As a child, I felt closest to God while walking in my father's field. One time I experienced the oneness of everything very clearly: the green carpet of alfalfa swaying gently in the wind, the blue sky arching over the hills and valleys, and the meadowlark perched on the fence singing her song to the world. It was perfect! God was there underlying every thing, the Being that made all the parts belong to the wholeness, and I belonged there too. At those moments, I knew who I was. In my teenage years, I would retreat to the fields to restore my sense of Self whenever the stress of everyday life lay heavy upon me. Eventually, the day came when walking in the fields no longer worked for me. I was overcome by the stress of living on earth and I was devastated. I had lost my sense of Self.

The first of two major turning points came when I learned the Transcendental Meditation technique. In my first meditation, I recognized mySelf, the Self I had known in the wholeness of the fields, just for a moment, and knew that for me, the TM program was a way home. All was not easy in those days, but my TM practice and the knowledge gained from Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the founder of the Transcendental Meditation program, were a like a light shining in the darkness.

The second major turning point came when I saw Jesus face to face while receiving communion one Sunday morning. Following that experience, I could no longer ignore the reality of Jesus or deny the value of my religion.

I did a lot of soul-searching and scripture study, to discern whether or not these two great spiritual paths were truly compatible. Maharishi had always said that the TM technique would help to fulfill the highest aspirations of all religions, and that they should go hand-in-hand. As I searched in the scripture of my religion, I saw it with new eyes and discovered evidence of the same truth expressed by Maharishi. My religion, which I had neglected for years, suddenly became meaningful and important to me in the light of Maharishi's teaching.

Looking back, I would have liked to have a closer sense of community and more interaction with like-minded souls. As I seek to integrate the different parts of my life and incorporate more love in my life, I find myself desiring more opportunity to live in community in the presence of God. By talking and listening to God, I hope to grow more and more in love with God, to grow in love and appreciation of others, and more in love with life itself. I desire to become a pure instrument through which the love of God may flow to the people of the earth. May the love of God so shine through our hearts that all may live together in the love and light of God.