Feed your Soul, MEDITATE

Lately, with routine meditation, I've realized how much the "difficult times" are important in our lives. If we don't have sadness, we'll never pray. Sadness makes us realize life is not perfect, and neither can it be perfected by us. There's always some bigger power working silently, behind everything happening to us. It's mysterious in its own way. Call it God or Call it fate, it's up to you. So, every time we don't get what we want, we pray. Last time i was contemplating i realized, how very few people pray to God asking for forgiveness without actually committing any sin, another small number pray to him thanking him for what he has given even though the person praying doesn't even get one meal a day, and a very few pray to him because they believe he's the only TRUTH. With meditation you'll realize so many things, reason for your existence, why you laugh, why you cry, and the “virtual essence” of the real world. And with time you'll reach a stage when you will be able to see things/happenings superficially, and not get affected by the sadness/happiness factor attached to it. No, I'm not talking about death. It's experienced only if you trust, have faith in him. Advanced stages may also help you realize the hidden potentials in you, like some write poetry, draw sketches, make music etc after meditating. Meditation will straighten up the tangled thoughts.

Meditation is not the path to god, it is God. Meditation is like the food for your soul. A beautiful exemplary would be a baby, he laughs and smiles a lot although we all know he doesn’t understand a thing, neither  does he speak. Practically, he has no thoughts, yet is happy. He thoroughly enjoys the purity. But as he grows, he is made to realize "his" parents, "his" room, "his" toys; this possessiveness eventually kills the innocence. We all were babies once, with time we forget the "Speechlessness" we enjoyed in our baby-hood. Our soul cries for that silence, thoughtlessness, emptiness. Meditation helps us rejuvenate our souls and we are filled with energy. I'll talk about ways to meditate in some other post, as for now, if you really want to try meditation as a beginner, lie straight on the bed or sit in the most relaxed position and SEE the thoughts in your mind. Act as a monitor, watching and minding the thoughts. You'll be surprised to discern that how if even for 1second you stop noticing your mind, the mind starts to coagulate thoughts again. You can sit for 10-20 minutes daily in the beginning and keep augmenting the time, with time.

An year after .. .The legend Departed ..

Maqbool Fida husain born on “17^th September 1915” was an iconoclast who found the brushes to be better swords than pen or the real swords. Known as the Picasso of India, his imagination, depiction and choice of colors were impeccable. M F Husain was a brand name in the world of art, and he’ll always remain so. Some of his accolades include Padma Shri (1955),Padma Bhushan (1973) and Padma Vibhushan (1991). Although he had been the victim of several controversies which includes accusations from the shiv sena party and various other hindu samities for his depiction of hindu god and goddess in their nude forms, his movie “Meenaxi: A Tale of Three Cities” was removed from the silver screens within two days, as one of the songs played in the movie had lines from the Holy Quran which was set for the central character of the film, played by Tabu. Not only this, but also one of his painting which he did for “India Todays” a popular magazine, titled “Art for Kashmir ” in which he presented Mother India as a nude woman and her body parts as the states was protested by various organizations. Husain apologized for the same. Though the painting was denigrated yet it was sold for Rs. 80 lakhs. Ultimately as a verdict several protests were held against him throughout the country and he was forced to leave the country. Art is a global language, though India couldn’t vindicate Husain’s paintings, he was welcomed by Dubai, where he took his new citizenship and became a Qatari national. Despite of all this, Husain never blamed his origin instead he always mentioned he missed his motherland in several interviews. It is a shame for the whole nation that he died an expatriate.  It is such a pity to see people who don’t even understand art, stand against it and display meaningless aggression. Apparently India is getting famous for creating a mess out of nothing. Though the paintings might have hurt religious sentiments to some level but apparently people failed to understand their real value. These protests questioned the right to expression, right to creativity and innovation. I wish India was more supportive to artists, musicians, poets and dancers. Husain was a prolific artist and his cubist style was very popular. My dream of meeting him(ever) was buried with his burial on June 9^th 2011. He died in exile. India lost more than “just” an artist; India lost an “identity”.  One of the most celebrated and internationally recognized Indian artists of the 20th century, he also received recognition as a printmaker, photographer, and filmmaker. May he RIP.

Book Review || The Fountainhead

The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand

After finding a considerable number of reviews and praises for this book, I gave it a shot.

Honestly, neither I completely agree nor I deny with the Ayn philosophy. Although, the book has been a classic for a long time and I am pretty sure, it’ll always be intimidating for the times to come yet I partly don’t get along with the characters. The four main characters in the book are not the best, if considered individually. They all have their weak points complementing their strong points. The central character, Howard Roark,( I kept picturing Aamir Khan playing this role in my mind) : An individualist, who doesn’t believe in sharing thoughts, ideas and thinks creativity is best when it’s done individually. He is a disciplined fellow, an atheist with no religion and he does not feel pain or sorrow but considers them “merely a part of the battle”. He struggles a lot to make it big in architecture on his own but he flatters none. He loves architecture and strictly follows his own protocols, like for instance when asked how important is a client to him, he says,” I don’t intend to build in order to serve or help anyone. I don’t intend to build in order to have clients. I intend to have clients in order to build”. I found the character Dominique, Howard’s love interest, pretty preposterous; I would never want my love to suffer and I won’t let myself suffer just because my love is suffering, even if I have planned something bigger for “us”. Love means no Suffering. You are happy if your better half is happy, even if he’s so without you. Also, I do agree that creativity differs from person to person but an individualist approach is not always the best approach. Say if I have an idea, you have an idea and we both exchange, we’ll end up with two ideas. None of us are perfect; suggestions by others can help us get better, moreover whether we take the suggestions or not depend on us. Anyways, that’s my opinion, it may differ from others.

What I did like about the book is that, people who are straight forward are no doubt hated in this world. I’ve some friends who are very to the point and are always hated for being so. But the book encourages one not to lick feet just for some advantage that doesn’t even last for long. Also, the book quite vividly shows that a society is filled with all kinds of souls, good and bad and the middlemen who take the advantage. Not only this, it shows that Change is inevitable. A person is elected as something only to be replaced by someone else tomorrow. No one enjoys the prestige forever. It’s a part of life. Ayn Rand depicts how childhood plays an important role for creating the present man. The book is extremely profound and it’ll melt your heart and mind if you read it with some genuine interest. Ayn Rand creates a beautiful city with a number of characters, a number of edifices, each having a unique identity. I loved all the Toohey speeches and the last one by Roark. It’s a very long read but you’ll enjoy the ride.

Definitely, it’s a CLASSIC!

Book Review: ILLUSIONS, The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah

A MUST read, a short, precise and mystical one but very thought-provoking. The book is interesting from the very beginning if you like spiritual, philosophical reads. The story catches on with the introduction of Donald Shimoda, the messiah, the master known for his miracles who quits being a messiah to be a mechanic and a pilot who gives people rides from one farm to another for just $3. The protagonist, Richard (author of the book, Richard Bach) who also happens to be a mechanic and flies people, meets this Messiah and urges to know how to become a master. Shimoda quite interestingly answers all his queries and makes him realize that this whole world is nothing but “Illusions” and we are happy and unhappy just because we want to be so, that the earth is solid and the water is liquid because we want it to be so. If we truly believe in something it is bound to happen in an inexplicable way whether it is possible in worldly terms or not, as everything in this world is a mirage, a false set up and we can conjure anything if we want to. Richard then finds a book previously owned by Shimoda, a saviour’s manual to become the messiah and I am pretty sure you would love each and every line quoted from the manual whether you believe in God or not. Donald tells Richard that each one of us is son of God and we are not different from each other and we all are messiah if we want. The story ends with the death of Shimoda but the ending itself is the starting of the book “Illusions”.

Quoting few lines from the manual:
There is no such thing as a problem

without a gift for you in its hands.

You seek problems because you need their gifts.


A cloud does not know why it moves in just such a

direction and at such a speed, It feels an impulsion...

this is the place to go now.

But the sky knows the reasons and the patterns

behind all clouds, and you will know, too, when

you lift yourself high enough to see beyond horizons.


Don’t be dismayed at good-byes.

A farewell is necessary before you can meet again.

And meeting again, after moments or

lifetimes, is certain for those who are friends.

What the caterpillar calls the end of the world,

the master calls a butterfly.

The messiah says, “We are all. Free. To do.Whatever.We want. To do”

Book review: Love story by Erich Segal

Two things amazed me when I started with this novel. Firstly the book was so thin (only 76 pages – e-book!), a fast and an avid reader would finish it in less than 2hours, and secondly the starting, in fact the first sentence itself gave away the ending of the book, “What can you say about a twenty-five-year-old girl who died?”
Still there is something that makes go ahead and read, and when you are done with the book, it makes you believe that Love exists, Love is true and it’s so beautiful, simple and so selfless, it is much more than mere physical attraction and lust. The story is no different than any other love story, two college mates date and fall in love, go against the odds and get married, face the life’s challenges together and sail through the turbulent times, but just as they finally solve every puzzle, a bigger puzzle called as “Death” appears. It’s uncanny how the writing makes you feel the “pain” and the “love” simultaneously. A short and lively read, but efficacious indeed. If you have read Nicholas Sparks novels (a walk to remember, the last song, the notebook etc) before, this one may sound a cliché but do give it a shot.

 
A beautiful line from the book, “'Love means not ever having to say you're sorry.'”