Staying with oneself in the meditative silence of Nature

I was spending a leisurely afternoon in the beautifully designed library at KFI Sahyadri Study Centre. I noticed the sunshine pouring in from the transparent roof, and I could also see the sky. I paused momentarily while my thoughts wandered as I held Jiddu Krishnamurti’s book, Freedom from the Known. I wondered, “Do I know what freedom is or what could be freedom from the known?”

It was my second or third visit to Sahyadri Study Centre. I came to know about the Study Centre from someone I barely knew. I was new in India then and mainly in Mumbai. Being an adventurous person, I visited the Study Centre to spend quality time with myself and Nature. That was in 2010. In the last 13 years, there was something special about each study
centre I stayed in. During my visits, I could virtually feel the spirit of simplicity and beauty there. Except for planned lunch and dinner times, I loved being free to spend the day however I wanted.

The process of unfolding has been slow and gradual. I remember walking around the Study Centre, looking at the beautiful flowers, touching the petals, and admiring their intricate designs. Experiencing each moment without judgment as I watched the sky, the floating clouds, the night full of stars, and the raindrops on my hand was like living another day as never before.

Leaving behind the hustle and bustle of Mumbai’s city life, the Study Centre was a sanctuary for my heart, soul, and mind. Akka would come every morning and leave my morning tea on the balcony. She used to come from the nearby village to work at the Study Centre. I didn’t know how to speak with her in Marathi, but her vibrant smile and warm gestures showed me that we don’t always need to know each other’s language to feel that deep connection.

The study centre was a perfect place for my journey of self-inquiry. I felt freed from my highly ‘artificially’ connected lifestyle of mobile phones and televisions. On the first day or so during each visit, my mind seemed to talk even more loudly, or it sounded loud amidst the meditative silence of Nature. Immersed in Nature, my mind also slowly breathed fresh, paused, relaxed, and absorbed the love, joy, and warmth of the birds, sunshine, flowers, and ripe fruits. The constant mind chatter got freed. I sensed a profound oneness with life all around me and inside me.

I realized that if I experience each new day with a childlike curiosity, I will perhaps discover something fresh outside as I evolve inside every time. I must learn to listen openly to my feelings to feel joy in my heart. My feelings make me unique – the essence of my existence. 

Rajyeshwari Ghosh is the Founder of Quantum Holistic Advisory Services. She says that Jiddu Krishnamurti has greatly influenced her life and work.