Kriya Yoga Seven Hills

[Kristin Dampeer]

Aftercoming home from Rishikesh, I started to practice meditation with a lot of intensity and longing. In the beginning, I could not figure out the position of my chakras (energy centers) and it was like a blind man walking in the dark forest. After few months of regular practice, I started to identify the exact position of centers and felt very delighted as if a blind man got a walking stick :-) During this period and also later, I used to read all kinds of spiritual books, Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads, Yoga Vasishta, Tripura Rahasya, Thirumandhiram, Avadhuta Gita and many other books.

When I read books during my early years of meditation, I could not grasp most of the content. But now, I understand these books are similar to School Syllabus. One should read them as you progress in the spiritual journey because your perception of reality keeps changing with your practice and you read them with a new understanding.

My Master Per H. Wibe, a realized being from Norway wrote a very simple book of 40 pages titled Yearning of the Soul. I call this a magic book, because whatever spiritual doubt you might have, you will definitely find an answer in those 40 pages. I always wonder how he achieved that feat :-)

Because of my intense meditations, I could say, I have developed a certain intuition where I could understand things very clearly. Being a curious mind all my life, I question everything and anything. It is hard for me to believe anything. I was 32 years old when I took initiation. I have felt a great urge to learn Kriya Yoga after reading Autobiography of a Yogi. I know, 90% of the kriyabans would agree with me on this :-) .

I was surprised about intensity of my meditation because never in my life, I have taken god seriously or thought of the possibility of experiencing god in this very life nor I can call myself a devotee. I hardly visited temples on my own except with my friend Giri on couple of occasions as a trip. I looked back and was trying to find out if there were any spiritual related incidents in my life. One day in my meditation, I remembered few incidents out of nowhere which I forgot.

First incident happened when I was 7 years old. One morning, I woke up from my bed and I forgot my name. I tried to recollect my name but could not do so for long time. I remember this incident very clearly in-spite of such a long time, because I was in absolute silence when I woke up. I could only understand that now as I have experienced silence during meditation and could relate to the incident that happened when I was 7.

I was a regular at Rishikesh meditation retreats during 2011-12. Master used to conduct 14 days retreats and most of the participants were his European disciples. Very few Indians came to those retreats except me, Piyush and Amit. By this time, we three became close to each other. The four of us including master spent a great deal of time together at nearby coffee shop and Rishikesh kriya yoga ashram. Most of the conversations were normal topics, sometimes spiritual too. We used to joke and laugh a lot. Vanisha came later but I never interacted with her when she was at Rishikesh. We became close only after she started working as retreat co-ordinator.

Most people know me as the first Indian disciple of master. This is not true at all. Master started conducting Indian retreats since 2008, I joined in Oct 2010. There were many Indian disciples of master but I could say, I am the first Indian disciple who got close to him and wanted to help him in whichever way possible.

In 2015 , we went to Varanasi for a retreat. Amit suggested master to visit Lahiri Mahasaya home. We took a boat on river ganges and reached the place. Lahiri Mahasaya house was locked and no one is living in that place. The shopkeeper near the house told us that a priest will visit every day in the evening to conduct Puja and will open the door. It was evening and we were waiting for the priest.

In November 2011, Master expressed his interest to teach Indian students in other cities. I could not understand why he wanted to visit other places. Students can come to Rishikesh, if they are interested to learn kriya yoga. He insisted that we should conduct retreats in other cities. Master asked Piyush to look for a retreat place in Bangalore. Piyush who was at Bangalore during that time found a place called Smriti Nandan and we conducted our first retreat there in March 2012. After this, we started to conduct retreats in many places.

It was May 2013 and Piyush was living at Dharmashala in a remote village far from the city. Master asked him to look for a possibility of conducting a retreat at his place. The village had only 10 homes. Piyush somehow managed to speak to the village elder and did make-shift arrangements. To our surprise, many people registered for the retreat including some european disciples. We stayed in their homes just like guests. One house is for meditation, one house is for dining and other houses are for staying :-)

Once in Rishikesh, I had to take pictures of master for the website. For some unknown reason, Master is not at all comfortable taking pictures or videos. I could understand his plight when people insist to take group picture during the retreat. He has changed a lot during these years. Earlier, He would not even allow me to maintain photo gallery on the website. Vanisha convinced him to record videos. He would never do it wholeheartedly. He would always pose in the picture that resembles a King with his left hand on his knee. I always loved his pose.

One day, I had an overwhelming experience during my meditation related to this longing and I questioned my qualities, my nature, my attitude and I was worried that I might not make it. I started crying vehemently and was feeling very sad. I used to meditate at night and the time was 2 AM. Suddenly, my phone rang and It was a call from my master. He consoled me in many ways and convinced me that I could make it If I continue to have the same longing for truth and intensity in my practice. After the phone call, I started to think, How does he know I was crying? Then, I concluded, He is capable of watching my meditation from anywhere. Not just mine, any disciple who meditates with intensity. He being a part of the Silence/Source, watching all our meditations is not a surprise at all.

When I read statements like this, I do long for such a beautiful experience. I sometimes wonder, what it means to be a realized being, the bliss, the state of being, the calm composure. the union, the equanimity, transcending the dualities of life such as pain and pleasure, like and dislike, good and evil.

As I have read many books, I came to a conclusion that Karma is nothing but our thought process, our tendencies, our likes, dislikes. our cravings, our pre-conceived notions. The present life of a being is a result of those past life tendencies. Our future life will be the result of our present tendencies. Paramahansa Yogananda says, one can escape all these tendencies good or bad, If a being succeeds to establish themselves in their true nature.. Then, all the tendencies will be stored as a memory in the cosmic self and the being will be absolutely free of them.

It was Feb 2015, I have built a new home. My business partner and best friend Waseema with the help of her husband took care of everything including construction and interior design. I have invited Master, Piyush, Amit, Gururaj and Vanisha for the ceremony. Master, Piyush and Amit made it and stayed at my new home for couple of days. We conducted a retreat in Hyderabad during this time with the help of my dear friend Sampath who calls me elder brother out of love and respect. I felt very happy and delighted as master has graced the occasion.

Piyush, Amit and Vanisha played a major role in identifying places for retreats and conducted them gracefully. Later, Gururaj joined the team as co-ordinator for Bangalore retreats. Pavan and Anil who were friends with Gururaj started helping us. Shantu did accounting for Bangalore retreats. After sometime Vighnaraj and Kalyan too helped us to conduct retreats as program co-ordinators.

Rajan conducted retreats at his home town Nashik. Vanisha with the help of Ramgarh and Delhi participants conducted retreats at Goa, Mumbai and Hyderabad. Ravi from Delhi helped us to conduct retreat in New Jersey. I have always provided back-end logistics support for the retreat programs but was never in the forefront. Master used to tease me that I work from my Hyderabad cave :-)

The conversation style between two individuals in Puranas and Tantras always fascinated me. The way, they address each other with various names, their features and qualities. I find it very beautiful.

Piyush, Amit and Vanisha helped master to edit his books. Yearning of the Soul, Kabir in the light of Kriya and Christ Parables. Gururaj and Vighnaraj helped master to update the website design. Kalyan Chakravarthi edited some videos and articles. Gururaj with the help of Peacock Murali printed the books.

The deviation might happen to the best of sincere seekers in the path but there was one exception. The name of that exception is Kalyan Chakravarthi from Bangalore. This guy might skip his breakfast, lunch and dinner but would not skip his daily meditation. I am not sure about myself and others, but Kalyan will make it some day for sure just because of his steadfast determination and longing. If Life allows, He wants to run to a nearby forest and meditate whole day in solitude :-)

Master liked the serene hills, Babaji Cave and again visited Kukuchina village, Dunagiri with Piyush and Prashanta. He wanted to find a place to conduct meditation retreats there. Luckily, Master found Joshi Guest House. The Babaji cave retreat has become very popular and many disciples have shown their interest in participation.

Many sincere seekers got their initiations all over the country. These sincere aspirants are the people who drives Master to overcome his travel fatigue and teach. The joy of spending time with his loving disciples and the pleasure he feels when he initiates a sincere student is what he always craves for.

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