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

Making of a White Elephant

When we refer to a white elephant, all our friends know exactly what we are referring to. This had become the talk of the town sometime ago, and it is there for all to see. Originally visualized as an architectural marvel, this elephant was designed by a former student of one of our prestigious schools in the city, but we have to tighten our shoe strings in order to complete the building of the elephant, which had cost us a lot. But those who were instrumental in adorning this elephant, still claim that it is all worth it, because it is sure to stay as an architectural wonder to all who would visit the place. However I beg to differ from them, and had been doing so from the beginning of the making of it.

A place of prayer has to be beautiful, no wonder; but more than being beautiful what a place of prayer should be primarily is, providing a conducive ambiance to silent communication of the soul with its maker. The beauty can come only after the ambiance. The ambiance, spiritual masters might call this a spiritual vibration, cannot be created out of nothing; every place may have its own vibration, and if care is taken to discern a place with spiritual vibration, it would benefit all those who sit there to open their hearts to the Maker. Mere external beauty of the building cannot provide the ambiance to pray and commune with God.

I would think that the making of a place of worship and prayer should be left to those people who are spiritually oriented. I have seen several churches and temples, which have been squeezed between several buildings, and there might be too little vibration to pray; however those who design these might argue that if they seek after a place with proper vibe, they might not get one, and therefore should make use of what is at their disposal. I feel that this might be one of the main reasons why many people do not feel at home to pray in many churches. The architectural wonders may become a tourist attraction, but not a spiritual destination. This might be the contradiction that the improper white elephants may cause.

Spending a fortune to build and adorn it with the best of possible décor may not make a place of worship achieve the purpose for which it has been made. There are hundred and one ways to adorn even the ugliest of things, and to make them appear beautiful. Beauticians have a magic wand which can transform anything into an object of beauty; however no beautician can really assure beauty which seeps through the skin of the object or thing, or person. It would be better to bring out the beauty of the benevolent God through the structure and décor of a place of prayer, rather than making them imposing, even strangling the very presence of God.

Unfortunately there is a trend among the Church builders to make them as posh and imposing as possible, and not taking into consideration the sentiments and feelings of the people who would frequent the place to pour out their pain and suffering. If only the people who would use the place of worship were to make their own structure, then they might do it quite differently, saving so much of time, money, and even resources. Ultimately what matters is that the people feel at home, and I wonder how many people will really feel comfortable to pray inside the ‘white elephant’, and it would be a sad sight if it does not take people to God. It might just remain as a relic of someone’s obstinacy and high-handedness, and not a place of prayer and worship.

Falling for the Frills

One of my close friends had come to pour out something to me, and though I was initially not prepared for it, but then I let him do it. He had been pained at the way his companion who had been staying with him for almost a year, had been dealing and relating to him. He began saying that the small Christian community he tried to strengthen was now divided, and after a pause added that it was divided between him and his companion who had left the place for good. The over-enthusiastic friend had been trying to win the confidence of the people, most often without consulting with my friend who happened to be the in-charge, and that had caused enough confusion among the people. The one obvious motive of the companion was to outdo what my friend was doing, and so he projected himself a better person, priest, pastor and administrator, and he was successful in establishing this among some people.

I had seen for myself that one of the basic wants or needs of this particular companion was to become popular among the people. He made use of his talent to sing folk songs to this advantage, and would even exaggerate facts, as to how so many people are flocking to him, to listen to his singing, his spiritual counsels, and I became wary of this, and would take his words only with a pinch of salt. There is no doubt, he was clever, confident, and even knowledgeable, but there was also the other side, which showed that he was feeling threatened by others, who might be more competent, smart, and even intellectually gifted. The need to assert himself before his other friends and companions led him to take the companion he was living with for granted. It was not an easy thing to digest, my friend confided.

There is an inner craving in most of us to be popular and famous; who does not want to be appreciated? Who does not want to win the applause of hundreds and thousands? Probably there had been something wanting in this companion which made him seek this appreciation of his own accord. He volunteered to organize spiritual talks, and prayer sessions, but each time it was his need to win the hearts of simple people, who could be easily brain-washed in the name of spirituality! And he was able to get a sizable following, who considered him “guru”, and he would like it very much. The small band of people he collected slowly became a band of gossip-mongers, and who indulged in generous snacks from the friends and neighbors. But he should have realized that this trend was going to break the community into two groups.

It would be unfair to judge this companion on the basis of what my friend had poured out to me; but at least in this case, I know that my friend did not exaggerate facts, for I myself had lived with this companion for a year, and had seen how hard it is to live with him. He had his own way of doing thing, and I had my own, and my friend has his own way of organizing things. But in an organizational setup there is always something called subsidiarity, we follow a ladder. The power of decision-making is invested with the leader of the group, and it is important that those under his care respect this responsibility, and if the members begin to decide on the things which are the domain of the leader, then there is bound to be confusion, and that precisely is what happened in this case.

Over the years I have been struggling to find the secret magic mantra of personal happiness, that which can keep me on the high all the time, and I feel that I had come close to it in the recent times: happiness that is imposed on me from outside cannot last long; it will be only momentary, and that would be like taking recourse to alcohol or drugs; the kick does not last long. However the happiness that flows out of what I truly am, can sustain me for long, and its waters cannot dry. It is like a stream which runs quietly and smoothly, and it can run over sand and rocks with equal ease. I wish our companion realized this secret that true lasting happiness should flow out of his own self, of what he is, rather than seeking the appreciation and approval of others. Life can be quite different if only we see the difference between the two sides of the spectrum.

Sacred Salaam!

Sometimes I do feel it would have been better if I had a choice to voluntarily choose Christ. It is not that I have less respect for the gods of other religions; I have great respect for every spiritual being, because I am convinced that the fundamental principle that unites them is the same, and that goes beyond any religious coloring. For a person who is in search for the deeper principles which govern the universe, all religions are alike, however there are certain facets of a religious tradition which may attract one to it rather than to another. It is like a buffet meal, where you are presented with several dishes, and you may like only one particular dish, and after eating a little of it, you might feel your heart (and also your stomach) is full. But you have not said that other dishes are not as good as this one, and it is not possible for you to taste them all either. But you are happy to have what you like.

If someone were to ask me, what has Christ done to me - I am sure I will have something to say, something from the very personal angle, which one may accept or not! I am not much interested in the controversy between the Jesus of history and the Christ of faith, but would like to limit myself to what has Christ done to me, in my little life! Strangely Jesus has helped me to get out of the boundaries of the religious circle that had surrounded me all these years. The religion of Christ is a universal religion where all men and women of goodwill can find fulfilment. Christianity is an institution, which has the basic tenets of the teachings of Christ, but has over the years solidified the principles, and have become sacro sanct to them. But Christ goes beyond all religions, and in a sense he was the first humanist, who truly promoted humanism, based on fraternal charity and love!

Jesus has helped me to look at my neighbor in whom lies my salvation, fulfilment and the attainment of my aspirations. It is a call to community living, and he had taught it by example, living with people of different temperaments, different walks of life. I would like to imagine what three years of life with a terrorist (Simon the zealot), public servant (Matthew the tax-collector), agnostic (Thomas), man of temper (Peter), greedy and money-minded (Judas), innocent and too young (John), simple fishermen would have been, but at the end they were transformed men, who could think beyond their narrow peripheries! It appears that at the end, all these men were one in mind, and one in heart. That was the magic of living with Christ has done, and that reckons me to take side with him to transform me as he had done with his apostles!

Jesus was a medicine-man par excellence, for he treated people not based on symptoms, but based on the root causes, which prompted the illness. I tend to believe that those who were cured by Jesus might not have been sick again, because he went to the roots, and once the roots are healed, there is very little for the sickness to surface. He had medicine for all illnesses, most often to psychological and spiritual diseases too. In fact he understood that most of the sicknesses are related to the spheres of psychology or spirituality, and not so much to the body. Today we need to spend thousands of ruppes to diagnose the illnesses that huant us, but being an ace medicine-man, Jesus know what troubled people, just by looking at their faces. If only our doctors today have that ability, many lives of the poor and unaffordables could be saved.

But more than all, Jesus was the revolutionary, who reversed the age-old traditions which kept the human person bound with chains. He freed them from the clutches of tradition and conventions, and breathed in fresh air. He could be called truly a liberator, who placed realistic demands on his disciples, and demands which may even cost them their lives, but with the hope that it is all worth. He is a task-master who likes to push the student to the maximum limits of his/her capacity, but with love and compassion. He was the strange mixture of a demanding and a loving person, who valued people based not on what they had, but what they were, and that is the reason why all people were equal before him. Today I pay my humble tribute to this great person, who has made ripples in my life, and I continue to feel its vibrations as I continue to cherish what he is to me!