Lessons from Nature

A Butterfly spreading its silvery wings full of magical colors fluttering and dancing on the sweet scented flowers is an unforgettable sight. It etched a deep image in my mind remembering which frequently brings joy. Why am I so enticed by a Butterfly? And why my heart wants to hold on to this beautiful image and the feeling of blissful joy it brings? Deep in introspection the answers flashed, the Butterfly brings a message of Universal truth. Butterfly goes through metamorphosis which, in simple and mundane terms means change. Yes change, life changes but does the core change? No, we keep living in the same set ways of our lives day in and out. Metamorphosis is the change of the core…from the egg to caterpillar to pupa to a butterfly. No state is similar to the previous one, no behavior is similar to the previous one. This is change in…

Eclipse

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In conversation with Meenaji… Seeker: What is the significance of the Eclipse in our lives? Meena ji: Solar Eclipse or any other eclipse is the accuracy of the rhythm of Nature. At an accurate time, the celestial bodies align perfectly and today the Earth Sun and Moon will align…will come under one gravity. The word Eclipse should not be taken as something crippling or negative. Instead we should look at this as a positive event. The Universe teaches us to align with each other when we come together and not to be shadowed by our own ego and limitations. When one comes under the shadow of another person one should not allow the ego to block one from learning something from this person. Just as one comes under the wings or aura or the eclipse of a guru resulting in gains and evolution for the individual. Similarly, when one comes…

Dreams—Divine Benevolence

Sleep -- the universal experience of restful time when the subconscious takes over and a time when the body and the mind go into a cleansing mode. The mind transforms into an efficient editor and sifts through the files of memories and experiences,  discarding, storing or incubating the required experiences for future life moments. This process helps the human to quickly associate with the past lessons and adapt to whatever life brings in the future. In sleep this process can also lead to dreams. Oneirology or the study of dreams suggests that dreams can invoke sensations, emotions, ideas, images and positive or negative feelings. Dreams can stir the conscious mind’s imagination and one can spend hours trying to analyze the meaning of these lucid images and sensations. Dreams are usually out of the control of the conscious mind and thinking. The subconscious mind’s activity in the dream state also activates…

The anatomy of weakness

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A recent incident set me thinking about things that have no antidotes. Indulge in them if you have the courage to see them wreak havoc!! These are the infallible tools of the weak. The four main ones are – 1.Stupidity 2.Suspicion 3. Insecurity 4. Appeasement Stupidity – is a form of obtuse banality. Abysmal Intelligence is stupidity personified. The stupid just refuse to understand or see things from a higher perspective. Everything is obvious and basic. Black and white. No nuances, no subtleties, no faith. In fact, Meena ji often states that sometimes - simple people have the danger to become stupid and clever ones can turn shrewd! Suspicion – it’s all in the head! Suspicion can make a mountain out of a molehill or vice-versa. It all depends upon the analysis undertaken. As they say, we see what we want to see! Everything is assumable and hence possible to…

Guru Poornima Gratitude

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Every year, on Guru Poornima there is a frenzy of celebrations. But have we ever acknowledged the people who have taught us the greatest lessons of life? I make a humble attempt to express my deepest gratitude to those who have guided and shaped me. Let me begin by mentioning my parents, especially mother, who selflessly lived for our wellbeing. I remember her -- graceful and elegant, always adjusting, sacrificing and living for us four siblings. Never did she say anything negative about those who had pained or wronged her…. Her hard work, dedication and love for perfection always inspire, even though she is not with us in her physical form. My father, strong, loving, an upright policeman, a patriot and most of all a good human-being….hope that one day I can do them both proud. My siblings, whom I love dearly…. such incredible human beings! Nisha didi, Anshu didi…

The Forgotten Mother

Eyes on blinking screens, ears with ear-pods feeding the mind with constant stimulation of images and sounds, attributing to the restlessness and increasing sensory phenomenon of the mind and body. Strange new syndromes and diseases are engulfing the new age humans and mental illnesses are breaking records! The recent lockdowns and lifestyle changes have forced all to reconsider their present state of being. It’s almost like nature is providing a second chance, but why would anyone of us take this opportunity to reassess our status quo habits? All await the miracles of vaccine so old ways can be glorified again! Humans are beasts of habit, familiar habits and ways, so why change? Exploding Head Syndrome, ever heard of this? Sounds scary, and it should, as we humans are heading towards similar states where even in sleep which is physiologically the most restful time the mind cannot and will not stop…

Tikkun Olam…Let’s Repair the World!

“Change is the only constant” quote our ancient texts. Change leads to growth and evolution influencing societies and science. Sadly, enough the ‘Selfie Culture’ and ‘not looking beyond one’s nose’ seems to be trending in the modern age. Spirituality and morals are diminishing like blood losing its nutrients leading to an anemic state! The new species of human is running in a race of materialistic values and feeding off the ever nourishing ego! In this race, basic morals and values have limited and self-centered meaning. It’s like the world is turning into a melting pot of selfies. So what defines a person with values and morals? To summarize its three things, first the core values or sanskaras, then internalizing or inner understanding of these core values and lastly the behavior. One is born in an environment or society with its core values, thus from birth one is unknowingly under their…

Contrasts

While watching the amazing BBC documentary ‘The Life Story’ and reconnecting with nature was mesmerizing along with the photography and the anecdotal commentary! Watching evolution through a lens jolted me to ask a question, why the most evolved and intelligent animal--the human being has disassociated from the very simple principles of nature? Every creature of the animal kingdom emotes and relates to both positive and negative feelings. They go through the cycle of life without worrying about what their fellow creatures will think.  They live in the moment for that moment!  And although they display emotions of love, caring, anger, jealousy and fear yet their reactions surface and ebb in that moment. None of the creatures display ego or consistently live in their past or future.  All are doing their karm without worrying about the outcomes. On failure they either learn their lesson or abandon and move on to the…

Svadhyay – A close study of the self – Part 4

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Right from my childhood, while other peers were busy in normal mundane affairs, my curiosity to know what a human body comprises of and to unravel the processes which made it diseased, always fascinated me. In this curious exercise, I got an opportunity to sift through varied subjects, which, in the normal course, were neither needed to be pursued for academic distinctions nor for any specific motive in mind. I was not sure whether what I inferred was, in fact, right or wrong, but whatever I acquired, with the Divine Grace, made me believe that what all of us call as a “man” is a product of “discursive formations” and of the “socio-political contingencies” of the various epochs of human history. The concept of “man” is beyond grammar and logic. “Man” is an invention of society, in the same way that “being” is an invention of metaphysics. While a famed…

Svadhyay – A close study of the Self – Part 3

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Before proceeding with penning down my musings on “Svadhyay” I find here an opportunity to profusely thank Venerable Meena Om ji, the originator and the exalted driving force behind this innovative platform of pranam.org, to have encouraged me to lay bare my personal experiences, which I think, are never ending to uphold the infinite concept of swadhyay. It would be pertinent to refer to what Swami Vivekanand once told a seeker when asked how many persons have been influenced by his sayings. He said that even if he can change only one person in his life time, it will make his life well lived for. As truth is eternal and multi faceted, therefore, Swami Vivekanand succinctly opined that “Truth can be stated in a thousand different ways, yet each one can be true." Through these musings what I am conveying about my personal experiences with “svadhyay” is true as well.…