Space and Time to See the Path
From our Winter 2015/2016 issue. Be the first to read the next issue of Positive Life in print – Subscribe.
By Jai Kartar Kaur
How do I live a good life? This has been a paramount question for me for as long as I can remember. My extensive travels as a child made me aware very early on that there are numerous choices to be made by us, and there are also numerous choices that are made for us.
I was baffled by the extreme variations that I witnessed in the world. I remember my father cautiously guarding his wallet from poverty stricken children in Lima, watching decadently dressed adults swill cocktails while gambling in Las Vegas, a smiling toothless Taiwanese woman touching my blond hair as she gave me a necklace of painted nuts. I was puzzled by why some had so much and others had so little. One thing that was obvious was that people’s happiness was by no means proportional to their material wealth or station in life.
I knew that I wanted my choices to have a positive impact and to somehow, satiate my longing to belong. The looming question was and still is, “How do I live a good life?” I spend some time every day in contemplation of this and I’ve found that the answer lies in continually asking this question. Day by day, step by step, it helps to guide me.
As a dedicated Kundalini yogi, I begin my day with sadhana, meaning ‘spiritual practice’ and derived from the Sanskrit word ‘sadh’ which means ‘to reach one’s goal’. My sadhana involves contemplation on the Divine Creator through the recitation of Japji, yoga exercises and meditation. They each give me time and space to listen for the answer of my ever-lingering question, “How do I live a good life?”
Sometimes the path is very clear and at other times, it feels obscured, yet I’ve come to know that I won’t go off course, so long as I maintain my integrity. When the way forward isn’t clear, the Divine Teacher is guiding me to take pause and focus on being rather than acting.
When my teacher Yogi Bhajan was once asked, “How can I lead a good life?”, he replied, “The question is what kind of death do you want to have? If you ask yourself this question you will know how you should live your life.”
All of us wish for an easy transition from life to death and into the next realm. What we are wishing for is a scenario where we have no regrets, no unfinished business, to be able to let go with ease. Taking a moment to reflect on your course of action from the perspective of your death bed really sheds light on the matter!
Dare to ask yourself, if I were to die tomorrow how would I feel about this situation and my integrity within it?
I believe when I die, it is me who will decide my fate. My soul knows when I have and haven’t succeeded to live with integrity. I may very well return again to work out things I’ve yet to learn. It is all a process of remembering my divine nature and having the courage, strength and compassion to bring the heavenly realm to earth.
Jai Kartar Kaur is a Kundalini yoga teacher and teacher trainer and works to empower her clientele, to encourage their own innate ability to be actively involved in creating and sustaining their wellness. wellwithin.ie
