Bird’s Eye View

[I hate getting established in behavior, in personality, in thoughts and generally in life. It kills you. One day in 2002 I unexpectedly realized that I have already become an established person. To overcome the guilt and anger I felt about self, I wrote this article. This article got published and after reading it, one fellow, with a devotee’s expression, asked me, “Prabhune, have you had such experience in your actual real life?” I remembered one incident about how tears accumulated in one of our greatest Marathi Drama writer Mr. Mukund Taksale’s  eyes when he saw women crying in one of his play ‘Melo Melo Melo Drama’. I hope that at least you will not ask that question]

Suddenly I woke up. It was only 4.00 a.m. This was absurd. Usually my sleep is so deep that nothing can wake me up.

I was flying in the air. That much I remembered. Then I realized that I had a dream. A full lengthy and absurd sequence of events, which I do not remember now, was happening and I was observing these from the air. Now I was fully awake. Everything was very calm and quiet. My wife was sleeping. I woke her up and tried to tell her about my dream. It was of no use. She urged me to sleep again. Somewhere a dog was barking. What should I do? I again thought of flying in the air.

I slipped from the window and jumped. And hoooo !!! I really shot up in the air, maneuvering my every move so that I can go to any direction I wished. I know, you may be, by now, laughing at me. But I am serious. I flew over the whole city till sunrise. The experience was ecstatic and very thrilling. I would like to share that beautiful experience with you. But that is not the point at the moment. The important thing is that suddenly I came to know that I could fly at any moment as per my will.

At first I was afraid. The uniqueness of my experience prevented me to share it with anybody. I also thought that this must be the first step towards madness. I decided to keep my newfound ability as a secret.

Too many flying hours have been booked on my flight record so far. To my profound astonishment I found that the scenario around me looks totally different from top. I myself also am a different person on ground behaving absurdly. View from top had different visions. At the same time ground realities were trying to fix my legs on earth.

One day, in a meeting I was attending, this urge of flying came in to my mind. My colleague was telling me about non-completion of an activity since it doesn’t fall in line with his work. I was arguing with him that it was not my baby either. And suddenly ……whoooph !!! I flew in the air. The whole heated discussion between us seemed trivial. I saw from the top all those parentless babies, the responsibility of whom can’t be taken or won’t be taken by anyone, waiting for my care.

This sensation was wonderful. Here I was not punishing anyone – neither my colleague, nor my client, nor even myself. Rather, by attending such babies, the ultimate customer’s delight was my own delight. I was my own customer! The stupidity of the situation in the meeting hit me. It was not only stupid but also funny.

The other day, the Project Leader wanted to know the status of his project. I was, as always, in a hurry, this time to complete the targeted goals written in my appraisal within two-three days. I told him the fact earnestly that I am conceiving great value addition ideas and that I shall give him the required data within a couple of days. Exactly at that instant I was airborne. What was I doing? And what I was supposed to do? My internal customer was requesting me about something, which I must give. Perhaps I may be successful in decorating my appraisal form as well as impressing my bosses about my importance. Does that mean that I am doing my job? Immediately I apologized to him and gave him the required information. He must be wondering about the sudden change in me.

I was unaware about one thing initially. It came as a shock one day. Flying in air was only one aspect of my ability. But one day, while talking with my friend, I dived in to his mind and read the text written on the white and very big board of his mind –

“You are nuts, Milind. You consider yourself too smart. But actually you are a dumb and foolish fellow.”

“You are absolutely right.” – I replied.

My friend, visibly shaken, asked me about what I meant and I told him that what I meant was what he was thinking. It was fun seeing his contorted face.

At this stage I made a mistake to narrate my experience to one of my closest friends. He told me,

“This has some link with highest level of meditation. This is an extraordinary feat of separating your mind from your body. Very few people can achieve this state.” This was new to me. I never believed in such things. What troubled me further was admiration in his eyes about myself. He asked me,

“How do you do this?”

“Very simple”, I said, “just jump from the terrace of your house.”

The next moment I regretted of what I said, and corrected my statement.

“It means that just think that you are flying.”

I didn’t want any burden of guilt on my shoulders for the rest of my life.

This flying and reading one’s mind’s board has made me awkward many times. It is better not to describe it here. But it has also given me an insight of what I do and what is required to be done by me. Whether I fulfill the requirement or not is another matter.