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The Meeting 193
Baba’s relationship with N.S. seemed very special. It had been apparent from the start, when he knew she was unable to come to the ashram the first day because of her stomach problem. Now during the private interview, he had shown her his omniscience by talking knowingly about her emotionally ill daughter, knowing that Dr. H. had been the girl’s psychiatrist and promising to help. He told her to return later for “special vibuthi” for her daughter, to be used as medicine.
That afternoon we each went our separate ways. When we met later that evening for our final farewell, N.S. approached with tears in her eyes. “1 feel terrible. I don’t know how I did it but I lost that beautiful little OM medal. I can’t find it anywhere. I’m going to pray to Baba to find it for me and give it back.”
It’s not often that he’ll do such a thing, but it’s possible,” I said. Then Dr. H. piped up, “If he can do that, I’ll really be convinced.”
A few weeks after my return to San Diego I received a phone call from N.S. “Listen to what happened. I felt crushed after losing the medal. I returned to Delhi, traveled with the group, and finally ended the tour in Bombay. Every night I prayed with all my heart for Baba to bring it back. In Bombay I went through the same ritual, praying to Baba for the medal. The morning after I arrived I awoke to find it right next to me in bed!
“1 felt such deep contact with Baba, I wept and wept—I was exhilarated. Dr. H. was stunned. It’s so difficult to share an experience like this. People wonder if it’s just imagination or if I overlooked it in my searching—but I know. I know how much I searched every day of the trip. I know what lengths I went to to find that medal—and for it to show up right next to me in my bed was an absolute miracle.
“1 told the group leader and he asked me to speak to the group that evening about the experience we’d had with Baba. I felt it was such an honor and privilege to be able to speak to them about Sai Baba.”
Notes
1. See Appendix III Prana and Kundalini and Appendix IV for a discussion of the limitations of the humanistic-existentialist theories of energy, compared to the yogis’ understanding of the dynamics of prana, kundalini and the chakras and their influence in promoting spiritual growth and raising consciousness.
2. Photo of the Shirdi Baba ring is on p. 264.