Menoculayshunal; Meditation Mojo

The Sanskrit term is 'nididhyaasana'; derived from the root "dhyai" - to think, contemplate, enquire, recollect - and prefixed with "nidi" which emphasises the desire to perform, to wish for, to be bestowed with... as a conjunct it refers to constant and repeated meditation.

It was meditation mojo that permitted an opening of the mind to receive the call of Yeshu/Rama. It was that same mojo which helped to ground one as studies progressed at the Sydney ashram. The progression, it was understood, was quite... speedy. From knowing nothing beyond the crude basics with regard to Hindu practice to finding the philosophy of Advaita Vedanta singing to me and being able to discuss it with fellow students who had lived their whole lives under its influence, was another level of revelation. 

It always looks odd when this is written - yet the truth is simple - it was as if this Knowledge had always been known, just that the memory required refreshing. Even learning Devanagari (देवनागरी) script came quite readily. Languages of Hindi and Sanskrit began to be familiar.

There were a little less than two years of learning in the Sydney base, during which time the name Sri Rama had uttered was formalised and it officially became the first name, the original 'Ali' becoming second, but not wiped out - for it had been supportive to that point. Having anyway leaned toward Indian style clothing in the form of salwar kameez, it was not a great leap to adopting the sari as a regular dress for attending all functions. There were often compliments from critical Indian mamas who could not find anything to adjust! This itself was an acceptance of worth. As was the interest in my ability in the kitchen - 'ah, she makes round roti!'. Passed muster. 

Within a year the opportunity to become a class leader was presented and encouraged. The senior Swami (Swaroopananda-ji, now head of mission) was keen that consideration was made to taking up a place in the much-coveted (by devotees) gurukula course in Mumbai, but that some advanced experience such as running a class was part of the acceptance process.

There was a burgeoning which had one understanding the concept of being 'reborn'. Yet, more than that, it was as if all the disparate parts of oneself were coming together into a whole. There was never any doubt that going to India was ahead. Application was made, admission to the course granted; then everything turned on a sixpence. The house was sold within a week of going on the market. All the goods and chattels were moved on or packed and stored with ease. Even the supposedly difficult visa for the full length of the course fell into my passport with minimal supplication from me. (I was the only student from OZ in batch 15, but there were several from USA, a Bosnian, a Brazilian, a couple from UK and one from Japan - though the Bosnian and the Japanese didn't last beyond six months.)

Throughout this time there was daily 'saadhana' (practice) of shravanam (listening), mananam (inculcation) and nididhyaasnam. There were starting to be experiences that one had read and heard about others' having but never thinking they could occur - yet they did. The flow of events that saw a total of three months from request to departure was difficult to ignore as being some kind of cosmic approval of the decision to move along this path.

June 2011, farewell to The Wide Brown Land. A brief visit first to The Bonny Land to farewell a dying mother and on to Mumbai and Sandeepany Sadhanalya.