READ ALL THIRD EYE STORIES

Mail to author

What does spirituality mean to you?
I grew up in a house of several religions, with a Christian mother and a Muslim father. Being a swimmer, I was mostly on my own and often thought of spiritual matters, questioning the idea of all those different divine forms, the reality of God. Over time, I realised religions have been invented by humans, mostly as a tool for social order and today, an instrument for manipulation, especially in politics. And I gradually understood the simple truth that God is in every one of us. When we pray we shut our eyes and that is where God is. And basically spirituality is about that — investing in oneself to be a better human being, and finding the divine on the inside.   

Do you believe you are guided and protected by a superior force?
There definitely is a divine force, a hidden energy that guides and protects, that can heal and propel you, ensuring that you keep focused on doing certain things, and listening to your inner voice —- because that is how God talks to you. And of course one should pay attention to coincidences, to our intuition and to our dreams. Dreams have warned and guided me about so many things. They are like being on the Internet with God.   

Do you believe you have a special mission or purpose in this life?
You must have a purpose in life, otherwise why bother? We are here for a short spell; we come with nothing and leave with nothing. So what matters to me is to try and be a good karma yogi, working hard, touching as many lives as I can. Concretely, it manifests in a large variety of things —- being a mother, a social worker, an activist, and being passionate about politics. Some people question my involvement in such a large canvas of activities. But if things flow well, it means it is right, and if circumstances have propelled me into the limelight, why not use it for good purposes? If I can garner funds and support for NGOs, if associating my name to a cause helps it, why not do it?  

... contd.