Wednesday, August 13, 2014

EC BOOK REVIEW

Thursday, July 31, 2014

EC DUALITY

Why do we have to use always this language of duality? We say things like speaker/listener, speech/applause, success/failure, action/result, player/game, I/you(universe), music/singer, ie., the subject and object are always thought of as two different entities. This detachment creates barriers to realise the best or the pursuit of excellence.
When someone says to his beloved, "I love you" the other person is like an object. When a doctor says, "I will treat you and cure you" again there is a subject and an object. Instead why can't the communication be in this manner: I am love (and that is because I am in love and you are the reason for this) and in the next case "I am the treatment/cure." Now see the change and how things change. The person becomes bigger than his actual self because of his more purposeful/holistic action. Such a person will always rise in love. Such a person will always rise in stature. He/she will become a magnet attracting all actions/resources/thoughts which will be in the best interest of his object. So instead of objectifying let's expand our self whenever the situation offers us such a chance. Instead of an external goal what we need is an internal world which encompasses that goal. The goal is in you and you are in the goal. This is oneness. And here there is no duality/distance. There is only pure love and acceptance.  

TO BE CONTINUED

A SPIRITUAL CONVERSATION


Are you spiritual?
Yes, I am. So are you. So are we all.
If I am spiritual, why don't I think so?
Your mind is not letting you to think so. But you are.
So it means...accepting that I am...that's the beginning.
Yes. Acceptance is the first step.
So after that what?
The second step is expanding your awareness...going beyond the mind.
But is it possible? Mind is so powerful.
Your awareness is more powerful.
But won't the mind resist?
It will. Very strongly. So there lies the third and final step...engage with it like a friend.
But how?
Do something which doesn't make the mind a mind.
I didn't get you there.
What does the mind normally do...it compares and calculates, judges and decides, attracts and discards, expects and fulfills...and I think all these qualities are important to survive and grow in this world. But what I am saying is know your mind and then go beyond it.
So that means....
Just be an observer of your mind...let thoughts come but don't put any label on them like good/bad/expectation. In other words, just don't mind.
Also focus on something in the beginning.Use the object of your focus like a tool/ a technique. The tool/technique can be a breath, a word, a song. Repeat this process consciously and you can go beyond your mind.
Suppose I go beyond the mind...how will be that experience?
It will be like connecting with the universe. Feeling the cosmos. Experiencing the endless.
But won't that be an overwhelming experience...can a normal being hold such an enlightening experience?
Yes you are right. That extraordinary experience will have to be channelised into something which is as spiritual as the experience itself.
That means..
You can share that experience with others if they understand or else use their way of understanding, their symbols, desires, their language of success and achievement. Use materialistic images to communicate that spiritual awakening.
Is there a spiritual connection in any great work of art/literature/medical/technological/scientific/engineering master pieces or pursuit of excellence in other disciplines like sports/dance/music/oratory/leadership etc.?
By connecting and disconnecting, engaging and disengaging with your spiritual/intellectual self at times can help you increase your awareness, concentration, motivation, engagement with the situation and help you in your pursuit of excellence. So discovering your spiritual nature will help you in the material world also and vice-versa ie., discovering material success can help you to understand the ways to do it spiritually too.
That brings me to the next question. Why is it so? How can material and spiritual success go together?
They can because one who can discover either of the two knows that he is in control of his mind. Without controlling/disciplining the mind both are just an illusion. So in a way you are using spiritual/material pursuits as a goal to understand your mind. Once a person knows himself/herself, spiritual or material doesn't matter at all. That awakening is all.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Thursday, July 17, 2014

EC BRITISH RULE


During an informal chat session a professor who teaches English to college students got a chance to comment on a book on "Improving Communication Skills". The only suggestion that he was dying to offer was the word "PRACTICING" has to be changed to "PRACTISING" since in India we follow British English. When it was pointed out by someone that since MS Word always recommends the US version of English spelling and therefore PRACTICING is OK, he became adamant and finally succeeded in imposing British spelling rules on the "ready to please/always appeasing" Indian minds ie., the publisher reluctantly changed PRACTICING to PRACTISING in his final draft before giving it to print.

Long Live British Rule in India !!

TO BE CONTINUED...

EC SALUTES

This exercise is to offer your super salutes to those super real life heroes who by shooting down the problems we face in our daily living bring succor and the much needed solace to our anxious minds. They could be anyone - 

1. The LINEMEN from KSEB who come to restore electricity to your homes especially during rainy season by working amidst heavy downpour -  a seemingly "high voltage risky job" for the sake of their fellow beings.

TO BE CONTINUED...

EC & "THE UNKNOWN"


In this group exercise each participant has to meet all the other participants and ask them to write a line or two about "What is it about me/my nature/character/image/personality that you know but I don't know?". He/she should also give a same kind of information to the other person on "What is it about you/your nature/character/image/personality that I know but you don't know?". So if there are forty partcipants doing this exercise then at the end of the programme each will be having in his/her feedback sheet 39 different and defining feedbacks. which will help him/her to understand his/her personal image(the way you are perceived by others) and how to enhance it for personal/professional growth and success 

TO BE CONTINUED...