Few of the books which integrate psychology and spirituality ...
1.David Richo
How to be an Adult
How to be an Adult in Relationships
2.Scott Peck
Road less travelled
Further along the Road less travelled
3.Carl Jung
All his books are valuable for anyone who wants to know how our mind works.
4.Julia Cameron
The Artist's way
This is a amazing book for anyone who wants to be creative.
All the blocked artists(me included)should consider this book as a treasure.Recently I found out that this book was used in lot of artists workshops.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Humility
I was fed up with the rat race...So I decided that I would serve at a monastery(for few days) and fill my world with peace.I waited for the D-day with lot of excitement.One of the jobs I was given was to cook.I had to prepare meals for 40 people.Preparing the meal was not difficult.But as usual I was worried about the results.All thoughts starting with "IF "..became the major theme in my mind.
As the people who meditate eat very less..The only "whole" meal was during lunch.I was worried that if I would mess up,then they would starve the whole day.My anxiety used to turn into panic attacks when serving time approached.I became little paranoid..I also used to get obsessed with perfection,tried working the whole day and sleeping only for few hours.The service became a misery to me.I had to deal with all the issues I normally have in a professional work place.After 3 days,I started missing my work-life...That was less stressful..."At least I don't have nightmare's where people suffer from food poisoning."
Humility is one of the best ways of dissolving the ego.Everything we achieve in the field of professional/personal/spiritual realm makes us more confident and the downside to that is that ,we feel, we are more important.Service was one of the ways which helped me understand the way my ego works.But even in service we start having expectations...We want to get noticed,we want to compete and we want to attach ourselves to the results.As I was returning back to my home I realized that,we can change the background in our life.But wherever we go,we project our own world.Our mind is filled with lot of issues which call for attention.
The food turned out good.All my worrying went in vain.There was a American psychologist( PhD and all the additional tags) who used to wash dishes there.He never traded places with any of us.According to him, dish washing was the easiest way to Nirvana.A educated person doing manual labor, is the ultimate solution for the intellectual ego.Gandhi followed that a lot in his life.
We all have the major instinct. We all want to be important, to surpass others, to achieve distinction, to lead the parade. ... And the great issue of life is to harness the major instinct. It is a good instinct if you don't distort it and pervert it. Don't give it up. Keep feeling the need for being important. Keep feeling the need for being first. But I want you to be the first in love. I want you to be the first in moral excellence. I want you to be the first in generosity.
--Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The meditation I talk about is Vipassana Meditation(www.dhamma.org)
As the people who meditate eat very less..The only "whole" meal was during lunch.I was worried that if I would mess up,then they would starve the whole day.My anxiety used to turn into panic attacks when serving time approached.I became little paranoid..I also used to get obsessed with perfection,tried working the whole day and sleeping only for few hours.The service became a misery to me.I had to deal with all the issues I normally have in a professional work place.After 3 days,I started missing my work-life...That was less stressful..."At least I don't have nightmare's where people suffer from food poisoning."
Humility is one of the best ways of dissolving the ego.Everything we achieve in the field of professional/personal/spiritual realm makes us more confident and the downside to that is that ,we feel, we are more important.Service was one of the ways which helped me understand the way my ego works.But even in service we start having expectations...We want to get noticed,we want to compete and we want to attach ourselves to the results.As I was returning back to my home I realized that,we can change the background in our life.But wherever we go,we project our own world.Our mind is filled with lot of issues which call for attention.
The food turned out good.All my worrying went in vain.There was a American psychologist( PhD and all the additional tags) who used to wash dishes there.He never traded places with any of us.According to him, dish washing was the easiest way to Nirvana.A educated person doing manual labor, is the ultimate solution for the intellectual ego.Gandhi followed that a lot in his life.
We all have the major instinct. We all want to be important, to surpass others, to achieve distinction, to lead the parade. ... And the great issue of life is to harness the major instinct. It is a good instinct if you don't distort it and pervert it. Don't give it up. Keep feeling the need for being important. Keep feeling the need for being first. But I want you to be the first in love. I want you to be the first in moral excellence. I want you to be the first in generosity.
--Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The meditation I talk about is Vipassana Meditation(www.dhamma.org)
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
To defend ourselves
As humans with uncontrollable emotions we all are vulnerable.Whenever we are threatened we become defensive.We try to erect a wall of logic.I mix logic with lies, so that I can attract sympathy from people.The reason we get defensive is not to fool others but to protect ourselves from psychological pain.As free individuals we dont owe any explanation,as to why we behave a certain way or
why we react a certain way to situations.As long as we abide by the laws of the state and make choices which do not affect others,our actions/reactions cannot be judged.But we land up in situations,where our life becomes the focus and also what we are becomes a fact.
Facts are laws which do not change over time.As humans we vary our desires,ambitions and our lives every day.So when our lives are viewed as a fact...as a done deal,we feel threatened.I have recently realized that we feel hurt,only when we truly believe what others say.If you brush it off and let go of our defenses,it does not effect you.But as easy as it sounds,its very difficult to implement.I could never be impassive to any one's comments.But the only solution I found was to deal head on.I directly question the intention of the person who is assaulting me.Its embrassing the first few seconds,as the person is in shock.Honesty is scary to people who want to make you feel inferior.I have tried it in few situations...it helped me reduce the amount of logic and lies I use in counteracting judgements.
why we react a certain way to situations.As long as we abide by the laws of the state and make choices which do not affect others,our actions/reactions cannot be judged.But we land up in situations,where our life becomes the focus and also what we are becomes a fact.
Facts are laws which do not change over time.As humans we vary our desires,ambitions and our lives every day.So when our lives are viewed as a fact...as a done deal,we feel threatened.I have recently realized that we feel hurt,only when we truly believe what others say.If you brush it off and let go of our defenses,it does not effect you.But as easy as it sounds,its very difficult to implement.I could never be impassive to any one's comments.But the only solution I found was to deal head on.I directly question the intention of the person who is assaulting me.Its embrassing the first few seconds,as the person is in shock.Honesty is scary to people who want to make you feel inferior.I have tried it in few situations...it helped me reduce the amount of logic and lies I use in counteracting judgements.
Monday, January 12, 2009
One minute Excellence
This article made a huge impact on me..
Its a article by Tom Peters
I can sense the curling of your lips. While such a catchphrase makes me shudder, too, it contains a gem waiting to be discovered.
How do you go on an effective diet? How do you stop smoking? How do you stop drinking?
In short, you do it and it's done. Then you work [hard] for the rest of your life to stay on the weight-maintenance, non-smoking, or booze-free wagon.
A while back, I came across a line attributed to IBM founder Thomas Watson, If you want to achieve excellence, he said, you can get there today. As of this second quit doing less-than-excellent work.
The idea is profound.
Suppose you're a waiter and, for your own future's sake (...) you decide to set a matchless standard for service. How? You do it. Now.
Sure you'll be clumsy at first. You'll get a lot of it wrong. You'll need to read up, listen to audio-tapes, take classes, tune in to on-line electronic chat rooms, visit other restaurants to collect clues. And you'll need to keep doing such things to maintain your edge (as an opera singer or a professional athlete does).
Nonetheless, you can become excellent in a nanosecond, staring with your first guest tonight. [...]
Does it sound wild? Silly? Naive? Maybe, but it isn't. The first 99.9 percent of getting from here to these is the determination to do it and not to compromise, no matter what sort of roadblocks those around you (including peers) erect.
The last 99.9 percent (I know it adds up to more than 100 percent -- that's life) is working [in right earnest] to
1. Keep your spirits up through the inevitable storms
2. learn something new every day
3. practice that something, awkward or not and no matter what, until it's become part of your nature.
What holds for the waiter also holds for the manager of a six-person department or the cheif executive of the 16,000 person firm.
How long does it take you, as boss, to achieve world-class quality? Less than a nanosecond to attain it, a lifetime of passionate pursuit to maintain it,
- By Tom Peters from "The Pursuit of Wow!"
Its a article by Tom Peters
I can sense the curling of your lips. While such a catchphrase makes me shudder, too, it contains a gem waiting to be discovered.
How do you go on an effective diet? How do you stop smoking? How do you stop drinking?
In short, you do it and it's done. Then you work [hard] for the rest of your life to stay on the weight-maintenance, non-smoking, or booze-free wagon.
A while back, I came across a line attributed to IBM founder Thomas Watson, If you want to achieve excellence, he said, you can get there today. As of this second quit doing less-than-excellent work.
The idea is profound.
Suppose you're a waiter and, for your own future's sake (...) you decide to set a matchless standard for service. How? You do it. Now.
Sure you'll be clumsy at first. You'll get a lot of it wrong. You'll need to read up, listen to audio-tapes, take classes, tune in to on-line electronic chat rooms, visit other restaurants to collect clues. And you'll need to keep doing such things to maintain your edge (as an opera singer or a professional athlete does).
Nonetheless, you can become excellent in a nanosecond, staring with your first guest tonight. [...]
Does it sound wild? Silly? Naive? Maybe, but it isn't. The first 99.9 percent of getting from here to these is the determination to do it and not to compromise, no matter what sort of roadblocks those around you (including peers) erect.
The last 99.9 percent (I know it adds up to more than 100 percent -- that's life) is working [in right earnest] to
1. Keep your spirits up through the inevitable storms
2. learn something new every day
3. practice that something, awkward or not and no matter what, until it's become part of your nature.
What holds for the waiter also holds for the manager of a six-person department or the cheif executive of the 16,000 person firm.
How long does it take you, as boss, to achieve world-class quality? Less than a nanosecond to attain it, a lifetime of passionate pursuit to maintain it,
- By Tom Peters from "The Pursuit of Wow!"
Saturday, January 03, 2009
S. A. D
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), also known as winter depression or winter blues, is a mood disorder in which people who have normal mental health throughout most of the year experience depressive symptoms in the winter or, less frequently, in the summer, repeatedly, year after year.They may sleep too much, have little energy, and crave sweets and starchy foods. They may also feel depressed. Though symptoms can be severe, they usually clear up
I get gloomy whenever the winter approaches.Rainy season also makes my days dull.I used to always wonder how Indian actress's get happy and dance in the rain...
It was always the opposite for me.I could never get out of bed,if the weather is cloudy,with never ending greyness.I dislike the hill stations in India..and always had a fantasy to go to Rajasthan for a vacation.
Even though my depression is not life threatening,it is still a pain living at a place which has rains all year round.(5 months snow also included)
How I wish I had Icelandic ancestry!!!
Wikipedia mentions that people in Iceland are immune to SAD.It seems a certain fish which they consume also makes them winter-friendly.Being a vegetarian the fish solution goes outside the window..
Personally I try to cheat my moods by using lot of lamps,which simulate the summer season.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy also works fine.Knowing more about the problems we are going to face and having solutions before hand, makes things easier with regard to SAD.
Keeping busy is one of the easiest ways to conquer SAD.
I get gloomy whenever the winter approaches.Rainy season also makes my days dull.I used to always wonder how Indian actress's get happy and dance in the rain...
It was always the opposite for me.I could never get out of bed,if the weather is cloudy,with never ending greyness.I dislike the hill stations in India..and always had a fantasy to go to Rajasthan for a vacation.
Even though my depression is not life threatening,it is still a pain living at a place which has rains all year round.(5 months snow also included)
How I wish I had Icelandic ancestry!!!
Wikipedia mentions that people in Iceland are immune to SAD.It seems a certain fish which they consume also makes them winter-friendly.Being a vegetarian the fish solution goes outside the window..
Personally I try to cheat my moods by using lot of lamps,which simulate the summer season.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy also works fine.Knowing more about the problems we are going to face and having solutions before hand, makes things easier with regard to SAD.
Keeping busy is one of the easiest ways to conquer SAD.
Thursday, January 01, 2009
Rat race part 2
I just wanted to add few sources which can give a spiritual understanding to the term "ambition"(in terms of career)
Dr Larry Brilliant vs The devil of Ambition
Interview with Dr.Larry Brilliant
Adyashanti
Beyond the personal will
Dr Larry Brilliant vs The devil of Ambition
Interview with Dr.Larry Brilliant
Adyashanti
Beyond the personal will
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Not having enough
I have always struggled with some insecurity when it comes to relationships.It has always been that I victimize myself.I used to feel that I should be showered with extra amount of "love/care".
So this whole need to cling on to people and expect, was existing for a long time.
By the time I realized my foolishness,I had lot of people who have got used to the "clinging kind of me".They don't accept the changed "me" anymore.For them any positive change in me, means more trouble.Once we change,the people around us should also change(with respect to the way they behave towards us)
Most of the people we meet hate change.So I avoided being real most of the time.I lied,did everything to blend into the surroundings,started acting....did stupid things so that I could be accepted.I don't know, if it was, spiritual study or plain maturity which actually made me realize my own deceptive ways.I started being assertive,stuck to my beliefs and then the most unfortunate thing happened.People started deserting me.They just walked out of my life.
In most of the fairy tales,its always shown so positively.When we become brave and fight all the demons within us we are supposed to get applauded.So I was dumbstruck..when I realized how the world works.
Originality is always seen as a negative trait.Being honest,a huge crime.Only if you are inventive and make lot's of money..then the world acknowledges you..
If you are planning to become real,then say good bye to the world you know.
So this whole need to cling on to people and expect, was existing for a long time.
By the time I realized my foolishness,I had lot of people who have got used to the "clinging kind of me".They don't accept the changed "me" anymore.For them any positive change in me, means more trouble.Once we change,the people around us should also change(with respect to the way they behave towards us)
Most of the people we meet hate change.So I avoided being real most of the time.I lied,did everything to blend into the surroundings,started acting....did stupid things so that I could be accepted.I don't know, if it was, spiritual study or plain maturity which actually made me realize my own deceptive ways.I started being assertive,stuck to my beliefs and then the most unfortunate thing happened.People started deserting me.They just walked out of my life.
In most of the fairy tales,its always shown so positively.When we become brave and fight all the demons within us we are supposed to get applauded.So I was dumbstruck..when I realized how the world works.
Originality is always seen as a negative trait.Being honest,a huge crime.Only if you are inventive and make lot's of money..then the world acknowledges you..
If you are planning to become real,then say good bye to the world you know.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Rat Race
I am tired of the rat race
I am not talking about the rat race of corporate world.I am talking about tagging.If you are a Indian you will be quite aware of how we need to define ourselves with these tags ... Best School,Best University,Best Company and the list does not end.It causes so much stress to always aim for the best and try to tag it with your name.
They have been instances when I forget the name of the person but I remember the popular university/company they work for.(I know its a pathetic state..But as a middle class Indian I was trained this way)
Why cant future Indians be trained to aim for below average things.
Its the same thing which repeats itself every time you think of future spouse/children.As if thinking of superior standards was not enough..you have to sit and worry about the image of three other people.I feel so happy to meet Indians who are having a different educational background than me.I guess we automatically judge people based on their educational achievements and the company they work for.
When it comes to other nationalities,the talk is always about social life.May be for Indians the lack of social life and higher educational responsibilities ruins our ability to look at each other in any other way.
I am not talking about the rat race of corporate world.I am talking about tagging.If you are a Indian you will be quite aware of how we need to define ourselves with these tags ... Best School,Best University,Best Company and the list does not end.It causes so much stress to always aim for the best and try to tag it with your name.
They have been instances when I forget the name of the person but I remember the popular university/company they work for.(I know its a pathetic state..But as a middle class Indian I was trained this way)
Why cant future Indians be trained to aim for below average things.
Its the same thing which repeats itself every time you think of future spouse/children.As if thinking of superior standards was not enough..you have to sit and worry about the image of three other people.I feel so happy to meet Indians who are having a different educational background than me.I guess we automatically judge people based on their educational achievements and the company they work for.
When it comes to other nationalities,the talk is always about social life.May be for Indians the lack of social life and higher educational responsibilities ruins our ability to look at each other in any other way.
The World and Us
"The mind creates our world"
{I used to always think..its the other way ...
The world was created and then we entered into it}
Whenever a desire takes shape within us...It produces a reaction,which we project it outside.
Are there levels of how strong a desire can be?
Is a strong desire called Ambition?
This is where most of the self help make a million dollars.They tell you that there are 10 simple ways to make every desire come true.That seems funny to my mature mind.But I have spent countless hours(when I was younger)reading/revising these great techniques to develop my super-natural abilities.But all the favourable outcomes were forced.Nothing came naturally.That is where I lost all my faith on self help books which tell us that when we change action, everything changes with it.
But the action is made by our thoughts.
But then most of Indian philosophy tells us that all thoughts are false.Our true self lies beyond the mind.
{I used to always think..its the other way ...
The world was created and then we entered into it}
Whenever a desire takes shape within us...It produces a reaction,which we project it outside.
Are there levels of how strong a desire can be?
Is a strong desire called Ambition?
This is where most of the self help make a million dollars.They tell you that there are 10 simple ways to make every desire come true.That seems funny to my mature mind.But I have spent countless hours(when I was younger)reading/revising these great techniques to develop my super-natural abilities.But all the favourable outcomes were forced.Nothing came naturally.That is where I lost all my faith on self help books which tell us that when we change action, everything changes with it.
But the action is made by our thoughts.
But then most of Indian philosophy tells us that all thoughts are false.Our true self lies beyond the mind.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
To love unconditionally
I guess any person who says "go and love everyone unconditionally" ....must be playing a cruel joke on you.
But as always being the obedient philosophical student,I decided to try that in my life.I failed miserably.I cannot love anyone unconditionally!!!
The more I tried to love people I hate..the more hatred I developed.I started counting the days when they will be out of my life.Failure is such a hard knock on your head..and to top it off, when you fail in your spiritual endeavors.No one shares your spiritual failures.
Few things I realized about unconditional love are as follows...
I thought unconditional love was like "romantic" love shown in movies ....
You feel so nice,the blissful amazing experience like heaven on earth.Unconditional love does not get defined by our inferior standards of romantic love.The possessiveness,domination and feeling special does not exist.Unconditional love just means that you never expect anything in return.That also means that you don't have to compromise your life and your ideals to make the other person feel better.
unconditional love can be defined as the openess of a person who does not get bothered by the other person.How-ever they are..What-ever they are...It does not matter..
You don't want to give them advice/suggestions...You don't want to prove anything..
You exist with them and know in your heart that they are going to evolve in their own pace.
But as always being the obedient philosophical student,I decided to try that in my life.I failed miserably.I cannot love anyone unconditionally!!!
The more I tried to love people I hate..the more hatred I developed.I started counting the days when they will be out of my life.Failure is such a hard knock on your head..and to top it off, when you fail in your spiritual endeavors.No one shares your spiritual failures.
Few things I realized about unconditional love are as follows...
I thought unconditional love was like "romantic" love shown in movies ....
You feel so nice,the blissful amazing experience like heaven on earth.Unconditional love does not get defined by our inferior standards of romantic love.The possessiveness,domination and feeling special does not exist.Unconditional love just means that you never expect anything in return.That also means that you don't have to compromise your life and your ideals to make the other person feel better.
unconditional love can be defined as the openess of a person who does not get bothered by the other person.How-ever they are..What-ever they are...It does not matter..
You don't want to give them advice/suggestions...You don't want to prove anything..
You exist with them and know in your heart that they are going to evolve in their own pace.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
The hole in your soul
there is always something missing in our lives.When will contentment come.Will it ever come.May be contentment is an illusion.As long our life exists I guess there will always be a hole which needs to be fulfilled by soem desire or the other.
Emotional Help
Emotional help is seen as the best kind of support you would give someone you care about.Lately I have realized that doing it every time, we harm the person rather than help them.I have always observed that in myself and others,that when we don't mature and evolve we repeat the same mistakes again and again.
For example:
If a person has a problem confronting someone and redefining what they want...
"You do it for them"
It may boost your self esteem or make you feel proud that you are taking good care.But your help has actually left them with nothing to work on.If they fall into the same situation again,if I have self esteem issues or if I find my personal value comes from helping them ...I go and solve the problem..This is a vicious circle and this kind of dependency leaves no space for personal growth.Support should be in giving pointers not solving the problem.
For example:
If a person has a problem confronting someone and redefining what they want...
"You do it for them"
It may boost your self esteem or make you feel proud that you are taking good care.But your help has actually left them with nothing to work on.If they fall into the same situation again,if I have self esteem issues or if I find my personal value comes from helping them ...I go and solve the problem..This is a vicious circle and this kind of dependency leaves no space for personal growth.Support should be in giving pointers not solving the problem.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
i am running out of titles
Every interaction,every relationship gets with it a baggage which we should accept.Our parents,friends and other associates come with it and we have to calmly accept them.There is no way that a person who exits in this world can live in isolation without human interaction.Even if it is possible to live in isolation, the mind will create identities within ourself so that a relationship which exits irrespective of the person is kept alive.We all have to take a sip of poison.We can choose the brand of posion we want to gulp down.
Saturday, November 08, 2008
Dither
Dither is an intentionally applied form of noise, used to randomize quantization error, thereby preventing large-scale patterns such as contouring that are more objectionable than uncorrelated noise. Dither is routinely used in processing of both digital audio and digital video data, and is often one of the last stages of audio production to compact disc.
Found this in a technical paper when I was doing some research on Dither.It gives us an idea how our brain uses the sense organs and distorts information.
Our brains are quite good at ignoring unimportant things. For example, you walk into someone's house and you smell a new smell - the way that house smells. After 5 minutes you don't smell it anymore. The smell hasn't gone away - your brain just ignores it when it realizes that it's a constant. The same is true of analog tape noise. If you're like most people you pay attention to the music, you stop hearing the noise after a couple of minutes. Your brain is able to do this all by itself because the noise is unrelated to the signal. It's a constant, unrelated sound that never changes with the music and is therefore unrelated - the brain decides that it doesn't change so it's not worth tracking. Distortion is something different. Distortion, like noise, is typically comprised entirely of unwanted material (I'm not talking about guitar distortion effects or the distortion of a vintage microphone here...). Unlike noise, however, distortion products modulate with the signal. Consequently the brain thinks that this is important material because it's trackable, and therefore you're always paying attention.
Found this in a technical paper when I was doing some research on Dither.It gives us an idea how our brain uses the sense organs and distorts information.
Our brains are quite good at ignoring unimportant things. For example, you walk into someone's house and you smell a new smell - the way that house smells. After 5 minutes you don't smell it anymore. The smell hasn't gone away - your brain just ignores it when it realizes that it's a constant. The same is true of analog tape noise. If you're like most people you pay attention to the music, you stop hearing the noise after a couple of minutes. Your brain is able to do this all by itself because the noise is unrelated to the signal. It's a constant, unrelated sound that never changes with the music and is therefore unrelated - the brain decides that it doesn't change so it's not worth tracking. Distortion is something different. Distortion, like noise, is typically comprised entirely of unwanted material (I'm not talking about guitar distortion effects or the distortion of a vintage microphone here...). Unlike noise, however, distortion products modulate with the signal. Consequently the brain thinks that this is important material because it's trackable, and therefore you're always paying attention.
Sunday, November 02, 2008
Highs and Lows
Osho says sadness is always real because its our own.
Happiness looks as if its a dream sequence.We sometimes need to pinch ourselves hard to know that we are not dreaming.What makes us happy is a projection of the society.Cave men would have been happy if they killed a huge buffalo.Our happiness lies in conservation of the disappearing buffaloes.Sometimes we feel that both happiness and sadness are an illusion.But misery hits you hard because no one comes to share it with you.Society is built by people who win.So that thought process is inbuilt in us and that makes sorrow very painful.Happiness should also be painful because it passes away so fast.But the applause and the congratulations from people takes us into a drug induced state where we feel we have really done something significant.
Happiness looks as if its a dream sequence.We sometimes need to pinch ourselves hard to know that we are not dreaming.What makes us happy is a projection of the society.Cave men would have been happy if they killed a huge buffalo.Our happiness lies in conservation of the disappearing buffaloes.Sometimes we feel that both happiness and sadness are an illusion.But misery hits you hard because no one comes to share it with you.Society is built by people who win.So that thought process is inbuilt in us and that makes sorrow very painful.Happiness should also be painful because it passes away so fast.But the applause and the congratulations from people takes us into a drug induced state where we feel we have really done something significant.
Power
Auden wrote:
"O God put away justice and truth for we cannot understand them and do not want them.Eternity would bore us dreadfully.Become our uncle.Look after baby,amuse grandfather,introduce Muriel to a handsome officer.Be interesting and weak like us and we will love you as we love ourselves."
Our human existence is marked by the pursuit of power.The God's we pray to, are powerful.We like only God's who can slay a million devils with a single blow.We don't like weak people.The weak people are the evil people(demons/evil forces) who get defeated by strong people(God)
Worship in most religions is the prayer for power.We want to get promotions so that our fellow employees can be looked down upon.Want a bigger car so that we look with pity on the homeless.Pursuit of power through prayer,money,status,education and work is defined as success in the modern world.We all become powerful from the inside and the outside world.But the most important thing is how we use the power.I am not going to be a simplistic moralist who says power should be used for the good.But to me the true test is how we handle the power.When the power is used to manipulate,the greatest losses occur.When the course of nature is changed we always are doomed.
"O God put away justice and truth for we cannot understand them and do not want them.Eternity would bore us dreadfully.Become our uncle.Look after baby,amuse grandfather,introduce Muriel to a handsome officer.Be interesting and weak like us and we will love you as we love ourselves."
Our human existence is marked by the pursuit of power.The God's we pray to, are powerful.We like only God's who can slay a million devils with a single blow.We don't like weak people.The weak people are the evil people(demons/evil forces) who get defeated by strong people(God)
Worship in most religions is the prayer for power.We want to get promotions so that our fellow employees can be looked down upon.Want a bigger car so that we look with pity on the homeless.Pursuit of power through prayer,money,status,education and work is defined as success in the modern world.We all become powerful from the inside and the outside world.But the most important thing is how we use the power.I am not going to be a simplistic moralist who says power should be used for the good.But to me the true test is how we handle the power.When the power is used to manipulate,the greatest losses occur.When the course of nature is changed we always are doomed.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Concept of Sin
Who is a sinner and who is a saint...
Are they different?If I rebel against society and don't follow the existing norms I am branded as a sinner.The same sinner would be shown as a saint in a different place with different ideals.Some basic moral values were invented by the society so that people can live in harmony.Monogamy was invented by society so that we can survive as a species.It may not be necessary in the present era,but we still value everything ancient.Underneath all the culture we still are animals and we behave like wild creatures once we are through with following society standards.Laws of the government and the scales of justice are formed by taking the consensus of powerful people.In olden days pushing a woman into fire as a offering was totally fine.But now it has been changed.In the same way murder in some countries are pardonable.Honor killings to be precise.So we all are a step away from rotting in prison.May be the murderers/thieves and other lower forms of society are one step away from becoming morally programmed citizens.Reforms in prisons have always showed that the mind is like clay.It can be shaped into any mold.
Are they different?If I rebel against society and don't follow the existing norms I am branded as a sinner.The same sinner would be shown as a saint in a different place with different ideals.Some basic moral values were invented by the society so that people can live in harmony.Monogamy was invented by society so that we can survive as a species.It may not be necessary in the present era,but we still value everything ancient.Underneath all the culture we still are animals and we behave like wild creatures once we are through with following society standards.Laws of the government and the scales of justice are formed by taking the consensus of powerful people.In olden days pushing a woman into fire as a offering was totally fine.But now it has been changed.In the same way murder in some countries are pardonable.Honor killings to be precise.So we all are a step away from rotting in prison.May be the murderers/thieves and other lower forms of society are one step away from becoming morally programmed citizens.Reforms in prisons have always showed that the mind is like clay.It can be shaped into any mold.
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Dealing with Scum
The Avadhut said:
Hold not the immature, the credulous, the foolish, the slow, the layman and the fallen to have nothing good in them. They all teach something. Learn from them. Surely we do not give up a game although we have mastered it?
-Avadhut Gita
I guess we all get our share of scum in everyday life.
Why do we meet these people?
I feel sometimes there is something which is not resolved in me.That's manifests as anger towards these people.Its not the people or their life which generates dissatisfaction,may be its my expectation of goodness from everyone.I try to find a reason and a purpose behind everything.I guess it does not exist.May be pity or other strong emotions of empathy can cloud our judgment.But ultimately the true nature always shines through.We may close our eyes towards it....but it is still there.Kindness in all forms was my motto in dealing with such people.But I guess we all have a threshold and beyond which we cannot stretch our niceness.
Hold not the immature, the credulous, the foolish, the slow, the layman and the fallen to have nothing good in them. They all teach something. Learn from them. Surely we do not give up a game although we have mastered it?
-Avadhut Gita
I guess we all get our share of scum in everyday life.
Why do we meet these people?
I feel sometimes there is something which is not resolved in me.That's manifests as anger towards these people.Its not the people or their life which generates dissatisfaction,may be its my expectation of goodness from everyone.I try to find a reason and a purpose behind everything.I guess it does not exist.May be pity or other strong emotions of empathy can cloud our judgment.But ultimately the true nature always shines through.We may close our eyes towards it....but it is still there.Kindness in all forms was my motto in dealing with such people.But I guess we all have a threshold and beyond which we cannot stretch our niceness.
Monday, September 29, 2008
For all the male chauvinists out there...
A man was sick and tired of going to work every day while his wife stayed home.
He wanted her to see what he went through so he prayed:
"Dear Lord: I go to work every day and put in 8 hours while my wife merely stays at home. I want her to know what I go through, so please allow her body to switch with mine for a day. Amen."
God, in his infinite wisdom, granted the man's wish.
The next morning, sure enough, the man awoke as a woman.
He arose, cooked breakfast for his mate, awakened the kids; set out their school clothes, fed them breakfast, packed their lunches; drove them to school, came home and picked up the dry cleaning, took it to the cleaners and stopped at the bank to make a deposit, went grocery shopping; then drove home to put away the groceries; paid the bills and balanced the check book.
He cleaned the cat's litter box and bathed the dog. Then it was already 1 P.M. and he hurried to make the beds, do the laundry, vacuum, dust, and sweep and mop the kitchen floor. Ran to the school to pick up the kids and got into an argument with them on the way home. Set out milk and cookies and got the kids organized to do their homework, then set up the ironing board and watched TV while he did the ironing.
At 4:30 he began peeling potatoes and washing vegetables for salad, breaded the pork chops and snapped fresh beans for supper. After supper, he cleaned the kitchen, ran the dishwasher, folded laundry, bathed the kids, and put them to bed. At 9 P.M. He was exhausted, and, though his daily chores weren't finished, he went to bed where he was expected to make love, which he managed to get through without complaint.
The next morning, he awoke and immediately knelt by the bed and said, “Lord, I don't know what I was thinking. I was so wrong to envy my wife's being able to stay home all day. Please, oh please, let us trade back."
The Lord, in his infinite wisdom, replied, "My son, I feel you have learned your lesson and I will be happy to change things back to the way they were. You'll just have to wait nine months, though. You got pregnant last night!!!!!"
Does this remind you of any woman in your family? Then do me a favour, call them & make their day by telling them that you do not envy them and also tell them how important they are in your life.
Taken from
http://www.helpothers.org/my/story.php?op=view&sid=8894
He wanted her to see what he went through so he prayed:
"Dear Lord: I go to work every day and put in 8 hours while my wife merely stays at home. I want her to know what I go through, so please allow her body to switch with mine for a day. Amen."
God, in his infinite wisdom, granted the man's wish.
The next morning, sure enough, the man awoke as a woman.
He arose, cooked breakfast for his mate, awakened the kids; set out their school clothes, fed them breakfast, packed their lunches; drove them to school, came home and picked up the dry cleaning, took it to the cleaners and stopped at the bank to make a deposit, went grocery shopping; then drove home to put away the groceries; paid the bills and balanced the check book.
He cleaned the cat's litter box and bathed the dog. Then it was already 1 P.M. and he hurried to make the beds, do the laundry, vacuum, dust, and sweep and mop the kitchen floor. Ran to the school to pick up the kids and got into an argument with them on the way home. Set out milk and cookies and got the kids organized to do their homework, then set up the ironing board and watched TV while he did the ironing.
At 4:30 he began peeling potatoes and washing vegetables for salad, breaded the pork chops and snapped fresh beans for supper. After supper, he cleaned the kitchen, ran the dishwasher, folded laundry, bathed the kids, and put them to bed. At 9 P.M. He was exhausted, and, though his daily chores weren't finished, he went to bed where he was expected to make love, which he managed to get through without complaint.
The next morning, he awoke and immediately knelt by the bed and said, “Lord, I don't know what I was thinking. I was so wrong to envy my wife's being able to stay home all day. Please, oh please, let us trade back."
The Lord, in his infinite wisdom, replied, "My son, I feel you have learned your lesson and I will be happy to change things back to the way they were. You'll just have to wait nine months, though. You got pregnant last night!!!!!"
Does this remind you of any woman in your family? Then do me a favour, call them & make their day by telling them that you do not envy them and also tell them how important they are in your life.
Taken from
http://www.helpothers.org/my/story.php?op=view&sid=8894
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Self Restraint
Self-control is always seen as something which gives strength. In recent times Gandhi had made it very popular.
Is self-control necessary to live our life?
What makes us different from murderers, thieves and other anti-social people.They have the same range of emotions and desires like us.We have anger,violence,love,greed and jealousy which are the basis of our life.Or is the logic which drives this is.... "As long as you don’t get caught you are not a thief."
We all suffer from sudden outburst of anger and we all have emotions which can actually result in unfavourable consequences.Underneath all the civilized human set-up we are still wired to hunt and kill.May be now because we are so good at hiding our emotions with action/adventure movies,we seemed to forget that .Sometimes the voice in our heads,reaches outside and we are thrown into an asylum.
Is self-control necessary to live our life?
What makes us different from murderers, thieves and other anti-social people.They have the same range of emotions and desires like us.We have anger,violence,love,greed and jealousy which are the basis of our life.Or is the logic which drives this is.... "As long as you don’t get caught you are not a thief."
We all suffer from sudden outburst of anger and we all have emotions which can actually result in unfavourable consequences.Underneath all the civilized human set-up we are still wired to hunt and kill.May be now because we are so good at hiding our emotions with action/adventure movies,we seemed to forget that .Sometimes the voice in our heads,reaches outside and we are thrown into an asylum.
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