Adam was confused…
He’d read somethings that got him hooked. “You are not your hands, you are not your eyes, you are not your ears, you are not your clothes or your possessions”
Since reading these words he had been asking himself “Who am I?”
He felt lost.
He asked many people, “Who am I?
None could give him an answer that would satisfy Adam.
He was growing desperate day by day.
He stared in mirror and asking himself “Who are you?” but there was no answer.
He’d heard there is a saintly person somewhere in far of lands.
He thought, I will climb mountains and walk through jungle and meet this wise old man, he’s the man who has wisdom of highest order.
Adam thought I must meet ‘the saint’ and ask him. He’s a godly person, he must know.
He wondered what would be the best dress to meet ‘the saint’. He went for shopping and selected “All white” clothes.
He wanted to appear ‘most purest’ in front of saint, after all he’s to answer the most important question for Adam.
As Adam prepared his backpack, he put on jeans, t-shirt and joggers. He kept white clothes, a route map, a powerful torch, a shampoo, a soap, a towel and a small pistol – just in case.
“It’ll be a jungle out there and you never know, what’s in there” He said to himself.
Even though he was a bit scared because path to self-discovery was not an easy one. But his quest was so strong he was determined to do whatever it takes.
He took a bus to train station and realized he’s going to meet ‘the saint’ for first time and he should take something as a gift.
As he bought a pack of dates from station, he wondered, “What else can I buy for the old man … may be a scent” So he bought a small bottle of perfume.
It took him 3 days and 3 nights, before he reached the station that Adam thought would be closest to jungle that leads to saint’s den.
Adam was tired, but he was not willing to rest. He decided to immediately began to walk towards the jungle.
It was about 2 p.m. when Adam reached his desired station.
Adam had expected that walk would take him 2 ½ hours hiking up the hills.
He asked few locals for correct directions to the saint’s den.
Adam expected that everyone would know the saint.
He was surprised how people looked at him when he asked for way to saint’s den. He was astonished how few people knew about saint and those who seemed to know him, weren’t certainly friendly towards ‘the saint’.
“What a pathetic bunch of people. They don’t value a saint living within them” He said to himself, “perhaps this is because saints live alone meditating all day long”
As he began walking expecting to go up hills, he found it was a actually swift downhill walk and he could walk much faster then expected.
Adam took long deep breaths as he walked between lush green forest feeling refreshed down to his core by odor of fresh leaves.
He loved cracking sound from dead leaves that he heard with every step.
A cuckoo bird singing at a distance made whole environment breath taking experience for a man who had been living between hustle and bustle of city.
He felt a bit chilly as he realized his tiredness had almost disappeared.
Chattering in his mind was the question, “Who are you?”… while he walked he was wondering how quite Saint’s cave would be.
He decided not to disturb him from meditation until he calls himself.
“I’ll go and wait outside the cave and when he comes out on his own, I will ask him my question” Adam decided
Adam felt a bit thirsty and noticed there is a waterfall. “Ah fresh water” He drank and drank until he felt an uncontrollable urge to urinate.
So he did.
But then he felt like vomiting. He realized he’d had too much of water, on an empty stomach. He took out dates he had bought for saint and began eating.
He realized his last meal was breakfast in the train.
He ate all the dates and thought, “I’ll give just a perfume to the saint”
He realized he’s close to saint’s den and decided to change his clothes.
He took out his new white clothes and thought, ‘It’s a jungle, no one is watching I can undress and dress up.’
As he took off his clothes that he was wearing since he’d left home, he realized he was stinking. “Why not take a shower under the waterfall?” He thought.
So he did.
He dressed himself up. He thought, I should use the scent. It wouldn’t be nice if I smell bad in front of the saint.
He took the bottle of perfume out and wore almost half of it. “I will bring the saint some gifts when I come next time” Adam had changed his mind, again.
Soon Adam was standing in front of a large cottage. I was not expecting this, he thought.
Suddenly he heard loud noises of children playing, they were around twenty of them.
“How nice, the old man runs an orphanage” Adam thought.
Suddenly Children noticed Adam. They stopped playing. One of them shouted, “He’s come here, he’s come here” They all laughed in sync.
Adam thought, “Wow, the company of saint has opened their 3rd eye. They knew I am coming even before I came. I am impressed. I’ll adopt one of these orphans.”
With a chuckle in his voice, the eldest one, who was around 15 asked Adam, who he was.
Adam thought, “that’s what I want to know… who I am? He had no answer, instead he replied by saying “I am here to see the saint”
“You mean Baba Jee” said the child
“Yes” – He was happy to learn that they called him “Baba Jee” after all old people are called ‘Baba Jee’.” He thought.
A boy guided him towards a door. As he stepped inside the room his heart was beating faster than train he traveled in. He wondered if Baba jee, already knows what he wants to ask.
Please come in. He heard a strong hush voice of a man.
As he went in, a young clean shaved man about Adam’s age, wearing black jeans and shirt, was sitting there. There was some music playing in the background. Adam thought, “this must be one of the disciples”
The man greeted Adam with a smile and offered him a seat. As he sat, the man said, “You seem to have come from a far off land”
“Yes” I have and I want to ask the saint just one question.
“Oh, really. Would you like to eat something first” The man asked politely.
“No. I don’t want to waste my time anymore” Adam replied.
“Who are you?” Asked the man.
“Well that’s my question and that’s why I have come here to ask ‘Baba Jee’, WHO AM I? … I am confused, I am lost and I am in search for the answer and my name is Adam”
“The man smiled, well my ‘confused’, ‘lost’ and ‘in search’ friend Adam … I am the Baba jee. And I am glad to meet you. And ONLY my children call me Baba Jee”
“What?” Adam reacted
“You can’t be HIM. He’s an old man, with long white beard” Adam replied “you don’t even have a beard”
“Really, and how do you know that the one you are seeking has that description?” Asked the man.
“That’s what I thought. After all, he’s a wise man… he has to be old” Replied Adam
“And what does being wise have to do with being old?” Asked the wise man.
“Please don’t kid me. Should I ask one of those orphans where baba jee is?” Adam was growing desperate.
“My confused friend, those are NOT orphans. They are my very own children from my 3 wives” Said the wise man.
“Three wives” Adam was shocked “How is that even possible?”
“Here have some tea, it’s made from fresh leaves, it’s refresh you and you need to rest.” Said the wise man as he passed a cup of tea to Adam.
“But I expected that you’d be an old man, meditating in quietness of your cave, nothing to do with the world outside” Adam said as he took a sip of tea.
“You made a mistake” said the wise man with straight face. “You assumed things on your own and expected to see the world fit your assumptions. That’s a BIG mistake and many people make”
“But, I took all the hassle to travel, leaving my home, my work to ask you a simple question and I expected you to know the answer” Adam interrupted
“Here’s your problem … YOU EXPECTED OTHERS TO BEHAVE IN WAYS YOU DESIRE … that’s a short cut to frustration” Said the wise man. “In life you must learn to deal with what you get, not waste your time and energy on why people and things are not as you expect they ‘should be’.”
“OK. Can you please answer my question?” Asked Adam
“Which question?” Asked the wise man
“Who Am I?” Adam said
“To WHOM? … For some you are the everything, for others you mean nothing. You’re asking yourself a very wrong question. And with wrong question, you’ll get wrong answers or no answers.” Wise man replied
“But unless I don’t know who I am. How can I find myself?” Adam insisted
“Here you go again. Do you realize, you need to find what’s lost” Wise man sounded a bit harsh. “You are assuming too much and because you’re assuming that you are lost, you feel lost. This is why you are thinking of finding yourself. My friend, if at all you are lost in your own thinking.”
Adam scratched his head as if trying to make sense of what he’d just heard.
“May be you are right. But isn’t that important to know Who I am?” Adam murmured while thinking, “Perhaps, I should seek my answer somewhere else”
“Important for who & for what … you’re still stuck in your old belief that you are lost. You must stop and ask yourself a better questions. Instead of seeking answers here and there” replied the Wise man, as if he had read Adam’s mind.
“He’s too proud”, Adam thought. “How can he be the saint?”
Adam was making the same mistake most people in his state make. Doing the same thing they have done for years and assuming to have an experience in certain way, instead of noticing the experience they are having.
Wise man noticed that.
“Adam, stop bullshitting yourself” Wise man said
“What?” This was a shock for Adam. “How can you use such a language?”
“Why you ASSUMED that I should use some other language?” Wise man replied
Something had changed inside Adam. It was like he was waking up for the first time. Even though it was not what he expected. He was learning to expect the unexpected.
Adam began to smile and asked, “OK, tell me what is the better question, you were referring to?
“Who do you want to BE?” said the Wise man.
“Meaning?” Adam asked for clarification
“In life, we all have a choice to BE who we want to BE. It’s a choice YOU MAKE for yourself. Who do you want to BE. Others may give you some guidance BUT unless it’s your decision you will never be totally happy” Replied Wise man
“But how can I be what I want to be. I have my religion that tells me to be a servant of ALLAH, my parents who tell me to be an obedient son and my society that tells me to be a good citizen” Adam asked
“You see. You decide to be an obedient servant of ALLAH, an obedient son, a good citizen. You can choose to be otherwise too. Which means the power to choose who you want to be is within YOU!” said the Wise man
Adam pondered for a while and said. “What a mistake have I been making. No wonder I never found the answer. I am the one who does the choosing and I can decide to be who I want to be. It’s so simple”
He felt lighter, much lighter and enlightened.
Adam shook Wise man’s hand profusely thanking him for showing him the light.
“Thank you, thank you very much. You’ve showed me the light. I’d like to take leave sir. I will catch the early morning train and it’s getting late PLUS I have to go through the jungle.”
“What jungle?” Asked the wise man.
“I mean the jungle that comes from city to your home” said Adam
“But there’s no jungle. It’s my farm land and we have planted trees and there are CCTV camera’s all around and within it. We even have an artificial waterfall”
“CCTV… Artificial waterfall?” Adam turned blush as he gulped and asked, “You mean, when I was taking a shower and changing you were watching me?”
“Me no. My children YES” said the Wise man
“Oh, and I assumed they had developed intuition when they said, ‘he’s here’ upon seeing me. So this is why they were laughing and giggling” said Adam
“I am afraid, that’s the case” Wise man replied
“I hope you’ll delete that sir.” Adam said sheepishly
“Only on one condition, you promise you won’t make assumptions, rather you’ll seek information and make choices based on solid information”
“I promise sir” Adam committed
“And by the way, the train station is just few minutes’ walk from here. The next train will be at 9 am and I can drop you to station. We have roads and cars too” Wise man winked
Adam was speechless. He’d learned his lesson. He committed to himself to never ever act based on his impulses but seek out all necessary information before making any decision.
“Sir, can I ask you a personal question?” Said Adam
“Sure” Wise man replied
“How come you have 3 wives?” Adam asked
“Oh, I am a Muslim man and I can have four. I had one wife and then I fell in love with another woman. I proposed her and she accepted” Wise man said
“But how can you fall in love with another woman, when you are already married?”
“You broke your promise … you just assumed that love is restricted by one’s marriage” Wise man interrupted this time
“Oops… I am sorry sir. I went into my old pattern. How do I change this?” Asked Adam
“Give a certain amount in charity every time you do so and before you know it, you’ll stop” Wise man told Adam as he continued, “As for loving someone, it’s an emotion that multiplies. I love my first wife and our children as much as I love my second and third.”
“Sir, I want to develop such balance in my life too. Not that I want another wife but I want to develop a better me, Suggest me how?
“Simple, Deep Inner Coaching with Kamran Sultan” said Wise man “He’s my life coach & trainer too. You can call him with my reference. Here’s his number +92-300-2198031 WhatsApp him. And I promise you this… if you do as he suggests… you’ll be a changed person”
“Thank you, Sir” replied Adam
“Here, take this paper and read” Wise man handed Adam a paper, “As you read these words here, you’ll want to meet Kamran Sultan in person. Just call him and take an appointment. Remember, fools waste time in thinking’
‘I’ll do it later’ wise people call Kamran now and ask about his next class so you can join.”
As Adam read these words he felt an uncontrollable urge to do as suggested.
He tried to laugh to ignore at first but then realize the more he tried to deny the more he was telling himself, “Get life coaching … contact Kamran Sultan”
He did, what every wise man would do.
“AssalamuAlykum, Can I speak with Kamran Sultan?”
“This is Kamran Sultan”….
P.S: And what were YOU expecting?
