Synchronicity during a professional conference….

Recently I had to travel to Idukki in Kerala for a Residential Refresher Course conducted by the Alleppey Branch of the South India Regional Council of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India from 23 May to 25 May. I had a 3AC train ticket which was wait listed when I booked it. I had an emergency quota letter from a MP – curtsey of CA Ramaniji of Goa, who was to join me at midnight at Madgaon. About three hours before departure, when I checked online the reservation had come down to RAC, and by the time I got onto the train I had got seat. When I got into the train I saw that B63 berth had two people – so effectively I had got half a seat. When the TC came he said that he will check and allot another berth to one of us. Mentally I was positive that I will not have to shift. Around 9pm, the TC came and told me you stay on B63 and he shifted the other gentleman to another seat. Ramaniji to got a berth and I caught up with him the next morning.

We reached Alleppey at 5pm – for me it had turned out to be thirty hour journey! We took an auto to Sisir Palace Hotel in which we had been booked for the night. Ramaniji and I got fresh, then went out for a walk along the backwaters, then came back and had dinner. We met the organizers who had come to check if we were fine with the arrangements. We told them all was well and then they told us that they would come to pick us up at 8am on 23^rd morning (next day).

The next day we went to the backwaters (where the famous snake boat race takes place every year in August) and caught the sunrise with some beautiful photographs of the rising sun. 

Our Crown chakras shining because of the sunrise.... :)

Then we went back and had breakfast and then asked the reception for the bill. The manager said the bill had been taken care of! Both Ramaniji and I were taken aback and said this is not possible as we had paid for arrangements from 23-25 May – so Ramaniji called the organizers and they said – no we do not have to pay the bill. Mentally I said – ‘Jai Baba Swami’. A small surprise – but still very pleasant!

On the way to the resort – Green Berg Resort, Idukki  - we asked the organizers whether we could have meditation sessions like we had taken in 2011. The organizers said we will see. We reached the resort at around 12.30 noon and checked into the resort. The resort was at a height of 4500 feet and in verdant lush green surroundings. We were told that the natural landscaping was not touched and the cottages were constructed with minimal damage to the environment, even the plants and trees were local with hardly any human intervention. Just before the close of the session, the organizers told Ramaniji to announce the meditation session from 7.30am to 8.00am the next day. We had about 15-16 people who attended – Ramaniji spoke about meditation and relaxation with some minor inputs from me and then we took them through the ‘I am a pure soul, I am a holy soul’ bit and had a ten minute meditation session. All of them felt good and relaxed.

Meditation sessions on 24th May 2014, morning...

The organizers told us that we could announce a session from 6.45am to 7.30am the next day too. On the next day, which was Sunday only one person came. So we waited for some time and then just chatted about meditation and its benefits with me narrating some of my experiences and the changes which had come about in my life through meditation. Then we sat and meditated for about 5 minutes and then left. We were to go for a early morning trek at 7.30am. After the session we left, and about 30 odd people joined in for the trek. The trek was within the resort property itself to the top of the hill, the track running through wild lemon grass country – beautiful therapeutic fragrance of lemon grass all along the way! 

Start of trek ...... and therapeutic lemon grass growing wild......

We went to the peak and were all busy taking photos and having friendly banter, when the organizers said why do we not have a meditation session! So Ramaniji then told everyone to sit down on the huge, flat rocks and guided them through a five element meditation, connecting with nature. In this ten minute meditation we had one person getting some spiritual experience which he shared with us and he felt totally relaxed. Ramaniji asked me later whether I had a thought why only one person had come for the meditation – I told him no such thought came to mind. I guess the Guru Energies had bigger plans for a greater number of people with all five elements in nature for the meditation which came naturally into play.

Meditation with the five elements at the top.........

We had to leave at 2pm this afternoon after the last technical session. Ramaniji and I had to book a cab back, but one CA Krishnanand Nayak told us that he had a car coming to pick him up at 1.30pm and we could join him. We, gladly said, ‘yes’. In fact this gentleman was one of two who was unhappy with the arrangements made on day 1 and was wanting to go back. Ramaniji and I had noticed that our neighbouring cottage had only one delegate, so Ramaniji quietly told one of the organizers that Mr. Nayak could be accommodated in that cottage. In fact we informally spoke to the other delegate and checked whether he had any objections – he said no. So our good deed was done, and Mr. Nayak stayed back. The free return trip was a reciprocation of the original good deed, I should say. J

On the way down to Cochin airport (Mr. Nayak was taking a flight to Bangalore) I checked whether our tickets had been confirmed. We were wait listed at 6 and 7 and the train was to depart at 8.05 pm. We reached the station at around 6.30pm and saw that our names were not on the reservation chart and our tickets when checked online were still wait listed. We went to the TC’s cabin and asked and they told us nothing can be done now and as we had e-tickets the tickets were wasted. Ramaniji tried explaining that we had sent a fax with MP’s letter for emergency quota but all to no avail – as the TC refused to budge. We went to the station master who said reservations was not in his hands and that we should wait till 7pm when the TC will come with the final reservation chart for the train. We had no choice but to wait, I sent a silent prayer to Swamiji to do whatever is good for us – at 7pm the TC who had curtly told us nothing can be done saw us waiting and told us to go buy an unreserved ticket as we would otherwise not be allowed to board. I ran and stood in line and got us tickets upto Madgaon. We went to the TC cabin where we say that the designated TC for our train was standing with a chart in his hands. Ramaniji enquired of him whether we would get any seat – he did not say anything concrete, but the other TC who had come and told us to buy an unreserved ticket said, “I am telling you that you will go on this train only – not only you will go – you will get a berth to sleep”. I mentally said ‘Jai Baba Swami’. About 15 minutes before departure he wrote a number and told us to go and sit on that seat. Both of us left and sat on the seat. We asked whether we needed to pay anything extra – he said no, but we could ask the TC who would allot us the berths once we were in the train. The TC allotted us berths 58, 59 in B2 compartment – we paid the regular fare and he did not take any money at all for accommodating us. This was again due to Guru’s grace – as at no time did we feel that we will not be able to travel that evening. Faith after all does wonders!

The next morning bang on time, we reached Madgaon – in between I got to touch down at Karwar – my mother’s village – that too at the insistence of Ramaniji, who told me it is your mother’s matrubhumi and you must place your feet there – this was the first time ever I had placed my feet (in brand new sports shoes which I did not use for the trek) in Karwar – all thanks to Ramaniji! From Madgaon, we went to Shiroda Ashram and from there to my ‘Kuldevi’ Navdurga mata at Borim to fulfill my mother's wish. Ramaniji then dropped me off at the airport, bringing to end a tour full of pleasant surprises filled with divine coincidences in God’s Own Country.

Anubhuti.......thy name is Samarpan.... _/\_