Did I attain Spiritual Enlightenment?

In May of 2015, when my teacher, Michele Herbert, author of The Tenth Door, extended to me the invitation to join her and others on this Spiritual Pilgrimage to India, the ashram experience provided certitude for my decision to accept.

Michel and her husband, Mehrad, had studied under Swami Veda Bharati for over 20 years, and had visited his ashram at the base of the Himalayas in Rishikesh, India, on multiple occasions.

For seven days, one-third of our visit, we stayed at the”daughter” ashram originally founded by Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama; Śrī Swāmī Rāma, who “left his body” in 1996.

In India, it seems, people do not “die” or “pass away,” rather, and more eloquently, they simply “leave their bodies.”

The full name of our ashram is Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama. Grama means “village” and Sadhaka means “spiritual seeker” in the Sanskrit language -thus we are “A village of spiritual seekers devoted to the teachings of Swami Rama of the Himalayas.” Built like a beautiful Meditation hill village, our ashram was established by Swami Veda Bharati in 2002.

On July 14^th, 2015, I received news from Mehrad that Swami Veda Bharati left his body. When I spoke with Michele on the phone late in afternoon the following day, she invited me to mediation at 8:00am the next morning on a beach in San Diego. I indicated that I would love to join, but kind-of tight to make it San Diego. Michele said “Oh, that’s okay, just tune-in.”

The next morning at 8:00am, I sat in mediation and “tuned-in.” I had never met Swami Veda, so I just opened my heart and my mind to his energy. A sense of calm, compassion, and peace, so easily enveloped me.

The following week as I continuing my physical training for my pilgrimage, I chose hiking as one of my cardio régimes. My personal trainer, “Flex Rico,” would rather have me on one of those life-force sucking machines at the gym, but I prefer to be out in nature.

I crammed my backpack with as much useful and heavy items as I possibly could; flash light, batteries, camera, binoculars, and enough water to fil a camel’s hump. The backpack set off the seat belt warning in my car, indicating that it was over 40 pounds, and this would be sufficient to help build core strength and stamina. I headed up the Southrim switchbacks of Alum Rock Park, and I began “speed hiking.” I observed that I was trying to out-pace my racing mind, as I contemplated my upcoming Spiritual Pilgrimage and the questions “If I were to attain Spiritual Enlightenment, what would that look like? What would I feel like?” As I summited, I halted as though I hit an invisible brick wall.

Feeling Swami Veda’s presence, I came to understand that with Spiritual Enlightenment comes great responsibility and takes an enormous amount of courage. Enlightenment, loosely termed, is a state of being. Enlightenment for me would be a constant state of compassion, forgiveness, and love for all beings.

Did I have what it takes to be compassionate? Sure, it’s easy with people and situations that are naturally easy. But what about those people who are difficult? Those that know how to push my buttons, and then sit back in amusement, watching the explosion as easily as if they are watching a mindless sit-com? I meditated on this, and came to a place where I could have compassion for the difficult people and situations in my life.

What about forgiveness?

{WARNING!!! If you think you are not ready for some heavy lifting go ahead and exit now and read my next post later.}

Was I ready for a constant state of forgiveness? Easy enough for the small stuff, right? What about the unspeakable? What about being able to forgive someone(s) who did something so abhorrent to me, to a child, to a nation? The question that came before me “was I able to forgive the most repulsive actions of others? What about 9-11? Could I forgive those people who brutally attacked my country? With sweat and tears running down my face, I said “yes”.

This opened my heart to love of all beings. I put myself in a constant state of love and let that shine from my heart like a beacon.

Since I have returned from India, to put it simply, I find myself in a constant state of amusement. I find amusement in those parts of myself that probably annoy my family and friends. I am amused at what I used to consider “short comings” in other people and situations.

Now, I feel en-lighter.

Sat Nam