Why is this gorgeous serpent challenging us with that wicked look? I’d like to think it’s because—in the mythological consciousness of earth folk—the snake represents both death and rebirth, torment as well as wisdom; wisely, it shucks off its old skin when it’s time for a change, and reveals a strikingly patterned new sheath right beneath. And yet, while this fascinating creature symbolizes the higher wisdom that should naturally arise with the passage of time, how many of us focus on spiritual evolution?
And now 2014 is here, begging the six trillion rupee question: what do you plan to do with me, honey? Don’t watch out, and I’ll be gone in the metaphorical wink of an eye…an evanescent dream, a fistful of fairy dust, a wisp of cirrus…no different than all those other years that have sped past since you slipped out of your mama’s womb.
Time passes so swiftly that I sometimes look back on distant events and wonder whether I dreamed them up. What happened, for instance, to that hip era when the beautiful people were using psychedelics and raving about spotting Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds? Oh no, here I go again, dating myself falsely…truth be told, when the Beatles exploded on to the international music scene, I was but a mewling puking infant—as the Bard of Avon so fondly described little ones; if I even thought about beetles at the time, you can bet they were the creepy crawly kind.
Cutting to the chase, what brought humanity from there to here? Time did. And here we are again, with yet another artificially packaged segment of three hundred and sixty-five days stretching tantalizingly ahead.
I’ve come to view time as my most precious asset—and for this I bow my head to a guru whose teachings jacked me out of Manhattan’s mainstream melee and set me loose in an uncertain world—so I could uncover the truth of my greater Self before I got too doddery to care about anything but where I’d left my dentures.
Let me turn back the metaphorical clock to the mid-90s so you can get an idea of how my radical guru (at the time) harangued his flock: hey, people, think you’re pretty cool, do ya? Earning big bucks in the Big Apple, armed with an all-black wardrobe, and noshing at a new bistro every night, right? Some of you even have impressive titles, doncha? Heh heh heh…I hope that while you’re sweatin’ so hard to look slick, you won’t forget the price you’re paying…which is the one thing no one can ever recompense you for—your precious time! Beware, people! Corporate slavery takes a heavy toll on body and mind and dims inner fire….if you really want to figure out the big stuff—the meaning of life, death and whether there is such a thing as enlightenment—start your inner journey now!
I listened to him. I truly did. As a result, after trying to escape angst in a variety of self-destructive ways, killing time (and myself into the bargain) is no longer an option. And yet millions of earth’s privileged continue to spend hours every day watching cable that titillates but leaves one feeling drained; quotidian hours drift by aimlessly surfing the internet; and corporate and other slaves frantically work their personal treadmills so they can pay for their addictions to technology, gourmet food, designer wear and whatnot.
Most of us forget that vast numbers of humanity teeter on the edge of survival, minus the luxury of time and resources with which we’ve been graced; we forget—and this applies even to those of us with dependents—that we can choose to live simpler lives, and drop the burden of worrying about what the rest of this ephemeral world thinks of us. (Truth is, the Mugginses are so frenetically engaged in trying to kill time themselves they have little to spare for anyone else…unless, of course, you are a celebrity, relishing those fifteen minutes of fame Andy Warhol spoke of with possibly mingled foresight and disdain.)
So, if you’re not doing what you really want to be doing—that which evokes deep inner satisfaction—there’s no time like today to start. One thing I can promise you is that while the initial going can get rough, you won’t regret it.
Oh, and before I forget, this post is also to THANK every one of you from the heart for supporting our blog….and to let you know that we have decided to take a break in order to focus on other projects. Raj—who handles the technical side of things and so much more—plans to deepen his Vichara (Self-Investigation) here in the sacred shadow of Arunachala; I will be doing that too, as well as plunging into working out the kinks in my second novel, Krishna’s Counsel—Metaphysical Crime Fiction, set both in India and in Manhattan.
Here is the rough back cover text for Krishna’s Counsel:
Krishna’s Counsel sweeps you back into the sleepy 1960s in Bangalore, south India, into the heart and mind of a fiery young girl whose domestic circumstances begin to disintegrate under the sword-thrusts of emotional dysfunction and eerie death. Pia flowers into womanhood desperately seeking peace; fortunately her Uncle Hari introduces her to a magnificent view of eastern philosophy, partly epitomized by the poignant scene in the Bhagavad Gita when Lord Krishna advises the quailing warrior Prince Arjuna to pick up his great bow Gandiva and rout the corrupt foe, regardless of the consequences. And yet Pia is so overcome by her demons that she abandons her roots and elopes to Manhattan with an American businessman. A decade later Pia is tracked down in the Big Apple and informed that her father is dead and that she is his only heir. Compelled to return to south India to deal with the legal aspects of her inheritance, Pia struggles to cope with a phalanx of old ghosts when horror strikes again—and she is forced by supernatural agents to heed the timeless advice of Lord Krishna as she finds herself on the trail of a charming psychopath who will stop at nothing to kill her….
I do hope that when this saga emerges from my creative womb, you will enjoy both the temporal and mystical adventures of Pia at least as much as I am enjoying writing about them.
Happy 2014!
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mira prabhu 
Congratulations! Mira, with your excellent start.
Narrative outline is already attractive.
I like the idea of snake’s dual power, Kundalini, I supposed.
Khin Zaw
Khin Zaw, thank you…yes, the snake appears to have a powerful grip on the human imagination and connotes so many different things — i used to be fascinated by them even as a little girl….I do hope you will read Krishna’s Counsel in final draft form — let me know if you are interested and I will put you down on my list of serious readers — it will be quite a while before I reach that stage, and you can always change your mind! By the way, I did not receive anything from your friends — I don’t mind if they did not post it at all, but hope nothing got lost in the mail. Best!
Mira,
Let place me as a serious reader. It’ll be honored for me.
I’ll ask our friends about the post.
May be they are occupied with new place, people, and occupation.
As I get information, relay to you!
Great stuff Mira, as usual. Love your sixties imagery and the guru’s diatribe to the Manhattanites.
I can see that you would have gotten along well with this teacher, Caroline – and that eventually you too would have left him — like the Buddha, who studied with many teachers…and moved on when he had got all he could…this particular teacher was incredible — i still use what he gives me on a daily basis – one of the teachings was his version of Mahamudra–i transcribed all his tapes and put a rough draft together for publication…don’t know what happened, but i used that draft to write the post — MAHAMUDRA-THE SEVEN FLAVORS OF SAMSARA — and i can tell you that teaching has helped me enormously…along with all the rest of that condensed Geshe degree.
Happy New Year Mira… So true… the fleeting passage of time… and for what purpose do we live… Getting caught up in the “hustle and bustle” of life is the hypnotic path we walk for so many years. I am currently “taking stock” myself. I quit a job on New Year’s Day that was consuming me. I don’t really know what awaits in 2014, but it is certainly not going to be the night work that has occupied most of my waking hours since moving to New Mexico. Your post helped me reflect on what it is that I want to spend my latter years doing. I turned 65 back in September. I am officially a ‘senior” now! And yet, I don’t feel too senior yet. I have mostly younger friends; many of whom say that I don’t look 65, but someone who may be ten or so years younger. I guess I still have some remnants of the “baby-face” I came into this world with!
Your thought about answering the passion within, or, as you so ardently put it… “if you’re not doing what you really want to be doing- that which evokes deep inner satisfaction- there’s no time like today to start.” That really resonates with me! I believe this is the year I “find myself,” and your sharing in this blog has evoked this statement. We will see how our year unfolds… Yes?
I wish you the best as you delve into your new novel. Thank you for all your sharings over the many months since I joined your blog community. They have served to remind and inspire me on my own spiritual journey which has been dampened by the blows life has sent my way. You have also reminded me, Mira, that we ALL have blows, but it is how we respond that counts… not the blows themselves!
Love and Light, BroDave
Dave, I hope you found Peace in New Mexico. I have. But I’ve spent a lot of time Outdoors alone. But then I’ve never really ‘needed’ others to feel complete. One thing we have a lot of here in NM? Wide Open spaces & Solitude.
Dave, so good to hear from you and in your usual honest way…I am glad this post resonated with you…and yes, perhaps it may be time for a BIG CHANGE in your life..I wish all the very best for your onward path – and have faith that if you keep your heart wide open, you will know what you have to do. It is said that we heal stronger in the broken places. Something like that anyway — i tend to mangle sayings sometimes. Stay close!
Thank you for your wonderful heartfelt response, Mira… I will be here when your blog starts up again. OM Shanthi, David Sadasiva
I see you’ve been quite busy Mira. A very attractive Site you and Raj have put together. Hopefully others will follow your lead. While it is not necessary to become a Monk, or even Devout in following Buddha. Simply Being Aware of His Beliefs can shade ones Thinking & Philosophy to the Betterment of Self & Others.