I have left my apartment in the Himalayas and come to Gokarna, the beach town in South India, with just my guitar, a tent, and very little money. The universe has provided me with a shack where I can camp with beautiful views of the ocean. It may sound like a beautiful, perfect scenario to the reader, and part of me wants to make it sound like that, but the truth is that the change has been quite internally triggering, left, right, and centre, with enough karma to work through throughout the day.

When I imagined the scenario before, I didn’t count the triggering part. Lol. But of course, the other side of the triggering is the emergent freedom of the soul. I’m being oriented by the question—what is my why? What is it that I’m not ready to give up my soul for? Does just following the soul put food in the mouth? Sustain my torus? Yes, I have learned the theory part, had quite some practicals over the years as well, but now the universe (or my own soul) has dialed up the challenge so that the theory becomes a knowing within.

Yes, the universe does create opportunities; I can see that. I saw an ad in an amazing nearby resort for a yoga instructor with good pay, food, and accommodation. I approached them, and they seem quite interested in taking me in, and the guy who runs it is also pretty chill. But it is not about the opportunity at all—I get that part.

Here is where I get to be authentic, 100 percent. I'm not a yoga teacher, I’m a facilitator. I can’t play by the rules; I will do it my way. I can blend in to a degree as I have quite a lot of diplomatic qualities, but not enough to sell the soul. It landed this morning that this is what I should convey—to him tomorrow, to me today, in this moment and every moment of every day. There is freedom in that, where I decide I’m not defined by the physicality of my existence.

I thought my mind was still — but with some real threat to the identity, it has risen again. I can see that it only wants to protect, but in doing so, it tries to control: over-questioning, projecting myself into the future. This is where the deepest learning is, and also the most basic — to live in the moment. To completely accept what is and let go of desires, even spiritual ones.

A part of me is thinking that it doesn’t have to be any other way than this — a part that can also feel gratitude for what is.

Yesterday, I felt some aloneness — being by myself and not really knowing anybody. I sat by the ocean and connected with her, and I realised I actually don’t need much. Life has provided me with so many inspiring reflections the last few days.

I stumbled upon a book yesterday by Will Smith, where he recollects his childhood experience of building a wall. When the work became tough, his father reminded him, “There is no wall; it’s just one brick at a time.” He’s really talking about the spiritual path — one layer at a time.

I met a guy yesterday who is doing an all-India bicycle ride without money, while vlogging at the same time. What inspires me is his passion and dedication — the sense of purpose and meaning. Someone who has decided they can live on very little, but not without a sense of purpose.

Today morning I'm feeling quite chill and expanded. This was about breaking the mould of my existence, to see where I break. I can see how easily the mind can create another set of maps to navigate safely. That safety can actually become a comfortable trap. I think sometimes it's good to take big leaps into the unknown, other times progressively innovate within the current circumstances — one brick at a time.

Vimal 🙏