Chapter 7
My Faith Story
This book would be incomplete without the story of my Faith, my Hope, my Enthusiasm, my Trust, my Belief and my Experience with God. I have not seen God, but I feel the presence of God everywhere, all the time. I admit that there were times when my negative energies poisoned me into a non-God frequency and my link got cut off. But today, after many years of trust, belief and prayer, I feel blessed to be connected almost at all times with the power called God.
My grandfather was a staunch believer…
It all started 39 years ago when I was barely eight years old. I can still remember the days when I used to accompany my grandfather to visit the old Shiv temple. My grandfather was a staunch believer in God; he always thanked God for whatever happened and for all the blessings he received. To him, there was indeed a Power that ruled the world. One sad facet of my grandfather's life was that he was afflicted with polio and was thus restricted to a wheelchair for most of his later years of life. But this in no way prevented him from feeling happy, content and fulfilled. He used to visit the temple every day and sang bhajans (devotional songs). He would fast every Monday and spend the remaining part of the day in quiet remembrance of God. He shared with me the reasons to believe that God exists and considered surrendering and living with faith as the best way to live life. His life conveyed the message that there can be no fear when God is there; God is all-powerful and hence, we should choose to live with faith rather than fear.
He taught me how to fast, pray and connect with the power of God. At an age when most children can hardly understand the world, he left a lasting impression of hope, faith and belief on my young and impressionable mind.
My father was also a strong believer. It was with his support that I continued my spiritual journey. If I am ever asked about it, I would say that my grandfather was the “starting point for my faith” and my father moved my faith a notch higher. But most importantly, the Power called God itself kept pushing me higher.
My success and achievement can be strongly attributed to my belief in God’s existence. So, while my friends were playing and enjoying life, I was visiting temples. At that point of time I wasn’t even aware of my subconscious mind which was being programmed to connect to the Power that we call God. Faith and Hope grew stronger, and became a habit for me. Today, I am proud to have a life that has been built upon a strong foundation laid by my grandfather. He helped me nurture the roots of faith, and today, the shoots and fruits have grown so strong that they are able to reach out to others in an effort to spread the belief in the power of faith and turn others into believers. I am grateful to him and my father for helping me begin my journey of faith and hope.
My Faith Story
hope I will continue this journey till the very end.
Our Belief in Lord Shiva and Celebrating Maha Shivaratri:
My grandfather impressed upon me the power of Lord Shiva and the important yearly festival, Maha Shivaratri; the day when Shiva’s grace is at its peak. On Maha Shivaratri, we would stay awake all night, in an attempt to show gratitude to God. We would sing bhajans (spiritual songs) and chant God’s name from ten in the night till four in the morning. Not many people joined us, but those who had faith and belief, and wanted to connect with Lord Shiva, stayed awake that night.
My grandfather started that tradition, after which, Maha Shivaratri acquired prime importance in my life. Over the years, it has become the most important day of the year for me. It continues to generate positive energy, faith and hope in me and in all those who are close to me. We prepare for this auspicious day months in advance. This is the day when millions of devotees experience spiritual vibrations from God. Maha Shivaratri helped us tremendously in reaffirming our faith in God. We spend entire 24 hours of this special day doing nothing else but remembering God. My grandfather suggested to his sons and grandchildren, including me, that they devote this special day entirely to God. On this day, for the past 38 years, all our businesses remain shut. The purpose behind this is