Train your mind to be happy

Silence, no response, in itself is a powerful response

Inspirations for a simple, happy, purposeful Life…

Here’s why I relate to Girish Karnad’s approach to living – and why I celebrate the beauty and simplicity of his final journey!

 

While I definitely believe that there is a Higher Energy that nurtures all forms of creation, I don’t believe in the popular notion of God as a form/source outside of us, that is cloaked in the (unnecessary, avoidable) garb of religion! The Higher Energy I worship is Life itself – who I regard as my Teacher, which is the source for my very ‘being’ in the first place, and which is far more intelligent and compassionate than all its creations! This Higher Energy may be inscrutable alright, but that it exists is undeniable!

 

That’s perhaps why I find Girish Karnad’s outlook inspiring – his views on Life, God, religion and rituals mirror Vaani‘s and mine. To live a simple, happy, purposeful Life, we have realized, we certainly don’t need the three crutches that we are conditioned by family/society to cling on to – the popular notion of God, religion and rituals!

 

I believe there were no priests and rituals for Karnad’s final journey – just readings from his works! So amazing, so beautiful!

 

This excerpt from an article in today’s ‘Mint’ relevantly explores Karnad’s inspiration to live – and die – without frills!

 

Also, what you find below is a prayer I wrote to Life on my mobile phone in December 2007, when we were in the throes of darkness – the realization that we were bankrupt had just hit us and we were totally clueless on where to begin and what to do!

Ever since, I meditate on this prayer daily, surrendering to Life’s flow…

PS: Girish Karnad passed away on Monday, June 10, 2019.

Clarify on another’s opinion, but don’t resist it!

When you win a battle even without fighting!

Prioritize protecting your inner peace over settling petty scores!

What the Indigo cockpit door signage teaches you about Life

Non-worrying is an intelligent choice you can make.

If you are on an Indigo flight the next time, pause as you board and glance at the cockpit door. A little blue sticker advises the crew to leave their worries out of their work: “Flying is a serious profession, do not carry your worries beyond this point.” Even as I shot a picture, our flight attendant and Leading Lady Vaishali said, “I follow this advice all the time, Sir!”

That’s an intelligent choice Vaishali makes. But the sticker’s message is not applicable only to the flying profession. The way I see it is like this: “Living is a serious business. And we must not let our worries come in the way of living our Life to the fullest!”

Worry is a human invention; it is not a part of Creation. We worry only because we are not in control of our mind. The human mind thinks 60,000 thoughts a day. Now, you can’t get rid of thoughts. They will keep arising in your mind just the way waves arise in the ocean. And the nature of the mind is such that, in its untrained state, it thrives in the dead past spewing thoughts of anger, grief and guilt or it races to the unborn future painting dark, worrisome, fearful scenarios that cause you to be steeped in anxiety, insecurity and stress. When you train your mind to anchor only in the present moment, it becomes powerless. In its powerless state, the mind learns to live fully in the present moment. In the now, the past and the future are both irrelevant. This understanding, and a disciplined practice of any form of meditation to train your mind, are what can lead you to be non-worrying.

Simply, there are only two kinds of problems in Life. One kind are those problems that you can solve. So, why worry? Another kind are those problems that you cannot solve. Again, why worry? Either way, worrying is a completely futile activity. Worrying has solved no problem – ever!

Yet, to be sure, you cannot get rid of worries. But you can choose not to pick up a worrisome thought when it arises in you. Only when you attend to a worry, only when you pick it up, does it control you. Non-worrying is when you choose to ignore a worry. So, worrylessness cannot be attained; but you can surely learn to be non-worrying.

To me, the little blue sticker on the Indigo cockpit door is the simplest primer available for Life. It reminds us that Life is a one-time, limited-period, offer. And encourages us not to squander our Life either by worrying or being held hostage by negative, debilitating thoughts.