AI started meditating as a teenager or student, and I still vaguely remember my first meditations from that time. Strength and calm, concentration - mostly at night. They were very special moments. I didn't do it often. As a student, I continued to meditate very irregularly. I remember some of these mainly 1-2 hour meditations as if they had just happened.
I was always at a loss for words (when I forced myself to name it, I reluctantly said transcendental), and I didn't have anyone to talk to about it. Those around me quickly signaled to me that they thought it was strange, and so I only talked about it once. A flatmate meditated with me, which was good. Sometimes I met people who told me about 'exercises', about 'methods', which often sounded empty, technical, without any real experience. I then avoided these conversations. And so in the end I never really talked about meditation.
It's different here in Auroville. Meditation is normal here. It is not talked about much, but there is a common understanding that it is good. If you tell people that you have just come from a good meditation session, you are greeted with a smile. I like the fact that many people locate meditation in Aurobindo and in the Vedas, the roots of Hinduism and Buddhism.
Last week, a woman came into the Center Guest House who seemed to come from another world. She had an incredibly strong charisma. And although I'm actually quite shy, I boldly sat down at her table. The light in her attracted me - Namaste. We spoke more often over the next few days.
She was very present, spoke almost blissfully about her spiritual path over the last 10 years and her doubts, about meditation, her seminars and her art. It was so light and authentic, sincere and radiant that I couldn't escape the magic. After a few days, she told me that she had just come from a month-long seminar that essentially consisted of silence and meditation. No wonder she had this aura, although I'm sure she had it before and will have it again. But it was so concentrated...
An encounter that gave an impetus for growth
I forced myself to keep my distance and still reacted to her, she noticed and was pleased. I responded with active dreams, my own meditations and the impulse to go swimming alone. The beach was wonderful, the water calm. I wanted to feel the elements. I swam out into the sea and was suddenly surrounded by hundreds of small, jumping fish that jumped on my head, in my eyes, in my mouth and on my nose. I laughed heartily - for minutes. I felt like I was laughing with the cosmos. It was a deeply spiritual experience. Back on the beach, a fish fell out of my hair and I gratefully brought it back into the water. I briefly told her about it afterwards, she smiled and said: "So you had an experience of pure presence, nice..."
Two days later, during a meditation, I saw why I am in Auroville. I see differently, think differently, am more intuitive. A lot of things feel so right - when I allow myself to reduce the local and global political conflicts to my scope of action.
She said she had come out of the month-long seminar to share the light. That's nonsense, of course, isn't it?
