Swathi Jarugumilli, Australia
My deepest pranaams (prostrations) to Guru Mohanji for letting the words flow from me as I write my first testimonial.
Engaging in spiritual satsangs (gatherings), bhajans, reading books of saints, and powerful Masters like Sripaada SriVallabha Swami, Shirdi Sai Baba, etc. helps one to connect to God (Self).
Mohanji Acharya Rakshitha often organizes book reading sessions, spending about an hour every day to contemplate on powerful books from the Masters of our Datta Tradition. This type of reading is known as parayana in Sanskrit. She offers everyone the opportunity to read a chapter if they are interested in doing so. So a few of us have been taking turns in rotation every week to be the voice of this book reading. During one such group reading session when the parayana of the holy book Sri Sai Satcharitra was on, it happened to be my turn to read. However, I completely forgot about this session, being totally engrossed in household chores. The other group members waited for me and then managed to complete the reading for the day in my absence. I felt very embarrassed about my carelessness and was later advised that it is essential to be committed to a word/promise that is given, and these words made me contemplate deeply on it.
Later, the Power of Purity meditation program (41-day challenge) was organized worldwide. I first thought it was a paid program, but it was clarified that only my commitment for 41 days was needed and nothing else was required. I enrolled immediately anticipating that this program would change my patterns, and indeed it did transform me for the better.
While I was participating in the program, I became convinced that it was a blessing from my dearest Lord Sripada Srivallabha Swami. It felt no less than doing a mandala (41 days) deeksha (the taking on of a serious spiritual discipline). According to the resolution I took at the beginning of the program, I stayed committed to a vegan lifestyle until the completion of the 41 days. My mother participated in this program and completed 41 days, too. She is an ardent devotee of Shirdi Sai Baba as well.
Sometimes during the program, something would come up and I would feel like I might not be able to attend the meditation (as my toddler might wake up and cry), but with Guru Mohanji’s grace, it would all flow perfectly. Every day, I surrendered all my thoughts and questions to our dear Guru Mohanji.
At the start of the meditation each morning, we were guided with one intention each day for the 41 days, and that helped all of us very much to get deeper into our meditation. While the first few days went well, sitting with an erect spine continuously for an hour was really challenging. However, it became easier as we progressed. My mother and I soon got accustomed to waking up early, taking a shower, lighting a diya (oil lamp) at our altar, and cleaning our meditation space/room before sitting for meditation every morning.
With everyday practice, I felt the intensity was increasing, and I started having visions during the meditation. It was very new to me. Being the curious cat, I would ask and find answers to everything happening to me. I tried to get as much information as possible, but it did not help me – instead, it made me even more restless.
During these times, I happened to read something in a group, which was a forwarded quote by Mohanji, which said, “Drop everything that is bothering you.” I tried to follow this, and while it was not easy coping up with such crazy mind-stuff, I was able to slowly focus on meditation with divine help. It was mentioned in our sessions that learning to ignore the mind helps quite a lot in the path of spirituality. Each day, I am practicing ignoring my mind. Like Mohanji says, I tell myself, “That’s not me/This is not me”, and it helps.
So whenever my mind behaves crazy, I gently pull back to my breath. Sometimes, my mind plays my favorite songs in the background when the meditation asks us to be in silence, or I suddenly get heaps of visions about the past and future, which I cannot control. Sometimes I feel guilty that I am not doing the meditation the right way, or I am unable to follow instructions; pain in my legs/back that is very distracting, making me unable to focus on the meditation, etc.
Each day of the 41 days was a new experience for me. Most importantly, the intentions we are guided to put before the meditation used to work wonders after the sessions. We were guided very gently towards those intentions – to drop off, to shed away, to cut the unnecessary cords that were preventing us from going forward. Some of the intentions were: no comparisons, forgiving, surrendering to the higher intelligence, having gratitude, contemplating on Guru’s messages, staying connected to Guru, living in the present, having faith, patience, selfless service, unconditional love, not wasting our time on gossiping, ownership, not having expectations etc.
During the session on the day of Guru Poornima, it was mentioned that the whole Guru Mandala (all the Masters in the Tradition) was present to give us the necessary protection and the energy to let go of all that was not required in our journey anymore. I clearly felt the intensity and presence of the Masters, helping me become calmer (at least for a few moments of thoughtless state). I happily and eagerly sat for some more time even after finishing the meditation.
That is when I could deeply connect to my Self (for a moment). I got some visions that looked like Shirdi Sai Baba, calling people to bring the Big Key (kind of a thing) to help open the door of my heart. From that moment, I have been getting guidance from within (intuitions). When I experience this, or when a wish comes true through someone, I am reminded of how Mohanji in one of his videos said, “I operate through all (different mediums) the forms of the universe around you, if you stay connected to me (My Self).” This realization was a moment of great happiness for me that my Guru is taking care of me like a mother. I feel as if Sripada Srivallabha himself is coming in the form of my Guru Mohanji. From then onwards, whenever I sit for meditation (and connect with my heart/Guru/favorite God), I smile spontaneously with a sense of total satisfaction from my heart as if I have come home.
During the last five days (towards the end of the 41 days), I started to experience this strange thing that if someone asked me a question or asked me to translate anything, the words just poured from me as if it wasn’t I who was doing the talking. All the words that came from my mouth were very precise and came with confidence. Showering blessings to everyone and everything (as part of Power of Purity) became very easy with the everyday practice of this powerful meditation.
I would also like to share that I was graced with a vision of Lahiri Mahasaya (one of the direct disciples of Mahavatar Babaji) and while I was in that state of mind, I assumed the sitting position of Mahavatar Babaji as shown in the picture below. This happened in the last five days during POP meditation.
Suddenly it felt as if Lahiri Mahasaya was talking to me through the medium of the book “Autobiography of a Yogi – By Paramahamsa Yogananda” (a book which I had considered reading but couldn’t make it past the first page, so I set it aside). After the meditation, I happened to open a chapter in the book in a half-meditative state and got a message specific to my soul’s urge – the request to make me more aware.
Also, another message from him was 108 pieces of advice by Lahiri Mahasaya (can be found online). All these happened because of the grace of Guru Mohanji and Sripada.
Key takeaways from the 41-day meditation:
- I understood and experienced that doing meditation as a routine, especially the pranayama (breathing exercises) part, helps in curing certain bodily ailments. The air that travels through our body while practicing pranayama, fills and pushes every odd place thus keeping you in a good posture (like when a balloon pumped in with air, expands and becomes taut)
- Prior to this 41-day program, my shoulders and back caused severe pain if I tried to keep my spine straight (a health issue from my first pregnancy). After the practice of the breathing exercises (pranayama) day-by-day, I found that I could keep my spine erect all the time effortlessly, thus helping me be in a good posture.
- Being humble and staying positive became second nature. Always thinking and intending good for everyone and everything, brought out the gratitude in me. Divine grace removed the blockages in chakras over a period and ultimately leading to alignment of the shat (6) chakras. Also improved awareness in everything.
- Blessing everyone, and everything was effortless.
- Learning to ignore the mind is something that I continue to practice every day.
- Last but not the least, I now know that Mohanji is listening to me and taking care of me all the time.
Stay connected to your own Self, stay connected to your dear God, stay connected to your Guru.
|| JAI BRAHMARISHI MOHANJI||
Edited & Published by – Testimonials Team, 19th November 2020
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