A Sage and A Running Damsel...

A sage was renowned for his deep penance and ability to bear nature's hardships such as storm,lightning,and games of wild animals. Nothing could disturb his deep meditation and so his spiritual and physical strengths multiplied. His fame multiplied too.

One day a young lady just ran over him and almost hit him. The sage opened his eyes and stared at the damsel. The damsel was in such a hurry that she hardly had time to apologize to the sage or even turn back and look at him.

The sage who was never disturbed, was infuriated by the act of the lady. And he cast a deadly spell on her. The lady wondered, "Hey, i was running behind my husband and life. Why is the sage furious?"

It would be great if we could recognize the emergencies, needs, duties, and point of view of others, rather than focus on our ego and self-importance.

Note: This story is the translated version of a passage in a Tamil magazine.

A Chasm Between Belief and Reality...

Many of our disappointments and setbacks can be tracked back to an event that went against our belief. Our belief is second-hand, in the sense you would have borrowed it from old books, old people, experiences, or the good old wild imagination. When reality, which is our first-hand experience, goes against our belief, we are hurt.

Belief: Marriages are for lifetime
Reality: Marriages can be temporary

Belief: Peace is every one's prerogative
Reality: Some people thrive on scandals, gossip, and control

Belief: Brother will not misbehave with his sister
Reality: Brother may misbehave with his sister

Belief: All NGOs are run by service-minded people
Reality: NGOs can be otherwise too

So, emphasizing and chiseling our beliefs into our system, leads to disappointments. Just because we get a "thought" or "experience", it is not the best, right, or ideal one. Reality may be faraway from our belief or thought. Here reality is not to be confused with our "Reality Shows."

Our shattered beliefs, when combined with emotion, ego, and attachment lead to turmoil. So, have rules and beliefs in your mind, but be well prepared for reality.

Heal the World... Mike Jacko Pops...

Heal The World
Make It A Better Place
For you And For Me
And The Entire Human Race
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me


Check out the Heal the World foundation website.
http://www.healtheworld.us/members/htwf

Beats Music Troupe Reunion

I happened to write a blog post about my college (CEG, Anna University) music troupe, The Beats, a few months back on my blog. I never imagined that we would meet in few months and have a music blast.

The Day: 30th May, 2009
Venue: DeMellos Music Studio, Thousand lights area, Chennai
Electronic Keyboard: Eugene Xavier
Guitar: Alby, Raj
Drums: Naren
Triple Congo: Reuben
Singers: Raji, Malathi, Anitha, and Mahesh

Mistakes are welcome. It's just a rendezvous!!!

Raji singing the award winning "Zoom Zoom Zoom Baba."

Malathi and Mahesh sing an Ilayaraja number. Eugene - the key man on the keyboard!!!

That's Alby and Raj.



Naren plays the drum...matching our new tunes with a smile ;)

Reuben on Congo.

Anitha sings "Anjali Anjali" from the movie Anjali. The only Rehman number that was played was "Chinna Chinna Aasai.".

Charity made easy...

Just visit these online platforms to select ongoing altruistic projects worldwide and contibute.

http://www.globalgiving.com/

http://www.rangde.org/

http://www.giveindia.org/

Inner Voice is GOD...

Yes, the little inner voice inside that talks to you. But you can only hear it when you are at peace-and then too it is hard to hear it. Because in modern life, the networks are too busy. The voice tells you what you really want. Do you know what I am talking about?

“Sort of,” Priyanka said, her eyes darting away from the phone.

‘That voice is mine,’ God said.

‘Really?’ Esha said, her mouth wide open.

‘Yes. And the voice is easy to ignore-because you are distracted or busy or just too comfortable in life. Go on, ignore it-until you get tangled in your own web of comfort. And then you reach a point like today, where life brings you to a dead end, and there is nothing but a dark hole.’

‘You’re making sense. I didn’t get it all, but you are making sense,’ I conceded, more to myself.

‘I know that voice. But it isn’t subtle in me. Sometimes it shouts and bites me,’ Vroom said.

‘And what does the voice say, Vroom?” God said.

‘That I should not have taken up a job just for money. Call centers pay more, but only because the exchange rate is in favour of Americans. They toss their loose change at us. It seems like a lot in rupees. But jobs that pay less could be better. These could be jobs that define me, make me learn or help my country. I justified it by saying money is progress. But it is not true. Progress is building something lasting for the future,’ Vroom said, sounding as if there was a lump in his throat.

Force someone to keep a promise & injure yourself...

More damage has been done to others by persons leading lives of quiet desperation (that is, doing what they felt they "had" to do) than ever was done by persons freely doing what they wanted to do. When you give a person freedom, you remove danger, you don't increase it.

Yes, letting someone "off the hook" on a promise or commitment made to you may look like it will hurt you in the short run, but it will never danger you in the long run, because when you give the other person their freedom, you give yourself freedom as well.

And so now you are free of the agonies and the sorrows, the attacks on your dignity and self-worth that inevitably follow when you force another person to keep a promise to you that he or she does not want to keep.

The longer damage will far outweigh the shorter - as nearly everyone who has tried to hold another person to their word has discovered.