Be Where You Are – #JustBeYou

When you are crying, friend,
Forget why you are crying,
And just let tears flow.

When you are laughing,
Forget the reason for laughter,
And laugh anyway.

When you are angry,
Just for a moment
Forget what made you angry,
And honor - even celebrate -
the raw, burning, throbbing sensations
in your body.

Come closer.
Be present.
Honor what is alive in you.

Let powerful energies move without a story, without blame, without judgement, without resistance.

(Yet allow resistance too
if that is what's alive in you.)

Know yourself as LIFE -
The unconditional space
for it all.

~ Jeff Foster

#justbeyou

The Prophet

The Prophet (Gibran).jpg

The Prophet is a book of 26 prose poetry fables written in English by the LebaneseAmerican poet and writer Kahlil Gibran. It was originally published in 1923 by Alfred A. Knopf. It is Gibran’s best known work. The Prophet has been translated into over 100 different languages, making it one of the most translated books in history, and it has never been out of print.

Proving that there is no connection between cost and value, it’s currently only Rs 79 on Amazon and it’s not hard to find a copy online. It’s a beautiful work, but we wanted to particularly highlight the chapter on work, reproduced here in its entirety.

On Work

Then a ploughman said, “Speak to us of Work.”

And he answered, saying:

You work that you may keep pace with the earth and the soul of the earth.

For to be idle is to become a stranger unto the seasons, and to step out of life’s procession, that marches in majesty and proud submission towards the infinite.

When you work you are a flute through whose heart the whispering of the hours turns to music.

Which of you would be a reed, dumb and silent, when all else sings together in unison?

But I say to you that when you work you fulfil a part of earth’s furthest dream, assigned to you when that dream was born,

Always you have been told that work is a curse and labour a misfortune.

And in keeping yourself with labour you are in truth loving life,

And to love life through labour is to be intimate with life’s inmost secret.

But if you in your pain call birth an affliction and the support of the flesh a curse written upon your brow, then I answer that naught but the sweat of your brow shall wash away that which is written.

You have been told also life is darkness, and in your weariness you echo what was said by the weary.

And I say that life is indeed darkness save when there is urge,

And all urge is blind save when there is knowledge,

And all knowledge is vain save when there is work,

And all work is empty save when there is love;

And when you work with love you bind yourself to yourself, and to one another, and to God.

And what is it to work with love?

It is to weave the cloth with threads drawn from your heart, even as if your beloved were to wear that cloth.

It is to build a house with affection, even as if your beloved were to dwell in that house.

It is to sow seeds with tenderness and reap the harvest with joy, even as if your beloved were to eat the fruit.

It is to charge all things you fashion with a breath of your own spirit,

And to know that all the blessed dead are standing about you and watching.

Often have I heard you say, as if speaking in sleep, “he who works in marble, and finds the shape of his own soul in the stone, is a nobler than he who ploughs the soil.

And he who seizes the rainbow to lay it on a cloth in the likeness of man, is more than he who makes the sandals for our feet.”

But I say, not in sleep but in the over-wakefulness of noontide, that the wind speaks not more sweetly to the giant oaks than to the least of all the blades of grass;

And he alone is great who turns the voice of the wind into a song made sweeter by his own loving.

Work is love made visible.

And if you cannot work with love but only with distaste, it is better that you should leave your work and sit at the gate of the temple and take alms of those who work with joy.

For if you bake bread with indifference, you bake a bitter bread that feeds but half man’s hunger.

And if you grudge the crushing of the grapes, your grudge distils a poison in the wine.

And if you sing though as angels, and love not the singing, you muffle man’s ears to the voices of the day and the voices of the night.

Mother Earth is Healing – A Wonderful write up by Vivienne in Spain

Healing Mother Earth - a poem by artyjules - All Poetry

The earth whispered but you did not hear.

The earth spoke but you did not listen

The earth screamed but you turned her off.

And so I was born…I was not born to punish you…I was born to awaken you…

The earth cried out for help…Massive flooding..But you didn’t listen.

Burning fires. But you didn’t listen.

Strong hurricanes. But you didn’t listen.

Terrifying Tornadoes. But you didn’t listen.

You still don’t listen to the earth when.

Ocean animals are dying due to pollutants in the waters.

Glaciers melting at an alarming rate.

Severe drought…You didn’t listen to how much negativity the earth is receiving.

Non-stop wars.

Non-stop greed.

You just kept going on with your life..

No matter how much hate there was..

No matter how many killings daily..

It was more important to get that latest iPhone than worry about what the earth was trying to tell you..

But now I am here.

And I’ve made the world stop in its tracks.

I’ve made YOU finally listen.

I’ve made you take refuge.

I’ve made you stop thinking about materialistic things..

Now you are like the earth…

You are only worried about YOUR survival.

How does that feel ?

I give you fever.. as the fires burn on earth.

I give you respiratory issues.. as pollution filled the earth’s air.

I give you weakness as the earth weakens every day.

I took away your comforts..

Your outings.

The things you would use to forget about the planet and its pain.

And I made the world stop..

And now…

China has better air quality…Skys are clear blue because factories are not spewing pollution unto the earth’s air.

The water in Venice is clean and Because the gondola boats that pollute the water are not being used.

YOU are having to take time to reflect on what is important in your life.

Again I am not here to punish you.. I am here to Awaken you..

When all this is over and I am gone… Please remember these moments..

Listen to the earth.

Listen to your soul.

Stop Polluting the earth.

Stop Fighting amongst each other.

Stop caring about materialistic things.

And start loving your neighbours.

Start caring about the earth and all its creatures.

Start believing in a Creator.

Because next time I may come back even stronger…

Signed

Yours faithfully

Coronavirus..

And next time don’t know how long you will survive.

News - Diocese of Hamilton

Source: Internet / whatsapp


Shrimad Bhagwad Gita : Ch9 verse 8

प्रकृतिं स्वामवष्टभ्य विसृजामि पुन: पुन: |

भूतग्राममिमं कृत्स्नमवशं प्रकृतेर्वशात् || 8||

prakṛitiṁ svām avaṣhṭabhya visṛijāmi punaḥ punaḥ

bhūta-grāmam imaṁ kṛitsnam avaśhaṁ prakṛiter vaśhāt

The whole cosmic is under Me. Under My will it is automatically manifested again and again, and under My will it is annihilated at the end.

prakṛitim—the material energy; svām—My own; avaṣhṭabhya—presiding over; visṛijāmi—generate; punaḥ punaḥ—again and again; bhūta-grāmam—myriad forms; imam—these; kṛitsnam—all; avaśham—beyond their control; prakṛiteḥ—nature; vaśhāt—force

This is one of the most beautiful shloka of chapter 9 (BG:9.8) of Bhagwad Gita. It signifies the power of Krishna and his creation. Krishna resides in each and everything as everything is created by him. The very element of our existence lies within these few beautiful words.

Krishna says that he only creates and then it is for us how we evolve. Though he is the supreme commander and directs everything with a neutral mind, it is for his creation to grow and evolve.

Krishna resides in each and everything as everything is created by him. The very element of our existence lies within these few beautiful words.

Curve back within yourself again and again till you have absolved yourself of all negative forces. Then create a beautiful human being who is above any form of pain and anger. Create a human who is not affected by the proceedings around him and takes everything in his stride with a calm and composed mind.

✨✨JAI SHREE KRISHNA✨✨ _____________________________

Life is Not Fair on Anybody – Sri Krishna conversation with Karna

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In Mahabharat, #Karna asks Lord #Krishna – “My mother left me the moment I was born. Is it my fault I was born an illegitimate child?

I did not get the education from Dhronacharya because I was considered a non-Kshatriya.

Parshu-Raam taught me but then gave me the curse to forget everything since I was a Kshatriya.

A cow was accidentally hit by my arrow & its owner cursed me for no fault of mine.

I was disgraced in Draupadi’s swayamvar.

Even Kunti finally told me the truth only to save her other sons.

Whatever I received was through Duryodhana’s charity.

So how am I wrong in taking his side?”

Lord Krishna replies,
“Karna, I was born in a jail.

Death was waiting for me even before my birth.

The night I was born I was separated from my birth parents.

From childhood, you grew up hearing the noise of swords, chariots, horses, bow, and arrows. I got only cow herd’s shed, dung, and multiple attempts on my life even before I could walk!

No army, no education. I could hear people saying I am the reason for all their problems.

When all of you were being appreciated for your valour by your teachers I had not even received any education. I joined gurukula of Rishi Sandipani only at the age of 16!

You are married to a girl of your choice. I didn’t get the girl I loved & rather ended up marrying those who wanted me or the ones I rescued from demons.

I had to move my whole community from the banks of Yamuna to far off Sea shore to save them from Jarasandh. I was called a coward for running away!!

If Duryodhana wins the war you will get a lot of credit. What do I get if Dharmaraja wins the war? Only the blame for the war and all related problems…

Remember one thing, Karna. Everybody has challenges in life.

LIFE IS NOT FAIR ON ANYBODY!!!

Duryodhana also has a lot of unfairness in life and so has Yudhhishthir.

But what is Right (Dharma) is known to your mind (conscience). No matter how much unfairness we got, how many times we were disgraced, how many times we were denied what was due to us, what is important is how you REACTED at that time.

Stop whining Karna. Life’s unfairness does not give you license to walk the wrong path…

Always remember, Life may be tough at a point, but DESTINY is not created by the SHOES we wear but by the STEPS we take… 🙂 🙂

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Key Takeaway :

What Krishna really meant to make Karna understand was –

Life wasn’t fair to anyone. In fact, it can never be because in this human form all of us were here to learn certain lessons and it was important that we did.

He explained just because life has been unfair to you and a certain person has been good to you, who is essentially a threat to the entire society; you will, in the end, have to choose your conscience above the person.

It is the right dharma. It is the only way.

The fact of the matter is, whether be Karna or Krishna, they were essentially here expressing themselves in a human form. This world is a stage and we are all mere characters fulfilling the destiny of the biggest play of all time we call Life. Universe has a way of manifesting things and we are all in alignment with our soul path.

Those who realize and align themselves with their path are freed from the Karmic bondage those who don’t, they come back again to complete the lesson and knowledge that is still unavailable or partially available to them.

The dialogue between Krishna and Karna is a classic example of understanding the difference between ignorance and awareness. Sulking in self-pity has never given any solution. However, when you stand up many times to hold yourself erect and speak your truth, you release yourself from all the unnecessary drama.

Life is a lesson and one should accept all they are to experience.

The importance of perspective and intelligent analysis…

During World War II, numerous fighter planes were getting hit by anti-aircraft guns.

Air Force officers wanted to add some protective armor/shield to the planes. The question was “where”?

The planes could only support few more kilos of weight. A group of mathematicians and engineers were called for a short consulting project.

Fighter planes returning from missions were analysed for bullet holes per square foot. They found 1.93 bullet holes/sq. foot near the tail of the planes whereas only 1.11 bullet holes/sq. foot close to the engine.

The Air Force officers thought that since the tail portion had the greatest density of bullets, that would be the logical location for putting an anti-bullet shield.

A mathematician named Abraham Wald said exactly the opposite; more protection is needed where the bullet holes aren’t – that is -around the engines.

His judgement surprised everyone. He said “We are counting the planes that returned from a mission. Planes with lots of bullet holes in the engine did not return at all.”

Debrief

If you go to the recovery room at the hospital, you’ll see a lot more people with bullet holes in their legs than people with bullet holes in their chests. That’s not because people don’t get shot in the chest; it’s because the people who get shot in the chest don’t recover.

Remember the words of Einstein – “Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted, counts.”

 

Story source

From the book – “How Not To Be Wrong” by Jordan Ellenberg

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