"Wayfarer, friend, let us travel together. Night is near, wild beasts are about, and our campfire may go out. But if we agree to share the night watch, we can conserve our forces.



Tomorrow our path will be long and we may become exhausted. Let us walk together. We shall have joy and festivity. I shall sing for you the song your mother, wife and sister sang. You will relate for me your father's story about a hero and his achievements. Let our path be one.

Be careful not to step upon a scorpion, and warn me about any vipers. Remember, we must arrive at a certain mountain village.

Traveler, be my friend." (Excerpted from Agni Yoga Society, New Era Community, p. 3.)

I love this passage; it brings to my mind images of exotic lands where people traveled on foot to faraway destinations. We still travel today. For 80 or 90 or more years, we travel the paths of life and encounter many, many people on the way. We may no longer trudge through mud and rain and steep mountains, but our life still has the equivalent of many of these challenges in our emotional, mental, and spiritual realms.

"Walking" with someone else lessens the burden of our life. Imagine walking through shrubbery and low branches of trees and holding the branch down as your friend passes. Imagine stopping for a while when you notice your friend needs a break. Imagine offering water and a handful of trail mix before you take any yourself. Imagine listening without judgment, without hurry, without interruption. Imagine speaking and expressing to uplift and bring harmony. Imagine treating your friend with respect and honor and then imagine treating everyone in your family as you do your most precious friend.

Friends lift each other's burdens. As they walk on the paths of life, they tell each other nice stories and sing songs. Instead of words of discouragement and complaining and moaning about life, they say beautiful things to each other and encourage each other.

Images of mother, wife, and sister bring images of beauty and harmony and healing, a quiet serenity; whereas images of father bring memories of heroism and achievements. Friends are balancing the male and female aspects of their lives; they are the givers and the takers. Both are important for the long journey of life. It is nice to have a balanced person as your travel companion.

Imagine sending prayers and healing thoughts when a friend needs you. Every time we remember each other, we travel together. Instantly, we connect to someone on the other side of the world when we think of them. We are never far away from each other. Internet offers immediate communication, but the speed of a thought and a loving heart is even faster than the Internet; it is instantaneous.

Friends watch out for each other and warn each other of dangers on the roads of life; they cooperate and are not in competition. They are both on a journey and both agree that arriving together safely is a good thing.

I love the last phrase: "Traveler, be my friend." How beautiful is that statement alone. When we travel on the paths of life, the friend who will stay with you, help you, cherish you, encourage you and uplift you with beautiful memories, as well as the friend who reminds you of strengths and heroism, brings the best out of you.

Gita Saraydarian

Books & References:

The Sense of Responsibility in Society (Beautiful sections on friendships and shining your light.)

The Science of Becoming Oneself (Contains exercises and meditations to find the real you.)

Joy and Healing (The power of joy and how to bring it out and heal your life; excercises and meditation.)

The Psychology of Cooperation and Group Consciousness (how to be a cooperative and considerate person.)

Agni Yoga Society, New Era Community (Beautiful Agni Yoga Teachings. Available online or printed.)

Gita is the Founder and President of TSG Foundation, an organization dedicated to the Ageless Wisdom Teachings.