Equilibrium

Part 1- Intro

I had been reading two books simultaneously, possibly because I wasn’t content with the concept of either. Both concepts are true in their own way but seem incomplete. One was about ‘letting go’ of our false self(emotions generated by body). It suggested the escape from troubling emotions by saying ‘I (higher self/soul/cosmic consciousness/true self) am not feeling this, my false self is feeling this. Also saying, ‘I(true self) don’t understand these feelings!

I really can't accept that because I believe that recognizing the inner self (higher self) should not require us to deny existence to our body! After all, the Higher self 'chose' to be in a body, then how can it totally ignore the existence of the body and its emotions!

The other book is about ‘the law of attraction’ It says that 'if we are feeling negative, we draw negative experiences. Therefore to bring all our desire’s to fulfillment, we should make sure we are always feeling good. Whenever we feel bad, we should shift to thinking something good so that we can feel good and draw good.' But then what about resolving issues that are making us feel negative! Moreover isn't it Life and often negative circumstances that lead the body, the false self, to search for better (lasting) or rather Higher solutions and so leads it to recognize the Higher self within. Why should then one prefer a particular circumstance over other? Rather one should let the body lead itself in whatever way to complete and lasting self discovery.

It was while I was shuffling with dissatisfaction between these two books, hoping to somehow finish them, that I happened to see the movie Equilibrium. It has made it to my favourite movies list (inspite of violence and a little lack in logic) because it reflected my point of view and satisfied me. The story is about a step taken to prevent another world war. It is decided that the root cause of war is man’s ability to feel. So to remove anger, jealousy and hate, a medicine is taken by the human race which make them emotionless. The price of this is that they don’t feel the good emotions either, but atleast there is no war and the human race is preserved. But the question is what are they living for? Just to carry forward the race? Finally the conclusion of the story is, 'Emotions are not the cause of war. Emotions are a gift that makes life worth living and not a mere existence. The cause of war is the lack of skills to manage emotions. It is when not managed, that the gift becomes chaos'.

The question now is only how to manage the emotions? Only when we recognize that we are actually a part of the infinite and that the body and its emotions are instruments to us that we would try to objectively learn about this instrument without ego association with the instrument. We would then recognize correctly its strong points and weak points and use it as an instrument. But still… 'I' am here within it to use it, not to let it gather dust just because this emotion charged instrument is not me! Fine, it is not me, but it is mine, and it is in my hand to be used….correctly.

When the instrument experiences the negative emotions, we would try to solve its problems in ways that suit it’s make. Sometimes it may require recognizing the futility or stupidity of an emotional reaction and so ‘letting go’ of it. But at other times, it involves understanding a reaction and the need for a proper immediate action and so requires just ‘letting be’, under ‘Higher supervision’.
I told this to someone but my idea was dismissed as lower understanding and I was provided with a book ‘ Practicing the power of now’ by Eckhart Tolle (especially to thwart my belief in possibility of destiny). I began reading it and quite amazingly I find it infact seconding what I believe!

I quote-‘To relinquish judgement does not mean that you do not recognize dysfunction…when you see it. …….You will then either be totally free of reaction or you may react and still be the knowing, the space in which the reaction is watched and allowed to be.’
Also I quote, 'There are cycles of success...and there are cycles of failure....The down cycle is absolutely essential for spiritual realization.' Also, 'when you have reached a certain degree of presence, you don't need negativity anymore to tell you what is needed in your life situations. But as long as negativity is there, use it. Use it as a kind of signal that reminds you to be more present.'
These words in this particular book reflected my thoughts in quite the exact words!

And so I am assured and can affirm that I believe that Being the True self is not always about ignoring negativity around and within. For Example spirituality is not about letting other people abuse you with their words or actions, just because the higher self is not supposed to be affected! Rather, being the true self is often acknowledging the feeling of the body and using the accumulated wisdom and understanding of the brain and also the intuition of the heart to carry through the body's reaction. Being the true self is not about going to the other extreme. It is all about recognizing the other extreme but arriving at the right equilibrium of an awakened spirit living a whole and fulfilled life within a body.

Art of not Giving!

I am writing this as a reflection a day after Good Friday. Jesus GAVE up his LIFE to save us. Being a christian always means being 'giving'
But believe me, the Bible also advocates that 'Not Giving' is as important as giving! In fact compulsively giving may not turn out to be always good. One has to know when to -NOT GIVE.
For example- giving good advice. Do all people like to follow advice? No
A listening sort of person would take a good advice after consideration mostly at the first instance.
The Bible says in essense that if you find someone doing something wrong advice him three times and if he still does not listen 'have nothing to do with him'.
To what extent should we have 'nothing to do with him'?
The Bible says somewhere (as an advice to apostles) that if you are not recieved in a particular home, then as you leave shake even the dust of the house off your feet.
That's symbolic of how complete the cut off should be!

What does such total leaving or not giving do?!
Not Giving helps the 'not giver' and could eventually also help the 'not given' too!
It is very difficult to totally have nothing to do with a person you love. But you will only hurt yourself everyday by holding on to a non listener. When all forms of attachment are abandoned, you will not feel the need to advice and when you dont advice you wont be agonized with helplessness when your words are not heeded to.That is how it helps the 'non-giver'.

Whereas when a person who hates to be 'told' finds he has been abandoned, he misses the care, tries to incite you to advice but when all fails, he will finally look 'at the advice'! It might take years for the person to come to your answer, but it is better than never, as would otherwise have been, and you would have saved years of agony on yourself. We owe something to ourselves first and why bear a futile unrest in life FOREVER for a non listener however much loved!


Art of Not Giving in a nut shell
1. Learn to recognize non listeners
2. Stop 'telling' a non-listener'; you will only earn for yourself the title of a nag!
3. Have nothing to do with the person, cut off 'emotionally'.

Power of Circumstances

I had scorned even the thought of reading the autobiography of Adolf Hitler. Why would I want to read the mind of a murderer! But since yesterday I am thinking of reading it.

Yesterday I happened to switch on the TV to a movie which held my interest. It happened to be based on the happenings in Adolf Hitler's life that gave him the major and final push into politics. It seems that Hitler actually wanted to make his carrier as an artist, and politics was just a fall back plan for him! His dreams to be a recognized artist were destroyed once and for all; his final attempt was squashed (by those who noticed his oratory skills that could mesmerize people, and wanted to use it for their political interests). That is how the movie ends.

Just Imagine how history is made! Men, who understandably need career and success in life are often forced by this very basic need to walk in a particular direction and path which is fenced on both sides by firmly closed doors!! And that makes for 'His Story' in many possible ways- the good, the bad, the unimaginable.

A month back I had read 'Devil in Pinstripes' by Ravi Subramanium and had arrived at a similar conclusion. The innocent ,clean hero of the book eventually turns out to be capable of being as much a devil as the two in his company whom he loathed. Carrier, need for success and growth, professional rivalry, all this throws up situations where profit and self interest thwart away every moral consideration.

We may learn our values very well, ingrain it firmly as a part of our very self, but ...circumstances...,they have an undefyable force of their own that can push away the firmest of values like paper cards. A power that could make 'any' man do or be what had been once unimaginable. So it is not really wise to think we are clean and good people, when we have had no 'fenced paths' in our life. To have walked the wrong path or the possibility to walk the wrong path is also therefore not impossible in any person's life. But to have the will to break the fence and the emotional power to push to the right but difficult path against the power called circumstances,..... that is what in fact actually requires all the substance and all the spirit in Man.