Back in the USA: Swamiji on tour

Swamiji recently returned home to Melbourne after a highly successful tour of the USA in which he held meditation programs, Self-inquiry courses and Intensives.

Los Angeles

Accompanied by Devi Ma and a small party, our group left Melbourne for LA on the 6th of June. The next couple of days were a chance to meet many old and new friends including Swami Chetanananda, who visited Australia for ‘The Three Gurus’ program; Philip Goldberg, the author of ‘American Veda’; and Jeremy Silman, a renowned chess writer and yogi. We had a lively open-house one evening at our hotel on Venice Beach for ‘old timers’.

Swamiji with Swami Chetanananda

EnlightenNext

On the 9th of June the party flew to Boston, and then drove by van to the EnlightenNext World Centre in Lennox, Massachusetts. Set in 220 hectares of fir forests, this beautiful centre is the home of Andrew Cohen and his group who were our extremely generous hosts. The following night, Swamiji held a public conversation with Andrew to a capacity crowd. Speaking from the position of Shaivism, Swamiji spoke about the human condition, and how Shiva (or divine nature) is our true nature.

Swamiji with Andrew Cohen at EnlightenNext

New York

The next day we loaded our bags into the van and headed towards New York with mounting excitement. After several hours we suddenly merged with the freeway and there was the Big Apple! We only had half an hour to unload our luggage in our four storey brownstone house on the Upper East Side before we headed to the Subud Chelsea Centre for a program with Andrew Cohen. Swamiji was very comfortable and inspired with the hometown crowd and he spoke in his shakti-filled way about how we can follow ‘the footprints of the divine’ in our life through the various practices of yoga.

Swamiji with Andrew Cohen in NYC

Shanti Mandir

The following morning, the group visited Shanti Mandir at Walden and were graciously greeted by Devayani where we held a Satsang. On the 13th of June, Swamiji began his Self-inquiry course over three nights at rooms made available to us by the good graces of Chandralekha and Bob Forger. The nights were full of energy as Swamiji responded to the openness of the crowd. His course covered the key points of Selfinquiry: tearing thoughts, upward and downward shifts and – fittingly – a moving group Shiva Process broke out on several occasions. During the days, Swamiji met almost constantly with people and Devi Ma held many Shiva Process privates. In the midst of all the activity we did, however, take time out to attend a Yankees baseball game at Yankee Stadium!

The final two nights (23-24th) were a culmination of our time in New York as we held a Satsang at the Meta Centre in Chelsea, and a short evening Intensive the following evening. Swamiji was in extraordinary form, radiating humour, authenticity and wisdom in his talks as the crowd soaked up the palpable shakti.

Darshan in NYC

Swamiji teaching Self Inquiry in NYC

Swamiji and Devi Ma at the Intensive, Meta Center, NYC

Swamiji giving darshan at the Meta Center, NYC

Synchronicity Foundation

The following morning the party went its separate ways, as Swamiji and Devi Ma travelled to the Synchronicity Foundation in Virginia for meetings with some of Baba’s devotees.

Unity Church of Tustin

In the last leg of the trip, Swamiji was invited to the Unity Church of Tustin in Orange County by his close friend David Nowe. There was a Satsang and Intensive which were very successful, with over 100 people receiving Shaktipat at the Intensive for the first time. Swamiji was the guest speaker at the weekly church services (which are held twice on Sunday morning to cater for large numbers) and the program schedule > ended with two Shiva Process workshops. Each workshop quickly became a ‘feedback’ frenzy, with people immediately picking up the technology and volunteering to play, or participating in giving A and B statements. One of the highlights was when Swamiji demonstrated the meaning of G-statements (God/Guru statements) by playing a video of Steve Martin singing “Atheists don’t got no songs.” It brought the house down. It is not surprising that, as in New York, people didn’t want Swamiji to leave. They all invited him to come back again soon, and a group are organising to come to visit the Shiva
Ashram in the near future.

Satsang at the Unity Church of Tustin

Swamiji speaking at the Unity Church of Tustin