Lionel Maithri was born in Sri Lanka and even as a child had a burning desire to understand the meaning of everything he saw. At the age of seven he had a cosmic consciousness experience, which implanted in him a source of inner energy to find answe rs to all his questions. His life was completely changed by this experience, but he was frustrated at that time by his inability to verbalize what he experienced. This seventh year epiphany was followed by a number of spiritual experiences, for ex ample during his solitary meditations while in Africa he felt the activation of Kundalini energy with the progressive opening of his seven energy centers or Chakras. Later in life while on retirement in California he had a remarkable Near Death Expe rience in 1993 during a by-pass surgery. Details of these experiences and their impact on his life are described in this book. Lionel Maithri obtained his first degree in linguistics and social sciences from the University of Sri Lanka in 1950. On the merit of obtaining seventh position in the Civil Service Competitive Examination in 1952 he was recruited to the National Ad ministrative Service and worked for twenty years in senior Administrative positions in Local Government, Higher Education, and Administrative Training. During this period he obtained several postgraduate qualifications from the University of London and the University of Birmingham in UK. In 1975 the United Nations Development Program recruited him as a Human Resource Development and Training Consultant for developing countries. His work with the United Nations and other International Agencies took him to nearly fifty different count ries giving him an opportunity to pursue his interest in the study of comparative religion by direct observation and participation in various types of religious practice. In Africa, he was particularly interested in the belief systems of primitive p eople such as the Bushmen. After coming to USA in 1991, he followed courses of studies in the University of Metaphysics and completed Masters and Doctoral Degrees in Metaphysical Sciences. In 1993 he had a remarkable Near Death Experience, which enhanced his spiritual develop ment process. This book is a synthesis of his deep knowledge and wide experience. He believes in the teachings of all genuine religious teachers, and describes his belief system as buffet, which means that he is free to choose any religious practice to which he i s drawn. He regards the Internet as a vast smorgasbord of all knowledge including all known spiritual paths. His favorite spiritual practice is solitary meditation in the form of merging with divine omniscience. His doctoral thesis for the Univer sity of Metaphysics was on techniques of higher meditation including the activation of Energy Centers. Lionel Maithri has a wide range of interests, including oil painting, poetry, writing, music, astrology, tai chi, chess and computer skills. He lives a quiet life in Everett, Washington with his soul mate Sreeni who assists him in all his activities . She is also the co-author of this book. Among other interests she plays classical oriental music on the Sitar. The International Society of Poets published a poem written by him on the Twin Tower tragedy, titled Why Live, in 2001. Another poem of his entitled Play Acting was published in 2003 in the anthology The Best Poems and Poets of 2002 . This book, Why I Live is a synopsis of his deep knowledge and wide experience. His aim is to share with all others his own experience of what has helped him in self-development throughout the course of his life.