To serve the needy is to serve God

Our own mind can be our greatest friend or the greatest enemy, says the Bhagavad Gita. It depends on how it guides our intention and thus our destiny. Last month I read a news paper report. It said one young girl and her younger brother were abandoned by their parents, and they were lucky to be taken by some kind passerby to an orphanage. The girl went to a government school, passed all exams and finally cleared the medical entrance test. I am sure, soon she will blossom as a competent and a compassionate doctor. Success stories of orphan children bring immense joy to my mind. For last twenty years I was associated with an orphanage as a voluntary worker. It was a very pleasant experience. By telling them stories, or teaching them music or yoga, when I could bring beaming smile in their faces, it made me immensely happy and brought inner satisfaction in my life. The orphanage where I used to go was near my house but later shifted to a distance. But distance could not dampen my spirit. Our loyal driver Rajbir Singh used to take me to my dear children on a regular basis. During lock down period and even now, many migrant laborers, cab drivers, and hotel workers are facing a lot of financial problems. Our Rajbir driver who now drives his own taxi under uber and Ola App, is also facing a lot of problem due to frequent price hikes in petrol, diesel and CNG. Keeping his calm profile, he works hard to maintain his family. He parks his car in our drive way so he comes every day, has some tea or cold drink, and narrates his day's adventure to me. Today he came with a bright face and told me a thrilling story. When he passed through the market close to where we live, he noticed a young boy of nine years old begging by the side of the road. So he stopped and talked to the boy and came to know that the boy's father died, mother remarried and abandoned him on the street. He has no siblings and he picks up empty bottles from the marketplace and sells them to buy some food. The boy's tragic story touched Rajbir's heart. So he took that boy to his home, tried to contact boy's distant relations, but did not get any positive response. He finally took him to the same orphanage he used to drive me to. Before going there he got the boy's covid test done with Rs.500, and paid the money from his own pocket. I was overjoyed to hear that story. As only a hungry man knows what hunger is, our Rajbir also felt the pain of that boy in his heart, because he also had gone through a traumatic childhood. I blessed Rajbir from my heart, for providing home to a homeless child. The orphanage authorities allow Rajbir to visit that boy once in a month as his guardian. Now the little boy will grow up with other children, will go to school, and who knows, in future he may also clear entrance test of medical or engineering and will be ready to serve society with compassion and competence. True compassion is a live wire of inspiration. it can motivate people to touch the stars. The idea of helping the needy is deeply ingrained in Indian thought. As Swami Vivekananda said, " If you want to find God, serve the needy"

Colors of our lives

Indian festivals are generally based on mythological stories. Holi and Diwali are no exception. These two festivals are also very special, because they indicate a change of seasons. After Diwali, suddenly the winter breeze starts blowing, and Holi is the gateway to welcome spring. Like a magical change, flowers start blooming everywhere, birds start singing, and butterflies fly from flower to flower, collect honey and pollinate plants. In the early morning hours, I love to spend my time sitting in my little garden. I see the splash of colors everywhere and find small birds sitting on a bottle brush tree, singing so joyfully. Old leaves fall off to welcome tender leaves and adorn the old branches with new leaves. I find everywhere in nature, change comes smoothly, without any resistance or clinging. This is a wonderful lesson we may learn that can make each life beautiful. The lesson is one of grace and harmony towards a peaceful co-existence. We can make ours and each other’s life so joyful if we’re at peace. Instead of cultivating tolerance, we choose to be intolerant. Instead of playing with colors of love our great civilizations play with hatred and blood. Unless we learn to wipe out hatred, anger, and greed from the core of our hearts, there can never be any solutions. In realizing the impermanent nature of life, we may break out from our delusions. Paramhansa Yogananda said, "The Lord has arranged for us this visit to the earth. Forgetting the temporary nature of our stay, we form various attachments. But when our earth visa expires, we are forced to leave behind all we had thought we possessed. Realize now that you are a soul and not the body. Why wait for death rudely to instruct you," As we connect with harmony in nature, we immediately experience the benefit of being in nature. Even spending a few hours in my garden, I feel immensely relaxed. I was reading about a Japanese therapy - Shinrin-Yoku . Shinrin means forest and yoku means bath. One feels de-stressed by being in nature and experiencing the environment through our senses in a slow and mindful way. So being born as a superior creature on this earth, human beings must realize that a harmonious way of living is the only way by which we can live and let others live.

Our Teacher, Captain Rex

In the short span of 8 years, our brave Captain sailed through many difficulties without fear and reached his heavenly abode peacefully on 13th February,2022. He had a beautiful coat of orange and white fur and was rescued three times in three different situations before he landed into the safe and loving home of Prodeep and Louisa in the Hamptons. This brave heart flew from California to New York all alone, sitting calmly in a cage like a sadhu. He was lovingly welcomed by Mr. Miyabi, an independent, starry eyed black and tan puppy and two great animal lovers. In my first encounter with Captain I was most attracted to his eyes which were full of compassion and had depth of an ocean. I was inspired to name him Karuna Nanda, an Indian name which means joy of compassion. Captain and Mr. Miyabi became great friends. Captain was obedient, compassionate, and friendly while Mister Was starry eyed, independent minded, playful. They loved to run on the beaches, chase wild birds and finally jump in to the ocean to have a good swim. Captain always wanted to make friendship with rabbits, deer, birds and chased them with the intention of making friends with them. We know because he caught up to ducks, swans and loons more than once and instead of attacking them went and sniffed them and sat down. But seeing athletic dog running at them, these creatures ran away and in that process, often our friendly Captain lost his way back home, and created sleepless nights for all. During the pandemic time, when Prodeep was working from home, Captain was his constant companion and followed him like a shadow. The flow of life is very strange - when and how it takes an unexpected turn, nobody knows. Captain was not keeping well for some time. Finally after many tests, he was detected with stomach cancer at a late stage. It was a great blow for us all but like a small child, being totally unaware of his health problem, he loved revisiting his favorite beaches, played with Tiger, his horse friend on the last day, and loved to lay on the deck quietly to watch the flocks of birds flying overhead. At the very end, lying on the chest of his master, and surrounded by all his dear ones, he left his mortal body peacefully. He was a blessed soul to pass away peacefully, loved and remembered by all . We mourn when we cannot see our dear ones physically. But the soul never dies. Like waves break down into the ocean to be one with it, souls, discarding it's limitations dissolve into infinity into universal consciousness. We can feel his loving presence every where when we step out on the dewy grass, lovingly care for helpless animals,or look at the dark sky, glittering with twinkling stars. We may find his loving assurance, "Do not cry, I am with you always". As the poet Tagore wrote - "Brightly shining is the pole star in the dark. Oh mind, do not lose your focus. Do not stop your song, when subjected to sorrow." May we all channel Captain's joyfulness, enthusiasm and kindness in our own lives in his loving memory.

Surya yoga and the possibilities of our relationship with the sun

India is the land of Mystics and yogis. Their wisdom has flowed through the ages from teacher to disciple. Long back I got a rare chance to meet a surya yogi who knew how to draw energy from the rising and setting sun. Just as our digestive system converts food to energy measured in calories, surya yogis know how to convert sunlight into the same. This is not so far fetched given that modern technology is trying to capture solar energy and trying to apply it in convert it into electricity and use it in many ways. We are at the core, electromagnetic beings after all. So when I got an invitation from an well known organization of Delhi(India International Centre), to attended a class of a surya yogi, I was overjoyed. I have great faith and interest in acquiring such rare knowledge, so I did not want to miss that opportunity. On the scheduled date I reached there early morning when and found almost fifty people (mostly foreigners), sitting on a lawn facing towards the eastern sky. And the Surya yogi, a bare bodied lean and thin middle aged man was sitting on a platform facing us. In a short time, when the first rays of the rising sun began to touch our eyes, the Surya yogi instructed us to look at the soft rising sun calmly with even breath, and then gradually shift our attention to our Ajna chakra,(middle point of two eyebrows). He asked us to sense if there was a little vibration and warmth of morning sun at that point. When our breath became even, he instructed us to imagine drawing energy from the sun with inhalation and sending that to every part of the body through exhalation. The method seems to be simple. But to acquire that skill regular practice and deep concentration is needed. I found it extremely beneficial and increasingly so over the years of practice. Today's urban housing in multi storied buildings limits round the clock access to direct sun light which as never the case in traditional housing. It is established fact that the sun is the main source of vitamin D just as it is the life giving energy source of the planet. It also boosts up our moods and reduces stress reactions and helps us fight many diseases. In India , we are very lucky to have sun rays almost all through the year, and so we have fabulous plant diversity. As Charles Dickens noted, "Our life can be richer, if we know how to use sun rays wisely." The bright sun brings back not light alone, but new light and hope, and freshness to man."

The mind's horizon

Recently my son took a beautiful photo of the ocean at the break of dawn. It was a thin line of bright light was coming out piercing through the darkness above and below - the horizon, a crack between the sky and the ocean. It inspired in me a sense of being joyful and courageous. As if in a whisper, it said - the mind is that window of bright light in the vast dark expanse of the universe and its secrets. Life starts like a sparkling and dancing river. We embrace it with our aspirations and with many hopes. We want to remain happy and connected with others and imagine it flowing forever. Little do we realize that life is but a moment of light piercing the dark, and we are all dancers in the interplay of matter and energy, ready to transform when the moment passes. Passing through many phases and encountering many challenges, when finally we enter the golden period of old age our views become more balanced and matured. Though like an old car, our physical faculties start shaking, when we learn to manage one part, other parts start creaking and groaning. At that point many of us feel powerless and lost. The only remedy is to maintain a positive outlook, and stay focused on the power of the mind that can penetrating the universe with the bright light of the dawn and show us what we truly are. When we slow down at the tail end of this journey, we all need rest and loving care from dear ones. In that, some are fortunate, some and some are not. But whatever the situation we may face, we cannot afford to lose control of the only tool of courage and positivity - the mind. When life seems to be a struggle, we should try to draw strength from that cosmic spart that lives within us, stay calm and do our duty as appropriate to what life asks of us.Decaying physical health can be managed by maintaining a simple and disciplined life which includes yoga, meditation, proper food, and appropriate rest. We are all parts of a whole. Individuals lit by the universal source of energy - the source of our life force and consciousness. The manifestations of energy may by heat or light, star systems or life forms. But each state is transient and when the moment passes, all must become the same. Life gives an opportunity to realize our cosmic connection through transformations - both challenging and joyful. But our mind can frame our state of being into one that is ever loving, carefree, peaceful and courageous. I end with a few inspiring lines from Tagore, "I know your presence, when I bow to you in my days of prosperity, in my darkest nights, when the whole world turns against me. Let me not ever doubt you".

What is giving, what is taking

The act of giving is a noble act when it is given with love, kindness and compassion. At the same time, it is also a very responsible task - things must be given to a worthy person who can be empowered by that gift and can lift their spirits, rather than drive a materialistic impulse. If money is given to an alcoholic or a pearl necklace to a monkey, the result will be disastrous. By giving, the giver accumulates good karma and also attracts grace and blessings from the receiver as well as the original source of our connected lives. On the other hand, by receiving the right gift the receiver can empower himself and gets an opportunity to express his gratitude to the donor. Gifts can be in many forms - food, money, clothing, teaching a skill or imparting knowledge. Sometimes adversities or challenges in life are also gifts that act as medicine that heals and transforms us. They inspire the sufferer to find out new avenues to encounter those challenges with courage, efficiency and dignity. A story that I know to be true from my own life goes something like this - I know a person who just had one arm and came to a rich person's house to get some monetary help. The lady of the house asked him to arrange some bricks in her garden. When he expressed his inability to do this with one arm, the lady folded her one arm behind her and demonstrated how she could do it. He got the point, did the job nicely, and was surprised to get a very handsome remuneration from the lady in return. As he was drenched in sweat, he asked the lady to give him a handkerchief, which she gave and asked him to keep it. Many years passed by. One day a swanky car stopped near her house, a well dressed gentleman came down and bowed down to her. When she could not recognize him he showed her that handkerchief and with great reverence said, " I have come to pay my respect to you. You taught me how to be self sufficient and how to live with dignity. Now I own a factory, where I give opportunities to others to come up with their own efforts." She was overwhelmed with joy. Every soul has immense potentiality and can be kindled when it gets inspiration and opportunities from other inspiring souls. It is said - what we give comes back to us ten fold. So while giving or asking for some thing one must be very careful. I will end with a story which is full with subtle humor and also warns us to be careful before asking for something. Two departed souls were presented before God. God asked them what they would like to have in their next lives. One said he wanted to get everything, and the other said he wanted to give away everything. God fulfilled their desires. The first one was born as a beggar - with his arms outstretched and always begging.The second one was born as a king. With his arms giving everything away to people with purpose. It is up to us to understand what is give and take and which path we prefer.

Where does learning begin - with the teacher or the teaching?

All over the world, teacher's day is celebrated on the 5th of September. Lovely cards are send to teachers by their students as a symbolic gesture of gratitude to their mentors. This special expression of love to our teachers, parents or our partners on special days is very significant. Unlike the old days, teachers teach to many students, most recently remotely so it isn't always possible to develop and maintain close relationships. In ancient India, the guru-shishya style of teaching was little different. Young students would come and stay with their teachers or the gurukul (the establishment). This was an entire phase of life guided by the teacher up until the students were ready to move on to the next phase as householders. In that process, students were influenced by the special style and personality of their respective teachers, not just their knowledge. This system, known as Gurukul (in Sanskrit Guru means teacher and Kula means family) is still prevalent in the fields of performing arts like music, dancing, fine arts, martial arts, or transferring spiritual knowledge through the lineage of gurus. Even today, before starting any performance the tradition of paying homage to the teacher is a common practice called guru vandana. It is believed that only through grace does one achieve greatness - and grace comes from the Guru and from God. In Sanskrit Guru means the remover of ignorance and it also means weight or gravitas - something that centers a person. Every year the full moon day in the month of July is known as "Guru Purnima " - when students visit their teachers, give them gifts, and touch their feet as a sign of respect to the guru and ask for their blessings. This beautiful gesture sadly hasn't always survived the modern world and it's somewhat more transactional model for learning. I had my education in Santiniketan, a center of learning that was established by the Nobel Prize winner Rabindra Nath Tagore based on principles of traditional learning. In every field of learning he tried to capture the essence of the traditional Gurukul system. Most classes were conducted in the open air under the canopy of the blue sky and under the shade of trees. In the nature study class children were encouraged to know the different characteristics of plants, birds, butterflies within their environment. Education is not only for money making or for self gratifications but the development of values and a higher consciousness to serve as a guide through life. It is valued because it also helps others to come up. Under the guidance of capable teachers, students would go to nearby villages, interact with villagers, understand their problems and help them in many ways. People from all over the world came to this university as teachers and as students. Tagore realized that education can create empowerment only when we develop the ability of the mind to go beyond rote learning to the realm of experience. That is why the motto of that university was "Here is the world in one nest." The nest signifies respect for and a relationship with the sources of knowledge - be they teachers, trees or butterflies. Peaceful co-existence and a harmonious relationship with each other is a result of such learning - an utmost necessity in today's world. Teachers who broaden our horizons are the great source of inspiration for us all. So even this token gesture of honoring them on teachers day seems to have great value in today's world.