Vishnu & Lakshmi

The last materialisation Swami Vishwananda undertook in relation to me happened while I was in Mauritius with him. He had come out of his room holding a brass statue depicting Vishnu and Lakshmi. It was the size of the palm of my hand. In a cheeky way he said, “Hmmm…. good sign,” and smiled. When I asked him what he meant he explained that the Goddess Lakshmi signifies spiritual and material wealth among other virtues. At the time my business was going through a very difficult phase financially: his message promised improvements in the near future. A little over two months later, the company was self-sufficient, sustainable and out of financial distress. The statue now forms part of the altar in our temple at Steffenshof.

Diamond

Shortly after I met Swami Vishwananda, he materialized something that looked like a diamond . When he gave it to me casually, at first I was disappointed. Inwardly I thought it was a simple little glass stone. What was I to do with a seemingly worthless piece of glass? 

In retrospect I feel ashamed of my attitude back then. How could I even have considered that he’d give me something that wasn’t precious? Many years later, after not treating the little stone with due respect, it dawned on me that I may have been wrong about it. I asked some people for their assessment, and as I carefully scratched a little bit of glass I started to realise that it was very possibly a diamond. While I could have taken it to an expert and really found out, I didn’t do that. The point here is that regardless of whether it was a genuine diamond or not, I hadn’t treated it as something precious. It is a symbol of how I treated myself and symbolically how most of us treat ourselves. We’re eagles and diamonds, sons and daughters of the heavens, but we often walk through life regarding ourselves mistakenly to be chickens and fake diamond glass stones. (by Vishwakuruananda)

“You don’t need Ring”

Drishti from Germany tells us her story about the ring that Swami Vishwananda materialised for her:
"During the next few months I tried to visit Him as often as I could. I found that many people received a materialised little gift from Him, except me, and I was quite sad about it. I thought He didn’t love me as much as He loved the others. When I went for a consultation in Switzerland, He gave some things to others and I dared to ask Him: “I would also love to have a ring from you.” He smiled at me and answered: “But you don’t need one!” I thought, OK, and went back home feeling a bit sad. Arriving at home, I called a friend who consoled me with the words that it was wonderful that I didn’t receive a ring because I didn’t need one! I should be happy about it, and I was finally all happy again!

Four weeks later, I met Visham again in Switzerland. He had me called as He wanted to speak to me urgently. He said: “Last time I felt sorry that I didn’t give you a ring.” I sat before Him and answered: “But please, don’t feel sorry, I don’t need a ring, I am happy without it.” He smiled at me and said: “Now I make you one!” and He materialised a ring with a big stone on it. The whole atmosphere was filled with Love. The big stone always touched my finger with its top, like permanent acupuncture. Swami told me that the stone was like an antenna which receives the kind of energy that I needed. Sometimes the ring hurts a bit. This is due to the receiving of energy, Swami explained."

Shirdi Sai Baba Silver Ring

Around the world Swami Vishwananda materialised many rings for devotees. They are a protection for the personn who wears it. Vishwakuruananda remembers the ring that Swami manifested for him:

"The description of the items that Swami materialized for me all serve to explain their deeper significance to me and overall.. They all happened in 1998, that is within a few months after first meeting him. 

When I met Swami, he was materialising vibhuti, rings and other things on a regular basis. I had never worn a ring in my life, so when he materialised a silver ring for someone, I believe it was Urs and said to him, “If you were ever to give me a ring, I would like to have a silver one like the one you’ve just materialized.” That same evening he materialised a Shirdi Sai Baba silver ring for me which I wear on my right-hand middle finger. I love Shirdi Sai Baba, as he represents humility and simplicity for me. I resonated with these qualities and felt a particular connection to him, even though I couldn’t fully grasp it. Later I met several individuals who seemed to have a similar connection with this saint: all of us shared a mutual feeling that we might have been with him in his lifetime". 

Polishing the shoes?

Small miracles happens around Swami Vishwananda. A devotee wrote us this story:

Whenever I needed guidance or help, I asked Swami Vishwananda in my meditations, and help and guidance was unfailingly given. There was no doubt in my mind that Swami was assisting me whenever I meditated and asked for help. Yet Swami Vishwananda is very subtle and never takes credit for any help or guidance that I received.

A small incident happened to show the subtleness He displays. We had a function at a house, and I arrived just on time. I thanked the Lord for the new tradition I had adopted of leaving my shoes outside the house, as they were filthy dirty! It would have been embarrassing walking into the function with my dirty shoes. I left my shoes outside with thirty other pairs (I noticed that most of them were dirty) and went inside. Later on during the night, we were making a mould for Swami’s feet and I noticed that the mould began to crack slightly. I began filling in the cracks and Swami walked in and jokingly said, “Don’t change the size of my feet.” Later on I had to collect something from my car. I went outside and was about to put on my shoes, when I noticed that they had been beautifully polished. Everyone else’s where dirty but mine were shining! I thanked the owner of the house for cleaning my shoes but she replied that she had no idea what I was talking about and that she did not have time to polish my shoes. I knew that Swami had acknowledged me for fixing the mould. Although this is a small almost inconsequential incident, it showed me the humility of this great Avatar.
There are many levels to Swami Vishwananda and I have only just seen the tip of the iceberg. I thank the Divine Mother for giving me an opportunity to have a Guru that has qualities that I can only aspire to.  I know that my life journey has only just begun.  

Who is Swami Vishwananda?

Pari told me:"Many friends ask me: Who is Swami Vishwananda? Actually this is a very difficult question and is nearly impossible to find an answer. If you look at the life of Swami Vishwananda, his teachings and how he behaves with people whom are around, you can see only pure love and light. It doesn’t matter, what he is doing, he does everything with much love and patience. Swami Vishwananda has patience with everyone and loves everyone in the same way. He would never judge or talk bad behind your back. Some people judge him because they don’t understand who he really is. They have an image about a Guru in their mind and think he has to be like they want him to be. 
He loves to laugh and to be together with people and act like everyone else but he is always aware of his mission. He is doing the prayers and pujas with so much love that you feel Gods presence in you and all around you. If you look at him with physical eyes you see him as a “normal” human being, but he is not human at all. He is a direct incarnation of God in a human body. He is here to uplift and to help us find the way back home to God. I’m eternally grateful to have Swamiji in my life. I love him with all my heart and all my soul". 

Impossible dreams coming true

We know that Swami Vishwananda helps people around the world. This ability began very early with friends and at school in Mauritius. One of his old friends, Arwin remembers how Swami was on his side during his studies:

"In 1996, I completed college and was waiting for my final grades; then I got an interview for a nursing officer position. When Swami Vishwananda and I were discussing it one afternoon, I expressed it was my dream job. “Why are you worrying about it?” he asked. I said there was much competition for the position and he reassuringly said, “Don’t worry, you already got the job”. I became carefree, trusting in what he’d said.  
Later I interviewed before the board responsible for approving the prospective candidates and their concluding words to me were, “Consider the job yours”. The next time I saw Swami Vishwananda, I happily said I‘d got the job and he said, “This is just the beginning. Take my word for it; you are going to be a doctor very soon”. His statement was completely unexpected and seemingly impossible to me because my finances did not permit further study.  
So I continued with my job as a nursing officer and in my spare time worked as a first aid officer. I devoted all my time to this work, but soon had some problems with the organisation which forced me to leave. I felt completely crushed and lost. This was such a big part of my life and I didn’t know what to do.  
Then a friend called one day to suggest that since I’d done so well on the first aid training course, I could apply to medical school to become a doctor. I told him I didn’t have the money. He suggested I attend school in Russia and pay annually: He said he’d arrange it for me at the University of St. Petersburg. So I contacted St. Petersburg University, sent in my application and was accepted. At the time, I was working as a nursing officer at a hospital and couldn’t break my contract. No one was being granted a leave, but I wrote the hospital a letter requesting leave-without-pay to further my studies and bought my airline ticket to Russia. The date of the flight was growing nearer and no answer had come from the hospital ministry. I simply trusted what Swami Vishwananda had told me and thought whether they accepted or rejected my request for leave, I didn’t care. The date of my flight arrived and I left for St. Petersburg. It was a Saturday. Two days later on Monday, the letter approving my leave application arrived.
As a student in Russia, I was very fortunate and bonded with my new professor. I was staying with him, which was very unusual. The other students had begun their course two years earlier. Despite this obstacle, I scored first in my final exam, which I put down to my professor’s faith in me".
Arwin – Mauritius 

Seva activities

Swami Vishwananda carried out many activities to help others. He is very disciplined in carrying out these practices. A close disciple tells us how she experimented from early time the sevas activities of Swami:

"We visited the orphanage once a month, organised blood donations on a regular basis and went on many outings to spiritual sites. We went on many fun picnics, singing bhajans in the bus all the way. To celebrate the twentieth birthday of Swami Vishwananda, a picnic party was planned and three buses filled with devotees participated with great joy. We also took this occasion to bring some handicapped children out to the seaside. Games to suit these children were organised by the bhajan teacher and everyone had a great time!
On one occasion Swami Vishwananda visited his aunt’s place in Beau Bassin. There he saw a lovely picture on the wall in the kitchen and said, “I want that picture. I need it”. – “Here… you can have it”, his aunt replied. 
Soon after, everyone proceeded to the Rose-Hill ashram where Swami gave his aunt a picture frame in exchange for the picture. She put it behind the door and when she went to get the frame before leaving, to her astonishment, the picture was covered with fuchsia-pink coloured vibhuti.

Swami Vishwananda has shown us the way of light and raised the level of our spiritual awareness. I feel blessed to have been given this opportunity to recount some of the experiences we have shared with Swami. 
Thank you for everything Swami! With all my respect, love and humility, I surrender my ignorance and arrogance. Bless me with your love. Jai Gurudev! 
B. D. - United Kingdom

Swami Vishwananda singing Bajans

Los Angeles Darshan

A big lesson

Swami Vishwananda teachs in the daily life. As a true master he tests also the disciple. Pari wrote us her experience in this matter:

"I went to see Swamiji in Switzerland a few years ago. I wanted to do the whole tour and I drove from one end to the other. There was a Satsang on one evening and I wanted to give him a nice postcard. I’m always very excited when I have the chance to talk to him. A lot of people formed a queue after the Satsang and one by one had a talk with Swami Vishwananda. I waited till the end of the line and went to him with a red face which was a result of my excitement. I wanted to give him the card but the only thing he said was: “The German people can come in Germany to me”. I was shocked and deeply hurt. A normal human reaction would be to get angry. I was not angry at all. I was only sad and had tears in my eyes. I had the feeling that my heart was going to die. I started to meditate and try to understand why he treated me like this. I calmed down and slowly opened my eyes to see what Swami Vishwananda was doing. 
I received the next shock. A man from Germany was talking to him and they had a lot of fun. That was too much for me. I closed my eyes again to meditate. It is impossible to describe how many emotions came up but still I felt a lot of love for Swamiji and the only wish I had was to understand what he wants to show me with this game. At the point of deep meditation and self analyzing I’ve heard Swamiji laughing very loud. I looked at him and saw him with his outstretched arm towards me. He gave me a sign to come and asked me what I have in my hand. I gave him the card and he smiled at me with a smile which I will never forget. At this moment I realized that this was a big test for me. 

A mirror to everyone

Having observed Swami over the years, I have had many opportunities to see that he easily adapts to every characteristic of the person he is speaking with. When conversing with a young, fifteen-year old, he himself starts to assume the voice, gestures and behavior of a person of that age. The same can be said when he is conversing with a ninety year old man or woman. He moves like them and talks like them. I have noticed that even his facial expressions adapt to a person’s age. It seems to me that he acts like a mirror for people. He always uses a very specific mode of communication, uniquely tailored for each person and their character.

Humility and divinity

Swami Vishwananda simplicity is well know from his disciples. A devotee told us :

"I first met Swami Vishwananda in a private home, where my family and I were scheduled to have an interview with him. As we climbed the stairs to the upper floor, a kind, young man wearing an Om Namah Shivaya T-shirt met us. We casually greeted him and brushed past him, as we were very excited and impatient to see this great holy man. As we opened the door to the interview room, we found that it was empty. It was at that moment that we, with shame, realized that the kind, humble man we had met on the stairs was none other than Swami himself. 
This is one of the most striking traits of his personality: his humility and simplicity. He is very approachable and close to people, teaching us the lesson that we always expect God to be somewhere else and we fail to notice that humility and divinity are in the simple things within and around us".

Darshan of Swami Vishwananda

During darshan people have sometimes amazing spiritual experiences. Vijan from South Africa tells us about his experience with Swami Vishwananda:

"I know Swami Vishwananda for about four years in Begin 2005. I played harmonium for him on that first meeting. Coming from a deeply ritualistic hindu background and being naturally sceptic, I will admit that I find it difficult to believe in miracles..., still, perhaps you will find my experience worthy.

During Dharshan, when one is on bended knees in front of Swami Vishwananda, and beholds his beautiful eyes, I am transported in that brief moment, through the Cosmos, through fire and ether, to a beautiful, wondrous place that I feel can only be heaven.
This must be the same feeling that Mother Yashoda must have experienced when she gazed into the mouth of her beautiful boy, Shri Krishna, and beheld the entire Cosmos inside of his mouth.
Love for one's Guru is infinite and unconditional. I know now that beholding a miracle will not affect my feelings toward my Guru. I only grieve that it took so long to find him".

The lost organizer

Often we heard from devotees how Swami Vishwananda helps them. Here is a story that Pari told us:

"I lost my personal organizer which is very important to me because I have all numbers and all my appointments in it. I searched everywhere for it. In the car, flat, on the street but there was nothing. I couldn’t believe it and I was looking in the same places over and over again. After 2 days I became desperate and started to pray to Swami Vishwananda to show me where my organizer was. Suddenly I had the feeling that it was in my car and that I should go there to have a look. I said to myself, I won’t go to the car. I was there already 5 times, but the feeling was so strong and so I looked again and I couldn’t believe my eyes! The organizer was there! Under the car seat but not hidden. It was clearly visible. It’s no question for me that Swami Vishwananda materialized the organizer.

Swamiji helped me also in a daily situation. Very often when I start my laptop it doesn’t want to work and I have to start it again and again without a positive effect. Till the point, when I ask Swami Vishwananda for help. Maybe it seems funny, but I just ask him once for help and the laptop works. The same when I drive to the city and need a parking space. (I have to note that I live in a big city and it’s very difficult to find a parking space.) Before I arrive there I ask him to organize one for me and it works perfect! 
Thank you Guruji"!

The puja

An aunty of Swami Vishwananda tells us about the devotion to God that she could observe from an early age by Swami:

"Swami Vishwananda loved performing prayers from a very early age and joined his grandmother (my mom) in her daily rituals. My dad always helped my mom to prepare her puja but one day my mom was surprised when she noticed that her puja was ready even before she had completed sorting out all of her offerings. She looked around trying to figure out who had been there to so lovingly set up the altar and then she knew it had to be Swami Vishwananda.
As a small child, Swami Vishwananda took delight in making murtis with earthen clay and then painting them with great love and care. As a young teenager, he often loved visiting the Shirdi Baba temple in Cure-pipe, always offering a coconut, incense sticks and flowers as prasad. Unlike other youth of his age, he always preferred to keep himself busy by singing bhajans. From early childhood, his love for God was always expressing itself.
On holiday in Mauritius, Swami Vishwananda invited me to a puja they were holding at his home and I happily agreed to come. When I reached my sister-in-law’s apartment, I was very surprised to see that it was not a priest reciting all the prayers, but Swami with Ravi and his friend at his side blowing the conch. The three of them were confidently performing all the prayers outside in the yard. When the puja was over, prasad was passed around. It was a lovely puja. I couldn’t believe it, as he was only thirteen years old at the time.

Happiness and security 8

The guru’s job is to intercede for us; he is having hard job of pulling our mind away from matter towards spirit. There is a great tug of war going on at the level of our souls where he is pulling us God-ward while we are still fighting for the little comfort of the mortal existence.
He is showing us the true shelter and safe haven in God, no matter how unbelievable it may appear to us at times. And sometimes for the purpose of quickly snatching us away from our misery he creates delusion and more turbulence as to speed us on our way. We stumble and fall many times in keeping up the pace with him. And sometimes we realize that we loose the ground on which we stand. And that frighten us then the doubts creep in and we start to lose the faith and courage to move on and we dig our heels like a stubborn donkey. 
And the delusion the guru creates sometimes has the function to test our faith and love for him. Only when our faith is unshakable by any adversities or outward circumstances than we are rightly to be called the kings. And our kingdom is the sense of inner freedom and our unbroken Divine Communion. These inner vistas are larger that all the kingdoms of all the kings and emperors that ever walked this earth. Their conquests were temporary and passing. When we are capable of taming our anger and pride we can be rightly and truly called victors. Than we can relate to the biblical proverb: “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.” (Proverbs 16:32)
One may think that coming to the ashram will bring us the security we are all searching for. How mistaken we can be in assuming that anything of this world, no matter how beautiful it may appear to the senses, will put the peace balm on our souls. That will never work for this world is made in a way that whenever we find ourselves secured in a thought or a place, the outward circumstances will give us a good shake to remind us that we are still “writing on the surface of water”.
The only true and lasting security is the realization of our true identity as sons of God, no matter if that realization finds us within the premises of the ashram or outside. Those who live outside long for and dream of being in the ashram, falsely assuming that living inside the ashram will bring them security and salvation. And those who are inside may feel secure that no effort will be needed to achieve the lasting security. 
Outward circumstances do not matter. They may be helpful or at times act as obstacles but if we look at them as opportunities to rise above our human imperfections and as instruments of our spiritual growth we can race fast heavenward. 

related article: http://www.bhaktimarga.org

Hapiness and reality 7

The true master is the lighthouse in the darkness who points us the way to go. In the inner forest, during the night, there are many tigers that stalk and are ready to devour our efforts for perfection of purifying our hearts. They make our souls restless, and the tigers are our desires and attachments. Besides these, the ego and pride are the greatest obstacles in progressing on our spiritual path. 
By humbling ourselves before the guru and listening to his word we begin our upward climb and make our progress easier and moreover we lessen our suffering and discover the true happiness and joy that has always been part and parcel of our being but it was buried by our ignorance. 
He gives us our eternal shelter. Under the umbrella and guidance of the true guru we safely cross the ocean of misery and suffering. But having the guru does not mean that from the moment we meet our guru the whole suffering will end in a split second. Sometimes it may seem to us that the suffering is greater. It is so because he accelerated our evolution and the things we were to go through over a period of lifetimes we are working out in a matter of a short time. Removal of cancer is painful for the time being but it brings greater relief once the wound is healed. 

Even when sometimes everything seems gloomy on our way we may think of the hand of our Divine Mother coming down to caress us. The temporal darkness is just the shade of Her hand whose touch will bring all our troubles to an end.
To walk in the footsteps of the master is not always easy because if we are not established in our faith and resolve that we go all the way (not the half way or three quarters of the way) no matter what, we may stumble many times, clinging to our doubts which arise from our imperfect vision and lack of faith.
If we could surrender our thoughts, doubts, our troubles and problems, all the negativity to our guru-friend, we would never be afraid again. In giving up all that does not belong to us we free ourselves from unnecessary burden and with light and springy steps we are able to run towards the embrace of our Loving Mother who awaits us and craves for us more than we care for Her.  
Guru does not ask from us anything that is not for our benefit. If we still, in spite of all our understanding that we may have, shyly extend our hand, the guru will be powerless to do much and Mother will be even more shy to show Her blessed Face.
But if we lift our arms high up in the sky, Loving Mother will impatiently rush towards us to ascend us to the heavenly mansion She has prepared for us. And then we will have the true and lasting shelter and be eternally secured in the bliss and love.

related article: http://www.bhaktimarga.org/

Happiness and security 6

When we love or are in love – what happens? – the whole world disappears and we are in that blissful state where we embrace all and yet we are detached from our assumed and false identity. We feel freedom and we become That. That is our true nature. I am now reminded of the Bible parable where St. Paul recites his well known Ode to Love, (1 Corinthians 13). I am now inclined to quote here the whole passage for I could not shorten it to a line or two:
 
1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 
2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 
3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. 
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 
5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 
6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 
7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 
9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 
10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 
11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 
12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.  
13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love

Jesus has declared: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” That is the essence of spirituality, the essence of all true religions. If we can consciously strive to achieve the purity of the heart by loving and giving that love to all we are half way there – to our true heavenly Abode.

related article: http://www.bhaktimarga.org/

Happiness and security 5

The priceless gift one can get in one’s life is the grace of having a guru. By following the advice and guidance of such a man of God, we easily progress on our way toward the clarity as to who we are and why we are here for and where we are heading to. By taking his precepts to one’s heart one becomes more and more free inside. Less and less this evanescent creation affects him and even many desires yet to find their way from the depths of his heart cannot but only tickle him. 

If you scratch the mosquito bite: of course the sting will burn with pain and affect the larger surface of the skin. The same is with desires: they will always try to entice you to play the “dance of illusion”, but it is up to you to play with them or let them go. If you refuse to make friends with them they will quickly go away. Slowly you learn how to detach from them and from the false identity as who you think you are. You are not the body, nor the mind; not the intellect or name and titles people like to attach to their chests like the war veterans their badges of honour or the navy officers the stars or the stripes on their epaulettes. The essence of what we are is not easily realized for our souls are covered with the mud of turbulent thoughts and restlessness which sprout from unfulfilled desires. When the static of our minds are quieted then slowly we begin to peek into the ocean of pure bliss and love which we really are. We are made of that bliss and love. 

related article: http://www.bhaktimarga.org/

Happiness and security 4

Once when spiritual minded people are strongly firm in their resolution to find the “kingdom within” their yearning for God-union starts to accelerate. And God then sends them books and lesser teachers who guide them to a certain level. When even those “spiritual toys” are meaningless and do not fulfil their deep-seated longings of their hearts God sends them a guru, a spiritual master who is appointed by God to guide them through the forest of desires and attachments and impurities of their hearts. 

A master, the one who has mastered his mind and subdued his ego and banished the pride forever, is rightly capable of leading the wayward humans. He is called, a guru in Sanskrit, meaning the one who is able to banish the darkness and ignorance from the soul of others and lead the people toward eternal happiness in God. 

related article: http://www.bhaktimarga.org/

We are all parts of God, and therefore, as the Bible declares: ye are gods – our task on earth is to rediscover that oneness with the Creator, our Father-Mother. We are sent here to learn some lessons; therefore this place is only a temporal abode. But when we think that this house is our home and mistakenly think that we are the body – then the suffering starts. We want a better car because we can show off to our friends that we are better off and happier while inside we are corrosive of too much worry and unfulfilled desires. Even when we get the very things we crave for still we find ourselves even more unhappy. Perhaps for one day or so we get little pleasure in fulfilling some desires but after comes the great awakening and we see that we are even deeper in the misery. Many don’t even ask themselves why or ponder about their states of mind trying to understand but let themselves being cranky infecting all with their mental heaviness.  

Hapiness and security 3

Once when spiritual minded people are strongly firm in their resolution to find the “kingdom within” their yearning for God-union starts to accelerate. And God then sends them books and lesser teachers who guide them to a certain level. When even those “spiritual toys” are meaningless and do not fulfil their deep-seated longings of their hearts God sends them a guru, a spiritual master who is appointed by God to guide them through the forest of desires and attachments and impurities of their hearts. 
A master, the one who has mastered his mind and subdued his ego and banished the pride forever, is rightly capable of leading the wayward humans. He is called, a guru in Sanskrit, meaning the one who is able to banish the darkness and ignorance from the soul of others and lead the people toward eternal happiness in God. 

We are all parts of God, and therefore, as the Bible declares: ye are gods – our task on earth is to rediscover that oneness with the Creator, our Father-Mother. We are sent here to learn some lessons; therefore this place is only a temporal abode. But when we think that this house is our home and mistakenly think that we are the body – then the suffering starts. We want a better car because we can show off to our friends that we are better off and happier while inside we are corrosive of too much worry and unfulfilled desires. Even when we get the very things we crave for still we find ourselves even more unhappy. Perhaps for one day or so we get little pleasure in fulfilling some desires but after comes the great awakening and we see that we are even deeper in the misery. Many don’t even ask themselves why or ponder about their states of mind trying to understand but let themselves being cranky infecting all with their mental heaviness.  

related article: http://www.bhaktimarga.org/

Hapiness and security 2

Many simple peasants you can find all around the globe who are embodiments of the natural joy and love. They do not practise yoga and meditation, or attending seminars for self-healing; nor do they read self-help books and New Age psychology. 
So what is the matter with spiritualists who know all the teachings by heart and can give you any advice on any problem you may be having but can’t help themselves?
Many are flying high in the spiritual heights amongst the clouds of other people’s scriptural interpretations and wisdom (usually hiding behind them) but can’t, at the same time, see the clouds of their own arrogance and consequently ignorance. 
In walking with their noses high up in the sky they bypass the very thing they, in the first place, are meant to work on: their own selves. They are often judgemental of others who do not agree with them, looking down on others especially those who are not “spiritual”. 
Sooner or later they come to the blind alley of their reasoning. To get out of their mental labyrinth is not possible without the spiritual guide, a preceptor who can point out to them the wrong ways and enlighten the path which leads towards the all-round soul fulfilment. 

Material people may be, and sometimes are much more spiritual and spiritually advanced than those who pose spirituality. They may not repeat the secret syllables and stand on their heads or in a contorted posture for hours on end or read the cards as to “helping” others solve their dilemmas while their lives remain a mess. But their willingness to help the first-door neighbour and local community and above all to create and maintain the harmony and loving relationships within their own homes gives them the “grace” to do more: they fulfil the first commandment that Christ gave and also they give unselfishly and in return they receive more and more. Thus they become the instruments of the Divine and God can do and does more through the willing hands.

related article: http://www.bhaktimarga.org/

Happiness and Security 1

Here a letter from a disciple of Swami Vishwananda that contains nice words about true spirituality:

"In this world we are all seeking basically two things: happiness (eternal bliss and joy) and security (our safe haven).

Spiritual people (those people who are consciously trying to find the “escape door” from the shackles of this maya-illusion) and so-called worldly or materially oriented people (the ones who are, for the most part, unconsciously trying to fulfil their soul longing by assuming that this world will satisfy their heart desires) are in the same boots, so to speak, as to the struggles they are having. 

Usually spiritual people (mostly a misnomer in my humble opinion) think of themselves as superior to the material people thinking that they are higher because they are somehow conscious of the path they are walking, but that is mistaken. Many times they do not see the traps of their reasoning. Spiritual development/unfoldment does not depend on how much you are conscious of the spirituality but on the humility and acceptance of whatever God places before the soul.
Some people may not know of anything as to the spiritual teachings and practices, but if they accept the God-given duty, whatever it may be, and do it with the right attitude and if they follow the basic rules of moral conduct which are part of all world religions and are innate to all humans no matter how deep those happen to lie dormant, they are naturally developing; their hearts are being purified and making ready to receive more of the divine love. 

related article: http://www.bhaktimarga.org/

Diamond

Many people could see Swami manifesting rings that he gives to the personn short after. Dyviananda tells us about the materialisation of a diamond:

"Shortly after I met Swami, he materialized something that looked like a diamond. When he gave it to me casually, at first I was disappointed. Inwardly I thought it was a simple little glass stone. What was I to do with a seemingly worthless piece of glass? 
In retrospect I feel ashamed of my attitude back then. How could I even have considered that he’d give me something that wasn’t precious? Many years later, after not treating the little stone with due respect, it dawned on me that I may have been wrong about it. I asked some people for their assessment, and as I carefully scratched a little bit of glass I started to realise that it was very possibly a diamond. While I could have taken it to an expert and really found out, I didn’t do that. The point here is that regardless of whether it was a genuine diamond or not, I hadn’t treated it as something precious. It is a symbol of how I treated myself and symbolically how most of us treat ourselves. We’re eagles and diamonds, sons and daughters of the heavens, but we often walk through life regarding ourselves mistakenly to be chickens and fake diamond glass stones". 

A small miracle

When you pray to Swami, he is right on the spot, close to you. Pari had this amazing experience:

"Once I was together with my mum and my dog in the car on the way back home. We had a long day and we just had the wish to reach back home as soon as possible. We drove a little bit too fast and didn’t recognize that a police car was just behind our car. The traffic light was nearly red but we couldn’t stop because we had too much speed. The police saw it and decided to follow us. We had no idea what to tell them and we knew that we had done wrong. We prayed to Swamiji, that he would help us to handle the situation. At this moment we could feel his energy very strong and we calmed down. We drove into a side road to see if they were still following us and they were. We tried to find some words to tell the police and stopped our car. The police car came closer; they looked in our car with a strange mien and turned around! "

"Are you my Guru?“

In summer 2002, Swami Vishwananda started to practice the Hindu-religion again. Drishti was there and tells us:

"I was very happy about this. In Mauritius He built a temple for the Indian Saint Shirdi Sai Baba next to the chapel dedicated to Mother Mary. This was the first time I experienced all the Hindu-ceremonies and heard how beautifully Swami Vishwananda sang Bhajans (Indian devotional songs). I especially liked the recital of mantras, the Lingam-Abishekam in the morning and the occasional Yagnas (fire ceremonies). To see Swami in this way was new and very exciting for me.
I had a wonderful time with Him in His homeland. Some visitors from Europe rented a small fishing-boat and we sailed very early in the morning out into the sea to swim with the dolphins. We were wondering whether we’d see any dolphins at all. However, Swami was with us, so I knew it would work out. Many dolphins came, they swam very close to the boat and we were able to touch them. It looked as if they were doing a “ballet” for us and we had a very good time. Towards the end of this holiday I was thinking about, whether Swami Vishwananda was my Guru or not. I wasn’t actually looking for anything like a Guru in my life at that point. I was wondering whether I should ask Him though I didn’t dare to. After all, I thought, it wasn’t that important. 
On my last evening in Mauritius, I was about to go to bed when Swami called for me. He was standing on the balcony and we were looking over the town. “Nice evening”, He said. “Yes”, I answered… “It’s not hot here”, He said. „No, the weather is nice,“ I answered. What kind of conversation was this, I thought to myself! Why is He standing here? Ok, maybe He feels that something is bothering me, I thought. So I said: “I have a very stupid question, may I ask it?” He encouraged me and said: “Yes, ask!” So I asked: “Are you my Guru?” He looked into my eyes and said: “What does your heart say?” “My heart says yes,” I replied. He agreed and said: “Yes, I am your Guru“. That was a wonderful moment. Finally I reached home. Since that moment I have felt absolutely calm, cared for and protected.
On another visit to Mauritius, Swami Vishwananda taught a group of about 15 people various energising exercises every morning and meditated with us. Towards the end of the trip everyone received their personal Guru-Mantra". 

He sees into my heart

When they meet Swami Vishwananda many people feel in their heart the unconditional love emanating from him. Sometimes people feel also shye because of his awareness. A disciple of Swami remembers her first meeting:

"Seven years ago in a home in Bern, Switzerland I first met the divine being, Swami Vishwananda. At the time there was an English healer working in the same house. I had offered my services to him by acting as a translator and assistant for the Swiss people who came to see him. One morning, the healer told us that later that day a highly evolved, spiritual soul would come and visit us. He was very enthusiastic about the forthcoming visit and was eagerly awaiting the guest. 
Later, as I was just about to call the next patient from the waiting room, I saw a young man standing there. I immediately knew that he was the visitor the healer had spoken about earlier. The young man greeted me with a loving hug that somehow seemed very familiar to me. Strangely enough, I felt a deep sense of joy. I led him to the healer and heard them warmly greet each other.
A few minutes later when I saw Swami again, I was comforting and holding a young lady in my arms who was very sick and seemed tired of life. Swami Vishwananda asked me if I was a healer and I told him that I wasn’t. He replied, “Yes, you are a healer; you are healing with your heart”. He took the distressed lady whom I had been holding into his arms and materialised some vibhuti that he then sprinkled over her hands and head. He then gave me some vibhuti, followed by a ring that he materialised. He slid the ring onto my finger and I was quite surprised to find that it was a perfect fit. I had no idea what was happening to me as I had never seen or heard of materialisation before. Although I was filled with astonishment, my heart was full of an incomprehensible bliss. I felt a wave of boundless love flow from him and my soul was ready to follow this divine being to wherever he would lead me. Since that first meeting with Swamiji, I not only feel deeply connected with him but also safe in his love. I know deep within me that our souls have been closely connected through many lifetimes."
E.E. - Switzerland

Navaratri 2006

During the Navarathri festival, we hold prayers for nine days which are dedicated to the Divine Mother. On the last day, we serve food to all the people who attend the prayers. In the year 2006, we prepared the food as usual, but we were only expecting about 300 people to attend. To our surprise we found that on that day 600 people arrived for the prayer. The people who had prepared the food told me that the food would never be enough to feed all these people. I felt really ashamed and had no idea what to do. My sister, together with some other people started to pray, asking Swami for His help. As always with the Divine, help was sent! The food turned out to be more than sufficient for all the people there, and some even had more than one serving! We even had a small amount of food left over!

A quick healing

Often we can hear people telling us the story of their healing. It can take also some times until the healing occures. But here the healings occured very quick. Perhaps because of the faith of the personn. Bigger is the faith and quicker is the healing. A close devotee from Mauritius tell us these three quick healing stories:

"In the year 2000, I had a sty in my eye and thus underwent a minor operation to remove it. When I arrived back home with my eye bandaged, Swami asked me to remove the bandage. I did as He asked and was amazed to find that there was no mark of an incision anywhere to be found. I had got two weeks off work for to have this operation, and was thus delighted to spend all this time with Swami! 

I once had a back problem and was unable to sit or even stand properly. Swamiji simply stood on my toes and in a second I was healed and no longer felt any pain in my back

During the year 2001 my dad had a sciatic problem and had to stay in bed. Swami was in the country as my elder sister’s wedding was to take place during that time. Swami took some oil and massaged my father’s whole leg and soon he was able to walk again. Since then my dad has had no further trouble with his leg."

The Path of devotion

The Path of devotion followed by Swami Vishwananda has his roots as well in Christianity as in Hinduism. The three qualities of the Path of devotion: Love, Patience and Unity were taught and developed first by Christ and later by Saint Francis of Assisi. 

Love: Christ said in the Bible: “Love your neighbours as yourself” and “Love your enemy”. The love of Christ for humanity was unconditional; it was so big that he gave his life on the cross for us. He showed us the good example.
Saint Francis loved and served every one: sick people, lepers, enemies, richs and poors. He loved all the creatures, seeing Christ in every one. 

Patience: Christ had the patience to endure all the sufferings, to teach his disciple and people. Patience is synonym of peaceful, so was Christ. The one who can wait is humble, he knows himself and has no need to put himself before others. He lives with simplicity, Christ said: “ Give away all your wealth and follow me”. And “The birds don’t work and God feeds them. How much God will take care of all your need.”  
To live in poverty was the main rule of Saint Francis. He endured every thing taking whatever was coming every day as coming from God. He talked from his body as “the donkey” and said one day to brother Leon: “Do you know what is the greatest joy on earth? When we look for a roof at night, to be rejected and slapped in all places and after all to sing the glory of God.” St Francis gave up everything and surrendered totally to the divine providence.

Unity: Christ was fully realised, he said: “Me and the Father are one”. As a God incarnation he was 100% divine and 100% human, he said: “Who have seen me has seen the father”. Like in the Hinduism the Guru is fully immersed in God and the disciple makes no difference between God (the divine formless) and the Sadguru ( the divine with a form). Saint Thomas said to Jesus after the resurrection: “ My Lord and my God”. He was the first of the disciple to declare the unity between god formless and God with a form.
Saint Francis saw the divine in the all nature and living beings, birds and wolves, fishes and 
plants. He talked from brother sun and sister moon, from brother fire and sister water. The unity of the divine nature was always present in his mind. He was one with the elements of the creation. There was no duality.

The rings

Swami Vishwananda can manifest things since he is a teenager. Many people could see and get such object like rings, vibhuti, pendents and small statues. A close devotee from Mauritius told us the following experience that shows that these manifestations have all a goal: to protect a personn in a time of difficulty:

"Once Swami Vishwananda materialised a very beautiful ring with a diamond set into it for me. Every time we met he would ask me, “The gem is still here?” I would answer that the gem was still in the ring. I found it peculiar that he kept asking me about the gem every time we met. One day my fiancé became very ill and I took him to the clinic where the doctor said he had to be operated on immediately. When the green light was given that he was out of danger, I went to the temple in Rose Hill, Mauritius that had been constructed by Swami. It was only upon entering the temple that I realised that the gem from my ring had disappeared. I was a little scared and sadder still that the gem had disappeared as it was so beautiful. When Swamiji phoned some time later, I told him that the gem had disappeared from my ring. He reassured me, saying that it was perfectly okay and there was nothing to worry about, as the ring had been materialised for the sake of my fiancé.  

In the year 2003, Swami Vishwananda materialised another ring for me, this time with a pink stone set into it. In the year 2005, I gave birth to a baby girl named Shipra. The doctors were a bit worried about me as my blood pressure was very high and the delivery had taken place a month and a half early. There were complications during the birth and I had to stay another five days before I was allowed to go home. During the day I was sleeping with the ring on my finger, but when I woke up I realised that the ring was not there anymore. I searched for it high and low, and then finally understood that the rings materialised by Swami were meant to help us through troublesome times and would disappear when their work had been done. 
B. G. S. – Mauritius

Like a magnet

It is said that whenever we want something truly from the heart, the universe collaborates with us to satisfy our need. In answer to his need, in February 2006 Nitin,  met Swami Vishwananda. He told us:

"I have always felt that life holds meaning when you have discovered the purpose behind life itself. For as long as I can remember, I have been waiting for something or someone to give purpose to my life. Swami Vishwananda greeted me: “Nitin, hey, I know you!” It began with that simple, yet so intriguing, greeting. The attraction was instantaneous. Incredibly, I simply knew that Swami was that something for which I had been longing so desperately. When he first spoke to me, I was rendered speechless as my heart began to race. Deep inside me, my soul was rejoicing, for at last I felt complete in the presence of the divine. 

Swamiji later confirmed to me, “Yes, I am the one you have been waiting for; and yes, I know you”. Again, I was dumfounded as nothing is left to be said when your soul knows you have come home. I remained with him for a time, contemplating my beloved master. What attracts me the most to him is his simplicity, humility and unconditional love that he extends in a steady stream to one and all. 
I met Swami during the festival of Maha Shivaratri, and in the one week I spent with him, I felt that I had known him forever. It is a feeling that cannot be explained in words. “Follow your heart”, Swami said to me. Those words became my motto, for the heart knows and speaks the truth. The most precious moments I had with him were the few times he hugged me. In those moments time stood still. To be embraced by the entire cosmos is the most wonderful feeling in the world. Like a magnet, my heart is pulled towards his. 
There is also a playful side of Swami, and he jokes with us. He will tease us and then tell us captivating stories. He showed me the child that lay dormant within me. These are the true miracles of Swami, showing us how life is more alive in its simplicity. Dear Swami, I love you."

Swami regains his energy

Swami likes to visit holy places, a close devotee of Swami told us:

"Swami was visiting us at our summer home in Greece. One day in May 2004, we went to Athens and returned home at about four in the afternoon. It was a very hot day and we were all tired. Swami was visibly fatigued and said he thought he would take a nap to refresh himself. Zoe, my wife, mentioned that the monastery, St. Ephraim, including the tomb of the saint, is near our home. In hearing about the saint, Swami suddenly appeared completely revived and fresh as if he had just gotten up from a nap. “Let us go and visit,” he responded with great enthusiasm. Zoe changed into proper attire for a monastery and off they went in the heat of the afternoon."

A visit of Shirdi Sai Baba

The cousin of Swami Vishwananda remembers the first time when as a child, they went together to a temple Bhajan session in Mauritius:

"My mum sat with my aunt on the women’s side and Swami and I sat on the men’s side. Characteristically, at such events the women’s side of the hall was packed all the way to the back, and the men’s side only had a couple of singers and musicians at the top of the hall. As we were unsure where to sit, Swami and I decided to sit in the middle of the hall on the men’s side. Unusually enough, when we sat down together, we left a gap between us. We had actually started to enjoy the bhajans and were clapping and singing when suddenly we both had an urge to look back.
We noticed a curious and striking looking man walking into the hall. He was tall in appearance, of western origin and dressed in bright ochre orange dhoti and scarf. As if this wasn’t unusual enough, his hair was incredibly long and grey and tied up in a bun at the top of his head with rudrakshas surrounding it. He had dazzling chandan painted on his forehead and arms. He also had additional rudrakshas on his arms and wrists. 
The gentleman decided to sit between Swami and myself even though the entire room was empty. I remember looking at Swami at this point and we both just smiled at each other. After a short while, my mum and I decided it was time to leave the bhajans to make our way home.
The journey back was quiet. I think we were all taken aback and captured by the bhajans. On arriving at our bus stop, Swami declared that he would attend bhajans every week. My mum recommended that he ask his parents’ permission before travelling so far alone to attend the bhajans. 
Some time later my mum received a call from her brother, Swami’s father in Mauritius who informed her that Swami had been attending the weekly bhajans in Vacoas in secret, and had now decided to dedicate his entire life to God at the age of fourteen years. My mum, like the rest of our family, was astonished at his strong dedication to the Lord at such a young age.  
A couple of years later, Swami decided to come to London for the first time. When I met him, I noticed that he had transformed. He had grown his hair long and was able to materialise objects from thin air. He materialised hot strongly scented vibhuti for all that were present at the airport. When we arrived home, we sat together and talked about his newfound powers. Swami asked me if I wanted a ring to which I replied, “Yes please!” He then materialised a gold ring for me and explained that it was identical to Mata Parvati’s chakra and said that it was very powerful. 
Swami then asked me, “Can you remember the day we went to the bhajans in Vacoas?” I replied, “Yes bro”. He went on to ask, “Can you remember the man dressed as a sage who sat between us?” I replied smiling, “How could I forget?” 
Swami went on to explain that that had been the first time Sri Shirdi Sai Baba had appeared to him. He had asked Swami if he remembered meeting him. However, Swami replied No. Shirdi Sai Baba explained to Swami that he had first come to visit him and his cousin at the bhajans in Vacoas. I felt completely honoured in knowing that Shirdi Sai was indeed the sage that had visited us."

Singing songs of all religions

Music plays a very prominent role in the work of Swami Vishwananda. When he is with other people, he again and again sings songs of all religions. Through Swami, many people started to learn how to sing bhajans. Bhajans are an enormous spiritual treasure and when we sing them we move very quickly into devotion for God. In the beginning it can be strange for westeners to sing the unfamiliar Sanskrit Indian devotional songs. A german disciple of Swami Vishwananda told us about this:
"I accompanied Swami Vishwananda on his first tour to the U.S. in July 2005. I had two great weeks in his close proximity. Everywhere Swami went there was music, be it at the Krishna temple, during his darshans or wherever he was staying. It feels like he transports light with his voice when he sings. When singing with him you can receive some of the light he transmits through his voice. It is overwhelming and heart-opening. 
The last darshan in the U.S. was in a hotel in Los Angeles, California on the day reserved for Gurupurnima celebrations, a day throughout which the guru and all spiritual masters are venerated in accordance with the Hindu calendar. Swami gave a moving speech about his own guru, Mahavatar Kriya Babaji. He sang bhajans and began the darshan with blessings for everyone present. The room was filled with Swami’s divine grace. The musicians sang and played and it was pure joy. Toward the end of the darshan when I went up front to receive his blessing, Swami whispered in my ear that I should sing Oh my cloud coloured Christ. My first thought was, Oh why should I sing now at the end of the evening, I just can’t. Then I thought, Swami asked me to sing, so he has his reasons and I will do it because he asked me to.
After I had received my blessing, I walked over to the musicians and the harmonium player turned over his instrument to me. I sang the song Swami had told me to sing. After the darshan was over and most of the people had left the room, a woman said to me, “My guru is Jesus Christ. I waited the whole evening, longing to hear a song of my beloved master. Thank you for singing the song for Christ; it was important to me as it made a connection between Christ and Krishna”! I told the woman that Swami Vishwananda had asked me to sing that particular song, Oh my cloud coloured Christ, and she was deeply touched."

God as a friend

Some people knows Swami Vishwananda since years, one of his old friend told us one of the many experiences he had with him:

"In 1999 I traveled extensively in Switzerland with the young Swami Vishwananda. He was virtually unknown at that time and not recognized as the guru that he is. Also I had spent time with him as a guest in his house in Mauritius. The young man radiated happiness, love and joy. I must have tested his patience many times by wanting to go to places he was not interested in visiting or asking him to wait while I did something he did not want to do. All the time we were together he never complained or showed that he disliked anything. One time I stopped the car in Bern, Switzerland on the main road close to the train station and said to the young Swami Vishwananda and the young Swiss man sitting in the car, “If you don’t give me clear directions to get to our destination, I will stop the car right here and now!” We soon found our way.

Swami Vishwananda’s friendship and love have had a profound effect on me. I keep those experiences close to my heart and will treasure them forever. His deep devotion, patience and complete understanding of a simple friend like me demonstrate his precious way of showing love to everyone. Wherever he goes, Swami offers people the same love and devotion he gives me as his friend. I am among the many people around the world who feel that whether Swami is near or far, he is always in our hearts and dreams."

World-peace of mind

Swami Vishwananda often delivers speeches before giving darshan. He does not plan the topics he chooses to speak about, they simply flow. Often it turns out that many questions that people have wanted to ask him are answered during his speeches. A disciple once asked him to talk about world peace, the disciple told us:

"He answered that this might be a good idea and he later went on to talk about the importance of peace in the mind. He said that the outside world would never provide stability or security for a person and that these very qualities would have to be found within inside each person. I have been to many darshans with Swami Vishwananda over the years and I have found that every one is always a new and unique experience. Swami is aware of everyone’s thoughts but he doesn’t want to talk about this. Once as I was sitting near him in the front during a darshan, I noticed many incidents that could not be explained with a conventional worldview as Swami gave darshan to each person: He asked a child to take education more seriously as he had skipped out of school. He gave another child only a sweet and told me that this child was just coming for the sweet. He gave me a handful of vibhuti packets to give to someone at the back of the room as this person was in need of it and had to leave soon. When I hoped for a special piece of prasad, he asked for the whole bowl and picked out my favorite piece."

South Africa June 2009

A woman from South Africa told us that during the darshan she received from Swami Vishwananda some vibhuti. Then she asked also Swami to help her nephew, a child who could not speak since he was born. Swami Vishwananda gave her a small packet of vibhuti and told her to give some vibhuti to the child. As she went back home, she put some vibhuti on the child’s tongue and the child began to speak! Glory to God for this miracle and thank you Swami Vishwananda for your help.

Teachings

Swami Vishwananda knows all of our strengths and weaknesses. On one occasion when a german devotee wanted to visit his parents in Bavaria, he asked Swami for some advice on what to say to them. Swami Vishwananda said, “Tell them that you love them.”

About this, the devotee told us:"I knew, on one hand, that it would be very important to tell them I love them, but on the other, not easy. I then realized I had never shared with them how I felt. Swami’s sole purpose is to teach us, not only during satsangs, but also in daily life. Swami Vishwananda will never miss an opportunity to teach us about ourselves. He often lets us know, patiently and in many different ways, that God is within us. Swami says that God is pure love, light and peace. And since we are made in the image of God, we also are pure love, light and bliss. God is not far away in heaven, but He is within everyone of us, and without everyone of us. How often, in daily life, we forget this simple fact, that God and Guru are omnipresent. But how nice it is to remember that God and Guru’s grace is always with us. I know, through Swamiji’s blessing, I’m moving faster to my ultimate goal of Self-Realization. 

Asking for help

Often I could experiment that when I had a difficult question in my head, I could get at once an answer when meditating upon Swami Vishwananda and asking him for the answer. Once, a devotee from South Africa told me this story:

"In Mauritius, Swami Vishwananda said me that if I ever needed Him, I just had to meditate on Him and He would be there for me.  A friend of many years came to me and asked if I could assist her in any way as she was in a very dire financial position. She needed a substantial sum of money immediately or else she could lose her house and car. I explained my fantastic experience in Mauritius and I told her that I had surrendered myself to the Divine and that she should do the same. That night I meditated and asked Swamiji to assist my friend.Two days later she phoned me and told me that someone whom she had a met through business had heard that she was in trouble, and had written out a cheque for the money she needed and told her that this was a gift and not a loan! To remove any doubt from the sceptics reading this text, the person who has never even heard of Swami Vishwananda also gave Eunice a book that he thought she should read, ‘Autobiography of a Yogi’ by Paramahansa Yogananda ! 

Cheerfulness

The mother of a disciple of Swami Vishwananda told us this amazing experience.:

"The stories of Krishna stealing butter have strong parallels with Swami Vishwananda. He steals the hearts of humans with his abundance of love and devotion, a perfect example of his teachings. His cheerfulness, jokes and humour were so very attractive when we first meet him in 1998.
His joy when experiencing snow for the first time, in the Swiss Alps, nearly made him a snowman with all his playful rolling around. As we went up Schilthorn mountain - which is over 2’000 m (over 6’300 ft) high, it began to snow. We were disappointed as we wanted Swami to enjoy the marvellous view of the other mountains, but Swami said, "Don't worry." As he said it, the sun came through and in no time the clouds sank deeper and deeper.
We also experienced Swami Vishwananda’s direct relationship with animals. A mountain bird stood close to him and hopped nearer and nearer up onto his outstretched hands.
While we were travelling, by car or by train, Swami always had a bhajan on his lips; exactly like Krishna and his flute. This always put us in a good mood.
In the kitchen the exuberance was never missing. We exchanged Indian and Swiss recipes, cooked together and also laughed a lot. I was always very touched, as Swami was always helping: with cooking, cleaning, washing the dishes and drying. He helped with everything. For him this was the most natural thing in the world! At the same time, we sang and laughed a lot. "
V. L. – Switzerland

Lingam

A resident of Springen told us about the lingam that Swami Vishwananda materialised for him in 1998:

"I witnessed the birth of my lingam. It was transparent and had the shape of an eye. When Swami gave it to me, he pressed it against my third eye. Since then I’ve done the same as a kind of ritual before and after placing it in its water at night. Until it returned to where it came from, I always carried it like a baby around my neck. It stayed with me for over eight years.

My life purpose was often reflected in my professionally life which seemed to revolve around bringing transparency and insight into certain things. In this sense, the lingam served to remind me of my personal destiny which became increasingly visible to me: like any spiritual student, my purpose includes developing insight into the ultimate secrets of life. The lingam represented this eye of deeper in-sight and its formlessness. Being transparent and without colour, it fits very well with my truest nature, which likes to identify itself with the formless, with the absolute.

Seva activities

Swami Vishwananda carried out many activities to help others. A close parent of him told:

"He was very disciplined in carrying out these practices. We visited the orphanage once a month, organised blood donations on a regular basis and went on many outings to spiritual sites. We went on many fun picnics, singing bhajans in the bus all the way. To celebrate his twentieth birthday, a picnic party was planned and three buses filled with devotees participated with great joy. We also took this occasion to bring some handicapped children out to the seaside. Games to suit these children were organised by the bhajan teacher and everyone had a great time!

On one occasion Swami visited his aunt’s place in Beau Bassin. There he saw a lovely picture on the wall in the kitchen and said, “I want that picture. I need it”. – “Here… you can have it”, his aunt replied. 
Soon after, everyone proceeded to the Rose-Hill ashram where Swami gave his aunt a picture frame in exchange for the picture. She put it behind the door and when she went to get the frame before leaving, to her astonishment, the picture was covered with fuchsia-pink coloured vibhuti.
Swami Vishwananda has shown us the way of light and raised the level of our spiritual awareness. I feel blessed to have been given this opportunity to recount some of the experiences we have shared with Swami. 
Thank you for everything Swami! With all my respect, love and humility, I surrender my ignorance and arrogance. Bless me with your love. Jai Gurudev!"

The Love of the guru

Swami Vishwananda says often that God gives us everything served on a silver platter. The Divine may even put the food from the silver platter into our mouths, but we each must choose whether to swallow or not. About this, a devotee told me that: "Swami Vishwananda is ever ready to create the right circumstances for people to grow spiritually. Through many lessons given by Swami, I have uncovered deep layers of negativity that I never dreamed existed within me. With Swami’s grace I have learned to face the darkness within myself without fear, and I have overcome it. I do not believe that I would have been able to eliminate negativity and fear without my guru’s immense inner support. Moreover, I feel that the burden of karma I am working through currently is just a tiny fraction of the whole burden that my guruji is carrying for me. In his great humility, I know that Swami would never reveal that to anyone, but my inner experience knows. The greatness of a guru can be comprehended at the end of a lesson successfully learned, and each lesson may provide more clarity. When the lesson has been learned, then many of the guru’s words and actions regarding it can be understood more clearly."

Brain tumor healing

As I was in Mauritius last year, Yogeshini told me this story:
"I first met Swami Vishwananda on the 15th December 1995. People had been asking me to go and see Him previous to this occasion, but something always got in the way and I think that perhaps the time was not yet ripe for me to meet Him. I first met Him through a lady who was very ill at the time, as she was suffering from leukemia and a brain tumor. While she was at the clinic seeking advice from the doctors, I went with one of her relatives to seek help from Swami. Swami said “Listen, she will come to see me this Sunday morning straight from the clinic.” Just as He had predicted, she visited Swami Vishwananda on Sunday morning straight after she had attended the clinic. Since that day medical treatments, together with Swami’s blessings, have kept her in good health".

Early beginnings

The mother of Swami Vishwananda told me: "At the age of one-and-a-half, Visham (Cosiname of Swami Vishwananda as a child) was just beginning to walk. Yet unlike other children his age, he prayed and prayed all the time. Visham’s grandmother went to the temple every morning and evening. From the time that Visham was small, he could be found by the side of his grandmother going to the temple for morning and evening prayers. My sister used to say, “How can you have a son like that? You never pray”. I would answer her, “I really don’t know; he has always been interested in God”. 
I believed in God, but I did not feel the urge inside to pray or go to the temple and put water on the shiva lingam. At that time I saw people going to the temple in front of our home, but I never felt the urge to go myself. 
Shortly after, Visham started doing havan, the fire ceremony called yajna. He made a big fire in the middle of the kitchen that threatened to set the kitchen on fire. All the people who were there were scared, but I was not scared and nothing troublesome actually happened. Then, when he was two and three years old, he began playing he was Krishna. For Christmas Visham sometimes asked for something, but most of the time he played puja, saying, I am doing a puja with Krishna."

When you love

With the arrival of Swami Vishwananda in my life, I feel the love of God more and more in my heart. God’s love is an eternal flame that may grow every day until it envelops everything. The most important thing I have learned from Swami Vishwananda is to love. Love is the most beautiful thing that exists.
To you, dear reader, I would like to say, “Give love to your children, to your parents, to your wife, to your husband, to your friend, to whomever you want. How nice it is to love!” Swami teaches us to love everyone unconditionally, all the time. In the end you always give love to God, for he is in every thing and every being. He is also the source of love. Love does not judge, love is patient, love is forever. When you love, God resides in you and you reside in God. 
At the end of your day, as at the end of your life, when you view all the good deeds you have done on Earth, the times you have loved will shine like precious jewels! 

Heart problem healing

A woman from Mauritius, Hindomatee S. told me one evening her story: "I had Heart problem in 2000. I could not work any more, I could not walk any more. The doctors said that the problem was very serious and they send me to the Hospital. After 8 days lying in the Hospital the son of a friend of mine came to see me at the hospital. The boy who knew Swami Vishwananda gave me a small pack of Vibhuti coming from Him for me. Baba made a miracle with me, I ate the vibhuti and was three months latter completely healed. Thank you very much Swami Vishwananda.

A long prayer

Swami Vishwananda made in 2000 a pilgrim in a bus with 50 people. One evening, we arrived at the Oropa Monastery with our bus where we were to spend the night. The sight is magnificent as the monastery is perched in the mountains and snow covers the rocks around. After we organised our belongings and dined in the refectory, we went to pray to the beautiful black Madonna in the sanctuary. The tradition relates that Saint Eusebe had brought this wooden statue, carved by Saint Luke from Jerusalem. After we admired a huge crucifix in carved wood in the outside courtyard, we started singing a Rosary. Someone started singing a canticle, and then another Christian song. Swami Vishwananda started singing all His repertory. It was never-ending. My feet were completely frozen, and I was seeing the other people shivering as well, as nobody had dressed to stay outside. I whispered to Swami Vishwananda:
- “If we stay longer outside, people will catch a cold.” He then answered to me:
- “Nobody will get a cold. Never worry when you pray to God.”
I kept silent afterwards; I was reassured but still frozen. We sang for another 15 minutes and then we came in and drank a well-deserved tea. I thus learnt to be completely dedicated to God when I pray, and not to worry about anything else.
The next day and for the days which followed, everybody remained in good health.

The early years

On a trip to the Seychelles, I took Yogananda’s book “Autobiography of a Yogi “. Either my wife or I would read out loud from the book while the other would be playing on the beach with our son Romeo. 
While discovering this marvellous world of spirituality and Divine love, I was yearning to meet such a Master on this planet. Back in Europe, I went to visit a spiritual centre established by one of Yogananda’s disciples in Assisi. This, however, was not enough to satiate my thirst. I searched on the Internet for spiritual Masters that were alive on the planet. It took me another few years to eventually find my true spiritual Master, Swami Vishwananda. At the time, He was still living in Mauritius with His parents. 
In the room where He had grown up, in Quatre-Bornes, images of saints cover the walls. On the shelves are statues of various deities. Each object is covered with Vibhuthi (sacred ash), which the visitors, as well as His parents, at the beginning mistook for dust. The layer is sometimes so thick that the head of the Murti (statue) hardly sticks out of the mountain of ash. 
In Mauritius, Swami Vishwananda first had a little temple built on His parents land, with their permission, where every week Bhajans were sung. Later on in time, in the garden of His friend’s house, He built the first Ashram, thanks to the generosity of this family.
There is a little chapel filled with statues of the holy Virgin Mary. These statues have been purchased at the many pilgrimage sites in Europe: Lourdes, Merdjegurje, Pontmain, Loretto, Rome, Pelvoisin, and Fatima.

My first encounter

Swami Vishwananda came to me as the guru who allways look for the disciple. I was already following another Guru and was not looking for a new one. So he came to my home on a nice and sunny summer afternoon, He remained for ten minutes in the doorway. Everyone was awe-inspired. I couldn’t help repeating in my head: “Babaji is here, Babaji is in my house! This is incredible. My God, how beautiful He is!”
As a matter of fact, all those present could not say a word in front of this handsome 22-year-old boy, radiating the Divine. We went on the terrace to observe at will this rare bird fallen from Heaven. I was surprised to feel so at ease with Him, like an old friend whom I hadn’t seen for a long time. I showed Him the paintings I had made of my spiritual Master. He looked at them for a long time. He told me that this Master had offered Him a great statue of Krishna when on visit to Mauritius. This comforted me: if my Guru had offered Him a statue, then He must be a good person. Once He left, the only wish I had was to see Him again soon. It was then the start of a series of interviews and meetings where we would sing Bhajans. He asked to do a Yagna at our house, and we did it in the fireplace. During Yagna, all participants throw a mix of grains, herbs and rice into the fire while saying “Swaha”. This means to offer, which at the time I had no idea. 
During the Yagna, I suddenly found myself in India, sitting on the floor and repeating “Swaha” and throwing rice into the sacred fire. At the end of the ceremony, I went to Swami Vishwananda and asked Him:
- “Tell me, did we know each other in a past life, in India, where we did Yagnas together?”
- “Of course, many times!” He spoke these words with a beautiful smile, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
- “Really?” I queried Him.
At that moment somebody called Him and He left me standing open-mouthed and voiceless.

Visit to Ramdas

In Maui, we went to visit Ramdas, a disciple of Nam Kaoli Baba. As we followed the sea, Swami Vishwananda looked at it and said: “Maybe we’ll see whales!” - “Really?” I asked and then remembered that an afternoon in 2005, when we were in the garden that Yogananda planted on top of a cliff, above the sea in Encinitas. Swami Vishwananda also had told me that dolphins were nearby and a few minutes later we had seen dolphins jump and disappear again. 
- “Look at the whales, there!” He exclaimed.
- “I have never seen whales jumping like that!” I said.
- “They gather to breed,” He told me.
After following a winding road in the hills, we eventually reached Ramdas’ villa, in Hawaii’s countryside.
- “Tell me, was Nam Kaoli Baba an Avatar?” I asked.
- “Yes, he was an incarnation of Hanuman. In fact he was an incarnation of Shiva. Shiva very rarely incarnates directly on earth. When he incarnates, he does so under the face of Hanuman. When Rama came on earth, Shiva incarnated as Hanuman to be the greatest of all his devotees, “ He said.  
After a warm welcome, Ramdas asked Swami to speak about His youth and about Babaji. We then sang Bhajans in front of his altar. In front of the picture of Nam Kaoli Baba, Ramdas then told us the following story:
- On a trip with Nam Kaoli baba and other devotees, they had a car accident. Passengers of the car then saw a huge hairy hand protecting them. The car was no longer of use after the accident, but none of the passengers got hurt. 
On the altar were a lot of photos of Saints and deities. Swami asked Him :
- “You have a lovely altar, but tell me why do you have the photo of George Bush on your altar? Are you worshiping him?”
- “No, but you know, to all these saints and deities I can say I love you. The day I can say to George Bush, I love you, I know that I will be a good person.” 
The day after Swami Vishwananda gave a Darshan where Ramdas and his family came. We went back to his place afterwards.
When Ramdas arrived on his wheelchair, the little group of devotees greeted him. Then they saw the altar with pictures of gurus, saints, and deities. Ramdas followed and we sang the Hanuman Chalisa and some Bhajans. 
It was a Divine moment. The presence of Hanuman was very strong when Swami Vishwananda and Ramdas were together.

The french bakery

Swami Vishwananda like to visit holy places. One day, we went to visit Our Lady of Liesse in France, a black Madona representation of the Mother of God. Many great people have come to pay homage to this church, including Joan of Arc. Inside the church Swami Vishwananda told me:
- “There is a nice energy in this church!”
- “It’s almost dark and there is hardly any light, the only thing I can see is the Statue of Our Lady of Liesse, high up,” I said. We knelt and prayed in front of the statue. 
As we went out, in the church’s entrance, little brochures were available. Swami bought one and started reading the story. He went on reading as we walked out of the church.
- “Look, there is a bakery; we could buy something to eat,” He said.
- “With pleasure, breakfast was long ago and we had nothing for lunch,” I said. 
We entered the bakery while Swami was still reading aloud the story of Our Lady of Liesse. The seller at the bakery was busy serving us when all of a sudden Swami voiced out: Look what they say: “During the French Revolution, they burnt the statue in the bakery’s oven!” He asked the lady:
- “Is it in this bakery’s oven that the miraculous statue was burnt?”
- “Well, yes. It was my great–great-great grandfather” the lady behind the counter said with shame.
Swami paid and we got out of the bakery.
- “Tell me, is there family karmas as well as country karmas or race karmas?” I asked.
- “Of course, you can feel it on all the following generations,” He replied.
- “And you have just removed this family’s karma at once?” I asked.
Swami Vishwananda nodded, as we reached the car with our little spinach tartlets.

The burnt bulb

This morning, when I woke up, the bedside lamp in Swami Vishwananda’s hotel room was not working anymore. 
- “It must be when I went to this lady who was very sick. I went to comfort her because she is going to die very soon. It must be the energy that burnt the bulb. If you had woken up earlier and looked at me I would have looked dead and you would have been afraid,” He told me.
- “Maybe. Tell me, this person was aware that you were there?” I asked.
- “Of course! I will call her today. You know, the three days before you die, many people see all their life as well as the way they will die. That is why when a person is about to die, they get better to talk to those that they are going to leave.” He said. 
We went in the car and took the motorway. Above the motorways, luminous signs displayed the time. I noticed that each time we passed under one of these signs, it would start to flicker.
- “What is that? Do you think it is a speed control?” I asked.
“No, it must still be the energy,” said Swami Vishwananda.

The Leelas (games) of the Divine

Swami Vishwananda likes to play. He has this capacity to enthuse you with something that you found insignificant before. He creates role-plays and throws Himself in for the pleasure of living, of playing. After that, everyone draws a personal experience from the event. That is what is happening on this earth: We are here to learn how to live and love from every possible and imaginable situation.
Swami Vishwananda is very indulgent and has amazing patience. One evening, He invited a man to His apartment in Mauritius. This man had aggressively thrown endless catechist sentences and canonical rules to us. I was in a rage to hear this fanatic, when would he stop? I was ostentatiously looking at my watch. Swami, unlike me, kept smiling and had taken His notepad to take notes! After that, I was vaccinated against any dogmatism. Fanatics exist in every religion.
God is one, man only makes the differences. Each religion can lead to God. It is a boat on the ocean of our lives. In one life we are Christian, once Muslim, once Hindu, another time Jewish, another time Sufi… thus the soul learns to practice different religions without becoming dogmatic. 
 
Swami Vishwananda plays in every day communication. He doesn’t show even a thousandth of His knowledge. Many times I realise how I judge automatically people who I hardly even know. Swami Vishwananda never judges, He just loves. 
Often with Him, we don’t know what to think in every day communication. He can say a banality with a very serious face, like an important revelation. He knows prejudices and everyone’s fixed ideas. 
Because I am afraid to make a mistake, say something wrong and be laughed at, I once spoke in the same direction as the conversation, like a sheep, instead of thinking and providing my own opinion. Two sentences later, Swami Vishwananda went in the opposite direction, and I found myself stuck in my remark, facing my own hypocrisy.  
The Guru is the one that removes ignorance and makes you realise. Swami Vishwananda does it while having fun. Life is not sad with Him. Yes, we laugh a lot!

Vibhuti

In the Mauritius Ashram, one day in 2005, I had the opportunity to see where the Vibhuthi came from. Swami Vishwananda told us:
- “Today I have to make some Vibhuti, I need a lot!”
Swami Vishwananda then went to His bedroom, and sat on a bed-sheet wearing a lunghi (Indian robe). He put an “Om Namah Shivaya” Bhajan on the Hifi. In the next room, we also sang “Om Namah Shivayah” for the next 40 minutes. Yogeshini, who had stayed behind the door then called us. The corridor smelt strongly of the beautiful perfume of Vibhuthi. We came into the room, and the smell was even stronger. The atmosphere was Divine. White ash was spread all around Swami Vishwananda, emanating from Him. Swami was white from head to toe! 
We took the four corners of the sheet to bring it downstairs and fill up little packets. There was more than 25kg of Vibhuthi and we filled about 7000 packets. They were distributed during Darshan to all participants. 
Later I remarked to Him:
- “I am used to seeing you with a brown colour. I didn’t recognise you any more. I don’t want to be racist, but I prefer you in brown. Where does all that Vibhuthi come from? How does it happen?”
- “It is the light that comes from my body, which transforms itself into Vibhuthi. Before I used to let the people see, but now the light is too bright, it would burn your eyes,” Swami Vishwananda explained.

A storm in Maui

As Swami Vishwananda and some monks were in Maui at the Hotel one quiet night, a huge storm decided to invade the island. We watched the torrential rain pour down from our windows. Our apartment was on the ground floor so we went outside to investigate. We could only see the light of the Hotel’s garden lamps and the streetlights, for the vision of everything else was blurred by the torrents of water bucketing down. We were amazed at the vision of this spectacle of Nature. The rain was warm and so there was also a playful element in the air. The thunder roared and lightning streaks lit up the sky. We went with Swami Vishwananda for a second time outside and we noticed that the rainwater had started to accumulate in the street in front of our door. As the storm grew in fury, it soon became alarming for us and hence Swami Vishwananda went outside a third time. The water level because of this heavy rain was now so high that soon our apartment would start to be flooded. Swami Vishwananda suddenly looked up at the sky and in fury shouted at the elements, “Stop now! Stop it!” 
At this very moment, the storm decreased dramatically in strength! The rain reduced, bit by bit so that within seconds, it had completely stopped! Not a single drop! We all thankfully went back into our apartments and awoke the next morning to a bright sunny day. We laughed as we saw in the morning newspaper that some places of the island had suffered from a freak storm the previous night.

Ignoring maya

During the Oneness Congress in December 2006 on Swami Vishwananda’s US tour, Swami gave a lecture on mudras in Pasadena. The huge room with a balcony could hold up to 3,000 people. Swami Vishwananda sat on a large stage and only about a hundred people were scattered around the room. He started to speak warmly about spirituality. He then demonstrated the mudras, explaining their significance and the mantras linked to them. In front of me, some young girls were listening absentmindedly while a boy sat next to them and started flirting with them. Then some more people arrived but didn’t stay, as they seemed to seek something more spectacular. There was a freezing draft in the room and little by little, some 30 people left the room. I was feeling so bad for my guru who had to bear this empty room and the freezing ambiance. 
At the end of the session, we left the room and went to the lobby where those few people still left wanted to speak personally with Swami Vishwananda. He was talking to all of them, taking his time. I thought about warming him up by bringing him a cup of tea, but he made me understand that the tea could wait. He hugged everyone, even the bouncer. 
Once outside, the gale was blowing and Swami Vishwananda was wearing just his robe, his bare feet in sandals. I was wondering how he was able to speak with everyone without minding this freezing wind that went right to the bones. Then I remembered his words when we were on the plane coming to the US, “Maya is very powerful and very cunning, even some gurus get tricked by her. Wealth, glory, fame or material pleasures seduce some of them. The best way not to be caught in the net of illusion is to remain humble and to ignore her.” I could see now how Swami Vishwananda was able to ignore maya. He would push away personal desires and concentrate on other people’s needs, and what was important to them at that very moment.