Searching for Me

This is a story of Aparna - a well-ducated young woman who is working as a medical doctor in a renowned hospital.

“Doctor, can you please helpus?”is the plea she hearts from the couple in front of her. This question brings up Aparna’s own feelings frustration, of her struggle for success and the conflicts in her own life.

Do you ever think about questions such as: Who am I? Why is there so much conflict in my life? How can I be my true self? Where am I going?

Searching for Me examines these questions and takes you through an insightful journey inward in search of meaningful answers.

Aparna’s story is very much like the story of each one of us. We go through similar situations, challenges and conflicts in our lives and face questions about our identity and the meaning and purpose of our existence.

She finds her answer in her ‘Search for Me’. Het answers may help us find ours.

Dr. Ramesh Vaish is a distinguished economist, chartered accountant and lawyer. He obtained his Ph.D. in Economics from University of Florida, U.S.A. Along with his academic contribution, he has 45 years of experience in international finance, taxation and investment. His previous book Our Existence – A Holistic View was widely acclaimed in intellectual circles.

THIS IS A STORY OF APARNA – a well-educated young medical doctor working in a renowned hospital. She lives in New Delhi with her husband Raj and son Varun. She is quite successful in her journey to find her true self.

Her search for her own identity begins to unfold through her experience with people from many walks of life. The answer to her many questions come in unexpected ways through her interaction with patients, spiritual saints, yoga teachers, social workers, economics, astro-physicists, and many others.

Aparna’s exploration of answers to some basic questions in her life, and her search for happiness and harmony, unfold some very practical wisdom for living in this world. She insists on pragmatic and scientifically verifiable answers- and finds them.

Her search also leads her to a beautiful blending of science and spirituality when she discovers the ‘light’, which unites them both. She connects with nature, establishes a lovely communication with the holy river Ganges, and discovers the essential attributes of a harmonious life – a life that keeps glowing like a flame and flowing like a river.

Aparna’s story is very much like the story of each one of us. We also go through challenges and conflicts in our lives, and we face similar questions about our own identity and the meaning and purpose of our existence. We keep searching for real-life practical ways to respond to those situations, and we keep wondering why all the happiness and harmony keep slipping away from us. In her search, Aparna gets the answers, which may help us to find ours.

Through my long working life, which has spanned more than five decades. My own answers have gradually emerged. This book seeks to capture those answers. Every single thought and every interaction leading to an answer is based upon a real-life experience. Each character in the story is based on a real person but some names have been changed. Although it is written as Aparna’s story,’ Searching for Me’ is also a story about our own lives.

For making it possible for me to tell this story, I owe my gratitude to many who have inspired me and have allowed me to utilize their great knowledge and insights. In particular, I am grateful to Air Chief Marshall OP Mehra (retire.), Swami Chidanand Sarawati, Shri Pawan JI, Maa abha Saraswati, Dr.Alka and Devi Sadhwi Bhagwati. My daughter Smita has been a great help in keeping my thought process and expression clear. The editorial assistance provided by Amita Sarwal and Linda Homewood has been most valuable.

The ideas discussed in the book have come from some of the greatest minds of our times in the fields of philosophy, quantum physics, social sciences and spirituality. Those ideas and their invaluable works have been listed and acknowledged in the last section of the book in Notes and References. I owe my grateful thanks to these authors, scientists and philosophers.

Each of these ideas has a unique significance, beauty and char. If the story of Aparna is able to show you a practical way to implement and utilize those ideas in your day –to-day life, this book will have achieved its purpose.