Natural Life

 I have been listening to people speak about loneliness. This status, one would think, does not apply to “successful” people. But wonder of wonders! These people are also not devoid of loneliness. Which means loneliness is a state much deeper than worldly success can remove.

We presume fame, wealth and power can prevent loneliness. We also think people who always prefer to be among crowds are not lonely. Or people who are always on social media are connected and happy. Not true either.

Then what is it? If we take the Advaita Vedanta perspective, I need to believe that “I AM THAT”. But in our mechanical lives and away from nature, we don’t realize that modern amenities and modern life has cut us away from natural life. There was a time when we were connected to creation.

I remember that growing up, we were nature’s children. Walking barefoot on grass, and on pebbles, gardening, making garland and jewelry from flowers, running out to play in the rain, climbing trees to eat the fruit straight from there … connected with everything including people. Life had a tremendous value! And we were connected.

Today, we are separatist as people. We are also untrustworthy because we wear masks. We say one thing but mean another. We are not empaths. We know everyone has challenges and ups and downs but we don’t want to listen. We don’t want to sympathize. We don’t know how to come out of ourselves to help another. Everything has to be a quid pro quo.

Maybe , this very attitude tends to isolate each one of us. The ones who ARE empaths perhaps should not expect that quality from others. We are basically selfish creatures, ironically, left to work towards our evolution when we struggle with our regressive separatist tendencies.

They say Kaliyug is a good ground for quick evolution, that chanting also has multiple benefits. There was a joke on this, that if, in your ignorance, you said “Mara” instead of “Ram” you would still get the benefits.

Who knows! Only God knows. One thing is certain. Loneliness if used correctly, can definitely be beneficial to our evolution. If we can change our tracks. And last but not the least, abject loneliness has been known to be the cause of ailments like dementia.

Surekha Kothari

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

www.instagram.com/author_surekhakothari/

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

Quote of the day

 

Quote of the day

 

Gratitude

 

Someone has rightly said that success without planning is luck. And success with effort and struggle is an achievement. Envy therefore, has no value. All of us can create our own goals and work hard to achieve them. There is no other way, unless the credit balance of your “punya” gives you a place you perhaps did not “earn” like, being born into a wealthy family.

One really has to reflect very seriously and deeply on where one’s journey is each moment. And how much one is capable of in terms of truthfully assessing the self. We do tend to block what we don’t intrinsically like about ourselves, but cannot change.

New experiences need courage. Comfort and repetitive living will keep you from growth. One way to start the process of growth is to question everything we think, say and do. The weeds need to be pulled out, however painful, for the plant to grow in a healthy way.

Every year, we make resolutions. Some of us fall back into tested patterns and achieve more stagnation of the mind. Unable to heal our hurts and complexes, understanding that we can start afresh from the day the realization dawns that our thinking is not growth oriented.

There are so many accents on self-help today. We need to make an intention and immerse ourselves in this attempt while doing our usual routine. As they say, anything, even a mundane chore, can be done in different ways and joy derived from it. All we need is a simple mind with a clear intention.

And let us not forget the people who have nurtured us, even if it was a ” cruel to be kind” attitude in an attempt to teach us the right values.  Respect for all forms of life is imminent in our journey to find ourselves. Because it is linked with how much we respect ourselves. So, love and compassion are the two most vital prerequisites for personal evolution. For us and otgers. They start with gratitude and blessings for one and all.

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

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

Quote of the day

 

Quote of the day

 

Celebration

 For some , life is a celebration. For others, it is a burden to be dragged till its end. For some others, it is a present for personal evolution, for reflection and for healing.

In all of these conditions, what makes a difference is the passion and attitude with which we decide to live out our years. Of course, grace and forbearance are vital.

But when  you see little ones with eyes full of despair, how do you celebrate with a clean heart ? Which brings us down to , What then is celebration ?

I would say, making the life of others better , more bearable. Being there to wipe tears and bring smiles to as many faces as you can. That is real celebration of your life.

There aught to be little or zero tolerance for inter personal conflict and ego persistence. Life has a much bigger canvas. Only from higher spaces can you see this bigger picture. Broadening our horizons is

a wonderful part of evolution. Failing to do so is a huge loss.

But each one of us has to realise this. For ourselves.

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

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

Evolution

 

In the process of our evolution, we come across phases where we become so negative that we would not recognize a solution to our problem even if it was staring us in the face and in some other phases, when we are in a happier state of mind. To find solutions is no big deal.

The common denominator is our mind. So, why do we feel so intensely negative at times? When we try and fail. When we reach out and get no response. When we expect results from the wrong quarters and more...

What might serve us best is a simple attitude that innate peace and contentment solves many issues automatically. When we try very hard, it does show desperation to get something. So, what flows easily is the best solution and such solutions are the result of a calm and logical mind which is away from afflictions.

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

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

Quote of the day

Quote of the day

Path of evolution

I really want to say a few words about our allegiance to a particular religion. Needless to say, all religions are beautiful. And I can totally accept that individuals resonate with different religions based even on past lives.

For example, if I have led a Buddhist monks life in an earlier life, there will be episodes in my life when the Buddhist chanting will come to me. This has actually happened to me. And believe me, this has happened to many of us but we have not linked the dots and have missed the experience in our state of unawareness.

So, since we have a little bit of so many lifetimes within us, how can we afford to be intolerant at all? If I remembered all my lives, I could have had many religions, right? It is a possibility. And if I hate a religion, there has to be a resonance there as well. Surely, my experience in another life has led me to be that way. I need to heal this with the knowledge that I did not know better then. I know now. And so, I don't hate anymore.

This has to be the path of evolution we walk on in everything. What else is the purpose of our life?

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

SpeakingtreeBlog: www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari

Quote of the day

Quote of the day

Changes

Amidst all the change and transition that is happening, I am not surprised that those who have reached the pits of degeneration are gasping for breath and struggling to avoid getting completely choked by their own misdeeds. Evidently, they had been so drunk on their power since so many years that they had forgotten that there is nothing like permanence. It would be amusing if it were not so tragic to see some senior politicians who lay out a trap for others, getting caught in its them.

When will this stop? We are paying a price for the "free for all” environment that the people of this country have become used to. Now, when the degeneration is being curbed and reversed, and they are being reined in, they cry foul.

We must examine the intention behind the rules that are being resented.

In childhood, we were not allowed to do certain things. When we became adults, many went a little haywire and some more than just a little.

At any age, a crisis situation must be averted even if it requires drastic and unpalatable changes. If we had not done that under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, we would still have been a British colony. (But we have a short memory.) Of course, we would not have had a neighbor like Pakistan either.

So, what should our priority be? No contest here. It should be a spirit of nationalism and secularism, tolerance and peaceful existence with an equal opportunity for all. But between this goal and the current reality, there lies a great chasm that has to be filled with an indomitable, persistent will to work hard and achieve this goal. Can it happen in a day, a month or a year even? Not if we blame and criticize instead of contributing to the momentum of the visualized growth. We are so pathetic that we don't even know how lucky we are that there is a dependable leader today. And there is hope. You can see this at every rally, the latest being Surat. Has the whole country gone crazy then, to support him? No. Not at all.

If the media was not so busy turning everything into a debate and controversy, we would be able to see the ground reality. As someone said, the PM is a visionary but the people around him should have faith and help in manifesting that vision. If India was minus the irresponsible and dangerous opposition leaders, evolution would move at breakneck speed. I guess, the "kundali" (astrological chart) of India must already be showing the impending ineffectiveness and the symbolic self immolation of this type of politician. These people are and will keep digging their own graves while India will move forward despite the formidable challenges of today.

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

SpeakingtreeBlog: www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari

Level of faith

I find the fuss about genders very shallow. I mean, so... there are women and there are men. I may as well be saying, there are lions and deer’s, or roses and lilies. All creations of the Almighty.

Don't you think all this fuss is that of just being unable to accept that creation is made up of various forms, humans, animals and birds, nature, the flora fauna? We fail to see the unified field behind the various forms. Our main but invisible link. Unfortunately, we are very focused merely on the apparent and visible differences of forms. Like, when we are so engrossed in a movie, we fail to see the steady and unmoving screen on which the movie is being projected. Without which there would be no movie at all.

The actual consciousness of being a particular gender or the obsession with this has a very valid reason. We don't remember but we have had different gender roles in our past lives and the memory of this resides in our subconscious. Sometime or other, our personalities may come alive within us when triggers happen. The truth is, we are both female and male inside us. But we deny it while role playing. We are not comfortable in our skin perhaps. Coupled with this is our mind conditioning, of playing gender based roles.

It’s only when we connect on the level of faith and love and equality that we can start respecting all life on this earth. Instead of being intolerant and separatist based on personal preferences. Only then will the social evils that we see in our society today will be a thing of the past.

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

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

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Beauty of life

At the start of the year, you should resolve to defeat your karma as the chief resolution. Sounds strange, right? How that is possible is the immediate thought. I love to quote the story of Savitri and Satyavaan in which Savitri brought her dead husband back to life from the possession of Yama, the God of death.

Symbolically and otherwise, the one aspect visible in this story is that with courage and passion, anything is possible. And that's why I say, if that karma was defeated, all karma can be defeated.

How?

That you have to experience the consequences of your past karma is a reality. But HOW you choose to do so is a decision that lies squarely in your court. You can either transform the experience into a new beginning or cry all the way.

The beauty of life is, even if you do not get what you wanted in one or two aspects of life, there are many other aspects available to develop because we are very vast beings, connected to a very large canvas of energy. Why do we need to limit ourselves?

You know, I have seen many people go to a multiplex, only to find the movie they wanted to see showing a houseful board but they look at other options and find the best one under the circumstances. Why? Because they had made up their minds to see a movie that day.

Isn't life somewhat similar? So, maybe, I wanted to be a doctor but ended up being a pharmacist. Maybe, I badly wanted kids but could not have them. So, I decided to adopt one. Or maybe, I wanted the proverbial perfect marriage but circumstances were not perfect and I decided to develop other talents I had. And kept my friendship going with the spouse. 

Positivity all the way...

The moment you click on the "options" button, you see a drop down menu with a wide range of choices and if you are a positive, die hard kind of a person, some options will definitely engage your mind and imagination.

Hey, after all, we are in this world for a specific period of time. There is no time to cry over anything. Instead, whatever karma is unfolding before you in your life is only giving you a chance to turn to other activities which are waiting to be explored and can be brought within your reach with enough passion and a desire to make good your life.

So, you have a Rukmini Devi starting to learn Bharatnatyam at 30 years of age and you have a Kalakshetra in Chennai as an evidence of her passion for the art. Look around and many such legends can be seen.

So, karma resolution through transformation is very doable. Just don't let yourself go down with self pity and don't let yourself sink into the illusion of darkness...for, that's all it is an illusion...there is nothing like darkness. It is the absence of light that we call darkness. Light is the only reality.

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

SpeakingtreeBlog: www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari

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Realizing the self

The Bhagvad Gita explains that there are three paths to realizing the self. Knowledge (gyan), action (karma) and devotion (bhakti). Different people have the aptitude to adopt any of these paths.

As in case of all generalizations, we know this to be true. However, these paths are actually interconnected. Devotion or bhakti is the ultimate. Through knowledge and through karma, we ultimately realize that ultimate devotion and surrender are the final steps. And that comes from spiritual learning and action.

The main root of right knowledge is attachment. We are not our body, nor our minds. We are not our senses, nor the intellect or ego. We are not mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, aunts and uncles. It is our role play that some take seriously. When you get hurt by these very people, this experience itself directs you towards the right knowledge and the right action. And then you realize that you are not in charge. You are not the doer. So, after exhausting yourself through ego driven actions, you finally lay down your weapons and prostrate before the light of the Almighty. For life is fragile. We are not in command for the most part though we think we are. And surrendering, there is nothing to DO. Things happen... and we are channels.

Surekha Kothari

www.BodyMindSoulCentre.com

surekhakothari.wordpress.com

SpeakingtreeBlog: www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari

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