Elongation of Divinity-as Depicted in New Age Fiction with Special Reference to Illusion by Richard Bach, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari by Robin Sharma

Abstract - In the time of exploding changes and spectacular uncertainty, #Richard Bach (American), #Paulo Coelho (Brazil-Portuguese) and #Robin Sharma (Indo-Canadian)# New Age writers through their respective novels craft a world that is copious and consequential. The article discusses that although the thoughts and views expressed by the authors are based on different spiritual traditions, they have a well-defined value to all those who have a spiritual outlook on life and its problems. The three novels have an undisputed influence to accelerate the soul and inflame the moral zeal of all who look up to it for aid and guidance moreover they lead to elongation of divinity. The three novelists presented here belong to different countries and cultures, yet the novels have much in common –they depict man’s journey to the inner world. They dive the message that Spirituality is a lifestyle option and the need of the hour.

Key words - #Richard Bach, #Paulo Coelho, #Robin Sharma, #Spirituality

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 Alvin Toffler in his The Third Wave, describes the breakup of the modern society. He says that in this age of science and technology, human being is experiencing lack of recognizable order. To this loss of order, we must also add the loss of meaning. The feeling that our lives count is lost. This feeling says Toffler comes from healthy relationship with the surrounding society. It also depends on being able to see ourselves as part of a larger, even cosmic scheme of things. But the sudden shifts of social ground-rules have shattered the world-image that we carry.

In the time of exploding changes and spectacular uncertainty, Richard Bach (American), Paulo Coelho (Brazil-Portuguese) and Robin Sharma (Indo-Canadian) New Age writers through their respective novels craft a world that is copious and consequential. The article discusses that although the thoughts and views expressed by the authors are based on different spiritual traditions, they have a well-defined value to all those who have a spiritual outlook on life and its problems. The three novels have an undisputed influence to accelerate the soul and inflame the moral zeal of all who look up to it for aid and guidance moreover they lead to elongation of divinity. The popularity of such novels, show us that in spite of all materialistic possessions that the 21st century has provided us, the human heart pines for tranquility, contentment and spirituality. The term New Age was first articulated in 1971, does it exclude all that was written prior to it is a question. Anupama Bhattacharya his article in Life Positive October1999 says that concept of the New Age fiction is rather vague at the moment—one can stretch it to include other realms, different states of being, space/time continuums, spirit entities, supraconsciousness and such phenomena—what is obvious is a desire to explore the higher reaches of human potential.

While the Indian novelist Namita Gokhale says that New Age fiction is a meeting point of science fiction and mythical reality, which expresses a belief that a collaborated spiritual evolution outside of religion is not only possible, but like. Vikas Malkani, an emerging New Age guru based in New Delhi, India says in New Age fiction, the focus is on conveying the message. The story line is secondary. New Age fiction is like water, spiritual fiction like wine. Everybody needs water. Only connoisseurs go for wine.

The above mention novels no doubt belong to the New Age fiction as the novels are full of ideas that are motivating and thought-provoking. The novels have a spiritual significance that tells us how to continue in life in spite of difficulties or lack of success. The protagonists of the novels belong to different spheres of life and follow different profession in life. Richard is a pilot-connected with sky element, Santiago is a shepherd-connected with land element, and John is lawyer-connected with fire element, demonstrating that whatever be our profession, the aim of life is to attain the highest ethical goal through happiness, personal well-being and personal calling-eudaimonia.

In spite of hardships and obstacles the protagonists in the respective novels choose to follow their hearts and at time they go against the laid norms of the society, they do not fear to stand alone, they are restless and searching for something which ultimately they find within. They all have dreams that are symbolic, and in their dreams they see the indication of their destiny. Through perseverance they follow their dreams and achieve their destiny. In Illusion-The Adventure of a Reluctant Messiah(1977) Richard Bach (American writer) tells us about his predestined meeting with a messiah –Donald Shimoda. Richard Bach's mystical adventure story revolves around two barnstorming pilots who meet in a field in Midwest America. It is a story born out of inspiration –

What if somebody came along who could teach me how my world works and how to control it? ... what if a Siddhartha a Jesus came to our time, with power over the illusions of the world because he knew the reality behind them? And what if I could meet him in person, if he was flying a biplane and landed in the same meadow with me?

These are the question that the author asks himself before writing this novel. The scribbled chapter in Verses 11-22 contains the story of the creatures clinging tightly to the bottom of a crystal river, for clinging was their way of life. But one of them decides to let go of the bottom and is proclaimed a Messiah. As he flies overhead of the others he tells the clingers-I am no more Messiah than you. The river delights to lift us free, if only we dare to go. Our true work is this voyage, this adventure (p19) Obviously, the creatures hugging the river bottom, afraid of the current are a metaphor for the mass of humanity that has not yet awaken to the reality of life. In this aspect, the river creatures are the same as the sheep in The Alchemist. Bach is urging us to stop being afraid, to actively swim with the current of life which ultimately leads to a higher existence. Thus, Bach lays down the theme of this amazing book. Donald Shimoda and Richard are the two main characters in Illusions. Donald Shimoda is a Messiah who leaves his job of being a Messiah as he feels that people want to be entertained by the miracles but do not understand the message behind them. He is a Messiah who is frustrated with the masses as he feels that the people who came to him aren’t interested in learning.

He meets Richard, a fellow barn-storming pilot and begins to pass on his knowledge to him. The friendship between Richard and Don is like between twins –Don being the twin from the other dimension. Richard is also constantly trying to escape, the airplane symbolizes the freedom that we pine for. He is constantly on the run. When the guy in the battered wheelchair (p-75) is cured, instead of staying with Don, Richard escapes. He is constantly running away from miracles–relaying more on logic than intuition, but ultimately he surrenders to his spiritual-self. Don is the inner voice of Richard, that is always ready to teach and guide He learns his first lesson of life when they go to see the movie –entertaining and educational. Don tells Richard that, a movie is like a lifetime and lots of people choose lifetimes because they enjoy doing things in different ways -they are unhappy because they chosen to be unhappy.(p-108) The pilot Richard is gradually learning his lessons of life –“counting the summer by the things I learned”(p-114). He learns to remove clouds, walk on water, swim on land, walk through walls…he learns the power of positive creative visualization. The encounter with the Vampire shatters Richard’s concept of freedom. Richard always thought that he was free to do as he pleased only if it did not hurt anyone, but this concept is now changed.

He realizes that fear is an unconditional response, a life-sucking habit that can easily consume energy, creativity and peace of mind. Fear like any other thing is the creation of his own mind. Don explains him that, the reasons and the patterns of the other dimension are known to all, but it is required to lift the self spiritually to see beyond the horizons. Don’s concept of freedom is not connected to the physical body only but it is something near to what is called Nirvan. He chooses his own destiny. His return to the third dimension is by choice. He even chooses his death but again Richard also does not belong to this world. He has also taken the road less travelled. He is constantly with his plane. He returns to the third dimension for fuel, for food and for earning, whereas Don’s airplane requires no fuel and cleaning. Gradually through perseverance and faith Richard, the sceptic, is transformed into a believer. He can also now perform miracles. Richard realizes that we can be our own Massiah, the choice is ours, it is through perseverance and determination, by being our own Messiah that we can reach our destiny. The end of the novel is equally dramatic -Donald and Richard go on a talk -show where most of the questions are answered by Donald. But the sceptic in the audience cannot grasp the meaning of what Don is trying to say and an angry man shoots him with a gun and he dies.

This is also by choice. Richard opens the Handbook, and it says-Don’t be dismayed at good-byes. A farewell is necessary before you can meet. Of all the lessons taught to Richard by Don, one of the most important is that reality is based on perspective –What the caterpillar calls the end of the world/ the Master calls a butterfly. The novel features quotes from the Messiah's Handbook, owned by Don, which Richard later takes as his own. A most unusual aspect of this handbook is that it has no page numbers. The reason for this, as Don explains to Richard, is that the book will open to the page on which the reader may find guidance or the answers to doubts and questions that are in his mind. It is not a magical book; Don goes on to explain that one can do this with any other text. The great thing about Richard Bach's Illusions is that he creates a plot, which is both amusing and easy to follow; featuring his chosen message and presenting his conception of life. Bach sets forth rather abstract eastern religious principles in digestible, accessible terms for the western palate.

One need not go any further than the title to deduce what that concept is: Illusions. His proposition is that life itself is an illusion and we in reality are beings of spirit, not beings of material substance. Bach’s story is not a parable in the genre of Coelho's The Alchemist, but the spiritual content of the book is plain and open The Alchemist –a magical Fable about following your Dream, (1988) by Paulo Coelho was written in Portuguese and then translated in English. It is the story of Santiago - his quest for a dream and the fulfilment of his destiny. Santiago as he walks towards his destiny, lays down the main moral of the book -the essential wisdom of listening to our hearts, learning to read the omens strewn along life's path, and above all, following our dreams. Paulo Coelho says that everyone who follows the path chosen by God, everyone who follows the Personal Legend is an Alchemist, because the path itself is a process of a continuous transformation to something greater. The protagonist Santiago is a shepherd boy, whose purpose in life is to travel. His parents want him to become a priest, but he felt that knowing the world was more important than knowing God. So with his father’s blessings he starts his journey. The journey becomes a journey of exploration and self-discovery, symbolically searching for a hidden treasure.

At the outset of the journey he meets Tarifa–an old woman who interprets dreams. Tarifa tells him that he must go to the Pyramids in Egypt and there he will find a treasure. This interpretation of dream is not done free, she asks the boy to give her one tenth of the treasure in return. There is a price to be paid when one follows the dream. Tarifa can interpret the dream, but she does not know how to convert it into reality. The boy realizes that in a spiritual quest there can be no spoon-feeding. The seeker must walk alone and find his destiny. On the way the boy meets King Salem, who guides him. He says that realization of one’s destiny is the only real obligation that we have and he talks about the soul of the world and signs and omens. He says-When you want something all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it (P-21)

The first major diversion from Santiago’s journey is the theft of his money in Tangiers. Initially disheartened the boy does not loose courage. He has lost his money, but not his faith. He takes up a menial job in the crystal shop. At this juncture he learns the art of business and the art of patience. The crystals have much to teach.The merchant of the crystal shop talks about his dream-the pilgrimage to Mecca, but he argues that having a dream is more important than fulfilling it. The Merchant is afraid of change and does not want to leave his comfort zone. But the boy realizes that to reach the destiny one should take the road less travelled. Merchant and Santiago help each other in unexpected ways. Santiago through what seemed like an unexciting task learns that one should never stop dreaming. And the Merchant, through the boy’s enthusiasm feels that his own life can change for the better. Santiago in a way manages to change the merchant’s life, he is a true Alchemist. Paulo Coelho points out that one should not be afraid of change. Coelho suggests that those who do not have the courage to follow their Personal Myth are doomed to a life of worthlessness, desolation, and unfulfillment. Fear of failure seems to be the greatest obstacle to happiness. This is where Coelho really captures the drama of man, who sacrifices fulfilment to conformity, who knows he can achieve greatness but denies doing so, and ends up living a life of void. Only few people choose to follow the road that has been made for them, and find God while searching for their destiny, and their mission on earth.

As Santiago, joins the caravan to the Egyptian pyramids, he meets the Englishman. The Englishman is searching for something he describes it as, a universal language, understood by everybody, but already forgotten…I have to find a man who knows that universal language. An alchemist. (P-67).

 The journey in the desert is exciting and instructive. In the secrets wisdom and wilderness of the desert, Santiago finds his soul-mate Fatima and discovers that love is the core of existence and creation. As Coelho explains, when we love, we always try to improve ourselves, and that's when everything is possible and thus true love cannot prevent you from walking your path and following your destiny. The subject of love inspires a beautiful lyricism in Coelho's writing: I love you because the whole universe conspired for me to come close to you. Moreover he meets the Alchemist who motivates him and guides him in pursuing his destiny. The novel reaches the climax as we see the Alchemist. He is the epitome of handsomeness -gentle yet strong -dressed all in black, riding through the desert on his horse, leaving dust in the wind. Coelho points out that everyone who walks his path, and follows his Personal Legend, is an Alchemist. On the path, every second of the search is an encounter with God………everyone on earth has a treasure that awaits him. (P-125)

The Alchemist tells Santiago, when you possess great treasures within you, and try to tell others of them, seldom are you believed. At the end of the story it is this simple lesson that saves Santiago's life. By the end of the novel, he discovers that, treasure lies where your heart belongs, and thatthe treasure was the journey itself, the discoveries he made, and the wisdom he acquired. The novel skillfully combines words of perception, philosophy, and straightforwardness of meaning and language, which makes it particularly comprehensible and accounts for its best-selling status. The novel bursts with buoyancy, it is a kind of novel that tells you that all is possible as long as you really want it to. This is the central part of Paulo Coelho’s philosophy and the motif that echoes behind Coelho's writing all through The Alchemist.

In the novel The Monk who Sold His Ferrari-A fable about fulfilling your dreams and reaching your destiny(2003) Robin Sharma, Uganda born Indo-Canadian author tells us a story about Julian Mantle and his transformation from a millionaire lawyer to an enlightened monk –his journey from being a skeptical litigator towards being a yogi and a believer. The story is narrated by Julian to John, another lawyer and his junior.

Julian is a brilliant, handsome and fearless trial attorney with dreams of greatness, a typical modern-man. He is also tough, hard-working and willing to work eighteen hours a day for success, believing it to be his destiny. He is always hungry for more –more prestige, more glory and more money. He has all the materialistic possessions but in spite of it, he does not know what he truly wants. Nothing satisfies him –his marriage fails and he even doesn’t speak with his father. This creates trauma and anxiety which is visible his in life-emotionally, physically and spiritually. And one fatal day he collapsed right in the middle of a packed courtroom.(P-1) He takes this attack as a blessing in disguise and starts to search for meaning in life. He sees this attack as a golden opportunity to rekindle the inner fire –even pain can be a wonderful teacher.(P-46) He decides to find out who he really was and turns this opportunity into a personal odyssey of the self. (P-13) He disappears and when he returns after three years –he is a changed man –a lineless face glowing radiantly.(P-11) The author is quite astonished by the new and improved Julian. Julian is now ready to share his secret with the author and the world.

Julian’s quest for happiness and peace takes him to India. At this point, shedding the restraints of reason, he places his trust in his intuition and decides to travel alone. Though firmness and missionary zeal he is able to find the Great Sages of Sivana–oasis of enlightenment. (P-17) In this magical world of Sivana, he feels as if he has returned to the paradise and realizes that it is right time to reinvent his destiny. Yogi Rama teaches him that success on the outside means nothing unless you also have success within (P-29).This is the message that Robin Sharma wants to pass. The book describes the Seven basic virtues of SivananSystem, seven fundamental principles that embodied the keys to self-leadership, personal responsibility and spiritual enlightenment. Yogi Rama imparts his wisdom to him via a mystical fable. The fable starts in a magnificent garden with a lighthouse in the middle of the grounds. Out of the lighthouse walks a 9 feet tall 900-pound Sumo wrestler who is naked except for a pink wire cable covering his privates. He slips and falls on a stopwatch that has been lying on the floor and loses consciousness. However the wrestler wakes up to the fresh fragrance of yellow roses coming from a distance.

He awakens to the fact that happiness is a journey and it is also a choice that we make. This is what Robin Sharma wants to convey. The book is deeply inspiring, idea-rich and full of real-world tactics that can immediately be applied to one’s life. The language of the book is quite straightforward and the message direct. Robin Sharma via fable, fairy-tale and other stories captures the wisdom of the past and presents it in a reader-friendly manner. To reach the destiny there are no quick-fixes or short-cuts. Julian says that all lasting changes require time and effort and perseverance is the mother of personal change. The book creates a world of wisdom, purpose, happiness, love, peace and success. The readers greatly identify themselves with the protagonist of these novels. All the three novels under discussion have been best-sellers. They have been translated into many languages and have inspired countless men, women and teenagers to acquire their goal in life. They are not just stories, but a way of looking at life. In this age of dehumanization of human values, they give us a new insight and idea about how we can define peace, happiness and success.

These novels are like Manuels that guides us to cope up and deal with our personal legend. Sometimes, we need to pass through extremely hard situations and feel the deep experiences to be able to become the real actor of own destination. And isn't it true that the whole of humankind frantically wants to believe the old king when he says that the greatest lie in the world is that at some point we lose the ability to control our lives, and become losses of the pawns of fate. Coelho says that, all of us do not have the courage to confront our dreams. He says that there are four obstacles that stop us from achieving our dreams. The first obstacle is the layers of prejudice, fear and guilt. The second obstacle is love; we know what we want to do, but are afraid of hurting those around us. The third obstacle is fear of the defeats we will meet on the path. The fourth and the last obstacle is the fear of realizing the dream for which we have been fighting all our lives. The mere possibility of getting what we want fills the soul of the ordinary person with guilt. Coelho feels that this is the most dangerous obstacle because it has a kind of saintly aura about it; renouncing joy and conquest. But if you believe yourself worthy of the things you fought so hard to get, then you become an instrument of god, you help the Soul of the World, and you understand why you are here.

Life is a journey that we start blind and learn to deal with it with time, Ruyard Kipling says In a yellow wood, two roads diverged, and sorry I couldn’t take both. That’s potentially a more reasonable approach of our paths. We live in the duality of choice, no matter what our life circumstances. On the spiritual level, our choices decide our destiny. Each movement of our life we are making choices. It is the choice of being undefended or defended, of being connected and individual or disconnected and separate. Richard and Don, Julian and John, Santiago and the Alchemist are soul mates. They are the warriors of light who encourage, inspire, arouse and guide each other through the obstacles of life and help each other in making choices and reaching their destiny. The protagonists in the respective novels demonstrate that, the incidences in our life may be predetermined, but our responses to it are not predetermined. Each of us long to be understood and express ourselves. This longing is the inner light that leads us along our evolutionary path. Taken to the personal level, this means that each of us is born with a life task to connect to the core of our being. In order to do this we must remove the blocks between our conscious awareness and our core. This is called personal life task.

The stories told in all the three novels are timeless and entertaining and exotic, yet simple. They tell about the faith, power, and courage we all have within us to pursue the complicated path of a Personal Legend, a passageway charted by the mystifying magnet of destiny but obscured by distractions. The novelists make us aware about the fact that humanity continues to grow through experience and free will is god’s gift to humanity. The three novelists presented here belong to different countries and cultures, yet the novels have much in common –they depict man’s journey to the inner world. They dive the message that Spirituality is a lifestyle option and the need of the hour.

Reference

1.  Richard Bach, Illusion –The Adventure of a Reluctant Messiah, Dell Publication, 1997

2. Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist -A Magical Fable about following your Dreams, Harper Collins Publishers, English edition 1993

3. Robin Sharma, The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari –A Fable about Fulfilling your Dreams and Reaching your Destiny, Jaico Publication House, 2003

4. Rhonda Byrne, The Secret, Beyond Words Publishing, 2006

5. Youtube–interviews.

6. Encarta 2010

7. Facebook

8. BLOG of Paulo Coelho and Robin Sharma.

 9. www. harpercollins. co. uk/Coelh.

11. www.robinsharma.com.

Published in  - SPARK- Bi-annual International Online eJournal

[Multi –disciplinary /Multi –lingual /Multi –media]

ISSN 0975 -7929 Vol-III, Issue –5 February 2011

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