Today April 9 marks the anniversary of my meeting SwamiJi for the
first time. I met him in Seattle on the Spring 2009 Yogam tour.

SwamiJi gave two free discourses of Yoga Sutras, and then presented
Kalpataru and Yoga Spurana. The final day he gave Healer
Initiation... so we had six glorious consecutive days of his presence.

The ensuing year has been the most beautiful and transformative of my
life. So many circumstances and internal attitudes have changed, and
all of them for the better.

One specific circumstance that I can clearly share with everyone.
When I attended Kalpataru, I had a large non-canerous tumor on my
right shoulder. Because it wasn't cancer, my insurance refused to pay
for surgery. It was growing swiftly and was beginning to pain me and
get in my way with certain activities.

At Kalpataru I asked SwamiJi if he could do anything about it. He
told me not that he would heal it, but that he would help if I wanted
to heal it. I understood from that that I should meditate and do
spiritual practice to reduce it, and that he would support my work.

From that day the tumor stopped growing. It didn't get smaller, but it
also didn't get larger. It also stopped bothering me as much so that
I had less pain and more freedom of movement.

I continued through the year attending Inner Awakening in July and
then LBE in November. I eventually forgot about the tumor because it
was no longer troubling me.

After LBE was over I suddenly noticed one day how much more easily my
arm moved. When I felt for what had been a big lump, I could hardly
find it. There was a small marble where I had had a plum-sized bump.

That was during Kumbha Mela, March 11. Today is April 9 and now I can
barely find the bump at all. I can feel the bone underneath for the
first time in 5 years. And my arm moves in ways I thought I'd never
feel again.

To say "thank you" is so inadequate. SwamiJi, you are the greatest
treasure of the planet for me. Not just because of the healing, but
because of your wisdom, your boundless love, your joy and your
fabulous humor. What an immeasurable gift this past year has been,
because of your presence in it.

with love and respect,


Sarvavidyaa Natyamani