Experiencing Divine Timing & Mystical Symbolism: A baffling, and real experience in the life of a Yogi

Bangkok, Thailand
March 15, 2008,

What is that red mark on your forehead? asked ‘Rekha’. I walked closer to her so that she could point out to me what it was. She repeated her question and pointed out to the mark. I told her I had no clue about it. Maybe it’s the red marker ink, you must have accidentally brushed your forehead with it?

Red Marker? I didn’t use one today, I told her. Oh, may be you scratched yourself hard with your finger nails? Rekha was giving me all possibilities she could think of. I appeared totally lost as I touched my forehead again to probe for some sort of blood clot induced pain. I couldn’t feel any. I didn’t recall scratching myself on the forehead that morning. I dismissed the red spot to be something trivial, and resumed talking with my hosts. Ten minutes later, I made my way to the washroom in the vicinity.

My thoughts were pre-occupied with the workshop event that I had conducted for over 4 hours in the morning. I had shared some yogic techniques and insights with a bunch of keen aspirants. As I stood in front of the mirror, I couldn’t help but admire my self-designed T-shirt that read in big bold font -VIVID REALITY.

Giving my face a nice little rub with running water and soap, I leaned forward into the mirror to take a good look at the spot that ‘Rekha’ had mentioned a little while ago. The washroom was dimly lit but good enough to show me that there was something more to the red little spot that seemed quite remarkably noticeable. It was a blood red spot but there was no trace of blood clot or pain related from such an occurrence. The spot was just about an inch above where my eyebrows met. I tried hard to rub off the mark with more soap. But surprisingly it wouldn’t go away. My thoughts by then were rummaging through the events that unfolded in the morning.

It was a bright and pleasant day. I arrived early with my team of friends and workshop coordinator at a hall in sukumvit 63, a downtown residential locality in Bangkok. The place seemed nice and big enough to comfortably hold the 22 attendees who turned up for the ‘Wisdom of Yoga’ workshop.

As people began to trickle in slowly, I took a walk near the outdoor swimming pool. Stretching my limbs and limbering around a bit, I warmed up for the event. There were no occupants at the pool and I was enjoying my solitude and quiet little time. As a part of my morning ritual, I looked up to salute the Sun. My prayer this morning was a bit more intense. I had to draw some inspiration for I had the onus of relaying an ancient wisdom. And it would be no easy task to demonstrate the wisdom of yoga to newbies in a span of few hours. I felt like a wave trying to measure the ocean. I decided to make a fervent plea to the universe to relay its immense, treasured wisdom and channel it through me, on this occasion.

The sun this morning was even more special in every sense. I recalled how great seers of the Himalayan tradition have mystically connected with the sun energy and expressed their profound experiences. I sincerely believed in this science. The binary spot emanating from the sun had always triggered a deep sense of connection with the source of prana. Being an ardent student of the esoteric Surya Vigyan (solar science), I always enjoyed sun gazing. Spanda, the subtle creative vibration of the universe is palpable through the sun energy. I prayed to Lord Bharga, the sun god and sought the divine grace. After remaining in deep silence for a few minutes, I returned to the hall to proceed with the workshop.

Returning from my memory flashback, I now gawked at the little mysterious symbol again, reflecting in the mirror. It was small ‘u’ shaped and positioned horizontally. My knowledge of traditional kundalini science told me that the position aligned with the makara point in the Ajna Chakra (third eye or the brow chakra) and also it corresponded to the Sanskrit symbol of the makara which is the last part of the monosyllable ‘OM’.

Interestingly I had seen followers of a religious sect called ‘Vaishnavas’ (followers of Lord Vishnu) in India who wear this symbol called ‘Vishnu Tilak’ on their foreheads. They apply clay or turmeric in two vertical lines, which is connected at the bottom, forming a simple U shape. This is called urdhva- pundra.
Skanda Purana, an ancient sanathana dharma scripture elaborates on the virtues of ‘initiates’ who mark their foreheads with the ‘Vishnu tilaks’.

I have never been a follower of any rituals and the mystical appearance of the ‘Tilak’ came as a pleasant surprise, and also the symbol that had appeared on my forehead matched with the traditional ‘Vishnu tilak’. I froze in deep contemplation. A little while later, I stepped out of the washroom in excitement, knowing well that there was something mystical unfolding within me.

Bangkok is a beautiful city. Despite its tourist centric, commercial outlook, it carries the vibrancy of a huge populace that is ever ready to play a warm host. Their attitude, welcoming smile, and high levels of social consciousness add more charm to their rich heritage. The visit to Bangkok made me feel like ‘home coming’ and the ‘tilak’ is also a traditional Indian symbolic welcome marked on a guest’s forehead when he/she enters our country. I observed the ‘tilak’ again, I was overcome with deep emotion and eyes began to well. How does one feel when the divine responds in such a visible way? There is no way I can sum up my experience in words. I just immersed in the state of deep joy and remained in gratitude for being able to connect with the divine power within me.

The startling fact was that I had received a distinctly visible ‘Vishnu tilak’ from no material source. And what baffled me further is that the mystical symbol was visible to everyone and hence made it very credible and crushed even an iota of doubt arising within me.

All scientific phenomena, reasoning and logic fail to answer this occurrence from a clinical perspective, while my firm deduction could only zero in on the power of the almighty sun which painted the tilak on me this morning. Though it may sound too esoteric to believe for any hard core, lab oriented scientists who delve in reproducing the event for proof to fortify their concepts and theories; this personal occurrence reaffirmed my strong belief that there is much more to science than all the labs can offer us. All it requires is to be ready to make a quantum leap and absorb the infinite possibilities emerging from the womb of this universe, which is mystically reaching out to people who are ready to for take the inner journey of merging their awareness with the unitary, infinite and absolute cosmic consciousness.

The tilak humbled me and reconfirmed to me that the universe was reaching out to me in response to my ardent yogic path work. Many attendees at the workshop told me later that they felt a deep connection within while they enjoyed the beautiful flow of the workshop.

I had just assumed the role of a conduit, allowing the universal knowledge to flow through me. Just by divine timing, the Vishnu Tilak adorned me for 2 days till the workshop culminated. And the third morning, it vanished without a trace, leaving me back with an experience of divine timing and mystical symbolism.