Excerpt from Chapter 8, I’ll Feel A Whole Lot Better
See, this too you have already learned from the water, that it is good to strive downwards, to sink, to seek the depth.
–Hermann Hesse, Siddhartha
I spied the triangular corner of a treasure chest poking from the beach. With effort, I put one bare foot ahead of the other, warm sand squishing through my toes. Bright rays of the sun glinted like stars on the rippled azure sea as gentle waves lapped the shore. The chest’s darkened wood was cracked from age, trussed by rusted iron hinges. Approaching cautiously, excitedly, I kneeled. Then, with nervous anticipation, my hands dug away the sand, and lifting, I freed the heavy box from its resting place. The lock hung open. I removed it, set it gingerly on the sand, and paused with my fingertips cradling the lid’s edge. I lifted the lid and looked inside. Here I discovered a faded parchment. Breaking the wax seal, I unfolded the paper to see one word revealed: FORGIVENESS.
Oh shit, I thought. I don’t really want to deal with that.
I returned from this guided meditation, opening my eyes to the classroom at the University of Santa Monica (USM) where I sat with more than 250 students in the first weekend of a two-year master’s program in Spiritual Psychology.
… Now, through this guided meditation, my subconscious had presented me with an extraordinary challenge.
Excerpt Chapter 10, One Ride
I commend you, Siddhartha: after so many years of foolishness, you once again have had an idea, you have done something, you have heard the bird in your heart sing and followed it!
–Hermann Hesse, Siddhartha
It was drizzling cool rain just after noon as the five of us dropped our bags at the newly opened Hard Days Night Hotel in Liverpool, England. We were exhausted from traveling, and we had only an hour before we were due on stage at The Cavern Club. My bandmates headed over to set up. I was suddenly regretting my decision, made just six months earlier, to play bass guitar in a rock band with my wife, and travel to Liverpool to play at a club made famous by the Beatles.
In the lobby, my wife and I were surrounded by Beatles photos on the wall, and “All You Need Is Love” played in the background. We were going to need a lot more than love to pull this thing off.
… I felt surprisingly good, considering we got back after midnight from recording our first original song at Abbey Road Studios, celebrated with a couple of nightcaps, woke up to catch a 6 a.m. car to Heathrow airport for our flight to Manchester, caught the train to Liverpool’s Lime Street Station, and then hailed the taxi that brought us here. I was amazed we’d actually made it.
It’s not a dream if you choose to make it your ride.
–Stacey & Don Fergusson, “One Ride”
Excerpt from Chapter 12, Some Kind of Wonderful
In this hour, Siddhartha ceased to fight with his destiny, ceased to suffer. On his face blossomed the serenity of a knowledge that was no longer opposed by will, a knowledge that knewperfection, that consented to the flow of events, with the stream of life, full of compassion, full of shared delight, surrendered
–Hermann Hesse, Siddhartha
… The first four Siddhartha Principles allow us to meet challenges in a more peaceful way, clearly visualize what we want to create, and take action towards our goals. When we meet ourselves where we are, without judgment, we can approach our challenges from a place of greater clarity and creativity. We take dominion over our situation and make conscious choices. When we adopt the perspective that every challenge, obstacle, or painful situation is a learning opportunity, we begin looking for the blessings instead of wallowing in victimhood. We go deep inside and connect with our courage. We ask, “How can I use this situation to become wiser, and to be unconditionally loving of myself and others?” From this place of empowerment, we can visualize an Ideal Scene for what we want to create. We can focus on the positive, giving ourselves some room to breathe and permission to dream. We then feel more confident in taking a small step towards our desired destination.
But what happens when despite all of our best efforts to employ these Siddhartha Principles, we still feel stuck, still struggle, still hurt?