Roar Like a Lion

by Meg McDonnell

Avatar Adi Da Samraj has a great voice. It always resounds with Love, whether it is soft as a whisper or booming loud with force. He sings beautifully and He can imitate many different accents so perfectly that you just have to laugh. One day at a gathering with devotees, Avatar Adi Da began to speak in a scary “Dracula” voice. Some devotees laughed with delight and some playfully pretended to be scared. But three-year-old Neem, who could sometimes be withdrawn or afraid, got scared for real. He shrank back.

Avatar Adi Da noticed that Neem was having a hard time. He turned to Neem, still speaking in His Dracula voice, and started coaxing him beyond his fear, telling Neem how great and fun and wonderful it was to make scary voices. Then Avatar Adi Da invited Neem to make some scary noises himself. But Neem was too afraid. Avatar Adi Da started to roar like a lion, inviting young Neem to roar with Him. Now, Avatar Adi Da’s roar sounded just as thunderous and awesome as a lion in the jungle, so this was truly a scary noise and quite a test for Neem. But, at the same time, Avatar Adi Da was Radiating His Love and Help to Neem—you could see it on His face and feel it in the room. Neem bravely started to roar back. At first, Neem’s “roars” sounded more like a squeaky kitten. But, as he persisted, his roars got bigger and better. Finally, he was strong enough to really roar with his Heart-Master.

After this, whenever Neem would seem too shy or withdrawn or afraid of life, his parents and friends would ask him to roar like a lion. All of Neem’s friends noticed how hard this was for him at first, but they also noticed how Neem was getting stronger and less afraid. He began to feel free to go right up to people and not hold back his energy. He was only two, but Neem had received a Blessing and learned a lesson that would help him for the rest of his life.