On Becoming a Hero

The path from Ordinary to Extraordinary

I’ve read two amazing books this year (Can’t Hurt Me and The Art of Resilience ) that have convinced me to attempt something heroic. Ah the dreams to become a hero, every child to have ever lived has had these dreams.

My first dreams were of Lord Krishna. A character you should explore no matter what your religion or belief system. He is a God like no other and The Bhagvat Gita a book like no other. The Mahabharata, so complex and deep, a vision of immense clarity. But by the age of 4 or 5 I had moved on to Superman. I donned on the famous red and blue leotard and zoomed all around my neighborhood. Delightful!

After that, by the age of 8, I wanted to become Prime Minister of India. I wanted to cleanup the country that I loved, which was mired in filth and excruciating poverty. What I saw there as a child still scars me. It is truly amazing what the human body and mind endure. But now we have Modi and I am no longer “Indian”. My coconut transformation complete.

Somewhere between then and now I also had illusions of grandeur, wanting to be a billionaire. Ha! The stupidity of the mind that knows of no limits. I joined the business world and saw what needed to be done to climb these heights and the long and short of it is that I simple didn’t have the desire… or probably the skill.

Now, my goals are more modest, yet no less ambitious. I have set my heart on Awakening. And somewhere deep inside meditations or simply while sitting, I have flashes of illumination. This week, during one session, Time stopped, this is a true wonder to behold. In other session, a light as bright as the noon day sun showed itself while I sat in total darkness. Perhaps it is just the machinations of an unsound mind or perhaps what is happening to me is what the mystics of yore described on their quests. I have to find out.

So I am sick of waiting, sick of my haphazard approach, sick of the fear of what is happening. I have some options. Quit, but that is impossible, or to go boldly forward, and that is what I am choosing to do.

For the next 20 days I will be fasting on nothing more than pure, divine water. I will be meditating, I will be doing yogas and some light Kriyas. I hope to document that here. Perhaps I will have something to say of interest, perhaps you will see a transformation, live, email by email.

I don’t know what awaits me or even if I have the mental fortitude to take on this task. I am attempting something heroic, David Goggins and Ross Edgley style. If I fail, it will be in plain sight.

Wish me well,

The Vikid Truth

(Aka Videkananda)