Followers

Guru nanak was a simple saint. His basics were clear and he lived them fearlessly.
I am not much impressed by his followers. no fault of his.
That is what the followers do.
See what they have done to Buddha and Jesus.
That is why I do not want followers. Friends will do.
Ganoba

Sink or Swim

What the world does to us is not significant in the spiritual realm.
How we deal with it, respond to it, determines whether we sink or swim.
Ganoba

Silent and Still

closing eyes,
sitting still
and being silent
brings the disturbance
out in the open.
the challenge is to remain
silent and still
even then.
If we can do that
the storm passes
and bliss descends
over gods creation.
Ganoba

Jack of all trades

I am a jack of all trades and a master of none.

and I would like to remain that way.

i have no need of masters and slaves.

Ganoba

Opportunity to serve

We are here on earth to SERVE, not for personal gain, for accumulation of material possessions or for name and fame.
Many people realise this and would like to serve but do not the opportunity to serve.
Opportunity to serve is independent of the constraints of time and space.
Opportunities to serve are all around us (and within us too) where ever we may be on the face of the earth and at any time of day and night.
To serve is our mission assigned to us by our creator. How then can it fail to provide the opportunities too?
The same principle applies to resources to serve. The creator has provided the resources in abundance. The trouble is that we are looking for the wrong kind of things and in the wrong places.
To serve we don't have to go to some far of place. The opportunities are there all around us all the time.
We don't need funds but we waste time and energy in fund raising and in doing all the book keeping.
We don't need an organisation. An army of one is more than enough yet we waste time and energy in building and running an organisation. We approach the Government and others to provide grants, land and legitimacy. So they set up regulatory mechanisms, like the charity commissioner. More than 2/3 rd. of the time and resources are spent on preparing reports for their scrutiny.
What kind of srvice is this?
Let us ask ourselves whether we clear of our mission (the nature of service) and the field of action.
This clarity will answer all questions and will remove all doubt.
Our creator has fully equipped us for the mission.
Let us get on with the job.
Amen.
Ganoba

Opportunities to serve.

A Journey to the Core

The journey to the core of our being is not like other journeys we undertake in the physical world.

This journey has no beginning and no end. There are no intermediate stations to ascertain our progress or otherwise.

All the usual practices are of no consequence. Whether we do them or not does not matter.

Doing nothing and staying still seems more effective than all the feverish activity.

Where is the core of our being anyway?

Ganoba

Learning

We can learn life lessons from every aspect of life, be it sport, theater,dancing, music, cooking, trekking, hiking and what have you.
In each of these there are rules to be followed and moves to be made within the framework of rules.
Another important aspect that we have to take into account is that no game is a solo affair.
There are other players to be taken into account.
The results depend on our understanding of the whole complex network.
Life is like that too.
Ganoba

Bhakti

We don't ask for any special favours from Krishna.
That amounts to insulting His judgment and fairness.
We just sing His glory and leave it to Him to bestow on us whatever He thinks right.
That is true bhakti.
Ganoba

Amiss

being missed or missing someone
is an indication that we are giving too much importance to the body, as we have known it before.
There is nothing amiss in the present moment.

Ganoba

Life, wonderful as it is

The idea of being stuck assumes that life should be going somewhere and doing this at a certain pace.
There is no basis for both these assumptions.
Rather than looking for solutions for imagined problems, it would be worthwhile to verify all our assumptions.

We may then find that there is nothing wrong with life and that it is wonderful as it is

Ganoba

Wayward

When I come across some one who has gone wayward;
alcoholics, drug addicts etc,
the following comes to mind:
"But for the grace of God, there go I."
The judge and executioner is side lined for a while,
and Compassion arises in the mind.
I am saved from going wayward myself.
Ganoba

Behave

Behave means
BE YOURSELF
and
HAVE FUN

GANOBA

Bhakti means becoming one with the source.
There is no separation between I and its surroundings.
They are one and the same.















Vibhakti is a state of separation.
It celebrates separation.
I and You are competing for resources,
so they appear to be in short supply.
I and You are at loggerheads.
How can there be peace between them?
This is the root cause of all violence.

Bhakti is the alternative.
It means becoming one with the source.
There is no separation between I and its surroundings.
Whatever we have and whatever we do is for the I only.
There is no wastage.
We live in abundance, hence there is no anxiety, no fear of loss.
Only love and joy.

Ganoba

Gratitude

At the level of social niceties,
We are caught up in dualities.
If we dive a little deeper,
We see the play of opposites.
If we dive a little more,
We meet the director of the play.
If we dive some more,
We are engulfed by the vibrations of OM.
Further down,
There is silence and stillness.
The energy for all the diving,
Comes from GRATITUDE
Felt and expressed.
Ganoba
in gratefulness

Birth of Charity

When we say, "I deserve what I have."

We are actually saying, "I deserve much more than what I have."

It is really a statement of dissatisfaction and suppressed anger at the unfairness of the way goodies are distributed.

Then we cannot enjoy what we have nor can we appreciate what others have.

How can charity take birth in such a mind?

What we have is not about deserving but is due to the grace of the Lord.

Charity begins when we see it like this.

Ganoba

Spiritual Truth

Only if you can give it away,

can you enjoy it in its wholeness.

Sounds paradoxical, isn't it?

All spiritual truths are paradoxical when viewed from the box of social propriety.

Ganoba

Forgiving reinforces the ego, the sence of a separate self, that sits on judgment over others and finds them wanting.

Forgiving in effect says," You have hurt me. You are nasty but I in my magnanimity choose to ignore it."

Isn't that ego speak?

If and when I feel hurt, physically or emotionally, I try to use all available enrgy to heal, that is to remove the sense of separateness. The extent to which I feel oneness, to that extent the feeling of hurt is dissolved.

Ganoba

Guidance

I am guided by whatever wisdom I have at a given point of time.

Can I borrow it from someone else or from the future?

This means I have to grope at times.

What is the alternative?

Ganoba

Healing

If and when i am hurt, physically or emotionally, I prefer to use all available energy to heal.

What is the point wasting it on taking revenge?

Ganoba

Free Will

Is there such a thing as free will.
Yes, of course.
Why then, for most of us, it does not seem to operate?
What we will, does not come to pass.
Are you free?
It operates only for free people, not for slaves.
Ganoba

Interactive Learning

When an idea or a picture comes in through the eyes or ears, most of us open the path to the brain, to the intellect, not to the heart center.

It then provokes thoughts and an intellectual game begins. This game is confined to the box called known. The inquiry that ensues is rational logical which is always within the box.

To open the path way to the heart we need to allow emotions a free sway. Then the process can be evocative (not provocative) and we would be able to go out of the box of logic and rationality. New ideas will come to mind that will cry for attention and will induce trying out.

Satatya, regularity and honesty of purpose, is an essential element of any sadhana. Most of us approach it casually. Then the returns are short lived.

Why do you write? You seem to intuitively know that learning is an interactive process. While helping your learning you want to assist me too.

Thanks for writing.
Ganoba

True Satsang

Curiosity is the mother of learning. It allows us to look with wonder (not fear) towards the unknown. It makes us stay rather than run away from the unknown. It makes us take a second look rather than shut our eyes (or ears).

It manifests in the form of a question. If we look for a ready made answer then we have pseudo learning. We then take a more or less passive role in the learning process. We seek out a teacher to provide the answer. A real teacher would not provide the answer but would initiate an interactive process with the student leading to an answer.

Many of us would seek out an authoritative book ( called a scripture if the question is spiritual) and then read it a number of times, recite or chant it in a mindless way. This does not lead to any learning. Many are not willing to take even this much trouble. So they attend a discourse, called satsang, where a learned guru will read the book for him and also interpret it for him giving juicy examples to illustrate the practical value and application. This may provide intellectual understanding but does not lead to a change in behaviour.

A true satsang happens when people working togwther seek out the answer through an expriential experimentation. Refer to the learning spiral for details of the process. This removes all doubts and questions and we are able to embrace the unknown.

Ganoba

Honouring Limitations

Knowing ones own limitations and honouring them is a very big step in building lasting relationships. When we honoure our limitations, as against hiding them, it is easy to accept the limitations of others gracefully.
Then we can focus on the qualities within the limitations and help each other to develop them in the service of a larger good.
This is the basis of any lasting and fruitful partnership.
Ganoba

Primal Energy

Be still for a while, doing nothing.

It is not as easy as it sounds, because we are hard wired to keep doing something all the time, even if it is totally useless and sometimes down right harmful.

Be silent for a while, just listening.

This is also not easy as we love the sound of our own voice. We want others to listen to us but we are unwilling to pay the same courtsey to them.

Become aware of energy as it vibrates. We may even hear its reverberations.

This is primal energy and will open the gates to a reality much more significant than the social reality.

Ganoba

Who am I?

When I sit still and silent in Dhyan (meditation) doing nothing, what do I find? Nothing. I am a non-entity. I am a nobody.

I am doing nothing but a lot is happening. Sensations arise and fade in the body. Thoughts come (God knows from where), do their dance for a while and then fade away as easily as they had come.

I have nothing to give because nothing belongs to me. Yet I have a lot to share, to pass on, to distri bute.

I am at present trying to achieve this state of Vairagya (dis-attachment) even with the organs of sensing and action functioning freely.

I am a postman.

Ganoba

Work Etihcs

Last night I met a young man who had just finished his studies and was about to start working (as if, he was not working till then).

I said to him, "If you work for money, name or fame or building a career, you will find work very streeful. It will sap your energy. You may get money, fame etc. but they are fickle, they come and go at their own sweet will.

On the other hand, if you work in the service of the larger good, you will find work deeply satisfying."

"What is larger good", he asked.

"I cannot tell you that. However, you will know it in your heart.",said I. "Try it out for yourself." I said before parting, both of us deeply satisfied.

Ganoba

Mind & its Tricks

In meditation or Dhyan we progressively observe the subtler phenomena going on in and around us. This eventually leads to observing the mind, how we have created it and what we have stuffed inside it. Then it is obvious that it is the mind that is the cause of all our problems and the solution is to get out of it and go beyond it. It is clear that mind is Maya, the bhulbhulaiya.
After this realisation one is no longer a prisoner of the mind and is not effected by its tricks.
Ganoba

Problems & Solutions

The problem is inside the box in which we have placed our mind.
The solution is outside it.
Get outside the box and the solutuion becomes obvious.

Ganoba

Seamlessly One

Where does I end and you begin? We seem to have a clear cut answer to this question. A moments reflection, to question the answers, will make it clear that the answer is not so obvious.

Where does the stomach end and the chest begin or the hand end and the shoulder begin?

We will find that there is no clear cut dividing line. These are seamlessly one. Our whole body is seamlessly one.

Let us take this a little further. Where does the body end and the mind begin? Where does the mind end and the soul begin? Where does the inside end and the outside begin?

Aren't all these seamlessly one?

Where does light end and darkness begin?

Now you will notice that the first question was not all that stupid.

I await your response in deep love.

Ganoba

Sansar, the make believe world

Sansar, worldliness comes into being when we compare, this with that.
Reality then eludes us and we are caught up in the web of Maya, the make believe world.
It can and does happen even in so called holy places (this place is more holy than that, Krishna is superior to Shiva, so on and so forth) and even in spiritual practices.
One way of escaping the seductive clutches of Maya is to be in the present, avoiding comparison with past and future, considering one better than the other.
That is all. Your actions(karma) will decide your fate.
Nothing else matters.
Ganoba

Charity

Charity begins, not when we give things, but when we give up.
When we give up the right to ownership
then it amounts to a small step on the spiritual path.
In stages we begin to realise that it belongs to all of us
and then the realisation that it belongs to none of us.
Then we come to know the true owner.
Ganoba

In Distress

To all souls in trouble.
Yes, your whole being wants to run, not away from, but towards the center, to the source of all wisdom.
The troubled self in its confusion reads the message wrongly.
When we meditate, that is become silent and still, doing nothing hasty, then we see clearly and our total energy is available to do what is needed to be done.
One way to look at life is, as a grand learning institution. As we proceed we are presented with tougher lessons. This is a sign that we are progressing spiritually. It is important not to turn back and to run for safety. The risk is that we will lose all our doubts one by one. Clarity and lightness is the reward.
It is foolish to take a short cut into carnal pleasures, like drugs and sex, when in difficulty. What is needed now is greater vigilance. That is another name for meditation.
I am always by your side, holding your hand and walking side by side.
Lots of love
Ganoba

Support System

A support system is like a trampoline. It supports and enhances the performance. While doing so it does not interfere with the choices we make. In the event of a mishap it minimises the risk of serious injury. In so doing it allows us the freedom to try out dangerous adventures. It is like the safety net under a trapeze artist.
In nature the earth under our feet, the atmosphere all around us, the water bodies, the forests and all the other species are together our support system. Because they operate unobtrusively we do not recognise their value to us. Ancient societies treated these as gods and worshiped them. The modern man ignores, exploits, and abuses them. This has come to a point where the ecological balance and our own survival is seriously threatened. Even today there are a large number of people who think that the issue of global warming is being hyped up unnecessrily.
In our individual life, the family, the neighbourhood, the comunity and the various social and professional bodies are our support system. Because of our misplaced focus on the individual and his/her rights we have over the years distroyed these. We have tried to replace them by statutory agencies constituted by the government or by profit seeking corporates. These are impersonal by their very nature. As such over time their services become poor and unreliable.
In my capacity as a counseller, I come across a lot of people who are lonely and lost. They are groping in the dark to find a sustainable anchor. They end up attending a series of self help programs, one after another, to no avail. A large number take up religious and/or spiritual rituals. The increase in violence and cheating at the local and global level shows no sign of abetting.
Where do we go from here? What is the way out? We need to start reflecting individually and collectively, not as an intellectual excercise, but as an in depth exploration of the source of the present malaise. There shold be no fingers pointing outwards. Let us turn inwards to find genuine and workable answers. Let us begin our day, everyday with this exploration. The questions, "who am I?", "what is my place in the larger scheme?" and "what am I doing to nurture my environment?" have become urgent and cannot be postponed anymore.
To take care of ourselves we have to take care of our surroundings.
Ganoba

Likes and Dislikes

Whatever the basis of our likes and dislikes, it is like a small window through which we view the world and whatever it offers us. It confines us to a dingy existence. We, in our juvenile wisdom, refuse to accept the womderful things life offers to us. A moments reflection will make it clear to us that we need to rise above this juvenile stupidity.
Let us try out a few of the things we dislike, on an experimental basis, to discover their intrinsic worth. For example, some of the bitter foods like bitter gourd and methi are very effective for regulating blood sugar and are a boon for people suffering from diabeties. Let us give a second chance to people whom we have rejected on flimsy grounds. Let us re-visit those places which have unpleasant associations in our mind. Let us try out those acts, like singing and dancing, that we feel akward performing.
It is time we expanded the likes and shrunk the dislikes. This is one way of growing spiritually.
I have benefitted immensely by doing this. I am sure, you will be amazed by the lifting of burdens and the clarity regarding all issues. Welcome.
Ganoba

Learning Spiral

Learning that brings about sustained change in behaviour is "True Learning."
It is an experiential spiral.
It begins with a suggestion that is acted upon.
The action is in an experimental mode with an open mind.
An experiment implies that we are willing to accept any outcome.
It also implies detailed observation of the actions and the results produced, both inside our body and mind as also those in the world outside.
The next important step is to share these observations with a colleague, a co-traveler.
Sharing is a crucial step in the spiral.
This allows the learning to be internalised and owned up.
With this step we are freed from dependence on an external source for guidance.
Ideas beginning to come from within.
We are now on the learning spiral.
The internal guru has been awakened.

Won't you like to get on the learning spiral?
Welcome.
Ganoba

The Gardner

What is the relationship between spirituality and worldliness?
For many they are completely unrelated and incompatible.
For some the relationship is sequential.
To them spirituality can be practiced only after all the worldly matters have been dealt with.
By then most are too old to be able to do anything worthwhile.
Some others turn to spirituality when they have failed in their worldly pursuits or when they have become meaningless; the sour grapes stage of worldliness. Then they end up performing meaningless rituals or end up joining religious cults. This is like jumping into the fire to escape the torture of the frying pan.

To understand the true relationship between the two, let us keep a tree in our mind.
One half of the tree; the stock, the branches, the leaves, flowers and fruit is visible to us and we value it.
The other half, the root system, is below the ground and is usually ignored.
Ask anyone to draw a tree and they will invariably draw only the upper half. This is the whole tree for them.
If we were to take care of only the upper part and neglect the roots would the tree survive?
It may struggle to survive but it would certainly not thrive.

Worldliness is the upper part of reality. It is not the whole of it.
Spirituality is the invisible half that supports and nurtures the whole tree.
Together they constitute the whole. They compliment each other.
It is foolish to neglect anyone of them. It is also foolish to separate them and to practice them sequentially.

Let us live as a whole or we would end up in a hole.
Let us take care of the tree of life like a good Gardner.

Ganoba

When I was younger I thought of the happenings in my life as deserved or undeserved. This was regulated by my likes and dislikes. Those events that I liked were classified as deserved and I would pride myself for those achievements. Those that I did not like were classified as undeserved. I would raise a question about them. "Why is this happening to me?" This was a pseudo question because i never made a serious attempt to answer it. The assumed answer was that this should have been happening to someone else. It was explained away by saying that the world was not fair. This blocked any in depth exploration and prematurely closed the question.

When I eventually examined this question in depth and with some honesty then I found my position to be horrendous. Fairness to me meant that all the goodies should come to me and that all the tragedies ahould befall others.

I have now outgrown this childishness. Today I hold that all the happenings, whether to me or in the whole universe, happen by the grace of God. God of course is not a person but the creative principle, the source of the created universe. This position has helped to clear the mind of a lot of superstition. I do not yet understand all that is happening but i am at least open about them. I do get disturbed by some of the events happening to me but by the grace of God, it does not cloud my vision for long.

Clarity and sanity soon descend on me.

Ganoba

Blessings (on Gurupurnima)

Blessings are pouring all over.
what we need to do is to get out of the protective umbrellas, rain coats and other shelters.
From whom are we protecting ourselves?
Be ready to get drenched.
Ganoba

Responding to Live Situation

When we are travelling, by car or train or an aircraft the situation around us is continuously changing. If we are piloting the craft we cannot afford not to notice it. If we are mere passengers we can shut the windows and go to sleep. Paying passengers believe they have a right to this luxury. If the pilot were to switch off and go to sleep, what then?

All of a sudden the situation gets bad. The weather turns violent. There is engine trouble or something even worse, may be a hijack. Panic is the reaction of many of us. Almost everyone is anxious and worried. Eachone worrying about his/her own safety.

Let us now see what many of us do with life. Do we live life like a pilot, as an ordinary passenger or as a paying special class passenger? Most of the time the journey is uneventful. Every thing follows a predetermined routine. We are whiling away the time watching a movie, drinking wine, chatting with our neighbour or sleeping. Some are restless even at such times and keep complaining about trivial matters. Many of us do not know how to celebrate when good fortune visits us. We celebrate by throwing(!) a party. There is a lot of food ( a lot is wasted too), a lot of booze, a lot of noise & boasting and finally a hangover. All this while people round the corner are going hungry.

When something untoward happens We try to hide the fact, hoping that the situation would some how correct itself. We put up a brave front and try to show as if everything is fine and under control. When the facade falls, anxiety, worry and panic set in. We try to dig out information which in no way would help to deal with the situation. We try to find out why it happened, with a view to crucifying someone. Many will proffer advice without being competent to do so. Many statements that I have heard people making at such times are downright bizzare.

In my understanding only two types of responses are helpful under any circumstance.

1. What can I learn from this situation and the way I have dealt with it?

2.What service can I provide at this time to ameliorate the situation?

Anything else is a waste of time and energy and is best left undone.

Ganoba

Being One Self

Recently a friend died in my arms. One moment she was struggling to survive and suffering and the next moment she was gone. Her body was still there, but it was now beyond experiencing, either pain or pleasure. For the last few days she had not passed urine. All attempts to induce urination had failed. The doctors had given up on her. "It is just a matter of time", they said. As soon as consciousness left her the urine leaked out. People around her were crying and wailing. She was unconcerned. She wasn't there anyway.

All of us have had similar experiences. We have seen the mighty and powerful being dead bodies in a moment. Can we still identify with the body as the real self? Is it the body that is choosing, thinking, dreaming and making things happen?

To me it is clear that the body is no more than a vehicle. We need to take good care of it while we are using it. In spite of taking good care of it we would have to discard it one day when the model begins to malfunction or when our journey is completed. Anything that has a name and frame (naam-roop) would be limited by them. This is the law of nature. There is no exception to this. It applies to individuals and organisations. Once we accept this we are free from all the machinations of the mind; anxieties and worries, dreams and aspirations, success and failure, disappointments and hopes, distractions and detours etc.

All the struggles end. We are now free to live as we were supposed to in the first place. We see clearly now that our circumstances and our own personal qualities are just right for our mission on earth. There is no seeking and finding. We are now on a journey without a beginning or an end. We are now free to be ourselves and enjoy.

Ganoba

Return to Nature

There is nothing wrong with profits. Everyone would want to improve.Even in the spiritual field the aspirant would like to progress. The problem with modern businesses is that they would want profits keep increasing all the time. They want productivity to keep increasing all the time. They want markets to keep getting bigger and their share of the market to get bigger.They want corporations to get bigger and bigger till they are the biggest in the world.

Nature simply does not allow this. It does not play favourites. There is no reason it will favour one country or one people or one ethnic group or one religion over any other. It distrubutes the resources and opportunities equitably. It maintains a dynamic balance among all the players. They are all its children.Towards that end it balances the opposites. What goes up has to come down. The victim will not remain the underdog all the time. So nature plants the seed of destruction into every thing at the time of its birth. What takes birth has to die. That is how nature is sustainable and self replicating. At the same time there are no clones in nature.

All the ancient civilizations understood this and built their societies accordingly. Modern man after he found science as a tool to decipher the mysteries of nature became arrogant. He wants to subvert nature, to improve upon it, to master it. Unless we recognise this as a serious disease, the systems we create, economic, social, political or otherwise, are bound to crash. They will create an illusion of prosperity and wellbeing but under the facade there would be nothing but misery.

Cosmetic solutions will not do. Let us return to nature and learn to respect it.

Ganoba

Honouring Boundaries

The body is contained within a boundary, the skin.
It has to work within limitations.
We may develop our capacities to a certain extent.
They will eventually reach a peak, a plateau and then begin to ebb.
The ego , based as it is on the body, follows the same principle.
In working with them we need to work with awareness,
otherwise we attempt to breakthrough our limits
and end up causing grievous damage to our body and our psyche.
On the other hand if we work with awareness,
we would stretch up to our limits and stay there, honouring our limits.
Then the limits expand allowing us increased space to maneuver.
Greed is one of the reasons why we ignore our limits and suffer.
Ganoba

Surrender to Nature

Whenever I am disturbed or depressed, the reason is that I have distanced myself from nature; nature out there and my own nature.
The remedy then is obvious, to go in the lap of nature. If, possible I go for a walk in a park, sit by a mass of water, a flowing brook or a lake with my feet in the water, listening quietly to the musical sounds nature produces.
If this is not possible then go to the back yard and tinker with the plants growing there.
Sometimes I listen to classical instrumental music. This has always quietened the mind and the priorities get rearranged in a natural order.
At such times words are a distraction, because they engage the mind in finding meaning within the usual intellectual structures, which are the cause of the disturbance in the first place.
How can they help?
Silence and surrender to nature always helps.
Ganoba

The Essence of Bhakti

Cleaning is the essence of all spiritual practice, by whatever name it may be called.It has 3 aspects:

Cleaning our immediate environment,

Cleaning our body both inside and outside,

Cleaning the mind,

till there is nothing left that we can call ur own.

The cleaner it gets, clearer the truth will shine.Then there is nothing between us and our source.We are one.This is the essence of Bhakti.

Ganoba

Being Open

When I engage with the world an experience comes into being.
It belongs to the world just as it belongs to me.
The quality of the experience depends on the quality of the engagement.
If I engage with the world in my totality without any reservation, the experience is wholesome,almost divine.
If I withhold a part of me from the engagement out of fear and defensiveness, then the experience is nightmarish and disturbing. It confuses and confounds.
Having realised this truth, I try, at all times and all places, to be open and transparent.
Ganoba

Respecting All

God is in everyone and in everything, at all places and at all times.
When I am silent and still I live this self evident truth.
No sooner I make a move or begin to speak, the ego comes into play
and a gap is created between me and God.
The self evident truth is now at best a belief,
at worst a debatable opinion or a hypothesis in need of empirical evidence.
I believe this phenomenon is applicable to others too.
To live the truth of God's omnipotence let us attempt to respect all whom we meet.
This is the least we can do, though loving them would be the ideal response.
For God is Love.
Ganoba

Vikarm

The impact our actions, including words, make on the outside world are not particularly important. the wise do not bother too much about them, one way or the other.

The impact that it makes on us is very important because this is what helps to build character. Whether we turn out to be wise and compassionate or fickle minded and vindictive depends on the inner impact.

The wise recommend that we pay attention to the inner manifestations and not bother too much about the effects on the world outside.

In the Indian tradition it is called Vikarm and is the principle teaching of Geeta.

Ganoba

Healing and Pain

Anyone wanting to be a healer,
has to befriend pain, suffering, privation, loss and the like
to a point where the desire to hit back when hurt, is completely extinguished.
Only then the ability to remain still comes into play.
A still mind can begin to understand the problem in its wholeness.
Healing is then not a surgical intervention but proceeds from within.
Ganoba

Being a Lover

BEING A LOVER IS CLOSE TO BEING A WORKER. WHEN THE RUBY BECOMES THE SUNRISE, THE TRANSPARENCY CHANGES TO A DAILY ROUTINE. THERE IS A STORY ABOUT A SUFI WHO RIPS HIS ROBE AND GIVESIT THE NAME FARAJI,WHICH MEANS "RIPPED OPEN" OR "HAPPINESS" OR "ONE WHO BRINGS THE JOY OF BEING OPENED" iT COMES FROM THE STEM FARAJ, WHICH ALSO REFERS TO THE GENITALS, MALE AND FEMALE. THE SUFI TEACHER SEES THE PURITY OF THE NAME AND THE ACTION, WHILE OTHERS NOTICE ONLY HIS RAGGED APPEARENCE.
PEACE AND COMPASSION COME AS COVERINGS ARE THROWN OPEN AND THE STREAMING BEAUTY OF EMOTION FLOWS THROUGH THE LOVER-WORKER.
RUMI SUGGESTS IN ANOTHER POEM THAT BEING HUMAN IS A GUEST HOUSE WHERE TRAVELLERS ARE WELCOMED AND ENTERTAINED.THE WORK IS TO BE A GOOD HOST AT THE CARAVANSERAI.
Ganoba

excerpt from Essential Rumi

translated by Coleman Banks

Swadhyay

In spiritual practices we are advised to be non-judgmental. To be
able to do this, we have to clear our mind of all concepts of
normality (and abnormality). This is one aspect of swadhyay; the
cleaning of the body, mind and our immediate environment. These three
fields are inter-connected, so it does not matter where one begins.
Cleaning in the other two fields will happen simultaneously. The
ensuing lightness and clarity are most wonderful.

Offered as a tribute to your uniqueness by

Ganoba

The Inner Guru

Individual life may have a beginning and an end but LIFE itself goes on. Isn't it?
The way you have carried the dialog forward is interesting; you ask questions and then proceed to answer them. This is the way in which the guru tatva, the inner guru is energised..
Many of the insurmountable problems we face are caused be living life in compartments; personal/professional, private/public etc.
If we remove these artificial compartments we would experience life as a continuous flow.
Ganoba

Abilities/Disabilities

The idea of disability arises when we compare our situation with some rigid external standard. Once we drop this way of looking at ourselves and in stead see what abilities we have, we can get on with making the best use of our abilities for the larger good.
In deed that is the primary purpose of all our gifts.
Ganoba

Spiritual Cleaning

Once the cleaning process is set into motion some new channels open up.
We find new perspectives on cleanliness and dirtiness.
We find new areas to be cleaned.
Cleaning moves from external spaces, to the body, to the mind till the inner light begins to shine in its purity and brilliance.
what else is Nirvana, Satori or Samadhi?
Yes, inner cleaning seems to be indicated. May be giving up some of the things we imbibe as a matter of cultural or personal routine would be called for.
Ganoba

Visitors

THANKS FOR VISITING, STAYING ON AND BEING AN INSEPARABLE PART OF MY LIFE.
On my part, I keep the doors open, The rest I do not decide.
Some come in, some don't.
Some stay and some move on after one look.
A few, who have stayed, continue to enrich me with loving care.
Ganoba

Dealing with Difficulties

When faced with difficulty we give up whatever we are doing at that
point in time. Why don't we pause and allow the inner wisdom to guide
us? It will surely suggest the changes to be made. Usually they are
minor adjustments, nothing drastic, and something that we can take in
our stride quite easily.
Ganoba

Giving up Roles

Like every thing else that is born and follows a life cycle, roles also go through a life cycle. They are conceived are born, grow to their prime and then fade away into oblivion.
Just as individuals are born and eventually die but life, in its wholeness goes on endlessly, individual roles such as mother, father, manager, guru etc. are born and eventually end.
Tthe roles are taken over by some others because the task is never completed.
Unless you stop being the mother how would your girls get the chance to play the role of mothers and give it a new interpretation?
This is the way God's creation functions endlessly.
We by refusing to give up our roles (and other possessions) or by asking others to copy our role models, distort the smooth flow of life.
Let us assist God's work by giving up when the time comes.
with unending love
Ganoba

Faith and simplicity

If it be your will
then let anything happen
I will treat it as a gift
and rejoice in it.
To practice this unfailingly
day and night
sleeping or awake
strengthens faith,
removes all doubt.
What is left
is complete clarity
and utter simplicity.
Ganoba

Making a choice

God, our creator has given us the right and the ability to choose.
If we use the ability wisely then we would say,"no, thank you." every time a choice is presented to us.
When we make a choice, we declare that we are wiser than the creator.
Are we?
Ganoba

Human Rights

It is high time we examined the issue of human rights. Is there any reason why humans should have special rights denied to other living species?
Haven't we used these special rights to destroy the environment?
If we are serious about taking care of our environment we must examine the rights we claim for ourselves and give up some of them.
Ganoba

Being Present

Environment is to be taken in its totality, not only those aspects that are useful for human beings of a certain country, nationality, race or culture. These are ways in which we have cut up the environment into pieces and caused greavious harm to it.
In our arrogant foolishness we do not realise that this also causes irreversible damage to our humanness.
Engagement means the use of all the 5 senses of perception and all the 5 senses of action collectively, in a coordinated way.
If we do this then we experience the environment as a wonderfully supportive system.
This eliminates all day dreaming. This is being present.
Ganoba

Being Present

Being present means accepting all that comes our way
without classifying it in opposing categories.
If we just describe it as it is; not as good and/or bad,
then the present opens its treasures to us.
It is such a rich way of living.
Give it a go just once and enjoy the rewards for ever.
Ganoba

Looking Inwards

The looking I am referring to, is not with the external eyes. The external eyes have a narrow angle of vision. At the edges of this angle the vision is blurred and beyond it nothing at all. There is also a lot of distortion caused by mental blinkers.
This kind of looking is of no use to know the reality.
Turning inwards is dropping all preconceived notions, seeking no proof or validation, just letting it be.
Clarity appears mysteriously.
This is the "God alone knows" state.
Welcome.
Ganoba

Passing away

When someone passes away, we routinely perform verious rituals. Recently I was at the bedside of a dear friend who pssed away. In fact I helped her in taking the final step. I touched her feet gently and silently told her that it was time for her to move on to another space. I assured her that this space is sheer bliss and that there is nothing to fear. That it is time for her to give up the various social bonds that were holding her back. Somehow the assurance reached her and she stooped struggling. In a moment she had moved on.
The reactions of people around indicated the mindlessness that we cultivate in human society. Most considered it to be a tragedy and after a show of mourning, the grumbling, the bitching, the criticising, the bosting. started flying all around.
Someone passing away is an occassion to reflect on our beliefs about life and death, about relationships, about the purpose of coming to this world and so on.
If we do that then the occassion would be seen as a cause for celebration, as all events in life are.
Ganoba

Are Prayers answered.?

What is a prayer? It involves asking for a favour. 3 conditions have to be fulfilled for a requst to qualify as a prayer.
1. I have a need and have no power within my resources to fulfill it.
2. I find someone else who has the power to fulfill my need. This is often on faith with no foolproof evidence.
3.I make a humble request to the other to fulfill my wish/need. ( a rude order or command would not do.)
If these 3 conditions are fulfilled then the chances are that the wish would be fulfilled. The prayer would be answered. This is true whatever be the need; be it financial, health related or whatever.
Let us clear the basics and then all questions and controversies would be cleard.
Prayers are always made to a power beyond our comprehension and grasp. Often this power is called God.
Ganoba

Miracles

Do miracles happen? To answer this question we have to visit the meaning of the word miracle. What is a miracle? When an event falls outside the box of our current understanding and we have no valid explanation, we call it a miracle. This happens to all, be they scientists or philosophers or theologists or psychologists or whatever. At such times we might as well throw up our hands and say,"God only knows", which means the same as, "I don't know".Since our understanding of any issue is limited and would always remain so inspite of all the research going on, there will always be miracles.

Ganoba

Positive-Negative

How do we determine what is positive and/or negative?
Isn't it determined by reference to a predetermined value frame?
This blocks a thorough and in-depth examination of the phenomenon under study. for example is death positive or negative? whatever the answer be, it will prevent our knowing death (and life too) in its full glory.
Let us stay still and silent, letting the wonders of life to unfold.
Ganoba
ganobadate@gmail.com

Shared Ownership

What is a private space or private life? Consider the question in depth.
Can we live in a private world for any length of time?
Can we have every thing that we need in our homes, the so called private domain? If the answer was "Yes", then we need not have to venture out to the school, the market, the club or gym, the church, the hospital or the work place.
Even in the home we share the space with the family and friends. How can we then hold the notion that we can do what we please?
We have to take into consideration the needs and aspirations of others with whom we share the planet earth.
It is necessary and inevitable to understand the idea of shared ownership if we wish to live in peace and harmony, the way our Lord the master made it available to us.
This calls for stillness and silence.
Ganu

Who is an Atheist?

Who is an atheist?
The usual meaning is one who does not believe in God.
Among the so called believers is there a shared definition of God? No.
So what does an atheist not believe in?
So the real meaning of an atheist is a person who runs down others icons and heroes in a futile bid to show his/her superiority.
That does not mean he/she does not have is own icons and heroes whom he worships fanatically.
I, in my fairly long and eventful life have not come across a single atheist.
They all believe in some thing or the other and have their own icons, which are worshipped beyond reason.
A person without any belief system would be completely lost and cannot have a great time.
Ganoba

Cleaning up the mess

Clutter appears first in the mind. In fact the mind is almost entirely a clutter, a mess. When the mind can't hold it anymore and begins to cause malfunction in mental processes, then the clutter appears on the body and finally in the immediate surroundings at work and/or at home.
The remedial process has to take the opposite direction; last in, first out.
Cleaning up is not throwing away things or pushing them under the carpet. We have to put them back into circulation.
What happens to any one person effects all others too.Let us do the cleaning up together.
Ganoba

Staying Free

My right leg and right hand are not quite under my control since the stroke. They seem to be following another master. The rest of the system too does not seem to be functioning as well as before. I am trying out various things; excercises, accupressure, medicines, herbal remedies etc to improve the condition. It seems to be getting better for a while and then goes back to its own ways. This was disturbing for a while till it dawned on me that this is the way life functions, like a tidal wave, up and down.

The trouble is with our greedy expectations which want to see a constantly rising curve in our favour in the matter of both health and wealth. Towards this end we have developed many sophisticated systems and studies. They are advertised and marketed aggressively and we tend to fall for them. We also join the advertising teams as unpaid volunteers. I was also getting sucked in, in this commercial mayajal.

I have managed with great after to get out of this trap. It calls for continuing effort to say free and live simply.

Ganoba

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Ganoba

Life as it comes

What happens to me after I am gone, after I leave this body?

Who knows and who cares?

A lot of speculative stuff is out there in answer to these questions and it is called theology or philosophy or even science. some of it is interesting reading and a lot of it is quite boring. At least I find it so. I have stopped reading or listening to this stuff.

I am busy enjoying life as it comes.

Ganoba

A friend has been diagnosed with terminal cancer of the liver. The doctors give her about 6 months life. what audocity! Are the God to give life.

The doctors have no prognosis in such cases.
They just give up.
Left to ourselves, we have to call up faith into play. If we do so,the situation becomes bearable, even enjoyable and productive.
Let us not depend too much on the specialists.
Ganoba with love

Spiritual Journey

The notion of forward-backward and a steady progress is based on the erroneous notion of a linear journey.
Evolution is a spherical process, alternatively expanding and contracting, pulsating all the time.
In the spiritual journey we are going no where. We enjoy whatever we are given to the full.
The sun does not go anywhere. It appears to be doing so because the earth is rotating and revolving and we think we are still. In this age we still believe, as if, we are the center of the universe.
A more appropriate example would be the process of digesting food. Can we go on eating all the time? The period between meals is not a waste of time. During this time essential processes of digestion and assimilation are going on.
In God's scheme nothing is a waste. Every thing has its value.
Ganoba
ganobadate@gmail.com

A Quite Mind

Quite waters not only truly mirror things, but more importantly show us what is beneath them, without any distortion.A quite mind not only gives accurate feed back about the outside world, it shows us our true nature.
It is, therefore, important to cultivate a quite mind.
Ganoba

We organise a program from time to time during which we spend time with each other, at least a 24 hour period, when we go about our daily chores, singly and collectively, in complete silence, also called arya maun, when no verbal communication, spoken or written, is used.What we come to know about ourselves, about each other and about or various believes is enlightening and liberating.
try it out and see it for yourself.
Ganoba

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