Superficial
They are driven by a face on a bill
They are pleasant and well mannered; they smile when they kill.
How does one deal with superficiality? Is it a good thing? Can such people have seen that life is a game and don't want to be tied down by unnecessary grimness? Or on the other hand are they using you to achieve their own selfish ends? And if the true non-violent person is driven by service and lives in the moment, so as to destroy all sense of identity, then how can there be a he or she to be used?
This is not semantics; it is a state of thought. You can part ways from superficial people and not suffer the company of "fools" (a word used often in ancient days when words hadn't joined to take on colorful countenances) willingly. Or you can see that there is no "you" and keep giving selflessly.
Both are not so hard in a temple on a high mountaintop. But to live life in a real world filled with bosses, milkmen, clowns, people eating apples in elevators it is difficult to occupy all the fives senses, let alone employ the sixth one.
They are driven by a face on a bill
They are pleasant and well mannered; they smile when they kill.
How does one deal with superficiality? Is it a good thing? Can such people have seen that life is a game and don't want to be tied down by unnecessary grimness? Or on the other hand are they using you to achieve their own selfish ends? And if the true non-violent person is driven by service and lives in the moment, so as to destroy all sense of identity, then how can there be a he or she to be used?
This is not semantics; it is a state of thought. You can part ways from superficial people and not suffer the company of "fools" (a word used often in ancient days when words hadn't joined to take on colorful countenances) willingly. Or you can see that there is no "you" and keep giving selflessly.
Both are not so hard in a temple on a high mountaintop. But to live life in a real world filled with bosses, milkmen, clowns, people eating apples in elevators it is difficult to occupy all the fives senses, let alone employ the sixth one.
Crests and troughs
Those enthusiastic little (but streamlined and long) bubbles of foam kiss your feet. They won't forever though. They will answer to the call of the low tide. Night and Day. Crests and Troughs. Happiness and Sorrow. Nothing new, right?
Friends and Enemies.
The Bible and Gandhi both advocate loving your enemy. Not so that they might be friends. They ask you to love them as enemies. Gandhi says that, “to love a friend is like conducting a transaction. He/she loves you and you love back. But loving an enemy…now you are talking, come sit here next to me.”
Or something like that.
The context in which I have brought forth this point might suggest that loving your enemy might have something to do with nobility. Truth be told, loving your enemy has a lot to do with necessity. We are good, because others are evil. Even if everyone were good, then some people would be “more good” than others.
Night and day, the movement of the tides, the battle between good and evil are all necessary in order that the world keep spinning. It is essential that each contains the other just a little bit, but never wins a battle outright. There is always a dark side within us too and the very purpose of existence must not be to act to destroy it, but to contemplate and be aware of it.
Do any of the world leaders switch off the lights at night (even Kim Jong Il has electricity at home, leaders always have electricity) and let their minds wander? All they have to do is follow it on its many journeys, without attempting to bring societal morals into it.
Then this whole war business becomes a lot more interesting, multidimensional and real.
Those enthusiastic little (but streamlined and long) bubbles of foam kiss your feet. They won't forever though. They will answer to the call of the low tide. Night and Day. Crests and Troughs. Happiness and Sorrow. Nothing new, right?
Friends and Enemies.
The Bible and Gandhi both advocate loving your enemy. Not so that they might be friends. They ask you to love them as enemies. Gandhi says that, “to love a friend is like conducting a transaction. He/she loves you and you love back. But loving an enemy…now you are talking, come sit here next to me.”
Or something like that.
The context in which I have brought forth this point might suggest that loving your enemy might have something to do with nobility. Truth be told, loving your enemy has a lot to do with necessity. We are good, because others are evil. Even if everyone were good, then some people would be “more good” than others.
Night and day, the movement of the tides, the battle between good and evil are all necessary in order that the world keep spinning. It is essential that each contains the other just a little bit, but never wins a battle outright. There is always a dark side within us too and the very purpose of existence must not be to act to destroy it, but to contemplate and be aware of it.
Do any of the world leaders switch off the lights at night (even Kim Jong Il has electricity at home, leaders always have electricity) and let their minds wander? All they have to do is follow it on its many journeys, without attempting to bring societal morals into it.
Then this whole war business becomes a lot more interesting, multidimensional and real.
Me
Last night I saw a beautiful movie called About Schmidt. It lived up to its name and was indeed, even in this modern age of convoluted sentences and thoughts, about Schmidt. The lead character being played by Jack Nicholson, a superb performance with his ram like eyebrows conveying a lot of meaning.
Well, I shall not give away the story, but midway through the movie, the central character Schmidt finds himself very lonely and all that. It broke my heart to say the least (loneliness has been the central theme of my life, real or imaginary I know not) and I was misty eyed and all. His conveniently independent daughter appeared very evil to me indeed and magnified his solitude even more.
Then I thought (to myself, unlike the ill mannered couple beside me who were echoing every dialogue of the screen as if they were some mountain cave renowned for echoing) as to why this decent man, who as far as I could see led an upright life, should find himself so alone in such a big world. It then occurred to me that this is the destiny that lies in store for many of us who are destined to lead long lives. Why then are do we make ourselves so separate from the rest of the world, beginning at a young age? It is almost as if we are training ourselves for mind numbing heartbreak. Instead, if we saw the world within us and ourselves in the world (you cannot hear the tree falling in the forest if you are not there), we would never be lonely. Our spouses may hit the bottle and our children might play with syringes, but after they are long gone, we shall still be one with the world.
However, it is not an easy task to be one with the world. Imagine a doctor telling you that you will be cured if you take the medicine without thinking of potatoes. Go on, swallow that mouthful. See what I mean?
One way out is to follow the Existentialist path. Sartre was right on the money. How I wish he had gone a little bit further. One can boost one’s identity to such a great extent that in the end, you shall see the futility of it all.
Last night I saw a beautiful movie called About Schmidt. It lived up to its name and was indeed, even in this modern age of convoluted sentences and thoughts, about Schmidt. The lead character being played by Jack Nicholson, a superb performance with his ram like eyebrows conveying a lot of meaning.
Well, I shall not give away the story, but midway through the movie, the central character Schmidt finds himself very lonely and all that. It broke my heart to say the least (loneliness has been the central theme of my life, real or imaginary I know not) and I was misty eyed and all. His conveniently independent daughter appeared very evil to me indeed and magnified his solitude even more.
Then I thought (to myself, unlike the ill mannered couple beside me who were echoing every dialogue of the screen as if they were some mountain cave renowned for echoing) as to why this decent man, who as far as I could see led an upright life, should find himself so alone in such a big world. It then occurred to me that this is the destiny that lies in store for many of us who are destined to lead long lives. Why then are do we make ourselves so separate from the rest of the world, beginning at a young age? It is almost as if we are training ourselves for mind numbing heartbreak. Instead, if we saw the world within us and ourselves in the world (you cannot hear the tree falling in the forest if you are not there), we would never be lonely. Our spouses may hit the bottle and our children might play with syringes, but after they are long gone, we shall still be one with the world.
However, it is not an easy task to be one with the world. Imagine a doctor telling you that you will be cured if you take the medicine without thinking of potatoes. Go on, swallow that mouthful. See what I mean?
One way out is to follow the Existentialist path. Sartre was right on the money. How I wish he had gone a little bit further. One can boost one’s identity to such a great extent that in the end, you shall see the futility of it all.
This is a posting for today
The prior posting was for yesterday. This one is for today.
Non-violent? Ha!
The prior posting was for yesterday. This one is for today.
Non-violent? Ha!
My eyes are closed
Jesus has said in the Bible that he will always remain suspicious of people that make a song and dance about their devotion in public. I too have always been suspicious of rituals, as many of them inevitably serve some selfish purpose away from the common good. Still, I find it beneficial to go to church every Sunday as it allows me to reflect on occurrences during the week. It also allows me to gather courage to allow some part of Jesus to occupy my soul. After all, he said things that scribes had not mentioned before and this originality among other reasons allows me to trust in him completely as a great and noble friend.
The part I like best about mass is when you get to pray in complete silence towards the end. This period is longer if you don’t have to go and bite the biscuit. It is the only time when you get to have a one to one conversation with Jesus Christ. My eyes were closed and I was on bended knees (because I genuinely felt like it) and was having this dialogue with somebody who was listening. Suddenly, I was interrupted by this mercenary looking man who asked me to go and collect money from everybody. I did as he requested, but was quite annoyed as he had interrupted my reverie. This resentment carried over and lasted for the rest of my Sunday. If I am not upset today, it is only because I am at my boring desk job and my human body can only feel resentful towards one thing at a time.
I know I have no right to bear resentment, as this man was after all one more manifestation of the divinity. If I can feel the Lord only with my eyes closed and not when I am walking around with the basket with the long handle, I guess I am not really feeling the Lord, the Self (or if you want to call it the universe) within me.
Jesus has said in the Bible that he will always remain suspicious of people that make a song and dance about their devotion in public. I too have always been suspicious of rituals, as many of them inevitably serve some selfish purpose away from the common good. Still, I find it beneficial to go to church every Sunday as it allows me to reflect on occurrences during the week. It also allows me to gather courage to allow some part of Jesus to occupy my soul. After all, he said things that scribes had not mentioned before and this originality among other reasons allows me to trust in him completely as a great and noble friend.
The part I like best about mass is when you get to pray in complete silence towards the end. This period is longer if you don’t have to go and bite the biscuit. It is the only time when you get to have a one to one conversation with Jesus Christ. My eyes were closed and I was on bended knees (because I genuinely felt like it) and was having this dialogue with somebody who was listening. Suddenly, I was interrupted by this mercenary looking man who asked me to go and collect money from everybody. I did as he requested, but was quite annoyed as he had interrupted my reverie. This resentment carried over and lasted for the rest of my Sunday. If I am not upset today, it is only because I am at my boring desk job and my human body can only feel resentful towards one thing at a time.
I know I have no right to bear resentment, as this man was after all one more manifestation of the divinity. If I can feel the Lord only with my eyes closed and not when I am walking around with the basket with the long handle, I guess I am not really feeling the Lord, the Self (or if you want to call it the universe) within me.
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