From Books to Experience

My journey started  by stumbling upon a book.

That's all it took- just ONE BOOK.

To completely eradicate my depression.

And to completely shape and mould me into the person that I have become.

There is no use it explaining that much further.

What matters most is the amount of transformation I have undergone since picking up that ONE BOOK.

From complete lack of self confidence to completely loving myself.

From being terrified and intimidated  to speak to feeling at east giving speeches.

To feeling worthless to feeling proud and grateful.

You get the image.

How did I get here?

Well, like it did for many others.

Through reading.

All it took was one book, to act as the gateway and the catalyst for this new found thirst to learn.

About the mind.

The Universe.

GOD.

Religion.

Spirituality.

Science.

Healing.

Philosophy.

You name it.

Vocab.

There was a point where I was actually in way too deep.

 In which I had literally become obsessed with reading.

Morning to night book after book in hand.

All the  learning and knowledge I was acquiring was addictive.

I wanted more

and more

and more...

Which definitely helped  increase my awareness and understanding level.

Helped boost my confidence.

Helped me keep my emotions and feelings in check.

Helped me feel confident in my ability to communicate with just about anyone.

It  got to the point where indeed I started to sound a whole lot more intellectual, but everything was still just words.

It was not till I took a step back from the reading and began to focus on the living and experiences that  the words become much more than just words.

They became internal principles and virtues.

I could always recite the importance of being present, of controlling the ego, of being love, of going with the flow, but only through
experience was I able to truly embody them.

That's when I began to realize that every experience you have regardless of wheter it is good or a bad is an opportunity for you to grow or break apart.

The negative experiences are the ones that help shape you the most.

I begun the habit  of unlocking the hidden lesson and gems to be discovered in every experience that I go through.
 Especially the negative, fearful, scary and overwhelming experiences.

For I realize that those are the ones that push you.

That teach you.

That give you the opportunity to apply all the  concepts that you learn along the way.

It's one thing to talk about the power of the ego and the importance of controlling it.

It`s another to be able to take complete control of  it while in the midst of an egoic battle.

It`s one thing to talk about LOVE it`s another to BE LOVE.

It`s one thing to talk about the importance of being PRESENT it`s another to actually BE PRESENT.

Again, I`m sure you catch my drift.

As much as the learning and knowledge helps us along the way, it is the day to day experiences where the true lessons lie hidden.

Life can not be taught from a book.

Life itself is the classroom.

The people you attract are the classmates.

You are both the student and the teacher.

Namaste

R.A.N