Babaji -
divine majesty in a Hindu Saint
While western thinkers may be inclined to read Babaji’s story as weak religious fiction,
i learned of Babaji from a teacher i trust implicitly,
Paramahansa Yogananda, who himself encountered Babaji -
Paramahansa Yogananda, who himself encountered Babaji -
as a witness, Yogananda is third in line from Babaji, teacher to Lahiri Mahasaya -
who in turn was master (teacher) to Yukteshwar, who ultimately became teacher to Yogananda …
a very pedigreed line, if you will ...
these are the men listed below
a very pedigreed line, if you will ...
these are the men listed below
click on a thumbnail to scroll the gallery
Because Babaji's story stretches the limits of western belief,
i will share about my experience with Yogananda,
the last man in the series above,
third in line of direct teaching from Babaji -
i will share about my experience with Yogananda,
the last man in the series above,
third in line of direct teaching from Babaji -
Yogananda had been a longtime teacher,
so it was most humbling when he graciously and lovingly appeared to me,
suddenly and out of nowhere -
it was the late '90s and my motherless godson had just come out of brain surgery
ending a months' long battle with meningitis -
ending a months' long battle with meningitis -
along with the family of another patient,
i sat outside the pedi-ICU doors waiting to get to my godson inside …
those of us waiting were seated directly across from a set of three elevator doors –
i sat outside the pedi-ICU doors waiting to get to my godson inside …
those of us waiting were seated directly across from a set of three elevator doors –
no-one spoke -
after a short time the elevator to the far left arrived and when the door opened,
to my shock, Yogananda stepped out –
to my shock, Yogananda stepped out –
he was smiling, looking right at me, and so real
that i looked around to see if anyone else could see him –
he wordlessly said, “we are here”
and as the elevator doors closed, he was gone.
i looked around again but nothing indicated anyone else had seen anything,
and yet while my heart pounded and my brain rallied for reason,
by the vision my own world had been utterly and completely changed –
by the vision my own world had been utterly and completely changed –
for the first time in months, i knew my godson would be safe,
that we’d finally rounded home base from this meningitis/brain surgery nightmare.
that we’d finally rounded home base from this meningitis/brain surgery nightmare.
a short time after that
(if there is such a thing as 'a short time' in a hospital waiting room),
and beyond reason, the middle elevator arrived and when its doors opened,
(if there is such a thing as 'a short time' in a hospital waiting room),
and beyond reason, the middle elevator arrived and when its doors opened,
out stepped a much beloved, family friend, recently deceased two weeks hence -
she was accompanied by a hoard of angels
she was accompanied by a hoard of angels
who at her signal flooded out into the hallways,
disappearing as needed into the hospital’s energies --
disappearing as needed into the hospital’s energies --
deeply honoured by her visit, i was not however surprised to see her there -
this dear, dear friend, an elderly, genteel lady, two years prior,
had flown into our lives on a most uniquely Catholic magic carpet ride -
and her brief friendship with my children including my godson
had been intensely focused on teaching them the medicine of Catholicism -
most important to her was making sure they knew how to ‘commission angels’ --
she'd remind them, "because of free will, we have to commission them, you know"...
she took to quizzing them time and again,
had flown into our lives on a most uniquely Catholic magic carpet ride -
and her brief friendship with my children including my godson
had been intensely focused on teaching them the medicine of Catholicism -
most important to her was making sure they knew how to ‘commission angels’ --
she'd remind them, "because of free will, we have to commission them, you know"...
she took to quizzing them time and again,
and her candour joyfully intriqued the children who often talked about how
“Marie must command an army of angels” -
it was for that reason i was not surprised to see her outside ICU ...
it was for that reason i was not surprised to see her outside ICU ...
…but no sooner did that memory dissolve when unbelievably the third elevator doors opened,
and from its emptiness,
out spilled another hoard of Marie’s angels following her intentions.
and from its emptiness,
out spilled another hoard of Marie’s angels following her intentions.
It was at this point when the mother in the other family group waiting with us commented,
“how weird, that each of those elevators should open up, empty like that…”
when she spoke, i was still considering whether any of the doors opened at all,
or if it all had been a personal shamanic hallucination …
or if it all had been a personal shamanic hallucination …
i looked over at her, her eyes flooded with the pain she held for her child,
which was the same as my own had been just minutes ago, before the elevator magic -
which was the same as my own had been just minutes ago, before the elevator magic -
i wanted to share the comfort i’d been given in what i'd experienced -
so i smiled at her
“angels," i said "-they were delivering angels” –
so i smiled at her
“angels," i said "-they were delivering angels” –
the woman's eyes met mine and in the exchange, her energies lightened up considerably-
she nodded. “yes," she said, "angels – i like that!”
she nodded. “yes," she said, "angels – i like that!”
if she only knew …
and though it may seem i have digressed from Babaji,
i wanted to explain why i accept what is said about Babaji as true …
i wanted to explain why i accept what is said about Babaji as true …
i trust Yogananda, my beloved teacher, from whom i'd learned about Babaji
And with all that said...
And with all that said...
Babaji is a Hindu Indian saint who lives in the Himalayas and gave the world kriya yoga* --
notice i say, 'lives' in the present tense...
notice i say, 'lives' in the present tense...
an ascended master, he travels easily between ordinary reality (OR) and non-ordinary reality (NOR),
so mortals are hard-pressed to give an address on him in this plane –
so mortals are hard-pressed to give an address on him in this plane –
and would-be disciples have a hard time finding him –
the old adage, “when the student is ready, the teacher will appear,”
could very well have been inspired by Babaji
because he finds you, you don’t find him …
because he finds you, you don’t find him …
the interesting thing is that the accounts of disciples,
people who have met Babaji as well as forensic artwork
all seem to verify that those who encounter Babaji are encountering the same person …
and here’s the even more interesting kicker, especially from a shamanic point of view:
Babaji is ageless yet appears to be eternally young,
even though reports of him go back 2500 years …
even though reports of him go back 2500 years …
what is it Matthew says in 19:26?
"...with God all things are possible"?
"...with God all things are possible"?
-NHT
©2015, 2018, 2023
all rights reserved
note:
*in Autobiography of a Yogi Yogananda explains:
"Kriya Yoga is a simple, physiological method by which human blood is decarbonated and recharged with oxygen. The atoms of this extra oxygen are transmuted into life current to rejuvenate the brain and spinal centers. By stopping the accumulation of venous blood, the yogi is able to lessen or prevent the decay of tissues. The advanced yogi transmutes his cells into energy."
sources:
to read more about Babaji, Lahiri Mahasaya, Yukteshwar, and other Hindu saints, click here
to read more about Yogananda, visit his official website
related readings on the medical journey of NHT's godson -- 21 april 2016
the dream of shonone
eagles wings