I Won’t Pretend to Know Her
She knew meShe asked questionsThrough their explorationTaught me about myselfWhat do I know?What is my purpose?Why do I keep myself separate? I won’t pretend to know herShe could really see meTaught me how to see myselfIn her reflectionIn my ownMaybe this (she and the ashram) is whyI can be fully authentic nowI was not when […]
In the Garden
In the GardenI noticedAn ancient figureStooping towardAn open flower.My heart sprang openThat must be her!I tried to followBut my workCalled me back.Later, on the pathI met her radianceOur hearts sprangOpen togetherI love this place!I am gladYou came Barbara Jean Ritchie
The Yard
The yard in front of Many Mansions has many worlds within it. I love how Mary Ann slowly converted the manicured yard into a semi wild space, introducing moss and letting nature flourish. Some of my favourite memories of Mary Ann are just being, sitting, listening, next to the pond, under that amazing laburnum with […]
Come Close
Come closer, she whispersSomething in me rises to lean into her. Come closer, to who I am becoming,what I am learning, what I Know. Come closer, and I lean into Generosity,Humility, Practicality, Devotion, andCompassion practiced with a scalpel’s precisionfor what is unnecessary on the journey. Come closer, feel the ineffable Joyin Letting Go and Joyful […]
Memories of You
Visits in your kitchenMy first knowing of my love for youI’m young and I want life to be differentLive my life, embrace my life, you tell meYou teach me by your exampleYou support me to take next stepsBack to school and we are togetherWeekly classes, Satsangs, Rose CeremoniesTea at your orange table, sometimes joyous, sometimes […]
Meeting my Guru
The first time that I met Swami Radhananda was at Pakefield doing a Retreat with two other colleagues in 2009. She did not speak much, which contrasted with my Portuguese yoga teacher that made long talks in her retreats. This contrast made me feel uneasy in the beginning. However, the reflections that came to me […]
Watch your Mind
There was great anticipation in the room while the YDC’ers of 2007 pulled out notebooks and carbon paper and pens in preparation for our first class with Swami Radhananda. She strode in quietly, but firmly. Sat, with no introduction, pre-amble or context, and said, simply, “Watch your mind”.Once the shuffle of paper and people subsided […]
She Did It!
She did it,Through LoveWith Love.She lived the Practice.Taking the esoteric TeachingsMaking them accessible, livable, do-able. A life infused with Light.Devotion and gratitudeAt its core. I am foreverIndebtedAndInspiredto followHer into Light. Why not?She showed the Way.She provided the real life example.The how-to. A Light-infused Life.To HerI bow in gratitude, wonder and awe. Swami Radhatarananda
From Mary-Ann to Swami Radhananda
My memories are often about observing this transformation. I remember in the 70’s sitting in main house at a picnic table with Susan, Russell, and Mary-Ann just arrived in their orange van from Lethbridge. Another memory is in a workshop with Swami Radha at Many Mansions – a group of teachers. Swami Radha points out […]
A memory
I wondered if Swami Radhananda picked up thoughts. It was at an annual AGM and Swami Radhananda had been speaking of the Ashram and was asking for people to come up to the front and make a contribution as to what the Ashram meant to them. There wasn’t an immediate response and I was thinking […]