This Philosophy of HATE

What better time to talk about it? It's this time in history that's living proof. Our collective hearts are 'officially' rife with hatred.

Social media has give a platform to hateful voices and sentiments. Its so easy to peddle hate.
Hate has become our de-facto response to any negative emotions we're feeling. No matter what's wrong, there's someone else to blame and someone else to hate. Blame religions. Blame nationalities. Blame progressive thought. Blame humanity or the lack of it.

But that's not to blame. Our hearts are tainted. Our minds are corrupt. Our conscience is ripe with the decay of purely selfish thought. "MINE", I hear my toddler yell the moment his territory is challenged by another little human grabbing his toys. It's his neanderthal instinct that kicks in. I'm told, as the human mind grows and starts to stabilize the neural connections by Age. 5

By converse logic, does it mean that our mature human minds are actually disintegrating and degressing into its neanderthal state? 

Frangipani Spirals

This lush, green paradise sparkled with turquoise shores,

Spellbinding for as far as the eye can behold,

What mysteries lie in its deep fold,

So vastly different but from such a familiar mould.

The same cool breeze, swelling up my hair into an untamed frenzy...

Turning all hurried thoughts into a hush like a mother's decadent lullaby.

And the blissful frangipani, fragrant, punctuating the black night with white dots,

Something so pure, so spiritual 

Turning my soul into a swirling dervish's.

Homogeneous Humans

This evening riding in my uber in a rather sullen mood (leaving my baby alone for a week), I struck a conversation with the driver. A spirited Lebanese man, we spoke about my trip and Beirut -food, politics, random trivia before he completely caught off guard with such a beautiful thought. 

Commenting on the coming together of people and cultures he said, the world is heading towards a phase where no two humans will look too different. There will be no black and white, just a beautiful kind of brown! Isn't it true and isn't it a beautiful thought. It made me smile. 

Inshallah!

Jugnee

(Writing this note from my iPhone intoxicated by the Kauai waters and a Lomi Lomi massage on the beach...so there's bound to be an impact of that madness called 'life')

At these turquoise water shores I found my other self (an alter ego, a spirit animal ...whatever name you give it) and it's a firefly (a glow bug).

Jugnee- "Jugni/ Jugnee (Punjabi/Gurumukhi: ਜੁਗਨੀ, Hindi: जुगनी, Urdu: جگنی) is a Punjabi word which literally means a female firefly. (Jugnu = Firefly)

However, coming to poetry, Jugni has a specific figurative importance, as the word is used for an observer from whose perspective the poetry is written, as well as the spirit of life, the essence of life in spiritual poetry."

I've grown up the elder sibling (the eldest and first generation child on both sides of the family), always the responsible one, the wise one who knows how to pick the right path and stick with it. Who guides everyone that needs an anchor. The one your friends' mom trusts always. In it, always the expectation of perfection and the joy that brings to everyone. I loved that part to play, still do. But I'm not defined by it or obliged to be a role model (not anymore). In that sense, I've been a jugnee since I've known myself.

And the other part of me...the free spirit, the creative self that knows no boundaries. That believes everything is possible. That looks at mundane everyday things and can find magic in them and if not, turn it to magic. Who sings and dances to the beat of another world. Who can protect her loved ones from harms way. Who knows there are things waiting to be explored outside of this being...who is a gypsy soul. There's the jugnee!

The years, experiences, and just life in general jaded the jugnee spirit in me a little. It was faded not lost. I'm happy to report the finding of this self. And to that end, here's a song dedicated to me!!

https://youtu.be/gjaH2iuoYWE

From Someplace Else

A lucid confirmation, sometimes sublime, I know you from someplace else.
Somewhere before the count of time. Somewhere beyond my comprehension of this world and its fates.

Channeling that Inner Bodhisatva

A few Sundays ago I decided to convert my online google-informed education of Buddhism into a more formal experience. I went in for the 'world peace chanting' session at a local center of worship.

It was surreal to feel the peace and love at the center right upon setting foot inside. It was there and it enveloped me immediately. The people were so kind and courteous (almost felt like model-human-behavior) but as I walked further in, the sounds of collective chanting just transported me into such a peaceful and happy place. Childlike happiness. The epitome of zen.

For the uninitiated, Buddhism believes in the inherent goodness of each individual and prescribes a path to channel this 'boddhisatva' spirit. In simplistic terms, good intent and a regular practice can be an effective tool to bring out your gifts. I am in agreement with the basic philosophy- 'as much of the universe is within you as is outside of you'. I followed the basic chants and couldn't believe that zero cynicism surfaced from my mind at the end of 15mins. Here's where I generally start analyzing and creating some thought battles/comparisons etc. Nothing. Shunya. Zero. The musical gongs and the architecture of the center plus hundreds of people chanting together was just a perfect moment.

But humans ruin beautiful things by giving it the color of "practiced religion". Very soon the emphasis shifted from basic B teachings to their sensei's (master/leader) adoration. That's where I lost the plot and switched off. There was a lot of "salse-y" effort to have me join their practice and commit to it which I did not like and which in-fact shut out the magic for me.

I did leave with a wonderful book and turquoise beads and strengthened by the belief that all religions teach the same path of spiritual enlightenment. I do chant when I find time. I've taught my two (soon to be three) year old as well and I love our joint chanting sessions.

I'm further along my path. Everyday brings some new discoveries. The coincidences and mad serendipity have increased many-fold. My universe talks to me everyday and I'm confident some day I will actually be able to listen and understand.

So Buddhism is for my heart. Just not committed to it as a religion today.
'Nam Myo -Ho Renge Kyo'

p.s. Buddha started on his path of enlightenment after witnessing the fragility of life - old age, sickness and death. Nothing's changed so many moons later really.

Purple Smoke

Like the sun's warm rays on a deep winter morning,

Like the first soothe of caffeine when you're weary; on the last leg of being,

Like the mild sting of tincture before the wound heals,

You're the first wet rings on the mahogany and the first drifts of purple smoke!

Untitled

This beautifully soul-crafted elixir, the illusive promise of eternal uplift.

Not the flippant fancy of the physical plane.

Transcribing between myriad forms, sometimes in perfect synchronized harmony at others what seems the rant of malady.

An ocean to contain within but a calm despite the swelling tide,

Pressing deep against the seams of self-belief and causal logic.

The fabric of time and space falls rich & luxuriously like a thick velvet curtain.

The many mysteries my cellular body knows but the mind won't help decipher.

To the ultimate of all of the universe's conspiracies, I humbly submit and my soul knows no greater empowerment yet!