That crazy Selfie Girl!

Whenever I saw this foreigner girl, she was always busy having selfies with the batch-mates, teachers or director. She even enjoyed having selfies with the priest, cook and cook’s assistants. She hadn’t left anybody in the Ashram with whom she hadn’t clicked the selfies with. She was a crazy ‘Selfie girl’!

One day, we were studying a serious topic in the class about the Vedanta philosophy when she noticed a big monkey passing by the corridor at a distance. She was happy like a child. She was excited. It seemed that if she wanted to have a selfie even with that monkey!

Three days before the examination day, she prepared a mock paper which she solved with some of her friends. I was surprised rather shocked to see her uttering all the Sanskrit terms correctly along with their meanings whereas in the class she was not able to understand some of the words in English. To help her, one of her friends translated the difficult words in her mother tongue for better understanding. In the busy schedule of one class after another, surprisingly she found time to click selfies as well as to mug up complex words and theories whereas I couldn’t find time for both.

Conquered my adjustment problems

On my first day in hostel sort of thing, I met a dark n fatty woman who smelt more like a cigarette, a smell that I hate the most! Her face expressions and gestures clearly showed that she was depressed. Most of the questions she asked me were irritating, confusing and weird which most of the time gave me a feeling that she was trying to read my psychology. One more thing that I hate! You won’t believe me but she stunk even after bathing thrice a day. Her presence in my room gave me a feeling that I was living with a ‘Buffalo’.

‘Buffalo’ played a musical instrument once in a while but that sounded horrible. She never flushed after using toilet and if by chance she used it then for sure the flush handle will be jammed. She never closed the door of toilet before and after using it. Whenever I entered the room I found her either sleeping, eating or applying cream or some fruit pack on her face. After eating fruits, she put the fruit peels on the window sill. I found it difficult rather very hard to adjust with her. I was irritated with her dirty actions and my mind was busy thinking about her and her unclean manners. I was fed up with thinking about her.

One day while meditating I prayed to God, “O, God! I came here with so much difficulty You know that very well. I am here to practice yoga and to meditate to think about You and not her. Please help me so that I can adjust with the ‘Buffalo’. I believe whenever I have a problem God comes in the form of written words in a book or internet to guide me. On the very same day, I read a story about Swami Sivananda and Swami Vishnudevanada.

Excerpt from ‘Teachings on Yoga Life’by Swami Vishnudevananda are as follows which I read:-

One evening during silent meditation, there was a loud crash. Everyone looked up and was horrified to see a distressed disciple swinging an axe at Master’s head. Swami Vishnuji, sitting close to the Master, jumped up and pulled the assailant away from Sivananda in a great fury. Master told him later, “Vishnu Swami, you must learn to control your emotions.”

The assailant was taken to jail. But the next day, Sivananda took him fruit and flowers, garlanding his would-be assassin. He had him set free and set a disciple to accompany him home.

This incident was a great learning experience for Vishnu Swamiji. He saw that, to a Realized Master, God comes in many forms. To Sivananda, a person who would take his life was as much as God as a man who would come to garland him. He had great love for both. 

Next day, I found the peels and pips on the window sill of our room as usual but my attitude towards them was changed. I told myself it was done by God. I cleaned them. I felt better after that, could focus easily on my goal and meditated beautifully.

Rainbow greeted ‘Hi’ n ‘Bye’

On my first day in Netala, Uttarkashi the rainbow appeared on the eastern sky in afternoon. The sun was bright; sky was bit cloudy so the arc formed was quite big with distinct colours. It seemed as if the rainbow was smiling and saying ‘Hi’ and welcoming me to the new world which was calm and serene. It was a pleasant surprise that nature had to offer me.

On my last day in Netala, Uttarkashi the rainbow appeared around the moon. It was a cloudy night and the moon rays get scattered around in a circle. It created a dim rainbow in which the red colour was more prominent. It seemed that it whispered ‘Adieu’ to me. A mesmerising view indeed it was! 

In Hindi, we call it ‘chanda ka hala’. In English I don’t know the exact word for the rainbow around the moon. Does anyone know what it is called?

A quick friend

I always wonder when I will get back home after my educational vacations in Uttarkashi, what I will write about. So many experiences to share, so many persons about whom I wanted to write and so many places I had visited whose attractiveness I wish to blog about. It was my first experience to be away from my home and family. On the first day, I was excited and not at all nervous rather too curious to observe the nature and new people around me. But I will share these experiences later on as I want to begin with my last day in Uttarkashi which touched my heart the most.

Quite surprisingly, I made a new friend in just few hours on that day, contrary to my nature that I am too reserved and too shy to open up with new people that it mostly took me years or a minimum of a month to be friend with someone. What I liked about this person was his sense of humour, his quick replies and his melodious and pious voice which I wanted to hear again and again. In a satsang, he chanted, ‘Om Namah Shivaye, Shivaye Namah Om’ so beautifully and devotionally that my eyes became moist as I was absorbed in the chants and felt the presence of Lord Shiva in those magical words. I had never heard anybody singing so devotionally ever before! And I had never made a friend so quickly!

Book Review : Kundalini – An Untold Story by Om Swami

I have read lots of books on Kundalini and Kundalini Awakening. I always wonder why the books emphasise so much on the unnecessary complications about the figures, alphabets, deities, shapes and number of petals of different chakras when the experience and real truth is completely different. In ‘Kundalini – An Untold Story’, Om Swami wrote about such similar views. After reading him, I felt at least one person shares the similar views with me. ;)

As projected earlier, Kundalini is an uncoiled snake at the base of spine and on awakening one experience a sensation as if a serpent is moving upward towards the head. But Om Swami rejected this age old theory and emphasised that Kundalini is not just an uncoiled serpent at the base of spine but layer by layer cleaning of negative thoughts to experience the true self. He explained Kundalini from a totally different perspective.

First few pages of the book can be read here http://www.omswami.com/2016/04/kundalini-an-untold-story.html in which he said that chakra bracelet, pendants, incense, mats, rugs, clothes, wall hangings, chakra music, chakra programming and other attractive paraphernalia have absolutely no connection with the real sadhana of chakras and the only way to awaken the Kundalini is by meditating over a prolonged period, that’s all. Our true self is veiled with ten layers i.e. desire, anger, greed, attachment, ego, passion, jealousy, hatred, fear and self-concern. These layers are shed as one elevates spiritually slowly and gradually. With each level of awakening, one discovers bit more about the new self and one shed bit more of the old self.

On Kundalini awakening one finds oneself immensely powerful, talented, full of peace and happiness. One sheds ones negative emotions like anger, jealousy, ego and fear. One reaches state of bliss from where there is no return.  One gains the power - to heal people, to do miracles, to see through them. One's heart is filled with boundless compassion. One experiences how the whole universe is within oneself. 

Some of the interesting quotes from this book that I want to share are as follows:

1. Like Hanuman, our talents are lying latent within us, our potential is waiting to be realized. We are born of a boon and we have forgotten about it, and as a result of that we have taken ordinary way of life as our destiny.

2. If you walk the path and not give up, you will give results exactly as expected.

3. Mind becomes eternal when it becomes still. No change is possible without movement. Truth is still, and that's why it's eternal.

4. If you can remain indifferent to other's opinion by thinking they are merely joining letters from the alphabet and offering you a garland, majority of your reaction will disappear.

5. Kundalini is love coiled at the bottom of your desires and dreams, waiting to pierce through the wheels of emotions and attachments to attain a union with your own infinite existence.

This book is one more gem from Om Swami’s jhola. 

'Happy Rakhi' Chocolate

This year I was planning to buy a unique present from my brothers. I searched the markets, malls and online sites but nothing different I found. While chatting with an old pal on Facebook, I came across Choco Affairzz site and found the wonderful collection of home made chocolates.

'Happy Rakhi' chocolate was very attractive. It contains four more small chocolates. I called the number given on the site and asked the owner to replace the small golden chocolates with rakhis, roli, chawal and flavoured supari.

I also bought two 'I Love Bro' chocolates from them. My little brother birthday was approaching near so I decided to give him the cassette with poems recorded in his voice by me about 15 years back.

On seeing such tempting chocolates I couldn't resist myself and bought some for my taste buds.

WHO AM I?

"Is your name A..... Y.......?" I asked a woman who was standing beside me from the past couple of minutes in a government office.
"Yes." She said with a bit of surprise in her voice.
"You are from H..... city." I asked as it was clear she didn't recognized me.
"Yup. But how do you know?"
"I was your batchmate in Home Science college."
"Who? I....mean.....In which group you were?"
"My name is Chandrika Shubham." I told the names of my group members so that she could recognize me.
"Ya....Somewhat I can recall now. You have changed so much."
"Like what?"
"You looked like a doll in the college days and now..........."

Her mind was busy noticing changes in my physical appearance where as my mind was busy finding the answer of question 'WHO AM I?'- a ever-changing body or never-changing soul or ever-changing as well as never-changing GOD!