My Birthday
Dear sisters and brothers, from all across the world who visits this blog, in where we have developed this blessed virtual relationship. I just wanted to express my happiness today, a day that I am very appreciative to experience again and again. It is the day I was conceived, out from my mothers precious womb, into this world. I could just picture the loud cry I must of let out, as my little body was shocked by the cold air. I could just imagine the great overwhelming emotions my mother was experiencing at that moment.
I have come to many times in my life that I was so close to dying, so close to getting killed. I use to be depressed, I didn’t love myself, I hated life. I never thought I would see another brighter day. Now every time I make it to another new age, I am very happy because I was suppose to be dead, but here I am alive to talk to you. Here you are alive as well, as we connect through text and the Spirit.
I recall the story my mother told me about the day she found that she was pregnant. She said she discovered this after she came back from her trip from Puerto Rico and my father stood in New York during her travel. My father did not believe it was his baby but he accused her of sleeping with another man. My mother in great distressed cried to him that it is his baby and that she prays to God that the baby looks exactly like my father so he can be forever be ashamed for making such accusations. And sure enough, out of all of my siblings, I turned out to be the one that looks exactly like my father.
I also remember a story my mother told me. When I was around 5 years old, I was sleeping in my bedroom at night, the bottom of my mattress caught on fire, because of a short circuit from our electrical space heater. The underneath of the mattress, which was of cotton fabric had caught on fire. But mysteriously enough the fire did not continue to spread, but stop mid way of the mattress. My father and mother smelled the smoke and woke up. My father ran to check my bedroom and saw smoke coming out from underneath my bed and that is when he discovered the fire had some how shut off by itself.
I am going to fast forward time a bit and talk about another story. This time this story takes place when I was around 18 years old. I was not living a Pure unselfish life at that time, but doing whatever I wanted, living dangerously, using drugs, practicing sexual immorality and drinking alcohol. At this time my mother was my only parent because my father had pasted away when I was young. My mother was a faithful follower of Christ since she was a young girl. She dedicated her life in doing nothing but righteous deeds from the heart.
Since I was the only one in my family that did not want to participate in any religious practice, I did whatever I wanted, in fact I was very rebellious. One day I was at my house alone, my mother and siblings weren’t home. I decided to roll a joint of marijuana in the house which I never did before. As I started to roll a joint, I started to feel something that stood in front of me, as if someone was standing there. I got spooked out for a moment, but I ignored it and just continued to roll the joint. As I continued, the presence became stronger and stronger that my hands started to tremble. It trembled so much that I couldn’t continue to roll the joint, I had to stop. I stop and thought about it, and as I did my heart started to beat quickly for no reason. I couldn’t explain this feeling so I just left my house.
Now, let me fast forward some more time, tell you another story that took place a couple of months after, regarding this same situation. I use to be inspired to become a Hip Hop rapper, I use to go to studios with my friends to make beats and rhyme over music tracks. I use to go to parties and rap and battle other rappers. This was my hobby with the hopes that I become a rapper. One day as I was at the studio, me and a friend of mine decided to go outside and smoke some marijuana. Let me mind you, I never mentioned anything to my friend about the experience that I encountered at my mothers house, nor did I ever mention it to anybody before, in fact this is the first time I put this out on the web. As my friend started to roll a blunt, his hands started to shake and then his body too. I started to tremble as well. My body, hands and knees started to buckle for no apparent reason, and let me point out to you that this was during the summertime, so NO IT WAS NOT COLD OUTSIDE! My friend said to me, “this is weird I have never experience this before, I am shaking for no reason and we haven’t even started to smoke yet,” then we both started to laugh. But as I was laughing, I was perplexed about this experience that was happening to me, and apparently people around me can feel it too. I knew that is was something spiritual, much more different that I can imagine.
Deep inside I knew I had a calling from the Absolute, the Divine, but I didn’t want to believe it nor except it. As a child I use to occasionally get dreams or visions that were messages that pointed out future events. Like I saw a vision of the Twin Towers burning when I was around 12 years old when I was in a car when my brother was driving, I saw it through the rear view mirror of the car. When the vision went away I quickly told my brother about it, but we thought nothing of it because it seemed impossible. I remember seeing a vision of a baby girl before finding out my brothers wife was pregnant and then finding out that she was having a girl. I have encountered so many experiences that it made me only believe and seek for the answer and find out why. I mentioned these things not to try to get any recognition, nor claim to be some super spiritual man. I just want to share my past experiences that I always longed to share with people and I believe this is the best place for it.
I decided to study all religions and I found out what this Truth really means, and the only thing I can say it is more real than what our small minds can think. It is more than a simple meditation, it is more than just attending a temple or church, it is much more real and indescribable. Now I know my mission which finally came to me in the beginning of 2009. I once and for all gave up all bad habits and gave up all of my addictions and learn about what Jesus really meant by “Know the Truth and the Truth will set you free.” Now I understand what the Buddha meant when he said, “Free from desire, Free from possessions, Free from the dark places of the heart. Free from attachment and appetite, Following the seven lights of awakening, And rejoicing greatly in his freedom, In this world the wise mane Becomes himself a light, Pure, shining, free.”
My sisters and brothers, it goes way beyond religion and rituals, it goes beyond all the books, CDs and retreats we can go to, ITS WITHIN, the KINGDOM OF GOD IS WITHIN HERE and NOW, and it is more real than that. It is DYNAMIC it is not STATIC, it MOVES WITHIN and MOVES OUTSIDE of US, it is SHAKTI, IT IS the HOLY SPIRIT, it is the POWER OF TRUTH that liberates the captive Soul and enriches the heart with overflowing True Happiness, Peace and Light. By discovering it you will never need to rely on anything on the outside, no mind altering substance, no material object, NOTHING.
Therefore, let us see our purpose in life, let us discover our True Nature, let us live our lives like everyday is our birthday. You are special, you have a calling, you have something so special that you need to share it with the world. Seek the purity, seek the Truth, cultivate it, hold it, love it and guard it like a precious jewel, because it is a precious jewel.
I send you Love, I send you Peace, I send you the Light that dispels all ignorance and pain. God bless, Namaste, Shalom, As-Salamu Alaykum, Peace be unto you, take care! 
Yours truly,
Your Internet Friend
Pharati Dhamma Danda
