Remembering Rama - Dr Frederick Lenz

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True Class & True Dignity
by A Student

Rama asked us to meet at a different location, the Japan American Theatre, for the recording of Zazen's URBAN DESTRUCTION album. Upon entering I headed for my location-of-choice: Center section, halfway back. I had previously discerned that I received my Maximum Energy Rama Blasts in the center sections, but I had always shied away from the rows of seats nearest the stage. I still felt I wasn't quite equipped to handle those MegaBlasts that such proximity to Rama incur.

However, in this new theatre, I felt distinctly uncomfortable sitting in this center section, and I also began to feel somewhat "irritated". I chose a seat in a completely different part of the theatre, left hand side, up near the front, where I had to turn to the right to watch Rama and Zazen perform.

The music and the meditation began and continued for a short period of time, but there seemed to be some "tension" that I couldn't quite understand. First I thought this might be due to the melodic content of the musical selections. Also, as the other recording sessions had been in The Beverly Theatre, I again assumed the new surroundings had something to do with my unease.

Then Rama abruptly stopped the music and addressed what seemed to be several students, although he did not single out any particular individuals. He gave them a warning. The jist of his stern message was (and these are not exact quotes), "Cut it out!" or, more to the point, "You'd better think over what you are getting into."

It flashed in my mind at that time there was a "gun" on the premises and that more than one of Rama's students were involved. This idea was so inconceivable to me that I never did shake off the feeling of unease for the rest of the evening . . .

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At a subsequent meeting in the LA Convention Center, Rama asked us to give our impressions as to what "went on" that particular evening. Naturally I thought "several students had a gun and were going to shoot you" was a Much-Too-Alarmist Interpretation of the event and, in fact, I would rather not have faced my feelings of "unease" again, regarding this URBAN DESTRUCTION recording session.

So, I waited to hear the other students' opinions, and I figured that, after a short period of time, Rama would "explain it all away."

No such luck.

Rama continued to ask different students for their reactions -- all of which supported the fact that negative energy was present at that event, but no comments made, to my mind anyway, seemed to address the acute seriousness of the situation, or that Rama's life that night was very much in jeopardy.

Rama walked through the room carrying a hand-held mike, holding it up to each student as they shared their insights and opinions. He was wearing a cream-colored shirt/jacket and cream-colored slacks and slowly made his way to the back left row where I was sitting.

The discussion of this subject was making me increasingly uncomfortable, and I sincerely wished Rama would conclude it because, if he came down to my row and placed the mike in front of me, I felt I would have to mention the "gun", as, truthfully, that is what I felt had happened.

Then, oh then, Rama stopped at the end of our row. He walked into our row. Several hands were raised and mine was, too, because I remember thinking, "Well, here goes . . ."

Rama stopped and placed his mike in front of the young lady sitting to my immediate right and she spoke Rama then stared at me as he crossed in front of me and offered the mike to the young lady sitting immediately to my left, and she spoke. One would think that, because I "had not been called on", I could now relax.

Again, no such luck.

For in that stern, yet dispassionate glance, Rama let me know that He Know That I Knew and that I Knew That He Knew That I Knew.

Shortly thereafter Rama concluded the discussion, walked back to the front of the room and went on to other topics. But that stern glance of Rama's directly into my eyes, confirming I needed to know: Rama was in grave physical danger during the recording of URBAN DESTRUCTION.

This whole episode still makes me uncomfortable, but it also provided me with a highly distinctive Point of Spiritual Maturation. For some specific reason Rama chose not to have me speak. Possibly the students involved were also in the room that night; possibly stating my views out loud would have been too disturbing and disrupting to the rest of the evening; possibly -- and most probably -- Rama had already dealt with the situation and these students; and, possibly I had only picked up on a "thought form" of a "gun", rather than a physical object.

However, what I do know for certain is that Rama was risking his life for our collective benefit in the Japan American Theatre on that particular evening. And what I also know for certain is that Rama had the True Class and True Dignity to not let us fully realize the personal price he was paying in order to ensure his students' welfare as he continued their spiritual education and advancement.

"Greater love hath no man than he would lay down his life for . . ."

Indeed, My Rama, Indeed!