The Flawless (rearview) Mirror

Dharmadevi pointed out something to me: I tend to be a bit clumsy when it comes to handling things in the physical world. And you know what? She's absolutely right! I must confess, out of the last five tea cups and glasses that have met their untimely demise in our household, I'm pretty sure I was responsible for all of them. Oops!

Given my track record, it wasn't much of a surprise when I accidentally broke our car's rearview mirror. I was moving some boxes, and one of them happened to be too big for the front seat. I squeezed it a little too tightly, resulting in a disastrous encounter with the rearview mirror.

I reached out to our car company, expecting to schedule a trip to the repair shop. But guess what? They had a pleasant surprise in store for us. Instead of us going to them, they sent a technician over to our place. Living as we do in the beautiful rural area that’s hard to locate, I instructed the technician to meet me at "Master's Market” within Ananda Village.

When he arrived, he stepped out of his car and was visibly taken aback. I could tell he was intrigued by his surroundings. He asked me, “What is this place?” So I took the opportunity to share a little bit about Ananda Village—an intentional spiritual community guided by the teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda.

After exchanging greetings, he swiftly fixed my rearview mirror in just a matter of minutes. This incredible technician had driven all the way from a city called Chico, which was about an hour and a half away from Ananda Village. In gratitude for his service and driving such a distance, I offered to buy him a refreshment at Master's Market.

While we were chatting, a friend of mine from our yoga retreat happened to walk by. I introduced them, and naturally, our conversation veered toward the topic of the retreat center. The technician seemed genuinely curious and eager to learn more, so we decided to take a little detour and headed towards the Expanding Light Yoga & Meditation Retreat.

During our walk, he began opening up a bit, sharing that he had been on a year-long quest to find inner peace within himself. “Maybe this is why I came here today.” And right at that moment, as if the universe was affirming his journey, we both glanced at the sign in front of the Expanding Light dining room, “Ananda Church of Self-realization.”

Affirming his intuition, I said, "That is our path—Self-realization, finding the peace within. I'm so glad you came here today."

To add another surprising twist to this tale, I informed him that there is actually an Ananda Meditation group in Chico, his hometown!

I truly hope that this incredible soul finds the "Peace that surpasseth all understanding." Now I understand why my mirror had to break. It was meant to lead this wonderful person to experience the peaceful vibrations of Ananda Village. My prayer is that his pilgrimage continues to the Ananda Village within his own heart.

A disciple of Yogananda called him “the flawless mirror.” I didn't expect my guru to look through my flawless (rearview) mirror!