Every now and then, you’ll find that God imposes a full stop in the running sentence you call life. It follows no grammatical norm — it can pop up at any time, even the most inconvenient times. It’s often to do with health, or sometimes a death in the family, or losing a job. For … More Wisdom tooth
One of my colleagues J asked me why I don’t write posts the way I used to on my blog — with anecdotes from my personal life, with all its trials and joys. I told her I don’t have the urge to do that anymore but for old times’ sake, I decided to write one … More Birthday wish
My Monday tips for my team this time were taken from a talk I’d given on one of my recent Buddhist discussion meetings. It was the concept of: ‘It is the heart that is important’. Happiness (the real, everlasting kind) doesn’t work outside-in; it works inside-out. So we need to work on our inner life state … More It is the heart that is important
Winters are usually a big bother for me in terms of health — I’m sneezing, sniffing and wheezing most of the time. No doubt Delhi’s pollution + cold = bad time for asthmatics, but even without the asthma, I am generally down in the dumps all through. Couple of weeks ago, I was grumbling to hubby … More Take my breath away
Death has a way of becoming a life force that weaves its presence into our everyday lives. So pervasive, so commonplace, so final and yet so fleeting. It hovers around me in a meaningful peekaboo these days. A lady I used to talk to rather often, M, is near death these days. Many years ago, … More Near death
So it has been a while since I have been having a good time — I gave up a nasty, silly job this summer and then went about reading, writing, editing, setting up websites, sleeping, eating, spending time with the family, not worrying about money, making enough money… in short, living my idea of a … More When you’re fragile and you know it
After I’d written this post about a discussion that had come up in my Gita class in the Aurobindo Ashram, my teacher called me on the phone a few days later (he’s just so amazing). “You must know that your questions in class were very important. Very important,” he began. “Not everyone knows that they … More Giving up on enlightenment
If I ever needed a reminder of the importance of the natural way of life, I just got one. I returned yesterday from a natural healing resort called Kairali in the old Kerala town of Palakkad. The resort is a sort of Ayurvedic hospital with rooms designed in special ways to maximise ease and healing, … More Un-gods of Google
Not many people actually want ‘liberation’, my spiritual teacher said today. “Ask yourself, do you really want nirvana (liberation from the cycles of life and death)? Do you really want detachment from your hundred material pursuits and relationships? Doesn’t liberation sound boring?” His words struck a chord and I sat up in my seat. “But what is … More Do we really want liberation?
Arjun is a man who doesn’t like to think too much. He wants clear instructions on what to do. The subtle layers of meanings in Krishna’s words are getting too much for him. He is perplexed. In Verse 1 of Chapter 5 of the Bhagavad Gita, he asks Krishna, “Which is the better way – … More Yoga of works
I’m sitting for an exam these days; not because I attach any particular value to collecting certificates but because I love attending classes. This is an exam on the study of Nichiren Buddhism. I attended a lecture at someone’s home recently; they’ve converted their basement into a prayer hall (excellent way of generating good karma, … More Exam time
My husband, his friend and I were having a discussion on ‘mystical’ experiences. “I have never had one,” our friend said, half regretfully. “I’ve never had one either,” my husband added, without a trace of regret. “I have one almost every day,” I said. “It depends on your definition of ‘mystical’.” Let me describe one day in … More Everyday mystical experience
A guru has found me lately. It began with a friend adding me to a Whatsapp group titled Sri M. I had no idea who this was but I was happy to receive daily nuggets of wisdom such as: What is ‘Sthita Pragna‘? One who maintains equilibrium, mental equilibrium, under all circumstances. You cannot surprise … More Guru connection
Couple of days ago, I was at a dinner party with a group of parents. One of the mothers, whose daughter and mine practically live in each others’ homes, also happens to be something of a mind-reader — she’s very highly intuitive.We chatted over dessert (I shared my weight woes due to a sweet tooth; she … More Nap time
The past few days, I’ve been trying to live like Ronnie and Miyake. Whenever there’s a little time on my hands (which is a lot now), I take a nap with my limbs sprawled out languorously. They do the same on the floor next to me. When I get up, I take a nice deep … More A dog’s life
100 Paths 