It’s been a very intriguing and different kind of experience. The last weekend, that is. I’d been to the Art of Living Basic Course in the Art of Living campus in Bangalore (Kanakapura). We went through a range of activities/experiences like morning exercises, some yoga, breathing techniques, group sessions, bhajans (referred to as satsangs), meditation through imagination, wisdom to lead a practical, stress-free and happy life, and even learning to eat a simple food. I am feeling good. It may be euphoria but I sure hope it lasts forever. Have been getting up early - it’s been a long time since I did that – and exercising a bit. It’s all about discipline I guess. So, I am looking forward to being more disciplined. I don’t know if I can share all that I learned on my Blog as it is advised that people take the training from qualified trainers rather than just hear the end-results from beginners/students. But here are some remnants of the experience.
Applying each one of the maxims (referred to as sutras by the Art of Living Gurus) can lead to a perfect life. A perfectly happy life. I do think it is not difficult to apply these principles if one is dealing with ‘moderate’ people. But if one is dealing with completely unreasonable or eccentric or fully ‘mad’ people, it will be extremely challenging indeed. But the upside is that the more the challenges, the more the opportunities to master this art - The art of living. I may not be able to share the maxims and too much of what was taught, but here are some things that I can. These are things that I made a note of during the course and are in no particular order. (Herein are some of my favourite paradoxes. :-) )
- To experience happiness, one has to experience pain. (no pain, no gain)
- To know that everything is changing, we must have something that does not change – and that is the self. Like that of an axle in a wheel.
- Ego is the biggest cause of misery
- There are 7 levels of consciousness – body, breath, mind, intellect, ego, soul, and self. One has to traverse from the gross to the ultimate to conquer life and enjoy it.
- The art of living course is a journey from the head to the heart – from the intellect to the self – it is the discovery of self
- Be natural
- Enlightenment – is graduating from being somebody to nobody and then nobody to everybody
- Use of Intellect alone, destroys innocence. There should be a balance between the two levels. The ability to be wise as well as child-like.
- We can have our own choices, but our choices should not be our limitation
- Art, music and dancing – these things are blissful – perhaps because it makes us concentrate on the present and neither the past nor the future. One needs to be totally absorbed and engrossed while painting/composing etc
- Stop complaining – the process drains you
- There is no peak without a valley
- Stretch your hand first – especially if it’s your ‘enemy’ on the opposite side
- Don’t get angry. Just show anger. Example – dealing with a kid who’d picked up a knife. You have to coax the kid to return the knife and then warn him/her in a friendly way
- Spirituality is not sitting in one place and meditating. It is dynamism. It is taking responsibility and being active.
- The amazing thing is that the course, as most spiritual philosophies indicate, doesn’t talk about being passive. It points towards being active. It talks about acceptance and then action!
- To reiterate, innocence and intelligence can co-exist.
- The way to enlightenment is through Sadhana (Meditation and Yoga), Seva (Service), and Satsang (Worshipping the lord and singing his praises in good company). The bonus S that one gets on following these three is a Smile. :-)
- BTW, the course comprised of people of all sorts and from various backgrounds – the youngest was perhaps 21 years old and the oldest 65+
The process of summarizing my learnings from the course reminds me of my other post on 3 ideal ways to live. And the philosophy of flowing like a river post which takes off from a post on Nipun's Blog.
Some more experiences:
On the third day of the course, I got to witness something amazing. The sunrise. J They way the sun showed up was a visual treat. I was in the main ‘mantap’ in the campus and on the 2nd floor. The view from there was one of vast tree-filled land dotted by houses. The horizon was lined by majestic green mountains. When I first laid my eyes on the horizon, I saw a just the tip of a circle that was fierce orange in colour and extremely attractive, peeping out from between two mountains. In a span of about 3 minutes, the circle started moving up and the fact that it was moving was quite visible. Before I knew it, the entire circle had come up and was continuing to make its way in the upward direction through the clouds. Emanating from the circle was a narrow but widening V shaped stretch of light – slightly orange in color. That looked beautiful! I can see it in my mind’s eye even now.
The other pleasant experience I had was that of dancing to the tunes of some wonderful bhajans and instrumental music. I have rarely danced (in public or private ;)) and have never thought in the wildest of my dreams that I would be able to dance. But it was a nice feeling to dance. With closed eyes, I invited the moon over to dance with me. No prizes for guessing whether the moon accepted my invitation.
I also realized that a meal after a hard day’s work (I rarely exert myself physically in office- it is only mental work) is any day tastier than even rich food eaten after a lazy day. So, go through the rigor to enjoy the fruits of the effort.
And, yes, for those who know me - of course, I bought a lot of books as well. Found a subject that I’d been searching for quite a long time - a book that collates the significant principles and values of all religions in the world…
Okay. Let me stop here and connect you to the Art of Living in case you want to know more.
Thursday, March 31, 2005
Keeping a Journal (Read Blog)
If you don't keep a blog, you should read this to understand why you have to reconsider your decision....
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
By Jim Rohn
If you're serious about becoming a wealthy, powerful, sophisticated, healthy, influential, cultured and unique individual, keep a journal. Don't trust your memory. When you listen to something valuable, write it down. When you come across something important, write it down.
I used to take notes on pieces of paper and torn-off corners and backs of old envelopes. I wrote ideas on restaurant placemats. On long sheets, narrow sheets and little sheets and pieces of paper thrown in a drawer. Then I found out that the best way to organize those ideas is to keep a journal. I've been keeping these journals since the age of 25. The discipline makes up a valuable part of my learning, and the journals are a valuable part of my library.
I am a buyer of blank books. Kids find it interesting that I would buy a blank book. They say, 'Twenty-six dollars for a blank book! Why would you pay that?' The reason I pay $26 is to challenge myself to find something worth $26 to put in there. All my journals are private, but if you ever got a hold of one of them, you wouldn't have to look very far to discover it is worth more than $26.
I must admit, if you got a glimpse of my journals, you'd have to say that I am a serious student. I'm not just committed to my craft, I'm committed to life, committed to learning new concepts and skills. I want to see what I can do with seed, soil, sunshine and rain to turn them into the building blocks of a productive life.
Keeping a journal is so important. I call it one of the three treasures to leave behind for the next generation. In fact, future generations will find these three treasures far more valuable than your furniture.
The first treasure is your pictures. Take a lot of pictures. Don't be lazy in capturing the event. How long does it take to capture the event? A fraction of a second. How long does it take to miss the event? A fraction of a second. So don't miss the pictures. When you're gone, they'll keep the memories alive.
The second treasure is your library. This is the library that taught you, that instructed you, that helped you defend your ideals. It helped you develop a philosophy. It helped you become wealthy, powerful, healthy, sophisticated, and unique. It may have helped you conquer some disease. It may have helped you conquer poverty. It may have caused you to walk away from the ghetto. Your library, the books that instructed you, fed your mind and fed your soul, is one of the greatest gifts you can leave behind.
The third treasure is your journals: the ideas that you picked up, the information that you meticulously gathered. But of the three, journal writing is one of the greatest indications that you're a serious student. Taking pictures, that is pretty easy. Buying a book at a book store, that's pretty easy. It is a little more challenging to be a student of your own life, your own future, your own destiny. Take the time to keep notes and to keep a journal. You'll be so glad you did. What a treasure to leave behind when you go. What a treasure to enjoy today!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
By Jim Rohn
If you're serious about becoming a wealthy, powerful, sophisticated, healthy, influential, cultured and unique individual, keep a journal. Don't trust your memory. When you listen to something valuable, write it down. When you come across something important, write it down.
I used to take notes on pieces of paper and torn-off corners and backs of old envelopes. I wrote ideas on restaurant placemats. On long sheets, narrow sheets and little sheets and pieces of paper thrown in a drawer. Then I found out that the best way to organize those ideas is to keep a journal. I've been keeping these journals since the age of 25. The discipline makes up a valuable part of my learning, and the journals are a valuable part of my library.
I am a buyer of blank books. Kids find it interesting that I would buy a blank book. They say, 'Twenty-six dollars for a blank book! Why would you pay that?' The reason I pay $26 is to challenge myself to find something worth $26 to put in there. All my journals are private, but if you ever got a hold of one of them, you wouldn't have to look very far to discover it is worth more than $26.
I must admit, if you got a glimpse of my journals, you'd have to say that I am a serious student. I'm not just committed to my craft, I'm committed to life, committed to learning new concepts and skills. I want to see what I can do with seed, soil, sunshine and rain to turn them into the building blocks of a productive life.
Keeping a journal is so important. I call it one of the three treasures to leave behind for the next generation. In fact, future generations will find these three treasures far more valuable than your furniture.
The first treasure is your pictures. Take a lot of pictures. Don't be lazy in capturing the event. How long does it take to capture the event? A fraction of a second. How long does it take to miss the event? A fraction of a second. So don't miss the pictures. When you're gone, they'll keep the memories alive.
The second treasure is your library. This is the library that taught you, that instructed you, that helped you defend your ideals. It helped you develop a philosophy. It helped you become wealthy, powerful, healthy, sophisticated, and unique. It may have helped you conquer some disease. It may have helped you conquer poverty. It may have caused you to walk away from the ghetto. Your library, the books that instructed you, fed your mind and fed your soul, is one of the greatest gifts you can leave behind.
The third treasure is your journals: the ideas that you picked up, the information that you meticulously gathered. But of the three, journal writing is one of the greatest indications that you're a serious student. Taking pictures, that is pretty easy. Buying a book at a book store, that's pretty easy. It is a little more challenging to be a student of your own life, your own future, your own destiny. Take the time to keep notes and to keep a journal. You'll be so glad you did. What a treasure to leave behind when you go. What a treasure to enjoy today!
Wednesday, March 30, 2005
darkness to sunrise
I never 'am tired of paradoxes, even if they are just different versions of the same message...
We can only appreciate the miracle of a sunrise if we have waited in darkness...
We can only appreciate the miracle of a sunrise if we have waited in darkness...
Thursday, March 24, 2005
Rats!...Another Paradox...Rats' day out...
This morning, I suddenly realized that I'd adopted 'paradox thinking' to solve a problem at home.
A few months ago, to our horror we began to hear some scurrying noises in our store room (attached to the kitchen). We found 'someone' or 'something' devouring our eatables and biting into some containers as well. My mom then got the shock of her life when one early morning, she ran into a rat in the kitchen. (Unfortunately, she rushed out of the kitchen in a frightened state and had no time for the customary greetings and could not find out where Mr.Rat was from...okay, bad joke :-)) . Much to our dismay and confusion, we then noticed that there was no less than a family of rats in the whereabouts of the kitchen, back-door verandah and the bathroom. We got down to work immediately and bought rat-traps and mild rat poison and had them thrown out in a couple of days. (It was quite a scare to see them rats suddenly popping out of the kitchen or the bathroom and running helter-skelter as if they were out to save the world). My mom then issued strict orders to everyone in the house to not leave the back-door open even for a second as that seemed like the only route for the rats to come in. We all agreed and the back-door found itself in its rightful place most of the time. Screaming at people who left the back-door open even for a few seconds had become the in-thing at home.
Just when we thought we were done with the rats once for all, there was another such attack on the house. We were terrified and confused yet again. There were quite a few family meetings and brainstorming sessions held in this regard (Of course, I exaggerate). In the final meeting that we had that rat season...err...season...my mom stared at me menacingly and declared that it had to be me who let the rats in (As if I'd marked the day and time on my calendar and had gone and rolled out the red carpet right into the store room from the back-door verandah and then waited for the rats while polishing my nails, Huh!). I put up a brave fight while internally entertaining some doubts on whether it was the time when I was brushing my teeth in the backyard and had forgotten to close the back-door.
Having pinned the blame on me, everyone relaxed, while it triggered me off and made me go rat-a-tat knocking on the doors of my mind. It was time for me to get down and do some serious investigation. That was when, I told myself that I needed to use 'paradox thinking' and not just be fascinated by the concept. Why can't it be that the rats are coming from inside and not outside? It sounded silly and ridiculous, yes...but I wasn't about to let go. I explored the store room, kitchen and the bathroom. One thing that caught my attention were the sinks in the kitchen and bathroom! I explored them further (don't worry, I did not put my hands inside any of those sinks) and realized that there was one sink in the bathroom that was not being used simply because it was on the upper slope of the bathroom and the pipe that we used led to a second sink. This sink was almost dry and in fact emanated a slightly bad odor. I gambled with the thought and then submitted a proposal to my mom taking into consideration all my findings. I declared that the rats were coming into the house from that sink and the path on the other side perhaps led to the outside world which was what was, of course, producing the rats. She, of course, shot it down and topped it off by calling me a hallucinator. I guess I did not have the conviction to fight or prove anything. I simply decided to wait for the right opportunity to prove my theory right.
After a couple of days, my mom confessed to me that better senses had prevailed and in solitude, she had later decided to consider my findings. She had locked the bathroom door in the hope of trapping the rats in the bathroom and had actually heard some scraping noises from inside the bathroom door once/twice. She had then picked up an old vessel and put it over the unused sink and placed a brick over it. Bingo - after a few days, she realized that there was indeed someone - Mr.Rat or one of his family members to be precise - trying to topple the brick and vessel over to join my mom and watch the mid-day soap operas.
There have been no rat-problems since then. Or maybe I should say life hasn't been a rat race since then! :) The vessel and brick continue to occupy their place over the sink. Thanks to 'paradox thinking'...! (Unfortunately though, my mom did not reward me for the investigation and findings. But she fondly recalls her encounters with Mr.Rat and his family...)
A few months ago, to our horror we began to hear some scurrying noises in our store room (attached to the kitchen). We found 'someone' or 'something' devouring our eatables and biting into some containers as well. My mom then got the shock of her life when one early morning, she ran into a rat in the kitchen. (Unfortunately, she rushed out of the kitchen in a frightened state and had no time for the customary greetings and could not find out where Mr.Rat was from...okay, bad joke :-)) . Much to our dismay and confusion, we then noticed that there was no less than a family of rats in the whereabouts of the kitchen, back-door verandah and the bathroom. We got down to work immediately and bought rat-traps and mild rat poison and had them thrown out in a couple of days. (It was quite a scare to see them rats suddenly popping out of the kitchen or the bathroom and running helter-skelter as if they were out to save the world). My mom then issued strict orders to everyone in the house to not leave the back-door open even for a second as that seemed like the only route for the rats to come in. We all agreed and the back-door found itself in its rightful place most of the time. Screaming at people who left the back-door open even for a few seconds had become the in-thing at home.
Just when we thought we were done with the rats once for all, there was another such attack on the house. We were terrified and confused yet again. There were quite a few family meetings and brainstorming sessions held in this regard (Of course, I exaggerate). In the final meeting that we had that rat season...err...season...my mom stared at me menacingly and declared that it had to be me who let the rats in (As if I'd marked the day and time on my calendar and had gone and rolled out the red carpet right into the store room from the back-door verandah and then waited for the rats while polishing my nails, Huh!). I put up a brave fight while internally entertaining some doubts on whether it was the time when I was brushing my teeth in the backyard and had forgotten to close the back-door.
Having pinned the blame on me, everyone relaxed, while it triggered me off and made me go rat-a-tat knocking on the doors of my mind. It was time for me to get down and do some serious investigation. That was when, I told myself that I needed to use 'paradox thinking' and not just be fascinated by the concept. Why can't it be that the rats are coming from inside and not outside? It sounded silly and ridiculous, yes...but I wasn't about to let go. I explored the store room, kitchen and the bathroom. One thing that caught my attention were the sinks in the kitchen and bathroom! I explored them further (don't worry, I did not put my hands inside any of those sinks) and realized that there was one sink in the bathroom that was not being used simply because it was on the upper slope of the bathroom and the pipe that we used led to a second sink. This sink was almost dry and in fact emanated a slightly bad odor. I gambled with the thought and then submitted a proposal to my mom taking into consideration all my findings. I declared that the rats were coming into the house from that sink and the path on the other side perhaps led to the outside world which was what was, of course, producing the rats. She, of course, shot it down and topped it off by calling me a hallucinator. I guess I did not have the conviction to fight or prove anything. I simply decided to wait for the right opportunity to prove my theory right.
After a couple of days, my mom confessed to me that better senses had prevailed and in solitude, she had later decided to consider my findings. She had locked the bathroom door in the hope of trapping the rats in the bathroom and had actually heard some scraping noises from inside the bathroom door once/twice. She had then picked up an old vessel and put it over the unused sink and placed a brick over it. Bingo - after a few days, she realized that there was indeed someone - Mr.Rat or one of his family members to be precise - trying to topple the brick and vessel over to join my mom and watch the mid-day soap operas.
There have been no rat-problems since then. Or maybe I should say life hasn't been a rat race since then! :) The vessel and brick continue to occupy their place over the sink. Thanks to 'paradox thinking'...! (Unfortunately though, my mom did not reward me for the investigation and findings. But she fondly recalls her encounters with Mr.Rat and his family...)
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
Positive Attraction
People are like magnets. They are drawn to the positive and are repelled by the negative. It's an important principle to understand when you are trying to get people to follow your direction.
Good leaders phrase their appeals in positive terms, even when they are criticizing. - Zenyasi
How I would like to show some people this post....I've basically got fed up of some folks with so much negative energy that they don't deserve to live this beautiful life that God's given them - OK! I TAKE BACK THIS COMMENT. BETTER SENSES PREVAIL NOW...I GUESS I HAVE TO NOT LET SUCH NEGATIVE ENEGRY GET THE BETTER OF ME...
Good leaders phrase their appeals in positive terms, even when they are criticizing. - Zenyasi
How I would like to show some people this post....I've basically got fed up of some folks with so much negative energy that they don't deserve to live this beautiful life that God's given them - OK! I TAKE BACK THIS COMMENT. BETTER SENSES PREVAIL NOW...I GUESS I HAVE TO NOT LET SUCH NEGATIVE ENEGRY GET THE BETTER OF ME...
Monday, March 21, 2005
calvin's got a cool attitude
if you're looking for a definition of attitude, you need not go any further. a picture - in this case a cartoon strip - is worth a thousand words...
Sunday, March 20, 2005
E-Go!
Nice one this:
How is the attitude of sannyasa (renunciation) of the mind developed?
When actions are undertaken without ego - as humble expressions of love for the Lord, the reactions of those actions cannot reach the person, since the ego that suffers or enjoys such reactions is not available. With this attitude of egolessness toward all activity, the mind becomes increasingly purified. Such a purified mind gains concentration and single pointedness and discovers in itself even greater reserves of discrimination. It learns to renounce all egocentric quests and all anxieties or cravings for the fruits of action. The Gita calls this attitude of mind as renunciation, or sannyasa.
How is the attitude of sannyasa (renunciation) of the mind developed?
When actions are undertaken without ego - as humble expressions of love for the Lord, the reactions of those actions cannot reach the person, since the ego that suffers or enjoys such reactions is not available. With this attitude of egolessness toward all activity, the mind becomes increasingly purified. Such a purified mind gains concentration and single pointedness and discovers in itself even greater reserves of discrimination. It learns to renounce all egocentric quests and all anxieties or cravings for the fruits of action. The Gita calls this attitude of mind as renunciation, or sannyasa.
Thursday, March 17, 2005
Freedom's Way
From the book that I am reading now - Freedom's Way by ZT Bloch Jorgensen
"Many companies have risked and failed. Yet they were motivated by the smaller personality of corporate nature - greed and fear. Their risk was not aligned with heart but aligned with insecurity. They saw their risk as a financial gamble, not as an opportunity to benefit self and world.
Rarely have we seen companies acting from the noble personality of corporate nature - passion, inspiration, vision, commitment, and strength - from which they strive, discovering new territories, contributing to humanity and the planet in meaningful ways.
The more a company invests courage, vision, and thought in its people, including its suppliers, contractors and distributors, the more it aligns with success. The more people know they are valued and part of a team, the more they strive to meet deadlines, take initiative, and innovate.
We have not even begun to see what a company can do when it is moved by love. By seeing your company or team as driven by anything less is to sever potential, and it is to rob yourself, your family, and the world of a better future. "
Idealistic? Yes! I am always thinking 'ideal'....but my friends and colleagues have many a time put me in my place by bringing me back to reality and earth. But it would be great to live in a world with companies like this - companies that do not blindly chase greenbacks!
Being a KMer, I dread saying this but I'll have to say it! I can't hold it any longer. Sometimes, I seriously think coming together has its own disadvantages as well. What I am talking about is "herd mentality". Have you noticed that values are sometimes lost when people come together? There is a blind rush! Everyone is rushing toward something because everyone else seems to be rushing toward the same thing! It's all about money and material. It's all about competition. When people come together, competition seems to get the better of collaboration. There is no love lost between people...
Accomplishments happen mostly when people come together; but it is the same fire which destroys as well, if not well controlled.
"Many companies have risked and failed. Yet they were motivated by the smaller personality of corporate nature - greed and fear. Their risk was not aligned with heart but aligned with insecurity. They saw their risk as a financial gamble, not as an opportunity to benefit self and world.
Rarely have we seen companies acting from the noble personality of corporate nature - passion, inspiration, vision, commitment, and strength - from which they strive, discovering new territories, contributing to humanity and the planet in meaningful ways.
The more a company invests courage, vision, and thought in its people, including its suppliers, contractors and distributors, the more it aligns with success. The more people know they are valued and part of a team, the more they strive to meet deadlines, take initiative, and innovate.
We have not even begun to see what a company can do when it is moved by love. By seeing your company or team as driven by anything less is to sever potential, and it is to rob yourself, your family, and the world of a better future. "
Idealistic? Yes! I am always thinking 'ideal'....but my friends and colleagues have many a time put me in my place by bringing me back to reality and earth. But it would be great to live in a world with companies like this - companies that do not blindly chase greenbacks!
Being a KMer, I dread saying this but I'll have to say it! I can't hold it any longer. Sometimes, I seriously think coming together has its own disadvantages as well. What I am talking about is "herd mentality". Have you noticed that values are sometimes lost when people come together? There is a blind rush! Everyone is rushing toward something because everyone else seems to be rushing toward the same thing! It's all about money and material. It's all about competition. When people come together, competition seems to get the better of collaboration. There is no love lost between people...
Accomplishments happen mostly when people come together; but it is the same fire which destroys as well, if not well controlled.
Wednesday, March 16, 2005
Ever wondered who is behind those lovely Google ads/banners ?
Thanks to Veera! I not only got to see all the ads/banners that Google has put up on its site in its 5+ years of existence but also got to read about the whizkid behind these amazing works of creativity!
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
Small drops....and the secret of being happy
Came across 2 very interesting tidbits in my philosophy feeds:
**************************************************
I've gone for regular satsang for 30 years now, and in that time, I have heard something like 3000 lectures.
But for the life of me I can't remember a single one of them. So, I think I'm wasting my time and the preachers
are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all?
- I've been married for 30 years now. In that time, my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But, for the life of me I
cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this: They all nourished me and gave me the
strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me those meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise,
if I had not gone to the satsangs for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!
Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible, and receives the impossible! Thank God for our physical and our spiritual
nourishment!
****************************************
- excerpts of editorial from CHYK online magazine
Do you have a photographic memory?
Photographic?
Yes, and how did you get it? Ever wondered how a camera operates? Of course, you know the answer. Just load a roll into the camera, focus and click. So simple.
What's so great about that?
Wait. Let's go back in slow motion. The fun starts now.
In slow motion?
You load a roll into the camera. You click. Then what?
An impression is formed on the roll and the object aimed or focussed at is imprinted on the roll.
But you can't see it now?
No, not until the roll is developed. Only then can you see the actual photograph.
And what if there were no roll in the camera?
Obviously, no photos, no snaps. just a trigger happy shutterbug.
Happy?
Did I say that?
Yes. And this is exactly the way the mind operates. I see an object. An impression is formed on my mind. Either I like it or dislike it. Then, if I allow the impression to develop, it creates a desire to achieve that object. I either achieve it or I do not. Either way, an impression is formed all over again, and I set out to...............................................And the fun called Maya starts.
These impressions formed in the mind, which are the basis of my future course of Actions, are called Vasanas in Sanskrit. And I have very many of them, some known, some unknown. The roll represents the 'I', the ego. Anything that comes in contact with it immediately leaves an impression behind, I want, or I do, or I enjoy.
But ever wondered what would have happened if there were no roll in the camera? No impressions would have been formed. Click, click. No impressioons. Click, click, click. Again, no impressions. No vasanas formed. So no desires. No I. No selfishness.Such a person works unselfishly for the benefit of everyone around.
The man without the roll. The mark of a realised soul. The mark of the Free, The Happy.
**************************************************
I've gone for regular satsang for 30 years now, and in that time, I have heard something like 3000 lectures.
But for the life of me I can't remember a single one of them. So, I think I'm wasting my time and the preachers
are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all?
- I've been married for 30 years now. In that time, my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But, for the life of me I
cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this: They all nourished me and gave me the
strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me those meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise,
if I had not gone to the satsangs for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!
Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible, and receives the impossible! Thank God for our physical and our spiritual
nourishment!
****************************************
- excerpts of editorial from CHYK online magazine
Do you have a photographic memory?
Photographic?
Yes, and how did you get it? Ever wondered how a camera operates? Of course, you know the answer. Just load a roll into the camera, focus and click. So simple.
What's so great about that?
Wait. Let's go back in slow motion. The fun starts now.
In slow motion?
You load a roll into the camera. You click. Then what?
An impression is formed on the roll and the object aimed or focussed at is imprinted on the roll.
But you can't see it now?
No, not until the roll is developed. Only then can you see the actual photograph.
And what if there were no roll in the camera?
Obviously, no photos, no snaps. just a trigger happy shutterbug.
Happy?
Did I say that?
Yes. And this is exactly the way the mind operates. I see an object. An impression is formed on my mind. Either I like it or dislike it. Then, if I allow the impression to develop, it creates a desire to achieve that object. I either achieve it or I do not. Either way, an impression is formed all over again, and I set out to...............................................And the fun called Maya starts.
These impressions formed in the mind, which are the basis of my future course of Actions, are called Vasanas in Sanskrit. And I have very many of them, some known, some unknown. The roll represents the 'I', the ego. Anything that comes in contact with it immediately leaves an impression behind, I want, or I do, or I enjoy.
But ever wondered what would have happened if there were no roll in the camera? No impressions would have been formed. Click, click. No impressioons. Click, click, click. Again, no impressions. No vasanas formed. So no desires. No I. No selfishness.Such a person works unselfishly for the benefit of everyone around.
The man without the roll. The mark of a realised soul. The mark of the Free, The Happy.
Are You Google Employee Material?
Are You Google Employee Material?
Wow! BTW, I came to this not because I was looking for it but in the context of an advt. (billboard types) that I saw just outside Electronics City (EC in Bangalore). The ad. bowled me over completely. Like most of what Google does, does...
This ad is for the Google R&D centre in Bangalore. Those of you who've seen it need no explanation. But if you're not working at EC or never crossed EC after the billboard was put up, then I'll have to explain and help you visualize it. The pleasure is mine. :)
If you are the imaginative type, after reading, close your eyes for best results - to let the ad sink in! :) Imagine a large white billboard with Google's logo on it; plum in the middle of the board. The logo is of course the popular and well-known/recognized colorful name that you get to see on the Google site. (nOw, they are at it again. ) The Os in 'Google' seem to lend themselves to just about anything that the latter wants to convey! ;) (Nice tip if you want to create your own brand sometime). The first O in GoOGLE is missing. Instead it has dropped off and become an apple (a yummy looking red apple) a little above the bottom of the billboard. Just below the apple is the line "Looking for today's Newtons!"
On the RHS corner is the website address which tells you where to go in case you're interested. What a wonderful ad! I just can't stop drooling over it. Anyone coming out of EC just cannot miss it -it certainly pulls one toward it. It does make use of the principle of gravity! Doesn't it? Hee Hee!
The placement of the billboard - well, that is another discussion altogether! :)
Wow! BTW, I came to this not because I was looking for it but in the context of an advt. (billboard types) that I saw just outside Electronics City (EC in Bangalore). The ad. bowled me over completely. Like most of what Google does, does...
This ad is for the Google R&D centre in Bangalore. Those of you who've seen it need no explanation. But if you're not working at EC or never crossed EC after the billboard was put up, then I'll have to explain and help you visualize it. The pleasure is mine. :)
If you are the imaginative type, after reading, close your eyes for best results - to let the ad sink in! :) Imagine a large white billboard with Google's logo on it; plum in the middle of the board. The logo is of course the popular and well-known/recognized colorful name that you get to see on the Google site. (nOw, they are at it again. ) The Os in 'Google' seem to lend themselves to just about anything that the latter wants to convey! ;) (Nice tip if you want to create your own brand sometime). The first O in GoOGLE is missing. Instead it has dropped off and become an apple (a yummy looking red apple) a little above the bottom of the billboard. Just below the apple is the line "Looking for today's Newtons!"
On the RHS corner is the website address which tells you where to go in case you're interested. What a wonderful ad! I just can't stop drooling over it. Anyone coming out of EC just cannot miss it -it certainly pulls one toward it. It does make use of the principle of gravity! Doesn't it? Hee Hee!
The placement of the billboard - well, that is another discussion altogether! :)
Monday, March 07, 2005
Need a Break? Hit the Web
Need a Break? Hit the Web:
Interesting to find such an article in BusinessWeek of all the places! :)
Excerpts from the article:
2. Find out what your peers are earning. Not necessarily peers in your company, but people who do your job in your Zip code. It's all there at salary.com, and you can be pretty specific about job responsibilities (and even buy a salary analysis that's tailored to you). If you're depressed to find that you're paid in the middle of the pack, try suggestion No. 3.
3. Create a Google alert on your name.
Go to google.com, click on News, then on Google News Alerts to receive an e-mail whenever your name appears anywhere online. To narrow the chances for irrelevant mails, type your name in quotes: 'Anne Smith.'
If you ever do public speaking or publish anything anywhere, you'll be astounded at how your name will bounce around the Internet, probably forever. Over time, Google will also send you loads of news about 13-year-old soccer players with your name. But hey, at least they'll be talented soccer players. If this exercise gets you thinking about what people name their kids, try suggestion No. 4. "
Interesting to find such an article in BusinessWeek of all the places! :)
Excerpts from the article:
2. Find out what your peers are earning. Not necessarily peers in your company, but people who do your job in your Zip code. It's all there at salary.com, and you can be pretty specific about job responsibilities (and even buy a salary analysis that's tailored to you). If you're depressed to find that you're paid in the middle of the pack, try suggestion No. 3.
3. Create a Google alert on your name.
Go to google.com, click on News, then on Google News Alerts to receive an e-mail whenever your name appears anywhere online. To narrow the chances for irrelevant mails, type your name in quotes: 'Anne Smith.'
If you ever do public speaking or publish anything anywhere, you'll be astounded at how your name will bounce around the Internet, probably forever. Over time, Google will also send you loads of news about 13-year-old soccer players with your name. But hey, at least they'll be talented soccer players. If this exercise gets you thinking about what people name their kids, try suggestion No. 4. "
Blogging Patterns
I've begun to see a pattern in my endeavor to Blog. And I think it can be linked to the LSRW (Listen, Speak, Read, Write) method of education. The sum of each individual's L, S, R and W quotients is what maketh a (wo)man; And then there's the X factor too, I suppose. My Blog posts (I speak for myself but do believe that this might be applicable to every Blogger and what varies is the degree of the LSRW spread) can either be classified as creative or analytical.
Creative posts are linked to the S and W quotient - those that normally originate from within, while the analytical posts are linked to the L and R quotient - those that are a result of stimulation from outside. A Blog ought to have posts that pass on information acquired by listening and reading. It also ought to bring out one's own 'speeches' and 'writing talent'. A good mix of all these is what maketh a Blog interesting! Ain't it so? :)
I presume that the thought-leaders and creative types of Bloggers will stuff their Blog with juicy speeches and write-ups while the analysts and information-crunching types will pass on what they got to listen to and read about. Sprinkled with their analysis...
At the risk of giving you an opportunity to kill me for paralysis through analysis, let me go on and swim a little bit further into this topic. What you listen to can be spoken about and written about with your own value-adds. :) What you read about can be referred to...again with your own value-adds. What you speak about when translated into a write-up helps you crystallize the idea even better. What you have already written becomes really easy to be spoken about as the ideas have been etched in your mind. What you listen to and read about also...when written, helps you reiterate the ideas to yourself. Does seem like everything boils down to writing... doesn't it?
Okay, I am done with my rambling on the topic hopefully....for you! ;)
Creative posts are linked to the S and W quotient - those that normally originate from within, while the analytical posts are linked to the L and R quotient - those that are a result of stimulation from outside. A Blog ought to have posts that pass on information acquired by listening and reading. It also ought to bring out one's own 'speeches' and 'writing talent'. A good mix of all these is what maketh a Blog interesting! Ain't it so? :)
I presume that the thought-leaders and creative types of Bloggers will stuff their Blog with juicy speeches and write-ups while the analysts and information-crunching types will pass on what they got to listen to and read about. Sprinkled with their analysis...
At the risk of giving you an opportunity to kill me for paralysis through analysis, let me go on and swim a little bit further into this topic. What you listen to can be spoken about and written about with your own value-adds. :) What you read about can be referred to...again with your own value-adds. What you speak about when translated into a write-up helps you crystallize the idea even better. What you have already written becomes really easy to be spoken about as the ideas have been etched in your mind. What you listen to and read about also...when written, helps you reiterate the ideas to yourself. Does seem like everything boils down to writing... doesn't it?
Okay, I am done with my rambling on the topic hopefully....for you! ;)
Life Support Again
WEALTH OF WISDOM (Courtesy - Steve Goodier)
One man said, "I had a brain scan and was told not worry --there was nothing there!" Which is all right because some of my best ideas over the years have come from others, anyway. And I have discovered that wisdom can be found in most any place and from most any person -- even the youngest of us.
It was a child who passed on this morsel: "If your sister hits you,
don't hit her back. They always catch the second person." It is wisdom borne of hard experience.
Yet another child teaches us that "the best place to be when you are sad is in Grandma's lap."
Adults, too, have wisdom to share. One parent observed that "the best way to keep kids at home is to make the home a pleasant place to be... and let the air out of their car tires."
Wisdom can also be found among the youngest of us. And the most elderly will share it too, if we listen. I am related by marriage to a woman who is 103 years old. During her 100th year, "Aunt Pearl" was asked to speak to a group of high school students. She offered a century of wisdom in a few short sentences: "Enrich your life by becoming a better person, a better student and an individual worthy of trust and faithful in your commitments. Aspire to help and not hinder in all your good and worthy undertakings. Use these words often: 'thank you,' 'please,' 'I'm sorry.' After living 100 years, I admonish you to think deeply, speak gently, work hard, give freely, pay promptly, pray earnestly and be kind."
Wisdom doesn't come much better than that.
One man said, "I had a brain scan and was told not worry --there was nothing there!" Which is all right because some of my best ideas over the years have come from others, anyway. And I have discovered that wisdom can be found in most any place and from most any person -- even the youngest of us.
It was a child who passed on this morsel: "If your sister hits you,
don't hit her back. They always catch the second person." It is wisdom borne of hard experience.
Yet another child teaches us that "the best place to be when you are sad is in Grandma's lap."
Adults, too, have wisdom to share. One parent observed that "the best way to keep kids at home is to make the home a pleasant place to be... and let the air out of their car tires."
Wisdom can also be found among the youngest of us. And the most elderly will share it too, if we listen. I am related by marriage to a woman who is 103 years old. During her 100th year, "Aunt Pearl" was asked to speak to a group of high school students. She offered a century of wisdom in a few short sentences: "Enrich your life by becoming a better person, a better student and an individual worthy of trust and faithful in your commitments. Aspire to help and not hinder in all your good and worthy undertakings. Use these words often: 'thank you,' 'please,' 'I'm sorry.' After living 100 years, I admonish you to think deeply, speak gently, work hard, give freely, pay promptly, pray earnestly and be kind."
Wisdom doesn't come much better than that.
Are big corporates like psychopaths?- The Economic Times
Are big corporates like psychopaths?- The Economic Times
Nice article. And something that's been on my mind for a long time! Unfortunately, there's no silver bullet. It is always a tight-rope walk and has to do with learning to balance. Balance seems to be the keyword in almost everything.
Nice article. And something that's been on my mind for a long time! Unfortunately, there's no silver bullet. It is always a tight-rope walk and has to do with learning to balance. Balance seems to be the keyword in almost everything.
Wringing drops from a Dry Towel
Viewpoint of an Entrepreneur: A Business Intelligence Software Blog: Wringing drops from a Dry Towel
Another posting by Nari that I can relate to so much! Words of wisdom that should not be ignored! Food for thought for the people who don't see people but only business and technology in organizations.
Another posting by Nari that I can relate to so much! Words of wisdom that should not be ignored! Food for thought for the people who don't see people but only business and technology in organizations.
Friday, March 04, 2005
Some Free Advice for Parents from Zig Ziglair
If a child lives with criticism, he learns to condemn.
If a child lives with hostility, she learns violence.
If a child lives with ridicule, he learns poor self-esteem.
If a child lives with neglect, she learns to be neglectful.
If a child lives with prejudice, he learns to hate.
If a child lives with encouragement, she learns confidence.
If a child lives with praise, she learns to appreciate.
If a child lives with fairness, he learns justice.
If a child lives with security, he learns faith.
If a child lives with approval, he learns to like himself.
If a child lives with acceptance, she learns to love the world.
Courtesy - Zig Ziglair Newsletters
If a child lives with hostility, she learns violence.
If a child lives with ridicule, he learns poor self-esteem.
If a child lives with neglect, she learns to be neglectful.
If a child lives with prejudice, he learns to hate.
If a child lives with encouragement, she learns confidence.
If a child lives with praise, she learns to appreciate.
If a child lives with fairness, he learns justice.
If a child lives with security, he learns faith.
If a child lives with approval, he learns to like himself.
If a child lives with acceptance, she learns to love the world.
Courtesy - Zig Ziglair Newsletters
Tuesday, March 01, 2005
Things to Remember...
This one is a must-read and must-follow. Courtesy - Life-Support by Steve Goodier
* Remember that your presence is a present to the world.
* Remember that you are a unique and unrepeatable creation.
* Remember that your life can be what you want it to be.
* Remember to count your blessings, not your troubles.
* Remember that you'll make it through whatever comes along.
* Remember that most of the answers you need are within you.
* Remember those dreams waiting to be realized.
* Remember that decisions are too important to leave to chance.
* Remember to always reach for the best that is within you.
* Remember that nothing wastes more energy than worry.
* Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
* Remember that the longer you carry a grudge, the heavier it gets.
* Remember not to take things too seriously.
* Remember to laugh.
* Remember that a little love goes a long way.
* Remember that a lot goes forever.
* Remember that happiness is more often found in giving than
getting.
* Remember that life's treasures are people, not things.
* Remember that miracles still happen.
And...remember to remember this list. :)
* Remember that your presence is a present to the world.
* Remember that you are a unique and unrepeatable creation.
* Remember that your life can be what you want it to be.
* Remember to count your blessings, not your troubles.
* Remember that you'll make it through whatever comes along.
* Remember that most of the answers you need are within you.
* Remember those dreams waiting to be realized.
* Remember that decisions are too important to leave to chance.
* Remember to always reach for the best that is within you.
* Remember that nothing wastes more energy than worry.
* Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
* Remember that the longer you carry a grudge, the heavier it gets.
* Remember not to take things too seriously.
* Remember to laugh.
* Remember that a little love goes a long way.
* Remember that a lot goes forever.
* Remember that happiness is more often found in giving than
getting.
* Remember that life's treasures are people, not things.
* Remember that miracles still happen.
And...remember to remember this list. :)
Cartoons - Pogo - Bugs Bunny
I watched the Bugs Bunny and The Road Runner Movie on Sunday afternoon, on Pogo and boy!, Did I enjoy it! :) Here is a sample of what I enjoyed the most:
A Martian aiming an explosive at Earth (because it blocks his view of Venus as he declares to Bugs Bunny) ignites the explosive and closes his eyes and ears waiting for the explosion. Bugs Bunny gets down to work and pulls out the burning 'cracker' and runs away with it. The Martian opens his eyes and looks around and says in surprise "I was expecting an earth-shattering explosion!" :)
Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck land in Arabia and walk up to the cave where Alibaba has all his treasures. Before which, the scene is depicts a strong man who guards the treasures. Alibaba says to the guard as he leaves, "Take care of the treasures, or the Jackals will grow fat on thy carcass" :). Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck dig their way into the ground and 'underpass' the guard into the cave. The guard forgets the password (Open sesame) and says everything you can think of before he gets to the right one! He says "Open Sepagunga", "Open Seasorole", and even "Open septuagenarian" ! :) Haa Haaa
There was, what I thought, a very innovative story in the movie (which was nothing but a collection of short stories revolving around Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and the Road Runner). In this one, Daffy interacts with the cartoonists. The cartoonists (who don't make an appearance but indicate their presence with their pencils, colors and erasers) do all the wrong things like changing the scenery to Daffy's chagrin, applying the wrong colors, changing Daffy's costume without notice, erasing part of the scenery et al. Finally, we get to a scene when the background is completely blank and white. For Daffy, that is the last straw! He angrily announces to the cartoonists - "You may be surprised to know that this is an animated cartoon!" :)
Another intriguing and amusing story is one where Elfer, the Rabbit and Duck Hunter is out to shoot Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck. Bugs and Daffy keep pointing each other to Elfer and try convincing him that it is Duck Season and Rabbit Season respectively. It is a rollicking story that can make your stomach hurt. :) Finally, the mighty argument ends near a tree. Bugs and Daffy keep peeling off posters (one below the other) on a tree trunk that says "Duck Season" and "Rabbit Season" respectively. They do it at the rate of 100 per minute is my guess. They find themselves looking at the last poster on the tree and it says "Elfer Season"! That does it! The hunter (Elfer) gulps and starts tip-toeing backwards! The hunter is hunted! Just see what a written poster can do! The guy who was chasing the rabbit and duck with a gun now starts backing despite having the gun in his hands all because there is a poster declaring that he is to be hunted! Psychology! The mind can fool you into doing unbelievable things - both stupid and intelligent. And words are the mind's weapon.
A Martian aiming an explosive at Earth (because it blocks his view of Venus as he declares to Bugs Bunny) ignites the explosive and closes his eyes and ears waiting for the explosion. Bugs Bunny gets down to work and pulls out the burning 'cracker' and runs away with it. The Martian opens his eyes and looks around and says in surprise "I was expecting an earth-shattering explosion!" :)
Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck land in Arabia and walk up to the cave where Alibaba has all his treasures. Before which, the scene is depicts a strong man who guards the treasures. Alibaba says to the guard as he leaves, "Take care of the treasures, or the Jackals will grow fat on thy carcass" :). Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck dig their way into the ground and 'underpass' the guard into the cave. The guard forgets the password (Open sesame) and says everything you can think of before he gets to the right one! He says "Open Sepagunga", "Open Seasorole", and even "Open septuagenarian" ! :) Haa Haaa
There was, what I thought, a very innovative story in the movie (which was nothing but a collection of short stories revolving around Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and the Road Runner). In this one, Daffy interacts with the cartoonists. The cartoonists (who don't make an appearance but indicate their presence with their pencils, colors and erasers) do all the wrong things like changing the scenery to Daffy's chagrin, applying the wrong colors, changing Daffy's costume without notice, erasing part of the scenery et al. Finally, we get to a scene when the background is completely blank and white. For Daffy, that is the last straw! He angrily announces to the cartoonists - "You may be surprised to know that this is an animated cartoon!" :)
Another intriguing and amusing story is one where Elfer, the Rabbit and Duck Hunter is out to shoot Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck. Bugs and Daffy keep pointing each other to Elfer and try convincing him that it is Duck Season and Rabbit Season respectively. It is a rollicking story that can make your stomach hurt. :) Finally, the mighty argument ends near a tree. Bugs and Daffy keep peeling off posters (one below the other) on a tree trunk that says "Duck Season" and "Rabbit Season" respectively. They do it at the rate of 100 per minute is my guess. They find themselves looking at the last poster on the tree and it says "Elfer Season"! That does it! The hunter (Elfer) gulps and starts tip-toeing backwards! The hunter is hunted! Just see what a written poster can do! The guy who was chasing the rabbit and duck with a gun now starts backing despite having the gun in his hands all because there is a poster declaring that he is to be hunted! Psychology! The mind can fool you into doing unbelievable things - both stupid and intelligent. And words are the mind's weapon.
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