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Wisdom > Playing Pool with Bhagavan Adi Da
Playing Pool with Bhagavan Adi Da
Aniello Panico
Aniello Panico has
been a student and devotee of Adi Da Samraj since 1972.
Aniello
was also instrumental in the establishment of the Dawn
Horse Press, the publishing house responsible for the
publication of Avatar Adi Da's Teaching. Now in his 80's,
and having spent considerable time in Adi Da's Company,
Aniello wants to share a lifetime of enjoying the wisdom,
energy, blessings and love of Adi Da Samraj — an enjoyment
so profound that he considers himself the "luckiest man
alive!".
This story was first published on Aniello's
Facebook page, My
Life With Adi Da Samraj.
In
1974, during one of the periods of Adi Da’s Teaching/Submission
Work, devotees purchased a beautiful antique pool table
for Adi Da. Often, Adi Da played
pool, especially with the men, in the evenings. It was always a lot of fun. During these
games, Adi Da would joke around a lot. And somehow, also
in the midst of the game, He would also address devotees
in a serious, direct manner. I came to understand that He
was doing it not just as entertainment, but as a way
(using the device of fun and laughter) to directly serve
devotees in their practice and relationship to Him.
I was a smart-ass, Italian from New York, who would occasionally
miss a shot intentionally so that Adi Da could catch up. Looking
back, the stupidity of that viewpoint was really something! He
knew. He would always know what I was doing. His
sensitivity proved itself to me over time. . . hundreds
of times over the years. He even would actually know what
you were thinking. Of course, as He said, "I am
you", so it makes sense that He was able to do all
this.
With Him, it was always about the lesson. Sometimes the
lesson would be gentle. Sometimes not.
There was one game
I played with Adi Da where I stopped missing shots intentionally, and I gave Him no quarter — I played
my very best. And even so, He beat me fair and square! It was truly remarkable
— like, all of a sudden out of nowhere, He got this burst, and shot
a really good game of pool and beat me.
Then He slammed the stick down — bang! — and
said, "Screw you, Aniello!".
And we both burst
out laughing.
(click picture for
enlargement)
His spontaneity was also incredible.
One time, just on impulse, I planted the cue, spun my body
around and caught the cue. He immediately did a dance back
to me, and I did another one back to Him, and then we both
burst out laughing. The spontaneity, the split-second timing
of me doing that, and Him just responding perfectly. . . it was an
extraordinary and joyous moment! And I will never forget
it.
* * *
Shortly after this occurred, I accompanied Adi Da on a
trip to Hawaii. At the end of each day, I would be responsible
for suggesting things to do that evening.
One night He asked, "So what do you have lined up? What
can we do?"
"Well, I could make arrangements to get a private
room to shoot some pool."
He looked directly at me and said, "You got the lesson
of that, did you not?"
I knew He was referring to my strong, egoic pattern of
male competitiveness, which I had definitely enacted with
Him.
I said, "I did."
"So we do not have to shoot pool."
"No, I guess not."
* * *
I thank my Guru for His patience and His Presence in my
life.
