A lush green hillside; pines behind and a
grassy slope extending ahead. A narrow path winding its way along the hill some
metres behind where four young men sat. A breathtaking view of gently rolling
mountains as far as the eye could see. The slope in front running down to a
square walled structure in the distance; an aerial view of the Darjeeling
Central Jail, which had housed some famous people during the country’s struggle
for freedom from foreign rule…
Four friends barely in their twenties, on a
holiday just after graduating from college, enjoying a last trip together
before life would take them their separate ways. They walked a lot, they talked
a lot, they laughed a lot, they wondered a lot; about things like the jail in
the mountains below where they sat. Somehow in this picturesque setting, it did
not look very grotesque, from outside.
A softly warm sun. The drone of summer insects.
A cool breeze. Friendly banter. Lazy stretches and yawns.
A pleasant tinkle of children’s voices. The boys glance back to see them passing along the path, and they are transfixed!
Two little girls, oh so beautiful!
Hearts swell and rise in prayer. Blessings.
Good wishes. Prana.
An entreaty, “God grant them every happiness;
if there is any dearth in their share, give them some from mine…”
Shakti would remember.
……………………………………………………………………
And so it was on many occasions, for years to
come; the wondrous beauty of a young woman, the deeply etched face of an old
man, a lad not yet in his teens carrying a load of stones from a riverbed, a
young bride, workers sweating in the fields in the afternoon sun, a legless beggar
woman with a happy face dragging herself on a wooden plank mounted on old ball
bearings, a boy writhing in pain in a hospital, a choir of schoolgirls raising
their voices in a high soprano….. So it was on many occasions, for years to
come; an invocation would rise from the depths of the heart, “God grant them
every happiness; if there is any dearth in their share, give them some from
mine…”
The joy of the visions was enriching enough in itself.
God could take a bit from all the bounties he had bestowed and there would
still be enough, for this moment had been so wholesome in itself. Every time,
the experience was poignant enough for a lifetime, complete in its wonder, whole
in its thanks.
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The years kept passing, the prana kept flowing.
Adversity reared its frightening head many a
time, seemingly abundant and ever growing.
The mind started playing tricks; could God have
taken the prayers seriously and taken away from the share of joys to give to
those whom it was wished upon? Could it be taken literally? Shouldn’t there be
rewards for those who sent forth such prayers and blessings?
The hope of reward left a sense of guilt; self-doubts
somewhat diluted the fun of exuberant giving. The blesser’s own share of the
joys and comforts seemed to be depleting, and wishing away out of one’s share
seemed a bit scary – what if God granted each wish at face value?
Troubles, hardships, debts, doubts, illnesses,
tensions, stress of all kinds; have a life of their own, and are in constant conflict
with contentment and happiness.
The prana flowed lesser.
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Yet, every now and then, something would
overwhelm and bring tears of wonder and thanksgiving to the eyes. It just could
not be helped. When such a moment arrives, it is so strong that doubts and
caution have to be thrown to the wind; the joy, the life, the fun in the moment,
are overwhelming. God abounds. Blessings pour.
Prana flows.
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Bless on, dear heart! For all that you ever
owned was what you gave away. That includes love and affection, and hatred and
ill-wishes, goodness and blessings, compassion and care, time and effort, joys
and fun, smiles, good wishes, and a whole lot of tangible things, like money
and ‘belongings’.
And it does bounce back; does one know the amount
of ills that lay in store for one otherwise….
“Zeina Glo brings you
the radiant glow of inner peace, good health and attendant beauty.
Zeina Glo helps you strip off layers
of inhibitions, hesitation, and cynicism, allowing your thoughts and emotions
to flow freely.
Zeina Glo helps to douse the flames
of insecurity and guilt, to open the windows of mind and body to the cool fresh
breeze of love.
Zeina Glo encourages you to
spread inner peace, good health, radiance, exuberance, warmth,
joy and the glow from your inner being.
Zeina Glo brings the beauty of your
own thoughts back to you!!”
For, questions,
criticism or advice, please post comments here, or write to zeinaglo@rediffmail.com or zeinaglow@gmail.com
