Europe
The Footsteps of Bliss Tour Travels through Europe and Africa:
Once again Dr. Rakhee Thakar has provided a dedicated service in faithfully recording the wisdom of the days spent in travel throughout Europe and Africa with Gurudev Nityananda and the Footsteps of Bliss Tour. We are all grateful to her for her efforts to share with us so much of the inspiration, stories and anecdotes from the satsangs as well as graphic details of the travel.
Again and again throughout the Tour, Gurudev humbly dedicated and rededicated his inspiration for commencing on such an elaborate pilgrimage throughout the world when he said, “… the whole world became an ashram for me to experience Baba’s slogan, ‘Find God in the world. Words cannot express what I received from Baba.”
The Europe retreat was rich with internationality, with participation from Spain, Belgium, France, Australia, India, USA and Holland; another reflection of the effect Baba had on so many people all over the world. In Africa also, many people from Baba’s days came to the programs as well as many who had never met him. The last public Satsang in the international portion of the tour was held in Nairobi, Africa, marking a significant footstep in the Footsteps of Bliss pilgrimage around the world. Rakhee recounts: “Vasla ka din aur itna muktasar; din gine jate the is din ke liye” - the poet has captured our feelings so aptly, ‘So brief this bliss of reunion seemed, for which we had been counting days for so long.’
Today the Tour embarks on the first of many yatras throughout India as the excitement and enthusiasm builds for the grand finale celebrations of Baba’s 100th Birthday. Many people from throughout the world who have tasted some or much of the sweetness of this celebration will join Gurudev in May 2008 for the festivities.
It is a wonderful report … thank you Rakhee! More will follow as the Footsteps of Bliss Tour makes its way across the continent in India rallying the multitude in celebration of Baba’s 100th birthday celebration in May 2008.
October 30th
We arrived in Stockholm to a warm welcome on a cold day. The first program on the European sector of the Jayanti Tour was held at the official residence of the Indian Ambassador, Deepa Gopalan Wadhwa. After refreshments, the Ambassador requested Gurudev to talk to the esteemed guests about how to deal with stress. Addressing the audience with a practical approach, Gurudev said, “What we call religion now is actually a user manual for human life, which is given to us by the scriptures.” ‘Grace is always present, like electricity. It is only when we choose to plug into the circuit that the lamp lights up. Similarly, it is only when we put forth effort to tap into the grace, do we experience it.’ Later on, when answering questions from the audience, Gurudev said that destiny is that which we have created by our own previous karma.
October 31st
After Guru Gita in the morning at the Bhatnagar’s residence, we had an informal satsang with bhajans, question and answers. Evening too was spent in satsang which was held at Kshama and Prabhakar Grandhi’s residence.
November 1st
As everyday, we had Guru Gita in the morning. After breakfast, a journalist from a Swedish magazine came to interview Gurudev. The interview which was scheduled for 90 minutes went on for over 3 hours as many that had gathered joined in clarifying their queries. The journalist was so impressed that she came to the satsang the next day too. Answering the endless and yet diverse questions, Gurudev said that association with one spiritual path is imperative. “If we go to one school on one day and another the next day, the teacher will not have the appropriate opportunity to expound on and explain the subject. That is the significance of the guru- disciple relationship in the Indian tradition. Today the fear of commitment pervades all relationships including the guru-disciple relation. To love others, we must first learn to love and trust ourselves. When you love yourself, you realize that the world is an extension of yourself and you approach it without fear. The source of love and bliss lies within and meditation is a process, not the end, to tap into this source. True meditation is the maintenance of awareness at all times that has been generated by regular practice.”
When asked about the difference between religions, he said, with his inimitable sense of humor and pragmatism, “Different religions are like Pepsi and Coke which are actually the same thing but in their competitive business spirit try to tell that their product is better. On the other hand, a sage who has realized the wisdom within himself perceives it all as the same. There is a beauty in diversity that we must respect and enjoy. Religions are like boats that ferry us across the ocean of worldliness but it is possible to travel only in one boat. We can’t have one leg in one boat and the other one in another.”
Talking about sadhana, Gurudev said that we must never become complacent. At the same time, he said, “Never worship out of fear. That would be belittling your God.”
The evening satsang was held at Barbara Bukowski’s home, which was attended by many Swedish and Polish seekers in addition to the Indian ambassador and a priest. Barbara, who is famous for her teddy bears, requested Gurudev to speak about meditation. Gurudev began his address with ‘Om sahana vavatu’ which so aptly portrayed the unity in diversity that our scriptures have always encouraged. “Meditation is stillness”, he said. ‘Tatasthate te dhyanam’. We need to still our monkey mind. The first thing is to become aware of what is going on within ourselves.
November 2nd
The evening public satsang that took place in a temple in the heart of the city was attended by many Indians who were visiting for the first time and Europeans who had met Baba. Even though it lasted for just over an hour, the satsang had all the ingredients to make it flavorsome: chanting, Baba’s DVD, mantra, meditation and Gurudev’s talk. At the end, a trustee of the temple expressed gratitude to Gurudev for his thought provoking address. Everyone applied kumkum tilak to his forehead as they came up for darshan.
November 3rd
We bid farewell to Stockholm with its snow laden trees, cars and pathways as we boarded the flight to London. We arrived at the Anoopam Mission where we were warmly welcomed by the staff. Most of us stayed here for the next 1 week and Gurudev and a few were hosted by the Kapoors.
November 4th
We drove through the ancient scenic British country roads to Glastonbury which is in the south west part of the country. We were hosted at the Shekinashram ashram in this land of spirituality. In this ashram, the room where meditation is held on a regular basis was jam packed this Sunday afternoon. After an hour long chant of ‘Om namo bhagavate Muktanandaya’ and arati, Acharya Naveenji recited the first chapter of the Yajurveda. Gurudev spoke about the doctrine of ‘Paraspara devo bhava’- ‘to see God in each other’. As always, he reminded us about the importance of regular practice. He said, “Even on the day he passed, Baba came to the satsang and reminded everyone to do their practice daily and not be lazy.” Later Gurudev answered questions from the seekers who had been practicing various forms of Yoga. One man asked if leading a life of charity was better than spending time in chanting and mantra repetition. Gurudev explained that there are different forms of Yoga like Bhakti Yoga, Karma Yoga and Jnana Yoga. One can choose the path that suits him best. Chanting and meditation still the mind. While performing action, our mind should be in a state of equilibrium and we must always wish well for all. “Think globally and act locally. You may not become Baba or Bhagawan but surely you can begin with becoming a sage at home with whom all the family members are pleased.
Shekinashram in Glastonbury
November 5th
We drove through the congested London roads for the evening public program at YMCA in Euston. Here there were many familiar faces from Baba’s time. Gurudev using the same analogy said that at every round about in life we have a choice to use the wisdom and our discrimination.
November 6th
The public program at Upton Hall was attended by a predominantly Indian audience. There were many new faces. Gurudev explained the importance of chanting and satsang. He said that in this Kali Yuga (dark age), chanting is the easiest means to attain God. We must use our viveka (discrimination) as God is omnipresent and may appear before us in any form. The trustees of the community center were deeply impressed and requested Gurudev for similar programs in the future.
November 8th
It was the day of Kali Chaudas or Narak Chaturdashi (the dark fourteenth night of the lunar month). As Gurudev explained, this day preceding Deepavali (festival of lights) is traditionally celebrated in worship of Lord Hanuman, the deity that represents devotion and strength. As a young boy, Hanuman leapt into the sky to eat the bright orange sun mistaking it to be a mango, plunging the world into darkness. This 5 day long festival begins with Dhan Teras, the thirteenth day when Kuber, the protector of wealth is worshipped. Kali, the goddess represents strength. This festival of lights reminds us of what the scriptures say: Tamaso ma jyotirgamaya- May we be led from darkness to light. The night of Kali Chaudas is also a reminder to use our strength for uplifting purposes.
November 9th
The festivals of Diwali and Annakoot were celebrated at the Anoopam Mission. Gurudev fondly recalled the joyous Diwali celebration he had attended nearly 20 years ago at the Anoopam Mission in Mogri, India. Himat Swami, in charge at the Mission in London, said they were honored and blessed to have Gurudev at this time, especially as their Guru Saheb was not present there. Gurudev was the guest of honor and presided over these festivities which were held on a grand scale as the Mission was celebrating the golden jubilee of their organization.
On the auspicious occasion of Deepavali, both Saraswati, the goddess of wisdom, and Lakshmi, the goddess of abundance, were worshipped. Dhan pooja which involved the ritual bathing (abhishek) of silver coins with Panchamrit (mixture of milk, ghee, curd, honey and sugar) was followed by the Chopada Poojan: the worship of the new account books. Himat Swami explained the significance of the abhishek. He said that milk represents purity, ghee indicates shakti (energy) for bhakti (devotion), dahi denotes auspiciousness and honey signifies arogya (health) and sweetness. Finally just as sugar dissolves in milk losing its identity, our ego must dissolve to merge with the Absolute. Wealth is purified by donating a part of it for God’s work. Gurudev explained that Lakshmi represents abundance and prosperity in all spheres. He spoke of the 8 forms of Lakshmi: Dhan, or wealth - Dhanya, or food - Dhairya, or fortitude – Shourya, or strength – Vidya, or knowledge – Karya, or effort – Vijaya, or victory - and Raja Lakshmi that represents royalty.
As we pray to the Goddess of abundance, we request abundance in all aspects.
November 10th
The Gujarati New Year was celebrated in the form of Annakoot when our devotion is offered in the form of various food items; mounded on trays in the form of a mountain. This tradition follows the story of Lord Krishna in the Bhagawat. As a little boy, he had lifted the large Govardhan Mountain on his little finger to protect the inhabitants of Gokul from the heavy downpour caused by Indra’s wrath. Nearly 780 different food items were prepared. Gurudev said that it is not enough to read a scripture but we must understand it fully. “We often worship God externally in different ways but ignore the living God in front of us in the form of our wife, husband, child etc. We must constantly remember and honor that God which dwells within each one of us.”
Annakoot Celebration at the Anoopam Mission in London
November 11th
We departed from London and headed towards the Scandanavian country of Denmark. We arrived in Copenhagen where we were welcomed with roses and the first seasonal snow shower in the city. Here we were hosted by Meena and Peter in Helsingor, about an hour’s drive from the airport.
November 12th
A journalist from the local daily, Helsingor Dagblad, interviewed Gurudev and asked him what attracted people towards him. He replied that what people seek is an experience and not just a dogma. “Baba’s simple and practical messages of ‘See God in each other’ and ‘God dwells within you as you’ and the practice of meditation give people an experience of peace that they are looking for.” When asked if anyone could come, he said, “Sleep belongs to everybody. Similarly, everyone should meditate.” The reporter later spoke to the audience. One of them said, “To chant together is like drinking a bubbling glass of champagne. You feel a bubbling joy.” The next day, the Danish daily featured a full page article with a caption ‘The Guru of joy is these days visiting Helsingor: As if enjoying a bubbling glass of champagne’. The article read, ‘It’s all about peace, harmony, joy and love; about finding the peace within oneself.’
November 13th
The evening satsang at the Bharatiya temple was attended by Indian and Danish people. Gurudev spoke about the relevance of the ancient teachings in today’s modern world. “Man worried in the past and is plagued by worry now. The teachings help us to become free of the illusion of the mind. Sometimes the mind gets stuck in a groove like the needle of the gramophone. Satsang removes the blinders and helps to expand our field of vision. When people want peace, they go to nature, away from all their worldly possessions that they strive so hard for. Actually we want peace from our own mind. The sages tell us that the peace we seek outside dwells within us.
November 14th
In Denmark, the church has been traditionally linked to the royal family. A priest from the Danish Church who is a member of a political party came to the informal satsang to seek Gurudev’s advice on whether religion and politics should be combined. Gurudev said that politicians definitely need spiritual direction to perform their duties righteously but religion and politics should be kept separate to prevent selfish misuse of power in the name of religion. Thereafter many seekers from various spiritual paths solicited Gurudev’s guidance for their sadhana.
After the morning satsang, we set out towards Hamburg, covering the 6 hour journey partly by road and in part by a ferry.
November 15th
We arrived at Iva’s residence in Borgholzhausen in the countryside where we were hosted for the next 4 days.
November 16th
For the next couple of days, both the informal satsang in the morning and the formal program in the evening were held at the Lutherhaus in Osnabrϋck. Answering a query about chanting, Gurudev explained that chanting is traditionally intended to be simple but the modern mind wants excitement. “Thus some people have introduced an element of rock music into it by incorporating drums and the guitar but the purpose of Yoga is opposite. It’s about stillness. The best way to experience chanting is to sit quietly after it for some time.” When asked about the different forms of Yoga, he said, “They all are different philosophies and people choose according to the flavor they like. Baba’s aim was the overall development of the individual. So, he included chanting, meditation, study of the scriptures and seva (service). He emphasized regular practice because to be good in anything in life, we need regular practice.”
In the evening, in this German territory which is famous for its wines and which Gurudev has been visiting since 1984, he spoke of the intoxication from the bliss of the Self that arises within when we do our practice regularly. He remarked, “With this intoxication, you can still pass the test if the cop stops you on the autobahn.”
November 17th
After the Guru Paduka Panchakam and arati, we spent an hour in mantra and meditation. Gurudev later suggested that it was a good way to begin each day. “It is the best way to still the mind.” Answering a question about Shiva, he explained in a practical manner, “In all of us there is a man and a woman. Shiva, the male aspect represents the static principle and Shakti, the female facet, is the dynamic principle. We come in touch with that Shakti (energy) after meditation. Instead of our normal tendency to spend and exhaust that reserve of energy, we must learn to release it slowly, to use it wisely like Shiva gradually releases the Ganges from his matted hair locks. We are either excited or unhappy. Both states use energy. We must learn equilibrium. As we do our sadhana (spiritual practice), we become aware. The important thing then is what we do to bring about a change.” When asked what he meant by awareness, he explained, “Most of us live unaware of what we do and the outcome of our actions; how they will affect us and others. When we are speeding on the highway and the person in front of us brakes, often we are lost in our thoughts and unaware. Later we have to come to a screeching halt. We must perform all actions, including those in mind and speech with awareness. Awareness is being kind and compassionate towards oneself and others. In a state of awareness, we anticipate what is to come next and always remain prepared.”
In the evening, after Acharya Naveenji chanted the Vedic mantras, Gurudev explained the importance of sound. “Most sounds create imbalance in our minds. So the sages devised mantras which have a positive and balancing effect on both the person reciting and listening to it. When we are agitated, we put on the TV or radio which adds to the agitation. When a bad word or abuse can have such a profound effect on us, imagine the result of a mantra that is infused with power. When most of us begin mantra repetition, there is a sense of separation between us, the mantra and the one being worshipped. It’s often associated with some expectation and a sense of fear or guilt when we don’t perform it. It’s only when we do it out of joy and the understanding that the mantra ‘Om Namah Shivaya’ actually means ‘I offer salutations to the divinity that dwells within’, does it bear fruit.
November 18th
Everyone gathered for Guru Gita at Iva’s house where weekly satsangs are held on a regular basis. The chair on which Baba sat, the harmonium which he played in Ganeshpuri, posters of programs from the early years and flowers from Ganeshpuri in Baba’s time which Iva has fondly preserved, all brought back nostalgic memories and roused one to think of the deep impact that the great being had left on the lives of thousands across the globe.
At her residence, Eva waves the arati tray before Gurudev
November 19th
Traveling in the footsteps of Bliss, we bid farewell to Germany and set out towards Amsterdam, the canal city of Holland where we were hosted by Janaki. Most of us stayed in the Amstel Botel which is a hotel on a boat.
November 20th
As we traveled on the tram from the Botel to De Ross Centrum where the morning informal and evening formal satsangs were held, we noticed the similarity in the facades of the residences imposed by this Socialist nation and also the attempt by each one to be different in the slant or design of his steeple. The mind is always intrigued by the ego!
In the morning session, which was filled with bhajans, Gurudev spoke about the effect of chanting on the mind. “We all love music. Chanting is sattvic music that stills the mind. Its vibrations not only affect us but also the inert things around us. When Baba once asked a yogi that he met during his days of seeking about the technique of mantra repetition, the yogi gave Baba his shoe and asked him to put it next to his ear. When Baba did so, he heard the inert shoe reverberating ‘Om Namah Shivaya’. That is the way one should repeat the mantra! There are 4 levels of repetition of the mantra; Vaikhari, Madhyama, Pashyanti and Para. After thousands of focused repetitions the mantra progressively descends down these levels from the tongue, throat, heart finally to the navel. Though it’s best to chant the mantra by oneself, the modern gadgets like the I-pod and computers can chant them for us as we listen.
November 21st
We had more bhajans after the Guru Gita by Janaki who used to sing during darshan in Baba’s time also. Gurudev explained one of the beautiful bhajans that she sang. ‘Ek tujh se dil ko lagaya, Ek tujhi ko apana banaya, Jo bhi hai bus tu hi tu.’ “As we do our practice, we come to the realization that there is none else than the Lord we love. In this modern world, all we think of is ‘I’ but when we surrender to that divinity, we realize that everything is a manifestation of Him.
Janaki playing bhajans
November 22nd
The tour bid good bye to yet another city as we moved onto to Belgium. We stopped at Antwerp at the home of Judy (Sharana) who is an American opera singer. She met Baba and inspired by him, now sings Marathi abhangas. She had returned from India after giving many grand performances and we celebrated the day of ‘Thanks Giving’ at this American home in Belgium by chanting the Guru Paduka Panchakam, listening to her abhangas and enjoying pumpkin soup.
In the evening we arrived at the Siddha Shiva Center which is headed by Ganapatiji, one of the many who received initiation from Baba. Here the tour was welcomed very warmly with the showering of rose petals by over a hundred devotees that had come to honor ‘Baba’s Footsteps’. As we went around the Center and saw Baba’s pictures and experienced the constant chanting of the ‘Om Namah Shivaya’ on the music system, our heads bowed with reverence and hearts filled with pride for our association with the great master Baba Muktananda who initiated this meditation revolution around the world.
November 23rd
We chanted the Guru Gita at the Center early in the morning. The informal morning satsang was hosted by Eric near Brussels. The living room was full despite it being a weekday. Gurudev answered many questions from the audience after we chanted ‘Muktananda Mahan’ and meditated. Clarifying the role of the Guru and sadhana in our lives, he said that with our devotion and sadhana, we develop an armor of protection around us. “The understanding that we thus develop helps us to go through difficult situations gracefully. Devotion has nothing to do with karma. One has to bear the fruit of the actions performed. If one has a positive outlook, then as he bears the fruit of his previous karma, he doesn’t add up new karma. We must learn to expand our vision and see the presence of grace.” Narrating a story to illustrate the point, he said that there was once a man who was drowning. He called out to God for help but God did not appear. Just then, a boat came by offering help, but the man kept waiting for God. As he was drowning, a helicopter came for his rescue but the man refused and waited for his deity. Finally he drowned and confronted God after his death as to why the latter had not protected him. The Lord said, “I sent the boat and then the helicopter but you refused my help both times.” God comes to us in many forms and we have to realize his presence by expanding our vision.
Many thanked Gurudev for his presence. One lady remarked, “Since morning I had a feeling that I was going to Santa Claus. Now I know why. Thanks for coming Santa Claus!”
Then as we took a tour of Brussels, we witnessed man’s ironical contempt for that which is old and infatuation for novelty as we saw the ancient stone architecture and the contrasting modern glass and metal high rise structures. With the ecstasy of being in the presence of our grace bestowing Santa, we came back to Siddha Shiva Center feeling as Gurudev often says ‘complete and content’.
November 24th
After the morning Guru Gita, we had a sight seeing tour of the city of Gent. There were moments of introspection as we saw the cold, dark and damp castle that was built to protect the king from his own subjects and the guillotine and prison where captives were executed.
In the evening, the satsang was held in a large white tent called the ‘Shiva Legume’ that had been erected in the vegetable garden owned by the Center in the city. Both Gurudev and Ganapatiji offered their reverence to Baba. Gurudev said, “It is no accident that one meets the Guru. It is the result of good fortune earned through good karma. What I am today is because of Baba. One finds many Gurus who take your wealth away but it’s rare to find a Guru that takes your mind away. The title of Mahamandaleshwar that I received at the early age of 32 - is in fact an honor bestowed by the community of sadhus on Baba for his extensive work.”
Satsang in Gent
November 25th
It was an entire day spent in what could be called a spiritual party. We began with the Jyota arati and chanting of ‘Om Namo Bhagavate Muktanandaya’. It was an atmosphere of palpable love and devotion as Gurudev quoted from the Narada Bhakti Sutras: Sa bhakti tasmin param prem svaroopa- devotion is the ultimate expression of love. Gurudev surprised and charged everyone into what he called a dance within as he played the tablas for the ‘Hare Rama Hare Krishna’ chant. After the Vedic chanting and singing of bhajans, Baba’s video was screened. Then after lunch, we witnessed some classical Indian dance performances. Ganapatiji said, “India has a rich heritage and we are having these recitals to pay tribute to Baba who was very Indian.” A young student of the academy run by the Siddha Shiva Center played the coronet and trumpet. We enjoyed Baba’s birthday cake as he played to the tune of ‘Happy birthday to you’.
At the end of this birthday party, Gurudev said that Baba was a great yogi who appreciated all aspects of life. “He taught us to live life fully and enjoy without attachment. Every action that we perform should lead to our freedom and uplift all around us. The best thing to do after a good chant is to lay down flat and absorb the energy that is generated. Those 10 minutes are more restful than 4-6 hours of sleep at night. The shakti thus generated penetrates every cell of our being and we take it everywhere we go.” With the humility that he personifies, he said, “We are simply one drop in the ocean of love of Baba. There are many more who experienced his love. The feeling of the heart does not have to be put into words; it is shown on the face. Devotion comes with fortitude to bear. Amma (Prajnananda), who we saw in the video, portrayed such fortitude. Many things come and go in life. The one thing that should remain constant is satsang - the company of the truth. Remind yourself why you come to satsang.
November 26th
We arrived in Paris, the city of love.
November 27th
This was a day for sight seeing in this city of Paris which draws 25 million tourists each year. We visited the Eiffel tower as we drove across the Champs-Élysées, the Arc de Triomphe and the streets of smart luxury shops on the top of a tourist bus.
Gurudev and Devotees visit the Eiffel Tower
November 28th and 29th
For the next 2 days the schedule was the same; Guru Gita in the morning followed by informal satsang at the MIJE hostel and the formal evening satsang at the Indira Gandhi Hall at Mansion de I’Indie in Cité Universitaire.
In the morning, the small, cozy hall was filled with love as many of those who had attended Gurudev’s intensive on his first visit to Paris in 1983 were present. They fondly remembered that intensive; entitled ‘Love,’ where Gurudev had received three standing ovations. “We will never forget it,” they said and they requested Gurudev to come every year to their city. We chanted ‘Nityanandam Brahmanandam’ and the rest of the morning was filled with question and answers by those who were seeing him after a gap of more than 23 years. Wolfgang, who hosted the tour in Paris, translated from English to French. “I am definitely from Baba’s lineage” said Gurudev as he answered a question. “Nasruddin proclaimed that he would not enter the swimming pool until he had mastered the act of swimming. Unless one enters the pool, one cannot learn how to swim. To understand sadhana, one must do sadhana. Baba gave shaktipat to thousands. Those who did not understand what it meant are confused whereas those who continued to do their sadhana are content and complete today. After 1985, we did not have an ashram and the whole world became an ashram for me to experience Baba’s slogan, ‘Find God in the world’. Words cannot express what I received from Baba. This world tour is a small expression of gratitude for what he gave.”
We all experienced what Gurudev said that day, “Satsang is food for the soul. It rejuvenates the Atman and makes it feel good.”
He said, “Questions always exist but as we do sadhana, the answers arise from within. When we don’t do sadhana, we look for answers outside which don’t satisfy us.” Answering a doubt that arose in the minds of many after 1985, Gurudev said, “We pray to Baba for an answer in May 2008 to remove the cloud of darkness. It is a ‘play of consciousnesses. Those who understood the grace were not shaken by the play. We need to understand grace inside ourselves. Then it will blossom for us. What Baba did was purposeful; there was a reason, and one day we will understand it.”
In the evening satsang, Gurudev spoke about the mind. “The mind is often thinking of what was or will be and not enjoying the present moment. Unknown to us, we get tricked by our own mind. Every morning, we must meditate. We remain happy when the mind is thus connected to the Self within. We must realize that the mind has so many thoughts and learn to leave that which is not uplifting in that very moment.
November 30th
We set out southwards early in the morning towards Touzac. On the way we stopped at the Chartres Cathedral which is famous for its stain glass painted windows.
December 1, 2007
We went to Marie Christine’s home for lunch where Gurudev performed the Rudra abhishek to the Shiva Linga in the temple in their courtyard as Acharya Naveenji sang the mantras. Marie recited a beautiful poem in French which she was inspired to compose as she heard Baba’s Guru Gita. ‘We may abandon the Guru but his grace never abandons us’ she sang.
Marie Christine’s courtyard garden; Gurudev performs abhishek to Shiva Linga
Gurudev with the peacock feathers
In the evening, we gathered for a session in classical music; Mishra first presented a violin recital in Hindustani classical style followed by Jerome in the classical western style. Later Mishraji also sang bhajans accompanied by Gurudev on the tablas.
December 2nd
Here in Touzac, it was wonderful to be in a hotel in the country side where satsang is held on the first Sunday of every month. Gurudev explained that the purpose of satsang is to realize our true identity and that we are not alone on this path. ‘King Janaka had a dream that he was being beaten by a farmer in whose fields he had stolen sugarcane. As he woke up he realized that he was sleeping on his bed in his palace but as he went back to bed, he was again in the fields being beaten by the farmer. He wondered what was real; the dream state or the state of wakefulness. Sage Astavakra explained that neither is real because only that which is the same at all times, in all places and situations can be called real or true. The one who witnesses the sleep and wakeful state is the Self and that alone is true.
We arrived in Barcelona late in the evening to be welcomed by the Indian Consul General in Spain, Luis Valeriano Gonzalez, who has been in office for the last 39 years. He welcomed Gurudev at his arrival at the Hotel Gallery in Barcelona. He said that he was very happy and honored with his visit to the city as part of his World Tour. He and his wife were very impressed for the Tribute that Gurudev is offering to Baba on his 100 Birthday, and for the social works Shanti Mandir is carrying on in India. He offered all his support on behalf of the Indian community for this and Gurudev’s future visits to the city.
December 3rd
A journalist of “Agencia EFE”, the most prestigious Spanish News Agency, interviewed Gurudev in Barcelona. One of her questions was about how Gurudev sees the different kinds of people he meets in different parts of the world. He said that even though there are cultural or racial differences, all of us are human beings and all share the same essence and the same wish to find contentment in ourselves. There are many different ways but finally it is within ourselves where we find what we are looking for.
Gurudev said that God is one and is present in everyone in the form of energy. Spirituality is above the limitedness of religion. He recommended that one meditate for at least 30 minutes each day. ‘Meditation brings about relaxation and helps us to learn to use our mind to change the situations in life. The need for meditation is ever more in today’s stress filled life. The world would definitely be a better place if people meditated because they would then be peaceful.
The evening satsang was held at the Casal del Metge Auditorium in the heart of Barcelona. In his opening sentence in Catalan, Gurudev repeated Baba’s favorite greeting ‘With great respect and love, I welcome you all with all my heart’. “That was Baba’s daily worship: to honor the divinity that dwells within us and others. The world is as you see it. Yoga is a process of removing the blinders to realize our true nature that is bliss. Through the process of meditation, we realize first that we have thoughts, we then realize that we have many thoughts and finally that we need to have less thoughts. How? We need to create awareness. The human mind is like a sponge. It absorbs input through the sense organs. Slowly we need to train it to absorb only that which is uplifting.”
December 4th
In Madrid we had the last public program or satsang of the European Tour. It was held at the most prestigious place of the capital of Spain, called “Circulo de Bellas Artes.” More that a hundred people attended and with great attention enjoyed the program. In the morning in Madrid, a journalist from the Spanish version of the “Yoga Journal” magazine, interviewed Gurudev. She was very interested in knowing about the relationship that Gurudev had with Baba since his childhood and about his message during this World Tour. Gurudev shared with her that “there are a lot of moments of my time with Baba which I could share, however the most important is the permanent way that he was molding our minds in every single aspect of our daily life. He was always teaching us in some way that meditation is not just something you practice at a certain time in a day, but something that permeates your whole life; something which provides you a way of life; a life you naturally enjoy with contentment.” He also said, “The message is the one Baba always gave to everyone and everywhere: Meditate on your Self, honor your Self, God dwells within you as you.”
December 6th
The 4 day retreat to commemorate the finale of the European sector of the tour began in the foothills of the Montserrat Mountains. The retreat, which was happening in Europe after a long time, was held in the delux EADA resort with its serene scenic view. The day began early with Guru Gita. After breakfast, we had the informal satsang where Ajit gave a beautiful analogy in his experience talk to describe the importance of satsang. As single coals, we tend to burn out faster but when lit together as a heap, we burn longer in the fire of sadhana.
There was participation from Spain, Belgium, France, Australia, India, USA and Holland. This was yet another reflection of the effect Baba had on so many people all over the world. Gurudev commented that we often wonder what we can do as individuals but when we look at the phenomenal work that Baba did, we are inspired.
We gathered in the evening for arati and chanting of ‘Muktanandaya Namo Namah’. This was followed by a question and answer session which featured environmental issues like electricity and water conservation, deforestation, excessive use of plastic and its disposal etc. Gurudev said that the cause of the climate change both in the environment and within our minds is a result of greed and the unsatisfied desire of mankind. When asked how we can give positive energy to our children in this negative environment, he said that we have to take responsibility for our actions as adults. We have to stop being selfish and put our attention on the family; the family unit has to be fixed first.
Montserrat Mountains
December 7th
After the morning Guru Gita, we went up the Montserrat mountains to visit the monastery and the diety of the mountains. We attended the service in the chapel following which Gurudev was welcomed by the Abbott of the monastery. It was an enriching experience to listen to the solemn choir and the tranquility of nature in the cold mountains spontaneously stilled the mind.
In Montserrat, Gurudev had a private meeting with Father Josep M. Soler, the Abbot of the Monastery, and the highest authority of the Benedictine Monk community. Father Josep runs the monastery and the church where one sees the image of the “Verge de Montserrat”, or the Montserrat Devi. This Devi is strongly honored by the Catalan people, and the mountains of Montserrat are considered the spiritual center of Catalonia (country located at the North East part of Spain, which capital is Barcelona). The Abbot warmly welcomed Gurudev. Both shared that even the way they wear different colours, Gurudev in orange and Father Josep in black, the essence of the spiritual practices they follow and share with others is exactly the same. It was a very beautiful meeting, full of love and respect. After that, Gurudev and the Abbot went out of the private room and had some photos together with the ones who joined Gurudev at the Monastery.
December 8th
It was a day for the intensive or what is called living meditation. We spent the day maintaining silence on the outside to experience the stillness within. After the morning session of mantra repetition and chakra meditation, we had a question and answer session in the afternoon. Quoting a poem by Kabir, Gurudev explained that we must work with the attitude that whatever we do is seva. Thereby we get rid of the sense of duality.
In the evening after arati, we watched the video of the celebration of Baba’s 20th Mahasamadhi in Magod. This inspired many to plan a visit to India in May for the grand finale of Baba’s birth centenary. Later we chanted ‘Hare Rama Hare Krishna’ and went to bed with a sense of gratitude for the presence of grace in our lives.
December 9th
This Sunday morning was the farewell satsang as the tour concluded its European sector. Narayan and Vinaya performed the Paduka Pujan. There was joy and festivity in the air as we sang bhajans and then concluded this day with a short dancing saptah for which Gurudev played the tablas.
Members of the Jayanti Tour depart Barcelona
