Bhakti Files #2 Spiritual longing

My guru, Neem Karoli Baba, would frequently send his devotees away, often with the simple word “jao”, or “go”, sometimes giving some direction or suggestion, but more often than not just telling us to leave. Other times, we would arrive for darshan in the morning only to find that he had disappeared in the night, without a word or a message….

Looking back on that mystical time, I see that it was during those periods of separation from Maharajji that my spiritual longing would become intensified, that my practices would be filled with fire. And, strangely, it was during those weeks of seeming sadness that my soul would at times be touched with ecstasy, that my guru would feel closest. When he was far away physically, he would come in dreams that felt more real than “reality”.

Was this a lesson, a preparation? Or just one of his many amazing gifts …?

“In the sorrow of separation, the gopis found Krishna within themselves, remembering his gestures and deeply affectionate smiles.They remembered his playful glances, his words, and his various pastimes with them. The gopis’ madness in love caused them to adopt their lover’s mind, sending theirs to him.Although some of the gopis declared themselves to be Krishna, they began searching for him at the same time. Theirs was a case of mistaken identity caused by LOVE.”
~ Aesthetic Vedanta, by Swami B. V. Tripurari