Direction of life - with sign posts

Everyone needs direction in life. Some find their way on their own, some are lucky enough to have people in their life who help them find direction, and some are just lucky tot be moving the right way. Some are, I would say unfortunate and / or silly, because they do not recognize the correct direction when they have it.

I believe that I am rather lucky to have had the right direction in life, and even more so, because I had enough going on around me, to help me realize that I was given this direction. Many years ago I was walkin on Juhu beach with my grand mom and i was being me - the very excited and exhuberent kid that I was, full of energy. I used to do many things in excitement or in the moment, and my dadi (pronounced dah-deeh - for the non Indian folks reading this), as I call her, would teach me things in the most subtle way.

Instead of lecturing, she would tell me the most common things in life, which most people have probably heard - but - in a context or a way, that I always remember it. With the sea water, she had told me a story of how the sea being infinite cannot quench anyone's thirst, but a well being so tiny can quench so many people's thirst. This is a concept that people have probably heard about. I dont know, if she tried to tell me that it does not matter how big you are if you are bitter - you rather be nice. Im not sure what exactly she tried to convey, but I learnt something out of it - that was meaningful to me.

However, the context in which my dadi told it to me, and the way she put it, I will always remember it. Everytime I see sea water I know a lesson in life. I have lessons in life with trees, shadows, - so many earthly objects.

Someone, bless his soul, today made me realize that these were like sign posts that my grandmom put for me, to help me find the real direction of life. I actually miss her right now!

I told someone recently that I do not like high fly-ers.. This isnt true.. Its not about like or not.. its about who I can see the rest of my life with.. And.. that is certainly not dependent on if the other person is a high fly-er or not.. It is dependent on how they see the world as against how I see it.. And the biggest problem is not the one who doesnt have the education (emotional, psychological, theoritical, bookish - anything).. but.. the one who is unwilling to learn.. who is unwilling to keep an open mind..

I have a real life example for this concept too. I just want to keep my dadi's thoughts to me right now. But someday soon, I will put up details of the sign posts of my life, and may be that will help others get some direction in life. By direction I dont mean becoming a monk or priest or something. Just simple things that will make you happy and content, by just realizing them. And then, whatever you have in life, you will live it and feel so much better about it.

Damn! I sound like a philosopher. I like to think of my self as a realist, and even more a logician.. well.. apparently there are a lot more sides to me!!

- Me & my dadi, back in the days when I was keeping long hair!

Modern Science and Ancient Teachings

I was discussing a lot of stuff about meta-physics, quantum physics, etc. like I do with most people, with Marty - in particular string theory. One of the things I reazlied was how a lot of these theories related to real world stuff, that was being passed on over generations, through ancient teachings in India. I do not mean, religious implications, just stuff about real life.

I had a discussion with several people about how, during the time in history that, there is no track of wher Christ was, it is beleived that he traveled to the east and hence if you see what his teachings say (not how the church interprets it), then you will see several traits of influences of Aryan civilization, Buddhism, Hinduism, etc. I also read some Aryan civilization stuff recently, and an email forward that said that Islam was formed when the prophet Mohammed, got pissed off with Lord Shiva (an Indian diety), who he used to worship, and decided to start a religious faith of his own. I also read stuff about how some people claim that Islam is the best, why they think so and how some believe that CHristianity is the only way out.

My point is that, in no way, any of what I am talking about is to relate to religion. I believe that religion is the interpretation by a person or a group of people, of what a person or a group of people learnt by experience to be the "correct" way to live. It can serve as a guide. But, I do believe one should go with, whatever makes you feel like it will make you a better person.

Coming back to my theme. It turns out that a lot of the things I hear about these latest sciences can relate very closely to ancient teachings. I am not necessairly saying that these people back in the day were cleverer than scientists today, but I have always wondered about the kinds of teachings they imparted, in Vedas and other holy books (religion was the main method or path of communicating teachings, back then).

I read somewhere that if we calculate the estimation of the population of the earth at the time of the egyptian pyramids being built and assume that every single soul on earth contributed all their lifetime to building the pyramids, even then it would not be possible to build them, back in the day. Just two days ago I read a forward that the ancient bridge built between India and Sri-Lanka thousands of years ago, a very critical part of the Ramayana (Indian epic/mythology/history) has now been discovered by Nasa and they can prove its existence and date it back to roughly the same time as the epic. They wanna now call it the Adam bridge and that pissed off several Indian priests, but the point is that, back in the day there were many things that happened that cannot be explained in a simple way. Did they know back then, more than they know today, and we are just going around - In time ?

Who knows! But another interesting discussion I had, brought up this point that it doesnt really matter where we came from. Apparently all the theories of evolution (including Darwinian) have flaws in them. But some archaeologists believe that, for example, treatments using things like DNA structures, today, do not really depend on where we came from, say a million years ago. Who knows! May be knowing something about where we came from might help some form of treatment or procedure today, or may be give us better insight into using DNA's or other structures of existing life forms. If nothing else, I am sure man will keep exploring to try and find out more. Curiosity. Like this old guy says in the TV series Lost - Since the dawn of time, man is blessed with curiosity - You know the other one about curiosity, Jack, don't you?

Getting over problems - NLP way

I have always been interested in studying people. Somehow, any communication skills class I took (which was mostly before 10th grade and just for kicks), I felt like it was way too preliminary. Not because I thought too much of my self, but because I realized that I had already noted the stuff being taught in those classes. I had sort of, already learnt those things from personal observation. I mean, I may not have taken advantage or implemented everything I had learnt by myself.. but I had probably already observed it during the course of my life.. And.. I did not come across a single class or course in this category where I thought I learnt anything so striking that it would take me over..

Anyhow, about 6 years ago, I got very interested in NLP or Neuro Linguistic programming. I wanted to do classes on it - at the very least get some NLP books, but somehow I never go around to doing it - kinda like learning the guitar - one of the things I wanted to learn since the longest time but never got around to doing it.. Just some time back, from a friend I picked up a book on NLP by Joseph O'Connor and John Seymour - And I love the book. It is exactly the kind of practical / more realistic stuff I had been looking for.. Im enjoying the book so much !

Normally, I try to use the knowledge i gain in different ways - mostly to improve myself or to learn more. However, just the other day I was at a very specific part of the book and I heard a comment being passed by a not so optimistic friend. It was an advice to another friend - which in essese meant "to get over someone, get under someone else".

And I thought to myself that this is a technique that has worked for lots and lots of people. Till someone new doesnt come into their lives - it is hard for them to get over the previous person. I will tell you my theory first and then talk about the example the book talks about to convey something similar.

I figure that most people treat their previous relationships as bad things. Associate them with something negative. Those who do not - dont have a problem getting over it. Those who do - find something else to, well, get under so they can get over their ex. This may be a new job, more friends, flings, flirting, whatever. But this is only because they treat their previous relationship as a negative.

See, the brain can process negatives only by converting it to a positive. Thats why. In the book the author asks you to think about a kangaroo and then he tries to tell you several times to stop thinking about it. If you try it - you will not be able to stop thinking about it like that. The only way he makes you stop thinking about it is by asking you to think of a television - something else. So, the point is that a negative is processed only as a positive and the only way to forget your problems is to get into other ones.. uuhh.. I mean.. is to do other things in life that make your life full. :) If work is stressful.. write blogs.. yay.. lol..

Take inspiration from the brain. Turn negatives to positives!

Good Service on All Lines

So the London tube strike thing is going on and almost all the tube lines were down. Travel was slow and limited. The strike gets called off early, I go to work, get back and when Im still on my way back.. on one of the most crowded tube station's (Earls court), I see an electronic board that shows all the London underground tube lines and their service status. Never have I seen it like this. It showed good service against all tube lines!

Its never like that! Then I figured that may be the day's break is what gave the tube lines some recuperating time. And they are machines. We are just human.

I should have thought about it. The way life is treating me right now - Im doing uni work in the nights and some pretty damn long work days at work - not to mention the travelling. Sundays are the best working days for me - only because its the least crowded day to get to work.

This previous Friday I had to travel to uni - so I took the day off work - went to uni and though it was a short day, I dint go back to office. I took it easy. Did some work from home thingie on Saturday - but rather relaxed, and belive it or not, my days there after were so much more energetic. I feel like a Kit-Kat now - you know - have a break - have a kit-kat...

Disposal Razors!!

So Iv gotten over my long hair and stuff and now I wanna get a cool, short hair cut. The kinds I can walk out of bed in, and never have to make my hair. Just to keep up with my busy days. Plus something that looks cool.

So once when I got off at Bounds Green tube station in London, I saw this small spanish hair styling thingie. Ah, that reminded me of how once in New York.. in White Plains actually, my friend Alok and I stopped for a hair cut and (lucky for me), the hottest spanish chic I could imagine, came out to cut my hair! So now I had hope. There was nothing to stop me from going in and getting the cut that I so wanted. Ya, I went in just for the hair cut.

Or, so it turned out. One really old guy, and one rather sweet, but young, GUYYY. I figured, go with the younger dude, may be Ill get a bit more trendier cut. So I sit in the chair. As I look up, I see a board that said "We use disposable razor". Or so I thought.

Immidiately, I go into flash back. After I cut my long hair off at T&G in London, I dint get a chance to visit my stylist Pavan in Bombay. Work just kept me busy. But I once stopped by this old place I used to go for a massage, many years ago, for a bit and got a trim. There I read a board. "We use disposal razors." That day I got a frikkin shock of my life.

But eventually, I looked around and realized that this was a small place. People barely spoke english. And the poster itself was a print out, laminated - a cheap one too. So I figured its okay. They just wanted to assure their customers that they are using disposABLE razors. But, well.. turns out they still have a lot of people coming to them despite the disposal razors !

Anyway, so after the haircut, when I get home, I decide to try out a totally new look. And I called it...

- Part beard, Part weird.