Turn inward.  The truth is inside. 

Tiruvannamalai is a holy place where spiritual seekers from all over the world come to wake up.

My husband Greg and I were there on the final day of Satsang with Nochur Swami, a beloved Advaita Vedanta teacher with a terrific sense of humor.  He had us laughing while delivering the highest teaching of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi, one of India’s greatest sages.

That day was extra special.  Bhagavan’s 90-year-old grand-nephew, Ganesan, probably the only living person who had touched Ramana’s feet, spoken with him, and eaten in his presence, addressed us. 

His message was refreshingly simple:
“Reading books won’t make you enlightened.  God is already within you. Turn inward.”

Then he gifted everyone a copy of his book.  About 200 people.
The organizer explained the plan: First, people sitting on the floor.  Then, the first five rows.

Naturally… chaos.

A Western couple in the third row jumped up and cut the line.
I silently said, “Wait your turn.”

Greg said it out loud: “You need to wait. People on the floor go first.”

The woman looked confused and repeated a few of Greg’s words.  Obviously, California English was not landing.  I whispered, “She doesn’t understand you.”
Greg shrugged and stopped.  “Never mind.”

The woman stared at him, curious.  She turned to her boyfriend.  Without looking at Greg, he explained something to her in a language neither of us understood.  They stayed put in line.

All this… minutes after we’d been told that books don’t bring enlightenment.

We had just heard: Turn inward.  Ask, “Who am I?”  The truth is within.
But people…rushing, cutting, and clinging to a free book.

What’s the point?

But… who was I to judge?
I, too, have broken rules.  Felt embarrassed.  Ashamed.  Promised to do better.

Our shortcomings… hard to see in ourselves, easy to spot in others.
Judging others is effortless.
Judging yourself?  That takes courage.

Pause.  Reflect.  Notice your own behavior.
Then, change begins.