“Don’t worry. No problem. Be happy,” says my beloved Big Baba.
Big Baba
He’s not really mine: he belongs to the whole world, but I feel a special affinity for him.
He is learning to speak English while in America, but he has these words down pat. In fact, he speaks them without using words. He radiates them.
You can see his joy as he greets strangers who are mysteriously drawn to his front porch in Mt. Shasta, “Come,” he ushers.”Sit. Sit.” He pulls chairs around his table and disappears into the house.
Minutes later he appears with cups of tea and plates of sliced plums, pears, apples and fuyu persimmons. “Eat,” he invites. His eyes dance with playfulness and love.
Sit. Eat. Drink. Be Happy!
So we, (who appear not to be strangers after all) eat. We drink. We join in his dance.
“Don’t worry. No problem. Be happy,” he says.
I get it.
Sitting in this man’s presence offers no other choice. Lord knows I’ve tried to worry, have problems and be unhappy!
But these things are simply not possibly when one is with Big Baba.
Happiness Personified!
Our language barrier does not permit in-depth conversations and answers to hundreds of questions I have to ask, (thank goodness!) so I bask in his glow and am grateful for the teachings I receive.
Like the time he told me, “Be positive. All things are possible if you can dream them first.”
Or, “Darkness cannot remain where gleaming light shines. Use your wisdom to shine on your heart.”
Or, “When things happen, I accept them.”
Or the time he told me that I have a great sadness in my heart that needs to be healed. He then helped me heal it. When I asked him how it is possible that he can do such a thing, he told me, “Practice–and receiving confirmation. I’ve been practicing for 35 years.” God bless him!
His grace, indeed, extends to all creatures great and small. Billy, my 18-year-old cat has never approached another person except me. Even my husband, who has known (and fed) Billy for a decade.
Yet last week when Big Baba was sitting in my living room with many of my friends surrounding him, Billy came in and jumped up on the arm of Big Baba’s chair. The cat couldn’t get enough of the man. He walked back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, immersing himself in the monk’s goodness.
Big Baba finally said, “Sit. Sit.” Billy sat.
Go figure.
Billy Knows!
Or the time Michael and I were at Panther Meadows with Big Baba, and a chipmunk couldn’t resist meeting him:
Munk meets Monk
Perhaps his (my) greatest healing, however, was at the labyrinth on Mt. Shasta. That time deserves another post, though. One of its own. One that can possibly point to the true majesty this man possesses. Maybe it will be the next post. Or the one after that. Or when I miss him so much I have to write about him.
For I don’t know if I will ever get to see Big Baba again or not, as he leaves for Thailand very soon. I want to see him. I want to see him every day. I want to bask in his glow and radiate my happiness, my essence.
Maybe I’ll have to bask in my own glow. Maybe that’s what Big Baba has taught me.
Until I one day meet Big Baba again, I will be content with my reverence for him and the great gifts he has given me.
(I also will be checking in on his newly constructed website.) It’s still in process, so I should be able to read new updates. You can check in on him, too, if you’d like to know more.
www.csustan.edu/…/BigBabaBlackBuddhaPhraWithoonArjarasupohBio…
But I have to be honest and say I don’t NEED to see him. He has already given me the best advice one human heart can give another:
DON’T WORRY! NO PROBLEM! BE HAPPY!
Grace!
Gayle, so happy that you have this man in your life. It brought me joy to read about your experiences with him. I visualize glowing on Mt. Shasta. Shine one….
Thanks, Sandy. Mt. Shasta does have a special glow of its own, doesn’t it! Not as big as Big Baba’s, however!
You do radiate love. Thanks for sharing
Thank you, Jacque. You have quite a glow of your own going!
Gayle, your happiness just spills over in this blog entry!! It is contagious and I’ve caught it!!! I know Big Baba is extra special because Billy was on to him and cats just know!!! 🙂
Glad to have you catch a little love. Our hearts are Big enough to catch it all!
Thank you for sharing Big Baba with all of us. He does seem very special. What a gift he has to give! That was a great picture of the three of you with Baba. I will indeed check out his website. You are a perfect student for him, as you have such an open spirit. Hope you will always bask in this love.
Funny you should use the word teacher. A week before I met him I had “asked” for a teacher–a really Big one. Amazing how that works!
Gail,
What a wonderful experience for you! Thanks for sharing. I do believe I feel a certain glow when I am around you, so just keep trying to find that glow. It radiates from you to us.
I am glad to hear that Billy was so kind to Big Baba. Cats do know…
Hi Lynda, You glow, too, so I have already found the glow! You are especially sensitive to cats, so I know you realize how important Billy’s input (inpurr) is!
Gayle,
Thanks for sharing, for posting, you do it so well. You bless me. Sharing spiritual radiances with monk Baba must be quite the mountain high.
Quite! 🙂
You do attract angels dear.
I must–I attracted YOU!
So so wonderful, Gayle. Thank you for introducing your beautiful teacher. I feel blessed beyond words and can’t stop smiling. Hmmm, I think I am in love. Love the photographs. All is perfect. So good to see you immersed in light and love.
Take care, Kathy
Hi Kathy. Nothing like a good teacher! I’ve been blessed with Ira Progoff, Gangaji and now Big Baba. Not to mention LIFE! 🙂