Path to detachment

Little did I know that both my brother and I were being led to the path of detachment (vairagya) right from childhood. I am sure all of us are led to this path but that awareness is not nurtured in our childhood days.

All of us are conditioned to behave in a particular manner by our parents, teachers and relatives. My parents always made use of things at home in a very cost effective way. Everything from a small piece of paper to electrical equipment was all made use of to its maximum. My dad would always give us one sided empty sheet of paper for writing, drawing etc., we would light up fire wood to heat up the water for our bath in the mornings. We had 3 coconut trees and all the by products coming from them was used as fire wood. He never once bought fire wood from the shop. Both my parents always insisted we utilize our resources to the fullest. My dad would fix up things at home very well; he would do small time plumbing, carpentry, electrical job and he would even mix up some cement and build up something with some bricks. He could fix up almost everything in the house. He learnt all this by himself, nobody thought him. He always would love to just explore his capabilities. I guess they were happy with little or no resources at times and they taught us that way. At that time I would always think why are they doing what they are doing? Why not use and spend some more on our requirements?

I remember one day both my brother and I without realizing why we were doing what we were doing, walked down to school and saved 30 paisa for the bus… and were very proud of it. And we would do it quite often. When I reached high school, I would enjoy walking to school than catch a bus.

So what I am saying is that all of us have done this at some time or the other in our growing years. But now somehow I had seemed to have lost it all to the current comforts and technology available. More than ever, now I am slowly realizing that these were my building blocks for the person I am today or the person I am tomorrow.

The more you take up what you always hesitated, the more you do things what you didn’t want to do due to others influences, the more you will know yourself and the more you will love yourself. You will love to go into the unknown. Just take up opportunities that knock on by. Take up the challenges, if it works fine move ahead. But for some reason it didn’t work fine move ahead. Always remember to learn from it before you move ahead. Besides who knows, by taking up what comes your way, could be the very thing you have always wanted to do or could be the very thing you were looking for.

Basically, what I am trying to say is that it is time for all of us to seek out and step into the unknown. That’s when life becomes interesting and exciting. Just live by the moment and live in non-doing. And by and by you start getting detached from everything around you, everyone around you and slowly you will one day be detached from your body too…

Call it God or call it Universe

For ages man has created this beautiful word called GOD. From my childhood I have been curious about this word called GOD. What is it? Do those idols, we see in temples, churches etc. come alive some place else? Is it a person like anyone of us?

It reminds me of this song, “What if god was one of us? Just a stranger on the bus. Trying to make his way home…” so it goes on. I am sure just like the person who wrote this song all of you out there are also in search of GOD. Thinking all sorts of possibilities possible

Have you ever thought why man created this word called GOD? Yes, why? Because at some point Adam and Eve wanted more things in life. We all want more things in life. We want money, cars, jewellery, house, new gadgets, job, love, family, friends, peace, etc. etc. So, how to get them all?

I bet back in time during the stone age, if man wanted something all he would do was spread out his hands and look up to the sky and ask. I came across a book by name “Mutant message down under”; it is about the natives in Australia called the “Aborigines”. They are a nomadic tribe and they do not carry their food or bedding or even pots or pans and not even water. They believe that whenever they are hungry or thirsty the universe provides them with it. And they believe that the universe has already decided the food for them. Miraculously in this book wherever they halt, some or the other animals appear as their food. And the tribe believes that the animals and plants themselves choose to be sacrificed and provide as food for them. They are thirsty and the universe shows them the way they can get their water.

As man progressed from the Stone Age, he felt the need to be a little more creative and said to himself, “I will make an idol and ask the same what I have been asking the universe. And in that case this idol is my universe”. And then he got a little more creative and started giving it different shapes and sizes and started to even attach stories to it based on his experiences. Then at large he started to call it GOD. Then he started to feel this powerful idol cannot be placed anywhere and cannot let anyone stamp it or disrespect it. Because it is giving him what he wanted. So then the creation of temples, churches, mosques, gurudwaras, synagogues etc.

I guess what I am saying is call it GOD or call it UNIVERSE; it is all one and the same. You will get all that you want. No, of course not. You don’t have to believe in what I am saying. You can still call it God and ask whatever you want. Either way it works. But wait a minute, whatever you ask or whoever you ask, once you have received it, be in the gratitude for it. Thank the universe at large for what you have received. That is what we do with GODS right.