Are you busy?
This question is being constantly asked to us! A very gentle attempt to get our attention, to be able to ‘communicate’ (meaningfully, of course!) to us.
Just that we happen to listen to it not quite often!
Take a look at the situations when this question is put to us (and usual responses).
When,
1. In a normal day-to-day situation asked by…..
The boss -- No Sir/Madam, please tell me what I can do for you?
A VIP asks us -- Oh! Sir, you embarrass me… it is always an honour to be of any help...
Beauty queen/ Prince Charming -- Never too busy for you!
Nagging spouse – (No reply warranted until the question repeats atleast thrice / aloud!)
Friend -- Depends! (on what?... Well, mutual benefit scheme’s conditionalities!)
Customer -- No sir/madam, please tell me… (wait, the next word you utter will decide!)
Etc….
2. The same question in a bit subtle way….
A gentle breeze --
(a)Oh! Thanks, no fan or AC can ever match this! (when sweating profusely!).
(b) …… (when otherwise busy)
Menacingly approaching vehicle threatening head long collision –
(a) Brake, Horn, Yell, etc (Get the hell out of its way, and fast!)
(b) ……… (if turning to talk to the pillion rider, staring at a provoking poster)
Etc…
3. The same question (this time in the subtlest way, and now, is why it is “constantly”)
Nature (manifest) --
(a) Great! I shall return again to you very soon! (When on a brief holiday!)
(b) Oh! Dull, boring… (Etc) … (when unemployed, but survival take care of)
Life (personified)
(a) …… (busy stuck in body, mind , situation etc!!!)
(b) Death ( personified) … Please, not yet, allow me little more time, lots of unfinished…!
Well,…. It is not about whether we bother to respond to this question each and every time, or not. Situations keep changing, so also our attitude, capability & priorities, and so accordingly our responses.
It is about our levels of preparedness to meet, experience and enjoy life as it happens around us, till we ‘Rest In Peace’! It calls for that razor-sharp and ever enhancing levels of alertness, coupled with deepest possible states of relaxation, simultaneously maintained, that decides the quality of our life. Performance, achievement, etc happen exponentially upgrading, but we would soon discover, that they just happen to be side-benefits, a sheer consequence, as inevitable as the negative consequence of ‘absenting’ from that preparedness! The essence of this discovery, the experience of this discovery, when put into words, perhaps might look like this: “Oh! Most of the time, I had been just re-acting to situations that happen to me! It is now that I happen to be really living, acting according to the situation, whichever way ‘Life’ happens to me! Even inaction, silence, stillness is very dynamic in experience!”
Psn ( 13-07-2008)
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Broadcasting LEGEND
Broadcasting Legend.
I felt fortunate to have had a glimpse of that Broadcasting legend, Mr. Ameen Sayani, during the brief interview in the program ‘Being a Legend’ telecast by CNN-IBN on Saturday 1.30 pm (19-7-2008) and repeated next day at 1.30 pm.
He had a captivating voice, and literally ruled the hearts of all Hindi knowing, and some of Hindi listening audience from 1952 for about 45 years.
When I was listening to his experience, and comments it just occurred to me that he had all the ingredients to become a legend. In fact, becoming a legend was an inevitable consequence.
Body, mind and breath are closely interwoven, though loose within each other. It is exactly this aspect which was deeply looked at by our ancient masters, when they perfected the technique to reach deeper levels of consciousness!
Our legend, Mr.Ameen Sayani, happened to become more and more breath conscious, given the nature of his profession (or else that noise of inhalation /exhalation would get ‘aired’ during a broadcast). Attempting a fair control over this breath must have contributed towards acquiring a steady pattern! By itself, this would mean not much since most ‘mike’ users do this. His attitude right from start was very positive, and that was a major contributor as a catalyst, to the exponential growth/evolvement in his ‘being’! This was amply visible when he said that he never imposed himself on the other person during interview recording of celebrities. He also mentioned about participation in the emotional psyche of the other person to help the other person to get motivated, and also took care to come out when appropriate! Most of the ancient Masters held their disciples in this way. This bond is symbolized by numeral 8 wherein both the circles are in contact, maintaining the independence. Where as when both are in same circle, there is a domination for vested interests. He attributed his ‘recognition’ amongst radio listeners due to this non-interrupting attitude during interviews. Perhaps he set into motion, the concept of “Radio listeners club’, and it took of phenomenally. He also had to get rid of that Gujarathi accent which came with his childhood days, and he was aware, it took some seven years to acquire the required Indian National Language accent! In a subtle manner, he underwent the ‘experience’ of how deeply embedded characteristics could be consciously loosened up! Most spiritual seekers find this as a major stumble-block!
I had read somewhere that ancient Rishis, conducted a broadcasting of different kind! This may be quite difficult to agree, understand or accept, but the rishis never bothered about the aspect of ‘recognition’. In fact, they preferred remaining incognito. It seems the time of broadcast was Brahma Muhurtham, at their station of broadcast (some remote inaccessible cave, where interference of most types, is obviously least!). A logical inference, though very weak, can be drawn from various instances, to mention a few,
a) Most patients in hospital, undergoing acute pain, get some respite during early hours.
b) Early risers, find this period very useful to focus on any problematic issue.
c) Music teachers (traditional), suggest this time to reasonably amenable students.
d) Professional truck drivers, find it safe to park for a while during early hours, since ‘deep relaxation’ over powers them, when they try to strain and concentrate during all-night non-stop driving.
e) Some surgeries are undertaken during early hours in reputed hospitals.
And so on…
Our legend Mr.Ameen Sayani did enjoy some of the facilities of seclusion, non-interference of noises, etc inside that broadcasting room confinement, for a sufficient period of time. May be, it added to his advantage while undergoing a crude form of meditation/sadhana/tapas, like cave-confinement, single minded, well focused practice of ‘reaching’ out to people far way, through well modulated, well appealing, soft, clear, loving voice !
It is no wonder that he was able to put forth the essence of his experience in developing a yet another unique approach towards good communication skills! He mentioned five “sa” prefixed Hindi words, as a thumb rule to develop into being a good broadcaster.
Sanchar, is a form of communication he explained. So, he suggested five “sa’s”.
Sahi (correct)
Satya (true)
Spasht (clear, unambiguous)
Saral (simple, easy to understand)
Sundar (appealing, attractive).
He tried out migration to TV, but found that he felt more comfortable with something he was doing for years. Well, he was no novice at ‘contentment’! He gladly accepted a tin of ovaltine in lieu of ‘remuneration’ during early days of broadcasting for ‘commercials’!
I felt there was much to learn and imbibe from his rich experience!
I wish many more years of valuable & priceless contribution from this Living Legend Mr.Ameen Sayani to our ‘listeners’!
Psn (20-07-2008)
I felt fortunate to have had a glimpse of that Broadcasting legend, Mr. Ameen Sayani, during the brief interview in the program ‘Being a Legend’ telecast by CNN-IBN on Saturday 1.30 pm (19-7-2008) and repeated next day at 1.30 pm.
He had a captivating voice, and literally ruled the hearts of all Hindi knowing, and some of Hindi listening audience from 1952 for about 45 years.
When I was listening to his experience, and comments it just occurred to me that he had all the ingredients to become a legend. In fact, becoming a legend was an inevitable consequence.
Body, mind and breath are closely interwoven, though loose within each other. It is exactly this aspect which was deeply looked at by our ancient masters, when they perfected the technique to reach deeper levels of consciousness!
Our legend, Mr.Ameen Sayani, happened to become more and more breath conscious, given the nature of his profession (or else that noise of inhalation /exhalation would get ‘aired’ during a broadcast). Attempting a fair control over this breath must have contributed towards acquiring a steady pattern! By itself, this would mean not much since most ‘mike’ users do this. His attitude right from start was very positive, and that was a major contributor as a catalyst, to the exponential growth/evolvement in his ‘being’! This was amply visible when he said that he never imposed himself on the other person during interview recording of celebrities. He also mentioned about participation in the emotional psyche of the other person to help the other person to get motivated, and also took care to come out when appropriate! Most of the ancient Masters held their disciples in this way. This bond is symbolized by numeral 8 wherein both the circles are in contact, maintaining the independence. Where as when both are in same circle, there is a domination for vested interests. He attributed his ‘recognition’ amongst radio listeners due to this non-interrupting attitude during interviews. Perhaps he set into motion, the concept of “Radio listeners club’, and it took of phenomenally. He also had to get rid of that Gujarathi accent which came with his childhood days, and he was aware, it took some seven years to acquire the required Indian National Language accent! In a subtle manner, he underwent the ‘experience’ of how deeply embedded characteristics could be consciously loosened up! Most spiritual seekers find this as a major stumble-block!
I had read somewhere that ancient Rishis, conducted a broadcasting of different kind! This may be quite difficult to agree, understand or accept, but the rishis never bothered about the aspect of ‘recognition’. In fact, they preferred remaining incognito. It seems the time of broadcast was Brahma Muhurtham, at their station of broadcast (some remote inaccessible cave, where interference of most types, is obviously least!). A logical inference, though very weak, can be drawn from various instances, to mention a few,
a) Most patients in hospital, undergoing acute pain, get some respite during early hours.
b) Early risers, find this period very useful to focus on any problematic issue.
c) Music teachers (traditional), suggest this time to reasonably amenable students.
d) Professional truck drivers, find it safe to park for a while during early hours, since ‘deep relaxation’ over powers them, when they try to strain and concentrate during all-night non-stop driving.
e) Some surgeries are undertaken during early hours in reputed hospitals.
And so on…
Our legend Mr.Ameen Sayani did enjoy some of the facilities of seclusion, non-interference of noises, etc inside that broadcasting room confinement, for a sufficient period of time. May be, it added to his advantage while undergoing a crude form of meditation/sadhana/tapas, like cave-confinement, single minded, well focused practice of ‘reaching’ out to people far way, through well modulated, well appealing, soft, clear, loving voice !
It is no wonder that he was able to put forth the essence of his experience in developing a yet another unique approach towards good communication skills! He mentioned five “sa” prefixed Hindi words, as a thumb rule to develop into being a good broadcaster.
Sanchar, is a form of communication he explained. So, he suggested five “sa’s”.
Sahi (correct)
Satya (true)
Spasht (clear, unambiguous)
Saral (simple, easy to understand)
Sundar (appealing, attractive).
He tried out migration to TV, but found that he felt more comfortable with something he was doing for years. Well, he was no novice at ‘contentment’! He gladly accepted a tin of ovaltine in lieu of ‘remuneration’ during early days of broadcasting for ‘commercials’!
I felt there was much to learn and imbibe from his rich experience!
I wish many more years of valuable & priceless contribution from this Living Legend Mr.Ameen Sayani to our ‘listeners’!
Psn (20-07-2008)
Mandatory to appreciate?
Appreciate or else, miss the glory!
Some time ago, we enjoyed looking at ‘Contribution and achievement’…
The other side of the coin seems to be appreciation/recognition.
Infact, it is perhaps the lack of adequate recognition that sparked this topic or debate of Contribution/and, or, versus/Achievement.
When this recognition/evaluation/appreciation falls short, even qualitatively, the result could be quite fatal!
Attrition ridden corporates are standing (or falling!) examples!
Everybody has to learn to appreciate things around, if the quality of life does matter!
Like we say, “charity begins at home”…..
We learn to appreciate, starting with the women folk at home.
It is thus that in Indian culture, women are placed at a high Pedestal from times immemorial!
Then look at extreme levels… the next seat passenger, the stupid looking bystander on the street is an ‘enlightened’ being, and we fail to ‘recognise’ !!!
Hanuman frantically tried to ‘hint’ to Tulasidas, when Rama appeared in a disguise, to give darshan! ( This story is to be looked at indicatively, and let us not get diverted into controversial logic of why at all disguise etc…. There is enough credible logic even for that, but that is a different field of discussion).
Well, I thought we would find it interesting to look at the question that I attempted to answer on Yahoo Answers forum.
I hesitated to add one more, though a bit subtle, reason, as to why artists could go mad/insane….. There are instances of sporadic outburst, when an artist happens to see a serious flaw in his/her own work, which others around failed to notice for quite a long time! ( Let us not forget, psychiatry and counselling is a very recent science, and the only one that frequently undergoes drastic modifications at even its base levels!)
For a change, and for obvious reasons, I close without the customary incantation referring to response!
Psn
Quote:
http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AnD3WKKzcwLtF7huoS_LJ_uRHQx.;_ylv=3?qid=20080703211001AApvfm4&show=7#profile-info-YHfJFXxMaa
Why so many talented artists go insane ?
Maybe someone of you have read some theory answering my question or wants to express personal opinion?
I was interested in the most talented people's biographies and so many of them had various mental problems ...
My answer:
• Mostly because of "mismatch " of levels of evolvements of people around them. It is the consequence of this mis-match that results in inadequate "quality appreciation" of the art. This lack of appreciation drives the artists mad! They find it hard to 'digest' that people find it so hard to 'see' what they display through their art skills so painstakingly.
In some cases, they even end their lives out of frustration.
Few, very close people, happen to suggest to them in vain, that they are a bit 'before' their time! And as if to prove this , it so happens that many of works of art gets world-wide recognition only long after the artitst 'passes' away!
In India, there were indeed a few artists who did not depend on 'outside' appreciation! They felt rewarded by the very process of performance! Such people were the few lucky who were simultaneously evolved at spirituality! Such is the richness of our spiritual heritage! Very few cultures of the world offer such "built-in" insurance ! Even today, no insurance company offers stress-insulation of this kind!
If we read the book "agony and ecstacy" (Micheal Angelo), we find that he spends a week (the time alloted for a sketch painting for sculpture), with a lady. When the lady anxiously asks him how he is going to 'achieve' the deadline target with only one day left, he takes a paper, flashes a few lines, and to the amazement of this lady, the king (or so), approves the painting, QUITE CONVINCED that the artist "did really have to spend the entire week for that sketch"!
As a contrast, a co-student of this Micheal angelo happened to mock at him for spending over two days on a single broken/loosely hanging tooth of a statue. It was then that the teacher/guide who corrected this mockery, by adequately admiring the life-like finish of that hanging tooth!
....
It takes a very deep level of perception to admire any skill adequately. In case of "fine" arts, the perception skills are more 'demanding'. Obviously, it rarely happens to evoke the right kind of appreciation!
Some time ago, we enjoyed looking at ‘Contribution and achievement’…
The other side of the coin seems to be appreciation/recognition.
Infact, it is perhaps the lack of adequate recognition that sparked this topic or debate of Contribution/and, or, versus/Achievement.
When this recognition/evaluation/appreciation falls short, even qualitatively, the result could be quite fatal!
Attrition ridden corporates are standing (or falling!) examples!
Everybody has to learn to appreciate things around, if the quality of life does matter!
Like we say, “charity begins at home”…..
We learn to appreciate, starting with the women folk at home.
It is thus that in Indian culture, women are placed at a high Pedestal from times immemorial!
Then look at extreme levels… the next seat passenger, the stupid looking bystander on the street is an ‘enlightened’ being, and we fail to ‘recognise’ !!!
Hanuman frantically tried to ‘hint’ to Tulasidas, when Rama appeared in a disguise, to give darshan! ( This story is to be looked at indicatively, and let us not get diverted into controversial logic of why at all disguise etc…. There is enough credible logic even for that, but that is a different field of discussion).
Well, I thought we would find it interesting to look at the question that I attempted to answer on Yahoo Answers forum.
I hesitated to add one more, though a bit subtle, reason, as to why artists could go mad/insane….. There are instances of sporadic outburst, when an artist happens to see a serious flaw in his/her own work, which others around failed to notice for quite a long time! ( Let us not forget, psychiatry and counselling is a very recent science, and the only one that frequently undergoes drastic modifications at even its base levels!)
For a change, and for obvious reasons, I close without the customary incantation referring to response!
Psn
Quote:
http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AnD3WKKzcwLtF7huoS_LJ_uRHQx.;_ylv=3?qid=20080703211001AApvfm4&show=7#profile-info-YHfJFXxMaa
Why so many talented artists go insane ?
Maybe someone of you have read some theory answering my question or wants to express personal opinion?
I was interested in the most talented people's biographies and so many of them had various mental problems ...
My answer:
• Mostly because of "mismatch " of levels of evolvements of people around them. It is the consequence of this mis-match that results in inadequate "quality appreciation" of the art. This lack of appreciation drives the artists mad! They find it hard to 'digest' that people find it so hard to 'see' what they display through their art skills so painstakingly.
In some cases, they even end their lives out of frustration.
Few, very close people, happen to suggest to them in vain, that they are a bit 'before' their time! And as if to prove this , it so happens that many of works of art gets world-wide recognition only long after the artitst 'passes' away!
In India, there were indeed a few artists who did not depend on 'outside' appreciation! They felt rewarded by the very process of performance! Such people were the few lucky who were simultaneously evolved at spirituality! Such is the richness of our spiritual heritage! Very few cultures of the world offer such "built-in" insurance ! Even today, no insurance company offers stress-insulation of this kind!
If we read the book "agony and ecstacy" (Micheal Angelo), we find that he spends a week (the time alloted for a sketch painting for sculpture), with a lady. When the lady anxiously asks him how he is going to 'achieve' the deadline target with only one day left, he takes a paper, flashes a few lines, and to the amazement of this lady, the king (or so), approves the painting, QUITE CONVINCED that the artist "did really have to spend the entire week for that sketch"!
As a contrast, a co-student of this Micheal angelo happened to mock at him for spending over two days on a single broken/loosely hanging tooth of a statue. It was then that the teacher/guide who corrected this mockery, by adequately admiring the life-like finish of that hanging tooth!
....
It takes a very deep level of perception to admire any skill adequately. In case of "fine" arts, the perception skills are more 'demanding'. Obviously, it rarely happens to evoke the right kind of appreciation!
Touchy touch
Touchy touch!
Touchy = oversensitive; irascible
Irascible = susceptible of ire or anger.
“Touch-me-not” is the name of a weed, which is also very slowly facing extinction.
Children enjoy touching it, since its leaves instantly fade and close down for a while!
This ‘touch’, has been looked at by people since ancient times.
It is interesting to take a look at some of the situations involving touch.
Some people are very sensitive to touch. Tickle them under armpit and they jump with a forced laughter.
Children play that ‘touch’ and ‘you are out’. In that ‘Kabbadi’, touch and cross over the line back, the touched player is out.
The list is endless, and suffice it to close here with the latest,
“Touch Screen”
The ancient touch theory is what has turned very very ‘touchy’ of late!
The reason seems quite simple.
They have suggested a lot many of conscious ‘touches’ and they all seem to ‘elude’ our meaningful perception!
These touches have faded out. Not just the touches, the very ‘files attached’ got obliterated!
Like to take a look at few of them?
During that daily ritual after a thread ceremony, the touches with specified fingers are notoriously complex!
When somebody is famished, it is hardly the time to touch singular grains with cumbersome combination of fingers, mutter something (mercifully nobody notices), and swallow it!
The spouse is to touch the husband’s shoulder blade with a grass blade, (they are very fussy about the correct ends, as if they are verily negative or positive live wires with a DC current!).
The sacred thread for the holy knot during wedding is to be ‘touched’ by elders all around, just before the ‘big moment’!
The offering to deity is touched by devotees, before it is offered.
And so on….
How long do we continue with these meaningless touches?
Well slowly it has to fade out.
Meaningless, outdated, irrelevant provisions of any enactment is struck off!
Here, the problem is, there is no majority vote stipulated, needed to ‘deal’ with it.
Whether fortunately or unfortunately, Hinduism is indeed a way of life, and not a religion, to be rigorously enforced upon any body!
Then the obviously logical, but a bit subtle rule that we try to follow, before we try to do away with such touchy touches (and why just touches, even untouchable provisions like 3-day ordeals too) seems to read as :
Any way, these practices are fading out quite fast. Choices have already been made. The purposes of ‘taking a re-look’ seem to go no farther than ensuring that we do not confront any social exclusion, due to any inadvertent, unforeseen reasons like a cluster-cloud effect or so!
Tail piece: (perhaps that is why the thread renewal programme is the isolated ritual that continues to attract maximum numbers for that ‘muster-roll-signing’!
What ever the bulk majority of people do, the essence of spiritual traditions are not and have never been at the mercy of ‘present generation’ at any point of ‘time’!
Somewhere somebody gets helplessly pushed into spirituality, and the whole of the text lays bare before such person in the eternal ‘web’ to just read it, eyes closed!
( For instance, somebody closely known to me is already on the job. He has dug out some touch system, where touching the tips of fingers of same palm for sometime, has given that person immense benefits for acute & chronic ailments! He told me it is some ‘Mudra-vigyan’ or so! And he knows it will not stop at the superficial layer of stupid cures! It would take him literally “places” (!) , reminding him perhaps of that “nadi” quack who can feel the life energy and not just the pulse with a mere touch!)
Now, you agree, I had to lay bare, the ‘touchy’ aspect of it all, “once and for all”!
Psn(16-7-2008)
Touchy = oversensitive; irascible
Irascible = susceptible of ire or anger.
“Touch-me-not” is the name of a weed, which is also very slowly facing extinction.
Children enjoy touching it, since its leaves instantly fade and close down for a while!
This ‘touch’, has been looked at by people since ancient times.
It is interesting to take a look at some of the situations involving touch.
Some people are very sensitive to touch. Tickle them under armpit and they jump with a forced laughter.
Children play that ‘touch’ and ‘you are out’. In that ‘Kabbadi’, touch and cross over the line back, the touched player is out.
The list is endless, and suffice it to close here with the latest,
“Touch Screen”
The ancient touch theory is what has turned very very ‘touchy’ of late!
The reason seems quite simple.
They have suggested a lot many of conscious ‘touches’ and they all seem to ‘elude’ our meaningful perception!
These touches have faded out. Not just the touches, the very ‘files attached’ got obliterated!
Like to take a look at few of them?
During that daily ritual after a thread ceremony, the touches with specified fingers are notoriously complex!
When somebody is famished, it is hardly the time to touch singular grains with cumbersome combination of fingers, mutter something (mercifully nobody notices), and swallow it!
The spouse is to touch the husband’s shoulder blade with a grass blade, (they are very fussy about the correct ends, as if they are verily negative or positive live wires with a DC current!).
The sacred thread for the holy knot during wedding is to be ‘touched’ by elders all around, just before the ‘big moment’!
The offering to deity is touched by devotees, before it is offered.
And so on….
How long do we continue with these meaningless touches?
Well slowly it has to fade out.
Meaningless, outdated, irrelevant provisions of any enactment is struck off!
Here, the problem is, there is no majority vote stipulated, needed to ‘deal’ with it.
Whether fortunately or unfortunately, Hinduism is indeed a way of life, and not a religion, to be rigorously enforced upon any body!
Then the obviously logical, but a bit subtle rule that we try to follow, before we try to do away with such touchy touches (and why just touches, even untouchable provisions like 3-day ordeals too) seems to read as :
Any way, these practices are fading out quite fast. Choices have already been made. The purposes of ‘taking a re-look’ seem to go no farther than ensuring that we do not confront any social exclusion, due to any inadvertent, unforeseen reasons like a cluster-cloud effect or so!
Tail piece: (perhaps that is why the thread renewal programme is the isolated ritual that continues to attract maximum numbers for that ‘muster-roll-signing’!
What ever the bulk majority of people do, the essence of spiritual traditions are not and have never been at the mercy of ‘present generation’ at any point of ‘time’!
Somewhere somebody gets helplessly pushed into spirituality, and the whole of the text lays bare before such person in the eternal ‘web’ to just read it, eyes closed!
( For instance, somebody closely known to me is already on the job. He has dug out some touch system, where touching the tips of fingers of same palm for sometime, has given that person immense benefits for acute & chronic ailments! He told me it is some ‘Mudra-vigyan’ or so! And he knows it will not stop at the superficial layer of stupid cures! It would take him literally “places” (!) , reminding him perhaps of that “nadi” quack who can feel the life energy and not just the pulse with a mere touch!)
Now, you agree, I had to lay bare, the ‘touchy’ aspect of it all, “once and for all”!
Psn(16-7-2008)
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