Pawn or a player - on the path of knowledge?

I have done the art of living course ten years back. I did not directly see the relevance of the course to my life, back then. But one thing was for sure, living the knowledge was a challenge. At every point of time, to make the choice of being on the side of knowledge rather then give in to the patterns that defined our behavior and live as a victim of thoughts and emotions.
There were times I would slip, in fact, many many times. What is it that would make me slip, I would wonder. For an ignorant person to be on the side of ignorance is fine, but what about one who is aware, who knows at every moment what choice to make. Why would such a person choose to become a pawn, rather than a player?
Was it sheer lack of strength, and if so, what made one so weak and what is it that made one strong? I have pondered on that.
And yesterday, I felt I got the answer. It is our search for love that made us weak and it is love that makes us strong. As long as we live under the illusion of love, the illusion of giving love without really giving and the illusion of being loved without knowing what it means, we are weak. Because we then allow situations, people and circumstances to have power over us. Because unknowingly we are searching everywhere for love, which in turn depletes our energy and dilutes our focus.
Yet, to know love one cannot but believe in something, some phenomenon, some truth, if not in love alone and knowledge can very well be that anchor. Just something to hold on to. Once you have it, you are sitting on top of knowledge. It is no longer a challenge, but your nature.

Never less alone than when alone...and oh so much work!

Finally got a day to myself. The kids were gone and Debdas was late from office. When I reached home in the afternoon it was Solar Eclipse time. I sat down for meditation and opened my eyes three hours later. All the fatigue in the body and mind were gone. I felt a burst of energy.
Guruji is coming to Kolkata. His presence is in the air and in my heart. The clock is ticking by, bringing us closer to the d-day with every passing minute. If I just look at the amount of work we are getting done, it is unbelievable! Wherever we go, people just seem to waiting for us. However, one cannot but see this work as a phenomenon that just happens and somewhere you play your own little role. It is doership that gets us stress and creates the illusion that work will not get done if I don't do it. Work by itself is just a happenning. The ground has already been set so that you can play your own small little role.
But to live this truth is an art, the art to balance between pravritti and nivritti.
So today I got a breather. Just to be with myself. A luxury that has truly become rare.

3 Idiots - Study for knowledge or marks?

Well, a happy new year to all. Late but sincere wishes to you all. May this year bring you closer to your dreams.
I started my year with 3 idiots. The movie, of course :) Having spent my college years in IIT, there was a lot of deja vu feeling; but it was also a kind of an eye opener. I always knew that there was something wrong with the process of my education, and at times I felt it was only me that was out of place. Aal iz well but me! Having been a good student I found something was inherently wrong with our education but when I was actually caught in the mud, I had no clarity of vision to see through it. Instead, I attributed my lack of interest, boredom, to my inherent restless nature and lack of perseverence. A lot of talent just lay wasted as there was no anchor within or outside to channelise it. Not just mine but also many friends and batchmates of mine...just found stuff other than academics more interesting. Stuff like creative arts, music, people, life. And these were all people who had a passion for learning, for knowledge, for science. Dreams they all gave up as marks never got them closer to knowledge.
Its ironic that our system often filters out the brightest because it is very hard to filter out the mediocre. Life runs on mediocricity. Which is why 'Five Point Someone' can be just a widely read book..because it is just so mediocre. If it was truly a great book, I would see less people reading and appreciating it, I am sure. Now while there are a few 'Rancho' s who are just so bright that the system cannot get at them, they excel because they have no choice but to excel, there are many many bright talents that go wasted.
Study for knowledge and not for marks, now I wonder why my parents and teachers did not tell me that. How come no one figured it out!

My Favorite Poem

Promise

If I had to promise you something, what would it be?

I can't promise that you would always be comfortable...
Because comfort brings boredom and discomfort.

I can't promise that all your desires will be fulfilled...
Because desires whether fulfilled or unfulfilled bring frustration.

I can't promise there will always be good times...
Because it is the tough times that make us appreciate joy.

I can't promise that we will be rich or famous or powerful...
Because they can all be pathways to misery.

I can't promise that we will always be together...
Because it is separation that makes togetherness so wonderful.

Yet if you are willing to walk with me.

If you are willing to value love over everything else.

I promise this will be the most rich and fulfilling life possible.
I promose your life will be an eternal celebration.
I promise you I will cherish you more than
A king cherishes his crown.
And I shall love you more than
A mother loves her newborn.

If you are willing to walk into my arms,
If you are willing to live in my heart,
You will find the one you have waited forever...
You will meet yourself in my arms...

I promise................

His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Dia Sings...

Perception and Truth

" I've looked at life from both sides now,
from win and lose and still somehow
It's life's illusions I recall;
I really don't know life at all..."

A few days back I got this thought that I just happen to see things as I want to rather than how they really are. This has been especially true for people, but true for events and situations as well.
There are so many things in my life that I would like to change, stuff I am angry with, upset with, disillusioned with. But the funny part is, these issues only exist when I exist. When I am not there, all the problems disappear!
Which is to say, life seems to be perfectly fine when I subtract my expectations from it.
When I remove myself from a situation and look at it, everything seemes perfect. When I put myself back, I see holes. What is imperfect, people and situations or me?
When I take apart each and every desire from my life and look around, what stares back at me is pure existence, or truth.

Dil Bole..Great Job!

It was complete fun. Dil Bole Hadippa (If I got the name right) is worth every moment of it. Rani once again excels and I loved Shahid Kapur too, a complete treat after the Kamineys and whatever whatever.

The movie had a wonderful story, well executed and a matured script. I loved the message of Veera, it is no longer a question of women's equal rights..here the woman happens to be far better than the men in the job. It's a pleasure to see Hindi movies address such story lines and being made with such level of maturity.
There's this once scene where Shahid confesses his love for Rani. He tells her that she taught him that life is not to be lived seriously but with fun and frolic, the way Veera lived and that is what made him fall for her. For me, it is these simple lines which make these movies so watchable and so full of life. Underneath the sheer fun and masti, there is such an intelligent grasp of the spirit of India!
Of course you may need to live through Rakhi Sawant's gyrations and another creature called Sonia...but in the end..its well worth the while.