Driving up the highway 280 in California, surrounded by lush evergreen trees and rolling hillsides inspired emotion to rise in me today. It’s not often that I find myself stopping to pause (while driving, thank you autopilot…) and think about how much beauty is around me. I had just left a Thanksgiving brunch hosted by Toni Cupal, and surrounded by a genuine group of conscious souls. Toni’s teacher, Mukund had led us through an invocation of honoring our ancestors, spirits, and nature with a special closing where he shared two songs played on his Tambur.
I’ve been having more of these moments where I notice the deep blessings that are immediately around me. People. Nature. The discussion of ideas. Truly, the common belief that heaven is when we die is the antithesis of what I have been feeling. Heaven is always around us, looking at us straight in the face until we open our eyes and start seeing the shapes form. Heaven was the pure emotion of happiness and gratitude for all of my teachers, and the acceptance that I have grown just by knowing them.
The next time your teacher is in town, make sure to spend time with them. When you know that you’re already in heaven, life becomes much more playful, and eventful. You can achieve your dreams, have anything that your mind can imagine with a burning desire, and do a handstand at the same time. Continue to maintain presence, and an eye for noticing the goodness and love that is already around you. You’ll find yourself in heaven, soon enough.