True Stories, Shared in Stillness

Following meeting Mochi the first time, I started my day off looking out for him at the ashram.

When I first arrived in Tiru in January, I was walking out of the ashram with a friend when this lady suddenly rushed over and tried to stamp my forehead with paint.

I was at the Ramana ashram — it was about 8am. I was sitting opposite the shrine hall, outside where I sometimes sit. That’s when I spotted a young pup resting against the wall.

It was early January in Tiru. I was sitting at a well-known café for foreigners.

Much to my surprise, I glanced over the balcony and saw three puppies and a dog standing there, just staring up at me.

I was sitting with a friend at the chai shop. We’d gotten to know each other pretty well during our time in Tiru. He was a good man,...

Back in high school, one of my classmates went through a bit of a transformation. I remember when I had Facebook, about sixteen years...

I was 20 years old and going through my first real heartbreak.

I really love India but one thing I don’t particularly enjoy is how quickly they try to get you in and out of a restaurant or café. You...

Collies ride Shotgun Once the Covid pandemic passed, I finally started taking the car out regularly. Most weekends, sometimes twice. I’d...

My love affair with cars started before I could walk — and before I was even born, apparently.

I was living on Greville Street. It was April 2021, and I’d decided I wanted to buy a Mustang, my dream car. I figured I had a good job,...

You don’t find Arunachala. Arunachala finds you.

Not long after, as I went to clean and refill the bucket, a guy about my age came up to me and snapped, “It’s for the dogs, leave it alone!”

“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God. Have mercy on me, a sinner.” Pretty simple. I wasn’t someone who chanted mantras or was ever really drawn...

I’d had a high school friend pass away. He was a gifted runner. In his memory, I decided to push my limits and run a half marathon. I...

In Greece, everybody has a group. Kids play together in the street. People in their 30s hang out with mates, go to bars or cafes. And the...

So many weekends have come and gone in India, and over time, I started to notice a few things.

It was a Friday night in Tiru. I was sitting out the front of the chai shop. It was around 7:30 p.m. The street was alive. Friday nights...

I was on my scooter, heading to see Swamiji. It was early, around 8 a.m. The day before, I’d stopped to feed a few puppies. Something in...