Story time : LIJA'S SPARK
Lija notices the sound of rooftops crackling under the immense heat. Noon is definitely the wrong time to visit the market, but her craving to taste that new chai mix makes her endure. She could have asked a Carry-bot to bring it for her, but taking the trip herself is better. She feels anxious and useless, but knows her feelings would wash away: new tastes always dampen her unease. As she passes a Spark Collector on her way to the market, she decides to make her daily contribution now. She can also cool down a bit. An old man, carrying a deep smile, emerges from the Collector, bowing to Lija as she enters it. On the machine’s screen, she sees the man just produced an enormous amount of Spark for the city. With a thankful smile, recognizing the old man’s generosity, she returns him the courtesy. She enters the Chamber and sits down in a Half Lotus Pose as she has done so many times before, using the Vayu Mudra.
After putting the Collecting Nodes on, Lija takes a few deep breaths and closes her eyes. As she feels her body’s weight and hands resting on her knees, she starts to move her attention to the space around her. No matter the intense heat, the street is busy: the crispy texture of sand as people rush about. A cat on the side of the street clawing at a window, probably asking her owner to be let inside. An intense smell of chili as a Carry-bot flies by with a bag full of it past the Chamber. Lija refocuses to her body, curiously checking for points of resistance or unease. Without judgment, she then shifts her attention to the breath, already noticing the tightened points of her body relaxing. Although she feels her focus slip a few times during the next 10 minutes, away from the breath, Baba’s advice helps. By targeting her full attention on the out-breath particularly, she retained more focus and could feel more at ease now, once her daily Offering was done. She feels gratitude for every ounce of Spark she just produced.
While Lija is emerging from the Chamber, a young teenage girl bows to her with sincere gratitude for sharing Spark. Feeling reinvigorated and more calm, Lija bows as well before resuming her journey. It’s a sense she experiences every day after contributing, but she notices how the world now seems more vivid and accepting. She catches a glimpse of the city center in the distance, busy with technological chaos. Seeing all technology running on Spark and knowing that everyone contributes to it makes her smile. She finally enters the Market. Smelling of spices, chai and exotic fruit, this was the true heart of her city. Lija joyfully laughs at the cute Carry-bots flying around, offering everyone a helping hand. She didn’t feel useless anymore. She was reminded how she contributes. And so, the new chai won’t be a consolation at all, but a little reward for herself.