Consquences

Pain is an inevitable part of life, the outcome of challenges and often unpalatable experiences. We tend to internalize it and react to it. The resistance to it is what brings suffering.

What works is accepting situations and letting the pain out with an understanding that it is all an essential part of the flow and of our growth.

A river collects stones, dried leaves, sticks and all kinds of pollution that it picks up along its course, but still weaves its way around them to reach the ocean. Similarly, we need to recognize that just as a river does not go against its flow, all creation also has a natural progression. The course has been chartered for us but we either don’t see it or are in denial. And very foolish in our ignorance. Even more so because we see only short term benefits, failing to see the long term implications of those short term benefits. Never forget that the wheel of our lives keeps turning.

Unfortunately, man is the only creature that defies the natural laws, with undesirable consequences for the whole world, as we see this happening more and more in current times.

Surekha Kothari

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

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Speakingtree Blog: www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari

Perception

 At some point, we must recognize the fact that we are very limited beings in the general scheme of things. We would like to attribute to ourselves qualities which give us a sense of well-being. A lot of this comes from our ignorance and from deluding ourselves.

We are creatures of perception, often quite superficial, I might add. We live in a three dimensional world but some of us are one dimensional.

Each of us has to grapple with what life doles out. Can anyone live someone else’s life and karma? The reply would unanimously be a “NO”. And yet, what do we do? We are busy trying to teach others what we have not learnt ourselves yet. We are desperate to control others, wield power enough to change them. But let us look within and ask how much WE have been able to change! But we would still judge without knowing even ten percent of their stories. Prejudices and conflict dot the lines of our horizons.

I have yet to understand why we feel deserve “better” than others or feel entitled to invade the privacy of others or malign them. What basis do we have?

We have, due to our insecurities, created a sad society in which happiness means running down people, hurting them unnecessarily, living selfishly and keeping the whole cake without attributes like sharing and caring.

Each day takes us a little closer to the end of this life. Do we not care ?
Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

Speakingtree Blog: www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari

Quote of the day

 

Quote of the day

 

Recognize

We often fail to recognize the impact of the people we meet in our lives. Each time I go out, I meet just a few people in a crowd and I know I was meant to meet them. I recognize that there are no coincidences.

When the mind is open and you are a seeker, help comes from various places and learning becomes easy. IF you have the attitude that everyone teaches you something. At a conference of almost 1000 people, most of them unknown to you, this happens. It is truly incredible!

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

Speakingtree Blog: www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari

Quote of the day

 

Cleansing

 

Whatever you recognize in others is present in you. So, always look within and see how much is reflected within you. This is the simplest way of self-assessment and way towards personal cleansing.

There is a reason why it is said that when you point a finger outwards, three-point back at you.

Each time you judge others, you are actually judging yourself. Each time you criticize someone, you are actually aware of that very element within you.

If you hurt someone, it comes back to you….

All this is due to our connectivity with everything. We are all reflections of each other. This awareness can accelerate our cleansing manifold.

It is all so simple but we complicate it!

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

Speakingtree Blog: www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari

Recognize

 At the end of the day, after tremendous conflict, upheavals, blame, resentment, hatred, we have only one place to dwell: within ourselves! Do we like our place?

Whether this self is healthy or sick is solely to be determined by us. And both health and disease are self-created.

Do we become better by pointing out how terrible someone else is? No.

Does looking down at others make us superior? No.

Does talking down to elders receive acceptance? No.

Do we increase our energy by shunning people? No

Actually, which reactions really make us peaceful and happy? Only proactive ones can.

Strange are the ways of people! They are quick to tag others but little do they know that people may be sweet on the face but are tagging you at the back.

If we are polluted, we will definitely bypass all the goodness of others and focus only on their polluted parts. The simple math here is, only when we know something can we recognize it in others. If our slate is clean, we will be oblivious of any negativity in others. So, when we point a finger outwards, it points right back at us.

The message from every philosopher, ever spiritual teacher, therefore, is WORK ON YOURSELF and criticise others only if YOU are perfect.

Love, support, kindness, warmth, empathy are human traits of connectivity with the entire universe. We are so small sometimes, in our thoughts and in our actions. Even if we seek expansion, it is not to include others, but, in fact, to exclude others to gain exclusive power … god knows, to achieve what???

Nothing lasts. Everything is flowing past and we don’t even know it in our ignorance. Like good manure harvests a good crop, so, the manure of spiritual thinking and doing will harvest a good crop: YOU. Isn’t it worth it?

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

Speakingtree Blog: www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari

Transformation

 

Once again, I am reminded of prophecies regarding the downfall of human beings in kalyug. The recent worst-case scenario: this election is demonstrating it. One may as well recognize that not much falls in the category of the virtuous. That we can fall so low! ANYTHING to gain power. Even betrayal of your own motherland! Where does this stop? When does it stop? Does it stop at all? You can actually put up your own country for sale? It offends sensibilities and inspires disgust.

Maybe, just maybe, we are seeing an about to happen transformation for the better, that all the darkness shall be blasted out in favour of light. God knows we need it!

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

Speakingtree Blog: www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari

Recognize

 

It is so easy to criticize someone. So easy to mock at someone people say there is vicarious pleasure in it. I think there is a lot of sadness behind those criticisms, those smirks and mocking.

We forget that when we see something worth criticizing, we recognize it because we also have the same traits in us. Otherwise, how would we recognize them? And to mock at others kind of camouflages our own pain at being the way we are.

Yes, if we have the courage to recognize this and work on ourselves to improve on this, that’s terrific! Sadness is no answer to anything productive.

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

Speakingtree Blog: www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari

Relief

 Life is such that despite having so many relationships around you, you need that one hot line with God that makes everything else make sense.

We go through life observing ourselves involved in so many situations. We share issues with whoever we feel close to. But sharing sometimes makes us light but sometimes heavier, too. Often, the more we discuss unpleasant anecdotes the more agitated we are.

But share with God and you feel so much relief! There is so much affinity with the Divine, so much synchronicity with the universe, probably because we know deep down that this is a temporary abode. We recognize our source.

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

Speakingtree Blog: www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari

Consideration

 

If we stop thinking of ourselves for a minute, we would be able to focus on one of our major responsibilities, that is, consideration for others. Right from the time we are born till the end of life, we have to live amongst people. We cannot absolve ourselves from the duties towards others. This attitude itself is an aspect of consideration, of extending the package of kindness and of understanding the needs of others.

Consideration is a highly reciprocal quality. It gives happiness and a sense of well being to both people, the one who shows it and the one who receives it and gives it back, so starting a chain which is deeply emotional and binding.

The true essence of being human is experienced when you recognize that the world is a mirror, and for you to see it smile, you have to smile into it first.

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

SpeakingtreeBlog: www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari

Favor of light

Once again, I am reminded of prophecies regarding the downfall of human beings in kalyug. The recent worst case scenario: this election is demonstrating it. One may as well recognize that not much falls in the category of the virtuous. That we can fall so low! ANYTHING to gain power even betrayal of your own motherland! Where does this stop? When does it stop? Does it stop at all? You can actually put up your own country for sale? It offends sensibilities and inspires disgust.

Maybe, just maybe, we are seeing an about to happen transformation for the better, that all the darkness shall be blasted out in favor of light. God knows we need it!

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

SpeakingtreeBlog: www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari

Quote of the day

Time to change

Everything takes time. Like, you fall ill. You rest, and rest and medicate yourself and one fine day, you are fine the same way when you hurt and keep hurting about the same or similar issues over and over again. As if a raw wound is being touched repeatedly. And you cry, you vent, ask why many times over ... but nothing changes. And one day, hey presto, you feel enough is enough. You sit up and start moving on. And you feel well again.

Life will always make us imbalanced because our reactions to it are imbalanced. But to get up, hopefully sooner than later, and move on, is the only solution. People won’t change. Situations may take time to change. But we don’t have to keep wallowing till they do.

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

Speakingtree Blog: www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari

Limitations

Adamant and rigid to a fault! Rigid and adamant to a fault! Have you come across people like that? If you caution them about anything, they will simply shut you up. If you suggest something that will help them for sure, they will stubbornly clam up. They don’t want to hear anything new. Wow! How does it help though?

These people are in your life to teach you big lessons in patience and also in recognizing your own limitations. It can be very frustrating. But evidently, their road map is different from yours and there is nothing you can do about it. And if you persist, you will reach a stage where no one will be willing to listen to you, however right you may be.

So, wisdom lies in picking your battles, or you will be the only one likely to get wounded.

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

SpeakingtreeBlog: www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari

Law of resonance

At the right time, you meet some right people who , by their words and good energy, uplift you enough so that you move away from people whose energy tended to pull you down.

Someone I met told me, " keep praying when you need answers and they will come". So true ! Also, Keep a vigil on your thoughts as they come in, recognise them for what kind they are and then decide if you still want to give them shelter or send them away.

I got into the habit of doing one guided meditation every night and then switched on my 8 hour "Om" chant to sleep. It has worked like magic . Most times, there is calm and you don't get either offended or affected by the negatives around you. As a bonus, you start building bridges with people who have meant something to you and are perhaps distanced.

There are three stages :

First, you react to negativity because it is also present in you. The law of resonance.

Second, you work on yourself, still know it is happening, but start to get immune to it. The percentage within you reduces.

Thirdly, you now learn to smile at what you see and it doesn't affect you anymore.

A little crude but an apt example is when I was always counselled that if dogs barked on the streets, would you bark back ? In a manner of speaking, teaching non retaliation. Because until you retaliate, you are not cleansed yet.

How much there is to do and how little time !

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

SpeakingtreeBlog: www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari

The Truth of life

The problem with us humans is that we have become so pretentious and insincere that we fail to recognize sincerity or genuineness when we see it.

Some memories of old relationships exist in all our hearts, I am sure. And if they are valuable, we tend to go back in time to connect with the same people. Only to find that, in some cases, there is either a lot of rancor or they have moved on.

Those that have really moved on will be civil or even friendly. But those that have kept grouses for years will be sometimes offensive and sometimes, avoid you.

In the larger perspective, any soul that has a meaning or has had a meaning in your life is definitely a part of your soul group that promised to be a part of your life. What fails is our inability to see that people might be distanced but the love remains, often in the form of anger or hate because what they wanted did not happen.

That is the truth of life. Destiny plays a large role and people get separated because of many reasons, mainly past lives and past karma. But in our anger, we don't see the larger canvas. If we did, we would reinstate people in our lives more consciously and willingly.

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

SpeakingtreeBlog: www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari

Recognition

Awards and their value in modern times! Being up close and personal in this knowledge is disconcerting. Since many years, there are organizations writing to people of some merit, asking them if they would like an award and requesting for contributions or "donations" to a cause. I guess they capitalize on the publicity opportunities that excite the awardees who want the limelight. Human, I guess but....,

How many awards are genuine? Richly deserved? Not only awards, even artists often pay for their concerts. Obviously then, every such organized activity is purely commercial, with less bearing on caliber than ever before.

And if you have a string of awards along with your name, people are impressed, not knowing the merit orientation of these awards. Undeserved awards raise expectations of the masses but do not necessarily result in an elevation of the caliber and hence, credibility.

It is very sad that sometimes, not always, there is such a huge gap between receiving an award and deserving it. Sadly, it depends on who you know in the business. It should not be so wherever it is so. Today, press and media are equally in this business.

Genuine talents remain without recognition. But I also know some very talented stalwarts in their fields who have declined awards merely on the grounds of a certain meaninglessness that has set in the very system of recognizing talent; Unfortunate in a land of so much talent but appreciation for mediocrity merely for commercial gains.

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

SpeakingtreeBlog: www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari

Quote of the day