Come, Sit, Hear

The other day a note was left on my door, it was from my new Hindu friend Mr. Gupta. He left me the phone number and address of the center where he will be going for his 10 day of silence. Well, today near my walking trail, I saw him again -up on that picnic table. "Where have you been? I have been waiting for you." He seemed to be excited to see me. I told him, I work because I have to eat.

I thanked him for the note and told him, that I have started observing my breathing but that I can't sit with my legs crossed because my legs are so stiff. "Practice, practice, and patience." he said. And that I have to find my "dharma" or one's righteous duty or a virtuous path. "As cool is to water, and heat is to fire, you have a dharma," he continued. Hmm....my free guru, but I already know my righteous duty - to love God with all of my heart, my mind and soul.

He then went on to tell me a story of a learned and wealthy man with 2 wives (I didn't ask him why the man has to have 2 wives) who wanted to go to the forest and renounced what he had in the city. "Nothing in the forest except for him to come, sit and hear because it's very hard to be silent." I said, "Ooh, but I have a hard time not talking to myself." Mr. Gupta likes to laugh, he burst out laughing and said -"But you have to get rid of all that chickens in your head, too much vile." I wonder if he meant it literally because I told him last week that I am now planning to eat only fish and chickens and he is a pure vegan.

Our lesson lasted as long as I could stand it. He had more to share with me, but I had to run because I am meeting friends for lunch. We agreed to meet again after he comes back from his retreat, but mostly I want to see him again so we can go to a Hindu restaurant. By the way, I don't subscribe to any other doctrine, new age or otherwise, I only follow the doctrine of Jesus Christ, but I am open to listen to what others will share with me and filter which I can or can not use. Shabbat Shalom.