My father’s departure

 It was a chance decision to visit Trivandrum during April, 2013. And it so happened that I got to spend seven full days with my father who lived alone, with a lady to look after. Since she took leave for two days, he was entirely my responsibility. We spent all the seven days discussing various spiritual topics. I think I managed to make him realize that we are more than our bodies. We listened to bhajans and had meditation sessions. Little did I realize that it was my last meeting with him.

On May 15^th he was admitted to the hospital for a bad infection on his leg. It was responding to the IV antibiotic treatment. On 19^th morning, I had a telephonic conversation with him. He was having difficulty in breathing, his voice was hoarse and I could hardly decipher what he was saying. While having lunch he choked and had a cardiac arrest. The doctors tried resuscitation and put him on ventilator.

At around 6pm on 19^th, I was sitting on our lawn and when looked up, saw flowers on the sampige tree, which flowered 18 years after planting it (my father’s gift?). I could feel the presence of my mother and sister, who left their bodies in 2008, near my father and felt that his soul left through his throat chakra. He looked peaceful and happy.

On 20^th morning I was one hour into my first lecture for the five days course when I got the phone call from Trivandrum that my father passed away. He was removed from the ventilator and declared dead. I had to finish the course and then rush to Trivandrum. The ceremony was conducted on 26^th. Looking at his bones was difficult for me. During the last visit he was with me in flesh and blood, and now I got to see his bone pieces!

In the evening while I was putting his photograph to its place, I could sense him telling me, ‘I wanted to live for 17 more years (an astrologer had told that he would live that much time) in vain. That body was withering, and I was clinging to it. I am at peace now.’ He blessed me and smiled.

The "Smart" Dentist

In our dental clinic we have had a number of young fresh dental graduates working as assistants. They learn the clinical expertise gradually, gain confidence and then start their own clinic. Many of them would take guidance to set up their new clinic and some would insist we should do the inauguration.

The new dentist that came to work with us was always cheerful and had compliments for every body around. After about a year she told us she was trying to go abroad and requested for an experience certificate, with a forward date. Well, giving a certificate with a future date was not possible and she agreed to work till the proposed date to obtain the certificate.

On getting the experience certificate she told that she would stop working with us from the next day. To my friendly question as to her future plans she replied,'I haven't thought about it', which sounded strange.

After a few days one of our support staff got sick and she took leave. When she was absent for many days we called her up and she told that she won't be coming any more.

One day I got intuitive message from Kalima that the dentist had started her own clinic with our assistant as her staff. I was confused, how could it be, she was trying to go abroad. After two days we came to know that she had indeed started her own clinic. I was curious to know about the assistant. I didn't have to wait too long to know that it was true. 

Mom in law and her soul’s presence

My mother in law had a very peaceful death on 17^th of March. Another example of a person receiving Reiki having a smooth passing on! When we reached the house the next day, I was surprised that the house was totally free from her presence. The last time I met her a few months back, she had a far away look in her eyes. Now it was clear to me that she was in the process of detachment to those around her.

Baithak was kept on the third day and we all sang bhajans for the soul. It was a very soothing atmosphere and I could feel her presence. Towards the end of the ceremony, she stood in front of her photograph. She was looking so beautiful and calm. She looked at her children. Her gaze lasted a bit longer on my husband’s face and she gave him a special smile.

She looked at one of her children and had a question,’ What about --- lakhs?’ I was very puzzled by this, but later I came to know its significance.

I thought about her special smile for my husband. He was her favorite son. When he went ahead with his love marriage, she thought that I had stolen him from her. That resentment was always there at the background, even though she behaved cordially with me. From the soul’s realm, she could see things in the correct perspective now. The fact that her son loved a girl and could keep his promise meant that he had a character. He could love, because he had the habit of loving, which started from his love for his mother.

She could now see how much he loved and respected her. And also, how I have been continuing her work – of making him a good human being- by being with his decisions and making constructive comments.

Then one day, a large butterfly flew in front of my husband and sat on a plant in our garden. He was standing so close to it, but it did not move. He called me to come over and have a look. I went over, recognized his mother’s soul’s presence. ‘Let me touch it’, I told. He told not to. A butterfly will just fly off if somebody goes close to it, and it will never let any one touch it.

After a few seconds, I told that I would touch it, and very gently did. Surprise, it still sat there. Then I asked my husband to touch it, just to see the response, which would give me a clue whether she treated us same now. He too touched the butterfly and again, it sat still.

I had a doubt if the butterfly was dead, so that our touching didn’t make any difference. But after an hour, I was in the garden to get flowers and the moment I approached the plant, the butterfly just flew off! Yes, after giving me the message loud and clear.

When a person dies, people think that he/she is gone and that’s the end of it. They don’t realize that whatever the children think and do after their parents’ demise, they are watching them and if they do things that give pain to the parents, that pain can have an effect on their lives!

Calling of the parad Shivling

After spending three amazing days at Rameshwaram, we finished the final puja on the third day. On the walk back to the hotel, our friends wanted to check on the possibility of getting some tea. I was standing in front of a shop and on an idle glance, I felt a strong pull towards the tiny shivlings kept on display. They were silver colored, but somehow didn’t feel they were made of silver. I felt like buying one, but my husband was not with me at the time and I was not carrying any money. So I left it at that.

Later during the night, we were planning to go to our rooms after dinner. Suddenly I felt the tiny Shivling calling me. “Let’s walk to a shop, I want to show you something”, I told my husband and we reached the shop. It turned out that the shop keeper was from the same place as my husband and they struck an animated conversation.

The shop keeper told that those Shivlings were made of solidified mercury and only a select few know the process of purifying and solidifying mercury. He gave me the procedures to be followed before keeping a parad Shivling at home. I bought one and later searched the net for details on parad Shivling. The mercury is a liquid with mobility, it represents the mind which is always moving. Worshipping a shivling made of solidified mercury, one can gradually stabilize the mind.  Only those who have burned the sins of past lives are destined to own a parad Shivling. And it is supposed to have many amazing Godly properties!

On Rudrabhisheka and stopping the rain

While starting for the ‘Thirtha yatra’ in June, we were prepared for the rains. With a relative (he had come down from Lucknow with his wife and daughter) who had in-depth knowledge of Vedas and Puranas, it was an altogether different experience. He explained the significance of the different temples and about the idols.

Starting from the Mangeshi temple and Shantadurga temple in Goa, we went to Gokarna. Halting in the vicinity of Om beach, went to the Gokarna temple to conduct puja next day morning. Visited the small Shivling submerged in water, which is a ‘swayambhu’ ling.

The drive to Murudeshwar was very scenic and our guests were taken aback by the beauty of Murudeshwar. They were totally enamored by the vast sea around the guest house.

Then we drove to Sringeri and on the way, visited the Mookambika temple. Since our guests wanted to visit the ‘Rishyashringa’ temple, we found out its location. It was planned to visit Rishyashringa temple the next day morning. While I was meditating, I saw the picture of a clock with the needles showing the time ’11.45’, twice. I wondered what was going to happen at 11. 45 on that day.  

We reached the Rishyashringa temple and asked to get abhisheka done, for us and for our guests. The priest suggested that instead of two abhishekas, we could get a rudrabhisheka done and the puja will be done at 11.45. So, at 11. 45,  we were all sitting and listening to the chanting while rudrabhisheka was being performed. Then I understood the meaning of seeing the clock with 11. 45 during my meditation.

From Sringeri we drove down to Manipal and took a hotel room to stay.  On all the previous days of temple visits, it was pouring heavily and we were always using the umbrellas. In Manipal I requested that we may be allowed to visit the Udupi Krishna temple without the pouring rain. I got the message that it will be clear during our visit and I could wear appropriate clothes since they won’t get wet. And it turned out to be true. It was totally clear till we reached back to the hotel and the rain resumed later in the night.

It was interesting that in all the temples we visited, the moment we reached inside, there used to be ‘Aarti’ being performed. 

The clogged pipes

Just a day before we had to leave for one month vacation, water stopped coming from the tap in one bathroom and in the green house. They were having a common connection. Since water was coming in the other bathroom, we could manage.

The crucial point was that the watchman had to water the plants in the green house in our absence. It was impossible to get a plumber on immediate notice. I called upon the higher forces as well as Reiki and performed whatever I was told to do, and told my husband to not to check the pipes for an hour.

After an hour, when he opened the tap, a lot of gurgling sounds came and muddy water started flowing, with chunks of dirt. After about ten minutes, the water became clean and there was normal flow of water through the taps. 

Tiruvannamalai experience

The Shivaratri of 2012 was spent in Tiruvannamalai. Tiruvannamalai is a world renowned pilgrim centre located at the foot hills of Annamalai hills. It came to be built over a period of more than thousand years. Many kings particularly the Chola and Pandiya Kings, apart from the King Krishnadevaraya in the 15th century were involved in its making. Shiva and Parvathi are the two deities that are worshipped here at Arunachaleeswar temple. Shiva is prayed here in the form of Agni.

While going for the darshan, I requested for a miracle. There were two queues, separated by iron railing. We chose the inner one, aspiring to go closer to the deity. People were moving faster on the other line and as we came closer, saw that there was a common entry point from both the lines. Since a gate was obliquely placed in front of our line, when four persons from the other line got entry, only one person from our line could go in. The thought came to the mind that we must have chosen the wrong line.

When my turn came to enter inside, the person standing near the gate talked some thing loud in Tamil. I couldn’t understand what he said, but he gestured me to move back. I moved back, disappointed, not sure what was happening. Then the closed the gate that was obliquely placed till then and I could get in through the space that opened up, for a darshan standing just in front of the deity. My heart filled with gratitude and reverence, for the darshan as well as for the miracle.