My Life Timeline: From Suffering To Awakening

How Pain Broke My Ego and Awakened My True Self

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How Fierce Grace Transformed My Life

July 1978: I was born into poverty in India, the son of an auto-rickshaw driver and a street hawker. Our family survived on $2 a day. I loved and worshiped my dad.

From Age 1 to 20: I was living in a “slumdog millionaire” type neighborhood—a dangerous trap that pulled kids into a ruthless world of alcohol, drugs, and theft.

At Age 14: I was the sole witness to my mother's affair outside her marriage. Feeling both embarrassed and fearful, I informed my father by writing him a letter. Eventually, my parents' love blossomed, and they loved us immensely. However, this event left a deep scar on my psyche.

At Age 16: I never experienced the peace of God by following the religious rituals of a society that saw God as outside of us, which only left me feeling guilty, as if something was inherently wrong with me.

At Age 22: I moved to Dubai and started a job because I couldn’t afford an MBA at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), even though I was accepted there.

At Age 27: I got married and left my job to start a real estate business in Dubai.

At Age 29: In a short span, I became a millionaire in Dubai's hot real estate market due to fast trading.

At Age 30: Due to my mind’s greed and speculation, I lost everything, including my business, during the 2008 financial recession.

At Age 30: I experienced a spiritual awakening while reading The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle.

At Age 31: I relocated to India after losing my business and material possessions in Dubai, seeking a break because I was feeling extremely depressed.

At age 32: I lost my dad to polycystic kidney disease in India after ten years of suffering from organ damage caused by extreme heat while he worked as a street hawker and supported us during my childhood.

At Age 32: I moved to Singapore and bought a RE/MAX real estate franchise.

At Age 33: I lost interest in commercial business due to a spiritual awakening. I went to different spiritual ashrams, attended multiple meditation retreats, and researched and read numerous spiritual books to understand the mysteries of life and heal the suffering.

At Age 34: I realized that no amount of money, relationships, or possessions could make me happy. I understood that material success is ultimately empty and meaningless, and this realization deepened my awakening. I can still function in the world, yet I now see that nothing I achieve could ever truly 'add' to my True Self—my Inner Being.

At Age 35: I encountered The Dark Night of the Soul and was diagnosed with a brain tumor and removed tumor by surgery in India.

At Age 36: I was suffering through tremendous physical and emotional pain as my conditioned mind was dissolving, and I was feeling my existence was coming to an END. I was asking myself,

What do I do with my life?
What's my role?
What's my relationship with my family, friends, wife, and children?
Why is awakening not blissful and free from negative states?

At Age 37: I suffered from severe back pain for five years, which healed after reading Healing Back Pain by Dr. John Sarno.

At Age 38: I relocated to Malaysia on MM2H (Malaysia My Second Home) to semi-retire peacefully with my wife and two daughters.

At Age 40: I completely ruptured my ACL and knee in an accident, losing the ability to walk for two years.

At Age 41: Ramana Maharshi's teachings transformed my life; I lost the fear of death and felt a profound sense of oneness with the world. My mind dissolved completely into my inner Being. I never felt depressed or anxious again, though the physical suffering continued. However, I no longer identify with the body or mind.

At Age 42, My whole family and I succumbed to COVID-19 as we tested positive at the airport while traveling back to Malaysia. We were not allowed to board the plane. With 400 kilograms of baggage and my body burning with fever, we traveled from Delhi to Mumbai (1400 kilometers) to reach home.

At Age 42: I injured my shoulder's rotator cuff—the most painful physical experience of my life—during a workout mishap, losing movement for two years before i let it healed naturally.

At Age 43: I wrote an ebook, The Courage to Awaken, about transcending suffering during spiritual awakening.

At Age 44: My new identity emerged, and I became a spiritual teacher.

At Age 45: I created an online course, “The Courage to Awaken", so you don’t have to face the same struggles and frustrations that I went through during my spiritual awakening without guidance or support.

At Age 46: Presently, I have relocated back to Mumbai, India, and I’m writing this article for you on Substack.

PS: ==> From Age 34 to Age 42: Whenever my mind tried to start a new business, life kept on shutting doors on my face. No matter how hard I tried to return to my old life or career, the old way was blocked. When I persisted, challenges like illness or accidents arose. This "Fierce Grace" led me to become a spiritual teacher.

Remember, suffering brings Awakening.

So that’s where I’m at these days. I’d love to know where YOU are at, too.

Are you happy with things as they are in your life?
Are you considering making big or little changes?
Are you struggling to imagine how things could be different?
What questions do you have for me and other readers about overcoming your life’s biggest challenge?

Do comment.

Until next time,

Aby

Help me make it easier for others to find this publication by hitting the ❤️ at the top or bottom. Thank you for supporting this work of awakening.