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Tag: life (page 4 of 9)

July 15, 2020 / 0 Comments

I Want to Write

“I want to be a better writer.” “I want to write better.”

“I want to write more.”

“I want to write.”

In my case, it isn’t even a case of “I want to write” but more of “the writing is showing up.”

I realized a long time ago that mine was a case of doing itty-bitty writing on the side (in form of journalling, Morning Pages) as I waited for THE writing to show up. (I don’t want to be a snob at all; all writing is sincere for me.) However, “I want to be a better writer” and “I want to write better” both sound highly vague and undefined to me. “I want to write more” is a tangible wish because a writer (or me) experiences a certain coming-together, an experience of beauty/magic as they write… and they may want to experience that special feeling more often.

Now, “I want to write” is mostly guided by the love of/for writing. But then again, you wanting that special experience is only half of it. The Love has to show up too. So, even while I write on bits of paper, sheets and pages — morning, noon, night — it feels like I am waiting. Like a devoted partner in this unusual (or not) relationship, the one that waits and waits, ready to serve, and be served in return.

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July 4, 2020 / 2 Comments

Corona Notes: Gratitude

I see a lot of messages asking us to be grateful in these Corona times. Let’s be grateful that we have a warm home, that our family is with us, that there is food in the fridge, that we are healthy, and so on.

Here is a question.

Are you thinking, “Thank you, God, for my family and health and food!,” or are you going, “Thank you, God, for having spared me the hardship others are going through.”

There is a real difference between the two.

If what we are grateful for is home/health/heating/food/fridge, we would feel the same way, pandemic situation or not. If a crisis (and another’s difficulty) is precipitating the gratefulness, then what we are experiencing is plain relief. Relief that we have been spared the difficult times. For now, at least. Who can say how things will be tomorrow, next week?

I think practising happiness may be a better idea than practising gratitude. I am happy that I have warm water; I am happy that I can breathe easily; I am happy that I can take a walk in the cool Spring air. Being happy is NOT being ungrateful. In fact, it may be a lot closer to what we actually feel than this idea of gratitude.

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June 2, 2020 / 0 Comments

Corona Notes: An Environment of Fear

An environment filled with fear and foreboding drains away life faster than an actual threat does.

Over the years, I have begun to wonder if I may be able to coexist with fear, live side-by-side with it. I don’t claim to be not frightened by fear any more but I also wonder: Maybe it is just another emotion? Not a foreteller of an unhappy future or illness or death or pain or suffering, or any of that.

Why do we believe that our wildest fears are somehow more predictive of our actual future than our most glorious dreams?

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November 24, 2019 / 0 Comments

What is Spirituality?

As part of the takeover of the Instagram profile of abcdyogi, I wrote the piece below.

The word “spiritual” comes from “spiritus” (Latin), meaning breath. So, a “spiritual” person is quite simply, someone who breathes. Now, the term “spirituality” is used to mean an inner awakening of sorts, a journey towards meaning and purpose. But I like to think of spirituality as the “journey of the breath.” And what is the journey of the breath, if not the journey of life?

The story of the breath, as it moves from one moment to the next, IS the story of our individual life, and it is our personal spiritual journey.

The breath is an intimate, essential, and unique aspect of our individual selves, and so is our spiritual journey. It is our solo agreement with Life/Universe, and it is wholly unique and personal. No one can write the story for us, and no one can walk the path in our place — it is simply not possible. Because the path unfolds moment to moment, one breath after another, in real time.

Our life is our individual spiritual path, the way of our individual spirit. And we become better travelers too, as we start understanding the signs and signals, directions, etc. This is the gift of “choiceless awareness,” where we are aware of the path and its existence, and we are led forward by faith in the Universe, yet completely aware and present. This is a journey of loving faith and awareness, and it exists for each one of us.

So walk fearlessly, my friend.

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