Living at the MCB - a transformative experience (runa and ashish)
Newsletter Team USA
May 12, 2026
“I was not looking for a guru at all.”
Newsletter team: Thanks for offering to share your experience. Please tell us how you came to know Mohanji and how did you end up at the Mohanji Center of Benevolence?
Runa & Ashish: I found Mohanji through a random YouTube video. I was immediately attracted because both of us had been devotees of Sathya Sai Baba since we were very young. I was not looking for a guru at all. I had no interest in finding one. But when I saw Mohanji’s video, I felt there was something very attractive about his energy. I felt there was somebody who knew the truth, but was also very loving at the same time. That combination of intensity and love really drew me in.
I looked him up a little more and later found out through Instagram that there was going to be a retreat in Serbia. Even though it was one of the busiest periods in our lives and we barely had time for ourselves, I immediately felt, “That’s it, I’m going.” We attended the retreat, and the moment we saw him in person, there was an instant connection. It felt very natural. It did not feel like changing paths. It felt like a natural evolution and deepening of everything we had already learned and experienced spiritually.
After Serbia, we attended another retreat in Bosnia, and then we had multiple opportunities to meet Mohanji again in Sedona and Los Angeles. We even had the chance to stay with him for a few days and observe his day-to-day life closely, which was very fascinating for me.
Eventually we heard about the Mohanji Center of Benevolence. The land had just been purchased and Mohanji had come to inaugurate it and perform a homa. At that point in our lives, we had sold our business, let go of our home and possessions, and were in a strange transition phase where we had no fixed place or direction. After the retreat at MCB, we were invited to stay and help maintain the energy of the space. It felt completely natural to say yes. What started as a short stay eventually became two and a half years at the MCB!
“I also noticed that I became much less emotionally reactive.”
Newsletter team: What transformation did you experience while living at the MCB?
Runa & Ashish: One big thing was discipline. A temple runs seven days a week. There are rituals every day, visitors coming constantly, and responsibilities all the time. Over time, discipline just becomes natural.
Even small things like cleanliness became a huge part of life. Mohanji always said, “Cleanliness is godliness,” so maintaining cleanliness in the environment, in the kitchen, in your personal space, and even in your thoughts became part of daily life.
Another major transformation for me was promptness. Mohanji would always say, “No procrastination.” Before, I used to procrastinate on many things, but the environment at the MCB forced me to become prompt and stable. That gave me a lot of mental peace.
I also noticed that I became much less emotionally reactive. Earlier, I used to be far more emotional. Over time, many situations that would normally trigger reactions no longer affected me in the same way.
There were also difficult situations that did not disappear quickly. Some challenges stayed for a long time, and many times I would pray and ask why things were not changing. But eventually I realized that by continuing with faith and moving forward, something inside me had transformed. Even when situations remained externally, internally my reactions had changed completely.
“Every single one of your buttons gets pushed — even the ones you didn’t know existed.”
Reality of Ashram Life
Before coming there, I thought ashram life would be very peaceful and idealistic — fewer distractions, more meditation, more silence. But actually, I realized the ashram environment is a place where every single one of your buttons gets pushed — even the ones you didn’t know existed. Everything becomes compressed. Challenges come intensely, and you have to work through them. Many situations involved people, responsibilities, emotional reactions, and difficult circumstances. That was where a lot of the real transformation happened.
At the same time, there was also tremendous energetic support from Mohanji’s presence and from the sacredness of the place itself. Life at the MCB stopped being about myself. Everything became about creating the right environment for others. Every visitor who came there should feel calm, peaceful, and supported. That became very important to us. We spent time talking to visitors, listening to their stories, answering questions, and helping them feel comfortable.
Even with neighbors in the community, we wanted them to feel comfortable with the center. Over time many neighbors became warm and connected with us. Some would send greeting cards or thank-you notes. Some would share their problems with us, and we would support them however we could.
Initially, when Mohanji would say “feed the birds, feed the animals,” it sounded very simple or even trivial to me. But eventually I personally took over feeding the birds and animals every day, and I noticed that many aspects of my life started clearing up and flowing more smoothly. There seemed to be a deep connection between feeding animals, nature, and inner cleansing.
The presence of animals around the MCB also reflected the energy of the place itself. There were birds, foxes, groundhogs, deer, and many other animals constantly around the property.
Newsletter team: What helped maintain the energy of the place?
Runa & Ashish: Cleanliness was very important — not just cleanliness of the environment, but also cleanliness of thoughts. Temple rituals, chants, Mohanji’s talks, feeding animals, and caring for visitors all helped maintain the energy of the space. We also made sure visitors felt welcomed and cared for, regardless of whether they were familiar with the traditions or not.
“Life at the MCB stopped being about myself – Everything became about creating the right environment for others. “
Newsletter team: Did you have any mystical experiences?
Runa & Ashish: Yes, many. They are documented also in this blog.
One recurring experience was a very distinct fragrance of rose mixed with sandalwood that would appear during certain rituals even though there was no physical source for it. Another powerful experience happened during the consecration ceremony. Before the ceremony, I had physically touched the deity and could feel the texture of the marble. After the energies were invoked, the entire texture had changed completely and become perfectly smooth. Later Mohanji himself mentioned publicly that the body had changed as energy was induced into it.
One of the strongest experiences I had was directly experiencing the living presence of Shirdi Sai Baba in the temple. It was not merely visual — it was an overwhelming energetic presence that completely took over me.
There were also many moments where prayers were answered immediately or inner heaviness was lifted after sincerely praying or surrendering.
Over time, the deities no longer felt symbolic. They felt alive, present, and deeply connected to daily life.
Newsletter team: What did you ultimately learn from this experience?
Runa & Ashish: I learned that transformation comes through discipline, surrender, faith, service, perseverance, and inner cleansing. Spiritual growth is not about escaping life. It is about becoming lighter, more stable, less reactive, and more connected while fully engaging with life and responsibility. Everything at the MCB — the rituals, the challenges, the service, the animals, the visitors, and the sacred energies — contributed to that transformation in ways I could never have imagined.
“Transformation comes through discipline, surrender, faith, service, perseverance, and inner cleansing..”
