I would have been about six or seven years old when, one beautiful sunny Sunday many years ago, my mum and dad took me and my brother on a trip to the Trossachs. The Trossachs is an area of wooded glens, braes, and lochs lying to the east of Ben Lomond in Stirlingshire, Central Scotland. At that time I lived in the small village of Larbert where the late great James Finlayson (Oliver and Hardie 'third man') was born and brought up. I actually didn't know this fact until about six months ago!
Anyway, the drive on this blisteringly hot summer's day took about an hour. The scenery as we approached the Trossachs I always recall as being absolutely dazzling, that took my breath away. The narrow road twisted and turned and I noticed the woods, a river and a mix of mature deciduous trees, rich in wildlife: all sorts of birds, the odd deer, and rabbit. At that point, I never knew for one minute that these memories would last but somewhere away deep down inside they did. Even at that young age, something happened inside. Then we all got out of the car which we parked next to Loch Lomond . . . and then the sweet aroma of the scenery - awesome - just gorgeous. But still, something resonated inside.
So I aged, matured, and by 1972 I was playing in a rock band - I was the drummer - and don't ask me why, but back then I discovered Buddhism. Of course one of the most important teachings is that of reincarnation or rebirth. Of all the teachings of the Buddha, this was the one that absorbed my consciousness. Was I/had I been here before?
Anyway, in 2003 I went off to India. After 1972 I became interested in everything Indian; the people, the great cities and rivers, the culture, the food (curries of course) and religion and so I made my first visit. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. So I returned the following year. So, I flew out to this 'sub-continent' and spent a couple of days in New Delhi. My plan was to eventually go up to Himachal Pradesh and visit McLeod Ganj (home of the Dalai Lama) and Dharamsala where the exiled Tibetan government is located. That day I got a hotel driver to take me to the Indira Gandhi Airport which is about a half-hour's drive from the capital. From there I caught an early morning flight to Pathankot Airport in Punjab Province and I must admit I was excited, over the moon even, that I would be visiting one of the most famous places in India that housed the vast majority of Tibetans who fled their country after the invasion and takeover of their country by China in the 50s.
The flight landed on time at Pathankot Airport and I jumped into a taxi and within 45 minutes, was on my way to Dharamsala. I recall the sometimes perilous journey getting close to taking three hours. However, my mind was still calm although the road was as bumpy and pothole-ridden as I had never previously experienced. And then . . . I was staring out the side window at the incredible scenery; yes these were the foothills of the Himalayas . . . the rolling hills, the river, the woods and shrubs. There were several deer and macaque monkeys by the side of the road, so many birds of whose nature I didn't know . . . and then . . . I asked the driver to stop. I got out of the car and breathed in. Suddenly I was taken back about 45 years; the little boy who thought he'd seen this all before. I stood there for about five minutes, eyes closed, in meditation, recalling that day in the Trossachs. My mind kept asking itself, where's the connection? And then it suddenly sprung to mind. Little Ian Oliver, on observing the beauty of the Scottish woodland and Loch Lomond was, in fact, seeing something in a previous life: the foothills of the Himalayas!
On getting back into the taxi, I closed the door, and smiled and it was then that I knew that reincarnation or, as we call it in Buddhism, rebirth, was a reality! I’d been there, done it, seen it, and experienced it! What was the Trossachs, were the foothills of the Himalayas, and vice versa. Looking back at my life I have experienced and seen many other scenarios that could only be explained by only one thing: reincarnation.
No comments:
Post a Comment