How far?

How far is dream from fantasy?

I don't know the answer yet but I'm sure I'll find out. Or, may be, I know it and I'm just impatient. :)

Have some fire.

Be unstoppable.
Be a force of nature.
Be better than anyone here,
And don't give a damn what anyone thinks.
There are no teams here, no buddies.
You're on your own.
Be on your own.

- Grey's Anatomy

Full Circle

2 years make a full circle.

All points so close and yet so distant & all the time converging to form one complete circle. All the seemingly random events forming one coherent pattern. The struggles, confusions, discussions, travels, solitude, silence, laughter - each phase as inevitable and invaluable as it can get.

Life's been magical - bringing together people, events, and places that I need the most at each point in time without fail. Some of things are back, some new, and some the same.

The nostalgia of having to leave behind the place and people who've been teaching you in ways they may never know - it's back.

The joy of having found clarity and courage to plunge into what matters most to you in life - it's new.

Keep Smiling! :-)

Stories

Have you heard of the story of a prince who grew up without his kingdom and just stories of the glory of his mighty blessed forefathers? One who refused to believe that all was lost and started rebuilding the lost glory, thought by thought, by the sheer strength of his conviction.

There are stories etched into the rocky walls of ancient temples. Stories that are enclosed in the long, twisting underground tunnels of bygone war times. Stories that inspire villagers to follow the path of ancestors over the mountains for the blessings of the rain god.

And then there are the timeless stories passed on by the graceful to the youthful about the heroic battles of everyday life that a generation and more fought, to win this day for this generation.

If you've heard, this is not it.

If you haven't, it's natural. For, they were never told. Only known.

Hai Rain!

In Hyderabad

Heat waved up in the sky and
Down came the rain drops

This Part of the Dream

This part of the dream is called संकल्प.

Disclaimer: Author unknown.

People like me who come to things like yoga, budhism, and other systems that can help them create a better life often reach a conclusion that they seem to be "sorted out." We live life wearing serene confidence on our sleeves, wearing flowy clothes that will allow us to waft along with life, in disillusion that it cannot touch us anymore. "Ah, we've found peace."

All it takes is a single moment to get crushed.

For the last few years of yoga, I've been in and out of conversations where we've talked about "accepting" yourself. "Sure", I thought. "How hard is that?"

I've fought for what I wanted, moved cities, moved countries, changed professions, chosen lifestyles, and rebelled against all standards expected of me. I thought I was accepting myself.

I realized that sometimes I feel really fragile but say to myself that I need to work on becoming stronger. I thought I was accepting myself.

I had missed the point.

Acceptance does not come with an action plan. It comes from letting yourself be. It, like meditation, is a state of mind. No more. No less. It's the difference between: "This is a part of me" rather than "This is something I need to work on."

On and off I find that a strange fear overcomes me. I can never put my finger on it. I brood and ponder looking for more things I can "work" on. Too much of self-improvement can, in turn, lead to a low self-esteem.

Now I know. The fear translates to "I'm imperfect."

This imperfection has not interfered with my friendships too much. It has interfered with relationships. This is where my childhood baggage plugs in. I wanted to be perfect in my relationship so that I can eradicate all pain. But I ended up being all that I did not want to be at different times.

This time I am letting myself be. I have ups and downs, the good, bad, and ugly, likes and dislikes. This is me. Go figure.

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Journey is unique. Learning is the same.

Love

'I know nothing about others.

I only love them ardently, fully, unreservedly.

In that love I act shamelessly, freely, easily, openly.

Whether they feel benefited, degraded, roughed up, or mishandled, I don't care.

I enjoy such contacts...I cherish such a life of pure and free love!

Your permissions is not asked

Your acceptance is not demanded

Your approval is not expected

It is my privilege to love, and I look forward to no return.

What will you say to such a foolish one?'

- Sw. Chinmayananda

You know when it's time.

ഒരു ആയുസ്സിന്റെ പരിചയത്തിനും പരിഭവത്തിനും ശേഷവും പരിചയമില്ലാതെ പിരിയുന്നവര്‍ ധാരാളം. അനിഷ്ടങ്ങളുടെയും അപൂര്‍ണതകളുടെയും താഴ്വാരങ്ങളില്‍ ക്ഷണനേരത്തെ പ്രകാശ ഗോപുരങ്ങളായി, മിന്നാമിനുങ്ങികളായി മിന്നിമറയുന്ന നശ്വരതയുടെ സുന്ദര സ്ഭുരണങ്ങള്‍.

നിത്യതയെ അനിത്യത്തിന്റെ കൈക്കുംബിളിലാക്കുവാനുള്ള പരിശ്രമങ്ങളുടെ വ്യര്‍ഥതയെ മനസ്സിലാക്കുന്ന മനുഷ്യജന്മങ്ങള്‍ എത്ര വിരളം?

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Many separate as strangers even after a lifetime of fun and quarrels. Valleys of dislikes and imperfections flashed into awareness by the fleeting beauty of their transcient joys.

Few does realize the futility of trying to have infinity in the palms of the finite.