Next year !

 The November month has come and we already started wrapping up the last old year. Aggressively started waiting for new fresh year. Aggression in waiting because our hopes are high for next year. Hopes are high since our expectations are higher with life.

Next year, want to earn more, want to spend more, want to fetch more discounts, in short want to make our lives more comfortable. Want the better gadgets next year. Want to upgrade the home. Want to list is infinite....

The factual reason why this need or urge is bursting up is that we essentially want to “experience more”. We wish to become more that what we are now. The wish is absolutely correct and valid. The path is however questionable. The path we have selected for betterment in life is “increase quality by possessing more” is doubtful.

What should we do? Should we discard the collection of better objects then?

Yes and no.

Yes, you should avoid unnecessary wastage of time. If your life is already luxury, don’t make it ultra-luxury, let the small element of struggle be present. Do not try to automate the whole lot. Otherwise, the exquisite human experience will be miserably vanished.

On the other hand, if you have very little facility, go ahead and get some tools. But please note, use of tools is to improve your working efficiency. Don’t get tangled fully. Infact, buy the tools not the gadgets.

Once you acquire and equipped with necessary objects, use them and move forward. Wrap up the old year and let’s wait for new year, let us see what it has to offer us this time. Keep reminded, hope is a good thing if backed up by shear will and hard work. Next year, Let us be more than what we are now. Not just by possessing more but by experiencing more from what we already have.  

   

Identity!

Do you like to be defined as someone? If yes, continue the reading.

Consciously or subconsciously we may be creating identify for ourselves. Something, which shelters major portion of our personality. For example : I am an Engineer, is an identity. We are defining ourselves. Other examples, I am IT Engineer, I am Mechanical Engineer, I am a singer, A sportsperson. Something more profound I am a boy, I am a girl is also an identity. Even positions and authority like I am manager, I am labour are the mark of identity creation.

What’s wrong in saying who we are and telling others if we are good at something?

Socially Yes, you may need some of the marketing to convey the correct message or for you to grow professionally. If you utter those words in a context of a group environment, it is okay. If you say these words to let other people know what your strengths are, it is okay (even though I never advocate too much market or false marketing, I believe communication becomes necessary in many situations). Now, if doctors wont say in an emergency that he is a doctor then its  a horrible mistake. You need to point out who you are.

But, if you say these words, these identities to yourself then surely it is a crime. Don’t let your identity define you. It hinders the inclusive growth. Within you, no element should bother you, whether it is good or bad. Don’t take pride in what you are good at neither regret what you are not.

The reason why Krishna is so illustrious so charismatic, is  because he is boundless, with no identities attached. He was what he was. Other incarnations of lord Vishnu are single dimensional or limited dimensions. For example Matsya avta, Vishnu in the form of a fish, or Varaha avtar Vishnu in the form of a boar. Restricted to the identities. Even Lord ram has identities, Lord ram the obedient son and a celebrated king, Maryadapurshottam. Defined for a right cause. But defined.

Krishna however has many roles; all illimitable. Neither good nor bad. Neither like a awful devil nor an innocent saint. He is perfect where he is. Playful always! Not stuck to a single idea. Open to all explorations.    

You may seek the far-reaching dimensional possibility if you are free enough from within. 

Why Worship Shiva

“Even if you do bad things with good intention, it will work out good. If you do good things with bad intention, it will turn out bad.”

Why we worship Lord Shiva! Someone asked me. He takes Marijuana and has a short temper and very uncivilized being. Bad qualities, isn’t it.

Ah Bad! You mean Bad! No not really! I said.

(I, with my extremely limited knowledge and even limited skill to express myself, could not resist and ended up popping out some answer.)

Well First, we cannot judge any person as good or bad. These adjectives should be used very carefully. I recommend using in extremely rare case.

Second judging a person just by their acts is certainly not a wise idea.

Third, He is Lord Shiva, the “adi yogi”, the first yogi. He knows better his own system than any other person. Don’t just become devotees of Lord Shiva, know him and his contribution to the human well beings.

Another interpretation I see is, the person acts, as he feels right for him/her. Act what is right to you, but make sure you are not making any harm to others in the benefits for yourself. This requires acting consciously with full responsibility. Our action can become responsible only when we know the system from which it is coming out i.e. our body.

Shiva to me is not just a personal identity, it exhibits eagerness and rock solid will to go somewhere beyond. At the same time being extremely simple. But remember, simple things always has a risk of being undervalued easily.

Shiva is unique... Simple yet subtle

Always walk

If you are running too much it articulates either you are running away from something or you are looking for something! 

 Running is good. Running will lead you somewhere. If you just sit ideal without any activity it is the paramount thing. However if you just sit without any bodily efforts the odds are that your crafty mind is still running. The mind will be running and body becomes motionless which is not desirable. The ultimate mechanism is both mind and body to be stagnant and at absolute calm.  

 

That is why Running physically first is important. This will run your body and stops the mind at certain level.  Physical body can be stopped easily. Stop the mind by running body and then stop the body to reach complete tranquil quietness.

Many people give the advice otherwise and ask you to relax and not to budge. Well ! No movement is the supreme state one has reached after lot of running. 

Childhood or Adulthood! Which is better?

We always desire to go back to the days of our childhood. Those appear really beautiful days when we look back. Those days cherished as the bright stars in the dark galaxy of life.

In the Adulthood we feel the burden. When we grow up, we have the information overload. We care much about the greenhouse effect than the effect of green vegetables on our body.    

Childhood is like a plain page when start writing. A Plain page without any dots of mess, a clean simple innocent page. Growing old, we start writing on it with our drippy dirty pen. We write chaotically rushing towards the end drawing random curves that is barely readable. One can sure have the headache understanding the mess. We start feeling that the plain page was so beautiful. We are then walled by the thoughts about the glorious past and complain about annoying present.

This is what we do growing old. 

I certainly feel the Adulthood is even brighter if do not mess it up.

Let us say we write a beautiful poem on that same page, the page inevitably appears delightful. Even if the page ends, we feel tempted to read it again and again. The magnificence of the elegant poem is not bounded to the realm of once identity. The beautiful poems are not only good for itself but for the people near them, it attracts, it inspires, it makes people laugh. Sometimes, It can even make people cry as well, but that cry carries tears if ecstasy and bliss. The tears of joy everyone must have.

This example of adulthood is worth living. The adulthood becomes more joyous as it allows the generous sharing of magical feeling called love with others. The adulthood certainly is of greater joy than a plain page!

New Year brings new hope

Photo Courtesy: Ravi Kiran Bangaru 

New Year brings new hope, new energy and a perfect excuse to start over again what you left last time. This excuse is however is not bad. It is a reason. It is a meaning. New start has a new meaning.

If you cannot make a resolution, it is okay. Let us not bother about the longevity of our commitment towards our resolution. Let us just feel the joy of newness in the aura. At the same time, let us clean our lenses to focus more and clean our senses to receive more.  

As beautifully written by the celebrated Hindi Poet Late Mr. Harivansh Rai Bachchan the Charm of starting the things again in his poem “Need Ka Nirmaan Fir Fir”.

Need Ka Nirman Phir Phir, Neh Ka Ahvan Phir Phir

Yah Uthee Aandhi Ki Nabh Mein, Chha Gaya Sahasa Andhera

Dhooli Dhoosar Badalon Ne, Bhoomi Ko Is Bhaanti Ghera

Raat Sa Din Ho Gaya, Phir Raat Aayee Aur Kali

Lag Raha Tha Ab Na Hoga, Is Nisha Ka Phir Savera

Raat Ke Utpaat Bhay Se, Bheet Jan Jan Bheet Kan Kan

Kintu Prachi Se Usha Ki, Mohini Muskaan Phir Phir,

Need ka nirman phir phir, Neh ka avhaan phir phir!

Kruddha nabh ke vajradanton mein, Usha hai muskaraati,

Ghor garjanmay gagan ke kanth mein, Khag pankti gaati

Ek chidiya chonch mein, Tinka liye jo jaa rahi hai

Vah sahaj mein hi pavan unchaas ko, Neecha dikha rahi hai.

Nash ke dukh se kabhi, Dabta nahin nirmaan ka sukh

Pralay ki nistabdhata mein, Srushti ka navgaan phir phir.

Need ka nirmaan phir phir, Neh ka aavhaan phir phir.