How God Found Me

Ma Jaya's memoir leads us through her adventurous childhood in Coney Island, her awakening as a spiritual guru, and her life of fearless love and devotion. "With this book, I give you my history, primitive as it is, my history of learning how to live in a world that is filled with so much hate and at the same moment filled with so much beauty and love. "There is a sacred river in India, and everyone who comes toward her is blessed. My wish was that I could always be like that river. I wanted only to reach out arms to hold and hands to touch. Now when there is so much pain in the world, the whole river is in my heart, and the river has overflowed its banks."

Ma Jaya's memoir leads us through her adventurous childhood in Coney Island, her awakening as a spiritual guru, and her life of fearless love and devotion. "With this book, I give you my history, primitive as it is, my history of learning how to live in a world that is filled with so much hate and at the same moment filled with so much beauty and love. "There is a sacred river in India, and everyone who comes toward her is blessed. My wish was that I could always be like that river. I wanted only to reach out arms to hold and hands to touch. Now when there is so much pain in the world, the whole river is in my heart, and the river has overflowed its banks."

Ma Jaya Sati Bhagavati (1940-2012) was a spiritual teacher, mystic, and visionary. She taught that divinity is ultimately beyond words and without form, yet manifests in countless ways to lead us to liberation. She tells us that all paths of love can lead to spiritual awakening. Besides teaching and writing, Ma Jaya's accomplishments include starting an interfaith community; developing Kali Natha Yoga, a modern system drawn from ancient roots; guiding service projects in India, Uganda, and the US; working to end religious prejudice against the LGBT community; founding a model community for low income seniors; and creating a large body of sacred art. Born into a Jewish family in 1940, Ma Jaya grew up in a cellar apartment in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, just a short walk from the ocean and the famous Coney Island Boardwalk. As a young girl, she found love and solace among the homeless people who lived under the Boardwalk. Welcoming her, they taught her many lessons about life, especially, "There are no throwaway people." She grew up to dedicate her life to humanity. Enrolling in a weight loss class in 1972 led her to learn a simple yogic breath that would ultimately bring about her spiritual enlightenment. Her personal spiritual journey moved quickly and at times chaotically. As a thoroughly modern urban woman, she tried to live a normal life and raise a family; at the same time, as a person of rare spiritual gifts, she daily opened to a series of mystical visions and experiences. She had an experience first of Jesus Christ, then of Shri Bhagawan Nityananda of Ganeshpuri, and finally her guru, Shri Neem Karoli Baba. As early as 1973, she began to "teach all ways," giving a contemporary voice to the great truths that underlie all spiritual paths. In 1976, Ma Jaya moved to Florida and founded Kashi Ashram, a spiritual community that embraces all religious and spiritual paths. She offered the example of a spiritual life alive with love, faith, creativity, service, and the rituals of many traditions. Emphasizing individual spiritual growth, she taught seekers at all levels and did not ask her students to follow any particular set of doctrines or beliefs. Or, as she often said, "This is not Ma Jaya Sati Bhagavati (1940-2012) was a spiritual teacher, mystic, and visionary. She taught that divinity is ultimately beyond words and without form, yet manifests in countless ways to lead us to liberation. She tells us that all paths of love can lead to spiritual awakening. Besides teaching and writing, Ma Jaya's accomplishments include starting an interfaith community; developing Kali Natha Yoga, a modern system drawn from ancient roots; guiding service projects in India, Uganda, and the US; working to end religious prejudice against the LGBT community; founding a model community for low income seniors; and creating a large body of sacred art. Born into a Jewish family in 1940, Ma Jaya grew up in a cellar apartment in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, just a short walk from the ocean and the famous Coney Island Boardwalk. As a young girl, she found love and solace among the homeless people who lived under the Boardwalk. Welcoming her, they taught her many lessons about life, especially, "There are no throwaway people." She grew up to dedicate her life to humanity. Enrolling in a weight loss class in 1972 led her to learn a simple yogic breath that would ultimately bring about her spiritual enlightenment. Her personal spiritual journey moved quickly and at times chaotically. As a thoroughly modern urban woman, she tried to live a normal life and raise a family; at the same time, as a person of rare spiritual gifts, she daily opened to a series of mystical visions and experiences. She had an experience first of Jesus Christ, then of Shri Bhagawan Nityananda of Ganeshpuri, and finally her guru, Shri Neem Karoli Baba. As early as 1973, she began to "teach all ways," giving a contemporary voice to the great truths that underlie all spiritual paths.