Saturday, September 22, 2018

Abundance - redefined.

One dictionary meaning of the word abundance is 'in ample quantity.'

Feeling a sense of abundance is therefore a relative term. For a child enough pennies that he can hold in his hands is abundant, and for an adult enough pennies in a jar may not be. That is abundance in the material sense of the word.

In the philosophical sense abundance is more about the 'sense of contentedness,' than about 'plentitude.' Someone with millions may not be content and yet some will say he leads an abundant life. A millionaire may yearn to earn even more than he has and probably even more than a few generations after him will need, so abundance may never be achieved. Not necessary that millionaires do not understand abundance, many do and these are the ones who share their wealth with others with an open heart. The fulfillment they get comes from their sense of purpose and from understanding the place of wealth in the fulfillment of that purpose that goes beyond their inner circle. They acknowledge that wealth gives them the power to be inclusive, to be empathetic, and compassionate. Once they experience that they are not only millionaires but philanthropists.

An abundant life is one in which there is joy, love, and peace. Money is a part of that abundant life as it provides for a roof, food, safety and probably most importantly peace of mind. Money can also be a major reason for stress. Our relationship with money decides how we deal with money, and our sense of contentedness is a determinant of whether it brings us peace or stress. Money like all other tangible possessions is lifeless and our relationship with it is therefore one sided and completely in our control. Money does nothing to us. It is how we deal with money that affects us.

Having plenty brings joy when it is blessed with humility and gratefulness. Abundance brings love when it is sanctified with kindness and compassion; and it brings peace when it is hallowed with courage and fortitude. Abundance needs to make us inclusive and expansive otherwise no matter how much we have we will suffer from a sense of lack, of paucity.

For my personal use I choose to expand the dictionary definition of abundance - 'in ample quantity to satisfy.' If I am not content, or am yearning for more than needed, of anything - be it tangible or not - I cannot claim to be living an abundant life. It is the sense of contentedness that defines my abundant life and I can honestly say - I am not there yet. Not because I lack in anything, but because I am not yet at peace with what I do have.

I am examining my 'sense of lack' and it comes from a fear of the future. I look around at people of my generation and they are better prepared for the future than I am. This fear is rooted in the past and although I claim to live in the present, my mind is not firmly established in it. I have to regularly pull my mind away from the past and the future. Deeper introspection is called for to weed out this imaginary fear and to develop a strategy to a more secure mindset.

When I examine my life, I see that I have always had enough of everything and much more than enough of many things. The sense of lack is imaginary and completely unfounded. I have so much to be thankful for and I am grateful for all of it. Now if only I can weed the fear out of my psyche, I can truly live a life of abundance in the now. I have begun the process of contemplation on my fear and am sure this too will pass. Hopefully, soon, I will be writing about the results of that process. :)

Monday, August 13, 2018

Angels

So many angels have appeared in my life over the years. Some for a short time, some have stayed forever, but they have all played important roles in my life. The I of today is a result of all their influences and for that I am forever grateful. 

The beauty with angels is they come unannounced, do their thing in silence and step aside. They sometimes come back, though they may not have been acknowledged the first time, just because they are needed in my life again. Sometimes I have reached out to them during my time of need and they were right there to guide me, to reprimand me, to push me forward, to give me solace, to speak the truth, to provide me a shoulder or just to listen. 

Yesterday I spent my time meditating on these angels and giving them my thanks. I wanted to acknowledge them for the support they have given me in dealing with spiritual, emotional, or material issues. Some have been physically beside me, some I have yet to meet personally but am associated with through the world of technology. Some I have lost touch with, some I am in constant communication with and some others are in the periphery where they are easily accessible. 

My family has been my most unrestrained angels. Always wanting what is best for me and always expecting the best from me. They have been by my side even if I have pushed them aside in anger or frustration. They are family and also my best friends. They have made me strive to be a better person every day. Even those who were rude or abusive (am sure almost every family has some of those people) were angels in disguise, for they taught me how not to be. These were the ones who made me empathetic, as I learned first hand what being hurt actually feels like. Empathy, probably by far the most essential essence of the human existence - came because of the angels who made me cry. So, I am grateful to them too - only wish they were blessed with empathy and kindness themselves for they must be hurting deeply to so callously hurt others. 

My friends have been my strongest angels. They are the truth tellers that make me face my worst fears while embracing me so I do not crumble. My luck with friends surpasses all other good fortunes. They are the circle that forms around me and gives me strength when I am down and brings me down to earth when I am flying too high. Some of them have been tied to me like a cord that nothing can tear - non judgmental, expecting nothing in return. Some have wandered away but I will forever remain grateful to them for the part they have played in my life. 

My teachers have been my most blessed angels. They taught me not just from books, rather by demonstrating what being human was really about. I had the best teachers all through life - in schools, life coaches, spiritual teachers, advisers, and counselors. They have all left marks in me that I tap into often, for their teachings are relevant even today. They taught me what perseverance, integrity, honesty, love, compassion, charity and Truth can do for me and how I too can put these qualities forth. They form my base, the ground on which I stand firmly rooted. 

My places of work have always been an assembly line of angels. It is wondrous how much of my success is because of the people I have worked with. When I think of the trajectory of my career I am amazed that despite all my inabilities when I started off, I was able to establish myself as an asset at every job. I have to be grateful to all of the people who held me up and pushed me on and never lost faith in me. Without them by my side I would still be the clerk I started off as. 

Angels bring energy with them. This energy shifts the negative vibes out of my orbit and holds me in an aura of soothing light that makes it possible to see the truth and the good and to distance myself from anger and indifference. The energy makes me stronger, more compassionate, more confident and helps me spread love and joy. Angels come from different walks of life, under varying circumstances - they come as Messengers of the Universe and because they are needed at that exact moment. They are proof that we are all connected by an energy that binds. 

I bow down to each and every one of my Angels. You and I both know who you are. May you all have angels in your lives so you too can be surrounded by and spread out love and joy. You made a difference and I applaud you all. 





Sunday, August 12, 2018

Lovers - The Muse and The Passion


Writing has been my passion, but even this passion seems to wane at times and then it is as if the muse pouts for the passion taking a break. The muse and the passion work hand in hand and are in a relationship as two lovers. It is amusing to watch them - very much in love - but unwilling to take the first step to reconciliation. Not wanting to be the one giving in, yet being aware that in this struggle they are both losing out on something beautiful. That is when intervention becomes essential. 

Cannot let this relationship die because the two parties are being unreasonable. That would be a colossal loss as together they foster peace, joy and a sense of fulfillment for the Universe they reside in. 

As a witness to this tiff between the two I have seen the muse rise,  bring up an idea, develop a theme and want to express itself but being incapable of doing so without the cooperation of the passion. Unfortunately the passion has too many interests. These days its biggest preoccupations are the political news, soaps and web-games. The tragedy lies in the fact that these diversions bring neither joy nor peace and are not fulfilling. They simply take up time and energy and muddy the pristine environment in which the muse is best nurtured. 

Intervention would require that the distractions be put aside. A tall order in the present environment where the news cycle is so pervasive with the constant bickering caused by a warped mind set of fear. As for the soaps - they are just a way to let one feel superior to the antagonists and to identify with the protagonists - knowing fully well that this has very little to do with reality. The worst culprit though, is undoubtedly the web games. It is as if mastering the games proves something when it does no such thing. All these distractions are the mind taking control and disallowing  peace to take hold. Meditation, reading, writing, needlework bring a calmness that the ego is constantly fighting. From this calmness comes a sense of space and energy, that nurtures realization of the true potential of the mind and the spirit; and where the spirit rises the ego seems to lose its identity.

Hey, Mr Ego - you are an essential part of this Universe. I know, because you reside in me. I am your Universe. It is impossible for me to exist without you. Stop being so pushy. Lie low and watch what big things can be achieved. Taking control is a horrible habit to develop. It drains your energy, makes you fearful and no good comes out of it. Consciously let Mrs Spirit come forth. She will lovingly co-exist with you, help you regain your energy, edify you and together you will bloom.”

The muse is asleep. The passion has drained it of its energy. Now the Universe needs to collaborate with the environment to make it possible for the muse to rise, feeling loved and needed. The environment will need to be changed so the distractions can be put aside and the passion can be re-directed to open its arms to the muse. Meditation will start the process then reading and  needlework will help fill the gaps that have distanced the lovers, for the muse is inspired by the passion indulging in these calming activities. These lovers belong together and their Universe will conspire to keep them together. It must. 

Tuesday, January 30, 2018

Bringing back my Muse

My muse seems to have taken a long break. Have not written seriously for a while now and I think it is the games on my phone that are to blame for my muse taking a back seat. There is a game called '2048' that I am obsessed with. Very addictive.

So I decided to take a Right Brain/Left Brain Quiz. Even if it is not one hundred percent accurate the results tell me I have some balancing to do.



Right Brain/ Left Brain Quiz

Left Brain Dominance:
11(11)
Right Brain Dominance:
6(6)

Right Brain/ Left Brain Quiz



For the next few months I am going to stay away from games like Sudoku and 2048. Instead I will read and write more, listen to music, meditate and bring more balance into my life. My job needs me to deal with numbers and make logical decisions on a daily basis. My leisure needs, from now on, to be dabbling with some creative work that is not repetitive in nature. Crocheting also requires me to count more than create - maybe I should design a new pattern, instead of working on patterns designed by others.

Words have always been my friend and I am taking them for granted, as I know that the flow will come naturally the moment I apply myself to writing every day. I pledge to write at least a page a day, even if it is gibberish.

What stopped me from writing a few months ago was the sense that what was wanting to be penned was not what I wanted people to read. The words were dark and negatively charged. These do not characterize who I want to portray myself as, to the world. Pain is a part of life. When that pain is inflicted on you there needs to be an outlet so you can heal. My outlet has always been words. I have written about pain and healing but what I did write was not reflective of what I really wanted to say. It was generic and did not delve into my emotional, visceral reactions. If I do express on paper what I want to, it may prove to be both shocking and hurtful to some. I, therefore, made a conscious choice not to commit it to paper. That meant that I plugged the pathway that my expressions pour out of. Instead I filled the channel with numbers, math, logic, and reasoning. All good things, but I kept some of the more beautiful aspects of life out. 

Expect more posts on my blog, friends. I am still not sure what I will post here but please do bear with me.

Thank you for continuing to visit. Back again soon. 

46 years ago - today.

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