Baba then stood up and they all walked back to the cottage. It was nearing five. Rudra put the water to boil and the coal to heat. By the time he slept, it was dawn. Baba sat on His rug and was deep in meditation. The brood slept in the veranda and life was good, life was cool.

We are the energy that resides within the body. We are the spark from that Great Flame, a drop from that Great Ocean, a tune from that Great Orchestra, a sigh from the Great Breath. We are not what we seem to be.

RUDRA WAS BACK on the mountain with Baba in the village. He could see, in real life, what Baba had explained the previous night. He could see the difference, of those who operated with the knowledge that they were not the body but the energy within, the spark from The Great Flame, and those who for some reason thought everything was external and they and The One were separate entities. The difference between these two groups was clear. Those who believed that they were a part of The Great Flame, went about their day in Oneness. They were not seeking Oneness, they knew that they were a part of the Oneness. Their thoughts, words, deeds came forth from this realization. Whether they sat to pray, chant, meditate, work, bathe and eat, they did so coming from Oneness not only within themselves but with everybody around them. It showed in their demeanour. They came from a certain space of peace and contentment no matter what they indulged in. It showed in their vibrations. There was a certain stillness about them. This was not apparent in those who came from duality. Those who thought The One existed outside them were peaceful till they prayed, chanted and meditated but soon after they re-entered the world, their vibrations changed from stillness to restlessness. They came from duality and it showed in their conduct with each moment. It was palpable. It didn’t matter how spiritual they were, they lost the fragrance after a while. Rudra realized how complicated we have made our lives. We have forgotten who we truly are, what is contained within us and what throbs within us. The Shakti that is clearly flowing through us we denied Her existence through our duality and then searched for Her outside us. Like the musk deer, we went in search of the fragrance that, in reality, was within us.

Those who believed that they were a part of The Great Flame, went about their day in Oneness. They were not seeking Oneness that they knew they were a part of the Oneness.