By Christopher Greenwood
Day 85 Lesson – Mohanji arranges in silence
Yesterday we started another trip, and there are nine of us altogether. We were invited to visit the land, which will be offered to Mohanji for part of our activities. To make a trip out of it, as it’s some distance away, we decided to make a bit of a pilgrimage to visit some temples and powerful spots not too far away from Bangalore.
Yesterday, for me, was an example and a lesson of how Mohanji arranges everything that needs to be arranged, often even without asking. He does everything to bring things together for possibilities to happen for people. Some examples I shared of this were during the previous trip to Kerala when many people wanted to spend time with Mohanji, and through the circumstances, their plans were changed, so they were able to join us and serve in that capacity.
For example, one man really wanted to spend time with Mohanji. It was arranged that we were without a driver just for one day, and he happened to come, and he had a vehicle. So, he was our driver for the day. He was incredibly happy.
Another lady had planned to return earlier than planned, partway through the temple celebrations. Mohanji had said to her, “Well, why don’t you go back a few days later.” Obviously, she was wondering how that would happen, how to change the flights, the cost to pay for that, etc. But when she went to check her flight, it had been postponed. In the conversation with the airline, even though the new flight was more expensive, they agreed to change it at no cost. So, within a matter of minutes, everything was arranged.
For myself, this trip has been a personal example. Where we went yesterday was a temple called Kukke Subramanya. Subramanya is Lord Murugan or Skanda. This particular aspect is the snake version of the Lord. The temple is very famous for rituals that cleanse sarpa doshas or lineage karma issues.
Over a year ago, I joined Mohanji for the Mookambika trails pilgrimage. I had an inspiration to come a few days early. The opportunity opened up where a few people were going to Kukke Subramanya, so I agreed to join. It was me and a few others. We took part in a 2-3 day ritual, where you stay there, have food arranged, and perform poojas, which are really powerful at cleansing the lineage aspect of the karmic weight.
Mohanji shared before that our karmic makeup is one-third from our lineage – what we bring from our parents and their parents; one-third is our own individual karma, and one-third societal – from the countries and places we were born into. This is really big because that lineage aspect, what we’ve inherited, can really bog us down.
We performed the ceremony in the temple. Afterwards, we got an opportunity to pray to Kukke Lord and ask for anything that we wanted. There was a stipulation, or a mark of gratitude, where if that comes true, you have to return and perform a pooja which the priest describes. There are different types of poojas and ceremonies which are prescribed to you based on what you’ve asked for.
I was given a slip written in the Kannada language, so I didn’t understand what it was. Once your desire or wish comes true, you come back, and you’re meant to hand the slip in and do the pooja.
For a long time, I wondered how I was going to do this. Firstly, I’m from the UK. Then, this is India, and Kukke is not really on the beaten track. It’s not an easy place to get to. Nobody speaks English here, and I’m the only white person when I look around. That was in my mind.
Also, now that I’m travelling and spending more time with Mohanji, I was curious how I would ever get an opportunity to go back there. Plus, the Covid situation, how would it even be possible to go back there given all the restrictions on travel.
My personal experience is that Mohanji arranged everything for me; what I asked for came true, and within the year’s requirement of finishing it off, two days ago, he said that he would be coming here and that I should join too.
As I joined, I remembered the pooja which I needed to perform; the ceremony as a ‘thank you’ and as a closure of the whole ritual. I was able to send that to the person who arranged everything here because they speak the local language.
On the way to Kukke temple, we were delayed for a number of reasons. But again, as I’ve experienced travelling with Mohanji, everything is arranged with perfect timing. We arrived and had darshan of the idol straightaway. Also, we had called up in advance about what we needed to do for the pooja.
Once we finished with the parikrama of the temple, the priest who organized everything just came back with the prasad from my pooja, so we were able to take that, get on the bus, and travel to the next destination. Just like that, without asking and having that worry about how I would finish it, it was all taken care of for me. I am incredibly thankful for that experience and to Mohanji for arranging it.
Now we are in Mookambika and will be travelling north. I hope you have a good day and enjoy the experience of how when we’re connected to Mohanji, he knows what’s needed, and often things are arranged for us without our knowing or asking.
Day 86 Lesson – The grace factor
This most recent trip has been great to witness because it’s been another lesson and observation in the grace that comes to Mohanji and all those that travel with him when he takes a trip or takes part in an activity.
What started as an idea with Mohanji’s old school friend to visit the land which he had donated soon grew into an idea that if they were making that journey, why not take into account some of the most powerful temples in India and visit them, make a pilgrimage out of it. Mohanji agreed to this.
Two days ago, there wasn’t much of a plan; there was an idea of where we wanted to go and the approximate route. But there was no concept of timings for when we could go and visit the temples or what we would be doing.
When we go to all these temples, immense grace comes. Some of the experiences which we’ve had are very rare to come by, and I don’t think they would be granted to anybody else if we weren’t travelling with Mohanji.
For example, after a very long journey, the first stop was Kukke Subramanya temple. This temple is where people go to perform special rituals to cleanse the sarpa dosha, anything from the lineage and having to do with snakes. It’s a powerful, well-known temple. A call had been made even before our arrival between some of the connections which are known within the family. We were received well by the priest, and then everything was orchestrated. So, what was a vague plan, became a very well timed, well-orchestrated, efficient trip with real powerful experiences.
We were guided straight to the place where you make a sankalpa. Then we were taken to the sanctum sanctorum, where the main deity and idol sit. Normally, you’d have to queue for a long time, but we were taken right up to the front. We were even asked to sit down in front of the sanctum sanctorum, and they performed the special aarati for us, even though it wasn’t time for aarati, and normally you never get to sit down. You just get a quick few seconds’ glances, and then you move away. Without any preplanning, we were invited to sit and had our private aarati there, which was incredibly special.
Then, as quickly as we arrived, we were back on the bus and travelling again, so we could make the stay before visiting Mookambika temple in the morning.
The next morning was another example of just how things come together beautifully. We were met and received by the main priest there. This is somebody who performs all the rituals and poojas every day. He’s actually touching the Mother there. This temple has the deity of the Mother and the Father in one – the creation and supreme consciousness, and it’s a major power centre, where people go and can attain or request spiritual powers from the Mother that is sitting there.
All the major saints have come there to do sadhana. It is a powerful temple and very famous for Adi Shankaracharya. When we went around the temple and moved from where we met the priests, it was almost as if the Mother was escorting us all the way because the priest who performs the main worship for Mother was escorting us. Normally people revere him, bow down and touch his feet. Very humbly and kindly, he walked us around where we needed to go, showed us each of the areas, and took us right up to the front again, where we could have great darshan of Mother.
Early that day, Rajesh, Madhu, and I were able to do parikrama of the temple, which is normally unheard of – we managed to do nine. It’s almost as if we had an incredibly warm welcome from the Mother because we were with Mohanji.
Again, we moved on to the next temple with the time being tight and the distance between them long. Normally it’s a few hours between these temples, and the roads are winding and bumpy. There’s also a limit on when the temple will be open.
The next temple was the Mahabaleshwar temple in Gokarna, which was due to close at 12. But we arrived just in time. Again, we were personally greeted by the administrator there, a connection of the previous priest. Mohanji made a great connection with them instantly.
This temple is another powerful place because it’s where the Atmalinga exists, the elemental form of Shiva. This is the only one of these on Earth. Normally, there’s a big queuing system for this. You can touch the Lingam, but only via a priest. You can arrange for a special abhishekam and pooja, and then they can do this for you.
But being with Mohanji, the group was escorted again right to the Lingam, performed abhishekam and was even allowed to touch the Lingam, which is usually unheard of. I couldn’t go, unfortunately, because of the rules of needing to be Hindu. Then they came back, and we rested for the day.
Now we’re on to the next temple. I share some of these details to give you an idea and flavour that when travelling with Mohanji, the grace factor really comes and brings everything into perfect orchestration. Things happen at the right time, the right people are met, and the right reception is provided.
|| JAI BRAHMARISHI MOHANJI ||
Edited & Published by – Testimonials Team, 22nd December 2021
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