Monday, 28 February 2022
Sunday, 27 February 2022
Satiation levels
Right now, this world is rampant with
humans who have lost their way. They neither hear their inner voices nor see
any signs from the Divine. The foundation of life itself is like a house of
cards. It has no substance.
The way God has willed it, whichever path
we traverse does have the potential to change course at any time that we
understand that the path is taking us somewhere else, away from where we NEED
to reach, not where we WANT to reach.
Wants always tamper with our satiation
levels. Needs can be satisfied. Once this difference is understood, there is
hope.
Today, with the pandemic situation, when so
many souls are leaving this contaminated world, we are still not understanding
that we have created this reality with our greed and unholy ways. The humanity
of humans is under a cloud.
It was said that eyes are the windows of
our soul. But these days, we don’t odserve the eyes and if and when we do, the
actual soul has been camouflaged so brilliantly with a veneer of “success” and
“happiness” that the world is fooled by the superimposition of fake over real.
What’s the point ? Ultimately, nothing
gained and everything lost ! But do we care ?
Surekha Kothari
surekhakothari.wordpress.com
Speakingtree Blog: www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari
Friday, 25 February 2022
Contentment
We discover something new everyday. I realised that a feeling of contentment depends greatly on acceptability. The reason we often burn on the inside is the conflict that arises from not accepting things as they are.
And the most arduous and conflicting of all
is to embark on a project of changing people or situations.
How many of these have you all been able to
change ? I am certain of the answer. So, what next ? Accept what is. And if you
look for pluses in what is, wonders of wonders , you will actually find them.
Life always compensates a lack of something
with something else. Only the human mind gets stuck and refuses to accept a
different scenario. The mind is really like the rusty pin of an erstwhile
record player which used to get stuck on the deepening grooves of old records
with every play.
Well… the only way is to heave ho and
catapult yourself onto a new space with energy . Regretfully, that energy is
also stagnant within the mind space. So, once you accept only , can you move
into a better space.
So much knowledge but half baked ! Until
you actually apply it with understanding. And THEN you learn to smile, shrug
and move on without any internal damage…….And there comes your contentment !
Surekha Kothari
surekhakothari.wordpress.com
Wednesday, 23 February 2022
Opportunity
Today, we are so involved in what we think is our real life that we don’t have time for “frills”. The same frills , if they are loving people and tools for personal evolution, will become very important later in life. When we are young, we don’t have the bandwidth to understand this.
When realisation does dawn, many of the
loving people around us who we regret not valuing , have passed on . And the
ones we thought were ours, have moved on. What is left is regret !
At any stage in life, the vision must
always have a broader perspective to carry the “valuables” in our lives with
us, despite being busy in our own little world. And I don’t mean material
riches. Because life is a vast experience , provided we have a thirst for
understanding its validity and impact on
our journey. There is always a purpose . Nothing is meaningless.
But we fail to understand it. The
opportunity to heal our darker spaces are manifold but we are blindfolded. Only
fear makes us limited. Otherwise, we are luminous, unlimited beings. But who is to explain this to anyone until
the right realisation triggers change ?
Surekha Kothari
surekhakothari.wordpress.com
Tuesday, 22 February 2022
Monday, 21 February 2022
Compassion
A man came to a Zen master and asked, “I
would like to become a Buddha.” And the master hit him hard.
The man was puzzled. He went out and asked
some old disciple, “What kind of man is this? I asked such a simple question
and he got so angry. He hit me hard! My cheek is still burning. Is it wrong to
ask how to become a Buddha? This man seems to be very cruel and violent!” And
the disciple laughed. He said, “You don’t understand his compassion. It is out
of his compassion that he has hit you hard. And he is old, ninety years old;
just think of his hand – it will be burning more than your cheek! You are young.
Think of his compassion, you fool! Go back!” But the man asked, “But what is
the message in it?” And the disciple said. “The message is simple. If a Buddha
comes and asks how to become a Buddha, what else is there to do? You can hit
him and make him aware that you are it. What nonsense you are talking about!”
If a rosebush starts trying to become a rosebush, it will go mad. It is already
the rosebush. You may have forgotten. Zen says you are in a state of slumber,
you have forgotten who you are, that’s all. Nothing has to be done, just a
remembrance. That’s what Nanak calls surati, Kabir calls surati – just a
remembrance. You have only to remember who you are!
Surekha Kothari
surekhakothari.wordpress.com
Speakingtree Blog: www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari
Friday, 18 February 2022
Liberation
Apathy and neglect are two of the most damaging traits in any relationship. They are a part of taking a relationship for granted. And they don’t do justice to being born as a human being.
Like they say, small acts make a huge
difference. Ofcourse, there is an individual Perspective in everything but
perspectives don’t make reality. Our actions do produce undesirable results but
inaction or indifference may often
damage more.
Why ? Because this creation is based on
love in various forms. To nurture others is to nurture yourself. I am amazed
that such a simple fact of life is so difficult to understand and put into
practice. It should come naturally if we know what is our true nature. Sadly,
we don’t !
Just thinking about apathy and neglect
might take us back to when we probably felt neglected , rightly or wrongly. A
personal perspective again ! And, Even if that were true, we would do well to
put the past where it belongs.. in the past which is a bubble that burst long
ago and has no value in the present moment! It is over only when you put an end
to it. Not a second before that. And when you do, it is liberation !
Surekha Kothari
surekhakothari.wordpress.com
Thursday, 17 February 2022
Wednesday, 16 February 2022
State of mind
As time goes by, You will loosen your grip
on that rock, The one you always thought was home, And you will realise that
home is not a place, It’s a state of mind. Let it go
As time goes by, You will learn to see
yourself more clearly, The person who was always too much of one thing, And too
little of another, was actually everything that person needed to be. Let that
person out
As time goes by, You will let the simple
things become big, And you will allow the big things to become simple, And that
readjustment will be, The day you really start to live. Let it be
As time goes by, You will be forced to say
goodbye many times, And your soft little heart will shatter but, It will still
beat and that will bring you, All the purpose you need. Let it beat
As time goes by, You will stop choosing
wealth over peace, You will stop choosing money over time, And you will see
that the treasures you need, Are in the smiles and the laughter. Let them in
As time goes by, The moments you remember
when your life flashes past, Are never the awful memories my friend, it’s the
joy, The summer nights, the lazy days with loved ones, The midnight chats and
the morning hugs, Let them all happen.
Surekha Kothari
surekhakothari.wordpress.com
Speakingtree Blog: www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari
Tuesday, 15 February 2022
Monday, 14 February 2022
Judging
Why do people judge others when they know nothing about their story ? Do they feel superior ? Because if they do, they must think again ! They themselves have plenty to hide and are as imperfect as anyone else.
The main crux of the issue is here. The
inner eye is blinded. So, we can see only others and their behaviour. This is
the most dangerous part of ignorance: to think you know everything when you
know nothing ! In fact, you don’t even want to know anything because the
prejudice is so intense.
We all look for peace by shunning people
and getting within a safe cacoon. But this is just not possible. Because sooner
or later, the butterfly will emerge and will have to face strong winds and
extreme weather conditions. But alas ! Where is wisdom in the wake of ignorance
?
The biggest burden that Mother Earth
carries today is the human being.
Surekha Kothari
surekhakothari.wordpress.com
Friday, 11 February 2022
Dependability
Humans survive on their core beliefs. If those are negative about someone, they generate hate. If they are positive, they generate caring, affection . BUT , only until such time as their core belief changes.
Therefore dependability is a quality that
goes along with commitment , not with core beliefs only because they are
changeable in nature. They are also debilitating to the self if they are not
the right ones.
We really need to be very careful with such
beliefs . They tend to hurt, result in bad karma and mar relationships.
Actually, we don’t accept people and relationships
as they are. The element of tolerance and forgiveness is missing. And I think
this is because every soul on this earth is damaged. So they talk of others
being damaged but cannot face the fact that they themselves are damaged and
don’t have enough love to give. Everything then becomes a show for the outside
world. And relationships are chosen according to what they can accept, not who
they can love despite their imperfections.
Love is the only core intrinsic to humans
but it’s purity and it’s selflessness is always a question .
It is enough to go ahead and heal yourself in every way and remain within your space, your energy, without expectations . Silence is golden as they say. Silence of the mind and heart AND the brain when it is not required for daily activity.
Surekha Kothari
surekhakothari.wordpress.com
Thursday, 10 February 2022
Wednesday, 9 February 2022
Parameters
There is always something and often many things we need to work on within ourselves. I agree that everyone is not motivated equally and at the same time, to work on themselves. Only humans can have weaknesses and limitations. The larger picture of the agenda of karma we carry into this life determines our nature, our reactions and pretty much our psyche.
But we flounder when it comes to learning
our lessons. The universe provides ample opportunities for this though.
Sometimes, I wonder what all the hate and conflict does to the insides
of people who practice these actively. I think it only burns and harms the
practitioner and no one else. Yes, people react negatively to hate because the
biggest criminal wants to be loved at the end of the day. And even words of
cruelty and hate have the power to kill.
It is so mind boggling to see people make
such negative choices for themselves. But karma has a large role to play. We
don’t know it. Therefore, even if we don’t know its extent, the parameters of
living must generally be based on goodness, gratitude and forgiveness.
We tend to cut the branch that we are
sitting on, with ingratitude to our Creator and harshness to the world. Nothing
good really comes out of this.
Surekha Kothari
surekhakothari.wordpress.com
Monday, 7 February 2022
Demonstration
Love is not defined by demonstration. And it does not diminish even if the people
we love grow to become critical of us. It is indeed a quality which does not
rely on the approval of or being accepted by someone. There will always be
double standards in love: one , what they feel for someone and the other, the
non understanding of what others feel for them.
We are too limited as individuals to put
ourselves in the place of another . We need overt endorsements all the time.
Also, I guess we are too preoccupied with our own story and what WE want. This
is precisely why wise people have said that love is its own reward and
expectations in love will definitely cause disappointment. Because love can
become holy only if a relationship works on mutual grounds. Love is giving from
both sides. And always, not sporadically. Otherwise, we love because we love,
and leave it at that.
The most relevant examples are mother
daughter, husband wife, two friends… the mother loves her child to distraction
but the child moves away when it grows up. A couple may have differences and
love may become scarce. The same goes for friends. Actually, WE are limited by
our tendencies to judge, reject, hate, even be cruel , misunderstand, ridicule
the weaknesses in another which we might be suffering from, too… because we
don’t want to or can’t heal ourselves. We want to continue this way.
But these are the attitudes that later deepen and become manifested ailments . We know of many such cases, but we have this funny conviction that this will not happen to us. Many clients that I see have such deep issues but I find people block their minds when you try and speak to them about this. They want to continue this self damaging battle . Love in this world is weaker than hate and fear.
This is a part and parcel of kalyug. And
accepting this is the only solution to bring peace in our lives , because, we
are leaving this world alone, not in groups , so that their endorsement should
be that important for us to damage ourselves and our journey.
Blessing everyone is the way to go because
an aware human being knows that everyone is suffering. Otherwise , they would
have more love in their hearts.
Surekha Kothari
surekhakothari.wordpress.com
Speakingtree Blog: www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari
Friday, 4 February 2022
Quality of a soul
God created humans as a motley crowd , each different and unique, with the same physical and mental software around the soul.
But that’s where it ends and creativity
begins, a result of the ominous and multi pronged will power and free will.
Often, I marvel at the way minds are wired,
including mine. Unless you are a mind reader or become one, the depth and
complexities of each mind are sometimes deeper than the ocean and impossible to
fathom. So, you revert back to yourself.
Let me atleast try to understand myself
with my vast body of past lives and all the triggers that make me think and
behave in a certain way.
No! What you see is certainly not who we
are. We fight for equality that does not exist. So naive of us ! All mankind is
not and can never be on the same level. Even equality of opportunity will
always have loopholes for the very same reasons.
So, where does that leave us then ? We are
left with ourselves, to look within ourselves and find that uniqueness that
renders us flawless as spirits or souls if you will, beyond our physical
persona.
The quality of a soul is essentially pure
in every human being. The skill is in keeping our own mind body temple as clean
as our souls are.
Why then are we so preoccupied with
watching others and trying to fathom their journeys and what makes them tick,
when we are still so unaware of what makes US tick ? Is that in any concrete
way helpful to us ? The answer is “no”.
So many of us who are trying to evolve as
humans must remember this. We often hit the bottom of the river of life but if
we know the art of floating, we can come up, breathe and float again, each time
with more skill and more awareness so as not to drown. No one can do this for
us, can they ?
So, to keep peddling the boat to guide it to its destination via the best route , becomes a personal responsibility . This is where the genius in human creativity comes into the forefront and carries us through.
Surekha Kothari
surekhakothari.wordpress.com
Thursday, 3 February 2022
Truth
If you speak your truth sincerely, you will always be at peace, no matter how others feel about it. We are always so other oriented that we would rather not speak our truth out of fear that people may not understand it.
I feel you ultimately gravitate towards
people who give you the respect due to you for speaking the truth and vice
versa.
Can there be another way ? Being a people
pleaser does nothing except harm us at the end of the day. We alter our
personalities to suit others , some of who may not even be in our lives
permanently.
The reason why we don’t stand united is not
because we are different but because our truths are different and not
acceptable to others.
It is a little unreasonable to expect
people to understand where you are coming from , when you don’t do the same.
When we decide to love someone, we often turn a blind eye but when we don’t
like someone, we don’t miss a chance of criticising their truth.
I feel this is because we are not confident
or courageous enough of paying the price for speaking our truth. Because, there
is always a price for everything. And so, we would rather others pay it. But
life does not work that way.
Acceptance burns the uneasy space between people and allows for a clear level playing field. So, accept and love . They do go together. Life becomes simple when you are simple and know what to let go of and what to retain, what to internalise and what to leave out there. It is an ongoing process.
Surekha Kothari
surekhakothari.wordpress.com
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