RELIGIOUS PRACTICES VS SPIRITUALITY

We all – to some extent practice some form of religious practices in our daily lives…

Why do we do so…

For some, its a form of salutation to the Higher Form..

For some, its an effort to seek some gratification of some Desire from the Higher One…

Whereas for some, its an act to fulfill a vow to the Higher One…

Well for some, it's a reminder of the Existence of the Higher form…

So many reasons, so many intents, so many practices, to remind us of the Higher One…

The question is…does it all lead us to Realize the Oneness of the One…

The Oneness in all creation…the oneness in all that happens…..

It does remind us of the existence of the Higher One…BUT…..it falls short to take us ‘CLOSE’ to HIM..to Our Higher Self…

Spirituality is basically linking oneself with Oneself….it is beyond religious practices…

Yes, we do start our journey by performing religious practices, for this is what Society guides us to practice…BUT, most of us halt here….

If we have tasted a drop of the nectar while performing some religious practices, then, the source of the same nectar is at the next level ie SPIRITUALITY..

Spirituality, is EFFORTLESS…it needs no impression or expression…its basically feeling oneself as Oneself….there is no Higher self than ONESELF….

The journey (not a physical one) is said to be from oneself to ONESELF….

The SELF is not an external entity, separate from oneself….

Spirituality – is an understanding, awareness of the Higher consciousness and integration in IT constantly….the external world and its fancies no longer appeal to Oneself….

There is no need to pretend/practice SPIRITUALITY…for then it would not be it…

SPIRITUALITY…is being honest with oneself…it is about understanding the difference between the Real and Unreal…..Impermanence and Permanence…..rest is an experience…

Come, let us rise and walk this journey of Spirituality from oneself to ONESELF……

INTERNAL SIMPLICITY VS EXTERNAL POMP & SHOW

How do we attract the attention of someone whom we are attracted to?

Beautiful appearance, impressive speech, catchy personality, presentable offerings…all ‘put up’ to attract the attention and vision of the One..

But is the ‘One’ attracted by all this…..who is Simple in nature, His speech is Expressive rather than Impressive, His personality only speaks the language of Truth…

Who is the ‘One’….He is not an external physical Being…He is within us….

‘He and I are one’…..

No need to exhaust ourselves with these external efforts to please Him…..

He who lives a simple life, devoid of all physical comforts…thrives only on the simplicity and sincerity of the hearts of the people….

He is only pleased by a pure, simple and sincere heart, with no taint of selfish-motives….one who is consistently trying to reform oneself….to lift oneself to Oneself.

Thus, He is easily pleased…

Let us ‘transform’ ourselves back to Simple. Sincere Beings….after all, its effortless..

That would be equal to ‘pleasing’ Ourselves…thus pleasing Him too…for He and I are one…

How to develop a Sincere and Simple Heart…its effortless….

Keep the doubtful mind aside…think with your Heart (SMART HEART) for the Heart thinks with love, feels with love, speaks with love…

The mind’s characteristics – doubting, hesitant, manipulative, selfish…

Let us rise above all this…

Sit sometime with yourself….in ‘Silence’….that calms the mind and allows the Heart to think….

May you all thrive in that Silence…and please the ONE..

RIGHTEOUSNESS – THE YARDSTICK OF LIFE

Everyday we come across so many situations – where we have to make choices – Choice A or B?

To do this or that, to say this or that?

What would be right – what would be appropriate to do or say?

What if the other person disagrees with me or rejects my suggestion/opinion?

What if he/she gets upset with me?

So many questions – and the dilemma increases….

We may feel we are answerable to people around us….but more than that, we are answerable to Ourselves…

We may do much to please the people around us…

But, firstly, is our Inner Conscious agreeable to our actions….

It would be a lousy feeling – to later discover, that our actions was not what our Inner Conscious would approve of….and then again, our actions cannot be undone…

Let us not fear this world and its people – after all, this world is impermanent..

If we have to stand up for what is right..then DO IT…

If we have to quit a job because we have been pressured to do what is distant from Righteouness…then DO IT…

We have to only be answerable to our Inner Conscious and no one else – for no harm can touch one if his/her actions are in line with Righteousness…

RIGHTEOUSNESS – should be our Yardstick by which our words and actions should be aligned with…..

Life is so Short – let us live righteously…with our Heart and Soul…fearless..

Let us not carry the heavy burden of Wrong doings on our Weak back…

A LITTLE OF EVERYTHING MAKES US COMPLETE….

Just like the various little dishes, on an Indian ‘thali’ meal or small portions from the 10-course Chinese cuisine…. some spicy, some tangy, some sweet and some bland….our lives too should be filled with variety….

Imagine just having ONE curry/vegetable dish with our rice/bread daily…..and the contrary of having a VARIETY that we can savour if we put in some creativity in preparing our meals….

Yes, we may not have the time on a daily basis to cook ourselves variety, but if we deprive ourselves of this little and sweet changes in our meals, then we will be losing out on enjoying the ‘variety’ in life….

Yes, on a daily basis, we spend a majority of our time at WORK, either for money sake, career sake, or for the sake of the job itself….

Leaving very little time for ourselves – yes, we will have to wash, clean, iron and feed ourselves ..

But, beyond that, very limited time is spent with ourselves…or doing something that pleases the Self..

Our jobs are part of our lives, but they are not Our Life….

Yes, work is worship, but then, spending time with Oneself is also worship…

I spent loads of extra hours in office, to enable the clearance of back-log work…but then I realized, no matter how much extra hours I put in, the work doesn’t end…

What do I do…..

Well, I was happy working, but I also realized I was losing out on other things…like travelling, spending time with friends, etc

A day came, I woke up with the awakening, that I would no more work the extra hours especially on our rest days….I had to draw the line….

I went off to my home-town for a 3-day break, spending time with family and friends and resting….it felt good to be amongst them…

I ask myself, is this how I wish to see myself in the long-run….I doubt..

I understand its difficult to strike the balance between our professions and personal life…

Most of the time, we give in to our jobs…..leaving very little time for ourselves….

One day, we would soon understand, that the job was only a job and nothing else…

We will begin to see the bigger picture of life and the lessons that Nature would want us to learn…beyond the scope of our JOBS….

 

A BLESSING....

A blessing, a divine touch, a beautiful sight, a soothing word…

Let us be ‘open’ at all times to receive the Blessings, that Nature is bestowing upon us.

It comes in so many forms – some even unknown to us…

Let us be as HOLLOW, WIDE and OPEN as the Valley….let our minds be as VAST as the Ocean…

Then only, will the entire Existence flow into us…and fill us up to make us complete

Let us NOT be the SHARP PEAK  of the high and mighty mountains,  above everyone else…

Here, nothing will enter us...

Nature’s hands are open and is constantly giving..

Life is short, let us be as natural as the Valley ....It is our natural form…

It takes a lot of effort at times, to be someone or something we are NOT….

But it just takes a second to understand our true nature and live like one…this shows how effortless it is to unveil ourselves….

Yes, life is a drama…and were are all actors in this divine play….but, let us play our parts,  being Ourself, our Trueself, without any ‘make up’ and ‘masks’…which  eventually do not lasts very long on our faces….

 

LITTLE STEPS TO MEET MY LORD…

Tip Tap tip tap…sounds of the footsteps…How eager and innocent are they as they tread the path that would take them to their Lord…

The journey is far and long, with little hope of seeing the light, but they have no choice but to keep walking.

Many a time, they decided to halt the journey….and not walk anymore….but somehow, Nature comforts them that their Destiny is nearing….

And again, they start to walk the path…that would take them Home…

They bounce into a Master who shares with them the ‘Secret Path’ to meet the Lord…..

They had no choice but to be open to it…..

Step by step, they follow this Master…..

Journey may be painful, but the destiny is always sweet….

But it is the journey that makes us a more complete person …..

I hope You meet your destiny soon….SOONER THAN SOON…

 

FREE YOURSELVES FROM THE CLUTCHES OF EGO – a ‘DEADLY’ disease

EGO -  a disease we rarely come across in the books of science and medicine…but its more deadly than any other critical illness.

Its a slow-killer – it starts with destroying the ability to rationalize in a man, it kills its peace loving nature, thus giving rise to unrest to himself and people around him too….

But then again, when one is diagnosed with it, its just the first step…..

Well, a diagnosis of cancer will result in the patient seeking immediate treatment….no matter how painful is the process of treatment …

But here, although being diagnosed, the Ego-diagnosed patient, may choose to live with the disease for the rest of his life…its painful, but he finds joy in the pain….isn’t that strange…

Sooner than later, the disease kills the Intellect, the Discriminative ability, the Ability to Feel Peaceful with Oneself and Spread Love…..

Far too much Damage has been done….if only the patient sees the damage that has taken place…..

The cure is not too far away……if only he would GO WITHIN, to LISTEN TO THE VOICE OF GOD/NATURE, GUIDING HIM, he would learn to let go of this disease gradually….

 

He would learn to not be vulnerable to this disease…

An ‘antibodi’ will be created to protect the ‘internal systems’ from any ‘viruses’ that carry such ‘disease’….

That's the path and nothing else….to go within…this external world is just a show – why get involved with it…

The real treasure is within….

Man will be free once again, to be His TRUESELF…to be able to Guide Himself and Guide the people around him…

EGO – it has to go….it cannot stay with us…

BE FREE TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT

Why the fear?  Why the doubt? Why the hesitation?

After all , its Your true nature to do what is right…

RIGHT  - it means to do what is peaceful, to do what soothes the Soul, to do what pleases Nature, to do our inner voice tells us instantaneously…

Ah! It gives so much peace and coolness to the Soul and Heart when one is able to exercise the FREEDOM to do what is right.

Let us break loose from the Limitations that hold back our Freedom from doing what is RIGHT…

But, then again, it is not always easy to pick the Right from Wrong….

This world is folded in the arms of Delusion (Maya) – for once, even a Right step could be seen as Wrong…

ALAS, we have failed to realise the Truth…

What is Right may seem as wrong in the eyes of the World….but we do not belong here…we do not belong to the society that creates such rights and wrongs…

Right and Wrong need not be ‘created’ by society– it should arise from the Soul within, the ability to tell right from wrong….

You will know if its Right when it gives immediate relief and soothes the Soul, effortlessly….

It is our true nature to only do what is Right….with no doubt and hesitation, we should proceed to act to do only what is Right.

But on the contrary, it takes a toll on our Souls and Heart, to ‘plan’ our actions which are not in line with the Truth….

It hurts the soul terribly when the Peaceful Soul is taken over by the Devil who dictates the mind…

Alas, we have fallen prey to the Devil….

Please rise above all this….Please Free Ourselves from the Chains that hold back our True Nature – that hold us back from doing what Is RIGHT…

It will be an everlasting soothing of the Soul and Heart…

LOVE MAKES THE WORLD GO ROUND…..

Imagine a world without love:

The beauty of blooming flowers

The rays of the bright sunshine

The tweets of the songbirds

The stars that shine in the sultry night

Smiles of the little innocent babe

The ‘Good morning’s of your colleagues…..

‘Thank you’s by the lady to whom you had given your seat to…..

The boss who understands the welfare of his employees….

The polite and patient lady behind the service counter – who serves with a smile….

Would not be visible anymore….SIGH.

That would be the END of this world.

Love is the only force that keeps this world ALIVE. Love is a powerful energy. It binds people and their hearts.  Right from the Creator to His Creation – every single thing (with life or without life) is filled with the LOVE energy….

If that is so, we humans too are filled with love – Let us give, spread and share this love with all that cross our paths – after all, LOVE is our true nature.

It's a beautiful feeling – to feel this LOVE within and around us.

Why then, carry a feeling that prevents/holds us back from expressing such LOVE – its like placing huge boulders in the way of the freely-flowing water in the stream.

Let us free ourselves of this ‘huge boulders’ – to be able to LOVE once again….

It feels complete to be able to LOVE freely – just as one would love oneself.

LOVE IS….

Beautiful…

Peaceful…

Being fearless to fall in love once again…

Letting go of the past only to embrace the Much Awaited future…

Loving the other as he/she is…

Silent even when thunders roar and the waves hit the shores…

Watchful when the others have shifted their sight….

Is the very essence of one’s Being…

Living and Letting the Other Live…

Giving, giving and giving with no Expectation…

A heart over-flowing and filled with so much love – waiting eagerly to give it to the one who seeks it….

ABOVE THE CLOUDS

Above the clouds of this land, is another world  - so beautiful, so pleasant and so eternal….

A vast blue ‘ocean’ spreads endlessly……is this where heaven really is….

It’s so beautiful that you wish you could hold this sight forever…..

Above the clouds – it speaks a thousand words – its calling out to us…..

A life of peace and tranquility – above the clouds

A life of eternity – above the clouds

A life of purity – above the clouds

A life of pure love and devotion – above the clouds

A life of one above the clouds – SATHYAM, SIVAM SUNDARAM (Truth, Auspiciousness, Beauty)

Thus, come, let us rise above the clouds…..to be able to be part of it and being it…..

THE SANDS OF THIS LAND…..

Beautiful is this land – filled with the smooth silky sands and patches of water…

As the land, so the people – feels like I have known them and have been part of them…..

Each brick and mortar of this place is resounding ‘a secret code’ to me…. What are they saying….

Wish I could have more time in this magical land - longer than brief, only to be able to discover this mysterious mystery….

It was a brief moment of joy, a brief moment of a strange feeling, a brief moment of excitement,  a brief moment of déjà vu, a brief moment of unexplained familiarity, a brief moment of ownership, a brief moment of………..wish it could have been longer….

As I skide away from this land, the sands tells me from a distance, that my roots belong here – and it is to this land that I shall and should return to…soon, to merge back with my long-lost roots……

I shall eagerly wait for the reunion….