Across the distant horizon resplendent in all its radiant hues sun shines on its blessings and bejewels the sky. The leaves unfurl themselves a little bit more, with strength and energy and basking with confidence in its radiance. So glad the bitter cold of the night has moved away, they glide lovingly content in this moment that glows with warmth!
The buds awaken themselves and bloom willingly only to reveal their astoundingly tender beauty. And soulfully they turn seeking the brilliance of the magnificent sun …catch them dancing the dance of beauty and grace that’s shimmering in its rays…Maybe they know well the time they have with the sun is precious and know they must live it with all their might and behold it’s a breath-taking sight !
Who better to seek to understand the preciousness of time …. to understand the wisdom of time than from a tender flower a midst its unabashed beauty!
Change, the one that never changes
Is Nature’s way of continuing the Eternal cycle of life and death.
The Infinite Cosmic Energy, being the Eternal Centre
Changes keep on happening
In every atom, molecule, particle, and cell.
Thus widening the horizon,
From Invisible subtle to Visible gross.
Creation and destruction, a part of this change,
The various cycles of Life and seasons
Changing monotony to a variety
In mind and matter.
Colours and moods transient, every moment.
Wondering in awe to the moment next.
Dwell not in the past,
Fret not the Future,
Never to lose the Magic of the Present.
Each moment a new me is born.
Be present to cherish the Present.
Be aware n awake to witness
The blossom of bud to fragrant flower.
Anjana
‘Your poems become my muse’. 😊.
This is what I received from my mother this morning after she read my yesterday’s post ‘ Glimmers of hope’.
‘Thank you, mom, for writing your reflections. It truly means much to me.’
Have simply added some pictures to go along with her words.
Savvy
Unconference, the word piqued my curiosity for a while now.
I checked it up on the internet only to find that the idea has gained tremendous momentum across the globe.
The idea of un-structuring the ingrained structure seemed interesting to say the least, in creating spaces and possibilities to honour the learning.
Suffice to say recently, when I came across an Unconference event in the local newspaper I decided I must make a visit.
The venue of this Unconference was the well known Symbiosis School of Liberal Arts in Pune. I reached just in time for the proceedings to untold.
A customary registration ensued and I was greeted by a few volunteers with a relaxed warm and welcoming attitude. Clearly, the Unconference had started right there.
The word Conference kind of stiffens people up. There is a formal attitude, a thick air of competition to perform at their very best. There are fees and strict rules to adhere to. There are super busy organisers scurrying through and tension is writ large on their faces and their bodies as well are stressed out with expectations of the outcome of the event. Suited men and women whizz through looking super important. And yes there would be a Chief Guest of honour and a coterie of important people who need VIP handling… Adherence to their whims and fancies and most importantly their speeches which may or may not be of interest to any. But all must endure as to get up and leave is an offence to the speaker.
On the contrary here there was a prevalent free-spirited feeling in the first place that all were in it together. The sense of community always takes time to build so I stood in that room with a small group of people waiting for the (informal introductory practice,) the opening circle.
The Opening Circle :
Someone from the group had taken an initiative to design a pretty pattern made of flowers in the centre of the space and light a lamp there.
A few introductory rounds later which turned out to be icebreakers with a few games to let loose and get into the flow.
There was a board set up with a mention of few rooms and a time slot to boot. The participants were encouraged to choose to attend or conduct workshops or just wander around and network.
A few people got up to mention their workshops and claim their slot. On a moment’s impulse although I was not exactly in the right attire for a dance workshop I simply decided to go with the flow and offered a Dance connection workshop by me.
Encouraged by a decent number of participants I let the moment take the lead. As I began teaching I witnessed the flow of the energy in the exchange.
I spoke about the dance, hold, frame and positioning and started introducing them to partner dancing and some basic steps. Bit by bit people shed inhibitions as they were getting tuned into the moves.
The moment strangers began to hold hands and face one another… for many, there was harmony to be found in the mirror imaging. For after all the lead and follow were simply an extension of each other dancing as one unit.
The energy in the room turned up a notch with the Achy Breaky Heart country cha sounds of Billy Ray Cyrus for company.
All started sensing the tuning with their partners at that moment. And an all-new dance impression in the expressions birthed itself in their hearts.
After the dance workshop I asked what they felt in that moment and here is what they shared immediately…
Deeply grateful!
The Give and Take
Truly to immerse yourself in that which you love all you have to do is to take a step … for your own good as much as for the others.
Essentially the whole experience was to me simply about honouring life energy in all its uniqueness of expression.
Great experience being a part of this interesting initiative!
If eyes could speak
They would say a thousand words
May be more
Yes eyes speak more than words can tell
Have you seen eyes up close
They say much more
There is defiance denial
Hurt and humility
Fear and pain
Sadness and confusion
Longing for approval
And anguish of anxiety
There is judgement and approval
Brazeness and courage
Hope and trust
Mystic and magic
Enigma so magnetic
And yet there is also
Surprise and innocence
Charm and grace
Kindness and Generosity
A Light of Love
For life and living.
Waltz of the Eyes indeed! Speaking much without words that portrays the undeniable truths of life .
How much life experiences can speak through these windows of our soul! Check it for yourself … so much to read in there. May be you can see much more ….do share!
Savvy
Thank you dear Efi for mentioning Stavros and this beautiful lilting music…’Waltz of the Eyes’ in my earlier post.This waltz is truly bewitching! 💙💙💙
Intuition is defined as the ability to understand something instinctively, without the need for conscious reasoning.
Your cells are intuitive and have a memory bank of information that is stored experientially.
How they synthesize and process that information may depend on many factors especially on how healthy they are and what kind of nutrition they continue to have.
However, they are continuously in communication with you. Your sense of intuition is a part of their communicative process. So is your gut feeling and perhaps maybe even a hunch or a sense of dejavu…
That familiar feeling of knowing someone or something before even meeting them.
The rush of emotions amidst certain memories may be your intuitive sense of your cellular being getting a higher intensity of messages.
The tense feeling before a certain situation or place person or thing maybe you are getting a message across from your own survival mechanism.
Your clenched fist or the butterflies in your stomach, the knotted feeling deep within… are all perhaps a forewarning to be more present in this now than you actually are …
There is always much listening to do if you wish to decode these flashes of thoughts and feelings. In fact, they are your inbuilt guide and gifts of life. Acknowledge them for what they are.
Here are a 5 ways towards strengthening your sense of intuition.
1: Sense what you feel ... often we may never care to sense the fleeting feeling that may come along about something or someone at the first connect … That is often your intuitive self trying to send you a message.
2: Spend some time reconnecting with your self in meditation or even walk silently for a while every day being one with nature.
3: Be expressive of what you are, never stifle your thoughts and bottle up. Allow yourself to manifest freely. Remember your life is precious in itself. Live life lovingly.
4: Be trusting and trustworthy. If you can accept the world around as it is and work on evolving yourself for the better perhaps then the way you see the world will change. Positivity will emanate in your ways and that will ease up any rigidity from within to a flexible state of being.
5 : Remember to differentiate between your overthinking which is simply creating patterns of thoughts in anxiousness and your sense of intuition Intuition comes from the place ofa calm knowing.
Most importantly acknowledge your intuitive feelings. For without that intuition remains underdeveloped.
How much do you value your intuition?
How much do you allow it to manifest itself?
Do you care to nurture it?Do you care to listen when your intuitive sense talks to you?
Or do you choose to ignore it and move on?
Do you recall any instance of how you listened to your intuitive self?
Do share your thoughts.
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.
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…
When one share’s from the heart, the result is always a regeneration of trust confidence and love in abundance.
With increasing love, there is a decrease of needs and with that, there is greater contentment and fulfilment!
A few things to keep in mind are… share without motive, share without ego, share with gratitude!
The ones who share with acceptance writ in their hearts are the ones who know the value of letting go enough to reaps its rewards.
Rewards that cannot be measured by time or days, as they abound in the infinite wisdom of conscious connections!
In the spirit of the season you can join the dance of life in this now with all your heart and soul. And partake the pleasures of being there in both the receiving and the giving.
Is the dance of wonder and awe
Savvy Raj 