Fire	in	the	Heart
A	Spiritual	Guide	for	Teens
DEEPAK	CHOPRA
Simon	&	Schuster	Books	for	Young	Readers
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Copyright	©	2004	by	Deepak	Chopra
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Library	of	Congress	Cataloging-in-Publication	Data
Chopra,	Deepak. Fire	in	the	heart	:	a	spiritual	guide	for	teens	/	Deepak	Chopra.—1st	ed. p.	cm. Summary:	By	recounting	his	own	experiences	at	age	fifteen,	Deepak	Chopra,
a	noted	Hindu	author	and	physician,	provides	a	blueprint	for	teens	who	are
seeking	their	own	spiritual	paths. ISBN	0-689-86216-4
ISBN	13:	978-0-689-86216-8
eISBN	13:	978-1-439-10803-1
1. Spiritual	life. 2. Teenagers. [1. Spiritual	life. 2. Hinduism.] I. Title. BL624.C4767	2004
204′.4′0835—dc22
2003020174
To	all	the	teenagers	today	and	tomorrow	upon	whom	the	fate	of	the	world
depends
Every	child	that	is	born	is	proof	that	God	has	not	yet	given	up	on
human	beings. —Rabindranath	TagoreContents
Before	You	Begin
	…
Day	One
Do	I	Have	a	Soul? Day	Two
How	Do	Wishes	Come	True? Day	Three
What	Is	the	Supreme	Force	in	the	Universe? Day	Four
How	Can	I	Change	the	World? A	Soul	Alphabet
The	Last	WordBefore	You	Begin	…
A
	boy	of	fifteen	is	standing	on	a	high	green	hill	overlooking	a	valley. The
valley	is	even	more	green	and	lush. It	rolls	away	in	wave	after	wave	until	the
boy	thinks	it	must	never	end. “Do	you	see?”	a	voice	says. The	boy	turns,	and	next	to	him	an	old	man	is	standing. The	old	man	has	a
long	white	beard,	and	there	is	a	gleam	in	his	eye. “Yes,	I	see,”	the	boy	says,	but	his	heart	is	beating	so	fast	he	can	hardly
express	himself. “I	want	you	to	tell	me	what	you	see. I	have	to	be	sure	you	learned	your
lessons	well,”	the	old	man	says. Ordinarily	it	would	have	broken	the	boy’s	heart	to	say	good-bye,	because	he
thought	the	old	man	with	the	white	beard	would	be	with	him	forever. “I	see	that	all	this	is	mine,”	the	boy	says. “I	belong	to	the	universe,	and	it
belongs	to	me.”	He	stretches	his	arms
	out	as	if	he	could	own	it	all—the	high
hill,	the	green	valley,	the	whole	span	of	years	ahead	of	him. Somehow,	even
though	it	sounds	impossible,	he	does	own	it	all. “Never	forget	this,”	the	old	man	says. He	presses	his	palms	together	and	bows
in	respect,	and	the	boy	bowing	even	deeper,	does	the	same. And	that’s	the	last	I	saw	of	him. Because	I	was	the	boy	on	the	hill,	and	in	four
short	days,	the	only	time	we	were	together,	the	old	man	changed	my	life. Each	day	he	answered	a	question	that	you	are	going	to	read	about	in	this
book:
Do	I	have	a	soul? How	do	wishes	come	true? What	is	the	supreme	force	in	the	universe?How	can	I	change	the	world? These	are	big	questions,	and	when	I	was	young	and	bursting	with	idealism,
they	were	burning	questions. I	didn’t	just	want	to	know	the	answers—I	
had
	to
know. There	will	always	be	burning	questions	in	life,	but	these	four	remain
special	because	they	start	a	spark,	and	from	that	spark	you	will	have	a	fire	in
your	heart. That	fire	will	make	you	live	your	life	with	excitement	and	passion. The	old	man	with	the	white	beard	showed	me	the	spiritual	side	of	life,	where
real	passion	and	excitement
	come	from. I’m	going	to	tell	you	about	our	days
together,	down	to	the	smallest	detail,	until	you	are	given	what	I	was	given. Then	you	can	be	transformed	too,	wherever	you	are. So	before	you	begin,
take	a	deep	breath. This	story	could	turn	out	to	be	yours.Day	One
:	
Do	I	Have	a	Soul?Baba
W
hen	I	was	fifteen,	my	school	was	on	a	green	hillside	overlooking	a	valley
even	more	green	and	lush. That	part	you	already	know. Every	day	I	saw	this
beautiful	view,	except	when	the	valley	filled	with	billowing	mist. On	those
mornings	I	walked	to	school	with	wisps	of	white	curling	around	me,	like
walking	through	clouds. It	was	on	just	such	a	day,	as	I	was	making	my	way
down	the	road,	that	a	stranger’s	voice	called	out. “Come,”	it	said. “I’ve	been	waiting.”
The	voice	seemed	to	come	from	another	world. I	imagine	you’ve	walked
through	fog	and	know	how	it	creates	a	hush	all	around	you,	like	a	cocoon. Then	my	eye	caught	something. An	old	man	was	sitting	under	the	biggest,
most	twisted	tree	by	the	side	of	the	road. “Baba,	I’m	on	my	way	to	school,”	I	said. “You	must	be	waiting	for	someone
else.”	I	grew	up	in	India,	and	
baba
	is	a	term	of	respect	that	is	given	to
someone	who	is	considered	a	wise	or	holy	man. “We	need	to	talk,”	he	said	in
a	most	definite	voice. I	drew	closer. Baba	was	sitting	on	the	ground	with	his
legs	crossed. His	beard	was	almost	as	white	as	the	immaculate	cotton	pants
and	shirt	that	he	wore. “You’re	old	enough	to	know	things	now,”	he	said,	not	waiting	for	me	to	reply. “And	who	else	is	going	to	tell	you?”
I	felt	a	shiver	run	down	my	spine. “What	kind	of	things?”	I	asked. “Invisible	things. Secret	things.”	Suddenly	Baba	laughed. “How	mysterious
do	I	have	to	sound	for	you	to	listen?”
I	started	to	forget	about	school. All	kinds	of	images	were	filling	my	mind. Sitting	there	in	that	cross-legged	position,	the	old	man	looked	like	Buddha,
who	became	enlightened	sitting	under	a	tree. His	long	white	beard	made	Baba
look	wizardly,	like	Merlin,	and	the	gleam	in	his	eye	told	me	unmistakably	that
he	must	be	wise,	like	Socrates. “I’m	not	asking	much. Just	give	me	one	day,”	Baba	coaxed.Hesitantly	I	sat	down	beside	him	under	the	gnarled,	twisted	tree. The	sun	was
burning	the	mist	off	now	Between	billows	of	fog	we	could	glimpse	the	green
tea	plantations	that	filled	the	valley	and	surrounding	hills. “This	won’t	be	like	school,”	Baba	said. “I’m	going	to	teach	you	a	new	way	to
see	and	a	new	way	to	be.”
He	pointed	at	the	scenery	“What	do	you	see? I	mean	right	now,	at	this	very
moment?”
“I	see	you	and	this	tree,	and	I	see	the	fog	lifting	from	the	valley,”	I	said. Baba	leaned	closer. “Want	to	know	what	I	see? I	see	your	soul.”	He	was
catching	my	attention	more	and	more. “I	see	a	world	for	you	to	possess. I	see
eternity”	Baba	stopped,	and	I	felt	another	shiver. “Do	you	believe	me?”	he
asked. “I	want	to	believe	you,	but	I	can’t	see	any	of	those	things,”	I	said. “Of	course	not. It	takes	a	new	way	of	seeing,	which	is	why	I	had	to	find	you,”
he	said. “A	few	more	years	and	you	might	be	lost. The	old	ways	are	hard	to
break.”
I	was	at	that	age	when	a	dreamy	inclination	comes	easily	In	fact,	the	reason	I
hadn’t	noticed	Baba	was	that	I	had	been	dreaming	my	way	to	school. Now	it
seemed	as	if	I	had	conjured	up	a	vision	out	of	the	mist. The	old	man’s	eyes	sharpened. “I’m	not	talking	about	fantasies	and	pink
clouds,”	he	said. “You	need	to	know	how	reality	works. Only	what’s	real	has
power,	even	when	it	looks	like	magic.”
“Okay”	I	said. I	had	the	uncomfortable	feeling	that	he	had	read	my	mind
when	I	wondered	if	he	was	imaginary. “In	reality	there	
is
	eternity	everywhere,”	said	Baba. “In	reality	your	soul	is
here	for	you	to	experience	it. I’ll	show	you	what	I	mean.”
He	reached	down	and	took	up	a	handful	of	sand	from	the	side	of	the	road. “Feel	it,”	he	said. “What’s	it	like?”
He	dropped	some	of	the	sand	into	my	hands. “It’s	rough	and	sharp	and
grainy,”	I	said. “And	it’s	warm	from	the	sun.”“Would	it	surprise	you	if	I	told	you	that	none	of	that	is	real?”	he	asked. I	felt	confused. “Of	course	it’s	real.”
“But	sand	is	made	of	molecules,”	said	Baba. “And	molecules	aren’t	sharp	or
rough	or	grainy. I	could	take	the	molecules	in	sand	and	turn	them	into	glass,
which	is	completely	smooth. Of	course,	molecules	aren’t	real	either.”
“Why	not?”
“Because	they	are	made	of	atoms,	and	atoms	are	just	blurry	clouds	of	energy
You	can’t	see	or	touch	one,	and	isn’t	that	how	you	measure	real	things,	by
seeing	and	touching	them? Come	to	think	of	it,	energy	isn’t	real	either.”
By	now	I	didn’t	feel	like	arguing;	this	was	a	completely	new	way	of	seeing
things,	just	as	he	had	promised. “Energy	vibrates	everywhere	in	the	universe,”	Baba	said. “But	it	springs	from
the	void,	which	is	empty	and	still. You	won’t	know	what’s	real	until	we	go
there. Shall	we?”
He	let	the	sand	sift	through	his	fingers,	and	for	a	moment	it	was	like	watching
someone	letting	the	whole	world	sift	through	his	fingers,	the	world	I	thought	I
lived	in. “This	is	very	strange,”	I	murmured. “Ah,	so	the	old	ways	are	not	looking	quite	so	certain,”
	he	said,	sounding
pleased. “What	will	be	left	when	everything	solid	vanishes	before	your	eyes?”
“Nothing,”	I	said. “Nothing!”	he	repeated. “That’s	exactly	right. But	when	we’re	through,
nothing	will	turn	into	everything—your	soul,	God,	an	infinite	world	for	you
to	possess. Shall	we?”	he	asked	again. “Absolutely,”	I	said. W
HAT
	I	L
EARNED
Spirituality	is	about	a	new	way	of	seeing	and	a	new	way	of	being. When	Babatold	me	that	one	thing,	he	told	me	all	I	had	to	know. It	wasn’t	even	necessary
to	use	the	word	
spirituality
. Words	are	never	as	important	as	reality	itself,	and
what’s	real	is	that	you	and	I	are	like	walking	clouds	at	the	atomic	level. Atoms	are	a	lot	more	empty	than	they	are	solid,	which	means	that	
we
	are	a	lot
more	empty	than	we	are	solid	(every	person	is	more	than	99.999999	percent
empty	space;	the	space	between	the	earth	and	the	sun	is	much	smaller	by
comparison). Just	beneath	the	surface,	where	things	look	reassuring	and	solid,	we	all	should
fly	apart	and	float	away	into	a	fog,	but	we	don’t. This	is	because	we	aren’t
really	empty. There’s	an	invisible	
something
	to	be	discovered	inside	us. “A	mysterious	force	is	holding	things	together	and	making	patterns	out	of
clouds	of	energy,”	Baba	told	me. “You’d	better	find	out	what	that	force	is.”
“Why?”	I	asked. “Because	it’s	everywhere. It’s	finer	than	the	finest	atom. It’s	subtler	than	the
subtlest	energy	It’s	more	real	than	anything	you	have	ever	seen. Don’t	even
compare	it	to	physical	forces	like	gravity	and	electricity,”	he	said. “Unless	an
invisible	
something
	existed,	there	would	be	no	universe. And	no	you.”
So	that’s	how	it	started:	A	boy	and	an	old	man	set	out	to	hunt	the	invisible
something
	that	is	real	even	when	everything	else	vanishes. Only	years	later,
after	I	was	grown	up,	did	I	come	across	some	lines	that	perfectly	state	what
we	were	after. They	come	from	the	poet	William	Blake,	and	you	could	call
them	the	motto	for	this	book. To	see	a	world	in	a	grain	of	sand
And	a	heaven	in	a	wild	flower,
Hold	infinity	in	the	palm	of	your	hand
And	eternity	in	an	hour.You	Won’t	Believe	Your	Eyes
W
e’ll	never	find	anything	invisible	if	you	believe	your	eyes,”	said	Baba. “Most	people	do	that	all	the	time. Its	a	bad	habit.”	He	pointed	to	a	rock	lying
beside	him	on	the	ground. “Even	though	this	is	really	an	energy	cloud,	a	rock
looks	very	solid	and	heavy,	doesn’t	it?”
“Yes,	because	it	is. A	cloud	wouldn’t	hurt	if	you	dropped	one	on	your	foot,”	I
said. “Ah,	you	do	trust	your	five	senses,”	said	Baba. “Why	shouldn’t	you? After
all,	the	world	is	flat,	just	the	way	your	eyes	see	it.”
“Well,	no,	that’s	something	I	couldn’t	trust,”	I	said. “Oh,	but	the	sun	moves	across	the	sky	and	sets	in	the	west	at	night,	doesn’t
it?”	said	Baba. “No,	it	only	looks	that	way,”	I	admitted. “So	you’re	already	in	the	habit	of	not	trusting	your	eyes,”	said	Baba,	smiling
a	certain	way. I	came	to	call	this	his	
I	know	a	secret
	smile,	and	one	could
never	quite	tell	when	it	was	coming. “Maybe	I	can’t	trust	my	eyes	all	the	time,	but	how	can	I	rely	on	what	I	can’t
see	at	all?”	I	asked. “Here’s	a	clue	wrapped	in	a	story,”	said	Baba. “One	night	while	you	were
asleep,	your	body	started	talking	to	itself. The	heart	spoke	up	first. Tm	sick	of
pumping	blood	all	day	for	the	stomach. Why	should	I? I	should	be	working
just	for	myself.’
“When	it	heard	this,	the	stomach	replied,	‘You	should	talk. I	digest	food	all
day	for	the	brain. It	takes	whatever	I	give,	and	frankly,	I	should	be	working
just	for	myself	too.’
“When	the	brain	heard	this,	it	said,	‘I	think	all	the	time	about	what	to	put	in
the	stomach. Do	you	realize	how	easily	it	gets	upset? If	anybody	should	be
working	just	for	themselves,	it’s	me.’“You	can	see	why	this	argument	is	silly,”	said	Baba. “In	reality	every	part	of
the	body	works	for	every	other	part. How	do	you	see	that? In	your	mind. Knowledge	goes	beyond	the	senses. I	will	teach	you	to	see	with	your	mind’s
eye. Then	you’ll	have	no	trouble	seeing	invisible	things.”
W
HAT
	I	L
EARNED
To	be	spiritual	you	have	to	believe	in	something	invisible. Baba	taught	me
this	at	the	very	beginning. First	you	have	to	stop	trusting	that	only	your	five
senses	are	right. It’s	a	hard	habit	to	break,	because	common	sense	says,	“I
want	to	see	it,	touch	it,	taste	it—then	I’ll	know	it’s	real.”	But	I	can	make	you
taste	something	right	now	that	is	totally	invisible. Close	your	eyes	and	see	a	bright	yellow	lemon	in	your	mind’s	eye. Now	see	a
knife	cutting	the	lemon	into	slices,	and	then	see	yourself	biting	into	one	slice. Did	you	notice	that	your	mouth	started	watering? This	happened	exactly	as	if
you	were	biting	into	an	actual	lemon. All	it	took	was	a	mental	picture,	which
you	produced	out	of	nowhere,	and	suddenly	your	body	went	into	action. Millions	of	cells	in	your	brain	formed	the	image;	a	signal	was	sent	along	the
network	of	nerves	inside	your	head	to	your	mouth;	your	salivary	glands
received	the	message	and	began	to	flow. Here	are	some	amazing	facts	that	follow	from	this	simple	experiment:
There	was	no	picture	of	a	lemon	inside	your	head
. When	you	thought	of	a
lemon,	your	brain	cells	didn’t	paint	an	image	or	project	one	on	a	screen. Your
brain	is	as	dark	as	the	blackest	cave—there’s	no	light	or	color	inside	it. So
where	did	that	picture	come	from? There	was	no	taste	of	lemon	in	your	mouth
. You	didn’t	actually	experience
real	lemon	juice. Your	salivary	glands,	which	you	may	think	need	food	to
react	to,	here	needed	nothing	at	all. So	where	did	the	sourness	come	from? Someplace	mysterious. Some	place	Baba	was	leading	me	to,	step	by	step.Everything	Is	Connected
N
ow,	let’s	say	you	believe	there	really	is	
something
	in	the	universe	that	you
can’t	see,”	said	Baba. “What	does	it	do? If	it	had	nothing	to	do,	even	if	you
called	it	God,	our	lives	would	stay	the	same	as	they	are. People	probably
wouldn’t	bother	looking	for	it	in	the	first	place.”
“Probably	not,”	I	said. The	sun	was	rising	higher	in	the	sky,	and	we	were	comfortable	sitting	in	the
cool	shade	of	the	tree. Every	once	in	a	while	I	felt	a	darting	worry	about
missing	school,	but	as	long	as	I	kept	listening	to	Baba,	even	this	worry	was
far	away. “So	it’s	a	fine	puzzle	to	figure	out	what	this	invisible	
something
	could	be
doing.”	Baba	took	in	a	big	breath	of	air. “Go	ahead,	do	that,”	he	said. “The
answer	is	right	here,	waiting	to	be	noticed.”
I	took	a	deep	breath. “I	don’t	notice	anything,”	I	said. “Isn’t	there	something
in	the	air?”	asked	Baba. “Spring. You	can’t	miss	it. When	the	birds	start
singing	and	the	buds	come	out	on	the	trees,	when	hearts	flutter	and	you	see
lovers	holding	hands	in	the	park,	isn’t	spring	in	the	air?”
“Sure,	but—”
“Well,	why	is	it	spring? There’s	no	reason	for	it. The	earth	tilts	a	few	degrees
on	its	axis—so	what? Yet	in	the	arctic	snow	a	polar	bear	knows	that	it	is	time
to	come	out	of	hibernation. Flowers	know	that	it	is	time	to	sprout	without	fear
of	dying	in	the	frost. Locusts	buried	seven	years	in	the	ground	know	that	it	is
time	to	creep	forth. How	can	all	this	happen	from	a	little	tilt?”
Before	I	could	hazard	a	guess,	he	said,	“I’m	going	to	show	you. Imagine	that
you	are	a	bird. You	don’t	think	about	spring;	you	don’t	think	in	words	at	all. How	do	you	know	that	it’s	time	to	fly	north	again	and	mate?”
“Spring	fever?”
“Good	enough,”	said	Baba. “Let’s	call	it	an	impulse	that	happens	only	in	the
spring. One	impulse	seems	to	strike	every	creature. The	locust,	the	polar	bear,the	flower,	and	the	bird	live	far	apart,	but	they	feel	the	same	impulse	in	their
own	way. Even	in	the	darkest	depths	of	the	ocean,	where	sunlight	never
reaches,	the	horseshoe	crab	knows	that	it’s	time	to	march	hundreds	of	miles	to
shore,	and	on	one	single	moonlit	night	millions	of	horseshoe	crabs	appear	at
once. Amazing. “Sending	that	impulse	is	what	
something
	is	doing. It
	holds	life	together. That’s	its	job. But	now	we	can	stop	calling	it	
something,
”	said	Baba. “Once
you	know	what	the	invisible	force	does,	you	can	call	it	by	its	rightful	name.”
“Which	is	what?”	I	asked. “The	soul.”
W
HAT
	I	L
EARNED
People	have	millions	of	things	to	say	about	the	soul,	but	Baba	focused	on	just
one:	The	soul	is	the	glue	of	the	universe. It’s	not	just	sticky	glue;	it’s
intelligent. The	universe	is	held	together	in	three	invisible	ways:
Everything	is	connected. Everything	looks	out	for	everything	else. Everything	is	in	harmony	with	the	whole. Your	body	is	a	living	example	of	how	these	three	things	work. A	single	cell
that	isn’t	connected,	that	selfishly	looks	out	only	for	itself,	and	that	refuses	to
be	in	harmony	with	the	whole	turns	into	a	cancer. One	rogue	cell	among
billions	is	enough	to	destroy	the	entire	scheme	of	life. The	body’s	intelligence
breaks	down,	and	that	is	far	more	devastating	than	physical	harm. Fortunately,
such	runaway	cells	are	very	uncommon,	less	than	one	in	a	million,	and	the
huge	majority	of	these	rogues	do	not	survive. The	body’s	inner	intelligence
knows	exactly	how	life	should	be	regulated	for	maximum	survival. Baba	didn’t	say	that	the	invisible	glue	must	be	called	the	soul. Other	terms
have	come	down	through	the	ages:	spirit,	God,	the	divine	spark,	the	breath	of
life. Often	I	use	the	word	
essence
. When	you	reduce	anything	to	its	purest
form,	you	have	its	essence. An	armful	of	roses	can	be	reduced	to	half	an
ounce	of	pure	rose	essence. There	are	billions	of	people	living	totally	different
lives. Yet	soul	or	spirit	is	the	purest	part	of	being	alive,	no	matter	who	youare. It’s	your	essence. It’s	strange	that	this	essence	is	so	hard	to	find. When	we	go	around	looking
for	it,	we’re	like	fish	looking	everywhere	for	water	but	never	seeming	to	find
it. I	imagine	the	first	fish	to	discover	water	happened	to	jump	out	of	the
ocean. Maybe	a	shark	was	chasing	it,	and	the	fish	got	desperate. When	it
splashed	back	into	the	sea,	the	fish	had	a	thrilling	moment	of	
Aha! So	that’s
where	the	water	is. I’ve	been	swimming	in	it	all	my	life	and	never	knew
. That’s	what	Baba	did	for	me. Like	a	fish	splashing	back	into	the	sea,	I
discovered	that	I’d	been	living	with	spirit,	inside	and	out,	all	my	life. It’s
everywhere,	making	sure	that	everything	is	connected. The	light	from	a	star
billions	of	light-years	away	is	the	same	light	that	makes	plants	grow	here	on
Earth. The	plants	give	food;	the	food	allowed	you	to	develop	in	your	mother’s
womb;	and	today	you	look	at	those	stars	with	the	eyes	that	the	stars	gave	you. There’s	the	cosmic	connection. Did	you	know	that	with	every	breath	you	breathe,	you
	take	in	millions	of
atoms	breathed	out	yesterday	by	someone	in	China? Those	atoms	were	in
another	body	circulating	in	the	blood	or	building	a	cell	or	perhaps	making	a
baby	Without	knowing	it,	you	are	connected	to	a	baby	who	hasn’t	even	been
born	yet. The	water	in	your	body	has	the	same	salt	and	mineral	content	as	the
ocean,	which	means	you	are	carrying	the	ocean	around	inside	you. The	skin
cells	that	you	rubbed	off	with	a	towel	this	morning	when	you	stepped	out	of
the	shower	contain	molecules	that	were	once	in	the	body	of	Jesus	and	Buddha
and	every	other	holy	figure	from	the	past. So	rejoice	in	the	cosmic	connection. See	yourself	on	a	beautiful	spring	day
You	are	full	of	new	life	and	energy	The	day	feels	perfect. Inside	you	a	spark	is
gleaming,	and	you	suddenly	know	for	sure	that	you	are	alive	in	a	world	that	is
your	home. At	that	moment	you	are	truly	tuned	in. Baba	taught	me	never	to
forget	that	feeling	of	being	connected	to	everything. And	he	was	just	getting	started.Soul	Training
L
et’s	move!”	Baba	said,	jumping	to	his	feet. The	old	man	had	been	sitting	so
still	in	his	cross-legged	pose	that	he	seemed	to	be	planted	in	the	earth	like	the
twisted	tree	itself. Now	I	had	to	run	to	catch	up	with	him. “You’re	going	into	training,”	he	called	over	his	shoulder. “What	kind	of	training?”	I	asked. He	was	taking	me	to	a	green	meadow	that
fringed	the	woods. “The	best	kind,”	he	said. “Soul	training. Not	many	can	teach	it,	so	you	must
be	very,	very	lucky. Did	you	know	you	were	that	lucky?”
“Not	really.”	I	wasn’t	sure	if	he	was	teasing	me. Baba	found	a	spot	in	the	middle	of	the	meadow	and	looked	around. “This	is
good,”	he	said. “Lie	down	right	there.”
I	got	flat	on	my	back	in	the	tall	grass,	wondering	what	would	come	next. “Now	gaze	at	the	sky,”	said	Baba. “Do	you	see	the	sun?”
“Sure.”	With	the	morning	mist	burned	away,	the	sun	was	right	above	me. Baba	took	his	hands	and	placed	them	over	my	eyes. “Now	can	you	see	the
sun?”	he	asked. “No,	of	course	not.”
“Session	over,”	he	said,	looking	pleased,	as	if	I	had	done	something
extremely	promising. I	protested. “What	kind	of	training	was	that? Nothing	happened.”
Baba	was	always	happiest	when	he	had	me	a	little	off	balance—I	was
learning	that	quick	enough. He	said,	“When	you	cover	your	eyes,	you	can’t
see	the	sun,	but	you	still	know	it’s	there. Nothing	has	happened	to	it,	right?”“So	far,”	I	said. “If	the	sun	went	behind	a	cloud	for	weeks	or	months,	you’d	still	know	that
you	were	connected	to	it,”	he	said. I	agreed. “The	same	is	true	for	the	soul. Just	because	you	hide	it	doesn’t	mean	it	stops	existing. Be	prepared,”	he	said. “Let’s	see	if	we	can	move	some	clouds.”
Baba	reached	down	and	made	the	same	motion	of	putting	his	hands	over	my
eyes,	only	this	time	he	put	them	over	my	heart. Hold	on,
	I	thought. With	a	bold	flourish	he	took	his	hands	away. Before	I	could	think	anything,	I
felt	a	coolness	blow	over	me. I
	looked	around. The	meadow	was	rippling	with
soft	waves	of	light. They	seemed	to	be	everywhere,	and	yet	they	were	so	faint
it	could	have	been	a	mirage. “How	did	you	do	that?”	I	whispered. It	was	like	somebody	was	shining	a	light
from	behind	all	the	familiar	things—grass,	trees,	sky—that	I	knew	so	well. A
gray	veil	was	gone,	and	yet	I	never	knew	it	existed. “I	didn’t	do	anything,”	Baba	said. I	felt	his	finger	tap	lightly	near	my	heart. “The	only	beauty	in	the	world	is	the	beauty	inside	you. You	can	cloud	over
your	soul;	then	the	beauty	disappears. But	like	the	sun,	it	never	goes	away.”
I	tried	to	look	inside	the	place	he	had	touched. For	a	second	I	did	see
something. A	small,	flickering	flame	near	my	heart. The	next	instant	it	was
gone. I	sat	up,	and	the	meadow	was	just	a	meadow	again. “Was	that	real?”	I	asked	shakily. “You	just	got	the	faintest	glimpse	of	what	is	real,”	said	Baba. “The	soul’s	light
is	as	ever-present	as	the	sun. Once	you	finish	your	training,	you’ll	see	what	I
mean,	and	much	more. There	is	really	only	one	soul,	which	each	person	has	a
piece	of,	and	yet	it	is	enough	to	light	up	the	world.”
W
HAT
	I	L
EARNED
That	was	the	first	time	Baba	let	me	catch	a	glimpse	of	my	soul. From	then	on
I	wanted	to	see	it	as	clearly	as	he	did. Even	though	I	never	again	experienced
a	green	meadow	rippling	with	waves	of	light,	I	kept	a	memory	of	how
	sweetthat	moment	was. The	soul	doesn’t	wink	in	and	out. It	is	our	essence,	the
purest	part	of	us. All	the	beautiful	things	in	this	world	merely	reflect	it. I	have	come	to	know	other	ways	to	catch	a	glimpse	of	the	soul. Whenever	the
world	around	me	tingles	with	life,	I	am	really	seeing	a	bit	of	my	soul. When	a
stranger	catches	my	eye	and	I	see	a	glimmer	of	joy,	I	am	really	seeing	a	bit	of
my	soul. When	the	light	sparkles	off	the	ocean	like	jewels	or	the	air	brushes
over	my	skin	like	a	caress,	I	am	seeing	a	bit	of	my	soul. More	than	90	percent	of	people	believe	they	have	a	soul,	according	to	opinion
polls. So	why	do	so	many	feel	anxious,	depressed,	and	generally	out	of	tune? Countless	answers	have	been	given,	but	the	spiritual	answer	is	that	the	soul
connection	has	been	lost. By	“lost”	I	mean	“misplaced,”	since	you	can’t	really
lose	your	soul. When	it	comes	down	to	it,	Baba	taught	me	that	there	are	three
ways	I	could	choose	to	live:
I	could	put	my	hands	over	my	eyes	and	never	see	my	soul. This	would
be	like	a	permanently	cloudy	day,	when	you	never	see	the	sun. I	could	see	my	soul	by	glimpses. This	would	be	like	lying	under	a	tree
and	seeing	the	sun	dart	in	and	out	between	the	leaves. I	could	see	my	soul	all	the	time. This	is	like	looking	at	the	sun	with
nothing	to	block	your	view. Which	way	of	life	I	chose	would	make	a	huge	difference. When	the	soul	isn’t
in	sight,	people	have	to	struggle	to	find	meaning. They	feel	anxious	and	lost. They	wonder	if	there	really	is	anything	worth	believing	in. When	the	soul
darts	in	and	out	of	view,	life	improves. People	feel	less	depressed,	more	in
tune	with	everything. But	the	situation	remains	shaky	because	dark	times	will
come,	and	then	life	seems	unsafe	and	unfair. I	came	to	Baba	knowing	that
terrible	things	happen	in	the	world. On	the	happiest	day	of	spring	you	can	turn
on	the	news	and	find	scenes	of	terrible	warfare. So	I	naturally	thought	I	had	a
good	idea	of	how	things	were. Today	I	can	still	turn	on	the	TV	and	find	scenes	of	terrible	warfare. But	Baba
took	my	hands	away	from	my	soul,	and	I	see	something	else,	too. Something
that	no	amount	of	darkness	can	blot	out. Spirit	never	goes	away
. Clouds	may
hide	it	from	sight,	but	they	can’t	destroy	it. They	can’t	even	alter	it	by	one
little	bit. That’s	the	third,	and	best,	way	to	be—secure	in	your	soul. If	you	still
have	doubts,	follow	me	on	the	next	step	of	Baba’s	soul	training.The	Way	of	the	Heart
T
he	best	way	to	live	is	the	way	your	soul	wants	you	to,”	Baba	said. We	were	still	in	the	meadow,	me	lying	lazily	in	the	tall	sweetgrass,	Baba
sitting	cross-legged	on	a	large	rock	watching	me. “I	don’t	divide	people	into
those	who	believe	and	those	who	don’t,”	he	said. “I	divide	them	into	those
who	know	how	to	live	and	those	who	don’t.”
I	sat	up	and	faced	him. “So	if	I	asked	my	soul	what	I	should	do	today,	it
would	tell	me?”
“Maybe,”	Baba	said. “But	your	soul	isn’t	an	answer	box. It	wants	you	to	walk
your	own	path	and	still	have	the	best	life. There	are	four	ways	of	doing	that. The	first	is	known	as	the	way	of	the	heart. If	you	listen,	your	ears	will	tell	you
how	it	works.”
My	ears? But	Baba	didn’t	want	any	more	questions. He	put	his	finger	to	his
lips. I	lay	back	down. I	almost	fell	asleep	in	the	sweetness	of	the	meadow,	but
then	I	heard	two	voices	in	the	distance. They	were	having	a	loud	argument. “Thief! You	stole	my	money,”	the	first	one	shouted. “Idiot! I	charged	you	a	fair	price,”	the	second	voice	yelled	back. “Leave	me
alone!”
I	raised	my	head	just	enough	to	see	who	it	was. Two	men	from	the	village
were	arguing	in	the	road. Their	faces	were	red,	and	they	were	close	to
fighting. “Why	are	we	listening	to	them?”	I	said	in	a	low	whisper. But	Baba	just	put	his
fingers	to	his	lips	again,	so	I	waited. Still	shouting,	the	two	men	went	by	without	seeing	us. Just	then	I	heard	more
voices. They	sounded	like	kids	from	my	school	going	home	for	lunch	(which
was	much	more	common	in	India	back	then). “I	still	don’t	get	it. They’re	just	chatting	and	talking	about	stuff,”	I	said,
ducking	my	head	so	that	no	one	could	see	me. Baba	nodded	without	a	word.When	the	kids	were	gone,	I	waited	some	more,	but	there	was	nothing	else	to
hear. “On	the	contrary,”	said	Baba,	who	was	reading	my	mind	so	often	that	it	was
becoming	normal. “Now	is	the	time	you	must	really	listen.”
He	pointed	toward	the	road. Again	I	raised	my	head,	and	this	time	I	saw	two
young	lovers	from	the	village	who	had	just	become	engaged. They	were
walking	hand	in	hand,	gazing	at	each	other	silently. After	they	were	past,	Baba	said,	“People	shout	when	their	hearts	are	far	apart. They	speak	normally	when	their	hearts	are	in	tune. But	when	two	hearts	are
one,	there	is	no	need	for	words	at	all. That	is	how	the	way	of	the	heart
	works. In	silence	you	will	find	your	soul	as	the	love	guiding	you	from	your	heart.”
W
HAT
	I	L
EARNED
The	way	of	the	heart	isn’t	about	words—it’s	about	feelings. Your	heart	is	the
natural	home	of	spirit. If	you	say	to	someone,	“Show	me	where	your	soul	is,”
almost	without	hesitation	they	will	point	to	the	heart. What	they	might	not
know	is	what	the	heart	can	really	accomplish. Have	you	heard	of	horse
whispering? When	a	wild	horse	is	caught,	someone	has	to	break	it	in. Wild
horses	are	afraid	of	the	saddle;	they	panic	and	fight	when	they	feel	a	rider	on
their	back	for	the	first	time. So	traditionally	the	sight	of	a	horse	being	broken
in	was	wild	and	violent. Then	someone	discovered	another	way,	called	horse	whispering. Instead	of
forcing	the	horse	to	obey,	the	trainer	handles	it	gently,	looking	it	in	the	eye,
stroking	its	flanks	to	calm	it	down,	and	mounting	the	horse	only	when	the
trainer	feels	a	signal	from	the	animal	that	says,	
You	may	get	on	me. I	trust	you
. The	old,	violent	way	of	breaking	horses	took	days;	horse	whispering	can	often
get	a	wild	horse	to	accept	a	saddle	in	a	few	hours. What’s	at	work	here	is	the	way	of	the	heart,	and	the	steps	are	the	same	with
people	as	with	horses:
Tune	in	to	the	other	person
. Gain	the	other	person’s	trust. Be	in	harmony;	do	not	resist	the	other	person’s	feelings.These	three	steps	don’t	use	words;	in	fact,	words	just	get	in	the	way. You	have
to	be	willing	to	enter	someone	else’s	world. That	can	sound	scary,	yet	as	you
get	used	to	the	way	of	the	heart	you	will	see	how	naturally	it	works. 1. T
UNE
	I
N
The	first	step	comes	down	to	really	looking	and	listening. The	simple
question	“How	do	you	feel?”	is	always	a	good	start. But	look	and	listen	from
the	heart;	that’s	the	key. Someone	may	say,	“I’m	fine,”	yet	if	they	look	stiff,
with	arms	folded	and	a	tense	tone	in	their	voice,	don’t	those	things	tell	you
more	than	words? If	you	look	into	someone’s	eyes—not	staring,	but	just
making	contact—you	begin	to	feel	what	they	are	feeling. Likewise,	you	have
to	listen	from	the	heart,	which	tunes	in	to	feelings	all	the	time. Whenever	you	meet	anyone,	your	heart	reaches	out	and	asks:	
Is	this	person
feeling	good	or	bad,	excited	or	depressed,	worried	or	expectant? Everyone
else’s	heart	is	doing	the	same	thing. So	don’t	get	in	the	way	or	pretend	that
you	don’t	notice. We	all	notice	feelings	at	the	heart	level. Words	are	easily
forgotten,	but	a	look	from	the	heart	becomes	part	of	who	you	are. 2. G
AIN
	T
RUST
When	you	open	yourself	to	someone,	trust	begins	to	develop. Have	you	ever
watched	squirrels	in	the	park? If	you	throw	a	peanut	at	one,	it	will	scamper
away	and	keep	its	distance,	wondering	if	you	are	to	be	trusted. But	if	you
	hold
the	peanut	in	your	open	hand,	the	squirrel	will	dart	closer,	then	run	away,	then
come	closer	again. After	a	moment	even	a	skittish	squirrel	will	be	eating	out
of	your	hand. With	people	it	takes	an	open	heart	instead	of	a	peanut,	but	you	hold	it	out	just
as	patiently	and	just	as	still. We’re	all	afraid	at	times	to	show	our	feelings
when	we	think	they	will	make	us	look	weak	or	set	us	up	for	rejection. But	if
you	simply	allow	yourself	to	be	with	someone	else,	quietly	and	with	an	open
heart,	trust	comes	naturally. Think	about	someone	in	your	life	who	leaves	an	open	space	for	you	to	be
yourself. No	one	is	more	valuable. I	would	much	rather	have	a	pillar	of	trust
in	my	life	than	a	pillar	of	strength. So	test	the	waters	and	find	someone	who
will,	first,	listen	to	you	and,	second,	accept	what	you’re	feeling. 3. B
E	IN
	H
ARMONYThe	third	step	comes	down	to	acceptance. In	the	joining	of	two	hearts	there	is
always	acceptance. This	is	because	neither	one	is	thinking,	
I	can’t	waste	my
valuable	time	putting	up	with	you
. When	you	are	in	harmony,	you	have	as
much	time	for	another	person	as	for	yourself. Lovers	don’t	need	to	speak
because	they	feel	like	one	person. What	if	you	aren’t	in	love? You	can	still
close	the	gap	between	yourself	and	anyone	you	meet. Feel	what	the	other
person	feels
. If	you	do	this	without	judging,	then	the	same	thing
	always
happens. You	realize,	
I’ve	felt	that	way	too
. Now	you	are	in	harmony. It’s	human	nature	to	sit	in	judgment,	but	it’s	also	human	nature	to	rise	above
judgment. The	choice	is	yours. Judging	means	making	somebody	else
inferior. If	you	can’t	stand	it	because	somebody	around	you	is	crying	or
depressed	or	criticizing	all	the	time,	stop	and	ask	yourself,	“Am	I	better	than
that?”	If	you	say	yes,	you	are	judging	them. And	they	know	it,	because	in
their	heart	they	read	your	secret	feeling	of	superiority. Yet	the	truth	is	that	all	of	us	have	cried,	thrown	an	angry	fit,	and	criticized
others. Feelings	happen. When	you	accept	them	as	a	part	of	life,	you	can
begin	to	accept	other	people,	and	in	time	
all
	people,	from	the	heart. I
sometimes	think	the	world	could	be	changed	overnight	if	the	Golden	Rule
said,	“Feel	about	others	as	you	would	have	them	feel	about	you.”	Certainly
this	is	what	my	heart	is	thinking,	and	yours,	too,	if	I	am	not	mistaken.The	Way	of	the	Mind
Y
our	soul	is	always	sending	you	messages,”	Baba	remarked. “Some	everyday
thoughts	are	actually	these	soul	messages. Did	you	know	that? They	are	the
second	way	your	soul	wants	you	to	live	by	the	way	of	the	mind.”
I	had	gotten	very	hungry	and	yet	before	I	told	him,	Baba	produced	a	large
handkerchief	from	his	pocket. When	he	opened	it,	I	was	surprised	to	see	some
flatbread	wrapped	around	curried	potatoes,	with	even	a	bit	of	mango	pickle
packed	inside	to	give	it	tang—not	too	sour,	not	too	bitter. He	broke	the	bread
in	half,	and	we	began	eating	contentedly. “What	kind	of	messages?”	I	asked. “You	never	can	tell,”	said	Baba. “The	soul	likes	to	be	unpredictable. It	likes	to
keep	you	excited	about	turning	the	next	page	of	your	life. So	you	have	to	keep
an	open	mind. That’s	the	key	to	the	second	way.”
“I	have	an	open	mind,	but	I	don’t	get	any	messages,”	I	protested. “Ah.”	Suddenly	Baba	clapped	his	two	hands	together,	and	when	they	came
apart,	the	right	one	held	a	bright	gold	coin. “Would	you	like	to	have	this?”
“Sure,”	I	said	quickly,	wondering	why	he	had	changed	the	subject. “I’ll	give	it	to	you	if	you	can	count	backward	by	threes	from	a	hundred,”	he
said. “That’s	all?”	I	asked	suspiciously	The	coin	looked	large	and	valuable;	it
reminded	me	of	pirate’s	gold. “All? If	you	can	do	this,	you	will	prove	that	you	have	mastered	the	way	of	the
mind.”	Baba	raised	his	forefinger	in	the	air	like	a	starter’s	pistol	at	a	race. “Starting	now.”
There	was	no	time	for	hesitation. “All	right,”	I	said. “One	hundred,	ninety-
seven,	ninety-four,	ninety-one	…”	Baba	let	me	go	on	for	a	while,	just
watching. But	when	I	got	to	seventy-six,	he	leaned	toward	me	and	began	to
whisper	in	my	ear.He	was	whispering	numbers	at	random:	“Twenty-seven,	five,	forty-eight	…”	I
tried	to	pay	attention	to	what	I	was	doing,	but	it	was	hopeless,	and	I	lost
count. “Too	bad,”	he	said. “You	got	distracted.”	He	slipped	the	gold	coin	into	his
pocket. “Let	me	try	again,”	I	entreated. “I’ll	really	concentrate	this	time.”	Baba
nodded,	and	I	started	counting	backward,	only	this	time	I	put	my	hands	over
my	ears	and	closed	my	eyes	to	shut	out	any	distractions. “One	hundred,	ninety-seven,	ninety-four—ow! What	are	you	doing?”
I	hadn’t	gotten	more	than	three	numbers	when	Baba	reached	his	hand	toward
my	head	as	if	he	were	going	to	pluck	out	a	hair. I	stumbled	and	lost	count. “Sorry,”	he	said. “I	guess	I	made	you	nervous.”
“How	do	you	expect	me	to	get	this	right	when	I	have	to	worry	about	you
snatching	my	hair?”	I	said. Baba	rose	to	his	feet. “I’ll	stand	over	there	so	you	won’t	have	any	distractions
or	worries. Good	enough?”
“All	right,”	I	said	warily,	thinking	he	probably	had	another	trick	up	his	sleeve. “No	more	tricks,”	said	Baba,	reading	my	mind. He	walked	three	paces	away. “Just	begin	where	you	left	off.”
“I	don’t	remember	where	I	left	off,”	I	said. He	looked	pleased. “Now	you	know	why	people	don’t	receive	the	messages
being	sent	by	the	soul. They	are	too	distracted	or	too	worried	or	too	forgetful. Only	when	you	become	free	of	those	obstacles	will	you	have	an	open	mind. Then	you	will	be	master	of	the	second	way.”
He	took	the	coin	from	his	pocket	and	flipped	it	toward	me	in	a	slow,	high	arc,
and	to	my	credit	I	caught	it	on	the	first	try,	despite	all	the	trouble	Baba	had
put	me	through. W
HAT
	I	L
EARNEDThis	lesson	surprised	me	because	I	assumed	that	the	way	of	the	mind	was
about	thinking. But	Baba	told	me	he	himself	didn’t	have	a	head	full	of
thoughts,	not	even	wise	thoughts. His	mind	was	open,	which	means	awake,
alert,
	ready	for	anything. That
,	he	told	me,	is	the	only	way	to	tune	in	to	the
soul’s	messages. The	way	of	the	mind	gave	me	three	things	to	do,	or	rather	to	
stop
	doing. I
should	stop	being	distracted. I	should	stop	worrying. I	should	stop	forgetting. These	three	things	block	the	mind	by	putting	people	in	a	kind	of	fog. Later	on
I	could	practically	see	this	fog,	for	everyone	has	friends	who	wander	around
distracted	all	the	time,	those	who	worry	all	the	time,	and	those	who	never
seem	to	remember	anything,	especially	when	it’s	important. If	you	lose	track
of	your	soul,	Baba	said,	how	can	you	expect	it	to	help	you? 1. B
EING
	D
ISTRACTED
Distractions	are	everywhere,	and	it’s	easy	to	get	caught	up	in	them. You’ll
hear	that	kids	today	are	addicted	to	computer	games	the	way	an	earlier
generation	was	addicted	to	talking	on	the	phone. But	either	way,	the	reason
for	any	distraction	is	usually	the	same:	The	mind	finds	it	hard	to	focus. Talking	to	your	friend	is	more	pleasant	than	mowing	the	grass. Almost
anything	on	the	computer	is	more	fun	than	homework. A	distraction	is
basically	a	sidetrack	or	detour,	and	kids	usually	take	them	on	purpose	(adults
do	too!). Billions	of	dollars	are	spent	every	year	to	provide	us	with	movies,
TV	shows,	games,	and	amusement	parks—we	are	willing	to	pay	a	lot	to	be
distracted. As	much	fun	as	these	things	are,	you	might	ask	yourself,	“Do	I	really	want	to
be	detoured	from	who	I	am?”	The	soul	is	part	of	you. It	wants	to	give	you
everything. Should	you	pay	to	lose	touch	with	it? This	is	a	choice	every	kid
must	think	about. When	you’re	totally	focused	on	a	computer	game,	what
happens	if	your	dad	wants	to	talk	to	you? You	probably	can’t	pull	yourself
away	very	easily,	and	when	you	do,	you	feel	put	upon	and	annoyed. Now	consider	this:	Your	soul	speaks	a	lot	softer	than	your	parents,	and	it
never	pounds	on	the	door,	as	frustrated	parents	will	do	if	they	can’t	get	your
attention. A	little	distraction	is	all	it	takes	to	lose	track	of	the	soul. Baba
taught	me	that	a	moment	of	real	attention,	when	you	truly	listen	to	what’s
inside	you,	is	worth	an	hour	of	wandering	down	the	long	detour	road	of
distraction.2. W
ORRYING
Every	kid	knows	the	dreaded	words	“Wait	until	your	father	gets	home.”	They
weren’t	said	too	often	in	my	house	growing	up,	but	it	takes	only	a	few	times
to	understand	how	worry	works. You’re	on	pins	and	needles. Nothing	bad	has
happened	to	you	yet,	but	you’re	sure	it’s	going	to. Your	soul	doesn’t	want	you	to	worry. Worry	is	unreal. It	makes	you	feel	pain
in	advance,	and	your	soul	isn’t	part	of	anything	painful. Survivors	who	have
been	through	a	disaster	like	a	flood	or	tornado	will	tell	you	that	handling	the
crisis	was	ten	times	easier	than	waiting	for	it	to	occur. So	the	best	way	to	cure
worry	is	to	confront	the	thing	you	fear. Worry	goes	away	when	you	face	the	thing	you	fear. Once	you	know	how
you’re	going	to	deal	with	a	situation,	your	soul	will	help	bring	you	a	sense	of
security;	it	will	help	make	you	feel	safe. See	yourself	in	the	situation. Practice
what	you’re	going	to	do	and	say. Be	totally	honest	about	what	you	know	is
true. Every	time	your	mind	says,	
What	if? answer	it	with,	“Then,	I’ll	do	
X
.”
The	more	concrete	you	are	with	facing	your	fear,	the	better. Some	champion
athletes	visualize	a	whole	game	in	advance	before	stepping	out	on	the	field. Singers	practice	their	songs,	actors	recite	their	lines. Of	course,	a	part	of	you
will	say,	“Just	don’t	think	about	it.”	But	have	you	really	succeeded	in	not
thinking	about	something	you	dread? Your	mind	keeps	coming	back	to	it	no
matter	how	hard	you	try. Above	all,	know	that	you’ll	survive,	no	matter	what. And	if	you	doubt	that,
seek	someone	you	trust	so	that	you	can	hear	them	say	it	to	you. Their
reassurance	is	an	echo	of	what	your	soul	is	telling	you. 3. F
ORGETTING
Forgetting	your	soul	is	hard	to	describe. It’s	like	being	a	millionaire	who
thinks	he’s	poor	because	he	doesn’t	remember	what’s	in	the	bank. It’s	like
looking	for	your	glasses	and	forgetting	that	you	are	already	wearing	them. In	other	words,	it’s	a	special	kind	of	forgetting. When	you	forget	that	you	left
your	wallet	at	the	supermarket,	it	might	still	be	there	when	you	go	back,	or	it
might	not. You	feel	anxious	not	knowing	which	it’s	going	to	be. But	your	soul
is	always	there,	ready	for	you	to	remember	it. The	way	of	the	mind	could	be
called	the	way	of	reminding—you	remind	yourself	that	your	spirit	is	alwayspresent;	it	is	in,	around,	and	everywhere. The	whole	universe	vibrates	with
every	thought,	according	to	physics. The	messages	sent	by	your	soul	are
sometimes	sudden	flashes,	sometimes	just	a	steady	feeling	that	tells	you,	deep
in	your	heart,	that	you	belong,	you	are	safe,	you	are	part	of	everything. All	it
takes	to	receive	these	messages	is	never	to	forget	that	your	soul	is	sending
them.The	Way	of	Silence
W
e	were	back	in	the	shade	under	the	trees	because	it	was	the	hottest	part	of
the	day. Baba	had	stopped	talking. He	sat	very,	very	still	now. I	watched	as	a
single	leaf	fell	from	the	tree. It	fluttered	and	swiveled	through	the	air	as	it
dropped. Baba	saw	it	too. “Do	you	think	you	can	catch	that?”	he	asked. I	knew	how	hard	it	is	to	catch	a	falling	leaf,	because	I	had	tried	before. I
grabbed	at	it,	but	the	next	puff	of	air	seemed	to	carry	the	leaf	just	out	of	reach
—nothing	is	more	slippery	than	a	leaf	that	doesn’t	want	to	be	caught. “Can	you?”	I	asked	when	my	try	was	over. A	second	leaf	was	falling	toward	us. Baba	didn’t	reach	up	or	even	look	at	it. When	the	leaf	was	just	in	front	of	his	face,	his	hand	darted	out,	and	as	easy	as
that,	he	caught	it. “You	see?”	he	said. “I	am	just	like	a	snake	in	the	sun. One	moment	I	am	so
still	that	I	could	be	sleeping,	but	when	I	strike,	I	move	instantly,	with	total
certainty	Now
	you	know	the	key	to	the	third	way	that	your	soul	wants	you	to
live	by,	the	way	of	silence.”
“I	don’t	think	being	quiet	makes	somebody	certain,”	I	said	doubtfully. “You	haven’t	found	the	real	silence	yet,”	he	said. “It’s	a	lot	more	than	being
quiet. Silence	sharpens	the	mind	like	an	arrow	ready	to	fly	through	the	air. But	it	also	softens	the	mind,	like	the	paw	of	a	cat	when	its	claws	are	drawn	in. A	cat’s	paw	is	sensitive	and	sharp	at	the	same	time.”
“But	nobody	is	really	certain	of	anything,	are	they?”	I	asked. “No?”	said	Baba. “Haven’t	you	set	eyes	on	somebody	and	instantly	said	to
yourself,	‘He’s	going	to	be	my	new	best	friend’? Haven’t	you	woken	up	one
morning	and	known	for	sure	that	something	special	was	going	to	happen	to
you? The	soul	has	a	quality. It	knows	for	sure
. “The	way	of	silence	is	about	developing	the	ability	to	know	for	sure,”	saidBaba. “You	can	learn	to	be	relaxed	and	still,	yet	when	it’s	time	to	make	a
decision,	you	will	be	able	to	
go! Just	like	that.”
W
HAT
	I	L
EARNED
The	way	of	silence	isn’t	about	being	quiet	for	its	own	sake. Silence	is	how
you	are	naturally	when	you	are	certain	about	something,	because	the	mind
keeps	talking	only	as	long	as	it	is	in	doubt. Baba	was	really	teaching	me	about
being	a	spiritual	warrior. That’s	a	term	you	may	have	read
	or	heard	about. Spiritual	warriors	aren’t	fighting	other	people;	they’re	fighting	not	to	be
mentally	foggy	and	doubtful. So	it’s	not	a	martial	art. Instead,	spiritual	warriors	are	training	to	know	who	they	are. When	you’re
certain	about	that	one	thing,	the	rest	is	simple. In	India	there’s	an	ancient
saying,	“I	am	That.”	What	it	means	is	that	if	you	strip	away	all	labels,	you	are
pure	spirit	or	essence. People	usually	say,	“I	
have
	a	soul,”	but	the	spiritual
warrior	says,	“I	
am
	the	soul.”	This	wisdom	is	one	of	the	most	glorious	goals
you	can	live	for. In	ancient	India	they	would	have	said,	“Yes,	it’s	true. I	am
That”	to	mean	the	same	thing. You’ve	seen	pictures,	I’m	sure,	of	Buddhist	monks	in	saffron	robes	meditating
or	of	Christian	monks	in	silent	prayer. Both	are	connecting	with	That. They
are	in	training	to	awaken	all	the	qualities	of	spirit. And	That	is	intelligent
beyond	anything	we	can	imagine. It	breathes	life	into	raw	matter. The	sugar	in
a	sugar	bowl	is	basically	the	same	as	the	sugar	that	your	brain	uses	for	food
(in	the	body	this	sugar	is	called	glucose),	and	yet	there	has	been	a	magical
change	in	it. The	sugar	in	the	sugar	bowl	just	sits	there. The	sugar	in	your
brain	turns	into	music,	painting,	science,	architecture—all	the	greatest
accomplishments	of	human	beings. And	it	turns	into	love,	which	is	more
mysterious	than	any	of	these. Being	certain	isn’t	something	you	can	force. You	can	decide	to	act	confident
all	the	time,	but	that’s	not	the	same
	thing. You	hold	the	power	to	transform
That	into	anything	you	want. The	tools	are	simple:	You	think,	you	feel,	you
act. Everyone	uses	these	very	tools	every	moment. But	to	master	how	they
work—that’s	the	skill	of	a	spiritual	warrior. Like	any	other	skill,	it	must	be
learned	and	practiced. The	way	of	silence	asks	you	to	dedicate	yourself	to
learning	what	That	can	do. Perhaps	you	thought	prayer	was	just	a	way	to	ask	God	for	something	or	thatmeditation	was	just	a	way	to	become	peaceful	inside. Their	scope	is	much,
much	larger. Prayer	and	meditation	are	ways	of	saying,	“Turn	me	into
something	special. I	want	to	be	transformed.”	You	say	this	to	God,	to	your
soul,	and	to	yourself	at	the	same	time. Since	all	three	are	made	of	That,	all
three	are	listening	to	your	request,	and	so	you	start	to	be	transformed	from
that	moment	on. You	don’t	have	to	be	silent	all	the	time,	but	if	you	want	to	watch	yourself
turning	into	something	special,	it’s	good	to	be	silent	for	a	few	minutes	every
day. I	like	to	sit	quietly	on	my	own	and	easily	follow	my	breath	as	it	goes	in
and	out. I	do	this	for	ten	minutes	usually,	sitting	with	my	eyes	closed	and
gently	feeling	the	cool	flow	of	my	breath. I	don’t	fight	against	thoughts	if	they
come	to	me;	if	I	feel	a	sensation	anywhere	in	my	body,	I	let	my	attention	go
there	without	fighting	that,	either. It’s	a	simple	thing,	yet	day	by	day	the
silence	has	gotten	deeper. It	will	deepen	for	you,	too,	and	you	will	begin	to
gain	a	certainty	that	is	very	precious,	the	certainty	that	what	is	special	about
you	is	That,	the	very	soul	in	everything.The	Way	of	Action
T
he	fourth	way	that	your	soul	wants	you	to	live	by	is	the	way	of	action,”	said
Baba. “Everyone	must	act,	yet	not	all	actions	are	spiritual.”
“What’s	the	difference?”	I	asked. Without	answering,	Baba	pointed	upward. I	looked,	and	overhead	a	small
brown	bird	was	watching	us	from	a	branch. Baba	had	stopped	talking;	his
attention	was	completely	captured	by	the	bird. So	I	thought	I’d	better	watch
too. The	bird	was	a	kind	of	sparrow. After	a	few	seconds	it	got	bored	with	us	and
began	darting	back	and	forth. Soon	I	saw	why	It	was	carrying	tiny	bits	of
grass	and	twigs	to	build	a	nest. There	was	no	rhyme	or	reason	to	this	project
though. The	bird	rushed	here	and	there	in	aimless	zigzags. Sometimes	it
stopped	to	eat	a	seed	it	had	chanced	upon. The	next	minute	it	spotted	another
sparrow	and	flew	at	it	to	drive	it	away,	providing	fifteen	seconds	of
excitement. Before	long	the	bird	remembered	that	it	was	supposed	to
	be	nest-
building,	and	back	it	would	go	for	another	tuft	of	dry	grass. “What	do	you	think?”	Baba	asked	after	a	while. “That	bird	is	all	over	the	place,”	I	said. “Yes,	it	never	pays	attention	to	any	kind	of	plan,	does	it?”	Baba	said. “It	flies
wherever	the	next	impulse	takes	it. I	see	a	miracle	in	that.”
“Why? All	I	see	is	a	flighty	bird,”	I	said. Baba	shook	his	head. “When	you	can	follow	your	next	impulse	and	still	have
heaven	watch	over	you,	that’s	the	very	best	miracle. It’s	the	way	of	action
carried	out	perfectly. That	bird	has	no	plan	in	life	and	no	worries. It	follows
its	instincts,	and	somehow	everything	gets	done	very	well.”
I	had	a	hard	time	thinking	that	way	“Then,	why	do	people	have	to	make	plans
and	worry?”	I	asked. “The	problem	isn’t	with	plans,”	said	Baba. “It’s	with	forgetting	that	life	ismeant	to	be	carefree. What	you	want	right	now	should	also	be	the	best	thing
that	could	happen	to	you. Then	you’d	be	living	the	same	miracle	as	a	bird	or
any	other	creature. Better,	in	fact,	because	creatures	can’t	choose	to	change,
and	you	can.”
“How	do	I	do	that,	Baba?”	I	asked. But	he	only	kept	gazing	at	the	sparrow,	which	barely	stopped	its	zigzagging
for	a	second. “We’ve	been	here	a	long	time,”	Baba	said. “Your	day	is	up,	and
I	promised	to	keep	you	only	one	day. Now	you	know	the	four	ways
	of	the
soul. Go	home	and	think	about	them.”
“Wait,”	I	said. “What	if	we	had	a	second	day? What	would	you	teach	me
then?”
“How	to	get	what	you	want,”	said	Baba. “The	four	ways	of	the	soul	have	a
practical	side. You	might	be	interested	in	that.”
I	was,	of	course. “How	will	I	find	you? Will	you	be	here	tomorrow?”	I	asked. But	Baba	had	jumped	to	his	feet. The	sparrow	decided	to	fly	off	into	the	deep
woods,	and	the	old	man	had	nothing	else	on	his	mind	except	to	follow	it. He
took	one	last	look	at	me	over	his	shoulder,	and	a	moment	later	both	of	them
disappeared	into	the	shadowy	gloom	of	the	forest. W
HAT
	I	L
EARNED
The	last	thing	you	might	expect	from	the	way	of	action	is	that	it’s	about
miracles. It’s	a	very	beautiful	idea	to	think	that	miracles	can	happen. But	at
some	point	you	have	to	decide	if	miracles	are	going	to	happen	to	
you
. Baba
thought	they	could. To	him,	every	day	is	a	miracle	if	you	have	the	soul	on
your	side. Then	your	actions	change	because	they	start	coming	from	your
soul. In	practical	terms	this	is	what	action	from	the	soul	feels	like:
You	act	impeccably. This	means	that	you	do	your	best,	never	cheating,	never
cutting	corners,	never
	letting	someone	else	take	responsibility	for	what	is
yours. You	give	your	action	to	others. In	place	of	selfishness	you	offer	what	you	doin	service. You	show	devotion	to	those	who	love	you. You	accomplish	things
on	behalf	of	your	vision. You	find	your	unique	talent	and	remain	true	to	it. You	don’t	worry	about	reward	or	praise. Someone	once	said,	very	truly,	that	if
you	want	to	be	a	success,	make	someone	else	a	success. You	focus	on	the	journey	rather	than	the	destination. This	means	that	you
keep	your	attention	on	the	very	thing	you	are	doing	now,	getting	everything
out	of	this	moment,	rather	than	focusing	on	events	and	things	that	haven’t
happened	yet. You	always	have	the	inner	attitude	that	your	actions	come	from	the	universe
and	go	back	to	the	universe. You	don’t	hold	on,	you	don’t	clutch	and	cling	to	anything. Your	purpose	is	to
be	the	caretaker	of	everything	valuable	in	your	life,	cherishing	it	but	knowing
that	in	the	end	no	one	possesses	anything. The	only	thing	you	can	truly
possess	is	yourself. A	sparrow,	or	any	creature,	doesn’t	work	at	getting	things	to	go	right. The
next	impulse	that	comes	its	way	is	exactly	what	creatures	should	do. When
you	can	match	that,	you	have	mastered	the	way	of	action. There	is	more
complication	in	your	life	than	in	a	sparrow’s,	but	the	same	infinite	intelligence
is	capable	of	making	even	the	most	complex	life	beautiful,	peaceful,	well
ordered,	and	fulfilled. You	don’t	have	to	fight	and	struggle	for	everything. You	can	trust	that	you	will	always	find	a	way	You	can	be	at	peace	that
whatever	comes	to	you	is	right. You	can	feel	that	your	inner	yearnings	are
understood	and	will	unfold	in	time	as	they	should. So	really,	Baba	gave	me	a	whole	vision	in	the	example	of	one	tiny	sparrow. If
I	could	find	a	way	to	be	carefree	and	still	accomplish	what	I	wanted	to	do,	my
whole	life	would	feel	like	a	miracle. After	our	first	day	together,	I	could	only
imagine	what	he	had	in	mind	for	our	second.Day	Two
:	
How	Do	Wishes	Come	True?Life	Is	Desire
B
aba	didn’t	make	me	wait	long. It	was	only	a	few	days	later	that	he	returned. Only	this	time	I	didn’t	find	him	under	the	twisted	tree	by	the	side	of	the	road. He	came	to	me. I	was	back	at	school. Nobody	had	called	me	in	for	missing	a	day;	how	this
magic	occurred	I	will	never	know. Maybe	Baba	knew	a	lot	more	tricks	than	I
imagined. When	the	noon	bell	rang,	I	burst	outside	with	the	other	boys—we
had	no	girls	at	our	school	on	the	hill—tearing	off	my	tie	as	I	ran	toward	the
soccer	field. I	was	in	the	backfield	waiting	for	the	kickoff	when	something	caught	my	eye. A	speck	of	white	in	the	distance. Baba	was	watching	us	from	the	flat	roof	of
the	school. Everyone	else	was	so	caught	up	in	the	game	that	they	didn’t
notice. Or	maybe	Baba	was	just	for	my	eyes. Either	way	I	ran	off	the	field	and
ignored	the	shouts	that	followed	me	from	the	rest	of	my	team. When	I	opened	the	creaky	door	that	led	on	to	the	roof,
	I	half	expected	Baba
not	to	be	there. But	he	was,	sitting	calmly	on	the	parapet. “Some	come	true,	but	many	never	do,”	he	said. He	had	barely	turned	his	head
to	acknowledge	my	arrival. “Do	you	know	what	I’m	talking	about?”
“No.”	I	was	now	used	to	Baba’s	habit	of	mystifying	me. “Wishes,”	he	said. “Look	down	there.”
He	pointed	at	the	soccer	game,	which	was	a	mad,	screaming	scramble. Boys
ran	up	and	down	the	field	and	kicked	the	ball	as	if	everything	was	at	stake. “It
doesn’t	matter	what’s	at	stake,”	Baba	said,	picking	up	my	thought. “When
you	really	want	something,	it’s	hard	to	get	your	mind	off	it. Every	moment
counts	until	your	wish	comes	true.”
“But	many	never	do,”	I	said,	repeating	his	words. “Isn’t	that	how	life	works?”
“No,”	said	Baba. “When	your	wish	doesn’t	come	true,	you’ve	gone	against
the	way	life	works. Let	me	show	you.”His	finger	had	found	a	tuft	of	grass	growing	between	two	bricks	in	the
parapet. “A	seed	landed	up	here,	where	there’s	no	soil. It	sprouted	in	a	pinch
of	dust	between	these	bricks. A	little	rain	found	this	cranny,	and	now	there	is
an	explosion	of	life.”	He	flicked	at	the	grass	with	his	finger. “Each	blade	is	so
fragile	that	you	can	crush	it	with	a	tiny	squeeze,	yet	this	grass	has	all	of	life
behind	it. The	power	of	life	is	irresistible. Go	to	the	city	and	you’ll	see	wisps
of	grass	pushing	their	way	between	tons	of	concrete	in	the	roads	that	cars	roll
over	every	day”
“But	that’s	what	grass	does,”	I	said. “What	does	it	have	to	do	with	a	wish?”
“Life	has	one	overwhelming	desire,”	said	Baba,	“which	is	to	grow. Your
wishes	are	part	of	life,	and	they	deserve	to	have	its	power	behind	them.”
“So	you’re	saying	every	wish	should	come	true?”
“I	am”	said	Baba. “But	they	can’t.”	I	pointed	down	at	the	soccer	field. “Both	sides	want	to	win. They	fight	to	make	that	wish	come	true. Yet	in	the	end	one	side	has	to	lose. For	them	the	wish	doesn’t	come	true.”
“That’s	very	true,”	said	Baba. “But	you’ve	left	out	the	X	factor,	the	unknown. The	X	factor	is	spiritual. It	turns	failures	into	victories,	because	in	the	deeper
reality	all	wishes	
must
	come	true. They	have	no	choice.”
“That’s	quite	a	mystery,”	I	said. “One	worth	exploring	on	our	second	day,	if	you	feel	ready,”	said	Baba. He	didn’t	wait	for	an	answer. Five	minutes	later	he’d	led	me	off	the	roof	and
down	the	stairs. We	strode	quickly	away	from	the	school,	and	the	shouts	from
the	soccer	field	faded	into	faint	echoes. W
HAT
	I	L
EARNED
Baba	had	a	lot	to	say	about	how	wishes	come	true. This	encounter	wasn’t
really	a	lesson,	but	it	taught	me	something	important	even	before	we	had
begun. I	stopped	seeing	life
	around	me	as	routine	and	mechanical. Does
anyone	really	bother	about	a	bit	of	grass	growing	through	the	sidewalk? It’s
just	there. But	every	seed	of	grass	is	bursting	with	desire. It	
must
	expand	andgrow. It	seizes	any	chance	to	sprout. It	uses	any	opportunity	to	get	around
obstacles. Desires	are	seeds	just	like	that—they	want	to	make	something
happen,	and	even	when	the	desire	is	small	and	insignificant,	it	doesn’t	want	to
stop	until	it	gets	to	its	goal. So	the	wonder	is	not	that	all	of	us	have	so	many	wishes,	hopes,	and	dreams. The	wonder	is	that	they	don’t	come	true	all	the	time. Baba	believed	that	they
should. No,	they	
must,
	because	the	irresistible	power	of	life	is	never	going	to
take	no	for	an	answer. If	you	have	taken	no	for	an	answer—and	all	of	us	have
—then	spirit	wants	to	change	how	you	see	yourself. Only	one	side	can	win	a
soccer	game,	but	there’s	a	catch:	The	
X
	factor	is	at	work,	and	what	you	see	on
the	surface	isn’t	always	what	you	get.The	Wishing	Tree
W
e	were	walking	down	the	road	toward	the	village	when	Baba	asked,	“What
would	you	wish	for	if	you	could	wish	for	anything? Would	you	wish	for
riches?”
“Yes,”	I	said	without	a	moment’s	hesitation. “Would	you	wish	to	be	popular	and	famous?”
“Yes,	that	sounds	pretty	good	too,”	I	said. He	smiled. “In	fairy	tales	there	are	always	three	wishes. What	would	your
third	one	be?”
“Promise	you	won’t	tell	anybody,	but	I’d	wish	for	someone	to	love	me,”	I
said. “Deeply?”	asked	Baba. “You	must	be	precise.”	I	felt	my	cheeks	get	warm. Before	I	could	stammer	out	anything,	Baba	said,	“Very	well,	deeply	it	is. Three	wishes	to	work	on. Now,	let	me	see.”
He	began	to	scan	the	horizon	like	an	old	sea	captain	searching	for	port. “It’s
around	here	somewhere. Ah,”	he	said,	pointing	to	the	tallest	tree	in	the
distance. “We	need	him.”
We	left	the	road	and	tramped	across	a	field	until	we
	reached	the	tree. Baba
said,	“This	is	a	wishing	tree. It’s	been	giving	people	what	they	want	for	a
long,	long	time.”
“Are	you	sure	you	didn’t	just	make	that	up?”	I	was	getting	used	to	Baba’s
mischievous	tactics. Baba	pointed	to	the	bark,	which	had	deep	slashes	hacked	into	it. “That’s	how
I	know	this	is	a	wishing	tree,”	he	said,	launching	into	the	following
explanation:
Wishing	trees	go	back	many	centuries	in	India,	although	for	modern	people
they	are	now	more	legend	than	fact. Everyone	in	this	part	of	the	country	hadbeen	told	about	wishing	trees	by	their	grandmothers,	and	perhaps	belief	was
stronger	here. For	one	day	a	villager	was	walking	alone,	dreaming	about	his
future. He	stopped	to	rest	under	a	tree	and	thought,	“If	only	I	were	rich.”
When	he	returned	home,	to	his	amazement	he	found	a	mansion	where	his	hut
had	stood,	and	inside	the	mansion	was	every	kind	of	treasure. Immediately	he
knew	that	he	had	found	the	wishing	tree. The	young	man	told	no	one	where
his	wealth	had	come	from. He	left	the	village	that	night,	never	to	be	seen	there
again. “But	a	year	later,”	Baba	said,	“he	returned	with	an	ax	and	began	to	hack	at	the
tree,	cursing	it	all	the	while. ‘You	never	told	me	that	people	would	envy	my
money,	and	now	I	am	miserable,’	he	cried. ‘I	trust	no	one,	I	cannot	tell	if
anyone	likes	me	for	myself	or	only	for	my	riches. Night	and	day	I	worry	that	I
might	lose	everything,	because	I	know	nothing	of	how	to	handle	money’”
He	chopped	at	the	tree	until	he	was	exhausted. But	the	tree	would	not	fall. Time	passed,	and	one	day	a	young	woman	from	the	village	was	wandering	in
the	woods. She	sat	under	the	tree	to	rest,	and	a	wish	came	to	her. “If	only	I
were	famous. It	would	be	so	wonderful	to	be	the	most	popular	woman	in	the
world.”
When	she	got	home,	her	house	was	swarmed	with	TV	cameras	and	reporters. A	huge	crowd	was	gathering,	and	as	soon	as	they	spied	the	young	woman,	she
was	mobbed	by	screaming	fans. Breathlessly	she	made	it	into	her	house. The
next	day	she	emerged	to	find	that	the	cameras	and	reporters	were	still	there. She	waved	and	got	into	a	limousine	and	was	never	seen	in	the	village	again. “But	a	year	later,”	said	Baba,	“she	sneaked	back	to	the	wishing	tree	with	an
ax	in	her	hand. She	began	to	chop	at	it,	cursing	all	the	while. ‘You	didn’t	tell
me	that	nobody	would	ever	leave	me	alone. I	can’t	go	anywhere	without
being	stared	at,	my	slightest	misfortune	is	blown	up	into	a	tragedy	in	the
newspapers,	and	hundreds	of	people	a	day	ask	for	my	help,	when	I	can	barely
manage	my	own	life. I’m	so	miserable.’”
She	chopped	at	the	tree	until	she	was	exhausted. But	the	tree	would	not	fall. More	time	passed. Then	it	chanced	that	a	young	mother-to-be	was	wandering
in	the	woods. She	rested	under	the	tree,	dreaming	of	the	joys	of	having	a	baby
I
	want	nothing	in	this	world	but	the	love	of	my	baby	and	my	husband,
	shethought. If	only	they	will	love	me	forever
. She	went	home,	and	her	husband	greeted	her	with	hugs	and	kisses. Two
weeks	later	their	baby	was	born,	and	the	minute	she	opened	her	eyes,	she
gazed	on	her	mother	with	adoration. Much	more	time	passed	before	the	mother	returned	to	the	woods. “It	took	five	years,”	said	Baba,	“and	then	she	came	back	in	tattered	rags,
furiously	hacking	at	the	tree	with	an	ax	and	cursing	it. ‘My	husband	loves	me
so	much	that	he	can’t	bear	to	leave	my	side	to	go	to	work. Now	we	have	no
money	My	little	child	cries	without	end	unless	I	am	with	her	every	waking
moment. Although	they	love	me	truly,	I	have	no	peace. I	am	the	most
miserable	woman	on	earth.’”
She,	too,	kept	chopping	until	she	was	exhausted,	but	the	tree	didn’t	fall. Baba
rubbed	his	hand	over	the	wounds	she	had	left	behind. “Do	you	know	what	went	wrong?”	he	said. “They	all	wished	for	externals,
and	that’s	what	the	tree	gave	them. Each	had	an	outer	image	of	being	rich,
famous,	and	loved,	but	images	are	not	what	your	soul	wants	for	you. You
must	wish	from	the	inside,	then	the	highest	wisdom	will	be	at	your
command.”
W
HAT
	I	L
EARNED
This	lesson	was	about	the	difference	between	a	wish	that	helps	you	and	one
that	doesn’t. All	three	people	who
	found	the	wishing	tree	got	what	they
wished	for,	and	so	their	lives	changed,	but	only	on	the	outside. They	forgot	to
wish	for	inner	change. No	matter	how	much	money	he	had,	the	rich	man
wasn’t	rich	inside. No	matter	how	famous	she	was,	the	celebrity	didn’t	feel
worthy	inside. No	matter	how	much	other	people	loved	her,	the	mother	didn’t
know	how	to	love	herself. Baba	taught	me	that	my	soul	hears	all	my	wishes	from	the	inside. The	soul
hears	what	people	
really
	want,	which	means	in	their	heart	of	hearts. After	I
grew	up,	I	heard	about	an	interesting	study	in	this	area. People	were	asked	the
question	“What	do	you	want?”	Then	no	matter	what	answer	they	gave,	they
were	asked	why. So	the	questioning	might	go	like	this:Q. What	do	you	think	you	want	right	now? A.	I	want	a	great	body. Q. Why? A. Because	I’d	be	more	attractive	and	confident. Q. Why? A. Because	people	would	notice	me,	and	that’s	important. Q. Why? A. Because	it	makes	me	happy,	and	I	want	to	be	happy. What	the	experimenters	found	is	that	if	you	ask	the	question	“Why?”	often
enough,	everybody	winds	up	saying	the	same	thing:	“Because	I	want	to	be
happy”	It	doesn’t	matter	what	they	start	out	wanting—money	popularity
fame,	a	better	job. In	the	end	all	wishes	are	for	happiness. Baba	taught	me	that	if	what	you	really	want	is	happiness,	why	not	get	it
directly? The	place	where	happiness	is	always	available	is	inside	yourself. You	have	to	create	your	own	joy	Possessions	can’t	do	it	for	you,	and	neither
can	other	people. Naturally,	you	feel	happy	with	your	friends	or	when	you
buy	something	you	coveted. But	these	periods	of	happiness	are	temporary
Your	soul	knows	this,	which	is	why	it	leads	you	to	the	root	of	happiness,	not
to	its	leaves	and	branches. On	the	outside	life	will	always	be	fickle,	which	is	another	reason	not	to	plant
your	happiness	there. I	heard	a	story	once:	Four	brothers	came	to	a	wise	man
and	said,	“Our	grandfather	died	and	left	us	a	hundred	pieces	of	gold. But	he
didn’t	say	how	the	money	should	be	divided. Can	you	tell	us	the	best	way?”
The	wise	man	said,	“Do	you	want	it	divided	the	way	most	people	would	do	it
or	the	way	God	would	do	it?”
“We	want	the	way	God	would	do	it,”	said	the	four	brothers. So	the	wise	man	gave	eighty	pieces	of	gold	to	the	first	brother,	fifteen	to	the
second	brother,	four	to	the	third
	brother,	and	only	one	piece	of	gold	to	the	last
brother.“This	is	how	God	would	do	it?”	they	said	in	astonishment. “Yes,”	said	the	wise	man. “If	you’d	asked	for	the	way	most	people	would	do
it,	I’d	have	given	you	all	an	equal	share!”
The	nice	things	of	this	world	are	not	divided	equally. Some	people	get	more
than	their	share,	while	others	get	less. But	this	pertains	only	to	outward
desires. On	the	inside	everyone	can	win	a	life	that	brings	equal	joy	and
happiness. Baba	told	me	to	wish	for	just	one	thing:	“Make	me	rich	inside,”
which	means	as	full	of	joy	and	satisfaction	as	possible. He	told	me	that	my
soul	would	help	me	every	day	to	make	this	wish	come	true,	no	matter	how
many	outward	things	came	my	way	or	not.Follow	the	Thread
E
ven	without	a	wishing	tree	there’s	a	magical	way	to	make	a	wish	come
true,”	said	Baba. He	held	his	hand	out. “Here,”	he	said. “Ill	give	it	to	you.”
“I	don’t	see	anything,”	I	said. “I’m	handing	you	a	string;	you	can’t	see	it	because	it’s	invisible,”	he	said. He
wasn’t	satisfied	until	I	pretended	to	pick	up	the	invisible	string	dangling	from
his	palm	and	put	it	in	mine. “Now	all	you	have	to	do	is	follow	the	string. It	will	lead	to	what	you	want.”
I	was	bewildered. “What	if	I	want	a	car? I’m	too	young	to	drive. There	are
almost	no	cars	in	the	village	and	no	dealership	in	a	hundred	miles. How	will
this	string	get	me	a	car?”
“It	will,”	Baba	said	with	smiling	confidence. “Let	me	show	you	how.”
We	had	been	walking	down	the	road	for	a	while,	and	I	could	almost	see	the
outskirts	of	the	village	up	ahead. Baba	started	searching	for	something	in	the
bushes. “Ah,	here	we	go,”	he	exclaimed.
Fire_In_The_Heart_-_A_Spiritual_Guide_for_Teens_by_Deepak_Chopra.txt
Summarize the following text section accurately and concisely. Maintain specific details and numerical information, and use anti-repetition mechanisms:

        Fire	in	the	Heart
A	Spiritual	Guide	for	Teens
DEEPAK	CHOPRA
Simon	&	Schuster	Books	for	Young	Readers
New	York			London			Toronto			SydneySimon	&	Schuster	Books	for	Young	Readers
An	imprint	of	Simon	&	Schuster	Children’s	Publishing	Division
1230	Avenue	of	the	Americas,	New	York,	New	York	10020
www. SimonandSchuster. com
Copyright	©	2004	by	Deepak	Chopra
All	rights	reserved,	including	the	right	of	reproduction	in	whole	or	in	part	in
any	form. S
IMON
	&	S
CHUSTER
	B
OOKS	FOR
	Y
OUNG
	R
EADERS
	is	a	trademark	of	Simon	&
Schuster,	Inc. Book	design	by	O’Lanso	Gabbidon
The	text	for	this	book	is	set	in	Berkeley	Book. Manufactured	in	the	United	States	of	America
10	9	8	7	6	5	4	3	2	1
Library	of	Congress	Cataloging-in-Publication	Data
Chopra,	Deepak. Fire	in	the	heart	:	a	spiritual	guide	for	teens	/	Deepak	Chopra. —1st	ed. p. cm. Summary:	By	recounting	his	own	experiences	at	age	fifteen,	Deepak	Chopra,
a	noted	Hindu	author	and	physician,	provides	a	blueprint	for	teens	who	are
seeking	their	own	spiritual	paths. ISBN	0-689-86216-4
ISBN	13:	978-0-689-86216-8
eISBN	13:	978-1-439-10803-1
1. Spiritual	life. 2. Teenagers. [1.
Fire in the Heart: A Spiritual Guide for Teens
What is the title of the book that Deepak Chopra wrote?
The book is a spiritual guide for teens, focusing on spirituality and self-discovery.
What is the main theme of the book?
Baba
Who is the old man with the white beard that the narrator meets?
Baba teaches the narrator to look within and not rely on the external world for happiness.
What is the first thing Baba teaches the narrator?
The book emphasizes the importance of inner change and self-acceptance, and encourages the reader to focus on their inner self rather than external desires.
What is the main message of the book?