In my early years of exploring meditation and the little known subject of reincarnation, I came across a rather discouraging description of the long passage of time the soul supposedly takes from its very earliest entry into the earth arena until its full blossoming in God-realization. Imagine, said the words of an old Indian text, a beautiful white bird flying to a large lake once every several thousand years and taking away a single drop of water in its beak – the length of time it takes for the bird to empty the lake is a description – metaphorical of course – of how long it takes for this journey to be concluded, for realization or self blossoming to be won.A rather bleak thought! But encouragingly, it did add the further comment that for those who have a curiosity or an awakening interest in spirituality, the lake is almost empty and the long journey of the soul is not in front of us but already behind us. My own teacher Sri Chinmoy had a rather more encouraging view of all this, and saw will power and intense aspiration as the key forces that govern the time we will take to achieve that final yoga or union with God. It is in fact we who decide how long our journey will take, not a pre-determined destiny. In the words of Sri Aurobindo: “Fate can be changed by an unchanging will.” Sri Chinmoy saw every kind of spiritual quest as something precious, every faltering effort at meditation a step towards illumination, each truth seeker an awakening soul setting forth….and laid out very clear guidelines that would add velocity and direction to our journey.  Like the map of a beckoning new world, he plotted out the requisite steps for us to take, offered us guidance in our great search for happiness, and helped us navigate the uncharted perils and shoals of our lives.  He filled us with courage and purpose. Among Sri Chinmoy’s vast collection of musical compositions is the popular song ‘Dak eseche’ – translated it tells us, the path travellers, ‘Call has come, call has come, God is calling you’. Its message is simple –  we are meditating  because our souls are responding to a call from God, from the universe. Always feel gratitude when you meditate, he often reminded us, for gratitude will always help you feel the sacredness of your spiritual life. It is always a pleasure to share the key secrets of meditation with seekers and students in our free workshops around New Zealand – and to pass on to them the view held by all the great teachers, that they have each reached a very special point in their life journey. God has tapped them on the shoulder….’wake up!’ In the image of the bird and the receding waters of the lake, the long journey is now largely over, the goal almost won. “In our birth” Sri Chinmoy reminds us,” life lives in the body. In our death, life lives in the spirit……We are our own fate-makers.” Author : Jogyata Dallas (Auckland, New Zealand)