Living a life of truth to me is living a life where lying and deception lives side by side with honesty and uprightness. The TRUTH is in accepting both shades of life as essential part of our day today living. Always telling the truth is neither warranted, nor desired just as lying and deceptions are not warranted all the time. Both sides are used and should be used to deal with situation of life in a judicious manner for the good of humanity and the world.
It is important that truth be told and telling lies be refrained from. But what is more important is the manner of telling the truth or lies. Truth told with malice is no worse than lies that brings enemity and mistrust. Infact, truth with malice hurts more than anything else.
Truth told to save a person's life or for the goodness of humanity is as divine as lies told to prevent the inevitable misery, harm or destruction caused by the evil forces.
Truth, should not be spoken for truth's sake only, but for the beauty and love that truth brings. If truth is designed to bring misery and mistrust, then cast away the truth. Lying should be avoided not only for the sake of untruth in it, but for the strife and distrusts it brings.
In our day today life ... if the question of whether to tell the truth or untruth comes up face to face, then please use all your mental faculty to ask yourself its intention, whether what you say is intended to bring happiness or sorrow, whether it is intended to bring bring misery or smiles, whether it is intended to prevent the evil or to cause the evil to take it's course. The divinity or devilry is not in truth or untruth itself, but in the purpose of saying these words of truth and untruth.
I keep meeting people who says they never tell lies, but I am yet to meet a person who have always spoken the truth. The moments of lies and truth are as true as day following night and night following the day. It is not within human capacity to prevent these two aspects..... but it is very much within human capacity to decide when to say what and for what purpose. So, let your purpose be always for good of youself and for humanity.
Thus Sulu muses.
NB. What I write is not intended to preach, or for someone to follow it. What I muse is only intended for my self, my inner conversation spoken out on FB so that I can have other's view on the matter. Each of us have rite to have our view of life. So please feel free to express your ideas as you think.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Riding along the curves of life ....................
One of the reason why my love affair with life continues to be a hair raising and tantalising romance is simply because of its sinuous curves daring me to explore her, find out the surprises it has. In youth, life seemed to be one straight line aligned to my wish and whims. As age, family and career catches up with me, it becomes a maze, a puzzle where one has to negotiate many turns. It was in the begining of this life that I commented like this ..
" My life is a series of compromises. I start with some ideas, some thoughts and ambitions ... but on every step in life, I keep negotiating with twists and turns of life and striking compromises so as to move ahead," I told my friends when I settled down in adult life with family and a job. All of them laughed at me. Today, after 13-14 years, with sheepish smile they say,"How right you were." Thus Sulu muses.
Many comments have come on my FB wall writings and as this is close to my heart, I decided to share it with my friends by taging them.I am reproducing some of them below:-
Aparajita Mohapatra:- Nopes.... Not even in the face of Armageddon. Never compromise...especially wt urself..hey, U r all u have! but dats just IMOH pl..:)
Meghli Mishra .... In the decisions of life, what should rule?Passion, or reason?It is a known fact that through-out life compromises must be made. But when does the compromising go too far?When you sacrifice friends for family?Excitement for security?...How many flaws will one overlook for the one she loves?When does compromising become settling? At what point do you realize you’ve sacrificed too much?Why do we find that we are the ones compromising the most?Why do we consider it the norm?We convince ourselves that no one is perfect and that we are not the exception to the rule. Then we are left with the endless emptiness, knowing ( deep down) that we want to be the exception.We want to find that person which suits us in almost every way, but we are socially obligated to settle. To demand the best in a life partner is selfish and unrealistic. I wish I knew why.Why can’t we find that perfect person?Why must we compromise? We are both passion and reason.Why must we suffer this intolerable emptiness and constant pressure of self-doubt?We can’t live life as we are? A fusion of heart, mind, body and soul.Damn these cross-roads.Damn these decisions.Damn you compromise.
Nabam Serbang:- Wonderfull thought Dani. I guess compromise is quality of intellect not a dictator. People can make compromise only if he can weigh either side. This weighing needs trained mind, broad view, an informed mind and a human hearth. I think what we can guard while compromising is "never loose on what is right no matter what cost".
Sulu continues to muse this way ...... " Every twist is made up of turns, and those who cant align with the life's paths are destined to fret and fury for not having blessed with a straight life. If there is no more turns in the twists of life, it either means your life has become straight or it has ceased to exist.
Every great river reaches its destination only after taking twists and turns on its great journey. It meanders through its paths where it can, but when faced with rocks and mountains, it takes it's time and at first opporunity it takes detours. It doesnt sit fretting over not having his way laid straight, but explores the ways and means to flow ahead to join the great ocean. All the great roads runing across the country joins great distances and places. Its greatness is in not saying,'' My way ahead is blocked, I will stop my journey here.'' It compromises with the terrains of lands by twisting and turning where it cannot remain straight.
This is reflected in our professional and family lives as well. Many times in my professional life,I come with great plans to show my seniors in my work place. Many a times, it is ridiculed and put aside. But on every set back I recieve in my career, I cant quiet or wish away my seniors. I realise I too must have been same to my juniors at times. At home, my children are not always wat I want them to be, and since I love them, I have to compromise on many of my expectations from them. I know,they also compromise on many expectations they have from their parents, just as I had to with my parents. No man has ever achieved anything worthwhile without any major sacrifices.These sacrifices are nothing but compromises. You decide on points where you dont want to compromise, and to honour that decision, you compromise on many other aspects of life.
My friends, just as there cannot be any twists without turns, there cannot be any life without compromises. Better decide on what aspects of life you want to compromise and on waht aspects of life you do not want to compromise. To stand by the decissions you have made and chase the goals you have set, you will have to compromise those aspects of life which are of lesser priority to you.
"If there are rocks and hills on the course of rivers,
It is for the river to find out the weak spots,
It is for the river to find the valleys and gorges to make its way ahead.
Hills and rocks are not to be blamed, rivers have ot negotiate wit...h its pride in taking the bends.
It there are walls and mountains on the path of the wind,
It is for the wind to find holes and crevices,
And space to move on.
Walls and mountains are not to be blamed.
If there are problems and difficulties in life,
Men and women have to find its solution,
Many a cups of whipped up ego and pride have to be swallowed,
To move ahead in life,
Towards the greater goals of life which we have set for ourselves."
Thus Sulu muses.
N.B :- This is reproduction of discussion already goin on my FB wall. I have taken the liberty to reproduce comments of Meghli Mishra, Nabam Serbang and Aparjita as I found them to give directions to the discussion. This is not to say that other commentators... like Anindita, Jarpum, Tagiya comments were of lesser
" My life is a series of compromises. I start with some ideas, some thoughts and ambitions ... but on every step in life, I keep negotiating with twists and turns of life and striking compromises so as to move ahead," I told my friends when I settled down in adult life with family and a job. All of them laughed at me. Today, after 13-14 years, with sheepish smile they say,"How right you were." Thus Sulu muses.
Many comments have come on my FB wall writings and as this is close to my heart, I decided to share it with my friends by taging them.I am reproducing some of them below:-
Aparajita Mohapatra:- Nopes.... Not even in the face of Armageddon. Never compromise...especially wt urself..hey, U r all u have! but dats just IMOH pl..:)
Meghli Mishra .... In the decisions of life, what should rule?Passion, or reason?It is a known fact that through-out life compromises must be made. But when does the compromising go too far?When you sacrifice friends for family?Excitement for security?...How many flaws will one overlook for the one she loves?When does compromising become settling? At what point do you realize you’ve sacrificed too much?Why do we find that we are the ones compromising the most?Why do we consider it the norm?We convince ourselves that no one is perfect and that we are not the exception to the rule. Then we are left with the endless emptiness, knowing ( deep down) that we want to be the exception.We want to find that person which suits us in almost every way, but we are socially obligated to settle. To demand the best in a life partner is selfish and unrealistic. I wish I knew why.Why can’t we find that perfect person?Why must we compromise? We are both passion and reason.Why must we suffer this intolerable emptiness and constant pressure of self-doubt?We can’t live life as we are? A fusion of heart, mind, body and soul.Damn these cross-roads.Damn these decisions.Damn you compromise.
Nabam Serbang:- Wonderfull thought Dani. I guess compromise is quality of intellect not a dictator. People can make compromise only if he can weigh either side. This weighing needs trained mind, broad view, an informed mind and a human hearth. I think what we can guard while compromising is "never loose on what is right no matter what cost".
Sulu continues to muse this way ...... " Every twist is made up of turns, and those who cant align with the life's paths are destined to fret and fury for not having blessed with a straight life. If there is no more turns in the twists of life, it either means your life has become straight or it has ceased to exist.
Every great river reaches its destination only after taking twists and turns on its great journey. It meanders through its paths where it can, but when faced with rocks and mountains, it takes it's time and at first opporunity it takes detours. It doesnt sit fretting over not having his way laid straight, but explores the ways and means to flow ahead to join the great ocean. All the great roads runing across the country joins great distances and places. Its greatness is in not saying,'' My way ahead is blocked, I will stop my journey here.'' It compromises with the terrains of lands by twisting and turning where it cannot remain straight.
This is reflected in our professional and family lives as well. Many times in my professional life,I come with great plans to show my seniors in my work place. Many a times, it is ridiculed and put aside. But on every set back I recieve in my career, I cant quiet or wish away my seniors. I realise I too must have been same to my juniors at times. At home, my children are not always wat I want them to be, and since I love them, I have to compromise on many of my expectations from them. I know,they also compromise on many expectations they have from their parents, just as I had to with my parents. No man has ever achieved anything worthwhile without any major sacrifices.These sacrifices are nothing but compromises. You decide on points where you dont want to compromise, and to honour that decision, you compromise on many other aspects of life.
My friends, just as there cannot be any twists without turns, there cannot be any life without compromises. Better decide on what aspects of life you want to compromise and on waht aspects of life you do not want to compromise. To stand by the decissions you have made and chase the goals you have set, you will have to compromise those aspects of life which are of lesser priority to you.
"If there are rocks and hills on the course of rivers,
It is for the river to find out the weak spots,
It is for the river to find the valleys and gorges to make its way ahead.
Hills and rocks are not to be blamed, rivers have ot negotiate wit...h its pride in taking the bends.
It there are walls and mountains on the path of the wind,
It is for the wind to find holes and crevices,
And space to move on.
Walls and mountains are not to be blamed.
If there are problems and difficulties in life,
Men and women have to find its solution,
Many a cups of whipped up ego and pride have to be swallowed,
To move ahead in life,
Towards the greater goals of life which we have set for ourselves."
Thus Sulu muses.
N.B :- This is reproduction of discussion already goin on my FB wall. I have taken the liberty to reproduce comments of Meghli Mishra, Nabam Serbang and Aparjita as I found them to give directions to the discussion. This is not to say that other commentators... like Anindita, Jarpum, Tagiya comments were of lesser
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Perhaps, our fear of death is not from death itself or it's cause, but lack of faith in the process of life.
In whose hand your life is ........
It is true that our life is never so helplessly in someonelses mercy as is in the hands of our barber as his knife runs down from our chin to our neck, passing through that life line called jugular vein.
Last Sunday, even as I was having my hair cut, this thought coursed through my mind.Though this is the eternal fact, and our life depends on that thin sharp edge of our barber not cutting through those delicate jugular veins, we dont feel the fear that is so associated with our death passing through that delicate edge.
I think it is because we are conditioned to have blind faith on our barber, that he shall never let such accident happen.This makes Sulu think that, perhaps,our fear of death is not from death itself or it's cause, but lack of faith in the process of life. Thus Sulu muses.
It is true that our life is never so helplessly in someonelses mercy as is in the hands of our barber as his knife runs down from our chin to our neck, passing through that life line called jugular vein.
Last Sunday, even as I was having my hair cut, this thought coursed through my mind.Though this is the eternal fact, and our life depends on that thin sharp edge of our barber not cutting through those delicate jugular veins, we dont feel the fear that is so associated with our death passing through that delicate edge.
I think it is because we are conditioned to have blind faith on our barber, that he shall never let such accident happen.This makes Sulu think that, perhaps,our fear of death is not from death itself or it's cause, but lack of faith in the process of life. Thus Sulu muses.
Monday, October 18, 2010
In search of heaven on earth .................
In search of heaven on earth …
Most of us have heard about heaven within and around us … but where exactly it is located in us and around has been a difficult task to say the least…
The discussion on trying to locate heaven on earth, heaven in our own backyard and search for heaven within our own daily life between Jenifer Ferris, Roto Chobin, Jarjum Ete and myself was an off shoot of my wall post …
“ Time to change kahawat 'Jiski lathi uski bhains .. To .. 'Jiski dimag uski duniya.' God endowed everyone of us with some special mental faculty. Our aim should be to discover our speciality and build our own special universe based on it. So Sulu muses.”
On this, our discussion started with Jeniffer’s comment as given below :
Jennifer Ferris : “I agree absolutely.”
Jennifer Ferris: “ Do you have any thoughts on how to discover? “
Jennifer Ferris: “ To me, that is the ultimate "heaven" concept, as it is heaven on earth, while we are alive to enjoy it as I believe we are meant to.”
Dani Sulu: “This is what sulu tells himself. I am not others. I am what God wanted me to be. And then, I ask GOD what is it that he wants out of me for the moment, for the day and for the life.”
.Dani Sulu: “Yes, I agree with you. I can build my own heaven and hell here on earth ...itself. God gave us this life and wanted us to build as per our own liking and our own ability. So Sulu thinks.”
Jennifer Ferris: “ I agree. But how does one build one's heaven if one lives moment to moment, as I would also agree is correct? There is no future thought there. So there must not be any concept of one's own personal heaven, either? Continue talking abou...t this with me, you're one of my brilliant friends and this is something I particularly struggle with. I feel as though my spiritual beliefs conflict with day to day reality and struggles. Want to integrate them. Agree on heaven on earth as the right view. But how to seek when seeking is not the spiritually correct thing to do, as seeking implies not only future, but preconditioned thinking, as well? ”
Dani Sulu: “ Ok. Let us set certain premise before we go farther. What you and me are saying are our own personal views and for our own personal consumption. If we pick up threads from each other, then it is on our own volition. … AND I BELIEVE IF THERE IS... NO FRICTION THERE NEITHER IS ANY SHINE. I expect to have some opposite views. ”
Dani Sulu: “ Present cannot be dissociated from future, nor future fly off on its own.”
Dani Sulu: “ Every moment we live is a foundation brick, building my past life, present life and future life ... my holistic self.
Jennifer Ferris: “ Really? I present my views, and if people don't like them they can go to hell :) LOL! I feel no friction toward your views so far. If I ever do I will certainly let you know if it does not offend you to hear them (as it does some people).”
Dani Sulu: “ My present should be enjoyed and lived to its full, without compromising with my future. Nor thought of our future, subsume our present. So Sulu thinks.”
Jennifer Ferris : “ I'm like you, I welcome argument and differing viewpoints. Gives me the opportunity to expand my own point of view.
I would not say that present and future are dissociated in any way. I would say that we do not know what future may hold,... so any attempt to bring toward ourselves that which we feel we desire may be misguided.”
.Dani Sulu: “ No, I like friction and if there is no friction, I am almost sure there is some problem, some witholding. With something not forthcoming and hidden, there cant be any enlightened discussion. Friction, questioning attitude and inquisitivenes...s makes us move ahead spiritually, intellectually, scientifically, and materially. It is the way to harmony with self and the nature. So Sulu thinks.”
Dani Sulu : “Ok. Let me put it this way.”
Jennifer Ferris: “What if you happen to come across someone whose views are remarkably similar to your own? I guess we could argue for the fun of it :)”
Dani Sulu: “Yes. But my nature will make me verify nature of our harmonious discussion. The purpose of nature is to let us strive towards harmony. But human as we are, we just think we are in harmony, without being in harmony.”
Dani Sulu: “ Ok. We can come back to our topic. I keep jumping off it.”
Dani Sulu: “ One's day today life need not conflict with our spiritual belief. What I do now is what my life is. It presents me my present life, it affects my future life and it is a process of accepting my past. We may not realise it, but whatever we do is our spiritual pursuit in one way or the other. So Sulu thinks.”
Dani Sulu: “ It sounds too beaten a road .... but it is true that the moments we live are strings of beads that makes the necklace of our life. What type of beads we pick up is entirely our own choice. So Sulu thinks. ”
Jennifer Ferris: “ ….. "We may not realise it, but whatever we do is our spiritual pursuit in one way or the other" - this I wholeheartedly agree with. But my day to day reality is needing to support three children, mostly on my own. Feed, clothe and shelter. ... I do not feel that real estate is my spiritual calling, however it fills a need at this time. What is my calling? No idea. Ought I think about it, wonder about it, muse about it to myself? Or ought I live moment to moment, day to day, year to year in something which I spiritually know is not where I was intended to be and simply be happy with each moment and trust that that which I was intended for will come to me without thought, without seeking?”
Dani Sulu: “ I cant agree the less with you. To engage our self in trying to bring up our children in the best possible manner is our best spiritual pursuit for the moment. It is following God's instruction for us.
Each of us taking care of our selves and our family, each of us being responsible to our own physical and emotional needs without compromising with others life is the highest level of spiritual life.”
Dani Sulu: “I believe our spiritual liberation is not in any monastery, or church, or temple or in any form of worldly renounciation. ...Our spiritual liberation is is in taking the daily needs of our body, our emotion, our spiritual necessity, needs of our family and society head on. Su Sulu muses.”
Dani Sulu: “ We are made of this world. We are made for this world. Having lived this world as per God's design, our Good lord will take care of us in the next world.
It is for us mortals to question and live this world, and not be bothered about the wo...rld we do not know i.e next world.”
Jennifer Ferris: “ So you are saying that the existence I have at this moment is heaven? Because it sure doesn't feel like it. If I truly loved my work, I could agree. But this world I am in, although pretty much free of suffering, is not ideal or fulfilli...ng in ways that heaven would be. Heaven would include fulfilling work, if work were necessary or desired. Engaging myself in bringing up the children in the best possible manner is my number one priority. But it comes at the sacrifice of doing something I would truly love to do and that would be fulfilling to me.”
Jarjum Ete: “ hmmmm .... Hi, Jennifer !!! You both have something quite deep going on here......very interesting, indeed.”
Jarjum Ete: “Sulu, without diluting your discussions, let me start at the beginning....
What sort of special universe ? ............as part of a larger galaxy ?.........or a universe unto itself ?”
Dani Sulu: “ Jarjum mem... When I say building special universe of our own liking, I mean to say that each of us can build a world of our own .. without giving in to despair because of our seemingly disadvantageous position. .. e.g A child may not have sporty cars ... like merce … etc. But when he plays with pebbles and stones immitating it as race cars ... he is as happy and excited as any race driver in a grand prix.
...When we were growing up, we used to tie the plastics lying around with ropes and played football in the village streets .. it was as enjoyable and exciting as any super soccer league.”
Jennifer Ferris: “ Dani, I'm not in the least bit worried about the next world. Could not care less. Hello Jarjum :). Dani, I believe fully in heaven on earth. Why do I not yet have it, is what I want to know. Ought I seek it? Makes no sense. Ought I wait? Is there any other option? I am a little impatient by nature, so that may be part of my difficulty.”
Dani Sulu: “ Jeniff.... Heaven isnt someplace where we cant reach. It is within our reach. We just need to dig a little deeper. We may perhaps start listing what are the things we really want to do, and what are things that are limiting us. Sitting infront of mirror, looking into my own eyes and also into my own soul... asking myself what is it that I want to do ... will reveal me the truth of what I really care for..”
Jarjum Ete: “ ...........patience, someone said, is actually the indecisiveness of the fools, misunderstood as a virtue..... so, on that count, Jennifer, impatience is the propelling virtue.... !!!! lolssssssss....”
Jennifer Ferris : “ Jarjum I tend to agree. I feel that if God did not wish me to be impatient at the age of 40, I would not be! That is another of my struggles which coincides with my concern that perhaps I ought keep my mouth shut on occasion :) Both things I probably should totally accept and think nothing further about. I am a thinker though, and always desire to perfect things, and my own behaviour is not exempt :)”
Jarjum Ete: “ Let me try it another way.....with a focus on a value system (which determines the quality of life's building blocks), living each moment and each day, without losing sight of life's goal (of building a world of one's choice, which you both seem to call as the heaven of your choice ???) .... using the tools of sincerity, love, empathy, peace, curiosity.... you may have it.....”
Dani Sulu: " ….. … “Dani, I believe fully in heaven on earth. Why do I not yet have it, is what I want to know. Ought I seek it? Makes no sense. Ought I wait? Is there any other option? I am a little impatient by nature, so that may be part of my difficulty...." Let me comment on this …
No seeker shall find the heaven on earth. Peek into yourself you will find it. It is here and in this moment. Even the time we are inter- acting is a part of heavenly process on earth if we realize it. I will not change eternity of heavenly bliss for the moments of sweetness and sourness that my life provides me with. I like to ride the twists and turns, ups and downs of life, and my nirvana is when I am able to align my life as per the shape of the life. Family is not restricting. Those who have realised herself, have achieved what they wanted inspite of all the seemingly time dragging responsibilities.”
Jennifer Ferris: “ Oh, I agree, moment to moment life is the same heaven I refer to. Nothing everlasting, no promises, no rewards etc. Just moment to moment happiness and fulfillment. I do believe that meaningful work is a part of that heaven, but perhaps I am wrong.”
Jennifer Ferris: “ Perhaps I only need to shift focus. It does seem more ideal, though, and I am an ideal thinker, for meaningful work to be a part of the picture.”
Dani Sulu: “ Jarjum Mem, I like your take. Jeniffer... It is in nature to seek perfection, but it is not in nature that we all be perfect. Nor do we need to fight what is natural to us. If there are moments of impatient ... so be it. I am sure there ...are moments where we all show patience as well. So Sulu muses.
Dani Sulu: “ Living with our wrong and our right is our life. No great men or women were without these attributes. So Sulu muses.
Jennifer Ferris: “ Jarjum, I would say it's attainable, but that calls into question future thought and future desire, which personally I do not spiritually embrace. Thus my conflict between the now and the heaven I perceive.”
Roto Chobin: “ by "special universe", i infer an ideal society. Since everyone implore for ideal world while making others life hell, so I guess God gave us a bit too much - brains, of course.”
Dani Sulu: “ Having a safety net is always safer. But when we look for safety net in every endeavour, it comes with something dark lurking beyond our every vision. If we are looking at our future see it straight. If we sit back and think and doubt about our future plan .. and also doubt that our desire in future might change, we have already limited ourselves. Having set our goals, what comes in future needs to be met with in future not in the present.”
Jarjum Ete : “ .....the heaven you desire to attain is the ultimate....right ? if yes, that also means that your thoughts encompass the future ... right ? if yes, I don't see any conflict......”
Jennifer Ferris: “ I don't really see how you can live in each moment fully but have future desire and future thought at the same time. If thoughts are real (as I believe them to be), then wishing for something which you do not have is a projection in a direction which is quite possibly not your intended spiritual growth route. Seems unwise.”
Dani Sulu: “ Heaven is desired. May be in future. Does it have a meeting point.”
Jennifer Ferris: “ So, Dani, you feel that future goals are important? ”
Dani Sulu: Jenn
Jennifer Ferris: “Heaven could be (and I think should be) now.”
Dani Sulu: “ yes”
Dani Sulu: “ I am coming to it.....”
Dani Sulu: “ Future goal is very important ....”
Jennifer Ferris: “ Jarjum, my thoughts don't encompass the future. I am not a planner, never have been. I see my reality, today, and see how it could be better. My struggle is a spiritual one, because I do feel that "better" will come to me, when the time is ripe. I want to make it happen. I am impatient. One could call it a lack of faith. But when there are children to feed it becomes more urgent.”
Roto Chobin: “ The existence of Heaven or Hell is not proven. As a common man, I am experiencing the best of the both world right here in Earth. I couldn't ask for more.
Dani Sulu: Our life is not tied to the moment. Our moment is lived as a stepping stone to our future hopes. The joy of the moment is joy of doing the job in the hand well, having placed another brick firm and perfect in its place even as we build on our future hope.”
Jarjum Ete: “ Well, very frankly, am not at all religious nor anywhere near spirituality..... so, guess, this subject is beyond my grasp......lolss..... but, in a very common sensical way, I see no conflict in living the heaven on earth each day (if one ...is adhered to some tenets and values....like....love, humanity, peace )... and let it grow on life..........block by block, every day, every moment..... at the end of the day... you have the heaven of your choice...here and now.... no waiting.... no planning.......no manipulations...... just living it..... and I find a single minded pursuit of spiritualism per se is also not really necessary if one has imbibed the basic values of love and peace... and integrated the same into one's day to day life and actions..
Dani Sulu: “ @Jeniff "I am not a planner, never have been. I see my reality, today, and see how it could be better. My struggle is a spiritual one, because I do feel that "better" will come to me, when the time is ripe. I want to make it happen. I am... impatient. One could call it a lack of faith. But when there are children to feed it becomes more urgent."
I love the way you place life as practical as it is lived. But the heaven, to me will not come like a present on Christmas day on platter. Nor will any nirvana come in a flash of a light where we will continue to stay. It doesnt appear wise to be looking for a plateau where our journey will end or a meadow where everything is happiness and blissfull only. ”
.Jarjum Ete: “ And, Sulu, to go back to your initial post........ jiski dimaag uski duniyaa will perhaps have two connotations.... one, you create a make-believe world of your own....live in a mental cocoon.... two, use your intellect to such an extent that you run the world in your own way........ what did you have in mind ??? lolsss....”
Jennifer Ferris: “ I embrace love, humanity and peace. But still, there are three children to support whom cannot live on those words :) I must work. My question, my struggle, is work related, not life related. I want work, also, to fit in with my already... realized heaven of having 3 beautiful healthy children who are happy and do not suffer. Going back to Dani's original thought of building our own special universe, my question remains the same. I certainly can take advantage of opportunities which present themselves, and would. But searching, seeking, goes against that which I feel to be true and right. All we need is here, now. In my opinion. Maybe Dani is right though, maybe goals are key. I appreciate the new perspective.”
Dani Sulu: “ I meant, using one's intellect and brain, one can carve out a universe of his own from the present life, from wherever he is and from which ever position he is.
A right thinking man knows that a deprived men or society by greater might or mind of the present will rise again and take to vengeance much more than the crime perperated on them. So, he will use his mind to contribute and derive the riches of life.
Thinking men also knows that no man can live in isolation. So he will be open to the world and its idiosyncries, and take it along his stride.”
Jennifer Ferris: “ I'm not looking for a plateau or an end to a journey. I'm looking to integrate my worklife into my spiritual life. Has not happened as of yet. My dilemma is wether or not to seek that happening or simply stay in each moment and see what comes about. That is all.”
Roto Chobin: “ …By the way, why did God plant "the tree of knowledge" in the middle of garden, knowing (since he is omnipotent/ omnipresent) that we humans are going to eat it, which will make us brainier.”
Dani Sulu: “ Jeniff ..... That is a difficult question. Although I believe in aligning myself to the contours of life even while having a greater goal of life.”
Jennifer Ferris: “ Jarjum, I don't feel there is anything at all wrong with creating (or manipulating) one's own environment for happiness (heaven). In fact I think that's extremely wise.”
Dani Sulu: “ Deriving spiritual enlightening is somewhat like running a kite .. One needs to run the kite against the wind, but very often let the kite fly along the wind. It is accomodating draughts of wind that makes kite fly higher. One cant pull kites higher just by sheer force alone. So Sulu muses.”
Dani Sulu: “ Yes it is wise. You need to create your own world without compromising with others life. This is the wisdom.”
Dani Sulu: “ It was God's explicit desire that we have our brains and use it. I have a feeling he wanted us to test him.”
Roto Chobin: “ Knowing that it'll make us a barbaric. It is like ignoring your own child committing a wrongdoing.”
Jennifer Ferris: “ Roto, that whole apple thing is total bs. Don't even think about it lol.”
Jennifer Ferris: “ Dani, I don't get the feeling that god wants to be challenged, but do get the feeling that god is probably pleased when we do so. My question remains unanswered :( To purposefully create or to not purposefully create, that is the question.... Dani I gather your vote is yes. I'm unconvinced. Look at all of the major spiritual teachings... do any of them teach having goals or ultimate outcomes? Not that I know of. They teach acceptance, observation and being present in the now, appreciation for the now, and if anything NOT planning for the future! Lol!. ”
Dani Sulu: “ Can I have your question in three sentnence. It might help me clear my own cobwebs.”
Roto Chobin: ” Jennifer, I am sorry if I hurt your sentiment. I didn't intend to. Y'know, curiosity.”
Jennifer Ferris: “ Oh, Roto, you didn't hurt me in the slightest sweetheart, don't be alarmed :) I had similar questions myself about 15 years ago.”
Dani Sulu: ” Jeniff, Yes All the spiritual teachings teach ... having goals or ultimate goals. Some for nirvana, some to head to heaven, some set their goal as ultimate liberation from life's difficulties. But all these have a major flaw. And that is … preaching resistance against what is natural to human.”
Dani Sulu: Above is for @Jeniff
Dani Sulu: “ From each spiritual teaching pick up what is practrical to me, and discard the rest. To be a prisoner of any set pattern of preaching will suffocate the very spirit which set out to search its own goal.”
Jennifer Ferris: “ I've seen your earlier post regarding teachings which are anti-sexuality, etc. and am totally with you. We have been created (assuming we were intentionally created) with physical bodies which respond to pleasure. Even if we were not intentionally created, that remains a fact :) Enjoy it responsibly, in my opinion.... do not use it to harm others or in ways that will harm others. Aside from that, rock on. My heart does not embrace any teaching which is future reward oriented. I believe those to be false teachings.”
Dani Sulu: “ What do you mean by future reward .... future within our own life time or beyond our life?”
Jennifer Ferris: “ Regarding your last comment "pick up what is practical" etc.... that's completely what I do. I have not yet found any spiritual teaching which said "plan for the future" that I was able to feel was true. But maybe having thoughtful goals has it's place. Not sure. “
Dani Sulu: ”Jeniff, to the point of being curt may I ask you what do you mean by future ... within or beyond ... present life?”
Dani Sulu: “ I will rather say I do not agree with them( your preachers) than saying what they say is false.
Jennifer Ferris: “ Future being either within our lifetime or afterward. I do not believe in doing anything with hopes of future reward. Makes it a false action. One should only do things with pure heart, unobstructed or influenced by what the final result may be. In my opinion.”
Dani Sulu: “ I think future is very important and we should not keep it out of our sight. I mean future within our life time. I have four kids and am expecting fifth. Now I want them to have good food so that they have good health now and in times to come, I love them in a healthy way so that they grow up to have a healthy emotion, I care for them not only because they are my children, but more so because they learn to care for others. Their future is inexplicable part of my present activity. The important thing is not to let the present subsume my future, nor worry for future subsume my present.”
Jennifer Ferris: “ You may take the route of saying you do not agree with a teaching... I am bold and if I feel something to be false I will state that. There are some things which simply are false. For example, the belief of most Christians that I will for...ever burn in fiery hell as a result of not embracing their savior... a topic which came up on my page recently. I could be sweet and nice and say "I don't agree" but the fact of the matter is that I think they're all f*ing crazy to believe in such a horrible thing. Which was what I said, on my public page.”
Dani Sulu: “ Instead of using the word purity of heart, Sulu might use purity of dedication.... or else it opens up to many inter pretation.”
Dani Sulu: “ I like it. I like when sparks fly in discussions and thoughts cross swords.”
Dani Sulu: “ My grammer and spelling keeps slipping off my hand. Please bear with it.”
Jennifer Ferris: “ I think your stance of balance is a good one, and one which will benefit me. Perhaps there is no black or white, no right or wrong, no this or that. Perhaps it is about balance.”
Roto Chobin: “ Future is bleak as i gather. Past was extremely wild and rough. Present is what we should all concentrate to as Present itself is a big "PRESENT". ”
Dani Sulu: “ Not in balance itself, for none can have perfect balance. The pursuit of it ... the joy is in journey .. in adjusting to new challenges ...”
Dani Sulu: “ Anu Chobin... What we live is not for the moment, for it shall pass away even as we blink... it is for the life after blink. Enjoying the present as building block without compromising with your fututre is the life. So Sulu thinks.”
Jennifer Ferris: “ Dani, hm.... that kind of lends itself to my live in the present moment fully beliefs. Being flexible, taking what comes and making the best of it. “
Roto Chobin: ” Sulu,I agree with you. We are here for some purpose. However, take the canal for example, we need to see that it is not clogged or else the water will not pass through and then stagnant, which implies that we have to make way for future.”
Dani Sulu: “ Setting new goals, may be as innocuous as organising next birthday of my kid, and then adapting to small challenges that come by as a result of my birth day plan is the healthy ingredients of a healthy spiritual life. Not in renunciation of the world and hiding away in some hermitage in mountain.”
Dani Sulu: “ But present should not limit our future. A healthy adjustment is needed.”
Roto Chobin: “ Adaptation is another name of human being. In everyday's life, we are asked to make an adjustment without looking at the current problem and solving it. In the long run, we face a greater predicament. Hence, in my opinion, Present do limit our future and has to.”
Jennifer Ferris: “ In my view, it's impossible for present to limit future. My question is more of whether or not to attempt to perceive future at all beyond whether or not what we personally are doing is helpful or harmful in general or specific.”
Dani Sulu: “ Present will limit our future, if we do not live with our eyes open and mental faculty functioning. In other words, If we live a conscious and conscientious present, it will be a bridge to our future life...”
Dani Sulu: “ Future needs to be percieved and kept in perspective way ... but not in a childish way of expecting miraculous results like ... opening of heaven's door suddenly just because you have closed your eye s and prayed for it.”
Jennifer Ferris: “ Makes sense, Dani. I'm off to bed :) “
Dani Sulu: “ Gud nite..”
Jennifer Ferris: “ Yeah, I don't hold any belief in prayer at all.”
Jennifer Ferris: “ Good night, and thanks for your thoughts, I appreciate them very much :)”
Roto Chobin: “ It was nice to be in all your midst. Great chatting with you all.”
Dani Sulu: “Yes. I enjoyed each and every point you all made.”
Jennifer Ferris: “ You too, Roto... hope you sleep well :)”
Dani Sulu: “ Its morning here, Jenny.”
Roto Chobin: ”jennifer, It's 11a.m. in Ziro, Arunachal, India.”
Dani Sulu: “ Pray, for prayers may not be answered by God, but it certainly helps in bringing out the best in us, as they say.”
Jennifer Ferris: “ I was kind of wondering if you had slept at all this evening lol! i apologize if I've kept you up :) Almost 1 am here :)”
Roto Chobin: “ bye everyone for now.”
Jennifer Ferris: “ To me, prayer equates to thought and hope (which is generally a selfish wish or desire). However: though and hope can be powerfully good things :)”
Dani Sulu: “ To be selfish is glorious and natural, to be self sacrificing is painfull. Each needs to help themselves and ask for help when we cant handle ourselves.To be selfish is as natural as being selfless. Unless you are not asking other's wife or husband in your prayer, and what you are asking is from your life and God alone, enjoy being selfish in your prayer.”
Jarjum Ete: “ Oh, I see a very intense interaction here this morning..........A sunday morning spent on worthy thoughts.........though I really don't see why we have to keep scratching our brains when we know in our hearts and minds what our souls deserve and need........ lolsssssssssssss..........Good day, Sulu and Chobin !!! Good night, Jennifer !!!!!”
Jennifer Ferris: “ Dani, agree entirely on selfishness as long as it doesn't mean purposely hurting others for the sake of hurting. Jarjum, I think it's kind of a personality thing. It's fun to bounce ideas off of others and often leads to gaining a new perspective that is often helpful. And who knows, maybe someone will read the conversation and get something out of it, themselves. Discussing can have many benefits :) I do like your impulse to simply go with the heart and leave it at that, though :)”
This was an impromptu chat trying to locate the heaven that is lying around us undiscovered. Some spellings and some grammar have been edited.
Most of us have heard about heaven within and around us … but where exactly it is located in us and around has been a difficult task to say the least…
The discussion on trying to locate heaven on earth, heaven in our own backyard and search for heaven within our own daily life between Jenifer Ferris, Roto Chobin, Jarjum Ete and myself was an off shoot of my wall post …
“ Time to change kahawat 'Jiski lathi uski bhains .. To .. 'Jiski dimag uski duniya.' God endowed everyone of us with some special mental faculty. Our aim should be to discover our speciality and build our own special universe based on it. So Sulu muses.”
On this, our discussion started with Jeniffer’s comment as given below :
Jennifer Ferris : “I agree absolutely.”
Jennifer Ferris: “ Do you have any thoughts on how to discover? “
Jennifer Ferris: “ To me, that is the ultimate "heaven" concept, as it is heaven on earth, while we are alive to enjoy it as I believe we are meant to.”
Dani Sulu: “This is what sulu tells himself. I am not others. I am what God wanted me to be. And then, I ask GOD what is it that he wants out of me for the moment, for the day and for the life.”
.Dani Sulu: “Yes, I agree with you. I can build my own heaven and hell here on earth ...itself. God gave us this life and wanted us to build as per our own liking and our own ability. So Sulu thinks.”
Jennifer Ferris: “ I agree. But how does one build one's heaven if one lives moment to moment, as I would also agree is correct? There is no future thought there. So there must not be any concept of one's own personal heaven, either? Continue talking abou...t this with me, you're one of my brilliant friends and this is something I particularly struggle with. I feel as though my spiritual beliefs conflict with day to day reality and struggles. Want to integrate them. Agree on heaven on earth as the right view. But how to seek when seeking is not the spiritually correct thing to do, as seeking implies not only future, but preconditioned thinking, as well? ”
Dani Sulu: “ Ok. Let us set certain premise before we go farther. What you and me are saying are our own personal views and for our own personal consumption. If we pick up threads from each other, then it is on our own volition. … AND I BELIEVE IF THERE IS... NO FRICTION THERE NEITHER IS ANY SHINE. I expect to have some opposite views. ”
Dani Sulu: “ Present cannot be dissociated from future, nor future fly off on its own.”
Dani Sulu: “ Every moment we live is a foundation brick, building my past life, present life and future life ... my holistic self.
Jennifer Ferris: “ Really? I present my views, and if people don't like them they can go to hell :) LOL! I feel no friction toward your views so far. If I ever do I will certainly let you know if it does not offend you to hear them (as it does some people).”
Dani Sulu: “ My present should be enjoyed and lived to its full, without compromising with my future. Nor thought of our future, subsume our present. So Sulu thinks.”
Jennifer Ferris : “ I'm like you, I welcome argument and differing viewpoints. Gives me the opportunity to expand my own point of view.
I would not say that present and future are dissociated in any way. I would say that we do not know what future may hold,... so any attempt to bring toward ourselves that which we feel we desire may be misguided.”
.Dani Sulu: “ No, I like friction and if there is no friction, I am almost sure there is some problem, some witholding. With something not forthcoming and hidden, there cant be any enlightened discussion. Friction, questioning attitude and inquisitivenes...s makes us move ahead spiritually, intellectually, scientifically, and materially. It is the way to harmony with self and the nature. So Sulu thinks.”
Dani Sulu : “Ok. Let me put it this way.”
Jennifer Ferris: “What if you happen to come across someone whose views are remarkably similar to your own? I guess we could argue for the fun of it :)”
Dani Sulu: “Yes. But my nature will make me verify nature of our harmonious discussion. The purpose of nature is to let us strive towards harmony. But human as we are, we just think we are in harmony, without being in harmony.”
Dani Sulu: “ Ok. We can come back to our topic. I keep jumping off it.”
Dani Sulu: “ One's day today life need not conflict with our spiritual belief. What I do now is what my life is. It presents me my present life, it affects my future life and it is a process of accepting my past. We may not realise it, but whatever we do is our spiritual pursuit in one way or the other. So Sulu thinks.”
Dani Sulu: “ It sounds too beaten a road .... but it is true that the moments we live are strings of beads that makes the necklace of our life. What type of beads we pick up is entirely our own choice. So Sulu thinks. ”
Jennifer Ferris: “ ….. "We may not realise it, but whatever we do is our spiritual pursuit in one way or the other" - this I wholeheartedly agree with. But my day to day reality is needing to support three children, mostly on my own. Feed, clothe and shelter. ... I do not feel that real estate is my spiritual calling, however it fills a need at this time. What is my calling? No idea. Ought I think about it, wonder about it, muse about it to myself? Or ought I live moment to moment, day to day, year to year in something which I spiritually know is not where I was intended to be and simply be happy with each moment and trust that that which I was intended for will come to me without thought, without seeking?”
Dani Sulu: “ I cant agree the less with you. To engage our self in trying to bring up our children in the best possible manner is our best spiritual pursuit for the moment. It is following God's instruction for us.
Each of us taking care of our selves and our family, each of us being responsible to our own physical and emotional needs without compromising with others life is the highest level of spiritual life.”
Dani Sulu: “I believe our spiritual liberation is not in any monastery, or church, or temple or in any form of worldly renounciation. ...Our spiritual liberation is is in taking the daily needs of our body, our emotion, our spiritual necessity, needs of our family and society head on. Su Sulu muses.”
Dani Sulu: “ We are made of this world. We are made for this world. Having lived this world as per God's design, our Good lord will take care of us in the next world.
It is for us mortals to question and live this world, and not be bothered about the wo...rld we do not know i.e next world.”
Jennifer Ferris: “ So you are saying that the existence I have at this moment is heaven? Because it sure doesn't feel like it. If I truly loved my work, I could agree. But this world I am in, although pretty much free of suffering, is not ideal or fulfilli...ng in ways that heaven would be. Heaven would include fulfilling work, if work were necessary or desired. Engaging myself in bringing up the children in the best possible manner is my number one priority. But it comes at the sacrifice of doing something I would truly love to do and that would be fulfilling to me.”
Jarjum Ete: “ hmmmm .... Hi, Jennifer !!! You both have something quite deep going on here......very interesting, indeed.”
Jarjum Ete: “Sulu, without diluting your discussions, let me start at the beginning....
What sort of special universe ? ............as part of a larger galaxy ?.........or a universe unto itself ?”
Dani Sulu: “ Jarjum mem... When I say building special universe of our own liking, I mean to say that each of us can build a world of our own .. without giving in to despair because of our seemingly disadvantageous position. .. e.g A child may not have sporty cars ... like merce … etc. But when he plays with pebbles and stones immitating it as race cars ... he is as happy and excited as any race driver in a grand prix.
...When we were growing up, we used to tie the plastics lying around with ropes and played football in the village streets .. it was as enjoyable and exciting as any super soccer league.”
Jennifer Ferris: “ Dani, I'm not in the least bit worried about the next world. Could not care less. Hello Jarjum :). Dani, I believe fully in heaven on earth. Why do I not yet have it, is what I want to know. Ought I seek it? Makes no sense. Ought I wait? Is there any other option? I am a little impatient by nature, so that may be part of my difficulty.”
Dani Sulu: “ Jeniff.... Heaven isnt someplace where we cant reach. It is within our reach. We just need to dig a little deeper. We may perhaps start listing what are the things we really want to do, and what are things that are limiting us. Sitting infront of mirror, looking into my own eyes and also into my own soul... asking myself what is it that I want to do ... will reveal me the truth of what I really care for..”
Jarjum Ete: “ ...........patience, someone said, is actually the indecisiveness of the fools, misunderstood as a virtue..... so, on that count, Jennifer, impatience is the propelling virtue.... !!!! lolssssssss....”
Jennifer Ferris : “ Jarjum I tend to agree. I feel that if God did not wish me to be impatient at the age of 40, I would not be! That is another of my struggles which coincides with my concern that perhaps I ought keep my mouth shut on occasion :) Both things I probably should totally accept and think nothing further about. I am a thinker though, and always desire to perfect things, and my own behaviour is not exempt :)”
Jarjum Ete: “ Let me try it another way.....with a focus on a value system (which determines the quality of life's building blocks), living each moment and each day, without losing sight of life's goal (of building a world of one's choice, which you both seem to call as the heaven of your choice ???) .... using the tools of sincerity, love, empathy, peace, curiosity.... you may have it.....”
Dani Sulu: " ….. … “Dani, I believe fully in heaven on earth. Why do I not yet have it, is what I want to know. Ought I seek it? Makes no sense. Ought I wait? Is there any other option? I am a little impatient by nature, so that may be part of my difficulty...." Let me comment on this …
No seeker shall find the heaven on earth. Peek into yourself you will find it. It is here and in this moment. Even the time we are inter- acting is a part of heavenly process on earth if we realize it. I will not change eternity of heavenly bliss for the moments of sweetness and sourness that my life provides me with. I like to ride the twists and turns, ups and downs of life, and my nirvana is when I am able to align my life as per the shape of the life. Family is not restricting. Those who have realised herself, have achieved what they wanted inspite of all the seemingly time dragging responsibilities.”
Jennifer Ferris: “ Oh, I agree, moment to moment life is the same heaven I refer to. Nothing everlasting, no promises, no rewards etc. Just moment to moment happiness and fulfillment. I do believe that meaningful work is a part of that heaven, but perhaps I am wrong.”
Jennifer Ferris: “ Perhaps I only need to shift focus. It does seem more ideal, though, and I am an ideal thinker, for meaningful work to be a part of the picture.”
Dani Sulu: “ Jarjum Mem, I like your take. Jeniffer... It is in nature to seek perfection, but it is not in nature that we all be perfect. Nor do we need to fight what is natural to us. If there are moments of impatient ... so be it. I am sure there ...are moments where we all show patience as well. So Sulu muses.
Dani Sulu: “ Living with our wrong and our right is our life. No great men or women were without these attributes. So Sulu muses.
Jennifer Ferris: “ Jarjum, I would say it's attainable, but that calls into question future thought and future desire, which personally I do not spiritually embrace. Thus my conflict between the now and the heaven I perceive.”
Roto Chobin: “ by "special universe", i infer an ideal society. Since everyone implore for ideal world while making others life hell, so I guess God gave us a bit too much - brains, of course.”
Dani Sulu: “ Having a safety net is always safer. But when we look for safety net in every endeavour, it comes with something dark lurking beyond our every vision. If we are looking at our future see it straight. If we sit back and think and doubt about our future plan .. and also doubt that our desire in future might change, we have already limited ourselves. Having set our goals, what comes in future needs to be met with in future not in the present.”
Jarjum Ete : “ .....the heaven you desire to attain is the ultimate....right ? if yes, that also means that your thoughts encompass the future ... right ? if yes, I don't see any conflict......”
Jennifer Ferris: “ I don't really see how you can live in each moment fully but have future desire and future thought at the same time. If thoughts are real (as I believe them to be), then wishing for something which you do not have is a projection in a direction which is quite possibly not your intended spiritual growth route. Seems unwise.”
Dani Sulu: “ Heaven is desired. May be in future. Does it have a meeting point.”
Jennifer Ferris: “ So, Dani, you feel that future goals are important? ”
Dani Sulu: Jenn
Jennifer Ferris: “Heaven could be (and I think should be) now.”
Dani Sulu: “ yes”
Dani Sulu: “ I am coming to it.....”
Dani Sulu: “ Future goal is very important ....”
Jennifer Ferris: “ Jarjum, my thoughts don't encompass the future. I am not a planner, never have been. I see my reality, today, and see how it could be better. My struggle is a spiritual one, because I do feel that "better" will come to me, when the time is ripe. I want to make it happen. I am impatient. One could call it a lack of faith. But when there are children to feed it becomes more urgent.”
Roto Chobin: “ The existence of Heaven or Hell is not proven. As a common man, I am experiencing the best of the both world right here in Earth. I couldn't ask for more.
Dani Sulu: Our life is not tied to the moment. Our moment is lived as a stepping stone to our future hopes. The joy of the moment is joy of doing the job in the hand well, having placed another brick firm and perfect in its place even as we build on our future hope.”
Jarjum Ete: “ Well, very frankly, am not at all religious nor anywhere near spirituality..... so, guess, this subject is beyond my grasp......lolss..... but, in a very common sensical way, I see no conflict in living the heaven on earth each day (if one ...is adhered to some tenets and values....like....love, humanity, peace )... and let it grow on life..........block by block, every day, every moment..... at the end of the day... you have the heaven of your choice...here and now.... no waiting.... no planning.......no manipulations...... just living it..... and I find a single minded pursuit of spiritualism per se is also not really necessary if one has imbibed the basic values of love and peace... and integrated the same into one's day to day life and actions..
Dani Sulu: “ @Jeniff "I am not a planner, never have been. I see my reality, today, and see how it could be better. My struggle is a spiritual one, because I do feel that "better" will come to me, when the time is ripe. I want to make it happen. I am... impatient. One could call it a lack of faith. But when there are children to feed it becomes more urgent."
I love the way you place life as practical as it is lived. But the heaven, to me will not come like a present on Christmas day on platter. Nor will any nirvana come in a flash of a light where we will continue to stay. It doesnt appear wise to be looking for a plateau where our journey will end or a meadow where everything is happiness and blissfull only. ”
.Jarjum Ete: “ And, Sulu, to go back to your initial post........ jiski dimaag uski duniyaa will perhaps have two connotations.... one, you create a make-believe world of your own....live in a mental cocoon.... two, use your intellect to such an extent that you run the world in your own way........ what did you have in mind ??? lolsss....”
Jennifer Ferris: “ I embrace love, humanity and peace. But still, there are three children to support whom cannot live on those words :) I must work. My question, my struggle, is work related, not life related. I want work, also, to fit in with my already... realized heaven of having 3 beautiful healthy children who are happy and do not suffer. Going back to Dani's original thought of building our own special universe, my question remains the same. I certainly can take advantage of opportunities which present themselves, and would. But searching, seeking, goes against that which I feel to be true and right. All we need is here, now. In my opinion. Maybe Dani is right though, maybe goals are key. I appreciate the new perspective.”
Dani Sulu: “ I meant, using one's intellect and brain, one can carve out a universe of his own from the present life, from wherever he is and from which ever position he is.
A right thinking man knows that a deprived men or society by greater might or mind of the present will rise again and take to vengeance much more than the crime perperated on them. So, he will use his mind to contribute and derive the riches of life.
Thinking men also knows that no man can live in isolation. So he will be open to the world and its idiosyncries, and take it along his stride.”
Jennifer Ferris: “ I'm not looking for a plateau or an end to a journey. I'm looking to integrate my worklife into my spiritual life. Has not happened as of yet. My dilemma is wether or not to seek that happening or simply stay in each moment and see what comes about. That is all.”
Roto Chobin: “ …By the way, why did God plant "the tree of knowledge" in the middle of garden, knowing (since he is omnipotent/ omnipresent) that we humans are going to eat it, which will make us brainier.”
Dani Sulu: “ Jeniff ..... That is a difficult question. Although I believe in aligning myself to the contours of life even while having a greater goal of life.”
Jennifer Ferris: “ Jarjum, I don't feel there is anything at all wrong with creating (or manipulating) one's own environment for happiness (heaven). In fact I think that's extremely wise.”
Dani Sulu: “ Deriving spiritual enlightening is somewhat like running a kite .. One needs to run the kite against the wind, but very often let the kite fly along the wind. It is accomodating draughts of wind that makes kite fly higher. One cant pull kites higher just by sheer force alone. So Sulu muses.”
Dani Sulu: “ Yes it is wise. You need to create your own world without compromising with others life. This is the wisdom.”
Dani Sulu: “ It was God's explicit desire that we have our brains and use it. I have a feeling he wanted us to test him.”
Roto Chobin: “ Knowing that it'll make us a barbaric. It is like ignoring your own child committing a wrongdoing.”
Jennifer Ferris: “ Roto, that whole apple thing is total bs. Don't even think about it lol.”
Jennifer Ferris: “ Dani, I don't get the feeling that god wants to be challenged, but do get the feeling that god is probably pleased when we do so. My question remains unanswered :( To purposefully create or to not purposefully create, that is the question.... Dani I gather your vote is yes. I'm unconvinced. Look at all of the major spiritual teachings... do any of them teach having goals or ultimate outcomes? Not that I know of. They teach acceptance, observation and being present in the now, appreciation for the now, and if anything NOT planning for the future! Lol!. ”
Dani Sulu: “ Can I have your question in three sentnence. It might help me clear my own cobwebs.”
Roto Chobin: ” Jennifer, I am sorry if I hurt your sentiment. I didn't intend to. Y'know, curiosity.”
Jennifer Ferris: “ Oh, Roto, you didn't hurt me in the slightest sweetheart, don't be alarmed :) I had similar questions myself about 15 years ago.”
Dani Sulu: ” Jeniff, Yes All the spiritual teachings teach ... having goals or ultimate goals. Some for nirvana, some to head to heaven, some set their goal as ultimate liberation from life's difficulties. But all these have a major flaw. And that is … preaching resistance against what is natural to human.”
Dani Sulu: Above is for @Jeniff
Dani Sulu: “ From each spiritual teaching pick up what is practrical to me, and discard the rest. To be a prisoner of any set pattern of preaching will suffocate the very spirit which set out to search its own goal.”
Jennifer Ferris: “ I've seen your earlier post regarding teachings which are anti-sexuality, etc. and am totally with you. We have been created (assuming we were intentionally created) with physical bodies which respond to pleasure. Even if we were not intentionally created, that remains a fact :) Enjoy it responsibly, in my opinion.... do not use it to harm others or in ways that will harm others. Aside from that, rock on. My heart does not embrace any teaching which is future reward oriented. I believe those to be false teachings.”
Dani Sulu: “ What do you mean by future reward .... future within our own life time or beyond our life?”
Jennifer Ferris: “ Regarding your last comment "pick up what is practical" etc.... that's completely what I do. I have not yet found any spiritual teaching which said "plan for the future" that I was able to feel was true. But maybe having thoughtful goals has it's place. Not sure. “
Dani Sulu: ”Jeniff, to the point of being curt may I ask you what do you mean by future ... within or beyond ... present life?”
Dani Sulu: “ I will rather say I do not agree with them( your preachers) than saying what they say is false.
Jennifer Ferris: “ Future being either within our lifetime or afterward. I do not believe in doing anything with hopes of future reward. Makes it a false action. One should only do things with pure heart, unobstructed or influenced by what the final result may be. In my opinion.”
Dani Sulu: “ I think future is very important and we should not keep it out of our sight. I mean future within our life time. I have four kids and am expecting fifth. Now I want them to have good food so that they have good health now and in times to come, I love them in a healthy way so that they grow up to have a healthy emotion, I care for them not only because they are my children, but more so because they learn to care for others. Their future is inexplicable part of my present activity. The important thing is not to let the present subsume my future, nor worry for future subsume my present.”
Jennifer Ferris: “ You may take the route of saying you do not agree with a teaching... I am bold and if I feel something to be false I will state that. There are some things which simply are false. For example, the belief of most Christians that I will for...ever burn in fiery hell as a result of not embracing their savior... a topic which came up on my page recently. I could be sweet and nice and say "I don't agree" but the fact of the matter is that I think they're all f*ing crazy to believe in such a horrible thing. Which was what I said, on my public page.”
Dani Sulu: “ Instead of using the word purity of heart, Sulu might use purity of dedication.... or else it opens up to many inter pretation.”
Dani Sulu: “ I like it. I like when sparks fly in discussions and thoughts cross swords.”
Dani Sulu: “ My grammer and spelling keeps slipping off my hand. Please bear with it.”
Jennifer Ferris: “ I think your stance of balance is a good one, and one which will benefit me. Perhaps there is no black or white, no right or wrong, no this or that. Perhaps it is about balance.”
Roto Chobin: “ Future is bleak as i gather. Past was extremely wild and rough. Present is what we should all concentrate to as Present itself is a big "PRESENT". ”
Dani Sulu: “ Not in balance itself, for none can have perfect balance. The pursuit of it ... the joy is in journey .. in adjusting to new challenges ...”
Dani Sulu: “ Anu Chobin... What we live is not for the moment, for it shall pass away even as we blink... it is for the life after blink. Enjoying the present as building block without compromising with your fututre is the life. So Sulu thinks.”
Jennifer Ferris: “ Dani, hm.... that kind of lends itself to my live in the present moment fully beliefs. Being flexible, taking what comes and making the best of it. “
Roto Chobin: ” Sulu,I agree with you. We are here for some purpose. However, take the canal for example, we need to see that it is not clogged or else the water will not pass through and then stagnant, which implies that we have to make way for future.”
Dani Sulu: “ Setting new goals, may be as innocuous as organising next birthday of my kid, and then adapting to small challenges that come by as a result of my birth day plan is the healthy ingredients of a healthy spiritual life. Not in renunciation of the world and hiding away in some hermitage in mountain.”
Dani Sulu: “ But present should not limit our future. A healthy adjustment is needed.”
Roto Chobin: “ Adaptation is another name of human being. In everyday's life, we are asked to make an adjustment without looking at the current problem and solving it. In the long run, we face a greater predicament. Hence, in my opinion, Present do limit our future and has to.”
Jennifer Ferris: “ In my view, it's impossible for present to limit future. My question is more of whether or not to attempt to perceive future at all beyond whether or not what we personally are doing is helpful or harmful in general or specific.”
Dani Sulu: “ Present will limit our future, if we do not live with our eyes open and mental faculty functioning. In other words, If we live a conscious and conscientious present, it will be a bridge to our future life...”
Dani Sulu: “ Future needs to be percieved and kept in perspective way ... but not in a childish way of expecting miraculous results like ... opening of heaven's door suddenly just because you have closed your eye s and prayed for it.”
Jennifer Ferris: “ Makes sense, Dani. I'm off to bed :) “
Dani Sulu: “ Gud nite..”
Jennifer Ferris: “ Yeah, I don't hold any belief in prayer at all.”
Jennifer Ferris: “ Good night, and thanks for your thoughts, I appreciate them very much :)”
Roto Chobin: “ It was nice to be in all your midst. Great chatting with you all.”
Dani Sulu: “Yes. I enjoyed each and every point you all made.”
Jennifer Ferris: “ You too, Roto... hope you sleep well :)”
Dani Sulu: “ Its morning here, Jenny.”
Roto Chobin: ”jennifer, It's 11a.m. in Ziro, Arunachal, India.”
Dani Sulu: “ Pray, for prayers may not be answered by God, but it certainly helps in bringing out the best in us, as they say.”
Jennifer Ferris: “ I was kind of wondering if you had slept at all this evening lol! i apologize if I've kept you up :) Almost 1 am here :)”
Roto Chobin: “ bye everyone for now.”
Jennifer Ferris: “ To me, prayer equates to thought and hope (which is generally a selfish wish or desire). However: though and hope can be powerfully good things :)”
Dani Sulu: “ To be selfish is glorious and natural, to be self sacrificing is painfull. Each needs to help themselves and ask for help when we cant handle ourselves.To be selfish is as natural as being selfless. Unless you are not asking other's wife or husband in your prayer, and what you are asking is from your life and God alone, enjoy being selfish in your prayer.”
Jarjum Ete: “ Oh, I see a very intense interaction here this morning..........A sunday morning spent on worthy thoughts.........though I really don't see why we have to keep scratching our brains when we know in our hearts and minds what our souls deserve and need........ lolsssssssssssss..........Good day, Sulu and Chobin !!! Good night, Jennifer !!!!!”
Jennifer Ferris: “ Dani, agree entirely on selfishness as long as it doesn't mean purposely hurting others for the sake of hurting. Jarjum, I think it's kind of a personality thing. It's fun to bounce ideas off of others and often leads to gaining a new perspective that is often helpful. And who knows, maybe someone will read the conversation and get something out of it, themselves. Discussing can have many benefits :) I do like your impulse to simply go with the heart and leave it at that, though :)”
This was an impromptu chat trying to locate the heaven that is lying around us undiscovered. Some spellings and some grammar have been edited.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Leading a happy and natural life ......
" Food shall not be eaten for sake of its taste, Sex shall not be indulged in for sake of pleasure and Money shall not be earned for sake of power it gives. This is the way to lead happy and natural life." Sulu recieves this sms from his friend, reads it and thinks otherwise.
Sulu thinks way to natural and happy life is by relishing the taste thatfood gives,enjoying the pleasure that sex gives , and enjoying the power that money gives.
Sulu justifies his thought by thinking :-
"Lord in all his sagacity thought that, Men, lazy as they are, will not survive and starve to extinction without the intense desire to satisy its taste buds. Nature provided us concept of taste, and this lure of taste ensured our survival. This was his way of tending to survival of his favourite child. And then, what is more relishing than the after feeling of a sumptuos food.
" Lord in his wisdom thought that, Men, selfish as they are, will not take to procreation but for the intense sexual desire that will drag him to act of procreation. It was nature's intention that we enjoy our sexuality. It was His Way of prolonging his act of creation. After all, what gives better sense of pleasure than the after glow of a fufilling sex!!
Lord, in all his discerning way thought, that, without the desire to succeed and pride in sense of accomplishment, men will remain stagnent in its life like any other animal. It was desire for better material comforts in life that drove the men to present level of civilisation. Bestowing sense of desire to acquire more wealth was nature's way of ensuring our continuous progress. After all, what gives us more sense of accomplishment than being able to dispense our wealth and power to the people whom we feel are in in such need."
Further Sulu thinks:-
" Nature wasnt interested in creating machine men, a robot devoid of tantalising aspect of human frailty. He believed in creating a spiced up life by blessing us with such attributes as sex, emotion and ambition. Desire for sexual fulfilment, desire to satisfy one's taste bud, and men's aspiration to live better are the ignition point for spurts in human progress.
Living a natural and fulfilling life is living according to nature's provision. Living by what men thinks nature wants us to live is open to debate because what he thinks is what he thinks according to the contours of his thought not along the curves and lines that nature provided us with. The only restricting factor in exercising our natural attributes is resisting excess and remaining moderate."
Sulu tells himself, " Dont resist what nature desires of you. Resist only the excesses which are not natural. Enjoy life as nature provided us with, and not as per men thinks how nature wants us to live. Billion men will have billion thoughts, and we cant live according to everyones thoughts."
Sulu wonders whether to send his friend his thought or not .. to send or not ..... to send or not and sleeps off.
Sulu thinks way to natural and happy life is by relishing the taste thatfood gives,enjoying the pleasure that sex gives , and enjoying the power that money gives.
Sulu justifies his thought by thinking :-
"Lord in all his sagacity thought that, Men, lazy as they are, will not survive and starve to extinction without the intense desire to satisy its taste buds. Nature provided us concept of taste, and this lure of taste ensured our survival. This was his way of tending to survival of his favourite child. And then, what is more relishing than the after feeling of a sumptuos food.
" Lord in his wisdom thought that, Men, selfish as they are, will not take to procreation but for the intense sexual desire that will drag him to act of procreation. It was nature's intention that we enjoy our sexuality. It was His Way of prolonging his act of creation. After all, what gives better sense of pleasure than the after glow of a fufilling sex!!
Lord, in all his discerning way thought, that, without the desire to succeed and pride in sense of accomplishment, men will remain stagnent in its life like any other animal. It was desire for better material comforts in life that drove the men to present level of civilisation. Bestowing sense of desire to acquire more wealth was nature's way of ensuring our continuous progress. After all, what gives us more sense of accomplishment than being able to dispense our wealth and power to the people whom we feel are in in such need."
Further Sulu thinks:-
" Nature wasnt interested in creating machine men, a robot devoid of tantalising aspect of human frailty. He believed in creating a spiced up life by blessing us with such attributes as sex, emotion and ambition. Desire for sexual fulfilment, desire to satisfy one's taste bud, and men's aspiration to live better are the ignition point for spurts in human progress.
Living a natural and fulfilling life is living according to nature's provision. Living by what men thinks nature wants us to live is open to debate because what he thinks is what he thinks according to the contours of his thought not along the curves and lines that nature provided us with. The only restricting factor in exercising our natural attributes is resisting excess and remaining moderate."
Sulu tells himself, " Dont resist what nature desires of you. Resist only the excesses which are not natural. Enjoy life as nature provided us with, and not as per men thinks how nature wants us to live. Billion men will have billion thoughts, and we cant live according to everyones thoughts."
Sulu wonders whether to send his friend his thought or not .. to send or not ..... to send or not and sleeps off.
Why Sulu thinks Mahatma Gandhi is Mahatma ...... The Great Soul..
Sulu reads works of and on Mahatma Gandhi and thinks, "Mahatma is great not because he gave us freedom, freedom in any case, would have come. Not because he preached and followed non violence, for his non violence caused lots of suffering to himself and others and any form of suffering is no non-violence. Not because he had a right vision for india, for if his vision of India was followed in ditto, India would have remained vastly agrarian and rural. Not because he gave us one india, for the birth of Pakistan was based on fear of many of his thoughts and practices. Not because he was a responsible and caring individual, for he was neither an ideal parent nor an ideal husband. Not because he took to Brahamacharya, because preaching against sex is preaching against what is natural to man. Not because he lived in poverty, for, as Smt. Sarojini Naidu said it neede lots of money to keep Gandhi in poverty/maintain his utopian lifestyle.
Sulu thinks Mahatma is great because he is symbol of triumph of human spirit over all odds. The symbol of ultimate victory of self belief and self respect. He was a living example to demonstrate that satisfaction and comfort of life need not necessarily come from rich life, but from where one puts his soul in. Mahatma's greatness is in his imperfection, acceptence of it and living with it without compromising with greater goals of life.
Mahatma Gandhi was great, because, with sincerity and dedication to his belief, he was beacon of hope to millions of Indians, those teeming million souls, who for centuries trembled at the sign of authority. His greatness came from the fact that he lit lamps of HOPE in millions of heart that was in dark. After all, whether hope transforms to reality or not, WE THRIVE AND LIVE ON HOPE .
Sulu, with his own idea, pays his homage to Mahatma Gandhi, the Great Soul.
Sulu thinks Mahatma is great because he is symbol of triumph of human spirit over all odds. The symbol of ultimate victory of self belief and self respect. He was a living example to demonstrate that satisfaction and comfort of life need not necessarily come from rich life, but from where one puts his soul in. Mahatma's greatness is in his imperfection, acceptence of it and living with it without compromising with greater goals of life.
Mahatma Gandhi was great, because, with sincerity and dedication to his belief, he was beacon of hope to millions of Indians, those teeming million souls, who for centuries trembled at the sign of authority. His greatness came from the fact that he lit lamps of HOPE in millions of heart that was in dark. After all, whether hope transforms to reality or not, WE THRIVE AND LIVE ON HOPE .
Sulu, with his own idea, pays his homage to Mahatma Gandhi, the Great Soul.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Of Messiahs, Preachers and their followers....
Duel in my mind about moral preachers ...
Sitting whole day with my plastered leg, having nothing else to do in physical terms, I start stoking my mental faculty. As it would happen, my mind went into bipolar mode and two shades of my mental faculty started mental duel. One took the high seat of protagonist and other, the belligrant seat of antagonist.
The antagonist self as usual started thinking loud, " Preachers of morality sow more seeds of hypocrisy which is root of all strife, than moral values in the society. These preachers groom societies who start judging themselves by the moral ideals preached to them, and judge others by their actions. That is actions and behaviours which are natural to human being and which, these same moralistic people practice day in and out. But no, they dont judge themselves on their action, but through the colours of moral values which have been taught to them, and which to consternation of everyone, they believe they are leaving"
My protagonist self starts gently as usual and thinks back, "Preachers are the heart and soul of society. They are the spiritual guardians of the people and they preach such good and virtuous things like not to speak untruth, be always polite, not steal, not to harm and kill anybody. The society survives on such ideals."
Antagonist self, "The soeity survives and dont thrive exactly for the reason that the preachers teach agaist things which are natural.
The concept ofacts sin and piety, right and wrong are preached at an ideal level and not on practical level. Moments of lying, desire to steal, hurt, cheat, be weak are as true and as widely practiced and appreciated, as the moments of piety, truth, gentleness which are condemned at times. They dont preach them the truth about the existence of so called vitues in the shape of vices they preach. They increase the degree of divergence between how people live and what they think the way they are living."
Protagonist self, " Preaching of such ideals set a goal towards which the society can aspire to move towards.This sets the tone of society's moral life."
Antagonist self, " Such ideals provide a feel good factor on the surface and hypocrisy in the system and in the day to day behaviour of people. Society has been harmed more by the hypocrisy of followers of the unbending ideals set by the messiahs than good. It is people who accept themselves, accepth others as they are, find a midway where everyone can compromise some aspect of each other, and decide to move ahead."
Protagonist self draws deeper into himself and thinks gently, " May be we each have to think again on the matter."
And then, there is bugle of ceasfire.
I thought sitting alone in soliotude will bring mental peace, but I find it is not the physical solitude, but mental soiltude that gives peace. But is it so......?
So, Sulu thinks to himself.
Sitting whole day with my plastered leg, having nothing else to do in physical terms, I start stoking my mental faculty. As it would happen, my mind went into bipolar mode and two shades of my mental faculty started mental duel. One took the high seat of protagonist and other, the belligrant seat of antagonist.
The antagonist self as usual started thinking loud, " Preachers of morality sow more seeds of hypocrisy which is root of all strife, than moral values in the society. These preachers groom societies who start judging themselves by the moral ideals preached to them, and judge others by their actions. That is actions and behaviours which are natural to human being and which, these same moralistic people practice day in and out. But no, they dont judge themselves on their action, but through the colours of moral values which have been taught to them, and which to consternation of everyone, they believe they are leaving"
My protagonist self starts gently as usual and thinks back, "Preachers are the heart and soul of society. They are the spiritual guardians of the people and they preach such good and virtuous things like not to speak untruth, be always polite, not steal, not to harm and kill anybody. The society survives on such ideals."
Antagonist self, "The soeity survives and dont thrive exactly for the reason that the preachers teach agaist things which are natural.
The concept ofacts sin and piety, right and wrong are preached at an ideal level and not on practical level. Moments of lying, desire to steal, hurt, cheat, be weak are as true and as widely practiced and appreciated, as the moments of piety, truth, gentleness which are condemned at times. They dont preach them the truth about the existence of so called vitues in the shape of vices they preach. They increase the degree of divergence between how people live and what they think the way they are living."
Protagonist self, " Preaching of such ideals set a goal towards which the society can aspire to move towards.This sets the tone of society's moral life."
Antagonist self, " Such ideals provide a feel good factor on the surface and hypocrisy in the system and in the day to day behaviour of people. Society has been harmed more by the hypocrisy of followers of the unbending ideals set by the messiahs than good. It is people who accept themselves, accepth others as they are, find a midway where everyone can compromise some aspect of each other, and decide to move ahead."
Protagonist self draws deeper into himself and thinks gently, " May be we each have to think again on the matter."
And then, there is bugle of ceasfire.
I thought sitting alone in soliotude will bring mental peace, but I find it is not the physical solitude, but mental soiltude that gives peace. But is it so......?
So, Sulu thinks to himself.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Mother's Day
I didnt know today was mother's day till it was announced from the pulpit of my Church today. There was special prayer for our mother dears. They were also presented with small presents. One elderly Church elder rendered a song in his well modulated quivering voice on My Mother's Prayer. It was wonderful and very touching to listen him sing in his effortless and rich voice. After the service, I went to him to collect a copy of lyric of the song. I am reproducing his song below.
My Mother's Prayer
I never can forget the day,
I heard my mother kindly say;
"You are leaving my tender care;
Remember child,your mother's prayer."
Ch:- When-e'er I think of her so dear,
I feel as if she still were here;
A voice comes floating on the air,
Reminding of mother's prayer.
I never can forget the voice;
That always made my heart rejoice;
Tho' I have wander'd God knows where,
Still I remember mother's prayer.
Tho'years have gone, I cant forget,
Those words of love, I hear them yet;
I see her by the old arm-chair,
My mother dear, in humble prayer.
I never can forget the hour,
I felt the saviour's cleansing power;
My sin and guilt were cancell'd there;
T was there He answere'd mother's prayer.
Ch:- O praise the Lord for saving grace!
We'will meet up yonder, face to face,
The home above together share,
In answer to my mother's prayer.
*********************************************
Listening him sing live was better than Lyric itself. Anyway, I decided to share with you all this song on Mother's Day.
My Mother's Prayer
I never can forget the day,
I heard my mother kindly say;
"You are leaving my tender care;
Remember child,your mother's prayer."
Ch:- When-e'er I think of her so dear,
I feel as if she still were here;
A voice comes floating on the air,
Reminding of mother's prayer.
I never can forget the voice;
That always made my heart rejoice;
Tho' I have wander'd God knows where,
Still I remember mother's prayer.
Tho'years have gone, I cant forget,
Those words of love, I hear them yet;
I see her by the old arm-chair,
My mother dear, in humble prayer.
I never can forget the hour,
I felt the saviour's cleansing power;
My sin and guilt were cancell'd there;
T was there He answere'd mother's prayer.
Ch:- O praise the Lord for saving grace!
We'will meet up yonder, face to face,
The home above together share,
In answer to my mother's prayer.
*********************************************
Listening him sing live was better than Lyric itself. Anyway, I decided to share with you all this song on Mother's Day.
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