Holding God's Hand

Swami Vishwananda tells a story of a small girl who crosses over a bridge together with her blind father as He holds her hand. Utpalavati tells a story of holding the hand of The Divine.

Swami Vishwananda: A small girl wanted to cross over a bridge together with the father, who was blind. The father said to the daughter, “My child, guide me on the bridge. Hold my hand; help me cross over the bridge. “The daughter said, “No, father, you hold my hand, not me holding your hand." In the mind it seems similar, doesn’t it? But there is a difference. You see the difference, the daughter said to the father. “If something happens on this bridge, I may let go of your hand, but I know that you, being the father will never let go of my hand, no matter what happens.

In the same way, hold the hand of Christ; hold the hand of God within you every moment, during any time of trouble, any happiness – always think of the Divine that God is with you every moment, all the time. It is up to you to hold the hand and let yourself be guided. When a leaf falls on the river do you think the leaf knows where the flow of the river is carrying it? No, the leaf just lets go! The wind is blowing the leaf; in the same way we have to let go and be in the hand of God.

If ever you fall down, know that there is the hand of God to pull you up. See this hand is so great that it will pull you up higher than you were before. . . The moment you give your hand to Him, He will pull you up higher than you were before. . . You will enjoy this bliss. You will enjoy this love of God every moment. And this is what you are looking for.

Swami Vishwananda Prays:
Call upon all the great masters of all times:
Krishna, Jesus . . .
Come and reveal yourself within us.
Guide and show us that we are One with you,
And that the duality that man has created
between God and human beings may be removed!
May the eternal source of love flow unconditionally.
Oh, Spirit of God, reveal thyself to each of us.
May the healing hand of Christ heal
all pain and misery.
May the helping hand of Christ help
all who are in need
And flow abundantly to all the creation of God.
Amen, Amen, Amen.


From Utpalavati With Love:
The story of the small girl holding her blind father’s hand while crossing a bridge and the rest of Swami’s talk above reminded me of something similar that happened recently. While attending an OM Healing Circle, I sat down in the circle in a new location, a yoga studio. Directly ahead on the wall was a stunningly beautiful mural of Maha Lakshmi; I was mesmerized by the lovely painting. The facilitator began the OM Circle and told us we would meditate for about 45 minutes and then he would ring the Tibetan Bowl as a signal that we should bring our awareness back to the room.

After about 45 minutes, with eyes still closed, suddenly I was aware of myself both in the OM Circle and simultaneously in the etheric dimension. Maha Lakshmi, The Divine Mother stood on a high place about seven feet above me [in Earth description it looked somewhat like a stage, but that was not exactly what it was]. I stood looking up at Her standing with my body pressed straight against the “wall” of the place where She was standing. That was as close as I could get to her under the circumstances. On Her left there was a most beautiful blue, misty light or energy. I stood gazing up at Lakshmi as She looked down toward me. The beautiful Divine Mother reached down and said: “Give Me your hand.” I reached my left hand and arm up toward her as trusting as a small child, and She literally pulled me up to the level where She was standing.

As I stood there beside Her [She appeared my same height], the Divine Maha Lakshmi then said: “I wish to introduce you to My husband.” I was astounded and thought: “Does She mean, Vishnu, himself?” She led me a few steps to her left and in the beautiful, blue misty energy stood Lord Vishnu. I was astonished at the size of the Cosmic Vishnu Form, for he stood at least nine feet tall. He was BIG! AND HE WAS A WONDROUS, MAGNIFICENT SHADE OF BLUE and also standing in blue energy. I began on my own, without either Lakshmi or Vishnu inviting me, to move toward Lord Vishnu. I wondered if The Cosmic Lord would say anything.
At that very moment I stood waiting for Vishnu to maybe say something, the facilitator of the OM Circle rang the Tibetan bowl, our signal that the meditation was complete and we should bring our awareness back to the room. I thought I would stay a little longer as I longed from my soul essence for Vishnu to say something to me.

As I write this story, it reminds me of the first time I met Swami Vishwananda and had a three minute “Interview” with Him. I asked him three questions and then there was silence. I said, “Do you have anything to say to me!” He softly replied, “Not yet,” as He blessed me by placing His hand on top of my head. “ I have been blessed to speak with Swami Vishwananda many times since that first time in March 2006. From that, I am encouraged that perhaps there is hope that the next time I see The Cosmic Lord Vishnu-Narayana, He may say something wonderful, as well! Divine Mother Lakshmi stood quietly to my left this entire time I stood looking through the blue mist and seeing the Blue Vishnu Cosmic Form. I don’t know how long it was, but Vishnu just stood there looking like God in Form until the sound of the Tibetan bowl rang again. I reluctantly brought my awareness back to the yoga studio room interestingly named, Samadhi Yoga. I felt like I actually had been in a kind of Samadhi.

Parallels in the two stories: Maha Lakshmi reached her hand down and literally pulled me up to her level. The petite girl wanted to hold the hand of her blind father to cross the bridge. Swami Vishwananda talks about God [The Father] pulling you up even higher than you were before when you reach for His hand. A few days after this etheric experience, I had the occasion to speak with Swami Vishwananda. I spilled this story out talking so fast He had to ask me to slow down so he could understand the English. I hoped Swami would shed some light on the experience somehow. Swami, with his usual economy of words Guruji told me: “Divine Mother is pulling you up higher; don’t let go of her hand!”

From this experience I can say sincerely to all of you on this spiritual path with Swami Vishwananda and Mahavatar Babaji: I encourage you to ask them to hold your hand and then don’t let go. And those of you who have not yet had the vision or etheric experience of The Divine surely will have this when it is time for God’s Grace to descend on you. Swami Vishwananda and Mahavatar Babaji teach us that God’s Grace is ever available to all of us. And they teach us that we must link our energy essence, our soul energy with The Divine to experience a vision of The Divine. And Swamiji might say: “Chanting The Divine names helps!”