Wednesday 31 July 2019
Tuesday 30 July 2019
Monday 29 July 2019
Depth of gratitude
The depth of gratitude is not felt by many
the need for gratitude, even less sometimes. Also much is taken for granted.
Like a female Spouse, who just is expected to do certain things at home? It is
very rare that she is thanked.
Similarly, if you start writing down all
that you and I have to be thankful for, you will be surprised how many items
come up on the list. From the life we have to everything that we enjoy but
never appreciate.
A daily prayer and an attitude of gratitude
go a very long way in keeping us cleansed and happy.
Surekha Kothari
surekhakothari.wordpress.com
Sunday 28 July 2019
Philosophy
Isn't it amazing how big a capacity we have
to focus on petty matters, disregarding the bigger picture? We have a tendency
to pick on the most unimportant matters. Mostly because it doesn't suit us to
acknowledge that we ARE able to see it but don't want to some trivial ego issue
that we build up and magnify in our heads so often.
And yet, we are the same people who spout
philosophy and the meaninglessness of life during commiserations over bereavement.
Next day, we are back to our old ways without a thought about that philosophy
which we had discovered just yesterday. Sigh! Such are the ways of our species.
Surekha Kothari
surekhakothari.wordpress.com
Speakingtree Blog:
Thursday 25 July 2019
Self defeating exercise
Life is all about defeating yourself to
becoming a better "you". Isn't it? But we keep trying to defeat
others to feel stronger, superior. What a futile and exhausting task we set ourselves!
Reminds me of the story of the man who was sitting on the branch of the tree he
was cutting. Which sane person does that?
We take on so many self defeating exercises
to show others, whereas the fact is, we need to show ourselves what we can do. Others
will see it by and by. And even if they don't, do we live for ourselves or for others?
A very important question and with this answer, we will create our life.
Surekha Kothari
surekhakothari.wordpress.com
SpeakingtreeBlog:
Wednesday 24 July 2019
Tuesday 23 July 2019
Challenges
Every age has its challenges. As kids as
teenagers as adults in various phases of growth, mental, emotional and
spiritual; the one benchmark of maturity is becoming non judgmental. And this
means truly so, not just superficially so as not to displease.
Actually, to be judgmental really means
that we need to look at what others are mirroring in us. Why do I need to judge
anyone at all? Because there are similar memories that trigger in us; if there
weren't those memories, we would not find it in our hearts to judge.
It is also a matter of feeling holier than
thou feeling superior. That is a game that the ego plays. We don't need to play
into its hands. We are fine being our own selves, with our own journey and our
own challenges, learning, unlearning and relearning constantly and continuously
along the way.
Surekha Kothari
surekhakothari.wordpress.com
Monday 22 July 2019
Sunday 21 July 2019
Life experience
I believe in pure intention and
connectivity as being two factors that can transform anything from negative to
positive. That we are connected with everything and everyone in this Universe
is a fact: a conviction if you have that level of awareness to have experienced
this. It is also a fact that thought is a prime energy and therefore, pure
intention the thought form that raises your vibrations to a higher level to
actually connect with the Divine energy that makes everything manifest. How
beautiful is that!
This way, we are also connected to
knowledge that lies within us but through academics and through life
experiences, is just triggered in this current life and manifests into our
conscious mind. Like, for example, a city you have apparently not visited before
but seem familiar for no reason at all.
Our soul has lived many lives and memories
of places, people, Events, reactions, responses are all stored deep within.
Like you open a box to take what is within, the box of memories is waiting to
be opened, scrutinized and healed wherever required. And we can all do these
ourselves. It depends on the vibration levels we are able to achieve. Like a
fast spinning top that does not allow any dust to settle on it.
Surekha Kothari
surekhakothari.wordpress.com
Thursday 18 July 2019
Gratitude
Come to think of it, we don't offer
gratitude often enough. We are not aware enough that the burning heat of life
does not touch us in extremes. Yes, there are challenges for all of us. But,
many of us tend to over amplify those challenges and make a huge deal without realizing
that there are worse case scenarios around us , the kind we would not be able
to tolerate even , just because we have not really been burnt to experience the
difference .
We have kind of escaped the areas that the
mines have been laid out or have lucked out in not entering those areas. And
what you don’t experience ever becomes a memory to learn from.
Somewhere along the way, each time we
forgot to say "thank you" to the Universe, we lost a little bit of
our energy. And each time we are filled with gratitude, we are transported to a
higher plane where there is happiness and joy. They are generated from within
and so, also, remain with us over a long period of time.
Surekha Kothari
surekhakothari.wordpress.com
Wednesday 17 July 2019
Tuesday 16 July 2019
State of Mind
In the Indian discipline, fasting has many
benefits. Many religions also advocate it as a cleanser of toxins. The
benefits, however, are many if fasting extends in thought, word and deed.
Therefore, "mouna” or silence is very
important. Silencing your thoughts, your speech and abstaining from toxic foods
purifies the system. It purifies thoughts, exercises some measure of control
over speech automatically and puts you in a placid and calm state of mind.
Children in schools should be initiated
most definitely. A daily exercise of silence or chanting for a few minutes to
start the day with can make a sizeable difference to those who are hyperactive.
The younger generations of parents are incorporating this technique on a daily
basis with positive results.
It really would be ideal to introduce parts
of the earlier "Gurukul" system of holistic education to make the
future generations ethically, morally, mentally, emotionally and physically
strong and balanced.
Surekha Kothari
surekhakothari.wordpress.com
Monday 15 July 2019
Sunday 14 July 2019
Personality
Today, a lot of families are scattered all
over the world and due to sheer logistics, distances do not always foster
closeness. Inevitably, a certain formality creeps in sometimes. We get used to
living without proximity with them.
But, the flip side is true also, and ties
are fostered in many ways. True, that little change in personality can be a
revelation when you meet family members after sometime. But by the same token,
changes in us must also be embraced and adapted too. We often forget that this
IS two way traffic.
Nevertheless, generally, it has become
easier to keep connected today, what with Skype, Face Time, whatsapp calls etc.
But, as they say, if hearts don't connect, all this connectivity is only
designed towards wanting to keep in touch from afar at a comfortable distance.
Surekha Kothari
surekhakothari.wordpress.com
Thursday 11 July 2019
Stage of depression
It is very easy to slip into an inertia
mode if things don't work out as you want in life, specially over a long period
of time. When disappointments keep happening and hope ebbs away slowly and
steadily. And " what's the point" becomes your theme song. And then,
if you are able to pull yourself up and out of THIS frame of mind, you are
truly admirable in spirit.
This is not to sit in judgement over those
who find it difficult to overcome this situation. It takes a Herculean effort .
I feel that just as we look upon
"annadaan"or feeding the needy as a divine service, bringing people
out of their depressions is a major service. Suicides are a result of such
hopeless depressions. Life is a gift but unfortunately, does not register as
one to those afflicted with deep hopelessness.
If every member of a family understands the
importance of this, and that if sharing and caring, this stage of depression
can be averted. God's work, for sure. And this also applies to caring for
orphans and those who have strayed out of anger and frustration with life.
Surekha Kothari
surekhakothari.wordpress.com
Speakingtree Blog:
www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari
Wednesday 10 July 2019
Tuesday 9 July 2019
Belief system
Of late, I have begun to question many
belief systems. And one of them is the definition of loyalty. How far do we
stretch to prove we are loyal ? And why do we need to prove loyalty ? Do we
need to see reciprocity in loyalty ? Or is it a bit like unconditional love
where you must be loyal but not look for loyalty as a return. Is this what
people call owing allegiance to ?
Sometimes, when a relationship goes through
stormy weather, out of pique and hurt, we cease to be loyal. We speak against
people. Should we be like that ? Can we live with that ? Or is it better to
just let them go and walk away ? Or, is loyalty standing still , come what may
?
Hmmm. An interesting introspection with a
review of our past years . Where and when did we exercise our choice for and
against loyalty and what we now need to learn.
Surekha Kothari
surekhakothari.wordpress.com
Monday 8 July 2019
Sunday 7 July 2019
Experience
Humans have been known to forge great
bonds, just as strong as hatreds sometimes. A brother could donate his kidney
to his brother. A sister could conceive a child just to give it to a sister or
sister in law who can't bear children. Commendable and nothing less than a
sacrifice. Yet another sister could decide to marry her own brother in law
after her deceased sister, just to be a mother to their kids. Emotional moments
and acts.
Physical pain is so much better understood
than emotional pain. When pain is compounded many times over, its increasing
depth becomes unfathomable to someone else. That is natural, I guess. They
haven't gone through the experience. Yet, they might easily sit in judgement
over something despite NOT experiencing it. Whereas, some would think it
prudent to cut and delete such things from their lives.
Seeking understanding from people is not
always productive. In fact,quite the contrary. No blame necessary. Everyone
functions from different levels including us. Life is made up of all hues, like
people. People just forget that life has many hues.
Surekha Kothari
surekhakothari.wordpress.com
Thursday 4 July 2019
Contagious
The word "contagious" has been
coming to mind often. A smile is obviously contagious. But then, a viral is
also contagious. Is contagiousness an automatic response? Someone smiles at you
and you automatically smile back.
But sadly, generosity is not. Charity is
not. Kindness and compassion are not. Love , the divine energy, is always in
short supply.
I would like to say that hatred and envy
are not. But when I see the cut throats society today, I can't help feeling
that somewhere, some lethal virals like merciless pursuits of power and money
became contagious and brought the ethical and moral values down, thus bringing
society down. When we started living for ourselves, we forgot to be connected
and so, did not respond to external stimuli. And without that, where is the
question of anything being contagious ? We don't possess the band width for it.
Surekha Kothari
surekhakothari.wordpress.com
Speakingtree Blog:
www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari
Wednesday 3 July 2019
Tuesday 2 July 2019
Repercussion
They say extra pure and sensitive souls are
loved by God. We also see such souls suffer in this world. Big time. These are
definitely old souls who have had many lives, some difficult ones. And those
who want to make their own way against what is ordained tend to struggle more.
If something really huge , like a curse,
follows you into this life, you can really spend your whole life where love and
success will elude you. Where people around you will oppose you. Where you
could wonder why this is happening ?
When something happens in repeated
patterns, you know apast life has followed you. Makes it a tad easier to
understand but not to experience. Because you take wrong decisions. You tend to
upset people. You could sometimes isolate yourself. ... and so on. The
repercussions and results are many.
Some agonised souls may switch off from the
world and simply exist. Others may become withdrawn or depressed. To make the
most of a life is a very different task for different people.
Surekha Kothari
surekhakothari.wordpress.com
Speakingtree Blog:
www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari
Monday 1 July 2019
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