Spiritual Recognition of Adi Da > Suffering the Pain of Mankind

Suffering the Pain of Mankind

Stanley Hastings

Stanley Hastings grew up as a devotee of Adi Da Samraj. Stanley has always been passionate about Avatar Adi Da's Art work and has served Adi Da personally in His Art process in many different capacities. At the present time, Stanley manages the fabrication process of Adi Da's Image Art, and is one of the spokespeople for Adi Da in this area. Stanley is the Co-Director of Da Plastique, the group that presents Avatar Adi Da's Art to the public.

Stanley: One evening in December 1992, I was sitting at Beloved Adi Da's side as He began to speak to the forty or so devotees in the room with Him that evening. He was speaking about the killings taking place daily in many areas of the world, and particularly, at that time, in Somalia. He referred to the terrible and intolerable deaths of women and children there, and also to the dangerous proliferation of weapons throughout the world.

As He spoke, I had my hand on His leg, and I began to feel in my body what He was talking about. I don't know how to describe this, but I felt the literal "experience" of what He was speaking about enter my body from His leg. It moved into my hand, up through my arm, down into my heart, and from there up into my head. As it entered my head, my vision was suddenly clouded. Appallingly vivid images of everything He was speaking of — all the terrible deaths and suffering — began to move before my eyes, as if I were watching a movie. In a very short time, I could no longer tolerate the experience. I got up and ran outside and began vomiting in the bushes. The images continued. A friend came out to bring me back inside. I was gasping for air and told her I just couldn't take it anymore, I just couldn't experience the suffering of the world in the way Beloved Adi Da was obviously experiencing it.

A short time later, my "symptoms" subsided and I — still somewhat reluctantly — returned to the room where Beloved Adi Da and His devotees were gathered. But I have never forgotten what I learned that night about what Beloved Adi Da endures for the sake of the world, and what is required from all of us if the Earth is to become a safe place where the great matter of true Spiritual practice is to be a real possibility for humankind.