Update on Bodhi’s USA Visit
Bodhi is now midair; Sue Ma just informed me that his flight from Portland to Los Angeles has just departed. An hour or so ago while I was singing the Lord’s name with the harmonium in the Puja room in London, the phone rang. It was Bodhi calling from the airport. When I took the call, Bodhi simply began to sing from the other side in a mystical spirit of continuation of the kirtan going on here in our little room in London, “naam karo naam karo naam karo bhai re, naamer moton amrit ar kichu naahi re!” (Keep singing the lord’s name, oh friend! For there is no joy as sweet as in the nectar of divine name!) Then he sang the Gayatri Mantra. Thereafter he laughed heartily mesmerized by his own state of divine ecstasy. I asked him to say something about the two days that were spent in Portland. After a few moments of silence, he said, “I can’t think of anything particular to say, because the two days were brimming with remarkable events.”
The two days spent at Ann Shannon and her daughter Julie’s house was incredibly life changing for the seekers who came to bask in Bodhi’s Light. Today was Aria’s, Julie’s daughter’s, birthday. She says that after having known Bodhi for 28 years, such has been his impact on her life that for her spirituality is no longer something to be done or practiced. But it comes naturally to her. To be spiritual is now to be her natural Self. Julie has been a student of Sanskrit chanting classes coached by our mission youth representative Navoneel, and she has been the best student in the class. Her Sanskrit pronunciations are clear and authentic, and her reverence and love for the ancient-most language is reflected in her incredible sincerity.
While at her home, Bodhi advised her that she should not keep her passion for Sanskrit to herself but instead share it with other American friends of hers by conducting Sanskrit chanting classes at her home. Aria said she was only steps away from mastering everything that her mother had learnt in Sanskrit chanting.
A mission youth group member, Debojyoti, who lives in Kolkata at our ashram neighborhood but has shifted to US very recently came to meet Bodhi at Ann Ma’s house. His joy knew no bounds on meeting his beloved Master on the American soil, and he was ecstatic when Bodhi served food on his plate!
Bodhi conducted a talk at Renaissance Book Store. He spoke on the topic of Love, self-love and the magic of breaths. The talk went on to reach extraordinary heights, as words just seemed to flow touching supreme climactic chords of universal realities. Debojyoti recorded the exceptional talk on his phone camera sitting in a corner.
In the past two days, all those who came in touch with him went through a complete re-birthing. Everyone thought that they had got the entire ocean within the four walls their homes. Boundless seeds were sown, boundless rivers of grace were unleashed, infinite healings were showered. “While all saw the ocean in me, I only saw my Gurudev as its source,” Bodhi commented.
“I didn’t have a moment’s time to spare.” Bodhi said from the airport. “At times I would just quickly slip into my room, lock the door and sit for a few minutes before I went out again to be with everyone else.”
Everywhere he went, people asked him how he looked so young and bright and beautiful even at 74! He only had one answer to tell them, “You want to know the secret? It’s Guru-bhakti, devotion to my Guru.”
Ann Shannon’s wrote this message after Bodhi left Portland. She and her daughter Julie host Bodhi at their home in Portland. Ann Ma is the editor of ‘Your Mind Your Best Friend’, ‘Incredible Life of a Himalayan Yogi Baba Lokenath’ and ‘Biography of Thakur Sri Sri Bhajan Brahmachari–Living With My Himalayan Master’.
“Savoring the afterglow of Bodhi’s visit here in Portland, the luminous rekindling of grateful awareness of all that he awakens in my soul, I am Awash in the endless sea of his always rising love and tender wisdom! In my heart!”
At the end of the two eventful days, Bodhi has to leave Portland for a new destination, new homecomings. He proves right the words of Mitra Ma, one of his elderly Kolkata devotees who says, “Baba, you are the most brutally heartless person I have ever known! You fill people’s hearts with unseen joys, have them taste the bliss of the rarest nectar, fill their spirits with most incredible hopes and dreams and make their spirits dance with unparalleled bliss! And lo and behold! Even before they know it, you disappear from their lives! Just vanish into thin air without looking back! If you HAVE to leave, why COME at all?”
When Bodhi landed in Los Angeles he wrote to Sue Ma, “Single seat window can see the beautiful landscape below! Very beautiful! You always give me the best!!” He sent a photo of him on a boat in Kashi Ma Ganga! Even in the Alaskan flight midair, his spirit sailed on Ma Ganga.
Margo Ma, an old friend, came to the airport to receive him in Los Angeles and drove him to Ananya’s lovely home where he stayed for his two days there. Bodhi returned to Chicago from Los Angeles yesterday after spending incredible moments of Satsang at Ananya home and meeting with Raj, who was guiding the US based not-for-profit Lokenath Divine Life Fellowship in designing a new website. The new website on Bodhi’s wisdom and work in India was launched with the efforts of the feeling hearts team under Raj’s direction after almost a year. If you are reading this Blog, you have discovered this beautiful new site, www.feelinghearts.org!
The new website launch was displayed publicly on screen at the Anoopam Mission and Hindu Temple venue. Bodhi’s Satsang “The Power of Mindfulness for Unlocking Inner Peace” was held there too. During the course of the Satsang something incredible happened. Ananya’s sister, who suffers from a condition where she has not uttered a sound all her life, suddenly pronounced with great clarity – “aum”, while Bodhi was conducting an Aum meditation. Her sister, parents, and brother-in-law ecstatically rejoiced and celebrated this miraculous moment.
Once back in Chicago, Bodhi had a good sleep, and the next morning made “Baba tea” and spoke on “How not to take things for granted and how to always live in the present”, while Norman the Zen cat sought after Bodhi’s hand for some petting.
After seeing Bodhi off at the airport, Sue Ma messaged me to let me know. I felt a deep sadness in my heart since I could fathom the sadness that Sue Ma was feeling at the moment. Although it is easier said than done, I wrote to her not to feel sad, for Bodhi would be back to her soon. She wrote back, “Yes no sadness just an eternally grateful heart!!”
She has constantly been in touch with me throughout Bodhi’s US visit, and even kept sending photos of Bodhi’s last moments in her AoP (Abode of Peace) before he returns once again next year. The last photos of Bodhi with her grandkids Brooke and Gunni (before he returns to them next year) were so much more than heartwarming. And the very last picture was of Bodhi saying goodbye to Norman the cat by placing the most divinely loving hand upon the Zen cat’s head as he bowed down from his cat-stairs.
Bodhi is now at the airport gate in Chicago waiting to board his flight to London. Sue Ma dropped him off at the airport. Meanwhile, here in London, Rita Ma expressed her concern if Bodhi would take enough food for his flight. I laughed and told her not to worry because Bodhi was in the safe hands of Rita Ma’s American counterpart — Sue Ma.
Now as Bodhi waits at the airport gate, i ask him if he has got food. (It was a habitual question although I knew in my heart about Sue Ma’s extraordinary motherly care). “Enough food with me to get back to London, and to India, and all the way back here.” He wrote. “Two tiffin boxes of pasta. One box of dates, and one box stuffed with nuts and cookies!” Good heavens! How Bodhi’s Divine Mother keeps stuffing Her child with food be it through Sue Ma or Rita Ma!
Debdutta (Didi)
