Asking The Right Questions

This is a powerful story of a student who discovered the "Elder" within her grandpa and began to ask the right questions.

"I’m from India but mostly grew up in America. Part of our culture is to respect and learn from our elders. I was of a new era however and having grown up in America I was more interested in Western pop culture and everything American. I’d go to the new movies, go dancing, and was flirting with boys. I thought our ways were obsolete.

Because of my lifestyle however, I was often quite ungrounded and often felt lost in the world. I didn’t quite know where I belonged.

I would see my grandpa sitting on the porch. He would sit out there for hours listening to the birds, or so I thought.

I started sitting with him and venting all my problems. He was the best listener I’ve ever known. I felt him drink in every single word I said, despite how “I” felt they must be so trivial to him. After I vomited all my emotions and problems on him he’d sit there in silence for awhile. He then would ask me the most simple questions that unraveled all my problems and revealed my own truths to me. He’d never tell me “You should do this or why haven’t you “X.” He’d just ask me questions and I’d become aware.

I asked him once “How can you listen to me when all this must seem so trivial to you? Surely listening to the birds is far better!”

He smiled silently… simply and said “Is that what you think I do out here? Listen to the birds?” and he laughed and laughed.

“Nothing you say dear is trivial.” You speak them because they’re important to you and so they are important to me.”

It was then I began to recognize how he was always so grounded and calm despite any chaos that came to our family. We had tough years when we first came to America. He worked hard when he needed to and made sure we all got by and yet he was the same then as he was sitting in that chair.

I asked him “If you’re not listening to the birds, what are you doing grandpa?”

He smiled and said “Same as I’ve always done dear, listening and speaking with the Sacred One expressing Itself within everything.”

That day I stopped venting to grandpa and began asking the right questions. I began to ask how he saw the world, what he heard when the Sacred One spoke, how he remained so grounded and connected regardless of what was going on outside him. I wanted to see through his eyes." ~Sita

She shared this after being mentored through one of our Ayurveda-Shamanic mentorships focused on “A Life of Presence.” She told me this story and I asked her to share it. What a gift!

Have you noticed how in our youth and adult years we seem to rush around striving to accomplish things without ever feeling we’ve accomplished anything?

Have you noticed how instead of striving how the Masters have a way of drawing to them what they need or want?

Though many of my teachers would be considered elderly, they had a vitality beyond most youth and yet they were calm, grounded, and quick witted.

In our upcoming inspired series “Ancestral Perspectives” we’ll be exploring what it is to see through the eyes of the Elders, Shamans and Mystics… explore their mindsets, understandings and perspectives.

Imagine if you felt more grounded, confident and connected. How might this affect your relationships, career, and following your life vision? What if instead of striving after what you want you were able to draw what you want to you?

Click Here to learn more and reserve your spot as we gather around the Virtual Campfire!

OM!

Chivito