I burnt down the house where calamity struck
Not wanting a home with memories on walls
I destroyed all desires, all want for a future
And from those ashes rose Maya whom I carried forward
Maya ever the servant of the one with no wants
She ever has been waiting upon the Vairagya Deva
I finally won my peace by giving up everything
And she got back her Lord when I gave up her World
Just like identifying yourself with the physical body is a sign of underdeveloped spirituality, so is identification with the subtle body, albeit at a mature spiritual level.
We understand it's a mistake to identify ourselves with the physical body even with a little probing. We identify ourselves with our minds and thoughts and take our body for granted except when in pain or illness.
We the expiry of the body, "we" leave the body. But it's only a fall from one trap to another. The subtle body (Jivatman) which includes our minds and sense powers, move to other planes and suffer/enjoy the results of our actions (quite similar to the Abrahamic religions' theory). And then again take rebirth to suffer/enjoy some of the leftover results and make another effort at liberation.
True liberation is realising, while in this physical body itself, that one is not even the Jivatman, but the one illuminating the Jivatman itself.
This is what makes Moksha harder, and also why we need the help of the scriptures to realise this. Without the medium of the physical body, when in the subtle planes, it is not possible to achieve Moksha.
Even the Gods have to be reborn as humans to realise Brahman. So make use of this human life to the highest level!
All your warmth can't match,
The smile of an innocent child
Your graceful walk won't get
The attention a tripping child will
Your beautiful smile still won't
Raise a cheer as a child's antics
You are a beauty I admit
But nay can't stand to a child's glow
If you give in to an illness, it will claim is victory! Fight it!! Remember that an illness is due to a foreign body, a bacteria or virus that has attacked your body and won an initial battle against your immune systems. Support your immune systems so they win the war, faster! And the mind is the biggest weapon in this fight. Rest is the next best. Diet the one after. Medicines only after that.
We all know how if we are busy with something more pressing, the feeling of being ill doesn't manifest. It is equally important to keep work at manageable levels than tiring, during a period of illness. Mainly the takeaway here is to keep the mind happy and strong. Distract it away from the illness with interesting thing, and train it to not give the illness too much importance. This might sound radical but is factual: Worse case your body dies, the mind and self lives on!!
Never ever give the illness victory. Be like a warrior in battle who may die, but never loses!!
What I learnt from a viral fever last week, is to not treat it with medicine. If not accompanied by accompanying cough, loose motions or such symptoms, then the fastest way to treat it is with rest.
I had a fever that touched 102 degree Fahrenheit. What I was amazed to find is whenever the body felt really weak, I was also able to get half-hour naps. That is very much unlike me who is unable to otherwise sleep during the day. But last Sunday I took 3-4 such naps during the day, each time going to sleep feeling shivery and weak, and waking up better and energetic. I also slept early and still woke up at my usual time in the morning, giving myself a full night sleep of 9 hours, even if waking up in the middle at times.
The other factor was appetite. I would have small meals as the stomach felt hunger in spurts and would yet not be able to consume much. I think I had lunch a couple of times, avoided snacks, and had chai only because it was already made.
I could not take an evening bath and I think that was for the better. I'd taken a morning bath and that had triggered the temperature, but I hadn't known it then.
Taking it easy, like walking around slowly was another thing. Although I picked up and played with my children whenever I could, especially after the energizing naps.
Medicine is best avoided in my view especially the pain killers like Dolo, which have their benefits but not for this. They generate fall responses like sweat etc to fight the fever in turn giving a wrong message to the body's immunity to turn their guard down.
Another thing I learnt was not to measure temperature right after waking up. It'll always be a degree higher, don't know why. This was so the previous day and also the next morning too when I woke up to 99 degrees, and an hour later found it at 98. The fever was gone!
If I've to point to one thing, it would be the multiple naps I took. Rest is best to fight a fever!
What sets flight, with the newborn wingspan
When the stage performance is flawless
When the output is applauded
Is not just what, sustains survival
But the confidence of life, beyond mundane
Of freedom, of dignity, of being wanted
In this large expanse, of having made a place
A final settling, of restless mind
As dust settles, and the road gets clear
Getting the opportunity, to grow yourself
After the storm, as trees grow strong
What matters is the moment, the years don't
What matters is the home, the world doesn't
What matters is your health, generational existence notwithstanding
First set your life right, then think of all others problems
First pick up your life skills, then think of picking up hobbies
First discipline your own mind, then think of doing so to them kids
It is an faulty argument when some Advaitins try to side step the need for Karma Yoga (selfless activity), Raja Yog (meditation, breathing and physical well being including proper sleep and diet) and Bhakti Yog (devotion to God). They must understand that first and foremost, Advaita is only an advanced level of philosophy, based on Jnana Yog.
When we say Sadhana Chatushtaya is needed in the journey towards realisation, we are implicitly admitting the importance of the other Yogs. Think about it:
- Viveka implies Jnana Yog
- Vairagya implies Karma Yog
- Shat Sampathi implies Raja Yog
- Mumukshatvam implies Bhakti Yog
Moksha for Advaitins in short is not by Jnana Yog alone. It precedes not the mastery but the inner alignment with the other Yog paths, whether one realises / acknowledges or not.
Based on above, one must also admit that one is not a true Advaitin if not giving all paths their due contribution in having achieved Moksha. Another way to look at it, for Advaitins struggling to achieve Moksha is that it may be because of their not giving due regard to the other paths.
The greatest Advaitin Adi Shankaracharya's life itself is a glowing example of the merging of all these paths.
- Karma in the selfless propagation of his teachings
- Bhakti in his devotional hymns
- Raja in the painstaking efforts to walk the length and breadth and to the references in works like Aparokshanubhuti
- Jnana which is most prominent due to his Bhashyas of the Prasthaanathraya
So when a so called Advaitin says that doing wrong incurs no paapa on him, it's not true. One who has achieved Moksha and is established in Brahman won't do wrong, and the others are fooling themselves by saying so.
An Advaitin is one who through displays true Viveka in the role played by all the Yogs in the realisation of the Ultimate non dual reality.
Not asked for lot, a little water
A thirst for only, a simple life
Why then it got, so complicated
That needs and given, are not a match
Give or take, we all a bit
But not this much, and for so long
Give me sight, and your blessing
That little water, will see light
Go to sleep, hungry
Be healthy, be grateful
Know that none, have suffered
One time meal, who gave up
Realise also, that many
Do so, with no choice
O mind when not in control
You torment the very soul
And when absolutely reined
It is bliss that you rain
Wherefrom such power
A creation such I wonder
An opinion you hold
Create illusions two-fold
The scale of magnificence
Indeed something to behold
I recently noticed that Amazon provides one more shipping option to Prime members "No-Rush". This obviously saves them some costs of the next-day shipping commitments to Prime members. Due supply chain management will allow them to club purchases and optimise shipments and inventory levels in warehouses.
And to entice customers to this option, Amazon is even offering ₹15 cash back for each such transaction.
For customers, this is free cash inflow. I'm sure that 80% transactions if not more will soon fall into this category. Bhartiya folks love free cash. We have chosen Prime mainly for the online movies than the fast shipping.
Many like me will now be aiming to make up the annual prime subscription with these cash backs itself. Not sure if Amazon will share alongwith their financial results if this is reducing costs or increasing it. Time will nonetheless tell us customers, by way of whether Amazon retains or further increases the cash back with the scheme, or perhaps scrap or put a cap to the cash back limit to it.
When you see a relative after years
And you wonder how time has flown
Don't stop wondering, for you are close to truth
Realise that something, within you hasn't changed
Even if they, and the mirror says otherwise
Reflect on what, is that something
For that is where, the answer lies
The early morning walk, in crispy morning chill
The sip of chai hot, to warm you up from inside
The meditation on Sun, the japa of the Mantra
The refreshing bath, and the warm breakfast
Prayers to your deities, protector of your family
The hurrying off to work, the coming back to gym
The early evening supper, after relaxing bath
The talking to your family, and a little bit of film
The cuddling up to book, and drowning into sleep
Too many are the salons I've been to where the barber makes desperate attempts to cross-sell. The customer ends up cringing as we are stuck to the seat and tired repeating "no".
It also makes the customer conscious as many a time the barber makes negative comments on the customers hair in order to sell other services.
For example saying that you have lots of grey hair or it's full of dandruff etc.
Effectively the bad memory means the customer does not go back to the salon.
This is something salon owners should know. They should train their barbers to ask one question: " Would you like any other services like a hair colour or shampoo". If the customer says "no", stop bothering him/her anymore!
To tell apart the freshness of infatuation with love
Like appreciating the tubelight in sunlight
The routine day, lacks the mirthful pain
The laughing at common things, unlike the glee of day-dreaming mind
The realisation of being trapped, not half bad as crushed heart
The joy of feeling complete, much better than restless pining
Let there not be judgement
Of why that happened and who got what
The aim of life is to burn out Karma
And not to build new ones
Selfless service be the action,
The purpose and the Sadhana
Be free from desire, and calm of mind
And gain a happy life and Moksha
In the blink of an eye was the whole field wiped out
Decades and generations of technology notwithstanding
A reminder belated to those who looked down upon the spiritual
To those who exploited Nature supported by the empirical
The path of the righteous will always be protected
Their lives blissful and souls elevated
Sharadamba Devi, Guru of the Jagadguru
Purify my mind, set free from Vasana
Bless my heart, grace it as thy abode
As a Mother please protect, me from going astray
As a Guru please bestow, the Jnana of Moksha
Lead me, my way, my spoken word be yours
Guide me, this life, every action be yours
In one of the spiritual talks I heard a reference that:
- One who eats twice a day is a Bhogi (Rajasic deluded in world pleasures)
- One who eats thrice a day is a Rogi (Tamasic who is bound by negativity)
Medical science also asks to keep a four hour gap before a meal. Jain teachings advice is to have your last meal before sunset. Even Akshay Kumar claims our stomachs don't need anything after 6pm in the evening.
Well, I've used the recuse of migraine. But as my age increases and metabolism slows, it might be a good idea to stop indulging at night.
I even feel the stiffness and slightly constipated especially in winter season, with the current food habits, where one isn't going to bed hungry.
I'm also not a fan of the evening cook.
So overall want to give the evening fruits-dinner, or at least light-dinner mode a try.
It would be interesting to see the results. And to hear from others whom I try to recommend this, about their experiences.
