Life, A Train Journey- Article Published in FPJ

 LIFE, A TRAIN JOURNEY

Call it a belief, term it a thought or merely an observation, fact is one discovers the land while travelling by a train. Humans through their extraordinary imagination and quintessential dexterity have developed several modes of transportation; airways, seaways, inland water ways or motoring through concrete roads, among others. But none of these modes of transportation can perhaps match journeying by the good old train. 

Journeying by Train: A Metaphor for Life

Railway personnel belonging to Western or Central Railways or the average Mumbaikar would instantaneously appreciate the coinage- Super Dense Crush Load. It refers to the nearly 4700 people travelling by a nine-car coach Mumbai suburban train as against the prescribed capacity of 1700 passengers. The train is choc-a-bloc with passengers packed like veritable sardines.

Metaphorically, if the train journey be the journey of our life, then our ticket or pass is our prana level. It is a vital part of the journey, infact it is the factor without which the journey is well-nigh impossible.  Our co-passengers are the multitudes that we encounter through our lives -strangers, relatives, friends, family, children, parents, spouse- all those who appear and drop out at various stages in the journey of our lives. If we scratch deeper, those thousands or even millions of people could well be the millions of thoughts that cannonade our minds; some taking up permanent residence, others having not more than a fleeting presence. Both mirror our personality and emotional state. The stations along the train journey could be likened to the major landmark events in our lives. At each juncture or halt, just as people entrain and detrain, so is it, not only with the people in our lives but the thoughts floating around in our mind. Some stations are of greater significance and so is it with the people in our universe, some more important, others relevant to a lesser extent. Some thoughts leave a lasting imprint on the journey of our life, and some others cannot be recalled mere seconds later.

The Journey

We are born to our parents on planet earth (the belief prevalent in both oriental and occidental philosophical schools and a few religions too, claims that the departed souls choose a new set of parents after a period of hibernation in the nether world- may appear quirky or weird).

However as humans we ought to express profound gratitude to our ancestors and parents for our presence and existence, revere Mother Earth (from where our life originates and terminates and the entire drama of life is staged on this amphitheatre) and the Sun God which provides us with vital prana or energy.  

Our first co-passengers on this wondrous and incredible journey are our parents. They rear and nourish us, besides providing us with all the emotional and physical sustenance that we need.

As we step out of the innocence of childhood and step into our teenage years and youth, friends and relatives make entries and exits at various points. So is it with the innumerable thoughts that envelope our febrile minds. Not all our people to people encounters leave positivity, similarly Sisyphean thoughts too are like an unwelcome friend or relative, who through their behaviour and attitude diminish our prana or energy levels. An intelligent human being sifts through the thoughts and does not allow the mind to play host to such thoughts and emotions. Likewise, a discerning individual skilfully eschews such friends and relatives.

How many of us remember our parents in this journey of life? Are we present during the winter of their lives, perhaps infirm, not financially equipped or do we cast them away like some de trop appendage or thought? This is our test, or examination of gratefulness and gratitude. Similarly, how many individuals acknowledge the inestimable and priceless moments in our lives that came about through other people, happy thoughts and unexpected happenings which suffused us with jollity? The more grateful we are, the greater the journey of life attracts efficacious moments that charge-up and enliven us.

Topography of the Mind

In this peripatetic existence, we witness to several events and lend our ears to innumerable people. The events and conversations trigger a process of conversation within our mind. The nature of the human mind is interminable to agree or disagree. These result in schisms and dissension in the mind and human body and the consequences are visible in our relationship with others.

A ‘Yes’ mind that accepts the sequence of events, people and thought processes will expand in consciousness. However in a majority of cases our preconceived notions act as barriers to the flow, which consequently results in a wide degree of contraction. This diminution is both at a physical and emotional level and often causes imbalance in the mind and body. Many a time the human mind is unable to grasp the more subtle nuances of a chain of events, thoughts, or people interactions encountered in the journey. This can too cause disconcert and dismay in the mind.

Train the mind

There is however a way out to live life in a resplendent and joyous manner while travelling by this train of life. For this the human mind needs to live in the present moment and accept situations with equanimity.

As a practical measure, we can purge negative thoughts and remain calm, unruffled and centred through the practice yoga, pranayama, meditation techniques and breathing techniques like Sudarshan Kriya.  

Human life is full of peaks and valleys, vicissitudes, adventure, surprises and even gloom ridden situations. But we all have to travel by this train, remaining motivated and taking corrective steps to improve our experience.

“The journey of thousand miles begins with one step,” wrote the noted philosopher Lao Tzu aeons ago.

  

A Half Hour Without Alcohol

A Half Hour without Alcohol

Can an alcoholic remain clean without consuming the lethal spirit? Does the ether maniac have the mental strength and courage to maintain sobriety?

Alcoholism has a detrimental effect on the body and mind of an individual. An alcoholic is usually cocooned from the real world, in a state of perpetual self denial. 

Quotidian alcoholism leads to a situation where in the individual becomes friendless. Perhaps only a doughty or spirited spouse can put up with the tantrums.

           

The Serenity Prayer

The abridged version of the Serenity Prayer which has been adopted by Alcoholics Anonymous is as follows:

God grant me

The Serenity to

Accept the things

I cannot change

Courage to change

The things I can

AND

Wisdom to know

The Difference

Alcoholics Anonymous

Alcoholics Anonymous, a self help group established in 1932, have upended the pyramid of the lives of millions of addicts. They commence every single meeting by faithfully and unflinchingly reciting the Serenity Prayer; this is the starting point of their 12 step recovery programme.

The critical element in the recovery of any alcoholic lies in admitting the cardinal principle that first man drinks alcohol, then alcohol drinks man and eventually alcohol subsumes the human being by damaging the body, mind, soul and spirit.

The alcoholic has to emerge from the world of self denial, the belief that everything is hunky dory and he/ she is not affected by the perils of alcoholism.

There are several triggers which engineer addiction. However one can safely conclude that it is the recalcitrant mind and low prana levels which are the endemic to the craving, the compulsion and eventual enslavement.

In the swathes of the ether maniac’s cobweb filled mind the power of discrimination and discernment seem lost in darkness.

The Serenity Prayer provides immense succour to make a paradigm shift in an addict’s life; leading up to a complete turnaround and eventually to eschew dependency on alcohol.

The first and the only step they have to initiate are to singularly submit to a superior power and that he is powerless over Bacchus.

Once this first step is taken the process of recovery begins.

The Art of Living Way

 I too was an alcoholic for several years. The disease impacted me immensely. It was only my wife and parents who stood by me, offering support in my most trying moments. My wife enrolled me for the Part 1course of the Art of Living (AOL) while I was posted at Jaipur. There I learnt the unique rhythmic breathing technique of “Sudarshan Kriya”, cognated by the spiritual master H. H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. Today, by the grace of the Master and through the breathing technique I am sober for over a decade. As a faculty of the AOL I have been able to conduct courses for alcoholics and drug addicts.

In the final analysis when a person hits rock bottom, it is the grace of almighty God which can extricate him from the cesspool of addiction.

Human The Powerful Resource

http://epaper.freepressjournal.in/1655425/Free-Press-Mumbai-Edition/13-May-2018#page/15/2

Article Published in Free Press Journal

http://epaper.freepressjournal.in/1655425/Free-Press-Mumbai-Edition/13-May-2018#page/15/2

Old Verse as received

'His Masters Voice' (HMV) had once published a pamphlet giving the history of gramophone record.

Gramophone was invented by Thomas Alva Edison in the 19th century.

Edison, who had invented many other gadgets like electric light and the motion picture camera, had become a legend even in his own time.

When he invented the gramophone record, which could record human voice for posterity, he wanted to record the voice of an eminent scholar on his first piece.

For that he chose Prof. Max Muller of England (a German by ethnicity), another great personality of the 19th century.

He wrote to Max Muller saying,

“I want to meet you and record your voice. When should I come?”

Max Muller who had great respect for Edison asked him to come on a suitable time when most of the scholars of the Europe would be gathering in England.

Accordingly, Edison took a ship and went to England. He was introduced to the audience. All cheered Edison’s presence.

Later at the request of Edison, Max Muller came on the stage and spoke in front of the instrument.

Then Edison went back to his laboratory and by afternoon came back with a disc & played it on the gramophone.

The audience was thrilled to hear the voice of Max Muller from the instrument.

They were glad that voices of great persons like Max Muller could be stored for the benefit of posterity.

After several rounds of applause and congratulations to Thomas Edison, Max Muller came to the stage and addressed the scholars and asked them,

“You heard my original voice in the morning. Then you heard the same voice coming out from this instrument in the afternoon. Do you understand what I said in the morning or what you heard in the afternoon?”

The audience fell silent because they could not understand the language in which Max Muller had spoken.

It was ‘Greek and Latin’ to them as they say.

But had it been Greek or Latin, they would have definitely understood because they were from various parts of Europe.

It was in a language which the European scholars had never heard.

Max Muller then explained what he had spoken.

He said that the language he spoke was Sanskrit and it was the first sloka of Rig Veda, which says "Agni Meele Purohitam”

This was the first recorded public version on the gramophone plate.

अग्निमीळे पुरोहितं यज्ञस्य देवं रत्वीजम।
होतारं रत्नधातमम।।
(Rig Veda 1.001.01)

Why did Max Muller choose this?

Addressing the audience he said,

“Vedas are the oldest text of the human race. And “Agni Meele Purohitam” is the first verse of Rig Veda.

In the most primordial time, when the people did not know how even to cover their bodies and lived by hunting and housed in caves, Indians had attained high civilization and they gave the world universal philosophies in the form of the Vedas.”

When “Agni Meele Purohitam” was replayed, the entire audience stood up in silence as a mark of respect.

The verse means :

“Oh Agni, You who gleam in the darkness, to You we come day by day, with devotion and bearing homage. So be of easy access to us, Agni, as a father to his son, abide with us for our well being."

Proud to be part of a truly glorious ancient civilization ...🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳

Review of Make the Mind Mt Kailasa by Free Press Journal

http://www.freepressjournal.in/book-reviews/make-the-mind-mt-kailasa-by-ravi-valluri/1279777