All my thoughts, my reasonings, my conclusions, Are absolutely hollow. They are like empty bags full of air, they just burst anytime... I cannot lay myself on them, I cannot trust them, And hence, I stop defending my stance, I stop arguing about my wishes and wants. I know I should not defend them, I [...]
A prayer.. for every today..
Let us leave behind our stubbornness, Our stubbornness to twist the things in ways we feel is right, Our stubbornness to not let go of past and its regrets, Our stubbornness to keep regurgitating the past, Our stubbornness to want happiness "this" way only, Our stubbornness to not live a simpler, lighter life, Our stubbornness [...]
What am I oozing out today?
How people may treat you, doesn't tell much about you, but reveals a lot about their state of being, whatever one may be going through.. And vice versa. How I treat others, tells just about my state of being. We have many examples of masters and mystics, like Jesus Christ, how he was nailed, mistreated, [...]
Divine warrior
The closer you get to yourself, You will be able to see all the so called ugly movements in you, Jealousy, hate, blame, anger, pride, vanity, greed, all of it... They show up to your vision because now you are ready to embrace and transform them, They were present earlier too, But you were still [...]
I now rest
I now rest. Having ran much, Trying to walk together But failing always. I now rest. Knowing that we can walk alone, That we don't have to be together, Just because we are alive. I now rest. Knowing that you will be happy wherever you will be, It doesn't matter really if I too am a [...]
When they met again..
When they met again after a break of non communication, of course, a lot could be said about the past, a lot could be discussed. Why had this happened, and why that did not happen? Why one had behaved in this way and not that way? Why things did not work out in a better [...]
Invocation
We are all priests.. of our temples, at times known, at times in oblivion. We are the ones, responsible to keep the inner temples clean, pure, immaculate, neat, sorted, organised, sacred. So that we can invoke the Divine Presence there. But the task is not easy, it is a challenging one... For we don't usually [...]
This, is a gift
What I have now is a gift, a prasad,It may be painful, Or at times not, As it's not what I wished for,But the exact situation I am in,Is a gift. To grow deeper,To grow stronger,To be ok, even when things are not what I would like them to be. All this right now,Is a [...]
Over to ‘you’
I know you are chiseling me out of this dead inert matter, ignorance. And it hurts, and ouch! it pains, And in my weakness and limping strength, I cry out, I complain, I try at times to run away, hide, But I find no other place, and in you once more I abide, I say [...]
Rebirthing oneself
She had done her gamut of errors, a lot of them. She continued as long as it would take.. in running circles, she repeated her old selves again and again. And then one day, she asked, can we start afresh, anew. As if there is no past at all. She couldn't have kept waiting for [...]
How our tendencies leave us…
Whenever a tendency or a pattern or a deep limiting belief, is ready to leave us, it tightens its grip/hold. It causes a lot of misery and strangulation. It's gotten attached, it's become a part of us, and now as we soar high, in order to move on, it clutches, it clings, it's like a [...]
The magnet inside us
It is very interesting to note, how unknowingly we have something in us which clings on to sad, negative memories, and also keeps itself alive through the catching of negative associations. Have you heard of that story? X revealed love for Y umpteen number of times, Y thought it was all just hallucinations. X rebuked [...]
She told me..
She told me she likes to be with pain, It keeps her collected, in-gathered, a bit lost.. It keeps her soft, gentle, kind, It keeps her molten.. She told me, she is not waiting for the pain to go, She didn’t invite it either.. It just is. Like I am. She told me, Its nice [...]
If I am awareness, shall I allow abuse to happen?
If I know myself as awareness, shall I allow abuse/ suffering to happen/to continue? (we are awareness. Not dumb-ness) If I know myself as awareness, and my hand goes into fire, shall I not take it away from fire, once I become aware of the pain? Obviously we must!!!That's the use of us being aware [...]
A different perspective on – all difficulties lie within you.
The Mother says, all difficulties lie within you. Often we interpret it as - if I consider myself as a limited person, defined by this limited body, then it appears that the other person, limited in his body, if he shows a weakness, his weakness is my weakness. If I see an obstacle at my [...]
Me & my story to relief & silent glory
So long I am not thinking of me & my storySuffering is not & I can bask in the glory,The day goes by well,I enjoy the things I do, the stories I tell. The moment I am unkind to myself, (unknowingly)& Allow the fuel to my thinking, (effortlessly) The me and my story returns with [...]
What do we desire for?
We seek a gratification through our desires. A kind of fulfilment, a kind of loss of this sense of separate self, even if for a moment. A kind of self-forgetfulness, even for a moment. It is another thing that once I am with the object of desire, even then, my hunger, my thirst seems unquenchable. [...]
Settled and unsettled..
We see in our life, that there are phases when we feel we have GOT IT, (whatever that IT is) 🙂 And then, there come phases in life where we are thrown again, dispersed, and unsettled again, and we think we have lost IT (whatever that IT is.) Both are there for a reason it [...]
Man laagyo mero yaar fakiri mein
Kabir ji's song - My mind has found solace and contentment in emptiness, in being content with what IS. It has stopped craving for more and more, it has stopped resisting what IS. And then he says, in contentment, I found the Divine. (Saahib milega saburi mein) Very effortlessly, in simple words, Kabir ji communicates [...]
सुख में सुमिरन न किया , बस दुःख में किया जो याद , कहत कबीर ता दास की , कौन सुने फ़रियाद !
सुख में सुमिरन न किया , बस दुःख में किया जो याद , कहत कबीर ता दास की , कौन सुने फ़रियाद ! What do we mean by this couplet by Kabir ji? If you do not have a remembrance of your Truth in seeming okay/seeming pleasurable/ neutral times, then when the suffering strikes, who [...]
And suddenly, all was quiet..
You started moulding me, And it hurt. From all the angles, I cried out loud. You picked up the hammer, the chisel, the tools that are sharp, pointy, And started chipping off the unnecessary, Which for me felt very important. In my ignorance, I cried, I complained... In my ignorance, I wondered, I got hurt, [...]
जिन खोजा तिन पाइया, गहरे पानी पैठ, मैं बपुरा बूडन डरा, रहा किनारे बैठ
A few people standing next to the ocean. They see one or two people diving deep and surfing, and plunged deep in the waters.. person 1 to person 2 - (looking at the ocean) - have you been there? how does it feel? person 2 - It was horrible for the first time I was [...]
When the stories become painful..
We are very happy, living in our stories, and playing the roles that we play in them, so long as they are bearable. It is only when the stories becomes extremely painful, they begin to eat you up, they eat up your mind, they eat up your inside, they eat up the body, that there [...]
Going through it all..
Sometimes in life, we invest too much in one particular relationship, one particular person. That one person becomes our centre of the world. Not only the centre, but the world itself. We begin to see ourselves through the eyes of that one. We begin to think I am ugly, if the other person feels so, [...]
Hammering the nail
Many times, pain in our lives becomes unbearable. All of us want ease and sanity, but at times it is not possible, owing to the overwhelming effect of thoughts and emotions. And then, something beautiful can happen...... Just like the pain a nail receives on its head through the hammer, it allows the nail to [...]
Life: a field of experiences
On the path of life, we keep on forming judgements. These judgements are happening by default, unconscious patterns of thinking are making them happen. They just keep on building, and constitute our inner dialogue. Most of the times we are not aware of it. We judge. We judge people who go through weak times, people [...]
Microbe and host body
Louis Pasteur (Microbiologist) insisted all his life that the virulence (infection causing capacity) of a micro-organism (a germ) decided the course of illness. Claude Barnard (Pasteur's contemporary Physiologist) said that the vulnerability of host body (the person attacked by germ) was more responsible. And on his death bed, Pasteur said - Barnard was right. Microbe [...]
This is our chance
This life, this birth, is our chance. I may have attachments, I may have ill will, hate, jealousy, anger, resentments, blame, repulsion, revenge....etc towards a few in my life. This is my chance, to work with all that raw material and transcend, and to go beyond all these affairs. I may continue to churn myself [...]
Thriving grounds for ego
Ego is the helper. Ego is the bar. On the path of life, slowly first a healthy Ego has to be developed, and then it has to be offered up, given up, surrendered to the Divine. Ego is a transitional personality, a mask, needed as long as the true individuality does not shine forth, or [...]
I rise..
I have fallen too low, too little I had become.. Too limited, narrow and constricted, That made me suffer, go through hell. But that is not my Reality, no thats not all. The little little experiences of life, don't define me, I stand up, dust my pants, Rise. I rise, newly born. I don't let [...]
Unkindness leads to compassion & kindness
When someone is knowingly or unknowingly unkind to us. It has a potential of taking us towards kindness and compassion. How? Let's explore - When someone is unkind, maybe not wantingly... It doesn't feel nice.. we don't feel nice when treated like that. And suddenly, if you are lucky this time, it vibrates certain strings [...]
Being ripped apart & fearlessness..
The way we usually live life, we are afraid to lose our loved things, possessions, people in our life, money, etc etc. And then, something happens. Unexpected, or so called chance events in life. Which take away what we think we loved the most, what we think was most precious. A ripping apart happens. The [...]
Understanding Betrayal..
There are times in our life, we feel betrayed. Now, it is another thing that it may have happened for real or not. But let us stay with 'I feel betrayed.' Now how to find a resolution and peace in the middle of something like this. Now, if I am feeling betrayed, I will not [...]
Rocket propulsion
A rocket needs to be lit at its butt, so that it can push itself forward. The pain in the ass of the rocket is very much needed, and an essential part for it to move from the inertia of being stationary. That's what pain does to us in life. Or at least has the [...]
Play dead
Drink the poison life gives you, Drink it, keep it in the throat. Complain not. Keep the Lord in your heart. Complain not. All seeming atrocities life gives you, Take them with head bowed down, With open hands, Complain not. & Whenever you are ready, And have reacted enough no. Of times, Exploded enough no.of [...]
Heaven and Hell
I have been to hell. Yes. I think I now can say that I have tasted Hell. Dark, chaotic, painful, full of misery and suffering. Yes, I have tasted that. It seems familiar. But that's not all of it. There is light too. At each step of the ladder to hell, there is light. It [...]
Sri Aurobindo’s-The Life Divine #2
...Continued excerpts from Book 2, Chapter XII - The Origin of Ignorance (Here, Sri A talks about the dynamic/active aspect of the Divine and the passive/immobile aspect of the Divine - and clarifies for us that they may appear to be two separate things, but are not really) .......But for us there are two objects [...]
The sunlit path & the path of suffering
A child has gotten addicted to lollies. The Mother sees that this has happened. The Mother wants the best for her child. She knows very well that any kind of addiction is not good for the health of the child. She now has to get the child deaddicted, for the child's own good. It is [...]
Sri Aurobindo’s ‘The Life Divine’ – #1
Starting a new series of posts to reflect upon in our silences- sharing excerpts from chapters of The Life Divine, by Sri Aurobindo. Book-2, Chapter XII - The Origin of Ignorance How could this manifold ignorance of this narrowly self limiting and separative knowledge arise and come into action or maintain itself in action in [...]
You choose..
One day, those who you trusted the most, will mock at you, laugh at you, will tell you .. "you are imperfect, you are ugly, unworthy of grace. How dare you touch something pious, sacred, beautiful and worthy?" They will tell you, directly or indirectly, And say "you are not worthy of grace, you are [...]
In me- two live.
I have something in me, which is little, very petty, very sticky, does not die, is always alive, always ready to be triggered at the least provocation. And I have something in me, which does not really love all the stickiness, the pettiness, it does not like to be triggered, it aspires, it gets inspired, [...]
Listening to the body’s signals
Have you ever felt a burning in the chest, A constriction in the heart or somewhere... When anger comes, when hate, ill-will .. or desire, jealousy, or resentment comes, it irritates the body, it burns the body too.. The irritation is a signal, the body doesn't like it much. It would not want to follow [...]
Chhoooo-mantar !!!
Something was on her mind, A bit on her heart.. Things unresolved, can make any one fart. That dard of the heart went into her head, Caused a creepy crawly migraine there.. Hmm... What to do? She wondered, had no clue! She pushed herself out of the head, and a bit out of the bed. [...]
Why to run like a fool?
That which meant so much to me yesterday, Does not mean anything today. That for which I ran after, wanted and wanted and got, Now doesn't matter much, if there or not. And today, if I still run after another thing, Can't I see that it would change its meaning and importance soon? In this [...]
When things go bad..
When things are sad, And look a bit bad... Just tell yourself, that you are still there. Place your hand on your heart, And assure yourself, Yes, I am still there, besides me. People may have given up on you, People may have closed their doors, For some reason or another, You are just on [...]
Moon
As I am asleep, deep asleep in my room, Not aware of anything called light.. You come every night, and force me To wake up. I am not really wanting it. No. But here you come, with your gentle force, a gentle and persistent force, You stand there, with your full brightness and shine, And [...]
Have you given love wings?
Have you ever given your love, wings? I did not know how to do it. I was insecure, full of fears and doubts. So I kept it closed, caged. It started to rot, to wilt. It started to lose its vigour and charm. It started to lose its gentle touch and fragrance. I did not [...]
We will never part..
Now, that you are not there with me, I see myself becoming you! I get goosebumps when I see myself thinking, Feeling in the way you would. As if, when it seems I have lost you, I am closer to you even more. Face values deceive, they say. Now it is more clear... Yes, I [...]
No mediocre stuff will suffice!
Our biggest disappointments or let downs have the capacity to push us towards something more beautiful in our lives. Why? Whenever we are let down in life, we are disappointed, for what we had expected, or planned did not happen, dreams did not flourish as we had imagined them to. Then there is so much sadness, [...]
The Universal Being
It seems I have lost you.. You seem far far away, I can't see, can't talk, can't be with you.. For a moment I feel sad. For a moment I feel things could be different. But then, I see the fact as a fact. And something brings me solace and lightness.... I know that the [...]
Standing by myself
We are all imperfect, moving towards increasing purity and perfection,And there are moments when I am not my highest. I realise later, I could have done better, be better, But the moment is gone, all I have is an experience..a taste of darkness,And yes, with the wisdom coming from the experience, I will do better, I will [...]
People may kick you, you don’t leave yourself.
There will be times when no one will be with you, Your bestest will leave you, abandon you.. For they have things too, to look after, to go for. What will you do then? Feel lost, abandoned, hurt, unwanted, unworthy, rejectable? Or Be your bestest friend ever. They may have given up on you. But [...]
Fated together !!?!
She had consulted an astrologer, a very good one, in order to sail through something which was very painful and intense. Where she did not know what to do. One thing turned out to be v clear, and it was- they were fated together in this life. She and another person, they were both fated [...]
You were never there!
You were never there! Whenever I needed you, you were never there. God knows what illusion I followed, That I ran after you, like a mirage.. you always escaped and went away and away. I thought of sharing my life with you, But you were not there. I thought of sharing my dreams and ideas [...]
Okay-ness with myself
I was ok with myself, I did not ask for anyone else. I was ok with the phases and turns of my life. And then, you were sent. And before I knew, I left my side. I abandoned myself. Now, I wasn't ok with myself. I needed you. But with you too, I was not [...]
Ask and it shall be given..
Loads was to be done. This task, that task, that care, that matter, unending matters of life. She put herself in to the works. All that was needed will be done, in time. She invested herself, as much as she could. She could see herself getting exhausted, drained out, breaking. And then, she decided to [...]
The stubborn child
Our patterns of thinking, patterns of behavior, patterns of emotions, me and my story - creates this thing that we call as "ego." What do I want by the other person to behave in the way that I think is right? What do I want by the relationship to go in a direction which I [...]
The missing piece of the heart
Something was amiss. There was emotional pain, restlessness and something wasn't right. As she wriggled on her bed, trying to sleep, trying to find answers, nothing worked. What was wrong? What was amiss? Is human life just a continued moving from one misery, a sigh of relief, another misery? It can't be. There must be [...]
यह जीव आया दूर ते, जाना है बहु दूर । बिच के बासे बसि गया, काल रहा सिर पूर ॥
यह जीव आया दूर ते, जाना है बहु दूर । बिच के बासे बसि गया, काल रहा सिर पूर ॥ Saint Kabir das ji. Kabir ji says here: You have come from the beyond, and you have to journey to the beyond, where in the middle did you settle down? Can't you see, right next [...]
Sense of doership and attachments
It seems that there are many relationships one has as an individual. There are some where one is not that attached, and hence, less of misery, less of expectations and demands from those particular relationships. But there are a few places in my life, with respect to people, money, power, material things - where I [...]
O stree kal aana -to- O stree raksha karna
Remember the movie - Stree. How the people in that little place changed, transformed, transmuted, their ways of looking at the lady ghost who was troubling the people there. They changed the energy of the way they looked at her. From fear and panic and victimhood, to respect, faith and bowing down. And then the [...]
कबीर जीवन कुछ नहीं, खिन खारा खिन मीठ कलहि अलहजा मारिया, आज मसाना ठीठ।
कबीर जीवन कुछ नहीं, खिन खारा खिन मीठकलहि अलहजा मारिया, आज मसाना ठीठ। Kabir ji says, This life is fleeting, ephemeral, changes every moment. In a moment it can turn salty, in a moment sweet. Look at that warrior, who was slaying and fighting yesterday in the battlefield; he now lies dead in the shamshaan. [...]
कबीर गाफील क्यों फिरय, क्या सोता घनघोर, तेरे सिराने जाम खड़ा, ज्यों अंधियारे चोर।
कबीर गाफील क्यों फिरय, क्या सोता घनघोरतेरे सिराने जाम खड़ा, ज्यों अंधियारे चोर। O negligent fellow, why do you continue to sleep deeply? Right next to your pillow is standing the thief, who will rob you of your life, anytime. (In darkness of your being, you cannot sense the thief) There are many many couplets, [...]
तन को जोगी सब करें, मन को बिरला कोई. सब सिद्धि सहजे पाइए, जे मन जोगी होइ.
तन को जोगी सब करें, मन को बिरला कोई. सब सिद्धि सहजे पाइए, जे मन जोगी होइ. Kabir ji says, there are many many who try and work towards detachment of the body. Leaving relations, family, leaving attachment to material possessions, etc. But only a rare one would try and make the mind non-sticky, free [...]
Images of a breakthrough!
Often times on the spiritual path, we are waiting for a breakthrough to happen. Ah. One fine day, I will be peaceful, and would feel content and be joyous, without any misery. That fine day is an illusion. It will never come. And we will pass a lifetime waiting for a tomorrow. These are just [...]
The Battlefield of Kurukshetra
The Epic wisdom in the form of Bhagavad Gita, mentions the conflict of Arjuna and its resolution by Sri Krishna. Let us see this in context of our day to day life. Although Kurukshetra is a place materially existing in India. Yet, it is also signifying the battlefield within each one of us, human beings. [...]
The positive side of guilt
Often guilt and shame have been considered very negative and almost depressive. While it is true that indulgence in guilt, shame and unworthiness is not desirable for progress, yet it seems that they can just act as a signal for further betterment. Blessed are those who have ever encountered a bit of guilt and shame [...]
What’s truly me?
The way I react, the way I speak, the way I behave, my thought patterns, my emotional patterns, my likes and dislikes, my opinion about myself and others, my mental rigidities and my beliefs and rules and principles, All of that I take that as me. And I suffer badly owing to this attachment to [...]
Moving on and on..
Often times, we go through life situations, or relationships, where we get trapped in the pattern of thoughts, emotions, or tendencies. We feel overwhelmed with the situation and land up in a mess, conflicts, emotional un-resolution, mental conflicts. If we are taking life as Yoga, or a path of sadhana, then, we would try to [...]
