Rishikesh Shinde

Leading in the VUCA world - How the Armed Forces do it | RAGHU RAMAN | T...

2016-02-27T03:48:00.001-05:00

Life's Learning's

2013-06-03T23:42:00.001-04:00

Reflecting on past is good at times, it opens up avenues in a different light. Every time you look at a situation, there's a different solution every time. Things cold have been different if viewed from different angles. If my ex's parents hadn't done what they did and had kept their ego's aside, i would have respected them more than my parents. I kept on absorbing their behavior till i simply couldn't bear it. These guys were never focused on me or us at all, they were onto something else altogether. I was still into a forgiving mode, till they completely lost control. We fought and the immediate reaction of my in-laws was divorce, without even trying to understand what went wrong. They never heard me and only gave their ears to their daughter, who am sure never even pondered to understand. Huh...why am I thinking about it now? Well if my in laws would have handled situations in positive way, things would have been different today... That's it. I do regret my reactions, but i know one things that my reactions were after a pile up and not based on one incidence. I had given ample amount of leverage but they didn't respect it and when i stopped, they didn't respect it either. So there was a loss loss situations wherever i went. I would have lost on any ground. what they gave me, i bore for a longtime and eventually i had to give them back but cutting off any bonds i had with them. Does my ex wife understand this? The answer is no and that's one reason why we are divorcing...My in laws, had they managed the situations better, things would not come to this pass... Lessons learnt, check for family's background as well. A well educated family doesn't necessarily mean they are cultured and have a good background. Education cannot make you mature.

Lessons learnt...

Mistake's one commits...

2013-06-02T13:29:00.001-04:00

I have realized it before, but I never gave it much thought till today. I got a person in my life a few years back and i thought i would be happy, but now that i analyse and understand the entire situation, I am happy that we parted ways. And it was not me who took the decision to separate-I am a hopeless optimist i guess and a believer in the fact that things do change for good, it was that person who took the decision. Well the credit goes to that person for putting me out of the optimism. I used to think that i am wrong somewhere, but after the series of events that have presented themselves in the last few weeks, I have realized that i was right when i said that i have joined hands with a juvenile and immature person / people. Every passing day is making me realize that I probably gave too many chances and was rather optimistic about future. While i feel angered by the events, my feelings are more of pity and sympathy for that person. Angered because of the way that person is meting out things and sympathy because that's the way that set of people or persons are. Evasion of responsibility is the name of their game... Issuing threats...etc Good that we are parting, how could one possible work with such a person anyway... I am thankful again to Mahakali for easing this person out of my life. That's the past...

Coming back to present, will start again with my long lost passion - the investment is huge - one lakh... getting ready with the funds...and its next in line after my new car shows up two days from now...Yeeehaaaa... Car - Check; Passion - Almost there; New life - Check; And last but not the least :) New relationships - Almost there :)

Mission Chennai!

2013-06-01T22:07:00.002-04:00

Its sunday and its comes after a long and hard week. Nothing like it. Planning to get into Chennai and get a peek onto my new car to be delivered next week. The first major buy! A small one, but its gonna sport "will grow up to mahindra thar"! The weeks been hectic and with all the work around it seems even 24hrs are not enough. I can focus completely on the job at hand as now i don't have to deliberate over my personal life anymore. I am not married anymore and that's giving me more space to work on! I now travel and move around with individuals who are independent and out there to make things happen. The marriage was slowing me down instead of boosting me up. And nobody cared about it! Well i could have managed, but its better to pull the plug if you see destructive behavior around. I am happy now! I am happy that I am no more managing a juvenile and fantasy! I am more focused practical and realist now. I don't know whats in store for me in my personal life, but one thing for sure that my professional life is going to be a hell of a exciting ride! My dogs are with me and they love me! Chennai is a blessing in disguise!

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2013-05-28T03:28:00.001-04:00

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2013-05-27T20:45:00.000-04:00

A lovely morning with hot coffee and a objective to achieve. I can see my workplace from my flat and the customer too! A day to start and plans to execute! A day without worry or hassles about personal life. I am now free from irrational and kiddish behavior. I can now look better at the horizon and move at a faster pace. Marriage was really talking up my energies! Now that i don't have to carry anything, I can feel the surge to move ahead! Its like my engine got some extra horsepower. While i do feel deceived and cheated, i know that this happened for good.

Nonetheless, have started planning for my next move. Professional life has been satisfying and opportunities are opening up. Have been pushed in worst situations on all ends. Working in a city where i don't know the local language withe temperatures soaring and tough deadlines to meet. Personal life is in good shape now that i am divorced. Next work destination will be Bangkok and i have 6 months in my hand to make it happen. Will apply for a passport now...hahahahha... one door closes and other door(s) open.

The only easy day was yesterday...

2013-05-27T10:46:00.000-04:00

Woohooo! Yezzzz! This is life! Well guys I am back and am back with a bang! My life changed last week! I was married till last week! Now am not and would be legally single by August 2013! I am sad for the fact that divorce was meted out for a not so strong reason. Reasons stated were beyond my sane or for that matter anyone's sane mind. My wife started having visions of the past and she decided to leave, when we were going pretty well for the last few months! We were planning to my new work location, buy a new car, spend time alone for sometime and be back to my base camp! Yes I had great plans for visiting Pondicherry and nearby areas and make up for the lost time of our marriage But patience is not everybody's piece of cake, definitely not my wife's - and why not when she belongs to a fast food generations! I am not surprised, but it does make me sad that I was trying to workout a relation with someone who while had grown physically had the maturity of a 10year old. I did love her, and kept on going with her for a hope that she would understand me better. All the reasons were completely baseless. I am happy and its good riddance! A blessing in disguise! Yesterday was the day it finally broke off! She didn't even have balls to face me! She abandoned the two adorable dogs who loved her without any condition! I am happy that I am not a part of a person who is capable of taking such decisions! When the night comes, the person just flees! I never wanted a weakling-because I am not!

I am happy that I don't have to anymore bear the irrational and immature behavior! Thank you god for giving me a new lease of life! My life now begins! I will soon write Chennai to Bangkok soon!!! It’s going to be fun riding with the waves! I haven't cheated anyone and I didn't make any irrational decisions - karma will present me with a something special - now that I know what a lowlife is, I will start appreciating the highs now. I believe in Karma and absolutely nothing can go wrong as long! Six months to Bangkok New life! New beginning Thank you Maha Kali for your blessings!

The only easy day was yesterday...!!!

Karma Rocks!

2013-02-11T09:16:00.002-05:00

Truth has gone on a vacation and Lies now reigns the kingdom of earth. People and their lies are unbearable. I cannot per se change the situation, but I do believe that whatever sow you shall reap. You reap lie, you will receive lies. If you deceive someone, you will be deceived by someone. Life gives you what you deserve. Karma does prevail and I have personally observed it more closely. Yes karma did hit me ones! I have a firm belief that whatever I am getting on my plate right now is for a reason and I should be happy with it regardless of whether I like it or not. Life probably has something in store for me. I haven't wronged anyone or deceived anyone yet, infact I have always stood by the truth and haven't settled for anything else. Life has always been good to me, it sure must have a reason for me to go through this phase, something better is probably in store. Life's predicament! Hush! Life gave me a kick as far as my personal life is concerned but my other life - professional - has opened up many avenues and I will be leaving India soon! I even got a awesome hike and was recognized for my efforts! That's how I believe life compensates. Kills you on front but gets you up on the other. One door closes but other opens up. I surely did some good to deserve today in my professional life. I wish my personal life was that strong as my professional life. But again I guess everything happens for a reason and I am impatiently waiting for the same to show up.... :)

Right / Wrong

2013-02-04T02:30:00.000-05:00

I wonder sometimes if I did the right thing or the wrong thing and I happen to conclude that the for every right side there is a wrong side. Life's decisions always have the right and wrong side, its what we choose that makes a difference. I am not saying wrong is wrong and it should not be chosen but life at times does present us with situations / problems, where in spite of knowing that choosing a particular path is wrong, we have to stick to it. In my case too, I know that the decision being made are wrong and there are better ways to look at the problems. But like always life's presents itself with a predicament and you are forced to choose. You have to choose factoring the short term and long term implications. I choose what was necessary and essential? Life does teach you lessons, and its very difficult when you know you are right?

Am going to be there!

2013-01-31T14:16:00.002-05:00

Well "something" happened and legally (also technically), I cannot really post anything about "something". But though I am sad, I am grateful to a extent that the so called something happened. Sometimes you have to do away with the some baggage and decide to stick to something fresh that would at least make you smile. I am in one the phases, where I will have to reinvent the wheel of living life. I have been living life before, but this is going to be different. While my heart was and is pretty emotional about my life in general, my mind/brain has decided the best for me. Its going to be a upward struggle for me now onwards. But its god-damned so necessary! I chose this life of mine! Lets see what this new life has to offer me. Will I grow or will I get stunted? I choose to grow, but even to grow you require strength and right now I low on gas! Well it seems I will have to few extra miles before I start rolling again. I am game! Yeho!

Curiosity

2012-07-20T21:10:00.002-04:00

Those who are willing to be vulnerable move among mysteries.

—Theodore Roethke, "Straw for the Fire: From the Notebooks of Theodore Roethke."

Photograph by Robert Frank, 1948

The image is inspiring and it make s me remember the days when curiosity was the buzz word. I am not saying that I am no more curious, but I have mellowed down once I was on my own. Its better to make mistakes at somebody's expense (parents?). Coming to the point... as children we were vulnerable... in the sense that we were not actually sane and the only agenda of the day was to explore... explore the neighbourhood bush...or track a birdie or follow a snail or hunt for insects to feed to the lizzy... As we grew up, explorations took more advanced forms, we disconnected ourselves from nature and got cosy with the gadgets or started exploring the world with books in hand and now a internet explorer... at every age the exploration has differed. But what explorations / mysteries were worth every cell in your body? Information is flowing everywhere these days and all you need to do is open your web browser and go for it... I would call it a passive exploratory mode... where we add too many information bits to our brains, but we rarely use that information... the information at times that we read or gather is for some purpose... be it for work... or you wanting to be the know-it-all-guy on the block... how many of us actually take pains to explore new avenues every day? More like a tourist on planet earth? I know only a handful who could do it... :)

Have you seen the Matrix?

2012-07-08T07:48:00.000-04:00

Yes, I have seen the matrix.. Everyone has! But we tend to ignore it as a delusion! Not anyone's fault but ours! Its seems like a indulgence one doesn't have time for!

And everyone around wants to understand the Matrix.... Hindus call it Moksha, Christianity calls it salvation... But nobody makes a effort to understands the purpose behind our existence. If we do not know where we want to go, how can it be expected that we reach the destination we actually want to? Reaching a salvation or the so called Moksha, is not dependant on any religion but it is dependant on us - mortals. The only subject to this conduction is that we understand the entire universe, its functioning, the laws that are at play. There is no God but there is you and God is nothing but you. The only reason that you are not God yet is that you are still to understand the nature of things inside and outside your mind. And you could get this know how by just sitting peacefully as a observer and you would unlock the immense knowledge. We experienced it when we were kids! We have lost in touch of our childhood. We are bound by shackles created by someone and accepted by us.Go to any religion, any self help book... the direction remains the same...but unless you experience it on your own, you wont be able to understand it. I could write about such experiences... but it wont make sense until you are in that moment. e.g if I say - smell cold weather? or smell of nature? or smell of rains? or smell of food? or smell of a cookie? - you wont be able to decipher anything... its very personal. When you have understood the truth, everything around you melts and you see more clearly and beyond...

Nothing Much - A new journey..

2012-07-07T11:45:00.001-04:00

This is a classic image - But of great importance and meaning, nonetheless. This image is called as the 'Gateless Gate'. I am sure that you will find it amusing as I did, when i heard and read about it. I read it nearly 06years back and was able to figure out the true meaning recently. Zen monks are surely good at riddles and that's the reason why Zen is so much fun compared to anything else. The essence of the - Gateless Gate - is that you never arrive. And its true - I have experienced it. I try to follow Zen and sometimes I am one with the it - but the moment I relax and let my mind drift - I miss it... There is a continuous struggle to reach the zenish stage. It would be easy & difficult to explain what I mean by Zen as it is something individual and could not be passed on only with words. A first hand experience is necessary to understand Zen.

I have embarked on this journey in which i will never arrive at any destination, but will move on... till I reach a completely reach the Zenish stage.

Do this and don't do that!

2011-11-05T08:11:00.001-04:00

I am carrying so many dos and don'ts that I cannot dance; the burden is too heavy. And I have been given so many ideals and goals - ideals of perfection - that I always feel I am falling short. And the ideals are utterly impossible. I cannot fulfill them; there is no possibility of fulfilling them. I will always fall short!

Why?

2011-01-05T00:25:00.000-05:00

Why are minds so complicated?
Why is it harder for someone to understand the bigger picture?
Why does someone / anyone require outside help to live his / her life?
Aren't we the one's who are at the top of the food chain, because we have more cc's of brain?
Why cant life be simpler?
Why does a human run after something or the other?
Why cant a human be stable and let everything around them be stable too?

The list is endless...

Decent clothes…a car, but what's it all about?

2010-12-08T07:22:00.000-05:00

Decent clothes…a car, but what's it all about?

This piece of dialogue comes from Maichael Caine in Alfe.

I have often wondered, rather pondered on this question a lot many times, but i have always drawn a blank. Money is good, and i don't deny the fact that it can buy 'almost' anything under the sun, but the at the same time it can't buy everything. Can it buy me absolute peace? Can 100M$ make me grow exponentially on the internal front? I am not talking about the external circumstances that you may create once you have loads of money - you may buy a Merc and experience the peacefulness at 340kmph or you could go visiting holy places and say that you have experienced the divine, ensuring your growth.

Essentially what is money???

Mindset!

2010-11-17T05:28:00.001-05:00

What creates a mindset? I have a mindset too. I simply just keep going. Sometimes i am down and sometimes up. But i ensure that i keep going. Does a sense of achievement drive me? Is it right that way. I have been observing myself for some time now and i have realised that i am a bit intolerant towards some aspects of other people's lives. Like for example I hate soaps but I know some people who will do anything and everything under the sun to watch them! Indian soaps are a bit different unlike the western ones that i know of. I can endlessly watch Friends, How i Met Your Mother, Lie to me etc... the context here is more of fun and has subtle hints about every emotion - but the underlying line of these sitcoms is fun. They tend to lighten your mood and just set it right.
The Indian context of sitcoms has been sad stories. I have seen advertisements about a sitcom on child marriage, family honor, after rape life, women married into a very orthodox setup etc The baseline here is women, the sadness that has been associated with her and the strength with which she faces the sadness. The TRP's go absolutely through the roof when a soap on a female victim is telecasted. Some of the soaps have been going on for 7yrs now and the main target audience seat rest with the women from all sectors and avenues of life. I have been trying to understand the psychology involved with this and the only thought that pops up in my mind, and which is by far not logical and scientific is that like poles attract each other. Are women of this Indian society sad? Could be! Maybe! Indian society has long been a patriarchal society and not a matriarchal one. The male is the head and is supposed to take decisions and the rest of the family is to follow. The soaps feed on these ideas. But what makes a women just get obsessed with these soaps? A similarity? Some congruence? What is it?
Let me be frank I am not against such soaps, but i would like to know / understand what does a family as a whole get to learn from miseries? I haven't seen a entire soap yet - I just cant make myself sit through it - because evertime i start watching it, i see a female crying, plotting, surrendering, and the likes.
If i visualise that i am a ace pilot for the next five years with serious passion, i could very well study, generate resources that would make me fly in future. But what if i start visualising about killing my inner me and surrendering to the wish and fancies of everyone around? How would i turn up? For a start i would have everyone backing me - but does this help create me? Do i live my own life or do i live my life through others - is this right?

Its the mindset that make me and its not borrowed.
Is the Indian diaspora borrowing mindset from the soaps? Is this churn good? Will it benefit if the society starts imitating the mindset of the a fictional character portrayed in the sitcom?

The study continues......

Being Still!

2010-11-16T05:33:00.001-05:00

All these years i have been running around something or the other. I used to think that being after something - is what we call as life. For the last 30yrs, I have pounced on anything related to war, spirituality, literature etc and was involved with social service, lecturing, researching etc. But i have gathered that i never reached anywhere. The only baseline that i could think of is this moment. I after getting into many things, have come to a conclusion (nearly) that life is not what i am living. I feel life is just like a bridge and we are tourists on this earth. We have to visit places and for that we need to associate ourselves with the social system. The only problem with this system is that not everyone really knows where he is heading or why do they whatever they are doing right now. Ask any one a question and probe deeper - the answeree is lost or the exact word would be - clueless. For e.g. - why do we run after money? what is money?why do we need it? Is excess essential? Is money everything? What will happen after we have saved loads of money?...blah blah blah. Eventually you reach a point that money isn't everything, but it is something. Something that will make your abode comfortable on this planet. Eventually everyone has to die and wither away.

Blogging!

2010-11-16T02:10:00.001-05:00

Well i am new to blogging and i intend to explore it further. The name that I chose for my blog http://rishikeshshindemugamushin.blogspot.com/ comes my name and "muga-mushin".

The literal meaning of "muga-mushin" is that it is a is a compound term of muga and mushin. Muga literally means no-self (derived from the Sanskrit anātman) and Mushin no-mind (also from the Sanskrit a-citta).

The name denotes my quest to achive "muga-mushin".

While i havent yet decided on what I should be writting, but i think just writting about anything and everything should suffice for the time being.

Warm Regards
Rishikesh Shinde