I teach science at a public high school in a southern California suburb. This is my third year of teaching and though not a veteran yet, you can say that I have mastered it quite a bit. But I thought I’d share with you some of my experiences as a brand new teacher. While on one hand they did not feel pleasant, especially at the time, on the other hand they are some of the most cherished experiences of my life as a devotee, as Master’s (my Guru, Paramhansa Yogananda’s) child.
Let me give you a little background about myself. I had very little experience of the school system in the U.S having completed K-12 in India. An American high school classroom felt very “foreign” to me; the teenage jargon, the dress code, the behavior, the attitude – I was at times completely overwhelmed! – not to mention the pressure to perform anew in front of a 40 member class audience five times a day and the need to come up with new lessons every day, five days a week! I was exhausted!
Also since I had opted for what is called the internship instead of traditional student-teaching, it meant I had no mentor or guide to lend me a helping hand. I was on my own. However I did have Master and Divine Mother by my side.
Our school has a strict electronic policy that students cannot use electronic devices in the classroom. One day, and this was probably within the first three months of my first year, I had confiscated the cell phone of a student who was using it in the class and kept it on my table. It had never crossed my mind that it is possible for my students, the 14-15 year olds, to steal! Yes, I was naïve as I soon found out to my horror! The cell phone was gone and I realized it right after the class got over. It was very embarrassing as a teacher! What am I going to do?
I remember visualizing holding Master’s hand for support; “Everything is fine” – I felt calmer and centered. I talked to another teacher and she advised talking to the class which I did the following day. I told them how deeply disappointed I am and why I do not expect such behavior from the class. At the end of the class two students quietly came up to me, after everyone else had left, and said “We know who took the phone!”
Eventually the thief confessed and the phone was returned to the owner. I quietly thanked Master.
Another time I had left my thumb drive on the desk computer in my classroom. Again something one should never do, as I learned very quickly. As it turned out I had to call sick the following day. When I finally returned the day after the thumb drive was gone! Now that thumb drive had not only all my lessons, power point presentations and files, it also had all my assignments that were due at the university where I was completing my teacher preparation course. Remember that was my year of internship which means I had to go back to the university to my student-teaching class every week and yes, all my homework and papers ready to be submitted to the State was in that thumb drive. And it did not have a back-up. I was lost! Also there was a little hub like connection in the classroom where the video player, CD player, computer and speakers were all interconnected and connected to the overhead projector. Someone had pulled out every cord out of every socket and everything was lying in a big meshed up pile on the floor!
I went to see my department head about this incidence. He said this happens. As teachers we happen to enrage teenagers who then take out their anger on us. He also told me not to take it personally and that he too has lost his zip drive in a similar way. I was grateful for his support and kind words. However even though I understood it all, I was panicking in my mind – “what will I do without my lessons and assignments?”
I didn’t think I had the time and energy to recreate the lost work again – something that is sure to take months. I didn’t have all that time. I returned to my classroom and closed my eyes and tried to meditate. I mentally gave my problem to Divine Mother. “Thy will Ma, thy will; and whatever that is, its ok with me.” I felt lighter and relaxed and started to get ready for the next class.
Later that same day, I got a call from my department head. He said he’s found a zip drive and wanted me to check if it was mine. As it turned out it was mine! He, while keeping an eye out for his lost drive, by chance, saw something zip drive-like lying on the roof of one of the classrooms. The science building being a two-storey building allows a view of the rooftops of surrounding single storey buildings. Some students(s) might have thrown the zip drive and it landed on the roof. The recovery felt miraculous and I felt so grateful, both to him and to Divine Mother, that words didn’t come easy to me. I prayed that he find his drive too.
There were so many similar incidences that first year as I went fumbling my way into the school system and every time I experienced the guiding, protecting hand of Master and Divine Mother. We devotees do have an umbrella, in form of Divine Mother’s love and guidance, to protect us from the storms of our karma. We might get a little wet but isn’t it wonderful to experience the umbrella around us? And I’m thankful for all the storms. Looking back, how else would I have experienced Divine Mother’s umbrella?
Do you feel joy when using your physical skills to learn and grow and experience life? Perhaps you lead with your heart and feel most alive when you are in a beautiful natural setting, or caring for animals or babies. Maybe you live for a challenge – such as tackling a new project, or raising money for a cause or finding a solution to a problem. Then there are those who love to make lists and use their mind to discover and learn.
Body, Feeling, Will and Intellect – those are the four tools of maturity that Swami Kriyananda describes in the book Education for Life, which is the foundation of the Ananda Living Wisdom Schools.
I teach at the Living Wisdom School in Beaverton, Oregon. We recently had a workshop for parents and experienced the tools of maturity in a fun, interactive way. Learning through direct experience is an important tenet of Education for Life and Living Wisdom Schools. So we didn’t sit around all evening talking about the tools of maturity; we played games, built towers out of blocks, looked through animal pictures, wrote about our feelings and had a great time.
The parents went home with a real understanding of how we teach and how Living Wisdom Schools approach education differently than the mainstream schools. They were all smiling and laughing and asking for more classes as they left. I could tell that the evening they had anticipated – important perhaps, but an imposition on other, more entertaining activities – had turned into an engaging and enlightening time with people they enjoyed.
Education for Life will change the way we learn and teach all over the world. The technology available now is making it possible to share with other educators and parents who are not near a Living Wisdom School, or who really want to create one. With online classes teachers in India can share with those in Wisconsin.
Many of you know that I am blessed with a wonderful family. My wife and I have been married seventeen years, and our very dynamic, energetic daughter is 4 years old. They are a great source of joy and inspiration to me.
My wife and I have chosen a life of dedication and service to God and Guru, but how does it interconnect with our role as parents? With my commitments as a teacher and music minister, and my wife’s as Production Manager at Crystal Clarity, we are often busier than we ever imagined. Through all of our busy days, we constantly strive to seek a balance between our family, our service, and our spiritual practices, which isn’t always so easy to achieve.
What do our spiritual practices look like? We are faced daily with the challenge of finding time for meditation. Our daughter has the superhuman ability to know exactly when we awake. Just this morning I awoke before dawn and exclaimed, “Ahh! she isn’t up yet! I can meditate!” only to hear the pitter patter of little feet coming down the hall.
We don’t feel comfortable with shutting her out of our awake time, so usually I do my morning Kriyas with her playing in the same room. She’s gotten comfortable with me being there, and not yet fully there, thank goodness! At night after I’ve tucked her into bed, she often will ask me to stay in her room and meditate.
Other aspects of our spiritual practice are akin to weight lifting, as we constantly have to raise our energy to meet hers, with positive solution oriented consciousness. We strive to see her as a divine gift from God, though sometimes she seems to be a divine test when she pushes boundaries and tests our limits!
Yogananda is often referred to as the “Flawless Mirror” who could reflect back to us our own highest potential. Children are mirrors as well, reflecting back to us our own energies, tendencies, and consciousness. We must be supremely vigilant in how we respond and interact with her: with love, understanding, patience, and positive energy, which by far is the hardest challenge.
Some moments are deeply treasured: the other night she said “let’s say a prayer, Daddy!” and led me in a prayer to the gurus, pronouncing their names the best she could, asking our bodies to be filled with light and love.
Since she is often with me as I go to work in the recording studio at the Crystal Hermitage, she has had the great blessing of meeting Swami Kriyananda on several occasions. On one of them, Swami ever so graciously gave her a tour of his apartment, treating her not as a nuisance, but as a dear friend, answering all of her questions with utmost respect. Once again, Swamiji has shown me how every moment of our lives can be filled with appreciation, seeing God in everyone, and in every situation.
I am eternally grateful to be able to raise a child here in the Ananda Village. There are great challenges, to be sure, but I couldn’t imagine a more nurturing environment. She is surrounded by countless friends of every age, and is greeted with great love wherever we go.
For myself, never has my heart been so opened, not only in caring for my family, but also in gratitude for the many blessings received in living together for God.
It’s been a great experience learning to write a blog. Once I got into the flow, I realized how much I had to say, and I realized I needed a place to organize things within a theme of bringing God into family life; blogging had helped me find the creative flow to write again.
Blogs are relatively short, and I was thrilled to learn how to insert “links” to help guide families to interesting little areas on ananda.org; the Ananda web site is a huge resource, so it was a bit like being on a treasure hunt as I created each link. But, as things unfolded, I saw that I was actually writing more chapters for the book, Finding God in the Heart of Your Family. So, in order to bring it to the next level of manifestation, I started a small website on a wonderful free service called wordpress.com. This is a very encouraging step for me.
Even though helping families find little pathways to devotion is very dear to my heart, the Ananda Healing Prayer Ministry is my main “dharma” or service to God. So, in all of my recent technical enthusiasm, I also started a separate, but connected, web site to write articles on healing. The book, Divine Will Healing may need to be reprinted in 2010, so I am enthusiastic to get some writing done for that process, too. Over the years, I have had the opportunity to learn more about the many healing teachings Master gave us. So, it will be good to start writing some of it down.
Mukunda’s parents were deeply devoted to Lahiri Mahasaya. They always kept a beautiful picture of Lahiri on a small altar in their home. Many times Mukunda could be found meditating in front of the altar with his mother. He learned to love Lahiri more and more as the years passed. Often, during his meditations Lahiri’s picture would change from a photograph to a living form and sit before the young Mukunda. However when he would try to reach out and touch the master’s feet, the vision would return to being a photograph again.
When Mukunda was eight years old, he became very ill. He was so sick that he couldn’t get up from bed. The doctors could do nothing and everyone was afraid that he might not live. Mukunda’s mother was very scared, but she had great faith in her guru. She motioned to the picture of Lahiri that hung on the wall above Mukunda’s bed. “Bow to him mentally!” She knew that Mukunda was too weak to do it physically. “If you really show your devotion and inwardly kneel before him, your life will be spared!”
Healing Light from Lahiri Mahasaya
As Mukunda gazed at the photograph a bright light came out of the picture and filled his whole body as well as the entire room. Instantly he was healed. His illness was gone and his strength returned. Yogananda knelt to touch his mother’s feet to thank her for her wondrous faith in her guru. Gyan Prabha repeatedly pressed her head against the little picture of Lahiri saying, “O omnipresent master, I thank thee that thou hath healed my son!” Mukunda realized that his mother had also seen that beautiful healing light that had come out of the photograph. Mukunda loved that photograph which had been given to his father by Lahiri himself.
Over the years, in the Ananda Healing Prayer Ministry, I have recommended Psalm 91 for people who needed protection. One time it was a for a couple facing a very unfair lawsuit, in which they stood to lose everything. Psalm 91, recited daily, was a source of strength and comfort. (In the end the case was settled peacefully.)
I have been wanting to write about it for some time, and make available a free recording of Psalm 91 (below). I got the nudge I needed this morning when, after meditation*, I opened the Second Coming of Christ (written by Paramhansa Yogananda) and found this brief reference to Psalm 91:
“One who finds within himself that “secret place of the most high” becomes suffused with supreme happiness and divine security…God’s Kingdom is within you…” (The Second Coming of Christ, The Resurrection of the Christ Within You, p. 1187 )
These words reminded me, once again, that the highest realm of divine protection is in God union. Not quite there yet? Then invoke the power of those holy ones who are united with God’s Presence. This psalm, and all the psalms, are best understood from this perspective.
“Soldier’s Psalm”
There are numerous miraculous stories attributed to Psalm 91, many of them from soldiers. Where does this protective power come from? The highest level comes from God union, Paramhansa Yogananda states above. In addition, Edgar Cayce, the renowned psychic, said that Jesus Christ led his apostles through Psalm 91 at the end of the Last Supper, to protect his apostles from harm on Good Friday. It was his time to go - but not yet their time.
Christ’s blessing further imbued the psalm with divine power. You can call on His divine protection as you recite Psalm 91, for you are His child.
A few years ago, Jeff B., from Wyoming, was due to return to Iraq for his 3rd tour of duty. He was a big, strong, brave and capable young man, and the commander of a large group of Special Forces. And he was the son of Jack B., a longterm member on the Ananda Healing Prayer Council.
Jeff felt strangely vulnerable this time at the thought of returning to Iraq. His father, a deeply intuitive and prayerful man, hadn’t worried about him on his first two tours of duty. But when he called me, I realized, even after he spoke only a few words, that he wasn’t sure if he would see his son alive again.
Sometimes we go through times of karmic vulnerability. It doesn’t mean we must meet our doom at that time, but it may mean we are much less likely to avoid catastrophe. Since Jeff could not avoid going back to Iraq, we needed to strengthen his aura and faith with any tools he would accept. His father was a devotee of Paramhansa Yogananda, but Jeff was a regular Wyoming guy. He believed in Jesus, deep down, but nothing too fancy or metaphysical.
I put Jeff on the healing prayer list to the whole group - about 600 people.
I also told his Dad about Soldier’s Psalm, and it’s reputed protection. He gave it to Jeff, who was ready to leave for Iraq. He received it gratefully. The biggest miracle may be that Jeff got most of his men to recite it daily. (A few blew him off; remember - these are the tough guys: Special Forces.)
Several seeks later, Jeff called his Dad from Iraq, and said, “Dad, I need a new watch.”
His Dad replied, “What? I just got you that watch! What happened?”
Jeff: “I can’t tell you on the phone, but I’ll explain later.”
It turns out that Jeff led his group on a very dangerous mission that day, going door to door in a dense, dangerous area, looking for terrorists. Suddenly there was an intense fire fight in a tight alley, and from shooters above them. Such conditions normally create many fatalities. Miraculously, only one soldier from the group was killed. It is always a deep tragedy, but it was a battle, after all.
Jeff, as commander, was normally the one to be right out in front, leading his men. He’s just that kind of guy. They were taking cover behind one of their trucks, and in the excitement, the driver reversed the truck - right on to Jeff’s wrist! He was pinned there! So, in a moment when Jeff would have normally thrown himself into intense battle, he simply had to lay there!
That was the karmic moment, I believe. It appears that much was mitigated through the psalm, healing prayers, and his father’s love and prayers. He lost the watch, but not the arm (and not his life) - by God’s grace. He was kept from harm.
Jeff showed great faith in God by doing the psalm, and also by getting his men to do it, too. Life is a school, and sometimes we barely know which lessons we are being tested on. God knows the full score, but I am guessing Jeff did very well.
Listen to Psalm 91
right here
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\Mary\Psalm91.mp3
The spiritual seasons of the year have nudged me to think about what inspiration I want to share with my kids, depending on their ages at the time. This all started when they were little and I knew they would be captivated by Santa and the Easter Bunny, etc. I used that momentum to slip in some age-appropriate spiritual substance, often from our collection of beautiful, spiritual books for children.
Sometimes we had casual events with our neighbors who had the same age children. For instance, some years, as Easter drew near, we had a special supper with our neighbors, followed by a commemoration of the Last Supper of Jesus. We winged it using flat bread, grape juice, and reading words from the Bible. What struck me, in the warm afterglow of the full meal we had just shared, was how involved the kids were; it was respectful, yet casual. They each seemed very willing to have their turn to read a few sentences before passing the Bible on to the next person. They wanted to be part of it. And this was a welcome balance (for the moms) to the upcoming Easter candy routine.
We did special things leading up to Christmas, and to the birthday of our guru, Paramhansa Yogananda. I can blog about those when the time comes closer again.
These spiritual seasons help me to take stock, and freshen up my act, as needed. Truth be told, once they hit the teen years, it was harder to be as consistent with the inspiration on a daily level, so the seasonal bursts helped us return to our spiritual roots as a family.
Now, as Easter again approaches, our youngest son is in high school. I see Lent as a time to focus on our guru’s teachings on the life of Jesus Christ. The 40 days of Lent honor Jesus’ fast of 40 days in the desert. So, I’ve told my kids before, 40 days of just about anything is easier than a 40 day fast in the desert. With that pitch, they might opt to do something privately, but at least they’ll go along with hearing about the life of Christ each night after dinner…especially if I keeping it short, sweet, and interesting. I have my ways…
Would you like to follow along with me, using this blog? Okay, my main resource is The Second Coming of Christ, The Resurrection of the Christ Within You by Paramhansa Yogananda. When I read this book, I feel close to both Yogananda and Jesus, but I don’t read it cover to cover.
Sometimes I pray over the book, asking, “What do You want me to see today?” and then opening the book, my eyes fall upon words that are wondrously alive and helpful to my personal spiritual journey. I have been in awe at how deeply, precisely, and personally God has guided me with this book. It is a true, timeless scripture written by our great Master, giving a pathway the living, mystical, presence of Jesus.
Other times I go to the chapters that pertain to the season, such as the Last Supper, Good Friday and the Resurrection, as well as Christmas. I’ve also been deeply inspired by the chapters on Christ’s healing miracles. Paramhansa Yogananda wrote deep commentary on all four of the gospels, over the last 20 years of his life, as installments printed in his magazine. The very last one coincided with his Mahasamadhi (conscious exit from the body).
Paramhansa Yogananda visited Therese Neumann in Germany in 1935, and verified the truth of her visions of Jesus’ life in Autobiography of a Yogi, CHAPTER 39; Therese Neumann, the Catholic Stigmatist. Accordingly, based on that endorsement, I sometimes use The Visions of Therese Neumann, by Johannes Steiner (currently out of print, but still available). This fascinating book details many of her visions of the life of Christ. But read it to yourself first before plunging ahead with your kids! Choose wisely!
Read these things ahead of time, then pick out some short sections to share with the family. Try to keep it simple. We share in the reading, depending on how people feel that evening. If I have done my part well, they are grateful. I tailor it for the youngest family member, looking for enlightening, inspiring stories.
This guided use of the Second Coming of Christ is really only suited for kids in high school on up. If your children are young, I would suggest you simply read it for yourself, a bit here and there, to build your own inspiration. It will stand you in good stead when your kids are older and start asking tough questions about God, and religion. And you might find some stories here and there to paraphrase to your children.
Invent it as you go. Much of what we share with our children springs from the things that we find most inspiring. In an upcoming blog, I will list a few of the children books we have in our home. I’ll blog more on this as we go through the sacred time leading up to Easter. I’d love to hear your thoughts and comments…
