Was it difficult to make the transition from a New York academic to a spiritual life outside Melbourne?
New Yorkers are tough minded. They think of the worst case scenario and believe they are realistic, honest and forthright. In the 1960s, I opened the door at a friend’s apartment and someone shoved a gun in my face and the first thing I thought was, what a waste of an education. I thought, what’s this all about if we can be snuffed out like that? I began a spiritual path and I am very grateful to that guy with the gun. I went to India and studied with Muktananda. He always said to me that Melbourne and I would do well together. You have a room and a study here, but how do you find your own private space with so many people seeking guidance? I learned it being in Baba’s Ashram in India. I went from a progressive lifestyle to living in India in a room with 20 guys, each of us had a foam mattress about six inches apart. I was so overjoyed to be in a place where my inner being was taken care of. But because of the meditation I found a way to naturally get some space by going inside. In my
