A Decade Back…

I often return to my journals to read what I wrote on a given day ten years earlier. It’s humbling and also hope-giving. People see us in saffron robes and assume we are superhuman—beyond the dualities and disappointments of life, completely at peace with everything around us. Well, not always; some monks have work to do. They are humans with weaknesses, souls on a journey, individuals trying to discover, uncover and recover pure spiritual consciousness, just like everyone else.

Today, I’ll share with you what I wrote in my Blog exactly ten years ago. We were on a mission—and somehow we succeeded!

I’ll be heading back to the UK soon and can’t wait to be out there on ground zero again.

Street Spirituality

High streets are intriguing places; a microcosm of modern life. It’s where people descend in their thousands, searching for something extra to enrich their existence. These urban hubs are a melting pot of entertainers, campaigners, shoppers, beggars and advertisers, a marketplace for the latest commodities and ideas, a space for meeting, sharing and exploring. Here you’ll find people from every imaginable socio-economic background, swarming like bees around a hive.

Enter the monks. Yes, you read it right. Crazy as it may sound, this is where we spend many days and weeks: standing on street corners, speaking to random people, and showing them spiritual books. It’s quite a task to stop someone in their tracks, cut through the myriad of thoughts, penetrate the bubble of their life and begin a dialogue about deeper subject matter. Some people naturally tune in to the concept of spirituality and wisdom, while others are sceptical, uninterested and otherwise-engaged. Either way, we always have a laugh, a smile and learn something from each other!

Amongst whatever else I do in life, this simple and sublime activity is what I relish most. It’s a humble attempt to positively contribute to the world, and something which reconnects me with my calling. Sometimes it’s agonizingly difficult, and other times it feels like a mystical drama being orchestrated by higher powers. Either way, it’s where I feel at home. My most memorable, magical and moving experiences in life have been in bustling high streets, sharing spirituality with people. With the arrival of the festive season, we embark upon another month-long marathon. This year, it’s a special effort, and everyone’s invited to get involved.