Free Program of Healing, Wellness, Music, Fun
By David Bolling
There is (or once was) a bench in the Sonoma Plaza with significant, if not historic, importance, but having nothing to do with the Bear Flag Rebellion. We can assume it was an ordinary Plaza bench, of which there are many, and many have come and gone in the past 26 years.
But on that particular bench, in 1990, a conventionally successful youngish man sat, dawn-to-dusk, for three days, waiting to understand what to do with his life. Because he had recently given most of it away.
This man, whose birth name we don’t know because it has no practical importance, had originally come to Sonoma following a virtually blind meander, inspired by an enlightened master in his homeland India. He had originally come to the U.S. to get an education, then like many Indians, had settled in California and ran a business, did well, accumulated a lot of things, and began to wonder, “what’s next?”
During a visit back to India he met the man who would become his guide, an enlightened master named Aghoreshwar Bhagwan Ram.
“I told him, I have everything I can imagine. I have my ranch, I have my Mercedes, I’ve got my toys. Now what.”
Some years went by, and then teacher and student had a conversation in which the teacher said, “OK, if you are ready, you have to walk away from everything you have created. Go to a new place penniless, a place where you don’t know anyone.”
So this man, known by then as Baba Harihar Ramji – or more simply as Babaji – took his master’s advice.
“I gave away all my belongings to whoever wanted them, filled my car with gas, had a big breakfast, a sleeping bag and a couple changes of clothes in my car, and I left town. I didn’t know where to go, but I came to Santa Rosa, I saw a sign ‘Sonoma’ and to me it was ‘sono-ma.’
Sono means listen, ‘ma’ is all-divine mother.” So he followed the sign to Sonoma.
Now, it should be understood that Babji’s teacher had told him, if he accepted the challenge, the first three days he would be tested and tried. The fourth day, his teacher said, “You will find a place to set your foot. You should know the divine blessing is with you.”
Arriving in Sonoma, Babaji immediately discovered the Plaza, so he found a bench, sat there all day, and that night he slept in his car. The next day he was back on the bench.
“No money,” he explains, “no food. I just sat and watched people walk around. I didn’t know what to do, where to go, who to ask.”
On the third afternoon, growing hungrier by the hour, Babaji was back on the bench, when a woman sat down. A conversation started, the name of Patty Westerbeke came up – she of Westerbeke Ranch Conference Center, and Patty had just returned from India. Introductions followed, Babaji visited the ranch and in no time Babaji had a place to set his foot.
Over time, a following coalesced around Babaji, and his message for inner peace brought forth an ashram, on four beautiful acres just off Arnold Drive, with organic gardens, a dining hall, residence space, a chapel and meditation spaces all around. And hundreds of people cycling in and out of that tranquil space, inhaling long periods of peace.
“People are coming from all over the world,” says Babaji, “a day, a week, a month. There is so much pent-up anger and fear. I have had people here with tears running down.”
Now, on September 21, Babaji is bringing the peace of the ashram back to the Plaza, for a free day of meditation, wisdom, wellness and enlightenment. The entire northeast quadrant, including the Amphitheater, will be devoted to the pursuit of peace.
“I just want it to be non-political, and non-religious, just focused on encouraging people,” says Babaji, “to turn toward their inner peace.”
There will be free classes in yoga and movement; sound healing with René Jenkins, free mini sessions for chair massage, acupressure, Reiki, and sound healing. There will be musicians (including the community choir Vox Populi) and dancers, kids yoga with guitar and numerous other children’s activities, guided meditations by Babaji and, at 12 Noon, a moment of silence while the entire community joins in the United Nations International Day of Peace.
A complete schedule for the day is on the Ashram website, and at sonomapeaceintheplaza.org/#schedule.
“The idea,” says Babaji, “is to just have it manageable, but to keep building on it every year, to have a day of peace each year. I can imagine the whole Plaza sitting in meditation, even for five minutes.” He laughs delightedly at the thought and remarks, “It was on the Plaza that I arrived when I came to this town. So, probably I’ll be sitting on that bench, go and pay my respect and offer a flower to that bench.”
The step from constant mental activity to silent meditation can be daunting, but Babaji breaks it down into one simple beginning step. “AI cannot meditate for you,” he says with a smile. “I encourage people taking even just three deep breaths every day, being fully present. One moment of contentment can change your entire day. In the name of honoring your higher self, you just take three deep breaths, every day, and be fully present.”
You can join many other Sonomans on the Plaza, September 21 from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. to spread the breath of peace.
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