Blessings, Miracles, and
Extraordinary Evidence


This section is organized as follows:

  1. Stories from devotees
    1. Adi Da's influence on birth, life, and death
    2. What Adi Da is aware of
    3. Adi Da and elemental forces
    4. Adi Da's physical touch
    5. Adi Da and healing
    6. Adi Da and instantaneous Liberation from karma
    7. Dream experiences of Adi Da
    8. Other subtle experiences of Adi Da
    9. The mantric force of Adi Da's Word
    10. Other entities and other realms
    11. More Blessings, miracles, and extraordinary evidence
  2. Why we want miracles
  3. Related books

1. Introduction


I Am the Self of God. . . All miracles are potent in My Heart. I come here to Give you everything without the slightest reluctance.

Avatar Adi Da Samraj, The Baptism of Immortal Happiness



It almost goes without saying that, in the world of the 21st century, when the extraordinary suggestion is made that a real human being of our time and place (not a mythical "long ago and far away") could be an Incarnation of the Divine, it provokes incredible skepticism and reactivity. We well understand that, in our time, "extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence", as Carl Sagan has put it. We don't blame anyone for harboring doubt, or raising questions about how such a thing could be. It is extraordinary! But to those of us with firsthand experience, it is no longer unbelievable. This entire website is a labor of love purposed toward providing the evidence — in the form of many personal, firsthand accounts — that supports a most extraordinary communication, and a most extraordinary opportunity for a world and a time that could certainly use one: Adi Da's Offering of the Divine State of Perfect and Eternal Happiness.

In this section, we focus on extraordinary evidence of the "stand-out" miraculous kind. As Adi Da puts it, instructing His devotees:


It is important to speak about the supernormal characteristics of My Divine Avataric Lifetime from Birth, to tell the stories of your being in the Company of One Who Functions on a supernormal basis.

You should speak about the prevention of huge storms [ed: one example here] and various other kinds of miraculous happenings, which you all have witnessed repeatedly for over thirty-five years. You must tell the Story of the Lifetime of One Whose Presence here makes a difference, and proves things that are otherwise commonly dismissed.

You must tell the Story of My Blessing-Transmission-Work — how I Awakened people to every possible kind of phenomenal "experience" associated with the first six stages of life, and proved, by miraculous Transcendental Spiritual Demonstration, that none of that was "It". That is a necessary Story — because It Communicates fundamental Truth to human beings.

This whole "trash world without a miracle in it" needs to be told about the Divine Avataric Intervention here. The world must hear from you about it. Tell the story and present the evidence, as people who understand.

You must set Me apart, based [on your confession of your recognition of Me as the Divine, and therefore] on your confession that I am what your lives are all about.

Avatar Adi Da Samraj, February, 2008


This site also includes extraordinary evidence of a less obvious, but more profound kind, demonstrating Adi Da's uniqueness, and what can be Realized because of Adi Da's unique Revelation and Way. See our Spiritual Transmission and Spiritual Recognition sections.

In this time — often called the "late-time" by Adi Da — when the world is dominated by the materialistic viewpoint, in some sense the greatest and most difficult (but perhaps least appreciated) miracle is for a Spiritual Master to take ordinary human beings whose life destiny is one of "sub-human", self-centered, materialistic self-fulfillment and grow them up first into fully human, loving beings, and then (on that necessary foundation) into genuine Spiritual practitioners. Our Crazy Wisdom section presents "extraordinary evidence" of this very human kind.


2. Stories from Devotees


Blessing is simply My Nature, My State, My Intrinsic Condition of Self-Radiance.

Avatar Adi Da Samraj, The Aletheon


In this section, we provide some of the most obvious forms of "extraordinary evidence": events that illustrate Adi Da's comprehensive awareness of the greater-than-material dimensions of Reality, as well as the minds and hearts of His devotees; and His power to miraculously, gracefully influence life and death, natural and supernatural phenomena, and the lives of His devotees and many others. The stories included in this section are just the tip of the iceberg, and stand as representatives for literally thousands of other stories, which are all are part of the single spontaneous demonstration that is Adi Da Samraj's Life and Work.


2.1. Adi Da's Influence on Birth, Life, and Death

Adi Da's power to influence the great transitional moments of birth, life, and death has been demonstrated time and time again.

 
Terry Cafferty

The True Source of Security — In these two stories, Terry Cafferty's brushes with death (and the extraordinary Grace that saved him both times) would reveal Adi Da to be the True Source of Humor, Security and Eternal Life.

   


2.2. Adi Da and Awareness

As the Consciousness in which the universe and all beings are arising, Adi Da has demonstrated His awareness of the minds and hearts of His devotees — and much more — countless times.


I Am Psychic.
I Am Transcendentally Spiritually and Universally Aware.
I See things.
I "Know" things.
I "Experience" things while having lunch.
I do not just wait for your reports.
It erupts in Me as pain, pictures, signs, sensations.
All manner of things come down into This Body.
This is how I "Know" things.

Avatar Adi Da Samraj, April 14, 2004


 
Hellie Kalogeros

A Bargain With God Hellie Kalogeros tells an amazing story of a young woman striking a bargain with God, and how — decades later — God appeared in person and kept that bargain.

   
 
The Peach — Adi Da reads the mind and heart of one young devotee with a strong desire.
hurricanes changing course

Leroy Stilwell

The Mad Talking Dance — A story from Leroy Stilwell about Adi Da spontaneously speaking the thoughts of devotees around Him.

 
A Dream Encounter— An amazing "time travel" story from Hellie Kalogeros that illustrates how the devotee's relationship with Adi Da is literally prior to time and space.
Hellie Kalogeros
         
   
Suffering the Pain of Mankind

Suffering the Pain of Mankind — A story of devotee Stanley Hastings touching Avatar Adi Da Samraj's body and being given a vision of His vulnerable non-separation from the world of universal human suffering.

   
         
   
Herbie the Goat Cheech Marrero: "There was no way anyone could have witnessed the incident between me and Herbie. Adi Da was revealing again that He knew everything about me."
Herbie the Goat
   
         
   
"You Have a Choice to Make"

"You Have a Choice to Make" Stuart Camps: "Just as Adi Da was about to leave the room in the early hours of the morning, He softly whispered, almost to Himself, 'Blessings on those who pass today'."

   
         
   
Adi Da "Heard" My Thoughts Daniela Morena: "As my mind receded in the wake of my heart's upsurge, I saw Adi Da looking right at me. He had a definitely amused look on His Face. . . He had 'heard' my thoughts!"
Adi Da Heard My Thoughts
   



2.3. Adi Da and Elemental Forces

Adi Da has demonstrated many times over the years a miraculous relationship with elemental forces like rain, wind, and fire. We even have a phrase, "Grace rain", for the gentle, light drizzle that so often descends when Adi Da appears in our midst. Here are some amazing stories of Adi Da's interactions with the elements, and with the elemental forces associated with growing things.

 
Fire near the Mountain Of Attention Sanctuary

Look the Fire in the Eye — On September 17, 1979, a hot and dry day, fire threatened The Mountain Of Attention Sanctuary. Ben Fugitt, a devotee caretaker of the Sanctuary, noticed the initial tuft of smoke, and sprang into action. He soon discovered that the fire was out of control, and heading on a direct line for the Sanctuary. He never anticipated the adventure Adi Da would involve him in that day.

   

Hurricane Iwa — Adi Da's unusual Work (in November 1982) with changing the force of a major hurricane in Hawaii.
Hurricane Iwa
 
The Miracle in the Garden: Adi Da's Empowerment of the First Holy Site

The Miracle in the Garden: Adi Da's Empowerment of the First Holy Site — During her first weeks of coming to Avatar Adi Da in 1974, Ruchiradama Nadikanta broke many things, including a plaster statue of the Virgin Mary that belonged to Avatar Adi Da. At the same time, she was also in charge of the vegetable garden being planted at The Mountain Of Attention, and this too was problematic. Nothing would grow! For this reason, Avatar Adi Da decided (as He later put it) "to show her something".

 
"This Isn't Alaska. Why Can't You Grow a Watermelon?" Eileen Haight tells this humorous and miraculous story about Adi Da and growing watermelons.
"This Isn't Alaska. Why Can't You Grow a Watermelon?"
         
   
Under Clear Blue Skies

Under Clear Blue Skies — While residing at Da Love-Ananda Mahal, Adi Da talks with devotees about the esoteric significance of the Sanctuary, and how His Divine Presence is associated with the element of water, and how the weather responds accordingly.

   

 

2.4. Adi Da's Physical Touch

On occasion, Adi Da Graced devotees with His physical touch (through a hug, an intentional gesture on His part, etc.), or gave them the extraordinary Gift of being able to touch His body. Often the stories of the Spiritual Transmission that occurred in that circumstance were remarkable. Here are just a few.


 
Surrender at the Master's Feet

Surrender at the Master's Feet — In this compilation, Wes Vaught, Antonina Randazzo, and Chris Tong describe the extraordinary Grace of touching (or being physically close to) Adi Da's Feet, traditionally held to be the most sacred "part" of the Spiritual Transmission Master's body. Timothy adds to this by describing a psychophysical experience with the Guru's Feet.

   
         
   
Guru Enters DevoteeAniello Panico describes an experience where Adi Da placed His hand on the Aniello's forehead: "I felt the Divine Force — literally, tremendous Light and Force — Coming Down and Filling my entire body, Consuming me, as if it was turning every part of me inside out."

Aniello Panico
   
         
   
Suffering the Pain of Mankind

Suffering the Pain of Mankind — A story of devotee Stanley Hastings touching Avatar Adi Da Samraj's body and being given a vision of His vulnerable non-separation from the world of universal human suffering.

   


2.5. Adi Da and Healing

Adi Da has directly healed many people: devotees, their family and friends, and many others. Devotees invoking His Blessing-Power have been responsible for many more healings. Still other spontaneous healings have happened through participation in a sacred occasion or being in a Temple Empowered by Adi Da on one of His Sanctuaries. Here is just the smallest sample of the stories that can be told of Adi Da as miraculous healer.

   
A Gift of Life Margaret Dickow tells the story of her eleven-year-old niece's miraculous recovery from a skiing accident, through the Grace of Avatar Adi Da.

A Gift of Life
   
         
 
A Touch of the Divine: A Miraculous Healing at Ordeal Bath Lodge

A Touch of the Divine: A Miraculous Healing at Ordeal Bath LodgeAnn Walsh and Katinka van Dam tell the story of a miraculous healing that occurred spontaneously during a sacramental event at Ordeal Bath Lodge, a Holy Site/Healing Temple at the Mountain Of Attention Sanctuary.

   
         
   
A Gift of Healing Jack Schmitt describes a sudden and dramatic healing that took place through Adi Da's Blessing-Power in one of the temples at The Mountain Of Attention.

A Gift of Healing
   
         
   
Divine Healing

Divine Healing Pamela Bennett describes a sudden and dramatic healing that took place through Adi Da's Blessing-Power while she was sitting with Adi Da in meditation, in one of the temples at The Mountain Of Attention.

   
         
   
Back in Adi Da's Arms Trish Mitchell describes her miraculous recovery from PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) through Adi Da's Grace.

Back in Adi Da's Arms
   
         
   
Tom Williams

He Saved My Life Tom Williams is a devotee of Adi Da living in Northern California. Here he tells the story of how Adi Da miraculously saved his life.

   
         
   
The Graceful Touch of My Master Paul Litchfield tells the story of his time with Adi Da on Naitauba, during October and November, 2008, up to and beyond the day of Adi Da's Divine Mahasamadhi. He also tells of a miraculous healing that took place through Adi Da's Grace, after he returned to Melbourne, Australia.

The Graceful Touch of My Master
   



2.6. Adi Da and Instantaneous Liberation from Karma

Adi Da's Disposition and Blessing always serves the complete and instant liberation of every being if they could make fullest use of It.

Many devotees report how they suffered certain egoic patterns for decades (and perhaps even lifetimes), and were relieved of those patterns in an instant through Adi Da's Grace.

   
"No Pity For Him!" Chris Tong describes how, one night in December, 1992, Adi Da Gracefully and permanently relieved him of all self-pity. Chris talks about the lessons learned from this miraculous, karma-dissolving Gift.

"No Pity For Him!"
   
         
 
Everything Looked Like Love

Everything Looked Like Love Anne Henderson describes how, one night in January, 2013, Adi Da was suddenly in the room, transforming it and her with His Love — and she was instantly, Gracefully relieved of a reactive pattern that she had suffered for decades.

   

See also: Spiritual Transmission as Purification.

2.7. Dream Experiences of Adi Da

It is not uncommon for people to have experiences of Adi Da in the subtle (non-material) dimensions before (or after) they contact Him in waking life or become His devotee. Some have dreams, others visions, some experience a curious synchronicity of events and circumstances that eventually draw them to their Guru. And, of course, many simply pick up one of Adi Da's books or see His photograph or are taken to a lecture about Adi Da and Adidam by a friend. In reality, all such contacts are equally extraordinary, equally momentous — the meeting of Guru and devotee is always a miracle, a moment that changes one's life — and destiny — forever.

Many people who are not (currently) Adi Da's devotees also have subtle experiences of Him; we provide some examples below.

In this section, we focus on dreams. We then continue, in the following section, with other subtle experiences of Adi Da.

 
A Dream Encounter— An amazing "time travel" story from Hellie Kalogeros that illustrates how the devotee's relationship with Adi Da is literally prior to time and space.
Hellie Kalogeros
   
 
Nicole Ortega

An Ecstatic Falling into HimNicole Ortega tells the story of how she discovered Bhagavan Adi Da. While doing so, she recounts two remarkable dreams. In the first, the whole human condition is revealed to her in a kind of metaphor. In the second dream, Adi Da appears to her, and connects with her directly and personally, correcting a false, cultic view of Him that she had previously held.

 
Beauty, Magnitude, and Serenity Vinod Karki is a devotee originally from Uttar Pradesh in northern India. He describes some extraordinary visions he had of Adi Da, around the time of Adi Da's Divine Mahasamadhi.

Beauty, Magnitude, and Serenity
 
Jenna Sundell

Strange and Powerful DreamsJenna Sundell receives a mysterious communication: "A man was walking in the opposite direction, towards me, but on the other side of the hallway. . . I recognized him as Adi Da, whom I had never met before. . . . He looked me in the eyes and said, 'Ten more years.' "

 
He Is Alive Lyn Hart, an administrator and businesswoman, tells of being contacted and Instructed by Avatar Adi Da over a period of several years before she had any idea of Who He is or that He is alive in this world.

Lyn Urquhart
 
He Came To Me In a Dream Rex tells how Adi Da came to him in a dream in 1983.
 
The Dream Changed My Life Forever

The Dream Changed My Life Forever Brian Adler tells how Adi Da came to him in a dream in 1989.

         
   
Just As He Had in the Dream — Petrus Faller describes a dream he had, at the moment of Adi Da's Passing.

Petrus Faller
   
         
   
Margaret Dempsey
The Baby on My Shoulder Margaret Dempsey: "One night, I had a dream. I was standing in my kitchen, looking out to sea, and I had a baby on my shoulder. Because of how the baby was positioned, I couldn't see the baby's face, so I leaned back a little to look — and got the shock of my life when I recognised it as the face of Adi Da when He was a baby."
   
         
   
Back in Adi Da's Arms Trish Mitchell describes her miraculous recovery from PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) through Adi Da's Grace.

Back in Adi Da's Arms
   
         
   
Max Cottrell
How Did He Know? Max Cottrell recounts the beginning of his life as a devotee of Adi Da, in the community of Adi Da's devotees. He tells how he was initiated into the devotional relationship with Adi Da on his birthday, through an ecstatic dream of union with Adi Da and His Divine State.
   
         
   

A Dream About Adi Da's Mahasamadhi — Through a dream, a devotee is led to be with Bhagavan at the time of His Divine Mahasamadhi and to feel the miracle that He has not left at all.

   
         
   

Time To Return "About a week ago [shortly before Adi Da's Divine Mahasamadhi], I had a dream about Beloved Adi Da."

   


2.8. Other Subtle Experiences of Adi Da


 
I Saw Him Sitting There, In Person Sara Morin: "I saw Him sitting there, eight years after His Divine Mahasamadhi! - in Person, just like seeing anyone in the flesh."

Sara Morin
   
 

What Is This Photograph


"What Is This Photograph?" Alaya Gernon tells of an extraordinary Revelation one of her treatment clients received, while looking at a photo of Adi Da.

 
That Photograph Again Alaya Gernon tells the story of a little girl who received an extraordinary Revelation from Adi Da.

That Photograph Again
 

Chris Tong


The Devotee Feeds the Guru, and the Guru Feeds the DevoteeChris Tong tells a story in which Adi Da appears in his life (both physically and non-physically) several times, before Chris finally comes into Adi Da's physical Company as His formal devotee.

 
He Is Alive Lyn Hart, an administrator and businesswoman, tells of being contacted and Instructed by Avatar Adi Da over a period of several years before she had any idea of Who He is or that He is alive in this world.

Lyn Urquhart
 

Frank (Cheech) Marrero


The "Bright" in the Darkness: How Adi Da Found Me In 1967, Cheech Marrero was imprisoned at Rikers Island Penitentiary, awaiting trial for a crime he had not committed. At a plea bargaining session, he was told that if he pled guilty, he would receive "only" 20 or 30 years, instead of life without parole. Cheech was at the lowest point of his life. He decided to end it all. Just as he was about to do it, a miracle occurred.

 
A Laser-Like “Beam” of Energy Shot Out of My HeartAnne Henderson describes an amazing event that occurred when she was giving a public presentation about Adi Da.

Anne Henderson
         
   
Beauty, Magnitude, and Serenity

Beauty, Magnitude, and Serenity Vinod Karki is a devotee originally from Uttar Pradesh in northern India. He describes some extraordinary visions he had of Adi Da, around the time of Adi Da's Divine Mahasamadhi.

   
         
   
Strange and Powerful DreamsJenna Sundell receives a mysterious communication: "A man was walking in the opposite direction, towards me, but on the other side of the hallway. . . I recognized him as Adi Da, whom I had never met before. . . . He looked me in the eyes and said, 'Ten more years.' "

Jenna Sundell
   
         
   
The Dream Changed My Life Forever

The Dream Changed My Life Forever Brian Adler tells how Adi Da came to him in a dream in 1989.

   
         
   
To God Knows Where Reading an article in an Israeli newspaper revealed to Kiam the identity of the face that had been appearing to him.
 
A Dream about Adi Da's Mahasamadhi Through a dream, a devotee is led to be with Bhagavan at the time of His Divine Mahasamadhi and to feel the miracle that He has not left at all.
 
He Came To Me In a Dream Rex tells how Adi Da came to him in a dream in 1983.
   


2.9. The Mantric Force of Adi Da's Word

Adi Da has written many books, beginning with His autobiography, The Knee Of Listening, in 1972. All of His books are Revelatory in nature: they not only contain words that describe the nature of Reality; someone reading His words can also receive a Revelation of the nature of Reality. Adi Da describes His words and His books as "Agency". They are not merely informative; they are a form of Him, and they carry "Mantric Force": the power to awaken the reader. Read the story from Chris Tong for an examples.

In some cases, even just looking at one of Adi Da's books, or touching it, or simply opening the book, can convey some of the Revelation, even without having read the words in the book! See the stories from Trish Mitchell, Pamela Bennett, and Tom Jacobs for examples.

In still other cases, Adi Da's books can even act as though they are "alive" in an extraordinary sense. See the stories from Alicia Aguilar and Anthony Costabile for examples.

 
Chris Tong

Synchronicity Chris Tong: "I had been reading Adi Da's autobiography, The Knee Of Listening. One of the book's many extraordinary Revelations — The Unity between the internal and external worlds — was a Revelation Adi Da received through profound sadhana. And — simply through reading Adi Da's account — I Gracefully was given a form of this same Revelation."
   
 

 
Trish Mitchell

The Book of Light Trish Mitchell, an Australian radio journalist, bought The Dawn Horse Testament one day, simply because she was "attracted" to the cover. She had no idea what was waiting "inside" that book.
         
   

Ice Cream and Divine Distraction Pamela Bennett: "I turned my gaze away from the frozen yoghurt toward a most unusual image: a Supremely Attractive Being whose photograph graced the book's jacket. . . in an instant, a shift occurred. There was no granite topped counter and wooden stool with music in the background. There was not a shred of bodily awareness whatsoever. There was only a Bright, Radiant Field of Whitest Light, a tiny point of witness, and the most extraordinary, limitless, astonishing feeling of extravagant and limitless Joy."

Pamela Bennett
   
         
   
Tom Jacobs

He Is God!Tom Jacobs: " As I started to read [The Way That I Teach], one strange thing I noticed immediately was that I had this pleasant flow of energy flowing through me every time I picked up the book. I did not understand this, but remember looking forward to reading the book just because the book itself made me happy!" video
   
         
   
Initiation in Another RealmAlicia Aguilar: "Suddenly I saw this fire on top of the book. It was shaped like a tongue. I said to myself, 'Oh my God!' I think I am hallucinating because I don't know where the fire is coming from. I said to myself. 'Look, it’s on the book! On top of the book!' . . . THIS IS A VOODOO! My God! There is a voodoo in this book! This book is alive."

Alicia Aguilar
   
         
   
Anthony Costabile

The Book Landed on the Floor in Front of My Feet In 1974, Anthony Costabile was a young spiritual seeker, living in the Denver/Boulder area, and given to browsing spiritual bookshops. As he was browsing in the yoga and spirituality section of one of those shops, Adi Da's Knee Of Listening suddenly "fell" off the shelf, landed on the floor in front of his feet, and changed his life.
   
         
   
"I Am The One" Joost: "By the time I had read past the fourth paragraph, the words fell through me as if I did not exist! Recognition had dissolved the reader!"

I Am The One
   
         
   
David Ward

The Book Landed on the Floor in Front of My Feet David Ward tells the story of how Adi Da found him through a book.
   
         
   
The Room Exploded Into Brightness Lassi Lammassaari: "I sat down to read the book. I felt like I was breathing in something nectarous from the pages. I totally relaxed. In the next instant, the room exploded into Brightness."

Lassi Lammassaari

   
         
   
Scientific Proof of the Existence of God Will Soon Be Announced by the White House!

I Was Not Looking For Any Sort of Divine Revelation Pamela Hart: Some people search their whole lives and never find What Is Real and True. I just became curious. I was not looking for or expecting to be given any sort of Divine Revelation. I knew nothing about such things! Nevertheless. . . it happened.
   



2.10. Other Entities and Other Realms

Adi Da has demonstrated His ability to be aware of, appear in, and move in, other dimensions of Reality, sometimes even taking devotees with Him. Adi Da has also provided extensive wisdom and guidance about His devotees' experiences in and with these other dimensions.


You are perfectly free to experience everything from ghosts and spirit forces to the most sublime visions and absorptions in the Great Light that shines above. And you are obliged to transcend all experience through heartfelt understanding and the feeling sacrifice of the whole body-mind into the All-Pervading and Radiant Transcendental Consciousness.

Avatar Adi Da Samraj
The Old Religions, the New Scientism,
and the Awakening of the Psyche



       
Leroy Stilwell

Other Entities and Other Realms: IntroductionLeroy Stilwell's introductory article. Also includes links to articles on specific topics: good and evil, demons, and demonic spirits; the benign subtle realms; the death transition; ghosts; and purification pujas.
 
I Could Not See Her Face Pamela Bennett describes a miracle that occurred, upon the arrival at Adi Da Samrajashram of two unique gifts for Adi Da.
Pamela Bennett
 
Connie Mantas

A Cosmic Journey — Adi Da takes devotee Connie Mantas on a guided tour through the various dimensions of the Greater-Than-Material Reality.
 
It Is All the Same Distraction: Ghosts, Goddesses, and GratitudeL. H.: "I became aware of a figure approaching the site. It was a blue woman who was obviously endowed with great power. I felt this woman was Kali, and I became afraid. She then began to show me her power: the sun changed position in the sky and changes were happening everywhere in nature. She was rearranging the universe. This is actually what I saw. I felt how I could be snuffed out by the power of nature, her power, at any moment." But then L.H. understood something even greater: "I saw that with all her power, she, the energy and force of nature itself, was submitted to Supreme Consciousness Itself, and that she was there to serve the Divine Purposes of Avatar Adi Da at His Holy Sanctuary, and indeed in the world altogether."
 
Saving a Life in Future Time — Adi Da teaches devotee Hellie Kalogeros the Heimlich maneuver so that she can save the life of her child a few days later.
Hellie Kalogeros
 
Anne Rogers

Visits to Other Worlds — Avatar Adi Da shows Anne Rogers other worlds — both higher and lower than this Earth plane.
 
The Fierce WomanFrans Bakker tells the story of Avatar Adi Da’s Instruction to him and the lessons he learned from a visitation by the Goddess Kali.

Frans Bakker
 

Dellanna Adams-Bain


Shaktipat and Possession by a Leopard — Clinical psychologist Dellanna Adams-Bain was being possessed by a leopard in meditation. This is her story and Adi Da’s Instruction to her.

 
On Goblins and a Cosmic HorseSimon Pritchard tells a story about a goblin, Irina Tweedie, Adi Da, and the Ashvamedha.

Simon Pritchard
 
Leroy Stilwell

"What Difference Does It Make How I Choose to Respond?"Leroy Stilwell recounts a conversation with Adi Da about potential possession by a demon.
 
Initiation in Another RealmAlicia Aguilar describes her first encounter with Avatar Adi Da. It takes place in her distant home village in the Philippines — in another dimension.

Alicia Aguilar
 

Tom Closser


A Devotee's Journey into Death and Back — In December 1983, two months after Adi Da's arrival at Adi Da Samrajashram (on the island of Naitauba in Fiji), an accident occurred that would have been fatal without Avatar Adi Da's Intervention. The story of that incident is told by two people: Frans Bakker, one of the doctors involved; and Tom Closser, the devotee to whom the accident occurred, who describes his near-death experience, and a profound lesson about how "guilt" can become a self-destructive impediment to growth.


2.11. More Blessings, Miracles, and Extraordinary Evidence

This subsection includes stories that don't fit into any of the earlier categories.

   
Adi Da's Blessing of His Devotees' Families — One of the many miraculous things that comes with being a devotee of Avatar Adi Da Samraj is that one's family is also Blessed. Alaya Gernon tells the story of her mother, who has advanced vascular dementia, being Blessed by Adi Da.

Adi Da's Blessing of His Devotees' Families
   
         
   

James Steinberg


Watching a Baseball Game with Bhagavan Adi Da Samraj James Steinberg: "Usually we witnessed Adi Da's miraculous impact at the Ashram and The Mountain Of Attention. But here we — and 20,000 other (completely unaware) people — were witnessing the effects of His spiritual powers in the middle of the Oakland Coliseum!"
   
         
   
Capturing a Miracle Chris Tong: "As devotees, our hearts may know when a miracle has occurred through the Grace of Adi Da. But reporting such miracles to non-devotees can be quite a challenge in the twenty-first century! Even so, every once in a while, a time, a place, and an opportunity arise where we can actually 'capture a miracle' — in a manner that might even satisfy a scientist. This is the story (and documentation) of one such occasion."

Capturing a Miracle
   
         
   

Hellie Kalogeros


The Turning of the Flowers Hellie Kalogeros: Suddenly, in a vase just outside Beloved Adi Da's bedroom door on a small table about twelve feet away from me, one flower magically broke off its stem and literally flew across the room and landed directly at my feet!".
   
         
   
Everything Bows To The Divine Lord Tom Closser: "There were very full arrangements of flowers on both sides of His seat. The flowers literally bent toward Him, obviously acknowledging His Presence as were the other devotees in the room."

Everything Bows To The Divine Lord
   
         
   

The Bright Master of Peace


The Bright Master of Peace Alaya Gernon tells of travelling to and attending a retreat at The Mountain Of Attention, and the many Graceful Revelations given to her by Adi Da along the way.
   
         
 
His Name Was Written on the Banks of the River Julie Lockwood Smith: "I had only gone a few steps when I saw, directly in front of me, the word DA written on the banks of the Tanana River. I was stunned. How did Bhagavan's Name get there?"

His Name Was Written on the Banks of the River
   

 

3. Why We Want Miracles

Part of why we desire to read stories of miracles and extraordinary events is to confirm to ourselves the existence of a greater-than-material Reality. And certainly part of why we desire to read stories of miracles and extraordinary events about Adi Da is as a means for confirming that He is Who He says He is. Adi Da's life does provide that body of evidence, filled as it is with miraculous occurences, a few of which we have recounted here. But what is actually needed, in order for someone to become Adi Da's devotee, is a very specific kind of miracle: the direct Revelation of Who He is, to your heart. That, rather than some kind of extraordinary miracle for the senses.

In a passionate, serious, and humorous conversation with a group of His devotees in His early years of Teaching, Avatar Adi Da explored the conventional idea of miracles — why human beings feel they need to see a miracle in order to be convinced of and respond to the Greater Reality, and why miracles, in and of themselves, are never sufficient to cause a human being to devotionally surrender his or her life to the Divine:


You haven't received enough Revelation yet? Do you need to see a really big, miraculous vision or something? What is it you need? What would be really impressive?

Perhaps I should be present just in a body of light that looks substantial but which you can put your hand right through, so that no matter where I go, everybody will always be saying, "Hey, look, my hand goes right through it!" People swatting at My Body no matter where I go, just to test it out and go, "Wow!"

What do you need? What miracle would you like to see performed? It would have to satisfy you, you see. It would have to prove something to you. What do you need?

If I were standing here in My twenty-five-foot flaming fire-body, you would be falling on your knees, you know what I mean? You wouldn't have any problem about surrendering. You would surrender yourself completely if you were confronting such a vision directly.

What do you have to see? What will you worship? What is the Revelation that makes you surrender spontaneously? You can imagine some manifestation or other of a Spiritual nature that would oblige you to surrender spontaneously.

Other phenomena of experience allow you still to maintain some quality of ego-possession, a lack of surrender. So, what do you have to see in order to surrender?

Is surrender the result of something that makes you comfortable? Can anything create surrender, or does everything delay it — everything, including wonders and miracles?

Each of these is just another distraction, an experience in itself. You might work yourself up to a little release in the face of it, but that confrontation cannot create the release.

What you need is a big miracle — if only so that you will realize that miracles are not sufficient, and that you are going to have to surrender in the face of things just as they are.

That kind of surrender cannot be caused, but perhaps you need to see the big miracle to find that out.

You think true surrender is caused by some dramatic confrontation — a "miracle". You hold on to this popular idea of salvation — that you would be a perfect saint if only you had the perfect vision.

Avatar Adi Da Samraj, Love and Blessings



Adi Da makes a similar point when He describes the challenge involved in writing His autobiography, The Knee Of Listening:


In this book, I have had to confront a most difficult means of instruction. I have had to fully illustrate my course of life, even in order to demonstrate the factuality of the extraordinary phenomena that mankind is presently in the habit of denying. But, in the end, in order to speak the Truth, I have had to argue against the ultimacy of many of the very things I have proven in my life. . . .

Both the search for ego-based Spiritual effects and the ego-based exploitation of life on a sensual and mental level are traps. The search for experience and the search for liberation from the bondage to experience are the same activity — born out of the absence of "radical" self-understanding, the un-"creative" movement that is not Reality. Reality Itself is the only unique matter in the entire adventure of life, and It stands prior to all egoic efforts and all less-than-most-perfect discoveries.

Avatar Adi Da Samraj, The Knee Of Listening


In other words: it is essential to acknowledge the factuality of the greater-than-material dimensions of Reality. To the extent that reading about (or having) such experiences helps open one's mind and heart to the greater-than-material Reality, it serves the Greater Purpose. But one must not get sidetracked by (or lose oneself in) all the potential greater-than-material experiences one can have (which are endless, and always temporary and limited, like the experiences in this material dimension), when one is given the opportunity (via the Way of Adidam) to realize the Very Divine (Reality Itself) — the Realization that infinitely exceeds all lesser experiences and lesser Realizations and is Eternal.


ADI DA: People look for uncommon phenomenal signs because they are full of doubt and un-Happiness. Such experiences suggest to them that there is a reason to feel good perhaps, but they are not profoundly transformed by witnessing such signs. In fact, having witnessed them, they begin to think of all the explanations that reduce these experiences to nothing.

Because of the use and misuse of such phenomena, another kind of tradition has arisen, in which it is not considered all right for these signs to appear, in which it is not all right to delight in them when they appear. And that is equally false.

Uncommon phenomenal signs inevitably appear when the Spirit-Force is allowed to be active via the devotee's submission. These signs are also inevitable in the case of an Adept. The taboos against their appearing and the taboos against enjoying them, as well as the lust for them on the part of people who are not converted no matter what they see, are equally inevitable in the egoic world.

When there is submission to the Spirit, such phenomenal changes and what are called miracles inevitably occur, but these signs are merely, part of the normal evidence of spiritual life, and are part of the delight of spiritual life. They are not the ultimate matter, but they are an ordinary part of a Spirit-filled existence.

DEVOTEE: In your Company the simplest, most profound miracle is this matter of Remembrance. It is miraculous that a completely self-possessed person can give their attention and energy to the Spiritual Master and receive the Blessing that transforms their whole life in that moment.

ADI DA: That is the art of spiritual life granting attention and following it with total psycho-physical submission to the Spiritual Reality. People are not tending to do that, of course, and so attention is constantly getting locked into problems, conceptions that are problematic, states that are uncomfortable and problematic. The art of spiritual life, once you have, heard and, seen, is this capacity to be re-devoted in any moment to the Living Spiritual Reality. To do that, you must be equipped with hearing and seeing, you must be, able to observe and understand yourself, and primarily, what there is to observe is how attention is functioning. . .

You are inherently obliged to surrender, to be vulnerable, to be Happy. Only this participatory disposition is the right disposition in which to live. We can prevent ourselves from living in this way, and thinking is one of the ways we do it, but it is the only way to live. Only that participation in Reality is living. To participate in Reality means you must allow yourself to be continuous with it.

Avatar Adi Da Samraj, "The Art of Spiritual Life" (August 13, 1983)
Crazy Wisdom Magazine, January 1984, Vol 3, No. 1




4. Related Books


Love and Blessings

Love and Blessings: The Divine Compassionate Miracles of Avatar Adi Da Samraj

compiled and edited by Bill Gottlieb

March 2006 edition
order here

In Love and Blessings, twenty-five of Adi Da's devotees tell heart-breaking stories of human need and Divine Response. A soldier in Iraq, a woman going blind in Holland, a son with his dying father in Australia, a woman with cancer in America — these and others tell how they asked Adi Da Samraj for His Blessing-Regard and the miraculous process that ensued. These stories are also about Adi Da's Liberating Blessing-Grace, which He offers as a Gift for the sake of Awakening all beings beyond any suffering of the body and mind to the Prior Condition of Eternal Freedom and Happiness.




Quotations from and/or photographs of Avatar Adi Da Samraj used by permission of the copyright owner:
© Copyrighted materials used with the permission of The Avataric Samrajya of Adidam Pty Ltd, as trustee for The Avataric Samrajya of Adidam. All rights reserved. None of these materials may be disseminated or otherwise used for any non-personal purpose without the prior agreement of the copyright owner. ADIDAM is a trademark of The Avataric Samrajya of Adidam Pty Ltd, as Trustee for the Avataric Samrajya of Adidam.

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