Very interesting story, I had an interview with Anandamoy back in 1992 during the convocation, but apparently he didn't read my mind. He offered to be helpful if I decided to move to LA and attend the SRF circles. What I remember is that he seemed to feel an attraction to me, for some unknown karmic reasons. That was the first and last time I spoke with him. My karma brought me back to Italy.
Yes a number of things happened to me when I was in Los Angeles that I am not sure how to explain them rationally. Especially with Brother Bhaktananda. I mentioned my experience with my mother visiting the Lake Shrine.
I also took her to the Redondo Pier later. I believe it may have been the same day since we went to the service that morning. When we were at the pier it was in the summer and there was a huge crowd of people, shopping and going to all the various shops and restaurants there. We used the crowded restrooms and when I got out I could not find her. For sometime I walked around aimlessly wondering how I would find her in the crowd. As usual I would ask for help (of a spiritual nature) and after feeling as though I wouldn’t find her, I suddenly clearly heard her voice ( with its distinctive inflection) in my head saying ‘Steve’ I followed the inner prompting and then found her. To this day I believe that she actually communicated with me telepathically and that is why I found her, there was such a huge crowd there and I did not know if she could find her way back to the car. Los Angeles could be that congested with people.
Brother Bhaktananda was another anomaly that over the years I had noticed about true Masters. And I believe, because of personal experiences, that both Amma and Bhaktananda are Masters. Bhaktananda had this uncanny sense of saying things that seemed to not fit the context of the lecture or conversation you’d be having with him. He was sometimes totally spontaneous and make comments that seemed to address personal matters other people may have had. I had witnessed it many times. However this time I will mention an incident that another Kriyaban friend told me that he had witnessed.
Brother was giving a lecture on a Sunday morning and suddenly he said that if the Chinese were to invade us that the aliens would intercede to help, if we were overwhelmed. I remember it clearly because the devotee also was told that Mother Center asked him to please not make such statements in a sermon. Obviously 🙄 if anyone was a visitor such statements would appear somewhat eccentric. However my friend said that he came back to a service on another occasion and Brother Bhaktananda again stated the same thing. It would have been hard to believe accept for the fact that I personally saw and heard him say things that clearly indicated he knew much more or was guided to say things that didn’t always jive with what seemed appropriate in context with the topic or that had a significance beyond the subject matter.
Once I remember him giving a sermon and suddenly blurt out; “And for those going to Master’s crypt at Forest Lawn. Please consider the length of time you spend there, because we do not want to make it difficult for the owners of the Mortuary.” Well I happened to be one of those fellows who loved to sit in front of Masters crypt for hours. I’m telling you, at first I felt guilty, but now I can laugh over it. Even though I believe he meant what he said, I also found he had a tremendous sense of humor in his humility and approach to matters and guiding us on the spiritual path. I’m afraid that just taking me aside and telling me that, would have been quite a scolding. But he also had a gentle loving approach that was the mark of a truly incredible human being.
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