Swamiji
in Milan, Italy for Autobiography of a Yogi Book Launch
in Italian
Swamiji addressed a full room of 500 avid listeners on
Saturday afternoon, after having given a number of magazine
and television interviews the previous days, and a private
donors' dinner at the hotel.
The event seemed to be happening in an astral heaven, with
every little detail full of brilliant light and colors:
the flowers, the musicians, the choir, the new Autobiography
and other books, including the Italian publication of the
New Renunciate Order.
As people came into the hall, the musicians and kirtan group
were playing and then chanting Wave of the Sea, creating
an uplifting atmosphere. Narya introduced the evening and
the choir sang songs in Italian and English, with Door of
My Heart in Bengali as well.
2 well-know authors spoke briefly about the importance of
the AY in their lives, and about Swamiji as a magnificent
channel for Master's presence and love. A known television
personality gave his testimony, and then there was a brief
slide show of images and phrases from Master.
Swamiji spoke for over an hour, most of it while standing,
and the entire audience was rapt in their attention and
wrapped in an aura of bliss. It seemed that no one was breathing.
Many in the audience were new, and everyone left with light
in their eyes. He told his story, his meeting with Master,
and many stories about Master, transmitting the experience
that Master is the nearest of the near and dearest of the
dear. He urged people to get the book in its new translation
of the original, the version which reached out to change
his life and his consciousness, and that of countless thousands,
even millions of truth seekers.
A part of the success of the Autobiography, he said, actually
traces back to him. In the early years, the books didn't
sell well. In fact it was offered to many publishers (like
Jonathan Livingstone Seagull), but none of them were interested.
Only the Philosophical Library press. It did not sell well
for them, so it was easy for SRF to get the publishing rights
back.
At this time Swamiji was in charge of correspondence and
the Lessons. He noticed that most people dropped out after
a year, nearly all after two years. But those who stayed
the course were those who had read the Autobiography. So
he suggested that instead of promoting the Lessons, they
should promote the book. His proposal was accepted, and
from that time the distribution began to grow.
To date nearly the entire printing of 5000 Italian copies
has been sold or placed in bookstores all over Italy through
our distributor, the second or perhaps by now the largest
distributor in the country. Reprinting soon.
The talk will soon be posted on internet, in Italian of
course. No translation is available. Photos might be forthcoming.
Swamiji then left for a few days of vacation in Lugano,
and then on Thursday he flies to Seville, Spain, where he
will be joined by about 30 devotees from Ananda Assisi,
the musicians and singers, and hundreds of Spanish devotees,
to launch the Spanish translation of the original Autobiography.
He returns next Monday, and after only a few days of rest,
he goes to Rome where he will be one of the keynote speakers
at the Rome Yoga Festival, speaking to hundreds, perhaps
over a thousand people on the vast park grounds of an ancient
Roman Villa. (Saturday, 5 June).
And on Sunday morning, 6 June, he will inaugurate the new
Ananda Yoga and Meditation Center of Rome, before returning
home.
Joy, Nayaswami Shivani
