My first personal contact with Shri Mataji was in July 1985. There was a public programme on the Wednesday, and on the Thursday was a follow-up. The local yogis had rented a beautiful villa in a park and I was very eager not to be late. I took an early train and was one and a half hours early.
I was reading my paper in the park and waiting for the programme to start. It was about a quarter to seven in the evening and Shri Mataji had gone for a little walk with another Sahaja Yogini. She told the Sahaja Yogini to come and ask who I was. I said I had come for the follow-up programme and the yogini went back to tell Shri Mataji. She approached me and I felt that if an important spiritual Mother comes to you, you close the paper and stand up.
‘Hello, I am very happy you have come,’ She said, and those were the very first words Shri Mataji said to me.
Henno de Graaf