Friday Features

When Mahima decides to dress traditional

It is her 2nd Birthday tommorow...She is extremely excited when I ask her age!

Silver Post

All pervading you said
I know not
Experience you said
I feel not
Rigid and set

I questioned
You answered
I doubted
You dispelled
Filled Light and laughter

From gross to subtle
From substance to air
From dense to disappearance
Moving me all the way
Thick to thinner

In gratitude I stand
Nothing to offer
Presenting gift of void
A flower at your feet
Feeling one with all

What You Are

A Whirlwind sometimes you are
Uprooting long and deep beliefs
Otherwise breeze tender
Caressing to melt away

Gory fire sometimes you are
Burning and trampling that comes way
Otherwise a lamp serene
Lighting up thousand lives

Endless space sometimes you are
Leaving the learned mystical
Otherwise a dot
Humble even to humblest

A lashing flood sometimes you are
Destroying the gathered over time
Otherwise a river placid
Life giving divine

Crack open to swallow furious you are
When just gravel that remains
Otherwise mother earth
Including unlimited nurturing love

You are life
Aware and endless
You are death
Graceful and true

A question you are
Pushing to burst fore
The ultimate answer
For mysteries unresolved

Happiness!

Let this not take me too long
Happiness!
Pledged to outer
Let it pass…
Hold my hand and say it will pass

Want ever serene
Constantly flowing
Joy trickling
On a thirsty tongue
A honey drop unforeseen

Caring not for occasional pops
My want is a place
Oh! Master

Bless me your grace
Under your blissful sight

Record Day

Today has been a record day in my blogging history...have posted 4 blogs in one single day.

Today also happens to be the very first day I wrote poetry in my entire life....I don't even know whether I can call this poetry. A beautiful experience which we could allow to be enigmatic promted me to write down or rather capture the reflections of my state of mind....have posted three poems - one in the morning, one in the afternoon and one in the evening...

The Snake Charmer

It lay for time stretched now
Don’t ask me how
Coiled three and a half
Unaware in horrible sleep

Dawned the snake charmer
A charmer indeed!
Swaying and Playing His Oboe
Spreading ceaseless bliss

Inch by inch, bit by bit
Lifted its hood
Finding possibility at each and every step
Fully aroused aware

Looked at the charmer
A charmer indeed!
Filled with love and tears of bliss
He moved on to find another one
Unaware in horrible sleep

Thandava

The mad dance, breaking rules
not for the timid nor conformist,
just let go, empty the vessel
while ecstasy envelopes, He embraces
passionate drums roaring, He stages thandava ...

My Master's Voice

Is your voice the music that stretches me into deepness unexplored
or
do I hear every music as your voice
that which makes me sway and sway in eternal joy unknown till date
oh! let the eternal sweet sounds flow....

Zen Stories

Nothing captures our attention quite like a good story - I hit upon some nice zen stories, they are witty, entertaining, humorous, and at times puzzling, even mind-bending.

Working Very Hard

A martial arts student went to his teacher and said earnestly, "I am devoted to studying your martial system. How long will it take me to master it." The teacher's reply was casual, "Ten years." Impatiently, the student answered, "But I want to master it faster than that. I will work very hard. I will practice everyday, ten or more hours a day if I have to. How long will it take then?" The teacher thought for a moment, "20 years."

Maybe

There is a Taoist story of an old farmer who had worked his crops for many years. One day his horse ran away. Upon hearing the news, his neighbors came to visit. "Such bad luck," they said sympathetically. "May be," the farmer replied. The next morning the horse returned, bringing with it three other wild horses. "How wonderful," the neighbors exclaimed. "May be," replied the old man. The following day, his son tried to ride one of the untamed horses, was thrown, and broke his leg. The neighbors again came to offer their sympathy on his misfortune. "May be," answered the farmer. The day after, military officials came to the village to draft young men into the army. Seeing that the son's leg was broken, they passed him by. The neighbors congratulated the farmer on how well things had turned out. "May be," said the farmer.

Concentration

After winning several archery contests, the young and rather boastful champion challenged a Zen master who was renowned for his skill as an archer. The young man demonstrated remarkable technical proficiency when he hit a distant bull's eye on his first try, and then split that arrow with his second shot. "There," he said to the old man, "see if you can match that!" Undisturbed, the master did not draw his bow, but rather motioned for the young archer to follow him up the mountain. Curious about the old fellow's intentions, the champion followed him high into the mountain until they reached a deep chasm spanned by a rather flimsy and shaky log. Calmly stepping out onto the middle of the unsteady and certainly perilous bridge, the old master picked a far away tree as a target, drew his bow, and fired a clean, direct hit. "Now it is your turn," he said as he gracefully stepped back onto the safe ground. Staring with terror into the seemingly bottomless and beckoning abyss, the young man could not force himself to step out onto the log, no less shoot at a target. "You have much skill with your bow," the master said, sensing his challenger's predicament, "but you have little skill with the mind that lets loose the shot."

Empty Your Cup

A university professor went to visit a famous Zen master. While the master quietly served tea, the professor talked about Zen. The master poured the visitor's cup to the brim, and then kept pouring. The professor watched the overflowing cup until he could no longer restrain himself. "It's overfull! No more will go in!" the professor blurted. "You are like this cup," the master replied, "How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup."

It Will Pass

A student went to his meditation teacher and said, "My meditation is horrible! I feel so distracted, or my legs ache, or I'm constantly falling asleep. It's just horrible!"
"It will pass," the teacher said matter-of-factly.
A week later, the student came back to his teacher. "My meditation is wonderful! I feel so aware, so peaceful, so alive! It's just wonderful!'
"It will pass," the teacher replied matter-of-factly.

Happy Chinaman

Anyone walking about Chinatowns in America will observe statues of a stout fellow carrying a linen sack. Chinese merchants call him Happy Chinaman or Laughing Buddha.
This Hotei lived in the T'ang dynasty. He had no desire to call himself a Zen master or to gather many disciples about him. Instead he walked the streets with a big sack into which he put gifts of fruit, candy or doughnuts. These he would give to children who gathered around him in play. He established a kindergarten of the streets.
Whenever he met a Zen devotee he would extend his hand and say: "Give me one penny." And if anyone asked him to return to a temple to teach others, again he would reply: "Give me one penny."
Once as he was about his play-work another Zen master happened along and inquired: "What is the significance of Zen?"
Hotei immediately plopped his sack down on the ground in silent answer.
"Then," asked the other, "what is the actualization of Zen?"
At once Hotei swung the sack over his shoulder and continued on his way.

Here are some links to zen stories

http://www.rider.edu/suler/zenstory/zenstory.html

www.101zenstories.com

While I write this blog, my idiot box is relaying the live telecast of Mr. M Karunanidhi's swearing in ceremony. This grand old man of TN politics is coming to power for the 5th time. For the first time in the history of Tamilnadu politics a party has come to power without majority verdict in its pocket (hung assembly). DMK has come to power with the support of Congress and PMK (Dr. Ramadoss known for his notorious attacks on tamil cinema).

The Politics in Tamil Nadu has been under the control of the Regional parties since 1967.The state has been under the power of either DMK or AIADMK .

Does this signify the last days of Dravidar Kazhgams in the state? Tamilnadu ppl do want a breather...Alternatives like Vijaykanth and Lok Paritran (started by IIT alumni) have gained significant % of votes this time. Is the sun really setting in the DK land?

In search of the unknown...

Velliangiri Mountains the Southern Kailash of India

I set out on my journey to the Isha Foundation which is located almost 40 Kms from Coimbatore city, in the foothills of Velliangiri hills. Velliangiri – Known as the Southern Kailash is part of the Nilgiri biosphere, green and lush.

I and just my own wandering soul started from Chennai on Friday, my flight Indian Airlines was as usual an hour late. I was left with no other option other than to just sit and pursue my all time hobby of gapeing at people – not many actually because it was late afternoon and there were no International flights that were taking off. Bought some nice munchies from Krishna Sweets as my good ol’ intuition told me that I may not be able to get to eat this kind of stuff in the Ashram (I was proved right). The journey was horrible, the captain decided to give us a nice roller coaster ride… the landing was soooo rough….the sandwich I ate almost reached my mouth (yuck! I can’t even think abt it…)


Tastefully done Ashram

I had a pick up at the Airport; we started towards the Isha Ashram. It was indeed a long journey by road; Coimbatore’s weather was a welcome relief from scorching Chennai heat. After half an hour I caught the first glimpse of the Nilgiri Mountains, just the outline as if some artist had drawn a pencil sketch for me. I was quite excited even at this very first and faint sign of the mountains. All along the way I kept track of these mountains, getting close to them by every mile. Slowly and steadily every whiff of air that passed through me started carrying the sweet smell of mountain herbs replacing the Carbon monoxide feel that I was use to. All along the way I found hoardings carrying the pictures of Dhyanalinga and Sadguru indicating the distance to the Ashram, bringing a gleam to my eyes. Reached the Ashram after an hour and half, a beautiful peacock crossed our way, carelessly sweeping its colorful feathers on the rocks…what a WELCOME!

Spanda Hall a picturesque view

I reached the Spanda hall running and walking, as I was late for the registration. Thankfully I registered myself on time and attended the introductory session. The crowd was more than what I had expected, there were about 150 people. The group could easily fit a normal distribution curve (bell curve) in terms of its age group (majority of them in their 30’s and 40’s).

Interiors of Spanda Halls done with Mural Paintings

During the introductory session I could not help but to gape at the beautiful paintings on the walls….I have read that the yogic saga of Lord Shiva has been translated into what is claimed to be the largest mural painting in the world. The theme of the painting was describing the life of a Yogi, but the details were enigmatic. At the center there was a huge dias with three steps leading to a seat covered with sparkling white sheets. A huge laminated photo of Sadguru was adorning the seat (Sadguru's throne). The backdrop was quite interesting; huge mountainous rocks were piled on top of the other to give an earthy feel. It was very tastefully done. One more thing that I noticed about the place was that there were snake forms everywhere. Don’t get alarmed! Not live ones, but in the form of designs…it was everywhere….right from door knobs, fences, wall hangings even as finger rings of the Ashram inmates. Snakes in our culture represent the mystic life energy (kundalini). So in the Ashram I could see this life energy sitting, standing and walking all over the place.

Will continue to explore...

Bye! Bye!

I am really excited to share with you guys that I am off to Coimbatore for the weekend. I am going to the Isha Yoga Ashram an artistic and tranquil place at the foothills of the Velliangiri Mountains. The Velliangiri Mountains are part of the Nilgiri Biosphere. I am attending a two day Hatha Yoga workshop with them. I have heard and read tons & tons about the beautiful Ashram.... Also, adding to my excitement is what I am looking forward to - my very first experience of the Dhyanalinga - the one of its kind in the world. Dhyanalinga is a powerful and unique energy form created from the distilled essence of yogic sciences and is the first of its kind to be completed in over 2,000 years. Dhyanalinga is a meditative space that does not ascribe to any particular faith or belief system nor does it require any ritual, prayer, or worship. It is different from all the other lingas of Hindu tradition. The Dhyanalinga is not used for worship; rather it is created as an external manifestation of the peak form of all inner energies. Just sitting silently for a few minutes within the sphere of Dhyanalinga is enough to make even those unaware of meditation experience a state of deep meditativeness." - Sadhguru It has been Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev's lifetime mission to construct this Linga. This linga and the beautiful temple that houses it is an architectural wonder. Conventional building materials like cement, steel and concrete were ruled out as the life span of structures that employ these materials is a mere 100 years or so. Traditional materials like burnt brick and mud mortar stabilized with lime, sand, alum and herbal additives were used along with huge blocks of granite. Here is an article from Society Interiors about the Ashram and its architecture,

http://www.ishafoundation.org/news/content/Interiormag_web.pdf