Reflections

REALISM : THE WAY OUT OF NEGATIVITY   A lot h as been said about positivity in relation to negative situations one finds oneself in; this article attempts to examine that, basis personal experience, and challenge long-held beliefs, basis learnings through deep personal association with pain stretching over a long time. It is said being positive, dreaming, looking sunny etc are the anecdote, that one should try to be upbeat and gung-ho as far as is possible for one to be.   Been there, done that. Dreams and positive thoughts don't help at all. They didn’t for me, at any rate. What helps, then? Realistic assessment, plus n minus awareness, recognition of your flaws, recognition of your strong points, and a plan out of it. In the plan dreams aren't good: small steps, tackle the immediate problems first, and move ahead Also, capacity and capability building, up skilling and constant effort. Accept flaws, yet realise you are not responsible for the mess.   ACCEPTAN...

UNDERSTANDING THE CONCEPT OF KARM Karm {Karma} is one of the most famous Indian Words to get absorbed into the English Language; it is also probably the most incompletely understood words, even by Indians. This incomplete understanding has now permeated into the language as well as its usage by nearly everyone, thus propagating a meaning which does not fully do justice with this word. What does this word actually mean, and does it mean in common parlance? With regard to common usage, a simple dictionary search gives the result : “ the sum of a person's actions in this and previous states of existence, viewed as deciding their fate in future existences. / good or bad luck, viewed as resulting from one's actions .” IS KARM GOOD OR BAD? There are two aspects to this : first, karm isnt good or bad; karm just "is", as it were. It just exists; that is it – without any adjectives to quality it. It is the effect of Karm – what is called karmphal in the scriptu...

A FEW THOUGHTS ON KARMYOG The KarmYog, or, as it is called at its culmination point – Nishkaam Karmyog, is a path towards God wherein a person acts as per the situation, without any self-interest, dedicated towards God, and without any expectation of return. As per the Krushnaarjun Samvaad {also known as the Shrimad Bhagwad Geeta}, it is a state where one is purely content in the self and at total peace. At its highest point, Nishkaam Karmyog, there is no need for a person to act THE VARIOUS PATHS TOWARDS MOKSH The KarmYog path is one that can take you to liberation despite being in Gruhasthaashram, or in other words, while being in society, marriage and friends; another path for the Gruhasth is SanyasYog, wherein one practices detachment while remaining in the sansaar -   different from Sanyaas Aashram when one renounces the world. A third path is BhaktiYog – wherein one is so devoted to God, that one literally forgets oneself. PRARABDH A full un...