On Bobby Kennedy's Death.htm On Bobby Kennedy’s Death June 5, 1968 At 3:30 a.m. the phone rings.  It is Sarah Hudson.  She tells me in a broken, tear-filled voice that Senator Robert Kenny has been shot.  He was at the Ambassador Hotel on Wilshire, quite near our apartment., making a victory speech to about 2000 people.  Sarah and her husband have been working for him. I calmed Sarah, Anne came and sat by me and we called Mother.  Sarah said she could feel better, asked how to call Mother, and said that Kennedy must not die. As we called the Mother’s Force I saw the room fill with sparkling lights.  This is an experience Anne has often had but it was the first time I had seen it

This Is My Mother By Chali Grinnell The shock of hearing my father crying for the first time in my life, was nothing compared to the shock of the words that came over the phone line with numbing clarity: "There was nothing the surgeon could do. With the operation, she has three more months of life; without it she would have had just three weeks. What am I going to do, Chal? "I was stunned." As I tried to offer some feeble reassurance and then hung up the phone, my own tears started to flow. They came in a seemingly unstoppable torrent. The thought of losing my mother made me finally understand what it means to feel heartbroken and helpless. "I'm not ready to

Mona's Kiss.htm Mona's Kiss I have told some friends about this extraordinary experience and thought I had written about it but now see that I had not. It was a day when I brought Dakshina to meet Mona upstairs at their home on Balcony Street. Mona was sitting at her small desk and greeted us both with a great smile of love. She then began by asking Dakshina to tell her (Mona) her Christian name. Dakshina replied, 'My name is Dakshina'. This began a repartee that I much enjoyed for neither would give in, both being unshakeable people, and finally Mona gave up trying because Dakshina would not budge from her position. We talked for some time in Mona's vibrant atmosphere and then we

The Passing of Alan Klass On Monday, Feb. 12, Alan Klass, a long-time Aurovilian who worked in the Matrimandir Gardens and was responsible for building the magnificent orchid collection, passed away at his home in Crestone, Colorado. Alan's love of orchids was unparalleled. He devoted many hours a day to their study and cultivation, learned the techniques of transplanting them from flasks, fertilization and cultivation and studied their individual requirements meticulously. The orchid displays in February, especially during the Flower Show on Mother's Birthday February 21, we spectacular. Alan was also an excellent guitarist and with no formal training learned

My Mother's First Serious Illness and Her Passing.htm My Mother's First Serious Illness and Her Passing I was very young, perhaps between five and six years of age when my mother fell seriously ill. "Her temperature increased and stayed at 105 degree Fahrenheit and despite everything the doctor tried she became weaker and weaker." Finally, the doctor, defeated in his efforts, said there was nothing more he could do for her and left.

Foreword to the Address to the Matrimandir Gardens Workers July 2005 Slightly Revised and Expanded We are not building the Matrimandir, the Matrimandir is building us. Narad In 1961 Mother invited me to come to the Ashram with Her words to Jyotipriya, ‘He may come and stay as long as he likes.’ She accepted me as an Ashramite and I was given 'Prosperity', began an Ashram Choir that sang to Mother on Christmas eve, and received innumerable blessings from Her and Sri Aurobindo. In 1968 She invited me to come for the inauguration of Auroville and when I met Her, She said, ‘You don't want to come to Auroville in a few years? I feel you

The Children's Gardening Class.htm THE CHILDREN’S GARDENING CLASS The Gardening Class for children was for me one of the highlights of the 1970’s, a time when we were introducing many new flowers and breathing and living in the Mother’s atmosphere, so strong in those difficult days of the first twelve years of Auroville.  It was the first time I had worked with young children and I look back on it now, thirty-five years later with great joy since I am once again taking classes with children of all ages through the Matrimandir Gardens and working with the Ashram students as well. I had wonderful times with these little ones, from the age of four or five to fourteen, for we would have all kind

A Letter to Aurovilians about Trees June 12, 2005 Dear Friends, You ask how I feel about trees. In February of this year I spent hours with Leonard and Nadia going through "Flowers and Their Messages" to select trees that would be most suitable for the Matrimandir Gardens. Trees are the Guardian Presences, the calm Protectors who offer their cooling shade and strength to all who walk under their welcoming branches. To know how I feel about trees one has only to stand under the 'Service Tree' at the Samadhi or the Banyan of the Matrimandir Having said this I would like also to add that the two mos