Being receptive...

Am I being receptive to what the universe is giving me?
I can hear the whispers in the wind but am I really listening?

Listening is one of the basic secrets of entering into oneness with the universe. It means forgetting yourself completely. If you cannot forget yourself, you never listen. If you are too self-conscious about yourself, you simply pretend that you are listening - you don't really listen. You may nod your head; you may sometimes say yes and no, but you are not listening. To really listen and become wholesome you need to drop the judgment and adopt a whole new way of doing things. To listen, you need to become just a passage, a receptacle, a womb: become feminine. Listening is the art for becoming passive.

Receptivity represents the feminine, receptive quality of water and of the emotions. As a woman, one of the most essential traits is the ability to receive in way that the aggressive mind is silenced and not allowed to hinder the pure receptivity. Through this, one brings on the complete acceptance and gratitude for whatever life brings, without any expectations or demands. Neither duty nor thought of merit or reward are important.

Be that woman Hola!!

Good Mantras

REJOICE

Be happy. Life is too short to let it pass in sorrow. Smile, be cheerful. There is no greater treasure and wealth than the twinkle in your eye that joy brings. Reach out to that bliss that makes your heart dance and don’t be shy to rejoice and celebrate life. Don’t live in an illusion that too much happiness is not good for life. Go make someone happy today and you will be happy. To rejoice, you may have to re-choice, choose different things, people and circumstances but it is better to change than to continue living in misery for the rest of your life. If you truly want to live, rejoice. Be happy today and everyday for the rest of your life. And the good news is that you can. You can choose to be Happy.

VALUE LIFE

Do you value life? Do you consider it to be your greatest gift, your most valuable treasure or do you just drag through life? Life is a beautiful journey for those who value it, for those who catch hold of it and don’t let it escape. To them, life is more valuable than money because every fleeting moment of life that is gone is gone forever. So, they treasure every moment, every day. They really value life. Do you value life? Do you give it all you have got? Are you excited about life or are you just letting it slip away? Have your days, months and years escaped you? It is not too late. Stop now. Transform your life and live.

MAKE A DIFFERENCE

What is the purpose of your life? Does your life have some meaning and direction? May be it could be your passion to make a difference. Either you can choose to live life meaninglessly or you can get excited about living a legacy, about doing something that will remain long after you are gone. There are countless opportunities for each one of us to make a difference. Be it to serve suffering humanity or just by simply sharing our life experiences. Each of these are capable of making a big difference. Life becomes beautiful when it is lived with a purpose and still more glorious if that purpose is to make a difference.

Let go and trust

I have grappled for long, wondering why the wounds of the past kept surfacing time and again. Why do the patterns all seem so familiar that I can almost predict the oncoming catastrophe? Maybe, it’s my mind that creates the catastrophe and gives it the space to unravel. For one thing, there is something to be healed.

There is a wound, I must acknowledge and be aware of it. I need not help it to grow, I have to let it be healed; and it will be healed only when I move to the roots. I only need to use less of the head for the wound to heal and stop the conflict between the mind and the soul; with no head there is no wound. The mind and soul have to merge and emerge to its higher sense...as a total being that is wholesome.

The only way is total acceptance as a way of life, whatsoever happens. I will allow myself to feel the energy of words and let the emotions flow through me. It is time when the deeply buried wounds of the past come to the surface, ready and available to be healed. I want to stretch open my arms and allow my soul to stand naked, vulnerable and open to the loving touch of existence. Allow my aura to be full of light and let the quality of relaxation, caring and love that surrounds me dissolve all struggle and suffering. I do not want to hide from myself or others.

Just let go and trust the universe….

From another time....

Something wrote more than a decade ago...it was another time...another reality!!

Take me to the heavens where my dreams wait for me…
Take me to the stars that shimmer in the after glow of loves reality.
Take me to the place where loving has no price.
Where the sun and the moon know no eclipses and brightness is there to stay…
Is such a place a figment of my imagination or have I a memory from another time

For when you are close and I hear that heartbeat
The moments’ frenzy goes beyond all reasons, words or delight
The reality is self recognized.

Have I known you from another time, where we had each other in love
For every little move you make in any direction other than mine…
I feel a pain of thwarted intentions
…even though there are no words of commitment to quote
I believe I have heard them from your lips
…an expression of love for me
Was it from another time…where love had no price

Take me back in time where I belong to you
Take me to the heavens where my dreams wait for me…

Absconding or evasive...

Been away for more than 7 months…away from my favorite channel to express myself…my blog!!

I asked the universe what will inspire me to write again….and as always it did not let me down. A friend kindly pointed out that I alone can inspire myself. So here I am, back again … supported by the fact that there is enough bedlam in me and enough eagerness to share to bring me to a point where I am able to write without exerting my mind and in a flow that releases.

I have been evasive…shying away from life, love and its opportunity. More often than not I have prophesized to myself what I call the true knowing of being in love….and now I realize that I am far from understanding it…so decided to stop beating myself for it and rest with the fact that it is okay to be all confused and unclear…and at a cross road of life...

Through windy paths set forth in front of me,
Many lessons did I ignore and chose not to see.
The universe has sent the realization to me,
Loneliness shall end and love shall be…
How? ....It does not matter,
All I know is that my evasive spirit is destined to shatter.
A moment at the crossroad of time that will be…

A careless glance will cross all and reach my heart
It will mark the end of absconding…to define a new start.
To endless moments of healing care
Kind words, whispers and secrets to share
For again, when my heart will have the courage to dare…
A moment that will make me vulnerable yet ready to bare

Loneliness shall end and love shall be…
How? ....It does not matter,
All I know is my evasive spirit is destined to shatter.
A moment at the crossroad of time that will be…

The meaning of life will unfold as I tread through the crossroads of time
There will be renewed energies, a new spirit and a new life…

Hola – its time to stop absconding!!!

Move on....

Time has moved on....
People have moved on....
I moved on too...

From a frightened girl who spoke about lost love and unknown dreams...I have became a mature woman...who knows how to find, shape and keep her destiny.

It is inevitable...everything has to change with time.
I changed ....My feelings changed too. I am now grounded and free to live magnanimously!!!

I am truly - HOLA the warrior of light!

Complacency or just the wait for the right moment..

Has the slowness around, made me complacent or am I waiting for the right moment for change? It is as though I am living in an abandoned space.

I have been transported to the anticipated distant lands twice over but I am still waiting for the moment to happen…nothing seems out of sync…yet there is abandonment. I am pretty much like a tree that knows it is time to bring the flowers so it is time to let go of all the leaves and stand naked against the sky.

I just have to trust the universe and its pace!!!

Sudden shower!!!

Just when I stopped watching time and complaining a sudden shower brought in a whole load of happiness. These beautiful drops of rain carried with them the whiff of a new spirit and indicated the beginning of a new cycle.

I am open to the world of possibilities because I know I have grown more loving, more self-contained and work easily with the universe. I am relaxed and now recognize possibilities as they present themselves, sometimes even before others can see them.

I am in tune with nature and I understand that existence is providing me with exactly what I want….

A big thank you to the one who is watching over me…big hugz!!!

KISS- Keep it simple silly!!!

Why was I waiting for the extra-ordinary to touch my life, for me to enjoy life in its full capacity? Goodness is all around me irrespective of where I am. I just have to be present to it.

I reminded myself to become one with the universe. Then only a peace, a happiness, a bliss could surround me and everything became extra-ordinary. I now feel fulfilled. There is no need for me to wait for special moments to enjoy life. I just had to be present to each moment and it transformed my life into an extra-ordinary life.

Beauty can be found in the simple, ordinary things of life. We so easily take this beautiful world we live in for granted. Cleaning the house, tending the garden, doing routine office work , cooking a meal--the most mundane tasks take on a sacred quality when they are performed with total involvement, with love, and for their own sake, without thought of recognition or reward.

I have stepped into a zone of being easy, natural and utterly ordinary in my approach to the situations I encounter and see it bringing far better results than any attempt to be brilliant, clever, or otherwise extra-ordinary. I have detached myself from the end result and life has now presented the best to me. All it took was taking things easily and simply, one step at a time. The mantra for an extra-ordinary life is Keep it Simple Silly!!!

Tawakul

I am not running or chasing just sauntering into the wilderness of the universe….

It has been a long tread and now I just want to sit and wait for the breeze to come and cool me. I realize that in this phase one has to be at ease with oneself - not trying to improve, not cultivating anything, not practicing anything….just being!!

It is often said that home is where the heart is…I feel otherwise. Home is where you are…you carry you own shelter with you. There is no need to hurry, no need to seek shelter elsewhere. Even as I move into the depths of the emotional waters, I can remain self-contained and free from attachments. I am ready to let go of any expectations I have had about myself or of other people, and to take responsibility for any illusions I have been carrying. There is no need to do anything but rest in the fullness of who I am right now. If desires and hopes and dreams fade away it is so much the better. Their disappearance is making space for a new quality of stillness and acceptance of what is, and I am able to welcome this development in a way I have never been able to before.

I am savoring this quality of slowing down, of coming to rest and recognizing that I am already at home…I am practicing “Tawakul with the Universe”..

I'm in love with life....

I am facing a challenge standing at a cross road of life. It is a challenge of the heart.

I find strength in my connection with others in my life. There is a bond of compassion, passion and most importantly synchronized unity making me recognize that we are not as separate as we seem. This is not about emotion. It's about wisdom. It takes wisdom to see all the things we have in common. Ignorance is what makes us see the differences.

I stand here, sometimes for a fraction, jolted into reality by the essence of wisdom, to wake up and see the truth and the projections. Then again projections are a legacy we all have inherited and imbibed as second nature. For once I want to be oblivious to it all….

I just want to flow with the moment and trust the universe is for now making me quiver with its love’s aftermath….

May be I am in love with life!!

The Nightingale comes alive...

My heart was touched. This moment has happened after ages and I realize that along time I truly accepted being fluid and became like water. Like water goes down, it searches for the lowest ground, wanting to be a nonentity I too had become a nonentity….until now.
I want to retain being able to flow but somewhere there is a need to find my ground, maybe create it. Every moment in life we have a choice whether to enter life's waters and float, or to try to swim upstream. I want to float now, trusting that life will support me in relaxation and take me exactly where it wants me to go. I am allowing this feeling of trust and relaxation to grow more and more; with full faith in this universe I know everything will happen exactly as it should.

The Nightingale comes alive...

Unfolding the moments of time,
I floated to a heaven where I heard the wind touched chime.
Lips whispering what my heart fears to endear
Is this for real, or life’s usual sneer
I hear a heartbeat throbbing me as alive
Am at the edge almost trusting I can dive..

In a moment in which I floated and entwined with Life
Brought a sleeping nightingale alive…

Would the “Change” fear stop me from postponing?

I have a habit of postponing my decisions be it work, marriage, men or even wisdom tooth extractions and I know for sure that I am being silly about it.
A few days back, I went to see the musical “Menopause” done by four brilliant women enacting the “Change” that is yet to come but in all fairness is just above a decade away. It hit me hard that am not going to remain young forever. Honestly since then I have been actually watching out for every “Personal Tropical Summer” or “Slushy Flush”… Putting away decisions that don’t matter today has been the easiest way to save myself the strain of thinking or moving too quickly. I stumbled upon a wise crack that picked the exact essence of my thought process:

Quote
Dr. Vogel, the dentist, finished his examination on a pretty young patient. "Miss Baseman," he said, "I'm afraid I'm going to have to pull out your wisdom teeth!" "Oh, my!" exclaimed the girl. "I'd rather have a baby!" "Well," said Dr. Vogel, "could you make up your mind so that I can adjust the chair?" Make up your mind. Don't go on postponing infinitely.
Unquote

As tomorrow I would have to decide just about the same thing so why not today? Guess I am assuming that tomorrow I will be wiser than today? Have I taken for granted that tomorrow I would be livelier than today? Have I befooled myself that tomorrow I would be younger or fresher than today?

Now that I know tomorrow the change would be inevitable, my courage will be less; even though I will be more experienced, my cunningness will be more; I will start wavering and be more afraid. So now I have decided that even though I could still postpone marriage and many other work related decisions, there is one decision that I have made for now which I am not postponing…..I am getting a male dentist!

Template-thinking and Linear Assumptions!!!

Just another time when a word tickles my brain…

I am caught in a sort of stupor. I am burdened by the memories of the past, burdened by the projections of the future and miserably failing only to live even at the minimum in the present.

My template-thoughts keep coming back without warning. Fear that I am losing what I myself don’t want to hold…is the craziest assumption that my mind has made. I am not sure why but there is an unrest of a weird sort.

Gosh!! The mind is just not intelligent…..the No-mind is just simply more smart and revolutionary….

I have to stop here and drop all thoughts. Drop the dust that I have collected in the past…allow my inner flame to rise - clean, clear and let it burn the situation out. Right now there is only a dim flame and lots of smoke.

This smoke veil of illusion, keeps me from perceiving reality as it is. I have to respect the turbulence and allow it to settle before the awareness of the no-mind settles in.

Am just wondering whether the smoke is choking others who stand close? Complexities of the mind perplexing the innocent yet again! Trust me, when the mind and no-mind are at war...I am at a loss, too.

On second thoughts, an interplay of Karma and Richard Bach's "fateful cloud", meant to be here to cause this turbulence. A better laid plan that I rather not take ownership of or make claims on...

As for me-would need some introspection and some efforts to be more present and watchful. The key lesson here is to “Step back” and allow the center of witnessing to emerge.

Modesty-This word has caught my attention ever so often being brought up in a hypocritical Asian environment. Till sometime back I always thought the word was being rather ”over stated” and whether it was a virtue at all pushed me to extract the dictionary meaning.

I kept procrastinating on writing this blog and left the draft with just the dictionary meaning. This is very unlike me. However life taught me what I did not learn first go. Unlike others, I always get a second chance to be shaken to the roots should I slip the message or the moral. Guess it’s “ Instant Karma”…

Quote
mod·est adj.
Having or showing a moderate estimation of one's own talents, abilities, and value.
Having or proceeding from a disinclination to call attention to oneself; retiring or diffident.
Observing conventional proprieties in speech, behaviour, or dress.
Free from showiness or ostentation; unpretentious. See synonyms at plain.
Moderate or limited in size, quantity, or range; not extreme: a modest price; a newspaper with a modest circulation.
Unquote

I first became interested in the subject of modesty for a rather mundane reason but now it seems that it has an unfolding relevance.

Many of the problems we hear about today — divorces, infidelity, sexual harassment, young women who suffer from eating disorders and report feeling a lack of control over their bodies — are all connected, to our culture's attack on modesty. Hear us when we use words to describe intimacy: what once was called it "making love," and then "having sex," is now "hooking up". Are we refuelling an aeroplane?.

Culture has for times unknown respected the sanctity of relationships and encouraged fidelity. Respect for self, for the body and a keen check on behaviour have been unquestioned beliefs. In fact early feminists actually praised modesty as ennobling to society. We just learnt to rebel and question all.

I remember a conversation to the following context: "Well, if you want to be modest, be modest. If you want to be promiscuous, be promiscuous. It is a choice but practice it with responsibility. The society’s culture is to be neutral"

Now I do realise that I was wrong.

Culture cannot be neutral. Nor is it subtle in its influence on behaviour. In the end, if it's not going to value modesty, it will value promiscuity and adultery, and all our lives and marriages will suffer as a result.

A sudden awakening has jolted me. My instant karma would play up and it is only due. However I do want to refurbish my thoughts.

Ever wondered what it would feel like to know your end....

I am going to explore

I don't to follow any religion. Religions have been teaching me about subjects which I don't know, and ask me to blindly believe in it because there is no way to bring those experiences into objective reality.

I dont want to live in this believer's world. I want to learn by experience adopting my way: LIVING IT DAILY..AS I LIKE IT (LIDAILI)

It is a dangerous attittude. It is not for the faithful ones; it is for those daring souls who can drop all belief, unbelief, doubt, reason, mind, and simply enter into their pure existence without boundaries. But it brings a tremendous transformation.

Hence, let me say that while others are involved in philosophies, I want to be involved in metamorphosis, in a transformation. It is an authentic alchemy: it would change from base metal into gold. But its language has to be understood, not with your reasoning and intellectual mind but with your loving heart. Or even just listening, not bothering whether it is true or not.


And a moment comes suddenly that you see it, which has been eluding you your whole life.

SORATH, FIFTH MEHL:
The Lord is always with me. The Messenger of Death does not approach me. God holds me close in His embrace, and protects me. True are the Teachings of the True Guru. 1 The Perfect Guru has done it perfectly. He has beaten and driven off my enemies, and given me, His slave, the sublime understanding of the neutral mind. 1 Pause God has blessed all places with prosperity. I have returned again safe and sound. Nanak has entered Gods Sanctuary. It has eradicated all disease. 2 24 88
Friday, 20th Katak (Samvat 538 Nanakshahi)
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These beautiful words from the Guru Granth Sahib are symbolising the protective life force. As I tread through the challenges in life, I find true solace in taking his name. In aloneless, I find completeness as I am always protected by the caring divine hand that saves me from falling into fundamental darkness.

I have often drifted to find where my origin is. Looked at alternative beliefs, other practices and got more confused. Eventually I found my roots within my own religon. I am not a preacher nor do I advocate my religon but yes I do advocate the good has become my innate nature by being a true sikh- a learner.

Being married doesn't guarantee happiness in life. Remaining single is not a sign of defeat.

What matters most is living a happy and meaningful life! When that happens, being single or married is no longer an issue. Most married people are no happier than single people. Live in a way that you can be happy and completely fulfilled just the way you are. Happiness is determined by our life condition, no whether we are single or married. The important thing is to develop a life condition dedicated to your mission for being alive.

"Happiness is not something that someone else, like a lover, can give to us. We have to achieve it for ourselves. And the only way to do so is by developing our character and capacity as human beings, by fully maximizing our potential … What is important now is to work hard at developing yourselves into truly wonderful human beings … Ultimately, the relationships you form are a reflection of your own state of life."


It dawns on me that the gap between the ideal and the real me seemed to grow apart with the passing of years. How could that be? I am supposed to become more compassionate, more connected and in touch with the people around. I have been introspecting and spending time reading and being meditative.

The clarity and dynamism is spilling over into my environment. I have begun to see clearly there areas in my life that needed a breakthrough.

I am taking initiatives to reach out to people I had problems with, and resolve the grudges I had held in my heart. I am changing my attitude at work, and pray sincerely to expand my ability to make a difference.

I am seeing the results- there is a renewed energy to LIVE LIFE QUEENSIZE :))

SORATH, NINTH MEHL:
In this world, I have not found any true friend. The whole world is attached to its own pleasures, and when trouble comes, no one is with you. 1 Pause Wives, friends, children and relatives  all are attached to wealth. When they see a poor man, they all forsake his company and run away. 1 So what should I say to this crazy mind, which is affectionately attached to them? The Lord is the Master of the meek, the Destroyer of all fears, and I have forgotten to praise Him. 2 Like a dogs tail, which will never straighten out, the mind will not change, no matter how many things are tried. Says Nanak, please, Lord, uphold the honor of Your innate nature; I chant Your Name. 3 9
Tuesday, 17th Katak (Samvat 538 Nanakshahi)

These words are a direct english translation from the Guru Granth Sahib Hukumnama at the Golden Temple. I have often wandered in search of the truth. Have agrued endlessly whether truth is more powerful or love. I was a fool...

The two are not separate from each other. Love is the truth and Truth is Love. Both entwine to be present in the mere whisper of the name of Lord himself. The reality of life, the truth is that true love is not by attachment, for the mind is attached to wordly possessions. True love is opening your heart to all alike...touching each person, each living being...with true compassion and care.

In this true compassion and care, I find myself like the almighty...for God is not separate from you and me. With each good deed he surfaces and when we deviate from our paths..he waits patiently till we hit upon realisation and become our true nature again.