Finding Real Yoga Sample reading

One of the dramatic ways in which Gurudev saved my life happened in the summer of 1989. I decided to go camping on an island off the coast of California. I chose the more 

remote dock as the landing for the boat trip. I wanted to get far away from well-traveled pathways. 

The goal was to avoid people and be isolated in nature as much as possible. Instead of following a path, I forged across rough fields. It looked like going straight up the steep hill to reach the top of the bluffs would be a lot faster than following the meandering fire road. 

About halfway up the hill, I realized that I would fall off the hill if I leaned back at all. If I even stood up straight, the weight of my backpack would pull me backward off the hill. That hill was probably the steepest I had ever climbed with a heavy pack. The whole time, I had to hunch forward, so I was essentially climbing up on my hands and feet. At the top, there was a lovely view. With an old barbed wire fence to protect the endless rows of spiny cacti.

Finding a flat, clear space to set up the tent required walking around a large section of rusty barbed wire and cactus. After dodging a lot of cactus thorns, it was looking quite hopeless. The area that was not eroded into deep, narrow, tiny canyons was covered with cactus. After walking onward and searching, a flat space large enough to allow a tent finally became visible. There was some space between the cacti to allow a narrow passage to reach the flat space. 

By the time the tent was set up, I sadly realized that daylight would not last much longer. I was sweaty, and the dust and grit felt itchy. The ocean below the bluffs looked much cleaner than any of the beaches along the Southern California coast. The inviting water was incredibly clear. Details of rocks and fish underwater could easily be seen. 

It was irresistible. I climbed down and rinsed off in the tide pools, quickly getting cold as the light just started to fade with the sunset. It was deeply refreshing. The need to get back to the tent before dark was growing. 

I turned around and was astonished by how sheer the cliff was. I couldn’t see how I had scrambled down in the first place. There was no discernible trail. It was a vertical chalk cliff. I wondered how to get back up. 

A family of goats perched motionless at the top, staring down. The baby goat looked puzzled, apparently asking its parents something about the unusual human predicament unfolding below. Goats understand vertical cliffs.

Having no equipment or other recourse, I began to climb the chalk face. I had to use my feet and hands to make my way. Every other foot or hand hold would give way and break off. I was moving carefully and changing grips rapidly, but only making slow, upward progress. 

At different times, the master has noted that when a person feels helpless, they can turn that into worry, tension, etc. Or they can turn that helplessness into prayer. 

When I was about half way to the rocks above the chalk, both hands and both feet suddenly lost grip. I began to fall. 

Gurudev, help me!!! The thought was immediate.

My fall abruptly stopped without anything visible supporting me! My mind was suspended in wonder as my body was suspended in space. In less time than a blink, I decided not to look down or question my experience in any way. 

Resolute in embracing the miracle of safety, I had no iota of doubt that might cause me to fall. I was being held up by invisible hands. I scrambled as fast as I could to reach solid dirt. It was a huge relief to reach the top. 

Wind takes me.

Wind carries me…

yet…

I am the wind.

You are the wind.

We are swooping across the terrain!

Magnificent!

Powerful!

Sweet and delicate,

Wind moves through all.

Wind moves through everything.

It is only a current of the Consciousness.

Each river is the One!

Copyright 1991, 2025 by Daren Black

All rights reserved.