On August 31, 2022, on Shri Ganesha Chaturthi, Rosalyn Jobse, a beautiful soul and a sister of ours from Curacao, a true Shakti from the Caribbean islands, left her material existence.
“This is how Roselyn addressed me with a text message in her beloved native language, the moment she knew that we landed: ”Bon Bini Curacao“. It was December 2018 and we were to spend the Christmas in Curacao.
I love her in this photo: first time we met in person. She was wearing the earrings I’ve offered her as a gift from Canada, hand crafted by indigenous artists. Symbolically, they materialized vibrations carried from “home” as well it was a way to bind us as sisters with this present she would ornament her Vishuddhi Chakra — the subtle energy center that connects, relates, communicates, unites and offers responsible protection to others. Later on I’ve realized that she absolutely loved Mother Earth – specifically her own “Mother Rock” and her Vishuddhi chakra qualities were exceptional!
Roselyn and husband Paul
Roselyn took us to the beach where unbearable suffering was brought to this magical place via the far too many vessels that carried slaves – broken and dilapidated humanity – for far too long! She told us right then also about the heroic collective efforts in the name of basic freedom and human dignity that were made in the past, that ended in even more individual suffering and collective trauma. We meditated there together and prayed for the souls that suffered to find peace and for the seekers of today to find and receive their true liberation through their Self-Realization.
Sharing an example of Roselyn’s beautifully elevated thoughts and pure desire: “Our intensity and desire will do a lot already for Curacao and its people and us and the world. Thank you. Jai Shri Mataji! Wonderful.”
Roselyn was using her Vishuddhi chakra to honor the land, the language (Papiamentu) and the people she felt deeply responsible for, deeply grateful for, deeply in love with.
In the same time her alertness was making sure that everyone will be back on time to enjoy Christmas holidays with their respective families. Her caring nature was so genuine, and “family” to her was sacred. It meant love, sacrifice, understanding and patience catered towards every member of the family, hers or others.
She showed so much empathy towards my family members and they took it to their hearts. In just a few meetings, the bond of genuine friendship / family feeling grew naturally strong among all of us.”
Lothar Pfeifer was born in Germany, married to Meenakshi, lived in Canada most of his life. He was the main person responsible with creating the Nirmala Ganga Nagari project, at Sahaja Yoga community located in Dev Prayag, India, at the origin of the Ganga river in the Himalayas:
Lothar was a very good carpenter and builder, and he was part of the Golden Builders in Cabella. He was the main builder of Shri Mataji’s house in NJ.
Lothar was a very dynamic Sahaja Yogi. He had a very large collection of photos of Shri Mataji that he had taken himself, especially in India. He never stopped working. He often worked at 10-14 hours a day, seven days a week, and other younger builders couldn’t keep up with him. He was very strong physically and also had a strong personality, but also had a great sense of humor. He and his wife Meenakshi often looked after Shri Mataji and Sir C.P. when they came to US and Canada. He was always there, next to Shri Mataji, always protecting Her like a Gana, making sure that everything was attended to properly. He was also very protective of his rakhi sisters.
He spent the last years of his life in the Sahaja community he built and dedicated himself fully to, in Dev Prayag. Once, when he was unwell, he simply drank water from the Ganga river and was instantly cured.
On the last day of his life, he was not feeling well, and asked for some water from the holy river. He then put his head down and passed away peacefully. He was given a full ceremony on a funeral pyre. The moment the ceremony was over and his body fully cremated, the holy river Ganga, which is always peaceful, suddenly sent a huge wave out of nowhere which came ashore and took his ashes. Shri Ganga Mata reclaimed Her beloved son, who had so much devotion for Her.
Dr. Worlikar was born in India but lived the latter part of his life in Los Angeles. He was a distinguished scientist who did Nobel prize level research. He was very devoted to Shri Mataji, and had a very big heart.
Shri Mataji once saved him from a heart attack. He was very innocent, very childlike, and laughed very heartily. He was always very attentive to Shri Mataji’s needs, always sitting at Her feet. He loved music, he played the harmonium. He would often invite people over to his house, his wife would cook for Shri Mataji and also for the Yogis. He was a very generous person.
Dr. Worlikar will always be remembered and missed by the American Sahaja Yoga collective.
Sonja Rimokh, known to many as Rama, was born in Israel, although she lived most of her life in the Tristate Area (New York and New Jersey). During the last year of her life she moved to Maine and was living in an apartment in a retirement community within walking distance of the ocean, which she dearly loved.
She got her self-realization in 1987 in New York City through a work connection. While teaching ESL at Hunter College, a new teacher, Linda Taylor, needed to contact Sonja to get a textbook for a writing course she was teaching. They met and didn’t speak much about teaching writing, but had a lot to say about her spiritual journey and Sahaja Yoga.
Rama leaves behind two precious legacies. One is that she initiated our involvement with Health Corps. In 2008, she took an apartment in Cliffside Park, NJ across from the high school. She met the Health Corps Coordinator there and began Sahaja Meditation sessions with students and teachers. It was a striking convergence of circumstances that Dr. Mehmet Oz, the founder of Health Corps, lived in Cliffside Park at the time and Rama was very keen to develop our collaboration with his organization.
Rama also began a weekly Sahaja Meditation meeting in Edgewater, NJ, in 2010. This dynamic meeting continued with several of the original people continued to attend, some becoming fully established Sahaja Yogis, thanks to Rama’s ongoing mentoring at a distance from Maine.
She could also dance very beautifully. Her rhythm and sense of grace were captivating to watch and she often stole the show even when she was dancing next to many other young and dynamic shaktis. Her style just seemed to leap off the stage.
Rama was a language teacher by profession, teaching ESL (English as a Second Language) and French to adults. She was also a talented painter. Whenever Shri Mataji would see her, She gave her encouragement about how her vibrations were improving.
Nothing was more important to her than her personal spiritual development, her unrelenting dedication to spreading Sahaja Yoga, and her devotion to Shri Mataji.
Rama was looking forward to her trip to the Sahaja Medical Center in India. The hospital is a holy place where Shri Mataji’s attention is very strong. In the evening before she passed away, she was in good spirits and went to the kitchen to compliment the cooks on the food. Dr. Madhur Rai told us that Rama made a point of asking the night security guards not to tap their batons outside her door during their rounds that night because she was planning to have a long, deep sleep.
Rama passed away on January 12, 2012, during the night, after being at the health center for three days.
She was survived by a son in Los Angeles, a brother in New York City, and scores of Sahaja brothers and sisters who will greatly miss her laughter, her strong opinions, and her generous spirit. She had a lot of energy and a real zest for living a creative life– expressed in her work, her relationships with friends, and her art.
Her departure was at an auspicious time, according to the Hindu calendar. She died just before Sankrant, and was cremated on the day of Sankrant. Permission was given by her son to cremate her body in a place near the hospital, as he knew how much she loved Mother India.
Shirley Ellerbee was born in the Caribbean islands, but she spent most of her life in New Paltz, NY.
She was a Sahaja Yogini with a huge heart, very generous and loving and outgoing, a beautiful presence, very devoted to Shri Mataji.
She loved doing crafts and make things for people, totes with beads, knitting. She would selling food and crafts at Sahaj events to help with fundraising. She was also a good singer.
She had a heart condition, and Shri Mataji worked on her.
Shirley passed away in the early 2000s when she was in her early fifties, while she was visiting her Sahaja sister Clelia in Sicily.
Tapasya Bhaskar was born August 8, 1976 in India’s region of Kashmir, to IPS Officer O. P. Bhaskar and wife. She attended the Presentation Convent High School, Srinagar, and later graduated from Malaviya Reginal Engineering College, Jaipur, India. In 2003 Tapasya moved to the United States where she received a Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from University of Texas at Arlington. She was part of the Dallas collective for several years, during which time she got married in a Sahaj wedding to Mandar Tonpe from Maharashtra. She subsequently moved to India to join her husband, and she worked for IBM.
Tapasya passed away in 2016. She will always be remembered as a very sweet, humble, dedicated Sahaja Yogini with a huge heart and tremendous love for Shri Mataji and for her Sahaja brothers and sisters.
Carolyn Margaret Asay Vance was born January 27, 1938, the second daughter of Ivan and Elizabeth Asay in Washington, DC. A lively child who always demonstrated a mind of her own, Carolyn grew up in Bethesda, MD where in later years she was active in the community as well as in local and national politics. She developed a deep concern for ending racial discrimination which became a guiding force throughout her life.
Carolyn’s work experience was varied but generally centered on economic development for women and minorities, including inner city projects in Washington, DC and New York City, as a lending officer for small and mid-sized businesses at Chemical Bank, and Chief of Operations at the American Woman’s Economic Development Corporation. During some of that time she spent her nights working toward her college degree, graduating from the University of Maryland in 1978.
Leysin, Switzerland, Guru Puja, July 1984
In 1983, Carolyn’s search for spiritual renewal was answered when she discovered Sahaja Yoga. In her own words, when she received her Self-realization she felt like “a twelve-lane highway opened up my spine”. She became a very dynamic Sahaja Yogini, with whom Shri Mataji often talked during Her visits to the United States. Carolyn was a highly respected leader, serving on the American council between 2011-2015, the first two years of that period as the National Coordinator. She remained strongly dedicated to Sahaja Yoga until the end of her life.
Canajoharie
She passed away surrounded by loved ones on May 8, 2022.
Known as “Nana” to her grandchildren, Carolyn remained devoted to her family throughout her lifetime. Her love, smiles, and French Toast will be missed by all.
Carolyn is survived by her sons, John H. Vance, III (Michelle) and Jeff (Maribeth) and daughter, Susan Vance Cunningham (Russ); eight grandchildren; sisters, Joan Crowley and Marian Humphrey (Richard) and brother, Roger Asay (Rebecca Davis). Survivors also include her first husband, John H. Vance, Jr., and her husband from her Sahaja Yoga marriage, Volodymyr Sheredeko, originally from Russia.
Canajoharie, 2014
Comments from Sahaja Yogis:
“Carolyn was a dear sister. She exuded qualities that Shri Mataji encouraged in all her daughters – dignity, self-respect, leadership, and of course, love and compassion. When I needed the guidance of a sister, she invited me to live with her. At the time she was caring for her young grandchildren in Virginia Beach. By her example, I learned the deep qualities of a yogini. Everything in her life was guided by vibrations. One day I saw her holding her hands towards a newspaper. She said she was checking vibrations of the candidates before going to vote. Once, at a seminar, a child was not feeling well in the middle of the night. Carolyn was summoned and started working on the child. The mother was worried and wondered about going to the hospital. As I remember, Carolyn said: “Either you believe in vibrations, or you don’t”. The child recovered beautifully. She lived fully in unwavering dedication and devotion to Shri Mataji. She was connected to the Paramchaitanya and expressed it through her boundless energy and centered powerful presence. We miss you Carolyn, your shining blue eyes and contagious smile will always be our hearts.” — Ann R.
Canajoharie, 2015
“We were with Shri Mataji in the year 2000 in hotel room in Reston, VA. Yogis were busy with all the activity going around Her. We were all gathered in the hallway leading up to the room and preparations were ongoing for Her to visit downtown. There was a noticeable noise level and as we would say something to Shri Mataji, She was not able to hear us. So we would get close to Her ear to speak, and this continued for a while. All of a sudden, Shri Mataji mentioned that Carolyn had arrived and She could hear her in the hallway, and asked to bring her in right away. Indeed she had, and I ran out to ask Carolyn Aunty to come see Shri Mataji. Amazing to just be there to observe this!” — Anurag A.
Canajoharie school
“After Carolyn’s passing, it took a couple of days before I felt as though I could watch the video and read through everyone’s beautiful reflections on the life of our dear sister and aunty. Thanks to all for sharing the wonderful remembrances. Amidst the sense of loss of someone who was so dear to us, it was so touching and joyful to hear and read everybody’s stories. Among the things that struck me, aside from the many, many people whose lives were touched by Carolyn, was the extended period of time during which she was such a dedicated and dynamic force in the collective. From the times some of us spent with her in the 80s to recent years, Carolyn never wavered in her steadfast, loving, joyous commitment to the great work of Shri Mataji and to being a source of guidance and support to everyone around her. The deep sense of purpose that flowed through Carolyn’s life is both humbling and inspiring. Dear sister Carolyn, you will remain ever in our hearts, and we know that you are joyously seated at the Lotus Feet of our Holy Mother.” — Paul E.
Tribute to Carolyn – video:
“We had the pleasure of being in Aunty Carolyn’s company for almost two years in Virginia Beach. We remember her as a strong and devoted Sahaja yogini, enthusiastic and full of energy. So much experience and so many years in SahajaYoga, we always got to hear amazing stories from her as she was a great story teller. She once told Shri Mataji that at certain age she will retire and take a back seat from Sahaja work. Shri Mataji looked at her and said: “There is no retirement in Sahaja Yoga”. Indeed, Aunty Carolyn lived up to that message, sharing, giving and bringing Shri Mataji’s blessings to so many. A warrior we will always remember fondly.” — Niraj N.
From Carolyn’s 80th birthday:
“While we all knew we had limited time with Aunty Carolyn amongst us, when I heard the news, I had a moment of pause and many decades of my association with Aunty flashed right in front of my eyes. As I looked outside the window looking at the sky with tears in my eyes, I felt a mixed set of emotions. First it was sorrow, for I felt I had lost my mother/grandmother, but most importantly a unique personality in the American collective, and what she represented and meant for Sahaja Yoga in the United States. It was the end of an era in my opinion. She was so dynamic and surrendered to Shri Mataji’s cause that she was an inspiration for me. The second feeling that followed was a sense of relief that Shri Mataji had blessed her with a more peaceful and comfortable place at HER lotus feet. Lastly, I sat in front of Shri Mataji’s picture with a sense of promise that we will carry forward Carolyn’s commitment and surrender to Shri Mataji’s cause in the United States. I thank Shri Mataji for giving us a chance to spend time with a unique yogini like Carolyn Aunty and pray to HER to shower all the blessings to Aunty’s departed soul. Jai Shri Mataji!” — Ram N.
Mangal Singh Dhillon was born on November 1, 1935, in Sargodha, Punjab, India (now part of Pakistan). He loved the sea and became a ship captain for India’s fleet. He was passionate about traveling and seeing the world. He married Gurnam Dhillon in 1961 and they had three sons, Karam, Param and Amar, and an adopted daughter, Joti.
Early picture as a ship captain
Mr. Dhillon moved to the United States in 1975 initially to New York, then to California, where he first met Shri Mataji at a public program. She told him that he would not have had his Self-realization if he had remained in India. She advised him to move to Texas and start Sahaja Yoga there, and for his livelihood to start a business with the help of the local Indian community.
On an early India Tour
He moved to Fort Worth, Texas in 1983 and started to give Self-realization to the seekers he met by inviting them to his house. He later on started providing tapes of Shri Mataji to local Public Access Channel TV stations, which had contact information at the end, and through which many more seekers received their Realization.
He and his family continued to be the backbone of the Sahaja Yoga collective in the Dallas/Fort Worth area after 1996 when more Sahaja Yogis began to arrive in the metroplex. He was a very deep Sahaja Yogi and a true gentleman in every sense of the word. He traveled to many Sahaj events around the world and met many Yogis. Everyone who made his acquaintance, as well as the many members of his large family, could see and appreciate his wisdom, poise and kindness, punctuated by a gentle and yet astute sense of humor. No one could befool him, as he could see clearly through every person and situation. His advice was always a pearl of wisdom that went to the heart of the matter with humility, simplicity, innocence and love.
With some of his grandchildren
He passed away peacefully on March 14, 2019 in Fort Worth ,and is survived by his wife, their three sons and daughter, and their families. He will be remembered dearly by all those who had the privilege to know him, in the DFW area, in the United States, and all over the world.
Babette Watson was a dear sister who came to Sahaja Yoga in the late 1980’s and spent most of her Sahaj life on the west coast in the Bay Area of California. She recognized Shri Mataji early on and for many years arranged for diplomatic VIP reception at US airports for Shri Matajis arrivals whenever She came to the United States.
Babette shepherded the
Ganges Terra Cotta project in the US for some time, one of Shri Mataji’s many efforts
to bring handmade artisanal items with vibrations to the west to support
struggling artists and craftsman in India. She remained actively engaged in
Sahaja Yoga until her passing and was survived by her husband Peter and their
daughter Tessa.
Charles Wyrick, or Uncle
Chuck as he was affectionately known to many Sahaja Yogis, was born in Detroit,
Michigan on March 20, 1939. He held several positions in his life, including
that of managing a musical instruments store, but his favorite job was that of
teaching music.
He received his
Self-realization together with his wife Brenda in 1989 during Shri Mataji’s
visit to Cincinnati and they soon became an integral part of the Cincinnati
group, the largest Sahaja Yoga collective in the Midwest at that time. He and
his wife spent many happy years in Cincinnati before moving to the Dallas area
in 2010 to join their son and his family after their grandson was born. They
single-handedly started Sahaja Yoga meetings in the community where they lived
in Frisco, a Northern suburb of Dallas, where many senior citizens received
their Realization and learned how to meditate, creating in due time a closely
knit group who enjoyed the blessings of Sahaja Yoga and the collective
enjoyment that these meetings offered. The meetings were highly praised by both
attendees and the management of the community.
Chuck Wyrick was an avid
listener and lover of music and a passionate trumpet player. He played in
orchestras in both Cincinnati and Frisco and above all loved to play Sahaj bhajans
at pujas. Adding trumpet to the traditional Indian instruments created a
unique, striking combination of sounds that evoked a unique emotion, a devotion
that could be immediately felt in the trumpet notes.
He passed away peacefully
on July 8th, 2016 in Frisco, Texas, at the age of 78. He will always
be remembered and missed in both the Cincinnati and Dallas collectives which
had much to gain by his presence, his always kind, friendly and gentle
demeanor, and his music that carried everyone above their Sahasrara.
Here are some stories and comments about him from other Sahaja Yogis:
“First meetings
At the Raymond Walters
programs in Cincinnati, we would come on Fridays and we would leave. At first,
no one said hi or talked, but seeing you and Brenda there gave me a sense of
security that this Sahaj thing couldn’t be too far out there, especially if
this nice middle-aged couple was doing it. Years later, you both continued to provide
that sense of security in Sahaj to others in the public and to newcomers in
particular. In short, you add credibility to Sahaj by your presence. Even my
mom felt good about me and my path from meeting you both. Thanks for that!
First connection
We talked casually a lot, but
it seems to me that the first smile and laughter came at a Wednesday night
program when we tried to learn Tere Hi Guna Gata Hai. It seemed like something
that had nothing to do with meditation. Those words were soooo long. We laughed
at how none of us could pronounce them. Yet we did it week after week and years
later we found out we could sing. How many bhajans we have sang together since
then in how many settings and with how many wonderful people from around the
world! How nice it was to enjoy your accompaniment on the trumpet! Thanks for
that!
Early conversations
Chatting before or after
meditation, I remember various topics but mostly hearing about your job
teaching the band and how we all hoped you would get away from it soon. You
didn’t seem happy about it at the time. In fact, you were a little sour in
general about many things. Too many silly or warped students, I guess. But you
lit up when you announced your retirement and I remember how happy we were for
you and how happy you were to start your small business selling to high school
bands. It was a new and fresh chapter for you, and we got to witness one of
life’s milestones taking place. Thanks for sharing that!
Your transformation
If I said you were a
little sour above, I probably could have said angry. You didn’t scream or get mad,
but you just didn’t smile or joke around. Not sure when it changed exactly but
I definitely remember the event that officially recognized it. In was 1993 in
Los Angeles after Mother’s public program which was one of the best and
funniest I have heard. She walked out of the program through the crowd down the
center isle and stopped right by you and said: “You’re not angry anymore”. It
was transformative. We were amazed and laughed after that. I couldn’t think of
a happier guy who came to make the goofiest and best jokes at all the right
times. It is hard to keep up with your wit but oh how many times the collective
enjoyed a good groan of laughter from you. I never saw that from you in the
early days. It’s truly due to Sahaj I think. Thanks for that!
Interacting with you and Jim (Thomas) and the guys
How nice it was to play a
round of golf with you and Jim or go to a movie or watch sports on TV or just
to talk …. And boy could we talk – for the longest time. These were the normal
things that make life seem well normal. But they do more than that, they form a
web of protection that lock us into innocence and create a sense of community
and family. How I loved just talking with you about anything and everything.
Thanks for that!
Music Hall
We shared a love of the symphony and attended many concerts together. It was nice to become a little more educated about what I listened to by talking with you. The first time we went together was to the May Festival in the early 1990’s when Kathleen Battle appeared. There was a group of us who went to dinner first at Washington Platform and then heard a masterful performance. What a fun collective night that was. How many times we went back. I think the last might have been to hear the Planets. Thanks to you, we too became subscribers. I can honestly say outside of Sahaj some of my most powerful moments have been tied to the arts or at Music Hall and how I felt after various performances. What a gift music is and has been for all of us. You’ve helped point that out to me and to many folks in life. Thanks for that!
Your photography
I think you snapped the
best and only picture I have of Mother in Cincinnati in 1992 at the airport.
She looked so beautiful. That aside, we still have the photo of Fountain Square
hanging on our wall which was the picture we pasted into cards and decorated
and sent to collectives around the world for Christmas of 1992. We lived in the
ashram and yogis would come over and work together on it at different times. It
was such a joyous collective project. I remember the folks from the ashram
going downtown with you to take it. How nice all your photos were, but this one
is a constant reminder. Thanks for that!
Yuri
You saw me off at the airport when I moved to Russia. I had to do a crazy repack at the airport in order to get on the plane. And you saw me when I returned with my family years later. You made both of them feel loved and welcomed, but you really played the Uncle role so well with my stepson Yuri. He loved to talk, and talk, and talk and you accommodated and listened and enjoyed. You and Jim and Tom were favorite uncles and he had such respect for you. It always made me feel so good to see your interaction with him. You helped guide him through his formative years in America. Thanks for that!
Visits to DFW
It’s true you moved away a
few years back, but I was lucky enough to visit you 3 or 4 times in Dallas when
I was in town for business trips. How I enjoyed catching up with you and long conversations
over dinner at a restaurant or lunch in your kitchen that Brenda made. She’s
such a good cook and an incredible Lakshmi. You’ve been blessed by her presence
and are such a lucky man. What a couple you make and how happy I’ve been to
interact with you both, whether here or in Cincinnati. Thanks for that!
Being part of the collective
Chuck, I think most
importantly we have shared being a part of the foundation of a new movement –
our Mother’s contribution to the world, the gift of Sahaja Yoga. Year in and
year out, we soldiered on. We became the bedrock posts for stability that Shri
Mataji’s teachings could anchor around. Beyond our own lives, we have been
there for other people who were seeking their own transformative experiences.
Each of our presence has given credibility and made people feel comfortable
enough to try it and to even continue with it. In this life, we can’t fully
know the true value that has played. But we have been soldiers and there is
only glory in that. Thank you for making it easier for me to be in the
collective, to stay around, to pass through many situations where knowing that
you were there gave me the strength to continue myself. It has paid off handsomely
in the ability to enjoy the rich rewards of brotherly love. Thanks for that!
Chuck, in short, you are
the kind of person whom people love and respect and want to stand up and profess
their affection for. We do love you – all of us in the Cincinnati collective. May
God Bless you and may you enjoy the love of our Divine Mother forever and ever.
Amen.”
