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My Spiritual Journey to India

by Shelley Kaehr, Ph.D.

I have a list in my mind of places I want to see. Ever since I can remember, I’ve wanted to go to India to ride an elephant, visit the Taj Mahal and wade in the Ganges River.

This dream came true when I traveled to New Delhi in March to present research to practitioners from around the world. There at the World Congress on Past Life Regression Therapy, I was thrilled to meet AIHT student Anubhuti Rattan, who presented her own discoveries within our same panel discussion.

On the first full day of the conference, attendees bonded during a seven-hour bus trip to the city of Agra for presentations on Vedic Astrology, Buddhism, and an educational side trip.

I gasped when I saw the Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. This breathtaking monument to eternal love was erected by Emperor Shah Jahan in 1630, in loving memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. Arriving during the long shadows of sunset, we paid our respects at these royal tombs.

After our conference meetings, several attendees journeyed together to Northern India. Our first stop was Jaipur, in the state of Rajasthan. There we visited the Amber Fort, where we rode an elephant through the fortress to the hill top, and received blessings in a beautiful Hindu temple.

For me the spiritual turning point came near the end of our journey, while visiting Varanasi, at the mouth of the Ganges River. Banaras (as it is known in India) is one of the oldest cities in the world. As the major pilgrimage site for Hindus, it was here that the Buddha gave his very first sermon.

By this point on our trip I was worn out from long days of sightseeing—from the sheer physical, emotional and sensory fatigue of traveling such great distances. Arriving in downtown Banaras late in the day, we walked on crowded streets toward the river. Wading in, the soles of my feet instantly filled with the most powerful energy I could ever recall, which rose into my entire being. All exhaustion washed away instantly.

Having arrived just in time to witness the nightly fire ceremony, during which the faithful come to pay homage to their God, we bought some little candles that were inside dried leaf cups, rented a canoe, and floated down the river.

As I stepped inside the boat, tears began to stream uncontrollably down my face as the thick, sweet incense filled my nose. I looked up to the shore and saw the biggest incense cloud I’d ever seen, heard the sound of drums, and saw thousands of people praying together.

We were instructed to light our candles and let them go down the river. I watched, breathless, as my candle floated hundreds of feet from me and continued to glow. This, I was told, signals a long and happy life.

Wading in, the soles of my feet instantly filled with the most powerful energy I could ever recall, which rose into my entire being. All exhaustion washed away instantly.

The next day we returned for a sunrise ceremony. With the rising sun to my left and the moon to my right, we floated down the river and watched as the pilgrims bathed themselves in the holy waters and celebrated life.

There, I was reminded that the dreams and thoughts we hold in our hearts really do come true—and can often surpass our wildest expectations!