Humming

Humming is a universal chant,
free from cultural trappings.
Hence it resonates with the universe
which dances with it.
How can it not be beautiful?
Ganoba

The environment

Let me treat my environment as a parent( mother or father) or as a spouse (husband or wife) or as a child, a friend, a companion.
All these relationships are based on love and are timeless.
Let me not treat her as a prostitute, to be used and then thrown on the garbage dump.
Ganoba

Life is a rally

Taking an analogy from sports, life is more like a marathon than a sprint.
A sprint can be run at a furious pace from start to finish.
The sprinter is so engrossed in herself that she cannot spare even a glance at the other sprinters. It is all about speed and beating the rest.
The marathon goes on and on and is a matter of staying power not strength.

Taking the analogy further, it is more like a rally, in which one is required to run,cycle, swim, ski and so on. The course may go through a marsh, a desert, a snow clad mountain, a wild jungle or what have you. No one knows when one stretch begins and when it ends.
There is no winner or loser. We only have the privilege to participate.
It is so tough that even the sages pray for a release from this rally (the cycle of birth and death)
Ganoba

There is no other

Either I am a part of you or I am a part of your environment.
Similarly, You are either a part of me or a part of my environment.
Either way, both you and I are part of the play that life is.
Is there an alternative?
Ganoba

Life, a zero sum game

The birds in flight, particularly in formations, are a magnificent sight. They have inspired artists and ordinary folks alike since time immemorial.
Let us look at the same birds on ground, when their wings are not of much use and they are reduced to being two-legged creatures hopping from perch to perch
Then they have to struggle to feed themselves and their young, just as we have to do.
Their struggle for survival from other predators who live by eating them is as pathetic as is ours from wild traffic and loan sharks.

Life is a self sustaining system and a zero sum game.
To see the true magnificence of life.we need to take it as a whole.
If we find a new born as cute and innocent, then let us also rejoice with the terminally ill and dying.
Ganoba

The becalmed Mind

Let the becalmed MIND reflect the world of things for what it is, EPHEMERAL
Let the becalmed mind allow us to see what is in store in its depth.
The becalmed mind is only an intermediate step, not the destination.
Ganoba

Progress, a myth

Progress is one of the illusions that we need to free ourselves from.
Progress towards what? and away from what?
How does one determine that it is happening?
Is there a standard about rate of progress?
Answers will all be comparative and culture bound.
Clearly the grip of the external world of things is very tight.
It is so much better enjoying and celebrating whatever we have.
Off to the land of nothingness.

Ganoba

The true Mind

A true mind is emptiness personified.
If one has such a mind then there are no others.
One lives in oneness, in wholeness.

What we conventionally understand by mind
is a garbage can of half truths, superstitions, biases and insecurities.
When people share these they start living in ghettos and build walls around them.
They have strict rules for entry and exit.
All the fanatical violence we see in the world is due to this mentality.

The thinking mind lives in such a ghetto.
The loving mind soars in open skies.
Let us live and love with open arms.
That is our prayer.
Ganoba

Spirituality

Spirituality begins when we realise
that the cause of all that happens to us;
whether happiness or sorrow, success or failure,
IS ALL WITHIN.
Then we start looking inwards
and in time reach the core of our being
where divinity resides.
e
even the very first tentative step
changes the tenor of life.
Ganoba

The Way

Just have fun
and don't ever try to reform or convert others to your way.
This is the source of all trouble as no one owns the WAY.
Do not join a band wagon
however fanciful it may be
for freedom is the price asked
for membership, so stay free on the WAY.
Ganoba

Reality

Reality has many faces.
It is foolish to consider any one of them
as representing the whole truth.
Just float around like a butterfly.
Ganoba

Offerings

The master receives our offerings,
not because it needs any of that.
Our offerings help it to decide what we need
and then it gives us what we need
at the right time and place.
Ganoba

Definitions

Let go of old definitions
( what is sanity? what is madness? what is dirty? what is clean?)
and fly effortlessly to the land of no where.
I love the wilderness, unspoiled by human touch, abode of the divine.
Ganoba

Dhyan

Avidya and Ahankar
give birth to the 6 enemies
(kam, krodh, lobh, moh, mad, matsar)
(lust,anger,greed,attachment,arrogance,jealousy)
of peace of mind.
An agitated mind
disconnects us from the source
which resides at
the core of our being.
The only way I know of is
DHYAN
being silent and still
doing nothing.
Ganoba

Renewing Relationships

Every relationship is constantly being renewed,
just as old leaves fall off and new ones sprout.
In this way the tree of life is kept fresh and young.
The trouble with us humans is that we do not let this happen.
I am changing every moment and so are people around me.
Is it wise then to hold on to the old definitions of various relationships?
Ganoba

Dying

When do we finally say that someone is dying?
When do we finally admit that I am dying?
Usually this is done when the experts have finally given up on the patient.
Then they would say, " Now it is in God's hand."
It is always with God.
Dying begins at birth.
The seeds of our destruction are planted at birth.
True liberation is in accepting this principle.
Ganoba

Birth day

Treat every day as a birth day.
On this day begin a new chapter in your life based
on universal love.
Go beyond all boundaries, which are man made anyway.
Ganoba

Giving Feed Back

In the absence of Maitree bhav (friendliness)pointing out flaws and deficiencies (giving negative feed back) becomes very difficult. It is often done very dis functionally, sometimes very rudely or in the person's absence. Often to buy peace we give the opposite feed back; like saying, "no problem" when we are actually disturbed.
In such situations it is advisable to pause for a while to develop friendliness before giving feed back. It takes the sharpness off our statements and helps the other to receive it without feeling threatened.
Ganoba

Offerings to God

People present the various deities with goodies of all kinds.
What is the idea behind this practice?
God has created all things, obviously it can have no needs.
In the absence of a clear understanding, this practice has degenerated into crass commercialism.
The idea is really quite simple and liberating.
If we want to give up something or a dependence on it then we place it at the feet of the deity and renounce it. We make a public resolve and commitment.
As prasad we get freedom from that habit.
For instance, if we wish to give up sweets or meat or liquor then we place it at the feet of the deity with a public resolve to do so.
As prasad we will be blessed with freedom from these habits.
Give it a try and see the results for yourself.
Ganoba

Living gracefully.

Let us not waste.
If we waste food, we will be cursed with the fear that we may run short of food someday. to overcome this fear, we hoard food, which is one form of waste, so the curse does not go away.
On the otherhand, if we use food properly, we will never run short of it. we will live in abundance.
The same applies to clothes, shoes, paper, money, just about everything that we need to live.
Above all, let us not waste time. If we do that, we will always be pressed for time. We will always live under the fear of missing a dead line.
On the other hand, if we use time well, we will have plenty of time on hand, at all times. We would not feel pressurised for time and we would not pressurise others for time.
We would live gracefully.
Ganoba

Happiness as a habit.

Life is an expression of happiness.
Whoever created life wished to express its happiness.
We will atleast agree that the ultimate goal of life is happiness.
Let us then choose to be happy every moment.
Let me share a few suggestions.
With a little effort we can bring a smile on our face.
Soon smiling will become a habit and we would be able to smile effortlessly and gracefully.
Let us keep reminding ourselves often to do this.
Let us keep reminding our friends to do thid from time to time.
What ever we may do; be it cooking or cleaning,eating or serving, sleeping, reading, writing, walking, talking, anything at all, let us do it with a smile on the face and happiness in the heart.
Let happiness become a habit.
Ganoba

Spiritual Choice

There are two kinds of happenings:

Preyas, those that we like (those that we dislike are in the same category)

and Shreyas, those that are useful and hence needed for our spiritual advancement.

Most people spend a large part of time, energy and resources on the first kind

and have very little left for the second kind.

The Preyas kind give fleeting pleasure and leave behind ever lasting misery and confusion.

The Shreyas kind have the reverse effect; short time difficulties leading to clarity of purpose and chidanand (Bliss).

What would you choose?

Ganoba

Willing to Learn

What is there to learn from the past,
that the present cannot teach us?
If we are willing to learn (and this is a big IF)
the wisdom is available in the present moment.
If we are full of pride and hence closed to learning;
past, present and future are all helpless.
How can an upturned vessel be filled?
Ganoba

Secret of Happiness

It is said by many, that the world has become very competitive and life has become very stressful.
Which world are people referring to? The inner one that resides in their mind or the outer one of objects and things?
The world out there is a grand buffet. We are free to choose items that suit us.
Rather than point fingers at the world, let us examine the choices we make.
The secret of happiness may be lying there.
Ganoba

True Learning

Learning begins when we meet the unknown with curiosity and not fear.
If we stay with it curiosity changes into a question.
At this stage many seek the easy way out by seeking the answer from someone else.
An answer provided by someone else leads to only intellectual understanding.
This does not lead to action when we are confronted with a live situation.
For true learning to take place we have to find the solution through our own experimental effort.
Ganoba