Olympia Dukakis' Spiritual Journey

[Guest guest]

interview Olympia Dukakis' Spiritual Journey The Oscar-winning actress

talks about her exploration of women's spirituality and meeting her

Indian guru.

By Margaret Wolff

p.2 excerpt:

“After the break, I went over and asked Sudha — Ma’s assistant at that

time, and the one to whom the mantle was passed after Ma’s death — if

I could speak with Ma, with Gayatri Devi. She told me it would be

impossible to see her, that Ma was totally booked. I wasn’t too upset

because I already knew something about what Ma had been talking about.

The truth was, I had secretly gotten involved with the Great Mother on

my own, thinking I was the only person on the planet to do so. I had

no idea other people were interested in Her. “I started to walk

outside when Sudha came over to me and said Ma wanted to see me. I

froze and said, ‘It’s OK,’ but Sudha said, ‘No, Ma wants to see you.’

So I started up the hill to where Ma was sitting — to a table and two

chairs facing each other under some trees — and as I walked, my

awareness of all external sound left me. It was as if I were walking

in a vacuum. I sat down and told her my name and what brought me to

Omega. Finally, I told her about the two times I heard the Voice.

“She became very alert, then asked me some questions about the Voice.

Then she said, ‘What are you afraid of?’” Tears begin to run down

Olympia’s cheeks. “I said, ‘I’m afraid of this love, afraid I would

be lost.’ And Ma said, ‘Lost in the sea of Her love?’ I said, ‘Yes.

I’m afraid if I allow myself to feel it, I won’t come back. I know

what that is. I’ve psychologically let go before and struggled to

come back.’ “Ma looked at me for a long time, almost as if she were

x-raying me. Then she talked to me and her words made me feel I would

be all right, that I could receive the Great Mother’s love — which is

still hard for me to do — and give Her love — which is easier. You

know?” Before I can answer her, Olympia digs into her jacket pocket

and pulls out a small book of prayers written by Swami Paramananda,

an Indian monk of the Ramakrishna Order. “I want to read something to

you,” she says. She reads me some prayers, not as an actress but as a

bhakti, filled with the devotion that inspired words she has since

made her own. Great Mother Heart, how tender art Thou Thy love,

transcending all my iniquities, pours upon my life its benign

sweetness. How oft my imperfect nature lies mortified and ashamed in

Thy protecting bosom, overwhelmed by Thy unfathomed tenderness. Who

art Thou that givest this endless bounty to me, meritless and

ignorant? Divine mother heart. Proof of Thy unceasing care, I find in

every turn of life. With many arms dost Thou shield me. With many

hearts dost Thou love me. With many minds dost Thou guide me to the

road of safety. Forget I may at times when dark clouds gather; but to

have seen Thy face of love and known what is not known, save when Thou

dost lift the veil, Is joy forever and crowning glory of Life.

story begins: http://beliefnet.com/index/index_10003.html

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