I MAPPED MY JOURNEYS by Jolita Kelias

I was born to travel. Nothing ever excited me more than the idea of travelling and actually packing my stuff and going away, but even then it was always sweet to have a place to come back to and call it Home.

At the beginning I lived like this only in my mind mapping my journeys around the world. I grew up in a financially poor family, where my mother as a single parent struggled day-to-day to put bread on the table and to dress my sister and me, even though she really did all she could to the best of her ability.

I cannot say I really liked attending school either as classmates used to bully and harass us because of our poor financial status. They did not realise to what lengths their own parents had to go in order to provide for them, but even then my sister and I were the first ones they turned to for help when they needed it and that happened often. Because of such experiences my sister and I grew a ‘thick skin’ which helped us to face the world as we knew it at that time on a daily basis. Fortunately, teachers were very supportive and recognised certain skills in us, which resulted in involving us in various activities and school events.

My twin-sister and I did everything we could to be good students at school and learn and experience as much as possible by getting engaged in many different after-school activities, which in some way slowly prepared us for adulthood. We were always cheerful, happy, joyful and full of enthusiasm; we never complained, except to each other from time to time, but instead looked for the brighter side of all things and constantly made each other laugh. I loved being among people, visiting various exhibitions, attending events and concerts, getting to know different places, reading books and doing other things that challenged my thinking and being. So I became involved in lots of sporting activities, did some creative writing and a bit of travelling around my own country, Lithuania. Wherever I went, my sister followed. We were inseparable, we could not be without each other; our bond was extremely strong and more important than anything else in the world.

Since an early age I had an immensely creative imagination, which I eagerly nourished and nurtured. That’s where I looked for a refuge when I felt unhappy and overwhelmed by the material world and it’s people. I used to spend hours and even more hours in my own world, where peace and tolerance and love were my top priorities. That was when I started mapping my journeys around the world. I began from Europe first. I drew a map and truly believed I could reach my dream some day in the near future.

The first country I envisioned visiting was Netherlands, then Belgium and Luxembourg followed, then the path led to Germany, Italy and Greece and other European countries and all the way to the capital of England, London. Then from London I went all the way to US, Canada, South America and many other countries in Asia, Africa and places in Australia and New Zealand. My imagination also eagerly visited small tropical islands all over the globe. For some reason I always focused on small countries and islands first, as there I could feel a better way of life that was full of serenity, unity of people, peace and adventure.

I have already accomplished some of my journeys and I have actually added a few more countries on my imaginative map accordingly. However, I have encountered strong discouragement due to financial difficulties, attachment and connection to my own land and people, other people’s fear and the need for me to be safe. I was told that if I wanted to achieve anything in life, I needed to have lots of money and money did not grow on trees. This was generously repeated to me on a daily basis, “Jolita, only rich people can allow themselves luxuries. You better remain where you are. Everything needs money and you have none,” and so on and the same over and over again.

I chose not to listen to echoes of others. I chose to listen to my heart and desire to explore and follow my dreams. My dear sister was very much like me and she strongly believed in me and supported my every move and choice, even though sometimes she possibly wished something else for me, but yet she was always the first one to encourage and inspire.

When I finished my studies at Vilnius College and obtained my diploma, unfortunately I reached the point where my situation was the worse for wear. I had no money, I found it very hard to get work, I had no place to stay, because I had to move out of student residence and I did not want to go back and live with my mother. My English skills were extremely poor as well. I truly wanted to improve my English, travel abroad to meet new people and learn about different cultures, languages, traditions, foods and lifestyle. I desired to explore the world, to experience a different way of life, to broaden my perceptions and views and open my senses. That’s when I strongly felt it was the right time for me to make changes in my life.

It was June 2003. I found out about an agency in the capital of Vilnius, where I lived at that time, which looked for young people to go abroad to work as aupairs for various families. An aupair’s job was to look after the family’s children, pets and home. In return they offered minimum wages and a language course appropriate to that particular country and of course, ‘live in’ accommodation comprising of a separate bedroom, food, transport, weekends off. The whole idea was about learning new skills, languages, traditions and meeting new people and understanding other ways of living. So I registered with that agency, which promised to find me a family abroad. I paid a certain fee, completed all the needed documents and waited. It took longer than I expected. Six months later, I was finally given an opportunity to leave for my new endeavour only just a couple of days before Christmas in 2003. To tell the truth, I was not really fascinated by the idea of looking after someone else’s children about whom I knew nothing, especially when I myself was just twenty two years old. However, I understood well that this opportunity was an opening for me to begin my journey, which had been my dream since an early age.

I packed my stuff, which was very little (one blouse, one jumper, one pair of jeans and one pair of shoes and a couple of my favourite books, a piece of chocolate and a blanket). I bought an international bus ticket to the Netherlands, pocketed the last 30 Euros I had and went to experience an adventure.

Whilst staying there with the family and looking after their children, I also got a chance, during my spare time, to travel the country, to learn Dutch, just enough to say few words, to improve my English and to make friends with other aupairs and people I met on my way. A few months later I packed my small luggage again and left, but this time I moved from country to country (exactly as I envisioned years ago) visiting people I met during those few first months in Netherlands.

I travelled alone and on my way I met even more wonderful people. I never had to stay on the street or be hungry; there was always someone to guide me, to help me with information, to house me and to show me around. I saw myself as a little gipsy with a small luggage in her possession going from one place to another and experiencing things I dreamed of since my childhood. I must say, I enjoyed every second of it. At that particular moment, because of the decision I dared to make, my whole life took a turn for the better, it began to improve and miraculous things started to happen in my life... It was something more than I had ever imagined or even thought of.

There is one more detail I wish to add to my story... Eventually I did come to London and began creating life I have envisioned long time ago.

Life can challenge you and try to put you down in order just to test you, and what I have learned from my experiences was that if you truly want something to achieve and have, all you have to do is believe and dare to reach for the stars, and once you have proven yourself to life, life will put its hands down and open the gate to your dreams. It will guide you, it will protect you, and it will soothe you and whisper its knowledge and wisdom into your ears, it will be fully there for you. If you just believe and KNOW that things you dream about can possibly happen and dreams do come true, then you will stop wasting your time and begin your journey right now and right here.

~Jolita Kelias

Copyright © Jolita Kelias, November 2011

All Rights Reserved

MOHANJI – The Path of His Heart

While Mohanji and I were strolling on Tower Bridge by the river Thames in London, he said the words that to this moment still echo in my ears. He said: “Jolita, our path of the heart is very simple and complex at the same time. We belong to people, we belong to the world. For as long as we follow this path, no storms and no hardships can change our direction. Just keep moving no matter what, the rest leave to Life to take care for you.”

There is not just one way to describe this persona that some people know as Mohan and some as Mohanji. To me he is an ordinary man doing an extraordinary work, handling two different worlds at the same time – the physical world and the spiritual world. He works for his living and sustains himself and his family so as not to depend on other people. He pays his own bills, travels for business when needed and in between does his spiritual and charitable work. All the events that he hosts are free of charge, with no entry fees and no obligation to pay. Any donations offered are used for charitable purposes.

We all come to Mother Earth carrying a certain message, a certain purpose and certain task that we choose to complete – some small, some big, but one way or the other they always get completed. Mohanji’s path is not just any path. It is the path of his heart – to serve humanity, to elevate others to the highest level of conscious living and being. This path opens one’s eyes to the simple truths of life that so many of us have forgotten or have considered too difficult to follow and live up to. He serves humanity not for himself, not for satisfying his ego or his personal needs, not for the sake of pleasing someone, but for the sake of following the path of his heart, for the sake of helping others. In other words, that is his life’s purpose.  He walks the talk. Things like taboo do not exist for him. He says: “There are no taboos in life unless you create them yourself. There are no bad or forbidden things in life unless you see them to be that way. There is no right or wrong path that you may choose to walk unless you give it a name.”

He has no need for others to call him Mohanji or Guruji or Swami or Saint or Master or any other name. Whatever one feels comfortable with, he welcomes it. He has no need for someone to bow to him or touch his feet or praise him, but if a person chooses to do so, he is open to receive any gesture that comes from the depths of their heart.

Mohanji and Jolita Kelias

I personally call him Mohanji. He is very dear to me. The work that he does, the message of Love and Peace that he spreads greatly resonates with me. I consider myself to be his family member and also a god-mother to his beautiful daughter Mila and a close member of the Bless The World family.

His short visit to London, United Kingdom on the 4 – 9^th November 2011 was one of the most beautiful moments for me personally, not to mention a huge number of people that came to see him, to hear him speaking and answering questions, to receive his blessing and just to be in his serene presence.

Mohanji, Rajesh and his son Vivek

Mohanji inspires love, affection and dedication. During his stay in London he was lovingly hosted by a family who have never met him before and had only heard of him through their friends. I personally wish to express my admiration and gratitude to Rajesh and Ranjana for their amazing trust, commitment, dedication and willingness to be on their feet at any time of the day and also for opening their home to me and many others that came to see Mohanji.

Recently, a book has been published entitled The Power of Purity. This book was compiled by Marina Wolny from Germany who had collected many of Mohanji’s writings, postings, thoughts and spontaneous answers given to people throughout the years and combined them into a book for others to read and share. Many people reading this book say that they have found the answers they have been searching for. This book can be found on main bookselling websites on the internet. The book has been named after the meditation that Mohanji has been conducting for the past few years. It has exactly the same name – The Power of Purity.

Personally speaking, the Power of Purity guided meditation has opened the doors to forgiveness, acceptance, tolerance, loving kindness, and love itself. It tenderly encourages and invites you to bless every person, every moment, every living thing, every material thing, every challenge that you have ever encountered in your life and be thankful for it. But most importantly it welcomes you to embrace and love yourself just as you are and it carries a huge potential in finding peace within yourself and the world around you.

Sastang in the Home

During his trip to the UK Mohanji visited Stratford Upon Avon, which is the birthplace of Shakespeare. He also visited many of the sights of London and some surrounding areas. He was able to feel the energy of these places and meet many people. During his stay, he slept very little, did his work with full concentration and dedication and conducted two sastangs, one in the home of the family he was staying with and one in Oxhey (near Watford) which was open to the public. He lovingly gave Shaktipat (transfer of divine energy) to everyone that came and asked for it and not a single time did the smile leave his tranquil face. I must say, he has a very good sense of humour and at times he pokes fun at you with a cheeky smile and word. For example despite having asked so many questions during his trip, I asked him another question during the public programme on Sunday, the 6^th Nov 2011 and then straight after his answer I started to ask a second question but before I spoke again he responded by saying: “Of course, Jolita cannot be without asking questions!” Of course, it made me laugh not to mention people around me, and yet I asked my question anyway which was lovingly answered.

Sastang in the Home

For me to be in his divine presence is not just any kind of honour but a pure blessing. He is not here just to talk. He is a living example of his own word. He is here to deliver experiences, because experiences according to Mohanji, are the true teachers and reminders one should have in one’s life. Experiences are capable of elevating a person to a higher awareness and level of being.

I asked some questions regarding the charitable work of the Ammucare foundation which was created in honour of his daughter who passed away at the age of four in the year 2000 after she was hit by a truck. This tragedy was the catalyst for the huge transformation that occurred in his life. He says: “I had to lose everything, the most precious thing in my life in order to regain my Self, in order to go deep within my Self and eventually become One with the higher consciousness. It has been a hefty journey, a heavy experience, a very painful one, and yet extremely rewarding.” Now he is able to look at this calamity from the point of gratitude and see the bigger picture. “My daughter Ammu was a very high soul, who came to Earth just for a very short period of time and yet did her work effortlessly and on time. I am beyond grateful.”

Ammucare foundation is all about supporting and helping the poor. It aims to provide others with the main necessities in life. A few times a year the Ammucare foundation organises blanket distribution in India, particularly in the cold Himalayan region. They also reach out to other countries as much as possible and aims to grow and expand. They do not limit themselves with just blanket distributions. The foundation also supports poor children with school textbooks, exercise books, pens, pencils, school uniform, food, and anything that is needed for children’s education. Mohanji says: “Give a man money and he will ask for more, but give a man food and he will say thanks to you. Our main aim is to give food whatever form that food comes in one’s life.”

Ammu

CONTACT

http://www.ammucare.org/

http://mohanji.org/

*** *** ***

Here you may read his true life story: 

DARE TO DREAM


My interview with Mohanji about Ammucare Charitable Trust
AMMUCARE CHARITABLE TRUST

Copyright © Jolita Kelias, November 2011

All Rights Reserved

CONVERSATION with JOE DANIELS – a Passionate Climber, Mountaineer, Walker, Adventurer and Lover of the stars

On Jebal Shams inside the mouth of Grand Canyon, Oman

Sometimes you get to meet the most inspirational people in the most unexpected places. It all begins with you and it all depends on you being able to grasp that opportunity, to catch it and make the most of it. If you are here to inspire with the help of other people, then chances of meeting someone interesting may arise unexpectedly anywhere and everywhere.

While I was travelling to the Sultanate of Oman with Qatar Airways on 15 of October 2011 I came to meet a 23 year old English guy named Joe Daniels, who was more than open to socialise with me. To tell the truth, a plane was just half full and I was truly hoping to sit by myself, but apparently life had other ideas for me. I must say at the first half an hour all I truly wanted was sleep, sleep and more sleep, so he was understanding enough not to disturb me. Half an hour later he noticed that I was feeling chilly, so he kindly offered me a second blanket (one of his own), and so our conversation began. Of course, the least I planned or expected was to write an article about this conversation with the stranger that I got to meet on my way to the Sultanate of Oman, but when a wonderful opportunity and an interesting personality presented themselves, I simply could not ignore it.

A sunset in the Wahiba Desert, Oman

Joe is from the South Devon, England. He is a passionate explorer and adventurer. He takes cold showers only, does not drink hot drinks, does not mind cold whatsoever and loves looking at the stars. Joe sees himself as a child of nature.

So we got talking. Joe told me that his greatest passion was climbing the mountains, exploring various caves, canoeing, and undertaking anything that had to do with the outdoors. One more thing he insisted upon was he loved looking at the stars. When he walks or climbs the mountains one of his favourite moments is when night falls, because that’s when he can stare at the sky, look at the stars and just rest his mind. This made him to become interested in astronomy, which he currently studies by himself during his free time. The stars inspire him to continue doing what he is doing, to dream, to follow his vision, to walk the talk, to live each moment to the fullest.

I can see a great potential in this young chap, who at his youth is already living his dream. One thought, one action, one person, one desire, one huge potential led him to where he stands now...

Joe studied for one year at South Dartmoor Community College and received First national Diploma in Sports and Outdoor Education. The next 2 years he studied at Exeter College and obtained HND in Sport and Outdoor education.

According to Joe, he was never much interested in doing well at school as his attention often was directed to something else, to some other activities, and teachers at school did have a hard time with him from time to time until one day, when he was 14 years old, his Art teacher invited him to attend The Outdoor Club that had to do with walking, climbing, canoeing, tracking, caving. By the way, at the beginning caving was his biggest fear, and so for some time Joe refused to pursue that activity. Joe was not a great lover of school, even though he admits that now he fully understands what a struggle he might have been to his teachers at that time. “If I could turn the clock back just a little bit, I would be a bit more patient, nicer and kinder to my teachers, as now I understand what courage and patience it takes to be a teacher, to deal with challenging children and yet be able to educate them in the best way possible.”

On the Selma Platou, Oman

However, those school outdoor activities that happened only once a week were something that he was truly looking forward to. At times his Art teacher would take students on a few day trips as well, which would involve intense climbing, tracking, walking and constantly being outdoors, and Joe enjoyed every each one of them. Fortunately, at the age of 17 he overcame his fear of caving, and since then he has been exploring various caves fearlessly and with a great curiosity.

 “The only reason I am doing what I am doing is because of my Art Teacher and his belief in me,” Joe kindly gives his praises. “He recognised a hidden ability I possessed and encouraged me to develop it, to grow with it, to follow my passion. He laid a foundation that I am standing on now. Because of him I found what my passion was. Now I walk and climb mountains in the Sultanate of Oman usually six to seven months each year. This time it is my third trip.”

Joe said he likes the Sultanate of Oman a lot. He benevolently speaks about this country: “It is a beautiful country. I feel safe here. Every day I meet many kind people, I get to see wonderful sceneries, climb and walk amazing mountains and dessert. And stars at night… they are breathtaking!” Whenever he said something, I could feel a great sincerity in his voice and believed every word he spoke.

I was curious enough to ask what brought him to the Sultanate of Oman. “The senior instructor from the company Muscat Diving and Adventure Centre came to England for three months to gain some English qualifications, so therefore we got to know each other and became friends. After he left, we stayed in touch and later he invited me to explore the land of the Sultanate of Oman. I could not resist his invitation, and so I said yes.” But before he came to Oman, Joe needed to wait until he became 21 years old in order to qualify for the position. Once he reached the required age, his senior instructor Justin offered him a position, which Joe accepted straight away, and took charge of his arrival.

 Down a cave called Seventh Hole, on the Selma Platou, Oman

The first time he landed in the Sultanate of Oman was in 2009. “Before I even came to the Sultanate of Oman, I had no clue where this country was or whether it existed at all and especially what to expect from it,” he kindly admitted his lack of knowledge he had at that time.

In Oman Joe works as a tour guide. He is also in charge of fixing ropes and making sure all the climbers are safe. He enjoys his activities, even though at times it can be very physically demanding, at times cold or extremely hot. He also does tracking trips which range from seven to ten days or even longer. However, he is never alone, as there is always someone else with him, other guides. Mainly most of tourists that he gets to work with come from Germany, Great Britain and Holland.

Whenever Joe is in UK he works as a climbing instructor at The Rock Centre. He teaches others climbing, mountain walking and tracking. He has been working there for over seven years. “I get on very well with my boss Wendy, she treats me very well and gives me freedom to come back to work and go whenever I choose or have to. Whenever I come back to UK from Oman, I always have a job. I feel very grateful for being surrounded by people who believe in my skills and abilities and who are always eager to work with me.” He has a full time freelance employment with The Rock Centre, but also he is always given a freedom to work for other companies as well. In addition to this, Joe is a team member of Devon Cave Rescue Organisation in UK, where he has been volunteering for the past three years.

“You have to make the most of your life while you can, to live it to the fullest, because one day we all will go and whatever we leave – we will leave,” Joe says. I must say his words have their weight and they are spoken based on his life experiences. Yes, a young man is just 23 years old, but since when wisdom has anything to do with age? Our own experience is our best teacher, and Joe seems to be open to the lessons of life.

First time riding the camel in the Wahiba Desert, Oman

He was very nice and polite to me throughout the whole trip. He also kindly shared his egg and mayo sandwich with me at Doha, Qatar airport while waiting for our flight to Muscat, Oman. He also stood closely by my side when I first time stepped out of the plane in Doha, Qatar, as he felt a bit concerned whether I will be able to cope well with a sudden change of weather conditions - heat and humidity. I felt at ease in this young man’s company, it was a great pleasure and fun to talk to him, to share conversation and experiences and even sit by each others’ side while taking a long journey all the way to the Gulf Coast.

I went and stayed in the Sultanate of Oman for just one week and I know I will be back there once again, but Joe…he will stay there until May 2012, then he will go back to his homeland, where he will continue his work, and then, when time comes, he might go back to the country that he was quick enough to fall in love with or go and explore other lands rich with their scenery, mountains, forests and deserts and full of breathtaking stars in the night sky. That’s a fate of the explorer…

Copyright © Jolita Kelias, November 2011

All Rights Reserved

Prince on the White Horse – A Different Tale by BIBA (Part 3 - The END)

Continuation...

Mohanji's response was profound and surprising as always – he already knew everything!!! He said that he is fully aware of my past already because my soul came to him the other night and narrated everything. I was shocked and thought to myself – "What?! My soul went to him and 'spilled the beans' behind my back?! Unheard of!" That was another thing I never knew was possible.

Apparently, from what he told me, my soul felt that, in terms of purity, it was not sure whether I was eligible to be with a person like Mohanji. It felt inferior to his stature. It kept repeating to him: "I am not pure enough for your spiritual stature."

However, Mohanji reassured me that he doesn't care at all about my past, since that was my process of learning. That was such a relief!

What he told me then was truly profound and will remain as my heart's treasure forever:

"My path is clear, Biba. It is spiritual. I might increasingly become a misfit in the gross external world and I might tend to belong more to the subtle internal world. It is a great possibility. The transition that happened before I met you was the increase in communion with Baba and other Masters from different planes of existence. That will change further to explicit display of Divinity after some time.

“Will you be able to be with me through all terrains, all seasons, all dualities, beyond all barriers? Will you be able to accept me as I am, with all my strengths and weaknesses? Will you be able to cease from judging me for what’s obvious and understand the inner principle? Will you be able to love unconditionally and hold my hand at all times?

“I promise you all that. I love you the way you are. You must not change an inch for me. All I need is your whole-hearted, true and undivided love. All I need is your total support.

“I will never stop loving you. As the evolution gains momentum, we may not utter our love, but we will exist in it more than before.

“Our existence will not be usual since the whole world is my arena. I want to spread the Ammucare concept of unconditional love and service into the whole world. This would be my mission. Baba and all the Masters are with me in this. It goes without saying that all what I have is yours too, if you are with me. I do not own anything. Everything belongs to the Almighty. I just keep them temporarily. You are a pure soul, Biba. I love you for what you are."

I just stood there, in awe, witnessing the dream I treasured for so many years unfolding before my very eyes. I could not withstand this feeling of unbearable love – the tears of joy came into my rescue. I felt that meeting Mohanji has been the greatest event in my life – and still feel so…

Deep inside, I knew that he was a true ascetic, fast evolving in the spiritual path. His evolution was so hidden from the public eye, and he managed to mask his spirituality effectively. It became clear to me that only those whose 'third eye' (the seat of inner vision) was fully open, or those who were very subtle and intuitive, could recognize his spiritual stature.

No Graduation without Examination!

This was one of the proverbs I read in Sai Baba’s ashram. Its meaning became crystal clear to me soon after I met Mohanji. It was indeed logical - those who decide to pursue the highest (PhD) studies have to be willing to study real hard and undergo many trials and tribulations. The same applies to someone, who asked something as high as having a Master as her life partner – I had to prove to the Universe that I am 'up to the mark'. Therefore, the testing was inevitable and that is exactly what happened – sooner than I thought.

First test came only a few days later. The General Manager of the Australian company I was working for at the time told me that their profits have reduced a lot. They are therefore forced to downsize - in other words, they could not afford me any longer. However, he said he found an even better job for me, one that is more in sync with my profession and background. It involves Program Management in the field of Sustainable Development, which would have me working closely with NGOs in Africa, etc., but to get that job I would have to move to their branch office in the Netherlands.

I was shocked. Actually, this was the best job offer I got ever since I graduated from Notre Dame, but leaving Dubai after meeting Mohanji was simply not an option I would consider. Career or Mohanji – the choice was immediate. I declined the offer politely and, sure enough, within two weeks I became jobless.

Somewhere around that time, Mohanji’s skin condition became severe. He developed acute dryness of the skin when he underwent the shock of seeing the dead body of his four-year-old daughter who got ran over by a truck in 2000. Such deep pain is bound to leave some scar on one’s health, and this was it. For some time, the itching was bearable, but now it became too severe. Certain portions of his skin looked like that of an elephant. There were scales falling off, he could not sleep due to itching – all in all, it was horrible. I took care of him and was applying crèmes and medicaments on his body. Even though it looked ugly, I loved him even more. Later on, Mohanji told me that this was a test – Baba wanted to see whether my love for Mohanji was real or superficial. I passed the test and proved that it indeed is real and transcendental.

My physical beauty also received a strong hit after I suddenly developed a severe acne breakout on my face. This became even worse when I received a wrong homeopathy treatment due to the incompetence of a doctor who gave me pills for rashes and allergies – indeed, that is exactly how my face looked like! I did not know whether I looked worse when I applied make up on that red face full of bumps, or left it as it was. That lasted for a few months and I trained myself to still say ‘I love you” and “I am not the body, I just have a body” whenever I looked at myself in the mirror.

Losing the office job in the Australian company would not have been that big of a problem had I not had a huge debt on my credit card due to the bankruptcy of my previous employer (an American who still owes me five salaries). After two years of a lavish lifestyle in the posh area of Dubai, in a villa near the beach, I was not mentally prepared to suddenly shift into a lack and poverty scenario.

At the same time, Mohanji's job was at stake as well. He was working as a General Manager of a Shipping company in Dubai, but because of jealousy and continuous backstabbing from one of his superiors, his job was literally hanging by a thread. It was indeed interesting to observe how Mohanji was somehow managing to juggle his existence between the subtle world/ deep spiritual evolution and harsh commercial life. Still he effectively concealed his rich inner world of high spirituality. He said, “My spirituality is priceless and definitely not for sale.” For those who sought and “found” him, he gave them priceless spiritual experiences, free of cost.

One day, Baba asked Mohanji to shift his residence. He just said “Time to move”. Mohanji thus shifted into a more affordable, remote area of Dubai and, in a month’s time, I lost my job and had to leave my accommodation too. What an effective pre-planning and perfect timing! When I had to leave my house, Mohanji’s doors were open and ready to take me in.

Frankly speaking, it was rather embarrassing to move in with someone due to such reasons, but I decided to take the plunge. After living in luxury, eating in expensive restaurants, and spending all my free time having fun, exercising and taking care of my own needs only, this sure was a real plunge! I did my best to learn Indian vegetarian cooking, did all the necessary cleaning, washing, ironing, and was serving Mohanji wholeheartedly – this new Biba the housewife would have been a hilarious site to behold for all my friends. With loving care, I made our modest new accommodation look and feel real cosy. Because of the love we felt for each other, none of the discomforts really bothered us.

We really enjoyed every moment together, and even though the financial issue was pressing us a lot, spiritually things were happening at a very high pace – it was simply great!

However, on the physical plane, our situation was going from bad to worse. Soon enough, Mohanji lost his job as well and slowly but surely we sank further into debt, especially after Mohanji decided to borrow some money from his friends and open his own company. He thought it was a good idea to make us independent and also take care of the residency visa requirement for both of us. But we could not make any money through this new business.

My income situation was even worse. After a few unsuccessful job interviews for Office Manager or PA, I decided to try my luck and start a few Yoga and Salsa classes in different parts of Dubai, while also doing a part-time job in Event Management. I was experimenting and this initially seemed like a wonderful idea.

However, since I had no money for any proper marketing of my classes, the overall attendance was really poor - at times, I would not even cover the expense of renting the hall. With regards to my part time job in Event Management, that was another disaster – so many empty promises and excuses were there from my employer, but at the end of the day, I was working hard and was not getting paid.

Our predicament was changing from bad to worse, and soon we had to leave even that most humble rented house due to a strange government regulation. We moved temporarily to a friend’s apartment. However, it was clear that we were unwelcome guests there. And yet, out of our financial helplessness, we had to force ourselves on him.

I felt exasperated from running around all over the place, wasting my energy in Dubai traffic, and not earning enough to cover even food expenses.

This saga continued for quite some time – no matter how hard I worked, I was either getting grossly underpaid, used, or not paid at all. In the midst of it all, I was silly enough to offer to one spiritual teacher from India (who propagates scientific approach to spirituality) to come to Dubai and allow me to organize his first ever workshop outside of India. I soon learned that convincing people to pay money and come for a workshop of someone that nobody ever heard of was quite a challenge. I worked 20+ hours per day, every day, for a month or so.

I never thought this would have turned out to be the most challenging and most stressful event management experience of my life. Until the last day, we did not know how many people would turn up and whether we will even cover the basic expense of venue and catering. Mohanji was in India at that time and there was nobody out there to help me.

The drama that ensued out surpasses anything I ever saw in movies – one day before the workshop was to start, Mohanji’s friend who offered us to stay in his apartment for a while, free of cost, asked me to leave immediately. He said that his landlord complained and he does not want to risk losing his apartment.

I woke up that morning with such enormous stress and anxiety - my body shivered and stomach was completely upset. I had nowhere to go, did not even have money for food, and, at this age, was too proud to even consider asking my parents to send me some money. I was just out there, completely helpless. I knew this feeling very well, from 16 years ago when we suddenly became refugees and were downgraded from a 3-floor house in Croatia and financial abundance, to a status of a beggar, dependant on the Red Cross and mercy of unknown people in Serbia. I felt that I could handle anything, just not this – my very first reaction was “No, I cannot handle such humiliation again.”

However, after a bit more of introspection, I felt that, this time around, after all my training in Yoga and acceptance that ‘all that happens, happens for a reason’ I was better equipped to deal with the situation. I have already experienced the presence of the Masters and knew that I was not alone in this. I took a break from my packing, and instead of despairing, I started praying sincerely. I was ready to live out of my car for a while and cope with each day as it comes.

Within next one hour, I received a phone call from one friend, who said that she spoke with a friend of hers, Dr. Samata, who said that she does not mind hosting me for ten days or so. And where that lady lives - in Dubai Marina, the most luxurious area! I was overwhelmed, especially when I arrived to that apartment on the 46th floor, and offloaded my bags in the room covered with glass, with the most stupendous view of the city!!! What unimaginable ups and downs!

The same day, another friend got in touch with me and said that she knows one young millionaire who would like to take a few private classes of Yoga early morning. Out of joke, she said that my private class costs $100 - and he accepted! I called that man immediately and almost fainted when he told me his address – not only was it in Dubai Marina as well, but was in the skyscraper right across the street from the one I was staying in! I could almost see his apartment from my window. My heart melted in gratitude to the Masters – that day I must have been the happiest Yoga teacher in the world! I cried out of joy as I listened to the following song: “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound… I was blind but now I see…” How sweet was this reward. Moreover, the workshop I worked on so hard not only happened successfully but was the best spiritual workshop I have ever seen. All my efforts paid off as I tasted the sweet nectar of Divine Grace and felt so blessed, so empowered.

However, that was just a temporary relief, like oasis in a big desert that I still had to cross all alone. The tests continued…

For another year or so I could not get a proper job. At that time, to make my experience even more ironic, I got the main role in a regional (Marathi) movie in India, but the income from the same was insufficient. In the end, the movie became a hit in Maharashtra state of India and I won the Best Actress Award, but to even afford the money for air ticket to go to Mumbai and collect the award was a great challenge for me.

In Mohanji’s case, things worked out a bit better. He got a very good job offer in Oman and soon became a General Manager of a Shipping Company. I tried getting a job in Muscat (capital of Oman) as well and went for a several job interviews, but each time my work visa would get rejected. I thus remained alone in Dubai, exasperating myself with running around like a headless chicken, all for small bucks.

Even though the depth of spiritual experiences I had with Mohanji was incomparable to whatever I experienced before, I still had the tendency of thirsting to attend other spiritual workshops and becoming highly impressed with other spiritual teachers that were more sensational, i.e. had more clout. However, after some time, I would get highly disappointed and would understand and appreciate Mohanji even more. I guess I simply had to go through this process… As all of this was happening, Mohanji never gave up on me, knowing that I would recognize him sooner or later. It took me more than two years to reach this point. I am so grateful to him for allowing me to go through these experiences, because nothing except experiential learning would have taught me this lesson.

As I got to know Mohanji better (in this life, that is) I noticed one thing about him that I got to admire a lot - even when he was in great pain and distress, or in greatest financial crisis, he would not ask anything for himself from the Masters. When I once asked him why he doesn't seek their help in such situations, he answered: “I know that Masters are with me all the time and I surrender to their will fully. If I am to go through some experiences for the purpose of karmic cleansing, so be it. Otherwise, what surrender are we talking about?”

It is an indescribable blessing to get to experience direct presence of enlightened Masters, whose sole purpose is to lead us to liberation, inspire us to seek more earnestly, to point towards the right direction at times when we get side tracked. Masters are like road signs – at the right time, the right Master appears to guide the seeker.

Since Mohanji does not encourage futuristic thinking and fortune telling, I have no idea how our story in this life will unfold. However, one thing is for sure – I will do my best to "serve all, love all" and see this entire creation as part of myself. The rest, I know, will happen by itself.

After a deep retrospection about my life's dream and my relationship with Mohanji, I concluded that it was unconditionality that made my love much, much deeper, stronger and more profound. Deep inside I knew that Mohanji belongs to the world, and that I cannot own him. This truth indeed reduces the expectations and increases the unconditionality in a relationship. It is a great feeling and a grand collaboration.

Several mouths conveyed me the message of not being able to 'own' Mohanji at different occasions. However, that never made me even a bit insecure. It only reinforced the purpose of my existence in relationship with him. And with all my heart I know - that purpose is truly divine and a cosmic necessity.

May this autobiographical write up be yet another act of service from my side, aimed at those, who want to seek the highest in this life, but need just a bit of nudge, just a bit of inspiration and encouragement to make that first crucial step and dare to ask that special something from the Universe sincerely. The very fact that you have had the patience to read this long sharing means that you are thirsty, that you are ready to take the plunge. Just go for it!

And please, do not share your dream and ask any advice on spiritual matters from the unenlightened beings loaded with intellectual garbage. When I once told one friend of mine (who is much elder to me in physical age and thus considers himself wise) about my dream to have a life partner who is actually a Master, he told me: "I can't believe how immature you are. My dear, this is a typical story of a little girl fantasizing about her ‘prince on the white horse’. Phew! I thought you would have outgrown that by now. Get REAL or you will remain single all your life, wasting it on daydreaming and illusion of happiness."

Needless to say, I am happy I never gave up and held onto the feeble and subtle, but eternally powerful, voice of my soul, whose whispers made my heart dance as I innocently chose to believe, no matter what – "Yes, he will arrive, my Prince on the White Horse."

Nothing but love,

Biba

Copyright © Jolita Kelias, November 2011

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