Hidden Treasure Series-Part XIV- On Self, Peace, Serenity and Bliss

My Dear Friends-on-Mother-Earth,

Happy Friday evening to you folks.

Well, as we all strive hard to be in peace; in a world full of “races” among man’kind’, thought would be prudent to really understand the TRUTH behind Self, Peace, Serenity and Bliss , many striving hard to attain that ‘state of the brain’, using various “templates”!

Ravi: Wonderful connecting with you again. Post the visit to Anandashram in Jan’12(what they call ‘An abode to bliss’), these 6 months in almost near hibernation did made me stronger, more relaxed and at ‘peace’ with myself first. But still, maybe due to genetic disorder, that dysfunctional anger still remains and I tend to “smoke-out” especially “Atrociously  selfish” people.

Well, DO we all have to go Ashram’s to be in peace?? Let’s understand the ‘juice’ behind this ‘state of brain’ with the friendly sage we are blessed to know.

GRK: Hey, glad to walk-the-talk with you again. By the way, how’s the climate in Chennai?

Ravi: Well, there are only 3 climates in Chennai – They are hot, hotter and hottest! Our body is hot and hence our brain is also hot. No wonder you would often find verbal skirmishes for nothing!

GRK: Let’s understand the TRUTH in ‘peace’ first. ‘Peace’ is NOT merely absence of sorrow NOR absence of suffering.  A human may NOT be peaceful EVEN with all the comforts and luxuries of life. He/she may NOT be happy as well as peaceful with all the pleasures. Haven’t you noticed?

What is peace?

Ravi: Absolutely. So, what is peace THEN?

GRK: Peace is a sense of fulfillment. It is an attitude of our brain–a state of brain, nay a quality of brain. The sense of fulfillment is possible when only we have contentment-contentment of wants, desires and aspirations. Thus again, contentment is a feature of peace, which in turn is a state of brain OR a condition of brain after so many years and may be births of ‘collective consciousness’ stored in the brain.

Ravi: Well, sounds interesting. Could it be possible for us, the human beings, with the flimsy, fragile and sentimental brain-stuff, to ‘still’ the brain to attain peace? If everyone has to go Ashrams to find peace, what would happen to humanity? Disaster, gentleman as God-men and God-women would rule our lives?

GRK: Hah Ha! Not to bother. The brain is always restless and oscillating. It is nomadic and all the time; wandering and roaming, rather straying in all directions without any purpose.  Only a ‘still brain’ can experience peace; for peace needs calmness of brain and NOT a wandering brain. A calm-and-composed brain is a ‘still brain’. It is not restless and does not have many longings. It is serene and serenity is a condition of peace, nay an aspect of peace. A peaceful brain is a steadfast-brain. In other words, peace is ‘steadfastness’ (‘stilling’ the anxieties, desires, feelings). It is anchoring of the brain-NOT hovering.

Ravi: Does contentment alone sufficient to attain a peaceful state of brain?

GRK: Peace does not only require contentment but also a brain which could withstand and resist against the daily hurts and injuries of life. The brain has to insulate and immunize to all the daily agonies and sorrows, which are unavoidable part of life and it has to develop a capacity to resist against daily onslaughts on peace.

Thus, peace is an unperturbed state of both brains, rather a culmination of it. For this, human beings need an intellectual courage, an extraordinary courage to face life as it is and its daily trivialities of suffering, with an equanimity or ‘detached-attachment’.

What is Bliss?

Ravi: What is bliss, then?

GRK: When the ‘self’ forgets itself in a rapturous joy of life experience, it loses identity and merges with the experience itself as a part of communion with the cosmos, it experiences ecstasy. (A ‘self-forgetfulness”) This ecstasy itself is bliss, a thrill and an extraordinary joy. It is a highest form of peace and everlasting too. Attainability of bliss is a greatest benediction to man and mankind.

What is Self?

Ravi: ‘Self’ forgetting itself! What is ‘self’, then? Does this ‘self’ mean our name, our caste, our sex, our age and our religion?

GRK: Yes, it means all these and much more. Self means ‘i’, our identify, our self-consciousness. I am so and so, my level is this and my status is this etc. it means status and the level.

Ravi: Is ‘self’ then a divisive force?

GRK: Absolutely. ‘Self’ in other words means an image of oneself. It means attachment to certain things. It is a divisive force. It divides ‘i’ from the rest. It leads to choice making. It is subjectivity leading to angles in one’s perceptions. Thus it leads to contradictions, as self-versus others. In understanding, it colors, nay blocks our understanding. Self is ego, it is pride, it is estimating of one self, often self-conscious estimate. Thus it leads to conflict with on self, with others, the surrounding reality and with the whole nature itself. Hence, ‘self’ leads to sorrow-contradiction-conflict-agony and peacelessness. 

Ravi: So, what’s the way out for mankind?

GRK: The only way is to be aware of the self, to sublimate the self, to raise above the self, to forget the self; nay to erase the self itself. Where there is no ‘self’ there is no contradiction, no conflict and no sorrow –no colored perception and no understanding based on choice.

Ravi: Awesome learning. Easy to understand, difficult to practice as we all are conditioned to dogmas and our own doctorates! Thank you for your time. Look forward to our talks again next week.

Folks, I guess we need to understand this deeply to get the juice. Take your time and one may get the juice by reading and re-reading and pondering over it. Let’s all aim to be in bliss which GRK says is the greatest benediction of man’kind’.

Wishing you all a blissful weekend with your near and dear ones!

Kind Regards

G&W Ravi

Hidden Treasure Series-Part XI - On Patriotism

My Dear Friends-on-Mother-Earth,

At the age of three, maybe inspired by my Dad and his fiery patriotism, the day-after India defeated Pakistan in the 1972 war, ‘Yours Truly’ was found  running in the street of melaveedhi in Thanjavur loudly rhyming “Ayub Khan Down Down, Pakistan Down Down”.  No wonder the child was lapped up by all and that instant is somehow green in my LEFT brain, which otherwise is useless in remembering names, numbers and formulae’s.

Wars after wars, man, the biological brute hasn’t learnt the lesson. However, as we evolve towards a peaceful world order, (thanks to India a.k.a Bharath) we need to redefine patriotism, isn’t it? Read on…

Ravi: Wonderful connecting with you again. From a scholarly perspective, can you trace the word patriotism and its origins as I FEEL that patriotism is dynamic and not a static regional perspective?

GRK: Sure Ravi.

‘Patriotism’ does not mean one’s territory consciousness especially in comparison with and at the expense of other territories. In this sense, it is nothing but a feeling of ‘in group’, something of exclusiveness instead of inclusiveness. Thus, it is anti-universal, if not anti-social, and inhuman.

Ravi: Wait a minute gentleman, did I get you right? Anti-social?

GRK: I understand your shock. The roots of the sentiment of patriotism go back to the tribal consciousness; especially to an inimical negative relationship with other tribes. The feeling of being patriotic to a tribe had grown into that of a clan or a caste. Later it encompassed to a race. Patriotism to a race later became a feeling to a region and then at last it has become a feeling to one’s political and geographical boundaries, i.e., nations and nationalities in the dictionary of political science. Thus it is primitive.

Ravi: And then what happened? How did humans redefine it?

GRK: He redefined Patriotism as a sense of feeling or PRIDE to one’s nation, race, caste, religion and THAT led to many inhuman acts. It has culminated in various forms of chauvinism including the atrocious fascism. At present, it is leading to various sorts of divisive movements and tendencies, in a country or among countries themselves, such as regional and language movements, ‘sons of the soil’ concepts, movements of locals, over emphasis on regional autonomy etc.  Thus, extreme form of patriotism to a limited object, leads to unhealthy parochialism.

Ravi, under the name of  patriotism, humanity was murdered, a country exploited the other country, one nation subjugating the other, a race dominating the other. Cultural genocide occurred in many parts if the world under the name of the sentiment. In-human exploitation and colonization of many countries took place. Blood flowed in streams; empires collapsed, masses were massacred and the earth was made miserable and left wounded and hurt.

Ravi: Well, that’s history, we all know, forgave and forgot. However, some countries do not have seem to have learnt the lesson. I was loathing with anger with American rulers for destroying Iraq to KILL one man. What does Patriotism mean in the current context, especially for this hold land, Bharath, one of the emerging economies, the future role model to the world? I’m aware of the greatness of this holy land and hence this Question.

GRK: Patriotism is a glorious and ennobling one. It’s a universal one. It should mean one’s sense of concern and care to one’s immediate fellow beings and surroundings. It must mean the generosity, the love and the great concern to one’s neighbors.  Thus it is a feeling or ‘homeliness’; a feeling of neighborhood and a feeling of generosity to one’s fellow beings and surroundings. The best meaning of patriotism is very well expressed in the saying that ‘charity begins at home’. Charity here does not mean giving a gift, or a dole to ill-placed people, but giving a generous human concern and treatment. All those people, all of us, who talk so much about patriotism, do we really have this generosity, this love and this concern to our neighbors, fellow beings and surroundings?  If it would have been so, this earth must have been much happier and peaceful place to live with.

Ravi: I guess the human LEFT brain is conditioned so that we only remember the negative feelings or provocable instincts in the sentiment of patriotism, the so-called national pride, racial pride, caste pride and religious pride; but not the positive & humane sentiment of generosity and homeliness to the immediate neighbors. Why is it so?

GRK: That’s because the ‘fish always rots from the head down.’ The rulers and the ruling-elites throughout the world are nowadays talking very much about the values of non-aggression, non-interference, Non-violence, and mutual co-operation and universal brotherhood and peace. Do they really believe in what they say and propagate? If so, why they are provoking their masses to hate the masses in other countries? Why each country, through a huge sophisticated propaganda machinery, is trying to spread hatred and canard of lies against its neighbors or other countries? Why one ruler is feeling insecure against the other? Why one type of government defames the other? Why one class of rulers indulge in cold war against the other class of rulers? Why THEN, Stuxnet  on IRAN? Why Memogate? Why and why? In fact often rulers and ruling classes and regimes provoke their masses to rise in war against the other countries masses, just to divert their attention from the growing suffering, poverty and exploitation at home. The fear and frenzy of war is used more as a tactic of survival for the ruling regime or system. Than as measure to protect one’s boundaries. Thus patriotism takes the shape of a war phobia.

Ravi: Allow to me add that Sports and entertainment are a great leveler sir. We adore an Imran Khan or WHY even a pugnacious Javed Miandad for his tenacity. Our Bollywood is adored there as well. We revere Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan, the ‘Frontier Gandhi’. This hold land Bharath never invaded other country. What I’m suggesting is Masses, throughout the world history, in any country or in between the countries, never fought world wars. The rulers and the regimes, committed on the destinies of helpless millions, decided and indulged in world wars. They created war hysteria and hatred among the nations and races all under the name of so-called patriotism. The rulers even went to the extent of giving national awards to those who fought valiantly in the wars and massacred as many soldiers and peoples of the opposite country as possible. Is it a real valor to kill human beings enmasse and under the name of patriotism? Does this deserve awarding of national honors?  If an individual takes away another’s life, it is considered as a heinous crime. How is it that they justify and glorify and award honors to a soldier who kills many in war?

GRK: I’m glad for your understanding of this crucial aspect. After all human life is human life, in whatever context it is and to whichever country it belongs. It is precious and Godly! When do we realize this? When shall we start realizing it? After all, this tiny little precious earth cannot afford to have one more world war, without wiping itself off from the universe. Thus any sentiment, including patriotism which divides people, and causes hatred, has no place in this modern world. What we need now is Universal Consciousness and Universal Brotherhood and NOT the patriotism of insecurity in this world. i.e., due to the lack of intellectual self-sufficiency in us. We attempt confining humanity to national boundaries. We need to build the bridges of understanding between different countries, cultures and peoples. But NOT balkanizing people through the egoistic patriotic national consciousness!  That is the only way to lasting peace and happiness on this earth, my friend.

Ravi: Thank you so much for this sharing. I’m sure everyone would have a re-think on Patriotism - in the modern ‘flat-and-wired’ but divided world. India has since time immemorial been exporting Spiritual Gurus throughout the world and scores of spiritual seekers come to this land and India has always welcomed them. No wonder THEN, this holy land never waged a war against any country.

Folks, proud to be born as an Indian in this birth; in the emerging world order of universal brotherhood. And always our revered thanks to our spiritual thinkers and to the technologists from all over the world as well for giving the platform to share and care – online or offline throughout the world. B for meaningless and FEELINGLESS Bat-and-Ball has long been replaced by meaning and FEELINGS – Children these days chime B for ‘Bandwidth’ and Brotherhood. So let’s cool down Professor, because world would be a better place, albeit humans would pay a costly price to achieve it. Thanks a ton. My heart is indeed lighter after getting heavier first, how about you readers?

Ps: I suspect it was a Godly intervention to give Nobel Prize for peace to Obama as a deterrent in him, the American ruler, to wage wars like his inglorious and inhuman RIGHT brainless predecessors, notably as-deadly-as-Hitler father-son duo who MISUSED patriotism, ransomed the prosperity of ever-friendly Americans, bankrupting the treasury as well. I wish somehow I meet them once and give my peace of mind to them for what they have done to the world order.

Signing off with tons of joules of Positive Energy to Mother Earth and all living souls on it,

Ravichander Venkatraman

Hidden Treasure Series - Part III - On ‘Values’

My dear Brethren from across this universe,

Often films and books portray with varied characters depicting degradation of values. We do see in real life-from prisoners to politicians, from celebrities to commoner, isn’t it?

What are ‘Values’?

What are ‘values’, THEN? Do they differ from place to place, time to time? Are there universal values?

Read on…

GRK: Advance birthday wishes Ravi. I understand that you are in your early forties and getting naughty as well!

Ravi: A warm welcome to you Shri. GRK. Thank you so much for your wishes. Don’t you know that I’m always naughty, as I wish to be child-like, with spontaneous joy and laughter? Also I don’t complicate LIFE.

GRK: Hmmm. Ravi, that leaves me wondering about “What happened to mankind? Where are his/her values? Instead of making his/her life a spontaneous joy, have these values NOT made his life on earth more miserable?

Ravi: Do you mean that human beings don’t need to have values?

GRK: You got it wrong, Ravi. Look, under the name of ‘value of patriotism’, one nation is massacring the people of other nations. Under the name of ‘value of hard work’, one section of people are exploiting the other. Under the name of ‘value of character’, (especially sex based) we have made men and women sinners. Under the name of ‘value of justice’, (in the courts) we have jailed and tortured people. All these under the name of values, my dear!!!

Ravi: As you SAY now, my blood boils hearing the plight of the hapless Libyans being bombarded and torn between the UN forces and its own dictator. BTW, what are ‘values’? Please could you define it for our better understanding?

GRK: Sure. Values are cherished feelings; they are the measuring rods with which we measure people, things and actions. They are the barometers to judge the people and their actions. However, values are discretory in nature; such as right or wrong, good/bad, truth/untruth etc.

Ravi, often people talk about the values and about their worth and need in life. There are many values. Perhaps mankind’s curse is that we are obsessed with innumerable values-like value of patriotism, value of character, (especially sex controlled behavior), value of propriety and value of truth etc.  From sunshine to sunset and beyond, we are obsessed with values, in our food (veg/non-veg), in our dress (mini/maxi), sex life (monogamy/polygamy) and in all other contexts of life.                           

Ravi: Are values valid for all times, at all places?

GRK: No. Not at all. Many of the values are relative in nature and vary from time to time, place to place, country to country and from one section of people to the other. For instance, patriotism as a value, has different meanings for two fighting nations.  Same way, monogamy-based character has different meanings to different religions.

What are universal values?

Ravi: Does this mean that there are no universal values?

GRK: Good question, my boy. Of course, there are universal values and they are very few in number. The foremost value is the ‘value of life’ or value of ‘self preservation’. Humans need to take care of themselves first. Both their physical bodies and their ‘mind’ as well. Most women, after childbirth, in India, seldom take care of their physical bodies, the gift of nature!

Ravi: Well said, now I understand how you remain ‘fighting fit’ even when you are about to become a septuagenarian! Your long walks everyday thereby sweating out must be THE secret of your ENERGY and drive...

GRK: Well said Ravi. ‘Sweating out’ everyday increases the immune power in humans. I guess there is lot of awareness in India today. Take your pick – be it swimming, skipping, playing games like badminton and tennis OR atleast a brisk 30 min walk everyday. That’s for the body. Yoga and meditation is for the mind.

Ravi: Please do share the other Universal values as well.

GRK: The ‘value of compassion’ nay love and concern to co-beings is the next. (Not only to co-human beings!) This is essential for the peaceful and happy living on earth. Same way, the ‘value of truth’ is essential for the functioning of LIFE itself. The ‘value of peace’ which is expressed in the principles of non-interference, non-aggression and non-violence is equally universally valid. This is positively expressed in the form of peaceful co-existence among people creeds, races and nations.

Ravi: I guess this is the value that the American high-handed administration never learns!

GRK: Well, I don’t wish to increase my blood pressure talking about WHAT they have done in Vietnam / Iraq /Afghanistan and now in Libya when there are other measures to handle such situations.

Well, let’s get back to the topic.”Do we really believe in these values? How many of us are conscious of these in everyday life and practice these in everyday life?” As a result, this tiny, beautiful, fragile earth became unbearable to live with-full of sorrow, cruelty, violence, exploitation inequality and cunningness, isn’t it? On the other hand, we are using the slogan of values to JUDGE people, to criticize them and EVEN to punish and torture them. Instead of accepting people as they are, and appreciating them, we are judging them all the time under the name of values. Instead of showing them the concern and compassion, we are labeling them as blacks, duller, criminals, inferiors and untouchables. Thus, values have come to stand in the way of natural and spontaneous interaction among human beings.

Ravi: Do we infer that mankind suffer from the obsession of values?

GRK: Yes, Ravi. Strangely and surprisingly, humans are the only animal, with all their advanced brain, suffers from the obsession of values. No other animal has values, neither has it talked about them to fool others. With all these values, what is the behavior of a human being? He his greedier, more selfish, crueler, more cunning and more exploiting others, than any other animal! No other animal haunts others and kills them except for its food; while humans does it for his shikari(hunting) pleasure. Even a snake does not bite except in its attempt for its self preservation, but humans back-bites the other constantly; nay stabs in the back. Dogs and cats are more loyal, while humans betrays their colleagues and masters constantly. The human, the so-called ‘image of God’, appears to be much degrading and demeaning to their very existence than any other animal.

Ravi: Could understand the ‘functional’ anger in you Shri. GRK. Shall I help you with a glass of water?

GRK: Thank you Ravi for your kindness. Moving on, in his attempt to fulfill his selfish needs and to achieve his greed, humans have violated all the natural laws, all the cannons and all the basic principles of LIFE itself. As a result, he is destroying the nature, disfiguring and polluting the earth and torturing co-human beings. Hence, we see tremendous inequality, racial prejudice, economic exploitation and social violence on the earth. Aren’t all other beings on earth living more happily and joyfully and more naturally and spontaneously than humans?

Ravi: You are painting a grim picture about the future of human kind, Shri GRK. Is it really possible for humans to get back their lost paradise- nay, happiness?

GRK: Very relevant question, Ravi. It is possible, if only humans realize that there are only very few absolute and universal values, while all other values are insignificantly relative. It is possible if only humans  begins to show a little more compassion and little more concern and little more love towards other. Humans could be compassionate and forgiving to others, when only he STOPS judging people and begins to accept them as they are-with all their limitations and inadequacies. After all, compassion multiplies lives while the so-called judgment (justice) takes away lives. Hence, compassion is the sumnum bonum and raison detre of all values nay LIFE itself.

Ravi: Awesome, Shri. GRK. Simply outstanding. Thank you so much for  this ‘sharing’. Sure, world would be a better place to live, if humans have ‘Universal values’ rather than being obsessed with ‘Relative values’.

Brethren, do you NOW agree that this ‘sharing’ is applicable for all in this universe, of all races and religions, rich or not-so-rich? I’m grateful to Shri. GRK who takes time every week to share LIFE JUICES and nuggets of wisdom through our blogs - for all of us, ofcourse! DO share with your near and dear ones, without fail.

May I  humbly request our ever-growing readers, of all ages, to ‘share’ THY views and experiences through the comment section in every blog or you may mail me @ ravi@gatesandwindows.in

Amen!

With ‘Unconditional’ Love

Ravichander Venkatraman