You Are the Maker Of Your Destiny

The doorbell rang with a continuous double peal, Sharanya knew it was Shefali. Only she had that impatient way of announcing herself.
The sisters shared a warm embrace. Six months had gone by since they had last met. Rahul, Shefali’s son, got busy with Sharanya’s four legged ‘babies’, as she referred to them – Mowgli, Betty and Zorro. Their exuberance and love filled the environment with buoyant joy.
Shefali went to meet the other members of the family and was overjoyed to see her brother-in-law, who had been bed ridden due to a paralytic stroke, now up and about, though somewhat dependent for his mobility.
Lunch over, while her sister dealt with some work related to the family business, Shefali found a quiet spot in the garden to laze and be. She soon got restless and went to chat with Sharanya in the ‘bureau’ room.
“Didi, take a break, will you…there is so much I need to talk to you about…”
“Yes, Shef, that’s why I was wrapping up for the day…”
Sharanya switched off the computer and took a good look at Shefali. “You are looking just great…there is a kind of restful look about you…something that goes beyond simply looking physically good…”
“Yes Di, I have been working hard on myself, practicing all that I learnt from you, as much as I can.”
“Shef, my dear, that’s so nice. You must set aside some space for yourself, meaning – the inner you. You buy such fancy things for the outer you…matching your ensemble right down to the shoes and nail paint, oh, yes…and the colour and shine of your hair. So too, the inner you needs attention. It is an investment where the benefits are manifold and ceaseless. The time that you give yourself does not need any expenditure, nor does it require any outer travel. The only ‘traffic jam’ here is created by your thought process and that too slips away when you gently draw your attention back to your breath.”
“But Didi, I am far from being a ‘pro’ at it. I slip out of my routine sometimes… and there are times when I get trifle restless and angry, as though I am getting nowhere… stagnating.”
“Listen Shef, any and every kind restlessness in reality is a restlessness for the divine…the divine which is right within you….which is you…your inherent truth. Everything else fades away with time but this remains sublime. Remember it is you who has to decide whether you are a human being having a spiritual experience or a spiritual being having a human experience. That is a unique quote from Pierre Tielhard de Chardin and he also said that the world is round so that friendship can encircle it. Isn’t that beautiful?
Love is the answer to everything, sister dear. Anger has its roots in irritation…that initial feeling of irritation is the tell tale sign that anger is building up…nip it there and then…bring the spotlight back to your breath…let go…remind yourself you don’t need to give in and be swallowed by  anger… Everyone is doing their best in the circumstances they have been placed…you not only harm yourself but the environment too when you give in to temper. The heart is where Beloved Bhagawan resides…if you fill it with any kind of negative emotion…will you know the peace of His presence…do you then leave Him any room to reside in comfort…in a pleasant atmosphere? Love makes us joyful within, and such radiant feelings not only help you remain healthy and fit ‘all’ the time, it radiates off your aura showering the surroundings with goodness and positivity. Hey, don’t you want to be known as – Shefali, the radiant princess!”
“Hmm, yes Didi, I know for sure that is the reason why you glow, it seems as though there is a thousand watt bulb beneath your skin. It’s those happy feelings inside of you…it not only attracts people to you, but animals sense it too…and birds invariably come to you when they are injured or need help…
“Wait Didi, what I actually wanted to ask you was something else. Now look what you have done…you know how easily I forget things and you have as usual succeeded in distracting me.”
“Shef, when you focus on your breath and remain centered, you learn to remain in the present…in the now. A kind of awareness creeps in, you are no longer troubled by a million scattered thoughts, no longer given in to distractions…because your breath trains you to let go and live, not merely exist.”

“Okay, okay Didi, I got it…what I am really amazed at is Dev’s improvement. That stroke had left him paralysed and bedridden. I am overjoyed to see your husband sitting up and moving about even though it’s with the help of a walker. He seems to be getting back mobility in his limbs. God is great and so are you, Didi. What have you been doing? Tell me more, I can see that smile.”
“Truly, Shefali, at every step I have had to work on myself, and at every step with every breath, Beloved Bhagawan’s presence is the only thing that made any sense. The sole gratifying factor! It’s a process, Shef…let me put it this way…you need to be patient with yourself…put up a ‘work in progress’ board. You may slip, fall, lag behind, may not meet the deadlines you have set yourself…pick yourself up and surge ahead. I was determined not to give in or give up or be overwhelmed by circumstances. If He has brought me to it, He will see me through it. It’s all about learning to let go and let God. That ‘all is as it should be’ feeling. I have been practicing Ho’oponopono too…will tell you about this later. The only thing that shatters me is when I let doubts enter – for doubts, my dear, show lack of trust in God. All kinds of negative forces enter when you grumble, that’s what Mother Mirra from the Pondicherry Ashram says.
Whenever I am faced with a situation, somehow I get to read Swami’s statements, this time it was – Love God with no other thought. Then you become His and He becomes yours. No problem remains a problem, my dear sister, when you know yourself to be His special child and acknowledge Him as your very own.
Sow an action, reap a tendency; Sow a tendency, reap a habit; Sow a habit, reap a character; Sow a character, reap a destiny. You are the maker of your destiny. You can do or undo it.
And so, following Bhagawan’s words as the axiomatic truth, I decided to undo some parts and redo some.”
“Oh! Lord, Di…how can you possibly do that?”
“It’s the intent and the intensity, Shefali. There is abundance in the Universe and its just waiting to come your way. It’s already present in the ether. You just need to dream of it…visualise it and empower it to make it happen…be ready, so to say, to receive it. I just kept picturing Dev healthy and well…moving about…playing with the children…with the dogs too…and I made sure he has vibhuti and water. At meal times I see to it that I encircle the food and water with that radiant feeling of love – consciously aware that I am charging it with cosmic energy, with the intention that it will heal him.”
“So Didi, this can work with anything…I mean this visualizing and empowering it with intent and intensity?”
“Yes, Shef dear, anything which is positive and beneficial. I am working on something close to my heart right now.”
“Di, the only thing close to your heart or rather in your heart is Swami…now wait a minute…are you doing what I am thinking you are…? Gosh Di, are you picturing Him back. I know how devastating ‘that’ news has been…but seriously are you attempting what seems near impossible. I say ‘near’ because you can do anything, Didi…you have that quiet intensity, strength and focus…are you really…? …Come to think of it, why not…? That is the only thing that makes sense in this chaotic world…His presence…the only redeeming factor…the most precious ‘anything ever’…the Sathya Sai era is not over, as you often like to remind everyone…are you chuckling silently, Didi?”

“Ah! I notice, little sister, you are finally beginning to see the light. You could start an investigating agency at the rate you are catching up on things. I am letting out all my secrets with no copy rights… Yes, yes, yes. I am dreaming big time now. The Return of the Avatar on hoardings everywhere…wondrous captions and banners…huge gathering of devotees who are shouting with great glee and gratitude – Welcome Back…Thank You for returning and resuming Your Darshans, Thank You, Swami we love You…etc. I am picturing the crowds, feeling the excitement…reading the news headlines and watching the live telecast of this astounding Cosmic event… Oh! just the thought automatically brings such radiant feelings…my soul smiles, every cell is awake with longing, Shef. Besides, I am not doing anything wrong, am I? All of Creation stands to benefit from these thoughts and through the grant of the Cosmic Grace of Abundance – the astonishing outcome of these thoughts. And He is the greatest Avatar…
You know, Shefali, Anandamayi Ma, the bliss permeated Bengali saint, widely acknowledged as an aspect of Shakti, when her devotees asked her to speak about Swami, she said – He is the most powerful Avatar ever to come to Earth. And there won’t be another at His level for 60 centuries…can you imagine that? This Avatar can do anything!
The Universe is God’s dream, Shefali…and God – Beloved Bhagawan is my Universe and my dream and so, Shef dear, I am dreaming up my own Universe…would you like to be a part of it too…and journey with me to a place full of light and love sans inhibitions. Shef…Shefali…have I lost you somewhere…why do you have that blank stare…really, Shef, even now your attention span is so microscopic?”
“No, no, no Didi, you bet I want to empower my thoughts, Di…and how…!!! I was dreaming even as you spoke…there is light in every word you say…this is definitely the most exciting, enchanting, enthralling ‘thing’ to dream about…and the best part is I don’t need to wait for night time or to go to sleep to do this…I can do this every waking moment…consciously, isn’t it Didi? In fact I want to start right away… just now…how eager a student I am you will know shortly, Didi.
What’s that sound…the commotion all about? Why are the dogs barking crazily…oh..oh…oh…the kids have come back from college… I am putting up a DND sign…’do not disturb, Shefali is at work’. Didi, you go see to their needs…you have dreamt and given shape to your dreams…you have a head-start on me…that’s not fair…but I will catch up…they don’t call me ‘Speedy Shefali’ for nothing. Swami said – You are the maker of your destiny, right? Well, I will make Him my destiny…and dream too…I will fill this dream with enormous amount of light and love…and breath…I will breathe this dream and make it come alive…the Universe within me will enrich it, empower it and make it come true. Oh! What a cosmic moment that will be…Didi, draw the curtains as you step out…I will join you in a bit…Oh, Didi, I am eternally grateful to you for sharing all your ‘secrets’…the spiritual discipline you set for yourself…the only way I can repay you is by making it my way of life…by making my own destiny…and passing on this ‘secret’  to someone else too, thereby forming a chain of those who dream, wish, empower, will and make their destiny come true…a destiny full of loving light…light and love…one that will prove beneficial for all… Oh! Beloved Swami…your child is calling You…I am the maker of my destiny, You said so…my dream is You…my destiny is You…please, Beloved Bhagawan, make my dream destiny come true…!!!

If this writing has caught your attention…yes, I am speaking to you who happens to be perusing through these lines at this very moment…it is no coincidence…will you care to be a part of this ‘dream’ link? A dream that will benefit not only me and you but creation through…this is an open invitation to you…it comes to you with radiant sentiments, aglow with love and light…for Love andLight…for a purpose divine…the more people that dream so…the intensity intensifies…all the more cosmic energy is generated, actuated and released…the dream starts to take shape…that familiar shape…full of Love, Light and Grace.
So, if you have the time and the inclination…I have a dream to offer you…a dream offer you simply cannot and should not refuse.

Come, let us join hands, me and you and dream of an elevated destiny coming into view… together we can make our dream destiny come true. Beloved Bhagawan we dedicate this dream of You…to You…

(The earlier talk between Shefali and her older sister Sharanya was documented under – ‘Beloved Bhagawan, My Heart Responds To Your Call’. This is an independent  sequel to it.)