It was the evening of the ‘festival of lights’ in India.
7 people were on top of the hill overlooking the city. Sara was pacing back and forth, waiting for the call to get through. Linda and Herc were leaning against a tree, holding hands and star gazing. Jamie was reading a book on meditation. Alex was busy checking his e-mails on the laptop. Ryan was arguing intensely with Jack on which brand of car was the fastest on the road.
After a while, Sara just gave up. She turned to face the others.
“Sorry, guys. I have just not been able to get through. He’s disappeared again, somewhere. It’s been over a week now. I wanted to surprise him. But now I finally gave up and left him a message saying we are all here today.”
“Hey, that’s okay. Thanks for getting us all together. It was a great idea to come together and celebrate the anniversary of the blog.”Ryan said. “It is also nice that today is the festival of lights and we all have the day off to get to know each other.”
“I still can’t believe, I am here with all of you, in flesh and blood. I have just read about you in the posts. It’s almost like we all came alive somehow, through the blog”, Linda said.
“Thanks for coming at such short notice folks.”, Sara said. “Specially you two – Alex and Jamie. I wanted it to be a surprise for him. It was a last minute idea and I am still amazed how it all happened so smoothly. All of you just happened to be in town during this week on work or were passing through in your travels.”
“Actually, I am not surprised”, said Alex. “There have been an awful lot of coincidences in my life since my encounter with him on Wall street.”
“I have the same experience too”, said Sara. Must be the result of choicelessness; I spent an entire day in that state once. I found myself moving randomly in the beginning, but then as I trusted to let go more and more, I started to feel lighter. The more I trusted my intuition, the easier it became to let go and just go with the flow.
“I have learned to face every situation without fear. I no longer worry about losing what is valuable. I feel that whatever it is I am part of is abundant, not scarce.”, Linda said.
“I used to be a control freak“, said Ryan. “I used to flare up in anger all the time with people. The surprise for me was that the more I stopped worrying about what will happen next, my mind became freer to focus on the immediate moment. I am more in control now, than before, but on the things that matter. Strange and difficult to explain”
“I don’t know about all that, but the beer just tastes better”, said Jack.
(the others looked puzzled)
“Hey, don’t give me that look, folks. I am not into this stuff yet. But I noticed that it is possible to enjoy beer better if you can bring your awareness to every sip you take. Earlier, I used to gulp down pitcher after pitcher of brew. These days, just a mug will do.Very enjoyable – this whole awareness thing.”
“Well, I guess every change for the better counts. What about you Herc?”, asked Alex.
“Huh?. I am still figuring out what my deepest desire is.”, said Herc. I know if I find it, I will be able to create a meaningful life and a meaningful career will surely follow “.
“But let’s remember the reason we all agreed to meet”, said Jamie.
“Yes, people.” said Sara, standing tall. “I really want to finish this treasure hunt. Let me put it this way. I know I am going to finish this treasure hunt. I can feel it in my bones. It is burning up within me. Each of us experienced something unique and discovered some important insight. But I feel we can only find the treasure if we experience all these insights together“.
“..Which is why we were all excited to come, of course”, Ryan agreed. “The idea was breathtaking in its simplicity. If we combine forces, like a team, somewhere, sometime, we are bound to crack it. I can feel it too. I tried hard to solve the treasure hunt on my own, but always hit a dead-end”.
“It’s as if each of us have been given a key to a door that needs 7 keys to come together, if it has to open“, said Herc.
“Oh my God! In all my years I have known you, Herc, that was the brightest thing I ever heard you say”, announced Jack.
(He quickly turned away to avoid Linda’s glare).
“But what is the treasure? Have you ever heard him speak of it?”, asked Alex.
“I have asked him several times directly, but he always avoided answering it. He said “what is the point if I use words to describe the treasure? You will look for it as if it were another object or person“.
(the others looked downcast).
“There was however, a weak moment one day, after I stuffed him up with ice-cream.” Sara said thoughtfully.
(the others became attentive).
“Tell us..what did he say?” pressed Jamie.
“He said,
You find the treasure Sara, in 1 moment. All moments till then, would have led you to it. All moments till then, would have prepared you for it. Till then, it is Mission Impossible. But when it happens, it all happens in just 1 moment.
In that 1 moment, all the cobwebs of the mind fall apart, with nothing to hold them.
In that 1 moment, you taste freedom
In that 1 moment, your deepest desire is met.
In that 1 moment, your original face is revealed.
In that 1 moment, you see the door to immortality
And what can you say to describe that moment later, Sara?
A rude shock, because you have seen perfection itself.
A huge sense of relief, as if a mountain you have been carrying has fallen off your back
A feeling that you have seen home, after billions of years of wandering in the wilderness
An understanding that makes all other knowledge redundant
An end to all your sadness, fear, anxiety of the future
Tell me gal, what words can one use to describe it?
Except, ‘Aha!’
(the others sat still for a long time, even after Sara finished. No one moved. All that could be heard was the rustling of leaves on the hilltop.)
“Good grief. That is so so beautiful”, said Linda, clearing her throat.
“If at all there has ever been a reason to live for, this is it”, said Ryan.
“Makes any other pursuit look like kindergarten sport”, agreed Alex.
“Unfortunately that was the first and last time, he spoke about it”, said Sara.
“You should have stuffed that hippopotamus with another round of ice-cream and chocolate cake. Then, he might have given away more”, whispered Jack, still in awe of what Sara had said.
“You said it very well Sara”, said Jamie appreciatively. “For a while, it looked as if he was speaking to me in person, through you.”
“Thanks Jamie. I guess I have been around him for so long, it’s starting to take its toll on me”, grinned Sara.
(Suddenly, her phone beeped loud, startling everyone)
“It’s him”, said Sara, checking her phone. Oh! It’s just e-mail. It says “Hi all, happy festival of lights. I am sorry I spoiled your surprise, but I have to complete some tasks for a teacher. I can’t say when I’ll be back, as I won’t return till I have finished them. Join me in posting your stories online. Have faith. Remember what was said long ago:
When the fully enlightened ones do not appear
And when the disciples have disappeared
The wisdom of the self-enlightened ones
will arise completely without a teacher.
So, good luck with the hunt and I hope to see you at the end.
”
“What??! Now we are on our own?!”, exclaimed Jack. “As if we needed a new challenge or something. What next? Solve world hunger along the way?”.
“This whole journey is too stomach-churning. Like a ride on a roller-coaster without seat belts on”, groaned Ryan.
After taking a moment to consider the situation, Alex continued. “I think Sara should lead us, even after we leave this place today and head back to our homes. Of all his friends, she and possibly Jamie know him the best”.
“But I am just a college student. All of you here have far more experience in the world than I have; and far more resources at your disposal”, protested Sara.
“We are probably more conditioned as a result of that, to be honest”, said Ryan. “Alex is right. I have so far approached it as if it were a project to be completed or a problem to be solved. That didn’t take me anywhere. You have a fresh mind; You don’t have much to unlearn. And there are many clues you can recall from past conversations you had with him. Any piece of info can help us; Point us to them. Together we will connect all the dots.”
“This is putting too much pressure on me”, protested Sara.
“We used to be 7 lonely people, Sara”, said Jamie, reaching out for her hand. “And there are possibly a billion others just like us, searching for purpose, stranded on this rock that we call earth that is falling through space. Many others who walked the earth before us have found the treasure. If they can, we can too. Have faith. We have each other; We will complete this treasure hunt, one way or another, in this lifetime.”
Alex said “As for resources, my dear girl, we will spare no money or effort. I have already set up a foundation, a trust funded by me and others, to support serious seekers with the money and resources needed. We’ll get there individually and help each other get there as well.
What we have embarked on, my dear, is not just an intellectual challenge. It is the defining treasure hunt for anyone living in this millennium. My dream is for a day when every serious seeker of the treasure realizes that he doesn’t walk alone. This will not be a lonely planet anymore.”
(and the silence took over the group again. But this time, it was a silence that was comforting. Not a silence of loneliness; but a silence of connection. A connection that was bigger than any of them individually. A connection that they somehow felt extended to include a number of beings, across lifetimes and life paths).
(They sat together on the hilltop till dusk, and saw the fireworks light up the skyline over the city. It was a panoramic display of light. It was a day of great happiness in the city as people celebrated the triumph of good over evil and the dispelling of all darkness by the power of light.)
(and Sara suddenly had a flash of memory– it was like a voice from a distant past, though she couldn’t place it.)
“On the day of lights, seven lamps will be lit, so they can light another seven thousand. The hooded snake will guard the treasure again”.
“You know folks…I just realized…this is the first post which the Urban Monk won’t be writing”, said Sara, snapping out of the memory. It’s odd because, for the first time, we are all in it, but he isn’t.”
“Yeah. On the day all our stories finally converged, the reason behind those stories has disappeared.” said Herc and Linda nodded appreciatively at him.
“So, Sara…Tell the story on behalf of all of us”, grinned Alex. “I know you’ll write our posts the way it is meant to be written”.
“I hope so”, said Sara.
Gee Monk,
This whole episode sounds and reads eerie… much like a Spielberg movie. Gives me a vague feeling that you have let loose your trusted followers to fend for themselves and reach the ultimate treasure through their own efforts…individually through their contributions of understanding the GAME and collectively by sitting together and deciphering what it all MEANS…more cryptic than the da Vinci code…!!!
I suppose all MEANS justify the ENDS but like i said before this kinda gives a creepy feeling that all of us are left alone in the wilderness with some basic insights to fend for ourselves. Gives me the chills and goosebumps when i think i need to write a thesis like “Goepositional Control of Satellite in Space” without someone able as Dr.Abdul Kalam to guide me through… Cheerssssss.
KK
Aw! You underestimate their determination to succeed. By the way, glad you brought this up. They are not my followers. Followers are like sheep. Sheep surrender their power to the one leading them.So they can be led astray. True Seekers are like lions. They create their own means and will never stop till they reach their goal. This treasure hunt is for lions.