Living without Possessions in Chennai
By Charlie. Filed in Asia |
I first encounter David at Hotel Chennai India . He was at the check out counter and I noticed he had no luggage. I couldn’t help but make a comment to him about him having no luggage must means he’s off to the near by Ashram for a month’s meditation retreat. He politely smiled and corrected me, saying my assumption is close, but that he’s always traveled lite due to having no possessions. This intrigued me to no end, so I ask him if he could wait for me to check out and ask him a few questions. He said he said yes and that he had questions for me about my reference to an Ashram.
Apparently, this possessionless man had no idea what an Ashram was, so I proceeded to tell him about the one with which I was about to stay at for a month. He then proceeded to tell me that back in America, after his divorce and all the horrific fighting that went on over he and his wife’s possessions that one night he had an Epiphany. This awakening moment made David become aware of how stupid it was to fight and hate over ‘stuff’. He ended up firing his divorce lawyer and ended up giving his now ex-wife everything. David said it was the most freeing sensation he’s ever had. So, from then on he’s been virtually possessionless of about 15 years. Very impressive I thought, but there was something about him I couldn’t quite put my finger on.
When he asked if he could join me at the Ashram, I told him that I don’t see any reason why not, after all, he was a handsome man and single. Plus, it would be interesting to spend a whole month with him and find out what he truly is all about; find out what it is that I can’t pinpoint about him, something illusive. It didn’t take long, about 2 weeks into the Ashram retreat and listening to him boast everyone about how he has no possessions, I came to realize that David’s prize possession was his ego. He almost appeared to condemn the rest of us who hold on to our possession. I still stay in touch with him, but it’s hard when he owns nothing but pride.
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