Time

It is a big mistake to think of time as something that comes and goes. Time, like space is just there, as a backdrop, a stage on which we play various roles.
In common parlance we say, "where does this road go?", when we all know that the road goes nowhere, but we traveling on the road get to some place.
In Indian darshan (philosophy)time is Kaal or Mahakaal and is one of the incarnations of Parameshwar.

Ganoba in love

Healing

Suffering is a negative judgment about an experience. As long as we hold this judgment, the necessary learning cannot take place. Complete healing would take place only when the lesson is learnt in its wholeness. For this to happen, we have to immerse ourselves fully in the experience. To let this happen, we have to bring into play the ability to bear pain, physical and emotional.
In our pursuit of happiness we have neglected this quality in us. In Indian languages there two words for this quality; sahanshakti and sahansheelata. Both shakti and sheel are needed to immerse oneself fully in an experience. Without shakti, sheel is vulnerable and without sheel, shakti is likely to be misused. These are the qualities of the divine couple Shiva and Parvati. They are inseparable and have to be worshiped together.
The English equivalent would be to develop both competence and compassion together and to use them together.
Ganoba in love

An ode to emptiness

The sky in which I live
is empty,
filled with nothingness.
the sun does not rise
or set.
The stars do not wait
for the sun to set
to start shinning.
I dip into the emptiness
and take out
whatever I will.
No sooner I do that
it disappears
into nothingness.
the weight of lightness
is less than the swish
of a feather,
darkness and light,
the eternal lovers
live happily in each others
embrace.
Is this real or
just the flight of my fancy?
God knows or may be not,
who cares anyway,
the whole universe
is empty of meaning.
Ganoba in eternal love

Paradigm shift

Paradigm shifts is like changing containers, like changing jobs, changing homes, changing spouses or taking a vacation to beat the blues or boredom, which we always do.
This is of no avail because of the primary error of thinking that the problem is out there in the context.
What is needed is the realization that we are all lakes, nay vast oceans, not small containers.
This amounts to the realization that we are all interconnected forming an integrated and indivisible whole.
This is a spiritual awakening.
Ganoba in love

Depression and the way out

The primary cause of depression is loneliness, but not of the social kind. Absence of human contact is not a serious situation. That is why the treatment is more often than not, the company of animals or working with plants, planting and taking care of them.
In these activities one gets returns without reservations, what is called unconditional love.
The primary cause is separation from the core of our being. When not centered one would feel insecure and this condition cannot be cured by any human intervention, particularly where commercial considerations are involved.
the true answer is to live a holistic, spiritual life.
Ganoba in love

The river

The creator, the process of creation and the created universe are one and the same. They are inseparable and we are a part of all this. They appear to be different because we have in our ignorance chosen to see ourselves as outside it. many so called scholars also make the mistake of recommending that we should see it as unaffected (objective) and indifferent observers. The term used is Tathastha, meaning sitting on the bank (of the river).
We are the river.
Ganoba

Inside-Outside

This is so obvious and so simple that i wonder how i missed it all these years.
Out there is our field of action (we call it the Karmakshetra) and inside we have the abilities to play with it and create.
Together the two create the wonderful universe.
They are inseparable lovers. They are also great pranksters.
They are all the time trying to trick each other.
What fun!
Ganoba

Complaining

Yes, we have got into the habit of complaining and have developed it to such an extent that it appears to be the legitimate thing to do. We might as well laugh and enjoy ourselves at our stupidity.
Both actions equally rational or irrational.
choose what you will, makes no difference to creation.
Ganoba in love

Nature

There are two aspects to nature;
one is out there
and the other is within us.
When these two aspects are brought together in play, then creation begins to take shape. Wonderful beauty and joy are then available to us to partake and share.
Ganoba in love

Misunderstandings

That misunderstandings are resolved by discussions is a myth that the educated class keep nurturing in spite of all evidence to the contrary.
If two people are pulling a rope in opposite directions then there is a tug of war. If one of them lets go then the game is over and the tension is gone. If the other party still keeps pulling they are sure to fall and become the laughing stock.
It is similar with misunderstandings that eventually lead to resentments. Letting go is the only answer. simultaneously get out of the winning and losing game. Just play and have fun.
Ganoba in love

Problems and solutions

It is actually much simpler than this. Remember, I had written once before about creation being a play between the pair of opposites. One of the pair is out there in the world and the other is with us. Since we are outward focused, we do not see the ability on our side and so we miss the play. If there is a mountain in the world outside, then the ability to climb it is with us. When the two are brought together in play the climb begins and it is exciting.
The opposite of a problem is not a solution. It is the ability to solve it. Bring them together in play and the solution appears.
Try this out with all the problems and difficulties you face and enjoy the fun.
Ganoba in love.

Purpose in Life

We get confused about our purpose in life because we see it in terms of results of our actions at some time in the future. Our purpose has nothing to do with results and rewards.
If we remain centered in the present then what we have to do at any time and place is crystal clear.
We are the instruments through whom God gets done all that he wishes.
Ganoba in love

Spiritual Guidance

Feed back is a term best used in human interactions. The spirit or soul gives direct suggestions for action. For example, it would say turn back rather than don't go forward, or stay still rather than don't do anything.
To receive spiritual guidance the mind has to be emptied of all theories and isms,
would lethargy or inertia fall in this category?
You decide.
Ganoba in love

Corporations

I some times fall a victim to the shaDripoos (the 6 enemies, kaam, krodh etc.)
It only indicates that I am not living in wholeness or oneness.
To this limited extent they are friends. while acknowledging this I cannot forget that they are essentially enemies.
So with corporations. They can at best be treated as essential evils. It is easy to get seduced by the veneer. You know it much better than me.
One more thought. Head and heart are not two separate organs. When compassion rises, the head becomes the heart. A heart without compassion is only a head (brain)
Ganoba in love

The Creator

The creator is the original fool.
It made things happen for no rhyme and reason.
Just for fun.
It made it all in pairs;
like male and female,
light and shade.
We call them opposites
and try to separate them,
choosing one over the other
and missing the whole fun.
Ganoba
Joker no. 1

Giving Credit

It is good that you have started acknowledging and giving credit.
At the same time it is worth while to remember that nothing happens without the grace of the creator.
Ganoba

Purpose in Life

We get confused about our purpose in life because we see it in terms of results of our actions at some time in the future. Our purpose has nothing to do with results and rewards.
If we remain centered in the present then what we have to do at any time and place is crystal clear.
We are the instruments through whom God gets done all that he wishes.
Ganoba

Dealing with chaos

Feelings are only messengers. They don't destroy anything or create anything. They only tell you that you are doing so, by the kind of choices you are making.
At such times, sitting quietly and watching the unfolding beauty of nature, such as a sunrise or sunset, a gurgling mountain stream, birds in flight or your little angel at play would have a centering effect.
this is reporting to HQ, appropriate guidance will surely come.
May love and peace be showered on you,
your loving friend ganoba

good morning bapu

what to do with feelings that destroy happiness?
these seem to come uninvited and to have no cause
then i feel bad because i feel bad for if i feel this way
then surely i must be somehow responsible ...

please help

wendy xox

Linear Time

all concepts that are based on a time that moves in a straight line from past to present (or is it the other way round ) tie us in knots.
There is no future, hence fortune telling of any kind is a useless pastime. There is no past, hence all cures based on healing the past are also useless.
Time just is. Nothing is coming or going. It just is. we are free to do what ever we like.
It is tragic fact that most of us choose to be miserable and invent ways of doing it.
laughingly yours
ganoba

ganoba

i have been often unable to appreciate the now
and the many blessings given to me

in good times and in bad, i have fretted over this and that
later , even more precious moments have been wasted
lamenting the loss of the true treasures gone unrecognised

to be present in the moment, and to find joy in it
seems the greatest treasure of all - yet one that remains
elusive at times

when i was a very young woman a fortune teller told me
that on my deathbed i would be unhappy over how my
life had been spent - he told me that i had to decide
just was it was i wanted from life and then take action
to make it happen

i no longer have any interest in fortune telling
but a residue remains in the thought that planning (read scheming)
of some sort is needed if the misery predicted is to be avoided

although i have no confidence that self can navigate life
perhaps i may yet come to trust that Self oversees all

what do you say?


ganoba wrote:

To see the treasures out there, one has to be a treasure.

We are one

The individual has no existence outside the collective (environment).
collective good (health, wellbeing ...) is a necessary precondition for individual good.
Is there any other in reality?
Can we exist without an environment?
Firstly, we separate ourselves from our environment and then break it up into individual parts. We do that with ourselves too. Having systematically destroyed the integrity (oneness) of existence, what else do we expect to happen, except madness and unending suffering?

we are one.

Ganoba

i have been reading an article on kindness
from the Lighthouse magazine
it starts by saying:

we are to be kind to all people for everyone has
the same battle of trying to cope with the ego and it's world.
that is our shared problem, and together we must find
our shared answer or else none of us finds it

from your experience, could this be true?

love wendy xox

Knowing God

Human beings find it difficult to comprehend that which is outside their circle (or whatever geometrical figure ) of known. They try to understand by drawing parallels with the known. In the process they create a lot of useless knowledge and stay away from wisdom.
Take God for instance. God is nothingness. Which means it cannot be described as comparable to anything that we know. God has no name or form. God is neither male nor female. But God being the creator of the universe, can take any form or name. This is too much for us, so we freely give names and forms to God according to our fancy. Then we get stuck to these names and forms. that is where the trouble starts.
Vishnu is just an arbitrary name for God, the creator, who is continuously creating. this means birth, middle and death are taking place all the time. We have separated these three and assigned them to three deities. this is all right to create wonderful stories for children and works of art for adults. But in themselves non of these adds to our understanding of creation and our place (role) in it.
God's work, if it can be called so, needs no effort. so it is like dreaming. There is no time gap between conception and execution. Everything is happening at the same time, simultaneously, spontaneously, effortlessly, joyously.
How do we describe all this without any reference to that which we know or claim to know?
I have no answer to that. so many times I remain silent. Sometimes I attempt to describe it and then I have to either defend my foolishness or laugh at it. I tend to do the first more often. I am learning to laugh at it now.
yours foolishly
Ganoba

journey inwards

Once we turn inwards the journey ends.
In fact all conventional wisdom, based on duality as it is, becomes useless and drops off.
Then one stands (or sits etc.) naked just as the lord created us.
Ganoba

Life Cycle

Life Cycle

Every worldly phenomenon has a life cycle. It is born, has a middle phase and finally it dies. The duration and quality of each phenomenon is different and quite unique to itself. To be able to enjoy our association with it as long as it lasts and to be able to make the best of it, it is necessary to know the details of the life cycle. The Buddhists use the term impermanence to describe this. This is a purely philosophical statement and does not help much to enrich our association with it. To do that we need to make this statement operational.

As a first measure, we have to accept this fact of life. There is no exception to this rule. The fond hope that it may not apply to our near and dear ones, has to be dropped. This will lead to unnecessary activity and avoidable suffering. All hope leads to this, as hope represents a negation of the present, of that which is. It applies to all worldly phenomena, individuals, societies, organizations, civilizations, monuments et all. It applies even to ideas, thoughts, emotions, dreams and all other mental creations. There is absolutely no exception. Once we leave no room whatsoever for an escape from this rule, a great burden is lifted. We are now free to apply all the available energy to studying the nature and duration of each phenomenon we come into contact with.

The birth of most phenomena is obscure. It happens unheralded. Our at least we don’t notice it. We are busy doing something else, which in itself is all right. It is all right to be fully engrossed in whatever we are doing (or not doing). It is all right to be fully present where ever we are. No need to feel guilty on this count. In fact it is a cause for celebration. Similarly death happens without notice and without fanfare. It is quite a wasteful activity to attempt to pin down the exact time and cause of death.

The important phase is the middle; birth and death are at best just events. The real process of living is in the middle. This has two stages, the first half is the growth stage and the second half is the stage of decay. We don’t exactly know when the first stage changes into the second. Knowing this is made even more difficult by the fact that each of these stages does not run a smooth and steady course. They follow a wave pattern. Being living phenomena, they are pulsating. They seem to wax and wane. It is, therefore, sensible not to make any dogmatic propositions about these. It is enough to know the general trend. It is wise to let the mystery and uncertainty remain undisturbed. It is wise to be curious, to study it in depth and yet treating it as sacrosanct.

Physically, I am now in the second stage of my life on earth. The mental and spiritual aspects seem to be in the growth stage. Living these two at the same time is an interesting balancing act. Recently I conduct a JATRA ( spontaneously playing many roles and switching them around to discover the real self) with a few friends. I had a ball. All of us had a hilariously enlightening time. I was pleasantly surprised by my energy level and stamina. My life cycle, while the physical structure is creaking, seems to be entering a new phase spiritually. Glory to the maker. I propose to make the best of this extra lease.

Anyone willing to join in.

Ganoba Date

Where is the Brain?

We have been trained from ages that our head (meaning brain) is the only part of our anatomy that matters. just imagine, as if we are octopuses.
Then we are trained to play these intellectual games (analysing, classifying, labeling and so on)
As a result rest of our being is becoming useless and is seen as an obstacle.
Imagine not having legs and hands, not even the torso, just a head.
The fact is that our brain is in every cell.
Don't we sit down to discuss?
suggests that the brain is in the bottom.
Standing up we fight. To make love we have to lie down.
What do you say?
Ganoba

Living in Freedom

When we begin to live in freedom, free from wants, content in what we have and use it well, then all meanings change dramatically.
What was considered precious earlier becomes ordinary. We begin to find usefullnes in that which was considered horrible and useless.
Gradually the world begins to appear as a mysteriously beautiful creation of a master artist. this is the closest we can get to experiencing parabramha.
Ganoba

Harboring Resentment

When you are harboring resentment in your bosom, the stink will keep the ships carrying goodwill away from the harbor. Worse still it would attract similar rotten cargo.
You need to clean up your harbor (heart) for your own sake.
What do you say?
Lots of love
Ganoba

Being Dumb

what is being dumb?
Not taking things head on, not fighting to the finish?
I used to be like that and caused many bruises all around, including to self.
Now i am quite dumb and a bit wiser. I still achieve quite a bit with much less enrgy wasted.
Confrontation is not a virtue anymore. I am quite willing to lie low.
What do you say?
ganoba

Companionship, not Conquest

many people, both men and women, look for not companionship but conquest in relationships. This gets them to look for the wild ones to engage and conquer.
(what is the fun or thrill in winning a domesticated one).
However, most people are not tough enough to manage the challenge and get thrown off the wild bull or horse (of the male or female kind).
Let us look for companionship in relationships then our choices would be very different and the game of love would really begin.
Let us forget about winning and losing. let us just dance in tango.
Passion is over rated and compassion is not even understood in human affairs.
with love
Ganoba

Feelings and Thoughts

Feelings and thoughts are not apart from us, just as the waves of the ocean are not seperate from it. This tendency to separate everything into parts needs to be unlearnt. For starters, let us treat thoughts and feelings as one and the same. They are us. Let us treat them as friends. We don't have to control them. They help us to live a controlled, well regulated, balanced life.Let us not classify them as good and bad. They are like the postman, who brings messages to us. Should we be looking at the message irrespective of who the postman is and how he/she is dressed? Should we worry about the packaging so much, that we throw the content in the garbage can? Should we throw the baby with the bath water?

Let us listen to the thoughts and feelings as they appear on the mind's screen and then follow their guidence. if we do this life will proced on an even keel. When we don't pay heed to them, they as faithful friends, don't give up on us. They become persistent and louder, so that we may get the message through all the noise that we have surrounded ourselves with. That is what intense emotions stand for. It is like a mother shouting at her children, when they don't respond to her gentle calls. If we don't listen even at this stage, we get a spanking and may be deprivation of some kind. Is this punishment? Or the mother's concern for her children's well being, an outpouring of her love?
Let us treat ourselves as a loving mother would treat her children, with love at all times and with a firm gentleness.
Lots of love my child
Ganoba

Centering

The pendulum swings around a fulcrum. As long as the fulcrum is intact the swinging does not create a problem. In fact it is enjoyable.
In human affairs, centering plays that role.
When we swing to an extreme of independent behaviour, as if the rest of the world does not exist, or if does, we have no relationship with it, then we feel a high which soon bursts. the deflation in mood is loaded with guilt of the earlier position (that the rest of the world does not exist .....) We then want to hurt/punish ourselves very severely. The suicidal swing to the other extreme.
This is what your friend is going through.
The solution in the long term is to find the center through meditation. This allows us to find our rightful place in god's scheme of the world.
In the short run one needs a loving hand to hold on to and to gently guide one towards centering/meditation.
Can you play this role for your friend?
Lots of love (you will need a lot of it)
Ganoba

To Serve

We are all meant to serve. That is our primary and probably only mission in life. We are meant to be second fiddles in God's grand orchestra.
However, in todays mad race to be number one, to be on top of the heap, to be the leader, to be the richest, to be the most successful, who cares?
The market place (that is what the world has become) is full of noisy people clamouring for attention, to show off their wares.
A lone gentle voice like mine which eulogises service is lost in the din.
To be heard, it seems, a western band has to accompany you. An indegenous instrument has a very little chance of being noticed, leave alone being heard.
Ganoba, in service of the Lord.

Dreams

The modern, developed(!) world has a very fragmented view of life. What they don't understand and cannot pin down, is declared as irrational and meaningless. Thus dreams are considered to be indications of sickness, while in reality they are messages from a higher wisdom.
Ganoba

Flow of Energy

We all know that the thrust of our thoughts, speech and actions is felt by the world outside.
We do not seem to realize, that it also impacts our body and mind and shapes our character. If we did, we would pay much greater attention to these for our own sake and for the sake of the world at large, not just a few out there.
Does not energy flow in all directions?
Ganoba

Body and Consciouness

I offer you two sentences. See which one rings a bell in your heart?

I am a body in which lives the small candle of consciouness.

I am the light of consciouness which has clothed itself with a body or performing a certain part of the Lords mission.

The answer to many of our questions lies in our choice.

Ganoba

Spiritual Growth

as I was responding to your mail, something happened and all that i had typed was lost. I failed to retrieve it. so i am typing again.This message seems to have a special significance, for you and me.
Long ago I realized that to advance spiritually, I need to clear my mind of the restrictive judgements about work so I undertook to do many tasks that I considered below my station in life and hence a waste of time. Worse still, I considered those people who performed these jobs routinely, as a means of livelihood, as of a lower order, the scums of society, the untouchables. This was a serious obstacle for my spiritual growth.
So I decided to sweep and swab dirty floors, wash dirty dishes and dirty linen. Washing my own dirty dishes came easy, but washing other peoples dirty dihes was tough. with dirty linen it was worse. I could wash my own dirty underwear but washing my wive's dirty linen was nauseating. As I performed these tasks I was liberated from the restrictive judgementalness of my mind. The minds sky cleared and the sun of spirituality began to shine with all its brilliance.
I have to keep doing these things repeatedly and regularly so as not to slip back into the judgemental mess. This helps me to live in the spiritual firmament which recognises no hierarchies. Nothing and no one is special here. All are the same, all are nothing by and of themselves. However, taken together, they are the supreme Lord and Master.
With humble love and in service.
Ganoba

ganuji

right now the body impulses are way out of whack
sleeping, eating and activities are random to say the least

i have been cleaning non stop for about five days
and have heightened appetites that are uncomfortable
now wonder i prefer to live in my mind ..

and ideas, please??
wendy xxx thursday pm

Compassion, the best medicine

Compassion is the best medicine, I have known, for all kinds of ailment, physical and mental.
It appears in many forms; a shy smile, a gentle touch, a kind word. Whaever the form, the warm glow of love is unmistakeable. Itnot only heals, it is contagious.
Ganoba

Practicing Compassion

email is a good place to practice compassion.
I usually respond immediately.
When I get mail that hurts I hold on.
I don't react immediately. I don't delete it either. I just let it stay. Stay with the feeling of hurt too. slowly it dawns on me that I have rigid notions in that particular area. The process of making it flexible begins to happen effortlessly.
In time a compassionate response takes shape.
Ganoba

The Butterfly Effect

It was 1960 and meteorologist Edward Lorenz was working in his lab. He was entering data into his computer in the hopes of modeling weather patterns when he stumbled upon a theory that is known as 'The Butterfly Effect'. He was entering wind speed, air pressure and temperature into three separate equations that were linked in a mathematical feedback loop. This equation allowed Lorenz to predict weather patterns.

One day Lorenz was in a bit of a hurry and opted to take a shortcut when entering the data. He rounded the numbers to the nearest one thousandth rather than to the nearest one millionth (for example, .407 instead of .407349). As a scientist, he knew this would change the result – however he expected only a minor change. Lorenz was astounded to discover that this tiny change made a profound impact on the final resulting weather pattern. This discovery led Lorenz to ponder: Does the flap of a butterfly's wing in Brazil cause a tornado in Texas? – Thus you have 'The Butterfly Effect' theory.

This theory has been applied to all areas of science since Lorenz's 1960 experiment.

The Inner Self

What is knowing the Inner self and getting in touch with it?

To understand this
One has to stop standing up all the time (to be counted)
and to start sitting down (to take a back seat) sometimes.
In short to cultivate humility.
Ganoba

Hypnomania

 It is the nature of manifest reality to wax and wane, to vibrate, to
oscillate. All of us go through mood swings. That is not a problem. The
problem is that we expect things to remain steady, unchanging. If by a
miracle this were to happen we immediately get bored and look for change.
just swing with the tide baby.
Ganoba

In Love

All that happens in life
may be seen as an accident
or as part of a grand design
i prefer to see it as the latter
Love and life is then
so much more exciting.
I am in love, I am in love, I am in love
Ganoba

Nurturing Love

Yes love takes a lot of nurturing.
Loosen the soil, plant the sapling, protect from the vagaries of the weather, water, move around, prune, deweed on and on
then new shoots appear
grow in stature
buds at the tips
blossoming as the sun and wind kiss
after dirty hands and bruised knees
some dancing and singing
then love takes root.

In human terms, a lot of flirting, meetings and separations, some longing, then intimacy, the beginnings of love.
Ganoba

Demands

People will make demands
They will try to monitor every step you take.
It is for you to choose
whether to be part of an army
on the march to a corporate tune
or be a birrd that flies
to the music (is it magic)
of the skies.
ganoba

A journey

On a journey
without a beginning
without an end.
no one to lead me
no one to follow.
Lots of companions
singing and dancing
in celebration
nothing in particular.
Ganoba

Taming the Mind

you cannot tame the mind. Don't even try. It is a wase of time.

Try in stead to be its friend and follower.

Begin by watching (only watching) the thoughts and emotions as they float by like clouds in a clear blue sky.

The friendship will surely carry you to serene spots in the universe.

Ganoba

Break down or Break through

Break down or Break through
Life is a composite journey, neither a breakdown nor a break through.
There are a few people who stay away from this irrational mode of
living. They welcome change. They move with the times. They also go
through ups and downs. They don't fight or resist these changes.
They ride them. Watch a trained jockey. He is relaxed. During the
race he does not sit on his mount. He guides it very gently. Two of
them are like one. I have seen a lot of people who work for hours
without tiring, without any stress. What keeps them going is a clear
sense of purpose.

Break downs and Break throughs are for those who live in the world
of Maya. Maya is SHAKTI witthout SHIVA.
Ganoba


ganoba

this is interesting ....

"I love spending time in my garden feeding and pruning my
beautiful flowers. One day, as I was busily snipping away,
a neighbor stopped by. She commented, "Oh! Your plants are
so beautiful, it seems such a shame to cut them back." I
replied, "I know how you feel, but the excess must be
removed so they can grow stronger and healthier." Later I
thought that perhaps my plants feel pain, but God and I
know it's part of the plan and I've seen the results. I
was quickly reminded of my precious A.A. program and how
we all grow through pain. I ask God to prune me when it's
time, so I can grow."

Song and Dance

I love to sing but have no aptitude or training in the finer aspects of music. This prevented me from singing for a long time, till I realised that I sing not as a professional to entertain others and to make money but to celebrate the fact being blessed.
Others are free to listen to me or not. Singing is a way I connect with my creator as Krishna.

Same with dance. I do not have the strength, stamina, flexibility and sense of balance to be able to dance professional for the critics and the cognisanti. I dance because because the creator as Shiva and Krishna becons me to join him.
Ganoba

Love

Love in deed is eternal
it does not bother about
age, rank and title.
sadness comes when we seek fulfillment in love.
for love itself is fulfillment.
Once I went to touch the horizon
days ended into nights
time whithered all around me
the horizon remained illusive.
Ganoba

Life defined

NO, NO, NO
Life does not belong to anyone.
It is the manifestation of the Lord.
To enjoy it we need to share it with others in and around us.
If we must define, let us define very liberally.
Ganoba

In dreams

In your dreams you can do anything.
The Lord shows us all that is possible.
we may not be able to do it in the waking state,
but in dreams we are free and in the lap of the Lord.
ganoba

Going to Church

There are no rules about going to church or temple or a mosque. Rules come into play when business masquerades as religion.
The music is divine when you are in the mood, that is when you are seated in the temple of your heart.
The man who walked with the Lord for 300 years is obviously a metaphorical story, not to be taken literally.
In the spiritual realm time is just a stage without measure.
life and death do not have conventional meaning here.
It is not just a thought. It is the true reality.
Ganoba

Love

Love is not bound by clock time, by anything man-made.
If we see time as an aspect of God, as we in our land do, then love is time or timelessness.
Ganoba

Solving a dilema

One way of solving a dilema (or problem) is to look outward for the solution. The answer then depends on the direction in which we look. Obviously one would get many answers. Different people will suggest different solutions. So one would end up being deeper in the dilema.

Another way is to look inwards. If this is made into a prefered approach, then over a period of time, one gets in touch with the spiritual core of our being.
All duality ends here. All phenomena are beautifully integrated and the answers to our problems are obvious and clear cut.
In this particular case the spiritual approach would make it clear that sharing is the recommended act.
Share, not only with your boss, but with all who care to listen.
Ganoba

Maya and Ishwar

Imagination is MAYA the cconsort of ISHWAR.
together thay create.
in humans both are often shrouded by doubt, the mother of fear and ahankaar.
all spiritual practices are to nullify these two demons, so the glory of MAYA and ISHWAR may shine through.
Ganoba

Value of Character

Many of my entrepreneur friends have one common grouse, “It is so difficult, almost impossible to find dependable staff.” They may use different words, like reliable, trustworthy and so on but the refrain is the same. They say we are prepared to have people who are less competent, provided they are trustworthy. Competent people do not stick around. They are far too ambitious. The result is they prefer to employ within the family and friends, than go for the so-called professionals. Professionalism seems to have dug its own grave.

I wonder. Have we undermined the value of dependability, reliability, and trustworthiness? So it seems. In developing professional qualities we seem to undermined personal integrity. Various scandals related to personal integrity and character in the corporate and political world seem to indicate it strongly. Even in selecting a friend or a life partner we look for material possessions rather than character. We have developed various tests (dubious though they are) to measure professional competence and performance. Do we have any reliable measure of trust? It clearly indicates what we value while selecting people. As a natural consequence, people spend a lot of time, effort and money to enhance their professional skills. Practically no attempt is made to develop character. Moral and ethical enquiry is anathema to professional. Such a person is derided and called names like “moral police”.

I think the time has come to reverse the trend and to bring back a balance between personal and professional qualities. I chuckle when I hear that universities like Harvard and Stanford are introducing courses on ethics while schools are removing them from their curriculum. It is another matter that this is like closing the barn doors after the horses have bolted or like digging a well after a drought has set in. Value education authentically takes place in children’s interaction with their grand parents through story telling. The foundations of character are built then. Alas with individualistic professionalism the joint family has become a relic of the past and grand parents have been banished to old peoples homes.

Does this issue have a place in the professional HR domain?

Ganoba

What is Spirituality

Spirituality is not one side of life, but the whole of life.
To enter the spiritual realm one has to realize the we are not just the body but much more than it. Spirituality does not negate the body, in fact it does not negate anything, it says there is more than what meets the human eye (or ear ). Hence if look at our spiritual well being, we would be taking a balanced decision, one that takes care of all aspects of life, ours individually and of all others in our environment.
We need to improve our understanding of the spiritual.
Ganoba

Mind the Mentor

Mind the Mentor

What goes on between people is only the secondary play and is not of much consequence. On the other hand, what goes on in our minds is the primary play. It is this that determines how the outer play will be played out. Before anything takes a visible form it has first to be conceived in the mind. In spite of the fact that it is a self-evident truth, we seem to be giving greater weightage to the manifested reality. Our achievements seem to matter more than our potential to create. The achievements are in the past and are no guarantee of future or even present performance. The potential, on the other hand, is ever present. We get disappointed repeatedly by using past performance as a tool of selection, whether in professional selection or in making a personal choice. Yet we continue this mindless practice.

It is relatively easy to measure past performance. It is there for all to see, touch and feel. Potential is difficult to determine using the same tools. Human senses cannot measure it. The mind has to be employed directly to determine it. The trouble is that in choosing the easy way out, we have not even bothered to develop our mind. We don’t even know our mind well. We confuse it with our brain. We have a vague idea of what it is. We know it when it is agitated and disturbed, when it seems to undermine all our resolve. We plan something in great detail but are unable to execute it because the mind is following a different master. We then say,” man proposes and God disposes “Actually it is our mind that takes over. Why don’t we then take the trouble to study and develop our mind?

Once we have done this we would be able to enter with ease the domain of the immeasurable, the realm of thoughts and emotions and the world of attributes (gunas), like trustworthiness, dependability, reliability and so on. How do we know when we are happy or in love? Can these be determined by parameters that are measurable by human senses? For the mind these are self-evident truths. In modern world we dismiss self-evident truth as being subjective. But then life itself is subjective. All attempts to arrive at universal truths about the human situation through so-called scientific studies produce only comic dogma, which is overturned every now and then by further scientific findings (research) take for instance the question of existence. Can we give proof to satisfy all about our existence? The simple fact is that each one of knows for sure that we exist. To satisfy someone else we have to produce certificates of various kinds. The acceptance is still a subjective judgment.

Let us cut out this need to depend on verifiable proof. Let us get on with the process of living. Let us give our mind its rightful place and bring it into play in making living choices. To be able to do that after eons of abuse we need to begin meditating. We would then come to know what the mind is and what it is capable of. Even as we begin to meditate we will find peace and light (clarity). The rest will follow. I have no doubt about that.

Ganoba

Embracing Life

"The first step of handling anything is gaining the ability to face it".
This quote makes the simple act of living a matter of courage. What is the risk? What is there to lose?
The fear is based on misconceptions.

The first misconception is, that we have a face, i.e. an independent identity, that owns and thus has to control its environment.

Handling seems to indicate that a certain distance is being maintained from the "thing" out of fear that it will in some way hurt or contaminate us. There is also a lurking desire to retain control, like keeping the reins and whip in ones hands.

Can we really understand and enjoy a "thing" if we keep it at a distance?
Objective scientists and technologists are likely to say "yes".
Being a bhakt I freely embrace. It is easy as I have no face, no hands or legs and so on to call my own and hence I have no fear of losing.
It all belongs to PRABHU
Why only handle? Why not embrace?
After all I and my environment are really one and the same. The environment is an extension of me or I am a product of the environment. Either way we are inseparable.

Living in Love

In my wandering I met a sage. I kept complaining to him that it was very difficult to follow his advice, besides I was so busy just serviving that I had no time to act on his advice.
He asked me a rather blunt but pertinent question, "If you are offered delicious food and shit, which would you choose to partake?"
Obviously delicious food, unless you are a pig. Where is the question of difficulty or finding time?
It is a matter of choosing that which is good for you and letting the rest be.
If, for example, writing experiences brings insights and clarity, choose to write. Let other activities be, don't engage in them.If you must, then bring to them the same quality of attention that you bring to the writting.
It is as simple as that.
If being with me is good for you, then choose to be with me to the exclusion of other things.
It is as simple as that.
At all times and every time choose to do only that which is good for you (that which brings clarity and lightness)
That is living in love

Who is the I?

who is the I?
Many identify with the body. To them I represents the body.
For many others I represents the worldly possessions.
For a few others the mind is the real I.
Very few identify with the soul. Even for them this equation is mainly intellectual, based on their study of the scriptures. The soul even for these is a possession of the I.
To them I would ask,
"Me and my soul are they two different entities?"
If the answer is a yes then
that is the original mistake.
The soul is the real I.
All others are only manifestations, the play of Maya.
An actor plays many roles during his/her life. If he/she does not drop the role along with the make up, on going home, there is going to be nothing but trouble.
Ganoba

Definitions

DEFINITIONS

Sage Patanjali has defined Yoga in many ways. One definition that i am using here appeared in the Times of India yesterday. Patanjali says in the Yoga Sutra ,"Yoga is the process of becoming free from the limited definitions of the field of consciousness."

I wish to draw our attention here, not to Yoga, but to the way we define.

We can define in a manner that limits the phenomenon we are dealing with. In this process we put something that is free and limitless in its essence in a box, possibly for our convinience. The phenomenon in its original form is too complex and diverse for our understanding. We are unable to interact with it meaningfully in its original form. So we put it in a box. In the process the phenomenon is badly deminished and disfigured. At the same time the process puts us also into a box. What we are doing to it happens to us too, in exactly the same measure. We get trapped by these limited definitions and struggle all our life, without even realising what we are struggle for.

To escape this trap some recommend that we don't define. This will leave us on a loose end. I recommend that we look at the process of defining and improve it qualitatively.

Let us define but in a definitive way. Let us make it open ended. After all we don't know every thing about that which we are defining. In making an open ended definition we are only acknowledging this fact. This openness leaves room for new information and new understanding to enter our field of consciousness. We only stand to gain in this way.

Definning is one step. For this to become a functioning part of our life, regular practice is required. Otherwise it will remain just a slogan, a talking point. I present one example. L.I.C. has the slogan,'Yogah karmasu kaushalam". It means the practice of Yoga leads to effective action. One doesn't see much of this in LIC's functioning. It was probably felt, that giving oneself a slogan and refering to it from official platforms is enough. No one probably gave much attention to the practice of Yoga.

with love to all

Ganoba

Listening to our bodies

Listening To Our Bodies
Illness Lessons

When our body, mind, and spirit are in balance, we experience good health. But sometimes we get caught up in life's parade of change and movement, and things get out of balance. Just as there are seasons in nature, our bodies go through times of cleansing and times of activity. Illness is one way our bodies restore the balance they seek, as it cleanses the buildup of unwanted manifestations of negative energy in our system. When we are not feeling our best, we can go beyond addressing the physical symptoms to listen to our bodies as they tell us the changes needed to restore balance.

Our bodies give us signals, but if we don't listen when they tell us that they are tired or stressed, then the imbalance increases and a stronger message is required, one that is generally expressed by illness or dis-ease. The first step to regaining equilibrium involves slowing down, eating healthy food, getting more rest, and taking soothing remedies. Once we have nurtured ourselves with these things, we can begin examine our illness for the message. A heavy head may be a sign that we have been thinking negatively, harboring anger, resentment, or guilt. A sore throat may be telling us we have been speaking without integrity-gossip, insults, twisting the truth, or even speaking ill of ourselves, all of which can knock us off balance. A sore throat and swollen glands can also mean you are cleansing and processing some powerful emotions at present. Stomach problems could mean that we are having trouble accepting or "digesting" something. Only you have the knowledge of your th!
oughts and choices that will allow you to decipher the messages from your body. All it takes is time and attention.

When we take the time to listen to our bodies we can learn how to restore our balance and improve our lives. By honoring the messages of our bodies, we can turn a time of illness into a constructive time of restoration, healing, and revitalization.

The Message of Hope

What is the message of hope?

That somehow the future may offer us something better than what the present is offering.

This is dishonouring the gifts offered to us by the present moment.

The present moment is the only truth. Every thing else is an illussion, a product of human dissatisfaction.

This is the flaw.

If we accept and honour the present there is no need for dreams and hope.

Belief is not knowledge.

We certainly need self knowledge but not self belief.

Belief is needed, to proceed inspite of doubt and the consequent fear, towards knowledge.

Belief can do only this much. Wonders are produced by knowledge, which is one name of God.

with love to all.

Ganoba

Life comes in Pairs

Life comes in pairs;
high and low,
white and black,
pleasure and pain,
success and failure,
male and female
and so on.
They are held together
by an infinite force.
We can neither choose between them,
nor can we seperate them.
The only choice we have
is to let them play in love.
They are always in perfect balance
dynamic and creative.
Ganoba

Creative Flowing

Creative Flowing

Long ago I was facilitating a program for Voltas Officers. At one point I found that ideas were not flowing around playfully in the rather confined space of the conference hall. So we all moved out. In the yard Some fresh mud had been dumped probably for landscaping. We formed four groups and then I asked them to build models around four different themes using the mud. If I remember right the themes were Sharing, Togetherness, Love and Flow. Very soon the grown up officers began to play like children and created wonderfully creative models. The models also seemed to connect the themes. I don't know what did the trick. May be it was the open space in the outdoors, the moist mud and or the spirit of playfulness.
anyway keep playing with ideas.
lots of love
Ganoba

Process of Learning

The Process of Learning

The purpose of education is not acquiring of marks, ranks, degrees,qualifications and then lucrative assignments (jobs or positions) but learning. To do this we need to focus our attention on the subject of study and not on any thing else.
For example when studying, it does not matter who the teacher is, whether male or female, harsh or gentle. The place and time where you are studying also does not matter. If attention shifts to these, then you will lose focus on the subject and learning will suffer.
Do not skip a step if you have not understood it fully. If you do that, you will find all subsequent steps slippery and learning will become a painful experience.
The approach to learning is as important as the subject of study. It is the foundation of all learning.
In the beginning a new subject appears to be difficult to grasp. This is not the quality of the subject but an essential part of learning. In the beginning you will be confused. This also is a part of learning. Stay with it and apply your full attention to the subject. Gradually confusion will go away and clarity will come. At this point it will all become enjoyable and easy.You are now ready for the next step.
Difficulty and confusion will appear again. Remember it is the initial part of the learning process.
To master the learning process, we need to do both;
learning ourselves,
and helping others to learn.
I wish you become learned and wise, which is the key to supreme happyness.
Lots of love
Ganoba

Life seen as a river

Life seen as a River

I was talking to Ria, my new grand daughter, about the way life unfolds, because she was upset about some events that unfolded in her tiny life screen.
I used the metaphor of a river, because she has recently experienced white water rafting and enjoyed it. It immediately made sense to her. Most of us carry in our minds the juvenile notion that life is or ought be a smooth sailing expedition. so when the turns and twists come or the ride gets bumpy we begin to complain about life, calling it unfair or harsh and so on. Alternately we start finding scape goats for our travails.
If, on the other hand, we accept for life the metaphor of a river gliding along its course, we will be able to enjoy all these events and even look forward to them, just as we would do if we were taking a ride on a white water raft.
Ria has cheered up and got busy with her daily routine. Kumud was listening to our dialogue and I notice a perceptible change in her mood too.
Let us have fun. Having you as a friend is a special gift from God.
Love to all
Ganoba

Path of Love

Path of Love

When I walk with you or someone like you, on the path of love and they agree to hold hands, then my own journey becomes very beautiful and enjoyable. All worries, about results and the difficulties along the way, are extinguished.
thanks.
Ganoba

Spiritual Journey

Spiritual Journey

Physical ailment is an opportunity to change course of life and rise to a higher level of consciousness. However, many of us see it only as an impediment to be got rid of by some kind of treatment. This course of action, whatever the method employed, ensures that we remain stuck to the physical plane.
Recently I suffered from a stroke, as a result physically the strength, stamina, sense of balance and other parameters are impaired. My family wants me to follow a course of medication and physio-therapy etc. I also go along with them for the sake of domestic peace.
The important fact from my point of view is the substantial spiritual growth I have experienced since then.
Lots of love to all
Ganoba

The future

The Future
There is no future and there is no past
The present moment is the only reality, all else is illusion, a trick that we allow our mind to play with us.
All methods of predicting the future are ways of encashing people's dis-satisfaction with what ever is happening to them in the present. They are selling hope.
Events which are supposed to happen in the future are already taking place in the mind.
They are HAPPENING NOW AND HERE.
The seers do not predict the future, they describe the present, events and happenings that many of us choose not to see.
have fun
Ganoba

Joy

Joy
Most of our knowledge is of the comparative type. Thus we realise light as the absence of darkness. To enjoy something we are expected to experience its deprivation first. This kind of knowledge is relative and contextual. It is not of universal value. In fact it leads to the formation of sects and is the principal cause of much violence and suffering.
Joy, as absence of suffering, is transient and of a lower order.
Joy that comes with the realisation of the value of suffering is eternal and can be called ANAND or CHIDANAD.
Yes, struggling against a state or situation is a waste of time and energy as it is based on the rejection of that state or situation.
Leela is a play. Playing produces learning at the same time as it is happening and with joy; not later and with pain.
I am enjoying this conversation.
Thank you and with love
Ganoba

Focus

Focus
When we identify with the body, as most of do, our focus is necessarily outwards. All our senses are designed to pick up signals from the outside world. When we are focused outward, we are limited in our perception and in our expression. Advanced technology cannot overcome this short coming. As a result we are unable to know what is going on in the mind and life of our friends (or enemies). We are also unable to convey to them what exactly is on our mind.
Then our wants remain unfulfilled and leave a dull pain inside. There is no external medication for this ailment. Over time it developes into various chronic conditions.
The only real solution is to turn inwards.
As soon as we turn inwards we get in touch with the core which is boundless, then we don't have to wish even. All that is needed just happens effortlessly, gracefully.
The experiences and pictures are stored in the memory. Just close your eyes (turn inwards) and they will flash on the mind screen in full glory.
There is no need to read learned books, attend discourses or practice difficult austerities.
Being in touch with the core is enough.

Shopping Malls

Shopping malls
These are the temples of the modern world.
They are a consumerist den. One can get all kinds of goods and services at these malls. Since the ware offered is of little value, the malls are made very attractive and seductive. Sales and discounts of various kinds are offered. We also have the option of returning a product if we don't like it, no questions asked. So we end up buying many things that we don't need.
Now a day we also have spiritual shopping malls. All kinds of spiritual ware is offered here on very attractive terms. The so called experts make a lot of noise ( of course in a subtle way) to attract clients and to sell their wares. The most important slogan is that it really works. another one for modern era is that it is scientifically tested and proven. they only sell illusions.
The weary traveller needs to be on guard. Your purse is surely lightened. No other light would be found.
No wonder there is no peace of mind.
In God's scheme there is no need of experts or gadgets. Ordinary people like you and me live here and all that nature provides is good enough tool of enlightenment.
with love
Ganoba

Ganoba's blog

Ganoba's blog
who am I?
This question is the most important question that we need to answer. There are innumerable answers to this question. thw thing to note is that our reaction to various life situations is determined by our answers.
for example, how we respond to the middle east situation will depend on what our answer to this question is. If I say I am a Jew then i am likely to say that the Hezboolah are the party to blame. On the other hand, if my answer is lebanese then I would put the blame squarely at the door of the Israil. I hope I make myself clear on this count. The answer decides our identity for the time being. Many answers bring out the many shades and aspects of the identity. hence our responces to life situations are rather complex and unpredictable.
The answers all determine other peoples expectations of us. If I say I am an Engineer, then they would expect me to solve technical problems and if i am not able to solve their technical problrms they would be disappointed. they may even get angry and denounce me.
Iam facing these problems every moment. When I am clear in my mind about my identity then I am able to handle them with equanimity. when I am not clear then I am disturbed.
"Who am I?" therefore is a central question for me.

To Be Human
Putting People On Pedestals

When we fall in love with someone or make a new friend, we sometimes see that person in a glowing light. Their good qualities dominate the foreground of our perception and their negative qualities. They just don't seem to have any. This temporary state of grace is commonly known as putting someone on a pedestal. Often times we put spiritual leaders and our gurus on pedestals. We have all done this to someone at one time or another, and as long as we remember that no one is actually "perfect," the pedestal phase of a relationship can be enjoyed for what it is-a phase. It's when we actually believe our own projection that troubles arise.

Everyone has problems, flaws, and blind spots, just as we do. When we entertain the illusion that someone is perfect, we don't allow them room to be human, so when they make an error in judgment or act in contradiction to our idea of perfection, we become disillusioned. We may get angry or distance ourselves in response. In the end, they are not to blame for the fact that we idealized them. Granted, they may have enjoyed seeing themselves as perfect through our eyes, but we are the ones who chose to believe an illusion. If you go through this process enough times, you learn that no one is perfect. We are all a combination of divine and human qualities and we all struggle. When we treat the people we love with this awareness, we actually allow for a much greater intimacy than when we held them aloft on an airy throne. The moment you see through your idealized projection is the moment you begin to see your loved one as he or she truly is.

We cannot truly connect with a person when we idealize them. In life, there are no pedestals-we are all walking on the same ground together. When we realize this, we can own our own divinity and our humanity. This is the key to balance and wholeness within ourselves and our relationships.

To be divine
What has been described is the last stage in our humanness. The first step in our journey to be divine is the realisation that my own perception and meaning making process is contaminated by being bound to the body, the seat of impermanence and imperfection. Then we can start the process of discovering our true identity, which is pure consciousness or nothingness. We will then begin to see all duality for what it really is, an illusion created by our grounding in the body. We would now be free to soar with consciousness to our divine nature. All duality vanishes now.
Hari OM
Ganoba

Being a Good Person

To begin with find out whether the image that you are trying to live upto is yours or someone else's, for example your mother's image of a good son, or a good brother, a good husband and so on. Similarly you may have an image of a good employer, a good professional, a good philonthrophist and so on.
Once these images are formed they get a strangle hold on us, because we are supposed to have role models. Then we try to be like someone else. Also in being role models for others we tie ourselves down.
I have discarded both concepts. No one is a role model for me. I admire many people but I am not going to be like them. I also do not want any one to follow me.
Doing this was not so difficult as you make out.
Try it out once, for a while,and experience the lightnesss that comes with it. You will not go back to being a good person.
You will be a good person, that you in deed are.
Lots of love
Ganoba

I have a dream

I have a dream. It is very fascinating. I am passing through a tunnel at a leisurely pace. it is nice and comfortable. Suddenly the tunnel begins to get smaller. As this happens my speed increases correspondingly. The tunnel is shrinking at a fast pace and i am now travelling at a break-neck speed. I am afraid that I will hit something and get hurt. At this speed the smash up would be real bad. However, I find myself gliding smoothly through the tunnel. It is winding and twisting but I follow the profile expertly. The fear is gone now. I seem to understand all that is happening. I am not solid, so my form changes to adjust to the tunnel. it is real small now and I am moving with dizzying speed. It is very exileating. It is now as small as the smallest orifice that can be. I am ejected from the orifice at the speed of lightening. All of a sudden there is unlimited space. It is all pitch dark. I cannot see any thing. I am falling now. There is an empty feeling in the stomach. Is it fear? Then I find myself floating like a feather. It is light now. I am light too, very very light. I have become one with my surroundings. The experience is beautiful. I am free. I can do anything I wish effortlessly. I only have to wish and it begins to happen. There is no burden of expectations, mine or some one else's. Nothing to achieve, no standards to attain.
And then I wake up. What a dream. Was it a dream? or the ultimate reality.
Ganoba

WHO AM I?

WHO AM I?

This is a question of identity. Many people think this is a metaphysical question and hence evince no interest in answering the question. But the fact is that we are being asked this question all the time. If we are seeking a job, we will be asked this question in many ways. If we were trying to buy or sell something, either for personal use or for professional gain, we would have to answer this question till the other person finds us dependable enough to transact with. In fact I find that almost all conversation revolves around this question. Interestingly all of us are all the time, through words and deeds, speaking about ourselves.

Why then do we dodge this question so often? Why do we feel awkward responding to queries about ourselves? Why this great obsession about privacy? In simple terms, that which is inside an arbitrary boundary is termed private and called I or me. That which is outside the same boundary is termed public and called you or they, the other. What is the relationship between the two? Are they aliens, apart from each other? Are they harmful to each other, so they need to be kept protected from each other? Is there a need to have a wall between them? In moments of rationality we would answer these questions negatively. We would agree that the relationship needs to be open and friendly. Life as we experience it depends entirely on the nature of this relationship. If it is open and friendly, life is free flowing. If it is defensive and guarded, life becomes a struggle of varying intensity.

Let us come back to exploring the awkwardness we feel when responding to questions about ourselves. Let me begin with myself. Now a day I am quite free talking about myself. In fact I enjoy the conversation when it is about me. Awkwardness comes but rarely when the conversation moves towards aspects of me, which I have not quite accepted, which I hold in shame or guilt. I ought to welcome these questions because they provide an opportunity to understand and assimilate these aspects. But I carry this stupid notion that I ought to work that out first in the privacy of my mind. My experience tells me that it does not get resolved in privacy. The mind has a vested interest in keeping the myths alive. The minds existence depends on these myths. If there are no myths there is no mind. It is in our interest to have an empty mind. An empty mind is not the devil’s workshop. An empty mind is open, receptive, compassionate and creative.

It is thus obvious that for me to live a free flowing life, I need to know and accept all aspects of myself, inside and out. I have been created in love and so all of me is lovable. It is perfect in all respects. Why should I hide it then? Life in all its beauty is created by the playful interaction of that which is inside and outside. Why then should I interfere in this play or create obstacles? I AM FORM AND NO-FORM and the interplay. That which has formed is matter or the body. That which has no form (or not yet formed) is space (the Buddhists call it emptiness). Without space there can be no body. Without space it cannot be identified. Life being in the play space becomes essential for the body to move. Without space no body; without body no space. They are inseparable. Thus IAM both BODY AND SPACE.

Wow. Silence, Stillness and Peace. No more questions. No more answers. No directions. No coming and going. End of journey. May be a new beginning.

Ganoba

Emotions

Emotions

Today I wish to explore the universe of emotions and their role in guiding us to lead a life in love enjoying the resplendent beauty of creation.

When I read the available literature on emotions (or feelings) I find them to be a product of the rational part of the mind. This part is circumscribed by the boundaries of the social, cultural, ethnic and political system in which we live. It has to be correct according to the dictates of the people in power of the system. The rational thought is thus essentially enslaved, even though it may flaunt itself as free, emancipated and liberal. This thought is dualistic and subjective. It is based on comparative studies and is thus regulated by the chosen benchmark.

I find it to be quite funny. Take for example the difference made out between head and heart. Head is supposed to be the seat of intellect the instrument of thinking. Heart on the other hand is the seat of emotions. The scientifically oriented change the words head and heart into the left and right side of the brain. Both treat these as if they are independent organs at war with each other. The whole body and persona is divided using the same logic into warring factions. Isn’t that funny, when all sensible observations indicate that we have one beautifully coordinated body? The scary part is the conclusions, the learned theories on which the strategies of living and relating are worked out. These force me to speak in defense of the holiness (wholeness) of life.

All created beings have a body and a soul (or spirit). The body is the manifested soul. The soul is the seed of the body. The two continually communicate with each other. The virtual medium through which they communicate is the mind. The body informs the soul about the outside world as experienced by it. The body of the world appears as physical sensations like hard-soft, hot-cold and so on. The soul of the outside world appears as emotions. The soul informs the body about the appropriate response, again in terms of physical sensations or emotions. Physical sensations call for action and the body is activated accordingly. This requires a surge of energy, which is provided by emotions activating appropriate glands (valves regulating the flow of energy). Emotions and thoughts appear together. If we read them together we would know what action is to be taken, what is to be its intensity and duration and where it is to be applied. Sometimes it is to be applied to the outside world, but most of the time it is to be applied to oneself. If the response is to be spiritual (as is the case most often) no response is called for. We allow the status quo to continue and continue to observe and enjoy life as it is unfolding. This is what sages do often, not because they don’t care but because they see no need to intervene in the divine manifestations.

For this system to work efficiently we have to keep the body, mind and soul clean Over time sages have evolved practices to keep them clean. They are essentially simple rituals which when performed produce immediate results of beauty, clarity and joy. If we slip in the practice for any reason they start appearing difficult and cumbersome. Take for example the practice of getting up before sun rise and going outdoors to be part of the awakening. This is a part of all our residential programs. Initially the participants grumble a lot and a lot of gentle cajoling is needed to get them out of their beds and rooms. However, once the process is begun and the results begin to flow in, they begin to do it with enthusiasm and conviction. We have many other elements in our program, which have the same effect. The breaking of old unhealthy habits is the real problem.

Emotions are an experience. They need to be experienced fully before doing any thing further. They do not have to be expressed. In any case how do we express an emotion? Do we do it in words? If so, in which language? Then language ability would tie it down. This leads to the notion that illiterate people do not feel. This is then extended to animals and plants. Isn’t that a dangerous hypothesis? In any case the important thing is not that people around understand how one is feeling, but the person himself/herself. No language is required for this understanding. What is needed is just staying with the experience. Even in the case of a person with another body, mind and soul, understanding comes by being fully with the other. One word in English for this is EMPATHY. In Sanskrit it is called sahaanubhooti, shared experience. We are so busy trying to get somewhere, trying to become somebody that we find it difficult just to be. That is seen as a passive state and in the present milieu we have to be constantly active, if not we would be lost. In fact the opposite is true. We are lost because we are in a state of perpetual motion.

Try staying still and silent to realize the value of this presentation. Just be and enjoy life as it unfolds.

May all be happy.

Ganoba

Generosity

It is our nature to be generous. It comes from knowing that the source is always oveflowing and we need not fear shortages. So we share whatever we have with a free hand without expecting anything in return, knowing full well that all our needs will be fulfilled as they arise. There won't be even a moments delay.
Philonthrophy is not quite the same thing, though the well springs are about the same. Philonthrophy is mired by a sense of guilt at having aquired more than one needs and in the process depriving someone needy. The curse of aquiring and the greed that is the source of it is also there in traces. That is why people set up charities in their names. A variation is to call it in the name of a family member. The desire for name and fame shows clearly.
A smart camoflague is to institutionalise the charity. No names appear but the control of the funds remain with the giver or his family.
The foundation in the name of Bill Gates and his wife is of this kind. The richest man in the world now has the biggest charity going in his name. Why does it have to be done with so much fanfare?
The charities that rope in the so called celebrities to raise funds for their activities are providing a screen for the rich and famous to wash their ill gotten wealth and the sin associated with it. How diiferent are these from political fund raisers? A dis- proportionately large part of the money raised goes towards mentaining the lavish life style of the rich and famous.
I have always stayed away from all such jumbo functions, which I find vulgar.
To be generous we don't need material wealth. A healing touch, a kind word, a small tear in empathy are much more potent than all the wealth in the world to alleviate pain and suffering. They do not strip the reciepient of dignity as the gifts of money do.
Those who need tax rebates to open their clenched fists are actually mocking the benevolent spirit.
If we give generously tears would come in the eyes of both the giver and the recepient. This is an indication of true bonding. The tears are an overflowing of love and life blossoms. Let there be more such blossoms.
Ganoba

Journey of Exploration

I bigin this journey today in the blog land, However, this is a journey which has been going on all the time. It's beginning is shrouded in mystery. It's end is beyond the realms of imagination. In simple terms it is without a beginning and an end. It is an unusual journey in more than one way. It has no particular destination or purpose. It follows no maps. It is quite unpredictable. There is no repeating and no retracing. Every step along the way is original. There is nothing to fall back on. There are no bench marks or points of reference.
Some may find it scary. But it is neither that nor is it exciting and adventurous. To go one has to become a part of it. One cannot stand apart as a mere observer, although keen observation of all that emerges is necessary to go on.
One more thing before I take leave for the time being. After all the coming and going, one remains essentially at the same place. Nothing would have changed, although the journey does create and illusion of movement and time.
Let us have fun.
Ganoba