On June 3rd we did a Peace Walk. After about two hours of walking in silence we arrived at the door-steps of a remarkable human being who exemplifies peace and authenticity from the depths of his being. His name is Kantibhai Patel. He is a sculptor who has created world-renowned works of art including the Gandhi statue on Ashram Road.
Kanti-kaka has received one of the highest honors in India – The Padmashree award and he has lived with the likes of Mahatma Gandhi and Vinoba Bhave. However, it is his kind humility and rare clarity that has moved me in a profound way.
I feel like sharing with everyone some of the things we have learnt from him in our interactions:

Kantikaka: Can you mention four things inside us that are not in our control?
1) Breath
2) Heartbeat
3) Digestion
4) Aging
Think about it, these four things are always serving us. Without them we cannot even survive. So many times, we feel that it is I who is making things happen. Sometimes, we even feel that the ‘service’ given is by ‘Me’. It is ‘I’ who is helping people. But when you bring awareness in your being, you will come to appreciate the Life Force that is actually serving You. And you become simply an instrument for this magical stream of love to flow through you for a while.

Question: What is the most important thing you have learnt from Gandhiji?
Kantikaka: The concept of Trusteeship. Gandhiji taught us that we are not Owners of all the gifts we have received in life. We are merely Trustees and it is our duty to see to it that the wealth, talent and energy that we have is equally shared with others.
Kantikaka has written a will donating all his property to the government of India. He lives a simple life in a small room with bare minimum requirements.

Question: Your statues go at some of the most prestigious places in the world. Why don’t you put your name on any of them?
Kantikaka: Can you really know a person through the clothes he wears? The person is not his clothes. Name is only the outer shell.

Question: Kaka, you are 83 years old. You are so energetic. Absolutely active. Vibrating with joy and energy. How do you stay so fit?
Kantikaka: (smiles) The body is like an apartment building. The mouth lives on the upper floor and the stomach on a lower floor. Now isn’t it important that all the people in the apartment live in harmony? If the mouth keeps eating with complete disregard for the stomach, and if the stomach has no regard for the mouth than ofcourse there will be conflict. So it is really important to maintain harmony and love in the building!

Question: How do you keep your balance in order to live life deeply?
Kantikaka: The key is to never try to escape adversity. They are your most real teachers.

Kantikaka: Always remember that ‘Fame & Blame’ are twin brothers. Wherever there is one, the other will inevitably follow. One has to realize that both are really the same. They spring from the same source. And they come only to leave one day.

Before you go, one thing that you should always remember is that your thoughts manifest reality. What you think, say and do creates your life. So bring awareness and purity in your thoughts. Learn to always be present. For only this moment is life!