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.
