Bryan Strang Spotlight: Bhagavad Gita to the rescue

[CrimsonAvenger]

Another article about him, on the same lines...

http://www.timeslive.co.za/sundaytimes/ ... Mr-Mugabe-...

'I can even forgive Mr Mugabe ...'

BRYAN STRANG: At the core of a troubled life is something that continues to haunt Zimbabweans the world over: the demise of a beautiful country


When Bryan Strang was 17, he dreamt of being a monk in the Himalayas. More than 20 years later, the surprise is therefore not that religion has been his salvation, but that he went through so much agony before finally finding God.

During this time he has played 26 Tests for Zimbabwe, given up his career because of the "whispering and hate" that plagued the game in that country, become an alcoholic, been thrown in jail, worked as a chainman building roads in London and contemplated suicide.

At the core of his troubles was something that continues to haunt Zimbabweans the world over: the demise of a beautiful country.

"After my cricket career finished, I just couldn't figure out us human beings," he says. "I was looking around wondering: 'What is going on?' I started drinking, started going quietly crazy, telling people to eff off."

Strang's frustration at what was unfolding in Zimbabwe in the early 2000s was unleashed by rebelling against the law. The alcohol took hold, anti-depressants were thrown into the mix and he was put on Valium to calm his wild ways.

Eventually he fled to England, but the demons followed.

"In 2008, I was back on my feet, I'd just been working on the road, but still I couldn't get this bogey out of me about Zimbabwe," he recalls.

"It was tearing me up, because here was the greatest country in the world yet there we were killing each other and starving our children, and you want someone to take responsibility for it.

"So I'm sitting in a tube station thinking about jumping in front of a train, and I'm trying to be rational about it by thinking what the positives and the negatives are."

There were enough questions flying through his head to dissuade him, but a few days later, Strang ended up in hospital as a result of self-inflicted wounds. Then came the turning point.

"I was walking down the street and this man comes up to me and he says: 'Sir, we think you need someone to pray for you'.

"I almost burst into tears. It felt like the only person who understood where I was, and I just grabbed his hand and I said: 'Please'."

He returned to Zimbabwe in 2008 and ventured further into religion, which had been at the core of his studies during his time at the University of Cape Town before cricket became his chief fascination. His strangling left-arm seamers brought him 56 Test wickets and 46 ODI scalps between 1995 and 2001.

"Cricket was the one thing that put me in the present moment all of the time," says Strang, now 38. "In this game, you can feel when something's going to happen, and I loved that feeling. And I loved travelling to other nations, seeing the kids playing on the streets in India, because it opens up your eyes."

His career highlights include a five-wicket haul against South Africa, particularly special because he had played for Western Province under-19, with the likes of Gary Kirsten, and the run-out of Nick Knight in the drawn Test against England in 1996 when the scores ended level - memorable "because everyone cussed my fielding and it was a crucial run-out under a lot of pressure".

Then there was the dismissal of Brian Lara for nought in a one-day international in Sydney, Australia.

"We'd made 138 and were struggling to stay in the series, 'Streaky' (Heath Streak) bowled well, I got three wickets and he got four, but Lara was obviously the man."

These days, Strang teaches "sport with knowledge and wisdom" at Westridge, Harare's largely Indian school. As well as attending church, he also practises elements of Buddhism and Hinduism.

"All I've done since I've been back in Zimbabwe is pray," he says. "And with the people that I held things against, I've focused on forgiveness. Even Mugabe."

[Zimfanatic69]

This is good news. I did not realise he had gone bonkers. I am pleased for him.

[sloandog]

Wasn't he playing for a franchise last year, or for a 2nd XI ?? I'm sure i read somewhere that he was...

[CrimsonAvenger]

http://dailynews.co.zw/article/Sport/6e ... ec05624ee9

Strang’s pursuit of spirituality
By Enock Muchinjo, Sports Editor
Tuesday, 16 April 2013 14:46
HARARE - Bryan Strang’s life has been in a constant turmoil, but the born-again former Zimbabwean cricketer says he has now found spiritual fulfilment through the teachings of Indian spiritual leader Ravi Shankar.

Strang’s promising cricket career was blighted by drink-related issues and cases of indiscipline, coming to a head when he was banned by Zimbabwe Cricket in 2004 following a long-standing disagreement.

Having taken refuge in drink and drugs, Strang probably reached the lowest point of his life when he took up a job as a road construction worker in the UK in 2007, returning home to Zimbabwe the following year a shattered man and under the grip of manic depression and suicidal tendencies, broken in ways that could never be fixed, it seemed.

What a far cry from the likeable, friendly and useful medium-pace bowler who had gone about his business with quiet efficiency throughout his 26 Test and 49 One-Day International matches for Zimbabwe between 1995 and 2001.

In 2008 Strang was born again, proceeding, the following year, to embrace the teachings of Ravi Shankar (commonly known as Sri Sri Ravi Shankar), the spiritual leader and founder of the Art of Living Foundation, which aims to relieve individual stress, societal problems and violence.

The journey has now taken Strang to India, the home of his mentor, where he is currently on a tour and “doing service for guru and travelling to all spiritual places.”

“It’s important to define religion vs spirituality,” Strang, who will be turning 41 in June, tells the Daily News from India.

“We say religion is the banana skin and spirituality is the fruit. You have to peel through the dogma and rules of religion in order to taste the fruit. I was born again in December 2008 and I love Jesus. However, I do not define or put myself in a box regarding my faith and I am happy to sit and learn or praise God in any gathering. So I read different scriptures from all faiths and accept all.”

Bryan Colin Strang’s life had not always been rough. He was born in a stable and loving family in Bulawayo, where he grew up alongside his older brother Paul, the world-class leg-spinner he would later team up with in the Zimbabwe team. Their father Ron was a renowned first-class cricket umpire.

“My whole life was a preparation for my Rubicon moment, I studied religious studies at UCT (University of Cape Town) and read many spiritual books. However, my faith was more of an intellectual kind and not from the heart. In 2008 I was bored and fed up with the world and struggling to motivate myself or be enthusiastic about anything. I met a man in a street in Surrey, who asked if I needed a prayer. I jumped at the offer and three days later I asked Lord Jesus Christ into my life and my spiritual journey had begun at the ripe age of 34. I was very thirsty for spiritual knowledge. Four months later, I was introduced to the Art of Living Foundation and Sadguru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.”

Strang says the spiritual part of his life was the missing link in his cricket career.

“Any practise or discipline whether it be cricket, karate, yoga or Christianity requires a 100 percent commitment and does not happen overnight... spiritual aspirants or sadaks are walking a path. Sometimes it flows and other times we take the wrong route and get hopelessly lost. God realisation is the goal and as in any journey, there are good and bad times.”

He says of his India visit: “I’m doing service for the guru. A guru is a teacher, a person who brings one from ignorance to knowledge, from darkness to light. A person who enlightens one on what is real and what is illusion.

“My trip has been awesome. I have seen and experienced the jewel that is India. The good and the bad. I have travelled to Bangalore, Dehli, Rishikesh Gaya, Bodghaya, Calcutta, Hydrabad and back to Bangalore. Most of the journey has been on Indian railways; two ashrams, many temples, great parks, rivers, mountains, etc.”

On his return to Zimbabwe in 2008, Strang has worked as a teacher at Lilfordia primary school, run by the family of former Zimbabwe captain Alistair Campbell. He has also taught yoga and spirituality at the Indian school, Westridge, in Harare.

“I consider myself a teacher-coach but I am currently unemployed in Zimbabwe, but will begin new ventures when I return.”

Affectionately known as BC, Strang is currently not involved in Zimbabwean cricket, although he keenly follows goings-on in the game.

“I still believe Zim has immense talent and all the ingredients for success. However, the mix is wrong, something is missing, the X-factor.”

He is also excited about plans to start a family.

He says: “A bride is on the menu for this year!”

Bryan Strang continues his rediscovery from the brink...

[zimlover]

Reading through the various comments being made on this forum about Mr strang it appears that there is a lot of Stigma associated with mental illness, i am deriving this from all the name calling and labeling that he is getting from members of this forum.stigma is one of the main causes why peolpe do not seek help early when they have a mental break down. Please be compasionate to our fellow zimbabwean, who has suffered a lot at the hands of zimbabwean politics. IT must have been very difficult for him to finnaly come out and say it. I am sure there is a lot peolpe who wouldnot have been able to get through the stages he has been through in his life.

[Dr_Situ(ZimFanatic)]

Reading through the various comments being made on this forum about Mr strang it appears that there is a lot of Stigma associated with mental illness, i am deriving this from all the name calling and labeling that he is getting from members of this forum.stigma is one of the main causes why peolpe do not seek help early when they have a mental break down. Please be compasionate to our fellow zimbabwean, who has suffered a lot at the hands of zimbabwean politics. IT must have been very difficult for him to finnaly come out and say it. I am sure there is a lot peolpe who wouldnot have been able to get through the stages he has been through in his life.

Very well said.