Savvy Raj

Live Life Lovingly!


Creativity then and now.

It is amazing how creativity is enhanced by leaps and bounds in the age of the internet . Especially with an app ready for every possibility.

Before the internet, drawing was a skill that was an innate gift or had to be honed by years of practical training. Back then artistry was challenging and time-consuming and most of all needed patience and dedication.

Having developed a bit of interest in artistic pursuits I remember enrolling in courses to learn the art of embossing and decorating pots, learning the intricate art of henna on the hand as well as joining a fabric designing course at a very famous and leading fashion institute of those times which I truly enjoyed and excelled in. And I remember using the understanding to create and sell my artworks and being rewarded not only monetarily but also emotionally through the contentment of creativity becoming tangible. The course of learning and experiencing it all was truly very fascinating indeed.

Today I draw a parallel on how one has to know how at the touch of a phone, the apps take you through the course at the speed you want, you can erase the art you create and redo at will, as often as you fancy. And most of all your drawings get texture, special effects and animation and you can even create a live 3d model for you to touch and sense!

Technology can charm the living daylights of you indeed!

Yet there are certain senses that are not touched upon…

The feel of holding a brush of colour, it flowing on the paper, and at times may be in error and you working around it creatively.

The sense of proportion in actually mixing medium and paints and getting the right shade.

The touch of canvas or other mediums and the way it feels after the painting.

The simple satisfaction of being able to feel connected to your artwork right through it all. It creates an intimate relationship between the art and the artist.

To be fair Art today has evolved along the way, there is computer precision and ease of use through applications that take artmaking to infinite possibilities.

The potential of an artist can increase leaps and bounds and endless pieces and options of colour choices can be churned out at the touch of a few keys. Everything is customisable giving the advantage to both the artist as much as the customer.

The scope and reach of creativity through Art is definitely increasing and that is a development worth noting. Everyone can create amazing art now unlike before. And that is quite an interesting phenomenon. Knowledge is openly accessible for the user.

In spite of the amazing advantages of technology, human emotional and creative connect is yet a challenge.

But nevertheless, I have chanced upon apps that give a great sense & feel of creating art.

Sharing a few of my earlier artworks.

Savvy Raj


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Living Books



Every life is uniquely endowed with perspectives and experiences.
A living book is a human who shares his life’s stories and wisdom with willingness with another interested individual.

If the conversation is interesting the living book is read some more but if it does not meet the requirements of the individual reader, he is free to get up and find another living book to meet and connect.

Living books library concept is an interesting way to bring together learnings from life experiences directly on a one to one basis and a group setting. The conversation depends on what you want to understand and turn it towards.

Life teaches us much and every human can benefit from unedited direct soul to soulful connects where words flow at the moment.
In such connection is the transparency of truth that is glaringly stark from a book of prewritten words arranged in a format predesigned to sell in the market.

Life is so much than being a business.
In these discussions, the reader or the learner and the living book are both free to direct the course of the conversation without constraints.


Unlike a regular library of books, the human library is a gathering of humans and is event-based.

There are many functioning human book libraries all around the world today.

The concept began in  Copenhagen Denmark in 2000. The idea is to be nonjudgemental and engage in a dialogue that helps break barriers and social prejudices. The human book could be anyone who has a story to tell and is ready to share it. Or someone who has gone through any kind of discrimination and wants to share their experiences openly. 
So next time you want to explore the idea of reading a book, consider and lookout for opportunities to connect with a human book!

Savvy

 


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On Hiring

The Entrepreneurs,

Learn to sift through the chaff.
All your endeavours are nothing without a proactively engaged people
Invest in integrity. It goes a long way.

If you can’t find a hire you want, look around,
Give a chance to those at the office
Maybe there is someone there who has the required talent. And all they need is a bit of training.
Recognize genuine interest to do work.
Whoever it may be.
And value sincerity even if age or experiences are not on their side.
Allow people to grow, value & respect good intentions.

Treat them well without favour and
not only if they are useful for a reason and for a while.
Who knows who comes in handy.

Yes, you may be a startup but that is no excuse for not pulling up your socks.
Every bit of professionalism matters.
And make sure you practice what you preach.
Don’t lose your temper in stressful times. It leaves a mark of imbalance.

Every person on your side is a valuable addition to your enterprise.

A company is only as good as the company of people working in it.
One manship or one-man shop is never the answer
Hire positive people at all levels, not dictators and procrastinators.

And if you by chance happen to see someone, coming in daily without fail,
on their own without any excuses, and trying to do something for the better, notice them and give them training and the resources to flourish.
You will gain from not wasting their talent and time .
Respect another’s time as much as you respect yours.

Savvy


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On Giving

Have written and dedicated a couple of posts earlier on the topic of Giving.

But here is my dear mother’s philosophical perspectives where she focuses on the the spiritual mindset in giving.

Dhaanam

There is a saying in Tamil.” What ur right hand gives, the left hand should not know”. True. While giving, unknowingly a little superiority, seeps in. To counter our ego secrecy n humility is needed. Giving is called Dhaanam .

There are various types of giving. It can be of anything. Money used unwanted items like clothes or other durables, food items, even sharing your knowledge is a form of giving.

Rules of Dhaanam

Giving new unused things of good quality is the best Dhaanam. This is followed in ritualistic or religious dhaanam.
Always give with humility. Never show attitude.
Give to worthy persons. Donate to needy ones. Giving shoes to a legless person is useless . It will hurt the person reminding his disability. There is a saying ‘pathiram arindhu pichai idu. ‘

While donating unwanted used items see that it can be useful for at least six months or further. Never give throw away things.

Give happily, with a full heart. Anything given with a prayer in mind and lots of goodwill at heart will bring prosperity and happiness to both the giver and receiver.

Another important aspect of giving is never to boast or keep on reminding them. Once given it ceases to be yours… The recipient has all the freedom to use it the way they want. Do not expect a life long gratitude.

Taittriya Upanishad says

Give with faith
Give with sensitivity
Give with abundance
Give with understanding

In Bhagavat Gita, Shri Krishna talks about 3 types of Dhaanam
namely Satvic, Rajasic and Tamasic.

Satvic is the one which is given to worthy persons with full humility and without expecting returns in any form.

Rajasic is the one which is given to show supremacy or expecting some favour in return.

Tamasic is the one where one gives with attitude, without respect to place n time to undeserving persons.

Vedas describes dhaanam of 4 categories.
1. Nitya dhaanam which is given daily as part of our routine without expectation.
2 Nymithika dhaanam is giving with the intention to wash away our sins.
3 Kamya dhaanam is giving with a desire to achieve some special favours.
4. Vimala dhaanam is giving with humility, devotion and without expectation of any returns.

The best dhanams are
Anna dhaanam -. Feeding the poor( It satisfies)
Vidya dhaanam Sharing ur knowledge and skill. (It increases)
Kanya dhaanam – giving a daughter in marriage. (I think it’s about letting go of a child be it a son or daughter into their next phase of life)
Raktha dhaanam and organ dhanam-. Saving one’ s life.

Keep giving.
Give wholeheartedly.
Give with a smile.

Anjana

I would simply also like to add that

True giving is when you don’t feel the weight of parting in the giving.

You never know how many lives you are unknowingly touching.

Savvy


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What’s your kind of place?

Every person has a place
On this earth that you call home
Beyond houses made of bricks
The space that is ones own
Are those that nourish and nurture you
Where you find yourself at home

A place that helps you evolve
A place that speaks to you
A place of learning and goodwill
A place that let’s you be you.
A place that is welcoming and inclusive

For me it is the vast open spaces in nature that speaks to me.

Be it the mountains the sea the sand the sky or the fields.

But I am also the happiest when I see a beautiful smooth open dancefloor

For it gives me the joy of endless possibilities of freedom to move…

What place comes to your mind if you are reading this?

Savvy


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A voice worth listening to!

The voice within us.

Your true voice is not only the one you   speak
Your true voice is the one you may hear
If and when you care to listen
It may be just a whisper
It may be heard just by you
But it says all that you need to hear
And it may be worth listening to!


The voice within us
Speaks the truth of the being
It expresses what you may need
But do not know yet.
It guides the way
It is a heartfelt reminder
Of all things beyond the surface.
It may be wise, listening to!

Savvy


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Vibrancy

Be aware that your hands are like antennae, able to pick up currents of energy from space as well as send them out. But for your hands to be able some day to attract and send out only beneficial currents, you must first pay great attention to the gestures you make in everyday life, for every gesture, however insignificant, produces a vibration. Whatever task you are performing, try to make measured, harmonious gestures, in the knowledge that you are activating forces and elements that will allow you to transpose what you are doing onto the spiritual level and therefore attain the higher levels of life. True spirituality consists in using any kind of work as a means to bring your thoughts, feelings and movements into tune with cosmic harmony. Each movement you imbue with a divine idea is recorded in the archives of your higher consciousness, from where all beneficial energies, such as love, hope and joy, will spring. – Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

You are a dance of energy

Every move you make

Every step you take

Every thought you think

Every word you speak

Creates vibrations in space

Make sure to tune in.

Align your mind and body

Make way for harmony

Flow in synchrony

Sense the peace love and joy

Emanate with joy

In and all around you.

Dance on in awareness

Savvy


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Surreal Expressions


Expressions of a beautiful mind  indeed!


This very impressive piece  of work  by Polish artist  Jacek Yerka called the Bible Dam caught my attention…


A few musings on similar lines.
If all the knowledge  of the world
Could be collected and channeled
To flow into a ocean of knowing
Ready to pour out the learning
Crystallized  into books for the reading
Ever ready in the giving
To ease the receiving.
What a wise world it would be!
But is knowing  simply enough?

Knowledge is willing to be shared
But is the learning  enough?
To make the world wise
Without the experiences to practice
No knowledge can be worthy
And no knowing  really useful.

Life is in the knowing, sharing  learning  processing, experiencing & most of all in the living.

Savvy


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What happened to coexistence?

The picture above was shared by a dear friend on social media. It speaks the truth of life today.

Helplessly surviving the carelessness of mankind,

These birds are seen flying after their own once lived homes.

Totally shattered and in deep despair.

Isnt this world theirs too?

As logs of wood are transported
It’s hard to see them fly this way
Searching for their lost homes.
Desperate to find their babies in the woods.

Wooded forests are fast disappearing
Birds are losing their safe havens
They are clueless where to nest
They have no place to roost and rest

Why is the human being so monstrous
It is nothing short of disastrous
It is wrong of us to tamper the ecosystem
And be without any guilt or remorse.

Cutting and felling the trees
Burning the world’s forest cover
Where would we go without the oxygen
How can we survive without clean air?

Why are we playing with fire?

Can we each undo the damage?

In adopting sustainable ways of living.

Every bit will make a difference…

If we only understand
Every element has a purpose
Every matter exists for a reason
Every life is strengthened in the interconnects.

Let’s care and nurture trees
Let’s plant and grow more trees
Let’s help the birds live on trees
Let us learn to coexist, so every life will breathe easy.

Savvy


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A Reciprocal Arrangement

A Reciprocal Arrangement

Sometimes when we question

The very nature of being

On acts of all kinds

In awareness and without

Of stumbles and fumbles

In tethering through

And managing life and living

We awaken to the truth of the matter

Of a reciprocal arrangement.

In the cycle of life

Of nature in its infinite abundance

Of intentions in its infinite expressions

Of unfolding of paths yet known

Of unveiling of myriad patterns

All in the continuum of consciousness.

All is as it is meant to flow.

Trust life to lead your way.

All is well as it is meant to be.

For such is the circle of life.

All goes hand in hand.

Each, of value for the other

In some unknown way.

Know there is an answer to every question.

A solution for every problem.

A clarity for every confusion.

A resolution for every conflict.

And freedom of choice in spite of restraint.

©Savvy Raj


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To Dance…

“To dance is to move with the strength of earth below you, sensing and knowing the grounding beneath you of your convictions.

To dance is to freely be able to improvise your physical and emotional self with the quality of fluidity like the flowing water.

To dance is to ignite the power of passion and fire up your creative movements.

To dance is to be able to glide as if you are as light as the air and soar in grace, as you feel the wind enveloping yet beckoning you to scale new heights of harmonious effusion while dancing with a conscious awareness of your edges and spaces that you occupy in this beautiful amazing world”

Savvy


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Life is how you live it.

Live fully

No half measures.

Live in the moment

& make it so beautiful

It will be worth remembering.

Savvy


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Circle of Love

As you go through daily life just care to remind yourself that you are being watched over and cared for …this will bring you immense peace and transmit universal love 🙂

Savvy


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Passion Speaks

When passion speaks with positivity

Passion spreads the inspiration.

Along with patience and perseverance

Creating and sending goodwill all over.

How truly wonderful is that?

So as passion pulls the cart, patience and perseverance carries it through to its destination.

Savvy


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Follow your heart



The cells of our body
Are listening
With rapt attention.

Ever ready to alter and adapt
They dance to defy
As much as to align.


Our heart hears the vibrations
Of what we truly are
As it tunes to the rhythm of the being.



Heart beats to it’s own tunes.
In the beating of the heart
Is hidden the truth of living.

Just follow along 
The path of the heart
It knows the way!

Savvy