Only Slaves are bereft of Ego.

Identification with our self and ego is very important for our individuality to grow. The universe is full of bio-diversity but each has its own inimitable DNA stamped on it. Ego is the spirit that nourishes our growth and gives you the identity of who you are and what you think you are. We need to grow in consciousness to reach our full potential, to be perfect and complete. True humanity is the distinctive characteristic of an evolved ego, a spiritually awakened person who has no fear, but believes in himself and his cause like Gandhi or Martin Luther King. If you limit your self image you can never be creative and the world will be bereft of icons like, Van Gogh, Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Pop Stars, Hollywood Celebrities, Scientists, Sportsman, Artists and authors. However there is need for balance, preventing one from a self inflated ego and pride. One must be flexible and not fixated or don the role of god. Killing your true self is not possible because the tiny shred of DNA differentiates you, from the larger superficial layer of homo- sapiens, as one robotic, religious army. The ego allows us to experience our true nature, and accomplish things as a separate entity. Sometimes the individual can become a victim of his own success. One must emulate the Universe which though having unlimited power and infinite resources, allows separate beings, persons to co-exist and dissolves all boundaries, yet sets everyone apart from one another to reach our own individual potential. Destroying someone’s ego is akin to slavery, whereby one person falls under the property rights of another, institution or cult and is contrary to the laws of nature.-Vinay-

Lonely creatures on this lonely Planet .

So intolerable is loneliness that even animals attach themselves to any creature they can scrape an acquaintance with. There is a case of a pony confined by itself to a field, and a solitary partridge, the only one of its species in that place; they were always seen together in close companionship. Then again there was this lonely Swan, driven away from its group, who eventually made friends with a trout. The fish had its place by the side of the bird, just below the surface and together they would rest and together they would travel like one being…. Those who saw it could not believe their own eyes or senses. - Adventures among Birds.-

Spirituality is beyond Religion.

There is a general feeling that being spiritual is being attached to some sort of belief, and you seek it when you reach the point of no return, This is the paradox because all religions have been missing the fundamental quality of spirituality- it does not have answers. It is not a break away from the predecessor called religion. Even if you are successful, rich and have achieved your goal in life, you are still lonely because of the high pressure and complexity of success. You still have questions and may need a course correction in your life. In this age of doubt and strife, it consummates our need for a friend, philosopher and guide. Spirituality creates awareness of the changes that could lead to a break through and develops your own potential. Change can be anything kicking an addiction, changing your fast paced lifestyle, or unfolding unconditional inner space for further growth. It could be a guide on the ups and downs, holding you accountable & responsible for all your actions. Even if everything is perfect, we get bored with life, we are always on the lookout for new dreams to come true, or feel the certain emptiness in all our lives, spirituality helps you get into the flow without being judgmental. It can reveal the designs, both the big pattern/ picture and the smaller focused details, leading to a refreshing change. Spirituality opens up a fascinating and sophisticated world of emotional intelligence by asking powerful questions to increase the awareness or total recall of your self directed journey. It is not about who you were, but who you are, and instills the wisdom to live in the moment. So have no illusions, its is not re-packaged religion, there is no heavenly landscape, no fairy tales, no Martians, gods, devils or angels , yet its like a new memory implant - rebooting a total recall in one’s self. -Vinay-

Unnamed.

The ego is not a by product of arrogance, or self, aggrandizement normally, but it has a tendency to insidiously prevent humility from integrating with it. First you have to comprehend what ego is – when you are born you first become aware of your mother as she feeds and sustains you. Thereafter you begin to recognize parents, and others as you evolve, then you become aware of your self, realize you have significance and that you are valuable – this is the genesis of ego.Ego is a need, social phenomena, a reflection of what others think of you, it is the order of existence – the centre of you that flowers as you evolve. It is difficult to see one’s own ego. Ego is also the means to find access to our inner core and creativity, the centre of our being- the domain of our individuality, which can transform you in your own individual style.You cannot subdue the ego and create your own destiny. Ego is required like a ladder of inspiration to achieve the higher realm, perk you up, and expand the horizons of your mind to achieve the success you desire. It is a motivator par excellence and adds a special glow to your personality and is your strength. Killing the ego is counter productive and can result in an inferiority complex- if you merge your individuality like sheep to the army of believers, it can lead to superstition, anxiety and loss of identity.

Fear- kindles the mythical embers of the creator.

Fear of death is the mother of the invention of God - is the sentiment echoed by philosophers for centuries. Sentient humans dream up stories of an ancient supreme creator, to try and avoid death with the superstitions of after life. Creatures of the other hand are self aware, have base instincts like fear, but do not have faith, as a religious emotion, locked inside or fret about death - unlike humans who need such myths to live and thrive and hence invent them. Even poets Sufis, Dervishes have all extolled the virtues of nature where the flora, the fauna, dance together heralding the freedom from the bondage of religion and god. The whole planet, men, women, flora, fauna, creatures and inanimate, all integrate to become one and there is no God left to worship. The universe is the ultimate vessel where the spirit of freedom soars. With this intense relationship with nature comes a conviction, about the uselessness of Gods and priests, a dismissal of clerical authority, organized religion and social convention. Gradually it emerges that God had never existed, it was a literary hoax, a satire, a parody of outlandish possibilities - which no other animal has had to invent, unlike humans with their conscious awareness.

Make Love, Not Law.

This stimulating book examines the ways in which legal systems have attempted to regulate sexual activity over millennia, from the 'slow impalement of unfaithful wives' in Mesopotamia to the 'sterilization of masturbators' in the United States. The catalogue of fun is subject to continual reinterpretation by the baleful forces of law includes incest, masturbation, bestiality, sex during menstruation, boring old adultery, prostitution, transvestism, pornography (which came of age in the Early Modern period), and the cult of virginity. As for homosexuality, the Theban infantry had a gay unit that fought nobly at the Battle of Chaeronea in 338 BC, and the issue only moved centre stage in the Christian era. Overall, Christians come out of the story badly, 'with their insistence on the conflict between the body (which craves sex) and the spirit (which sex destroys)'. 'From the reign of Emperor Constantine to the present,' 'the Christian notion that sexual love brings spiritual death has been the cornerstone of Western sex law.’ What all this amounts to, in most of the human cultures that have ever existed, is the male fear of and wish to subjugate women. I don't suppose it sounds humorous to contemporary victims of forced marriages sanctioned by law, of condoned rape, of female circumcision - and of God knows what else happens to women in those countries existing in ethical midnight. In Ur Nammu in the third millennium BC the penalty for raping a slave girl 'was as trivial as a speeding ticket today'. Considering the recent case of the monstrous Dominique Strauss-Kahn, one wonders how far we have progressed. -Eric Berkowitz -

Birth and death are the inseparable and opposite poles of the life on earth, senescence is an acceptable for all form of life except for the Jellyfish Turritopsis Nutrecula which is believed to be immortal. Religions wax eloquently of the existence and possibilities of another beautiful world, of other exotic substances which an average person is unable to see. All religions require death- without it concepts of judgment day, cycle of birth, rebirth, or merging become meaningless. If there is no death, them there is no other world called heaven or hell- even ultimate enlightenment becomes meaningless. In real life dying statement are considered sacrosanct, the ultimate truth. People in their dying moments are candid- as their minds are free from all other compulsions. The beginning and end of life are symbolized by the birth and death cycle on earth. Even though the Abhramic religions propagate resurrection and Dharmic religious promote re-incarnation, no human being can ignore death. What happens to the soul as the body slowly dissipates and dies? How does life enter the soul and what becomes of it after death? How does the soul which held the older wisdom of the ancient discarded body adopt to a new outfit? Does the soul float in cyberspace during the interregnum between leaving the old shell and finding a new body?

Be a Vedic Nomad and Explore Life.

One’s entire life is a continuous slow journey, a pilgrimage like process of inquiry through the world. It is related to discovery and learning, but the beautiful mystery will never end. A certain sense of what is transient and what is permanent in this universe will permeate and grow as knowledge grows within you. Life itself is our teacher and the Universe communicates with us, unlike school or society there is no test and no fixed curricula. You will continuously meet different situations and this experience bitter or bliss will teach you what is to be desired and what is unimportant. You need not go through many births, heavens or hells -this life itself is a collection of moments and experiences. It will provide you with the key moment when if you look without awareness you cannot see, or listen, but cannot hear. Effective listening -helps to grasp meaning and gives an in depth view of life. Maintain balance and harmony make sure resources are not depleted. Life may be series of attachments, because relationships are the fulcrum of our lives, be it physical, mental, emotional or spiritual. The order of existence in the Universe is rooted in viewing everything with equanimity and relationships with animate and inanimate beings. We will learn to bear reality‘s timeless and space less fire, and enjoy the grace of nature and realize – that there is nothing to be asked for, desired for beyond one’s spiritual self. This is called enlightenment and it is not an end by itself, only death is the end of physical existence. -Vinay-

The God Particle.

Before the discovery of Higgs Bosun field all believers claimed that it was God that created the Universe, and expected the believer to worship him. Discovery of the God particle will compel religion to re- invent itself in order to stay relevant. As far as mainstream religions are concerned their teaching were always anthropocentric, with man as the creation, who is supposed to adore and pray faithfully to God, as is done when mars is offered. The non believers and atheists are like free birds, chirping and flying around the Universe without fear of God. They have accomplished inner freedom, free from fear of substance, recession, bounty, corruption, scams, wars, pertinence do not affect them for they have no stake in this planet. They flow with the natural rhythm of the Universe and things fall into place, whether its Karma, Destiny, life and happiness or sorrow does not affect them. The visible world has no substance for him, so nothing is acceptable or reject-able. Atheism means being responsible for your own destiny and accountable for your acts of free will. That is why most people dread being “non believers” as they cant blame, God religion or country, the buck ends with them. Unlike Wade Michael Page & the Wisconsin shooting,they have no religious apron strings to fall back upon.

The Rain Song.

The rain song is a haunting melody drenched in anguish and grief, yet like a delicate flower, love blooms posing the question “where art thou searching for me” in this journey that has neither a beginning nor end. Over the city’s ruins raindrops splatter covering the sins of men and women, an infernal cesspool and paradise in one, an anonymous combination of freedom and anonymity creating the metropolitan attitude. Days and nights are slain by the incessant rains. The griefs of past times are forgotten. Hidden and possibly secret relations, bind together the apparently personal times of our inner experience. The green under wood says that the summer is over and luscious palms sway with a beautiful pain. Men, animal, birds, insects’ blossom in the dust, the decay of experience, a flash of messianic zest readily take on a life of their own. The quest is eternal, daylight and sunshine loses, as the hyped sensitivities of the sleet of grey like night takes over. In the village street the rain eats the earth, as it textually evaporates and thought images are stripped down to its semantic core in a bloody mist. A leaf of grass and a grain of sand divide lover and love with a gentle shower, a dream of a shadow buds again, and once more smells the dew and the river.

Do not ignore your Hunch, Intuition or Gut feelings!

Phenomenology is the basis for knowledge, of a feeling or state of consciousness resulting from emotions. Intuitions are the ability to acquire knowledge without inference of analysis or reason. All these whether it is gut, feeling, hunch or intuition are perceptions or strong signals from our unconscious minds. All creatures, man, animals, cats, experience it, and there is no difference and these feelings are as dear to mute animals as it is to man. There is a misconception that only a higher evolved species can experience insight, noesis or spirituality. This faulty logic is arrived upon as these are subjective feelings, and we think only humans can translate it into the rich experience with prose. According to neurologists the most primitive portions of our brain- happen to be the spiritual and this hold true for all creatures. All sentient/ insentient beings have the ability and in some cases intuition is honed to a fine art. These are powerful signals telling us to avoid certain things or do some things. Transcendent feelings, intuition, insight, awareness or spiritual experience cannot be explained in language or words. It is a sort of meditation, finding your inner axis of the self and it plugs you into the universe enhancing one’s awareness and sphere of observation takes on a loftier realm. Some times instinct works and sometimes it goes terribly wrong. These are the primitive, dormant areas of yours unconscious mind- that have been unused for centuries. All animals and creature have similar mystical experiences, comparable to humans. –Vinay-

These Truths will only Enslave you!

We wittingly and unwittingly inflate stories and qualities of gods, heroes and other characters in our religious, political and culture groups. We hide reality from our conscious minds, and denigrate those outside our religious, ethical and cultural groups. Deceit is a deep feature of our lives, sometimes a necessity in life’s brutal struggle to prevail. People as a rule pay scant or insufficient attention to facts which conflict with their interest, or self conceit. History and Religion are distorted to produce national and religious halos, and the individual wears the warp of his experience with a comfortable mosaic of self justification. Their character may be noble, could they feel that their beliefs and opinions - and their religion, state language, culture, their gods; their heroes and their role in history are superior to any other- but everybody cannot be right. Honesty and truth are not synonymous; they are comparative phases of one notion- Honesty being a profession of a philosophy, while truth is an established law of existence. Honesty is applied to human behavior, while truth is a universal law. The historians and chroniclers of the holy books may have been honest, because they looked into available data (available does not mean all that is available to others as well) the data they wanted to collect & present, the data which their sulsconcious mind was seeking- and wrote history and scriptures as they would have liked it to be known. In that process they left out the truth- Truth pertaining to men and events and gave a lopsided view to all those who knew, as well as to those who wanted truth about then own religion- territory, god, heroes, men and incidents to be truthfully recorded. A truthful record still awaits birth. Religious fundamentalism often restricts interactions with other faiths in a bid to protect their flock from infidels. These illusions can lead to devastating consequences, like market collapses, world wars to spread of hatred. Paradoxically these religions themselves are more likely to split into rival factions fighting against each other.- Vinay-

Be your own guided missile in life.

While traversing through our daily life there are millions of things that cross our minds, and many things we miss out in the daily rush. We are always trying to find answers that will last forever – alas nothing lasts forever. Life is a series of endless details and events, like the tiny grains of a hillock or drops of water which constitute a river. Hillocks disappear, the river joins the ocean and is a river no more - and consequently life too ends, altering our cosmic destiny. Remember that with each sunrise come new opportunities. There are no easy answers; you have to keep going conscious of your own mortality. Focusing is the way out, you have to train your mind out of Maya – the world of illusion, conscious evolution. Your stay on earth is not your destination. It is only a stopover as you move towards the end of your life span. There is too much space between life and death and both don’t happen simultaneously. Doing what you want to do is by itself a big achievement, this results in a much richer visual experience of life. The trick is to let life assemble itself into a vehicle that will crisscross the paths in the journey of life. Life imposes a single template with the numerous relationships, each with their own particular satisfactions, dis satisfactions and dynamics. Going forward does not make a path and neither can anyone else show you if there is no path. –Vinay-

Book Jacket.

“Man is born free but everywhere he is in chains”. This is true of most humanity; we are all imprisoned to dogmas and concept of society, culture, religion and family that condition our minds. Most people believe in God or religion not because it is the necessity of the soul, but because society has organized it, and it also confines you within its cell. Ideals are not in your blood, but are forced by your culture. We search feverishly for some sort of form, so that we do not disintegrate because collective faith strengthens us subconsciously. We do not have the courage or conviction to bypass or ignore these ideas of sacredness, instilled and conditioned by society and proselytizers. After birth life is a series of vignettes that serve as a palette- to draw the frames, which evoke our vulnerabilities to all sort of emotions, incidents and interactions of our lives.To be responsible, to fear nothingness to be conscious while walking around life like a tourist, needs one, to distance himself from the exotic and unforgiving call of religion. Passions exist as image forms in the deepest layers of our experiential memory- they surface unknowingly from our dark empty recesses, to lend sensations of joy and sorrow in our lives with the passage of time.You have to leave the wake of religion in your path to discover your individual self, this way you liberate yourself – your individually is not leased to the consecrated space of beliefs. –Vinay-

Hundred Shades of Heartbreaks.

Heart breaks are a fact of life and we must learn to deal with them. It is easy to give your heart, but difficult to console the grieving when you are heart broken. The success of “ Fifty shades of Grey”and the older classics of its genre by Tolstoy and Sylvia Plath to Coelho and Fanny Hill or the Marquis de Sade and Jane Austen, says that romance is one of love’s greatest attractions. Romantic novels confront us with a mysterious allure, which suggests more than it says in the pages. Many after reading romantic novels develop crushes for tall, dark and handsome men – most of who do not reciprocate the same depth of emotions. These novels offer an unique approach to love, by trying to educate and doling out advice on the various aspects including the dangers of falling in love. Some of them state that love is not the panacea for all the ills in our lives, it also gives lessons that ask you not to waste time waiting for a man or woman who is not interested in you and for women to avoid the restless philandering types. In real life you learn the hard way and bitter experience in hindsight teaches you that you never fell in love with the guy or gal who really loved you. Pining for someone who is unattainable or believing that your Karma or destiny can bring back the lover into your fold always leads to grief. The main threats to love are jealousy which is an indication of your feelings of possessiveness and insecurity in the relationship with your partner. Other glitches in the form your man’s obsession with his mother or a fatal but fleeting attraction to another woman - can unexpectedly lead to major tussles and sometimes you find yourself abandoned in the process. That real love is beyond the carnal pleasures of the body is a fascinating premise, but the meaning or its value is always lurking below the surface- and not discernible when you are tightly bound in each others arms. Without pleasure there is no understanding of love. You cannot always judge a person during the initial courtship or dating period, as it is only a spur to pleasure at that point of time. Couples need a deeper understanding of themselves and their relationships before committing to each other. There are no road maps or paths neither can the romantic novels be your guide, romance can be a fascinating, sordid or tragic journey. It is like a nice meal but at the same time a recipe for disaster. It is difficult for everyone to understand and accept your point of view always. Commitment is a stumbling block … but that is the main attraction in love, especially for women who can end up as trophy wives to rich and powerful men and lead an unsatisfying and miserable existence when the sheen wears off the ring. Simply enjoy the romance while it lasts, living happily ever after is after all a romantic storybook ending. –Vinay

A Dark Blue Moon over my Shoulder!

If they say the moon is blue. We must believe that it is true! A blue moon is colloquially used to mean a rare event or occurrence – the third full moon in a season is called a blue moon. The ancient alchemical texts state - on the third night of the full blue moon, the primeval sack of the ocean broke and life was born. In the darkness of the blue moon night is hidden the light of lights. We always look at the brighter side of everything. The moon looks romantic, but there is a darker side of the moon which is difficult to perceive. We try to shut out upsetting life events, anger, and sorrow disorientation swarms our consciousness in the wake of negative events. How do you deal with disappointments and fear of failure? – The insufficiency of intellectual knowledge. As Jean Giraudoux stated “Sadness flies on the wings of the morning; and out of the heart of darkness comes the light”. Similarly there is always an upside of life, like the dark blue side the moon which is not visible immediately. When the soul embraces and accepts anguish and suffering- the pain reveals itself as the birth pangs of your new inner life. It is neither wise nor good to watch the evening star with dark clouds in your heart obscuring the light. Everything changes like the phases of the moon, the dark blue moon teaches us how to cope and strengthen our own capabilities, to look deeper with greater sensitivity. When you appreciate the dark side of the blue moon, it will be the dawn of a new beginning. It will help you build a life time of residence and dispel the pain. The transition is subtle and gradually sinks into the subconsciousness. Remember pain and suffering are not daily events, like a blue moon it occurs rarely in our journey of life.- Vinay

Nostalgia's of a Bald Eagle!

In some of my writing I have invoked the landscapes of Ceylon (Sri Lanka) my foster homeland lost to the historical vagaries – now recoverable only in a dream. I was seduced by the beauty of that emerald island. In my youth I used to lose myself amongst its azure blue oceans, windswept beaches, lakes and cloud hidden mountain of Nuwara Eliya. What brought us back to India was the engagement with the anguish and uncertainty of this serene world during the LTTE civil war. My writings reflected the yearnings of my soul as the exile crossing wastelands in his quest for anchorage. The solitary pilgrim following an elusive falling star, or like a magician conjuring up new geographies of the forests and streams in India, in defiance of the brutality of my circumstances. I was ready to commit myself to an uncertain future to sustain the myth, and figured by writing romantic evocations of these alternate worlds- I could transfigure my experience , restore a lost dimension of awareness, with my peers who were out of touch, due to my everyday life in India. Not necessarily an escapist, but trying to address the human condition in a manner that dramatized the vulnerability and resilience of the individual. The rivers of the both India and Ceylon and the Blue Mountains bestowed an “auratic” charm and radiance, that liberated them from the regime of time. Over the years I developed and deepened those childhood images within the sub-continent that opened up vistas of reverie and a meditative silence. The childhood images grew more muted and austere, responding to the history of loss, by evoking memories as the ultimate home of the homeless. Now mature with a philosophers mind and a vagabond’s heart, I believe that life should constantly be replenished by encounters with the broader currents of different societies and cultures. The world is a reservoir of past and present images, to be enjoyed for its beauty, nostalgia, surprise and revelations. Its is a living theatre of impulses, event and emotions, whose outcome must be imbibed and enjoyed, in all its complex polyphony.

Pity that Piety Discourages Sex in the City.

Why is sex a problem? Sex is important in our lives – but society has covered it with a mantle so it takes on the form of a burden of problems like vice, or corruption of the soul. The word sex is either taboo, or surrounded with negative connotations. Religions in order to project a puritanical image have declared sex as an unholy act except during procreation. Modern culture propagates that sex is for pleasure and Eastern Tantric philosophy states that – through sex you can transcend into the spiritual realm. However the mainstream organized religions refuses to budge from their stand and insists that sex is only for procreation between husband and wife. A catholic person I know even stopped having sex because his wife did not agree to contraception. The basic sexual act is in itself an animal act – in humans it produces momentary bliss, followed often by depression or frustration. How can creation be propagated by an unholy act? Why was it created in the first place – very few people in the in the world would not have had a sexual experience in their lives. Not just the act but even thinking, talking, or discussing sex is draped in a veil of shame by religion and society. A suppressed heart can never enjoy love, sex or life. Real chastity comes out of love and not rules or commandments. So instead of curbing natural love and urges, you must liberate it from its anchorage of ignorance. The desires of the body in contrast by religion are strictly regulated, lest they distract from the main task of worship. The desire for liberation itself is a desire – and even the Bible exhorts us to “eat, drink and be merry” enjoying the sensual pleasures of life. It’s high time that religions, cultures and society get rid of that extra layer of false shame and ignorance for- things that evolution has created and constructed, to be part of our anatomy. In Tantric philosophy the sexual act is sacrosanct, and organized, as you control your Prana, mind during orgasm or awakening. If you can prolong this bliss by 5 minutes more with the same intensity, you would be lost in transcendence – pure bliss or a state of Samadhi, where you would never leave your sadhana. In this way the mind and prana are brought together in a spiritual interaction. These are states of consciousness in the physical being – longing, being in love dependency and sensual pleasure.-Vinay

The Second Coming.

Doris Lessing wrote that “women of any sense should know better, after all these centuries, not to interrupt men when they start telling them how they feel about sex”. Most women do not discuss, what they feel or experience with the men they love. The reality is that feminine sexual excitement can reach an intensity at its peak that is unknown to man. Male sexual excitement is keen but localized, and – except at the moment of orgasm – it leaves a man quite in possession of himself. Women on the contrary, really loses her mind, when the heat and excitement of bodies pour through love; for many this effect marks the definite and voluptuous moment of the love affair – but it also has a magical and fearsome quality. As the she Wolf Naomi claims – that slightly wild, slightly inexplicable moment – when the wind, grass, and the animals all seemed to be intertwined with ourselves and part of the universe, in that moment of pure bliss. It is the kind of moments that have over the years, contributed to a vague imperceptible sense – that while our hearts are undoubtedly in the right place our minds are erotically dancing, full of a starry burst of explosions. If we are not permitted to express our sensual desires or address them for liberation, then by simple extension we are being refused both power and control over our desires. If carnal love is treated as a deviance by society, which tries to prevent our natural sexual cravings –mainly because it is not accepted by the prevailing culture and moral standards, it is a crying shame.

The Myth of the Matter.

Do fairy tales and mythology still have appeal? For most of us in the western world, our first experience of our culture’s classic stories—Snow White, Cinderella, —Bible come through images that we learn about our culture’s foundational stories. Jack Zipes, the dean of academic fairy-tale studies traces the origin of storytelling back to a primal past: “the fairy tale was first a simple, imaginative oral tale containing magical and miraculous elements and was related to the belief systems, values, rites, and experiences of pagan peoples. The fairy tale evolved from unknown origins into a gigantic cultural juggernaut, and survives by digesting every new medium, from print to films to the internet. The reason they survive to this day, Zipes suggests, is because the classic fairy tales — mythology and holy books, are perfect examples of “memetic” engineering. Drawing on the notion of the meme coined by Richard Dawkins, Zipes imagines the elements of fairy tales competing for mental space over generations of cultural evolution, until only the fittest and cleverly marketed books survived. And what makes a tale “fit” is that it has the power “to determine and influence social practices,” beliefs, faith and to shape the way human beings live together. If “fairy tales and holy books came to be contested and marked as holy, relevant, and real,” he writes, it is because they gave voice to the powerless—children, women, the poor and the hopeless. What draws believers is a certain piety about the act of the story itself. So much of the appeal of these stories, in a preliterate, premodern culture, must have been simply in their demonstration of the power of words to defy the laws of nature. In the Harry Potter stories, the formula of the fairy tale is inverted: magic, like miracles performed in the holy books, becomes an accessory to what is essentially a parable about growing up, which may be why the Potter books appeal to older readers as well. Philosophy is born when this kind of storytelling begins to acknowledge that the world never does grant our wishes or prayers, and that the stubbornness of things is ultimately more satisfying to hear about than their mutability. Never ending Myths –Adam Kirsch.

Marry in Haste and watch Love Dissolve into Waste.

You are a circular reasoned and I am a cynic, but you are worse. Marriage kills love, do me a favour, look around at all the loving happy couples, count them, see how many you come across, how many once you get past the Duke and Duchess, its slim pickings aint it.? Pat kiss the girl, caress her, stick it right up in her, but for chrisssake do me a favour and wait for a year, why kill your talent. You will sap yourself with worry and probably die with a hard on – in the streets other women will tantalize you, and your conscience will wrestle till you choke. If a year elapses and the urge remains then go ahead- hang yourself, is a year too much to ask? Things come and go, you are going to stick plugs in either end of life- let it flow, wait and accept: learn to pull the hand away, don’t clutch- What is marriage, a prissy form of greed, a terrible disgusting ambitiousness. Take the shape, the world gives you.

Fragments of after life.

All of us are endowed with a spiritual power, a power which resides in our subconscious mind. There is nothing occult in it; we don’t recognize it as over the years we have renounced our connection with it, a power to which our past has a claim. The power that inverts knowledge here is of a spiritual order, emphatically not a divine or epistemological one. It is the subconscious, hidden time of inner experience and anthropological existence. Problem arises out of our fragmented identities, we don’t comprehend that we are not isolated entities. We are made up of cells and form part of the Universe. Like the waves in the ocean which rise and fall, which are manifest forms. Similarly spirituality is the manifestation of higher intelligence. It is like an afterlife that is already embedded within this life, something which in one sense is already there, but in another sense produced in the unknowable, behind our present’s back. This is the complexity, of temporal experience and form, which we must unravel. How the past, future are interconnected with the present. A recomposition of phenomena, in time, with the bits and pieces detaching themselves and accumulating anew in new configurations. This is where the Jivanmuktas (self realized souls), who have accomplished inner freedom- roam like the free birds, chirping and flying in the blue skies combining learning with a wise unpretentious ethical sensibility. This does not mean they have no responsibilities, but they are free from desires and attachments& thereby no fear. They understand the visible world has no substance, so they consider nothing as acceptable nor reject-able.

Cyber sex – Fantasy without Boundaries.

If we are not afraid of death, we should not be afraid of sex. Why can’t we love and indulge in a thing that gives us pleasure? What is this irrational fear – unless we release ourselves from the fetters of this hypocritical mortality imposed by society? We will forever be in human bondage and we will never be able to find our true selves – because we are not crossing the barriers of self liberation. To live life fully is to explore those sensuous, dangerous horizons of desire; living on the razors edge heightens our senses in sheer exalted exuberance. We get in touch with our wild side of our inner spirits, the missing link where sexuality and spirituality meet. Sufis, Tantrics, Dervishes, the Bauls, Dionysus and Bacchus used love and sex as the final means to Mukti, deliverance or bliss. It was Blake who remarked – by flying ourselves with utter abandon into the sexual – we find that the spiritual beckons – the road of excess leads us to the path or place of erudition. In this internet age of cyber love and virtual sex with digitally simulated orgasms, which seems really hotter than sex in the real flesh – because there is no reality to block our inhibitions or fantasies? The mind has an infinite capacity for liberation and is after all man’s main erogenous zone. This is the right approach leading one to true spirituality, the transcendence to the right avenues, evolving from the lustful genital craving to the ultimate cosmic, symbolizing the freedom of our untamed energies. This is basis of transformation; it provides above all a meaningful human connection or linkage. In the end we recognize that it is not just work, but love and sex – the unconditional love of another who accepts us for who we are, that makes life bearable. Sex is the ultimate expression of love and fulfillment.-Vinay-

A penny for your thoughts! Any good post should have the capacity to provoke thought - shake the reader from his complacency and border on the outrageous. Great philosopher, poets, writers have this capacity to stun us from our stupor and shock their readers; most of them were zealous and paranoid about their views, thoughts and works. Safe conventional posts or quoting some second hand wisdom and advice from scriptures is for preachers’ clergy, teachers and proselyters – who do not have any original thoughts and do not want to step out of their comfort zones- and all their posts are as dull as dishwater. Out of the box thinking and posts, presents ideas and thoughts that seemingly suspend conventional wisdom and understanding, sometimes turning it topsy turvy,it is an in your face good or bad advice from life’s bitter experience. However whenever I post a creative or outrageous thought – I am labelled as a cultural and religious provocateur, mainly since I do not follow the path or dogmas of millions of believers. Added to that the fact that I am an atheist, a non conformist and a rebel makes me an easy target to be labeled as a fake, infidel, denigrator of faiths and an abnormal person. Often these philistines with a religious disposition sit on judgement on my thoughts and posts. My thoughts are worth more than the miserable pennies they drop in the charity boxes. Screw them to oblivion – Vinay My thoughts are worth more than the miserable & charitable pennier

A penny for your thoughts! Any good post should have the capacity to provoke thought - shake the reader from his complacency and border on the outrageous. Great philosopher, poets, writers have this capacity to stun us from our stupor and shock their readers; most of them were zealous and paranoid about their views, thoughts and works. Safe conventional posts or quoting some second hand wisdom and advice from scriptures is for preachers’ clergy, teachers and proselyters – who do not have any original thoughts and do not want to step out of their comfort zones- and all their posts are as dull as dishwater. Out of the box thinking and posts, presents ideas and thoughts that seemingly suspend conventional wisdom and understanding, sometimes turning it topsy turvy,it is an in your face good or bad advice from life’s bitter experience. However whenever I post a creative or outrageous thought – I am labelled as a cultural and religious provocateur, mainly since I do not follow the path or dogmas of millions of believers. Added to that the fact that I am an atheist, a non conformist and a rebel makes me an easy target to be labeled as a fake, infidel, denigrator of faiths and an abnormal person. Often these philistines with a religious disposition sit on judgement on my thoughts and posts. My thoughts are worth more than the miserable pennies they drop in the charity boxes. Screw them to oblivion – Vinay My thoughts are worth more than the miserable & charitable pennies they drop in the till or charity boxes.

Nature Cure for Blues.

When we are down and out, sinking to the very depths of despondency, we try to escape into an imagined world in our minds, hoping this would work as a sort of catharsis. We try to struggle out of our anguish, our boredom with life itself and learn how to be happy again, there are many things we do not know or understand. We do not need shrinks or counselors; just take a walk in nature. You will perceive the grace and its beauty will draw you towards it. The universe and its landscape are all about evolution. We always fall in love with beautiful things, there is a mysterious allure and as they say “a thing of beauty is a joy forever”. Simplicity can be far more intrinsically ornate than any haute couture designed luxury thing. The canvas of nature with its palette of beautiful colors is awe inspiring visuals are stark. There is a beauty from their form, forming a sort of whole on earth. Every, wave in the ocean, detailed terrains of hills and mystic mountains- introducing the colorful land-scape to us. The calm sky and quietly flowing rivers add tranquility and luminosity to earth. Like the different parts of the beautiful woman, that honors the truth of a loved one’s life. This is what attracts us and wins our love. Nature is like a strong influence on our, lives a wispy sort of interpretation., evoking a spiritual presence through absence. It leads us through many intense experiences of hazy sentimentalism, altering our horizons, till we become whole again – Vinay-

HOCUS FOCUS.

The common thread that bonds Greek mythology, Grimm’s fairy tales and the Holy book stories of the Bible, Koran and Mahabharata are the characters. All of them feature some sort of God, goddesses, angels, devils, serpents, ghosts and other unbelievable characters. The Harry Potter series in the same genre reaches new heights of deception in depicting sorcerers, witches, elves, gargoyles and other supernatural entities. All are clearly fictional creatures, performing unrealistic acts and feats. Yet in the eyes of believers it is not attributed to fiction .There is not even an iota of evidence whatsoever- to prove that it is based on true events. Is it willful blindness? Why do we ignore the obvious at our peril? Fooling others yields obvious benefits, ranging from fibs parents and children tell to manipulate one another. But why do we often fool ourselves? Religious and political leaders foist false historical and religious narratives, on their own people, as well as the rest of the world. The more we believe these lies, the more effectively we can lie to others. It is often said that a myth is a lie that tells the truth; this is the key to the universal appeal of mythology. Most people believe that mythology is fanciful story that aims to reveal a deeper spiritual meaning to life. Dan brown in Da Vinci Code created Opus Dei, a clandestine Vatican approved Catholic sect and Krishna Key, explore the possibility that mythology may be intrinsically linked to historical events and characters. This gives it a new twist and an entirely new plausible platform for the stories we heard from our early ancestors. In today’s Cyber age, everyone wants to connect to something larger in life - a search for authentic ancient or religious roots. Mythology mixed in a historical context is a heady cocktail- the spirit in the abyss of dizzying fables lost.

Men Are Not the Only Problems.

What is the border between the essence of men and women? It is permeable and blurred because it is built on thick layers of confabulation, misunderstandings and distorted facts. A difficult woman is difficult because, rather than being unconventional, she tries to explore her life by attempting to ask too many questions: While freedom and compassion are part of her life, she cannot be understood without allowing her thoughts to flow through the relationship. Women are afraid because they have been semi –slaves for centuries. Women are like a work in progress an unfinished work of art and intrigue- the archetype of jealousy, the embodiment of frailty. Women have from time immemorial been the daughters of mother earth. They are afraid to assert their vivid, unpredictable and uncontrollable nature of their feminine mystique. Though they desire men, they have an initial fear of intimacy, fear of being vulnerable, infidelity and being used as a sex toys. They are always running away from a deeper part of themselves and repression from men. Men are unfeminine aggressive and revel in wanting multiple partners, fast cars, techno gadgets - whereas the woman feels the desire to totally surrender, and give all of herself and her love when she embraces her man. Yet every woman has a mysterious allure, as evidenced by the numerous attractive males that fawn on women. She expects everyone not only to understand and respect her views, but to honor all her unspoken as well as spoken wishes. The purity of her soul, her wisdom, and the amount of love she holds within herself makes her vulnerable. Men do not care about her heart’s feelings, yearnings or her sincere passionate desires for her mate. Though she is pleasing to the eye, personable and easy to love, men have always condemned them to stay whimpering at the back doors of their life. The more a woman respects herself, the more radiant and attractive she will be for men. The more she loves her own self, the more she will be able to tolerate dissonance. The more forgiving and compassionate she is, the more men will flock to her. Gothic lore states that men and women are two locked caskets, of which each contains the key to the other. It is the feminine principle that consciously holds together the web of life and the interconnectedness of all existence. –Vinay-

Much Ado about Nothing.

As john Cage once said” I have nothing to say and I am saying it. Luis Borges also stated about Shakespeare’s Everything and Nothing, there was no one in him, once the last verse had been declaimed and the last man withdrawn from stage, unreality returns. Being entirely silent, offers clear proof that nothing is ever simply nothing, and we opt to remain silent. The mistake is to think silence does not require attention- but it does, saying nothing is the borderlands of silence. Just look at nature, if we could only imitate the way it operates, Silent changing patterns of cloud shadows and reflected sunlight on the sea. It thrills us and has a calming effect. As we contemplate the utter tedium and sometimes futility of our lives, we find that ours is a hostile relationship with the world at large. Words which are totally desolating evade us, like a waking shadow . Silence cannot be talked about; it is the core idea of innocence- which aims at returning the world weary visitor to a life of innocence. This can be achieved by the power of nostalgic silence, shorn of any bitterness. The trick is to convert (in silence ) regret for an unloved life, to go on living till you realize the labour of love that does not stand as idealistic – but alters when it finds alteration, or the compromises we end up making, to keep the relationship flowing. Syllables are drowned along with thoughts, - what if in mournful euphoria, we have slaughtered time. Sounds of Silence-

The Grim Reaper -Guest or Pest!

No one can escape the gaping jaws of Thanatos, everyone must be conscious of the inevitable certainty of their own demise. The grim reaper has visited us all at some point of time, taking away a friend, relative or close family member. Everyone is helpless and some fascinated by the concept of death. People attend funerals out of curiosity, some come to stare at the dead person go back and forget the event, going about their daily life as if nothing has happened. For those, whom it is an unexpected loss, grieve and isolate themselves, some do not know to cope and withdraw from everyone and world at large. Some don’t grieve in public but are hurting inside ,it is difficult to understand their pain and sorrow and frustration. What can we do, except offer our heartfelt condolences? When we are talking about issues of life and death, or talking to people who have lost some one dear, - we really cannot sense how that person lived with the people he loved. We try to acknowledge the grievers pain, we empathize, we offer our shoulder to cry, our clumsy platitudes. But at some point we itch to move on to our lives, and leave the mourner to his own anguish. Not out of callousness, but out of the knowledge that in the end- grief is a lonely and entirely a personal place. We hope those who mourn will pull away from the unruly currents of mourning and rejoin the crowd. Nothing we say really matters, because we know grief’s dark allure. In grief we sound the depths of our love- in that regard, it’s a private privilege. Society has no place there. -vinay-

Those Who Live by His Word Shall Die by the Sword.

Blasphemy is a victimless crime they say, but paradoxically thousands of innocent people are killed in the violent terrorist attacks in the aftermath of religious cartoons or films. The victims of their heinous and depraved attacks are innocent victims. Afghanistan Dar E’ Salaam, Tehran, Beirut, Islamabad, Nairobi, Amsterdam, Syria, Iran, Lebanon and now Libya, the list of endless. Religious zealots are hard wired for war, but are so insensitive that they even violate the military rule that forbids the killing of someone who is hors de combat or "outside the fight."Fanatic believers pride themselves on their faith and rigor and impose the ultimate sanctions on those who deride their faith. Their beliefs are driven by the sheer number of followers in their own state or lands. They all steadfastly claim theirs is the only true faith, but pretend that it is uncontaminated by bias, judgement or intolerance to other religions. The two most powerful religions slug it out for market share, each one following their own process, rituals and beliefs. Yet, most organized religious dread scientific discoveries, like the Higgs “God particle” that debunks the theory of a supreme creator. What is the conscious motive of these men who claim peace & love as their doctrines but go out and kill with sickening regularity? Will you go about killing people if they spit in your garden.? Is it insecurity, indoctrinated insanity or a deeper frustration because they are not allowed to question their faith? Or is it an innate desire to throw off the shackles, but since they can’t resort to their own free will and thinking, that they end up as martyrs for a depraved cause. There are no answers, is it the “Jam sessions” intended to indoctrinate them with a malignant brain cancer – that accounts for their violent actions. Why this disorder is prevalent with only believers and not Agnostics & atheists who use their free will and hold themselves accountable for their actions, originating from their conscious minds. Would non believers, if they traded places with these fanatical believers stoop to the same levels of depravity and commit these heinous acts of terrorism. Neuro - scientist cum philosopher Sam Harris raises a caveat & thinks so.-Vinay-

To Being or not a Being!

(A philosophical conundrum) In recent years, some powerful existential thinkers like Martin Buber, a Jewish theologian and Paul Tillich have stated that in our world of observation and science – being finite does not certain God. The paradox about proving the existence of God is that God is said to be a “necessary being”, necessity is legitimately used with the stipulated definitions of symbols only. Any existing think can be contingent only and of anything existing, we can always imagine it to be otherwise, than what it is and even possibility of it not existing at all. If God exists, then he can also be imagined not existing at any time. If he is necessary, then he is not a being and if is a being, then he is not necessary. To say that God is a necessary being is as contradictory as the idea of a square circle. There are several arguments offered for the existence of God, ontological, cosmological and teleological. The ontological argument is that existence is the very essence (Ontos) of the idea of God. Its argument is a priori, since from the mere analysis we are deducting existence. This holds that the world is contingent; implying what is necessary and the idea are of if necessary implies existence. As Plato stated “Doubt implies the knowledge of truth that it is, or exists. -Religious philosophy- MLBD-

Love Burns the Flesh of life.

The definition of Love is highly subjective and continues to evolve transcendentally over centuries. The old sages were wrong, when they said, “everything changes, but the human heart”. A lover’s longing for his beloved is at the core of every sonnet, ballad and love poems. These could be taken as eulogizing, the lovers enchantment with their beloved. As Rumi stated “you cannot reach the heavens by prayer, only from the heart can you touch the sky”. You cannot attain liberation through bargaining, offerings or trade. Sometimes we get misery in return for our love, and we are disappointed as we always expect love in return.Even if it is anguish it still comes to torment our hearts, like love it keeps on coming bank only to disappear again. Love is like the dewdrop teetering on the edge of the precipice – before the free fall into the abyss, of a boring and doomed marriage on the rocks. Romance is also ephemeral and cannot last forever. Yet nothing can beat the high of being in love. Both the sacred and the profane have the same effect on our lives. Like the prosaic and the farcical. Love is a funny tapestry, you cannot describe the passion that overcomes you, nor can you define it. The intensity of the desire may or may not have the elements of physical longing – but the love in it, can always transcend longing into the spiritual realm. I endorse what rain King Henderson stated “whatever gains I ever made in life were always due to love and nothing else.” All the women I loved have given a deep meaning to my life. I cannot think of myself detached from them – or apart from their influence. My own growth was stimulating and enlightening because of these liaisons – and the sense of exhilaration, which verged hesitantly on the erotic, was divine. –Vinay-

The Wages of Sin is Affluence.

If the wages of sin are death, then how come the all the sinners and corrupt live to a ripe old age with wealth and power? The wages of being good are debt; as most of our earnings are taxed, rest in EMI’s and mortgages, with nothing left you die of penury! But those who equate happiness with material success, wealth and possessions know the value of vice that has - recapitulated their life’s chaotic richness, and enabled them to build empires, which will not collapse under the weight of their sins. In the big bad world of corporate America and elsewhere green bills, manipulative tycoons, corrupt politicians & bureaucrats- sin all the way to the bank, wooing profits and mergers. Wealth gives meaning and purpose to their lives.Virtue is really the greatest evil for the ordinary citizen, while the super rich meditate on vice, ill gotten wealth and hypocrisy. For those who put sin and hypocrisy as the first of their virtues, their success is enhanced. Boom or bust they still keep knocking golf balls into mechanical gizmos. In today’s world of political, religious and cultural hypocrisy vice is piled on vice - recycling sins for their own ends and success a word shrouded in its swampy suck of self- indulgence. Wealth is hoarded in their Swiss bank accounts, while the poor are prowling through the cities to make both ends meet.Yet the lies, deceit and deception are streaming through the wires- but the earth is still going around the sun. It is an unbalanced balance sheet, the super rich above the law, the poor and homeless dying of starvation and penury. The principles of happiness are linked to the principles of vice, it depends on the magnitude of sin, the bigger the scam, the wealthier they become. For the wealthy the wages of sin are yachts, luxury villas expensive cars and strategic trips to Las Vegas and Honolulu. The virtuous toil on earth while the rich zoom where the air is thin and rarefied and eagles fly, getting their shoes shined and sipping wine and champagne while coasting in their executive jets. Billionaires do not need religion or morality, only the poor do. Even a warty toad like rich guy will have blondes and brunettes flocking to kiss his ass till he turns into a prince. -Vinay-

The Rage and Slaughter of Innocents.

The spate of terror, violence and destruction that has been unleashed in the name of religion is unprecedented, - the mortars, bullets are flying furiously – police are prowling through the burning cities, lies, blasphemy is streaming from the loudspeakers inciting the mobs, to burn and kill. There are always darker perceptions, interpretations unleashing negative emotions- fear, hatred, intolerance; the source is always religious rivalry that exists between different faiths. The self incitation of a mob is the dynamo that drives a powerful force of rioting, headlong into a gallop to violent destinations which no one can predict. As Hazlitt stated, on the pleasures of hatred- is like an opening for insects, the aspirate alliteration, mimicking the scuttle, as like a horde of locusts the mob decimates life and property, at once ominous and pathetic. What extreme cruelty man can inflict on a fellow man and life is so dehumanizing. The innocent victims like spiders crawling along the matted bloody earth, run in harried, heedless haste, hobbling awkwardly to escape- they stop when a giant shadow of death looms before them, at a loss whether to retreat or surrender, mediating the huge evil foe- called religion. Orwell succinctly describes this in Marrakech. As the corpses piled up and went past – the crowd like flies, left the charred, acrid burning bodies in a cloud of joyous dust, and rushed to a another place. And they say blasphemy is a victimless crime, then who are these innocent victims, doomed to perish from wasting diseas

Destiny’s Children.

Karma is simply the law of causality – it is valid in the material domain as well as in the psychological domain. David Schwerin succinctly explains that the law of Karma parallels the law of cause and effect. “Every cause has an effect, every effect has its cause, every act has its consequences. We mistakenly assume that certain things are inevitable- because of this upside world view- we see cause as the effect. Viewing death as an unknown inevitable fact we conclude that fear of death stems from this unknown state. In reality this fear of death is an effect of the belief (the cause) that change leads to an unfamiliar state- which because it is unknown, must be negative and fearsome. Confusion arises when Karma theory is associated with rebirth. Rebirth is a concept or model which has great consoling effect on individuals as well as society. Because of the body mind association, we are always limiting the concept of soul. The Katha Upanishads (2.18.19) emphatically declare that the atman (soul) has neither birth or death. So there is no question of rebirth. – It is supreme consciousness that transcend time, space matter and causality. A seeker of truth must seek knowledge first before he attains mukti (liberalization). Demystifying Vedanta.

Fear of the Fifties.

As Tom Stoppard said “Age is a very high price to pay for maturity. Most of us impersonate a young version of ourselves, though the centre of gravity of our panting passion has shifted. Having lived a chaotic life as a rebel, confused lover, playboy meandering into exotic drugs and alcohol- it progressively has taken its toll. You feel more grounded, age does that you. You no longer need to sound so patronizing, so exalted. You are happier and content with the smaller things, more real achievements, stuff that dignifies you. Travel is something you must avoid, the traffic is killing and the airport experience is dehumanizing & is almost double the journey time. This is real progress; you need not visit anyone Skype and internet has bailed you out. It is not an elegant age, receding and graying hair line, shortness of breath- no amour prope, growing pomposity and in general a feeling that life has singularly failed to bring you, your just rewards. However cheer up 50 is better as you tend to give up caring. Sigh, life is just a passing fanny! You leave the more grand eloquent gestures for the younger around who need to strut around with their stuff- too often make a juvenile point. You now focus on the genuine things that make a difference to life and those around you, that’s called wisdom. The rest is bullocks, younger people love to faff around. Past fifty we learn with surprise and a sense of suicidal absolution, that what we intended and failed could never have happened. As we grow older we become sure that one can also really love all the women one does not respect.