Ecstatic Stories

Eptesicus

2020-05-16T17:07:00.001+05:30

EPTESICUS

"The shadows betray you when you try to adapt to the darkness, embrace the darkness and become a shadow of your own self."

In the physical world there exists a constant reflection of each one of us; one, that follows us whenever there is light. This doppelgänger of ours represents the darker half of ours which, sometimes, outruns our mortal form and forces us to face and reconcile the most deeper secrets and desires which otherwise, we wouldn't. The darkness always lurks where there is light to give us the grand illusion that only darkness is absolute.

Like the delicate high-pitched and goosebumps-inducing icy notes of a piano, life begins in tenderness. Being at the center of attention of others in close proximity inflicts the notion of self-righteousness and over-appreciation where all that the little one says is correct, by logic or by the powers of water and sound- moist sounds. As the being continues to grow, the circles increase in number, where once was the black and white of "I love this" and "I hate this", now intercalates a grey region of "I sometimes love/hate this" depicting the increasing complexity or inability of ourselves to distinguish and define things in absolutes. This added grey region forces the two absolutes further apart from each other which leads to a decrease in the radius of "I love this", which usually is still somehow restricted with the little being's isolated serene self or with some few close members and over time, this circle will be renamed as the inner circle in which the members are free to share themselves without any judgement. Over time this inner circle too will fall prey to the increasing list of inabilities of one to rise and face the consequences of ones actions, thus forcing the eviction of certain members from this elite group.

When one is confronted with things that aren't in his/her control, something greater than simple act of yelling or fighting the mortal physical illusions but a more deeper, sinister battle of wits in which the ultimate loser is the self itself manifests and the wounds gained after far outweigh the ones achieved during this confrontation as the scars, being the constant reminder they are, fail the bearer to forget ones own actions and toll the bells for future rematch. Every act, no matter how significant or miniscule, has a consequence which presents itself during times when we are at our weakest. In a way, the shadows exist to keep us in check when we feel the blazing sun looking down on us, trying to intimidate from two dimensions while melting our very self. The shadows follow us when gleam and glory is in front of us, it is during these days of heightened glory that our deeds feed our shadows. The same shadows block our paths when people behind us radiate or when our path, was glorious.

Perception is the fundamental problem associated with shadow for it is always changing to suit our taste, as opposed to the subject. It is a mere image projected by tweaks in our circle and should the demons be intimidating, we can always change the direction towards one where we may find redemption, solace and salvation. The movement of any living entity in the world is motivated by two things, either towards something that is benefiting or away from something detrimental and it ultimately comes our judgement to decide whether we choose to embrace the glorious future or the darker past. The present is meaningful because only it has the power to learn from the past and dictate a future that is fitting for the being. Like a dog chasing cars, some acts that may seem mundane to others may be of paramount importance to some and may finally guide people towards their better self that is more conscious, confident and most importantly- is at peace with its past where the shadows do not bother him/her anymore.

The shadows intimidate those who deliberately fail to acknowledge or make peace with the evils of their pasts which, in hindsight is a blessing in disguise. The ones that are unaffected by the shadows or the dark are the ones to be looked upon as they hide their sorrows and grief in plain sight which, due to the lack of light, aren't obvious to others. It is the strength of life to always look at what is ahead of us, which is why we walk towards what we see and leave the world- only this time we watch the high skies above and not the grounds below, for it is, the circle of life.

“Memories warm you up from the inside. But they also tear you apart.” Haruki Murakami

Reunited

2019-01-16T02:15:00.005+05:30

REUNITED

"He, who commands our lives is the one who suffers the most from our uncertain outbursts."

We all need a break from ourselves. The constant longing for a long-overdue vacation from the vagaries of the world. A form of escapism from the constant bickering and the unlawful laughter of the maniacs that both- unite and divide the world, our world. Funny word, world is; it can mean one of the nine, sorry eight, planets or a single person pretending to be an entire planet. Much like the planets, a single-man's world consist of the oceans, the mountains, the grounds and the skies with mother nature being the true nature of the man's inner sanctum. There is the comforting warmth of the sun that provides the necessary energy to work as well as to melt away all the dreadful hopes and fears. Then there's the moon providing ample guiding light to the place where we can finally rest and wait for the sun to rise again. The clock turns and forces the calendar to change and-cycle repeats and we are all caught in a loop in such a horrendous workaday-schedule.

The chirping birds on a bright summer morning welcome us to an amusing day. Sometimes the clouds of rain unexpectedly turn up scaring the birds who crawl to the nearest tree for shelter. The sweet poetic irony of life is when we run away from the problems that we are responsible for forces us to run towards home whereas, the spontaneous natural problems drive us away from home. The ominous thunder send chills down the spine of the little bird-lings. There is nothing to be done except wait the passing of the storm. Storms bring separation that lead to isolation accompanied by numbness leading to stupefaction and the ultimate tears leading to more tears. It is the tears that linger the most for they are the result of their own cause and solution. Everything leading to a tear also ends in a tear. The word 'tears of joy' is a clever and a glorified example of how we enjoy being fooled by the semantics. Tears of joy are same as tears of sorrow for the former are a result of us accepting the fact that the situation would never arise again and the latter is us condemning why such a situation arose in the first place. One deals with why things began as they did and the other with why it ended as it did. Either way, it is only in the middle of such situations that we find ourselves to be crying. We never enjoy our own birth or demise but the momentary illusion of consciousness that passes in the blink of an eye. Maybe we should blink our eyes alternately so we are caught in the loop forever. Nevertheless, we neither enjoy the birth of something nor its end. It is the middle part, where we find ourselves in the eye of the storm that we actually make our contribution- crying. Perhaps this is why it rains during the storms. Once, the storm passes the damage inflicted by it is looked upon. The sudden exposure light after days of darkness may lead to blindness or some permanent damage to the vision in the long-term. This was just a story of one tiny corner in one part in one of the worlds. Imagine different weathers in different parts of the world at once and multiply it with the number of worlds a person has.

Where once it was barren now is fertile, when once it rained now its in draught- that is the beauty of weather and climate in the world. However, the core principles- water being wet, fire being hot and the winds being seductive- hold true for they are the core values preserved deep within the inner sanctum. Only when there is an alchemy among things of opposite nature- that disaster strikes! Every disaster leads to the creation of something spectacular. But no matter how much we try, the day must end in night and the night must end in day. It is almost if mother nature wants us to always remember that the morally opposites always attract while the identical-s are always inert. The two thrive and yearn, simply to be reunited.

"If you go back to your home town or you're reunited with school friends, its always slightly bittersweet because as much as there's nice things in terms of seeing them again, the town has changed without you, and you're no longer a part of it." - Edgar Wright

Something Just Like This

2017-04-13T21:45:00.000+05:30

SOMETHING JUST LIKE THIS

"Set your eyes on something far greater than you can fathom and watch yourself being consumed by the realms of suffering and torture- to reinvent yourself." - Arpit Shukla

One of the joys of being a child is to have bare minimum prerequisite for friendship. Being on the same porch or sharing similar affection towards something is only thing that they require. As the age dons upon them, they get stuck upon the requirements part of a friendship and thus, find it difficult to make new friends with ease. And then, comes a momentary speck where they see the remnants of their unfulfilled wishes in the eyes of those miniature drooling creatures. We earn only the things we yearn for. And as we come upon those who possess such a thing, a feeling of extreme resentment thunders upon us. A cute example of this could be an action figure of a superhero in the hands on a dear stranger, as witnessed by the child.

Jealousy is the walking stick of success while resentment are its shoes. Both help a person to remain grounded during his quest for greatness. Used wisely, the results can outdo expectations. There is an element of overconfidence but that's a different topic unto it. Of course, some grown men wish for things far greater than the superheroes they grew up with. The insatiable thirst for greatness and perfection is a tool for torture of such tormented souls. The feeling of self-depreciation is not as dangerous as it is when compounded with the sense of over-appreciation of others.

To be the center of attention of something great is what fuels the desires of men. Whether it is with wearing a mask or being crude in their full glory- depends on them. Success of course, isn't an overnight stroke of genius. It takes a plethora of dominoes of to-do tasks, while avoiding the empty voids of negativity that true success is achieved. It isn't as much about knocking down the pieces of steps-of-achievement as it is about surviving the fall in those voids. Thus, it requires constant attention and motivation to cross the domino river. I often convince myself by setting or rather resetting my desires to better tune-in with my current state. Simply put, once you set a goal for yourself and once you achieve it- set another goal, a much difficult one. It is only when you are drenched with your own sweat that a gym workout can be considered successful. More importantly, it is the ability to be consistent in what you do that defines you and weaves a part of you in the vast canvas of the universe. Obviously, it would still be a dot but that particular spatial coordinates will belong exclusively to you.

Satisfaction is the elixir of any desire. Whether it comes after or before glory is subjective. But it is what drives our abilities and our wit in achieving the goal. And once something is achieved, another domino river awaits him. It is the urge to outperform oneself that greatness is achieved. The thought of being someone larger-than-self act as turbo boosters for the new level of the game. It is in this moment, of sheer brutal rampage of true yearning that we ask ourselves for something just like this.

"Desire is the key to motivation, but it's determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal- a commitment to excellence- that will enable you to attain the success you seek." - Mario Andretti

Before Dawn

2016-05-27T16:19:00.003+05:30

BEFORE DAWN

“Some nights are made for torture, or reflection, or the savoring of loneliness.” - Poppy Brite

The night is an amazing alchemist, it's the drug that relieves us of all pain. The night ends with a person closing the eyes, blackening of the world. The night belongs to the poets, the artists, the passionate ones, even the murderers. The day belongs to the workers- the producers, night to the inventors. The fire in their minds eclipse the darkness of the night. A faint sound of a vacuum consumes the mind and elicits a response. All evil, fears and dangers lurk in the minds of the men(humans) at night. Technically, dawn is the 'first appearance of daylight' but as is the case with all words-it has many underlying meanings.

People return home after a day's work, all drained and tired. They need to 'unwind' i.e. a way in which the spent energy could be regained. Energy, as we know, can neither be created nor can it be destroyed. Therefore it is only logical to spent the energy prudently. A person always diverges towards sleep, into the hush of the night, the harmonizing of the conscious and the subconscious. This is where-'night' comes into action. The apparently soulless world acts as a perfect catalyst. All that a person needs to know is , to close the eyes. Glimpses of the day-gone-by flashes in front of the closed ocular. If a graph could be plot, this shall be the period of latency- the low bar. The brain then emphasizes upon a crucial aspect of the day that might have left its mark, this is the peak. The thoughts linger upon this particular 'scene', as I put it. The scene could be joyous or sorrowful. It persists for quite an amount of time. Some people are so disturbed by it that they wake up sweating bullets.

The silence of the night dons various sentiments. It toys with the involuntary mind in a way that it dictates the following day. Our defenses weaken just before we are about to enter the wonderland. Perhaps, a way of the nature Force, to finally make us come to terms with ourselves rather than running away from it all. The paralysis removes the resistance that we may pose, to hinder the penultimate meeting with ourselves. We dream of what we want to do, either by lucid dreaming or by quilting the subconscious with our desires. Be it a dream to sing, to dance, to invent, to innovate etc., it always begins with a dream. As the flashes of both worlds- the days-gone-by and the day-to-come, come into contact with each other, a feature film is produced. The actors are those we came across, the days-gone-by, the director is the brain, the day-to-come. And during the entire phenomenon, we lose the power to refuse to sit through a painful story. Maybe because it is based on true story, in the brutally truest manner. The truth can be a powerful weapon, of choice, that can burden the wings of a bird and make it lose its gift of flying or. It can also be strong pharos of hope. Whichever it may be, for a limited time it disconnects the wires of the brain that connects it with the realms of reality. Add to this recipe, a pinch of creativity and imagination and the film en routes to a blockbuster. The current scenario of a franchise development is a mirror to our subconscious. When you know what makes you happy, you want to achieve that high, repeatedly.

That said about dreams, let us digress towards the nightmares. The nightmares are the involuntary, the indispensable fears that project themselves when we are at our weakest. They are capable of breaking a person's reasoning, if not dealt with. It always results from the feelings of anxiety, fatigue. We are born runners, as toddlers as well as adults. We tend to run away from the things that question our authority, our importance and even our existence. As dangerous as it might sound, it can be dealt with. The potency of our mind is not restricted by our spurious notion of 'always being in control'. Consciously we might rush away from the monsters of our minds but, at night we understand the fragility of a living being- loneliness. The world we created, the one we want to live in, is governed by the bulk that surrounds itself by the cranial fortress. As we finally face the reality, the imaginative monsters; we panic. Thus, hypertension, dilation of the blood vessels and shortness of breaths follow. That's the maximum exercise one can get while lying down, like a vegetable, only living. The society of bones and tissues then becomes, a mere biosphere for the millions of the microorganisms inhabiting it. Suspiciously, the word 'lie' is a double entendre. We can also lie lying down and also lie down and lie. One can lie all day or lie all day. Depending on the intention of the user, it can be a double-edged sword.

As we transit from one REM cycle to the next, we have an interval in-between. No one truly knows what the brain plans for the next screening, but it shall undoubtedly be important. The deepest desires, the scariest of fears manifest themselves while we remain supine for hours. The night truly holds the secrets of the men for it witnesses the veracious human being, in all their wildness. The men, who change their behavior with the change of their inhabitant dominion, akin to the turning of the night into the day. The two different sides of the coin is what makes a coin worthy, provides it with identity. We are who we are, and who we want to be; we require only to be aware of the truer self, if not- it shall be revealed to us right before dawn.

“Let every dawn of morning be to you as the beginning of life, and every setting sun be to you as its close.” - John Ruskin

Praying With Anger

2016-05-26T16:59:00.001+05:30

PRAYING WITH ANGER

GREAT EXPECTATIONS

"Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured." - Mark Twain

Human being is a fascinating creation, especially the naughty mind inside the solid dome. The resident of the skull is blessed with a lot of arrogance, it never wants to feel sub-par. So when things go according to the King-dome(pun intended), it literally believes itself to be the King. It rubbishes the claims of existence of any higher authority, which is otherwise, felt by the others. Some well taught children obey their peers and not only do they believe in the higher authority, they even look up to it and believe of them as their well-wisher companion. They grow on to be the highly content of the beings. The agnostics, on the other hand, spend their lives under stress, of questioning anything & everything. Give a dark alley to a believer and a non-believer to cross and see the results. The non-believer always has a few doubts but, the confident non-believer shall outperform the believer because s/he analyzes the situation before acting. The believer, no matter the senses or analyses, shall cross it with the faith s/he possess.

We all lead dual lives, one which we are conscious of and the one which we are submissive of. Sometimes, we make something work that we weren't expected to and, we let others believe that we can do a lot more. The ability to notice such abilities is appreciable, to appreciate them is even more so. It is wise to be well informed and well acquainted with one's capabilities, but such wise men lack the element of surprise, that is to surprise themselves and others. Perhaps the wise do not believe in the power of a surprise, or maybe they do and intentionally refrain from it. Whatever the case be, to the outside world, a person always carries with him/her- a bag full of expectations. Consider this, a barely an-year old infant can count backwards from 10 to 1 in under 30 seconds. When the parents find out about it they, naturally, get ecstatic and motivate the child to do more. Motivation can be a strong thing, for the uninitiated. It acts as a driving force, to use that extra ounce of energy and put it to a constructive use. This might lead to either; the person becoming stronger, mentally, or the person losing all hope, should one fail to produce the expected outcome. Expectations lead to the impossible, to make them un-impossible. There seldom exists any emotion, feeling which one experiences when, accomplishing the goal set for the self. The heart leaps higher, and the self confidence increases. The person then, enters the illusion of being a paramount. The feeling of being invincible takes over, add to it the swift constructing ego and you have the ideal self. Interestingly, the Star Wars villains are addressed as the "Supreme" leader/commander. And like those villains, unrealistic, over-ambitious, over-possessive expectations do not end well for the expect-ator. Achievements leads to great expectation and we usually end up expecting from others what we failed to achieve.

Whether it is looking in the mirror after a sweaty workout, in hopes of finding a newly swollen nerve or a beefed muscle; or getting ready for an occasion to match every crease of the cloth with the accessories, whenever we meet someone, we have an inherent set of expectations associated with it, specifically the person. In the mirror analogy, we are the person we are about to meet- a mirror image, quite literally. Sometimes, things don't always go according to the plan, do they? This is the part where one of mans most primal emotions comes into play - ANGER. Anger possesses quite a quanta of energy, usually directed towards self-/destructive activities. Men burn in rage, viz. the higher form of anger, and it takes a toll on them; both- physically & mentally. The mind is like a stagnant water river flowing with a constant flow but even rivers can turn rogue! Anger can be elicited by virtually anything. The suffocating/suppressed feeling of not being able to express, being dwarfed by another being or even a meager taunt which lacks the innocent panache that accompanied it during its deliverance. People burn in fury, they get consumed by the energy that a fire brings with it. Suddenly, we have the bizarre version of a once perfectly sane person. Unless we understand the root cause of this temporal change in the person, it should be considered a felony to talk about the superficiality of it.

It is during the darkest of times when the beacon of hope lights the brightest. The empirical, instinctive calling that any person has, during the hours of distress, is that of Praying. There is always an abstract or another human or a philosophy that every person holds high above everything else, the faith in it is what compels a person to look up to it during testing times. While praying is pristine, it is more about the self than the abstract. When we pray, we face the facts as they are. Ergo, in a way, we are consoling ourselves of the dire situation and, are asking for a divine intervention to escape the conscious realms of the world. What goes around, comes around with the added angular momentum and terminal velocity- especially when in the direction of gravity. Some famous religions believe that every human being holds the key to the answers to mysteries of the universe and that, it is the consciousness of the person that burdens the knowledge and replaces it with shallow information. Admitting to pray does not label a person to be an orthodox. Rather, it is a way of learning more about the self, in all its wildness. But when we do share our worries with the One, who are we talking to at that time? It is us. Extending this cynical logic, we are asking for help to ourselves, who led us to the situation that, made us look and ask for help. If you represent the last line in a diagrammatic form, you'd reach a 0. And this, 0, is what is the truth of life. Everything is cyclical, even change. And nothing is a permanent as change.

Ultimately, it turns out that, knowing the self is what life is all about. Some call it a journey, others say it's a voyage. Whichever you might abide by, just peek outside for a view from the voyager before praying as even; praying with anger has some great expectations associated with it.

"Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed." - Alexander Pope

The Theory Of Everything

2015-10-16T20:49:00.001+05:30

THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING

"Everyone is self centered, its just the radius that varies." - House, M.D.

With the first ever quote from a fictional character in any of my posts, I start a post that I hope can prove to be my humble quintessence to those that actually absorb what I write. At some point in our lives we came across the most fundamental question of all, how did it all began on Earth, in the Universe? What was the Zero Hour on Earth like? What or Who am I? et cetera. Whether we choose to feed our curiosity with facts and theories is in the volition of the person himself. I'd been looking up some of the fascinating textual creations that enabled me to look for the answers in the right direction- the Scientific one. As a man of science, it's been instinctive to me to get things known by the means of logic and science.

I'd like to start the discussion with the most controversial, as well as the most popular facet of Space Science- the Black Hole. To understand the Black Hole, we must acknowledge the process of turning of a Star into a Black Hole. Amusingly we talk about Peace in the world, the harmony amongst the living and somehow we've linked 'death' with being 'at peace'. Hell, we even have a prestigious award on Peace, quite Nobel. It begins when the fuel that power the stars, runs out. The formation of Black Hole begins with the death of a Star, the Supernova phenomenon. The Star explodes & as a result the heavier atoms fall into the core of the star. Imagine a 1x1 cm piece of anything, say Iron. Now, add to it the weight of about a thousand blue whales. That's how dense the core of the star becomes after Supernova. This core is now, the Black Hole.

The universe as we know it, is bound by 4 dimensions, the space-time; x,y,z Cartesian coordinates, Time. The Black Hole has the ability to bind this space-time. We've heard/seen or surprisingly for some, read about the phenomenon of bending of light around such a gigantic Black Hole. Talk about the cyclic 'beginning of the end and the end in the beginning' paradox. No, that statement wasn't a tongue twister. It's just the way of life as it is, break something to create something. Fissions on the Sun yield the energy necessary for the Fusion of Hydrogen atom. Nothing can escape the Black Hole, similar to how a child behaves in a candy store. Matter does not have parents to drag the other matters away from the overwhelming gravity, hence the parents join their kids in a journey towards the other side of darkness- literally. The first thing this family will encounter will be of the Event Horizon, nothing can help bring them back beyond this point. Like jumping in the Niagara Falls won't provide one with an opportunity to return mid-air. However, it shall not affect the observer on the outside. Passing through the Event Horizon, the family of atoms shall now visualise and experience their Spaghettification (Noodle effect). As appetizing as it may seem, it is an event where they experience the distortion of spacetime. Any matter/object shall be stretched and ripped apart due to the strong gravitational pull. This is what the Star experienced. Eventually, they reach the Singularity point. This is the point, the core of the Black Hole.

Modifying the previously stated example, now imagine the weight of a thousand blue whales in 1x1 mm piece of matter, except that there is no Cartesian space dimension here. No shape, no size, no dimension of this core with infinite density. Some scientists have till now proposed this Singularity as the starting point of the Big Bang. Such a violent beginning to a life that pleads global peace, spectacular. There are always a bunch of kids, people that choose to not follow the straight path. This luxury of Choice comes in handy as it led to the discovery of the phenomena of Hawking Radiation. As our family decided to go in for a picnic, their relatives thought otherwise and decided to go about in the opposite direction. These rebellious virtual particles appear and disappear almost immediately. They do not undergo the Event Horizon. This has been speculated as, the particles emitted from the Black Hole. Since I've used the word Black Hole so many times, rebellious as we are, we speculate the existence of the White Holes. Simply put, White Holes exist and are the exact opposite of Black Holes. To complicate it, White Holes exist at the Singularity- core of Black Hole, and replicate the events of Event Horizons at the opposite end. Hence beyond the Event Horizon, while nothing can escape out of the Black Hole; nothing can enter inside the White Hole. No single unit in the universe is capable of emitting massive energies so, Black Holes must emit this energy somewhere- the White Hole. There exists rotating mammoth Black Holes in our own galaxy, that has resulted in the creation of the Gravitational Waves across the planets and celestial objects in it. The gravitational force that we experience on Earth is a result of such chaotic(if by Chance) or contrived(if by Choice). I guess wherever we go, the Choice and Chance paradox never leaves us alone. Talk about harmony, at such a cosmic pinnacle!

The point of this somewhat-scientific post is to create curiosity, draw parallels to what we experience in life. There exist a myriad of metaphors in nature. For example, people usually dwell on their past a lot. They're usually advised to 'move-on' with their lives. Gravitational time dilation is an another interesting concept, the time slows down at the points with higher gravity as the ticking hand of the clock has more opposing force. Now, whatever we see is due to the reflection of the sunlight on that particular bunch of matter, hence, if I'm looking at someone right now- it is due to the travelling of the light from quite some time ago with the integral gravitation phenomena. Now take another example, the shadow. The light travels from the Sun, through the space and the gravitational pull back to us- but is stopped short by no other entity than us. We stop the light to pass through and thus the shadow is created. The deeds of our present shall once become our past and in turn affect out future. We are present, the light is from the past and the shadow is in the future. But as the gravitational wave has gifted the heavenly objects to revolve and rotate, it makes sure that the spotlight does not always fall back on the same person. After all, change is the only constant.

In todays time, we often confuse knowledge with information. Wikipedia or Google provides us with the information that the fire is hot, knowing not to put your hand in one is knowledge. The genetic material passed along to the offspring is mere information. So what about the information that went inside the Black Hole? Drifting back to the science of information, let us now go through the Black Hole Information Paradox. Imagine you writing something important and tearing it apart. These shreds of paper now lie on your desk. The paradox dictates that the information carried on that piece of paper still exists, though in a different and an interrupted puzzle form. What happens when we attend a lecture? We listen to the orator, and once the concept is understood, we move on and forget the other discussions that took place in the lecture. However, the information is passed on to a group of students, not a single student shall have the memory to remember the exact information- the way it was passed. So where does the paradox lie? The paradox lies in the retrieval of this information. How can we put together the minute pieces of the grand puzzle that hold the key to Everything in the universe? Surely, the One created quite the Magnum Opus to not be easily accessible to the un-awakened. How can an information passed on and resting in the Singularity where no coordinates exist, be converted into the mortal and humble world of ours? An explanation was given by the magnificent String Theory. To summarise it in one sentence, every particle, atom in the universe is believed to resemble the string. When you hit this string, it simultaneously exists in many dimensions at once. Sadly and aptly, this hasn't yet been proven. The other one involves a series of complex algorithms for the amplification of this information similar to those used for the conversion of 2D information into a 3D hologram. And we thought Star Wars was just another means of entertainment!

We use our 5 basic senses in addition to over 18 senses to pick and analyse this information as signals. Man is supposed to be a spiritual being that should thrive to understand the very processes that led to the existence of the humble and a bit narcissistic self. We are all trying to achieve peace, the penultimate peace shall not be anything less than answer, 'How did it all began?' Of course there can't be a single answer to the question but, wouldn't it be better to have many answers and a few questions? Probably not. We need a constant migration towards perfection. Perfection can be achieved only when we know everything that the 'perfect' thing needs. Answering the very existential questions can be a step ahead in this direction. Ultimately what that answer we get can be either of Chance or Choice, and the same shall determine what we believe as The Theory of Everything.

"Not only does God play dice, but... he sometimes throws them where they cannot be seen." - Stephen Hawking

Where We Are Going

2015-10-14T18:40:00.003+05:30

WHERE WE ARE GOING

“For everything you have missed, you have gained something else, and for everything you gain, you lose something else.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Change is a phenomenon that includes the conversion of anything into something. Paradoxical notion suggests that nothing is as permanent as change, surely. By this, even change must change. A seed germinates into a specific plant/tree. The change is brought upon by several factors. These factors can be anything materialistic to abstract. Again, in keeping with the tradition of my previous posts I've to bring in the 'mind' factor. The factors for bring about the change are guided by the conscious thought process of ours, based on the final outcome. When we let the ends justify the means, we let ourselves to be indifferent to the methods. Every time we leave home or the then-current coordinates, we create a nonentity. This void had since been occupied by our destination.

Amusing how the Golden Ratio set an epitome of the perfect symmetry in things around us, and us, and yet, science dictates that the world is a result of an imbalance in nature between the matter and the antimatter. Boldly put, science suggests that there isn't a proper balance between the two. Both have equal magnitude of potential yet have been directed against each other, leading to the destruction of both. Now, it seems what we lack here is the direct relation between balance and symmetry. Balance is the equal distribution of two things, symmetry means the exact reflection of the other half when an equally dividing plane is passed. It has been mentioned at length in some highly metaphoric texts that; to lead a peaceful life, there must be harmony among the various emotions in us. Without this the life becomes chaos and exists as noise in the universe. So is our existence, the very cosmos or the extragalactic nebula- a noise? The matter would have destroyed the antimatter in its due course so, how is it that the universe exists? Was this imbalance pre-planned, if so then by what/whom? There are always more questions than the answers. What we forgot to consider here are the factors. The distance, time between the matter and the antimatter. It maybe probable that the antimatter might be approaching our matter-istic world. By the way, I find it funny that 'matter' and 'material' appear and sound so similar, they look cute with the suffix 'istic'. They even share the same symmetry, 3/4 letters on either side. Maybe when we believe that the 'matter' is 'real', we call it a 'material', cutting down a little repetitive 't'. I wish I could cut some 't's in the previous statement. Of course, our perception of 'real' is subjective to change- rial; no, not the Arabic currency. Such subtle hints inspire us to form the homophonic and familiar homo words, tell us about the gravity of the actual phenomena.

We tend to maintain harmony between what we effectively see/observe/feel and the expression we use for it. So when we are leaving some- thing/place/one, we use the word that signifies the creation of a nonentity. Similarly, when we are reaching some- place/thing/one, we want to signify completion. So in a way, our final destination is always from being rudimentary to being absolute. The notion of 'perfection', that any specified creation of ours must be self sufficient. To achieve this perfection, we begin our journey. But then again, to know what is complete we must be well acquainted with what is incomplete. This is why there's competition and also where Darwin's Survival of the Fittest holds true. The key to last long in a fight, to keep the head above the water level- survive. Surely it has been glamourized at varying lengths in recent cinematographs; The Dark Knight Rises, Arrow (TV), Lost (TV) etc. An organism shall do anything to survive, even the things it never believed itself to be capable of. Hence, we combine this instinct of survival, with the competition to justify the rotation of the planets. Some call it progress, change; Darwin felt that 'evolution' was the custom-fit term for it. This migration from incomplete to complete can be simply put as the expedition from imperfection to perfection. But there must be a balance. We need the idiots to make ourselves look intelligent. The hunter must have something to hunt. Little do they have an idea that, sometimes the hunted 'improvises' and hunts the hunter. We are ultimately the captives of our minds where the imagination is the only salvation.

We don't have the claws but we improvised and created instruments that could give us an edge over the wild. The jungle law was ultimately defeated and overwhelmed by the civilian law. Whether we believe that it's all, a part of a bigger plan; the nature evolves- one step at a time.

Always, the next step will be other than the ones taken before (that would be deemed cheating). At the same time it'll make sure that the clay remains to remind us of the footsteps we'd taken in the past. To remind us of the number of steps, type of steps (covered/naked legs) etc. we took to reach the paramount position of the present. This ability of nature, its creations to go towards evolution- for the betterment is what I think is responsible for the imbalanced harmony that exists among us.

One can rest assured that the path of sublimation, for redemption & melioration of our current selves and the one that lies beyond the obvious is Where We Are Going.

"Do not go gentle into that good night, old age should burn and rave at the close of day; rage, rage against the dying of the light." - Dylan Thomas

The Feast of Starlight

2015-10-13T09:50:00.001+05:30

THE FEAST OF STARLIGHT

"Deep in their roots, all flowers keep the light." - Theodore Roethke

It begins when the sun sets into the west, taking away the scorching light from the Earthlings. Darkness lurks, the birds return to their nests and the animals look for shelter. Looking up in the sky, there's a white bulb with a powerful halo around it, farther are the small twinkling bright entities, the stars. There comes a time when the moon shies away and the darkness eventually overwhelms the night. It is at this, the darkest moments that, the starlight guides us just as it guides a ship. The star, in singularity, is just a tiny dot in the canvass of the universe. But united as stars, they're like the diamonds of the universe- adding to it's astounding enormity.

While all that glitters isn't gold, it sure does catch ones attention. Similarly in life, we have such diamonds- memories. Memories can either be cherish-able or perishable. More than the actual events of the memory, it's the essence of it that really dwells and persists under the umbrella of 'memory'. Being living beings, it is never as simple as one, two .. There's always a complex algorithm behind the actions and thoughts that we have. Memory is just time standing still. Cherish-able are the ones we wish to reoccur, inverse is true for perishable. We choose the memory in the former, it refuses to give a choice in the latter. At every stage in life, we create levels to satisfy ourselves. Ask a child to choose from the toys s/he has and you might probably end up uploading the entire episode on YouTube. Ask the same child the same things, a decade later- somehow the ending of Toy Story 3 comes into my mind. Quite an heart-warming moment, to part from the toys that span the entire childhood. That's the circle of life, everything that has a beginning has an end, The Matrix Revolutions really took it seriously. What was once ours will be of someone else. To stress it a little more, to create space for something- there must be vacuum. A specific time-space occupied by someone must make way for other things. This is how emotion makes use of our memories.

The memories are the 'cookies' of our lives, we pass through the doors that lead to a memory in the making. Emotions are the lightings in the room. The more happier or joyful the event, the brighter is the lighting. Joyful ones are brighter, available in a variety of colours. The warmth can melt the igloo. It's almost like the wondrous world of the famous boy wizard, Harry Potter, where the lamps light up as he walks by. Our emotions too, get affected in the same way. But by extending this cynical logic, the sorrowful events must have darkness, thus being invisible. Hence, we pile the painful experiences as one- dark. While we can spot the things near us, after closing our eyes- this increases the complexity. Imagine, see the objects near you once and close your eyes. What do you see? Able to at least point the location of the object? So this memory, though temporary, has associated itself with space. Coming back to the sorrow, it means that every memory that is now dark- had light on it at some point in time. Reflection of the object due to the light made it possible for us to see things in the first place. It was only until we closed our eyes that the darkness overwhelmed. Not trying to be Socrates but, this could then means that it is the perception of ours that dictates our emotions and thus, the memories. Perceive it as being painful, the first failure will always linger. Smile and deprive the world of a little pain.

Few years back one of the recent cult movies was released, Shutter Island, where the protagonist is shown to have stuck on an inescapable island- no matter the efforts, it can't be conquered. I personally believe that, we all live on our own shutter islands. There's always a place, a person we'd rather go back to at the end of the long day before the goodnight sleep than be alone. And after being on the expressway of our lives, there is always a singular moment or an event or a memory to return to; there's always a place in time, in our own space-time, in the corners of our minds that we'd escape to from the tangible present. Sometimes the present becomes too overwhelming, so much that the consciousness becomes a luxury. And just before the long night- the last goodbye, we experience the greatest flashback of our lifetime, we experience the Feast of Starlight.

"Memory itself is an internal rumour." - George Santayana

What Happens Instead

2015-04-02T01:19:00.002+05:30

WHAT HAPPENS INSTEAD

"We never live, we are always in expectation of living." - Voltaire

In the beginning there was just darkness and then a wise form of energy proclaimed, "let there be light'. Let me start this post with a critical thinking point: is there light to conquer darkness or does the darkness overwhelm the light? It is no secret that the universe, in terms of physics, is unbalanced (the matter/anti-matter). So it's a part of life to find balance in unbalanced systems, as is to find order in chaos?

As masses of energy, we too have a particular equilibrium. This is usually when we are saturated with ourselves, the desires equate the accomplishments. Man without desire is one with the universe but on the other hand, one with desire has a lot to thrive for its own survival. Speculate the consequences when 2 such people meet. It shall be something on the outlines of, as the Joker said, 'an unstoppable force meets an immovable object'. Two contrasting backgrounds can be deemed as an opportunity to complement by an optimist and as a call for isolation by a pessimist. During childhood, many of the stories pertaining to greed had glorified the feelings of jealousy. "Why should the next person have something more than me?" Jealousy, thus leads to greed and eventually the reason to be self-less transfigures into a being of a lesser self. Let's consider, arguably, the greatest of all traits responsible for the personality divides: Introversion (I) and Extroversion (E). In a conventional scenario, an extrovert gets the attention of the world but the introvert actually gets most of the respect. Within oneself, both want a piece of either's gains. Nobody wants to lose anything. This wish can be a driving force for the people to work harder, smarter. We wish for a better, easier, simpler tomorrow. This takes us to a paradox; if there is actually a scope of improvement in everything- what is perfection, and when is it achieved? Pondering on such a question is a call for many sacrifices to be made in the future by the self.

The Yin-Yang portray the good-in-evil and the evil-in-good philosophy. Children are innocent, they cry, dance, sing with all the ecstasy that we can fathom and thus a child considers every person a gentle soul for it thinks that it resonates with its own self. A lawful judge on the other hand, tries to find the true essence of murkiness in people- the lies, betrayals that one attempts to hide. But at any point in life, all the 'adults' want to relive those uninhibited moments they had as a child. So, the circle of our wishes continue: a child wants to grow up and the grown-ups want their childhood back. A person who is observant and quick to judge can usually rely on his judgement, which may turn out to be true in most cases while the other person who is a believer of perceiving things that s/he thinks are as they are might find itself in a situation, crying out to polish or rather develop h-is/er judgmental skills. Maybe that's why common phrase, "Didn't see that coming." still exists.

Being one-sided has never benefited anybody, it is always aspired to broaden and indulge into various horizons of life. Too much sweetness can be a cause for throwing up. Factorial experiments can inform us about the significance that a particular factor has upon our actions, the more factors we bring in- greater are the chances of an imbalance amongst its variables. Here comes in the principle of harmony. Let the varying factors be closer to some standard, imaginary criteria. One may not want to be completely inclined towards a particular field while being completely or partially oblivious to the existence of the another. The universe works in a consortia of many factors/variables. Aren't we affected by the day and the night as much as with our sleep? We plan many things, maybe unknowingly, by the influence of the sum of various factors. As we grow up, these factors become integral to our decision making. We yearn and yearn with every passing day for something that we do not have, while so callously we overlook the things that we are in possession of, at that moment. Try to achieve peace and you may find your most precious gift, yet.

I think now I can safely bring this topic to full circle and culminate that- it doesn't matter what happens, what matters the most is What Happens Instead.

"The best things in life are unexpected - because there were no expectations." - Eli Khamarov

Life Piled On Life

2015-04-01T00:59:00.000+05:30

LIFE PILED ON LIFE

"We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master." - Ernest Hemingway

A person gets up in the morning, gets ready for work. Works throughout the day, returns. Eats, has some relaxation and ultimately sleeps. During the course of the day we interact with many other supposed fellow human beings and their creations.

The mornings - most vital part of the day. We are most energized during this time of the day, although, not immediately after waking up. Some of us plan the entire day while doing the daily mundane chores. Leave for work, for some- home is the place of work but the person gets into the mind frame to work, nevertheless. Things sometimes go according to the plan, sometimes they do not. In fact, the incidences of the day is what creates a tentative outline of what the day holds. Run into an argument with someone and there's the shadow of doubt on self's ability for the entire day. Likewise, help some one in need & feel blessed. The ability, efficiency & productivity of our work depends largely on the activities of the morning which is why, offices open up almost during the same time period throughout the globe i.e. ~8 am. Potency of our mind dictates the quality of our work. We meet our colleagues, our superiors and subordinates at the workplace. Not enough chitchat with them in the morning we have, do we. It's because our mind is in a particular 'comfort zone' of its work and within the proximity of it, it really wants to perform well.

Mind is a funny thing, it has a mind of its own which is pretty egoistic. It never wants to bow down in front of anybody, no matter how just it is. It tries to adjust the facts to fit a theory in which the reasoning of it prevails over all. So when we meet other people as the day progresses, it starts to ease up a little and the comfort zone is then gradually transforming into the casual zone. But there isn't any casual zone during work time, is there? Our human part manifests when we interact with fellow humans, at a human level - the classic paradoxes of empathy & sympathy. The joys and sorrows of others are felt by the brain. A colleague with a bad experience instantly depresses us while a funny incident brings joy- in either case, they knock us off our rhythm. This is all information for the brain to process but as we are humans, the rate of inflow of information is much more than the rate at which it is processed. Think of it as a kid in school who is given many assignments to do but never does it before its needed. We like symmetry in almost all things then why is the 'to-do' and 'done' list not symmetrical? "Tell'em that its human nature?" sang the late King of Pop: Michael Jackson. Coming back to our topic, the information and the brain; as the day progresses the information accumulates in our mind. Here comes in the Conscious, sub-conscious parts of the mind. Notice the tone in which you were complimented or suggested for your work, the not-so-blank eye contacts with someone, the orientation of the materials on your desk or simply-the change in the environment.

There are a lot of doors in a building or any place with a formal setting. Has it ever happened to you that you enter a room or kitchen and immediately forget the reason of entering there, wondering "why did I come here?". Our brains are programmed in ways, rather we've conditioned them such, that as soon as we enter through a door our mind senses the change in the environment & 'forgets' old information in favour of the new surroundings. Yeah, there's a bit of "Sherlock" in all of us who's constantly judging the surroundings, the things in the background, the temperature fluctuations when someone enters/leaves etc. It's just that as we grow up our observational priorities change. So what to do if you have a really important task at hand but is supposed to be carried in an another room? Simple, just be attentive; repeat the task in your mind as you pass through the door. Focus is yet another answer and reason for almost all our problems. So with every door we enter, equal doors we exit. We always leave with a new information when passing through the doors.

By the time we leave for home, our head is filled with a huge chunk of information. Every sight is worth a thousand words. Our brain gets exhausted & craves to relax. Exception is when the person has been in complete control of itself during the day and has had the most productive use of it. We reach home as the sun shies away into the west. The animals & birds return to their home and so do we. Home has its own set of information waiting to just seep into our already heavier minds. Then as the darkness engulfs the light, the tired lashes of the eye just give in to the temptation. The conflicts of the mind are then segued into the gentle world of hope & despair. The mind processes the information it gathered and all that it feels immaterial is discarded. The rest? well, ever heard of the word Deja vu, where the mind automatically fabricates the present with our past and tricks us into believing that this is the second time a thing is happening to us.

Liberation comes to those who work towards it. Work smart and not hard, give your brain a much needed peace. Rest, relax and start afresh. Where ever we come across any living being or something created by a living being, it speaks volumes of the creator's intentions. The incredible ability to relate everything we see/experience/hear to ourselves, when we look into any one of the Opus' creations, we look back at ourselves. We are defined by our actions and our actions are defined by our thoughts. This is the life piled on life.

"When you see beyond yourself, you see peace of mind waiting there." - George Harrison

Hope & Fears

2014-05-19T00:53:00.002+05:30

HOPE AND FEARS..

"Fear is static that prevents me from hearing myself." - Benjamin Disraeli

Since childhood, we've all read and heard our share of stories regarding the struggle of mankind, their highs and lows. We've our religious texts filled with such beautiful & encouraging stories. Perhaps, that is one of the reasons they're referred to repeatedly, especially during testing times. Humanity is a fascinating aspect of life - we can/'t be motivated & discouraged fairly easily. It is in such a situation in which a person questions, his/her fighting spirit & something else is lost besides the obvious.

We require little to almost no stimulus to react. The struggle to survive is the biggest one. A person in today's era thrives to survive the day. The sun sets to rise tomorrow- but what happens in between is what is never emphasized upon! Similarly one struggles to balance one's life while facing the world. Every new day brings its share of excitement and a new challenge. There comes a time in life where the person finally gives in to the pressure of the world crashing on it's shoulders.

To put on a fire we need oxygen, which is obligatory for survival of humans. Isn't that a tad too ironical? Hope is a funny thing, give a person the delusion of hope & watch him dance! S/he'll burn in passion to attain it, at least try to. Men can go to any extent to achieve things that hope bears with it. It is said that any living entity moves against a gradient- towards the pole that benefits the organism. We do what we can with what we have- in the time that we have. In Ayn Rand's "The Fountainhead", the aspect of the consequences of shattering ones reasoning skills are discussed at length. Without any order there's chaos & there cannot be order without proper reasoning in a society. With every minute passing, time takes its toll over the persons psyche. Of all the living organisms, human beings are obliged to don different faces in order to survive in the world. Even the shores get vanished with every coming ebb. Hope serves as a pseudo-alternative to aim, it shows what the person wishes to achieve. It fills the spirit with a fire that brings warmth to the body, encourages soul to put in 'that' extra ounce of energy into achieving the goal that hope 'shows' us.

A candle in the wind cannot fight the gust of wind alone, it needs support just as we do during testing times. And at the end of the day, the spirit that one possessed - subsides. No two war's can be the same. We fear what we do not know & we hope that one day our fear goes away. In an already intermingled world, one of the threads that coincide are those of Hope & Fear. There is a part of us that assumes the worst, probably, that leads to the birth of hope. Not ready to accept the 'worst', we like to think that, "No, what if this were to happen instead." Such 'what if's' serve as messengers to Hope. Balance of probability, when fails us, we like to overpower the balance. Someone correctly said, "Sometime's the way to the top is to grease the pole behind you." Who doesn't want to reach the top, eh? But once at the top, the way ahead is down, usually!

A child has a fear of monsters & other supernatural beings but is full of hope that it's parent's are well enough to protect him/her. As the child grows, the fear changes its course and migrates towards the mortal end of the spectrum, making it afraid of men himself. The color of the lens decides how one sees the world. There dwells an unsure allocation in the mind of the person that dictates the mortality of one's abilities, probably that is how fear enters into one's mind. If we are the captain of our soul then it is us that are responsible for our fears too. Cross a black lane by yourself and describe your thought process to yourself in third person! The eerie-ness, the 'unknown' is what crosses our minds- even for a split second. Fear is usually of the unknown- that we had never encountered, but there is also a flip side to fear. KNOWING- we know that if we burn ourselves it will pain and lead to our own demise, this is the fear! Of course, the fear of pain is greater than the pain itself. But dare I say, fear is also a state of mind. One cannot help but acknowledge the circle of hope and fear. Any one of them brings along with it the other, with a resounding sense of the fragility of our minds. We spend a huge chunk of our energy in anticipating a distant consequence. What we forget is, today is a result of yesterday and that one day, tomorrow will be today. We somehow stretch that future and churn it into today and cry over it- spoiling both: today and tomorrow! Here, it is our choice to be in apathy.

One of the results of Hope or Fear is the aqua tears, that flow down one's cheeks. It is a reflection of the extent to which an intuition of a fore-saken tragedy, that might have been. Agree or disagree, don't deny that there came a point in life (several, actually) when the chips were down & the mind asked to give up (Fear) but it's counterpart opposed and made way for Hope. So as a whole, we can be consensual about one thing, that the power of Hope & Fears can not be undermined - for they are the pillars of my own writings!

I conclude this post with a personal favorite quote, one that served as a catalyst and inspired for me to write.

"Hope is the thing with feathers, that perches in the soul and sings a tune without words, and, never stops at all." - Emily Dickinson

Melody: A Peace of Harmony

2014-05-18T00:46:00.001+05:30

MELODY

A PEACE OF HARMONY

"Peace is its own reward." - Mahatma Gandhi

Peace & Harmony seem like the two sides of the same coin. Every nation want's "peace" and "harmony", so is the need of other's in the world. 'Tis essential for a prolonged sustainability & development. But recently, I wanted to dig deep into the words, to know what difference lies in the seemingly synonymous & analogous words - or are they?

Peace, to me meant, the ability to remain calm and not account to actions (or words) that may disturb the rhythm of those around me. In the larger picture, peace means not only the ability to control ourselves, but to divert the destructive energy present within us into some sort of a divine or a holistic act. Philanthropy, I believe is a result of men in search of peace. Often it is said that 'Peace is a state of mind'. Challenging it is a double-edged sword. For eg., imagine a bird sitting on a bark of a tree. Now supposedly, the bird is at peace and if we were to throw a stone at it or even clap in front of it, the bird would move or atleast it shall not be able to maintain it's stature. So, the bird is now not at 'peace'? Some people say that when a person dies, s/he is at peace. Now, is death the absolute truth or the absolute answer? Should a person always 'die' in order to achieve peace? Well, for that we need to know a lot about death and I think I shall reserve that discussion for later. Coming back to the core, in totality we can say that the person who is not at 'peace' is 'disturbed'? It is like an arrow with no target. But an arrow must have a target else it might backfire! So, holistically, as we are the vessels of energy- it should mean that in order to channelize our energies constructively we must be able to have an aim, a target for our arrows. To focus on a particular task, physical or mental, we must be at peace. The brain must see what the eye can't. Try looking at the flame of a candle, with a constant stare and a linear thought process. We need a vision and not a sight to achieve. This is a cyclic process as peace brings focus and vice versa. Ancient practices, such as yoga, emphasizes on the relaxation that brings peace. It makes use of the breaths (air) to nullify or evict negative energy.

"Harmony makes small things grow, lack of it makes great things decay." - Sallust

UNITY IN DIVERSITY:

Harmony is when more than one kind's of beings (even of same species) live together. Sure there's always a conflict when more than two minds meet together, but it is how we deal with those conflicts that define our harmony. People must be in sync with their surrounding beings, other people, animals, birds etc. The great philosophy of 'Don't harm if you can't help' must be taken seriously for establishing harmony. It is one of the best reasons that beings have survived over the course of time. Unity is what binds us, you can't break a bunch with same intensity as you can break an iota of something. The greatest example of harmony is the orchestra. Can we get a soothing tune without harmony? What if one of the instruments play in a tune, different to what is written? The outcome might not be 'peace-ful', I reckon! Another example is driving. In traffic, people from various families, jobs, various places come through to a single road. No matter how their day went thus far, they must be in a good rapport with their surrounding vehicles. Hence, a rhythm is created. The speed, velocity of one vehicle must match that of others. Any change in this rhythm shall lead to an unpleasant accident. So harmony does, save us and help us carry ourselves forward. Unity is that element of a society that can make or break the morals, question the authority for the just and the right cause. And just as focus & peace are a cyclic phenomena; unity & harmony are also cyclic - so much as to being synonymous! Complicating things a little, harmony is when both the eyes look at the same object, ergo - when eyes & the brain are in harmony that we see what we really see! So in simple words, harmony leads to focus which, in turn, leads to peace!

The conclusion of this post must contain the word 'Melody'. Just as the (momentarily) 'peace'ful musicians / instrumentalists play in 'harmony', we get a melody, for a healthy soul / spirit too peace & harmony is necessary. Melody in pure musical sense refers to a specific motif, such as a flute or a piano playing a 'center-tune', more popularly a 'solo'. Musically again, melody is deep while harmony is about being 'one'. Either way, these concepts are created by us so I am sure we can extend it's principle for our well-being. We are, after all, the most selfish of creatures on the planet!

“The limbo of life is like a song, a melody that comes around occasionally but that sticks in your head and never goes away.” - Leigh Hershkovich

The Chimes At Midnight

2014-01-13T23:29:00.001+05:30

THE CHIMES AT MIDNIGHT

"An optimist stays up until midnight to see the New Year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves." - Bill Vaughan

Often I tend to turn my posts into Self-Improvement distance course, I'd take note to avoid it in this one. When we were in school we were periodically asked if we woke up early in the morning or not. Of the hands raised some woke up as early as 5 o'clock, some as late as 9, what was interesting is that a few of nosey kids too held their cute chubby little hands high just to get noticed by the teacher, cookie times! The day belongs to the workers, the doers. The productivity is its highest in the day than at night.

We tend to overlook the most mundane yet crucial aspects of our lives, a case of misplaced priorities perhaps! Take the famous Sherlock Holmes for example, the man has no extensive super power other than his ability to observe things minutely. The objectivity of the mind is extremely crucial for our decisions and in our day-to-day life. It is important that our heads get proper rest & apt mental exercises to let the 'juices flowing'. Seeing things as they are is a deceptive notion, one which many believe they do yet they do not. Sometimes we widen our fat lips, cluck the thick tongue yet so delicately that the gravity of the words lose their mass.

"There they stand, the innumerable stars, shining in order like a living hymn, written in light." - N.P. Willis

Getting up early meant sleeping early at night which at that age was quite difficult. Lying down on the bed waiting for sleep to come, the mind is such a fascinating thing that all the novel and grave thoughts popped up in the middle of the night, how did life originate?, why do we think?, what are stars? Curiously enough though, none of the single question was related to money or economics. You close your eyes for 5 minutes and it felt like a blink where all the physical world collapsed and we embarked on a journey to explore the secrets of life, the universe and of course - the Self. What was amazing at night was the serenity that a person experiences, the rush of blood into the head which we neglect so callously. Every breath sounds like a gust of wind, the blinking like a hammer; the only solace was the train of thoughts in the mind. The silence on the same yet estranged streets call out for a different You. Then you hear things that are not even remotely closed to you, with the defences down you wander in the Mind Palace i.e. a mnemonic, a trick widely used by Romans as The Roman Room, The Journey- Method of Loci. The human mind is most creative at both extremes of the day- morning or night. Night is a little difficult for some as they tend to emphasize more on the day's activities rather than emancipating new ones. Man is the least himself when he talks in his own person, give him a mask and you'll hear the truth! Night needs no mask for the man is himself no matter the situation. Perhaps his mind is a little tired of all the hiding in the day that he makes the night to himself. For some, the night is their Mind Palace. The bed, the streets, the blank wall, the drab sheets and even the person himself is a part of the Mind Palace.

Some are kept awake beyond midnight because the pain of their sorrow is too much to fall asleep, giving them nightmares. For some the night is more colourful than the day, the spectra of the light lies in the eyes of the beholder. Night shows us how wonderfully our earth is well self-lit, under the same yellow-fusion bulb. Some say Night is a sculpture, an institution unto itself. The crazy, innovative ideas come at the most unconventional time and place. As the person goes deep into thinking, unmasking himself while doing so, he tends to see things from a different perspective. The choir in the mind tunes a fine concerto, or a sonata- if you may. The mind transcends time and space, the beauty of the night that even the most astute ones bow down to. The stars themselves tell a story taking the Traveller into the true self, looking for the most basic of questions. Because the mind is less crowded it gives more objective results. The horizon becomes more clearer, those able to look at all the corners of their minds can utilize this to its fullest. Closing the eyes too help elevate the moment. It helps blocking the visual quietness of things around us. For many, night is a blotting paper for their sorrows. All shadows disappear in the dark of the night as one becomes a shadow himself. No sight is more provocative of awe than is the night sky!

We walk through the suburbs in the solitude of the night without thinking that the night pleases us because it suppresses the idle details, just as our memory. These are the precious Mayfly moments -the beauty of whom lasts only to be blinded by the rising sun, a short lived sort of never-existing moments. All the ideas are yours for everyone else is asleep. These are the Chimes at Midnight.!

"The day has eyes, the night has ears." - David Fergusson

Rise

2013-06-23T16:56:00.000+05:30

WHY DO WE FALL?..

RISE

"It's when ordinary people rise above expectations and seize the opportunity that milestones truly are reached." - Mike Huckabee

Every legged being on this planet has fallen before learning to walk or run or even stand. Taking a larger picture into account, some of us remain limp even when our hair begin to grey. The world seems lesser organic when the sight of men loses its sheen. It is the touch of color that makes the world beautiful and vibrant while monochrome is always an intense color! No prizes for guessing the title of the cues that inspire this writing.

Throughout life there come two kinds of success, one where you outperform your ownself and another where you outperform others. Both of them have a lot of sugar to digest. Set your eyes on a certain goal so high that your neck cracks by even looking at it. You work hard, harder- your hardest to achieve something magnificent that others can only dream of yet cannot savor it. Leave everything behind; your materialistic things, emotions, your feelings, even yourself if you've to. Pushing to the limits is what a few of us do nowadays, mentally. Then the reaping day comes where you get the result of sowing of your seeds. The result comes out in your favor, the likes of which the people has never witnessed. You rise to the occasion and enjoy the spotlight. The thing about spotlight is that it is never permanent. There's an element of surprise here and that is why the people remain in an awe. The stage awaits the man of the hour with all the glory imaginable. Extraordinary things happening to ordinary people always catches attention. Here you outperform your competitors and are set as an example for the future potential-ists. The person becomes the eyecandy and enjoys h-is/er 2 minutes in the glory. This part is what most people dream about. This part is what makes it 'The Thing' to achieve! Sound the bugle, roll the drums, pour the champagne! There is no feeling close to this. It all seems so heavenly and pristine like every butterfly performs a special piece for you.

Soon, reality calls..

With all the heroics achieved, the person becomes invincible to the others; the untouchable. This is what 'fear' of a god-like person does to other people. Meanwhile the person in glory might brag about, wandering in all h-is/er super-confidence. During the time of test, fear gallops. Fear has a lot of power and mustn't be underestimated, it can prolong the torment in men. The expectations of the people are sky high and the onus is on the person to outdo h-im/er -self. Ground reality calls and mind begins to wander various alleys. Forget outperforming, the person can't even repeat the previous performance. The spotlight dims and the person gets off the stage. The golden chair that once invited the person soon finds him estranged. The whole world turns upside down and it takes a lot of courage and spirit to turn it right side up again. Sinking in the ocean of your own passion, prospects & creations. Dreams turn to nightmares as the real world comes to haunt the very essence that made the person achieve such thing - the Spirit. Cold streets with growling beings make it harder to breathe outside and makes the world a lot more claustrophobic than it actually is. Break a person's back and see how the spirit follows! Hope is the only weapon available, along with Endurance. The person begins to retrospect and can either find emptiness or elements that can bring h-im/er back in the game. The head knows what the body can ever imagine. Take a screwdriver and pick up any wrecked thing you've around you and your mind will do the rest. This is what we call the grand 'Comeback'.

"Listen to the sound of your own voice & you can rise above doubt and judgement." - Nancy Lopez

Start from the scratch with a peace of mind that even the wing beat of a fly could be sensed. We're all but malleable pieces of energy so concentrate on the ground reality. Never aim of outperforming others. Eclipse yourself and you shall find the courage and the determination to transcend to where you belong. Just imagine the fire of your own passion for the thing you aspire to be and dig deep enough that you find your lost Ire. We're ultimately a substance of our own doings and the choices we make over the chances we take. Dedicate every inch of yourself to the work and build a utopia. Run after the peace of mind like a dog chasing cars and watch the success bird come knocking on your door.

The key to surviving the whole episode is to savor and embrace and analyze the situation correctly, keeping intact its true meaning and essence. One needs to subsume the feeling and be satiated at one point to prevent harm to oneself. Unreal goals are inspiring till a point of getting a person back on feet, to rise that person. The person should never create a forcefield around h-im/er -self to lead a prosperous life. The person must never turn to anti-social events as it is what we do that defines our true character. The beginning of this post was meant to be taken as a story of a whole and not a fragment in itself. Ignition is needed to start a fire but you cannot ignite a fire from fire! It is fascinating how we use hot temperature'd words to signify passion and dedication towards something. It takes a lot to reach the numero uno spot but it takes everything to maintain that spot. Contended people are those who acknowledge the calling of time and graciously step down at the correct moment. The first step to Rise is accepting one's weaknesses and overcoming them without the sense of self-pity. Falling down is a blessing in disguise for everyone as it maintains the level of sanity required for the normal functioning of humans all around. Stumbling down is a virtue full of life and hope, if you look at it!

So why do we fall? Only to Rise again, I guess!

"Limited in his nature, infinite in his desire, man is a fallen god who remembers heaven." - Alphonse de Lamartine

The Hand Of Fate: Part II

2013-06-23T15:00:00.000+05:30

THE HAND OF FATE

PART II: BELIEVE

"We're all in the gutter but some of us are looking at the stars." - Oscar Wilde

It takes two to create & appreciate a work of art. Any work done in the world is either appreciated or rejected. Thus, the world needs a 'giver' and a 'receiver'. Similarly it is obvious that, like I mentioned in the previous part, people either believe or they do not. Being humans, every person in this world share certain similar dreams of leading a peaceful life, no troubles with anyone etc. The strings of a wet violin or an acoustic guitar can provoke certain emotions and feelings that no other thing in the world can. But what is music to the deaf!

It has been extensively discussed that whether or not all the things that happen to us happen suddenly or are they pre-programmed? Just imagining this question initiates a chain of thoughts and the person knows whether he/she is a believer or not. Some people like abstruse things while most prefer simplicity i.e. what they see is what they believe. The idea is to romanticize the whole concept and turning it into an indirect way of introspection. It is our innate tendency to ponder over events that take place during the course of our lives, "Why did this happen? What is..? How can this be..?" Nearly all the chordates in the world possess two eyes each but yet don't share a common perspective on certain things.

"When life gives you lemons, make lemonade!" - Tina Fey

"It's a bird.. it's a plane.. it's Superman!!" Sounds familiar? How apprehensive we are towards the paranormal or supernatural things or entities that we need a constant reminder of such things that stand parallel to the values with which we are familiar; such as mortality, morality & the biggest of them all -it's Tangibility. Who would believe a man able to fly or read our minds correctly? Perhaps it is also for the same reason why our imaginations let us explore this super-natural phenomenon, with a human heart. Take the success of movies such as Star Wars, Star Trek and some recent super-heroes from the likes of Spiderman, Iron Man, The Avengers, Dark Knight trilogy & the most recent Man of Steel. The creators of these reboot movies made a small integral change to the character as a means of achieving ultra-reality - Heart. The protagonists, no matter the symbol, had their heart in the right place thus connecting with the audience and attracting a wider one. The main character's were regarded as a symbol they wanted to signify, at the same time seemingly appearing human-like/believable with a conscience and a conviction. It accounts for a perfect blend of power & sense. Who hasn't dreamt of being able to fly, seriously?!

For extra-ordinary achievements there's a process:

Think (and brainstorm)

An Idea (is the seed)

Imagine (and let the idea grow)

BELIEVE (in the idea)

Concentrate (your energy into your belief)

Work (like there's no tomorrow)

Once you show people your current stature and magnitude of your success, they would want to test you to your limits. It is only when a person is able to repeat his/her heroics that s/he is regarded with respect. But the beauty of humanity is also that if the person fails to repeat the same performance, s/he earns what is most precious on earth - Respect. When a person respects another person, s/he believes in that person. Respect is a bridge that connects a person to the most amazing experiences. Similarly when a person 'respects' and understands the mystical ability of nature and the laws of humanity, the fruit of belief won't be left untasted. Extraordinary things happen to ordinary people, it is that they choose to believe it, "a rose by any other name would smell as sweet"(rings any bells?). A non-believer is essential to complete the balance of the universe. Some believe that to believe is a gift; believe it? ..or not? Why not take a leap of faith then!

"Sometimes you've to take a leap of faith first, the trust part comes later." - MoS dialogue

The Hand of Fate: Part I

2013-04-10T12:55:00.001+05:30

THE HAND OF FATE

PART I: INCEPTION

“Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Life is a gift with multi-layered packing. No one knows where does one gets its energy or the courage to stand the test of time. There are several unexplained phenomena in life that one can only feel but not describe in human words.

"Oh, I'm a fortune's fool!", says Shakespeare in his Romeo and Juliet. The most interesting wandering of the mind is felt when it starts drawing parallels with the surroundings. You go on a walk with your best friend and suddenly after a few meters, the legs get synched. This is no fate as science had earlier suggested that the brain has this mechanism of getting in the 'perfect rhythm' with the person or thing it is closely associated with at that moment. The Neocortex (or Neopallium) is responsible for performing higher functions efficiently, such as those of sensations, language & reasoning. In other words, it is the human part of the brain. Cognitive learning is what makes a person what he/she becomes.

Most people see the world as they want to see, and it has been a practice that we tend to fool ourselves quite often. An agnostic won't believe in the miracles of the world even if he/she can witness it. The callous mind wanders off to deduce the occurring. The person lives in pain, in sorrow - in the eyes of an optimist. A lovely movie duology came in the 90's titled Before Sunrise & Before Sunset which portrays the Hand of Fate much clearly. There are these two people meeting by 'chance' and leaving only to re-unite after 9 years. What would eat the atheist the most inside would be "what did they do in those 9 years?" Same thing goes with life, we lose a few people along the way, meet new people & that is the way our life functions. Only during our testing times do we realize the importance and the beauty of the merrier ones, rather the past ones which seem dear only now[THINK!].

“We are - all of us born with a letter inside us, and that only if we are true to ourselves, may we be allowed to read it before we die.” - Douglas Coupland

Genetics states that our genes are the only pre-programmed units of life & that whatever we do, think or even create comes from that programming ergo, the sequence of the nucleotide base pairs. Applying this logic to a larger mass, by extension, leads us into thinking that the actions of all the living beings present on earth had already been determined and thus in a way, the world is in fact actually a play & we all are mere artists. But one wonders to the heed paid to the amount of details that our actions possess such as looking at something, smelling something - the notion of pre-program feels rather rhetoric in such events. Now even if it has been pre-programmed, who is the programmer? A rationalist believes that everything is a coincidence, a believer believes it as a way of God or some supreme power. No matter who we are, there's no denying that there's a superpower that exists in the universe that creates, guides & leads us to our destination. In a population of more than 7 bn how can only a few handful of people get so close to us?

Two people aren't meant to be at the same place at the same time at once, how about jinxes? How does one explain Deja vu? How is it that a person is able to wish another person "Happy Birthday" precisely on time without having actually possessing its knowledge? Co-incidences do occur but only co-incidences do not. Such 'co-incidences' defy the common logic that we are equipped with. We fear the aliens, mostly because we don't know them. A human being is always afraid of things that it doesn't know. Knowing is everything for us. We know a pet dog won't bite us because he has been trained such but we don't know that a stray dog would only bite us! It is a wonderful life we all lead. All I can say regarding fate is that it is a feeling, sort of a pseudo-sense that comes to those who truly believe.

Since the topic is so vast that I cannot cover even it's 10% in a single post, I'm going to write it in parts - as and when new thoughts emerge into my mind.

In the end, I'd suggest the reader to take a look at the ending scene of Signs, a movie by M.Night Shyamalan, the window scene towards the end. This post is inspired by the track of same name, used in the climatic scene of Signs. Funny, I didn't quote my inspiration in the beginning- maybe because it wan't meant to be!

“Fate is like a strange, unpopular restaurant filled with odd little waiters who bring you things you never asked for and don't always like.” - Lemony Snicket

Besides The Dying Fire..

2013-01-05T22:15:00.002+05:30

BESIDES THE DYING FIRE..

"You can always see a face in the fire." - Henry David Thoreau

Life is a wonderful gift. It is said that to appreciate the good one must confront the bad. Similarly, we humans have a tendency to envy those that are doing better than us. Envy is listed in the seven deadly sins of Christian ethics. A person earning a nugget more than another can create this feeling. The two people or parties, entities are termed as Rivals. Now, rivals are the entities that thrive to be possessed by the achievement of some common goal. This cannot be termed jealousy as, by definition, it is reflective of a person's attitude/feelings towards another person whilst envy is a person's attitude towards others 'achievements'. A fire burns in the heart of men that are possessed by this evil.

"The rivalry is with ourself. I try to be better than is possible. I fight against myself, not against the other." - Luciano Pavarotti

In terms of economics, a rival is looked upon as a subtractable good the consumption of which reduces the sales of the other (non-subtractable) good. To be competitive is healthy for any sustainable civilization and it becomes necessary too as it serves as a means of progress. It helps a person to be more progressive and to contribute to the betterment of the self and society. This type of a rivalry is a healthy one, in other words termed as Pro- or Constructive Rivalry. A person flaunts his/her dedication towards the deed and strives to outdo the other, while remaining conscious of personal limitations. The rivals here look up to each other with utmost regard & respect. Usually, such rivalries end on a positive note with both parties gaining the most from it. We must thrive for such kind of practice.

“Envy is like a fly that passes all the body’s sounder parts, and dwells upon the sores.” – Arthur Chapman

The other kind of rivalry, a more darker version termed as Detrimental Rivalry. This kind of rivalry results in dis-balancing the harmony. Here one entity in enviable of another's persona/achievements. The person gets obsessed in besmirching the other & thus retain its alpha status. This kind of rivalry is most often found. The person burns with anger, which might be primarily induced by its own failures - but the yearning to outdo or rather demolish the other person's achievements fuels the fire & might take a defining turn. The turn might result in increased dedication towards achieving the goal, more self-composure & increased perseverance. The other turn might result in anti-social activities. Everything that has a beginning has an end & this fire has to end sometime too, but not until a conclusion is reached. The adverse effects may result in complete lack of self-confidence, self-reliance i.e. a loss of self. Here the entities are not considered rivals, but opponents. Every step taken by one is considered grim by another. Obviously the 'trust' is lost between the players. Any action taken by one is cross checked over & over again, repeatedly. It is just a matter of time when it becomes a cat & mouse chase. The players, turn restless as they close-in on the goal. Usually there is no logical reason towards hatred as every human is different & has an own way of doing/achieving things. The parties remain oblivious to the good that the other party possesses.

In every game one party has to win while other is bound to lose. It is how we take our failures that defines our character, our level of maturity. I've elaborated on the latter kind of rivalry as it is this one which results in anti-self activities and later result in the destruction of the person (self). The people that are most benefited from any kind of rivalry are the intermediate ones, the extras of this game who possess no loyalty and possess a selfish motive to warm themselves from this fire.

But no matter what has been said or expressed, a person never remains the same when the fire of envy dies, for he/she may have found resort somewhere else! THINK!!

“Rivalry is the life of trade, and the death of the trader” - Elbert Hubbard

The Lonely Planet

2012-06-24T02:15:00.000+05:30

THE LONELY PLANET

“We're born alone, we live alone, we die alone. Only through our love and friendship can we create the illusion for the moment that we're not alone. ” - Orson Welles

Earth is the the planet where a peculiar species of life is found - Homo sapien sapiens i.e. Humans Beings. Through various census' it has been found that human beings have grown many folds in terms of number which is well above 7 billion. We've a huge ancestral hierarchy.

Many poets, philosophers & critiques have described, often metaphorically, the attachment that we humans have with other beings, animals & other inanimate objects. Men believed that they were 'wasting' a lot of 'precious' time on things that could be avoided - thus men created machines & gadgets to work for them, so that they can continue their 'creative' thinking which they believed would lead them to a much higher & progressive state. It was also postulated that as people will have more time to think, their progress will be increased many folds. As time passed by, they realized a void in their lives, an emptiness that could be easily over-whelmed by the 7 deadly sins; namely - Wrath, Greed, Sloth, Pride, Lust, Envy & Gluttony. People began to indulge more in anti-social plannings. It was during this period that a few of them felt an awakening & decided to think for the better of others. Centuries later, we now know of only a few of those who refuted the atrophy & actually 'invented' & 'discovered' for the better of humanity.

“When the sparrow sings its final refrain, the hush is felt nowhere more deeply than in the heart of man.” - Don Williams Jr.

Over & over it has been felt by us, a constant craving - a longing for someone in our lives. A feeling that human's cannot survive without one another has been found in most of the people today. With machines doing most of our hard work, we've lost the hold off our minds & have began to find meanings in the most azoic things. Several philosophers, artistes & poets have described life as a lonely journey & the need of togetherness amongst us has just fueled it a bit more. When we listen to a music or a song, we often have a peculiar taste. The words or the chords that can substitute & enunciate our feelings(of the moment) are only liked/loved by us. During the rhythm, we try to link the cues to either something that's happening at the moment or to something that is even remotely related to us. Whilst walking/jogging, if a carefree wind blows a something that is flying parallel to us is often played-with in our minds(you know what I mean!). During brisk walking with fellow companions, we somehow - even subconsciously try to sync our steps.

Music - a person can never have too much or too little. It has been persistently found that the songs that are sung in 1st or 2nd person are much more successful than their counterparts. The movies with a tragic end, not necessarily a blockbuster, but is often appreciated by some. By 'some' I mean those who can actually appreciate the piece objectively.

Here's the list of Top 5 hit singles of All Time

#1 - "Candle In The Wind" by Elton John is the most successful single of all-time.

#2 - "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston

#3 - "Everything I Do(I Do It For You)" by Bryan Adams

#4 - "We Are The World" by USA for Africa

#5 - "Hey Jude" by The Beatles.

Notice the uncanny analogy? It is because these songs somehow filled the void amongst the masses of the world.

Have a look at the most famous Poems of All-Time.

#1 - "She Walks In Beauty" by Lord Byron

#2 - "If" by Rudyard Kipling

#3 - "How Do I Love Thee" by Elizabeth Browning

#4 - "Oh Captian! My Captain!" by Walt Whitman

#5 - "Sonnet 18: Shall I Compare Thee To a Summer's Day?" by William Shakespeare.

Titanic, Harry Potter, The Lord of The Rings, James Bond, The superhero franchises etc all consist strong protagonists; in fact - that's the secret ingredient of any successful film. The audience must be able to feel the characters that are being played onscreen. We all hoped in our minds for Jack to be saved(Titanic), Frodo to throw the ring in the fire(LOTR) & Harry to be alive(HP) because a link had been established & the audience begins to feel the sorrow, ecstasy of the character. I remember watching Inception & towards the end most people were perplexed as to whether the world was real or not.

These works of art have been successful as they momentarily makes us believe that the author/singer/artiste is talking to us. Here, our most primal urge to be heard comes into play. People never want to be discarded, to be left unheard, unsung. Every person always has a personal opinion on every matter. Give any person in the world a pen & a blank paper & see what he/she writes first - his/her NAME..

We also have sports. First let me elaborate on single sports like badminton, tennis, golf etc. Here is a person - usually of different ethnicity, country, thinking etc who is playing for his/her own benefit & the involvement of people is so immense that people forget all other things & knowing that they are not going to gratify anything from the outcome but they still feel the urge to be obliged by a sportsperson. Roger Federer, Tiger Woods, Maria Sharapova, The Williams sisters, LeBron James, David Beckham, Ronaldo etc. are the world's wealthiest athletes because of endorsements which come from their public acceptability. A fan knows that he/she won't get a single penny or any other benefit from it but what he/she will get will be far more than to be measured monetarily - the peace of mind, the feeling of caring for someone; again our basic instinct to not be left alone in the crowd of billions. In turn, players experience a mammoth pressure to satisfy their fans. The crowd obliges with roars & claps. The fan takes away the satisfaction that he/she gets.

“The person who tries to live alone will not succeed as a human being. His heart withers if it does not answer another heart. His mind shrinks away if he hears only the echoes of his own thoughts and finds no other inspiration.” - Pearl Buck

As humans, we always try to draw parallels to our lives with our surroundings - it makes us feel normal & somewhat cared. Emotions - the unique gift that separates us from other beings in the world. We're obligated to care & to be cared, to love & to be loved, likewise. Who wants to listen to their criticism. We all hope to lead & leave our lives on our own terms. But sometimes things don't happen the way we plan it for they have plans of their own! We've pets, we appreciate the beauty of the nature(because we know we didn't create it, think!!), weddings & funerals are attended by a plenty. Only the ones who have passed the test of time knows the importance of oneself. The world might weep or pamper someone for a day or even a year(tops) but not till eternity. It is the one in agony or zeal who experiences that the world might show you the door but the step must always be ours.

On the whole, like I said before, no one wants to be left behind/alone - everyone hopes to care & love others & expects the same. Perhaps if this underrated notion were a bit more emphasized & learned today then the world would have been a much more pleasant place to live in. Thus, even in the assembly of 7+ bn people - we constantly feel alone & often discarded. Ultimately, the feeling of loneliness only manifests itself when we let our minds wander the dangerous alley of darkness. Ponder over the things I've raised abstrusely & you'll have an experience of a lifetime for loneliness is a matter of perspective & how can we ever be alone when we have ourselves!

THINK..!!

“Language... has created the word "loneliness" to express the pain of being alone. And it has created the word "solitude" to express the glory of being alone.” - Paul Tillich

Hand Covers Bruise

2012-04-01T15:34:00.000+05:30

HAND COVERS BRUISE

“There is something beautiful about all scars or bruises of whatever nature because it means the hurt is over, the wound is closed and healed, done with.” - Harry Crews

People get hurt both physically & psychologically. Wounds heal overtime and what remains of it all are the scars. On the basis of the ability to resist the pain the world is divided between those who openly express their grief & those that're very habituated in hiding them.

“In an extroverted society, the difference between an introvert and an extrovert is that an introvert is often unconsciously deemed guilty until proven innocent.” - Chris Jami

Veiling one's pain is not an easy task but only by practicing self control shall a person attain such a characteristic. These people don't want to show the world the degree of pain that they are in. Generally such kind of people are looked up on-to as cowards or extra-shy since they do not like to show the state they are in. Over time, even after the healing of wounds/rash-memories such people become numb towards the human suffering. Now the person doesn't feels anything & even if so, doesn't manifests it within himself. It gradually leads the person to a psychosomatic state of trauma wherein the person loses empathy for other fellow beings, which in-turn leaves a negative impression on the society. A book reveals more of the writer than the content - only to a trained eye; similarly - such people are a bag full of mysteries which only a handful can unravel. Pain is an expression of an emotion. Hiding emotions is an uphill task but having mastered it, the person can gain full control over its mind. Such people see the world as it is & their emotions don't envelope their judgement therefore, they become objective.

“Leave an extrovert alone for two minutes and he will reach for his cell phone. ” - Jonathan Rauch

On the other hand, there are those that like to reflect their suffering to the world. The extroverts, like we call them, are much more verbalized towards exhibiting themselves. These kind of people tend to use their right hemisphere of the brain more efficiently than the former. Generally, they tend to be more sympathetic towards others. After all, empathy is what distinguishes us from the savages of the woods. The person eases those in pain & expects the same from the society. They have a constant craving for attention of others. Usually, it seems easier to read them but its not so, as it turns out, the extroverts are the most difficult to treat since the cat is already out of the bag - it becomes difficult to understand their true essence. Their pain shall be well-known to those concerned.

Being extrovert or introvert doesn't changes the world. Being emotional or cold isn't a crime. We're all guided by emotions & to demonstrate them or not is up-to us. By displaying them, a person doesn't becomes a coward rather he/she shall lead a less-worried life. There are ways to look at a person: the person who demonstrates pain shall get prompt medication whereas the one that hides the pain will have to go through many stages of pain to obtain his/her treatment. So in a way, we all will ultimately narrow down to being an extrovert; but like I said - that's one of the ways of looking at it. All-in-all a person's persona is what he/she wants to be. Other's are there only to show/guide us through the door but we must be the one to do the walk-through.

“We're born alone, we live alone, we die alone. Only through our love and friendship can we create the illusion for the moment that we're not alone.” - Orson Welles

Being Objective

2011-10-12T23:06:00.001+05:30

BEING OBJECTIVE

"Faith is the denial of observation so that belief can be preserved." - Tim Minchin

Everyone of us has some passion, a specific mindset. We've our own share of responsibilities. We're entitled to our opinion but problem arises when our perceptions overshadow our work. Workplace is the space where we often find ourselves in a position to 'compromise' our perceptions and morals for the sake of a larger good.

Whenever a person is assigned to a job, he/she has his/her own perception & a work plan. But sometimes, a person is unable to remain unbiased. The morals/ethics/perceptions of the person comes in the way of the process of decision making. In this condition - the person loses the hold off the pros/cons of his actions. He/She only thinks what is right according to him/her. The condition becomes even serious when the person holds a post which actively affects the public like any law enforcement job: cop/judge etc; the actions are governed by the subconscious mind. The person always benefits the self & impedes other's by the judgment. The person cares the least about the consequences that will be embossed on other. Instincts of the person, the emotional attachments etc - leads the person to implausible decisions. We see the world as we want to & not how it actually is. The conscience of the person is the witness to such deeds. No one wants to be in trouble lest the subconscious mind pays no heed to it.

Being subservient has proven to be quite virtuous. The decisions made are unprejudiced, unbiased - without the knowledge of the affect of out come. When we make the decision purely based on the facts, the person has an objective state of mind. This rational decision making method has been known to all but accepted by small bunch of people. The mind assesses the facts, analyzes them & thus deduces from it - these are the ethos of objective decision making. Such a decision satisfies everyone. Even if someone known to the person is found to be guilty & is treated as one - there will be hatred on the face but respect within. Journalism enables such a platform where the facts are placed in the public domain & it is left unto the viewer/reader to deduce from it. The notion in one's mind reflects in the decision.

“An error does not become truth by reason of multiplied propagation, nor does truth become error because nobody sees it.” - Mahatma Gandhi

Decision making has always been an uphill task. The decisions made under emotions are actually compromises. Emotions always tend to eclipse the logical part of the mind i.e. the left hemisphere of the brain. Objectivity is, according to me, the most important innate sense of mind that a person must nurture. Surely, times will come when we shall question our decisions but that's when a larger question arises: Am I faithful to my job, my conscience? The guilt of 'being wrong' is the one that trigger's cynical thoughts in one's mind. Emotions are the capital assets for humans, but the person is always answerable to it's con-conscience.

'Sine Die'

“Illusions commend themselves to us because they save us pain and allow us to enjoy pleasure instead. We must therefore accept it without complaint when they sometimes collide with a bit of reality against which they are dashed to pieces.” - Sigmund Freud

Flow Like Water

2011-06-22T14:37:00.005+05:30

FLOW LIKE WATER

"Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future." - John F. Kennedy

I, personally, try to opt for things that are in some ways - abstruse. The idea & the title for this post was the incredible cue by James Newton Howard. The track was titled - 'Flow Like Water'. It starts with mild flute-cello-violin orchestra, reaches the dramatic climax with the help of cymbals, drums & ofcourse the orchestra. If the track is heard at the right moment with proper surroundings, it can give the feeling of something or someone closing-in on you. I wasn't the fan of it's title but gradually I could understand it's relevance. The track gives the feeling of flowing of water which, figuratively, is the human emotions flowing through one's mind. It's a way, as I see it, to vent out the feelings & stand on the right foot again. But as I wrote in 'Time', I won't let this post become a music review post.

Change - the reason & solution to every problem. Sometimes, a certain situation requires us to change & sometimes we change the situations. The leaders crave for bringing change in the society, some of them even win their campaigns. Adapting is also a change. Sometimes people change, sometime's we change. Sometimes people also get fed up with change. So is change good or bad? The best example of change & perseverance is flowing water. The water flows no matter how much it's path is changed i.e. inclination, diversion, re-routing etc. We cannot hold water in our bare hands, it simply flows though the fingers.

Let me elaborate a little more:

"If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change." - Wayne Dyer

When a person voluntarily feels or is convinced that he/she needs to change - the most basic question is what is it that needs to be changed - The behavior or the appearance or a brainwash? Bear in mind that the person is only given a direction, life is still flowing. Our life begin's with water & ends with it. Thus, metaphorically, we all meet in the same ocean. Water of the pond, lake or sea might of any color, any chemistry but it's core - H20 is/was/will always be the tantamount. Similarly, the change that we need to bring in ourselves merely helps us to distinguish ourselves from other 'waters', though we ultimately are the reflection of humanity & not any individual. We first need to dig deep inside ourselves to face our deepest fears, the darkest temptations, the empty voids, the over-filled pores so that we can lead a better life. Facing these 'things' can only help us. Once we face our own evils & gods, then can only we be able to distinguish & compartmentalize the changes that we need to bring in. Time, tide & universe wait for none. But change - it possesses the strongest of all other evils in the world. It has the capability to tame a person's mind, turn good into bad or the vice-versa. Perpetually, change has to be escorted by the recipient -self only when required. Good changes are like the finger's of a maestro dancing on the octaves of a piano. Whereas when a person changes to bad - it's like a violin-percussion duo which can only be decrypted afterwards, often when it's too late. Nothing in the world is bad as it simply depends on the hands that control it.

We usually bury our ill-thoughts & actions, deep within us. Maybe deliberately, but by running away from our actions or rather 'what-could've-been-an-action', we're letting it to be re-born again in our future. It shall linger us, undoubtedly. What's good or evil is for you to decide. Student's are generally afraid of Math, like I was, but once it is 'understood' - it might not seem as difficult again. Surely it takes time but it's better late than never.

Coming back to the topic of change & flowing water, most of times it is difficult to see the change we want to bring in. People can only inspire us, ultimately we must put our thoughts to actions & bring the change. Decorously, nothing is as permanent as change. Everything changes. But so does our lives, it also changes - our perspective, our priorities, our prospects, thinking, our character i.e. it changes us & reciprocally, we change our lives. The most basic instinct a person possess - 'What are they going to remember me for?' inspires us to extricate ourselves in the flood of people. Afterall, what began with wide hands, concludes with it. The water takes with it what it must. We're a huge body of water & even though sometimes we feel our life has become inert, the water is still flowing. Water can't be seized but it can surely be directed. Try to flow like water rather than trying to stagnate or rush it..! Water is extremely important for us, humans as it is seen to as a benchmark for how higher we stand.

“Nothing in the world is more flexible and yielding than water. Yet when it attacks the firm and the strong, none can withstand it, because they have no way to change it. So the flexible overcome the adamant, the yielding overcome the forceful. Everyone knows this, but no one can do it.” - Lao Tzu

First Ideas

2011-06-18T13:38:00.000+05:30

FIRST IDEAS

"If at first the idea is not absurd, then there is no hope for it." - Albert Einstein

As we were growing up, we always read about scientists, researchers & other personalities how they were the first one to accomplish some thing they did. The "World's First" are always historic.

- The first man ever to live(at least it's believed): Adam

- First man to step on moon - Armstrong

- First American president of African origin - Obama

- First work of fiction - George Elliot who's real name was: Mary Anne Evans

- World's first completely computer generated feature film - Toy Story

and many others..

In the 90's sitcom, Seinfeld, Jerry Seinfeld takes a gig at being the 'first' at something. He goes, "The only thing about being first was being there before anyone else". Federer becomes the first tennis player to win 16 Grand-Slam titles but what about Pete Sampras who held the record until last year? The fact is people always know and want to know about the first's. For the people the list starts somewhere down the line & ends on the first.

"Ideas are like wandering sons, they show up when least expected" - Bern Williams

CREATIVE FIRST's

Somehow, in some people - this hunger for being "first" at something leads them to explore & walk on the less travelled roads where, some of them succeed. Ray Dolby created the sound system - Dolby Labs but few years later Jon Kirtchner came up with DTS & Sony with SDDS in the field of Cinema Sound. The key to success is not being the "first" one to be there but to keep up with the changing times. Of course, being first at anything tests the creativity of people but it also nurtures it. Human mind craves for new ideas. Most old ideas in human mind are treated just as the body treats any new protein - it rejects it. Emil von Behring developed an antitoxin to treat diphtheria, that cost many thousand's lives, was rewarded with the First Nobel Prize in Physiology & Medicine category. Jacobus Van't Hoff was honored in return of his contribution in Chemical Thermodynamics - being the first laureate in the Chemistry.

"Nothing is more dangerous than an idea when it is the only one you have. " - Emile Chartier

DESTRUCTIVE FIRST's

There've not always been good firsts in the human world. World War - One took off in 1914 & lasted till 1918. We all know what happened henceforth. Successful assassination's of Ehud, Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley, Kennedy & Benazir Bhutto and the attempted killings of Andrew Jackson, Guy Fawkes & Pope John Paul II have painted the history books in red. Richard Nixon - the president facing impeachment resigned at the right time to avoid the uncomfortable circumstances(later Nixon was pardoned by his successor Gerald Ford). The 9/11 of US, 7/7 of Britain, 26/11 of India etc are few other examples of the destructive first's of the world. Not all people share same interests thus difference's of opinions is valid. Some people believe, or are forced to believe, that they are an important asset in the revolutionary fight for their community. As a group, people have to share the ideology of the group whereas the individual's are in bleak contrast. The list of Destructive First's dwarfed the Creative First's. It's hard to concentrate at the white piece of cloth when the eyes notice a spot!

AN IDEA FOR AN IDEA

Nevertheless, whether creative or destructive - the First Ideas are always spoken of & hence remembered. They're looked up as milestones which linger's those on the verge of those waiting to add their names in the list or creating a new category..! Ideas come & go, it's the approach towards that idea that make people who they are. A wise knows the destructive consequences of his actions, the fool only knows it after getting listed in the local newspaper. But regardless of being wise/fool - it's always a history in the making because first's always lasts.

"An idea isn't responsible for the people who believe it" - Don Marquis

Nothing..

2011-05-26T16:33:00.000+05:30

NOTHING...

“What is a cynic? A man who knows the price of everything and the value of 'nothing'.” - Oscar Wilde

Often in life, to escape from the fast-paced & hectic times - we seek break from our work. Student's seek a closure from studies, working people seek vacations and so on. We're in constant search of keeping us busy - mentally. When the work becomes too overwhelming, it squeal's for a break. The break might include serene/tranquil walks, moments, or sheer good-tight-sleep!

The 90's hugely successful sitcom, 'Seinfeld', was based on the philosophy of 'nothing'. The show depicted the miserable lives of 4 friends & how they discussed things as little as their tooth-brushes to as big as TV-projects, in a comical manner. But ultimately it was about nothing - no story, no learning. There come's a period where we get fed up from being 'free'. As is said about the brain & heart - they never sleep. Even if there is nothing to do, see, feel, smell, taste - our brain constantly works on the sheer boredom it experiences. The mind constantly fabricates the aspects of not doing 'nothing'. One often sit's & stares at things, subconsciously thinking about nothing. Gradually this thinking takes over & motivates the person to either do something or, as is always preferred, go to sleep. There linger's a void that is created due to non-production. Our mind works in two ways, creatively & productively. The relationship between them is that of demand-supply. Inability to be creative may not necessarily lead to 'nothing' black-hole. But it's true that our brain longs for being creative - in any way. I would like to describe boredom as the flame of a candle, dancing on the simple 'motion' of wind. Our mind too is like that flame. Whenever a human being is asked to enter a room - his first instinct is to have a look at the surroundings i.e. the walls, the color on the walls, the accessories used in decorating the walls etc. Our brain is stagnated without work & therefore, the waves of time seems to be ceased to flow. Only 'nothing' remains without change, everything else changes.

“To do nothing at all is the most difficult thing in the world, the most difficult and the most intellectual” - Oscar Wilde

It is proven, psychologically, that a person no matter how strong(emotionally), possesses a point where he ultimately breaks up due to the lack of information for the brain to process. People can think ill of other's only when they choose to sabotage their brain i.e. only when they've nothing else to do. However, before a person begins to get un-ethical thoughts, his/her brain initially acknowledges every tiny detail that the person comes across. We might not notice a spot on something until we actually observe it. We have everything we need to learn if we just observe & mind our own surroundings. Usually the wave of 'nothing' cripples the person. When 'it' takes 'over' the person - that's where the countdown to be sane again, begins. When we have 'nothing', our mind goes for 'anything' meaning that it processes not just the details of the surroundings but also digs up old memories & begins to analyze them. In fact, the science of nothing is just a refinement of everyday thinking! Nothing pains some people more than having to think.

Vacation's are never hard, it's the aftermath of it that takes efforts because our mind cannot make 'that' transition of being in 'hibernation' mode to the 'go' mode, so smoothly. But once our mind is fed with something that is obscure or discombobulating in nature - our mind tends to pay immediate & complete attention to make it clear. This is the reason why majority of people can't learn how to tie knot's just by watching it on TV or by listening about it on radio/phone. Our mind is the most childish part of our body & thus it craves for the simplest of details as possible. Simplicity is what our brain demands for and nothing is as simple as just sitting or lying on bed with nothing to do, thus our eyes see what it missed earlier.

I know, this post might seem a little cryptic & alchemist-ic in nature but once it's read during the days of boredom - you'll understand what I wanted to say.

"Nothing is permanent." - Buddha

Listen To Me?

2011-04-02T20:03:00.000+05:30

LISTEN TO ME?

“Everything becomes a little different as soon as it is spoken out loud.” - Hermann Hesse

Logically, we speak to communicate with others - tongue is the world's most used tool to communicate. But how many times have we actually stopped clucking our thick tongues & thought about the way we speak? Sometimes people speak without thinking, figuratively, of course. Some people can't speak, some can't stop to speak. Some people speak in a high tone, some in a soft tone. But why does a person raises his decibels when he/she has earphones on, as in listening to music etc?!

"If you can't win by reason, go for volume." - Bill Watterson

The thing is, when we're speaking - we're actually speaking for us to listen. We're our own audience. When we speak normally, our tone & volume is different but when we're listening to something or when our ears are 'pre-occupied' - we raise our voice to communicate with others only because with chaos lurking at our ears we're ourselves unable to hear a single word that left our mouth. Despite the fact that other fellow is having his/her ears intact. It's not arrogance as we aren't doing it on purpose, we simply can't imagine other person can hearing us as we have an inborn 'voice' of "why can't I hear it?!" So basically, we human's are designed in such a way that we've to mold ourselves to something as simple as speaking-&-listening.

Decibels don't always increase when we can't hear ourselves, they also emerge as a 'poster-image' of anger. When we're angry, we yell i.e. we shout, scream etc. That's an extremity. To just justify how much anger or difference of opinion is filled in ourselves, again the strongest muscle come's to the rescue. We know that words & words alone design our character, our future, our strengths, our weaknesses - in short ourselves! To get the feeling of being the 'dormant' - we stiffen our cords. We ensure that the other person hears us & hears us well.

The other reason for decibel increase is the one in excitement. Adrenaline is a funny thing when we know of it's effects & the capability of human body to go beyond the extreme, which wouldn't be extreme once it's crossed. The sheer example is that of a sporting event. The crowd can be heard, quite deafeningly. The scream, here, is the one of extreme joy or disappointment.

The forth type of scream is the one in sadness. Just to blow the bubble of frustration, people scream. This voice is the result of the capacitative irritation, frustration, anger, pressure that builds a hollow monument of bubble in our heads. As we know, the only way to release this pressure is by 'speaking up' which usually is taken as 'speaking-out'.

Thus we come back to square one. We know that the words spoken can never return, yet when we're not in our 'sound' mind - we let these 'loose' talks to drive. That's the beauty of the whole thing because after aggressive talks, the same lips & tongues deliver the words of wisdom, endorsed by their attitude. Where there's "damn" - there's also "beautiful" and many others. The only thing over here too, is the control over our mind. We always have a story to tell other's but sometimes finding a listening is asking too much! Hence, again, my recommended dose would be 'writing it out'. Listening to classical music also helps in calming of nerves. Divert the aggression, tension towards writing & thus creative writing won't be such a taboo as some reckon it as. The only 'mantra' towards leading a peaceful life is by exhausting our 'extreme=emotions'. We may all have our different methods to do so but hey, it's our lives!

"The sound of a kiss is not so loud as that of a cannon, but its echo lasts a great deal longer.” - Oliver Wendell Holmes

The Unpredictable Beauty

2011-03-30T11:38:00.000+05:30

THE UNPREDICTABLE BEAUTY

“I am an unpredictable journey.” - LIFE

Predictable - a word used to describe, in a way, what the future holds. There are many people claiming they can see the future and, since you can't clap with one hand, there are those people too who want to know their future. They're ready to pay hefty costs to know it. Let's enumerate the pros & cons of knowing the unknown.

We should understand that if we know the future, then obviously, whatever we do right now will eventually nudge us to it. Therefore, we get a mental relief from the 'surprise' that the person awaits as an outcome. Knowing future is also good to see how the person's life will be & thus, if it's a brighter future - the person becomes more optimistic. So it helps in preparing for what's left in the tank. For a student or a lover: the most important thing is to know the final result i.e. whether they'd have a good, serene & safe future ahead or that they'd have to struggle a bit. The person would become more relaxed, mentally as he/she knows "tomorrow". Thus, the approach towards work would be a bit casual. We know if the future is sweeter or bitter for us, so we take a casual approach towards life - we know it's going to come so we're preparing ourselves to withstand it but ultimately, the person loses all hope.

Now, what if the wheel of life goes on as it must - without us knowing the outcome? We don't know what will happen to us tomorrow, whether we'll meet somebody, or will we achieve something or even - will we die tomorrow?! The beauty, here, is that we don't know "tomorrow" & so we work harder - this defines our character. We're curious to know "tomorrow" & that curiosity motivates us to just 'draw the last inch'. No doubt, under pressure situations we're under extreme aggression which is not a position to be but yet, this is a pleasurable pressure. We know that the day will end & a new ray of light will await us "tomorrow" - thus we've hope. And afterall, hope is the thing, the fuel that keeps the hunger of curiosity & our charm to live - alive! If we know that the world will be coming to an end "tomorrow" then we'd act as per our "bucket list" but if we don't know it - we'd die normally. Hence, the person's life commences calmly. The horror of getting to see the hands of death suffocating & choking us is far more worse than dying with same method without having to look at it.

Be it any perspective, the excitement & the thrill of unpredictability of life is what inspires us. It is what keeps us going on & on till we finally understand what we're looking for. Sometime's knowing isn't everything. And sometimes we know things that we aren't supposed to know, so let by-gones be by-gones & focus on the beauty that we possess in our minds & thoughts regarding life. The ultimate thing that we should indulge in voluntarily is doing our 'Karma'. I'll elaborate on this in my next post..

"Life is a change & the most elegant changes are unpredictable." - Arpit Shukla