From dreams to real life

The nursery rhyme tells us that life is but a dream. Imagine, however, if someone told you that your dreams could become your life. Would you be disposed to believe that statement?

If you are imbued with the scientific spirit, you would, at the very least, subject that assertion to experimental validation or refutation. If you are so inclined, read this blog carefully, because it could be the single most important secret of success—academic or otherwise—that you might encounter in your entire life.

An instructive episode

Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, the eleventh President of India, in his autobiography, Wings of Fire, recounts a deeply personal episode from his life. It is about how his own ambition—to be an Air Force pilot—was shattered when he was not chosen for that role by the Selection Board. Crestfallen, he wended his way to the Rishikesh ashram of the saintly monk, Sri Swami Sivananda. Let us hear what transpired in his own words:

It took me some time to comprehend that the opportunity to join the Air Force had just slipped through my fingers. I dragged myself out of the Selection Board and stood at the edge of a cliff. There was a lake far below. I knew that the days ahead would be difficult. There were questions to be answered and a plan of action to be prepared. I trekked down to Rishikesh.

I bathed in the Ganga and revelled in the purity of its water. Then, I walked to the Sivananda Ashram situated a little way up the hill. I could feel intense vibrations when I entered. I saw a large number of sadhus seated all around in a state of trance. I had read that sadhus were psychic people—people who know things intuitively and, in my dejected mood, I sought answers to the doubts that troubled me.

I met Swami Sivananda—a man who looked like a Buddha, wearing a snow-white dhoti and wooden slippers. He had an olive complexion and black, piercing eyes. I was struck by his irresistible, almost childlike smile and gracious manner.

I introduced myself to the Swamiji. My Muslim name aroused no reaction in him. Before I could speak any further, he inquired about the source of my sorrow. He offered no explanation of how he knew that I was sad and I did not ask.

I told him about my unsuccessful attempt to join the Indian Air Force and my long-cherished desire to fly.

He smiled, washing away all my anxiety almost instantly. Then he said in a feeble, but very deep voice, “Desire, when it stems from the heart and spirit, when it is pure and intense, possesses awesome electromagnetic energy. This energy is released into the ether each night, as the mind falls into the sleep state. Each morning it returns to the conscious state reinforced with the cosmic currents. That which has been imaged will surely and certainly be manifested. You can rely, young man, upon this ageless promise as surely as you can rely upon the eternally unbroken promise of sunrise… and of Spring.”
…
“Accept your destiny and go ahead with your life. You are not destined to become an Air Force pilot. What you are destined to become is not revealed now but it is predetermined. Forget this failure, as it was essential to lead you to your destined path. Search, instead, for the true purpose of your existence. Become one with yourself, my son! Surrender yourself to the wish of God,” Swamiji said [1,2].

A quote to ponder on

Part of the above quote encapsulates a little known truth about a law of human consciousness, and bears repeated reading so that its full import may be imbibed gradually. I repeat it below:

“Desire, when it stems from the heart and spirit, when it is pure and intense, possesses awesome electromagnetic energy. This energy is released into the ether each night, as the mind falls into the sleep state. Each morning it returns to the conscious state reinforced with the cosmic currents. That which has been imaged will surely and certainly be manifested. You can rely, young man, upon this ageless promise as surely as you can rely upon the eternally unbroken promise of sunrise… and of Spring.”

While we have no scientific studies—according to the prevailing double-blind orthodoxy—to uphold the veracity of the above statement, there has been a steady procession of books of the “manifesting” genre [3–8] which deal with actualizing your desires or dreams. It is astounding that Swami Sivananda used the word “manifested” decades before the advent of books like these.

Fulfilment of the desire to fly

After Dr Abdul Kalam became President of India, he did get an opportunity both to learn flying, and to pilot a fighter jet. He describes it himself in this short YouTube video. It is heartwarming to hear him explain how his desire to be a pilot was ultimately fulfilled. This is anecdotal evidence that this law of consciousness really works.

Neville Goddard’s Feeling Is the Secret

In 1944, a book was published bearing the title Feeling Is the Secret, by Neville Goddard. I like it most among all the books of the “manifesting” genre because it is clear, succinct, precise, and algorithmic. It provides a step-by-step method to implement the technique alluded to by Swami Sivananda, with very little filler material.

Fortunately for us, the book is available on YouTube where a gentleman reads out the text at a decent pace. The distinctive feature of this presentation is that the book’s pages are also clearly visible for us to read along as we hear the video presentation.

Because the book is short—at 53 pages, and is less than forty minutes long when heard as audio—it is ideal for each person to distil the book into an algorithm that they can use for their entire life. This law of consciousness may be used by each person to manifest his or her personal desires. The only caveat is that one’s intentions should be clear, whole-hearted, noble, pure, and sincere.

yad bhāvaṃ tad bhavati.

यद् भावं तद् भवति ।

As you feel, so you become.

Happy manifesting!

Acknowledgements

I am grateful to Mr Phani Praveen for bringing to my attention the short YouTube video wherein Dr Abdul Kalam explains how his desire to be a pilot was ultimately fulfilled.

Feedback

Please email me your comments and corrections.

A PDF version of this article is available for download here:

References

•  manifesting (1)
•  mind (2)
•  success (1)