Yogini Interview

Nick: Okay, get the fact’s clear in your head. Don’t worry about it. It sounds very good, it’s a very good story so Mother specifically said we should have a word with you so… Are you ready? Okay, so please give me your name and where you’re from and how long you’ve been in Sahaja Yoga.

Rachael: My name’s Rachael Hall. I’ve been in Sahaja Yoga for almost three years. I’m from England.

Nick: So what difference did Sahaja Yoga bring to your life?

Rachael: Sahaja Yoga made an immense difference to my life because when I came along I’d been ill for two years with an illness that the doctors at the time couldn’t understand or didn’t have any knowledge about. I developed the illness due to my lifestyle which was very extreme. I was pushing myself to the limits all the time, completely exhausted, not eating and taking drugs. I was very, very thin, very pushed completely to the point of no return almost. And I developed an illness that came in the form of allergies to almost every food. I could eat only three or four foods and I was very, very tired, no energy, very weak. Splitting headaches all of the time. I would just have headaches and not be able to sleep at night. I find it very, very difficult to sleep. In fact, my whole life came to a halt. I had no social life or anything.

Nick: So what did you do about this illness?

Rachael: So originally I went to my own GP, my family doctor, who told me at the end of our conversation that he couldn’t find anything wrong and it was all in my mind. Although he could see a lot of the symptoms himself, he didn’t seem to want to take it any further. And I went to two other GPs who said the same thing. Then I tried alternative medicine and the doctor there diagnosed my allergies. I had a toxic blood test and he diagnosed my allergies and gave me a special diet. But he did tell me that there was no hope that I would get completely better and I would probably have to follow a special diet all my life and literally take things very easy, not to do strenuous activities. After going to the doctor for a while and being treated, I actually gave up hope with this doctor. My father was paying a lot of money and I just left the treatment.

Nick: What did the doctors say about you? What did they do for you?

Rachael: The doctors didn’t really do anything in the end. They just told me to follow a special diet, which I did. But this was very difficult and a very extreme diet.

Nick: Did the doctors think you’d get better?

Rachael: The doctors didn’t think I would ever completely get over the illness.

Nick: So what happened then?

Rachael: So then I was seeking for some form of meditation or yoga and I saw a small postcard advertising Sahaja Yoga. So then I went to my first Sahaja Yoga meeting, which was a local meeting, and I had my self-realisation, which was a tremendous experience. And I realised I’d found something very special because that night I had more energy than I had in a long time and I felt very positive and very well. So I continued to come to the local meetings, feeling better and better all the time. And after six months of meetings I was a lot better. And then I was told that there was a public…

On the shore of Ganapatipule.

Shri Mataji: Here on the right? Shall I go there? Around here, is all right? Like Me to be here?

Yogis: Yes.

Yogi: Which rock might be most comfortable, Shri Mataji?

Yogi: That one?

Shri Mataji: It’s all right, doesn’t matter. It’s all right, no problem.

Nick: Are the flowers ready here?

Shri Mataji: Sea will arrive, not far. All can move over. [UNCLEAR].

Yogi: Need something photographed for a second.

Shri Mataji: And now it’s the Ebb time actually, it’s not the high tide. It’s the Ebb time.

Yogi: So we got some flowers. So we can see what happens.

Shri Mataji: The sea is coming, you don’t worry. It just will arrive in no time.

Yogi: We need to get closer over it or?

Nick: Could we have the flowers please, ladies?

Yogis: Flowers?

Yogi: Is this from the wedding?

Shri Mataji: Do you want the [unclear] on your clothes?

Yogi: He’s in shot. Excuse me, you’re in shot.

Yogi: Excuse me guys. Just wide.

Yogi: How many cameras do you need?

Yogi: Stay in my right.

Yogi: Well I just, I’m trying to get my shadows offside.

Shri Mataji: [UNCLEAR].

Nick: Just be careful we our shadows everybody please. Yes Mother.

Shri Mataji: Just move, from this side if you move there won’t be any shadow.

Yogi: So if you start on the [UNCLEAR] flowers and then tilt back to Shri Mataji.

Shri Mataji: You’re all getting wet.

Nick: At the back you can come a little closer. No not here, at the back come closer. That’s it.

Shri Mataji: Also give them some chance to, if you can move a little bit.

Nick: Yes, mind your shadows, please. All the people, yogis you’re supposed to be in shot.

Shri Mataji: Move that side, for all you this side. Don’t come.

Yogis: That’s enough!

Shri Mataji: Because the shadows should not go out. Put the flowers here.

Yogi: You ready Nick?

Shri Mataji: These are better flowers.

Yogi: Are we supposed to watch in or?

Nick: They’ll wash out.

Yogi: Wash out.

Yogi: Keep the rest of them Nick. In case we have to do it again.

Yogi: Can you not stand there? Can you all please open up.

Shri Mataji: I will go and stand there if you like? For a while. I can go and stand there, if you like but the sea will come here, don’t you worry.

Nick: The sea will come to you Shri Mataji.

Yogi: Is this pan-out, is to reveal all yogis?

Nick: Yes this is a pull out to reveal Mother and yogis, yes.

Yogi: Kind of need to be lower then won’t I.

Nick: He’s going down now.

Yogi: Hang on.

Shri Mataji: If you just move this man, so you won’t break the waves are coming.

[All the yogis clap as the sea washes the flowers away]

Yogi: Okay could you not clap next time please?

[laughter]

Yogi: I got a shadow. Your shadow?

Shri Mataji: Doesn’t matter, what’s the background.

Nick: We have one with clapping and maybe one without.

Shri Mataji: After all you cannot stop the sound of the sea. Just coming in a big wave, be careful. [UNCLEAR]. Get out of the sea. Get out of the sea, that’s the best way. Can you follow my words?

Nick: Can you move out, come out this way.

Shri Mataji: This is the Ebb time. The sea is moving like a tide.

Nick: It’s going out?

Shri Mataji: Yes, it’s an Ebb time but the sea is coming out. If you want I can walk a little bit.

Nick: Maybe if you were standing there might be a [UNCLEAR]. If I put the flowers here, Shri Mataji, it might be better. That the water seems to come here more. The sea doesn’t seem to be strong enough to take it away.

Shri Mataji: All right, you can put it there if you like. It’s a time for the sea and air, it’s really coming up.

Nick: It sucks it out quite stronger there, for the flowers. Right flowers down and we go.

Shri Mataji: You see much [UNCLEAR]. It’s bringing back again. It brings it back. [laughter]. The sea doesn’t want, he wants them to come out.

Nick: We got a few more we could do. I’ll put some more in, hold on.

Shri Mataji: Pour the whole thing, pour the whole red water.

Nick: You rolling, you all ready.

Yogi: Just the shadow.

Yogi: Got a problem staying level actually. [laugh].

Shri Mataji: It’s all right put the whole thing together. Now go.

Yogi: I’m in my own shadow now. Going round.

Shri Mataji: I’ll put the flower to the earth, you see I’ll just offer the flowers to the sea. Will it be a good idea to offer the flower to the sea, all right?

Nick: Lovely, lovely idea. Are you running?

Yogis: Yep.

[Mother offers the flowers. Yogis clapping afterwards]

Nick: Again?

Shri Mataji: Let it, let it. Let it be, let it.

Nick: Could we just go back a little bit? We are getting all your shadows here. We need you all to crouch down.

Shri Mataji: There’s too much shadow.

[laughter]

Nick: It’s gone behind you. I’ll get it, Mother.

Shri Mataji: Won’t go.

Nick: Can we open up the gap please? No, keep the gap open. We need the sea coming in.

[More laughter as the flowers are washing back.]

Shri Mataji: It made cross with the sea. I’ll have to say namaskar to it then it will be [UNCLEAR]. [Shri Mataji laughs]

Nick: The garland won’t go.

Yogi: Garland won’t go.

Nick: We got the garland floaty and Mother here will be yogis.

Shri Mataji: [UNCLEAR]… all right now? Are you all right?

Nick: That was very good. That’s enough?

Shri Mataji: What else you like?

Yogi: Her hands.

Nick: Your hands Mother, yes your hands. Could you give a blessing to the yogis, to the humans or anything? Some gesture or? I don’t know.

Shri Mataji: Right, remove your head rest, remove your caps also.

Yogi: Hats off.

Shri Mataji: So I bless you all and you have to become like this ocean which is all the time trying to work out the whole system of collecting everything and then getting evaporated and making the pretty flowers. All these little, little bubbles you see is like our ego and when it gets one with the sea, it’s just lost and it becomes the Chandram. So that is how we have to be, you have to be like the ocean. Open your heart like an ocean and be as enchanting as the ocean is. Beautiful, full of joy and happiness.

You can now take their photographs also. Better go and put it that side. Just go and put it in (the garland). Little further because of your shadows fall on Me, you see. That’s why you move just a little bit more further.

Nick: All yogis please stay here when Shri Mataji’s gone, we have a few shots of you individually to do. Please all yogis stay here, ten minutes.

Shri Mataji: Take it of my feet. [UNCLEAR]

Nick: Can you do that again Shri Mataji, sorry we weren’t filming.

Shri Mataji: All right.

Nick: If you can just do it again, I’m sorry.

Yogi: Can you move Mark? Can you come towards me? Can towards me.

Shri Mataji: See now how far it is (the ocean). I will tell you, Ebb tide. And that complete wash away. You see these are the waves of beauty, see how the nature creates these beautiful waves of different, different qualities. In the same way the ocean of all pervading power, the paramchaitanya creates all the waves and patterns and creates the whole universe.

Nick: Okay can we move here. Could you just get back this way everybody please? Behind that way, that way please. Thank you very much. Clear behind, stay a bit further 

back please, thank you very much. At the back.

Shri Mataji: You must see the people who are taking. Hello?

We sit for a while till it dries out. 

Nick: Yes, let it dry then Mother can be walking in the sand. 

Shri Mataji: Let’s see, in this sand also you can take it.

Nick: Yes, it would be nice.

Shri Mataji: Stand there, I think. 

Yogi: We’ve got four minutes left on this tape.

Shri Mataji: Very hot, better go now. 

Nick: We need to do this in.. 

Shri Mataji: I’ll just go after five minutes from here, please. I’ll be happy if you could go. 

Nick: We need to do some faces while they are watching Mother. 

Shri Mataji: All right. So like, you do the faces, and I’ll sit here. See, Indians are too many, so remove Indians and have foreigners. 

Nick: These are the Nepalese. 

Shri Mataji: Nepalese, huh? 

Yogi: Any white faces?

Shri Mataji: Then somebody from Pakistan. 

Yogi: Your shawls off, your head’s off, your head. 

Nick: Okay, so just be looking at Shri Mataji, here. 

Shri Mataji: You can ask some Russians to come in. Come, come. 

Nick: Wait just one second, we’ll do you. 

Shri Mataji: Go there. So other countries also, one by, come along. Canada, come along. Belgium. 

Yogi: Italy?

Nick: All right, the Russians, the Russians here then. 

Shri Mataji: Italy, everything. Everybody, Turkey. Now put down your.  Put down your pyjamas. Put down your pyjamas. 

Nick: Why don’t you stand here? 

Shri Mataji: It gets dried up in no time, you see. And the beauty of the sand is that it doesn’t stick to you. It just drops out, it never sticks to the floor. 

Nick: Shri Mataji, about here. Here, here. 

Shri Mataji: Talk to each other in a sweet way. Take out your pala. Take out your pala.

Nick: Take your glasses off.

Shri Mataji: Now talk to her sweetly.

Nick: So you can look at each other. Hello? Look here. Look here. 

Shri Mataji: Some Indians also. Hold their hands, call them friends.

Nick: Look here. One second. 

Yogi: Excuse me, excuse me. 

Nick: Okay, let’s have a… 

Yogi: I can’t shoot if everybody’s just in there. I can’t. 

Nick: No.