Photo, Google Images: Swami Paramahansa Hariharananda Giri
Small of stature,
and calm of voice,
his demeanor sweet,
gentle and wise.
Long hair, thinning,
accepting, brown,
soft, eyes with
large bags underneath.
Fluffy, white beard
that smelled of
sandalwood, always
with a mala around his neck.
Ochre clothing he wore
like the swami he was,
with kumkum paste
denoting his third eye.
Initiating those
who were sincere,
he led them in the
ways of kriya yoga.
Continuing the
teachings as had
the lineage before,
with reverent devotion.
He addressed me
as ‘Mother’ or
‘Gayle Ma’, always
bestowing respect.
I was honored to
serve this man
of God, preparing his
dal and basmati rice.
Demonstrating the
“breathless state”, a
group of students
were left in awe.
He touched my
heart, he touched
my soul…I want
to bow a thousand times.
For several years, after I left the ashram life, I studied with Swami Paramanhansa Hariharananda Giri, affectionately known as, Baba, by his students. He was a direct disciple of Paramahansa Yoganada, the founder of Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF) and author of “Autobiography of a Yogi.” They were teachers of kriya yoga, continuing on the lineage of those before them. Baba had been initiated by Yogananda and lived in his ashram in Puri, Orissa, India.
Victoria invites us to describe character at dVerse Poets: http://dversepoets.com/2012/08/23/meeting-the-bar-writing-characters/
Sharing this with Souldipper Amy for Occupy Blogosphere: http://souldipper.wordpress.com/2012/08/22/occupy-blogosphere-thursday-august-23-2012/
