An Experience in Cosmic Consciousness

Dadi: "Beta Guddu, have you ever wondered what it would feel like to become one with everything - the stars, the trees, the entire universe?"

Guddu: "That sounds impossible, Dadi! How can someone become the whole universe?"

Dadi: "Let me tell you about a young man named Yogananda who had exactly that experience, given to him by his teacher Sri Yukteswar."

Guddu: "Is this a true story?"

Dadi: "Yogananda believed it was the most real experience of his life. He wrote about it in his famous book. One morning, he was trying to meditate but his mind kept wandering - thinking about this and that, unable to focus."

Guddu: "That happens to me sometimes when I try to concentrate!"

Dadi: "It happens to everyone, beta. Sri Yukteswar saw his student struggling. Without saying a word, he walked over and gently tapped Yogananda on the chest, just above his heart."

Guddu: "That's all? Just a tap?"

Dadi: "That's all. But in that instant, something extraordinary happened. Yogananda's breath was pulled out of his lungs as if by a magnet. His body became frozen, unable to move. And then... his awareness began to expand."

Guddu: "Expand? What do you mean?"

Dadi: "Imagine being a drop of water that suddenly realizes it's actually the whole ocean. Yogananda felt himself spreading outward in all directions. He could see the streets around him - not through his eyes, but from everywhere at once."

Guddu: "From everywhere? Like having eyes all around?"

Dadi: "Even better. He could see underground, where plant roots were growing beneath the earth. He could see a cow walking toward them from far away. He wasn't looking at things - he was experiencing being everything."

Guddu: "That's amazing! What did the world look like?"

Dadi: "Here's the incredible part. What we see as solid - tables, rocks, buildings - he saw as patterns of light vibrating. Everything was made of the same glowing energy! The whole universe appeared as a vast ocean of light, with galaxies and stars dancing within it."

Guddu: "The universe was made of light?"

Dadi: "That's how he experienced it. And he heard something too - a sound that was everywhere, underneath everything. The sound of Om - the sacred syllable that the scriptures say creates and sustains all existence."

Guddu: "He could hear Om?"

Dadi: "Filling the entire cosmos. And with all of this came a joy so complete, so total, that Yogananda said it made all earthly happiness seem like nothing. A bliss beyond anything we can imagine."

Guddu: "How long did this last?"

Dadi: "It felt like eternity, but in our world's time, it was only a few minutes. When his awareness began returning to his body, Yogananda felt sad. He didn't want to leave that infinite state."

Guddu: "I wouldn't want to leave either!"

Dadi: "And here's where Sri Yukteswar's wisdom really shone. Seeing his student's attachment to the experience, the teacher said something very important: "You must not get drunk on ecstasy. Much work remains for you in the world. Come - let us sweep the balcony. Then we shall walk by the Ganges.""

Guddu: "Sweep the balcony? After experiencing the universe?"

Dadi: "That's the profound teaching, beta. Spiritual experiences are wonderful, but we can't just float in bliss. We have duties, responsibilities, people who need us. The highest spiritual achievement is to hold that inner awareness while doing our daily work."

Guddu: "So we don't run away from life?"

Dadi: "Exactly. Sri Yukteswar and Yogananda swept the balcony together and walked along the river. Through these simple actions, the teacher showed: you can touch infinity and still be present here, doing what needs to be done."

Guddu: "That's hard, isn't it? To be in both places at once?"

Dadi: "Very hard. But Sri Yukteswar said this is the goal - to stretch your soul across the cosmos while your hands do their daily duties. Saints don't escape the world; they transform how they live in it."

Guddu: "Did Yogananda have more experiences like this?"

Dadi: "He dedicated his whole life to helping others have similar realizations. He came to America and taught yoga to millions. His book has helped countless people understand that these states aren't just for ancient sages - they're possible for everyone."

Guddu: "Even for me?"

Dadi: "Even for you, beta. Though it takes practice, dedication, and usually a true teacher. But the potential is there in everyone. We're all made of the same light Yogananda saw. We've just forgotten."

Guddu: "So meditation can help us remember?"

Dadi: "It's one path. Living with love, serving others, seeking truth - these all help. Yogananda said God isn't static or boring. He called the Divine "Ever-new Joy" - always fresh, always surprising, infinitely attractive."

Guddu: "I like that - Ever-new Joy."

Dadi: "Those who taste even a drop of it are never quite satisfied with ordinary pleasures again. Not because they reject the world, but because they've glimpsed something more."

Guddu: "This is a lot to think about, Dadi."

Dadi: "Indeed. Just remember: the cosmos that Yogananda experienced is inside you too. You're not separate from it. Someday, when your mind is quiet and your heart is open, you might feel that too."

Guddu: "I hope so, Dadi. I really hope so."