Smiling Atma

I had a Skype conversation this morning with our programmer. It is so wonderful to be able to have these long conversations from St. Petersburg to Chennai India at 6a.m. and at no cost. It seems unbelievable doesn’t it? Money is certainly a mystery. A small box of cherry tomatoes is 4 dollars in the market, that’s 200 rupees and yet these wonderful Skype conversation are free

My programmer was very concerned over one of my last blogs. I wrote about how boring the blogs were getting and I wasn’t going to write for a while.

He said, and I quote, ‘Your blogs are not boring. They are delightful and fantastic and I was very disappointed when you stopped because you thought they were boring. They are an adventure and you must continue. They are certainly not ridiculous as you suggested but show the level of your awareness, your own development. The Atmic smiles from everyone in the supermarket should show you that whatever is inside of you is being reflected in others too. That blog was fantastic.

Well I guess it was only my bad mood after all that made me think otherwise. I shall continue.

There was one more thing that happened on Sunday at the Episcopal Cathedral. You see, like the Catholics, the Church of England also gives communion in the form of little wafers and wine representing the blood and body of Jesus. So when the time came, all the worshippers decked out in their red finery, rose in an orderly fashion and filed down the aisle towards the altar to receive the ‘Host’. I was left alone in my pew and started meditating on Swami. Suddenly one of the Sextons in his choir robe and with his cherubic pink smiling face, leaned over and asked if I would like to take communion. I should add here that the Program states clearly, ‘All are welcome to receive communion in the Episcopal Church.’ I was surprised at being addressed and looked into his big blue eyes and said, ‘I AM A HINDU.’ in a somewhat loud voice.

The round pink face froze and then he hurried away, I felt as if I had disappointed him in some way.

I was also embarrassed by my words. A ‘no thank you’ would have been more then sufficient or even a shrug and a smile. The words, ‘I AM A HINDU’ seemed to be resounding in my ears as everyone returned with angelic looks on their faces from taking part in the communion..

Actually it isn’t even for certain that I am a Hindu. I don’t think it’s possible to become one except with a ritual and a homa fire which I actually did in 1984 when I wanted citizenship. I think you have to have your hair tonsured as a baby and be given your first solid food with certain prayers. And there are things I don’t buy into like giving dowry, the caste system and widows not being able to remarry, which may not be so important for a 75 year old single lady. But anyway I love the Hindu pantheon and the Hindu Puranas and the ATMA and certainly I love and revere Vedanta, more than those dreadful RSS people who don’t seem to realize that the Atma is in everyone. Anyway, we won’t get into all that. How can you love and adore Lord Krishna, Ganapathi and the

Cosmic Goddess Tripura Sundari and not be a Hindu? The words

I AM NOT A HINDU came out of my mouth before a thought could. I was glad my sister had gone up for communion because she would have been embarrassed.

When I confessed my words to our programmer he exclaimed, ‘ You must continue to go to church now, amma. ‘They will see that you as a Hindu also revere their church and you will be a good example in tolerance. You will be helping them to transform their ideas about Hinduism. If anyone asks you why you have come you should say, ‘In Hinduism we believe God is everywhere. I feel that this church is as pure as the temple I attend in India. This church is the same as my prayer hall. They will appreciate the fact that you have come to their church. This is your greatest gift, your greatest adventure, going to St. Peters Cathedral. They will say, ‘Look! She is a Hindu and yet she is coming every Sunday. You will bring a great blessing to that church by your presence, amma, and you will teach them humility.’

WOW, you can see now why I revere my programmer, can’t you? He may nor be very realistic but I find our Skype conversations amusing but very uplifting too. Only trouble is…..I have to go to church every Sunday now.