People often ask me: “where are you from?”.
This has become a long question to answer…: “Where am I from?” , I ask myself for a few moments… I almost always say something like this: “I was born in Brazil but I have lived in many places such as the United States and Canada and for 9 years in Milan, Italy. Today I live in Tenerife.” Perhaps this is the most rational and objective answer and, on some level, answers the question. However, I always have a certain feeling of not having answered completely.
Master Yogananda’s phrase comes to me spontaneously:
“The soul cannot be confined within man-made boundaries. His nationality is Spirit. His country is Omnipresence.”
The truth is that even if we have roots and an original place of birth of these bodies, with our blood families – which are certainly important and have a great mark in our hearts – ; I feel deep in my Self that the families and countries we call “home” can be more than one… For me, there are certainly many; each with its own teaching and value.
Some places, in particular, perhaps even more special… Italy will always be my family… Brazil too… India, is another mother for me… And I could continue…
Everywhere I go, even if physically far away, I am always, at the same time, in some way, there too. Some very specific places, like the Amazon for example…
A strong bond is created (or recreated), which is infinite: and which nothing or no one will ever be able to break it.
When some place, people and beings “feel like home”, this goes beyond time and space… And so we can go for a long time without seeing or hearing each other; at the same time, the union is always perceived.
Going even deeper: I can say that I feel at home everywhere, because I know that “home” is not a physical place, but a state of consciousness of being free in the soul, in Its expressiveness, creativity and intuition. I know that when we are in the Dharma, in our authentic life mission, nothing is strange and it is always, even in the contradictory ups and downs of life, an ever new joy (Ananda)…
I have been learning and am inspired every day by an incredible phrase by Master Yogananda that says:
“With the practice of meditation you will discover that you have a portable paradise in your heart.” And this is what I want to do more and more about, that’s what I want to talk about, what I want to transmit to you through practices and life.
Yours,
With love, prema
Raquel Bhavani
www.premakriyayoga.com