When I moved to LA I lived down the street from Yogananda’s ashram. I would walk there, listen to Baba on my cd player and meditate in the hall where Yogananda taught.

On my birthday in 2005, I went into the temple of leaves he loved so in the garden down the hill and he popped into my 3rd eye. He was outrageous.

He said “Happy birthday, Movie star for God! Here is what is going to happen to you.” Then I saw myself with my skin peeling away like a cracked coconut and then my soul blasting off and shooting upwards like a rocket ship!

I asked Sivadas, my friend who was with me, if that was just my ego rattling and he said it was the real thing.

On the Tortola trip, Baba told me that I should be making movies and you know the rest. Then on the 29th got the worst sunburn of my life and all my old skin peeled away.

So the dream with Yogananda was prophetic.

Another devotee told me something that Baba had said on the birthday trip:”If you will just fall head over heels in love with me—then i will make myself available to you.” And so i prayed to fall head over heels in love with Baba as never before…and that’s just what happened….Baba took me into my heart and I talked intimately many times on this trip. I am just blown away by his love and compassion.

On the night of the full moon he looked so beautiful doing the fire ceremony on  the beach with the surf coming in. Ifelt like I was with the Lord….and I was, and I am.

To go on this trip was the most important investment of my life.

On the beach that night Mohini hugged me and looked into my eyes after Baba gave me my name–Namasivaya. She said, “Baba has given you everything”

This was the most important thing that I have ever done in my life.

All of us have come to that time in our practice when we don’t feel like our practices are working. I know I have.. After thinking about this for some time I have thought that we can fall into a rut of just working the practice, but devoid of the joy. I have decided that the ultimate love of the Beloved will change all that. When our heart is fueled by this adoration of the Divine, everything becomes easy.

Yesterday I went to see the amazing South Pacific revival at Lincoln Centre. It’s a story about the transforming power of love. I couldn’t help thinking about Baba when I heard this song, which Rogers and Hammerstein surely had channeled from the angels! I leave you with this, which expresses the mystery of finding my Beloved: Dattatreya Siva Baba.

Some enchanted evening, you may see a stranger, you may see a stranger across a crowded room, and somehow you know, you know even then, that somewhere you’ll see him again and again.

Some enchanted evening, someone may be laughing, you may hear him laughing, across a crowded room, and night after night, as strange as it seems, the sound of his laughter will sing in your dreams.

Who can explain it?
who can tell you why?
Fools give you reasons,
Wise men never try.

Some enchanted evening, when you find your true love, when you feel him call you across a crowded room, then fly to his side and make him your own…or all of your life you may dream all alone

Once you have found him
Never let him go.
Once you have found him
Never let him go!

Have a fabulous day!

jeffrey hancock shonert
“namasivaya”