A couple of weeks ago, the Long Island Temple I belong to took a roots-oriented field trip to New York’s Lower East Side, the place most of our immigrant forebearers at least passed through, and where many of them had lived for years. One of the stops was the deservedly famous Katz’s Deli, where the pastrami sets the gold standard, literally melting in your mouth.

As we chatted and enjoyed, one of my tablemates noticed we were sitting right next to the famous table from the film When Harry Met Sally, marked by a sign hanging above it that recalls everyone’s favorite line: “Where Harry met Sally... hope you have what she had.” 

A few weeks before that trip, I had a remarkable weekend in Los Angeles that included a small meeting Maharaji attended. An hour with him can be life-changing. Getting back home, in an effort to describe my feelings to my wife, I said to her, “When you spend some time with him, and really open up, not just to what he’s saying, but to the feeling behind it, to who he really is, you get to a point where all you can say is: ‘I’ll have what he’s having.’ ” 

This is a great point to reach, and it works out very well, because that’s exactly what he’s offering.

If you’re looking into Maharaji’s message, you've probably heard about Knowledge: that’s the source of the crazily wonderful loving out-of-the-box indescribable childlike enthusiasm and energy that he radiates. As he has said many times, he is like a mirror. Seeing that beauty in him helps you to see it within yourself, through the telescope of this Knowledge.

Don’t miss Katz’s Deli the next time you are in New York. And while you’re alive, don’t miss this Knowledge. Who knows if there will be a next time for that opportunity.

Illustration by Sara Shaffer.