Calmness

My guru asked me whether, while meditating, time is slow to pass or passes quickly without my noticing it. And I realized that this is the measure of how successful your first level of meditation is. Some people struggle to sit for those few minutes and some lose track of time.

The latter happens when you actually start enjoying the meditation, when you become peaceful, not necessarily because all thoughts stop but because you learn to observe your thoughts dispassionately. And don’t allow them to affect your inner calm and peace.

People misunderstand the concept of meditation and think it is going to be a drastic and permanent shift. But it won’t be though you CAN increase your hours of meditation gradually to times when you are working, eating, even conversing, by keeping your inner core unaffected and steady with calmness.

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

SpeakingtreeBlog: www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari

Quote of the day

Cyclical effect

Everything within our mind rests on the root cause which transforms into effect. Half the population in this world suffers from depression, for example. But there is always a root cause, a place where it started. We are unable to identify it many a time because of the opacity of the many layers surrounding it due to the cyclical effect of cause and effect.

Still, if we could even put our ego aside for a while and then try and go back to the root cause, it might be possible to identify it. Very often, it is minuscule but becomes a mountain with successive attacks by the ego.

The appearance of the actual cause can miraculously clear the path for eradication of the root cause. That is why, in the language of the healers, reliving is releasing.

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

Speakingtree Blog: 

www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari

Space

Spaces really intrigues me. I have lived in all shapes and sizes of homes with small rooms and not so small rooms. People say space defines a human being. I wonder? Does it really?

I would rather concentrate on the space within. I have seen highly spiritual people live within a very tiny space. And I have also seen people living in mansions whose inner space is very small and restricted.

Sometimes, I think the larger the space within; the less is the desire to acquire external space. Because any space which is external would be limited as compared to our inner "Akash". Anyway, it's not as if the acquisition of a humongous amount of space would be put to good use. It would probably be a constantly inflating ego that would occupy the large space and reside there indefinitely, and sometimes permanently.

Whereas, the deeper memories are of small homes filled with love and warmth, a small kitchen with just two items cooked lovingly, of dormitory style sleeping amidst giggles and much joy. Of elders becoming like kids amidst kids. And who also taught us the meaning of life in all its simplicity where people loved people and used things.

Today, people are used and things are loved and times will change again and yet again.

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

SpeakingtreeBlog: www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari

Introspection

At some point in time, we have to answer one important question to ourselves, and that is, what does each of us stand for? This introspection is most important for those who don't have a perspective or have not explored this within themselves.

We don't realize that our self esteem largely depends on this. When you don't take a stand or your stand is that you don't want to take a stand at all is when you are divided into several people within yourselves, each saying a different thing and initiating a perpetual tug of war.

To live meaningfully, it is essential to live by a set of rules, ideologies, norms and goals which determine and define YOU. So, when you are not happy or taking your identity from how others perceive you, you have yet to come into your own.

The idea is not to get swept away by the tide but to use resistance so as to stand upright even around quick sands and when to resist and how much to resist is the evidence of a dawning wisdom and of standing in your own space with conviction.

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

SpeakingtreeBlog: www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari

Realization

I have realized how many little things we take for granted. Is there a guarantee we will wake up the next morning? Do we know for sure that our day is going to unfold as planned? Are we sure that the domestic staff will turn up tomorrow? Is it possible that you have an urgent meeting and the vehicle stops half way? To mention just a few.

Gratitude, therefore, is most important. The person who cleans your restrooms and your home. The one who drives your car, cooks your food. A friend who sits up with you when you are sick. Anyone passing you on the road who smiles at you or saves you from a near accident. Or blesses you without even knowing you....

The bottom line is, NO ONE HAS TO DO ANYTHING FOR YOU...and if they do it, regardless of their motives, we have to thank them as messengers of God. The universe works relentlessly and lovingly. We need to understand the significance and read the language minute to minute.

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

SpeakingtreeBlog: www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari

Sense of humor

Sense of humor! Sigh! If common sense is uncommon, a sense of humor is, too. You know, if you want to remove your blocks within yourself, learn to laugh at yourself about the very things that hurt and angered you earlier.

Today, we are so careful about monitoring our humor. Say the right things. Smile only so much. Facial expressions should be just correct. Oops! How exhausting!

Life is fun! Laugh. Fall and get up to run with exhilaration, with the wind blowing your hair away...feel the raindrops on your cheeks...

...and if people laugh at you, join them and make them laugh more! Be a free spirit...after all, what do you care as long as you are in tune with yourself? Neither our smile nor our happiness should be a bi product of someone else's perceptions. Because I am because I am, not because you think I am.

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

SpeakingtreeBlog: www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari

Confidence

People who are actually reserved or unsure, maybe quiet or even shy tend to get misunderstood as egoistic or arrogant. It is our limitation of the mind that brands them so. Isn't it? Being unable to make them open up to us can also be our weakness.

Life takes different turns for different people and not all of them can have a "don't care" attitude. Some may become introverted, too.

So, next time we see withdrawn people, we should seek them out and try and boost their confidence with our kindness rather than judge them wrongly.

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

SpeakingtreeBlog: www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari

Situations

We don't often understand that often, we are acting out of a habit that has become a repeated pattern. We don't know how to change our responses to similar situations. Just think...if someone said something really unpleasant meant to hurt us and we smiled or even laughed, how would it feel? Wouldn't it free us?

But we won't do that. We will automatically choose to feel hurt, giving people power over us and unable to make a right choice for ourselves. Sometimes, it is good to surprise ourselves by doing something unusual...it can feel very good.

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

SpeakingtreeBlog: www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari