Showing posts with label Idea. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Idea. Show all posts

Monday, March 16, 2015

To see or to sense?

Do we sense things beyond the world we construct from our ‘five senses’? I am sure we do, and there is enough scientific data to prove that. But does our reliance on our ‘five senses’ hinder our ability to truly sense things. Are the yogi’s right when they say that we should shut out the world to truly ’see’ the world.

All of us have had such experiences, and most of us deny ourselves those experiences, by calling it a play of imagination. But in my experience, these moments have been of extreme simplicity and clarity. The sensing is of the unity of all things beyond analysis and understanding, in the realm of experiencing. These are meditative moments that force you into the clarity of ‘now’. Not always in meditation – but events that can lead to that which meditation is hoping to achieve.

In one such moment I actually decide to write at random, about my experiences with the 'beyond'. I do not meditate, not the conventional way, anyways. And its not exactly meditation that's the aim here. I am trying to get to where people get to with conventional ways of meditation, but just without meditation. Your senses will react to the surroundings by default. It is when you take full control over all your senses, your sense of sight, the touch, the smell, when you are totally in control over all your senses, that perhaps is when you have attained the desired result of meditation. To meditate, is to look into yourself, feel every molecule in you, every movement inside your body, every sound it makes, the feel of owning yourself and at the same time, being fully aware of your surroundings. And people have numerous ways to do that. I ride.

And it isn't something I have done for a very long time, but long enough to understand that I was born to do that. I was born to ride. Most people find it an activity they have to do in their lives to move from Point A to Point B, as part of their lifestyle, a compulsion of sorts. I somehow, find solace while I ride, whether it be for work, or any other purpose, I seem to always look forward to it, At 3 in the noon under the scorching sun, or be it too windy, or be it 5 in the morning on a particularly chilly winter, it always seems to lighten my mood, and cheer me up. But we are not here to see me be cheerful. What happens after, is what intrigues me.

Whenever I take a long ride, I mostly go for an open face helmet, a light backpack with my camera, phone charger, a change of clothes and chocolates and just leave. And there are stages to what I feel. I will probably check on the health of the motorcycle at first. Then I will start enjoying the wind, be cheerful. But then after some time, the difference between 'happy' and 'sad' somehow seems to dissolve. There is no emotion. No thoughts too, for that matter. Just the moment. That very moment. And it feels like a long empty bridge that connects your senses to you. And you look at yourself. 

It's something I tell you. surprises me all the time. I would not be particularly concentrating on the road, to ensure a safe ride, its like the subconscious takes care of that by itself. What happens to the conscious, you'd ask? I think, and it is just a hypothesis, the conscious surrenders to the subconscious. Your senses are so much in sync with each other, they feel and sense as one single unit, in perfect harmony. And I think in that particular moment one is fully in control over their senses, even though consciously they aren't making any effort to do so whatsoever.

And that brings us to the final question. What we see and sense in regular life, is that all a lie? I ask because it is quite different from what I see when I have that clarity of thought. It's like our senses are somehow muddled during our day to day lives, while we interact with people and situations around. What do we believe in, and what not? And in our 'busy' lives is it too much to ask for a clarity of thought every once in a while, a little solace for ourselves?

Till next then
Ciao

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Confusing Indian elections.

I find these elections confusing. I completely support all the NGO’s that are making great efforts to et everyone to vote, and striving to provide details of the candidates at a click of an sms request on your cell phone.
But what do the parties stand for ? The platform for everyone seems to be why the other party was not the right candidate. The electioneering seems to be completely negative. Putting down the opposing candidate. Why I should not vote for the other Candidate, not why I should vote for you ?
Why should I vote for you ?

Monday, January 30, 2012

A Teacher Answers…

The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life.
One man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with 'education'. He argued, “What’s a kid going to learn
from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a 'teacher'?”
To stress his point he said to another guest; “You’re a teacher, Bonnie. Be honest. What do you make?”
Bonnie, who had a reputation for honesty and frankness replied,
“You want to know what I make?”
(She paused for a second, then began…)
“Well, I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could.
I make a C+ feel like the Medal of Honor.
I make kids sit through 45 minutes of class time when their
parents can’t make them sit for 5 without an I Pod,
Play Station or movie rental.
You want to know what I make?
(She paused again and looked
at each and every person at the table)
I make kids wonder.
I make them question.
I make them apologize and mean it.
I make them have respect and take responsibility for their actions.
I teach them how to write and then I make them write. Keyboarding isn’t everything.
I make them read, read, read.
I make them show all their work in math. They use their God
given brain, not the man-made calculator.
I make my students from the villages learn everything
they need to know about English while preserving their
unique cultural identity.
I make my classroom a place where all my students feel safe.
I make my students stand, placing their hand over their heart to
say the ‘Pledge of Loyalty’ to their Flag and their Nation.
Finally, I make them understand that if they use the gifts they
were given, work hard, and follow their hearts, they can succeed in life.
( Bonnie paused one last time and then continued.)
Then, when people try to judge me by what I make, with me knowing money isn’t everything, I can hold my head up high and pay no attention because they are ignorant. You want to know what I make?
I MAKE A DIFFERENCE. What do you make Mr. CEO?”
His jaw dropped; he went silent.
Even all your personal teachers like mothers, fathers, brothers,
sisters, coaches and your spiritual leaders/teachers.
A profound answer!!!

Till Next then
CIAO

(P.S.: Dedicated to all the teachers/professors that made me what I am today.)
---Inspired from a poem by Taylor Mali.

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Why was I born?

I looked for my true calling
I looked for my true purpose
What I am supposed to do on the planet
Why was I born ?
And I asked the question deep inside me
Beyond logic, beyond thought, deep in the bowels
Of the space where I connect to the Universe
Where I can be thrown into the raging storm of ‘not knowing’
And the answer hit me in an immense tidal wave of understanding
“You are your own purpose
Nothing more, and nothing less
A bundle of purpose and karma
All existing within itself
And the only thing holding it back
Is the separation created by
Words like ‘I’ and ‘my’ and ‘me’.”

Till Next then
CIAO

Thursday, January 26, 2012

The Idea that is India…

In my room, all alone, thinking about my country and my people. The people of India. It’s Republic Day today.
The people of India ?
Is there another country on this planet with people as diverse as ours ? And while we constantly speak and complain about differences and conflicts, today must be a day to celebrate that diversity. The fact that despite the diversity we have clung to one nation even though everything threatens to tear us apart everyday.
Why? Because India is more than a country. It is an Idea. An Idea that was born as a reaction to being colonized, to being enslaved by colonial power for centuries. As long as the Idea survives, India survives. The day we let go of that idea, we might as well let go of India.
Happy Republic Day people…
Till Next then
CIAO

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

I am that.

I am
nothing more
but nothing less.
I am not
who you think I am
I am not
who I think I am.
I am
all that is
and all that is not.
I am
neither defined
nor definable
neither finite
nor infinite.
I am
that.
That was never born
or ever died.
I am
that has no word
to describe.
That I am.
I just
am.
 
Till next then
CIAO

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

The Art of doing Nothing.

 
Work, work, work. Play hard. Take a holiday. Go out. Have you seen the latest ? And yet …. I crave to walk the mountains, not alone, but in solitude, allowing my mind to breathe, to listen to the quite whispers going on between me and my mind. Between my conscious and subconscious. Every day to get to know myself again, to say a quite hello to myself, and give myself a gentle hug. And seemingly to do nothing. Nothing except just be…..
…. for if not, I am no longer active. I fool myself into thinking that the flurry of activity is real. That it gives my presence on this planet worth
It is an illusion.
For it is just a flurry of reactivity.. It’s like my mind is leaving my heart behind.
Often we believe that what happens is so directly related to what we do. Our actions.
That is just our Ego. For often our actions are mere reactions. Reactions that actually impede what we set out to achieve. To do.
Sometimes, it is good to sit back and believe. Just believe. Knowing that sometimes it is not merely in the doing, but also in the believing.
Till Next then.
CIAO

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Mr. Sibal…Are you reading this?

Just as ‘ Facebook protests’ give rise to democratic protests in Russia against rigging of elections by Mr Putin, the Indian Government seeks to curtail the reach and the voice of individual protest in the world’s largest democracy.
So what’s the Government (not only in India) afraid of? It’s afraid of the unknown. Social Network is a game changer in the playing out of democracy, and the Government (and Governments all over the world) are caught unawares. All political parties, their elected representatives, whether they sit in opposition or in Government have spent their political lives based on a set of parameters they have come see as sacrosanct. Moral or immoral, those parameters are the only ones they understand. The world has changed beneath their feet.
Yes there are video’s posted, or content posted on the Internet that are immoral and against the law. That encourage racial conflict.  But I believe the platforming companies are pretty good about removing such content.  All you have to do is report, and if there are enough complaints then that content will be taken off. You only have to look at how quickly the Internet companies and Governments all over respond to child pornography on the net (least in India actually).  But hey ! if there is something against a politician (say a video) and that gets 10 million odd hits in a week, and thousands of comments, does that not say something about how the community feels ?  To try and stop that is completely undemocratic, is it not ?
One last thing.  Censorship on the Internet is only possible if you shut the Internet down.  Google, Facebook and Twitter are only vulnerable because of their size and desire for valuation. Take them down and thousands of alternate sites for platforming content will sprout up.  Take them down and ten thousand will sprout up.  People have found the power to express themselves and will not give it up easily.  The growing community of hackers, some still in their teens, have shown that no Government or Corporation in the world is able to ‘ban’ them.
The Internet and freedom of expression are here to stay.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Imperfections.!



The chat with her left me thinking. Is there a perfect gesture? Can ‘anything’ be done perfectly? Can anything ever feel perfect? A talk? An argument , even?


Well… the night, for starters was perfect. Clear sky, full of stars. A cool breeze. The walk felt good. Lonely. But good. Not at any moment did it feel like a 6 km walk. It was light. I felt light.


So maybe perfect things do exist, around us, in our lives. Now coming to what we mortals do. Can we mortals do perfects things? Like having perfect conversations? Closing a deal perfectly? Mmm… Having a perfect argument.. say? Can we?


I guess not. Humans are imperfect. In fact humans are far from being perfect. All of them. Not one work can ever be executed perfectly. No relationship can ever be perfect. No emotion delivered perfectly. So we humans are imperfect. Face it..!


But then doesn’t that very quality set us apart? From animals? From other humans? Then, Perfectness would mean there would be just one perfect human, one perfect attitude set, one perfect skill set, one perfect profession, one perfect car, one perfect city to live in, one perfect dish to eat daily, one perfect..of anything.


And achieving ‘that’ Perfect thing would mean we would all be the same. Exact replicas of each other. All behave exactly the same. All would look exactly alike, drive the same car, live in the same city, all of ‘em, eat the same thing everyday.


Aiming for the ‘Perfect’ would mean loosing your ‘Individuality’. Loosing that, would mean… well you yourself would cease to exist, ..figuratively..of course.!


Abhimanyu: “All right Life..! Lesson taken. Do not aim for the Perfect.. Done deal..!”
Life: Mind it..! Yenna Rascalla..! Winking smile


P.S: Now who cares about perfect arguments anymore… haha..!
(Special regards to YM for helping me getting rid of my ‘block’…and JS, who is..well…shall we say My Imperfect Inspiration..!)