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Thursday 30 December 2010

My New Years 2011 Resolution

Not Jesus, It's Santa Claus!!!
The New Year 2011 brings with it a new possibility - the excitement to start something new, to experience something new, to enjoy life with your loved ones or on your own, to reconnect with a long lost friend, a relative perhaps, or to simply just share a bit of that Christmas spirit leftover from the 25th after consuming large turkeys. And so, its only normal for people to create new years resolutions in such an overflowing of positive emotions and well - sugar.

Let's break the word down: 're' and 'solution'. This implies something is wrong, and requires a solution. It also implies the solution has been tried before, but failed and so needs to be 're'-applied. Oh dear - no wonder most people cannot keep their resolutions!

Because... (a) one thinks there is something wrong, which needs to be fixed and (b) one is "trying" to keep their resolution rather than "keeping" their resolution. "Trying" is usually an excuse which avoids actually "doing" something and it also indicates that a person has not yet made a "choice" to create and action their resolution into reality. "Trying" is passive, it waits for things to happen. "Doing" is active, it makes things happen.

The Wrath of God?
Choice is the most powerful act in the Universe. When God commands a human being to do something, one can refuse to do it. But when a human being commands God to do something, even God cannot refuse. I repeat, choice is the most powerful act in the Universe. Most people CHOOSE to "try" - and thus life can become a struggle of continuously trying, sometimes being a success and sometimes failing, but always just trying. The other way to look at life is to "do" and make things happen irrespective of success and failure - it has far more action associated with it, far more control and power. So why not CHOOSE to try out a new way to approach 2011 by remembering to: Always do, never try.

So, in the spirit of sharing - my new years resolution is to become a decent Python programmer by January 2012, this time next year. Learning to program has been a life ambition of mine, I've always tried to do it, but failed. So, I stopped trying. Tuesday 28th December 2010 marks the glorious day when I completed the coding of my first Python program which worked and was a really useful tool for me! Python is a very elegant and simple language to learn if you're just starting off.
The Python Programming Language
Also, I'm kind of a visual person so I learnt how to program through the very EXCELLENT video tutorials on YouTube. Specifically a shout out to my virtual teacher Bucky Roberts - you rock dude!!!

Sweet people of the world - there's so many things to experience out there - please make the most of it in 2011!!!!!!!! You have it all there in front of you, so why not make things happen with grace and consciousness? It's the most fulfilling and enthralling thing you can ever do and its our most privileged opportunity in this life :).

Sat Naam.

My New Years 2011 Resolution

Not Jesus, It's Santa Claus!!!
The New Year 2011 brings with it a new possibility - the excitement to start something new, to experience something new, to enjoy life with your loved ones or on your own, to reconnect with a long lost friend, a relative perhaps, or to simply just share a bit of that Christmas spirit leftover from the 25th after consuming large turkeys. And so, its only normal for people to create new years resolutions in such an overflowing of positive emotions and well - sugar.

Let's break the word down: 're' and 'solution'. This implies something is wrong, and requires a solution. It also implies the solution has been tried before, but failed and so needs to be 're'-applied. Oh dear - no wonder most people cannot keep their resolutions!

Because... (a) one thinks there is something wrong, which needs to be fixed and (b) one is "trying" to keep their resolution rather than "keeping" their resolution. "Trying" is usually an excuse which avoids actually "doing" something and it also indicates that a person has not yet made a "choice" to create and action their resolution into reality. "Trying" is passive, it waits for things to happen. "Doing" is active, it makes things happen.

The Wrath of God?
Choice is the most powerful act in the Universe. When God commands a human being to do something, one can refuse to do it. But when a human being commands God to do something, even God cannot refuse. I repeat, choice is the most powerful act in the Universe. Most people CHOOSE to "try" - and thus life can become a struggle of continuously trying, sometimes being a success and sometimes failing, but always just trying. The other way to look at life is to "do" and make things happen irrespective of success and failure - it has far more action associated with it, far more control and power. So why not CHOOSE to try out a new way to approach 2011 by remembering to: Always do, never try.

So, in the spirit of sharing - my new years resolution is to become a decent Python programmer by January 2012, this time next year. Learning to program has been a life ambition of mine, I've always tried to do it, but failed. So, I stopped trying. Tuesday 28th December 2010 marks the glorious day when I completed the coding of my first Python program which worked and was a really useful tool for me! Python is a very elegant and simple language to learn if you're just starting off.
The Python Programming Language
Also, I'm kind of a visual person so I learnt how to program through the very EXCELLENT video tutorials on YouTube. Specifically a shout out to my virtual teacher Bucky Roberts - you rock dude!!!

Sweet people of the world - there's so many things to experience out there - please make the most of it in 2011!!!!!!!! You have it all there in front of you, so why not make things happen with grace and consciousness? It's the most fulfilling and enthralling thing you can ever do and its our most privileged opportunity in this life :).

Sat Naam.

Tuesday 21 December 2010

Being Like Water

being like water
Water has many special properties. Being more like water can help enhance our lives:

Water is adaptable
Whatever water is put into, it becomes that thing. If its put into a bottle, it takes the shape of the bottle. If its put into a jar, it takes the shape of the jar. However, the water always remains water.

In life, if we can adapt COMPLETELY to every situation and just fit into our environment, blend with our environment, we can be more effective. Adapting does not mean loosing your essence, it means momentarily changing shape, whilst your essence remains the same.

Water is non-resisting
Water does not resist any object in its path, it just flows around it and over it without any violence. Also, if water comes across a rock, it may seem that the rock is a permanent obstacle, but in the end the water wins in eroding the rock into dust.

In life, if we can learn to be more non-resisting and non-violent, in the long-term we can defeat even our biggest enemies and opponents. Also, we can overcome all our challenges by not stopping at our challenges but rather flowing around them.

Water is ever-flowing
When water is not on an even surface, it continues to flow, and through its continuous flow great streams, rivers and oceans are created. Water does not look back, go in reverse, it continues to move forward. If water reaches an even surface, it becomes still.

In life, we must learn to keep on going continuously, if we wish to leave an impact on the world. But not forgetting to just be still sometimes too. Through the process of being still sometimes and flowing continuously, we can create oceans of success.
    As Cheryl Cole says in her new song The Flood, "You can't hold onto water":



    Being Like Water

    being like water
    Water has many special properties. Being more like water can help enhance our lives:

    Water is adaptable
    Whatever water is put into, it becomes that thing. If its put into a bottle, it takes the shape of the bottle. If its put into a jar, it takes the shape of the jar. However, the water always remains water.

    In life, if we can adapt COMPLETELY to every situation and just fit into our environment, blend with our environment, we can be more effective. Adapting does not mean loosing your essence, it means momentarily changing shape, whilst your essence remains the same.

    Water is non-resisting
    Water does not resist any object in its path, it just flows around it and over it without any violence. Also, if water comes across a rock, it may seem that the rock is a permanent obstacle, but in the end the water wins in eroding the rock into dust.

    In life, if we can learn to be more non-resisting and non-violent, in the long-term we can defeat even our biggest enemies and opponents. Also, we can overcome all our challenges by not stopping at our challenges but rather flowing around them.

    Water is ever-flowing
    When water is not on an even surface, it continues to flow, and through its continuous flow great streams, rivers and oceans are created. Water does not look back, go in reverse, it continues to move forward. If water reaches an even surface, it becomes still.

    In life, we must learn to keep on going continuously, if we wish to leave an impact on the world. But not forgetting to just be still sometimes too. Through the process of being still sometimes and flowing continuously, we can create oceans of success.
      As Cheryl Cole says in her new song The Flood, "You can't hold onto water":



      Saturday 18 December 2010

      Quote of the Day - Watering Your Life

      "The Lord will guide you continually; watering your life when you are dry and keeping you healthy, too. You will be like a well watered garden like an ever-flowing spring."

      Isaiah 58:11

      Quote of the Day - Watering Your Life

      "The Lord will guide you continually; watering your life when you are dry and keeping you healthy, too. You will be like a well watered garden like an ever-flowing spring."

      Isaiah 58:11

      Friday 17 December 2010

      5 Very Effective Meditation Techniques

      a man meditating on a hill
      Meditation allows us to explore our inner world, which is full of chaos, thoughts and emotions. By meditating we can find a place within us which is instead full of silence, peace and joy. We can get over the past events which have scarred us, heal and move on.

      Here are 5 very effective meditation techniques (out of the millions out there!) I've picked up over time as being extremely effective in bringing me to stillness. Please feel free to share more techniques which you find effective in the comments section.

      a statue in a meditative posture
      (1) Staring at an object
      Staring is "a prolonged gaze or fixed look". Before you go to sleep, spend some time just staring at something with your eyes open. People usually like to meditate with their eyes closed, but why not try with your eyes open? When you see something happening, try not to look at it or blink, just keep staring and being present to the object you're staring at.

      (2) Long, deep breathing
      Want to get high and feel elated? Try this. Start by sitting in a cross-legged posture, or in a chair with a straight spine with feet flat on the ground. Then starting breathing in a full breath very slowly and filling up the lungs completely, then keep the breath in for as long as possible. Once you can't hold the breath any more, exhale slowly and keep the breath exhaled for as long as possible. One complete cycle of inhale, held in inhale, exhale and held out exhale should take around 1 - 2 minutes if done properly. On the inhale the stomach should come out a bit, and on the exhale it should go in a bit. The slower the breath the better the effects. Keeping a straight spine is extremely important too.

      Note of caution: Never do this standing, whilst driving or in a public place because you will get dizzy and really high - and getting high at work is generally not a good thing and neither whilst driving ;).

      spending time in nature
      (3) Spend time in nature
      If you're ever really out of place, really stressed or about to crack, take a few days off work and go to the countryside, take your shoes off and just walk, run or sleep in a field. Go to a place with lots of flowers, trees and grass. Mother nature just begins to heal us automatically when we connect to her. She is the mother we all have in common. Even if you don't have a chance to go to the countryside, spend some time in a garden or your local park, or even failing that, imagine being there in your mind - it's just as effective!

      (4) Group meditation
      I've personally always found individual meditation to be more effective than doing it in a group because I can concentrate better, but the effects of group meditation are always more powerful since its effect is multiplied by the number of people doing it together. The rule of synergy applies in a group: 1 + 1 = 3. Where possible, once a week, find a meditation group or get together with some friends and meditate! We all go for dinners evenings and movie nights, but why not have meditation parties and meditation nights? Ok, it doesn't sound as cool, but its much more useful and constructive and just another activity to experience something new!

      a laughing horse
      (5) Laugh and dance
      When we laugh, I mean REALLY LAUGH like "HAHAHAHA HAHAHA HAH AH AHAH!!!!!" it unlocks our dormant Kundalini energy, and clears our 72,000 spiritual nerve channels (called "nadis") responsible for making us healthy and happy. Laughing and drinking some hot tea (ideally caffeine-free) along with some soothing background New Age or Classical music is just an ultimate meditation!!!

      Many people are shy to dance, at least publically. But you can always do a quick dance to your favourite track in the comfort of your own home, in your own room. Ideally blast the music out loud and then just go crazy! Bust some moves, don't by shy! You'll find it's actually good exercise, releases endorphins and never fails to make you high and joyful.

      To finish off, here is a nice video of a group meditation with children doing Kirtan Kriya from Kundalini Yoga. If they can do it, so can you!:



      5 Very Effective Meditation Techniques

      a man meditating on a hill
      Meditation allows us to explore our inner world, which is full of chaos, thoughts and emotions. By meditating we can find a place within us which is instead full of silence, peace and joy. We can get over the past events which have scarred us, heal and move on.

      Here are 5 very effective meditation techniques (out of the millions out there!) I've picked up over time as being extremely effective in bringing me to stillness. Please feel free to share more techniques which you find effective in the comments section.

      a statue in a meditative posture
      (1) Staring at an object
      Staring is "a prolonged gaze or fixed look". Before you go to sleep, spend some time just staring at something with your eyes open. People usually like to meditate with their eyes closed, but why not try with your eyes open? When you see something happening, try not to look at it or blink, just keep staring and being present to the object you're staring at.

      (2) Long, deep breathing
      Want to get high and feel elated? Try this. Start by sitting in a cross-legged posture, or in a chair with a straight spine with feet flat on the ground. Then starting breathing in a full breath very slowly and filling up the lungs completely, then keep the breath in for as long as possible. Once you can't hold the breath any more, exhale slowly and keep the breath exhaled for as long as possible. One complete cycle of inhale, held in inhale, exhale and held out exhale should take around 1 - 2 minutes if done properly. On the inhale the stomach should come out a bit, and on the exhale it should go in a bit. The slower the breath the better the effects. Keeping a straight spine is extremely important too.

      Note of caution: Never do this standing, whilst driving or in a public place because you will get dizzy and really high - and getting high at work is generally not a good thing and neither whilst driving ;).

      spending time in nature
      (3) Spend time in nature
      If you're ever really out of place, really stressed or about to crack, take a few days off work and go to the countryside, take your shoes off and just walk, run or sleep in a field. Go to a place with lots of flowers, trees and grass. Mother nature just begins to heal us automatically when we connect to her. She is the mother we all have in common. Even if you don't have a chance to go to the countryside, spend some time in a garden or your local park, or even failing that, imagine being there in your mind - it's just as effective!

      (4) Group meditation
      I've personally always found individual meditation to be more effective than doing it in a group because I can concentrate better, but the effects of group meditation are always more powerful since its effect is multiplied by the number of people doing it together. The rule of synergy applies in a group: 1 + 1 = 3. Where possible, once a week, find a meditation group or get together with some friends and meditate! We all go for dinners evenings and movie nights, but why not have meditation parties and meditation nights? Ok, it doesn't sound as cool, but its much more useful and constructive and just another activity to experience something new!

      a laughing horse
      (5) Laugh and dance
      When we laugh, I mean REALLY LAUGH like "HAHAHAHA HAHAHA HAH AH AHAH!!!!!" it unlocks our dormant Kundalini energy, and clears our 72,000 spiritual nerve channels (called "nadis") responsible for making us healthy and happy. Laughing and drinking some hot tea (ideally caffeine-free) along with some soothing background New Age or Classical music is just an ultimate meditation!!!

      Many people are shy to dance, at least publically. But you can always do a quick dance to your favourite track in the comfort of your own home, in your own room. Ideally blast the music out loud and then just go crazy! Bust some moves, don't by shy! You'll find it's actually good exercise, releases endorphins and never fails to make you high and joyful.

      To finish off, here is a nice video of a group meditation with children doing Kirtan Kriya from Kundalini Yoga. If they can do it, so can you!:



      Thursday 16 December 2010

      10 Quick Ways to Increase Your Happiness

      smiley face
      Here are 10 quick ways to increase your happiness - by no means an exhaustive list, nor in any particular order. If you have some more better ways, feel free to share in the comments :)...

      (1) Retail therapy
      In America, if you go into a mall they usually have a regular announcement that "Shopping is good for you. It has been shown to make you lose weight and make you happier". That's probably because a lot of Americans are obese - but get the flavor (notice the lack of 'u'). Also, online shopping isn't the same - go into a store, have a coffee, window shop!

      (2) Take a cold shower
      Known as hydrotherapy, most athletes take cold showers to increase blood flow to all the parts of their body. Plus, sometimes the intense pain of cold water can make you burst out laughing because all your parts are frozen, yes ALL your parts (but don't worry - it's just momentarily!)

      (3) Go swimming
      The scientists say water is meant to be good for you, so why not swim in it? Also, regular swimming makes you pee more often, purging your body of unnecessary things and thus making you healthier which makes you happier - it's a long shot - but I think it works!

      (4) Go for a run
      Running makes you sweat, therefore lose water. So its the complete opposite to No. 3, but for some reason still has the same effect. Try it, try running a mile and hopefully if you don't pass out you'll be able to enjoy the sudden rush of adrenaline.

      tasty desert
      (5) Eat your favourite desert
      I like chocolate and sometimes I eat it for breakfast. You only live once so why not!? (assuming you're not Buddhist - in which case you might live a bit longer than that). Eating a desert gives you a nice feeling inside. Besides, if there is a God, why would he create such nice deserts and put them in out local Tescos if we weren't meant to eat them? It's not like the forbidden tree or anything? A bit of gluttony never hurt anybody (except maybe those that are diabetic or American)

      (6) Help somebody
      It's good to help people, apparently. It makes you feel good because then you know they need you and it puts you in a position of power, which boosts your ego, which makes you feel good. So yeah. You should help people :).

      (7) Donate to charity
      Most people donate to charity because they cannot be bothered to do the charity work themselves. So why not pay off some big charities to do your dirty work? Its like outsourcing No. 6.

      apple ipad
      (8) Find a hobby
      Most people are boring - so finding a hobby may add to your social life - give you something to talk about. Some people talk too much, but don't have any hobbies, so then you can finally shut them up by saying "I have a hobby XYZ, what do you do?". And then they will say "Oh...I.....I...I...". And then you can just say "Hahahahahhahaha", and then walk off.

      (9) Read a book
      Its good to read, apparently. Reading is not just for geeks, its also for geeks with IPads and Kindles. Reading makes you more intellectual, which gives you more questions and makes you more confused than you were before. It's a bit like telling a centipede to start thinking about how to walk, he forgets and then falls over. So, in conclusion: it's good to read.

      (10) Watch Ali G videos
      The G in Ali G actually stands for God. Also, thanks to my Uncle Google, all the episodes are now available on my Counsin's small website called YouTube:  http://www.youtube.com/show?p=WLa5SYaia8s


      10 Quick Ways to Increase Your Happiness

      smiley face
      Here are 10 quick ways to increase your happiness - by no means an exhaustive list, nor in any particular order. If you have some more better ways, feel free to share in the comments :)...

      (1) Retail therapy
      In America, if you go into a mall they usually have a regular announcement that "Shopping is good for you. It has been shown to make you lose weight and make you happier". That's probably because a lot of Americans are obese - but get the flavor (notice the lack of 'u'). Also, online shopping isn't the same - go into a store, have a coffee, window shop!

      (2) Take a cold shower
      Known as hydrotherapy, most athletes take cold showers to increase blood flow to all the parts of their body. Plus, sometimes the intense pain of cold water can make you burst out laughing because all your parts are frozen, yes ALL your parts (but don't worry - it's just momentarily!)

      (3) Go swimming
      The scientists say water is meant to be good for you, so why not swim in it? Also, regular swimming makes you pee more often, purging your body of unnecessary things and thus making you healthier which makes you happier - it's a long shot - but I think it works!

      (4) Go for a run
      Running makes you sweat, therefore lose water. So its the complete opposite to No. 3, but for some reason still has the same effect. Try it, try running a mile and hopefully if you don't pass out you'll be able to enjoy the sudden rush of adrenaline.

      tasty desert
      (5) Eat your favourite desert
      I like chocolate and sometimes I eat it for breakfast. You only live once so why not!? (assuming you're not Buddhist - in which case you might live a bit longer than that). Eating a desert gives you a nice feeling inside. Besides, if there is a God, why would he create such nice deserts and put them in out local Tescos if we weren't meant to eat them? It's not like the forbidden tree or anything? A bit of gluttony never hurt anybody (except maybe those that are diabetic or American)

      (6) Help somebody
      It's good to help people, apparently. It makes you feel good because then you know they need you and it puts you in a position of power, which boosts your ego, which makes you feel good. So yeah. You should help people :).

      (7) Donate to charity
      Most people donate to charity because they cannot be bothered to do the charity work themselves. So why not pay off some big charities to do your dirty work? Its like outsourcing No. 6.

      apple ipad
      (8) Find a hobby
      Most people are boring - so finding a hobby may add to your social life - give you something to talk about. Some people talk too much, but don't have any hobbies, so then you can finally shut them up by saying "I have a hobby XYZ, what do you do?". And then they will say "Oh...I.....I...I...". And then you can just say "Hahahahahhahaha", and then walk off.

      (9) Read a book
      Its good to read, apparently. Reading is not just for geeks, its also for geeks with IPads and Kindles. Reading makes you more intellectual, which gives you more questions and makes you more confused than you were before. It's a bit like telling a centipede to start thinking about how to walk, he forgets and then falls over. So, in conclusion: it's good to read.

      (10) Watch Ali G videos
      The G in Ali G actually stands for God. Also, thanks to my Uncle Google, all the episodes are now available on my Counsin's small website called YouTube:  http://www.youtube.com/show?p=WLa5SYaia8s


      Tuesday 14 December 2010

      Quote of the Day - Trust In The Divine

      "Trust in the Divine, and take it a day at a time"

      Jo from Judge John Deed

      Quote of the Day - Trust In The Divine

      "Trust in the Divine, and take it a day at a time"

      Jo from Judge John Deed

      Sunday 12 December 2010

      Quote of the Day - Living

      "Love life. Live simple. Laugh lots."

      By Guru's Grace - 29/09/2010

      Quote of the Day - Living

      "Love life. Live simple. Laugh lots."

      By Guru's Grace - 29/09/2010

      Friday 3 December 2010

      Becoming Enlightened

      I sometimes find it hard to put into words what it means to be enlightened and liberated. There comes a time on the spiritual path when one has this realisation, that there is no need to do anything to be enlightened, it is rather the undoing of everything that makes one enlightened.

      I can openly, easily tell you: I'm liberated, I'm enlightened. I know it. It's just a realisation. It doesn't really mean anything though, doesn't really make much difference. The only difference is that being enlightened, I don't have to struggle with life, life just works because I'm not going against its flow. I can handle it. Not being enlightened means always struggling towards some goal, aim, perfection and never achieving it and then feeling guilty your whole damn life. The saying "running like a headless chicken" comes to mind. But you see, even if you're enlightened, you're still an idiot. If you're not enlightened, you're just a bigger idiot. In the world, we have a lot of big idiots. Majority of people are big idiots running around like headless chickens. I'm not sure how a chicken runs without a head, this appears to defy all logic, but you get the gist of the quote, I hope.

      One is always an idiot, because one can never know The Truth. No matter how enlightened one is, one can never know The Truth. Perhaps there is no such thing. Perhaps not. Perhaps. Perhaps. Perhaps not. Perhaps. Perhaps. I love that word, it has a ring to it.

      One can only know a truth, their own truth, their own selves. That's it. That's where is finishes. This is because all our five senses are flawed, they give us incorrect impressions about life and existence. Even the sixth sense is flawed, its open to error. Also, we're only 3 dimensional beings - we can't understand the other dimensions - we can't understand what wider organism or existence we are a part of.

      One idiot creates a theory, that the Universe is X, Y, Z. It'll always be a theory. No maths is sufficient to explain the Universe. No science or physics is sufficient to explain it, neither is any philosophy or any religion. Everything is either interpretation or assumption. It's all flawed. Yes, we've worked out some rules which make cars run and propel rockets into space, but ultimately nothing is absolute. Laws change. The universe changes. There is a constant flow which cannot be captured by any formula. A formula is static. Existence is changing.

      When one dissolves all their notions, one can just simply be themselves. Just simply be, without "having" to be something, or "needing" to do anything or thinking that one "should" do something. Without being driven towards any aim, any goal, any standard. The emotions are there, but there is no fight towards them. It's not anything but a choice, albeit a courageous choice. Doesn't matter what the emotions are, however disturbing or not disturbing, there's no fight and there's no running away from them. It's not anything but a choice. Just let go of it. Drop it. Simply choose to be.

      The process of enlightenment is simply the process of learning to experiment with your emotions. Meditation is just experimentation. You get to experiment with what's in your head, in your conscious, subconscious, in your unconscious, in your super-conscious. Then after you know it, you have no fight or flight towards it. You give you those beliefs or ideas which go against your biology, against the needs of your body, and you simply learn to be. You become very human, very normal, very down-to-earth. You become innocent, and you know you're innocent. You become simple. You become uncomplicated. You become open to all views, even those that directly oppose yours. You stop reacting against idiotic people, you learn to accept them. You stop reacting against your parents.

      Even if you come across a real bitch, or a bastard, you learn to accept them as a part of yourself. The bitch that you see, is just a projection of the bitch in you. The pretty girl that you see, is just a projection of the pretty girl in you. The ugly person that you see, is the ugly person in you. You learn to not invest your emotions in anybody, not your family, not your friends, not God, not your teacher, not spiritual angels, nor the devil. You learn to be alone, not needing anybody, not needing anything. Simply being alone, happy, content, joyful.

      Osho, in the video below, describes the same kind of process I myself went through to become enlightened. I was just as strict with my routine, getting up at 4am without fail each day. Having a cold shower. Doing hours of meditation. Everything timed perfectly. Everything considered. Everything disciplined. Until a time comes, when one must let go of everything. And I mean everything, including your religion, your spirituality, your views, your God. It's all something which you think you "should" do or think. You don't realise it is just something which you have been led to believe is important, but really nothing is important by itself, unless you chose to give it importance. One must destroy everything one has created, every concept, in order to be left with nothing but nothingness, zero, nothing but one's own aloneness, one's own self without desiring anything, including God. Enlightenment is not something, but quite the opposite, it's nothing:




      Osho - The Day I Became Enlightened from arun prem rajasingh on Vimeo.


      P.S. I'm now changing the tagline of this blog from "A blog about how to become a better human being day-by-day, moment-by-moment" to "A blog about how to be human in each moment, everyday", which better reflects its purpose to allow people to learn to be, rather than aiming towards something or trying to be be something.

      Becoming Enlightened

      I sometimes find it hard to put into words what it means to be enlightened and liberated. There comes a time on the spiritual path when one has this realisation, that there is no need to do anything to be enlightened, it is rather the undoing of everything that makes one enlightened.

      I can openly, easily tell you: I'm liberated, I'm enlightened. I know it. It's just a realisation. It doesn't really mean anything though, doesn't really make much difference. The only difference is that being enlightened, I don't have to struggle with life, life just works because I'm not going against its flow. I can handle it. Not being enlightened means always struggling towards some goal, aim, perfection and never achieving it and then feeling guilty your whole damn life. The saying "running like a headless chicken" comes to mind. But you see, even if you're enlightened, you're still an idiot. If you're not enlightened, you're just a bigger idiot. In the world, we have a lot of big idiots. Majority of people are big idiots running around like headless chickens. I'm not sure how a chicken runs without a head, this appears to defy all logic, but you get the gist of the quote, I hope.

      One is always an idiot, because one can never know The Truth. No matter how enlightened one is, one can never know The Truth. Perhaps there is no such thing. Perhaps not. Perhaps. Perhaps. Perhaps not. Perhaps. Perhaps. I love that word, it has a ring to it.

      One can only know a truth, their own truth, their own selves. That's it. That's where is finishes. This is because all our five senses are flawed, they give us incorrect impressions about life and existence. Even the sixth sense is flawed, its open to error. Also, we're only 3 dimensional beings - we can't understand the other dimensions - we can't understand what wider organism or existence we are a part of.

      One idiot creates a theory, that the Universe is X, Y, Z. It'll always be a theory. No maths is sufficient to explain the Universe. No science or physics is sufficient to explain it, neither is any philosophy or any religion. Everything is either interpretation or assumption. It's all flawed. Yes, we've worked out some rules which make cars run and propel rockets into space, but ultimately nothing is absolute. Laws change. The universe changes. There is a constant flow which cannot be captured by any formula. A formula is static. Existence is changing.

      When one dissolves all their notions, one can just simply be themselves. Just simply be, without "having" to be something, or "needing" to do anything or thinking that one "should" do something. Without being driven towards any aim, any goal, any standard. The emotions are there, but there is no fight towards them. It's not anything but a choice, albeit a courageous choice. Doesn't matter what the emotions are, however disturbing or not disturbing, there's no fight and there's no running away from them. It's not anything but a choice. Just let go of it. Drop it. Simply choose to be.

      The process of enlightenment is simply the process of learning to experiment with your emotions. Meditation is just experimentation. You get to experiment with what's in your head, in your conscious, subconscious, in your unconscious, in your super-conscious. Then after you know it, you have no fight or flight towards it. You give you those beliefs or ideas which go against your biology, against the needs of your body, and you simply learn to be. You become very human, very normal, very down-to-earth. You become innocent, and you know you're innocent. You become simple. You become uncomplicated. You become open to all views, even those that directly oppose yours. You stop reacting against idiotic people, you learn to accept them. You stop reacting against your parents.

      Even if you come across a real bitch, or a bastard, you learn to accept them as a part of yourself. The bitch that you see, is just a projection of the bitch in you. The pretty girl that you see, is just a projection of the pretty girl in you. The ugly person that you see, is the ugly person in you. You learn to not invest your emotions in anybody, not your family, not your friends, not God, not your teacher, not spiritual angels, nor the devil. You learn to be alone, not needing anybody, not needing anything. Simply being alone, happy, content, joyful.

      Osho, in the video below, describes the same kind of process I myself went through to become enlightened. I was just as strict with my routine, getting up at 4am without fail each day. Having a cold shower. Doing hours of meditation. Everything timed perfectly. Everything considered. Everything disciplined. Until a time comes, when one must let go of everything. And I mean everything, including your religion, your spirituality, your views, your God. It's all something which you think you "should" do or think. You don't realise it is just something which you have been led to believe is important, but really nothing is important by itself, unless you chose to give it importance. One must destroy everything one has created, every concept, in order to be left with nothing but nothingness, zero, nothing but one's own aloneness, one's own self without desiring anything, including God. Enlightenment is not something, but quite the opposite, it's nothing:




      Osho - The Day I Became Enlightened from arun prem rajasingh on Vimeo.


      P.S. I'm now changing the tagline of this blog from "A blog about how to become a better human being day-by-day, moment-by-moment" to "A blog about how to be human in each moment, everyday", which better reflects its purpose to allow people to learn to be, rather than aiming towards something or trying to be be something.

      A Guide to Divination from Mamacreepy.com

      Divination, the art of predicting the future, has been in used in many forms since the beginning of time. Records of various forms of divination can be found in all cultures.The word "divination" is based on a Latin word that means "the faculty of foreseeing.” The word comes from the Latin word for "divine power," or "of the gods." This indicates that the true meaning of the word "divination" is "to make divine."

      This guide is meant to explain and give a small overview of the most popular forms of foreseeing the future. There are many books and websites that can give much more detail on a given type of divination. Our friends at PaganSpace.net also have many knowledgeable people on their discussion boards, and  the archived topic threads are a wonderful source of information!

      The most common types of divination include:
      Astrology – Astrology is divination using celestial bodies: the sun, moon, planets, and stars. True astrology is nothing like the funny quotes in daily newspapers, and even less like the instant charts on websites. True astrology is a complicated science, and requires intense training. A trained astrologer researches and makes predictions based on a person's birth date, time and planetary influences. For a true and accurate divination using Astrology, consult a professional Astrologer, like our friend Donna Stellhorn.

      Cartomancy – Cartomancy is the practice of fortune telling using cards such as a Tarot deck, or regular playing cards, an old Romany form of divination.  Tarot is used to portend the future, give guidance on interactions with loved ones, and give ways in which to deal with dilemmas. The Tarot has a multi-dimensional quality, where one can deal with the apparent mundane, material concerns, as well as the less apparent spiritual aspects of someone's life - and all that exists in between.

      Clairaudience and clairvoyance – This is the hearing and seeing of information not readily available to others. These are the fields of the 'true psychic', and often involve touching a person, or an object that belongs to them. Parapsychologists generally regard these as 'ESP', or extrasensory perception.

      Dowsing – Dowsing is a method of divination involving a pendulum, forked stick or dowsing rods — also known as a divining rods — which have been historically used to locate water or treasure. These tools can also use the subconscious to point out useful information, answer questions, or lead the user to find something.

      I Ching - one of the oldest forms of divination still in existence. The I Ching is not the work of an individual but the collective wisdom of generations spanning 3000 years. It is founded on the examination of nature and humanity, and stands for the schematic, rhythmic and purposeful cosmos. The I Ching affirms that by revealing to the conscious mind what is concealed in the subconscious mind, it is possible to predict the probable future and to choose a direction accordingly.

      Numerology – Numerology is the numerical interpretation of numbers, dates, and the number value of letters. Originally each letter of the Greek and Hebrew alphabets also stood for a number and therefore each word represented a number when its letters were added together. In this way a person's name could be reduced to a number and they would bear the characteristics associated with it. Each of the planets also has its individual
      number and consequently the person who also bears that number is influenced by them. A person's date of birth can also be used in the same way, and when coupled with their 'name' number can foretell of things to come for a particular year in their life. Here is a great tool for finding out your Tantric Numerology based on the teachings of Yogi Bhajan.

      Ouija - A Ouija board (also known as a spirit board or talking board), is a flat board marked with letters, numbers, and other symbols.  It uses a planchette (small heart-shaped piece of wood) or movable indicator to indicate the spirit's message by spelling it out on the board. The fingers of the séance participants are placed on the planchette, which then moves about the board to spell out words or become physically manifest.

      Palmistry – Palmistry is the broad field of divination and interpretation of the lines and structure of the hand. Sometimes called 'palm-reading' this is one of the ancient methods of divination that has survived and is as popular today as it ever was. Palmistry however differs from other methods of divination in that it is completely personal as no two hands, like no two fingerprints, are identical. Chirosophy interprets the lines on the hand and chirognomy analyzes the shape of the hands and fingers.

      Runes - a system of divination and magic from the Norse culture.  The Runes are symbols rooted in the natural world and as such can be touched and related to by anyone who is willing to ally themselves with them. They are carved on stones and gemstones, and use a system of casting and interpretation to tell the future. Rune symbols can also be carved on objects such as jewelry and candles for magical purposes.

      Sciomancy – Sciomancy is divination using a spirit guide, a method generally employed by chanellers. Chanellers use information from spirit guides, angelic beings, and those who have passed away to gather information about people and situations, or to pass along messages.

      Scrying and crystallomancy - Forms of divination through gazing using a tool such as a mirror, bowl of water, cauldron, or a crystal ball. What you see can shed light on the present and guide future action. The word 'scry' comes from the Anglo-Saxon 'descry', which means to see. Crystallomancy differs from other forms of scrying such as tea leaves, because the images are not formed by the medium itself, but from within your psyche.

      Tasseography – Tasseography is the reading of tea leaves that remain in a tea cup once the beverage has been drunk. This is another ancient practice that has stood the test of time.

      Reprinted from mamacreepy.com

      A Guide to Divination from Mamacreepy.com

      Divination, the art of predicting the future, has been in used in many forms since the beginning of time. Records of various forms of divination can be found in all cultures.The word "divination" is based on a Latin word that means "the faculty of foreseeing.” The word comes from the Latin word for "divine power," or "of the gods." This indicates that the true meaning of the word "divination" is "to make divine."

      This guide is meant to explain and give a small overview of the most popular forms of foreseeing the future. There are many books and websites that can give much more detail on a given type of divination. Our friends at PaganSpace.net also have many knowledgeable people on their discussion boards, and  the archived topic threads are a wonderful source of information!

      The most common types of divination include:
      Astrology – Astrology is divination using celestial bodies: the sun, moon, planets, and stars. True astrology is nothing like the funny quotes in daily newspapers, and even less like the instant charts on websites. True astrology is a complicated science, and requires intense training. A trained astrologer researches and makes predictions based on a person's birth date, time and planetary influences. For a true and accurate divination using Astrology, consult a professional Astrologer, like our friend Donna Stellhorn.

      Cartomancy – Cartomancy is the practice of fortune telling using cards such as a Tarot deck, or regular playing cards, an old Romany form of divination.  Tarot is used to portend the future, give guidance on interactions with loved ones, and give ways in which to deal with dilemmas. The Tarot has a multi-dimensional quality, where one can deal with the apparent mundane, material concerns, as well as the less apparent spiritual aspects of someone's life - and all that exists in between.

      Clairaudience and clairvoyance – This is the hearing and seeing of information not readily available to others. These are the fields of the 'true psychic', and often involve touching a person, or an object that belongs to them. Parapsychologists generally regard these as 'ESP', or extrasensory perception.

      Dowsing – Dowsing is a method of divination involving a pendulum, forked stick or dowsing rods — also known as a divining rods — which have been historically used to locate water or treasure. These tools can also use the subconscious to point out useful information, answer questions, or lead the user to find something.

      I Ching - one of the oldest forms of divination still in existence. The I Ching is not the work of an individual but the collective wisdom of generations spanning 3000 years. It is founded on the examination of nature and humanity, and stands for the schematic, rhythmic and purposeful cosmos. The I Ching affirms that by revealing to the conscious mind what is concealed in the subconscious mind, it is possible to predict the probable future and to choose a direction accordingly.

      Numerology – Numerology is the numerical interpretation of numbers, dates, and the number value of letters. Originally each letter of the Greek and Hebrew alphabets also stood for a number and therefore each word represented a number when its letters were added together. In this way a person's name could be reduced to a number and they would bear the characteristics associated with it. Each of the planets also has its individual
      number and consequently the person who also bears that number is influenced by them. A person's date of birth can also be used in the same way, and when coupled with their 'name' number can foretell of things to come for a particular year in their life. Here is a great tool for finding out your Tantric Numerology based on the teachings of Yogi Bhajan.

      Ouija - A Ouija board (also known as a spirit board or talking board), is a flat board marked with letters, numbers, and other symbols.  It uses a planchette (small heart-shaped piece of wood) or movable indicator to indicate the spirit's message by spelling it out on the board. The fingers of the séance participants are placed on the planchette, which then moves about the board to spell out words or become physically manifest.

      Palmistry – Palmistry is the broad field of divination and interpretation of the lines and structure of the hand. Sometimes called 'palm-reading' this is one of the ancient methods of divination that has survived and is as popular today as it ever was. Palmistry however differs from other methods of divination in that it is completely personal as no two hands, like no two fingerprints, are identical. Chirosophy interprets the lines on the hand and chirognomy analyzes the shape of the hands and fingers.

      Runes - a system of divination and magic from the Norse culture.  The Runes are symbols rooted in the natural world and as such can be touched and related to by anyone who is willing to ally themselves with them. They are carved on stones and gemstones, and use a system of casting and interpretation to tell the future. Rune symbols can also be carved on objects such as jewelry and candles for magical purposes.

      Sciomancy – Sciomancy is divination using a spirit guide, a method generally employed by chanellers. Chanellers use information from spirit guides, angelic beings, and those who have passed away to gather information about people and situations, or to pass along messages.

      Scrying and crystallomancy - Forms of divination through gazing using a tool such as a mirror, bowl of water, cauldron, or a crystal ball. What you see can shed light on the present and guide future action. The word 'scry' comes from the Anglo-Saxon 'descry', which means to see. Crystallomancy differs from other forms of scrying such as tea leaves, because the images are not formed by the medium itself, but from within your psyche.

      Tasseography – Tasseography is the reading of tea leaves that remain in a tea cup once the beverage has been drunk. This is another ancient practice that has stood the test of time.

      Reprinted from mamacreepy.com