When you are lonely and in darkness, bask in the sunshine of your soul…!

Often times, there may be no way out of a Life situation. There may be nothing, or no one, to guide you either. Not even a ray of hope. It may seem that it’s all over. That you can go no further in this dark, seemingly endless tunnel. This is the time, when you are pushed to a corner, when you are up against a wall, that you must make your journey inward.

To be sure, there are many methods to go inward. The one that works for me is a long walk in silence. In the silence that engulfs me, I often find my real self. I don’t mean that the environment around me is quiet. Hardly. My walks are often through busy roads. But when I drop anchor, I become silent. This silence is what restores faith in a hopeless situation. This silence is what leads the way to the light within. And whenever I reach that point, I am reminded of this immortal line by the 14^th Century Persian mystic and poet Hafiz: “I wish I could show you when you are lonely or in darkness the astonishing light of your own being.”

If you find it difficult to either conceptualize the inner journey or comprehend the power of your real self, let me explain this again differently. The human body is simply a vehicle. Anything material you acquire in this lifetime is temporary and perishable. Including your body and your name! But what powers this body, and makes you experience this lifetime, is the energy in you. And that energy is indestructible. So whatever you are going through or are faced with is impermanent. If it is pain and suffering, know that it too shall pass. So, why grieve? Know that the worst thing that can happen, if ever it does in the throes of your crisis, is that you could die because of your situation. But why fear or worry about a death which is inevitable? Besides, when you die you won’t even know you are dead – because only someone else can pronounce you dead! So, when nothing seems to work and you see no road ahead, go within and bask in the sunshine of your soul. Stay calm. Stay warm. Allow your inner light to awaken you to your true self. That’s what challenging and hopeless times are really for – to take you to the real you!