Years ago, Sadhana Devi and I were asked by Swami Kriyananda to become Directors of an Ananda meditation retreat established on the East Coast of America. That was a big change for us native Californians as we had both been staying at Ananda Village for many years. Naturally, I was curious about our future duties.
A few weeks later, I had the good fortune to sit directly across from Swami Kriyananda at a luncheon. My mind was full of questions about our coming move as I waited for a break in the conversation to ask them. When it came, I seized my chance. “Swamiji, we’ll be shifting to Rhode Island soon and I’m wondering if you have any advice. What exactly are we to do?” With hardly a pause, he looked at me and replied, “Look for opportunities and act on them!” Saying nothing more, he continued with his meal.
Over the years I’ve meditated on those words and have discovered layers of meaning within them. Opportunity presents itself every day but how often do we recognize it? It often comes disguised as challenges and sometimes we find opportunity has been knocking at our door for years but we’ve failed to recognize it. Often, one man sees his path blocked while another sees the same barriers as a signal to turn left or right.
I remember an old story of two shoe salesmen who sailed to a foreign land. Upon disembarking, the first noticed the locals were barefoot as it was the custom in those parts to go without shoes. He sent a telegram back to his office, “Returning home. No hope for shoe sales here.” The second salesman, noticing the same conditions, immediately wired, “Great opportunity! Send more shoes immediately!”
The perception of opportunity demands a willingness to look for it as well as an openness of heart and mind to perceive it. The opportunistic man has an ability to see life in fresh, new ways. Creative inspiration is the product of a developed intuition, the same “sixth sense” through which we experience divinity. Paramhansa Yogananda defined intuition as the “direct perception of reality,” without the intermediary of the physical senses. It is the direct fruit of daily meditation and our practice of kriya yoga.
Let’s be like the second salesman and open our eyes to possibilities. Then act! Don’t be a bystander. An enthusiastic response to whatever life offers will clarify your vision and magnetically draw additional opportunities. By sensitive receptivity and positive, willing action, success will come.
