• Table of Contents
  • Fasting for Enlightenment by Swami Veda Bharati
  • The Yoga Society 40th Anniversary by John Barry Stutt
  • Largest HYT Teacher Training in Rishikesh EVER!! by Maryon Maass
  • TTP Graduation Talk by Swami Veda
  • Something Swamiji Said by Katie Stueve
  • Contemplative Walking in a Peace Garden by Lori Beron
  • Swami Nityamuktananda in Florence by Sabina Cesaroni
  • Something Stolen by Swami Nityamuktananda Saraswati
  • Only A Life: A Journey to the Vashishta Cave by Arlene Matthews
  • A Walk in the Winter Dawn by Joanne Sullivan
  • A Himalayan Blueprint by Joan Anundson-Ahr
  • February Retreat in Thailand by Thaniya Kevalee
  • CDivine Mother at SRSG by Swami Veda
  • A Retreat to Re-Treat Yourself Submitted by Rose Reindl
  • New Swami Rama Book
  • Download the Shiva Sutras Series! by Wesley Van Linda
  • The Children Are Here! by Carolyn Hume
  • 2011 Events and Beyond
  • Full Moon Meditation Dates
  • Location of our SRSG ashram
• AHYMSIN Newsletter Archive

Something Swamiji Said

by Katie Stueve

In February 2008, I volunteered to help with the Himalayan Tradition's Information Booth and Book Store at the SYTAR Yoga Therapy Conference in Los Angeles.  Swami Veda was the key-note speaker, and we sat right in the front amongst hundreds of aspiring Yoga Therapists.  Throughout the day, the previous talks had been filled with Power Point case studies and intellectual lectures.  When the time for his talk began, Swamiji sat there, in silence, and allowed the pure stream of consciousness to flow forth.  There was a shuffling of notebooks and clicking of laptops. He patiently waited until the entire space became silent and then proceeded with a guided 2 minute meditation.  Gently, yet firmly awakening the pure essence of yoga, which served as a reminder of our highest spiritual self.

During the conference, I was asked by Randall Krause, if I was able to stay at the house where Swamiji would be residing for a few days, and attend to him.  Swamiji would be offering a lecture series at Loyola Marymount University in days to come.  I immediately accepted the honor and began to rearrange my "obligations." 

In between personal lessons on how to prepare proper Indian chai, and fetching the New York Times, I spent hours at Swamiji's feet during the Full Moon Meditations.  While sleeping, Swamiji came to me in a dream, and gently patted my shoulder to awaken me for my time of meditation.  I felt completely transparent in his company as if nothing I said really had any influence on his perception of me. 

One evening we sat in the living room and he passed over a small stack of recently published transcripts.  As I was reading one on Ayurveda, I found myself in pure awe, looking up to see Swamiji peacefully sitting there also reading.  The transcript I read spoke of disease and how in Ayurveda it is a manifestation of things like being greedy or not giving reverence to our elders.  I asked him, "How do I give you reverence?"  He chuckled and said, "Oh…in India they bow and touch their hands to me feet!"  Then he asked me, "How do you offer reverence to your mother?" I replied, "I give her a hug!"  He chuckled again and with open arms said, "Oh child, come and give me a hug!"  Even to this is day I feel that warm and loving embrace.  As I was preparing to leave, I had asked him, "Is there anything more I can offer you?"  and he replied, "Only a hug."

(Click for larger photo)

At the end of my time with Swamiji, he asked if I could travel with him and assist him further.  Although this was my greatest calling, I declined.  At the time, I was in a relationship with a person who was not supportive of my path and was jealous of the joy and contentment I was sharing.  So, I packed my bags and headed home only to find a stagnant, low-frequency relationship anxiously awaiting my arrival.  I justified it for awhile, but knew in my highest, truest self that I had made the wrong choice for the wrong reasons.  In the following months, the relationship dissolved.  In the process of healing and reestablishing my center, I made a resolve to find relationships, in the future, that supported my spiritual path.

Even so, it has taken a few years of lessons.  Recently, one morning I found myself spontaneously writing the recollection of this experience and it has been instrumental in reawakening my resolve to be and stay on my path.  I may never be offered an opportunity like the one with Swamiji again, but I do know, if so…the answer WOULD BE YES!

Editor’s Note:

As we know, Swami Veda Bharati is planning to take to a vow of silence for 5 -7 years on 10th March 2013.  This column is to celebrate his many years of traveling and teaching and also to honor what he has given us through this. What is the Something Swamiji Said that has impacted your life?

There is no set length.  It can be short or it can be long.   It can be a sentence, a paragraph, an article.  It can have pictures and photos.  It can be prose and/or poetry.

Please write to us at http://www.ahymsin.org/main/index.php/Contact-Us/AHYMSIN-Office.html

If you have already sent us “Something Swamiji Said,” please know that it will be published in a future edition.  We thank you for sharing.