We went to the gathering at Playa de Aro, near Barcelona, in May, without expectations, without preconceived ideas. Some had met him before, had been to other gatherings, had spent time in India and had told us about him but we wanted to feel and experience him for ourselves.
Our meeting with Swami Niranjanananda in Girona, Spain, could be summed up in four words: simplicity, respect, generosity and joy.
His presence, his self-assurance, his deportment, his sure but agile steps gliding soundlessly, showed us the first of his virtues: his naturalness - his hands caressing both the air and each one of us; sitting quietly and observing, every second; his clean gaze aware of every situation, filling the whole with his presence.
His voice reverberated in our ears for many days. Some of us have discovered anew, and some rediscovered, one of those beings that are in the world to make us change and be aware that even if they give us something, the real potential dwells within ourselves and we can tap it with our commitment and effort so that, step by step, we can discover, transform and irradiate the treasure that is all around us.
Swamiji's presence, his words, his wisdom and his sense of humour, backed by the wonderful job that all the swamis did to put the event together, made our days with him truly unforgettable.
Many of us asked to be initiated, and the master put his trust in us and with his trust, the strength and inspiration to delve deeper into yoga and to keep working and sharing. For others this was the impulse to keep moving forward.
We thank Swami Digambarananda as well, our door to yoga, and to all the organizers of the meeting who did such a fantastic and generous job in an unsurpassable venue.
"When a good friend goes awaysomething dies within your soul," said the song from a Sevillana, and rounds of explosive applause were the farewell. The spontaneous cry of "Hasta luego!" ("See you soon!") from someone in the audience came from deep inside to express simply what we all felt when we had to part from this exceptional being that is Swami Niranjanananda.