ONLY A FEW, CERTAIN, AND SPECIFIC objects or events in the life of a grownup (adult) would reveal the inherent inner child, and I suppose the sense of wonder is one of those events having such a magical property. Magic it surely is for the “adult” mind to deviate from its “know-all-ness” and accept something with the simplest of virtues of bewilderment that a child is so naturally capable of, requires a lot of magnanimity on the part of that object or idea.
On the other hand, the given object, idea or event, however, may be as ingenious or insignificant or simple as getting trickled down on your windshield without rain whilst you wait for the lights to change at an intersection. It may be simply due to the car in the front of you having its sprinklers off-target and splashing the water jets from over its hood, down towards your car behind..! Those bemusing ten seconds (or less, or perhaps more?) that it takes you to finally figure out what is going on, is the time spent under the amazing realm of wonder and amazement that a child it so very well aware of; and which the adults “choose” to drop off in the process of growing up...Meditation is the beginning of the journey of looking within, getting inside of one’s Self, and more often than not the first person (no pun intended) one encounters there, waiting, is that child 'avatar' of the self. It is this inner child that takes one’s hand and leads the person on the path of meditation, which is illuminated by amazement and wonder, and no less than a fairytale.
"Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakens..." -- Carl Jung
Being in Africa, especially at the equator, was a very special experience. Climbing a hill nearby at dawn or dusk provided with the wonderful opportunity of watching the panoramic view, far and wide, wild and majestic. The horizon in any given direction had to have its own panache, in the backdrop of the blue sky, featuring fresco using a couple of random colours from the rainbow, that had to be different from the horizon of any other direction at that time. Standing still, marvelling the beauty looking in a given direction, and slowly turning on the heels, completing the circle with the patience and the absolute openness of non-expectation and non-anticipation, like a child completely captured by the kaleidoscopic view of a given turn of the cylinder, one had no escape but to get the sense of being spontaneously blown away by amazement. It was like putting oneself inside of a giant electric bulb, and letting a child run wild with paint and brush on the outer surface of the huge dome, creating a colourful chaos that has a certain mesmeric and divine beauty.
As the Master would have it:"Posing and taking a moment to marvel the beauty of nature, and involuntarily letting out ‘Ahh..’ is but an instant participation in divinity…"The view from that hilltop was perhaps the perfect example to relate to such a participation. And the experiences were nothing short of a divine prayers, spoken silently, lead by the Child within, and supported by the chorus of bird songs and leaves ruffling with the breeze without.
It is the sense of wonder, amazement and the innocence of non-reason of a child that creates the fairytale, and that is which the elders, especially from the psychology fraternity would want to call a dream… Whilst the child outlook is facing inwards, the dream outlook is facing outwards; and as Jung has put it so simply:
"Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakens..."