Scribble, Scrabble, Stroo..

A Farewell & A New Beginning

2018-04-15T17:30:00.002+05:30

After nearly 12 years of making this wonderful space my home, my public diary and my companion during the hardest times, I bid farewell to blogger. I have now chosen a new home at https://akhileshmagal.wordpress.com/ .

The main reason for the shift is better features and reach offered by Wordpress. I love the new themes and the designs of webpages.

I will continue to write there and share some of my insights!

Until then!

The Stained Glass Windows at Ulm Cathedral. 2009.

A short note on Work, Hobbies and Life

2018-02-04T01:04:00.003+05:30

One of the greatest joy that man can derive is the joy of work. The ability to lose oneself completely in work, is a rarity; but if it happens, then nothing could be more pleasurable. The same is true with a hobby and the same with life in general.

This is where the concept of work-life balance doesn't make sense to me. Work-life balance means that one creates divisions in one's own mind about how life is structured. This sort of division is okay for people who want to have jobs. But those who want their careers to be filled with joy and happiness cannot break-down life into such artificial divisions.

Indeed, hobbies are seen as a time to relax and unwind. Work is seen as stressful. There is simply no point in creating stress and then releasing it at the end of the day. A much more intelligent thing to do would be to never create stress in the first place. One may ask, "Is this really possible?"

It is. This can happen when one is brings inspiration to what one does. You may not be a scientist working on revolutionizing humankind, however, one can approach any work with honor, respect and a deep appreciation. This attitude of bringing oneself totally to one's work changes everything. The same attitude can then be carried to one's hobbies - whether it is music or art or building airplane models. Hobbies are not things that shuts off the intellect, but that which hones it and ushers in awareness of oneself. The common thread in all aspect of life is to give everything, always at 100%.

This attitude can help one overcome misery and small minded pettiness. It can help one transcend the mundane and bring meaning to life. Meaning doesn't come from somewhere; meaning is brought to our lives by our intention. Then a man can proudly say what Gandhi did, "My life is my message".

Little Rann of Kutch. January 2018

Misery - The nature of the human mind and a way out

2017-12-02T00:32:00.000+05:30

Misery seems to be the nature of the human condition. Just look around, and see who is not miserable. At least look around to see if you can spot people who are genuinely happy. More often than not you would draw up blanks. People simply are not happy - yet they appear to be arduously seeking happiness. The eastern culture has time and again reinforced the idea that happiness comes from within, yet knowing this, you find people not being content. Whatever the position, wherever the place, whatever the material well being, however healthy, yet, there is a discord among people and oneself.

I have also fallen victim to being unhappy. I have seen relationships being destroyed, lives crushed and wealth lost in this unhappiness. But why does this happen? And more crucially how can we overcome this?

My own observation of life around me teaches me two key lessons, which I would like to share with all of you.

A pair of plum headed parakeets. Somewhere on the road between Dharamshala to Palanpur. March 2017

1. Realize that life is short and death is coming. This is a single most important thing that will help us align our priorities. We start asking the questions that matter. Why am I here? What should I do? What do I need? This is the easiest way to drop social expectations and one's own "sky is the limit" desires for material well-being and social acceptance.

2. All relationships are hard - mainly because we are using the other to fulfill our expectations. Therefore, learn to be happy without the 'other'. That is discover one activity, whatever that is - singing or dancing or reading or writing or cooking - whatever it may be. This activity should be that which you can do even if nobody is around to appreciate you. I like dancing, but I dance only to garner appreciation from the society. This is not a true activity that motivates you, because your motivation is derived from outside and not from you. Experiment with many things. Fail, Then rise again. I cannot emphasize how important it is to find this passion in your life. This is the only thing that saves you from an ocean of misery. It is that love for the activity that keeps you going through tough times and is your only companion. And once this companion is with you - you stop seeking emotional support from others.

The result of these two steps - realization that time is running out and discovering what interests you, can transform your life. It changes your attitude from an seeker to a sharer. From someone who is constantly demanding love and attention to someone who is willing to help the other grow into independence and joy. This attitude brings tremendous freedom in life and with that the ability to help others around oneself. And in service, one finds even more joy. This then sets s positive vicious cycle.

Let start here and see the change.

Emotion & Sentiment: Knowing the Difference

2017-10-21T15:39:00.001+05:30

Society applies large brushstrokes and classifies people as intellectual or emotional. Looking at myself, I feel I am an amalgamation of both. I would like to see myself as someone who takes rational decisions and is influenced by pure logic, but I would be lying if I say that I am always rational and logical. The truth of the matter is that I am both and there are strong emotional undercurrents that take me away from the shores of my center. These emotional pulls are what makes us human and is in fact what makes life worth living. Life lived by reason alone would make it so perfect yet so boring since everything goes by a logic and a formula and is therefore predictable.

However, emotions come like a double edged sword. It derails our lives, especially when the thing on which we have invested our emotions, fails us. Emotional storms can carry the mind-boat far away from the soul-shore and toss it around and thrash it over. Most people either get carried away by these emotional storms and carry the people around them too. Others, having experienced the pain, shut themselves off and are so afraid of such storms arising that they live closed lives - fearing emotional bondage. Both these approaches lead one to misery. What then is the way forward? How can we be sensitive yet strong? How can we be vulnerable yet courageous?

The key, I believe, is to recognize the difference between emotions and sentiments. Sentiments are always dependent on the other. It has a social context. Emotions are the raw sensations that we experience when something (or someone) external evokes the deepest part of our heart strings. Look at it this way. We observe a sunset and a feeling of expanse comes up in us. Being with this feeling and becoming overwhelmed by it is being emotional. However, getting carried away and saying things like "Oh I've never seen such a sunset in my life! It is far better that the one I say elsewhere" - is already becoming sentimental because we have started to put it in a context. The same goes with the feeling one experiences during the death of a loved one. We feel a profound sense of emptiness. Being with this and not associating it with anything else is being with the emotion. But the moment we start extroverting the sense of emotion - associating memories, projecting "what would that person have felt" etc. is becoming sentimental. In my own experience, pure emotions that are unassociated with any mental imageries, memories or future anxieties are beautiful, make us human and add color to one's life. Sentiments, project these deep feelings on other people and situations and cloud our intellect. This is the difference between being happy and being miserable.

Use your intellect in the external world and let your internal world be guided by your deep emotional instincts.

A view of South Eastern Nilgiris. Geddai power house road. September 2017

Thoughts on Birding

2017-10-09T19:43:00.002+05:30

I have been birdwatching since I was a child. My parents first introduced me to this enchanting hobby that has remained with me through my adolescence and now into my middle years. It runs in the family, I presume. My paternal grandfather was a botanist who specialized in palm trees but had a strong penchant for bird photography. He was indeed a true photographer and had his own developing studio at home where he used to develop prints. My father too is a skilled photographer and has some beautiful shots to show. On my mother's side, my mother herself is a charming botanist and my love for gardening and nature as a whole comes from her. Her father, or my maternal grandfather was also an avid birdwatcher - who in fact first introduced me to Salim Ali and the Coppersmith Barbet. I distinctly remember exchanging letters with him on the resonant and far reaching call of this member of barbet species. I must admit that I am fortunate to have amidst me a host of nature lovers.

During the early 2000s, bird watching soon turned into bird photography largely due to the availability of good quality, portable and affordable digital cameras. With the advent of social media sharing sites such as Picasa and Orkut, it became quite easy to share photographs and instantly get attention from your 'normal' friends and family. The gratification and attention always sways one away. This moved my attention more towards capturing and composing photographs of birds rather than details such as bird behavior, features, nesting, understanding the relationship between birds and the larger ecology and other interesting but oft neglected aspects. This is not to take away the value of bird photography or the fact that some talented individuals have in fact elevated it to a rather beautiful artform. However, there was a deep dissonance somewhere inside me, which I chose to turn away from.

The passion to capture birds perfectly soon became an obsession thanks to my newly acquired Nikon SLR and associated lenses. This soon turned into a game of more and more zoom. My 55mm lens gave way to a 200mm lens, which soon made way to a 300mm lens. Until recently I was seriously contemplating a rather expensive 5 figure lense that would give me a reach of 600mm. Common sense prevailed and I 'settled' for a bridge camera of 60x and patted myself for having 'saved' a considerable fortune. The bridge camera came with bluetooth and WiFi, which further accentuated the sharing process. I quickly noticed that my sole aim and focus was to 'get a good shot' even if it meant flushing out birds from their roost. I distinctly remember having used this strategy to evict a party of poor old tawny bellied babblers from their lantana bush. Yet, I was happy with the pictures and the back-patting I received from my peers and circle of acquaintance. What exacerbated this behavior is that most bird watchers are photographers too. It has so come to pass that bird watching and bird photography have almost become synonymous. Nowadays with the advent of smartphones and eBird checklists, the focus is on reporting as many species as possible. There are bird races - a race from sunrise to sunset with the aim that the person who reports the maximum number of species wins. This is a new form of activity within the birding sphere which I call bird reporting. In fact, it was not until a trip to the Nilgiris that I became aware of this distinct yet often blurred line between bird watching and bird photography and indeed the recent bird reporting.

An Intermediate Egret takes to the air. Nalsarovar 2016.

I accompanied two good friends to the Nilgiris in the post monsoon season of 2017. The monsoon was capricious and like the recent years, quite delayed by nearly a month. It was raining when it should have been dry and clear. Despite the finicky weather and the gush of clouds from the hot valleys below, we were rather fortunate and most of our days were dry and perfect for birdwatching. We were accompanied by a veteran tea planter and avid birdwatcher of 64 years Mr. T. Vasu. As is so often among nature lovers, his mind's age chose not to tag along with that of his body. His simplicity reflected that of the forests and his enthusiasm that of the arrival of spring. His intelligence was unsullied by bias and his desire to learn was as strong as the trunks of the tallest forest trees. Mr. Vasu introduced us to a friend and fellow bird watcher.

Mr. Dharman Ranjan is 60 something with a mind and energy of a young adult. An excellent bird photographer who has gone through the most arduous hardships to get a good photograph. It was ironical that Mr. Ranjan, with his fine photography skills taught me the meaning of bird watching. He took us to an abandoned tea factory somewhere along the Kotagiri - Mettupalayam road. We perched ourselves overlooking a deep valley on one side that opened itself onto the majestic Bhavani Sagar reservoir whose waters shimmered like golden rays in the distance. From this perch we spent nearly four hours - waiting patiently for the birds to arrive from their daily return journey to their nightly perches in the mountains. It was he who taught me that there is much more to bird watching that clicking great pictures. Bird photography's main aim is to get the best possible picture in an aesthetic setting. This can be achieved by placing feeding stations and watering pans for the birds to come. With modern cameras capturing birds in such a setting is rather easy. Further, with good processing software, one can achieve any desired results one wants. Bird Watching on the other hand is not about a goal. It isn't about capturing the beauty but to be with the beauty. Bird Watching involves all those points which I have alluded to earlier. It is about immense patience - about being with the birds, watching their movements and behavior, understanding their calls and their rhythms.

Mr. Vasu and Mr. Dharman Ranjan

Nowadays, I still carry my camera with me - but I have started to appreciate and use the binoculars much more. I spend time looking closely at a bird. Examining its plumage and its frame. I try to understand its behavior and see how it is interacting with other members of its kind or even perhaps another species. I try to perceive if birds have rhythms - rhythms of time, of seasons and of perches. I also try to learn their call and try to practice it so that I can recognize them from their calls. I also try to understand their habitats or particular bushes or trees they tend to prefer in the hope that I migh someday preserve this or even for that matter help restore some of their habitat. I feel much more centered and content when I do this. Bird Watching has changed from an avaricious activity of reporting maximum species and clicking the best pictures into a deep communion with nature itself. And in that resonance I think I come into the deepest contact with my self and dwell their without a worry for the world.

Acceptance: How to accept people and situations as they are?

2017-08-23T23:45:00.002+05:30

Accepting people and situations as they are is an important spiritual practice. This helps us overcome anger and irritability. If we examine our irritability, we soon find out that it is because of our inability to see things as they are. In fact, we are always seeing people and situations as "How it should be" rather than being non-judgemental and seeing things as it is. Non-acceptance leads us to grave misery in life. It saps our warmth and compassion in life. It also severs the connection between ourselves and others. It also means that we have a set template in our mind - no doubt bolstered by the best logic - and we go on judging things and people against this.

Although, many of us might have realized that we are poor at acceptance - it becomes difficult to change this behavior. In fact, intelligent and perceptive people are the ones who are quick to judge, label and discriminate. These are useful tools to have in order to succeed in life. But the minute we start applying it to almost everything - it becomes a curse.

What I've found is that perfectionists are people who do not accept themselves. Yes, to the external world and perhaps to themselves - it appears that they are the people that are most open to change - to improve constantly. Such people can even be glorified by the society as people who are always stretching themselves. But, this stretch come because of fear and dislike for mediocrity and not for love of expansion. That is to say, such people want to constantly improve because they cannot tolerate anyone pointing to them that they are mediocre or they have slipped. Therefore, the root behavior of perfectionists is non acceptance of themselves - non acceptance of one's own weaknesses. What ensues is a constant battle with oneself - which they justify as self-development.

One has to be very careful of this. Because over time, they person becomes edgy and irritable - left with only few people - or perhaps none at all - that fit their idea of perfection. So what does one do? How could one start changing?

A peacock collage. Gujarat 2017

Again, the change cannot be forced onto oneself - striving must be avoided at all costs. One solution that has worked for me is this:

1- Look at the discomforting person / situation or event

2 - Observe the irritation and the non-acceptance it causes in you

3 - Accept the non-acceptance - that is - feel this thought in every cell of your body, "I accept this irritation in me. I welcome it and am compassionate towards it".

This might sound very new age pseudo healing sort of thing. But do try it. When you accept it, just do so with all you've got. Focus on your non-acceptance - in that irritation that has lodged inside you - and then be compassionate to it. Then you see a transformation within yourself first - and then soon a transformation in the way you perceive things outside of you.

In the lap of nature

2017-08-01T23:22:00.000+05:30

Very few have the opportunity to work in a place that is so close to nature. Just stepping out of the office campus opens up so many opportunities to explore the wilderness. Today was a beautiful day - the light was perfect for photography - not too harsh with just the right amount of clouds hovering in the sky. The earth was rejuvenated with copious amount of rain that has fallen on it for the past days. Mother earth had painted herself with different hues of green. Wildflowers blossomed in every nook and corner, apparently rushing to flower and seed before the rains end.

Amidst this beauty, larger mammals and many avian friends showed themselves to us. It was indeed beautiful and I must say I am fortunate to work here.

Glory Lily (Gloria Superba)

2017-07-29T18:29:00.001+05:30

I recently travelled to Bangladesh and came across this beautiful creeper - a Glory Lilly. The Glory Lilly (Gloria Superba) is a plant that is endemic to the western ghats and other tropical forests in India. The plant itself has become exceedingly rare in its native environment.

The plant is rich in alkaloids, which makes it a poisonous plants and therefore valuable to the pharma industry. It was therefore a surprise that I first saw this charming plant growing in the hot and dusty environs of Gujarat in Gandhinagar. I came across this quite by accident as I was squeezing through a fence in Punit Van, Gandhinagar, Gujarat. As I squeezed through and turned back to examine my triumphant squeeze, my eyes fell upon this delicate, yet bold plant clinging onto the fence. It was the monsoon season back in 2016 and I was immediately enraptured by this plant. I didn't know what it was or where it came from and was eager to get home to verify its identity. Isaac Kehimkar wonderful book Common Indian Wild Flowers of course listed it and my curiosity was quelled.

Therefore, I was indeed surprised when I stumbled across it in the beautifully manicured gardens of Dhaka University. How plants have travelled around the world! Perhaps, just as we are dependent on plants to move us around, so too are plants dependent on us, humans to move them around the world.

They are true globe-trotters!

Picture taken on 23rd August 2017 at Gandhinagar, Gujarat : Puneet Van

You are the goal

2017-06-18T23:05:00.001+05:30

Osho says:

"Always remember, it is you, your type, your nature, which has to be the deciding factor. Don't follow Patanjali or Zen. Always listen to your being. Patanjalis and Zen exist for you; you don't exist for them. The Sabbath is for man - not vice versa. All religions exist for you, not vice versa. Ultimately you are the goal."

Cassia Fistula Bloom

2017-04-30T00:22:00.001+05:30

Summer is here. And there is little to cheer when the temperature hovers around 44 degrees celsius. However in this furnace like conditions, Cassia Fistula chooses to spread her blooms in all grandeur.

This particular tree is located on the way to my work on the knowledge corridor road in Gandhinagar. The tree has almost no leaves, but is completely covered with the yellow blooms. Its indeed remarkable how the tree can put out these blooms since they require enormous energy on behalf of the tree. More importantly, this is at a time when water is extremely scarce - it hasn't rained for the last eight months.

Cassia Fistula is a tree found in arid parts and is an excellent avenue tree. Do not expect much in the form of shade or a canopy. But what it lacks in leaf it makes up in bloom. The spectacular bloom is rivaled by few other trees, which makes Cassia Fistula an undisputed kind of the arid lands.

I spent nearly half an hour admiring this specimen and clicked the picture with my Nikon B 700.

I hope you like it!

The Passing of Kishori Amonkar

2017-04-04T22:20:00.001+05:30

The purist of Hindustani Music, Kishori Amonkar passed away today. To me Kishori tai's music is far above the music of other contemporary musicians for one simple reason - her style is deeply meditative. Kishori Amonkar has this almost surreal ability to stay on a note and move between notes is a smooth and subliminal fashion. Such purity of notes - minus the gimmicks of gamakas is something that I have not come across among any other musician. Listening to her music is embarking on an inward journey and experiencing the most beautiful, the most painful, the most lonely moments of one's own life. Through this journey, one heals the deepest scars in one's emotional psyche.

Some of my favorite Raags of her's are Vibhas, Jaunpuri and of course the Raag that she is best known for - Bhoop. However, this particular rendition of her's in Raag Alhaiya Bilawal always moves me to tears. This remains my favorite go to song of tai when I need deep comforting solace.

It is indeed sad that Kishori tai is no longer with us. However her life teaches us the importance of sadhana - a single pointed pursuit in trying to come close to the divine musical experience. Her death teaches us that we are all mortal. We shall pass too and our bodies shall be empty shells that only echoes our past - in Kishori's case - her sublime notes. May her death teach us that life is far too short to spend on trivial matters - like quarrels, regrets, repentance and shallow living. Her death teaches us to be alive and vibrant every moment, to pick a goal in life and pursue it with ardor, to value our relationships and to bring meaning to life and not expect life to bring meaning to us.

With that message, we are grateful to existence to have brought us in touch with such a divine voice. Hari Om.

Parenting: Exposing your children to the dualities of life

2017-02-17T14:21:00.000+05:30

Looking at the people around me at work and in my own personal life, I realized something today. There is a vast difference in the way people respond to pressure and stress. There are some who are able to shrug off pressure and stress. Then there are others who are unable to handle uncertainties.

Some of the people who are able to shrug off pressure tend to lean towards escapism and do not necessarily perform their duties diligently. They tend not to be proactive but rather lazy. The other set of people who react quickly to uncertainties are good workers and tend to be diligent, but they cannot handle unexpected situations. Both these paths do not result in peace within oneself.

What is the way out? Can one be diligent in work, yet buffer any uncertainties. Can hard-work be coupled with flexibility? I think it can. The secret lies in skill in action. As Krishna says in the Geeta, Skill in Action is that which helps us do our work completely and yet remain detached from the results. This is very contrary to modern management mantras where it is often said that the goal is the ultimate. The focus on the goal is of prime importance and any slip-up is seen as bad for oneself and for the company. The problem with this approach is that it creates enormous stress. Think of your own life. Whenever someone sets a time limit to achieve a tasks, then we usually end up compromising on the task. The focus lies in finishing the task as opposed to enjoying it and coming out with the best result. This management framework's roots lies in industrial production. The only goal of a factory was to produce as much as possible in the shortest time at the lowest cost. This was an era where competition was scarce and monopolies were rife. Creativity and originality were not a prerequisite in one's daily work.

A flock of Chestnut Bellied Sandgrouse. Rann of Kutch 2017.

Fast forward to the 21st century. Most machines and algorithms are taking over mundane tasks. Tasks where speed and repetition are necessary can easily be done much more efficiently than machines. This is where the concept of goals break down. Goals are important, and should not be played down. Goals provide us the general direction in which we need to channelize our life energy. Without a destination, we would be shuttling about in different routes in life. However, the goal should not be the "be all and end all" of an activity. Emphasis should be on uniqueness and creativity. And these things are starting to be valued in our society. Start-ups are founded on making a unique identity and being creative in the product or service they offer.

Artists are great examples. Imagine giving timelines to Michelangelo or Da Vinci! No! They were given a goal - say to build or design some dome or the other. But once given, the goal was shadowed by the activity. The creativity and and originality requires the person to fall 100% into the activity. When one connects to oneself in the activity without worrying about the result, then this is called "Skill in Action". This is what Krishna means when he says, "Your right is only on the action and not on its fruits. It also doesn't mean be inactive". So, to act and not be worried about external influences is what we need to learn. This brings us centeredness and joy in performing the action.

So how does this connect to parenting? As parents, one must always expose children to both happiness and difficulties. Most parents want to shield children from the pains of life. While the intention is good, it does not help the child. Parents must teach children that difficulties are a part of life and running away from them is never the solution. Joy and misery, happiness and sadness and all other dualities are part of this life and needs to be accepted and understood. Skill in action is to keep going ahead, despite these difficulties. Then, the children mature and are capable of facing challenges in life without getting swept off their feet either by extreme joy or extreme pain. Let us teach our children the middle path and this is the way to bring forth stability and joy.

Thought for the new year

2016-12-31T11:47:00.001+05:30

Empathy and its importance in today's world

2016-12-22T01:02:00.000+05:30

The foundation of our modern western education system is the intellect. So much so that we spend several years in an attempt to hone it to perfection. The intellect is a perfect tool to accomplish tasks in the outer world. The basis of the intellect is the ability to discriminate. Simply put the intellect helps in comparing things and events. And it is through this comparison that so called knowledge or a mental framework of the world is built.

An Egret takes to the air. Nalsarovar 2016.

However, the intellect is not a perfect system - it is limited in its ability to perceive things where comparison fails. How can we tell if our mother's love is greater than our father's love for us. In fact, the whole question of comparing things along dimensions of feeling, perception and experience is absurd. Can we compare our headache to that of our neighbor? This, therefore is the beginning of the problem that the intellect brings about. The intellect cannot be used as a useful tool in dimensions of the inner world - our emotions, feelings, intuitions. Unfortunately, our modern education knows very little about these inner dimensions and completely fails to address them even at the minutest scale. Has anyone taught us how to manage the loss of a loved one? Or the break of a relationship? Yes, we've all been told not to get angry at others, but how do we do this? Nobody teaches us this in school or university. In India, we had the privilege of being around compassionate grandmothers and grandfathers who somehow knew the skill to transcend the intellect. However, this breed of generation is fast disappearing. Sometimes, we even brand them as foolish. But are they?

The so called success of our life ultimately depends on the state of our inner world. And our intellectual education has failed us miserably. Look around at most of our problems with relationships with our partners, parents, siblings, friends and even ourselves. The situation seems grave and definitely worse off than the previous generation. The root cause of this problem, in my view is the over emphasis and over application of the intellect to all matters of life. We tend to analyse behaviors of our near and dear ones - assess how relationships can be useful to us, our goals. We even want life to work according to our plan.

Back then, people understood that life is far too random to analyse and rationalize. They understood that people and their moods are fluidic - constantly changing. They understood that the way to live life in this flux of emotions is to exercise one the most important things - acceptance and surrender. And acceptance cannot come from the intellect - it transcends that. You cannot accept by logically arriving at a conclusion that, "Oh things are like this". No! Acceptance has to happen through compassion and empathy. Where we feel what the other is going through, where we can relate to the other at a level deeper than the intellect. This empathy, this compassion is gravely missing from most people around us today.

This is also because our modern education system teaches us to nourish the intellect which in turn nourishes our ego and individuality. We are always told to stand apart. But we are never taught what makes all all one. We are taught how to defeat our class-mates, but never about how to help the weak ones and take them along. We are taught how to say, "Of course I deserve it" but never "Oh millions don't have what I do". This lack of emphasis of empathy in our childhood training is costing the society terribly. We are building roads and bridges and highways connecting far-away cities but the distance between husband and wife in the same house is at its widest. We are building high-speed internet networks to assist in instant communication, but we have forgotten the art of sitting down and listening to our loved ones. We have built the world's best universities to help people get jobs, but have we made them good human beings?

This culture of the intellect is leading to narcissism in most of us - its all about me and only me. My happiness, my freedom, my well-being. It is unfortunate that our sense of happiness is restricted to such a small thing in the universe - me. However, through our experience we all know that true happiness comes from sharing, from sacrifice and from a sense of deep belongingness to the people and the environment around us. Our modern education - both in schools and at home fails to address this. This is perhaps the true colonialism of India.

A White Throated Kingfisher at Nalsarovar. 2016.

What can we do about this? Quite simply, spend some time connecting with your heart. Just learn to be. Spend time with nature - perhaps see a sunset once a month - and just be with the sense of expansion it creates in you. Don't judge, don't compare sunsets, don't click pictures to share on facebook, don't call someone to tell them how beautiful the sunset is. Can we spend some time just being with creation? Or just watch the birds and not be bothered of finding out which species it is or where it has come from - but just be with it. Can we spend a few hours with our loved ones and just listen to them? Just be with their emotions and feelings without judging them?

What's more, it is important for us to understand that the intellect is only a tool which we must learn to keep aside. We have to attend to the heart and know its rhythms. If we want to live life fully, we must understand this, The mind will help us acquire things that make us comfortable, but the heart is the one that enjoys it.

Living in an uncertain world

2016-12-04T00:49:00.000+05:30

The irony of life is that despite it being perfectly uncertain, we go on planning - assuming that our plans will fructify. Planning is not bad by any means, however the deep desire to want our plans to succeed at any cost is the problem. Why? Because if these plans fail, then misery ensues. Misery is born out of feeling, "Life has to be this way because I feel so".

Boating at Nalsarovar. 2016

Buddha has famously said that desire brings misery. True, but if you can live with all your desires but not be bound to them - then freedom comes. This is akin to Krishna's message in the Gita where he says, "Live, Desire, Do, Act - but don't get attached to the results". Why does Krishna say this? Perhaps the people of those times knew that there is no perfect correlation between the intention, action and the result. For example, you may have a good intention to surprise your partner for his or her birthday, but you fall sick and cannot do anything about it. Here is a case where your intention was perfect, but the action failed due to reasons beyond your control. Similarly, sometimes we put in all the best efforts in an action but the results fail miserably. For example: you are a farmer and take great pains in planting crops. However due to a storm, your entire crop gets washed off. Here is an instance where action and results are not correlated. All of us have had similar experiences - where despite our best intentions and efforts, we fail.

The reverse also can be true. We put in no efforts and some miraculous thing happens to us. Perhaps we win a lucky coupon or our business gets a surprise order without much effort going into acquiring the sale. This randomness is what the ancient people called karma. This is why Krishna says in the Gita, "Strange are the ways of Karma". So strange that it baffles even Krishna himself.

So how to live in an uncertain world without getting thrown off by sorrow (because of unexpected failure) or joy (because of unexpected gains)? The answer is simple - just know that life is uncertain and random. This very awareness in our life bring tremendous clarity and calmness. All the past scars vanish and wounds heal. Our excitement ebbs and a deep sense of peace dawns on us. This is Bhakti or total surrender to that uncertainty. Some people call it God. Others call it Karma or energy or higher power. It doesn't matter what we call it but the fact remains - accept this uncertainty totally and you will eventually see that you are at ease. You are content.

All regret and hate stems from the fact that we feel cheated or sad at something that happened to us. Anxiety stems from feeling that you can control the future. Both these need to be given up. Just realize that life is flowing in a direction which you cannot exert too much influence. Let life take you where it has to - its intelligence is far greater than your small mind. After all you did not choose to be born. Nor can you choose when to die. The two most important milestones in your life are uncertain. Being with this uncertain flow and not asking "Why, What, How" is to be intelligent. Leave the worries for someone else. Let us just be.

A flock of Ruddy Shellducks take to flight. Nalsarovar, Gujarat. 2016

Being Happy: Understanding the Absolute and the Relative

2016-11-09T21:31:00.000+05:30

Most of our joys, miseries, ups and downs are the result of a comparative experience. Psychologists already show that when many people are miserable, then your misery seems to diminish. However it also implies that if we perceive other people to be better off, then we are less happy with what we have (Comparative Thinking). For instance, if we buy a new house we are happy until we realise that somebody else bought it for half the price elsewhere. Similarly, if we fail in our exam but find out that almost all of the students in the class have failed, our sorrow also diminishes. If we gain 2% on the stock market on a day the index crashed, we are pleased about ourselves.

This is a strange tendency and it is this relative-ness that dictates much of our life. the problem is exacerbated in an age of social media where comparisons are instant and aspirations are global. Suddenly our comparative dataset is potentially the whole world. This would inevitably make a lot of people sadder.

pixabay.com

But what could explain this unique human experience - that our inner sense of well-being hinges on comparative thinking? It could be an old evolutionary trait that we've inherited. It might stem from our need to perceive changes in the environment such as a temperature dipping - which would make the tribe move to warmer places. Or the ability to perceive lack of food - which would make us migrate to regions of abundance or accumulate more grain. Comparison is essential to create knowledge - without which human societies couldn't evolve. While this comparative tendency is great for the outer physical world, it fails us miserably for inner well-being.

The inner dimension - dominated by our feeling works differently. In fact a lot of our fundamental experiences are quite different. Let's take sleep for example. If we sleep well - we've slept well. The quality of our sleep does not increase or decrease based on our neighbour’s sleep. The same with love - when in love we don’t care about somebody's love being greater. Take physical pain - it does not diminish if somebody is experiencing greater pain. Somehow, comparative experience does not work in this dimension. Well-being and true happiness is therefore experienced in absolute terms - something that is not in the experience of millions of people across the world. As babies we could be helplessly happy, but as the cultural conditioning kicks in - we are taught comparison and this makes us less happy. This is the experience of most of us today. A good way to identify people is to keep them alone - if they can enjoy their company and keep themselves happy, then these are the people who live in the absolute and experience life in that deeper dimension. Although, not all people can be put into such simplified categorizations. However, this simple test should become a prerequisite for world leaders, managers and people in important positions of influence.

commons.wikimedia.org

So what can we do about it and how is it relevant to us?

First off - let us examine ourselves to see where we stand - do we derive most joy (and pain) from external comparisons? Or do we derive it internally without a comparative assessment. Look at what's valuable to us - perhaps you are a good musician - does it give you joy because you can be alone for hours without recognition with your music - or do you do it because you gain appreciation from the world. Do you feel the need it share it on social media and garner likes? Don't worry we maye have oscillations in our feelings - however it is important to become aware of them.

Once you identify where you belong, start looking at things that are valuable to our lives and cherish it deeply. It could be our hobbies, our loved ones, whatever. And be with the feeling it creates within you. You realize that it is you who brings the joy to these important things and not the other way around.

Then one could truly start experiencing life in absolute terms. Just like how creation made us - unique. Let us therefore make our experience unique - without a second - without comparisons. For bliss is absolute.

Introspective Management: Motivating your Team

2016-11-02T12:43:00.000+05:30

As a manager, one of the most interesting things I have to deal with on a daily basis is to ensure that the motivation of my team members are always pointing North. This is quite challenging given the fact that people are diverse and they come with different set of motivation on why they come to work. However, over the last few years, I have learned a few common threads that we managers can use to ensure motivation levels.

Firstly, without a set of motivated bunch of people - you really do not achieve anything substantial. Generally smaller companies are far more dynamic and connected well enough so that the direction of the company translates down to the last employee. This is essential in getting the 'bigger picture' and one of the reasons why small companies do so much so fast. Bigger companies tend to be cash rich and come with a set of inherited legacy which can stifle personal growth and curb enthusiasm. This also kills motivation and ownership attributes in people.

As I said earlier, nothing creative can be accomplished without motivation and the energy. Regular, periodic and repetitive work (like an assembly chain in a factory) doesn't need motivation. Most outsourcing companies in India have transmuted into exactly that - workshops. Foreign companies want to outsource the most mundane of work to Indian companies who force quasi intellectual people into assembly straight jackets. This is why most of these people end up being so frustrated.

The scope for motivation in such companies may be limited, but the manager can still effect change. Nevertheless, there are couple of things that any manager regardless of the size and type of the organization can implement in his team.

Duomo di Milano Milan, Italy, 2014

1. Recognize the importance of Employee Motivation - nothing can be achieved if your employees are disgruntled. You can judge the health of a team by looking at the energy with which the employees walk into their workplace. Do they drag themselves in, or do they chirp in with enthusiasm? A manager should value motivation. Let's face it, no one wants to work in a sad and depressing place.

2. Are you motivated yourself? This is an introspective question. If you aren't motivated, there is no way on earth you can motivate anybody else. A lit candle can light others. See what is holding back your motivation? Are you in the job cause you want to or have to? Do societal reasons hold you back? Is it just the money? Be honest with yourself and as long as you become aware of the reason you are in the job (you may need to support a family) - that is enough. The beginning of change is recognizing where you are, why you are and where you need to go.

3. Identify employee traits. All employees are unique and you will need different set of levers to motivate people. Generally speaking - there are three kinds of people.

A. The Self-Motivated: To these set of employees - you just need to provide the bigger picture "Why are we doing this?", "How does it effect the company?". Make them feel a part of the larger mission and goal in life. This is all that is required to jump on board and share your goal. Such people generally want to grow and explore life in a larger dimension. It is easy to help those people who want to help themselves.

B. The Casual: These set of people come to work because of social status or because they "have to". It is more from social pressure or just simply because "this is what people do". They are flowing with the social river- mainly because of unawareness. They haven't asked the deeper questions in life, "What do I want in life?", "Why am I here". Sometimes because of a limited exposure and upbringing - they can be even averse to such questions. They cannot be "deep" - they find it to heavy on the mind. For such people - identify tasks where minimum amount of creativity is required. Repetitive work or work that requires maintenance (for instance maintaining a server or some set of files). Such people take great pride in doing things perfectly and keeping things in order. If you notice such traits, then encourage them and make sure to heap praise on them regularly.

C. The Disinterested: These set of people are hardest to motivate - because their interests lie elsewhere or they are here for unknown reasons or just directionless in life. Perhaps, they need to escape - or this job is just a stepping stone to something else. Perhaps they have a business running on the side. The job could be a safety net. It is very hard to motivate such people and get them to contribute positively to the team. In most cases, only fear works. Threaten to fire them when their performance drops. If they respond, they might move to the Casual Worker, if not it is better to let them go. They will start dragging the team down.

You need to deeply care for your employees - make sure they are growing and their emotional, intellectual needs are satisfied. I often think of running a team as largely a people development exercise. Once people are motivated they can deliver towards your and the company's goals and vision.

What do you think? What are your experiences?

The agony of summer

2016-09-19T01:20:00.001+05:30

The hot summer winds of despair arrive to pulse of my heart,

and loot me of all life giving juice.

Shams calls out to me from afar and warns me to take shelter at his feet.

I heed him not and allow my passion for adventure to subsume me.

These desert winds go deeper - they scald my soul.

Suddenly, I am thrown to the monsters of my mind,

Where did they hide until now?

They shred me to nothingness. How do I gather myself from here?

As summer peaks and the clouds send sentinels of humidity to herald their arrival,

the environ seems to be in bated breath anticipation.

They say, “Let the rain bearers come and heal the land"

The splendid forest dancers, cry out unearthly cries from their ominous barren tree perches.

They await the rain, like me.

My cries often go unheard - somehow I cannot mask sorrow as joy - like these peacocks do.

I burn while the humid sentinels awash me with their discomfort.

I feel I should have heeded to Shams.

It’s too late to turn back. I’m caught between the promise of heaven and surety of hell.

Both choices are doomed. The middle is agony.

The rains arrive - and they flood me.

The earth turns a familiar green and gives off its familiar scent.

Some-how all this seems too surreal to me.

Its too late now...

Discipline: Overcoming your comfort barriers

2016-08-28T17:56:00.003+05:30

Discipline has almost completely disappeared from our lives. We live in an age of boundless freedom - where all known barriers are broken and experimentation is in vogue. Discipline is something that remains for soldiers and taken a negative connotation. It carries with it images of boredom and torture.

However, the role of discipline is paramount in our lives. In the Yogic way of life, discipline is often equated to purification of the gold. In order to attain pure gold, it becomes necessary to heat it to very high temperatures. Gold is also beaten in order to bring it to a desired shape. This 'heating' is knows as tapa. While not all of us are Yogis, we do require some amount of discipline in our daily lives.

Discipline simply means that one learns to get comfortable with situations that are unfavorable to us. We don't have our favorite food - say a pizza and we must make do with rice and sambhar. Faced with such situations, we accept and move along. Most parents falter precisely here. When they bring up their children, they tend to "do everything in their capacity to keep them happy". This is indeed a great thing, however there are boundaries that parents must set. Parents must teach children that suffering and hardship are a part of their lives. If parents fail to expose children to hardship within reasonable limits, then the children will always expect life to be fair and at having things their way. The children will expect that the world will start to work for them and only for them! Children start to feel that they are the center of the universe. Feelings of entitlement are very strong in such individuals. And as this character becomes stronger over time, the possibility of change diminishes. Such individuals are scarred for life and are rendered totally unfit for a challenging life ahead. Of course, most parents don't want this for their children, but it is false love. The tradition clearly distinguishes between moha or attachment and prema or love. Love means doing that which is right. Attachment is doing things out of compulsion. This difference needs to be kept in mind.

Such children who eventually grow up to be adults face tremendous problems in leading an independent life. They find it excruciatingly difficult to accept different situations, surrounding and people. All this because they were not exposed to discipline - that is - the parents did not expose them to difficult and contrary situations in life. This is where discipline becomes imperative to lead a life of freedom. Yes, however contradictory this sounds, discipline helps one to overcome the vicissitudes of daily life and makes one tough and strong.

A field of Rajgira in full bloom. Anand, Gujarat. 2016

Patanjali says that the path to Yoga (or to the higher awareness) is threefold - Tapa, Swadhyaya and Iswara Pranidhani. Translated to a common man's language this is:
1) Discipline - Not losing your centeredness when conflicting situations arise
2) Swadhyaya - Taking attention to one's own body, mind, intellect and emotions as against dwelling in the exterior world.
And
3) Ishwara Pranidhani - realizing that there is a greater intelligence in this universe and that is not you. This helps not take oneself too seriously.

Let us make discipline a way of life by expanding our comfort boundaries. We can do this very simply by doing one thing that we don't like. Perhaps, eating in a Japanese restaurant. Or going out with a certain kind of people that we often avoid. This opposing values are crucial to make us stay in the center. Ans staying in the center makes us fit to live a happy and full life.

Thought for the day

2016-08-06T15:59:00.001+05:30

Keeping your cool in a moment of crisis can save you years of pain and anguish. A strategy to control your temper is what I call the “Three Gate Test.” The ancient sages would only speak if the words they were about to utter passed three gates. At the first gate, they asked themselves, are these words truthful? if so, the words could then pass on to the second gate. At the second gate, the sages asked, Are these words necessary? If so, they would pass on to the third gate, where they would ask, Are these words kind? If so, then only would the words leave their lips and be sent out into the world.

Source: Sharma, Robin (2008-01-01). Daily Inspiration From The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari (Kindle Locations 1347-1351). Jaico Books. Kindle Edition.

Managing emotions and the intellect

2016-07-20T18:08:00.003+05:30

Why both are useful tools - as long as they do not begin to dictate you

Most of us are plagued by the fact that our emotions override our rationality. This happens when we know certain things are not good for us, yet we are unable to let go of such things. Relationships, habits, jobs, events - anything that troubles us and leaves us feeling vulnerable means that we have been emotionally afflicted by it. This is where rationality could help - but rationality is of the intellect and when emotions conflict with the intellect- almost always, emotions win. This is why it is always difficult to overcome emotions through logic. Because emotions are a stronger evolutionary response in each one of us.

Having said this there are a couple of things that we can do to release ourselves from the storm of emotions. And this is necessary if we want to see progress in our lives. After all life is so precious and short that one doesn’t want to waste it on emotions that do not aid us in our journey.

First, connect to a part of you that is beyond both logic and emotions. There is an aspect within each one of us - or simply us - that is deeper than the emotions. This is evident when we are asleep. In deep sleep, neither the emotive state nor our intellect functions. We are, but we do not know who we are, where we are. But we know we were present in deep sleep only after we awake. Scientists tell us that our body and brain requires deep rest to recharge itself - to rest and rejuvenate. This aspect in us - that into which we sink into each night is a state beyond both emotions and the intellect. When we consciously go into this state when we are awake, then this is called meditation. Mediation is neither chanting mantras or visualizing any God or a symbol (like Om). It is transcending all emotive and intellectual functions and deeply resting in ourself. This state rejuvenates us and replenishes us.

In order to arrive to this state spontaneously, one has to practice dispassion. But what is dispassion? Dispassion simply means to neither get carried away in joy or misery. Dispassion is to stay in the center. Often, when something very good happens to us, we are overwhelmed by joy and when we have the worst day, we are down in the dumps. Life is so random that both kinds of situations keep cropping up each day. And our mind is such that it begins to mirror these externalities. We begin swinging from joy to misery and back from misery to joy. This constant cyclic state of repetition is called Maya by the Hindus. Freedom is to stay in the center - centeredness. This centeredness comes from developing a very valuable skill - witnessing. Witnessing means that we all watch what’s happening to us - our body, our mind, our intellect and even our emotions. When we can stand apart from our own thoughts and emotions - then a distance begins to dawn between who we are and what we have accumulated. This distance is extremely valuable. This distance allows us to sink into the state beyond our intellect and emotions. This is the only thing we need to remember when we meditate.

Silhouette of a flock of flamingos. Nal Sarovar, Gujarat. 2015.

But does this mean that our lives become dry and barren? Do we become unresponsive ? Stoic? No. In fact the opposite thing happens. Because we know we are separate from both the intellect and our emotions, we use these when necessary, at the right time and the right place. The intellect and the emotions become tools in our vocabulary of existence. We use them and they don’t use us - and that makes all the difference. This is the beginning of true freedom - when we can elicit the response that we want from ourselves. Then all our actions, words and thoughts are aligned in perfect harmony and each of these comes consciously.

Witnessing purifies both the intellect and the mind and is the doorway to freedom. Otherwise, most of our emotions and intellect is misplaced. We become overly emotional in situations when we need to keep emotions aside. And we succumb to logical nit-picking when we need to look at the bigger picture. Good examples for the former is when there is an emergency in the family - someone has made a grave mistake - say your son took out the car and managed to crash it. Our first emotional response is to shout out and say things like, “Is this how I brought you up?”, “Do you realize what you have done?”. Instead our response should be first to see if he is alright and actually handle all the things that need to be done to ensure that the car is taken care of. The counseling and chastising can come later - perhaps even tomorrow - when the intellect is able to listen much better.

An example of the latter i.e. when we use logic in places where it shouldn’t - is in relationships. Your partner or child comes to you and expresses something out of love - saying “You know what I found this cool thing out!”. The wrong thing to do would be to say, “Oh I already knew this - In fact I told you about it long time ago”. The right response would be to keep the logic aside and just say, “Wow! That is so cool”. Keep in mind, one isn’t lying here - one is simply connecting to the emotive state of the other person and sharing that joy that the other experiences. This is maturity. Unfortunately, we mix up our emotional and intellectual responses all too often and this is the beginning of all problems in life.

Witnessing teaches us to use these mental states and not allow these mental faculties to use you. So let us all begin to witness - good or bad, joy or misery, peace or war - keep experiencing all these modes in the mind and move on. Don’t judge, don’t analyze. It came, you watched and it went. This is the ultimate meditation - one where you needn’t even close you eyes.

Osho on Awareness and Love

2016-06-25T13:43:00.000+05:30

Is Awareness a Higher Value Than Love?

"You ask: 'Is awareness a higher value than love?' There is nothing higher and nothing lower. In fact, there are not two values at all. These are the two paths from the valley leading to the peak. One path is of awareness, meditation: the path of Zen we have been talking about these days. And the other is the path of love, the path of the devotees, the bhaktas, the Sufis. These two paths are separate when you start the journey; you have to choose. Whichever you choose is going to lead to the same peak. And as you come closer to the peak you will be surprised: the travelers on the other path are coming closer to you. Slowly slowly, the paths start merging into each other. By the time you have reached the ultimate, they are one.

"The person who follows the path of awareness finds love as a consequence of his awareness, as a by-product, as a shadow. And the person who follows the path of love finds awareness as a consequence, as a by-product, as a shadow of love. They are two sides of the same coin.

"And remember: if your awareness lacks love then it is still impure; it has not yet known one hundred percent purity. It is not yet really awareness; it must be mixed with unawareness. It is not pure light; there must be pockets of darkness inside you still working, functioning, influencing you, dominating you. If your love is without awareness, then it is not love yet. It must be something lower, something closer to lust than to prayer.

"So let it be a criterion if you follow the path of awareness, let love be the criterion. When your awareness suddenly blooms into love, know perfectly well that awareness has happened, samadhi has been achieved. If you follow the path of love, then let awareness function as a criterion, as a touchstone. When suddenly, from nowhere, at the very center of your love. a flame of awareness starts arising, know perfectly well…rejoice! You have come home."

Source: http://www.osho.com/highlights-of-oshos-world/osho-quotes

Though for the day

2016-06-15T09:13:00.001+05:30

Success is not attained by achieving things in the external world. Success is almost always internal - on how we overcame our greatest fears, crossed over our limitations, expanded our boundaries and shattered our comfort zones.

The question is never about how much money, fame and recognition have we attained. The question is always about how much have we grown, how much have we given back.

Ultimate happiness in life comes about when we are a better version of ourselves every day. When we identify ourselves as human beings that are evolving into better beings, we see everybody around us making the same journey. The ultimate service is when we aid people in becoming better version of themselves. And this is the highest joy that one can experience here.

The Lotus Temple at the Art of Living International Center, Bangalore, India. 2016

Dealing with worries and repetative thoughts

2016-06-09T12:08:00.001+05:30

In times of severe emotional distress, we all find it hard to deal with unwanted thoughts. When such thoughts repeat again and again - even when we don't want them to - it becomes worry. Worry consumes us from within and saps all the creative energy that we are bestowed with as human beings. How does one overcome this? Talking it out to friends and close ones bring us some relief - but it is often short-lived. These thoughts begin to haunt us once we are alone. Distracting ourselves with television, social events and social media makes us an escapist - we do not address the core problem.

What then is the way out?

Start looking at thoughts as guests that come and go into the home of your mind. Honor every thought that comes into our mind - however painful and fearful it is. Welcome it into our mind, pay it the attention it seeks. You will notice that as we do this, the grip of the thought on us, begins to reduce. This method has been recommended even by the great mystic and poet, Jalaluddin Rumi. As Rumi says,

This being human is a guest house.Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!

Even if they're a crowd of sorrows,who violently sweep your house empty of its furniture,still treat each guest honorably.

He may be clearing you out for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice,meet them at the door laughing,and invite them in.
Be grateful for whoever comes,because each has been sent as a guide from beyond.

We can never run away from our fears and thoughts. We have to face them by watching them, by being with them, by giving the attention that they crave for. This is the only way to peace.

A note on success: Focus on your tasks and not your obstacles

2016-05-03T23:57:00.002+05:30

The last few months have been the most challenging period of my life. As crisis loomed on all fronts, I began to cave under pressure. This made me think of what success is on the professional front.

The biggest mistake that I was doing was to fight - fight injustice, fight for what I felt was absolutely right. This approach only increases the ego and does little to assist you in the journey towards your goal. We spend so much energy focussing on the irritants on the path, rather than trying to find out how to avoid them and move on.

A good leader is always looking to solve problems and move on and hardly spends time in fighting the system or people in it. This is extremely important since fighting saps one of both energy, enthusiasm and confidence. The result is that one gets lost in conflict and loses focus on what needs to be done. The best approach is to solve the problem without the feeling of being wronged. This is extremely hard to do since the ego kicks in with its 'righteousness'. A good leader moderates this ego and checks himself at that instant. It is important to convert that sense of righteousness into right action. And right action is always goal oriented and not people centric.

This is something I intend to put into practice in the coming days. Will keep you posted.