Carrying prejudice to the grave ..

The flame of life

My husband's grandmother passed away a few days ago at the ripe old age of 95years. She was a matriarch who ruled the family with tyranny. On hearing of her death, I felt a sense of regret that she never let go of deep rooted prejudices and carried them all the way to the grave. Despite spending countless hours in temples and religious readings, her heart never softened with love nor did her mind expand with wisdom.

Her brahminical sense of superiority and entitlement. Her prejudice and treatment of people of other castes and creeds. Her preference for the boy child over the girl. Her treatment of daughters-in-law as nothing but work horses. Her preferential treatment of lighter skinned grandchildren over the darker ones. Thus she is remembered.

Her life is a reminder for us to wash away all prejudices that stain our heart before the flame of life dies out.

Beauty, add a little to every day ...

"Everybody needs beauty as well as bread" John Muir said. Bread to feed the body and beauty to feed the soul. We spend much of our time earning our bread leaving our soul to starve.

Just a little time spent reading poetry, listening to music, viewing a work of art or creating something ourselves or reflecting on the beauty of nature is enough to nourish the soul.

"The arts are not a way to make a living. They are a very human way of making life more bearable. Practising an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow. For heaven's sake. Sing in the shower. Dance to the radio. Tell stories. Write a poem to a friend, even a lousy poem.  Do it as well as you possible can." - Kurt Vonnegut

“If I had my life to live over again, I would have made a rule to read some poetry and listen to some music” - Charles Darwin

Wear away the weariness in the woods ..

The daily demands on our time and energy can at times leave us feeling low and dispirited. No matter what ails the spirit, I have found that a solitary walk in the woods wears away some of this weariness. There is within us reserves of strength to deal with any situation. In the soothing midst of nature, we are able to access and draw from this deep reserve. We return back somewhat healed in mind and body.

This same feeling is described in Anne Frank's diary
“The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quite alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature. As longs as this exists, and it certainly always will, I know that then there will always be comfort for every sorrow, whatever the circumstances may be. And I firmly believe that nature brings solace in all troubles.” 

Vita Contemplativa and Vita Activa

In our daily lives, activities sometimes become all consuming. When the realization dawns that we are living life in a reactive mode instead of proactive, we must stop and evaluate. A few solitary hours of reflection can guide the course of our future actions. It lets us grab the reins and actively steer the ship of life instead of being tossed and turned by the tides. 

Vita contemplativa (contemplative life) is vital for a meaningful Vita activa (active life) . Just like day follows the night, periods of activity must follow periods of rest and contemplation.

What we plant in the soil of contemplation, we shall reap in the harvest of action - Meister Echkart

Touch of the Tundra ..

Most of us feel with Thoreau that "the wilderness is near as well as dear to every man." We come to Denali to watch; to catch a glimpse of the primeval. We come close to the tundra flowers, the lichens, and the animal life. Each of us will take some inspiration home; a touch of the tundra will enter our lives--and, deep inside, make of us all poets and kindred spirits. - Adolph Murie, biologist

Religion, a personal communion

A personal communion with the universe in solitude is the only religion one needs. No middlemen, no preset place or time, no mindless rituals or elaborate accessories.

Just a humbling feeling of awe and an intense feeling of oneness with the universe ..

As if honey could taste itself and all its drops together and all its drops could taste each other and each the whole honeycomb as itself, so should the end be with God and the soul of man and the universe. - Sri Aurobindo

Composter and a lesson on Maya ..

For over a year, I have been dumping all kinds of kitchen and yard waste into my backyard composter. Some time goes by and they are all transformed into the same black organic matter we call compost. From this matter arises all things and everything dissolves into it.

Now just imagine how dull the earth would be if all the land was simply covered with this inert black matter and nothing else. Gladly that is not to be! Nature loves infinite variety which she forms and transforms from this very same matter. The earth is her eternal playground where new art is created endlessly. This is Maya according to Hinduism, the grand illusion!!

All the myriad objects that form the universe are the external reality that we perceive. The true reality is the hidden principle of nature, of matter and energy that transforms and animates everything.