::: ABHEDA TATTVA :::

Journey within Yourself

2012-01-26T12:56:00.000-08:00

When you listen to your heart, do not allow your sobriety to waiver when others judge you as FAR from perfect. What truly matters is that where you are headed brings you CLOSER to being yourself.

~ Dodinsky

We all started our journey as soon as we were born but this journey within yourself is something you undertake when you've paused to understand the meaning of life and what makes you - YOU. We all know, what we are fleeing from but do we really know what we are in search of..??

If you are taking stock of your life and if you don’t yet feel you are exactly where you want to be, maybe it's time for you to invest in travelling inward. It's disheartening that nowadays we have been acclimatized to look for everything on the outside when truth lies in the fact that all our answers actually resides inside us.

More than the mind, it is the heart that will preempt and guide you in this journey of identifying what you are searching for and taking you a step closer to being yourself. But, again, it's not just the mind, alone, it's all our senses unified that make this journey worthwhile..!! Becoming conscious of this is the first step of the journey within. Once you've identified your search, you've to sift through the layers and take radical measure to bring out the real YOU shunning what those around you judge/define about you. If you commit yourself to be focused on this journey, you will observe a distinct change in your persona and heightened powers of intuition. This in turn will allow you to grow stronger within and you will be able to listen to your heart and follow your instincts more easily. You will recognize the path that you need to embark on and this enlightenment will come from within you. Deeper into the journey, you'll realize all that you seek lies within yourself; it's intrinsic. Hard to believe, eh..??!! NO. It's fact of all our lives. Some realize and admit it, some don't!!

As Ralph Waldo Emerson says, "What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."

The only real journey of our lives is the journey within. GO FOR IT..!!

POWER within YOU..!!

2012-01-22T12:04:00.000-08:00

As Marriane Williamson eloquently says “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Now, more than ever is the time to realize the potential of the POWER within us due to the rapid changes in the world and universe surrounding us. It's time to face reality in the face of it and not live in the illusions of fear and low self-esteem. Why feel inundated with those around us when we have the controls within us to be who we want to be..??

It is time we visualize and give form to our thoughts, reverberating them with the amplitude energy surrounding us. It is time we align and conform ourselves to who we are for the TIME is ripe. If we do not pay heed to our inner self now; we will never be able to do it ever again. It is imperative that we believe in the power of the POWER within us then we will no longer have to worry about anything and just be our true REAL self where there is no distinction between "I", "ME" and "MYSELF". We do not have to understand the technicalities behind them; we just have to learn how and when to liberate the power in the right perspective and for the right reasons like spreading more love, condescending blasphemy, creating benevolence et al. This line of path is not just for attaining freedom, it's much more than that..!! It's about creating the peace and harmony within us that we so much seek but can't find anywhere for we are all seeking it outside when actually it lies inside us. We are all connected to "The One", the infinite mind and are a fruition of HIS creation. This fact of life is enough to set us in the right path and get moving on without being rooted to the past or worrying about the future.

Get a Life! GO.. Unleash the POWER WITHIN YOU and see for yourself its mystical wonders..!!

Don't let a Season in your Life define your Lifetime..!!

2012-01-16T11:43:00.000-08:00

“There seems to be a kind of order in the universe, in the movement of the stars and the turning of the earth and the changing of the seasons, and even in the cycle of human life. But human life itself is almost pure chaos.

~ Katherine Anne Porter

We are all here for a purpose. But, how many of us really do realize that the time is ripe and we are ready for to seek the purpose, if we haven't as yet? Instead of finding peace within us, we seek it in the realm outside. Such state of mind doesn't last long. Sooner or later in our life, as we look at the reflection in the mirror, we realize this question staring at us through our reflection. This is where begins the journey to define the "I" in us. No matter what be the nature of questions we pose, the answer might be sought then or through some signs that nature unveils in our path as we move on. Patience and endurance are the key factors. Truth remains, we are here on Planet Earth to touch each others lives while evolving within to a higher state of consciousness as also facilitating it for those around us who are in the same wavelength.

The journey of our life is a vicious rigmarole where we see different seasons (read phases/chapters) of our life that surmise our lifetime here when finally reach the zero hour. Every element of nature, the zeniths and the nadirs with their chaperons in hope, faith, chaos, conflict, love, loss, reality, success, gratitude n' its ilk envelope us and help us grow as an individual. Every season sculpts us, to reveal the real person lying deep within us. Just like how the seasons of nature come and go in a pre-ordained flow with some exceptions in between, we too face something similar in our expedition. Wisdom lies in not letting "a Season in our Life define our Lifetime". For the uninitiated, the end of the season doesn't mean the end of life. We have to move on with the learning's from this season to live through the next.

Every season is a precursor to the next. Knowing this is very essential as it holds the key to the rest of the journey. These seasons sometimes nurture a safe sanctum from us from where we spread out and explore the different facets of life discovering every moment passing by; at the same time, they also pose deterring challenges that waver our strong will, fragment us into pieces beyond recall, leaving us to figure our state-of-affairs on our own. It is at this point that our integrity is tested by the spiritual power controlling our strings. Clinging on to the lowest phase and defining this phase as your lifetime is what a loser would do. Do you want to be one..??!! No. The dry seasons in life do not last forever. The spring rains will come again.

Learn what you've to and just keep moving on till you end your lifetime here. There is no end to this mystical journey called life. When, What, Where, How it unveils what before us is something we cannot herald even a remote guess on. Let this mystery excite you to move on to the next season and see what's that got in store for you.

Its just one short life that we have, then why waste the precious time on the unwanted that would only bring you down; just live life to the fullest as it unfolds for there are no rewinds, pause or replay buttons in life. Never wish to live your life "once again"; its the worst form of regret. Whatever you want, do it NOW for there are no second chances..!!

seasons change but

they continue to flow

reach out to them

to know more n' more

to be able to sift

the surreal from the whole

as these passing moments

will embellish n' kinder

your soul..!!

Are true meaningful relations a passé..??

2012-01-11T13:19:00.000-08:00

Science may have found a cure for most evils: but it has found no remedy for the worst of them all - the apathy of human beings. - Helen Keller

How right are her words..!!

Almost all of our sorrows spring out of our relations with other people. Do we really understand the meaning of true relations? Are we seeking them in the first place? Statistics reveal an alarming increase in divorce across the world, at high frequency where marriages get frizzled out in few days/months. Reason given is incompatibility. But, did you ever give it your full to the relation to make it work? How come our parents and fore fathers generations never face this problem? Are we, too, demanding in our relations or highly impatient to adjust and adapt and draw conclusions at the drop of a hat? Nowadays, love has become a matter of chance, matrimony a matter of money and divorce a matter of course.

In this age where social networking has become prevalent over us; true meaningful relationships and friendship have begun to dwindle at a rapid pace. Personal interactions have become history after being steadfastly replaced by superficial interactions for the heck of it where people flatter those who do not care and ignore those who truly adore and care, thereby dealing a mindless blow to the undeserving. For lack of an occasional expression of love when most needed; a relationship that appeared strong at the seams may begin to wear thin in the middle. Problems in relationship occur when each person is concentrating on what is missing in the other person instead of doing a self analysis and finding out what is missing in self. This is the root cause why most of the relations in our lives are turning out to be frivolous. At the end, this just marks the beginning of another bitter end.

The most important ingredient we put into any relationship is not what we say or what we do, but what we are. You've got be the real YOU. As Stephen Covey says, "Trust is the glue of life. It's the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It's the foundational principle that holds all relationships.", its true to the core. Real relationships require trust, commitment, diligent effort and at times self-sacrifice, but the rewards are worth it. Given this premise, you will see that your joys get doubled and your problems halved in right companionship and you will have a realm you will be profoundly happy about. Relationships of every nature have a perpetual need to be nurtured and cared for to survive and thrive the highs and lows of life. In today's stress filled life, space plays a key role. It is important to know when to give space and when to come closer. This is the golden key to any lasting relationship. Never take real relationships lightly or frivolously. Always bear in mind that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other. True meaningful relations in today's world is a rarity; so it makes perfect sense to preserve them by putting in our all to it and cherishing every priceless moment of it.

If you know you are playing on someone's emotions just to have a short term fling or to satisfy a personal need in you; do not prey on the innocent ones as it could cause a permanent dent in their mind. Find someone who is like minded and willing to be experimental with you for same but spare the genuine.

All of us here are in pursuit of a sense of belonging and acceptance.To form a meaningful relationship you need to be willing to open yourself up and let someone into your life. Look for someone you can befriend without expectations, where there are no strings attached – you enjoy each others company with some commonality and a striking wavelength; that is enough to begin with. En route try knowing as much as you can about the person to make a decision. This is not for love birds alone; it is applicable to friends and platonic relationships too. If you have someone with whom you can share a meaningful relationship with then be sure to spend some time with them everyday even if it were a few seconds to give a personal connect, keep the communications on along side and stay updated on the happenings in each other's life as this deepens and cements the bond that you share to be an ever lasting one.

As Brian Tracy says “Eighty percent of life's satisfaction comes from meaningful relationships”.

So, what's stopping you from putting in your best and living a content life, eh..??!!

Are you a part of the FB Mania..??

2012-01-08T12:45:00.000-08:00

I happened to meet a friend of mine after many years. It was a moment of rejoice. As moments passed and we delved deep in conversation, I realized our talks were centering around FB to know which of our other friends were when and where and what was going on in their world. We exchanged quite some updates.

I am not a social media addict but this one has got me hooked as it connected me with all those school and college friends and teachers and a few others whom I would have never been able to connect with again in my life as, as is a part of all our life's journey each one of them had moved to some corner of the world and were living in a world of their own. The joy of finding a close buddy lost in the tide of time is profound and cannot be expressed in any words. In a way, sincere THANKS to Mr. Zuckerberg and his team for creating Facebook.

A chance conversation with an ex-colleague after a decade ended with are you on FB instead of what I thought that he would ask for would my contact number. This stuck a deep chord in me. Gone are the days of personal touch and face to face conversations, isn't it..?? The surreal world for sure has enamored us and sucked us into its vortex without us even knowing about it.

You know you have an FB addiction when you start thinking in status updates, get anxious when your statuses go unnoticed and all the jing-bang that follows. How else do you explain teens-adults alike being hooked to apps like farmville, fishville and its ilk. Look around as you walk wherever you are or at your workplace, how many people are using their laptops or cell phones for face-booking oblivious of the environment around them and are transfixed on the gadget in their hand or laptop before them. Next, look at your Facebook account, do you really have 777+ odd friends in this world whom you personally know? Do you really know all about the hundreds of “Subscribers” who follow your updates? Now, do you get the drift, eh..??

It is indeed an intimidating reality that people from all parts of the world are hooked if not addicted to this marvel called FB mania that is sweeping the world at large. Inspite of it being a part of the surreal world; we end up posting anything and everything about us here including very personal information without considering the safety and security measures for there is an audience that responds. It has also evolved into a medium to create rebellious, revolutionary change that brings forth issues which we are otherwise ignorant from unless it's gained momentum and glares at us on the FB news stream. Excess FB addiction aka the hook-line-sinker form affects work productivity, study performances and relationships too, to some extent; the damage of which will be known in the years to come. It surely has its pros and cons but it is always up to the person to exercise prudence and control after all the data is gulped down and kept safe by a third party for their consumption who at the end of day would know as much about you as you do or probably a little more by keeping a mark on ya personal trends n' tastes. At the end of day's play, we should always be responsible and accountable to everything that we post and do with our personal account and be aware of the time efforts we are investing in it.

At the end, is it worth it all..?? It's too early to be judgemental on this now till enough evidence, statistics and research lead us to some form of conclusion but it's only a matter of time to unveil it at some point.

Are you a part of the FB Mania, too..??

Power of Expression

2012-01-04T05:12:00.000-08:00

The meaning of life is contained in every single expression of life. It is present in the infinity of forms and phenomena that exist in all of creation.

~ Michael Jackson

Everything we do is an expression of who we are.

One of the hardest things to do is expressing yourself and this is applicable everywhere; be it your personal or professional life. How many times have you said something that just didn't come out the way you wanted it to and you couldn't stop it too; leaving you frenzied muttering "Jeez what's wrong with me".... Why can't I get it out straight..?? How many times have you said something that we really didn't mean and were left with no means to undo the outcome of what you just said and were left to deal with the situation when it could have been well avoided..?? How many times have you had to bear the brunt of your silence when you could have salvaged the situation by expressing yourself..?? There is no point in penting up your emotions and building a wall or isolating yourself when you could just find out what mode of expression suits you best. Verbal is not the only mode. You can write it or be creative and express it through any of your chosen line of art.

Try understand that there is no point having your anxiety locked-in for the fear of losing something or somebody or not having the courage to speak it out or fear being judged by what you say. You could get consumed in it if you do not find a way to let it out doing more damage than you could have imagined. Do no hesitate to share your true emotions. What's yours and what is true will always remain the same. Hence, it is important that you learn to express yourself and convey your thoughts, feelings, realization, ideas, dreams, goals, emotions... (the list could go on endless) as apropos. You need to seize the right moment and medium, express and get going..!!

One needs to express one's thoughts and feelings in a way that clearly states whatever needs to be stated in the way it is felt by the mind or heart. Stay away from unwanted expressions and actions like gossip, bitching, et al. It doesn't lead you anywhere. If you indulge in it be prepared to receive the same once you turn your back.

Words... have the power to make or mar! It is important that you choose them wisely. It is also believed that words are just words and won't mean anything unless you act them out. It is true, more or less because through the other mediums the receiver will have to be in the same premise as the sender. That form of fine balance needs to be there.

Our life is a journey of discovering ourselves and defining the "I" in us. Wouldn't it be nice to express this as you keep discovering the new facets that make you, YOU? Once you learn the art of expressing yourself you'll be amazed by the wonders and response to it and sense how much free and lighter you feel. Especially, so in relationships. Its good to be the real YOU and express yourself as who you really are instead of pretending to be someone who you are not.

ENJOY THE POWER OF EXPRESSIONS. Live Your Life, Your Way... :)

TO EACH HIS OWN

2011-12-23T12:58:00.000-08:00

It's really strange.. how one fine day when someone close to you and has been a part of your life for long, just walks out of your life abruptly leaving you shocked, speechless n' high and dry with some vague reasoning created of their own mindset. Are true relations so frivolous? Are the foundations so weak??

True meaningful relations in life should only be formed when the base premise is that of TRUST and COMMITMENT for they have to be nurtured and cared to survive and thrive all the zeniths and nadirs of life. As long as this realm exists, the relation is blessed with harmony n' bliss. When relations are taken lightly, no amount of sacrifice n' efforts can salvage the damage done. It is in such times that it is better to let go and move on. There is no point in chaining someone when he/she doesn't want to. Relations are like holding sand in your palm. You try to grip them and you never know when they slide away from in between the gaps of your fingers. Every relation is a highway where the feelings and respect have to be mutual. Is being a patient listener with whom one can share uninhibitedly, a guide/mentor, a shoulder to lean on, a warm hug with real concern and regular touch asking for too much, eh..??

In this competitive world with its rapid pace of life that we all live in, there are enough situations that get us on our nerves and all that we expect at the end of day is space for ourselves. Yes, as individuals, we all need our space but at the same time we also need to understand that so does our friend/family/life partner/et al. It is essential to strike a balance here. The rigmaroles of life leave us in a rampant chaotic realm of which only we have to make some semblance and get it grounded to have some form of control over it.If we continue to live in our spaces, soon the world will be filled with emotionless head strong loners who would know how to handle the world but not how to handle the family and friendship realm as it would be an impasse to them.

To add to this, in our everyday lives, quite frequently, we feel surrounded by people who claim to be friends but are in fact false/fake friends. They just lurk around you, give you momentary boost of confidence to win you through for some hidden agenda of theirs, gain insights of you and then walk all over you once the deed is done. You cannot stop them until and unless you've evaluated them and the time that you take for this evaluation is what would leave you with a fresh set of memories to handle. It's all a part of life and we cannot avoid it, come what may..!!

The solution lies in being true, transparent, having faith and being loyal. Even the so-thought real friends who have managed to be there for you and you for them for years and years eventually end up failing you on some deep level that swears you off friendship/relation forever. Phew! Such break ups leave an indelible imprint in your mind, the impact of which you alone know..!!

No point sulking or trying to win them back again. You've to LET GO. Bottom line is you have to take it all in your stride and MOVE ON for in the end it is always true that "TO EACH HIS OWN".

The 3 C's of our life: Circumstances, Choices n' Consequences

2011-12-16T10:53:00.000-08:00

No matter the circumstances life presents to you there are always choices. It is when you say you have no choice there no longer will be one.

~ Marty Ness ~

Ever notice how some people go through really tough times and come out enlightened, better and stronger, while others end up embittered, shallow and defeated..?? The difference lies in how they respond to what happens to them; what choices they make in life for in the end it is these very choices that shape their lives.

En route life's journey of all the trials, tribulations, jubilation, surprises, heart-burn and amusement that life offers is; you have to realize that life is roller coaster journey with a mind set of its own. You could face circumstances where you would be at the receiving end of things right, left and center. It could also snow ball if not handled it rightly with efficacy. An ideal way would be to act as a realist and step back to weigh the situation in hand, think through and then make a conscious choice; consequences of which you must be ready to face head on. Not that we are super beings here but there would be times when you would yield to circumstances, too but that again is only due to the choice that you've taken as you're bereft of will to fight back or handle the situation then. There is no point in blaming others for an act of your own doing. Just remember, it is not a permanent state; it is transient and time plays a crucial role here.

The three C's of our life: Circumstances, Choices and Consequences. Off these, circumstances and choices are intertwined such that you cannot give them an order of precedence. What values you choose? What rules of nature you choose to follow and amongst what kind of people and environment you live-in give rise to your circumstances. Where at one end of the coin, you will find circumstances forcing you to make choices bringing you at cross roads where you've to take the call on how you want to link your past to the future in the living present. Future isn't something pre-ordained, it is what you create in the living present. Both scenarios are true and exist within the paradigms of each one of our lives. Consequences are a mere outcome of what choices we make and it is solely unto us to own responsibility for it in entireity. Owning up is a way forward towards living life freely (read guilt and sympathy free) and uninhibitedly.

Every passing moment presents you with a set of circumstances in which to make a choice. Once you make that choice, it leads to another spectrum of circumstances for you to make yet another choice. This pattern will exist as long as you live. You must learn from your past experiences of all the the prior choices you made and the consequences you underwent and apply it along with your present maturity to this new set of circumstances. The idea is to let go of the past. Backspace a little, observe, create your own space, open your mind to new possibilities and horizons, travel the roads less taken, accept challenges, take risks just to stimulate you, awaken and empower the will power within you to realize your goals and dreams. Nothing can stop you from leading a balanced life until "YOU CHOOSE TO GIVE UP!" You'll like your new-found state of contentment and stay rest assured, you would never want it to let it go due to circumstances being against your scheme of things. Why? Simply because such state of being is exhilarating and the sense of freedom n' power akin stands tall above all.

This is how you create and build a life.

It's TIME, you get up n' get real

It's TIME, you define the "I" in "YOU"

It's TIME, you create your own life

It's TIME, you live your life anew..!!

Lost in translating Life..!!

2011-12-10T13:21:00.000-08:00

Oh! How I wish I could backtrack my steps before moving forward any more. Maybe not so much retrace, either, as relive but to set straight certain matters which I should have way back then. What if life could be controlled by a remote, then no understanding would have been required at all; it would just be a series of clicks ..?!

Being realist and practical, I know that I cannot for the rules of nature are not as such; all I can do is pause now to surmise and comprehend the situation that I have in hand for I'm feeling lost in the translation of understanding the dynamics of the realm of life - a journey, I embarked upon coupla years back but gave full momentum off lately.

The realm of life is such a vast expanse that even the timeline of a lifetime seems hell short of coping up with the pace of time to make sense of the reality of reality. Come what may we can only learn life backwards and live it forwards. There are no rooms for making repititive mistakes; either learm from the first time you erred or learn from observing those around you. The tranformation from Newtonian kind of thinking to mechanical thinking has wrecked each one of us. Why did we stop questioning like he and his cult did? Why do we simply gulp and get into the flow of what is offered or give up? There is only one lifetime, then why are we behaving like such headless chickens scattering and scampering away as the rest do? It is this very observation that disturbed me and still does to a larger extent.

Understanding and perception of life are viewed through the prism to guage the extent to which the mind can imbue. Sometimes thinking too much also causes stress and clutters our mind with so many thoughts and realizations that it is difficult to sift through what you really endeavor to seek.

End Result: Withdrawal symptoms of going back into a shell.

To just react impulsively is like having a free falling back from the cliff with your arms outstretched. You do not know whether you'll be grabbed in between and saved or be shattered to smithereens.

I still struggle when at crossroads and am left with choices. How do I know which one is right for me? I can ponder over it for my whole life or just make a choice and walk that path to see if that's the path I want to be in else I'll have to take a U-turn and go the other way round. But, what do you do when there are multiple choices? Try them all, eh? Who on earth has the luxury of so much time at their disposal? Atleast, I do not. Every sojourn leaves its imprint in me and being the person who doesn't forget, the impact lasts longer than desired. Now, whether it is good or bad is not something worth debating over. But, whenever I feel exalted and numbed, a state-of-being akin to my emotions put in a blender where no words can express the feelings I feel; I wish I wouldn't take this quest of mine so seriously and live just a moment at a time. Instead of getting lost in translating life, I've decided to to live life by one rule.. If it happens, it happens.. I'm not stressing over this stuff anymore..!!

Now on, reinforced... I will believe in what I do and I will only do what I truly believe in..

Dealing with the "use" friendly world..!!

2011-12-07T12:56:00.000-08:00

As Jack Welsh, once truly said " Control your destiny or somebody will."

Your ESSENCE, the innermost core of you is what is YOU in real.

In this "use" (anyone to you convenience) friendly world; its likely you would be the victim if you do not realize the value of your essence and shield it.

How often have you heard the phrase "I was/felt used"? How often have you realized, people get magnetized to you only when they need you else you do not exist in their world? Answer is YES, many times, right..?? It can get triggered anywhere: home, workplace, friends, relations. Name it and you will see an instance of it in some person's life.Why does this happen? No one is to be blamed here. The predator needed a victim and you were vulnerable enough to become its prey. It was your own conscious choice then why blame the world? You chose to be trampled upon. Blame yourself. Its a man-eat-man world where we all live in and Darwin's theory of "Survival of the fittest" holds true till date. There is no point displaying vindictive anger or being traumatized or turmoil/anguish after the deed is done.You can't unwind TIME. Reality check of life, eh..??!!

"This person/perception/situation is uncomfortable in my life". When you think about them and stomach tightens and you get this sensation all over that feels very uncomfortable - and you associate that feeling with that person then just walk away from that person or "erase" the perception from your predator's mind or handle the situation and set the equations right as they should be. There are always bumps in the road of life but they all end up making you stronger as you go along.

To develop a masterpiece, you can ADD or REMOVE materials. Painting adds paint to a canvas, sculpting chips away unneeded stone and finely with immaculate expression given vent in shapes and colors the MASTERPIECE is created.

You've all the power in you to be impenetrable, escapable and unyielding to any force trying to overpower you. Be ecstatic, beatific and protective about the real YOU. Nothing in the world can touch it and torment it unless you grant the permission for this rampage and turmoil that could erode you within. The moment you surmise that you have nothing to lose, nothing to look forth to that is unwelcoming, nothing in the past that will bind you and there are no boundaries limiting you; that's the point when you've complete control over your life n' you can steer free ahead without an iota of doubt or hesitation... that's just when you're the CAPTAIN of your own ship; the AUTHOR of your own book.

I conclude with a quote from Barbara De Angelis "No one is in control of your happiness but you; therefore, you have the power to change anything about yourself or your life that you want to change."

Is what we want to accomplish, what we want really..?!

2011-12-04T10:33:00.000-08:00

A recently released film that I watched today, forced me to think on these lines, once again and pre-empted me to write this blog...

Most of us don’t even know what we want. We think we do, but in reality we do not. Have you ever tried to ponder, sit down and list them all and been able to do it all..??!!

In a little more than a decade, the whole face and shape of of our lives have changed in such a fierce rapid pace and I don't know how many amongst us have realized this..??

In the materialistic radar, we act frenzied and run behind material possessions and gains which take us to a surreal world where everything is either superficial or fake and short-lived leaving us bereft of real emotions and lust for money, name, fame, success n' it's ilk? We short change our value system inculcated in us by our parents and alma mater to win the race or raise the bar, whatever the situation be. It gives a kick, doesn't it? I am not saying money is not important. It is a necessity to a larger extent but it is not "the be all and end all". We must know where to draw the line for while money is definitely essential but it is also the root of all evil.

In the family radar, we feel providing the luxuries compensates for the physical absence, being the money bank is the only role you got to play and rest will be taken care of typically by the woman folk. Why... don't they have a life of their own to live with? And, if they too are earning, then GOD alone bless the ego clashes, the fight for upper handedness, the lack of time and attention given to the kids, the sapping away of all energy, negative vibes and the frustrations thereon. Have you once realized that it affects the upbringing of children and the environment in the house in general? Gone are the days, when kids had complete attention from their parents and both the sets of grand parents. Today, getting all this even from a single parent itself, is a luxury..!! What's next to nuclear family, DINK, Single MOM's and what after that..?? Ever thought..??!! We are shrinking and isolating ourselves on our own of our own conscious choice but are we aware and prepared for its ramifications..??

In the emotional radar, there are no more open candid exchange of thoughts, expressions of true feelings, et al. They have been buried deep within us inside either due to other priorities or due to incidents of past that bind us to it or our deep urge to surge ahead in the corporate jungle. A relationship needs commitments too. It's a highway..!! Nobody can read anyone else's mind. We always presume that our family and close friends know what we think and feel, when it is untrue. Can you read their minds all the time..?? You do not even have time to pause and check on them genuinely, isn't it..?? Relations are like our principles and values system. Everyone has them but they only mean as much as you are willing to stand for them. In short, emotions and feelings remain unexpressed and pent up within, building a chasm slowly but surely that could destroy you to smithereens when loneliness strikes you. You will not find anyone around to careen and nurture you unless you've preserved all your close relations all the while by playing your role in it full heartedly.

"En route your journey of life when you feel you have reached an end point or when you've reached the nadirs of your life; what is it that you look for?"

This is that point in one's life where you want to walk away from all the melodrama happening around you and be with people who understand you and love you truly and unconditionally; people who will hold your hand, lend a shoulder or guide you showing you HOPE and get you to be on your own again. These people are generally your family or close friends. No one else.

How many times have you to taken a vacation off to a place with your close ones where you have switched off the mobile and e-connectivity and have experienced delightful pleasure being aware to the sensitivities of the vibrations of Mother Nature and lived every moment of your life to the fullest? Noticed the difference ever, eh..??!! There is more to life, much more...

So, what needs to be done..?? It's simple yet difficult but it isn't impossible. Unlike others, I am not preaching for I ain't a preacher; it is only after practising it myself and seeing my anam caras do it that I am sharing this with you. It's something you always knew but never bothered endeavor for you prefered the extrinsic over the intrinsic. We can strike a fine balance amongst all subject to we answering the very question, I started this blog with "What is it that we really want?" Set the priorities, next, set the milestones and tread on a path of your own. Immaterial, whether the road has been frequently or less travelled.

Instead of going by the flow; be the flow...

Moving On...

2011-11-19T11:48:00.000-08:00

If you haven't the strength to impose your own terms upon life, you must accept the terms it offers you.

~ T. S. Eliot

Life can hit real hard at times. Some incidents knock you down, some breeze past while some blow you out and bring you to your knees. How many times do we wallow in the bitterness of our lives that has embittered us deeply to the extent of them leaving a dent on us? Be it the emotional upheavals due to the lows in business or career, a broken heart, being grossly misunderstood, lovelorn, untrue accusations, drifting away of close relations, death of revered ones, frayed experiences of being used as a pawn after having been unknowingly kept in the dark, caught in Catch 22 situations, the list would go on endlessly...

It's oft said, "Move On...". Do not hold back onto the past, live in the present, dream of the tomorrows that are waiting to unfold themselves with time. Is it really as easy as it is said? NO. For the value system inculcated within us as we are brought up, all our life, we are taught to hold onto things; aren't we? Isn't this just why "letting go" doesn't come as easily to us as it is said..??

I've spent my life time trying to seek answers, reasons as to why did I go through what I did and what is it that I need to do and I am cent percent sure, I'm not the lone person going through such gamut of emotions that cage and bind me to the indelible incidents of the past. It is one hell of a heavy load, indeed which followed me wherever I went. In my vagabond sojourn that I embarked on few days back, I left with an intention to seek some answers that were cluttering my mind, forcing me to withdraw into my shell every alternate day affecting my productivity and family relations. I did not seek what I wanted to but I learnt one thing "things happen only when you are ripe for them to happen". Nothing happens accidentally. It is all pre-ordained and they happen for a reason with lessons to be learnt. This is not something new that dawned on me; I had been aware of it all the time but had chosen denial of accepting this reality of life.

Its true that very few admit that your past moves on with you wherever you move and even affects your thinking capabilities thereby having a cascading effect in your life. How long do you want to live a life like this of being a moron controlled by an unseen force? Is a puppet all that you want to be for the rest of your life not bothering to see the good blossoming around you and caring for the people who really care for you; thereby further complicating your already complex life?

Can you really undo what has happened? Can you reset your life? NO. There is no delete, undo or reset button in life for we are not technical pre-programmed gadgets but humans with a sense of feelings, yet, we cannot remain emotionally gullible perennially. When you reach such phases in your life; just STOP and THINK.

Pause in life as many times in your life as you need to, to ponder, weigh and take the call on the next logical move that you need to take after you have given yourself the much deserved time to mull over it such that you can keep your past buried deep within your system and not let it affect you. Solitude and withdrawing into your shell is good only if handled wisely. It could transform you for your worst making you tread the road to self-destruction and perdition or for the best as in letting you live a life of your dreams based solely on your efforts. Try a different approach. Accept the past in the face of it and make it a part of your life. In a way it is these very incidents that shape you into being the person that you are today, isn't it..??

Wouldn't it be nice, if we plunge ourselves head on, on the same journey that we had embarked on without these incidents halting and affecting us? We were en route somewhere, weren't we? With renewed faith in self and following our true calling in life, our spirits will be lifted de facto. Do they help? YES. The control lies in our hands to take radical measures or baby steps as is apt to move on.

Motivation is intrinsic and you've to seek it on your own. No one can do it for you. The battles of your life only you can fight. No one can do on your behalf. At best, the anam caras and travelers in your life can only lend their shoulder for you to rest on, give you a sense of direction, share with you, your experiences along with theirs and when they realize they have played their part they, too, move on; so why can't we..??

When life seems hard, it is more about how hard you let it hit you and what you do to defend it. Consider yourself as the author of your own life where every page is written by you. Open your heart, mind n' soul akin to the wonders of this mysterious life. Demolish the bridges behind you for you do not have to tread that path ever again. It is enough that it is cemented in your memories. Now on, all you need to do is have faith, look ahead n' MOVE ON... :)

Life is calling... where are you..??

Footprints in the sands of time

2011-11-12T07:15:00.000-08:00

My mind wants to interpret the dreams that are mine;

I want to fulfill these dreams that are mine..!!

I am a dreamy eyed girl who set foot on my journey after my education, almost 2 decades back to create a mark of her own. My own signature identity as I call it..!!

At the onset of the journey, I was surprised initially to discover, how little I knew of my strengths n' weaknesses and of the different facets of life, how much unknown I was to what I wanted to do with my life, how clueless I was about my destination and which road to take, I did not know whether what I was seeing was a reflection or a mirage; all I knew was that I had the had to move on and I had the unwavering will in my stride to create an identity for me. Initially, I accepted things at their face value and treated them as gospel only to face the consequences at a later stage. En route the journey, I learnt to value reality checks and dared to be real in a world of pretence. I accepted life in its true form instead of living in the delusions of a surreal world. I have seen it all n' done it all having been through most of the forms of crisis n' windfall. I have been euphoric whenever I have reached the zeniths and have wavered n' been crest fallen whenever I reached the nadirs only to bounce back with renewed vigor after a period of dormancy. Time has played a perennially instrumental role n' healed me many-a-times.

In interludes, I have had some people whom I call as 'travelers' in my life who held me when I was falling n' guided me through the dark tunnels till we found light together. They left when their deed was done. Their departure hurt but their footprints left an indelible imprint in my heart. I was never the same after having been with them. Every such brief encounter has only helped me evolve discovering each time, a new facet within me which I was unaware of even though it was present within me all the while. After having understood the role and importance of 'travelers' in lives; I continued the tradition and played similar role in few other lives who needed me at that juncture of their life and left when I felt I had fulfilled my role and it was time to move on. Easier said than done but that's the way of life..!!

The dogmas of life have always forced me to break all set limits to rise above the situation to survive. It's said with age comes maturity. Same has been with me. The deeper realizations on the finer nuances of life, the importance of relations, the understanding of how crucial it is to handle feelings effectively, the spirit to reach the goals set in life and realize my dreams, the ability to provide for my family the very best that life has to offer and enjoy every moment of life to the fullest have changed the dimensions of my life altogether.

Life, indeed, is a mysterious intriguing journey which tests your endurance limits and wherewithal where living is not as easy as "breathe in - breathe out". You learn the meaning of life only when you connect the dots, define the "I" in you and when you have made sense of it all, you start living every moment of your life to the fullest in its true essence.

I have learnt that...

• your family is of utmost importance to you

• you find happiness in giving

• there is immense power in selfless love

• you need to pause at times to make sense in repose

• you've to spread seeds of bliss wherever you go

• you've to hold hands of those who reach out to you

• you've to reach out within you to find your true calling

• you've to set yourself FREE from all binds to be the real you

I, fervently hope that with the blessed insights and the wisdom that I have gained over time in pursuit of defining "ME"; when I reach the end point of my life, I should feel content from deep within having realized most of my dreams, nurtured my family with absolute dedication, experienced true FREEDOM and touched a few souls having taught them to believe in themselves...to learn from life... to realize their dreams... to be 'travelers' when reached out to... to nurture the unprotected... to love unconditionally...

When I'm done with my lifetime here, I want to be remembered by my close ones as, " She believed immensely in the power of Nature and knew when to rend and when to sew. No matter what the seasons of life brought, she never changed inside. She never allowed the pressures of the seasons or the weathers of life to change what she was underneath. She was a mountain you could rely on to watch over those who looked up to her."

Even if they are sublime, even if they get erased with time, I want to leave behind my footprints in the sands of time...

Eternal radiance of a pristine mind..!!

2011-10-28T12:31:00.000-07:00

In my quest, to understand the subtle nuances of life beyond everything; I realized how naive and unaware was I about the boundless powerhouse I had within myself in the form of my radiant pristine mind.

As we all know, there are two facets of our mind: conscious and subconscious. While day in - day out, we sap our conscious mind to its optimal potential when we are awake (that's what we think, don't we..??!!); when it is actually the subconscious mind that does the wonders when we rest or experience oneness within ourselves. It is this facet of our mind that creates new dimensions, seeds new thoughts, shapes our ideas, liberates us from the layered wisdom imbibed through experience and sets us apart from the rest, making us "unique" in our own way while the former facet is more impulsive and instantaneous in its reaction to stimulus of life.

When both the facets are juxtaposed, our mind has the prowess to actuate us to create the incogitable. In a single moment, we have millions of thoughts vandalizing our mind making it implausible to control them all; let alone streamlining them and accomplishing thus making us a wreck.

Have you ever thought that if we had the prerogative to breakaway from the natural conditions and create a vast expanse to liberate it to manage it by itself? By trying to control we limit it from it's true potential and purity. Easier said then done is what you would say but no, it is effortless if you become aware of your existence in entirety and accept it in its non-dual pristine form.

Once accepted, you will realize the endless radiance of your mind which can emanate enough power to inspire and help you create your own world - a world of your needs, your wants, your dreams which you thought were improbable to conceive given the world we live-in.

Acceptance and submission form the base premise for such a state of existence where the journey of every single thought, the dimension it takes renders us a unique being. Such is the power of our mind that it transcends space and time in a centerless realm of its own.

By not recognizing the sheer prowess of our amalgamated mind and letting it lie in its untapped condition, we are ebbing our ourselves away from evolving into the real being that we are..!!

We all have been given a mind with immense omnipotence. We are the artisan and we can mold it anyway we want. It is unto us. Unleash it; do not try to bind it in any fiefdom. Let it be the spirit that helps you create your identity.

Acintya Bheda, Abheda Tattva.

Do we need anymore, eh?

Never forget that it is the radiance of our own pristine mind that kindles true love and sets you blissfully free for eternity..!!

Shun the duality - Just be YOU..!!

2011-10-15T14:36:00.000-07:00

We all have many facets of us and enroute the journey of life as moments pass us by, we are given various choices that are literally thrown at us and this happens through our lifetime. Why do we let whoever or whatever we feel at that moment as strongest, impede on all the rest..?? Do the rest, do not deserve fair-play? Who is the decider within us who decides this is it when you've to make a choice? If the choice results in happiness; feel content, if not; do not disdain. The choice was yours, alone anyay. So deal with it..!! Going forward, strike a fine balance always whenever you are making the choice. It's an art that needs to be learnt and mastered over time.

We all believe that our ‘individual self’ (at whatever stage of life we are) is who we really are and it is end of the chapter. But, have you ever been open enough to realize that the celestial sphere throws us in a vast expanse where we can exploit our "BEING" that in return helps us in understanding the finer nuances of our life, our personality n' in defining who we really are. But, in this open and shut case world, once the chapter is closed, it's only a rare few who re-open to understand their life and let the "individual" within them evolve to who they truly are and should be. If you understand and accept this principle, you will find it as simple as breathing.

In today's techno savvy - power hungry - money is all that matters world, you will find that everything around you is rampant with chaos. Turn around and all you see everywhere that our lives are rife with one-upmanship or a mad race where everyone wants to be on par at the same pace just like everyone else. This is how it is, this is how we should be... kind of SUMS IT UP. Is there a master who is controlling these strings? NO. Like a headless chicken, you plunged into it, so, now whether you like it or not, you are a part of this melee. Whether you need - want - desire "it", is immaterial. The price that you have to pay for it is inconsequential. The very simple being that was "YOU", now has multiple layers and is no longer the true self. The reflection you see in the mirror is not of the real "YOU".

End results: Stressed, Tired, Emotionally drained, Over-worked, Unhappy, Depressed, Disturbed, Suffering, Relations-in-mess... the list would go on endlessly. Nothing of this can be eliminated if you continue to live your life as such.

Is this "Who you are?". No."So, duality it is. What is duality? Duality when defined is a component of non-duality which additionally comprises of being everything, something and nothing. Beyond your comprehension or too much to savor, eh? Simply put, use duality to understand who you should not be and create the "YOU"; do not let it destroy you.

Never ever adjust your individuality to match someone else's just because that is how it should be. Has it been embossed and set as a base premise of one's living here? NO. You, alone are the only master of your soul. No one else but you. So... why don'y you, just be "YOU".

Step back. Pause. Collect yourself, first..!!

Next, touch up the edges, adjust the tones, blur out the unwanted background, remove the cobwebs from the remote corners of your mind, focus on "YOU" and crop drama, crap n' the mindless race out. They do not deserve a presence in your space. And, you are one of the spaces that connects and fills the dots in this World and completes the Universe.

As Steve Jobs, once succintly expressed - "Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. Most important, have the courage to follow your courage and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary."

Shun the duality - Just be YOU..!!

Grandma E. Moses wisdom on life holds true for each one of us ~

Life is what you make it, always has been, always will be...

P.S: Dedicated to Steve Jobs for had I not come across this quote of your's, I would have never been inspired to touch upon this topic. You made a huge difference in this world, just by being "YOU". My blog stands personified with your presence and contributions to this realm of ours. May your soul Rest In Peace.

Living in the Surreal World

2011-09-24T15:13:00.000-07:00

The surreal world, once an evolution has today morphed so well in our daily lives that we fail to realize that it has taken over our real life.

Have you had to face situations where you had to save yourself with a smirk or a caustic smile and had the feeling that "What in the hell was that..?!! WEIRD... WTF". This has a lot to say about the socially conscious high tech surreal life, we are leading today which instead of advancing us has relegated us to becoming soulless bodies who seem to have an opinion on anything and everything about the universe.

It is true there has been a rapid evolution in the environment around us, especially technology that seems to be growing at a rapid rate and sucking us in its gyre. Peer and social pressure compels us to match pace with its version of representation of what should be our world.

Take for instance success of the likes of Facebook, Twitter n' its cult. YES, it has made the world appear a mere speck as against its vast enormity. We post on the walls or tweet and broadcast the most trivial happenings to one n' all, connect and chat with strangers for hours and days altogether (who may may-not be real), spend most of our time here when otherwise we could have spent it more productively. It has become so much a part of our lives that our kith and kin have to check our updates here. Kindles and mobile apps have replaced the hard bound copy reading. Not that I am anti e-Social Networking, I use it prudently but I am supremely amazed with it's worldwide addiction.

When a poignant or cataclysmic incident occurs have you observed that we feel either momentarily bothered about it or feel desensitized altogether? Why are we transforming to be individuals who are disconnected from reality?

Our innate values seem to have to have buried deep within so many trenches within us that they almost seem non-existent in the face of it. why does the surreal world appeal so much to us and the real defining heart-touching moments seem unreal to us?

Gone are the days when real defining moments touched us, money was not the be-all and end-all, fitness regime was the least on our priority list, we savored on delicacies prepared by our mom and did not bother about the calories, we took time out of our schedules to meet people close to us in person which further resulted in forming strong life long bonds, visiting a book or music store and sifting through its treasure trove to pick your favorite gave you a high, a trip to nature's paradise energized us, a walk down the beach alone or in companionship in sunset gave the best pleasure on earth, true feelings expressed in person made us feel euphoric, catastrophes and adversities bonded us and helped us tide through the crisis and weather all forms of storms.

Have our real emotions died an unknown death that we now look upon these surreal experiences to save our fate? Have we accepted these surreal experiences as the real?

Maybe, it’s true for that's how the world around us seems to be now. This surreal life, the kind that does not call for living in its true form, one which has become the real world for us, now, when apposed with the once upon safe, carefree, simple life enriched with true genuine love seems a stark contrast and a distant reality. Our reality checks have changed: for good or bad, only time will tell as and when it unfolds.

Ever felt like a stranger in your own life?

2011-09-09T08:36:00.000-07:00

I crossed the great ocean

and yet, I halted

so close to the shore

when I found myself alone

stripped off all will

n' deplete of any energy

to take me to the other side.

I am not the only person who has reached such crossroads in life n' found myself at vain. A peek around tells me there are many like me. It is not that one fine day, I had lightening strike me out of the blue that made me realize that I am a stranger in my own life. I have felt so many-a-times n' till date it continues to harrow n' browbeat the winds out of me each time I go through it. It is more like a reality check crisis where I find me questioning myself on: Who am I? What am I doing? How on earth did I land myself here? Where did my life go by? What is the way ahead? Suddenly, my life seems surreal and I find myself as an observer who is observing my own life in reels. Such incidents come and go but they blur me out while they last. It is in such moments that I find it difficult to define the "I" in "ME" and let the "I" be the captain of my ship and master of my soul which is how it ideally should be.

Changes in life are inevitable. You just need to go with the flow n' nature guides you through is what you are told but is it really so..?? No. With every change, there is a transformation that takes place within us and the definition of "I" has to undergo a change. The cycle continues till one fine day you look into the mirror and you fail to recognize the person you see.

The shackles in our lives have their own way of controlling the strings of our life n' make us seem like puppets or dorks, should I say..??!! Why do we let them hold us at ransom with such elan n' that too so rampantly? Are we so weak that we cannot step back n' take charge..?? No, we are not. It's entirely onto us to hold or lose control.

In the realm of the world we live in; we are all taught to hold on when the thumb rule of sustenance says you got to move on by letting go off things that bind you down. Contradicting it's own self, isn't it? I used to feel so too until I managed to learn the art of walking the fine line n' striking a balance. It took me long but once I learnt the "how-to" part of it, I have found it a little more easier to deal with. I haven't mastered the art as yet so I still see those days when I am torn between taking the decision of what to hold onto n' what all to let go. Time works wonders in such moments. It's amazing to find how great a healer it is. Do not think of such incidents as a "being sick" phenomena and isolate yourself out. It is natural. Let them occur. They are not meant to damage you but they are constructs that guide you in the right direction. Everything happens for a reason and you'll en route discover why you went through what you did. Keep the faith on..!!

Zendagi Migzara...

What's happening in INDIA..??

2011-07-30T12:54:00.000-07:00

I just can't understand, what's happening in my country..??

We are plagued with constant Terror Attacks, SCAMS of all kinds at all levels, rigged Corporate Governance (Radia tapes) and International Sports Events Management (IPL, CWG), commual riots, disastrous civic administration (especially in Bombay) that cannot handle seasonal rains; thereby introducing flash floods as the new buzzword, the corruption list and faulty disastrous management list can go on endlessly. On the other side there are the constant suicides by harassed housewives, pressurized teens and sexually abused orphans who are denied justice to no ends. Companies like Speak Asia come splashing and hogging the limelight in prime time and go with the EOW awaking only when the deed is done and dusted; Indians looted of 2000 CR, once again..!! Corruption is at it's zenith.

India has been a known terror target for years and yet the ruling government have done nothing about it. Media and few honest law officers have done their part in some critical cases but then what does the judiciary do? Let people like Maria rover walk scot free and head high, shelter and take great care of terrorist like Qasab giving him VIP treatment, converting the once rock sturdy and feared jails to 5-star facility aided comfortable hubs for the doggy Ministers and white collared criminals, huh..?? The government is busy renaming heritage places like Bombay to Mumbai, Dadar to Chaitanya Bhumi; building 90 CR worth Sky Walkers from the hard earned tax payers money across the city and then pulling them down because 2 different sets of team did not do the planning together and the sky walkers now pose a hurdle.. ain't that a WOW..?!?

And, if they are not occupied in blame-gaming or buck passing on all these serious affairs then we find them busy minting money unethically off course and siphoning it off to untraceable destinations; throwing chairs in official parliamentary sessions behaving like ill-mannered dorks, thus adding more clutter to the rot, isn't it..?? The added icing is the ever rising inflation . Is any commodity, diesel/petrol, vegetables, medicine or service spared that has not burned our pockets with large holes due to its continually upgrading rates. How should a common man live and survive in such scenario when we the middle class find it a hand to mouth existence most of the times. Does the government understand it's RESPONSIBILITY towards the nation? If yes, then we would not have been seeing such days where we feel insecure in our own nation.

We need a crusade against the current system and the government. Unfortunately a few individuals cannot make a difference, because they will be lost in the system. It needs the massive support of masses to rattle the government, which won't be coming as each one of us has different priorities and country does not figure among them. Can we make our country our priority? 65 yrs ago, we fought to gain independence from the English and today, we are unable to find an end for the malaise that is eroding us with every passing moment within our own country. The tunnel seems long and dark, but will we find light at the end of it..??

The debate could go on endlessly and yield no results with each having their own two cents to add. Instead of just watching it mutely, let's unitedly stand together against this blasphemy friends; pool in our thoughts and see how we can better our nation. As for us, we have seen it all and we know how much of a dent it has left on all of us. If not them, we, who understand the gravity of the situation have it in us to join hands together and strive to make our environment more livable, less vulnerable and more secure for our future generation.

Wake Up! Wake Up! Wake Up!

Where did the real LIFE go by..??

2011-07-12T12:28:00.000-07:00

It's been quite some years now since I realized we are all moving towards an unrealistic world trying to be ubiquitous just like everyone else doing what the so called society does even while it is not the real us. Each has his/her own journey; story to tell.

It all seems like a vicious rigmarole which seems to be usurping us into a vortex which will lead us where only time will unfold..!!

I have been observing this pattern and killing myself trying to seek answers to it without any success. So, today I thought I should write about my thoughts on it...

Inflation >> Never ending need to earn more and more money >> Family responsibilities >> Work Pressures coupled with politics and diplomacy >> Peer Pressures forcing you to take a call between spending time with friends or family >> Traffic/Climate/Health hazards >> Social pressures... and, we are done to death..!!

Hasn't this become a monotonous trend for one and all of us..?? Where have true love, values, subtle gestures, genuine concern, honesty, truism, simple pleasures all gone?

Like for instance take something as mundane and crazy yet noticeable, the FB addiction. The statuses all seem to be the same:

Monday blues...
after Monday, Tuesday even calendar says WTF..!!
TGIF..!!
Need a break..!! Vacation..!! Party time..!! Bored..!! Lazy Sunday..!!

Is this our so called LIFE..?? Where did the REAL LIFE go by..??

I've always tried to make the best of my situation and I thought I was proud of how I handled things in my life, but right now when I have this strong urge within me to be what I want to be, I find it to be quite daunting! My life wasn't a smooth ride but my determination made me who I am today..!! It is something that I seek pride in but am I really content within..?? NO, I am not. Why..?? The price was huge.

I feel like it was just yesterday when I was a happy chirpy carefree toddler and then suddenly here I am approaching my mid 30s. What happened in between? What happened with my life? It's almost like I have blanked out because all I can remember when I think back are collages of my struggle to make the ends meet when each time they moved the ends by the time I reached them or the spirit of love n' freedom spiced with few errant fake relations. Looking back, I certainly do not want this to be my memory when I tend to become nostalgic. Am I into depression or wallowing in self pity? NO. These words do not exist in my dictionary anymore. Experience has taken me a long way away from it.

It is said, in the train ride of life it's not the destination but the stops on the way, but what do you make out of these stops? Learn, mature, grow are the typical options but at the end of it when you have paused, do you recognize and identify the person you are seeing in the mirror..?? NO... you do not for each of these stops leave an indelible imprint on you. It is like you have been banded.

I end this here... praying for the overwhelming depth of strength within me that is made of willow which has always helped me wade through life: by bending and twisting and giving away rather than breaking..!!

Pauses in Life

2011-06-16T08:28:00.000-07:00

Now and then it's good to pause in our journey of life.

We all have different journeys n' take different paths along the way. We all are meant to reach somewhere, our destination in Life n' learn enroute. It is good to be on the move always n' keep adapting to changes thus evolving all the time. But, what do you do when you reach cross roads n' are unable to decide? In the fast paced life that we all live in today where we are all hell bent on living a runaway life, we are gheraoed by situations that call for immediate actions. What do you do when your mind n' soul akin send you signals that you got to halt, to re-analyze, ponder n' weigh the situation in hand? This is just the time when you need to pause just like Twilight: A time of pause when nature changes her guard. All living things would fade and die from too much light or too much dark, if twilight were not there. Even the rhythms in music are triggered by the spaces (read pauses) in between the notes and lyrics.

Whatever be the nature of complexities of the sitution we face, our challenges can be handled well if we are able to strike the right balance. Instead of rushing into a situation, PAUSE for it is a sign that you are in control n' not short sighted or impulsive. It would be a gross misnomer if we think that we make progress or move forward only when we are in motion. Certain insights especially the life changing ones surface n' come into focus only in the depth of silence when we have paused.

So, put on your thinking cap; take a deep breath n' pause awhile. For in Life, it is the pauses that make all the difference..!!

The "I" factor

2011-04-28T05:53:00.000-07:00

Have you observed or realized that we all have an other side to us? I have. There are so many times that we toggle between the two and that is where the complexity in our life begins.

It all begins with the "I" and the dream or the belief that we feel which would help us create our own identity. In our journey of defining the "I"; we come across many junctures where we have to take decisions. While these decisions have life impacting changes on us, we fail to realize the gravity of it until much later. A second factor that we come across is relations. I find relations to be very wierd. While we take some seriously, we look through/take light the rest. All of us tend to do the same. This "looking through" process when one is serious and the other is not is what causes the heartburn and the negativities that follow. The third factor is our quest to earn and make money and fast track our career/business. The more we earn, the merrier and no amount is enough at the end of the day. Most of us end up compromising on our core integral values (the one with which we started our journey on) and go through a value change process at this level or re-align ourselves to the fetid realm called the "WORLD". This is actually the breakaway point. The fourth factor is our tendency to please one and all to avoid unpleasantries. Whether we actually want to do it or no, is another aspect but the fact remains. Again, we do so till a point and one fine day when our endurance limits reach their threshold point, we just give it up and move on not caring a damn about it thereby creating further complexities. Only if, we would do this pre-emptively and not fall prey to it..!!

In the midst of all this melee, we end up taking too many things for granted and end up with identity crisis in the 30s wondering where did our life go by? What did we actually do all along? I, too, walked the same path.

In my quest to identify my true calling recently when I suffered from identity crisis, I happened to trip on this reality of duality. It baffled n' stuck me hard as to why had I not realized this earlier. It would have saved a lot of damage that I had self-induced being ignorant of this reality check. Being one who doesn't belong to the cult of looking back n' repenting; I have decided to now be consciously aware about this existence and see how best I can leverage on it.

On a side note, my quest for finding out my true calling turned out to be "The Zahir" of my life. At one time; I seemed completely possessed by it unable to concentrate on anything else.

Zahir for those who are unaware according to Paulo Coelho is someone or something which, once we have come into contact with them or it, gradually occupies our every thought, until we can think of nothing else.

The moment, I realized what my calling was, I felt an immense sense of liberation as if I am born again.

finally ~

I felt intoxicated

intoxicated with life

for the first time ever

I sensed myself clean within

n' it felt within my soul

for once ~

I embraced my life, dearly

for by now I had realised

that I am a free spirit,

who has been born again..!!

FREEDOM

2011-04-09T12:32:00.000-07:00

What is FREEDOM.??

It is the ability to deliberate or weigh alternatives and make choices of our own on our own. Decision is akin to making incisions to the deepest level possible of every available alternative without any fear or worry. Having done this it becomes easier to seive what really matters to us from what doesn't.

Fear knocked at the door.

Faith answered.

There was no one there.

Speaks volumes, doesn't it? Such is Life. It is all about making one decision after another which makes us who we are..!!

So, how important is freedom? Let me tell you, it is bloody hell important to each one us. Let go off this and the journey thereon will be a series of debacles and heart burn.

When I make a decision, I withdraw into my shell (Yes, I'm a typical cancerian.!!) cut off all alternatives and make a choice and having done that then I do not look back in life ever. There have been numerous cross-roads in my life that made me halt, pause my life and forced me to take a call and I did. Was this easy? NO. Could I avoid? NO. I had to get myself in control in totality, weigh my situation and decide. Were my decisions always right? NO. But, whenever they were not there was always an experience, a learning that helped me in the long run. No matter how much the rest of the world disagrees with me; I continue to think of life in extremes. For me, decisions in life have to be conclusive, either black or white. The grays are what complicate life. Being a Technologist, I would say, life indeed is binary: 0 or 1.

In the very recent, I stepped into a different world thinking as most of us do that the other side is greener than the patch we are in but after spending sometime in this world, I realized that I couldn't adapt and align myself to this farce stricken world, come what may. It was killing me from within. I felt as if I was sinking into a never ending vortex till I mustered all of the little will left within me to take control of myself and make sense of the situation. No one else could do it for me. I had to do it for myself. This is one more truth of life. You alone are responsible for you and your life. No one else is. It took me long to deliberate, ponder, weigh and make the choice. I opted to step outta that world. Had I lingered any longer, I would have self-destructed myself. The moment I had taken this decision; I felt so light hearted. Words fall short of expressing the feeling I felt. It was one of absolute bliss and sheer freedom that made me feel exalted and gave me back my power. The power to maneuverer life my way. Today, I enjoy my life like never before (in the recent one year which has been most traumatic for me). Out of experience, I can say for sure, happiness is just a state of mind and it lies within us to seek it even in the midst of all chaos surrounding us.

I end this blog in my signature style with my verse...

There's fascination of things to come,

Can't stop now, can't go slow,

I am feeling a sense of freedom, above all,

I know this in essence is my life's true call..!!

It's time to LIVE the REAL...

2011-03-20T07:17:00.000-07:00

10 days of bed rest, post a surgery, gave me the much needed breathing space and got me to tread the introspective path which I seldom find time for in the humdrum of the fast paced career-tracked life of Bombay (Yes, I still belong to the rapidly diminishing cult of those who choose to refer to this city by its former name!).

We all dream as we grow. Dream of what we wanna do, what life we wanna lead, the hobbies/interests/aspirations we wanna pursue, the soul mate we seek, et al. But, how many of us do really strive to make these dreams come true? I, too, had mine, but somewhere en route this journey of life, I lost it, where is something, I am yet to figure out..!!

But, one thing is for sure, we have conditioned ourselves today to become someone we are not. We blame it on everything but us (or our own decisions); experience, reality, destiny n' all the crap. Crudely speaking, it is mere bull shit..!! It is we who stopped pursuing our dreams leaving it for a tomorrow that never comes or lacked the will n' determination to take it on n' see it come true.

If you think your dreams are unrealistic; you are wrong. What’s unrealistic is trying to live your life, working a maddening job in a corporate jungle, earning your bread n' butter being someone you are not, abhorring what you are doing n' for the rest of your life regretting not having endeavored to live your dream. You wish that you could quit this mind straining so-called career but you fear the financial repercussions and the crazy stress thereon. You wanna cling onto your passions and claim control over your own life, to your own freedom which today appears to be strings pulled by someone making you a puppet in real life.

I can vouch for this for even profession wise, I wanted to become a Research Scientist in Bio Chemistry but here I am with a career spanning 12+yrs in Technology. Honestly speaking, I, too, find myself at the cross roads at this point of my life but I have now made up my mind to pursue my personal dreams of being a poet n' nature photographer along with my existing career which I will voluntarily retire from in a few years from now.

I'm not going to be a part of this melee. I will not follow the mold, I will be different.

I will be MYSELF in a WORLD that is mine.

After all, LIFE is all about creating yourself.

What about YOU..??

Don't you think, it's time to stop living the farce; it's time to live the REAL..!!

Here's where... I am truly inspired and in sync with the base premise of Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged"; it's time for a John Galt to step in and take on the control's of the world's corporate governance and show them their true world. It's time to see in action Ayn Rand's theory of reality and objectivism in real. My heartfelt salutations to her to be able to foresee this in her times. Read the book, if you haven't as yet, who knows it might inspire you, too, the way it did to me..!!

Turning Point...

2011-02-26T13:31:00.000-08:00

As George Bernard Shaw says...

Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.

True to his words, I embarked on my entrepreneurial journey on January 26, 1999, in the first year of my MBA itself when I bagged a good project from KRCL. My business gained momentum day after day taking me all over India including the rural side. As a Technologist, I have seen the rapid growth of technology and keeping abreast of it was a day to day challenge. From legacy systems to Server Oriented Architecture to Thin Clients to Client-Server to the New Media, I have covered it all in a span of 12yrs. Somewhere down the line, 5yrs earlier; I also diversified into Recruitments on client demand.

Acquiring new clients, delivering projects, constantly building teams, mentoring them, moving from one segment of the industry to the other was energizing and being young the sheer zest of making it on my own without an investor backing gave me a kick. I made my business the fulcrum of my life. It began and ended there for me. There were the highs, the lows and the no-business phases too, but I survived for giving up wasn't me. The sheer power of creating a corporate entity which in turn formed my own individual identity is a different high altogether..!!

I often used to wonder when my colleagues were climbing up the ladder in various corporates and moving places what is it like to be on that side of the world. This is one thought that kept niggling me in the back of my mind always for being self funded, the monetary returns for me were not as high but the projects I worked on were diverse and covered a broader spectrum. Largely, it did not matter but the seed persisted.

Certain twists in my personal life in the last few years and the dent of recession that we all faced couple of years back gave my HR business a huge set-back. Also, personal responsibilities started demanding more of my time, so much so that I just got myself to grinding halt one day, to pause and to assess the situation. With all the responsibilities that I am shouldering and after a lot of contemplation, deliberation and weighing the situation in hand, I opted to walk over to the other side of the bridge and opted for employment as recent as a week back in a large corporate with a good profile. My first turning point in life.

For a self made woman who prided in being an entrepreneur for 12yrs of her career; this decision affected me a lot mentally. Precisely a week into the other side and I see a huge world of difference. I don't even know if I belong here but being a committed professional that I am; I intend giving this my cent percent and time off course, as I am still in the nascent stage before I decide to pause again if time forces me to as it did this time.

Today, when I vacated my office to hand it back to my landlord, it was a sinking feeling that literally made me choke on my emotions. Everything that I had built brick my brick by putting in my blood, sweat and toil; I was dismantling with my own hands. Handing over my office back was like letting go of my own created world. An entity that had a form for more than a decade will cease to exist from hereon. Words fall short of expressing what exactly I am going through right now..!!

Generally, people do job first and then become entrepreneurs and here I am at mid-life doing it the other way round. Whether the decision I took was right or wrong, only time will tell. Zendagi Migzara a.k.a Life moves on, is what life is all about, yet...

I am moving on with my life with my favorite quote being the only driving and reinstating force in my mind ~

Dum Spira, Spera...

Epilogue: On March 30, 2011, I rolled back to being a Consultant after having realized I am not cut to being an employee. Beyond everything, the entrepreneurial spirit within me was "calling" and I had to return back to my world. I, now, firmly believe an entrepreneur can never call it "Quits" or "The END" ever.

Aaaahhh! Life...

2011-02-12T09:50:00.000-08:00

"I am the master of my fate,

I am the captain of my soul."

An old adage but so very true if we were to understand the nuances of it.

Isn't is strange how we treat our success and failure? If it is success, it is due to us as in what lies inside us but if it is failure, we do not think twice before allaying it to the outside. There is no point attributing our failure to a person, event or circumstances. This is akin to rationalizing ourselves from facing reality in the face of it and standing up for ourself more so our choices. If our choices could lead us to success, they could lead us to failure too. Accepting this truth is the only way out!

We are not born with wisdom inherent in us; this is something we acquire through the mileage of our life. As we grow and face the challenges of life, we develop certain traits that makes us who we are! Our life can be just what we want to be if we do not let our fire go out in the hopeless swamps of the unknown and the lost. Do check the path and the nature of battle sought and set foot accordingly. Life never offers you something you cannot handle. Let not the trials in life, mow you down; they only make you stronger and who you are and when you face a similar situation the next time, you just know how to deal with it.

Your life can be what you want it to be, only if you did not rush into it and took it a moment at a time. The world you deserve is real and will surely unfold itself when the time is ripe for it to happen!

DO NOT EVER FORGET FOR EVEN A DAY HOW VERY SPECIAL YOU ARE!

I end this note with my favorite quote from Grandma E. Moses,

"Life is what we make it, always has been, always will be..!!