Tara - The Journey To One's Self. Anjana Gill

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СКАЧАТЬ point of view, you are beginners, or to put it more bluntly, mere novices. No one has taught you that a truly fulfilled life has a spiritual side to it. No one has taught you how important it is to listen to your heart.

      You can operate computers, fly to Mars, and so on and so forth, but you know nothing about your own soul. And yet true happiness can only come from the soul. Material things bring joy for a short time and they comfort you a great deal. But true and deep-felt happiness can only ever come from your soul.

      You’ve learnt to hustle and bustle to develop self-esteem. But being always on the go to get certain things done serves no higher goal.

      Yet doing things because they come from the soul does indeed serve a higher purpose and this kind of activity makes you, makes anybody, lastingly happy. Spiritual growth means opening your heart. You don’t have to acquire anything or learn anything to do that. Everything already exists within you. You only have to remember; simply let it happen!

      There are still many things to experience on this Earth, wonderful and sometimes wondrous things. As soon as you lift the veil from your eyes a little, you will discover them. Life is a wonderful journey and offers the most beautiful things to discover along the way. Life can be magnificent!”

      On hearing these words from Guruji, I was filled with a deep peace such as I had never known before.

      “Take some of the speed out of your everyday life, Tara, and leave yourself time to relax and think! Pause to take stock of things and enjoy the simple things in life – the flowers, the smile of another person...!

      How are you feeling, Tara? You look a little tired.

      We’ll end our small session for today. I think it’ll be good for you to go home now and begin with a time of stillness.

      Think about our first talk in peace and quiet and recover your strength! My thoughts will go with you. You can come back again whenever you want, my dear Tara!”

      Guruji folded his hands together across his chest and bowed slightly.

      Obviously my first induction with him had come to an end. At first I was a little sad, for in actual fact I no longer wanted to leave this place. It was a long time since I had felt as good as I did here with Guruji. But at least I had a lot of things to think about now! I bid farewell by also folding my hands and bowing slightly. Once more I looked into this loving countenance. Guruji gave me a smile and then I stepped onto the pier.

      After a few steps I turned around to waive goodbye to Guruji. But what did I see! At the end of the pier I saw the ferry boat and not the raft! I rubbed my eyes. It had to be a mirage. My head began to spin. Although I opened my eyes, closed them, and then reopened them, there was no change: the raft was gone !

      I looked at my watch. I couldn’t believe it: it was 4 pm. That was the exact time I had stepped onto the ferry, or rather the raft. Where had the time I had spent with Guruji gone to? Was everything only a dream? That couldn’t be. Guruji, the sun-filled light, the exciting talk. I knew I hadn’t dreamt it all. The whole thing was more than strange: where was the raft and where had the time gone? Questions upon questions. At first I was dismayed; but then I remembered the loving words of the wise Indian: “I’m there for you. You can come back again whenever you want!” When I thought of these sentences, the peaceful warm feeling swept through me once again. And then I knew I could trust Guruji and needn’t be afraid.

      Immediately I felt light and elated. Guruji’s words swirled around inside my head and I only wanted one thing: to get home and think about everything in peace and quiet.

      The next few days were very strenuous. Things were very hectic at the company and I had little time to reflect on the exciting conversation. There were never ending problems with developing the collection. Nothing went smoothly. Anna tried to help me wherever possible but I had to do most things myself. After all, I was responsible for everything in the end.

      Bit by bit the feelings and thoughts I had had subsided and the usual stress and the usual thinking patterns took over once again. Time to reflect – yes, but when? Pause to think, enjoy the simple things in life. Basically it sounds like a good thing, but reality is different. Very different. I can’t allow myself any mistakes. Business life today is like swimming around a shark-infested pool. You get eaten quicker than you can say fish finger.

      So there you go: “daily routine consumes the very fabric of our souls!” That’s just how it is.

      A pity really, the peace and quiet had done me good. For a brief moment I felt happy again, really happy.

      Guruji had asked me what made me happy. To be honest, I didn’t know. Not really.

      I like my job. I like my flat. I like my friends. Actually my life is okay.

      If only I didn’t feel this sense of emptiness so often. The feeling of that can’t be all, was that everything? And then I’m always on the lookout, searching for the sense in life. Yes that was it. That’s what Guruji had meant. Once more, it did me good to take a step back from my stressful life and pause for a moment to reflect. Seven days had now already passed since that magical encounter. I felt a yearning. A longing for Guruji’s warmth. A yearning for his wisdom.

      I picked up a fashion magazine to distract myself and redirect my thoughts back to the new collection. I really couldn’t allow myself any daydreams at the moment. There was enough to do without that. But no matter what I did, my thoughts kept wandering off. When was I happy? I was happy when I had bought that fantastic suit recently. Or during my last holiday on the beach, grilling at that rustic beach restaurant, that was also a time when I was really happy. In actual fact, these were only moments. But after all, such moments of happiness did exist in my life and they were a real source of energy for me. Such moments provide the strength and energy for what comes next.

      I continued to thumb through my fashion magazine and suddenly came across a report on India and the sentence:

      The greatest meaning in life comes from

      recognising oneself as a soul

      and striving to unite with

      the divine source.

      (Swami Vivekananda)

      It was a sign! It could only be a sign!

      For a moment I had the feeling that Guruji was there in the room with me.

      I had to go to him. It was an absolute must!

      And I had to do it immediately!

      For the first time in my life, I left everything else standing. Regardless of my responsibilities.

      For once, my strong sense of duty would simply have to take a back seat. I wanted and needed to see Guruji again.

      I quickly drove down to the river and walked along the riverbank till I reached the ferry landing pier. But there was nothing there. No ferry and certainly no raft. I was swept up by an endless sadness. Where could I find Guruji? Where should I start to look for him? I stayed there for awhile, staring out emptily and trying to think what to do. Then I suddenly noticed the ferry was landing at the pier. As if in a trance, without thinking, I went down the pier and stepped onto the ferry, and gave a cry of happiness: Guruji was there! I was back on the raft. How was that possible? Was it magic?

      But at that moment I didn’t care at all. The main thing was that my wise Indian friend СКАЧАТЬ