A human born in any part of the world is human whose needs conform to Maslows hierarchy of needs model and yet we manage to create divisions based on colour, caste, creed, sex, financial status, nation, etc creating a concept of superiority/ inferiority and a basis for exploitation much like Hitler and possibly as dreadful. We were all the same until race disconnected us, religion separated us, and wealth classified us. 

The frightful part is somehow divisions have become a legacy for societies across the world whether black or white, hindu or muslim, rich or poor, Indian or Chinese….Where does this division exist? In our collective minds, we perpetuate it. If you observe the root of this “need for differentiation” is a “Psychological Need” that needs to be added to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs model. People assist only people who meet their similarity criteria, others can go to hell…How are we different from Hitler?

Being inclusive and not exclusive is the key – follow your own code but do not try to impose it on others. How? Change always begins with self. Difficult but not impossible…

Traffic jams are the best way to test your spiritual progress – if you remain calm, composed, cheerful during the traffic jam – whatever is your “spiritual” practice is working. I got to test mine on 11^th August 2022 as I was rushing back to Mumbai from Nasik alone in my car for some urgent work and got stuck for 6 hours to get from Nasik to Thane (which normally takes less than 3 hours). Sharing a few valuable insights from the most recent traffic jam experience.

1.     Nothing is urgent, everything can wait and even if it can’t there’s not much you can do about it

2.     You can’t run away from your fate – what will happen, will happen

3.     The best time to practice zen is when you are in a traffic jam in midst of pouring rain, with no end in sight, with a slight opening in your car wind shield bringing the rain water inside to give you a taste of your own private waterfall

4.     Always pee before you get into a car for a long drive. No guys you can’t pee in a bottle whilst sitting, don’t know about women. You need an elephants bladder and a truck drivers patience, who simply get on with their lives oblivious to the traffic jam since waiting in long queues on roads is normal life for them…

5.     Can someone lend me their left knee? Mine is numb pressing the clutch for hours…Why is my car not Automatic transmission?

6.     Count your blessings that you are not in the next rickshaw with people packed like a can of sardines with an excuse of a rain curtain not offering any protection from rain

7.     Well you need some “me” time, here it is – you’re alone in the car with no-where to go, enjoy your “me” time

8.     Have a flask of tea, snacks in the car always. You never know when you may need it.

9.     Whatever your view about God is will change – if you are a believer, you will start doubting, if not then you will start believing – it is all directly proportional to the number of hours of the traffic jam…

10.  There comes a time when you just want to leave your car and run as Munnabhai says khali pili bheja sala yunhi phadphadaye but… Hence last but not the least, travel by train – avoid cars especially during rains. Na rahega baas, na bajegi basuri…

How ready am I? is a question that came to my mind whilst reading a news item on the state of Micheal Schumacher who was the top Formula One Racer and suffered a severe brain injury in a skiing accident in 2013 and has since been in a medically induced coma. One of the fittest people with the fastest reflexes is no longer able to even get up from bed. Similar thing happened to Christopher Reeve, the actor who played the role of Superman when he was thrown from a horse and remained paralysed for the rest of his life. What happened to them could happen to any of us… A momentary twist of fate can completely overturn your life as you know it, all of a sudden…

Not so sudden is the process of aging that everyone goes through. A book that I’m presently reading “Being Mortal” by Dr.Atul Gawande deals with the challenges of the aging process and caregiving for people with diminished abilities both physical and mental. This would most probably happen to all of us, if we manage living long enough by averting accidents/diseases – which is the attempt by all of us but the critical question is are we prepared for living long with diminished physical/mental faculties?

In both cases you need an attitude of acceptance which comes in only when you accept that you are no-thing (Shi-va) and will return as such (Khali haat aye hai, khali haat jayenge), what you are clinging on to is an imagination of “I, Me, Mine” which in reality doesn’t exist. Acceptance of the fact that death is of the form/of this illusion whilst what you truly are is the eternal Source behind the form, is the way to transcending the illusion, to total surrender, to total freedom. This is true Mrityunjaya…

The new replaces the old,
space is only so much,
traffic piles up on a busy street,
one car waiting to take the place of the car in front,
and where are we headed?

Where i come from no one knows,
Where i go everyone goes….

Life is like a game of cards. The hand you are dealt with is determinism, the way you play it is free will…. Or is it?

Fate or free will, whatever you believe in doesn’t matter, Karma is inevitable, inescapable.

The game of life can be summed up in this lovely quote

“O Water, I can’t stop you from going to the sea but I can make you walk.”

Free will is drinking the water, but destiny is water will eventually reach the sea regardless of the form it assumes temporarily since all forms are temporary and eventually fold back into their element….

Recently I visited a beach which had separate accesses – some for the general public and others for fancy hotels and rich mansions along the beach. The rich in the fancy hotels/mansions showing off their attitude as if they owned the sunset & somehow experienced the sunset better from their lofty seats wondering where their next million will come from, whilst some in the general public wondering where their next meal will come from… Well such is life is what we would shrug and say… 

It is then I realised that we have managed to monetise, divide and acquire almost everything – earth, water, air, space even the right to decide which other sentient being lives/dies. So a person born in today’s world inherits all this division and is made to find his/her place under the sun with/without disturbing the social order. So unless you are born into a family of means, you are denied even food/water/clothing/shelter and whether you live or die, no one cares. What ails us is an individual problem being experienced collectively. So we are collectively abnormal and consider it as “normal” and perpetuate it for generations.

Time to wake up and smell the coffee. What ails us is Shada Ripu – Six enemies of the mind – Kama(Desire), Krodha(Anger), lobha(greed), Mada(Arrogance), Moha (Delusion) and Matsarya (Jealousy). You have to individually liberate (Moksha) yourself from these enemies and leave the world and yourself a bit better than what you inherited…

The entire existence as we experience it is temporary/impermanent. Observe the impermanence in everything, including yourself and the awareness will bring you to the doorstep of something that is beyond impermanence – stay there.

The more you hold on to the temporary, the more confused you will be. Let go of all, see what remains 🌻

A revolt/revolution happens only when someone realises that something is wrong, like with the British Rule in India. The non -acceptance of the British oppression by some Indians eventually snowballed into a full fledged revolution. Some people adopted violent means whilst some non – violent, but both were convinced that something is wrong and it needs to be opposed at any cost. In the words of Lokmanya Tilak – Swaraj(Freedom)is my birthright and I shall have it!

Unless you get such conviction for Self Realisation, even the start point is yet to arrive, which is the case with most. This reminds me of a psychological condition called Stockholm Syndrome – coined out of a bank robbery situation in 1973 wherein the hostages formed a psychological connection with their captors and began sympathising with them.

We are collectively facing the Stockholm Syndrome and we’re blissfully unaware of it. We are held hostage by our own egoism and we are not only sympathising with our captor but also are willing to even die for it….

As Gheranda Samhita (A treatise on Hatha Yoga) States
There are no shackles like those of Illusion(Maya),
No power like that of Yoga,
No better friend than Wisdom(Jnana) &
No greater enemy than Egoism(Ahamkara)…

So who wants change?😀🙏🌻

My grandmother used to tell us a story of Shivaji Maharaj who upon being flustered with the responsibilities of administering & protecting a Kingdom went to his Guru – Samarth Ramdas Swami saying that he could no more handle the responsibility. Upon which his Guru said give me your kingdom which Shivaji Maharaj gave readily and then his Guru said that no longer is your kingdom yours, now everything is mine. I now ask you to run this kingdom for me, so there is nothing that remains unto you, neither praise nor blame. Shivaji Maharaj then happily administered the kingdom for his Guru.

The essence of the story was of course that the stress was created in Shivaji Maharaj’s mind due to the belief that he was responsible for administering, protecting, running it. This is the ego at play. His Guru merely reminded him that nothing is yours so why worry? Do your best in every situation, happily. And so it is for all of us…Just remember that nothing is yours so where is the question of stress? Just do your best in every situation for the Guru that resides in all of us.

“Et Tu Brute, then fall Ceaser” – the tragic last words of Julius Ceaser on being stabbed by his own protege – Brutus. The political backstabbing continues over the ages and we simply shrug and say that’s human nature – is it? 

What has unfolded in the Maharashtra Politics is not the first case, nor will it be the last – the lust for Power is overwhelming and the ones willing to play it can go to any extent to obtain it. The pursuit of Power, Wealth, Fame corrupts the mind so much that it cannot distinguish between right and wrong anymore. The problem is that the entire society has accepted such corrupted ways since Power, Wealth, Fame seem to be the only worthwhile pursuits and that is reflected in the behaviour of the leaders who go any lengths to grab power, wealth, fame…

A sad day for the Society since it lost yet another chance at redemption but Society is just a word for the collective and everyone wants to eat the ice-cream before it melts…