I’ve got spirit and the Dalai Lama to thank for guiding me back to a more regulated meditation. And, maybe I should also add, a rude driver that cut me off when I was turning onto Finch Avenue. It was just before New Year’s, and I was driver around trying to get all the ingredients I needed for a special New Year’s Eve dinner for my husband and me, when some blankety-blank silver Lexus shot out of one lane and zoomed into the shoebox-sized space between my car and the one before me. I jammed on the brake, grit my teeth, then thought, I’m going to show that (insert your favourite word here) driver! And just before I put my foot to the gas pedal, a voice in my head said three very wise words:
Do no harm.
I took a deep breath, then another, to calm myself, and watched the silver Lexus zoom up the road, leap-frogging from one lane to another. People shouldn’t drive like that, I thought, then realized: But what can I do about it? Just keep myself safe, I guess. Look forward to enjoying the steak and shrimp I was planning for tonight’s meal. So I drove home carefully, made myself a cup of tea, then sat on the couch and chose a book from the stack of material I’d put aside to read over the holidays.
The book I picked up was the Dalai Lama’s How to Practice: The Way to a Meaningful Life.
It just took a few paragraphs to engross me, and I read for several hours. What leapt out from those pages was His Holiness’ credo: “Do No Harm.” Wow, I thought. An hour ago, my blood had been boiling, and I felt like my car’s license plate said ROAD RAGE. Something in me needs to shift, I thought. The holidays were driving me crazy. And then I heard, Do no harm…
That’s when I realized I hadn’t taken the time to sit still and meditate in awhile. I’d gotten too busy with my classes, my family, the holiday running around, visits from out-of-towners, buying gifts… Yes, that was my problem. I was so concerned with other people’s presents, I forgot about my own presence.
How long had it been since I last meditated? It seemed like years, even though I’m sure it might’ve been a couple weeks at most. I needed to reconnect with spirit. So I went into my office and turned the lights low. Then I put on some quiet meditation music, said a prayer, sat back and relaxed, and welcomed the tranquility.
My intention was to truly live the words “Do no harm” and, hopefully, get closer to my guides, who I felt I might’ve grown away from these last couple weeks. I meditated for about 20 minutes that afternoon, and the same time the next day, and the next. The first couple times back to my practice, I saw and felt nothing. A blank screen, like I was sitting in a darkened movie theatre. Perhaps I was watching the inside of my eyelids. But that was fine. I had no expectations. I figured I was getting what I needed. A ticket to Relaxville.
The next afternoon was different. I meditated with the blank, black screen, and suddenly they were there. A face looking at me, and in my mind’s ear, I heard “I am here!” And one by one, my four guides telepathically told me their names and talked to me:
AHMED is a brown-skinned, bearded man who wore a sultan’s cap. His purpose is to help me understand different cultures. I’ll teach you to see that ‘All is one,’ he said.
LAGSHMI is an East Indian woman filled with Mother Earth energy. Her purpose is to teach compassion and love, both in my message work and in my everyday life.
RULMI is a Maori warrior, a stocky man with wavy, thick night-black hair framing his face, which was painted with tribal symbols. He is fierce, yet quiet, and his intense eyes are always watchful.
The ASCENDED MASTER didn’t give me his name, but I feel he’s a high spiritual leader who has had an intense human experience. He is behind me for support, and he will lead me to certain books that will help my soul progression.
I thanked each of these spirit guides for touching in with me, then came out of my meditation. The experience of meeting them filled me with great happiness and peace, and I promised myself I that – even if my next meditations didn’t involve interacting with my guides – I would do my best to continue my meditation practice.
And, who knows? Perhaps, down the road, I’ll find out my guides have changed, because I’ll have put into practice the lessons Ahmed, Lagshmi and Rulmi gave me to learn. And if a silver Lexus should jump out at me from traffic – I’ll say a quick prayer, remember to do no harm and hope that hurried fellow finds peace.
If you have any questions or comments on this subject or on any other spiritual matter, feel free to write me at mail @ carolynmolnar.com. And please visit me again!