The Monk who sold His Ferrari, though based on fiction, is a book that has inspired millions around the world.
The Monk who sold His Ferrari, though based on fiction, is a book that has inspired millions around the world. It tells the story of a lawyer forced to face the spiritual crisis of his hectic life, and of the wisdom he eventually gained on a life-changing journey that enabled him to create a life of passion, purpose and above all of peace.
The true story of the famous Zen master, the late Satya Narayan Goenka, who renounced his flourishing business in Myanmar to start teaching the world the art of Zen mediation, is equally inspiring. His many centres around the world have helped millions in achieving their goals through self-awareness meditations. I personally benefited from a 10 days retreat by Guru Goenka in 1979.
Similarly, nearly 2,000 years ago, another man named Saul, then busy persecuting the followers of the new “Jesus movement” completely changed the course of his life after an encounter with him. Baptised as Paul after that experience, he left no stone unturned in sharing the good news of Jesus through his preaching and famous writings. The very message he tried to suppress by all means, he would later write, “If I preach the Gospel, this is no reason for me to boast, for an obligation has been imposed on me, and woe to me if I do not preach it!”
The recently canonised St. Teresa too spoke about a “call within a call” during a train journey to Darjeeling in 1947, answering which brought a total turn-around in her life. One can go on enumerating such heroic tales of many a great woman and man who have left behind an inspiring legacy for humanity to follow.
I believe that most, if not all, of us possess immense potentialities to reach lofty goals in our life. The achievements at Olympics last month and the on going Paralympics for the physically challenged in Rio, are just a few examples of what human spirit can achieve.
What is common to such individuals is that they not only keenly listened to the inner stirrings within their hearts but also had the courage to tread on the inspired path. In Christian terminology we would call it, “being open to and acting on the promptings of the Holy Spirit”. Regardless of how different religions may call it, the fact is that the spirit of our creator that dwells within us constantly communicates with us to lift us up to a higher level of existence, one that is not out of this world but one that can lead us to a more authentic purpose of life. As Rick Warren, the author of The Purpose Driven Life suggests, “You cannot fulfil God’s purposes for your life while focusing on your own plans.”
Father Dominic Emmanuel, a founder-member of Parliament of Religion, can be contacted at frdominic@gmail.com
