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Wednesday 2^nd August was a lovely day in London. You could say it was a Wonderful Day, a special day. All day Shri Mataji had been Chatting, Laughing,making jokes. She Said it was a very auspicious day. Some biscuits have been specially made for Her and sent in on the tea tray. “Ah”, She Says “These biscuits are so good, who made them, I must get the recipe”…A thrilled and delighted Patty is ushered in for a chat. And a cup of Darjeeling tea is offered, made by Rachael. “Aah” Mother Says, “This is the best cup of tea I have had for a long time”…..

Come evening–time as many of us as possible crammed into the big sitting-room at Chiswick, spreading into the hallway, up the stairs, down the stairs….If only we had a bigger place, ten times more of us could be there. Let’s hope that one day it will be that way, and we can all be there together. Those whose turn it was that night knew that they were carrying the love, the hopes and dreams, of all the Collective of all the world, and sharing through their hearts.
Officially it was “farewell”, as Mother was due to set off next day to join our beloved
brothers and sisters in the U.S.A. Just going from one home to another. And that night there was no sadness in this “farewell”, only Joy, for we did Fare Well.

The first sight of Our Holy Mother, smiling as only She can, was as She walked gently and with minimum assistance from two beaming helpers, from the elevator into the beautiful “blue room”. Everybody crammed in. The Sari was a Heavenly pink and gold. As soon as everybody was inside, Mother leaned forward in her chair. “Why don’t you all move forward?”

We did, old, young, and newborn. Sweetly lilting Bhajans were sung, extraordinarily joyful. So many offerings were made by delighted Yogis and Yoginis, Aunties, Uncles, Yuva Shakti…….There was Aarti, there was a beautiful garland , so many flowers, sweets, nuts, fruits, cakes, bangles, ornaments, a sari, coconuts, all with such sweetness and such love.

Some of the “old Sahaja Yogis” were there, not so ancient in age, (!) but those who were the very first in the western world, here in England as long as thirty years ago. A dear one who was abroad could not come but we thought of him and we knew he was thinking of us. It was a rare event to see those few dear ones together at Our Holy Mother’s Feet. Their humility has been with us always. Those of us who have been around for nearly as long as they have cherish such fond memories of how they cared for us and encouraged us when we first came, and we feel that without them we would not be here. You can feel their unwavering devotion and their depth. Just a tiny handful of very special people.

Everybody is propelled into deep meditation. Everybody is smiling. We just can’t stop. So many people come forward with offerings to delight us all. There were flowers and offerings from different parts of the world, - from Colombia, from Turkey; from Austria came pictures of Mother’s new house being prepared in Vienna,.. there were drawings, paintings, cards, … At one point Mother says “Why don’t you ask him to show, he can get up “…

There was a photograph album of pictures of Shri Mataji and Sir CP’s first home in England, in Oxted, Surrey. Most of us had never been there. The tiny handful of our “old” brothers and sisters remember it well and you could see them in the photos…looking very young indeed! And the photos of Shri Mataji Herself, literally they made you gasp, how could Anybody look so Beautiful? Not at all ordinary indeed….There followed much reminiscence and jollity.

More people come forward, with one flower or with many, with hand-made gifts, with smiles and with Love. Mother talks to each and every one who comes, admiring each and every offering with interest and with love, “Thank you very much”, and “Very nice.” Flowers pile up in mountains at Her Feet. Dr. Zafar kindly helps to lay the flowers alongside those which have gone before and are already there. He is holding in his hand a slender little bunch of long delicate blue flowers which he has helped a tiny girl to present. Carefully he lays them gently down. “No, no” Says Mother playfully, as only She Can … “Not that way” …..Dr. Zafar turns them round and lays them down again. “No, no” Says Shri Mataji again with another broad smile, …. “Not like that …”… Dr. Zafar tries again….. “No… no… Not that way …the other way”. By now the radiant smile has turned into a broad laugh, (will it be next time lucky?)… At last the flowers are laid down in yet another configuration… and you know what, you can see that yes, somehow they look just right…The room dissolves into laughter. Enjoying, Mother, with a big laugh waves Her Hand…, sweeping back the air.

“Ach,” She Says, laughing, full of joy and affection,…. “Here’s the Doctor”……

Dr. Zafar laughs as if his heart is free.

Dear Dr. Zafar, he was the happiest of doctors that night ……

The playfulness, the astuteness, and the joy, went on and on. One after another, young ones and older ones came forward. “Where’s your brother?”, Mother asks (“just here, Shri Mataji”, smiling, coming forward) “Where’s your wife?” (Just here Mother…) …remembering many from long ago.

Mother Smiled at all the little ones, Took all the flowers, Smelled all the flowers….
A lovely book is presented, full of Art-Works done by the children of the U.K.
Mother looks through it all, Smiling.

Beautiful hand-made table-napkins with embroidery are offered by three ladies. Mother smiles, “You have done it ?” …. In no time those napkins come in handy when Mother and Sir C.P. are served with huge portions of lovingly-made fruity, creamy cakes.

There is talk of names. One of our young one comes forward, a teenager now, introduced as “Daisy”, the name by which we all know her…. (a pretty name, and one of Mother’s own) “What’s the name I gave you?”… asks Mother immediately. Ah yes, there is a Sanskrit name as well, given so long ago…….. Later on, our lovely Turkish video-cameraman Fateh is delighted to hear Shri Mataji tell him “Fateh is a very good name”…

There is interest in everyone and everything.

One couple will in a few days be celebrating their 25 years since Mother married them, way back at Chelsham Road. They are able to offer a silvered Ganesha, today garlanded in velvety dark-red roses. It’s a silver wedding anniversary. The Ganesha was found some three years back and lovingly kept, in the hope, in case, if by chance, some day near this hoped-for date there would be, there might be, a chance to be near Her. And Lo, tonight’s the night….Mother asks all about it. So much smiling. Sir C.P laughs, as the Ganesha is presented to Shri Mataji and him by the silver celebrants. “Actually it should be the other way round” he laughs…. “No no, Sir”, we protest,

“It is we who have to offer a gift to Her, to thank Her for all the wonderful years.”

And so it is.

Dr. Zafar presents a beautiful necklace he has prepared on behalf of all the collective of the U.K. Mother wears it, to great applause. For Sir C.P. a tie and cufflinks. And then from Shri Mataji for all the men and boys, beautiful ties, gifts for the ladies, for the children lots and lots of cakes… The Bhajan singers come forward and the Tabla player who has done so well, explaining how he learned in the Academy when it was still in Nagpur. Mother asks if it is the first time She has seen him. He reminds Shri Mataji and Sir C.P. that he played once long ago at Shri Mataji’s house in Ealing. “Ah yes”, Mother says, “I remember…”

Everybody is very peaceful, and happy to let their brother or sister go gently first ahead of them…..

And the Babies…five little babies newly born are laid at Mother’s Feet, surrounded by their beaming parents and their little brothers and sisters. Mother smiles at one little family,…… “See, she is playing with him…”

An album is offered of pictures of all the new babies of the U.K. One set of parents haven’t thought of a name…. “Mother would You like to give our daughter a name?”… …”So far you haven’t given?” ….Mother smiles thoughtfully, gazing at the little baby who has a mop of thick black hair. After some time “Leela”…., perfect, beautiful… A little boy (a little character, who has offered a bowl of blackberries which he picked himself), steps forward and full of confidence asks “Mother, may I have a name?”, adding in great humility and for all the world like a wise old man, “Shri Mataji I have waited many years to get a name from you”. Mother again smiles, reflecting thoughtfully for some time and then “Vasant” She Says, “he shall be Vasant”. Adding “That is the season, that means the Spring” The more She Talks, the more fluid, the more mellifluous become Her words, the more Divinely Lyrical Her Voice.

Baby Leela is held in her Mummy’s arms. The big sister (all of three years old) is gently stroking and kissing the baby’s head. It is a sweet and lovely sight. “See,” says Mother with a tender smile, “ she is looking after…”

There is much talk about all the babies, smiling, meeting the parents, where are they from…, who took the photographs, “How many children have you got now?”…

During a lull in the Bhajans, Mother inclines Herself towards us and with a big smile declares “I am now 87″. Sir C.P., also with a big smile, gently rests a hand on Her Arm, “Not yet” he says, with affection and laughter…..Immediately and in a flash comes the riposte :”About !” - and a lovely laugh. The Warmth and Love of that laugh fill the room. To everybody’s delight, Sir C.P. then reminds us that next year he and Shri Mataji will be celebrating their Sixtieth Wedding Anniversary.

And Mother kindly Blesses a pile of our new pink song books, to be presented with the love and gratitude of the U.K. Collective to each of Mother’s wonderful helpers who with their devotion and their love, with their skill and with their care, have made it possible for our Beloved Mother to come and spend such comfortable and well-cared–for time here with us. Knowing that they are there always by Her Side and caring for Her Every Need is a comfort and a balm to our hearts. They are so self-effacing that they are almost invisible; gently, silently and gracefully moving around our Mother like angels, but very strong, alert, professional, courageous, good-humoured and down – to – earth ones ! They have the love and gratitude of us all. Peter as well. And of course a song-book for Matthew - we can boast that he, like Peter is English-born, but they are both Australians now. Matthew’s remarkable photographs have enriched all our lives. Just as the special moment arrives when Matthew is receiving his song book, comes from the sidelines an Aussie Sisterly taunt : “You can’t take a photograph of that !” …And there we are, laughing again…

Dear Nurse Kim comes forward. Mother Says something very nice to Sir C.P, about Kim being one of Hers. Dear Kim, only humility and bearing power, and devotion and love, same like Wendy, Kathy, Swarup, Dr. Cristina, Vaishali and others elsewhere.

Hours seem to have gone by, in golden joy and laughter.

As a musical finale, the little children have sung a most beautiful and touching new song, “Mother, Your Beautiful Hands” , which would have melted any atom or molecule which may in the impossibly unlikely event have remained unmelted in any heart.

At the end, Mother speaks to us again and we all lean forward to catch The Words, (throughout there has been no microphone) :

” Only thing we have to realise , that we are very close all of us. We are very close. If that is realised then finished, you don’t have to bother about anything else …”

She speaks so Beautifully to us, Her Divine Voice so Soft and Gentle and so Strong… Sir C.P. has tears in his eyes.

And so, eventually, Mother gets up to leave, smiling, walking with minimum assistance towards the elevator … “Ah”, She Says, with a smile but almost apologetically, “My legs are not carrying me very well….” Dear Nurse Kim, firm as ever, and with a loving smile “They’re doing very well, Shri Mataji”….

I say Thank You, Shri Mataji;… I think I said it very slowly. She knows what for.

Then, a real smile, and a long, deep and slow “May God Bless You”…

The melody, the metre, the rhythm and the timbre of those words, as in days of old, like a wave of melting tenderness embracing your heart and breaking over the shores of your soul. Smiling, Mother enters the elevator and sits on the little chair inside, talking animatedly, smiling and laughing as the doors close.

And what’s this, sometimes your heart feels like bursting so much that you can hardly breathe. And the mist on your eyes is so much that you can hardly see. And you can hardly stand up.

But life is so strange. Yes we have had two wonderful Pujas on our soil. Yes we have had so many blessed months, with in between the wonderful visit to Italy.

We have had so many occasions for the deepest dreams, the deepest hopes, and the deepest prayers. We have prayed from the bottom of our hearts in times of anguish for the peace of the world, and for the enlightenment of all the peoples of all the world. But what has been the most heartfelt prayer, the most desperate dream, the most intense longing, the most undeniable yearning, the craving of every heart and of every soul? Those prayers have been answered by The Comforter, Blessed Be She, tonight.

And life is so strange. This is the very last night of this part of this visit in this Heart of the Universe which belongs to everyone, and which reaches out to everyone. And this is the farewell. And we did fare well. Your Heart, the heart of everyone, did fare well. Our joy is unconfined.

For this is the night our deepest prayers were answered. For this is the night the real Joy in our Heart came back to us.

And so may it be for always. And so may it be for all of us, and everywhere, and for ever.

Oh Most Beloved Divine Mother, we wish You the Longest Life and the Very Best of Health. And If it is no inconvenience to You, may we, Beloved Shri Mataji, keep You with us, Always and Forever.

Amen.