LIL Quark-FM 1/22/01 8:42 AM Page 8

8 • Living in the Light

some higher force had taken over and was moving me in an aban-
doned and thrilling way.
I had always been interested in Eastern philosophy, so I read
books about Buddhism and Hinduism. I practiced yoga and med-
itation and found that they helped me feel more centered, relaxed,
and in tune with myself. After graduating from college I spent two
years traveling around the world, living for several months in India,
where I gained a deep awareness of the eastern mystical tradition.
My travels were a powerful experience for me because with little
money and no real plans, I lived by following my intuition. I had
set off originally for a vacation in Italy and ended up making a
two-year journey around the world. I learned that I could live hap-
pily with virtually no possessions and move safely into unknown
places. This was one of my earliest experiences of the synergistic
things that happen when we trust our inner guidance and follow
the flow of our energy.

Getting Conscious

When I returned to the United States, I was hooked on some-

thing called “consciousness.” I couldn’t have defined what it was
but I knew that I wanted more of it and that for me, nothing else
mattered as much as my process of personal growth. I felt that if
I pursued external goals such as career, money, or relationships,
they would ultimately feel empty, whereas if I devoted myself to
my own development I would ultimately have the things that my
heart desired such as loving relationships, meaningful work, and a