Me

between Hinduism and Christianity, and I feel that in each one I find answers to the challenges I face in my personal life.
    There is a story in Sanskrit that says Jesus—during the so-called lost years, in which, according to the Bible, he disappeared and went to meditate—traveled all over India and crossed the Himalayas to get to Tibet. It is said that he joined up with a caravan and traveled throughout the Middle East (crossing through Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan) until he arrived in India, Nepal, and later Tibet. There are dozen of facts that support this affirmation, but the most interesting one to me is that upon returning from his trip, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples. Isn’t that curious? Jesus explained to his apostles that washing the feet of a fellow human being is a sign of humility and servitude. In fact, the custom exists in other religions, such as Islam and Sikhism, and in Hinduism touching the feet of another person is a sign of respect. I don’t think something like this can be a coincidence. To me that piece of information has a reason, and it crystallizes the connection I myself feel exists among all religions.

THE SWAMI
    IN PURI THE little yogi took us to an ashram—a place of meditation—where we spent time studying yoga and sharing with the Swami Yogeshwarananda Giri, a master sage who had reached a very high level in the practice of yoga.
    The swami was a very quiet man who radiated a very special light, a beautiful energy. I had the honor of meeting him, because at one point in his life the little Puerto Rican yogi had lived in that ashram and studied with Yogeshwarananda Giri’s master, who was called Paramahamsa Hariharananda. Just as the swami himself had studied under the tutelage of some other great master, now another student—the little yogi—was bringing him a new generation of students—us. Before that swami there had been another swami, and another one before him; it’s beautiful to think there is a long line of masters and students to which I was now having access. But it is important to clarify that just because I was a student of the swami does not mean I can teach the techniques that he taught me, as I am not trained to do so. The swami was born to be a yogi: He spent his entire life studying and preparing his body to be a yogi, and that is his destiny. I, on the other hand, only had the privilege to study with him for a short period.
    The first time I met the Swami Yogeshwarananda, I noted that the little yogi—his disciple—did not kiss his feet, but he did touch them and recited a prayer. I saw his gesture as a beautiful demonstration of humility and respect. So I did as my friend and kneeled down to touch the man’s feet. Because I didn’t know what one is supposed to say or think while touching the swami’s feet, I started to recite the Lord’s Prayer. I think it was the quickest “Our Father” I have ever prayed in my life, because I found it strange to remain kneeling in front of the master for so long. It was a totally new situation for me and I did not know what to do. So many things crossed my mind, including, “What would my buddies say if they saw me do this?” I could even imagine my manager’s face, as he tried to stop people from taking photos of the scene that could end up in something like People magazine.
    Inside I was laughing, but later I realized that this small act of humility represented so much. I had spent so many years living in a world of glamour, luxury travel, hotel suites, and private planes that that simple act of humility was something I profoundly needed. Getting down on my knees and touching the dirty feet of another man was a very symbolic and powerful gesture for me, because it meant casting my ego aside as well as the aggrandized image I had of myself because of everything I had accomplished. I could have very easily just shaken the man’s hand and said: “Good afternoon, how are you?” But no. I kneeled down on the floor and touched his feet, and from that moment I felt something vibrate within. I felt I was doing the right thing, and that is how I began the long road back to connecting with the deepest part of my being. I had spent too many years separating my public person from my private one, and I was finally starting to find the way to reconcile those two polar opposite sides of my existence.
    With the swami I studied kriya yoga, a very passive type of yoga that has a lot to do with