The bond of a win

I attend a school in the suburbs of Mumbai to help the students and teachers into changing their approach to studies and learning ways of education in a holistic approach.

On a normal day, I was greeted by students who were smiling with joy and we're holding a trophy.

The teacher introduced the students and their accomplishments of winning an interschool event on debate, elocution and writing.

The students who earned their prizes were all stars for the given day they were showing their accomplishments at every classroom and the other children were cheering their achievement too.

In the midst of all this I noticed a few students were sitting quietly and not really sharing the joy of the peers. On the first glance, one may assume that they were jealous of the winning or may have had a grudge with these students.

But not all that you see is the truth!

These students were saddened that they were not able to participate in the competition, let alone win it and were always thought to be of a lower calibre. The teachers would also not pay heed to these students and they were left in the corner of the room.

These are the examples of society where we forget to nourish the weak and give them an opportunity to excel in life. Maybe, they need a nudge or even a strong push but how are we to know their ability when we do not pay attention to them?

The feeling of winning is always nourished with pride and enthusiasm and the feeling of loss is the opposite. But have we measured the feeling of isolation?

Most Psychologist would term them as the weaker part of society because they have a learning disability or are introverts or have not been able to cope with the education system and the stress related to it.

I have a different perspective to these children.

They are the force of nature that is waiting to exhale. These are the children who will make a huge difference in society and it's functionality. They need supervision and support in their strides, what they will achieve is only left to our imagination.

How do we go about it?

Read the blog on parenting to learn more of the how....

Roshan DSouza
The Class AKT

In Blind Faith

We have been brought up with the understanding of a good and evil phenomenon. That there is a God and a Devil that exist and a Heaven and Hell. These were then branded into different religions of Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Jainism, etc.

Over the years, we have got ourselves so entangled with religion that some of us wanted out of it and started sharing a common platform for all to exist. Slavery was abolished, caste and creed differentiation was stopped. There was a silver lining in the dark cloud.

Today, we have a new blind faith that is being created. The faith of the masses on a time bomb that we call Politics. The leaders of nations have understood that the masses follow what we feed them and allow them to believe anything they say. They can promise you the moon and the person will believe it. Education has nothing to do with the need to be associated with one or the other type of group we just need to have an association for the friends and family to make us feel higher than the rest.

Having lived in India for the last 2 decades, I have seen the rise of a small person from a nothing to being the Prime Minister of India. His growth is noteworthy and better yet, his marketing skills are worthy of praise and recognition. The most noteworthy part of his achievements is the ability to control media and the "Top of The Mind" advertising is the best yet.

The next part, this is something we all need to take heed of, is the "Bhakts". They cannot hear anything negative or derrogatory of their leader. They have such "Blind Faith" in his actions that no matter what happens, right or wrong, they will not hear a word that would be against their thinking. 

This isn't an isolated incident in this country, we have many stars and super stars who have the same or better fan following, to mention a few Rajnikanth, Sachin Tendulkar, Amitabh Bachchan and many more regional stars who have a cult based following.

The difference here is that the normal superstars and stars, do not try to manipulate their fans for more than their ticket sales or promotions of their work in a movie. We have a new super star who for the sake of a few is ravaging a country of more than a billion. And he is being praised for it.

History is witness to another leader who had a similar following and it took more than half a century for the country to get back to it's feet. But yet, they bear the brunt of having a bloody history and to live with the tarnish a single leader caused to their country and image of the country.

The need to be associated with a Brand is good, but how can you smell only one rose and think the garden would have many roses? Even a bouquet does not have all the roses perfect. The ruling party has many members and 98% of all political parties in India are based on the need to have power and money. The need to help the common man is maybe secondary or just a tertiary need of the party. How can the common man get the benefit from such leadership?

The recent demonetization drive has given us to believe that there is a leadership for the rich and nothing for the poor. The Robinhood has turned to robbing the hood, for the benefit of the few rich lads who run the major political parties with their commissions, the government had officially taken money from the middle and lower classes to fund the banks to wipe out the bad debts created by such industrialists. Major defaulters have welcome a move that will only benefit their need to wipe the slate clean and have the poor person die while standing in a queue to get the money that is rightfully his.

On this, the Bhakts are for the leader because they still believe that the hope of a brand new day is around the corner and things are only going to get better from here. There is no need to be in any rush to see people die or business close or people loosing their jobs due to the slow down in the economy. Better yet, money is flowing from the RBI and other venues to the ruling parties accounts in black or white. Money has been caught without prejudice in the West Bengal and Gujarat of the said party workers cars and houses.

What do we do when we have a leap of blind faith amongst the learned class? They either become followers who made Hitler Great or they become Terrorists who make India poor. Physically and Mentally!

Do I have a laugh within me?

I love watching comedy shows, I love attending stand-up comedy, I love these romantic/ thriller/ action movies/soaps/ serials.

It's common to like something that come son the TV or attend a movie or play or festival of a genre. What we fail to understand is why we like these genres.

The different genres showcase a part of us that we miss, we want it in our lives but are too scared to follow it through. We may need some action, love, relationship, hate, anguish in different forms but are never able to make it possible.

Do we try to ask ourselves this question? What is i t that I would like to do in my life? Why would I spend time listening to songs that are depressing or movies that make me miserable. Knowing or unknowingly we always put ourselves into harms way by pushing the envelope too far. We are selves are not able to gauge the damage we do when we align ourselves to the ego of our body.

The soul has no attachment to the material side of life hence is always happy. The body has the sense of anger, frustration, depression, happiness, joy, sorrow, etc. These emotions are a result of our body creating a sense of loss in our minds and that doesn't allow us to control our environment. When we loose our control we create an imbalance in our emotions. This leads to that emptiness to be filled with your spike in anger, frustration, depression, etc.

The body is the second signal that will tell you how your emotions hurt you. Most cancer patients have an imbalance of anger within them. Thyroid and lower back patients are ones with submerged resentment. There are many more such examples which I will share in the next readings for your reference.

The point is, do we ask ourselves whether we are leading a soul fulfilment life or a life of mine and yours?

Do we do things that make us happy or give glory to our ego to build its esteem?

Questions we can ask the person in the mirror will give us a standing ovation when the gates of heaven open and we have to walk through.

Dark Light

The absence of light creates darkness. Darkness is not an object by itself but the presence of it creates the fear.

The world is changing more than we know it to be. The moments of joy are dulled by the gloom of death and destruction around us. There is so much hate in the world today that people are questioning the basic fabric of humanity.

I don't worry of their doubt, what I worry about is their silence. Like darkness exists only in the absence of light. Hate grows in the absence of love, war happens in the absence of peace. Murder happens in the absence of life.

We as the good people of society witness the brutality and hurt around us but what do we do? We stand and witness what happens around us without any action and do not act upon it to make a difference.

I see videos of the Taliban killing people. They were shooting at random and killing the innocent people, they have no soul to connect with. Their understanding of humanity is dull and dead. There is no glory in death and killing but do they understand this?

Looking at a closer distance, in our neighbourhood, we see people going through difficult times and yet we only stand as spectators to the event of their suffering. There is no remorse in our souls when we see the sufferings in our vicinity. Our selfish ego rides the surface to limit our action to the ones we love not to the soul we connect to.

Did we ever stop to ask ourselves why does this happen?

Times have been the same since the dawn of mankind or atleast what we have a recollection of history. Wars have been the passtime of many leaders and emperors. Murder and mayhem has always been society's mistress. Why are we making a hue and cry about it now?

The difference is obviously in the discovery of better modes and means of communication. The news of the death and ability of the damned are spread like wild fire through various mediums of communication, television, radio, internet and even mobile phones. We have come to day when we know everything that we are given to know in the shortest possible time.

The killing of an individual was only verbal news till about a few years ago but now has become a spectacle for us to witness and that is making a difference. But all these differences will be of no use until we take a stand to unite and curb the menace.

The difference of eliminating darkness is to spread light. To go into these areas and share the understanding of humanity and not religion. To share the capital and not the masses. To reach out to the ailing and not to kill them.

We will need to make a choice to make a change, only then can we see the light over come the darkness....

Understanding Who am I?

In continuation to my last post of who am I? I have come to realise my true self and my nature. My purpose and my goal.

How did I become so clear in my thoughts and my actions?

There is a way for all of us to understand who we are and why are we here on earth. What was the mission we chose to take when we took birth in the wombs of our mothers. What is the message we are to deliver to the world?

It took me a few years, but I think I managed to get an understanding my simple forms of knowledge and practice being put together and churning out the fog in my head about myself. Also, with a lot of divine help and guidance there was clarity in what I was supposed to do.

I would like to share with you my experience of what I went through to reach the state in which I am:

First Step (Peter Pointer): Change your surroundings
You can never be different unless you have a new place to be in. If the house/ apartment/ flat that you live in has been your place of residence for a long time. You may have to think of moving away from the place. Due to our energy being spoilt in the place we need to move away from the place in order to start the cleansing. As an example: How is the water in a swimming pool filtered. It is sucked away from the main pool, into a filtration system and then pumped back all clean into the pool. The process helps keep the impurities away from the pool and also cleans the pool.

In the same process, we have to detach our selves from the area where we were living with bad energy. Rejuvenate ourselves and when we have strengthened our bodies and our soul, we may make a choice of going back to the same place again to continue with our new found self.

Second Step (Middle Finger): Let go of your status
I don't think i really understood this statement till I actually understood it. To let go of ones status is to let go of all that you do without having the need to sneak back at it ever again. I let go of my status as a smoker and drinker in January 2014. Since then, I have not looked back or uttered a request to have a smoke or drink. It was my mind that helped me change my ways and my status. I am now a non-smoker and dont have any alcohol. Its been 9 months and counting.

Third Step (Ring Finger): Choose new associations.
This is the most difficult of all. We have had friends all our lives and we chose to have them as a part of our lives. In the process we did not know who are the vampires and who are the nightingales. There was no clarity of who is who and how we could understand if the association was a good or bad one.

While cleansing ourselves, we need to associate ourselves with new people. People who will not hold us for our past and make judgement based on our past actions. We need to be associated with people who will make a choice with our present. The same like minded people who are cleansed or undergoing the process of cleansing. This will help us better in our process of cleansing. How? When we are associated with the same thinking people, our confidence of our self and our belief of self increases. The sense of belonging and being able to make a difference rises. We feel whole again.

Forth Step (Little finger/ Twinky): Enjoy your life
Be careful of your finances, there is no friend in the world who would willingly give up their finances for you. You are the controller of your choice. Enjoy life within the means of your ability. If you don't have the finances to buy a product or service of your liking, at the moment. Then forsake it till you get to arrange for it. Do not get trapped by the greed or indulgence in credit card swiping. Learn from your mistakes of the past and make it a present occurrence.

Fifth Step (Thumb): If not of the steps above make any sense, go back to step one and start again. You have missed out something which still needs attention.

These 5 steps can be easily remembered in the fingers of your hand. Keep your understanding of yourself with you and look forward to keep improving yourself without any prejudice to yourself. There is a very little anyone can do for you if You don't want to do anything for yourself.

Who Am I?

The ceiling seems like a painting of pictures and moving images that keep floating in front of me.

It is not the ceiling which is showing me the images but my mind that is wandering in the garden of its thoughts and bringing back the memories that were created from the depths of my past.

Its been a long wait to receive the answer to my question. Who am I?

I have been asking myself this question for a very long time and can't remember when this urge started. I am a successful professional and am developing my skills as I move along in life. BUT who am I?

I have been given a name, a status in society, a family to look after, a love to cherish and everything that one needs in this materialistic world to exist. But who am I?

There must be a sense of purpose to our existence, to why we were born on this planet. The understanding of our purpose is still undefined. There are different modalities and courses that one can follow but do they really have the answer to my question, who am I?

I cannot really figure it out, is there a destiny to be fulfilled? Is there a path to be found? Is there a purpose at all? Am I supposed to do something? I do not know.

I live the unanswered question and walk without a sense of purpose. The job, the work, the family love and tenderness, the friends and associates, the meetings and greetings, why are we living a life to have nothing at the end; or is there something at the end?

Science can never cheat death, Money can never render comfort, Knowledge is limitless, Understanding is misunderstood. Time is used to measure a person and not the day, Money defines your status in society and not your ability to live, skills are defined by the work you can share with others and not what you can do for your self.

Everything around me speaks of things that are external to myself. There is never a syllabus or a teaching of understanding the self, learning about me, knowing the feelings and emotions that I carry.

No government or legislation, no corporate or business house, ever looks to sell you products or services that can help you grow personally. It is always to look, feel, understand and appreciate the other person.

I still have the question, who am I? What is my purpose? Why am I here?

Do you?

The answer lies in asking ourselves questions about the past that we experienced. The learnings we took from the good and bad experiences we had, did we learn from them or sit brooding over an experience that has no possibility of a change?

The struggle of life is not with the problem but the solution.

We choose to live in the problem for as long as we can and never figure a solution to the problem. Let me cite it with an example of your understanding. We had an experience of someone hurting us emotionally or physically. Did we choose to sit and cry and contemplate ways of returning the hurt and pain without really acting over it?

The truth is we do not have to focus on the revenge but to see what was the reason for the incident to occur with the "I". How could you improve yourself such that there is a better lead into the process the next time it occurs. This will lead you to understand yourself better.

This is the first step to truly understanding what you are good at and what you need to work on to make yourself better and stronger.

The rest unfolds itself as you keep asking and questioning your reactions to each situation.