Nothing - by Richard Seymour

Nothing

All creation was preceded by Nothing.
"Nothing", therefore, is the substance
From which all things come,
And to which they shall return.

That infinite Nothing gave rise to nature.
Nature's perfect symmetry is instinctive.
Whatever upsets that balance can be said to be wrong.

We are all part of nature.
As such, that instinct is part of us.
To contribute to the balance of all things,
Is to live in harmony with one's self.
To move against the effortless flow,
Is to cause disruption to our surroundings,
And so to us.

by Richard Seymour

Snowflakes - by Richard Seymour

Snowflakes

Clouds do not drift in the wrong direction,
Nor do snowflakes fall in the wrong place.
A fish can thrash against the current
And make no progress;
Or it can do nothing, and float for miles.
When you let go of the handrail of life,
No wrongs can befall you.
If you open your mind to the Dao,
You can never die.

Dao is the 'Universal Energy' or 'Order of things in Nature'...


by Richard Seymour

Just came across this poem in one of the comments by you - liked it. Hadn't read it before....so assuming may be others too had missed out on such wonderful comments, i wish to post links to any old comments ...hoping that would be helpful / useful / enjoyed by you all.....

Our Children - A poem

Our Children

Fate has laid infinite paths,
Free will is our to choose on which to walk.
We do not need to arrive,
For a destination to exist.
Our children are already born,
Whether we conceive,
Or not.

On sorry and forgiveness!

On sorry and forgiveness!

When and why do we say sorry? To seek forgiveness or is it just a word to move on without addressing the issue?

Are we entitled to forgiveness by saying sorry? If not, then why?

If by just saying sorry, forgiveness is assumed or granted, then can we or can't we get away doing anything to anybody?  In such a scenario, what is the purpose of saying sorry? or rather what is the procedure to say sorry?

Is the hurt gone by just hearing 'sorry'? Is the sin condoned by stating that I am sorry? Does that act still accrue as my 'karma' that needs to be addressed or is it done with? If not, then when is karma redeemed? 

When do we expect the other to say sorry? And when and why can't we forgive?

When and how do you (as a person individually) say sorry to others and what is your expectation from them and that act of yours? Why at all do you say sorry in the first place? Is it more of a habit or a social norm that you routinely follow and is there more to it than just these?

When is the last time you said sorry to someone? Did it help you and how?

Please share your stand/experiences/views/ objections and understandings......

On Time!

On Time!

When we are living 'it', Time seems to be going very slow and sometimes as if it hasn't or isn't moving...but..
in retrospect, We always feel Time has flown very fast...

and yet we fear the present and feel it will stretch for ever...
the same present when it becomes past looks very funny and never as dreadful as we lived through it....

how odd is that! 

Comments and experiences to support or question it?

on comments!

How many comments would you like to be seen? 

Would last 5 do? I have increased it to 12..do you want that many?

We will go as per your convenience and need....

on sails!

on comments!

Thanks to participation of some regulars, i get to have a feedback that asks to ease the way to navigate through the blog - be it asking for giving a link of the posts instead of giving dates of the posts to be read, adding recently posted comments as a ready reckoner etc...you know the rest. All this has only made the blog easier and more beneficial to you all at the end (i hope!).....

coming to think of it, where and how did all this start? With a simple complaint from your end....and where did complaint come from - a desire to remove either the discomfort from your life or ease it in a certain way and the result was a better form of 'blog'...

What does this tell us? That complaints are the 'signs' that tell us about 'boring mundane' life we are in and the desire to better it in some form comes out as complaints. So instead of seeing complaints as signs of pains in life wouldn't it be better if we see them as signs to better our lives in some way - may be life is telling us that it is time to ease our life and for that we need to add something, that being sadhan as a reiki channel or a better  or changed perspective, letting go off of our limited way of thinking and holding on to grudges and obstinance to bring out the beauty of life and that we need to do it for our own sweet sake......

think about it!

On God!

On pain and suffering – Frog in the well Story

On pain and suffering – Frog in the well Story

If I am living with a physical ailment, it is good as the karma has ripened and I know through my suffering that I am inflicted and at least to relieve myself from the cause of suffering, I would search for cure and heal it (as a reiki channel) or live with it (in incurable) with grace and the aid of reiki knowing it to be the result of my karma. I am finally emptied of my karma. 

Same is the case when I am facing financial problem, relationship issues or any other issues. They show me the fact that “I am diseased” and hence I would work to cure it but ONLY and only with regards to attitudes, the person is ignorant of his disease and in fact works towards worsening it and causing and creating acts to help this ignorance perpetuate. And we thought “Why are this people not receiving their karma inspite of being so mean?”

God has his ways of punishing people.

Once, a pastor of church was swept by temptation to play golf instead of giving the sermon at church. Flesh being stronger than spirit at that moment, he lied that he was running temperature and asked to be relieved of his duties that Sunday and later went ahead to play golf. There, the entire day he hit perfect shots and he had great day Angels were confused and asked God “How come instead of punishing him for his lied and forgiving his duty you are gifting him perfect day with perfect shots?”

The God smiled and replied “True! But with  whom can he share about this perfect day and shots?”

Dear fun spoilers don’t sit to JUDGE God’s character here! Don’t look at Him. Look at justice as that is our prime concern. Not everytime the justice is meted with punishment dipped in pain, sometimes a blessing too can come as our punishment or in other words “Our karma/ punishment reaches us through our blessing to!”. Look at people with such attitudes! How they create their own hell with their attitudes! They don’t need us to curse them for what they do to us. They are curse unto themselves!

Now you decide which suffering you want to live with?

How and where would you apply this in your life? Which side of suffering are you in?

Which is better – to be the receiver or giver of pain and why?

Were there instances where you shifted from being the giver to receiver of pain and vice-versa?

Has pain in your life stubbed or accelerated or aided your growth and how and in what circumstances?

concluded.....

also read : https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/search?q=doer

On pain and suffering – Frog in the well Story

On pain and suffering – Frog in the well Story

Yes, inspite of shouting from rooftops about their ‘good name’ they are nothing but pain for everyone around them.

So are they bad? No, they are just silly, stupid, ignorant fools who can’t think straight and hence celebrate their crooked way.

They being wrong and yet not being bad how is it possible? If they are not bad, then what are they? They are ‘sick people’ whose disease is self inflicted because of their ‘stagnation of thoughts’. 

They need to be treated with pity as they are living with the ‘curse’ of their own actions, beliefs, attitude which is living with their thoughts and emotions. If listening to them for 10mts can drive us crazy for hours imagine how much they must be suffering living with themselves? (Of course, pig enjoys the shit he is in, that doesn’t mean it is in right place – right?) Can you put yourself in their shoes even for a second? 

So you see their karma comes back immediately for them, only pity being them not being able to see that. And that is the ‘bonus returns’ for their karma which being causing pain to others and in others’ lives at such magnitude and in such consistency. Yes, unable to see the connection between their lives and their acts, that ignorance is the biggest level of punishment in the ‘code book of karma’. If I don’t even know that I am sick, how can you imagine me to look for any cure? And that disease eats me up slowly and surely from inside and this effect is carried for God Knows how many janmas (births) to come. Yes, ultimately my attitude and character is the only thing that decides my destiny and that going to ‘dogs’ with my hard work, how can I expect my future births (at least few for sure) to be anything for good.

contd....

https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/search?q=wrong++attitudes

on comments!

People are commenting/posting their experiences/understanding/interpretations in comments section, but i found out just recently that they are not reflected anywhere for others to know that they have been posted....till i find a way to let you know about the comments posted at a later date of a post, please atleast go through previous 10 posts /days to check on the comments to get better understanding/benefit from others' perspective/experiences.....

anyone who knows how to do the same, please let me know....

On pain and suffering – Frog in the well Story

On pain and suffering – Frog in the well Story

Contd....

But people who live only among their select group of people end up demeaning, belittling, insulting and judging anyone and everyone who  doesn’t fit into their limited circle of ‘likes and dislikes’. Such people are more in number and hence come under the delusion that ‘they are right’. Unfortunately, they don’t know the maxims “The mass always goes by ‘mob thinking’ but the leader thinks his own”.

“The mass takes up all that is pleasant and convenient for them and then blow their own trumpets declaring self as the custodians of tradition”.

“The mass changes its values and principles based on their convenience and being stupid enough to presume that no one remembers their previously said words or acts go on declaring their present code of conduct as the yardstick of measurement of others character.  (cat drinking milk)

The wise/leader reflects on his words and acts and understands the scope of widening the perspective and hence changes his values and principles. Because he is aware of the fact that opinions, beliefs and traditions/rituals are subject to change based on circumstances, doesn’t judge others for the same. He doesn’t sit to gossip on others’ way of life and code of conduct. He lives and lets others live their life. But the mass or the lower cadre in the ladder of spirituality only exist to malign others, mad mouth, judge, gossip and condemn others. “But thousand dogs barking don’t make an elephant evil”. Alas! If only they understand. But then how can they? They are maggots living in the stagnant pool of their minds breading only filth of emotions, ideas, beliefs, opinions reflecting their or rather their lack of character.

contd.....

https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/search?q=cat+drinking+milk

https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/search?q=i+am+what+i+read

On pain and suffering – Frog in the well Story

Explanation Further to https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/search?q=frog+in+the+well

On pain and suffering – Frog in the well Story

One of the causes of pain and suffering is ‘difference’ between people. The difference usually is in the following areas:

1.Religion and caste

2.Language

3.Food habits

4.Daily habits

5.Manners and etiquettes

6.Dress code

7.Life style choices

8.Belief systems and

9.Opinions

(you can add on the rest that come to your mind..)

All the above difference can be again broadly classified as

1.Life style Choices

2.Belief systems and opinions

One effects at physical level and the other at mental level eg. Opinions etc. Once you see them as just these differences it is surprising as to how this difference can create disharmony in our lives and affect our state of mind and peace of mind and happiness.

In actuality ‘variety’ is the spice of life. Then how come this ‘variety’ becomes the basis of our fights and resentment. This becomes the cause of difference between people.

The frog in the well story just explains this aspect clearly.

Similarly we live in the tininess of our ‘wells’ be it of life-style, opinions, principles, religion – just about anything. And then from the tininess of our ‘wells’ we judge the other who also lives in the similar ‘small well’ of his own. And each considers his well to be superior to the other. Each presumes his ‘well’ to be ‘the all’ of the Universe which gives them the belief “Only I am Right” and anyone who is outside of my ‘well’ which is way of living, opinion, tastes, likes and dislikes is a ‘bad person’ by default.

If, if only each one of us could come out of this limitedness of well and see the expanse of ocean of life, then there would be less or no pain, suffering, dislike and more or only respect, love and happiness in the world. How? Simple! All I need to understand is my life-style is comfortable to me and hence right for me but to the other his life-style is more akin to him. In short each is right in our way of living unfortunately we carry a wrong belief system that if I am right the other is automatically wrong and hence with our survival instinct put down the other to be right. It need not be so. We both can disagree on any issue and yet both can be right. That is the actual Truth. The one who is exposed to larger world or group of people from various backgrounds will be more open to variety and choice of others in contrast to people who live among a small limited and similar group of people.

contd....

https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/search?q=belief+system

FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS - The short story

FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS - The two horses

Just near my house there is a field, with two horses in it. From a distance, each horse looks like the other. But if you stop and watch you will find something amazing. One of the horse is blind. His owner has chosen not to put it down. If you stand a little longer, you will hear the sound of a bell, ringing. It is coming from the other horse in the field. Attached to the horse's halter, is a small bell. It lets the blind friend know where the other horse is, so he can follow. As you stand and watch the two friends. you will find the horse with the bell is always checking on the blind horse and that the blind horse will listen for the bell and slowly walk to where the other horse is, trusting he will not go astray. 

Like the owner of the two horses, GOD does not throw us away just because we are imperfect or problematic. He watches over us and brings others into our lives to help us when we are in need. Sometimes we are the blind horse being guided by the ringing bell of those who GOD places in our lives. Other times we are the guide horse, helping others to find their way. 

Good friends are like that. You may not always see them, but you know they are always there. 

Have you ever been a 'guide horse' to others? If yes, then cherish those memories for they mean you have lived those moments right! Work on increasing those moments in your lives....

Have you been the blind horse guided by some guide horse or horses in your life? If yes, note them down, kneel down and praise the God for those are the blessings sent from above.......

query on guilt!

i request all to pitch in their understanding and support too for the following 'state of mind'...i am sure you all have become deft in understanding the before and after of this sentence too "I feel a lot of guilt and that really makes me suffer more than anything else. I always feel guilty that may be I haven't utilized my abilities to the best or that I have not done anything to those who love me. I find it difficult to get out of it. "....

i am just giving few related posts, others - you can too remind of previous posts that are related to this state of mind and ways and means to come out of it.....

https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/search?q=butterfly

https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/search?q=worthiness

https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/search?q=usefulness

https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/search?q=worth

esp. the post on 'worth' and the posts related to query "Even if i don't write/contribute' to the blog, you people said i am worth and not useless etc...." please read that and posts related to that query....

on intelligence!

The happy monkey - Short story - on letting go!

The happy monkey - Short story - on letting go!

There once was a happy monkey wandering the jungle, eating delicious fruit when hungry, and resting when tired. One day he came upon a house, where he saw a bowl of the most beautiful apples. He took one in each hand and ran back into the forest. He sniffed the apples and smelled nothing. He tried to eat them, but hurt his teeth. They were made of wood, but they were beautiful, and when the other monkeys saw them, he held onto them even tighter.  He admired his new possessions proudly as he wandered the jungle. They glistened red in the sun, and seemed perfect to him. 

He became so attached to them, that he didn't even notice his hunger at first. A fruit tree reminded him, but he felt the apples in his hands. He couldn't bear to set them down to reach for the fruit. In fact, he couldn't relax, either, if he was to defend his apples. A proud, but less happy monkey continued to walk along the forest trails. The apples became heavier, and the poor little monkey thought about leaving them behind. He was tired, hungry, and he couldn't climb trees or collect fruit with his hands full. What if he just let go? 

Letting go of such valuable things seemed crazy, but what else could he do? He was so tired. Seeing the next fruit tree, and smelling it's fruit was enough. He dropped the wooden apples and reached up for his meal. He was happy again. 

Like that little monkey, we sometimes carry things that seem too valuable to let go. We carry an image of self like the shiny wooden apple. But in reality, our engrossment leaves us exhausted, worried and hungry for a better life. Still, letting go seems crazy. Sisyphus syndrome...?  You will find that it is necessary to let things go; simply for the reason that they are heavy. So let them go, let go of them. It takes much more strength to know when to let go and then do it. You must learn to let go. Release the stress. Unless you let go, unless you forgive yourself , you cannot move forward.

https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/search?q=letting+go

https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/search?q=drop

on strength - some quotes

On believers and non-believers!

On believers and non-believers!

Who did it   ...?

           In a small town in India, a person decided to open up a Bar, which was right opposite to a Temple. The Temple & its  devotees were upset  and started a  protest campaign to block the Bar from opening, with petitions to Court and  conducted mass daily prayers  against the Bar business. Bar work progressed despite all this.. When it was almost complete and about to open a few days later, a strong lightning struck the Bar and it was burnt and destroyed to the  ground. 

The temple folks were rather smug and puffed-up after that divine event, till the Bar owner sued the Temple authorities on the grounds that the Temple through its congregation & prayers was ultimately responsible for the ill fate of his dream project, either through direct or indirect actions or means and claimed heavy damages as compensation.

In its reply to the court, the temple and the devotees vehemently denied all responsibility or any connection that their prayers were reasons to the bar's burning down. As the case made its way into court, the judge looked over the paperwork at the hearing and commented:  " I don't know how I'm going to decide this case, but it appears from the paperwork, we have a bar owner who believes in the power of prayer and we have an entire temple and its devotees that doesn't." 

What does this story tell us about faith?

What is there to take from this story?

Who is right - bar owner or the devotees?

What should be the verdict?

Where to apply it in our lives?

also read : https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/search?q=faith

On right and wrong!

People find it far easier to forgive others for being wrong than being right!


Do you agree?

Can you tell of some instance?

When does this happen?

The frog in the well

The frog in the well - Short thought provoking story..

There was once a frog living in a well. It felt like a king in the well jumping from this end to that all through the day. It felt great about its well. For that frog the well was all that was in the world. The small patch of sky was all that constituted of Universe to it. 

One day there came a toad that lived in the ocean most part of its life. It was happy to get into the well and meet the frog there. The frog asked “Where are you from?” and the toad replied “From the ocean”. “Oh! Is it as big as this” saying so the frog jumped from one spot to the other. The toad laughed and said “Much much bigger”. “Then is it this big” asked frog taking a bigger leap. The toad replied amused “You can’t measure ocean in the well. It is so much bigger than this tiny well”. 

The frog got hurt and said “No place can be bigger than this well in this world. I don’t like you. You are lying. Leave!” The toad pitied the frog but left nonetheless. He couldn’t explain and convince frog of the vastness of the ocean.

What or who does that frog represent to you?

What does that well represent?

Have you met such frog and toad in your lives? If yes, give couple of examples (you can do away with telling their names or relationship and state the situation naming the person as x/y etc...

What does ocean represent?

What are we to learn from this and where are we to apply in our life?

on class...

you among you requested for dowsing /crystal healing/ any other class?

Are all the queries/questions posed by you till date been answered or did I leave anything unattended/unanswered? If i did, please repeat the question, i will attend to it....

on healing! On rain....

On rain!

Last week, a reiki channel from Madras called and said "You are receiving so much of rain and we being blessed souls and because of our energies we are not receiving any rains in Madras". I jokingly said "should I send excess rain from here to there" and he replied "Please we are so much in need of it" and couple of days back he said "You did send rain to Madras but just our area is not receiving any rain. Maybe, I should have specified our area to you" and I replied "No, that if for you to understand and remember that if we do reiki we can get rains and only if it doesn't rain in your area would you sit to do reiki for the same. This is a wake up call for you to start doing reiki for the same and your other needs too instead of complaining about the 'things that you lack " in your life".....

What did we understand from this incident?

Where can you apply it in your life?

Where are you going to apply in your life?

Did it answer your question and agitation?

What can we take from this incident?

http://kantipadam.blogspot.com/search?q=on+healing

On letting go! Curtain rods!

(I have read this story like a million times and each time it gives me a different perspective on the way our emotions work, on right and wrong, on hatred, about people and their way of thinking....and each time one more understanding knocks at my door of learning....i am sure this would help you too....)

Curtain Rods!

She spent the first day packing her belongings into boxes, crates and suitcases.

On the second day, she had the movers come and collect her things.

On the third day, she sat down for the last time at their beautiful dining room table by candle-light, put on some soft background music, and feasted on a pound of shrimp, a jar of caviar, and a bottle of spring-water.

When she had finished, she went into each and every room and deposited a few half-eaten shrimp shells dipped in caviar into the hollow of the curtain rods.

She then cleaned up the kitchen and left... When the husband returned with his new girlfriend, all was bliss for the first few days.

Then slowly, the house began to smell.

They tried everything; cleaning, mopping and airing the place out.

Vents were checked for dead rodents and carpets were steam cleaned.

Air fresheners were hung everywhere. Exterminators were brought in to set off gas canisters, during which they had to move out for a few days and in the end they even paid to replace the expensive wool carpeting. 

Nothing worked!!!

People stopped coming over to visit.. 

Repairmen refused to work in the house. 

The maid quit. 

Finally, they could not take the stench any longer and decided to move.

A month later, even though they had cut their price in half, they could not find a buyer for their stinky house.

Word got out and eventually even the local realtors refused to return their calls.

Finally, they had to borrow a huge sum of money from the bank to purchase a new place.

The ex-wife called the man and asked how things were going.

He told her the saga of the rotting house. She listened politely and said that she missed her old home terribly and would be willing to reduce her divorce settlement in exchange for getting the house

Knowing his ex-wife had no idea how bad the smell was, he agreed on a price that was about 1/10 th of what the house had been worth, but only if she were to sign the papers that very day.

She agreed and within the hour his lawyers delivered the paperwork.

A week later the man and his girlfriend stood smiling as they watched the moving company pack everything to take to their new home........

And to spite the ex-wife, they even took the curtain rods....

What does this story tell you?

What does the shrimp represent to you?

Does it say that to get even we should turn mean like the wife?

Was the wife completely sensible in wanting to continue living in that house?

What does "..and they even took the curtain rods.." at the end mean and represent to you? What did you understand from that?

Where can you apply this story in your life?

Is this a comedy or a sad story?