"Pursuers of Knowledge" and "Pursuers of Fortune":

As I understand, there are two types of communities ..a) communities that foster knowledge and b) communities that foster fortune. The primary goal of people in the former is their quest for knowledge, wisdom, freedom, truth and creativity. The people of the latter are only intent on doubling their wealth devoting any free time to monetary affairs.

The immense contribution of the Jewish community to the world in practically any field is attributed to them being the 'pursuers of knowledge'. In Einstein's Ideas and Opinion's he sheds light on these Jewish ideals ..

"The pursuit of knowledge for its own sake, an almost fanatical love of justice and the desire for personal independence these are the features of the Jewish tradition". "We shall continue not merely to survive as the oldest of living peoples, but by creative work to bring forth fruits which contribute to the ennoblement of the human race, as here to fore."

The very same ideals are upheld by the learned, progressive Brahmin communities of India who are inspired by the pure teachings of the Vedas and Upanishads. Their contributions to the world in science, social reforms, thought, literature, music, arts are on par with the contributions of the Jewish community.

“There are three classes of men; lovers of wisdom, lovers of honor, and lovers of gain.” - Plato

Getting to know Great Minds ..

Einstein, Gandhi, Muir, Hammarskjold, Sacks

Though my writings were very few last year, my readings have been many. The greatest pleasure of the last year has been readings which have brought me closer to great minds of the past. This includes the autobiographies of John Muir, Einstein, Gandhi and Dr Oliver Sacks. Dag Hammarskjöld's 'Markings' has always been close at hand providing me daily inspiration. They have all been the food for my soul.

Each one of these men were deeply spiritual. They were also men of action contributing to the world in their own unique way. 

Upanishad: "Quality of food = Quality of mind"

For eons, the highly learned Brahmin communities in India have attached immense importance to the quality of food one consumes. Sattvik (ie freshly cooked, warm, wholesome, tasty, mildly spiced) food is recommended at all times. Stale or even slightly old food is abhorred.

Even in this age of fast food, refrigerated, packaged and processed food, some folks like my mother-in-law are insistent on cooking every meal fresh despite the inconveniences. The reason for this fixation goes back to the ancient religious texts ie the Upanishads written way back in 500BC

"The food when eaten becomes threefold; its grossest portion becomes feces, its middle portion flesh, its subtlest portion mind" - The Upanishads (translated by F. Max Muller)

The Upanishads reveal the extent to which the mind is influenced by the food that is consumed. A person's mental constitution and thinking is fed by food. In the purity of food there is purity of mind;  Clarity of thought and a firmly grounded, pure intellect can only arise from a pure mind. Hence the great emphasis on pure or Sattvik food.

The best spent $375 ..

Sydenham River, Ontario

This year when Ontario Nature organized a campaign to raise funds to buy and create Sydenham River Nature Reserve, its 25th nature reserve, we made a small donation of $375 for the campaign.

Though the donation was nothing but a tiny drop in comparison with the $860,000 needed to acquire this property, I felt a great uplifting rush when I read the email from Caroline Schultz early this December that this dream had became a reality!! Sydenham River is now permanently etched in my heart and I cannot wait to go see her next spring.

Tagore: Day after day, you fill with love, life and song ...

Tagore

No words can capture the sublime beauty of Tagore’s songs. They must be savoured in quiet solitude. The more one listens to his songs, the feelings go deeper and deeper and eventually touches the very depth of ones being. In this simple song, the great poet meditates on that eternal power that fills us day after day with renewed life, love and songs ..

Nishidin mor parane priyotomo mamo

Kato na bedona diye barota pathale 

Bharile chitto mamo nitya tumi preme prane gane hai

Thaki arale

Meaning:  

Day after day in my life,  O beloved of mine..

You send messages in the form of pain..

and fill my mind, ever with love, vitality and song ..

Alas, you remain concealed.. 

Rupa Ganguly's rendition of this song is unparalled ..

Less of the material, more of the intangible ..

The quest for a meaningful life will inevitably lead us away from the material, drawing us more and more towards the intangible treasures of the universe. Knowledge, love, friendship, music, truth, solitude, beauty .. none of these can be touched, they can only be experienced. Hellen Keller so rightly said "The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart."

To cultivate and nourish them daily makes life so much more meaningful and fulfilling, unlike material pursuits which always leaves us feeling unsatisfied and wanting for more of the next in thing.

“The life of sensation is the life of greed; it requires more and more. The life of the spirit requires less and less;  - Annie Dillard

Embracing the Spirit of Sabbath ..

Burnt from too much work and too many activities over the last several months, I have come to realize the great need for quiet and rest. Too much importance is given to work and too little to rest.

I have embraced the restoring spirit of Sabbath in our lives. A day to withdraw from all outwardly activities and turn the mind and attention inwards and homewards. A day for rest, quiet reflection and for noble aspirations towards a simple, moral and intellectual life.

In his article titled Sabbath for the NY Times, Dr Oliver Sacks captures the spirit of Sabbath, its "utter peacefulness and remoteness from worldly concerns", "of a stopped world, a time outside time". Sabbath is about "achieving a sense of peace within oneself. Sabbath, the day of rest, .. when one can feel that one’s work is done, and one may, in good conscience, rest."

Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop. - Ovid

Rest belongs to the work as eyelids to the eyes. - Tagore