Self-Transcendence Challenges

In my training to cross the English Channel, I decided to swim the length of Zurich Lake—16 miles. The water was very cold, about 59 degrees Fahrenheit. I greased up and swam for one hour, and was already very cold. I continued swimming, trying to convince my mind that it would get warmer when the sun came up, but when the sun appeared, it was still terribly cold. I was trembling and my legs were so tight that I was afraid I would get a cramp. It was the toughest experience I ever had, but I saw Guru's eyes looking at me, and I felt his tremendous determination and his wish that I finish this swim. After 12 hours of the hardest struggle, I managed to reach my destination. It showed me that you can do much more difficult things if you do them for Guru than if you do them for yourself. After this experience Guru asked me to gain weight, so I was never cold again while swimming.

Prafulla (Zurich)