One of the first times I was blessed to get a glimpse of what type of spiritual master Swami Hariharananda Giri was, took place shortly after I had received kriya initiation from him in New York City in 1981. A the end of the Kriya Yoga meditation class in Chuck’s Gallery in Soho, many disciples were going up to him, bowing at his feet and receiving his blessing. One disciple was even saying to Baba how he had a dream with Mahavatar Babaji. I thought, “Who am I to touch Baba’s holy feet, among these people who are having visions of Babaji?” I wasn’t even sure he knew that I was in the room with him. I walked outside and sat down on the front steps off to the side of the front entrance, totally dejected, wondering what I was doing there.

Swamiji walked out of the meditation hall surrounded by disciples with folded hands and got into Felix Marquez’ car on the passenger side with folded hands bowing to everyone surrounding him. The car pulled away with the disciples in the street still bowing to him with folded hands. Meanwhile, I was sitting on the side steps watching this , still feeling quite dejected. The group of disciples went back into the meditation hall, leaving me alone in my down state of mind. All of a sudden, Felix’s car came back down the street in reverse, stopping right in front of me, and there was Swamiji bowing to me with folded hands, a big smile on his face, acknowledging my presence and blessing me, before zooming off down the street.