Ananda’s 100th

The Living Discipleship “Gratitude Event” was today, but I’m the one who ended up filled to overflowing with a sense of deep gratitude…

The event began with some songs (Ramesha and I had been invited to join in the singing), followed by a “skit”, then concluding with a few more songs. I have to write “skit” in quotes because it was way, way beyond any skit I’ve ever seen!

The setting of the short play was the meditation retreat in July of 2069, just after Ananda’s 100th anniversary! The narrators were two of the present day Living Disciples who were welcoming a new crop of 2069 Living Disciples and reflecting on their own experience of jumping into Living Discipleship immediately after the 50th anniversary–“fifty years ago!”, as one of them says.

They then proceeded to trace the evolution of our path, starting with Arjuna choosing Krishna before the battle of Kurukshetra. Briefly, yet powerfully, they acted out the pivotal moments between Jesus and Babaji; Babaji and Lahiri; Yukteswar at the Kumbha Mela; Yogananda meeting Sri Yukteswar; Kriyananda meeting Yogananda; and finishing up with our very own Jyotish meeting Swami Kriyananda and volunteering to help him with the “project” that eventually became Ananda.

It was sweet, devotional, funny, inspiring, and deeply moving.

The first song after the skit was O Master, which wasn’t easy to sing because I was already moved almost to tears. I held it together for Cloisters and Lord, May We Serve You. But then everyone stood and we sang Thy Light Within Us Shining…and I pretty much lost it.

I mean, there we were in the Temple of Leaves, where Swamiji started it all; we’re still feeling the incredible bliss of the 50th anniversary celebrations; and then (somewhat miraculously) through the power of today’s Living Discipleship presentation, I felt as though I was present at Ananda’s 100th anniversary. It felt so real; the blessings were palpable.

Words really can’t convey what a gift this was. Thank you, thank you to each and every one of the great souls who manifested this event.