This is a testimonial of my experience during the Mohanji retreat held in Puri in February. I ought to have written this much earlier, but I’d kept postponing it for some reason in the last few months. Then I happened to watch snippets of the Rath Yatra online on 20th June, and after that, I couldn’t stop thinking about that retreat and how deeply it had impacted me.
A few beautiful experiences came my way during those days, all thanks to the immense grace of my beloved Guru, Mohanji. But for now, I’ll write about my first visit to the Shree Jagannatha temple during the retreat.
I’d wanted to visit the Jagannatha temple in Puri for years, so I was thrilled when I heard that a retreat would be held there. The icing on the cake was that the retreat would include Mohanji’s birthday celebrations. It is hard to describe how I felt during the retreat. Being in Mohanji’s powerful presence, listening to his transformational satsangs, attending the beautiful, sacred homa, and pilgrimages to power spots in Puri and nearby areas – all this together made it one of the most unforgettable experiences for me.
However, on the night that we were to visit the Jagannatha temple for the first time, I was not feeling as excited as I had thought I would. Maybe it was because I’d been a little unwell since morning. While sitting on the bus that would take us to the temple, I was in a somewhat blank state, with no particular expectations or thoughts. The bus couldn’t go up to the main entrance, so at one point, we all got off the bus and began walking to the temple.
As we drew closer to the temple, I looked up at the Neel Chakra (a blue wheel at the top), and after that, I couldn’t take my eyes off it. Every time I had to look away from it, I would feel restless. I didn’t want to keep walking. I just wanted to stand somewhere and stare at the Chakra for some time. But I had to keep up with the group, so I continued walking. And as I neared the main gate, the Simha dwar (lion gate), I realised that something had changed in me in the last few minutes. I felt pulled and overcome by something that I can only describe as a powerful energy vibration.
My mind was empty apart from one word, one name reverberating within me loudly and unceasingly – Jagannatha, Jagannatha!
I felt as though the air and dust in that space were trembling with the force of that name. My eyes continued to dart to the Chakra whenever possible, and for some inexplicable reason, I also kept scanning the night sky above the temple.
We had the highly sacred Mahaprasad before going for darshan, and while eating it, I was frequently overwhelmed with tears, and I felt so grateful for every morsel, as if I had waited for so long for it, and something in me kept saying this was “food from home”.
After that, we hurried to the main shrine, and I felt intense love, gratitude, and excitement with each step. I couldn’t wait to see Jagannatha. It was extremely crowded in the main hall, but I made my way through it with the experience of having travelled by public transport in a bustling city.
At the first glimpse of Jagannatha, I felt a burst of joy and devotion, and I couldn’t stop smiling with happiness despite the crushing crowd. There were initially some people before me, but then I somehow found myself at the front suddenly, with a clear view of the inner sanctum. The priests began to do aarti, and until it lasted, I could have wonderful darshan of the deities.
Then I went towards the back of the hall, where there was the Garuda Sthamba, which devotees were touching and embracing with reverence. On the wall behind, we can still see the indentations of Chaityana Mahaprabhu’s fingers, where he had leaned against it to look at his beloved Jagannatha, and the stone had melted under the heated fervour of his love and devotion.
One devotee was singing a bhajan beautifully, and though it was in an unfamiliar language, there was such deep love and yearning in his melodious voice that it moved me profoundly. In a corner, an emotional young man was talking nonstop to Jagannatha with what seemed to be a mix of anger, pain and love, tears flowing down his cheeks while his fingers moved on a japa mala. So many devotees were craning their necks and jumping up to get a clear view of Jagannatha. The air frequently resounded with jubilant cries of “Jay Jagannath!” with everyone raising their hands joyfully.
Though I had long wanted to visit the temple, I hadn’t had any deep emotions towards Lord Jagannatha until then. But that had changed in a matter of minutes. I was now experiencing a surreal joy and love for Jagannatha while standing there. I could suddenly understand the devotional frenzy he evoked in people. I could understand why thousands and thousands of pilgrims face numerous hardships to participate in the Rath Yatra.
Only Jagannatha existed for every person in that space. He wasn’t a deity whose idol was made of wood. He was their most adored one, more real to them than beings made of flesh and blood, much closer to them than their family and friends and even their own selves. He was everything to them – without him, they had nothing.
I felt this was love in its richest, most exalted form, and just witnessing and sensing it caused tears to flow down my face continuously. Also, the energy was unbelievable. The atmosphere was pulsating with it. And beneath all the sounds, there was a powerful silence. Overall, it was a realm of pure love, pure energy and pure consciousness.
And then a crystal-clear realisation flashed within me in that sacred atmosphere.
This is Mohanji in his unbound form. This is Mohanji’s true form. Beyond creation, beyond time, beyond attributes.
Mohanji is Jagannatha. He is Shiva. He is pure energy, pure love, pure consciousness.
Mohanji is in everyone; he is in everything; he is everywhere.
These thoughts echoed repeatedly in my mind, inducing a profound stillness within. It was as if a veil was pulled from the truth briefly to help me get an inkling of Mohanji’s true form and stature. And I knew the entire unforgettable experience in the temple had come my way only because of Mohanji’s causeless compassion and grace.
Those moments I spent in the temple are still alive in me. And when I feel upset or frustrated about anything, I only need to remember those moments to feel a shift in my emotions and an upsurge of gratitude at having found refuge at the lotus feet of Mohanji, who is the embodiment of supreme consciousness.
Like Lord Jagannatha during the Rath Yatra, Mohanji walks among us; his arms outstretched to embrace everyone, loving and accepting us just as we are, his eyes watching all beings with intense compassion and lighting the flame of liberation in hearts with a merciful glance.
Om Parabrahmane Vidmahe Shree Jagannathaya Dheemahi Tanno Mohana Prachodayat
Editor’s note: Currently, the Rath yatra is happening in this power center – Puri, from 20th June to 2nd July. Mohanji Bharat and Ammucare Charitable Trust are doing Annadaan through a stall. Our dedicated volunteers serve water, Mahaprasad, and first-aid to the millions of people visiting this place.
Join us in spreading love and kindness as this service continues until 2nd July. To donate, please visit
Edited & Published by – Testimonials Team, 26thJune 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.
Recently, I’ve been driving Mohanji quite a lot as we travel from location to location, and one might think it would be a typical car journey, but it’s something very different. When you’re with Mohanji, focus and concentration are refined.
The whole time spent with Mohanji is a lesson in being alert, aware and present. Any sign of absent-mindedness gets a swift kick, so day by day, hour by hour, and minute by minute, there’s a requirement to be present. Laziness, absent-mindedness or tamas aren’t given any space to slip in. It’s challenging yet rewarding as your focus, clarity and refinement are honed daily.
I find driving Mohanji around very interesting – for example, say you’re driving down a road in Belgrade city, with many cars, traffic lights, and various situations, he’ll give very clear directions, “Speed up here, slow down here, change lane here, or watch out for this car; it’s going to move here.” It’s almost as if he’s an expert co-pilot navigator and sees things well ahead of time, revealing the different dimensions or states he operates from. You’ve to be focused and alert and take the instructions too so that you can go, and if he says, “Go,” you go.
It’s a lesson in trust as well. There was a minor incident where I realized the potential of doubting his instruction because every time Mohanji gives a task or something, he gives it with power. So when he says to do this, or it’s good if you do that, it’s coming with the backing. That belief is essential always to have.
In this minor incident, we would be taking a junction or setting off, and he said, “Go. Drive,” but at that time, I hesitated. I stopped because I thought the car would be coming. It didn’t, but my automatic reaction was not to listen to that and not to go, and he turned to say, “You know, when I say something, I give full protection, so nothing’s going to happen, but as soon as you decide to make your own decision, then everything which comes from that is your own.”
This was a very small, subtle lesson and a wake-up call to realize there’s the potential to doubt, even though it was a small one related to a specific incident of driving. It could be something else. It helped me think, “Okay, you know, when Mohanji says something for me, I’ll drive. So now when I’m driving, if he says go, I’ll go,” and then also, “How do I take that into something bigger as well, for all the other activities we’re doing?”
I would like to share another interesting thing I noticed when driving with Mohanji as a passenger and somebody else driving. I’ve seen him sitting back in the chair, eyes closed. Sometimes, we’ll be driving, and as we’re driving down the motorway, he’ll say, “There’s a car behind; move over, speed up. Okay, now there’s another car behind; move to the left, move to this lane. Someone is coming.”
When you drive with Mohanji, you also get a glimpse into the state from which he operates. Even though his eyes will be closed or looking ahead, he’ll give clear directions of what’s happening behind, in front, or to the sides. There is a 360-degree awareness, and these observations/instructions are accurate.
Day 228 – Priority or Option
One aspect of the path of liberation and Mohanji’s approach is that free will is always respected. There’s no pressure or obligation. The path itself, says Mohanji, is always available for anybody who has decided that liberation is their goal in this lifetime. The tradition only says, “Welcome” or “Come.” It never says, “Go away.” It’s always based on free will, but liberation is from the bindings of the mind, and true freedom is freedom from the senses. So, being beyond that is where that real freedom lies.
Mohanji shares that this needs conviction and that the priority should always be liberation on this path. If it’s treated as an option or conditional, it simply doesn’t work. We’re efforting to break the cycles of repetitive patterns that we would have lived for several lifetimes; liberation from the repetitive patterns and cycles held over lifetimes.
However, it’s only partial if we take it as an option. It’s only then holding on to patterns and comfort zones – what’s familiar to us, easy, or known. Keeping those patterns is easy because that’s what we’ve done for lifetimes, but breaking them is a challenge. It’s painful but worth it.
In my experience, the most significant transformation came when I began to make this a priority. If I look back up until then, I was on the banks of the river, dipping my finger to test the temperature of the water without actually taking a plunge.
Mohanji uses this as a good metaphor: you must take the plunge and then simply let the river take you. There’s no halfway; it’s either wholly committed or not. That’s best because otherwise, it can be very uncomfortable and frustrating. There’s no judgement on that as well. It’s saying that this is here; this is available.
So, is it an option or a priority? An option comes with conditions that we want to keep comfort zones, but when it’s a priority, there’s a full conviction for whatever comes.
This is my observation, feeling, and state at this point in time; that’s what it is. But I know fully well, and also through hearing the experiences of others, that over time as challenges come, times can change things, and mine can change.
However, if people want to walk this path, it has to be taken as a priority.
|| JAI BRAHMARISHI MOHANJI ||
Edited & Published by – Testimonials Team, 25thJune 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.
This 21st June 2023 (International Yoga Day) we are celebrating the 8th Anniversary of Conscious Walking technique launch into the world!
Conscious Walking is a powerful dynamic meditation technique, which is as effective as 3 hours of sitting meditation and is created by the world-renowned humanitarian Mohanji. It is practiced in more than 25 countries in the world, and in the past year we’ve had 500+ Conscious Walking sessions worldwide.
For the great achievers who walked many hours regularly we issues more than 30 awards for the accomplishment and 3 certificates for more than 50 hours walked.
We are sharing a few inspiring testimonials by CW practitioners from around the globe:
“Heartfelt gratitude for this sacred gift of Conscious Walking lovingly provided by beloved Mohanji, as He is walking this path with me. This is the most beautiful start of my day to connect to my soul, the silence, limitlessness & bliss.”
– Phoebe Götzel Pretoria, South Africa
“I walk consciously because this technique brings me the kind of inner peace I crave. I walk with the Conscious Walking team in my city once a week and use the technique myself whenever I need stability and focus before some meeting, do example, or before doing simultaneous translation.”
– Asja Dupanovic Bosnia & Herzegovina
Mohanji Wellness Walking
On 14 July 2022, in the presence of Dr. Semir Osmanagic, the discoverer of Bosnian pyramids, we inaugurated the Mohanji Wellness Walking facility at the prominent location of Park Ravne 2 within Bosnian Pyramid complex in Visoko, Bosnia & Herzegovina.
“Being in the present to connect to the calm flow of nature & God that gives me happiness & contentment. Feeling the warm sun rays & birds singing praise for a new day!”
– Annamarie Götzel Pretoria, South Africa
“Conscious walking has made it possible for me to find space within myself in the midst of an urban jungle, for a quiet meeting with myself. While still surrounded by the noise and the race of the everyday life, it has given me the opportunity to find time during which I am not excluded from the world around me, but intensely present, having a relationship with what is within me, and all around me.”
If you would like to learn Conscious Walking please write an e-mail to Conscious Walking Team at consciouswalking@mohanji.org and they will guide you further. You could also join our Global Conscious Walking community on Facebook and find out about updates, experiences and events happening across the world.
Recently, when speaking with Mohanji about contentment and satisfaction, I was thinking back to my life before I decided to spend my time serving Mohanji and adding as much value as possible to the world. That life was very much focused on targets, achievements, growth, earning more, acquiring more, and doing more. So, we were speaking about growth in the sense that it can become an addiction, especially when you look at it from a monetary or financial point of view.
For example, in a role where you have sales targets to achieve, or a nice salary to earn, you aim to achieve, say, 100,000. Once you’ve achieved that, then you look to aim at 150,000. So, growth becomes an addiction. You keep pushing for more and more, and the whole world is like that, but that type of growth doesn’t necessarily give satisfaction.
Mohanji asked the question, “When does growth have real meaning?” When it can be translated into contentment, and the best way for that contentment to come is when the extra growth is used for the welfare of others. When we can make many more people happy, we’ll know we’ve done something. This was a good thing for me to think about, and I was thinking about it yesterday, that the mad rush to grow more, be more, and do more without giving back becomes a bit meaningless; at least, it did for me.
The idea is that the more you get, the more you can give. That way, growth has meaning, and it’s the same if you look at the business world. Profits alone don’t really mean much unless they’ve been translated into something or used for something. I think if this can be used to give people greater satisfaction and greater support in their lives, then it’s growth well used, and then contentment exists.
So, the sum of this is to look at growth with a different attitude, and that shift in the attitude of growth can be turned into something useful for people in the world, which can give real satisfaction.
Day 226 – The myth of multitasking
I’ve mentioned this before, but this morning I want to share it again because it’s always a good reminder for me when I think of this. Working with Mohanji means zero stagnation.
Whilst it’s a challenge and it’s demanding, there’s always some element of growth, and as soon as I feel I’m beginning to get my hands around the work that needs to be done, there’s more to do, which is good, because it’s increasing my capacity and capabilities. It’s also a sure way to actually bring to the surface my limitations and to be able to just accept those.
There are many activities, and all of them are varied, right from installing fences on the land in Slovenia, to arranging meetings with dignitaries for Mohanji. One thing that Mohanji has told me as part of this work, and I’ve also learned, is that multitasking is a myth. It’s not really possible to be scattered across many activities, as tasks become loose and unfinished, which adds bigger weight and pressure to the work.
So, I’ve learned there’s a difference between multitasking and doing many tasks well. Mohanji is a living example of this, how he handles everything he’s doing simultaneously.
What he does for that is focus completely on what is in front of him and only that. If he is having a conversation with someone, he is completely in that conversation 100%, or if he has to write something, he’s completely doing that 100%, or if he has to record something, he’s completely there 100%. At every point in time, he’s fully focused and gives everything he has to that one activity, which brings completion, and if not completed, then definite steps of progress.
Putting that into practice, I’ve realized that it brings real momentum and satisfaction. That’s because even if I can’t complete everything in the time available in a day, even if I can dedicate a focused half hour or one hour, it’s possible to move the work forward or at least make some good progress. When you’re fully focused, something gets completed. That’s one thing, but also, there’s a sense of inner satisfaction, which brings more momentum.
In fact, regarding multitasking, I remember Mohanji shared that, for him, it’s equal to absent-mindedness because the focus is never harnessed to one activity; it’s scattered across many. So, focus can be brought back to what’s in front of us just at that time. With the aid of pre-planning, of setting what needs to be done in a day, we can make good progress and ensure effectiveness, which also turns into good self-esteem and satisfaction.
|| JAI BRAHMARISHI MOHANJI ||
Edited & Published by – Testimonials Team, 18thJune 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 been said that a trip to Kailash Mansarovar is the ultimate pilgrimage for the spiritual seeker. It’s also been said that you can’t really visit that space unless there’s an invitation from the divine, no matter how hard you try. But try, you must, if there’s even the smallest ember of intention and longing burning within you; a longing to behold and experience Mt. Kailash with your own eyes and all other senses and to take a dip in the mystical lake Mansarovar.
Furthermore, making this trip of a lifetime with a living master is something only a select few will get to experience. I had the infinite blessings to undertake this journey with my Guruji, Mohanji, in 2019.
This isn’t a journey for the casual tourist with a doubting and sceptical mind though doubts and hurdles of various sorts will arise for even the most determined seeker. This is also not a comfortable and cosy retreat or a hike in the exotic Tibetan plateau, but rather a journey that’s guaranteed to shake your inner attachments loose. Isn’t that what you really want?
Depth of your faith, conviction, and surrender to your Guru/Deity/God/inner self will be the primary factor determining how you flow through this physical journey, not your physical fitness. However, it doesn’t hurt to have a certain basic fitness level. I saw much older (with non-ideal body profiles) steadily flowing through the three-day journey more gracefully than younger and much fitter people who struggled or were even unable to complete the parikrama. It’s not a race course meant to compare or compete with anyone or anything outside of you. As Mohanji concisely put it, what gets you through this journey is simply: ‘Om Namah Shivaya‘.
With that said, it’s not all serious and scary spirituality! From a visual perspective, the landscapes you’ll see throughout the entire journey are absolutely fascinating and a must-see in your lifetime – from the culturally rich and dense sensory stimulus of Kathmandu and mountain landscapes to the barren and desolate vistas of Tibet at 10,000+ feet above sea level.
A couple of days that you spend reaching the shores of Mansarovar before starting the three-day parikrama helps acclimatize to the high altitudes that we sea-level folks aren’t used to. The staff and helpers of the entourage ensure you are well-fed with tasty vegan food and taken care of in general throughout the trip.
There are numerous supernatural experiences well documented at Lake Mansarovar by many people, and you could easily look them up. I’ve seen things I couldn’t believe with my own eyes, and usually, the mind rejects even your own experiences due to various limited concepts and frames it’s used to. Your mileage might vary, but Lake Mansarovar is a place to truly experience, especially in the wee hours of the morning!
The entire journey and experience are a masterclass in humility, introspection, and truly letting go. You’re headed towards finding the deep silence from which all noises and existence arise; if you’re mentally prepared for that, this is a lifetime trip. You’ll start seeing the fruits of this journey in the months and years to come in a deeply subtle way. The acceleration you get in your spiritual journey (not material progress) is real and phenomenal if that’s what you seek.
“Nobody walks away empty-handed from Kailash”, Mohanji says. That couldn’t be truer in my own experience. Don’t rely on others’ experiences; have your own, as that’s the only one that counts in your journey.
Lay down your fears, doubts, and insecurities at the feet of your Guru, God, or self and go forth to experience this magical journey of a lifetime called Kailash. When you surrender and do what you’re supposed to do without any worries or doubts, it’s the job of your Guru to take care of the rest.
Going on this journey with an incomparable and realised master such as Mohanji, who’s graced us with his physical presence in our lifetime, is a privilege only a few will get to truly experience. Grab the opportunity if it lands in front of you and if you feel the calling to Kailash. Your future self will be profoundly grateful to you.
|| JAI BRAHMARISHI MOHANJI ||
Edited & Published by – Testimonials Team, 15th June 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.
Day 223 – What we don’t have we value, and what we have loses value
One of the things which I love and appreciate about Mohanji, especially his teaching, is that what he shares, speaks and lives reeks of simplicity. It’s straightforward; it’s simple. When I digest it well, it brings a positive transformation in life. There’s a shift for the better. You can noticeably see this in life interactions and relationships.
Most of these truths, if not all, are fundamental truths. One of those I share today whilst reflecting again is the changing nature of the mind in relation to what we have and don’t have. Generally, when we don’t have something, we really long for it. We strive for it; we crave it. We work hard to get it, and then its value is lost as soon as we have it. When we don’t have something, it has incredible value. But when we have it, it has very little value.
In retrospect and even now, to some extent, what I longed for, what I’d worked for, what I dreamt of, and what I had achieved – its value dropped as soon as I had it. I no longer appreciated it. It can be possessions, positions, relationships, or anything. What we don’t have has tremendous value, and when we get it, the value drops. It can be partners, a new phone, a house, a job, or a holiday.
Even worse is that when we lose something, its value increases again. Here we’re talking about and sharing the changeable nature of the mind, and you can take that even further. If we had something and we didn’t know that somebody took it away from us, we wouldn’t have a problem. But if we had something and then knew someone took it from us, that thing becomes the most important thing.
For me, this observation is an awareness of the changing nature of the mind and the corresponding dramas it can create in life. We can all relate to this truth, and for me, Mohanji provides these simple truths as insights. These insights are valuable tools as a mirror to our minds and their effects on our lives. Being aware of the fickle mind and being able to address that or handle it is crucial.
Day 224 – Our spaces
Today I wanted to share more information about our latest vision and priorities and what we’re discussing in the mornings with Mohanji and the team.
I’ve shared before that every morning when I sit and speak with Mohanji, it’s about the activities for the day. We’ve big and ambitious visions. We always discuss what steps to take today to help move us towards that vision. Right now, the priority is for our spaces, which I’ve mentioned before.
We’re now in the Balkans, where there’s a lot of trouble. We’ve been going to various retreats and different locations, travelling, and staying in various places, which has been great. I joined Mohanji during the COVID lockdown – the first wave in India, so we were travelling less.
We are now travelling (moving from place to place), and I recognize that he has been on the move like this for over ten years; a hectic schedule indeed. I’m impressed with Mohanji’s work and activities across five continents – in 80 countries. It’s a fantastic achievement for everyone who’s worked with and supported him for all those years. But now, experiencing it firsthand, I comprehend the logistical challenge and demanding nature of this.
My main point is, with Mohanji travelling and all the activities taking place, as he moves from country to country, the energy becomes scattered, and also, sometimes, it’s difficult to sustain the activities and momentum once he leaves. Hence, the focus now is on identifying our spaces, thinking creatively about building our space and putting something on the ground. I now appreciate it much more as we start to formulate these plans.
Regarding our spaces, we already have work underway in Ganeshpuri and Slovenia. These will be Mohanji Centers of Benevolence (MCB), and I’ve mentioned in detail that these will be locations that represent our tradition – living harmoniously with nature, doing our practices all the time, 365 days of yoga and meditation. Mohanji will come to stay and conduct retreats there. There’ll be residential sections where people can reside, office space where people can work, and a canteen where food will be served 24/7. So, if somebody comes hungry, they can have something to satisfy that hunger.
Our spaces are essential as they’ll bring us real stability and put our philosophy onto the ground. This brings two important aspects of stability:
1.Stability of our people: Mohanji profoundly cares about those connected to him. His vision is to ensure that all of our people, all those who stand by him, will have a place to live peacefully for now and for years and generations to come.
2. Stability of our philosophy: Space means we can land on the ground of our philosophy. There’ll be continuity of all the practices, processes, teachings and practical way of life. Our spaces will be places of real purification, rejuvenation and harmonious living. People will be able to live there. There’ll be daily yoga, meditation, and daily processes, and if we have many centres, Mohanji will dedicate time to each of them each year.
The energy of the place will build over time. This’ll mean people living there will be very stable, and the space itself will transform people positively. They’ll bring benefits and add value to many lives.
This is a bit of a taste of the focus, vision, and track we’re on now. I share this to give you all an idea of what we speak about in the morning, our direction and vison and of course, if anyone would like to show any support or know anything more, you’re very welcome to write to me. I’m happy to discuss more.
|| JAI BRAHMARISHI MOHANJI ||
Edited & Published by – Testimonials Team, 11thJune 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 had planned to go to Kailash in 2018, but it didn’t work out for technical reasons. Mohanji said that you were meant to go with me next year and instead sent me to Muktinath. Muktinath is a Vishnu temple located in a remote region of Nepal.
This year, during our Satsang in Kathmandu with Mohanji, he asked me to speak briefly about my journey and experience at Muktinath. He also mentioned that the journey to Muktinath is far more difficult than the Kailash pilgrimage. At that moment, a thought crossed my mind, “If that’s so, then the Kailash pilgrimage is going to be a cakewalk for me.” Contrary to what I had thought, the Kailash pilgrimage was the most intense roller coaster ride of my life, yet it was fulfilling and liberating at the same time.
To briefly put things in perspective, Mohanji informed all of us that most people (in yoga) talk only about the functional pranas (life energies – prana, apana, samana, udana and vyana) but not the structural pranas. Dhananjaya is one of the structural pranas that comes from your ancestral lineage. It’s one of the first to enter immediately post-conception and the last one to leave after death.
This prana is an ancestral thread that binds us to the lineage and rules over our daily actions and the flow of life until our death. His plan during this pilgrimage was to cleanse this structural prana, so a huge transformation could be brought upon the recipient. He warned and prepared all of us beforehand that no matter what hurdles or obstacles came our way during the pilgrimage, we needed to understand that it was all part of the cleansing process.
As we embarked on our journey, everything was fine. However, upon reaching Saga, a city in Tibet (4640 meters altitude), I started experiencing altitude sickness. I had chosen not to take Diamox, which prevents altitude sickness, so I could experience the pilgrimage exactly the way it is. High altitude brought in physical weakness, indigestion, severe bloating and headache.
The next day, we left for Manasarovar in the morning, and before boarding the bus, I vomited several times, but the feeling of bloatedness remained the same. At Manasarovar, I had become extremely weak due to excessive loss of bodily fluids and electrolytes. In that state, I also accepted that the headache had married me permanently.
On the second night at Manasarovar, just the day before the planned Nandi Shraadh (ancestral cleansing) and Lagu-Rudra Yagna (fire ceremony), my headache got to an unbearable intensity. I struggled so much that night that I welcomed death over the suffering. The next morning, Mohanji asked me how I was feeling. I mentioned that I was in a recovery phase. He responded by saying that he was awake the whole night working on all of us.
I couldn’t wrap my head around his statement because if I had suffered so much pain in the night and couldn’t bear the intensity, how much pain and suffering he took upon himself for all of us? Yet, there he was in front of me, smiling, embracing, and energizing everybody around him.
Still in a state of unbearable headache and weakness, I saw Sulakhe Maharaj, the chief priest of Shirdi. It was only because of my deep connection with Sai Baba of Shirdi that I met Mohanji. I bowed down to touch Maharaj’s feet and prayed to Baba internally to help me find the strength to go and finish the journey.
After receiving his blessings, I went back to my room and sat on my bed, feeling exhausted and powerless. While resting, out of the blue, one of my roommates, Rajkumar Aylam Sundareswaran, asked me if I wanted to have vibhuti (sacred ash) from Shirdi. Feeling surprised, I asked him why he felt he should give the vibhuti to me at that moment.
He replied that when I was sitting on my bed exhausted, he saw Sai Baba standing next to the bed and looking at me. Therefore, he felt like offering the vibhuti to me. Hearing his words, I felt very good despite my miserable state, knowing that both Baba and Mohanji’s powers were always with me to help me through this situation regardless of my strength.
Four nights passed, from the time we reached Saga till we set off for Kailash parikrama (circumambulation). I hardly slept during that time due to health issues, and this weakened me further. However, despite all this, I wanted to do the entire Kailash parikrama on foot.
At the beginning of day one, I met my Tibetan porter and pony caretaker. Both being women, I felt blessed and lucky since they were so gentle and caring. The porter woman carried her two or three-year-old child on her back, whereas the pony caretaker’s child was eight to ten years old and walked alongside. I walked slowly on day one and had to sit now and then to regain energy.
During the journey, when I would get tired, the porter’s kid would say hello to me and would ask for my hand and pull my fingers to walk along with his mom. That little kid’s presence throughout the parikrama, his smile, his hellos, and holding my hand whenever I needed strength or whenever he felt like holding, created an entirely different ambience and a unique flavour of experience for me.
In short, he immensely assisted me during my parikrama, and his innocent smiles brought such sweet emotions within me that gave me a certain level of ease despite my tiredness. After the end of day one, I was exhausted and fell on the bed, but I couldn’t sleep at all despite my exhaustion. One more night of sleeplessness.
I just sat up on the bed for an hour or so doing Mohanji’s Gayatri mantra, trying to tap into his energy. While doing that mantra japa, I experienced a subtle cooling touch on my back. I understood that Mohanji was assuring me that he was with me always. Finally, in the moments of sleep at night, I woke up several times because I felt extremely dry, accompanied by severe headache and breathlessness.
Early morning of day two, during breakfast, I struggled to even lift my spoon. This was my weakest point where I felt I was so close to crashing. Our dear Mamuji (Narinder Rohmetra) observed my state and said, “It’s my strict instruction that you are going to sit on the pony, and I’m not going to have any discussion with you on this matter!” I obeyed his command and sat on the pony, but I didn’t like it at all. It hurt me from within to break my original intention.
I truly wanted to walk the entire Kailash parikrama on foot like a penance, no matter what the cost. After a kilometre or less, I got down from the pony and tried to walk as slowly as possible. During that time, a string of thoughts arose within me. A couple of days before the parikrama, I had a small chat with Mohanji.
I said, “Father, I experienced a state of absolute stillness in your presence last year (at Bosnian pyramids), a few days after you initiated me, but I couldn’t stay in that state. I want that state forever!” He replied, saying, “Yes, I’ve given you the taste of honey. It’ll come to you. You just have to integrate.” I got reminded of that conversation during my walk to Dolma La Pass.
My original agenda for visiting Kailash and doing the parikrama was to achieve an absolute stillness of mind, which is synonymous with liberation from the mind. However, here I was at Kailash, struggling to achieve that state. During that moment, I also felt that Mohanji always provides abstract answers to my questions. On top of it, he often asks me to drop my mind as if I could do that myself.
If I could do that, I would have done that a long time ago. There would be no need for me to come to him. I also thought that all the Gurus were alike. Despite being capable of transmitting a permanent state of stillness, they don’t give it despite perceiving an intense yearning for that state in a disciple.
With these questions running wild, the seeker of stillness within me was raging, and it transformed me like a ball of fire. As Kailash is the abode of Shiva and many other exalted beings, I submitted to them my request in an absolutely fiery state, “All you people, I know you can liberate me from my mind, but if you’ve no intention of giving me that state despite knowing how much I yearn for it, at least liberate me from my body, and today itself!”
My hunger for that state of stillness became so strong that I felt it was better to die rather than to be in the body and not to have that state. So, in two hours, I was catapulted from a state where I couldn’t even lift my spoon (due to lack of strength) to a state where I became a ball of fire with enormous momentum. Because my anger touched its peak where I didn’t care if I lived or died, there was a different kind of strength to me that was alien-like, definitely not from my body.
In that fireball mode, I walked with such power and intensity (like never) towards Dolma La pass (5630 meters altitude), the highest point in our parikrama. My speed was such that my porter and pony caretaker couldn’t catch my pace. I rushed up to Dolma La Pass and sat there for some time, soaking in the energy, waiting for them to join me.
After they reached me, their faces showed their surprised expression, especially after witnessing my struggle on day one of the parikrama. I informed them of my decision to go to Gauri Kund (the lake of the Divine Mother) and be back shortly. I went to the Kund and drank the most amazing water, which gave me an extra boost and momentum. Later, I got back to the parikrama track effortlessly.
From Dolma La Pass, there’s a descent of a few kilometres and then a flat walk of 10-12 km. With newfound strength, I was sometimes running while descending. One Sherpa observed me and tried to compete. He ran alongside, and while he surpassed me, he looked at me and joined his hands (as a sign of respect) and gave me a kind of expression like, “Man, there’s no match between your size and speed.”
After the descent, there was no anger or fiery mode left in me. I was happy and elated that despite all the sickness I had experienced in the past five days, I could do the toughest part of the parikrama on foot. Ironically, it was the easiest for me because that fiery energy carried me forward during that time.
In the excitement of finishing the toughest part effortlessly, I ate so much in Tibetan tents I could hardly walk later, haha! It was a never-ending flat walk where my gait was like a snail. Once I finished day two on foot, I lay on my bed for a short nap. After the nap, I realized all the health issues I had faced until that day had completely left me. I felt rejuvenated, and I was jumping around throughout the evening without any problem. After five days of sleeplessness, I slept happily after day two of the parikrama. On day three, it was a short walk, which felt like a breeze.
After finishing the three-day parikrama almost entirely by foot (except that one km on a pony), we returned to Darchen. I was so relaxed that it felt as if the mountains of bliss and gratitude were sitting within me. Once in Darchen, I desperately wanted to meet Mohanji the same day, but he didn’t come out of the hotel room. During the time when we all were performing the outer kora parikrama, Rajesh Bhai, Dhritiman Biswas (DB) and Riana Gasper from our group went to the inner Kora path to perform a ritual for the wellbeing of the entire Mohanji family.
At the end of my parikrama
I also realized that DB was my roommate, and I had an important message for him. I went out looking for him and was informed that he was with Mohanji in his room. Mamuji sent me there to convey the message to DB. Once I reached Mohanji’s room, I was lucky to hear some of the unbelievable stories narrated by Rajesh bhai and DB to Mohanji. They both narrated the dangers they faced during the inner Kora path.
I’ll mention a few points from that conversation. Rajesh bhai narrated how a Sherpa who accompanied them wasn’t willing to help them at all until a certain point. His attitude changed suddenly, and he became extremely helpful. Mohanji responded, “That was because Mohanji entered him”. Upon hearing Mohanji, Madhu informed us of his confusion when ‘Father’ said bye at 8 PM on the first day of the parikrama and went inside his room that evening.
Mohanji simply said, “I cannot be in the body if I’ve to work on all those people.” He then asked me, “Yakkala, do I look tired?” I said, “No, Father, you don’t.” I profusely thanked him for invisibly being with me, cleansing me, and supporting me throughout the journey. He asked me if I was happy, and I replied affirmatively. Then he asked me again the same question he had asked a few times before, “Did you drop the mind?” I said, “I tried but couldn’t; you, please do it for me.” He didn’t say anything to my statement, so I left it at that.
Two days after leaving Darchen, we reached Timure, a small village in Nepal next to the Tibetan/Chinese border. There I laughed almost non-stop for half a day. Preeti Duggal and Sonia Gandhi were witnesses to that phenomenon. It was a lovely bonding that happened with many people in our group; it truly felt like a family reunion. The next day we returned to Kathmandu, and I had a huge smile spread on my face.
Mohanji saw me and asked again, “Are you happy?” I replied in the affirmative, and he told me that I was shining and should remain like that always. During our evening and last satsang, Mohanji mentioned the night before the ceremonies for ancestral cleansing, some of us were close to death. At that moment, I clearly understood I was one of them because, as mentioned earlier, that night death was better than living since the pain was unbearable.
After returning to Kathmandu
My journey didn’t stop after the Kailash pilgrimage. I wanted to visit Tiruvannamalai, which is regarded as the Kailash of the South. I mentioned this to Mohanji, and he said, “People usually go to Tiruvannamalai and then come to Kailash. You are doing it in reverse.” I told him that I had done many things in my life in reverse order, and this was just one more addition to that. Luckily, my flight for departure from Kathmandu was at the same time as Mohanji’s, and I had a chance at the airport to sit near him while waiting for the boarding call.
Just a few minutes before leaving him to board the flight, I asked, “I want to achieve liberation from the mind (absolute stillness of the mind). Could you please make that happen for me?” He said, “Tathastu”, which means “wish granted” or “so be it.” That response from him settled me for good, and I was convinced that I would reach that state I’d longed for. My elation had no bounds as my purpose of coming to Kailash had been fulfilled and granted by Mohanji. In other words, by saying “Tathastu”, he promised to elevate me to that state of stillness, and I was extremely happy about it.
While in Tiruvannamalai, I got in touch with a seeker who lives there with the help of my dear friend Judith (from our Kailash group). I was told he could help and be my guide. After I met him, he informed me that he could take me to the top of the Arunachala mountain. Many Siddhas (ascetics who have achieved enlightenment) reside in their subtle form inside this mountain. We decided to start the climb in the evening to avoid any problems since it is prohibited to reach the top nowadays.
I saw him going up the mountain barefoot effortlessly, so I thought maybe I should also remove my footwear and go like him, as the mountain is sacred, after all. I also took off my footwear and walked along with him. I got hurt a bit from the stones and rocks but managed to reach the mountain top by 6 PM. He showed me a place on the mountain top considered the feet of Shiva, and asked me to bow down there. He then lit a lamp at a nearby place, explaining to me that it was his Gurusthan (place of his Guru).
He used to reach that mountain top every day to serve his Guru, who used to consume just one small glass of milk and one glass of tea per day. His Guru stayed at the same place for seventeen years until people started to throng to him. His Guru had left his body just last year, and he was a little upset about it. This man was a real devotee. He either talked about his Guru, his teachings or his work and nothing much beyond. Once at the mountain top, I meditated, and the experience was like being on fire. I guess anybody would feel the same in that space if they were subtle enough.
In India, there are five temples that represent the five elements of nature (earth, water, fire, air and space), and the Tiruvannamalai temple represents the element of fire. During meditation, it rained, and after I came out of my dhyana (meditation), it was dark. I walked down the mountain alongside my guide barefoot. In the darkness, I stepped on sharp rocks now and then, and since it rained, so many small stones were sticking to my feet. At every step, these small stones would press against my feet so badly that I screamed out of pain every few steps. After I came down the mountain, my dear guide gave me a stick for support.
He walked effortlessly up and down the mountain barefoot and told me that his feet were used to it. I used the stick and walked towards my hotel limping. Surprisingly, upon reaching the hotel, I looked at my feet and couldn’t believe that there wasn’t a single cut or a bruise.
Two days later, my guide took me to a Vishnu temple in the nearby village. There he took out a beautiful idol of Mahavatar Babaji and requested the temple’s priest to consecrate the idol of Babaji by touching it to the deity in the sanctum sanctorum. Later, he offered that idol of Babaji to me and said that he got it custom-made for somebody else but felt like offering it to me. I was so touched and overwhelmed at that moment.
Out of curiosity, I casually asked him when he gave an order to the sculptor to make the idol. The date he gave me was exactly the time when we were all performing ceremonies at Manasarovar. It felt like all the cleansing during Kailash and Tiruvannamalai had given me the eligibility to receive Babaji.
Idol of Babaji I got
On my last night in Tiruvannamalai, I wanted to perform a parikrama of the auspicious mountain. As I was walking, my guide asked me to stay at a certain place and wait for him until he finished drinking his tea. As I waited, I saw there was a saint with a long beard who was completely absorbed in another world. A few people were serving food close by as prasad (consecrated food), one guy was prostrating at him, and one lady was cleaning the place, but he seemed not to care about anything or anybody.
He didn’t even glance at them. I wanted to go and touch him, but someone there prevented me from doing so. I sat down in front of him and tried to gain his attention, but he wouldn’t look at me. I finally gave up and decided to leave. While I was getting up to leave, it felt as if somebody spoke to me telepathically, and it was more like a command. The message was, “Aye, bow down and leave!”
I then prostrated full length to this saint and prayed to him to bless me for achieving stillness of the mind. When I raised my head after prostration, he was looking at me. He raised his hand in a blessing position and gently nodded his head in a manner to make me understand that he gave his blessing for what I had asked. After that nod, he again looked up and entered into the otherworldly state. I was curious, so I went to the people that were serving prasad and enquired about this saint. They told me that he had been in silence, at least for the past seven years. I felt so privileged to have received his blessings.
Wherever I went, I’ve just asked for the stillness of the mind because Mohanji gave me a strong taste of it last year (for a brief period) at the Bosnian pyramids. There was an extraordinary intoxication in that stillness. In that state, I experienced an upsurge of awareness and perception to a phenomenal scale that I’d never imagined possible. Later, when I returned to my previous, noisy state of mind, it felt terrible.
If I had never known stillness, I would have been just fine, but one taste of it left me craving to return and remain eternally in that state. Stillness empowers you to ride any waves and situations of life. If you are devoid of that stillness (a state which most of us are in), you cannot ride life but will only remain vulnerable to various situations of life. I wish and hope that every person who is reading this is blessed by an experience of absolute stillness so that you’ll incessantly crave it later, just like I do.
Finally, I would like to thank Mohanji immensely for all his blessings and the cleansing work he did on me. It washed away layers of dirt I had unconsciously accumulated. Only a Guru whose love knows no bounds can do what Mohanji did for me. I would also like to thank all the people that worked for the Foundation tirelessly, making this pilgrimage possible for people like me. A special thanks to our Mamuji, the two brothers Krishnan Aylam and Rajkumar Aylam, Nikita, George, Rajesh bhai and Judith for helping me at different points in this journey.
|| JAI BRAHMARISHI MOHANJI ||
Edited & Published by – Testimonials Team, 8th June 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 previous recording, I shared that living with Mohanji, being with him, and even being connected to him is a sure way to break patterns and comfort zones. Today, I wanted to share a little more insight about the frames that we make – mental frames and ego frames.
As I’ve spent time with him, some of the tasks I’ve been involved with have helped me overcome some personal fears and insecurities, and then the pace of the activities has really shaken out tamas and inertia completely. So, there’s no place for laziness, excuses, procrastination, or absent-mindedness. When it rises, it gets a quick kick in the butt.
But the other thing that comes with this is that, rather than learning, it’s actually unlearning – an unlearning of all the frames that I’ve created for myself, about myself, my life, my opinions, and also about how the world should be, and how people should be.
The more time I’ve spent with Mohanji, it’s been more of the opportunity to see that as a reflection, the more subtle things that I’d created, such as opinions about people, events, situations, constructs, ideas, and even identifications about myself. So, I like certain things, and I don’t like this. I’m fine when a situation is in this configuration, but when it’s not, then I’m not so happy. I also had some small preconceptions about Mohanji, about living with a master, what that would be like, and some ideas of what this would potentially be, and quite quickly, these were also smashed and continue to be.
Sometimes, I feel he purposely actually takes that effort to break the frame, and he can’t be caught that easily. You can’t say, “Okay, this is Mohanji. He’s like this.” This is because, in speaking with him, he’s saying that frames are actually our limitation. Our frames create our walking space. The frames are what the mind has created. So, as long as everything is fine and it fits inside that space or box, we’re happy, and if it doesn’t, then we’re unhappy.
Sometimes, it’s even possible to really like a person, as long as they’re fitting in with what our idea of them is like, and as soon as they do something else, which we’re not accepting of, then rather than adjust the frame and throw it away, we throw away the person. Some people even throw away a guru when they don’t fit that frame. So, rather than learning, it’s actually been an unlearning to be able to recognise what frames exist, what’s binding, and also that it’s a limitation.
Day 222 – Spirituality is reconnection
Being with Mohanji has provided me with new awareness and insight into many aspects of life, both understanding myself and also the world outside. One of those has been a greater understanding of the differences between religion and spirituality.
Previously, this was something that when I had my own concept of them, I would join them together. I used to think of them as the same, confuse them almost. Now I’ve begun to recognise a difference and a distinction that I think is incredibly insightful, and that is – religion as a roadmap and spirituality as a reconnection. Connecting to self; reconnection with yourself. As Mohanji says, also, the most we can do in a lifetime is to really understand ourselves, connect with ourselves, and respect ourselves.
Rather than talk more about that distinction, religion as a roadmap, and spirituality as reconnection, I thought of sharing a link, alongside this message, to a podcast of Mohanji, which was a message that he had received from somebody that he had converted into a podcast, which is about the distinction between religion and spirituality.
Edited & Published by – Testimonials Team, 4thJune 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 have carried a portion of India with me even here. Indeed a unique trip, especially as a significant part of the time was spent in the presence of Mohanji in power centres, enveloped by his grace. I still feel charged by the energy of Mohanji, which I was basking in throughout the trip.
My wife Ivana and I started our journey on 17th Feb from Cork with a 3-hour bus ride to Dublin, a 4-hour flight to Istanbul and a 6-hour flight to Mumbai as our first destination in India. Actually, this trip started a long time ago with planning the flights, stops, logistics etc.
Ivana and I laughed about how different we are in this matter; I like to plan ahead, and she would just go with the flow on her previous travels to India. The whole trip worried me about how I would manage the budget, seeing all the sites I planned, work balance (as I took only five days’ leave), is the internet good etc., you name it. Writing this seems like I managed successfully. It was a blessed trip.
Before it all evaporates, it really feels like we were in India a month ago, and this is probably my last effort to write it all down before I forget it. The funny thing about experiences is how fast they are gone, and life doesn’t wait for one to dwell on that moment but pushes you into new experiences. Alas, I didn’t feel like going, but being a stubborn Taurus, it was very hard to move; it was a miracle that I started this trip in the first place. All praise goes to my wife Ivana for bearing with my moods.
Mumbai, Ganeshpuri and Shirdi
Day 1, Mumbai – Going from the airport by a cramped taxi to our accommodation downtown with Marjan and Jelena, whom we met in Istanbul, was probably the first impression I got about India, which confirmed my expectations of India that I saw on TV or heard from friends. Huge, crazy traffic, tonnes of people roaming on streets, slums with extremely poor communities, fully developed parts of town, flavours in the air, vast scenery of everything in sort of a mist, one cannot comprehend and process in single view or thought. I was in awe and smiling all the time. We got to see a little bit of Bandra, part of the town where we were residing while searching for a SIM card to get the internet.
The journey commenced as it should. On the same night, it was Mahashivaratri, a night dedicated to Lord Shiva, so we wanted to experience local ceremonies in one of the temples. Google Maps took us to a slum in one part of the town, with locals welcoming us to participate in their devotional singing and celebration.
Though it was a little scary initially, it was a unique and original experience. I would recommend a magnificent place for eating, Earth Cafe, which we highly recommend as a pure vegan place with the best food I have ever tried and smiling service.
Day 2, Ganeshpuri – While leaving Mumbai, one sees the town, suburbs, and vastness of this big human dwelling – how we organise our lives and the places where we live. It reminded me of hive-like behaviour. Ganeshpuri was totally different as it is a holy place, the abode of the great saint Bhagwan Nityananda. We first visited the Muktananda ashram and then the samadhi of Bhagwan Nityananda.
Marjan from Iran joined us as her flight came a day later, and our group grew slightly. We also met Monika and Nemanja here, and it was nice to see familiar faces on the other side of the globe. We were in time for darshan and received prasad queuing with many others, feeling we belonged with them. One guy from the crowd took us behind the temple on the riverbank to see the place where Bhagwan Nityananda meditated under a banyan tree and where he bathed in hot springs. The whole complex resonated with me, and I felt at peace. Some special moments such as these made us realise the unseen hand of the guru guiding us.
Day 3, Shirdi –The trip to Shirdi was about 5 hours from Ganeshpuri, through rural parts of India. This powerful centre allowed me to taste real India. I tried coconut water, sugar cane juice, samosa, tea, and coffee. My travel mates were not that enthusiastic, though.
Various people in colourful clothes were on the side of the road, where all the fuss was happening. Selling fruits and vegetables, making bricks from the earth and drying them in the sun, funny trucks with crazy ornaments on them, cows on the road, people stacked driving on motorcycles, no roads, then highways, then no roads again. All in all, an enjoyable 5 hours trip. Coming closer to Shirdi, I felt different energy as the land was more fertile and flatter than we had passed. In Shirdi, everything spins around the temple complex of Shirdi Sai Baba, the avatar of the Hindu God Dattatreya.
I have heard so much about Shirdi Baba. He is staying in my home, right when one opens the front door and in a few other places around the house. Seeing in-person how big and respected his temple is, I understood why he is so popular among believers and spiritual seekers. It takes a lot of queuing and scheduling with tickets to enter the shrine, but once inside, it’s worth it. Seeing all these people and devotees from 7 to 77 years kneeling and lying on the floor in front of his statue makes you wonder how big his demeanour actually is. In the Mohanji family, most people connect to Sai Baba, and he has a special temple space in all the Mohanji Centers of Benevolence.
Then you realise it is not about human characteristics or what you see in him, but you can understand if you need to put it in the context of Hindu tradition and God. Aside from the “official” part of visiting Sai Baba, we experienced many other lovely little moments with people wanting to take a picture with us, kids hanging on our arms begging for money, and people looking at us and smiling – a warm feeling of acceptance.
Ivana finally took four little girls, following us around for lunch; we have a picture of them being the happiest kids in the world. So, rewarding. We also visited another smaller and much calmer temple of Sakori, which I liked because there was not much crowd and fuss around. The place is dedicated to Shri Upasani Maharaj, the main disciple of Sai Baba. He locked himself once inside a small bamboo cage, even though he was tall and cramped inside. He said he suffered for the release of his disciples and was standing as a surety in the divine court for their release. He confined himself in that small cage for over thirteen months, practically fulfilling all his daily needs from there. The disciples performed his aarati and listened to his discourses from within the cage. At last, on 31st Jan 1924, Maharaj released himself from the cage and stepped out of it to greet a small child named Godavari, who would later become his inheritor and the keeper of the spiritual wealth of the Sakori Ashram.
Puri retreat, 22-28 Feb
This retreat with Mohanji was the main reason for our trip.From day one, the ambience and satisfactory feeling of being welcomed by the program and events that one could not do on his own without outside help were enough for me to feel warm and safe and willing to give back. I went with the flow and let myself emerge with experiences this retreat allowed me to avail of. All praise goes to the Mohanji India organisation team for holding such a humongous event for so many people, and thank you for that.
The retreat is another world in itself. As everyone knows, who attended previous ones, or first timers, there is almost electricity in the air, filled with enthusiasm and curiosity in people’s eyes, raising expectations of what blissfulness we are headed towards this time. And heading we were. For me, it was a special treat of great fun, enlightenment, understanding and completion, and easiness of existing.
I met Mohanji for the first time in Istanbul when I visited Ivana after one of the retreats. I had never attended one, and we met outside in some restaurant with a few others from the Mohanji Family. When addressing me in the first introduction, I was asked to pay attention to what he told me. He told me a story about the lion, which I interpreted as that attitude greatly matters in people’s lives. If you don’t have one, you are making your existence harder because you open yourself to a vulnerable position of defending your beliefs, thoughts or any feelings and conclusions you might have, but usually not sharing with a wider audience.
It’s like playing video games and choosing a character to represent the best you strive to be. I lacked a lion attitude.
When I wrote this today, I understood I could learn much from thisunassuming man (Mohanji). This is not just a hoax or sect (as a typical label would immediately follow) but practical selflessness by one man trying to share the truth with the world.
Later on, I realised it’s much more than that, and I am happy that in this journey of learning about myself and the world around me, I have taken my first baby steps. Puri was my second retreat, as I visited Divcibare retreat for the short two days program. I dive into the depths each time, learning and connecting with Mohanji.
Puri was the first full retreat that I attended. I notice the people’s happiness at seeing each other again over the last year. It’s like an annual gathering of similarly minded individuals coming back from missionaries to share their experiences and new conclusions of knowing the self and reinforcing their beliefs in the pure presence of Mohanji with his positive attitude and smile; you just feel that you belong there.
For the program itself, if I must choose, I was touched by Tota Gopinath Temple, where I experienced the outer body realm during the chanting. I was transported somewhere else. Preeti Duggal later told me that when she saw me, she could see that I was smiling and blissful, which made her also happy. It’s nice to have such confirmations. Later Ivana explained to me that even before, I used to react to the path of Krishna and that it explains some of my features. That is another confirmation I wouldn’t know by myself.
The Homa/fire ceremony for purification was very powerful, especially with Rajesh maintaining the fire and Lenart, Dejan, and Graham chanting the Veda. Sun setting in the beautiful tent with a fine wind blowing over the wavy cloth ceiling again transported me into my childhood. As a kid, we visited my grandparents to help with countryside errands over the summer. One of them was picking up dry grass into hay kind of cones and later driving them into a hay barn with a tractor where we would all sit on this huge pile of hay after a long day of work, sweaty, red in the face but happy, smiling and contented – breeze in the face, straw in the mouth, surrounded by my family. I could swear that I was not just remembering, but I was really there at that time and moment. This feeling started there and was with me throughout my trip to India.
Pitru puja/ceremony for the lineage – It was a magical scenery next to the water tank of Pancha Tirta. Aditya explained to us what to do. People were bathing. It all made this sacred ceremony even more profound.
Even though, as foreigners, we could not enter the magnificent and huge Jagannath temple, we were blessed with the beautiful presence of Patajoshi, the chief priest of the Jagannath Temple. I felt when I first saw him as if he knew me, and I knew him. His gentle smile appealed to me, and I wanted to spend time in his presence. I felt he was much more than a chief priest, a powerful holy presence.
Tota Puri ashram, Sri Yukteshwar samadhi, Konark Temple, Dhauli Stupa, Satsangs with Mohanji – I can’t even remember how much of “golden nuggets” of experiences this event portrayed in front of us. My gratitude once again goes to Mohanji and the organisers. To explain all of it smother the narrative here, but in a nutshell, I felt like I described above – out of the body, blissful and transported to another realm.
On our final day of the retreat, we visited KISS in Bhubaneswar, an education institute that does inclusive education, women empowerment, tribal uplift and sustainable development for over 30000 tribal children. Without me spoiling all of their successes and achievements by describing them, I am attaching a link, as there is so much to learn and appreciate in the enormity of this institution—about – Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences, Bhubaneswar (kiss.ac.in).
I was surprised when we entered the room filled with thousands of little children sitting on the floor and doing OM chanting. They gathered there to welcome Mohanji and hear him speak. I was not prepared for that. Tears started watching this sight, and one can’t describe it with words. This was our last event before we flew to Delhi that afternoon.
After finishing the event, as everyone was returning to their own ways, one suggestion was to keep that feeling and experience from the retreat and head straight home with elevation inside you.
Cherish what you have been given. Travelling elsewhere as we did to Delhi is another level of experience that can’t be combined with a spiritual event like this. Yes, the Taj Mahal was beautiful and Delhi, even if we didn’t have time to really see its beauty, the retreat makes you travel inwards, and the whole idea of such events holds inner travel more important than what you see by your own eyes (which can be delusional as we know from the crow story of Mohanji).
We came home to Ireland on the 4th thinking about where we were, who we were, and where we are now – like coming back in the body after an afternoon sleep.
My takeaway from this trip would be that life is short. Of the many diamonds of truth by Mohanji, one is being present, knowing your purpose in life, and what you can do now between A and B. What one remembers as the most crucial experience in life is not what you see through your eyes but the inner feeling you carry – like my resemblances of India and childhood. I will take from India trip a few such memories, and the feelings will stay with me for life.
India is a place of liberation and peace that leaves us without ignorance, where we unbind from ourselves and our programs in the mind. We should flow and feel life more. The preconceived point of view is blocking our liberation.
Thank you to all who have crossed my path in India, the new and old friends, acquaintances and people I don’t know. We were all there for a purpose, and our short existence there, next to each other, helped with some karmic growth and liberation.
Special gratitude to Mohanji, without whom this all wouldn’t be possible, my new/old friend that I openly welcome in my heart from now on.
|| JAI BRAHMARISHI MOHANJI ||
Edited & Published by – Testimonials Team, 1stJune 2023
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