I want to say Thank You!

Hello everyone. Today is the first anniversary of the Bearded Mystic Podcast and it's been an incredible journey of one year. When I began this I didn't know where it would go, how it would be. I didn't really have a plan and literally I've been growing along with it, wherever this podcast has taken me, I've just gone there and I haven't really questioned it. I haven't really thought long and hard about what the plan's going to be. It just evolved into its own thing. From the beginning, as you will remember, we started with different topics and we basically had two episodes each week, and then this evolved into something different. I had a setback in health and then what we did was, we did one episode every Sunday and then eventually it led to me concentrating more on the Bhagavad Gita. And then later on that evolved into looking at the Wisdom of the Mystics and we are currently going through that. Once a month, we look at the Mystics and their teachings, and then we continue on with our thoughts on the Bhagavad Gita. The most beautiful part of the journey of this one year is creating a community with you. And it's interesting because whenever I look at my language, when I think of the podcast, I always say our podcast or our thoughts on the Bhagavad Gita. And that's because I really do feel that I am connected to each and every one of you that take out the time to listen to this podcast, to listen to the thoughts and the teachings of our ancient Sages and our ancient tradition of Sanatana Dharma. It's interesting because in this one year, I've had to deal with so many things in terms of COVID misinformation, that's happened in the spiritual community, even by those, that claim to be part of Sanatana Dharma, looking at those people that strongly identify as Hindu, but they do not embody the same values as our ancient rishis, which was of tolerance of nonviolence, of compassion, of understanding, regardless of the oppression or the subject to discrimination from others. So it was interesting to tackle those things, but more so remaining in the Formless Awareness of this Nirguna Brahman, which has been everything for me. Being in this Formless Awareness, sharing this with you. As we continue to grow and develop our understanding. And recently, I've been doing a few things like the live streams that have been on YouTube and TikTok. We've been looking at Tattva Bodha and we are gonna go through more introductory texts so we can grow together and grow our foundation in not only Advaita Vedanta, but also non-duality by addressing that, it's no point just going straight to the Formless Awareness, that there is a journey to get there and to embody that foundation and embody, that journey. And the thing is, that is also a response to the Neo-Advaita movement or the pseudo non-dual movement that is out there today. It's really interesting how this journey is now evolving. This week. In fact, the first episode of Conversations with the Bearded Mystic was released and that is a Patreon exclusive podcast and I'm incredibly proud of what that has become and is going to become in the future. And also we've been holding virtual zoom meditation classes, where we meditate together for 30 minutes or so. And after that we have discussions and they have been amazing, just to discuss how to live in awareness and to be in awareness has been amazing. This is what I love. This is what I enjoy. And this podcast has allowed me to be in Satsang each week. When it comes to recording these episodes, editing these episodes, then repurposing those clips for social media, meaning that I have to further on listen to these teachings. It's been amazing. It feels like I am constantly in the Formless Awareness all the time. Really this is my life. I always say that right now I have two full-time jobs. I have one that pays my bills and this podcast is what I do out of passion. My love for the truth. My love for this Formless Awareness. My love for Brahman for this Nirguna , this is why I do it. And most of all that I get to share this with all of you. What more can I ask for in life? But this goes without saying that I have to thank people because a lot of sacrifice has been made in order for this podcast to be. First of all, I like to thank my little brother-in-law for invoking that conversation into how I can share this message. Initially it was meant to be for repurposing on TikTok, but I felt more comfortable doing a podcast. And if he didn't start that conversation, we wouldn't have this podcast today. And in fact, I'd like to thank him and my wife for the name, the Bearded Mystic podcast, because they were the brains behind that. I wanna give a special, thank you and shout out to my wife. She has been the rock in this and my go-to during very tough times when my health wasn't good. Um, when I had that flare up of eczema on my hands and I couldn't do anything. if my wife wasn't there to support me, it would've been very tough. And not only that, but she's had to sacrifice a lot of times when we could be together, either watching something on TV or going out for dinner, some of those things are put to the side so I can do things related to the podcast. So her sacrifice has meant a lot. And without that sacrifice, this podcast, wouldn't be where it is today. So she has a large part in this. And I thank her immensely for this. Thank you Manisha Ji for everything. And I love you so so much. You are really my strength, my anchor in this journey so thank you. The other thing I would like to mention is whenever I receive a message on Instagram, on emails, or just in general, sometimes the comments I see on YouTube or on my lives when people just pop on to say, thank you and to say their views about the podcast, it's really encouraging and it humbles me because I'm not sharing anything new. I'm not sharing anything unique in my opinion. All I'm sharing is the teachings of the great Mystics and sages and gurus of our tradition past and present in fact. I wanna thank you because those messages also give me strength and give me the conviction to go further and to continue on. So to each and every one of you that listens to my podcast that follows me on social media, that supports me on Patreon, that attends my weekly meditation classes and whatever is next to come from this podcast. I just wanna thank you for this year, full of support and love that you showered upon me. And as we are all this shared being of Formless Awareness, I ask for your blessings and I ask that you bless me, that I continue to grow and evolve and learn. And that I don't just say these teachings. That I embody these teachings and that I am accountable for everything that I say in these podcasts or live streams or whatever I continue to, give out to you. So a lot has happened in this one year now in the second year we will be looking for more things. So hopefully we'll have a merch store. This will be my focus for the second half of the year. So we'll spend time on that. We have incredible conversations lined up for the Patreon exclusive podcast and not only that just growing together and discussing more on the live streams is what it's all going to be about. So here's to another year of learning and togetherness and oneness in this journey. So thank you all very, very much. Take care, and I'll see you on the next podcast. Take care and Namaste to all of you.