The Wisdom Times

The Goose is Out

2011-04-29T21:43:00.000+01:00

The official, Riko, once asked Nansen to explain to him the old problem of the goose in the bottle.

“If a man puts a gosling into a bottle,” said Riko, “and feeds him until he is full grown, how can the man get the goose out without killing it or breaking the bottle?”

Nansen gave a great clap with his hands and shouted, “Riko!”

“Yes, master,” said the official with a start.

“See,” said Nansen, “the goose is out!”

Pseudo Feeling

2010-06-28T13:02:00.000+01:00

If a feeling does not compel you to action,

recognise it to be a pseudo feeling.

[Annonymous]

Watch the mind with your body

2010-06-08T18:38:00.000+01:00

Be aware
Watch and be a witness
Unto yourself
That's the essence of self-discovery

TWIST Comment: Mind is constantly dynamic. It's often compared to a wild horse or to the monkey jumping across branches. It's of course an effective tool, but will certainly come in the way if you are a seeker. There are several techniques to being a witness to oneself and one's own mind as it wavers. In the end, the witness detaches effectively from the turbulent mind. This is often compared to the way water slips off a lotus leaf even though lotus floats on a huge body of water.

It's certainly not an easy task to watch your mind. To the beginner a few moments of witnessing is good enough to get carried away into a never ending abyss of thoughts.

Awareness should start with the physical layer - the body. Watching the body is easy but is similar to watching the mind. Start with one activity at a time. It could be breathing or posture or voluntary relaxation of muscles or blinking whichever is easier. Then slowly start watching one more physical activity. By and by there would be a conscious witnessing of yourself that is no different from watching your mind.
More on this in the eM Dharma pages.

It's magic

2010-05-17T14:18:00.000+01:00

That's the thing with magic.
You've got to know
it's still here, all around us,
or it just stays invisible for you.

[Charles de Lint]

TWIST Comment: We were at the PC Sorcar Master magic show this weekend. The kids in the group were sitting at the edge of the seat mouths wide open their eyes rarely blinking. My 3 year old started crying thinking they really pushed a sword through a screaming man. On the drive back the grown-ups were exhausted answering questions about 'how was it done' and 'was it real'. I slowly nudged my 7 year old into taking the perspective of magic into the real world and fired back observations at him such as 'aren't trees growing out of the ground magic?', 'see how magically the flowers bloom and then die', 'imagine how children are born', 'there is so much magic happening around you'. All that got a muted response, but I knew the seed has been sown. I'm a firm believer that familiarity or knowledge rids us of the awe with which we look at the world around us as though it's magic. If we can shed that ego of knowledge or the burden of knowing we can simply enjoy the greatest magic of all that we all live amidst in this world. Let's make a choice to observe atleast one spontaneous magic around us everyday. Then life can be beautiful and enchanting just the way it should be.

Limits of Desire

2010-04-28T20:52:00.000+01:00

That which we desire most
is hard to come by only because
we are afraid for a thousand reasons
why it may not happen.

That which we least expect
surprise us often because
we are not thinking about
the many possible reasons why it may not.

Aspire or Inspire

2009-11-13T10:49:00.002Z

Even when you can't get what you 'want'
You still can cherish that which you 'have'
Continuing to dream and high on 'hope'
Till the day your hope leads to have

TWIST Comment: Inspired by observing little children. The tantrums at new attractions are merely momentary till her mom diverts her attention to the beautiful things she's got in her toy box. Then the child goes on happily playing yet dreaming in secrecy for the things she always wanted. One day she gets what she wanted yet without having missed enjoying what she had in hand till then. Reflecting on troubled news we get to read of the economic turmoil and the distress people are going through losing jobs, homes or merely their luxuries, won't it be wonderful if we can all pause for a while to cherish the things we still have despite the ones we aspire for aren't reachable yet?

Happiness and Compassion

2009-10-21T12:37:00.002+01:00

If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.
If you want to be happy, practice compassion

[The Dalai Lama]

TWIST Comment: Behind the serious facade of Buddhism and Zen, there are such witty annectodes that capture our attention. Anything that is uttered with a tinge of wit stays in our memory for a very long time. Historically though, various religions and philosophies have rid the society of the natural tendency to exhibit happiness or laughter. This is a transformation we could almost recognize with a few of the modern spiritualists in their treatment of the lighter side in making us more alive and present. Watching a few of Dalai Lama's videos, I'm convinced he is foremost in this genre of people.

Respect

2009-09-01T07:33:00.002+01:00

You lose respect
when you stop giving it

Run out of gas?

2009-08-13T23:04:00.002+01:00

The stupidest thing a human being can do
is to run out of gas
in a car with a working gas gauge.

[George Carlin]

TWIST Comment: This might sound funny yet it's very true. We have the greatest gauge to watch over our thoughts, feelings and words - our brain or mind or intuition whichever you prefer to call it. Yet, we go over board more often than necessary and end up wondering how insanity is pertinent in sanity. So my friends, watch your mind and do not forget to read that gauge right in front of you especially on this long journey called Life. It's a wonderful life as the journey continues - the moment you run out of gas, you get stranded on the road side.

Real

2009-07-09T20:12:00.002+01:00

Is this for real?

[Siddharth @ 5]

TWIST Comment: At five, Siddharth (my son) started asking this question when he saw anything new. For example, when he started listening to the radio while in the car, he would ask if what's coming up in the radio is for real. Answering this question of reality was so tricky and it opened a door to a new way of looking at the world around. As one keeps reminding oneself frequently, there dawns a realisation. Most of the time we live our lives in a dreamy imaginative state absorbed in constant thoughts that we tend to forget the physical reality. Even when the physical reality happens we are imagining ourselves in a different place. The ability to distinguish between what is real and not real is the fundamental aspect of an enlightened being.

The Simple Joy of Living from a Grateful Heart

2009-06-23T14:50:00.001+01:00

If you look to others for fulfillment,
you will never truly be fulfilled.
If your happiness depends on money,
you will never be happy with yourself.
Be content with what you have;
rejoice in the way things are.
When you realize there is nothing lacking,
the whole world belongs to you.

Lao Tzu

Charming Others

2009-03-31T05:36:00.001+01:00

Much energy is wasted in trying to charm others.
And in wanting to charm - I tell you, the opposite happens.

[Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Seva and the Art of Enthusiasm]

Integrity, Intelligence and Energy

2009-03-16T05:03:00.003Z

Integrity, Intelligence and Energy.
If you don't have the first two,
the third one will kill you.
[Warren Buffett]

TWIST Comment: I came across this while watching a recording of the talk delivered to a class of MBA's. Obviously, it was targeted at a high achievement oriented audience who were raring to get going and make a lot of wealth and money. Still, this could be one of the essential mantras for anyone in any walk of life today. Coming from one of the richest individuals of our times, one would have expected the words to be flipped over starting with high energy - but that is not the case. I'm sure this would have been a good perspective check for the audience to channelise their high energies to the right places. As the world is getting dangerous despite progress in various fields of life, Integrity from individuals, Integrity from groups, Integrity from corporations and governments is essential and needs to be at the heart of any sensible work.

Purpose of life

2009-02-22T23:58:00.003Z

Ask yourself 'What do I need?'
Then repeat to yourself what you found.

TWIST Comment: We've all come to live life without ever knowing or being told what our purpose of life is. There are several theories and literatures that try to explain this. Some of them are ever more convincing that the others. My view of this is very simple.
If God appears in front of you tomorrow (I bet he will, but most certainly we will not recognize God), and asks, 'what do you need?'. Will we ever have an answer? Let it not wait till tomorrow. Instead, start asking yourself now. It might take a few minutes or a few hours or even days if you are really serious about answering it.
Assuming you come up with a few needs, think how far reaching it can be into your life to achieve those. If it's something you can achieve in 3, 5 or 10 years, then you'll have to do this exercise frequently. A better idea would be to think of something that you'll need for the rest of your life.
If you know what it is that you need for the rest of your life, then you have an answer for the purpose of life too. Nobody else need to spell that for you. It comes from inside you and there is no disputing the authenticity of it. If you do not feel you need it, you would not have listed it in the first place. If you've listed it, then you are here right now doing this, because that was to be your purpose in life.
Where to go from here? There is nowhere else to go, just start from where you are and the rest of it will find you. All you need to do is acknowledge the need in you. This can change over a period of time as your maturity in a role you play increases - do not dispute it. Accept it and life goes on.

Virtue without meditation

2009-02-19T22:13:00.001Z

Virtue without meditation is an imposition, a forced imposition.
Virtue without meditation is repressive.
Virtue without meditation is pseudo.
Virtue without meditation is just a façade: you can deceive others, but how can you deceive yourself?
With meditation there arises a totally different kind of virtue: a natural virtue, a spontaneous virtue.

(Osho)

Merely an Instrument

2009-02-18T00:11:00.005Z

tasmat tvam uttistha yaso labhasva
jitva satrun bhunksva rajyam samrddham
mayaivaite nihatah purvam eva
nimitta-matram bhava savya-sacin

Therefore get up. Prepare to fight and win glory.
Conquer your enemies and enjoy a flourishing kingdom.
They are already put to death by My arrangement, and you,
O Savyasaci, can be but an instrument in the fight.

(Bhagavad Gita)

TWIST Comment: For those of you who know the backdrop against which the above verses are recited, try to reflect on it with your inner mental dynamics rather than external ones. To me, the preachings of Gita are a parable worth reflecting on oneself. The war depicted isn't the one fought outside, but inside every human being. What you see inside you see outside too.

In this verse, the core message is that we are merely an instrument. It might be difficult for the modern mind to accept this concept without challenging it. However, reflect upon the most successful or the most unsuccessful events of your life so far. How many things happened to the plan every time? What surprises did you get while executing the plans? Somewhere in the core of our being we all have a realisation that not everything was a result of the hard work or the lack of it. Maybe it's one's vision to reach somewhere that has guided one to the space they are in now. Maybe it's a form of divine intervention. Or its a great help of someone. There can be very rare incidents of a pure self-will and methodical planning bearing results. This does not mean one should desist planning or performing one's duty. The essence is to develop a sense of gratitude and humility that helps one to keep level headed.

For those of you unaware of Bhagavad Gita, I would recommend an Internet search to know at least a few things about one of the profound literatures known to man.

Glow

2009-02-15T15:49:00.003Z

Don't just grow
Give your best and glow

TWIST Comment: We all grow old as days pass by. As we grow there is always an aspiration to grow more and reach somewhere that we think is more promising than the current state.

A business man thinks of the future and sees his business grow two-fold or three-fold in five years.

A worker wants to gain more experience and become a specialist in his field and yearns to cross the next five years as quickly as possible.

A five-year-old aspires to be taller and stronger like the ten-year-old neighbour.

We all want to grow up. Growing up is not bad at all. In fact growing up is vital to existence and sustenance of all life forms. Growing old is natural and effortless, but growing up needs effort an maturity.

As you grow, draw attention to the glow. Watch how good or bad you are in the 'here and now'. This will improve the quality of growing up. At every stage ask yourself 'am I doing things right', 'am I being useful', 'am I doing the right thing'.

Glow at every stage of your growth.

Confidence, Trust and Hope

2009-02-10T11:01:00.001Z

CONFIDENCE
Once, all village people decided to pray for rain. On the day of prayer all people gathered and only one boy came with an Umbrella; that's Confidence

TRUST
Trust should be like the feeling of a one year old baby when you throw him in the air, he laughs - because he knows you will catch him; that's Trust

HOPE
Every night we go to bed, we have no assurance to get up alive in the next morning but still you have plans for the coming day; that's Hope

Borrowed Knowledge

2009-02-05T23:29:00.003Z

All knowledge is borrowed knowledge
Knowledge of the self being the only exception

TWIST Comment: Even the most amazing discoveries and inventions are a culmination of a multitude of borrowed knowledge. That which we think 'we know' is something that we've learnt from other sources. The only difference between absolute or true knowledge and borrowed knowledge is the feelings associated with it. When we can feel that which we know, then it's a unique and powerful knowledge only known to the self. Realization dawns when not just the mind, but the heart vibrates with it. One could for instance imagine of the time when love occurs in the heart as the mind thinks of someone lovable. This is the essence of absolute knowledge which we don't have to learn, but emerges from within.
Try to think of something that you've always thought of as 'I know'. Now start discounting such knowledge by attributing a source. At some point you'll come to realize an absolute knowledge within yourself that you cannot find a source for. Try communicating such knowledge to others and you would mostly fumble for words and expressions. Because absolute knowledge is of the self and with the self. There can neither be a source nor a destination.

Economic downturn

2009-02-04T04:33:00.002Z

Be grateful for what you have
Happy for what you get and
Generous on what you give

TWIST Comment: The whole world is talking about a downturn in the global economy. Nobody is sure of the effects it's going to leave us with or for how long it's going to stay. Whilst we have very little control over what happens around, there are certain personal choices we could make. By purely tightening the strings on your budget, you might gain in the short term despite inconveniences. Instead, take this as an opportunity to take your focus away from money, wealth and assets. Instead focus on a simple, stress-free, healthy and happy life. These may however be difficult under such circumstances but not unachievable. To be happy or healthy you don't have to try too hard. If you realise these are only your natural state, you are taken there almost immediately. Focus on the experience and the path; the destination will reach you.

Change

2008-11-24T11:25:00.002Z

This too shall pass
(Jewish Wisdom)

Folklore: King Solomon once searched for a cure against depression. He assembled his wise men together. They meditated for a long time and gave him the following advice: Make yourself a ring and have thereon engraved the words "This too shall pass". The King carried out the advice. He had the ring made and wore it constantly. Every time he felt sad and depressed, he looked at the ring, whereon his mood would change and he would feel cheerful.

2008-11-21T15:32:00.002Z

Everything we see hides another thing,
we always want to see
what is hidden by what we see.

There is an interest in
that which is hidden and
which the visible does not show us.

This interest can take the form of
a quite intense feeling,
a sort of conflict, one might say, between
the visible that is hidden and
the visible that is present.

(René Magritte)

Comforts and Happiness

2008-11-20T12:54:00.002Z

The tragedy of human history is
decreasing happiness in the midst of increasing comforts.

(Swami Chinmayananda)

The Fox and the Goat

2008-11-17T20:53:00.002Z

By an unlucky chance a Fox fell into a deep well from which he could not get out. A Goat passed by shortly afterwards, and asked the Fox what he was doing down there.

"Oh, have you not heard?" said the Fox; "there is going to be a great drought, so I jumped down here in order to be sure to have water by me. Why don't you come down too?"

The Goat thought well of this advice, and jumped down into the well. But the Fox immediately jumped on her back, and by putting his foot on her long horns managed to jump up to the edge of the well.

"Good-bye, friend," said the Fox

"Never trust the advice of a man in difficulties."

Life is very brief

2008-11-16T21:33:00.004Z

Everything in this life is impermanent
Life is very brief.
If you keep on gambling and drinking,
you will have no time left to
accomplish anything else, and
you will cause your family to suffer too.
(Zen Master Gudo)

TWIST: Today, the wisdom is an extract from a Zen Koan called Finding a Diamond on a Muddy Road. The words gambling and drinking need to be substituted with other obsessive habits that take most of our time. Follow the link to read the complete Zen Koan. Koans convey a very simple message in an ordinary story intriguing the readers with their deep meanings. There are no interpretations required for a reader of the Zen Koan - if you are ready for it, the meaning reveals itself.

Behaviour

2008-11-16T00:05:00.000Z

Our thinking and our behaviour
are always in anticipation of a response.
It is therefore fear-based.
(Deepak Chopra)

Change

2008-11-14T16:43:00.000Z

Real change comes from
tremendous happiness or deep pain

Knowledge

2008-11-11T06:01:00.005Z

To the Wise, who has known the Self,
all the Knowledge is of as much use,
as is a reservoir of water
in a place where there is flood everywhere.
(Adopted from the Bhagavad Gita)

TWIST: There are a variety of ways one can interpret this. Before reading ahead, I suggest you spend some time reflecting on it yourself.

In a place filled with flood of information, a small reservoir of knowledge is no match. It's like a few drops in a ocean. The flood gobbles up the reservoir. No knowledge is a match to the knowledge of the Self.
Knowledge of the Self is so omni-present that it replaces all knowledge one possesses.
How much ever one knows about one's self, there is always a need to go back to the reservoir of knowledge - because in a flood, one cannot quench the thirst with the flooded water, we then depend on a clean reservoir that can help. Think of it as a routine knowledge-health-check of the Self.
A reservoir is generally a stock of static water. Once in a while, expect a flood to destroy it's banks. This gives us an opportunity to recreate a fresh new reservoir.
Self knowledge and just-any-knowledge are not very different. They are transitive. Sometimes the reservoir can create a flood and at times a flood can replenish a reservoir.

Good has faces of terror

2008-11-10T06:59:00.004Z

There is no such thing as Good:
virtue is simply one of the many faces of terror,
When man understands that,
he will realise that this world is just a little
joke played on him by God.
(Paulo Coelho)

Author's explanation: The voice... began to show him the people all around him on the beach. The wonderful father who was busy packing things up and helping his children put on some warm clothes and who would love to have an affair with his secretary, but was terrified of his wife's response. The children who behaved themselves because they were terrified of being punished. The girl who was reading a book all on her own beneath a sunshade, pretending she didn't care, but inside was terrified of spending the rest of her life alone. The boy running around with a tennis racquet, terrified of having to live up to his parents' expectations. ... (excerpts from his book 'The Devil and Miss Prym')

A Cup of Tea

2008-11-06T22:34:00.002Z

Nan-in, a Japanese master during the Meiji era (1868-1912), received a university professor who came to inquire about Zen.
Nan-in served tea. He poured his visitor's cup full, and then kept on pouring.
The professor watched the overflow until he no longer could restrain himself. "It is overfull. No more will go in!"
"Like this cup," Nan-in said, "you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?"

TWIST: Some of us might have heard this story earlier, but still everytime we read it, there is a striking reality that dawns on us. We are full of something all day long and even take it with us into our nights. Focus on your shoulder, for instance. Generally that is where we tend to carry the burden of our fullness. Relax and take a few deep breaths, but do NOT focus on breathing in, just breathe out fully. The lungs automatically fill up with air, so don't worry - you cannot kill yourself with this exercise! What you'll observe after a few full exhalations is that you are now breathing fuller and deeper. However, that was not the objective. It was by undoing something we were able to actually do something better. Can you think of something similar in your daily life where you can empty your cup...

Oneness of Life

2008-11-06T00:09:00.003Z

The universe is a cosmos and not chaos.
There exists a mental affinity: a scientific law:
a rhythm of mental relationship in which
the entire living world is held together,
in one web of love.

To assume differences in the world
is to belie this great Oneness of life.

(Swami Chinmayananda)

TWIST: This is one of the greatest and most common concept many eastern thinkers have told us. Time and again, we read it and may NOT find it suitable to apply it in our practical life. That doesn't mean that it's not true. It just means that we don't understand it yet. We haven't got there yet. But the reason we are reading this today is life's way of bringing us in touch with this oneness. Whether we accept and understand or deny and challenge is our choice. Either of the paths we decide to take, we arrive at the same point.

Contentment

2008-11-04T13:59:00.000Z

Want, or desire, arises when you are not happy.
Have you seen this?
When you are very happy then there is contentment.
"Contentment" means "no want".

(Sri Sri Ravi Shankar)

Secret Blessings

2008-11-03T04:30:00.002Z

In all adversities there is always in its depth,
a treasure of spiritual blessings secretly hidden.
(Swami Chinmayananda)

TWIST: Often we do not notice the blessings but are usually taken astray by the powerful feelings any adversity imposes on us. This is when the situation overpowers our capability. However, human mind has a tendency to come back to it's normal equilibrium when it's state is altered either through happiness or by sorrow. This is the reason sanity is so common in our world than the lack of it. Where there is depression, there is elation and vice versa. The wise one would choose to tread the mid-way though with an awareness of falling off and getting back again. It's not whether we get back again (or not) that matters, but an awareness that we can if we choose to. The mid-way is that of a nonchalant witness rather than the experiencer. The witness sees it all - the event, the result, the subject and it's objects. The witness glimpses the blessing too. In fact, witnessing itself is a blessing.

The pot could break

2008-11-02T06:16:00.005Z

This body is false
Just a bag filled with air (spirit)
God made us from clay
The pot could break (but not what's within)
(Thirumoolar - a Tamil saint)

Original in Tamil
காயமே இது பொய்யடா
வெறும் காற்றடைத்த பய்யடா
மாயானாராம் மண்ணு குயவன்
செய்த மண்ணு பாண்டாம் ஓடடா
(திருமூலர் திருமந்திரம்)

Sleep Meditation

2008-08-08T09:40:00.001+01:00

An experiment suggested by Osho can allow us to slip into a very fruitful meditation while we sleep. Amrit Sadhana writes about this experiment and tells how to perform it.

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JQkcvMjAwOC8wOC8wOCNBcjAwNDAy&Mode=HTML&Locale=english-skin-custom

Power of Choice

2008-08-05T20:28:00.002+01:00

Show me someone who is
humble enough to accept and
take responsibility for his or her circumstances and
courageous enough to take whatever initiative is necessary
to creatively work his or her way through or around these challenges, and
I'll show you the supreme power of choice.

Stephen Covey

Love and Meditation

2008-07-22T07:35:00.001+01:00

When you are in love
with any given situation,
you are in Meditation.

Osho

Look Inside

2008-07-01T11:44:00.001+01:00

Look well into thyself;
there is a source which
will always spring up if
thou wilt always search there.

[Marcus Aurelius]

Just Sit

2008-04-29T08:49:00.000+01:00

When walking just walk,
When sitting just sit,
Above all, do not wobble.

Umon (Zen master)

Knowing is not understanding

2008-04-27T23:50:00.000+01:00

The more you know
The less you understand
Lao-Tzu

TWIST Comment: Our perception of reality is often influenced by our own thinking and the way we use words to describe anything we perceive. In doing so, the true nature of anything is lost. Zen masters have used koans as a means of stressing every day experiences and taking mind to a higher level of no-mind state.

Universal creativity

2008-04-11T19:53:00.000+01:00

In every work of genius we
recognize our own rejected thoughts;
they come back to us
with a certain alienated majesty.

[Ralph Waldo Emerson]

TWIST Comment: Certain forms of meditation talk about tapping into the universal creativity. A creative energy layer to which all our subconscious minds connect to. More than a few time we would have encountered occassions when something we've been thinking about is on another person's mind as well. Same goes for some innovations in one corner of the world and in another unknown corner of the world another person invents the same thing. As human mind evolves, new generations of minds develop from the place the previous generations abandoned them. That is the beauty of human existence.

Is Reality for Real?

2008-04-10T22:50:00.000+01:00

Did you ever wonder if
the person in the puddle is real,
and you're just a reflection of him?

[Calvin and Hobbes]

TWIST Comment: Absorb this quote for a while, chew on it, imagine the possibilities and a new sense of reality would dawn on you. This reminds me of a popular Zen story. One of my favourites. There was a Zen monk who had a dream when he was sound asleep. In his dream, he was flying across colorful fields as a butterfly hopping from one flower to another enjoying the sweet nectar. When he woke up, he wondered, 'Am I a Zen monk dreaming of a butterfly or am I a butterfly dreaming of a Zen monk?'.

Clinging

2008-04-07T22:29:00.000+01:00

You only lose what you cling to
[Buddha]

TWIST Comment: That to which we do not cling to does not really matter even if we lose it. It's as simple as that. If something gives grief in life, observe what it is - lose it to find nirvana. The ultimate of the wisdom of nirvana is to observe if you are ever clinging to this 'nirvana thing'. If so, drop it too... That is bliss.

Simply See

2008-04-06T22:56:00.000+01:00

I do not quote from the scriptures;
I simply see what I see.
[Kabir]

TWIST Comment: Associating words and sounds to what we experience has become the natural way for us. Simplicity is to experience what is out there for real rather than making them plain words. Looking at a tree, one may discount, 'This is a tree'. In doing so, one does not really look at the tree. Instead, the word 'tree' denotes a meaning for each of us and we internally say, 'yes, it's a tree. And I know what a tree is'. Words curtail our experience of the real world. Kabir's quote above is an eye opener for everyone immersed in the scriptural world. Open your eyes for real.

Death

2008-04-02T22:31:00.000+01:00

Death?
Why this fuss about death?
Use your imagination,
try to visualize a world without death...
Death is the essential condition of life,
not an evil.
[Charlotte Perkins Gilman]

Gibberish

2008-03-31T22:24:00.000+01:00

What we call chaos is just
patterns we haven't recognized.
What we call random is just
patterns we cant decipher.
What we can't understand
we call nonsense.
What we can't read
we call gibberish.
There is no free will.
There are no variables.
There is only the inevitable.
[Chuck Palahniuk]

TWIST Comment: The mentally challenged too would aptly fit this definition, not because they are mad, but we because we call them so due to pure lack of our own understanding of their world.

Throw off the bowlines

2008-03-27T22:36:00.000Z

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed

by the things that you didn't do than

by the ones you did do.

So throw off the bowlines.

Sail away from the safe harbor.

Catch the trade winds in your sails.

Explore. Dream. Discover.

[Mark Twain]

TWIST Comment: A well grown (not just aged) mind brims with wisdom. Growth can happen in a few moments of realization while aging is a result of time. The words of the wise are a good way to realize oneself as they are. That is why I'm referring to the mind. The human mind has undergone centuries of evolution and every learning on the path adds to the forthcoming generations of the human mind. By putting a seed of goodness now, we could ensure it multiplies manifold in the human journey. The beginning is the point of realization and no matter how hard we try it's very difficult to turn back in this journey. Goodness embodies life.

Contentment

2008-03-26T22:25:00.001Z

Contentment comes not so much
from great wealth
as from few wants.
[Epictetus]

Wish to see

2008-03-25T19:44:00.000Z

The eyes bring to seeing what they wish to see.
[Shelley]

How far is Heaven?

2008-03-17T14:25:00.000Z

How far to heaven?
Just open your eyes and look.
You are in heaven.
[Sri Sri Ravi Shankar]

TWIST Comment: Nothing can be more blissful than living in the 'here and now'. This happens to us more often than we imagine without any effort, but seldom do we realize we are in this state. Open your eyes is the essense of becoming totally aware of ourselves inside out. Where we are 'now' there is no relativity to measure our happiness or sorrow, pain or pleasure. Heaven doesn't descend, it's an expansion of our own being that makes heaven - on earth.

Simple and Complete

2008-03-14T09:01:00.000Z

The more simple we are,
the more complete we become
[Osho]

TWIST Comment: All 'wants' take us away from the reality of life. 'Needs' are here to stay and keep us grounded. When life gets more complex just try to 'let go' of everything and return to basics. Have good food, have a good sleep, go for a walk in the garden. Once in a while tuning back to the basic necessities of life draws us more closer to ourselves and that is the way to become complete within.

Reward

2008-03-12T09:47:00.000Z

We have watered the trees that
blossom in the summer-time.
Now let's sprinkle those
whose flowering time is past.

That will be the better deed,
because we shall not be
working for the reward.

[Kalidasa]

TWIST Comment: Our personal definition of a reward can be different depending on our perception of ourselves and the world around. Expectation of getting rewarded at the end of a journey and treating reward as a motivation to act are the common falacies we fall into time and time again. When there is expectation at the back of the mind, keep an expectation of meeting with grief at the front of it to nullify the effect of any expectations not bearing fruit. For what we expect may not be what life has in store for us. By accepting what may naturally come or not come, we can improve the quality of our lives. Things do happen for a reason and at times the reason is not as good as we expect. Expectation is the root of all grief.

Revolution

2008-03-11T11:29:00.001Z

Revolutions are the produce of passion,
not of sober and tranquil reason.
[William Godwin]

TWIST Comment: Evolution is a slow transformation of a being into something new through passive means. There is no control that can be exerted on evolution. A drastic self-initiated passionate change to transform the inevitable is the opposite of evolution and is called revolution. Through human history we find traces of such revolutionary moves that have helped humanity and the way we live life. The choice to make is between growing old and growing up. Nobody has to tell us which one to choose, for we already know it.

One Step at a Time

2008-03-10T12:35:00.000Z

By taking one step at a time,
we could save a lot of energy we often
waste in thinking about the future.

Set the sight and
start walking down the path,
the minor battles within
do not count anymore.

It's the destination that counts

Reading

2008-03-07T08:24:00.000Z

Reading is to the mind
what exercise is to the body.
[Sir Richard Steele]

The Heart

2008-03-06T08:17:00.000Z

The heart is always right -
if there's a question of choosing between the mind and the heart -
because mind is a creation of the society.
It has been educated.
You have been given it by the society,
not by existence.
The heart is unpolluted.
[Osho]

Forgiveness

2008-03-05T08:23:00.001Z

Forgiveness does not change the past,
but it does enlarge the future.
[Paul Boese]

TWIST Comment: Forgiveness does de-stress you in the present.

What we truly are...

2008-03-04T07:25:00.000Z

If I cannot forgive myself for all the blunders
That I have made over the years,
Then how can I proceed?
How can I ever dream perfection-dreams?
Move, I must, forward.
Fly, I must, upward.
Dive, I must, inward,
To be once more
What I truly am
And shall forever remain.

[Sri Chinmoy]

TWIST Comment: Life is an amalgamation of change and constants. In all the external changes that we face in our lives, one thing remains constant and that is the core of our being.

Face existence alone

2008-02-28T09:05:00.000Z

I don't want anybody to stand between
the individual and existence.
No prayer, no priest -
you alone are enough to face the sunrise.
[Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh]

Price for being upright

2008-02-27T10:48:00.000Z

Do not be very upright in your dealings for
you would see by going to the forest that
straight trees are cut down while
crooked ones are left standing.
[Chanakya]

Stand clear

2008-02-26T08:17:00.000Z

Whatever you have in your mind - forget it;
Whatever you have in your hand - give it;
Whatever is to be your fate - face it!
[Abu Sa'id, Essential Sufism]

TWIST Comment: Unless we let go of things, we do not grow in spirit. When sorrow strikes you, try saying 'let go' and feel your body and mind relaxing. Even when happiness comes your way, acknowledge it and 'let go'. It's the same feeling of relaxed awareness that embodies. What more is there to meditation than a relaxed state of awareness?

Humble Knowledge

2008-02-25T10:57:00.000Z

Our knowledge can only be finite,
while our ignorance must necessarily be infinite.
[Karl Popper]

TWIST Comment: I'm reminded of the first concept that appealed to me at school. It's a saying in Tamil that goes like 'What we learnt is a fistful of mud; what is not learnt is the whole world'. In essence, humilty should be the outcome of knowledge. Arrogance from one's knowledge puts an end to learning.

Blessed

2008-02-22T13:38:00.000Z

Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
[Jesus Christ]

TWIST Comment: This is the same as 'Children belong to the kingdom of heaven'. In children and in the poor spirited, what we see is a sublime 'here and now' nature. They usually lack a drive to achieve something. In doing so, they are more attuned to the present. There is neither grief about the past nor worry or anxiety about the future.

Our Capability

2008-02-21T13:16:00.000Z

As a child of God,
I am greater than
anything that can happen to me.
[Abdul Kalam]

Drop Fear

2008-02-20T08:43:00.000Z

Drop the fear.
Fear was taken up by you
in your childhood, unconsciously.

Now consciously drop it and be mature.
Then the life can be a light which
goes on deepening as you go on growing.

[Osho]

TWIST Comment: The first step to drop fear is to recognize we have one. In our egoistic state, we often ignore the presence of fear. In the solitude of being with ourselves we encounter the deepest fears driving our lives. That is the reason we go on avoiding solitude and jump from one engagement to the other to keep us occupied. Try to spend a few weekends all by yourself without anything to distract your attention. The gravest fears vanish as soon as they encounter the light of thought.

Wake Up

2008-02-19T09:39:00.001Z

My father thought the world would be same;
My children, however, wake up EVERY day thinking the world will be different.
Let's begin emulating our children.
Time to wake up and make the world different.
[Anand Mahindra]

Further reading: Full text of a thought provoking speach by Anand Mahindra at the NASSCOM Leadership summit can be found here.

[TWIST] Contradiction is natural II

2008-02-18T13:39:00.002Z

The Wisdom Times

When you encounter seemingly good advice that
contradicts other seemingly good advice,
ignore them both.
[Al Franken]

--
http://thewisdomtimes.blogspot.com/

[TWIST] Mind is its own place

2008-02-14T11:58:00.002Z

The Wisdom Times

The mind is its own place, and in itself
Can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven.
[John Milton]

TWIST Comment: Become aware of the mind's many colors, search for the truth and make your own definition of truth that will clearly distinguish between thoughts and reality. Being of the mind is destiny, being with the mind is clarity, being is bliss.
--
http://thewisdomtimes.blogspot.com/

[TWIST] Tolerence

2008-02-13T08:32:00.002Z

The Wisdom Times

In the practice of tolerance,
one's enemy is the best teacher.
[Dalai Lama]

TWIST Comment: Violence instigated externally creates a lot of turbulance in the external world. In practising ahimsa or tolerance, one would find that the mind is turbulant with an internal violence much different from what one might experience when it happens outside. Unless a person has the strength to withstand this internal flurry of thoughts, it is nearly impossible to stick to it in principle. In nature we see only a 'fight' or 'flight' reaction, however 'tolerance' is a very human way of maintaining mental composure in the face of hardships. It really pushes one to their limits.
--
http://thewisdomtimes.blogspot.com/

[TWIST] Mindful to Mindless

2008-02-12T08:52:00.001Z

The Wisdom Times

A mind all logic is like a knife all blade.
It makes the hand bleed that uses it.
[Rabindranath Tagore]

TWIST Comment: Mind is an essential evil in our lives. The way we use it dictates how we live. Mind can help solve problems for us - the utilitarian view of the mind. But mind is not everything. The West has delved too much into the mind, logic, science etc., there is a skewed development in the modern world. What the eastern philosophies teach us is a wholesome development not just of the mind, but to harness all the vital aspects that life has to offer. The boundaries of a life lived in such a way is endless, whereas a mindful living has it's own boundaries within the sphere of knowledge as known to man today. There is an imminent choice here for us to make, of course, the mind can be a good tool to choose!
--
http://thewisdomtimes.blogspot.com/

[TWIST] Choose to choose

2008-02-11T10:43:00.001Z

The Wisdom Times

Allow the world to live as it chooses, and
allow yourself to live as you choose.
[Richard Bach]

TWIST Comment: Darwin estimated that the species that will out-live the rest are the ones that adapt to change better. We all are aware that change is inevitable in this existence. We are challenged by our situations to change something or the other - small or radical - as we move along. With change comes choice and a reason to choose. Sometimes the resistance to change is not as high as the contention to choose between options. Neither would we enjoy others pushing us for a specific option, nor will we disengage when others are at cross-roads and we are upon their shoulders. This is a paradox best sorted by observing our own lives and making it better for us and only us. What is best for the rest, need not be our concern, unless asked for.
--
http://thewisdomtimes.blogspot.com/

[TWIST] It's there Inside

2008-02-08T08:19:00.001Z

The Wisdom Times

As fragrance abides in the flower
As reflection is within the mirror,
So does your Lord abide within you,
Why search for him without?
[Guru Nanak]
TWIST Comment: Where Guru Nanak refers to Lord or God, we can effectively replace it with anything else too. Be it happiness, peace or sadness or inspiration, you'll find a whole bundle of them hidden somewhere within you that can be used whenever you need them. Look inwards before looking for anything outside.
--
http://thewisdomtimes.blogspot.com/

[TWIST] Real Leader

2008-02-07T13:48:00.001Z

The Wisdom Times

The real leader has no need to lead -
he is content to point the way.
Unless we become our own leaders,
content to be what we are
in the process of becoming,
we shall always be servitors and idolaters.
[Henry Miller]

--
http://thewisdomtimes.blogspot.com/

[TWIST] The Judgement Paradox

2008-02-06T15:43:00.000Z

The Wisdom Times

The hardest thing to explain is
the glaringly evident which
everybody had decided not to see.
[Ayn Rand]

TWIST Comment: At times, we find it so difficult to convince the others on certain things that seem too evident to us. However, the ability to convince should not become a barometer to an existential fact. Neither discount the presence or absence of a fact by the ability of the source; nor get carried away by a spectacular presentation. To strike a balance is difficult. This is an essential skill we gain from life as it leads us through several learnings horning up our judgement skills. Stop. The preconceptions are a greatest limitation to our flexibility and openness. Isn't this one of life's many paradoxes.

--
http://thewisdomtimes.blogspot.com/

[TWIST] Seeing God

2008-02-05T10:50:00.001Z

The Wisdom Times

Do you know what I see?
I see Him as all.
Men and other creatures appear to me
only as hollow forms, moving their heads and hands and feet,
but within is the Lord Himself.
[Sri Ramakrishna]

TWIST Comment: Try to project this on to our lives today and you'll immediately realize how stress free this can make our lives. This usually culminates in a deeper understanding of life in the lines of: 'Everything happens for a reason'. The logical mind can dispute the assumption of God inside every being, but I still appreciate it from the view of practicality that it emanates for managing everyday problems. Taking our minds immediately off the beings and focusing our attention on the path leading to our goals.

--
http://thewisdomtimes.blogspot.com/

[TWIST] Do you know When to Speak?

2008-02-04T10:32:00.001Z

The Wisdom Times

He who knows does not speak.
He who speaks does not know.
[Lao-tzu]

TWIST Comment: Through maturity comes a compassionate understanding. People start radiating with wisdom rather than having to speak or justify when challenged. When the ignorant speak, the wise always bear an understanding. The peak of such understanding is to let everyone live their own path not needing to be diverted into what is perceived to be good or bad. I've quoted Lao-tzu in many of my previous mails. This is by far the essense and my favourite quotes. By focusing attention on these two phrases for a few minutes will give a lot of clarity into our own lives.
--
http://thewisdomtimes.blogspot.com/

[TWIST] Death Satisfies

2008-02-01T10:29:00.001Z

The Wisdom Times

A tomb now suffices him for whom
the whole world was not sufficient.
[Alexander]

TWIST Comment: Even for the most successful of people, the ultimate wisdom is provided by death. Satisfaction is not in reaching the goal, but in a fulfilling journey. If we are not satisfied with what we have today, maybe tomorrow, death shows us what we have missed.
--
http://thewisdomtimes.blogspot.com/

[TWIST] Growing

2008-01-31T09:54:00.003Z

The Wisdom Times

The unexamined life is not worth living. [Socrates]

TWIST Comment: We all grow old as years pass by. There are some who grow up with it. The difference is in examining one's own life and learning from it.
--
http://thewisdomtimes.blogspot.com/

[TWIST] Growing

2008-01-31T09:54:00.001Z

The Wisdom Times

The unexamined life is not worth living. [Socrates]

TWIST Comment: We all grow old as years pass by. There are some who grow up with it. The difference is in examining one's own life and learning from it.
--
http://thewisdomtimes.blogspot.com/

[TWIST] What on your Path?

2008-01-30T10:03:00.001Z

The Wisdom Times

I am not discouraged,
because every wrong attempt discarded
is another step forward.
[Thomas A. Edison]

TWIST Comment: Battles won or lost do not count as long as the war is won. Here the battles are within ourselves as we tread the daily nitty-gritty of life. If the battles of daily life worry us too much, then we are forced into a war of life that we don't intend to participate anymore. Retreat is the easiest option the mind can manipulate us into. Watch your step and be not sad if something doesn't work out the way it has to. For, in crossing each hurdle, we get better clarity of the path.
--
http://thewisdomtimes.blogspot.com/

[TWIST] How things work!

2008-01-29T10:18:00.001Z

The Wisdom Times

Surrender to the flow. [Mike Gordon]

TWIST Comment: Sometimes, we get frustrated when things don't seem to work the way they are supposed to or expected to. The root cause of this is the (unfair) expectation. Why do things always seem to favor the Murphy's law? Isn't there a way to turn them around at the right time? The short answer is: 'there is a way'. That's what the Bagwad Gita teaches us: 'Do, but Do Not expect'.
--
http://thewisdomtimes.blogspot.com/

[TWIST] Pain - really?

2008-01-28T14:49:00.000Z

The Wisdom Times

There is no pain so great as
the memory of joy in present grief.
[Aeschylus]

TWIST Comment: It always helps to think of a warm place when suffering in the cold. The body responds to it immediately and helps cope with the extreme conditions. So what happens if the difficulty is with the mind? Try the other way round. When you are gritting with anger, try to take a few deep breaths, an artificial smile, or make friendly guestures on the mirror and the body transforms the mind to the opposite pole. Try not to avoid feelings or suppressing them, instead transform them for a more creative living.
--
http://thewisdomtimes.blogspot.com/

[TWIST] Delusions

2008-01-25T09:23:00.001Z

The Wisdom Times

When one person suffers from a delusion, it is called insanity.
When many people suffer from a delusion it is called Religion.
[Robert M.Pirsig in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance]

TWIST Comment: We are all deluded by way too many things that is often taken for granted. Religion is just one of them. Being born without a religion to identify ourselves with, we take up the journey of life forcefully imbibed in a specific religion - not of our choice. However, without exception, all religions in the world are a delusion. For the inquisitive, this is unacceptable. The only way to break free is to start questioning the basis of religion and why we need it in our lives as individuals.
--
http://thewisdomtimes.blogspot.com/

[TWIST] Quitter Quotient

2008-01-24T10:18:00.001Z

The Wisdom Times

The true meaning of the precepts is not just that
one should refrain from drinking alcohol,
but also from getting drunk on nirvana.
[Bassui]

TWIST Comment: Habits become addictions. There is in fact only a thin line of difference between a habit and an addiction. To refrain from getting caught in the loop, one could try to be a little different from the day before. Try things like taking a different route to office, use your left hand for brushing etc. This imbibes an openness to change and keeps the mind in a healthy young state. Soon you'll realize how easy it is to quit some of the deadliest addictions.
--
http://thewisdomtimes.blogspot.com/

[TWIST] Miracle Cure for Misery

2008-01-23T09:16:00.001Z

All human beings are miserable due to their own faults, and
they themselves can be happy by correcting these faults.[Mahavir]

TWIST Comment: Though at the periphery, most of our sorrow seem to come from other's actions, a deeper introspection could prove that the misery is our own self-doing. Irrespective of whether or not the other had done that, we still are bound to feel miserable. The most common I've come across in daily life is the false expectation that we might have in a given situation. Since our expectation was not met by the other, we normally accuse the others of intrusive actions.
A dog barking on the road could disturb us during meditation. The dog sure doesn't know you are meditating. Even if it knows it is not barking to disturb you. Isn't it the dog's nature to bark?

[TWIST] Our Teacher

2008-01-22T09:29:00.001Z

The Wisdom Times

You have to grow from the inside out.
None can teach you, none can make you spiritual.
There is no other teacher but your own soul.
[Swami Vivekananda]

TWIST Comment: All that we possess as knowledge from the outside is borrowed. That which comes from within through introspection, through creation is the original knowledge we can teach the world. First we need to acknowledge that the borrowed knowledge is not our own, but somebody else's. This becomes the greatest driver of our quest for self-knowledge.

--
http://thewisdomtimes.blogspot.com/

[TWIST] A Healthy Heart

2008-01-21T08:50:00.001Z

The Wisdom Times

The less you open your heart to others,
the more your heart suffers. [Deepak Chopra]

TWIST Comment: Just the right thing to heed to if you are planning to keep your heart healthy!

--
http://thewisdomtimes.blogspot.com/

[TWIST] Judging life

2008-01-18T09:20:00.001Z

The Wisdom Times

I find hope in the darkest of days,
and focus in the brightest.
I do not judge the universe.
[Dalai Lama]

TWIST Comment: In our effort to be happy in our lives we end up thinking we will be happy only when a specific thing happens in our lives. However, not always do we feel happy when it happens in line with our expectation. Freedom from likes and dislikes, happiness and sorrow has been the greatest challenge of human existence. To set ourselves free, the only way is to accept what life offers us without judgement. Then there is no good and bad. Indifference to life is the best remedy to our stressful lives.
--
http://thewisdomtimes.blogspot.com/

[TWIST] Why not loathe God?

2008-01-17T08:59:00.001Z

The Wisdom Times

I cannot believe in a God who wants to be praised all the time. [Friedrich Nietzsche]

TWIST Comment: Religions have tried imparting a fear of God in everyone's mind. This has led to a skewed treatment of God. Sometimes people do feel good when they can yell at the other to get rid of the hurt. Religions seldom allow this luxury. It shouldn't be upto the priest to decide how one treats God. The perception of God in each of us can be different and that's the way it has to be. Afterall, the priest has no way of knowing everyone's imagination of the God-concept.
--
http://thewisdomtimes.blogspot.com/

[TWIST] Temptation

2008-01-16T09:11:00.001Z

The Wisdom Times

'Tis one thing to be tempted, another thing to fall. [William Shakespeare]

TWIST Comment: Reminds me of a Zen story. Two monks talking to each other and discussing the powers their masters possess by virtue of their enlightenment. One monk says, "My master can walk on water". The other monk says, "Well, that is amazing. My master can walk on water too, but he can 'not do' it".

--
http://thewisdomtimes.blogspot.com/

[TWIST] Mirage of the Ego in the Present

2008-01-15T09:06:00.001Z

The Wisdom Times

If you are in the future,
then ego seems to be very substantial.
If you are in the present the ego is a mirage,
it starts disappearing.
[Osho]

TWIST Comment: 'I want to be...', 'I need... ' are egoistic statements that ring in our minds prefixed with an 'I' when we think of the future. Whereas to be in the 'here and now' one needs no action. It's inaction that keeps us there. Inaction of both mind and body. When the mind actively thinks 'I am here and now', that indicates the ego is trying to take over the fleeting moment without letting us experience it.

--
http://thewisdomtimes.blogspot.com/

[TWIST] The ultimate peak of consciousness

2008-01-14T08:15:00.001Z

The Wisdom Times

The whole world is a cyclone.
But once you have found the center the cyclone disappears.
This nothingness is the ultimate peak of consciousness.
[Osho]

TWIST Comment: There are a number of meditation techniques that focus on centering. One of my favourite and a very effective one here. Try a crowded place or a traffic filled road. Watch everything that is passing by and hear every sound. Do this without thinking about the stimuli. Do not try to interpret it. As this watching happens, suddenly move the attention towards yourself. Watch your mind and thoughts within.

--
http://thewisdomtimes.blogspot.com/

[TWIST] Consciousness

2008-01-11T09:03:00.001Z

The Wisdom Times

No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.
[Albert Einstein ]

TWIST Comment: It took a Darwin to address the unsolved mystery of creationism that was a monopoly of religions. Though met with stiff opposition, the world has now come to accept his evolutionary theory and the theory of natural selection. It was a totally different direction in which this problem had been addressed and explained to the awe of believers in 'God the Creator' theory. Like solving involves a different level of consciousness, to make it acceptable to the masses, a transformation in the consciousness is required. Ordinary minds cannot understand or appreciate extra-ordinary things without elating themselves to an equivalent level.

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http://thewisdomtimes.blogspot.com/

[TWIST] To Be

2008-01-10T09:33:00.001Z

The Wisdom Times

Man is the only creature who refuses to be what he is.
[Albert Camus]

--
http://thewisdomtimes.blogspot.com/

[TWIST] What makes us think?

2008-01-09T09:33:00.001Z

The Wisdom Times

Do not think about yourself,
but be aware of the thought, emotion, or action
that makes you think of yourself.
[J.Krishnamurti]

TWIST Comment: We often attribute our identity to our thoughts and actions. JK's observation truly distinguishes this frame of reference and takes us to another level of understanding ourselves as a subject of the thoughts. Try it and you'll see a great transformation coming from within you.

--
http://thewisdomtimes.blogspot.com/

[TWIST] Eccentric Ideas

2008-01-08T09:27:00.001Z

The Wisdom Times

Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion,
for every opinion now accepted
was once eccentric.
[Bertrand Russell]

TWIST Comment: Coming up with a new idea is far more simpler than selling it to the target audience. The more eccentric the idea, the more difficult it gets. The first person that has to buy into any such idea is 'ourselves'. Be as critical as possible of your own ideas and give the required maturity through scrutiny. Once this hard sell is complete, the idea will be ready to face the challenges of the real world. Imagination that helps the idea generation would also help in making it a viable idea through critical evaluation. The last thing you want to see in your idea is the tinge of ego that makes it harder to sell.

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http://thewisdomtimes.blogspot.com/

[TWIST] Fault Tolerance

2008-01-07T08:51:00.001Z

The Wisdom Times

Always acknowledge a fault.
This will throw those in authority off their guard
and give you an opportunity to commit more.
[Mark Twain]

TWIST Comment: Acknowledging one's own fault (esp. to others) is not a sign of weakness. The sincerity with which this is done will be appreciated even by the naive of people. People are understood to make mistakes and are free to do so. It's the ignorance that causes a rift between the doer and the victim. All ends well that is done well. We need to develop a deeper understanding of the people around us and be wary of their weaknesses and appreciate any positive growth efforts they take. Remember our earlier mention of 'Do unto others...' in an earlier edition. ( http://thewisdomtimes.blogspot.com/2008/01/twist-reciprocity.html)
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http://thewisdomtimes.blogspot.com/

[TWIST] Contradiction is natural

2008-01-04T08:31:00.001Z

The Wisdom Times

A man is never the same for long.
He is continually changing.
He seldom remains the same even for half an hour.
[George Gurdjieff]

TWIST Comment: 'Change' we all know is inevitable. All living beings change as long as they are living. Only death can stop change (maybe) in a living being. As the human mind evolves, it learns new things and perspectives change as new learning is imbibed. This leads to self-contradictions within ourselves and contradictions with the external world. Philosophers have been wary of this fact for long and they tell us that when we see someone contradicting themselves, we need to be compassionate and understand that it's a natural course to be contradicting and growing. There are a lot of personal examples that we can think of in our own lives where we've seen people contradicting themselves including ourselves. This also teaches us one important moral. Do not open your mouth unless you are sure about something, apart from stating what may change in due course. For advanced users, though, silence is a virtue.
--
http://thewisdomtimes.blogspot.com/

[TWIST] Attitude to Life

2008-01-03T09:32:00.001Z

The Wisdom Times

Our attitude toward life determines
life's attitude towards us.
[John N. Mitchell]

TWIST Comment: What is life afterall, if not our own reflection of the world? What happens to us is different from what we see happening to us. We are speaking about a convergence of reality and imagination, where our reflection starts reflecting precisely what it is in reality without any pretensions or expectations. Life as it 'is' is bliss.
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http://thewisdomtimes.blogspot.com/

[TWIST] Reciprocity

2008-01-02T10:09:00.001Z

The Wisdom Times

Tsze-Kung asked, "Is there one word which may serve as a rule of practice for all one's life?"
The Master said, "Is not Reciprocity such a word? What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others"
[Confucius]

TWIST Comment: I first came across this when I was reading Sai Baba books a long time back. There he says: 'Do unto others what you want others to do unto you'. Both these sound like some chance happening ranging from a rare to a fair chance, a person can assume with respect to their interactions with others. We have doubts if this will work and what if the other person is not mature enough to behave in the expected way. The solution to this is... We have control over what we can do, but not necessarily over what others do. There is no magical mantra that could transform the other in our favour. What can really happen (over time) is: as we keep being good to others, they start identifying our sincerity towards them and reciprocate amicably. Situations play a lot of dynamics in such expectations. Hence keep the focus on what you can control and leave the rest to the vast number of combinations and permutations. Worrying about them does not really help. Does it?
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