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