I think everyone has heard this year's Grammy Song of the Year by Billie Eilish: What Was I Made For? The song reminded me of my friend and teacher who had been a priest-turned- psychotherapist. He had started a group in his seventies about the Shaktipat (spiritual transmission) Master, Adi Da, and had told me the story of why:
"After reading his many books, I traveled to the island of Fiji where Adi Da had started a spiritual community. Every morning Adi Da was carried on a palanquin to give his Discourse. A very loud ram horn type of sound would announce his arrival. I was sitting close and I saw a light as bright as the Sun shining over the whole area. I asked people around me: What was that? They said they didn't see anything; I was in awe the whole day!"
I would visit my friend usually once a week. I would jokingly call him my Shams Tabrīzī (the 13th century spiritual teacher of the poet Rumi). We would talk about spirituality and what was going on in my life. The last time I ever saw him, this wise man asked me, "Why do you come here? Why do you read all these spiritual books? Why do you meditate?" I couldn't answer him; My mind went blank!
He whispered in my ear: "You want to be Happy."
Perhaps because what he said was so simple, it took me a while to understand. This happened years ago and I did find happiness.
“Think I forgot how to be happy
Somethin’ I’m not, but somethin’ I can be
Somethin’ I wait for
Somethin’ I’m made for
Somethin I’m made for ”
““O, happy the soul that saw its own faults.””
From the Little Shack: "Come sit with me! Let us drink the holy wine of happiness." - Rumi