Dr. Aryan Verma took a deep breath, his fingers tightening around the edge of his desk as he stared at the departure schedule glowing on the large screen before him. The moment had arrived—the final steps of their lunar existence before embarking on a journey unlike any other in human history. A distant exoplanet, carefully chosen for its habitability, was about to become their new home.
The air in their lunar habitat was thick with anticipation. Meera, his wife, paced slowly, her arms folded across her chest, lost in thought. Avni sat on the couch, her brows furrowed as she tapped absentmindedly on her tablet. Ansh, on the other hand, bounced excitedly on the balls of his feet, utterly fascinated by the idea of traveling beyond the Moon.
“You’re still sure about this, aren’t you?” Meera finally broke the silence, her voice softer than usual.
Aryan turned toward her, catching the unspoken emotions in her eyes—excitement, nervousness, a flicker of doubt.
He walked over, placing his hands gently on her shoulders. “We’ve made it this far, Meera. There’s no turning back now. But if you’re having second thoughts—”
She shook her head. “No… it’s just… leaving the Moon, our first step beyond Earth, everything we’ve ever known. It feels like a dream. Or maybe a dream within a dream.”
Avni looked up. “You mean like how the yogis say reality is just layers of perception?”
Aryan smiled. His daughter had a way of bringing philosophy into even the most scientific discussions. “Exactly,” he said. “And perhaps, we’re just peeling away another layer of reality as we step into the unknown.”
The room fell into a contemplative silence, broken only by Ansh’s enthusiastic interjection. “But we’ll still have Wi-Fi, right?”
A burst of laughter rippled through the family, dispelling the tension like sunlight breaking through a storm.
The final preparations had been meticulous. Their belongings had been reduced to the essentials—clothing designed for the new planet’s conditions, medical supplies, Aryan’s veterinary equipment, and a few personal mementos. The children had carefully selected items that reminded them of their lunar home: Avni had packed her sketchbook, while Ansh had insisted on bringing his stuffed dinosaur, Rexy, despite the teasing from his sister.
The departure schedule was precise. Aboard the Stellar Voyager, they would leave the Moon’s surface, dock with the interstellar ark stationed nearby, and then embark on the long journey to the exoplanet. The voyage itself would span years in cryogenic sleep, a reality both thrilling and unnerving.
As they stood at the embarkation bay, a sea of emotions swirled in Aryan’s chest. This was not just another relocation—it was a leap into the great cosmic unknown. His mind drifted to the spiritual texts he had read, the ancient sages who spoke of leaving behind the transient for the eternal. Was this journey a mere physical transition, or was it symbolic of something far greater?
A low hum filled the air as the ark’s engines powered up. The final boarding call echoed through the lunar station. With one last glance at the silent, grey expanse through the massive observation windows, Aryan took Meera’s hand. She squeezed back, her silent affirmation giving him strength.
As the family settled into their stasis pods aboard the ark, a thought struck Aryan with profound clarity. To step into cryogenic sleep was to willfully embrace a kind of death—a concept unheard of except among the greatest of sages. He recalled the tale of Rishi Dadhichi, who surrendered his bones for the benefit of the gods, and the ancient king (Raja Shibi) who gave his own flesh to compensate for the loss of meat. Here they were, surrendering their waking existence, trusting that they would rise again in a new world. This was not just science; it was a sacrifice, a test of faith in the unseen future.
Avni gazed at the starry void outside. “It’s beautiful,” she whispered, watching the Moon shrink in the distance.
Ansh leaned over. “I still think the new planet will be cooler.”
Aryan chuckled. “I hope you’ll say the same when we wake up there.”
The transition into cryogenic sleep was both fascinating and unnerving. Aryan felt his consciousness slip away, his last waking thoughts filled with wonder and anticipation. Would they wake up to a paradise or a challenge beyond comprehension?
The journey had begun, and the universe awaited.
Demystifying Kundalini 