India - Om Namah Shivaya

I went and saw Eat.Pray.Love. last night with some friends. Ya know the one with James Franco and Julia Roberts? I must say it was extremely, EXTREMELY disappointing. Stick to the book. It is ALWAYS better.
India. Period. I could write about this section of the book and take up a million pages just explaining my thoughts and feelings. I would like to go to India one day. Not to study in an Ashram, but to experience a world far from my own. See the Taj Mahal. The real one. Not the one in Las Vegas. India made me think and made me think a lot. I found myself saying out loud, "Yeah. That's right" or "Oh, that is so me!" India is all about meditating and the search for the divine within. I'm not on a search for God, because I already found Him and love that fact, but even from a secular point of view Gilbert can teach us a lot about ourselves and God. In following Liz's example I tried to meditate one day over in an apartment complex that had a pond and a beautiful view of the mountains. Let me tell ya. Meditating is NOT easy. You would think that focusing your mind around one little thing would come easily. It doesn't. I sat there for 45 minutes trying to wrap my mind around . . . nothing. But nope. All I could think of was EVERYTHING! What I was going to wear that night or what I had to do once I got back to the apartment. I focused on the fly that was buzzing around my head, or if anyone thought I was really weird because I was sitting in a lotus position and meditating. Bravo Liz Gilbert. You deserve it because you did something most of us can and will not do.
Several mantras were mentioned in the book. One being "Om Namah Shivaya" which means, "I honor the divinity that resides within me." Now, I don't believe in a lot of the Eastern religions that were focused on in this chapter, but I think it’s important to embrace a personal mantra which sets the stage for how you live. One of my favorite passages of scripture is my mantra which says, “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” (Prov. 4:23) A little long for a mantra but nonetheless I love it. India was so savory it’s hard to pick one little morsel to quote, but I will leave you with this. My favorite quote from India which is so stinking true. It’s scary. It focuses on the dilemma of a soul mate. It says, “People think a soul mate is your perfect fit, and that’s what everyone wants. But a true soul mate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that’s holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life. A true soul mate is probably the most important person you’ll ever meet, because they tear down your walls and smack you awake. But to live with a soul mate forever? Nah. Too painful. Soul mates, they come into your life just to reveal another layer of yourself to you, and then they leave” (pg. 149). Ugh so perfect! Til next time ... Stay finer. :)
*Photos courtesy of Aaron Brooks (My bro)