Love and Hate

It’s tragic what happened in Pahalgam. It’s also tragic what is happening in Ukraine, Gaza, etc. Further, the economic tragedy being unleashed by the Nut on the world is unimaginable. It is not that tragedies didn’t happen in earlier times but the speed ​and explicitness at which they’re communicated in today’s age of mobile communication is mind boggling. Along with the factual news ​are added opinions, views of those conveying it which further complicates the issue​ and since we live in an increasingly “connected world” the effects of such news are instantaneous – Canada boycotting US products, US boycotting Chinese Products, closer home Hindu’s boycott Muslim Products and vice versa, and the hatred/animosity that vested interests (Fundamentalists and Terrorists) want to spread is spreading like wildfire. Are we moving towards humanity or against it?

Tragedies happening across the world are flashed on your mobile screen within moments, sometimes even live​ which inevitably brings stress. Stress is what comes up when you​ want to respond but are unable to ​and living in stress continuously leads to psychosomatic diseases. We are bringing it upon ourselves to be continuously stressed by not only updating news on a moment to moment basis but also taking to social media to express our frustrations and add ​our own two bits of views to the already over opinionated state of affairs​ and then soon enough there are views/counter views, debates, etc further exacerbating the already depressing situation. 

Accept that there were and will always be people who want to promote hatred/violence for their own purposes, you can choose not to be a part of it by not promoting the hatred/violence. You could be the one to stand for humanity even if you are standing alone. None of us are getting out of here alive, my friends, to leave the world slightly better than what we came into, is our responsibility and it is only love that can accomplish that, not hate…. 

Emptiness is valuable

Intellectuals try to fill the mind, the wise try to empty the mind.

It is in emptiness that true creativity happens, everything else is just a rehash of something learnt earlier.

The Source lies beyond both filling and emptying and is not concerned with either and yet it is the cause of everything. It can only be reached in complete silence which is also the way of emptying the mind

Duck or Eagle?

There’s an interesting story of a “Duck or Eagle – you decide” floating on Whatsapp wherein a cab driver chooses to focus on rendering a great service to each of his clients instead of sitting and complaining about everything that’s bad with the world around(which is plenty ;-)). The story uses the analogy of ducks and eagles – ducks just make noise and complain whilst eagles soar high. So be an eagle not a duck…. 

I realise that most people have made it a habit to complain about almost everything that touches their lives and in effect make lives miserable for not only themselves but also everyone around them by focussing on what’s wrong.Now there is another way that could be chosen and that is to find what is right about everything and what is good in everyone – it may not change the factual situation but it puts your mind into a positive frame to find a solution and hopefully does that for others around you as well. 

My fathers advice to most sportsmen who he trained as a sports psychologist was “Choice of Focus”. You can and you must choose what you focus on. The mind usually brings up memories of failure that deject you and reinforce the same behaviour repeating the same cycle of failure. Instead you could choose to remember the successes or even imagine you being successful in whatever field you choose and lo! it happens. Try it, it certainly doesn’t harm but puts you in a positive frame of mind.

So the next time you open your mouth to complain about something, know that you could use the same energy to praise something that’s good or better still, start working on correcting whatever wrong you notice, instead of just complaining about it.

Humility

Humility is a sign of spiritual progress. Pride is a sign of ego.

Ego driven/Intelligent people are able to glibly rattle off verses from Holy Scriptures and assume that they are in a position to guide others on the spiritual path but they forget that they cannot share what they have never experienced.

Hence look for humility, silence in Guru’s. Such Guru’s(Ramana Maharshi, Buddha, Nisargadatta Maharaj…)would encourage you to practice silence, being in the moment as a witness and find out for yourself. If you can’t find one then it’s better to walk the path alone….

Your direction is more important than your speed. Look inwards in silence

Ubuntu


Ubuntu, a Nguni word meaning “humanity to others,” emphasizes interconnectedness and the idea that “I am because we are.” 

We are all interconnected and interdependent more than you would ever know. However you can help others only to the extent you can make yourself capable, as they say in the oxygen mask usage announcement before every flight, it is important to first secure your own mask before you help others.

So by all means make yourself more capable and use your capabilities for the benefit of all.

Yoga

Most people think that Yoga is performing some body twisting exercises to improve flexibility.

Yoga is not only about flexibility(Asana), else every Gymnast would have been a Yogi.

Yoga is not only about breath control(Pranayama), else every endurance athlete would have been a Yogi.

Yoga is not only about maintaining a code of conduct(Yama/Niyama) nor only about withdrawing your attention(Pratyahara) nor only about sitting in meditation for long periods of time(Dharana/Dhyana)

Yoga is all of the above till you realise that life is not about seeking/doing but about accepting/being…(Samadhi)

Yoga Chitta Vritti Nirodha

MAGA+MIGA=MEGA

MAGA+MIGA = MEGA, both depend on how you define “Great”. Is GDP the measure of “Great” or is Technological/ Military Superiority? Complete disregard to environmental sustainability / human values in the pursuit of economic, technological, military superiority, surely cannot be termed as “Great”. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what’s happening.

We live in a world with 8 Billion Human Population & God knows how many other sentient beings spread across different geographies that have been defined by drawing imaginary borders/lines to divide not only land/water/sky but also everything that comes within those boundaries. A handful of chosen or self appointed megalomaniac leaders of the 8 Billion control the fates of others and they seem to be hell bent on defining “Great” as economic prosperity coupled with technological and military superiority…

We have to first redefine “Great” to have a foundation of humanity and environmental sustainability and then make all efforts to get somewhere from there. If we don’t, we may not need any meteors for the extinction of the human race, we will self destruct ourselves….

Can a man change his destiny

That is the beauty of travel wherein you interact with people of different belief systems that hold varied views of what life is all about and what is its purpose. It prompts you to re-examine your own understanding of life. Whether there is God or not or whether there is rebirth, destiny, etc. Many unanswered questions are out there and you could arrive at your own answer in your own way and you would be right in your own way and cannot compare it with anyone else’s conclusion of it…

The best way is not to conclude and be open to learning and understanding. Life afterall is a journey and not a destination…

No country for poor people

Trump has announced a Gold Card scheme that invites people with USD 5 Million to get US Citizenship. Whilst this may sound outrageous, most countries lay out similar Red Carpets for wealthy people, the definition of wealthy however could differ…No one wants the poor people and couldn’t care less what happens to them(deportation, death, …)

In today’s world, whether you live or die is determined by how much money you have and the worst part is we don’t even think that there is something wrong with this line of thinking…

Money is not the culprit, it just provides a medium of exchange and storage. The real culprit is human greed coupled with complete apathy for what happens to others so long as you get what you want…

So, the castles of future are being built on graves of human values and we think we are progressing since our GDP is growing by…% 

Time to wake up and smell the coffee?

Travel light

What does a person need to survive? Roti, kapada aur makan but we have our own definitions of what kind of Roti, Kapada and Makan we need, which complicates things and we realise it especially when we travel wherein we have to choose what to take with us and what to leave behind. In fact, the more you carry, the more of a burden(physical, mental and financial) it is in the journey…

And so it is with life, wherein the baggage is attachments -physical, emotional and intellectual, we keep accumulating despite knowing that we would have to leave everything behind.

Letting go of attachments/conditions to the life journey makes the journey lighter and more enjoyable. Try it….