I Visited Sonoma and Heard the Sound of the Divine Mother - Babaji
Journey
This is the first of three stories about Babaji’s relationship with Sonoma.
🟩 I Visited Sonoma and Heard the Sound of the Divine Mother – Chapter 1 (You are reading this story.)
🟨 I Chose Sonoma as a Place of Stillness – Chapter 2
Click the Chapter 2 story title above to continue Babaji’s journey
🟥 I Built a Community Rooted in Practice Service and Peace – Chapter 3
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In 1990, Babaji left his Northern California home with a full tank of gas, no destination and his guru’s blessing. A road sign led him to Sonoma, where a four-day test confirmed that he had found the place where his new life would begin.
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I arrived in Sonoma in 1990 after receiving the blessing of my guru, Aghoreshwar Bhagwan Ramji, to begin my new life as a monk in the Aghor tradition. On July 2, 1990, I set out from my home in Northern California with little more than a full tank of gas and no destination in mind. Aghoreshwar had told me that I would be tried for three days and that, if on the fourth day I found a place to set my foot, I would know I was on the right path.
Driving south on Route 101, a trip I had made many times, I saw the word “Sonoma” on a road sign. In it, I saw the Sanskrit phrase Sono Ma—“sound of the Divine Mother.” I took the exit and eventually arrived at historic Sonoma Plaza, where I remained without eating or sleeping for two days.
On the third day, I was directed to the home of a well-known Sonoma resident who had recently returned from India. She offered me food and directed me to a place where I could find shelter. Aghoreshwar’s blessing had been fulfilled. I had found the place where I was meant to begin.
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Babaji’s arrival in Sonoma began with uncertainty rather than a plan. He interpreted the name Sonoma through his spiritual tradition, trusted the test his guru had described and accepted help from a local resident. His story shows how attention, faith and hospitality can transform an unfamiliar place into the beginning of a life’s work.
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This story was adapted from material published on the Sonoma Ashram Foundation website and provided for this Sonoma Stories profile. The material has been edited for length and clarity while preserving Babaji’s experiences and meaning.
