I have decided that in the spiritual world, my eternal age will be eighteen. When Lalita Prasad initiated me into the eleven moods of a maidservant of Radha, he said I should pick an age between ten and thirteen. I said thirteen. I would have liked it to be older then, but I wasn’t about to start asking for changes at that time. For over thirty years, I accepted the 13 year old age. Yet I always imagined myself as about 18. One of the most effective techniques I have found for visualizing my spiritual body is to draw it. It’s a great meditation. I always look 18 in the drawings.
As a seminary trained, ordained clergy person, I am very aware of sexual boundary issues. I am also aware of the large numbers of children who are sexually abused. Even in India, the idea of child brides is losing favor, especially among the more Westernized classes. Since Radha and her maidservants engage in drinking and erotic pastimes with Krishna, I think that for Westerners, it is better that the maidservants be 18, Radha 20 and Krishna 21. This maintains the traditional age differences, but makes them of an age where they are better able to exhibit such pastimes. Adding five years to the ages of the confidants, etc. also adjusts things.
Lalita Prasad said I should let him know if I made any changes. I hope he has internet. I have made the change on my spiritual disciplic succession sheet. Now, anyone who comes to me for the eleven moods of a maidservant will also be eighteen. That will be a distinctive feature of my line of succession. Jai Radhe!