Further along my journey, I can’t quite recall how I stumbled upon the book ‘The Surrender Experiment: My Journey into Life’s Perfection‘ by Michael A. Singer, but it swiftly ascended into my top 10 books of all time, making a serious impact on my life perspective. I understand that this book may not resonate with everyone, as I’ve come across some negative reviews online. Had I encountered this book a few years earlier, I might have dismissed it as well. It seemed to enter my life precisely at the right moment, when my mind and heart were open and receptive to such wisdom and change.
As I delved into the pages, Michael Singer unraveled an extraordinary story detailing his life before, during, and after a profound spiritual awakening in his early twenties. He quit his job, left the “normal” world behind, and went to live alone in the middle of the woods, dedicating himself to meditating from dawn to dusk in an effort to quiet the noise in his head, and embraced a life of solitude.
Now, if his story had concluded there, I might have hastily drawn conclusions, exclaiming, “See! My observations were spotted on. Those who claim to be spiritual eschew material possessions, lack ambition, and often grapple with mental health issues. And this author seems to fit the bill!”
But wait! It didn’t end there!
The author drove a significant point home for me within the pages of his book, addressing a common misconception that I, like many others, held. It’s often assumed that spirituality and meditation require a complete detachment from the material world. However, the reality is quite different. Spiritual principles and practices can immensely benefit individuals in various walks of life, including businesspersons, aiding them in achieving their goals just as effectively as they do monks and gurus. His life exemplified this truth before me. Despite living a deeply spiritual existence in the wilderness, he not only astoundingly managed to establish a thriving community, offering teachings, shelter, and assistance to numerous individuals, but also an impactful billion-dollar medical software company.
His life story presented a clear and compelling example: one can embrace spirituality and achieve remarkable financial success simultaneously. There’s no need to sacrifice one for the other. This revelation positively shifted my perspective, persuading even a stubborn skeptic like myself to adopt a more open-minded and positive attitude towards meditation and the spiritual realm.
The truth is, I wish I had discovered his book earlier, particularly during my investigation period. Reading about his experiences provided me true solace, knowing that he too faced such turbulent times. His office was raided by the FBI and followed by a five-year investigation into securities fraud. Everything was detailed inside his book. While there may be debates about his involvement in the alleged crime on the Internet, I refrain from passing judgment. Regardless of the outcome, I genuinely value his book and all the wisdom and life-changing lessons inside.
I was so captivated by the book that I finished it within two weeks, despite its considerable length. Its insights have stayed with me since then. Two, in particular, struck a heavy chord in my heart. The first urged us to let go of our expectations and attachments to outcomes, emphasizing the importance of focusing solely on the journey itself and the tasks at hand. If you’ve read my book, you might recall that this concept has long been my guiding principle, aiding me in navigating various aspects of life, including completing my own book. I cannot emphasize enough how deeply I resonate with this wisdom and the endless joy and peace it can bring when embraced, even partially.
I applied this same wisdom to my blog—the one you’re currently reading. From its inception to the present, my sole focus has been on the pure joy of writing and striving daily to make each post interesting and engaging, for both myself and any readers who may stumble upon them later. Interestingly, the absence of expectations clears out all unnecessary stress and pressure, offering me nothing but an ocean of enjoyment and fulfilment. I wake up every morning feeling motivated and purposeful because I have something to work on and look forward to.
The second revelation highlights that the universe always provides subtle signals guiding us toward our goals or life missions, but we’re often too busy, stubborn, and preoccupied to notice them. That’s why we need to be more attuned to the signs around us and embrace surrendering to life. The author’s recounting of numerous surprising and amazing events that occurred in his life left me in awe, intrigued, and inspired to pursue similar experiences.
I didn’t have to wait long for that revelation to be tested. As I neared the completion of the book, I flew to Cyprus to meet with a dear client who is also a friend, with the aim of exploring new business opportunities and exchanging knowledge. As I walked along the beach in Larnaca early one morning, I spotted a lemon tree in full bloom across the road, laden with ripe lemons. Intrigued, I decided to cross the road to get a closer look and snapped a picture
This is the picture of the lemon tree I took on that day
While I was standing there, admiring the lemon tree, a strange man approached me. He asked what type of properties I was looking for. I was taken aback because his question came out of the blue, and I didn’t quite understand what he meant. When I had a moment to look at him, I realized there was a big real estate agent right next to the lemon tree. The truth is, I had been relentlessly seeking more property investment opportunities, but Cyprus had never crossed my mind, as I had never been there before and had no clue about its potential.
He extended a bright and friendly smile, introduced himself as Panagiotis, and invited me to come inside to view all the properties he had available. I thought to myself, ‘Why not?‘
I grabbed some tea, water, and refreshments while he explained the country’s general property investment market, followed by specifics about Larnaca and his experiences with investors from around the world. I was impressed by his energy and the insights he shared. Unfortunately, I was leaving later that afternoon for Limassol to meet my client friend, and wouldn’t be returning to Larnaca. Additionally, he already had two clients from Israel booked for the entire day to view properties in person.
We both felt a bit bummed, but he promised to send me new property listings every week. If I found any that interested me, he assured me that I could fly back anytime, and he would make time to show them to me.
While we were talking, his clients arrived ten minutes early. We all quickly engaged in some light-hearted chit-chat, sharing jokes and enjoying some good laughs. After finishing our tea and coffee, they surprised me by inviting me to join them for their private property viewing tour.
Guess what I said? ‘Hell yes, babe!’
While I was on the tour, I had the opportunity to learn more about them, their lives, and their reasons for investing in Cyprus. They shared that they had owned a large tech company in Israel, which they had sold the previous year. They had already invested in four rental apartments in Limassol and were currently involved in constructing a new building of 16 luxurious apartments on land that they had purchased with two more friends. With the additional funds they had acquired, they were exploring the possibility of investing in Larnaca as well. We exchanged contact information, and they assured me that I could reach out to them anytime I needed their assistance, a second opinion, or anything else.
During two of the viewings, I encountered two more cool individuals. Interestingly, they owned and managed over 60+ Airbnb rentals in Larnaca. They shared some juicy insights and information with me. We exchanged contact information, and they encouraged me to reach out if I needed any assistance with my investment decision here.
The viewing day ended with me feeling incredibly blessed and awestruck. How did a simple stroll on the beach lead me to encounter such wonderful and cool people, and present me with the opportunity to explore a new investment market? All because of that lemon tree! Isn’t it true what Singer said: ‘The universe always provides subtle signals guiding us toward our goals or life missions’? All we need to do is be open and receptive to them.
Further on through reading, I uncovered the universality of this wisdom, transcending time, space, and cultural boundaries. Take, for example, the teachings of luminaries like Lao Tzu, the founding figure of Taoism, and Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, the Stoic philosopher and Roman emperor. Both emphasized the importance of letting go and flowing with life’s currents to attain a life of greater happiness and lesser suffering.
In my twenties, I did encounter this wisdom on numerous occasions, but I didn’t agree with it at all. My mantra at that time was to always fight, fight harder, and fight until the end for whatever I wanted in my life. Never surrender and never give up. While that wasn’t always wrong, I had endured so many unnecessary hurdles, challenges, and mental turbulence. I’m glad that I finally understand and resonate with this wisdom completely. Perhaps age and experience have made me a little bit wiser.
Returning to the ‘Surrender Experiment’ book, to truly understand its significance and experience a similar impact, you must read it on your own. Since reading it, I’ve become more attuned to the signs around me. I suddenly see things and patterns that I never noticed before. I’ve even noticed that whenever I set my intentions, the universe seems to orchestrate a series of interconnected events and connections to facilitate their realization.
** This chapter is part of a TEN-chapter series— don’t miss any part of the story! Stay updated and read more chapters from this series here:
- Part 1: What the Heck is Meditation? Definitely Not for Me!
- Part 2: Attempts to Convert Me into a Believer—The Universe?! Good Luck with That!
- Part 3: God, Allah, Buddha, and the Universe—Help Me! I Beg for Mercy!
- Part 4: The Planted Seeds
- Part 5: My Surrender Experiment
- Part 6: Are These Signs from the Universe?
- Part 7: The Epiphanies
- Part 8: How Meditation Changed Me and My Life
- Part 9: The Most Phenomenal and Bizarre Experience of My Life
- Part 10 (Final): The Power of Going Within
