World of Philosophy

Author(s): Christopher Key Chapple, Intaj Malek, Dilip Charan, Sunanda Shastri, Prashant Dave
Publisher: Shanti Prakashan

Page 173

For myself, I relied heavily on the guidance of Spirit throughout the process of carrying out the research and later writing a doctoral dissertation. I went into prayer to choose a topic and received clear instructions. regarding its central theme. Later whenever I felt challenged, I turned to Spirit for guidance. When conflicting opinions made consensus on the Values Statement difficult, and when its language only became more watered down with each edit, I went to sit with the water along the Bay near my home. After quiet presence with the water, I was able to rewrite the Values Statement from the perspective of what the water wanted me to say. The working was clearer, and it quickly became the final version with only one minor edit.
Similarly, in January 2004 when I felt doubtful in preparing for the first Yoga Journal conference where we held an outreach booth, I could turn to the presence of nature for guidance. Seeking guidance in this way is not always easy, and I often felt as though I were in a dark forest, walking steadily as I had been instructed, but not at all clear about where I was going. The guidance sometimes came in the form of direct messages from nature, and sometimes through gifts from others. I had many companions and mentors along the way, offering suggestions and helping with discernment about which path to take.
Fearlessness
Principle Two: Action is about fearlessness. Once one has listened, the next step is to follow the guidance that has been given. Sometimes this requires tremendous courage. Fearlessness is one of the most important qualities of the spiritual warrior. This is emphasized repeatedly in the Bhagavad Gita, as in the following example: "Be fearless and pure; never waver in your dedication to the spiritual life" (BG 16.1).
It was a scary process to follow guidance without a clear understanding of the ultimate goal. As one example, I decided a month after our first retreat to leave my job as an English language coach at a public school where many students do not speak English at home. I chose to trust my instinct that this project would require a significant commitment of my time, that it would be worth it, and that the universe would provide financially.
At our second retreat, Tanuja and Ben led a Yoga class focused on the theme of courage. Tanuja invited us to become aware of a place inside. that was "wanting to break free from the bondage of fear," and to send "comfort and forgiveness" to that place. She called upon Lord Shiva to be with us, saying:
Transform our fears into courage. We're not asking, Shiva, that you take away our ability to protect against danger. We're not asking to become reckless, or to move without caution
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