Monday 29 April 2019
Sunday 28 April 2019
Arguments
Arguments are only for winning or losing a
point of view. It becomes a personal issue to be proven right. Never mind the
logicality or authenticity of the point of view.
On the other hand, if you discuss, you may
arrive at what is really the right view. The former is ego driven. The latter,
based on maturity. Because it is all about what is right.
It would be interesting to observe how many
arguments one has had vis a vis how many discussions, nothing like a little
introspection here.
Surekha Kothari
surekhakothari.wordpress.com
Thursday 25 April 2019
Perception of reality
If life can be described as per my
perception of reality, it is a whole lot of phases, of dots that get connected
as you look back. There are periods of transition that come in response to the
saturation of one phase. Something works for a period of time and then they
don't work too well and this is a time for change. And so the process goes on.
But this is not to say there is no
connection. There are links between the phases, or you would not be able to
join the dots later in life. As we mature, we can look back and start
understanding what happened back there. Not that one should live with guilt and
bitterness. Could it have been better? Sure, if YOU knew better! But you
didn't. So, what happened?
Many a time, I hear friends talk with great
guilt after the bereavement of a parent, about not doing their best. “I could
have done better, contacted a better doctor, and been more vigilant".
Could you really have? And they carry this burden on an unrecognizable persona:
THEM. To what end?
This can be only the result of feeling out
of control. But then, we ARE out of control with destiny. It unfolds the way it
must and we start imagining that we could have changed it. Yes, but did you? Could
you? What does this say to you? Even if it had changed the way you wanted,
actually, it was meant to. That's all. Where do you come in? You just try your
best. I have to use the cliche "leave it to God".
We speak of the law of attraction, as if it
works for all of us. If it were that easy, every human being would want to
attain the earth for eternity. So to say, if everyone could take ladder leaps from
the first to the 10th step, why would the ladder have the in between steps at all?
Let's get real.
Surekha Kothari
surekhakothari.wordpress.com
Speakingtree Blog: www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari
Wednesday 24 April 2019
Tuesday 23 April 2019
Karmic bondage
It is very logical that love has to be its
own reward. Because many cannot recognize it and many do not know how to
receive it. Many do not want it either because they don't want the burden of
having to return it. Believe it or not!
You know, you can't give what you don't
have or don't feel. Even if it is hard to accept, the fact is that each
individual journey is a karmic one. If you have close previous karma, you will
receive love from those souls. Need not be in the role of a family member from
where it is naturally expected.
Once, an astrologer told a friend that the
child she had miscarried was a soul who was out for karmic retribution.
Subsequently, the same or similar soul was born to her. And she is constantly
trying to heal herself and that soul. There was no escape.
So, karmic realities from other lives just
have to be experienced and continuously healed. For, there is no blame
anywhere. What goes around come around? If we don't accept this, we can live a
life of misery till our last day.
Of course, if all the people realize this,
we can free ourselves from that karmic chain. But even if one person heals,
that person can get free from karmic bondage.
To believe or not believe this, we need to analyze
our relationships and bring in some wisdom thereafter, if our mission is to be
happy. Otherwise, we continue with our inevitable cycle of cause and effect.
Oscillating like a yoyo between misery and happiness based of the quality of
the karmic fallout.
Surekha Kothari
surekhakothari.wordpress.com
Monday 22 April 2019
Sunday 21 April 2019
Theory of karma
Sometimes, when you think deeply about the
theory of karma, it seems to clash with the theory that the universe is turning
in its own way and by its own rules. And everything is like pieces in a
kaleidoscope. Each time you move it, the pieces form a brilliant new design,
very attractive and beautiful to look at. Some look at the shapes, some at the colors
but the whole design is very pleasing.
Life is just like that but for many, it
becomes dull, colorless, boring, depressing etc. There is no doubt that if life
moves like that, then we are the ones who don't see the colors. Our vision is
defective. We may call it a karmic defect, for past memories cloud the capacity
for clear vision.
But who sees or does not see? NOT the body.
Not the soul. It is our thoughts, emotions and ego. We are "chidananda
roop, shivoham Shivoham."
So, if there is no thought, there is no
emotion and no desire, therefore no ego. That's when the kaleidoscope makes
absolute sense.
Surekha Kothari
surekhakothari.wordpress.com
Thursday 18 April 2019
Slice of confidence
Being true to ourselves! How many of us can
honestly claim this about ourselves? This in current times is the singularly
hardest thing to do. Because the consequences of this we humans cannot take.
We are constantly saying and doing things
for the wrong reasons either to be accepted. Or not be isolated or for being
popular. Could we ever have the courage to be true to ourselves? Yes, it
requires lots of courage, to be different. To stand out among a group that
encourages herd mentality. To face even dislike, criticism, ostracisation even,
if I were to state extremities.
If I feel something, can I say it? If I am
being compelled to be someone else, would I refuse? Be ABLE to refuse? Would I
risk the wrath of the people who give me my identity?
Yes, it does take a large amount of courage
and a large slice of confidence to go it alone, for it sometimes would mean the
falling away of many who aren't able to do the same and would therefore, not feel
too good about themselves if they were in your company.
But, be true to yourself anyway.
Surekha Kothari
surekhakothari.wordpress.com
Speakingtree Blog: www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari
Tuesday 16 April 2019
Monday 15 April 2019
Emotions
It takes a long time, and after you stop
being in denial, to start getting in touch with your feelings enough to start
work on them. There is a shock absorber phase when the disbelief of say, being
treated badly by your loved ones, is painful. And gradually, acceptance sets
in, or should set in at least, for your own sake. The healing process can only
commence after the acceptance stage. And when you succeed in letting go, you
know you are on your way.
Being in touch with your feelings triggers
memories and reliving these can provide solutions in the present moment if we
have moved on from earlier times. Meditation is the mantra for all times. It is
the deepest cleanser of all times.
You tube is full of guided meditations
which a beginner should definitely try. Done regularly, they bring in some
wonderful changes and enhance your ability to dissipate imbalances in emotions.
This has been my personal experience.
You can't pick and choose your experiences when
karma is after you. But you
can cleanse karma through your own understanding and determined efforts.
Surekha Kothari
surekhakothari.wordpress.com
Thursday 11 April 2019
Evidence
In the good old days, there was a saying,
"there is no smoke without fire". Today, the smoke is as fabricated
as the fire. Distorted, even baseless versions of reality are making rounds,
being magnified and creating chaos. There may not be an iota of truth but it
still becomes a popular story, the more "spicy", and the better.
Why? For one, people are empty within and
like vultures outside. Sorry! These prey on dead bodies. Humans prey on live
ones. Fanning fires, twisting facts, igniting conflicts based on caste, creed,
religion, stopping at nothing to satisfy greed... this has become the world of
the predator, the most dangerous trait among people today. You would never
guess from the outside demeanor who was out to destroy you.
Your reputation can be torn into shreds in
a minute through "evidence" completely fabricated and you couldn't
defend yourself without proof. Not a modicum of either ethics or remorse. So,
what smoke and what fire? Truth went up in smoke and flames long ago.
Surekha Kothari
surekhakothari.wordpress.com
Wednesday 10 April 2019
Tuesday 9 April 2019
Spiritual search
It was predicted that a time will come when
the sweetness of tongue will win many battles whereas the good, upright and
honest will go unnoticed and / or misunderstood. And one, who shouts when the
right thing is being pointed out, will also win because it will never suit them
to admit that they are wrong.
But this also says a lot about people who
make such people win. Who believe them and humiliate the ones that are actually
in the right. What would you call them? Easily led away by superficiality? Not
enough substance or courage to sift the right from wrong? I guess you have to
be a true "kalyug" person and you had better be if you want to
survive lies, treachery and core dishonesty.
The upsurge in spiritual search is a result
of us having reached the pits. Of us valuing things and shunning people of the
exhaustion of trying to prove oneself in a blind, deaf and dumb world. Futile! Completely
futile!
If light has to survive in darkness, it has
to shine brighter than ever. If goodness has to survive in a polluted world, it
has to connect to the source, for looking on earth for a return is looking in
the wrong direction and is like searching for a needle in a haystack.
Surekha Kothari
surekhakothari.wordpress.com
Monday 8 April 2019
Consequence
We have become very good at pinning the
blame somewhere, as long as no fingers point at us. History evolves every day,
with new events, new thoughts, and new ideologies. But to be honest, all these
are inspired by one or a few controlling men. We have more sheep like people
who are followers. Naturally then, if there is a no mind situation, the
stronger will get stronger and rule the no mind ones. And history keeps
documenting the changes.
But we never learnt to live in the present
moment and never tried to influence the masses to action resulting in peace.
Gandhiji did, with a lot of sacrifice and got killed but we only talk about his
character and morals today. And that too, sitting in our comfortable homes over
a glass of wine, probably feeling important just discussing what the channels
are airing, blaming someone or another again.
We have lost ourselves, however much we
might have gained materially. Of no consequence if we have lost our souls.
Surekha Kothari
surekhakothari.wordpress.com
Tuesday 2 April 2019
Essence of life
Can knowledge ever be claimed as knowledge
if one has not put it into practice? What one hears, sees and believes is not
knowledge. If the same thing is experienced, it does become knowledge.
I have met some scholars who know a lot of
theory. More power to them for their scholastic abilities. But it IS an intellectualization
of knowledge, not knowledge itself.
If I make a lecture out of topics I have
read in books, magazines and articles, am I qualified to
Impart knowledge?
I think many have opened shops through
workshops where the teaching is not experiential. But there ARE some masters
who are teaching from experience. That is the path which will take us
somewhere. Otherwise, we go nowhere.
And yet, nowhere can be transformed into
"now" "here" and that is the essence of life the present
moment. It's right now and right here. Not was nor will be. It IS. To capture
the essence of each moment is the key to happiness. Experience what
"now" holds for us and become illuminated.
Surekha Kothari
surekhakothari.wordpress.com
Monday 1 April 2019
Pile up
Right from the time we become adults, we
accumulate and hoard. Then, in the sunset years, we need to declutter and give
away. Similarly, we build larger homes and then shrink them into apartments. We
know that everything has to be downsized ultimately. Yet, we keep accumulating
more than we actually need.
I believe that the bigger the space you create
the more clutter you will pile up. Every empty wall needs to be filled up.
Yet, our heart has huge spaces in it. We
call it a void. Because
ironically we downsize the heart very early in life, which we are not supposed to. No clutter there. Whereas, the more full it is, the more abundance there would be; a completely opposite reality the main difference between the physical world and the non physical world.
ironically we downsize the heart very early in life, which we are not supposed to. No clutter there. Whereas, the more full it is, the more abundance there would be; a completely opposite reality the main difference between the physical world and the non physical world.
Surekha Kothari
surekhakothari.wordpress.com
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