Swami Kriyamurti
Swami Atmananda had relatively few close and devoted students, but those whom she focused upon she saw as her life’s work. She gave these students first-hand experiential training.
She challenged our minds, our thinking, our actions on every level, so thoroughly that we were compelled to change fundamentally. All negative traits, meanness or sloppy thinking were immediately thrown back at us, so that we could see ourselves and learn.
We gave her tacit permission to ‘work’ on us, for we had complete trust in her goodness and wisdom, knowing she had no other motive other than to further our spiritual progress.
When we were resistant to change she would metaphorically hit us on the head to illumine our ignorance, and she was able, uncannily, to give voice to our most secret thoughts and feelings. She stripped us of hypocrisy and vanity, and by gaining insight into ourselves, we gained insight into the human condition.
Swami Atmananda accepted us just the way we were, unconditionally. One was seen as one was. You could totally reveal everything about yourself to her – she would not be shocked. She knew it was important to act out one’s worst neuroses, one’s conditionings, in the safe environment she offered. Just living with her in the ashram was intense – it was fun, it was ordinary life, but it was also an aspiration towards enlightenment.
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