Mind over matter

Mind set: Don't play it safe

Most of the world likes to play it safe. They go to their safe jobs, come home to their safe relationships, they drive safe cars, they invest money in safe corporations, they think safe thoughts, and they want nothing more than to feel safe and secure.

Survival of the fittest dictates that these people live another day and therefore get to breed and would make up the majority of the population. We could say that they play it smart.

But there is another kind, too. This other group lives for thrills. They don't just occasionally think outside the box, they actually prefer to live outside the box. This is a group who thrives on adventure, change, and newness. They love innovative new ideas, they like to explore new things, and push the envelope beyond its capabilities. They are the visionaries who perceive something beyond where we stand today.

This group often does not feel understood nor supported by the mainstream population. They are not rebels, although they are often accused of being rebellious because they do not embrace the status quo. This group is not anti-anything. They do not require group consensus to be who they are. Young adults often think that by dressing badly or by misbehaving that they are somehow brave and different from whatever it is that they are opposing, but that is not revolutionary and different, that is just anger turned inside out. They are not making a point, they are not changing the world, they are simply behaving in a manner that causes people to shun them. That is not the group I am talking about today.

This group is made up of people like Albert Einstein, Mahatma Gandhi, Nikola Tesla, Susan B Anthony, Melissa Etheridge, Nelson Mandela, and countless others who do not strive to be different nor to go against the mainstream beliefs. They simply are different, they think different, they live different, and they make passionate choices to contribute something meaningful to humanity despite the fact that others oppose them. All of these people stand tall despite the chaos and anger of those surrounding them. "Why can't you just leave well enough alone? Why do you always have to push people too far? Why can't you just get along?"

Those who would keep things safe and comfortable become frightened and angry at these innovative new thinkers. They torment them, threaten them, mistreat them, ostracise them, and create a storm of ugliness to try and stop these people from simply sharing the gifts of their hearts that they were born to share with humanity. Years later, often after they have long been dead, future generations can look back in hindsight and see their bravery as admirable. But in the moment, these people are historically treated terribly. These are typically men and women of peace who do not go out with an angry rebellious need to stir up trouble. They fight for higher ideals because in their heart of hearts they truly believe that things could be better.

Today there are millions of people who would change the world with their beautiful open-minded hearts and their incredibly brilliant minds, especially the upcoming teenagers and young adults in their early twenties. They feel that there is no point in even trying because the current political and cultural environment is so against them. I would be lying if I claimed that what you see as extreme hostility towards change was not at a peak right now. You are right. They do not want to change again, but you are right, it is time for another change and you are the ones to help bring it. Do not be afraid of the backlash. Stand tall and do what you know in your heart is right and just for all, not just what benefits a chosen few. You know that ignorance can no longer rule the people. You know that blind obedience is no longer a viable option.

People say that the signs are all here and Armageddon has begun. How selfish to assume that your god will come carry you off to heaven, therefore you do not have to care for the people and planet that are going to be left in the wake of your final choices. Who is to say that is not the ultimate test of who stays and who gets to ascend to a better place? If you had to choose who were truly worthy of burning in hell or going to heaven, would you pick those who were killing in the name of God or those who were crying out for love, equality, and to save the planet?

Speaking Tree - Happiness is not everything - May 24, 2010

The idea of happiness is a kind of ignorance. If your understanding is healthy, then you will never give too much importance to happiness; we do so because of our ignorance. Happiness is not the idea, purpose or aim of life; happiness is a consequence, a fruit.

Happiness is a subject of the senses; it is felt by the senses, it is an idea of the senses; it is information got from the senses. The scope of the senses is limited and the senses are completely unaware of the greatness of life. So if you are thinking for happiness or working for happiness you are just following your senses, you are indulging them. You are just living with your senses.

Understand the game of the senses, and then go beyond them. Discover that portion of life, that part of life that can give us something permanent, the highest knowledge of life, the highest clarity in life.

Nobody enters the path with full clarity, so even if you are ignorant or you lack the aspiration, somehow you will get connected. For instance you have a certain understanding of life and what you want. On the basis of what you know, your highest goal is to find happiness. As you undergo experiences in the course of life, your understanding grows wider and deeper. As your understanding develops you begin to see that happiness is not everything, that there is something beyond, that happiness comes and goes. You begin to think that perhaps satisfaction and being content is more important, no matter the kind of circumstances you are faced with. You could be content if you wished to be so.

Earlier your level of understanding prompted you to say: “How can I be content when I don’t have this, or I don’t have that?” Now your level of understanding has changed, and with that understanding you don’t miss anything, you are fully content. So it is just that in the level of our understanding something happens; if the understanding is high then you will not give too much importance to happiness, or sadness. When you aspire for something higher you will give more importance to your clarity, to your higher understanding, you will live for that; you will not give importance to whether the path is long or not, you will not give importance to the path at all, you will give importance to the target, the target is higher, aspiration is higher.

When you climb a mountain with the aim of reaching the top you have clarity. You know that you have to reach the top. That clarity helps you. The path will be very difficult, and maybe you will not be happy on the way, but when you reach the top that will give you much more than happiness, it will give you contentment. If we are only looking for happiness then we will never be able to climb high, aim high, or aspire for anything that can help us to evolve further.

What we understand by happiness lies on the surface. When you live at a deeper level, you give importance to clarity of consciousness which gives you information on the purpose of your existence; it gives you purpose. Once this is clear, everything will come to you including contentment and balance.

(Swami Brahmdev - As told to Sudhamahi Regunathan)

5 of 10 worst habits at work u should try to break....

1) Improper planning

While all of us are aware of the benefits of planning, when it comes to work, most people don’t have their agenda in place for the day, week or month. There are no set goals on what they want to achieve. They simply reach their workplace and then decide on the work to be executed.

“Lack of planning of the day at work or at the job is one of the most ‘non-productive’ habits at the workplace. This can, however, be rectified by a simple basic discipline of starting the day with some basic agenda in place,” says Alok Bansal, CEO, Alethia Education Services.


2) Carrying a chip on the shoulder

When you feel that you are more superior to others and as a result of this, don’t give an ear to others’ thoughts, ideas and work and don’t feel the importance of including others in your work because of the feeling of greatness, you are doing more harm to yourself than to anyone else.

“Sometimes, some people only want to work in the so-called ‘juicy’ areas (read brand management, strategy, analysis etc.), which is commonly seen in the fresh joinees from premier institutes who have been led to believe that they are god’s gift to the organization. This is also nod good for one’s career,” says Gagan Adlakha, partner, Vyaktitva, a performance consulting and training organization.


3) Not making notes/ filing information

A large amount of time is wasted at the work place as well as in normal life as we don’t maintain notes or records. It has been observed that people in the corporate world, especially the new generation, do not make notes of conversations they had with clients or peers. This then becomes a vicious circle of trying to haphazardly retrieve information when required. Most of the time it becomes a Chinese whisper like game.

Similarly, a large amount of time goes waste in trying to retrieve information. “Despite the tools available today, most of us seem to be losing on this count. Simple yet important things like relevant phone numbers or contact details of clients are lost or need to be searched. This causes immense loss of time and effort. As they say, information is the key and will always remain a powerful tool in the corporate world,” says Mr Bansal.


4) Improper time management

In a usual workplace, a good number of people are always complaining of too much load on them. A fewer lot have a claim to be doing lesser work. And hence are free to leave on time. This is largely attributed to using scientifically set time management principles. Some people manage their time exceptionally well and hence are found suitable to take up higher positions. “A poor time management skill is a habit that needs to be worked upon if one is looking up to rise up the ladder,” says Mr Bansal.


5) No sense of responsibility/ownership

When a person shuns away from his work and doesn’t feel responsible for his/her activities or refuses to take ownership of his acts and failures, this may hamper one’s growth in the long run. “This is by far the worst of all bad habits that can mar many promising careers,” says Mr Adlakha.


For more.. Click here.
Source: Economictimes

The Battle Inside

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, "My son, the battle is between 2 wolves.

"One is Evil. It is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority and ego.

The other is God. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf wins?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

Take care of your thoughts

"Thoughts lead to purposes;
Purposes go forth in action;
Actions form habits;
Habits decide character;
Character fixes our destiny."

So take care of your thoughts!

Know your conflicting self

Swami Sukhabodhananda

Happiness is what we want but our overwhelming desire to attain happiness and freedom actually takes it away from us.

We are not able to love for we are filled with hope and expectations. We are all working for freedom but freedom is elusive. Happiness is what we want but in our overwhelming desire for happiness and freedom it slips away. We come to a master with the desire to be happy and that prevents us from being happy. What comes between oneself and happiness is desire. The possibility of attaining happiness is weakened by increasing one’s desire for it. So what should we do? It is not a question of doing but seeing the foolishness of the desire. Look what is happening now. There is an experience of what is happening and yet there is another part in oneself that does not want what is happening. That is, “I want something other than what is. I create a conflict with my self”. This conflicting self is the “me”, and with this self one wants to be happy. Unless one sees the whole foolishness of this conflict, unhappiness will exist and you hold it in your desire to be happy.

See that one part of you is experiencing what is happening while the other part says, “I don’t want this and I want something else”. See this basic conflict. Sharpen your seeing and let the seeing just see “what is”.

Now see this conflict of who you are and who you want to become as a dream. Don’t give it the importance of a waking reality; see it as a movement of a dream state.
Learn to dis-identify yourself from this conflict and go on witnessing it from a distance. Learn to see the witness and not the witnessed. See the witnessing consciousness- the ‘sakshi’ and slowly without any desire you will see it is complete and full.

Now from this fullness, you start living life. From this fullness even if you desire, then a desire would be out of fullness and not for fullness. Your desire is out of happiness and not for happiness. This is a state of nirvana — enlightenment.

Words of Wisdom

Yesterday was one of those days where i was not myself. And just when i started feeling that everything within me was faling apart, a friend handed me a book "Way of Youth" by a Buddhist philosopher, Daisaku Ikeda. The approach of book is so very simple (and yet head on) in addressing the turbulences of a young mind, the concerns and questions that constantly poses. This book brings about a self directed transformation, making a powerful impact on the person reading it. For a young mind, looking for answers amidst lifes' strangest ways, this book strikes that chord of realisation of your truest self within you, that you have been looking for... what we really are, what we should really be to keep and maintain that unruffled peace and calm within. It brings about a change in your thoughts to regain your lost strength, and the lost "YOU". I would recommend this book for all the youngsters, go on, get a copy of it from your nearest book store.

"What kind of future do I envision for myself? What kind of self am I trying to develop? What do I want to accomplish in my life?" The thing is to paint this vision of your life in your heart as specifically as possible. That "painting" itself becomes the design of your future. The power of the heart enables us to actually create with our lives a wonderful masterpiece in accordance with that design." - Daisaku Ikeda

Speaking Tree - Move With The Flow, Learn To Let Go - Sept 13, 2007

We tend to cling to every object in our lives. We hold on to our profession, relationship or possession as if our entire world depends on them. We are so busy clinging to our own lives, that we have forgotten to live with the flow. We are afraid to move ahead, afraid to let go. Life in essence is like an unobstructed, unrestrained, uncontrolled flow of a river. Life flows at its own pace and the ultimate source of all our pain and sufferings is our tendency to cling to and obstruct the flow.

Professional life stagnates, relationships are broken, possessions are lost; all because we refused to let go when we were actually required to let things take their own course. Why do we cling? We cling because change scares us; we cling because we are afraid to face the unknown, to face challenges; we cling because we feel secure if the status quo is maintained; we cling because we refuse to believe that life can never be static; because we refuse to accept the transience of everything; we believe that everything is in our hands. We do not have enough faith in life and that higher force which is omnipotent and omnipresent. In the chaos of existence, we have lost touch with our higher self. Most of us lead a life which is similar to that of a child who is lost in a crowd, separated from his guardians. He has nobody to place his faith on. He is afraid, insecure, suspicious about everyone and everything. We live under the false illusion of having everything under our control. The spirit of getting things done becomes a problem when we continue to cling on even after we have exhorted all our efforts. We are overwhelmed by a sense of despair and disillusion when things move beyond our control. It is at this stage we need to learn to let go. Several times relationships are broken just because we tried too hard to make them work. We didn't give the breathing space they required to grow. We didn't let go and let them take their own course. Professionally or personally, once all the efforts are made towards achieving a goal, we must learn to let go and let life take the best course. It might or might not be of one's choice, but if we have faith, we will realise that it inevitably is the best course. We need to believe that forces above us are far better equipped to make judgments for us. We must learn to have faith in their judgment. Letting go, however, does not mean turning into a fatalist. One cannot sit idle in life and expect life to take care of itself. Karma, the fulfilment of one's duties is the ultimate objective of all human existence and if we fail to fulfil our duties towards life, life inevitably fails us.

When God gives us dreams, He shares them with us. Whatever we consider our dreams, are actually His dreams and He gives us the capability to realise them. The part we are required to play is to ensure the optimum usage of the capabilities bestowed upon us. And once we have played our part with utmost honesty and effort, we need to let go, step aside and let God step in to fulfill our dreams. After all, they are His dreams, too.

Speaking Tree - The world is What you like to think It Is - Mar 15, 2007

[This is the fourth Speaking Tree article i am posting on my blog]

Socrates was sitting outside of the gates of Athens. A man came up to him and said, "I am thinking about moving into Athens. Can you please tell me what it is like to live here?"

Socrates replied, "I would be happy to tell you, but first would you please tell me what it was like in your previous home city?" The man roared, "Oh, it was awful. The people stab you in the back and rob you blind. I am leaving only enemies". Socrates frowned and continued, "Well, you best be on your way because you will find the same thing here in Athens".

Later another man stopped to speak to Socrates and inquired, "I was considering moving here to Athens. Can you tell me what it is like to live here?" Socrates asked the visitor: "First tell me, what was it like in your previous home city?" The man smiled and said, "Where i come from the people all work together and help each other. Kindness is everywhere and you are never treated with anything but the utmost respect". "Welcome to Athens", smiled Socrates, "You will find the same thing here".

The world is what we think it is. The outside is a reflection of our inner self. If we look at the negative side of things, then our outlook would be bleak. And if we are an optimistic we would feel that positive things surround us everywhere. The first person had negative traits whereas the second person had everything good to say about his home city.

Most situations in our life can be seen as a relationship interaction, be it a personal relationship such as internal dialogues, or our dealings with a friend, family member, or co-worker. All things around us are merely reflections of our self-emanations. If we learn to live our lives with this understanding, then we have no one to blame for our lives. Usually we want to blame other people and the outside world for everything. The physical world is a projection of our beliefs and feelings which we then think is "reality".

As a man thinks, so he becomes. To take charge of our lives, we have to go within and become intensely honest with ourselves about ourselves. Start accepting that whatever comes to us comes because we have attracted it with thoughts, beliefs and feelings. We can take charge of our lives by taking charge of our thoughts, beliefs, feelings and tendencies.

Belief is the thermostat that regulates what we accomplish. A person, who believes he is worth little, receives little. If you believe you are unimportant, so every-thing you do has an unimportant mark. As time goes by, lack of belief in ourselves shows in the way we talk, walk, and act. Unless we readjust our thermostat, we shrink in our own estimation. And, since others see in us what we see in ourselves, we grow smaller in the estimation of others. You are a product of your thoughts. When you adjust your thermostat, you move forward. When you believe in yourself, good things do start happening. Your mind is a conception workshop producing numberless thoughts.

You have to explore your inner self, "Think doubt and fail; Think victory and succeed".

Avalanche of Thoughts

It is said ‘thinking will get us to the foot of the mountain, but faith will make us climb the mountain.’ So let us act out of faith. Doing so will bring vitality to one’s actions. But faith in God is not enough, one should have faith in oneself too. Role of experience in our lives There are three levels of knowing - gross, subtle and subtlest. Gross knowing is verbal knowing, subtle knowing is seeing the meaning of the word and subtlest knowing is experiential knowing. There are things which can be understood only by experience. For example, God is the ultimate experience and it is inexpressible. If you look at a flower from your mind, you see its chemistry; if you were to look at it from your heart, you see the poetry; and if you look at it from your being, you become one with the flower. To experience an experience is an art. We don’t experience an experience; we are always interpreting an experience. When one is lost in interpretation, then one looks at something through one’s thought process, ie through mental words. Words are the expression of one’s likes and dislikes. Our interpretations are very autobiographical and hence we don’t see or experience what is, we experience our old and known self. To live wisely means to create a space in one’s mind, which is capable of seeing and not just interpreting. Then one is vailable for an experience.

How can a miserable mind understand the right path? By just stopping to be miserable. Learn to wonder, learn to marvel, learn to see life without a thought. Thought is an expression of memory - memory of the past. And when you see something with thought, you see something with memory... and that is past. So you see the present with the past. In effect you don’t really see. When you are unhappy, the unhappy thought will relate to all the files of your unhappy memories of the past and the past unhappiness, like an avalanche will cascade into the present. Just drop being miserable. Then you will not fight with your mind and you will flow with what is.

- Swami Sukhabodhananda for "Times Wellness", TOI Jan 9, 2007

"Team Spirit did the trick."

This is what Graeme Smith, captian of South African cricket team, had to say after thrashing India 4-0 in the ODI series in South Africa.

How important is this team spirit… is team spirit the only success factor.. did the Indian team loose the series because they lacked it? Can you point the fingers at lack of motivation and self confidence in the team players? What does team sprit do to the team.. and to the individuals??? How important it is to keep self and the team motivated all the time? Well certainly, the Indian team's body language said it all. They lacked confidence, which was evident in their shot selections and the way they moved their feet when they faced the charging South African pacers Mkhaya Ntini, Andre Nel, Shaun Pollock on the field. It was soo much obvious watching on tv that the India cricket team is punctured in the mind.

Thinking positive, being strong, driving out the fears, working more than their potential is not just sports player’s recipe for success, but also for individuals in every walk of life. It has to come from within and all it takes is to look inside. This enlightened mind, this self realization brings strength to a person who has the urge to taste success. Be it your project team or your football team, be it in movie making, be it in an army defending the entire nation.. or be it your own small lovely family… everywhere… being positive and motivated just helps!!! You got to keep up the spirits at any cost :)

Speaking Tree - 5 keys to transform your destiny - Aug 08, 2006

Destiny is the predetermined, pre-ordained blue print of one's life. Is the path and destination of every individual life mapped even before the person’s birth?

The individual soul carries an invisible balance sheet of debit and credit and this serves to propel the soul to animate a particular embryo. The parents, country, marriage partner, life span, all major and probably even minor events are determined by one's karma. Every thought, word and deed registers in the consciousness and serves as the seed for a future effect.

Where does all this leave the individual? A helpless puppet at the mercy of effects of remote planets, buffeted around by the effects of assailing thoughts, words uttered and actions committed or omitted in another time and space. If everything is predetermined do I have any choice or free will?

The options are -

A. My fate is fixed by my past karmas. Might as well accept it and play along.
B. My life is pre-determined but I can try to handle it to the best of my ability.
C. Though my life is pre-determined, there is a way to transform the effects of karma and reshape my destiny.

Well, each of the above options is as true as you make it. For millions of lifetimes, a soul is swept along helplessly. However, there comes a special lifetime where the individual soul encounters a catastrophe, or a series of ordeals, or a guru. There arise some questions universal to the human heart - which act as pointers to the endless path stretched out in front of the being. Eternal questions of self-awareness begin to arise as - Do I have a choice? If so how do I exercise my choice towards a joyful future? What is the correct way to live?

This probing, searching, seeking is the beginning of the exciting process of growth, self-discovery and completion. The spiritual truth is that you definitely do have a choice in shaping your destiny, even in the face of negative past karma.

Destiny is the impetus, momentum and direction given to your life by past actions. The law of cause and effect is strict and accords with scientific reason. Every action has its consequence and manifests whenever the external conditions are conducive. So is one a helpless pawn at the mercy of the effects of what we don’t even remember? Well, not quite.

Destiny or the total collection and force of your past actions can be transformed. The alchemy of this transmutation is possible, but not easy. Swimming against a strong current never is. To be the conscious and aware script writer of your drama is an art and skill, which can diligently be cultivated and mastered. In fact this striving to move from the shadows to luminosity is probably the sole purpose of human life.

KEY 1 -Always take complete responsibility for your life

All that you face today - be it bad health, an uncaring spouse, a financial crunch, an unfair deal from parents or your child - remember nobody is to blame - not circumstances, people, planets, God or even you. You are also not to blame; because your past actions were committed from your level of awareness at that stage. However, taking complete responsibility amounts to accepting the law of cause and effect not just intellectually, but from the depths of your life; with a gut wrenching honesty you need to logically deduce and accept your past actions.

Seeds once sown will sprout some day, unless they are roasted in the fire of repentance. The catch is that, it is difficult to repent what you do not remember doing. One needs to take complete responsibility, coupled with a deep appreciation for this opportunity for growth and conscious evolution. In this painful yet heroic endeavour you always have the divine as your constant and silent comrade, witness and guide - much like Arjuna had Krishna. However , the difficult decision and the fighting of the war was Arjuna’s prerogative, as is yours.

KEY 2 - Learn the art of conscious living

The character and personality of every human being is determined by their samskars or tendencies. Every thought word and deed produces a faint crease in the fabric of the subconscious mind. We tend to repeat our patterns of mistakes and disasters, by unwittingly allowing compulsive patterns of irritation, lust, hatred, ahamkara and foolishness deepen these creases into grooves, and our reactions and responses flow like a recurring theme into these, just as, water tends to flow compulsively from a higher to a lower level. A Herculean will and a lucid constant awareness of one's actions, and more importantly the motives behind the actions, is mandatory to live consciously in every moment Intense aspiration, discipline, perseverance, meditation and prayer help you to go through the fire of periodic critical self-appraisal.

Soon candid confessions become the order of the day. One begins to catch ones thoughts like - Yes, I need to improve, What I am doing is not best way to do it or Yes, I felt a twinge of envy at my colleagues promotion or I am always trying to prove my superiority in obvious or subtle ways . This fire of honest self-analysis gradually purifies and destroys the old, not-so-positive tendencies.

KEY 3: To cultivate new, positive, life-enhancing qualities.

If key 2 is pulling unwanted weeds from your garden, key 3 is to plant new seeds of your choice. Paint the picture of your life by cherishing a vision of a peaceful, abundant and compassionate you. How would you walk, talk, dress, conduct yourself? What would be the vibrations emanating from your heart if you were a perfect human being? Have a vision, which you desire to manifest and nurture, a prayerful and humble desire to create it. Transformation does not occur by suppression, control or magic but the sweat and toil of assiduous moment-to-moment efforts. The scene changes when anger converts into patience and compassionate action, lust transforms into a hunger for beauty and peace. Seeds planted in the fertile soil of the subconscious mind invariably bear fruit. Of course, if you sow apples you cannot expect tangy oranges. Again the choice and the responsibility, both are yours.

Key one was to do with the conscious mind, Key 2 and 3 with the subconscious mind. Key 4 is to get in touch with your super consciousness.

KEY 4 -Awaken to the vast potential within

What we are aware about ourselves is miniscule compared to the unknown, boundless treasures within. Everything one has ever dreamt about or longed for - lies deep within.

The acid test as to whether you are touching and realizing your goal or not, is to honestly answer the questions - are most of my actions motivated by self interest? Am I not able to accept opposing points of view? Am I unable to love and accept others and myself? If the answer to any of these is yes, you need to pull up your socks.

Key 5: Have faith and surrender

Have faith in yourself and your connection to your source, which is experienced as a living presence in the depths of your heart. It’s your choice, whether you want to stretch out your arms to it, with a child like simplicity or turn your back to it with the disbelief of the rational mind. The most beautiful realities of life cannot be touched or explained, but can be felt with the heart.

Surrender with loving trust to the vibration in the deepest recesses of your being. Have confidence that help and protection, love and grace are within you and you can access them by simply flowing in the present moment. By making the purer, nobler choice for a larger good at every crossroad, simultaneously, renouncing the anxieties of the past and future - is the key to align yourself to a higher will.

By the application of these 5 keys you can learn to resist the gravitational pull of your negativities and soar high to a dimension where karma ceases to matter.

Speaking Tree - Every Day is a Celebration For the God-conscious - Dec 28, 2005

We awake each morning not knowing what to expect from the day ahead. Will it bring good fortune or pain? This uncertainty creates feelings of fear and instability. How is one to deal with daily life when one is filled with uncertainty? Mystics and saints view life from a higher angle. They recommend that we live each moment with full trust in the Lord.

Trust in the Lord requires a conviction that there is an unseen power who created this world and who created us. It means having knowledge that our soul has been created by God, and its journey is under God’s will. It requires conviction that God has sent us into the world for a purpose and our destiny is to fulfil that purpose. This means that we cannot leave this earth before our destined time comes. It means that certain events that happen to us are also preordained by God, and that what happens is already laid out for us. It also means that we have been given some free will in which we can make some choices.

Some of what happens to us each day is God’s will. We also have free will to choose, and we can make choices that are going to be beneficial to us and those around us. Our journey in life is a process of evolution of the soul. Sooner or later the soul is destined to return to God. The end goal that God has for us is that we attain this freedom. At the right moment, we get a helping hand when we think all is lost.

Ernest Shackleford dreamed of crossing Antarctica by dog sled, a 2,100-mile journey. Shackleford and his team began the journey. Unfortunately, the boat taking them to Antarctica hit an ice pack and sank. Luckily, the men survived, but they found themselves in waters with drifting ice floes. The nearest land was 200 miles away. The nearest human outpost was 1,200 miles away.

They salvaged a one-ton lifeboat which they pulled with them, crossing from one ice floe to another. When they reached an area that did not have anymore ice floes, they got into the lifeboat, but the waves were often 90 feet high. Somehow, they made it to an island of ice, which had never been crossed before. It took them seven months to reach civilisation. When they finally arrived, they told their friends that they felt the presence of an unseen power guiding them on.

The beauty of God’s unseen hand is that sometimes we actively pray for help and receive it, but there are many times when we do not even ask for help, and help comes anyway. These times are reminders to us that we are not alone. One way to feel God’s presence is to meditate. The energy emanating from God is a principle that manifests as light and sound. The light is greater than any light one experiences on earth. The sound is a divine melody that reverberates without instruments or vocal chords.

The more consciousness there is, the more ethereal the sound. Let us make everyday a celebration. The next time we feel helpless and alone, let us remember that God’s arms are around us. Let us offer thanks for the myriad ways in which God’s love surrounds and protects us.

Speaking Tree - The Lotus of Consciousness Is Thousand-petalled - Dec 27, 2005

The journey from loneliness to aloneness is a long and arduous one — from the seemingly playful ripples on the surface of our being at the outset to deep shadows of conflict and contradictions — as we move on to discover ourselves.

To reach the innermost depth of understanding and tranquillity, each one of us, as a free thinker, has to walk the lonely path to self-discovery through the noisy mind. Life in its essence does not change; it hasn't for thousands of years. Life flows, as ever, with all its ups and downs.

The question is: Can we flow along with it in a naturally abundant, joyous, balanced state of being? From the chaotic state of mind, we first travel the difficult distance to the state of loneliness, which for some, may even be an anxiety-ridden experience. But in itself, it is the first and most promising milestone towards self-realisation. From there begins the journey towards aloneness.

Loneliness is the mirror carved out of our introspection — it reflects where we are in our journey towards the ultimate. At the take-off stage we are nothing more than lost particles in the vast universe and yet not quite so... for we are determined to find out who we are.

Aloneness is that next step towards self-realisation and then with consistent, aware evolution comes the finer state of aloneness; it keeps getting better till finally one arrives! There is no conflict left...problems get resolved. We had perceived challenges as problems because of our deep-rooted conditioning.

Rarely are we brought up to think that every challenge carries a huge potential, a juicy seed for our inner growth. Evolution, like pregnancy with its labour pains, is a process that carries the amazing promise of a whole new life.

In aloneness, we begin to cherish our own company and in the same measure as that of the stars, the trees and the breeze. We become one with the universe, in tune with life. Then you want nothing, crave for nothing, desire nothing because you have everything. You have you with you and that you is life in totality itself: the ultimate. Your journey to the higher self has to begin and end with you and only you.

The moment of self-realisation can happen anytime. It depends upon your readiness to receive it, upon the purity of your being in everything you do. Open your being to life and magical things would begin to happen to you. Your own life energy will flow through you, surprising you with the infinite joyous energy you carry within yourself.

You would no longer be lonely. Instead, you would be the ecstatic self which is total in being alone and in tune with nature. For the first time there would be no conflict between existence and you. As Osho said, "You will be able to sing the song that you have brought into your heart which has remained unsung for so long.

You will be able to bloom into thousands of flowers. Or as we say it in the East: You will bloom into a thousand-petalled lotus of consciousness, of awareness. That is, God, or still better, godliness".

The Speaking Tree!!

Starting today i will be posting some great articles.. which takes me, you, us .. everybody one step closer to God and self-realization. These are articles from the editorials of the times of india newspaper and is called "The Speaking Tree".

Resolving Conflicts

[came across this classic article... take time to read]

Conflict. It's a fact of life. It's a fact in friendships. You develop a friendship with someone, and conflict is sure to occur.

Many superficial friendships end up being shelved after an argument because there isn't enough depth to warrant all the trouble it takes to smooth over the disagreement. Unfortunately, even when the friendship reaches a deeper level, conflict continues to happen and can break apart a relationship.

First and foremost, talk the situation over soon after it occurs. And do it soon! From my experience, people begin to talk about what happened even sooner afterwards. Good, step in the right direction, right? Well, not always… particularly when the talking isn't with the person involved, but with other friends or acquaintances. People begin to pick sides. The gossip circulates and all of a sudden, friends become enemies. Suddenly everyone is mad at everyone else. So, be sure to talk with the person with whom you are upset without the interference of people who aren't really involved.

Resolve it the day it happens. One rule my parents follow in their marriage is that they don't go to bed angry with each other. They always attempt to resolve things the day it happens so that in the morning, it's a fresh start with no past grudges. I've found I need a short cool down period of a couple of minutes so that I don't act in anger, so I can act with a more rational mind instead. For some, counting to one hundred before saying anything, may be an option. Whatever you do, don't let things ride for too long. Even when you don't see eye to eye, agree to disagree. Tell them that while you may not agree with what they're saying, you still value their friendship.

Try to see the other person's perspective. Sometimes if you sit down and talk things over, you begin to see where the other person is coming from. Realize that everyone has been created differently with various talents, abilities and personality traits. For example, you might be a leader while your friend is more of a follower. You may be frustrated with him or her for not being very decisive. Yet it is important to understand that no matter what your quirks, each person is still unique and needs to be appreciated.

Here's a tough one - initiate resolution. Be the first person in a fight to say sorry for your part. Even when you think the other person is wrong, it's not a bad thing to say "I'm sorry you feel that way" or "I'm sorry if I offended you in that way." If you're honest, genuine, and gentle in delivering your words, there's a good chance your friend will reciprocate positively. Use feeling words as no one can argue with your feelings. For example, "When you do this, you make me feel silly."

Focus on the bigger picture. Successfully facing and working through the discomfort of conflict in a friendship has a worthwhile reward: a deeper relationship. Don't accuse by using the word, "you." Be sensitive. Try to offer solutions when appropriate, but know when to listen. Don't underestimate the importance of a listening ear. Most important, be loving in what you do. Don't go out to "get" the other person, but try to focus on peacefully resolving the disagreement.

Resolving conflict in any friendship is not the most pleasant task, but it is worth the hassle for the result on the other end is a deeper friendship.