As we celebrate our Independence day in India, may we care to value the underlying philosophy behind the word Independence … the ability to voice our uniqueness and express our individuality amidst a global platform.
Truly, Independence is a birthright that allows us to freely express ourselves, but along with it, is a sense of responsibility, a duty to empower the within as much as the world .
Channelizing the creative flow of freedom of expression to positive outcomes for the larger good is a responsibility for every individual. It is actually the simple way to create a life of well being with in and around each of us and for the world at large .
As we are after all an interdependent world even in our states of independence…. that to me is valuing and practicing Conscious Independence.
Happy Independence Day!!!
May we always Dance the dance of independence and freedom.
May we tune ourselves to connect with joys in tandem.
May we always remember and value great souls lost in martyrdom.
May we acknowledge that the strength in the interdependence is never random.
May we always respect our roots and learn to follow our inner wisdom.
In the inclusive and expansive attitude towards love for the self and fellow beings we emit a vulnerability that is actually the power within us all to heal and mend and shape us for the better.
With every hurt that scars the soul perhaps we may end up in restraints of our own doing. We fear to think beyond the boundaries, like the frog in the well … trying to seclude and exclude and end up confining ourselves within the walls we sadly create.
We are so afraid to express ourselves that,with our measured movements, of what might happen, or what others may think, we live in cocoons choosing to exist in doubt and insecurities. Perhaps, we may be stepping in our own way, instead of unfurling with all our innate potential the magnitude of our being.
Our life’s journey cannot not be about fear and doubt… for they will not allow us to take a step. And life is about movement, about understanding in discovery, why should life be suppressed in any way?
Think well
Walk with intent respect the space within and around you.
Speak with clarity and with conviction.
Express the self in faith and confidence.
Choose to see life unfolding positively
Allow space for spontaneity in trust, acknowledge it as the expression of your unique self.
Sense your potential and envision the future in hope. To be all that you truly are.
Every learning is a two-way process. There is the imparter of knowledge, skill & wisdom of truth who could be called a guru, teacher or a facilitator. Then there is the one who receives, assimilates, processes synthesizes & is then convinced about his or her interpretation of assimilation of truth enough to be called the student, shishya or disciple.
Now as learning is a never-ending process of growth and realization all the seekers of knowledge should have the channels of thoughts, words & deeds open for correction, improvement to be able to retain & sustain the available information to the best of their abilities.
The interpretation of knowledge may happen with respect to the personal state of mind and matter of the receiver, no matter whether he is the student or a teacher. Both are only human and are bound to the vagaries of human nature.
Poise & Composure
The sheer physical or mental magnetism a teacher or student exudes or otherwise must not undermine the purpose. So certain restraint in conduct, both in the physical emotional & mental sense must be in place for a mutually symbiotic relationship to take place. It’s very important for this realization to be clear and apparent enough between both of them before they can begin a journey of refinement that knowledge brings forth. In a situation of misplaced judgement, it is important for the other to coach and coax the unwilling and astray mule in the mind of the erring person, back on to the road, whoever they are, student or teacher. As learning is a two-way street. The learning will at times make the student a teacher and the teacher a student in the journey of realization.
Channelling the learning
Many times the temptation of thoughts will bring even the most dedicated of students or teachers to testing the real purpose of their efforts and practice. At this juncture, the control of mind and body actions must be exercised. This, if left unchecked could leave room for unnecessary situations which could harm the beautiful synthesis and symbiotic nature of the student-teacher relationship. The boundaries of mind are easily even more difficult to fathom and clarify.
It is simple and wise to let the mind be grounded, focused and steadfast in its purpose enough to be clear about the distinction and discernment while the learning relationship is taking place. As a single stray thought, or action could cause confusion enough to completely toss the relationship boundaries to levels which may be difficult to tilt back to states of equilibrium that needs to be maintained.
Steering the learning
The teacher must make it clear to himself or herself and to the students that he is there for the purpose of teaching and sharing the knowledge that he has been privy to, probably because of his own levels of ability, understanding, karma, dedication or steadfastness and discipline in acquiring the related skill. This act itself clears the ground for proper acceptance of a teacher’s education.
The thought and senses need to be checked before every movement such that there is respect enough for the student towards the teachers’ knowledge and in doing so the teacher manages to gain the required acceptance from the student and learning resumes.
Respect
But this is only one side of the coin the student too, has certain modes of conduct which needs to be observed and never crossed.
It is very important to understand first of all that neither a teachers time must not be taken for granted nor his teachings. They will be there for you as you need it and thus trust enough to understand that you cannot learn more or less of anything than what is required for you at that time.
Secondly, it is important that both accept and follow the principles of conduct in which learning is taking place which is ideally laid down by the form or subject to ensure that both do not stray beyond the boundaries and go off track.
The purpose of learning is absolutely free flowing & spills over to life and its situations and circumstances so this association of thought must not be confused with favoritism and partiality of any kind between both of them.
In some learning, the personal space both physical and mental greatly narrows down between the teacher and student putting them in a quandary especially if both are seeing a reflection of thoughts and actions in each other. This is definitely a situation to exercise caution enough to circumvent the spillover of knowledge beyond the cup of the mind.
Finally, there is the need to assimilate and interpret an information and only then act upon it, not get taken by impulse so much that you don’t give the other side the benefit of doubt.
The realization that experiences necessary for your learning and growth come to you will be clear but at the same time, you must keep in mind that no student or teacher can exercise and influence you to the degree that you do not want to be.
You learn what you can imbibe.. Not more not less!
Savvy
I wrote this article years ago but I was reminded of it today as in India it is Guru Poornima a day dedicated to the Teacher or Guru in and around us.
It is a day of celebration in respect & reverence for the exchange of knowledge and wisdom.
I addressed here the interplay of that which needs a mutual definition in understanding between both the students and the teacher as learnings begin to happen. It is always a work in progress for I believe learning is never ending and a continuous path of life and living.
Yet it is beautiful to pause & be grateful for the understanding that comes our way. Thus through the trials & tribulations of being a student & a teacher, life abounds in deep gratitude.
In an age of self obsession bordering on extremes of behaviour from starving to binging, from wearing those uncomfortable hip breaking harmful high heels to choosing crazy outfits that fool you in the name of fashion, to wearing outrageous clothes without it actually suiting your personality, just to fit in and feel accepted I find a lot of people youngsters especially finding themselves at odds with their natural body and having issues with who they truly are. It reflects in the clothes they wear as much as in their attitude to the fast convenience food they choose to eat.
Here in this article I address this very insecurity and deep need to measure up to the so called dictates of trends and fashion in the name of modernity and suggest ways to work with yourself to help yourself shine your best inside out. For, a comfortable and relaxed confident body is the best outfit you can wear.
Savvy Raj
A positive body image brings optimism into your life and makes it easier to manage stress.
It also helps you cope the pressures of social situations with confidence. Below, I’ve listed10 tipsto help you in owning a more positive body image and relationship with yourself.
Be kind to yourself
Liking who you are and feeling good about being yourself begins with being good to yourself and showing yourself loving kindness.
Respect thy Self
Move beyond a need for validation from others. Your life and happiness must never be dictated by assuming what others may be thinking of you. Avoid seeking approval from others.
Think well and exercise the power of positivity
Keep a check on your own thoughts and steer clear of negative self-talk. See the positives in yourself and others and speak positively. See life transform for the better.
The company you keep matters
Surround yourself with kind and positive people. Avoid those who are self-obsessed and definitely stay away from bullies.
Cultivate a good attitude towards life
As you continue to work on your self-esteem remember body confidence is a matter of attitude and the way you carry yourself.
Cultivate good posture and poise
Work on your sense of poise, avoid slouching and fidgeting. This can help you tremendously in boosting your self-esteem in any social situation.
Speak well
Your body is always listening. So, speak well of yourself and others. Make it a habit to start and end the day on a positive note.
Embrace Self-value
Try to understand your weaknesses and accept them as challenges to work on. Treat yourself well. Make sure to eat well, exercise, or take a walk. Be healthy and groomed. Make it a part of daily life.
Take it easy
Over perfection is an obsession and can ruin your self-esteem and self-confidence. Ease up on yourself. Don’t sweat the small stuff.
Own yourself
Embrace the uniqueness that you are endowed with. Remember you matter. You are so much more than a title, a rank, or a dress size. Don’t be desperate to fit in. Most importantly, be interested in your life and actively participate in it. Own yourself.
As you practise working on all these aspects and envision the positives, you create a positive shift in your perspectives.
Sharing this beautiful story that touched a chord in me.
Mother is flying a kite.
Her son is watching her carefully.
After some time son says “mom.
Because of the string the kite is not able to go any further higher.
“Hearing this, the mother smiles and breaks the string.
The kite goes higher and then shortly after that, it comes and falls on the ground. The child is very dejected and sad.
The mother sits next to him and calmly explains:
“Son, in life we reach a certain level and then we feel that there are certain things that are not letting us grow any further like Home, Family, Friends, Culture etc.
We feel we want to be free from those strings which we believe are stopping us from going higher.
But, remember son.”That our home , family, friends and culture are the things that will help us stay stable at the high heights .
If we try to break away from those strings our condition will be similar to the kite.”we’ll fall down soon..
*Moral:*
*”Never try to cut away from Home Culture, Family, Friends and Relationships as they help keep us stable while we are flying high…”*
*Life is Beautiful*
*Stay connected*
So much truth in these lines
The bonds of love are there for a reason
To be nurtured and cherished by its sheer presence .
As to be lovingly supported is a blessing of grace!
After writing a series of posts on the topic of Nurturing I found a lot of ideas floating out on Parenting and thus I am drawn to deciphder and draw the parellels in the the two…
I tossed the topic out to my mother who is currently visiting my brother and his family Besides the members of the family , it is home to two cats and a dog as pets. Life is certainly different there for her than with me here . My brother, a passionate animal lover is also an actively involved with Blue Cross of India. Rescue operations happen just about anytime and often at the middle of the night. And some hurt and disabled animals and birds eventually have known to have landed up at home as pets.
Nurturing comes naturally to him especially so for those hapless animals and birds . I have personally seen the amount of care and concern he and the volunteers at Blue Cross give without any expectation in return . Just a week back there was an adoption drive for more than a 100 puppies and by the end of the day all the puppies found a home .The contentment in those volunteers hearts must have been uncontained for sure.
In lieu with our topic nurturing I took the liberty of envisioning and including the perspectives of nurturing a pet as much as parenting a child by my sharing of the backstory of my brothers home which is always more like a zoo or a sanctuary to me. Just kidding bro😊
I am going to share my mothers perspective from such a backdrop… on Parenting and Nurturing .
Parenting and Nurturing.
Parenting and nurturing go hand in hand. Parenting needs more sternness while nurturing needs compassion and kindness.
Parent is a nature given blessed title and parenting is bliss and pain with growing responsibilities.
Whereas nurturing is the quality any one can develop on any living being. A plant well nurtured grows well. With kindness , compassion and love flowing from the heart one can nurture a plant to blossom into fruits, an animal in a healthy surrounding, helpless children and seniors to thrive in a dignified way .
Parenting is our duty towards our children . Nurturing them comes naturally. Parenting involves providing, caring, shaping their future with lot of disciplining. Parenting has a natural tendency to forgive their follies and wrong doings , will find an excuse for their wrong behavior and justify them.
Parenting cannot be done without nurturing whereas nurturing doesn’t need to be parenting. The reciprocation of parenting can be seen in the nurturing of parents by the children in their old age.
By nurturing one can increase other’s self worth, self value and increase their confidence level. It can bring joy to a miserable person . Nurturing is a divine quality any one can develop. It is the extension n expansion of parenting beyond self. It can best be selfless
Nurturing can be done in many levels. Physical nurturing is one thing, emotional n psychological nurturing also help a long way in sculpting better human beings.
Sometimes mere words of encouragement n appreciation of their deeds become vocal nurturing to perform better. Weaning away the weeds is also a part of good nurturing.
Nurturing can be time and place limited without possessiveness. Let going becomes easier whereas the feeling of parenting crosses these lines as the bond is life long till death do them part.
The name and nature may vary. But without parenting and nurturing qualities the world will not survive. They help the future generation to grow into better persons. The legacy will continue by all sometime, somewhere. They are the two sides of the same divine coin. Good parenting makes better human beings, good nurturing creates a better society and a better world.
Both will make the world smile.
What you nurture is important especially in your own nature.
Just remember in nurturing, what you choose to nurture, develops…
Immense is the power of creative movements to balance the body mind and spirit.
We are all creative beings.We need to honour our creativity we need to find avenues to let go express and share what comes natural to us. In that is a healing and restoring beyond compare…
Yesterday I happened to revisit this very strong yet contemplative piece of writing by my dear mother. And I knew I just had to request her to share this because of its significance as much as the sensitivity of content which I felt is very relevant to the times we live in.
My mother writes a lot on and off and I want to share this as I feel she should put out her writings in a blog but she simply hasn’t done so yet for reasons best known to her. So while I try convincing her to write and share more, here is this post from her that touched my heart💙💚💙
Savvy
Love All!
Making someone feel badly about the way they look is the worst thing that one can do to another individual. It has the power to make someone feel unlovable. It creates so many insecurities and unwanted feelings. That is something we shouldn’t do or inflict upon anyone.
Body shaming has to stop. We have to stop tearing people down just because they don’t fit to the standards created by another in the first place. We also have to stop judging people based on their appearances. There is no meaner phase of being than hating oneself for the looks and it is not fair that we are pushing people to that point. We need to be accepting of all body types.
We need to encircle each other rather than bring each other down and we have to understand that every one is different, both physically and mentally. Anjana
We are created to be different, and we need to learn to love those differences.
Body shaming, a term that has become all too popular recently because humans are obsessed with appearances. We criticize the way that others judge us yet never hesitate to pass comments on others in a sarcastic friendly manner. We have separated ourselves into categories based on the way we look and it is wrong.
Effects of body shaming
What people don’t understand is what body shaming really does to an individual. It gradually breaks their confidence. Instead of holding their head high — they scan the floor because they don’t want people to notice them. Instead of feeling beautiful, their self worth decreases and feel like an alien in their own skin.
Body-shaming is a serious issue that’s secretly and silently ruining the lives of many out there. It’s high time we addressed it. And equally so for both women and men and children.
Those who are born fit or beautiful or intelligent didn’t do anything great to achieve it . It is the way they are born genetically.
What use is physical beauty if the mind is ugly? Let’s learn to value individuals for the values they hold, their character, their goodness and compassion, their talent and in general as a fellow human being who are all equal to one another.
As it is the society has created large gaps based on caste, creed, status and richness. On one side as educated and civilized people we are trying to eradicate them and on the other side creating new dividers between individuals.
Respect and value individuals for what they really are.
Instead if seeing others as
Being short or tall,
Being fair or dusky,
Being fit or fat,
Being beautiful or ugly
Being rich or poor
Being modern or simple
Let’s learn to see others as
Being kind or cruel,
Being adaptive or adamant,
Being compassionate or egoistic
Being selfless or selfish,
And above all
Are they humane enough ?
Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder.
Nature need not have to create so many different species to co exist, it could have easily made an assembly line of similar looking robots.
Savvy Raj 
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