The Life of Sadhana

Life of Sadhana

 

As I continue to learn from my own life and my ownself, living life of sadhana day in and day out.

It is a joyous process and I am lucky to be living it. I have realizations during this topless mountain journey (so it seems, how does the rabbit hole goes) which I will share during the course of this article.

Life of Sadhana path can be depicted as follows -

Struggling ----> Doing ----> Being

It is a journey from "Being of the world" to Being of the world but not of it"

Without any introspection or study of your ownself, you will start of with a struggling stage.

Once you have some realizations, You "choose" the doing and become a doer. Your struggle reduces. a layer of struggle is gone because now you are "doing".

Once you start doing and still go deeper, you realize that doing still involves effort. To make it effortless, you have to learn the art of "Being".

From learning the art of "being", you have reach the state of "being".

There are  many aspects which one needs to self realize, act and live. There is no option here - Books, Religion, Gurus, Sanstha's will guide you in the right direction but you have to put yourself in to action to live otherwise this is a philosophy for you and not the truth.

I was once asked by a very learned man - "What is truth?" I was quite puzzled at the question as I could not derive the context of it. As the illusion of me being a very intelligent person disappeared, I did see the context of the question. I realized there is no "single truth".

For example there is a happily married couple (hypothetically ;)) and there is a unhappily married couple (the 99% zone). For the latter, marriage is bad. But that is still not the truth. There are hypothetically happily married couples (he..he) for whom marriage is good. So what is the truth?

Another example of Indian going to US. I had good number of friends going to US with me. Out of all, 3 of us came back as we preferred to be in India. Rest of them stayed back. So what is the truth? Is US good for living or Bad?

Now you apply this to people you interact, circumstances you face. What you see as right is wrong for others and vice-versa. This understanding can come by reading but to be able to action it, you have to walk the path of sadhana.

So my realization was that truth is only your perspective of a person, circumstances, event nothing more and nothing less. Truth is multi dimensional.

There are few things I have self explored and realized during my journey -

1. Learning to leave - Over a period of time, your sense of belonging becomes a bondage for you. You can "choose" to leave these bondages or live with it. Your choice will decide your actions and actions will decide your life (so called results). This is very important in art of relationship. The ones who are yours, you will always set them free. And ones who you want to hold on, you never considered them yours and thus you hold on to them. Start living freedom in your relations, few people will leave your life and so be it. When I say relations, I do not mean only family. It may be your friend, your employees, your business partner, your manager, your guru, your peers at work places and also includes your family (who ever you interact with on day to day basis).

2. Your Food - Food is the only energy after breathe that you use for daily actions in life. So your food should be suited to your life style. If you are on a spiritual path, food is important aspect. Your choice of food will decide your life style or you choose the food as per your life style. I have realized this myself that more balanced my food, more balanced my life. It just makes things easier and smoother if you tune the food energy to life you want to live. For e.g. if you want to do physical work, you need heavy diet to produce huge amount of physical energy and metabolism. But if you are doing mind work, your diet needs to help your mind work. You can even do other way round, change your diet and you will attract work of your liking because you have now become a conscious energy for it.

3. Accept, Adapt and Grow - I have realized that first step of personal and spiritual growth starts from acceptance. Accept things as they are, then you adapt them and then you can grow.

4. Begin today - The biggest thing I have learned is to start from right now and not from yesterday. The best thing is brings to your life is newness. Now every day is new for you. You will learn this when you do business. You cannot hold on to your past to do business, you have to do and live new things with unending desire to grow. So begin today. If you can do this, your 90% things become easy suddenly.

5. Action - This is where I used to lack a bit. Action is the only thing that will lead you to the truth for yourself. Put your words in to action and you will get new meaning to life.

6. Silent Meditation - This is love of my life, most of my realizations have come from simple meditation of being in silence. It has taught me things which has bought my action closer to my real self. It has taught me art of non reacting and being. It has taught me to listen. It has made me patient. It has taken away so many fears of my life.

In my life, I have been blessed to have found right spiritual school at right time. The school is Nira Multiversity - http://www.niramultiversity.org.

All that I have learned and acted is  attributed to this wonderful multiversity.



Quality of Relationship

I was very young when I realized that the root cause of my emotions was expectations. we are son or daughter, brother or sister as we are born in to this world. As we grow up, we acquire friends, cousins, relatives. Further, we turn in to husbands or wives and have kids of ourselves. (Assuming you are married because you did not see other options, if you chose to not get married, stop reading and enjoy your freedom ;))
Before moving forward, let me put some key ingredients of a true relationship -
1. Freedom - First and foremost, it allows everyone in a relationship to be free to be one self. You accept the other person as he currently is in to your life with all his faults or the relationship has a hole in it.
2. Love - You love the person with all your heart. Here love means caring, true selfless caring.
3. Faith - You have full faith in the person in truest sense of the word. People tell blind faith is dangerous, I say the nature of faith is blind otherwise it ceases to exist.
4. Respect - You respect the person for who and what he is? Not what he is to you only.

Having played so many roles in your life, you are bonded by expectations of everyone around you. These expectations quickly grows in to emotions and further in to resistances in your relationships.
How do you get out of this loop?

There is only one key, the world is a reflection of yourself. It starts from you and ends at you.
1. The first step to have a quality relationship is to stop your own expectations. Once you stop expecting, everyone in your relationships stops expecting from you.
2. Start Accepting as is without any duality.
3. Be Honest and truthful (dangerous per se),
There is a thin line between stop expecting and stop giving. Give 100% to your relationship but without expecting. This requires sadhana, it is not possible without sadhana. If you do this based on the information provided here, you will end up suppressing yourself rather then being one in that relationship.
You will notice that the people who really value you will stay and others will automatically have a very nominal role to play.
Spiritually, it is actually matter of frequency like radio. Based on matching frequencies, depth of relationships will build over a period.
So go ahead, be truthful, faithful, honest. May god bless you for the most amazing relationships in your life!
 

Seva makes you simple

Just back from a children's seminar conducted by Nira Multiversity. I am probably still wondering about any logical reason behind giving seva. I found none. There is no logical reason behind giving seva.
Exploring further -
It seemed seva does not touch any part of your ego and thus you will not find any logical reason to do seva. I believe there should be some part of your life which is dedicated for no physical form of returns. Generally we do things for self satisfaction, ego, money, sex, food. Seva does not give you any of these, may be self satisfaction but then I don't treat that as seva.
So what does doing seva teach you -
1. Not everything has a logical reason, some things are just to be done ;)
2. Seva is a form of meditation.
3. Through Seva, you become simple.
4. You learn to manage through seva.
5. You learn real love through seva.
6. Seva makes you neutral and peaceful.
Okay, so I did manage to find subtle reasons of doing seva ;)
All in all, I feel seva shifts your focus from the head (logic) center to heart (life) center.

Sharing and spreading happiness

A trip to water kingdom. I wanted to go to a place where we can relax and everyone can have fun. So we decided to go to water kingdom. In our first slide, we met couple of poor looking guys. I was surprised as how they could afford entry ticket of 700Rs.
After some time, we saw 2 foreigners, who were playing and watching these kids.
That time I realized that these guys have organized for these little ones to get them to Water kingdom.
I got real taste of what is meant by "spreading happiness". Even though I did not tell them anything, I was awestruck by their act of bringing happiness to these little ones.
At one point I saw one of the tired kids sleeping on his lap. In the end I also saw, one of the guys had also picked up a little one in his arms like you would carry your own child.
So these guys were not just doing it as formality. I have never seen such selfless act of taking these poor kids not only to play but also take care of them.
I never spoke to those guys but I appreciated from heart their act of kindness and spreading happiness. I bow to the humbleness they carried with them selves and pray to god for giving me the same in every way, shape.
I also learned a great thing that always share happiness and not grief. When there is grief, be alone. When you are happy, share it and spread it.

 

If God were to ask you "make a wish, what would be yours?"

God asked me today - what do I want?
I was not prepared to answer this question as I did not know what I wanted?
I wanted many things on one hand and nothing on other hand.
I wanted a bigger house, better car, interesting creative projects, money, great food, big vacations with all expense paid.
Actually, I wanted love, peace, success, satisfaction, happiness.
What would be one thing that would bring all of the above?
It was "freedom" or "nothing".
I either choose freedom which will encompass all of the above or have nothing in which I will not need any of them.
So for it was freedom or nothing, what is your wish?

Education of Life

Education of Life

I was thinking about the current education system where we have ourselves gone through school, college, graduation and so on.

Never thought about it while I was studying - what I was studying for? Being Born in a middle class family, I was always told to be studious is good. So study hard and get a degree. It never occurred to me to ask around why to get a degree? Because answer was already given i.e. to get a job. And job obviously to make a living.

The point I missed was education of life. None of these gave me education of life.

I still remember that I was an electrical engineer and was afraid to even change a light bulb. A part of it was my fault as I never questioned the system and it's end results.

Now at the age of 35, I realize that I would have done better if I had questioned by the mechanism. 

I now realize the real education is education of life, it is not found in current system of schools.

I personally feel that education system needs a revamp, they should teach principles of life, practical of life along with the current subjects. I am listing few things which I feel must be included -

• Training about healthy and unhealthy food habits
• Training about self discipline
• Banking and financial institutions
• History should be shown in audio visuals and should be used as inspiration rather then just knowing about it.
• Training on information technology should start at an early age.
• Way to celebrate festivals, Importance of each festival (they should be taught that plastic bags are harmful, I see huge number of plastic bags being thrown every day before and during holi).
• Planets significance in astrology and not only astronomy.
• Importance of mantras in life.
• Importance of goals in life.
• Different phases and facets of life.
• Equity and Stock market basics ;)
• Arth Tantra - Economics ;)
• Relationship building
• Spiritual Education.
• Cooking - Not only cooking but also buying good quality stuff.
• Stress management (at later stage of course).
• Time Management
• Capital Management
• Innovation

Your entire life is dependent upon the type of education you get in early stages of your life.
Our life style has come very fast paced, our education should teach us to manage and manage it well.
Well, Someday I hope I will be part of building such an institution where people do not have to study but "learn and explore".

Inspiring Lines by Chankya as Guru

Inspiring lines by Chankya when he requests chandragupta's mother to take him to Taksh Shila -
You have given birth to a possibility,
I have to make it possible.
You have given birth to a dream,
I have to make it reality
You as mother are worried about your child,
I am an educator and I am worried about the nation
You want Chandra gupta to take care of you and your cattles, I want chandra gupta to take care of the nation.
My need for chandragupta is much higher then yours!

The Roasted Sweet Potato

We wanted to go out for few days and did not have prior bookings done. Last minute research lead to a beautiful place named Dang in Gujarat near Saputara. More research and I found the contacts of DFO Mr Suchindra who did the booking for us.
With car fully loaded with CNG and Petrol, we started for our trip and the first halt was saputara. It took about 4-5 hrs from Ghatkopar (stayed over night at cousin's place) to reach Saputara. On the way,we were greeted by sweet grapes and black kismiss. We relished the grapes. After wandering a bit, decided to stay at Toran hill resort in valley facing rooms (the hold Toran Resort) which was a great experience.
The awesome lunch at Purohit was quite fulfilling. After resting for few hours, we head out for the lake and sun set point.
Kids enjoyed the Horse ride near the lake. 

Don't miss the sunset point, Boiled Corn, Poha, Kismiss.
Next day we headed out towards Mahal Camp site in Dang. The road from Saputara to Mahal via Ahwa was amazing. The last 2 km at mahal is a kachha road.
We reached and gave them ingredients to make lunch. The food here is cooked on Wooden Chulah which gives excellent flavor to the food. 
We went to bath in the river till our food gets ready.
The awesome food was ready by 2:30, we relished the lunch.
We had given a Sweet Potato to Boil to the cook, instead he just put the sweet potato in wooden chulah. We peeled it off and it was heavenly taste right their -
We went out for Girmaal falls, Pampa Sarovar and ShabriMandir. Pampa Sarovar was beautiful. Kids loved to feed a Dog with some biscuits ;)
On the way back, we visited Cashew Factory at Subir (the factory was closed and we asked a guy near by to call the attendant). He did come to make his sale ;)
We also bought Brinjals (these were really nice brinjals) to eat baigan bartha in the evening with mix veg khichadi.
By the time we came back, it was dark and also very cold. Time to hit the campfire and dinner.
As there was no electricity, we slept very early. It was extremely cold and over night temperatures dropped to 7 degrees celcius. In the morning, we enjoyed our pet oo-long tea, and headed to the next camp site Kilad.
For us, it was as good as it gets. The camp was amazing and we got a bunglow with 2 large double beds, big toilet. This was much better because it has mix of modern facility and cooking on wooden chulah. We went to botanical garden and Gira Falls (these were dried up). Botanical garden was very beautiful and we could explore only few portions of it.
Kids wanted to go back to the river as usual so we went to the river. And had a perfect sun shine on us ;)
Back to the resort and campfire. This time we had the satisfaction of roasted sweet potato ourselves. We shared it with another family and they loved it too.

Few things to note -
1) At Mahal you need all ingredients with you, things are available at 16 kms at subir (but that  too limited)
2) If you are a group, take tents and huts in right mix. tents are really cheap (200 Rs and 8 people can sleep ;))
3) It gets really really cold in winter overnight, so carry woolen caps and cotton for ears.
4) There is a market between Mahal and Kilad at village called Jamla pada, do not miss the market. It has good stuff like Jalebis, Sugar cane juice, Whole Red Pepper. Whole lot of fresh veggies.

If you want more information on Dang -
http://pandyadhaval.blogspot.in/

Bitter Sweet Parenthood

Being a good Parent is a tough task. If you want your kid to be live life full of life, you have to put sanskars in to him. He is going to do things you taught him for major part of his life, so it is matter of utmost importance.
Here are the things I try to teach my kids -
1) Self Improvement and Only self improvement - The only comparison they have to make it is between yesterday and today of one's own self. Be it games or studies, just improve yourself.
2) To Give - At times, I give the food from their share to poor and needy children. I also ask them to feed animals like dogs. This sanskar will go a long way to show them that life is a reflection, more you give more you get. Only the form will change.
3) Audio Visuals - Watch good movies with them - Karate Kid (Your focus needs more focus), Iqbal (commitment), Avataar (Love), ChandraGupta Maurya(many aspects of life), BolBhachan (laughter is the best medicine), Chak de India(love your country), Life of Pie(difficulties make you strong and they end eventually). This is one of the easy, impactful ways of teaching them.
4) Discipline - Give them Military training when it comes to discipline. They may not like it when you do it, but they will love you for life. Do not be emotional with them, make them tough but tough like coconut. They should be strong and be able to lead from the front. Only strong can lead and we need leaders for sure.
5) What you eat is what you become - I have created this infamous saying that "If you eat lays, you will become a bag a full of air and less substance". Tell them difference between fresh food and stale food. Give them fresh fruits and not soft drinks. The society is such that every parent is giving in to the demands of the child because it is "easy". But be tough, deny them these things. At times, let them have it and tell them it is bad but you can have it this time ;).
6) True sense of freedom and not illusion - People have this general illusion that freedom is to be able to eat, drink, do anything at any time otherwise they are taking away their child hood. It is not that way. Teach them that real freedom means be able to choose good things for themselves and not compromise by having what they get "easily". For example - Bread is easy to get but roti takes time and effort to create. Roti as everyone knows is more beneficial for health. 
7) Take them to the market - Teach them to shop for vegetables, fruits and so on (does not matter girl or a boy). 
8) Unlock the door - Teach them to lock and unlock the door, Teach them what is passbook, chequebook, bank balance, ATM, ATM Pin, Cell Phone (prepaid and post paid). Every parents are so proud that my kid can now recognize all gestures of iPAD so well, teach them how to unlock a door, it will help them in practical life. 
9) Make him a Player - Teach him team spirit. Play with him, appreciate his talent. Teach him cycling, Skating, Swimming at early age. Make him fear less in true sense of the world. 
10) Love them - Love in not sense of being emotional. Giving to their cries is not love. Love is to share, cook, play, music, hugs, blessings, hair cuts, long drives, camp fires, good night and a good morning.
11) Friends are forever - Teach them importance of having good friends. Their lives are going to be shaped by the circle of friends they form. Tell him to make friends who put smile on his face, or the ones who smile when he meets them. 
Schools will only teach the syllabus, you as parent are responsible to educate them for "life".

Meditation Changes your Attitude

Effect Of Meditation

The word "meditation" is a misnomer. Meditation is a polymorphic in nature meant to result in to different things for different people. 
Meditation begins with sitting silently but ends in change of the person. Till some point meditation is to sit at a place and do some kriya but after some point it is all about the change it bought in you.
So what does Meditation change in anyone?
It changes your outlook or attitude towards life. The life is still the same, people you deal with are same, the change is in your attitude.
The world as they say is reflection of yourself. So meditation changes the attitude from within.
The real measure of meditation lies in the outcome of it. 
If there is no change, meditation is a temporary feel good phenomena which you enjoyed for that time. Even that is powerful enough I believe.
I believe every meditation changes a person from within, it may be slow but it does change.
So it is very important to meditate on one's self. Meditation makes you introvert.
Here is what meditation has taught me -
1. In any circumstances, see your reaction not others.
2. Be hard to yourself and soft to others (exception - Your Children who are born through you ;))
3. If you are sad, you will be alone and vice-versa. Rather when you are sad, be alone till it passes out. Do not pass on sadness or Anger.
4. The joy in giving.
5. The joy of cooking for your dear ones.
6. Acceptance of things as they are.
7. Fearlessness - Especially ability to speak truth.
8. Appreciate and it will grow. criticize and that will grow too.
9. Rise in awareness and grounding.
These changes are subtle in nature.
All in all, it makes your life easy. It is the same life but your response to life has changed and that makes it easy.
Anger, Anxiety, Fear will still remain, they won't go away. Your ability to deal with them will be better externally and their effect will be dimming internally.

Remember - "Go to the temples outside, worship the god inside."

Living or Doing?

I was having a conversation with myself about building a high networth company while bathing. Suddenly a realization came to me that in process of doing it, I am not enjoying the process of reaching that goal. I have been told so many times that journey is important and not the destination. I could relate it to "life" now.
Same morning - I told my wife that you are "waiting" for the morning "work" to get over, and she said "yes".
Above is the root cause of our stress. We try to get over with our "work". we are not living our "work". It is a duty rather then "living".
I suggested that her main purpose is "food". To make it interesting she should focus on new recipes rather then cooking same good again. It is the routine which is making her mind think it as "work" rather then enjoy it.
It is same with our way of earning money which causes the famous "monday morning blues". I think we should enjoy monday and not hate the monday. People give different reason for success, I feel the only criteria for success (in business or job) are the ones who have passion for their work not just wanting to finish the day. This is typically the reason of getting old in life.

Relating this to our family vacation, we decide a few destinations we want to cover, plan travel, hotel, food and head out. I now realize that I reached the destination after few or more hours of travel but I never "lived" those moments of "travel". I waited to reach the destination. There were cards to play, stuff to eat and so on but my mind was on the destination and not the journey. I think everyone can relate to above.
This also makes me realize the difference in thinking from the heart and head. Head says reach the goal, heart says live the way to the goal ;)

So are you living the present moment?

Note - All of the above is philosophy, theory which has no meaning unless it becomes part of life.

The notion of freedom

We were on a trip to raigad. This is probably 3 years back. We had a stop over and the entire group was having vada pav. I don't eat potatoes and green chillies. Now having known me for so many years, one of them asked me "tereko mann nahee hota khane ka". I said "No".
After so many years, I realized that the incidence in some way is connected to "notion of freedom". Freedom does not mean freedom to do anything and everything. If it was, militants and not monks would be more free ;)
Freedom means ability to choose. For e.g. We all love pani puri (i mean 95% of us do). We probably also know that pani puri is not healthy. Now how many of us choose to not eat it willingly (I am not saying to restrict, thats why willingly).
This ability to choose with awareness is one of the aspects of "being free".
While I say this, at times, I may choose to eat something unhealthy. It is the choice I have made but most of us in all honesty know that we just ate because we cannot resist or we just followed the crowd or that is the only thing which was available.
Mind is free when it is watchful. You got to watch your mind. Everyone gets angry. It's okay to be angry as long as you know you are angry. As soon as you know, it drops ;)
Now you can choose to be angry, this anger will have it's purpose and only you will know it.
Rising of conciousness means to be aware and watchful. You just have to go beyond your mind otherwise you are trapped.
You are aware of your state of mind when your conciousness rises.
A simple way to understand the whole thing is -
" You choose to eat the pizza or pizza chose that you eat it".

 

Are you waiting your turn to be Happy?

Father Said "Once my daughter is married, I will be happy"
Mother said "Once my son becomes doctor, I will be happy"
Student said "I will enjoy once the exams get over"
Software Developer said "I will have blast once this project is delivered"
Pregnant Women said "I will be happy once I get a healthy Baby"
Enterpreneur said "Let's party when we get funded"
Businessmen said "This deal must go through and then we will be happy"
House Wife said "Once my morning work is over, I will be happy"
Bagpacker said "My trip to Leh was the happiest moment of my life"
Husband said "I really enjoyed my bachelor life"
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Buddha said "I am happy here now".

So most of us are always happy either in the past or future and need a reason to be happy. Being happy is simple in present. 
There is no reason needed to be happy. There are going to be problems  but problems should never be related to your happiness. Easier said then done.
So be happy here now, put on a smile ;)

State of Mind

On the trip to delhi -

I was on a trip to Delhi and on the way back to airport took a cab. Our cab was just slowed down by a cycle rickshaw, the cab driver shouted and then literally hit the cycle rickshaw from behind.
The Cycle rickshaw guy protested that he needs time to give side then the cab driver just got off with all bad words, ready to hit the cycle rickshaw guy.
Above is an event triggered reaction (1).

Yesterday -
A chevrolet spark was hit by a pick up van in our building. The lady in chevrolet spark got wild and hit the guy, broke his mirror. After a while the owner of the pick up van came and settled the matter in some way. The scratch fix would have costed about INR5000 approximately or less. This is again event triggered reaction (2)

Back to the trip to Delhi -
I was with owner of a mid size company in almost brand new Hyundai Verna. On the way to his office, while we were stationary, a qualis taking a turn scratched his bumper. The guy pulled down the mirror and said "Bhai saab, jara dekhe ke turn maro". The other fellow replied "traffic tha galti se ho gaya". The guy quickly rolled up the mirror and told me that there is nothing much you can do even if you fight with the other guy irrespective of who was at fault.
 This is event triggered reaching (3).
The realization I had was that the guy who spend minimum time  fighting knew that it is not worth his time spending on it and he was the richest guy of all 3 in the above incidences.
The realization is that your reactions has potential to decide your fate.
We face such situations in your daily life at work place, home, travelling and so on. The knowing of your reaction and a subtle control (control is no the right word) is real spritiualism. It is this awareness that is above and beyond the natural reaction. Knowing your reaction is changing the default to defined.
If the taxi guy had not got down to hit the other fellow, we would not have lost the time.
If the lady had just calmly asked that this needs to be fixed by your owner, neither driver or lady should have to spend the time fighting (in turn mental imbalance) for it and reaching the same result.

The panic Button

FlashBack -
Checking email on my phone from my team -
"We are stuck at this point, some dependencies are not getting resolved and the critical project is blocked"
Hit the panic button and call back. The first reaction is "shit, now we are screwed"
Second reaction is to start calling the team and try to figure out a solution (which of course they are already doing).
A realization hits me and I stop thinking about the "problem".
Reached the office and discuss overall strategy for the project and bringing clarity to the road map.
All this while no focus on the problem nor any anxiety about it.
Few hours before the end of day, the issue was resolved in some way.

Now the point here is the "panic button". All of us have a panic button which we hit under different circumstances. We do not realize that this is going to stay "only till it is resolved" ;)

Q: Where is the focus?
A: On the problem

Q: Where should be the focus?
A: On the solution

Learning - When you get hit by a problem, focus on the solution.
One more thing I learned today was "Problems are temporary, Solutions are permanent".

Note to the self

The life passes by while you are asleep. If you realize this, the journey has begun.
You evolvle if you are aware that something is wrong in the mechanical world and that we have become emotional machines of earning money.
The life has just begun for me as I watch ego fool me and fail me. If I am aware the ego is shattered. It most definitely does not like it. So It tries to fool me by using my patterns and old habits. I am no monk as it also be identification of the ego. I don not want to be identified good, bad or ugly. At that point, I think the life will begin. Like water in the jug, it takes shape of the jug. My ego may be fooling me even now, making me feel closer to reality then I may be. Right now I do not care much about it as life will give me the feedback. That's an advantage of living in the matrix. You can see for yourself if you are really able to live in the world but not of it!

Making a difference

I truly have great people in my life and around me. I am surrounded by a whole lot of good people in some way or the other.
Recently, I went for a 2 day shibir at lonavala organised by nira multiversity (http://niramultiversity.org/) and again met a really good fellow sadhaks.
It was a small group but each of them was determined to change his own life and make a better today and thus tomorrow. It was "age no bar", in fact old ones appreciated the teachings of the modern day unlike our general experience that it's difficult to change mind set of the old people.
This has bought a different perspective to me and that is "make a difference" by changing yourself and also guiding right people to right place at right time.
These shibirs are amazing ground for "experiencing" new things in life with a very light weight approach.
Remember, we are surrounded by a world of information and logic where we start loving complexity and challenges. And thus these things follow us.
I have seen so many young people always saying that they love "challenges in life". Probably I used to as well, but now with better sense of things, I now love "simplicity in life". I have simplified myself and my life a great deal. Simple life, simple food, simple prayers.
I am in love with the words "simple", "easy", "peaceful", "grace", "great", "heal" and "pray".
From Here on, life will be simple, beautiful and bountiful. I recommend doing the shibirs time and again to many people. But I have noticed that the ones who are really ready for the change are able to make it, rest will only read the blog and move on. Please realize that reading anything is not going to make your life any better then it was yesterday if you do not learn and apply it in your life.
Reading positive and good things certainly help momentarily, shibirs help you transform and follow ups keeps you going on the right track.
Wrapping up this post with a lot of gratitude for having such good life, unsaid, untold grace on me always!

Be humble, Be honest

I have been lucky to have met few top level executives during my career. I learned a very good thing from them.
And that is to be "humble". Being humble was one of the reasons they were at those position. They did not have a sense of competition or comparison. They reached that level by the humbleness of their presence.
Being humble matters a lot, everyone will look up to you if you are humble. Your presence will make a difference wherever you go.
It is actually very easy to be humble and I bet you meet excellent people as you are down to earth.
This also allows you to stay on track, you do not get in to a superiority complex. There is a thin line between being confident and having a superiority complex.
Being humble keeps you away from crossing this line and you will always be treated with great deal of respect. Your presence will be accepted at every level.
I have personal experiences of spending time with CEOs and COOs who make you feel so comfortable. They have uncanny ability to bring best out of everyone.
I love being humble because it makes life very simple, removes a great deal of struggle from your life. People around you see possibilities instead of threat in you.
Having said the above, you must believe in having a self worth. The idea is to have the right balance and do not go to any extreme.
For example, if you are software developer and you solved an issue which entire was trying to solve for few days, there is nothing wrong in treating that as self worth. While being aware that it does not make you any superior to others. It should rather give you a sense of satisfaction and you should gladly accept the praise from the team.
9 out of 10 times, being humble will also allow you to be honest. Both have a deep connection. The only difference is honest has a degree of honesty in it ;)
To sum it up, the way to success when you have the basics like talent, attitude right, being humble is the way to grow above and beyond.

Relationships

You meet so many people in life, some come and go, some come and stay.
Relationships are a significant part of our lives because that forms a major portion of our time spend in our lives. A good relationship is born out of love and freedom. There has been a personal experience that real relations are made by you and not earned by birth.
Birth gives you relatives and not relationships. Of course you can build good relationship with them.
For me relationship comes with a spark. People say love at first sight, for me it's intuition at first site. It's like "iske saath apna jamne wala hain ;)"
Very recently, I met COO of a big company. He had met several people with some real good talent but he still could not convince him of hiring any of them for the purpose because the spark was missing. This spark is actually his intuition towards the people he met.
Let's jump back to freedom in the relationship. Why is friendship such a good relationship?
Have you ever noticed that probability of a friend feeling bad about anything is the lowest?
The main reason is because there is freedom in friendship. It's one of the most beautiful relationships.
Even within friends, I have noticed some are close to heart even though they are physically distant and we hardly meet in person. When you meet them even after year or so, you get talking as if you meet him daily. These are your real friends and they won't feel bad if you haven't called them in a while ;) (yeah but you should be in touch, it means a great deal in life).
The true relationship has freedom, more the freedom, better the relationship.
Less the expectation better the relationship.
"Go on and earn good relationship, it will make you very rich in life."

For my love thy movies - Trilogy

This is a submission for the Reel-life Bloggers contest www.wogma.com and http://reviewgang.com/
An action packed thrill of 3 movies
1) Luck By chance -

I am vary of seeing movies as I am very critical of the same ;)
But thanks to swati (my wife), I sometimes end up seeing a few of them.
I promise you that you will be confused by the end of this review and so you will go and watch the movie ;)

Its always my tendency to take some good things of a movie and learn from it.
The best thing about this movie was that it was relatively a casual movie and thus light.
The shots are taken in normal day to day lanes and homes so that brings some reality.
Everyone would agree that they see a new star in Farhan Akhtar.
But this movie by far was konkana sen's movie (ok, as a guy, I will always be biased ;)).
Her subtle expressions are the highlights of the movie.
The subtle comedy of the movie is awesome.
Like there is something about poems whereby everyone can interpret in its own way, the same applies to the movie too. One can view it from many different view points.
So here is luck by chance from my 4 eyes (2 normal and 2 with a lot of power glass ;)) -
Luck by chance is about creating destiny vs living the destiny. It also shows that you can get lucky by chance but that will most likely not sustain.
I always believe you have to go and knock at the oppurtunity, if you believe is oppurtunity knocking at your door, most likely you will miss it.
So here is a movie in which luck by chance, one gets lucky but other one gets luckier as she learns to live life as it is!
Farhan Akhtar believes in creating destiny (kismet bantee nahee, bananee padti hain). Only wishing means nothing to him.
So the guy creates oppurtunity, walks through it. Leaving behind her girl friend Konkana.
All this happens luck by chance.
It is almost as if Konkana's luck is replaced by Farhan's luck.
Although for a brief period, she is upset but she thanks him for the things she learned from him and then lives in that fashion. Now she is on to creating opportunities but in much more subtle and resilient way.
What is the difference? Now, she continues to enjoy things she is doing. She is no longer waiting for the chance she may get in "future".
So luck by chance a struggling movie actress who lived every moment based on the future role, turns to her present life and starts loving what she is doing everyday. And this she learnt from her lost love.
In turn her lost love Farhan turns lucky by chance but looses all good people in his life.
It poses a very good question. What is more important? Living every moment as it is or longing for something to achieve in future.
Rather both and strike a balance.
Few lines from the poem "IF" summarizes it very well -
If you can dream and not make dreams your master.
If you can think and not make thoughts your aim.
If you can meet with Triumph and disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same.
;)

2) ZNMD -


It is saturday morning, been a long time saw any movie so here was my chance. Looked up the theatre and time, off we want for the movie. High expectations from 3 rocking stars and good punch in the name.
Friendship is one relationship which I feel is the most real one since my childhood and I am sure for most of us it is the same. "Dil Chahta hain" was hit for this very reason.
Some friends where ever they may be are friends for ever.
ZNMD was about 3 friends and their promise to have journey of a life time with 3 selected destinations with 3 activities they can choose and all 3 of them must do it.
We all know Hrithik is crowd puller. But the star of this movie was some one else, it was Abhay Deol for me and Farhan Akhtar for my Swati.
The movie showed Hrithik to be a money minter with almost no life, well, eye opener for many of us that forget living life in the crazy world of making money. Farhan is a moldable die, he fits almost any role given to him. By far awesome. The star of the movie was Abhay with his classic looks.
The beautiful Katrina was meaningful too with a very simple message of "live life, Queen size". The little bit of zen about "the moment that matters" comes out very cleanly in Katrina's role as a deep sea diver.
Let's switch to the location, Amazing locations with deep sea diving, lot of greener pastures, unseen empty roads and awesome car. The movie is a visual treat apart from being a passionate story too.
The most exciting thing about the movie was the "fear factor". Each of us have different fears - fear of height, fear of water, fear of animals, fear of death (by far the deadliest ;)).
In Matrix 1 - Neo is told "Let it all go Neo, fear, doubts and disbelief". And here you have it - story of 3 friends on a journey to "letting it all go"
If you miss the movie, you are missing a great lesson for yourself, so go watch it NOW!

Matrix 1 - "You have to let is all go Neo - Fear, Doubts, Disbelief"

I must admit, I did not move beyond matrix 1 as I am still digesting matrix 1.
I had watched it during my college days and let it go as an action movie which by far matrix is NOT.
Matrix is about so many things not some particular thing. There are so many perspectives to this movie that this review will short fall of it so you will have to see the movie to get your own perspective.
If you even blink your eye, you lost a lesson from the movie, that's how quick the movie is made. There are sharp turns all through out the movie.
In short, its a about "Neo" who has the instinct that "something is wrong with the world" and how he is guided by his mentor to become "real him" by the thoughts and the mind.
There are amazing fight sequence with excellent dialogue. The simulated fight between neo and morpheus is the sequence to rewind and watch, rewind and watch.
So if you want to know "how deep the rabit hole goes", if you think "it's the mind which makes it real", if you want to "load anything you like" and if you think "when you are ready, you won't have to" go on unload yourself and watch this movie. I am sure "once is not enough" or rather "first time watch is just the beginning".
Enjoy the movie!