Meeting Gurudeva
By: Raghavendra Giri
aka: Ricardo Dacosta
Before I left to India, many people asked me what was the reason, or purpose of my trip and to most I told them I was going to visit a friend. So let me tell you why I really went to India...:)
It all started when I received & hosted a documentary about the Kumbh Mela, a major pilgrimage festival that happens in India, which rotates every 3 years in 4 different cities or 12 years in each of those 4 cities. While I was putting the event together, I was told from my other job that we were going to be closed for the first week of July...India came into my mind right away, but one week was not going to be enough, so I asked my supervisor and she was kind enough to give me a extra week, so I bough my ticket from July 2-18 without knowing what my purpose was.
At this documentary there were many different Gurus (spiritual teachers) giving discourses about their teachings. For some reason, I felt extremely connected with one of them, Mahayogi Pilot Baba, so I started to do some research about him and the connection started to grow with every thing I read. I found out he had many Ashrams in India. One in the Himalayas got my attention and so I tried to communicate with them to see if Pilot Baba was going to be there, as he is always traveling.
I started to correspond through e-mail with one of Baba's disciple and what folows is our conversation:
Sun, 04 Jun 2006
Ricardo: I would like to know if it is possible to stay at the Ashram in Nainitial
from July 13-17. Thank you very much!
Mon, Jun 05, 2006 Dearest Ricardo, Will let you know the exact status in a day or so. Warm regards
Babaji's disciple
Fri, Jun 09, 2006
Ricardo: Hello, I apologize for my lack of patience, but do you know by now if there is
a chance for me to stay at the Ashram in Nainital from July 13-17. I
am traveling on my own and would love to have the opportunity to meet
and spend some time with Babaji. I am not really interested in
attending any courses as I feel the more knowledge I put in my brain
the more separate I feel from the universe, but I would be willing to
do any work or Seva if necessary. I am trying to live by the
experiences that the universe provides me on my daily basis. I don't
do any drugs and never had, if that matters. I don't follow any
religion or philosophy even though I have read & studied many at some
point in my life.
I don't mean to sound arrogant, but I am not usually the type of person
who is looking and/or following a Guru. As far as I am concern, people
who have become enlightend in the past, were following their own path,
so I don't see the reason to follow somebody else's path. As I said
before I like to have my own experiences in life and learn and evolve
from them. I do feel a strong connection and respect to Babaji's
writtings. Since I read this words from him "Belief cannot take you to
the truth because it put you in to the darkness of ignorance but trust
and experiment will take you to the self-realization, which is the door
to the supreme power, supreme consciousness." I have been feeling an
urge to be able to meet with him.
Thank you for your understanding
Much love and gratitude to you....Ricardo Dacosta
Sun, Jun 11, 2006
Dear ricardo,
Its nice to read your mails. Atleast you are honest
and upfront in what ever you do and say. don't worry
no one is going to force you to follow any guru or
any one else's path. You are the master of your will.
You may choose which ever path you want. If you
feel connected to Babaji that is also fine. You need
not attend any course, and you may stay in Ashram
from 13th to 17th July. Its going to be very simple
living and I hope you are prepared for that.
will give your details to the
ashram and will have to show your mail to Babaji
as soon as he is back in Delhi.
Till then loads of happiness and peace
babaji's disciple
Tue, Jun 13, 2006 Dear Babaji's disciple,
Thank you for your response and understanding. As for prepare myself
for simple living, I have no problem since I already live very simple.
I have no close friends or family in the US and I live in a very small
town in north New Jersey. I am surrounded by deers, bears, cows, lakes
and other friends from nature. My distraction/entertainment is a
project I have recently started, a healing center. I am the
director/founder of Integral Nutrition Center for the Oriental Healing
Arts. We have Yoga classes and I personally teach people how to eat
healthy and prepare herbal formulas using chinese medicinal herbs. Our
website is www.integralnutrition.com
I don't know how to explain this, but the closer I get to my departure
to India, the more I feel I should just go and stay at the ashram for
the entire trip (15 days). Originally my plan was to go to bangalore
and study/practice Ashtanga Yoga with Sri. M.S.Viswanath for 10 days
and then go up north to Pilot Baba's Ashram for the last 5 days. I
know this should be my own decision, but do you have any suggestion? or
could you present this email to babaji and ask him for his guidance? I
have been asking the universe for an answer and again the more I think
about it the more I feel I should spend my entire trip at the ashram.
I am not coming to India for a tourist adventure or anything like that,
so I would not have a problem to stay at the Ashram and not have the
opportunity to visit other places....right now the only place that is
important for me to visit is my own self and although there is no need
to travel all the way to India to do so, I feel I need some guidance
and I have found such guidance in Babaji's writtings.
I will be arriving in India on July 2nd...
Namaste,
Ricardo Dacosta
Tue, Jun 13, 2006 Dearest Ricardo,
Thanks for your detailed mail. Its nice to know
the details about you and your involvement in various
sectors. As you rightly said, its better that this
mail is seen by Babaji so that one can give you
an appropriate reply.
however in that case may I request you to please wiat until 23rd, as Babaji
will be back in Delhi only by that time and after he has seen the mail, will I be
in a position to reply you back.
till then laods of love and inner peace
Babaji's disciple
Fri, Jun 23, 2006
Dearest Ricardo,
Have shown your mail to Babaji. He says you are welcome in the
Ashram.
since Babaji will be in Nainital Ashram from 5th July onwards
you can meet him and be there for some days and later move on
to Bangalore. During this time Babaji is going to impart
Sansakr Diksha, Sankalpa Diksha to many disciples ( all those
who show interest in it). Later Ashram will be flooded with
disciples for the forthcoming "Gurupurnima" which falls on 11th
July followed by Babaji's birthday o n 15th. so I think you
should reach Ashram by 5th July so that you are able to interact
with him and fulfil your quest.
Hope this clarifies things with you.
all the best and loads of inner peace
Babaji's disciple
Note: I could not believe what I was reading, tears started to come out of my eyes when I knew that not only he was going to arrive the same day and that I was going to be able to meet him, but that all these other events were going to happend while I was there. I had no doubt that the universe had this trip prepared for me. Fri, Jun 23, 2006
Dear Friend,
My heart is filled with joy after reading your news! I will be arriving
in New Delhi's airport on July 5th at around 5:30am. Could you please
tell me if there is a bus to Nainital that I can take? I know there
are two trains; one that leaves at around 4pm and the other one at
10:30pm. Is there a bus I could take earlier? or (and this might be
too much to ask) Are there any disciples going to Nainital on that day
with Babaji that I could go with? As I have said before, I am traveling
by myself and with a small bag.
Thank you for all your help...Am I going to be able to meet you? I would
like to express my gratitude in person.
Sincerely,
Ricardo
Sat, Jun 24, 2006
Dearest Ricardo,
Thanks for your reply.
Glad to know that you have finally decided to be in India on
5th July.
Well regarding your onward transmission to Nainital, its better
if you are able to get the reservations done by train in advance
as it will be comfortable for you.
I don't think I'll be able to meet you during this time, as I have to
attend my office and may not be able to visit Nainital Ashram. Never the
less, if we are destined to meet, we will. You need not offer your
gratitude.
We are all here for a purpose and who knows how and where do we have to
fulfil it. Thanks anyways for such a wonderful gesture. I am blessed.
All the best and loads of love and inner peace
Babaji's disciple
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I arrived at the Ashram on July 6th and from there on I really have no words to express my experience. I have never felt so close to God in my life.
As soon as I met him I knew I had found my spiritual teacher, but my Ego was so high that I could not bow to him. Next day when we met again, I could not hold my ego anymore and went down to touch his feet and I am so glad I did! After that I was bowing to all Yogis who were living in the Ashram as to show my respect to them and the more I did it the better I was feeling.
Babaji has blessed me with devotion and with determination to find my true-self.
During Guru Poornima, he initiated me and gave me the name Raghavendra Giri. Since then, I have been devoted to my practice, not as much as I should probably, and to help him as much as I can when he travels to US.
~ Om Maha Yogi Pilot Baba Ji ~
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