I’ve got spirit and the Dalai Lama to thank for guiding me back to meditation. And a rude driver that cut me off while I was driving around, trying to get the ingredients I needed for a special dinner for my husband and me. A silver Lexus shot out of one lane and zoomed into a shoebox-sized space between my car and the one before me. I jammed the brake, gritted my teeth, then thought, I’m going to show that (insert your favourite word here) driver! But just before putting my foot to the gas pedal, a voice in my head said three very wise words:

Do no harm.

I took a deep, calming breath and watched the Lexus zoom from one lane to another. People shouldn’t drive like that, I thought, then realized: But what can I do about it? Just keep myself safe, I guess. So I drove home carefully, made myself a cup of tea, then sat on the couch and chose a book from the stack I’d put aside to read over the holidays.

The book I picked was the Dalai Lama’s How to Practice: The Way to a Meaningful Life.

What leapt out from those pages was His Holiness’ credo: "Do No Harm." Wow, I thought. An hour ago, my blood had been boiling. Something in me needs to shift, I thought. Driving was driving me crazy. And then I heard, Do no harm…

That’s when I realized I hadn’t taken the time to sit still in awhile. How long had it been since I last meditated? I needed to reconnect with my spirit. So I went into my office, turned the lights low, put on some quiet music, said a prayer, sat back and closed my eyes.

My intention was to experience the words "Do no harm." I sat quietly for about 20 minutes, and the same time the next day, and the next. The first couple times back to my practice, I saw a blank screen, like I was sitting in a darkened movie theatre. Perhaps I was watching the inside of my eyelids. But that was fine. I had no expectations. I figured I was getting what I needed. A ticket to Relaxville.

Then one afternoon I meditated with the blank screen, when in my mind’s ear, I heard "I am here!" And one by one, my four guides telepathically told me their names and talked to me:

AHMED is a brown-skinned, bearded man wearing a sultan’s cap. His purpose is to help me understand different cultures. I’ll teach you to see that ‘All is one,’ he said.

LAGSHMI is an East Indian woman filled with Mother Earth energy. Her purpose is to teach compassion and love in my message work, and in my everyday life.

RULMI is a Maori warrior, a stocky man with wavy, thick black hair. His face is painted with tribal symbols. He is fierce, yet quiet, and his intense eyes are always watchful.

The ASCENDED MASTER didn’t give me his name, but he’s a high spiritual leader who’s had an intense human experience. He’s behind me for support, and leads me to books that will help my soul progression.

I thanked each of these spirit guides for touching in with me, then came out of my meditation. Meeting them filled me with great happiness and peace, and I promised myself to do my best to continue my meditation practice.

And, who knows? Perhaps, down the road, I’ll discover my guides have changed, because I’ll have put into practice the lessons Ahmed, Lagshmi and Rulmi gave me to learn. And if a silver Lexus should jump out at me from traffic – I’ll say a quick prayer, remember to do no harm and hope that hurried fellow finds peace.