7 Magical Cities: Knowledge, Wisdom and Bliss for a Full Life

By Dao Das

If you have opened this book, you have been invited to a journey beyond words. A tour through ancient wisdom from different times and cultures that have accompanied mankind throughout history, signaling the doorway out of human suffering.

7 magical cities is a route that allows to delight in the deep knowledge, without dogmas n

• Language: English
• Publisher: InfusedMedia
• Release date: Apr 13, 2023
• ISBN: 9781955691901

Dao Das

Dao Das - Mario Quintero, was born in Colombia, but has lived in the United States since 2001 with his wife and two children. He has worked for more than 35 years as an international business leader for multinational Corporations. He's graduated in business, marketing and a certified professional coach in spirituality, business and life. After going through major emotional and physical health (leukemia) challenges, he has been dedicated to exploring mystical traditions through study and as an active member of Taoist, Buddhist and Hindu groups. Reader, meditator, writer, curious, traveler and passionate about recognizing his true essence, Dao Das through his constant spiritual practice has found wonderful discoveries that he is always willing to share with anyone who requests them.You can contact Dao Das through his email: [e-mail] or visit his website www.daodas.co

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Dao Das generously gives us the knowledge acquired by him throughout a lifetime of practices, readings and silences. Valuable findings that he chose not to keep to himself, but instead share with those willing to receive them. ~Adelaida Nieto - Writer

I read this book and it was like a deep insight and meditation..

~Juli Villa -Engineer

I couldn’t stop reading this book, because the curiosity of the adventure and new knowledge.. ~Sebastian Dominguez - Writer & Businessman.

Copyright © 2023 by Dao Das.

ISBN- 978-1-955691-87-1 (sc)

ISBN- 978-1-955691-89-5 (hc)

ISBN- 978-1-955691-90-1 (eBook)

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

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KNOWLEDGE, WISDOM AND JOY FOR A FULL LIFE

Dao Das

I am not my body; I am more. I am not my speech, my organs, hearing, smell; that is not who I am. Neither am I the thinking mind. If I am none of these things then, who am I? The consciousness that remains, that I am

SRI BHAGAVAN RAMANA MAHARSHI (1879-1950, India)

PROLOGUE

If you have opened this book, you have been invited to a journey beyond words. A tour through ancient wisdom from different times and cultures that have accompanied mankind throughout history, signaling the doorway out of human suffering.

7 magical cities is a route that allows to delight in the deep knowledge, without dogmas nor prejudice. It is a journey with and for freedom. You will be given a roadmap, and you are free to choose where to stop, where to move forward and also, if you so wish, to inquire beyond what words can express.

The passport to embark on this journey is a watchful and free heart. No need to be a scholar, cultured or knowledgeable in any subject. Travel light, do not bring heavy expectations. Should you want to bring something along, let it be innocence, curiosity and at least a bit of an adventurous spirit. Through this read, you run the risk of finding your own essence so, for your safety, keep your heart open.

By writing this tale, Dao Das generously gives us the knowledge acquired by him throughout a lifetime of practices, readings and silences.

In these pages, he picked, carefully and lovingly, relevant aspects of Christian mysticism, Judaism’s Cabbala, Muslim Sufism, Buddhists’ Mahayana, the Advaita Vedanta of Hinduism, Taoism and the knowledge of spiritual shamans from indigenous cultures from The Americas.

In a pleasant tale, it becomes possible to come into contact with each one of these traditions through the curiosity of two young siblings and the kindness of a generous guide.

East and West become one planet, and its inhabitants one humanity, that far and wide throughout its history and geography have relentlessly searched for the answer to the essential questions that can lead us to the infinity that, in this very moment, is already part of its essence.

Dao Das writes: Truth is asleep inside each of us and needs only to be awakened. If we can understand this, we begin to understand everything, with a perception that is not of the intellect. The essential truth is not learned, it is awakened, and this route through ancient wisdoms has many wake-up calls inside its pages: some are hidden and will take you by surprise; others are visible and can be enjoyed each time you encounter them.

Reading these pages, I could not help to feel surprised and joyful I was being handed the history of the peace of humankind and not the one of its wars. Sadly, it is frequent that, when writing history, time is measured between wars, narrating the stories of the winners and in some places, statues are erected in honor of the ones who lead a battle that inevitably brought upon pain and death to both sides. Those who win wars are honored, not those who help prevent them. This way, in some cultures we are brought up believing that violence is a valid way to satisfy greed, the hunger for power or to impose one ideology over another. But if you, like me, believe that an important purpose for humankind is that more people have the opportunity to be happy, it is clear that nobody truly wins at a war. There are loses, pain, anguish, death and loneliness for the victorious and the defeated, the victims and the perpetrators. It Is urgent that we learn the history of humankind as one in which good judgement is capable of winning over violence, and kindness over rage.

In this sense, 7 magical cities is a ray of true hope that gives us a different perspective of human history, one without winners or losers and whose protagonists are great beings of perennial wisdom, passed on from generation to generation in different ways, times and places, awakening inner peace and, hence, world peace.

The author uses fiction to speak of a deep reality. An adventure about two young people is the route to take the reader to encounter what is not visible to the eyes of reason, but is clear to those of the heart. The concepts are expressed in such a way that the reader can go through the paths of thought, without logic the logic of reason to limit them.

I have known Daos Das for many years and can attest that he possesses the innocence of a child, the sharpness of an adult, the wisdom of an elder and the freedom of a man connected to his essential purpose.

He has dedicated his life to the spiritual search and the awakening of human compassion and consciousness. Dare I say that, beyond being a spiritual researcher, he is a finder of that which cannot be perceived by the senses. Valuable findings that he chose not to keep to himself, but instead share with those willing to receive them. Good travels to the 7 magical cities!

ADELAIDA NIETO, author of La fuerza serena.

The blue mountain, Costa Rica (www.lmazul.com)

INTRODUCTION

The story I am about to share is an inspiring tale that was born on a long trip to the Far East from America. This story is the result of a beautiful dream that lasted most of the trip, and that I now have the lovely opportunity to share with wonderful people like yourself that, deep down inside, already know that there is something grander than what we perceive in the material world and the ways we experience things as human beings.

This tale is aimed at people of all ages without distinction of the society or environment that they have been living in. it is a story that aims to point a light over that hidden truth in our hearts but, due to the noise of the world ruled by our minds, we have forgotten and even denied to listen to, despite the many calls that voice has made to us in special moments or circumstances of our lives as we experience existence on this earth.

In this story you will find that, despite the apparent fiction of the anecdote, it is possible to use the inner magic and alchemy to transform and purify our minds, becoming better human beings and recognizing in our true essence the ability to enjoy an existence of greater plenitude on this beautiful and diverse planet.

Even though it is the second book I have written, to me it is like my first-born, because it speaks not of my own personal story nor is it aimed at a predetermined audience that follows predetermined believes, lifestyles or a society in particular. It does not have the intention to exclude people that have not previously accessed the knowledge from other cultures and different ways of thinking and living.

This is but a simple call to make our biggest effort to build, every day through our actions, a better world where we all find that which we truly are: spiritual beings living a human experience. If we comprehend and really feel it, our inner light will brighten and will be able to shine onto others. That is my heartfelt hope.

If you are young, I am glad and thank you that at such young age you are interested in getting closer to some of the mysteries that transcend the apparent reality that you are being sold daily about what it means to have a happy life, but whose satisfaction quickly extinguishes, forcing you to get the latest in fashion or, unfortunately in other cases, to try illicit drugs or other extremely dangerous and unhealthy activities that cause plenty of misfortune and tragedy. I am very glad that, for whatever reason it might be, this anecdote has come to you and I hope that it is inspiring enough to help you have beautiful dreams and understand a better world can always be built for you, your family, friends and all the beings that surround you, including the wonderful animals that keep us company.

If you are an adult, one that usually has many responsibilities and your life is a permanent struggle to be able to achieve your material or emotional goals, or you are going through a stage of intense suffering due to difficult circumstances you are living, this tale has the firm intention to show you, through the narrow keyhole of a door, that it may be possible that there exists a world different than the one you are currently perceiving, with all its complexities and apparent difficulties.

If you are enjoying a stage of your life of much wealth (I am not referring exclusively to the material kind), then this fable is an invitation for you to continue on the path of true love, sharing the best of you with all sentient beings.

Finally, if you are already in your golden years or are going through a difficult health situation and the signs point that the end of this stage is coming, this tale aims to be the light of hope that shines over your entire being, so that you feel in your heart that life is eternal and what we mistakenly call death is but a fleeting illusion, yet another dream that we all must experience to wake to the true reality.

If this fable manages to plant a seed of hope or curiosity inside your deep or spiritual heart so you can explore the different blessed roads that life offers you, to act according to your inner voice and enjoy a better existence here and now in this very moment you are currently living, then this tale will have accomplished its mission. If not, I hope that it is at least an enjoyable and healthy entertainment.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

DAO DAS

PREFACE

Ann, twenty-three years old, and Jim, twenty-two, were two young brothers that lived in America and, together with their parents, were traveling for vacations to countries in the Far East with a very intense schedule that would take them to see, for the first time, different cultures and environments of which they had heard very little, only through conversations with friends and a quick search online.

There had already been over ten days of intense traveling that, added to the time difference, had left them exhausted. The second Saturday was to be the most intense day of the trip, since they had to be up by 4:00 A.M., the bus would arrive to pick the tourist group by 05:00, and it was expected for all to be punctual, having had breakfast and their luggage ready beforehand.

All tourist had been warned that Saturday was going to be the most intense and longest day of the entire journey. The city of destination was nestled in the mountains and arriving there by road would take the greater part of the day. Nonetheless, since along the way there were going to be special places that sparked great attraction and many would like to take the opportunity to see, it was expected they arrive to the hotel at 10:00 P.M.

And it indeed happened as such. The comfortable bus departed on the hour and even though the two young siblings, like other tourists, were drowsy during the first hour, as soon as sunlight appeared, all passengers found themselves in front of a gorgeous setting, whose beauty increased as the bus ascended through the mountains, that seemed to merge between the reflection of a blue, cloudless sky, the golden rays of the sun and the green of nature. This mix of hues also caused other colors to appear, like a blueish grey, a result of the mist in some areas, or the reflection of the water of the rivers and waterfalls.

Along the way, the tour guide explained in detail the history, myths and legends of each region, and of course, as it was expected, some of the tourists began, with a good sense of humor, to request brief stops, to roam through the wonderful places in which there were temples, steppes, waterfalls, small communities and, above all, an incredible energy was felt. All tourists of the group got off the bus over and over again to enjoy this once in a lifetime opportunity, and the guide, always with an indelible smile, reminded them that the road was long, and the delightful dinner at the hotel awaited them no longer than 10:00 P.M., warning them that there would be no other place to eat dinner at that time on the last stretch of the of the road, nor on the surroundings of the hotel. And so, the promise of a pleasant dinner made the passengers, especially in the afternoon, stay punctual during the visits.

The last stop, that was only going to last twenty minutes, happened at 5:30 P.M., since there was still a little over three hours left to arrive to the destination. At that hour, the sun was starting to set and the view from the mountains was spectacular and as such, the tourists wouldn’t stop taking pictures and recording videos of the majesty of the natural spectacle.

The tour guide had to hurry some, reminding them once again the commitment to arrive on time for dinner. At 6:00 P.M. the group was complete and, although elated by the beauty of the scenery, felt tired due to the activity of the day. The guide kept on narrating details about the areas they were passing through, but after an hour decided to stop, as she observed that almost all tourists had fallen asleep.

The final stretch of the road was very clear and there was little traffic, something unusual for that hour and time of the year, but it allowed the bus to arrive to the hotel at 20:45. On coming off the vehicle, the tourists were dazzled by the splendor that surrounded them. The hotel was a magnificent resort nestled in the mountains where a warm, fresh air was breathed. The elegant architecture, the comfort of the facilities and the employees’ special hospitalities made it a heavenly place.

No check-in was required; everything was neatly planned. A brief informative meeting was held at the hotel lobby, where the tourists were informed that their luggage was in their respective rooms and were told about the different areas, resort services and