Dance of Shiva

An article appeared in Tehelka 17/June/2006. Some excerpts from the same for helping me record information about this great person for my own sake and that of the readers of this blog.
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Kumar Suresh Singh discovered the legendary tribal Birsa Munda for the world, and India. But the recent death of this pioneering intellectual went completely unmarked.

 …

—–

Beyond the above I could not type, and then the Tehelka edition, probably, found its way into the Kabadiwala’s bag.

Why the hell doesn’t Tehelka free access to it’s past issues online?

Sudhir Kulkarni is certainly one of my favourite writers. His articles on Islam in relation to India, more recently, the issue of ‘Vande Mataram’ made ‘optional’ to sing because of protests from Muslims, and how he believes Communists and Islamsists in India concieve India - as a Civic territorial body, without bringing its oldest in the world, living culture and tradition, I thought were quite well articulated backed with facts from other Islamic countries.

Now this article on the CEO of Sanyo, Tomoyo Nonaka, who is redefining Sanyo, by focussing its energies on ‘Thinking Gaia’ a theory promoted by Dr. James Lovelock, which claims that (Mother) Earth is a living being, shows that his thinking is diverse, deep and inclusive.

 

Here is the link to the article in Indian Express:
http://www.indianexpress.com/story/13741.html?
PHPSESSID=a9b08bb929b0f0aee727cacd49254b6e

The inner growth is very still and very silent. You are growing, and even you cannot be aware of it unless something totally new happens and makes you aware that you have reached some space that was unknown to you. And that can happen any moment. On your part great patience is needed, and a trust that the whole existence is in support of all those who are trying to grow spiritually. It is not you who are trying to grow spiritually; it is existence who, through you, is trying to reach to its utmost heights.

- OSHO 

http://www.indianexpress.com/story/11546.html -  a fantastic story of a sort of a farmer co-operative without the bureaucratic hassles of a co-operative - famers are using a 2002 amendment in the Companies Act to their advantage and formed a Pvt Ltd company run co-operatively, replete with Directors, CEO, others to their advantage - and are loving owning a company.

I’ve written to the journalist wo wrote this story to help us get in touch with the NGOs which helped these farmers come together and manage the leagal maze. We’d like to setup something similar in Delhi, starting with Microfinance operations for the community of people living on the fringe of our urban society - helps at homes, car cleaners, chowkidars, aayahs, others.

I wrote this to a person who I came in touch on Ryze.

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Dear Dr. Alam,

It seems you wanted to connect with me. My apologies on not being able to call you up, inspite of my intention to do so. Work has been quite pressing last few weeks.

Just got a chance to get online to read your posts in the god-talk network, which I have posted at the end of this message for your reference.

Having read the same, I am sorry to say it is very dissappointing that this comes from a PhD holder. I’ve wanted to sit and meet you and try and question your thinking and beliefs for quite sometime now. Unfortunately, I’ve not been able to get this discussion on my list of priorities. Anyway, for now, I am going to take you head on.

Firstly, the use of the word Allah, as a preference of over using God, itself has deep root in your thinking, which I believe is the root cause of Islamic fundamentalism. During my visits to several countries I’ve (and so have my relatives observed this) noticed car bumber stickers and wall hangings saying "There is no God but Allah". This reference to God in one particular language (Arabic) and refusing existence of the same spiritual force, in any other language, is an example of extreme fundamentalism. I am afraid, inspite of using His references as ‘Allah/God’ your references of God as Allah in an earlier post, and in this as well, shout out of the same fundamentalism.

Secondly, does Allah command? This judgmental God/Allah is someone who does not appeal to me at all. There are many more beautiful definitions or experiences of God which have been talked about in books and by different spiritual messengers who have been born and continue to be born.

This brings me to another point. In your belief, all messengers stopped after Muhhammad. This is a very sad state of thinking. The topic of the discussion where you posted this message was "Pagan Christ", a book written by someone, and having read a review by another person, I observed the key message being that "any human being could become the Christ; christdom existed as a latent energy in all humanity, and the church worked to suppress this truth about christ’s message".

This is completely consitent with all Indian faiths. Kabir and Sai Baba, both inspite of being muslims, are reverred as God himself in our country by Hindus and Muslims (although there are more Hindus who have adopted Sai Baba than Muslims; Muslims have infact ignored him and his message). I had a discussion with a muslim girl colleague of mine, who differentiated between Muhammad and say Sai Baba (or Guru Nanak, Satya Sai Baba, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Eckhardt Tolle, others) as being ‘the chosen one’ and ‘Pir’. This is the problem with Islam. You reject anyway that this massive humanity can raise itself to Godhood, and the last human being who did so, was Muhammad himself.

Going by such fundamentalism, and while I have not read the Quran, it seems it even says if you are not a muslim, then you cannot go to heaven.

Did Gandhi go to heaven?

Also, where is this heaven?

Thirdly, you mention "…only submission to the communications of the commands of Allah is the most virtuous…". I have a different version of ’submission’. You version maybe of subservience; my version is called ’surrender’. To understand ’surrender’, you’ll have to dwell in a lot of Vedantic reading. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s, ‘Celebrating Silence’ is a good place to start.

I would highly recommend that to open your mind a bit, you read a non-Indian, non-Hindu writer - Neale Donald Walsch - and his triology - "Conversations with God - I, II, III". If you read it with a questioning mind, rather than a "subservient" mind, you will rise to a new level of spiritual consciousness. This is the best service to Allah/God that you could offer.

No one made Adam; no ones a sinner; we’re just here to experience - this endless cycle creation and destruction; the Big Bang and the eventual collapse of the universe will go on cyclical in this eternal game; You are here to experience yourself as Krishna. Krishna was again a human form, who was self-realised about his divinity. Then there are others like us who have a chance to do so in this human form - raise our consciousness to that of Muhammad, or Jesus, or Guru Nanak, or Buddha, or Al-Hallaj, or Rumi, or Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, or Eckhardt Tolle, or Andrew Cohen, or Ramana Maharishi, or Bahaullah, or Sai Baba, or Kabir, or Neale Donald Walsch, or Dr. Jaya Row, the list is endless.

Someone said "there are more spiritually self-realised people in India than probably the whole world put together". You’ve been born here for a reason. Be a seeker. For that you need to question all your beliefs and your premises. Even from the mere purpose of leading a healthy mental and emotional life, I think it is good to question, and discover Truth yourself. If you die not discovering it, my belief says you will get another chance, and another birth (also this is not merely belief now; there is a stream of medicine in Hynotherapy becoming extremely popular, and within it is a sub-stream of past-life regression; it maybe a good idea to read some material on that; there is a book called "road Less Travelled", by a leading psychiatrist of USA, and he mentions a premise in human evolution has to be the cycle of re-birth).

You have written "…n my quest for enlightenment…". Well, if you have the right spirit, experience enlightenment, not by subservience, but by questioning, finding, exploring. In India, ou have an opportunity to do so, like no other country.

God (or the Universal Force) instilled this quality to ‘question and think’ in us. Subservience is the worst form of disrespect to the Almighty.

Regards,
Rahul

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Dear Jack and Debra,

The main premise in all sects of Christianity is that Jesus is the Son of God

This is what is wrong as per the communications in Qur’an.As a Muslim/obedient one to the commands of Allah/God,Jesus Peace be on him was a messenger of Allah.This has been pointed out in the commands of Allah to Muhammad.Those who consider Jesus as son of Allah, are falling in a polytheistic trap and pious Christians never understood him as a son but a messenger.

and was sent down to teach of God’s love, His Plan, and His Ways, and to save us from our sin through his Crucifiction.

This is a false idea that he died for our sins.He was sinned by many in his times and those who sinned are accountabel to their sins. Allah will grant mercy to those He will.The birth of Jesus was like to the birth of Adam,who was created from clay.

Please read Qur’an and we will learn more as only submission to the communications of the commands of Allah is the most virtuous.

I have stated in previous posts that a great reference for many is Kenneth C. Davis’s "Don’t Know Much About the Bible". It goes into great detail regarding each section of the Bible and clarifies many of the questions we Christians have about it’s passages and their meanings. Some other great books that have helped me in my quest for enlightenment are:

Dear Jack and Debra,

I would like to also suggest reading from Maurice Bucaulle book on Quran,Bible and Science.

Please forgive me for being upfront.

I would have liked to write in more detail.
Seeking guidance for all and praying for the repvilege to all for seeking guidance from Allah.

I sent this to Mrs. Nafisa Ali. Let’s hope we can get this initiative going.  

—– 

To,
Chairperson
Children’s Film Society, India
Mumbai.

Dear Mrs. Nafisa Ali Sodhi,

We are a software company, but with a deep sense of purpose of why we are in business. As part of our agenda to work with underprivileged children living on the edges of urban society, we’re funding a small school in Vasant Kunj, being run by Col. (Retd.) Ramakrishna and other volunteers from our locality. We’ve got 50 children with daily attendance of 30-40 children, who study in the small Resident’s Welfare Association (RWA) office (unfortunately the RWA has a very narrow mindset and does not allow us to use the big Community Centre available to it for the school’s activities). Children are from both Hindu and Muslim families. The school is free for these children. Uniforms are also donated each year by other volunteers.

The school is free, and has been running since 1996. Children from Class III to Class VIII are studying here. While the school is offers non-formal education, the classes held and the teaching is better than the government schools these children (irregularly) attend. We’ve got a permanent teacher now, as well conducting classes from 3:30pm to 6:30 pm in the RWA Office, Sector-A, Pocket-C, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi.

We’re also looking to tie-up with Art of Living’s Sanskar programme, running for urban middle-class children in Vasant Kunj, and offer the same programme to children in this school. The minor additional funds required for conducting this programme, will also be taken care of by my company. The Sanskar programme is once a week ongoing activity, for children between age group 7-12 years, and teaches them, Yoga, Breathing, education in ethics, religious integration, respect of parents, good conduct, inspirational talks, sanskrit shlokas and their meanings, daily routine for a healthy living, etc.

As part of enhancing wholesome education to this group, we plan to show them films on environment, girl child, education, religion and spirituality, religious integration, activism, and other inspirational topics, which will help them become better people. We intend to show films on environment, which we have purchased from Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi, available at typically, Rs.750/- per CD. Unfortunately, very few of these films are made with children in mind, and address very serious environmental issues, ideally meant for adult village folk.

I was looking at your website, and the costs for screening films is running into Rs.7000/- and above. This will be very difficult for us to afford. Hence, this email - to ask you if it is possible to screen films for these children in our volunteer-run school to start with, at lower costs? I am certain that once we start, this filming activity will spread like wild-fire, attracting more students to the school and better attendance as well.

Can we somehow work with you at much lower costs for screening these films?

Looking forward to a positive response from you.

Thank you.

Till a few years back, when I first started about getting organic food in my house, through an organisation called Navdanya, I was laughed at. They said it was another one of my raidcal and over idealistic, and ofcourse silly and unneccessary (creating an issue out of nothing) ideas.

Today, on a lazy Sunday, I went shopping in the Vasant Kunj market, and noticed that Fab India, Navdanya and Ki to Health, were selling organic goods in the same market. Mostly, all the goods were certified by international organic certification authorities. 

The most exciting thing, however, was that Uttaranchal, has its own brand by the name Panchvati, and was selling Dals, Atta, Honey, Squashs, etc. Uttaranchal has been declared an Organic state, and this was bound to happen.

I casually asked the salesman at Ki to Health, whether people actually bought organic stuff (ofcourse if three stores are selling them, people ought to be buying it all), and he said "oh, ofcourse", which was actually quite comforting to me.

The Organic Food movement is catching on; middle class people are paying extra money, in an extremely price conscious market, to get some crap (read "chemical food") out of their lives.

Another very good thing happenning is that there are more and more products which one sees these days coming from farmer/worker co-operatives. This is a very healthy sign.

More initiatives and brands on the way, I am sure. Will Srijan Foundation be able to make a positive impact in this area, by creating farmer co-operatives throughout the country, and leveraging its business acumen and possibly a new brand, in marketing these nationally and internationally? Dreaming of this future reality now…

 

http://www.thiaoouba.com/tomb.htm.

An excerpt:  

"…It is implied that Jesus acquired all his knowledge from scholars in Japan, went to Judea to teach and then escaped crucifixion. Someone else died on the cross. There was no resurrection. This “legend” cannot be true, because "Japanese Jesus" DID NOT preach and did not perform ANY miracles when he came to Japan after allegedly escaping crucifixion. How could Christ forget everything He knew?

According to "Thiaoouba Prophecy", Jesus (Joshua) born to virgin Mary in Bethlehem, after an "angel" from Thiaoouba (tYehova) implanted the embryo, escaped the slaughter of 2606 babies and arrived in Egypt. After surprising all scholars at the age of 12, he left his parents at 14 to travel with his 12 years old brother Ouriki to Burma, India and China. Eventually he arrived in Japan at the age of 50. He got married there, and had 3 daughters. Finally he died in Herai where he had lived for 45 years, gaining respect and love of everyone. Christ who appeared at Judea and died on the cross was another, very special man…."

That’s the title of a book which says that Jesus survived the Crucifixion and travelled to India. I have come across atleast two books on this topic earlier:

• Jesus Lived in India
• Jesus was a Hindu, by Savarkar

While both maybe ridiculed by Orthodox Christians and mainstream Historians, there is evidence in these two books worth exploring. It seems to be one of those things that no one wants to touch so as not to open a Pandora’s box of controvery.

Now, a friend forwarded a link to this website: http://www.tombofjesus.com/. So, there are many many moe books on the topic.

Also, a friend of mine, Imran, a Kashmiri, is making a film on Jesus’s years in India, including Varanasi, his studies of Hinduism, Shaivism in Kashmir, and final adoption and practice of Mahayana Buddhism, which has been influenced by Shaiviite philosophy and Advaita philosophy in the Hindu streams of thought.

Some additional links and things to think about:

•  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0946551995/ref=ase_thetombofjesusch/102-2074515-4228917?n=283155&tagActionCode=thetombofjesusch
• http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1852305509/sr=1-1/qid=1152767525/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-2074515-4228917?ie=UTF8&s=books

Enjoy the links! 

I did something fantastic today!

It required the training of all the time spent at Landmark Education, Art of Living, with my uncle - Ravi Chhabra - who is a Management Consultant in USA, and trains be very lovingly whenever he is in India, in "communication", the several books, and ofcourse Sen Gupta, who talks and negotiates in this manner on a day-to-day basis in face of extreme crisis situations as well.

I live in an apartment, and as in all apartments, there are always issues that neighbours have among each other, communication breakdown, because of very small and insignificant issues. I’ve been maintaining the nearby strip of land, which was formerly a dumyard of ‘malba’ (construciton waste), for a lot of houses in our block of apartments. I spent a lot of money and transformed the same into a beautiful green strip which now has nearly 20-25 small fruit and flower trees.

The people opposite our flat had some work done in their house, and some misunderstanding due to another neighbour led to some issues between us, on the malba. Later, I noticed that there is some malba lying next to the greep strip. This was quite frustrating for me, as I’ve been already frustrated by pleas to the association to remove their ‘iron barrier’ and get the drainage cleaned, but to no effect.

Under normal circumstances one blames one-another and takes the attitude that people are like that only, or "if they do not come forward, why should we bother". In my case, because my my persistent, and mostly, aggressive attitudes, I have the reputation of being a ‘ladaka’ (one who keeps fighting with people). One neighbour also told me, ‘…when you live in apartments, there are problems, who should not complain - if you have a problem go live in a bungalow’ (this is a very common stance taken by people in Vasant Kunj).

Last time I spoke to the neighbours in front of me, the gentleman also told me that I should stop complaining and that malba was not theirs. I invited him to come and see the same, to which he refused for that day, and proposed Saturday…I alternately said we could meet on Sunday.

Obviously I have been nervous. I do not wish to be branded a complainer or a ladaka. It is really saddenning and frustrating for me. So, when I tried to talk to my wife, she also came up with the same negative stance "..keep fighting with neighbours…and no one will come forward in time of need". While she is right, I do believe that I have toned down, from what I used to be 2-3 years back, and normally take a very "persuasive" stance rather than an aggressive one these days, in face of negativity.

I know I have changed, the world needs to start seeing it. (may I need to start showing to more to the world).

Anyway, among all this negativity, I still called the uncle (in India, all elders are uncles and auntys respectively) on phone, and he obliged to come out in 15 minutes. I spent the next 10 minutes practicing what I had to say and thought of some nice points, such as:

1. it was very difficult me for break this communication barrier and persist to speak to him, instead of becoming negative and get into a blame-game like most neighbours do
2. the malba was the not the issue, but the more important point was that how could we all come forward and ensure that we live in a community harmoniously

During this brief conversation, in which he mentioned that he accepted to get the malba cleared, although he did not believe it could have been theirs (but he agreed since no one else in the block had got the work done; it could have been just one more house, but he was not coming forward)

I guess I struck a chord in his heart as well, with my "loving and understanding" tone (thanks to all the seminars and the books, and most recently "Who Will Cry When You Die" by Robin Sharma, which has a chapter on understanding the human being behind those eyeballs.

Ofcourse, I must acknowledge that uncle has a sense of calm about him, and is much easier to communicate with. It was his acceptance, and probably his large-heartedness, which actually, inspite of the situation which could be a bit belittling for him, agreed to come out and see the malba, and give me a patient ear.

Anyway, I have persuaded him to join hands in taking care of the block ourselves, instead of waiting for the Residents’ Welfare Association (RWA) - elected neighbourhood society (which I believe suffers from the same issues that the Govt of India does - its like fractal geometry - patterns repeating at the micro and macro levels).

Now its upto me to go to all the 14-15 occupied houses in our block, and persuade each one to come forward, have a meeting in my house, coming Sunday, to create a ‘block fund’, and get the ‘communication going’ between all of us, and sort-out things on in our block on our own.

I already can imagine people gunning for each other’s throats, including for my throat, and me for others’ throats - - but I guess we will all have to keep aside the ‘extremely touchy‘ issues
 and take up a more common agenda; and very importantly, get the communication going between all of us, and make each other aware of issues they face.

God, give me the Grace to be able to organise this meeting, and then manage it well - to create a ‘positive change‘.

 

Well, finally Srijan Technologies has started to contribute to the school which started in 1999 (or somewhere about 6-78 years back), through a small meeting that I called consisting of some inspired people in our colony. That meeting for me was literally where any further contribution ended, while it was Col. Ramakrishnan’s inspired leadership, dedication, unfailing committment, and even personal contribution in terms of money each month, with support from other inspired people such as Mr. Prasad (a retd. Railways officer), which has seen the school continue over these years.

There are now 50 children enrolled with attendance of about 25-30 daily, receiving personal attention from a full-time teacher now, overseen by Col sahab himself.

Col Rama called me a few days back to distribute biscuits to students, which he does 3-4 times a week - similar to the mid-day meal scheme running by the Government of India - to prevent children from dropping-out of the school.

The childrens’ love and respect for him was obvious and visible on their faces; and for me, distributing the biscuits was a ‘lesson in humility’ as I have never done anything at all for the school for all these years, yet Col Rama, constantly keeps saying "…because of Rahul’s initiative…" and when he does, I can only lower my eyes and look down in embarassment.

Well, I hope now, I will not have to hang my head in shame any longer, as Srijan has started contributing money each month to cover expenses of the permanent teacher and some overheads of the school - the money is absolutely insignificant for Srijan or for anyone for that matter but to commit to it each month, earlier, when we were struggling at Srijan was difficult as well for me.

However, now, we’re doing much better - there are still ups and downs - but overall we’re moving ahead in the right direction, with a fantastic family-like team of geeks. It is just amazing that we have been able to get together such inspired people - some of the best in the industry - at the low remuneration that Srijan can currently afford. I believe it is God’s Grace. So, I hope we shall contribute increasingly to the school and to other such initiatives soon.

Lord, increase our capacity to give!

A few years back Rajdeep (a close friend, and an avid trekker and traveller) and I had been on a 5-6 day trip to Madhya Pradesh - Sanchi (Stupas), Bhimpetka (Cave paintings touted to be 50,000 years old), Bhopal, and several other small and relatively unheard of temples of various religions of India.

As we were spending the dusk walking around in Sanchi after having visited the Stupa, we passed by a small village temple, with some 15-20 people sitting in its compound and singing Bhajans. They sang with so much freedom, abandon, joy and faith, that I wanted to run there, sit with them, get lost amongst them and sing - sing bhajans with them. I shared with Rajdeep that I would like to sing with them, and since no one knew me, I could do that with relative abandon, and without attracting any attention. Rajdeep ofcourse thought that I would, being from city, and certainly showing it with my clothes, would attract more attention on the contrary. Even though I disagreeed, I could not muster enough strength to sit with them and sing with that abandon and freedom.

But that feeling and that sense of freedom I became aware of that evening stayed with me I guess.

Later, back in Delhi, next to happenning Aurbindo Market, once again, in a makeshift roadside temple, I noticed some people sing with the same abandon and freedom, one evening.

This was not only the case with the village temple at Sanchi or this makeshift temple, but with, probably, most village temples (including those within cities but built by the rural folk - possibly migrants from rural areas). These temples I believe are a an outlet for self-expression and surrender, every evening, for people who have laboured during the day, in making ends meet.

The expression "making ends meet" has, I believe, resonance with a lot of us out there, but in our own view of what our ends (read needs or luxuries) are; and I guess a whole lot us wish to surrender, to unseen divine forces, as we seek to comprehend, and also give meaning and purpose, to our lives.

I certainly do, and this feeling has grown over the years. This is not a feeling of depression, as some of you may sense, but a very liberating and joyous sense of being - just BEING. You may have had this sense if you’ve heard (and ofcourse related to) Indian Ocean. Their songs - Teevra Aandhi, Kandisa, Maa Rewa, Bhramanadam Paramsukhdam (sang in Khajoraho), evoke these emotions in me, every time I listen to them (they are even more enhanced when the lights of the room are off, and this beautiful music is playing very loudly).

Living in a city, Indian Ocean was the closest I could get to evoking this feeling with some regularity.

Till I went for Art of Living (AOL).  

After the completion of the Basic Course, there was a Bhajan session where, our extremely rich and successful teacher (who was a volunteer with AOL), invited us to sing and clap and dance. I went into my shell immediately, and told him that I don’t believe in bhajans and all (I’ve been witness too many of those merciless Mata ki Chowkis, which blare music, late into the night in our cities; as also to the T-Series music with even a so-called bhajan made out of the erotic (atleast they attempted that ) song - "sarkai liyo khatiya jaada lage", which plays all along the climb to Vaishno Devi). I did not trust city people to come together and sing as villagers do.

Then these volunteers sang; and that, so beautifully, with such abandon and emotion - it left me completely amazed. Nevertheless, I was determined, not to shed off my reservation, and atmost managed to clap in 1-2 of these.

Weeks later I realised, that these bhajans were a regularity, each Saturday, at the Vasant Vihar centre, and I guess I started enjoying them a bit.

Then I went for the Advanced Course, and became witness to over 1500 people singing together, each of those 4 days, with the numbers swelling up, on the last day when Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, was to give a discourse. These, possibly over 2000 or more, people sang, with abandon, and swayed their arms, clapped with eyes closed, swirled like Rumi.

Before that evening, I could only imagine the environment and energy created when tens and hundreds of people sang together and each one having similar feelings of liberation and abandon. That evening I felt it.

My parents had come as well that evening, attracted by the bhajans, and believe me, they have never seen me sing bhajans - so to protect my reputation - I ran away from them, and mingled among the unknown hundreds, and sang out aloud.

Very often, my eyes became wet, with an intense unexplicable feeling of happiness, intense love (for what - I don’t know) and a sort of feeling of having arrived (having achieved what you’ve been longing for). 

Since that day, each week, I wait for Saturday. Each week (ofcourse I miss these sessions, often, for family and other engagements) I come out of the session self-expressed, full of energy, enthusiasm, and feeling light (now tears have started rolling down my cheeks as well , and I’ve stopped resisting them).

The play on letters between Nehru and Gandhi, I have written about in this Blog earlier, had references to Bapu’s Dandi Yatra. Nehru was complaining to Gandhi, that he had these wierd ideas of independence (Nehru could not comprehend the difference between Independence and Gandhi’s version of Poorna Swaraj) and that he criticised (Nehru thought) the Congress and him for imposing their notions of Indepence on the people of India, and asked him what would be his proposal to counter the Tax on salt? Gandhi replied, "I’ll walk to Dandi". Nehru joked, "…and you think millions will walk behind you forcing the British to abandon the Tax? Bapu, be realistic".

A week or so later, Gandhi, who believed he was a "puppet at the hands of the Divine" and was acting out of "His Will" walked. He started his march to Dandi, and millions joined him.

Nehru wrote to Gandhi, "Bapu, you are a magician." 

Yesterday, after another session of tears rolling down my cheeks, evoked by an extremely beautiful chanting (by about 50 people or so) of "Om Namah Narayanaya",  I shared this incident with my co-bhajanists . I shared that I have the same emotion for this man - Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, as Nehru did for Mahatma Gandhi…

"Guruji, you’re a magician".

 

Just got back after seeing a play organised by Vikram Sarabhai Foundation titled "Dear Bapu". The play was an exchange of letters between Gandhi and Nehru, during their 20 years of association in India’s Freedom movement.

I’ve disliked Gandhi, as I belong to the rather radical school of thought that we had the partition because of him, Pakistan was able to attack India in 1948 and lead to the Kashmir problem because of the Rs.20 Crore that he insisted we give to Pakistan, and a whole lot of similar issues such as the support for Khilafat movement, etc. I had somewhat read (as a kid) Nathu Ram Godse’s book of his testimony in court during his trial for assasinating Gandhi, and just like most kids have had this fascination for revolutionaries (I was brought up on Bruce Lee ).

hmmm… strange… I was writing this to praise Gandhi, but while writing some of the political blunders mentioned above, I became "present" once again, to crazy things that Gandhi did.

Anyhow. The play has left a nothing less than "profound" impact on my thinking, and what I have always thought of this man called Gandhi.

The more I  carefully heard the actors act out the conversations between Nehru and Gandhi, the more it dawned on me, that this man, was born a century earlier; very difficult to be comprehend in times of capitalistic fervour, where "money is power", and development and progressiveness of a civilisation/society is measured by the size of cars and the height of multistoreyed buildings.

At Centre for Science of Environment, New Delhi, I had read something which I will never forget in my lifetime - "Frugality is Indian tradition. Modernity sees Frugality as Poverty".

Gandhi lived this! He wanted the whole of India to live frugally - just on the basic material needs, required for minimalistic survival.

The issue of India living as slaves was raised by Nehru (and also by most of my family during a discussion on the play over dinner), if we lived in technological backwardness. However, the key here was that Gandhi wanted India to lead and set an example for the world, that it is possible to live frugally, and live well; and indeed it is the only way to "live progressively".

India getting invaded was not on his mind, I guess, as he had just played a HUGE role in throwing out one of the most powerful empire from his land. 

I am certain that India had no choice but to move in the direction of technological progress, but we forgot the small basic cultural and socio-economic values of our villages. We forgot that in the zeal to build Dams, IITs and Industries, we must even more focus on Spiritual values, Water harvesting through village ponds, primary education through village schools, and focus on local resources (forests, land and water).

India is in a mess, because we did no listen to Gandhi. He said he could not imagine that Mussalmans were not an integral part of India and were a separate nation; he disagreed with the word Independence and wanted to replace that with Poorna Swaraj which had a much deeper connotation to him, than the term’s English equivalent.

I read in Life Positive magazine recently that there are communities getting formed the world over, which are heralding the coming of the "new age".

It says "Their lifestyles usually include more than one of the following elements: intentional community, living by what one loves, ecological lifestyles, living simply, natural health and living, organic of natural farming, healing the earth, right livelihood, a personal spiritual practice, self organisation, alternative and local economic and social-support systems, multi-culture and diversity groups which cut across boundaries of belief, faith religion, nationality and race…..What is common to all of them is a dissillusionment with modern society with its materialistic, fragmentary and conflict-ridden systems, its artifice and exploitation of nature. They are also bound by a search for a more holistic and simpler way of life that is ecologically sound, meaningful and spiritually resonant."

Gandhi, it seems, was looking to create such a Commune in our world.

Gandhi believed, and wrote to Nehru, that he was acting as puppet of the Divine, and acted as he recieved instructions/inspiration. While Nehru was completely at a loss to understand why he would bring up references to God, during his advise to the Congress on resolutions, etc., I completely resonate with Gandhi on this one.

We’ve kept Spirituality out of Politics for far too long for our own good. Why only politics, we’ve kept it out of our medicine, our childbirth practices, our social fabric, agriculture, business and industry, education and food.

Nutan Pandit’s childbirth classes recently, were a revelation and a relief as she was reaching out with the same, shall I call it "Gandhian values" (or Spiritual values or even, traditional Indian values).

Fritjof Capra in his book "Uncommon Wisdom" talks about his discussion with one of leading researchers on Cancer - Dr. Simonton - learns how a person facing a stressful life situation or a crisis, responds  with several options, and among other things, develops Cancer or catatonic schizophrenia (but not both). Dr. Simonton then adds that apart from these two unhealthy ways to "escape" from a crisis, can also have a third kind of escape route - the one into social pathologies - violent and reckless behaviour, crime, drug abuse. He goes on to say, "If there is reduction in illness but at the same time it is an offset by an increasing crime rate, we haven’t done anything to improve the health of society".

The discusssion continues - "…If the escape into physical illness is blocked by medical intervention, the person might choose to escape into crime or into insanity". "That’s right", Simonton concluded, "and that is a much mor meaningful way of looking at health than from the narrow medical point of view. The question of whether medicine then has been successful becomes very interesting….If you are able to reduce physical illness but at the same time this increases mental illness or crime, what the hell have you done?".

Dr. R. D. Laing, one of the leading Psychiatrists the world has seen, during a disucssion on insanity, said to him, "..insanity is a sane response to an insane society."

Homoeopathy treats the person’s mind, and belongs to the holistic system of medicine, where a change is brought about in the thought process of a person. You could consider is "energy-medicine", and I would not shy away from equating the same with Ayurveda on the one hand, and with Pranic healing and Reiki on the other, while also not forgetting to equate it to Psychotherapy (in its non-Freudian form).

Gandhi wanted to create an "alternate world", and I guess his errors in judgement on Pakistan and his "supposed" minority appeasement must be seen with his idealistic world view. I say "supposed", as in his alternate idealistic world view, there should have been equality and no mistreatment for any community, including within Hinduism. Even the criticism attributed to him of giving separate status to backward classes, and thus further dissociating them from the society, by calling them "harijan", I suggest must be seen from his alternate world view.

The play was a revelation! This is the first time I have been able to articulate and bring together and put in a logical manner, my conversations with people and books, over the years. I hope this is just the beginning.

God bless Dr. Kamala Choudhury, a Gandhian, who concieved this play, and made it possible.

See if you’d like to sign this. I am completely for giving equal opportunities to all people in India, but not through reservations. The Congress govt is a bunch of assholes, and while they have (deliberately?) not ensured quality primary/middle/high school education for all people in India in 55 years of being in power, which would make the economically and socially neglected people become competent and stand with their heads held high as equals among everyone, they choose to brush away all their shit under the carpet by coming up with such disintegrating (for our society, and nation) schemes such as these.

–

http://www.petitiononline.com/reservat/petition.html

 

Change the people’s belief systems to address the World’s problems

The problem that India faces, and so does most of the world, is a Spiritual problem. It lies in two factors a)"God is someone other than us" and b)"exclusivity of God". Riots, Poverty, Conflicts, Wars, Fundamentalism, all these are symptoms of a deeper problem. Homoeopathic system of medicine, understands the symptoms but treats whole body, as one organ. It does not treat the human body as a set of different organs, which have to be treated separately, in case they develop a disease or begin to malfunction.

The world’s problems are similar. Christianity and Islam specifically, believe in the "exclusivity of their God/Allah", and their’s being the "true religion" and the "only means to God".

Add to this, a God whose word is ‘written in Stone’; without any opportnity for human beings to evolute to Godhood, a God who judges, and punishes if you do not do this or that; and you have the right recipe for perfect mess!

These religions in their preaching have reduced Human Beings, capable of becoming a Rumi, Bahau’llah, Buddha, Adi Sankara, Sai Baba, Meera Bai, Vivekanada, Al-Hallaj, Ravi Shankara and Guru Nanak, to mere cats and dogs, who have to follow a certain regimen, so as to reach some next-life paradise, by completely denying their human experiences in this life, killing if need be (themselves or others), to keep the word of their "only true God" (and in the case of Islam, even the name given in a particular language - "Allah" - is the only true name).

Till we realise that we are all rooted in One-ness - a complete being; where just like the if the Heart is malfunctioning Homoepaths look for a disease elsewhere; to treat poverty or a decline in Civil Society (which after all produces the Politicians) we have to look deeper into the human belief systems.

Everyone in the world has a belief - their own religon; it could be the religion of no-God, or an ‘exclusive-God or Allah’, or even ancient societies who worship nature - yet everyone has a religion and a belief underneath.

The problem has to be addressed in this space.

I am by no means suggesting that Hindus are not plagued by this disease, yet, the acceptability to other people’s "way to God" is deep-rooted; there is no ‘rightness’ about the Hindu way alone. The Hindu philosophy as a whole is completely rooted in "Aham Bhramasmi" (I am That) or "Shivoham" (I am Shiva). This is a reflection of the acceptance of human capability to reach Godhood - any human being, without any binding on religion, caste or sex, colour or race. So if a Sufi Saint such as Al-Hallaj calls out "I am That" (and displays it in actions - through Love and Compassion) - a Hindu would easily bend and touch his feet; the same is mostly not true for followers of Islam and Chritianity.

The moment we remove "exclusivity of God" and the concepts of a "judgemental God who punishes us for doing (or not doing) this or that" from our belief-system; and to this the flavour of "oneness" and "importance to human experience" (of even being God, among other experiences), then we can create a Hunger-free, Conflit-free, Peaceful and a Loving world.

Homoepathic, Tissue and Flower Remedies during Pregnancy

Biochemic Medicines (Tissue Remedies)

Bio Combination 26 - for Fast Delivery
Ferrum Phos 3x - Crush & Put on Bleeding wound to stop bleeding 

Flower Remedies 

• Olive: For exhaution (4 drops 4 times a day)
• Holly: Give to 1st born when 2nd is born (for envy, anger, etc.)
• Star of Bethlehem: Give to baby born by C-Section at any age (for shock)
• Rescue: For emergency - in accidents/shock. It can also be added to any of the others; eg: Rescue + Olive, etc.; 8 drops 4 times a day
•  Walnut: For change in life (Marriage/Pregnancy/Birth/New House/Job). Have with Rescue. 8 drops + Walnet 4 drops

Homoeopathy

• Calendula Q (liquid): A few drops in Water to wash cut. This can also be applied to vagina cut & stiches after birth
• Arnica Ointment: For falls, blows, sprains - ie: injury that is internal. For pain in pregnancy

 

Just created a Blog for Ms. Nutan Pandit, a natural childbirth consultant. I’ve been taking her classes with my wife, as I’ll be a daddy soon.

Just love her classes, as all her teachings revolve around keeping it as natural as possible; it’s a lesson in traditional wisdom, Yoga, Breathing (these are actually Lamaze classes).

Through the class, I’ve been getting a platform to share some of my insights on my (spiritual) "search" so far, which are quite well-accepted actually, by her, and I suspect by the other students in the class.

Anyway, this is what I wrote to her, after creating her Blog:

—— 

Maám,

Joining your classes is a lesson in life. I consider myself a "seeker" (of the spiritual kind) and have come to firmly believe in the Oneness of all life, and am intellectually able relate to the Vedantic concept of "Aham Bhramasmi " (I am That) - your classes in a beautiful way, affirm the same.

The urge to raise awareness on Health, Spirituality, Politics, Environment and somewhat Economics are a very central purpose of ny being, and in someways my "calling". These are all inter-related to each other as well. For instance, our societal Economic practices determine the state of our societies Mental and Physical health; childbirth and its commercialisation is a case in point.

This is the purpose of my life; and I’m working towards creating stability in my software company, which is going to be at the core of all activity - in the role of an enabler; it will act as a source of Financial security, for me to live my purpose.

The work you are doing is nothing less than the highest form of selfless service to society.

Part of my life-purpose, I believe, is to become an enabler for furthering the cause for people like you. Here is a small start: http://nutanpandit.blogsome.com/. I setup your blog just now. You would have recieved the Password in your email. To login and post your thoughts, simply click on the Login link in the the blog screen, and you’re ready to post your first Blog articles. Blogs are transforming the world, as in a jiffy you’re able to reach out to people worldwide - people searching for topics that you are writing about reach you. You can also give RSS feeds - which is like a simple link that allows people to get your articles on their own websites, as you publish a new one - so with little effort, people interested in your writing, will begin to publish your articles on their website - and all this just as you wrote it with credits to you.

I am not sure how involved you are in Spirituality, but I truly insipred by your teachings and they are another lesson in the Oneness of life. The books by Fritjof Capra will provide you some really wonderful insights as well. Actually, my email id, and my blog is called DanceOfShiva - which is a name inspired by Fritjof Capra - he wrote an essay called Dance of Shiva during his College Research days, which started his journey towards writing books to synthesize Eastern mysticism and Western Science.

We will together build your new website, but because of the current tight work situation, I will need sometime. Meanwhile, please start with your Blog - http://nutanpandit.blogsome.com/ . Welcome to the Blogging world.