by John Nelson
“Yes, dear. That makes sense, but despite the many Hindu and Buddhist practitioners in America, this is still a Christian country, and it will be difficult for them to understand, not less accept you for who you are.”
Anna smiled in the dim light. “Who I am is who they are in inner being, and maybe time for… wake-up call.”
Maggie could only bow her head. “Maybe.”
The bibidisa ceremony the next morning was sacred and overwhelming as Anna’s energy seemed to magnify the heightened energies of all the swamis and swaminis present. Some devotees passed out and needed to be attended to, others cried as the fire purification ceremony further purified and released the remaining dross matter of their own being. All bowed, as the flower-draped child swamini gave her blessing:
“I am moved by ceremony to honor God in me and God in you, and the blessing I give is not of me but of the Spirit that moves through all beings—the eye of the eye, the ear of the ear, the mind of the mind, the life of life. Always honor and all will be right with you.”
Anna waved her hand, and many in the audience could feel her healing energy permeate their being, and for some it relieved them of their lingering afflictions.
As the swamis and swaminis walked away from the ceremony, all were moved by the energy of young Anna and her message, and a few asked Ma and then Maggie if they had ever read her The Kena Upanishad that Anna had quoted in her blessing. While she had a copy of The Upanishads on her bookshelf, Maggie said she had not yet read any of it to her daughter. They nodded their heads realizing that this child was indeed a master from centuries past, and no doubt drew on an earlier understanding of this most sacred text.
Maggie and Anna stayed one more day to let the energy of her initiation settle, but they needed to pick Bodhi up the next day from James Edwards’s dog sitter and didn’t want to burden her any further, although she would assure Maggie that it was a delight to keep him. But this extra day allowed Maggie and Ma to have further discussions with James and Dr. Singh, who stayed on after Sunday’s ceremony and which had only infused their resolve to protect the unfoldment of Sri Annananda Ma.
Chapter 31
Several days after they returned from the ashram, Maggie received a certified letter in the mail from the superintendent of the San Luis Obispo County Office of Education. She was informed that her August 15 meeting with Mrs. Linden had been moved to his offices on Education Drive off Highway 1 northwest of the city to accommodate some school board members, and would be presided over by the Superintendent Gerald Henderson. She went out and faxed a copy to James Edwards. He called later in the day to reassure her that he had expected as much, and again suggested that he bring Dr. Singh with him to the meeting. Maggie didn’t want them tromping into the meeting with a whole entourage of people and taking a defensive posture. The simpler they made it, the better for her and Anna. But, Maggie did call a local child psychologist, who agreed to administer an IQ test for Anna and give her the results the same day.
Maggie was also alerted to the spliced-together video of still photos of Anna’s swamini’s initiation that appeared on YouTube. She called James, but he told her that it was almost impossible to get this website to take down posted videos, citing freedom of the press statutes. Anna and her mother watched it so they would at least be prepared to address any questions directed at them from its presentation. As expected, the psychologist certified her IQ at around 140. Maggie added the certificate to her folder of information that she would bring to the meeting with the superintendent and the school board.
James Edwards flew into town the night before the meeting. He was staying at the Granada Hotel & Bistro, and they drove into town to eat dinner with him. James met them in the lobby and they looked over the bistro’s menu, which wasn’t to their liking so they walked to the Big Sky Café with its Western décor and paintings and more varied menu. He ordered the crab cakes, and Maggie and Anna shared the grilled eggplant dish. While they were waiting for their meals and drinking iced tea, James asked Maggie how she felt about tomorrow’s meeting.
“Well, I’m a bit apprehensive, but this is San Luis Obispo, not Cleveland,” she said, remembering having made this reference at some point earlier.
“I’ve talked to a colleague in Santa Barbara, who had lived here for a while and had children in the school system, and he said that Superintendent Henderson, who replaced the guy who bamboozled you when you were pregnant, has a good reputation for being fair and aboveboard and was open to alternative spirituality. However, there were members on the county board of education who were, to quote him, ‘a bunch of sticks-in-the-mud.’”
Anna smiled at this description. “We stir the pool?”
Maggie looked over at her daughter. “We will answer their questions as best we can, and not hide anything from them.”
James looked at Maggie. “You’re going to let Anna speak for herself?”
She nodded her head. “Swamini Annananda says it’s ‘about her,’ so she wants them to ask her their questions.”
“This could be interesting.”
Maggie smiled. “They’re in for a big surprise if they think they can railroad my Anna.”
James laughed. “I would think.”
The next morning Maggie and Anna drove to the County Office of Education building outside town in a modern white-adobe Spanish-styled building with wood pilasters and a garden of desert plants and Saguaro cactus. They waited in the lobby until James arrived, and they were then ushered into a conference room where several men and women were seated, including a stern-looking Mrs. Linden, and they sat across the table from them.
“I’d like to welcome the three of you, and especially young Anna, to this meeting. I’m Gerald Henderson, the county superintendent of education.”
He was a man of medium height with dark hair, a good build, and kind if observant eyes. Maggie wondered if he was a meditator.
“We are glad to meet you,” Anna volunteered.
“Thank you, Anna. But first let me address some questions to your mother and her lawyer…” He looked down at his folder. “James Edwards, who…”
“Who represents the devotees of Hindu Guru Ma hi’ Ma,” James added.
Henderson nodded his head. “But, this meeting is about education, not religious freedom of expression.”
“Well, I’m here to make sure that’s what it’s about.”
“I see.”
Henderson turned to Maggie. “Ms. Langdon, for the last two years you have been homeschooling your daughter Anna, and this past year had three East Indian Hindu children in the first grade?”
“Yes, that is correct.”
“I see that Mr. Edwards has filed forms to turn your homeschooling venue into a religious school, but your degrees are in secondary education, and arts and craft.”
“I believe you’ll find in the submitted papers,” James added, “a document by Guru Ma hi’ Ma that certifies Ms. Langdon as a teacher of Hindu religion.”
A board member, Ms. Beverly Holmes, spoke up. “Which in our opinion she is unqualified to certify. We would prefer, as in our other religious schools, a degree in Hindu studies from a recognized university or college.”
“You not teach mind to be holy, you bring out spirit,” Anna added.
Henderson smiled and turned to Edwards and said rather evenhandedly. “I consider this religious school affiliation as a maneuver to protect young Anna’s spiritual expression and not have that or her classified as… afflicted.”
James was about to object, but Henderson put up his hand. “Sir, the county’s head school psychologist, Dr. Adam Schultz, has reviewed Dr. Singh’s testing of young Anna’s emotional stability and test scores for her rather high IQ.” Henderson turned to look down the row of board members to a middle-aged man with short blond hair and stylish blue-tinted glasses who held up his hand. “He knows the good doctor and we accept her testing results, so this is not an issue.”
“Very well,” Edwards said, as Maggie
sighed in relief.
He turned to Anna. “I see Anna where you were recently initiated as a Hindu Swami. The YouTube video of the ceremony was quite moving, as was your recorded blessing.”
“I Swamini.”
“Yes, of course, let’s not be gender-biased.” This drew a few chuckles from his colleagues. “I also have read about your healings recently in India. Tell me about that.”
James was about to object, but Anna raised her hand and he stopped himself. Henderson and the others noted that and looked at each other.
“There was an old yogi in clinic with…”
“Early-stage pancreatic cancer,” Maggie added.
“He suffer much. I ask his spirit, and it say he ready to be healed. So I heal him.”
“You’ll find his ashram doctor’s report of the yogi’s cancer remission in your folder,” James said.
“Yes, Mr. Edwards. You’ve been quite thorough in making your case, but let’s let Anna make hers.” He turned to Anna. “How does that work, Anna?”
“I… energize connection with his spirit, and it heals the body.”
“I see, and where do you get the energy to do this?”
“Not my energy, God’s energy, works through me.”
Another one of the board members added, “Faith healings hardly ever pan out.”
Anna looked at her and said, “You come to my house, and I heal liver, and we see.”
The woman gawked at her, before tears arose in her eyes.
Another board member turned to James Edwards. “The girl has been prepped very thoroughly by Mr. Edwards, but—”
Anna interrupted him. “Sorry, but I not need anybody to speak for me.”
Henderson smiled. “I can see that, Swamini.” He looked down at his open folder and turned to Maggie. “I have a complaint here registered from a Mr. Kumar whose son was being taught by you that, to quote him, ‘Anna teleported the class to an… astral park to meet with Anna’s guide, Joseph.’”
Maggie was about to answer him, but again Anna raised her hand. “I not take the body. I shift spirit, like in dream state.”
Edwards added, before he was stood down by his young client, “This is an advanced spiritual practice, but not beyond the scope of Indian yogis.”
“As your book excerpts document, Mr. Edwards,” Henderson said wearily, “but the question here is how a seven-year-old American girl can do such a thing.”
Edwards was about to reply when Anna smiled at him and he desisted. She turned back to the superintendent.
“When I was born, I open my eyes and see mother and other women and spirit people and know that I born awake. I not can tell anybody until later, but I not lose connection to spirit, like others do, so that is how I move energy.”
Henderson sat back in his chair and raised his own hand to quiet the other board members who were ready to jump into the fray. “Anna, that is a most remarkable statement, but the question here…” He turned to both Maggie and James Edwards. “Is Anna’s effect on the children who are homeschooled, or attend this religious school, with her.” He raised a hand to stop James Edwards before he could make another reference. “Yes, I have read the affidavits from the parents of the others students, but like Mr. Kumar’s son Amir, some yet to enroll here may not be ready for such… advanced spiritual practices.”
Anna volunteered, “Yes, I now know. I talk with Joseph; he tell me I need allow others develop on own, that my energy will affect them and they use as needed.”
Henderson nodded his head. “This is the most… unusual educational situation I’ve ever heard of, but looking at young Anna, or as I too can now say, Swamini Annananda, and listening to her, I have no doubt of the authenticity of the claims made of her. But…” he turned to James Edwards, “I will insist that a more thorough registration statement be made of what children who enter this school will encounter learning beside Swamini, to be signed by their parents and that I will take more seriously any further… demonstrations such as Mr. Kumar objected to.”
“Agreed. I will draw it up for your approval,” Edwards said with great relief.
“Gerald, I think this whole situation requires more study,” Beverly Holmes added.
“Good, I’ll appoint you, Beverly, as their school monitor, and you can periodically check with Ms. Langford and the parents of her students as to her upholding of our agreement.”
Henderson turned to Maggie. “When Anna gets older, have you thought of creating a healing center here in San Luis Obispo? Or have her affiliated with the Banyan Tree Center?”
Maggie smiled. “No, not really, but we’ll see how Swamini develops and how her Lila, or divine impulse, moves her.”
“Okay, I understand that.” Henderson turned to the board members, then back to the three of them. “This issue has been resolved to my satisfaction and this meeting is adjourned.” Maggie, Anna, and James Edwards stood up and headed for the door, while the board members gathered around Superintendent Henderson, some to voice their objections. As they stepped out of the room, they could hear him say, “The mayor would like us to have our own… Krishnamurti, like what transpired in Ojai.”
This last statement gave Maggie pause for thought.
Chapter 32
With the Krishna Hindu School officially certified, Maggie accepted two new students for the second grade in September, along with Gish and Debby, who had reverted back to her Hindu name of Devi, much to her parents’ delight. They were Jema, whose father operated a jewelry store that specialized in East Indian stones, and Piku, whose father taught physics at the local high school, but wanted his son to be educated, or at least for now, in an ashram school as he referred to it. He had told Maggie on their initial interview that “I don’t want my son to turn out like these Western heathens I teach.” Neither parent was surprised by the registration form nor its disclaimer that they were required to sign. They had heard rumors from those in their Hindu community about the child guru, and after meeting Anna were both enthusiastic about her influence on their children’s spiritual development. Jema’s father added with smile, “Well, at least I won’t have to get health insurance.” Maggie tried to persuade him otherwise, and he laughed and said of course his son was covered under their family policy.
But, as Maggie had feared, people began to call, email her, and some even showed up at their door wanting healings from the “child saint.” She consented for children with life-threatening illnesses, after Anna contacted and received permission from their spirit, which did not always happen, much to their parents’ distress and further entreaty. Finally Gary, with Maggie’s consent, built an eight-foot-tall pinewood fence around his property with a yard and garage door on a remote locking system and with an embedded speaker box and a topside camera at the front gate. Patrol cars, at the mayor’s insistence, made daily drive-bys and cleared the street when necessary of those waiting for healings or darsana seekers looking for a glimpse of the child saint, which in Hindu lore bestowed its own blessing. After three months the commotion surrounding Anna died down somewhat, but it was difficult for them to freely move about town without being accosted by the sick or religiously afflicted, as Gary called them. Anna took their isolation easier than Maggie, but at least once a month, she would drive them down to Santa Barbara to visit her parents just to step out on the street or walk the beach unmolested.
Maggie was thinking of staying home for Christmas, but that was before Anna’s elaborate eighth-birthday celebration at Agam and Jade Chandra’s estate, where the invited guests were warned against seeking healings or bringing birthday gifts, but all of them showed up with the traditional flower leis that were draped over both her and her child. In the end Anna spontaneously gave the gathering her “birthday” blessing, which extended the party until most could recover from their dazed state to drive their families home. When Maggie and Anna returned home, they found mounds of flower bouquets lining the fence outside their home, with more being delivered by local florist trucks every hou
r. Anna insisted that they walk down the row and read all the inscribed notes. While most were from local Hindus and Ma devotees, there were some from other states and countries. Anna stopped and read one from Mother Meera with her small colored oval photo. This modern Hindu saint, who now lived in Germany and who had had her first samadhi experience at age six, wanted Maggie to contact her about Sri Annananda Ma.
Anna looked up at her mother. “I see her face in my meditations. We go to visit her?”
“I hear she comes to America on tours.”
Anna nodded her head and continued walking down the row, as Maggie collected the notes to respond to those with land or email addresses.
Her daughter’s increasing spiritual notoriety was what Maggie had feared most about the circumstances surrounding the school board’s summons and the precautions they had taken, especially Anna’s swamini initiation and its subsequent YouTube exposure. But, what really alarmed her was Hari Kumar’s “letter to the editor” that appeared in The Tribune that week, telling about his son Amir being taken to an astral park while studying with the so-called child saint, and that she was a threat to the community. “I mean, what would prevent her from taking the President to this park and leaving him there.” This brought an outpouring of disclaimers from local residents, many of whom claimed that Hari and Amir had watched too many Avengers and X-Men movies, and a spiritually informed reply that Anna transported the boy’s spirit not his body. What seemed to settle the matter was an editorial op by Superintendent Henderson who said that the school board had met with Anna and her mother about Mr. Kumar’s complaint, which was somewhat exaggerated, and were satisfied by Sri Annananda’s promise to avoid such demonstrations in the future, which did not discount what had happened.
Maggie needed to get her and Anna out of town, and so she started the school’s Christmas break a week early, which would extend until after the New Year. The children were delighted and their parents, who had no doubt been following the brouhaha over Anna and her powers, acquiesced. So Maggie alerted her parents to their change of plans and her wish for an extended stay, packed up Anna and Bodhi, and they headed down to Santa Barbara two days later. Maggie’s sister Jill, who had heard from Grace about the controversy and the initiation of her niece Anna as a Hindu swamini, was appalled by “her sister’s reckless disregard for her child’s welfare.” Her family had planned on coming home for Christmas, but withdrew saying she didn’t want to expose her child to this kind of religious hysteria.