Many people have asked me over the years frankly and quite dubiously (before yoga became popular):  “Why did you ever get into yoga? What is it that you saw in that far away –dirty, impoverished Eastern land? What could have made you LOVE it so much?”

 

“You are always saying it was the best years of your life, an experience that you could never compare. You felt it would definitely go down in History as being a Holy time – a spiritual time just like when Jesus walked this earth.  But Why?”  

 

I’ve met many along the way that have viewed yoga, meditation, self-realization as a fad, a cult – different, but in a bad sort of way – something to avoid altogether. When I first returned back to the USA in the early 1980’s from spending seven years in India, I wanted to share my great fortune. 

 

I would tell everyone I met about my incredible experiences of being with Baba and living in a foreign country with him at his Ashram.  I was so proud and so full of love for what I had been through that I wanted to share it with others and make sure people were aware of this Great Yoga, this Maha Yoga, this powerful path called Siddha Yoga.  I craved to give back some of that same Pure Love that I had been given! 

 

Then I was blindsided with reality.  I had spent all those wonderful years abroad but upon returning I learned that being back in the United States and out in society was totally different than living secluded in an Ashram surrounded by others of like interests and natures.  I began to realize that people did not want to hear about it; they didn’t want any part of it!  In fact they became put off by it and politely but firmly refused to listen. 

 

I could immediately feel them start to withdraw  – pulling back; becoming extremely edgy and nervous.  So I would talk that much harder, trying to explain my beliefs and experiences that much more.  Surely they could comprehend what I felt and saw.  Could they not see the importance of this yoga and how right it could be?  After many of these same such encounters, I began to see a pattern. I realized that these people, these so-called friends were JUST NOT INTERESTED.  They did not want to be bothered with such ‘nonsense’.  (A few years earlier there had been the Jim Jones ordeal and other weird happenings).  People would compare what I had been involved in as bizarre or perhaps a similar dark situation. 

 

Being the nature I am  –  dogmatic, strong-willed, tenacious, and extremely loyal I would defend my view of Siddha Yoga, over and over and over again.  It was hard to just keep quiet.  

 

     “In the midst of conflict, be friendly and harmonious.  If they rip apart your clothes, sew the pieces back together again.”

 

Finally I began to ease back – hurt and disappointed; knowing I was right, but not understanding why they were incapable or unwilling to fathom it… I became more cautious and would only tell a chosen few;  those who could commensurate and share with me on this profound subject.  I learned through the years to keep my ideas and feelings to myself, practicing alone, and eventually not talking about it at all.