THE JOURNEY TO 124
Post 124 of 124 • 100% Complete
Everybody Has a Mani Story: The Mani Experience by Nisha J. Miglani (author and polymath)
Image of Mani by Nisha J.Miglani
When Manish mentioned he would be taking a break from writing blogs for a bit, I asked if I could write one on his website. He was pleasantly surprised, and then I told him the blog would be about him. Fun! :)
I am not even sure where to start because I am still in awe that I manifested this incredible life where I get to spend my days with this amazing being. How do I begin to describe a man who has experienced so many aspects of being human, from the streets to corporate boardrooms, from underground raves to performing at an after-party associated with the Nobel Peace Prize celebrations, and now exploring artificial intelligence and space technology? Sometimes I look at him and wonder, who is this man? And then I smile because, well, he is my husband!
But then again, I believe we both decided in front of God that we would incarnate together at this unprecedented moment on our planet, what I call Earth School. It is like a giant, accelerated incubator of evolution, where we learn through human experience. In my understanding of this cosmic adventure, the period between 2012 and 2032 marks what many spiritual traditions describe as a great shift in human consciousness. And somehow, Mani and I decided this would be a wonderful time to experience another semester together!
Have you noticed how life has a way of showing us what we have truly learned? It is like practicing martial arts for years, and then it is time for the match, or practicing singing and suddenly finding yourself on stage. Similarly, these twenty years may reveal where each of us stands in our journey toward higher standards of being human. It's one thing to know something intellectually, but something entirely different to apply that knowledge as wisdom in everyday life. And isn't that what Earth School is really about?
Well, my adventure with Mani began before we got married on May 1, 2012. Heaven rejoiced! :) We were super excited to take on this journey, not remembering that the finals for this particular term of Earth School had just begun. And there we were, two enthusiastic students, ready to explore the world together!
Two Outliers in Earth School
Growing up, I always felt that there was someone out there who would come into my life and sweep me into an extraordinary adventure. I didn't know exactly who he was or what he would be like, but somehow I knew he existed. Like many young girls, I had my dreams about the person I would marry. I wanted someone I could explore life with, someone who could dream as big as I did, someone who would challenge me intellectually while sharing my love of creativity, adventure, and discovery.
What I didn't realize was that there was someone out there who thought just as differently as I did! Mani and I were both outliers in our families, always questioning things and imagining possibilities beyond what was considered normal. We didn't quite fit into the usual expectations, and neither of us was particularly interested in doing something just because that was how it had always been done.
He was exactly what I was seeking in a partner, not consciously knowing all the details. But wow, I must have some powers! My dream came true, and I am living it, remembering that I can keep dreaming about the life I want with him.
Of course, to get here, both of us had to go through, and are still going through, our own human experiences in Earth School. And this isn't a school where someone hands you a report card and tells you whether you passed or failed. It is a place where we discover whether we can actually incorporate what we have learned and live it as wisdom. We all say, "I know, I know," but when we say that, what do we really mean? Do we understand something, or have we actually become it?
The last fourteen years have been quite a vibrant experience of being human, and I know it has been for many of you as well. Remember 2012? What were you doing then? How much has your life changed since? Sometimes it feels like Earth School has been giving us one opportunity after another to discover how well we know ourselves, the people around us, and the world we live in. For me, one of the greatest joys has been witnessing Manish's evolution and watching him slowly embrace his own greatness.
The Little Boy Who Wanted to Watch Football First
Let me take you back to a story from when Manish was five years old, because I think it tells you something about this man before he even knew who he was going to become. Mani grew up in a modest family, and one day his father took him to Sears Surplus to buy a letterman’s jacket. This wasn't just a regular sale. It was the sale after the sale! There were two choices available, one with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the other with the Dallas Cowboys. Now, you would think a five-year-old would simply pick whichever jacket looked nicer or had his favorite color. But not little Manish. He informed his father that he couldn't make a decision until he had watched the teams play football!
Can you imagine? His poor dad was probably thinking that we just came here to buy a jacket his son had been begging for! But apparently, little Mani needed more information before making such an important decision. His father started laughing because he hadn't expected that response from a five-year-old. Eventually, Mani watched the Cowboys play, decided they were his team, and chose the Dallas Cowboys jacket. And guess what? He is still a Cowboys fan today!
Every time I think about that story, I recognize the little boy in the man I married. He wants to understand things for himself, evaluate the possibilities, and make his own decisions. Once he believes in something, he is all in. Whether it is music, business, technology, or a cause he believes in, he puts his whole heart into it. And when something no longer aligns with his values, he can be equally decisive about walking away.
I find that fascinating because these patterns are often there from childhood, long before we learn to describe ourselves through our careers, accomplishments, or personalities. Perhaps that is one of the wonders of Earth School. We arrive with certain qualities, and through our experiences, we discover how to use them with greater wisdom.
From the Streets to the Stars
Manish has had an extraordinary range of experiences, and I sometimes wonder how one person could have lived through so much in a single lifetime. From going to Northwestern University at age twelve, via its Center for Talent Development, to being homeless for 44 weeks while experiencing problems with his eyesight, to walking through some of the most dangerous parts of Detroit in the middle of the night, his story has many chapters that most people would never imagine.
And then there is the music! If you knew Mani during his college years at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, or in the Chicago House and Techno scene, you probably have a few stories of your own. From throwing some incredible fraternity parties and raves to building a life around music, Mani has spent decades creating experiences that people still talk about. He has performed internationally and played at venues and events that brought him into contact with people from every imaginable background.
But here's something that continues to amaze me. The same man who can move a dance floor with his music also has a deeply analytical mind. He earned a 4.0 GPA studying engineering with an artificial intelligence and machine learning focus (MENG) at the University of Illinois Chicago, and he can spend hours exploring engineering problems, systems, and new technologies. He is also a poet, a rapper, an entrepreneur, and an inventor working on orbital intelligence technology that could help address challenges in the space industry.
I've met many creative people and many analytical people, but rarely someone who seems equally at home in both worlds. Manish is a polymath, good at many things, but what fascinates me is not simply the number of things he can do. It is his ability to move between completely different worlds while remaining curious about what else might be possible. From the streets to the stars, literally! What an Earth School adventure this man has chosen.
Everybody Has a Mani Story
After getting married at the courthouse, which is another story for another time, we decided to go back to India and Nepal to meet our cousins and relatives. We ended up staying there for five months, doing business development for the company we were associated with. That was a trip! Over the years, we continued traveling around the world for work, but we always tried to do at least one fun thing before leaving each place. I have seen people from all walks of life, political figures, business leaders, people from large organizations, a janitor, a rap artist, a chef, a mother, and so many others, experience the joy of being uplifted by Manish's words.
The stories I have heard from people are just amazing. One time we were at a Jeffersonian dinner, surrounded by many accomplished people. Three gentlemen who were involved in one of the world's most renowned fine-dining chains discovered that he was the same Mani from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. They were in awe! I was surprised by their reaction, but then they began sharing their experiences from those years, remembering one of the most amazing times of their lives: a fraternity party that Mani had thrown, where they had their first “rave” experience, which changed their lives.
I sat there listening, fascinated that something he had created so many years earlier was still alive in their memories. Think about that. People go on to build careers, families, businesses, and entirely new lives, yet certain moments stay with them. Sometimes it is a conversation, sometimes a party, sometimes something that another person said or did that changed how they saw the world. I have witnessed this repeatedly with Mani, and it never stops amazing me.
I feel blessed to be married to one of the best storytellers of our days. He shares so much of himself in his stories that you feel as though you were there. Some of his stories are so detailed that I almost feel like I was part of them, even though they happened years before we met. And when other people come and share their Mani stories, I find myself thinking, "Oh, I know you through Manish!" It is like discovering another little piece of his life through someone else's memories.
There are also those stories that people tell me about how he helped them when they were about to give up, or how his words inspired them to follow their dreams. Those are especially beautiful to hear. It is fascinating to see how all these experiences weave into Mani's incredible, expansive consciousness and the grand story he is creating.
Something else I have witnessed over the years is Mani's ability to see possibilities in people that they may not yet recognize in themselves. He can somehow show you a glimpse of your highest self, what you are capable of becoming if you are willing to recognize your own potential and do the work to get there. I have seen people become deeply inspired by his words, sometimes making changes in their lives that they might never have considered before. But I have also seen people become upset with him, particularly when what he reflects back to them challenges the way they see themselves.
And I find this fascinating from an Earth School perspective. Sometimes we love hearing about our greatness, but are we willing to face the parts of ourselves that may be standing in the way? It is one thing to recognize a possibility and quite another to live it. Mani can point toward the door, but he cannot walk through it for someone else. That is their choice, just as learning to recognize when and how to share his observations is part of his own journey. We are all learning from one another, sometimes through encouragement and sometimes through uncomfortable encounters. What an interesting school we've signed up for!
The Fire, the Heart, and the Lessons
Mani is a force, fueled by his heart. He emanates passion for whatever he feels aligned with in any given moment, and as someone who has shared a life with him, I can tell you that this passion is quite something to experience! It is one of the qualities I love about him, although I have also witnessed how the same intensity can sometimes create challenges.
As a state debate champion and someone who speaks from the heart, that combination can be very powerful. While the desire to speak his truth is commendable, the delivery depends on his emotional state; when it mixes with passion, the same fiery element can either give you warmth and radiance or burn you. I have seen both, and I think this is such a fascinating part of being human. Our greatest gifts can sometimes become our greatest challenges, depending on how consciously we use them.
There have been moments when I have watched him walk into a situation, recognize something that doesn't feel right, and call it out without hesitation. Sometimes I think he arrives with light and ends up flipping the table! Haha! But I also know the heart behind that intensity, and I have seen him continue to learn how to bring his truth into the world with greater awareness.
And isn't that what we are all doing in Earth School? We come here with certain abilities, tendencies, and challenges, and through our experiences, we learn how to master them. We may believe we already understand a lesson, but then life presents another situation that asks us to demonstrate what we truly know. It reminds me of practicing for an exam, feeling completely prepared, and then discovering that the questions are quite different from what we expected!
I have witnessed his evolution firsthand, including his growing recognition of his own power and the wisdom needed to use it. He can be a catalyst for change, creating opportunities for powerful transformation, both for himself and for the people around him. It is fascinating to reflect on all this because I am not just watching his journey from the outside. We are both participating in this Earth School adventure, learning from each other and discovering new aspects of ourselves along the way.
The Diamond in the Rough
I remember Mani's uncle once describing him to me as a "diamond in the rough." That expression has stayed with me because the more I experience life with Mani, the more I appreciate what his uncle was recognizing in him. A diamond in its natural state may not reveal all its brilliance at first glance, but that doesn't mean the brilliance isn't there. It has always been part of the diamond, waiting to be revealed.
And I sometimes wonder whether that is what we are all doing here in Earth School, discovering the many facets of ourselves through our experiences. With Mani, I have witnessed so many of those facets over the years: the brilliant analytical mind, the wildly creative musician, the storyteller, the inventor, the little boy who wanted to watch football before choosing his sweatshirt, and the man whose heart carries so much passion. I have also witnessed the challenges, the lessons, and the growing awareness that comes from learning how to express those gifts with wisdom. Perhaps that is the beautiful part of being human. We don't need to become someone else to discover our greatness; we need to recognize what is already within us and learn how to express it.
He is exactly what I was seeking in a partner, without consciously knowing all the details of what that would mean, both personally and in business. Over the years, we have traveled, created, dreamed, faced challenges, and continued discovering new possibilities together. He is my comfort zone and my growth, and I am still in awe that I get to share this incredible life with him.
And I love him, not because he has mastered every lesson in Earth School, but because I get to share this remarkable human experience with him. Sometimes I think God is really experiencing quite a bit through this man! And isn't that the wonder of being here, getting to explore so many different aspects of existence through one human life?
So, What's Your Mani Story?
Manish has many names: Minchoo, Ishman, MMDot, and everyone's favorite, Mani. For years, many people pronounced Mani like "Manny," but recently he has been reminding everyone that it is pronounced like "Money," short for Manish. Even his names seem to have their own stories, and perhaps we will explore those another time!
But what I really want to know is, what's your Mani story? Whether you knew him as a child, attended one of his parties in Champaign-Urbana, danced to his music in Chicago, worked with him, met him somewhere around the world, or simply shared an unforgettable conversation, we would love to hear about it.
I have heard so many remarkable stories over the years, and I know there must be hundreds more that I haven't heard. Some may be funny, some inspiring, some completely outrageous, and others deeply personal. If you have a story about Mani, send us a message through the Contact page! Perhaps we can bring some of these memories together in a future blog, with your permission, of course. And who knows? Perhaps someone will share a story about Mani that even I haven't heard! After all, I've only been part of this semester of his Earth School adventure.
Each person who crosses our path becomes part of our Earth School experience, sometimes for a moment and sometimes for a lifetime. It is amazing to think about how many stories we are all creating together, often without realizing how much those moments mean to someone else.
As for me, my Mani story is still being written. We have many more dreams to explore, places to discover, things to create, and probably a few more interesting Earth School exams ahead of us. But I wouldn't trade this adventure for anything.
Happy Earth School, Mani! I love you, and I am so joyful that we chose to experience this semester together.
With love,
Nisha :)
Share this post and celebrate Nisha Miglani’s work in consciousness, Vedic wisdom, research, and Tha WeRD.
Nisha J. Miglani | N WeRD
============= =======
Author, Doctoral Candidate, Polymath, Building Sustainable Futures in Consciousness, Space, Health, and Technology.
CSO, CEO & Co-Founder: Clean It Up (CSO), Aethr Health Intelligence (CEO
CIU Website: http://cleanitup.space
Aethr Website: http://aethr.health
============================================================
Must Read: “Ascend To Your Cosmic Self”
