by Christopher Greenwood
Day 73 Lesson – No problem can be solved unless you face it
Good morning, everybody. I hope you’re doing well.
Yesterday, as usual, has been a packed day, right from the morning, until the evening. Yesterday evening we arrived back at Palakkad.
This morning, I was talking to Ananth; also, Mohanji was there about the pace and the intensity of this trip. I hadn’t expected it. I really hadn’t. And the nature of the days, how changeable they are, what you’d plan the day before is completely turned on its head by the morning. This makes it very difficult and hard to predict what’s going to happen.
Because things move so quickly, you always must be prepared. So, I always have to have everything in place, especially the camera, the recorder, or all the different paraphernalia we carry, to ensure that everything is captured well. If it’s not properly planned and set in place, opportunities can easily be missed.
Ananth was laughing, and Mohanji also commented that this was nothing. Actually, it used to be much more intense and busy when they were travelling without the COVID restrictions, when there were flights and programs back to back. I have a newfound respect for Rajesh, who spent many years travelling like this. Barbara and George as well, because I can now really appreciate what it must have been like.
Yesterday was another day of changing schedules, being flexible, spontaneous, and just moving with the flow of the day. In the morning, we had a pretty late call. We had to quickly get ready for a meeting with a senior dignitary in India. We went to visit him, and Mohanji took a copy of Mast and his cards.
This person is a senior, and it was a pleasure to be part of that meeting. I was observing and thinking to myself that the types of connections that we’ve made and are continuing to make on this trip are very prominent in their respective fields. Everybody is giving great support to Mohanji and to the activities of the global platforms. I’m excited to see what comes from these because I think it’s the start of something different. At least, that’s how I feel and interpret it.
A few days ago, we met with a very prominent architect. He’s famous for the work that he does. He connected instantly with Mohanji. Most of these people are meeting Mohanji for the first time, but it’s as if they’ve been friends for many, many years.
He unexpectedly took us straight away after breakfast to his home by the river. He showed us around, and then he arranged for a photo shoot. He wanted to do a photoshoot with Mohanji so that he could have some good pictures. So that’s where we went yesterday as well.
It is great how people are coming and supporting Mohanji and the activities. Then, on the trip back to Palakkad, there was another lesson in flexibility. We had a Satsang planned for 5 pm, which was as a fundraiser for the people affected by the earthquakes in Croatia. Usually, when we have a Satsang planned, we have everything ready at least half an hour before; all the equipment is there, lighting and sound checked. We even check the connection with the people that are hosting it.
Yesterday I was laughing because half an hour before, we were still in the car, still driving, and we hadn’t yet found a location where we would stop. I took a photograph and sent it to a few people saying, “How’s the lighting looking for this setup? How’s the background?” They were laughing. And I made a comment to Mohanji saying, “Do you think it’s probably time we stop somewhere?” He said: “Don’t worry, it’s no problem.”
It was no problem. Everything was arranged, we found a really good location, he sat down, and gave the Satsang from his mobile phone, from where we were. Once we finished, we had a quick bite to eat and were then back on the road again.
Like this, the days are flowing. Any changes are accommodated, and all the work that needs to be done is always done.
As I was travelling yesterday, I was thinking of some other lessons that I’ve taken into my own life since being connected to Mohanji. Also, by just observing how he handles life: very matter-of-fact, head-on, especially with problems. He has said a few times to me that no problem can be solved unless you face it. Something that comes to you, if it’s something that needs addressing, you must face it. You can’t run away from situations because then the problem doesn’t go away.
I was thinking about this because I was previously asked to interview about my time with Mohanji and my journey. I remember some situations that occurred. I think it might be the same for everybody, especially from a Western background, when you connect to a Master or connect to someone you call a guru. It’s not so common in Western culture, so people have opinions, and they talk.
And within my friend circle, that was definitely happening. Even to the point where one of my close friends from when I was younger was posting things on Facebook. He asked: “Are you okay, mate? It looks like you’ve been sucked into a cult.” Comments like this. At that time, it shocked me a little bit, but I remembered an example from Mohanji and his life, which really gave me the lesson that this is a situation that has to be faced.
During that time, people were speaking badly about Mohanji; some people were spreading rumours, there were stories on the internet. While all these things were happening in the shadows, no one was saying it to his face. It was always just a rumour heard from somebody else and passed on.
I remember him talking about these situations, that this is generally how it is in society. There are a lot of cowards because if people are stable, confident, and secure, they won’t talk about somebody to somebody else. If they have a problem with someone, they’ll address it to that person. That’s the right way to handle something; if you have an issue with someone or a question, go to them directly.
In this instance, a lady had made a claim that Mohanji had fathered a child. She hadn’t spoken to him directly; it was via somebody else. And Mohanji, handling it head-on, said two things to the person sharing information. The first one was, quite rightly actually, “If that is the case, then why is that lady not speaking to the father of the child first? Why is she speaking to other people about it?” And the second one was: “If it’s my child, no problem, I’ll look after it.” So straight there and then, it’s faced head-on.
I remembered that story in this situation that I had with my friend, who said, “It looks like you’ve joined a cult”. Normally in the past, I probably would have shied away from any confrontation. But I thought, “Okay, it’s time to face this one”. So, we exchanged some messages personally, and I said, “Yes, I’ve joined a cult, it’s a terrible one, look at all this activity we’re doing in the world. We have this platform, Early Birds Club, where we have adults, teens, and kids going through morning processes to better their lives. It’s horrendous; you really need to save me. We also have Ammucare, we have ACT Foundation, which is helping millions of people.”
I just overflowed him with all these activities in a nice way because we have been friends for a long time. At the end of the conversation with him, he accepted it quite well, and we reconnected in private messages. It turned out that his wife had actually been taken by some sort of an organization, so he had this feeling. But once I explained the activities we were doing, he was very happy and turned around to be very supportive.
It was a real lesson for me that when a situation arises, or when a problem arises, to face it head-on. You can’t run away from situations because then the problems don’t go away.
So that’s the message for today. We’re now getting ready and preparing for the Sai Baba temple function, which is on the 25th, 26th, and 27th. It’s coming up soon.
I hope you have a great day ahead and will speak to you very soon.
Day 74 Lesson – Reminder of grace
Good morning, everybody. I hope you’re doing well.
Yesterday we attended the Shirdi Sai Baba temple. This was the final day of a seven day reading of the Srimad Bhagavatam, which Mohanji had inaugurated on the first day, on the 17th of January. We were there for the final readings.
It was a great event; it turned out very well. Although I could only pick up the English words that he used while speaking Malayalam, Mohanji spoke about the grace of Baba for that to happen. Because for such an event to take place during this time of COVID, it really requires some grace.
That is the topic I want to talk about today. There was an experience yesterday that confirms that when we’re connected to Mohanji, even if we don’t even realize it, there’s such a grace that comes into our lives; the grace that makes things much easier and fluid than they would ordinarily be.
This morning, we’re up again early. So, I’m recording this before we go to the temple for the first day of the ceremony for the seventh anniversary of the inauguration of the temple where Vittal Babaji stayed. He did the Prana Prashista here. He is one of the Masters connected to Mohanji.
So. yesterday, once the event had finished, Mohanji went to the room, and people were coming to see him one by one; they had a conversation and some time with him. He gives answers to their questions.
There was one lady, a part of the Mohanji family. She was speaking to Mohanji, and it caught my ear for some reason. I was listening to the final bits of the conversation where she explained how she would be returning on the 27th, which was the final day of the event. But she planned to leave in the early afternoon to catch her flight. Mohanji just said to her: “You are going on the 27th? Well, it won’t be finished by then. I think you should stay until the 28th.”
She looked a bit confused for a second because clearly, she was working through it in her mind: “Well, I’ve booked my ticket, what will I do about it now? What do I do about accommodation?” All the things which you would usually think of once your travel plans start to change. And she said: “Okay, if you say it, then the 28th it is.”
She must have been mulling over this – what will she do, how will she change the ticket. Obviously, it comes with a cost. When we came back to the house, I spoke to her because she wanted to share this with me. As she was travelling back from the event to the house, she had a notification from the airline to say that her flight had been postponed, only by a small amount of time. Not massive, so she probably could have made it as well.
But, she called up the airline and said that she had an event, and it was not likely that she could reach there at that time. They gave her several options, and one of them was a flight on the 28th. She looked at the prices because the people had told her that she could change it, but if there’s any difference in fare, that she would probably have to compensate for that. She was worried about the likely changes in fare. I think it was almost another third increase in the price.
So, she said the date and left it at that. Then, a few moments later, she received a confirmation for her ticket for the 28th, with no charges to be paid. It looked like it was all rearranged for her from that moment when Mohanji said, “I think you should stay until the 28th”.
Also, she had planned to stay in a hotel, but some other accommodation got rearranged for her. Therefore, it was possible for her to avoid that, too. She said to Mohanji: “Look at this, all this grace happened!” And again, he just smiled.
It was a lovely reminder and a lovely story because travelling with him is so fast-paced that sometimes I personally forget the grace that is with us all the time. Even though the travel plans are so busy, they happen smoothly; we meet the right people at the right time, move from place to place, and always seem to be in the right area or vicinity for doing all the activities that we need to do.
I’ve also experienced that being connected to Mohanji, all these small moments of grace can happen if we’re aware and have a keen eye for them.
Rather than a lesson today, this was a reminder of the grace that exists when being connected to and walking with Mohanji. Like he always says: “I’m always with you.”
Have a great day ahead.
|| JAI BRAHMARISHI MOHANJI ||
Edited & Published by – Testimonials Team, 7th November 2021
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