Mother

 Sri Sadgurubhyoh Namah

I asked my lovely 84 year old mother "Amma, you must have seen the world changed much, what are the different technologies that you have seen in your lifetime ?"

Her answer made me speechless. 

She said :

Generation-1 : When I was 8 years old , we used to cook in earthen stove with firewood. My mom used to put rice pot and took few rice grains and pray to fire god and rotate 3 times around the pot and put it in the fire, and proceeded to cook rice. I could see the pride and tears in my mom's eyes when she said "That was my mom". Then came the twin earthen stove, where we used to put some firewood straight, and some firewood in an angle. In one stove we put rice, and in another we used cook daal or sambhar. We were 10 people in house, and we used to cook for them. I used to cook, serve them, clean the place and then go to school.

Generation-2 : Then came the 'Kumpati' - the coal stove. We used to cook rice on coal stove on a 'Parigha' (Brass utensil). It was heavy. we used to cook rice for some time and then the extra water is strained off into another vessel. We used to put a ladle below and across the tilted Utensil so that it does not fall off, and we can be hands-free. And then , the daal / sambhar was cooked on the earthen stove. Then there used be two coal stoves, where on one stove we used to cook rice and on another we used to cook daal / sambhar.  The utensils were made of many different types of metals. There used to be a 'Seesam' coated utensil. It should not be put directly on fire. Atleast some water or oil has to be put inside that vessel, only then it needs to be put on fire. That utensil gets soot all over its bottom. There is  a special way to clean that vessel. First put the ash on it and put it on fire. Then remove and then using coconut peechu we used to scrub it. Then the utensil used to shine.

Generation-3 : Then came Kerosene stove. Then the Janata stove. There used to be 12 wicks in that and there is a central place. All the wicks has to be cut to same height, otherwise, the flame will not be even and then the rice will not cook properly. On kerosene stove, we used to cook rice first and then daal / sambhar and some curry. Those days Kerosene was rationed. We used to stand in ration queue to get the kerosene. Then game the 'Pump stove'. It also runs on kerosene, but there used to be a pump to be pumped, which will increase the pressure and make kerosene into gaseous state and the gas used to come out of a small nozzle. We used to poke the nozzle with a fine needle, then the gas will come out with force. Then we light it, then the fire will burn bright. We used to cook rice on 'pump stove', and then the daal / sambhar was cooked on the Janata stove. 

Generation-4 : Then came the 'Gas stove'. Getting a Gas cylinder connection was a BIG thing in those days. Even if you get a gas connection, getting a gas cylinder is rationed. We used to use the gas sparingly and constantly worried what will happen if gas cylinder becomes empty. We were at the mercy of the person who used to deliver the gas cylinder to our house every month. The gas stove used to have two fire-places. We used to cook rice on one, and daal / sambhar on another and curry too. Later there used to be three burners. Now a days there are 4 burners.

Generation-5 : There used to be electric stove. There were two varieties in electric stove. One that comes with a coil, and one with a plate. I used both varieties. We used to cook rice first and then followed by daal / sambhar followed by curry. 

Generation-6 : Induction stove. Due to the recent Gulf war and gas prices shooting up, we bought 'Induction stove' in addition to the 'Gas stove' we had. She cooks rice in Induction stove, and daal / sambhar in the gas stove and then curry. 

Then she explained about various utensils she has seen. Then she explained that she has seen various types of lights. She didnt mention automobiles, television, internet, computers, or mobile technologies or AI, even though she uses  all of them. 

She uses mobile to watch various YouTube channels regarding how to cook different types of dishes to make for us.

She translated Bhagavad Gita pravachan of some swamiji , which was in Hindi, to Tamil. She learnt how to type in tamil on laptop, and then she typed her entire translation. She guided data entry operator, and proof readers, and then the printing press to print few copies of that.

She traveled in aeroplane, and car. She visited USA, Australia, New zealand, Singapore.

However, all these technologies doesnt come to her mind when I asked this question.

Her mind was centered around 'How do I cook rice and daal / sambhar and curry, and feed my family members' in her entire life.

I bow down to her and the Mother in her. 

I love my Mom. 

She cooked rice, daal / sambhar, curry , chutney her entire life on various types of stoves, first to her parents, brothers and sisters in her maternal home, then to her husband, mother-in-law and in-laws, sons and daughters, then to her grand children, and then to her great grand children. 

In which ever home she cooked, on whichever stove she cooked, which ever utensils she used, the unbelievable taste of the rice, daal / sambhar , curry and chutney was same and the unconditional love with which she filled all our stomachs over 76 years is same. 

Hallucination

 Sri Sadgurubhyoh Namah

I am not an expert in psychology. I was reading a post by a friend on some theory by someone. That made me write this post. I may be wrong and I dont want to hurt anyone or contradict anyone, however, this is what I felt and penning here,

My friend wrote,

" In Wilber’s formulation, reality is composed of nested holons, each maintaining its own organisation while participating in larger orders of existence. "

My reply to him below :

The problem with all the theories is that they consider the world as real, and then proceed to explain the 'reality' in various theories. Every theory is self-contradictory in some way.

When your starting assumption is incorrect, how can you ever hope what you are theorizing is correct ?

Everyone make the same first mistake. They first consider the world as real, and consider themselves as a body inside a world. Nobody verifies the correctness of this assumption. They take it for granted. Now, once a person is blind and groping in a dark alley, one can hallucinate to their heart's content, and come up with any theory as per their hallucination.

I also would like to ask a question , What is the purpose of any theory ? Especially a theory in psychology ? What do they want to achieve ?

What is life ?

 Sri Sadgurubhyoh Namah

World is there to challenge us in every possible way.

Some will praise you. Some will put you down.

Something will be favourable to you. Something will be unfavorable to you. You dream of something. Some dreams are fulfilled. Some dreams are shattered. Some dreams are work in progress. Some pleasure. Some pain. Some happiness. Some sorrow. Some friends. Some foes. Most people are neutral. If you show your friendly side, others show their friendly face in reciprocation and vice versa. There is just enough money to barely fulfill needs. There is just enough little bit extra money for some enjoyment. All the time is spent on activities which seem to support all the above and similar life content. 

This is what world has to offer. 

Everyday activities seem to suggest I am making steady progress. Progress towards what destinations? It is like Walking on a treadmill , seems like making progress, it shows 5 km walked. However, I am at the same place where I was always. 

I am eating 3 times a day to satisfy hunger, whole life it was done, inspite of it, hunger returns back. Many desires are satisfied.  New desires replace older ones. This is life.

Health is a mirage. Many diets, exercise plans, doctor and medicine support, yet body deteriorated as age progresses. It is an uphill task. 

Many relationships, relatives, properties acquired. All this setup requires maintenance with great care and great effort, and all these , I cannot hold onto beyond a certain time.

This is life in a nutshell.

Such being the nature of life, I wonder what life is leading up to? Is there a direction or destination? Or is it just a journey?

 Who knows?

Spiritual Journey

 Sri Sadgurubhyoh Namah

Spirituality is a journey towards 100% equanimity. An ability to face the vicissitudes of life equanimously. Spirituality is an attitude which grows slowly in you. 

It keeps growing. It is helping you. You are better today than yesterday.

You cannot become ' the best ' suddenly one day. 

What you want is that the '100% equanimity' manifests right now in you. Instead what you are finding is you are NOT 100% equanimous , and while dealing with world, you are getting hurt. And you are saying 'come on, I understood Advaita, now please spare me this pain'.

Please understand that, this is a process. All of us has to pass through this small, small painful incidents, making small corrections, and journey towards 100% equanimity'.

It's a learning process. And I agree that it is a painful process. Every one has to pass through this daily painful learnings.

No escape.

Only hope is, we are on the journey path towards 100% equanimity' and somewhere we are on that 0 to 100% equanimity scale. And hopefully we are learning and improving daily

Real Meditation

 Sri Sadgurubhyoh Namah

I got up, had a shower, and had a nice cup of coffee. Doing nothing. Enjoying the quiet morning.

Sitting quietly, not thinking particularly about anything. Not bothered by anything. Doing nothing. Not even trying to meditate.

This is the real meditation.

Search for Truth

 Sri Sadgurubhyoh Namah

The term 'God' is an overloaded term.

It's definition varies as per one's religion and belief system. Therefore, no two religions or sects agree with each other. Infact they fight with each other.

Typically , all religions talk about a God, who creates the world and runs it like a kingdom. In these systems, God is other than you, and is one who controls everyone, and individual is the controlled. 

However, let us say one doesn't take this way of understanding things. If one starts with a clean unconditioned mind, and starts enquiring about life, then they may reach to a conclusion, whatever that may be. That conclusion is one's own conclusion. The established religious definitions may agree or not with that conclusion. 

Now, you have to decide whether you are a follower or a leader in all matters, especially, when the question is about all important matter of who you really are. 

Do you want to accept what is there written in a book, or do you want to keep an open mind and investigate?

If you are a person who will listen to others, then there are many books, religious beliefs, heads, sects, teachers. There is no dearth of religious preachers in the world who tell you about a God who they have never met, and tell you about a heaven which they have never visited.

If you are a person of questioning mind, then keep an open mind and investigate, enquire, think, feel, analyze yourself, don't go by what others say or what books say.

Enquire, think, investigate

Life of Gratitude, Life of Bliss

 Sri Sadgurubhyoh Namah

A life lived with gratitude is a life of bliss. A life lived with discontent, and complaining nature is a life of misery.

When I look at a flower blooming, I am truly, really, sincerely, completely in awe and gratitude towards life, that I got the opportunity to look at a wonderful occurance of a flower bloom.

When I look at sunrise, I am truly, really, sincerely, completely in awe and gratitude towards life, that I got the opportunity to look at that wonderful cosmic sight.

When I am able to breathe, I am truly, really, sincerely, completely in awe and gratitude towards life, that I got the opportunity to be able to breathe and enjoy the process of breathing.

When I am able to have a glass of water, I am truly, really, sincerely, completely in awe and gratitude towards life, that I got the opportunity to be able to sense the cool water quench the thirst

This way when I look and experience life, every moment is a moment of gratitude and bliss.

This gratitude is towards who or what ?

This gratitude is an attitude of approaching life with a sense of sacredness and wonderment.

All these small wonders of life, which are at the same time, of immense value, is flowing towards me from a single source. Not only towards me, these wonders flow towards all from the same single 'One Source'. 

All popular religions call this 'One Source' as God and personify it at some level.

If we are quiet enough, still enough, and go deep inside your self, you will find that, this 'One Source' is the deepest Truth of your very own being, and the Truth of all beings. 

Finding this 'One Source' as your very centre and being with that, leads to beatitude and bliss and fulfillment.