© Ishwinder Kaur

Its like being on vacation. You are enjoying every moment of your
break.
Such is life

Image via Wikipedia

Isn’t it funny that you chose to live in a world where you get hit by a giant hot wave, with shrapnels piercing through your body and slicing through your flesh like a hot knife through butter while you were sipping tea and enjoying the flavour and the interesting conversation with your friend. In the most bizarre of circumstances will someone question your intentions. Yet we chose to live in such a world, at such a time when life’s being sucked out of you every moment that you live.

Isn’t it amazing that we, to whom a life has been bestowed, awakens to an alarm clock, and there no longer are birds chirping to greet and welcome you into a new day. Trust does not exist anymore. Lets keep relations aside, you don’t trust the air you breathe nor the water that you drink. Every morning you pick up the newspaper and begin reading sordid and ghastly tales, in human i’d rather put it, such negativity and hate and you call it a beautiful morning. Have you ever wanted to read something good, something happy first thing in the morning. You know that a happy start is a great start for the day. Sachin scoring a 200 and the entire country was beaming. Why? It’s his feat, it’s his record. His names gone into history, not yours or mine but still we’re happy and you probably made someone happy during the course of the day. I did. Why? Because he made me proud of the country he belongs, You and I belong.

Isn’t it ironical that the hours and promises you make to look good, better but still continue being exploited even when you’re wearing your new dress. If that his how you prove your worth, atleast give credit to your new cloth. You’ve earned it with your own hard earned money. It’s astonishing to see that you are exploiting your self  so that you can see someone happy, but he ain’t happy still.

It’s similar to being a tree that has sacrificed itself or cut down so that it becomes the newspaper that you read in the morning, and the newspaper reads . . . You know what? Pain.

A sacrifice gone in vain.

Lately, while meditating, I’ve been realizing Wisdom and Awareness; What I will term as a ‘download of information’.
I have written one of them that I ‘received’ last night.

I am the source
I am the creator
I have created you
I love you
I respect you
I have given you the right to choice

You love me
I love you
I respect you

You don’t love me
I love you
I respect you
I have created you.

To briefly explain, it means that I, like everyone is a Creator and the Source. I have created this world. Nature, happiness and grief, friends and foes, Trees and roads, situations and results, everything that stimulates and does not stimulate the senses has been created by ‘me’.

Since, I have created You, I love and respect you. But I have also given you the right to choice. So it’s not necessary that you have to love and respect me. If you, the created, loves and respects me; I Love and Respect you. If you, the created, doesn’t love and respect me, I still Love and Respect You because I have Created you.

I have been listening to this beautiful song for a few weeks now and absolutely love the song for its simplicity, choice of words and music.  Apart from listening to it often, have also learnt the Guitar chords. Check the video and if you’re also one of them who loves the song, try the chords…

Happiness
More or less
It’s just a change in me
Something in my liberty
Oh, my, my

Happiness
Coming and going
I watch you look at me
Watch my fever growing
I know just where I am

But how many corners do I have to turn?
How many times do I have to learn
All the love I have is in my mind?

But I’m a lucky man
With fire in my hands

Happiness
Something in my own place
I’m stood here naked
Smiling, I feel no disgrace
With who I am

Happiness
Coming and going
I watch you look at me
Watch my fever growing
I know just who I am

But how many corners do I have to turn?
How many times do I have to learn
All the love I have is in my mind?

I hope you understand
I hope you understand

Gotta love that’ll never die

Happiness
More or less
It’s just a change in me
Something in my liberty
Happiness
Coming and going
I watch you look at me
Watch my fever growing
I know

Oh, my, my
Oh, my, my
Oh, my, my
Oh, my, my

Gotta love that’ll never die
Gotta love that’ll never die
No, no
I’m a lucky man

It’s just a change in me
Something in my liberty
It’s just a change in me
Something in my liberty
It’s just a change in me
Something in my liberty
Oh, my, my
Oh, my, my
It’s just a change in me
Something in my liberty
Oh, my, my
Oh, my, my

OM, although indivisible consist of 3 letters and represents 4 states of consciousness:

A, U, M and the aftersound – anagata, represented by the dot placed above the letter M in Sanskrit.

• A sounded “Ah” is the beginning of every language, sounded from the throat.

Vaiswanara, the Self as the universal person in his physical being. Whosoever knows Vaiswanara obtains what he desires, and becomes the first among men.

• U sounded “Oo” from the palate. It corresponds to Taijasa, the Self as the universal person in his mental being. Taijasa and the letter U both stand in dream, between waking and sleeping. Whosoever knows Taijasa grows in wisdom, and is highly honoured.
• M sounded “Mng” sounded through closed lips and teeth. The third letter M corresponds to Prajna, the Self as the universal person in dreamless sleep. He is the origin and the end of all. Whosoever knows Prajna knows all things.
• After the audible sound ends there is still a vibration. It is the unspoken anagata that is always there before the beginning and after the end. The Self is OM, the indivisible syllable. This syllable is unutterable, and beyond mind. In it the manifold universe disappears. It is the supreme good – One without a second. Whosoever knows OM, the Self, becomes the Self.

The three letters as described above can also be compared to all aspects of the Trinities found in different philosophy or religions, for example:

• The 3 aspects existence: birth, life and death
• The 3 aspects of time: past, present, future
• The 3 gunas: tamas (inertia, darkness and ignorance), rajas (activity and passion) and sattva (light and love)
• The 3 state of consciousness: conscious, subconscious and unconscious or dreamless sleep.

The symbol of OM contains three curves, one semicircle and a dot. The large lower curve symbolizes the waking state; the upper curve denotes deep sleep (or the unconscious) state, and the lower curve (which lies between deep sleep and the waking state) signifies the dream state. These three states of an individual’s consciousness, and therefore the entire physical phenomenon, are represented by the three curves. The dot signifies the Absolute (fourth or Turiya state of consciousness), which illuminates the other three states. The semicircle symbolizes maya and separates the dot from the other three curves. The semicircle is open on the top, which means that the absolute is infinite and is not affected by maya. Maya only affects the manifested phenomenon. In this way the form of Om symbolizes the infinite Brahman and the entire Universe.

A quote from the Upanishads:

The essence of all beings is earth,
the essence of earth is water,
the essence of water are plants,
the essence of plants is man,
the essence of man is speech,
the essence of speech is sacred knowledge,
the essence of sacred knowledge is word and sound,
The essence of word and sound is Om.

The Power of Chanting Om

1. The chanting of Om drives away all worldly thoughts and removes distraction and infuses new vigour in the body.
2. When you feel depressed, chant Om fifty times and you will be filled with new vigour and strength. The chanting of Om is a powerful tonic. When you chant Om, you feel you are the pure, all pervading light and consciousness.
3. Those who chant Om will have a powerful, sweet voice. Whenever you take a stroll, you can chant Om. You can also sing Om in a beautiful way. The rythmic pronunciation of Om makes the mind serene and pointed, and infuses the spiritual qualifications which ensure self-realization.
4. Those who do meditation of Om daily will get tremendous power. They will have lustre in their eyes and faces.

Meditation on Om
Retire to a quite place, sit down, close your eyes and completely relax your muscles and nerves. Concentrate on the space between your eyebrows and quieten and silence the conscious mind. Begin to repeat “Om” mentally while associating the ideas of infinity, eternity, immortality, etc. You must repeat Om with the feeling that you are the infinite and all-pervading. Mere repetition of Om will not bring the desired result. Keep the meaning of Om always at heart. Feal Om. Feel that you are the pure, perfect, all-knowing, eternal, free, Brahman. Feel that you are absolute consciousness and the infinite, unchanging existance. Every part of your body should powerfully vibrate with these ideas. This feeling should be kept up all day long. Practice regularly and steadily with sincerity, faith, perseverance and enthusiasm in the morning, midday and evening.

source:

1. happyoga.com
2. experiencefestival.com
3. omsakthi.org

I quit my job to focus my energies to the cause of ‘ek titli’ and also working on the relationship, but in vain. The titli is gearing for its flight but unfortunately the relationship didn’t see the light of the day. I think its nature’s way of saying, hey I gotta take something to give something.

The other day I was watching this movie called Jaan-e-Mann starring Salman Khan, Preity Zinta and Akshay Kumar and the lyrics of one of the songs describes my situation. Here it is:

Sau dard hain (in hindi)
A hundred pains (translated to english)

Sau rahatein
A hundred pathways

Sab mila dilnasheen
I got it all my love

Ek tu hi nahin
I just didn’t get you

Ruki ruki si yeh hawa
Feels like the wind has stopped blowing

Aur sookhe patte ki tarah
And like a dried up leaf

Shehar ki sadkon pe main
On the streets of the city

Laawaris udhta hua
I am flying around all alone

Sau raaste par teri raah nahin
A hundred roads but yours is missing

To listen to the song, click here.

Though it’s been a year of learning’s and experiences, there were also those that took my breath away.. and one of them was 2nd Nov, my birthday.

The evening of the 1st was spent at a family friends place to celebrate his wife’s birthday. I headed back home to celebrate my day with my siblings and Ma. It was special for Mom because we were celebrating it together after around 7 years. Though, I wanted my friends to be a part of it but none of them were making it as some of them were in Indore attending a wedding and the others in Pune, due to work commitments. So, this birthday was expected to be a quiet celebration… but not until 5 Spider Men barged into the house just before the stroke of 12.

Even before I could fathom the fact that my friends are here, my sisters emptied an entire can of Shaving Foam on me. Very Lathery! [check the pictures here]

Getting back to my friends, they took a flight from Indore only to make it for my birthday. One of the best surprises I have ever been a part of or experienced. It was one of those days where everyone played a part to make the day as special as ever.

Thanks guys… thanks a ton.. I promise that when your day comes, I’ll make it as special as ever. Thanks again.

I have set myself a few goals for the coming year and I am hoping to aggressively pursue it this time. The one of utmost importance and priority is given below:

• See that the titli reaches great heights or is on its way to glory. Using it as a platform, encourage citizens to “act now” for a green today and a greener tomorrow.

Until my next post, here’s wishing you a very Happy New Year. May the coming year be filled with Greenery, Smiles and loads of Sunshine

Amongst the mud of lust, there's always a lotus of love that blooms!

WHETHER SOMEBODY HATES YOU OR SOMEBODY LOVES YOU SHOULD NOT MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE IN YOU.

If you are, you remain the same. If you are not, then you are immediately changed. If you are not, then anybody can pull you, push you; then anybody can push your buttons and change you. Then you are a slave, then you are not a master. Your mastery begins when whatsoever happens outside does not change you; your inner climate remains the same.

A psychoanalyst was attending a convention. At one of the lectures one ugly woman sitting next to him began to pinch him. Annoyed, he was about to give her an angry retort, when he changed his mind: “Why should I get angry,” he decided. “After all, it is her problem.”
Whether somebody loves you or hates you, it is his or her problem. If you are, if you have understood your being, you remain in tune with yourself. Nobody can disturb your inner harmony. If somebody loves, good; if somebody hates, good. Both remain somewhere outside you. This is what we call mastery. This is what we call crystallization — becoming free of impressions, influences.
You ask me, “What do you do when somebody hates you?”

What can I do? It is that person’s problem; it has nothing to do with me. If I was not here he would have hated somebody else. He would have hated. If there were nobody and he were alone, he would have hated himself. Hatred is his problem. It has nothing to do with me, not in the least. Basically it does not even refer to me; I am just an excuse. Somebody else would have done as well, would have functioned as an excuse for him.

Have you not watched it? that when you are angry, you are simply angry. It is not that your anger is addressed to somebody. That ’somebody’ is nothing but an excuse. Angry, you come home from the office; you jump on your wife. Angry, you go from your home; you are angry in the office with the peon, with the clerk, with this and that. If you analyze your states of mind, you will come to see that they belong to you. You live in your own world, but you go on projecting it on others.
When you are angry, YOU are angry — not at me. When you are full of hate, you are full of hate — not at me. When you are full of love, you are full of love — not at me. Once you understand it, you remain like a lotus leaf in the world. You remain in the water but the water does not touch; it touches you not.

You remain in the world and yet aloof, not of it. Then nobody can disturb your silence, and nobody can distract you. Your compassion goes on flowing. If you love me, you receive my compassion. If you hate me, you will not receive my compassion — not because I will not give to you. I will be continuously giving to you, as much as I give to those who love me, but you will be closed and you will not receive it.
Once being is attained, one is compassion, unconditional compassion. Not that in some moments he becomes compassionate and some moments he is not compassionate. Compassion then is his natural climate, compassion is his permanent mood, compassion is his integrated being. Then whatsoever you do, his compassion goes on showering on you. But there are moments when you will receive it, when you will be open, and there are moments when you will not receive it because you will be closed.

So in hate you will not receive that, in love you will receive that. And you may even feel the difference — because one who loves me will start growing, one who hates me will start shrinking. Both will become so totally different that you may start thinking that I must be giving more to the one I Love, or one who loves me, and I’m not giving to one who hates me or is angry at me or is closed towards me. But I am not doing that. The clouds are there and they are showering: if your pot is not broken it will be filled. Or even if your pot is not broken, but is upside-down, then you will miss. Hate is a state of upside-downness. Then rains can go on showering but you will remain empty, because your opening is not there.
Once you are put rightside-up, that’s what love is. Love is nothing but an opening, a receptivity, a welcome, an invitation, that “I am ready; come, please.”

- OSHO