The Five Lessons of Life Part 1

THE FIVE LESSONS OF LIFE

BILL ADAMS

RIDER                 2000

PART 1

 

Preface

• This book records the teachings of Sangratan, a healer/counselor who travels the passes of the Himalayas near the Indo-Tibet border. It sets out the Five Lessons of Life familiar to the mountain people who live there, lessons which have helped them to cope with the harsh climatic conditions of the region as well as with those problems common to people everywhere; lessons that can help us all cope with life’s problems, whatever our situation.
• This book is written as a guide for those who want to take control of their lives and its message is for everyone seeking to improve the quality of their lives.
• So often, highly competent people who excel at the most demanding and high-pressured jobs find that they are making a mess of their emotional and/or social lives. The teachings of Sangratan show how, by investigating our personal needs and by applying the approach that he sets out, we can lead more satisfying and productive lives in every sphere.
• The premise on which this book is based is that many of us have lost our direction and, in spite of our relative prosperity (compared to those in the ‘Third World’), if we wish to be happy and fulfilled we need to follow an approach to living that western societies have by and large lost, but which has blossomed and developed in the valleys of the Himalayas.
• This book is your guide. It is especially helpful for people who are having difficulty knowing exactly what they want out of life.
• In Appendix I, I have set out the essence of each lesson and how to apply it.
• If these teachings change your life for the better (as they have mine), the credit goes to a wonderful man who has spent his life wandering the valleys of the Himalayas: Sangratan the Amchi.

 

Introduction

• In the north Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, lies the district of Kinnuer. It is an ancient land steeped in myth and legend. It is home to the Kinnars, a tribal people whose polyandrous way of life has survived little changed throughout the centuries.
• They are a people who have learnt to live in harmony with their beautiful but difficult environment, and with each other.
• Until 1993 entry to Kinnuer was highly restricted and the unique lifestyle of these tribal people has been protected, and it still flourishes.
• Every successful society has a common philosophy of life and shared values. Underpinning the society of the Kinnar are the Lessons of Life – a practical philosophy of self-respect and interdependence, rationality and reverence; acceptance of what is, and the pursuit of what can.
• The close-knit nature of the family and the tribe ensure that there is a commonality of approach to problems. However, at times people can feel overwhelmed by events and need someone outside the family to share their troubles with. At such times, many people turn to Sangratan the Amchi.
• Sangratan travels from farm to farm dispensing his medicines and knowledge, curing the sick, and counseling the poor of spirit. He is revered as a great healer, a wise counselor and a man of extraordinary powers.
• Most importantly, he is enlightened by the Lessons of Life, a simple yet powerful set of guidelines designed to help each person discover and effectively pursue that which is most important to them.
• In the modern world, with its isolations, stresses and tensions, outside pressures often cause us to drift away from what we really want, from what makes us happy. We know we are unhappy but often we do not realize how much we have denied our true selves for the sake of our careers, relationships or a quiet life. 
• Sangratan’s teachings show that each of us can find fulfillment by looking within ourselves, discovering who we really are and what we really want.
• Each of us needs varying degrees of solitude and sociability and we need to learn how to live in harmony with ourselves and with others.
• Everything changes and coping with change is often hard. Nothing has a physical permanence; entire civilizations come into being, change and often disappear. Our bodies change, we have new experiences, learn new things and see events from different perspectives. We change a little bit every day.
• The Lessons of Life recognize the change life brings and show us how we can keep sight of who we really are, and what we really want. They also recognize that most of the important things in life require effort and commitment. We ‘make’ friends, ‘earn’ respect, ‘achieve’ success, ‘find’ love.
• Some people who cope very well when life is on an even keel cannot handle change and problems. In modern western societies which are subject to almost continuous change, problems associated with personal instability are common.
• In a fast-changing world it is vital to learn the Lessons of Life, for they help us to think clearly about our problems and how to approach them so that they can be resolved in the most effective way possible.
• The Lessons of Life show us how to know ourselves better, to determine and prioritise our values so that we know exactly what is important to us. They show us how to set about fulfilling our needs, so that we can work towards steadily improving our lives. They show us how to save time and energy when pursuing what we decide is important and how to review our progress. They also guide us in our relationships with others.
• Sangratan is remarkable in many ways, and surprisingly for one whose teachings are based on the need to live in harmony with others, his lifestyle sets him apart. There is no doubt that he is not like other men, and that all who have met him, love him for his warmth, kindness and concern.
• However, he walks through life accompanied only by Kirti, a dog who is his constant companion. Sangratan claims that they have been together in many forms through many lives, and will be for many more.
• Sangratan learned his healing in Tibet and from the Ayurveds of the Indian Himalayas. He winters in Tibet where he makes his own remedies and stocks up on the medicines produced by Buddhist monks. For his Ayurvedic remedies he collects herbs from the forest.
• Sangratan made several predictions concerning floods, droughts and large-scale violence, some of which are of worldwide significance. I have included them in Appendix III so that you can judge for yourself the remarkable nature of this wonderful man.

 

Chapter1: Sangratan the Amchi

• That fateful summer of 1994 I walked the road above Kalpa with my wife Abba and our 9-year-old son Sean. We needed this holiday to recharge our batteries, to get away from Delhi and to explore and understand another facet of the wonderful culture of India.
• Too soon the lengthening shadows told us that it was time to move on. We hadn’t gone more than a few yards when the glint of sunlight on bright metal caught my eye.
• A large black dog wore a broad leather collar, festooned with gleaming 6-inch spikes. Beside the dog sat a muscular man who had been watching us for a long time.
• His smile broadened as he nodded. I raised a hand in acknowledgement and walked on feeling elated and strangely secure, as if he was watching over us, keeping us safe. I was still buoyed up when we reached Rogi.
• I told Suman about the dog with the spikes round his neck and she said that it was common for shepherds to equip their dogs with such collars to protect them from the snow leopards of which there were many in the area.
• I described the man’s powerful physique, and how I felt good simply by seeing him. ‘You have seen Sangratan,’ she said, smiling. ‘No wonder you are in such a good mood. All who see him feel the joy of living. He is the Amchi, a great healer of bodies and of souls. We are blessed that he has returned.’
• For the next hour or so the women regaled us with Sangratan’s exploits – his miraculous cures, of magical transformations of personalities, of his telepathic powers and ability to communicate with animals, and of his over-powering sex appeal.
• The ramshackle bus to Kalpa rumbled on to the square patch of land, and we offered our thanks and said goodbye to our new friends.
• We sat in silence, two small, transient creatures confronted by the age-old vastness of the stars, the sky and the mountains. Suddenly, for no apparent reason, my eyes welled with tears. I felt extremely sad and I did not understand why.
• I had all the accoutrements of a successful life, a wonderful partner, and a son of whom I was exceptionally proud. I realized that there was something missing in my life – and I didn’t know what it was.
• I lay in bed unable to sleep. I thought of the hardships that the people of the mountain cheerfully faced, their warmth and kindness, their hospitality, and our new friends.
• I marveled at these people; at their joy in giving, without expectation of any kind of return; at their friendliness to strangers even as they struggled with their heaviest of burdens; and at their zest for life, even in the most perilous circumstances. I felt almost envious.
•  They seemed so full of the happiness of life compared to me and all the other people in my social circle. Why were they so fulfilled, so full of joy? What made them so hospitable despite their material shortages? What was their secret?
• I slept fitfully and was up and dressed a little before dawn. I gently woke a very sleepy Abha and told her that I was going to find Sangratan.

 

Chapter 2: The Lesson of Life