Tag: the speaking tree

What’s Up, Watson?

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Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson went on a camping trip. After a good meal, they lay down for the night and went to sleep. Some hours later, Holmes woke up and nudged his faithful friend. “Watson, look up at the sky and tell me what you see.” Watson replied, “I see

millions and millions of stars.” “What does that tell you?” enquired Holmes. Watson pondered for a minute: “Astronomically, it tells me that there are millions of galaxies and potentially billions of planets. Astrologically, Saturn is in Leo. Horologically, I deduce that the time is approximately a quarter past three. Theologically, I can see that God is all powerful and that we are small and insignificant. Meteorologically, I suspect that we will have a beautiful clear day tomorrow. What does it tell YOU?” Holmes was silent for a minute then spoke. “Watson, you idiot, some fellow has stolen our tent.”

The Speaking Tree, Page No: 06, 27, March, 2011

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Spread Ripples Of Love

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Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu once visited Vrindavan, where he observed the Holi festival. After his return to bengal, he pondered deeply and decided to introduce the festival but in a different form. It came to be known as Dolyatra.
What is the significance of Dolyatra? Winter is over, and people are active once again. They plan to do so many things for the benefit of society. Similarly, when they think of Krishna, their minds are filled with joy. The very thought of Krishna produces ripples of joy in people’s minds, and these vibrations of joy also produce a corresponding vibration in Krishna’s mind. They think, “Oh Krishna, i love you – but you also loveme, that i know.” In this way the ripples of joy in their own minds also create vibrations of joy in His mind.
Shri Chaitanya said to his followers, “Go to the Krishna temple on that day, and apply red powder and red colour to Krishna. Then you should play with the red powder and colour amongst yourselves.” And those who gave red powder and colour to others would also feed them with malpoa, the delectable sweet. So it is neither Holi festival nor Phaguya – it is the Dolyatra of Shri Krishna.
In the days of Mahaprabhu, the prevailing rule was to seek the prior permission of the person to whom you were going to give the red powder. If that person gave permission, then only could you smear him with coloured powder, and then treat them to malpoa.
In Sanskrit there are two similar words: varna and raga. Though the meanings are approximately the same, they are not completely synonymous. Varna means colour, what is called rang in Bengali. But the word varna does not indicate the colour which will colour other objects as well; an object has its own colour but its colour may not necessarily dye other objects. But the word raga menas that particular colour which can dye other objects also. So the inner spirit of the science of colour in Vaishnavi Tantra is this – that each and every expression of this universe has its own rhythm, its own vibration, its own sound, and its own colour, and thus it has its own form as well. And as it has its own sound, it has a particular sweetness of its own.
When Tantra was first formulated, there was only one science of tantra; but later various cults emerged according to their respective philosophical viewpoints. Each had a different name although their inner spirit was the same: for instance, Buddha tantra, Jaina tantra and, in later times, Shaiva tantra, Shakta tantra, Ganapatiya tantra and Vaishnaviya tantra. The inner idea of Vaishnaviya tantra is that there is form and colour – both raga and varna – in the rhythmic expressioins of Param Purusha, and those cosmic rhythms also have a sweet sonic vibration.
The sonic vibration is instrmental in giving expression to various other forms in this universe as well. To find the answer to questions of “why”, just as the devotees run towards His sonic expression which the Vaishnavas call His flute sound, they also run towards the expressions of His colour. They thin, i will colour my mind with the same colour in which He manifests Himself before me, and move towards Him. If i can colour my mind in His colour, i will be very close to Him.

The Speaking Tree, Page: 18, 19, March, 2011
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Colour Everything With Love

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The purpose of meditation is to look inword, to reach a state of inner spirisoul’s connectedness with God and all life. We are strengthened by the fearlessness that comes with identifying with soul. e live in the knowledge that we are immortal. By looking inword, we go to the source of wisdom from which all outer knowledge is derived. Through meditation we can go beyond the door of death to meet the bliss and beauty that await us beyond. We no longer live in fear of death.
Saints who have seen past this world say that death is not something to fear, but something to embrace. Kabir said, “The death of which other people are afraid is a surce of happiness for me. It is only with death that I attain everlasting bliss.” St Teresa of Avila has said of death, “I do not die. I enter into life.”
For enlightened beings, life as we know it on earth is sleep. Death and entry into the kingdom of God is waking up. St Paul said, “Oh death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?”
Behind many fears is the fear of loss, pain and death. Having experienced our immortality, our fears begin to dissolve. The soul, in its state of oneness with the Lord, fears nothing. It only fears ignorance of that oneness. In reality, sin is merely ignorance of truth. Sin means being unaware of God and the lows of truth and love that govern all the universes. It is a simple formula: virtue is what brings us closer to God, sin or evil takes us away from God.
If we walk on the path of righteousness, observing the laws of non-violence, truthfulness, chastity, humility and selfless service and spending time in our spiritual practices of meditation, then we have nothing to fear in this world or in the beyond.
When we see the same Light that is within our soul in all other soulds, we experience connectedness with all forms of life. With such a bond of unity, we realise that all beings are members of our family and life becomes one joyous reunion with everyone we meet.
The joy of family gatherings extends to the whole of humanity. Love permetes all our dealings because we are among our universal familty and friends. By journeying within, we can reach this state and consider all creation our familty and all places our home.
Unending bliss is ours when we look inward. Sufi saint Shamas-iTabrez offers a glimpse into this state of bliss: “Please do not ask me about my inner state of being. My senses, intellect and sould are intoxicated, and they have achieved a permanent bliss of intoxication. The roots of these trees are drinking the secret wine of love. Have patience, because one day you too will wake up into this state of intoxication. In my mind, there is a festival of intoxication. Feel the effect of the wine of Divine Love, so that even the walls and door are intoxicated.”
When we are in love with an earthly beloved, the whole world takes on the colour of love. We see things as rosy and blissful. Similarly, when in a state of bliss from within, it colours the whole world in bliss. We then see ecstasy wherever we look.

The Speaking Tree, Page: 18, 18, March, 2011
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No Trouble

The carpenter I hired to help me restore an old farmhouse had just finished a rough first day on the job. A flat tire made him lose an hour, his electric saw quit, and now his ancient pickup truck refused to start. While I drove him home, he sat in stony silence. On arriving, he invited me in to meet his family. As we walked toward the front door, he paused briefly at a small tree, touching the tips of the branches with both hands, When opening the door he underwent an amazing transformation. His tanned face was wreathed in smiles and he hugged his two small children and gave his wife a kiss. Afterward he walked me to the car. We passed the tree and my curiosity got the better of me. I asked him about what I had seen him do earlier. “Oh, that’s my trouble tree,” he replied. “I know I can’t help having troubles on the job, but one thing’s for sure– troubles don’t belong in the house with my wife and the children. So I just hang them on the tree every night when I come home. Then in the morning I pick them up again.” he smiled, “When I come out in the morning to pick ’em up, there ain’t nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night before.”

Be A Wave Of Strength

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As you think so you become. Thought is powerful… The food for the self is thought. So, choose thoughts as one chooses healthy food. A wrestler went to a master complaining that in private he could beat his own master but in public match he could not win over even the weakest. The master told him to sit in front of an ocean and become the wave. He sat down and meditated…slowly he could visualise that he was a powerful wave. From then onwards, he won all public matches.. Our thinking takes shape from mental pictures that we have… To become conscious of our mental picture is part of wise living. — Swami Sukhabodhananda

The Speaking Tree, Page: 8, 13, June, 2010
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It’s A Flower

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The heart is like a flower. Unless it is open it cannot release its fragrance into the world. The fragrance of the heart is made up of the qualities and virtues of our spirit. Most of us have learned how to keep our heart closed in a world that would trample all over us if we let it. Being open-hearted today requires tremendous courage. It is a courage which comes only when we realize that no one can hurt us, no matter what they say or do.

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Live The Quantum Mind

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The mindset we have has not helped us. It has led us to a mediocre reality. It has led us to acceptiong a reality that is full of suffering and pain.
We need something that is fulfilling, something that we can enjoy. Bliss will be the character of that existence. When can humanity as a whole get that reality? Is it impossible? No, it’s not impossible. It is the very nature of our existence to be in bliss, to be in symmetry.
In quantum physics, they call it ‘super symmetry’. There is super symmetry — at the particle level. Super symmetry is when everything is in perfect condition, but then we are far from that kind of reality. But we cannot access this reality if the mind is functioning in the same way as it is now. It has to function from a different level. And what is that level, where there is no knowledge, no ignorance.
All that we need to do is not gain anything more than what we have. As a matter of fact, it is a matter of losing what we have. Losing our ego, which is your ‘i’ consciousness, is the culprit.
Then there is maya which is again the mind functioning at a very gross level. Maya is only seeing material reality. You look at a banana but the banana is not the ultimate reality. The banana is composed of particles. Do we see any particles in the banana? We don’t. We only see the banana whether it is a green banana, a ripe banana, small banana, or long banana. So, the bottom line: we don’t see the ultimate constituent of the banana fruit which are a bunch of paticles, but we only see a gross reality of the banana fruit.
Our consciousness has been trapped to process only gross realities. The quantum mind gives the ability to process quantum realities. We have to process quantum realities beause it is the most powerful reality. It has infinite freedom, energy and intelligence. We should all embrace that quantum reality.
In the 15th century in south India Arunagirinathar lived a very licentious life; he developed a dreadful disease and he didn’t want to live anymore. He climbed up the temple tower and then jumped off. Then the story goes that Muruga, son of Shiva, took a form of the old man and then held him while he was falling down from the tower .
He put him down and then said to him: “Be still without words.” And his mind stopped, there were no words, there was no mind. As soon as the mind stopped, what happend was he was in a quantum reality of nothingness. And in that nothingness, he experienced a feeling of “fullness”.
Everyone is going through only the gross molecular intelligence. We have no access to this quantum mind. As soon as Muruga told Arunagirinathar “be still without words” he lost his ignorance and lost his knowledge, too. Both are two extremes. When these two extremes of knowledge and ignorance were lost, he was able to understand everything without any reference point. At the time, what happened was he developed omniscience, omnipresence, omnipotence.
Nothing was impossible at that time when he found that he was in that quantum mind. Is it possible for everyone to attain this quantum mind? Yes it is.

The Speaking Tree, Page: 22, 10, Feb, 2011

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Natural And Slow

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Slowing down has never been more relevant than in today’s world. Forcing things to happen has become a way of life for many people, and the end result often falls short of their expectations, for sense of fulfillment eludes them. One doesn’t have to look far for inspiration to slow down. Take cues from nature. We must learn to tune our wayward minds to nature’s rhythm. Just as day changes to night, and yin energy transforms into yang, we must understand there is a time for every action. For instance, you can’t force the sun to rise early; it will take its time, but when it comes, it does so in splendour. Slowing down lies at the heart of Taoist philosophy. It is the very antithesis of being tense. So, whatever the activity that you are engaged in, learn to relax and you will accomplish your goal in time. The timeless principle of moderation is central to any t’ai chi movement. Wastful action is a cardinal sin. One of the fundamental rules of this ancient martial art is that you should perform a movement to 70 per cent of your potential, for going for 100 per cent sows the seeds of strees and tension, and your body starts experiencing fear and anxiety without you being aware of it. You lose your equilibrium and end up straining your body, which your opponent can use to his advantage. Deadlines increase pressure and reduce joy. The goal of meeting them keeps everybody on their toes, stunting free-flowing creativity.

Concentrate on planning ahead; this can help you tap into your lateral powers — imagination and judgement. Also, cultivate a reflective mood, running through the day’s events at the end of the day. This is where practising t’ai chi, yoga, reflection, and silence can help.

All you need is regular practise and a positive intent. In the words of Confucius: “It doesn’t matter how slowly you go, so long as you don’t stop.”

–Sensei Sandeep Desai

The Speaking Tree, Page: 02, 6, Feb, 2011

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Open Heart, Open Mind

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Shed your bias if you want to lead a life of bliss, writes STUTI MALHOTRA

You will agree that life dishes out different kinds of challenges to different people. Everyone has to face difficulties, problems, setbacks at some point or the other. My life appear to be one long-drawn out struggle. Like most people, everytime I faced at yet another problem that sapped my patience and forbearance, I asked myself in despair: Why me? Why can’t life ever be smooth and hassle-free? These questions seemed to have no answers.
Being a religious person in the traditional sense of the word, I concluded that God was unhappy with me. So I made every effort to please Him. But I got no response. Was I dialling a wrong number?
As time passed, I began to lose faith in someone who could not answer my questions and lead me to a more meaningful life. I resolved to find the answer myself. To set my mind at rest, I became a seeker.

Life Is A Test
In the course of my journey as a seeker, I discovered the Creation Plan of God. According to the plan, life is a test and its many problems are part of that test. Once the test comes to an end marked by death, we are either rewarded or punished, in accordance with our deeds.
This world is like an examination hall where a student, with all the freedom to write whatever he wants, takes tests. It is only the result which determines his future. The student is made to confront pleasant and unplesant situations — all meant only to test him. His response determines the life to come.
This was a logic to which my mind yielded without questioning. Everything fell into place. In the framework based on this ideology, I discovered that all phenomena of life were well-explained. To an explanation-seeking entity called man, only true reasoning can initiate him into the process that will eventually help him to discover his Creator.

God Is Generous
I desired little, but God gave me much; for what can be greater in this world than a satisfied mind? It is said, ‘Ask God not for a specific thing but pray to Him to bestow upon you what He deems best’. It is possible that while you might be praying for a small car, God may wish to bless you with a luxury vehicle such as a Rolls Royce!

Looking back, I want to thank God for having granted me the ability to understand and acknoweldge the answers that were presented to me.

I have come to realise that you become receptive to the wisdom of life only when you free yourself of biases. If you are unable to shed your bias, you become a dwarf thinker. It is important to live with an open heart and mind, so that you can think beyond your conditioning and discard inhibition and fear. When you discover the meaning of life, God Himself undergoes a transformation. This metamorphosis develops your personality and helps you to grow spiritually. It also helps you achieve material success.

The Speaking Tree, Page: 05, 6, Feb, 2011,

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I Love You

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It was a busy morning, approximately 8:30 am, when an elderely gentleman in his 80s, arrive to have stitches removed from his thumb. He stated that he was in hurry as he had an appointment at 9 am. I took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour before someone would be able to see him. I saw him look at his watch and decided, since I was not busy with another patient, I would evaluate his wound. On examination, it seemed to have been healing well, so I talked to one of the doctors, got the needed supplies to remove his sutures and re-dressed his wound. While taking care of his wound, we began to engage in conversation. I asked him if he had another doctor’s appointment this morning, as he was in such a hurry. The gentleman told me no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife. I then inquired about her health. He told me that she had been there for a while and that she was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. As we talked, I asked if she would be upset if he was a bit late. He replied that she no longer knew who he was, that she had not recognised him in five years now. I was surprised, and asked him, “And you still go every morning, even though she doesn’t know who you are?” He smiled as he patted my hand and said, “She doesn’t know me, but I still know who she is.”
I had to hold back tears as he left, I had goosebumps on my arm, and thought, “That is the kind of love I want in my life.”

“Love has no other desire but to fulfil itself. To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night. To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving.” – Kahlil Gibran

The Speaking Tree, Page: 04, 6, Feb, 2011

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