India Dreaming

Many years ago when I was just starting out on my self development journey (and in quite a dark place when I reflect back), I had an encounter that changed my life in a profound way. A man in a pub came up to me and gave me a photocopy of a picture of a man sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed in meditation. He said simply, I am meant to give this to you. Then he walked away and I never saw him again. 

Two things happened in my head simultaneously.  I took the picture and said thank you, and I thought to myself what a random, crazy person. This means nothing! However, when I looked closely at the picture of this young man I felt safe and somehow reassured.  So, I took this crumpled picture, put it in a little frame and left it on the ledge of my shiatsu room that I had recently set up.

Here’s a photo of the same picture I was given. Mine was quite faded. 

So I continued my life and at this time I was giving quite a few shiatsu massages.  I still felt reassured by the presence of this ‘man’ in my room. I kind of used him as my image of a higher presence or connection to the Divine. Then by accident I found out who he was!  A client recognised this man. She said he was known as Babaji. I did some reading and asking around and I found out more about him. He was known as Herakhan Baba, had an ashram in India but had left his body in 1984. That was disappointing but in the back of my mind I hoped that one day in my life I might get to visit.

Over the next 15 years I prayed to Babaji often. I developed a connection in my heart that was purely based on feeling and faith. Many times I felt guided by very simple words that I felt came from Babaji. I remember when I left my first husband and drove across the nullabor in my combi van with my young baby daughter. I was distressed and sad.  Babaji’s message was slowly, slowly, one step at a time.  That was it, but it was enough to get me through. And so my internal relationship with this unknown being grew out of trust and inner connection.

Roll forwards to 2000. I was starting to think about dancing and Chinese medicine and how I could bring the two together. Lots of creative ideas flowing through and then I had this amazing technicolour dream. I was dancing with a brown skinned man wearing a cloth around his waist and no shirt. We were in a sandstone walled room with windows. It was the most exsquisite dance. Very sensual and flowing and I was completely in love with this beautiful man. It was a divine dance of yin and yang and I was ecstatic. As we danced together feeling this gorgeous connection, the roof flew off and the windows popped out and we were in this vista of mountains. I felt utterly whole, complete and blissed.

Over the years that followed Wu Tao was born and grew.. I met Steve who just ‘happened’ to have a book about Babaji sitting on the shelf in his studio! (By this time, I was already ‘infatuated with the music man!). Steve knew who Babaji was and one year later, after we’d entered into relationship we went to Babaji’s ashram together.

Going to the ashram was the highlight of my life. I found my spiritual home.   Babaji is not there in a body but his presence illuminates every particle of that place in the mountains and lights it up.  For me, it felt like heaven on earth. While the activities of the ashram are are powerful and beautiful, it’s the sublime energy that permeates everything that is so very moving.  And did I say that the temple at the ashram was the exact same as the one in my dream? Incredible synchronicity again.

Steve and I went 4 times over 4 years with the delightful Sondra Ray, who has been going every year for 35 years! She met Babaji many times and had many great stories to share with us.  Every year gave me insights, healing and strength. I received the strength I needed to get through the devastating loss of my daughter Belle. That continues to this day.

It’s 4 years on now since I last visited Babaji’s ashram and I am very keen to go back. It’s said that each of the beautiful stones filling the Ganga river at the ashram are the remains of enlightened souls, and I would like to take Belle back to join them.

So next year April 5 – 19, I will be making the journey to the ashram again and hopefully taking a group with me to experience this magical place. I humbly invite you to join me if you feel a pull.   I am sure if it’s the right thing for you and something you would benefit from, Babaji will open the way for you to join me. It is a spiritual journey like no other and one that continues to inspire and guide my life. I hope it may do the same for you.

More details will be coming soon, but for now, let me know if you’re interested by emailing me at michelle@wutaodance.com

I’d like to leave you with this beautiful meditation I found on youtube which inspires connection with Babaji.  It’s just lovely.