Lockdown diaries...1

Lockdown diaries

Have been put in my place!
Never thought Existence would show me my place this way
As roads and parks empty
The human footfalls fall silent
In walk in deer to graze in peace
Fish swim freely where once the whir of boats forced them away

A tiny virus invisible slapped us in a way
We are yet to figure out how and why
Drove us all in
Showed a mirror how much
We took for granted
How much we cribbed and ranted
Of things that seem stupid now
When the virus struck all we wanted to was food
While we scampered back to our homes
Forgotten were the grumblings
The “deadlines” turned to real deathlines
Wondering will i escape this death line?


Corona showed me to fold my hands in prayer
To seek help from anywhere .
Hope Existence is kind enough to spare us
Prayer on my lips hope in my heart
Good wishes for all
Good health

No Man is so rich
That he can afford Everything

Nor is there a man who can afford Nothing

Between Everything and Nothing
Lies Life

Where each of us have Something

To  GIVE

To Make our Existence COMPLETE

Renounce

‘Renounce for then shall you be liberated’

Renounce anger,

Renounce fear,

For that is the seed of anger

Fear is born from lack of trust

True fearlessness comes not from sheer bravado

empowered by ego

But simple child-like trust in Existence

Like a baby monkey that clings to its mother’s belly

As she leaps from tree to tree

True sanyas is to accept with Love and gratitude

All as the One

To share this world with all

For they are yours, to own yet share with all

This world is then a place to love and care

For there is just One

When anger comes flaming hot and red
Know that this too will pass

When fear comes turning feet cold with dread
Know that this too will pass

When joy shines brilliant as the sun

Know that this too shall pass

When dark sorrow glooms

As though no flower shall ever bloom

Know that this too will pass

Impermanent colors of emotions

washed down by the waters of time

Sprayed on a permanent canvas of Consciousness

Consciousness that remains untouched by all

A witness colored by none.

Shut down

When the “enter” key got stuck

A number of windows opened

One after another

Like a mind gone berserk

With a million thoughts all at once

In a million directions

To move on

The only way was to shut down

For a while

Both the comp and the mind

To connect back to the source

In silent mediation

Even if it be for  just a while.

Jai Ganesh

One so tall

One so huge

Breathtakingly awesome

With gentle wonderful eyes

That speak so beautifully

Of Love and compassion unlimited

A silence that is eternal

Magnificence of divinity in each

See Ganesha is the idol and in all that those

Around

That cheer loud and dance in joy

Omnipresence indeed!!

They clap and dance when he comes

And sing and dance when he leaves

Symbolize life and celebration

Celebration in birth and dissolution

There is brilliance in a worm

Beauty and grace

In that which in mundane terms

Is a pest

To a mind that seeks ‘a cause’

And use in everything---

Pet to some

Pest to some

Life sustains life

Yearn to sing to you so much

The Love that fills me so much

Have not words that can express enough

Love you is all I can say through tears

To meet you  I have to drop

To meet to merge

Would be to shed

Every clothing of this soul

Of the mind

Of the intellect

Of everything

To turn nothing

Nothing just the

Presence that’s One

Your absence invoked your presence so

Understand now why Radha to let you go

For in your physical absence

Did she merge

In your Omnipresence

As You in spirit

One with you forever

She was truly blessed

Yearn for this union

Always

To merge in that which is

Devotee:  You my Lord

Are my Only God

Never think of anyone thus

Love you thus as my God

God:  “Your God meaning?”

Devotee:  The One I turn to when in need

You, a shoulder I cry upon when the world

Proves too much

Look up to you for everything

God: You turn to me in need

 Yes Indeed!!

When not in need?

Forgotten?

Devotee: No dear Lord I remember you every week

Of course make offerings

For your blessings

God: Yes of course

One rupee in return for a lakh

And a million curses should I not oblige?

I am the Creator what would I want more?

Creation Born of Fulfillment

Eternity

Seeks none

Favours none

You love me

As one who fulfils your every need

Cry out in sorrow

I am just a support a source of solace?

I am such

But  am much,  much more should you see me as you

In happiness and sorrow

In times of agony and ecstasy

The unchanging One that remains

Unite with me

As is me

and that unruffled state is yours

In joy and sorrow

In success and failure

All opposites are twins born

They are always together

Look beyond both polarites

The Ulimate One

That is me and that is in fact… You

I stepped in through the doors

of the place once home

Memories came flooding by

Of children their laughter

And clatter

Memories of seasons gone by

Of fun and frolic

Laughter and sorrow

Then for just a moment

Just let the memories go by

Experienced the stillness left

Behind

Like a sky when the clouds pass

A stillness present

Then and now

Eternally

A space untouched by none

Without a name

Eternity

Looked down upon my dress stained

While at work

Wondered why I did not wear an apron

For it would have kept the stains off

Then as I wore the apron there came a little whisper from deep within

"Just as you wear an apron to work

To come out of work unstained and unhurt

Thus shall  you wear the apron of non-attachment

Not be stained by like and dislike

Opposites of every color and hue

Working living a full life of all hues

Yet untouched by  all"

See the miracle called world

to see the mystery

Or the misery?

To see each as a link in an eternal dance

Of eternity

Particles in a giant wave

Of colors of infinite hues

Each of breathtaking brilliance

The universe is forever new

Its in the now

Forever

The misery is in the passing

It cannot last even if you would wish it to

Watch the mystery of this universe

Its eternal…………..

Yours Truly

To Love that One
You need forsake none
Simply claim all as your own

Not ‘own’ as in ‘posses’
Simply hold at heart so near
That all are dear

Divine is not a jealous spouse
To demand exclusivity in Love
Simple ‘inclusivity’
Love that encompasses all

Not to escape this world
But embrace as one’s own

This is Liberation of the subtle kind
Eternally free
Yet ‘eternally yours truly’

Just Watch…….

Who creates differences between you and your loved ones, the ones who you hold near and dear?

Many a time its your very own mind, with its tendency to magnify differences

The mind is a wonderful machine a quirky kind of magnifying glass which knows only to magnify the ‘faults’ of others and ‘good’ in you.

The mind is your best friend and your deadliest enemy. It can elevate you to a higher plane of thinking and consciousness, when it dwells on the oneness around or can push you into the world of division, comparison, judgmental thinking.

So when such thoughts of divisions come, followed by comparison and judgment,

The way out is to tell oneself ‘yes differences exist as each of us is designed this way’.

This brings in acceptance. Acceptance is not tolerance. Tolerance is a kind of repression through which one just is forced to put up with a lot of things. Acceptance implies ‘no why about it’ attitude, in full awareness of the underlying oneness with all around.

Acceptance paves the way for expansion of one's being. When there is no conflict in the mind, then its possible to retrieve a situation, to transform a problem into a solution. A solution will never come, no matter how hard one tries, when there a million ‘whys’ screaming within.

Just Watch........

The mind always focuses on differences, makes them appear larger than life. Differences are always few but this nature of the mind to focus on them enlivens them, expands them beyond proportion. To allow the mind to continue to do so and have its way is to pave the way for pain and sorrow.

For every division begins at the mind then progresses to eclipse our thoughts first and later actions. To shift the mind to focus on the larger underlying oneness and see how much more we have in common is to expand the mind to a greater realm of oneness which is the truth.

Differences exist in Creation each is a uniqueness that enables Creation to function, not an obstacle in the path, not a threat.

Sacrifice is not a 'giving up'

Not an abandonment

Its a sharing

A caring

Born of a deep sense of oneness

That the one I give unto is but me

Just me

A sharing of spirit

A merging of two

Two expressions of One

My Parents All

Earth water fire, air and space

The earth I tread on is a part of me
My teacher
Teaches me patience and love for all
While I tread each day across
Nourishes me
Shelters me

The water that sustains me is a part of me
Slakes my thirst enlivens me
Teaches me to flow
To serve with love

Fire warms me

Lights my path

The air that enters
Walks in and out without barriers
Teaches me freedom all the while
That none can bind

I was created from the five
Am nurtured by Five
I shall return to the five elements
‘Parents’ Forever!!
At home forever!!

My Love you say you Love me...
Yet, hold onto to my physical form
So lost in my physical presence
You fail to see the essence
That is Me
Enamored by my words you hold them dear

They are both instruments to draw you near!!
Scents that lead unto me
Means to an end
Use them wisely
To Reach Me
The Eternal Me
Beyond form, words and thought
The essence of divinity
That Is
Where ‘you’ and ‘me’ die a blissful death
One or None?
Simply Silence….

Belief, Disbelief and Beyond.......

Once a sage was passing by a village. He had a box with him, which he entrusted to one villager saying “this box contains five gold coins please keep it till I return”. The sage then left. After a while another man came along and saw the villager with the box. He enquired what was in it. To this the villager replied, “This box has five gold coins”. The man replied, “How do you know? What is the logic behind your belief?” The villager replied, “The person who gave me this box is a great person, and I believe what he said to be true.” The second man disagreed, and said, “I do not believe so, how would you know?” While the two men were in conversation yet another man stopped by, and enquired. The first villager narrated the incident and said. “The sage is a great man and I believe what he said to be true, but this person here refuses to believe him. What do you say?”

To this the third villager replied, “I do not know. But there is one way…lets see for ourselves and open the box and we shall see what is”

The first villager is a believer, who simply believes not willing to see for himself. The second a disbeliever, firm in his disbelief. The third person is a sincere seeker who neither believes nor disbelieves but has the courage to experience it.

Doubt is integral in any belief or disbelief. Experience, paves the way for knowledge and knowledge destroys doubt.

A Master does not encourage belief or disbelief but points the way to experience the Truth for oneself.

To spout wisdom when the sun is out, shining bright
And things are just right
Is easy

To live it when the storm rages within
With no solution is sight
When thoughts hurl faster than bullets
When its dark all around
To see the light
Of insight
Is a man of steady wisdom

Untouched by the polarities that life has to offer
Happiness and joy
Ever evolved
Wholeheartedly participates in life
Yet can withdraw like a tortoise
Withdraws its limbs into itself
And remain
Within
United in the Consciousness within

He sails through like a ship
Untouched by the waves of uncertainty
Above like and dislike

Not enslaved by emotions
For they are his tools
To live a full life
Yet remains untouched
Like a lotus leaf
In water