Spineless nation full of gutless countrymen

Fresh riots in Hyderabad between 'two communities' as the press would have it, is made out to be so abstruse that we end up wondering whether it could be Hindus vs Jews, or Catholics vs Buddhists or even Iyers vs Jains. I don't why the press even attempts to be politically correct, when all their content is morally incorrect. If you go through the broadsheet of any day's GN, no page is complete without that one spicy dose of violence. So, what sells besides what you know sells?

Coming back to the topic, there is something about Hyderabad that is symptomatic of the nation as a whole. I remember when India-Pakistan matches used to take place, Old Hyderabad would support you know who, and would reverentially hoist the national flag of Pakistan, in case they won. As a tolerant and understanding nation of eunuchs, we would stand and watch. The bold television channels would not capture those scenes, for fear of inflaming the (non-existent) passions of the (impotent) masses. The police, would of course, respectfully avoid Old Hyderabad.

The right to freedom has long been abused as the right to privilege, while the freedom of action is never allowed to segue into the freedom of reaction. As long as Chidambaram, and all those members of the Italian mafia that rule our country, talk about 'talk' as pragmatic responses to the 'walk' of the enemy without, they will fail to recognize that the enemy is well within.

And we will have Hyderabad from Kashmir to Kanyakumari.

Brush with Death

We had a very disturbed drive to the office today. As soon as I swerved out of my car-park to the main road, we ran into a roadblock and a fast-swelling crowd. We also noticed a body on the road. I immediately turned into the service road, slowed down, and tried to assess what was happening on the main road. The crowd didn't allow for a clear picture, but apparently, a biker was hit by some car. He was on the road, motionless, and probably nearly-dead. There was no police car yet, and, consequently, no ambulance as well. I was very disturbed, but continued to move on through the service road, and entered the main road through the next free entry.

As I drove towards the next traffic signal, I asked myself what I had to do. If I turned right, I would pass Zulekha Hospital and from there, a further right would take me back to the accident spot. I asked Swami what I could do in my capacity. Dhanya was not there as well, and her presence in the accident spot would mean something. Also, many conflicting thoughts crossed my mind, including one that people who have tried to rush road-accident victims have even ended up behind bars, while Swami says service is in action, and not in speech. However, I was finally prompted to take the right at the signal and return to the accident spot.

On reaching, we parked along the service road and reached as close as we could get to the spot. By now, there were two cop-cars, and a number of cops on the road. Praji noted that the biker was breathing though motionless. That was a great sign of relief. We also noticed another guy on the road, and we gathered that he was hit by the biker while trying to cross the road. Thankfully, he too was not dead. By now the ambulances arrived. I noticed that the paramedics strapped something around the jaywalker's neck, and then carefully lifted him to to the stretcher. This was probably to avoid any bone dislocation, and further complications later on. A similar procedure was carried out for the biker, and they were whisked off soon after.

Incident over. We reached the office. My question (and this is not an intellectual exercise, for which only SABN would contribute) is this: What does the normal guy (who is not a doctor) do under such circumstances? I noticed how the paramedics handled the victims, and the normal road-side guy can never manage that due to lack of knowledge. Additionally, any attempt to take a fractured person in your car could complicate his situation medically, and yours, legally. So, how does one handle exigencies of this nature? Additionally, how does one who wants to tread the spiritual path handle exigencies of this nature?

This could be a genuine topic for the exchange of applied knowledge.

Honest Moniker

Sin City.

And Las Vegas is not ashamed to name itself so. This geographical equivalent of Hugh Hefner, thrives on unbridled hedonism and stands out for just about everything perverse (of course, the eternally optimistic spiritual aspirant can state that it's in our eyes, and that everything is good- thankfully I haven't reached there yet). God surely has His work cut out for Himself, after he inadvertently let the Vegas man have his way.

This is truly the city that shows sin in all its glory. There is so much sleaze here that you wonder how God will really manage this mess. If America is the motherland of capitalism, Vegas has to be the motherland of sensualism. I have just survived my second stay in Vegas, hopefully the last. Honestly, I have been to many places in my life, but Vegas has to stand out for being way bottom. This city truly is next-generation sin.

Footnote: If you are on the spiritual path, this won't be on yours.

Femanism

With another Internatioonal Women's Day celebrated, feminism seems to be a good point for discussion.

When Michael Crichton wrote Disclosure, feminists were automatically up in arms, till they figured out that it was a case of sexual harassment, no doubt, but the other way round (and Michael pointed out quite rightly that is is so easy to criticize a book, especially when you have not read it). When does the passion for the cause overtake objectivity of the cause?

We have women trying to be equal to men by doing everything a man does, flying through war-zones and decapitating enemies, playing against men in sports, belching, the works. I don't know if these are accomplishments worth accomplishing.

Equality might have been a better cause being a social ideal, rather than a physical/mental/psychological one. Women can't be men, simply because they are made differently. I know of no man who could beat a mother at mothering a child or raising a good son, the toughest current challenge of humanity. But women seem to be interested in more exciting battlefields. It might always be better for a feminist to be a realist.

The Humane Shop

Today was a big leap in conviction for me. More specifically, a big and expensive leap in conviction. I have started using shaving cream and after-shave from The Body Shop. The cream doesn't feel creamy, and the after-shave is no Gillette. But then, The Body Shop has a well-defined market segment, the emotional-buyers. The 'Not-Tested on Animals' is in-itself a great marketing tag-line.

Somehow, the first step always makes a difference. No sooner did I make the purchase, Dhanya decided to buy a lipstick from there, out of guilt if not anything else. But maybe, just maybe, guilt is the first sign of that vast expanse of awareness you are allowing to open up before your open(ed) eyes.

One Women's Day

Interesting that we have begun to celebrate 1/365th of every year as a Woman's Day. Maybe 1 day for women is enough to ruin 364 for men! Hmm...

Forbearance forever?

SABN quote of Divine Speech:

For acquiring such Love, the quality of Kshama or forbearance is a vital necessity.

The problem is that Kshama (forbearance) is a greatly misunderstood quality. Too much of Kshama might be misconstrued as outright fear. Thin dividing line between forbearance and fear, I presume.

Qualified Quality

The recent recalls of Toyota is exciting or devastating depending on which side of the Greenwich Meridian you happen to be in. Either way, one thing seems to be clear:

The brand-value of the brand has been capitalized on for too long without any real addition of value to the brand-value.

I have similar sob-stories to tell of my mother's Mercedes as well. In this case, it was technology failure, very similar to Toyota's quality failure. At the end of the day, failure is still not success.

The Mumbai of Selflessness

Got this from Shalu, and thought anybody reading my blog should read this one. Charity does not need to wait till you become a millionaire. You can always have a heart of gold, even in cold Mumbai.

Case-study:

He is an auto-rickshaw owner-cum-driver-cum-samaritan-cum-iconofselflessness. His auto has got the daily newspaper (3 languages), satellite TV, first-aid box, radio, fire-extinguisher, wall clock, calendar, pictures of the forgotten heroes of 26/11. More importantly, his auto offers 25% off for the physically handicapped, and 50% off for the blind. And to add insult to the average Mumbaikar's ego, he goes to an old age home for women in Andheri once a week or whenever he has some extra income, with donations of toiletries.

Sandeep Bachhe / Auto reg. no. - MH-02-Z-8508:

The gold-standard for the strange combination of excellence and selflessness.

E-go

SABN Classic:

The ego's excuse is our survival but in reality it is not concerned with our survival, but its own.

I would even replace 'survival' with success, and it would still mean the same.

SABN's at his best:

Sleep is Ego's Daily enemy
Pranayama is Ego's secret enemy
Meditation is Ego's willful enemy
Love is Ego's inevitable enemy

Death is Ego's lethal enemy
A Master (one who has mastered the mind) or God is ego's most dangerous and destructive enemy!

Testing times

Kill for the gloss

Just came across interesting stats, which I will reproduce for your beneficial discomfort:

• More than 27 billion animals are killed for food every year in the U.S. alone
• As many as 115 million animals are experimented on and killed in laboratories in the U.S. every year
• Every year, the global leather industry slaughters more than a billion animals and tans their skins and hides
• Livestock production causes 18% more greenhouse gas than transport

By virtue of our Connection, I presume most who read this don't contribute to the first statistic. Don't know enough to comment on the second, as arguments swing both ways... apropos Medical experimentation. But what about the cosmetic industry? And your favourite leather wallet with the Mont Blanc (Made in China) star on top? I have personally seen videos of a PETA raid on a cosmetic industry 'lab' many years back. The cosmetic industry is exemplary in the steps it will take to assure you that your lip is stuck well, and without allergy. But you can be sure that the acid-burned eyes of those rabbits and the blood of the monkeys are on your hands, rather, on your confident lips. Such are the ways of the Lord. My leather wallet will, no doubt, add to my karmic debt.

I remember also, when our ex-Animal Welfare Convenor (born Catholic, raised meat-eater, taught only-Jesus, current permanent resident of Puttaparthi) talked about shunning silk, the elite ladies of our organization practically shunned her. Convenience is never conviction. A revolution in reformation does not start with someone else.

Karmavore

I just read that 1% of the Mongol population is vegetarian.

That's revolutionary. The motherland of Genghis Khan whose soldiers drank the blood of horses to keep them going, has sown the seeds of a different kind of resilience, one that the world will really warm up to.

What struck most was this bit reproduced verbatim: “A lot of people think we’re crazy,” says Erdenchimeg, a chef at the Loving Hut, a chain owned by the Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association, which promotes meditation and prayer. She became a vegetarian in 2008 and in recent months switched to veganism – all part of a commitment to lessening her impact on the environment, she says.

If we really need to go beyond lip-service in serving the cause of our Mother environment(al) protection, let us start with inconvenient personal examples. Shun meat... in all forms. Everything is karmic.

Hey Krishna Hey Yadava Hey Sakheti (11/40)

I was part of the can-collection drive, which is part of EEG's once-a-year reminder about conserving (the cans in our) environment. Once-a-year in a use-and-dispose culture is in itself a big thing, albeit.

One of the well-meaning seva wing ladies asked me if I have ever gotten into trouble for being candid. I replied that I was replaced for promptly that reason. And added that, if we really need to please, we need to please (the silent, ever-watching) God. I remember that Shitu Chudsama mentioned in the opening talk of WYCII that Swami is his ONLY friend.

Quite frankly, he who has God does not need Maslow. A true spiritual aspirant will be able to identify the thin, but clear distinction between respect and sycophancy. And realize that the latter is futile...

for God is our ONLY friend.

Efficiency at the speed of stress

I was talking to a friend about business the other day, and more specifically, about the obstacles to business in yesteryears and the current speed of doing business.

On reflection the lack of obstacles, and speed may not be such a good thing. Business at the speed of thought warrants thinking at the speed of light. We have blackberried our lives so much that life, family, and work have become one tragic continuum.

This is inevitable. What can be done though? There is no way we can head for the village anymore, but we can bring the village back into our head. The solution might be to slow down and pace ourselves. A hint that this was a method for me revealed itself when I read about how slow eating helps health. Slow everything helps health. We should consciously stop feeling uncomfortable when we are suddenly burdened with free time. We should endeavour to work efficiently without stress to necessitate efficient work output. I am figuring it out now, and making the effort to change.

Life is too long for us to not change, though too short for those who don't want to.

Till death do our egos apart

I was talkinhg to a new friend who, incidentally, runs an empire with only 75,000 people working for him, is unsurprisingly well educated and surprisingly very down to earth. We talked of many things, including death. Interestingly, this topic kinda killed all the preceding business talk, and brought life to the rest of the conversation.

I remember years back, on a Virgin flight to JFK, I was talking to my co-passenger who was rambling excitedly on her aspirations, when I asked very innocently,"What would happen if you were to die tomorrow?". She said she found it very offensive. I actually meant for it to be intrusive to her thinking, rather than offensive to her ego.

But such is life, and particularly death. Death is the biggest offense to life in general and ego in particular. Nothing is permanent, everything is freehold.

The Mumbai of Duality

Left: Lalit Intercontinental

Right: Dharavi

Mumbai: You step out of a five-star hotel with motorized curtains and soups that cost INR 500.00, to a street where people dry their clothes in their living room just under an over-bridge.

Life is built on hope. Survival of the species is premised on survival of the spirit. However, spirituality is built on contentment. Survival of the spark is premised on survival of equanimity. We can never be really happy looking up. For every C-class, there is an S-class.

The biggest folly in man is his quest for petty highs with the sophistication of high pettiness. Unfortunately, nobody ever took his Maybach or Presidency with him to the afterlife.

A touching yearly gesture of your love

While at the check-out at Spinneys yesterday, I saw a lot of Caucasian customers (and a few trying to be Caucasian) with bouquets filled with red stuff, that seemed to be the heads of decapitated rose-plants.

Of course, it had to be Valentine's day, that annual reminder for all lonely hearts as to how miserable their lives are. Why else would one choose a particular day of the year to express love, while having to desecrate innocent rose-plants on this account?

Of course, there is a more altruistic motive here, that of helping our poor, poor, Hallmarks shops, as not all 365 days have not yet been branded.

Wealth is health

I stopped by Spinney's yesterday, as part of my weekly ritual to replenish the chiller with the usual supplies for the week, including fresh vegetables, soy hotdogs and real orange juice. It set me back by, let's say, well over AED 100.00.

At the check-out stand, it somehow struck me (and so late, sadly) that I have actually spent 1/4th of a Bengali construction worker's salary on a single supplies-session, if only a part session. More specifically, I was just buying essential healthy provisions. It somehow seems very much possible that, in today's world, healthy food is for the rich. I am not saying that I am a rich person, only that I have been blessed to live a healthy life, should I wish to.

My dry and sad point is that, people less privileged cannot lead healthy lives, even if they want to. What kind of a world do we really live in? Rich get richer, healthier, smarter... poor get poorer, sicker, dumber. Not only is this an inequitable world, the inequitableness seems to be self-perpetuating.

How does one help the greater, if not grander cause here? I can't abjure healthy food options, because I will fall ill. How does recycling every bit of paper, or tipping where unnecessary help in the overall tragic order of things? I am really not sure of the connection, but am sure of the connectivity: where the physical is precluded, the metaphysical is active. We may not be able to produce for everyone, but we can pray for everyone.

Like a student in Kulwant Hall told me during Mahashivarathri that prayer is God's weakness. Seems very un-intellectual, albeit. But then, metaphysics is above physics.

Moon mission

I have targets on my cabin wall facing me, where I have stuck labels identifying goals that are yet to materialize after more than two years on cellophane. Not that they were too utopian, but then reality came in the way in the form of a well-fashioned recession. But that still doesn't stop me.

Moot point: You cannot achieve greatly if you cannot aim greatly. You cannot score high goals that you do not first set for yourself.

Coming Face to Phase

12.02.2010

A day/night of many firsts for the family. This is the first time:

1. the entire family has made a trip to Parthi.

2. Akshitha & Reshmi have seen the Avatar.

3. I sat through the night for Mahashivarathri.

4. I got an opportunity to do seva at the Ashram (helped with rinsing plates at the Western canteen).

5. I have seen Swami wear Maroon.

6. I have lost my sandals twice in any one place (very interesting that I just got a brand-new pair of sandals through my MIL and it was the exact replica of the pair I lost in Parthi during WYCII. They got reassigned just after the afternoon Darshan,- sandals are of spiritual significance).

7. Dhanya applied her medical skills for anyone in Parthi, though it was for her MIL in this instance.

8. I have ever prepared a list like this.

More significantly, I guess this is beginning of a new Phase for Akshitha, rather the birth of the Path for her. Interestingly, it could be for Dhanya as well. We never know Swami's ways, you know.

Greek Tragedy

Tragedy all right, but technically not Greek. Indian.

SABN at his always best:

... if having a skill or absence of a skill makes you have an ego, then that ego will be quashed. So if you are proud that you are not a politician, Swamy will make you realise that he is even prepared to make you even a bad guy only to constantly remind you that your work has to done in a detached fashion, the label that you get- good politician, good PR skills, bad communication skills etc actually makes no difference. If a bad label gets you more detached quickly gets you to remember your "nobodyness" quickly HE will ensure you get one in the most expeditious fashion.

Another Anonymous that is equal:

Always be sure of what you want from a particular act or service. If u wanted to serve and you have done it, it ends there. What others think or say is not your business.

Now, what's the tragedy here?This is the real tragedy: Where are these wise ones? It's sad for a society to suppress voices, especially ones that have reason. The above are too profound to be voices arrested in the dark dungeons of our organizational Darbar. But such is life.

Well, to go back to SABN, it really shouldn't matter. If Swami's way is chosen, it really doesn't matter. However, I am not talking about following dictates of the hierarchy. I am talking about thinking like generals, but accepting with equanimity, the duty of foot-soldiers.

Back from the hiatus

Back with a (someone else's) bang. Yet another SABN classic:

Serve Daridra Narayanas because they need and not Laxmi Narayanas.

Further PR damage

A youth wing member and close friend confided to me yesterday that one of my fundamental deficiencies was poor PR. I don't disagree, simply because I have always felt that PR is for politicians. And I have never wanted to be one. I have only one hand, the one that you see. Maybe one requires two hands to be popular.

Mythical truth confirmed

Headlines in The Hindu- Women put on weight after marriage: study

The research team followed 6,000 women aged between 18 and 23 over a period of 10 years to come to this joke of a truth. They took this long in Queensland University to figure out what anyone awake will tell you. Could not all the money devoted to research in stating-the-obvious be used for more meaningful causes like PR campaigns to downplay racism in Australia?

This result comes in the wake of another ground-breaking study by a PhD (yes!) student, in Germany (not kidding), also a woman (oh my God!), whose research proved that women are actually worse than men when it comes to parking cars.

Paradigm shift in Aristocracy

This morning, I was significantly surprised. Not pleasantly, nor unpleasantly. Just significantly.

I had gone to Dhanya's hospital for a blood-test to determine how my tongue is screwing my health. We were in their staff canteen after the test for a late break-feast. To the table on the right were four Emarati ladies, who, according to Dhanya, were Resident doctors, some of whom work with her as well.

One of them came over to our table and requested for the sugar-dispenser. I offered to let her have it. As she stretched forward to collect the bottle, I noticed that she was wearing a diamond-encrusted Rolex, which would cost approx. AED 100,000/-. It took me a while to collect myself and exhale.

When I slowly mentioned this to Dhanya, she replied that just about every Resident there wears a Rolex! Now comes the interesting part. Apparently, one of Dhanya's local patients was being examined by her. And we know how much some of the less educated patients respect Indian doctors. Anyways, here comes a Resident, and this patient suddenly stands up to wish her in a sign of unfathomable respect! Apparently, she was of very high birth. And Dhanya told me that, she actually was a very down-to-earth person who would really do a lot of work.

What's the paradigm shift here with respect to the Residents? They didn't need to work. They chose to. Sandstorms of change sweeping our nation.

Faking it, sincerely

Another SABN Classic:

For humble mortals the trick is to fake it till we make it!

I second it. Even now, the closest I have got to meditation is the posture. The mind wanders in gay abandon, and the Jyothi envelopes everyone barring specifically those I can't relate to,- the ones it must actually envelope! But I haven't given up on meditation; Karmanye Vadhikarasthe...

Try to LOVE ALL, SERVE ALL in Need

Looks like there is more than one Mensa-mind commenting in this blog! SABN stand-outs:

Love expands consciousness.

Service expands consciousness.

My response: Because I cannot see Swami in everyone, and honestly don't attempt to most of the time, I try the next step as much as I can, however small it be, however menial it be, however backstage it be. Since I always aver that God is but the Divine Accountant, I try to add as much minute credits to my account to offset the piling debits. My general strategy in most cases is to try to serve those who need it in lieu of try to love those who need pampering.

Each man to his own idiosyncrasies.

Comments, anyone?

Freshly brewed controversy

SR speaketh: One thing to remember is talent exemplifies and aggravates body consciousness- be it talent for art or talent in sport or speaking writing etc. That is why Bhajan singers have the greatest amount of ego!!

Thankfully, this controversy is not propagated from my end! No comments from my side, save that in my knowledge, no Centre in the history of Our organization has split on account of any Wing other than the one you just mentioned.

Counter-comments, anyone?

Poles asunder

SR at his best (again): There is perhaps a causal link between our capacity for selfless behaviour and our ability to exercise freedom and personal choice.

My response: Selflessness was supposedly the opposite of personal choice,- the sacrifice of personal choice. It seems ironical to mean that the more freedom of choice we have, the more we choose to be selfless. If I have misunderstood you correctly, America is the motherland of freedom; is it of selflessness? Maybe you could elaborate some more!

Survival of the fattest

Gentleladies and gentlemen! We finally know who Anonymous is,- 'The Secret' is no longer one. But for his sake, I will prefer to keep it so.

As usual, he raises too many points in just one comment, but something that stood out is open for discussion: If all humans became selfless and became vegetarian would there be enough vegetarian food to feed humanity?

I don't remember his name, but, there was one Economist or some similar pessimist who mentioned decades back that we would soon have too many people than we have food (forget the specific vegetarian type). And man would go back to fighting what he first fought for,- food. Strangely enough, we are still alive, and fighting,- though for more civilized causes like religion.

But the question again,- will there be enough vegetarian food? Anyone else's comments?

A pick-up load of mutton

Snapped from my car, a pick-up load of goats on their way to moksha. It felt as if they were bleating with some kind of prescience about their imminent doom. The way these animals were led to the dinner plate shows how we animals never allow other animals any dignity even in death, much less in life.

It takes courage to be vegetarian. A certain element of courage to think outside the delicious bun. A certain element of courage to ask ourselves if we truly have to succumb to our taste-buds, fully aware that, even beyond the committed sin, is the knowledge that,- food which is good for the tongue is rarely good for the tummy. A certain element of courage to come to realize that,- change has to start with us, with attacking what comforts us most.

But, man, being man, always prefers to retain the option of forced indifference to even the most glaring of all truths. We live by the tongue, and will, quite appropriately, die by it.

Yearning without yearning

I am kept reminding once in a very odd while about the need for a family trip on the Metro, as we haven't gone through this ritual yet. But somehow it hasn't happened till date, although it keeps popping up sporadically over dinner. Moot point:

With the Metro, and with life, you only get done what you need to get done. If there is no passion in the want, it never becomes a need. If there is no need, it's not needed.

All mighty accomplishments have been underscored by this one element,- passion. Armchair ambitions have rarely risen beyond the hand-rest.

Hiring your brain

This Anonymous is too good to be anything but anonymous. Here's me reproducing his Top Secret Tip for Hiring:

Always hire a person who, some day in the future, has the talent to be your boss and who you will feel happy working under.

Learning experience

Somewhere in Oxford University. Different in many ways. There is no formal class-room setting. Here, teachers and students form a mentor-kinda relationship, and communicate through assignments and homework.

This is also the same university where Isaac Newton didn't study (he was from Cambridge!), and where Bill Clinton was caught (only twice) for smoking marijuana.

Jokes, apart, salute to the world's oldest university in the English speaking world.

Kaalam

Dhanya stands in front of Big Ben at 6:27:14 PM.

The famous clock is well-known for its accuracy and notes the exact time to the millisecond, including events of great British significance, like when Prince Charles finally married his mistress, when Maradona used God's hand to score that goal, and also when the sun actually set on the British empire.

London, 7th January, 2010, somewhere below 0 Celsius anyway.

Cold to my cells

Standing next to a plaque that says that Robert Boyle did some un-printable things here more than 350 years back. He also came up with the Boyle's law in this very spot, though not necessarily at this time of the year.

For those who choose not to remember: Boyle's law says that when temperature is constant, the pressure of a gas is inversely proportional to its volume.

In simpler terms, when there is no heat on you, the pressure on you to perform is inversely proportional to the volume of your own rhetoric.

Apparently, the first living cell was also identified here, following which descended upon humanity, all kinds of nightmares like AIDS and leukemia. Till then, they just assumed comfortably that these guys died young.

Oxford, 8th January, 2010, -4 Celsius.

I(a)mperfect

An anonymous mensa-mind has made some brain-blowing comments to one of my posts, part of which is reproduced for the benefit of anyone reading my blogs:

In a state of ignorance, imperfection is natural and perfection is an effort. In a state of wisdom or enlightenment, imperfection is an effort; perfection is a compulsion and is unavoidable!

Perfection is taking total responsibility, and total responsibility means knowing that We are the only responsible person in the whole world. When we are in total vairagya (dispassion), we can take care of even trivial and insignificant things with such perfection. Perfection is the very nature of the Enlightened one.

... a bittersweet moment in eternity. The video says it all.

Zen and the art of Herbal Tea-Drinking Ceremony

I switched over to green tea ever since Dr. spoke about the positive aspects of this medicine. After a number of rounds of retch-inducing potion, I have now figured out how this suspension relaxes and calms you.

To suffer this potion, you first need to spend some time taking breaths, detaching yourself from the agony of the experience and focusing on things that will promote peace, calm and serenity. Once in this state of mind, steel yourself into submission, think it's karmic, and please go ahead and have the tastleless tonic.

You will gain peace, calm and serenity.

Gimme proof...

Br. Vasu was mentioning the other day about how study circles with personal experiences elevate the spirit and buttress faith. Very true!

However, I think it's the Bible which says that Blessed is he who has seen and believed, but even greater is he who has not seen, yet believes. He who is devoted despite any experience, he is truly the exalted devotee.

Freedom of (drafted) speech

To anyone reading my blogs, I must say that someone really, really mature in thought, and intelligent of age has made some profound comments in the last couple of days that, I thought I might add them as a post, rather than as comments, so that everyone might benefit from the wisdom in print. In abstract, he/she (sounds like he, albeit) says:

Divine love and divine perfection- both principal objectives of the "organisation" and "Brains" are not mutually exclusive..in fact they are complmentary. By Brains I mean creativity, innovation, lateral and out of the box thinking. Ego and motivation of ego is required to convert divinity to human excellence in as much as copper is required to convert pure gold to a fine jewellery. Freedom, and respect are therefore not out of place in a spiritual organisation

To respond:

I really admire these wise thoughts and appreciate your time, and my respect for you has increased manifold. Unfortunately, I always like to respect a name/face that goes behind a wise thought! But I respect your privacy.

To your comment, I would like to note as such:

Honesty is a difficult policy, But, let's face it, freedom and respect are out of place in our organization. But, as I see it, this could actually be Swami's way. In my professional organization, some of the senior people have earned their respect, and consequently, their freedom. I really don't interfere in what they do, as I know that they do what is expected.

But in our spiritual organization, we are marionettes, spanking each other through external strings by higher dictate, while we flog ourselves with internal strings of conscience. When we are not allowed to think even inside the box, I doubt it's worthwhile to think outside it. We are just foot-soldiers, marching like lemmings. Probably that's how Swami is teaching us to crush our ego. Besides, I figure out that, when we are not respected, we feel humiliated. And, according to Sri Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, humiliation is actually good for us. It crushes our ego,- which is exactly why we are all here.

When you are an office bearer, and when you are asked not to think, only to act, you submit fully to this assault on the intelligence and asphyxiation of the ego, because, the latter is what Swami wants, though probably not through the former. As long as I am willing to accept that I am to do what is told, in spite of the sheer ludicracy of it all, I am absolved of sin. It may hurt to do some of the things that we are told to, but then, only with personal attachment comes karmic accountability. I would prefer to avoid anything that adds to my already overburdened karma.

Eg. Going back specifically to my choice of succession, I feel personally devastated that my choice was not considered, not because it was my choice, but because i thought i knew the Youth Wing enough to determine that he was the best choice. However, Swami (ultimately) had other ideas. But I can only play silent witness, and maybe that's what I am supposed to do. What is your opinion???

Also, beyond the philosophy, let me ask you a question? How does love function in such a milieu? I am not being cynical (at least this time), I am really asking a question.

Overspeeding for the family

Was touched by the Traffic Department's consideration to send three smss to confirm that I was over the speed limit by around 10 kmph on a dead road in the dead of night (actually early morning 5.40 AM) on New Year's Day, 2010.

But what actually moved me to tears was that, they have shown that loving personal touch to attach a cute picture of my car in that very compromising position of being lawless (when you look up their website for fines). And I only end up paying AED 600.00 for my car to appear there.

This level of consideration of the Traffic Department would make you think they're family. And, if they are, we could collectively settle the USD 80 billion debt by, let's say, a few hundred million instances of recklessness.

Tectonic shift in awareness

I recollect that my first official meeting as a Youth Convenor was preceeded by an earthquake in Turkey. And, as a naive member, just getting to learn the ropes of insouciance, I presumed that the meeting would include some kind of discussion on disaster relief. Of course, it dealt with more relevant topics like the sequence of bhajans. That was the first of many reality checks.

My last days in the Youth Wing have also been preceded by an earthquake in which a mere 200,000 people died. But by now, I have realized that I should do what I can do. Not what someone else ought to.

When we realize that we are all marionettes at the hands of the great wire-puller of the Universe, everything falls in place. It also always helps to recollect that the Avatar has categorically mentioned that the organization is our family. Do we abandon our family? No. Similarly. Although I am an outstanding social disaster in many ways, my parents have not abandoned me (till date). In spite of It all, we have to remain one,- at least for Him.

From the depths of the lips

Reading about Haiti. Moot point:

True service lies at helping those we don't know, whom we have never met, and who will never thank us. All else is lip service, or far worse, propaganda.