A Letter

My Fellow Readers,

I first met Shubhraji in Dubai 2012, at a friend’s house, where she was discussing Ramana Maharishi’s book. Even though I am spiritually inclined, for some reason, I didn’t find her talk that fulfilling.

However, the next year, I attended her talk on Keno Upaniśad, and realized that I had a lot to learn from this loving and clever soul. It was explained beautifully, and apart from me using some of that information to explain to people I meet, I kept telling my meditation group, we should read and discuss that text. I was hooked to Shubhraji in 2013.

Then 2014, luckily I was made aware of her informal low-key visit. Mundakopaniśad was the text for our study discussion. It was too much to cover in 4-5 mornings, each about 75 minutes long, but again, she had an ever- lasting impact on me.

I became attached to her, her words resonated with me and I wanted her to visit my home at short notice. She responded by gracing our house, which was a wonderful experience (even though I didn’t get to spend much time with her, being involved in the behind the scenes preparation).

During the morning session we learned about an anuṣṭan or special vow. What an amazing word! She encouraged all of us to take a special vow to further our spiritual practice. It involves setting an intention and involving oneself in a practice for a specific number of days. She asked us to do something for forty days and experience the change within ourselves. On the final day of the morning series she asked me, “What is your anuṣṭan?”

I was taken aback, I knew a lot of my weak areas, and if I were instructed to delve into those realms to sort matters out, it would be very difficult for me. However, she made it easy, she told me to write the mantra I got from my kriya yoga, for 40 days, in a mid-sized book, specifically with a red pen. I didn’t ask her why the red color was critical.

“No material benefit might be realized, but the anuṣṭan will have its effect, not to worry,” were her instructions.

Well, that was not the scenario in my case, I saw the results firsthand! Soon enough a very material benefit was realized, and it has been so every day since then. Now with the anuṣṭan almost complete as I write, on day 36 or so, I feel saddened, that this anuṣṭan journey will come to an end.

To me, the benefit has been a motivated mind, vibrating at a much higher level of awareness compared to the usual lethargy I had experienced in every day life. So Shubhraji, there IS a material benefit, such is your grace!

My meditation, which I am personally quite attached to, has become even better. With a VERY CONTENT mind, I am truly happier in life. And with the nectar drops Shubhraji shared during her session on the Mundakopaniśad, it has amalgamated to make me a better and happier person.

My first thought of her, when she comes to my mind everyday is “majā -majā.” (a colloquial term in Hindi, which literally means fun- fun!) This phrase really caught on with me when she repeatedly said it in 2012 referring to people who generally want to only have fun from life. In fact I mistook her to be of Gujarati descent, but I was corrected she is from Lucknow, in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India.

The icing on the cake was a personal hand written letter from her to my wife Bhavika and me after her trip to Dubai, thanking us for the dinner at our home.

Can life be better? I am forever in debt.

Love from the fontanel,

Manish (Dubai)