"My own experiments with Truth"- What goes around comes around.....

When i show a little love, i am being adored..

when i teach earnestly, i am (actually) learning

a

hundredfold...

when i genuinely show care, "i am" the one being taken care of...

when i smile, everyone around me is happy for me...

 

When i pray, i see and hear "blessing bells" ringing all around...

when i lend my hand, i am actually being held...

when i open my heart, i hear the same sound resonating outside...

 

Oh! What a simple but lofty TRUTH!!

This leads me the conclusion

that when i am unhappy with the way things are around me

i

should

change the way i

think, talk and do things

to change the otherwise vicious cycle

, spiraling me downwards!

It gives me great

hope and

confidence

to know i am the "Captain of my Ship"

i can choose my destination

and can steer my Ship to the shore of my choice!! (JAI HO!)

Cause i am the "Cause"
and the outside is only the "Effect"!!

This "simple truth"

that what goes out comes back to you

has been working its magic spell of late

i look at it in wonder
and

of course

knock my head for not seeing it earlier

!!

 

 

Rama Shyam

MIRRORED()DERORRIM

By others' action I feel kindness, generosity, selflessness.
By others' words I hear appreciative thoughts and well wishes.
By others' presence I feel clothed in a sense of warmth and gratitude.

But on the outside i also see greed, jealousy, selfishness
I hear voices evil and unkind, I sometimes want to curl and hide.
Many a time I can't escape fear and a sense of deep sadness.

It is difficult to assimilate that
What it is I feel and hear in the outside world
Are actually the voices inside of me.
For I have the capacity and capability
To mirror what is going on inside of me!

When I see kindness
It is the kindness in me, I see being played out in the outside world.
When I hear words of consolation or appreciation
I am focusing on that aspect in me.

Yes on the same plane
I hear evil words and other negative behavior
These aspects in me that drain my energies
That need pruning and if possible uprooting.

So the more I pay attention to the kindness and goodness in me,
The more I am going to see it in the outside world.
For I am after all mirroring myself
In others who I see and meet!


Rama Shyam

Grounded

Grounded
Stand with feet together, palms touching your thighs, shoulders down, spine straight, chin slightly down- body aligned.
Feel your feet on the ground
(Take a moment here)
You can feel your connection to the cosmic world.

Grounded
(As you inhale) Move you hands from the sides, keeping them straight, over your head, bringing your palms together.
As you inhale remember to lengthen your arms and spine
(Keep your tummy tucked in and your tailbone down)
You can thus create space in your body and mind.

Grounded
Stay there and breath a few times

(As you exhale) brings your arms down from the sides till your palms are on your thighs.

Repeat this 4-5 times.
Slowly ease-your body and mind.
You feel steady and strong as focus on your breath, every second of time.


Grounded

When you are at ease, you are able to breathe long and fine.
Your understanding improves and from there clarity defines.
Making you feel confident and assured over time.


Grounded
You can reach for the Stars over time!

Rama

Kailasha i came to see you.

 

Kailasha i came to see you
I wanted to see you from as close as i can
I wanted to walk around you
And tell you i have come

That afternoon, I will never ever forget how you opened the skies
Gave a glorious glimpse of You and Nandi
Without even making me feel bad i could not do the circumambulation.
You said you are there, watching over all of Us.

I long to come and see you again
You will for ever remain in my heart and mind
For now I just have to close my eyes
You are right here with me, Kailasha......

Rama Shyam

Yoga Sutra

मैत्री करुणा मुदितोपेक्षाणांसुखदुःख पुण्यापुण्यविषयाणां भावनातः चित्तप्रसादनम् ॥३३॥ maitrī karuṇā mudito-pekṣāṇāṁ-sukha-duḥkha puṇya-apuṇya-viṣayāṇāṁ bhāvanātaḥ citta-prasādanam ||33||

Attitude one can cultivate-



When someone is happy, do not be jealous, show friendliness.

When someone is in distress, show compassion.

When someone is doing "punya"/ charity,do not degrade, appreciate.

When someone is doing "apunya"/vice act, stay away or be non-responsive.


When we work with this attitude, mind will be calm.

Me, in search of Me.....

Meandering through the busy streets
Rushing from shop to shop
Wanting very badly to find some object
That connects with  Me.

In an ocean of people
i find myself gravitating almost like a magnet in slow motion
Towards the Ones'
That connects with Me.

Visiting new places, temples,and monuments
Running away from my work place/ home
I am quite desperate to find that somewhere
That connects with Me.

Aren't we all looking for that something, someone, somewhere.....
That connects and  pleases the Me
But have I in the first place understood the Me.
"The one" I so want to please?

It isn't going to be all that easy
we are conditioned by society to look outside all the time
The only time we probably get a whiff of Me
Is when we are in deep sleep (when the ocean of thoughts are taking a break too).

Hasn't it been every Man's biggest quest?
most researched and written about by those who have taken it upon themselves.
I am drawn to look inside me.
I contemplate, I meditate, and have started the journey inwards

There, i see Me after a long journey inwards
i run towards her and hug her tenderly
pure and pristine, words can only be, but a consolation.
But I see Me all her glory

I was cradling peacefully in Me's arms
Before the phone started to ring
Drawing me yet again to find Me outside
But yes now I sort of know who I am trying to please.......

Rama Shyam

RHYTHM

Is soothing to the mind
Is re-energizing for the body
Is comfort in the present
Is relaxing and calming too.....

But basking in her sands and refusing to see beyond
Can sometimes "auto-pilot" us to an extent
We dig  deep and stubborn crevices of thought patterns and habits
Sucking us down over a period of time!

So keeping rhythm as the base
Anchored to that divine source all the time

Twist our body and mind, explore and EXPAND... (within than outside!)

Aware and maintaining our balance is prime.

Creating new better pathways is the reward it brings
Shedding away the unwanted ones
Enjoying the "awe" factor it brings
Keeping the mind fresh and sound.

So bring down those walls and fences
The whole world becomes our home
Like windows that have remained shut, have opened to let fresh air in
It opens our heart and soul.

So let us not waste our time
To go out and explore
To seek and challenge our limits
And as my experience goes, it is never too late to begin.


Rama Shyam

Discover yourself.............

i look at life
as a nice pleasant journey
it is almost like travelling
to a new place every day.

you discover not only places
but parallely discover facets in yourself
in ever so different scenarios
the backdrop changing every minute.

the landscape may change
but the essence remains the same
shades of emotions and thoughts
a calm mind always soothens the soul.

we are all after all nomads
who have no stake over the land we tread
we can only carry forward the wisdom
gathered from past experiences we've met.

holding on to wisdom as a guiding light
a torch to find our way.
to discover places within us
where we can find ultimate peace and pure joy.


Rama Shyam

CREATING SPACE

Well as magical as this may sound

And I do not blame you for thinking so

For I too felt the same

When I learnt to breathe mindfully and slow.

As I learnt to breathe in deeply

Time stood practically still

Giving me the space to understand and assimilate

And not do or say things hurriedly against my will.

And as I breathed out slowly

I felt abundance in the air

Of love, understanding, forgiveness and acceptance

I learnt to see beauty in everyone and everywhere.

Creating spaces not only on the outside

But more importantly inside of me

I learnt a lot about myself

Thereby changing my outlook of how life ought to be.

Breathing in and breathing out mindfully

I know I am inching steadily everyday

It’s like coming home

I hope some day I will!

Rama Shyam

Peace

Is stillness in the air just before the world awakes

Is nurturing like the Sun bringing light day after day

Is caressing of the breeze that touches you on a sunny day

Is calmness of the river as she gently flows downstream

Is beauty of the moon that shines in the darkness of night

Is joy that shines like the twinkling stars we see at night

Is steadiness in the rotation of night and day

Is nonchalance of the seasons that come tumbling one after the other

Is strength of a mountain that stands grounded yet so tall and brave

Is accepting yourself and others for who we are, the way we are, how we are, where we are, doing what we are as we travel together in this beautiful journey called life.

Rama Shyam

Collage of Life

i found myself in front of a plain canvas one day

i so wanted this one to turn all colorful and gay

i started with the basic red, green, blue and yellow

bright colors that kept me happy and secure in the beginning

Being adventurous i dabbled like a child with lilac, magenta, orange and beige

Gently skipping past colors I wanted to avoid, the blacks and grey

Then I noticed how the black and grey actually brought out the other colors all stark and bright

i have since learnt to enjoy what each color brought with it to my day

life is a collage

each color has a role to play

you can decide when you want to dabble with which color and in which way

move back and admire the picture you have with utmost care helped to create.

Rama Shyam

DOG and ROPE

A dog will keeping pulling the rope if someone tries to take it away from him but looses interest in the same once the rope is let off. What makes the dog not let go off the rope initially? It is fear of loosing the rope that keeps the dog from not letting go initially.

Here the rope is family, health, wealth and other things that one holds close to one’s heart. Fear of loosing them makes man hold on to them excessively. This process drains us of our positive energy. We monitor these aspects too closely causing a lot of stress and strain on ourselves.

If man uses discrimination and dispassion in dealing with these issues, not only fear will fall off like an uninterested dog but he will be able to take a rational decision while dealing in these matters, leaving him more energized to pursue his goals. Think about it!

P.S- Theo i owe this to you!!

Why so vain?

I continue to wonder as I always do,

Why have we not learnt as much as we should?

From Mother Nature around us

An offspring of her, are we not?

The mighty Sun shines day after day

As if reiterating He still wants to show me the way

He picks me up from where He left me at dusk the earlier day

Reenergizes me and eggs me on to do my part day after day.

He walks tirelessly alongside me all day long

And as I lift my gaze and look up at him blazing away.

I can shed the shadow of my past, trail behind me

As I walk towards the path leading to find my Truest form.

He being as mighty as He is

He being as irreplaceable as He is

He being the very source of life as He is

And that without him all forms of Existence can come to a stop!

How quietly he comes in and goes

Not expecting accolades for his daily chores

Oh Man, why are you so vain?

You can not seem to go about a single day without praise or gains.

Timeless

As I look above at the vast blue Sky

Listen to the repeated rippling waves on the beach side

Gasp at the Mountains that stand majestically tall with pride

Eavesdrop on the chirpy rivers cascading towards the gigantic open Sea.

I perceive fluidity and poise interwoven into a chain

As she moves ever so gracefully through her being

“Seamlessness”, is the magic she creates, no end or beginning

A timeless, ageless image she radiates, a surreal feeling.

Walking through the muddy track

Amidst the trees that have stood there for God alone knows how long!

Instantly I feel this strong connection in her presence

A deep realization that I too am a part of this whole experience.

She is of course the epitome of the Art of being.

She seems so much into what she is doing

I too want to go from doing to being

Emulate her as I am her huge fan following!

Rama

Sleepwalk through my life.

Hearing the alarm go off

I struggle to drag myself out of bed

Sigh, I need to do routine stuff

I will let myself sleepwalk through my life.

I have forgotten what it is to be surprised

Lost it somewhere when I started doing things too fast

My head rattling with noises of this and that

Feeling so muddled with cobwebs and dust.

I see you nodding when i say we are more creative when we do things from scratch.

Much much more alive when we breathe, in awe, of nature and her ways…

No dearth of surprises, do things as if it were the first time…

Remain forever young and new as we let our curiosity lead us through our daily life…

Well I might want to change my ways

Of doing everything in a routine and mundane way

And tonight as I lay my head on my pillow case

I know fully well tomorrow is not going to be like yesterday!

Rama

MEDITATION

1. Choose a conducive environment. Find a nice, quiet place where you won’t be disturbed for fifteen minutes or longer. Sit down, relax and rest your hands on your lap. You can sit on the floor cross-legged with the support of a meditation cushion, or on any chair with your feet resting on the ground. It’s not necessary to force yourself into a lotus position if you’re not used to it.

   Regardless of how you sit, it’s important to maintain the natural curve of your back. That means no slouching forward or leaning backward — either of which can strain and hurt your back. People with chronic back problem may find a kneeling meditation bench useful, especially for prolonged meditation.

2. Breathe slowly and deeply. Close your eyes softly. Begin by taking a few slow and deep breaths — inhaling with your nose and exhaling from your mouth. Don’t force your breathing. Let it come naturally. The first few intakes of air are likely to be shallow, but as you allow more air to fill your lungs each time, your breaths will gradually become deeper and fuller. Take as long as you need to breathe slowly and deeply.

3. Be aware. When you are breathing deeply, you’ll begin to feel calmer and more relaxed. That’s a good sign. Now, focus your attention on your breathing. Be aware of each breath that you take in through your nose. Be mindful of each breath that you exhale with your mouth. Continue focusing on your breaths for as long as you like.

   If you find your attention straying away from your breaths, just gently bring it back. It may happen many times. Don’t be disheartened. What’s important is to realize that you’ve wandered and bring your attention back to where it should be. As you develop greater focus power, you will find it easier to concentrate.

4. Ending the session. When you are ready to end the session, open your eyes and stand up slowly. Stretch yourself and extend your increased awareness to your next activities. Well done! You’ve done it!

Meditation for Beginners Tips

• The length of your exhale should be as long, if not longer, than your inhale, to expel used air and make more room for fresh one. If you find the out breath is much shorter in length, you can help to expel more air by gently squeezing your abdominal for the first few times. When both the in and out breaths become naturally long and deep, there’s no need to squeeze your stomach anymore.

• Some beginners find it easier to meditate with music in the background. If you belong to this group, choose tunes that help you to calm down and won’t distract you from your practice. Some examples to consider are sounds of nature, native American flute music as well as a wide range of contemporary meditation musicavailable nowadays. The choice of music, or lack of, is entirely a matter of personal preference. So feel free to experiment and see what works best for you.

• When the weather is chilly, wrap a thin blanket or shawl to keep yourself warm during meditation.

• Meditating with an empty or full stomach may be distracting or even uncomfortable. So make sure there’s something in your tummy, but not so much that you feel bloated while sitting.

• If time is of the essence, you can use a meditation timer or any timer with a gentle alarm to let you know that the session is over.

• Once you’ve mastered this breathing meditation, you can continue with it or try other meditation techniques. There are many types of meditation available that can help you to develop inner qualities that you never know existed. Feel free to explore other forms of meditation listed under Useful Meditation Resources andOther Meditation Techniques.

  
  

OLDER = WISER?

I would like to believe that with age

Man turns not only grey

But learns to hold himself

With more poise and grace.

But on the contrary, a man who allows himself

To be covered by a veil.

Blocked himself from truth and fair play.

Will never till the end be able to see the light of day!

For he will decay

Not knowing where/when he lost his way

Committing the same mistakes

Till the very last day.

Rama Shyam

To know and not to know

To claim to know.

Is actually not to know.

That there is much more one doesn’t know.

That one needs to know.

To claim not to know.

Is actually to know.

That there is more one needs to know.

That one doesn’t know.

Rama Shyam

RELIGION

I grew up strongly believing

That there is only one religion.

A religion that did not

bind or crush me with its iron chains.

But whose vision was only to set me free.

Soaring high like a bird, as a truly free spirited being.

This religion for salutations, asked to look at all with love and compassion.

This religion upheld “truthfulness” as sacred.

This religion prayed never to hurt others, ever.

This religion asked for offerings, to do my duties without any expectations.

This religion of mine,

Has no name.

It has no caste.

It doesn’t belong to any sect.

It doesn’t even have a temple, mosque or church to its self!

I was but answerable

To the only “One”

The One was inside me

My Divine conscience.

Rama Shyam

I'd rather be.............

I would rather be a wild flower in the woods

Than adorn a showy Vase in a rich man’s living room.

I’d rather lay on the wayside

Bringing surprised Joy to the passerby.

Than vie for compliments

From people who are forced to comply.

I do not feel the need to be recognized

For I already feel wholesome and good.

I will take each day as it comes

Not succumbing to expectations that will do me no good.

I’d rather be out in the Sun

Instead of being bound by walls

For I want to feel the freedom

This wild flower seemingly enjoys.

Rama Shyam