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Anandamali leads the Mahayogi Yoga Mission in New York. She directs all Mission activities, including classes, publication, translations, web content, sangha work. She hosts Shri Mahayogi’s during his residency in the United States. The words below come from her writing about the experience of Shri Mahayogi’s first visit to NY and the subsequent establishment of the MAHAYOGI YOGA MISSSION (in the book
dearest beloved, Shri Mahayogi, please, please come to New York."
One night in 1994, as I put the first quarter on my altar, I said this fervent prayer. Since then I have made an offering every day, with only one single thought in my mind:
"He will come—I don't know when,
but he will
Back then, there was nobody else in New York who knew Shri Mahayogi. I talked about him with almost everybody I met. Sometimes I felt lonely because there was no one to whom I could really talk about him. Still, every time I thought about him I became filled with bliss. I had faith in him. Wherever I was, whatever I was doing, I had a secret home in my heart, which was Shri Mahayogi. At about that time, I began to lead hatha yoga classes in New York.
In 1993, during a short visit to Kyoto, Japan, Shri Mahayogi suddenly said to me, “Today you will instruct, and show them how the yoga center in NY teaches. When I think about it now, it’s pretty wild that I led the asana and meditation class for students who had been learning directly from him. I understand now that it was his inspired foresight, for the experience made me practice asana seriously upon returning to NY. As a result, I began teaching classes at a yoga center. To gain knowledge, I observed various yoga schools and participated in their classes.
Some time later, in November 1995, I went to Kyoto again, for Shri Mahayogi’s Jayanthi [birthday.] I had absolutely no idea that our Master/disciple relation had already begun. I brought the offering from my prayer altar with the wish that he would someday use it to come to New York. I was brought to sit in front of him. After such a long period of intense longing, I was so overwhelmed to be with him again, that I forgot how to talk to him. In the agony of joy, my heart wept.
The moment I sat in front of Mahayogi again, the light of his existence was so remarkable, so astounding that, in an instant, I lost the world and the sense of self. At the same time, I immediately understood that what I was doing in NY (gaining unnecessary knowledge) was completely meaningless, that everything is in Him, and that I do not need
During my stay in Kyoto, I beseeched him to come to New York again and again. He said, “I will definitely come in the near future." This answer gave me the strength I needed to carry on.
In India, many people search their entire lives for the Guru, and only a few are blessed enough to find him. That moment, at Shri Mahayogi’s Jayanthi in 1995, I truly realized who and what he really is, and the depth of this revelation made all things absolutely clear. I do not need anything any more—this is everything.
One night, as I came closer to leaving Kyoto, I said to him, “Shri Mahayogi, I do knot know why I need to return to New York. You are here in Kyoto.” Mahayogi answered, “Anandamali, you are doing well in New York.”
I returned to New York with a renewed secret passion to bring Shri Mahayogi here. Every word out from my mouth was about Shri Mahayogi. All I wanted, all that could make my heart content, was Shri Mahayogi and nothing else.
My dear sister Nadisa was observing me all this time, and took my words to heart. I had told Shri Mahayogi about her. She was seeing difficult times and I was a little worried about her direction. I urged her to write her questions to him. I knew she was willing to meet her Guru. She finally sent a question to him in March, and a couple weeks later she received her answer. That same night she called me and said “I want to meet Shri Mahayogi. I said “Go!”
She left for Japan a few days later and stayed for a week. She came back brimming over with bliss. She had met her Guru, Shri Mahayogi. I melted with joy to have someone with whom I could truly share Shri Mahayogi’s greatness, his sublime wisdom and love.
In April, [1996] we put our money together. We had enough to buy his airfare and invite him to New York. Before announcing it to him, we wondered if we should organize places for Satsangha, write letters to our friends, make flyers, or just not plan anything at all. We could not decide. The only thing we knew was that this was beyond our minds.
I called Shri Mahayogi in the beginning of May and told him that we were ready to buy his plane ticket. He said, “This feels so naturall.” I asked him if we should plan any arrangements. He said, “I’ll come without any plans. If it is meant to happen it will, if it is not, it won’t.” We were very excited, and at the same time we had a profound intuition that we needed intense preparation for such a momentous occasion. The night before he arrived I couldn’t sleep at all.
On June 28, 1996 Shri Mahayogi arrived in New York, and the very next day people began coming to the "Cave" to receive the Master’s darshan [blessing.] These visits continued day and night for the next three months. Everyone’s reaction was different, but all were inspired by Shri Mahayogi, whose divine existence is love and compassion.
Swamis from the Integral Yoga Institute came to see him and were deeply moved and inspired by him—so much so that they invited him to teach a Hatha Yoga class at their monthly meeting of instructors. Shri Mahayogi responded that he would give a Satsangha. Even though many of the teachers would have wished for the Hatha yoga class, Shri Mahayogi wanted to remind them of the focus of Yoga—Self-Realization. “Many are caught by the methods of mere training of the physical body, and forget the true purpose of Yoga. You must not forget the aim. Yoga is for Awakening!” His Satsangha at the Integral Yoga Institute was
“By seeing you, being with you, I feel I am learning Sufism” said Kavikumar, when he came to the "Cave" for the first time. He then organized for Shri Mahayogi to give Satsangha four Friday nights at the Sufi Bookstore. Word spread, and over the following weeks people began coming to see him, to hear him, to be with him, to receive his darshan. Always, after Satsangha, silence prevailed. People would not leave. Sufis, Christians, Buddhists, Jews, Hindus; all responded to his message of oneness, love and divinity. “There are many ways to climb a mountain, but once you reach the top, all is the same. There is only one, which is Truth.”
To fulfill the people’s requests, he held four Satsanghas under the title “The Universal Truth,” and conducted four sessions of yoga asanas, titled “The Direct Teaching of Yoga,” at Sufi Books in Tribeca.
Just before Shri Mahayogi departed for Japan, we gathered for a concert in his honor that featured Opera, Jazz, and World Music. It was tremendously uplifting, a direct reflection of Shri Mahayogi’s teaching of Oneness. Through him, we united. At the end of the night, after a long silence, Shri Mahayogi said to the gathering, “There is only love. As various tones are tuned, and become one exquisite music, so skin colors and religions are harmonized, and the one True Love manifests.”
“Have you ever felt happiness?,” someone asked. His answer was, “No, but if the disciples realize the Truth, then maybe.”
On December 24, 1996 we established the MAHAYOGI YOGA MISSION to spread Satguru Shri Mahayogi Paramahansa’s teachings of Eternal Truth, to go beyond religions, races, cultures, countries and even the name
As His disciples, we are one with him,
Let us unite together as one!
We must grow,
And proceed with indomitable will and spirit!
Our hearts filled with faith and devotion!
Not to talk but to live the Truth!
We must devote ourselves totally to Awakening—the Universal Truth,
taking our lives in our hands. This is the way our Guru lives!
We must always remember, “Who’s work this is,” and
“Who is the doer of all actions.”
This is the beginning…
We come from One. We must go back to One.
Jai Satguru Shri Mahayogi Paramahansa Ki, Jai!
Om Tat Sat, Om!
December 24th, 1996
Anandamali
MAHAYOGI YOGA MISSION
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