Death, my friend, come hither. For we have met before many times.

The tide ebbs and flows between the rocks at the ocean reminding me of the eternity of nature and my own mortality. Just as they say “time and tide wait for no man.” A mystic once said that a graveyard is the best place for spiritual practices because it reminds you of your own limited life. I say the ocean is equally effective.

The very concept of death eludes me. It is mysterious. Frankly, it feels like common logic that death cannot be final. In this living breathing world it doesn’t make sense that awareness should die. It only soothes my mind if a continuum is maintained. Self awareness must be maintained at all times, thus we are in an illusion.

You simply wake up from the dream that envelopes you and realize that you cannot die. You are only in transition. Like a string of pearls from one life to the next, breathing in and breathing out, simply witnessing your life. Can this be true? That life always exists? Where would you go when you “die?” There must be a resting place where you exist in awareness yet not. Thus there must be realms hidden to the mind where each one goes according to his or her “evolution.” Thus there is a greater consciousness that we are unaware of. As someone once said to me, “if only we knew how beautiful the experience of death is we would all be rushing towards it.” The purpose of life is to Know Thy Self.

Figuratively, Death could also represent the spiritual fire, the burning of the ego, emerging from which is a gem, a diamond. Death of an entrepreneur signifies the “fire” that he or she undergoes: the questioning, the self-inquiry and burning and testing of the idea or concept proposed. The enemy of an entrepreneur is ego itself. What emerges is a pure, self aware and sharpened individual; one who is at peace with himself; one whose convictions are very strong; one who is not afraid to test the waters.

Entrepreneurs are lone figures. They live in a world both spiritual and empirical. For them, their purpose of existence is work itself. They are in effect “karma-yogis.” From personal experience, a spiritual element leads to creativity and delight in my own creations. The infinite Shakti delights in creating something new. That is its very nature. You simply wake up from a dream and realize, “this will work” or “I have an idea.” That conviction can come from you alone.

You create your own destiny. Entrepreneurship is mysterious for only you can take ownership of the idea and create, mold and shape it till it becomes like fine wine. But hark ! “Destiny opens the door by itself !” Choose your path wisely. It should bring you closer to your own Truth. When entrepreneurship as a lifestyle becomes addictive then you know you are on the path to true freedom. The universe comes into alignment.

O infinite Consciousness,

Brimming with Elixir.

You live within my body,

And I worship only You.

I do not care

If I die, take birth,

Or pass into some other state.

These things are so ordinary now.

Verse 112, Lalleshwari.

I have found my life’s purpose. I have found my soul mate. She became my wife. My journey is complete. The path of joy is clear. There is no higher purpose than to dedicate my life to it in everything I do.

There is no God other than Shiva,

No sadhana other than japa,

No technique other than meditation.

The seat of Gurunath,

Is between the incoming,

And the outgoing breaths.

O Lalli ! Sit there in peace.

Verse 079, Lalleshwari.

Life is a tough winding road, made tougher by the fact that you’re an entrepreneur. Failure experienced as Death will punctuate your life many times, just like the string of breaths. You will be driven by the convictions of your own Heart. For me, entrepreneurship is about my own Self. Like the super-annuated man, I am the master of my life and the destiny that unfolds. What better way to dedicate myself to myself… as “I sit on the Rock of the incoming and outgoing breaths,” that unbroken chain, broken only by Death. Death comes to everyone but we spend our whole life just preparing for it. I have been through the fire once and will face it again. There is no turning back.