Culture, in my view, is a code that you adhere to (practice it till it becomes a habit and ultimately your character). Whilst the external situations may change but your internal code must not change. “Culture” is a loosely used word and means different things to different people and at times traditions, rituals, religion are also mixed as a part of culture which is fine as long as it doesn’t contradict the basic code of being human.

Maharshi Patanjali has suggested 5 abstinences(Yama) and 5 observances(Niyama) as a basic code of conduct for every human regardless of race, religion, region…This is the basic foundation of Yoga

Yama – The five yamas are ahimsa (non-violence), satya (truthfulness), asteya (non-stealing), brahmacharya (continence) and aparigraha (non-grasping)

Niyamas – 

1. Saucha: purification, cleanliness and clarity of mind, communication and physical body. 
2. Santosha: contentment and acceptance of the world, oneself and circumstances exactly as they are. 
3. Tapas: asceticism or intense self-discipline and willpower, even through discomfort. 
4. Svadhyaha: study of the self, and the practice of self-reflection. 
5. Ishvara Pranidhana: surrender to and contemplation of the Divine or Supreme Being. 

All religions preach this in one way or the other but how many actually uphold them is anyone’s guess.

So long as you adhere to this code of conduct, what other song and dance you add on the name of culture, religion is up to you…

Another year gone by to reflect upon and a new one coming up to plan for. 

Are you still accumulating or letting go?

Are you happy because you have got what you sought? Or are you happy that you have nothing to seek?

Realise that there is nothing to ‘get’ out of life but life itself.

Be joyful in the moment, fragrant like a flower in full bloom.

There’s nothing more to life, certainly nothing less…

If your direction is right, everything will eventually fall in place. In is the only way out…

Best wishes for the new year…

Accept your fate, choose your destiny

Fate and destiny are both words that convey similar meanings but it depends on how they’re used & understood. In my case, i term fate as the situation that you are in and destiny as what you choose to do given the situation-in effect your habits that leads to your character

Fate =situation(not in your control)
Destiny =character(in your control)
🙏🌻

Most people in their sunset years will tell you this but whether you accept this wisdom or not depends on your maturity…​

It doesn’t matter

1. who you were, how many people you knew(most of them won’t be around)

2. how many people know you or what they think of you

3. which political party is in power

4. if you have more money than what serves your daily needs.

It matters

1. If you have sound health and mind

2. Whether you are at peace with your situation or not

3. Whether you have friends to share your drinks, meals and nonsensical thoughts with.

4. If you have people who you can call family

Remember time and tide wait for no one. Never lose what matters for what really doesn’t matter in the long run….

Prayer for transcending mortality:

“Today I may die

If so let me pass in Grace

If not let me live in Grace”

Living and dying in Grace is possible when you know the Truth as a Direct experience- Bliss is a symptom of such an experience

The journey within is the only journey the rest is just an illusion 🌻

Isn’t it strange that we come with nothing, fight for everything only to leave it all behind and go with nothing. Then again – what is it you value and what are your values? worth re-examining from time to time….. 

They say that most people know the price of everything but the value of nothing. Most invaluable things in life are free – nature endowments, mothers love, friendship… Spend more time with invaluable things rather than chasing things with a price and your life would be all the more rich for it.

A man gifted away the Gateway of India to a passerby, “But!” said the passerby, “it’s not yours to give.”

The man smiled and said “What is?”

Nothing is yours understand this, accept it, Live and Love to give 🌻

No one is born fit, you have to strive towards creating & maintaing it.

If you have a fit body, clothes don’t matter

If you have a fit mind, situations don’t matter 

If you have a kind heart, religions don’t matter 

If you are Self Realised, nothing matters

Hazaron Khwahishein Aisi Ke Har Khwahish pe dum nikle

Bahut Nikle mere arman lekin phir bhi kam nikle…(Mirza Ghalib)

We chase thousands of desires in the hope of finding bliss, when the truth is that bliss is our nature & never left us but we somehow lost access to it in the noise of desire chasing.

To find bliss –

You don’t need to go to temples/churches/…, 

you don’t need to read the scriptures, 

you don’t need Guru’s, 

you just need to let go of wanting the noise(of desires) and sit silently. 

As Rumi beautifully puts it – What you seek is seeking you…

What Is (Bliss) will reveal itself when the noise settles.

Whatever it is that you are experiencing;

pleasure, pain, youth, aging,….;

is all temporary and it too shall pass;

What then is the meaning of this experience?

Well that is for the experiencer to know

Who is the experiencer?

That is for you to find out…