What the Astrologer told me — 6 habits of highly disillusioned people

Loitering aimless I had now reached the edge of the village where the dusty rustic road met the equally grimy highway. Right at the junction was a huge gulmohar tree and a bright yellow sheet pinned to the tree attracted my attention. It said ‘Enlighten yourself in just 10 minutes for Rs 100’

8 months of work from home had taken a toll both mentally and physically. Looking for some inner peace I had taken a few days off to rest at my ancestral village. The pandemic and mid-life crisis had made a planned, simultaneous and coordinated attack leaving me a nervous wreck. Hence the pronouncement on the board aroused my curiosity as I sensed that a solution laid ahead.

Right below the board sat a fat bellied hermit, hair unkempt and matted with a jet black flowing beard. Wrapped in a saffron cloth, he was squatting on what looked a tiger skin was but was actually a printed sheet of cheap plastic. Blood shot eyes and a generous sprinkling of vermillion on his forehead gave him the typical Swami look. Hesitantly I went over and prostrated before him and briefed him about my turmoil’s in life. “I need help in knowing what the future holds for me Swamiji!” I concluded.

“My child”, growled the astrologer in a brusque voice “I cannot predict the future but I can surely tell you the 6 mantras on how to handle your present and which would shape your future!”

“Sure, do tell me what I should be doing!” my interest stirred knowing that he is not the typical soothsayer.

“Nah! In fact I will tell you what not to do”. Thus saying he took a fistful of sacred ash from an earthen pot and with his finger spread it horizontally on my forehead.

“First, do not use your head as a storage device. It is not a bucket to fill it with mundane things to remember, instead it is to be used for much more important activities. Use a simple notebook to keep stock of what needs to be done thereby freeing up your mind”

Just then his phone which was kept under his mat rang with the familiar old Nokia ringtone. He ignored but I urged him to take the call.

“No, I will not take the call. It leads us to the second principle — To avoid multi-tasking and focusing on the job at hand. Give the current task the importance it deserves and then move on. Distractions will keep coming on in life my child and you should learn on how to artfully dodge them.”

At this moment the nearby coconut vendor interrupted our session. “Swamiji, could you please look after my stall while I take short break?”

“Sorry, not at this time” told the Swami quite bluntly on his face. ‘ I am busy on something”.

“Yes Son,” went on the Swami looking at my –‘wasn’t that a rude reply’ face, ‘it may look rude, but the third mantra is that never ever accept anything and everything which is thrown at you. Learn to say NO if that interferes with your work. You are here not to please others”

“Fourth habit” continued our local Stephen Covey, “is to learn in bits and pieces every day. The assimilation of knowledge should never stop. Look at our nails,” said the Swami brandishing his dirty long but shapely nails, “you never would have noticed the difference of a day’s growth, but somehow after 2 weeks it would have grown long enough!”

“Sure it makes sense”, “I agreed, “somehow I find it difficult to manage the time..”

“Absolute nonsense, just get up at 5 AM daily and you will get all the time in the world” and he was alluding to the fifth DO NOT DO in his list- Not to wake up after the world has woken. (pun unintended)

“and that’s all I have for you my Child” , said the Swami as he got up and prepared to pack up.

“But Guruji, what about the sixth mantra !?”

“The sixth and most important, is to know when to stop work and pack up for the day. We all know that work never stops. We need to learn to switch off from work and enjoy the other stuff in life. Don’t worry, if anything is urgent, someone would call you. Also, if you don’t take the call, the world won’t stop!”

Thus saying, he quickly pocketed the money I gave him, packed his stuff and made his way to the village.