Dear World,
You have given much
You have taken away much
So much I have received
So much has been snatched away.
What you gave, so you took away.
But one thing is my creation
That is not to be had without my consent
And to it you dont have my consent
To it you dont have my compliance
To that you have only my love
My creation is what makes you beautiful
My creation is what makes you go around
My creation is my gift to you
My creation is my gratitude to you
My creation and I are inseparable
In it lies the beauty of the three worlds
In it lies the love of another
In it lies the courage of forbearance
In it lies the truth of sacrifice
In it lies the birth of existence
In it lies the joy of being.
The gift of my smile is eternally yours.
Love love love
03 December 2011
28 November 2011
Lessons from Google's China Efforts
Create Genuine Value
Even though Google had some success in China while competing with local competitors, what eventually allowed Google to break through the competition was its sincere value offering. When there was a massive snow storm Google quickly put together maps of the affected areas making travel information accessible to hundreds of people. Similarly when a major earthquake hit China Google provided maps that made navigation possible around and through the affected areas.
Google also worked to constantly understand the needs and habits of its consumers, which translated into endless improvements in Google's products. Google created the Pinyin IME editor that allowed users to input search in Chinese while using English alphabets.
Harmonize Organizational values and operating environment conflictsInChina, Google had to fire two of its senior executives in China. The executives were found guilty of handing out free iPods on company's expense to local officials as gifts. Interestingly, the executives felt caught off guard since in their mind they were following a normal and well-accepted business policy in China.
Another similar incident happened when it was publicly exposed that Google's Pinyin editor contained source code that was another organization's property. Apparently, a Google engineer had searched for the desired code and included it with Google's regular code base without verification of copyright. The incident caused severe loss of face to Google in China.
The incidents illustrate that there can be dire consequences when employees do not have a full grasp of the organization's value system and how it may and - more importantly - may not align with the operating environment. In such cases it is imperative that the employees are trained and educated not just about the organization's values but also on how these values contrast or align with the operating business environment. Employees should also be given a means for discussing and resolving such ethical challenges, when they arise, in a safe manner. It is even important that the value fit evaluation and education be part of the organization's recruiting process. Diversity within an organization is good but not when it comes to fundamental operating beliefs.
It is a massive failure on the part of an organization when its employee(s) discovers it's fundamental values by surprise.
20 September 2011
Fearless: Freedom from courage
What differentiates the weak from the strong is not the nature of the present circumstance but the faith and the confidence that one can make it through and emerge victorious. When one realizes that that, which is today, was not there yesterday, and will again not be there tomorrow, then one has great strength to face that which is today. One realizes that if one can hold on steadfastly to patience and to perseverance, one can see oneself through anything.
This knowledge, this sentiment, and this ability bring great strength to one's life and to one's way of living, making one courageous. However, even though this is life altering, it is not fundamentally transforming for the one faced with such predicament. Although it hones courage, it does not make one fearless.
The conviction to get through that which is painful at present until the point in time when it is not painful anymore, is still rooted in hope, is based in a desire to escape from the present, is a mental invention to look away from that which is to the times when it will be not. And even though this can extract tremendous amounts of energy and courage at times, by its very nature, it keeps one rooted in the fear of the present, of that which is.
There is, however, a deeper, a different understanding and approach to life, which is not based in fear, or in hope, or in desire, and not even in courage. This is the state of mindful indifference: One is not attempting to be strong until things change, one is not fabricating a sense of light and warmth in a cold dark night by looking at a distant twinkling star. But one, instead, with absolute conviction faces and lives up to life as it is in this moment, with all its strife and all of its tribulations. There is no reaching out for hope, which is an outcome of fear and a road to misery. There is no desire for things to be any different from what they may be at this moment. There is no prayer asking for anything. There is no anxiety, no feverishness, about the way things are. There is instead a total indifference to the severity and to the duration of the situation. There is total presence to the way things are without a single movement tainted by a desire to escape into anything which is not.
If this is what it is, then so be it.
If this were all there ever was, then so be it.
If there won't be anything but this, then so be it.
If this will never change, then so be it.
If this is my present and my forever, then so be it.
Unflinching, unwavering, indifferent, I am.
To be present, to be fully aware - without escaping, choosing, complaining, or demanding - to that which is, is transformation, is coming home, is living, is being alive. The courageous seeks to fulfill desire, while the fearless remains unmoved, unwavering, and indifferent.
This knowledge, this sentiment, and this ability bring great strength to one's life and to one's way of living, making one courageous. However, even though this is life altering, it is not fundamentally transforming for the one faced with such predicament. Although it hones courage, it does not make one fearless.
The conviction to get through that which is painful at present until the point in time when it is not painful anymore, is still rooted in hope, is based in a desire to escape from the present, is a mental invention to look away from that which is to the times when it will be not. And even though this can extract tremendous amounts of energy and courage at times, by its very nature, it keeps one rooted in the fear of the present, of that which is.
There is, however, a deeper, a different understanding and approach to life, which is not based in fear, or in hope, or in desire, and not even in courage. This is the state of mindful indifference: One is not attempting to be strong until things change, one is not fabricating a sense of light and warmth in a cold dark night by looking at a distant twinkling star. But one, instead, with absolute conviction faces and lives up to life as it is in this moment, with all its strife and all of its tribulations. There is no reaching out for hope, which is an outcome of fear and a road to misery. There is no desire for things to be any different from what they may be at this moment. There is no prayer asking for anything. There is no anxiety, no feverishness, about the way things are. There is instead a total indifference to the severity and to the duration of the situation. There is total presence to the way things are without a single movement tainted by a desire to escape into anything which is not.
If this is what it is, then so be it.
If this were all there ever was, then so be it.
If there won't be anything but this, then so be it.
If this will never change, then so be it.
If this is my present and my forever, then so be it.
Unflinching, unwavering, indifferent, I am.
To be present, to be fully aware - without escaping, choosing, complaining, or demanding - to that which is, is transformation, is coming home, is living, is being alive. The courageous seeks to fulfill desire, while the fearless remains unmoved, unwavering, and indifferent.
29 August 2011
Success and Happiness
Success. Happiness. Two elusive goals – perplexing and confusing. Does success lead to happiness or does being happy bring about success?
In most of our lives success is as eluding as the definition of it. If definition of success were to be happy, the two goals will be in much congruence. We associate success with accomplishing, achieving, and getting there, while happiness is a function of contentment, satisfaction and being here and now. We are touched by happiness on our journey to success because the sense of achieving makes it desirable to stay with the accomplishment (the here and now) until discontentment seeps in again and we set out yet again on the journey of accomplishment.
Hence pursuit of success gives glimpses of happiness with an illusory hope that somehow we will be able to hold on to the happiness that we have experienced on the way. The momentary taste of happiness makes success addictive. The more we succeed, the more moments we find in our life with which we want to stick and stay (here and now), and more we continue to seek achievements.
But in pursuits of goals, contentment and satisfaction continue to evade us and hence none of our happy moments last forever. And hence the need to accomplish more, achieve more, so that – if only in brief fleeting moments – we can have a glimpse of contentment, satisfaction, of the here and now – all of which, if put together, is termed happiness.
Many of us wonder if we could ever achieve success if we were content. The way we define success, it sure goes to say the answer is probably no. Happiness – if set as a goal – becomes unattainable. Goals create a distance between what is and what we would like it to be. If happiness is contentment, then this distance is the death of happiness.
So does that mean that success and happiness are mutually exclusive for the most part? Does this mean that goals make us unhappy? Does this mean that a happy society cannot achieve? If we associate contentment with non-action, then yes.
However, contentment and non-action are not synonymous. Even though contentment accepts things the way they are, it does not rule out the need for change. It simply acknowledges and accepts the present situation along with its possible discontent. It also acknowledges the need for action, where necessary. What differentiates contentment from ambition and frustration is not the lack of action but the absence of impatience. Contentment is patience. Contentment is perseverance. It is willing to try endlessly in a chosen direction without ever being at war with its current situation.
Underlying all pursuits of success is a desire for happiness. Happiness as an end is non-attainable. Happiness as a means is already available. If we are not happy in our pursuits, we will inevitably find our ends to be lonely, hollow and meaningless as well.
In most of our lives success is as eluding as the definition of it. If definition of success were to be happy, the two goals will be in much congruence. We associate success with accomplishing, achieving, and getting there, while happiness is a function of contentment, satisfaction and being here and now. We are touched by happiness on our journey to success because the sense of achieving makes it desirable to stay with the accomplishment (the here and now) until discontentment seeps in again and we set out yet again on the journey of accomplishment.
Hence pursuit of success gives glimpses of happiness with an illusory hope that somehow we will be able to hold on to the happiness that we have experienced on the way. The momentary taste of happiness makes success addictive. The more we succeed, the more moments we find in our life with which we want to stick and stay (here and now), and more we continue to seek achievements.
But in pursuits of goals, contentment and satisfaction continue to evade us and hence none of our happy moments last forever. And hence the need to accomplish more, achieve more, so that – if only in brief fleeting moments – we can have a glimpse of contentment, satisfaction, of the here and now – all of which, if put together, is termed happiness.
Many of us wonder if we could ever achieve success if we were content. The way we define success, it sure goes to say the answer is probably no. Happiness – if set as a goal – becomes unattainable. Goals create a distance between what is and what we would like it to be. If happiness is contentment, then this distance is the death of happiness.
So does that mean that success and happiness are mutually exclusive for the most part? Does this mean that goals make us unhappy? Does this mean that a happy society cannot achieve? If we associate contentment with non-action, then yes.
However, contentment and non-action are not synonymous. Even though contentment accepts things the way they are, it does not rule out the need for change. It simply acknowledges and accepts the present situation along with its possible discontent. It also acknowledges the need for action, where necessary. What differentiates contentment from ambition and frustration is not the lack of action but the absence of impatience. Contentment is patience. Contentment is perseverance. It is willing to try endlessly in a chosen direction without ever being at war with its current situation.
Underlying all pursuits of success is a desire for happiness. Happiness as an end is non-attainable. Happiness as a means is already available. If we are not happy in our pursuits, we will inevitably find our ends to be lonely, hollow and meaningless as well.
I've Loved You So Long
I've Loved You So Long is a French drama film, which tells the story of a woman struggling to be 'normal' in her interactions and with herself after spending fifteen years in prison, under the charge of killing her young son. For the entire time since the act, Juliette never says a word to anyone about the ordeal. She neither defends herself nor blame anyone for what she did. She remains indifferent to life around her. Her mysterious silence forms the basis of the movie.
Juliette was presented with a personal challenge, which she chooses to address in the best way that she thought possible. That response involved taking the life of her own and only son, in order to keep him from suffering through an incurable and a very painful terminal illness. I differ from Juliette on her choice, but then the choices we make are defined as much by who we are as the role they play in determining who we become.
What Juliette carried was not the silence but the burden of guilt. Guilt of her failure, of her inability to save her child, of her having to make the choice to end the very life that she brought to this world. What Juliette carried was also anger at the injustice of it all, the ruthlessness and brutal cruelty of it. Juliette was not seeking to be understood. She did not seek to exonerate herself of any blame. She was not looking for salvation or comfort. Juliette's silence was her protest against life, against beauty, against existence. It was a very personal expression of her grief, anger, remorse, and guilt.
Her silence finally broke not because it was time but because of the healing that she experienced in being with her sister's family, in finding her ability to care and be giving again to her sister's child, in finally accepting that sometimes things go the way they do not because we were lacking, incapable, or failures, but because that is how they just happened to be on that occasion.
Juliette was presented with a personal challenge, which she chooses to address in the best way that she thought possible. That response involved taking the life of her own and only son, in order to keep him from suffering through an incurable and a very painful terminal illness. I differ from Juliette on her choice, but then the choices we make are defined as much by who we are as the role they play in determining who we become.
What Juliette carried was not the silence but the burden of guilt. Guilt of her failure, of her inability to save her child, of her having to make the choice to end the very life that she brought to this world. What Juliette carried was also anger at the injustice of it all, the ruthlessness and brutal cruelty of it. Juliette was not seeking to be understood. She did not seek to exonerate herself of any blame. She was not looking for salvation or comfort. Juliette's silence was her protest against life, against beauty, against existence. It was a very personal expression of her grief, anger, remorse, and guilt.
Her silence finally broke not because it was time but because of the healing that she experienced in being with her sister's family, in finding her ability to care and be giving again to her sister's child, in finally accepting that sometimes things go the way they do not because we were lacking, incapable, or failures, but because that is how they just happened to be on that occasion.
28 August 2011
Arjuna in battle with the Buddha
While reading the following from a treatise on Gita: Those who fail to perform their duty consciously and skillfully, attain nothing and are not respected in the society. When a person ignores his duties, others think disparagingly of him... The following question popped up in the mind - Is this always so? And even if it is, so what? One's actions cannot always be a slave to another's opinion otherwise we would have never had Buddha amidst us (who gave up his duty as a father, as a son, as a husband, in his search for the Truth).
Ill fame influences one and creates inferiority complex. And [when] one realizes that it is one's own mistake that brought ill fame to him, his inner strength is weakened. One begins to condemn himself and suicidal tendencies may develop. This is something that we see around us quite frequently and, for many of us, in our own life.
In all situations the aspirant should learn to maintain his inner strength. And inner strength cannot be maintained if there is inner conflict and if there is no clarity of mind.
This follow-on text clearly answers the previous question. Buddha did not have an inner conflict about his goal. He was of a very clear and of a very sound mind about what he needed to do and hence carried a great inner strength and was unaffected by and indifferent to the opinions that others may have had of him.
In addition, he was not as much running away from something as towards another that pulled strongly at his heart. Many of us today use spirituality as a means to escape from the worldly struggles rather than as a way to deepen our understanding of the Truth and of ourselves. It is because of this latter sentiment that Krishna cautions Arjuna against turning his back upon the battle. Arjuna is not truly aspiring for peace, non-violence, or universal brotherhood. He is instead interested in avoiding the battle to prevent an outcome that, to him, is both scary and unpleasant.
It is then important to understand that inner conflict - which can result from too much desire, or from a dissonance between what one knows one should be doing and what one does instead, or from the inability to stand by one's choices and decisions - weakens one's inner strength.
Also, actions geared at escaping from one's current predicament, only serve to weaken one's inner self. One's inner strength is also weakened by actions rooted in individualistic greed or fear - as was the case with Arjuna - versus moving forward with a desire for well-being of another or of all beings - which was Buddha's quest.
It is important to understand and to act upon the factors that weaken one's inner strength for without inner strength no meaningful achievement is possible, much less a sense of peace, joy, or harmony.
Ill fame influences one and creates inferiority complex. And [when] one realizes that it is one's own mistake that brought ill fame to him, his inner strength is weakened. One begins to condemn himself and suicidal tendencies may develop. This is something that we see around us quite frequently and, for many of us, in our own life.
In all situations the aspirant should learn to maintain his inner strength. And inner strength cannot be maintained if there is inner conflict and if there is no clarity of mind.
This follow-on text clearly answers the previous question. Buddha did not have an inner conflict about his goal. He was of a very clear and of a very sound mind about what he needed to do and hence carried a great inner strength and was unaffected by and indifferent to the opinions that others may have had of him.
In addition, he was not as much running away from something as towards another that pulled strongly at his heart. Many of us today use spirituality as a means to escape from the worldly struggles rather than as a way to deepen our understanding of the Truth and of ourselves. It is because of this latter sentiment that Krishna cautions Arjuna against turning his back upon the battle. Arjuna is not truly aspiring for peace, non-violence, or universal brotherhood. He is instead interested in avoiding the battle to prevent an outcome that, to him, is both scary and unpleasant.
It is then important to understand that inner conflict - which can result from too much desire, or from a dissonance between what one knows one should be doing and what one does instead, or from the inability to stand by one's choices and decisions - weakens one's inner strength.
Also, actions geared at escaping from one's current predicament, only serve to weaken one's inner self. One's inner strength is also weakened by actions rooted in individualistic greed or fear - as was the case with Arjuna - versus moving forward with a desire for well-being of another or of all beings - which was Buddha's quest.
It is important to understand and to act upon the factors that weaken one's inner strength for without inner strength no meaningful achievement is possible, much less a sense of peace, joy, or harmony.
14 August 2011
What is it that I know with absolute certainty?
On close examination one finds that there is not much in life that one is sure of. Most of the things that we believe to be true are just that - beliefs in face of uncertainty driven by a desire to be secure. It is then of great import to sincerely inquire into the nature of belief and to also inquire into what is it that one is truly certain of in this life.
On such introspection I find that there is very little that I am certain of. Most of what I know is because of eiher I have read in a book, heard it through people, is widely accepted by the crowds, or is considered a given. There then remains this very little, though immensely significant, that I find myself absolutely certain of:
1. Death - mine, another's. That which is born is bound to die.
2. The connection between perception and happiness. It would be quite an act on my part to deny the fact of my daily experience - whether a given event will inspire or enclose me within myself is determined largely by how my mind interprets it, perceives it, defines it. There is an undeniable link between one's mindset and one's state of mind (happiness).
3. All sensory beauty is passing and ephemeral. The music may be most melodious but how long can one listen to it? However tasty the food may be, the tongue has its limitation. No matter how beautiful the sight the eyes do get tired of it eventually. Senses are limited in their capacity to perceive and savor.
4. I know of absolutely nothing, that can be perceived by the senses and is not subject to change, decay, and eventual demise. Just as the senses are temporal, so are the objects perceived by them.
5. The experience of love in one's heart is the one and only immediate transformational happening.
On such introspection I find that there is very little that I am certain of. Most of what I know is because of eiher I have read in a book, heard it through people, is widely accepted by the crowds, or is considered a given. There then remains this very little, though immensely significant, that I find myself absolutely certain of:
1. Death - mine, another's. That which is born is bound to die.
2. The connection between perception and happiness. It would be quite an act on my part to deny the fact of my daily experience - whether a given event will inspire or enclose me within myself is determined largely by how my mind interprets it, perceives it, defines it. There is an undeniable link between one's mindset and one's state of mind (happiness).
3. All sensory beauty is passing and ephemeral. The music may be most melodious but how long can one listen to it? However tasty the food may be, the tongue has its limitation. No matter how beautiful the sight the eyes do get tired of it eventually. Senses are limited in their capacity to perceive and savor.
4. I know of absolutely nothing, that can be perceived by the senses and is not subject to change, decay, and eventual demise. Just as the senses are temporal, so are the objects perceived by them.
5. The experience of love in one's heart is the one and only immediate transformational happening.
13 August 2011
To have Faith
Neither I, nor you, nor anyone else knows what the future holds. At times it can seem as if we can predict or anticipate the future but the future never loses its capacity to surprise us. What we see happening around us is life in all its glory, its struggles, its possibilities, its challenges, its gifts - unfolding into the human drama of daily living. We will all like to pick what we consider as flowers and set aside what we think of as thorns. However, the wise know that the thorn is no different from the flower it protects just as the flower is the same as the thorn that it makes bearable.
I do not know what today has been like for you nor can I tell what tomorrow will be like - for you, for me, for any of us. Much of life, like an iceberg, stays hidden from our view. What we see is but a small part of it. We do not know the bigger picture, we do not understand the greater connections and complexities and hence our confusion and hence the need for faith in face of adversity and even otherwise. Faith acknowledges our ignorance and reinforces our trust in availability of grace and guidance through the trying and tiring days of our journey.
No one knows how long or short a life is - neither of another nor our own. Any moment as we know it could be our last. We do not have much say in how long our life will be or should be.
It is then of great import and of immense urgency that we be able to free our hearts of all fear, of all prejudice, of all insecurity and embrace the present and make it come alive in love, in celebration. To not spend the days of our life mired in trepidation but instead attend to them totally and completely by smiling within and without, by anchoring our hearts in love and compassion, by holding on tightly to our faith and never letting go, by sharing the burden of our fellow travelers, by having a conversation with a stranger out of genuine care and concern, to attend to our struggles and still have much room to assist another make it through their day with vigor and triumph.
We must not let anything undermine our faith. Faith is not weak, faith is not passive. Faith is fierce, faith can fight, faith can challenge and transmute fate itself. Faith is not hope. Faith is not desire for a certain outcome. Faith is the confidence and conviction in one's ability to stoically get through anything and everything that the day might present, that life may put forward. Faith is our inner strength. Faith is the smile in a dark night. Faith is the courage to put the next foot forward in spite of pain, in spite of sorrow, in spite of suffering. Faith is the resolve to be a light, to be love, to be of service to one and to all. Faith is the trust that no matter what comes or what goes, our ability to smile, to love, and to serve is always within and is always available.
May all of us, throughout our lives, be blessed with the grace and the good fortune to have the courage and the capacity to wipe every tear that we can, bring as many smiles as we can, and serve with all of our heart and mind as much as we can.
I do not know what today has been like for you nor can I tell what tomorrow will be like - for you, for me, for any of us. Much of life, like an iceberg, stays hidden from our view. What we see is but a small part of it. We do not know the bigger picture, we do not understand the greater connections and complexities and hence our confusion and hence the need for faith in face of adversity and even otherwise. Faith acknowledges our ignorance and reinforces our trust in availability of grace and guidance through the trying and tiring days of our journey.
No one knows how long or short a life is - neither of another nor our own. Any moment as we know it could be our last. We do not have much say in how long our life will be or should be.
It is then of great import and of immense urgency that we be able to free our hearts of all fear, of all prejudice, of all insecurity and embrace the present and make it come alive in love, in celebration. To not spend the days of our life mired in trepidation but instead attend to them totally and completely by smiling within and without, by anchoring our hearts in love and compassion, by holding on tightly to our faith and never letting go, by sharing the burden of our fellow travelers, by having a conversation with a stranger out of genuine care and concern, to attend to our struggles and still have much room to assist another make it through their day with vigor and triumph.
We must not let anything undermine our faith. Faith is not weak, faith is not passive. Faith is fierce, faith can fight, faith can challenge and transmute fate itself. Faith is not hope. Faith is not desire for a certain outcome. Faith is the confidence and conviction in one's ability to stoically get through anything and everything that the day might present, that life may put forward. Faith is our inner strength. Faith is the smile in a dark night. Faith is the courage to put the next foot forward in spite of pain, in spite of sorrow, in spite of suffering. Faith is the resolve to be a light, to be love, to be of service to one and to all. Faith is the trust that no matter what comes or what goes, our ability to smile, to love, and to serve is always within and is always available.
May all of us, throughout our lives, be blessed with the grace and the good fortune to have the courage and the capacity to wipe every tear that we can, bring as many smiles as we can, and serve with all of our heart and mind as much as we can.
08 August 2011
Setting down the burden; to understand each other
Through the years, that which has helped us humans cope with the inexplicable sufferings of this life has also been a cause of immense suffering to us in one form or another. Religion, especially in its fundamentalist form, has not always served us well.
Jesus did not get crucified just because he was so radically different from most people around him but also because he could not convince those around him to witness with an open mind what he had to show and share. We, as humans, have the capacity to build within ourselves insurmountable walls of opinions and believes which even God incarnate could not knock down unless we decided to let Him in. Such is our freedom and such is also our failing.
There is hence little sense in trying to convince another away from what one may believe to be the case at this point in their life. What one holds true today was not their reality yesterday and will not be their truth in time to come, no matter how unlikely it may seem at this instant. There is no constant in this known Universe.
I do, however, hope that as we dwell deeper on the topic of religion and its understanding and as we continue to explore and experiment with our investigation of truth, that we take the time - may be just few minutes in a day - to set aside and put down all that may be on our mind and connect with those around us in a way that is meaningful to us and comforting to them - our family, our friends, our neighbors, the store clerk, the co-worker, the stranger on the road.
Yes, the world has become and continues to be an increasingly dangerous place. It is then of even greater import and importance that we be kind in our word and action to whatever extent may be possible for us - if not for a week, then may be a day, if not a day then may be an hour, if not an hour then may be a minute or even a second.
Perhaps changing the world is a lofty goal for most of us but influencing our immediate environment with a light of joy and care is not beyond our abilities, should we so choose. Let us then rebuild the world immediately around us one thought at a time, one word at a time, one action at a time, one connection, one relationship at a time.
May we all have the intelligence, the courage, the capacity, the compassion and the care to ask ourselves prior to commencing any and all of our communications whether what we are about to think/say/write is true, is kind, is necessary, and whether it will bring comfort to all hearts that may listen to it. And only when it passes this test may we pursue its sharing with the zeal that it deserves.
Jesus did not get crucified just because he was so radically different from most people around him but also because he could not convince those around him to witness with an open mind what he had to show and share. We, as humans, have the capacity to build within ourselves insurmountable walls of opinions and believes which even God incarnate could not knock down unless we decided to let Him in. Such is our freedom and such is also our failing.
There is hence little sense in trying to convince another away from what one may believe to be the case at this point in their life. What one holds true today was not their reality yesterday and will not be their truth in time to come, no matter how unlikely it may seem at this instant. There is no constant in this known Universe.
I do, however, hope that as we dwell deeper on the topic of religion and its understanding and as we continue to explore and experiment with our investigation of truth, that we take the time - may be just few minutes in a day - to set aside and put down all that may be on our mind and connect with those around us in a way that is meaningful to us and comforting to them - our family, our friends, our neighbors, the store clerk, the co-worker, the stranger on the road.
Yes, the world has become and continues to be an increasingly dangerous place. It is then of even greater import and importance that we be kind in our word and action to whatever extent may be possible for us - if not for a week, then may be a day, if not a day then may be an hour, if not an hour then may be a minute or even a second.
Perhaps changing the world is a lofty goal for most of us but influencing our immediate environment with a light of joy and care is not beyond our abilities, should we so choose. Let us then rebuild the world immediately around us one thought at a time, one word at a time, one action at a time, one connection, one relationship at a time.
May we all have the intelligence, the courage, the capacity, the compassion and the care to ask ourselves prior to commencing any and all of our communications whether what we are about to think/say/write is true, is kind, is necessary, and whether it will bring comfort to all hearts that may listen to it. And only when it passes this test may we pursue its sharing with the zeal that it deserves.
16 July 2011
On the subject of Motivation
Motivation is needed for something towards which we are not naturally inclined, a subject that we approach not out of love but instead out of fear or greed.
An artist, working in a corporate setting, would need to motivate herself in order to attend effectively to her job because she is afraid she will lose the job otherwise and not be able to pay her bills.
Similarly, a person may get caught up in a wrong profession or pursue a lifestyle unsuited to her in order to get what this alternate way of living has to offer (more money, fame, popularity etc).
However, when we are in our element and doing that which is our original nature, then motivation does not even come into question. No one need motivate a child to play. No one needed to motivate Mozart to write music or motivate Einstein to attend to the secrets of this Universe.
Hence, when you feel you are in need of motivation to do something, know that it is not part of your nature and will not bring fulfillment in the long run.
This however, is not a recipe for sloth, lethargy, or laziness. How to know the difference? Your sense of inner joy and well being is the true indicator. If you are feeling lethargic, sad, and as if you are only going through the motions of life, know that you have stepped away from your calling in life and are chasing a dream that is not your own.
An artist, working in a corporate setting, would need to motivate herself in order to attend effectively to her job because she is afraid she will lose the job otherwise and not be able to pay her bills.
Similarly, a person may get caught up in a wrong profession or pursue a lifestyle unsuited to her in order to get what this alternate way of living has to offer (more money, fame, popularity etc).
However, when we are in our element and doing that which is our original nature, then motivation does not even come into question. No one need motivate a child to play. No one needed to motivate Mozart to write music or motivate Einstein to attend to the secrets of this Universe.
Hence, when you feel you are in need of motivation to do something, know that it is not part of your nature and will not bring fulfillment in the long run.
This however, is not a recipe for sloth, lethargy, or laziness. How to know the difference? Your sense of inner joy and well being is the true indicator. If you are feeling lethargic, sad, and as if you are only going through the motions of life, know that you have stepped away from your calling in life and are chasing a dream that is not your own.
04 February 2011
तेरी याद में ...
तेरी दर्द की धुप में
मेरे ग़मों की परछाई
नज़र आती है|
जिसे भूल चुके थे हम
वोह हर बात
नज़र आती है|
आता है याद
तेरा रूठ के जाना
तेरे जाते हुए क़दमों की
आवाज़ नज़र आती है|
बैठें हैं दिल पर हाथ लिये
हर धडकन में बसी
तेरी याद चली आती है|
यह आवाज़ कहीं
तेरे आने की तो नहीं|
यह सोच सोच
मेरी सांस थम जाती है|
जो दामन हमारा
ना छोड़ती थी कभी
वही हंसी आज
सन्नाटों में बसी जाती है|
अब कैसा शिकवा
अब कैसी शिकायत
जब रेत की तरह हाथों से
जिंदगी फिसल जाती है|
अब तो आ जा
मुझे थाम ले मौला
मेरी हर सांस
तेरा नाम गुनगुनाती है||
मेरे ग़मों की परछाई
नज़र आती है|
जिसे भूल चुके थे हम
वोह हर बात
नज़र आती है|
आता है याद
तेरा रूठ के जाना
तेरे जाते हुए क़दमों की
आवाज़ नज़र आती है|
बैठें हैं दिल पर हाथ लिये
हर धडकन में बसी
तेरी याद चली आती है|
यह आवाज़ कहीं
तेरे आने की तो नहीं|
यह सोच सोच
मेरी सांस थम जाती है|
जो दामन हमारा
ना छोड़ती थी कभी
वही हंसी आज
सन्नाटों में बसी जाती है|
अब कैसा शिकवा
अब कैसी शिकायत
जब रेत की तरह हाथों से
जिंदगी फिसल जाती है|
अब तो आ जा
मुझे थाम ले मौला
मेरी हर सांस
तेरा नाम गुनगुनाती है||
03 February 2011
सोने सा मन
वोह कैसा दर्द जो थम जाये
वोह आंसू क्या जो बिखर जाये|
मेरे कलेजे की हर रंजिश
मुझमे ही टूट के बिखर जाये|
कमज़ोर है वो हंसीं
फीकी हर वो मुस्कान|
जिसके उजले पर्दों ने
कई दाग ना हों छुपाएँ|
दर्द हैं दामन में सौ
हर तरफ आग के समंदर |
लकड़ी नहीं सोना हूँ मैं मगर
जितना जलू उतना निखार आये|
12 January 2011
An Inquiry: The Source Behind All Human Applications
I was struck by an interesting thought today. I do not consider this thought strange given that I work in the IT (Information Technology) industry. At times it feels as if I spend more time with computers than with people and it is very likely true. It is interesting though to wonder why this thought did not occur sooner.
A software application is a piece of code (set of writings written in a machine-readable language that causes machines to act according to the documented instructions), deployed on machines (computers/servers), which is capable of interacting with humans (for the most part) for purposes of information exchange and processing of data.
An application can consist of many parts but for our discussion we will limit to some illustrative and major elements such as the screen through which requests can be sent and responses can be received, a server that does the processing, a database that stores data and interconnecting wires (network).
With this background let us jump into what came to mind.
If one were to ask what constitutes an application specifically one could not point to any one component. For the most part the code is the application. However, this code is not an application until it is ‘live’ on an infrastructure consisting of an interface, server, backend, and network. Every part together is the application but also not really the application (server is not the application, nor is the network, nor the database).
Similar is the case with us humans. When posed with the question of who one is, one usually starts with one’s name, age, religion, social position or financial status. However, none of these is the person itself. One may then get down to identifying oneself as one’s body. However, the various parts of body although together constitute the body none of them by itself is the person per se (my hand is not me but a part of me).
It is possible to dissect various parts of the body and for the person to still exist. Similar to if one were to take away the keyboard and the mouse, the application still exists though is no longer easily accessible. Some parts are more crucial than others– like the heart or the brain. End of either of these would be considered as the death of the organism. Similarly, for the application if the server is removed, it would be the ‘death’ of the application.
This leads to the question whether human beings really are anything more than the mix of and interaction between various material things, creating an illusion of intelligence? Based on what we know and see, one can say that such is not the case. There is more to a human than just the body and thoughts. So how does that go along with the software application analogy and how is a software application different from a human’s life?
To further along this investigation requires that one contemplate on the death of a being. The entire body (infrastructure) is still there but it becomes devoid of life (non-functional). A parallel for the software application would be the infrastructure to exist but not be able to perform (and not because of some programming or infrastructure defect). Such a parallel would be switching off the electrical supply to the infrastructure. Everything would still be there for the application to perform but it could not do a thing.
Such is also the case with us living beings. There is a ‘current’ that flows that makes it possible for the body to act. The loss of this ‘power supply’ is what we call as death. This ‘current’ is of such importance to us that in its absence we are able to bury or burn the left behind body without any sense of guilt. There is more to life than meets the eye.
Just as no one essentially thinks of electricity as being part of the software application most of us do not contemplate on the energy that makes life possible (is life itself?). We go on with our lives taking this for granted (just as a programmer takes for granted that there will be electricity available to run his code).
Although I don’t think the software is capable of contemplating on the nature of the electricity that keeps it running, we human beings do have such capacity. And to exercise this capacity is to be introspective, contemplative, meditative, or to indulge into the great investigation of ‘who am I?’
Different cultures and religious organizations have given different names to this ‘electricity’ that makes life possible: soul, atma, god, prana, chi, and many other names. However, the description is not the described; description of food cannot fill an empty stomach. This has, however, not kept us from attempting to do so. This is what has led to the birth and propagation of religion. It has also not kept us from acting as if our hungry stomachs got full just by the description of the food, which is where a religion's blind followers come into play.
In absence of ready access to food it is easier to convince oneself that one is not hungry as opposed to going out to look for food and coming upon treacherous circumstances instead. However, the hunger tells a different tale and keeps us restless and in acute discomfort. Such is also the case with most of us who either out of fear, convenience, or greed, have falsely convinced ourselves of our spiritual satiety based on religious philosophies and have given up the effort required to undertake an individual inquiry into the truth.
Although this brings some comfort in the form of not needing to ‘go out’ it does not really quench the longing (the hunger) and keeps one restless, yearning, and seeking every moment of one’s life. No philosophy will ever quench this hunger.
Lack of a sincere personal inquiry into the nature of one’s true self only strengthens one’s ignorance and hence suffering. In absence of such knowledge one could get easily disconsolate by believing the loss of the outer status, relationship, health etc to be the loss of the self; become egotistically boastful by taking the outer accumulation of wealth, health etc as the expansion of the self; and could become depressed by not being able to control all the changes in the outer circumstances as a way to feel good within.
One application may be more important than the next, another may be more defect-free, another may be more responsive, yet another may have a very user friendly interface. However, at the core of all applications is the same energy that makes them run, perform, outperform. These applications may start believing that the world in which they compete and operate is the only reality but that is only until someone ‘pulls the plug’. By then it is too late to understand what went wrong.
It then, as humans, is upon us to investigate into and understand the nature of this energy that we call life while it still energizes us. It is as much a responsibility as an opportunity to remain mindful of this common source as we play our parts in the outer world. Being competitive, ambitions, loving, kind, greedy, angry, compassionate are all part of being human. However, it is imperative to make time to investigate into the true nature of things, to make an attempt at determining what lies behind all of these human experiences. Such investigation starts revealing the truth of impermanence – an application that is considered legacy (archaic) today was a superstar once; a person who is a hero today would be a mere name tomorrow.
In this ever changing application and human landscape, what is that constant factor that is never changing and which makes it all possible? What is it that we continue to seek every moment of our lives and is it ever possible to come upon the end of that search without gaining an insight into the fundamental truth that drives all that is seen driving around?
A software application is a piece of code (set of writings written in a machine-readable language that causes machines to act according to the documented instructions), deployed on machines (computers/servers), which is capable of interacting with humans (for the most part) for purposes of information exchange and processing of data.
An application can consist of many parts but for our discussion we will limit to some illustrative and major elements such as the screen through which requests can be sent and responses can be received, a server that does the processing, a database that stores data and interconnecting wires (network).
With this background let us jump into what came to mind.
If one were to ask what constitutes an application specifically one could not point to any one component. For the most part the code is the application. However, this code is not an application until it is ‘live’ on an infrastructure consisting of an interface, server, backend, and network. Every part together is the application but also not really the application (server is not the application, nor is the network, nor the database).
Similar is the case with us humans. When posed with the question of who one is, one usually starts with one’s name, age, religion, social position or financial status. However, none of these is the person itself. One may then get down to identifying oneself as one’s body. However, the various parts of body although together constitute the body none of them by itself is the person per se (my hand is not me but a part of me).
It is possible to dissect various parts of the body and for the person to still exist. Similar to if one were to take away the keyboard and the mouse, the application still exists though is no longer easily accessible. Some parts are more crucial than others– like the heart or the brain. End of either of these would be considered as the death of the organism. Similarly, for the application if the server is removed, it would be the ‘death’ of the application.
This leads to the question whether human beings really are anything more than the mix of and interaction between various material things, creating an illusion of intelligence? Based on what we know and see, one can say that such is not the case. There is more to a human than just the body and thoughts. So how does that go along with the software application analogy and how is a software application different from a human’s life?
To further along this investigation requires that one contemplate on the death of a being. The entire body (infrastructure) is still there but it becomes devoid of life (non-functional). A parallel for the software application would be the infrastructure to exist but not be able to perform (and not because of some programming or infrastructure defect). Such a parallel would be switching off the electrical supply to the infrastructure. Everything would still be there for the application to perform but it could not do a thing.
Such is also the case with us living beings. There is a ‘current’ that flows that makes it possible for the body to act. The loss of this ‘power supply’ is what we call as death. This ‘current’ is of such importance to us that in its absence we are able to bury or burn the left behind body without any sense of guilt. There is more to life than meets the eye.
Just as no one essentially thinks of electricity as being part of the software application most of us do not contemplate on the energy that makes life possible (is life itself?). We go on with our lives taking this for granted (just as a programmer takes for granted that there will be electricity available to run his code).
Although I don’t think the software is capable of contemplating on the nature of the electricity that keeps it running, we human beings do have such capacity. And to exercise this capacity is to be introspective, contemplative, meditative, or to indulge into the great investigation of ‘who am I?’
Different cultures and religious organizations have given different names to this ‘electricity’ that makes life possible: soul, atma, god, prana, chi, and many other names. However, the description is not the described; description of food cannot fill an empty stomach. This has, however, not kept us from attempting to do so. This is what has led to the birth and propagation of religion. It has also not kept us from acting as if our hungry stomachs got full just by the description of the food, which is where a religion's blind followers come into play.
In absence of ready access to food it is easier to convince oneself that one is not hungry as opposed to going out to look for food and coming upon treacherous circumstances instead. However, the hunger tells a different tale and keeps us restless and in acute discomfort. Such is also the case with most of us who either out of fear, convenience, or greed, have falsely convinced ourselves of our spiritual satiety based on religious philosophies and have given up the effort required to undertake an individual inquiry into the truth.
Although this brings some comfort in the form of not needing to ‘go out’ it does not really quench the longing (the hunger) and keeps one restless, yearning, and seeking every moment of one’s life. No philosophy will ever quench this hunger.
Lack of a sincere personal inquiry into the nature of one’s true self only strengthens one’s ignorance and hence suffering. In absence of such knowledge one could get easily disconsolate by believing the loss of the outer status, relationship, health etc to be the loss of the self; become egotistically boastful by taking the outer accumulation of wealth, health etc as the expansion of the self; and could become depressed by not being able to control all the changes in the outer circumstances as a way to feel good within.
One application may be more important than the next, another may be more defect-free, another may be more responsive, yet another may have a very user friendly interface. However, at the core of all applications is the same energy that makes them run, perform, outperform. These applications may start believing that the world in which they compete and operate is the only reality but that is only until someone ‘pulls the plug’. By then it is too late to understand what went wrong.
It then, as humans, is upon us to investigate into and understand the nature of this energy that we call life while it still energizes us. It is as much a responsibility as an opportunity to remain mindful of this common source as we play our parts in the outer world. Being competitive, ambitions, loving, kind, greedy, angry, compassionate are all part of being human. However, it is imperative to make time to investigate into the true nature of things, to make an attempt at determining what lies behind all of these human experiences. Such investigation starts revealing the truth of impermanence – an application that is considered legacy (archaic) today was a superstar once; a person who is a hero today would be a mere name tomorrow.
In this ever changing application and human landscape, what is that constant factor that is never changing and which makes it all possible? What is it that we continue to seek every moment of our lives and is it ever possible to come upon the end of that search without gaining an insight into the fundamental truth that drives all that is seen driving around?
04 January 2011
A hike through the inner darkness
This evening was unusual, different from most evenings. I went on a night-time hike with some people I met for the first time, to the top of a 500 ft high peak. It does not sound much of a challenge but in the night's darkness it can get a little intimidating especially as one tries to scramble up steep inclines amid tumbling loose boulders and stones with a leg that only recently recovered from surgery.
A quarter way into the hike - by which time we had left the parking lot and city lights way behind and I probably could not find my way back easily - it occurred to me how secure I felt in these strange surroundings. Moonless night, desert landscapes, steep cliffs to the side, narrow windy pathways, which I had never walked before, and in the company of six complete strangers.
If I had been alone, my state of mind would have been quite a contrast. Why does the mind find security in numbers? It is not that any of them could keep another form falling over, or breaking a joint, or getting hurt. Yet, the knowledge that one is not alone was amazingly comforting. Why does the mind seek comfort/security at all?
It was also interesting to see how easily the mind trusts a complete stranger in times of difficulty, whom it may have doubted when ensconced in abundance. A mind that finds security in things sees another person as a threat while a mind that is able to acknowledge its insecurity becomes capable of regarding another's presence as comforting. But in both cases it is an insecure mind and it remains trapped with the other - either seeking protection from another or through another.
How is such a mind to come upon a true sense of security and does there exist such a thing? Can the mind be free of fear? And is it possible for a fearful mind to know love? And what is love?
The mind got engaged in the hike not at the start time of the hike but way before that. It got engaged when it first started feeling lonely, when it decided to seek comfort of company of another, when it started seeking things to do in a group, when it signed up for the hiking group, and also when it started questioning itself regarding the point of it all. And it all came to fore when the hike started. The mind's revolt became stronger and stronger - "why am I doing this? this is silly! I should head back now; I can tell them my knee does not feel right..." and a million other scares. and then the other calm voice - also of the mind - just keep going, just keep going, you will feel better when it is all done.
And one does go on in spite of the struggle, very aware of the struggle, even in face of outward calm. The hike starts to get more difficult, as does keeping up with the mind's venting. We have covered a quarter of the hike. There is still time to turn around; "Can I find my way back? Will someone help me find the way back should I decide to return?" Just keep going, just keep going.
Then interestingly enough there comes a point of no return and the mind intuitively knows it. It then shuts up and starts focusing on what is at hand. It is finally able to quite its chatter and take in the view. It acknowledges the company around it. It is still longing for the time when it will be back in safety and comfort but it now knows that to go beyond it has to go through. That there is now no turning back. How many times in our life have we been unable to move forward with complete energy and enthusiasm because we kept a back door open out of fear, which the mind never let go out of its sight?
Such is also the mind's behavior when it comes to daily living. It repels anything new that poses a challenge and comes up with a million reasons and excuses for why it is a bad idea. Most of the times we get caught up in its chatter and give in before we reach the 'point of no return'. What enables one to keep going in face of mind's opposition? I could have turned back but I did not. Why?
For me it came from having an understanding of the mechanics of the mind. I have seen it enough in motion to know how it spurts and barfs before it would come to a smooth zoom forward. The other thing that kept me going was the understanding that if I turned back now it would mean more strength to a weak mind, which would result in much severe consequences in my life when it came to decision making, choosing right over wrong, and having the courage to move forward in face of adversity or the unknown. The third aspect, and this I believe was very important, was rooted in intelligence and knowledge of matching my strength and skills against the challenge. It is also possible to bully one's mind or to be confident out of ignorance but such behavior sooner or later only brings about harm and repentance.
It is then important to understand that the nature of the mind is to seek security; it finds security and comfort in the familiar; it is willing to widen its circle of trust when faced with adversity; it shuts people out in presence of perceived security of material abundance; it detests and revolts against the unknown, especially when the unknown threatens the known; the only way to tame it is to understand it; and, finally, to challenge the mind without a clear understanding of its workings would sooner or later end up being a recipe for disaster.
One may question why is it so important to attend to the mind with such acute awareness. The mind is at the root of everything that we know as our life. It is in the mind's soil that the seed of desire sprouts, it is this seed that becomes a thought, it is this thought that becomes an action, and it is this action that brings about a consequence that is our life as we know it.
Without understanding one's own mind one can have no understanding of one's life. And without such understanding one would forever remain a slave to one's mental conditionings. Such a slave can never come upon that thing called love or freedom, without which life, no matter adorned with how many riches, remains still and unborn.
A quarter way into the hike - by which time we had left the parking lot and city lights way behind and I probably could not find my way back easily - it occurred to me how secure I felt in these strange surroundings. Moonless night, desert landscapes, steep cliffs to the side, narrow windy pathways, which I had never walked before, and in the company of six complete strangers.
If I had been alone, my state of mind would have been quite a contrast. Why does the mind find security in numbers? It is not that any of them could keep another form falling over, or breaking a joint, or getting hurt. Yet, the knowledge that one is not alone was amazingly comforting. Why does the mind seek comfort/security at all?
It was also interesting to see how easily the mind trusts a complete stranger in times of difficulty, whom it may have doubted when ensconced in abundance. A mind that finds security in things sees another person as a threat while a mind that is able to acknowledge its insecurity becomes capable of regarding another's presence as comforting. But in both cases it is an insecure mind and it remains trapped with the other - either seeking protection from another or through another.
How is such a mind to come upon a true sense of security and does there exist such a thing? Can the mind be free of fear? And is it possible for a fearful mind to know love? And what is love?
The mind got engaged in the hike not at the start time of the hike but way before that. It got engaged when it first started feeling lonely, when it decided to seek comfort of company of another, when it started seeking things to do in a group, when it signed up for the hiking group, and also when it started questioning itself regarding the point of it all. And it all came to fore when the hike started. The mind's revolt became stronger and stronger - "why am I doing this? this is silly! I should head back now; I can tell them my knee does not feel right..." and a million other scares. and then the other calm voice - also of the mind - just keep going, just keep going, you will feel better when it is all done.
And one does go on in spite of the struggle, very aware of the struggle, even in face of outward calm. The hike starts to get more difficult, as does keeping up with the mind's venting. We have covered a quarter of the hike. There is still time to turn around; "Can I find my way back? Will someone help me find the way back should I decide to return?" Just keep going, just keep going.
Then interestingly enough there comes a point of no return and the mind intuitively knows it. It then shuts up and starts focusing on what is at hand. It is finally able to quite its chatter and take in the view. It acknowledges the company around it. It is still longing for the time when it will be back in safety and comfort but it now knows that to go beyond it has to go through. That there is now no turning back. How many times in our life have we been unable to move forward with complete energy and enthusiasm because we kept a back door open out of fear, which the mind never let go out of its sight?
Such is also the mind's behavior when it comes to daily living. It repels anything new that poses a challenge and comes up with a million reasons and excuses for why it is a bad idea. Most of the times we get caught up in its chatter and give in before we reach the 'point of no return'. What enables one to keep going in face of mind's opposition? I could have turned back but I did not. Why?
For me it came from having an understanding of the mechanics of the mind. I have seen it enough in motion to know how it spurts and barfs before it would come to a smooth zoom forward. The other thing that kept me going was the understanding that if I turned back now it would mean more strength to a weak mind, which would result in much severe consequences in my life when it came to decision making, choosing right over wrong, and having the courage to move forward in face of adversity or the unknown. The third aspect, and this I believe was very important, was rooted in intelligence and knowledge of matching my strength and skills against the challenge. It is also possible to bully one's mind or to be confident out of ignorance but such behavior sooner or later only brings about harm and repentance.
It is then important to understand that the nature of the mind is to seek security; it finds security and comfort in the familiar; it is willing to widen its circle of trust when faced with adversity; it shuts people out in presence of perceived security of material abundance; it detests and revolts against the unknown, especially when the unknown threatens the known; the only way to tame it is to understand it; and, finally, to challenge the mind without a clear understanding of its workings would sooner or later end up being a recipe for disaster.
One may question why is it so important to attend to the mind with such acute awareness. The mind is at the root of everything that we know as our life. It is in the mind's soil that the seed of desire sprouts, it is this seed that becomes a thought, it is this thought that becomes an action, and it is this action that brings about a consequence that is our life as we know it.
Without understanding one's own mind one can have no understanding of one's life. And without such understanding one would forever remain a slave to one's mental conditionings. Such a slave can never come upon that thing called love or freedom, without which life, no matter adorned with how many riches, remains still and unborn.
01 January 2011
The King's Speech
Just got back after watching this movie. It was striking to witness the amazing acting talent at display. Both the lead actors do an amazing job. Although the subject is royalty, the story itself is deeply human. It speaks volumes about the burden of abundance, the loneliness of power, and the isolation of the distinct.
It was quite touching to see a prince struggle with the simple act of speaking, marred by inner fears of incapability, inadequacy, and of being less than what is expected of him by those around him who freely demand that the expectations of their own lives be fulfilled at the altar of another.
It is a great illustration of the truth of human frailty and of an ignored life that lies behind the masks that one puts on or adorns as handed down by the society. The movie beautifully goes on to demonstrate that it is only when one can come to terms with one's real face and persona that one can truly carry out the role that the mask requires of its bearer.
Only in truly knowing oneself can one assume another form without fear or confusion that may otherwise haunt one with an unclear definition of one's own existence. Such is also the truth of our daily life.
It was quite touching to see a prince struggle with the simple act of speaking, marred by inner fears of incapability, inadequacy, and of being less than what is expected of him by those around him who freely demand that the expectations of their own lives be fulfilled at the altar of another.
It is a great illustration of the truth of human frailty and of an ignored life that lies behind the masks that one puts on or adorns as handed down by the society. The movie beautifully goes on to demonstrate that it is only when one can come to terms with one's real face and persona that one can truly carry out the role that the mask requires of its bearer.
Only in truly knowing oneself can one assume another form without fear or confusion that may otherwise haunt one with an unclear definition of one's own existence. Such is also the truth of our daily life.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)