Becoming Sagar Muni

Becoming Sagar Muni




After an all night train to Varanasi and aside from many different adventures that took place, I met a woman from South Africa who was only visiting for a few days. Her name is Sita Giri, a sadhvi ( a female sadhu), we met at the same guest house. She asked me to share pizza with her to celebrate her birthday, how could I not. We had a great time swapping stories and getting to know each other better. I told her about my new name, goals, and about my concerns about the state of sadhus in Varanasi and how they acted, begging, amongst other stories I heard from locals. Basically I didn't trust any of them. Sita was understanding and offered for me to come to a little place she was headed to called Laxman Jhula, just outside of Rishikesh in the north to meet the ones she knew. I accepted the invite and within days I was on a train bound to reconnect with a new friend.

Sita introduces me to the Baba, or Maharaja, or Sadhu ( among a few different names they are called) friends she told me about. One Baba who lives along the ganga in a Kutir, which is his cave with sacred fire in the Duni ( fire pit). Surrounded by other local holy men and visitors talking about god, others are involved with a lovely old stitch work done with mantra, while they catch up with each other over tea.

I'll have to cut to the chase, to much happened each and every moment of everyday. wow.

That is where I met my Guru, Nirmal Muni, a sadhu since he was 13 years old.
It was his amazing energy, stitch work with mantra as meditation and the light in his eyes that attracted me. I wanted what I believe he had, and that was a higher energy and access to knowledge I seek. I told him about becoming Maha yogi, and he agreed to help. He initiated me into Sadhu life as Sagar Muni, Sagar meaning ocean or sea, (meaning: that my heart is big like that and can contain many things.) Muni meaning 'sage'. As well, I am Brahmacharya, which is basically a celibate thats not allowed to drink, though I am allowed to worship Shiva as much as I like;)

Guruji took me around to other ashrams/temples in the cities or jungles,caves introducing me and showing me the ropes of my new life. As well as showing me the akhara or sect we belong to in Haridwar, the Sri Panchatyi Bada Udasan Akhara.

I decided that I would return to Canada, tie up loose ends and begin the process to return to India within the next few years and start my training to become Maha Yogi.

Becoming Mahayogi

Becoming Maha Yogi


I was told by my teacher at the time, Shivani Howe, I was going to do seva (service) at the Rikhia Peeth Ashram in Bihar, India. As well as do a chakra cleansing workshop taught by Swami Muktidharma for 7 days. I was like… no, I'm going to BurningMan. She was like …no, your going to India. Fine. I don't know how I will afford that. Don't worry, she says… (humph).

Well.. a lot of fabulous friends from a variety of communities came together and helped throw a fabulous fundraiser party for me to go to India, that with another windfall of cash I was able to go. ( shut up, lol)*(and to burning man as well;)

I did my time in the ashram which was lovely, I was initiated into the Shivananda/ Satyananda Divine life Society, as Maha Yogi, by Swami Satsangi and given a new mantra. (Maha means great, + yogi, together are another name of Shiva, or enlightenment). This new spiritual name is a reflection of the true and inner nature that is to be developed and realized by the individual. As well as to chant daily the mantra given to us.
With course ended, time at ashram finished, time to move on.
I asked Swami Mukti about what to practice and how should I pursue my path to being Maha Yogi, I told him about my feelings and thoughts. Swami Mukti's response was, it's not in my nature to do ashram work. But, rather to travel and learn from India herself, a life of a sadhu basically. The sadhu's are India's Holy men, they are revered and respected for the difficult life they lead as ascetics, renunciates and yogins doing mediation, mantra….etc. To become Maha Yogi, I will have to learn from the master(s), now to figure out which one is real. With my sadhana( practice) and Swami's final advice and warnings, I'm off.

some of Swami Mukti's final words were, "just be authentic and you will attract authentic"

Got Guru?

Sorry for not posting for almost two months. I'm home now and going to try and recap from the last post onward.

WHOA!!!!!! what a transformational time...

So ya, people were getting on my nerves with the money thang, well... I owe the next part of the story to a fantastic female Sadhu from South Africa named Sita Giri. We met in Varanasi at a guest house and we swapped stories over her birthday pizza:) We talked about Sadhu's and how I was looking into following that path. How I felt I wasn't so sure about the ones I was seeing around Varansi so Sita invited me to come and meet the ones she was hanging with in Rishikesh.

Time to head north to a little place just outside of the main city, called Luxman Jhula. So beautiful, colder, but so beautiful. Started hanging with the Baba's/Sadhus down by the ganga and eventually meet one fellow who was doing the most amazing stitch work, which Sita had been enthusiastically explaining to me. Mantra done while stitching with rich colors of yarn on fabric to produce these patterns that to me looked like vibrations, really cool way to meditate. This is about where I stop updating since this fellow and I start rooming at an ashram in town and spend most of our time getting daily food shopping etc done or stitching over tea with other sadhus. Who love to talk about God(s), yoga, mantra...etc. hang out in temples and caves... YAAAA!!!! My kinda fun.

I don't even know where to begin, there is no way to share all that happened in that month together. The fellow's name is Nirmal Muni, and has been a sadhu since he was 13 and is about 3o now. He spent years learning many different things, one of them being this amazing stitch work. And initiated me, becoming my Guru. Too me, parts of the rite were so amazingly intimate. Every day was an adventure that I will have to update as I can later.