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Many
people have found their way to Avatar Adi
Da Samraj over the past few decades since
He formally began His Work in 1972. The stories
of how they found Him are moving and often
extraordinary. From a lifelong spiritual seeker
such as former monk, Crane Kirkbride; to a
successful businessman like Aniello Panico,
who "had it all", and was living the good
life, but was also on the verge of committing
suicide — their stories tell how
they finally found what their hearts were
seeking. It was only then that the real adventure
of their life in God could begin for real.
Here
are a few stories from some Lake County devotees.
We hope they will inspire you to get to know
Adi Da Samraj better yourself!
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Aniello
Panico
—
In his thirties, Aniello had it all:
he was a successful businessman, he
had a loving wife and four great kids,
a beautiful home, three new cars, and
interesting friends. He appreciated
good literature, classical music, and
the arts. He was living the good life.
And he was also on the verge of committing
suicide. Aniello tells what brought
him to this point, and how he found
his Spiritual Master, Adi Da Samraj,
in the nick of time.
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Crane
Kirkbride
—
After years of searching and experimentation
in the Hindu tradition, joining a
religious order and finding his life
still wanting, Crane discovered Avatar
Adi Da and the answer to his lifelong
quest for Happiness and Self-Realization.
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Cheech
Marrero
—
In 1967, Cheech Marrero was imprisoned
at Rikers Island Penitentiary, awaiting
trial for a crime he had not committed.
At a plea bargaining session, he was
told that if he pleaded guilty, he
would receive "only" 20 or 30 years,
instead of life without parole. Cheech
was at the lowest point of his life.
He decided to end it all. Just as
he was about to do it, a miracle occurred.
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Terry
Henry
—
Terry was a longtime successful Christian
minister who read Avatar Adi Da's books
for years, applying what he learned
to his work in the church. All his life
experiences, religious and mundane,
both high and low, finally coalesced,
and led to his leaving the ministry
and becoming Avatar Adi Da's devotee.
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Bill
Somers
—
In the early 1980's, Bill Somers had
already realized what he had held
to be his life's ambition: to be principal
clarinetist in a symphony orchestra.
But this accomplishment was not enough
for Bill, after all; his heart was
not satisfied. And that was a good
place to be! It led him to his Spiritual
Master.
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Marvin
Carpenter has
been a devotee of Avatar Adi Da
Samraj since 1975. He
is an insurance broker and lives
with his intimate partner and
teenage daughter. Marvin
currently lives in Lake County
near the Mountain Of Attention
Sanctuary. This is his story of
finding Avatar Adi Da.
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Tom
Closser
—
In
December 1983, two
months after Avatar Adi Da's arrival
at Adidam Samrajashram (on the
island of Naitauba in Fiji), an
accident occurred that would have
been fatal without Avatar Adi
Da's Intervention. The story of
that incident is told by two people:
Frans Bakker, one of the doctors
involved; and Tom Closser, the
devotee to whom the accident occurred,
who describes his near-death experience,
and a profound lesson about how
"guilt" can become a
self-destructive impediment to
growth.
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Annie
Rogers — Annie
Rogers became a devotee of Avatar
Adi Da in 1973. She spent many
years serving in His personal
Company. Here she tells of how
Avatar Adi Da Samraj revealed
to her that He is the Divine
Person, the "hole in the
universe" revealing the
Divine Domain.
She
also realized that the devotee's
reception of Adi Da Samraj's
Spiritual Transmission does
not require any physical or
social interaction with Adi
Da Samraj: "He Transmits
this Power by His mere existence.
Just as on the night at Red
Sitting Man, I knew that Adi
Da does not have to be active.
He does not have to look at
me. He does not have to speak
to me. He does not have to deal
with me or Teach me or Instruct
me or do anything to me. I knew
He is merely That."
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