Right from the age of 13, I was ‘branded’ as short-sighted… A heavy pair of lens came to stay perched up on my nose for the rest of my life.
And almost simultaneously, the word ‘far-sighted’ intrigued me, with a contra-distinguished meaning with the logical opposite of short-sighted, that is long-sighted.
I could see, even then, that eventually, I was going to ‘gain’ that bifocal long-sighted lens too! Neither of these seemed to solve the issue of becoming ‘far-sighted’.
In a sort of ‘preemptive strike’, the asker emphasized upon ‘brevity’ being the soul of wit. This, was despite the sincere efforts of the asker to add comments to each of the responses to the question, using the ‘additional-detailing’ facility in the answers forum.
Negation is one of the age old techniques to reach at the correct answer, when other techniques seem cumbersome. It is the subtle negation through these comments, and the insistence on the brevity that tickled and persuaded me to attempt with my answer.
I would not really insist that you really ‘need’ to go on to reach that answer, unless, sight is not yet a serious impediment!
With sight-full Regards,
Psn(25th July, 2010)
http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100724063239AAIKvv0
Why, in your opinion or based on your personal experience, are people so short sighted?
People, individually and collectively, in family groups, communities and as nations, seem to grasp at the immediate short range goal without often considering the long range effects of their actions.We rush to obtain the newest technology, product, consumer good, gimmicks only to often find, further down the road that they are harmful in many ways yet when the next new thing or fad comes along, we rush out to get it?Developing nations have long watched the West abuse natural resources, pollute the air, land and water of this planet and create chaos is so doing yet they, like China, India, Vietnam and soon the nations of Africa are all rushing to do the same.Why are we like this?
I might add, "Why do we seek an escape from our responsibilities?", and "god did it" just doesn't work anymore.Things said simply are usually said best.
My answer:
Yes! "Things said simply are usually said best"!(Perhaps that is why, and due to a deeper understanding of this concept only too well, that great being "Mahatma Gandhi" happened to use those opening sentences in his personal letter to yet another great person saying thus: "I am writing this long letter, because I do not have the time to write a shorter one" !!!
"Perception" is the brief answer to the question......
Please look at a child at the age when it can just crawl. We have to bring that toy a little closer if the child does not happen to notice it at a distance,so that it would be "persuaded-to-crawl" and reach for the toy!
..
It is deeper perception that enabled the early men to 'think' of storing / preserving food grains for that "rainy-day", when all others around were contended with just plucking from trees/plants/shrubs and eating when ever driven by hunger
...
Our needs are driven by our present level of perception, while our requirement would be met only when our need or priority becomes 'deepening of perception'
...
An experienced and expert teacher at a famous business school had given a lecture (which is widely circulated as a mail 'forward' now...), where in he amply demonstrated the need to deepen the perception. For example, it is the short-sighted view of the 'exclusively camera-makers' who were thrown out of the market by the mobile manufacturers, who just added the image-capturing feature in the handsets!."
If we fail to get our priorities right "things" would catch up with us soon".... is the brief way of saying it.
(Well, if it 'seems' worth while, we "MAY" consider to try to look at what those simple-looking spiritual people tried to do with their lives. They focused evolving from within, confining technology, advancement, sophistication etc to just that 'within', out of a deep realisation that we are already the highest form of 'design' made out of the same materials that we try to re-mould, re-shape, and in the name of 'innovation' end up distorting the nature in so many ways!)
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Kneading our need
I had a teacher, who used to often scold us children, with very frequent reminders of “Don’t bother about others, just try to bother about yourself, and what you are asked to do”!
As kids, we simply could not contain ourselves within ourselves. I in particular simply could not bring about myself to ‘comply’ with this instruction of that teacher quite easily. I felt an incessant urge to know what was going around myself, always! The only times, that I could focus at what ever the teaching was saying was only when the whole class was doing nothing else! I suppose this is so with almost any where till the children cross the age of 12. At our school, we knew what it was supposed to ‘mean’ when we were asked to keep ‘finger-on-your-lips’! It worked well! The teacher could deliver the data-packet into our heads, with least distortions, and external disturbances/diversions.
Despite such convincing instances, the question remained, ‘why is the teacher engaged in trying to teach others’ if that ‘don’t bother about others’ is ‘correct’? At that age, my own logic had not evolved to ‘compute’ and calculate the answers by myself. So, when I looked around, the teacher seemed quite right, going by that ‘majority’ rule. The whole of living beings other than humans, bothered only about themselves in what ever they do. And among humans, quite a reasonable number were ‘indifferent’ about others around! All I knew then, was that this was something that I would have to ‘figure-out’ by myself at a ‘proper’ time later….
The rest followed… (for me).
And now, when a question came up, I could almost guess, the asker is trying to find out the fundamental ‘nature’ of that inner being, while it is ‘confined’ within the physical human frame, because, we ‘see’ that there is a subtle ‘commonality’ about whatever an individual seeks out in that vast world, through such complex and diverse choices of fields of activity!
Psn (25th July, 2010)
http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100724070155AAAmCPB
What is man's greatest need?
My answer:
"Expansion" !
Take any average person around, and we would see that they seek to 'expand' what ever they desire or need.
Basic needs, like food, clothing and shelter, we try to expand what we have. If money is going to ensure this expansion, then it is money we seek(need). Otherwise, buy a bigger home, store more food, buy variety of clothes etc.
Even those who seek peace, try to spread it around intensely, so that they are assured of a "peaceful-atmosphere" amidst an expanded group of people (Now, here we do not call this person "greedy for peace"! Instead we call him "self-sacrificing" or a "self-less" person, ready to give up everything "else" for that greed for 'expanded-peace'!)
Just as human beings are 'programmed' by "default", for that propagation/preservation of species, which is a clever design by 'nature', there is also another subtle but higher design by a 'mystic' power within, which incessantly drives the human being towards that 'seeking' (irrespective of what ever else our 'need' be), till we need the need of this inner mystic power!
(Whether we like it or not, this question too is motivated by none else than that 'mystic-power'. Other wise, like any other non-human-living-being, we would have been contended with just seeking our own personal needs, and not bothering to "know" what could be greatest need of "man"!!)
As kids, we simply could not contain ourselves within ourselves. I in particular simply could not bring about myself to ‘comply’ with this instruction of that teacher quite easily. I felt an incessant urge to know what was going around myself, always! The only times, that I could focus at what ever the teaching was saying was only when the whole class was doing nothing else! I suppose this is so with almost any where till the children cross the age of 12. At our school, we knew what it was supposed to ‘mean’ when we were asked to keep ‘finger-on-your-lips’! It worked well! The teacher could deliver the data-packet into our heads, with least distortions, and external disturbances/diversions.
Despite such convincing instances, the question remained, ‘why is the teacher engaged in trying to teach others’ if that ‘don’t bother about others’ is ‘correct’? At that age, my own logic had not evolved to ‘compute’ and calculate the answers by myself. So, when I looked around, the teacher seemed quite right, going by that ‘majority’ rule. The whole of living beings other than humans, bothered only about themselves in what ever they do. And among humans, quite a reasonable number were ‘indifferent’ about others around! All I knew then, was that this was something that I would have to ‘figure-out’ by myself at a ‘proper’ time later….
The rest followed… (for me).
And now, when a question came up, I could almost guess, the asker is trying to find out the fundamental ‘nature’ of that inner being, while it is ‘confined’ within the physical human frame, because, we ‘see’ that there is a subtle ‘commonality’ about whatever an individual seeks out in that vast world, through such complex and diverse choices of fields of activity!
Psn (25th July, 2010)
http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100724070155AAAmCPB
What is man's greatest need?
My answer:
"Expansion" !
Take any average person around, and we would see that they seek to 'expand' what ever they desire or need.
Basic needs, like food, clothing and shelter, we try to expand what we have. If money is going to ensure this expansion, then it is money we seek(need). Otherwise, buy a bigger home, store more food, buy variety of clothes etc.
Even those who seek peace, try to spread it around intensely, so that they are assured of a "peaceful-atmosphere" amidst an expanded group of people (Now, here we do not call this person "greedy for peace"! Instead we call him "self-sacrificing" or a "self-less" person, ready to give up everything "else" for that greed for 'expanded-peace'!)
Just as human beings are 'programmed' by "default", for that propagation/preservation of species, which is a clever design by 'nature', there is also another subtle but higher design by a 'mystic' power within, which incessantly drives the human being towards that 'seeking' (irrespective of what ever else our 'need' be), till we need the need of this inner mystic power!
(Whether we like it or not, this question too is motivated by none else than that 'mystic-power'. Other wise, like any other non-human-living-being, we would have been contended with just seeking our own personal needs, and not bothering to "know" what could be greatest need of "man"!!)
Friday, July 23, 2010
Amazing people
There is a tradition in India, when people visit temple and stand before a deity. They are expected to stand at a bit of distance, and stand just beside the two imaginary straight lines parallel to the door way of the sanctum sanctorum. (In most temples, some railings are put up suggestively. That only compounds my confusion… the ancient people didn’t need to be even told, whereas present day people have to be prevented with those railings, since mere words may not work!). Well, the reasons why we are ‘supposed’ to keep out of direct view of the deity, is altogether a different topic. But, I tried to look at “how do we experience ‘live’ and ‘amazing’ people whom we come across in our life?” (The next, is it that, only then, we become eligible to ‘experience’ the need to stand aside thus at a place of worship?)
When a question ‘expressed’ eagerness to know what we commoners look at as ‘amazing’ aspect in people, I could not help attempting an answer.
(The only consolation that I can hope is from the thought that if I were any less aware, I would have missed the ‘amazement-ingredient’ that they carried all along, so obviously!)
Psn(23rd July, 2010)
http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100722163011AAcBAEv
How many truley amazing people have you met in your life?
Describe what makes them a cut above the rest.
My answer:
Earliest one, my maths teacher. He compromised, scaling down from teaching post-graduate students, to just 7th class in our school! A wizard at concepts. When that simple 'office-boy' used to bring the list of fee-yet-unpaid-students, he used to pull out a few currency notes, thrust it into his hands, and request him not to interrupt the thought chain of maths! Very often we find mis-matched pair of slippers on his feet!(yes, he did not even bother about proper shoe-wear!). Very very fortunately, our Principal (headmaster) happened to value his knowledge and kept aside decorum/etiquette rules expected of teachers. Needless to add, the bulk of we students then found adequate reasons to worship even the ground that he walked upon!
..
Then on, I was fortunate to 'bump' into several of such kind of people very very special, in diverse fields of human expertise, with major and very noticeable commonality in all of them. Invariably their personal and self-oriented priorities were lowest in the ladder, and all of them were frantically in search of 'genuine' people to whom they can hand over the baton before they quit!
..
The highest amongst such people was my enlightened spiritual guide & master, whom I can call as 'personification and tangible form' of what we all can dream of as 'highest form of compassion'! (And, everything and anything that he does is invariably a 'cut above the rest).
(I have the least of hesitation in confessing that perhaps, I have been in the way of many better people who would have deserved far better than me to have the proximity of such people! This is not about 'trying humility', but, this is something, that I am painfully aware of!)
When a question ‘expressed’ eagerness to know what we commoners look at as ‘amazing’ aspect in people, I could not help attempting an answer.
(The only consolation that I can hope is from the thought that if I were any less aware, I would have missed the ‘amazement-ingredient’ that they carried all along, so obviously!)
Psn(23rd July, 2010)
http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100722163011AAcBAEv
How many truley amazing people have you met in your life?
Describe what makes them a cut above the rest.
My answer:
Earliest one, my maths teacher. He compromised, scaling down from teaching post-graduate students, to just 7th class in our school! A wizard at concepts. When that simple 'office-boy' used to bring the list of fee-yet-unpaid-students, he used to pull out a few currency notes, thrust it into his hands, and request him not to interrupt the thought chain of maths! Very often we find mis-matched pair of slippers on his feet!(yes, he did not even bother about proper shoe-wear!). Very very fortunately, our Principal (headmaster) happened to value his knowledge and kept aside decorum/etiquette rules expected of teachers. Needless to add, the bulk of we students then found adequate reasons to worship even the ground that he walked upon!
..
Then on, I was fortunate to 'bump' into several of such kind of people very very special, in diverse fields of human expertise, with major and very noticeable commonality in all of them. Invariably their personal and self-oriented priorities were lowest in the ladder, and all of them were frantically in search of 'genuine' people to whom they can hand over the baton before they quit!
..
The highest amongst such people was my enlightened spiritual guide & master, whom I can call as 'personification and tangible form' of what we all can dream of as 'highest form of compassion'! (And, everything and anything that he does is invariably a 'cut above the rest).
(I have the least of hesitation in confessing that perhaps, I have been in the way of many better people who would have deserved far better than me to have the proximity of such people! This is not about 'trying humility', but, this is something, that I am painfully aware of!)
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Chaste Problem
Catch them young… is the secret mission of a few of the ancient Masters in spirituality. The secrecy is not about withholding any vital information from the society at large. The very nature of its ‘explanation’ is opposed to the very designs and plans of “mother-nature” itself!
Not that there is any impediment or hurdle of any sort for people coming towards spirituality at a later age. In fact adults try to ‘cleverly’ keep it aside as a pastime for that old-age, when they are other-wise-abled! The added advantage of that rich source of vital energy is available, abundantly, when properly harnessed (not suppressed at all).
I did relish that exercise of confining my answer to the logical reach of even a western mind! And the bonus came from the asker (the very process of answering was an ample reward in itself, in my experience).
My hesitation thus got brushed aside when I thought of sharing it here with you.
Regards,
Psn(21st July, 2010)
http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100719001821AA1DmJC
How can someone get sexual satisfaction if they've taken a vow of chastity?
Not for religious reasons. Just personal reasons.
My answer:
Quite difficult.
Because, we are dealing with nature's plans, trying to either go beyond it or try to by-pass it.
Nature has designed it to ensure propagation and preservation of the human species.
By-passing does not help much, and that is why this wonderful question.
And, that easier way of trying to by-pass is sought simply because that 'going-beyond' seems difficult.
When we try to bypass it, we are simply trying to suppress the biological urge that comes at the right age. We know suppressing any natural urge, cannot be successfully held for too long. Even that simple-looking sneeze, the itch, etc are so difficult to suppress. When the mind dwells too long on it, it yields in a very cunningly subtle way (we think more about it, just like, suppose a medicine is given with a precondition, 'not to think of a monkey while taking a dose, we already start wondering how many times we usually think of a monkey, then we resolve several times, not to think of a monkey, and then when we even look at the medicine, monkey comes to our mind! ).
Spiritual masters have been suggesting well evolved techniques in addition to conceptual clarity that they try to reinforce into a person who prepares to take a vow of chastity.
The physical biological urge is taken care of, with appropriate food habits, other spiritual-oriented processes involving certain exercises in certain postures, whereby, the energy gets diverted to a better place for better purpose.
It is the mind, that has to resolve the very need to seek a satisfaction. It is almost like, lots of money in our wallet/pocket/bank-account/etc is not a problem, but once that money gets into our head, our mind starts to act egoistic, funny, commercialized and what not. The same is true with this urge too. Even dogs confine to weather and season. But human beings over-indulge consciously. Even about eating and sleeping, we often exceed the required natural dosage!
A very good and sincere spiritual guide can do a lot to support, for handling this urge.
Please see, the self-control is more difficult for people who have had the experience (whether within the socially permitted/acceptable norms or outside it).
It is indeed a very genuine and important question. Ancient masters of east (India, especially) have been able to hand down techniques and wealth of knowledge, to show us the benefit of diverting this natural vital energy for spiritual evolvement. That 'explains' why the population 'exploded' so phenomenally during just the last few decades, though the civilization dates thousands of years earlier!
(By the way, in India, since ancient times, spirituality has been looked at as very personal, not religious! Hinduism is a way of life, and not a religion, and it addresses just the individuals, not groups, with lots of suggestive choices of path to reach 'self'-realisation )
Not that there is any impediment or hurdle of any sort for people coming towards spirituality at a later age. In fact adults try to ‘cleverly’ keep it aside as a pastime for that old-age, when they are other-wise-abled! The added advantage of that rich source of vital energy is available, abundantly, when properly harnessed (not suppressed at all).
I did relish that exercise of confining my answer to the logical reach of even a western mind! And the bonus came from the asker (the very process of answering was an ample reward in itself, in my experience).
My hesitation thus got brushed aside when I thought of sharing it here with you.
Regards,
Psn(21st July, 2010)
http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100719001821AA1DmJC
How can someone get sexual satisfaction if they've taken a vow of chastity?
Not for religious reasons. Just personal reasons.
My answer:
Quite difficult.
Because, we are dealing with nature's plans, trying to either go beyond it or try to by-pass it.
Nature has designed it to ensure propagation and preservation of the human species.
By-passing does not help much, and that is why this wonderful question.
And, that easier way of trying to by-pass is sought simply because that 'going-beyond' seems difficult.
When we try to bypass it, we are simply trying to suppress the biological urge that comes at the right age. We know suppressing any natural urge, cannot be successfully held for too long. Even that simple-looking sneeze, the itch, etc are so difficult to suppress. When the mind dwells too long on it, it yields in a very cunningly subtle way (we think more about it, just like, suppose a medicine is given with a precondition, 'not to think of a monkey while taking a dose, we already start wondering how many times we usually think of a monkey, then we resolve several times, not to think of a monkey, and then when we even look at the medicine, monkey comes to our mind! ).
Spiritual masters have been suggesting well evolved techniques in addition to conceptual clarity that they try to reinforce into a person who prepares to take a vow of chastity.
The physical biological urge is taken care of, with appropriate food habits, other spiritual-oriented processes involving certain exercises in certain postures, whereby, the energy gets diverted to a better place for better purpose.
It is the mind, that has to resolve the very need to seek a satisfaction. It is almost like, lots of money in our wallet/pocket/bank-account/etc is not a problem, but once that money gets into our head, our mind starts to act egoistic, funny, commercialized and what not. The same is true with this urge too. Even dogs confine to weather and season. But human beings over-indulge consciously. Even about eating and sleeping, we often exceed the required natural dosage!
A very good and sincere spiritual guide can do a lot to support, for handling this urge.
Please see, the self-control is more difficult for people who have had the experience (whether within the socially permitted/acceptable norms or outside it).
It is indeed a very genuine and important question. Ancient masters of east (India, especially) have been able to hand down techniques and wealth of knowledge, to show us the benefit of diverting this natural vital energy for spiritual evolvement. That 'explains' why the population 'exploded' so phenomenally during just the last few decades, though the civilization dates thousands of years earlier!
(By the way, in India, since ancient times, spirituality has been looked at as very personal, not religious! Hinduism is a way of life, and not a religion, and it addresses just the individuals, not groups, with lots of suggestive choices of path to reach 'self'-realisation )
Bookish Knowledge
See… even the very title needs no elaboration! Our mind pops up the ‘implied’ meaning!
Perhaps this has been the most difficult problem that I have been facing when trying to help people as a ‘volunteer’ when I was assigned the humble task(18 years ago), of ‘back-office-support’ after they attend certain spiritual oriented programs. Invariably, the bulk of them are already better informed than me, well learned, and unfortunately for me, already more clever in ‘worldly-ways’! What ever little progress that I ‘happened’ to make on my ‘approach’ to that pathless spiritual path, I owe it to two major contributors. One is my ‘weakness’ to blank-out when something is being told and look at it afresh, as if learning it for the first time, and more importantly, next contributor, my dear spiritual guide who is already a past-master at the art of molding such gullible much more effortlessly and very compassionately! In fact, I recognise how stupid I am for lack of true appreciation for that rare gift, only when I look at the tremendous rate of ‘drop-outs’ who constitute those well learned, well informed, and knowledgeable people!
(My earliest memories date back to childhood, where, I even misunderstood partially, a wonderful Sanskrit couplet/saying explained to me by my uncle… “Pustakastaatu Yaa Vidhya, parahasta gatam dhanam, karya kaale samutpanney, na sa vidya, na tat dhanam… meaning, knowledge lying in books, and our money in other person’s hands do not come to our rescue in times of need! That misunderstanding or rather the lack of it, persuaded me to jump into practical/live chase of spiritual oriented pursuits, instead of waiting for that abundant wealth of ancient texts to seep into me! ) Oh! This is tending to become more of a ‘confessional’ narrative! Quite redundant, to the purpose.
Surprisingly enough we have stories that show that unskilled people somehow manage to land that injured aircraft damaged in mid-air, with the pilots also disabled! It is not to belittle book-knowledge or theoretical-skill, but to bridge the gap in those people who have potential, but are yet to learn something theoretically. At least, they would not reduce the cooking time to exactly half, when they ‘trial-cook’ from a recipe book, using less than half the ingredients, to try it out!
I thought I made a wrong guess, when my answer tried to incline towards spiritual aspect, but was surprised, when the asker agreed to the answer, making a special mention about that ‘mystic’ element(in the comments about the answer)! I thought that the question confined itself to the practical implementation difficulties of managerial skills learnt in those business schools, where as my answer had failed to ‘touch’ any such aspect!
I on my part have to remain contended with what ever little ‘bookish knowledge’ that I happened to acquire/retain, and consider myself to be a bit fortunate to be able to manage with practical experience (especially in the field of my special interest!). At banks especially, they say ‘practice prevails over the law’. Needless to add, on a humorous note, even politicians seem to concur, when they practice utter disregard to all of the known bookish-laws!
It is the asker’s choice in my favor, with a relatively quick response, that prompted me to share it here with you.
Regards,
Psn(21st July, 2010)
http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100720064325AAylHa4&r=w#NbUvWzq9WThW9GWqYeRc
We are good in theory but very poor in practical life ,why? How can we use our bookish knowledge in real life?
My answer:
If only the answer, the solution to this question were so easy for implementation!
Robots are very practical. They perform as per the 'program-parameters' till the last ounce of energy (battery-power) is left in them! .... No hurdles like,........
a) if, but, how, why, only if.. etc, and
b) they don't have those negative emotions we know as anger, jealousy, hatred and fear!
c) lastly but not 'in least' their focus is never interrupted by their own 'thought-process', especially those doubt-creating & self-opposing, self-negating, self-canceling thoughts like we humans have.
These three are major differences, we can go on listing, smaller ones like procrastination (putting off, postponement of plans, etc).
On the other hand, if we are only willing, we can do better than a robot if our emotions are well balanced, because we have that unique human gift of self awareness, whereby, we can become flexible and also, we can draw that power, the mystic power from 'nature' which is quite logic-defying, rare and looks 'super-human' too (and hence quite difficult to even accept, agree, or listen to!).
As an abundant example, we do defy logic, when we experience that 'extra-gravitational' pull on our bed, when it is already late to get up, and we tend to once again yield to drowsy sleep, after waking at that irritating noise of the alarm clock!
Perhaps this has been the most difficult problem that I have been facing when trying to help people as a ‘volunteer’ when I was assigned the humble task(18 years ago), of ‘back-office-support’ after they attend certain spiritual oriented programs. Invariably, the bulk of them are already better informed than me, well learned, and unfortunately for me, already more clever in ‘worldly-ways’! What ever little progress that I ‘happened’ to make on my ‘approach’ to that pathless spiritual path, I owe it to two major contributors. One is my ‘weakness’ to blank-out when something is being told and look at it afresh, as if learning it for the first time, and more importantly, next contributor, my dear spiritual guide who is already a past-master at the art of molding such gullible much more effortlessly and very compassionately! In fact, I recognise how stupid I am for lack of true appreciation for that rare gift, only when I look at the tremendous rate of ‘drop-outs’ who constitute those well learned, well informed, and knowledgeable people!
(My earliest memories date back to childhood, where, I even misunderstood partially, a wonderful Sanskrit couplet/saying explained to me by my uncle… “Pustakastaatu Yaa Vidhya, parahasta gatam dhanam, karya kaale samutpanney, na sa vidya, na tat dhanam… meaning, knowledge lying in books, and our money in other person’s hands do not come to our rescue in times of need! That misunderstanding or rather the lack of it, persuaded me to jump into practical/live chase of spiritual oriented pursuits, instead of waiting for that abundant wealth of ancient texts to seep into me! ) Oh! This is tending to become more of a ‘confessional’ narrative! Quite redundant, to the purpose.
Surprisingly enough we have stories that show that unskilled people somehow manage to land that injured aircraft damaged in mid-air, with the pilots also disabled! It is not to belittle book-knowledge or theoretical-skill, but to bridge the gap in those people who have potential, but are yet to learn something theoretically. At least, they would not reduce the cooking time to exactly half, when they ‘trial-cook’ from a recipe book, using less than half the ingredients, to try it out!
I thought I made a wrong guess, when my answer tried to incline towards spiritual aspect, but was surprised, when the asker agreed to the answer, making a special mention about that ‘mystic’ element(in the comments about the answer)! I thought that the question confined itself to the practical implementation difficulties of managerial skills learnt in those business schools, where as my answer had failed to ‘touch’ any such aspect!
I on my part have to remain contended with what ever little ‘bookish knowledge’ that I happened to acquire/retain, and consider myself to be a bit fortunate to be able to manage with practical experience (especially in the field of my special interest!). At banks especially, they say ‘practice prevails over the law’. Needless to add, on a humorous note, even politicians seem to concur, when they practice utter disregard to all of the known bookish-laws!
It is the asker’s choice in my favor, with a relatively quick response, that prompted me to share it here with you.
Regards,
Psn(21st July, 2010)
http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100720064325AAylHa4&r=w#NbUvWzq9WThW9GWqYeRc
We are good in theory but very poor in practical life ,why? How can we use our bookish knowledge in real life?
My answer:
If only the answer, the solution to this question were so easy for implementation!
Robots are very practical. They perform as per the 'program-parameters' till the last ounce of energy (battery-power) is left in them! .... No hurdles like,........
a) if, but, how, why, only if.. etc, and
b) they don't have those negative emotions we know as anger, jealousy, hatred and fear!
c) lastly but not 'in least' their focus is never interrupted by their own 'thought-process', especially those doubt-creating & self-opposing, self-negating, self-canceling thoughts like we humans have.
These three are major differences, we can go on listing, smaller ones like procrastination (putting off, postponement of plans, etc).
On the other hand, if we are only willing, we can do better than a robot if our emotions are well balanced, because we have that unique human gift of self awareness, whereby, we can become flexible and also, we can draw that power, the mystic power from 'nature' which is quite logic-defying, rare and looks 'super-human' too (and hence quite difficult to even accept, agree, or listen to!).
As an abundant example, we do defy logic, when we experience that 'extra-gravitational' pull on our bed, when it is already late to get up, and we tend to once again yield to drowsy sleep, after waking at that irritating noise of the alarm clock!
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
That is what you think
We had become a freak-like group amidst our classmates at school, and used to engage ourselves in funny games. Well, others had a good ‘check-nut’ firm in place, and did fare well, later in life, while I just remained where I was, a ‘loose-nut’, spinning at the same place, around a worn out groove!
Once, we tried out saying “that is what you think” to every thing that the other kid says to us. We had resolved to stick to this for a while, where as the other kids, not quite prepared for this ordeal, got a mental fatigue, hearing this stupid response to everything and anything that they tried to tell us, even with an improvisation in their attempts. We almost forgot the ‘fun’ we had. But at least to me, it left a very deep residue. Many times, I did re-look at this ‘that is what you think’ and now, as an adult, it seems to scare me! Now it also seems too late to get rid of this ‘that is what you think’ (especially when it is addressed to oneself!). The problem is not with the ‘thinking process’ itself. It is with the incessant inclination and tendency to jump into conclusions (what we call as pre-judice, pre-conclusions, pre-mature judgment etc). Clarity is far better, when the observation is with fewer thought processes. The hard part is that the hard-thinking that we did till then actually helps to eliminate extraneous data to arrive at the correct observation. Please see, that “Eureka” happened in a bath tub, but after a huge mental fatigue till the previous eve, fighting a bitter lost battle with the problem of ‘somehow’ testing the purity of gold without melting the crown! The ‘falling-apple’ revealed the ‘gravity’ only when the mind was on the look out for something, having tried out all other clues! The lid of the tea kettle came off due to the steam pressure of the boiling water, and revealed the locomotive power, only because there was a search within, for some form of (alternate) power to push a heavy vehicle on wheels. It is not just about those great scientists. At work places, we gave up looking for that error in books of accounts, out of sheer fatigue, and in the morning with that ‘fresh’ mind, we just glance casually, and the elusive error is right there, just under our very noses (we would have passed along its side several times!). At home, sometimes, we happen to locate a misplaced item, after the need has ‘died’ (and now, we are surprised why we could find it so easily)!
But, when it comes to ‘think’ in-order-to understand ourselves????
Quite a serious business. Nevertheless, all I hoped was to help the asker, with my answer, was to avoid the paths that might lead to a dead-end very soon, and cause fatigue. After all, it is one’s own journey, very personal too.
Psn(20th July, 2010)
http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100719154408AAPINMf
How to think and understand about myself.... ?
seriously.. I tried to think about myself, but couldnot understand where to start. i really donno much abt myself. people tell me more abt myself than i know. i should start knowing myself very well... where should i start and wt should i do?thank you, sandy
My answer:
That is the toughest job.
The toughest part is being honest to oneself, coming to 'terms' with reality.
When we attempt to start thinking, the mind will only try to justify everything with a 'because' or 'but', if, therefore, etc... If we try to just look, like a witness without any judgement, then, may be, we would see things as they are, within ourselves, and with patience, clarity would occur.
(Every thought is a judgement, some way or other, that is the problem. At school, when a kid, we tried this game, saying 'that is what you think' to our friends and classmates, to 'whatever' they say! Even we ourselves did not expect that it would suit so well! Very soon they would 'drop-off' very irritated by our stupid repetition of 'that's what you think!' (But neither of us grasped the significance of a great concept that we unknowingly employed! We were too young and ignorant at that age!)...
What others tell about us is what they see. They see only the finished product, and that too, just the manifest part of it. That is why, we admire a good movie, when a hero 'fakes' the roles so well! We even get tears out of emotional empathy. We get so stuck to the character of that hero that we try to look at him 'as we saw in the movie'. Some heroes have encashed this stupidity to get votes, and became a political leader, forsaking just the acting! Oh! perhaps, now they are acting for 'real' as 'honest' politicians (we asked for that trouble!). Only a genuine spiritual guide can give that expert guidance about 'what we are' (simply because, that master would have evolved to perceive beyond the sensory levels of perception. But we have to necessarily 'trust' !). We can try that 'looking' without trying to justify, within ourselves, and we can 'see' (what the eyes cannot). It may require some patience, time and practice. No harm in trying. Eventually, we would only evolve, with that big side-benefit of a better ability at focusing (that scientific temper of keen non-judgemental observation!).
Best wishes.
Once, we tried out saying “that is what you think” to every thing that the other kid says to us. We had resolved to stick to this for a while, where as the other kids, not quite prepared for this ordeal, got a mental fatigue, hearing this stupid response to everything and anything that they tried to tell us, even with an improvisation in their attempts. We almost forgot the ‘fun’ we had. But at least to me, it left a very deep residue. Many times, I did re-look at this ‘that is what you think’ and now, as an adult, it seems to scare me! Now it also seems too late to get rid of this ‘that is what you think’ (especially when it is addressed to oneself!). The problem is not with the ‘thinking process’ itself. It is with the incessant inclination and tendency to jump into conclusions (what we call as pre-judice, pre-conclusions, pre-mature judgment etc). Clarity is far better, when the observation is with fewer thought processes. The hard part is that the hard-thinking that we did till then actually helps to eliminate extraneous data to arrive at the correct observation. Please see, that “Eureka” happened in a bath tub, but after a huge mental fatigue till the previous eve, fighting a bitter lost battle with the problem of ‘somehow’ testing the purity of gold without melting the crown! The ‘falling-apple’ revealed the ‘gravity’ only when the mind was on the look out for something, having tried out all other clues! The lid of the tea kettle came off due to the steam pressure of the boiling water, and revealed the locomotive power, only because there was a search within, for some form of (alternate) power to push a heavy vehicle on wheels. It is not just about those great scientists. At work places, we gave up looking for that error in books of accounts, out of sheer fatigue, and in the morning with that ‘fresh’ mind, we just glance casually, and the elusive error is right there, just under our very noses (we would have passed along its side several times!). At home, sometimes, we happen to locate a misplaced item, after the need has ‘died’ (and now, we are surprised why we could find it so easily)!
But, when it comes to ‘think’ in-order-to understand ourselves????
Quite a serious business. Nevertheless, all I hoped was to help the asker, with my answer, was to avoid the paths that might lead to a dead-end very soon, and cause fatigue. After all, it is one’s own journey, very personal too.
Psn(20th July, 2010)
http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100719154408AAPINMf
How to think and understand about myself.... ?
seriously.. I tried to think about myself, but couldnot understand where to start. i really donno much abt myself. people tell me more abt myself than i know. i should start knowing myself very well... where should i start and wt should i do?thank you, sandy
My answer:
That is the toughest job.
The toughest part is being honest to oneself, coming to 'terms' with reality.
When we attempt to start thinking, the mind will only try to justify everything with a 'because' or 'but', if, therefore, etc... If we try to just look, like a witness without any judgement, then, may be, we would see things as they are, within ourselves, and with patience, clarity would occur.
(Every thought is a judgement, some way or other, that is the problem. At school, when a kid, we tried this game, saying 'that is what you think' to our friends and classmates, to 'whatever' they say! Even we ourselves did not expect that it would suit so well! Very soon they would 'drop-off' very irritated by our stupid repetition of 'that's what you think!' (But neither of us grasped the significance of a great concept that we unknowingly employed! We were too young and ignorant at that age!)...
What others tell about us is what they see. They see only the finished product, and that too, just the manifest part of it. That is why, we admire a good movie, when a hero 'fakes' the roles so well! We even get tears out of emotional empathy. We get so stuck to the character of that hero that we try to look at him 'as we saw in the movie'. Some heroes have encashed this stupidity to get votes, and became a political leader, forsaking just the acting! Oh! perhaps, now they are acting for 'real' as 'honest' politicians (we asked for that trouble!). Only a genuine spiritual guide can give that expert guidance about 'what we are' (simply because, that master would have evolved to perceive beyond the sensory levels of perception. But we have to necessarily 'trust' !). We can try that 'looking' without trying to justify, within ourselves, and we can 'see' (what the eyes cannot). It may require some patience, time and practice. No harm in trying. Eventually, we would only evolve, with that big side-benefit of a better ability at focusing (that scientific temper of keen non-judgemental observation!).
Best wishes.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Chemistry Matching
A view at ‘macro-level’ seems to suggest that marriages too have been ‘subjected’ to sophistication, along with our household gadgets, and perhaps nothing more, in ‘essence’.
Instead of horoscope matching, now it is more of ‘chemistry-matching’. But the problems are perhaps like these few….
the conclusions too have to be arrived at by those ‘chemicals’ themselves (out-sourcing seems too risky!).
present day ‘life-situation’ seems to demand ‘diverse’ capabilities. But the very same ‘seem’ to also accelerate our ‘divorce’ capabilities. The youth are baffled when they see the rate of divorces increasing at such a fast rate. While they feel comforted at the ‘more-liberalized’ atmosphere in favor of women’s freedom, to free-themselves from forced bonds, it does not sound too comforting to spend that precious youth just hunting for that ‘compatibility’.
the youth are wondering silently within, ‘how is it that these old couples managed to live together, despite such basic incompatibilities, for so long? Even after so many years of married life, they still keep quarreling on such basic issues!’
a few smart ones are trying to find out the hidden element by asking clandestine questions, trying to ‘winkle out’, or ‘prise out’ (extracting information with difficulty)! Why else would there be so many questions about ‘quantum entanglement’, related purely to physics, be asked linking a possibility of application to two human beings, two people trying to improve ‘communicative-compatibility’? Somewhere there is a lurking doubt, whether those old blokes did really had it right when they looked at ‘stars & planets’ to indicate the ‘chemical’ proton level quantum-entanglement??!! (I felt baffled at the extraneous matter juxtaposed along with questions from ‘not-likely-to-be-so-seriously-concerned ‘ people, giving ample evidence about their mind set from the very choice of wording the questions! … Yes, even army resolves this issue of tendency to ask ‘base-less’ questions, when they train ordinary soldiers, on the very first day of the training…. It is an interesting and humorous thing, so it would not ‘cost’ when narrated…. The ‘boss’ (instructor) asks fresh recruits to dig pits of exact specifications, and at the end of the day, painstakingly measure each pit (height, width and length) by each soldier, for accuracy. Then they ask them to fill these pits back with the same excavated soil! The instructor now asks them to line up and asks “Today’s training being over, any questions or doubts?” …. Invariably, he is rewarded with a few ‘logical’ wizards who raise their hands. He asks them to step aside, and the rest are asked to leave, to get ready for next class tomorrow. He does not even bother to ask these ‘stepped-aside’ brilliant, as to what their doubts are (yes, even we have guessed it…. It is the purpose of those pits, if they are to be filled up so soon after digging, and especially that accurate measuring!). He announces “Good! I appreciate that you are intelligent and have good questions to ask! Please dig a fresh pit tomorrow (much larger size, now!)”. War does not wait for all doubts of the soldiers to be clarified first and then fire the bullet! Life does not wait till all the doubts/differences of the spouses to be resolved and then continue ‘happily’ thereafter.
Most of the youth of the yester years were busy chasing those beautiful butterflies, joyously, not ‘thinking’ or searching for their botanical unpronounceable names. Today, they are forced to find out how to match the ‘chemistry’. In essence, the query is ‘how to love logically?’ (emotional love seems elusive, and often illogical!). They try out that ‘chat’ , ‘meet’ and other modes. But all they find is that these ‘complementary’ angles of views are looking away from each-other, though together they form a ‘straight-line’ (be it acute or obtuse!). It is one thing to fit in uneven sizes of jig-saw-puzzle to form a perfect picture (team work), at a work place, and another thing to converge at a common point with different views, looking in different angles at different sides. The angles themselves have to open up a different perspective to become aware of possibility of a point of convergence, but at sensory level, all they can view is they are ‘differently abled’ or even ‘indifferently-abled’ when placed side-by-side, to complement!
If my guess is right, the purpose of the question was not just about ‘what is love’. It is about ‘how to make it happen’ with this ‘scientific’ attitude (logical skill is all that they have perhaps sharpened, while that ‘scientific temper ‘ demands a lot more!). So, here is my feeble attempt to remain confined to logic.
Regards,
Psn(18th July, 2010)
http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100717100232AAjWTaZ
Hi there what is the true meaning of love actual pls explain scientific reason behind this?
My answer:
We can try a logical answer. Whether it 'sounds' scientific enough, is to be decided.Because, emotions do not follow 'logical-rules'. And we perhaps should agree, love is an emotion too...
Now, suppose we are on a strike, of 'fast-unto-death' and are sitting on a protest at a prominent place. A mosquito bites us. The skin would swell there a little, and our hand responds (quite innocently), to scratch it, to subside the feeling of itch at the swelling. At cellular level of intelligence, the cells at that spot (where the mosquito had bitten) feels that they want to 'live' ( not on strike like you!), and there fore do not even wait for your 'official' permission to fight back the insect poison(that is why the swelling). Example of love for life, for living. And, unconditional too. The cells do not know if they are going to survive the insect poison-attack.
(Cows and buffaloes yield more milk, when some music is played in the farm. Experiments have shown this in western countries. The chemistry of the animals respond 'lovingly' . Perhaps, those nursing mothers, and those who remember their experience would agree, when they were in cheerful and loving moods, feeding their child was easier and a joyous experience)...
The confusion: We use our right hand more than the left. Suppose a very similar injury occurs to our left hand little finger and also the right hand's index finger, which finger gets the better care and "pampering" from us? Obviously, and logically, that little finger of left hand is given ample bandage, care, and made to work less. The right hand index finger is made to slog, with less of medicinal paste, for lesser time, lesser bandage, etc. Do we love our index finger less? If somebody gives us a choice, which one to be chopped off (pointing a gun, and chopping is inevitable), then our natural choice would be left hand's little finger! Now if those two fingers had their own self awareness, in addition to cellular level intelligence, they might ask us ('their' God, their Boss, their incharge for well-being) 'why this partiality? We can neither explain that extra bandage to the little finger, nor explain the choice of allowing chopping the very same finger! This is how love confuses when it does not follow logic. Mothers usually face the difficulty when one child complains about her extra-love for another child!
Instead of horoscope matching, now it is more of ‘chemistry-matching’. But the problems are perhaps like these few….
the conclusions too have to be arrived at by those ‘chemicals’ themselves (out-sourcing seems too risky!).
present day ‘life-situation’ seems to demand ‘diverse’ capabilities. But the very same ‘seem’ to also accelerate our ‘divorce’ capabilities. The youth are baffled when they see the rate of divorces increasing at such a fast rate. While they feel comforted at the ‘more-liberalized’ atmosphere in favor of women’s freedom, to free-themselves from forced bonds, it does not sound too comforting to spend that precious youth just hunting for that ‘compatibility’.
the youth are wondering silently within, ‘how is it that these old couples managed to live together, despite such basic incompatibilities, for so long? Even after so many years of married life, they still keep quarreling on such basic issues!’
a few smart ones are trying to find out the hidden element by asking clandestine questions, trying to ‘winkle out’, or ‘prise out’ (extracting information with difficulty)! Why else would there be so many questions about ‘quantum entanglement’, related purely to physics, be asked linking a possibility of application to two human beings, two people trying to improve ‘communicative-compatibility’? Somewhere there is a lurking doubt, whether those old blokes did really had it right when they looked at ‘stars & planets’ to indicate the ‘chemical’ proton level quantum-entanglement??!! (I felt baffled at the extraneous matter juxtaposed along with questions from ‘not-likely-to-be-so-seriously-concerned ‘ people, giving ample evidence about their mind set from the very choice of wording the questions! … Yes, even army resolves this issue of tendency to ask ‘base-less’ questions, when they train ordinary soldiers, on the very first day of the training…. It is an interesting and humorous thing, so it would not ‘cost’ when narrated…. The ‘boss’ (instructor) asks fresh recruits to dig pits of exact specifications, and at the end of the day, painstakingly measure each pit (height, width and length) by each soldier, for accuracy. Then they ask them to fill these pits back with the same excavated soil! The instructor now asks them to line up and asks “Today’s training being over, any questions or doubts?” …. Invariably, he is rewarded with a few ‘logical’ wizards who raise their hands. He asks them to step aside, and the rest are asked to leave, to get ready for next class tomorrow. He does not even bother to ask these ‘stepped-aside’ brilliant, as to what their doubts are (yes, even we have guessed it…. It is the purpose of those pits, if they are to be filled up so soon after digging, and especially that accurate measuring!). He announces “Good! I appreciate that you are intelligent and have good questions to ask! Please dig a fresh pit tomorrow (much larger size, now!)”. War does not wait for all doubts of the soldiers to be clarified first and then fire the bullet! Life does not wait till all the doubts/differences of the spouses to be resolved and then continue ‘happily’ thereafter.
Most of the youth of the yester years were busy chasing those beautiful butterflies, joyously, not ‘thinking’ or searching for their botanical unpronounceable names. Today, they are forced to find out how to match the ‘chemistry’. In essence, the query is ‘how to love logically?’ (emotional love seems elusive, and often illogical!). They try out that ‘chat’ , ‘meet’ and other modes. But all they find is that these ‘complementary’ angles of views are looking away from each-other, though together they form a ‘straight-line’ (be it acute or obtuse!). It is one thing to fit in uneven sizes of jig-saw-puzzle to form a perfect picture (team work), at a work place, and another thing to converge at a common point with different views, looking in different angles at different sides. The angles themselves have to open up a different perspective to become aware of possibility of a point of convergence, but at sensory level, all they can view is they are ‘differently abled’ or even ‘indifferently-abled’ when placed side-by-side, to complement!
If my guess is right, the purpose of the question was not just about ‘what is love’. It is about ‘how to make it happen’ with this ‘scientific’ attitude (logical skill is all that they have perhaps sharpened, while that ‘scientific temper ‘ demands a lot more!). So, here is my feeble attempt to remain confined to logic.
Regards,
Psn(18th July, 2010)
http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100717100232AAjWTaZ
Hi there what is the true meaning of love actual pls explain scientific reason behind this?
My answer:
We can try a logical answer. Whether it 'sounds' scientific enough, is to be decided.Because, emotions do not follow 'logical-rules'. And we perhaps should agree, love is an emotion too...
Now, suppose we are on a strike, of 'fast-unto-death' and are sitting on a protest at a prominent place. A mosquito bites us. The skin would swell there a little, and our hand responds (quite innocently), to scratch it, to subside the feeling of itch at the swelling. At cellular level of intelligence, the cells at that spot (where the mosquito had bitten) feels that they want to 'live' ( not on strike like you!), and there fore do not even wait for your 'official' permission to fight back the insect poison(that is why the swelling). Example of love for life, for living. And, unconditional too. The cells do not know if they are going to survive the insect poison-attack.
(Cows and buffaloes yield more milk, when some music is played in the farm. Experiments have shown this in western countries. The chemistry of the animals respond 'lovingly' . Perhaps, those nursing mothers, and those who remember their experience would agree, when they were in cheerful and loving moods, feeding their child was easier and a joyous experience)...
The confusion: We use our right hand more than the left. Suppose a very similar injury occurs to our left hand little finger and also the right hand's index finger, which finger gets the better care and "pampering" from us? Obviously, and logically, that little finger of left hand is given ample bandage, care, and made to work less. The right hand index finger is made to slog, with less of medicinal paste, for lesser time, lesser bandage, etc. Do we love our index finger less? If somebody gives us a choice, which one to be chopped off (pointing a gun, and chopping is inevitable), then our natural choice would be left hand's little finger! Now if those two fingers had their own self awareness, in addition to cellular level intelligence, they might ask us ('their' God, their Boss, their incharge for well-being) 'why this partiality? We can neither explain that extra bandage to the little finger, nor explain the choice of allowing chopping the very same finger! This is how love confuses when it does not follow logic. Mothers usually face the difficulty when one child complains about her extra-love for another child!
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Sanctification
Sanctification and consecration are two words, used interchangeably at times.
There is a tradition of revitalizing the energies of a place of worship, handed down by spiritual masters, with only the rituals differing from place to place, according to local customs and practices.
We invariably seek that ‘feeling’ of ‘peace’ as a source of reassurance that our attempt to reach the ‘divine’ has been fruitful at least to some extent.
Those who insist on tangible, perceivable evidence of ‘blind-belief’(about places of worship) would settle for just beautiful places for visit, and then, they too look out for some peace too there.
I felt intrigued by a question asking for such a place on the planet. Now, how could anybody answer ‘objectively’ unless that person has visited all such objects (places)?
So, I felt that it would not be ‘out-of-place’, if I try to point the place within, as a re-source (as a variation to out-sourcing)!
I did feel fortunate to have remembered to mention about that strange ‘mystic-looking-phenomenon’ by many visitors to that pre-independence prisons at Andaman & Nicobar Islands. (In that famous Gettysburg speech by Abraham Lincoln, he to mentioned that those who laid down their lives there had ‘consecrated’ that piece of land!)
I feel proud of the rich cultural and spiritual heritage handed down by ancient masters, who gave us the tools and techniques to ‘energize’ even our homes thus! It is indeed fortunate that this art is still available for those willing, to learn. It gives us the choice then, like a good photographer,(who would say thus: “If you are not beautiful, I will make you look beautiful, and if you are beautiful, I will capture your beauty!”), we can either enjoy the energy of a place, and /or add some, to it.
Psn(17th July, 2010)
http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100717010258AAhaOv2
What do you think is the most beautiful or peacful place on the planet?
Any opinions shared would be awesome, thanks!
My answer:
That place where we feel expanded enough to completely merge, dissolve ourselves into!
(Now, it happens at various levels, at various places, at various occasions, in a very relative way to each individual).
One can evolve into 'making it happen' any time any where , at will, consciously, for oneself in the beginning, and then out of compassion, for yet others who also have to extend the 'willingness' to allow it to happen for them too.
At sensory levels, that 'common-minimum-program' which comes to us with 'bundled-original-equipment', that self awareness, affords us samples, glimpses of it at some places of natural beauty like lofty snow-clad mountains, waterfalls (Niagara, etc), rocky mountains (Grand canyon), places of worship (especially ancient ones), and wonder of wonders in most unexpected places like those prisons of Andaman & Nicobar islands (now turned as national monuments/historic-places-of-visits) where many number of extremely patriotic people embraced death by torture, in such deep states of acceptance that visitors were quite unprepared to 'experience' strange serenity which vaguely resembles the sanctity of places of worship!
There is a tradition of revitalizing the energies of a place of worship, handed down by spiritual masters, with only the rituals differing from place to place, according to local customs and practices.
We invariably seek that ‘feeling’ of ‘peace’ as a source of reassurance that our attempt to reach the ‘divine’ has been fruitful at least to some extent.
Those who insist on tangible, perceivable evidence of ‘blind-belief’(about places of worship) would settle for just beautiful places for visit, and then, they too look out for some peace too there.
I felt intrigued by a question asking for such a place on the planet. Now, how could anybody answer ‘objectively’ unless that person has visited all such objects (places)?
So, I felt that it would not be ‘out-of-place’, if I try to point the place within, as a re-source (as a variation to out-sourcing)!
I did feel fortunate to have remembered to mention about that strange ‘mystic-looking-phenomenon’ by many visitors to that pre-independence prisons at Andaman & Nicobar Islands. (In that famous Gettysburg speech by Abraham Lincoln, he to mentioned that those who laid down their lives there had ‘consecrated’ that piece of land!)
I feel proud of the rich cultural and spiritual heritage handed down by ancient masters, who gave us the tools and techniques to ‘energize’ even our homes thus! It is indeed fortunate that this art is still available for those willing, to learn. It gives us the choice then, like a good photographer,(who would say thus: “If you are not beautiful, I will make you look beautiful, and if you are beautiful, I will capture your beauty!”), we can either enjoy the energy of a place, and /or add some, to it.
Psn(17th July, 2010)
http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100717010258AAhaOv2
What do you think is the most beautiful or peacful place on the planet?
Any opinions shared would be awesome, thanks!
My answer:
That place where we feel expanded enough to completely merge, dissolve ourselves into!
(Now, it happens at various levels, at various places, at various occasions, in a very relative way to each individual).
One can evolve into 'making it happen' any time any where , at will, consciously, for oneself in the beginning, and then out of compassion, for yet others who also have to extend the 'willingness' to allow it to happen for them too.
At sensory levels, that 'common-minimum-program' which comes to us with 'bundled-original-equipment', that self awareness, affords us samples, glimpses of it at some places of natural beauty like lofty snow-clad mountains, waterfalls (Niagara, etc), rocky mountains (Grand canyon), places of worship (especially ancient ones), and wonder of wonders in most unexpected places like those prisons of Andaman & Nicobar islands (now turned as national monuments/historic-places-of-visits) where many number of extremely patriotic people embraced death by torture, in such deep states of acceptance that visitors were quite unprepared to 'experience' strange serenity which vaguely resembles the sanctity of places of worship!
Too much of too little
Yes. It is the ‘too much’ of too little that keeps us busy in the rat-race of life. We realize having missed many wonderful things in life a bit too late….
Now, I do not wish to add too much to the already too much of too little, that is ‘other-wise’ occupying our mind already too much.
But, it is worth taking a look at what could be the ‘middle’ . It was the mention about the middle that persuaded me to take up and attempt an answer.
May be, it may inspire some of us to ponder.
Regards,
Psn(17th July, 2010)
http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100717033239AAln8QD
Tell me, spiritually or otherwise.. what is the difference between "too much" and "not enough"?
What happens in the middle?
Have anything to add?
One Love!
~Tyler
My answer:
Well, spiritually, the middle is not actually in the "middle" itself.It is the fuzzy middle. It is the real middle of a balanced mind, which is equanimous to the outside situation, and as a result of which, invariably 'looks' at everything as that 'middle'!
Please see, wherever the mind is involved, it says not enough or too much according to getting some benefit or misery!
Where the mind is 'disallowed' to involve and judge, the real middle matches the person's middle. When we are invited to a feast, and if we are quite hungry, and all the dishes are tasty and excellent, very soon we will reach that middle, and announce "enough" (the middle), at least till we are once again hungry. It seems there was a place (Nottingham or so...), where people have some community feast (some town hall or so), where, the diner goes to the wash basin nearby, puts two fingers deep into the throat, and invokes a vomit, to be able to fill in more food! Even in this extreme example, the 'enough' is merely delayed!
Our own physical limitations can demonstrate an "enough". Continuous movie-viewing, carnal pleasures and such other...
But coming to wealth, it is usually 'not enough'. Allotment of work-load at work place is usually "too much"...
When a person "experiences" quite deep enough, in full awareness, being quite alert, and very conscious, that "the mind and the body belongs to the being" there is scope for that middle, that joyous state, whatever the outside situation. That is the spiritual part of it. We all know what it is "other"-wise.....
Nice 'tickle', this question. Thanks
Now, I do not wish to add too much to the already too much of too little, that is ‘other-wise’ occupying our mind already too much.
But, it is worth taking a look at what could be the ‘middle’ . It was the mention about the middle that persuaded me to take up and attempt an answer.
May be, it may inspire some of us to ponder.
Regards,
Psn(17th July, 2010)
http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100717033239AAln8QD
Tell me, spiritually or otherwise.. what is the difference between "too much" and "not enough"?
What happens in the middle?
Have anything to add?
One Love!
~Tyler
My answer:
Well, spiritually, the middle is not actually in the "middle" itself.It is the fuzzy middle. It is the real middle of a balanced mind, which is equanimous to the outside situation, and as a result of which, invariably 'looks' at everything as that 'middle'!
Please see, wherever the mind is involved, it says not enough or too much according to getting some benefit or misery!
Where the mind is 'disallowed' to involve and judge, the real middle matches the person's middle. When we are invited to a feast, and if we are quite hungry, and all the dishes are tasty and excellent, very soon we will reach that middle, and announce "enough" (the middle), at least till we are once again hungry. It seems there was a place (Nottingham or so...), where people have some community feast (some town hall or so), where, the diner goes to the wash basin nearby, puts two fingers deep into the throat, and invokes a vomit, to be able to fill in more food! Even in this extreme example, the 'enough' is merely delayed!
Our own physical limitations can demonstrate an "enough". Continuous movie-viewing, carnal pleasures and such other...
But coming to wealth, it is usually 'not enough'. Allotment of work-load at work place is usually "too much"...
When a person "experiences" quite deep enough, in full awareness, being quite alert, and very conscious, that "the mind and the body belongs to the being" there is scope for that middle, that joyous state, whatever the outside situation. That is the spiritual part of it. We all know what it is "other"-wise.....
Nice 'tickle', this question. Thanks
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Intense Problem
It is about being ‘intense’ that is the problem, and therefore, may be this problem has now become an intense one.
There was an ‘ad’ on the TV… A kid requests his dad to become a ‘horse’ so that the kid can ride on his back. But, the dad tries to offer himself as a crocodile, instead! It takes much less effort for this dad to ‘play’ the role of ride-vehicle-crocodile (all he has to do is just lie down on his stomach, and continue his mid day nap)! The kid’s face shows disappointment.
As we grow into adulthood, we simply drop games. The transition is cunningly dubious. We first drop toys, then kid games, then replace with youth games, adult games, and then retire much faster than any professional sportspersons. Even that indoor couch-potato game with playing cards, we simply cannot think of playing for pea-nuts.
We forget how to become intense without any result to be chased. Not that children are doing it without any goal. But they can afford to forget the result no matter which way it was. But they also are not aware of their capability to become intense. What ever they do, they are intense at it.
The shift that happens in us is very subtle. We first become result-oriented, when we receive incentives, motivation speeches, advices from elders around. Even a romance offers us that ‘drive’ to go to any length of stupidity or madness, to become intense. We become intense in social work to achieve that ‘feel-good’ factor when we get appreciated.
Slowly, our intensity gets restricted to areas of our own ‘self-interest’. It does not just stay there. We almost forget how to become intense. Every thing, everyday becomes a drudgery, a dull-daily-routine. When we pay the poor fellow(rickshaw-puller, coolie etc) who carried our load as a casual laborer, he feels disappointed at the casualness with which we hand over the money. It is the helplessness of poverty and commonality that he sees with people around that helps him to compromise with our lack-luster body language response for his hard labor, which has forced a physical level of intensive labor that he experienced.
If we happened to know that, due to some delay, the results were approximated and compiled conclusively, and yet we are compelled to comply with submission of some periodical statement at work place, we find preparation of that particular statement to be unusually burden-some! The superiors at controlling office do not like to set a bad precedent, waiving the submission, though it is now redundant. Even tax authorities know, the tax payers do not relish preparation of tax returns and therefore expect the bulk of returns submission only at the last minute, on the last day.
This tendency to shed our intense capability too often takes a very heavy toll on the domestic front, where relationships and its bonds are purely based on the adhesive called emotions. Stubbornness is the only way the other person provokes us to become intense about something when love fails to invoke it. As the age advances, stubbornness becomes too glaringly obvious, and such people pave their own way to homes for the aged. At this age, it becomes too late to become intense.
We try to mix up some other qualities to make up the short fall of intensity. We become serious, tense, rigid etc, when all that is required to become intense. When scores do not enter the mind, that cricket batsman never pardons a loose ball! But, when he starts chasing scores, he becomes serious, tense and rigid, and that is when the ball finds it way to mid-wicket. Even the duck-out batsman is fortunate compared to us. The game is over for him, when he leaves the ‘pitch’. We remain ‘pitched’ all the time.
For dramatized examples, please look at that character of Omar Sharif in “Meckana’s Gold” . He seems casual throughout the movie, but is very intense about his goal, throughout the journey. His expressions change only when he becomes alert to any threat, otherwise, he maintains a villainous-smile throughout. He is very intense and relaxed.
In real life, we see an expert surgeon requesting his trusted colleague to do the job when the patient in that operation theatre is a very close relative of that expert surgeon! He knows, he cannot be intense and relaxed at the same time. (I could have my bit of experience, when I noticed that I am not “entirely” relaxed when it came to counting out my own salary, during my early days at job as a cashier. Cashiers can’t afford to be casual, but can be relaxed with practice, even when intense in their precarious hazardous job of counting currency notes.)
Well, spiritual growth, to a very large extent leans heavily upon becoming extremely relaxed and extremely intense simultaneously. Without either of this, the physical aspect of the practices could be counter-productive even. With just intenseness, we turn some of the exercises into muscle-building aerobics. And with relaxation alone, we become ‘senior’ yogis in the eyes of others, with no worthwhile progress within! There are stories to demonstrate this. That full time dacoit(angulimal ‘wearer of human-fingers as garland) got his mind-attitude transformed in no time(into later becoming a saint/sage-Valmiki), because he looked at “life” in a very intense way, with a calm and relaxed mind, and the futility of amassing wealth by plundering others dawned on him. A devotee enters the temple of worship with tremendous intensity, giving up all rigidities, with a sense of surrender (a forced relaxation), and experiences divinity far better than the priest who performs the rituals on a daily basis, but with some lack of intensity, in a casual routine manner! A yet another demonstrable example, we have seen a few, though not all or many, of the physically disabled people when they decide to live their life ‘intensely’ they perform miraculously with their legs, what we struggle to do with hands(painting with fingers on legs, holding the pen between teeth to write, etc).
Intensely yours,
Psn(14th July, 2010)
There was an ‘ad’ on the TV… A kid requests his dad to become a ‘horse’ so that the kid can ride on his back. But, the dad tries to offer himself as a crocodile, instead! It takes much less effort for this dad to ‘play’ the role of ride-vehicle-crocodile (all he has to do is just lie down on his stomach, and continue his mid day nap)! The kid’s face shows disappointment.
As we grow into adulthood, we simply drop games. The transition is cunningly dubious. We first drop toys, then kid games, then replace with youth games, adult games, and then retire much faster than any professional sportspersons. Even that indoor couch-potato game with playing cards, we simply cannot think of playing for pea-nuts.
We forget how to become intense without any result to be chased. Not that children are doing it without any goal. But they can afford to forget the result no matter which way it was. But they also are not aware of their capability to become intense. What ever they do, they are intense at it.
The shift that happens in us is very subtle. We first become result-oriented, when we receive incentives, motivation speeches, advices from elders around. Even a romance offers us that ‘drive’ to go to any length of stupidity or madness, to become intense. We become intense in social work to achieve that ‘feel-good’ factor when we get appreciated.
Slowly, our intensity gets restricted to areas of our own ‘self-interest’. It does not just stay there. We almost forget how to become intense. Every thing, everyday becomes a drudgery, a dull-daily-routine. When we pay the poor fellow(rickshaw-puller, coolie etc) who carried our load as a casual laborer, he feels disappointed at the casualness with which we hand over the money. It is the helplessness of poverty and commonality that he sees with people around that helps him to compromise with our lack-luster body language response for his hard labor, which has forced a physical level of intensive labor that he experienced.
If we happened to know that, due to some delay, the results were approximated and compiled conclusively, and yet we are compelled to comply with submission of some periodical statement at work place, we find preparation of that particular statement to be unusually burden-some! The superiors at controlling office do not like to set a bad precedent, waiving the submission, though it is now redundant. Even tax authorities know, the tax payers do not relish preparation of tax returns and therefore expect the bulk of returns submission only at the last minute, on the last day.
This tendency to shed our intense capability too often takes a very heavy toll on the domestic front, where relationships and its bonds are purely based on the adhesive called emotions. Stubbornness is the only way the other person provokes us to become intense about something when love fails to invoke it. As the age advances, stubbornness becomes too glaringly obvious, and such people pave their own way to homes for the aged. At this age, it becomes too late to become intense.
We try to mix up some other qualities to make up the short fall of intensity. We become serious, tense, rigid etc, when all that is required to become intense. When scores do not enter the mind, that cricket batsman never pardons a loose ball! But, when he starts chasing scores, he becomes serious, tense and rigid, and that is when the ball finds it way to mid-wicket. Even the duck-out batsman is fortunate compared to us. The game is over for him, when he leaves the ‘pitch’. We remain ‘pitched’ all the time.
For dramatized examples, please look at that character of Omar Sharif in “Meckana’s Gold” . He seems casual throughout the movie, but is very intense about his goal, throughout the journey. His expressions change only when he becomes alert to any threat, otherwise, he maintains a villainous-smile throughout. He is very intense and relaxed.
In real life, we see an expert surgeon requesting his trusted colleague to do the job when the patient in that operation theatre is a very close relative of that expert surgeon! He knows, he cannot be intense and relaxed at the same time. (I could have my bit of experience, when I noticed that I am not “entirely” relaxed when it came to counting out my own salary, during my early days at job as a cashier. Cashiers can’t afford to be casual, but can be relaxed with practice, even when intense in their precarious hazardous job of counting currency notes.)
Well, spiritual growth, to a very large extent leans heavily upon becoming extremely relaxed and extremely intense simultaneously. Without either of this, the physical aspect of the practices could be counter-productive even. With just intenseness, we turn some of the exercises into muscle-building aerobics. And with relaxation alone, we become ‘senior’ yogis in the eyes of others, with no worthwhile progress within! There are stories to demonstrate this. That full time dacoit(angulimal ‘wearer of human-fingers as garland) got his mind-attitude transformed in no time(into later becoming a saint/sage-Valmiki), because he looked at “life” in a very intense way, with a calm and relaxed mind, and the futility of amassing wealth by plundering others dawned on him. A devotee enters the temple of worship with tremendous intensity, giving up all rigidities, with a sense of surrender (a forced relaxation), and experiences divinity far better than the priest who performs the rituals on a daily basis, but with some lack of intensity, in a casual routine manner! A yet another demonstrable example, we have seen a few, though not all or many, of the physically disabled people when they decide to live their life ‘intensely’ they perform miraculously with their legs, what we struggle to do with hands(painting with fingers on legs, holding the pen between teeth to write, etc).
Intensely yours,
Psn(14th July, 2010)
Question quest
The quest usually is preceded by a question.
It is all the more interesting when the quest is about a question itself!
Quite reasonable, when we find questions pouring in from all over, when somebody starts looking at that itself as a big question, as to what was the ‘most’ in a particular class of question.
When somebody asked about a ‘greatest’ question, the answer looked very elusive, since the greatness of a question lasts only till we realize the stupidity about it (our own questions, I mean. It would be yet again a stupidity to adjudge someone else’s question as stupid, since it only would discourage the other that wonderful chance to rise above it, if we start ‘pronouncing’ it so. That is why it is insisted during a teacher’s training, not to discourage ‘any’ type of question!). But yes, we can ‘notch’ a question as most something (interesting, confusing, mystic, etc) so far, till another one crops up.
I had to give up becoming annoyed at myself when I found the number of times grew unmanageable, when my own mind could not hold on to some great idea for too long a time. Obviously, I am talking about those ‘kid’ days. During adult hood, we seldom find time for such niceties! I used to get easily persuaded to pursue any good quality when somebody around demonstrates a dexterity at it. At school every ‘guy’ seemed good at something. And I did find it worthwhile to chase that quality (no other way to find out what I am good at!). By the way, shaping us into ‘good-at-studies’ seemed to be the job of teachers, parents etc, since that was all they were focusing at when they interacted with us ‘meaningfully’ with some ‘quality-looking-time’! (Funny enough, some of us have ‘managed’ to retain this attitude even at the ‘refresher’ course provided by ‘staff-training colleges’ for the aged, at work places! For us, it was just a ‘paid-holiday’ and it was the ‘headache’ of the faculty to somehow make us dexterous at work!). Playing with marbles, running fast, talking in gibberish, walking over precarious narrow edges, shooting down that unreachable mango at the tallest branch with a good throw of the sharp edged stone, flying kites, etc., all these seemed sure signs of becoming something ‘special’! Most of these had to given up very soon, simply because ‘the grapes were sour’! Yes, even today, that pint sized nephew takes pleasure in teasing me with that whistle he produces so easily using just the two fingers, a folded tongue, and a gush of air out of his lungs!
So, when I looked at the whole lot of early age questions, I could ‘feel’ that one question which had kept tickling me for too long a time! I was tempted to share it here too.
Regards,
Psn(14th July, 2010)
http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100713174159AAD64TM
What's the greatest question that you've ever pondered?
My answer:
There was a question. It was not "greatest". But it was "most" intriguing question to me.
I used to wonder "Why is it that only the humans are unable to remain steadfast to any of their desires, goals, intentions, objectives, resolves, etc, for a sustainable length of time?"
Even as children at school, a story, a lesson, an example of a great person deeply motivates us. We resolve to be 'like' that person, at least try to be. But very soon, something else takes over. The World cup football evokes tremendous response among children who start playing with a ball in by-lanes, and narrow roads beside their houses. But soon something else takes over. Why even a kid gets disinterested very soon with the same toy. Scientists look at 'exploring outer space, other planets, even before having fully explored at least the accessible areas of just the surface of the earth!
(Now it seems quite clear to me, but the answer, obviously has to deal with human mind, the way of its functioning, and so presentation of it in brief acceptable form is not quite easy, apart from the 'mystic' intuitive 'element' that shrouds the 'phenomenon'!)
It is all the more interesting when the quest is about a question itself!
Quite reasonable, when we find questions pouring in from all over, when somebody starts looking at that itself as a big question, as to what was the ‘most’ in a particular class of question.
When somebody asked about a ‘greatest’ question, the answer looked very elusive, since the greatness of a question lasts only till we realize the stupidity about it (our own questions, I mean. It would be yet again a stupidity to adjudge someone else’s question as stupid, since it only would discourage the other that wonderful chance to rise above it, if we start ‘pronouncing’ it so. That is why it is insisted during a teacher’s training, not to discourage ‘any’ type of question!). But yes, we can ‘notch’ a question as most something (interesting, confusing, mystic, etc) so far, till another one crops up.
I had to give up becoming annoyed at myself when I found the number of times grew unmanageable, when my own mind could not hold on to some great idea for too long a time. Obviously, I am talking about those ‘kid’ days. During adult hood, we seldom find time for such niceties! I used to get easily persuaded to pursue any good quality when somebody around demonstrates a dexterity at it. At school every ‘guy’ seemed good at something. And I did find it worthwhile to chase that quality (no other way to find out what I am good at!). By the way, shaping us into ‘good-at-studies’ seemed to be the job of teachers, parents etc, since that was all they were focusing at when they interacted with us ‘meaningfully’ with some ‘quality-looking-time’! (Funny enough, some of us have ‘managed’ to retain this attitude even at the ‘refresher’ course provided by ‘staff-training colleges’ for the aged, at work places! For us, it was just a ‘paid-holiday’ and it was the ‘headache’ of the faculty to somehow make us dexterous at work!). Playing with marbles, running fast, talking in gibberish, walking over precarious narrow edges, shooting down that unreachable mango at the tallest branch with a good throw of the sharp edged stone, flying kites, etc., all these seemed sure signs of becoming something ‘special’! Most of these had to given up very soon, simply because ‘the grapes were sour’! Yes, even today, that pint sized nephew takes pleasure in teasing me with that whistle he produces so easily using just the two fingers, a folded tongue, and a gush of air out of his lungs!
So, when I looked at the whole lot of early age questions, I could ‘feel’ that one question which had kept tickling me for too long a time! I was tempted to share it here too.
Regards,
Psn(14th July, 2010)
http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100713174159AAD64TM
What's the greatest question that you've ever pondered?
My answer:
There was a question. It was not "greatest". But it was "most" intriguing question to me.
I used to wonder "Why is it that only the humans are unable to remain steadfast to any of their desires, goals, intentions, objectives, resolves, etc, for a sustainable length of time?"
Even as children at school, a story, a lesson, an example of a great person deeply motivates us. We resolve to be 'like' that person, at least try to be. But very soon, something else takes over. The World cup football evokes tremendous response among children who start playing with a ball in by-lanes, and narrow roads beside their houses. But soon something else takes over. Why even a kid gets disinterested very soon with the same toy. Scientists look at 'exploring outer space, other planets, even before having fully explored at least the accessible areas of just the surface of the earth!
(Now it seems quite clear to me, but the answer, obviously has to deal with human mind, the way of its functioning, and so presentation of it in brief acceptable form is not quite easy, apart from the 'mystic' intuitive 'element' that shrouds the 'phenomenon'!)
Monday, July 12, 2010
Upturned.
I used to feel a bit ‘unfortunate’ at very ‘wrong’ places, and quite often too, during my childhood. Some things, some happenings, some incidents used to affect me deep enough to leave a long-term residue. It happens to almost everyone. Nothing so special about me. But, if it happens on occasions which most people would say “Oh! Is that all?”, then I have a valid reason to feel isolated! Very funny, that even miseries bind people together, when they find commonality, and isolate when it ‘seems’ unique!
Well, something did really “upset” me literally! I was eagerly looking forward to fascinating facts getting revealed to me about life around, when our ‘Physics” teacher assured that we are set-about to learn about “why” and “how” of life and things around us, as we wade through the lessons in physics.
The tragedy occurred after that simple experiment with that candle , a cardboard with a slit-hole to let in the light from the candle flame, and yet another card board beyond this one was placed to show how the image of the flame looks upside down. Even that earlier theory class did not have such an impact, like when we saw it ‘live’. And the cruel teacher even happened to compare it(that little hole in the cardboard) with the functioning of our eye, after having ‘explained’ how a box-camera’s lens works! I distinctly remember that the rest of the classes and lessons of that day passed just over my head! I was gripped with a fear-sense, when it occurred to me thus: “Have I been looking at the world upside down all this time?”.
After reaching home, I tried several times, bending down looking through between my knees (the short-knickers that we children wore at that age seemed a blessing! All the elders at home wore garments that wound around the whole length of their legs together!). But looking thus head bent down seemed an uncomfortable proposition, and could never be extended for too long (this I discovered, when I found my head spinning after bringing up my head to get a lung-full of air. Even simple breathing seemed difficult when bent at waist). I had to abandon this ‘practice-sessions’ when elders around repeated their warnings at an increased decibel of sound in their voice. I had to abandon this ‘practice’ for fear of incurring the wrath of elders.
But I resolved mentally to ‘equip’ myself, by becoming ‘differently-abled’ in my perspective, not willing to leave it chance, or waiting for some physics teacher like person to reveal any shortcomings in my understanding of world around (after all, I have to walk, talk and think upright, or ‘down-right-practically’ , Oh! whichever way it ‘should be’!). When I look back, it seems that perhaps this is how I was mercilessly ‘pushed’ into that vast turbulent sea of spiritual processes, the pathless path, where I had to find my way, the deepening-process of perspectives, by myself, alone, with nobody around to teach me to swim or stay afloat.
But my ‘upside-down-viewing’ theory remained subsided only till I reached my early days at work place! It got revived all over again, when I tripped upon a very small booklet by an eminent authority, no less than the Reserve Bank of India, which suggested looking at signatures “upside-down” to come closer to a reliable, dependable verification method to find out fake signatures, when comparing them with specimens on record! I had to wait another 5 years only after which I could find it to be of a very practical use when I was ‘authorised’ officially to ‘pass’ signatures! (I even wondered, why I could not find another colleague who happened to talk of having come across that so useful a booklet! Reserve Bank used to do “something about it…” thus, like this booklet when there is a spurt of news about instances of fake signature, forged currency etc.
I got used to re-routing my journey-plans thus, upside down very often thence forth.
So, it was not surprising when I found myself answering a very serious question about “straightening” the world around, in a funny way. But it surprised me that it appealed to the asker!
I hope the brief question and the brief answer (this time), would help regaining/normalizing the reader’s vitreous humor(or the sense of humour) in case I had inadvertently turned upside down!
Regards,
Psn(12th July, 2010)
http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100706023041AAxo7rB
Why do people strive to straighten the world ?
Features are like dog's curly tail
Additional Details
World is like the curly tail of a dog.
My answer:
And we find our own tail itself to be missing!Much 'comfortable' to spend the whole of our life straightening the 'world' around.It offers great consolation (mutual benefit scheme!).
Well, something did really “upset” me literally! I was eagerly looking forward to fascinating facts getting revealed to me about life around, when our ‘Physics” teacher assured that we are set-about to learn about “why” and “how” of life and things around us, as we wade through the lessons in physics.
The tragedy occurred after that simple experiment with that candle , a cardboard with a slit-hole to let in the light from the candle flame, and yet another card board beyond this one was placed to show how the image of the flame looks upside down. Even that earlier theory class did not have such an impact, like when we saw it ‘live’. And the cruel teacher even happened to compare it(that little hole in the cardboard) with the functioning of our eye, after having ‘explained’ how a box-camera’s lens works! I distinctly remember that the rest of the classes and lessons of that day passed just over my head! I was gripped with a fear-sense, when it occurred to me thus: “Have I been looking at the world upside down all this time?”.
After reaching home, I tried several times, bending down looking through between my knees (the short-knickers that we children wore at that age seemed a blessing! All the elders at home wore garments that wound around the whole length of their legs together!). But looking thus head bent down seemed an uncomfortable proposition, and could never be extended for too long (this I discovered, when I found my head spinning after bringing up my head to get a lung-full of air. Even simple breathing seemed difficult when bent at waist). I had to abandon this ‘practice-sessions’ when elders around repeated their warnings at an increased decibel of sound in their voice. I had to abandon this ‘practice’ for fear of incurring the wrath of elders.
But I resolved mentally to ‘equip’ myself, by becoming ‘differently-abled’ in my perspective, not willing to leave it chance, or waiting for some physics teacher like person to reveal any shortcomings in my understanding of world around (after all, I have to walk, talk and think upright, or ‘down-right-practically’ , Oh! whichever way it ‘should be’!). When I look back, it seems that perhaps this is how I was mercilessly ‘pushed’ into that vast turbulent sea of spiritual processes, the pathless path, where I had to find my way, the deepening-process of perspectives, by myself, alone, with nobody around to teach me to swim or stay afloat.
But my ‘upside-down-viewing’ theory remained subsided only till I reached my early days at work place! It got revived all over again, when I tripped upon a very small booklet by an eminent authority, no less than the Reserve Bank of India, which suggested looking at signatures “upside-down” to come closer to a reliable, dependable verification method to find out fake signatures, when comparing them with specimens on record! I had to wait another 5 years only after which I could find it to be of a very practical use when I was ‘authorised’ officially to ‘pass’ signatures! (I even wondered, why I could not find another colleague who happened to talk of having come across that so useful a booklet! Reserve Bank used to do “something about it…” thus, like this booklet when there is a spurt of news about instances of fake signature, forged currency etc.
I got used to re-routing my journey-plans thus, upside down very often thence forth.
So, it was not surprising when I found myself answering a very serious question about “straightening” the world around, in a funny way. But it surprised me that it appealed to the asker!
I hope the brief question and the brief answer (this time), would help regaining/normalizing the reader’s vitreous humor(or the sense of humour) in case I had inadvertently turned upside down!
Regards,
Psn(12th July, 2010)
http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100706023041AAxo7rB
Why do people strive to straighten the world ?
Features are like dog's curly tail
Additional Details
World is like the curly tail of a dog.
My answer:
And we find our own tail itself to be missing!Much 'comfortable' to spend the whole of our life straightening the 'world' around.It offers great consolation (mutual benefit scheme!).
Unreasonable thoughts!
Yes!
It is these unreasonable thoughts that disturb us, till we helplessly tolerate it, get addicted over a period of time, and then it is too late to do something about it. Growing children find it embarrassing to seek help from elders around due to the very ‘classification’ (unreasonable is un-‘ask-able’ too!). Now, if they are to turn to their ‘close’ friends, this time, they really regret having kept those minority class of friends (honest, blunt, sincere and frank fault-finders) at a ‘convenient’ distance. The others, sailing in the same boat, would end up nurturing such unreasonable thoughts.
I attempted to look at a question seeking a way to handle these unreasonable thoughts.
To keep the answer brief, I broadly classified such thought processes in just two main categories. Interestingly, the second type seems just age-related, but not really so. If maturity happens at least with the aging process, may be it works. Otherwise, the mind by itself, happens to race towards that ‘second’ childhood with advanced aging, and so, on its way, also obviously traverses the ‘youthful’ urges too, on its way, now that aged people are usually classified as ‘elders’!
If the answer finds any appeal, then we can work towards a way to ‘train’ the youth and children into retaining an emotional balance, and then they would carry the ‘insulation’ wherever they go (it is not possible to insulate the situation and surroundings).
Psn(12th July, 2010)
http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100711195612AA4xUzN
How to forget an unreasonable thought?
I guess I might be a little obsessive over things...But sometimes I will have the most unreasonable thoughts come through my mind, and they will haunt me over and over. Sometimes I feel quite frustrated by these thoughts. I like to discuss the things on my mind, it usually makes them go away, but somethings are just so embarrassing and disturbing to me, that I really rather not discuss them out loud. I know its unreasonable and ridiculous really, but its just really bothering me that I would think up such a thing. So, if there is some way to get rid of it, please tell me. Otherwise I will eventually just have to discuss this with someone, and I don't want to do that. I don't know why I get like this sometimes.
35 minutes ago
- 4 days left to answer.
Additional Details
It seems like it might be OCD. I mean...I sometimes get caught up into the habit of washing my hands excessively. But I only do this when there is something pressing on my mind...I am going to talk about it though to someone. Its just going to sit there on my mind if I don't. Thanks everyone for your great advice. :)
My answer:
When we find our own thoughts to be 'unreasonable' there could be two main reasons.
1- Our desires and expectations do not match practical possibility of fulfilment. This is the most commonly found 'unreasonable-ness' in our thoughts. This gives rise to inner conflicts, and consequently persuades negative emotions like anger, hate, jealousy and fear to 'flourish'.
2. Our basic urges, instincts due to biological reasons, inherited reasons, genetic reasons, and such other reasons, when not handled properly seem to overpower our 'social-sense' or acceptable norms of the society, and they build up some kind of pressure seeking an outlet. If the emotional balance is lacking, the frequency of such outbursts is common. It is these urges that give rise to such 'unreasonable' thoughts. If these thoughts are not 'resolved' conclusively, they remain like an unexploded live bomb, vulnerable to take us by surprise at any time! Expert HR people actually find it easier to test the emotional balance by 'provoking' such latent thought processes. [for example, it seems in one of the IAS interviews(a very high-profile civil service job), a few candidates scored equal marks upto the final level. Ages even could not be used to decide 'seniority'. So, an additional round of testing was used with just one common question, to find out the best candidate. It so happned, that all these candidates were males. The question was "You find enter a room, and suddenly find your sister fully naked. What do you do(How do you react)? When one candidate was selected, the others protested to know what was so special about this answer that theirs was not found 'reasonable'? The answers by these 'others' were almost similar and on 'expected' lines... like, "I would close my eyes", "I would take off my shirt/coat and cover her", "I would leave the room " etc... But this 'selected' candidate's answer was surprising. He said "I would hug her, and give her a kiss"! The selectors justified this answer, explaining that they had not stipulated the sister's age. A two year old child looks charming in her birthday-suit, and it is not an 'unreasonable' thought, to think of giving her a loving hug and kiss!]. When we use our self-awareness to evolve beyond these basic urges like hunger, thirst, survival, self-preservation etc, we are less vulnerable to such 'unreasonable' thoughts, and we do not remain crude and primitive.
Best wishes.
It is these unreasonable thoughts that disturb us, till we helplessly tolerate it, get addicted over a period of time, and then it is too late to do something about it. Growing children find it embarrassing to seek help from elders around due to the very ‘classification’ (unreasonable is un-‘ask-able’ too!). Now, if they are to turn to their ‘close’ friends, this time, they really regret having kept those minority class of friends (honest, blunt, sincere and frank fault-finders) at a ‘convenient’ distance. The others, sailing in the same boat, would end up nurturing such unreasonable thoughts.
I attempted to look at a question seeking a way to handle these unreasonable thoughts.
To keep the answer brief, I broadly classified such thought processes in just two main categories. Interestingly, the second type seems just age-related, but not really so. If maturity happens at least with the aging process, may be it works. Otherwise, the mind by itself, happens to race towards that ‘second’ childhood with advanced aging, and so, on its way, also obviously traverses the ‘youthful’ urges too, on its way, now that aged people are usually classified as ‘elders’!
If the answer finds any appeal, then we can work towards a way to ‘train’ the youth and children into retaining an emotional balance, and then they would carry the ‘insulation’ wherever they go (it is not possible to insulate the situation and surroundings).
Psn(12th July, 2010)
http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100711195612AA4xUzN
How to forget an unreasonable thought?
I guess I might be a little obsessive over things...But sometimes I will have the most unreasonable thoughts come through my mind, and they will haunt me over and over. Sometimes I feel quite frustrated by these thoughts. I like to discuss the things on my mind, it usually makes them go away, but somethings are just so embarrassing and disturbing to me, that I really rather not discuss them out loud. I know its unreasonable and ridiculous really, but its just really bothering me that I would think up such a thing. So, if there is some way to get rid of it, please tell me. Otherwise I will eventually just have to discuss this with someone, and I don't want to do that. I don't know why I get like this sometimes.
35 minutes ago
- 4 days left to answer.
Additional Details
It seems like it might be OCD. I mean...I sometimes get caught up into the habit of washing my hands excessively. But I only do this when there is something pressing on my mind...I am going to talk about it though to someone. Its just going to sit there on my mind if I don't. Thanks everyone for your great advice. :)
My answer:
When we find our own thoughts to be 'unreasonable' there could be two main reasons.
1- Our desires and expectations do not match practical possibility of fulfilment. This is the most commonly found 'unreasonable-ness' in our thoughts. This gives rise to inner conflicts, and consequently persuades negative emotions like anger, hate, jealousy and fear to 'flourish'.
2. Our basic urges, instincts due to biological reasons, inherited reasons, genetic reasons, and such other reasons, when not handled properly seem to overpower our 'social-sense' or acceptable norms of the society, and they build up some kind of pressure seeking an outlet. If the emotional balance is lacking, the frequency of such outbursts is common. It is these urges that give rise to such 'unreasonable' thoughts. If these thoughts are not 'resolved' conclusively, they remain like an unexploded live bomb, vulnerable to take us by surprise at any time! Expert HR people actually find it easier to test the emotional balance by 'provoking' such latent thought processes. [for example, it seems in one of the IAS interviews(a very high-profile civil service job), a few candidates scored equal marks upto the final level. Ages even could not be used to decide 'seniority'. So, an additional round of testing was used with just one common question, to find out the best candidate. It so happned, that all these candidates were males. The question was "You find enter a room, and suddenly find your sister fully naked. What do you do(How do you react)? When one candidate was selected, the others protested to know what was so special about this answer that theirs was not found 'reasonable'? The answers by these 'others' were almost similar and on 'expected' lines... like, "I would close my eyes", "I would take off my shirt/coat and cover her", "I would leave the room " etc... But this 'selected' candidate's answer was surprising. He said "I would hug her, and give her a kiss"! The selectors justified this answer, explaining that they had not stipulated the sister's age. A two year old child looks charming in her birthday-suit, and it is not an 'unreasonable' thought, to think of giving her a loving hug and kiss!]. When we use our self-awareness to evolve beyond these basic urges like hunger, thirst, survival, self-preservation etc, we are less vulnerable to such 'unreasonable' thoughts, and we do not remain crude and primitive.
Best wishes.
Arterial question
Some people just ‘happen’ to keep away from art forms. There is no strict social norm that everybody ought to even appreciate some form of art. They need not even ‘tolerate’ it. This is one area where people seem to ‘agree-to-disagree’ by non-verbalized mutual consensus!
It is not a surprise therefore to find a question that seeks to find out the ‘worth’ of art in social life. By itself, art is the very life breath to its fans, worshippers etc. To people in ancient days, art was even an effective tool for spiritual upliftment, and like a sugar-coated pill, instead of those rigorous and arduous spiritual practices. But with some of our people who are simply not interested in any form of art, what is the ‘social’ value of art, is the question.
If the answer finds an acceptance and then some appeal, then may be, it might persuade those who are yet to be initiated into the intoxicant-drink called art, to have a sip, a taste of it, and then, it a sure way to bliss!
Regards,
Psn (12th July, 2010)
http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100711190232AALFOQB
How does art relate to our social life?
how does art relate to our social life?
My(relative) answer:
We can call it a social life only when there is an emotional bond of some sort between people. Art is when there is some harmony in the manifest form of an emotional creativity. Harmonic expressions of emotion find easy appeal to others and thus weaving a social fabric is easier with art. Once people are 'tuned' to each other through art, which itself being very harmonic, finds instant mass appeal, social togetherness is easier and faster.
It is not a surprise therefore to find a question that seeks to find out the ‘worth’ of art in social life. By itself, art is the very life breath to its fans, worshippers etc. To people in ancient days, art was even an effective tool for spiritual upliftment, and like a sugar-coated pill, instead of those rigorous and arduous spiritual practices. But with some of our people who are simply not interested in any form of art, what is the ‘social’ value of art, is the question.
If the answer finds an acceptance and then some appeal, then may be, it might persuade those who are yet to be initiated into the intoxicant-drink called art, to have a sip, a taste of it, and then, it a sure way to bliss!
Regards,
Psn (12th July, 2010)
http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100711190232AALFOQB
How does art relate to our social life?
how does art relate to our social life?
My(relative) answer:
We can call it a social life only when there is an emotional bond of some sort between people. Art is when there is some harmony in the manifest form of an emotional creativity. Harmonic expressions of emotion find easy appeal to others and thus weaving a social fabric is easier with art. Once people are 'tuned' to each other through art, which itself being very harmonic, finds instant mass appeal, social togetherness is easier and faster.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
A memorable middle-school experience!
In keeping with the theme of this blog, I felt that I need not hesitate to bring in here and then look at a simple question that I found on ‘Yahoo Answers’, which got deleted before I could post my answer. The question was good, so I thought I might as well share it here on my blog, with just my answer. If the link to the question were available, we would have had the opportunity to look at other answers as well. We draw inspiration from our teachers, in an ideal situation. There was a time, when every elder around looked upon oneself as a responsible teacher to all the kids around, and the parents found it reassuring when they could allow children to move freely around the neighborhood, and we did not feel being ‘watched’ by our own parents needlessly. Now that source of inspiration has dwindled somehow, and even school teachers find it difficult to play this role of inspirers/motivators etc.
This was the question:
What was your memorable middle school experience?
An answer to a q. I asked inspired me to ask this.So, what memory, if any, was most memorable to you?
My answer:
(Fortunately, this incident, is real, and was ‘live’ and true for me and my class mates then… It ‘lives’ in me even now!)
One day, our teacher decided to give us a precious lesson (not in the syllabus!).
We had that class 'monitor' who minds the class during the brief intervals when one teacher is to take over from the previous teacher of previous class-period. This monitor notes down the names of those who 'talk' (make noise), and the next teacher gives a mild punishment to those few (stand up on the bench for 10 minutes, don't do it again, etc). The chit of these names was rarely blank! This monitor was usually a person who had physical looks so that he cannot be intimidated by others 'outside' the class for writing down the names.
On this day, the teacher asked the class, "who is the weakest fellow among you, who can be intimidated by all others very easily". We all knew who that timid small guy was. The teacher too now knew when we all glanced in that direction. Then the teacher asked, if this (Master X) is going to be 'appointed' as a monitor, is he going to be successful? "No....." was our chorus reply! None of us are ever going to be afraid of him. Instead, his chit (list of names of talkative offenders) would always be blank, and the class would be noisiest ever, during those brief intervals. Then the teacher asked us, if we are 'willing' to try to make sure that this fellow becomes successful! This time, we are to take it as a challenge that if he fails, it is in fact 'we' who failed. We were made to realize, that we were powerful enough to decide that even a weak person can win, if only we decide upon it. We became excited, and decided to try it for just ONE day. We succeeded. No body 'talked'. So, we played a game, deciding not to commit a 'foul'. We in fact extended this experiment for a week, and we realized that we had learnt the power of
1)commitment, 2)Unity 3)voluntarily giving up of our ‘limited rights’ in favor acquiring a much greater privilege 4)"true" sense of democracy 5)Team spirit….. And many other such valuable concepts! (It is not that all of us looked at it so positively. There were a few, who perhaps learnt the concept of “king-maker”, and they would have even used it to play ‘politics’, later in their lives! Incidents by themselves are not really infallible, when we look at it as a source of inspiration. It is our own preparedness to look at it thus. Again, it is attitude that matters!)
I am sure, if my classmates might happen to read this story, they may re-live that wonderful experience, and the precious lesson we learnt, and would pay our deep respects to that wonderful teacher in our hearts yet again today, as we read this and remember him!
(Incidentally, this guy, our ‘weak-yet-successful-monitor-for a week’, was a close friend of mine, and had deep emotional bonds of ‘true-friendship’. I learnt from him, how significant a small ‘token’ of gratitude can be, at that tender age! It is yet an-other different story. I don’t know if I would have courage to narrate it, not because it is a big secret, but it looks too sacred for me!)
psn(10th July, 2010)
This was the question:
What was your memorable middle school experience?
An answer to a q. I asked inspired me to ask this.So, what memory, if any, was most memorable to you?
My answer:
(Fortunately, this incident, is real, and was ‘live’ and true for me and my class mates then… It ‘lives’ in me even now!)
One day, our teacher decided to give us a precious lesson (not in the syllabus!).
We had that class 'monitor' who minds the class during the brief intervals when one teacher is to take over from the previous teacher of previous class-period. This monitor notes down the names of those who 'talk' (make noise), and the next teacher gives a mild punishment to those few (stand up on the bench for 10 minutes, don't do it again, etc). The chit of these names was rarely blank! This monitor was usually a person who had physical looks so that he cannot be intimidated by others 'outside' the class for writing down the names.
On this day, the teacher asked the class, "who is the weakest fellow among you, who can be intimidated by all others very easily". We all knew who that timid small guy was. The teacher too now knew when we all glanced in that direction. Then the teacher asked, if this (Master X) is going to be 'appointed' as a monitor, is he going to be successful? "No....." was our chorus reply! None of us are ever going to be afraid of him. Instead, his chit (list of names of talkative offenders) would always be blank, and the class would be noisiest ever, during those brief intervals. Then the teacher asked us, if we are 'willing' to try to make sure that this fellow becomes successful! This time, we are to take it as a challenge that if he fails, it is in fact 'we' who failed. We were made to realize, that we were powerful enough to decide that even a weak person can win, if only we decide upon it. We became excited, and decided to try it for just ONE day. We succeeded. No body 'talked'. So, we played a game, deciding not to commit a 'foul'. We in fact extended this experiment for a week, and we realized that we had learnt the power of
1)commitment, 2)Unity 3)voluntarily giving up of our ‘limited rights’ in favor acquiring a much greater privilege 4)"true" sense of democracy 5)Team spirit….. And many other such valuable concepts! (It is not that all of us looked at it so positively. There were a few, who perhaps learnt the concept of “king-maker”, and they would have even used it to play ‘politics’, later in their lives! Incidents by themselves are not really infallible, when we look at it as a source of inspiration. It is our own preparedness to look at it thus. Again, it is attitude that matters!)
I am sure, if my classmates might happen to read this story, they may re-live that wonderful experience, and the precious lesson we learnt, and would pay our deep respects to that wonderful teacher in our hearts yet again today, as we read this and remember him!
(Incidentally, this guy, our ‘weak-yet-successful-monitor-for a week’, was a close friend of mine, and had deep emotional bonds of ‘true-friendship’. I learnt from him, how significant a small ‘token’ of gratitude can be, at that tender age! It is yet an-other different story. I don’t know if I would have courage to narrate it, not because it is a big secret, but it looks too sacred for me!)
psn(10th July, 2010)
Friday, July 09, 2010
Black Magic
Now, this is a fascinating topic.
A bit scary too, for those who feel ‘uncertain’ about those ‘mystic’ looking phenomenon!
I was wondering, if it is possible to keep an open mind, without blindly believing or even disbelieving in existence or efficacy of such negative arts.
When I tripped upon such a question, where the asker seemed to give the ‘benefit-of-doubt’ towards a possibility of threat from so called ‘black-magic’ (may be even out of a sense of abundant caution, saying to oneself, ‘why take chances’), I thought it is worth while to use this topic, to at least persuade the minds to evolve towards a ‘scientific-temper’ (at least one aspect of a scientific temper, the readiness to say “let me see”). As goes the saying, “Absence of proof is not proof of absence”!
It may look ironical, but spirituality demands a more stringent, sharp, alert kind of ‘scientific-temper’ than those required for the handling of physical sciences which are confined to time and space.
So, I have confined the answer, as much as possible, to permissible levels of abstractions that logic can afford.
Regards,
Psn (9th July, 2010)
http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100708042146AACEUBd
How do black magic work? Is there any permanent solution to get rid of, I mean any puja, havan etc.?
My answer:
When this kind of question comes up, surely there is some belief that there is 'black-magic'.
We have to depend on this 'belief' for a while at least, to look at a possible answer. Solution, after understanding the answer may not be within the reach right now. That is why people choose that 'black-magic'. It is nothing but a hidden way of fighting. There are problems with 'open-fight'.
Now, for black-magic to work, some subtle 'force' is necessary. Either a person becomes capable of such force, or engages some expert. The problem with accepting the existence of such force is that it is too subtle, and beyond reach of sensory level of perception. The confusion about why and how 'some' people believe, while others don't, is because, it does not work on every body. Why we do not feel electric shock when we wear rubber shoes, or stand on wood is easily understandable. But when such 'black-magic' does not work on somebody, and that somebody refuses to believe in existence of black magic itself, the other person is confused. We do not know why it does not work on some people. The insulation from such force is also not 'visible' like that force itself.
Once we can try to keep open a possibility of "may-be" there is such a subtle force, which can be directed upon somebody to do some hurt or damage, then, we know we need equal and opposite kind of force to counter it. This opposite force is also likely to be subtle (logically). That is why we look at the options of Puja, Havan etc. The effectiveness of the opposite force to neutralize this 'black-force' depends upon efficiency of puja, havan etc, and choosing the correct 'force-generating-device' (the right kind of puja etc)...
There is another way out. A bit tougher way. We become unavailable to any kind of negative force! To explain this, we may need a simple example. A force can act only when there is resistance, and a base. For electric force, we need that resistance (an appliance), and the neutral/earthing (the base). A simple example, try punching a loose cotton ball, hanging it by a thread. The cotton looks weak. But its strength is that it neither offers resistance nor a base for that punch to land. Try holding one of the cluster beans or any flexible and long beans like item, with just two tips of fingers at an end, dangling in the air, and use the other hand to hold a knife and slash the tip of the loose end of the bean(not the middle). Many attempts and lots of efforts would be required to cut it. Only scars will happen initially. Those who are not affected by such negative force are fortunate to be 'naturally' insulated (may be quite unawares), and thus they tend to 'disbelieve' in such force.
But please see, thoughts too are quite physical like those tangible material objects, though very subtle. Ask any teenager girl... she can 'feel' the staring glance at her back, without needing to turn back and look at the source of the glance. It is much easier to 'focus' the thought power from small distances or using 'related' objects. With practice, the 'range' of this 'missile' increases, and the capability too evolves better like that 'guided' missile. So, till we are able to become unavailable to such forces, we have to turn to some 'counter-devices'. Only an expert can do it after knowing symptoms, details, diagnosis etc. We have heard that spiritual people are able to remain unharmed by such 'black-magic'... that is how we become unavailable.
Best wishes.
A bit scary too, for those who feel ‘uncertain’ about those ‘mystic’ looking phenomenon!
I was wondering, if it is possible to keep an open mind, without blindly believing or even disbelieving in existence or efficacy of such negative arts.
When I tripped upon such a question, where the asker seemed to give the ‘benefit-of-doubt’ towards a possibility of threat from so called ‘black-magic’ (may be even out of a sense of abundant caution, saying to oneself, ‘why take chances’), I thought it is worth while to use this topic, to at least persuade the minds to evolve towards a ‘scientific-temper’ (at least one aspect of a scientific temper, the readiness to say “let me see”). As goes the saying, “Absence of proof is not proof of absence”!
It may look ironical, but spirituality demands a more stringent, sharp, alert kind of ‘scientific-temper’ than those required for the handling of physical sciences which are confined to time and space.
So, I have confined the answer, as much as possible, to permissible levels of abstractions that logic can afford.
Regards,
Psn (9th July, 2010)
http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100708042146AACEUBd
How do black magic work? Is there any permanent solution to get rid of, I mean any puja, havan etc.?
My answer:
When this kind of question comes up, surely there is some belief that there is 'black-magic'.
We have to depend on this 'belief' for a while at least, to look at a possible answer. Solution, after understanding the answer may not be within the reach right now. That is why people choose that 'black-magic'. It is nothing but a hidden way of fighting. There are problems with 'open-fight'.
Now, for black-magic to work, some subtle 'force' is necessary. Either a person becomes capable of such force, or engages some expert. The problem with accepting the existence of such force is that it is too subtle, and beyond reach of sensory level of perception. The confusion about why and how 'some' people believe, while others don't, is because, it does not work on every body. Why we do not feel electric shock when we wear rubber shoes, or stand on wood is easily understandable. But when such 'black-magic' does not work on somebody, and that somebody refuses to believe in existence of black magic itself, the other person is confused. We do not know why it does not work on some people. The insulation from such force is also not 'visible' like that force itself.
Once we can try to keep open a possibility of "may-be" there is such a subtle force, which can be directed upon somebody to do some hurt or damage, then, we know we need equal and opposite kind of force to counter it. This opposite force is also likely to be subtle (logically). That is why we look at the options of Puja, Havan etc. The effectiveness of the opposite force to neutralize this 'black-force' depends upon efficiency of puja, havan etc, and choosing the correct 'force-generating-device' (the right kind of puja etc)...
There is another way out. A bit tougher way. We become unavailable to any kind of negative force! To explain this, we may need a simple example. A force can act only when there is resistance, and a base. For electric force, we need that resistance (an appliance), and the neutral/earthing (the base). A simple example, try punching a loose cotton ball, hanging it by a thread. The cotton looks weak. But its strength is that it neither offers resistance nor a base for that punch to land. Try holding one of the cluster beans or any flexible and long beans like item, with just two tips of fingers at an end, dangling in the air, and use the other hand to hold a knife and slash the tip of the loose end of the bean(not the middle). Many attempts and lots of efforts would be required to cut it. Only scars will happen initially. Those who are not affected by such negative force are fortunate to be 'naturally' insulated (may be quite unawares), and thus they tend to 'disbelieve' in such force.
But please see, thoughts too are quite physical like those tangible material objects, though very subtle. Ask any teenager girl... she can 'feel' the staring glance at her back, without needing to turn back and look at the source of the glance. It is much easier to 'focus' the thought power from small distances or using 'related' objects. With practice, the 'range' of this 'missile' increases, and the capability too evolves better like that 'guided' missile. So, till we are able to become unavailable to such forces, we have to turn to some 'counter-devices'. Only an expert can do it after knowing symptoms, details, diagnosis etc. We have heard that spiritual people are able to remain unharmed by such 'black-magic'... that is how we become unavailable.
Best wishes.
Friday, July 02, 2010
Flowery Worship!
Just because somebody agrees to what we say, it does not mean at all that it is correct.
I was ‘bogged down’ by an ancient saying “Pratyaksham kim pramanam” (or something to that effect in Sanskrit language, meaning ‘seeing is believing/proof’ or equivalent to that). But later, deeper levels of spiritual practices convinced me that perception levels can take us that far, where we can ‘see’ anything we like, at will! No point in trying to sell this idea any further.
But, this time, please see, the asker seems to adhere to a well-founded reasoning, tenable logic, and above all, an open mind, while asking a very practical question. Nature lovers, botanists, soldiers of ‘greenery movement’ etc would support him staunchly. At well maintained botanical gardens (like Ooty-hill station), money is spent to ensure that nobody plucks flowers recklessly. I admire the choice of words of the asker, and would like to encourage such equanimous mind, irrespective of whether we take a side in favour or opposition.
Any way, it so happens that much to my surprise, my answer did appeal, which gives me a ray of hope, that maybe a few others might be tempted to look at it as well.
Psn(2nd July, 2010)
http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100701004325AARof9h
Is it right to pluck flowers from trees, in order to dedicate to the god?
In case of food, I believe that it is somehow the necessity as world cannot live without sufficient food however here, I am talking about flowers. Dead flower IS not the necessity. We can live happy with alive breathing flowers.The flowers are plucked from trees, in order to dedicate to the God in temples, mosques, gurudwaras, church etc. Flowers were alive and breathing, when they were on the trees. When they were plucked, they become dead and become deadbodies. Then those deadbodies of flowers were dedicated to God. After an hour I have seen those dead flowers flowing in the drains.. I believe that God is in each & every part of air. Therefore I feel that, When flowers were enjoying on the trees then also they were 100% dedicated to god, but were alive. After being plucked also they were dedicated to god, but dead. WHAT DO YOU THINK?
My reply:
The question is very valid.
If our 'experience' is limited to a 'feeling' that we are dedicating it to God, it may not be right.But, if we can experience the flower the same way that you have very correctly observed about food, then it is right. The problem is the difficulty in 'appreciating' the food-contents in the flowers too. The food part is quite tangible, and gross, compared to flower. The life in the flower, its energy, has to be imbibed, allowed to permeate into us. For that we have to evolve to first 'feel' the life, and energy in it.
(Even today, in that high-altitude place Tibet, very little vegetation happens, due to extreme cold. Native people depend on native doctors, who follow traditional methods of medicines. They train themselves quite intensely so as to be able to put their 'life-energy' which is quite subtle, into the very same few flowers, and give it to patients for most type of ailments. The skill lies in combining the type of their own energies, with the limited varieties of flowers that grow there, and managing to cure many varieties of ailments).
There have been instances where flowers placed at certain 'energy' places retain their life and freshness for abnormal duration of time.
What most people do is just to follow blindly an age old tradition. That is why even faded flowers are sometimes used for worship/dedication! There are a few experts who do certain 'processes' using flowers, holding them with designated finger-tips (postures, etc), and invoke energies through chantings (sound energy), and place them on copper-metalled-designs (form energy). The efficacy of such ancient practices are difficult to approve, accept or believe simply because we are yet to evolve beyond sensory levels of perception. We may attempt to look at such 'possibility' only due to one strong reason, that is, such practices have been there since hundreds of centuries! Maybe, there is something worth looking at, worth re-discovering, experientially at least!
(It would not be 'out-of-context' to also mention that medical world knows only "clinical-death", otherwise, the definite occurence of death(the correct definition of human death) remains still a mystery to science!)
I was ‘bogged down’ by an ancient saying “Pratyaksham kim pramanam” (or something to that effect in Sanskrit language, meaning ‘seeing is believing/proof’ or equivalent to that). But later, deeper levels of spiritual practices convinced me that perception levels can take us that far, where we can ‘see’ anything we like, at will! No point in trying to sell this idea any further.
But, this time, please see, the asker seems to adhere to a well-founded reasoning, tenable logic, and above all, an open mind, while asking a very practical question. Nature lovers, botanists, soldiers of ‘greenery movement’ etc would support him staunchly. At well maintained botanical gardens (like Ooty-hill station), money is spent to ensure that nobody plucks flowers recklessly. I admire the choice of words of the asker, and would like to encourage such equanimous mind, irrespective of whether we take a side in favour or opposition.
Any way, it so happens that much to my surprise, my answer did appeal, which gives me a ray of hope, that maybe a few others might be tempted to look at it as well.
Psn(2nd July, 2010)
http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100701004325AARof9h
Is it right to pluck flowers from trees, in order to dedicate to the god?
In case of food, I believe that it is somehow the necessity as world cannot live without sufficient food however here, I am talking about flowers. Dead flower IS not the necessity. We can live happy with alive breathing flowers.The flowers are plucked from trees, in order to dedicate to the God in temples, mosques, gurudwaras, church etc. Flowers were alive and breathing, when they were on the trees. When they were plucked, they become dead and become deadbodies. Then those deadbodies of flowers were dedicated to God. After an hour I have seen those dead flowers flowing in the drains.. I believe that God is in each & every part of air. Therefore I feel that, When flowers were enjoying on the trees then also they were 100% dedicated to god, but were alive. After being plucked also they were dedicated to god, but dead. WHAT DO YOU THINK?
My reply:
The question is very valid.
If our 'experience' is limited to a 'feeling' that we are dedicating it to God, it may not be right.But, if we can experience the flower the same way that you have very correctly observed about food, then it is right. The problem is the difficulty in 'appreciating' the food-contents in the flowers too. The food part is quite tangible, and gross, compared to flower. The life in the flower, its energy, has to be imbibed, allowed to permeate into us. For that we have to evolve to first 'feel' the life, and energy in it.
(Even today, in that high-altitude place Tibet, very little vegetation happens, due to extreme cold. Native people depend on native doctors, who follow traditional methods of medicines. They train themselves quite intensely so as to be able to put their 'life-energy' which is quite subtle, into the very same few flowers, and give it to patients for most type of ailments. The skill lies in combining the type of their own energies, with the limited varieties of flowers that grow there, and managing to cure many varieties of ailments).
There have been instances where flowers placed at certain 'energy' places retain their life and freshness for abnormal duration of time.
What most people do is just to follow blindly an age old tradition. That is why even faded flowers are sometimes used for worship/dedication! There are a few experts who do certain 'processes' using flowers, holding them with designated finger-tips (postures, etc), and invoke energies through chantings (sound energy), and place them on copper-metalled-designs (form energy). The efficacy of such ancient practices are difficult to approve, accept or believe simply because we are yet to evolve beyond sensory levels of perception. We may attempt to look at such 'possibility' only due to one strong reason, that is, such practices have been there since hundreds of centuries! Maybe, there is something worth looking at, worth re-discovering, experientially at least!
(It would not be 'out-of-context' to also mention that medical world knows only "clinical-death", otherwise, the definite occurence of death(the correct definition of human death) remains still a mystery to science!)
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