How are you possibly supposed to know what you’re here on this Earth for? Where do you begin to search for such insights? Realizing your Soul’s Purpose is no small matter. One could argue that the search for the answer is more important than the realization itself. In fact it’s quite possible one may never truly decipher this meaning. If you’ll indulge me in hearing my story, perhaps you may learn something as to how you may come to find out as I have.
My Name is Atmaram – Soul Bliss
My name is Atmaram. I was named Bruce when I was born but when you’re fully committed to your own personal growth through your spiritual connection, your teacher (or Guru) anoints you with your spiritual name. This new name fits who you’ve become as was the case with me in India in September of 2023. Leaving behind your old name is also a representation of leaving behind your old self. One also leaves behind the thought patterns which are keeping you stuck in circular ways which no longer serve you.
Ātman is a Sanskrit word for the true or eternal Self or the self-existent essence of each individual (the Soul), which persists across multiple bodies and lifetimes. In Hinduism, Lord Rama is the seventh and one of the most popular avatars of Vishnu. In Rama-centric traditions of Hinduism, he is considered the Supreme Being. My name means “Soul Bliss” and it’s my Soul’s Purpose to embody this meaning and to share it with all who are ready to embrace their own Spiritual Path.
Meeting My Guru
My Guru’s name is Anan Guruji and we met quite “randomly” my 2nd day in Rishikesh, India and I knew right away that I had met my teacher. Over the next 6 weeks Guruji graciously taught me to embrace love, joy, and bliss through surrender to the Divine Intelligence. Some may refer to this intelligence as God (a term I had difficulty using until I felt what that word actually means.)
The tools that he uses to highlight this inner Divine connection are meditation, asana yoga, mantras, pranayama (breath work), & energy healing. In general, he simply emphasizes cultivating a sense of conscious awareness. In essence, this means continuous present-moment awareness without allowing the thinking mind to “run the show.” We are so very accustomed to this type of living in the Western world. Guru means bringer of light or destroyer of darkness.
With all my love and gratitude, I thank Guruji for illuminating my true path in the culmination of all my studies for the previous two years. Of course this is not where my journey of inner awakening began. My time with Guruji has simply been the combination and zenith of everything I had learned so far on my path.
Stepping Onto My Path
Fully stepping onto this journey began in March of 2018 when I received the insight from my Soul as I was falling asleep to “Move to Europe on Your Motorcycle.” When our minds are clear and we’re not busy thinking, the Soul has room to speak with us directly. Actually we have all received these kinds of downloads before. Unfortunately the mind is very quick to talk us out of our realizing our Soul’s Purpose. It tells us all kinds of excuses like “maybe next year” or “that’s too crazy”, “I could never do that”, or a million other excuses to keep us safe in our bubble.
I knew in my heart that this was the correct path, that I needed to let go of my blossoming $60,000/year career as an event DJ to discover what I knew was actually true and genuine. This profession had been growing for over 10 years. I also had to relinquish several relationships with some friends and my girlfriend at the time. Without truly knowing why, I could sense I was on the path of discovering my Soul’s Purpose by making these choices.
At the time, nothing was actually “wrong”, in fact quite the opposite. I was very comfortable where I was living; I had lots of friends, more and more DJ opportunities as my reputation grew, and I was happy and thoroughly enjoying my lifestyle. Yet I knew deep inside that there was something more, a calling to be greater and to imagine my life in ways I had never even considered before.
People Will Call You Crazy
Some people told me I was crazy but others who know me best knew that this was coming. So I set off on my motorcycle (aptly named Lady Danger as my DJ name was Bruce Danger) with a suitcase strapped to the back, a tent & sleeping bag, and a sense of immense curiosity and excitement for whatever comes next.
On June 4th, 2018 I set off across the US and Canada for a few weeks headed East, following my intuition to turn left here or right there. Each moment I would decide to talk to this person or simply to sit and observe when I found myself amongst others. I was allowing my intuition to emerge and grow by not listening to my head, but by following my heart and feeling into each decision, one at a time.
When there’s nothing but time on open roads, surrounded by natural beauty, you spend a lot of time in your head. You find yourself spinning your wheels on things not said or what you “should have/could have” done. The exception is when the beauty is simply too captivating to ignore and you lose yourself in the moment.
A fiery sunset, a humble campfire, and the sound of an approaching rainstorm all very quickly set us into this kind of experience. This is where time loses its constant hold on us and we merge with the glorious beauty we find ourselves enthralled by. This is where meditation takes us and this was also my first real series of experiences with present moment awareness.
Present Moment Awareness Emerges
If you have never driven a motorcycle, it’s a completely immersive experience. There is no room for error and one must have constant vigilance of their surroundings in a 360-degree view. One simple mistake from lack of attention or fatigue can lead to disaster. Out of necessity you learn to be hyper-aware but in a relaxed and peaceful state. While driving a car, it’s like being in a video game where everything happens outside of your experience. Comparatively, you’re separate from the environment in a bubble.
On a motorcycle, you are one with the road. Experiencing the smells, the sounds, the winds moving you, the temperature changes, and the unfolding landscape all around you. This hyper-vigilance means you’re fully present with the entire experience. Feeling one breath at a time, moment by moment, and inch by inch.
With each passing mile, you accumulate thousands of individual sensations and you truly earn the length of the journey. This is why you may have seen such camaraderie between die-hard motorcyclists. This group shares the understanding one only learns through experiencing it. This may not be my Soul’s Purpose per se, but having these kinds of experiences does get me closer.
Simple Living Reveals the Nature of Time
I had nowhere to “be” and nothing to “do”. I camped as I went and carried all that I needed. Life became much more simple. I found gratitude for little things like a wave from a passing family. A peaceful place to lay my head at night brought much solace. Spotting a solitary hawk hunting for its dinner always brings me to awe. Life slows down when there’s no text messages to check. There was no TV commercials to plant messages of consumerism. I had no time clock to punch in on. I truly began to experience what it means to live when the only place to be is here and now. There is a true sense of freedom living in this simplistic way.
Within a month I found myself in New York and loading my motorcycle onto a cargo ship. I tried very hard to cross the ocean with Lady Danger and to embrace my sea legs once again. However, this wasn’t meant to be as it’s quite complicated to book passage on a cargo ship. Everything worked out as it’s supposed to as I spent a month in England.
It was a blessing to spend time with dear friends I had met on a previous journey. I reveled in exploring the vast green countryside. It was eye-opening to experience the antiquity of modern London. I was also invited to help DJ on a yacht in Croatia for a week. (This week turned into three and invariably led me to get a job as a tour guide in Thailand. This led to living there for five years, but that’s later on in the story.)
Following the Clues From the Universe
With exploration comes clarity. While I didn’t find my Soul’s Purpose on this leg of the journey, this path did open me up to finding it down the road. If you never try, you will never know.
Sometimes, the universe has a funny way of guiding us towards our Soul’s Purpose. It drops little clues along our path, nudging us in the right direction. But it’s up to us to pay attention and listen when these messages come our way.
Practicing mindfulness can help us tune into these subtle hints from the universe. When we quiet our minds and become present in the moment, we create space for clarity to emerge. It’s in this state of peace that we can truly hear what the universe is trying to tell us.
So, next time you feel a gentle nudge or receive a sign that seems too coincidental to ignore, take a moment to pause and reflect. Trust your intuition and follow those clues from the universe. They may just lead you closer to your soul purpose and bring you a sense of fulfillment like never before.
