In my early 20’s, when the breakdown of my self-image was at its most unbearable, I knocked on the door to Many Mansions and stated, “I feel like you don’t like me and you don’t want me here.” A completely calm and welcoming Swami Radhananda replied, “why do you think that?” “Because of the way I treat women.” “How do you treat women?” I shamefully rhymed off a list of the deplorable realizations I’d had about myself, the ones I thought made me the most hated person at the ashram. She responded, “and how would you like to treat women?” I gave another list, of my ideals. She said, “would you like to write a paper about that and give it to me and I can support you with your ideals?” “I’d love that, thank you!” I felt so uplifted, loved, supported. On my way out the door, because it was my first time in the mysterious Many Mansions alone with Radhananda, I asked, “what do you do in here all day?” She shrugged and smiled and said, “this.”
Luke Lee Burton