Returning to Goloka

I was amazed by the experience, and for the first time I knew that
Maharishi's Guru Dev was real.
Toward the end of the four-month TTC Phase One course, I got the
brilliant idea that maybe Maharishi would let us continue on to Phase Three
and skip Phase Two. Phase One is where you learn to give an introductory
lecture and check meditation, Phase Two is where you work for a year or
more in a TM center and prove yourself worthy of Phase Three. Phase Three
is where you learn the puja and how to teach TM. Thanks to my boundless
arrogance, I wanted to ask Maharishi if this Phase One (because we were so
“special”) could skip Phase Two and go straight into Phase Three.
The course leaders seemed horrified at the notion and at first refused
to ask. But I rallied some support among the other participants, found a small
group that pledged to continue if permitted and the course leaders finally
relented and sent a message to Maharishi. He responded that we could! The
course ended and a few others and I stayed on to start the Phase Three course;
another four months. In all I was at Livingston Manor from January 11, 1981
to October 1, 1981 and became a teacher on September 27, 1981 in a very
special meeting during which I met Maharishi for the first time on the
pranamaya kosha level.
By the end of TTC I had realized that Guru Dev was absolutely alive in
consciousness and could be communicated with as well! This was quite a
realization for me, being pragmatic by nature. It is one thing to have
knowledge about something and another to realize something. For years I had
known such things were possible and had read about this type of experience,
but now it was my reality.
145