still at the reception desk of the Zlatibor hotel.
In the hustle and bustle of meeting dear acquaintances, I had not noticed that I hadn’t gotten my passport back when I got the room key. At check-out, the receptionist hadn’t mentioned anything. To summarise, I was not allowed to fly and stood like a bunny in the spotlight, trying to control my heart rate with the pause technique. Two conflicting currents ran through my system at the same time.
The current one was an expectant ‘Just move on to the next most effective step. Everything is ok. Maybe it will even be an exceptional fun detour with a possibility of extra satsang and a nice chill with Mohanji family members.’ Stream two was the fear stream, and it was slowly trying to overrule stream one. It succeeded quite well. A whole arsenal of questions shot through my head in a matter of seconds. Realistic and fearful and mixed. Mohanji would have been fine with the realistic ones.
Who to call first? How do I reach people if I’m somewhere with no wifi and I’m in a pickle? How does my passport get from Zlatibor to Belgrade? Can I rebook my flight? If not, will I manage to pay for a new ticket with my credit card this time? It didn’t work out the last time when I was in India. What will be the extra costs? When will there be a new flight? Is it dangerous in this country for women alone? Mohanji help! This is very much out of my comfort zone. India is already so familiar, but Serbia is so unfamiliar to me.
Meanwhile, an empowerment participant, Jesus from Mexico, cast himself as an unexpected guardian angel, and I immediately saw Mohanji’s hand in the play. On the one hand, I was once again faced with the consequences of ‘not being present’, and on the other hand, there was immediate relief in the form of help. My friends spoke words of support. My friend and roommate in Zlatibor, Sylvia, stayed beside me with Jesus until they were assured that the most important questions had been answered through Jesus’ phone calls to the right people. Then he ran from counter to counter for information.
They kept supporting me until they almost missed their own flight, but when they saw I was fine and under the covers, they ran to catch their own. If this is not divine intervention… That touched me immensely, and I told them so at length afterwards. Mohanji’s intervention did not end there. I found a desk with a friendly ground staffer who arranged a new ticket at a very reasonable price for me with KLM, and payment went smoothly.
Cecilia, a friend of Jesus from Belgrade and Mohanji Angel number three, picked me up by car and gave me the key to a studio where I could sleep. How cool is that? I didn’t even know her. Only the connection with Mohanji was enough for her to offer her hospitality and full support. Unfortunately, she herself didn’t have time for satsang and had to rush home to manage her urgent affairs.
I felt seriously lost once I was alone. The energy of the city hung over me like a heavy blanket. Eating alone in a restaurant was not very helpful. I kept trying to connect inwardly and feel what I was feeling. What I felt stayed with a dreary frozen-bunny-in-the-spotlight feeling because I was alone and uncomfortable, but it was what it was. ‘Take a breath and be present’ was my advice to myself. Then came a redeeming app from Tijana, who was on her way by bus from Zlatibor with my passport because she had to travel to Belgrade anyway. Wherever I would be in Belgrade, she would come to me, was her promise. That was Mohanji Angel number 4!
She appended that just around the corner from my studio happened to be the weekly meditation evening being held that evening at Belgrade’s Mohanji Center. A Mohanji Center is around the corner! In a giant city of over a million people where even regular residents lose their way! And the start time was in half an hour. What a synchronicity! After a curious search (I had been given the wrong address) where, in the spirit of ‘don’t give up before you are defeated’, I had to ring the doorbell of total strangers to tap into Wi-Fi for a while, Finally, I found the Center and was warmly welcomed.
It was not until the meditation that I discovered a strong inner resistance to my fear of being alone in a strange city. The fear had been obvious during the afternoon, but the resistance to the fear had not, and it was the very one that caused a blockage in my flow. Fear in itself is not a blockage. It is natural. But fear of the fear or resistance to the fear is. It makes you not really allow yourself to feel the fear. With Mohanji’s ‘feel the feeling’ in mind, I was able to feel and embrace the fear and through that softening, it finally gave way to the enjoyment and gratitude that lay underneath.
Mohanji Angel number 5 – she had a difficult name – gently translated the Serbian spoken information into my ear before and after the meditation. After a lovely Bliss of Silence meditation, we took fun group photos, and someone ran away, only to reappear after a few minutes with bags full of yummy goodies. “Why don’t we make an impromptu Happy Tuesday instead of Happy Wednesday?” he said enthusiastically, establishing himself as Mohanji’s Angel number 6 to materialize the chill-satsang that I had imagined at the airport.
Everyone was so sweet, and when we started translating ‘I love you’ into two languages, all the remaining Mohanji Belgrade angels laughed very much at the sound of the Dutch word for ‘you’. To them, it sounded like a cat and ‘you’ conveniently became ‘meow meow’. Two days earlier, on the morning of the Diwali celebration, I woke up feeling: Mohanji is the manifestation of the Wish-fulfilling Tree as the Sathya Sai Baba devotees among us know it from Puttaparthi. Thank you, Mohanji!
My most delicious recipe for manifesting my vision: I imagine what would make me very happy and what is within my purpose. I offer it at the feet of my Guru. I feel joy and gratitude in advance. Then let go of any outcome and stay with a sense of expectant joy, and remain curious as to how the Guru will manifest this or something better. The taste and outcome of this recipe are sheer grace.
After arrival at Schiphol Airport, while driving home with my husband, I received a phone call from the hospital. The result of the latest blood test of my ‘incurable’, ‘untreatable’ and life-threatening autoimmune disorder was negative! I was completely cured. The diagnosis of the illness and my miraculous way towards this result are described in three previous blogs about my treatment in the ayurvedic hospital Vedasudha in Kerala. The only thing that I could do that moment in the car was a loud and extremely joyful: Yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you, Mohanji!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
When I started editing the above experiences, one month after the retreat, Cecilia came to my mind and my gratitude towards her. I opened WhatsApp, and who was writing to me? Cecilia! Saying: ‘You came to my mind, and I thought of writing you…’
I decided to keep the above testimonial with me for a while to experience the post-Empowerment effects and to add them to my testimonial.
Part 3 to be continued…
Please click on the link below to read part 1 of this testimonial.
Edited & Published by – Testimonials Team, 28th January 2023
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.
It’s going to be about two months after the completion of Empowered 5. I’ve tried to write this testimonial several times since then, but it has been difficult because I’m yet to fully understand my experience.
To put it in a nutshell, in that immensely powerful space that Mohanji had created for us, I was able to experience only the present moment for all of those five days and was unable to think of anything in the past or the future. It wasn’t that there were no thoughts or that I had slipped into deep meditation and lost track of time. During those hours I’d spent in the hall, I’d tried my best to do the breathing exercise as many times as I could, but my mind had wandered now and then.
However, the thoughts were connected solely to Mohanji or the occasional chill in the hall in which the programme was being held, or any aches/pains I was experiencing at that particular moment. There were no reflections about the past or future or anything that was not related to the programme.
The only thoughts I occasionally had about the outside world were connected to my elderly parents, who were alone back in India for those few days. But then, there was a detachment, and the thought never escalated into worry because of a strong faith that Mohanji was taking care of them in my absence.
Overall, there was an intense quietness inside me during the programme, and even the casual thoughts that popped up occasionally met a quick demise at the hands of the energy in that space. There were no emotions as well. When Mohanji asked us to release old/childhood traumas and negative patterns, I couldn’t think of/recollect anything related to those things, even though I actually have a rather impressive collection of both. It felt as though I was trying to recollect what I had heard long ago about someone else’s life.
There were no thoughts or emotions about the future as well, not even of the next day or the next hour. My past and future appeared to have become nearly blank slates, and the only moment I could access was ‘Now’. I’d been unhooked from the outside world, and placed in an invisible bubble, firmly separated from my memories, hopes, doubts, and anxieties.
In fact, until I began listening to the participants on the evening of the last day of the programme, I hadn’t thought at all about what I had experienced. And even after that, it took me some time to get some sort of a handle on it. And it might take me longer to truly understand and assimilate it.
I now feel, during Empowered 5, an energy cocoon had been created around each participant, be it in person or online. And the energy was attuned to our unique constitutions and needs and helped all of us in ways that cannot be deciphered by the mind.
I would also like to share some other experiences that I had during those five days.
On the first day, shortly after we had settled in the hall, I started to feel extremely sleepy and fell into a light doze, during which I kept seeing Mohanji moving through the hall. I woke up with a start after some minutes and began to do the breathing exercise that Mohanji had given. Someone gave a firm pat on the crown of my head, and then I felt them walk past the back of my chair. Energy zipped through me. I instantly felt more alert and sat up straighter. I could focus on the breathing exercise much better after that.
My first thought was that it was Mohanji. But then doubt crept in. In the evening, when I got up to leave the hall, I saw that there was very little space behind my chair. It would have been hard for someone to stand up comfortably in that space, let alone walk through it. And I checked with a few people later to confirm that the volunteers had not been walking around to thump the heads of unsuspecting folk…
The second experience was that of a rudraksha mala. I purchased a rudraksha mala on the second day, and the volunteers helped me get it blessed by Mohanji. On the first day, after the powerful group Mai-Tri by Devi Mohan, I developed excruciating pain in my shoulders and neck, with the pain radiating to my arms. The pain subsided by evening, but the next day, there was one more group Mai-Tri that was even more intense and powerful, and the pain flared up again, and this time too, it subsided by evening.
On the third day, after the cleansing exercises, I started to get the pain again. I felt I couldn’t sit for one more day with that excruciating pain. But I was reluctant to seek Mai-Tri, as I felt I needed to experience the pain as it was. I impulsively reached into my bag and took out the rudraksha mala that had been blessed by Mohanji while telling him in my mind that he needed to help me with the pain. The moment I wore the mala, the pain vanished, leaving only stiffness in my shoulders. It was not a gradual reduction. The pain had disappeared like a switch had been turned off. It was unbelievable.
After my return to India, the inner silence reduced gradually, I regained access to my impressive collection of negative habits/patterns, and the mind reopened its drama club. But there continues to be a small space inside me that is silent, calm and stable. Also, there is much more awareness about my thoughts and feelings, and it has become easier to impersonally witness internal and external drama or at least view situations objectively after a short while. And I’m also able to regard myself with more kindness and understanding than before.
There have been some other small changes too. I stopped having coffee some months ago but had not been able to give up tea. However, after returning home from Serbia in October, I started to dislike the taste of tea, and after throwing away most of it for about four or five days, I decided to give it up completely. I had a headache for a couple of days, which went away by itself on both days. I also experienced intense nausea on the second day, but that, too, subsided by itself. And I haven’t had tea or coffee since then.
The Empowered series as a whole has been immensely transformative for me in more ways than I can describe. As in the case of many seekers, the Empowered series came into my life when I really needed it, and each Empowered programme so far has caused a marked difference in my inner landscape. Yet, when I signed up to attend Empowered 5 in person in Serbia, I did not have any particular expectations. I only knew that I needed to be there. And what I received was beyond anything I could have hoped for.
When I think about the person I was more than a year ago, I can sense the changes – some notable, some very subtle – that has happened slowly but steadily, all due to the divine grace and compassion of Mohanji.
Before I went to Serbia, I frequently yearned for the opportunity to do the Kailash parikrama with Mohanji under his grace and guidance. It had actually become a chant of sorts in my mind – ‘Kailash with Mohanji’.
But after Empowered 5, there has been a change in that contemplation. It is now ‘Kailash is Mohanji’…
|| JAI BRAHMARISHI MOHANJI ||
Edited & Published by – Testimonials Team, 19th January 2023
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.
Radha: Sathya, can you tell me the significance of the Puri Jagannath Temple?
Sathya: Jagannath, as the name denotes, is the Lord of the Universe. This sacred Dham is one of the four holy abodes revered as the Char Dham. These comprise Jagannath in the East, Dwaraka in the West, Badrinath in the North, and Rameshwaram in the South of India. Legend has it that the universal consciousness radiated its presence in the Nilanchal caves, condensed to an embodied presence as Daru Brahma, and revealed itself with the auspicious symbols of Lord Vishnu (Shanka, Chakra, Gadha, and Padma), in the sacred waters of Mahodadhi, to king Indradyumna.
The idols of Lord Jagannath, Bal Bhadra, and Subhadra were carved out of this wood by the celestial architect Vishwakarma himself. He undertook the mission under the condition that the doors to his workplace remain closed until he completes his work. However, the queen’s curiosity rose as the days passed, and she persuaded King Indradyumna to unlock the doors. On opening the doors, they saw Vishwakarma had vanished. The promise had been broken, and the work was left incomplete. Therefore, we only get to see the semi-manifested forms of the deities. This allows one to perceive the Lord according to one’s devotion and understanding. It lets the devotee unravel His mysteries in myriad dimensions, unique to the one witnessing Him.
This reminds me of Mohanji’s words, “Those who have eyes will see!”
Lord Shree Jagannath has captured the hearts of Mahagyanis, Bhaktas, and Yogis. True to his name, He has a universal appeal and is revered by devotees of both Vishnu and Shiva.
The devotees of Shiva consider Him as Bhairava. He holds a special place for Buddhists too.
Balabadra, Subhadra and Shree Jagannatha
Radha: It would be interesting to share some of the events leading to this trip. It is different for each of us, although we travelled together. For me, the highlight before the trip was choreographing for the Ashtapadi – Chandana charchita Neela Kalebara!
Last year, I happened to choreograph for the Ashtapadi, “Nath Hare, Jagannatha Hare”, exclusively for the opening of the Jagannath Shrine in the UK. This inspired me to work on more Ashtapadis. I took your suggestion of choreographing for “Chandana charchitha” and started exploring its various dimensions. “Chandana charchita” describes the eternal romantic Lord Sri Krishna anointed with the fragrant sandal paste and radiating the bewitching bluish hue.
A friend of Radha describes to her the pastimes of Shri Krishna. As we dive deep into the composition, we realise that Radha, the one who is fully integrated with Krishna, experiences this oneness even though it is the other Gopikas who are actually playing with Krishna. What was very exciting to me was the fact that I was getting an opportunity to perform and record this at Puri, the birthplace of Jayadeva, an ardent devotee of Jagannath! When I expressed the intention, Mohanji blessed me in his style, “Tatasthu! Blessings! Take help from the organising team!”. I meditated on the song incessantly to internalise the Bhaav (feeling) of Radha as we interpreted from the composition – only when we soak into the feeling can we become the dance!
Sathya: Your thoughts resonate with me. I see the divine hand in the making of Chandana charchita in every step. Even your costume in shades of yellow and blue was in perfect sync with the elements describing the shades of Krishna. To me, this trip broke the patterns and barriers that I had confined myself to during the pandemic. I consider the trip a blessing from our Guru, Mohanji.
The abode of Puri Jagannath is Durlabh Kshetra meaning “difficult to attain”. Unless Lord Jagannath himself wills it, one cannot step into the sacred Dham. In the last two years, I was restricted in my commuting, mostly staying within my locality and stepping out only in case of absolute necessity. I was not sure if I would join you even when you informed me about it. When our mother reinforced the invitation, I decided to join.
The stage was set for the pilgrimage with the flight tickets and cottage booked. It was heartening to know that Mohanji’s parents, uncle, and aunty were also joining this yatra. With more elders and children joining the trip, I was certain that it would have a different yet enriching flavour to the trip. It is a blessed opportunity to travel to an abode of such greatness in the presence of the Guru and elders.
On January 3rd, 2022, we took the morning flight from Bangalore to Odisha. As we waited at the airport, I continued the Tamil translation of the Jagannath Meditation given by Mohanji. With our mother adding finer touches, the meditation was taking me into a zone inside. We greeted Mohanji’s parents as we anticipated his arrival. Mohanji arrived. I knelt to take his blessing but was held in his embrace. All members of the group exchanged some greetings eagerly, describing each one’s entry to the trip. I was already lost in a reverie when Mohanji’s voice boomed loud and clear as a seeming instruction to his mother, “Keep the boarding pass ready!”, bringing me back to the ground. Mohanji always teaches us to focus on the present and never take the practical aspects lightly. His teachings are valuable to the ultimate journey of dissolution and easy navigation in the terrestrial world.
“Presence of mind in every thought, word, and action can eradicate karmas. It can liberate you.”
-Mohanji
As I completed chanting a few rounds of the Hanuman Chalisa, we landed safely in Odisha. Mohanji Acharya Subhasree and her Odia team extended a heartwarming welcome to Mohanji and the group at the airport. We were introduced to Manaswee, and we understood that he would be our point of contact and guide during this trip. The marine drive from Bhubaneshwar to Puri was enjoyable. Manaswee exhibited his innate hospitality by offering to buy us tender coconuts on the way. After a short break, when the car zoomed through the road, you alerted him that a black thing had flown past and that it could be his wallet.
Radha: Yes! We quickly realised that it was indeed his wallet! As we drove back, a cyclist told us that another man was getting the wallet for us. As we got it back, Manswee said that the people living in the section stretching between Bhubaneshwar and Puri are extremely honest and truthful and would not act otherwise.
Sathya: It is hard to believe such places still exist in this world of opportunism. The Puri Dham is described in the Purana as Purushotama Kshetra, where the pious and the noble-minded reside. I was moved to find that a fraction of that is still a reality. “The pride in PuriTY” logo was all over the walls stretching across the marine drive. I felt the logo rings with truth and is not remote from reality!
“Purity of thought, word and action liberates man from everything and strengthens his existence. Purity is power. Purity is truth. Truth is pure. The whole universe resonates with truth and purity. When we live the truth, purity happens. Purity liberates. It fills life with faith and hope. It connects us to the Highest of consciousness. The Power of Purity is unfathomable. It is the nature of the Supreme.”
-Mohanji
Radha: We reached Puri by 3 pm, and in the evening, we were surprised to know that we could go to the Temple of Jagannath the same night. We entered the shrine consciously, submitting our obeisance at each step leading to the shrine.
Outside the Jagannath Temple
Mohanji took my hands and placed them on the fingerprints of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, which got deeply etched while he was in a trance, enraptured by the Lord. These marks are eternally enshrined on the wall behind the Garuda stambh.
Sathya: That was indeed an unplanned visit to the temple. Mohanji made sure that everyone in the group joined the visit. As we left our cottage, we saw Mohanji waiting for everyone to assemble. Standing beside him, I was filled with soothing, cool vibes. I enjoyed it and wondered if it was physical or metaphysical when Mohanji remarked, “It is very cold here!”
Immediately, the experience of cooling dissolved! I did not analyse it further. At the temple, we were told by Mohanji to keep our arms extended up as if ready to receive the embrace of Lord Jagannath. All of us hugged the Garuda Sthambha.
The first darshan of the Lord was filled with so much excitement. Stepping into the sacred shrine where every stone and pebble radiates his essence is a gift of a lifetime/lifetimes. We slowly moved in, drawing in that divine energy with every breath. The fragrance of sandalwood wafted in the air, and we exchanged glances, recognising it as soon as we entered the temple premises.
As we neared the sanctum, our eyes were glued to the deities trying to absorb all that we could in one go as the Panda/Priest described, “The dark one to the Right is Krishna, Devi Subadra in the middle, and the light-complexioned one is Balabadra”.
I tried to connect what I heard and saw as the arathi flame was burning bright in front of me. I realised that I had come really close to it! I moved to the other side, tucking away in a corner, trying to hold on to images for a while longer. Not for long! A panda waved in my direction to take the arathi and make way for the others.
Coming out from the other side, I saw Mohanji standing there, away from the hustle and bustle. I quietly offered my prostrations to Mohanji with deep joy and gratitude for being there!
Radha: That was such a great darshan! As soon as we stepped out of the sanctum, soaked in Lord Jagannath’s energy, we saw Mohanji standing there and I could only see him as Lord Krishna himself. This is a solid reminder to each of us that the Guru and God are the same. Immediately, you prompted me to get the calendars blessed. We released the HSTD (Himalayan School Of Traditional Dance) calendars just outside the sanctum of Lord Jagannath! Mohanji patiently went through each of the pages and blessed everyone. Can there be a more incredible blessing at the start of the year for the HSTD platform?
Following this, we went to the Shrine of Bimala Devi temple.
Sathya: The shrine was closed. I was told that this temple is one of the Shakti peeths. We waited in front of the shrine. Our mother looked at a figure in a small niche and asked me what it was. I did not want to give a wrong answer. The other niche was Ganesha. So this was Skanda. Mohanji came to the shrine. He, too, saw that the shrine was closed. He had the darshan of the deity in the niche and said, “Skanda!”. Mohanji took Appa’s (Dad) hand and placed it in the niche, and said, “Subramanian, you should see Skanda”. At that same instant, a priest came out of the shrine, the gates were opened, and we could see Bimala Devi. It was just for a few minutes. Mohanji casually stated, “The gates opened”. Amma remarked, “Yes, I saw that!”
Radha: Opposite this was the small shrine of Matha Ekadashi. There is an interesting story connected with Puri. I was under the impression that this shrine honoured the Ekadashi devi and devotees who fasted on Ekadashi – the eleventh day of the fortnight. As per the scriptures, observing fast on this day grants many blessings and Moksha, too. Here, Ekadashi devi’s hands are tied. She was overcome by pride, and Jagannath tied her hands, symbolically suggesting that partaking prasad in Puri is considered auspicious even on an Ekadashi day, and devotees should not hesitate to do so.
Sathya: Well, that brings us to one of the highlights of Puri Dham – the sacrosanct Puri MahaPrasad! Chappan bhog, comprising 56 dishes, is offered daily to the Lord.
“Puri Mahaprasad can be taken even if it is the leftovers from a cat’s mouth!” Amma exclaimed. Saints and legends have talked so highly of Mahaprasad. Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and Paramacharya of Kanchi who never partook food without completing the sacred rituals have relished the Mahaprasad.
We were not so conscious of the greatness of the prasad then.
It was pure grace that we could partake of the Mahaprasad. After climbing a few steps, we entered a space that seemed like another shrine. I was surprised to see Mohanji, Mila and the others seated with a banana leaf in front! It then occurred to me that we were going to be dining there. Mohanji’s uncle and aunt sat next to me as I sat down. I told them that I enjoyed watching their interview about Mohanji. One gets to see the house where Mohanji was born in that video.
The priests brought Mahaprasad in earthen pots and served the dishes. Some of the dishes had the flavour of mustard, and the Kheer that was served at the end was really divine!
Another name for Mahaprasad is Kaibalya – that which gives Moksha, salvation or liberation. It is said that if one takes this food of Lord Jagannath, he will have no rebirth.
Radha: I remarked to Subhashree, sitting next to me, “The kheer is nothing but Krishna. It tastes heavenly,” and took a second and third serving, too, without any inhibition!
The darshan was a bonus, and I did not expect the Mahaprasad that evening. Absolute grace! That was the first day at the sacred Dham.
Radha recording the dance
Sathya: The next morning started with a bang and Chandana Charchita was recorded. A big open lawn resplendent with the morning dew as the sun was rising and the birds chirping became the perfect stage for recording the Ashtapadi. After recording, on our way back to the cottage, we met Mohanji, who was on his way to the reception. He told you with a smile, “I knew you were dancing!” We had quite a few unexpected chance meetings with him during the trip.
Radha: The day started with a visit to Bedi Hanuman temple, where Mohanji officially released the Himalayan School of Traditional Dance calendar.
Bedi means chain. The story goes that Jagannath appointed Hanuman to protect Puri from the fury of the sea. Varuna entered the place, and the place bore the brunt of his raging waves.
Jagannath asked how this happened when Hanuman was taking care. Hanuman told him that he was nostalgic about home food and had gone to Ayodhya. From that day onwards, Lord Jagannath ordained that special offerings be prepared and tied Hanuman here, with the love of his Prasad.
Sathya: As we exited the temple, we saw some calves. Mohanji fed one of them heartily. I watched it joyfully as the calf ate the bananas; there were some dogs too, but we had only bananas.
Mohanji feeding a Cow
How could one just feed only the cows and not the dogs? Aditya too had the intention to feed the dogs. I remembered that there were some biscuit packets in the car. We went and brought the packets and fed the dogs. They, too, got their share of food.
We then went to Chakra Tirtha, which is considered the place where the Daru Brahma arrived first. It is known as Adi Jagannath Kshetra.
After spending some time in the shrine, we proceeded towards the sea. Mohanji and a few others had walked ahead and reached the beach. As we got down from the car, the sight of a dog drew our attention. It was in its final moments and was not in the least interested in biscuits. When I called out the name “Mohanji”, it lifted its head up, turned, and looked in that direction. I did it a few more times, and it responded. Manaswee got some water and poured it carefully so that it could take in a few drops.
I was reminded of Mohanji’s teaching. “Every meeting has a purpose.”
We then resumed our walk towards the beach. I saw Appa offering ablutions at the sea. He sprinkled some water on us as a blessing of the sea, and we then walked back to the car, feeling the sand between our toes and the gentle breeze from the sea.
Radha: The next stop was Tota Gopinath temple. As we entered the temple, a priest described the place’s significance in Hindi. He said that it was there that Chaitanya Mahaprabhu felt such intense separation from Krishna that he burned to ashes. Mohanji asked us, “What is the word in English to describe his feeling?” All of us tried to come up with the words – Yearning, Duality, Separation! Mohanji finally said, “Longing”, looked at me and said to the group, “I thought she would be able to tell.”
Tota Gopinath Temple
Sathya: Upon entering the shrine, Appa felt attracted to the painting of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu on the wall and anointed it with Sandal paste. What struck me about this Dham was that nearly every priest said, “Krishna bakthi!” when we sought their blessings. May you attain the love for Krishna. We rendered a few bhajans there; we witnessed a powerful arathi at noon. With the drumbeats accompanying the arathi, it felt as though the dance of Krishna and Radha was coming alive. After the arathi, we went to the backyard from where a body of water was visible at a distance. A priest accompanying us mentioned that it was Radha Kund. Mohanji was also with us. He joked, “Radha is idhar, Kund is udhar”, looking at you.
Radha: Later, we went to the chief priest’s house. Mohanji was presented with a sacred cloth called the “Gita Govinda Kanduva”. The priests then blessed Mohanji’s family with the accompaniment of chants. The place reverberated with sacred sounds. Each of us was presented with the Flag of Jagannath.
Sathya: That has to be treasured. It is a dream and a lifetime aspiration for even the people of Puri to offer a flag or receive it as Prasad. It was such a precious moment to be blessed with the Banner of Jagannath in the presence of Guru Mohanji! I prayed that the flag of Purity, Ahimsa, and Truth fly high and let us witness the triumph of supreme love over all darkness.
Radha: In the evening, we had a satsang. After the satsang, we went to the temple of Jagannath. Mohanji asked all of us to sport the flag around our necks while going to the temple that evening. We took a short van ride to reach the temple.
Sathya: As the van zipped through the streets of Puri, the names of the hotels “Guru Estate and Guru Empire” that flashed in the night captured my attention. It so happened that just as we entered the temple, I was next to Mohanji. We entered the space demarcated by the wooden barricades. As I was lost in that moment, I heard the song “Poornam-adah, Poornam-idam!”. It felt so apt as if to describe Mohanji!
Om, That (Visible outer world) is Full, This (Invisible inner world) is also Full, From Fullness comes that Fullness, Taking Fullness from Fullness, Fullness indeed Remains, Om, Shanti, Shanti, Shanti
Mohanji always says just like a mother who delivers a child, a Guru can transfer energy to create many masters, but just like the mother, the Guru remains complete and full.
Radha: We neared the sanctum and had to wait outside for an hour. I went in. It was crowded. I was standing right behind a priest who was sitting down. It was surprising that nobody asked me to move from that place. I felt as though Lord Krishna was embracing me; I was immersed in that for almost an hour. This unimaginable experience was enhanced by the sounds of the drums. I was unaware that we keep our hands raised to embrace the Lord. This I came to know later from Mohanji in the sanctum. This lasted for some time and is one of my most memorable experiences.
Sathya: We were all waiting for the darshan and sat on the steps. Mohanji was leaning on the arched niche, just a few steps below the entrance. I was chanting the Hanuman Chalisa. A little while later, a priest opened the door, and it happened to be Hanuman inside.
The scenes from the temple are still vivid in my mind. The devotion of the pilgrims really touched me; some of them were bringing their aged parents and little children along with them. Family members chanted in chorus “Jai Jagannath!” while ascending the steps to the temple. ‘Sanatana Dharma is so beautiful!’ I thought.
“Hindu tradition trained us to respect plants, trees, birds, and animals as celestial representations. Respect helps preservation. Annihilation is a sign of alienation. When we preserve every being of nature with reverence and respect, nature preserves our life and health too. This is Sanatana Dharma.”
-Mohanji
What I perceived was pure devotion. They were oblivious to any concerns about the pandemic. Only the joy and ecstasy of the Lord’s darshan were palpable.
The sound of the bells and drum beats transported me to a different world. After some time, the priest called us inside. There was a seating area to the side where we were asked to wait again. An elderly person who was carrying the drum blessed us by placing it on our heads. The powerful vibrations were from the same instrument. He also gave us sweet prasad, which he had kept safely tied to his dhoti.
Finally, we had Darshan of Jagannath a little while later. The decorations were in progress, and the Lord was being decked up in a new set of garments. Subhasree was standing next to me. I asked her if it was the garment we offered Jagannath, and she said she didn’t think so. We later found out that the special garments that Mohanji had offered would be draped in a later ceremony.
After the darshan, we had the opportunity to soak in the sacred aura of the temple. Mohanji sat near the steps facing a tree. The priest was explaining that it was the Kalpabata-The Wish-fulfilling Tree. I associated what he was saying with Mohanji. Our Guru is indeed a Kalpavriksha, fulfilling the righteous and innocuous desires of all of us.
A white flag offered by Mohanji was flying high on top of the temple tower. The Neel Chakra and the flag were a spectacular sight to behold.
A little while later, we were called again for another Darshan. Lord Jagannath was draped in the special clothes offered by Mohanji. As Amma and I gazed at the deities intensely, trying to identify if it was Mohanji’s offering, Mohanji, who was right behind, confirmed it for us by saying, “These are our offerings!” The bright red garments dazzled and it was a visual treat to behold Lord Jagannath, Devi Subhadra, and Balabadra in splendid Besha.
Radha: After a fulfilling darshan, we prostrated at the “Mukthi Mantap” on our way out. As we exited the temple complex, the Narasimha, enshrined at a towering height, caught our attention. We prayed for his protection and left the temple.
We were informed that we were going to the chief priest’s house again as he was hosting us for dinner. We were not hungry after the sumptuous lunch, but the thought of kheer was inviting!
A sumptuous meal with Mohanji at the Chief Priest’s house
Sathya: We were served snacks that day – Puri, Dal, Kachori, and Kheer. It so happened that we were dining next to Mohanji that night. Preeti came suddenly and offered to clean the leaf for Mohanji.
He said, “I have cleaned. You can do it for your satisfaction. I don’t want you to have a birth for cleaning leaf!”
Mila, sitting on the other side, was aghast when she heard that. “A life for cleaning leaves?” she asked.
“If a thought is so overpowering, it becomes the main agenda for the next life”, explained Mohanji.
As I was eating, I had a desire for a picture. Mohanji’s explanation was also working in my head at the same time. All our phones were in the car, as we were not supposed to carry it to the shrine. I was trying to drop the thought as we had almost finished and were ready to leave when Mohanji said, “Get the camera!” Another desire was fulfilled instantly!
Presenting HSTD calendar to Devi Mohan
Radha: After dinner, I presented the HSTD calendar to the chief priest. Your desire ended up with many pictures being captured that night to record those precious moments.
Sathya: The following day, we went to Totapuri Ashram. Totapuri Maharaj was the Guru of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and guided him to use the sword of wisdom and find Goddess Kali within.
“Every prayer should become another inner communion and a deeper connection to the truth within until you recognise that what is inside you and outside of you is indeed the same. There is no prayer, and there is nothing to pray to except an inner activation of omnipresent truth through external symbols and representations.”
-Mohanji
Mohanji bowing at the feet of Totapuri Maharaj
When we walked into the ashram, it radiated peaceful energy. At the ashram, before entering the samadhi, we all wanted to take a group picture. I was still soaking in the Jagannatha experience, and to me, the dual camera on the cell phone appeared like Jagannath, with two round eyes and a nose!
As the others entered the shrine and prayed, I stepped away to buy miniature Jagannath dolls from two kids at a stall outside the Mandir. A while later, when the crowd inside subsided, I went in and prostrated at the feet of the idol. We were also shown the treasured cot of Maharaj.
Nowadays, I feel like the mongoose whose body became half-gold after eating the leftovers of a pious Brahmin. It rolled over on many leaves but was only half gold. After rolling on the food left on the leaf of Lord Shri Krishna, it finally turned fully into gold.
I have had some amazing energy experiences connecting to Mohanji, and most other things don’t give me the same feeling. It feels like I am always in a quest for that indescribable ecstasy, that energy surge that fills me now and then at times when it is most unexpected.
Any object or place could also start vibrating with the magical touch of a Siddha.
We were now on the other side of the cot. Mohanji smiled and patted me gently as though he was reading my thoughts.
We stepped out and sat before the shrine. A spider on a wall opposite where we were sitting caught my attention. The spider was oscillating between movement and stillness. I wondered, “Is this my state?”
In the Dattatreya tradition, every being is significant and can reveal the mysteries of our magnificent universe if only we align with it. On returning to Bangalore, I was surprised to read a quote from Mohanji that was related to a spider.
“As a spider gets trapped in its own web, man gets trapped in his own thoughts. Spider makes the web with the thread from his own body. Man makes his trap with thoughts from his own mind. His reality is a product of his own thoughts. He creates his own destiny. He can change it too. Only the one who made the trap can untrap himself.”
-Mohanji
Another thing that caught my attention was a picture of Totapuri Maharaj on the outside wall of the Shrine. The picture with his intense eyes gazing up was powerful. There were four conches placed beneath a portrait of Totapuri Maharaj.
I wondered aloud, “What could be the significance of four?”
Amma, beside me, responded, “What do you think?” and I suggested, “Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksha, maybe?”
Radha: I was also moving about in the ashram without many expectations. I went in and came out since many were inside. I then circumambulated the Samadhi mandir. By now, the group was sitting in the Samadhi Mandir. I wanted to attend the Darshan of Padukas. At that time, the doors were closed. I thought if I was fortunate, the doors would open. The Priest came from nowhere and opened the door. I went inside and placed my forehead on the padukas. I felt a strong energy and had no thoughts. This had happened so vividly once before at Vashita Guha when I went on the Badrinath trip with Mohanji. It was so magnetic that I could not take my head off the Padukas. All that I could hear vibrating in my inside were the words, “Neeye Naan! Naane Ne! (You Are Me! I am You!).”
I came out and took a couple of pictures opposite the well. We left the place, and then you remarked, “Did you read the words inside the shrine? Aham Brahmasmi!”
Although I did not read the words, the feeling of oneness and no mind did last for a short while in that powerful presence. This was not an imagination or my projection either. Because I came in just like you with zero anticipation, but one person can just do a quick reality check on all of us. That is our mother.
“If this is the oneness you feel, be ready to eat whatever I give without complaints!”
We went to the Sankareshwar temple next. Mohanji and Devi performed Poojas there. I enjoyed the chanting of the priest in a mellifluous voice.
Pooja at the Sankareshwar Temple by Mohanji and Devi Mohan
Sathya: A cow constantly moved about in the outer area and stood between Mohanji and Devi like a child. The story of the temple itself is connected to Kamadhenu, the celestial cow- which spontaneously bathed the Shiva Linga with her milk.
One of the priests described the significance of Jagannath Dham. As he explained, I was drawn to the description of Lord Sudharshana. At Jagannath Dham, the deities are worshipped as a quartet. Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra, and Sudarshan. Now I perceived another relevance of my observation of the four conches earlier. It was also visually so evocative when the priest explained. Before Lord Jagannath appeared as Blue Light or Neel Madhav, Lord Sudarshana came as fiery red rays, purifying everything. I was connecting that with Kriya. Purification at all levels should happen before presence is revealed. I meditated on the glory of Lord Sudarshana.
What we both thoroughly enjoyed was the final song after Sri Rudram.
“Hey Shiva Pati, Parvati Pati Trahimam Bhava Sagaram!”
The priest asked the entire group to join the chorus of these few lines. Some sanctified rice was sprinkled on us, and we were asked to keep it tied to the tip of our sarees.
In the evening, we went to Ganga Mutt. Mohanji addressed us all and said we were all part of a special group to have had this experience.
Painting on the wall of Ganga Mutt
He summed up the trip as Grace in Abundance.
Appa called it Oceanic Merger, for which Mohanji said, “Sagara Sangamam!”
After the talk, when the assembly dispersed, I was engrossed in penning down my takeaways from Mohanji’s speech on a sheet of paper when I saw Mohanji, who had been walking, pause in front of me. I was curiously watching, wondering what he was pausing for, when I noticed that there was an insect in his way. He looked at me.
I realised that he did not want to step on it and tried to take it out of his way quickly, but it had already moved away. That was an exhibition of ultimate compassion! Conscious walking of the highest degree and perfect awareness at every step.
The Priests with Mohanji at the Ganga Mutt
Radha: The next day was an open agenda. None of us really wanted to see Konark and the plan was fluid. Amma mentioned the Sakshi Gopinath temple. This was on our way back to Bhubaneswar and we decided to go.
At Sakshi Gopinath, the cows actually knocked on the window of our car when we arrived. Appa was so moved that he bought a lot of bananas and fed them heartily. An old man guided us to the temple.
At the temple, we were told that Krishna is the witness to the pilgrimage that one makes to the Char Dham. After singing bhajans, we thanked Krishna for the memorable experience.
Sathya: Our last stop was the Lingaraj temple. Lingaraj means the king of Lingas. After having a pleasant darshan, we circumambulated and sat at a place, singing hymns.
“Shiva is Supreme Consciousness, brightness, full awareness. We worship Shiva linga, li or la is connected to Layana – dissolution, dissolving. Ga means vast, unfathomable. So, the shiva linga is an expression of something which is vast and cannot be contained into any form, structure or frame. We are worshipping Shiva, that state of being fully conscious. That is more or less the method of the Datta or Avadhoota tradition. They are fully occupied with Supreme Consciousness. Fully aware of Supreme Consciousness. Every movement of every atom, they feel. They are fully occupied, fully aware. Datta tradition is that aspect of being fully aware, fully conscious but at the same time fully responsible, fully here”.
-Mohanji
Radha: There was a Hanuman shrine just opposite the place we sat. After performing pooja at the Hanuman temple, we were asked to go to the shrine of Baidyanath.
Sathya: When we entered, the priest was struggling with an object. One of the eyes of Baidyanath had fallen off, and the priest was trying to fix it.
You said, “If this is the condition for Baidyanath (Lord Shiva as the Chief of Doctors) himself, then what of the common man?” That was such well-timed humour!
I remembered that Appa had sandal paste. He was hesitant about offering the sandal paste at the shrine as he had very little left, and it may need to be more. I insisted that he should offer it to the priest to anoint the lingam. The priest took the paste, applied it on the lingam, and attached the eye of the Lord to it, and it instantly fell back in place! I left the premises with prayers to heal the world from the effects of the pandemic
One more shrine awaited us in the same temple complex. It was a shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva as Vishwakarma, the celestial architect.
The priest at this shrine told us that Lord Shiva himself took the form of the celestial architect Viswakarma and constructed all the shrines. An Akandadeep (Eternal lamp) is kept burning here.
Radha: I visualised the beautiful Mohanji Ashrams that would be built in the future as the priest described the glory of Lord Shiva as Viswakarma!
The entire trip had been such an amazing experience! I remember on our return flight, a co-passenger who had been to Puri shared with me that it had not been easy for him to get Darshan of Jagannath! It made me cherish our experiences even more, and I mentally thanked our Master for it.
Sathya: Last but not least, our pilgrimage culminated with another meeting with Mohanji and a thrilling visit to the airport before he boarded the flight. I express my heartfelt gratitude to Lord Jagannath, Mohanji, Subhasree, and everyone who made this trip truly memorable. Before we knew it, we were back in Bangalore. The following days saw a bit of churning, with all of us experiencing some signs of cold and fever.
But even while experiencing that, some soothing waves constantly massaged my spine. Puri waves, indeed! Jagannath’s vibes were so overpowering that they kept us hooked to Him.
Radha: Truly memorable. I am awaiting the next one now. Will it be Dwaraka?
Jai Mohanji! Jai Jagannath!
|| JAI BRAHMARISHI MOHANJI ||
Edited & Published by – Testimonials Team, 12th January 2023
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.
Three beautiful testimonials of how Mohanji guides us in various ways, whether it is through spiritual practices or dreams; his protection and guidance are always with us when we truly seek from the heart.
Power of Purity meditation and Mohanji Energy Transfer
By Princy Sreekumar, India
Jai Mohanji. I would like to share my experience during Mohanji Energy Transfer during Power of Purity Meditation. The moment Arpanaji touched my forehead, I felt like I was standing on a highway of light. I could see Mohanji’s face like the bright sun pulling me towards him. When Arpanaji was holding her hand on my head, I was moving towards the light.
At that moment, I knew how much time it would take me to reach the light, and usually, Arpanaji won’t hold her hand on my head for that long. It made me think I may not reach light before that. But she only took her hand after I reached the light, keeping her hand on my head longer than usual. The moment I reached the light, I heard the voice saying, “Follow the light,” and I started moving ahead in a light tunnel.
In between, something else was pulling me, and it was taking me some other way which was darker. At that moment, again, I heard the words, “Follow the light.” So I start following the light and move towards it. Many a time, I got pulled by less bright roads or some not-so-lit tunnel, and each time, I heard the voice to follow the light. That voice guided me back to the light. I could relate this to what is happening in life.
Even though we want to be our true selves, to be the pure being and be one with the light, many distractions pull us – old patterns, not having the courage to break them, and trying to fit into the frames our family, friends or society put on us. Many may be going through the same as I am now. We should bring our focus back to the light; as Mohanji is there with us, we should utilize the opportunities and always yearn to follow the light.
My deepest gratitude to Mohanji, ‘one of the brightest lights ever to exist,’ for being there for us. Each time I come for group meditation or do some seva is like Mohanji pulling me back to light from all those distractions of this mundane world.
Thank you so much, Arpanaji, for giving us the wonderful opportunity to soak in the energy of Mohanji. Thank you for the delicious food, and really appreciate the effort you have put into preparing it. Thank you to all the participants and Arpanaji for sharing your experiences; I felt so much bliss. It was hard to leave the place; I just wanted to keep listening about Mohanji and all your experiences with him.
Dream lesson – The danger of not following instructions and losing a Master
By Joanna Marie Allas-Fojas, Phillippines
I just woke up from a dream of Mohanji today. In my dream, Mohanji was with his group of disciples in a huge city like New York. It was a very glamorous and seductive city but very chaotic. We went there for an event. I was with his group of disciples, and Mohanji was taking care of us, guiding and giving us instructions on what to do while we were with him. Upon giving instructions, he left with his team. I really wanted to be with Mohanji and wanted to get his blessing (alone). I left my group of mates and followed Mohanji all by myself, which was not part of his instructions. I saw him in the church alone, and I wanted to go near him.
I said to myself this is the chance to approach him, but I didn’t do it because I felt ashamed. It seemed inappropriate because this was his alone time, and this was not part of the instruction or program given to us. Then I walked past Mohanji and bowed my head down, not looking at him. Then I saw a group of Indian people approach Mohanji, and he gave them his blessings, and each one received a gift. I ran towards the group and went to Mohanji to get my blessing too, and when I saw him, I got shocked because he was no longer wearing his white robe, his hair was short, and he wore regular clothing, a blue shirt and jeans but he still looked like Mohanji.
Then he was saying something to me telepathically… that I was not using my time efficiently enough and that I was not following his guidance and instructions. Because of this, I may get lost in the path, and it will all be too late because the tiny door of liberation is closing soon. He also said that I was wasting my time following his physical body and that it was an illusion. I was losing my time playing around with Maya by following my illusionary desires (material things) of this world. My attention was easily swayed and drifted to all that was unnecessary. Then Mohanji left… I was alone.
I went back to my group mates and but I couldn’t find them! I was retracing my path, but I seemed to forget the way back. Then I found myself in this scary dark building with lots of people, but I didn’t know any one of them. People seemed frantic and scared. There were groups of military men and politicians trying to contain the people. The people around told me to give my passport or documents to them or else they will lock me up there.
The men had guns, and I gave them my passport. I was so afraid and almost crying. Luckily I managed to sneak out of that crazy asylum. Before I left, I tried to remember that place and the name of the politician who took my passport so that I could go there again and get my passport back. During this time, I was already lost. I stumbled upon unknown people in that very dark, crowded, and scary place. The once beautiful and fancy city became a nightmare.
I was calling Mohanji, but it seemed he couldn’t hear me. I couldn’t find my way back. I met other Filipino people and friends on the way, but they couldn’t help me because they were too stuck in limbo and Maya. I felt alone, afraid, confused, and devoid of bliss and happiness because I got lost. I kept on walking and walking. Everything seemed dark, cold, and scary. There were too many people, but their lives were empty, full of fear, and aimless.
I then went into a theatre. A famous Disney show was about to start. I was given a VIP seat and was very much tempted to stay and watch it with famous celebrities beside me. But I stopped and reminded myself about my purpose. This was not what I wanted and not what I was looking for, so I left the theatre and continued looking for my Guru and finding my way back to him.
I search and search for Mohanji everywhere, but it’s a big city with gigantic buildings and millions of people walking around. Looking for Mohanji was like looking for a needle in a haystack. I tried to go back to our accommodation area, but I didn’t know the address, and I didn’t know which bus to take or where to go. I was getting desperate and afraid.
During this time, I am calling Mohanji. I tried remembering his teachings by going within my heart and connecting to him from there. The more I connect within, the more I feel I am near my spiritual friends and group mates again. Then my phone rang! My divine Mohanji friends were also looking and trying to contact me! But I couldn’t answer the call because the signal was weak, and I didn’t have enough charge to call them back.
I was walking and walking, trying to feel the presence of Mohanji in that city, but it was very hard to feel because the energy of the place was too dense. I felt too that the door was going to close soon. I prayed sincerely from the heart that I’ll reunite with my divine friends again, or else I might lose them forever and get trapped here in this world of Maya/illusion, never knowing when will I see my Guru Mohanji again. Thus my dream ended.
Lesson:
1. Our time with Mohanji is short and precious.
2. It is easy to get trapped in the hypnotic call of Maya and but the Door of Liberation is tight and tiny and is closing soon.
3. Always listen to the instruction of the Master/Guru and follow up to the tiniest detail.
4. Be in the company of saints, divine friends, and spiritual family, and never leave them.
5. Go and aim for liberation now. Do not deviate.
Messages through dreams
By Mary Rose, Philippines
Mohanji is the reason for so many changes happening for the betterment of my life. I want to thank him for his constant presence in my life. I just want to share my three dreams of Mohanji, and I hope the messages will reach your ears and your heart.
The first dream I had was way back in 2019. I can still remember it like it was just last night’s dream. I was in an outdoor cafe, and there were lots of people. Some I knew, some unknown. Everyone was wearing white. As I walked amongst the crowd, I saw Mohanji. He was talking to someone intently, and he caught a glimpse of me, but he didn’t say anything nor show any visible reaction. We just looked at each other. This dream happened when I was still learning and discovering who Mohanji is. It showed me the purity he carried, and as I was seeking him, he already saw me even when I was one of the many in the crowd, showing me that when the time is right, the Guru finds us.
The second dream was in a huge garden of an estate. Still with lots of people, and this time, I didn’t recognize anybody. Someone was flying or paragliding at times, and I thought it was me, but then I was walking in the garden. I found a bench made of concrete and sat there, just amazed by everything I saw. Across the bench was this huge door, and suddenly it opened, and Mohanji came out. He was carrying a book. Mohanji sat with me and opened the book. It was a very old book based on the hardcover. It looked like it was made of gold but dirty.
When Mohanji opened it, there was a watch inside. I couldn’t remember if it was an old or a new watch now. He was telling me some things, but sadly I couldn’t remember what was said. Mohanji gave me a hug and left. Although I couldn’t remember his words, when I saw Mohanji in his white robe and showing me a book with a watch, I felt that it was time for me to step up in my spiritual journey.
My third dream was during the time I was practicing the 49 days of Mohanji Gayatri mantra chanting. In the dream, we had just finished our hike from Mt. Kailash. I was with Mohanji and some other people. We were in a hotel or cabin lobby and outside was covered in snow. I saw my pieces of baggage, and as soon as we got the keys, Mohanji told me to go to the room and rest. I went to check the room, which was on my right side, and it had lots of beds with clean sheets, white and crisp. The bed looked so soft and comfortable. I remember his words to me. Rest, and I will take care of everything.
In this dream, Mohanji showed me that when I am connected to him, all I have to do is trust his guidance and protection hence the words, “Rest now, and I will take care of everything.”
Thank you for taking me with you to other dimensions, Mohanji. I am grateful, and I’ll always be grateful. Even if I may not get a chance to meet you personally, at least in my dreams, I was able to hug you and travel to Mt Kailash with you.
All in all, since 2018, Mohanji has always been there for me. Though I may never have met him in person, he never fails to answer in some form or another whenever I ask him something in my mind. The Guru leads us to ourselves, and Mohanji did that for me. I am eternally grateful that he saw me from among the crowd, even though it took me a while to realize that he is always walking by my side, guiding, protecting and mentoring me.
|| JAI BRAHMARISHI MOHANJI ||
Edited & Published by – Testimonials Team, 10th January 2023
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.
My tryst with Puri Jagannath began in my younger days. Listening to the episodes of Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s Charithra, I learnt about his powerful connection with Puri Jagannath. Those episodes fired my imagination whenever I thought of ‘The Lord of the Universe.’
I was fortunate to be introduced to Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa’s teachings very early on in life. As I read and internalized them, I understood that the following three things are incredibly precious.
In the words of Paramahamsa, the water from the Ganges, the Brindavana Rajas (sand enshrined with the footprints of Lord Krishna), and the mahaprasad (consecrated food) offered at Puri Jagannath is verily the Brahma Swarupam (God’s form).
I had the blessed opportunity to visit Puri in 1984 with my American friend Dr Tandavan. Being a foreigner, he was denied entry into the temple, but he had the heart to tell me, “You go and have your fill!” The lasting memory of this first pilgrimage to Puri is when I set my sights on the temple tower and the flag from the rear portion of the temple. I stood transfixed for hours together, and that visual feast alone consummated my maiden darshan (seeing a holy person or image of a deity).
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu – Pc: Wikipedia
The blessed beads and the ineffable blue
Several years later, I had the blessed opportunity to go to Puri for the second time in 2015, when my younger daughter Radha took part in a dance festival at Cuttack and was awarded the title Nrithya Bhushan.
Before the festival, we decided to go to Puri Jagannath and seek the Lord’s blessings. It was also during the Nabakalebara (the change of the physical form) time – an event that takes place once every twelve years.
As we entered the temple, a priest came on his own accord and guided us to all the shrines in the large complex. One could feel the Lord’s hand in this as it was completely unanticipated and unexpected to get a venerable priest to provide such loving guidance. Strangely, there was little of a crowd. We could all sit in front of the Lord at the Bhoga mandap (food hall) for a considerable time.
I am happy to share two events of special significance during this trip. I was wearing a Rudraksha mala (garland made of Rudraksha seeds), a precious possession given to me at the Chidambaram Natarajar Temple and also blessed by the touch of Sathya Sai Baba as he walked by me during darshan time at Puttaparthi. While sitting at the mandap (hall), I saw a priest whose Thulasi mala (garland made of Thulasi leaves) caught my attention. An urge sprang from inside that made me ask the priest whether he could get me a similar kind of mala, place it at the feet of the Lord and give it to me as a prasad (blessed offering). He asked me to return the following day. Much to my delight, he had entrusted the job to another priest who took the mala inside, kept it at all the sacred spots charged with Bhagwan’s Chaitanya (Consciousness) and handed it to me. I felt profusely blessed. To this day, this Thulasi mala is a constant reminder of my sacred connection with Puri Jagannath.
The second event was when the priest who guided us that day took me to another sacred spot called Rohini Kund. The priest at Rohini Kund asked me to do ‘Pitru Preeti’ (satisfying the ancestors). I was unsure what he expected as his dakshina (offering), so before proceeding, I asked him about the same. His immediate response was, “This is priceless. I am not going to ask you for a dakshina. You can choose to give whatever you want to give me!”
It is pertinent to record here that I had yet to do any prior study on Puri Jagannath then. I was unaware that it is a great Mokshapuri (seat of liberation) and a place for performing ancestral rituals. Only on my return did I come to know through my elder daughter Sathya that Jagannath’s Consciousness originally manifested in this Rohini Kund before it was enshrined at the temple.
Without knowing anything about the aura and significance of the place, I offered my ablutions and performed the rituals. I made a small offering on completing them, and the priest blessed me profusely. As is traditional, I started to circumambulate the Rohini Kund, and the enormity of the occasion dawned on me in the flash of a second. I could see and sense how immensely pleased my ancestors were in my completing the simple rituals on my radar. The joy of my ancestors and the radiance of the ineffable blue stayed inside me for a long time.
The subtle connections
In this connection, let me recount a related incident. The Master who originally initiated me into Mantra Diksha (a sacred word, phrase or sound that a Guru gives to a disciple as part of an initiation) when I was in my teens also foretold that a great Siddha Purusha (perfected being) would walk into my life as my Paramaguru (Supreme Master) if I was steadfast in trotting on the path he had laid for me, without any detours.
This Master came in my daughter’s dream and expressed that I had forgotten to include him in my ablutions and rituals at Rohini Kund. This was within a week of my return from Puri Jagannath. When she related this dream to me, little did I realize that I would get one more blessed opportunity to fulfil this wish that would leave me with a sense of perfect completion! Of course, while Masters do not need anything for themselves, it is incredibly rewarding for the disciples to hold them in their dearest thoughts when any event of this dimension takes place.
Now, let me dwell on the inspiration for this write-up – my indescribably fascinating pilgrimage for the third time, between 3rd January and 6th January 2022, in the company of our peerless Master Mohanji!
Before the pilgrimage, I had the opportunity to visit and spend an unforgettable evening with Mohanji. I have found that every time I hold onto my Master with some intensity, I get an inner call from deities for darshan, and in the same vein, when I hold onto my Aradhya (worshipped) deities, I am blessed with my Master’s proximity.
In that light, Subhasree’s invitation for the Puri trip immediately after this visit felt like it was a gift from Mohanji. During the trip, Mohanji confirmed this intuition when he said that the divine will have chosen every one of us. The subsequent turn of events further corroborated this. The temple had opened for public darshan on 3rd January but closed on 10th January 2022 due to a spike in the cases of Omicron soon after our return. It was another strong reminder that one could not be blessed with this kind of pilgrimage without the will of God and the grace of the Master!
The summit of sublimity
Before narrating the experiences during the pilgrimage, it is appropriate to record a few of my reflections on Mohanji.
There are testimonials galore about Mohanji’s leelas and benedictions bordering on phenomena. However, another facet of Mohanji is equally phenomenal but not so luminous. The sublime emptiness he exemplifies at all times and his absolute surrender to the will of the Almighty are unbelievable states of being. I can state with certainty that if anyone attains even an iota of this sublime state of self-nullification, they can be assured of being in the embrace of the infinite. It is also my humble understanding that many oceanic merges have taken place in the remarkable journey of Mohanji. The Nath Tradition, the Datta Tradition, and the Akandha Sai Principle have all conglomerated and merged in Mohanji at different stages of his life.
It is well recorded that the Sakthi Tattvam (the Goddess Principle), the Universal Motherhood, was transferred to him as per the directions of Guru Mandala without being asked. Another merger of immeasurable dimensions took place when Mohanji visited Kathirkamam, venerated as Dakshina Kailash (Kailash of the South) and one of the most sacred abodes of Lord Skanda. Mohanji was presented a Vel (Skanda’s Lance) here by the presiding priest. This was a symbolic merger of the SkandaTattvam (The Guru Principle).
The wish-fulfilling Kamadhenu
Getting back to the pilgrimage, we arrived in Puri on 3rd January 2022. There was no plan for the evening in the original schedule of the trip. On arriving, we were pleasantly surprised when we were told that an evening darshan had been arranged! Before this most auspicious evening darshan on the first day of our trip, Mohanji instructed us to keep our arms extended and raised in front of the Lord. It was later revealed that this posture was an expression of embrace with the Lord of the Universe.
Right then, I intuited that an oceanic embrace was taking place in the subtler realms of Consciousness. This was a merger of Atma Chaitanya (the soul Consciousness) and KrishnaChaitanya (Krishna Consciousness). This indicated the great changes taking place at an incredible speed that will resonate for generations to come.
It is redundant to state that whenever we go on a pilgrimage with Mohanji, our deepest, righteous desires are usually fulfilled. One such desire of mine was to partake of the most revered Puri mahaprasad (56 food items offered to Lord Jagannath). I had yet to get this opportunity in my prior two visits to Puri Jagannath. As grace would have it, we were all served the mahaprasad sumptuously within the temple’s precincts during the unplanned visit. Mohanji himself described that darshan as a bonus.
Soon after, as we exited the temple premises, I held onto the flag at the temple tower. As mentioned initially, this has been my most treasured object of veneration at Jagannath. So much of the pulsating energy and the power of Consciousness is concentrated in the flag. As I was transfixed on the flag, in a flash, a thought occurred out of nowhere as to how wonderful it would be if one could get even a little shred of the blessed banner. Of course, I brushed this thought aside and decided to go with the flow simply.
Mahaprasad
Completion of a Master’s wish
The following day, we were taken to a place called Chakra tirtha. Instinctively, I sensed the aura of the place and decided to go to the sea to offer my ablutions to my late Master, who had expressed this in my daughter’s dream, as mentioned above. The innermost desire I had been carrying for six long years was fulfilled when I offered my ablutions in the blessed waters. I later learnt that this was the Adi Kshetra (ancient area or place) where the all-pervading Consciousness manifested as DaruBrahma (the Supreme Lord manifested in the wood idol).
Usually, when I go on a special pilgrimage such as this, I make it a point to carry some personally ground, fragrant sandal paste as an offering to the deities. I was given the privilege of anointing the deities with the priest’s consent in the sacred Chakra Tirtha.
The eternal banner of victory
The same afternoon, we had a grand welcome extended by the most revered chief priest of Puri, Pattajoshi Shri Janardana Mahapatra. He presented Lord Jagannath’s attire to Mohanji, a special gift reserved for the privileged few. Although Mohanji and the chief priest were meeting each other for the first time, the connection was spontaneous and instantaneous. The priest, without any prior knowledge about Mohanji, perceiving him and proclaiming him as Vishwa Guru (Universal Master) really struck me as a wonder of wonders! It is one thing to be connected to a Supreme Master such as Shirdi Sai Baba or Sathya Sai Baba and then be guided to Mohanji, which we have seen in many instances, and another, for a priest whose every breath revolves around the God of Gods, perceiving Mohanji as a Vishwa Guru in his very first encounter. This is such a precious rarity!
Much to our great surprise and thrill, every one of us was gifted with the most vibrant flag of Jagannatha by the chief priest. How does one describe this? An unspoken thought from the previous evening had been fulfilled almost immediately! It really left me dazed. Another instance reminds one that when God’s will and Guru’s grace flow together, nothing under the sky cannot be fulfilled! I consider this flag as an eternal symbol of victory of dharma over adharma, Truth against illusion, and a triumph of our highest self over all the gravitational pulls and viles of the earth.
That same night, Mohanji and the group had the great fortune to offer a very special garment exclusively handcrafted for Lord Jagannath. In fact, it was again the will of the Almighty that we could all have the darshan to our heart’s content. The ‘Vastra Dharanam’ ritual usually has no time specification as it is performed after completing all other rituals and is one of the last rituals performed before the temple closes for the night. Our darshan on that day coincided with this offering. As Mohanji remarked, this was nothing but grace in abundance.
The Puri pilgrimage was replete with so many extraordinary events, but it would be appropriate to restrict myself to just a few more highlights here.
Remarkable revelations
On 5th January 2022, we were taken to another powerful shrine, the samadhi of Totapuri Maharaj, a great Siddhapurusha (enlightened Master). He was also the Guru of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. I had two memorable revelations at this shrine, which may interest like-minded readers.
I have been an ardent devotee of Sri Sadashiva Brahmendra, an avadhoota (a person who has reached a stage in their spiritual development in which they are beyond worldly concerns). His jeeva samadhi (tomb of a Hindu Spiritual Guru whose life force still exists in the tomb) has been at Nerur in Tamil Nadu for many years. When I walked into the ashram of the Totapuri Maharaj campus, I had the same feeling at Nerur. As we walked into his abode, I bowed to the idol of Totapuri Maharaj, placing my hands on his feet, inwardly seeking a message. Instantly, I heard a baritone voice reverberating in my inner ear “He (Mohanji) and I (Totapuri) are one.” I opened my eyes with a start and immediately turned left. Mohanji was seated there, deep in dhyana (meditation). Without giving a second thought that I may disturb his meditation, I held on to his feet and bowed down, still internalizing the revelation.
Soon after, Mohanji took me to an inner chamber which is said to be the actual samadhi (tomb of a saint) spot of the great saint. He touched a tiger skin placed behind a cot and said, “This is where his head is.” In a second, he lifted the skin, and I quickly put my hand and could feel it at the tip of my fingers. This was a rare opportunity that was not available to everyone!
Remarkable revelations and communions happen in such quick succession when we are with a peerless Master. All that is needed of us is to remain receptive and vigilant. The Guru’s grace then takes over.
I got to meet Mohanji again, for a precious moment, before boarding the flight on my return journey. Feeling incredibly grateful for what had been an unforgettable experience, I held his hand of grace. Mohanji looked at me and said, “I bless you..I bless you!”. It may sound casual on the face of it, but it rang with so much power and vibrancy.
Totapuri Maharaj
The blue magnet
On returning to Bangalore, I was ill for about a week. I was down with a fever, throbbing headache, parched throat, body aches and all the telltale signs of the pandemic. I isolated myself for the period of recovery. Going through physical turbulence makes one more sensitive to feeling the hands of grace and divine healing. An indescribable huge blue magnet was holding me in a divine thrall, and I was in a state where there was a pain but no suffering, an oft-repeated observation of Mohanji. The mind was in a zone with an exquisite blend of stillness and rapture. I wondered whether it was a replica in the microcosm of the oceanic merger of the Atmic Principle and Krishna Chaitanya playing in front of my eyes as I had intuited in Puri!
I conclude with a quote from a precious abhang (devotional poetry) sung by the great Yogi Sankevarma when he had the maiden darshan of his Parama Guru, Sant Gyaneshwar.
“Guru dhyayi Guru dhyayi Guru Parathe Sadhana Nahi
Guru sevaa cha Sankalpa Guru tochi, Para Brahma
Meaning:
Meditate on the Guru!
There is no greater sadhana than holding onto the Guru
When the Guru is pleased, the Almighty is mighty pleased
Guru is verily the Para Brahma!
Jai Mohanji!
Jai Jagannath!
|| JAI BRAHMARISHI MOHANJI ||
Edited & Published by – Testimonials Team, 5th January 2023
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.
It was Sunday, November 27th, when I was invited to an event hosted by Mohanji Acharya, Bhavani. I wasn’t sure if I could go because the event was an hour away, and it was going to happen right when my HSTY (Himalayan School of Traditional Yoga) training was supposed to end. However, Bhavani persisted that I join even if I showed up late, and I took it as a sign that I should go. I decided I’ll go even if I missed the first activity, Conscious Gapless Breathing. I thought to myself that meeting some Mohanji family members in person and doing a group activity would be a good experience.
As the next week went on, I started really looking forward to the event. I understood that we would be receiving Mohanji Energy Transfer which I have never experienced. Naturally, I became quite curious as to how it would feel to receive that! The day before the event, I was notified that the event would begin an hour later so that I don’t miss any of the activities.
On the day of the program, I got ready during the break from my HSTY classes and stayed for the remainder of the lectures. When it turned 5 minutes to 12, I hit the road and had nonstop thoughts during the card ride. I finally made it, and my nerves started feeling sensitive. I had never been to a Mohanji family event in person yet, and I was a little nervous and excited.
When I got inside, everyone was very friendly, and we all engaged in conversation before we started the activities. It was nice to start that way! The first activity was Conscious Gapless Breathing which I had never done before. My body started shaking a bit as the instructions were given. We were given heads-up that we might feel dizzy after. I got worried but chose to persevere. I told myself this was a trick of the nerves and that if I sat with it and continued anyway, it would get better.
We started the Conscious Gapless Breathing, and I could feel tingling throughout my lips, nose, temples and around my head. It wasn’t disturbing, and I really enjoyed the activity. I didn’t even get dizzy and felt calmer! But what was to come after really was something….
Bhavani asked us to lie down and played a really lovely chant. She guided us to continue breathing, with each breath to sink more into ourselves. We also started a visualization process where we imagined golden light going through both sides of the body. With every exhale, I could feel myself sinking more inside and pictured golden light going through me.
Soon I started to feel a warm weight in my palms, and it was as if my body was sinking into the floor. I began to feel completely weightless from the inside. I can’t explain this feeling in words. It was similar to the weightlessness you feel when the plane is taking off, but this time it was me taking off inside my body! It WAS me being weightless!
I began to wonder, “Is Mai-Tri going on? This wasn’t mentioned as part of the program!” I felt similar sensations during Mai-Tri, but this was way more intense. It continued, and I felt different from how I normally do during the waking state or even dream state. I knew that I was in the room, but I was feeling so weightless in my body. I kept seeing this golden color as my eyes remained closed. I wasn’t sure what would happen if this continued. Would I leave my body?! I laughed a little out of both nervousness and enjoyment. I had never felt this before, and my mind started making me question if I should try to go a little more back into my body.
As we wound up the session, the feeling slowly started to go down. I really didn’t want it to end. We sat up, and I asked Bhavani if she was doing Mai-Tri, to which she told me no! That is when it hit me that this was being done without a practitioner even invoking the process. It was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had.
Before the event, I was waiting to see what would happen during the Mohanji Energy Transfer, but this was a beautiful surprise. I’m really grateful that Mohanji gave me this experience.
We finished with Power of Purity and the Mohanji Energy Transfer. I started craving Indian food and several moments later realized Indian food was being prepared for us! We spoke for a couple of hours and visited the Sai Datta Peetham temple. It was my first time being there for me, and I’m grateful Bhavani was with me to show me some temple etiquette and guide me.
Going to this event showed me how powerful it can be to be in the presence of the Mohanji Family and how God can give us wonderful experiences when we don’t even ask for them. I love you, Mohanji and the Mohanji Family. Thank you for changing my life and giving me a sense of belongingness.
|| JAI BRAHMARISHI MOHANJI ||
Edited & Published by – Testimonials Team, 27th December 2022
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