Aryan woke up feeling like he hadn't slept at all. The room was still dark, but he knew the morning had come. The soft hum of the city outside his window was already in full swing—horns honking, the chatter of street vendors, and the occasional shout of someone rushing to catch a bus. But inside his apartment, it felt like there was only silence.
He sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes, the weight of his thoughts pressing on him. The mala was still on the bedside table, where he had left it the night before. The rudraksha beads were glowing faintly in the dim light, almost as if they were alive. The strange energy he had felt when he touched them the other day had not gone away. In fact, it had only grown stronger. Every time his fingers brushed against the beads, it was like a jolt of electricity ran through him, pulling him deeper into something he couldn't quite understand.
"What is this?" Aryan whispered to himself, his voice barely audible in the quiet room. He picked up the mala, holding it carefully between his fingers. It felt heavy, like it was both a burden and a gift. "Why now? Why me?"
He looked at the clock on the wall. It was almost 8:00 AM. His first meeting of the day was at 9:00, and he had a million things to do before then. But right now, all he could think about was the mala, the energy inside him, and the conversation with the Pandit.
He had been avoiding thinking about it all night, but here it was again, demanding his attention.
---
The usual buzz of the office greeted him when he walked in. He gave a distracted nod to Pooja, his assistant, who was already at her desk, typing away on her laptop. Aryan didn't have time to deal with the million things on his to-do list right now. His mind was too full of questions, of confusion.
He walked past his team's desks, nodding at a few employees who were already busy at work. But nothing felt real. Everything seemed to be happening in the background, like he was watching his life unfold from behind a window.
His phone buzzed in his pocket, breaking the silence. It was a message from his business partner, Ravi.
"Hey, we need to talk about the new project. Let's catch up later today?"
Aryan stared at the message for a few moments, his finger hovering over the screen. He typed back quickly.
"I'm a bit tied up today. I'll get back to you after the meeting."
He didn't want to deal with business right now. He didn't want to think about the startup, the clients, or the endless emails. All he could think about was the feeling of the mala in his hand, the strange energy that had awakened inside him, and the Pandit's cryptic words: "The Kundalini will guide you, but you must be willing to listen."
---
The morning dragged on. Meetings were scheduled, phone calls were made, but Aryan's attention was elsewhere. His mind kept drifting back to the temple, to the conversation with the Pandit. He had always been a practical person, focused on results and tangible outcomes. But this? This was something he couldn't quantify. He couldn't measure it with a spreadsheet or a business plan.
By lunch, Aryan was restless. He had barely touched his food, his mind constantly spinning with thoughts he couldn't control. He pushed his plate away and stood up, walking to the window. The city stretched out before him, the endless sea of buildings, roads, and people. It felt like a world of noise, and he was just another speck in it.
But something inside him was telling him that he wasn't meant to just be a speck. There was something bigger at play, something he had to figure out, but he didn't know where to start.
---
Around 2:00 PM, Aryan found himself heading toward the temple again. He hadn't planned on it, but the pull was irresistible. The city outside seemed to fade as he walked, his steps almost automatic. The temple was a quiet sanctuary in the midst of the chaos of Bangalore, and today, Aryan felt like he needed it more than ever.
When he arrived, the familiar scent of incense greeted him. The air felt cool and calming, and for a moment, Aryan felt like he could breathe again. He walked through the stone entrance, his footsteps echoing in the stillness.
The Pandit was sitting in his usual spot, his eyes closed in quiet meditation. Aryan hesitated for a moment before stepping forward. The Pandit opened his eyes, as if he had been expecting him.
"You've returned, beta," the Pandit said, his voice soft and welcoming.
Aryan sat down in front of him, feeling the weight of his thoughts pressing down on him. "I don't understand what's happening to me," he said, his voice tinged with frustration. "I've been trying to focus on work, but every time I touch the mala, it's like something inside me wakes up. I don't know how to control it."
The Pandit nodded slowly. "The Kundalini is not something you control, Aryan. It is an energy that exists within all of us. But it only awakens when the time is right."
Aryan felt a surge of frustration. "But why now? Why me? I'm just trying to live my life. I've got deadlines, meetings, clients to deal with. I don't have time for... this."
The Pandit's eyes softened. "The Kundalini doesn't care about your deadlines or your business. It cares about your soul, your heart. It awakens when it is time for you to grow, to understand something bigger than what you see in front of you."
Aryan shifted uncomfortably. "I don't know if I'm ready for this. I've built my whole life around my business. I've worked so hard to get where I am. And now, this… this energy is pulling me in a direction I don't understand."
The Pandit smiled gently, his expression kind. "You are not alone in this, Aryan. The energy is within you, but it is also connected to something greater. It is a part of the world, a part of the universe. And it is meant to guide you. You must listen to it, trust it."
Aryan felt a wave of emotion rise in his chest. He wasn't sure what to make of all this. Everything he had worked for, everything he had believed in, was now being questioned by something he couldn't see, something he couldn't touch. "How do I even begin to understand it?" he asked quietly.
The Pandit leaned forward, his eyes focused on Aryan. "You begin by being still. Sit in silence. Listen to the world around you. The energy will come to you in its own time. But you must be patient. The path will reveal itself, but only when you are ready."
---
Aryan left the temple feeling a little lighter, but still confused. The walk back to his apartment felt long, as if the weight of his thoughts was slowing him down. The city around him seemed to be moving at full speed, but Aryan felt like he was standing still.
He passed by the usual street vendors, the sound of their calls rising above the noise of the traffic. But none of it seemed important anymore. The world around him felt distant, like he was just going through the motions.
When he reached his apartment, he tossed his keys on the table and sat down on the couch, staring at the mala in his hands. It had been a long day, but the questions still lingered. What was this energy? What did it mean for his life? And why now?
---
The next few days passed in a blur. Aryan went through the motions of his workday, attending meetings and answering emails, but his mind was never really there. Every time he touched the mala, he felt that same strange energy rising within him. He tried to focus on his business, on the things he could control, but it wasn't working. The energy inside him was too strong, too persistent.
He tried to meditate, as the Pandit had suggested, but it didn't come easily. His mind was too restless, filled with doubts and fears. He couldn't silence the noise in his head. He kept thinking about his company, his future, the life he had built. What would happen if he just let go? What if he embraced this energy? What would it mean for his life?
---
Finally, on the sixth day, Aryan sat in his apartment, holding the mala in his hands. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to quiet his thoughts. He let the mala rest in his fingers, feeling the warmth of the beads. Slowly, he began to focus on the rhythm of his breathing.
For the first time in days, he felt a small shift inside him. It wasn't much, just a slight feeling of peace, but it was enough. He wasn't trying to force anything anymore. He wasn't trying to control the energy or understand it all at once. He was simply being still, allowing the energy to flow through him.
It wasn't a sudden, dramatic change. But nonetheless it was a start. And for the first time, Aryan felt like he was on doing it right.
---