ONCE UPON A TIME

Circa 1987 A.D. The future blogger with his first email ID and no one to connect to; sitting in awe, in the land of clouds (Shillong, Meghalaya, India).

IN DEFENSE OF THE NAMELESS AND FACELESS GOD

I often wondered if God forgot to create food for the creatures so that they can survive without violating others. Take for example, the world of the animals where might is the only right and food only means the taking of life of other animals for even surviving for a day. The cardinal natural law seems to be that of extinguishing life by devouring it and in turn get the space to be alive. Whether it is the plants or the animals or the birds or any other forms of life including man; it can not exist without the destruction of some other life forms. It seems as if all are part of each other and must compete for their being at the cost of others. It appears to the only way the life forms can proliferate and virtually have no other alternatives left with them. The decimation or annihilation of life rests on primordial drives like hunger, fear, procreation, competition, domination and the like. It is so savage that at times I shudder to admit that all these were designed by a higher power called God who is considered to be divine and compassionate. Further, it appears totally out of place to attribute the savage ugliness of the world to a supreme power that ought to be most benevolent and intelligent, if we are to accept that that he alone is the cause of the creation and he is the ultimate destination. How can such a supreme holiness be the cause of the deluges that are enacted by the beings without a pause? Or should we say that death, destruction, obliteration and therefore violence are the ways of the God?
What is true for the so called lower forms of animals is equally true for the humans, except that we perpetuate it in his name and supposedly in his direction while, the animals do it without admitting him. As a first act, we crown ourselves as the sons and daughters of the divine by various devious means and set out to tear him apart into several parts claiming each to be the real one. Thereafter, we set out to finish each other—even better than the lower forms of animals who do not claim his ancestry. For man God is nothing than an orgasm, but a gory one. And God, an abandoned and much much abused and tortured orphan.
It would have been better, if God would have never existed or may be he actually exists not except in our imagination. But if really somewhere out there, than he is certainly beyond understandings for he ought to be right and is responsible for the happenings that remain beyond the qualification of any one.
As an agnostic-atheist-spiritualist; still, I do believe in him (though, admittedly I do not know his name or qualities) and want to respect each and every components of the creation by accepting that religion means just few simple things like respecting others, finding unity with others and fostering peace, non-violence and love by accepting that the realities are temporal and transient. The world of ours simply binds us together and we interchange—merge and emerge from each other as souls and bodies finally becoming the eternal nothingness.

FAITH NEVER DIES

The bigots and scoundrels infest the promised kingdom of God to engage in protracted conspiracy to subdue the voice of sanity of humanity by drawing their machetes and daggers by the dense nights singing the high pitched hymns to draw blood of the innocents in the hope that as the preferred agents and middlemen of their respective God(s) and prophets a hallucinogenic heaven is their rewards. These are the self appointed racketeers and marketers and profit-bookers who swear by the sacred scriptures to desecrate their brother’s and sister’s, mother’s and father’s innocence, compassion, affection and love to plunder their small destinies to build their clandestine sacred empires. They say that they are divinely authorized to loot, plunder, erase, defile and deface the gods and their adherents to prove the righteousness of their holy illusions. Neither they have shame nor do they have fear of their creator(s) that supposedly they represent. In the name of salvation, these traders of death and destruction plunge the earth to darkness and bring miseries for everyone. Faith never dies and the rabid dogmas never take anyone beyond a grave, atop which the little flowers of hope always bloom.

INHALE AND EXHALE TO HEALTH AND HIGHER CONSCIOUSNESS

Pranayam, refers to a number of associated age-old traditional techniques through which one can regulate and make his/her breathing normal, systematic and rhythmic. It fills the individual with life-force and maintains the homeostasis of the body. In Hindu Yoga scriptures, the inhaled air is considered as the Prana or life force that sustains any living being.
Inhalation and exhalation of the pure air, if done in the right manner, can increase the vital forces of our body and free us from most of the sufferings arising out of consciously or unconsciously induced imbalances that ultimately manifests as diseases in us. These are the Vikaras (aberrations) which can be effectively contained by means of proper and right food (Ahara), living and lifestyle (Vihara), and thought (Vichara). Simultaneously, the Vicaras are to be corrected to have the desired results.
Pranayam is soothing and beneficial to all though there are certain restrictions that should be taken into account, as well. When one practices Pranayam regularly his/her life-forces are adequately reinforced and the individual experiences calmness, tranquility and enters an exalted state of well-being. It conserves and increases the inner strength and stamina by optimizing the immune system. Due to correct breathing of pure air, the intake of oxygen reaches its optimum level and the inner impurities are expelled adequately as per the actual constitutional requirements of the individual. Thus, it helps the body to remain healthy and robust. The creative faculty increases manifold that aids the practitioners of Pranayam to cope with the environment in an intelligent manner. Almost all the cells of our body remain completely recharged and therefore, the individual is less likely to contact any psycho-somatic diseases. Through Pranayam, the existing diseases can also be contained and the healing time, shortened to a great extent. It has been observed that the ageing process of the body can be considerably slowed down with a corresponding increase in the lifespan of the individual. Since Pranayam positively improves the functioning of the vital organs, the regeneration processes are quickly set in, in an integrated manner, thereby accelerating the pace of healing. It further acts as a natural rejuvenator of the body and mind as well as the spiritual aspects of an individual gets nourished. Pranayam connects and reconnects the individual to the environment at several levels, starting from the self itself. Therefore, the innate and manifest conflicts are resolved or minimized which paves ways for growth and development of the persona.
There are several well-defined time tested Pranayam techniques that can be very easily perfected through enjoyable and joyous practice sessions of short duration. Anyone desirous of balancing his/her body, mind and wants to experience expansive bliss and happiness to share it with others or enter the planes of spiritualism (ascetic or non-ascetic) can find it useful.
It is also believed that the Chakras or the principal energy centers of the body and mind can also be energized through the right practice of Pranayam techniques. The Yogis harness the energy of Kundalini by lifting it upward through the path of the spinal cord, to a rare state of Samadhi.
As with everything else, Pranayam should also be done properly to get its full benefits. Though, most of the techniques are very easy to learn and practice, the beginners should first gain knowledge of the techniques from an enlightened Yoga teacher who in principle ‘gives’ it to the seekers without commercial considerations. All the instructions given by the teacher should be followed in right earnest and must not be taken lightly. For the starter, it is better to practice the recommended Pranayam in group situation because the combined vibration would benefit all the participants that may not be available to them if they do it alone, at least in the beginning stage. Doing Pranayam also purifies the atmosphere and increases its effects, even at homes.
An individual who is practicing Pranayam has also to the adjustment to his lifestyle that is compatible and not in conflict with himself/herself or with the very noble spirit of the exercise by following certain prescribed principles of living. However, this has absolutely nothing to do with a person’s religious domain but chiefly concerns his/her thoughts, habits and preferences of life and living. Most importantly, it dwells on his ‘being’. One’s inner voices are as important as the external imperatives and prerogatives or priorities or principles. If someone decides to improve, heal himself/herself, develop or evolve; than he/she can take to Pranayam and gain immensely. But, it has to be remembered that certainly, Pranayam is neither miracle nor magic but a natural way that completely agrees with the cardinal principles of nature itself (and of course therefore, that of the higher power and will of God—whatever may be his/her name and shape). It prepares one to scale higher and higher in his/her sojourn of eternal quest. In order to accrue the positive benefits of Pranayam, one needs to have patience, perseverance, resolve and faith—in himself/herself and in the higher consciousness.

GRIEVE NOT FOR THE LOSS...

Grieve not for the loss nor rejoice on your fortune for they are the trifles and transient like the toys of your childhood and would not last for the next while or may be you yourself would not need them at all by the next daybreak. Everything, the happenings and you are but the complementary illusions believed to be the justifiable living, though in essence, they are not and are a pack of cards for the convenience of dangerous gambling. Assure yourself therefore not of heaven which baffles even the most righteous, yet the staple for the stupid and naiveté but the sufferings of the hell in knowing that it is better to debunk the unforeseeable comfort of the engulfing darkness that duplicates for the lights.