Pilgrimage of The Soul: Surrendering to the Divine Presence
Have you ever had a day where you felt the presence of the Divine in every moment? A day where every interaction felt like a mystical encounter? Such was my experience on a recent trip to California.
Ever since my friend moved to LA, I’ve been flying there more often than usual. During this last visit, my friend Abe, who’s also the President of Bab Al Ilm, curated a day that was nothing short of magical. The day was planned around a small concert in Topanga Canyon.
We kicked off the day by driving to Meher Mount in Ojai from LA. The drive was a treat for the eyes as we beheld the breathtaking scenery. We were both in awe of the magnificent mountains covered in lush green grass, thanks to the recent rain. Every turn was a new opportunity to appreciate the beauty of the landscape, and driving up to Meher Mount was even more stunning.
When we reached the mountaintop, Abe parked the car by the visitor center, and we were welcomed by Robert, who was the property caretaker at that time. The design of the center was cozy and welcoming, with the sound of water flowing through the fountain just outside the entrance. The energy of the place was palpable, and we felt it immediately.
Robert and his partner Kristina gave us a brief introduction to Meher Baba, the land, and their story before inviting us to explore the property. Abe and I proceeded to walk the path towards Avatar Point, the farthest point on the land, and were greeted by the Pacific Ocean on one side and a chain of green mountains on the other.
The view was awe-inspiring, and we found ourselves lost in the magnificence of the scenery. We spent some time meditating on two chairs that were placed there before I walked towards The Oak Tree, which suffered some fire damage. As I examined the intricate patterns on the trunk of the tree, I had a moment that felt like a “zooming out” where my awareness covered the mountain and then “zooming in” to my body. In some weird way I was identifying with a greater consciousness and my “creature/animal” nature on Earth examining the oak tree at the same time.
You see, I was never a believer that some landmarks have more energetic pulls than others. However, after my experience at Meher Mount, that belief was being challenged, and that’s because the experience that I had felt location dependent, or maybe the location was primed for such experiences to occur. That challenge felt more like an opportunity to relax into the moment and to shed what I thought I knew.
After our exploration, we chatted with Robert and Kristina before heading to downtown Ojai and then to Topanga Canyon. We went to a café next to the concert room to grab some food, and that's where we met the mysterious and mystical character known as "Hameed," or so he said. He initiated the conversation with a sarcastic “good thing you guys are on a diet!” pointing to the fact that we ate all the food and didn’t leave anything on the plate. I remember thinking to myself “this is kinda awkward.” He then asked me about my ethnicity, and when I told him I was Circassian, he interrupted me before I could explain further saying “you’re telling me about geography! I know everything about it!”
I was so taken aback, I didn’t know how to react at that moment. “So you’re Georgian then!” again I found myself continuing my explanation about the Caucasus mountains, and again he interrupted me saying “I know everything!” I felt unsure of how to proceed with him, but I was intrigued and wanted to continue the conversation, so I asked him about himself.
Hameed then put both hands up to the sky in a prayer position saying “I’m Al-Aleem, I’m Al-Kareem (I’m All-Knowing, I’m Most Generous)” and that’s when I interrupted him to remind him to give praise for such “knowledge and generosity” by finishing his sentence saying “Al-Hameed (The Most Praiseworthy).” He then looked at me saying that was his name, Hameed, at that point I didn’t know whether to believe him or not, but I went by his word.
During our conversation, I felt like Hameed was constantly interrupting whatever pattern of conversation I was used to. Not knowing where the conversation was going with each sentence, I had no other option but to surrender at that moment. With his gestures and tonality, Hameed put me in a state of self-remembrance. I was experiencing the interaction both as an observer and participant. This allowed me to “play” whatever game was happening then, and my answers to his questions even became as absurd as his questions.
Still, I had the feeling that Hameed was there to teach me something. As I was observing him through myself, he showed me a possible future self if I allowed my ego to rule over me. That’s because at some points during the conversation, Hameed would look at Abe and say “your friend thinks he knows,” keep in mind that this wasn’t a dialogue but more like a monologue from Hameed’s point of view. Hameed, with his unusual conversation style, that seemed psychologically troubled at times, was able to point out my ego self that thinks it knows more than it actually does. He also helped me understand the Divine names Al-Aleem and Al-Kareem on a deeper level.
Abe and I left the café, looking at each other and laughing, wondering what we had just experienced. We both knew that there was a lot for us to unpack from that interaction. We then finished the night with a beautiful and intimate performance by Arohi Ensemble and tabla master Samir Chatterjee.
Tucked in the corner of a dimmed light room, sitting on a few inches high platform and with a background of Persian rugs hung on the wall, Arohi Ensemble started to tune their instruments. As they were tuning the sitar, the cello, and tabla it felt like they were really tuning my ears and priming my soul to receive their music. Again, during the entire performance my mind was suspended and my soul felt at home levitating on the vibrations of the instruments. This performance was the perfect way to conclude what felt like a pilgrimage to my soul.
This day was a great reminder that approaching life without judgments or expectations can bring a different flavor to our days, moments, and interactions. Even seemingly ordinary moments have the potential for magic and realization when we approach them with awareness, intention, and attention. Through mystical experiences like visiting Meher Mount, encountering Mystical Hameed, and losing myself in the vibrations of sitar and tabla sounds, my soul embarked on a pilgrimage of self-unveiling.
Despite my efforts to articulate the essence of that magical day, any description falls short of the actual experience. All I can do is be open, be receptive to the Reality that I live in, Be Here Now!