Important Swamiji Airport Info

[Guest guest]

Jaya Guru Datta:

 

The following story covers an important request from Sri Swamiji.

 

Recently at the Augusta airport while bidding Sri Swamiji and company

farewell, it was noted that all of their suitcases were subject to a thorough

search. This apparently happens on every leg of their USA trip. In fact Sri

Swamiji jokingly suggested to us that in future they should just bring

everything to the airport and pack there so as to save time for everyone.

After which, in a more serious tone Sri Swamiji explained how devotees, in

our love for Swamiji, are actually causing distress and additional scrutiny

during His travels.

 

You see, we get so caught up in our adoration that we fail to be

discreet when perhaps since September 11, we need to be.

 

According to Sri Swamiji, when devotees other than the organizer and

drivers go to the airport, the presence of a crowd draws the attention of

authorities, makes them nervous and sometimes irritates the situation. This

causes those authorities to scrutinize and give more rigid, intense, searches

of Sri Swamiji and party.

 

Another issue is that it is unpleasant enough to be subjected to a

physical search, but when well meaning devotees protest and cause a commotion

by saying things like :"Do you know who this is? Swamiji is very important,

etc." It only serves to irritate and annoy the security people.

Understandably this makes Swamiji unhappy. To quote Sri Swamiji: "I smile and

wave..... but inside I cry. I am crying inside."

 

Even though we may feel outrage when we see our beloved Master being

subjected to physical searches, if we create embarrassment and increase the

stress and frustration of the security personal we are of no help nor do we

improve the situation.

 

What's more, Sri Swamiji said that devotees give Him gifts at the last

minute before departure. When asked if anyone has given Him anything to take

on the plane, He naturally answers truthfully, thereby generating more

security procedures, more nervousness, more difficulties.

 

Do you see how even the most innocent of last minute gifts can cause

problems? A non physical gift of the heart, does not weigh anything, has no

boundaries and will go everywhere in the world with Swamiji without causing

excess baggage or obstacles to His travels.

 

Something else Swamiji mentioned is that when we publicly get down on

the floor to do Namskara, (especially at airports), we inadvertently draw

attention to Sri Swamiji which once again can make authorities feel nervous,

suspicious, and cause embarrassment.

 

Shouting "Swamiji," etc., when Sri Swamiji arrives at or leaves an

airport, being part of a crowd of devotees at the airport, are things to be

avoided if we are to help smooth the way for Swamiji's travels. Like most

people I am unable to identify a terrorist by physical appearance.

Consequently there is a tendency to regard with suspicion anyone who has even

the slightest resemblance of being a foreigner from a country that has given

birth to terrorists. This is a sad fact that we need to take into account.

 

 

I had no idea that I was increasing the hassles and triggering

physical searches and now that I know, I wish that I could have been more

aware and less selfish. Please help me to remember this in the future.

 

Swamiji asks that in future, only essential people meet and return Him

and his party to and from airports. "Away from airports, no problem."

 

Just as Swamiji finished explaining how we devotees were not helping

to make His travels any easier, a lovely, long-time devotee rushed in,

flushed and excited......... with a last minute bag of goodies for Sri

Swamiji.

 

Exactly proving His point.

 

Many things have changed since 9/11. I guess that we need to be

reminded that people from other countries cause the security people to be

suspicious and nervous. Sensitivity to this and by staying away from greeting

Swamiji at airports, will facilitate peaceful, pleasant, travels for Sri

Swamiji and those who accompany Him.

 

I confess that I am one of the more ignorant. Because, there I was, a

blonde, Caucasian, female, sitting at Swamiji's feet, while Swamiji sat on

the bench, at the airport in Augusta, Georgia.

 

What was I thinking? How could I be so blind? In my mind I was being

humble, with respect, not giving a single thought as to how this might be

perceived in the South. I was totally unaware of how I was adding to the

discomfort, dismay, and suspiciousness of the authorities who were just yards

away.

 

Finally, as if to demonstrate just how little we listen, after all

the energy Sri Swamiji put into explaining that we should not crowd around

Him at airports, we all blindly rushed to be with Him as he proceeded to the

security check. At this point a normal person would have lost their cool, but

our dear Satguru simply requested Prasadi to remind us not to follow to the

gate. Such patience.

 

How can we have been so insensitive? It was as if we each thought that

this request did not apply to 'me.' It's all well and good to want to bask in

radiance, but I know that I for one, am going to work really hard to be more

cognizant of the fact that what I do, reflects on how others perceive our

spiritual master. This is not only in airports, but in my every activities,

even in my day to day thinking even. Wow! I have a lot of work to do here.

 

Swamiji asked me to put this information in the booklet on "How to

prepare for and host Sri Swamiji." In the meantime, I am passing the

information on now.

 

Love, Light, Peace....

 

LuxmiH Eve-lyn

Forbes