Their driver, Mesh, called ahead and Thomas was waiting for them on the steps of the ashram’s Visitor’s Center. As the car drove up, he raced down the wet steps from the afternoon monsoon showers, opened the back door, and picked up Anna while he gave Maggie a half-hug when she stepped out.
“I can’t believe you’re here,” he said, tears rolling down his cheeks.
“Well, I can see why you don’t fly back and forth more often.”
“Yes, it is a long flight. Hope it wasn’t too tiring?”
“Anna meditated some of the way, so she’s a lot fresher than me,” Maggie added.
Mesh walked over, pulling their luggage bags. “Let’s get you settled in, and if you need some time before dinner, you can take a nap.”
“I not need sleep,” Anna insisted. Her father just smiled back.
Thomas led them along a flat-stone path around the Visitor’s Center to a two-story pink motel with long rows of rooms, some with air conditioning units.
“Motel 6?” Maggie said.
“Kind of. We have lots of yoga students staying with us at any one time. We’ve put you in a downstairs corner unit close to the main hall so you won’t have much of a trek.”
The room was more spacious than she expected, and Thomas or somebody had decorated it with vases of fresh Angel orchids. “Very nice, Thomas.”
“Daddy, where do you stay?” Anna asked.
He put her down and knelt beside his daughter. “I have a small meditation hut where the yogis stay, but it’s not far.”
“Can I see it?” Anna asked.
“Let’s wait until later, Anna.” He stood up and turned to Maggie. “So, why don’t you take a nap? We’ve just finished our afternoon meditation, and dinner will be in an hour or so.”
“I’ll take a shower, but if I lie down you’re never getting me up,” Maggie said.
“I’m fresh. Don’t need a bath. Can go with you, Daddy.”
“Anna, we’ll have plenty of time together, but first we’ll eat and then have a private… session with Swami.”
Maggie added, “Yes, dear. Let’s follow their schedule. We don’t want impose on them.” Anna nodded her head and stepped over to the window with its view of the lush garden that surrounded the living quarters. Thomas left, and Maggie immediately unpacked their clothes, put them away in the “distressed painted” but colorful chest of drawers, and stepped into the shower with its new plastic flower curtain and a recently scrubbed floor. When she came out, Anna was meditating in the sea-grass-woven chair next to the bed. She opened her eyes. “Daddy tight. Something is wrong with him.”
“Anna. He is a lowly teacher here, and he must abide by Swami’s wishes.”
“Okay. We let Swami… run the show.”
Maggie laughed. “Let’s hope it’s not too showy.”
“But I’m hungry now.”
Maggie did lay down for a moment but quickly fell asleep, only to have Thomas shake her awake an hour later. In the bathroom she splashed some water on her face, and they followed him to the banquet hall. It had a cafeteria setup with tables and plastic folding chairs and a buffet line. They stood in line and filled their plates from the wide selection of vegetarian and rice dishes. At the front of the room was a slightly elevated table where Swami sat, and they were ushered to it and directed to take their place on his right side.
Swami, who appeared to be in his mid-sixties and wearing black-framed eyeglasses, bowed to them as they set their trays down. Maggie and Anna bowed back, and he patted the seat next to him for Anna to sit down. Thomas took his place on the other side of his teacher.
“It is nice to finally meet you, Anna… and Maggie. You have such a bright aura, little one.”
Anna smiled and said, “Yours white too.” She stared at the holy man, then reached over and touched his side.
The holy man shuddered as he closed his eyes, his eyelids twitching. “Oh my,” he finally said and opened his eyes.
“I fix kidney thing,” she added.
Maggie shook her head. “Anna, what did I tell you about that?”
Swami waved his hand. “No, let Spirit move her, Ms. Maggie.” He closed his eyes again. A moment later, he added, “I do have some kidney stones.”
“All gone now.” Anna looked down at her plate and then up at Swami. “We say grace?”
“Yes, and why don’t you say it for us.” Thomas clicked his fork against his water glass, and the room went quiet.
Anna bowed her head and repeated the grace said at Ma hi’ Ma’s Hindu ashram:
The food is One.
We who offer food are One.
The fire of hunger is One.
All action is One
We who know this are One.
Swami raised his head and the others followed. “Thank you, Anna. Your mother has taught you well.”
Anna was about to correct him but only nodded her head in agreement, and looked down at her plate and began to eat her dinner. Unlike in the West, everybody mostly ate their meal in relative silence, although Swami did say a few things to Thomas. Afterward Swami gave everybody his blessing, stood up and walked out of the hall. Thomas stepped over to Maggie and Anna. “Swami wants to meditate, and said he will call us when he’s ready to meet with you.”
“You have a pond with ducks,” Anna said.
“Why, yes we do. Would you like to see them?” her father asked.
“We bring bread to feed?” Thomas turned to Mesh who was standing a few feet back. He nodded his head and headed for the kitchen. They walked out of the hall, down another winding flat-stone path to the pond on the east side of the ashram. The sun had set and the path was lit by ankle-high electric lanterns. There were stone benches, and Maggie and Thomas sat down while Anna strolled to the water’s edge and sat on the wet grass as the ducks started to paddle over to her.
“I’m really sorry about Anna’s impromptu healing. I’ve asked her repeatedly to ask first, or ask me first.”
“I’m sure Swami appreciated it. He has had a problem passing kidney stones.” Thomas paused. “Somebody at Ma hi’ Ma’s ashram sent me the news article about the little boy’s recovery from bone cancer in San Luis Obispo. I take it that was Anna?”
Maggie nodded her head. “Well, with Joseph’s guidance, we did follow a protocol, and nobody figured it out.”
“Joseph?”
“Anna’s spirit guide.”
“He talks to both of you?” Thomas asked with a half-startled expression.
“Well, occasionally Anna shifts our spirits to his astral park for consultations.”
“Oh my,” Thomas said. Maggie smiled. He was picking up his guru’s expressions. It was endearing.
Mesh came back with a bag of bread crumbs and walked down to the pond handing it to Anna. She quickly opened the bag and began throwing bits of stale bread out onto the moss-covered pond for the ducks to feed. They watched her for a moment. Thomas turned to Maggie. “I need to do something.” He waved Mesh over. “Mesh will sit with you until I come back.” The yogi nodded his head and took a seat on the bench.
They talked about the ashram, but the yogi deflected any questions about Swami Vinanda’s history. Twenty minutes later, after Anna had emptied her bag and had come up to sit with them, Thomas returned.
“I had a talk with Swami. He feels it would be better if the two of you met with him in the morning after meditation.”
“Which is what… 4:00 a.m.?” Maggie asked hesitantly.
Thomas laughed. “No. In deference to our Western students, it’s at 6:00 a.m. But the ashram bell will ring at 5:30, so since it’s been such a long day for both of you, I think you should retire for the early-morning riser.”
Maggie stood and took her daughter by the hand. “That’s sounds better. I’m really exhausted, as you can no doubt tell.”
Thomas smiled and escorted them back to their room. He gave Anna a goodnight kiss on the cheek, but merely took Maggie’s hands and said, “Good night. Sleep well.”