Intention

 You are not what people say you are. And there is no need to become defensive or give explanations to appease. There IS nothing and no one to appease without losing yourself in the bargain. Not at all worth it.

Sometimes, silence works the best. Even words spoken with good intention can fall by the wayside if they are not accepted in the same spirit that they were meant.

What is most satisfactory is building a relationship with yourself. And silence, both inner and outer, is the ultimate harbinger of inner peace and understanding of the self.

Allow your mind to rest and explore your inner silence. It will gradually begin to speak to you with clarity and become a wise friend.

Surekha Kothari

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

www.instagram.com/author_surekhakothari/

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

Sense of Humor

 This universe is flooded with light if only we can see this phenomenon.

So, take life lightly, with a pinch of salt. Be light. Be THE light.

Have a sense of humor. First, take yourself lightly. Then, take others lightly. Laugh often and freely. Laugh at yourself. You really have nothing to take or give in this world.

I am learning all this and finding the results really joyful. Yes, often my sense of drama does cause a stir and I am taken seriously / misunderstood even. But it is ok. At the end of the day, if you are not affected, you are ok. After all, who takes the time and effort to know anyone? If we are ourselves acting superficially, how can we ever know the depth of anyone?

So, laugh and keep laughing! Way to go!

Surekha Kothari

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

www.instagram.com/author_surekhakothari/

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

Spirituality

The best gift to yourself would be blessings from even one person whose life improved because of you.

Why don’t we teach our children these wonderful songs with meanings for life and living? Where you do something genuinely for another without advancing your ego by commissioning the paparazzi/ media to write about that.

Living life on the surface and not connecting with other aspects of God’s creation is just a loss of opportunity to upgrade in the current lifetime.

We have no bandwidth for understanding the reasons we are here. We can stand upside down to project ourselves in the world but with misled values and understanding of the true nature of life.

We need an integrated approach: education first and then efforts with mind, values, intentions, spirituality, inclusion of creation and action.

Yes, our duty is towards self-uplift but the tools are based on our connectivity in this world. We are not here to be exclusive.

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

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

Quote of the day

 

Quote of the day

 

Quote of the day

 

Trust and Faith

 I wonder what all this fight within and without, all the conflict, the rat race to that illusory and non-existent place called “the top” is all about. It seems to alter intrinsic human behavior. And not in a good way.

Granted, it is great to be relevant. Wonderful to be recognized. Euphoric if your name is in the neon lights!

Then what? After that? We all have a little void within which we are desperately trying to understand. To me, it is that core that does not belong to this world. It is that spiritual core that knows the extent of our earthly journey. We try to ignore it in our commitment to winning races which can never be won because there is always someone below and someone above you.

I have seen famous people cry alone. The higher they go, the lonelier it is . Emotions going haywire at what compromises you may have had to make in your values and principles so that you can have a million followers on social media. Popularity kick!

Please have more followers but for the right reasons, when your work has spoken for you and you don’t have to succumb to rigged awards and followers to gain some empty publicity for yourself.

Life is much, much vaster. The more you want, the more you will want. Poor Satiation levels can only be counteracted by genuine contentment and understanding that you will always get what is ordained for you.

Somehow, we feel irrelevant unless we are the talk of the town. Again, after that what? Do we become better humans after that? Do we suddenly start understanding concepts of right living?

The most unaccepted fact of life is death! The mad scrambles to defeat age and to refrain from entering the “vaanprastha ashram” and defying the natural progression of life is so self-defeating if we can see that for ourselves.

That is why the society is devoid of trust and faith. It is said that faith is more fragile than love. We lip read most orators who speak of the unseen, inner world and continue our cudgels with our ambitions and greed.

Aptly said, that unless we personally reach this point in our thought processes, nothing will sink in anyway.

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

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

Purity of Intention

 There comes a time when you don’t need to prove yourself to anyone. Being yourself is the best because it simplifies YOUR existence. And basically, you need to live to improve yourself.

So, improve and prove to yourself who you are or can be. If you need to explain yourself to others again and again , you will never become steady within your own space. You will be walking out of yours and into their space. This is not productive.

So, use purity of intention and thought before you act so, you don’t need to please anyone else. If people don’t understand you, that is normal. They are not expected to, from where they are standing. So, just move on.

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

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

Communication

 

In relationships, sometimes, it is good to ask “why”. Because once you can talk it out, you may find that you can save a relationship from misunderstandings. Especially, if you care.

On the other hand, when in communication with God, “why” is replaced by faith. There is no asking “why”. Everything is perfect and as per plan. Of course, humans will always doubt!

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

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

Life Span

 

As researchers excitedly work on elongating the human life span, the senior citizens struggle with loneliness, ailments, little to look forward to and non-productive living.

The erstwhile vivacious and bubbly friends are today victims of personal tragedies galore! So many have passed on and so many are suffering from diseases and the loss of loved ones!

Some flog themselves (metaphorically) to keep their sanity and agility of mind by doing sudoku and such activities others give up!

The bottom line for longevity of life would definitely be sound mental, emotional and physical health. In their sunset years of fragility, all senior citizens need love, compassion, understanding and looking after in order to survive their last few years in relatively good health.

Let us not forget, their lives have been fraught with stress which they took on to keep their families thriving. Their brand of family love was sacrificing and working hard for their children. And often, the intense struggle cost them their own sense of joy AND that of others around them.

This should always be carried in the front of our minds.

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

SpeakingtreeBlog: www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari

Relationships

 

When we tie a knot the wrong way, we have actually made just one small mistake in the method. But that one mistake carries out the whole process incorrectly. And to unknot it takes quite a while.

I find relationships start getting complicated also with just that one misunderstanding. And if not immediately sorted out, becomes a complicated entanglement of more misunderstandings, more emotions and more bad blood.

And in such cases, unknotting is not quite that simple! Because humans have their egos, a sense of self-respect etc. so, a straight forward, simple act of wanting to untie the knots is not so simple.

At the end of the day, you have to really know intentions, everyone’s and your own. This is not simple anymore because people are not simple anymore. What you see is Not necessarily what you get.

There is no solution except your own ability to absorb the outcome. // Silence can be one solution but not a practical one. Besides, who says you can’t misread silences? Ensuring that WE act from pure intention is all we can do.

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

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

Compassion

 

Compassion is possible because we are all mirroring each other. I can feel your hurt because I have been there or close to that feeling myself. I also need to understand that reactions to the same event can be different in different people. And suffering is on different levels of intensity and ability to cope.

And yet, why do we start judging instead of understanding when it is impossible to get into anyone else’s shoes ? I have realised that when we judge others, we have forgotten to be kind to ourselves ! Or compassionate for that matter. Yes, sounds paradoxical ! But not really so.

When we are not comfortable in our own skins , we don’t want to accept our selves , especially our darker areas. So, in order to feel good, however temporarily, it is easier to point a finger outwards for the same weaknesses we may also carry. Because we always attract similar people who mirror our weaknesses. Through them, the universe is teaching us to accept those areas within us, heal and move on in our journey.

All we need is the realisation that we are all imperfect and the journey is about our own learning and healing. Not about judging others . Let them look after their own journey.

It is not our business to treat anyone as small or inferior . This is where kindness / compassion come in. If you must , help people who are struggling to heal, instead if maligning them and throwing brickbats. And shunning them. Human weaknesses are not contagious diseases . So, Our censure makes US inferior people because our lower self is at work at this time. WHY are WE intolerant of someone else ?

 

We need to ask ourselves this question which may lead to a can of worms within ourselves that we are afraid to open.

Compassion and kindness, therefore, need a much deeper understanding.

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

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

Quote of the day

 

The vastness of Ourselves

The minute advaita vedanta comes into your life, you come alive like a dying plant being watered back to health again. How many confusions , misrepresentations and mindsets we live with because we fail to Understand the vastness of ourselves. It is so amazing and really the grace of God that a few months back, I chanced upon a talk by Swami Sarvapriyanand ji on you tube. I haven’t looked back since! I am not surprised he has followers all over the world. To me, it seems as if he is THE teacher in modern times, one who can be so completely logical in teaching such an abstract subject! You cannot help but understand the finer nuances because he just dins them into your head tirelessly and unceasingly. Truly amazing! This world needs a guru like him. My respectful namaskar to him! Surekha Kothari www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com surekhakothari.wordpress.com Speakingtree Blog: www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari

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

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

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

Reciprocity

 I don’t understand when people say “it is too late”.why ? How ? When is it too late to salvage a situation ? Maybe, the feeling of “ too late” is within us and WE want to give up. Because we don’t see a reciprocity … Yet, Often, success is just beyond your giving up. And if you had tried just that little extra, a lot could have been redeemed.

Yes, there are exceptions and once in a while, it IS best to let go. But that instinct needs to be cultivated.

We generally seem to persevere when things are important to US. But sometimes, we need to create that balance between us and others’ needs.

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

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

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

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

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

Quote of the day

 

Liberating Experience

 The understanding of Vedanta is a liberating experience. It is a shocking revelation or a giant jolt for those who have never perceived reality this way, for people who see the world as an ultimate reality, where we live and die … and that’s it ! Nothing more , nothing less !

The basic understanding  is severely lacking when we see ourselves as subject and the external world as the  object. The moment we say “I”, we mean there is something else apart from “I”.

In Vedanta, we learn about the different states of being.Like,  the waking state, the dream state , the deep sleep state . And we think all of these are us. Actually, not so !

There is a fourth state which is the awareness that we ARE the awareness in which all these three states are manifesting. We are merely watching provided we don’t get involved because what is real is only US as observers.

I am that which observes , that which is aligned with a collective consciousness which never dies … it’s merely like an ocean in which waves come and go. In the same way, episodes within the waking state and those within the dream states are not real.

We live our physical reality as in a dream and live our dreams like they are real , with all the emotions etc thrown in. Neither are true.

And the deep sleep is the state where all this happens to us , and we observe. Because, I am not one with that which I see. I am just the awareness that sees.

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

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

Spiritual Wealth

 

I strongly believe that every citizen of this country must take up a cause. This is the only way we are going to wake up to those around us and their needs. Not only that, we also start waking up to our own abundance which, sadly, we don't ever understand because we are always looking to acquire the trivia we don't possess because someone ekse has it.

If we can just do this exercise : put down what we have on one side and what we want on the other . Just examine how many things that we want are really worth desiring. And examine the worth of what we already have.

Strangely enough, we never ask for : god, give me more goodness, more generosity, more compassion for those around me. Or, please help me be honest and simple in my relationships.

We ask for more of what money can buy. More power. More fame. People lining up to praise you to the skies for what you possess. Gautam Buddha left all the pomp and glory , and years later, emerged as the most glorious of humans.

The moral : Only in letting go do we find spiritual wealth and glory.

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

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