Judging Things Quickly

A father and his daughter were playing in the park.

The young daughter spotted an apple vendor. She asked her father to buy her an apple. Father didn't bring much money with him, but it was enough to purchase two apples.

So, he bought two apples and gave his daughter. His daughter held one apple each in her two hands. Then father asked her if she can share one apple with him.

Upon hearing this, his daughter quickly took a bite from one apple. And before her father could speak, she also took a bite from the second apple.

The father was surprised !!

He wondered what mistake he made raising her daughter that she acted in such a greedy way. His mind was lost in thoughts, that perhaps he is just thinking too much - his daughter is too young to understand about sharing and giving.

A smile had disappeared from his face.

And suddenly his daughter with an apple in her one hand said, "Father have this one, this one is much juiciest and sweeter".

Her father was speechless !!

He felt bad about reaching to the judgement so quickly about a small child. But, his smile same back now, knowing why his daughter quickly took a bite from each apple.

Many a times, we judge people or situations way too quickly and it so happens, that later when the clouds of misconceptions are cleared, we see the real motive of an action or a happening, around us.

This is a beautiful story to remind us that let us take time to understand and gauge on the invincible things, and then arrive at a decision, with a better quality of perception.

This will avoid many a frowns and unncessary thoughts, to debar or stop us from being Happy and Present.

Which side of :):

Sometimes we spend too much time to look at the wrong side of a situation, losing focus on the bright side. The below is my attempt to remind ourselves on those times, to have the mindfulness to perceive the paradigm, on making that shift to stay on course.

A Glass is looked Half Empty

Or

Rather, A Glass is looked Half Full !!

A Mistake is a Disaster

Or 

Rather, A Mistake teaches a Lesson !!

A Day is considered Half Gone

Or 

Rather, Half a Day is still to come !!

A Problem is seen as a Blocker

Or

Rather, A Stepping stone to further !!

A Criticism goes to your heart

Or

Rather, you understand the message !!

A Praise goes to your head

Or

Rather, you stay grounded !!

Choice is with Us !!

The deciding factor of :):

Experiencing the The

When the voice is loud,

Message is lost

When the voice is calm,

Message is heard !!

When the Present is now,

The Past is gone,

Future is yet,

Life is here and with you !!

When there is distance,

Between you and You,

We experience the

The, Inside us !!

Think Different

Think Different was an advertising slogan used by Apple Inc. from 1997 to 2002, which was a revolution of a sort at that time. When I heard this again in one of Twitter posts today, I wanted to pen this down. 

The whole thing is quite inspirational and has something that moves or stirs you to an extent. It's about those people who simply followed their heart and went full throttle in their endeavors, thereby making a lasting imprint for generations to come. Keeping aside the right thing or a wrong thing aside, just think from the perspective of thinking differently and just having the courage to go against the herd, with a conviction - that attitude is what we can learn and aim for.

List is endless but few people that I could think of, right now :

Mahatma Gandhi

Albert Einstein 

Mohammad Ali

Edison 

Newton

Alfred Hitchcock

Martin Luther King

Sachin Tendulkar and so on

Now, the excerpt that made headlines :

"Here's to the crazy ones

The misfits, the rebels,

The troublemakers,

The round pegs in the square hole

The ones who see things differently 

They are not fond of rules and they have no respect for the status quo

You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them,

But the only thing you can't do

Is ignore them

Because they change things

They push the human race forward

And while some may see them as crazy ones

We see genius

Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world

Are the ones who do.

Think different"

Thinking different for the best that we can be, honing and bringing forth our innate powers and abilities, making ourselves feel content and complete, thus making our world and the one around us, better than before.

Savour The Moments and Say Thanks

Whèn a husband comes home,
And Wife greets with an inside smile,
Notice the affection and love,
Notice the balance of home works and kids,
Notice the breakfasts, lunch and dinners,
Notice the timely reminders of familial and important matters,
Notice the visible and invisible adjustments been made,
Be conscious and Savour the moments
Say Thanks with your Heart and Mind !!

When Men is not understood by Venus,
When desires and wishes are timely forgotten, though not intentionally,
Notice the pressure works that may have gone during the day,
Notice the sincere attempts made to smile & balance office and family life,
Notice the love and affection not shown explicitly,
Be conscious and Savour the Moments,
Say Thanks with your Heart and Mind !!

When Kids create ruckus and fail to comprehend,
When so called right is ignored And,
so called wrong is accounted,
Notice their age and understandability factor,
Notice their environments and situations,
Notice the pressures that we may unknowingly put forth,
Notice the imposed curb on their imagination and learning prowess by us - albeit unknowingly,
Be conscious, Savour and Understand  the Moments 

For Parents are the Beacons and Guide,
To help children attain their dreams !!

When Parents enquire our well being,
When they constantly wait for our phone calls,
Just to hear our content voice,
And to feel ha0ppy and satisfied,
Notice the selfless affection and love,
Notice the upbringing and level we achieved,
Notice the hardships and toil taken,
Notice the smile and excitement on seeing us in person,
Be conscious and Savour the Moments,
Say Thanks with your Heart and Mind,
For we are, where we are, only because of Them !!

Ways to Connect Back

Sometimes we react in a way which is quite unknown to our own selves. For no logical reason as such, we tend to go into the direction of negative pool of thoughts and it becomes increasingly difficult to get back to our normal state easily.

During these times, it is even more difficult to remember the wise words or thoughts which we know already and again for some reason, we forget to even recollect them. 

These difficult-to-explain thoughts makes us gloomy and propels us to react in a way, which is not us. Worst, it affects our near and dear ones, as well because of the way we behave in front of them.

At these times, we need to remember as best as we can, that our mind is becoming the master here, making us react unnecessarily. Rather, our thoughts and reaction should be in our control, in other words, mind should be listening to us, we being the Master.

Few probable solution to make us come back to our normal happy state, would be to use any of the below methods which we like and resonates with us :

1) Words are really powerful - Have an easy access of some quotes or words or a short story write up. Few one liners or sentences have the ability to completely change the way we think in a split second.

2) Music - Musical notes has the ability to make us feel divinity around us. Have your favorite music downloaded or recorded, somewhere where you can easily access and listen to them. This calms our mind and makes us easy to forget the worrisome thoughts.

3) Selfless act 

Do any selfless act to anyone - maybe to a stranger or someone close to you. It can be anything - smiling to a person or saying good morning/thank you or giving food to someone needy. Just remember it should be selfless.

The practice of giving without expecting from the other side, makes us lighter and magically clears the clutter in our thoughts.

4) Gratitude 

Always keep handy a note to remind yourself all the things that you are blessed in your life, currently. This makes us realize the great things that we already have, thus uplifting our moods. In this way, we focus less on what we don't have, thus making it easy to become our normal self.

Let It Go

When the mind becomes noisy

And Senses becomes hazy

Try to Listen to your very own self

And let It go !!

When Not to be becomes To be

And vice versa doesn't hold true

Try to listen to your very own voice

And let It go !!

When emotions makes it cloudy

And awareness is a distant cry

Try to listen to your very own heart

And let It go !!

Letting go brings us back

To where we belong

Staying this course 

Will make us go long 

And when you really let it go

The Mind plays the music

Senses abides by the rhythm 

Awareness adds to the lyrics

The Cosmic Nature song is all yours !!

Balloons With Names

There was a seminar happening in which many people had come to attend. The speaker conducted a small exercise to engage everyone. He gave one balloon to each person and asked them to write their names on it. Then, all the balloons were collected and put in a room.

Everyone was then let in that room and asked to find the balloon which had their names within 5 minutes. As we all can imagine, there was a chaos that ensued as everyone started searching their balloons in hurry. At the end, none of them were able to collect their own balloons.

Then the speaker asked everyone to randomly collect any balloon and simply give it to the person whose name was written on it. Within 5 minutes, everyone had their own balloons in their hands.

Balloons = All that we strive for in this life - happiness, contentment, satisfaction

Let's try to co-relate. When we help others around us in any small or big way possible, the experiential contentment and happiness we get, cannot be marked in words and can only only be felt inside. We all have experienced that moment in our lives when we have given to someone, without any expectation or intent or return.

It is said that a person is happy when he gives people a bit of his heart rather a piece of his mind. If we can give someone's contentment or happiness (balloon) back to the person, whom it belongs to - the Universe and Nature makes sure that someone hands over our contentment or happiness (balloon) back to us.

Rich in heart or kind

Someone asked Bill Gates, "Is there anyone richer than you in the world". He said, "Yes, there is a person richer than me."

He then narrated an incident when he was neither rich nor famous. I was in New York Airport where I saw a newspaper vendor. I wanted to buy one newspaper but found that there was not enough change with me. So I returned the paper back to the vendor.

The vendor said, "I am giving this to you for free." On his insistence, I took the paper. Coincidentally, after 2-3 months, I landed in the same airport and again I was short of change to buy the newspaper. However, the vendor again gave it to me saying, "You can take it, I am giving it to you from my profit, so I would not be at loss". I took the newspaper.

After 19 years, I became famous and known to people. Suddenly one day I remembered the vendor. I began searching for him and found him couple of months later.

I asked him, "Do you know me". He said, "Yes. You are Bill gates".

I asked him again, "Do you remember once you gave me newspaper for free". He said, "Yes, I remember. I gave you twice".

I said, "I want to repay the help you had offered me at that time. Whatever you want in your life, tell me - I shall fulfill it".

The vendor said, "Dont you think by doing so, you won't be able to match my help". I asked, "Why". He said, "I had helped you when I was a poor newspaper vendor and you are trying to help me now when you have become the richest man in the world. How can your help match mine".

Henry Ward Beecher, an Americal social reformer rightly said, "It is the heart that makes a man rich. He is rich according to what he is, not according to what he has"

One time or another, all of us must have felt atleast once, that we would do something for the people in need when we have ample bank balance or assets worth mentioning.

However, due to our own conditioned societal reasonings, we pan ourselves out later. The fact is, which we know deep down under, it would never be enough and hence the right time will never come.

Depending on our capacity and understanding, let us do something selfless periodically, with the notion of simply making lives better than before. If we think with the right nerves and intent, we will figure out our ability quotient and then act accordingly.

Fixing It or Throwing It Away

There was a King who had a pack of 10 wild dogs. He used them to punish all those who committed blunders. One day one of his ministers made a mistake. The King was furious and passed an order that the minister should be thrown to the dogs. Desperate to save his life, the minister pleaded "I served you faithfully for 10 years and in return this is what you would do to me. Ok, fine, if that's what you want it to be. But for serving you these many years, can i ask you a small favour".

The King said, "Agreed, tell me what do you want". The minister asked - "Just give me 10 more days". The King agreed readily.

The minister then went to the guard who was the caretaker of the wild dogs and pleaded him to allow taking care of the wild dogs for 10 days. Unaware of the King's order, the guard was little surprised though he agreed as it would have reduced his daily work routine.

The minister took care of the wild dogs for the next 10 days with utmost love and care, feeding them, bathing them, cleaning for them and making them feel very comfortable. After 10 days were over, the king ordered the minister to be thrown to the dogs but to his utter amazement, the dogs started licking the feet of the minster !!

Being baffled by this behaviour, the King asked, "What has happened to these dogs ?" The minister replied, "My King, I served the dog for only 10 days, and even in such a short term of service, they didn't forget what I did for them"

This story tells a lot about how should we deal with our relationships. Isn't it a fact that sometimes just because of a mistake, a small or a big one from someone whom we are related to closely, we tend to forget all the numerous times when they had immensely cared for us, shared their love to us, made us feel good, better and best, helped us to be what we can, making us believe in ourselves - all those moments contributing in its own unique way - making us what we are, how we are and where we are, right now !!

A reporter asked an elderly couple, "What is the secret of your happy marriage". They replied, "We were born in a time when if something was broken, we would fix it. Not just throw it away"

That statement pretty much summarises the intent and clearly says a lot about having a long lasting relationship with people, who matter most to us. Let's be mindful about it and not be intimidated by provocative situations, thus gracefully embracing and paving way for those everlasting moments to come in our relationships.

Side stand

There are times when we often found ourselves in a brain fade moment. Basically it's a term to describe a situation where we behave quite silly and often awkwardly. Forgetfulness is one such use case.

One of such instances which perhaps happened in all of our life is when we park our bikes in side stand and forget to place it back to it's original position. When we start the engine and move little further owing to the friction, we realise the matter.

However, the point and act that I want to bring forth here, is about those people who do their best to make the driver aware of the situation. They yell with all possible hints that can be given to the rider within the short timespan of eye contact. It's a simple selfless gesture to ensure that the person knows about the problem and can take necessary steps to ensure a smooth ride.

I have seen so many times this kind of gesture throughout my life and each time it advocates a simple yet timeless trait shared on all occasions - a selfless act for the good and well being of the other, of doing right without any specific reason or expectation.

Common sense is less common

The other day, we had gone to see a movie in the theatre. We were 5 mins late, so lights were off. Our seats were in second last row from top, and that too in the middle.

Have you noticed the feeling that we get while moving towards our seats - we have to maintain a certain balance to either not fall over or trample upon someone's feet. Not to mention, experienced ones are always happy to straighten their legs just in case, their legs would become sitting ducks.

One thing that brought smile to me was a small gesture from a guy. He had put on the mobile torch and directed towards the floor. This made passers by realize the ground ahead with clear understanding of the feet locations. It not only saved his legs, but nearby ones too, and it brought a sense of ease in the stance of marching team.

Quite a simple thing to even notice, but i was really intrigued by the common sense shown. It is said, Common Sense is a flower that doesn't flower in everyone's garden. However, we can always make a sincere attempt to cultivate and grow one.

Eat while eating, Sleep while sleeping!!

A short beautiful story about a Master and a Student. The student asked, "How to ingest meditation into our daily life"

He said, "By eating and sleeping, of course"

Perplexed, student asked, "Everyone does that-  whats the difference"

The Master replied, "Ah - when i eat, i eat !! when i sleep, i sleep !!"

Its as simple as that, or rather we can say as complex as that. Being in the moment is what everyone lags nowadays. Imagine playing when we play and laughing when we laugh. A world filled with people who lives and feel every moment, without attributing a right or a wrong to it. 

Sometimes, we carry more than needed - only if we let go, would we become ready to be in the moment.

Crossing Roads In Peace

This is about one of that instance when we know how a small act makes a world of difference to someone else. I am narrating one of my friends habit, which was sweet and worth mentioning.

While driving, whenever he sees someone trying to cross the road, he deliberately slows down and gestures to go ahead. He does it in a controlled manner and his opinion is that if we slow down, behind ones would also, thus giving ample time for passers by to cross the roads. I could clearly view the surprise on people's face, coming to terms on this gesture. Some are taken aback as there was no reason to and they seldom are used to such behavior.

When we see the aged, people waiting with weights on their shoulders and heads, children with parents all waiting for the traffic to be less intensive, and when they pass by, their eyes filled with contentment tells it all.

I just wanted to pen this one, for it may sound and look normal, but the hidden smile on those walking by, could not be ignored. There are so many ways out there to help someone without any reason. Lets choose one sometime, if not often. However trifle it may seem so, it would make us lighter and a better person for that moment. It just makes us human.

Maryada Purushottaman Rama

The other day I was watching a youtube video and the subject of matter striked me, straight.

The conversation was about the life of Lord Rama. It was about his life, which seemed to be a series of problems strewn throughout his lifetime. It was a perspective which was known by me but never thought upon via this angle.

Of course, conversation was not about the problems but on the supreme deity himself. The reason for which we call him Maryada Purush Ram - one who abides and follows righteousness, despite hardships around.

Imagine being outcast because of political gimmicks in his home kingdom, imagine 14 years exile in a forest and for sure it must have been very hard, imagine Ravana creating havoc in his life and the war that followed - and so many  incidents highlighted in Ramayana.

Still this man stood his ground, had the perfect calmness and demeanour, unwavering from the position of right whatever was the situation in front. It's not easy, it's definitely not easy to maintain a composure of a lotus in a pond. The way his mind would have not allowed any weed of wrong, useless and impure thoughts to dwell on.

We often say as he was Lord, he must have had the strength and power to sustain, but was the epic out there only to revere the supremeness or something else ?

Does the scripture we read in schools only about teaching our children as stories or is it something more ? Does it  also tell us to learn, compare, understand and act the way an example was set eons ago by one man, in our own life.Even if we imbibe an iota of what our religious scriptures says via a story, it should do wonders.

The irony is we all know in our mind space about the lessons but using it in our own lives seems a distant cry as it is sometimes seemingly impractical. No one can teach us how for its our own journey. Even to arrive at whether we can or whether we can't is upon us.

Not sure if it helps, when we are in a situation, try to think for a minute how Lord Rama would have acted. Leave aside the God factor and think in terms of a perfect man. What would he do, how would he act, how would he think - then if possible and if we believe, let's act the same.

In this way, if we can find Him inside us more often, I believe he will guide us with the right actions always in divine order.

Knowing the Importance

We know the importance of fan
When it stops revolving
We know the importance of light
When power goes off

We know the importance of sun
When it rains hard
We know the importance of rain
When it is scorchingly hot

We know the importance of birds
When there is eerie silence
We know the importance of trees
When we need a shade

We know the importance of food
When we are hungry
We know the importance of water
When we feel thirsty

We know the importance of money
When we have scarcity
We know the importance of time
When we have none to spend

We know the importance of love
When the heart is united
We know the importance of giving
When the receiver has happy eyes

We know the importance of smile
When we see a newborn
We know the importance of ordinary
When we see the extra behind

If we know the importance
Without knowing the importance
Everything would be One for us
Intrinsic would be the ultimate universe !!

Don't and Do's

Don't satisfy your ego
Satisfy your soul !!
Don't just earn money
Spend money to grow !!

Don't think too much
Think only what is required !!
Don't wait for being ready
Start doing now !!

Don't make yourself dry
Ensure you are inside moist !!
Don't be for some one else
For you yourself is an original !!

Don't wait for the right time,
For Time is always right !!
Don't just go to a temple,
Feel the temple inside !!

Don't just read a book
Absorb the gist within !!
Don't just watch nature
Learn its language instead !!

Don't just remember moments
Good and bad is for our say !!
Don't search for happiness
Put on the switch inside, if you can !!

In and Out

The other day I was visiting a new shopping mall and thought about a simple fact. For any shopping mall, Main gate would be the entry - we come inside the paradise of garments and wanders across floors admiring the beautiful and new fashion apparels. There would be a sense of wonder and excitement on the expectation of something new of less price destined for us.

After the selection and billing, we often search for the exit. And this is the time, when we search for the right way to come out. This is the time when we frantically search for a sign, to guide us in the right direction. Often we end up taking longer to come out, provided the mall has better sign boards, placed at the right places.

If we categorize the in and out saga, isn't it a simile to our daily situations as well. We start (enter) a moment,  live (traverse through)a moment and then come out of the moment. Moments can span from seconds to years.

Situations, as well, has an In and an Out.
And there are sign boards in the form of cue or hunch that tells us the right way to be out. Its about learning how to find them for only a true seeker can find them. Its about how to view them for only inner eyes can see them, only if we allow that freedom to our selves - our inner selves, to guide and lead us.

Looking at Traffic Signals

Traffic snarls are a cup of tea, which no one wants to take. The 3 colours has the means to evoke varied responses from us. How would it look like if we compare them with our lives.

Red signifies to stop. In life, it may mean to stop driving wrong thoughts like fear, worry, anxiety through our minds. It may mean to stop entertaining impure thoughts like jealousy, selfishness. It may mean to not carry useless thoughts like what ifs and procrastination.

Yellow signifies to go slow. In life, it may mean to go slow, at par with our internal rhythm. It may mean to give attention to small things which carry more importance. It may mean to listen to yourself every now and then to look left, right, back and forth, for every matter has some thing to show and teach.

Green represents to proceed, to move on. In life, it may mean to go at our natural speed, keeping body, mind and spiritual gears in control. It may mean to give aid and hold on to right, useful and pure thoughts always, propelling us to reach our dream destination - God Speed !!

Is it God or is it You !!

Is it a moment in Life,
Or is it life in Moments !!
Is it one Day,
Or is it Day One !!

Is it nature of Mind,
Or is it mind in Nature !!
Is it a drop in Ocean,
Or is it an ocean in Drop !!

Is it a Trend,
Or is it a Blend !!
Is it a Stop,
Or is it a Start !!

Is it an A,
Or is it a The !!
Is it a Cue,
Or is it a Hue !!

Is it Innate,
Or is it Born !!
Is it God,
Or is it You !!

Story about a Cave and Light

There once lived a cave, deep down under. Once a voice called upon it and said - Come up into the light and enjoy the sunlight. The cave said, I do not know what is light, all my life I know only darkness.

The cave, however with sincere effort, reached the ground, where there was light everywhere. It was so amazed to see  how life thrives with peace, love and joy above.

The cave asked the light to come to its home now. The light agreed and when it came, it asked where is the darkness, for the darkness was nowhere to be found.

The Light dispelled the darkness - where there is light - peace, clarity, understanding, joy, calmness in Us -- there cannot be darkness near or around.

Let us sincerely strive to come above our caves, or bring light to our caves within. In both cases, the light will shove away the darkness.

That Time Can Still Be Now

There was a Time
When we Smiled without any Reason,
When we Heard without any Noise,
When we Saw without any Cloud,
Remember that Time can still be Now !!

There was a Time
When we Played without getting Tired,
When we Sang without any Music,
When we Sensed without any Touch,
Remember that Time can still be Now !!

There was a Time
When we Helped without any Return,
When we Grew without getting Old,
When we Won without getting Lost,
And Lose without getting Hurt,
Remember that Time can still be Now !!

There was a Time
When we were We, and not Else,
When we were WithIn, and not WithOut,
When we Understood, and just not Learn,
Remember that Time can still be Now !!

Understanding Faith and Devotion

Ramakrishna Paramhamsa, the great seer once narrated a story to his disciples. There was a priest who asked a milk maid to deliver milk daily, at early morning hours. The lady had to cross a river for which she used to take a ferry boat. One day, the milk maid got late - the priest was very angry on her, as he could not perform religious rituals on time.

The lady enquired what she could have done, as it was the situation that made her delayed. Out of anger, the priest said, "Say the name of God and you can travel any terrain or landscape, without fail - Have faith in Him".

Next day, lady was quite earlier than usual. Priest jokingly enquired how did she made it early. She said "I kept unconditional and complete faith in Him, I came walking on the water". He saw from his own eyes that she was literally doing it. He tried enacting the same, but his mind was more on his clothes getting wet and hence, could not do so. Of all the years he chanted verses for God and performed rituals, he never really believed. The lady did and miracle happened.

Of course, the point here is not to walk on water thinking that God will ensure that we dont get drowned.

The real point here is to keep that wholesome, unwavering and complete faith, devotion and belief in Him (the one who is Omnipresent, the Omniscient, the Omnipotent) with such a strong conviction that even an iota of doubt won't flutter and delude our minds.

I believe that a person who can keep and maintain that kind of heart, mind and body state continuously & with that kind of devotion & faith, he can, should and will definitely go on to make his dreams, a reality.

Slowing Down To Be At Par

In the midst of keeping up and constant rigmarole of gaining momentum ahead of situations and circumstances, we sometimes move faster than needed. 

We ignore the pause buttons in our lives to ponder and understand the situations and possibilities around us and most importantly to live the moment.

This is a fact of the matter, where every one of us, unknowingly and sometimes unfortunately knowingly, go into the fast lane, driving at full speed. 

The wear and tear of our physical and emotional realms slowly produces its after effects sooner or later - sometimes taking us far from whom we really are and aspire to be. 

If we are in sync and harmony with our inner dimensions, the inner voice of our souls would hold our hands and guide us to move forward in life's endeavours with the right pace and tempo. 

This would allow us to hit pause and resume at just the right moments, making each and every moment, cherishable.

Let's slow down the reasoning logics and just feel the things around. It can be as trifle as an ant moving on ground or a baby laughing, or swooshing of trees, or listening to birds songs, or spending quality time with your family or calling your old friends and catching up, or re-igniting your passion or hobby, or going to a place of worship, or taking a vacation or just making someone smile, selflessly or just express your love to near and dears. There are so many things out there to do.

Sometimes, one moment is enough to live a life and sometimes whole life is not enough to live a moment !! Let's make the choice and slow down !! It is indeed a wise advice, "To go fast, row slowly".

Holi - A Festival of Colours

Holi - the festival of colours has been celebrated across India with much fervour and enthusiasm. It marks the beginning of spring season and is symbolic of leaving behind past and embrace the present and future with both hands, physically and spiritually.

In Hindu mythology, the story of Bhakt Prahlad (an ardent devotee of Lord Narayana) is always recited and shared among children and families. Hiranyakashipu (Prahlad's father) was an egoistic demon king who had forced his people to only worship him. He was quite irked by his son's behaviour and had asked his sister (Holika, who had a boon that fire won't do her any harm) to sit on a bonfire with Prahlad on her lap. As was destined, Prahlad came out unscathed as Lord saved him.

Bonfires are lit a day before Holi to mark this occasion and signifies the burning of all the past and evil thoughts within us (which includes fear, worry, anxiety, jealosy etc)  and thus purify our hearts and soul with good desires and thoughts (love, happiness, brotherhood, sharing, caring etc).

The multitude of colours that engrave the occasion signifies the concept of Unity in Diversity - each colour representing every shades of our life (Diversity) and how when all these colours come in unison, in (Unity) Within and Without, with the right and balanced textural mix, it can make us a real witness to our dreams.

Nearing and Living the State

When Everything and Nothing becomes same thing,
When Right or Wrong no longer holds difference, 
When both imposters are treated the same,
You know, you ought to know,
You are nearing that state !!

When nature is consciously experienced,
And no longer ignored in ignorance,
When external positives and negatives carry the same response,
You know, you ought to know,
You are nearing that state !!

The state of blissfulness and serenity,
Lies within the kingdom of thyself,
As we think, so we are,
Tatvam Asi is what Lord Ayyappa told,
Caring, thinking and rearing the meaning,
Mind and body being in harmony,
You know, you ought to know,
You are Living that state !! 

Books - Our best friend

Books represents content about many genres and topics. When we were child, books were the most hated - mostly because we were forced to read them word by word to pass annual exams. At least for non studious students can affirm the above said.

As we increased our age count and stepped into adulthood, we had numerous so called important tasks that ate all our precious time and energy. One thing that I have seen or felt myself is that as we get digitally advanced, we seldom view real gems that can transform a person in a sec. 

Of all the gold freely available and lying  around, one of them are books. Since olden times, they have been written by scholars and great personalities, sharing their biographies, life principles, stories, novels depicting everything that a human can experience and imagine.

There are times when we face the dilemma of which one to read - depending on our likes or nature, it can be chosen. But the important point which may work most of the time is read books which has more value than what you are spending for. Read books which have stood the test of time and is still in publication for more than 20 years.

When we transcend beyond our self and get immersed into a character or a point, the way we feel and ponder upon, lighting a spark to our imagination makes it all worthwhile. It is like listening to the author with all ears and senses and feeling the vibrations and frequencies.

Who knows maybe a book, a chapter, a para, a line or even a word may have something so wonderful and precious that you may never be the same again - and may get transformed into the best version you can ever be.

Nothingness

Is it possible to be in nothingness-a state where you are neither attached not detached to a material or moving thing. It is said that this state makes us think at a higher level of intelligence and consciousness where we transcend beyond right and wrong of a moment.

Living the moment one by one and not even a single thought judging the intricacies of that second makes it almost impossible for us to tread in its true essence. Imagine the state for some time and you will get flooded with flurry of thoughts, which in itself is opposite to what we are talking about.

Perhaps, bliss is subset of Nothingness, where we sometimes fail to describe how our experience was or is. Describing the indescribable cannot be put forth in any form of writing or speech. It just flows through our selves, illuminating each and every body cells etching an unforgettable contentment in memory.