Ganeshpuri

Copied from “Foundations for the Spiritually Inclined“, on the 22nd of October, 2025.

In case you haven’t come across my first book, “Fuel for the Mind and Soul”, I collated seventy of my own original quotes and phrases from over a twenty-five year period.  They all came about in their own unique way, but I couldn’t help but write the inspiration behind this one in particular…

“Serve others needs as though they are your own”

It was India, 1993.

On a cool mid-morning in the Ganeshpuri ashram, two hours from Mumbai, the ashram sprawled across what was once an empty plain, immaculately tendered, full of lush greenery and beautiful flora within its boundaries.

With open marble temples, meditation caves, statues of saints of every religion winding up beautiful pathways, vast food halls, sacred temples with the previous guru’s remains entombed and cared for with the greatest love and devotion, and the list goes on.  Truly beautiful, a sacred place for so many, and for me as well.  My eyes were opened to something special, and I knew I was fortunate to be there.

I sat in the marble floored courtyard with perhaps a hundred others, watching intently as the guru sat in her chair.  Everyone’s eyes were transfixed, absorbed in an awareness and reverence that came naturally for each person there, each in their own way.

I had no intention of going up to the guru to be blessed with her peacock feathers, a tradition that went back perhaps a hundred years or more, back to her own guru, Baba, and to his guru as well, Bhagawan, and even before then.  I had already been “bopped” a day or two earlier.

This passing down of knowledge and power from the enlightened teacher to a reverent, devoted, and humble student is one example of a sacred and beautiful spiritual relationship that makes up a “spiritual lineage”.

It’s something that has taken place for centuries, foreign to most western appreciations, at least up until the early twentieth century when the great master Yogananda travelled to America, the first to bridge that continental divide, and B.K.S. Iyengar also brought his teachings to the west, and there are others too.

Mahatma Gandhi was also a respected spiritual figure of course, and he was tutored by Yogananda as well.  Forgive me for continuing on such esoteric subject matter!  I love such things!

Often, devoted communities sprang up around these genuinely enlightened souls, and locals supported them, and took care of them, and buildings and ashrams were built for them, and for their students so they could learn.

People recognised and felt what these “spiritual masters” had to offer, something beyond the ordinary, something tangible they could feel and notice a change within themselves, without having any doubt.  These spiritual teachers, genuine in their intent, were treated as living treasures.

So yes, in such cases, like with my guru then, it’s more than just an illusion, or someone taking advantage, or fraud.  I had found someone genuine.

It’s easy to be duped these days, and vigilance and having a healthy sense of scepticism are important qualities to have when starting off on any spiritual path.

There are so many spiritual figures, teachers, and leaders out there.  It’s not all about how many followers they have, or how well their books have sold.  If the person hasn’t healed themselves completely then their teachings will be off-the-mark, to whatever degree.

As a result, they will take on board negativity, create spiritual debts for themselves, and they will have lessons to learn as well, to the extent of just how misleading they are and how many they have misled.  Often people think they have a lot of answers, and they go out too early.  It has been my experience that it is much better being the tortoise rather than the hare.

I love the quote…

“When the student is ready, the teacher will appear”

It certainly happened with me.

The way I see it, with all the negativity in the world, it’s no wonder God guides us to the right people at the right time, to get us to our next step towards enlightenment and happiness.

Sometimes something happens as well which is just what we need.  A word, a look, time in nature to find peace, a coffee with a friend, however a person’s heart guides them.  You would have experienced this as well – it’s everywhere – and it helps.

Even though we might not know we needed it when we did, or be able to see its merit at the time, being open to mysterious possibilities and reflecting on these when they happen will often, if not always, move us forward.

What is spirituality anyway?  Love, fun, laughter, healing, empathy, compassion, enjoying life, contemplation, insight, seeing the positive in everything, helping others, and trying to do the right thing, to name a few.

Back to the ashram’s courtyard…

Attentive in her presence, I was aware that I had already had that moment of being blessed by the peacock feathers, and I didn’t need it again.  How much had those feathers seen? How many people had they graced?  I don’t know, perhaps it’s a bit silly even wondering, the thought and question has only just crossed my mind as I write this now.

As I sat, it was time to enjoy seeing other people’s blessings taking place, to take in the spontaneity and joy of it all, to be part of everything that was happening from just a short distance away, simply to take it all in as much as I could, aware intuitively it would be something I would never experience or ever witness in person again.

Still though, I waited for something, perhaps a non-material spiritual gift for me, perhaps I would have a spiritual experience that I could call my own, yet maybe just being there was enough, and that there was no need to expect that I would receive any more.  I was blessed already, that’s how I felt.

Alert and attentive, my focus went back to what was happening in that setting… “Darshan”, a Hindu word that translates as “the auspicious sight of a deity or holy person”.

I had forgotten about my wish for something divine to happen for me, thank goodness, it would have only taken away from the whole experience.  Instead, immersed and enjoying it all, I quietly and respectfully took in the scene, recapturing how it felt for me meeting the guru by seeing others experience it for themselves.

From what I recall photos were not allowed, and smartphones didn’t exist in the early 90’s, thank God!

Actually, with the non-existence of social media back then, I feel the benefits of that can’t be overstated, it was a much simpler and less connected world.  Wonderfully so.  Saying that, I am also aware of the incredible usefulness and importance of technology in this day and age, when used for the right reasons, of course.  But yes, a simpler world can be a better world, in many ways.

Absorbed in the comings and goings, people entering to sit down, to be brought forward to the guru by one of the monks, being introduced to her, others moving to the side having gained fulfilment as they needed it, it was all so fascinating and spontaneous.

It’s strange yet wonderful to me how an “empty space” in the mind can give room for something truly divine to enter.  When there is no expectation, something beyond inspiration can take place…

After perhaps half-an-hour of being lost in everything around me, what with the guru, the visitors, the blessings, the whole scene, within my mind in just one moment I received these words, with absolute clarity… 

“Serve others needs as though they are your own.”

It was monumental for me, surely one of the most important reasons that I travelled 12,000 kilometres to India, just to “hear” those nine words, and I knew that amongst all the beautiful experiences I was having while at the ashram, amongst all the blessings I had been receiving daily, I had been given a gift.

I will never forget that whole process, and I am taken back to that moment as I write this, as I was there and then, a recollection of that time, some simple words heard within the mind, nothing material, nothing I could hold in my hands or look at, but something I felt was far more valuable.  It was tangible, something I could take wherever I went, something that would never leave me.

I held on to this phrase, knowing it mustn’t be forgotten, knowing that it could be forgotten, repeating it in my mind for however many minutes it was, and as soon as Darshan had finished I rushed to find a pen and paper so those words would never leave me.  It seemed like it must either be a gift from the guru, or from within myself, or from the spiritual energy around me, and in the end I settled on my “innermost self” – the most positive part of myself.

It was something to try and live up to, and people at the ashram actually commented on just how much I was changing, which surprised me.  That’s what spirituality and positive living does though.  And often we’re not even aware that we’ve changed until someone lets us know.

I had feedback of the same kind while working at my computer job as well…  “I don’t know what you’re doing, but keep doing it” a co-worker said to me.  That was so wonderful – surprising and unexpected, and those are the sorts of things that stay with you for a lifetime.

I can see why people say they gain the most profound inspiration and insight from seemingly nowhere.  Albert Einstein and the singer Bono made the same observation.  We all have those, I know – sacred and insightful moments, even though we might not see them as spiritual in any way at the time, and perhaps some aren’t, but who is to say or know?  The deepest part of ourselves knows, so it may be about tapping into and getting our answers from that.

Focusing on other people, being aware of their needs and feelings as much as my own, as those words were guiding me to do, I know for many it’s second nature, but I often struggle with the simple things, especially so back in my twenties, in fact I don’t think I could do it at all!  But in recent times, dare I say, it’s been a little bit easier.

I am nowhere near enlightened – and I have more faults than most.  As far as the world goes, well, I haven’t had a job in twenty years, my cooking and housekeeping skills are less than rudimentary, and friendships are rare.  Too much time seeking the truth, moving around as inspiration needs me to, and being creative.  I’ll put it down to that.

Even if there were people who were enlightened “golden dewdrops” out there somewhere in the world, there shouldn’t be anything for them to claim that they were, or for anyone to recognise that they were, that’s how I feel.  Wearing flowing robes and sitting on golden chairs is so outdated, and full of ego, pride, and control.

It’s a much more positive thought, for me at least, that people can feel someone’s spiritual energy, and it comes across powerfully, which sparks some curiosity and interest naturally, without any effort or promotion, then God can work His magic from there.

Relating to this, to be a monk, priest, guru, swami, imam, pope, or whatever the religious title in life might be, where a person sets themselves up as higher than others and that everyone else is below them, that their way is the only way, significant spiritual lessons and karmic debts are often, if not always the result.  It’s a slippery slope.  We are all equal in God’s eyes.

I will always be grateful to my then guru, she introduced me to new spiritual concepts, and I had many wonderful spiritual experiences as well.  There was so much mystery though – we all thought she was completely beyond fault, divine in every possible way, and all-powerful.  An illusion that was encouraged.  We were all duped in that respect, and I have seen it elsewhere too.

Falling for the “bow to the guru” trap, as I did then, God barely got a mention, and when He was mentioned, it was all very awkward.

Feeling a lesser person when following someone who has apparently gained enlightenment or claim they are a spokesperson for the divine, this is what sets up lessons for the one in control as they do nothing to dispel the illusion of “high and low”, and where they have the mindset of “what I have attained you never will”.

When the curtain was finally pulled from my eyes it was the revelation of my life, and I cried healing tears for minutes as years of subservience and illusion was dissolved.

Thank God the opportunity for me to become a monk went nowhere – I had a job to go back to, after all, and it was never in my destiny anyway, so it was never going to happen.

But yes, why be stuck living in an ashram?  Or find yourself reciting prayers and meditating forever?  What do you get from that anyway?  I couldn’t think of anything worse, to be honest.  Better to roam around free from constraints, if possible, enjoying all the good things the world has to offer, even just the simple things, letting your divinity shine through just by being yourself – and finding the inspiration, confidence, and trust to be where you need to be at just the right time.

The monastic lifestyle is so overrated anyway, I feel.  There is a monastery just minutes from where I live, and the monks look just as unhappy as everyone else.  I guess they’ve got it made, food, clothing, and accommodation sorted.  But then I also wonder if they would lose their enlightenment with the stress and anxiety of walking through the mall on Boxing Day.

Everyday locations like a café, shopping centre, or market as examples can reveal the mysteries of the Universe, the profundity of the heart and mind, and provide stillness and serenity as well – all in the busiest of places.

God often works through each of us in mysterious, synchronistic, and serendipitous ways, even though we may have no idea, appreciation, or knowledge of what is going on.  But then we have our intuition and spiritual heart to guide us and give us the knowledge, understanding, and insight that we might need in our lives as well, just when we need it most.

Thoughts come from emotions, not emotions coming from thoughts.  From what I understand, that’s not the commonly accepted theory, it might even be blasphemy to some!  As emotions settle and heal, with the emotions being the greatest driving force and influence over everything else, the mind settles as well.

Thinking that calming the mind will calm emotions is a bit like pushing a tennis ball into water.  The strength of the water, the emotions, will always be stronger than the ball, and will soon push the ball, the mind, to where it was before.

As long as there are unresolved issues, i.e. emotions that need healing, there will always be a clouded and unsettled mind.  That is why trying to still the mind during meditation will only have a temporary effect, and you’ll be back to where you were before you started.

On this note, it seems that with all meditation methods and instructions that I have come across (acknowledging my limited knowledge of what is actually available in the world), stilling or quietening the mind is one of the first things a person is instructed to do, and frustration can be the result, discouraging someone who is new to meditation, putting them off for years.  It’s not how I like to teach meditation myself, for what it’s worth.

Just as we all have experiences that we remember and cherish, memories are waiting to be recalled when they are needed, out of the blue, which is often a mysterious and spontaneous process in itself.

For that month in India, I gained a collection of memories and spiritual highlights that I will always treasure, and I feel grateful to have had the opportunity to travel there.

Just as I received those nine words in that holy courtyard, an inspirational thought that surfaces at just the right time, seemingly from nowhere, will become more commonplace as we travel on our healing journey to enlightenment, and we will become more aware that we are being supported spiritually.

Treasured memories are with us for life, and if you subscribe to such ideals, beyond this lifetime as well.

This was my first quote, my first contemplation.

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