The Architecture of Fear

Why do we buy things we really don't need? Why do we seek control over things and people? Why do we seek predictability in business? Why do we love brands? If wish to answer this 'why' we have to move into the realm of psychology and understand the origins of fear. The more acceptable for fear in the corporate world is 'stress'.

Every Hindu god and goddess raises his or her palm in a gesture which means 'do not be afraid' (a-bhaya), indicating that ancients knew the role of fear in day-to-day life. If there was no fear (bhaya), there would be no hunger or desire (bhook), hence no desire to consume (bhoga). Our desire to consume results in a heavy toll on resources (bali) for which we have to pay a price (karma). Thus fear is the seed of all issues we face in the business world from demand to supply, from transparency to governance. It is fear that shapes our relationship with consumers, auditors, authorities, bosses, processes. Yet, this is not part of business school curriculum. Perhaps because we are over reliant on human reason and forget that humans are essentially not reasonable but rather insecure and frightened. The word fear does not go well with the corporate image of a valorous confident warrior, dressed in a smart black suit, tablet in hand.

Stress or fear can be traced to the first life form (sajiva). Unlike inanimate objects (ajiva) it was determined to survive, fight for its life, avoid death, by seeking nutrition from the earth around. As more life forms emerged, everyone competed for food. Mutation took place and diversity emerged to improve chances of survival. The greatest mutation was the split between life-forms that move (chara) and life-forms that do not move (achara), meaning animals and plants. A plant grows towards food, but it cannot run from predators that feed on it. An animal can run towards food and away from predators. In animals we see the fear inherent in the food chain: the fear of the prey of being hunted and the fear of the predator of starvation. The other fear that is superimposed is that of the pecking order: who will be alpha and hence get access to most food and most mates. The one at the bottom of the pyramid is at a disadvantage, especially the male, who gets least food and probably no mate. Can this be the reason for the aggression seen in men? But humans are the most unique life-form. We have a mind that can imagine (manas) and so we imagine who we are and wonder if others imagine ourselves the same way. This creates anxiety, fear of invalidation. We seek status and justification and most importantly meaning (artha). We seek nourishment for our self-image, and constantly protecting this self-image from rivals and predators. This constitutes our architecture of fear.

It is significant that the word artha-shastra simultaneously means economics (do we generate and distribute enough wealth, income, revenue?), politics (do we get enough power to compete, catch prey, shun predators?), and philosophy (do we know who we really are? do we live meaningful lives?). This was a holistic approach to business and management, restricted not just to making ourselves efficient money-making businesses but locating business in society, and even the cosmos. This is missing in students one finds emerging from the best universities in the world. They are skilled warriors but clueless what are they fighting for. And this cluelessness results in strange, even dangerous behaviour.

Let us take three examples of behaviour found in the corporate world to demonstrate the key role of the fear-seed in business activities:

• Consumers and vendors constantly seek deals and discounts. It makes them feel powerful. Shopping becomes retail therapy, a chance to feel significant in a world that does not care for you. Service providers realise the value of making a customer feeling valuable. Fear is intensified by creating hierarchies amongst customers: you are level 1 customer, level 2 customer or level 3 customer. Depending on the hierarchy you get a different level of service. Your waiting time is less, if you are more loyal.

• A senior manager finds himself, or herself, being continuously judged. The auditors judge the processes he follows. The bosses judge his performance. He is constantly told what he has not achieved and how he is not adequately aligned. He discovers his compensation is never good enough, always lesser than his rivals, and this poor compensation is always rationalised and justified during appraisal time. He is repeatedly told, in quarter after quarter, he has to be better, run faster. He has to stay the ever-hungry predator who is never allowed to rest and play to satisfy the insatiable hunger of the anonymous institutional shareholder.

• A very successful investment banker wonders if people he meets knows how smart. So he buys the best car, the best house, throws the best parties, goes on the finest holidays, brags how he just works for an hour a day, or maybe an hour a week, constantly positioning his brilliance, and even doing charity, because he wants to succeed even in social responsibility. Finally, he starts seeing value in possessing a bathtub made of gold. Or gets a kick in getting freebees like celebrities.

A knowledge of fear is critical in management if one accepts that humans are animals with imagination, who cannot be domesticated using reason. Desire, greed, ambition, control, success, compliance all impact the everyone's architecture of fear. We look at institutions to raise their palm and display the symbol of a-bhaya. Instead their massive size, steel and glass coldness, impersonal business processes, swipe cards and closed circuit TVs only amplify the bhaya.

Source devdutt.com 

20 Things to Start doing in your Relationships

Family isn't always blood.  They're the people in your life who appreciate having you in theirs – the ones who encourage you to improve in healthy and exciting ways, and who not only embrace who you are now, but also embrace and embody who you want to be.  These people – your real family – are the ones who truly matter.

Here are twenty tips to help you find and foster these special relationships.

1.  FREE YOURSELF FROM NEGATIVE PEOPLE.
Spend time with nice people who are smart, driven and likeminded.  Relationships should help you, not hurt you.  Surround yourself with people who reflect the person you want to be.  Choose friends who you are proud to know, people you admire, who love and respect you – people who make your day a little brighter simply by being in it.  Life is too short to spend time with people who suck the happiness out of you.  When you free yourself from negative people, you free yourself to be YOU – and being YOU is the only way to truly live.

2.  LET GO OF THOSE WHO ARE ALREADY GONE.
The sad truth is that there are some people who will only be there for you as long as you have something they need.  When you no longer serve a purpose to them, they will leave.  The good news is, if you tough it out, you'll eventually weed these people out of your life and be left with some great people you can count on.  We rarely lose friends and lovers, we just gradually figure out who our real ones are.  So when people walk away from you, let them go.   Your destiny is never tied to anyone who leaves you.  It doesn't mean they are bad people; it just means that their part in your story is over.

3.  GIVE PEOPLE YOU DON'T KNOW A FAIR CHANCE.
When you look at a person, any person, remember that everyone has a story.  Everyone hasgone through something that has changed them, and forced them to grow.  Every passing face on the street represents a story every bit as compelling and complicated as yours.  We meet no ordinary people in our lives.  If you give them a chance, everyone has something amazing to offer.  So appreciate the possibility of new relationships as you naturally let go of old ones that no longer work.  Trust your judgment.  Embrace new relationships, knowing that you are entering into unfamiliar territory.  Be ready to learn, be ready for a challenge, and be ready to meet someone that might just change your life forever.

4.  SHOW EVERYONE KINDNESS AND RESPECT.
Treat everyone with kindness and respect, even those who are rude to you – not because they are nice, but because you are.  There are no boundaries or classes that define a group of people that deserve to be respected.  Treat everyone with the same level of respect you would give to your grandfather and the same level of patience you would have with your baby brother.  People will notice your kindness.

5.  ACCEPT PEOPLE JUST THE WAY THEY ARE.
In most cases it's impossible to change them anyway, and it's rude to try.  So save yourself from needless stress.  Instead of trying to change others, give them your support and lead by example.

6.  ENCOURAGE OTHERS AND CHEER FOR THEM.
Having an appreciation for how amazing the people around you are leads to good places – productive, fulfilling, peaceful places.  So be happy for those who are making progress.  Cheer for their victories.  Be thankful for their blessings, openly.  What goes around comes around, and sooner or later the people you're cheering for will start cheering for you.

7.  BE YOUR IMPERFECTLY PERFECT SELF.
In this crazy world that's trying to make you like everyone else, find the courage to keep being your awesome self.  And when they laugh at you for being different, laugh back at them for being the same.  Spend more time with those who make you smile and less time with those who you feel pressured to impress.  Be your imperfectly perfect self around them.  We are not perfect for everyone, we are only perfect for those select few people that really take the time to get to know us and love us for who we really are.  And to those select few, being our imperfectly perfect self is what they love about us.

8.  FORGIVE PEOPLE AND MOVE FORWARD.
Don't live your life with hate in your heart. You will end up hurting yourself more than the people you hate.  Forgiveness is not saying, "What you did to me is okay."  It is saying, "I'm not going to let what you did to me ruin my happiness forever."  Forgiveness is the remedy.  It doesn't mean you're erasing the past, or forgetting what happened.  It means you're letting go of the resentment and pain, and instead choosing to learn from the incident and move on with your life.  Remember, the less time you spend hating the people who hurt you, the more time you'll have to love the people who love you.

9.  DO LITTLE THINGS EVERY DAY FOR OTHERS.
Sometimes those little things occupy the biggest part of their hearts.  You can't be everything to everyone, but you can be everything to a few people.  Decide who these people are in your life and treat them like royalty.

10. PAY ATTENTION TO WHO YOUR REAL FRIENDS ARE.
As we grow up, we realize it becomes less important to have more friends and more important to have real ones.  Remember, life is kind of like a party.  You invite a lot of people, some leave early, some stay all night, some laugh with you, some laugh at you, and some show up really late.  But in the end, after the fun, there are a few who stay to help you clean up the mess.  And most of the time, they aren't even the ones who made the mess.  These people are your real friends in life.  They are the ones who matter most.

11. ALWAYS BE LOYAL. 
True love and real friendship aren't about being inseparable. These relationships are about two people being true to each other even when they are separated.  When it comes to relationships, remaining faithful is never an option, but a priority.  Loyalty is everything.

12. STAY IN BETTER TOUCH WITH PEOPLE WHO MATTER TO YOU.
In human relationships distance is not measured in miles, but in affection.  Two people can be right next to each other, yet miles apart.  So don't ignore someone you care about, because lack of concern hurts more than angry words.  Stay in touch with those who matter to you.  Not because it's convenient, but because they're worth the extra effort.  Remember, you don't need a certain number of friends, just a number of friends you can be certain of.  Paying attention to these people is a priority.

13. KEEP YOUR PROMISES AND TELL THE TRUTH.
If you say you're going to do something, DO IT!  If you say you're going to be somewhere, BE THERE!  If you say you feel something, MEAN IT!  If you can't, won't, and don't, then DON'T LIE.  It's always better to tell people the truth up front.  Don't play games with people's heads and hearts.  Don't tell half-truths and expect people to trust you when the full truth comes out; half-truths are no better than lies.  Remember, love and friendship don't hurt.  Lying, cheating and screwing with people's feelings and emotions hurts.  Never mess with someone's feelings just because you're unsure of yours.  Always be open and honest.

14. GIVE WHAT YOU WANT TO RECEIVE.
Don't expect what you are not willing to give.  Start practicing the golden rule.  If you want love, give love.  If you want friends, be friendly.  If you want money, provide value.  It works.  It really is this simple.

15. SAY WHAT YOU MEAN AND MEAN WHAT YOU SAY.
Give the people in your life the information they need, rather than expecting them to know the unknowable.  Information is the grease that keeps the engine of communication functioning.  Start communicating clearly.  Don't try to read other people's minds, and don't make other people try to read yours.  Most problems, big and small, within a family, friendship, or business relationships, start with bad communication.

16. ALLOW OTHERS TO MAKE THEIR OWN DECISIONS.
Do not judge others by your own past.  They are living a different life than you are.  What might be good for one person may not be good for another.  What might be bad for one person might change another person's life for the better.  Allow people to make their own mistakes and their own decisions.

17. TALK A LITTLE LESS, AND LISTEN MORE.
Less advice is often the best advice.  People don't need lots of advice, they need a listening ear and some positive reinforcement.  What they want to know is often already somewhere inside of them.  They just need time to think, be and breathe, and continue to explore the undirected journeys that will eventually help them find their direction.

18. LEAVE PETTY ARGUMENTS ALONE.
Someone else doesn't have to be wrong for you to be right.  There are many roads to what's right.  And most of the time it just doesn't matter that much.

19. IGNORE UNCONSTRUCTIVE, HURTFUL COMMENTARY.
No one has the right to judge you.  They might have heard your stories, but they didn't feel what you were going through.  No matter what you do, there will always be someone who thinks differently.  So concentrate on doing what you know in your heart is right.  What most people think and say about you isn't all that important.  What is important is how you feel about yourself.

20. PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOURSELF.
One of the most painful things in life is losing yourself in the process of loving others too much, and forgetting that you are special too.  When was the last time someone told you that they loved you just the way you are, and that what you think and how you feel matters?  When was the last time someone told you that you did a good job, or took you someplace, simply because they know you feel happy when you're there?  When was the last time that 'someone' was YOU?

Source 

Communication Mythos: Should the burden of understanding be on the message giver or receiver?

The message-giver thanks the message-receiver for enabling him to better understand human desire and capability. 

A friend told me something very interesting. She said, "I have noticed that during a conference Americans and Japanese behave very differently . If an American does not understand anything, he blames the communication skills of the message-giver. If a Japanese is under stress he blames himself, placing the burden of understanding on the message-receiver . Objectively speaking, who has the burden of understanding — the message-giver or the message-receiver ?

In the Western world, currently dominated by Greek mythology, where individuals are constantly suspicious of authority, the burden of understanding falls on the authority that seeks to govern. However, in the Eastern part of the world, dominated by Confucian mythology, where everyone respects authority, who has the Mandate of Heaven or legitimate power, the burden of understanding falls on the people who are being governed.

This divide is evident in communication techniques taught in training programs of modern management. The first being keep it short and simple, for people's attention span is low as is their capacity to comprehend . Another technique is repetition: "Say what you have to say, say it, and say what you have said." This we are told will get the message across. Here the burden is always on the speaker. Hence the obsession with over-clarifying and over-communicating .

We see this in the long documents and numerous posters that repeatedly seek to explain values and behaviours that the company endorses. There is anxiety that communication has not been clear or comprehensive enough. The message-giver has to constantly bring himself down to the level of the message-receiver.

This is influenced by the shift from the Imperial British system of communication to the more egalitarian American system of communication . It is not uncommon in many Indian family owned companies for owners to not bother with clear communication. Often innuendoes and signals are used to get messages across. For example: the person who is being repeatedly called for a meeting becomes the authority or the favoured one of the moment, irrespective of his designation.

It is assumed that the people who understand the leader get the message. Those who don't get the message don't matter in the scheme of things. On a more manipulative note, if the directive does not work, the leader simply gets a chance of escape. This puts great pressure on professionals who are not trained to deal with family businesses in B-schools.

Such practices are frowned in modern management as it is unclear, inefficient and adds to the burden of anxiety amongst employees. They are qualified as feudal, befitting an oriental despot. In other words, the criticism is rooted in Western prejudices about the East.

Though many business families in India tilt Eastwards, traditional Indian methods of communication actually stands between the East and the West. Who bears the burden of understanding is a function of context. It depends on who has more to lose: the message-giver or message-receiver ? This is demonstrated in the following story from the Upanishads.

A young boy called Satyakama wanted to understand the 'brahman' from his teacher, Gautama. So his teacher gave him some cows and told him to take them out to the pastures and to return only after the number of cows had doubled. While the cows grazed, Satyakama had nothing to do. He kept observing the world around him. As he watched the bull, the sun, the fire, the swan, and the fowl, his mind was filled with insight. When he returned his thanked his guru for revealing to him the 'brahman' .

In modern understanding of communication , the guru had done nothing to facilitate understanding. But in the traditional understanding of communication, the guru had created an ecosystem based on the desire and capability of Satyakama. Thus the message-giver understands the best way to communicate to the message receiver. Sometimes it may be instructive and directive, sometimes it may be full of innuendoes and symbols, depending on what the message-receiver can handle.

Here, the guru is not obliged to transmit the message but does so in order to improve his own understanding of human nature. Here, the student is not obliged to listen to the guru but does, because he wants knowledge. The teacher is merely a facilitator.

The message receiver thanks the message-giver for facilitating his understanding of the subject. The message-giver thanks the message-receiver for enabling him to better understand human desire and capability, hence his communication skills. Both win. There is no authority or rules. It is cyclical, not linear. This is what the guru-shishya parampara was actually about.

Source: Devdutt Pattanaik in The Economic Times

http://m.economictimes.com/features/corporate-dossier/management-mythos-should-the-burden-of-understanding-be-on-the-message-giver-or-receiver/articleshow/36461815.cms

When Your House Is On Fire | Truth is, What we say by experience

Talk: Osho

If you feel negative, that means somehow or other, knowingly or unknowingly, you have invested much in your negativity. Now you want to cling to it; you don't want to drop it. See the point. If you want to drop it, i say to you, ''Immediately, this very moment!'' Nobody is blocking the path. But you don't want to drop it; and you won't admit it.

Don't play these games. You are responsible. If others are responsible, how can you be free? But i tell you: you are free. Your nature is freedom. That's why the word 'moksha' does not exist in western languages. There is no equivalent to it, it means absolute freedom.

Eastern concept of moksha is absolute freedom. You can be free, because you are free. Realise this, this moment, and nobody is blocking the way – there is no barrier, no wall.

But if you don't want to become free, don't think that you want to become free. People talk about freedom, but they want to remain in bondage, because bondage has its own comforts, securities, conveniences. Freedom is risky.

Miserliness has its own conveniences; otherwise nobody would be a miser. If you are not a miser, you become more insecure. If you cling to money, to things, you feel a certain security: at least there is something to cling to; you don't feel empty. Maybe you are full of rubbish; but at least something is there, you are not empty.

You go on clinging. With negativity you feel powerful. Whenever you say 'no', you feel powerful; the ego is enhanced. Whenever you say 'yes', you feel humble; the ego is destroyed. When you love, you become humble; when you are angry, you feel powerful. When you are angry, you have four times more energy than you ordinarily have. In anger, in rage, you can throw a big rock. Ordinarily, you cannot even push it, not even move it.

So whenever you are negative, you feel powerful. And if you still want to feel powerful, you will cling to your negativity. Don't throw the responsibility on to your poor mother – because that is absurd. Take the responsibility on yourself, because that is the only chance of your transformation.

I am not saying, ''Drop your negativity.'' I am simply saying, ''Understand.'' If you want to carry it, it is up to you. Be blessed in your negativity. But then don't go on saying that you would like to drop it. Don't play this game. If you want to be negative, be negative.

Jesus said 'truth liberates'; nothing else. Jesus cannot liberate you, neither can i. Truth liberates. Just see the truth. If you are honest, you will see that through your negativity you are creating a hell. Only you are suffering, nobody else.

Let the suffering come to such a point where you cannot suffer any more; where you have to come out, as if your house is on fire. Then you don't cling to it, you simply run out; and you don't ask for the right way to get out.

You don't ask for a master: that you will have to learn the right way and the right technique. Nobody bothers. You jump out of the window; you run out of the back door. You find a way out yourself, once you realise that the house is on fire.

Courtesy Osho International Foundation, http://www.osho.com.

What is Sakshi Bhava?

Question: Amma, what is sakshi bhava [witness attitude]? 

Amma: When you become sugar, then there is nothing but sweetness. Likewise, in true sakshi bhava, there is bliss alone.

It's not that emotions don't come, they will be there, but you see them, as if from a distance, and they don't affect you. So, when anger begins rising up in you, you are able to see it very clearly. You witness it and this helps you to remain calm and not translate that emotion into action. Reflecting on the truth that we are not the body or the mind but are the atma [the true self], we can use our viveka[discrimination] to reject that emotion as baseless.

Witnessing like this and keeping our distance from our emotions, is for our own safety. Visiting a zoo and seeing the animals in their cages is a blissful experience. But if you open the door the cage and let the animals out their cages it will be disastrous. It is the same with the mind.

When you understand the nature of the world and its objects, you will see things and remain detached, like a witness, and accept them. For example, a crow may evacuate upon us, but we don't get angry at the crow. You just go wash your dress and move forward.

In sakshi bhava, it is not that there are no thoughts or emotions. Just as there are waves in the ocean, there will be thoughts in the mind. But since you know how to swim, you are able to get in the water and blissfully move about them.

From - 

Friday, 18 April 2014 – Amritapuri Seashore Meditation and Question & Answer

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Discover Your Sweet Spot

An entire spectrum of existence is possible between self-belief and faith in the universal energy, between confidence in free will and destiny and between taking charge and letting go. With reflection, meditation, and pursuit of a clear life purpose, you can identify the fine balance that's optimal for you. It's the place of equilibrium where you willingly engage in meaningful action and yet are detached from the bipolar evaluation of results, connected equally with inner stillness and external activity; where the physical and spiritual meet.

It's about living with the understanding of how several hundred thousand actions of the mind, body, and the universe are happening involuntarily; yet appreciating the need for voluntary actions that bring to life our conscious intentions with the help of our body and its nervous system. For example, what we decide to eat is our choice, however, how the stomach digests that food is through the universal intelligence present in each cell of our digestive system.

This sweet spot is the special place in this journey where we are fully present in the moment; feel centred within ourselves and let our actions emanate from this deeper space. We are aware and focussed in our actions and yet have a relaxed and open mind; we are engaged in the task, but simultaneously in touch with that subtle place inside us that makes us totally open, strong, tender, loving and trusting.

Through praying, we connect with our deeper subconscious and higher Self and that makes us feel stronger, clearer and peaceful. All the masters of their craft, from artists and writers to sportsmen and spiritual gurus, consistently experience this sweet spot. In those special moments, their actions flow from somewhere other than the conscious mind. They all have this ability to shut out the rest of the world as well as their inner thoughts and connect with the stillness and the silence within.

The sweet spot can also be understood as the zone where things fall into place effortlessly and in complete harmony between our inner being and the external universe. It is the place when we feel balanced in every way – between, work and family, physical and emotional wellbeing, mental and spiritual growth, personal progress and supporting others, giving and receiving, and loving and being loved. It's the zone where we feel challenged but in control, where we are learning and growing but are not overwhelmed, where we are open to new experiences but have the wisdom to assimilate them into our understanding.

Experiencing and living connected to this sweet spot impacts every minutest bit of our existence. At work, operating in the sweet zone translates to being engaged in a profession or vocation that we love, enjoy, and find meaningful and rewarding.

In our relationships, this sweet spot implies being neither too aggressive nor too submissive in our interactions but just being our honest authentic self; being assertive such that we are firm but polite, confident but respectful; being willing to be vulnerable and yet self-assured; have healthy self-respect but not strong ego; are deeply caring but not possessive.

Finally, the deeper impact of discovering our sweet spot is the overflow of empathy and compassion for others. Embarking on the journey of personal mastery can help you discover your own sweet spot, where you experience deeper happiness, fulfilment, peace, effortlessness and balance across all dimensions of your life.


~ Rajiv Vij 

First Published in SpeakingTree.in

When Did “The Present” Begin?

It's a harder question than it sounds. Does the present refer to right this second?
Today? This year? The past few years? Fortunately, science has the answer.

Different scientific disciplines, cultures, and religions base their calendars on different "zero" moments. In geology, as well as other scientific disciplines, the epoch of time referred to as "the present" began on January 1, 1950. It's a somewhat arbitrary, compromise of a date, but a fixed moment in the study of things that takes a really, really long time to change or move.

Here's how that date was selected. In the earth's atmosphere, there are carbon isotopes in relatively equal proportion to each other, including the stable carbon-12 and the unstable carbon-14. Plants absorb both kinds, in the form of carbon dioxide, from the atmosphere. When a living thing dies, it dies with inherent carbon-12 and carbon-14, but the carbon-14 immediately begins decaying at a known, constant rate. Scientists can then measure the amount of carbon-14 left in the dead thing to determine its approximate age. This is called "radiocarbon dating," and it's been used to determine the age of naturally occurring materials, like plants, rocks, and human remains, as well as things made from naturally occurring materials, including the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Shroud of Turin.

Radiocarbon dating was introduced in the 1940s, but it became workable, with standardized methods and widely adopted in the 1950s. Around that same time, governments began widespread atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons. Scientists soon realized that radiocarbon dating could no longer be relied upon to accurate date objects. Why? Nuclear weapons so massively alter an environment, and an atmosphere, that they threw off the ratio of carbon-14 and carbon-12, even turning a lot of carbon-14 into carbon-12.

Basically, any radiocarbon testing done after January 1, 1950—a date agreed upon because it fell in the midst of the beginnings of nuclear testing—is somewhat unreliable. The period after is called "the present." Any time before may be referred to, scientifically, as "B.P." or "before present."

Source

A Childlike Approach To Life

Most of us are caught in the trivial parts of life and miss seeing the whole. Without leaving our room we want to see the vastness of sky. We live a part of the whole and that part is our pattern, our position and our ego. Thus, we limit our brain to limited paradigms. To see the whole is part of managing our life effectively. To take that leap, one has to have a childlike perceptive and not a childish perceptive.

Life is a great mystery; it is vast and limitless. It cannot be limited by shallow thinking. We have not learnt to observe life and hence we are lost in limitations. To be childish is to be ignorant like a child and to be childlike is to be innocent like a child.

One has to learn how to perceive, how to look, how to see. A child sees innocently. To be innocent is to be open. When we look at a flower, we don't actually see the flower. The perceiver pollutes the perception. With strong likes and dislikes one looks at a flower. When that happens, the emphasis is on one's likes and dislikes and not actually on the flower. As you grow old, your mind encounters rigid frames of like and dislike, opinions, dogmas, fears, conflicts, greed etc.
Hence your "seeing" is influenced by your background. So your experience of the external world is a product of your mind.

We learn through books, school and college. We collect lot of concepts, words and we get imprisoned by what we know. When we "see and know" something in the outer world there is a struggle. The struggle is to see and know in the light of what you know from your past. The present should fit into your past. So what you know from your past is more important than what you see in the present. You are bound by what you know.

Thus our perception is not free. What we know and learn is dictated by the background of our knowledge, our past. A childlike perception is freeing oneself from that background and be free inwardly.

Apply this in the field of relationships, at office or at home. You have an image of your spouse or boss. This image is a product of your conclusions, opinions and with that mental image you relate to your spouse and work. So your struggle is to see that the other fits into your image of your partner or boss. This is a complicated way of living. A childlike perception has no image and its innocence comes in touch with the object. It does not hanker for validation; hence there is no struggle for such validation. By this one can relate better without bitterness.

A childlike perception is pure sensitivity and not sentimental. To be sensitive is experiencing "what is" and sentimental is reacting to "what is" from one's past. Most of us are sentimental. Let us enter into the state of childlike perception and experience the delight of the now. Then you will transform the ruins of your heart with the "childlike" perception of life. Drain the cup of sentimentality and fill it with sensitivity. Thus walk on the path of being sensitive to "what is". Then you will relate better in your office and home. You will build a better rapport with people. You will nourish people by your warmth of being sensitive.

Published 1st by Swami Sukhabodhananda on SpeakingTree.in

Some Wisdom ... some common sense

1. There are plenty of ways to enter a pool. The stairs is not one of them.
2. Never cancel dinner plans by text message.
3. Don't knock it 'til you try it.
4. If a street performer makes you stop walking, you owe him a buck.
5. Always use 'we' when referring to your home team or your government.
6. When entrusted with a secret, keep it.
7. Don't underestimate free throws in a game of 'horse'.
8. Just because you can doesn't mean you should.
9. Don't dumb it down.
10. You only get one chance to notice a new haircut.
11. If you're staying more than one night, unpack.
12. Never park in front of a bar.
13. Expect the seat in front of you to recline. Prepare accordingly.
14. Keep a picture of your first fish, first car, and first boy/girlfriend.
15. Hold your heroes to a high standard.
16. A suntan is earned, not bought.
17. Never lie to your doctor.
18. All guns are loaded.
19. Don't mention sunburns. Believe me, they know.
20. The best way to show thanks is to wear it. Even if it's only once.
21. Take a vacation of your cell phone, internet, and TV once a year.
22. Don't fill up on bread, no matter how good.
23. A handshake beats an autograph.
24. Don't linger in the doorway. In or out.
25. If you choose to go in drag, don't sell yourself short.
26. If you want to know what makes you unique, sit for a caricature.
27. Never get your hair cut the day of a special event.
28. Be mindful of what comes between you and the Earth. Always buy good shoes, tires, and sheets.
29. Never eat lunch at your desk if you can avoid it.
30. When you're with new friends, don't just talk about old friends.
31. Eat lunch with the new kids.
32. When traveling, keep your wits about you.
33. It's never too late for an apology.
34. Don't pose with booze.
35. If you have the right of way, take it.
36. You don't get to choose your own nickname.
37. When you marry someone, remember you marry their entire family.
38. Never push someone off a dock.
39. Under no circumstances should you ask a woman if she's pregnant.
40. It's not enough to be proud of your ancestry; live up to it.
41. Don't make a scene.
42. When giving a thank you speech, short and sweet is best.
43. Know when to ignore the camera.
44. Never gloat.
45. Invest in good luggage.
46. Make time for your mom on your birthday. It's her special day, too.
47. When opening presents, no one likes a good guesser.
48. Sympathy is a crutch, never fake a limp.
49. Give credit. Take blame.
50. Suck it up every now and again.
51. Never be the last one in the pool.
52. Don't stare.
53. Address everyone that carries a firearm professionally.
54. Stand up to bullies. You'll only have to do it once.
55. If you've made your point, stop talking.
56. Admit it when you're wrong.
57. If you offer to help don't quit until the job is done.
58. Look people in the eye when you thank them.
59. Thank the bus driver.
60. Never answer the phone at the dinner table.
61. Forgive yourself for your mistakes.
62. Know at least one good joke.
63. Don't boo. Even the ref is somebody's son.
64. Know how to cook one good meal.
65. Learn to drive a stick shift.
66. Be cool to younger kids. Reputations are built over a lifetime.
67. It's okay to go to the movies by yourself.
68. Dance with your mother/father.
69. Don't lose your cool. Especially at work.
70. Always thank the host.
71. If you don't understand, ask before it's too late.
72. Know the size of your boy/girlfriend's clothes.
73. There is nothing wrong with a plain t-shirt.
74. Be a good listener. Don't just wait for your turn to talk.
75. Keep your word.
76. In college, always sit in the front. You'll stand out immediately.
77. Carry your mother's bags. She carried you for nine months.
78. Be patient with airport security. They're just doing their jobs.
79. Don't be the talker in a movie.
80. The opposite sex likes people who shower.
81. You are what you do, not what you say.
82. Learn to change a tire.
83. Be kind. Everyone has a hard fight ahead of them.
84. An hour with grandparents is time well spent. Ask for advice when you need it.
85. Don't litter.
86. If you have a sister, get to know her boyfriend. Your opinion is important.
87. You won't always be the strongest or the fastest. But you can be the toughest.
88. Never call someone before 9am or after 9pm.
89. Buy the orange properties in Monopoly.
90. Make the little things count.
91. Always wear a bra at work.
92. There is a fine line between looking sultry and slutty. Find it.
93. You're never too old to need your mom.
94. Ladies, if you make the decision to wear heels on the first date, commit to keeping them on and keeping your trap shut about how much your feet kill.
95. Know the words to your national anthem.
96. Your dance moves might not be the best, but I promise making a fool of yourself is more fun then sitting on the bench alone.
97. Smile at strangers.
98. Make goals.
99. Being old is not dictated by your bedtime.
100. If you have to fight, punch first and punch hard.


Which one is your favourite? Why? Leave a comment :)

Christina Makisi - i miss you

This is a conversation between me and an enlightened spirit who made a brief but bright appearance in my life.... I wish Her well .... With my gratitude and efforts ...

Christina Makisi Speaks ...

if Shiva did not play, there would be no universe. I love that.

yes, no importance of winning or losing, it is the art of playing. now, as life plays its game, can you observe it without the slightest hint of taking your attention from it? not even a moment. I am showing you my inner being. from morning until i go to bed, there is this fullness of awareness in watching/listening to the mind/body all day and all night. please this is vital. not meditation, for that man has mad a mess of. this is simple watchfulness which comes as you are learning and understanding yourself; your thoughts and emotions and attitude. simply let the inner watchfulness take place.

as you go into oneself, you discover, you are the mind that is watching. then, through insight, there is the realization that beyond the mind, there may be something there that is not a part of the mind. the thinker realizes that it is nothing but thought. without thought there is no identity called Aseem. when the mind realizes that it is a false thing of time-space and causation, it questions this fact deeper and deeper. and, when you least expect it, the mind and all one took as real vanishes. this Divine silence comes into your being in which words cannot describe or capture. this comes uninvited as you cannot be conscious of it. it is the total ending of 'you.' that is why these words may seem abstract and vague when in fact your conscious mind cannot fathom what is beyond the mind. so, it is like I am speaking to that eternal essence that transcends conscious and unconscious to come into being as spirit can speak to spirit. blessed be.

the knower is a product of the known as the thinker is a part of thought. the thinker comes into being due to labeling, identifying and a lack of attention. so, through attention, which is not a thing of the mind enters your being, the false comes to an end. the false depends on inattentiveness. as long as you are inattentive, you are feeding the false, the illusive and the unreal. the Real comes when you see that the false is false and drop it altogether. The Real has no relationship to the false. as long as one is living and being in the false, truth cannot come to you. that is why the whole idea of finding God/Truth has no meaning as long as one is still living and clinging to the false. see the false, watch it, deeply. watch every thought, emotion and so on with rapt attentiveness. the lack of attention that brought the false into being comes to an end as attention enters to bring complete change.

the moth drawn to the flame is to be completely burnt within until there is nothing left. nothing at all. even the slightest ash of 'you' spoils the temple of your being. to be completely empty is to be the temple in which the Divine may enter.

go into what is fear. fear is thought/thinking. do you see this? watch it within yourself so that it is your own understanding. like being afraid of death. why? because the mind is there 'thinking' about it consciously or unconsciously. thought is the enemy. thinking is the culprit that feeds fear; which is the fear. seeing this within yourself gives tremendous energy. it releases you from a great burden.

you have become so attached and hidden behind so many images and illusions. drop all of them. that which gives you comfort also gives you decay and decadence. to cling to anything has no meaning. it all weighs you down. can you cling to Truth? can one be attached to Truth? no. so, whatever you are clinging to, be it a deity, an idea or a belief, obviously it is not the Truth. Truth has neither form or name. whatever can be held, touched and worshiped by the mind is not Truth.

Go beyond all such things when you let go of everything.

the thing is, knowledge cannot free you as knowledge itself is a slave. one may know a thousand texts and a thousand guru's but it will now awaken you. it is up to you to actually go into yourself. that is the book to be read; your own mind/thoughts/feelings. read that book from moment to moment and the end of it is not to another chapter but the total ending of everything you think you are. in the end, you discover that which cannot be written. blessed is he who goes beyond all books, knowledge and guru's.

Aseem Seth
There are so many things to distract the mind. Video games, YouTube, fantasies ... How to overcome these addictions?

Christina Makisi
simply observe them without the slightest interest in avoiding them. do not push anything away as a distraction or addiction. have fullness of attention when you are doing anything. the living flame of attention burns away the divisiveness of all activities. attention. not 'you'. understand?

If you do not do this one thing first and foremost, the knowing of 10,000 wise Sayings will profit little to nothing. without first entering the door of death, you will remain blind. Come face-to-face with inward death and see it for what it is. no one can tell you, you must do it within yourself.

Enter the doorway and see for yourself if there is that Reality which is not of this world of knowledge. Then, through self-knowing, you will truly understand what is spiritual freedom.

"If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them." ~ John 13:17

Aseem Seth
Amen Devi Amen

Please explain your last line in your previous message ..." Attention. Not 'you'. Understand?"
What is the living flame of attention? How do I identify it? How do I grasp it?
What is attention? How is it different from concentration?

Christina Makisi

again, you are trying to get 'knowledge.' attention is not knowledge. its not a thing of the mind. it is beyond the mind. seeing yourself, your thoughts/feelings from moment to moment points the way into nothingness.

attention is all-inclusive 'seeing'. concentration is the narrowing down of something by pushing and resisting other things to focus on a particular thing. so, drop the idea of concentration.

stop trying. there is no effort in this. trying implies a practice, a resistance. stop trying to resist. it is the art of being without trying to anything other than whatever you are.

knowing oneself is paying attention to oneself. that is all. don't think so hard about it. from the moment you get up in the morning letting that watchfulness take place in the totality of attention throughout the whole day and night. doing it is the learning. do not try to learn something to practice.

it is the artless art. no one can do it for you. simply listen to your own being and that points the way.

cease trying to become something other than what you are.

if you negate the 'I', perhaps love will awaken in you.

love is not an emotion. its not sentimental. its not feelings but the art of going beyond all worldly sensitivities.

If there is fear within you, then, there can be no love.

the 'I' is the unhappiness. they are one and the same thing.

because of division and duality, the 'I' thinks happiness is something that is separately attacking it. in actuality, the 'I' is unhappiness.

the 'I' is the conscious mind that is filled with resistance of the present moment. this 'I' is actually a dead thing perpetrating itself as being alive. but, how can it be alive when its a product of the past? it is trapped in the past of time but has the power to project the illusion that it can enter the present moment. but, this illusion has to be seen for what it is in order to be spiritually free.

there is no happiness if the 'I' is there. happiness comes when the 'I' is not.

I was never born.

yes, but, it doesn't 'see' this fact. by seeing this fact, you are then free of it. the freedom that comes from the negation of the 'I' transcends ones idea of happiness. true happiness is devoid of a cause. it is not a thing of the mind which is time. this happiness is timeless, causeless and beyond the 'I' consciousness. the ending of you is the awakening of this happiness.

forget the definition, taste the fact. the doing/living it is all that is important.

not HOW. when you say, how, then you are again back in the realm of using time instead of attention.

HOW... how means you are asking for a thing, a practice, a particular pattern to get from one point to another. this is not like that. spirituality is not time bound. you do not go from unhappiness to happiness. you end unhappiness and discover happiness JUST IS.

what is confusion? confusion means one does not see, yes? so, see that you are confused without trying to escape the confusion. then you are moving effortlessly. not from one state to another.
whatever state you are in is perfectly alright. simply observe the fact of it. do not try to jump into something other than.

you are. its just you want to remain conscious of it. flow with your life without the slightest resistance.

good. if you are frustrated, simply observe that fact. the fact is the key. use facts! not trying to reach non-facts. being frustrated is not a problem! trying to NOT be frustrated is!
do you understand what i mean by non-fact? if you are frustrated and confused, that is a fact. do not try to become clarity because that would be a non-fact. stay with the fact and observe it. the seeing of the fact in attentiveness burns it away. this is very simple but you are thinking so hard.
let's look at it from another point.

what if i told you that Christina does not think? her mind is still, quiet. it doesn't move at all in this stillness.

now, ask yourself, why does Aseem, who is also human like Christina, why does his mind move with thoughts/feelings/emotions?

question that and see into it. do not just brush over it. look into it.

Aseem Seth
Because it is scared. It defines its being by movement. If it stops moving it will die. Like planets move around the sun, electrons around the atom, the universe expands at the speed of light. It is all movement. There is no stillness

Christina Makisi
yes, that is it, there is the fear of coming to an end if there is not movement! that is it! lets go into this.
so, we see together, clearly that there is the fear of the 'I' consciousness that if there is stillness/quietude/silence there is annihilation? the mind being 'noise' has this intense fear that as long as it keeps making noise it exists and if it doesn't it is over, it is dead, right.
now, christina, who is also human says, see, i am here with you and my head makes no noise and yet I am alive.


yes, we will continue later. take care. and please go into this. Namaste

N.B. - These conversations took place on facebook between Christina Makisi and me on 10/11/12 & 11/11/12 - she was in her early 20s when she spoke to me.

• I miss you
• 16 November 2012
• 

  16/11/2012 18:30
  

  Christina Makisi
  

  
  

  No need to miss me. I am always within you. I am love, which is whole, how can you ever be separate from me? please, continue to work on understanding oneself. we will speak when I return from my trip.
• 16 November 2012
• 

  16/11/2012 21:36
  

  Aseem Seth
  

  
  

  Bon Voyage Mother Be careful ... You take my heart with you

Feeling Stressed? Good for You!

Watch this -



How you think about stress - whether it's good or bad for you - makes it good or bad

Stress releases Oxytocin - the compassion hormone - read more on it Here

Compassion (caring for others) creates Stress Resilience - the Biology of Courage

Source: http://pocket.co/sqN18

Learn To Communicate & Trust Your Gut Instinct

TEDTalk: Heribert Watzke: The brain in your gut

Learn To Trust Your Gut Instinct

By V N Mittal

Many of our emotions are known to originate in the belly—these emotions seem to grow from our gut. The gut is really our second brain. There are more neurons in the gut than anywhere else except the brain says Greenblatt, an American psychiatrist.The gut's brain known as enteric nervous system is located in sheaths of tissue lining the oesophagus, stomach, small intestine and colon. Research has shown that there is a connection between the brain and gut, and a prolonged dysfunction in the gut may give rise to neurodegenerative disease and affect your immune system adversely. Unexpressed emotions such as anger when repressed may stick in your gut creating energy block and often a serious health hazard.

"The second brain is an intuitive brain" says Alexander. But we tend to let rational thinking overrule intuition emanating from gut instinct – while animals often heed to this sixth sense. By cultivating your intuitive skills, you are enabled to listen to the little voice in your head more clearly. Stories abound about many lives that had been saved by those following their gut instinct in time. It is that mysterious gut feeling that often turns out to be right.

Not only is gut instinct important from physical and emotional perspectives, it has a spiritual connotation too. It motivates us to accept our true place in the journey of life and teaches us to accept others for what they are.

Energetically, physically, emotionally and mentally, we are all powerful radiant beings. Yet, we often find ourselves lacking in accepting and radiating our own power. Sometimes we tend to accept much less than our true worth because of a weak gut.


Accepting less than your true worth is a symptom of an under-active Solar Plexus or the Manipura chakra – the abode of gut instinct, self-esteem and determination. The Manipura is located between the navel and the base of the sternum and helps you to discover your own personal power and will. When this chakra is activated, your whole system becomes fully energised, which in turn fires up your power, drive and sense of purpose.The fire produced in Manipura fuels our metabolism. Its deficiency leads to low self-esteem, as well as a loss of drive and will. We could suffer from perpetual fear of rejection, over-sensitivity to criticism, and loss of self-image.

So activating your Manipura chakra is important. The Manipura, like all other chakras, can be activated by physical manipulation, visualisation, martial arts, meditation, and in several other ways.

Manipura is a power chakra in the human body. When we bring balance to this chakra, we can begin to experience a true inner strength and power while moving away from the unhealthy desire to gain power over others. This paves the way to a more relaxed and spontaneous life, powerful but free. When we lose power, we also lose touch with our own unique individuality. Learn to trust your gut instinct. When you are stuck at a crossroad and are wavering between choices, it is the gut instinct that can help you discover the right option.

Beware that acting on the gut instinct indiscriminately may sometimes be disastrous and land you in trouble. What is needed is to let your innate wisdom strike a balance between gut instinct and rational thinking in order to make the best use of the survival biological tool.

The writer is Reiki Sensei in Dehradun.
first published on www.speakingtree.in

Why Not Make Room For Joy?

By Marguerite Theophil

I have a poster over my desk that says "Nothing without Joy." It surprised me when a friend noticing it, frowned and said, "But i have no room for joy!" Her remark sent my imagination into overdrive. I visualised an extra room in my home that was designed to welcome Joy, to make room for it. The exercise was so refreshing that since then, i've encouraged several of my personal growth clients to try the same.

It's no surprise to learn that each of us has a completely different idea of how large or small this 'room' is, how different the colours, the décor, the light.

Then one day, a woman declared that her room now felt 'too crowded' with things she thought she loved and kept adding, and this was a moment of insightful learning for me. Making a room and making room were two separate things.


To make room, we need to move things out, to clear space. It's as hard to experience joy if our lives are crowded or cluttered, as it is to find space in a closet for new clothes when we hold on to all our old ones. What needs to go?


1. Relax. One of the more obvious things is the manic busy-ness that propels us to fill every minute of the day with doing or accomplishing. Even on a break, we feel some strange internal pressure to go somewhere, do something, as if staying home and resting isn't a legitimate way to spend one's downtime.


2. Looking after everyone's needs but one's own is sadly elevated in most cultures to a virtue, especially in the case of women. There's a wise lesson in the announcement the cabin attendant makes on a flight: "In case of cabin pressure, pull the oxygen mask towards you and pull it over your face. Make sure you do this before helping with a child or another passenger." You'd be of no use to the child or to anyone if you were unable to breathe yourself.


3. Resentments. Even tiny ones occupy a huge space. And they swell in volume with the passage of time. Left unresolved, resentment has the power to become all consuming, and is very effective at fuelling bitterness and anger.

4. Worrying about what is clearly beyond our control. Let's repeat the popular prayer: "God grant me serenity to accept the things i cannot change; courage to change the things i can; and wisdom to know the difference."


5. Blame. Blaming others edges out our capacity for joy. Blaming ourselves does much the same. The thing with blame is that it comes bundled with blinkers that are hard to remove, and that ensure we don't get to see kindnesses, good deeds and other positives around us.


6. Grumbling is a biggie! In addition to taking up space, it creates toxic fumes! And this can kill an appreciation for blessings that come our way, not to mention sending people we love and need running off in the opposite direction.


7. Awfulising. Psychologist Albert Ellis coined the term to refer to a distortion of thinking, where an event or situation is thought of in overly negative terms – a kind of exaggeration where a minor setback is seen as a major catastrophe. The mere expectation that things will get worse will cause them to get worse.


There are probably a lot more, but when joy takes up residence, these unhelpful tendencies can be edged out and made to loosen their hold on our lives. Make room for Joy.

First Published in www.speakingtree.in

Kailasha & Swarga

The Heavens of Contentment and Indulgence

Shiva's realm is Kailasa, a stony mountain covered with snow, where there are no pastures, still Shiva's bull is happy. There is a tiger there, the mount of Shiva's consort, Shakti, still Shiva's bull is not afraid. The snake around Shiva's neck does not chase Ganesha's rat and does not get chased by Kartikeya's peacock. There is no fear of death in Kailasa, so no hunger, no predator, no prey, no chase. This is the realm of yoga, where Lakshmi does not matter.

Indra's realm is Amravati, the abode of the Devas, where the Asparas dance, the Gandharvas sing, and Sura flows, where there is the wish-fulfilling tree Kalpataru, the wish-fulfilling gem, Chintamani, and the wish-fulfilling cow, Kamadhenu. There is no fear of death here either, for Indra has consumed Amrita, nectar of immortality.

Illustration/ Devdutt Pattanaik

This is the realm of bhoga or pleasure, where all desires are realised without any effort: where Lakshmi comes when summoned. Yoga demands inner transformation, the churning of inner mental fire, tapa, through the practice of tapasya, to outgrow hunger. It is a solitary activity. Bhoga demands no inner transformation, just the churning of outer fire, agni, through the practice of yagna. Needless to say, people prefer bhoga to yoga, yagna to tapasya. That is why Amravati is referred to as Swarga, paradise. The purpose of human enterprise is to achieve Swarga on earth.

This desire expresses itself in many household rituals of Hinduism. During the festival of Pongal, people of Tamil Nadu boil milk in pots till it overflows. During Gudi Padva, in Maharashtra, pots are perched upside down atop staffs to simulate divine pots showering sweets and silks into the household. During Vishu, in Kerala, the matriarch of the household ensures that the first thing every member of the household sees is his or her own reflection in a mirror surrounded by grain and gold. During Annakoot festivals of temples, vast quantities of food are heaped in the shape of mountains before the deity. Presence of abundant food and fun makes us feel closer to Swarga.

Both Shiva and Indra are immortal. Shiva's immortality is achieved by tapasya. Kama is sacrificed during tapasya. Indra's immortality is achieved through yagna that is fuelled by Kama. And his greatest yagna is the churning of the ocean of milk that yields him the Amrita, the nectar of immortality. Along with Amrita comes Halahal, a poison that threatens to destroy the whole world.

Indra wants to consume Amrita but is unable to handle Halahal. He offers it to Shiva who drinks and digests it, much to Indra's delight.  Along with Amrita also comes the eternal enmity of their half-brothers, the Asuras. Denied a share of Amrita, they remain mortal giving the Devas an unfair advantage over them. Like Shiva, they perform tapasya – but only to get power with which they can defeat Devas, and lay claim to the treasures of Swarga. The Devas fight back, with the help of Vishnu, reclaim their treasures. 

But the defeated Asuras always come back, thanks to the Sanjivani Vidya they get from Shiva. They may not be immortal but they can always come back to life. So Amravati, the land of bhoga, is always under siege. Immortal Indra can never enjoy Lakshmi in peace. So it is with human success.

The author is Chief Belief Officer of the Future Group, and can be reached at devdutt@devdutt.com

Source: http://www.mid-day.com/columnists/2013/feb/170213-opinion-devdutt-pattanaik-paradise-of-indulgence.htm

--

Aseem Seth

On the Path, We Go Through Five Stages

In Thus Spake Zarathustra, Nietzsche explains the metamorphoses of the spirit -- How the spirit becomes a camel, the camel a lion, and the lion, a child. 

We behave like camels when we take over burdens of the world. Then we need to evolve into a lion because the lion can do many things that the camel cannot, including "to assume the ride to new values" from the you shall of conventional religion to the i will of the more enlightened.The third metamorphosis is to a child. 

To Nietzsche, the child is innocence and forgetfulness, a new beginning, a game, a self-rolling wheel, a first movement, a holy yea.

Realistically, a person goes through five and not three stages. 

The first is when man starts out as a rat greedy, gnawing at everything even when not hungry.

The second is the camel. Nietzsche says we become camels to satisfy our ego. I feel our motivation is our compassion and love and, to some extent, social compulsions.

The third is the lion, where we desire to break free. This requires courage. ‘You shall’ is a powerful highway and paths diverting from it are seeded with thorns of blasphemy. Without crossing it there is no entrance to the fertile valley of ‘i will’. The lion is needed for this.

The fourth is the elephant, where man acquires dignity and wisdom; the aggression of the lion is mellowed. The Ganesh image symbolises this. Wisdom and maturity are needed before they, too, are subsumed in innocence.

The fifth is the child where innocence is the prime quality. When his disciples asked, On what day will you be revealed to us, and on what day shall we see you? Jesus said: When you unclothe yourselves and are not ashamed, and take your garments and lay them beneath your feet like the little children and trample on them, then (you will see) the Son of the Living One, and you will have no more fear.

Most are stuck in the rat stage craving for food, clothing and shelter fuelled by greed. Another big challenge is to move from the camel to the lion stage. We are so conditioned by our education, traditions and social mores that few can break out of the you shall mode and strike out on their own path of i will. 

To move on to the elephant stage you need to overcome ego. For some, this comes naturally and for others, through the guidance of a master. In most, this never happens. From elephant to child is easier as wisdom is already there to guide us. The fruit is ripening and will fall one day. 

Ramana Maharshi showed us how to overcome inter-stage resistance. He asked a seeker who was reluctant to give up his old ways, how he came to the ashram. The seeker said he took a train. Did you get off at the station, Ramana asked. Yes, replied the seeker, then I took a bullock cart. And how did you come up the hill? Ramana enquired. The seeker said, I got off the cart and walked up.So, you used one vehicle till it was needed, gave it up and took another, which you gave up when its purpose was served. It is the same with these rituals, too. They have served their purpose and now the time is ripe to give them up.

Life is a journey to live- not just to be carried over like bulk of baggage. Moving from one path to the other need to be realised, rather than simply reading ;-)

Source: http://m.speakingtree.in/spiritual-articles/lifestyle/on-the-path-we-go-through-five-stages

From Kishore Asthana's Article on Speakingtree.in