Cave in the snow

In my previous post I mentioned the book Kundalini, its author Om Swami, a mystic in Himalayas left me a little curious. In the book he has mentioned about renouncing the world and living in cave to meditate.Self realisation being the goal.

I thought to myself, I have heard of many sages (all male) going to the mountains and doing Tapasya. I have never come across a female , who has done the same. I wondered if women can do it. I did not pursue my search on Google.

Couple of days later a friend of mine invited me home. She knew of my interest in reading and wanted me to recommend some for her to read.

I took my role very seriously as I get very excited when topic of discussion is books. I inquired about her interests and then came up with a long list. As I was about to leave she said “I know I am not much of a reader but there is one book I want you to read”

She handed me an old worn copy of the book “ Cave in the snow” by Vicki Mackenzie. I flipped the book to see what it was about.

I know I should stop getting surprised and should at least half expect it.

Honestly I didn’t see this coming, I never see it coming. The book is about Tenzin Palmo, an Englishwoman , the daughter of a fishmonger from London’s East End, who spent 12 years alone in a cave 13,000 feet up in the Himalayas and became a world-renowned spiritual leader and champion of the right of women to achieve spiritual enlightenment.

I am not sure if I my mouth dropped to the floor , I sure could not find any words. I drew a blank.

I have always been lead to my next book, but never before has it come to me in such exact order of my inner questioning. Or maybe I wasn’t paying close attention to my thoughts all these years. Now that I do, I see these direct links.

I have to reinforce reflection from my previous post , that is ,when we genuinely seek however with no attachment to the answers, we receive, books, guidance, support, insight in ways beyond our imagination or expectations. We need to just have trust /faith in place and a mind that is set to witness mode.

If you ask me how was the book

Here is my answer

I have been lost in many books, in this book I felt found.

I have been wondering how to explain this book in few words, how to share the experience of reading it .

I found the words in the book itself. Where Tenzin Palmo quotes TS Eliot, “music heard so deeply..That it is not heard at all, but you are the music..While the music lasts”.