Last summer, Anandi Ma offered shaktipat and VP 1 in Prague. Four young people—Vital (age 16), Hubert (Satyam) (age 10½), Meera (age 10), and Krystof (Amar)—received shaktipat and took the VP 1 teachings. Here are their experiences.
Question: What was your favorite part of the retreat or shaktipat?
Meera: I liked completely everything. During shaktipat, I liked when we were offering roses and sandalwood paste to Guruji’s sandals. At VP 1, I loved singing chalisas.
Satyam: I had no special favorite part. I loved it all.
Vital: Meditation and satsang.
Amar: I liked when we chanted different mantras; for example before food.
Question: Did you have any experiences during shaktipat or the retreat that you can share with us?
Meera: During Saturday VP meditation I had a very strong vision of Hanumanji. I felt grateful that I can be at VP with Ma and Bapuji especially after they told us how difficult it was during Guruji’s time.
Satyam: I had an amazing and strong experience during meditation. I had a vision: It started in front of big tent. I entered the tent where Sprites and I meditated. The Sprites began to leave the tent. They crept under the canvas tent and showed the way. I shrank to their size and followed them.
Outside, there were more of them. The scene, the nature around the tent, was quite different than before. I joined up with sprites and we meditated together.
Then I started to fly. I went to the top of the trees and flew up to the sky where I stopped. There I met God in the form of a gold radiant Buddha in meditation in full lotus posture. I asked him, “How many lifetimes do I have to meditate to reach illumination?” God led me to the front of a big spreading tree. The tree had many leaves with different shapes (oak tree leaf, lime-tree leaf etc.). All the leaves fell down in a moment when we came. Only one leaf stayed on the tree. The shape of this leaf was as a heart and as Rama’s arrow which Rama fired against Ravana. Then God said, “This is your last lifetime.”
Amar: I was under influence of some energy. I do not remember exactly what it was, but it was strong. Everywhere was strong energy, mainly during meditations and chanting. Sometimes I shaked myself but not with body but somewhere inside.
Question: What was hardest about the retreat?
Meera: To get out of meditation and sometimes sitting for too long.
Satyam: Learning the mudras and leave-taking.
Amar: The hardest for me was to learn mudras.
Vital: Sitting without movement.
Question: What advice can you give other kids about doing spiritual practices or meditating?
Amar: Meditation is when you stop for a while. You can do it anywhere, you are breathing regularly, you don’t think on anything. Then you are slowly awakening, like, for example, Lord Buddha when he began to meditate.
Meera: Go for VP. You will love it! Ma is the one who gives advices, not me .
Vital: Do your practices in the morning, while your are still fresh!
Satyam: Do your practices with joy!