“What is this place?” said I.
“The Cave of the Heart.” said Ram.
“You mean that which the Upanishads describe?” said I.
“Yes.” said Ram, “Hridayam.”
My mind raced. Is it possible, could this really be some Vedic jewel of mysticism and mystery here in this old forest, was this actually ‘The Cave of the Heart’? Was this Hridayam?
“This is The Cave from the Upanishads?” said I.
“Yes.” said Ram.
My goodness. The Cave of the Heart, this temple, my goodness. I looked at him, astonished. What did it mean? Is he the guardian of this place, the keeper and now he is revealing it to me like Galahad? My mind began to spin with excitement. I looked around more forensically at the stonework and the architecture, studying the space. Incredible! I must record this, describe it. This is a world-class treasure, who built it, how can it be used? I ran my hands over the central platform scanning it for marks. Wow! This is fantastic! Sitting down on the platform’s smooth edge I turned to Ram ready to shower him in thanks and ask all my questions about the provenance of this place, but one look at his expression stopped me in my tracks just as effectively as if I had been knocked down. A simple, tiny amused turn of his mouth and a little boy amazement in his eyes spoke a whole language instantly.
“It’s not true, is it?” said I, deflated.
“It’s absolutely, wholly true,” said Ram, “and these last few moments are its perfect confirmation.”
“So this is The Cave?”
“Yes,” said Ram, “The Cave is real and The Cave is here but it’s not the room, it’s you.”
My breath came in a big wave, long and deep. My belly heaved, sobs fell from me, falling and tumbling. Prior to the mind, before the projection of thought, in the purity of the spacious natural radiance that was so present moments before, that, and that alone, is the cave and it was my own Self.
The days that followed were perfect living, full of bright simplicity and abundance, puja inside the temple, tending the garden, cooking for my Guru and meditating in the moonlight. Even though the valley was quite modest in its length and breadth, it seemed so big now, growing in dimensions. The very molecules in the air seemed excited as if they were chattering sacred mantras, whispering in my ears. The light graced each second with a show of such exquisite subtleties, such shades and nuance, such sparkle and mood, such brightness, its depth astonished me.
Each morning Ram sat by himself for an hour on Swan Rock by the waterfall. On the fifteenth day I went and joined him. I wanted to speak to him about my enthusiasm and perception.
“This is so lovely,” said I.
“Yes,” said Ram, “everywhere is like this in its different ways, you just have to know it and have some capability to see it. You have some freedoms now Amelia as a result of your sadhana and you have knowledge. It is a powerful combination and as a consequence there is expansion and openness in you.”
“What’s happened to me?” I asked.
“This is the spaciousness I have been speaking to you about.” said Ram, “You stopped. It is deep and meaningful to stop and when you do, spaciousness is there. To really stop is profound and rare. Everyone feels the routine benefits of stopping in times of happy relaxation, that is simple stopping. You have gone beyond that, you have ceased projecting yourself and are therefore relieved of that weight. Because you have stopped the projection, The Cave of the Heart which is the Self becomes free of its walls, then it is no longer a cave at all, it is space, all this. It can be understood as love.”
“What has been in the way of this space Ram, what has been obscuring it all?” I asked.
“Habits,” said Ram, “and attitudes of mind, commentary and concept, all the things we have been discussing, that is the projection. To experience as you are now can only happen when you have transcended the possessive stream of attitudes, concerns and persistent habits that otherwise claim your reality. You need to think differently and see differently, it requires subtleties of sadhana just as you have been experiencing. It all arises as a consequence of your efforts when you are capable and when it is time. Now is your time Amelia.”