“Her embodiment—it’s a piece of art for everyone to see themselves in. It’s a confirmation for me of what I see in the world—I vibe with her.”—Andrea Grill.

Earlier this month, I sat down with Andrea Grill to ask her some questions about her involvement with the Finding Home series.

Andrea is an attorney in the Washington, DC area who was first introduced to Gangaji over 25 years ago. This year, she has been an invaluable support to the production team of Finding Home, helping with licensing and contracting music for the series.

It turns out this invitation came at just the right time. In mid-January 2025, when executive orders were being anticipated from the “Department of Government Efficiency” and Andrea was part of a team that might be subject to the elimination of legal staff, she decided to retire from her government position.

It was during this stormy and confusing time that, out of the blue, GF staff reached out and asked her to help with Finding Home. “It felt like an honor. I felt nervous and surprised by this acknowledgement”. Although she did not have expertise in this area of law, Andrea quickly agreed. “Gangaji and what she points to is the most important thing in my life.”

Andrea says she provided a “supporting role” and that Deborah Games did the lion’s share of the work. “Copyrights and licensing are complex, and we were all learning together.”

Despite living across the country from Ashland, working on the project deepened her connection to Gangaji and her teachings. “Her embodiment, it’s a piece of art for everyone to see themselves in. It’s a confirmation for me of what I see in the world—I vibe with her”.

In reflecting on the first two episodes of Finding Home, Andrea found that what resonated most with her is the notion that “I could not grow if I stayed where I came from” and also, “the hunger and adoration for Freedom”. She has faced many difficult barriers with her family and in society, some of which continue to this day. The American saying, “getting out of Dodge,” aptly applies here. It has been a common experience for many of us. Andrea expressed her lifelong attachment to Freedom, which has evolved into a living experience as part of the Sangha.

Andrea also spoke about how the Finding Home episodes led her to examine her own life and those pivotal points along the way, many of which were not pleasant. She, like many of us, was brought up to feel that “exposing your true feelings was dangerous,” to the point of being shunned or ultimately experiencing death. Andrea was surprised at the resurgence of these memories, which she views now through the lens of Gangaji’s teaching.

Lastly, I want to add that Andrea is also a volunteer with the Prison Program correspondence team. She states that every letter she receives from her assigned inmate is “Satsang from beginning to end” and provides her with the experience that there is true Freedom Inside.

You might be surprised to learn just how many pairs of hands have helped out in the creation of Finding Home. In addition to the tremendous commitment of Hillary and Gangaji to telling this story, and telling it right, and the hours of recording and editing that it has taken, it has also needed the help of key volunteers and staff to make it happen.

In this first of a series of reports, learn how volunteers took a crash course in music licensing to bring us the evocative soundtrack that haunts the early episodes.

Deborah with Mary G at Esalen

Gangaji and Hillary were determined to use the real music of the era, Elvis Presley, Taj Mahal, Joni Mitchell, and others that formed the backdrop to Gangaji’s early life. Here is a link to a Spotify playlist for Episdoe 3 that was created by another member of the team, Tushar Montaño. And here is a link to the music of Episode 4 on Spotify.

We are so grateful to Deborah Games, who took a deep dive into the complexities of music licensing to make this possible. Here is how she described the experience, and what was evoked by listening to Finding Home:

If you had to describe to someone why working on this particular project mattered to you personally, what would you say?

It was such an honor and joy to volunteer for the Gangaji Foundation. Having listened to a few episodes of Finding Home, I was profoundly touched and inspired. It helped me to reflect on my epiphanies and what I was seeking. I was highly motivated to obtain the music licenses because it was required to release the series, and I was thrilled for the sangha to hear it!  Moreover, Gangaji has made all the difference in my life, and I’m deeply grateful. 

Obtaining the music licensing felt like an adventure in not knowing, perseverance, and being my Self. There was so much support, seen and unseen. It was fun and exhilarating to be used as part of that flow.”

What moment or episode of Finding Home has impacted you the most so far?

The moment of Finding Home that most impacted me was in Episode One. After Gangaji talked about her early years at the Preventorium, a forgotten childhood memory surfaced for me - one of suffering. After seeing it, I saw through it, and sobbed tears of relief in recognizing it wasn’t true. An old hungry ghost was freed. Each episode had gifts for me, but this one was the most healing.

Did any of Gangaji’s epiphanies and realizations spark any of your own while working on this project?

When Gangaji left her first marriage because she felt the limits of it, it paralleled when I left a career in my late twenties. Following college, I worked as a financial analyst after receiving a degree in finance. My roommate introduced me to a nearby Rudolph Steiner community and Waldorf Teacher School. I took a class in spiritual science, where they talked about Christ Consciousness and the value of being present. I was intensely fascinated - this was what I had wanted to know. I enrolled in the evening program of the orientation year to become a Waldorf teacher. After a year, I recognized I wanted a Waldorf education more than I wanted to be a Waldorf teacher.

One night while dancing at a drumming circle, I saw a talented dancer, and when I asked if she taught dance, I learned she taught yoga. I attended her Iyengar yoga classes, and found I slept better afterwards and felt less stressed. Yoga opened my body and mind in a way I had never experienced. Eventually, my body became more flexible, and I felt deeper relaxation at the end of class. I attended her yoga teacher training, as I wanted to share yoga with others. She was also a massage therapist and introduced me to massage, which helped me to let go physically and release emotionally. I found that I wanted to live my life and help people more than I wanted a secure job. After a couple of years of doing yoga and seeing a Gangaji video, I left a job in finance to become a yoga teacher, attend massage school, and become a massage therapist. It felt so good to do work that was helping people to relax! What a joy!”