The mother comes looking for her child
The first time I met Swami Vishwananda was in 2004 in Baden-Baden, Germany, where he stayed in a private home to give interviews. In my mind I pictured a white-haired, bearded old man. That was my image of a guru at that time. I went to meet Swami with a friend and his parents. As we reached the house in Baden-Baden, I was excited, nervous and treading softly, I followed my friends into a room where we were asked to wait. There were many nice pictures and it smelled of incense. My thoughts were interrupted by a gentle, soft voice. “Hello”, a beautiful young man said. My friend and I went with Swamiji into the interview room and sat down on the floor. I had to force myself not to stare at Swami all the time because the beauty, purity and light he reflected were breathtaking. I thought: Now I know how people must have felt 2000 years ago when they sat with Jesus.
Swami asked my friend who I was as he smiled at me kindly. Before the interview, my friend’s parents had told me that I could ask Swamiji questions about my spiritual path, my health or something like that. Since I didn’t have a question I wanted to ask Swami. I decided to tell him about a wart which I had on the sole of my right foot. But as I now sat in front of Swami and he looked at me in such a kind way, I realised that my question was insignificant and almost ridiculous. We talked about more important things than warts and, at the end of the interview, Swamiji gave us his blessings.
Before we left the house, I bought a small picture of Swamiji that I wanted to carry with me in order to remember his beauty and his smile all the time. After the interview I was happy and filled with love and joy; I felt like I had found a new friend. That first meeting with Swami Vishwananda was so simple and natural that all my previous worries and doubts just vanished into thin air, leaving only a profound happiness.
I went to meet Swami Vishwananda without any expectations because I knew very little about spiritual masters or gurus. In my life I had felt a yearning in my heart, like a presentiment, that there must exist somewhere, something that can give one the feeling of harmony and being whole. Sometimes, when I was in deep despair, I inwardly cried from deep within my heart, Jesus, if it is true that you are there, if you are truly the saviour of men, then please come to my rescue or send me someone who can help me. I always had the feeling that one day I would have a spiritual teacher. I had planned to go to America after I finished school in order to find my teacher. Amazingly, now the teacher had come to me. It was not the child who went looking for the mother; it was the mother who came looking for the child!
Kalyani - Germany
The first time I met Swami Vishwananda was in 2004 in Baden-Baden, Germany, where he stayed in a private home to give interviews. In my mind I pictured a white-haired, bearded old man. That was my image of a guru at that time. I went to meet Swami with a friend and his parents. As we reached the house in Baden-Baden, I was excited, nervous and treading softly, I followed my friends into a room where we were asked to wait. There were many nice pictures and it smelled of incense. My thoughts were interrupted by a gentle, soft voice. “Hello”, a beautiful young man said. My friend and I went with Swamiji into the interview room and sat down on the floor. I had to force myself not to stare at Swami all the time because the beauty, purity and light he reflected were breathtaking. I thought: Now I know how people must have felt 2000 years ago when they sat with Jesus.
Swami asked my friend who I was as he smiled at me kindly. Before the interview, my friend’s parents had told me that I could ask Swamiji questions about my spiritual path, my health or something like that. Since I didn’t have a question I wanted to ask Swami. I decided to tell him about a wart which I had on the sole of my right foot. But as I now sat in front of Swami and he looked at me in such a kind way, I realised that my question was insignificant and almost ridiculous. We talked about more important things than warts and, at the end of the interview, Swamiji gave us his blessings.
Before we left the house, I bought a small picture of Swamiji that I wanted to carry with me in order to remember his beauty and his smile all the time. After the interview I was happy and filled with love and joy; I felt like I had found a new friend. That first meeting with Swami Vishwananda was so simple and natural that all my previous worries and doubts just vanished into thin air, leaving only a profound happiness.
I went to meet Swami Vishwananda without any expectations because I knew very little about spiritual masters or gurus. In my life I had felt a yearning in my heart, like a presentiment, that there must exist somewhere, something that can give one the feeling of harmony and being whole. Sometimes, when I was in deep despair, I inwardly cried from deep within my heart, Jesus, if it is true that you are there, if you are truly the saviour of men, then please come to my rescue or send me someone who can help me. I always had the feeling that one day I would have a spiritual teacher. I had planned to go to America after I finished school in order to find my teacher. Amazingly, now the teacher had come to me. It was not the child who went looking for the mother; it was the mother who came looking for the child!
Kalyani - Germany
