Welcome and thank you for visiting my very first blog!

As I draw closer to my book launch, I am filled with a combination of excitement and nerves. I am excited because I have been working on this project for almost five years, and it feels wonderful to finally see it coming to fruition. I am nervous because mine is a very personal story. I share my vulnerabilities and my flaws. I am also sharing a variety of details that Amma and her organization do not want the world to know. As far as I am humanly capable, I believe I have told my story with honesty and fairness — the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Life is not black and white. People are neither outright good nor outright evil. Human beings are a complex fusion of wisdom, foolishness, and everything in between.

By nature, the universe is in a constant dance of opposites in order to maintain balance and harmony. Likewise, we should strike a balance and strive to be in harmony with ourselves. We must be flexible and open to change; only then can we grow.

Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
Albert Einstein

I would like to share an excerpt from my book.

“On days when we were at home base, when it wasn’t chaotic from Devi Bhava or some other festival, the ashram embraced for moments a serene and peaceful atmosphere. There was a time of day when almost everyone stopped working and offered himself or herself in song and prayer. This was my favorite time of day, and most often when my heart experienced peace and solace. As the sun made its descent in the cloudy sky above the grayish blue waters of the Arabian Sea, the heat of the day would become one with its soul mate, and together they would disappear beneath the horizon. With the golden rays of the sun out of sight, the ashram would be graced with a refreshingly cool, moist, and salty sea breeze that swept in from across the expansive ocean. The usual hubbub of people faded into quiet murmurs as though someone from up above was turning the volume down. No longer drowned in human noise, I could hear the crackling and rustling of the giant coconut palms swaying in the wind, as if dancing to some divine melody that only they could hear. The chirping of mynah birds and sparrows brought a serene smile to my face, and even the abrasive cawing of crows resonated more favorably to my ears. From the nearby prayer hall, the sublimating, musky aroma of incense came to me on the breeze and enveloped me in its soft embrace.”