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In Indian spiritual philosophy the human soul is likened to the Lotus - a most beautiful flower that grows in a miry existence but emerges skyward, delicate petals unfurling at the touch of the suns rays, offering its beauty and fragrance to the heavens. The human soul too has to struggle in the watery bog of the material world - through the practice of prayer and meditation and the cultivation of all the divine qualities we can rise above this material condition and be fully conscious of our divinity.

There was once a bandit by the name of Ratnakara who carried out a life of thievery and deception until one day quite by chance he happened across the great sage Narada whose thoughts were constantly immersed in Lord Narayana. Narada looked on Ratnakara with qualities that were so foreign to Valmiki that he could not recognize them - love, and compassion. Baffled by these emotions which he had never received even from his own wife and family, he asked Narada the reason for it. Narada replied that his constant love and adoration was for his Lord Narayana whose image he saw in the hearts of all, including the bandit Ratnakara. Narada instructed Ratnakara in the ways of meditation and advised him to repeat the name "Rama" which is another name for God. Ratnakara's nature however was so tainted with sin he simply could not utter the holy name "Rama", thus Narada instructed him to repeat "mara" which is the word for tree.

Pilgrimage to Aladja Monastery Varna, Bulgaria by: Dr Vidagdha Bennett.

Aldja monastery

In 1928, just north of Varna, in a vast and hilly tract of forest, a most remarkable discovery was made. There, in a steep rock face that rises parallel to the Black Sea coastline, a series of interconnecting caves and indentations had been scalloped out of the white limestone.

The topmost tier, some forty metres above the ground, held a small, enclosed chapel, its walls and ceiling covered with frescoes of great vibrancy and intensity. The middle tier contained what had clearly been monks’ cells, while traces of a common kitchen and even a burial crypt were on the lowest level.

It was speculated that a small order of Christian monks belonging to the hesychastic tradition, had sought refuge here during the Ottoman occupation of Bulgaria in the 13th and 14th centuries, although the caves themselves were thought to have been sculpted as early as the 4th century BC.

Four monks decided to meditate silently without speaking for two weeks. By nightfall on the first day, the candle began to flicker and then went out. The first monk said, "Oh, no! The candle is out." The second monk said, "Aren't we not suppose to talk?" The third monk said, "Why must you two break the silence?" The fourth monk laughed and said, "Ha! I'm the only one who didn't speak."

• Zen Buddhism
• Photo by Pranlobha Sri Chinmoy Centre galleries