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Mental Health Articles

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"Listening to Your Inner Self" by John Harricharan

Within each and every one of us is an inherent
guidance system.

We are not thrown helplessly into a seemingly
cold and cruel world without the necessary
tools for taking care of ourselves.

Yet, most people go through an entire lifetime
never realizing the power they have at their
command.

This power is not the exclusive province of
gurus, avatars or saints, but is available to
all people as their cosmic birthright.

The power within lies waiting to be tapped by
anyone who is willing to use its guidance. It
is always there providing direction for our
lives.

But, because we are surrounded by the noise
and activities of everyday, outside existence,
we tend not to hear the gentle prodding from
within.

We become blind and deaf to the sights and
sounds of our higher selves. To begin using
this guidance, one must first be aware of its
existence and then follow its directions.

The following true life story is an excellent
example of this principle. My wife and I had
been married for several years and we felt it
was time to start raising a family.

"Why not start with an adopted child?" she asked.
Since it didn't matter to me whether our first
child was adopted or biological, we contacted the
necessary agencies.

Our decision was to adopt a baby girl from India
and as a result we waded through an ocean of
bureaucratic and political red tape.

The entire aura around us was one of excitement
and anticipation. Only one more document remained
to be processed by the Immigration Department.

Then something went wrong. We were informed that
it would be another week or two before the
necessary visa for our "soon to be" daughter
would be issued.

Having waited for seven months, a delay of a
week or two seemed inconsequential, except for
one thing. On the very day we were notified of
the delay a telegram arrived from India.

It stated that a baby girl, a few weeks old, was
available for adoption and that we should travel
to Bombay as soon as possible to complete the
formalities of the adoption process.

This was the notice for which we had been waiting.
Everything was in order except for that one visa
document.

Only one week to go and we would be on a plane to
India. Both my wife and I were of East Indian
descent and this would be our first visit to India.

At first, logic dictated that all was well and that
in a short while, we would be the parents of a fine
baby girl.

But all was not well. That night I could hardly sleep.
My sleeplessness could have been attributed to
excitement and anticipation, but that was not so.

Instead there was an uneasy feeling within me, a
strange premonition of disaster. I was filled with
overwhelming apprehension.

As the day progressed, the feelings of anxiety
increased. I examined the situation but could find
no reason to justify such uneasiness. Try as I could,
however, it was impossible to dismiss them.

I felt that I must leave for India within twenty-four
hours. I expressed this resolution to those close to
me.

Without exception, they all advised that I wait until
the final papers were processed. It would only be
another week, they reasoned.

I had waited so long, surely a few more days would not
make much difference.

I called my attorney and asked if he thought it was
necessary to wait for the final papers. His response
was a resounding "Yes." My business associates tried
to talk some sense into me.

"Why, John?" asked one of the wiser ones, "Why the
rush? I have never seen you like this before." I
could not explain the strange urgency I felt.

Finally, in desperation, I phoned the Immigration
Department and asked for the officer handling the
case. "Please, could you speed up the process?"
I asked.

"We are doing the best we can," was the reply.
"I would really like to leave for India tomorrow.

When the visa is ready, would you please air mail
it to me in Bombay? I will leave you the address.
I'd be grateful for your help."

"We are sorry, but we cannot do that. You will
have to wait until everything is in order."
"What would happen if I leave tomorrow?"

"There would be longer and more serious delays.
We would suggest that you comply with our
procedures and wait until the papers are ready.

Thank you for calling. Good-bye."
Experience had taught me to trust my feelings
even when I did not understand them. I, therefore,
disregarded everyone's advice, called the
airlines and made reservations for a flight
leaving the following day.

When I told my wife what I had done, she too
thought that I must have lost my mind. "Why not
wait for another week?" she asked, "Everyone
seems to think it would be best."

"You wait if you want to," I replied, "I am
going to India to get our daughter." I had
never spoken to her in that tone before.

"But the papers and final approval?" she
protested.

Reluctantly my wife agreed to humor me. The
following day found us hurtling across the
Atlantic on a 747 jet, the first leg of our
journey to the mystical land of India.

Exhaustion finally forced me into a deep
sleep. When I awoke, we were somewhere over
the continent of Africa.

I was surprised and relieved to discover
that the feelings of doom and despair had
vanished.

I began to reflect on my behavior of the past
day, but I did not regret my actions. It was
almost midnight when we touched down at the
International Airport in Bombay.

What a joy it would be to see our daughter
the next day.

First thing in the morning, we were off to
the agency. We introduced ourselves to the
manager and waited anxiously while they went
for the baby girl who was to be our daughter.

There are times when seconds could seem like
hours and this was one such time. Finally a
nurse arrived carrying a little bundle.

As we looked at the baby wrapped in the
bundle, a sense of shock overcame us. Our
child, whom we had imagined to be a healthy
baby weighing approximately six or seven
pounds, was an emaciated little thing,
perhaps slightly over three pounds.

She seemed to be suffering from malnutrition
and among other things was covered with sores.
Only her eyes moved as they followed us around
the room.

"This baby is very sick," said the nurse,
"the doctor thinks that she may not live
through the day.

Would you like to consider taking another one?"
Anger, resentment and fear sprung up within me.
After all the preparation and hope, to finally
be faced with the possibility of losing the
child. No!

We had not gone through everything for this.
Something had guided me, against the dictates of
reason, to be where I was at that moment.

The infant must not die. Now I understood why I
felt impelled to leave for India when I did. A
day or two later and the child surely would have
died.

By being here, I was able to do whatever was
possible to save her life. "No!" I fairly
shouted," we'll take our baby. This way, she has
at least one chance in a thousand. Leaving her
here, she has none."

Without hesitation we asked for the necessary
documents and signed them. Quickly we left with
the little bundle in my arms.

We went directly to the office of a pediatrician
whom friends back in the States had recommended.
While examining the child, the pediatrician asked,
"Do you know what you have done? This child is
deathly ill.

I don't know if she'll make it." The desperation
in my heart was being replaced by a strong
determination and a sense of purpose.

I looked at the doctor almost in tears and pleaded,
"Please, do all that you can."

It was impossible to get the child into a hospital
because of local rules and customs. With the help
of the good doctor we were able to obtain the
services of an additional doctor and two nurses.

Fortune smiled on us for one of the nurses was a
woman who had once attended to the Mahatma Gandhi.

She was full of compassion and competency and
understood our plight. That night, in a hotel
suite overlooking the Arabian Sea, the nurses and
doctors worked feverishly to keep our child alive.
We made it through the night.

Days ran into weeks and the child gradually improved
though she was far from being out of danger. Because
I had left the United States without the proper visa
papers, the red tape compounded itself.

We were informed by the American Embassy in Bombay
that a new application for a visa had to be made and
sent for approval.

In the meantime, rumor had it that the Indian
Government was about to declare emergency rule. There
was unrest in the streets.

As if we didn't have enough to worry about, we were
displaced from our hotel to make room for some wealthy,
visiting Arabs.

We found new lodging in a small, rundown hotel until we
were able to return to our first one. Money was running
short, the child's life was still in danger and the
other problems seemed overwhelming.

Back in the United States, some friends and influential
business associates had heard of our plight and had
petitioned our government leaders to do something about
it.

However, we could not wait. We had to take the baby back
to the States for proper medical care. Without a visa for
the child it was impossible for us to get her on board a
plane, and even if we did, there would be problems with
our Immigration Department when we arrived home.

Yet, where there's a will, there's a way. Somehow, with
the help of a few Indian friends and the guidance of my
inner voice, we managed to pass through the various check
points at the airport in Bombay and literally "smuggled"
the child aboard a plane bound for the United States.
Finally, we were on our way home.

Arriving in New York after a long and tiring flight, we
were apprehensive that the Immigration Department would
deport the child for a lack of a visa. Again fortune
smiled on us.

There was no need to worry. Our friends had prevailed on
our government to make an exception and we were welcomed
by a delegation. A visa was issued on the spot.

We named our daughter Malika. With proper medical care she
continued to make excellent progress. Today, Malika is a
happy, healthy young woman.

She seemed to remember very little of her early years and
has completed a degree in business administration at the
university nearby. But every once in a while when I look
into her beautiful dark eyes, I relive the steps that
brought her to us.

Had I not followed the strange feelings of urgency to
leave for India on that day, many years ago, my daughter
would not be here today.

Many of the greatest minds on earth have testified to the
"still, small voice" within. It is an ancient saying and
well worth repeating, that before the demand is made, the
supply is available.

To become aware that we have all we need to solve our
problems we must follow certain simple guidelines. First,
there must be quiet times, alone times.

It is in the quietness of our being that we hear a whisper
directing us to a path of greater fulfillment. Take time for
yourself. A five minute period, once in the morning and then
again in the evening, will prove very useful.

Surely all of us could find ten minutes in a twenty-four
hour day. Become quiet and feel the life-force flow
through you.

Next, use the gifts that are all around you. Music is one
such gift. It has healing and calming properties. There is
hardly a soul who has not, at one time or another, been
soothed by the sounds of music.

Nature helps to make you more aware of yourself and more
conscious of your own validity. A walk through the woods
or a stroll alongside a stream would remove your focus
from the things that trouble you. Simply leaning against
a tree and breathing slowly will assist in the centering
and balancing of your body, mind and spirit.

There are books. Everything that you ever need to know is
written somewhere in a book. Instead of only just
listening to the late night news, spend fifteen minutes
reading some inspirational material.

One good book could raise your awareness to such a level
that you are motivated to take the few additional steps
you may not have taken and thus solve the very problem
that seemed unsolvable.

I get letters and calls frequently from people who have
read my books. There is a common thread in their messages.
They wanted me to know that my books have changed their
lives.

Sometimes, from the depth of despair, I, too, have been
moved to take the first feeble steps to success because of
a story or a sentence I found in a book.

Become more and more aware of the great possibilities that
lie within you. Learn to trust your feelings. Tune in to
yourself and follow the gentle urgings you find there.
Like anything else, it takes practice and a small measure
of self-discipline. Your intuition becomes stronger as you
exercise it, so keep practicing.

At first, it may seem very ordinary and even boring. But as
you keep monitoring your feelings and trusting them, you
will begin to notice that you are being led in directions
that are rewarding.

It does not matter how complex your life may appear to be,
the spirit within you is capable of assisting you to solve
all your problems. The information will be given to you
but you will have to make the decision as to what to do
with it.

John Harricharan is the award-winning author of the
bestseller, "The Powerpause". http://www.powerpause.com
and Dancing with the Universe