Joys of everyday

Suddenly, the small routines, the small bits of mundane tasks are so effortless.

I feel -

Lighter.
Fluid.
More in tune with everything, and with myself. All the time. It's woooooonderrrrful.

One Zero Zero Zero Zero Zero Zero

It's nice to share something precious and magical. I guess I've always longed for a companion to share magic with - and now, the whole scale of what I want to share, and who I want to share it with is infinite!

Pretty much as soon as I came back from Isha, and spoke to people, I spoke a lot about how wonderful it was and how my life had changed and blah blah - and lots of people reacted just as you would expect - they were amused, or indifferent, or had that expression of, 'yes yes, this is a phase and you'll soon forget all about it.'

I don't talk about it that much anymore.

But a few people, who really listen, and who've got a glimpse of what's happening to me, are affected. Slightly. And then a bit more. Inch by inch, day by day, a little more curious. A little more intrigued. A few more questions. Discussions, conversations, and then watching videos of Sadhguru.

Yesterday! (for example) I was at a friend's home with a totally different plan - and we ended up watching a 50 minute long DVD video of Sadhguru and the 'newbies' wholeheartededly declared that Sadhguru is the dude. Am glad.

I was telling someone the other day - I finally have a mission to my life. I'm going to touch one million lives. And change them for the better. Just one million. 1,000,000.

And it's begun already.

Have you ever wondered?

Have you wondered what makes us humans different from animals and the rest of the existence? Do you really know what it is to be human?
-

"What you know as yourself is just an accumulation of impressions and a physical body.

What you accumulate can be yours ... it can never be you.

So what are you?"



or

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5729kne9lrE

- Sadhguru


PS: The video is beautiful. It's the same forest I walked in 24 days ago. The same mountains that took my breath away each morning while I was at Isha. And I will be there in 4 days again.

A year since

Going through my bog archives. Back to about a year. It's quite a revelation. I was asking so many questions -

For example:

'A faint, ill conscience, and its subsequent abuse can have ill effects such as disbelief at one's actions, and a remorseful hole in the stomach.' September 16. 2007

'I'm a slave to my whims. It's incredible. I've made mistakes, and I've said, yea, am glad this happened... I'm wiser for the experience. And then, I go and do it all over again. It is incredible.' October 15, 2007

'Why do an intoxicated person's eyes look so hungry? Why do we always want more.... of something...' October 17, 2007

That was from a time when I was carefree, and thought I was happy. I was out often, doing things impulsively, compulsively. Beer club every Tuesday. Pink Floyd, Jim Morrison all the time.

And yet, I knew there was something missing. That the happiness I was experiencing.. was so temporary and so fleeting. I came back home one night, and looked at my face... and into my eyes...

And now, a year since, I've found an answer.

Everyday, we have many choices - and we can choose to respond to either the pull of our senses, desires and habits, or to 'little voice' of wisdom that reminds us what will bring us true happiness.

Almost everything we do is for an immediate gratification. Now it's obvious to me that the more worthwhile thing to do is take small steps towards the real happiness, of a free and joyous spirit. The mind and body rebel to this at first - they can't let go of the immediate pleasure of sense gratification. But a step a day. Of just being aware.

Pull out the weeds out from your garden. Not the flowers.

Lack of faith is a shortcut to misery.

Sounds of Isha

He gave me a song.
He gave me a body.
He gave me dance.

He gave me a miracle.

To the movies again

Went to the cinema after ages last weekend. And saw 2 movies in one day.

1. Kung Fu Panda - Animated movie. Had seen it in Bombay around my birthday with the family and sisters, but it was great to see it again on the big screen. Such a delightful movie - really funny, inspiring, and spiritual. A fabulous way of looking at life. There are no accidents.

Must watch.

2. Mama Mia - A musical play converted to a movie. A fairytale. Based off songs by ABBA. Lovely locations, and a great performance by Meryl Streep. A feel-good movie which says - true love doesn't die.

Sigh.

The God of small details

I was in the Dhayanalinga temple at the Isha Ashram, and I was awed by the stunningly beautiful arrangements of flowers and diyas in front of the linga. It wasn't just flowers scattered. It wasnt just diyas placed haphazardly.

Every flower had been placed perfectly in a design. Every diya in perfect order. A new arrangement everyday. Art.

And the devotee who I saw day after day in the temple, she would lovingly come over again and again to check if the diyas were burning, and would gently spray water on the fragrant flowers.

I was awed. I have never seen such care to details.

And for a moment I wondered if ... it made any sense... was there any point to being so detailed?

But I realized paying attention to details doesn't take that much more time. And it leaves you will a great sense of pleasure for a job well done. Anything hasty or haphazard is just a waste of the entire effort.

And I took this lesson out of the temple with me - when I was walking... I saw the care to details that creation has - the shape of every flower petal, the uniqueness of every sunset, the immense detail of everything living - animals, plants, mountains, rivers, humans! They're only as beautiful as they are because of the delicate small details, isn't it? Imagine if we had been a result of haphazardness or a hasty job. We would have been... ugly.

Result - I clear my room every morning, put things back into their place after using them, and don't do half-jobs anymore. It doesn't seem like a chore anymore.

When you fall into a pit, and then climb out of it, the world looks different.You finally notice the stones you were stumbling on all this while.

The Seed

I'm in love with new music.

Sounds of Isha. Three albums of the in-ashram band.

Flutes. Melodies. Guitars. Gentle percussion.

Here's a sample of a song that just dissolves me.

And another that's just bass, drum, and a didgeridoo. Awesome.

Progress Report - 02

It's been a week since I finished my first program at Isha Yoga centre, and have been practicing everyday.

People have been laughing at me openly - some amused by the change, and some mocking. But a few seeing it and getting inspired.

The practice that they taught us has many benefits - physical, mental, emotional, and energy balancing. The benefits I'm experiencing already -

1. Physically - getting more flexible, feel more in shape, therefore not lazy or sluggy. Have been waking up early, the day is a lot more productive. My every morning nose cold and sniffling has gone away. Without planning to, I've not had chicken or non-veg food since the ashram. There was a time when I couldn't go a meal without chicken, and now I'm not dependent on it anymore and am relishing fresh food a lot more.

2. Mentally - feel very calm, memory has improved, focus on work is so much better. There was a time when I couldn't sit and do something that needed focus if there was noise or other people. But now I can meditate in a room right beside a racket created by 6 enthusiastic foosball players. Without feeling bothered. I can see things a lot more clearly than before, and my mind isn't cluttered by chaos that much.

3. Emotionally - Focusing on the present - not dwelling on the past, or worrying about the future. It's easier to be happy and relaxed. I've noticed an amazing difference in how I react to people - I don't feel impatient or annoyed. Nor do I care anymore about doing things just because someone else is.

4. Energy - Inner energy is the subtle force that keeps us alive - and is so subtle that we're not even aware of it, while being lost in our pursuits of physical and mental happiness.
I learned how important this energy is and I'm slowly beginning to see the difference yoga is making.

A video from the program

A visit to Isha Yoga Center

A month since my world came apart. And I have an update. Recently, I visited the Isha Yoga Centre, at the Velliangiri mountain foothills. And honestly speaking, I was going for 2 reasons - Sailusha was recommending it highly, and well, from having seen dad do Yoga for many years, I knew it would help me both physically and mentally. And so I went.

I was already feeling stronger thanks to having read 'Autobiography of a Yogi', and all the other changes I was bringing to my life. But, what happened there at the Isha Ashram was unexpected. I expected to learn a few yoga practises, and just have a nice getaway. I wasn't expecting anything close to what I experienced there. Before going I thought I'd already changed a lot - but those changes were miniscule compared to what happened at Isha. I guess the impact was so strong because of the timing - it got me at a time when I needed it the most, and I was most receptive.

I doubt I can describe what I learned and what happened. The program I attended, is the very first of a series of programs designed beautifully by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev. A residential program, 4 days in the ashram. The location itself is a reason to go see this place. In a valley, at the end of the road (the road really ends at the village leading to the ashram, and all beyond is only topped always with clouds that look heavenly. There's something in the air there that I can't put a word to.

The ashram is abloom with love and joy. Young people, with glowing faces, engaged in their assigned work (teaching rural kids, handicrafts, making music) all alive to the fullest. Not a single gloomy, tired, impatience, angry face. It was wonderful.

The ashram itself is big, large, and houses a yogic temple - the only one of its kind in the world. I had no idea. But the dhyanalinga temple is unique. There is also a pool of water which contains an energizing power - a linga of solidified mercury immersed in the water. Balances your inner energies, and has healing powers.

My class had about 30 people - a varied bunch, who were there for varied reasons. Some out of curiosity. Some for a holiday. Some looking for a solution to get rid of their lives of stress. There was a woman from Portugal travelling across South India. A 50 year old film-maker, who said he'd accomplished every ambition, had a well settled family - but was still not sure why he was unhappy. A quiet senior couple - who looked orthodox and simple - and by end of class the wife turned into a lively woman who stayed unbeaten the longest in dodge-ball.

For 3 days, we committed to giving our 100% to class, and by the end of it, I saw a change in everyone. Everyone was moved in their own way - everyone humbled, everyone sincerely re-engineered. An internal bath - our guru called it.

A very small glimpse here.

And photos of the Ashram here.