Joy of Being

While watching a nine-minute long video of Nick Vijicic talking about what he has got, instead of being worried about what he did not have, I realized that he was touching upon something which is the root cause of all the evils in the world. With no hands and no legs, Nick is 23, and still growing strong, and goes around the world motivating people. Not having legs and hands did not deter him from venturing into areas which are unthinkable for such a person. He plays polo, swims, goes for skiing, and engages in real-estate business. He does all these without depending on the legs and hands he does not have. Wow, I said to myself!

If Nick is able to achieve so much in life, he attributed the success in life to three simple principles: perspective, vision and choices! His life is an illustration of how he turned the perspective of life topsy-turvy in order cultivate an habit of focusing his attention to what he could do, instead of what he could not. I am worried about what I do not have, and therefore make frantic attempts to get the objects of my desire, and in the process may not even bother about how this could affect others, either positively or negatively; my sole aim is to get what I do not have! I fail to notice the numerous things which have potentiality to produce some of the most noteworthy things… but I am obsessed with what I do not have.

In the recent days, I am becoming more and more aware that no one on this beautiful earth is poor enough that he/she has to look for something more to lead a happy and contended life. Not even the worst of beggars need anything more for happy life. It is only when I tell myself that my happiness is in HAVING something, that I begin to feel sad for not having it. In other words, if I link my happiness to having a thing, or a person close to me, or adulations and admirations, then when I do not get them, I am bound to be drowned in unhappiness. But there is yet another level where we could be always happy, by being content with my BEING, with all that it implies: the good health I enjoy, the still pure air I breathe, my sensitivity to colors, taste, touch, to name a few.

If there is evil in the world, it is because we have not learned to be happy with what we have, what we are; our mind is obsessed with accumulating more and more, without realizing that each of us have enough and more to survive perhaps at least two life-time. If I tell that I shall be happy with what I have, then I shall not need to cheat or rob others; I will not need to tell lies, I shall not need to kill others to take their properties. Nick had understood the significance of this truth, through hard way, and he knows he is talking about of hard facts which stared in front of his eyes. Once we realize that our happiness is not in having more things, but in enjoying our being, then we begin to live.

The human body, mind and spirit have enough potential to destroy the whole world entirely, or recreate it altogether. It is not merely the physical or mental or psychic power I am talking about, but also a spiritual power which can fuel the world to better the life we live. Today when I have a desire to have something more than what I already have, I shall convince my inner self that I will be happy with what I have, and therefore shall not look for anything more. I hope one day I shall get into the habit of foregoing the fabulous things that the world offers, and find delight and happiness in the little things that I have and treasure. Link for YouTube video : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bL3GR4iAW0

Mother and Molester

Of all the Hindu deities, the one to whom I have a special love and admiration is Kali, whose festival we celebrated yesterday. Perhaps it is only in West Bengal that Kali is revered and worshiped as a Mother, following the example of Sri Ramkrishna Paramahamsa and Ramprasad Sen, both of whom had popularized devotion to her. They had “domesticated” the ferocious goddess into a Mother, and the songs of Ramprasad, known as Prasadika, depict the tender love that a devotee has for her, and at times the relationship goes to such an extent that the poet-singer even teases the Mother, asking her to get dressed!

Some years ago I had come across some feminist movements who had found in Kali an embodiment of freedom of the feminine; she dared to do something that our women can never think of; to oppose the evil-minded demon Raktabija, she did not hesitate to drink every drop of blood that came out of the demon, so that the drops did not clone into demons, to fight against the angry face of goddess Durga, which rose as Kali. The sacred text of Devi Mahatmyam has the myths associated with Kali, who can be considered a champion of injustice, and evil forces in society. We celebrate the power of the feminine, which gives life to the world even today.

But let me share an insight from Ramprasad’s songs on Shyama, another name for Kali. He had found in her the embodiment of all his desires and wishes, and therefore he takes liberty to pour out his heart to her. Many of his songs also deal with the plight of the powerless, voiceless and exploited masses, who could take shelter only in the protective arms of the mother. He also presents the kind of world these people live, groping in darkness. She is their only source of consolation, their advocate, their spokesperson. It is time that we wake up the Mothers in our society, who would stand up to speak for the voiceless.

During the last week, I had come across a wide range of feminine figures, who represented different categories of people. I dare not name them, but some of them, and their actions have disturbed me. Sometimes the feminine power and privilege is misused in order to carve a niche for themselves, while stamping on the persons they love. Kali stands on the body of her husband Shiva, who had thrown himself under her feet, in order to stop her rampage, killing all the people she found after winning over Raktabija, and garlanding their skulls. I think of several men, some of them at least innocent, who are mere victims of the ferociousness of women, which may go overboard.

Women have immense potentiality, and no wonder then Kali is often referred to as Shakti, and tantrism is often a means of entering into the limitless power of divine. But this power and potentiality can also be used to subdue the innocent and guileless, and thus create chaos and disorder in life, which is what Kali is often associated with, along with her consort Shiva. Her disheveled hair, reddish tongue dripping blood, almost naked body, are symbolic of the chaos she could cause. The world is in need of the limitless feminine potentiality to charge the world, and overthrow the evil forces, but the same power is also required to give safe haven to the innocent, the last, the least and the lost!

Harnessing psychic power – Wholistic Healing

It is possible to achieve holistic healing through psychic power, provided the person concerned is open to receive healing from within. In this case, as has been already pointed out, healing comes from within; we have the resources to exert healing both to ourselves and to others. Following is a process of achieving wholistic healing; here psychic energy would flow into the entire person healing and refurbishing every weak and fragile part. This psycho-hypnotic exercise would take some 15 minutes, and should be held in a place where there is relative quietness, and the atmosphere conducive. It would be better to have someone direct the person who seeks healing using the following words, or something to that effect. If the exercise is available on a CD and could be played on speakers, it would benefit the one wishing healing to lie on the floor on the back, with as little clothes on as possible. Since the healing will take place at the confluence of body-mind-spirit, any external element may come as a distraction. However when there is another person this may not be possible. What is more important is that there is as little distracting elements as possible.

Preparation: As much as possible, rest all the parts of the back, arms, legs touch the floor, and relax. Adjust the position to reach the most comfortable posture. Take deep breath three times and breathe out slowly… one, two, three. Tell yourself, ‘during the course of this exercise, I am not going to fall asleep, but will be awake all through’! Now become aware of the different sounds around you… the sound of the fan, of the vehicles, of birds chirping… Try to distinguish the sounds… Try to capture the distant and faint sounds… Slowly turn your attention to your body, lying on the floor. Observe all tensions and uneasiness in different parts of the body. If there are more parts feeling uneasy, take a few deep breaths and breathe out slowly. If there are only a few parts feeling heavy, focus your attention on the particular part, and address it directly, e.g. my right shoulder relax! Hold that particular part tightly and loosen it, until that part is relaxed. Similarly make sure all parts of your body are relaxed.

Invocation: As you lie down, feel your body becoming light. Feel that your body is becoming weightless, as if it were a feather. Realize that you can lift your hands up and it does not feel heavy, and so are your legs. Imagine that you are endowed with wings, and you flap your wings, and as soon as you do so, you soar up in the sky, and piercing through the ceiling you go higher and higher. As you reach the sky, you can see this place, your house, the trees, plants, your neighbors, and you can notice some familiar faces walking on the road… admire the scene from the sky with wonder and amazement, as if you are looking at the place for the first time. You wander in the sky for a while and keep moving, and you reach a place where you see a stream, and a flower garden beside it… the fields nearby are green with plantation. Listen to the rustle of the plants, smell their scent, feel the cool breeze. Near the stream, you see a small rock, and an elderly man giving shape in clay to a human figure. You find the scene strangely beautiful, and there is something in the scenery which is inviting you. You alight near the stream gently and slowly.

Invitation: You walk around slowly enjoying every second of your presence there. Feel the scented air, and fill your lungs with the fresh air… take one deep breath and drink the air, and breathe out slowly. Touch the flowers and appreciate their soft and gentle petals. As you move close to the rock, you see the elderly man inviting you close by to look at the clay model. Look at the old man, his flowing snow-white hair, and a glow of radiance around him. There is a touch of divinity in him, and you are drawn to him by a magic force… allow yourself to walk towards him. As you near this old man, you recognize that the model he had been giving shape to resembles very close to you… take a good look at the earthen statue and stay with it, admiring the beauty and wonder of this statue. Touch the statue, feel it, smell it, listen to what it says, and stay as long as you wish… As you admire this statue, you realize that this is the perfect person you had been always longing for… the most perfect creation of God. This is what you had been always longing to be like.

Immolation: You keep admiring the statue, when you suddenly realize that it is not a lifeless statue but a living person. Look at the person smile at you lovingly, and now he is touching you, just feel his touch, which is sending an electricity all over your body, and you feel as if his touch is burning the impurities in you, and you feel a burning sensation. The fire that he had ignited in you is spreading to every part of your body and is strengthening the weak parts, and giving new vigor to the tired bones and nerves… just feel the fire that is spreading to all the parts, and you begin to sweat… feel the heat and remain with it… take time for the fire to smother of its own accord, and don’t try to stop it by force. Let the fire burn all that is unwanted in you and feel all you did not desire in you burnt in the fire…

Embrace : When the fire is gone, you realize new strength and vigor in you, and the person who stands before you smiles at you, and stretches out his hands for an embrace… You realize that you too want to embrace the person, and move forward and embrace him/her. Just feel the touch of the person, the smell, breathing, and listen to the rustle of his/her clothes and just feel the person… As you remain lost in the embrace of the person, you realize that slowly that person is entering into yourself, and is melting into thin air and is lost in you… After a little while, you realize that the person has entered into yourself, and you are left alone in front of the rock. You turn around, and find no old man, who had invited you to see your true image.

Return : As you walk slowly around again, you realize that there is greater energy and power in you, and you realize that your weak bones are now strong, and many of the infirmities you had experienced earlier are gone. The worries and fears which had been haunting you are no more there. You find yourself as a new person, and you experience and enjoy the new-found joy and happiness. You see the flowers, and the green fields, and in the sky you see a group of birds returning home… you have a desire to join their company. You flip your wings and you slowly soar up in the sky… you wave your hands to say good bye to this beautiful place, and join the birds… merrily fly wading through the clouds, and when your house is seen, the other birds wish you and continue their journey, and you gently alight, and piercing through the ceiling, enter into this room and realize that the person lying down here on the floor is your own self… enter into the self and rest for a while, and thank God for this new experience. Savor the experience and stay with it for a while… Take three deep breaths and slowly rub both your hands gently and open your eyes.

It would benefit if this exercise is done once in a while to bring back the lost energy and vigor in us, and this can also usher in well-being in all persons, irrespective of age, gender and physical condition of the persons. However this is not a substitute for serious medical ailments, which may require medical treatment.

Harnessing psychic energy

I believe every human person has a tiny bit of Godliness in him/her; I like the Greek notion of the human beings as ‘demi-god’ (tiny god), because that says that we have the qualities of God. This necessarily implies that to a certain extent we have the power that God has and exercises. The common sensical attributes of God as omniscient (all-knowing), omnipotent (all-capable), and omnipresent (present everywhere) can also be attributed to the human beings, though only in a limited way. It is my belief that the power that we inherit as “children of God” is ever-present and available in ourselves, and very seldom do we recognize it and tap it. If only we recognize the power that lies deep within ourselves, then the medical practitioners may become unemployed.

What do I mean by this? We have immense power and potentiality deep within us that there is no disease or infirmity that we cannot heal by ourselves. The psychic power (later in a different blog, I will come to talk about another power, the cosmic power) unfortunately, is a mine of precious resources, which lies unexplored, untapped. Now why do we not realize and recognize this psychic power deep within ourselves? One of the reasons which comes to my mind is that it requires certain disciplining of the mind-body-spirit, in order to recognize the depth, width and height of this mine. There had been individuals even in our own times who do wonderful works of healing and reconciling persons, using this psychic power. Over the next couple of blogs, I would like to explore ways of tapping the rich healing power that it is capable of.

It may be necessary that I define what I mean by psychic power! It is a power that every human person is endowed with, by the very fact one is a human person. We might find several justifications for the power we have been given, if we fall back on the creation narratives of the conventional religions or the creation myths of different tribes. As believers, we can easily understand that God created us in his own image and likeness, and after creating breathed his own spirit into us. Is it not a wonderful thing for God to do? He is sharing not only his image and likeness, but he is also sharing his life spirit; in other words, he is sharing with us his power and qualities with us. If we fall back on the Bible, there is no question that God shared his very self with us.

We often come across weak and fragile human persons at a spur of a moment achieving impossible and unimaginable works; for instance, it is said that if a baby is about to be run over a moving vehicle, and if the mother of the child were to notice it, she would be able to push the speeding vehicle and save the child. Now where does she get the strength to do this impossible feat? Of course this is the psychic power. Sometimes we wonder how certain persons, so simple and may even be just illiterate, can do some impossible wonders, and they may not be able to explain how they were able to do by themselves, but everyone would know that this is not possible under normal circumstances. These are the illustrations for the use of psychic power.

Now what can we do with this psychic power? There is nothing which we cannot do with the psychic power that we each one of us have; this is like the power which is convertible into any form we may want. You want to build self-confidence, the psychic power can help you; you want to find a suitable job for you or your partner, this can help; or you dream of a home for yourself and your family, but find it hard to find the means, then the psychic power can show you the way to attain your goal. It would be wrong to imagine that using the psychic power we can achieve material benefits instantly. We could look at it as a prescription for the diseases we suffer from. Just looking at the prescription is not going to cure the disease, we will have to purchase the medicine and take them, and that can bring healing. But that requires a special preparation of the body-mind-spirit.

Securing a Second Chance (SS 07)

Jesus himself might not have thought that he might have to fall to the ground a second time, not to mention that there would be another fall awaiting him. But he does not curse the whole world, when he is pressed down by the cross, and falls flat on the ground! He would not have liked to fall, but he is as powerless and helpless as any person drained of his energy would feel. But that is the fall that he did not expect, and even as he struggles to rise from the ground, there is very little help given him; there is no helping hand, no sign of sympathy for him, but only jeers and a shower of abuses! The second fall makes his body a little weaker, but his spirit grows strong.

When the Savior had fallen on to the ground, he did not show any sign of stubbornness or arrogance, which said that he was not going to fall with the weight of the world’s sins again! In fact, the reverse may be true; he did not mind falling any number of time to let the world know that he was ready to accept them, with all their abuses and charges. He did not even once say, this is your first and last warning, and I cannot tolerate your abuses any longer. I often wonder what really made this man to accept all these curses and abuses non-challantly? Could he not challenge the people who were accusing him on false charges? The second fall was Jesus’ way of giving the world a second chance to turn to him.

If the road to Calvary had been inaccessible and hard to traverse, how many times the Savior would have been prepared to fall. He had told his disciples to forgive anyone who asked pardon, not seven times, but seventy times seven! My guess is that Jesus might have been prepared to fall seventy times seven, in order prove to the world that he cared for it! But that could be possible only if he had still some energy left in his body! There is too little blood left in his body, and the energy is fast evaporating, and he is struggling to pull himself through! He does not know how to give ultimatum! He does not know how to give the one last chance! He would go another agonizing stretch in order to prove his love for the world.

How many times have I failed to give any chance for people to correct themselves? Many are the victims of my arbitrary judgments, not giving people a second chance to prove they are worthy of my attention. I am aware that many people may benefit from life if they are given a second chance to turn over a new leaf! Human beings are not such hardened criminals that they may not make use of a second chance! It does not demand much from me to give people a second chance; all that I need to be aware of is that they do not take me for a royal ride; that they do not take it for granted that whatever they do, they would be given an unconditional chance again. There is nothing like helping people to turn back and start a new beginning, and Jesus is doing it by demonstrating through his second fall.

Our legal system is unfortunately based on a harsh treatment of men and women for their one time misdeed! It is true that a thief who had been involved in stealing is caught one day, but for quite many, it may be their first misdeed, and they are caught! There is no way of letting them correct themselves and start life anew, but that they have to bear the consequences of what they had done, by way of going through several years of imprisonment as under-trial, and then after the verdict some more years of imprisonment! But then, by the time they come back home to start life with fresh perspective more than half their lives is gone… Ultimately such persons may again end up behind bars out of frustration and apathy by the society.

The second fall of Jesus on the way to Calvary is a reminder to me that I too should be prepared to “fall” so that others can rise; many are the times when I long for a second chance to prove my fidelity, commitment to the Lord and to the world, and strangely enough I do get such precious opportunity, and a second chance! When others are prepared to fall for my sake, is it not proper that I too prepare myself to let others get a second chance to correct themselves. I do not lose much by giving people another chance, all that I may have to do is subdue my ego, and let them make use of the chance with all sincerity and genuineness.

I do feel sad for you, as you fall flat onto the ground; looking at your face it is almost clear to me that you were prepared for the fall, though there is very little energy in you to withstand the weight of the wooden cross. I can scarcely remember how many chances you have given me up to this very day, so that I could be still alive, I could still receive your favor! I understand within days of my gaining consciousness, I had exhausted all the seventy times seven chances… You had given me hundreds of chances, and you do not exhaust your grace period for me to return to you! And yet, with my neighbors I am often too very stingy, and calculative! Today I am resolving to give not only the second but also the next chances to people who wish to turn a new leaf in life! I am prepared to kiss the ground with you, to let them have that precious chance in life!

Path of Powerlessness (SS 01)

How hard is it for me to realize that I am powerless before the world, that I cannot bend the law for my advantage, that I have to follow the millions of people who are just powerless before the mighty empires of power and influence in the world. I feel that it is even shameful for me to realize that I am powerless before the world, the mighty and powerful, and there are many who would look down upon me for being so powerless, and accept reality as it comes to me! But today as I stand before the Lord willingly and even joyously embracing the condemnation that Pilate had imposed on him, I realize the power of being powerless, power understood as a spiritual energy which can take me to a realm different from the material and physical reality!

I cannot accept the fact that sometimes I am powerless and am advised by everyone who matters to me that I should do something to make myself powerful and prove to the world that I cannot be taken for granted. The other day my elder brother’s case had come for hearing (he had been implicated in a case of fraud which the Central Board of Investigation had initiated on the firm where my brother was a partner), and the judge had given the verdict against my brother’s concern, and soon his world began to be in pieces. He could not accept the verdict – rupees five thousand fine and one year of simple imprisonment! It is not a question of if he deserved it or not, but I would like to look at how he reacted to the verdict.

The next day emails crisscrossed between the brothers; get rid of the case by hook or by crook! Even if you have to bribe the judge and spend far too much money on it, do not hesitate! That was the refrain that formed the main content of most of the emails, and my elder brother promised he would do everything possible in order to get out of the case. There were references given by my younger brother, who could help my brother come out with a clean chit. Money is not a problem if the work is well done, my brother assured the advocate handling his case. The central point is : do anything to get out of the ugly situation my brother was in.

A friend of mine who applied for a visa to visit a neighboring country was turned away, when my friend failed to carry his old passport, at the time of submitting the form. His other friends would be travelling to the neighboring country, and this friend was to accompany them. Now he had to go to with his friends by all means, and these men had all the influence they required to bend the rules, in order to get the visa the very next day. The same thing happened to a family of four, husband and wife, and two boys, whose application was also turned away because the husband did not carry his old passport. But my friend got his visa at a record time, because of the “influence” he had exerted through a higher authority of our college.

Who on earth wants to accept defeat, failure and unjust verdict? No one wants to accept a verdict which is a blatant injustice, but here stands a man who does not open his mouth to oppose an unjust verdict, a condemnation by the Roman governor Pilate and the Pharisees and scribes. Why could Jesus the Nazarene make use of his “influence” to show how powerful he was, that he was more powerful than the Romans, of the Jewish leaders, both political and religious! Why could he not plead to his Father to send his angels to show how powerful the Messiah was? This seemingly stupid godman perhaps did not know the ways of the world, he stood to his guns, to unjustly suffer an ignominious death on the cross, and he would do it willingly.

He even had the guts to defend his position, of keeping mum, of not making use of his influence to defend himself from the worldly powerful. My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not here!” (Jn 18:35-36). Did he not know that he was living in the world and he must be a Roman in Rome? It is so hard to keep my mouth shut in the midst of blatant injustice done to others, and done to me, and if Jesus has the audacity to seal his lips before the mighty and powerful men and women of his time, he points me to the seed of being powerless before the world, for being powerless before the world necessarily points me to being powerful in the world beyond!

How heartening it is for me to see you standing like a pillar of stone before the deafening crowd, unjustly condemning you to death, and yet you had no word of protest, no word of rebuttal; you had the greatest ‘influence’, and yet you would not turn stones to fill your stomach! You show to me the amazing power of being powerless before the world, and this power alone is your strength even as you prepare yourself to embrace the barren cross. Next time when I am put into inconvenient situations, or deprived of my due rights and privileges, or even unjustly accused or punished, teach me not to run to the influences to save my skin, but prepare myself to keep my mouth sealed to show to the world the power of being powerless like you, my Master and Lord!

Name the Devil!

Let me acknowledge I am notorious for not remembering names, even of people who had been interacting with me for days and months. And to be frank, I don't make any serious effort to remember names of peoples. And what is strange, I can remember the names of some people, without any effort, even after our first meeting, I know the name of the person, and can remember even after weeks and months. That only shows how my mind works! Surely the mind captures and registers the names of only the persons who really matter to me! Not any Tom, Dick and Harry, or any Mary Kutty, Sonali and Rupali! The mind has its own logic, some times quite queer and wierd, but that is how it works!

I know how important it is to name persons and things. Names represent the person, and his/her identity. To remember the name of a person is to say that I care for him/her, and if I don't or can't remember a person's name, that simply shows that person does not much matter to me (at least in the same way as I matter to him/her)! If naming matters greatly in human relationships, it matters all the more in handling what goes on deep within! A person who can name what goes on deep within, also knows how to manage life, its tough storms and thunder, rain and shine! But it is an art to really name the intricate play of reason and feeling, which incessantly run on the mindscape.

I had said in my earlier blog that fear holds the key to the downfall of many of our dreams, to the destruction of all that we are capable of! When fear takes charge of my being, I become just a victim of all the persons and situations around me, a helpless victim, who has but no control over anything whatsoever. I had also said that one way of overcoming the imposing power of fear, is by recognizing it attempting to cripple my life little by little, and that will lead me to defeat fear! But still one may not be too sure that the fear has left him/her for good. There is a way to make that sure.

If I don't stop with recognizing fear, but attempt to name each one of them, that is where I not only exorcise fear from my inner being, but also remove it from its roots. That is the way to make fear powerless, that is the way to cripple fear, before it cripples me. Most often fear exists in us in a nebulous way, and it is hard to really hold it. The moment when you thought you had caught hold of it, it slips from your hand, and you are caught chasing the wind uselessly. But wait for the fear to approach you, and don't go in search of it! It will knock at your door when you least expect it; if you are prepared to tackle it, then you will catch it before it enters into your room.

Put that label, which best fits the fear that is attempting to overpower you, and stick it on to it, and your job is done. You can then rest in peace, for there is nothing more that you need to do. It works like a magic; fear will depart you the very moment it is named and labelled. By naming it, you have exerted power and control over it, and it cannot chase you any longer. You are the master of the situation now, and it will do your bidding, whatever that may be. From that moment onwards, fear will fear you, and will even run away from you, for fear you should put it to shame. Be bold enough to bid a joyful farewell to fear, for when fear departs from you, the doors of happiness and peace are opened wide for you to enter!

Branding

One of the secrets of success is business and commerce is branding the product or merchandise. If the branding is done with great care, then one can be sure of success, even if the product or merchandise itself may not be worth that much hype. For those who are uninitiated into the world of business, branding is related to a projection of the product as it is and affecting the customer to a large extent, highlighting the great value for money that the product can give to the buyer. Branding basically targets human psyche, whereby the customer is brain-washed by the company. Take for instance, vesting a particular brand of vests is a ‘andar ki baat’! That is branding.

I feel terrible when people begin to brand their neighbors, friends, family members, and citizens of a particular nation. This is one of the greatest injustice we can do to humanity. First of all, human beings are a commodity that can be branded, for purchase. Branding persons basically points to an accumulation of prejudices and pre-judgements. When we say, so and so is such a kind of person, we are already branding the person, as if a person is a solidified matter, which cannot change over time. We need to look at people as they are and not as we would wish them to be.

Some of us are ace human branders, who even without seeing or hearing, can brand people, just on the basis of hear-say. History will tell us how mistaken these people are. It is only human beings who are capable of changing, and sometimes these changes can occur even over night; and we may not be in a position to explain how the change took place, but that precisely are human beings. Branding a person is equivalent to condemning a person to a state of immaterial being, who is incapable of change. We cannot have a healthy social living, until we begin to look at one another as people susceptible of change and transformation.

We all of us suffer at sometime or other from social stigma, and that is one of the consequences of immortalizing these human brands. The stigma is often imposed from out, without verifying the validity of the offence. Generalization is a cousin to this social stigma. But is it possible for us to ever overcome the propensity to brand people? We may have to begin our journey to cure, from the understanding that all are vulnerable, and weak human beings, and there is no one who can truly claim to be free from human frailties. Once I know that others are as weak as I am, I would not begin to label them for all eternity, but look at the silver lining in the midst of their dark gloomy nature. It is then that we will realize the danger of branding people.

Every time I brand people, I should realize that there are others prepared to brand me too. In fact, the very people I brand may be the people who may do the same thing for me. If I am in the chair of power and authority and begin to judge everyone on earth as I see them to be, then it may be good for me to remember that the day to be on the receiving end is not very far off. I may also need to realize that if others had branded me the way I do to them, then probably my life would be very different today. It is because many people had been generous enough to spare me from the humiliation of being branded, that I am able to keep my head erect and judge others. If I feel I have all the qualities to brand others, then it is time that I prepare myself to be branded too!

On Being Hurt

There are some who often complain that they are hurt by the behavior of others, including by the persons they consider dearest to their heart. Hurt then leads to reservation and certain amount of self-imposed isolation, and that leads to self-pity, which may in turn lead to other vices, depending on the disposition of the person who feels the ravages of being hurt. But looking at this phenomenon of being hurt, it is not an exaggeration that there are very few persons who can hurt those who are conscious of themselves and in touch with what goes on within them.

Let me put it figuratively, taking an image from the Bible. If a building is strongly built on a rock, any amount of rain and shine cannot destroy it; but if the building is built on a heap of sand or soft mud, then there is no force on earth which can really protect it from torrential rain. Psychologically speaking, criticism, especially when it is targeted at character-assassination, can possibly lead one to get agitated, because here it is not the mind which takes control of the person, but the senses. There is a way to handle criticism and feelings of 'hurt'.

A criticism can really affect us only when we give it undue importance; when we take them too seriously. When my friend or spouse does not behave the way I would expect him/her to do, then I feel annoyed and in some cases even feel hurt. When I am not given the importance I expect from the people I love and appreciate and esteem, then I feel hurt. But very seldom would I pause for a moment and think if they meant to hurt me at all! Maybe I can take the case a little seriously if the person had deliberately wished to hurt me, to pull me down morally. Then there is a different way of tackling that too.

If I ever feel hurt, then there are more chances which point to the fact that the problem is not out there, in that person or these people, but is deep within me. What the other person said or did might have triggered off the hurt feeling that had been remaining dormant in my heart. So if I sincerely want to find a solution, I cannot find it out there, but have to take a peek deep within me. I might come face to face with some of the skeletons I had not bothered to discard. Once I begin to clear my cupboard, then I may find there is no reason for me to feel hurt! I can look at what people say and do at their face value, without giving them a meaning which they don't contain.

Hurt feelings basically point to the position when I feel I deserved a better treatment than given to me; better attention than what I was accorded with. But this better treatment and attention could also be provided from within, instead of looking for it from outside. There are more chances I will not get them from outside all the time, which only points to the fact that I need to make use of the inner resources often lying unutilised. All that I need to do is, take time off for a while and go deep into myself and feel the power that animates me... feel my whole body pulsating with this power and energy, and then I can feel that I am a building that is built on a rock, and no one can really pull me down!

Falling in Love

Walking through the hallowed portals of the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium, once gets a feeling that a sound mind is of paramount importance to continue the tradition of intellectually understanding the workings of the Spirit in the Scriptures, the Church and in the world. Talking to some of the students of this prestigious institution, which can boast a quality that can only be compared to that of Biblicum or Gregorian in Rome, one gets a feeling that Christian (or Catholic to be precise) theology has unfortunately moved from the heart to the head. In fact that is precisely what one of the students had told me, that theological studies today in this University, is a mental work, and not so much that of the heart. That may be an understatement for a person who believes in sound intellectual study in theology, but one may ask the moot question, can theology be only intellectual, not touching the heart?

Every learning experience is an entry into the ever vibrant sea of wisdom; every time we make an effort to intellectually perceive or understand something, we are taking a dip at this bottomless sea; our intellectual quest may never be quenched, and our thirst for greater clarity may never dawn. Unfortunately wisdom is far removed from the processes of the mind or the intellect; wisdom is to do with the heart, and it strikes a chord with the heart, while intellect puts a person directly in touch with the mind, and disconnects from the workings of the senses, feelings of the heart. Learning cannot take place in a vacuum, true; but a mere intellectual exercise may leave a person high and dry at the end. True learning, or a dip into the ocean of wisdom, is a joyful experience, which one may wish to go back time and again; it may be something that may give that person enough stamina and strength to meet the humdrum reality of ever day life.

One thing is for sure, there is very little scope in the modern day teaching-learning situations, for one to really fall in love with what one is busy with almost night and day. If I am doing my masters degree in Systematic Theology, I cannot learn truly unless I fall in love with the subject I am learning. The curriculum, staff, books are to help me in this process of falling in love. They may only help me, but it is for me to really fall in love. Besides, the situation may be such that one is prevented from falling in love in reality; the circumstances may encourage one to enter into a Platonic love relationship, where the partners may appreciate one another at the head-level, not venturing to enter into the heart-level. Can we call it love? Sure, but of a different kind. This is surely not the kind of love that we long for.

In fact once I fall in love with what I am trying to grasp, I go beyond the prescribed books, assignments, tests, examinations, seminars… and in certain cases I may even become mad! No wonder many people who had tried to enter into their subject in a serious way, had found themselves in such situation; they had to be taken to psychiatrists. There is a danger in associating with the subject one loves and studies in an absolute way. But once I begin to love what I do, what I study, I enjoy every moment I spend with the subject, and cherish even when I am away from it. I am not shattered by the bad results in the examination or inability to get through tests and assignments, because I can very well cherish what I am in love with, without worrying too much about what I make out of this relationship. Sadly much of our learning stops at the level of the head, what someone called a mental jugglery.

Today I would like to pause for a while and recollect what I had been doing from the time I got out of my bed early in the morning. I am going to ask myself this simple question, to which I will try to answer as honestly as possible: have I been in love with what I had been doing throughout this day? It is possible that I did certain works or duties or assignments with greater love and care than some others. Let me enlist those that I enjoyed doing, I loved doing, and had taken great care in doing, and had driven great satisfaction. Let me also enlist those things I did out of compulsion, out of necessity, out of duty consciousness. It is not possible that we stop doing these latter things, because sometimes we may find ourselves with too few options. But it is within our power and choice to make the latter as interesting as the former. I may need to take each item for a few days, and transform it slowly into something that I love and enjoy doing it. That may be the secret of making my day as enjoyable as I can ever make it! (Brussels)

Might is Wealth

Luxembourg, tugged off between Belgium, France and Germany in the European Union fraternity, is not a big country or nation of great significance as its great and illustrious neighbors. Just as we need to look for a dot adjoining Malasia to identify Singapore, so too should we strain to locate Luxembourg, which has only about 25 km radius, and a population far below most of the metropolis of the sub-continent, with about four lakhs, a good majority hailing from other parts of the European Union, and one fourth from Portugal. Having said how insignificant this nation among the 26 other allies of the EU, let me give just one point, which may turn the boat topsy-turvy – Luxembourg boasts as the third biggest financial capital in the EU, and has over 200 banks in the city. Given the nature of the city then, every third or fourth building should be a bank. No wonder the steel tycoon from India Mittal has pitched his tent in Luxembourg recently as his capital.

A cauldron of several languages and cultures make this nation quite different from her immediate neighbors. Talking to the 95 year old Jesuit, who is a Luxembourger himself and had spent 40 years of his golden years in West Bengal, India, one gets the feeling that as a financer’s paradise, his homeland may soon defeat even Sweden. This brings to my mind the famous adage – might is right! Let me play with these words and see how they apply to Luxembourg. Might is right – we shall not debate on this axiom. Could we say the reverse too is a possibility? Right is might! What is right need not be something enormous; even a tiny little right can turn nations topsy-turvy. Right can be mighty, and so Luxembourg is truly mighty.

The problem with our world is that we often associate might with the powerful, and the haves, and the affordable. We cannot think of the unemployed, not educationally qualified men and women change the annals of our history. What can a school dropout in the United States of America do to the world? Microsoft Windows and Office still reigns supreme in all offices and personal computer systems, fruit of the labors of a school dropout! What can an Indian engineer trying to find his ways out in the States, struggling to make both ends meet do to our modern times – Shabeer Bhatia’s free first email service (hotmail) was born! In fact, the most noteworthy contributions to humanity were made by the people who were considered living on the margins of the society. They never thought they had the power and stamina to change the fate of the world, not even their petty worlds. If ever they had thought so, the very next moment they would have fallen from grace. I feel that the true sign of greatness lies in the fact that we are blissfully ignorant of it, and cannot even imagine such a state of grace bestowed on us.

It is said that greatness is thrust upon some people – and if Shakespeare is said to have made this statement, which is a corruption of Jesus saying on eunuchs (we shall not pause here to debate if Shakespeare really intended or not, or if it was merely an imagination of the author!), I would add that greatness is thrust upon someone, who does not consider himself/herself as being so, or deserve to be so! Looking at our society, in general we see two classes of people – on the one hand we have those who think they are great and behave so; on the other we have those who are truly great, but are happily unaware of it and living an altogether simple and frugal life; the latter are clouded incognito. I will go to the extent of saying that true greatness comes from the moral strength and conviction that we are but a spec in the sky; just a tiny little drop of water in the ocean.

Today I would like to read again those wonderful words of Mary’s song of praise and thanksgiving (popularly known as the magnificat), where she glorifies God for sending the rich away empty, for bringing down from their thrones, and filling the poor with riches. She talks about the reversal of fate. Today may be a good time for me to pause and ask myself on which side of the spectrum do I stand? Do I consider myself too high to be reached, too good for the people I deal with, too talented for the job I handle? Or do I feel unworthy to live in the company of beautiful people I share my life; fortunate to be given such responsible jobs I can hardly imagine? In fact, my heart will tell me how I feel just now! If I really feel so humbled and grateful, I cannot boast of being great and mighty and powerful, but the world will know that that is what I truly I am!

Chasing the Wind

If there are two powers which govern our fate in the country, and the world at large, they are money and muscle. There is hardly any place for creativity, sincerity, honesty, genuineness, ingenuity, hard work... No one seems to care for these. But show a bundle of bills, you can get whatever you wish to; or just flex your muscle, and your work is done. Unfortunately this is the world we live in, and maybe this is the world we will die one day. Blessed are those who have either of these, for their lives are apparently secure, and their dreams may be realised at some time or other in their lives.

The fate of the nation is determined by who hold the reins of these two dominant powers in the society; in our country, unfortunately they are vested with politicians, who by no means can claim credibility. It is not the time to go back to the pages of history to see how we have given way to a corrupt form of governance, which is based on these two powers; rather it is for us to assume a greater role in the society, so that at least in the personal lives, we are not controlled and monitored by them.

I was joyed to read in the newspapers how two persons had reacted to politicians who tried to make hay while the sun shines - the father of slain National Security Guard Unnikrishnan, and the wife of the slain chief of NSG, Karkare. If each one of us who matter in the society were to keep the politicians at arms length, we would shape the world according to our dreams. Politicians are the people who do not know how to look beyond the tip of their noses, and such people can think of all reality only in terms of the vote-bank they crave for - for the vote bank is the seal of approval for making undue claim over money and muscle.

But let me not bemoan the fate of India, as regards the role of politicians in the life of a nation; the same is true of all developing nations. It is no different in Philippines, or Bangladesh. We have heard stories of how the Imelda Marcos had amassed national wealth in Philippines for herself and her posterity; if the bank accounts of all politicians were to be frozen, that would amount to a huge chunk of the national wealth, most of them ill-wrought. But what can we do about them. Unnikrishnan and Mrs Karkare have taught us something that we all can emulate - keep the politicians at arms length; don't let them come close to you. The famous adage is a constant reminder to all of us : no sincere person can survive in politics.

The fate of the nation is in the hands of the citizens, conscientious persons, who care for one another. If we can call the cards, then there is no place for the vile games of politicians. There is a greater power beyond that of the 2 m's that the politicians wield, the power that rules and governs the universe. Recognising the power of this supreme being flowing deep within us will give us the temptation to submit ourselves shamelessly to the powers of the world. Today my prayer therefore to the Lord of the Universe is : do not allow us to be tempted to the powers of the world.