Dana, a one-time fashion model, had been an occupational therapy
major at Canada's McGill University. She first met Atmananda while
interviewing him for the campus radio station. After the interview,
which touched on Atmananda's book Lifetimes: True Accounts
of Reincarnation, he invited her to visit him in Stony Brook.
Shortly thereafter she left her boyfriend, family, school, and country.
She moved to Stony Brook, just around the block from the charismatic
young meditation teacher and author.
Connie was a waitress with long dark braids, a Midwesterner's
friendliness, and a cheeky smile.
Suzanne had long brown hair and dreamy eyes. She studied art
at the Parson's School of Design in Manhattan.
And Anne, with long, black hair and that playful, impish grin,
was studying to be a nurse.
I turned back to watch Atmananda. "Don't think that spirituality is
divorced from the physical world," he was saying as he reached for a chip.
"After you meditate a few years, you begin to see that Annam Brahma--
food is God." He then set the chips-and-cheese-laden tray in the oven.
Sal observed intently, as though witnessing a ritual.
Soon Atmananda and Sal were delivering trays of crunchy nachos.
I garnished mine with sour cream to alleviate the delicious,
consciousness -altering burn of the hot sauce.
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