Steve and Bruce

Steve:  I had a feeling that this was a group that was already established and had been meeting for a while.  I came in and sat down on the floor, and a boy who said his name was Roy was very courteous and friendly to me.  He seemed to be one who had already experienced the meetings.  He asked me my name, and I felt at ease.

Suddenly the Swami entered, coming through the side door.  He was wearing a saffron dhoti but no shirt, just a piece of cloth like a long sash, tied in a knot across his right shoulder and leaving his arms, his left shoulder, and part of his chest bare.  When I saw him I thought of the Buddha.

Bruce:  There were about fifteen people sitting on the floor.  One man with a big beard sat up by the front on the right-hand side, leaning up against the wall.  After some time the door on the opposite side opened, and in walked the Swami.  When he came in, he turned his head to see who was in his audience.  And then he stared right at me.  Our eyes met.  It was as if he were studying me.  In my mind it was like a photograph was being taken of Swamiji looking at me for the first time.  There was a pause.  Then he very gracefully got up on the dais and sat down and took out a pair of hand cymbals and began a kirtana.  The kirtana was the thing that most affected me.  It was the best music I’d ever heard.  And it had meaning.  You could actually concentrate on it, and it gave you some joy to repeat the words “Hare Krishna.”  I immediately accepted it as a spiritual practice.