Wrong Place ~ Right Time

One day my phone rang and when I picked it up, the voice on the other end asked, “Want to meet a Yogi?”    It was my friend Mr. Will from New York City calling to tell me Shiva Bala Yogi was in America.   I had heard many wonderful stories about this amazing Yogi from friends who had seen him in India during the early seventies.  

Mr. Will referred to Shiva Bala Yogi as a “heavy hitter” and “the real deal”   Mr. Will had studied with many advanced teachers in India and America and knew the difference between an ordinary spiritual leader and a real sage.   So I headed his call and eagerly flew to New York City to meet Shiva Bala Yogi.

Mr. Will picked me up from the airport clearly excited at the prospects of meeting Shiva Bala Yogi.  Mr. Will had gotten a street address for the location of program with Shiva Bala Yogi from a devotee.  So we immediately headed to the meditation, which was to start at 7PM.   After a long expectant ride, we finally arrived at the address at 7PM but it was a virtually unoccupied six story apartment building. The street was empty – no cars, no people.  We hurried into the lobby, which seemed abandon and un-maintained.   We looked up and down the halls but there was no sign of a program, devotees or any inhabitants.  

Mr. Will and I stood in the lobby dumbfounded just looking at each other not knowing what to do.   The soaring enthusiasm that we had been riding for days was replaced with great disappointment.  Now, it was after 7PM and clearly wherever the program really was, we were not there.  Suddenly, the distinctive “Ding” of a bell rang out, cutting through our confusion.  We spun around to find where the sound was coming from only to see an elevator door open and Shiva Bala Yogi stepping into the lobby smiling a broad and bountiful smile.   Our enthusiasm soared once again and we were all smiles too.

It turned out that Mr. Will had the address of where Shiva Bala Yogi was staying and not the location of the program that night.  As we talked to the Yogi’s interpreter, Mr. Sing SP   we found that the reason Shiva Bala Yogi was not at the program was because they lacked enough cars to take everyone in the Yogi’s entourage.   Apparently, Shiva Bala Yogi had told them not to worry, a car was coming.  Accordingly they all waited in the apartment to go to the program. 

About the time Mr. Will and I entered the lobby, in the upper floor apartment Shiva Bala Yogi announced they could now go to the program. So he and his group got on the elevators and came down to the lobby and found Mr. Will, me and the extra car they needed.  To them it was the great fun of the Yogi’s leela [Divine Play].   At this point, however I did not realize that how little this event had to do with coincidence and how much of it was under Shiva Bala Yogi’s conscious control. 

As if it was all part of a plan, we quickly became part of his entourage during his travels on the East Coast.  During this time with Shiva Bala Yogi, I came to witness many, many times how he was able to invisibly orchestrate and effortlessly control the outcome of events.  All of which, clearly demonstrated what is possible for someone who has reached Self-Realization.   Of course such minor “wonders” are nothing compared to the miracles that Swamiji, facilitated in the hearts and lives of those who sought his help.