Swamiji---My First Real Live Guru

Last night, I met my first real-live Indian guru by the name of Swamiji.

His real name is actually Hector Jenkins and he grew up in Detroit, but of course they keep that on the hush hush...

Kidding.

His full name is actually H.H. Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji. But everyone around here just refers to him as Swamiji.

First off, let's go back in time to when I arrived in Rishikesh---which I just found out is short for "rishikesha", or people with long hair. Rishikesh is sort of the Northern India capital of Saint-dom where people with long hair (i.e. saints, gurus and yogis) came to do their thing in the 1960's and 70's.

Anyway, Swamiji is the founder (or inspiration) behind the Parmarth Niketan Ashram where we are staying.

All over this place are pictures and posters of Swamiji. Even in many of the shops around Rishikesh there are photos of the local guru. The most popular one I've seen is of Swamiji standing at full profile against blue sky and clouds cupping a handful of marigold petals that are blowing away in the divine wind.

His black hair is long and flowy with gray streaks in the front. And his manicured, full beard extends down to his collar. In his photo he has that unmistakable look of Indian richness and grace.

Ever since we arrived, word had it that Swamiji wanted to meet with our group and properly welcome us to his ashram. Well, yesterday turned out to be the day he requested that meeting.

I have to admit I wasn't dying to meet this dude. Mildly curious, yes. But I definitely could've left here without feeling like I was cheated had I not met the guru. Plus, I'm pretty happy with my own guru (Thom) and it's hard to compete with Thom in my mind.

I know, who said it was a competition? I figured I was being overly judgmental and that I should give the guy a chance.

So I took a nap and decided to wake up at 7:30 (when the Ashram dinner would be served), and eat quickly because we all had to meet in front of reception at 8 dressed in Ashram-chic garments ready to meet the master.

I roll over and look at my watch. It was 7:50. (Insert explicitive here) I get up and throw some white stuff on (I think it was an embroidered gown and a doti, and I shuffled over to the reception, still half-sleep from my nap.

I noticed my eyes were burning and I had that I-slept-for-an-hour-after-eating-italian-food taste in my mouth. At 8 everybody's waiting and soon after we entered swamiji's private little garden setting which was located just off of the reception area.

There were bamboo walls and floors, plants and an open-air ceiling in his quarters. He was seated lotus-style in the middle of the floor and we all just sat around him. It was pretty cramped, especially with my long legs and all the clothes I had on, but I just made due.

My first impression was: hey, he's such a little guy for a guru. But that shouldn't of been a surprise because most Indians that I've seen are small in stature.

Swamiji was extremely soft spoken and it was hard to make out what he was saying at first. Thom and him started exchanging niceties and then Swamiji open the floor for questions about absolutely anything---his words, not mine.

People started asking questions about the land and the children. I don't know if I mentioned this before but the ashram is host to what seems like a couple hundred orphans in Swami training.

His answers were pretty broad and somewhat inspirational. You can tell he is used to talking to the masses. His words are basic and relatable. No $25 words, as Thom calls them.

If it hadn't been so hot and cramped, and if I hadn't just woken up 15 minutes before and gone without dinner, I probably would have been more engaged in what was happening.
Instead, I was just hoping it would be over sooner than later.

Don't get me wrong, he was obviously a nice, smart, guy and he clearly had a high state of consciousness. But I didn't get the sense that I was sitting among greatness of the M. Gandhi or the Martin L. King variety.

Swamiji had some cool answers to our questions. Nothing particularly profound. He was funny and down to earth, which was refreshing. And I'm glad I got a chance to hang out with him for an hour or so.

He says he comes to LA and gives lectures at Golden Bridge Yoga a couple times a year. Maybe I'll get to catch him there sometime...

As for now I can check that one off the old list: met Indian saint/guru

Light-er