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America … I love

Eleven years ago I made the most difficult decision of my life. The decision to not renew my monastic vows and hence to stop living a life as a Hindu monastic. I left my guru’s monastery in Hawaii and instead of going back to Australia, I moved to the mainland US. 

Many years prior to my guru’s death he had set up a system wherein should a long-serving monastic leave the monastery, the monastery would give him a thousand dollars and a laptop to help him get started with his new life. This may seem like a lot of money for some people living in some countries but it is not a lot if you are living in the US.

That’s all I had when I landed in Los Angeles at midnight a decade ago. I decided I would be an entrepreneur. I would not borrow any money. And I would take all that I had learnt to manifest a new future.

Prior to leaving the monastery, I had made it clear to myself that I would create a Hindu spiritual sanctuary with a temple to Siva (one of the Hindu names for God, literally meaning the Auspicious One – Hinduism is monotheistic) after I leave. 

Now, I am no longer a monastic but rather a Hindu priest (read here for details). 

Today, I’m a day away from moving permanently to Costa Rica where my wife and I own 33-acres of land that we are working to manifest this vision I have. It’s been a decade of hard work. Of failures and successes, cuts and bruises, exhaustion and unbridled devotion to get to this point.

I’m grateful to my guru for all his teachings and tools without which I would not have been able to accomplish all that I have in the last eleven years. One soul can truly change another’s life. 

I am also deeply grateful to this country I have been living in. I’ve lived the last 21 years of my life in the United States with the first part of my life being divided between two other countries. I am so grateful to this truly amazing nation for giving me the opportunity to fulfill so many of my life’s goals. It has changed my life. 

There truly is no other country like it. 

Like all of us, it is fraught with challenges. Yet in its essence, it is the epitome of hope. It is the fertile land which all wisely nurtured seeds will blossom and bear fruit. 

When I lived in Hawaii for 10 years I felt the essence of this nation, its pulse, and it was clear to me that when I left the monastery, the United States was where I needed to be. Eleven years on I can say I was right. I was right to believe in this nation. And I will always believe in it. 

Like with anything great it is the first to be criticized. To be criticized for all its issues. For anyone that is insecure, that has not had similar success, it is easier to see flaws than it is to see successes. But I’ll rant about this in another email.

My guru once said, “Problems are not problems. They are subconscious patterns that need to be adjusted.”

I don’t see flaws in this nation. I see patterns that need to be adjusted as souls of various levels of maturity strive to find common ground. This is indeed challenging. You cannot expect a young soul to fathom a mature soul. But a mature soul can understand the actions of a younger soul and express patience, empathy and compassion. 

In a nation that provides the breadth of freedom that this nation does, one can expect the best and worst of humanity to shine. It is part of freedom. The mature souls must guide the younger souls. 

This is how it must be. This is how it has always been. In every nation across the globe. Changes were always driven by a few sometimes by one. 

Though it appears to be an extremely challenging time for this country (and the world), it has seen worse. Much worse. I have faith in America only because I have experienced its essence and its essence is what will always lead it through any turmoil it may go through. 

Similarly, in essence, we are a divine effulgent soul. We are divinity. You are God. Yet it may not appear so. But if you could harness your awareness, navigate it within you, you would touch into your divinity. When you do, you will realize that all will be ok. There is not one thing wrong. Everything is as it should be. And that you, eventually, will navigate yourself through any turmoil. 

Similarly, that is why I know this nation will always be ok. More than ok. It will shine bright and lead the way in so many ways as it always has. 

God bless the United States of America! I will always love you.