Page 212 - Microsoft Word - SPIRIT AND THE MIND.doc
P. 212

188 SPIRIT AND THE MIND
was glamorous at times—but they didn’t feel he was in any way divine. Contact with him hadn’t changed their personal lives. “We’ve had enough and it’s time for us to get on with our trip.” I thought, “Well, let’s see what you’re going to do with this, dear Swami.”
We were escorted into an interview room. 1 recognized a number of my friends: Mike Goldstein, a physician from Los Angeles; John Svensson, an oil tanker captain from San Pedro, California; and Dr. V.K. Gokak, a professor and past principal of Bangalore University in India. He had brought a friend, the principal of a university in northern India. There were a number of other Indian people as well. As we entered the room, Baba quickly materialized ash for B.J. and N.S. and a silver medallion in the form of the Hindu OM for N.S. N.S. broke into tears as if struck by lightning. She was stunned and began to cry in deep sobs.
Baba materialized some objects for the Indian people and sat down in his chair while we all seated ourselves on the floor around him. There were about 25 people in the room.
I was surprised to see Dr. Gokak. I had visited him just a few days earlier at his home in Bangalore. We had had a very interesting talk about the process of spiritual development. I had commented that the journey is difficult at times, demanding great discipline, perseverance and the willingness to undertake austerities and accept suffering along the way. Dr. Gokak responded that spiritual aspirants sometimes court hardship and in a poetic way described the process as more like the natural unfolding of a flower. It took patience and time, he said, but the process could be as natural and painless as the unfolding from acorn to oak tree.
After we had both given our opinions, we looked at each other like innocent children and honestly admitted that the mystery was far greater than either of us could comprehend. Here we were, a professor for many years, as distinguished as any scholar in India, and an American psychiatrist for some 14 years, being made into little children. Smiling, we made a pact: “Let’s ask Baba about this point, and whoever finds out first must share it with the other.”
And now as fate would have it, here I was, sitting next to my great friend and playmate in this drama, perhaps about to receive the answer this very moment. Sai Baba’s devotees say those present in any particular interview are destined to have been there, the seating


































































































   210   211   212   213   214