May 1, 2005
My dear friends,
Last Sunday we made the last leg of our journey back from India. The
connection from San Francisco to Seattle made it so we would not
land until 10:30 p.m., too late to see friends who were meeting at
Larry & Cates at 7:00 for Papas Jayanthi Day. When we arrived in San
Francisco from our 17 plus hour flight from Singapore we found that
the earlier flight from San Francisco to Seattle had been delayed by
two and a half hours, allowing us to catch that flight and make it
to Seattle by 5:30 for the service. Papa takes such beautiful care
of us!
Upon arriving it felt as if we have never left, such is the
timelessness of the Infinite. Even as Patanjali says the
accomplished Yogi may become as small as an atom and as large as the
universe, so may he find eternity in a moment or the timeless now
over eons of time. Time and space are then known to be malleable to
consciousness; nothing is fixed or rigid about them.
We traveled from Seattle to Sunnyside and enjoyed seeing friends and
family there. Indeed, it seems as if all humanity has become family.
When thinking of love and the feeling of intimacy, a new
acquaintance or someone known since birth can evoke the same divine
Love. Where then can it be said there are any special
relations. Are not all relations special, filled with Divine Life?
So has gone the week, feeling as at home as ever, yet if tomorrow
should call me somewhere else, I think I should feel just as at home
there. There are some amenities that are welcomed, showers with hot
water and good water pressure and being able to brush my teeth with
tap water and not having to use bottled water. It is also nice to
have smooth roads and quiet cars. These are small things but very
nice to have.
My last day in India I began a biggest list about our
pilgrimage to India, Carla added two items and it became a top ten
list:
1: Biggest Blessing: Swami Satchidananda. To be in the
presence of Swamiji brings untold blessings, and a flood of love
comes at the mere thought of him. Who can gauge the grace that comes
from such a one? Surely it is the greatest blessing!
2: Biggest Surprise: The spiritual power of Ganga Ma (the
river Ganges). I was told that I was about to meet a great spiritual
Being when I was coming down from the Himalayas, but I was taken by
surprise that the great spiritual Being was the purifying
power of the Ganges itself. We felt purified when residing by its
side or when bathing in it. Although I had been in and around the
Ganges before, I had not experienced so much of its power and it
helped us a great deal to completely vanquish the darkness we
encountered previously.
3: Biggest Challenge: The dark forces met at Dwarahat. This
experience taxed both Carla and me to a great degree. It was the
purpose for which I had been brought to that place. Thanks to the
blessings of God and the Masters, all came out well.
4: Biggest Delight: As always, the pure-hearted Indian
people.
5: Biggest Pain: Indian roads, traffic, touts (street
marketeers who get a kickback from directing tourists to stores and
ticket agents) and noise!
6: Biggest Site/Sight: The Himalayas.
7: Biggest Tender Event: The marriage of Rama Mani, a devotee
from India, to Dr. Ken, a devotee of Swami Satchidananda from
Kentucky.
8: Biggest News: General Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan made an
official state visit to India, meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh. The talks were positive and it was reported that they liked
each other. Three years ago, while we were in India, these two
countries were exploding atomic bombs in demonstration of their
power. This meeting of heads of state occurred while we were
circumambulating sacred sites in northern India.
9: Biggest Statue: The Shiva statue at Haridwar. Not only
was it big, but it was exquisitely done as well.
10: Biggest Fun: An elephant ride through the jungles in
Corbett Park.
Some fun signs:
Road signs:Dead
Slow
Roadwork
Ahead
&
Soft On Curves
Menu Items:
Butter-Toast-Preservatives
Sign on a truck:
God Is The Owner
I want to give my deepest gratitude to those who have given
ongoing support to this work and devotion to their spiritual
practice. Truly, without you this work could not continue. We give
value to our ideals by the time that we devote, the money we spend
and the things that we create; for those that give themselves to
this work in these areas I feel a tremendous sense of humility by
what is given.
May you know the peace and joy of the Infinite ever shining within
you.
In God, Christ and Gurus,
David
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Hickenbottom, January 2005.
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