EMPATHY

More than often, a lot of us judge. Is it wrong to be judgemental? Well, if we categorise judgemental approach as good or bad, it itself becomes judgemental! Don't you think!

The human self has the learning ability that works on the principle of duality. Duality, while the apparent truth, is seem as one by the enlightened: like the two sides of the same coin.

'You don't walk in my shoes so don't judge my walk'... This is infact the truth. Each one of us comes into the material world with the purpose of learning something. This learning may also come via the cause-effect relationship (as symbolised by the 'lotus' in Hinduism and Buddhism) of the Karmic baggage.

The point is, none of us can possibly be harmed if we have an attitude of compassion (read, Love) towards everyone, human or not. From compassion comes the ability to accept. From acceptance, we see ourselves in everyone and the false boundaries of 'individuality' are blurred. This leads to the feeling of oneness: belongingness to one giant organism: the living, breathing, Earth (or perhaps the entire cosmos). From 'oneness' comes 'empathy' and from 'empathy', we HEAL.

Let us all try and be healers to those whose lives we touch.

Namasté

Why Namasté?

'Namasté' isn't just a gesture that belongs to Hindus. It isn't religious although it was initially practised  by Hindus.

'Namasté' is a deeper and much more spiritual switch that enables in ascension of individual souls and thus in that of the planet.

The internet is full of loose translations, often grammatically incorrect, however correct in emphasising what the term implies . From my little knowledge of Sanskrit I take the privilege of sharing my understanding of the term and what it stands for. The information I thus share is to the best of my knowledge and is not taken from any references. I request that any corrections needed be pointed out.

Importance of the word:

'Namasté' may be read as a combination of two words 'namah' and 'te'.
'Namah' implies 'to pray' or 'to bow', not physically but from a mental point of view. 'To bow' implies 'shedding of ego' in this context. It is not 'prayer' as people offer to God or deities. Nonetheless, no conventional prayer can be successful unless the ego is shed. Hence, 'namah' is significant in prayers as well as in daily greetings. This is also why most Sanskrit Shlokas and chants have 'namah' somewhere in them. For instance, 'om namah shivay' wherein we shed our ego (or, so to say, surrender) to lord Shiv.

'Te' means 'to you'

The term 'Namasté' thus implies '(I) bow to you' which actually means 'I surrender my ego to you'

Often the gesture is associated with a physical bowing of the head. That is complimentary and Namasté doesn't necessarily require us to bow physically as it is the bending of ego that is far more important than bowing of the head. Those who lose in wars also bow their head to the victor. It doesn't guarantee allegiance. It doesn't imply that there shall be peace. Often such people get back with much vengeance!

Namasté, or bending of the ego on the other hand, is the foundation of peace! For when we bend our ego, we see the divine in the other. When we see divine in all, we have no problem in accepting their point of view.
Bending the ego kills superiority complex and when we are not superior to anyone, we are free from the fear of becoming inferior to anyone. When we are free from fear, we are free from greed and jealousy as lack of this fear renders the competition worthless.
And when we see the divine that is present in all,  we are not afraid to love all. When we love all, we unite and contributed to peace!

The gesture:

The physical act of 'Namasté' brings the  together, close to each other and to the heart chakra. This is also very significant. Hands are tools of magic. Like mouth is a portal for the entry of food, our hands are portals for exchange of energy.
Usually, the left hand is receptive while the right hand transmits. When we bring the palms together, we neither receive nor radiate any energy to or from the other person. In a way it is protective to both as a greeting may be made at anytime irrespective of our state of mind and while greeting someone, we don't know their energy either. Folding the palms together protect both the people involved from transmission of unwanted energy.
(This is also why most deities are shown with their right palm facing us as that signifies their grace radiating out us. But harnessing energy using consciousness and intent is another topic.)

Bringing the palms together also shiftd our consciousness to them and subsequently as we bring them close to the heart chakra , we shift our consciousness to it. This ensures that our greeting is from a place of 'love'. Love cannot be without mutual respect and we cannot honour the divine in anyone unless we love and respect them.

The knowledge of the gesture enables us to focus on the intent behind the term. The entire process is akin to casting a spell for universal peace and brotherhood!

The simple yet profound act of 'Namasté' is a powerful act of watering the tree of peace that can wither unless it is carefully nurtured.

The act of Namasté unites us and I encourage you to try to simply speak it and then speak it with the gesture and intent. You will notice the difference yourself!

Light

It doesn't matter what we are, where we are from or how old we are. We can always spread love, light and truth in our little deeds...

Darkness is the limitations we tend to live in. 'Light' is realising those limitations are but false!

I heard someone say "we can go in a dark room and switch on a lightbulb but we cannot switch on darkness"

Darkness is simply the absence of light. A passive existence. An important existence. A potential.

Light, is realising that potential!

Namaste.

Stage 3

To be spiritual doesn't mean to shun all that is.
To be able to appreciate all without judgement, that is being spiritual.

Many spiritual beings wonder if indulging in materials of the earthly world is anti spirituality. No it isn't! This wonderful article explains the three stages of a spiritual mind. Most of us are at stage two. Remember, for as long as we yield to judgement, we are creating dichotomy. Shunning something or someone comes naturally but it is in fact counter intuitive. Think about it.

The third stage is what we must all try to attain.

Here is an excerpt:

http://modernagespirituality.com/2015/03/07/the-experience-of-the-state-of-pure-consciousness/

"The first one is to live life with the absolute attention on the outside. The outside world attracts you, and you create your life out of what you see outside. All the physical beauty in the form of human or an object attracts you. There is only one way for you to fulfill your desires, i.e through physical effort. You live outside and you have no clue of what’s happening in your inner world.

The second part of life is when you connect with your inner world. The world of energy, thoughts and emotions. You live inside out. You don’t follow the outside life, but you follow what’s going on in your inner world.

In this part of life, you are more connected to life. You follow your heart, develop your talent, use your skill and create life out of it. Here you are more creatively satisfied with your life. You are near to your source, and you look for inner satisfaction and not outside accomplishment.

The third part of life, is when you understand the process of life after self-realization. Than it doesn’t matter either you live materialistic life or be more creative with your life, you always remain above it. None of the world matters to you, than the truth that resides beyond both the physical and subtleworld.The world of pure consciousness."

Be well!

Purpose

Do we know our purpose here?

Pause for a moment and please think. What is life? Is it the endless loop of growing up, making money, eating, sleeping and dying? Is that what we are here for?
Don't you think it is only slightly different from what animals do, if not akin to it?

Honey bees also have a queen and termites also build a 'society' to live in. Elephants have graveyards and pay homage to their dead and monkeys fight over fruits!

What is it that we are doing different, other than asphyxiating the earth?

We all have a responsibility towards, if not a purpose to, heal the planet as we live. Ascension of the planet as a whole should be our goal! We are one and we must stop all fighting now. If we stop storing for our graves and start providing for each other, we shall see we all have enough...

Homeless

We must utilise the abundance we have to help pull up those who have a little less ...

We are not isolated from each other. Perhaps it is time we realise that we are all like fingers and toes to a giant organism that is this universe. Just as a finger works separately from a toe unaware of its relation with it, similarly we think we work independently from each other. This is the biggest delusion. The scope of the cosmos is simply too much for us to actually see in a physical reality, our connection with each other. To perceive this connection we need spiritual eyes.

But what remains the take home message is that if the hands grab a piece of bread and save it for themselves, they might live under the delusion that they are one bread richer than the feet, but unless they learn to share that piece of bread with the mouth, the whole body would perish!

Unless we learn to share, we may not be dead, but we can never really live either.

#HelpAhomeless

Image courtesy: Judes art

www.art-profiles.com

One in a Million

What do you tell someone when they say "you are one in a million"?
Do you feel you ARE one in a million?
Or do you say "so is everyone else, big deal!" ?

Most of us say either of these. Most of us form opinions about those who say the sentence other than what we would. Who is correct?
Are we not one in a million? (6 billion actually). Yes we are. We are all unique. In fact that we are all unique is what is common in us all!

What I am trying to say is this:

We are one in a million. There is something about us that makes us unique. It is that 'something' that is also our strength. It comes naturally to us and it is our duty to follow it because in following it, we follow our destiny. Prophecies aren't restricted to fiction movies. Only we haven't discovered the one labeled with our names yet. Seek. We have the power within us. The power to create.

We are one in a million. And so is everyone else. This is in fact a very very important perspective (I am talking to those of you who think that someone with this opinion is just a pessimist)
We must remember we are divine. But well, so is the other person! This realisation kills the scope for pride. It is perhaps more important than the first statement because while lack of self realisation gets you nowhere, pride causes downfall. If on a graph you are standing at point zero, pride can take you towards the negative axis. Realising the divinity in others also kills our ego and paves way for love and respect. Which in turn leads to gratitude. We are co-dependent beings who share a consciousness in ways beyond we can imagine.

Just as a pebble thrown into a pool of water doesn't affect only the point of its entry but creates ripples affecting the entire pool, similarly our actions have far reaching consequences!

So, yes, we ARE ALL one in a million. We must all realise our uniqueness. We must all see the divine in each other. Love and gratitude: this is the way towards ascension.

Namaste

Image courtesy: http://caitoconnor.blogspot.in/2011/01/ripples.html?m=1
This blog, "incidentally" talks about thanking God for small mercies. I haven't taken any permissions before using the image. While searching for images suitable for this post, this image captured my attention and was the first (and only) image I opened for the same. I must admit, this post is interesting. Thanking God for small mercies (gratitude) is indeed important.

GURU

Perhaps in this contemporary world, you need qualifications to serve as a teacher. But remember, to be a GURU, you simply need the reason.
There are no qualifications certified in paper but those nurtured in the mind and heart that makes one a GURU.

Perhaps we can't all become a brilliant sun. So what! What would be sad is if you ignore the little candle within you and let darkness persist in someone's life.

Help one person/plant/animal a day. It might not win you the Nobel prize for peace perhaps, but it will make you a GURU of sorts...

Namaste