In the hustle and bustle of modern life, it's easy to lose sight of the wonders that surround us. The sunrise that paints the sky in hues of gold and crimson, the melody of a bird welcoming the dawn, the simple joy of a child’s laughter — these are miracles happening around us each day. Yet, our jaded eyes often fail to recognize them. We seek grandeur in the spectacular while overlooking the divine in the ordinary.
Swami Mukundananda, a world-renowned spiritual teacher and authority on mind management, inspires us to reawaken our sense of wonder and discover the profound miracles unfolding in every moment. His message is simple yet transformative: you don’t need to be a celebrity to lead a spectacular life; you need to celebrate each moment with devotion and awareness.
Let us dive deeper into this profound teaching, enriched with real-life anecdotes and examples shared by Swamiji, that reveal how opening our minds can help us witness the miraculous nature of life itself.
The Blind Woman and the Clouds: Rediscovering Wonder
Swamiji recounts a moving story from his college days, about an elderly blind woman who lived in his neighborhood. Despite her physical limitations, she embodied a sense of grace and dignity that left an impression on him. Occasionally, Swamiji would visit her, running errands and offering help.
One day, out of curiosity, he asked her a thought-provoking question:
“Mother, if God gave you the ability to see for a brief moment, what would you choose to see?”
Given that she had been blind since birth, he expected her answer to be something extraordinary, something grand. But her reply left him both surprised and reflective.
She simply said, “I would like to see clouds.”
Swamiji was taken aback. Clouds? Such a mundane part of everyday life! Why would anyone long so deeply to witness something so ordinary? She explained:
“People have described clouds to me. They say they are soft like cotton, ethereal like mist, but I can’t truly understand what that means. Others have even rubbed my hand over etchings of clouds, but still, I cannot comprehend them. If I could see, I would love to witness clouds with my own eyes.”
This simple yet profound exchange ignited a spark within Swamiji. Here he was, someone with the gift of sight, seeing clouds daily, yet never pausing to appreciate their beauty. The blind woman’s heartfelt wish revealed to him how his own sense of wonder had become dulled.
We often take for granted the everyday miracles that others long for. The ability to see, hear, taste, and feel — these are extraordinary gifts, yet we seldom acknowledge their value.
The Dog That Walked on Water: A Lesson in Perception
Swamiji further illustrates this point with a humorous yet enlightening anecdote about a man and his dog.
This man had recently purchased a pet dog and was eager to take it on its first morning walk. As part of their exercise routine, he would throw a ball, and the dog, filled with enthusiasm, would fetch it and return it to him.
One day, while walking by a lake, the man decided to toss the ball into the water, curious to see if his dog would swim. To his amazement, the dog simply walked on the surface of the water, retrieved the ball, and returned.
Stunned, the man thought perhaps he had imagined it. He threw the ball again. Once more, the dog walked on water, fetched the ball, and returned. This happened a third time.
In awe, he exclaimed, “I have discovered the miracle of the century! A dog that walks on water!”
Wanting to share this marvel, he invited his neighbor for a walk, excited to showcase the phenomenon. When they reached the lake, the man threw the ball into the water. Again, the dog walked on the water and retrieved it.
The man eagerly looked at his neighbor, expecting astonishment. Yet, the neighbor remained completely nonchalant.
After repeating this a few times, the man finally asked, “Did you notice anything strange?”
The neighbor replied, “Yes. Your dog cannot swim.”
Swamiji uses this story to highlight how our perceptions can blind us to miracles, even when they unfold right before our eyes. The neighbor witnessed something extraordinary but chose to interpret it in a mundane, dismissive way. In much the same way, the miracles of God unfold around us constantly, but we often fail to recognize them.
The Wonders of the World: The Gift of Our Senses
In another example, Swamiji narrates the story of a geography teacher who asked his students to list the Seven Wonders of the World. The class excitedly suggested monuments like the Great Wall of China, the Taj Mahal, and the Grand Canyon.
However, one quiet girl remained silent. Curious, the teacher looked at her notebook. Instead of grand structures, she had written:
- The ability to see
- The ability to hear
- The ability to taste
- The ability to touch
- The ability to feel emotions
- The ability to think
- The ability to love
Suddenly, the classroom fell silent. Everyone realized that they had overlooked the most wondrous gifts — the very faculties that allow us to experience the world. These basic senses, which we often ignore, are in themselves miracles beyond measure.
The Joshua Bell Experiment: Recognizing Brilliance in the Ordinary
Swamiji also references a real-life social experiment conducted by The Washington Post. On a cold winter morning, at a busy metro station in Washington D.C., a world-renowned violinist, Joshua Bell, stood playing some of the most beautiful pieces ever composed, on a violin worth $3 million. Over 1045 people passed by in the span of 45 minutes.
How many stopped to listen? Only six people, and most of those were children. The total amount collected in his donation bowl was a mere $28.
Yet, just two nights before, Joshua Bell had played to a packed theater where the cheapest ticket sold for $200. What changed? The setting.
This experiment demonstrated a critical point: we often fail to recognize the miraculous when it’s wrapped in the ordinary.
The Banana Leaf and Silverware: God’s Ingenious Designs
Swamiji beautifully explains how God’s miracles extend to the smallest details of creation. For instance, silverware is revered for its hygienic properties — it naturally resists germs. That’s why it's often used in serving special guests or deities.
But what about someone who cannot afford silverware? For them, God has created the banana leaf, an accessible and eco-friendly alternative. Banana leaves possess antibacterial properties even more powerful than silver, and are used widely in Indian traditions for serving food.
This example reminds us that God’s miracles are not limited to grandiose spectacles. They are present even in the humble banana leaf.
Awakening the Sense of Bhav (Divine Sentiment)
Ultimately, the key to experiencing these miracles lies in awakening our sense of Bhav — divine sentiment or devotional attitude. As Swamiji emphasizes, you don’t need to become a celebrity to live a spectacular life. You only need to celebrate each moment with Bhav.
Consider the example of a doctor who had performed the same medical procedure over 3000 times in his career. When asked whether he was bored of doing the same thing repeatedly, the doctor replied:
“I consider it the utmost grace of God that I have been given the opportunity to serve people through this gift. Every time I perform it, I see it as His blessing.”
This is the mindset that transforms the mundane into the miraculous.
Conclusion: The Miracles Await Our Awareness
The miracles of life are happening all around us — in the air we breathe, the food we eat, the love we share, and the opportunities to serve. But the key to witnessing them lies in opening our hearts and minds. As Swamiji teaches, when we awaken our Bhav, we can celebrate each moment, enriching our thoughts, intellect, and soul.
Call to Action: Reconnect with the Miracles Around You!
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Let the miracles begin — not outside, but within you.