I AM : Nethra Raghuraman

The Times of India - I AM - Mind Over Matter

11 Sep 2008

Spirituality for me is a way of saying ‘thank you’ to God for making me feel so blessed. Being spiritual gives me the strength to connect to my inner self and provides me comfort that my life is part of a higher purpose. Of course, there is God. But I also have confidence in the ‘power of self ’ and feel that God is within me. I do visit places of worship, but at the same time, I feel that the temple is in me.

To connect to divinity and develop lofty thoughts, I converse with God. I am not religious per se but I believe in all religions. Although I recognise all physical manifestations and various forms of God, but in a spiritual sense, I deeply connect with the higher being who is omnipotent. During a stressful situation, I selfconnect, which gives me a sense of belonging and reminds me that there is a universal power that is manifest within.

There is a thin line between faith and spirituality and religion and ritual. I live in a state of contemplation that makes me a better and simpler human being. I consider amulets and lucky charms a way of showing belief. I chant mantras but above everything else, I believe in keeping a clear conscience.

My parents and my family has played an important role in my spiritual development. The values they instilled in me have helped me attain a godly connect and a liberal approach towards life. Certain experiences, good and bad, have made me feel being led by God. There is an escape route for everything and if you have faith that you are being led by God, then you are definitely being led and faith will carry you. I follow the power of karma and faith for me is a force of life. Therefore, it is safe to say that I am an ardent believer in the ‘circle of life’ and ‘ karma of the present’. I believe that every difficult situation has a brighter side to it and will lead to better times.

To put my mind at peace, I read. It helps me connect to the infinite. My philosophy in life is to be fair to all. The practice of sahaj has helped me move in a holistic way. To go down myself a spiritual path, I incorporate some of the divine teachings from the Bhagavad Gita in my daily life. But sometimes, I feel things must balance out so that I can connect compassionately with my inner self. I feel that nothing happens that is not destined and determined by God, and so all is good.

(As told to Anika Sharma)