Our trip took us safely back to Calcutta on 23rd September, 1993, filled with deep and deeply joyful memories.

Rabindranath Tagore said it beautifully for me:

Yes, I am a Traveler.
Nothing can hold me back.
Pleasure and pain seek to bind me,
But, ah! my home lies far beyond.

And so ends the simple story of one devotee’s quest for the Divine Beloved. Like life itself, the tale contains both sadness and joy. With God’s blessings, however, the good experiences have been far more than merely “good”: They have been wonderful and inspiring in the only sense that matters, the divine. The painful memories, too, leave me now with gratitude, for they have taught me important lessons that have aided me in my journey toward our eternal home-yours, mine, and every soul’s.

May you, who have read this account, draw from it only blessings and hope for the future. For that is how, in retrospect, I view all that has happened to me in life. For the love and joy especially, but also for any wisdom I have gained in my travels, I am grateful beyond words.

Devi at Ananda

During the Centennial Celebration of Yogananda’s birth at Ananda Village in 1993. Behind me are Lisa Powers, Hare Krishna Ghosh, and Lila Hoogendyk.