Bidding good bye!

Bidding good bye with a sense of achievement however small it seems....this year's posts are the second highest of the last nine years.....almost 296, the highest being that of last year's 303....

every commitment met and fulfilled is worth a celebration; 

every effort made to set up a standard worth it, 

every standard set up lived up to talks for itself...

every milestone crossed speaks about your effort and desire to live up to your set standards - kudos to that...

we can always have reasons not to perform..

we can have excuses to fail...

we can justify our inability to play our part right by putting the blame on others.....

we can sit and cry that it didn't happen as no one helped us to....

but there is ONLY one reason to do what we want to do, what we have to do - TO DO IT! And that needs no alibis....it has only returns - that of self satisfaction and a past to be grateful for, take pride in and memories to cherish.......

you owe YOURSELF a better goal to set, 

a higher standard to set and live up to.......

may this new year be that time which would make all this and more happen........

On New Year's Eve!

Although we can't go back to past and change the things that hurt us, we can always walk towards the future with hope and commitment to make a brand new start.....

New Year is neither the end nor the start of anything good or bad...it is a new chance given to us to work on everything that surrounds us, affects us and makes us...let's make it work - beautifully!

It is just a new page waiting to be written on....write well, starting now and keep writing well every day of this year to have a great year ahead.......you are the writer of this 'New Year's Diary' and also the 'hero' in it....think well and write good.....

Journey of thousand miles starts with a single step. New Year doesn't bring anything new with it. Change doesn't happen with the change in date. But it gives you 365 days with 365 new chances. YOU decide what to write and how to write those 365 days of your life! Choose wisely for you have to live with your writings! 

Remember, you are never too old to set an another goal. You are never late to mend the old ways. You are always young enough to chase a dream! And now suddenly it feels like its time to start them and trust in the magic of new beginnings...because it's all in the air and you want to believe in the magic of these moments - believe and make it work! YOU are given ONE MORE chance to mend all that you wanted to mend.......

As they say dreams don't work unless you do! 

and now welcome the New Year with all those things that have never been and long to be........

New Year Resolutions!

Just go through the link to go through your 'thank you list' ........https://kantipadam.blogspot.in/search?q=new+year

Can you make a similar list for this year.?

added to that would be nice if we can also add few of the things we took up and have kept up , some changes which we have worked for and kept it up doing...., changes in our attitude/understanding/perspective, things that we have healed and are glad we did......wow the list can be a long one......you can add anything else you would like to too.....

on how you would capsule year gone by and the life till date.......

Me, My Guru – Stories and All! The Traveller and the river!

Me, My Guru – Stories and All! The Traveller and the river!

Once, a traveller travelled along with the river right from its place or origin to its end – the sea.

He saw its ‘humble beginning’ and couldn’t and didn’t imagine such a small ‘trinklet of water’ travel thousands of miles to meet the sea. If anyone had suggested such a possibility he would’ve laughed!

But the river flowed!

It fell down the hills dancing, singing. It didnot calculate the height of the hill nor did it complain about its height. It flowed!

It reached plains but was blocked by the boulders. It didn’t sit to argue with boulders. It flowed along the sides of boulders and wrote its path. Now the river was wider and yet it flowed!

It passed towns, villages, cities. On its banks were cremation ground, temples and forests – but it flowed!

Some abused it, few paid respects and others used it and yet – it flowed!

‘If only we and our lives were like a river – flowing merrily! No problems in its life...lucky river!’ said some.

Both the traveler and the river heard it. The traveler felt angry at their supposition but - the river flowed!

Then came the desert – dry hot and seeming never ending. The traveler worried for the river. He felt bad that after such a long arduous journey the dear river would not be able to reach the sea – after all! He sat down chest-broken.

The river didn’t stop. It went underground. It wasn’t seen on the ground. It was assumed to have become dry. But at the end of the desert it surfaced and continued its journey of flowing!

At a distance, at last it saw the sea for which it has come so far. It didn’t remember the obstacles en route. It didn’t recollect its journey. It wasn’t proud of its achievement. It didn’t feel the sense of jubiliation. All it felt was the joy of seeing its goal, purpose of life, its beloved Sea! It swelled with bliss and danced, Roared like mad and unable to contain itself any longer it merged in the Sea. It became on with the sea. It wasn’t there!

‘Its story ended’ thought the traveler. But, did the river know that? Did it regret? Well, no one would know that. All one could say was ‘it once flowed!’....

also read : https://kantipadam.blogspot.in/search?q=river

https://kantipadam.blogspot.in/search?q=time

On relationships!

Not everybody is there in your life for ever...so spend as much as time with each one of them NOW....

do everything and as much as you can NOW for them ....not because you owe them,

not because it is right,

not because you are judged,

not because you are afraid of your bad karma,

not even because that will get you bad name....

but whenever you are angry, irritated and feel you don't have to do anything for others just close your eyes and imagine some time in future they never being there in your life - for good.....and then ask yourself "If i knew this would happen this way now, would i have behaved differently in my past?"

the answer to this question would be why you should do what you are to do....you should do when given an opportunity to do something for others....

on christmas...

Just to know the spirit of Christmas and Jesus - one of the greatest humans to have walked on Earth who was the ultimate personification of love read the previous posts : https://kantipadam.blogspot.in/search?q=jesus

https://kantipadam.blogspot.in/search?q=christmas

Me, my Guru – On right and wrong! Oh the do’s and don’ts!

contd....

Me, my Guru – On right and wrong! Oh the do’s and don’ts!

 “So the onus of responsibility of convincing us rests on you, isn’t it’ he asked.

“Smoking is injurious to health and it is told from so many quarters and yet people choose to – why? Do you mean to say they weren’t convinced by others in their life? Inspite of all the data, cajoling by near and dear a person can choose to ignore it and make wrong choices in life. No body can convince or force you. You have to be convinced of it on your own. And that comes more and more when we are healed of our egos, fears and such related emotions. Then in its place we give space to openness, faith and acceptance which will increase our ability to make right choices and better our perception and clarity of thought”.

We walked through the memory lanes to check with these statements and yes we had many instances to back it. As years passed and our fears dropped, our clarity of thought had bettered and our perception has broadened. So now if we found it difficult to accept few of her solutions it meant our fears in that area was still unattended or there was lots of work that needed to be done!

Now, we could see her replies differently. We wouldn’t label it as ‘right’ or ‘wrong’. We wouldn’t judge them. We would go through them and if we found something against our acceptance, belief or conviction then that was a ‘red flag’ that would alert us to look within and correct if there were any ego, fear or such issues.

And it was heartening to hear her say later that day ‘you need not accept everything I say or write blindly or completely. But know why you disagree and that is good enough and yes, remember what I say, maybe you’ll need it in later times’.

This ‘later times’ one I could accept completely as I had that experience like a million times......

But with regards to other view points, I still wanted to hold my ground – for now...!

Concluded...

also read: https://kantipadam.blogspot.in/search?q=apply

Me, my Guru – On right and wrong! Oh the do’s and don’ts!

Contd.....

Me, my Guru – On right and wrong! Oh the do’s and don’ts!

“But why would we choose to suffer when we know a way out?” I asked.

“One – because you’ve got used to that pain and have come to love the pleasure that this pain gives and you don’t want to lose it.

Two - because you choose to learn the hard way and that’s where your ego and arrogance come handy.

Three which is very common and that is we choose pleasant over right!

Getting up early in the morning to do exercise and sadhan is ‘right’ (as we complain of having a hectic day!) but sticking to cozy bed is ‘pleasant’ and we’ve umpteen excuses to fall back on like a.slept late b.its too cold c.we all should sleep for 8 hrs and so...etc..”

“But we are also accepting so many of your solutions. How can you blame us like this when we don’t accept some?” both he and I asked at a time, a bit hurt. We both ended up laughing as we ended the question. All through she was calm.

“This has nothing to do with me. It applies to everything you read, listen or see. It can come from any source. But we take only what we want to take. We by default are ‘never’ open to everything ‘right’ or ‘Dharma’ because it is right. We take it only if one it caters to our taste, two when it is what we want the solution to be and three when we are convinced.

“So the onus of responsibility of convincing us rests on you, isn’t it’ he asked.

“Smoking is injurious to health and it is told from so many quarters and yet people choose to – why? Do you mean to say they weren’t convinced by others in their life? Inspite of all the data, cajoling by near and dear a person can choose to ignore it and make wrong choices in life. No body can convince or force you. You have to be convinced of it on your own. And that comes more and more when we are healed of our egos, fears and such related emotions. Then in its place we give space to openness, faith and acceptance which will increase our ability to make right choices and better our perception and clarity of thought”.

Contd.....

also read: https://kantipadam.blogspot.in/search?q=on+suffering

Me, my Guru – On right and wrong! Oh the do’s and don’ts!

Contd.....

Me, my Guru – On right and wrong! Oh the do’s and don’ts!

Luckily for me, he asked her this question and her answer was “I answered your questions. That’s all! They are not ‘the law’ that I frame for you to follow. You, usually come with your pain and suffering in the matters of life and its situations to me. The option that you are using already is not able to get you out of your pain and suffering nor is it helping you to take a decision either way. So, I give you the picture of cause and effect in such scenario with various options. Like in a relationship, I may say, if you hate you’ll receive just that and if you want ‘love, respect, admiration’, then you should give only that! Here I am giving you the cause and effect summarily. Yes, it may sound harsh at times to you but if you keep insisting on being what you are, doing what you do and complaining that you are not receiving what you desire – trust me I need to shake you up a bit to make you see where you are going wrong. Either you change how you respond to what you receive or change your acceptance or results while holding on to your way of dealing with things and people.

My job is only to make this point clear. Nothing more, nothing less! To convince you is not part of my agenda! I don’t get any ‘brownie’ points to convince you of ‘some view point’. I don’t have ego to please that demands that the other listens and agrees to what I’ve to say.

Then why do I put forth these options, ideas or solutions? Just to inform you of ‘options’ available to get out of that painful situation you are in. You can still choose not to follow these leads and suffer as before – but that is a choice you make out of options available to you now. Previously, you thought you were forced to suffer and there was no way out. Now you know a way out and still choose to suffer. That is the difference. Now it’s your choice not a compulsion.”

Contd.....

also read : https://kantipadam.blogspot.in/search?q=our+choices

Me, my Guru – On right and wrong! Oh the do’s and don’ts!

Contd.....

Me, my Guru – On right and wrong! Oh the do’s and don’ts!

Now this man was confused. He like me must’ve prepared a volley of questions to throw at her and must’ve wanted to ease the pain and discomfort that he experienced thanks to her answers to some of our queries. But, she smartly avoided it. He felt lost like me. Poor guy, I could feel his pain – actually!

He mumbled and fumbled for sometime and then as if he had lost t he cause said in a meek voice “but I don’t want to accept few of your answers. How then can I follow them or apply them if I don’t accept them?”

“Then don’t! simple” she said. She had smile on her lips and calmness on her face all through the talk.

He and I were the ones cringing. She was at peace!

“But you say we should do so” he asked raising his voice.

“I never give you a ‘should do’ advice or statement. If ever I have, it would have been a verbal error but I didn’t and don’t mean it. And bye the way, how many of my shoulds’ have you followed?” she asked laughing. She was right there...

“You mean to say we don’t need to follow your advice or answers” he asked a bit confused.

“Absolutely! And even if I do would you? You would only if you want to, not because someone told you to – leave alone me” she said.

Now even I was confused here. If she didn’t expect us to follow, then why tell or explain in detail?

Contd.....

also read : https://kantipadam.blogspot.in/search?q=acceptance

Me, my Guru – On right and wrong! Oh the do’s and don’ts!

Me, my Guru – On right and wrong! Oh the do’s and don’ts!

Recently, I’ve been prone to more pain thanks to our Guru. Most of the questions were answered in such a way that I wasn’t happy or comfortable with the solutions and answers. But I didn’t have guts to say the same to her. But my habit of visiting her class, sessions continued as this habit had become compulsive by nature and I didn’t realize it till I no longer could do much about it. What I cursed as my weakness and liability was something that I would see as her blessing and my ‘good karma’ much later in my life. But for now I suffered this situation and the worst part was I couldn’t share it with anyone especially our gang of Rahul and others as they never felt this way, not could understand how I felt or why? And I couldn’t understand how they never found her answers undigestible and insulting.

But today I found my ‘soul mate’ in a person who questioned her and her replies blatantly! He simply asked “Guruji, there are many answers of yours in reply to our queries which I don’t find acceptable to me. Can you give me separate time so that I can point out those questions to you and you can then convince me of your answers and stand?”

I was all ears when that man said these ‘soothing words’ and I was in alert mode ready to seek her permission to be part of that discussion the moment she agreed to his request. But she poured water on my hopes sooner than ‘now’. “You’ve asked a question and I answered. Period! There is no need for me to convince you of my answers. Take it or leave it! It’s your choice! I am not here marketing my ‘answers’ and I don’t have targets to arrive of ‘convincing’ any one” she replied with her trade-mark smile that lit up her eyes.

Contd.....

suggested reads : https://kantipadam.blogspot.in/search?q=advice

Me, My Guru – Stories and All! The river

Me, My Guru – Stories and All! The river

Once a student of life who had come to meditate on the banks of river asked the river “I see different type of people coming to you daily. Some revere you and hence come with lots of respect. Few others love you as their Mother (In India river Ganges is lovingly called Ganga Mayya meaning Mother Ganga. Similarly, all rivers are referred to as Mother in this land). But some come to throw their waste in you. Many abuse you. Few construct dams on you to curtail your flow. You are treated differently by different people. Yet, it doesn’t seem to effect your flow. How come?”

To which the river replied “Unka woh jaane, mera main” (They do their job and I mine!).....

“Now I know why my Guru asked me to come and meditate on your banks” replied the student with a smile.

also read : https://kantipadam.blogspot.in/search?q=river

on Guru!

When you are both scared and longing to meet, know you have
found your Guru!

Me, My Guru – On Gratitude!

Contd....

Me, My Guru – On Gratitude!

Our eyes were moist and hearts heavy. Silence bound us together and we all rejoiced in a joy that was beyond description!

And all these years we thought Master meant more power and hence no problems or issues in life. Yes, I know only Masters who used ‘Reiki’ to being material abundance in life and that’s what seemed as ‘good returns’ from Reiki for them as they flaunted them! And we always thought ‘our Guru’ so lucky that she had no issues in life and hence was always happy! And we always wanted to have her life!

Now it was clear! She wasn’t happy ‘because of situations’. She was ‘inspite of situations in her life’. She didn’t put any condition of fulfillment of her desires or didn’t suffer when her expectations weren’t met. It did trouble her and cause her pain but she didn’t see in as a reason to question Reiki or God. That exactly was the reason for her to celebrate life, thank Reiki and God!

For what we cried, she celebrated!

Suffering or celebration, love or complaint depended solely on the eyes of the beholder was so true! It meant ‘the perception’ here. ‘Gratitude’ certainly was a huge word and I needed to attend God knows how many more of such sessions to get the feel of ‘tip of the word – Gratitude!’

But for now, it seemed like we received more than we had bargained for!

Would we able able to see love in the acts of our near and dear ones or judge them based on our petty expectations and conditions? Would we receive love? Could we recognise it even if it was already there in our life? If we hadn’t noticed it, how then would we validate it or celebrate it? Would we be going around asking for ever ‘why can’t I receive what I want?’ for eternity or would we look within and work on our perceptions?

So many questions and hardly any answers! But the good news was we also held he answers within us and in our power. We only had to recognise our ‘wrong perception’ and accept to throw it away and be free of such of nature that was stopping us from embracing life!

Wishing and hoping we do that, we called it a day! But not before understanding that ‘situations don’t make or break us, we use them to make or break us!’.....

Concluded....

read also : https://kantipadam.blogspot.in/search?q=why+can%27t+i+be+happy

Me, My Guru – On Gratitude!

Contd....

Me, My Guru – On Gratitude!

“You see the pain and I see His Grace in this situation. He knew my body had to undergo this phase and so allotted ‘a car’ to travel to ease my pain. Imagine being a dancer or a conductor with this pain! But He saw to it that I have a job that would allow me to sit and work. How can I complain when He is so caring for me? He thinks so much for me and caters to such small needs, then how can I complain. I don’t do reiki so that my ailment goes away. I do Reiki so that it gives me ‘clarity to see His Grace and Love’. I know He doesn’t just give what I am worthy of (by way of my prayers and sadhan) but gives way beyond my worthiness. The amount of Reiki, meditation that I do isn’t even enough to run this body – forget about other mercies. So I do sadhan as a form of gratitude for all that He is already giving or had given. How can I find time and energy to do sadhan to receive my desires?

Initially whenever I was in pain (of any sort be it mental, physical, financial anything) I would simply sit in sadhan to heal it to be out of that pain. Then my areas of pain increased and so did my time in sadhan. One pain would go and two would come. It was much late I realized ‘The Truth’. I wasn’t receiving pain because of my karma! It was ‘His Love’ and all these I thought ‘He loved me’ when I was healed of my pain. How wrong was I! My pain was a proof of His Love for me. The more I was with Him and He wanting to hold me near Him created pain so that I would rush to Him!

The day I realized this, my sadhan became a tool to be with Him. It ceased to be a tool to get favours from Him”.

Contd....

Suggested reads : https://kantipadam.blogspot.in/search?q=thankyou

Me, My Guru – On Gratitude!

Contd....

Me, My Guru – On Gratitude!

Think about it! Inspite of my ignorance regarding breath it happens. Is it fair? No it is not! He lets body do so many activities and still I keep questioning “but why does he not do anything good for me? Why can’t I be happy? When will I be happy? Why can’t I get what I want? I am trying to adjust with what little comforts I have but why? Is it fair that I suffer so?” so on and on forth!

Still He doesn’t let the body stop functioning. You are right – it is not fair. It is not just!

If everything goes as per ‘fair and just’ the one suffering the most would be me – remember that!”

And then she went to describe various systems of our body and how it functions and how it is ‘Miracle’ that it does so. This was the reason that demanded ‘gratitude’ for this body of ours’ that we so took for granted.

Till date I was saying my gratitude only verbally but today I knew what it meant....I felt a strange sense of peace and joy descend on me. I felt my tears on my cheek. Man, was I glad that my ego was hurt the other day and I attended all sessions from that day.

My friend would come for us from abroad, there was marriage to attend, films to watch, long pending ‘sleep’ to catch, friends get-together or a death in our circle! No reason was good enough to stop me from attending these sessions. I didn’t attend these sessions if I was ‘free’ from other engagements. I attended these sessions inspite of other engagements. This also I learnt looking at others’ commitment. I didn’t put ‘classes as my ‘last option’. I fulfilled my other engagements around class.

Previously it was the other way round. Then I felt I was being generous to her by coming to the class, now I felt it was a privilege to come to this class. This change made a huge shift in my outlook, perspective and respect for my own self, my desires and dreams and a will to come out of my pain and suffering. This was brought out when my friends shared this with me “Once when we asked our Guru ‘why do you have so many physical ailments and pain inspite of doing Reiki so much and how come you are happy instead of complaining about Reiki not giving results?!”

Contd....

Suggested reads: https://kantipadam.blogspot.in/search?q=barber

Me, My Guru – On Gratitude!

Me, My Guru – On Gratitude!

Contd.....

Honestly I was more hurt and I hardly understood anything of what they said that day. But I started attending all her sessions (yes, inspite of paying fees with a twisted mouth and heavy heart). And after years, I realized and thanked them for hurting me so (which they didn’t intend to bye the way! It was actually my ‘motive’ because of which I felt hurt!) for all the belief-systems that I let go which were holding me on the my fear, pain and anger. I still had these emotions but in very tolerable degree and I gained peace and understood beyond any measure of material benefit. Today was going to be one such day when I had a major shift in my thought process.

“My entire existence is dependent not on money, success, fame, friends or relatives but only on air. And that my body sincerely does respiratory work without my involvement. Thank-God for that! Imagine if I had to tell how much to breathe and make conscious effort to breathe all through the day, would I be left with ability to do anything else with life – even as simple as eating? Every moment the body is breathing and yet I am unaware of it. I don’t participate in it. The entire process is unknown to me and yet – yet the body works. If it is not ‘His Grace’ what is it? We don’t count it as His Grace as we take ‘these things as normal’. Ask a person who is asthamatic or has wheezing problem or trouble breathing. Have you seen a person on ventilator? How one struggles for a gasp of air?

And to us it happens! And yet we ask ‘Do miracles happen?’

Even to a person who questions ‘His Grace, His blessings etc this happens – this is Miracle! And that is Grace!

And here we talk about “but it is not fair....”

“I am asking for justice...”

Think about it!

Contd....

Suggested reads : https://kantipadam.blogspot.in/search?q=miracles

Me, My Guru – On Gratitude!

Me, My Guru – On Gratitude!

Today’s session was on ‘gratitude’. We have heard it like a million times and yet she conducted these sessions. This topic was covered even in our Reiki Class and hence during initial days, I was reluctant to pay and attend a session on gratitude. I used to be surprised when I saw Rahul and whole lot of others attend it again and again paying such huge fees. When I asked them the reason they simply said “We still are complaining, suffering and in pain. And our Guru says ‘if you know the single world ‘Gratitude’ you’ll sing His praises with the lips that complain now. You’ll raise your hands in praise – the hands which you use to count your problems. You’ll dance with joy seeing His Grace where you are filled with envy and hatred today! Now you know the word ‘love’, then you’ll know what love is!”  We have ‘faith in her’ is not just a phrase for us but we do have faith in her word! If she says - it is! And if we are not able to see it, understand it or experience it then we have missed it. We’ve failed to grasp what she is teaching us and hence it is our responsibility to understand it, nto hers to teach us free of cost!

She has taught and yet if we haven’t learnt and hence are paying again to understand it atleast this time. We see a movie and if we like it, don’t we see it couple of times more. Then do we tell ‘people at cinema hall’ that we are repeating so don’t charge us? Don’t we happily pay? Don’t we pay ‘entry fee’ or fee for rides’ in an amusement park every time we go there? To Doctor we pay every time we visit and he doesn’t even give medicines, he just prescribes yet we pay happily. To a counselor you pay per visit and yet here you ask why? See, this is the attitude that we need to know about ourselves. To know our belief systems, way of thinking and why we think the way we think is what she teaches us or rather guides us through and yet.....”

Contd.....

suggested reads : https://kantipadam.blogspot.in/search?q=gratitude

Me, My Guru – Stories and All! The God! / God in the temple! / The temple and the God!

Me, My Guru – Stories and All! The God! / God in the temple! / The temple and the God!

It was still dark. The sun hasn’t risen yet and the priest opened the doors of the temple. The crowd standing for the gates to open rushed in. Priest became busy with his routine of cleaning the altar and other such duties. Few devotees were circumambulating in a hurried manner. They had to complete their set number of rounds (circumambulation) before leaving the temple. They kept looking at their watch a bit tensed. They were already late in attending their daily chores. Their pace quickened. Hurriedly they took the ‘prasadam’ (the sacred dish offered to the Lord is considered and called ‘prasadam’) and ran towards their vehicles.

One lady was asking about the ritual of doing certain type of pooja.

One man came beaming and declared that he was donating golden crown to the Lord – The God! The priest was very happy and started explaining the details required to do the same. Few calculated the amount need for the same and felt jealous of his earnings.

Couple of people sincerely sat down with few books and were chanting some ‘mantras’ from those books. It took quite some time for them to finish their job.

Someone came to get his ‘vehicle’ blessed by the Lord and hence got some rituals done!

There was lots of activity going on in the temple. Lots of devotees came and left.

And the ‘Idol’ waited to become God!



also read : https://kantipadam.blogspot.in/search?q=god