Judgement

 Human beings struggle with their deep insecurities and a lot of fear. On this base, they create need based relationships which they give titles to, like “friendship”. There is seldom any trust and faith. There is more judgement on how we can put our best foot forward to retain this quality of bonhomie. And fear that one wrong word or action can remove you from the relationship. If we cannot find comfort in an association, will it last? Perhaps only if we agree to keep paying a price with our own self. And that becomes painful after a point.

I think there is loneliness in groups today because we cannot be our authentic selves and pretense and compromise become very exhausting. So exhausting that sometimes, we ourselves want to distance ourselves from joining group activity. The same goes for one to one relationships. Nothing can endure without faith and trust. Can it? Can we re-establish our base then, to faith and trust?

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

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

Quote of the day

 

Quote of the day

 

Realization

 

Ironically, the day you start healing is the day you realize that you really have no control over anything anyone says, thinks, understands (or misunderstands) or acts. You realize that you are constantly pushing yourself or being pushed into corners all the time.

And suddenly, the tipping point happens and you just invert the bag of baggage into a dust bin instead of your mind becoming the dustbin where the unnecessary baggage should have been thrown out long ago.

I guess karma could also be a sudden realization after a lot of struggle. That change could be lifesaving, better, soul saving.

Any realization comes with awareness. When, how and why will depend on our own reflection.

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

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

Struggle

 As humans, we are as negative as many others around us. We struggle with feelings like injustice, reactions, feeling rejected, the unfairness of justifying a wrong deed. Sometimes, these feelings become intense and there is much anger.

Then gradually, as you realize you can only change yourself, grudgingly, acceptance of what you can’t control or change sets in and you begin to seek answers to the “why”.

Finally dawns the light you need so badly within you and have blocked for so long. And when expectations die, finally, some peace dawns.

What a struggle when we could have arrived at this solution so much earlier.

But, right time and right effort is imminent! So much backlog to clear. We have to be kind to ourselves.

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

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

Self-esteem

 

One of the most significant issues of self-esteem is the inability to be relevant to oneself and as a reaction, to others.

I have noticed many times that being relevant as being productive is imperative to the rest falling into place. It makes for a certain brand of inner happiness that makes petty issues irrelevant, which would be otherwise magnified, leading to much inner struggle and conflict.

Relevance also gives a value to society through our contribution. A win situation.

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

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

External Mask

 

Why is it that we are unable to be peaceful Consistently? It’s not as if we don’t know what constitutes peace. We are very well aware. Yet, we allow it to be disturbed every now and then.

Other humans affect us whether we like it or not, or want it or not. A super human control I have yet to see! Except in my guru who is far more elevated.

Instead of perfecting our external masks, ideally, we must master being our intrinsic selves. Our minds are devious. We have learnt the art of hiding our turbulence as an ocean would conceal its waves to create the illusion of appearing calm. But it takes forever to actually BE what we are pretending to be.

Also, the fact is, the more you try to BE the path, the more severe the obstacles that confront you to challenge you further. And the stronger should be your courage, not only to overcome these challenges to forge ahead but also to pay the price the universe demands of you. By leaving much behind you, for, unless you learn to leave the baggage behind, you will have to struggle more to BECOME the path.

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

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

Challenges

 

You are not responsible for the versions of you that exist in other people’s minds. This post has been circulating for eons! Yet, we do get affected, don’t we?

The first thing is, we expect people to speak and act in a certain way and when they don’t, there is hurt. Their opinion of you matters! That it should not, is another matter.

Often, we could hear shocking statements and heavy criticism about us and we don’t plead guilty at all! We really don’t know from whence they came! The hurt becomes more intense! Reason? Because the thought is, “how can they ever think this about me?” True? (Ultimately, we are all looking for love and kindness.)

Ok. But they DO think that way. It is something within THEM that needs to answer this. THAT is the important point. It could be the inability to understand you. It could be a fickleness of their own minds which prefer to listen to some vicious opinions of you from others and choose to believe them because they WANT to.

You know, I have noticed that if you already have a problem with someone, you will believe anything negative said about them just because it endorses what you already feel. You might also get a vicarious pleasure from hurting vulnerable souls! BUT! Surprise! You are actually acceding to your own pollution of mind and it may have nothing to do with that person.

So, at the end of the day, each one has to be strong and uncaring of what opinion others hold about us.

We all live with our own challenges, our disappointments, our struggle to better ourselves each day. No one wants others who never think of correcting themselves, to opine about you. And it should be like water off a duck’s back. Tagging people is a spiritual taboo.

I am this vast universe, not somebody ANYBODY can slot into a box. And that means each one IS that vast expanse. However much you succeed in maligning others, that much is the pollution YOU have accumulated and YOU need to cleanse.

Buddha was spat at but never lost his calm for a second. Christ was nailed to the Cross. Human avatar will have these challenges because this world is both light and dark. You can’t escape darkness but you can accept it and then proceed towards the light.

Look at the brighter side and darkness will not affect you. Look at the stories of everyone and understand that some people have chosen the path of darkness and then, expect only darkness to be thrown at you. It is natural! Traditionally, it hurts only when this is done by the people you love. But it is ok. Love also needs no expectations of a return. Because love is the path of light. It would be foolish to get sucked into darkness.

Love and light are the two blessings we all need in our lives.

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

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

Choices

I am sure everyone goes through moments when there is a struggle, and you are between the devil and the deep sea. You are damned if you do, and you are damned if you don’t. At such times, how many of us can choose our conscience vis a vis pleasing people? That is the acid test. Would appeasement be the choice, combined with a certain guilt? Or, feeling happy that your conscience dictated your action even if others are unhappy? The choices we must make sometimes! Think about it! Surekha Kothari www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com surekhakothari.wordpress.com Speakingtree Blog: www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari

Maturity

Why am I treating someone badly because the person deserves it according to you? Hmmm. Retaliation can never be a solution. Somewhere, retaliation means you are unwilling or unable to solve an issue amicably. Because you lack courage to understand that you are a part of the problem too.

Staying away from what you cannot handle debilitates you in the long run and your courage levels are naturally low. That is not really an ideal way to live. But sooner or later, life teaches and levels us out if we don’t do these ourselves, with understanding and maturity.

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

SpeakingtreeBlog: www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari

The Freedom Movement

Our generation, which was born around the freedom movement, much idealism , patriotism, the spirit of sacrifice, of honour and integrity, has more than its share of emotions. Emotions were our ammunition to deal with injustice and for a strike for independence from colonialism.

We were also taught to give more than take. We respected morality, ethics and principles. We were loyal to family, to social ethics, to senior citizens and prided ourselves in being the way we were.

Today, we are gradually beginning to realise that these are the values to imbibe. Standing tall is in fashion, thanks to our PM, who is as humane as he is a no nonsense Indian, proud and self respecting not only on his behalf but on behalf of the nation. He exudes an exemplary and inspiring persona. You want to emulate him.

It strikes a chord within my generation and sparks a hope that we can salvage the traditional and cultural heritage that keep our heads held high. Proud to be an Indian , especially from the earlier generation.

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

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

Wisdom

When you post some very profound words of wisdom , people often show a doubt in that , can we really practice all of it ? True that it takes an awful lot of will, determination and desire to walk that path. Not to mention a constant awareness. And many , therefore, turn around and walk back to the path is comfort. The common statement is, “ come on ! I am not a saint”.

As if the path of wisdom is only meant for the saints, or, the extraordinary ! And yet, if you read the biographies of the world famous personalities, some started at the bottom and worked their way up. This kind of gamut of experiences and learned wisdom to make such a stupendous success of their lives can be a beacon for those who think they can never emulate such people successfully.

The real Issue is not that we can’t do it. It is , that we have slotted ourselves as people with limitations, that of being “ordinary”. Or just with an established pattern which we kind of like and are settled into.

Actually, there is wisdom inside all of us , wherever we are and whatever we do. We just don’t know that we can use it anytime, in fact, must use it to better our understanding about everything to graduate to higher vibrational levels as students of life do.

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

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

Interesting exercise

The irony of life is that it can be understood only on the rewind mode whereas it has to be lived in the play and fast forward mode. Another contradiction is that we are told not to delve into the past whereas, if we didn't, how would we learn from it?

Learning from the past works in two ways. Learn what to do and also what not to do. Going forward then becomes an interesting exercise. Like experiencing every wave as it washes over you, each one different in its quality, speed and impact. There is no warning. You can get knocked down or learn to tread water. But learning is definite.

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

SpeakingtreeBlog: www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari

Faith

We look back with sorrow. We look around with worry. We look up with faith. Wonderful thoughts I read the other day. If you close the chapter of the past and let bygones be bygones, there would be no sorrow. When our minds are engaged with what is happening around us, we are worried. And that is much of the time. But if you have faith, you look up to the Almighty. And then, there is no time or need to look around or look back. That faith is all pervasive. And if you notice, the English language also has no opposite of the word “faith", because that is the ultimate. So, the opposite of belief is disbelief. Which means belief systems can change but faith? There is nothing beyond.

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

SpeakingtreeBlog: www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari

Importance of affirmations

There are two major planes of awareness necessary in life. One, that I am a soul, not the body. And if I am in my body consciousness, I am in my ego state. Somewhere, that ego is going to try and create negativity and block the channels of communication with the Divine.

The importance of affirmations has become huge only to cleanse the blocks which lodge within our cells. Keep superimposing the positive over the negative and finally, replace the negative with the positive. It is possible to cleanse the memories which we should not store and which disturb us. Unknowingly, we have abused ourselves in many ways. It is time to become aware, zero in on those grey areas and treat them once and for all.

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

SpeakingtreeBlog: www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari

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

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

Speakingtree Blog: 

www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari

Quote of the day

Quote of the day