Thoughts that Linger...

Just occurred to me. Nobody has the complete picture of life. Everyone has just her piece of life. Nevertheless, every person is considered to be complete in herself. Makes one wonder. (This, despite the fact that each one of us has immense - infinite - potential that we do not tap into to become a much better and greater force).

Yet, this small piece of life that we 'own' is eclectic as it evolves over a period of time and derives itself from multiple sources. Sometimes it sadly loses its innocent, to-be-celebrated originality but sometimes it is, appropriately so, influenced for the better. It is when you bring (from the numerous individuals around you) small pieces of different lives together that you begin to 'see' something that makes sense. I don't know if this is the case with everyone, but many of us have this urge to see things at the macro level and go beyond the small and limited world that we live in. We like to see the connections. We like to see the whole purpose and meaning of life, ours and the world's. We can't be here for nothing. Living a life within oneself seems such a criminal thought. (Though sometimes just by being yourself and not bothering about anything else, you still make an impact on the world and inspire it to do better. Look at inspiring sports personalities who play for just themselves, people who fight death etc.)

Going back to my original thread of seeing the picture at the macro level, amusingly enough, when you gather many pieces, there are so many contradictions between them! This contradiction means chaos to the uninitiated mind but clears everything in one paradoxical sweep if it is a perceiving mind. My mind leaps to another question now. So, is enlightenment a permanent feature once it happens to you - for however brief a period of time - or is it something that flashes its face once in a while but ruthlessly disappears if you don't recognize it and then work hard and long enough to hold on to it?

Hakuna Matata is not Nonsense!!

This week hasn't really been so good for me. :( But I don't feel like subjecting the reader to my woes of the week....my list (and, shudder, details) of rattling/disturbing/frustrating encounters with life. (I am a nice gal - well, most of the time - and like to let others live a happy life even if I am finding it hard to be happy...ahem) And believe me, once you start writing about your feelings, it is extremely difficult to hold yourself from going on a roll and specifying the gory details of your sad experiences and rattling off - in the strongest of words - what exactly you think of certain people and so forth. So, please e-pat me for making it easier for you to read this post. And now, to a practical and inescapable point. So, how do I close this post and make it seem like one that goes beyond saying I've had a bad week? Does "So I am glad this week is over! I am looking forward to the weekend! Tra la!!" sound like a good closing sentence? Ok. I know you're thinking this is utter nonsense and it may have been a better option for me to talk about the encounters instead. So....here's what I shall close this post with.

"Hakuna Matata Everyone!" :)

Politics: Lesson #1

Methinks, knowing how to handle politics is akin to and, quite a few times, a matter of knowing how to handle pressure. Those who resort to politics (read selfish motives) and manipulate the system and other people to suit their whims are people who will, more often than not, do it by putting pressure on the targeted entity. So, it is the subject's ability to not give into pressure or know how to ignore or deal with pressure amicably and smartly, that will determine how successful she is in avoiding the unwanted consequences.

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What? I guess the posts I am coming up with these days are all somewhat philosophical or the types that attempt to teach problem-solving to the people who are less practical and more idealistic. Thinking it's time to move to more KM posts and perhaps some funny/humorous ones.......but it really depends on what's happening to me or around me. ;-) Gives me another opportunity to analyze types of bloggers....

- Those who blog what they're learning, reading, thinking, observing, experiencing....
- Those who more or less stick to the above style but restrict themselves to just one topic and keep out the rest of their lives from the blog...
- Those who blog but in a very non-personal way....it's not about their thoughts and perceptions and learnings but just links to information and what is happening in the world outside - general sharing is the primary motive
- Those who blog mostly so they can converse with others rather than make it a one-way sharing process....they probably have short posts that always end with provoking questions and they don't reveal too much of what's on their own minds

Ok. I am going to stop thinking now and let you add to the list if you feel like. :-)

Philosophy?

Being honest and revealing things as they are makes one vulnerable. People, perhaps, believe you're not 'smart'. You're believed to be naive and weak. Meanwhile, it's probably not about your inability to lie, but your unwillingness to lie....irrespective of the consequences. It's about how much you respect your conscience and values. But the world takes advantage of you and thinks you will lend yourself to the situation completely, for its own cheap thrills.......and settles for some fun at your expense. What do you do?



- Let it have fun and suffer the consequences of being virtuous?

- Learn the art of being virtuous as well as cunning and deal with the consequences of being virtuous with the cunning that it (more often than not) takes to avoid suffering?

- Abandon the situation and keep jumping to a seemingly "greener" life whenever you encounter such entities? Avoid becoming a dragon or wasting your energy by fighting the dragon?

- Develop the skill of announcing your values in such a way that the world dare not react the way it would otherwise? The world may perhaps see you as dangerous rather than naive in such a case, but you're happy with it...!?

- Reconsider your opinion of the consequences and realize that, more often than not, it's a choice between conscience/values and worrying about how the world will react? So, forget about how the world reacts and recover after the temporary concern that you may not be able to avoid as an ordinary mortal... (i.e. deal with it as you would deal with rumours!?)

- Settle for some harmless or not-so-harmless compromises (that does not change your 'path') as a consequence of following your heart...

What method suits you? How do you deal with such situations? Inspiring stories to share?

PS: From a poem:
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;Be honest and frank anyway.

Be a Disciple of Discipline

I think a life without discipline just cannot deliver. In other words, you're dead without discipline. There's so much to life that it is only discipline - backed by passion for life - that can help one organize things and do justice to them. Next time some elder in your family gets stern because you're giving in to indiscipline, please think twice before retaliating. It may be a bitter pill, but without it, life cannot be experienced fully.

PS: Worst case, bring in some discipline into some dimensions of your life if not all!! Gosh, don't I sound like a dreadful teacher??!! ;-) Heheh

Coping with Life's Natural Pace

I think this is a wonderfully amazing view of life's 'gradual' and, if you like, 'naturally slow' ways....and I am inspired to apply this philosophy to situations involving change. Profound and admirable approach to life, I think. Come to think of it, I am able to relate this to Eckhart Tolle's concept of "Now" - focusing on the "Present" rather than anything else. Interestingly enough, I also see a paradox in here, as in, it is not really about being patient with things and allowing them to take their time but the opposite (!!) - enjoying and experiencing the natural evolution and growth of 'life' at its predetermined pace.....the various stages of life on its way to maturity.

And, loved the last line - “A flower is not better when it blooms than when it is merely a bud; at each stage it is the same thing — a flower in the process of expressing its potential.”

(How to) Make a Dash for it....

Dashchunds making a dash for it. :-) How cute, eh? Inspires me to imagine....and attach a meaning to the picture. PS: pic sourced from here

- Discover what you want from life

- Pump in all the energy and enthusiasm you can and make a dash for it, but be careful not to run down others on your way ;-)

- Be positive and confident and put that grin or smile on your face as you run down the track (Avoid looking at others and just go your way ;-))

How to ObsTackle ;)

God never promised we would stroll through life problem free, but He did promise He would always be with us and give us the ability to overcome every obstacle. Never give up on anything no matter how hopeless it may look to your natural eyes. Whether you are praying for your loved ones to come to know the Lord or you are in need of a breakthrough whether physical or financial, stay steadfast and unmoved in your faith.- Zenyasi

Umm. Thinking aloud...there are probably many approaches to this:

- Pretend that the obstacle does not exist at all and focus your energy, enthusiasm and intelligence elsewhere so the obstacle almost becomes a non-entity - This may hold good in the case of aspects completely outside of one's control. Also, sometimes ignoring the obstacle initially - paradoxically - prepares one to later take on it as it then (most probably) ceases to be perceived as something critical, scary and fearful. The 'fact' that it is, after all, simple enough for us to handle seems to surface as the clock ticks on....

- Take the obstacle head on from the word 'Go' and charge towards it with the energy of a thousand bulls and decimate it into fine powder and go on to further dissolve it into an invisible state. Requires tons of faith, determination, intelligence, confidence and courage

- Bear with the obstacle (when it is unavoidable and caused by external forces that can't be easily controlled or when you simply lack the wherewithal to deal with it immediately) by calling upon your divine spirit for strength and accept it to such an extent that it hopefully ceases to matter and you almost become immune to it. Do this with the unshakable faith that whatever is happening is 'good' and essential for one's spiritual, mental and emotional growth. For all you know, this approach of patience, acceptance and faith may later equip you with the resources required for overcoming the obstacle

Don't know if what I am saying makes sense.....really don't know. What do you think? I am open to challenging views... :)

The Bird's Paradise

There was this beautiful little bird trapped inside
Unknown to the world, but she did not really want to hide
The bird was in a strong and complex world much like a cage
And desperately yearned to have a mirror to see its image
The cage was but an illusion waiting to be easily broken
But the crazy bird waited for one of its flock to open (the door)

While another brazen bird set off on its own waiting for none
Flying out and high in glory, it's initial work well done
Claiming freedom and independence for its own
It soon became a bird for its courage well known

The bird still in the cage struggled and shed tears
And finally realized that nothing helps except faith and determination very fierce
The bird saw that the world may be linked but individuality matters a lot
The trick is in liberating oneself and being completely self-taught
The bird saw that independence and faith created amazing magic
And more often than not defied all logic
So, the bird managed to break the illusion of its mental cage
And fly out to the paradise with many a follower regardless of age

PS: I have a thought. I'd love to see your interpretation and understanding of this poem. It would be interesting to see how similar or different it is to what I intend to communicate. Please leave a comment.

Real Inspiration Propels

One can either be a master of circumstances or a victim of them. If one says that he has the inspiration but has no opportunities, then that person is not sufficiently inspired. A truly inspired person will create the opportunities and charge ahead.- Swami Tejomayananda

And I'd like to add.........Sometimes, unwanted elements like fear and doubt mix into the fuel of inspiration and slow down or impede progress. Overcoming circumstances, I believe, becomes a virtuous circle and helps filter out fear and doubt...

Stress Buster

Random statements from Wodehouse. Great way to get rid of daily stress.

Does Intelligence Deliver in the Long Run?

Check this out - from Coelho's blog. To my mind, it is not just a case of intuitive thinking (sounds ironical in this context but it depends on what your definition of intelligence is) but also that of paradoxical thinking.

Web 3.0

An excellent article that indicates what the future may be like - discovered by MT. Thanks for passing it on, MT! It quite answers my so-far unasked and latent question (er...maybe I did think aloud about this on Twitter?) on what things may be like a few years down the line. The article points to what the future of the Internet (and Intranets) is going to be like......how we are likely to discover information and knowledge as we ride the Internet and Web 2.0 wave. Doesn't come out of the blue...we all have heard before about intelligent searches and sophisticated collaboration mechanisms....but nothing like an article that pins it down to a few names and descriptions.

PS: I find the usage of the signal-to-noise metaphor - for describing the state of affairs on the WWW - to be appealing :-)

KM is a Good Course!! Of Course!!

Check this out. (Grin!! :-)) There was a time (3-4 years back) when I used to get quite excited whenever I came across students who took up KM as a course in college or for that matter students who were looking for KM careers and projects. (Not that I don't get excited now....but now, it's become more common and somewhat better understood as a subject) If they ever made the mistake of asking me what I thought about the scope and future of KM and some other questions about how interesting it is likely to be etc, they would never hear the last of it. Subsequently, depending on how much they lent themselves to influence and enthusiasm, they'd either go back in a trance or look me up and down and wonder whether I was joking or really serious. Aw! There I go again....let me not distract you from looking up the link...I am sure it will make you smile. :)

The Case for KM....

This one's been languishing in my folder for quite a while now! It's high time it was liberated into the world of slideshare! I almost feel like I've freed a caged bird. Phew. So, what do you think? Will it fly (pun intentional)? :D Care to let me know, what? :-)

One day at a time, forever

Hey! Wow! What!! I think this quote is real cute :-) LoL
"It is only possible to live happily ever after on a day to day basis." - Margaret Bonnano

Life's Mathematics

A little bit of introspection led me to this conclusion. What we are in life is perhaps largely a function of the following. (Pay attention to the mathematical symbols as well)

(Our natural talents * how effectively we discover and use it) + (How we use our intrinsic intelligence to evaluate what we should learn and how much we listen to that natural intelligence) +/- (How much we (un)learn of what we (un)learn * how effectively we apply it) +/- (How much of appropriate or inappropriate family, peer & societal influence, learning and action related, we allow into our lives) to the power of (Whether we find just the right mentor(s) for ourselves as we move through the various stages of life)

Complex, what? But who said life is not complex! ;-)

And then there are two perspectives/interpretations that get attached to all of this. The individual's perception of himself/herself and the society's. In my opinion, it is very unlikely for the two perspectives to be alike however hard the individual tries to project "his/her" reality. I might as well add that at the end of the day, it is the individual's perception of himself that is real and not that of the society.

Society's perspective is pretty much influenced by how the individual behaves, acts and communicates * how uniquely and interestingly it is done and how it fits into the society/bigger picture.

While I'd like to believe I am talking sense and on to something worthwhile, I must admit that I may not have articulated what's on my mind as effectively as I ought to. If you want to lend your talents to help me refine this....what are you waiting for? Type away! :-)

See This!

Discovered this via Jack. Nothing earth shattering or mind boggling....but nice. Especially if one is a visually oriented person! This is what I got on keying in some of my interests.

How to Think Different

Wonderful post on thinking differently...by Dave Pollard. An old one.....but missed reading it before.

A THOUsand THOUghts for THOU Perusal....

I think this would be quite a decent and worthwhile post for #1000. Yes indeed. This is my 1000th post. A blogging milestone of sorts, eh? Maybe. But I do think it is at an appropriate time for the 1000th post as my blog is fast approaching its 4th birthday (May 3rd week). (But don't you worry....I haven't particularly been keeping track of the number of posts and my blog birthdays all this while.....I think to do it is quite boring for readers. So, rest assured that this is an exception ;-)). But I think I've got just the stuff required to make reading this post worthwhile.

Someone I respect a lot shared these thoughts with me yesterday. (A cousin who has come up the hard way and accomplished an awful lot in life). And I'd like to embed it out here so I don't forget it too soon.

- No one but you should drive your life. Don't hold anyone else responsible or blame them for what has happened to you. If required, detach yourself from others so as to enable this till it becomes a natural process.
- Be conscious of every decision you take and remember that you are the one who is responsible for each of those.
- God only facilitates.

The Long and Short of it All :D

Talking of laughter (previous post) reminds me of two things that don't fail to gift me this wonderful....well...solution. Plum's wonderful work and a special Dachshund's character and misadventures (episodes of which have been featured before on this blog ). And I knew of the connection between the two laughter generators quite some time ago. Plum was a dog lover, perhaps with a soft corner for Dachshunds in particular for he had one. And....to my pleasant surprise, as a proof of this connection, I recently discovered this wonderful pic (reproduced below) on a blog devoted to Dachshunds! Wow! :-) How cute! Go here to read the full post. And hey, I must add that they've thought of the most appropriate name for the blog - The Long and Short of it All ! :D Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. LoL

More on Laughter's Merits...

In our daily lives, we encounter many stressful situations that we often don't deal with very well. It is easy to store up negative emotions, such as anger, sadness and fear, rather than expressing them. Have a comic relief...laugh! Laughter provides a way for these emotions to be harmlessly released in a safe environment and it doesn't take much effort. - Zenyasi