Enter life. Go to school. Join a church. Be told what to think. How to behave. Get married. Have children. Build a white picket fence. Retire. Move to Florida. Die. Lather, rinse, repeat.
This boy was different and thought there to be more to life than this.
Just gazing up at the night sky was all the inspiration he needed at times. It was an absolutely fascinating concept to him to think that he was standing on a little ball of dirt spinning about in the middle of nowhere. He thinks back to facts that he learned in his astrology class, such as, it is estimated there are over a trillion stars in the Spiral Galaxy. A galaxy that would look like one star to us, if we could even see it.
From that perspective, he couldn't understand how people can let such meaningless things be such large issues? Who cares what kind of car you drive or if your friend has a better job than you? Why is there so much jealously, hatred, greed, and conflict among a group of people who are made of the same matter? Why do we fight so much with ourselves and others? We all want to be at peace and free of suffering so why make this goal harder for one another?
He questioned everything and learned from people from of all walks of life. Young and old. Rich and poor. White, Indian, African, etc. He listened to their beliefs with an open mind and an open heart. He enjoyed hearing about different religions, but didn't believe in one. Why would he believe in someone else's experiences when he could believe in his own? He believed in himself and that's all that would matter in the end.
The young man passed his days attempting to understand how this world works – the people – the cultures – the plants – and the land we all share. He embarked on a journey as far as he could in search of answers, meaning, and truth. He spent years traveling around finding inspiration in everything and everyone around him. His nonconformist, imaginative lifestyle often took him off the beaten path, many of which have led him to some of the most beautiful places on earth. It was a journey of ups, downs, and failures. But with each struggle and failure came an opportunity for self growth.
His journey led him deep into the Himalayan mountains. Along the way he crossed the Ganges River, the holy river. Along the banks of this river, he watched bodies being cremated. The smell of burnt flesh lingering in the air. His path took him past meditation caves, in which many lived a life in silence awaiting 'moksha'. (A Hindu term used to refer to union with God, a release from the cycle of rebirth. The main goal of Hindus is attaining peace and connecting with the Supreme Being. They recognize that the materialistic world, the senses, the mind, and the ego all prevent people from recognizing the ultimate truth.)
Days and days of traveling would pass. Eventually weeks. Climbing up and down those towering mountains. He lost himself in the beauty of those abstract, majestic mountains. He didn't realize it at the time, but with each step he took he removed pieces of himself little by little. Pieces of his egoistic false self. The deeper he trekked in those mountains, the more pieces he would remove, and the deeper he went inside himself. Life was directing him to find the beauty within the depths of his soul. He spent most of his days in silence. No phone. No computer. No TV. No distractions. Some days he was a little lonesome, but he took comfort there.
He finally reached the peak, an unfamiliar place full of familiarity. He felt an instant kinship with those snow capped jagged peaks which surrounded him. Feeling alive and complete, he sat and reflected on life, while admiring the view. Through his deep meditative state he completely removed himself from this illusion of “self” that he had created all these years. He looked at his thoughts as a separate identity to his true self. He let go of what he thought was life and surrendered himself to the life that is. What was waiting there was a moment of clarity in this enchanted universe. An intense moment of nirvana, bliss, peace, and calmness.
A complete union of self and everything around him; the sky, the mountain, the fields, the animals, etc. A moment of absolute perfection. He sat down and began to cry, not tears of happiness, nor those of sorrow, but those of self realization.
The clouds began to form overhead, creating formations of familiar faces. The warmth of the sun's rays connecting with the warmth emitted from his heart, melting him into the earth below. His veins entangled with the tree roots below the earth. His breath moving in sync to those of the leaves falling from the whispering trees around him. He felt unity with the mountain goats, their diamond shaped eyes that led right to their soul. He felt a connection with all of the energy waves of knowledge coming from the trees, water, land, and air. The elements of nature that he is also composed of.
Once he began thinking about the beauty of this moment, everything stopped and was 'normal' again. Soon, he felt a presence. It was an old man with a walking stick. They had absolutely nothing in common, on the outside, other than two beings that found their way to the top of the mountain at the same time. The boy quickly tried to hide his tears.
They engaged in small talk for awhile, then the old man asked him, “What is your purpose of being here?”
“Well, “to travel of course.” the boy responded quickly.
The man proceeds to ask the boy where all he has been in the past few months, and the boy only named but a few. “That doesn't seem much like traveling. Now what is your real purpose?”
Feeling a little hesistant to open himself up to this complete stranger, he begun to do so anyway,
“Well if you really want to know. I'm a student of life and a constant seeker of knowledge. This world absolutely fascinates me, and I especially enjoy coming to far away lands because I love learning from ancient culture and mystical traditions. I didn't come here to see. I came to feel – to feel the healing power of those Himalayan Mountains that many talk of. I came to learn about the Self- to learn ancient wisdom to help me live a more rewarding, fulfilling, and enlightened life.
The man smiled and responded, “Well, you won't find anything here. You already are what you want to become. You are the universe. You are a manifestation of it all. Divinity. Nirvana. Happiness. Enlightenment. It's all you, and it's in everyone around you too. You can't search for something that is already there. It's not these beautiful Himalayan Mountains. It's not from the wisest sage you'll find on this mountain. It's your combination of life experiences and what you have learned from them. So now it's time to put it all together and awaken yourself to the power of your own mind, which is an important step in the path to healing. You can't change what happens to you but you can change the way you experience it. You are not your mind nor the attachments and emotions, but rather the awareness behind it all. The source of your grief, pain, and desires is within your mind that can be transcended with a complete awareness. Thoughts always follow us like a shadow, but what are thoughts?” he asked the boy.
“Well, nothing I guess.” The boy replied a little confused.
“So why do you attach to them so tightly? They have no substance, with no end nor beginning, just like the universe in which we live. Thoughts are waves of energy so we should allow them to pass through us as just that. When a thought arises, recognize it and let it go. When we try to avoid it or change it, then this energy has the ability to stop flowing and build up in negative form.
The more mindfulness you apply to your thoughts and emotions the quicker they vanish from your mind, and is returned to it's natural clarity. The only thing left remaining is pure consciousness – our true nature – which is a state of constant bliss and peace. A state of freedom allowing us to soar to the depths of our limitless mind in this infinite world.
Once you free yourself from this false identity you begin to feel more in tune with the true nature of others as well. You look at yourself as part of a collective whole. You see human beings, not Americans, or a 60 year old, or a Catholic. It deepens your understanding of oneness feeling nothing but love and compassion for all of life around you. But first people need to realize it themselves, by getting behind their minds. I know you already realize all of this. I saw you crying on top of the mountain. I knew what it was. You let go of everything and had a moment of surrender, and felt a complete kinship with all around."
The boy shook his head in agreement. “Yeah, it almost felt too good to be true. I even thought to myself maybe I am dying and that this must be heaven.”
“Well I lost it and everything was back to 'normal' again.” The man chuckled. “Just as I thought. Well, my friend, that was your ego talking. Your false sense of self. You started thinking about this beautiful experience instead of surrendering yourself to it and it brought you back to the physical world.
The man smiled. “And that's when you returned to 'normal.' You were afraid of yourself. And you let your ego, your comfort zone, interfere with that feeling. Instead of completely surrendering yourself to that euphoric feeling, you were resisting it. It's your ego and senses that comprehend this world and they also puts limits on the true potential of your being. Simplify your life. Stop focusing on what you don't have and appreciate what you do have. Stop worrying about things not in your control. Take risks. The best way to learn about yourself is to go beyond yourself. Spend time getting to know yourself and your passion. Find what you love and go out and do it. It's that simple. Pick that something and do it in a way that has never been done before. Awaken to your life's purpose. Each one of us has a unique and specific purpose of being here.
The boy could hear the passion in every word he spoke and knew he had a lot to learn from this man. He continued to listen, “Ask yourself, what is it that you want? Put finance and all judgement from other people aside. What is it that YOU want?”
The boy responded, “Well, I want to make a difference in people's lives and make the world a better place to live in. I see there are many good people who are losing their way. They are too distracted by technological advancements, by material goods, by money, by power, etc. They are losing touch with themselves and life's core values.”
The man agreed, “When people remove these attachments they begin to understand the world in deeper meaning. These people are more in tune with themselves and see the how everything in life interconnecting. Think of the potential if we all lived with a stronger sense of unity with all of life. But like I mentioned earlier, before anything can be changed in the world it must first be changed in the mind's of people. Those that have achieved this state of complete serenity within, they enjoy more the simple pleasures of life. They have learned how to live in the “now” instead of the future or past. These people don't struggle to feel comfortable in their bodies. Overall, they feel a strong sense of balance, peace, and calm and want to see the world around them live like this too.
So when you go back down this mountain, you will have a choice to either live a mindful, peaceful life which will in turn, inspire others around you to do the same or will you live an unhealthy lifestyle self-absorbed in your attachments and ego? When you are at your best, the world around you is at it's best too. Life is a blessing and is meant to be appreciated by all.
One thing that you have to remember is that your life's purpose doesn't necessarily have to be in your career. It doesn't matter what you do but HOW you do it. This can manifest by living a particular lifestyle or by exhibiting certain characteristics. It's in your choices, in your actions, and in how you make people feel. You can fulfill your life purpose by sharing insight and lessons that life has taught you along the way. Share your experiences with those who need it; how you overcame your battles and achieved self love and acceptance. Set your sight on your life's purpose of inspiring others, but don't focus too much on the end result. Live in the moment, enjoy the process and you'll see how everything magically falls into place around you.”
The boy shared with the man one last concern of his. “I'm worried if I share my insights people will think I'm weird and sentimental. If I even try to explain this moment of surrender people will think I have lost my mind.”
The man chuckled. “Have you not learned anything from today? Before you can change anything with this world you must first change yourself and this way of thinking. Stop judging yourself and certainly don't let the judgement of others interfere with your true potential. You will not reach out to everyone. There are living the world in black and white, and are likely judging your lifestyle too. They think there is only one way and it is their own. They are living in the confines of their mind in the same philosophies, ideas, and beliefs that they have lived by for years. You will find these people to be your greatest inspiration. They will teach you that the only person you need to call to is yourself. Learn to appreciate your unique self. Embrace your individuality, instead of feeling guilty about it. You may see things differently than others, but treat that as the gift that it is. Your passion is in inspiration, and there are many people out there whose life's you will touch just simply by being you. Remember you need to always take care of you before you can help others. Just in case you start to lose sight of yourself, take this to help you remember. Namaste.” The man handed the boy a crystal extracted deep within the Himalayan Mountains, and as quickly as he appeared he disappeared down the mountain.
The man's words vibrated throughout the boys entire body. He looked at his life as a series of paths that have led him here to this peak on the mountain, and this peak with himself. The moment on the mountain was powerful and it certainly helped the boy come to some heavy realizations. It was a beautiful place he had found, in the depths of himself and in the Himalayan Mountains. It is a very magical place on top of the world, but this wasn't about him anymore. It was about his ability to help others. He lived through this; a constant battle for self love and acceptance. The boy has been through a lot with himself. After years of fighting, he finally released himself from the prison of his own thoughts, and he learned how to fly again. He was ready to show people how to do the same. As part of the first step to fulfilling his duty he opened up his notebook and wrote his story.
The following day, while waiting in line at the train station he felt a tug at his shirt. There he was again, the old man from the top of the mountain. Except this time he appeared in the body of a 10 year old girl holding an infant at her side. Dirty face, barefoot, ripped clothes. She didn't say anything, but enough was said in those outstretched hands begging this stranger for change. An almost every day occurrence for travelers in this land of poverty. He handed her 20 rupees and continued on.
Everywhere the boy looked, there the man was. His face in the crowd of strangers. His presence in those cows weaving in and out of traffic searching for food and eating trash instead. He's buried somewhere underneath that pile of trash, probably shaking his head and asking himself where he went wrong. He's stitched into the colorful saris wrapped around the bodies of the beautiful women. He's in the wings of a bird flying by reminding him he holds the freedom to soar too. He's the laughter from that children flying a kite through their village. He's every single drop of that Ganges River. A river full of innocence, purity, and life that helps you understand why it has been worshiped for thousands of years. He was in everyone and everything.
The kid was sad to leave this beautiful place behind, but he was ready to return home to a family who has awaited him for years. He was especially eager to meet his 5 month old nephew. He flung his bag on his shoulder, put the crystal in his pocket, and boarded the plane. His time had come to go home...
He prepared himself to enter back into a very busy life, where this vision and clarity may get a bit distorted. A society full of distractions. A place where our knowledge is being brainwashed by media.
A place where success is measured in terms of financial gain and status, not on life values or compassion for others. A place which is centered around power, politics, and consumption. This is life now. And he must try his best not to lose sight of himself and become distracted in this busy lifestyle.
From time to time, he will often think back to that day on the mountain. Was that real or imaginary? Did he dream the whole thing? He doesn't know for sure. He is reminded of something when he looks deep into the eyes of his newborn nephew. The magical energy being transferred from one soul to another when he holds him in his arms. The eyes of that little child, the eyes of innocence. Living in a world free of attachment from worldly desires. Divine surrender. How sweet the feeling as he remembers it. His eyes led straight to his pure soul living in a constant state of bliss. Nothing but full awareness to the present moment. And in that moment he is flown there too...
the return to innocence.
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