So Inspired

So Inspired

In 1973, Guru suggested that I open a divine enterprise. Of course, I had no money, so I decided to go with Pranika to visit our relatives in Arizona. At that time our uncle was still alive, and he was very wealthy. I was going to beg my aunt and uncle to give me some money to open a divine enterprise. While we were there for a few days, I was reading Guru's book My Ivy League Leaves. In it there is a story that Guru relates about Margaret Wilson, President Woodrow Wilson's daughter, who was named Nishtha by Sri Aurobindo. I remember reading the story over and over and being so inspired and fascinated by it. Despite the fact that my relatives were not interested, I was even reading it to them. Pranika told me later that she even remembers me recounting the story to her and being very inspired by it. Then we returned to New York, though were not successful in getting money. Some time later Guru very kindly said he would give me an interview about opening a divine enterprise. Guru said to me, "So at that time I told you that you would get your spiritual name." I was shocked. At first I blurted out, "Guru, when you told me about opening a divine enterprise, you did not tell me that I would get my name." Then I realised that this was not the right thing to say to my Master. I said, "Oh, I'm sorry. I guess I did not hear you tell me that you would give me my name." Maybe four or five months went by, and then one night at the church in Bayside, I did get my spiritual name. When I heard the name, I was so surprised. I thought to myself, "Is this the same name?" I rushed home and opened My Ivy League Leaves to double check if it really could be the same name that I was so inspired by when we were out in Arizona months ago. Of course it was! Then I realised that Guru had told me, just as he said, that I would get my spiritual name, even though he had not said it to me outwardly.

Nishtha (New York)

Silently Wished

Silently Wished

When I had been a disciple only a year or two, I went on a bus trip from New York to Canada with Guru and a group of disciples. Guru came down the aisle offering little candies as prasad. Since I was sitting at the back of the bus, I was one of the last to take the prasad. As Guru started back up the aisle toward his seat in the front, I powerfully but silently wished that I could take prasad to my family back in Seattle. Guru immediately turned around and came back. He gave me all the remaining candies and said, "Please take these to your family." On another occasion, I visited one of the stores owned by the disciples and wrote a letter to Guru appreciating first the good qualities of the store and then the good qualities of the disciples who owned it. That evening, at the function, Guru read out the first part of the letter, about the store. He then set the letter down on the floor. I was sitting way at the back of the hall. Inwardly, I wondered why he hadn't read out the second part. Guru then reached way down to the floor, retrieved the letter and read out the second part about the owners.

Nayak (Seattle)

Same Yellow Hat

Same Yellow Hat

Toward the end of one seven-day race, I had a very powerful inner experience while I was out walking at around 3 a.m. Just for a few minutes, I felt that I "became" Guru, that he was inside me. I felt that I was walking the way Guru walks, with his leg problems, and wearing one of his hats that he wears on very cold days, that comes down around his neck—it was yellow. Not with words but in his presence, I felt that Guru was consoling me that injuries were forcing me to walk most of the race. About two weeks after the race was over, I was out running on the Grand Central Service Road when I saw Guru walking toward me. It was an unseasonably warm morning and Guru was very overdressed. Usually, when you meet Guru out running or walking, he just smiles or waves and then returns to his meditation. But that morning he was looking at me as if he wanted to say something. When we were a few yards from each other, he swung his arm and threw something at me. By some grace, I caught it and saw that it was his hat. In silence I offered him my gratitude. It was not until a block later that I realised that this was the same yellow hat.

Pragati (New York

Real Birthday

Real Birthday

I was born on March 24th, but because of extenuating circumstances, I celebrate my birthday on February 27th. Once Guru asked me to explain why, and I told Guru I have told the story millions of times. Years ago, before I met Guru, I was returning from my around-the-world trip on a Russian passenger ship. We were in the middle of the Pacific and I was sitting in the chess room playing by myself. An Englishman walked in and asked if he could play. I said, "Of course." He was not a good chess player at all, but he was a very good person. He told me he had spent seven years in a Thai monastery, learning from a Guru about meditation and God-realisation. He was now returning to England to look for a new Master who could take him further on his search for God. By God's Grace, at last, I was receptive. It finally all made sense; I remember saying to my new friend, "So how do you realise God?" He said, "By meditating." Off I went to a small deck at 1 a.m. to meditate. The moment I sat down, the Supreme or Guru came and embraced me the way a mother would embrace a child who had been lost for thousands of years and then found. I just cried with gratitude for over an hour. That day was February 27th. After I became a disciple, I was at Guru's house, and Guru was celebrating another disciple's birthday on February 27th. Suddenly Guru said to me, "So is today not your birthday also?" It suddenly clicked, and I realised that this was the same day of the year that I had that experience on the ship, and that Guru was reminding me of my real birthday.

Databir (New York)

Prasad

Prasad

During our first Christmas trip to Japan with Guru, while we were travelling on a train, I was sleeping in my seat. All of a sudden, in my sleep, I felt Krishna's presence very strongly. I jumped up and Guru was standing right there, waiting to give me prasad.

Venu (San Francisco)

Passed The Test

Passed The Test

My freshman year in high school, about a year and a half before I became a disciple, I had a horrible history teacher. She would find any reason to punish us. She never really taught us anything—she spent most of her time yelling at us not to turn our heads. As a result, we all failed, or just barely passed the class. She got the greatest joy from that. We had a test almost every week. One week I decided not to study at all; I was just totally fed up. While I was taking the test, out of the corner of my right eye I saw a figure in a blue sports coat, pale blue dhoti and khurta and white mules. I knew of Guru then, but I did not know it was Guru. I did, however, know that some deity was blessing me. I tried to look at the figure, but it disappeared—plus I was yelled at for looking away from my paper. It returned shortly after and stayed until the class was over. The following day when we walked into class, everyone noticed that our teacher seemed angry. Usually the day after a test she was in total bliss. She called us up one by one and slapped the test into each person's hand. I noticed a few smiles and joyful giggles, and when it was my turn, I knew why. I believe I got 89 out of 100, plus the entire class had passed the test.

Susatya (New York)

More Clever

More Clever

I work at the Asian Museum in Warsaw, Poland, where I organise Indian and Indonesian art exhibitions. Usually I tolerate my job, but at one time it was too much for me. I lost patience with my co-workers and manager. Whenever I asked Guru for his advice if I could do something, the reply would come, "Yes, if it will not affect your job." This time I wanted to be really clever. I said to myself: "I will not tell anybody and I will not ask Guru for advice, because most likely he will say no to my sweet little plans. I will just say to my manager that I am immediately resigning my job!" The next morning when I got up, I was absolutely sure that that day I would resign. I felt free and happy. When I came into my office, I sat down at my desk—just to leave my bag and go to my manager. Just then Agraha called and said that Guru wanted me to do something—he explained what it was. At the end he added, quite unexpectedly, "And Guru wants you not to quit your job." So suddenly my secret and subtle plans had gone with the wind! And again Guru proved to be quicker and more clever than me.

Bozena (Warsaw)

Europe

Americas

Oceania