by Charley Upton, USA
Experiences from the Kailash Yatra 2023
Devi Mohan told me she saw me on a pilgrimage to Kailash in 2026. This reawakened in me the desire to go on this pilgrimage, which I had always wanted to do. Mohanji has said you can only go to Kailash if called.
On Friday, 7/21/23, right before Pat & my 4 am Conscious Kriya session with Cody Galloway on Zoom, a book fell off our altar bookshelf without apparent cause. The book “Kailash with Mohanji” was perched, ready to fall. I heard ringing in my ears & felt my consciousness rising. Pat & I looked at each other & said, “Oh my God!”
When we were in Bosnia for a Kriya Intensive, we asked Mohanji if he would recommend that Ruth & I go this year. He said that if we have the time & the money to go this year, then we should go, as the future is often uncertain.
Our group of 27 spent five days in Kathmandu at the Hyatt Regency with Mohanji in preparation for the parikrama. This was definitely a highlight. The meals were amazing! Mohanji was filling us with energy & love. We chanted “Om Namah Shivaya” (3 rounds of the mala with 108 beads) every day, along with performing the abhishekam, listening to the Rudram, participating in processes like the Power of Purity & the 360-degree meditation, enjoying Satsangs with Mohanji, Shaktipat, blessings, sang bhajans & listened to parikrama tips from several people. When we left Kathmandu, I was the lucky recipient of a loving hug from Mohanji (another highlight). He watched over us & protected us on the entire journey. What more can you ask for than to have the love & guidance from a Master?
When we were near Lake Manasarovar, it began raining heavily in the morning, right after breakfast. We were all under a tent & Bhavani suggested setting an intention by chanting 3 malas of “Om Namah Shivaya” to change the weather to sunshine. Amazingly, after 2 rounds of the mala, the rain stopped, & after the 3rd mala, the sun came out. This is what is possible when we work together as a group with Mohanji’s grace! Our group was supportive, kind, loving & helpful.
Going through & around the Yama Dwar was a highlight, as this is where we leave our old you, & become reborn into a new you.
At the end of the first day, seeing the north face of Kailash up close was incredible. We took pictures & chanted as a group. We may have had different goals for our Kailash trip, like walking the 35 miles was important to me & not so for others, & it seemed that our goals & wishes were fulfilled (Mohanji says that no one walks away empty-handed from Kailash). Please forgive me for being so brief; this just begins to touch the surface. I am very happy to have completed the parikrama & thoroughly enjoyed this wonderful experience.
It was inspiring to see the dedication & devotion of the people doing prostrations around Kailash. It may take them 1-2 months to complete the parikrama. Their effort & endurance are very admirable & humbling. I counted about 20 people along the parikrama with their aprons, elbow & knee pads doing their prostrations. We offered them some food & wished them well.
Our team of 6 sherpas deserve special mention for their inspiration & service. Our leader Nimha said he had completed about 100 parikramas, & Sunin & Toshi reported about 30 parikramas each. They experienced the same symptoms of high elevation that we did (including headaches & vomiting), yet they worked very hard to serve us in style & with care. They cooked for us, cleaned up after us, watched over us, encouraged us, slept only for about 3 hours/night, moved heavy duffle bags, & treated us like close family. Very impressive!
I was fortunate to take this sacred pilgrimage with our daughter, Ruth. The shared challenges have deepened our bond. I am very proud of her. She walked the entire parikrama, except for a part of the Dolma La Pass. She definitely helped me a lot & made my journey much more enjoyable. Our mutual goal of liberation pushes each of us closer (as Pat also pushes us closer). Our shared memories & pictures are priceless! What a great spiritual adventure to take with your family members! Thank you so much, Ruth, great job! Our pictures in front of the North Face of Kailash & Mohanji in Kathmandu are among my most prized possessions.
We all have vulnerabilities to accept & fears to face. I was one of the oldest & slowest of our group of 27. I had a blister on my heel that I covered with a band-aid & duct tape. I had several close calls about making it to the bathroom in time. I would have been devastated not to make the entire parikrama on foot. We were fortunate to find reasonable airline tickets less than 2 weeks before departure. We did end up spending two nights in airports on our layovers. There is a saying that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.
I asked Pat about her experience at home while we were in Tibet. She shared that my father (who passed last year) & his parents appeared to her beaming with smiles, saying they felt great benefits from my parikrama. Perhaps some of their family karma & responsibilities were reduced. They were very happy & proud of me. Mohanji has said that our whole lineage walks with us when we walk the parikrama. I was happy to make them happy. Thank you for taking the time to listen to these stories. I hope you will have the opportunity to take this journey soon.
Best wishes, Jai Mohanji!
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|| JAI BRAHMARISHI MOHANJI ||
Edited & Published by – Testimonials Team, 21st September 2023
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