Spiritual Travelogue—14 years, 38 Countries—Insights from the Field:
Tornado Alley, USA—the Yin & Yang of Life
We tracked this supercell for six hours. The base varied anywhere from the width of a mile to two miles wide.
A thought arose while watching these great storms capable of such beauty and destruction—how insignificant we are compared to Mother Nature, yet how complex we make our lives.
Divine Energies—Fuji San, Japan
Temples have been inspired by Meru, the cosmic mountain at the center of the universe surrounded by the elements. Mountains are sacred to many cultures, such as Olympus of the Greeks, Kailash in China, and this venerated abode of the gods. Indeed many temples were constructed in mountains and forests, and while direction varies upon beliefs, many face East to harness the rising energy of the sun.
“Danda” Swamis—the itinerant sages of ancient India.
I met him when I was a young lad, and he gave me a mantra that I use daily. Carrying a bamboo staff (Danda) as a sacred emblem of authority and self-restraint, he barely spoke, and when he did—it was in Sanskrit, one of the original languages derived from the subtle laws of creation of our pulsating universe. It is said that the face reflects our inner being—note his focus!
I fondly recall how he smiled, ever so slightly, when I asked if he had seen God.
Monument Valley, Utah—Dynamic Quietude
Navajo land is imbued with magical properties, mirroring certain ancient Tibetan beliefs of the Far East. The sun, after some prayers, came out for precisely a minute, and I nailed the picture! In this vibrant stillness, I realized that these iconic sandstone formations have been witness to our ancestors—it was a humbling reminder: make the most of every minute and live with no regrets.
Giza (Egypt) to Chichén Itzá (Mexico)—A Walk with History
Why is Chichén Itzá flat at the top?” This sole question ignited my research into fifteen world religions, and into the spiritual foundations of ancient civilizations—including Egyptian, Greek, Mesopotamian, Zoroastrian, Indian, Mesoamerican, and Andean—stretching back to 3500 BC.
What emerged was a profound appreciation for the astonishing interconnectedness across vast geographies and eras, and their resonance in modern practice. From reverence for Mother Nature; from sole to hierarchical gods and deities; from anthropomorphic symbolism and messianism to cosmic creation energies—manifest and unmanifest; from astrology and cosmic delusion to the integrated nature of soul and body, free will, afterlife, and the prevalence of formal practices.
Mother Nature, Music, and the Eternal Light
Listening to Hans Zimmer, Kishore Kumar, Vangelis, and A.R. Rahman, given these backdrops, was a journey into the rhythms of creation (AUM) resplendent in waves of light energy. Light is central in our lives—ranging from the transfiguration of Jesus into radiant light on Mount Tabor, to Buddhist practices of Dzogchen where monks transmute their bodies into pure light (Rainbow Body), to the joyous Hindu festival of Diwali honoring the triumph of light over darkness.