Thursday, 30 June 2022
Tuesday, 28 June 2022
Liberation
All our effort should be directed to
silencing our minds. Easier said than done when it refuses to stop chattering
and, in fact, keeps reminding us of episodes long forgotten. We don’t need to
put our hands into the fire to burn. The mind does it for us.
As Swami Sarvapriyanand ji says, we are
supposed to be masters of our mind. But, actually, we are slaves twice over,
not only of our mind but our senses as well.
How can we ever even think of liberation
from the ego mind ? Every minute, we make a determined effort and the next
minute, we lapse into our old ways ! Even when we make resolutions to clean up
our mind, the next minute we break our own resolve. Why ? What stops us ? I would
imagine, our dual mind, which is ruled by our senses and ego and hence,
severely inflicted by likes and dislikes and prejudices.
When it concerns prejudice, it is like a
disease which has no discrimating power . It does not exclude any relationship,
however sacrosanct.
Here is when one puts a question mark on
the “educated” minds who feel superior for maybe having studied abroad , had
ample exposure, and now making a brilliant career but… without the basic plan for
a clear at heart and mind. We do have a very long way to go before the right
understanding dawns . In a limited span of the few years we have, now is the
place to start.
Surekha Kothari
surekhakothari.wordpress.com
Speakingtree Blog: www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari
Friday, 24 June 2022
Realisation
As sense dawns, we see how foolish we are
sometimes ! All this feeling bad at the actions or speech of others ! You
suffer and suffer with the constant “ WHY” did this happen to ME ?
This inquiry is actually laughable ! But
only when we realise that what we are agonising about , wasting so much mind
space, is something others are not even thinking about. They have done their
bit, felt good about venting , caused hurt in the process or whatever , and
moved on. But we sit crying and lamenting over what has happened. The ego gets
badly hurt and insists on behaving like a petulant child, demanding
retaliation. Stop there !
Think ! If , in the wind, a tree branch
falls and hits you, what will you do ? Curse and blame the tree or the wind ???
You can’t ! But in case of people , we let everything stick to us ! Why ?
People act in ignorance because they really are not mature enough to know what
to do or what is right and just. And we are equally ignorant in reacting to
that ignorance ! We are on the same level.
Sooner or later, a realisation has to dawn that negative pellets are not being thrown at us but at themselves. Something is not right and unhappy within such people. Something is smouldering. Their darkness needs illumination with their own understanding.
Don’t let other people’s darkness envelop
you . That would be a grave mistake. Yes, do help anyone who needs help and
asks for it. But otherwise, step aside.
Surekha Kothari
surekhakothari.wordpress.com
Speakingtree Blog: www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari
Tuesday, 21 June 2022
Virtuous life
Who knows the ways of God ? Atleast, we can know about our own ways. We constantly fail in our “human” ways and expect the Divine to work for us.
There is a witness consciousness that
watches us act against ourselves day after day, making the same mistakes again
and again . No one is exempt !
The one that works hard towards becoming
purer in mind sees results. And no one said it was an easy process. But then,
in any effort, there are bound to be slips due to force of habit. But we break
those habits that don’t serve us over a period of time. So, judgements of
people may be odious and avoidable.
Turning away from the world is not required
if we can start turning towards a virtuous life.
Today, it is considered stupidity to be
honest, truthful , simple and loyal . Why ? The reason given is that we live in
a diabolical world and success will elude us if we are virtuous all the time.
We fail to realise the impact and consequences
of our non virtuous actions that accumulate to cause grief . But this is for
each one of us to realise.
Surekha Kothari
surekhakothari.wordpress.com
Sunday, 19 June 2022
Experience
Today, I am This. My experiences from all
lives , some of which are experienced in this life, are sacrosanct, good or bad
, as both teach me lessons if I know how to learn the lessons inherent in them.
This minute, I can connect with my
consciousness to understand where I am not thinking right. The past, the
thoughts , the reminder of the unpleasant are all leeches which one has to
pluck out and throw away, however painful the process might be for the body and
the mind. Is there anyone who can like the leeches gripping you for ever ? No.
But we do have the others in leech form
that are painful and agonising but we seem to revel in our pain. Very difficult
to understand ! Still more difficult when they come from outside . Not that
self inflicted pain is more reasonable ! Every pain is a choice and has a
solution.
There is just not enough understanding and
therefore, error in prioritising. It is like sitting down and waiting for the
lion coming after you, to swallow you.
When “I” identifies with “me”, we are
weakened by that ego which can be very destructive if we don’t watch out.
So , we need to use the power of NOW to get
wise.
Surekha Kothari
surekhakothari.wordpress.com
Speakingtree Blog: www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari