Month: October 2021

A lotus is a beautiful flower that plunges to life from beneath the mud. As it elevates and rises it does not allow the dirt that surrounds it to affect its growth or beauty. Its spiritual symbol is of purity, enlightenment, self-regeneration and rebirth

In part one of my book, which is about backpacking around the world for 20 years, I was swimming around in the dirtiest water through shadows and darkness, getting addicted to every pleasure and always grasping for more. I was like the roots of the lotus pushing my way through the mud.

Part two is how I managed to finally stab and prod my way through that mud and slowly attain the wisdom and discipline to cut my addictions and develop more kindness and compassion, especially for myself. It was a long hard trail, and I often sunk back into the swampy mud but eventually, I broke through and slowly began to open my petals one by one to become a lotus.

We all have the potential to push through the mud and become a lotus, no matter how much dirt and mud is surrounding us or holding us back. But first and more importantly, you have to want to!

You need to get to know yourself, love yourself, forgive yourself, definitely laugh at yourself and change your mind-stream. That takes a lot of discipline and effort. Through studying the Dharma I learnt the tools that helped me to stop following my thoughts and emotions that lead me along the wrong path.

Just because you think it, doesn’t mean it is true.

I moved to India in 2004 in search of yoga, as an alternative to a knee replacement and found so much more.

Studying and practising many varieties of yoga and meditation with some of the greatest masters in holy places all over India, not only fixed my knee but also changed my mind and style of living. I was finally ‘clean’ and settled down in the most sacred Buddhist place in the poorest state of India.

In 2020 when the first lock-down came I rushed to Goa to be close to the ocean in a more developed state of India, in case I got sick. After a few months, the virus situation improved and I decided to go to the Himalayas to be near my guru. This journey involved two flights with a layover in Delhi, one of India’s biggest hot spots for the virus. It was horrific to see the way life had changed with all the social distancing and precautions but the most devastating was the desperation, uncertainty and fear in people’s eyes staring out over the tops of their masks—I was heartbroken.

After a sleepless night on a cold floor in Delhi airport, the travel rules to the Himalayas had changed and no foreigners were allowed to enter. I was horrified that I would be stuck in one of India’s hot spots and almost broke down. I managed to control my fear and anxieties using the techniques I had learned from my teachers and felt extremely blessed to be able to return to Goa.

Sitting on my flight to Goa looking at everyone’s confused and fearful eyes, I released I had the knowledge of some of the most precious life-coping tools and it was now time to share them with the world, but how??? That’s when Part two of ‘The Lotus Trail’ manifested—my inner travel guide.

After months of book, book and more book, Christmas came and I decided to have a break. On Christmas Eve I was meditating on my favourite rock beach with my dog protector when he started barking. I opened my eyes to see a western man standing in front of me,

“Can I disturb you?” his soft voice asked me. Well, he already had!! So I nodded a yes.

“I have a message for you from Jesus, that I have to tell you” Oh here we go!! You can tell it’s Christmas, I thought as I continued to look up at him.

“Jesus said you have a message for the world, and you must deliver it now. But you must not force it, you must do it ‘softly’” and he smiled and walked away.

I continued to sit there thinking about this encounter. Was it truly a message or was he just a loony tune? Then it dawned on me that maybe he was talking about the book? When I got home I opened my computer and didn’t stop until it was finished.

With all my heart I hope whoever reads this book receives the ‘soft message’ I have to share with the world.