Life in Bangalore

  IN THE morning when you rise unwillingly, let this thought be present- I am rising to the work of a human being. Why then am I dissatisfied if I am going to do the things for which I exist and for which I was brought into the world? Or have I been made for this, to lie in the bed-clothes and keep myself warm?- But this is more pleasant.!!! - Do you exist then to take thy pleasure, and not at all for action or exertion? Do you not see the little plants, the little birds, the ants, the spiders, the bees working together to put in order their several parts of the universe? Stoic 6 pack

 Maria Popova. One of the finest bloggers that you would find in the contemporary world.  Maria in her weekly newsletter, the marginalian , offers  :  the week's most mind-broadening and heart-lifting reflections spanning art, science, poetry, philosophy, and other tendrils of our search for truth, beauty, meaning, and creative vitality.   Maria  writes about the interaction of both Art and Science, quoting vividly as much from Leo Tolstoy as much as from Richard Feynman- and in the process tries to uncover the underlying Truth that defines both ends of the Spectrum.  Recently Maria completed 16 years of her blogging : look here :   16 Life lessons. Here is my one-line summary of each year: 1. Its infinitely more rewarding to understand than to be right 2. Do nothing for prestige or status or money or approval alone- extrinsic motivators dont  make it thrilling to get up in the morning and gratifying to go to sleep in the night  3. Be generous - with your time and resources and giv

To think well - means to sit and write down your thoughts! To speak well - means to speak what you have written it down before To read well means- to jot down on paper  the sparks of wisdom that  arise as you read! Think, Speaking and Reading comes down to one thing - Writing!!! Make that your prime Job! Mukund

 Stranger- one who does not understand the Universe Runaway  - one who flies from social reform Blind - onw who shuts the eyes of understanding Poor - one who has need of another Abcess - one who withdraws and separates from reason Marcus Aurelius  Meditations 

 Sickness is hindrance to body But not to the will Lameness is hindrance to the leg But not to the will Say this to yourself then- Hindrance is towards something else Not towards you!!! The Enchiridion Epictetus 

When all the desires that surge in the Heart are renounced, the mortal becomes immortal When all the knots, that surge in the heart are loosened, the mortal becomes immortal this sums up the teaching of the Scriptures! Katha Upanishad Eknath Eswaran

 Meditation enables them to go deeper and deeper into consciousness from the world of words into the world of thoughts then beyond the thoughts to wisdom in the Self Arise! Awake! See the guidance of an illumined teacher and realize the Self! The Upanishad Eknath Eswaran

 the most significant discovery of the Upanishads - the Self which is identical in all of us Whenever we love, we are really responding to the Self within that person The two words from the Upanishads that give us the essence of all their teachings "Meditate on the Self" ie., become one with - realize- this underlying reality Eknath Eswaran The Upanishads

"You are what your deep driving desire is  As your desire is, so is your will As your will is , so is your deed As your deed is , so is your destiny! We live in accordance with deep,driving desire It is this desire at the time of death, that determines what our next life will be- we will come back to work out the satisfaction of the desire" Brihadaranyaka Upanishad the Upanishads  Eknath Eswaran

 How to write well - by Warren Buffet "Write with a specific person in mind. when writing Berkshire Hathaway's annual report, I pretend that I am talking to my sisters! I have no trouble picturing them. Though highly intelligent, they are not experts in accounting or finance. they understand plain English, but jargon may puzzle them. My goal is to give them the information, that I would wish them to supply me if our positions were reversed.  To succeed, I don't need to be Shakespeare. I must, though have a sincere desire to Inform. No sibling to write to? Borrow mine: Just begin with "Dear Doris and Bertie"

Storytelling is a superpower! But most people do it wrong - They lack structure Follow this format: 1. Desire 2. Problem 3. Solution 4. Transformation And I guarantee your audience will give you their attention till the end! This post is an example! (by @ItskierAndrew)

 3 things Some things are good Some are bad Some indifferent  Goods then are virtues Bad then are Vices Indifferent then are- Health, wealth and Reputation  Marcus Aurelius  Meditations 

 Define the purpose as North Star Align the principles as Guide rails Practice the Habits daily Become the person you are!

 Sense object project to the senses Senses project on to Mind Mind projects on to the Intellect Intellect upon the Ego Ego projects upon the undifferentiated consciousness (Chitta) Undifferentiated consciousness upon Self True Self then becomes the first cause and the last refuge! (My interpretation:Who am I? : I am neither the body or mind  or intellect or ego or Chitta: I am the Soul/ Spirit) Brihadaranyaka Upanishad  Eknath Eswaran 

  When a person lacks discrimination  the mind is indisciplined And the senses run hither and thither They reach not the journey's end Wandering from one life to the next When a person has discrimination  The mind is one- pointed Senses obey like trained horses And reach the journey's end- The pure state of immortality  Katha Upanishad Eknath Eswaran

 "There are two Selves The seperate Ego And the indivisible Atman When one rises above- "I and me and mine" The Atman is revealed as one's real Self;" The Upanishads - Katha Upanishad  Eknath Eswaran

 Today's wisdom of the day is from the Upanishads  Specifically Brihadaranyaka upanishad: Brihad means grand,Aranyaka is forest Brihadaranyaka provides a slide view of what the Supreme is : Here below is the translation by the one and only Eknath eswaran: pg.100, the Upanishads  Sounds of drum Requires the drum and drummer  Sound of conch Requires conch and the blower Sounds of Vina Require vina and the musician  Clouds of smoke Requires fire and fuel Ever so from the supreme ,have issued forth All the vedas, history,arts and Science,  Poetry, aphorisms and commentaries- All these are the breath of the Supreme (We are the Instrument,  Supreme is the musician)