Savvy Raj

Live Life Lovingly!


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On Kindness

To combat the cruelties of this world we must start thinking globally not just locally and realise how much our world is hurting all over from all that’s truly unfair.

If only we could realize how valuable it is to be appreciated and supported .

If we could only know how important it is to feel inclusive in our diverse ways.

We must understand that love and kindness is the only way besides adopting a non-judgmental approach.

We must realise how vulnerable life is, but beyond feeling victimized and create further suffering due to negative thoughts…

We need to respond with empathy, show unity through kindness and compassionate deeds.

The power of kindness is truly infinite.
KINDNESS IS THE PRAYER IN ACTION.

Savvy


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Make Peace Not War

Every weapon made, adds to the fear
And false satisfaction of keeping you safe.
You can never be safe, when at war
Every armor is simply a pointer
Of the state of things.
Of the need of peace than war.

Every need to create ammunition
Shows the truth of retaliations.
Revenge in fear or dare is never the answer.
Resolution is where peace makes its way.

If we must be led, let us be lead
In strength of patience.
To explore possibilities
Let us choose to disarm.
Let us disengage and make amends.
Let us choose peace than war.
Let us find the middle path
In reconciliation.
Let us recognize the wrongs done.
Let us learn to undo the mistakes.
And move in harmony and oneness.
That is when we can together
Heal the world in peace
And make it worth living.

Savvy


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Art of Discernment

Our thoughts and our intentions create the possibilities and our will manifests it . Truly then awareness of actions its approach and the consequences start to matter. Every bit of creation has a purpose and the trick is to steer it towards the purpose of being . But the path is the journey of our life and is rife with challenges along the way.

Common sense, balance & equanimity of our thoughts & intentions, all begins to matter then. Yes, moderation is the key but be mindful of moderation as well.. You never know how things slowly get out of hand .

There is not much time that passes
When the glass in hand reaches the lip
The sip becomes a gulp
What’s one becomes two
And two becomes four
And so it goes…

Or when the thoughts in our heart gets spoken
When old habits surface & shape out of no where
Without your intentions, inspite of you
When what’s in you gets truly out of hand!

Be aware to be mindful
Be mindful to be heartful
Be mindful to be moderate
But be conscious to be mindful.

In throes of life and living
Emerges many facets of being
From meagre to excess
Both, two ends of the spectrum

To live life well
Is to understand
The necessity of discernment
Between what is need & what is want

Anything in time can become excess
Everything in time can become redundant.
Something always changes
Nothing stays the same

A life of excess
Will never find contentment
For you will tire
Sooner than you know

A life of lack
Will keep you in dearth
In angst for a silver lining
In the misery of poverty

But again what is little to one
Is much to another
What is complex to one
Is too simple to another

What is beautiful to one
Is ugly to another
What is extravagance to one
Seems a norm to another

What is a subject to one
Becomes an object to another
What is absurd to one
Becomes perfection to another

To each his own really
In this life that is given
Sometimes it’s easy
At times it is truly challenging.

So if in life you are ever flummoxed
Just remember
Nobody is perfect
But you are almost there!

Savvy


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A price to pay!

Everything I want
Comes with a cost
So ring me up, Put it on my tab
Whatever the cost I’m good for it!!!

A recent series on Netflix Spinning Out starts with these above lines from the song In the water by Jay Downer.

In reflection perhaps it is something every one of us can identify with at one point or the other.

In times of chaos and changes
Where lines get blurred
Between the future and past
In the now that yesterday brings us to
And the moments that can design itself to be
All our intentions are the reason
That things begin to happen
And then when it does
All our truths start to matter.

Life stares at you before you blink
And you got to learn to keep your eyes open.

No more is it make believe
For when reality dawns
It is reciprocal arrangement all the way!
You pay for what you want,
It comes to you with a price to pay!

Savvy


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When Love Matters Most.

LETTER FROM A MOTHER TO A DAUGHTER …

” My dear girl, the day you realize that I’m older, I ask you to be patient , but above all , try to understand what you ‘ll be passing by . When we talk , I repeat the same thing dozens of times , do not interrupt me saying : ” You said the same thing a minute ago .” Just listen , please. Try to remember the times when you were a child and I read the same story night after night until you sleep . When I do not want to bathe , do not be angry and not encabule me . Remember when you were a kid I had to run behind you making excuses and trying to put you in the bath ? When you realize you have difficulties with new technologies , give me time to learn and not look at me that way … remember, dear , how I patiently taught you many things such as eating right , getting dressed , fix your hair and give you with the problems of everyday life … the day you see that I’m older, I ask you to be patient , but above all , try to understand what you ‘ll be passing by . If I occasionally get lost in a conversation , give me time to remember and I do not, do not be nervous , impatient or arrogant . Just remember , in your heart , that the most important thing for me is to be with you . And when I grow old and my legs do not allow me to go as fast as before , give me your hand the same way that I offered him my much in its infancy . When that day comes , do not feel sad. Just stay with me and get me while I finish my life with love . I will love and thank you for the time and joy we share. With a smile and always had immense love for you, I just want to say I love you my dear daughter. “


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Dance baby dance…

Dance Baby Dance…

As simple as that!

Delight the soul

Lighten the heart.

When you move freely

Beyond fear and apprehensions

Beyond self doubts & restrictions

Beyond assumptions & judgements

You are in tune with the spirit within.

Stay tuned in & keep dancing!

Savvy


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On Sharing Beyond Limits

A beautiful video came my way today

Please do watch it fully.

There is so much of learning in sharing

But when you share beyond your comfort.

When you give beyond your means.

When you choose to care beyond your own abilities.

When you help irrespective of your disabilities.

When your action speaks much of kindness emanating from the heart

You choose to make light of your own discomfort.

You have surpassed all human foibles

You show the strength of your true character through your compassionate ways.

Savvy


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When Creativity Dares

Today I complete my 500 days of writing consecutively here on WordPress, with my 500th post. Special and heartfelt thanks to all my readers and followers who have supported me in this journey of writing.

I would like to mark this day by writing about one of my favorite topics Creativity.

Creativity is fueled by the fire of passion. Often instinctual and deeply captivating, it is an expression of your innate potential. With it you are in touch with your deepest core. You are consciously awakening to the infinite abundance within, in every channelling.

Creativity spurts in the most unexpected ways.

It surges forth a river of possibilities

It amplifies the potential within

It leads you to rethink and challenge the norms.

It dares to question the accepted and projects perspectives.

It explores and creates paths for evolution.

It defies conventions to envision out of the box ideas.

It justifies the necessity of freewill through the art of movements

To create resolutions in times of confusion and chaos.

To manifest simplicity in times of complexity.

To innovate and change the statuesque in times of staid compliance.

To design and redesign towards efficiency and effectivity of purpose.

When creativity dares it is in communion with infinite abundance.

It is creativity that stokes the fire

It is creativity douses the flames.

Creativity has a solution for every problem.

Savvy


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Life & Living

All one needs to do

Is experience the journey

Cos the destination

Takes care of itself!

Savvy


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Art of Management

Team Management

Management calls for special skillsets but with changing times the skills have much to do with empathy in people management. Every head of department faces different sets of difficult situations but most common to all is getting the work done by the team effectively increasing productivity with the available resources.

You are improving your team every time you incorporate the following ways

1. When you talk less, and are listening more.

2 . When you begin to delegate work to the right team members and increase the sense of responsibility in them.

3.When you are able to speak assertively with confidence and empathy than simply ordering people around.

4. When you are able to analyze and share appraisals to resolve and find solutions in a non judgmental manner.

5. When you are able to steer and guide them in their endeavors without overtaking the joy of effort.

6. When you practising collaborating with your team instead of trying to be the controlling one.

Every team is unique as the people in it and this makes it uniquely interesting to manage as well.

Savvy


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Live and let live.

To Those Who Bring Small Children to Church:

There you are at church. Your baby or toddler is restless. Perhaps even a little boisterous. You try to silence them, and nothing. You try to pacify them with food or toys, and nothing. Eventually, you resort to the last thing you wanted to do: you pick them up, and before a watching audience, you make the march out of the church. All the while you’re a little embarrassed, maybe a little frustrated too. You might even think to yourself, “There’s no point in coming to church. I get nothing out of it because I have to constantly care for my kid.”

I want you – mothers and/or fathers – to know just how encouraging you are to so many. The elderly woman who often feels alone beams with a smile at the sight of you wrestling with your little one. She’s been there before. She knows how hard it can be, but she smiles because to hear that brings back precious memories. Seeing young parents and their small children brighten her day; she may have just received bad news about her health but seeing the vitality of young ones removes – if but for a moment – her fears. The older man who always seems to be grouchy notices you too. He’s always talking about how children in this day have no respect or sense of goodness. But he sees you – a young family – in church every week. Like clockwork, he can depend on the sight of you and your young family. You give him hope that maybe the Church isn’t doomed after all, because there are still young parents who love God enough to bring their restless children to church.

Bring your children to church! If we don’t hear crying, the church is dying. As hard as it might be for you as a parent who’s half-asleep, keep on doing what you’re doing. You are an encouragement, and you’re starting off your children’s lives as you should. – Author unknown

Came across this beautifully expressed piece recently. Was moved to share it here. Have encountered this kind of approach to parenting in many cultures across the world. Not only in churches but where people are silencing self expression in their growing years.

And there is also the other extreme where whatever the child does is ok! That is the other side of the issue in question.

Yes I agree, we must ensure our children are well behaved in society as they grow.We need to help instill good values.

But there are cultures where if a little child speaks out aloud while traveling in a bus for example the mother goes apologizing for the sounds the little kid is making.

Extreme restraint restrictions, repriminding and silencing are negative reinforcements in suppression of self expression.

Yes there are limits to tolerating childrens tantrums, and bad behavior. Teaching them proper social etiquette is part of good nurturing. But controlling even natural things like laughter and speech can become a little too suffocating. What do you think?

Are you free at all then? Isn’t that a little too restrictive. I wonder?

What is life without a little expression.

Life is meant to live and let life live.

Yes there are stark differences across the world in raising children. To each his own.

Lets hope to share the world with them in positive possibilities lovingly.

Chances are they will hopefully treat you just as well in your old age.

Here are a few of my musings…

Life can never thrive in suppression

Or in denial and disapproval.

Or control and criticism

Choose to appreciate and approve

Let go of the nagging and niggles.

Let go of judgements, fear and worry

Life is in each of us just the same.

Allow life to live.

Engage with it lovingly

Life can be beautiful!

Live and let live.

Savvy


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Picture of poignancy

Vincent” is a song by Don McLean written as a tribute to Vincent van Gogh. It is also known by its opening line, “Starry Starry Night“, a reference to Van Gogh’s 1889 painting

The Starry Night.

McLean wrote the lyrics in 1971 after reading a book about the life of van Gogh.

Strikingly poignant.
It touches me every time I hear this song.
Brilliantly picturised on Vincent’s artworks.
The song by Don McLean is poignant yet peaceful in itself.

The mood mellow and sombre.
The truth is stark of reality.
Listen to this evening song
Literally speaks to the depth of our souls
Million thoughts runneth over
Amid the arresting hues of blues.
Until sleep beckons curtains are drawn.
Life poses the questions.
And life seeks the answers.
Poignant is the wisdom that arises in the challenges.

Can never tire of hearing this beautiful song.

Savvy


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Nurturing nature.

All it took is a random picture,

And it bought me immense peace.

Simply seeing it made me feel so good.

Sharing it here and hoping it infuses the same serenity I feel in seeing it, to you readers.

There is something grounding in the giving.

There is something nurturing about nature.

There is something compassionate about caring.

There is something gladdening about green living.

There is something enabling in our environment.

There is trust & faith in nurturing life.

There is connection in the care…&

There is hope in every heartfelt share.

Savvy


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The tree speaks for itself…

The tree above signifies the connection

Of how the microscopic characteristics

Relate to the macroscopic structures.

The tree speaks for itself…

Overall ensuring a form and identity

That speaks of structure and integrity

That can withstand stress & pressure

Erosion & the aging processes.

The tree perhaps is shriveled & stark

Within its roots the winter wilts its will

Yet the tree upholds itself in tenacity

Branching out to balance itself.

Standing strong and proud

In the autumn of life

In being all it needs to be.

The tree speaks for itself.

Savvy


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Empathy Matters

Today’s ever changing corporate environment calls for new kinds of people management skills.
From managing teams to peoples problems and handling customer service,an empathetic approach helps create a positive difference and transform work culture.

So what is empathy after all?
Empathy is about being able to perceive and understand another’s point of view using their frame of reference.

To sense the flow of the moment with another.
To communicate with & be able to understand another’s perspectives insecurities and pain points.

Empathy is a positive approach aimed at improving teamwork and building teams , bridges gaps of communication implementing changes through appreciation, support & encouragement than unnerving others with negativity & criticism that can be rather demoralizing.

Empathy can create and build trust and rapport that you can tap into. In using empathic responses, problems can find meaningful and lasting solutions.

In using empathy with skill, you show respect & value for another.

There is a huge wave of empathy oriented approaches in businesses across the world. This is truly valuable and must be encouraged.

After all empathy is a main contender in a list of skills that show emotional intelligence quotient of an individual.

Savvy