52 Meditation

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How I found my spiritual path

When my father asked me to write an article to his blog, lot of thoughts came up to my mind about my spiritual journey.

At that time I was a 12 year-old girl, living along with my family. I had comfort at home, I used to study at a good school and go to extra activities after class such as English and dancing classes. Somehow, even I had been enjoying such a good life, full of comfort, I heard a voice inside my heart that life was not only: being born, growing, studying, working, making some money and aging. I had felt there was another purpose for my existence on this planet, so I had started to study about… let´s say philosophical subjects, including religions. And so it had been for about 5 years, but I couldn´t find out something that really touched my heart.

So, when I first traveled abroad, I was 17, headed to Norway to visit my aunt who has been living there for a couple of decades. I was a teenager and my aunt didn´t want me to sightsee while she was working. So she gave me a book written in English, which title is “My Master” to read during her absence. In one of those days, my aunt invited me out to Alesund in the north of Norway. She told me: “you ought to see some snow, besides this is a nine-hour trip and you´ll love the view”. And then we went by train to that town.

During the trip I couldn´t stop reading the book she gave me, and she said: “Stop reading it for a while. Enjoy the view”. And I said: “Ok. Oh, it´s really beautiful”. - and in the following minute I started to read it again… because the message was really touching my heart, specially due to its simplicity, no money, no trade, no rituals. The only indispensible things are: determination and a willing heart in this path towards the Divine.

My aunt told me she´s been practicing that spiritual path and she´d take me to see an Indian friend, who could give me further explanations about it. We went there and he gave me a booklet containing the essential on the practice which is called Sahaj Marg.

After some days I came back to Brazil, and I wrote a letter to the headquarters in India, they answered me that I should get in contact with a person, who was in the closest center: Colombia. So, as requested as I did, and that person sent my letter to a Brazilian aspirant who has been living in Georgia, USA. And he finally released my letter to a preceptor who gave me the introduction on this spiritual path by distance.

So that was the way I first got in touch with Sahaj Marg and started practicing it.

You might be asking yourself why I am writing how I came to it, and I tell you that´s because although I had a confortable life, I felt something was missing inside. And those things outside couldn´t fulfill this emptiness. And it explains my search. When observing the human race I realize every one has this emptiness inside and tries to fill out with all kind of things… not only material, but emotional as well, and the fulfilling of this emptiness would be the Happiness itself.

But they can never reach Happiness like that. That´s what I figured out, when I was 12 years old. People were always looking forward to having things, but they were never pleased. It seemed there was always something missing. And all the expectations are driven outside for the relatives, for the job, for the kids, for external life in general. But friends, relatives or the things can never be what we expect, because as I, I am what I am, I am not what one expects me to be, so how come can I expect one to be the way I would like him/her to be? I know this is very logical, but sometimes we forget the logical in our lives.

So one thing that really captured my attention is that through meditation you can contact God inside, feel Him and at this moment you feel plenitude. It´s Happiness. And it´s so simple, sitting, closing your eyes, be quiet, and let your ego go, and let Him stay. Peace, relax, calmness are consequences of this spiritual journey, but not the goal.

If you would like to know more about this method, access:

www.srcm.org

With love,
Gisele
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Autora: Gisele Camargo Leal - Taubaté-SP - Brasil
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