Quotes and misquotes by pk

Quotes and Misquotes by PK.

(Pradeep Maheshwari)

Provoking thought and reflection is what I think our words should do. * Life is not a simple matter of making tea: Add tea leaves to hot water!

Life is more like modern ice cream; a product of technology. It tastes good, looks correct, smells right, and feels nice, lasts perfectly long enough but it is a chemically processed product.

Nothing there is "Sincere". There is reality but no truth in its composition. contact me at gururdeva@yahoo.com or Facebook: Pradeep PK Maheshwari Contact: phone: +91-11-41730043, Skype: pradeepmahesh

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* Is this really upside down?

This whole world seems to be upside down.

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When I was 16, The Mother of Sri Aurobindo Ashram gave me a book in which she spoke that humanity was really all upside-down. Then I accepted it because she said so but could not for the life of me see how.

But now I can’t find much upside-UP either.

Rather I am so at logger-heads with everything I see that I would prefer to leave and go for a long walk like Gautama Buddha did.

* Find a quiet spot by the sea shore. Spot to withdraw to.

Silently reflect and re-energise.

Listen to the stories that the sea has to tell from far away.

Give rest to the buzzing in the head.

* Where people need to be pushed to become, awareness never comes. Advising people to take this attitude or that are a waste of time. Those who see or/and are aware realise also that it is none of their business to goad and advise others.

If others see their awareness or not is of no importance whatsoever.

We can discuss our views but let us refrain from choosing the way for others.

Our job at best can be to answer questions by the light of our knowledge but in no way can anyone be dogmatic about it.

Let us all be first aware of - Do we know? What do we know? How do we know that we know?

Is there anything to accomplish? Can we really accomplish anything?

* I was asked what is Sadhana?

To me it is the part where we first accept that there is room for change for the better in us.

Then we observe ourselves.

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And finally we try to stop the things we do not like with our will with sincerity and objectivity.

Quite often the answers are there in front of us but we are not open to them because of other personal agendas. Life grinds surely and slowly. One day comes when all of us have to, by force of exigencies; accept the truth glaring at us.

We think with desires inbuilt. This is where the problems begin. We need to learn to wish less with the mind and bring to boil our whole persona in turmoil and often put others in turmoil too as far as our influence extends.

* Spiritual oversimplification exists in the form of generalised quotes and advice. Normally they come from people who have progressed intellectually but have not realised or lived beyond their mind as yet or are backed by direct experience. They have great width of knowledge and see the interconnections more clearly than most but lack the depth of understanding that comes from intuitive contact with the Cosmos. If you have a question, it would be best to depend on one’s own experience and intuitive abilities. * When will I find my bridge that will take me "there"? * Life on Earth today is the result of collective inconsciousness. We are all in it with our inconscient behavior "tamas" (indolent, irresponsible, callous).

Let not moral principles cloud the path we each need to take as our personal effort.

Who is living, dying or suffering is beyond our comprehension. Let’s leave these heavy matters on the shoulders of the Creator.

Let us focus on the little we know, the more that we need to learn. There are many realized souls roaming this earth with the express intention of helping us all on the way. Let us ally with them, enjoy their company and partake of their presence.

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* The Soul is orchestrating our Destiny. If we learn the lessons we need to, to advance on the way, it will be tough but with minimal misadventures. Otherwise, the Soul is not averse to organise a "skin-alive lashing" to speed up the process. * At the immature human level upto the realised person and the thousand and one possibilities between the two, the word “love” is understood in as many ways.

Let us be a little more precise.

Is it passion, prejudices or love or some other variation of our feelings & desires? * When uncertainty dogs you and happenings are beyond comprehension, understand this is the moment to realise that some big changes are in action. If the happenings are beyond your understanding, just remain quiet - mentally, emotionally and physically. Don’t, act, speak or think; withdraw from active duties, But ruminate and the light will appear.

The turmoil nay be great; Doesn't even seem sensible.

Yet what are we so agitated about? * When we choose to take a path in life, “vigilance” should become our watch word. Life will throw “life” at us and we shall react and act. We need to keep a watchful and focused eye on what reasons, thoughts and emotions rise up in us and overwhelm our decision making. It becomes an interesting play to notice the game on within us.

Just watch and learn with pure objectivity. Drop and reject what makes you uncomfortable. Adopt what makes you joyful. This discernment and application of will to follow this route is Sadhana. The word Sadhana means the process of living you have adopted to reach your goal and the lifestyle you lead in pursuance of thereof.

The best way is by doing the best for existence, with compassion for life as we know it, not changing the rules of existence and the need to change the world is an absolute “No”.

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* Fly away Trying to better the life of others is a trap based on our sense of virtue, virtuousness. It can mask our own need for approval as well as our need to be busy with externals and avoid looking deeply into our own lives. Free yourself of a big burden - to be in the right vis-a-vis others, to be seen as impressive, to need approval from others.

It is sad; the amount of energy we spend trying to relate and be seen as “correct”.

* My take on all this Prachar (spread of the word) and Pracharaks (the spreaders) to enlighten the populace: Words, complicated words, these are mere words; you cant reach them thru words. I think all this need felt by many to explain and spread the word of Gurudev is a sheer waste.

Perhaps it may make the Pracharaks feel good and grand and they would explain it to themselves as doing the Lord’s work.

The main thing is that language-wise or spirit-wise people are not ready for the next step and until they are, why push them?

So the efforts to shake and wake them up go all into the waste-bin.

I would rather focus on what I have to say from my fount AND address their need of taking the next step – if I could which I am not certain that I can.

* They say I am capable of great things. You don’t know it but there is great potential in seed in all of us. It is just a matter of becoming more aware and wanting it.

My question: By whose standard? And there is the other side: I know how great I am but don’t see myself fitting into the narrow gauge thinking of the crowd or feeling the need to.

Does it really matter if they give me their approbation or not?

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* A good reminder.

Time to be children again and revive our breath.

What are you so proud of? How long will you be?

Look at these structures and the sun.

The sun has been peeping through these temples since hundreds of years.

Who is really worthy, greater, stronger? ‌The Sun, the Granite, or you?

* The Biggest conspiracy is the one The Creator is playing out. Ever think what He is getting out of it all?

* Grow up and acknowledge the truth of your being.

The operative word is "futile".

That is how it all feels.

Did the world shake from all the effort and changes you tried to make?

Will it keel over and collapse if you are not there?

If you withdraw and sulk, will anyone care or come looking for you?

NO! So, how does it really matter?

Grow up and acknowledge the truth of your being.

* Enlightenment cannot be had for the asking. It is not a peak that can be climbed. One of the facets is that the enlightened person is never aware of it.

The problem comes or rather the ridiculousness of it all emerges when we want to make a show of it - forgetting that life is essentially a personal affair and everyone is relating with life only at the personal level. * Take life as it comes and go out with open arms. Yet never forget that our feelings and thoughts cannot be really, wholly shared. Words are not enough or adequate and images from minds cannot be transferred. We may feel whatever we may want – friendly, altruistic, grateful, 7

obliged and as our Soul dictates, be there for anyone who needs us. But never forget that the world may be acting out on other parameters. Life can be sad. Life can be so ungrateful. Finally I have realised, that we are alone.

Nobody cares or gives a darn that we too may need them and for the pains we take for them. Self-centeredness is a reality. We need to let people move on if they are happier that way.

* But then we have to wake up and deal with reality. I would not waste a second on wondering of the ignoble or noble elsewhere. My hands are full with myself.

* What can you do when people abdicate their right to use their intelligence and minds?

* It is internal. It is our cleverness and naive belief that we are in control and that we are virtuous and that God is on our side and finally that our wishes are made to be granted.

And then there are all these posts since the beginning of time that exhort you to be "yourself and that You can do it and that you have all it takes to achieve your desires" - it muddles you up to no end.

* In our community, the first lesson is that it is best to keep a low profile. Why attract attention unduly. Most wise men would rather not venture out. Will somebody elaborate?

* Amazingly beautiful. But I am not sure I fully understand the need of humans not wanting to die even after death and others not wanting to forget them. Only the “living� who knew someone in their lives can have lingering memories.

Memories are born with us and die with us so then the chances that anyone will remember anyone after a gap of 8

30-60 years is none. Yet we fill up the land with tombstones when there isn't enough to live on. * People first build strong, impenetrable walls around them, then pride themselves on their exclusive problems and show their selves off as "virtuous" who are ready to try everything and that they actually have.

These are big mind/subconscious games people play with themselves.

Are they really looking for solutions? * I am amazed at the amount of trouble and pain we are prepared to bear to prove we are better and different. Take a reality check by observing the continuous laments about the world around it. Are we interested in improving our lot?

* How do we make our life difficult? Here are two thoughts to mull over: 1) We prefer living in the memories of past glories instead of worrying about the coming days. We are so busy putting an indelible stamp of greatness on everything we do that we forget we have to live with the aftermath of our decisions and acts.

2) People first build strong, impenetrable mental walls around them made of “conditions, rules, appropriate and habits�, and then pride themselves on their exclusive problems as the world does not fit into it.

* This world is a joke. The Divine is having fun. All we need to do is join Him in the fun.

For The Divine created this Universe as an experiment and experience. A change from his Eternal Quiet.

* I have seen this or similar posts so often that advise me to run off to people/places where we would be appreciated 9

more that finally I can't contain myself and need to speak out.

Ok. I am "tolerated", even quite disliked where I am but show me one place elsewhere that would be even ready to tolerate me, leave alone appreciate me and would be ready to keep me as a loved one till the end of my days.

These kinds of advices are so "mushy" and can take people on a sentimental journey which may only end in depression.

We should be more careful when we are showing others the way. * We are all suffering from the fever of smugness; expecting that the world is there solely to take care of us that people will think well of us and will do the best for us.

We are simply not ready for reality.

This is what the sages call “illusion”.

Whatever gives us this illusion that doctors, priests, counselors, teachers, superiors, parents, friends and all are always working and will always act for our best?

The truth = Everyone is basically kind but they have their self-interest uppermost motivating them. And they may not even know what the best is for you. But they always know what is best for them and this is always the primary “raison d’etre” of their behavior. * My heart tells me - what the heck are you doing here in this forlorn space. Surely there are more beautiful gardens waiting to receive you? * More on Understanding De-Stressing.

April Fools Day is the happiest day of the year.

I think intelligence is the bane. Most intelligent people are the most stressed.

They simply see all the faults around them and take it upon themselves to put them right. Then blasting others and being at war with the world can be such a tiring job.

I suppose there is some truth in the thinking that the fools are the happiest.

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* Terrorisers are so primarily because they use their acute mental powers to see and focus on faults; this also happens to be the perfect method to unsee their own faults and they soon get convinced that they know best. They become overbearing, inflexible and like to punish others – most often in the name God or Tradition. They also take it upon themselves to ram the right thoughts down the throat of others. * The other day I met a young man who wanted to know if everything is preordained and fate runs our lives, then why bother?

Age-old question; so I told him: We have met today by chance or as the believers would say by preordained fate. You asked me a question - this is not a chance. This is a subject that is on your mind and you are not satisfied by the answers you have been getting.

But besides all this chancy events, the main thing will come now. Will you continue to want to meet me again or consider me worth meeting – that is your personal decision.

And this is the important part. Your personal decisions are in-built into the fate’s working.

How you judge, decide and act is not so preordained.

Corollary: Our prejudices (idées fixes) seem to have a greater hold on our life than fate – it seems to me. Most of us judge from a very superficial point of view and lose more opportunities than we create to better our condition. Most often we are thinking linear and single-pointedly – which means that we have just one wish on our minds and once that is taken care of we have lost interest in that person/situation. No way to know what could have been.

This reminds me of a story I had come across long time ago. In New York a lady and a gentleman both hailed the same cab. But then the gentleman let the lady take the cab.

The lady invited him to come with her. He said “no thank you”. The lady went away telling him, now you will wonder for the rest of your life of what it could have been if you had said yes!

And I am sure, that all of us have stories of this nature 11

hiding in the back of our minds.

What if. If only!

* Let's focus on ourselves. The rest are what they are.

Wisdom is in accepting. Our problem is - should be - only with ourselves. Who cares if “they" learn or not.

The need to teach others is stressful. The need to teach them a lesson is calamitous.

The need to shove it down their throat is positively cancerous. * I firmly believe the need to be in control is coupled with excessive and continuous non-essential speech & action which is one of the reasons for exhaustion - even biologically (leading to fatigue-induced illnesses) and spiritual constipation. * I prefer the intelligence of the child of 6 months to that of 99 years old. * In contrast the human mind at its present level of development is a collector. It collects data for data's sake. It also feels very knowledgeable and can spout quotes and passages on every subject and considers itself wise.

* They say “It is all encoded in the genes” Don’t agree - there is a lot of samskar( psycho-psychic influences) involved and that could be called genetics of the subtle kind.

* It is really one way of avoiding life. Everybody (who as Confucius would call "superior") is talking about how all solutions are in Love, how perfect and divine we are and so forth.

This becomes the perfect excuse to not do anything, bask in our own glory and laze in our inertia.

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* The subconscious does not accept change readily or easily rather will fight back tenuously. Whatever be the level of the awareness of the conscious mind. At the surface level we may even end up deluding ourselves that changes are being made. Real change happens only when the subconscious is reprogrammed. It is another world and few really want to grapple with it.

Nobody is blaming the subconscious. it is there - it is a matter of recognising its presence. This is the first step. But who is interested? As long as the situation is comfortable or bearable enough, we plod on.

* When somebody is putting up a show of being saintly, what is the first image he tries to create; that of a selfeffacing virtuous person; never asking for anything.

Refusing all offers, getting out of other’s way, always humbly grateful and voluble about it and putting a big show of not wanting to impose on anyone. But at the same time expecting to be revered for this “superior” behavior.

You have to only see into their eyes and it shows that it is all a cleverly orchestrated piece of theatrical production emphasizing: I am the pure of heart. I correct and bring order in this chaotic world. The world misreads me. When I judge it is constructive. When others do it, it is destructive.

* Do we tell the water not to fall with such weight for it might hurt the rocks below?

But when one philosophises on the errors of the ways adopted by humans, there is always someone pointing out that we should not focus on what is not right - it is impolite.

Everyone has the right to be!

I feel there is so much politeness now that we are sinking under its weight.

We cannot make jokes - somebody might be offended. We cannot speak of religion - somebody's faith is offended. We cannot comment on social practices - some group is bound to be offended.

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Everyone has the right to give out positive criticism and also the right to not receive any.

As if we wish to suck life out and make creativity and tangential thinking an offense that offends.

I ask: Is this tolerance or intolerance? Are we being nice or complacent?

Is it our intelligence or our laziness at work to avoid looking at life in the eye?

* Take Raj Yog into consideration. It is difficult and dangerous to do it without some sort of friendly support to clear doubts and confirmations on the way. It is easy to delude ourselves by creating a mental world and then getting lost into it. * I said my piece you can make whatever you wish out of it. We all understand things only from our own viewpoint anyway. * Questions for the sake of clarification if so desired is the right approach. But why argue - On Anything or anywhere?

You can always take it or leave it.

* The faculty of “listening” does not exist – the ones in control have no reason to and the others out of desperation simply don’t want to.

* They are building up people to fit in with their governance and to serve them. We are equally to blame by quietly accepting it all. It suits our laziness.

They control the bread and butter lines I fought for what I believed in. But at the end of it all, I feel personally, I have become someone of worth but not a man of this world which has gone where it was going and I am now neither fighting nor helping it.

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* I am terribly afraid of words like nice, love, like among others. They are the most used and mean so little in specific terms.

* I find nothing more depressing than having to live in a rush, huffing and puffing all the time. It is supreme great luck and Grace not having to do so.

* The Beauty in essential minimalism. Small has a beauty of its own. Let us manage with what we really need and leave the rest to others.

* Arguments are fun for people who like arguments. I prefer to say what I want to say and let the other say his piece. And we stop there. No need to convince the other about it. Questions are welcome for the sake of clarification if so desired. But why argue? You take it or reject it.

Sarcasm or slander to make your point is not a strong man’s weapon.

* Although I live with great hope in my heart and maintain the view "that I will know only when I do it", I have seen that there is a common thread repeating all the time. As if this will go on until I have learnt a specific lesson. Now after 65 years of the past to learn from, I can see from experience what will repeat itself and so the future is also clear if the necessary change is not forthcoming. So the future is not simply a lot of rumors. Rather it has become boringly predictable.

* If you ask others about me everyone will have a different version of the story but then that is also something to learn from; everything can teach something I suppose.

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* Like yin and yang, in the realm of Gods too the opposite exists. All are active in their own ways. In the final analysis both are churning this existence. Evil intentions exist. I don’t think anyone can deny that. If the intentions exist then they are real and must be coming from some domain. QED

* I think envy is part of the human make-up. People who have the courage to go their ways boldly are not deliberately attracting attention but they get it as a matter of course.

* Most of us would always like people to conform to our pattern of thinking; that is normal.

* The problem with many inquiries is that the answer can be reached and understood only when we have transcended the question. So the enigma remains. To question or not and if we don’t question then what do we do? But it is also true that too many questions to which we do not immediately relate can only confuse. It is best to let personal questions lead the way rather than burden ourselves with too many brilliant imponderables for information's sake or conversation’s sake.

* Sometimes in life when somebody imposes himself on you, you have to stop them from overwhelming you. This is a practical thing. I like my freedom and will defend it. I don’t think it is important to be seen as virtuous by everybody or anybody.

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* What signals are you giving out? Our entire life can be summed up in this one question. We are at any given time giving out 1001 signals. Some unconsciously, some sub consciously and some even consciously. The conscious ones are often sent out under the erroneous impression that we are making a certain impressive mark and more often than not we may be making the opposite impression totally.

The art of successful living therefore, for me, means learning to sift through these signals and send out focussed and correct signals like a true-aimed arrow.

* When we contradict another’s idea or suggestion, does it show our enlightened state or narrowness of our thinking?

* If only we would broaden our minds to take in a bigger, wider and deeper world in all its facets all at once, we would know what to do precisely at any given moment.

* Too much freedom is not easy to digest and scares most people. People prefer their confines.

* My entire life has been a miracle of sorts and minor ones happen so often that I have stopped wondering about them.

* What is your interest in connecting with the Spirit world?

Because you feel it will give you cutting edge abilities to score over life and your brethren? Do you expect a powerpacked persona to bend life to your wishes?

* Our teaching programs have not been very "enlightened".

The aim has been to create straight-jacketed simpletons.

There was never any aim to produce wise and happy individuals.

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* First experience all the pleasures of the material/physical earth and its domain to the point of satiation, then talk of other things when disenchantment and detachment sets in.

* Why be unkind, careless or abrasive just to prove a point that you can afford to be so and there is nobody who can touch you in any way. If this is not an exercise in arrogance, what is?

* Some people take a shower and then put on yesterday's clothes and smell as yesterday.

Let us go a step beyond the bath. What have we learnt since yesterday? What new element has been incorporated in our life since yesterday? Can we really and happily say that we are a better version today than we were from yesterday/yesteryear?

* Too much of anything makes one greedy for more. It is addictive. Not only money; the same can be said for human-company, silence, alcohol, sugar, chocolate and just about anything. Nothing is evil per se.

* Why do people, instead of sharing their wisdom, specially the intellectually-able ones, use their highly-evolved mental strength to focus on “contradictions” to show off their prowess?

This reminds me of a song “…people who know too much but understand too little…”

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* Too much stress on positive but self-centered outlook has created a major part of the imagined troubles of today.

The troubles that come when you want to shape the world to fit in with your wants in the name of freedom of speech and rights, ignoring the rights and presence of others - selfinflicted all of them.

* Knowledge of how things/Universe works removes the fear of the unknown and life totally. But most of us are not open to learning. Not even simple things that you can read in books like “How things work". It is so much more convenient to blame God and everything else.

The question I always ask: How much "learning" have you put in your life to "expect & hope" that mere wishing will make the manna drop from heaven.

The more we learn about every detail & process of life around us, the fear of the unknown reduces and when we see the interconnecting links, pettiness and narrowmindedness reduces which translates in to more awareness and wider consciousness.

* In Hindustani language there is a saying “Washed in Milk" (pure and virtuous). Some people behave as if they were washed in milk and consider others as rolling in mud in comparison. I have always wondered how anybody can be so blinkered and be so full & pompous.

* Most people go for some activity (so called spiritual practice) hoping it will do the trick of whatever they are wishing-primary to their wish to increase their personal power. This is very unbalancing. Hardly anyone wants to begin at the beginning. We want to buy a ticket on a rocket that we hope and are made to believe by some words will zoom us into the being that we are imagining.

And the number of people who are launching themselves as guides is also legion.

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* There are always two sides of a coin. We really can never know what the right step is until it has been taken. This is why too much mental-gymnastics & analysis is considered unwise from the personal flowering angle. The sages have always said - act by your nature and the rest will reveal itself to you.

* Should we help others?

What will constitute "help"? The Occult ramifications of this word are dangerously different for each person. Extend a helping hand in need seems to be the correct thing to do but it is my experience even this should be done only when asked thrice.

* The hold of the inconscience through our puny minds is like a 4 ton chain with a 40 ton iron ball at the end. Some part of the mind does see the light but in the final analysis after all it is all just words being blurted out by the tongue or as nowadays, with fingers. Many have experienced something better and higher in consciousness, yet they fall back into their love for being stuck with their old selves.

The chain needs to be broken but how?

* I have always felt that we are where we are because of a reason. If destiny has brought us to a bridge then it has to be crossed whatever our fears and pain. Often the crossing of the bridge requires training, learning or we can say retraining and unlearning – evolving. The western mind set goes for direct confrontation and looks for alternatives and discovery of new solutions/methods to cross over; which is a good thing.

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* When we look at things in black and white only, trying to encompass the Cosmos into our limited knowledge and experience, we miss the thousands shades of grey and all the interconnecting factors. Nothing in this Universe is labeled by the Creator as wrong or right and nothing is isolated enough to be understood in simple “active ingredient� focus. It is only a matter of if things are in balance with the rest or not.

* All births are planned accidents.

* My experience is that there are a lot of hidden affairs going in good marriages too. So this cheating aspect based only on the exclusivity of having sex with an avowed partner etc is all bunkum. A bit of sex with another partner does not make the marriage toxic - rather often keeps it alive and going.

* When our Identity of ourselves as the "I" is centered around the body and we see nothing else, the body takes on a very great importance. Sex and its enjoyment is the highest bliss that we are aware of, desire for and are ready to kill for. Ouff!

* Beware of the arrogance of the earning member in a group or family. In this world where human worth/greatness is = to the money you can earn, much is out of balance.

* Stop trying to bulldoze, push, prod, manipulate or insist.

Let go, and learn to surf.

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* The Creative feminine is the executive force that takes the world forward. Disrespect means we are digging our own graves.

* Think, think ...

NOW unthink, unthink...

Silent silent.....

Withdraw, observe Calm all ripples Enjoy the feeling..

* Asking the mind to censor itself is rather a tall order.

There has to be a better way to become aware of the topsyturvy world we are in.

And of course the very first thought that comes is how and what is wrong with things as they are?

Interesting are these questions but - what do you tell somebody who is in this state? : I know my "wants" (myself) - what else there could be?

Yet on the pragmatic side I would say, keep aspiring to better yourself - not just hoping and moping.

Effort with reason and within reason is essentially part of the brew.

* We do not have any rights in the Universe to interfere in the destiny of others. The question of imposing ourselves without permission does not arise; therefore the question of permission does not arise.

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* This Holiday Season, go out boating alone to speak with yourself. See and identify the links that are tying you down.

Drop the unwanted ones in the lake.

* We collect a few prejudices and moral codes along the way, covering up the shortcomings by censoring and judging others. Even blaming them for our pains.

Not thinking or looking at our own selves even for a fleeting moment to see that we are our own source of pain.

* I don’t see how this isolation can help in bringing us happiness when our self-centeredness clashes with that of the other.?

* The "fakir" way of life. A way of life that carries you to eventual enlightenment without attachments. It has one lacuna in it. The enlightened one goes on and away and the earth remains where it is. So Sri Aurobindo said we need to not only get enlightened but become instruments so that the Light may reach other corners of the Earth through us. It is the tough part as living within the human group requires another kind of enlightenment.

If you have not achieved this state then all has been in vain.

* Life is a flowing river; life giving and dangerous. Enter it unprepared and you can get hurt, even drown. This world is not a simple matter of getting born, go to school, take a job, have love affairs and a long stream of pleasurable experiences.

To navigate this river of life, a lot of preparation is required and the learning process is unending. It becomes calamitous for unprepared or unwilling souls not prepared to take the trouble.

People with no skills jump unthinkingly into this river and suffer.

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The wise armed with understanding and self-discipline derive a lot of happiness from this same river.

* The JOY is in the play. There is a joke hidden in every corner. All we need is to drop our self-importance and stop calculating everything in terms of "what's in it for me".

* We tend to keep us ourselves "safe" by locking ourselves up. “Make for yourself a beautiful corner, but don't get irretrievably lost in it�.

The statement may look and sound innocuous, but this is precisely what we do - all of us - and we do it with it as our special aim and goal in life. It is self-entrapment of a grand kind. It will not bring you the freedom you desire.

* Are you ready for another day?

I have found the practice of thinking it over for a few minutes, quietly without sound or movement, before jumping out of bed, helps the subconscious to get its act together for the day.

How will that help me directly to improve my life? This is the question alone that bothers me. The rest I leave alone.

* It never seems to end. Sometimes you are afraid of another new day. Eventually one reaches a point in time when one refuses to fight and waits of deliverance. At this juncture one either slips in to enlightenment or death for another innings.

* There was certainly a time in human history, when physically people had to be exhorted to go and do – the inertia levels were so high.

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Humanity hasn’t changed much but now this thought that only those that do are actively contributing has become a liability.

The time has come for humanity to evolve further. It now needs to learn to withdraw too.

Meditation is not evasion. It is a way to focus on and energies oneself for the tasks at hand.

* Why would I even want to "know" another, other souls?

Let me first understand and know myself. If I am part of the weave of this universe, the other side of things will become obvious when I learn it all.

* I read about raising of consciousness and was wondering why many of the majority do not see the truth in these simple posts that are to be seen all over. It is now clear, that we are looking at life from the bottom up, inside out, from the centre at the lowest level of Chakra - the physical level of the sense organs of the body and the small mental machinery operative at that level.

The limitations are obvious.

* It is surprising how in the 20th century the idea overcame the medically minded humanity that Mother Nature is stupid.

* The thinking of others in our lives is feedback. Important only from that angle.

* Judge and tell me if what I am saying is any different from hundreds of other souls that see the unbalanced Earth structure that is now developing. If my pronouncements make others uncomfortable, then it is so because there is some kernel of uncomfortable truth there.

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The lessons have been repeating themselves since eternity.

The answers are floating around but every new birth starts the game all over again.

* If the goal of our wanting is creative and productive for the general good and in tune with Mother Earth's plans and the music of the Cosmos then it is always a joy in the end.

But otherwise if it is plain desire, then Desire by its very nature is not based on balance. If something is desired badly enough then getting and not getting it both are bound to give a dose of unhappiness.

* If you we are exhausted, you are not in tune with your rhythm

* Why should not we be sick?

We need to awaken us to our own physiognomy and lifestyle and traditional eating habits from areas that we come from. Nothing is wrong or wholly right. Plus and minuses are in every regime.

The fault is mainly in excess we do. Perhaps if we put in time to learn about it all and control our urges?

* Yes. Adults are obligated by the rules of The Cosmos, to put their own lives on the back burner and make their time and attention available for children.

* Kindness already exists in us. Just see how people behave when their interests are in play. The need is to make it a permanent and most prominent feature of our persona because we have understood that what we sow is what we reap. What we send around is what is going to come around. It is in our self-interest.

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* Why be unkind, careless or abrasive just to prove a point that you can afford to be so and there is nobody who can touch you in any way. If this is not an exercise in arrogance, what is?

The same philosophy goes into everything for example: bringing up the child. Just don’t be cruel because you can be and are in a position to be.

* Pessimism is another word for escapism. Like cleverness is used for hiding one's ignorance. When we do not wish to engage, when our first reaction is to avoid and deny.............

* Certain people become unwilling conduits for demonic vibes and are forever going to be so. These need to be recognised and avoided - not to be allowed in our atmosphere otherwise they feed on us like vampires.

There are many people who are called difficult people, abusive people and such who are also manifesting such vibes through them.

In our arrogance we may think we can handle them and have things in control and even be in a good position to do so but it is a losing battle. They will keep coming as the source of supply of their energy is unending and are impervious to correction/change.

* Why do we need to fight for poverty? We already have more than we need of it.

And then the wars we create multiply the effect; so there is no chance there ever will be shortage of poverty.

* My experience is that once we find that person who complements our weaknesses, we become complacent and enjoy life instead of improving ourselves.

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* Sit down, reflect, I agree there is a lot to be done but the opposite of letting things be not done is equally true and for listening, one needs to be silent, withdraw from the outward projection (of our persona) we live in.

* So by force of necessity I became totally sincere or at least try to. Now my troubles stem from too much truthfulness and correctness & people do not take me seriously at all! I also end up offending.

* You are expecting "sincerity of purpose" from this HUMAN race. My friend you will die but not see this race change in a hurry. Haven't you experienced how easy it becomes when we procrastinate, make insincere promises and give assurances that we do not mean?!!!!

* Most human decisions and goals are laced with a heavy dose of wishfulness And disdain for the natural order.

Often change comes when you give up and leave the doors open.

* Imponderables being pondered by pandered people.

When the vibes change, habits change.

* WE look for solitude, calm, quiet peace while swimming in the deep waters of the pond of excited wishes.

You may certainly look high in the mountains, deep in the forests and long journeys to other lands but the "agitation" is rooted deep in your bosom and this you are carrying with you at all times.

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* Unfortunately our own sense of guilt and security entraps us into a pattern.

* Life is unjust. People are unreliable. Mature people are a rarity. Impossible people are disguised. Words are senseless. But whom do I tell that? You will only say now: Another one who has learned a lesson.

* She is talking to me from the kitchen. The water is running in the sink and the utensils are beating against each other and making the most noise as empty vessels are wont to do.

But she speaks on, saying whatever she has to say to the tap and walls, although meant for my ears.

It is assumed I have heard and understood it all.

Soon I will be told that I never listen

* Life should not be seen as an argument to be won. That is a waste of powerful energy. The egoistic & opinionated stands are what create these problems. Step back and you will see a wider picture of things and mentally mull over all the possibilities of a situation. Go behind the words and shut off your judgemental side.

* I feel the problem is not of education but of our need to be seen as "VIRTUOUS". Cloak & mask our selfishness by doing acceptable acts that are considered virtuous. It is all play acting. No sincerity. No desire for self-improvement.

It is all a sham.

If we, who consider ourselves as a little better and knowledgeable, let’s put all our energies in creating ponds of calmness and wisdom, we would automatically influence our surroundings.

Anything else is a waste of time.

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* I would never-the-less raise this point.

What does the word "UNDERSTANDING" mean?

Understanding of what.

To a novice who has not walked the same path this word like many other words such as Love, Rising-consciousness, etc mean nothing at all that would be common to you and him. Most would immediately talk of Beer, Sex, Mathematics, and Oncology or just about anything.

It is read and to those who have not already arrived, it means nothing and is of no value + soon forgotten as gobbledegook.

* Why are we giving answers to questions that are not even there?

* Thinking is a random activity; from one illusion balloon into another, some good and some not so. Depending on our mental conditioning, some saddening and some not so.

* The human brain as a whole has nothing left to do except attend to very desire that bubbles up.

The worst part is that gadgets are making it unnecessary to use the poor brain which was not being used more than 48% anyway.

Worked out solutions for every need are now available.

The memory is not at fault. It is just not being used so it rusts and wastes away.

* Suffering is that which we find unpleasant. Something that puts us in a position of emotional and physical “PAIN� and our abilities are not able to nor even know how to cope.

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It is at this moment when we are enveloped in despair, that we ask (pray to) the Universe in general to help us out of the painful situation.

It is at this moment in our lives that we take a humbler than normal position of attitude which in turn opens us to the Universe.

Then we see the joke being played on us.

* We need to change with the moments as the world unfolds but when you long lives being screened in front of you and all around you what becomes obvious that everyone is suffering and blaming the others. The blame game is satisfaction enough.

I was simply wondering when we shall wake up to see that if we do not change then fortune may have to bash us up a bit with tragedy of some sort. * I wonder if we don’t put in more effort in blasting our lives and than making something of it?

* Every circumstance, position, attribute that comes to us is designed around our core persona and its need to grow into a more completely balanced being. Even the ant becomes a big element in our growth if that is what is needed and the circumstances will organise around us in such a way that we end up gaining something from it.

Our lives are so beautifully choreographed in every detail that it is astounding. It is a funny tragic novel by Wodehouse with a detailed plot like that of an international thriller.

The beauty is that everyone of us is enjoined in some way or the other and all of us play a little in part in each other’s lives and yet our own plot remains so individualistic and complete in every detail that you can only wonder and pray for Grace.

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* Who cares what they are directing towards me? Why even be bothered? Their thoughts have weight only if I give them weightage.

Let my experiences and Intuition guide me. I would live my life by the Truth of my convictions. Of course I would also listen to disinterested well-meaning advice from others evidently superior to me.

Live your life by the truth of your convictions. But when a sage comments, listen and take it as a signpost and better your life.

* When discussing illness and cures, let us not forget the "generator" deep within us. Depending on the level of our conscious development of our compassionate, grateful and discerning “SELF�, the quality of energies bubbling from within us can make or mar our lives.

The quality and intensity of our Desires, Well-wishing and Aspirations all get energies from our Inner Being and seek for "Realisation" into the outwardly material world.

Prayers and feelings create ripples that have "real" and penetrating effects on the people, things around them. The material, physical bodies are also affected. Our own lives are affected. * In life, I admit, generally speaking, a simpler approach would work better. Let them focus on the positive. That would be a great step forward.

I now see that too much of a yogic stance from the Indian point of view is not really achieving anything either. It only unbalances most people.

I welcome disagreement in approaches. I am a big boy and can take correction.

Yoga, the subconscious and all that crap maybe what sainthood needs but for the average house-holder simple uplifting of spirits & positive advice is good and in greater balance with actualities.

But I do like to also shake things up a little bit to provoke new thinking; even If I have to take the opposite sides to 32

throw in a cracker. It helps to crack the shell to let he chick out.

* If being called a master is important to us, we would first need a crowd or at least group of people who would call us that. And this is the irritant – this interaction with a constant stream of people and to keep them pleased.

And so that these crowds can recognise the master, they would need outer trappings – clear and simple - God forbid!

* Envy, Greed, Superiority complex and the Fear of the unknown are still too big players in the human make-up.

Minor undercurrents of personal satisfaction (above all) runs in every decision and act of human behaviour.

* CONFUSION = An idea that has not concretised, is not properly worded by commonly accepted standards and then poured into ears that are not open and finally churned by a mind that is more interested in justifying what it wants.

Trying to make sense of it all is not a happy game. We live our lies; the others live theirs.

* The moment we realise that some info is outdated or new one has entered into the equation, immediately without second thought, rearrange the entire mental make-up. In an instant something from that moment on becomes garbage and new practices replace the stance.

Of course we are baulked by our thoughts of running away from established life as we have made it and wonder how people will understand us etc. The reputation that we have 33

given ourselves is what keeps us tied to the spot. When it comes to people some may have to go or interaction reduced. About activities some new ones will have to be adopted and old ones junked. About habits we will have to develop new ones and learn new skills.

How to do all this without pain?

* Being mean is such a balm to vanity, our own glorification of self and gives something to boast about later.

* After every death is the word "Final".

Let us worry more about the sunrises and sunsets. Suppose they stop happening?

Death shocks us to wake up from our self-centric attitudes.

The only time when we literally profit from the demise of another whom we loved. After that who cares?!

* Many will show you maps and you can visualise and even think that now that you have seen the map, you know the way but that is very illusionary.

From the moment we are conceived, we are taking guidance from someone or thing and everything around us.

When the mind has grown, it gets cloaked by its selfimportance. Do you think the subconscious and your mind will just let you go off into the "yonder" just like that and lose their power over you?

* There are people and people. Ordinary people. Extraordinary people hiding and trying to be ordinary and ordinary people trying to pose as extra-ordinary - and of course the thousands of shades of grey in between. It is like 34

a maze. The right one, the right path - which where - good question. * It has been my contention from the last I can remember that all this free knowledge, Advice and sermons is all a waste to a non specific general public. Until the question is "live" the answers have no meaning.

We need to address the immediate questions and issues bothering us. We should be crossing bridges as they come.

But as I see it, people, prefer discussing the path rather than following it. By expounding our knowledge of philosophy, books and scriptures, I suppose we are just being virtuous in our show-offing. In many ways it is a profession.

There is this argument that who knows who will be benefitted - yes but I say what a colossal waste of energy that could have been put into a more focussed activity.

* The day my I was born I made a few thousand pieces of my heart. Ready to give away to anyone who showed the tiniest inclination. And I gave rather freely. The train of events was eye opening.

Some took it, kept them safely; so safely that it could not be found again.

Some took it with happily but it was a show put on for fooling me. I invariably found it rotting in a drain not far from home.

In many instances the recipients crushed them under their heels and junked them right in front of my eyes – with some glee to boot.

But some took them and kept them and nurtured and these pieces grew.

And as my heart got back to its original size again, although, in lesser number of pieces I began getting whole again.

Then life happened.

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These lovely people started shedding their corporeal sheath and my heart-piece was cremated along with.

* To slip softly into the mundane ever flowing life is so easy. But to take responsibility for one's persona and then build it up according to one's highest concepts and stick to one's guns is admittedly Herculean but then there is no other way to go.

* You just cannot convince me that this is alright. You go to “be� with somebody and then pay attention to your phone (and through the phone to another person/world) this is annoying and insulting, both.

* Why food habits are such a big issue? As the being evolves and transmutes into progressive forms, the habits/needs and yearnings change. We cannot force issues or coerce unnatural changes and dogmatically induced behavior.

A lot of people are against eating meat because of the horrendous activities in the industry but then they have not spared vegetarian food either. We need to stop industry from its callous attitude and this is altogether another subject.

* This world is a joke. The Divine is having fun. All we need to do is join Him in the fun.

For, seemingly, The Divine created this Universe as an experiment and experience. A change from his Eternal Quiet.

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* We live life from a distance. Touching it with long tongs.

A little bit like an experience and a little bit like an experiment. Once we are isolated in our little created world, we sit in our rocking chairs and observe the world through opera glasses. We venture out once in a while just like a millionaire who goes walking or dining by candle-light leaving his limousine and chandelier alone. Just like the dollar-rich tourists. They walk in the mud and show their pleasure with the locals knowing fully well that they can always return to their mansions when they are tired of it all.

* People complain that they have to live in a world not of their making. So wrong.

We all have created a world in our imagination that is particular to us and we are proud of it.

What a beautiful way to live.

At least till reality gives us a shock and bring us down back to earth.

But I have seen how resilient we are. We cry for a bit and go back to our old world soon enough.

* Emotions can be destructive if we wallow in them to attract certain vibes. eg: Indignation, self pity, sulk, even thoughts of illness.

It is a simple matter of getting our way in the world. In this way we create a nuisance-value of our presence and blackmail others around us. Quite often it works and then we become bold enough to repeat it over and over.

* Do we …… ……go up and down because a staircase is available?

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Or ….eat because the fridge is full? ….travel because we have a car? …….then why are we conversing incessantly because gadgets and companions are available? .....instigating situations just because we can?

* ....and at the back of my mind is the thought perhaps it was not love at all, it was a fault of my perception and it was nice while it was there. So let’s be grateful for the episode. ….. A romantic escapade.

Relationships in this world are terribly need, proximity and time based. Some grow with time and some dissolve into nothingness. Distance can make the heart grow fonder or it can make the relationship fade away.

The word love is used by people because they do not have an adequate vocabulary and no poetry in them

* Yes I am telling this to all, all the time: observe, enjoy - don’t judge.

If you don’t like something, ignore. Walk away.

You are, after all not taking them back home with you?

* A teacher can only clarify and substantiate and thereby make the way clearer but even He cannot teach you something beyond your experience and the limits of your mind. (He can talk about it but you will understand the words only when your own experience corresponds to it) The mind is not an instrument that will permit you to go beyond itself. Until the Soul from within comes in the forefront nothing of import will happen. For the Soul to 38

break through even slowly, the cycle of birth and the painful adventures are the best teacher. If we can we should make people understand that a guide/guru/teacher can only help speed up the process - not instigate it.

* On the question of poor/poverty, hunger and other heart rending subjects: We can always think before we act - see from the past that there is not enough, see from the present that there is no guarantee of enough and have the good sense not to increase the number of mouths to feed.

AND Prepare ourselves as much and as thoroughly we can to adapt to changing times so that our productivity does not suffer due to lack of opportunities.

* No "real" teacher ever intrinsically said that the Ego has to go (annihilated). This is an error of the human interpretation. The EGO is the Life Force. IT has to be purified of its arrogance and hurtful tendencies and channelised like a great life giving river.

It then become a life sustaining friend and will help you to reach the realm of the gods.

Intellectual beings with little spiritual exposure, interpreted that as “abolition� of the ego; totally in error.

* Yes certainly; this door is open to all BUT NOT if they stick to their self-righteous egos. They talk and discuss and even join in collectives. They have a strong base that has taught them not to respect others above themselves, and this attitude is endorsed by a highly mentalised society.

This is the crux of the matter. There is no need to see beyond their own level through the experience of another or tutelage. Their minds are blocked in the self-contained brilliance of their own wisdom.

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They prefer to wallow in their pond having as yet no concept of the unlimitedness of the ocean.

* Judgementalism - a chronic human illness built into our genes since thousands of years of stupidity But I have also noticed that judgementalism is seen in those: 1) Need to validate themselves by under-valuing others 2) By targeting in a planned manner others they wish to bring down a peg or two We are all judging and evaluating all the time. This is the nature of minds. But we are all not allowing ourselves to be overwhelmed by our judgements and reacting in violent ways as a lot of people tend to.

* We are all serpents in hiding.

The seed of discord is sown along with LIFE when it is given to us.

Don’t agree with me?

Just look around and tell me if you don’t see how easily – -we jump to conclusions -we spew out hurtful words -we fly into murderous rages?

These come naturally to us but the opposite takes effort – great sustained effort.

* We have become an automaton in the hands of our habits.

I have to admit, it is easier said than done. Our conditioning is total and by the time understanding comes, it is rather late in the day.

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Laziness & inertia is the strongest part of the character of our sub-conscient nature + nobody realizes this anyway.

Only those who have also received the seed of "change" & "awakening" and have been taught since childhood to be their own witness are really ever able to go against this grain. Instructions have been around since thousands of years - but how many humans do you see that feel the need for it?

And even when by the shock of an accident/stroke (stroke of good luck I would say) we do get a warning, most people become conscious for a few days and soon slip back into their old groove.

Change is a painful and arduous process and it is avoided and evaded with a lot of strong will. The mind is not yet evolutionarily independent and follows and supports the Desire/Subconscient Habit patterns with logic and reasonings + rationalisation and other excuses.

* What if I say that when you choose the path of self awareness, it only gets worse and worse, until you pop out on the other side!?

It is quite like a sliver that pops out when it is ready.

* I hear a lot about equality. To day I heard two young ladies say that the Constitution guarantees them rights to think and be as they wish.

How ridiculous.

It is Human Nature and Mother Nature that are running this world. The Constitution only makes laws.

Unfortunately, to accept the fact that all humans are evolved enough to be superior to their instincts and will abide by these laws is also an even more ridiculous error.

* We are equal and equally endowed�. This tune is what has brought discordance in human affairs.

It is a tragedy of human intelligence that just having the "appearance" of human looking animal is considered 41

enough to be accepted as equal legally. As if our persona is limited to physical form. So the moron and the genius are equated and of course it is like mixing black and white to obtain an indeterminate which is neither here nor there.

* As it is, leave someone in the park alone (of course without any gadget in hand to connect with) for 5 minutes and they start going bonkers.

* The Silent Moment as Therapy.

Find time out to connect with the other world which is made of silent communications.

Please shut off sound, focus on some thoughts/words that inspire you and help you pass thru the door to the realm of your intimate self.

* The “Passions� and its world have so many pleasures to entice us and keep us bound. It is easy to get lost in the playground and collapse from excesses. May Krishna free us from this imprisonment of the self by our own self. Let us not forget: We are all free but do not want to be.

* Have you noticed how mobile phones are attached to the ear with the full cooperation of our brain, hand and mouth?

Surely our heart would also be a party in it?

* Everything in the gadgetry culture is aimed at "immediate" except on the medical scene where they keep you alive and suffering as long as they can.

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* The Cosmos moves to match your speed of evolution. We know what the virtues are but do not cultivate them. The effort to cultivate them is tiresome and avoided. We desire so many things we don’t need nor are ready for. Then in our cleverness we try to obtain our desires by unfair means/short-cuts; like miracles. A miracle worker becomes an instant success as a "GOD" figure and a crowd collects around this entity. A plain speaking sage is just another penniless boring philosopher.

* You get the treatment you allow others to give you and attract by the vibes you engender in and around you.

* Honesty brings with it an elemental disturbance. Are we ready for it? * We recognise only what we know....we can see only those faults that we have. * The arrogance is in the point that we can solve it all in our present condition. Of course we have the seed to solve all riddles but are we ready - is the question. * We choose not to learn. It is so much easier on the ego and the fabric of life we have built around us. We always have enough humor to laugh at our selves but yet do not accept that our escapades are our fault.

We see our ability to laugh as part of our grand acceptance of life as it is. Yet when the finely laid-out, so charmingly choreographed little dramas end in regrettable episodes, we always know that it is the lack of understanding and diligence of some other that made it so. The opportunity to learn and improve upon is not only ignored, it is vehemently pushed away.

Who are we to make them see the light or take a certain path?

Patience without fretting is meditation.

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* This is the moment to realise that some big changes are in action. If the happenings are beyond your understanding, just remain quiet - mentally, emotionally and physically.

Dont act, speak or think.

But ruminate, give time for the mist to clear and the light will appear.

The turmoil is great. Doesn't even seem sensible.

Yet what are we so agitated about?

* When we choose to take a path in life, “vigilance” should become our watch word. Life will throw “life” at us and we shall react and act. We need to keep a watchful and focused eye on what reasons, thoughts and emotions rise up in us and overwhelm our decision making. It becomes an interesting play to notice the game on within us.

Just watch and learn with pure objectivity. Drop and reject what makes you uncomfortable. Adopt what makes you joyful. This discernment and application of will to follow this route is Sadhana. The word Sadhana means the process of you have adopted to reach your goal and the life-style you lead in pursuance of thereof.

The best way is by doing the best for existence, life as we know it, not changing the rules of existence and the need to change the world is an absolute “No”. * The basic premise of the post is simplicistic to the extreme. An over simplification by the physical mind.

Compassion means wanting to do the best for existence, life as we know it, not changing the rules of existence. * Fly away Trying to better the life of others is a trap based on our sense of virtue, virtuousness. It can mask our own need for approval as well as our need to be busy with externals and avoid looking deeply into our own lives. Free yourself of a big burden - to be in the right vis-a-vis others, to be seen as impressive, to need approval from others.

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It is sad; the amount of energy we spend trying to relate and be seen as “correct”..

* Any activity that does not teach or helps one to grow into a better, bigger person, that does not bring a glow to your inner self should be abandoned forthwith.

Do not waste time, make every second count.

Long discussions – futile; leading nowhere and no one learning anyway are the worst god given soul energy and god given soul suckers.

The telephone that allows you to speak on an on is really a devil’s gift.

* If one looks with a silent mind, in the state of affairs as they are, we notice Obfuscating questions in the millions parading as "seekers" of truth. And then to cap it all, there are millions of answers floating around designed as wisdom quotes but in actually as platitudes to mask the insincerity.

None of them match. No sincerity in either of them. No wonder the chaos and conundrum is complete. * I hear the words in her eyes and my eyes miss not one

* Yes. Once this is understood and accepted, the next step is possible. There is so much "platitude" talk that sounds good but is useless in reality.

Let us not forget the "generator" deep within us. Depending on the level of our conscious development of our compassionate, grateful and discerning “SELF”, the quality of energies bubbling from within us can make or mar our lives.

The quality and intensity of our Desires, Well-wishing and Aspirations all get energies from our being and seek for "Realisation".

Prayers and feelings create ripples that have "real" and penetrating effects on the people, things around them. The 45

material, physical bodies are also affected. Our own lives are affected.

* We cannot permit minor difficulties and infirmities to stop our march to the goal-post. We have enough thinking and bodily strength to find a way that will take us there.

Unless - we are looking for palatable excuses for "not doing".

* It is not uncommon to be aware of our dark and deeper unpleasant side of the shadows in us but we refuse to look in that directions and we keep the spots out of sight with cleverly laid curtains and facades.

We need to be sincere first with ourselves. Absolutely.

To the others we should dose out words and actions based on their capacity to receive and assimilate.

For example if I told the janitor who sweeps the roads in from of our house that we do not appreciate his spitting and not-so-careful work, do you think he will understand or appreciate? No. He will just stop sweeping whatever little he does and then you cry yourself hoarse but that would be that.

Being pragmatic and sincere are not two different things. It is possible to exist with both without clashing. * Taking a cue from Sri Aurobindo, I would say this - when the Cosmos touches us with a caress, we scream and howl for it makes us rearrange our lives. * In the pragmatic world, there are certain realities that we tend to ignore and most often we live wrapped-up in our heads, viewing life with colored spectacles with labels of good/like and bad/dislike being attached to everything and everybody. Bubbles that we love – our comfortable zones.

We believe what we want and accept notions that are comfortable to us and explain it away with beautiful words.

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I think we are not harsh enough with reality but too harsh with whatever we perceive outside our thought-out “truth�.

This is life and we need to accept it before we can go beyond it.

* The scientific method and need to hair-splitting is not the yogic way. We look at life in a general way and take it with a pinch of salt. My views are originating in the intuitive way. Psychology is not a debatable set of symptoms with us. It is the culmination of personal experiences with observation which normally tally with others. Something that has been going on since Vedic times and earlier.

* We are all gurus to somebody who listens to us.

Therefore speak with great responsibility. If you can, stop for a moment to think and consider, perhaps you do not know enough to "speak" and it may be more correct to let the person work it out for himself.

But do share your experience. * The beauty of small things, tended with affectionate embraces.

The measure of the soul's grandness.

* When the world laughs at me, I am happy they are getting free medicine and I laugh with them as there is not much else I can do; might as well benefit.

* From our own lives we can see how actions and words can be misinterpreted and retranslated. In large families, misunderstandings and great anger is common because of hearsay and relating of words and messages with personal versions of actuality being added all the time.

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* SO it would be naive to think that what the Buddha spoke and what we hear today are the same things. Not even near it.

It would be safe to assume that Buddha replied to questions of his few followers with no other intent to codify and lay a path but what we have today are millions of words, an organised religion and if you put together all the "sayings" of the Buddha, you will see that it would have taken him 3 lives to say them all.

* Although immobilized by the bandages of every day life, I am a fakir itinerant. My arms encompass a huge hidden world where you may even find repose and some answers.

* You'll be surprised to know that very few people take themselves seriously enough to keep an eye on their own selves and the commitments they make without any intentions to keep them.

Do you always say what you mean or are thinking and then act sincerely on your words or thoughts? The question is how true to yourself are you being‌ and basically sincere in words, thoughts and actions - in unified harmony?

* The human race is pretending. It is all a pose. It is all pure dramatics. Everyone is ready to be fooled: both the healer and the sick are living a big lie and happy to go through the motions.

The genuine healer who is breaking his heart and head on this is a fool.

* Your only obligation in any lifetime is to be true to yourself‌ and basically sincere in words, thoughts and actions - in unified harmony.

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* The old has to go, friends, it has to go - however comfortable & wonderful. Dont put your energies to keeping it propped up unnaturally.

* It needs a lot of courage to continue living like this in these tortuous times. But unfortunately, the quest for knowing took me to the centers of tumult. It may be uncomfortable and there would be no running water etc but the sense of freedom - to have your own space and not be bothered by other chatterers, chitty-chitty bang-bang life would be so basically fulfilling. * The spiritual journey never stops alright. But some regrets remain and the body is not in a mood to venture further * The immature virtually avoid real action; except perhaps in the virtual world. They often avoid inter-action; afraid of letting the petty secrets of their ordinariness out to the world. They have so much to hide.

In the name of action there is a lot of talk, planning and dreaming but no concrete follow-up. Often the subject matter being focused on is deliberately kept within safe limits something useless as actors, weather and international politics, wherein you can gabble-gabble away without a second mature thought. * The Search: One step forward. Then a look to the side. A few steps to the left and then forward to the right. Back we where we started? Not really. Some distance further and more informed. Back & forth. This way and that. We advance a little by little - AGLOW in our great way forward.

* I feel so caged. I think we are all living in what can be called open prisons. The fear of not having anywhere else to go to is always weighing on me. Who will take me in?

This thought is worse than a prison.

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* What makes you think you are sad?

Why should you be sad?

Is there not enough food on your table; a shirt on your back and bed to lie on?

Does not the sun and moon come out for you; and the breeze blow?

Does the lake refuse you water?

Perhaps it is all in the core that nobody is giving you the importance you think you deserve!

* And some are in constant pain, not always the physical kind. So that others may live and grow.

* Anyone who has not shed tears of pain and loss has no idea of empathy and is not a complete human being yet.

* I never forget that I am passing through. And that makes everything fall in the right perspective. * The flimsy Towers of Life that we make are like a child’s plaything; Built on imponderables with aspirations of eternity. The bricks that we are given to build our castles are Impermanence impregnated and we can forget only to regret later. * The Creator had given us such bounties. We could go anywhere and enjoy the spread.

But we chose to destroy most of what we touched. We blew it.

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* If you study the Occult/Tantric side of life, you'll find‌‌...

People with untrained, un-controlled/disciplined minds with no mental will except small immediate desires lend themselves like open sieves to forces from the other worlds whose only aim is to cause pain and turbulence in human affairs. They feed on the emotional mayhem energy. The more violent, the better.

There is a corollary to this. This pain also helps the world to out perform and grow into a mature life but very very slowly - one inch every few hundred years.

People who lead smug and comfortable lives, not in the habit of using their minds outside the rules frame-work they have been raised in, living like dulled automats, with their limited lives etc with little or no exposure to the world of efforts are specially vulnerable to being used as instruments.

* On questions of being open to all: Just because what you see has a human form, does not man that it automatically is also human. Human forms are conduits for a bigger, wider world of invisible forces out there. Let us not judge on the good or the bad, but that is what the conditions are .....as long as harmful demons roam, we need to be circumspect. * A teacher who loves his students may often call them oafs affectionately. Non-serious students of life with prominent egos would only note the words. The serious student would see affection and regard in the same words.

* When we are quiet, not insisting that things happen because some desire in us is hankering for satisfaction, we can control the tumultuous waves and the din made by them in our being - we get our answers as the door to the Intuititive World becomes visible and all we need to do is connect by walking in.

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If you observe the noise we make while praying in so called religious places, you will realise how contrary are our acts.

* So full of life.

It is strange how life still bubbles on around us; even with all our destructive energies at work. * The messages may be very soul shaking - but humans are so clever; they will explain it away with platitudes and go back to their comfortable "superior" selves. * What we know as "withdrawal": The need to stop pushing and letting go so that Other forces can come into play.

My experiences reinforce that we are given predetermined choices every moment. We are allowed only to say yes or no. Nothing is really in our hands. We mar our lives with wishful, forceful power plays.

But there is also the fact, that things get done in this world because of this so it serves a purpose in the ordinary everyday affairs.

* Love is not infinite. It is what it is. Love makes the finite infinite The finite shape and life of each flower but the aura is infinite.

* Life on Earth today is the result of collective inconsciousness. We are all in it with our inconscience behavior "tamas" ( indolent, irresponsible, callous).

Let not moral principles cloud the path we each need to take as our personal effort. * Who is living, dying or suffering is beyond our comprehension. Let’s leave these heavy matters on the shoulders of the Creator.

Let us focus on the little we know, the more that we need to learn. There are many realized souls roaming this earth with the express intention of helping us all on the way. Let us 52

ally with them, enjoy their company and partake of their presence.

* The Soul is orchestrating our Destiny. If we learn the lessons we need to, to advance on the way, it will be tough but with minimal misadventures. Otherwise, the Soul is not averse to organise a "skin-alive lashing" to speed up the process.

* To the temples we go leaving shoes behind at home or in the car as they get stolen.

As for other things? Who cares? Live the life as you best understand it and let the course of events show you the way. This is the individually tailored dhamma method.

This moment needs your attention. The secret of life is in this sentence.

* All the beings I was in love with and lived for and wasted my life for are not there anymore. They never were; is what I now understand.

What a futile time it was to seek the entire earth in a stepping stone.

* All I have to say is here. You have to do the "understanding" part. All it needs is a quiet read, contemplation on the words in solitude and reflect in silence.

* I am sure you'll find dozens of reasons to substantiate your desire. The other way is to look for the quiet in the heart and mind when there is nothing else on the mind and absolutely nowhere to let the mind and heart wander.

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* On following a path…

Whenever you come across words that resonate deeply within, note them down separately. Read them everyday and apply them in your every move. The path that is the right one for you will start opening for you.

If your aim is intellectual study only, then anything is good one way or another.

* You see what I choose to show

* The tendency of the mind to categorise is where dogma begins. Even a short shift and jump from the mind level to the intuitive mind level makes this clear and opens understanding without needing words.

Later effort has to be made to put into words what is being "felt-seen"

* It is this possibility of creating a dogmatic religion around a few words why this particular quote has always bugged me to high heaven.

“There is no religion higher than truth” It is grand, and of course true but means nothings in a pragmatic way. Tell me - ...and who will decide what is the truth? * When you live at a consciousness level that has transcended the base selfishness of material/physical existence, every act becomes an act of kindness and true.

* What would you say of someone, who first builds up a wall and then builds a castle around him and later refuses to accept the wall or accept that there is a garden outside it – simply because he cannot see it?

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But at the same expounds about how things are; a creative act of his imagination and some facts picked on hearsay and a picture strung together mainly based on what is convenient to him.

We humans are quite like this.

* There is love or there isn't. How can there be "real love"?

There is something called "love" by humans which is really a vital attractions of spirits and rather selfish at its core.

* Of what import all these conjectures and concepts of life and after-life? Just seek the answer to your private exclusive question -and go on with your life.

* Sometimes we need to stay, without wanting to run; learn our lesson thoroughly even though unpleasant and harsh & we feel like chucking it all.

* How serious are we?

The seriousness with which we take life or have to to survive while it matters nought to the Creator as things flow for HIM quite well as worked out since the beginning of time. Our thoughts and perceptions, always based in education and personal perspectives. The big joke is the one the Great One is playing on us.

We have woven such a net of masking maneuvers to hide our intense sub conscious real wishes & desires that most of our life is a continuous string of supportive acts that is wholly, fully false. Certain precepts are accepted (for example: that humans always say what they mean even when we know absolutely well that they rarely do and witnesses in court do not lie or have seen things accurately) and if this is pointed out, people will bristle and indignation will rear its head.

The entire fabric of our society is based on false assumptions about the nature of human character. It is nice 55

that we think well and perhaps even mean well but I think the guiding force just now in the world is more selfishness with total disregard of the world at large and pride and we are ready to crush others in our interest if anyone dares to point it out or worse prove it. Neither of which we shall ever agree to.

We believe life is sacred but we invented the hangman's noose, the guillotine, the electric chair and other beautiful and fantastic gadget of mass murder. We go to insane wars on unbelievable pretexts. It is a sham and a joke but we are not allowed to laugh.

* The Human who has arrived.

When you reach this level you don’t speak about it, you smile at the world and do what has to be done - join the play and influence subtly as one of the players. The obvious will be clearly seen by others from their personal capacity levels & limitations. * Beyond the pale of exigencies, Beyond the pale of possibilities, Beyond the pale of imaginings, There is the center of the storm, Utterly devoid, Silently pregnant. * Silence is always a good answer unless you are out to teach the world a lesson. * The agitations of a mind, persona/anima without focus except wishing for something in the "far-away".

* To say we are not lonely would be wrong.

There is a vast lonesomeness dogging our every step.

We may not be alone but we are inherently always lonely.

Until the time comes to merge back into the whole.

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* Just talk about what you have to do - or not at all * To digress is the way of the wayward humans; to avoid taking responsibility is the goal

* For us, from the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, this is something Mother spoke of in the 1950s of a Superior Consciousness now in action on Earth. Of course, the resistance from the old strangleholds is obvious - one of the methods they have used is by feeding us with gadgetry which has unleashed our most primitive sides and in consequence much mayhem.

Money power is still in the hands of the Asuras (demonic) and they are not giving up without prolonged fierce battle.

So all the positive spirits, on the side of constructive and peace, must rally together with great summons of strength by becoming unshakable pillars.

* Our sense of doom is awfully relative.

All these cases of depression and suicides and frightened violence is simply a lack of wide enough consciousness to grasp it all in * There is a world of humor in the world of thoughts - how imagination plays the fool

* The Mind is but a tool. It all depends on what entities we allow to use the instruments. We are simply extensions of a greater whole and there are many Forces at work around and in and through us. The "separateness" was needed to give some solid persona on the material plane, so the ego is a useful Force that is also the Life Force. It has the capacity to transform itself and join the play with other benign 57

(godly) forces if we bring them into play. And children can help us do that.

* It is irresponsible, actually criminal, to think of bringing children into this world to satisfy our animalistic hunger, for our pleasures and then lead them into slavery, debt and life-long pain.

* There is a lot of confusion in the interpretation of the words tolerance and practicing wise action. Until we have learnt to discriminate when to act or not, it is all conjecture and discomfiture and of course a lot of talk and argumentation.

* Lovely words but what have we learnt from it or is it just read and forget? A bit of mental enjoyment of the concept and back to the humdrum ways?! –

* The wise listen with attention to learn and absorb the experience being transferred thru words. It can be summed up as: Learning from the experiences/life of others.

Transferring the same into our own selves as part of our life and use it for personal reformatting.

* What can be done? We are helpless against time and fate.

The lament of the listless.

Yesterday I asked the janitor of our area (just making conversation to make her feel good and as good public relation effort) how was she doing. She told me that she has been unwell due to the heat etc and then rationalised it all with the usual lament.

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* Well some have to be what they are and remain that way as they sustain the creation in their own way. We may not always understand why but they serve. Like the rocks sitting there since ages.

But the listening part is for us. Not them.

Are we good listeners? Then we shall learn and change and we shall play our part like perhaps break the rock and shift it into a new thing of beauty.

One thing is certain. When we listen with intent we permit the others to work out their enigmas.

* It is the nature of things. Life and earth are what they are and this is the situation. Take it or leave it. Better learn to take it with a smile and pinch of salt.

* Insincerity is part and parcel of the human character and it will show in everything. It is attached to inertia and "tamas"; and cheating then enters the mind with ease.

Religions and their practioners soon become riddled with insincerity. Wearing a garb to indicate monkhood in any religious party only helps you to beg more easily and that makes life easy in everyway and cheating creeps in.

The answer is in following the philosophy and not the practices advised. That should be left to the adherent to decide.

* To know what is right requires wisdom that comes not easily. This quality grows in a person only when the mind goes into the Intuitive mode and there is nothing but goodwill in the heart. To get into the intuitive mode, we need to increase our knowledge in every field of life till the point arrives when we see the inter-disconnectedness of everything to everything. Then we need to become a little less vociferous and agitated; and rise above the restraining 59

good and bad rules that society has already laid for us and that are easy to follow.

* Separateness and Sameness - both are...... like the fish in the lake. All are separate but yet one couldn't care which one of them one is eating. A fish is after all a fish and if fish is not available, perhaps chicken is.

I am Pk, very separate from you but also related to Brahma and so are you and that makes us close first cousins, same elements but that's about all.

* Why people go into the presence of more realized beings?

People come for answers and magic. They can see and feel others who live in another dimension and hope that some of it will rub on them by association.

* Death is not a torment. This thinking of no sickness and no death is an error. My focus is on living well and to the hilt to the best of our ability - including thoughtful awareness - knowing death is our constant companion.

* I have mentioned often that to escape this state of today we need to connect with the intuitive world which most are too lazy to do anything about but they all talk and talk.

The "wanting" to go beyond one's limit - without excuses or doubts is what I am talking about. It should be so deep that the soul will not want to go back to the ordinary, habitual life

* We sort of live in Him. I am just a vessel. I studied and grew up under The Mother of Sri Aurobindo Ashram. But now everything talks to me.

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* They say do the right thing and say the truth.

I don’t say yes and I don’t say no. After listening to Him and Confucius, and Buddha, and Mohammed, the question is: do I pay attention to the deceptive webs weaving in my mind and the vengeance in my heart that demand insistently to be heard first?

Everybody I know, knows so confidently what is Right and the Truth.

Yet we need to reiterate this point over and over.

Something is not quite right then!

* I am certain that if bodies could speak for themselves they would all go to court to take "Restrain/Stop" orders.

Unfortunately the mind is in control and it simply does not want to die and simply does not have the knowledge to live - because it was too busy enjoying life's unending sensations - and did not bother to learn the tricks of happy healthful living.

In the Sri Aurobindo Ashram where we were protected by the Media and the Cinematic power, we grew up under compassionate and living care of elders who were keeping their selfish selves under wrap for their own sadhana.

And it is my conviction that life and humans will find happiness on this planet only when we adopt the same attitudes.

* How many Friends would I have? At the stage of life I have reached, I am clearly unemployable, not a big spender, of not much use in an emergency and cannot play on the field. Technically I am of no use to anyone. All friends and cousins I used to play and work with have found their own niches and if I impose on them, I would only come as a nuisance. I see it is a great Grace to have any.

Not to forget that when I was in my prime, I was not a very likeable fellow to begin with. Many consider me no less distasteful still.

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This is not personal. My own view on myself is that I am snob of the first order. This is a pragmatic outlook on life.

There was news that children of a man in Bangalore chained their father in a small shed on the terrace because they found him a nuisance. I have seen very close people stop wanting to see me because I was not useful to them – nothing willful, just waned away. They remember me as they knew me when I was 30, a bit raw at the edges and never even bothered to find out if I have evolved.

I am seeing this happening to all around me to all people friends or foes. It is I suppose a way of the world.

My personal case is different. I am constantly rearranging my data and parameters. I outgrow people too and am happy to go on merrily.

* Tenderly, even hesitantly I looked at her, Riveting, angelic yet fearful to approach, I stood there gazing vacantly into the forever.

* At best, the number of caring people is growing; many sages have come recently and made changes in the effective earth's spiritual atmosphere. The old vibes that have been entrenched in the earth's consciousness are resenting the change and the general humanity responds to this, the general humanity is resenting and cooperating with the old.

The old vibes are fighting back hard to maintain their hold which is giving rise to the mayhem we see around us.

* In the final analysis, nobody cares.

All the hulla balloo is to seem and not do.

People do not want to see the bigger picture or get involved.

* Forget the details. Just breathe in the atmosphere.

We humans tend to get trapped by the trivia.

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* Running away never solved anything. Our desires create unrealistic goals and then fear consumes us.

*Symptoms of Living life from a distance.

Safety, security, comfort-zone. Not wanting to try anything new - rather avoiding with all one's might. Staying put with repetitions and traditions. Following the crowd and not one's own individuality. etc etc....

Keeping an invisible wall through pretentions and cussedness. The pragmatic becomes an excuse for keeping distance. Superficiality and keeping appearances is the goal.

Making excuses and rationalising everything comes easy.

Wherever and whenever possible blame the Universe, the government, neighbor or/and find a scapegoat.

* In reality, although in this world obsessed with effort, my breaks are really the "work" part. For every minute of work I put in, I need at least need an hour of break. * If we are look carefully, it becomes clearer as we go along that elegance is simplicity with character * The problem of India has always been its lack of drive.

Whole lot of Rishis have come and spent their lifetimes to make things move since thousands of years. But the tamas (subconscient inertia) levels have not changed. India has a spiritual core but outside it is not prepared to make any effort to discipline or exercise control.

Indians love their irresponsible, childish ways and find 1001 excuses in their epics and "shastras" to pursue their way of life.

Because it permits them leeway to be the scandalous people that we are at the core.

Yet great things are still coming from the present. See the work Sri Aurobindo has put in. I greatly believe in the visions of Nanak , Vivekanada, Ramkrishna, Osho, 63

Shivananda and many others. That is because to offset the negative depths that we have managed to achieve, we have had to go one step further than other cultures to find philosophical balance and this is the secret of our opening to a different world. But this cannot be an argument which even the Indians adopt to hide the 99% of the prevalent psychic influence.

They have, unfortunately, used their cleverness again in creating institutions around these persons instead of putting their teachings into practice.

* The sole reason paths exist is to take you somewhere for "changing" you inside out. Uncomfortable initially alright but then if you stand in one place you’ll rot anyway.

* Don’t let your cultural conditioning speak you out of it.

You were born to evolve.

You have to one day or other get out of it all and think only of Perfecting the nucleus that you are - of Your Self

* All prayers and mantras are grains of power. It is the occult/tantric part of the prayer. This prayer is a very potent one; can be rather ominous in its response. Sincerity is the only safeguard. So my comment would be just a friendly reminder. This invocation brings with it serious "change" that can be demoralising in the first instance and transformative in the second. So if you are not ready for upheavals, don’t start.

* I am quite convinced that we have opened the gates to the demoniac world - and what can we expect from this world except destruction in its wake.

They influence us dynamically. But in the very long run it becomes a forced learning experience - part of the evolutionary process.

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* Every moment is connected with eternity.

Yet living in the moment has its moments.

* Why do I often get the feeling that life is Much ado about nothing?

It is hardly a pleasure. It looks more like a chore that is imposed on us and we have to go thru.

There is no escape from sickness and old age. Friends and love are chimeras.

Then what exactly are we doing here? * The soul is by its very nature illumined. It is our smoke screens that hide it. When the smoke screens thin out, it becomes obvious. * This is a mysterious thing, you know, the mystery of life.

We have just enough problems, not too many or too few. * All we can have is a yearning. The rest happens by itself.

They search for enlightenment but what exactly is it? * Show me one person who considers himself lowly enough and humble enough; incomplete enough to go searching.

Yes I have seen many searching for power to realize their desires. Thru these acts that they pursue they learn a lot.

The Universe rarely gives things out with ease – it makes you jump though many hoops.

Is this enlightenment?

* Try to rise up and beyond cravings. Do not die with their ghosts following you. Try them out and if they are the thing for you, indulge. The ones that benefit from the experience soon realise how empty are the promises of earthly pleasures and that for real joy that they need to go beyond it all.

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* Practice of religion is a sociological activity. Nothing spiritual. It is like a club and all getting together for some common ground to have fun.

* The mission a knowledgeable ONE gives and the impetus that comes from his persona normally goes with him because those after him are too busy enjoying the fruits and sweets of the kingdom he created.

All institutions established by some Master suffer from this element. There is only wealth going out - not coming in.

* Perhaps there IS more than normal eyes see - so why not accept that some people are seeing things that are not so obvious to us now. Let things be and keep the eyes/mind open .....

* 1) God only gifts the quotes 2) It is good marketing people who create the religion 3) I am sure if I could find a good, clever American promoter, my quotes could easily be converted into a religion for mass consumption and then we could all buy our estates and Rolls.

4) From the above you can gauge the level of intelligence of the populace and my level of awareness. * Conscious development of the persona widens the scope of our seeing, feeling and thoughts. The mind grows to be able to see the bigger picture.

It helps in understanding the situation and then our attitudinal change slowly makes the adjustments & realignments in our conditioning. * Spread your gracious self 66

.....with no undercurrents of cleverness! * The golden Light of change can be very perturbing.....specially for those who love to dig their heels in.

Change not only ruffles feathers, punches holes in vanities but also displaces our tamasic status quo by demanding effort.

Yes. We strengthen, embolden and feed whatever we let play thru us. * How child friendly, How animal friendly, AND Flower friendly are our lives?

Do we think about it and pattern our lives on this level of consciousness? * The enigma is that those who have the light do not always feel inclined spreading it.

They tend to consider the "need" of that particular corner first.

More often than not, they enjoy the quiet that a silent, sombre corner provides

* You have to create the opportunities for the children to discover where their Soul is leading them. The best scenario is where their 6th sense is allowed to be prominent and prevail because that is in alignment with their destiny.

At the same time running parallel to all this should be the educating part where we pass on what we have learnt from life - unfortunately parents pass more of their fears and prejudices than their learning - that is if they have learnt anything in the first place.

* A realized person speaks from his own fount of knowledge and experience. And my experience is that the more a person realizes, the more silent he becomes (except 67

perhaps “writers” who are naturally endowed with a special skill to put things into words and here too I find they love to write in isolation). A person high on the evolution ladder would never bother how others lived, spoke and do even in his close circle of today. He is prepared to share but never impose nor get into arguments. He would answers questions but that is as far as he would venture. He says what he feels and let’s the world go on its safari to Timbuctoo.

* The great teachers and their egos.

The egos as you call it get transformed into powerful positive personas - and they are fully aware of their strengths, how the world is seeing them, how each individual is interpreting their personas from their personal point of view. Their strength and speciality is in the fact that they are able to see themselves objectively, be their worst critic and healer.

They lead as friends. The air is primed with the essence of self-improvement and perfection and the students/friends imbibe it.

Not for the average crowd-guy who is happy to follow the masses.

The general crowd follows the garb and is attracted to the drama. Their ability to judge is still in infancy and the crowd is proof of the greatness of the master. But it is the blinded leading the blind and the most people are looking for in this kind of crowd is some relief from their disturbed existence. Self improvement or courageous action is nowhere in the picture in this crowd…….

When we go looking for refuge, we soon realise that things will improve only when we improve upon our basics like taking into account our emotions, thoughts and body's functioning.

From The Indian point of view, this comes into the realm of self-improvement. This is the basis of our Yoga philosophy and practices.

Simply calming the thoughts with some exercises are not the goal. Go beyond it to make the human vessel worthy of a greater play - to become an instrument thru which the Creator can act directly (whatever that means).

Sri Aurobindo makes it easily understandable.

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We call it the yoga of self perfection. * Simplicity with the kind of minds we have is not a simple matter. It would require a big dose of modesty and noninvolvement attitude which is anathema for the Vanity that goads us along.

* Yes; the small pleasures of material life suit well those who live in the physical mind and look no further. The spiritualists may call them half dead or half alive but that is just one view. They serve a purpose on earth of doing the arduous labor things and they are content and I am happy to have them.

* Who is God and how does he matter in discovering myself - why was religion so ever important?

There is definitely a spirit of helping others when a Messiah comes to begin with but soon with clever people running the show, it degenerates into "control, misuse and dogma" but my question is not a rant against god or religion but the weakness in us that makes us gyrate towards this.

We simply need our own spirit of improvement/selfperfection and we shall start discovering everything. * Its all in the moment.

Now its here.

Then its there.

The point is...

What did you do When it was here.

-PK * The most funny topics that I find are the analyses that you get to see on what the saints of earlier eras may have said and why. People analyze the sayings of these saints assuming them to be true word for word as if they were on 69

the spot when they were uttered. Then the explanations they give on the state of minds of the “saints” show how close these analysts are to the saint and how well they understand the reasons for the pronouncements made by the saints hundreds/thousands of years ago.

I put these people squarely in the bracket of those “who know too much and understand too little” although I also give them full credit for an amazing intellectual ability.

I wonder how many of us pay attention to actual learning than showing-off.

This is true for followers of any religion/train-of-organisedthought in any corner of the world. This is the charade of the race called humans…………….

* It is not enough to keep your eyes open and your ears open.

The mind behind should be all embracing with compassionate acceptance and use of its reason, ready to rearrange its thoughts and act accordingly. * Is this state of living in the moment possible?

It is the most difficult thing - sounds so simple. With bills pending and hunger round the bend, planning clouds for the coming eventualities hover ominously.

Then human relationships with their demands and sulks can keep you on your toes. * Too many words floating around. The confusion they are creating is far worse than the help they are providing. * Life conditions us to react to some words in very particular ways. This has to be kept in mind for all communications. Without exception.

And when it is a spiritual subject then, also enters the factor that words are not adequate to transfer the experience nor the knowledge and it is seen that most spiritual teachers are poor in languages so they what they say is important to their immediate circle but becomes a matter of argument 70

and even non-valued for others, specially after a long gap of time.

Therefore it is advised, as practiced by the general Indian populace, - follow a live guru and avoid listening to too much and too many.

* Mother Nature/Mother earth thinks and acts in a time frame of millions of years. We do so in tens.

If we take the time frame, how much can we do in this short life-span?

Sages and philosophers have been showing the pros and cons of living on this planet since thousands of years. One thing stands out.

We are required to focus on our evolution. That is the best we can do in the limited time given to us.

We cant change others and we should not try to. * As long as we continue to see this as a male and female thing we shall neither understand nor improve. The point is this is just a manifestation of certain Universal forces at work since the beginning of time. We are instruments and pawns in the game and hopefully evolving slowly. Nature, Human or otherwise, The Spirit and things like egosselflessness, vindictiveness-forgiveness, love-hate and regard-disdain etc are all floating around and in action wherever they find cause and recipients. This is the pot I am always stirring. See beyond the apparent. Our ideas of what should be are definitely the goal but then that does not mean things are that way. First let us see this clinically and then we try to make things better. But the need is to first impartially see things as they are and not as we wish them nor in the image we feel comfortable.

We cannot allow ourselves to get trapped in arguments of good and bad, correct or otherwise. There is really nothing as such. Everything is and are around because there is place for it on earth. Learn about the Forces at play and learn to deal with them - our work is to rise above them and protect ourselves and any others we can from the wrong movements - if we can.

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* Nothing is going to happen until your spirit wakes up, comes to the fore and takes life by the horns - with all the faculties involved - which means -the thinking brain, the intuitive brain while the body drops all laziness and the heart distances itself from selfishness.

This is one tall order and most humans would rather go into slavery to the nearest Caliph than make any effort.

* Flowers are pure Soul forms. The ephemeral in a holographic manifestation that we can see and touch for a short while.

* Simply thinking that you can do it is not enough; it also requires properly thought out and disciplined approach.

Determination is of course the base but also needs to be supported by correct understanding of the factors involved and how to carry the project thru.

Many wonderful sounding truths are really putting fates into jeopardy by misdirecting thinking/actions and making people going off track and then make them end up in depression or worse, making them change tracks when their initial determination would have actually helped Mother earth. * Why torture the mind into going this way or that way? All that is really needed is being with the trees. * Why has it taken, is taking humanity to understand that peace and quiet can only be demanded at home (Soul’s home)- not when we are out foraging in the wilderness. The 21st century is seeing "living" outside of one self with more and more vehemence.

The end-stress is only filling up the pockets of commercial gurus and Ashrams + Spas (which I think is OK).

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* The answer is difficult to give because the truth – my personal truth - is meaningless to others and the general polite reply even more meaningless. * What advantage is there in the presence of more realized beings?

People are looking for answers and magic bullets to cure their ills and fashion life to their desires. In the beginning it is all a charade. They can see and feel others who live in another dimension and hope that some of it will rub on them by association.

I say let them be. They are at least absorbing some positive vibrations. The understanding and change will also come. It may take a few more lives, but at least the beginning is made.

Why discount their efforts and bombard them with views/lectures they are not ready for and will not grasp anyway.

What is needed is to address "their" immediate concern and question. More they cannot take.

BOOK TWO Psychologistics

* I have known only dutiful people. People who were loving and dutiful because it gave them the chance to show off their virtuousness. There was always some terms and conditions involved to receive their affection and attention.

What would be it like to meet someone, who did not need me but would still go gaga on the very thought of me and never tire of it?

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* His courage is commendable but not his wisdom.

The joy or High that comes from achieving something difficult is definitely to be praised.

But when it is a question of putting your precious life which is given as a gift into uselessly dire situations, that, I find not so very palatable. * When we say “how can I help?", what are we doing?

Wanting to really help because we are of a compassionate nature and detached or is it something totally the opposite?

This can also take us away from our path by focusing on the others and feeling virtuous about it - increase our vanity.

My point always has been that sex is over accentuated as a "sin". From this comes the concept of cheating and rape.

The whole thinking is wrong.

Sex is an appetite like many other appetites. This is another hunger. Some people can’t control their urge to eat chocolates, drink alcohol, hamburgers, extra salt or sugar etc etc..

No man goes out with the intention of always raping every female they meet. The woman does not realise the havoc she plays by her wily ways and supportive suggestions that come from the world without. Once the match is lit, the conflagration cannot be contained.

We need to ask, why this problem does not exist with primal communities for example let’s say in Polynesia.

Additionally there are abstract questions like why only certain women attract attention.

If you believe in psychology, what is it that attracts the male?

Astrologically, why certain things happen in certain planetary configurations? * Take this sentence: Haters don't hate you; they hate themselves; because you are a reflection of what they wish to be.

May be. But the effect it has on my life through the group society I live in is real.

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What is being said?

Tell me how does it matter? And why try to explain it away? I suppose this is a compliment to me that I am superior. But then so what? Am I being told that I should not react to their jibes and vibes? Take it all with a pinch of salt. The hurt haters can inflict is real. Who cares about their state of spirit or whatever?

The question that bothers me and for which I would like a reply is how to deal with these bums. I personally believe in taking them seriously enough to avoid them.

The sticks they waive around are real. * When talking of good health and medicine, I now realise that we are wasting our time worrying about others. Certain bad attitudes are picked up, promoted and often followed for a life time. These habits and practices are so inbred in certain communities and families that nothing can really be done. They live at a level of unawareness that is stupendous. To somebody like me it is positively criminal what they do with their lives. * People with a small sphere of action, specially at the mental level, can rarely calculate beyond 2+2=4 And, of course, what they don’t know or immediately see within their minimal field of view does not exist. Anyone talking beyond their field of "knowing" automatically becomes a charlatan.

Their judgmental tongues can be very harsh and depressive - I often wonder how human they are? * The Lamenting Syndrome Why do we do it? There does not seem to be any need of it.

It serves no purpose as experience soon teaches us. It is always the same lament but maybe in a different setting. Do we like complaining? Does it make us feel superior? Why are we not able to let bygones be bygones? Is it that our sense of hurt needs to punish the perpetrator? Perhaps it makes for a good excuse to push our own agenda?

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* Optimism is energising but also a trap when we expect & hope for more and refrain from looking reality straight in the eye. Optimism without effort to change or/and improve will not take anything anywhere.

What you find worthy of appreciation may precisely be what irritates others. I don't think people like their illusions reshaped and remodeled for them.

* Imagine being raised in a very “Difficult” family, infused with the feudal autocratic spirit of many generations with arrogance, impatience, irritance as the main characteristics of those in control; and as everyone tries to be in control so there is complete mayhem at all times.

The faculty of “listening” does not exist – the ones in control have no reason to and the others out of desperation simply don’t want to.

What to do to get out of this predicament? * We can easily go to an extreme by oversimplifying. To the extent that false can seem true and vice versa.

Mostly oversimplified observations become a crutch for the humans and serve well as good excuses.

For example: If some is good, more is better.

Oversimplifying is an activity of a mind that does not see the larger picture or does not want to.

* I am awed by the self-destructive tendencies of humans.

Had it not been for the positive energies and restraining of our friends, family and colleagues, most of us would selfdestruct in 36 hours.

The proof is the self-pitying crabbiness that we see all the time around us with selfish agendas.

Kudos to the Positive Energy Ones who keep the fabric of life bubbling.

* Yes - learnt it too late that most of my battles that I had thought I had won, were actually great defeats. All it was a 76

great ego boost but I lost friends and gained a reputation of being unkind.

* Soft, delicate yet harmoniously complete and upright on its own strength.

Humans tend to think that "strong" = hard and unbending a proposition that has been perpetually proven wrong by children. Children are born everyday and abound around us like flowers, but we do not seem to realise this basic truth.

* Why learning languages properly is important.

First so that you can understand others.

Second so you can express yourself precisely.

Thirdly it permits you explore the world and connect.

But‌.

Most people are happy to be understood and manage within a small circle. They rarely see the need for enlarging their view. Without language as a tool to help, they only restrict themselves and will fail even if they wish to break their barriers.

Whole conversations and texts are often totally misunderstood. This happens when we have not permitted the whole text to be fully absorbed by our minds - and we react to the first words that form in our minds as reactions to certain isolated words/phrases that may connect to certain images that are already embedded in our minds. * When we think aloud we embrace others into our thinking. This starts a conversation which was never intended. Along with the conversations elements of human character also enter: like arrogance, vanity etc. These give birth to social interaction that was totally unintended and unnecessary and fatiguing.

We can forget only at our peril that it is the Soul that provides our energy. We waste it to our peril. Fatigue eventually brings in imbalance of the psyche and sickness.

Long talks/discussions such as social talk – futile; leading nowhere and no one learning anything from it anyway are the worst god given soul energy suckers. What in India is 77

called Time-pass. I am talking of conversation but focusing only about the energy drain that is happening in speech.

* Give time to learning about the world and follow your heart and your reason. Learn to distance yourself from "opinions" if your aim in life is felicity.

I wouldn’t give half a penny for opiniated remarks with origins in envy, self-interest or simple put-me-downs.

It is a matter-of-fact truth and logical reality.

Not as much a matter of right as maturity of being.

I wouldn't bother unless the other guy was coming at me with a sword. * Simple; To the point.

Life takes meaning when we can think and live based on this pattern. * Look bigger by making others smaller; easier than growing.

It is a lot of fun for a while.

It goes on till their egos become so big that it consumes them for want of any other prey left to feed on. * Now it is getting difficult to keep my blood-circulation going.

* Keeping the earth pollution free is also a serious responsibility.

You have heard of Noise pollution? * Some words to those who profess that this world is an illusion: Dont spend so much time in the inward movement that you forget all about the earth on which we exist.

Too much focus on illusions and delusions - missing the actuality.

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By harping on illusions and delusions you get too focused in "denial".

Everything in the universe is very real.

When you say illusions and delusion, I ask, in reference to what?

* Males are predatory animals. This is a sad fact. Most of us would not miss out on a safe possibility of taking a female in our arms. The number of sexual escapades happening in families and friend circles are just too many to make the males think otherwise.

What I have not understood in this life is the need to force oneself on an unwilling female. There are willing ones waiting to be seduced at any given time.

* There are things that don’t work by telling.

Don’t women know that the very view of their curves is a trigger? Are they that naive? If they think not, then why all this waste of resources on accentuating their plumage? * We all have the right & freedom to be whatever we please to be and do; right? But so do the others. And where are the rights and freedom being respected; in which sphere of life?

* It is so difficult to have a “professional” conversation in India. I am referring to the part when people can talk only from a personal point of view – even on technical matters.

I have noticed and observed this very deeply that there is a need to “defend” one-self uppermost in all minds; the need to be seen as nice and faultless is the prime and most important factor. I say India but I am sure it is not limited to the Indian condition. As part of human nature it would be prevalent wherever humans abide.

Even a simple question like – ‘are you going to leave this undone?’ gets a response like: I have been doing this for 20 years, I know what I am doing.

My feeling is that I never seem to get the answer to my precise question. The answer is always based on what the other person thinks I want to or need to hear.

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And if you have the courage to show your irritation and be curt and insistent, you are immediately labeled as “Impossible” at best and a “diabolo” at worst.

Mostly I see this where EQ is not very highly evolved.

This also gets translated into not being able to take directions – not doing things as needed by the customer always interfering mentally by doing things by personal preference and habit - always arguing and putting all energy into making the other person see things in the form they are comfortable with or fits well in their personal agenda.

Often the only way left to get anything done one’s own way is to put your foot down hard – refuse to entertain their lecture & explanations. But careful; this could also mean an automatic response of sulk and often a deliberate subconscious harming by spoiling everything.

I have had to send away some people lately as their minds and ears were totally shut off.

I can also understand why I put off people and many do not want to remain on talking terms with me ever after.

* This continuous harping to find a mate that would lead to happiness that would lead to families, purchases, the grand life...economics of the industrial revolution…….suffocating.

* We are all looking for people interested in us. Rather stupid in this self-centered world. The traffic is all in one predictable direction.

* I sat back to understand what all had shaped my life and found that my inherent wish to be "accepted" was at the root of all my decisions along with the fear of consequences if I let myself go. * We have more fears than dreams powering us.

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* Anything by itself is a sword - too much of anything can be destructive. * The abstract thoughts that I have developed through reading good fiction has helped me more than all the other "revealings" and guide books. Then I transposed all the fictional possibilities into my life's happenings and understood the hidden meanings.

* We start with the assumption that kids are an extension of our lives. The basic assumption is wrong. Then we rarely realise that for the child it is a learning process while for adults it is a boring routine. Parents need to rise above their likes and wants and live for the child totally immersed in their personas as if nothing else matters.

* Are you discounting my "stress" levels that I am so proud of and I have so ardently created around myself to sound important? * Some are aiming for the crown of the king of unhappy people. They want to be appreciated for their stoic ability to take on this suffering world. Better to not want to cure their ills.

* The pride of being associated with superlative things is of no use if the world does not know about it: Thereby this need to show off. There is a lot of self-appreciation involved.

Like somebody at the Bolshoi or a concert by Yehudi Menuhin and busy posting pics on Facebook or connecting to a friend to let them know where they are. In their own minds they are doing things that are considered superlative and by association are superlative, but all this would be useless if all did not know about it!

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* Your freedom stops where my nose begins and there too many noses around me and too close

* We rarely give importance to the fact that hope matters only with "learning" otherwise it becomes a trap wherein you repeat your past over and over , maybe with slight superficial modifications but no real change. Essentially you are living on the hopeful possibility that "something" will change and new results will be obtained from the same experiment - always blaming external factors for the failures.

Hope becomes an instrument of change and growth only when you also dispassionately study the subject/project you are on and your place in the scheme of things and then go ahead, ready to learn from mistakes.

* Posters saying "go for it", "be yourself", "leave and look elsewhere if you are not happy" are everywhere. But are they the solution?

Life puts us in places with a calculation that is way beyond our understanding and control. There is no running away and no point in delaying the inevitable. Make your stand and rip through the situation and come out glowing at the other end of the fabric.

Sometimes we need to stay, without wanting to run; learn our lesson thoroughly even though unpleasant and harsh & we feel like chucking it all.

* Why arranged marriages work.

In anthropological studies of older, wilderness based cultures, it was seen that to prove her worth and value as a woman, she was needed to have a baby. The men were required to hunt and bring home a particular difficult animal AND have a baby too.

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This is today being seen in the modern cultural frame as: Girls acquiring "boy-friends" when literally still overgrown babies themselves. And the boys want a trophy girl on their arms.

Most marriages from love affairs, too, seem to follow this subconscient trend.

I don't find the word “love" very operative here. It is a purely physical thing and the arrogance of youth that goes with it.

If the relationships end in disaster (semblance of) one can understand. Only the babies have to pay for it.

But I console myself that there is a learning process involved and it is all for the good in the long run for the human evolutionary race.

This is one reason why arranged marriages work in India and other closely knit and monitored societies. Firstly the bride is well chosen by elders (or at least there is a semblance of correct choosing for the most part) and secondly even if the partner is no good as the natural choice of the individuals, at least there is somebody there to play with. In the final analysis, proximity always wins.

For finally after a long life, all realize that they all feel the same and give the same pleasure and pains. The emotional and spiritual bonding comes later.

So everybody, including the mother-in-law is happy and the family name goes on.

* How does it matter if someone decides that someone is not good enough and breaks off contact? I would see it as a relief. One person less to worry about or try to balance out with.

* People are analysts and calculating everything needed or not. I have to keep reminding them - Relax, we'll cross the bridge when it comes.

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* Ah, life would have been so much less turbulent without these wives and mothers analysing us for things that they are responsible to begin with and we cannot dare tell them.

Women just can’t stand realists.

* The very fact that they are criticising shows that they do not "know". First they have no business to poke their nose in anyone’s affairs and then on what grounds do they feel that they know better or are better judges?!

* But we love to play the “wounded warrior" to attract pity.

Often where our vanities are hurt, we prefer to keep the wounds alive to give ourselves an excuse for our vengeful behavior or to keep others at bay.

We humans are basically too self-centered to be anything but dysfunctional. …..Why do we dismiss new ideas and thoughts off-hand without a second’s reflection?

-We dismiss because it would be too much effort to rearrange our programming; not seen as worth it.

"I’m a firm believer that not everything you do needs an explanation. If you want a tattoo, get one. If you'd rather stay home that night, it’s okay to miss that party. Don’t forget that you’re living for yourself. You don’t owe anyone an explanation for your choices or preferences."

* Jostling and pushing and behaving even in a crowd as if nobody else was there is a gift that only we Indians have.

* Now I have seen everything.

Shoulder to shoulder we can create a wall that will protect us from the demons out there.

But collectivity is not our strong-point.

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We prefer the protection and isolation of our castles more.

* Rudeness between men and women: It’s the violence between the sexes resulting from selfish motives. First determine who started it.

What we, as outsiders see is the outburst and none of the insidious arrows that have been simmering below the surface.

* Men complain that women don’t "listen".

My first question is why should they? My second question is why do you think you know better?

OK. For once let us accept that men may know better about worldly affairs and out of affection would like to really do something for their women if they will let them.

But if men really know then they should have learnt by now that women are designed by nature to respond to sweet-talk and that is the route to be taken with them.

* Humans love their miseries and their complaining.

Once the Lord gave Saint Narad permission to free one person from the bonds of life. The poor fellow went around for more than a year and everyone wanted to be free but would not be ready to go with him.

Narad returned back to the Lord, chastened and wiser.

* How careful are we when teaching our children about life? This life and world are wonderful and we cocoon them into a false sense of security.

I think we should also bring it to their attention as and when occasion permits that life also harbours devilish people and situations can turn ugly when we allow ourselves to fall into the clutches of others.

We can learn a lot from movies.

For example: what moral sense in the first place?

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When I see scenes in a movie like - the lady shouting " let me go" or "please don’t hurt my kid" or " I am not well, I need my meds" - all these scenes having one theme in common - supplicating to the better feelings and morals of men who live by hurting others.

What a joke!

"Nothing personal" they respond.

Second example: Taunting and spitting into the face of the aggressor. The right thing to do is - When you are in the clutches of others you try to take down his alertness and then finds means of escape.

No harm I would say to let our children understand that there kind and wonderful people and yet there is always an undercurrent of self-contentedness and promises are made to be broken - specially the ones like "I love you forever"

* If only we could see ourselves. We put up blocks in our own so emphatically that onlookers often wonder what we have against our own benefit.

Specially this is true when we make everything a point of contention and self-respect. We allow so many prejudices built into our attitudes to overtake our reason that we become more and more insistent to stand our grounds-ofmisunderstanding rather than shift gears and move ahead.

* The fact remains that people won't let others finish a sentence. They are in a hurry to say their thing.

It is the psychology of the process that is so interesting.

Our egos, prejudices, impatience and resistance to anything new + aggressiveness - all go into creating this stupid way of responding

* The mind is a coordinating box. It works on the info supplied to it and parameters set for it. Blaming it is like faulting the computer for the posts that we put on FB.

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* There is a huge sub conscious pattern deciding things for us from behind the scenes in which our egoistic and selfish side influences all our decisions and attitude. WE do not see it and refuse to recognise it but we are in a dim way aware that there are some influences in all of us that we call moods at work. This is precisely that a Yogi, who has decided to go looking for the Self, begins by becoming aware of. Thru this it is possible to discover all the hidden elements that influence our being - and we eventually realise that the things we call "I", really is just a butterfly that will soon be gone - a chimera.

* People see misfortunes because they are focussing on them. I feel it makes them feel more important - not that I understand why. Perhaps it distinguishes them as special with greater problems than others and see: how well and better they cope - the saints that they are!

* Life is a message.

We come into life and there is only one predominant thought ruling our lives – give life to our wishes.

Life is in reality a message. The rumblings of life are the messengers.

The sooner we pay attention to them and listen to the message the sooner our wishes will come true.

* We worry too much on what others do and pay not an iota of thought to the quakes & vibes we are unleashing in an unending stream

* Our perceptions are normally rather self centered and cannot be relied upon to lead us to the correct logistics of a situation.

Most people, some more ardently, use displeasure to control others.

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* Can we please everybody? Yes! People have standards. The first of these being that you shall only praise them.

The second being that you should live by their standards.

So simple yet people behave in funny ways and insist in making themselves unlikable by their standard.

Sarcastically speaking - After all isn't it the polite thing to do? * We anchor our lives on what others will think.

Why would others want to think of or for me is a wonder in this selfish self-centered world.

* We really need to learn to avoid convenience and taste as the guiding factor in our selections of food.

* I think that that too much money and insurance does make one weak in spirit. We start depending on the system rather than grow as a person and depend on our knowledge of life and our inclination to learn about skills to manage in this world of huge possibilities.

The joke is on the choices we make. We rarely know when to stop and be happy with our own selves. The effort that should go into learning goes into showing off. It is a skewed balance. The big question is how can this be corrected?

* Our indolence and not wanting to do our part is absolute.

As it is, Indians have no idea or understanding of logistics.

We plan more on the Dependence on Miracles by God than laws of numbers and physics.

Our lack of planning and maintenance is legendary.

I give an everyday example which I have seen happening every single time. They never seem to learn - they will 88

bring the heavy & HOT casserole to the dinning table and then with it in their hands start looking for something to place it on so that the laminate of the table is not damaged.

Somebody has to then run to find and get something. This done, then they will all sit down to eat and THEN they will realise that they forgot to bring the serving spoons.....etc etc

* And we arrogantly call ourselves "individuals".

We refuse to see ourselves just as another leaf on the tree along with many others.

Ignorance is the foundation. None of us thinks of ourselves as ignorant - otherwise there would be no arrogance.

* 99% are never alone enough to take time to reflect. And when they are alone perchance, they get so disturbed that they busy themselves with rearranging the furniture.

Forgetting their lives seems to be their sole occupation.

They are nothing without the crowd and their objects.

Sad isn’t it?

* Divorce and its complications: I have been poring over this question from many angles including the legal one.

The problem I feel that society is facing is that of property share in marriage and the eventual responsibility of children.

The marriage itself is sanctified by religion and as it happens in India, separation should be allowed as easily.

But it has never been so simple.

The problem is that women have to be taken care of. The children have to be taken care of. There is ownership involved. Properties come in dowry and income normally came from the men.

So finally it all boils down to share of the funds more than the business of two people living together. And that is tricky. The concept of divorce and easy Divorce at that on the basis incompatibility has complicated affairs.

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One good method of avoiding pain and conflict was to take lenient views on relationships but taking a strict view on the permanency of marriage. For instance the practice of "affairs" or taking more than one wife or leaving separately without legally breaking up - all these took care of all the problems that can arise and worked well. As far as I can see they still work very well.

The situation has been worsened by the policing and courts making it a bitter tangle.

* This is life.

WE can relax but the sharks don’t sleep.

You can rise above the storm but it is always swirling at your feet to swallow you in.

* From the governing bodies to the urchins in the street, there is violence in the air.

Nobody wants to listen to others or care or help. The greedy-grasping and quarreling with extreme prejudice is so heavily weighing in the air.......

* Hitler in small doses. We were so smug that we have killed the Cancer - That humanity has learnt its lessons The terror and horror will now go from this earth. Yet, we ignore that The Same Spirit is active in smaller but greater force and now it has spread and multiplied all over the globe.

Napoleon Bonaparte would have been amused.

The first time this kind of scene happened in Europe, it resulted in the Bastille being brought down.

Humanity hasn't learnt much in the interim period.

Even Hitlerian episodes failed to make a dent in the ruling class's thinking and attitude.

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* In the pragmatic world, there are certain realities that we can ignore and most often we live in our heads, viewing life with colored spectacles with labels of good and bad being attached to everything and everybody.

I think we are not harsh enough with reality. We believe what we want and is comfortable to us and explain it away with beautiful words.

What I am talking of is Applied Psychology.

This is life and we need to accept it before we can go beyond it.

* Can you say with certainty and humility that you are not one from the crowd? That you are already an identifiable entity with an individuality – that is not swayed by the weather, the TV adverts, of what your boss or wife says and when every time you see gold, you don’t desire any nor envy those who have it? How often do you get irritated on being denied or faulted? Or pleased with flattery etc etc

* With humans, the things to do and the things to say are rarely the same. People speak mostly with only one idea: "appropriate for this moment" - conveniently forgotten immediately after.

Every time we speak, even in our daily lives, mother to child, doctor to patient, friend to friend - the most simple words...... can do great good or harm. It is more a point of telling them that every word uttered can interfere with the destiny of others.

* At the human level, as humans understand love, if you make them feel free, they interpret it as not made to feel "needed". They expect you to make a fool of yourself in the bargain. The human equivalent of "ardent".

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* Sub conscious patterns rule our behavior. So training programs have to be more compulsive then just lectures.

The old patterns have to be superimposed by new ones.

Habits need time and repetition to ingrain.

Audio visual self-shows are a great help in learning about our own selves.

* The first thing to be taught is to listen helpfully; regardless of the situation.

Then speak without contradicting. Lastly try to go deep into the discussion to find acceptable solutions to differences. * Ah.LiIfe! Our study and understanding of it!! And our expectations.!!! * YET people get agitated when life offers moments of "quiet" and our culture is of people urging their children to get up, go out and do something. * We talk of freedom and pity of those behind bars. But I question the so called freedom we live in. There are constraints of all kinds. The very first is that you have no space of your own in a family. The second is that the income that you can generate is not always in your hands.

Sooner or later you realise that there is nobody standing by you and you have to brave it alone. Even your body is not with you just because it cannot any more. Today if there is a wish to make changes to suit present needs, can we? The laws of the land, the social and other constraints are like ball and chains.

Freedom is so relative a concept.

People who have been in prison for long, with nothing to worry about like food, lodging etc, find it daunting and terrifying when they are released. The first impulse of most of them is to go back. * Why do we first partner for life but soon end up wanting separation?

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When we live at the instinctive level, without using our reasoning faculty, we tend to be self-centered. We let our Irritations, Aggravations and Prejudices to easily get a hold of us. The more we think about the elements that are spoiling our life the more we boil.

We then want our partner to boil over too, expecting the partner to become a parallel personality doing our bidding and living for no other aim in life than that.

Is that reasonable?

We do the same in friendships. We want the friendship but will not let our life be put out and be disturbed by the demands of time and adjustments to enjoy the friendship – no wonder Facebook is so popular.

* The arrogance is in the point that we can solve it all in our present condition. Of course we have the seed to solve all riddles but are we ready - is the question.

On hunger, poverty and population explosion: I have never understood people who have nothing, not even hope but they keep on bringing more people into this world to share their misery. Then they are the loudest to demand as of right, complain and curse God and everything else. I can honestly say even “we� of today have no respect regard or compassion for them.

* When we take the position of explaining away everything by making it look insignificant, for example by pointing out exceptions, we kill the possibility of the seed of the concept in a worded thought to take roots. It works as a defense mechanism to change and also serves to show off our wisdom.

* ....and we complain of headaches and lack of time, the moment a little burden is put on our time and effort.

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* Good or bad, whatever the chain of events or circumstances, in ignorance maybe...finally it is always us – the responsibility is ours.

The moment we accept this, we open new doors to a wider and wonderful vista.

* At the human level upto the realised person and the thousand and one possibilities between the two, the word love is understood in as many ways.

Let us be a little more precise.

Is it passion, prejudices or love?

* The moment we find a sexual partner, the rest of the world/existence loses meaning. This becomes the overriding goal of life for which we are prepared to sell our soul. And then we become busy in having more and more perpetuating our misery not only on ourselves and the world around us but also on a whole new breed of children.

First they enter marriage and cant keep to their vows. Then they have children they dont really want. My grouse is Why is extramarital affair construed as cheating but not bringing children up properly or mal-treating them is not considered as malefic/irresponsible? Why and on what grounds divorce is allowed when there are children to care for?

* The problem with all personality tests is that we are not one persona but a conglomeration of many. Which persona is in majority at the time of giving a test is important!

This can be commonly perceived all around us. If you ask me for a loan when I am upset, or angry or in love - in all three situations I will tend to respond differently.

* By the way DOGMA should read as "rigid" thinking. It is not connected to religion alone.

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Many ancestral families follow some dogma or the other.

They live like cults, based on principles that all have forgotten the source of.

The average person does not want to think – this is the danger of dogma.

* Finally it is all for oneself only and above all. Selfish aims, good excuses and moral rot are what motivate mankind Exactly what these acts achieve is never questioned by the perpetrators.

I see in today’s newspaper, school children killed (shot indiscriminately) in their beds. These people can’t be human. Demons in human form. The Lanka of Ramayana is alive and doing well - even prospering.

* If we look a little deeper, we shall discover that lives simply dont matter to anyone. It is selfishness all the way through. Most people do not even take their own lives seriously - only their wishes/desires/pride matters.

* Most humans find too much beauty on this large scale too big for them so they prefer building small houses and gardens to fit their smallness in.

* I have been noticing since the last I can remember and have seen around me, that all women/wives ardently desire a home but at the same time some elemental force within them, goads them to continuously needle their men; a kind of "don’t you forget who rules here & and don’t you dare forget my importance in the scheme of things"!

Why? Why not spend all their energies in being happy, focus on all the joyful happenings around them, being thankful for a provider or supporting friend and a home to raise their beautiful children in? (This I focus only on the 95

homes where the men are kind and considerate and prepared to make an effort)

* We are playing “Catch the Shadow� with our selves. Like icebergs we hide more than we care to admit and show above the surface. How much is hidden away and what we permit others to see - the quest for the answer to this query can lead us to great learning about us and the world we are in.

* Very few have the education and culture to manage on their own so the society and community is the only general solution. Marriage as an institution is still a great need and I don’t see this need changing for some time - at least not till the human race evolves into a more responsible and disciplined one.

Otherwise mayhem would ensue. See what is happening in terms degenerate behavior now that people have more opportunities and possibilities. * The issue is Honor and Pride. The question is what of?

Even from the most materialistic angle what honor is there in raping children, lynching children and burning brides and what pride in being a poor farmer living in a mud house?

And how can anyone think so harshly of the child specially of one's own child that one has raised, hopefully with love.

The thought behind it all is what hurts - lowliness of the quality of our consciousness levels.

I speak of India because I know India and as I live here, I wish to raise the issue that it is not the murder and rapes but the general level of our thinking and attitudes of callousness - specially where teachings and practices are supposed to be of a higher order..

Just think .....lynching one's own child just because he/she is not listening to us and not prepared to go along with our wishes! Are we parents or Demons?

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* When shallow spirits become full of academic knowledge, we get intellectuals who think they have the right to all opinions/feelings and we must not digress from the path they have laid out. The arrogance of the human mind that it can explain and correctly rationalise everything so there is really no problem for us, the simpletons, to worry about.

Leaders or people with initiative can disturb the semblance of order in people's lives. So the crowds put all their energies in blocking their way and if necessary hurt them to stop them.

Lies and innuendos are good weapons and outright blame is also used.

* The knowledgeable ones never feel the need to defend or explain anything. They know the place of everything – in relationship to other things.

They are often the most viciously attacked by the ones who don’t see beyond their noses. They get blamed for things they did not do as their acts are always misunderstood or as the world would say: they were in the wrong place at the right time.

* Our bodies are wonderfully beautiful & graceful products - refined and perfected over millions of years.

But we do funny and horrifying things to it just to be seen as different or prettier.

We brought the people together through technology but without preparing them for the crowding that would ensue.

Now we have more opportunities to unleash our stupidities & latent propensities.

* The tragedy, shame and torture of the BURQUA. A demonic invention.

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Humans have this barbaric streak and it will show in every way and instance where even the lightest possibility exists.

People don’t even spare their own children.

Religion, belief in A Super Creator, fearsome entities like demons and devils, fear of afterlife etc are a beautiful pipeline and the clever ones know it.

* On Beauty pageants: What is so grand about a nice looking female? They are all beautiful and form 50% of us. Why single out one as pretty is what bothers me because I don’t understand how they are able to do it. * The world will collapse due to too much wishful thinking by basically stupid EQ people but with high IQ. * We are far too busy noticing others to check if they are noticing us.

So obviously nobody is noticing anybody. * Remember death cannot be shared, will not be shared – they are happy to see you go...this thought can be a damper to some and enlightening to others....just consider for once that all those you consider as "yours", will they come forward to share their life-term?

Everyone, finally, lives for themselves and for their own agendas.

* The parents who brought up these animals should also be punished.

Then one day the spoilt generations of brats that we are bringing up since thousands of years may stop.

It is now high time that a higher conscious was brought into play in 0ur management of the country. Some rules are sorely needed in voting and child “birthings” so that only the better educated and capacity to provide properly for the kids are allowed to proliferate.

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* Our biggest wish is to be better than our neighbor - we are far too busy showing off than being friendly.

* Have you ever observed how your mind works and what are the powers behind it?

It is an accepted fact that the mind works like a repetitive unit going round and round on the data it has been fed.

It is designed to fight-off anything else. Everyone is "positive" about the data they are living upon.

Everyone feels they know and understand and see things correctly and know. All the world needs to do is to listen to them.

* People spend more time and consideration in selecting their toilet soap than the food/medication they ingest.

What studies and activities have you put in to improve the quality of your life? Such as subjects: naturopathy, indoor pollution, industrial effluents that come to us through water etc There is too much positivity already. Our wishful thinking is just that. What the human race needs is reality. The ability to see without interference and be sincere enough to accept truly without distortion.

* People need help in activities that boost their egos.

Very few people REALLY NEED help. It is either that you do it for them the way they want it with all their preferences and prejudices rolled into it or nothing. I see people asking for assistance and support but not "help" - energy that they squander to their heart's content.

The ones who truly need help rarely ask for it.

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* We are too busy fitting ourselves into a pattern acceptable by all and sundry.

But is it at all practical to live without keeping in mind what others will think?

How to achieve this balance that is needed between others and our personal philosophy?

* You have to create the opportunities for the children to discover where their Soul is leading them. The best scenario is where their 6th sense is allowed to be prominent and prevail because that is in alignment with their destiny.

At the same time running parallel to all this should be the educating part where we pass on what we have learnt from life - unfortunately parents pass more of their fears and prejudices than their learning - that is if they have learnt anything in the first place.

* My experience is that discovery happens when gratitude enters the equation of our attitudes - which unfortunately are tinged rather highly with arrogance.

Gratitude with the kind of persona make-up we have is not a simple matter. It would require a big dose of modesty and non-involvement attitude which is anathema for the Vanity that goads us along.

* What is the point of complaining and calling them “liars�.

If you think by shouting at them you are making any difference and they will change their ways, you are mistaken. It is we who are at fault because we are the fools who desperately want to believe in them for our convenience.

Liars normally are known to be so because they are always lying.

What else did you expect?

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* This is a continued mystery. How people think others will change because we advise them to? While we perceive all advice as threats and insults.

* Between the lowest and the highest position, there are many spots the yo-yo would love stopping at but that is normally not possible. It has to be one extreme or the other.

And I agree that life is quite similar. The lovely passages in between are too fleeting and impermanent.

Life is either so darned funny or so maddeningly sad...nothing in between.

* Finally what really matters is finding the point where your life is in balance from your point of view.

This is wrong, that is right, this is good and this is bad - are all mental concepts - very particular to oneself. * Everything is in its place as required to balance out the world as it is today. What we accept in our lives is the culmination of many many factors that often the individual himself does not know.

So let us not judge and make rules.

Allow, encourage, even help others live their lives as they wish to. Assist them in understanding what they are as yet not aware of - but never impose nor feel bad or offended when they do not wish to change their ways and views.

The chances are that none will change and we must learn to go around that.

* Humans send out signals because they can't help being vane about how grand they are. Everyone does it at their level of maturity. Unfortunately we end up attracting a wave of influences that we have no understanding about.

This Universe is not just the few things we see. There are wheels within wheels and forces outside our knowledge that run these wheels.

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* Our own nature is part of their instrument that they use to manipulate us and all the drama enacted thru us. We may not like or love it but we are instruments and not doing much to get out of these clutches - rather as I see it we play into their hands gleefully. * Can you believe it? The secret sacred science of Tantra and dangerous science that it incorporates, is now just an excuse for a holiday? Hotel resorts offering Tantric experiences just like that!

I am seeing our Vedic, and Buddhist paths going the same way.

Everything finally gets reduced to the pleasure principle. http://tantric-goddess.org/tantric_holiday.html * On democracy.

It was the gullibility of the masses that ever made them think that they will be given a say.

It’s like expecting the typist to influence the decisions in the board room.

Never was, never can be.

* Tantra, Tantric and Stupidity Tantra means "hidden" - that is not so evidently visible.

Loosely translated in English as Occult.

Of course there is a whole science and practices to learn to see behind the curtain and even control elements thru certain processes - but this is all another matter.

I bring up the point that there are Universally active Forces that use undeveloped minds to their own ends.

A lot of men know how to subvert these forces to their ends.

Mostly it is just a question of degree - all of us use our powers whatever they are.

In passing for example I would say, the one basic force that is active in India are the beings that control the activity of what we would term "stupidity"; these forces can subvert whole swathes of humanity to play to their tune.

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In the same manner I would say that Governments all over are being influenced by Beings who love war. etc etc If you study the Occult/Tantric side of life, you'll find‌‌...

People with untrained, un-controlled/disciplined minds with no mental will except small immediate desires lend themselves like open sieves to forces from the other worlds whose only aim is to cause pain and turbulence in human affairs. They feed on the emotional mayhem energy. The more violent, the better.

There is a corollary to this. This pain also helps the world to out perform and grow into a mature life but very very slowly - one inch every few hundred years.

People who lead smug and comfortable lives, not in the habit of using their minds outside the rules frame-work they have been raised in, living like dulled automats, with their limited lives etc with little or no exposure to the world of efforts are specially vulnerable to being used as instruments.

* Most poor people continue to be poor because they are not in the habit of using their minds outside the rules framework they have been raised in, living like dulled automats, with their limited lives etc with little or no exposure to the world of efforts; these people are specially vulnerable.

They do not put efforts to learn, acquire skills or change with the times.

In India today more and more people are acquiring Degrees but no skills. They have a lot of theoretical information of rather unconnected stream which would not support practical usage; But they do not know that as they have not tried their knowledge out in practice. They do not even learn to communicate outside their local dialect, yet they wish to be players on the international arena.

It is my concrete experience that humans regularly do the diametrically opposite of what should be done.

The great surprise is that yet the Creation bumbles along forward.

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* The Game of Words.

Firstly all pictures we paint with words are approximations that the experiences of each of us picturises in reference to one’s own self.

Secondly it easily becomes a game of verbal literal chess when our vanities are influencing our statements and responses.

Lastly we are most of us aware that we cannot “see” or “make see” through words but refuse to accept the limitations imposed by our own language abilities that are mostly below par.

* The people I am most scared of are those who are “UNCOMFORTABLE” for me, on my behalf. They are so sure of what is the right thing for me and to do for me. They even presume that I would be happy if they did it for me.

And then they insist – ah, so politely.

All that enthuses them must of course be what enthuses me.

And if it is family, then of course they know exactly what is to be done by Divine right; I am amused. By human right I wish to run away into the nearest rain forest – into that little hut I have made for myself in the glen.

* I have seen people realise the truth or reality of certain aspects in their lives. For a short period they even spout the great change that they are going to incorporate in their lives. But soon they rationalise and justify their past stands as the more valid and slip back into their old selves and comfortable habits, quite certain that they never were really off the right track anyway.

The more aware also fall into this trap with the same ease.

Example: After accidents and serious bout of sickness like strokes.

Example: Losing temper due to impatience – not listening – even when events have shown how disastrous it can be.

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* It is all a matter of evolution. The natural moral is the right thing obviously but the instruments are not ready.

How to educate, instill the consciousness that will permit people to live at the "natural moral/self-responsible" level is and has been the question and as far as I see it will take a few thousand years longer.

The wise man gives the indications and the administrators make rules of them. Then a whole bunch of people are required to police them and this has been the story over and over again.

The secret gets lost in the sea of words.

The people revolt; let their instincts into play again. And the whole game starts all over again with new sages and new generals.

But in all this let us not forget the hand of Mother Nature.

She is not a blind duck. She keeps on balancing the weights with wars here and disasters there.

I feel the most a wise man can do is to not add to the conundrum.

* And if the vision is a mere wish?

Is there anything such as an illusion?

I would say, people see within the limits of their capacity and emancipation.

So, if anything they need to increase the size of their window and travel often outside the confines of their establishment.

There is a definite increase in the fearlessness and disregard to law and peace nowadays. The unregulated spirit goes on rampage at every opportunity. Cases of extreme intolerance and hurting others like kidnaps, rapes, murders, revenge for petty insults share the stage with showing off, display of clout and being reckless for the fun of it are increasing.

This is the nouveau-riche crowd. Senseless, without guidance or proper education.

India's biggest mistake will go down in history as making cars so easily available to all. This is the legacy brought to India by Citibank to start with - easy Credit.

And these ruffians have the biggest cars. Canons out of control.

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* In India, Cars are the rage because having one has been associated in the Indian psyche with the feudal Rajah mentality. Having one is part of the class warfare here. The bigger the better, specially the price tag.

Secondly, earlier without locomotion these ruffian element were localised and their immediate society kept them on a leash.

Now there is nothing to stop them + their exposure to the world's coming and going thru digital means has made them acutely aware of their backwardness and the possibilities of mischief the wide-open world now offers.

Worse; lastly, our policing system is afraid of them and amenable to reason thru cash.

* The bread earning program and car earning program are running side by side. The confusion is best explained by this term "busy". Everyone is busy. No time to relax, eat, think of the future – leave alone plan; it is all a rushing to somewhere not known nor thought out. Totally unstructured living is what I call it. We fill our days with talking about things and people who are not connected with us and couldn’t be bothered in the least.

All we want is that they subscribe to our life-program, forgetting that this is exactly what they are doing for their little lives and are not there to give but to collect too.

It isn't that easy to make someone part with their cash to fund our programs. * We are always permitted to call anybody anything we want, preferably truthfully, but are we prepared for the consequences of their next piece of retort (in words or most probably in act).

The lack of reasonable brain-power is a great deterrent. * We learnt thru good physical training to pay attention and listen to our bodies – this started in childhood. So much so that our bodies tend to override the mind in many decisions 106

and often thru subconscious signals even give the answers to cure episodes of illness.

* We ALWAYS know more than we are ready to accept; both about us and others around us. Evil intentions are acting out around us yet we hope that we shall remain untouched or when we let our propensities loose rein we hope to go unnoticed..

Don’t forget, the Universe is noting everything and everything is being registered in the Karmic Diary. * People who lead smug and comfortable lives, not in the habit of using their minds outside the rules frame-work they have been raised in, living like dulled automats, with their limited lives etc with little or no exposure to the world of efforts are specially vulnerable to being used as instruments.

I bring up the point that there are Universally active Forces that use undeveloped minds to their own ends.

A lot of men know how to subvert these forces to their ends.

Mostly it is just a question of degree - all of us use our powers whatever they are.

In passing for example I would say, the one basic force that is active in India are the beings that control the activity of what we would term "stupidity"; these forces can subvert whole swathes of humanity to play to their tune.

In the same manner I would say that Governments all over are being influenced by Beings who love war. etc etc

* Everyone is family if they will accept or consider you as one.

What I am thinking or/and feeling for others is immaterial.

Human relationships tend to be based on the needs of the moment We are all suffering from the fever of smugness; expecting that the world is there solely to take care of us; that people will think well of us and will do the best for us. We are simply not ready for reality.

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This is what the sages call “illusion”.

Whatever gives us this illusion that doctors, priests, counselors, teachers, superiors, parents, friends and all are always working and will always act for our best?

The truth = Everyone is basically kind but they have their self-interest uppermost motivating them. And they may not even know what is the best for you. But they always know what is best for them and this is always the primary “raison d’etre” of their behavior.

* Yes, simply-said, keep it simple and enjoy the simple joys offered by life.

But the degenerate human wants to complicate - loves to complicate - and finds beauty in complications - it is so easy to hide within the mess I suppose.!

* When the standard has been made "money" values have no place. * Some can only give service and they are not respected.

Others can only give companionship and they are considered dregs.

Your life long devotion is worth only a sea shell.

We forget the way and those who helped us on the way.

* Some people, most rather, see life in small isolated frames. They either don’t or do not want to see the cross connections and the panoramic view.

I wonder how they are able to do it and yet feel comfortable.

* Most of the world's populace has no idea what thoughts exist outside their little lives. They accept what they are born into. Because their thoughts do not trouble them, they seek not further.

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They may be in a state of discomfort & displeasure but do not see anything horrific. They have no idea that anything else exists.

And normally there is no great curiosity to know more. * Independence is just a word. We are all slaves in some way or other. * There is psychology and then there are moral principles.

Objectivity is needed when we study these two subjects.

What is and what ought to be are two different things.

* Only when the ego gets individualised through a more informed mind that the problem of me & mine arises so much so that I, Independence and Freedom become sore points.

The world at large is not affected by this illness. Those that are will need to go beyond the mind to find peace and contentment.

Most people just accept their fate and bumble along.

Grateful for the small mercies.

* The arrogance of the modern mind insists that “I will decide�; everything that comes to me or that goes from me – I will decide.

Unfortunately life does not roll-out this way.

Whatever your laws, constitution, sages and religions say, there is a give and take and we have no control over the over-all circumstances. Stronger physical forces have an advantage and they are being constantly used/misused.

The intelligent amongst us are able to negotiate a better offer. But that is all.

* The women have no right of self determination and are sexual slaves. Are they?

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Women have never bothered much how many wives a man has, nor bothered much about a little sexual exploitation. As long as they are provided for and given proper care, they are quite prepared to overlook other things. Safety and security is first on their minds - since ages this has been the first need.

Monogamy started long before the humans (even in Apes) because it was required to protect the children. Without family there is no continuation. There are pros and cons to all possibilities in relationships.

So everything is has a place and let us be understanding about it.

It is also true that men need to sow more than one seed.

And all women are not available physiologically all the time, so the necessity to have more than one around. It is actually good for the women. It gives them respite from too much attention.

Running away from unpleasant situations or relationships is not that easy.

There are laws, necessities, obligations, lack of options - all have to be considered and most of the time the need for an income traps you in a situation. Then there is laziness and wishful thinking to add to the cauldron. Hoping against hope is the worst.

* The rulers never gave anything away. The sloth in the populace permits leaders to entrench themselves. The populace is happy with its few comforts and aspirations of washing machines and dishwashers. The rich become rich because they are clever, ruthless and put a lot of time in studying the science of life to manipulate it to their benefit.

When comfortable, the populace can only think of having babies for whose upbringing they do not have the means nor wisdom/knowledge nor any long-term plan; thereby they perpetuate their misery happily and even gratefully.

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* I am more stressed by the mental workings of my wife than God’s retributions. * Happiness sharing is a myth. You can't share. People all around are living in their own bubbles and sharing is all pretend. * The world just went passing by, Never asking how Nor wishing Hi. People talk of endearments who's asking and why?

-PK

* A little study of children and it becomes obvious that we adults ardently chase "complications" in life.

Why? ...to show-off how special & exclusive we are?

* I have often talked about the need to live a little less vehemently. Which means inwardly like speaking less and thinking in ones mind in silence and even acting without announcing it all.

But I now see that this state cannot be normal for all. Most of us need to exteriorise ourselves other wise we shall drown in our own morbidity - often ending in schizo states/suicides.

Then there are also those who externalise themselves to such an extent that it ends up in another kind of self-sold morbidity - often ending in schizo states/suicides.

Now how do we balance it all?

* I am a child of the wind, Nurtured by the sun; Fed by streams, rains 111

And the lolling plains.

Claiming boards announce How by Man they are By some laws acquired Parcelled & barb-wired.

Ownership is from names That will soon be seen On granite over the plains Washed by the same rains.

Sea shells change hands; To sit in the sun today.

Breathe some fresh air Or simply laze out there.

Wither shall I go To pick these shells?

I never learnt the way, Who’ll teach me today?

* Children are rarely being thought of when they happen.

What the People get together for is the compelling coupling. Then when children come, they pretend it is the culmination of their love.

It is all pretend after that - till the children win their hearts and devotion.

But most people even with all the goodwill in the world are not educated, trained or conscious enough to be selflessly kind parents. * Then finally, aren't women making it difficult for men to contain their libido? Why does the world go out to titillate yet expecting all males to be saints?

* Life is one long string of problems with short spaces in between. Some people have long spaces and some very short ones.

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* Now what have you fooled yourself into? * Where their little world is concerned, they are all very clever * This running around temples has always been an insane concept for me

* What Indians need is the idea of sharing and I suppose this would be true for all humans - living in economy together The pettiness of human nature is in evidence more and more as science delivers more and more “fun objects� you live with.. If we can’t go beyond our petty self-centeredness - even for our own child, we are beyond redemption. An extension of the demonic spirit - a cockroach that merits being squashed.

* Psychological habits rule us.

In our occult psychology I explain it as the permitting of occult entities to use us as pathways and then overtaking our persona. * It simply needs a bit of awareness from our end to notice that often we, use words, and react to end up doing certain actions that are really not "us".

Something that is a hidden and not so evident part of us and we are not prepared to admit of its existence.

* The illiterate know it all. The ignorant live in bliss. We who left our confines by opening our minds are in continual jitters.

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* Practice minimalism in spiritual education of the masses. * A good strong cup of coffee at sundown and one at sun up are the best teachers and of course sips all along the day every now and then.

Nothing then looks ever out of place or stressful or needing change/improvement. It is pure bliss.

* To many, who are cocksure, the possibility of a contrary view simply never occurs. It even sounds like blasphemy.

To them their act belongs in the category of "revelation" anyone not accepting has to be a "low-life" * We acquire many presumptions on which we base our decisions. Presumptions that would take you off onto the wrong track. Recheck your list presumptions in your life. * JOY Do we ever question the child's spontaneous joy in simple colors and movements even when repeated a million times?

How is it that a child can be so happy and yet for the same we remain unmoved and bored.

* For that matter, I find nothing is an accident and if we are aware and a little open, perhaps even wise by not being self-centered - every thing can be seen as a source for benefit or turned around to one's profit.

* A lot of us are vehemently virtuous and keep on telling the world how we hate lies.

I say - show me one person who has never lied.

And then what about the lies we are telling ourselves all the time 114

The author in Rishikesh.

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