In the light and dust I find my freedom ..

We become truly free only when we transcend the limits of this little body and envelop the limitless. When we see ourselves as part of one big whole, nothing will feel alien to us. We will become one with everything there is ..the light, the dust and the grass. Our mind expands into the infinity of the universe and our thoughts become free to roam into its farthest corners.

The dust and light

Tagore, the philosopher poet sings of this freedom in his song Aamar mukti ..

My freedom is in the light of the sky
My freedom is in the dust, in the grass
Far beyond the mind and body I lose myself
My freedom soars in the melody of songs
My freedom is in the mind that is in everyone
Pain and danger made trifle by hard labor
My soul burns as a flame in the altar of the creator,
My freedom comes when I offer myself to thee

(Adapted from the translation by Ratna De) 

Aamar mukti aaloy aaloy ei aakashe,
Aamar mukti dhulay dhulay ghaase ghaase.
Dehomoner sudur paare haariye pheli aaponare,
Gaaner sure aamar mukti urdhe bhaase.
Aamar mukti sarbojaner moner maajhe,
Dukkhobipad-tuchchho-kara kotthin kaaje.
Bishwodhaatar jogyoshaala atmohomer bonhi jwaala -
Jiban jeno diyi aahuti mukti-aashe.

Simplicity .. contentment with less

Simplicity of the Amish, Quakers and Shakers

The ongoing journey of simplifying my life has involved shedding excesses in all aspects of living paving the way for a quieter, centred, inwardly rich life.

Material excesses and dependency on stuff must be reduced to essentials. This includes excess body weight accumulated from years of neglect. Adopting a lean, natural diet and moderation in consumption removes the heaviness and keeps us lithe and agile.

Mental excesses are aspects that impact our mind. Relationship invariably affects our mind. Keeping social interactions down to a few meaningful ones is worth more than several superficial connections. Our speech and thought must be simple and straight. A simple philosophy to live by frees us from many a burdens .. of rituals, traditions, religions, compulsions and preconceived beliefs freeing up the mind from many reins. For me it is a pantheistic philosophy that ties everything together beautifully both logically and spiritually.

As we become simpler in our ways, we can begin to experience the freedom and lightness of being.

'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free 
'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be, 
And when we find ourselves in the place just right, 
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight. 
When true simplicity is gained, 
To bow and to bend we shan't be ashamed, 
To turn, turn will be our delight, 
Till by turning, turning we come 'round right.

- Shaker song by Elder Joseph Brackett.

The mind must remain a servant

My aunt recently sunk into depression for a brief period. A few of my friends are also battling mental illnesses.

I think one of the likely causes is that.. while most of us exercise moderation in eating, drinking and other aspects related to our physical bodies, we neglect aspects of  our mind. Moderation in thinking is absolutely essential for a sane mind. Over thinking is a disease on the same level as overeating. The mind or any of the senses running amok spells doom. The intellect must have a tight reign on the mind and the five senses.

Writer David Foster Wallace, who battled depression for decades nails this in his writing ..
“The really important kind of freedom involves attention and awareness and discipline ...that is real freedom...The alternative is unconsciousness, the default setting .. 
“Learning how to think" really means learning how to exercise some control over how and what you think. It means being conscious and aware enough to choose what you pay attention to and to choose how you construct meaning from experience. Because if you cannot or will not exercise this kind of choice in adult life, you will be totally hosed.”

"The mind is a wonderful servant but a terrible master" - Robin Sharma 

Lula : A majestic new mom

It was exciting times when I was in my ancestral village Mundur. Lula, a stray dog from the area had chosen a big mound in front of our house as the safe haven to birth her pups.

My aunt told me that Kanni maasam ( Malayalam month Kanni – zodiac sign Virgo ) is the mating season for the dogs. It was early December and almost a month had passed since Lula delivered. My paternal aunts and uncle hadn't seen the pups yet. They were waiting anxiously everyday. The day, I arrived from the city with my two kids was the day the pups chose to see daylight for the first time. We were all very excited and counted a total of five adorable pups.

Lula was an amazing mom. She caressed them so lovingly and licked them all over before letting them suckle. It was a beautiful sight to watch. Over the next few days I watched Lula closely and saw how she tended to her pups all alone relying only on her instinctive knowledge.

She would sleep only when the pups returned to the safety of their hole after every feed. The only time she was away was to get her own food. No other dogs were allowed anywhere in the vicinity of her mound. She was very aggressive if she sensed one nearby and barked fiercely. She was fine with us humans close by as she figured we meant no harm.

She was wild and free and yet domesticated in many ways by the close proximity of humans. She lived life on her terms, roamed free, socialized with the other stray dogs, she mated and birthed every year following the rhythms of nature. It was a joy watching her live her life in complete freedom!

Nature's nurturing ways and infinite love bestowed on every mother continues to amaze me day after day!"God could not be everywhere, and therefore he made mothers." - Rudyard Kipling

Capoeira, the Dance of the Slaves

I had never heard of Capoeira until my visit to the old city Pelourinho in Salvador, Brazil. Pelourinho means "whipping post" in Portuguese. This is where African slaves were severely punished and humiliated even for petty crimes. My mind conjured up an image of a tall black man tied to a post being whipped mercilessly. I quickly brushed aside the image and the feeling that accompanied it.

In the old city, I saw a group of men standing in a circle and two athletic men at the center performing an acrobatics of sorts to the accompaniment of strange singing, drums and a stringed instrument. It was a mesmerizing dance ..a mix of martial arts, dance and animalistic moves. I was very intrigued and stood watching for a long time.

I later read that Capoeira was born from the depths of a man's survival instinct as a form of self defence. It was an escaped slave's only hope of survival and freedom against powerful, armed colonial forces trying to recapture him. Capoeira was practiced in secrecy amid the thicket of the plantations, risking their lives if caught.

Despite all these odds Capoeira survived and lives on. It survived because it lived in the hearts of the people who practiced it, who loved it enough to risk their lives to teach others. Anything so sacred will not die easily, its fragrance is too strong to be snuffed out. Capoeira will surely spread across the globe just like Yoga, Karate and other great art forms.

They are not dead who live in the hearts they leave behind. - Tuscarora

Poem: I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings

Maya Angelou

A poem on what freedom really means. This is cry from every animal captured in zoos, from every lab animal, from every pet. All enslaved and deprived of their freedom in their natural environment.

The free bird leaps on the back of the wind
and floats downstream till the current ends
and dips his wings in the orange sun rays
and dares to claim the sky.

But a bird that stalks down his narrow cage
can seldom see through his bars of rage
his wings are clipped and his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings with fearful trill
of the things unknown but longed for still
and his tune is heard on the distant hill
for the caged bird sings of freedom

The free bird thinks of another breeze
an the trade winds soft through the sighing trees
and the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright lawn
and he names the sky his own.

But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams
his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream
his wings are clipped and his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing

The caged bird sings with a fearful trill
of things unknown but longed for still
and his tune is heard on the distant hill
for the caged bird sings of freedom.

Maya Angelou