The Velocity of Emotions

Deep in Delusion, We often miss the Beauty of Life and we forget to LOVE.

This is a work of FICTION. Any resemblance to those alive or dead is a sheer co-incidence.

Emotions are always temporary. When we live unconsciously, life glides from one emotion to another. A man who exists based on emotions, will experience extreme turbulences in life. A man who uses his intellect more than emotions, will experience a life of relative calm and poise. Emotions lead to calamities. Emotions flow out of ego. When emotion flows, it locks up the intellect. When intellect is unavailable, if unchecked, it kills people and their personal environments.

Man Walks the Path of Emotions and Attachments. Karmic entanglement ensures Re-birth

Agony and Ecstasy

In Bengal, in early 1900s lived a Yogi called Liladhar. He was quite introverted and unassuming. He used to give lectures on Bhagawad Gita and other scriptures to the villagers. He used to teach students and thus earn his livelihood. He led a very humble life. He cooked his own food, washed his own clothes, cleaned the house himself, and he shared his food with anyone who came hungry while he prepared his food. His needs were very limited. He lived in a single room near the river. People revered him and respected him. Thus, he lived a quiet life, till about 40 years of age.

Frustration Leads to Crime. Suppression leads to erratic actions. Society is a cluster of multiple expressions.

There was a brothel about 500 meters away from his house, in the same street where he lived, which used to be visited by many people from the village as well as from the neighboring villages. One day, people saw, with great surprise, Liladhar visiting this brothel. All were surprised as well as shocked. Yet, nobody dared to ask him anything. They were even more shocked when they saw him visiting the brothel again, the next day, after sun set. This went on, day after day – every night he visited the brothel and spent the whole night there, with one particular young woman, who had just been brought into this brothel. This seeming weakness of his, steadily tarnished his image. He fell in the eyes of the villagers. They stopped attending his classes. They refused to send their children to him. He became jobless and penniless. For a few days, he did some odd jobs in the locality. Soon, people stopped giving him any job. He went around begging, and somehow, everyday, he made just enough money to spend the night at the brothel with this woman. Even if he could not buy food, he religiously visited this woman. He did not forfeit his habit at any cost. Finally, when nobody even gave him alms in his village, he went to the neighboring town every morning, earned his money through odd jobs or begging in the streets, and came back in the evening to visit this particular woman at the brothel. Some youngsters even beat him, destroyed his one-room house, and even threatened to kill him, because they decided that he was not doing something that befitted a spiritual man. They decided that he was violating the moral consciousness of the society. Some people of the village tried to expel him from the village by force. But, it was effectively aborted by some elderly villagers who explained to them that “his karma will take care of him”.

Everyone Contributes to Existence. None High or none Low. Everything just is!!!

Some others who used to frequent this brothel became curious about this woman. Nobody ever saw her, because Liladhar used to occupy her room, before others arrive. They even bribed the woman who was running the brothel and offered her much higher pay, for one night with this mystery woman. Each time someone tried this, the brothel woman blackmailed Liladhar and extracted higher pay for the prescribed night with this woman. He toiled more and more for this extra money which the owner woman increasingly extorted day by day.

When Sex becomes Lust, Men Fall.

Still, he did not change his ways and this practice went on for about five or six years until one day, the woman whom he used to visit fell sick, vomited blood, and was hospitalized. On the same evening, she passed away. There was no one to claim her body. No one wanted to claim the body of a prostitute. The wise, morality conscious society was very clear about that!!!. Liladhar received her body, found enough money and arranged a proper funeral for her.

After the funeral, on the same night, he prepared to leave the place. He gave his house, even though partially damaged by the morality conscious society, to an old woman who was homeless, abandoned and lonely. Any shelter was better than no shelter for that old woman. She was well pleased. She blessed him for his kindness. While he was leaving, the old woman asked: “My son, you are a kind man, but you have suffered a lot in silence – without complaining, because of your weakness for one woman. She is dead now. Tell me, what made a balanced person like you, to undergo so much pain and trouble for the sake of a prostitute?”

Liladhar smiled and said: “That was my wife from my last life. She craved for physical relationship with many men in her last life, and she became a prostitute in this life. But, she never wanted to prostitute in this life. She was forcefully sold to this brothel by her relatives, because her destiny was such. She wanted to escape from there, but was quite helpless. Since she did not have enough money to buy freedom, nor did I have sufficient money to rescue her, I gave her company every night till she died. The whole night, I taught her various scriptures and words from the divine Masters. We never slept. She slept in the morning while I worked to earn money, to meet her in the evening. Day by day, she became spiritually evolved and attained liberation at death. I sacrificed my sleep and reputation for a noble cause. It was more important to serve a helpless woman than a thankless society reeling in inhibitions and non-understanding. I never even touched her once. This helped her to remain chaste and get liberation in this life. Because she served me sincerely in her last life as my wife, I returned the service and thus equalized the karmic debt. This will help my liberation too.  Now, I have nothing more to do here.  So, I am leaving for Himalayas. The time for my final liberation is at hands reach.”

He walked away, without looking back. After he left, this story started spreading from mouth to mouth and the villagers started feeling guilty for torturing a noble man. Some even went searching for him in the neighboring places to bring him back. It was too late. He never left any address behind for anybody to find him.

Life is not what we see or understand through our social eyes. It is much beyond. We cannot judge anyone’s actions using our limited intellect or levels of understanding, especially if the subject is a true liberated saint. We have the history of torturing and killing all the liberated saints, especially if they become rich or popular. Gross cannot understand subtle. Subtle can understand gross, but usually never interferes, just like our soul does not interfere in our waking life, except aiding it. The subtler we become, the more connected we will be to our soul. Our life may not be in line with social norms anymore. It will become more in line with the larger dharma which will be intangible and incomprehensible to the average general consciousness.

Pearls at the bottom of the Sea

The Journey is Tough, Especially When the Destination is Unclear. Tenacity of Conviction is the Key for Success

Ahmed was born in an orthodox middle class Indian family. His elders were all religion-bound. His mother, whom he loved a lot, was open and warm towards all cultures and religions. He grew up with the same mentality – under his mother’s loving guidance and protection, despite his getting officiated into his religion by birth, at the appropriate age. Soon after his birth, his father expired leaving him and his mother alone. Life became tough for him and his mother. He had to leave his education half way because of poverty. His mother tried her best to get him across the 10th class. And soon afterwards, he migrated to the Arab world, looking for survival. He was too young and inexperienced. He could only find odd jobs, which did not pay him well. He spent ten years in an Arab country and came back to look after his ailing mother. He found a steady job in the local market, loading and offloading food stuff into local warehouses. He earned his daily bread without complaints. Soon, he got married to a woman whom he knew since childhood. She was from a conservative as well as orthodox family and was quite rigid in her views. They also had two children in the course of time.

Ahmed was quite a spiritual man. He was quite liberal in his views and strongly believed in the necessity for co-existence of various paths of spirituality. He was always filled with compassion for the poor and needy, irrespective of their religion. Ahmed easily became an odd man out in a society segregated by religion. The usual question to him was – “why do you have to help those who are outside our religion, when there are many poor people within our community?” Ahmed just smiled and brushed away such remarks, because his vision was very clear and unbiased.

He continued his usual religious practices regularly, at the same time, he tried his best to help the poor, sick and helpless of the society. Even though he earned just about enough money to run his family, he shared his income with the sick and the abandoned, by visiting the local government hospital when ever he got time, many times a week. He expressed abundance within his limited income.

He was quickly evolving in spirituality through his genuine selfless acts or karma yoga. He was leading a satisfactory existence – both spiritually and charity wise. At the same time, he thirsted for more. He did not know what he was looking for, but, he felt that there is a mighty ocean of existence within himself, that he must taste and explore. He did not know how to reach that abundant world of peace within. And yet, somehow, he was always aware of that world, its proximity and existence within.

He started attending classes of other religions in his pursuit to find answers to his deepest questions. He belonged to an orthodox community. They did everything to prevent a young lamb from straying into unknown terrains. He was warned by elders time and again, not to attend other religious lectures and stick to his own. Still, he continued his pursuit. He became an odd man in his own house as well as the society. His mother understood him well. His wife, who hailed from a conservative family, did not. She argued with him many times, even threatened to leave him, if he brought disgrace to their family because of his strange habits. He subtly escaped such situations in the house. Even though he searched for truth through many teachers of his religion of birth and others, nothing helped him ultimately, to progress further. Something was missing and it remained as a nagging pain, within. He knew that he was in search of something much higher, greater and deeper than what he has experienced in life so far. A pleasure beyond imagination. There was definitely discontentment and disappointment with his lack of progress. But, he immersed himself in social work and thus lived a relatively peaceful life. The elders of his religion did not bother him much because of his inclination for social service and his willingness to help everyone. Many of them were receivers of his assistance at various points of time. Their thankfulness indirectly saved him from troubles, as they chose to keep a blind eye towards his wanderings.

One night, he had sufficient work which kept him busy till late evening. While coming home through an alley, close to a

Extreme Penance is a test of Endurance as well as the depth of conviction. It is not easy. It is not for everyone. Everyone need not travel this path too.

river, he saw one man with his head and face covered moving alone towards the river. There was no light anywhere and it was difficult to recognize him. He thought it would be a thief and without his knowledge, Ahmed followed him. This man walked up to the river and stood there for sometime, observing the surroundings. There was a thin light illumining the sky and the earth from the waning moon, when they came to the river bank. Ahmed hid behind a tree and watched. The other man removed his clothes, made a bundle of them, tied it to his back, and swam across the river. There was not much water because it was summer time. Most part of the river was dry and he could easily swim across. When he reached the other shore, he wiped himself, wore his clothes again and walked towards the trees. Ahmed, did the same and followed him. He went into a dark alley and further deeper into the trees. He reached a cave which was invisible from any road, and was almost hidden by creepers. The man ahead entered the cave, spread a thick cloth which was already existing there, prayed quietly for a few minutes in silence, removed all his clothes except the loin cloth, and stood upside down with his legs in lotus posture above and his head below, supported by his hands. Ahmed waited for a few hours, hiding himself behind a tree. That area was almost like a forest, with trees and bushes. He became conscious and worried that snakes or wild animals could be roaming free there, deep in night, looking for prey.

The man did not change his posture for hours. Ahmed felt tired and  slept, leaning his back against a tree. Even though he was determined to see to the end of this unusual sight, he fell asleep. By 4AM, a slight sound from inside the cave woke him up. The man inside was now sitting in erect posture and doing hyper ventillation or praanayaam. Soon, he completed his chores, got up, wore his clothes and started his journey back, the same way he came there. Ahmed followed him. After they crossed the river, through the dark alley, to his biggest surprise, this man entered the quarters of priests of his religion, through a back door. Even though he could not see the man’s face fully, he recognized his regular priest. He was determined to know more. He decided to wait the next day and see if the same saga will take place. It did. Every night, this happened. He recognized the priest who is practicing deep penance, alone and in wilderness. Finally, one day, he decided to confront this priest. After the prayers, when everyone left the premises, Ahmed went to the priest and requested his audience. The young priest, almost the same age of Ahmed, readily agreed. He explained everything that he has been witnessing each night, to the priest. At first, the priest had an expression of surprise and a tinge of fear on his face. What if his orthodox community finds out what is happening with him, after people go to bed!!! Soon, he reconciled with the situation and smiled. He asked Ahmed. “What do you want from me?” Ahmed said, “Please teach me what you are doing. I want to experience higher spirituality”. The priest agreed, under one condition – that Ahmed will never tell this to another soul in this life time.

Extreme Conviction and Persistence Leads us to the Ultimate Liberation

Thus, he started travelling with the priest to the cave at the other side of the river every night. The priest taught him how to stand upside down for a long time and learn concentration and later, real meditation. One more youngster found their secret out and he also joined them. He was trustworthy and without any fear, their spiritual practice continued without any interruption, safely away from the eye of the public.

However, terrible interruption happened in Ahmed’s household sector. His wife started suspecting him to having another girlfriend, a second wife or at least a regular romance. She was convinced that the prompt exit of her husband, every night, has the lure of some woman behind it. She asked him many times and he could never give her any satisfactory answer. He trusted his mother and told her everything and she agreed with her son that this should remain extremely confidential because of many reasons. But, day by day, his wife began to create more and more tantrums. She told her father that her husband has found another woman and goes to her, every night after 10PM and comes back before dawn. Ahmed’s father in law called him and counseled him. In their religion, it is allowed to marry more than one wife, but, he should have the capacity to look after each wife in the same manner by providing the same facilities. Ahmed is relatively a poor man. So, taking that into consideration, Ahmed’s father in law tried his best to make Ahmed understand that what he is currently doing is against the will of God, community as well as the society.

Despite all these troubles, Ahmed continued his spiritual practice which gave him immense satisfaction. His energy level was very high. He involved himself in more social service than before. As he evolved in spirituality, his wife’s frustration also evolved to a stage of intolerance. Finally, frustrated and angry, she took her children and left for her parents house with a vow never to return back until her husband ends his relationship with the other woman. Even though she tried to trace the other woman in Ahmed’s life or at least find out who that could be, she was not successful in that attempt too. Completely frustrated and helpless, she even blamed Ahmed’s mother for supporting her son in all his weaknesses.

Even though his wife left him with their children, Ahmed still did not change his ways. Ahmed did miss his children when ever he came home. Yet, did not do much to bring them back, because he knew that he could explain nothing to his wife and knew very well that she will never understand him. He tried to visit his children at her parents house and gift them some sweets that they loved, he was not allowed entry into the house or access to his children. He had created so much anger and hatred in his wife.

Months passed by. Some people of his community decided that he is not conforming to the norms of their religion, because he is also visiting the places of worship of other religions. They joined together and excommunicated him from his religion. Against all odds, Ahmed continued his spiritual journey. He even visited the central place of his religion in the Arab land, the very seat of his religion twice and offered his prayers there. This surprised the elders. They thought “Some of us who are more punctual in our prayers could not visit the holy city. A non-believer like Ahmed was able to. Without the call of the Supreme Almighty, nobody can go to the Holy city. This means Ahmed has the grace of the Almighty. We should bring him back to our community.” Thus, eventually, without any effort from his side for that, Ahmed was re-instated in his community.

Conviction is the rope that holds the man against all odds of life

Ahmed never changed his ways. He progressed a lot spiritually through his rigorous practice and found that all religions are the same and that God is One. Soon, he stopped his nocturnal travel and started practicing within closed doors of his own room. This news reached his wife’s ears and she returned back with their children. She came to know that her husband was only doing some strange spiritual practices and it had nothing to do with sex or women. She was happy, even though she tried to convince Ahmed to walk the beaten track. Ahmed, without confrontation, continued his pursuit. Thus, the family was finally re-united and Ahmed and his family still exist, quite peacefully, in a corner of this vast world.

Most of us fail because of our lack of conviction. If there is purity and selflessness in thoughts, words and action, this truth itself will strengthen us against all the odds.

The Velocity of Emotions

Mother and Son – A Sacred Relationship

Victoria’s husband died when their son Adam was only two years old. It was indeed a tough task for Victoria to bring up a toddler into a healthy man. She worked hard to make both ends meet. They lived in a town close to the sea at the cape. The place was peaceful in the day time, but, quite dangerous, after dark. Gentlemen and ladies never ventured out after sunset. Adam grew up rapidly into a strong and handsome man. Victoria was a bit over protective about Adam and she did everything to keep Adam from any complications of the city. She even made sure that he mingles with the “right” type of people. She hovered over him all the time. When Adam found Diana, he tried his best to gain privacy for both of them, from his over zealous mother. Diana had two brothers and she was living in the outskirts of the city. As their love progressed, Adam stayed away from home more and more, to be with Diana. This created more agony for Victoria.

Adam was 21 and he won a job in a company as an apprentice. He had his work and his girl friend. He was happy and contended. But, time spent with his mother became lesser and lesser. Victoria had nothing else in her world except Adam. She started feeling lonely and abandoned.

One evening, while coming back home from dropping Diana to her home after sunset, Adam saw one of Diana’s brother named Sam lying in a pool of blood on the road. He promptly took him to the hospital and the boy survived. Police got involved and the boy named the guys who did this to him. They were arrested. Since they were below the age of recognized adulthood, they were warned, fined and left free. This was Adam’s first experience of anything as ugly as that. He decided not to tell his mother. Why make her worry further?

Two months later, Diana’s brother Sam, now reasonably recovered, invited Adam for a drink after work. Adam agreed. Adam thought that Sam wants to express his gratitude for saving his life, in this way. They met at the appointed place and had a few drinks. Adam told Sam about his intention to marry Diana. Thus, the pleasant evening went by and their bonding strengthened. Adam offered to drop Sam on his motor cycle as Sam had not started to ride a bike as yet, after his injury. It was almost 10 PM. As they reached the alley where Sam was attacked earlier, something hit the bike and both of them fell down from the bike. Before Adam could understand what was happening, he saw three boys dragging Sam to the side of the road. Adam rushed towards Sam to rescue him. The bigger of the three turned towards Adam and shouted “Run, if you want to be alive”. Adam ignored his words and tried to grab Sam. Suddenly, he felt a severe pain in his lower back. He could not get up. Again he felt something sharp piercing his body many more times. He fell unconscious. His soul left his injured body, immediately.

Victoria woke up with the rude shock of  the terrible news. Adam is NO MORE. Police had arrested the murderer, also a youngster, maybe a few years older than Adam. Victoria was completely shattered. She did not know what to do next. How to survive alone till death? Her whole life lay shattered. She was shivering with helplessness.

Since this was a murder, a criminal offence, Victoria had to attend the court. She saw her son’s murderer. His name was Nick. He was being convicted for murder. She screamed at him “The law may not kill you, but I will. I will wait till you come back. I will stay alive, just to kill you. You killed an innocent man. You really need to be punished.” The murderer was given imprisonment  for 10 years as the punishment for the murder that he seem to have committed, as there was no witness and only circumstantial evidence. But, Victoria was sure that he killed Adam. A mother’s instinct. Victoria thought it is too short a term for such a henious crime.

Ten years passed by. Victoria remembered the exact date and time of Nick’s release. She waited outside the prison. She saw Nick coming out of the gates of the prison. She went to him. He looked at her without any expressions of fear or anger. He looked resigned to his fate. She asked: “Where are you going?” He said “I do not know. I am homeless.” She said, “Come with me”. She took Nick in her car to her home. She gave him a room and asked him to take bath. She also gave him fresh clothes, that her son used to wear. Fortunately, Nick was of the same size as of Adam.Afterwards, she gave him soup, salad and bread. After food, she escorted him to a bedroom, which her son used to use, and allowed him to sleep peacefully. All the walls of that room had many pictures of Adam at various age of his life, till death. Nick could not sleep. His mind was full of repentance. He could sleep better in the jail with lesser facilities. He could not sleep in that room filled with the vibrations of the person whom he had killed.

In the next morning, Victoria saw Nick sleeping on the sofa in the living room and woke him up. After he brushed and bathed, Victoria gave him a healthy break fast. After break fast, Nick prepared to leave. Victoria asked “Where will you go? Do you have a house?” He said “No”. I have nobody. I am an orphan. Victoria said “I am alone here. This house is big. You can stay here as long as you want.”

Nick looked at her in disbelief. He looked into her eyes and asked in a low voice:. “When I was going to the prison, I heard your screams all the way until the door closed. You were shouting ‘I will kill you. I will wait till you come out. I will kill you.’ Now, tell me, when will you kill me? Are you doing all this to kill me in the end?”

Victoria looked straight into his eyes. Without blinking, she said “I have already killed the man who killed my son. You are not the same. You are just an orphan who is homeless. How can I kill you?”

Nick burst out into tears. Victoria put his head on her shoulder and allowed him to rain his emotions.

Forgiveness is one of the highest of virtues. Love converts criminals. Punishment reinforces crimes and the guilt attached.

In Search of a Guru

The Eternal Search of Life. Search for Oneself.

David decided to leave his home at the age of 23. This was a major decision of his life. He was quite disillusioned with the way his life was going, especially with the competition in the world and the associated rat-race. He was not cut out to weather such competition which existed throughout his school days and through university days as well. All the students seemed pretty preoccupied or obsessed with making it big in the material world, which felt too shallow for David. There has to be something much more meaningful in life. Finally, he achieved post graduation in English Language and Literature. Even though everyone thought that he would end up in an educational institution teaching children, he decided to walk out into the much wider world, avoiding identities. He was in search of a spiritual Guru.

He went to the North of India, the foot hills of Himalayas. At some point of time, Himalayas call all spiritual seekers, one way or the other. He went up and down the mighty mountain many times, by foot and in vehicles. He practiced various methods and techniques to connect with God, but internally, the search for his Guru continued. He spent almost four years this way. Many times, he thought that he found him. And each time disappointment happened, one way or the other. Thus, one evening, as he was sitting in disillusionment and sadness, looking at the flow of River Ganga, a young man with bright eyes came to him. David noticed the sparkle in his eyes and somehow felt attracted by it instantly. The young man just introduced himself just as Govind and did not explain further about himself. He was quite abrupt in his communication. He said “I was sent by Siddha Baba, to tell you that your Guru lives in the south of India and not here. You must search for him there.” David was so surprised with this unexpected revelation, he could not speak for some time. ” How did this man know who I am and what I am looking for?” While David was in that state, the young man asked David to write down the details of the location where his Guru existed. David noted everything down, drew a map, and before he could ask further about Siddha Baba and his messenger, the young man disappeared, without even waiting for an expression of gratitude from David. He realized: ” When disciple is ready, the Guru appears.” The next day, David packed his bag and left for the southern Indian state that the young man had described. He reached there in a week. The young man had described the looks of his Guru. David already had made an image of his Guru in his mind and started searching for him. But, even though he searched for days in all the ashrams in the neighborhood, he could not trace this Guru. Days went by. He checked with all who looked like a Swami or saint or at least a spiritual person. He went to temples and monasteries. Nobody could guide him to his Guru. The young man sent by Siddha Baba had only told him the location or the city where he could find him, not the exact house. This made things worse.

Day by day David started getting depressed more and more. One night, he had a dream in which the same young man who guided him to this place came again. In the dream, he told David the exact name of the village, right at the outskirts of the city where his Guru lived. Still he did not give the address of his Guru’s house!!!

He got up from his sleep, refreshed himself before the sunrise and took the first bus to this village. There were no monasteries and hermitages in that village. This made him angry. David scolded himself for believing in a dream. After making sure that there are no Gurus or Acharyas in this village, he walked back to the bus stop, in disappointment, and waited for the bus. While sitting at the bus stop, his eyes went to a vegetable vendor opposite to where he was sitting. There he saw a man with bare chest, wearing a single piece cloth around his waist, buying vegetables and putting them in bags made of thick cloth. For a moment, David’s eyes got locked with his. Suddenly, he turned and immersed himself back into his purchase. Then it clicked. David knew that was his Guru. He went to him and offered his greetings to the other man. He just looked and nodded his head, without any expressions. And abruptly, he paid for the vegetables that he had bought from the shop and started walking away with his two bags, without even looking at David once again. David stood still for a few seconds, not knowing what to do next. He realized ” I have searched for a Guru since years and now I have found him. Even though he does not look like a spiritual Guru, he could be an enlightened soul, capable of being a Guru.”  What confused David was his costume. He looked like a domestic servant. No shirt and only a white cloth around his waist. Quickly he gathered himself and ran after this man, who seemed to be in his fifty’s. David tried to ask many questions and the man answered in a word or two, obviously not interested in that conversation. Finally, he stopped. Looked into the eyes of David and said ” I am a poor man. A domestic servant, serving a rich farmer in the village. What do you want from me?”

David explained everything to him. He listened to David’s story patiently, both standing under a tree. Then he said “I appreciate your sincerity and steadfastness. Many seekers have no conviction and no faith. That is why they do not progress. They always doubt in themselves, their path and also their Guru. They reach nowhere. You have come all the way, searching for me. I have no disciples. But, I have to accept you. However, do remember, I am working here as a domestic servant. I can teach you only after I complete the household chores, in the night. You should not disturb me in the morning, till night.” He started walking. ” It is time for my master to have his lunch. I must hurry. He should not be waiting for me.” He started running home.

Guru Appears at the right time in disciples life. Recognizing him is the most difficult thing.

David agreed to his Guru’s demands and his spiritual journey took a different turn. For once, his faith got re-instated in his dream as well as the guidance. He and His Guru met at 10 PM that night. Even though he has been working the whole day, his Guru seemed to be fresh and had no sign of fatigue on his face. he also seem to be happy and liking his work or what he was doing for a living. David asked ” Guruji, I realize that you are a great Siddha. Only a true siddha can be so unassuming like you and stay away from public eye so effectively. Why are you involved in such a job, instead of pursuing your spirituality through other means? Why are you not teaching students? Why don’t you have your own hermitage? I am sure the whole world would be benefited. We have a society in which pretensions sell well and genuine material remains unrecognized or unwanted.”

David’s Guru started laughing. He said “You are the first disciple that ever came my way. First of all, I am not concerned about my status. How does that matter to me? What ever my spiritual status is, it just is. It cannot be another. I have to move on from where I stand, establish in the consciousness that I am in. It does not matter and it is not a subject for comparisons. Comparison means ego, as we will be comparing ourselves with another person. Secondly, our own establishment also adds to ego, as “me and mine” becomes predominant. Competition is not my path. Nullification is. I have effectively nullified my identity. I have no address of my own except a care of address and just have a name for identification’s sake. I do not own any property or possessions. All that I use is my master’s. Everything belongs to him. I do not earn enough to pay taxes. I do not have to vote in this place, as I came from else where, hence no politician is interested in me. I do not have a passport. I am a non-entity. My master gives me a place to sleep. He provides me with food, clothes and shelter. I have no more needs. I am well protected and I have the whole night to myself to do my spiritual practices. I am living in the present. I have no anxieties or fears. Now, existence has sent you. I was told that you will come. But, still I tested you. I like your tenacity and conviction. So, I accepted you as my disciple. Our path is that of simplicity and purity. We have nothing to prove. Hope you understand this well.”

Thus, David found his Guru in a very ordinary man. David also found his path. He was deeply contented and his search for a Guru ended there.

All that glitters is not Gold. God often comes to our doorstep in the guise of a beggar. Identify God in everything. You will remain in bliss and peace.

Love YOU

M

All our identities are temporary. When we wake up to this reality, peace descends in our hearts. There is nothing to prove anymore.