"Excerpt 1.1"

Most people say love is the most beautiful thing in this world. Although I'm not a love guru but maybe in hindsight I appreciate the greatness of love which compelled me to blog about it. The truth  is that I write for those who do not speak, for those who do not have a voice because they are so terrified, for those who are afraid to fall in love because we are taught to respect fear more than ourselves.

We've been taught that silence would save us, but it won't. Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with ACTIONS and in truth. I John 3:18

Anyway let’s come back to the topic. In my last blog, I posted an excerpt from the book “Journey to enlightened citizenship”. Today as well, it is another thoughtful excerpt from the book. Afterall I plan to post all the excerpts from the book here on my blog periodically. I hope you will like it.

Citizenship is every individual’s responsibility. Excerpts from prologue by Swami Budhananda.

When we light a small earthern lamp, without a question and with least hesitation it sheds its humble light. It does not look around to watch if any other lamp is shielding its lustre. It is not dismayed also if no other light is burning in the vicinity.

It is content to be given to shed it's own little light. It is not worried how much more darkness needs to be removed from the world. Is it a small privilege to be given to remove even a jot of darkness?

The small is beautiful. Have you not seen a tiny grass flower? Nature needed to exercise all its talents to create that tiny flower, complete in its own size of glory. If little things had no meaning they would not be there. Scientists have by now told us how much power, mystery and glory are there in the tiny atom.

Let us not be nervous about our smallness. For, without grains of sand even the loftiest monuments could not be built. In fact, the ultimate brick of the greatest monuments is the sand particle.

There are people who think too highly of themselves. They have what is called a superiority complex. That abominable thing is too bad for themselves, and not good for others.

There are, again, those who think too lowly of themselves. They have an inferiority complex. This is worse than the superiority complex. They think that they are good for nothing. By continuously thinking that way they really become so.

Such people can never become good citizens. When we discuss momentous issues concerning mankind, and the responsibility of doing our mite, they throw up their hands and dogmatically declare that small persons like them can do nothing about these great problems.

So they shy away even from discussing these problems. Taking shelter behind their so-called or supposed smallness, they take an inverse pride in declaring that they have nothing to do with the ambitious scheme of solving world problems.

We should clearly understand that even a small lamp has the capacity and the privilege to give light. Enlightened citizenship is every individual’s responsibility. That is the spirit of the times.

Up next, Excerpt 1.2.

"Excerpt 1.0"

Precisely a week ago, while I was smoking a cigarette in the storeroom, I found this old book ‘Journey to enlightened citizenship’ laying on the floor, perhaps misplaced. The rats had their own some share of the book cover but the main pages stays intake.

The book has exceprts from the speeches given by some of these thoughtful individuals. I believed the book aims at helping the reader gain yet one more perspective of the multi-faceted ideal of citizenship. In fact, it is an interesting book and it yearns me to blog about it.

And here, I feel I'm obliged to share one of the excerpts ‘Paraspara Bhava’ or mutual concern by Swami Budhananda from the book.

The very concept of citizenship presupposes that we are aware of the fact that we live in a society. In this society others also live, besides oneself. And everyone is intrinsically important. These are the basic facts.

Remember, man, by and large, has not yet proved by his conduct that considers everyone as intrinsically important as himself. In India at least we have not proved it!

It is in this context that some Vedic concepts would appear to be simply amazing. Take, for example, the Vedic idea of Paraspara Bhava or mutually of concern. This idea has its root in a highly developed social consciousness, which is not so much in evidence in our times, as it should have been good for us to have.

Cultivation of purposive mutuality of concern is entirely possible and most urgently needed in a modern  state and society. Only when honestly and wholeheartedly we respect the fundamental rights of one and all, can we be enlightened citizens. 

But psychologically, the best guarantee of everyone's fundamental rights is in the discharge of everyone's fundamental duties to others, taking into account the fact that we all live in a world of rising aspirations and dimishing natural resources.

Therefore, control of appetites is one of the individual important disciplines for the enlightened citizen. You take from the world what you barely need and give to the world as much as you can.

If you feel disquiet when you find so many high-power lights burning in the open railway yard, and go to the person concerned to request to put the lights off, you are an enlightened citizen.

If you stop to close a wayside municipal tap from which water has been flowing to no purpose, you are an enlightened citizen.

This is being great in little things, without being watched. The enlightened citizen is a concerned citizen. Wastage anywhere hurts his sense of economy. A saving anywhere improves the credit balance of all.

FYI: Excerpt 1.1, coming soon.

"Insomnia"

“The last refuge of the insomniac is a sense of superiority to the sleeping world.” Leonard Cohen.

Good morning!

Scenario 1: It’s already 4:00 AM, and I'm still awake and I'm not ready to sleep because I cannot. I thought there must be something terribly wrong with me. Yet, I’m trying to control my mind and dream as if I'm sleeping in a five star hotel. But it doesn't help me much. My mind and body are at war when it should be in coherent. Physically, I'm very exhausted and all I want is a good night sleep since 00:30 midnight. I’m mentally aware I need the sleep but it seemed my mind is restless and quiet not ready to listen to my body hormones of naturally going into sleep mode. In the end, I ended up sleeping only for few hours in morning and I have to get ready for my work by 10:00 AM. And unfortunately, it has become my daily battle. I have even considered if I need daily coitus to drain out my strength so I can overcome my insomnia.

Scenario 5: But now, I'm very delighted to have overcome my insomnia I have had experience few months ago. My mother used to tell me, get yourself a glass of water or milk and you will sleep. Believe it or not! How I used to wish if my mother sings me a lullaby so I can just sleep like a baby. Thank God! My insomnia cured sooner than later or else I might have requested my mother to sing a lullaby for me… J

Scenario 2: I thought about medication if it will just help me sleep for few hours so I don't exhaust myself at work. I convinced myself to be practical and I went straight to drug store and ask the pharmacist for sleeping pills. He looked at me and asks ‘which one?’ I replied; any pills that will help me sleep. He gave me around 5 to 6 pills however advised not to take the pills with empty stomach. Fun Fact: I bought myself the sleeping pills from Medicine counter without any doctor's prescription! When I have the pills in my hand, I convince myself thinking this is just a medication to overcome my insomnia. First night, I pop in one pill and while I was waiting for the reaction of the pill, I guessed I was already asleep. When I woke up in the morning, I thought this is great and it helps. It goes on for weeks until my sister intervened at the right time. She told me that I speak a lot in my dream and sometime, I even shout as if I was fighting with someone in my dream.

Scenario "Side-Effect": I guessed it was the side effect from the sleeping pills by making me hallucinate even when I'm asleep. I told her about the sleeping pills and she warned me it is not going to help me in the long run. By the way, she already thought I was a junkie which kind of creep me out knowing she has never gone through insomnia. Anyway it is not her fault but mine. And I realized I have to clean up before I'm way down the gutter.  Becoming a drug junkie is just a cup of tea; try once and if you like it, you are in for a roller coaster ride and it is difficult to stop the ride. I didn't even realize I have become so dependent on sleeping pills. I’d say to myself, this is the last one and I am not going to have it again but I'd still have two to three pills in my bag. I knew I was just lying to myself every night.

Scenario “My will or the highway”: It started with insomnia, just a normal insomnia which can happen to anyone. However, I have become my own devil digging my own grave not realizing I am trying to put myself to sleep forever. After all insomnia is just a bad case of guilt's - you know when you lie in bed awake and replay all those things you didn't do right? Because nothing solves insomnia like a nice warm glass of regret, depression and self-loathing. All I did was I was fighting myself with my mind and body when I should have just relax and let it go. The worst thing I did again was numbing my mind and body with sleeping pills which is rather a cowardice act. And I had to stop myself from killing myself but how? It was not that easy however with some few good books, it helps. Avoid the medicine store and order a book from your online library or from the online bookstore. Read the book before going to sleep. And nothing can make you sleepier than a book... :) 

The fact is that our mind need a little bit of refreshment like knowledge and wise counseling from a book rather than our regret, depression and self-loathing before it can help our body sleep. 

Food for thought: “A great book should leave you with many experiences, and slightly exhausted at the end. You live several lives while reading.” William Styron.

Thank you. Have a good day!