Ten Commandments

Native American Ten Commandments
    The Earth is our Mother, care for her.
    Honor all your relations.
    Open your heart and soul to the Great Spirit.
    All life is sacred; treat all beings with respect.
    Take from the Earth what is needed and nothing more.
    Do what needs to be done for the good of all.
    Give constant thanks to the Great Spirit for each new day.
    Speak the truth; but only of good in others.
    Follow the rhythms of nature; rise and retire with the sun.
    Enjoy life's journey, but leave no tracks.


The Native American commandments recognize the inherent goodness in each one of us and gently guides us to live a life of beauty, harmony and responsibility.

Purpose of Life

What is the purpose of a butterfly? To complete its life cycle starting from an egg to becoming a butterfly. What is the purpose of a bird? It is the same, to complete its life cycle. Darwin has proved it through the theory of evolution, that man is just another animal. The purpose of man too is to complete his life cycle in harmony, to bring forth new life and then to dissolve into the earth like every other living entity.

Why then, are we so confused about our purpose in life? We confuse our purpose with our profession. From the early days of our childhood, we are single-mindedly groomed towards choosing a profession.

Our profession is not our purpose!
To live in harmony is our purpose! 
To promote the health and wellness of the earth and all that lives on it is our purpose!
Continuation of life on this earth is our purpose! 

Nature, the greatest equalizer has the same purpose for all living beings. The purpose of life is the same no matter where on earth you were born, whether you were born rich or poor. Every man's health, happiness and full-fillment is tied to how closely we are aligned to this purpose. Our life's work must be our own betterment and the betterment of anybody and anything that crosses our path.   Preoccupation with our professions, goals and career ambitions neglecting our purpose will eventually lead to sadness, regret and ill health adversely affecting us and all our loved ones.

The purpose of life is to “live in agreement with nature"   - Zeno, Greek Philosopher, 4th Century B.C

The highest education is that which does not merely give us information but makes our life in harmony with all existence  - Rabindranath Tagore 

What is the meaning of life? To be happy and useful.  - Dalai Lama

Morning Meditations

I like to rise early and begin the day by reading a few quotes. They set the tone for the whole day and inspire me to enjoy the chance to live yet another day!

"When you arise in the morning, give thanks for the morning light, for your life and strength. Give thanks for your food, and the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies with yourself."

Every time you wake up and ask yourself, "What good things am I going to do today?", remember that when the sun goes down at sunset, it will take a part of your life with it.

When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive - to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.

and then chant the Gayatri mantram, the most sacred mantra in Hinduism.

Om Buhr, Bhuva, Swaha (Oh earth, sky and the waters)
Tat Savitur Varenyam (That glorious radiating light of the sun)
Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi (We meditate upon the splendor of the divine)
Dhiyo Yonaha Prachodayat (May this illuminate us with an understanding of reality) 

This mantra is an astounding call to all the life giving forces in the universe to illuminate our intellect and propel us forward with new life and renewed energy. 

City living or is it slow dying ..?

I went back to visit my mother and my motherland India. A sense of anticipation and longing was building up in me. The tug of the land of ones birth is very strong. No matter where in the world one goes, an invisible umbilical cord ties you back to your motherland. I stepped foot in Bangalore, the city of my birth, a place I love dearly!

This time, it was not the skyscrapers, malls or hoardings that caught my eye. I was looking at the birds, the trees, the people, the weather, the mud, the lakes, the vegetable market, the street vendors, the mangoes. The more I looked down and deep, the more I was saddened at what is happening to my home. Every stream and lake is polluted with sewage and dumping. Every bit of empty land is teeming with rotting garbage. Cows and stray dogs were eating from the dumps. The air was thick with dust and smog.

We have forgotten that man is meant to live in the midst of nature with clean air, pure water and serene surroundings. When everything that meets the eye is ugly, when the only sound you hear is constant noise, when nothing fragrant and only stench hits the nose, when the nerves are stretched and the mind is stressed from the daily turmoil, it is indeed hard to believe that life is beautiful and living is a joy.

The words of warning from the great Native American "Chief Seattle" more than a century ago is now the state of majority of us humans. “Like a man who has been dying for many days, a man in your city is numb to the stench.” City life is not living. It is where we slowly die...

Yellapa, the poor farmer

I got a brief respite from the turmoil of Bangalore city. A two hour drive away from the city took me to Satvik farms in Masti. There I met a young farmer Yellappa, his wife and 5 year old daughter Ankita. They lived and worked on the farm.

The little girl was lonely and had no other kids to play with on the isolated farm. She tagged along as her parents worked the farm. I asked her mother if they planned to have another child in the hope that Ankita would have a sibling to play with. That's when the mother said softly in Kannada .. "Naavu thumba badawaru amma" .. (we are very poor madam). Her voice revealed sadness and quiet resignation. What life lies ahead for us? We have nothing! Her parents were poor farmers too and she was one of six girls whom the parents struggled all thier life to raise and marry off. Her's was the same fate.

After giving birth to a girl, Yellappa decided he didn't want any more kids. His wife went under the knife to prevent any future pregnancies though deep inside she would have liked to have another child. The utter poverty and the fear of having another girl child made the decision easy for them. They were right, I thought  .. with a sense of hopelessness. Being poor in India is to live a life of daily indignity and constant strife.

Their only possessions in this world is the physical strength in the body, love for each other and their only daughter to shower all their affection on. On the way driving back into the city, Bendre's poem was played and replayed several times in my mind.

Olave namma baduku ...ಒಲವೆ ನಮ್ಮ ಬದುಕು .. Love alone is our life!

Love alone is our life.... ಒಲವೆ ನಮ್ಮ ಬದುಕು

Da Ra Bendre's poem is heart wrenching and heart warming at the same time. It  reveals the utter poverty of a young woman who has nothing to call her own other than the love of her man. Love can make even the poorest of the poor rich.   Who being loved is poor? - Oscar Wilde

ನಾನು ಬಡವಿ ಆತ ಬಡವ
      ಒಲವೆ ನಮ್ಮ ಬದುಕು
ಬಳಸಿಕೊಂಡೆವದನೆ ನಾವು
      ಅದಕು ಇದಕು ಎದಕು

Poor I am, so is he
Love alone is our life
Tis what we have nurtured
To see us through this, that and for everything else

ಹತ್ತಿರಿರಲಿ ದೂರವಿರಲಿ
      ಅವನೆ ರಂಗಸಾಲೆ
ಕಣ್ಣು ಕಟ್ಟುವಂಥ ಮೂರ್ತಿ
      ಕಿವಿಗೆ ಮೆಚ್ಚಿನೋಲೆ 

Near or far may he be
He is the colourful stage
The idol that my eyes have built up
Sweet words are jewels for my ears 


ಚಳಿಗೆ ಬಿಸಿಲಿಗೊಂದೆ ಹದ
      ಅವನ ಮೈಯ ಮುಟ್ಟೆ
ಅದೇ ಗಳಿಗೆ ಮೈಯ ತುಂಬಾ
      ನನಗೆ ನವಿರು ಬಟ್ಟೆ 

For the winter or summer,
I have just the touch of his body
Every moment I cover myself
With a cloth of goose bumps

ಆತ ಕೊಟ್ಟ ವಸ್ತು ಒಡವೆ
      ನನಗೆ ಅವಗೆ ಗೊತ್ತು
ತೋಳುಗಳಿಗೆ ತೋಳಬಂದಿ
      ಕೆನ್ನೆ ತುಂಬಾ ಮುತ್ತು

His gifts of things and jewels
Is only known to him and I
Hugs that embrace my shoulders
Cheeks full of sweet kisses

ಕುಂದು ಕೊರತೆ ತೋರಲಿಲ್ಲ
      ಬೇಕು ಹೆಚ್ಚಿಗೇನು?
ಹೊಟ್ಟೆಗಿತ್ತ ಜೀವ ಫಲವ
      ತುಟಿಗೆ ಹಾಲು ಜೇನು.      

Never felt the lack of anything
What more do I need?
The fruit of life grows in my womb
Lips sweet with milk and honey

Art: The gateway to happiness

My children are at the age where I am introducing them to formal lessons in different art forms. My daughter started Bharatanatyam and also violin classes. I have to be very creative in getting them to the classes. Why do I going through all this trouble?

Painting from http://www.ivanguaderrama.com/wall-decor.html

I really don't expect my children to be professional dancers, artists or musicians. My only goal as a mother is to equip my children with tools that can help them throughout their lives. Art can calm the mind and soothe the soul. When life is all work in an endless routine, art will break the monotony and make you feel alive and excited about life. Art will unite you in harmony with the rhythms of the universe. Art is the simplest and most accessible gateway to happiness. By teaching my children the arts, I am giving them a small key to instant happiness.