Paulo Coelho's Life as an Inspiration

I have just finished reading the authorized biography of Paulo Coelho by Ferdinand Morais ~ A Warrior's Life.  I got the book on August 24 at the KLCC Book Fest and upon reading the first few pages discovered that I had bought it on his 65th birthday.

Reading about his younger days and how he often fell into the shadow (depression) made me understand myself better.  He was a misunderstood child who was pressured to do well in school by his parents, did poorly in his studies but loved reading and writing.  And he often got into severe depression because he was not able to do what he wanted.  It is amazing how he was given so much medication and treatments (including 3 sessions of Electroconvulsive Therapy).

As an adult, he dabbled with drugs and devil worship despite the fact that he is Catholic.  Those were his lost years, so to speak, writing for the Brazilian media, writing songs and travelling (before the phenomenon started).  His dream was to be a famous writer.  It was a trip to a former Nazi Concentration Camp in Germany that he discovered his spiritual roots and so began the realization of his dream.

His first book was The Pilgrimage, followed by the world famous best seller The Alchemist.  I have read The Alchemist several times over and the simple story has touched my heart as it has millions around the world.

The most touching part of the biography for me was at the end (almost) ~ his letter to Mr Morais, his biographer who was in the midst of writing, in 2007.  The letter was written from his heart of his fears and his wishes about the biography which was 3 years in the making.  It brought me close to tears as I felt what he was feeling at the time he wrote the letter.

I am now inspired to live my dreams and do what he does all the time, putting his hands together to pray for divine protection and blessings.  It is something that I do once in a while but not diligently everyday at a prescribed hour.  The timing that I got this book is planned by the Divine, just as I came out of the dark hole of depression myself.  It came my way just as how Eckhart Tolle's books The Power of Now, Stillness Speaks and A New Earth came into my life.  Similarly with how Osho books came into my life.  Similar to how I discovered Mooji on the internet.  Similar to how I have just gotten involved with Bruno Groening's Circle of Friends.

As Paulo Coelho said in his letter, "Who would I be without these experiences?".  The same with what I have always known with my experiences, good and bad.  They are in the past and I am here now.

Coming back out again

After a couple of weeks of anxiety and despair, I am finally out of it again.  I survived another mental ordeal!  The cycle is once again complete.  How did I do it this time?  I allowed the anxiety, pain and despair to be.  I watched it and there were times when I thought I was losing it.  But I hung on and soon the negative clouds of thoughts floated away.

I was like two persons, fighting each other in the head.  You know, like the cartoons you watch on TV with the Angel and the Devil on the right and left shoulders.

Then I got to reading Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist which reminded me to listen to my heart.  Somehow, I stopped listening to my heart and just listened to my head.  I paid attention to my heart and the acceptance set in quickly.  The resistance went away.  Faith set in.