Bela from Ahmedabad

I met this middle aged woman in Mumbai airport. Professionally dressed in white shirt and trousers, she was headed to Ahmedabad.

Her incomplete American accent gave away that she was raised in Bharat. But what impressed me was her spirit of Entrepreneurship!

Although having a home in North Carolina, Bela now spent most of her time in Bharat. She headed a school in Ahmedabad and was keeping busy with it. Unfortunately, I couldn't gather much further information about the school itself. But it was interesting to note that she was actually lending a helping hand to her son who was actually running the school.

Typically women in India of her age would sit by the cot killing time in gossip. Though a significant lot help with home or get involved in spirituality, religious activities, most don't get the needed opportunity/encouragement/support and will power to get involved in social and volunteer services.
Bela not only understood the opportunity she was getting and chose to get involved than live off her son's efforts.
Truly laudable!

Hold off the ego

It's not that needed, the flight to worth
By proving I am better than thou

We all live for just few years
After which who cares who won

I am of Bliss, and so are you
And we talk even if not in words

Then why the anxious need to fight
Let's work out something that holds for now

Until there are, better times..

Chaitanyam after body's death

There are a lot of documented experiences on those who go through near-death experience on how they seem to have "eyes and ears everywhere". Are able to communicate with the creator. And how Sri Sri Ravishankar explains that this is a 2-3 day phenomenon. After which the body mostly chooses to move "forward" to the heavenly realm away from this world and experiences, than stay on.
The most important lesson for the loved ones left behind is to apart from mourning the loss, also encourage the departed soul to move on, not worry about us, and to express gratitude for all that they gave us during this life. This can be in silence, in thoughts, for the departed are not restricted to feel and know anything during this time.

My interest now is to share my point of view on how, from the Advaitic standpoint of Chaitanyam, does this work:

We know that when the Sthoola Shareera (body) dies, the Sukshma Shareera (prana/life force, mind) moves out, rests and comes back to take up another body unless it has realised its oneness with Brahman. Its next birth in this world will be determined by its karmas stored as vasanas (impressions) in the mind.
If it has realised its oneness with Brahman, then there are no impressions left due to its utter conviction about the nature of life, and so the Sukshma dissolves into Brahman, never to return unless divinely ordained, as the Avataras come back. (What isn't clear to me still is that for me, a Jivamukta state is necessary to reach this. If Videhamukta, it means the Sukshma Shareera after losing the body only realises Brahman, but that's too late in my view and would have impressions before body's death).

This Sukshma, which includes the Prana, and pervaded by Chaitanyam, is the reason why there is life throbbing. Without the Chaitanyam, Life would exist without "Awareness" of its existence. And this role of Chaitanyam convinces me that the tiniest insect, the plants, they all are aware. Of their existence and of those around. And that the only reason humans raced ahead is the added gift/tool of "mind".

And this Chaitanyam that pervades all is also the reason why Sukshma uses its awareness to see and hear those around. To take stock of its new status (as without a body) and settle to that fact. And then Sukshma leaves for an abode which I don't understand much. Apparently also a place where one meets ancestors (pithru), Gods, and then plans for its next birth into a body, to rid itself of its impressions.

The pursuit as always being to dissolve into Brahman..

You are Not Body

I do not get it, how you think
This body is you, and you will die

I know the pain and pleasure, you do feel
But so do you, for your family too

If anything at all, you can mistake as mind
Of where you do, truly reside

Look at this body as garment, or as your car
A tool you use, for your daily life

This One inside me

This one inside me, Is the doer, and I the medium
I the instrument, he the hand at work
I surrender all, that comes out, is created, to Him

I watch in reverence, In silent veneration
He does it all, Pray not look at me

I the ever perfect, He dirties himself
His Maya the playground, he runs/laughs/hurts himself

Why would want I the heavens, where He rests
Those heavens even, when created in Self?

The altar that are dreams

At the great altar of dreams
You surrender your impressions
The karmas that burn you inside
You shed in sacred homa

No control of the happenings
They scare and bring joy at times
The mind made turmoil
Or the pangs of the soul to let go

I bring now only sage advise
To not suffer in oversleep
For the dreams in early morning stupor
Bring no rest only turmoil

I the Witness

What I saw in this sleep, was only a dream
What I saw in my quiet, was the chaos of thoughts
What I saw in my day, is the flow of the way
What "I" saw all this, is only the Witness forthwith

Migraine

As for the rain, and the gloom in day
I do not feel the slightest, chance at bay

Until comes in a throbbing
Behind eyes as peace robbing

That  tenacious migraine pain
To excavate the day's gain

Devi reflection

For put me in my prayers, in your bosom Bliss
I seek not this world, for all it has only fits a fist

My Devi and I, spend the time mother-child
Not wanting anyone else, despite the torment that forbids

I care not for heaven, my Mother please grace me
Keep me in Samadhi, absorbed in your mist

Embrace Darkness

Only right upto embrace does deified light live
It's darkness that guides those spaces bereft of it

Without a reset, has no computer lived on
Or confidence for that matter, to sustain life

It is a hopeless battle, to fear and try escape the shadow
It is a needless cause, for its the other half that completes