Celestial Vision

skyclad and smiling
sunburned and sea kissed
love rules the ocean
and plays among the mist

the manifest and the unmanifest
the formed and the yet to be formed
gliding along (or is it tumbling)
clearly and mysteriously
gently and violently
among trees and rocks
under water and in the sky
this is bhakti, this is love
call it by any name
just play the game
celestial vision follows
Ganoba

when Love is the Game

garland'd in light
spinning ever faster
a plunge to the depths
a rise to the heights
all is the same
when love is the game

let us tumble together
headlong or bumlong
who cares
what matters
is that we are together
drowning the individual ego
into bottomless space.
Ganoba

Faith in Action

The "I" is not threatened by the presence of the "other."
In fact it is enriched.
It is thus natural for it to be fully present in the transaction.
It is present with all eyes and ears & all head and heart.
There are no filters, no pre-conceived notions, no history and no shields. All that is offered by the "other" is received in its totality and goes to the core of the "I."
What the "I" offers receives the same treatment from the "other."
Eventually what develops between the two is a song and dance extravaganza.
This is faith in action.
Ganoba

Love is God

Love is not an emotion.
It is not even a state of mind.
It is a state of being.
Love is the same as being one with the Supreme Being.
It flows like light from the sun, in all directions.
It floods everything that comes into contact with it.
It is not a transaction, but it makes a transaction fulfilling.
It is not an action or an inter-action but it can soak them with grace.
Love is not something that happens.
We can not make it happen.
It is not some thing that is born, reaches a crescendo and then dies.
It is not ephemeral.
Love just is, just as God is.
Ganoba

Season's greetings

We are nature's children and it loves us generously.
When we begin to classify ourselves on the basis of nationality, culture, religion,caste, class, sexuality, age, education, economics, color of skin etc,what are we finally left with?
A pathetic, lonely,insecure, confused individual, struggling against imaginary odds to survive some how. The strategies that we have developed over eons condemn us further to a brutal struggle for survival. In reality, life is a wonderful gift. We can all enjoy it to the full only if we receive it as a whole without any reservations.
Ganoba

Grace

Grace is
doing things almost effortlessly, with minimum use of energy andresources.
It is carrying oneself so lightly that no footprints are produced.
It is action without noise, without producing ripples,
without even ruffling the wind.
Just imagine the scenario, absolute stillness and silence.
Bring to mind those moments when you were one
with your surroundings and totally immersed in whatever you were doing
at that time and you will understand beyond any doubt what Grace is.
It is another name of God.
It is the experience of God.
Ganoba

Whale song

whale knows that all of heaven
rings with laughter
as it plays within the deep

whale knows that every song
is a love song and a treasure
too vast to keep

whale knows the sounds of silence
and the turn of every tide
whale knows about the treaure
that is only found inside

contributed by Wenu
Ganoba

Identities

We need personal and professional identities for practical purposes. However, we must not forget that they are assigned by external forces. Hence these identities keep changing with time and place. If we take them seriously and get attached to them, as when we say, "I am an engineer" rather than "I work as an engineer", we run the risk of losing our freedom to move on. We also move away from our creator. With this we enter a state of amnesia. We forget who we are and the purpose for which we have been born.
The solution is to take ourselves lightly.

Ganoba

Dancing with Parameshwar

Most of the time we dance for others. Sometimes with them.
After a while we get tired of this and start dancing for ourselves.
After a while this sucks so we begin to dance for Parmeshwar.
This is joyful but not liberating enough
The dance with Parmeshwar is fully liberating.
It frees us of all the inhibitions that block creativity.
It releases the energy of love to embrace all creation.
Keep dancing.
Lots of love
Ganoba

A Dance in Love

a dance in love
partners barely touching
face to face
or back to back
moving and gliding
like wind whistling
through meddows.
No longing, no grabbing, no holding,
just breaths melting
into oneness or nothingness.

a dance in love
with no beginning or no end
the comfort of an ever present friend
a learning and a yearning
a game of hide and seek
a song that comes unbidden
a voice that need not speak

Ganoba

The Game of Love

Wise men and women keep telling us by word and by their personal example that life is a game of love. They also tell us that the universe was created in love. There is no other reason for its existence and no other purpose. That is what it means when it is said that it is without a beginning and an end. It is only love.
Love isanother name for being one, being related. Let us embrace every one as our own. That is the only way to join in the game of creation. All other systems allow us only to be bystanders. Momentarily we may feel as part of the play, and we may laugh and cry, but eventually the game is over and we have to go away. Be in love or better still become love, then no one can oust us.
Ganoba

Knowing self

To know ourselves beyond a shadow of doubt, we need to go beyond the mirror.
Do away with all the external reference points.
Practice walking or doing the usual chores blindfolded.
Ganoba

Reviving Relationships

While you are reviving a particular relationship, all relationships will be revived and taken to the spiritual plane from the mundane social plane.
Ego resides in the social plane and seems to be of some use there. This is an illusion. "All that glitters is not gold" is a euphimism that refers to the products of the ego. Ego is a product of ASAT and then works as its agent.
Once this is realised then the spiritual journey begins.
You will find me by your side on the path.
Ganoba

Saints and Scholars

I have drawn inspiration from saints. Scholars put me off with their jugglary of words, their endless debates in their futile attempts to show who is the most exalted.
We, in India, are fortunate to have been blessed with saints of all hues and colours through the ages. They continue to keep popping up in the most unlikely places. This has enabled me to live in the present and enjoy its richness. some of it gets rubbed on to me. I have been able to soak in the "dhai aakhar prem ka". This has enabled me to be blessed by the company of friends like you who are at once saints and scholars.
i will let you know of our plans as soon as they aree finalised. It would be a delight to meet all of you at Rishikesh, truly "sone me suhaga"
Love to all
Ganoba

A Spiritual Mantra

Let our spiritual mantra be,
"I am a child. I have just begunthe journey and there are miles to go."
With this, grace descends and the journey becomes like a feather floating in the wind.
Welcome to SAT. Adiu to ASAT, the relative, comparative world.
Ganoba

Tribal Culture

Dear Arvind,
Yes, it is a sad fact that the north-eastern part of our country and all other tribal lands have been badly neglected by successive governments at the centre and the states. No wonder that people living their feel alienated.
We the common folks have also neglected to be informed about the tribal cultures. There is no ground, except prejudice, to treat them as backward and uncivilised.
We need to correct this error soon. People like you who have first hand knowledge of these people have a very important role to play in educating us.
May you write more detailed accounts and publish them widely.
all strength to your arm.
Lots of love to all at Lucknow
Ganoba

Stay and Play

Next time we feel rushed for time and we have a sinking feeling that the situation is slipping out of control let us not blindly rush in.
If we are pressurised to respond, let us not jump to any hasty conclusion.
Let us pause and ponder.
Instead of instinctively getting into the fight/flight mode let us stay, observe and play.
I call it the Stay and Play mode.
Whenever I have used it,I have been able to shift from the plane of survival (which is fullof dead and dying bodies) to the spiral of evolution.
Would you notlike to join me there?
Welcome. Come aboard.
Ganoba

Silence etc.

Silence is not the absence of sound.
Emptiness is not the absence of ground.
Darkness is not the absence of light.
Stillness is not the absence of flight.
An empty stomach is not hunger.
An empty mind is not a blunder.
To find the true import of these.
Let the opposites play with ease
as they please
as they please ...
Ganoba
the muse

Play of Maya

During meditation we may see fascinating visions and hear celestial music.
All the visions and sounds that may appear during meditation are actually apsaras trying to seduce us into giving up the spiritual path and start enjoying these plays of maya.
We just smile at them and move on towards the core of our being, the source of all creation.
Ganoba

Renouncing

It is important to understand what is meant by renouncing worldly concerns, not in philosophical terms but in practical terms such that it helps us to live a spiritual life without giving up our roles and responsibilities in the world.
We renounce not the responsibility but the authorship of our acts and words.
We recognise that we are just following His guidance. We perform our duties without worrying about the outcome.
This allows us to focus our undivided attention on the task at hand. the action then is perfect and the result is a certainty.
I am writing all this to remind me (you alreaady know this) so that I do not get carried away by the extraneous notion of winning and losing.
Ganoba

Healing

This is a note from my daughter, Sharmila. No comments are necessary. It is complete by itself.
Ganoba

I keep using "the day of healing" from time to time to have a dialogue with myself and introspect. It has helped me to make the necessary changes in my life and erase the unwanted data from the mind, to have more space. I remember when I had gone for one of the weekend programs with Dad, there was this vast landscape which was plain - no trees, huts etc. Someone said that it is so barren. I reflected and said that it is empty, not barren. There is life in it. Symbolically I felt that within me I must also create more empty space. It is a process of cleaning and making space for more healthy things to come.
Love
Shammi

Meditation on Nothingness

This is what meditation on nothingness is.
When the conscious mind is being used the I is very active. Over time it gets puffed up and goes on boasting, " I did this and I did that", "But for me nothing would have happened" and so on.
We are all familiar with this language. whole lot of self help books are loaded with this kind of stuff.
When the desired results do not come then all the moaning starts about injustice, about dirty politics, "why is this happening to me only" and so on. Then the blame game begins in full swing. Even God is not spared.
The inner voice is buried deep under this mountain of rubbish.
In doing nothing and being nothing we take the first tentative steps to silence this cacophany.
Gradually silence and stillness descend. We are then able to hear the voice of the wisdom that resides in the antarman.
This is to be practiced dilligently. It is not a concept fot discussion or debate.
Ganoba

Ishwar and Maya

Whatever we do needs to be done in the spirit of service and playfulness.
Then it takes us closer to Ishwar (god in sanskrit) which is the shapeless, formless nothingness (emptyness). It is constantly creating the world of shapes and forms, which transform the moment they are formed into a new form.
This is called Nashwar or Maya.
The play of Ishwar and Nashwar is life, the only reality.
It is and it is not.
Ganoba

Cleaning up

Working with the inner pollution seems the first thing to do, But in practice, I find it too abstract and don't know how and where to begin. Often I am not even aware of inner pollution.On the other hand, I am quite aware of external pollution. Instead of complaining about it and expecting some one else to clean up the mess, I decided to start doing whatever I could. I started by reducing wastages; of food, water, paper, pencils and many such little things that we use and waste daily. It gave a tremendous boost to my spirit.
Then I took on cleaning of my immediate surroundings. Anything in the home which had not been used for 6 months, like clothes, shoes, books, music CDs and so on were given away to others who needed them. It created a lot of free space in and around me. I also discovered a few gems which were gathering dust.
Awareness next dawned about the junk I had accumulated in my body. I stopped eating junk food and started going for walks visiting parks and open spaces. My health improved dramatically.Most remarkable was the uplifting of my spirit. I started feeling energetic and enthusiastic about initiating a new idea. I felt connected to my surroundings including people. Doing a thing for myself and for some one else appeared to belong to the same basket.
I now recommend this approach to others who come to me sekking help. The three steps are:
Clean up the immediate surrounding,
Clean up the body inside and out.
Clean the mind of opinions, biases, grudges and pre conceived stereotypes.
It seems to work for many people.
Ganoba

Holding Hands

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.
Every thing that I say or do is touched by grace.
Ganoba

Atma Samarpan

Atma Samarpan---a willing offering to follow the inner voice or the inner Guru. In English the word used for this is surrender, which brings to mind a notion of defeat and hence a resistance to do it.. Let us understand it well. It is a process of going deeper in our study of the self and broadening our horizons.

Rational thinking, which relies on the wisdom of the past is actually an impediment in reflective work. It does not allow us to go beyond the boundaries set by our past experiences. It does not allow experimentation and out of box thinking.
Ganoba

Meditation on Nothingness

This is what meditation on nothingness is.
When the conscious mind is being used the "I" is very active. Over time it gets puffed up and goes on boasting, " I did this and I did that", "But for me nothing would have happened" and so on.
We are all familiar with this language. Whole lot of self help books are loaded with this kind of stuff.
When the desired results do not come then all the moaning starts about injustice, about dirty politics, "why is this happening to me only" and so on. Then the blame game begins in full swing. Even God is not spared.
The inner voice is buried deep under this mountain of rubbish.
In doing nothing and being nothing we take the first tentative steps to silence this cacophany.
Gradually silence and stillness descend. We are then able to hear the voice of the wisdom that resides in the antarman.
This is to be practiced dilligently. It is not a concept fot discussion or debate.
May peace be with you.
Ganoba

Compulsive Behaviour

A behaviour is compulsive when you, yourself know in your heart of hearts that this is being done to put off doing something that you really should be doing.
It is not decided by external experts.
Be still for a while and listen. You will come to know
what you are putting off.
The block will clear, the weight will be off your shoulder. You will be free to resume your life.
Ganoba

Apprenticeship

The captain started of as an apprentice, as we all do, in which ever field we may choose to work. He uses his experience to delve deep in the mystery of navigation ( or whatever our field of specialisation be) and to broaden his horizon. If he slips and falls, he does not treat that as failure, because he knows he is an apprentice. He learns his lesson and moves on.
As he rises up the ladder of responsibility he has developed vision, the ability to see that which is yet to happen or is happening far away in space and time (like Sanjay of Mahabharat). He develops wisdom and hence calmness. The Sanskrit word for this is STHITHPRAGYA meaning grounded in wisdom.
Most of us in the name of experience just add the burden of years.
Ganoba

The Captain and the Sea

Not to worry. the sea is not always calm. That is its nature.
The captain of the ship needs to be calm always. That is his nature.
That is the relationship between external circumstances and the soul ( a representative of the creator)
I too get thrown overboard, sometimes. Fortunately the captain pulls me out of deep waters.
Ganoba

Our True Nature

We are engrossed in pampering the body and ignore the soul because there is a lot of muck accumulated around it, in the mistaken belief that it is of great value.
It becomes very difficult to get rid of it for the same reason. It appears to be a great sacrifice to give it all away. It appears to be very painful. This is all avidya.
That is why initially we need the guidance of a compassionate guide. Once the darkness of avidya is dispersed then all actions become easy and enjoyable.
Finally, it happens by itself. Our true nature comes forth.
Ganoba

Finding our true self

To a mother whose child wishes to move away from home.
Each one of us has to make this trip to discover our independent identity,
in order to rediscover our true relatedness with all the elements in our surrounding universe and with the universe and its creator.
Let her go and wish her well. She will come back to reside in your heart.
Convey my best wishes to her.
Ganoba

Meditating onNothingness

It does not surprise me at all.
Indiscriminate and excessive reading fills our mind with a lot of useless information. we are then forced to discuss and debate. Arguments ensue and a lot of heat is generated.
This becomes a hindrance to the practice of universal principles.
We, then also tend to do a lot of useless things in the name of being active.
To realise that all our so called knowledge is really rubbish and all the various things we do are unnecessary, is a big step forward on the spiritual path.
The next step is meditating on nothingness; remaining still and silent.
It brings much calm and clarity.
Ganoba

Man-Woman Relations

Our problems arise out of our identification with things. They have a very small life span, that is the same as saying they are transient or as the buddhists say, "anichcha". The body is a thing only. It seems full of life and wisdom only as long as consciouness or pran resides in it. That is why we need to transcend our identification with the world of things and bodies.
All relationships based on the attracction and enjoyment of the body give momentary pleasure and lasting misery.
This applies to man-woman relationship too.
If we can see each other beyond the body then we can experience bliss. If we see each other as objects of consumption (bhog) then we end up demeaning each other. Let us be of service to each other. That is the path of yog.
Our sex organs are located very close to the seat of Kundalini. By treating them with dignity we can arouse the Kundalini's creative power in a positive way. By abusing the sex organs we arouse the fury of Kundalini.What would you choose? I have often made the wrong choice and suffered immensely as a result.
Ganoba in all humility

Doing His bidding

Initially, we practice it as the welfare of others. This is so because we are still in the dualistic world of me and the others.
Gradually as we practice this on a regular basis, our idea of the self expands to include the so called others. Now they start appearing as our own. Eventually it is all His domain and we are only doing His bidding.
It is so educating chatting with you.
Ganoba

Purification

Purification is not achieved by the study of any book, by what ever name it is called or by listening to the discourse of any person (even Ganoba).
It is achieved by just doing it.
There are 3 steps (which actually go on symultaneously).
Cleaning our immediate environment
Cleaning the body, outside and inside
Cleaning the mind of all accumulated ideologies, theories, notions ets.
This order is recommended as these steps are progressively more subtle and it is easier for us to begin at the gross level.
Our immediate possessions are all gross, so we begin from there.
Love to all the lovelies
Ganoba

Excuses, excuses

There is only one reason to act and hundreds of excuses not to.
True action is undertaken in response to an inner call to act in the present moment.
Excuses for not acting, for not doing anything spring from fear, not fear of consequences but fear that one will not be able to deal with the consequences of the action. It is thus a lack of knowledge about what the self is capable of. The knowledge about the self is misplaced and in the negative. This is Avidya.
The answer to all our questions lies in the true knowledge of the self.
Ganoba

Who am I?

I was born a human being. If I remained one I would be able to relate with another human without any difficulty. I would be able to relate with other beings, birds and beast, equally easily.
There would be no fear and no need to defend.
However, as soon as I was born, the process of limiting my identity began. I was classified on the basis of race, religion, nationality, ethnicity and so on. Later I joined the band wagon of classification. I started placing my identity in new pigeon holes based on profession, political ideology, culture, sexual orientation and so on.
Today I don't know who I am.
How can I relate with others then?
Ganoba

Being a Captain

Whom would you have as the captain of your ship,
One who remains calm in a storm or
One who gets all worked up?
I have asked this question of many people. No one so far has chosen the second option. All have insantly chosen the first one.
This is a metaphorical question not a hypothetical one.
The ship is our life. the storm represents difficulties we face during the course of living and the captain represents those aspets of our personality that help is take on the responsibilities of leading.
These qualities are given to all of us but many of us fail to value and nurture them.
Instead we chose to define ourselves by those qualities that confer short term gains and momentary pleasures.
Spiritual discipline helps us to know the difference and make a wise choice.
Ganoba

As it comes

We can take life as it comes or sift through it and choose what appears to be favourable.
Do we really have the choice?
Many people in the name of individual rights and freedom opt for the latter options. How often does it work out? It never works. Although for a while it creates the illusion that we have the option and that we are the makers and masters of our destiny. Ultimately it is Maya the constant partner of Ishwar ( the silent observer) who directs all that happens.
This does not make creation illusory. Illusory and comical are our notions about it.
The only sensible choice is to take life as it comes, as a whole, a set opposites at play.
We are free to play our part and try do our best. But in the final analysis, "wahi hota hai jo manjoore khuda hots hota hai". God's will prevails.
Let us rejoice because our destiny is in safe hands or whatever it is that it uses to create.
Ganoba

Wake up India

Yesterday was a day of short sighted frenzy.
It appeared we Indians need some excuse to go mad.
Our t20 champions after a hectic schedule, which would have taken a lot out of them physically and emotionally ( note the number of players from all teams who suffered muscle sprain) and after a long journey arrive home at 8.20 in the morning. In 3 days time another demanding one day series against the Australians, who would be hell bent to avenge their defeat, is going to start.
The team ought to have rested, regrouped and prepared for the coming challenge. But no one seems bothered about the coming event, neither the politicians, the cricket administrators and not even the ever vigilant media. Sonia Gandhi invites the team to Delhi for a grand reception, and of course political milege. It is hot news. No one has the sense to say, "Thank you but not now."All are hell bent to have a grand celebration. The team is brought in an open tourist bus to the Wankhede stadium. The journey takes all of 5 hrs during which time time our heroes are on their feet dancing away to glory. To make matters worse it is raining all along the route. For 5 hrs they are drenched to the skin and exposed to the elements. I hope no one falls sick and becomes unavailable for the coming matches against the Australians.
After the Tamasha at the stadium where the politicians and officials hog the lime light ( and comfortable seats) some one has the crazy idea of a victory lap. As the function is officially over and the politicians have left, the security arrangements are withdrawn. Hordes of crazy fans rush on to the ground and for some time our heroes are lost in the melly. Fortunately no one is seriously injured. Some of the plants and trees on D Road are not so lucky. And the pitch in the middle, where a match is coming up shortly, takes a trampling.
In our short sighted euphoria we do not seem to realise that the human body and mind can take only so much. It is madness to burn the candle at both ends. In the recent past many promising players, particularly fast bowlers, have been burnt out by over exposure. The most glaring example was Irfan Pathan. Fortunately he is still young and so has made a come back. But we don't seem to have learnt our lessons.
Wake up India. Behave like a mature civilization.
Ganoba

Unique and Incomparable

I am a unique being. There is none other like me in the universe.
If we break it down to the elements then I am made of the same ingredients as any one else.
There is nothing to be proud about this. This is not an attribute of mine.
It is an attribute of my maker, the unique and incomparable artist.
The formless who has created this universe of myriad forms.
I bow down to it in deep love and admiration.
I am at once one with it and yet longing for its Darshan.
It is every where and no where.
Ganoba

The Pupetier

Yesterday's t20 final between India and Pakistan was an extremely fascinating contest. The game kept swinging one way and the other with almost every ball. No one could say with any degree of certainty at any time what the result would be. At the end India won by a very small margin. Yet all would agree that Pakistan did not deserve to lose. Finally, Gavaskar summed it up well when he said that cricket had won.
It reminded me again and again about the way life runs its course. We give credit to this or that player for the turn of events. But to a dispassionate observer it is clear that the players are mere puppets. The real Pupetier controls all the moves while remaining always behind the scene.
The Pakistan players acknowledged this while making every statement. Inshallah, God willing, they would say. They on their part were going to do the very best. The rest was in the hands of The almighty and The compassionate one. The Indian captain Dhoni said nearly the same thing.
This game was Geeta in action. I wish we can all live in this way. What a wonderful spectacle life would then be.
Ganoba

It is only a game

Today the world cup t20 final is being played between India and Pakistan. Let us not forget that it is only a game. People on both sides of the border, which is artificial anyway, being man-made, treat these games as war and create undue pressure for themselves and become laughing stock for the rest of the world.
What about life itself?
Isn't that too just a play? We as actor come on the world stage for a while play our parts and then move on to another stage and another play.
Why not enjoy all the moves and play all the roles as best as we can and leave the rest to the Director?
Personally I try to live life this way and believe me it is great fun.
Ganoba

The fountain

This morning it dawned on me that I was designed as a fountain to spread love and light in all directions.
In the process of growing up I have blocked many nozzles. As a result the flow is restricted to a few directions. All others appear unworthy and undeserving. This justifications blocks a few more nozzles.
The flow from the source continues unabated. So the pressure builds within me to the bursting point.
Now I have made it my primary task to clean up the blocked nozzles. The trickles have begun. soon the full glory of the fountain head will descend on me.
This time I am going to pass it around.
Let glory be.
Ganoba

From the crust to the core

Ganoba is not the name of an individual. It is a movement from the crust of our being to the core where the true self resides.
The crust is largely defined by others who come into contact with us. It is then an image as seen in a mirror. Since people who interact with us do not represent a holistic entity the crust is a host of images as one would see in a house of mirrors. They are good for a hearty laugh. The misfortune is that we take them seriously. Some of these we like and we get infatuated by them. Some of them infuriate us. Both reactions are the cause of our sufferring.
Having realised this I became the movement to find the core of my being and then to reside in it.
This place cannot be defined in worldly terms as it is incomparable. All our worldly desccriptions, on the other hand are comparative.
In that sense it amounts to nothing.
Ganoba

Appreciation

Judging seeks a target, a victim. If it is denied some one out there then it turns on oneself with vengeance
Better to give up judging altogether.
In stead let us try appreciation.
There must be something worth appreciating in God's creation.
If we can't find anything at all, then we are really lost.
Only a miracle (or God's grace ) can save us then.
Ganoba in praise

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 difficulties
 along the way, are extinguished.
Ganoba in Love

In Love

How did you know that I am now into the practice of Pranayam?
It is gradually but surely cleaning the body of all the accumulated stiffness. Pran (life force) is flowing more freely through the system now.
All kinds of conditionalities are leaving the mind, which is now relatively empty. I can see a time, not far away, when there will be no mind, just pure I (the self, atman).
I am in love. Someday I will be able to say "I am love."
Ganoba

Purpose of Life

The purpose of our life is definitely not physical pleasure,
or mental happiness,
not even spiritual bliss.
These are all by products that we receive along the way.
The purpose is seva and sadhana.
Seva refers to the service we do in performing our alloted roles
and sadhana is study, largely practical,
to understand God's scheme of creation (called bramha gyan in sanskrit).
Ganoba

Forgiveness

Tears are not a prerequisite for seeking forgiveness.
Seek forgiveness from the heart, wooden or stony. The seeking will begin to soften the heart and tears will eventually flow. But before that you may experience goose pimples on the skin or a shiver running down your spine or the cracking of the voice and the moistening of the eyes.
Say it to the sea or the stars (any natural object, may be a grand old tree) and say it loudly with gay abandon
And do remember that I am standing by your side doing the same.
ganoba in love.

A hymn in praise of God

I have never seen a lotus
rising from the mud
nor smelled the fragrance
of its perfect bloom
but I have felt your presence
in the silence of the night
reaching down to raise me
from the tomb

A wonderful hymn in praise of God.
Who knows whether he has lotus feet and whether He rose out of mud. Who knows whether she smells like the lotus or like cow dung.
No one can describe with any claim to certainty his attributes.
We only describe our limited experience and then set it to music and dance in celebration.
You do it so beautifully. May be God works through you.
lots of love
Ganoba


"A sacred language, is one which guides us to our own true nature, and
every time we derail ourselves, reminds us in some way that we're
missing out on its real nourishment."

many gods as stepping stones

In the Hindu pantheon there are thousands of gods. This recognizes the fact that humans are evolved to varying degrees intellectually and emotionally. Not all can comprehend God in the abstract, Nirgun, Niraakaar state of being. Therefore sages have presented God in forms that humans at different stages of evolution can identify with. They can devote themselves to the service of their chosen god and use him/her as the guide for further evolution to the spiritual pinnacle of complete oneness. They are like stepping stones that help us cross a turbulent river.
We all need our own nectar/wine to get drunk so we can rise above our mundane worldly concerns.
with much love and admiration.
ganoba

About Kisses

Kiss means bringing two lovers together. There are many ways in which it is done. Each way has its own idiosyncrasies, some nice and some not so nice.
You are free to choose any way. Better to be open to many ways.

Yes, a kiss that ends all desire. a kiss of complete fulfillment.

"the kiss of life is different from any other kiss
it is more compassion than passion
it is warm, gentle and lingering
it starts with the ego surrendered
and dissolves separateness
for ever.
Ganoba

Pratyaksh Darshan

It is better to rely on ones own experience (pratyaksh Darshan) rather than impersonal expertise coming from a newsletter or even the Shastras. These are after all just commentaries.
Ramkrishna Paramhansa was called a mad monk by many. Even swami Vivekanand said so before he had met Ramkrishna.
Ganoba, the mad monk

Falling from Ladders

Falling from physical ladders one may break bones,
from social or professional ladders one may LOSE FACE.
But if we fall from spiritual ladders (the tao, the way etc)
We may be lost for a long time, may be life times.
You choose.
Ganoba

Only Awareness

Yes awareness is all that we can achieve and hold on to. What we are aware of represents the content. Spirituality is not concerned with the content. It can be anything. It amounts to nothing anyway.
Spirituality is concerned with the container which is the great void, like the ocean. It will sometimes be cold and at other times warm. Its mood will change. Our love for the ocean does not depend on its moods.
Now imagine an ocean which holds all the galaxies and more. It expands and shrinks ( so the scientists say). Does our awe and wonder change with the spectacle?
No, it is a constant.
Let us go beyond this too, to the creator. Now it is just love, pure and simple, no fear, no awe, not even wonder. Joy comes from being open to the creator.
Lots of love.
Ganoba

The Creator's children

I am happy.
I am in love.
These are complete statements of how I am.
There is no need to add any thing else.
I understand it fully.
If someone has difficulty understanding this, I will leave it at that. I can offer no explanations or commentaries or supplementaries.
I will just wait for understanding to dawn. It will happen at the right time, not a moment before or after.
We are the creator's children, aren't we?
Ganoba

Being in debt

Can the thumb be indebted to the toe?
can the river do more than simply flow?
let me leave small self to stand out in the rain
and simply forget to bring it back again.

Yes when being indebted is the same thing as being in love, then anything is possible.
We have many rivers which frequently change course, almost vanish in summer and become like the ocean in the rainy season. in the winter the become sluggish masses of rocks and snow or freeze altogether. Then we have the river Saraswati, which has gone underground for ages. It is still believed to emerge to meet the Ganga and Yamuna at the triveni in Allahabad particularly during the Kumbh. It is happening now.
The idea about the small self is very endearing. What a nice way of dealing with it.

Ganoba

Ocean of Love

One of the problems with the modern world, dominated by rationality and science as it is, is that it is human centric, meaning it sees reality from the human point of view. Only those things that we can perceive with the human senses are considered real and of any practical value. This severely limits our perception and understanding.
That is why we give so much importance to the body and that too, the young body. Consciousness, which has no physical form, is considered to be non existent. The truth is that consciousness is the vast ocean ( I prefer emptiness or the void or shoonya) in which and from which, millions of bodies take birth, live out their meager lives and then die ( that is dissolve into it)
It is really so simple. having realised this I live in bliss, in love, in abundance, call what you will.
I am so pleased that you have chosen to join me to enjoy the boundless possibilities that life offers.
Lots of dunks in the ocean of love. May you never recover from this.
Ganoba

From the well of silence

When words pour out
from the well of silence
they seep in, effortlessly
into the cracks and crevices
of a loving heart
to spill over into nothingness.
Ganoba

Cleaning up

today I am cleaning for other people
what a change!!

love and silent poems today
breathing with you and cleaning up.

Just say, I am cleaning, and notice the difference.
What comes after the verb (the action) are conditionalities that reduce the impact of the action.
Also pay greater attention to the consequences of the action on your self (character) than on the world out there.
silent love reaches across space and time and can go through all kinds of walls.
ganoba


today i am cleaning for other people
what a change!!

love and silent poems today
breathing with you and cleaning up

The wonderful Creator

If I truly believe in God, the wonderful creator,
who creates out of nothing,
has no blue prints to copy and to fall back on,
whose work is so effortless that it is like no work,
who creates every thing with total love
and having created lays no claim on it,
then I have to try and imbibe these and many other such wonderful qualities.
Is there any other option?
None for me.
You have lit a spark in me that makes every thing crystal clear.
How do I acknowledge it? Saying thanks seems to trivialise it.
Ganoba

Stupidity

When I call you stupid, it is in recognition of our shared ancestry and with deep love.
Yes stupidity is our most consistent quality and the height of stupidity is to believe that we are very wise.
Let us laugh to that.
Ganoba

Let us fly

this morning I watched a bird riding a thermal updraft above a cliff
and found a hint of the 'how to' of effortlessness.

Aren't the birds wiser than us, at least in this respect?
I realised this long ago and from then stopped claiming that I am close to God simply because I am a human being or that I am at the peak of evolution.
I am a little humble now at it allows me to appreciate the wonderful artist that God is. I now receive God's blessing all the time.
Is this what you mean by joining the updraft and experiencing weightlessness?
come let us fly.
Ganoba in love

Being Present

how would one act out being in the present?
an eternal querry.

There are many ways.
one example:
Introduce yourself without any reference to the past or future.
Ganoba

Meditations in Nothingness

In our hurry to get somewhere, we forget to enjoy the beauty along the way.
Some of us have experimented with slowing down the pace.
From time to time we take a pause, stand still and keep quiet.
These moments of doing nothing, being nothing have brought wonderful insights.
We have called these meditations in nothingness.
We now open this space to all who are seeking peace and love.
Come to pause, to reflect, to relax and to leave your foot prints behind.
Ganoba in love

The book of life

For many years now I have read only one book, the book of life. Of and on I sit still doing nothing. Gradually the mind is emptied of the accumulated muck and in time into the empty and clear mind beautiful ideas appear. They represent both science and scripture. They are easy to understand and to apply.
That is all.
Ganoba

Feminine and Masculine

What is feminine and what masculine?
If we go beyond the stereotypes then we would find that all of us are a combination of the two. The Chinese called it Yin and Yang, In Sankhya philosophy, it is called Purush and Prakriti. I call it Ishwar and Maya. In bhakti it is Radha and Krishna.
You are as much feminine as I am, otherwise how could we love each other so much?
Ganoba

Celestial Sleep

When we sit still
and hold our silence
then the lord plays the flute.
It rings in the cozy chambers
of the heart, whispering us
into celestial sleep.
Ganoba in love

I am only the Messenger

I am only the messenger,
the postman.
the song comes from
the source.
Written in words
soaked with the aroma
of mother earth,
Kissed by morning dew
shinning with the touch
of the rising sun.
Blessed am I who carries the message
Blessed are you who receives it.
Ganoba

The Messenger

All our experiences are messengers from our maker and master. How do we receive them?

The messenger is loved
just as much as the source
from whom it comes
and whom it represents.

The messenger is loved
irrespective of the form
in which it comes,
irrespective of the time of day
when it calls.

We offer the best that we can,
nourishment, shelter and solace
for it has traveled
a long and arduous way
to deliver the message
just in time.

Ganoba,
the messenger

Opposites at Play

Silence is not the absence of sound
emptiness is not the absence of ground
Darkness is not the absence of light
stillness is not the absence of flight
an empty stomach is not hunger
an empty mind is not a blunder
to find the true import of these
let the opposites play with ease
as they please
as they please.
ganoba the clown

The Moment

A day has 24 hrs.
and an hour has 60 minutes
and a minute has 60 seconds
and so on.
But the moment is indivisible
and the mysteries of the moment
are endless and unfathomable.
Ganoba, the bottomless

Independence

She can live independently, which means she will take or give no help to/from anyone human or animal or even nature and that she will not interact with any one.

Ascetics try to do this by withdrawing into caves deep inside jungles. Buddha did this too and he finally realised that there is no escape into independence.
We all have to take on responsibilities and play our part in the scheme of God. There is no choice. Call it by any name.
Ganoba

Looking Within

Looking Within
Looking Within is going beyond interactions, transactions, confrontations, mere behaviour of any kind, to the source of it all.
It is going away from our usual preoccupation with worldly results, to discovering our roots, our cultural and spiritual moorings.
It is an attempt to discover our true nature and our mission in life.
Ganoba

The divine moment

the nest is empty
but warmth remains
may spirit carry you in comfort
and bring you safely home.

the nest is empty and warm

the seed waits for the divine moment

to germinate

and to bring forth life

with all its grandeur.

ganoba

the nest is empty
but warmth remains
may spirit carry you in comfort
and bring you safely home

The Divine

the makers hand creates

the grand and the gorgeous

as lovingly and meticulously

as the lowly and mundane.

These classifications

of course are only in the human mind

more cultured the mind

cruder are the classifications

for simple folks, as I see around me now

it is all divine and all beautiful.

ganoba

Love

I am love
You are love
God is love
truly love is everywhere
Ganoba in love

Creation

Once we stop the process of classification,
which in reality is a process of fragmenting the universe into tiny bits,
we begin to see the universe as one whole.

We can then see the creator at work, deeply engrossed in love, in an expansive mood, creating effortlessly and playfully. His creation keeps surprising him, so marvelous it is. He is thrilled with his work and its beauty.

The created universe is imbued with all these qualities; love, expansiveness,effortlessness, playfulness, wonder, beauty and joy.

The most wonderful aspect is that it is an ongoing process.
Let us dissolve the myth of a separate identity into this mahasagar and mahayagna
Ganoba

Spiritual Heritage

An article I recently read exhorted us to be loyal to those who are absent.
Presence here clearly refers to the physical presence of the person. This is the first error we make in dealing with people and situations that ties us down to the physical/material plane. To draw upon our spiritual heritage and wisdom we need to realize that we are much more than our bodies.
Then we would realize that honesty, loyalty and such other qualities are universal and are not bound by a particular time and space or culture.
Our behaviour then would be the same whether a person is physically present or not.
Ganoba in love

Virtual space

The virtual space whether of the technological or celestial kind is a wonderful phenomenon.
To receive its blessings we have to play our part, sincerely and regularly.
With regular practice it becomes graceful, exciting and enjoyable.
I am still learning the tricks.
Ganoba

Mahasagar

Once we stop the process of classification, which in reality is a process of fragmenting the universe into tiny bits, we begin to see the universe as one whole.
Then we can see the creator at work, deeply engrossed in love, in an expansive mood, creating effortlessly and playfully. His creation keeps surprising him, so marvelous it is. He is thrilled with his work and its beauty. The created universe is imbued with all these qualities; love, expansiveness,effortlessness, playfulness, wonder, beauty and joy.
The most wonderful aspect is that it is an ongoing process.
Let us dissolve the myth of a separate identity into this mahasagar.
Ganoba

Celestial Music

When God speaks, I listen. He speaks so softly and with such clarity that there is no need to ask questions. Questions are a way of taking charge of the conversation and an unnecessary distraction. I am all ears when God speaks.
When Krishna plays the flute, the people of Gokul drop every thing and rush to listen to the music, so enchanting it is.
When the cosmic soul speaks, each individual soul feels as if it is exclusively for itself.
How then can I not be in a trance?
Ganoba in ecstasy.

Freedom in action

Presence often refers to the physical presence of a person. This is the first error we make in dealing with people and situations that ties us down to the physical/material plane. To draw upon our spiritual heritage and wisdom we need to realize that we are much more than our bodies.
Then we would realize that honesty, loyalty and such other qualities are universal and are not bound by a particular time and space or culture.
Our behaviour then, would be the same whether a person is physically present or not and would be independent of cultural taboos and stereotypes.
Ganoba in love

Identity and Feelings

What we feel in a situation is closely related to our identity.
When events don't follow the pattern expected by us, it is not natural to feel angry.
What we feel in such situations depends on our identity. A person with a warrior identity will most likely feel angry. If he has the resources to do something about it, he will employ them to bring about a change in the circumstances. In most cases his actions would be violent.If on the other hand he is helpless or feels helpless, then the anger would turn inwards causing bitterness.

A person who has a bramhin identity (seeker after truth) would in the same situation feel sad and would look for ways to educate people. His actions would be peaceful.
An enlightened person, a yogi or gyani would in all situations feel compassionate and would attempt to heal the situation.
Ganoba in love

Meditation

Meditation is really very simple.
It is just doing nothing, being nothing.
If we manage to be still and silent even for a moment, the realisation dawns, that God is doing all that needs to be done. We can then truly relax and enjoy the scenario.

Success/Failure

There are no failures in Nature.
Not every seed is meant to become a tree.
Some are for the birds and beasts to eat.
In Gods scheme even the creepy crawlies have an honourable place.
Some seeds enrich the soil.
It is our human- centric thought process that sees failures when something is of no immediate use for human beings
Ganoba

The inner Guru

Other people's personal philosophies are next to useless in practice, although they sound nice while reading or listening to.
We need to develop our own personal philosophy from the hard and soft knocks of life.
This will provide clear guidelines and answer all questions that we may face in life.
This is the inner GURU that we need to awaken.
Ganoba in love

Beauty and Perfection

Dear Paul,
Thanks for the mail. 64_bethechange
For long I was sitting on judgment on the creators work.
Sure enough, I would find many things not good enough and in need of change.
I tried to act on this observation but after much effort was left with only frustration and more judgments.
Then by chance I looked at myself and what do I find?
I am estranged from the creative source ( it is also called God)
I am currently busy closing this gap.
As the gap reduces I find that all around me, including me is beautiful.
I am at present just enjoying the beauty and perfection.
Ganoba in love

Choosing a life style

Be careful about the tall claims made by medical practitioners. No one has the power to save a single life.
Last year I had a stroke and I knew immediately that I had one. I also new exactly where the clot had formed. Extensive tests costing a lot of money only confirmed what I had known instantly.
Any way by then it was already too late. all this talk about complete recovery is only a sales gimmick.
I used to say that I wanted "to die with my boots on." I lived my life accordingly. There were signals all along indicating that I am "burning my candle at both ends"
Ultimately a person has to decide how he/she wishes to die and then live accordingly
Happy dieing and living.
Ganoba

Jatra/Theater of Excellence

What you call Theater of Excellence, we practice as Jatra.
It is based on the premise that we are all taking part in a celestial play and that we are all the time playing roles. There is no reason to remain tied down to a particular role. If we do that creativity is lost and the play becomes a bore.
The trick is to keep changing roles as the situation demands and the mood dictates. The idea of excellence is an unnecessary obstacle to spontaneity and creativity.
Excellence is a judgment and it forces us into a comparative frame work, which is restrictive and repetitive.
Ganoba in love

Making sense of our environment

We have been given 5 sense organs to make sense of our surroundings. But in our preoccupation with sight, we have neglected the other four, particularly the sense of smell and touch. That is why we get a distorted picture of our environment and have to rely so heavily on thinking (or is it speculating) to make sense of the world and our place in it. If we take the inputs from all the 5 senses and process them together in an integrated way, we would understand our environment easily and properly. By giving importance to only the visible aspects of reality what a mess we have made of living!
Birds and animals are definitely wiser than us and would be good teachers.
You are wise to follow angel.
Ganoba in love

Creator at work

To be able to see the creator at work, the notion of dreadful mistakes, by self or by others has to be wiped out. When things don't work out as we wanted them to and as we had planned, let us simply say "some thing or someone wiser seems to be at work and I don't quite get it".
Admitting that I don't know has opened up things for me often.
I am sure it will work for you too.
Of course every thing is the work in progress of the creator but we don't quite know the "why" and instead of admitting our ignorance we begin to speculate and come up with some absurd theory.
I suggest we stay still and silent and let the mystery unfold.
lots of love
Ganoba

Glow of Wellness

Your post was wonderful news. I am excited for you and knowing that in some ways I have been a part of all this adds to the excitement.
If the mind is kept empty of doubts and fears, ideas come flooding in. You are experiencing the exuberance of a spiritual spring.It is showering me too with a glow of wellness.
The health problems are not a worry. in our preoccupation with worldly affairs, we forget to care of our body. As a result toxins accumulate. The body waits for a while for good sense to prevail and when that does not happen, it takes up the cleaning job upon itself. We need to cooperate with the body at such times. we need to suffer a bit, but this is good suffering because it is actually a healing process.
I would certainly like to be a part of all the activities that are on your mind. They are close to mine too.
At this moment I find myself in the warm company of Sunita and the boys and I am delighted.
may you all spread joy now and all times.
Ganoba in love

Review and Response

A prompt response is the best response. That way things are rectified without much effort and the effect is spontaneous. What is spontaneous is invariably honest. Also there is no need to say sorry and yet the mind is cleared of guilt and remorse.
Review to be effective has to be a continuous process. Shorter the duration between the act and the review, more effective it becomes.
Love all
ganoba