Remaining Unperturbed-04

The witness, the observer, divides the world into subject & object, into witness & the witnessed. Therefore as long as there is a witness, duality will continue. Witnessing is the last frontier of the dual world, after which the non-dual begins. But one cannot reach the non-dual without being a witness. To be a witness means that I now give up dividing the world into many. Instead I divide it into two- the witness & the witnessed. And when I reduced the many fragments of the world to two, it will not be difficult to come to complete unity of the existence. When duality will disappear, when the observer & the observed will become one and the same, the unity in existence happens. If we succeed in becoming a witness we will soon have glimpses of one without the other, when there is neither the witness nor the witnessed, but only witnessing. 

For example, if I love someone there is one who loves and another who is loved. But if love is real, then moments will come when both the lover & the loved one will disappear, and only energy of love will abide between the two, connecting them. There will be moments when lovers disappear and only love remains. These are the moments of ‘Advaita’, the non-dual, moments of unity- the one without the other. 

In the same way there are moments of unity in witnessing too, when subject and object disappear and only the witnessing consciousness remains. It is like an ocean of energy bridging two formless entities- the witness & the witnessed- like two distant sea shores. The near shore is called “I” and the distant shore the “thou”, one is the observer & the other is the observed. Such moments will keep coming & going. And when this state achieves its fullness it will abide forever, and then even witnessing will disappear. Then we are settled in intelligence, steadied in wisdom. We are the whole, the awakened one.

In this next issue, let us discuss the Krishna & Arjuna as an example to understand this point. Namastey!

Wishing you good health & happiness,

Dr. Dwarakanath, Director, Mitran foundation- the stress management people

The State of Fearlessness

I remember an incident in early 1979 when I was posted as Additional District Magistrate at Meerut. Once the Commissioner of the Division visited the district and I accompanied him on his tour. The visit went off very well and he was quite happy with the work done. In the evening, we were returning in the same car on our way to Meerut. The Commissioner was a very good man and the success of the tour gave me some courage to speak frankly during the journey. At that time I was a young officer with only three years of service and was unaware of many realities of public administration. However, I was aware of the interference of vested interests in administration, as a result of which most officers were not able to work fearlessly. So I asked him certain questions about this aspect, curious to know whether it was possible for an honest and sincere civil servant to work fearlessly despite outside pressure. The answer was, naturally, not that simple but he said that though it was definitely possible to work fearlessly it required a lot of wisdom and other virtues like ability and perceptiveness, for an honest and sincere civil servant to reach that stage. 

The matter ended there but the question occupied my mind for a long time. As far as I can introspect, I have always tried to work sincerely and honestly. I was not troubled by people who had vested interests, as most of the time I could get my way through them. Not only this, I have often been able to get their appreciation. But to say that I have reached a stage of total fearlessness is not correct. Therefore, the issue still occupies my mind as I wish to reach this state. In my subsequent years of public service, I constantly strived to reach that stage of fearlessness and the process is still on. I believe that a civil servant should not make mere survival his target though he must survive to achieve the target. I also have a feeling that in the ultimate analysis, it is our own vested interest which fills us with fear, and it is not fair to blame others for not reaching the stage of fearlessness.

With this background, one can quote numerous examples from the past and present when individuals have shown tremendous courage, displaying total fearlessness in their work. After all, these persons also worked, or work, in a similar environment but obviously developed enough inner strength to stand against vested interests, including their own. They could not have done so without being unselfish themselves. This brings us to the fact that fearlessness is a state which is achieved by long introspection and constant striving, Such a person has to equip himself with all the qualities which can give him a command over his environment. Such a person never blames the situation he is confronted with, but creates his own circumstances. He sees an opportunity in all difficulties and turns them into stepping-stones. However, merely a state of fearlessness is not sufficient in itself. It should be accompanied with certain other qualities too, in order to benefit the society at large. A tyrant ruler may also be called a fearless person but his fearlessness is a negative quality. In fact, the fearlessness of such a person is only his disguised fearfulness. It is not fearlessness in the true sense. A truly fearless person will also be equipped with other qualities like compassion, justice, kindness, forgiveness, etc. Society benefits by the actions of such persons and it is these people who lead and change the society for the better. At present, we need such persons all the more. Let us strive to achieve such a state of fearlessness.

Rakesh Mittal IAS

Give Encouragement

Many of the greatest achievements begin with the empowering words of encouragement. When someone is feeling insecure, unsure or apprehensive about taking constructive action or pursuing favourable opportunities, you should convey to them that you believe that they are capable and that their efforts are worthwhile. Everyone has times when they could use some support or motivation from others. There is nothing better than the encouragement of a good friend.

Look for someone you know who has been disappointed or is going through a tough moment in life. Showing an interest in them can be very encouraging even if there may not be anything you can do to improve or fix their situation. If someone dear to you is putting in a great effort or doing a great job, you just have to take notice and show an interest. Your encouragement will reinforce the actions of that individual and may give him the strength to do even greater things in future. Encouragement can do wonders for students who wish to achieve in class.

In addition to encouraging someone through a personal conversation, hand written notes are also a great way to encourage someone. Keep the note positive and do not criticize in anyway. The note should genuinely express your true feelings. Encouragement is most effective when you say things that you really mean. Undue flattery may produce unrealistic expectations and ultimately cause more harm than good. Honestly expressing your desire for the person to succeed can help motivate them to take action. You should indicate confidence in their abilities and focus on what can be accomplished.

When someone you care about, has a stressful situation, tell them that it will be okay. Knowing that someone believes in them can help someone overcome the obstacles in their life. If you see someone faltering or thinking negatively about something, give them something positive to think about instead. By changing their attitude from negative to positive, you will enable them to think positively about other things as well.

Always be willing to share a smile. When times are hard, the toughest thing to do is smile. By sharing your smile, you are helping them to overcome the negative feelings and probably they will smile in return. You can encourage people by giving them a hug or helping them with something. It can keep them from falling into depression and put a bright smile on their face.

Dr(Mrs) Archana Bharat

Formless GOD

One of my reader’s comments on my last article ‘O Rama! O Krishna!’ forced me to write this article. The reader advised me to believe in a formless GOD. The debate about the form of GOD has been happening since long. Here I would like to quote the great thinker and scientist of our generation Professor Stephen Hawking. “When people ask me if a GOD created the universe, I tell them that the question itself makes no sense. Time didn’t exist before the big bang, so there is no time for god to make the universe in. It’s like asking directions to the edge of the earth; The Earth is a sphere; it doesn’t have an edge; so looking for it is a futile exercise. We are each free to believe what we want, and it’s my view that the simplest explanation is; there is no god. No one created our universe, and no one directs our fate. This leads me to a profound realization; there is probably no heaven and no afterlife either. We have this one life to appreciate the grand design of the universe, and for that I am extremely grateful.”

This was said by him just about a year back in April 2013, while delivering a lecture at Caltech, USA. One may also note that this was one of the most crowded moments in the history of this most prestigious Institution devoted to science and engineering. I do not know whether my ‘Sanskaars’ allow me to subscribe to the idea propounded by Prof. Hawking. What I definitely know is that, this new thought has augmented my mind’s capacity to think beyond what I have been thinking all these years. Since I studied engineering, management and medicine (naturopathy), I had been one of the luckier ones to get a feel of the world of science as well the world of practical aspects of everything. But! Whenever this question of GOD comes in front of me, I become like a primary school entrant. With the statement like Professor Hawking, I start asking myself whether even the primary knowledge about GOD is possible. Somehow! Whatever some people may argue, I have a faith in this concept of GOD. I feel whether He is formless or formed, this concept helps me in my day-to-day life. For me, this simply means that if I am a selfish person, I would definitely believe in GOD. Let me confront with people, who call their love for GOD as a selfless love.

Dr. Sunil Ji Garg

What’s Going On?

Everything, except the rule ‘everything changes’ changes. Last day, I was riding through an emerging Indian city. On the way I saw a hoarding outside a School Compound which read, ‘No home works, no tuition’. Then … then … what business will be going on inside? Do they mean no books and no teachers too? I asked myself again and again. “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” That is what William Butler Yeats, once said. Could he be the patron of this School? I thought. However, I felt my consciousness murmuring ‘Cool down man….you are yet to hear more of the same’. May be everything part of an emerging culture, I thought. I knew that overloading children with homework and tuition are forbidden in some advanced countries. I found myself unable to accept it for I still could not forget a Dad in USA finding it hard to get a space for communicating with his daughter, who every time was found busy on her mobile. What that disturbs me are the possible accompanying damages that follow. In those practical countries, where food means junk, shelter means a concrete box and dress means something transparent, things are not as pleasant as we envision. They are not going to continue long without ‘love parlours’ on every nook and corner, which sell loving words for cash. Essentials in human life have already been forcefully replaced across the world … yes, replaced with TV, Internet and Smart phone. There is perfect order everywhere as we see the world. Carlos Fuentes said, “Perfect order is the forerunner of perfect horror.”  How meaningful his comment is! 

According to psychologists, the major cause of divorce by 2018 will be the smart phone. That is, our future is going to be a paradise of parentless children. Already friends and family members turn so close and yet so far at a time. The smart phone today is not dissimilar to opium in the last century. It kills off our communication skills, and poisons our hearts and souls. You don’t have to wonder any more why so many young people don’t read, can’t spell or write decently and are often inarticulate. Thanks to TV, evening home prayers have disappeared. Thanks to computer, a family never sits together for the dinner. Now, people cannot think about a city without Wi-Fi. Thanks to internet, books and teachers also are disappearing, so are values and our capacity to love. A 24 hours power cut may end up psychologically killing many. Is humanity advancing or slowly perishing? 

Joseph Mattappally

Build or Ruin

“Someone has said that it is not great sorrow, disease or death which clouds over the sunshine of life but the little daily dyings. Therefore, if we properly handle our seemingly ordinary activities we would not only be winning the battle of this life but also that of the hereafter…. The narratives contained in the present collection of Shri R.K. Mittal relate to the everyday occurrences. He possesses the enviable faculties of keen observation, dispassionate analysis and clear expression. He has understood the mathematics of life and is able to cull the fundamental truths and lessons from the unfolding events and human behaviour.” This is what Hon. Shri. T. P. Tewary, Former Chief Secretary, Uttar Pradesh and Lt. Governor, Pondicherry wrote in a foreword to one of the books of Shri. Rakesh Mittal. The posts we had been sharing through ‘Smart Plus’ is ready in a book – ‘Power of Positive Anecdotes’. This book is available from Sterling Publishers for Rs. 200/- Contact mail: mail@sterlingpublishers.com. If anyone of you feels like saying a note of thanks, kindly write to Shri Rakesh Mittal: rakesh_mittal_2000@yahoo.com. Next Saturday on we will be continuing his thoughts from another collection.

While I was the commissioner of Lucknow, a woman aged about 35 years came to see me alongwith an elderly lady. The elderly lady was a reputed person, known for her good social work. She told me that the young woman was undergoing a dispute with her husband and despite several years of separation, the divorce case was not coming to an end. The woman had no source of income, as a result of which, she was on the verge of ruin. She wanted me to intervene in the matter and get the divorce case decided early so that she could start getting some alimony. In this process she had become very weak as well as bitter and wanted to see her husband completely ruined. 

I listened to the lady carefully but expressed my inability to intervene in court proceedings. After some contemplation, I offered my help to the lady in a different way and put two alternatives before her. The first was that she uses her energy in ruining her husband and the second was to use the same for building her life. I also added that the first alternative was detrimental to both, while the second would benefit them. Then I advised her to choose the second one. She felt that my advice was appropriate and requested me to advise further. Fortunately, the lady was educated and had a place to live. A friend of mine had very recently set up a school in the same locality. I had a hunch that the school might have some vacancies for teachers. Immediately I rang up my friend and talked about it. In fact, I insisted him to provide this lady a suitable job in the school and he agreed to do so. 

The very next day the lady went to the school and was appointed as a teacher. Naturally, I as well as the lady were quite happy at this development. Few months later, this lady met me at a function of another branch of the same school. By that time her personality had transformed completely. She was happy as well as healthy. There was no mention of her divorce case and she was no more worried on that account. It gave me great joy and satisfaction to see that she had really deployed her energy in building her life rather than in ruining her husband’s life. 

Rakesh Mittal IAS

Do Not Criticize

One key to a successful life is – “Do not criticize anyone”. When you criticize others you weaken yourself. If you truly want to be successful, you should begin by being honest with yourself, recognizing your own behaviour. When we recognize our behaviour we are on the path to correcting it. Everyone who corrects his own behaviour is inevitably successful. The person who often blames others for his failures and never recognizes his own self destructive behaviour will not be successful.

Criticism is useless because it hurts the pride of others and provokes resistance. It provokes an inevitable reaction against its author. The person who knows how to live without criticizing does not provoke resistance or reaction on the part of his fellow beings and consequently, creates an atmosphere of success and progress. On the other hand, those who do criticize others have many enemies. The world is full of critical people who find faults and are irritable and sometimes intolerable. Their bad behaviour makes them impatient, angry, egotist, proud and arrogant and they have no patience.

As employers they become the executioners of their employees. Workers who are compelled to work under such fault finding people end up hating the job and the employer. No discontented worker works his best under duress. Many times enterprises fail because the workers are discontented, dissatisfied and do not work efficiently because of the criticism they must endure. On the other hand workers who seek any occasion to criticize their employers, sometimes end up losing their job. Employers have pride and vanity and feel offended when criticized by employees. The one who wants to correct others should begin by correcting himself. This gives better results. Try to see the best in all human beings and take responsibility for your actions to lead a happy, healthy life.

Sometimes people who criticize have an upper hand on the people with more knowledge of the subject. It is only because people do not want to pick a fight with them when they are yelling loudly and are irrational. In fact they are the ones who are misrepresenting themselves and fail miserably. We need to analyze our own life and actions before criticizing actions of others.

Dr (Mrs) Archana Bharat