Under the Peepal Tree

2011-10-02T13:25:00.001-07:00

'Do not speak- unless it improves on silence'

I was blown away by this Buddhist quote today. Why is it so hard to remember in class, though? More practice, more patience...

On new beginnings...

2011-08-14T07:09:00.000-07:00

'The most sacred place dwells within our heart, where dreams are born and secrets sleep, a mystical refuge of darkness and light, fear and conquest, adventure and discovery, challenge and transformation. Our heart speaks for our soul every moment while we are alive. Listen... as the whispering beat repeats: be...gin, be...gin, be...gin...'

Royce Addington

I'm utterly delighted for the new beginnings of a dear friend, thankful for the shining beam of light at the end of what's been a long tunnel for him and pray that these new beginnings be blessed generously.

On death and detachment...

2011-07-12T23:40:00.000-07:00

An evening out to watch a movie triggered much reflection on death and attachment to life and all things mortal. There was nothing unusual about many aspects of the plot- (I hardly expect readers of this blog to be upset about a movie spoiler, so I will proceed to spoil)- the protagonist (let's call him M) discovers in the course of some routine medical test that he is terminally ill. And this turns his world upside down. A chance encounter with a child whose playfulness was still intact and who appeared untouched by grief or fury upon the death of his father, serves as an eyeopener to M. It is M's sole purpose in life thereafter to live every moment to the fullest, to be a source of service and joy to everyone he meets and to make a difference in any way he can.

All this seemed wonderful, except for one nagging detail. M had run away from his wife, unable to bear the grief his condition was causing her; his attachment to her was so immense, that he could not cope with the stress of seeing her wilt with every passing day as she counted down to his demise. At any rate, the movie ends after M makes an attempt to return home, and is once again seized by the same feeling of losing control of everything he loves and knows. In the end, he decides to stay away.

I suppose I just could not accept his decision as being either rational or necessarily considerate. Particularly, in light of the revelation he'd had with the child, his final action seemed at odds with the rest. It also begs the question: does being detached mean shunning the source of attachment? I invite you to share your thoughts.

Just as I was pondering these questions, I received the weekly email from InnerNet Weekly, addressing just the topic on top of my mind! A godsend :) Hence, I share...

Death is an important ally for appreciating life. I am not referring to a morbid preoccupation with death. Rather, I mean the felt awareness of our finitude as physical beings -- an honest recognition of the short time we have to love and to learn on this earth. The knowledge that our bodies will inevitably die burns through our attachments to the dignified madness of our socially constructed existence. Death is a friend that helps us to release our clinging to social position and material possessions as a source of ultimate security and identity. An awareness of death forces us to confront the purpose and meaning of our existence, here and now.
Those who have had near-death experiences confirm that awareness of death can be an uncompromising friend, putting us back in touch with what is most important. A common sentiment expressed by many near-death survivors is a decreased emphasis on money and material things and a heightened appreciation for nature and loving other people. Dr. Kenneth Ring, a researcher of near-death experiences, quotes a young man who had a near-death experience after a serious automobile accident. As a result the young man found that he developed an "awareness that something more was going on in life than just the physical part of it... It was just a total awareness of not just the material and how much we can buy -- in the way of cars and stuff, or food or anything. There's more than just consuming life. There's a point where you have to give to it and that's real important."

Gandhi once said, "Just as one must learn the art of killing in the training for violence, so one must learn the art of dying in the training for non-violence." If we are to lead nonviolent and loving lives, then we can begin by coming to terms with our own death. An appreciation that we must die awakens us from our social sleep and to the reality of our situation. Death is an unyielding partner in life -- an inescapable certainty to push against as we sort out the significant from the trivial in our daily lives. In this regard, consider the words of Nadine Stair of Louisville, Kentucky, who was 85-years-old when she wrote, "If I Had My Life to Live Over":

"I'd like to make more mistakes next time. I'd relax. I would limber up. I would be sillier than I have been this trip. I would take fewer things seriously. I would take more chances. I would climb more mountains and swim more rivers. I would eat more ice cream and less beans. I would perhaps have more actual troubles, but I'd have fewer imaginary ones. . . . I've been one of those persons who never goes anywhere without a thermometer, a hot water bottle, a raincoat, and a parachute. If I had to do it again, I would travel lighter than I have."

We cannot hide from death. Its embrace will consume our social existence entirely. Job titles, social position, material possessions, sexual roles and images--all must yield to death. This does not mean that we should abandon our material and social existence. Rather, it means that in consciously honoring the fact of our physical death, we are thereby empowered to penetrate through the social pretense, ostentation, and confusion that normally obscure our sense of what is truly significant. An awareness of death is an ally for infusing our lives with a sense of immediacy, perspective, and proportion. In acknowledging the reality of death, we can more fully appreciate our gift of life.

If you were to choose death as an ally (as a reminder of the preciousness of each moment), and if you were to choose the universe as your home (as a reminder of the awesome dimensions of our existence), would a quality of aliveness, immediacy, and poignancy naturally infuse your moment-to-moment living? If you knew that you would die within several hours or days, would the simplest things acquire a luminous and penetrating significance? Would each moment become precious beyond all previous measure? Would each flower, each person, each crack in the sidewalk, each tree become a fleeting and never-to-be-repeated miracle? Simplicity of living helps brings this kind of clarity and appreciation into our lives

--Duane Elgin, in Make Death Your Ally

2011-07-09T23:46:00.000-07:00

'I view science as nothing more than an understanding of the way the world is and why it is that way. At any givem time our scientific knowledge is simply the current state of the art of our understanding. I do not believe in absolute truths. I fear such beliefs because they block the search for better understanding. Whenever we think we have final answers progress, science, and better understanding ceases. Understanding of our world is not something to be pursued for its own sake, however. Knowledge should be pursued, I believe, to make our world better- to make life more fulfilling.'
- Taken from the Introduction to the 'The Goal' by Eliyahu M. Goldratt

This seems to be as true of religion as it of science :)

2010-12-11T22:21:00.000-08:00

Holiday saying of the day:

'Give to give, not to get.'

Yep, that's selfless giving in a nutshell :) Happy holidays, my dears!

On being thankful

2010-11-26T10:17:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I heard for the first time the proclamation made by President Lincoln declaring Thanksgiving an official US holiday. In these troubled economic times, when uncertainty prevails and an undercurrent of hostility and suspicion rife among many nations, his speech seems as relevant today as it was the day it was written. Indeed, there is much to be thankful for: this earth we inhabit, the air we breathe; food, clothing and shelter; education and fruitful employment; the love of family and friends. For those of us who live in relative comfort, shielded away from the ravages of war and poverty, comforted by friends and family, able in health and vigor, the bounties that we ought be thankful for are innumerable. I shall not attempt to list them all, for I know I will fail to call upon every blessing that has been accorded us. But I will offer my heartfelt thanks.

I am immensely grateful. I am grateful for all the love in my life, all the wonderful people who make it worth living for. For all the good fortune that has come our way this year. And for all the tests that have, too. As N rightly said, we must also give thanks for those tough times that gave us valuable lessons and strengthened our resolve; the trying moments that taught us to be patient and the hurdles that forced us to persevere. And for being here after all has been said and done. I am thankful. And hence, I share:

Proclamation of Thanksgiving

Washington, D.C.
October 3, 1863

This is the proclamation which set the precedent for America's national day of Thanksgiving. During his administration, President Lincoln issued many orders similar to this. For example, on November 28, 1861, he ordered government departments closed for a local day of thanksgiving.

Sarah Josepha Hale, a 74-year-old magazine editor, wrote a letter to Lincoln on September 28, 1863, urging him to have the "day of our annual Thanksgiving made a National and fixed Union Festival." She explained, "You may have observed that, for some years past, there has been an increasing interest felt in our land to have the Thanksgiving held on the same day, in all the States; it now needs National recognition and authoritive fixation, only, to become permanently, an American custom and institution."

Prior to this, each state scheduled its own Thanksgiving holiday at different times, mainly in New England and other Northern states. President Lincoln responded to Mrs. Hale's request immediately, unlike several of his predecessors, who ignored her petitions altogether. In her letter to Lincoln she mentioned that she had been advocating a national thanksgiving date for 15 years as the editor of Godey's Lady's Book.

The document below sets apart the last Thursday of November "as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise." According to an April 1, 1864, letter from John Nicolay, one of President Lincoln's secretaries, this document was written by Secretary of State William Seward, and the original was in his handwriting. On October 3, 1863, fellow Cabinet member Gideon Welles recorded in his diary how he complimented Seward on his work. A year later the manuscript was sold to benefit Union troops.

By the President of the United States of America.

A Proclamation.

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consiousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the Unites States the Eighty-eighth.

By the President: Abraham Lincoln

William H. Seward,
Secretary of State

The Central Dogma...of Karma?

2010-07-23T11:16:00.000-07:00

A very interesting read on free will and deteminism...:)

Instant Karma

2010-07-18T18:33:00.001-07:00

My recent summer vacation was very satisfying. Plenty of sunshine, a few surprise showers, tons of mangoes, evenings at the beach, home-made food, good books to read, catching up with old friends and lots and lots of time spent with family. I especially loved being able to chat for hours with A, unhurriedly, and on anything that came to mind. I will recount here a thought process that arose from one particular conversation. It started with movies, and wound up touching upon the Virtue of the Month- Patience, life, death, faith, rebirth, action, karma and individual beliefs in a higher spiritual energy. Yes, that's a whole lot, and some very serious topics that came up from an observation about movies! Here's how it all started.
I had a sudden flash about what's most satisfying about watching movies. Many of you probably already knew this, but it is something that just occurred to me at the time :). Within the 2-3 hours that a movie lasts, every form of retribution is there to be had; the good guys win, the bad guys get punished, love is seldom unrequited, wishes are answered, dreams fulfilled, families reunited, all kinds of knots untangled and loose ends tied up. And yes, I am only referring to the more popular feel good movies, not the art-house or film-noir kind. But, the former are very, very satisfying.
I began to wonder though, if belief in an eternal spirit and in abiding with good, faith in the face of trials and tribulations, especially when confronted with situations where misdeeds go unquestioned and the kind are vilified, would not be easier if the time span over which karma operated was to be dramatically compressed. Is it perhaps the inability to believe in something beyond our physical mortality that prevents us from believing in the need for goodness? Would the classic questions of who knows if there's an after-life/ why should I believe when there is no justice in this situation/ how can there be grace when there is so much suffering/... vanish if consequences were immediate or more readily apparent to both the body and spirit in ways that each individual can understand? Would we all be better doers and stronger believers if karma were instant?
Then again, perhaps things are as they are, just so that we may be patient, we may forgive, we may have faith, we may do good for the sake of it and nothing else and despite everything that seems out of balance in the world around us...:)

2010-05-25T09:10:00.000-07:00

Many Faiths, One Truth

Less is More

2010-05-05T18:16:00.000-07:00

Always.
Let me begin by saying that this message was presented to me in multiple formats this week. The first example would make an excellent candidate for a space I usually reserve for my research rants. After a losing battle with an experiment where I kept increasing my starting material to a frightening amount, I won it by going in the opposite direction (to a startlingly low amount, though that should definitely be commented upon in the other space).
The second instance was in my refrigerator. For someone who gets a migraine from shopping, I make an exception for groceries. I cannot help but fall in love with bright and colorful looking fresh produce and on my last trip to the farmer's market I stocked my fridge to choking point anticipating 2 busy weeks ahead with no time to stop for fuel (of the food kind). In the end, it turned out the 2 very busy weeks, were too busy to set aside much time for cooking and a good amount of that very attractive produce died a silent, cold death and was transferred to a compost bin earlier this week. Nothing bothers me as much as waste does, and throwing away all that food made me wince as realization dawned that some principles of simple living are as true today as they were centuries ago: Buy fresh, buy often and buy a little at a time. Another quick tip for anyone who'd care to read: I heard on the Dr.Oz show last night that the age old warning of not storing potatoes and onions in the refrigerator has a scientific basis after all. Keeping those vegetables in the cold increases their starch content and upon cooking turns it into acrylamide, something biologists have known to steer clear of for a while.
And finally, less of the material is more for the spirit. This is obvious when it comes to greed for money or power, or lust for all things transitory. But could this be true of activities? Could there be such a thing as having too many things to do? While this last month has been filled with a lot of events to attend, people to meet, places to see and every other kind of thing in between, I somehow felt like I difted from one to another without a moment to pause and reflect deeply. I feel like there were certainly a few new things I learnt that I did not spend adequate time internalizing. Perhaps that's a signal to slow down and do a few things and to do them with all my being. Not that this is necessarily linked to the spirit in an obvious way, but I also realized that it was time to throw out some random junk that had accumulated unawares and sort through some other things that could find better use if donated.
At any rate, I hope I have convinced you that more often that not, less is quite plenty. And if you take nothing else away, I would certainly urge you to buy and eat fresh :)

For J...

2010-04-18T18:09:00.000-07:00

There is a candle in your heart, ready to be kindled.
There is a void in your soul, ready to be filled.
You feel it, don't you?

- Rumi

Just as I finished reading the chapter whose opening words had this very beautiful verse of Rumi's, I received a call from J telling me the wonderful news of a candle about to be kindled. :) And so I share this with much joy and prayer for her!

The virtue of the month...

2010-04-10T21:31:00.000-07:00

The virtue chosen this month is perseverance and persistence. This personal platform for goal-setting and thinking deeply has run dry in the last several months. And so, today I resolve that one of the many tasks for me to persevere on will be to continue with the spirit of inquiry and internalization of the virtue chosen each month and to share any thoughts that arise from the process. In the meantime, I leave you with a few lines from Khayyam's Rubaiyat, which I discovered in my current read: 'Three Cups of Tea'

Why ponder thus the future to foresee,
and jade thy brain to vain perplexity?
Cast off thy care, leave Allah's plans to him-
He formed them all without consulting thee.

A very playful and yet humbling way to ask one to be present in the moment and to accept every moment as it turns over to the future.

The virtue of this month...

2009-12-17T15:21:00.000-08:00

This is the month of punctuality, or of being on time. I would like to think of it, also, as the month of doing things in their appointed time. And by that I mean that while this season is, of all seasons, the season to give, there are others times that aren't overtly celebrated as such. But an hour of need for one person, must be the season of giving for another, no? Perhaps, these quotes then will express both succinctly and beautifully what I wish to convey, and so I share...

From the Thirukkural, verse 102:

காலத்தி நாற்செய்த நன்றி சிறிதெனினும்,

ஞாலத்தின் மாணப்பெரிது.

(Help rendered in an hour of need, be it however small, is greater than all the earth in its value.- Thiruvalluvar)

Liberality consists rather in giving seasonably than much.

- Jean de La Bruyère

A Time for Everything

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace...

And finally 'tis the season to be jolly, my dears! Fa la la la la...la la la la! :)

For December...

2009-12-01T10:33:00.001-08:00

I am determined to speak truthfully, with words that inspire self-confidence, joy and hope.
--
A very apt note to self I think for the end of the year; to introspect truthfully and to guide all goals and actions to flow from that truth.

For November

2009-11-02T10:59:00.000-08:00

With deep faith, we light up the incense of our heart.

For October

2009-10-01T10:11:00.000-07:00

'Cherish this very moment. Let go of the stream of distress and embrace life fully in your arms.'

I love this message for living in the present moment and living it to the fullest :) Happy October my dears!

2009-09-27T14:01:00.000-07:00

The National Parks-PBS Video
I urge you to watch it. It is a very nicely made video on the breathtakingly beautiful natural wonders in America. Personally, I found the words of John Muir's in finding his spiritual conviction from nature moving and articulated in a way that I might never be able to. Truly, God expresses himself through the mysteries and beauties of nature. To be blessed to see even a bit of it, is to be humbled by the vastness and bounty of it in comparison to our very, very smallness...
I urge you also to spend time deeply communing with nature. :) The experience is unparalleled in bliss and is true communion with God.

For September

2009-09-09T08:33:00.000-07:00

Vow to offer joy to one person in the morning, and to help relieve the grief of one person in the afternoon.

For August

2009-08-01T16:18:00.001-07:00

With the light of wisdom that we leave behind the forest of confusion.
With determination we learn, reflect and practice.

2009-07-25T23:51:00.000-07:00

You've no idea how hard I've looked for a gift to bring You.
Nothing seemed right.
What's the point of bringing gold to the gold mine, or water to the Ocean.
Everything I came up with was like taking spices to the Orient.
It's no good giving my heart and my soul because you already have these.
So- I've brought you a mirror.
Look at yourself and remember me.

- Jalaluddin Rumi

The virtue of each VOTM

2009-07-08T18:30:00.000-07:00

Our little VOTM sangha has tried every month to pick a virtue that would help each of us grow in some way, practice a noble quality, take a step closer to a higher reality and learn new ways of giving and loving. Some virtues have been easier to assimilate than have others, for sure. The very process of picking a virtue has been educative- for instance, sometimes, I have wondered if something is even a virtue. For instance, happiness. Or decisiveness (which is the VOTM of July :) btw).
Just struggling with conflicting urges of wanting to express that thought while also wanting to do my best to see how a thing of real value lies buried in applying that month's virtue has been a useful exercise for me. Along the way, understanding what makes a friend resonate deeply with a chosen virtue has helped me understand my friends better too. After all, life's lessons come in many different shapes and forms and this intentional process of picking a virtue has brought with it a new surprise lesson every time!
And this is what I have realized, especially for the selections I've had to make an effort to get my head around.
(Now this might be VOTM 101 for many of you, but for me it was an important realization and hence share I shall.)

What makes a virtue a virtue then? Let me take the example of happiness. At first I had thought to myself surely, this can't be a virtue! I mean, what's to practice?...
It took me a while to recognize that it is what brings forth happiness and indeed, where the true source of it lies- in divine grace- is what imbues happiness with virtue. Digging deep within to identify what brings happiness, what is ephemeral and what is truly lasting, what is a result of our conditioning from a material perspective and what is necessary for our spiritual growth- indeed, that is the virtue of happiness.

Is it not true that the sunlight streaming in through the window every morning makes me sing with utter joy? Indeed, every breath I take is an act of mercy of that Supreme being; the very flowers and birds that bring a smile upon my face, His gift to mankind; the love of family and friends, a blessing most precious, the source of greatest joy. To know happiness then is to know gratitude; it is to know contentment.

Is it not equally true that the things I cherish most cannot be measured or quantified by the sum total of all my worldly possessions? To know happiness then is to know what is material and dispensable and what is of far greater value than that.

Can I deny that in my moments of weakness and fear, it is only prayer that brings me strength and inner peace? Should I not know then that there can be no room for grief when I submit entirely to His will? No room for misery if I recognize courage and acceptance, detachment and wisdom, come from the same eternal being, and from whose love arises true joy and bliss. To know happiness then is to know the most essential truth.

--

You might wonder why I have waxed eloquent on happiness six months after the fact. Well, it is because despite the light bulb going off in my head then, I was seized by the same confusion when it came the turn of decisiveness! God knows, I need to practice it more than anybody. But the virtue part of it still bothered me. Until I remembered what S always said to me about decision analysis and Vedanta being one and the same. And truly it is. A decision cannot be judged based on its outcome but only on how it was made, given the information one had at the time. In some ways, this really brings a very important facet of detachment home. Not just that, efficient decision-making process demands objective reasoning, setting priorities and accepting unknowns. From a spiritual standpoint, if one always remembered to go through, say, a goodness checklist, one should never have an ethical dilemma, yeah? :) In other words, checking for 'good, kind and necessary' is not only a worthwhile gating process for speech, but for every decision that we make. Understanding what makes something good and why there is no exception to being kind at all times and doing this consciously at every turn, can only give greater clarity and conviction and before you know it a decision must emerge! And therein lies the virtue of decisiveness.

For July

2009-07-01T08:44:00.000-07:00

"Our appointment with life is in the present moment.'

For June

2009-06-01T09:26:00.001-07:00

Thich Nhat Hanh says from my desktop calendar:
'With kind spiritual friends, I am on the path of goodness.'

And so I give thanks to all of you, my dear friends for just being you :)

Change and Trust

2009-05-31T11:15:00.000-07:00

The message of trusting that, no matter what, greater good lies ahead was reiterated to me last week in surprising and novel ways. One of them came in the form a book that was being passed around our lab in response to some rapid re-structuring within our business division at work- 'Who moved my cheese'. An incredibly short & simple read, it could easily be included under the category of children's classics. The crux of the book is that change happens, inveitably. The healthy way to deal with it knowing that it will happen, is to anticipate it, trust that it will lead to something better, and gather the skills to deal with whatever that change leads to. At first, I found the comic style story-telling too simplistic, almost dismissing further thinking. Thankfully, I caught that very impulse to dismiss arise and decided to do some further thinking. I am glad I did (and it helps to have wonderful friends who ask that I do no less :), thank you my dears!).

What I came away with after all the ruminating is:

To trust in God means to trust that He would not send any test our way if He did not know that we could overcome them. Trusting is thus an act of supplication to His wisdom and care.

To trust that things will only turn out better is committing to find lessons in every change and test to make ourselves the better for it.

To trust is to remember that we are never lacking for His constant support and guidance.

To trust in God, is to trust one another; to know that He reveals Himself through ordinary miracles and to be open to His signs.

And to trust one another, means to love one another unconditionally and fearlessly.

2009-05-30T09:43:00.000-07:00

Appa's words of wisdom for his girls:
Good things happen to us,
Just not in the same dimension we imagined.
So, have faith and give a prayer of thanks!

Faith

2009-05-28T17:27:00.000-07:00

Life is no straight and easy corridor along which we travel free and unhampered,

but a maze of passages,

through which we must seek our way,

lost and confused,

now and again checked in a blind alley.

But always, if we have faith,

God will open a door for us,

not perhaps one that we ourselves would have thought of,

but one that will ultimately prove good for us.

- A. J. Cronin

2009-05-13T22:56:00.000-07:00

A short story a friend shared today that I found simply wonderful, so here it is for you.

An old farmer lived on a farm in the mountains with his young grandson. Each morning, Grandpa was up early sitting at the kitchen table reading his Bhagavat Geeta. His grandson wanted to be just like him and tried to imitate him in every way he could. One day the grandson asked, "Grandpa! I try to read the Bhagawat Geeta just like you but I don't understand it, and what I do understand, I forget as soon as I close the book. What good does reading the Bhagawat Geeta do?"
The Grandfather quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and replied, "Take this coal basket down to the river and bring me back a basket of water."
The boy did as he was told, but all the water leaked out before he got back to the house.
The grandfather laughed and said, "You'll have to move a little faster next time," and sent him back to the river with the basket to try again.
This time the boy ran faster, but again the basket was empty before he returned home. Out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was impossible to carry water in a basket, and he went to get a bucket instead.
The old man said, "I don't want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water. You're just not trying hard enough," and he went out the door to watch the boy try again.
At this point, the boy knew it was impossible, but he wanted to show his grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would leak out before he got back to the house. The boy again dipped the basket into river and ran hard, but when he reached his grandfather the basket was again empty.
Out of breath, he said, "SEE.... it is useless!"
"So you think it is useless?" The old man said, "Look at the basket."
The boy looked at the basket and for the first time realized that the basket was different. It had been transformed from a dirty old coal basket and was now clean, inside and out.
"Son, that's what happens when you read the Bhagavat Geeta. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, you will be changed, inside and out. That is the work of Lord Krishna in our lives."

2009-05-06T22:43:00.001-07:00

For this, the month of trust, in God, in you,

in all things good and all things true...

http://aftertheafterthought.blogspot.com/2008/07/father-i-place-into-your-hands.html

2009-05-06T22:19:00.001-07:00

I had an epiphany in the shower from having shampoo sting my eyes tonight. As my eyes burned unbearably, I only shut it tighter until I realized the cool water finding its way through the tiny openings on the side was only serving to heal it and dilute the irritant out of my eyes. It took me a few seconds to realize I was actually better off letting the water in rather than shutting my eyes shut. Duh! Strange somehow, that in theory I've known this all along, but everytime something falls in my eye, my first instinct is to shut it tight. And make things worse for myself.

And how true that is of learning and growing in general. Tough situations make us, or me, at first want to crawl inside and retreat and wish the problem away. Being open to fresh insight and accepting wisdom, be that from any source, is the the real solution and true cure. And as I reap of that understanding, my willingness to open up and receive the knowledge being shared all around increases rapidly. Well, not really an epiphany, but a reiteration of a basic tenet I suppose, but I thought I'd share. With it, an adage in Tamil that sums this up nicely.

'பாட பாடத்தான் ராகம்; மூட மூடத்தான் ரோகம்.'

(pAda pAdatthAn rAgam; mUda mUdatthAn rOgam)

It roughly translates to, practice makes perfect and denial impedes healing; it is only by repeatedly singing and elaborating on a raag does one appreciate its nuances, and a melody born of it. Conversely, it is by concealing a problem and pretending it doesn't exist that an illness grows and worsens irreversibly.

2009-05-03T17:13:00.000-07:00

My learning from yesterday's Satsang:

'Who is an atheist?

One who does not recognize the divine spirit permeating every being, and does not act with kindness towards one and all.'

For May

2009-05-01T08:41:00.000-07:00

May we all ponder these lovely words of Thich Nhat Hanh and strive to apply it in our lives:

'May the hearers awaken from forgetfulness and transcend all anxiety and sorrow.'

2009-04-24T09:11:00.000-07:00

I cannot think of two beings more aligned in their inner purpose, more joyous in their recognition of the divine spirit that unites them and more giving of that wisdom, joy and peace to everyone who comes their way. To two of my dearest, here's a wish that they may, forever, remain in glorious union, in constant celebration of the spirit that is at the center of their lives. May these words of Rumi echo in every moment of their togetherness...

This Marriage

May these vows and this marriage be blessed.

May it be sweet milk, this marriage, like wine and halvah.

May this marriage offer fruit and shade like the date palm.

May this marriage be full of laughter, our every day a day in paradise.

May this marriage be a sign of compassion,

a seal of happiness here and hereafter.

May this marriage have a fair face and a good name,

an omen as welcomes the moon in a clear blue sky.

I am out of words to describe how spirit mingles in this marriage.

-- Rumi

2009-04-23T22:00:00.000-07:00

'The garden of love is green without limit

and yields many fruits other than sorrow or joy.

Love is beyond either condition:

without spring, without autumn, it is always fresh.'

- Rumi

2009-04-22T22:05:00.000-07:00

Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections, but instantly set about remedying them - every day begin the task anew.

- Saint Francis De Sales

2009-04-22T10:13:00.000-07:00

God Eavesdrops

What an opportunity two hearts have whenever they talk.

For when our words are loving, playful and encouraging,

God cannot help but eavesdrop even more than usual.

And then, of course, the odds increase on the divine being felt.

- Hafiz

2009-04-17T09:22:00.000-07:00

IshAvAsyam idam sarvam

Divine interventions

2009-04-11T17:44:00.000-07:00

And miracle coincidences seem to abound; I am only stunned by how many I might have missed by simply not opening myself out to receive them. Some, however, require no such effort; they are truly and explicitly just that and are handed to you on a golden platter. Many months ago, sometime last year, I had heard a lecture by a monk and had been struck by the ordinary circumstances and some not so ordinary, but extremely disturbing and saddening situations in his life through which he had realized the underlying truth of love and unity. At the time I inspired by the sense of peace that pervaded his being and the aura he seemed to radiate; an aura that brought some of that peace to permeate my being...
Last week as I struggled to embrace peace, I searched online for his lectures to find one that might speak specifically to this inner process of transforming angst to peace and acceptance. I found many inspiring talks on unconditional love of all and devotion to truth, yet not exactly the thing I was looking for. This afternoon, I find, two friends who remembered how moved I was by the Swamiji's presence, saved a copy of his autobiography he recently completed, for me. I am moved beyond words by this act of kindness and the divinity behind it.

2009-04-06T20:05:00.000-07:00

Know, son, that everything in the universe

is a pitcher brimming with wisdom and beauty.

The universe is a drop of the Tigris of His Beauty,

this Beauty not contained by any skin.

His beauty was a Hidden Trasure so full

it burst open and made the earth

more radiant than the heavens.

- Rumi

2009-04-05T22:22:00.001-07:00

My Dear Ones,

I would like you to know how grateful I am for the multitude of ways in which so many of you have, sometimes even unbeknownst to you, shown me much kindness and have given me great strength, which during these last few days, has delivered me from pain and confusion to clarity and peace. I must now reassure you that, as a result, I am not sad or grieving; I do not mourn any loss, as I have seen something larger that has been gained, for which I am only thankful. Know that I am as joyful and peaceful as I can possibly be.

I am however, also mindful of a beautiful facet of this adage (that a friend has repeated many many times over to me, and that I only recently realized) 'Make hay while the sun shines.' It is not very often that circumstances, which provide the space to question and understand what it truly means to accept peace and let go of mortal attachment, present themselves. Even less often have I found myself receptive to such opportunities to delve deep into my inner- most fears and attachments. Now that I have chosen peace, I would like to harvest it to its fullest potential. And so if it seems that I have, over the course of this last week, chosen silence over speech, seclusion over company, calm over excitement, it has only been to dig deeper into the wellspring of true joy. It shall soon brim over in ways familiar to many. But in the meantime, know that I am well. And I trust that you are too, as you are in my prayers.

With much love and thanks,

Yours, sincerely.

I journeyed too

2009-04-03T13:02:00.000-07:00

I must confess that a deeply fulfilling evening a few days ago left me at an utter loss for words. I was simply moved beyond putting into words what I experienced. (The knowledge that my dear SG would do poetic justice in describing the same kept the words convniently out of reach :). At any rate, knowing now that she did in fact do just that-here, I shall add only that I was stunned by the vision and scale of the very random act of kindness that offering that space, enabling an evening of experiencing unified purpose and giving of oneself freely to utter strangers, that the hosts performed, so very inspiringly, lovingly and most humbly. In doing so, they helped me also take one step forward in realizing just how limitless the opportunities are to serve and discover the love and beauty in every being.

I was touched, and tagged by that act. And now, so are you! As one gentleman said using the phrase made famous by Nike, 'Just Do It'.

Finding God

2009-04-01T18:05:00.000-07:00

He is to be found everywhere, and as N rightly said today, he acts through each of us, drawing us ever nearer to one another and thereby to Him.

I am usually cautious about reading prayers in public, or more specifically in the midst of groups of people whom I don't know well. While I might read material bordering on the spiritual quite comfortably, I would not read something overtly so, or expressing any fervent religious sentiment, for fear of putting my neighbor, especially such as on my Caltrain rides, in a position of awkwardness or discomfort. Perhaps this too stems from a deep-seated fear of being branded an irrational fanatic. This evening, however, I felt no qualms and was completely at peace in opening the book of Baha'i prayers that V and N had been kind enough to gift me last year. As I flipped through the pages, not quite finding the right one, my fingers stopped at the one entitled 'Nearness to God'. The seat that had been vacant next to me until that instant, was occupied by a kindly lady, who sat down just as my eyes rested upon the title. And turning to me with a wide smile she said, 'You know what? I had the exact same idea!' And with that she set down her bags and opened her evening read- a pocket Book of Pslams.

Peace.

For the month of Sacrifice that was...

2009-04-01T09:54:00.000-07:00

For the lesson it reiterated for me on its last day, for the ideal of striving to let go of attachment it reinforced, for the test of loving spiritually that it brought, I am grateful. I am grateful to the joy that loved ones bring in life and leave in memory, for the blessing it is to have love around us. I pray that we may all live such lives that take us ever closer to the Eternal Light. I pray that we may all live by the ideal of this gentle prayer of the Saint Francis of Assisi.

"O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life."

For April

2009-04-01T09:45:00.000-07:00

The thought to meditate upon and imbibe:

My actions are the ground on which I stand

2009-03-31T20:05:00.000-07:00

Death, be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so;
For those whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow,
Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.
From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be,
Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow,
And soonest our best men with thee do go,
Rest of their bones, and soul's delivery.
Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,
And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell;
And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well
And better than thy stroke; why swell'st thou then?
One short sleep past, we wake eternally,
And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.

- John Donne

Aspire...

2009-03-29T11:50:00.000-07:00

This last Friday evening was spent most beautifully, the arrival of spring in the bay area being only the start of a blissful arrangement of events this entire weekend. A beautiful walk at the foothills around campus was folloowed by a most enlivening disussion with my SG. One of the many insightful threads we followed, I shall touch upon here.

What we wish to become requires some knowledge as to what is worth becoming. That presents a loopy problem. Take heart, there is a solution. A sincere desire to elevate oneself from whatever state one is in presently is the most important step in the process of elevation itself. That desire is what allows one to see opportunities for growth and seek them fervently in every step forward. It is the desire that brings courage to to set fear aside and face every new trial. It is the desire that allows the mind to soak in the knowledge that each new trial contains, hidden beneath its wrappers. And so, you see, the desire to learn brings knowledge to the desirous. Indeed, the goal enables the process. And the world conspires in it.

In this the month of sacrifice, of shedding our lower selves for the higher, in dissolving our attachment to identity for unity, of firmly choosing the right path at forks where the choice is clear, the ascent steep and road unpaved...may we set ourselves only the most lofty of ideals, may we only aspire to give more than we receive, may we desire most fervently to be tested by fire and strengthened thereby.

And, so I share these words of Rumi that struck a chord deep within.

Make real the sublime words of the Prophet:

"We are the last and the foremost."

The fresh and perfect fruit is the last thing to come into existence

For although the fruit is the last thing to come into existence,

It is, in fact, the first, for it was the goal.

An excerpt from 'Heroes'

Anyone, to the degree of his enlightenment,

sees as much as he has polished himself.

The more he polishes, the more he sees,

the more visible do the forms become.

If you say purity is by the grace of God,

this success in polishing is also through that Generosity.

That work and prayer is in proportion to the yearning:

People have nothing but what they have striven for.

With will, fire becomes sweet water;

and without will, even water becomes fire.

2009-03-19T23:56:00.000-07:00

One, One, One

The lamps are different.

But the Light is the same.

So many garish lamps in the dying brain's lamp shop,

Forget about them.

Concentrate on essence, concentrate on Light.

In lucid bliss, calmly smoking off its own hold fire,

The Light streams toward you from all things,

All people, all possible permutations of good,evil, thought, passion.

The lamps are different,

But the Light is the same.

One matter, one energy, one Light, one Light-mind,

Endlessly emanating all things.

One turning and burning diamond,

One, one, one.

Ground yourself, strip yourself down,

To blind loving silence.

Stay there, until you see

You are gazing at the Light

With its own ageless eyes.

- Rumi

(translated by Andrew Harvey)

A gem from Rumi...

2009-03-19T23:29:00.000-07:00

quite literally :)
In this the month of sacrifice, of putting others above ourselves, in letting dharma win over pettiness, in elevating our spirits from its lower self to the higher, in suffering for good, in enduring for wisdom and understanding....this poem teaches a most beautiful lesson on what it means to be selfless and detached.
In light of tonight's Ruhi section on kindness, on achieveing unity, in understanding what it means to let one's heart burn with loving-kindness for everyone that might pass one's way, I share this Ruby with you, so you may drink in its beauty as I do and savor the full potence of its meaning as it sinks in word by word....

The Ruby

At breakfast tea a beloved asked her lover,

"Who do you love more, yourself or me?"

"From my head to my foot I have become you.

Nothing remains of me but my name.

You have your wish. Only you exist.

I've disappeared like a drop of vinegar in the ocean of honey."

A stone has become a ruby,

is filled with the qualities of the sun.

No stoniness remains in it.

If it loves itself, it is loving the sun.

And if it loves the sun, it loves itself.

There is no difference between these two loves.

Before the stone becomes the ruby it is its own enemy.

Not one but two exist.

The stone is dark and blind to daylight.

If it loves itself, it is unfaithful: it intensely resists the sun.

If it says "I," it is all darkness.

A pharaoh claims divinity and is brought down.

Hallaj says the same and is saved.

One I is cursed, another I is blessed.

One I is a stone, another a crystal.

One an enemy of the light, the other a reflector of it.

In its inmost consciousness, not through a doctrine,

it is one with the light.

Work on your stony qualities

and become resplendent like the ruby.

Practice self-denial and accept difficulty.

Always see infinite life in letting the self die.

Your stoniness will decrease; your ruby nature will grow.

The signs of self-existence will leave your body,

and ecstasy will take you over.

Become all hearing like an ear and gain a ruby earring.

Dig a well in the earth of this body,

or even before the well is dug,

let God draw the water up.

Be always at work scraping the dirt from the well.

To everyone who suffers,

perseverance brings good fortune.

The Prophet has said that each prostration of prayer

is a knock on heaven's door.

When anyone continues to knock,

felicity shows its smiling face.

The light which shines in the eye

is really the light of the heart.

The light which fills the heart

is the light of God, which is pure

and separate from the light of intellect and sense.

- Rumi

(translated by Kabir Helminski)

2009-03-16T21:03:00.000-07:00

Beannacht
("Blessing")

On the day when

the weight deadens

on your shoulders

and you stumble,

may the clay dance

to balance you.

And when your eyes

freeze behindthe grey window

and the ghost of loss

gets in to you,

may a flock of colours,

indigo, red, green,

and azure blue

come to awaken in you

a meadow of delight.

When the canvas frays

in the currach of thought

and a stain of ocean

blackens beneath you,

may there come across the waters

a path of yellow moonlight

to bring you safely home.

May the nourishment of the earth be yours,

may the clarity of light be yours,

may the fluency of the ocean be yours,

may the protection of the ancestors be yours.

And so may a slow

wind work these words

of love around you,

an invisible cloak

to mind your life.

-John O'Donohue

2009-03-07T11:58:00.000-08:00

Kurai Ondrum Illai

rAgam: rAgamAlikA
tALam: Adi
Composer: Rajaji
Language: Tamil

Pallavi
Shiva Ranjani
22 KharaharapriyA janya
Aa: S R2 G2 P D2 S
Av: S D2 P G2 R2 S

kuRai onRum illai maRaiMoorththi kaNNA
kuRai onRum illai kaNNA
kuRai onRum illai GOvinthA

Anupallavi
Shiva Ranjani

kaNNukku theriyAmal niRkinRAy kaNNA
kaNNukku TheriyAmal ninRAlum enakku
kuRai onRum illai maRaiMoorththi kaNNA

CharaNam 1
Shiva Ranjani

VEndiyathai thanNthida VEnkaTEsan enRirukka

VEndiyathu VERillai maRaiMoorththi kaNNA
maNivaNNA malaiappA GOvinthA GOvinthA

CharaNam 2
KApi
22 KharaharapriyA janya
Aa: S R2 M1 P N3 S
Av: S N2 D2 N2 P M1 G2 R2 S

thiraiyin pin niRkinRAy kaNNA - unnai
maRai Othum NYAniyar mattuME kANpArenRAlum
kuRai onRum enakkillai kaNNA

CharaNam 3
KApi

kunRin MEl kallAki niRkinRa varathA
kuRai onRum illai maRaiMoorththi kaNNA
maNivaNNA malaiappA GOvinthA GOvinthA

CharaNam 4
Sindhu Bhairavi
10 nATakapriyA janya
Aa: S R2 G2 M1 G2 P D1 N2 S
Av: N2 D1 P M1 G2 R1 S N2 S

kalinNALukkiranNgi kallilE iRangi
nilaiyAga KOvilil niRkinRAy KEsavA

CharaNam 5
Sindhu Bhairavi

yAthum maRukkAtha malaiyappA - un mArbil
Ethum thara niRkum karuNai kadal annai
enRum irunthida Ethu kuRai enakku
onRum kuRai illai maRaiMoorththi kaNNA
maNivaNNA malaiappA GOvinthA GOvinthA

For March

2009-03-02T15:16:00.000-08:00

The thought for the month is:

'May I be able to recognize and touch the seeds of joy and happiness in myself.'

Beautiful words, meaninful words...

2009-02-25T19:59:00.000-08:00

Praise and blame, gain and loss, pleasure and sorrow come and go like the wind. To be happy, rest like a giant tree, in the midst of them all.
--

Quoted in Joseph Goldstein, The Experience of Insight
One of his students asked Buddha, "Are you the messiah?" "No", answered Buddha. "Then are you a healer?" "No", Buddha replied. "Then are you a teacher?" the student persisted. "No, I am not a teacher." "Then what are you?" asked the student, exasperated. "I am awake", Buddha replied.

As the Buddha was dying, Ananda asked who would be their teacher after death. He replied to his disciple "Be lamps unto yourselves ."

And more treasures here, as I stumbled upon Incredible !ndia...:)

My favorite Oscar 2008 quotes

2009-02-22T20:01:00.000-08:00

'I expect to pass through life but once. If therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again.'- Jerry Lewis quoted William Penn in his acceptance speech upon receiving the Jean Herscholt Humanitarian award.

எல்லாம் புகழும் இறைவனிர்க்கே

(May all praise be to God)

- A R Rahman

Incredible !ndia

2009-02-22T10:38:00.000-08:00

Buddhism, the Four Noble Truths & the Eight-fold Path...

At the Indian consulate in SFO last week, I found Indian tourism board's Incredible !ndia posters proudly displaying its many beautiful facets. Among them, the majestic Himalayan peaks, the Golden temple in Amritsar, an aerial view of Jaipur, the Madurai Meenakshi temple, and in one corner a poster on Buddhism. The least magnificent of all in terms of its visual appeal, it was, I must say the most beautiful in what if fed the mind and spirit. In describing Sarnath (it was in the Deer Park at Sarnath that the Buddha gave his first significant sermons on the Middle Way, the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path to his five fellow seekers who became the first monks of the order), it went on to enumerate each of the Four Noble Truths and The Eight-Fold Path. N remarked that I had managed to remove myself from the incredibly Indian experience, that was, as always, rich in visual and aural stimuli, a little mela playing itself out in the CGI premises. Absolutely endearing to watch and a fabulous dose of being on Indian soil for a precious few minutes, it was this poster that grounded me. :) And so here it is, the essential truth about existence and our intended path to a higher one:

1. Dukkha- The Nature of Suffering

2. Samudaya- The Cause of Suffering

3. Nirodha- The Cessation of Suffering

4. Marga- The Path to Cessation of Suffering

Dukkha: The Noble Truth of the Nature of Suffering

Birth is suffering, aging is suffering, sickness is suffering, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair are suffering; union with what is displeasing is suffering; separation from what is pleasing is suffering; not to get what one wants is suffering; in brief, the five categories affected by 'clinging' are suffering. Fittingly, the Pali word 'Dukkha' means incapable of satisfying and unable to withstand. In one word, it summarizes impermanence of the sensory realm.

(The poster called impermanence and the dissatifaction arising from it as 'unsatisfactoriness'. I spent a few seconds trying that word on my tongue; a most intersting variation of what exists in the dictionary, but, importantly, it makes the point quite clearly.)

Samudaya- The Noble Truth of the Cause of Suffering
The origin of suffering is attachment. Attachment is of three kinds, specifically, attachment to three kinds of desire: desire for sense pleasure (kama tanha), desire to become (bhava tanha) and desire to get rid of (vibhava tanha). In other words, attachment leads to constant craving in one form or another. The craving for sensory fulfilment is inherently incapable of being satisfied and lies at the root of suffering.

Nirodha- The Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering

Yes, suffering can in fact cease to exist. What is that state of non-suffering?

It is the remainderless fading away and cessation of that same craving; the giving up and relinquishing of it, freedom from it, non-reliance on it.

Powerful words and they need unpacking. The cessation of suffering has to come mentally; it requires understanding that dukkha arises from a reliance or a belief that reliance on sensory objects of fulfilment could lead to satisfaction. Knowing that such sources of fulfilment are inherently impermanent, leads to a non-reliance on them, and hence to an end to craving for them. That is the cessation of suffering.

Marga- The Noble Truth of the Path to Cessation of Suffering

How can one attain a state of non-suffering?

Cessation of Suffering can be achieved by following the eight-fold path.

I shall end this post at this point and enumerate the eight-fold path in a separate one, so that, dear reader, you may meditate upon the four noble truths before taking up the prescribed path to exit the loop of desire- dissatisfaction and more desire.

Thought-provoking status messages

2009-02-18T18:59:00.000-08:00

One such posted by a friend today...
'One often meets his destiny on the road to avoid it.'

2009-02-16T19:08:00.000-08:00

A's words of wisdom for the day:

Prayer is not a medium for sealing contracts, asking for favors, weeping in sorrow, but really for expressing the joy of being and thankfulness for everything God-given.

12 Vows to cultivate a spirit of Avalokita Buddhishava

2009-02-07T23:07:00.000-08:00

After nearly a year, I visited the Kim Son Monastery again today with some dear friends. And I wanted to share with you, dear reader, these beautiful vows we were introduced to, to cultivate a harmonious existence from within and without and to live in mindfulness. The monastery is a Vietnamese Sangha in the Buddhist tradition. (Avalokita Buddhishava or Avolikiteshvara Bodhisattva)

1. I vow to cultivate loving kindness and compassion, and to protect lives, happiness for all living beings.

2. I vow to understand all living beings and their sufferings, in order to offer joy and bring happiness to everyone.

3. I vow to let go of all angers, worries, anxieties, and complaints, so I can live freely and happily with everyone.

4. I vow to live in harmony, peacefully with friends, families, and all beings.

5. I vow to listen with all my attention and open heartedness in order to understand what the other person is saying. I shall listen without any prejudice. I shall sit and listen without judging or reacting. And I shall not say things which are unwholesome and hurtful.

6. I vow to practice mindful breathing to transform my deep habit energy of forgetfulness, I shall learn to breath mindfully every time I hear the sound of the bell, or other wonderful sounds around me. If I practice listen deeply, I will see that all sound carries a message of love and wisdom.

7. May the sick people be healed, the old be well taken care of, and those who has passed away will all be reborn in the Pure Land.

8. May the poor be fed, all wrong doings be repented, all in captivity be free, all disable be healed, all drug addict be awaken from their illusion, and all murderers be free of arms.

9. May all the beings cultivate boundless love. Let no one do harm to anyone. Let no one put the life of anyone in danger, and let no one, out of anger or ill will, wish anyone harm.

10. I vow to protect this planet and keep it beautiful. I vow to do work of transforming garbage into flowers and fruits, protecting life and the environment, and building a Pure Land on earth.

11. May all beings end all afflictions so that wisdom can arise, and the fruit of awakening be fully realized for everyone.

12. May I and all living beings act with the wonderful power of thousand arms and eyes of compassion, to come and go freely in the three worlds. We aspire to practice with a boddhisatva’s vow to be an instrument of the Buddha to help alleviate pain and sufferings in the Ten Directions of the Cosmos.

This month...

2009-02-02T14:54:00.000-08:00

The theme on my Thich Nhat Hanh desktop calendar is:

In each precious moment I am filled with deep gratitude.

I was going to italicize only the key words and realized this simple thought was packed with meaning, in every single word...

A thought-provoking sermon...

2009-02-01T22:58:00.001-08:00

http://www.swedenborg.org/odb/sermon_detail.cfm?sermonID=2549

Realizing Unity...

2009-01-31T19:21:00.000-08:00

In the month of December (of 2008). Yes, a little late VOTM-ers, but better than never :), I must share with you, dear reader, just how beautiful it was to realize the power of coming together, in purpose, in spirit and in love, to serve the needy. The two weeks spent in India over the holidays working with people of different ages, nationalities, languages, aptitudes, capabilities and limitations but with one common desire, to serve and learn thereby, was truly a most joyful experience. (For a more detailed account visit http://delivering-hope.blogspot.com/).

2008-11-30T10:31:00.000-08:00

If there is to be peace in the world,
There must be peace in the nations.

If there is to be peace in the nations,
There must be peace in the cities.

If there is to be peace in the cities,
There must be peace between neighbors.

If there is to be peace between neighbors,
There must be peace in the home.

If there is to be peace in the home,
There must be peace in the heart.

- Lao Tse

And so I pray, Oh Lord,

Send Thy peace O Lord, which is
perfect and everlasting,
that our souls may radiate peace.

Send Thy peace O Lord, that we
may think, act and speak harmoniously.

Send Thy peace O Lord, that we
may be contented and thankful for
Thy bountiful gifts.

Send Thy peace O Lord, that amidst
our worldly strife, we may enjoy Thy bliss.

Send Thy peace O Lord, that we
may endure all, tolerate all, in the thought of
Thy grace and mercy.

Send Thy peace O Lord, that our lives
may become a Divine vision and in Thy light,
all darkness may vanish.

Send Thy peace O Lord, our Father and Mother,
that we Thy children on Earth may all
unite in one family.

- Pir-O-Murshid Hazrat Inayat Khan

2008-11-30T10:23:00.000-08:00

Since the people living across the ocean surrounding us, I believe, are all our brothers and sisters, why are there constant troubles in this world? Why do winds and waves rise in the ocean surrounding us? I only earnestly wish that the wind will soon puff away all the clouds which are hanging over the tops of the mountains.

- Shinto prayer.

2008-11-22T14:40:00.000-08:00

A Blessing

Mi-sheberakh avoteinu v’imoteinu, Avraham v’Sarah, Yitzhak v’Rivkah, Ya’akov, Rachel v’Leah hu y’varekh et C v’yavi aleihem refuat hanefesh u’refuat haguf yachad im kol cholei amo Yisrael. Barukh atah Hashem, rofeh ha’cholim.

May the One who was a source of blessing for our ancestors, bring blessings of healing upon dear C, a healing of body and a healing of spirit. May those in whose care she is entrusted be gifted with wisdom and skill, and those who surround her be gifted with love and trust, openness and support in their care. And may she be healed along with all those who are in need. Blessed are You, Source of healing.

2008-11-19T23:16:00.000-08:00

XXXII
There was the Door to which I found no Key;
There was the Veil through which I might not see:
Some little talk awhile of Me and Thee
There was--and then no more of Thee and Me.
...
XXXIV
Then of the Thee in Me works behind
The Veil, I lifted up my hands to find
A Lamp amid the Darkness; and I heard,
As from Without--"The Me Within Thee Blind!"

- The Rubaiyat, by Omar Khayyam.

A healthy spirit

2008-11-19T22:33:00.000-08:00

I was feeling rather pleased with myself for having stumbled upon this understanding yesterday (which is rather simplistic and I must add the disclaimer that as most analogies go, it will be limited in some way, but effective in making a few points clear). Yesterday, while icing my wrists I was trying to imagine what a normal one would feel like. And I was quite stunned to realize that when everything in our body is working as it is meant to be, we do not feel any motion or function distinctly; we do not feel our muscles pull, our joints ache, our skin itch, our pulses race and so forth. In other words we do not perceive the otherwise enormous effort we would have to take to re-align a malfunctioning organ or gland into working harmoniously with the rest of the body. You see as a whole, the body has a purpose. When some part of it is ailing, it detracts in some fashion, the whole from working as efficiently as it should or could be, towards that purpose. And every ache and bruise, every disease and affliction, remains a nagging reminder of that imbalance and disharmony within.
That got me thinking, how we do know our spirits are healthy? Or is there even a golden yardstick for how a healthy one 'feels'? A series of recent blogs by C & N helped me clarify how it might feel. (I highly recommend reading those posts with all the comments that followed for an excellent synthesis of ideas surrounding a harmonious existence from within and without). I believe our spirits (individual organs) feel bogged down and frustrated when its purpose is at odds with the purpose of the collective organism or body it is serving (the body); when the goal of one organ is to siphon off all resources for its own functioning without concern for how that might affect the equilibrium of the body as a whole; when one organ does not pitch in to compensate for an over-worked other while it recovers, the (individual) spirit while enjoying some temporary advantage soon succumbs to the malaise afflicting the collective (body) due to this lopsided progress.
And when it does work in harmony with the whole?

सत्- चित -आनन्द ।

Peace.

A new lesson

2008-11-17T20:34:00.001-08:00

Every day of reading through the training material for UFS brings a renewed sense of purpose, an urgency for action, new wisdom and more empathy to all forms of suffering. This is a lesson I learnt today in the context of health education and its importance in community health services.

'Self-efficacy is one of the most important precursors to behavior change, is a good predictor of future behavior, and has many important implications in health education. It is one of the constructs of Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory (SCT). Self-efficacy supports the notion that successful behavior change requires that a person have a strong belief in their ability to exercise control over a behavior, or learn a new behavior...'

The lesson, however, extends beyond the sphere of health education, and it should not be mistaken for brainwashing. The important message is, having understood the benefits of following a certain practice, be it meditation, exercise, a healthy diet, or a way of thinking, one must then also believe that one is capable of taking the necessary steps required to achieve that benefit; in other words, one must allow oneself the confidence that he/she can overcome internal barriers to growth, change detrimental habits, and follow up with incremental positive changes in the right direction.

Baby steps to a lofty ideal with faith and sincerity. Believe! :)

2008-11-16T17:04:00.000-08:00

It is also the month of love. And while I'm at it, let me share another special hymn with you. This was also the hymn my class and I sang together on our last day in high school, in our chapel, holding a candle in one hand, the hand of a friend in the other, tears in our eyes, and hope in our hearts. Stepping out 'into the world' as our teachers put it, this hymn helped me center in the knowledge that one will never be too far from the loving care of God; our lives are, after all, in His hands.

My Life is in Your Hands

Life can be so good
Life can be so hard
Never knowing what each day
Will bring to where you are
Sometimes I forget
And sometimes I can’t see
That whatever comes my way
You’ll be with me

My life is in your hands
My heart is in your keeping
I’m never without hope
Not when my future is with you

My life is in your hands
And though I may not see clearly
I will lift my voice and sing
Cause your love does amazing things
Lord, I know, my life is in your hands

Nothing is for sure
Nothing is for keeps
All I know is that your love
Will live eternally
So I will find my rest,
And I will find my peace
Knowing that you’ll meet my every need

My life is in your hands
My heart is in your keeping
I’m never without hope
Not when my future is with you

My life is in your hands
And though I may not see clearly
I will lift my voice and sing
Cause your love does amazing things
Lord, I know, my life is in your hands

When I’m at my weakest Lord
You carry me
Then I become my strongest Lord
In your hands

My life is in your hands
And though I may not see clearly
I will lift my voice and sing
Cause your love does amazing things
Lord, I know, my life is in your hands
I trust you Lord
My life is in your hands

Giving thanks...

2008-11-16T16:30:00.000-08:00

I was not going to blog this weekend. But this moment is far too overwhelming and joyful that write I must and give thanks many times over; for I have been overwhelmed by the incredible generosity and kindness of two of the most beautiful souls I am fortunate to count among my dear friends; for reminding me, again, of the many many kindly souls who have shown their tremendous support, each in their own inimitable way, for what I shall endeavour to do in the holidays this year; for yet others for having been my inspiration to take this step forward, and still more for giving me the opportunity to serve...
This is the month of being thankful, and indeed there is so very much to be thankful for. And so I share with you my dears, this simple and heart-warming hymn.

Give thanks with a grateful heart
Give thanks unto the Holy One
Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son
Give thanks with a grateful heart
Give thanks unto the Holy One
Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son

And now let the weak say, "I am strong"
Let the poor say, "I am rich
Because of what the Lord has done for us"
And now let the weak say, "I am strong"
Let the poor say, "I am rich
Because of what the Lord has done for us"
--

And I must add that God sends to us in every creation of His, the very Holy One, as a tiny aspect of His myriad forms, so we may joyfully love and serve one another. And so, I must thank every one of you, my dear friends, for giving me reason to believe, for giving me strength when I was weak, for giving me hope when I was crestfallen, for lending me your shoulders when I needed to lean, for sharing your wisdom when I was lost, and for being who you are.

Amen.

2008-11-05T22:40:00.000-08:00

We shall overcome, we shall overcome,
We shall overcome someday;
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe,
We shall overcome someday.

The lord will see us through, the lord will see us through,
The lord will see us through someday;
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe,
We shall overcome someday.

We're on to victory, we're on to victory,
We're on to victory someday;
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe,
We're on to victory someday.

We'll walk hand in hand, we'll walk hand in hand,
We'll walk hand in hand someday;
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe,
We'll walk hand in hand someday.

We are not afraid, we are not afraid,
We are not afraid today;
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe,
We are not afraid today.

The truth shall make us free, the truth shall make us free,
The truth shall make us free someday;
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe,
The truth shall make us free someday.

We shall live in peace, we shall live in peace,
We shall live in peace someday;
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe,
We shall live in peace someday.

And the notations for this inspirational gospel song.

2008-11-04T21:25:00.000-08:00

Amen.

An elegant design...

2008-10-28T18:20:00.000-07:00

A conversation last weekend with AJ was thought-provoking, as ever. We pondered, briefly (and I will attempt to summarize my questions and some preliminary conclusions about them soon on another post) about a broad difference in attitude and approach to life: one of withholding belief, active questioning, reasoning, testing and finally accepting, versus, one of accepting first, suspending disbelief, cultivating patience, then retroactively understanding, iteratively tweaking the basis for that acceptance and then building further paradigms for questioning, reasoning and so forth. (Acceptance can be thought of as a tolerance of the various superficial differences we see in individuals as well as the tiny leaps of faith we make in following a certain path). As you can see the two roads cross the same broad milestones, and start off on an imaginary circle but at different points. But those starting points can be very crucial on our perspective in life on the whole; our willingness to question dogma, accept change, propel that change as well when required, and sometimes accept what cannot be changed, cultivating compassion, tolerance and a desire to seek truth all at once.
All this talk made me wonder...
Let us suppose we were to build a spiritual being from first principles; is there any specific order in which we would fill at being up with virtues? For example, would developing acceptance and patience better position an individual for learning and thereby acquiring other qualities? (By making them grateful for that which is given and loving it wholeheartedly first, being tolerant of the limitations of oneself and others, and thereby being better able to appreciate increments and improvements made in knowledge and spiritual growth...you get the drift.)
Or would one take an equimolar ratio of all virtues and allow the individual to harness it to its potential over time, and hope they will all reach the maximum capacity at some stage?...
At any rate, I suppose, the current model the good Lord has chosen is some combination of the above, wherein each individual possesses the ability to develop all virtues to the fullest extent, but only has some in a mature form. This possibly positions them to learn actively from those around them when they encounter a limitation in their own selves/stage of maturity, while also being able to lend a hand to others lacking for what they may have realized in their own lives...
More musings to come! Happy Diwali!

2008-10-27T15:58:00.000-07:00

'Light signifies the presence of God. And in His light, we see light.'

Dear God,

Please illumine our minds
With truth and knowledge,
Enliven our spirits
With strength and courage.
Set our hearts aglow
With love and compassion,
Be our leading light
In thought, word and every action.
Instill in us that purpose,
By which we may align,
Every fiber of our beings,
With your purpose, divine.

-- Amen.

Thought for the day

2008-10-22T21:58:00.000-07:00

"Im ein ani li, mi li? U'ch'she'ani l'atzmi moh ani? V'im lo achshav eimatai?"- Rabbi Hillel.

It roughly translates to:
"If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am [only] for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?" (Avoth 1:14).

2008-10-12T22:40:00.000-07:00

हम को मन की शक्ति देना, मन विजय करें
दूसरों की जय से पहले ख़ुद को जय करें

भेद भाव अपने दिल से साफ़ कर सकें
दोस्तों से भूल हो तो माफ़ कर सकें
झूठ से बचे रहें, सच का दम भरें
दूसरों की जय से पहले ख़ुद को जय करें

हम को...

मुश्किलें पड़ें तो हम पे इतना कर्म कर
साथ दें तो धर्म का, चलेंगे धर्म पर
ख़ुद पे हौसला रहे, बदी से न डरें
दूसरों की जय से पहले, ख़ुद को जय करें

हम को मन की शक्ति देना, मन विजय करें
दूसरों की जय से पहले ख़ुद को जय करें

An endearing song, and a beautiful prayer, to help us persevere on the path of truth and righteousness...

Make me a channel of Your peace

2008-09-16T15:44:00.000-07:00

A most gentle and soothing gem from the Saint of Assisi, a hymn very special and close to my heart. Thanks for reminding me C :)...

Make me a channel of your peace.
Where there is hatred let me bring your love;
Where there is injury your pardon, Lord;
And where there's doubt true faith in you.

Refrain:

Oh, Master grant that I may never seek
So much to be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to understand;
To be loved as to love with all my soul.

Make me a channel of your peace.
Where there's despair in life let me bring hope;
Where there is darkness, only light;
And where there's sadness, ever joy.

Refrain

Make me a channel of your peace.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
In giving to all men that we receive;
And in dying that we're born to eternal life.

Refrain

2008-09-15T16:09:00.000-07:00

A recent post by a friend on peace and how peace and unity must truly begin with each of us reminded me of a very beautiful hymn I love to sing:

Let there be peace on earth,

And let it begin with me.

Let there be peace on earth.

The peace that was meant to be.

With God as our Father,

Children all are we.

Let us walk with each other,

In perfect harmony.

Let there be peace on earth,

Let this be the moment now.

Let there be peace on earth,

Let this be my solemn vow.

To take each moment,

And live each moment,

In peace eternally.

Let there be peace on earth,

And let it begin...

With me.

Let there also be peace and calm in the areas ravaged by hurricane Ike, and may there be peace and hope in the homes that have to be rebuilt, and may there be peace and harmony in the aftermath of this catastrophe.
Amen.

O Lord! In this Most Great Dispensation...

2008-09-06T08:30:00.000-07:00

O Lord! In this Most Great Dispensation Thou dost accept the intercession of children in behalf of their parents. This is one of the special infinite bestowals of this Dispensation. Therefore, O Thou kind Lord, accept the request of this Thy servant at the threshold of Thy singleness and submerge his father in the ocean of Thy grace, because this son hath arisen to render Thee service and is exerting effort at all times in the pathway of Thy love. Verily, Thou art the Giver, the Forgiver and the Kind!

‘Abdu’l-Bahá

2008-09-04T22:21:00.000-07:00

For A and A

"...
God gives His people hope.
When sorrow fills us to the brim,
And courage grows dim,
He lays to rest our restlessness in Him.
God gives His people hope.

God gives His people love.
If we but open wide our hearts,
He's sure to do His part,
He's always the first to make a start.
God gives His people love.
..."

May the peace of God be with them and ease their fevered brows.

Grappling with the idea of Sacrifice...

2008-09-04T19:26:00.000-07:00

It was to be the week of Sacrifice, a week ago. A little rushed in general and a ways behind on the previous virtue in trying to imbibe it more completely, I was quite frankly just stumped. Is Sacrifice a virtue? And why, if so?
How is sacrifice different from the act of giving, of oneself even? How is it different from abstaining from that which is excessive or to be eschewed for a larger good? How is it separate from the actions of one acting in complete detachment? Is sacrifice to be viewed as distinct from austerities for self-discipline and development? Or is it perhaps a broad umbrella for some or all of these? Why can I only think of martyrs who gave up their lives for freedom movements, or humanity?
How does one sacrifice and what must one sacrifice?
Some initial readings produced very interesting and varied notions. Striking among them, as usual, in its intensity and severity was Ayn Rand's opinions here. I shall pen my thoughts on this subject as I clarify them more...

Humility

2008-09-01T18:08:00.000-07:00

These last two weeks, I have spent some time thinking about what it truly means to be humble and the importance of humility in making spiritual progress. And in so doing, I have come to realize that the first step in cultivating humility is honesty. It is necessary for one to be completely honest with oneself about where they stand in their level of spiritual understanding, surrender and devotion and their willingness and ability to serve. For if we do not first assess how much we are lacking in our abilities and how much farther we need to travel, how can we even chart ourselves a plan? If one were to even begin to undertake this path of transcendence, it will become clear that the road is rather long and that one has a ways to go. A spirit of submission and the desire to seek the truth and continuously improve ourselves, therefore cannot arise, if we delude ourselves by our vanity. In other words, as V once observed, if we are not honest, then our pride and ignorance cloak our spirits entirely in darkness and prevent it from reflecting the higher qualities of God.
The second prerequisite- a recurring motif, and one I cannot emphasize enough, which must form the foundation of all our actions if we are to make any progress: detachment from the notion of 'ownership' of actions and the consequences thereof. The process of surrendering doer-ship to the Lord is, after all, a process of recognizing that a power mightier than ours, a being more exalted than we can know, and a spirit more glorious than can be defined is in fact the life force behind all our actions. And understanding of our role as an instrument of service to humanity, also means an understanding of the equal if not greater importance of the role of every other being in this calling. Where then can there be room for pride or superiority, if we are all but cogs in a much greater wheel, a much higher purpose than our individual actions?
The third step in cultivating humility, a most surprising aspect for me: was making the distinction between acknowledging and knowing our abilities and taking pride in them or boasting of them. In other words, being humble does not mean having a low self-esteem. Rather, it means having an awareness of our abilities so we may use them to the fullest extent in service. But it also means having an awareness of our limitations and hence the need for improvement and learning. Having the self-awareness, however, does not allow one to be self-righteous and arrogant about it. Neither does an acceptance of a limitation require one to be self-flagellating. As C put it, spiritual progress is a journey and a process that is ongoing. Hence, it is important that we dovetail all actions to enable us to proceed a tad further along the way. Yet, it is just as important to be patient with ourselves as we do so.
There is much to think about and assimilate as I try to imbibe this virtue and explore its depths, but I shall leave you with some ideas I found useful and thought-provoking here.

Faith

2008-08-23T22:36:00.000-07:00

'Shield of faith,
Always protecting me,
Giving me courage,
To be ever true...'

The refrain from a hymn I used to sing in school and have now forgotten, though the melody and the tranquility contained in that faith remains with me :)

When I consider how my light is spent...

2008-08-05T22:12:00.000-07:00

As I thought about how best I might appeal to my friends and colleagues to support me in fund-raising towards a service project I shall be working on this holiday season, I was reminded of a beautiful poem. (Just to place things in context, I shall mention briefly about the project here: it involves working with a non-profit organization Unite for Sight to screen rural populations in developing countries for eye diseases, thereby helping eradicate blindness that is entirely preventable. And the funds raised help provide health services, completely free of charge to the poor). And so, I quote John Milton's sonnet 'On His Blindness' today for two reasons.

The first, a direct allusion to blindness in the octave, in this case the poet's own blindness. The second, a more profound meaning, as I see it, contained in the sestet, beyond the physical blindness; specifically its implications for our relationship with God, our role in society, and the doer-ship of actions and the beneficiary of those deeds.

Let's start with the first part. The poet laments for the lost time in which he had not used the talents he possessed towards service to God. Embedded in this thought is the idea that we are all somewhat spiritually blind, until we realize the true purpose of our God-given talents and gifts- namely devotion and service.

That neatly leads into the second portion. And I must mention that I am always reminded of this poem when I consider the question people often have for the need for prayer, an act of devotion and supplication to God. For if God is omniscient, then He does not need our prayer to know of His glory. If He is indeed most exalted, then surely He does not need our songs of praise to make Him ever more supreme and happier still. If He be omnipotent, then what need must He have for our service? Specifically, in the light of a series of thought-provoking discussions on prayer, and devotion devoid of action versus submitting all actions as a prayer in itself on a friend's blog I found the following lines most relevant.

"'God doth not need
Either man's work or his own gifts. Who best
Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best. His state
Is kingly: thousands at his bidding speed,
And post o'er land and ocean without rest;
They also serve who only stand and wait.'"

Yes, it is true, it is not God who needs our prayers. It is we who do. It is through prayer that we can align our minds and hence our actions along the plane He intended for us. It is by quietening the many worldly impulses that drag us that we can focus our energy on the Supreme, and understand the true nature of our inner selves and its purpose.

And what of service? An unknowable entity of infinite majesty we cannot even begin to perceive, how then do we serve Him? Ah! It is here that the verses reveal their beauty. It is often a little puzzling to people when asked to serve God. How can one serve God? And why serve Him? This requires an understanding of the following. While we cannot 'see' God, we can see His creations- the beings He loves and protects, His imprint on this earthly plane, His manifestation in truth and virtue. It is through this knowledge that we can approach His kingdom. It is only when we place Him at the center of our consciousness that we can submit all our actions as a prayer to Him.

So, what does it mean to submit our actions? It is recognizing that we are only instruments of His peace. Our gifts are not 'ours' truly, they are reflections of His qualities in us. Our knowledge, not 'ours' really, it is an act of His grace. And hence this life too not ours to fritter away at will, but a tool for service. And whom do we serve? All the beings that are connected through the common thread of His life force. So it is by serving them, that we can serve Him.

Having understood that it is not we who execute, nor do we accrue of the fruits of those actions which we submit to Him, it remains unclear what the purpose of all that action is, and what kind of action constitutes service. Yet, that is indeed the simplest part of it all. Every one of us has been placed in a specific station in life, with a special set of gifts and talents, a vocation unique and a capacity individual. Simply by bearing our 'mild yoke', we serve Him best. In other words, by doing what we do best but with a sense of supplication and detachment, a motive of offering it as prayer, we can truly serve best.

And what does Milton mean when he says 'They also serve who only stand and wait'? It is not to be taken literally for standing by without doing anything. Rather, it means that there is no task too menial, no act too trivial, no part insignificant, when viewed from a hundred thousand feet above, if you will. And so, we do need teachers to teach and illumine the minds of impressionable children as much as we need the sweepers to sweep and keep our roads and cities clean, just as much as we need the firefighters and police, the doctors and engineers, the laborers and plumbers, and every one of them out there to do their part. And so, it is not the task itself, but the attitude with which it is executed- that of sincerity and love, humility and devotion, and above all with the intention of helping our companions on this journey to reach that glorious abode in every way we can.

To tie it all back to where it began, it is only fitting that I should quote this poem, for how else could I have responded to a friend's hesitation that his contribution may be too little to speak of and therefore better not made at all. After all it is not the amount, but the gesture itself that matters; because it is the tiny drops that make the mighty ocean.

2008-08-05T13:12:00.000-07:00

ON HIS BLINDNESS
When I consider how my light is spent
Ere half my days in this dark world and wide,
And that one talent which is death to hide,
Lodged with me useless, though my soul more bent
To serve therewith my Maker, and present
My true account, lest He returning chide,
'Doth God exact day labor, light denied?'
I fondly ask. But Patience to prevent
That murmur soon replies, 'God doth not need
Either man's work or his own gifts. Who best
Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best. His state
Is kingly: thousands at his bidding speed,
And post o'er land and ocean without rest;
They also serve who only stand and wait.'

- John Milton (1608-1674)

It is the week of Giving and being Generous

2008-08-04T23:59:00.001-07:00

So here is something to think about, about how one ought to give...

'But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth.' - Matthew 6:3

On Giving...

2008-08-01T20:23:00.000-07:00

As I reminisced today about The Giving Club, a fraternity started by a friend to help people find the means to serve under-served communities, I cannot help quote my favorite poet and my inspiration- Khalil Gibran. From The Prophet, on Giving.

Then said a rich man, "Speak to us of Giving."

And he answered:

You give but little when you give of your possessions.

It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.

For what are your possessions but things you keep and guard for fear you may need them tomorrow?

And tomorrow, what shall tomorrow bring to the overprudent dog burying bones in the trackless sand as he follows the pilgrims to the holy city?

And what is fear of need but need itself?

Is not dread of thirst when your well is full, thirst that is unquenchable?

There are those who give little of the much which they have - and they give it for recognition and their hidden desire makes their gifts unwholesome.

And there are those who have little and give it all.

These are the believers in life and the bounty of life, and their coffer is never empty.

There are those who give with joy, and that joy is their reward.

And there are those who give with pain, and that pain is their baptism.

And there are those who give and know not pain in giving, nor do they seek joy, nor give with mindfulness of virtue;

They give as in yonder valley the myrtle breathes its fragrance into space.

Though the hands of such as these God speaks, and from behind their eyes He smiles upon the earth.

It is well to give when asked, but it is better to give unasked, through understanding;

And to the open-handed the search for one who shall receive is joy greater than giving

And is there aught you would withhold?

All you have shall some day be given;

Therefore give now, that the season of giving may be yours and not your inheritors'.

You often say, "I would give, but only to the deserving."

The trees in your orchard say not so, nor the flocks in your pasture.

They give that they may live, for to withhold is to perish.

Surely he who is worthy to receive his days and his nights is worthy of all else from you.

And he who has deserved to drink from the ocean of life deserves to fill his cup from your little stream.

And what desert greater shall there be than that which lies in the courage and the confidence, nay the charity, of receiving?

And who are you that men should rend their bosom and unveil their pride, that you may see their worth naked and their pride unabashed?

See first that you yourself deserve to be a giver, and an instrument of giving.

For in truth it is life that gives unto life - while you, who deem yourself a giver, are but a witness.

And you receivers - and you are all receivers - assume no weight of gratitude, lest you lay a yoke upon yourself and upon him who gives.

Rather rise together with the giver on his gifts as on wings;

For to be overmindful of your debt, is to doubt his generosity who has the free-hearted earth for mother, and God for father.

Every word, a pearl of wisdom. Every injunction, a gem of virtue and kindliness. So go on my dears and give. Lend your shoulders to lean upon, your ears to the worried and despairing, your hands to the feeble. Give of yourself.

To be brave and strong and true...

2008-07-28T10:34:00.000-07:00

A song I love; a lilting melody and an uplifting thought to ponder about every day as I rise and every night as I retire...

In the morning of my life I shall look to the sunrise.
At a moment in my life when the world is new.
And the blessing I shall ask is that God will grant me,
To be brave and strong and true,
And to fill the world with love my whole life through.

(Chorus)
And to fill the world with love
And to fill the world with love
And to fill the world with love my whole life through.

In the noontime of my life I shall look to the sunshine,
At a moment in my life when the sky is blue.
And the blessing I shall ask shall remain unchanging.
To be brave and strong and true,
And to fill the world with love my whole life through.

(Chorus)

In the evening of my life I shall look to the sunset,
At a moment in my life when the night is due.
And the question I shall ask only I can answer.
Was I brave and strong and true?
Did I fill the world with love my whole life through?

(Chorus)

ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं

2008-07-25T18:13:00.000-07:00

ॐ
पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात पूर्णमुदच्यते।
पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते।।

The sense of an absolute being, who is complete in every form and aspect is conveyed in this mantra, and His omnipresence and omnipotence implied therein. It creates a most positive vibration whenever I chant it...

ps: Sigh...I wish blogger allowed me to use transliteration for Sanskrit; I'd have gladly played around till I found the Latin letter to get the tail to underscore त in पूर्णात :)

Light and reflection

2008-07-25T17:52:00.000-07:00

Light signifies the presence of God
And in His light, we see light.

I am not sure who authored it, but I quote Sr. Rosemary for the above lines. For four years, every Monday morning she led us in prayer with these lines. A devout nun, her voice carried a deep conviction and it resonated through the auditorium as children entered in single file from 3 wide entrances, all a-chatter with their friends. This invocation to God was enough to quieten us, and in many ways rein in our wandering minds and focus on the Light. Its significance I did not comprehend then. With every passing day now, the layers of wisdom contained within it dawn upon me.
It is only by His very grace that we see this world, the light around us, the light within us- the thread that unites us with His being. It is only by His mercy that we are endowed with all qualities necessary to even perceive His dominion. As V put it, we are all but mirrors, and this life a precious gift to us so we may wipe its surface to remove the layers of doubt, misconception and ignorance, as much as we can to reflect His light outward; in other words, life is a medium to strive for purity of spiritual purpose so we may reflect and radiate His brilliance, and in so doing illumine the minds of others around us and spread the joy that it is to be in the reflection of His glory.

Under the Peepal Tree

2008-07-25T09:22:00.000-07:00

I seek a spot,
Under the Peepal Tree.
I seek to find
The Light within.
I seek the Truth,
That would set me free,
And with it, a new life begin.

I thought I would create a separate corner for my musings on seeking the Eternal Light, my introspection for the truth within, my inspiration to tread forward, and document my journey and those of my fellow seekers on this path.

And here's why I chose the Peepal Tree