Be There Now

Be There Now - Episode 04 - Meenakshi Jirik

In this conversation with Meenakshi she tells us about her journey through India, Iran, and Afghanistan on her path to meet Maharaji. She recounts personal experiences and insights on spirituality, honesty, and personal growth. We talk about being with Maharaji; surrender, devotion, and compassion in the spiritual path, as well as the interconnectedness of all things.

Be There Now - Episode 3 - Mirabai Bush

Mirabai Bush tells the story of her first encounter with Maharaji in India in 1970, through a series of serendipitous meetings and experiences. Initially unaware of Maharaji, she met him after attending a meditation course with Goenka where she met Ram Dass and others who became part of her lifelong spiritual family. Mirabai describes her profound transformation through Vipassana practices and her deep connection with Maharaji, who named her Mirabai, after the 16th-century poet and devotee of Krishna. She shares personal anecdotes and the impact of Maharaji's teachings on her life.

Be There Now - Episode 02 - Anasuya Weil

Parvati Markus interviews Anasuya Weil, who recounts her journey to India and her eventual meeting with Maharaji. She describes her travels from Europe to India, being at the 1971 Kumbha Mela, and her introduction to Vipassana meditation. Anasuya shares significant interactions with Maharaji, including him giving her a blanket that Ram Dass had given to Maharaji as a gift. She reflects on the intensity of devotion she felt being in Neem Karoli Baba's presence.

Be There Now Podcast Introduction

This episode introduces the Be There Now Podcast. Neem Karoli Baba, aka Maharaji, was a Saint in India. He left his body in 1973, just a few years after he became known in the West. Near the end of his life around one hundred Westerners found their way to him. Anasuya Weil was one of those people, meeting Maharaji in Kainchi in 1971. With this podcast, Anasuya and her son, Hanuman Goleman, aim to document firsthand accounts of being with Maharaji. There is an urgency to capture these stories before elderly Maharaji devotees pass away - as many already have. Specific attention is paid to the stories of people who haven't been as well represented in much of the Neem Karoli Baba story telling. This includes the women devotees, who were as numerous as men among Maharaj Ji's followers. This long-form podcast offers devotees a chance to tell their unabridged stories in their own words.