Caring is the Real Preparing

THE WISDOM BRIDGE SERIES, In September 2022, DAAJI released his latest book, The Wisdom Bridge, which has already become a national bestseller. Throughout 2023, we'll be releasing excerpts from various chapters of this insightful book to give you a taste of the wisdom it offers. The book starts with an introduction to parents and carers, setting the scene for the practical tips and guidance to come.

Dear Parents

I once read a story of a master and a disciple who lived with him. After years of training, one day the master told the disciple that he was now ready to go out in the world and make a mark of his own. On the day of parting, the master's wife kept delaying the disciple's departure, giving some excuse or the other. Finally, in the evening, after running out of excuses to keep him from leaving, she reluctantly handed the disciple a lantern and some of his favourite food for his travels. A long journey lay ahead for him, and part of it wove through dirt tracks and wilderness. The disciple had walked only a short distance when he heard the voice of his master calling him back. He turned around and dutifully walked back. Upon arriving, the master took away the lantern from the disciple and then said, 'Dear son, now you may go home. May you grow and grow.'

Why would the master take the lantern away? Did the disciple reach home safely? Why was the disciple allowed to leave while it was dark? Through these questions, the story encapsulates what every parent goes through while raising a child. In the story, the master is a metaphor for discipline, the master’s wife is a metaphor for love and taking back the lantern symbolizes children guided by their inner light.

As parents, we care for our children, love them, nurture them and a day comes when they step outside the protective bubble of home. The Wisdom Bridge will help parents guide their children on the path of wisdom as they grow up in life. When children are exposed to the good and the not-so-good of life, wisdom will help them in making the right decisions. My experience as a meditation teacher, concern as a grandfather, learnings as a father, and observations as a student of life all came together in writing The Wisdom Bridge.