1. HOW IT STARTED
I could read the excitement over the faces of the people as they entered the bar. Groups of friends, young couples, and solo revelers made their way inside, each wearing expressions of excitement and anticipation. Together, they exuded an energetic vibe, a collective yearning for a fun-filled night ahead.
But amidst the crowd, someone looked different. — a corpulent man with short black hair held a personality which showed that he came there for business, not with the purpose of enjoying the party.
Entering inside, I noticed the musicians playing instruments like Saxophone, Keyboard, and a Double Bass. It was the music I had listened to in movies but never in real life, as they were outdated now. ‘Outdated?’ Sorry I think I said it wrong. Any music style is never outdated but becomes less popular with time.
Inside, the environment was cozy. I felt a sense of warmth and comfort despite being alone. Lost in the ambience, I even forgot why I was there. I was just enjoying being there, savoring the sight of people drinking and dancing. I took a seat in the corner and relished the music. A waiter in white shirt and a red waistcoat came towards me, offering me drinks, which I declined.
Another waiter came and offered some snacks, which I gladly took. Two blondes chuckled as they saw me sitting alone, rejecting several alcoholic beverages that were offered to me. I had no idea for how long they had been noticing me. “Are you a teetotaler?” they asked me, mockery evident in their voice.
They came towards me and one of them said, “You seem to be party pooper, and still you are here?”
“Who brought you here?” Other one asked me with an evil laugh, and I became more aware of my body language and not to mention, I became a lot uncomfortable. I wished for them to go away but did not know how to.
“No, no. I am enjoying the party. My friends must be arriving here soon. God Damn traffic these days, you know?” I said trying to fit in and to show that I am not a nerd, but I failed.
They teased me further, and one of them came closer to me. I tried to move back, but she continued to approach. I backed away until I found that I had reached the end of the sofa. She leaned towards me, ran her finger across my face, and said in a whisper “Why don’t you call your friend and ask where they are? If they are running late, you can come and dance with us.”
“No thanks, I am alright. Now excuse me.” I said as I got up only to realize that my hand was held by the same girl.
“Why are you in a hurry? Come and sit with us. Let us get to know each other.”
“My friend got a crush on you.” the other girl said.
“Come on. It doesn't take long to get to know each other. She is Myra, I am Manny and you are?" said the first one.
“I am Sarthak. Nice to meet you, but I am sorry; I need to go now.” I said and made my second attempt to get up. This time, she did not resist me.
“Bye, Sarthak. I thought we could be friends.” Manny said. I went to the other part of the bar, near the musicians and paid attention to how they were playing the instruments.
A waiter was passing by me. I stopped him, took a drink, and asked “What time is it?”
“It’s 8 o’clock sir.” He said and went away.
Eight o’clock? That did not sound right. I had entered the bar at 8 pm only, and since then I must have spent at least twenty mins here. “I will check my mobile. Why did I not think of it earlier? I could easily check the time on my mobile.” I said to myself and put my hand in my pocket in order to take out my mobile and realized that I had not brought my mobile with me. My pocket was empty.
Some strange discomfort arose in me, and I felt an urge to know the exact time. After asking a few people I was sure it was really eight o’clock, which was pretty strange. Thinking clearly, I found out that other things were also strange. Till date I haven't gone to any bar, but today there I was. I did not like parties at all, but today somehow I was able to enjoy the ambience. And strangest of all, I was not able to recall the name of the bar and where it was located. If that is so, then how did I come here and why did I come here? I tried to recall the last thing I did before coming here, and I was not able to. I was not able to recall when I came back after work, when I changed clothes, when I left the house and which route I took. All I remember was entering the gate of the bar.
Then a thought struck me “Am I dreaming?” The strange air further made me sure that I was surely dreaming. Surely dreams are strange but it was strangest of all the dreams I ever dreamt. It was more vivid. IT WAS LUCID.
A waiter was passing by whom I stopped and asked “Do you feel things are strange here?”
“No sir. Things seem to be in order. I do not understand what you ARE TRYING to say.”
“Slap me.”
“What sir? Sorry Sir, I can't do this.”
“I am ordering you. Slap me.”
“Why sir?”
“I think I am dreaming and I believe if it is real then I will feel the pain otherwise I will not.” I didn't even know where this idea came from. After a lot of thoughts he slapped me and to my surprise I did not feel any pain.
“Thanks. Isn't it strange, you are a fragment of my imagination and still I am seeking your approval to tell me it is a dream. You just exist in my imagination and still I feel like it is a real conversation when it is all in my head. I know I am talking to a person who does not exist and yet I am still enjoying the conversation as if you are real. This imagined reality is comforting.”
He nodded and went back.
Though it was confirmed that I was dreaming, a part of me still wanted to confirm if it was truly a dream. So I pulled the skin of my left hand with my right hand. To my surprise it stretched in a fashion like it was made of rubber and it stretched and stretched until it finally popped out of my skin. To my surprise the skin of my hand was still intact from the area from where the chunk of skin was removed.
“It is a lucid dream.” I jumped up with excitement and decided to change a few things around me. I did not like the bar so I changed the place and people. I changed my surroundings to a mall and I ate a lot of food, all of it was free. Afterall despite enjoying food, we all want it for free. I could do whatever I wanted to do. For some time I had great fun but then I realized I could not do everything I wanted. Maybe because I was familiar with this and did not know how to do everything.
I saw a girl shopping in the mall and I felt myself drawn to her. I asked her if she wished to grab a cup of coffee with me. She said no. I asked again if she wanted to go somewhere else but she said no to that too. No matter how much I tried, I could not be with this girl.
“Don't waste your time chasing things that are useless. You were brought here for a purpose.” I heard the voice of a man from nearby. I turned to see who this man was and to my surprise it was the same corpulent man with short black hair. He was wearing a white shirt, black coat, black pants and a red tie. He was sitting on a sofa that looked oddly placed in that area. He held a glass of wine and sat there so relaxed like he had plenty of time to waste. It looked like he had accomplished a lot. There was another man sitting beside him who gave an impression like he was an assistant of that man.
I moved towards him and asked “Sorry I do not understand. What do you mean by I was brought here for a purpose? Isn’t it a dream? And aren't you a fragment of my imagination?”
“The world of lucid dreams is not what you have comprehended so far. You are new here and you barely understand the vastness of this universe. I am no fragment of your imagination. I am as real as you are. And this world is as real as your earth except that it is too dynamic and it changes frequently and rules of physics are different from the earth.”
“No, I know you are merely an illusion. You are just part of this dream and you exist nowhere except only in my mind.”
“Is that so? Why don’t you give it a try to check if I am real or not.”
“Yeah, sure.” I wished everything around to be changed and it was so except that the fat man was still there. I had imagined myself to be sitting on a train and he was sitting in the same train in front of me.
I was startled and asked “How?”
“Now you believe you were brought here by me? I am real and that girl whom you wished to date is also real.”
“By you?” I recalled that I had entered the bar at the same time he had.
“So you brought me into the lucid dream?”
“Yes, I entered your dream and brought you to the bar.”
“So why did you bring me here? What is this purpose you want me to fulfil?”
“All in time. For now go and explore this world. Learn about it. You will be told everything when it is the right time.”
“Ok.” I took a deep breath and said “Why should I believe you? What is the proof you brought me here? And if you brought me here, then I want you to end this dream right now. Then only I can believe you.”
“It is not as easy as you think it can be. Abrupt waking up from a lucid dream can cause a lot of chaos. You should not leave this world unless it is not the time. You are new here and you are not ready for many things. If I end it right now, you will fall terribly sick and feel a lot of anxiety too.”
“Then how would I believe you?”
“After waking up, you will receive a message on your mobile from the name of Swami.”
“What’s your full name?”
“It’s just Swami.”
“That’s strange.”
“Many things are. Good luck.” He waved his hand and vanished into thin air.
I was flabbergasted. In fact this dream was eerie in many ways. I went to a small restaurant and had a cup of coffee. While enjoying the sip of coffee and wondering about the mysteries of this world, I noticed a young boy holding two tea bags in his hand. He came towards me and lit a cigarette. I took away his cigarette and said “are you not too young to smoke a cigarette?”
“And ain’t you too foolish to believe that it was real?” he said.
“Sorry I am not used to being here. I am Sarthak and you are?”
“I am Mickey. Never seen you here. Is it the first time you visited here?”
“Yes.”
“So how are you feeling to be here? Enjoying it?”
“Yes. But I am afraid of a few things too.”
“Yes. I understand. The fear of the unknown. Don't you worry. You will get used to it.”
“So where are you from?”
“Take my advice. Do not share your personal information here. It is not safe.”
I understood he was not going to tell me more about himself.
“So tell me how does this lucid dreaming work? I am still not able to believe it is real. Because I have heard experiences of others and none of them ever shared anything similar to what I am experiencing.”
“It is because they are not able to meet real people here. And even if they cross them, they are not able to notice it.”
“Are you real or do you exist only in this dream?”
“That is not my part to tell you.”
“Why?”
“Some things cannot be answered. Some answers you have to find out for yourself.”
For a brief moment I thought I would change things around me and imagine myself in a new place and see if he is also present there or not. But I did not risk it as my mind was whirling with a lot of questions and they needed to be answered.
“So you were telling me why others have a different experience from mine.”
“Yes. So this is how it works. When people have lucid dreaming, they think everything they have seen during their dream is entirely the part of the dream, which is not true. Yes, most of the part is their imagination but they are not able to notice the real people around them because of a few reasons. First of all, real people are very small in number as compared to imaginative figures and when they change the world around them, they feel everything has changed and they fail to notice one or two persons present after changing the things around them. Another reason is because the probability of their interaction is very low. Thirdly, not everybody remembers all the details of a dream so even if they have noticed it they would forget it after waking up.”
“I understand.”
“So people when they are in a lucid dream, they are not merely dreaming but they are visiting this strange universe.”
“Cool.”
“By the way if you want to come here again I have two tickets for coming back here.” He held out his hand and showed me the tea bags on his palms.
“They are just tea bags.”
“Yes. Drink its tea and you will be here tonight also.”
“You mean if I don't drink it, I won't be able to lucid dream tonight?”
“You can of course have lucid dreams but you can't come here. This place is called Sindharak. Not everyone who has lucid dreams, comes here.”
“Sorry, I do not understand.” I interjected, my curiosity urging me to seek clarity.
He proceeded to explain, drawing an analogy to the vast expanse of our own universe, which featured galaxies like the Milky Way and Andromeda, along with an array of planets such as Earth, Mars, and Jupiter.
In a manner analogous to this, he described the lucid universe as a complex realm teeming with various galaxies, characterized by its dynamic nature. He emphasized that what existed as a galaxy today might undergo a complete transformation by tomorrow, all influenced by the thoughts of those who ventured into lucid dreaming.
Yet, at the heart of this ever-shifting cosmos lay a constant, the planet known as Sindharak. He made it clear that not just any fledgling lucid dreamer could find their way here. Only the most potent and skilled practitioners who had unraveled the universe's secrets possessed the ability to access this enigmatic world.
With a solemn tone, he emphasized, “As you are a newcomer to the world of lucid dreaming, your arrival here was not a mere chance occurrence. You were brought to this realm for a purpose, guided by the hand of a powerful lucid dreamer.”
“What purpose could it be?” I asked, eager to unravel the mysteries of this strange place. “Do you have any idea?”
His response was cryptic, leaving me with more questions than answers. “With time, you'll know.” he said, his enigmatic tone adding to the intrigue. “So what are your thoughts on coming here again?”
“His next question left me momentarily perplexed, pondering the prospect of returning to this enigmatic realm. A notion crept into my mind: would the individual responsible for my initial arrival not extend a second invitation? Unable to contain my curiosity, I voiced my query, “The person who brought me here, will he not bring me here again?”
His response, however, conveyed a sense of finality. “He has fulfilled his role.” he explained solemnly. “He has granted you an opportunity—a chance to become what you might never achieve in your waking life, an opportunity to embody the hero others aspire to be.”
His words stirred doubt within me. What was this task, and could it possibly be perilous? I sought further clarification, admitting, “I still do not understand.”
Then he explained again “You have been given this chance.” he said, his voice resonating with gravitas. “Now it is up to you to decide whether to accept it or continue living your simple life. You must choose whether to fulfill another's destiny or embrace your own path.”
He presented a tea bag before me, and as I gazed upon it, I knew that my desire to return to this realm was resolute. I accepted the tea bag, and as if by magic, he conjured a tea cup from thin air. With a sense of purpose, I drank the tea it contained.
Simultaneously, he expressed his intent to depart, and just as mysteriously as he had appeared, he vanished into the thin air, leaving me with the weight of an impending quest in this intricate lucid universe.
As the dream shifted, I found myself near a towering flyover, and I encountered a mysterious stranger. The world of lucid dreaming was still filling me with a lot of enthusiasm. This world was very strange and still filled me with ecstasy. I pondered what others feel when they are in a lucid dream. I recalled confessions of various lucid dreamers that they used to fly in their dreams. Thinking this, suddenly a desire to fly within this lucid dream burned within me. I thought of flying but before I could try it, I do not know why I felt like sharing it to that person.
I introduced myself and soon shared my desire to fly. But in return he said “I do not think that is a good idea as your lucid dream is about to end. Soon you will be back in your world, waking up in your bed.” I questioned how he could possibly know this, to which he responded cryptically, “I know a lot of things.”
Intrigued, I inquired about his existence, seeking to discern whether he was real or a mere construct of my imagination. He replied enigmatically, leaving the answer to my judgment. “That is left to your judgment,” he murmured. “What do you want to believe?”
He warned of the potential consequences of attempting flight at this critical juncture, explaining that an abrupt return to my waking world might cause a severe disorientation, a fall I might not be able to bear.
Heeding his counsel, I decided not to test the limits of my newfound powers. The dream world blurred around me, and I awoke in my own bed, my room bathed in the soft light of dawn. However, a strange sensation overcame me – I couldn't move my head nor could I open my eyes. Panic set in, and I cried out for help.
My brother rushed to my side, concern etched across his face. "Sarthak, what happened?" he asked. But I was speechless.
In that desperate moment, I felt an inexplicable urge to surrender to sleep. It was as if I needed to refrain from waking myself up. So, I let go, allowing myself to slip back into slumber. The details of my ensuing dreams eluded my memory.
Morning eventually arrived, and as I awoke, my first instinct was to check my mobile in anticipation of receiving a message from Swami. But there was none. I could have ignored whatever happened in the dream to be my imagination and something still told me I was really in the Lucid universe. I thought he would message me later so I kept my mobile aside and came out of my room. Coming out of my room I saw my brother and I said “I am ok now.”
He looked confused, paused for a moment and then said “I am sorry bro I did not know you were not feeling ok. You looked fine last night at the dinner table and you did not even tell me anything. What was it?”
“Nothing , Just a nightmare.” I said.
Nothing odd happened that day. In the evening I felt strangely tired and canceled my therapy session. Without having dinner, I went to my bed and wondered why I had not received any message from Swami. Soon I got lost into the thoughts of the previous night.
WAS IT ONLY A DREAM? IF YES, THEN WHY DID MY INNER FEELING TELL ME IT WAS REAL? AND IF IT WAS REAL, THEN WHY WAS THERE NO MESSAGE FROM SWAMI? WHICH PURPOSE WAS I GOING TO SERVE?
With these thoughts in my mind, I drifted into my dreams. “Will I have another lucid dream?”
2. SYNCHRONICITIES
For the last ten minutes, I've lingered near the rollercoaster in the amusement park. Watching people have a blast on the rollercoaster ride fueled my desire to join them, prompting me to purchase a ticket. I quickly found myself on the rollercoaster, sharing the ride with just a few others. The instant the ride kicked off, an electrifying surge coursed through me, delivering an adrenaline-fueled rush beyond compare. I didn't know how much force it let me experience, but it was more than what I had experienced till now. I remember that during my trip to Japan, Fuji-Q Highland park held a thrilling adventure: a hair-raising experience on the Moonsault Scramble rollercoaster ride that I won't soon forget. They say you can experience a force of 6.2 to 6.5 g on that ride. But today I experienced a force, which I assume must be somewhere around 12g, the highest force a rollercoaster can let you experience.
Midway through the ride, an unexpected twist unfolded. If you have watched the roller coaster 7D movie, you can understand—the tracks ahead were shattered, causing the coaster to catapult into the air before seamlessly reconnecting to the other end. It was an electrifying experience, the impactful landing intensifying the thrill as the ride continued its thrilling journey.
A desire for a repeat experience surged within me, but as far as I could see, the track seemed to be intact. My desire for an airborne thrill intensified—I wished for the upcoming track to vanish. Miraculously, it did. The ascending track ahead of us dissolved, launching the train into an unending ascent, elevating us to imposing heights amidst the open air.
I thought “This feels surreal, too extraordinary for reality. Could it be a dream?” The startling possibility began to take shape, prompting me to consider the plausibility of being within a dream.
I attempted to recall the name of the park, its location and at what time I arrived here; only to find that I knew none of these answers. A certainty settled in me that this was definitely a dream. And after being aware of my dreaming state, I molded the dream by changing the things around me. Shaping the story of the dream, I directed the roller coaster skyward, initiating our cosmic odyssey. Drifting past the moon, our odyssey spanned through diverse planets and the asteroid belt. Amid cosmic travels, elusive memories resurfaced, reminding me to be on the planet Sindharak, by the aid of the tea that was given to me by Mickey.
Wanting to discover why I was brought earlier to planet Sindharak of Lucid Universe by that mysterious man, I hit a snag trying to move. I imagined a familiar mall and, in a flash, I was there, exactly as I had pictured it. It was a busy mall, full of people doing their thing and enjoying the lively vibe. Everyone was shopping, chatting, and laughing, making the place feel alive. This was where I had met Swami. That very mall where it all started.
I was really hoping to run into Swami or Mickey, but no luck. So, I decided to hang out at a coffee shop in the mall, drinking coffee and hoping that maybe, with time passing, I'd bump into one of them. I repeated this routine, grabbing a snack, playing some arcade games, or having more coffee or tea, but still, no sign of either of them.
Then suddenly, without me thinking of it, the world around me vanished, and a whole new world unfolded before my eyes. In this new realm, a vast crowd of people was flocking to a circus, their faces alive with excitement and curiosity. It was as though something exceptionally rare and captivating was about to transpire under the circus tent.
As the grand finale of the circus, a remarkable individual with the power to peer into the depths of one's soul emerged. He revealed astonishingly personal details, things only the individuals themselves knew, leaving the audience awestruck. Some attendees questioned him, recounting their experiences and demanding answers, to which he responded accurately, further astonishing the crowd.
Then, the gaze of the soul-reader turned to me, but it was not with curiosity or amazement. Instead, it was filled with anger. He asked if I had any inquiries, and I hesitated, recalling Mickey's advice not to share personal information here. Despite my uncertainty, I asked, “Is the planet Sindharak real?” But he didn't answer my question. Instead, he spoke with great anguish— “You should not have come here.” He foretold trouble ahead and emphasized the importance of being cautious, as I couldn't escape the impending punishment.
With growing fear, I watched as he ran toward me, his intentions unclear. Filled with terror, I fled and, to my surprise, found I could fly. But he pursued me, and the fear of not being able to escape consumed me. In the end, I lost control and started falling. My fear grew stronger as I plummeted finding him behind me, chasing me with great speed. And exactly when I was about to hit the ground, I awoke in my bed with a sense of dread, gasping for breath and yearning for a glass of water.
My brother also woke up startled and asked me, “What happened? Was it a nightmare?” I nodded to indicate yes, and he brought me a glass of water. I gulped it down quickly and requested more water. He had the bottle ready, refilling my glass, and I drank it up instantly. “It must've been a powerful dream.” he suggested, I nodded in affirmation. After this unsettling episode, I managed to fall back asleep and proceeded with my usual morning routine, heading to the office as usual.
The dream's influence stayed, unsettling me for the whole day, compounding the restlessness that had begun with the earlier meeting with Swami.
In the afternoon, my colleague Ashish approached me. “Hey Sarthak, Wassup bro?” he greeted me warmly.
“Hi Ashish.” I replied, my tone unintentionally lacking enthusiasm.
“Is everything okay? You seem off.” he inquired, a touch of concern evident in his voice.
“Yeah, I'm fine, thanks.” I responded, my attention still glued to the laptop screen.
“You don't seem alright. This isn't your usual self. Yesterday, you seemed distracted, like your mind was somewhere else. And today, too, you don’t seem to be the usual you. So I hope you can now understand my concern. You are working even during lunch hour.”
“Oh, is it lunchtime?” I responded, genuinely surprised as I scanned the empty cubicles around us, realizing everyone had left for lunch. I indeed failed to notice things around me. “I don't feel like having lunch. Have you finished yours?”
“Actually, I was thinking of going to The Singh Restaurant for lunch, and I thought you might want to join.” —Ashish suggested casually.
Situated conveniently across from our office, The Singh Restaurant had opened recently. During its inauguration, we found its name amusing and made jokes about it. It had become our spot to have lunch, sharing stories from our daily lives. Despite the haunting thoughts of recent unsettling lucid dreams, I agreed to his suggestion. “Sure, let's head there.” I replied, closing my laptop and accompanying him to the restaurant.
We arrived, and Ashish placed his order while I opted for just a cup of tea.
“Are you sure you don't want anything to eat?” he asked.
“Yeah, not feeling hungry.” I replied.
“Come on, have something. I don't want you neglecting your health over whatever's bothering you.” he insisted.
“Please, Ashish, don't push it.” I requested, and he let it go.
“Okay, I won't pry, But at least tell me what's really going on? I'm not convinced everything's alright. I don't wish to insist too much but I am really concerned.” Ashish pressed. I knew he was surely concerned which was also evident in his tone and he was supposed to be concerned, afterall he was one of the very few I opened up to. I rarely befriend people and used to spend most of my time alone. Only a few people were allowed in my personal space and he was one of those. I felt bad that I was hiding this from him so I finally gave in and shared recent eerie dreams I had.
“Well, you are right. I've been having these bizarre dreams that feel incredibly real, and the events in them are really unsettling me.” I said feeling a bit uneasy about how he might perceive me.
“I understand your restlessness, but it's solely due to overthinking.” he mentioned, continuing, “I've repeatedly cautioned against those antidepressants. They're the cause of your illness. Your belief that you're sick is aggravating it.”
“No, Ashish, it's not just a typical dream. It's not me overthinking. This one is really bizarre.” I emphasized, trying to convey the uniqueness of the experience.
“Alright. Let me hear about your dreams first, and then we can determine whether it's just your overthinking or something else.” he suggested.
“Okay. So here's what I saw. I was in a bar and...” I stopped abruptly as something completely unexpected grabbed my attention. “NO, THIS CAN'T BE. THERE CAN’T BE TOO MANY COINCIDENCES.” I exclaimed, taken aback by what I'd just noticed.
It was the voice of the man I was grappling to believe wasn't real—Swami's voice. Yet, he wasn't physically present. The sound resonated from the television airing his interview. His appearance mirrored exactly what I'd seen in the dream: the same attire, the same face.
“So, Mr. Swami, what sort of challenges do you anticipate as you embark on establishing your brand?” the interviewer inquired of Swami.
“What's going on, Sarthak? Why'd you suddenly stop?” asked Ashish but I politely gestured to him to stay quiet and he noticed how engrossed I was in watching the interview, so he refrained from speaking until it ended.
“Challenges are inevitable. With the market growing, competition is on the rise too. Competition itself isn't my concern; it's the wrong kind of competition that I detest.”
“Well, that reminds me of the allegations we've heard about you. People claim you're not trustworthy in business. They say you don't treat your enterprise members like family, only looking out for your own interests. What's your take on that?”
“Well, I believe you should be mindful of your words. Making baseless negative claims about someone is incredibly wrong. What message does that send to the public? Do you think they'll form an unbiased opinion of me? No, they'll perceive the image you project.”
“Apologies if I've caused offense, but as a journalist, I'm committed to bringing forward the public's questions to you.”
“Take care with these kinds of questions. Nonetheless, I'll provide an answer. Concerning these claims, who precisely are these individuals? Do they possess any evidence? None whatsoever. They're my competitors working to damage my reputation. Some are former employees whom I dismissed due to their dishonesty and lack of sincerity, and now they're trying to defame me.”
During the interview, I discovered that Swami was a prosperous businessman managing multiple garment shops and was on the brink of introducing his own brand. The most bizarre revelation was that he was from my hometown. I couldn't simply dismiss it as a coincidence, and this realization truly unsettled me.
After the interview, Ashish asked again “So tell me what’s going on? And what’s so special about that interview?”
I recounted all my dream experiences while we both wrapped up our lunch.
“Look, he's at the interview. Doesn't that prove he's real?” I queried as we headed back to the office.
“Hmm,” he contemplated, giving it serious consideration. “I understand, but could it be that you've already seen him in real life, and your dream reflected your existing memories? Moreover if it all was true, why did he not send you any message as he promised in the dream?”
“You are right, but...”
“There should not be any ‘but’. It's all your overthinking because of the recent events.”
“Recent events? Do you mean my break-up?”
“Yes, I personally feel you’re still thinking of her?”
“No, bro. I’m over her. It does not bother me much.”
“Have you tried talking to her?”
I wanted to say ‘No.’ but the words eluded me. Truthfully, I missed her, though I pretended to have moved on. He was inquiring about my girlfriend, Aradhya. Perhaps he thought steering the conversation away from the dream mishap and toward reality would be beneficial. Our breakup happened recently. I couldn't fathom why she couldn't understand my situation and chose to leave when I needed her the most. It's painful to realize that despite my efforts for her, she departed when I was at my lowest. Some of my friends had warned me about the challenges of long-distance relationships, but I disregarded their advice. However, recent events have made me reconsider; it seems they were right—long-distance relationships often don't succeed.
“No bro. She is not talking. I tried a few times but she did not want to talk. And now I’ve also grown weary of trying to talk to her and now I am trying no more.”
“I understand, but try not to overthink. I know some dreams can appear so vivid, and some coincidences so improbable that we tend to correlate everything. I assume you are aware of the correlation-causation fallacy. Aren’t you?”
I nodded in a ‘yes’. I wished to tell him that it was not my overthinking and it was highly improbable for it to be merely a coincidence. But I thought not to discuss it anymore, so I nodded in agreement even though I disagreed in my heart. But more than that, I was happy to see that he cared. He was able to notice my changed behavior and my worries.
“Thank you so much Ashish.”
“For what?”
“For your care towards me.”
“Anytime bro. I always felt like you're my younger brother.”
Abruptly, he began rummaging through his pockets, exclaiming, “Oops, forgot my wallet at the restaurant. Hold on, I'll be back.” He hurried across the street, returning to the restaurant, as I patiently waited.
As I waited, an eerie familiarity surfaced in my mind—a voice echoing from my dream: “You should never have come here.” The soul-gazer's voice resonated, haunting my thoughts.
I ignored that voice and shifted my gaze across the road, hoping to spot Ashish. Unexpectedly, I saw someone I didn't anticipate—Myra, the same girl from my dream who had mocked and teased me at the bar. She was accompanied by a friend. With an impulse to approach her, I began moving in her direction. However, before I could reach her, I noticed she had gotten into a cab and left.
A sense of bewilderment lingered as I watched the cab disappear into the bustling streets. Disappointed by the missed opportunity to confront Myra, I turned back to find Ashish returning.
“Did you find your wallet?” I asked, trying to shake off the remnants of the disconcerting encounter.
“Yeah, luckily it was right where I left it.” he replied, glancing around. “What happened? You look like you've seen a ghost.”
I hesitated, unsure how to explain the encounter with Myra without sounding irrational. “Nothing, it's just... a strange coincidence.”
“You are still overthinking. Come on, ignore those thoughts.”
We soon reached the office. I couldn't stop thinking that it was highly improbable to encounter so many coincidences. Witnessing Swami’s interview and spotting Myra near my office wasn't something I could ignore. For a moment, I felt like telling this to Ashish, but I decided not to bother him again.
All the events of the day led me to contemplate Carl Jung's principle of synchronicity, a concept deeply embedded in psychology. I had never believed in the principle of synchronicity, but that day I could not accept it to be a coincidence only. Could Carl Jung’s principle of synchronicity be true? I remember Carl Jung’s words, ‘The universe tries to tell us something. But only those who have ears to hear can comprehend its meaning.’
As the day unfolded after work, the thread of strange coincidences continued. First, in a shop, I saw someone buying a book called ‘Synchronicity: An Acausal Connecting Principle’ by Carl Jung, coincidentally while I stood at the checkout counter. Trying to dismiss this intriguing moment, I made my way home, hoping to unwind. However, the unusual occurrences of the day showed no signs of slowing down. Upon arriving home, I found my brother watching a movie. A particular line grabbed my attention—it echoed the unsettling words from my dream: “You shouldn't have come here.” The bad guy said it to the main character, similar to the warning given to me by the soul gazer in my dream.
The strange series of events continued. While scrolling through my phone, a YouTube video titled "Synchronicity: Meaningful Patterns in Life" popped up in my feed. These strange connections left me feeling unsettled. Despite being aware of the concept of synchronicity, I watched the video, and it made me wonder if the universe was attempting to convey something significant. I couldn't shake off Carl Jung’s words from my mind: “Synchronicity is an ever-present reality for those who have the eyes to see.”
I thought the day had seen its fair share of events, assuming no more peculiar coincidences were in store. But as I nestled into bed, I was proven wrong. The most inexplicable moment of the day unfolded before me—a message lit up on my phone screen: “HELLO, THIS IS SWAMI.”
3. AN UNEXPECTED TURN
There's no denying that incomprehensible occurrences often unfold, leaving us perplexed. It's a challenge not to dwell on such events, easier said than done. We have a tendency to struggle with such incomprehensible episodes, trying to make sense of things that might defy our understanding. This struggle is accentuated by the human tendency to link unrelated events through the correlation-causation fallacy. It's a pitfall many fall into, a common mistake where we connect unrelated events and assume that one directly causes the other. In reality, they might just be coincidentally linked without any direct cause-and-effect relationship, drawing conclusions of causation where there's only correlation.
This is precisely why I found resonance in Ashish's perspective. He shed light on the fallacy we often succumb to, blurring the lines between correlation and causation. I was, indeed, thinking that some strange power works in the universe and my visit to the lucid universe was causing all these things to occur. I could have accepted that it was my tendency to correlate the events when they could be mere coincidences. But, amidst this understanding, a recent event simply couldn't be shrugged off. It wasn't a mere figment of imagination or an overextended correlation. Instead, it presented tangible evidence of something seemingly impossible. The message from Swami, which he promised to send me after my dream was over, stood as an unexplainable occurrence, challenging the boundaries of rational understanding.
The message from Swami had really given me some hope that I would be able to get answers to my questions about the Lucid Universe and my destined part in it. I was relaxed to know that it was all real indeed. As I had more queries in my head, I replied immediately “Hi Swami. How're you and where are you? Why didn't you contact me earlier?”
I was taken aback when the message didn't get sent. I tried tapping the send icon again, yet it failed for a second time. After a few repeated attempts I decided to dial the number but I encountered an AI voice on the other end stating, “The number you are trying to call doesn't exist. Kindly recheck the number.” With great disappointment I hung up and another eerie thing happened— the message on my phone vanished mysteriously.
Goodness gracious! The set of events was getting weirder and weirder. At this moment, it wasn't merely a highly improbable incident but an utterly impossible event—unless, of course, it was a trick of the mind, a hallucination, hinting at a breakdown of my sanity.
Still, I was sure that neither hallucinations nor a descent into madness were occurring within me. Had it been some other occurrence, I could easily have dismissed it, but this thing was strange enough to drive me insane. I wished there was a way to rid myself of these unsettling experiences, which disturbed me and I wished somehow things could return to normal. Unfortunately, such a remedy seemed impossible. All I could muster was to overlook the recent events which I surely did. And luckily for a few days nothing strange happened.
After a few days, I had my monthly session with my psychologist, and in the evening, I headed over to see him. As I stepped into my psychologist's office, he greeted me warmly, “Hi Sarthak, how are you doing today? Please have a seat.” His calm attitude always helped me unwind. I relaxed into the comfortable armchair while he occupied his own across from me.
“I am feeling okay.” aiming to seem unaffected by recent events and masking my burning curiosity for every unanswered question.
“And how was your past week? Anything noteworthy?” he inquired with an attentive gaze, eager to hear about any significant events or experiences.
“It was alright, nothing special.” I responded, avoiding eye contact, not wanting to delve into the strange events that had troubled me.
Continuing our usual routine, he carried on, “How's work been? Everyone in the family doing alright?”
“Yeah, things are okay.” I replied, hoping to redirect the conversation from the complexities I wished to avoid. I didn't intend to hide those events from him; I just didn't want to keep revisiting them.
“And how’s your depression now?” I often felt that his voice had some power to persuade us, making us speak the truth. Even though I was not comfortable telling him, a part of me still wished to share. However, I finally tried to hide the truth. To be true I was haunted by the memories of the past and I could not let go of it. There was not a single day when I did not think of Aaradhya. All the dreams that I had dreamt, I did not want them to die. Deep down I lingered on to the false hope that she would come back and this turned each day into an episode of depression and sadness; as if everything around me was telling me, — “It’s not going to be alright.”
“It’s better. I'm okay.” I tried to reassure him, my tone trying to convince us both. And believe me it was way more difficult than you can imagine. You know he was one of those who could read your thoughts through your eyes. It wasn’t easy to hide your thoughts or your feelings from him and that day also I could not hide it with a lie. With his next question I became certain that he had read my unshared thoughts. He discussed my break up. “And what about your recent breakup? Have you thought about moving on, maybe meeting someone new?”
“I don't feel quite ready for that. I'm comfortable being alone.” I stated. I was ready to hear his usual remark “You might deceive others, but self-deception is futile.” But no such words came from him.
He nodded, understanding my reluctance. “I get it. But sometimes, subtle signs tell a different story. What is it that is holding you back?”
“Nothing is holding me back. Sure, I've thought about it, but I'm genuinely fine with my current situation.” I replied.
“Seems like you have chosen to be a prisoner of imaginations that have bare minimum possibility to turn into reality. I don’t like to insist on things that someone is not comfortable with, and it’s not ethically right either. It’s your life, and no one else can understand your life the way you do. But we can learn from others’ experiences and I have learnt a lot. So, it doesn’t harm to move out of our comfort zone to explore the new horizons that await us, or does it? I understand your dilemma, but exploring new possibilities might surprise you.” he encouraged gently.
“I am not sure how to explain exactly what I feel, it’s not about clinging to false hopes, it’s about the promises I’ve made.”
His inquiry struck me deeply, “Which promises, Sarthak?” he queried, attempting to present his viewpoint. “Promises are meant to be kept from both ends. She let go of her promise to be by your side; perhaps it's time for you to do the same. She has moved on, so why shouldn't you?” His words had a profound impact, and I felt gratitude for life's blessings, having such supportive people. He was more than a psychologist; he was a caring friend. “There's a world of possibilities awaiting you, and by holding back, you deny yourself that chance. I know it's hard, but it's crucial for your own happiness. The choice lies within you.”
For a moment I did not say anything and pondered if I was doing the right thing. Suddenly words came out of me, “If we broke every promise according to the circumstance, trying to justify them by empowering one point of view, promises won’t mean anything. Promises mean something because they are difficult to keep at testing times.”
“Yes, I understand. But she has broken her promise, which frees you to make a choice of your own, and it’s not wrong. Wrong and right differ under various circumstances. It’s equally wrong to punish yourself. Think about it. I won't try to persuade you beyond this, but you can at least try to see from a different point of view.”
I paused for a moment, contemplating his words, before responding, “I'll think about it. Thanks.”
The next morning, when I was in the office, Ashish strolled over to my desk with a cheerful grin. “Hey, Sarthak, how's it going?”
“Morning, Ashish! I'm doing pretty good. How about yourself?”
“Fantastic! Got any plans for tonight?”
“Not really, just the usual. Why do you ask?”
“I was thinking if you would be interested in going to the arcade for some gaming fun.”
“Absolutely! That sounds fantastic. I'm genuinely yearning for a change from the typical routine.”
“Cool. By the way Milap has come back to India. I am thinking of inviting him as well.”
“That sounds cool. I wasn't aware Milap was around. When did he come back?” Milap was Ashish's schoolmate, and Ashish introduced me to him a few years ago. Meeting regularly became a part of our lives until he left India for his job.
“A few days back.” said Ashish.
I replied. “It would be great if he joins us; it's been ages since the three of us caught up.”
“I am sure he will come. He never misses any chance to meet. I'll ask him and let you know by lunchtime.”
“Okay. Have you chosen the venue?”
“I'm thinking of going to Quantum Playhouse.”
“Alright. Please inform me soon. I'll also confirm in the evening.”
“Sure. I think I will go now. See you.”
“See you.”
During lunchtime, in the afternoon, the decision was made to meet at Quantum Playhouse.
As I was nearly done with my day's work, I noticed Megha, a fellow colleague, heading my way with a slightly puzzled expression. I had been with the office for the past two years, whereas Megha had recently joined. Working at a software development company, I held the reputation of being one of the most helpful individuals in the organization. Consequently, when colleagues encountered problems, they often sought my assistance. Megha was among those who frequently approached me with requests for troubleshooting programs.
“Hey Sarthak, need your expertise here.” she said. Her voice tinged with a hint of frustration. “I've prepared this program, but it doesn't seem to be working. I can't figure out why.”
I glanced at her code and delved into identifying the issue.
“Do you think it will take long?” she said with a hint of stress in her tone.
“I think so. I'm trying to find an error, but I'm not able to. But don't worry, we will find a solution for sure.”
“The office is about to close. I hope it gets resolved soon.”
“Let me see. Please, have a seat.”
She seized an empty chair nearby and took a seat next to me. I analyzed her code, but for a while, I could not find any error. And soon, it was time for the office to close.
“Oops!” I exclaimed, realizing the office hours were over.
“It’s alright. Seems like we have to postpone it for tomorrow.”
“Well, I'm thinking of fixing it today. Do you have any plans after work?”
“Not really, why?” She seemed a bit surprised; it wasn't typical for me to inquire about anything beyond official matters with my coworkers, except for Ashish.
“Well, if you don't mind, I was thinking of grabbing a cup of coffee right after work. I wondered if you'd like to join. In the meantime, we can also troubleshoot the program.” I said, hesitating a bit.
She seemed pleasantly surprised. “Oh, sure! That sounds like a good plan. Let me bring my bag. I’ll be right back.”
She returned promptly and asked, “So, which place are you considering?”
“I haven't decided yet. Do you have a preference?”
“I was thinking of heading to Maya Cafe.”
Maya Cafe was conveniently located near our office, a place I frequented often.
“Sure.”
Within fifteen minutes, we arrived at the cafe and settled into a cozy corner. The comforting aroma and serene ambience helped us unwind after a long day at the office. A petite waitress, her hair neatly tied in a bun, came over to take our order. I opted for a cappuccino, while Megha chose a cup of tea. We also ordered some french fries and cupcakes.
As we placed our orders and initiated the program on the laptop, Megha expressed her gratitude, saying, “Thank you so much, Sarthak. I appreciate you taking the extra time to assist me. You're incredibly helpful.”
“It’s perfectly alright, Megha. Not a biggie. Moreover, I was already thinking of coming here today.” I replied, and we resumed our work.
Soon, I identified and fixed the issue in the program. A visible sense of relief washed over Megha's face, and witnessing it brought me a certain joy as well. Helping others has always given me joy in return.
“Thank you so much Sarthak. You have always been so helpful. I don't know how to ever repay you.”
“Hey, why do you say that? Aren’t friends supposed to help each other! It’s perfectly alright”
“Still. I feel I ask for so much help from you and you never deny.” She said filled with gratitude.
“I told you not a big deal. Always a pleasure to give a helping hand.” I smiled and she gave back a big beautiful smile. With slight hesitation, I asked her “What are your plans after this?”
“Nothing as such. Why?”
“Nothing. I was just thinking if we could sit here for some more time.”
“Oh that would be great. I was thinking the same but did not tell you as I was not sure I wasn't disturbing your schedule.”
“Oh I am free for about an hour. Ashish and I have decided to go bowling and play other arcade games, but he won't be here for at least another hour.”
“Wow. I didn't know you enjoy playing games. It's great that you're taking time for yourself after such a hectic workday.”
“Well, it wasn't entirely my idea. Ashish asked, so I thought, why not?”
“So, apart from gaming and arcade visits, what else interests you?”
“I find joy in reading, traveling, and listening to music. What about you, Megha? What are your interests?”
“Seems like reading and listening to music are our mutual interests. I love reading books, especially by J.R.R. Tolkien, Edgar Allan Poe, Rudyard Kipling, C.S. Lewis, and series like Harry Potter and Percy Jackson. I hope you are familiar with them.”
“Yes, I am.” I replied.
Our conversation flowed seamlessly from there, and time slipped away unnoticed. Eventually, Ashish called, “Hey Sarthak, where are you? I'm heading to the gaming zone. Are you coming?”
“Yes, Ashish, I'm at Maya Cafe. I'm on my way out. See you there.”
“See you.”
After the call, I apologized to Megha, “Sorry, Megha, I think I have to go now. I really enjoyed our conversation.”
“Likewise. I never expected you to be so open. Honestly, I thought you were more reserved.”
“I am, actually. It takes me a while to feel comfortable around others. But once I am, I open up easily.”
We said our goodbyes for the day as we exited the cafe. With that, we parted ways, and I joined Ashish and Milap to play games.
As I arrived at the arcade, I spotted Ashish deeply engrossed in a round of bowling, effortlessly pinning down most of the balls in a single throw.
“That was a nice shot.”
Ashish turned around and said “Thanks Sarthak. When did you reach?”
“Just now. Where is Milap?”
“He must be about to reach.” He said and picked another bowl and threw it. “So, what were you up to at Maya Café?”
“Nothing much, just hanging out with Megha. She was facing some trouble with her program, so I gave her a hand.” I replied.
“Ah, helping out your colleague, huh? So, is something brewing between you two?” Ashish teased.
“No, it's not like that.” I clarified.
“Haha,” he chuckled. “People like you are difficult to predict.”
“Why are you teasing me? It was just for some help she needed. As the office was closed, we thought of going to a nearby cafe.”
“Ok-ok. Do not tell me. Love stories don't hide for long.” he teased me.
“Which love story are you talking about?” someone said, tapping on my shoulder. It was Milap.
“Hi Milap. How are you?” I said, giving him a warm, friendly hug. “See, how Ashish is teasing me!”
“Why? What Happened? You didn't bother to tell me.” Milap said.
“Bro, he is dating Megha.” Ashish said, showing no intention of letting up on the teasing.
I playfully jabbed him in the stomach “Stop it now.”
“Oh, really? Is it Megha from your office?” Milap asked, joining in the teasing.
“Yes, she’s from our office, and it’s nothing like that. Today, after work, we went to a cafe. She needed some help with her program.”
Milap, with the same teasing intention, remarked, “That's typically how these things begin.”
“Yes, I am dating her. Now happy?”
They both chuckled and said almost in unison, “Sorry. We were just teasing you. Let's go to the alley.” Leaving the bowling spot, we entered the gaming parlor where bright lights and exciting sounds caught our attention. Everyone was deeply lost in playing various arcade games.
“So, Milap. Wassup these days?”
“Nothing much. Thinking of coming back to India permanently. Currently on the lookout for a job here—I've applied to a few companies.”
“That’s cool. It would be great if you come here.”
“Yes, let's see. It depends on luck.”
After that, we took a round in the gaming parlor and tried to find out which game to play. It was so easy to be indecisive among so many options. Eventually, we decided to play VR games first and then tried out other games.
We walked through the gaming parlor, attracted by the bright lights and excitement, and got pulled into trying out different games. Ashish, a hardcore gamer, showed us around, playing games to demonstrate his skills. While he did really well in the racing games, I tried my best but found myself laughing at my own efforts.
In the midst of screens and upbeat music, we immersed ourselves in challenges, joking around and aiming for high scores in shooting games. Time flew by in the gaming paradise, each win and loss adding to the fun.
As the night was winding down, we exited the gaming parlor. “It was so much fun.” Ashish remarked, bidding us farewell with, “See you tomorrow at work, Sarthak. Bye, Sarthak. Bye, Milap.”
“Good night.” We waved him off as he crossed the street.
Suddenly, a heart-stopping moment shattered the tranquility. Ashish, crossing the road, seemed unaware as both Milap and I shouted frantically, “Ashish, watch out!” Our desperate warning fell on deaf ears as a speeding vehicle careened towards him, hitting him with brutal force, causing profuse bleeding as he lay unconscious in a pool of blood.
Adrenaline surged through me as I raced to his side, hands trembling as I cradled his head, trying to staunch the bleeding with a handkerchief from my pocket. Milap followed. “Ashish! Ashish!” We called out, but he remained unresponsive, his eyes shut tight.
Panicked, Milap dialed the emergency number, praying fervently for help. The ambulance arrived swiftly, and I informed my boss and Ashish's family, the events of the evening turning into a haunting nightmare.
We also hurried to the hospital as Ashish needed urgent help. He was quickly taken to the emergency room and soon his parents had also arrived. I realized that my family could be getting worried, so I briefed them about the situation and informed them that I would be late.
After some time, I went to the hospital canteen to take a tea break, where I discovered something that shook the ground beneath me—something entirely unexpected. Despite my initial hopes of putting the recent strange events out of my mind, it appeared that they were not going to end. A person was being transported on a stretcher lift, possibly being shifted from one ward to another. His face was not covered, allowing me to easily recognize him. It was undoubtedly Swami. He was fully unconscious, with his family members beside him.
I followed them and observed as the paramedical staff took him inside the ICU ward. His family was requested to stay outside. I approached them and introduced myself. “Hi, I am Sarthak. Is he Swami?”
“Yes. Do you know him?” His wife said.
“I know him through a TV interview.” I lied and pretended not to have had any encounters with him. I further enquired “What happened to him?”
“We don't understand.” She said with a crying voice. “One day he was sleeping and did not wake up. We tried all methods to wake him up, but they had no effect. Then he was brought to the hospital, and the doctors said he is in a coma. And how it happened, they have no idea.”
“When did it happen?”
“About three weeks ago.”
“Three weeks ago!” These words sent tremors through the ground beneath me as I wondered, “What? How could it be possible? If he was in a coma before my first lucid dream, then how did he take me to the planet Sindharak and how did he send me a message while in a coma?” And weirdest of all, “How did he delete that message?”
The set of strange incidents left me unsettled. There were more questions to be answered. Though I was determined not to correlate dreams and reality, that day’s event made me give up on my ignorance. I could not ignore any of these happenings any more. I needed to find the answers and there was only one place which held all the answers— THE LUCID UNIVERSE.
To be continued...
