Chapter 8: Detach Yourself - Maria and Bella
Swami Kriyananda
Kriyananda’s Tribute to Maria
I have seen her change over the years. She had cancer of the breast years ago. She had chemotherapy and went through a great deal of pain because of that—and now she’s reached a point of maturity where nothing can touch her. It is so thrilling to see people reach that point of understanding, where death itself is welcome—it doesn’t matter. You know that you have accomplished what you needed to accomplish; you know that you are who you want to be. And with all of this, you see that underlying all of life, there is bliss. At the end of it all—at the end of this long trail of seeking who you really are—you’ll understand that it was well worth it.*
Kriyananda’s Letter to Bella
Dear Bella, I have heard that you are nearing your time of transition. I wish I could be there to say goodbye in person. Bella, I will miss you. What rare beauty, sensitivity, and depth you brought down with you and shared with us all. Our lives here won’t be the same after you go. For you, though, I rejoice, more than I would for most others. Soon you will be in a place far more expressive of your own nature, where the beauty that is in your nature to create will manifest so much more responsively around you. I am praying for you; I send you all my love and my blessings, now and in your new life to come. Please also pray for us, then, and continue to bless us from above. We will meet again soon, in great joy. Until then— goodbye, dear friend. God bless you, now and always.
In Master’s love, Swami
Maria & Bella
Maria with husband, Devarshi
Maria absorbed the strength of Kriyananda’s consciousness into herself, and allowed it to transform her. As events unfolded, it became obvious that she had fought this battle against fear and won—by attunement to Yogananda’s teachings, and by exquisitely following her teacher’s advice. And then, while helping to lead a Kriya retreat at Ananda’s Dallas center, Maria realized that the cancer had returned and spread. When she told Devarshi that she suspected the presence of a brain tumor, she said to him, with deep feeling, “Don’t worry. I am free.”
