Past Present Future

A reason for our actions and our behaviours. Is this a question that ever pops in our minds?

We are groomed to be the mechanics in pointing fingers at everyone else but ourselves in blaming or sharing the reason for bad experiences in our lives. We ask god for answers, we ask friends or foes to be forgiven for their actions. At any time do we ask ourselves what is the reason or the root of the occurrences in our lives?

A philosophy on mankind prevailes, we are only what we think we are. There is no god, no creator, no life after death. We are just molecules of our own beliefs and there is no other creation.

To the said thought process, I have only one question to ask. How did we evolve from a molecule to a full grown human being? There are very few doctors or wise scientists or even google who have shared any answers that are worth recommending or reasonable.

The questions of the existence of a molecule are also slowly evolving. Where a particle in a molecule is being termed as, "The God Particle". Wonder where did come into a scientific particle?

I am yet to find a answer to what is the root of all sufferings in the world?

There are questions that have answers and problems that have solutions, it is up to the seeker to find the answer and interpret it in the best way possible. Is religion the cause of grief? Is envy the root of crime? Is greed the start of selfishness? Is the need of self financial success the need to make others poor?

So many questions that make our lives tense and create a sense of bewilderment to our existence. Why?

That's all the remains at the end, why? We walk without seeing where we are going. The path that is directed with hate, envy, greed, sloth, anger, lust and pride. If we were only able to relieve ourselves of this path and seek a clear and viable path. The opportunity for grief would not exist and there would not be a day of sadness in the life of the individual.

I have not been able to answer the question yet. Maybe you could help see the light. I have come across a theory of "Karma". To explain it simply, the seeds you sow are the fruits you reap. Just like a plant takes time to grow, the fruits of redemption or curse come at its own time. We are not aware of the happenings but nature and divine happenings are controlling our lives everyday. This is something one has to experience to be a part of the same thinking process.

Being in the karmic cycle, one understands the root of suffering in the world. Why would I be going through a bad phase when all of the world is having a good time? or are they really enjoying?

Karma has a history of your past and current lives, the seeds that you have sown have grown. If the seeds were planted in good soil, the fruits are cherished. If they were planted in bad soil, the fruits are definitely not liked or enjoyed. We then have to undergo a process of cleansing, a way to better the wrongs we have done and improve our life. The unfortunate part here is that religion teaches us to follow rituals and chants. To make ourselves beggars of mercy. But that is not what is to be done.

All we need to do, is to forget the past and create a happy present without any thought of the future. What this means is, to let go of our burdens and sins which we have created for ourselves and make way for a better today. While we create a happier today, our past slowly becomes a better memory adding to the good Karma in our lives.

About forgetting the thought of the future, without thinking about the circumstance, we do good deeds everyday. This leads to good karma added to our kitty to weigh out the bad karma we had sown in our past. The equation then becomes fairly simple, when we weigh our good deeds over our bad deeds, our present and our future suddenly shapes out better than we expect without the past influencing the fruits of our labour.

There was no need to follow rituals or chants, just the humble action in doing good without considering the circumstance of what the outcome will be. Thereby, giving the universe the opportunity to gift us with divine abundance.

To have, To Receive and To Get

In a day and age of having the best for yourself is a norm. People try different means and methods to have a get rich quick fix. We forget to live our lives in the quest to get rich and show our friends and family. To have the materialistic gains is what we have aimed our destiny.

I was made to believe the materialistic way of life is the place for all to be until I met Saraswati. She is a regular person without any hopes of making it big in the world with a simple understanding of life and the hurdles she faces.

I had to go to the outskirts of Mumbai on work and was waiting at a tea stall for the workers to come. While I was waiting, a lady came with a basket on her head and a baby in her arms. She asked the tea stall lady to help her get the basket down and lay it on the ground.

She went ahead to arrange the basket laden with toys and women's accessories. She was preparing herself sell her goods in the village near by. I was sitting and observing her as she did her work.

As she was getting her basket ready, her daughter, 1 year 5 months young, lay on her lap and slept soundly. She kept to her work of readying the basket and also caring for her daughter. It was a sight to see, how she was making an effort to earn her livelihood. I was only amazed at the courage this lady was showing in the world of material craze with the simple products she kept in her basket to sell.

I approached her and asked her why she was doing so much to make a living. She could have easily stood on the streets like a beggar and made a lot more money. She looked at me with a smile and said, "Sahab, God has gifted me with everything I need to earn my living, why should I beg for my living?" I was shocked and awed by her courage. Her answer had made a dent in my belief that the world is getting worse by the day and humanity is a dying phenomenon. Her ability to live life without the need to have the abundance of money but to have the abundance of time with her child and family was truly mind changing.

Saraswati said, she works 5 hours every day except sunday, when her husband would get an off from work and the time would be spent with family on that day. She carries her baby everywhere she goes and does all the work to ensure her child gets a decent education, something she was not allowed to do since she was a girl. Saraswati was the youngest of three siblings and the only girl. Her brothers were educated and worked in the city, where as she was not sent to school beyond class 8th as her father didn't think it was a worthwhile investment.

Saraswati was not in the shadow of being dejected of depressed with the treatment meted out to her because of her sex. Her ability to stand up and earn her living was proof in itself, to show her strength to fight the world around her in a subtle but defined manner. She was a deity in her actions.

I listened with an open mouth and a head held high to her life and her living. Her mother in law and family were very strict and didnt allow her to move out too often. She had to make them known that she wanted to do it for her and her child's happiness. She said she was blessed with an understanding husband who supported her in her wants and needs of being independent.

I was truly blessed to be within the aura of such a person in my lifetime. A person who showcased strength and courage when the world around her was only trying to pull her down. May the world be blessed for having a person like Saraswati to have, to receive and to get what we deserve and not what we want. 

Thoughts and Deeds

What you think is what you do!

How many times have we thought of something and it has happened differently?and how many times have we thought and it happened significantly similar.

I cannot imagine a world with no hope, no destiny, no thought. God has been our teacher, our motivator, our inspiration in many ways more than ever and yet we fail to understand his/ her teachings. We follow different paths to acknowledge him, some follow religions, some follow disciplines, some just appreciate him as the divine. There are so many names given to him that it would be less to mention.

And yet we are oblivious to the existence of a deeper power. In a recent interaction with a close friend, Christopher, who happens to be a very successful banker, we shared of our good times as children and as we grew up our destinies chose different paths of contentment. He went on to share that he did well because he dedicated his early years to the knowledge of the earth and the science around it. I on the other hand was more inclined towards the godly benefits of mankind and hence did not prosper as much as he did.

Surprisingly, my son, Rick came running to me and asked me to play ball with him in the backyard. He was insistent that I come and play as Christopher's son, Caldrin was not playing it right and he wanted to show him how to play it. We both made our way to the back yard and saw Christopher was catching the bat and staring at us with anger.

I asked him what was the matter and he was pointing fingers at Rick, saying he was not throwing the ball correctly. They were 5 years young, and were having their own interpretation of the game. Christopher and I looked at each other and gave a wryful smile. I made my way to where they were playing and followed the instructions of Rick. He was throwing the ball correctly and Christopher was not able to connect the ball to the bat. Christopher was almost immediate to shout and asked him to look at the ball and hit it. He did not move away from his comfort and share the comfort with Caldrin. Caldrin just looked at the ball and kept trying but was not able to connet it correctly, in disgust he threw the bat and started to walk away by banging his legs. His father only responded with more words of control and discipline.

I stared at him with an open mouth and did not know what to do. Rick came to me and asked why Christopher was shouting at Caldrin, he only wanted to help him. I had to make my stand clear to Christopher, shouting at children do not make them stronger it makes them weaker. I moved to Caldrin and warmed him with some kind words of praise and comfort. I offered to show him how to hit the ball, he was more than glad to try it with me.

I guided him to hold the bat and I held his hand to firm his grip on the bath, Rick went on to throw some balls at us and I asked him to pitch it slowly. We connected the ball to the bat and he was able to hit it well.

He went on to better it as the number of balls repeated itself and Rick was also delighted on his achievement.

Christopher was joyful on seeing the change in his son and patted him when he was done with batting. He retorted how important it was to concentrate on the ball and not to wander his mind. Caldrin just looked and him and looked away.

I had to explain to Chris that money could not buy him the respect of his son or let alone allow some respect towards him. He needed to spend time with his son and relate to his emotions and feelings with kindness. Formal education gives you the knowledge of everything else but of the self. There is a need to have the clear thoughts for it to manifest into better deeds.

His shouting and screaming was not going to help Caldrin in becoming a better human being, he would be just another robot of the worldly pleasures and becomings.

It is what we groom our children to be for a better tomorrow. No need in earning the millions of dollars when you are penniless in emotions.