The Road to salvation has a fork to perdition.
In the journey of life we are often confused, we become clueless when we find divergent paths, we search for direction and seek wisdom to take the correct path. Spiritual columnist Mukul Sharma asks us to unravel this puzzle by stating that Tibetan wisdom which says that we should not allow a fork defeat to our purpose.
This is easier said than done, to illustrate this conundrum he tries to draw inspiration from Robin Frost’s poem “two roads diverged in a yellow wood” Frost took the road less traveled and thinks it made the difference. But how could he be sure? He never took the road well traveled which many people take. So the mystery remains despite Frosts regret or lack of it.
For those who do not know where they are going, any road will take them there…..
for many the road ends and there is nowhere to go…. For the believers they turn to religion and priests to find the path, so that they shall not stumble or fall and the priests like signposts remain rooted to the spot, though they point the way.
For the enlightened there is no confusion and no path required, they make their own road, drifting like clouds above the jam packed earth
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
ificulties
Life poses difficulties. Like nature, its starkness is its beauty. There’s little room for limitations, seasoned frustration, unfounded skepticism or transcendental rhetoric. With vigorous optimism, even if we wanted to, we couldn’t spare the faults, failings, foibles and mistakes of human nature, by commenting, “What a fascinating world!
In many ways we are all flawed, striving for success without hard work is like trying to reap from nature what you have not sowed. We must be content and happy with small achievements and forget the distractions that do not figure in our life’s priorities, and find happiness in those mystical moments of nature.
Wandering souls do not have a destination, and go with the flow drifting along like a river, serene and calm in one moment, but not getting alarmed when sometimes the journey surprises them with its twists and turns; Life like a river in spate can chart an unpredictable course and one is tossed like a canoe like a river rapid rafting race against time and tide.. One must learn to savor life like a great adventure and a long love affair with nature, enjoying the journey, even as the world rushes from one meaningless goal to another. As long as there is wilderness there is hope, with a song on our lips, the heart light, the mind wanders, body drifting like a cloud above the jam packed earth. –Vinay-
In many ways we are all flawed, striving for success without hard work is like trying to reap from nature what you have not sowed. We must be content and happy with small achievements and forget the distractions that do not figure in our life’s priorities, and find happiness in those mystical moments of nature.
Wandering souls do not have a destination, and go with the flow drifting along like a river, serene and calm in one moment, but not getting alarmed when sometimes the journey surprises them with its twists and turns; Life like a river in spate can chart an unpredictable course and one is tossed like a canoe like a river rapid rafting race against time and tide.. One must learn to savor life like a great adventure and a long love affair with nature, enjoying the journey, even as the world rushes from one meaningless goal to another. As long as there is wilderness there is hope, with a song on our lips, the heart light, the mind wanders, body drifting like a cloud above the jam packed earth. –Vinay-
Simple living and High technology.
Smart phones, digital cameras, tablets, camcorders, Laptops, I-pods, TV, video games, remote controls, face book and twitter, all this was meant to cut out the clutter and make life simpler. Do we get time to pause, think? Let alone meditate.
In the near future we will all evolve into a species of gizmo toting nomads; roaming the desolate landscape and scrounging for electrical outlets to recharge their gadgets, while these is no time to relax or recharge our own batteries.
The supposedly great misery of the 21st century is the lack of time itself; or our sense of that or not a disinterested love of science, and certainly not wisdom.
Why do we devote such a huge proportion of the ingenuity and income of our societies to finding faster ways of doing things - as if the final aim of mankind was to grow closer not to perfect humanity; but to a perfect lightning flash.
The one commodity that is becoming scarce is the leisure to enjoy life. A sense of déjà vu took me back when I was a little boy, I found myself re-living the past, when life was simple. - Vinay-
In the near future we will all evolve into a species of gizmo toting nomads; roaming the desolate landscape and scrounging for electrical outlets to recharge their gadgets, while these is no time to relax or recharge our own batteries.
The supposedly great misery of the 21st century is the lack of time itself; or our sense of that or not a disinterested love of science, and certainly not wisdom.
Why do we devote such a huge proportion of the ingenuity and income of our societies to finding faster ways of doing things - as if the final aim of mankind was to grow closer not to perfect humanity; but to a perfect lightning flash.
The one commodity that is becoming scarce is the leisure to enjoy life. A sense of déjà vu took me back when I was a little boy, I found myself re-living the past, when life was simple. - Vinay-
Curiosity killed the cat.
We have an insatiable intellectual curiosity that needs to be indulged. The bane of life is to delve deeply into our hearts and minds, to figure out truth, untruths, thoughts, emotions, intentions. We critically question everything see a doctor, then seek more opinions. Good cannot exist without a twinge of evil.
We wonder where we came from, or how the universe originated, we are scared of where we would go from here- or what would be the next stop after life, while forgetting to live and enjoy this life. We want to dig deeper, beyond the visible and die a thousand deaths each day. A suspicious mind that borders on the persecution complex is always agitated, that why they say ignorance is bliss. Life would be simpler if you accepted everything at face value. Must you live beyond the horizon of life? beauty They say beauty is only skin deep why go skin diving.
I am an atheist, I fear no lord and speak my mind fearlessly, I am brutally frank and it gives me the freedom, to explore the wondrous mysteries of human existence. Pursuit of knowledge should be inwardly edifying- have practical value and a source of enlightenment, along with enjoyment. Existence is cosmic, and I enjoy it- it is the frame of simplicity that is endearing.-O Zone -Vinita Nangia
We wonder where we came from, or how the universe originated, we are scared of where we would go from here- or what would be the next stop after life, while forgetting to live and enjoy this life. We want to dig deeper, beyond the visible and die a thousand deaths each day. A suspicious mind that borders on the persecution complex is always agitated, that why they say ignorance is bliss. Life would be simpler if you accepted everything at face value. Must you live beyond the horizon of life? beauty They say beauty is only skin deep why go skin diving.
I am an atheist, I fear no lord and speak my mind fearlessly, I am brutally frank and it gives me the freedom, to explore the wondrous mysteries of human existence. Pursuit of knowledge should be inwardly edifying- have practical value and a source of enlightenment, along with enjoyment. Existence is cosmic, and I enjoy it- it is the frame of simplicity that is endearing.-O Zone -Vinita Nangia
Holi
Oh! To be in England now that spring is here …. and to drink an English Beer.
As spring approaches remnants of a childhood song echoes in my mind, and I try to recall the lines and express the joyous days of yore. Holi is a religious spring festival celebrated by Indians, also known as festival of colors, it is celebrated in India, by people throwing scented powder and perfume at each other. Bonfires are lit on the eve of the festival; Holi is celebrated at the end of the winter season, the burning of “Holika” is a metaphor for cleansing and a fresh start. One of its biggest customs is, the loosening strictness of social structures, which normally include religion, age, sex, status, and caste. No holier than thou attitude here as it closes the wide gaps between social classes and brings everyone together.
The cosmic orbit of cyclical change of seasons translated into a burst of colors, these cyclical changes are the essence of nature’s being. The atmosphere is filled with excitement and joy, originally, it was a festival that commemorated good harvests and the fertile land; in addition to celebrating the coming of spring.
Indians believe it is a time of enjoying spring's abundant colors and saying farewell to winter.. The Ashoka tree is aflame with orange and red blossoms, while the chaffinch sings on the elm’s orchard bough, and all the swallows! Hark! It’s the time when earth begins to bloom again, in a riot of blossoms and dewdrops, the buttercups, gaudy melon-flowers; a variety, of bees, butterflies and bees galore come out draping the earth in a rainbow hue. The parakeets, rainbow hued sunbirds, the wise thrush; he sings each song twice over, in fine careless rapture!
Everyone is dancing to the deeper rhythm of the cosmic cycle of life and death, the link whose imprimatur is embedded in the DNA of the Universe. The confluence that arises from the converging of seasons in the sun, the vehicle of transformation of life on earth. The seasons are like the phases in our life, spring that brings joy and happiness, summer barren and hollow, winter dreary, despondent and dull, and finally the autumn of our lives.
So all over the world this time is agog with festivals of the spring season, The Persian Nowruz, the Feria De San Marcos in Mexico, Las Fallas in Spain, the Kha-b’ Nisan Assyrian, Songkran in Thailand and Israeli festivals welcome the sun and the departure of the cold lonely winter with celebrations. And as George Harrison sang “Here comes the sun”…. And so the earth shall rejoice and bloom as the winter sorrowful and sighing shall flee. Ishiah
–Vinay- (Bibilography :Poem by Robin Frost, Vithal Nadkarni link and holi festivities.)
As spring approaches remnants of a childhood song echoes in my mind, and I try to recall the lines and express the joyous days of yore. Holi is a religious spring festival celebrated by Indians, also known as festival of colors, it is celebrated in India, by people throwing scented powder and perfume at each other. Bonfires are lit on the eve of the festival; Holi is celebrated at the end of the winter season, the burning of “Holika” is a metaphor for cleansing and a fresh start. One of its biggest customs is, the loosening strictness of social structures, which normally include religion, age, sex, status, and caste. No holier than thou attitude here as it closes the wide gaps between social classes and brings everyone together.
The cosmic orbit of cyclical change of seasons translated into a burst of colors, these cyclical changes are the essence of nature’s being. The atmosphere is filled with excitement and joy, originally, it was a festival that commemorated good harvests and the fertile land; in addition to celebrating the coming of spring.
Indians believe it is a time of enjoying spring's abundant colors and saying farewell to winter.. The Ashoka tree is aflame with orange and red blossoms, while the chaffinch sings on the elm’s orchard bough, and all the swallows! Hark! It’s the time when earth begins to bloom again, in a riot of blossoms and dewdrops, the buttercups, gaudy melon-flowers; a variety, of bees, butterflies and bees galore come out draping the earth in a rainbow hue. The parakeets, rainbow hued sunbirds, the wise thrush; he sings each song twice over, in fine careless rapture!
Everyone is dancing to the deeper rhythm of the cosmic cycle of life and death, the link whose imprimatur is embedded in the DNA of the Universe. The confluence that arises from the converging of seasons in the sun, the vehicle of transformation of life on earth. The seasons are like the phases in our life, spring that brings joy and happiness, summer barren and hollow, winter dreary, despondent and dull, and finally the autumn of our lives.
So all over the world this time is agog with festivals of the spring season, The Persian Nowruz, the Feria De San Marcos in Mexico, Las Fallas in Spain, the Kha-b’ Nisan Assyrian, Songkran in Thailand and Israeli festivals welcome the sun and the departure of the cold lonely winter with celebrations. And as George Harrison sang “Here comes the sun”…. And so the earth shall rejoice and bloom as the winter sorrowful and sighing shall flee. Ishiah
–Vinay- (Bibilography :Poem by Robin Frost, Vithal Nadkarni link and holi festivities.)
Comic Philosophy
In the sixties I was a voracious reader of comics, western’s, spy, love and cartoons – an escape from the teachers who tied to imprison my susceptible mind, and used to chastise me often. Sadly the genre is fast disappearing from the landscape of our youth today. Charlie Brown was Kool then, now in retrospect I realize that they were more than just uber cool comics or cartoons; apart from the sheer wit and wisdom, their content was remarkable for the insight and deep philosophy it contained. I never read any of my text books prescribed by the school.
In the book of life, the answers aren’t in the back.
People are always looking for answers. Religion used to be the most obvious place to go searching – and it still seems to be a fertile hunting ground for many people – although much of its allure has been replaced by the self-help section of the bookstore and ‘self improvement’ websites on the internet. We are hardwired to look for meaning ‘ it’s how we survive in a strange and potentially dangerous world.
If only we knew the answers, then we would be in control! But I think we all know there is no formula – the answers need to be constructed through life experience; they are not ‘out there’ to be discovered. Our desire to control the world is boundless, and our relentless search for answers, despite our never finding any, seems to be a clear symptom of this. In the end, we might find that we were asking the wrong questions, and that letting go – giving up the search – is the only way to find peace.- Charlie Brown-
In the book of life, the answers aren’t in the back.
People are always looking for answers. Religion used to be the most obvious place to go searching – and it still seems to be a fertile hunting ground for many people – although much of its allure has been replaced by the self-help section of the bookstore and ‘self improvement’ websites on the internet. We are hardwired to look for meaning ‘ it’s how we survive in a strange and potentially dangerous world.
If only we knew the answers, then we would be in control! But I think we all know there is no formula – the answers need to be constructed through life experience; they are not ‘out there’ to be discovered. Our desire to control the world is boundless, and our relentless search for answers, despite our never finding any, seems to be a clear symptom of this. In the end, we might find that we were asking the wrong questions, and that letting go – giving up the search – is the only way to find peace.- Charlie Brown-
In Quiet
Sssh be quiet!
At least one-third of the people we know are introverts. They are the ones who prefer listening to speaking, reading to partying; who invent and create but prefer not to pitch their own ideas; who favor working on their own over brainstorming in teams. Although they are often labeled “quiet,” it is to introverts we owe many of the great contributions to society—from Van Gogh’s sunflowers to the invention of the personal computer.
The virtues of the listeners and the thinkers are seldom extolled --the reflective introverts of the world who appreciate that hard problems demand careful thought and who understand that it's a good idea to know what you want to say before you open your mouth. - In Quiet-
At least one-third of the people we know are introverts. They are the ones who prefer listening to speaking, reading to partying; who invent and create but prefer not to pitch their own ideas; who favor working on their own over brainstorming in teams. Although they are often labeled “quiet,” it is to introverts we owe many of the great contributions to society—from Van Gogh’s sunflowers to the invention of the personal computer.
The virtues of the listeners and the thinkers are seldom extolled --the reflective introverts of the world who appreciate that hard problems demand careful thought and who understand that it's a good idea to know what you want to say before you open your mouth. - In Quiet-
Cartoon Spirituality.
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‘That’s the secret to life . . . replace one worry with another’-Charlie Brown-
Worry is one of our most pervasive problems. It all stems from the same, deep seated need to be in control. We imagine, somehow, that worrying will change things. We don’t like the idea that we are impotent – unable to influence the outcome – and so we turn to worry because at least then we are doing something.
But worry, as we all know, is completely pointless – it doesn’t change anything, except that perhaps it damages our mental and physical health. If we were only to let go and let nature take its course, we might find that things work out better. Like a fly in a spider’s web, struggling can only make things worse.
‘That’s the secret to life . . . replace one worry with another’-Charlie Brown-
Worry is one of our most pervasive problems. It all stems from the same, deep seated need to be in control. We imagine, somehow, that worrying will change things. We don’t like the idea that we are impotent – unable to influence the outcome – and so we turn to worry because at least then we are doing something.
But worry, as we all know, is completely pointless – it doesn’t change anything, except that perhaps it damages our mental and physical health. If we were only to let go and let nature take its course, we might find that things work out better. Like a fly in a spider’s web, struggling can only make things worse.
Is dereliction of Duty a sacrosanct ritual in religion and prayer?
When someone is said to be religious, what do we mean by it? The way they conduct themselves or the way they practise the rituals? When doctors and nurses in the emergency rooms of hospitals abandon their posts to pray, are they being religious or not? These incidents and reports may be about Egypt, but they also hold universal relevance.
Last summer a friend driving his elderly mother from the north coast to Cairo, when his mother, a diabetic, suddenly felt ill. He found a pharmacy ,and a bearded pharmacist. He asked him to give his mother an insulin injection. Amazingly, the pharmacist answered, "Sorry, but I don't give injections to women because that's against Sharia. Go find a female doctor."
He tried persuade the pharmacist, stating they were in a remote area and it’s difficult to find a female doctor, his mother, seventy years old, was not a sexual temptation to the pharmacist. He refused.
Hospitals in Ramadan where employees working in the intensive care, emergency and accident units left work after breaking their fast and wouldn't return for two hours, so that they could say the taraweeh prayers in the mosque. They left their poor patients alone during this time. They considered performing the taraweeh prayers much more important than anything else, even the life of an innocent patient for whom they were responsible. The patients' conditions might deteriorate and they might even die while the doctors and nurses worshiped in the mosque.
True religion requires us to defend human values: truth, justice and freedom. This is the essence of religion and it is much more important than growing beards or giving the call to prayer in the Mosque or Parliament chamber. -Alaa Al Aswany-
Last summer a friend driving his elderly mother from the north coast to Cairo, when his mother, a diabetic, suddenly felt ill. He found a pharmacy ,and a bearded pharmacist. He asked him to give his mother an insulin injection. Amazingly, the pharmacist answered, "Sorry, but I don't give injections to women because that's against Sharia. Go find a female doctor."
He tried persuade the pharmacist, stating they were in a remote area and it’s difficult to find a female doctor, his mother, seventy years old, was not a sexual temptation to the pharmacist. He refused.
Hospitals in Ramadan where employees working in the intensive care, emergency and accident units left work after breaking their fast and wouldn't return for two hours, so that they could say the taraweeh prayers in the mosque. They left their poor patients alone during this time. They considered performing the taraweeh prayers much more important than anything else, even the life of an innocent patient for whom they were responsible. The patients' conditions might deteriorate and they might even die while the doctors and nurses worshiped in the mosque.
True religion requires us to defend human values: truth, justice and freedom. This is the essence of religion and it is much more important than growing beards or giving the call to prayer in the Mosque or Parliament chamber. -Alaa Al Aswany-
Is dereliction of Duty a sacrosanct ritual in religion and prayer?
When someone is said to be religious, what do we mean by it? The way they conduct themselves or the way they practise the rituals? When doctors and nurses in the emergency rooms of hospitals abandon their posts to pray, are they being religious or not? These incidents and reports may be about Egypt, but they also hold universal relevance.
Last summer a friend driving his elderly mother from the north coast to Cairo, when his mother, a diabetic, suddenly felt ill. He found a pharmacy ,and a bearded pharmacist. He asked him to give his mother an insulin injection. Amazingly, the pharmacist answered, "Sorry, but I don't give injections to women because that's against Sharia. Go find a female doctor."
He tried persuade the pharmacist, stating they were in a remote area and it’s difficult to find a female doctor, his mother, seventy years old, was not a sexual temptation to the pharmacist. He refused.
Hospitals in Ramadan where employees working in the intensive care, emergency and accident units left work after breaking their fast and wouldn't return for two hours, so that they could say the taraweeh prayers in the mosque. They left their poor patients alone during this time. They considered performing the taraweeh prayers much more important than anything else, even the life of an innocent patient for whom they were responsible. The patients' conditions might deteriorate and they might even die while the doctors and nurses worshiped in the mosque.
True religion requires us to defend human values: truth, justice and freedom. This is the essence of religion and it is much more important than growing beards or giving the call to prayer in the Mosque or Parliament chamber. -Alaa Al Aswany-
Last summer a friend driving his elderly mother from the north coast to Cairo, when his mother, a diabetic, suddenly felt ill. He found a pharmacy ,and a bearded pharmacist. He asked him to give his mother an insulin injection. Amazingly, the pharmacist answered, "Sorry, but I don't give injections to women because that's against Sharia. Go find a female doctor."
He tried persuade the pharmacist, stating they were in a remote area and it’s difficult to find a female doctor, his mother, seventy years old, was not a sexual temptation to the pharmacist. He refused.
Hospitals in Ramadan where employees working in the intensive care, emergency and accident units left work after breaking their fast and wouldn't return for two hours, so that they could say the taraweeh prayers in the mosque. They left their poor patients alone during this time. They considered performing the taraweeh prayers much more important than anything else, even the life of an innocent patient for whom they were responsible. The patients' conditions might deteriorate and they might even die while the doctors and nurses worshiped in the mosque.
True religion requires us to defend human values: truth, justice and freedom. This is the essence of religion and it is much more important than growing beards or giving the call to prayer in the Mosque or Parliament chamber. -Alaa Al Aswany-
Mind your Language.
Technology and invention has always brought in its wake the aye Sayers as well as revolt from the traditionalist’s and nay Sayers. The Printing press, the Telephone and now the Internet, E-books and Kindle will definitely, sound the death knell for books and news papers in the long run.
The vibrancy of language will be truncated by text messaging and SMS speak? Will language skills be affected by shortened words or conversely will it bolster creativity?-2G2BT (too good to be true.). The aesthetics and flowery prose will certainly be lost to a generation that says “WTF?”, it doesn’t matter if our English is not good enough provided our Scotch (Whiskey/Smart phone) is good. ROTFL. Internet, twitter, e-mail, SMS and its ilk are quickies; “Slam, Bam, goodbye Ma’am” not like a real conversation which is like a passionate love affair…. LMAO …
Great conversations are seldom linear and don’t progress logically; they digress and meander all over. You can’t put complex thoughts into one line or 14 characters. Conversations are about the ability to relax – it’s like listening to music, you come away rejuvenated. You also need a minimal amount of knowledge to carry out a fascinating and productive dialogue.
Conversations are like cognac and a good Cuban cigar, it takes time to savor the taste, but people alas, have no time, formality kills conversations. Long live the Queen, but sadly the Queens language is being slaughtered and has become an endangered species. You speeke duh Engleesh?
GTG, now my cell is pinging sensuously~ I had put it on vibrator mode for my G.F since the old log is off.- LOL let me log in now, BRB (be right back).- Vinay-
The vibrancy of language will be truncated by text messaging and SMS speak? Will language skills be affected by shortened words or conversely will it bolster creativity?-2G2BT (too good to be true.). The aesthetics and flowery prose will certainly be lost to a generation that says “WTF?”, it doesn’t matter if our English is not good enough provided our Scotch (Whiskey/Smart phone) is good. ROTFL. Internet, twitter, e-mail, SMS and its ilk are quickies; “Slam, Bam, goodbye Ma’am” not like a real conversation which is like a passionate love affair…. LMAO …
Great conversations are seldom linear and don’t progress logically; they digress and meander all over. You can’t put complex thoughts into one line or 14 characters. Conversations are about the ability to relax – it’s like listening to music, you come away rejuvenated. You also need a minimal amount of knowledge to carry out a fascinating and productive dialogue.
Conversations are like cognac and a good Cuban cigar, it takes time to savor the taste, but people alas, have no time, formality kills conversations. Long live the Queen, but sadly the Queens language is being slaughtered and has become an endangered species. You speeke duh Engleesh?
GTG, now my cell is pinging sensuously~ I had put it on vibrator mode for my G.F since the old log is off.- LOL let me log in now, BRB (be right back).- Vinay-
Paganism.
Paganism is a spiritual way of life which has its roots in the ancient nature religions of the world. It is principally rooted in the old religions of Europe, though some adherents also find great worth in the indigenous beliefs of other countries. Such belief in the sacredness of all things can be found world-wide. Pagans see this as their heritage, and retain the beliefs and values of their ancestors in forms adapted to suit modern life.
We celebrate the sanctity of Nature, revering the vast, unknowable spirit that runs through the universe, both seen and unseen. Pagans honor all creation in all its aspects, whether male or female, as parts of the sacred whole. Every man and woman is, to a Pagan, a beautiful and unique being.
The woods and open spaces of the land, home to wild animals and birds, are cherished. Paganism stresses personal spiritual experience, and Pagans often find that experience through their relationship with the natural world that they love. Pagans of all paths respect the rights of every living soul, whether human, animal, plant or rock. We are ever mindful of the actions of cause and effect, whether by thought or deed, upon the creatures of the Earth.
We seek spiritual union with the Universe by attuning with the tides of Nature and by exploring our inner selves, seeing each reflected in the other. We believe that we should unravel the mystery of life face to face, within our own experience, rather than through an intermediary.
In these days of environmental concern and eco-awareness, Pagans are often at the forefront of Green awareness. Pagans of all paths respect the rights of every living soul, whether human, animal, plant or rock. We are ever mindful of the actions of cause and effect, whether by thought or deed, upon the creatures of the Earth.
These beliefs are the heritage of all people from our distant and common ancestors ( believing these to be fundamental to our spending our lives in harmony with the rhythms of the natural world.)– They are equally the concern of all our descendants.Pagan federation.
We celebrate the sanctity of Nature, revering the vast, unknowable spirit that runs through the universe, both seen and unseen. Pagans honor all creation in all its aspects, whether male or female, as parts of the sacred whole. Every man and woman is, to a Pagan, a beautiful and unique being.
The woods and open spaces of the land, home to wild animals and birds, are cherished. Paganism stresses personal spiritual experience, and Pagans often find that experience through their relationship with the natural world that they love. Pagans of all paths respect the rights of every living soul, whether human, animal, plant or rock. We are ever mindful of the actions of cause and effect, whether by thought or deed, upon the creatures of the Earth.
We seek spiritual union with the Universe by attuning with the tides of Nature and by exploring our inner selves, seeing each reflected in the other. We believe that we should unravel the mystery of life face to face, within our own experience, rather than through an intermediary.
In these days of environmental concern and eco-awareness, Pagans are often at the forefront of Green awareness. Pagans of all paths respect the rights of every living soul, whether human, animal, plant or rock. We are ever mindful of the actions of cause and effect, whether by thought or deed, upon the creatures of the Earth.
These beliefs are the heritage of all people from our distant and common ancestors ( believing these to be fundamental to our spending our lives in harmony with the rhythms of the natural world.)– They are equally the concern of all our descendants.Pagan federation.
Ask Death. Sky Abeler- (Pick the Brain Blog.)
Ask Death.
We have career counselors, marriage counselors,love counselors (agony aunts),sports coaches,life counselors, beauty consultants, spiritual advisers, health advisers,financial advisers,stock and investment advisers, but alas! no death advisers.
Toltec wisdom advises that death is the most impartial, and hence the wisest, advisor we can have. It’s a morbid thought on the surface, but it explains the thinking behind it and how you can use it to help in making faster, better decisions. It’s quite a different way of approaching everyday problems. One of the most effective practices recommended by traditional Toltec teachers, is called, “Using death as an adviser”.
As Carlos Castaneda propounder of Toltec wisdom and spirituality states, “Death is the only wise adviser that we have. Whenever you feel, as you always do, that everything is going wrong and you’re about to be annihilated, turn to your death and ask if that is so. Your death will tell you that you’re wrong; that nothing really matters outside its touch. Your death will tell you, ‘I haven’t touched you yet….In a world where death is the hunter, my friend; there is no time for regrets or doubts. There is only time for decisions.”
Every moment of every day of your life, you are making decisions. How many of those decisions are based on the fact that you are a being who is not only going to die, but could die at any moment? If most people knew they were going to die tomorrow, or next week, or even in a year, they would probably focus on just a few things: like spending time with their loved ones, doing the things they most enjoy doing, tying up loose ends and taking actions that they feel would make the world a better place.
Our problem is that we think we have all the time in the world, because we never take death into account, so we don’t bother to take care of what is important — living as if he we were going to live forever.
We have career counselors, marriage counselors,love counselors (agony aunts),sports coaches,life counselors, beauty consultants, spiritual advisers, health advisers,financial advisers,stock and investment advisers, but alas! no death advisers.
Toltec wisdom advises that death is the most impartial, and hence the wisest, advisor we can have. It’s a morbid thought on the surface, but it explains the thinking behind it and how you can use it to help in making faster, better decisions. It’s quite a different way of approaching everyday problems. One of the most effective practices recommended by traditional Toltec teachers, is called, “Using death as an adviser”.
As Carlos Castaneda propounder of Toltec wisdom and spirituality states, “Death is the only wise adviser that we have. Whenever you feel, as you always do, that everything is going wrong and you’re about to be annihilated, turn to your death and ask if that is so. Your death will tell you that you’re wrong; that nothing really matters outside its touch. Your death will tell you, ‘I haven’t touched you yet….In a world where death is the hunter, my friend; there is no time for regrets or doubts. There is only time for decisions.”
Every moment of every day of your life, you are making decisions. How many of those decisions are based on the fact that you are a being who is not only going to die, but could die at any moment? If most people knew they were going to die tomorrow, or next week, or even in a year, they would probably focus on just a few things: like spending time with their loved ones, doing the things they most enjoy doing, tying up loose ends and taking actions that they feel would make the world a better place.
Our problem is that we think we have all the time in the world, because we never take death into account, so we don’t bother to take care of what is important — living as if he we were going to live forever.
Prayer.
An unpleasurable state of mind, combining an intense need for activity with a lack of purpose; In prayer, excitation is experienced but its aim has been forgotten. The environment may be shunned in an effort to relieve the excitation through fantasy. More likely, however, the religious environment is sought in the hope that relief will come through some chance encounter with a purpose similar to the one forgotten. Religious persons pass from situation to situation like someone who has misplaced a valuable possession and inquires incessantly for its whereabouts, but the discovery of purpose has the disadvantage of responsibility. Hence, the religious environment is enlisted for gratification-unknown aims cannot be gratified-but for continued diversion and distraction of the realities of life; one can close ones eyes and pray. -Unmuzzled –Vinay-
In Jocu veritas: in jest there is truth.
‘Yesterday I was a dog. Today I’m a dog. Tomorrow I’ll probably still be a dog. Sigh! There’s so little hope for advancement’ -Charlie Brown –
There is a profound truth in this Jest or Cartoon quip if you can interpret the conclusion that finding the ‘meaning’ of life is in no way related to happiness. When we let go, stop looking for the answers, stop feeding the ego’s relentless demand for ‘meaning,’ we might find peace: ‘My life has no purpose, no direction, no aim, no meaning, and yet I am Happy. I can’t figure it out, what am I doing right?
----------- ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ----------
Life is meant to have a blast, living recklessly, living in the realm of timelessness; living up to desires~ ... to travel ~ living place less, faceless, to caress the velvet reality ... to glimpse at nowhere... – Vinay- ~ Nike- “Just Do It”
There is a profound truth in this Jest or Cartoon quip if you can interpret the conclusion that finding the ‘meaning’ of life is in no way related to happiness. When we let go, stop looking for the answers, stop feeding the ego’s relentless demand for ‘meaning,’ we might find peace: ‘My life has no purpose, no direction, no aim, no meaning, and yet I am Happy. I can’t figure it out, what am I doing right?
----------- ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ----------
Life is meant to have a blast, living recklessly, living in the realm of timelessness; living up to desires~ ... to travel ~ living place less, faceless, to caress the velvet reality ... to glimpse at nowhere... – Vinay- ~ Nike- “Just Do It”
Britannica no longer rules the waves!
Just like the sunset on the British Empire, the sunset has appeared on the horizon of encyclopedia Britannica as it discontinued its print edition from today. After 244 years like “A rite of passage” the end of the book marks a transitional phase in the new world order. With a price tag of $1395 it has become a luxury few can afford in these recessionary times.
The smartest person in the world is not Stephen Hawkins, Andrew Nierman or Michael Tienken it is not even human. It’s not even me or you or a Tom (Alva Edison) Dick (Cheney) or Harry (Potter) the smartest thing and uncrowned king is Google.-Vina
The smartest person in the world is not Stephen Hawkins, Andrew Nierman or Michael Tienken it is not even human. It’s not even me or you or a Tom (Alva Edison) Dick (Cheney) or Harry (Potter) the smartest thing and uncrowned king is Google.-Vina
Happiness Hypothesis- Jonathan Haidt.
The passion of our emotions.
Are we rational beings and our decisions based on informed reason and pure logic? Jonathan Haidt focused on the role of emotions in human life, hoping to rescue them from the dogmatic disdain of Western philosophers and religions that, he said, have been “worshiping reason and distrusting the passions for thousands of years”. But recent work in cultural psychology showed that the priests, Mystics and philosophers had got it wrong:
Emotions are not stupid distractions from truth, but indispensable forms of perception. They are “filled with cognition”, and the ancient prejudice against them was no more than a professional myth – a conspiracy designed to “make priests/ philosophers look pretty darned good”, and “justify their perpetual employment as the high priests of reason.
The mind, he said, is not a peaceful philosophical realm where reason and consciousness reign, but a battlefield of conflicting impulses largely beyond our knowledge and control: or rather, it is like a mighty elephant crashing through the forest with a would-be rational rider perched precariously on its back. That we can be tempted to do something, though we know it to be wrong; or that we can yield to temptation, and regret our weakness bitterly.”.-
Are we rational beings and our decisions based on informed reason and pure logic? Jonathan Haidt focused on the role of emotions in human life, hoping to rescue them from the dogmatic disdain of Western philosophers and religions that, he said, have been “worshiping reason and distrusting the passions for thousands of years”. But recent work in cultural psychology showed that the priests, Mystics and philosophers had got it wrong:
Emotions are not stupid distractions from truth, but indispensable forms of perception. They are “filled with cognition”, and the ancient prejudice against them was no more than a professional myth – a conspiracy designed to “make priests/ philosophers look pretty darned good”, and “justify their perpetual employment as the high priests of reason.
The mind, he said, is not a peaceful philosophical realm where reason and consciousness reign, but a battlefield of conflicting impulses largely beyond our knowledge and control: or rather, it is like a mighty elephant crashing through the forest with a would-be rational rider perched precariously on its back. That we can be tempted to do something, though we know it to be wrong; or that we can yield to temptation, and regret our weakness bitterly.”.-
Dance little lady dance….
Dance has always been part of the Hindu mythology, right when Apsara’s used to dance to seduce the gods - to the manly dance style, tandava” of Lord Shiva. In the 18th century in European taverns poets, intellectuals and masses mingled; ideas flowed along with the wine, while inebriate they would cavort with the sequined cabaret dancers.
The Moguls who invaded India also brought in their own variety of dances where nubile dancers (Tawaifs) used to perform for Kings and rich landlords; this was a fallout of the Harem dances of the 18th century Ottoman Empire. Later the Middle Eastern dance forms like “Raqs Sharqi” loosely termed as “dance due ventre” or Belly dance were introduced which mainly featured gyrations of the belly and hips. The sequined dancers moving with fluttering eyelashes, heaving bosoms and flashing their long legs added to the oomph factor.
Dance and music of the romantic 18th century flourished as the Society was repressive in those times and this counter culture was part offensive to the puritans. Though faintly decadent this art form appealed to everyone alike and was liberating to the senses. The man-woman armour, revived a pale longing- stirring a reflective desire for passion worship.
The Cabaret and Indian dance bars were the watered down sexually explicit dance forms derived from the “strip clubs” of the West and the later more popular “Pole” dance; a combination of dance and gymnastics all designed to fuel the bloated male ego. “Dirty Dancing” and “The Last Tango were movies that portrayed this physical passion permeating the tenuous link to achieve the realism of sensuality, carrying the yoke of masculine pride and aggression.
Just move that booty, darling! Waltz, and the Fox Trot started as art forms in their original avatar, but the Belly dance beneath the veneer of costumes, though depicted as an art form explores the emotional turmoil and unabashed sensuality which oozes out of the sensuous moves and pelvis thrusts of the vamp and her seductive mating dance.
It is said that “Dancing is a vertical expression of a horizontal intention” In the Waltz, Tango and Salsa the movements of dance form are similar to copulation on the bed; beneath the patina of the dance on the floor is the quest for sex.
In Indian movies the central plot and storyline have long been obliterated to the classical “Item number’ (slang for a sexy woman in skimpy clothes doing a cabaret style dance) with a multitude of men drooling and cheering at the juicy gyrating butts and sighing bosoms! –Vinay-
The Moguls who invaded India also brought in their own variety of dances where nubile dancers (Tawaifs) used to perform for Kings and rich landlords; this was a fallout of the Harem dances of the 18th century Ottoman Empire. Later the Middle Eastern dance forms like “Raqs Sharqi” loosely termed as “dance due ventre” or Belly dance were introduced which mainly featured gyrations of the belly and hips. The sequined dancers moving with fluttering eyelashes, heaving bosoms and flashing their long legs added to the oomph factor.
Dance and music of the romantic 18th century flourished as the Society was repressive in those times and this counter culture was part offensive to the puritans. Though faintly decadent this art form appealed to everyone alike and was liberating to the senses. The man-woman armour, revived a pale longing- stirring a reflective desire for passion worship.
The Cabaret and Indian dance bars were the watered down sexually explicit dance forms derived from the “strip clubs” of the West and the later more popular “Pole” dance; a combination of dance and gymnastics all designed to fuel the bloated male ego. “Dirty Dancing” and “The Last Tango were movies that portrayed this physical passion permeating the tenuous link to achieve the realism of sensuality, carrying the yoke of masculine pride and aggression.
Just move that booty, darling! Waltz, and the Fox Trot started as art forms in their original avatar, but the Belly dance beneath the veneer of costumes, though depicted as an art form explores the emotional turmoil and unabashed sensuality which oozes out of the sensuous moves and pelvis thrusts of the vamp and her seductive mating dance.
It is said that “Dancing is a vertical expression of a horizontal intention” In the Waltz, Tango and Salsa the movements of dance form are similar to copulation on the bed; beneath the patina of the dance on the floor is the quest for sex.
In Indian movies the central plot and storyline have long been obliterated to the classical “Item number’ (slang for a sexy woman in skimpy clothes doing a cabaret style dance) with a multitude of men drooling and cheering at the juicy gyrating butts and sighing bosoms! –Vinay-
The rules of Engagement.
If you don’t like their rules, whose would you use?’
There are plenty of formulae out there – ready-made rules for living your life: what to do, what to believe, what to think, how to dress. From traditional religious observance to the ‘new-age’ and the modern religion of ‘self-improvement,’ there’s a vast smorgasbord of choice, and it can be overwhelming. We spent most of our adult life trying out these different flavors. But none of them really satisfy our hunger.
So what truly satisfies? I think, it’s about a willingness to let go, to stop being in control – to let life take us in its great stream, to embrace what someone called the ‘wisdom of insecurity.’ Like a river charting an unpredictable course, till it merges with the ocean, and there is no river anymore…
There are plenty of formulae out there – ready-made rules for living your life: what to do, what to believe, what to think, how to dress. From traditional religious observance to the ‘new-age’ and the modern religion of ‘self-improvement,’ there’s a vast smorgasbord of choice, and it can be overwhelming. We spent most of our adult life trying out these different flavors. But none of them really satisfy our hunger.
So what truly satisfies? I think, it’s about a willingness to let go, to stop being in control – to let life take us in its great stream, to embrace what someone called the ‘wisdom of insecurity.’ Like a river charting an unpredictable course, till it merges with the ocean, and there is no river anymore…
Hells Angels on Earth!
Sharia, the Islamic moral code –plus-law-plus-jurisprudence strikes again!
Pakistan’s singer composer Shiraz Uppal, after a decade has quit the music industry as his religion Islam forbids music because it is haraam according to sharia law.
Welcome to Taliban country, where Marijuana replaces Marlboro cigarettes; a subversive, chaotic place where (gun) power play, male chauvinism and timeless gravestones evoke a poisonous effect on Society and the people of the land. The tales of violence and terror tries to resolve a fundamental question that torments many believers and followers of Islam as well as the world at large: Do you need to know the answers before its safe to ask the questions?
Fools Rush In where Angels fear to Tread.
Pakistan also slammed spiritual Guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar when he offered to meet and teach the Taliban “The Art of Living”. The Taliban are already well versed in “The Art of Dying” -Vinay- from news reports.
Pakistan’s singer composer Shiraz Uppal, after a decade has quit the music industry as his religion Islam forbids music because it is haraam according to sharia law.
Welcome to Taliban country, where Marijuana replaces Marlboro cigarettes; a subversive, chaotic place where (gun) power play, male chauvinism and timeless gravestones evoke a poisonous effect on Society and the people of the land. The tales of violence and terror tries to resolve a fundamental question that torments many believers and followers of Islam as well as the world at large: Do you need to know the answers before its safe to ask the questions?
Fools Rush In where Angels fear to Tread.
Pakistan also slammed spiritual Guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar when he offered to meet and teach the Taliban “The Art of Living”. The Taliban are already well versed in “The Art of Dying” -Vinay- from news reports.
Subliminal Spirituality.
You don’t have to meditate to raise sublime thoughts; subtle intellect and purity of mind is all that is required. Just an opening for the primal force of the tell tale internal monologue. It is one of those mysteries of human nature.
Being content with what we are and not competing in the “outer” material world opens the path to the inner world. What matters in this life is helping others to also prosper along with us- that is really the core of selflessness also known as spirituality, not any profound teaching.
Joy and sorrow are like wealth and knowledge— wealth brings prosperity and pleasure, but knowledge only begets pain and misery. Fortune is fickle and no one is a born sinner, fate and life hardens people and even gentle souls can be conditioned by the environment.
Philanthropy and social service to the less privileged gives more satisfaction than religion and theology can ever give, and it is the essence of spirituality. –Vinay-
Being content with what we are and not competing in the “outer” material world opens the path to the inner world. What matters in this life is helping others to also prosper along with us- that is really the core of selflessness also known as spirituality, not any profound teaching.
Joy and sorrow are like wealth and knowledge— wealth brings prosperity and pleasure, but knowledge only begets pain and misery. Fortune is fickle and no one is a born sinner, fate and life hardens people and even gentle souls can be conditioned by the environment.
Philanthropy and social service to the less privileged gives more satisfaction than religion and theology can ever give, and it is the essence of spirituality. –Vinay-
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Shift gears from cleverness to wisdom.
The rigid scheduled life of an executive career did not nourish me, trying hard is the last refuge of failure. With comprehension comes the certainty of despair, no matter how successful you are, the slow disintegration of the self will set in. So over the years like a recovering workaholic I slowly converted myself to a milder more relaxed alcoholic on weekends. Religion was not an attractive subject to quicken my intellect; my confusion was over as there was no more a sense of a competing reality.
We need to shift from cleverness to wisdom – perception is the basis of wisdom. Despite family and a large circle of friends, each of us is ultimately alone in this world. Loneliness is a misnomer, so too the melancholy air which surrounds it - with no mortal weight it disappears like clouds but thoughts remain.
I am not afraid of being lonely; I use solitude to recharge my brain cells, no thoughts of work, no philosophy, no idea, but just being. Do as nature does----- less.
That way you accomplish more, if you do nothing you accomplish everything. Express no thoughts, if the problem gets out of hand avoid it.
This zombie state is evident in the process and now I can visualize the little things with greater love and clarity. Almost like being born again with new mental traits and perspective. Knowing that in the end if I really have to evolve I must die as is evident in any process.-Vinay
We need to shift from cleverness to wisdom – perception is the basis of wisdom. Despite family and a large circle of friends, each of us is ultimately alone in this world. Loneliness is a misnomer, so too the melancholy air which surrounds it - with no mortal weight it disappears like clouds but thoughts remain.
I am not afraid of being lonely; I use solitude to recharge my brain cells, no thoughts of work, no philosophy, no idea, but just being. Do as nature does----- less.
That way you accomplish more, if you do nothing you accomplish everything. Express no thoughts, if the problem gets out of hand avoid it.
This zombie state is evident in the process and now I can visualize the little things with greater love and clarity. Almost like being born again with new mental traits and perspective. Knowing that in the end if I really have to evolve I must die as is evident in any process.-Vinay
Absinthe not abstinence makes life a celebration.
Every religion and culture has its own season for abstaining from individual indulgences of the pleasures in life. There are many people who with evangelical fervor abstain from enjoying life and any of the common pleasures throughout their adulthood. They feel that their adult baptism under abstinence will have everlasting spiritual cleansing benefits. They will go to any Lent (pun intended) to prolong their misery.
I know a person who is in a quandary, he is a man, who eats only non vegetarian food, does not smoke, does not drink, does not gamble, womanize and has no girl or male friends. He now wants to celebrate his birthday, but how?
There are many like him, soulful ones who look as though their mothers did not so much bear them as knit them. They have little if any or expert knowledge of their trades, profession or even happiness. They watch the slow disintegration of their own lives and try to preach to the world, about giving up worldly pleasures, as if they hold destines of others in their hands. They advocate things like no smoking, no drinking, or no sex to others. Stop a person from doing things like that and they soon lose their joi-de-vivre, and turn into meek nervous fruits bags.
The sort of timid sneaks who sit at home with their over scented women, read newspapers to see if there is anything else that will do them harm, the type who in their middle age order dark suits a size larger hoping they will grow into it. Battling temptation rather than actually living the good life gives them an air of smug piety. Their dreary longevity will give them that much more time to realize what they are missing. Their moral realism is so strong that they consider everyone else as objects of their pity, of feeling piously superior and wonderful in their accomplishment.
Face to face with the marrow of the matter, they miss out on the spark of happiness that all humans want. The moan uttered in their last breath, when they realize their folly, but it is too late, morally defeated the futility of a wasted life remains.Real men don’t wash their hair with conditioners, or apply Botox on their faces. They sneer at these dumb guys, enjoy the world and preserve their macho mystique.
I know a person who is in a quandary, he is a man, who eats only non vegetarian food, does not smoke, does not drink, does not gamble, womanize and has no girl or male friends. He now wants to celebrate his birthday, but how?
There are many like him, soulful ones who look as though their mothers did not so much bear them as knit them. They have little if any or expert knowledge of their trades, profession or even happiness. They watch the slow disintegration of their own lives and try to preach to the world, about giving up worldly pleasures, as if they hold destines of others in their hands. They advocate things like no smoking, no drinking, or no sex to others. Stop a person from doing things like that and they soon lose their joi-de-vivre, and turn into meek nervous fruits bags.
The sort of timid sneaks who sit at home with their over scented women, read newspapers to see if there is anything else that will do them harm, the type who in their middle age order dark suits a size larger hoping they will grow into it. Battling temptation rather than actually living the good life gives them an air of smug piety. Their dreary longevity will give them that much more time to realize what they are missing. Their moral realism is so strong that they consider everyone else as objects of their pity, of feeling piously superior and wonderful in their accomplishment.
Face to face with the marrow of the matter, they miss out on the spark of happiness that all humans want. The moan uttered in their last breath, when they realize their folly, but it is too late, morally defeated the futility of a wasted life remains.Real men don’t wash their hair with conditioners, or apply Botox on their faces. They sneer at these dumb guys, enjoy the world and preserve their macho mystique.
Absinthe not abstinence makes life a celebration.
Every religion and culture has its own season for abstaining from individual indulgences of the pleasures in life. There are many people who with evangelical fervor abstain from enjoying life and any of the common pleasures throughout their adulthood. They feel that their adult baptism under abstinence will have everlasting spiritual cleansing benefits. They will go to any Lent (pun intended) to prolong their misery.
I know a person who is in a quandary, he is a man, who eats only non vegetarian food, does not smoke, does not drink, does not gamble, womanize and has no girl or male friends. He now wants to celebrate his birthday, but how?
There are many like him, soulful ones who look as though their mothers did not so much bear them as knit them. They have little if any or expert knowledge of their trades, profession or even happiness. They watch the slow disintegration of their own lives and try to preach to the world, about giving up worldly pleasures, as if they hold destines of others in their hands. They advocate things like no smoking, no drinking, or no sex to others. Stop a person from doing things like that and they soon lose their joi-de-vivre, and turn into meek nervous fruits bags.
The sort of timid sneaks who sit at home with their over scented women, read newspapers to see if there is anything else that will do them harm, the type who in their middle age order dark suits a size larger hoping they will grow into it. Battling temptation rather than actually living the good life gives them an air of smug piety. Their dreary longevity will give them that much more time to realize what they are missing. Their moral realism is so strong that they consider everyone else as objects of their pity, of feeling piously superior and wonderful in their accomplishment.
Face to face with the marrow of the matter, they miss out on the spark of happiness that all humans want. The moan uttered in their last breath, when they realize their folly, but it is too late, morally defeated the futility of a wasted life remains.Real men don’t wash their hair with conditioners, or apply Botox on their faces. They sneer at these dumb guys, enjoy the world and preserve their macho mystique.
I know a person who is in a quandary, he is a man, who eats only non vegetarian food, does not smoke, does not drink, does not gamble, womanize and has no girl or male friends. He now wants to celebrate his birthday, but how?
There are many like him, soulful ones who look as though their mothers did not so much bear them as knit them. They have little if any or expert knowledge of their trades, profession or even happiness. They watch the slow disintegration of their own lives and try to preach to the world, about giving up worldly pleasures, as if they hold destines of others in their hands. They advocate things like no smoking, no drinking, or no sex to others. Stop a person from doing things like that and they soon lose their joi-de-vivre, and turn into meek nervous fruits bags.
The sort of timid sneaks who sit at home with their over scented women, read newspapers to see if there is anything else that will do them harm, the type who in their middle age order dark suits a size larger hoping they will grow into it. Battling temptation rather than actually living the good life gives them an air of smug piety. Their dreary longevity will give them that much more time to realize what they are missing. Their moral realism is so strong that they consider everyone else as objects of their pity, of feeling piously superior and wonderful in their accomplishment.
Face to face with the marrow of the matter, they miss out on the spark of happiness that all humans want. The moan uttered in their last breath, when they realize their folly, but it is too late, morally defeated the futility of a wasted life remains.Real men don’t wash their hair with conditioners, or apply Botox on their faces. They sneer at these dumb guys, enjoy the world and preserve their macho mystique.
Doff your Convocation cap and Don your thinking hat.
Learning does not always take place in classrooms, or colleges, it mostly takes place in family, other environments and work places, which also teaches you apart from molding behavioral patterns. Moral principles in human relations are perhaps the most glaring gap in traditional teaching. It winds up being appropriated by religion, with its bias toward the supernatural or authoritarian ideas of state.
The most important skill of thinking is not taught in schools or colleges. We resort to all fancy engineering and MBA degrees in order to prove that we are intelligent. Higher education by itself does not translate into knowledge; it only provides the building blocks of a good foundation in learning and analysis of problems. It is the work, life or career experience that can transform that learning into knowledge and build up our intelligence.Highly intelligent people do not necessarily make good thinkers. Thinking is a skill, not intelligence in action. Thinking is something that we can’t acquire with a college degree in Humanities, Science or Commerce topped off with an MBA degree.
We tend to resort to all sorts of strategies in order not to use our brains. Thinking is hard work, so everyone avoids it. We need to have as much idea work as we do information work. We must realize that the analysis of data is not enough. The analysis / paralysis syndrome is a fad in all companies, where whole days are wasted in meetings behind closed doors. All situations closed cannot produce ideas, we confuse fluency with substance Getting out of the cave, walking into the real wide world and seeing things as they really are: that’s what the philosophy of knowledge is about.
Maybe with the Internet and Telepresence video conferencing people will learn what the true cognoscenti have long known. Anyone interested in knowing what's really happening or in changing the way things are don’t go to boring meetings or seminars.
The most important skill of thinking is not taught in schools or colleges. We resort to all fancy engineering and MBA degrees in order to prove that we are intelligent. Higher education by itself does not translate into knowledge; it only provides the building blocks of a good foundation in learning and analysis of problems. It is the work, life or career experience that can transform that learning into knowledge and build up our intelligence.Highly intelligent people do not necessarily make good thinkers. Thinking is a skill, not intelligence in action. Thinking is something that we can’t acquire with a college degree in Humanities, Science or Commerce topped off with an MBA degree.
We tend to resort to all sorts of strategies in order not to use our brains. Thinking is hard work, so everyone avoids it. We need to have as much idea work as we do information work. We must realize that the analysis of data is not enough. The analysis / paralysis syndrome is a fad in all companies, where whole days are wasted in meetings behind closed doors. All situations closed cannot produce ideas, we confuse fluency with substance Getting out of the cave, walking into the real wide world and seeing things as they really are: that’s what the philosophy of knowledge is about.
Maybe with the Internet and Telepresence video conferencing people will learn what the true cognoscenti have long known. Anyone interested in knowing what's really happening or in changing the way things are don’t go to boring meetings or seminars.
Zen and the art of Motorcycle riding.
Yesterday night I went for a long motorcycle ride on my old World War II (Bullet –Royal Enfield). With the night wind caressing my cheeks and whistling in my ear, as the chill entered my chest, the last of the cold gusts in February, yet it was an exhilarating experience.
As the wheels devoured the macadam road stretching endlessly like a black ribbon, darkness parted by the solitary beam of my headlight, flashes of memory sputtered alive ~Peter ‘O’ Toole, Lawrence of Arabia, early youth, gals, bikes, racing, crashes and crushes et alii. I always liked a bike as opposed to cars, as it gave a certain freedom tinged with danger. A bike ride has many advantages, the most substantial being it helps you break away from the urban chatter, noise and the monotony of the city’s dreary schedule.
I have read Robert Persig’s “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance”, but the import of the chapters now roared back into my mind. “On a motorcycle whizzing past milestones was intoxicating like drinking the elixir of youth”. In a car you are always cuckooned in a compartment, you are used to it, you don’t realize that through the window everything you see is like watching television". You are a passive observer and its all boring moving frame by frame.
On a motorcycle the frame is gone, you are in contact with the scene, not watching it and the sense of presence is overwhelming. You are on top of the world as it brushes past your feet. It also helps you bond with nature, beat stress and drive away the week’s blues. Apart from energizing the bike’s idle battery you come back recharged to take on the next week with renewed vigor.
As the wheels devoured the macadam road stretching endlessly like a black ribbon, darkness parted by the solitary beam of my headlight, flashes of memory sputtered alive ~Peter ‘O’ Toole, Lawrence of Arabia, early youth, gals, bikes, racing, crashes and crushes et alii. I always liked a bike as opposed to cars, as it gave a certain freedom tinged with danger. A bike ride has many advantages, the most substantial being it helps you break away from the urban chatter, noise and the monotony of the city’s dreary schedule.
I have read Robert Persig’s “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance”, but the import of the chapters now roared back into my mind. “On a motorcycle whizzing past milestones was intoxicating like drinking the elixir of youth”. In a car you are always cuckooned in a compartment, you are used to it, you don’t realize that through the window everything you see is like watching television". You are a passive observer and its all boring moving frame by frame.
On a motorcycle the frame is gone, you are in contact with the scene, not watching it and the sense of presence is overwhelming. You are on top of the world as it brushes past your feet. It also helps you bond with nature, beat stress and drive away the week’s blues. Apart from energizing the bike’s idle battery you come back recharged to take on the next week with renewed vigor.
The Road to salvation has a fork to perdition.
In the journey of life we are often confused, we become clueless when we find divergent paths, we search for direction and seek wisdom to take the correct path. Spiritual columnist Mukul Sharma asks us to unravel this puzzle by stating that Tibetan wisdom which says that we should not allow a fork defeat to our purpose.
This is easier said than done, to illustrate this conundrum he tries to draw inspiration from Robin Frost’s poem “two roads diverged in a yellow wood” Frost took the road less traveled and thinks it made the difference. But how could he be sure? He never took the road well traveled which many people take. So the mystery remains despite Frosts regret or lack of it.
For those who do not know where they are going, any road will take them there…..
for many the road ends and there is nowhere to go…. For the believers they turn to religion and priests to find the path, so that they shall not stumble or fall and the priests like signposts remain rooted to the spot, though they point the way.
For the enlightened there is no confusion and no path required, they make their own road, drifting like clouds above the jam packed earth.
This is easier said than done, to illustrate this conundrum he tries to draw inspiration from Robin Frost’s poem “two roads diverged in a yellow wood” Frost took the road less traveled and thinks it made the difference. But how could he be sure? He never took the road well traveled which many people take. So the mystery remains despite Frosts regret or lack of it.
For those who do not know where they are going, any road will take them there…..
for many the road ends and there is nowhere to go…. For the believers they turn to religion and priests to find the path, so that they shall not stumble or fall and the priests like signposts remain rooted to the spot, though they point the way.
For the enlightened there is no confusion and no path required, they make their own road, drifting like clouds above the jam packed earth.
Life is stark
Life poses difficulties. Like nature, its starkness is its beauty. There’s little room for limitations, seasoned frustration, unfounded skepticism or transcendental rhetoric. With vigorous optimism, even if we wanted to, we couldn’t spare the faults, failings, foibles and mistakes of human nature, by commenting, “What a fascinating world!
In many ways we are all flawed, striving for success without hard work is like trying to reap from nature what you have not sowed. We must be content and happy with small achievements and forget the distractions that do not figure in our life’s priorities, and find happiness in those mystical moments of nature.
In many ways we are all flawed, striving for success without hard work is like trying to reap from nature what you have not sowed. We must be content and happy with small achievements and forget the distractions that do not figure in our life’s priorities, and find happiness in those mystical moments of nature.
Simple living and High technology.
Smart phones, digital cameras, tablets, camcorders, Laptops, I-pods, TV, video games, remote controls, face book and twitter, all this was meant to cut out the clutter and make life simpler. Do we get time to pause, think? Let alone meditate.
In the near future we will all evolve into a species of gizmo toting nomads; roaming the desolate landscape and scrounging for electrical outlets to recharge their gadgets, while these is no time to relax or recharge our own batteries.
The supposedly great misery of the 21st century is the lack of time itself; or our sense of that or not a disinterested love of science, and certainly not wisdom.
Why do we devote such a huge proportion of the ingenuity and income of our societies to finding faster ways of doing things - as if the final aim of mankind was to grow closer not to perfect humanity; but to a perfect lightning flash.
The one commodity that is becoming scarce is the leisure to enjoy life. A sense of déjà vu took me back when I was a little boy, I found myself re-living the past, when life was simple. - Vinay-
In the near future we will all evolve into a species of gizmo toting nomads; roaming the desolate landscape and scrounging for electrical outlets to recharge their gadgets, while these is no time to relax or recharge our own batteries.
The supposedly great misery of the 21st century is the lack of time itself; or our sense of that or not a disinterested love of science, and certainly not wisdom.
Why do we devote such a huge proportion of the ingenuity and income of our societies to finding faster ways of doing things - as if the final aim of mankind was to grow closer not to perfect humanity; but to a perfect lightning flash.
The one commodity that is becoming scarce is the leisure to enjoy life. A sense of déjà vu took me back when I was a little boy, I found myself re-living the past, when life was simple. - Vinay-
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