by Christopher Greenwood
Day 71 Lesson – The bus is moving
This morning is quick packing again for the next location. We will now be making our way back towards Palakkad, Kerala, for the Shirdi Sai Baba Pratishta Dinam function on the 25th, 26th, and 27th of January.
Yesterday was a really interesting day for me. We’ve been doing a lot of activities again (the same as every other day, right from early mornings until late at night, the day is full of activities). It started in the morning with a visit to a land which somebody had gifted to Mohanji. It was a beautiful sight to behold (location – very remote); at the moment, there’s a coconut plantation there as far as the eyes can see. Something really unique is being planned for that piece of land; I’m excited to see that come to fruition.
Mohanji has been visiting places and connecting with people, and there is a real momentum coming together for something really good in the future. The pace, as I’ve mentioned before, is very quick; it’s very intense. There’s no time to take some rest or to take it easy or for lethargy to creep in.
I was thinking about this a little bit more this morning because, for me, it’s almost as if the travel that I’ve been able to join Mohanji in is a micro version of the macro version, which is – movement has to happen when you’re with Mohanji. There’s no time to be dwelling on what has been or what might come. It’s now. It really is living in the moment now, being aware of everything.
As we’re moving so quickly, everything has to be organized; everything has to be in its place, and we have to be prepared. If I let a little bit of tightness or lethargy creep in, or maybe don’t have things ready, it can be a rush to catch up again. If I’m not completely aware of what we’ll be doing, then it’s very difficult to continue the rest of the day. There’s a bit of a destabilization, so to stay stable and to be able to do my other work, everything has to be in order – in the right place at the right time.
As Mohanji moves through the day, this is the observation that I have: there’s no real discussion of where we are going next to make sure you are prepared and have everything needed. You’re expected to be aware of what’s happening. He just moves; he goes. It will just be as quick as, “Okay, we’re going here now; this is happening now.” You have to be ready to move with that as well quickly. There’s no, “Okay, give me 10 minutes; I’ll be ready in that time.” You have to be ready then, and you’re going – it’s fast-paced.
I was thinking, the lesson that I took from this morning is – this is probably a smaller version of his general direction, his pace, and also his destination. Mohanji has always said, “That at any point in time if things become too much, or you want to go back, no problem, you’re free to go. But just remember where you’re going back to – you’re going back to comfort zones, going back to habits, going back to patterns.”
Generally, he has spoken earlier that he’s got a destination to reach. He’s happy for as many people to come on that journey as they want, but he has to move. He speaks of the bus analogy; he can sort of stop the bus or park the bus for a certain amount of time, but it has to move. So for all people who are stopping, or who may have left him, or who may have decided it’s not completely for them at that time, to catch up is very difficult.
I experienced this on a daily basis, trying to catch up with the pace, so over a longer amount of time, I think it would be very difficult.
That’s the lesson which I wanted to share today. I’m also taking away that it is really about being aware now of the moment that I have, the opportunity that I have, and that all of us who have been connected to Mohanji have. Because like he says, “There are no dress rehearsals in life.” There’s no Okay, I’ll have a practice, and then I’ll give it my real go. It is now, the moment is now, and life is now. And if we’re not living in the now, then we’re not living the truth of what we have, which is the moment that’s right in front of us.
Now, it’s becoming a daily reminder of the small, minute to minute, hour to hour interactions and of the speed of the program for my much larger objective and purpose of where I personally want to go to.
Day 72 Lesson – Standing by those who trust him
Yesterday, we left Kannur to travel back to Calicut. For me, it’s been a complete, fast-track introduction to the culture and lifestyle of South India. I’m enjoying all the different experiences and exposures provided, especially the breakfast, dosa and vada, which are really tasty. The scenery and greenery too, it’s very beautiful, even if it’s only just witnessing, as we pass by all these nice places in the car because there’s definitely no time for sightseeing.
This trip has been quite interesting for me because I’ve noticed that a lot of the trip, Mohanji has been spending time catching up with old school and college friends. We’ve driven through the various towns and cities; we’ve been meeting all the different friends, and also, I’ve been able to see all the places where Mohanji spent his youth; his school and his family home as well and other locations have been pointed out along the way.
What’s lovely to witness is that, even though so many years have passed since he met his friends, the coming together is like the same connection they had when they were either at school or college. For example, they used to go and see feature films all the time during their college days and other experiences that different friends have shared too. It’s good to see that those relationships have stood steady; they stayed strong even after many years of not meeting. For me, it shows that regardless of what has happened and the changes in Mohanji’s life, he still stayed the same with them in that connection. There is a deep affection, and it is as if time has never passed.
One particular meeting yesterday was touching for me because it truly showed how Mohanji stands by those who trust in him. It was a visit to the family of a man who was a close friend of Mohanji during his earlier years and also his days when he was working in Muscat. I can’t share the full details and don’t want to because it’s not my story to tell. But I can share the main points.
This man was a businessman in Muscat. One day he called Mohanji and told him that despite having all the connections in business, all the associates, and all the friends, it was only Mohanji that he trusted.
Mohanji took this as a joke and said, “How come you became so sentimental all of a sudden, this isn’t like you.” They had the conversation and left it at this. The next day (it was very far from a joke), the man had a tragic accident, which left him in a vegetative state. He had his wife and children too, and at that time, his wife called Mohanji because he had also spoken to her and said that there was only really Mohanji that he trusted in his life. So she contacted Mohanji about this situation, and he gave himself fully to help.
It was a very complex story; Mohanji shared with us a lot of details about it. He had to support them in many ways, but the result essentially was that she was supported. He did his duty that he had towards his friend who trusted him so much. One of the outcomes is that the standard disability payment would have been 5,000 Riyals in that country, but Mohanji managed to arrange through whatever ways that it became 30,000 Riyals. The only condition was that they couldn’t meet; (Mohanji and this lady) because he didn’t want anybody to think that he was part of that situation to take any money as that’s how society will see things. At that time, Mohanji’s friend’s son was only four, as all this happened in the early 2000s.
Yesterday, we visited her and her family, and it was a really warm welcome. Mohanji spent a good time talking to her son, who’s now a very successful man in his own right. Mohanji reconfirmed that his support was always there. Mohanji invited the son to breakfast this morning, where he was introduced to contacts and well supported.
The whole story has many finer details, which are quite remarkable. What I take from it, what I’m witnessing is that Mohanji stood by this man, even though the circumstances were very challenging. From all the interactions that I’ve seen as well between Mohanji and his friends, he still stands by them all. He actually stands by anyone who places their trust in him.
|| JAI BRAHMARISHI MOHANJI ||
Edited & Published by – Testimonials Team, 31st Octber 2021
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