Vibhuti

 One of my Sai Baba friends sent us some sacred ash that had manifested somewhere. Actually, apparently it's part of a mixture that they kept adding too, when they went to various places where it had been manifesting. When it starts running out, they mix what's left with some of the regularly created sacred ash that the Sai organization distributes occasionally. This was prompted because they are close friends and have been hearing about the trials and tribulations as Suzannah and I try to get pregnant. This is a first for me, as I've seen pictures with sacred ash (they call it vibhuti) that had manifested on it, even a picture that had manifested an 'amrit' substance that was like rose flavored honey. Apparently it had manifested in such quantities that they had to keep it over a bowl to collect it all. 

Running into those things really rocked my world. I had such an odd sense of cognitive dissonance. Something was happening, or rather, had happened, that was totally outside my experience and understanding of the world, how it worked. It was much easier to imagine these things were just being made up by the people who shared them, but that explanation just didn't tally with the facts. I am a fair judge of character, particularly when I've known someone for a while, and it was extremely unlikely that all of these people were making these things up. None of these occurrences, that I ran into and seemed real, were publicized in any way. It was in fact extremely hard to find them. It was only by talking to people and asking about it, that I was able to find them. There was no money involved, and there wasn't even a big hubub about them. And these were people of the highest moral caliber. The idea of any, let alone all of them lieing and intentionally deceiving people would be deeply bizarre. 

And the people who experience them pretty much universally don't put high importance on them. Love, service, and transformation of heart and character are the kinds of things they value, with the manifestations and miracles more just a confirmation of their faith. I can understand that perspective now, but at the time it seemed mind-boggling. The fact that the laws of physics and how the universe worked was being turned on its head and what that meant about the existential purpose of life seemed pretty important to me at the time. But looking back, I can see how it was more important as a calling card, something to draw me towards a source of positive transformation and good teachings, and to strengthen my faith in a very real, active, and benevolent God.

In any case, I never got any sacred ash to use myself. It seemed wrong to smear my hand on the pictures where I saw it. So having some now is a novel experience. Suzannah is taking a little mixed with water regularly. Can't hurt right? Nothing to do but wait and see.