"Can I Have Your Blessing?"

I had spent thirteen hours straight on the computer the night before, finishing at 5 AM.

A whole month of planning, writing, designing and now, finally, my website was live and published.

I collapsed into bed and woke just three hours later at 8 AM. Despite the exhaustion, I felt pulled to the ashram.

As I parked my scooter, I ran into my handsome genius friend, Krithin and yes, I asked for permission to use his name. He laughed and said,

“Only if you say, ‘my handsome genius friend Krithin.’”

So here we are.

He happened to be looking at my website.

I walked over asked how he was doing and right away he pointed to a photo and said,

“Who is this?”

It was a photo of me and Sri Siva Jyothi Mouna Sidda Swami, taken the very first time I visited him with my friend Olya. She had taken the photo spontaneously and I’m glad she did. I wouldn’t have taken one myself without her prompting.

I told Krithin,

“He’s an amazing being. If you’d like to meet him, I’ll take you.”

He agreed without hesitation.

I said, “Let’s go soon in a few days.”

And today was the day.

I picked up Krithin from the chai shop opposite Ramana Ashram and we set off on the scooter. Swami’s ashram is about an hour away. On the way, we stopped for fuel and picked up a bunch of bananas as an offering.

When we arrived, the ashram was completely empty. We went straight to the Shiva temple, bowed before the Shiva lingam, and then made our way over to see Swami.

It had been over a month since I last visited. I’d been deep in the tunnel of building the site lost in creative energy.

I walked up to Swami, dropped to my knees and greeted him.

He smiled, applied ash to my forehead, and said,

“God bless you.”

Krithin followed also kneeling before him.

We both sat nearby and Krithin began conversing with Swami in Tamil.

Swami then motioned for us to come sit on his right side. We moved over and settled in.

I closed my eyes for a while, just soaking it in.

But then, blogs started pouring into me. I couldn’t hold them back so I opened my phone and started writing everything down.

Swami’s attendant came over and handed us each a cup of tea. It was perfect.

An hour passed.

I turned to Krithin and asked him what Swami had said to him.

I told him it was hard for me sometimes, not understanding Tamil. Then an idea came to me.

I asked,

“Would you translate something for me?”

He said yes.

We both walked over to Swami and I shared:

"Please tell Swami... I was sitting in Ramana Ashram recently and I asked what job I should do. I began to have visions of myself starting a small business here in Tiruvannamalai - guiding people, having spiritual conversations, and writing blogs from my life. Can I have his blessing?"

Krithin translated.

Swami replied,

"Yes, definitely do it. I give you my blessing."

I accepted his word.

I would do it. I would give it 100%

I bowed in gratitude, thanked Swami, and we quietly left - back to Tiru,

back to this life unfolding step by step.