Spiritual but not religious

I am very sensitive about my beliefs. So much so that I do not share it even with my parents. I heard a famous actor say once 'Keep your spiritual beliefs like sex, within four walls is bliss but out in the public is  trouble.' When people around me were commenting as to how can such a public statement be made, I felt my thoughts had been blurted out. When people ask about my favorite temple or god or how I pray , I shrug away. Partially because I myself do not know and partially because its none of their business. I am asked questions of why I can't state myself as an atheist instead of complications. I repeat that 'I am spiritual but not religious'.
To me GOD is GOD. I enjoy all rituals like puja or a marriage with pleasure as long as I am not pressurized. Once it becomes instructions, the soul and its purpose is lost. There is no purpose in a highly religious person doing a puja just because history says it will make you get more money or peace. It should be felt and savored by your body and mind during the process.
 Temples are PEACE to me. I go alone when I feel like and stay in peace for a few minutes. I do not go because someone asks me to or because its a ritual. There is no difference between a park and temple when you keep chattering all through with a gang. Its perfectly alright if you don't go to temples yet feel it in your nerves or thoughts.
I want my thoughts to be just in sync with GOD. I am sure it will be perfectly fine as long as I do not disrespect my own beliefs. I do not wanna say HIM coz I do not know it.  It you who should decide your spirituality and not the society or people around you. You wanna praise, scream, scold, cry..let it be between just you and GOD and let none come in the middle. Let it be a secret..you can trust GOD to keep them intact for you.
Above is a garbled version of my thoughts. More organised ones coming up! 

We designed it, for a change!!!- From the eyes of a child..

On August 15, 2011 Bhumi had a blast for its 5th anniversary and so did We, the children. An anna called Hari had explained the akkas and annas who teach us about a competition- Design For Change! Our akka came and asked us what all problems we face in our day to day activity and how we would change it. All of us in our class said different things, akka wrote it in computer and sent it to DFC. We told many problems. About growing trees in all houses in our area and helping them in watering it regularly. About how our father's drink and abuse us. When we tell our fathers they don't listen so we planned to make a powerpoint presentation and show it to all of them. Most of us discussed about our environment, we know that ozone layer has a hole and that we should reduce pollution, usage of plastic and recycle garbage. So we all wanted to stop using plastic and have a vermicompost in our houses for degradable garbage! So having readso many ideas, you will be wondering what we actually did right?? Here it goes,

We decided to do each task for each month. Having only one month for DFC finals we decided to choose "Protect the Environment" topic. Latha akka from Ethiraj college came and taught us how to make paper bags. We decided to make many of these and distribute to shops near us. We realised that the paper bags we make can only carry light weight things so next week we made stronger bags with the help of Hariharan anna and went to shops near buy.

We got sooper response from shop uncles. One shopkeeper even gave us chocolates for our bags. They tried putting heavier things(upto 2kgs) and found that it worked!! Yaay! 

Now whenever we or our parents  go they give us items in our bags and we have also got more orders. Thank you Bhumi! 

Small talks and smaller ears!

How many times have you asked people "How are you?' and how many have you asked with real concern? This has been a constant thought for quite sometime. Being in the hospitality industry,people are tuned to ask this question to everyone around them. Myself being pushed to do the same, I realised I don't care a damn about how you are. But have the need to ask, for courtesy sake.
If you think about it. In case  a person says "No,I am not good. Have a debt of 5lacs."
What will be your reply?
"Don't worry,I will arrange the money and make you feel good???"
Or even if he is upset due to simple issues like peer pressure or girlfriend fights,what can you do? At the most, talk and console the person. This too will take place only if you are close to him/her.
Or even if you say you're not good when someone asks you,what can the person do?
Firstly, the person won't care. Secondly,even if they do they should be in a position to help you.
Next are these small talks:(with mind voice answers)
 Had lunch? (at 4pm)-
What will you do if i didn't have ? Buy food or cook it and feed me?
 What is the use in this small talk where you don't even know what to say!!!
Why not just a smile and move on. Why not just talk when there is a need for it?
Will save a lot of time and thought. Adios!

Tryst with Food

Once upon a time there was a little girl who used to think journeys are for eating. My mother used to be a bit beware and aware whenever they planned a trip . The minute I got into the mode of transort her lines would be " Amma enna kondu vandruka?" Anywhere the train/bus stops she would say " amma biscuit,amma juice,amma chocolate" And finally Mother would be "PHEW!!!!" when the destination is reached. The girl grew up and outgrew this tradition(ofcourse!). As years passed by she realised the whole family were foodies. Food was to be savored and enjoyed and criticized upon. Her grandpa being an ardent foodie himself would take her to various food joints and her grandma being an expert cook would prepare all at home. The discussions after each such session would be critical and detailed. 

       She grew up and in her high school after a lot of dilemma(like all) decided to do engineering. Okay,engineering was done for 3 years and in the final year came the dilemma again. All said biotechnologists cannot get jobs after bachelors so a Masters is a compulsion. SO what now? In what can the Masters be done. The fascination was for the brain. How does a brain work? How do we smell,cry,laugh? Okay so lemme do Neuroscience was the decision. Then there were second thoughts why not do something which we are dependent on everyday. Environment? Yes, that the call of the day. Jobs also seemed lucrative(thanks to all the pollution around the world)!
    Again, one fine day it struck. Why not food? FOOD is what we live for. SO why not? 
The final decision was taken, applications were sent out, unfortunately foreigners felt they are better off without Indians (thanks to the economy!). Nothing was lost, I got a job in my own field of interest(Yes,I am with Food each day :D). So I am still here,enjoying my job of supervising food production at various places,savoring through ophthalmoception, audioception,olfacoception and tactioception (Thro sight,sound,smell and touch in normal words :P.)  Learning about what I love  and taking life by each moment I have found my path in life.
  Now Mother says " You are still behind food? Pity those who work with you and the questions you are gonna ask!" Yes, a childhood trait has become a way of life for the present. Waiting to explore the path ahead! Adios! 
       

Life after engineering!

Well its been a month since I posted something. Various reasons like project review,exams and work came up. Work!!! oh ya.. believe me..its true :)  Now I am a working girl. Almost 15 days into my job and it still seems like an internship after which I would go back to college. But the truth is this time I will never ever get up early and go running and catch my bus on foot board! Never am I gonna snooze during the borringgg lectures nor have iced tea at CCD! Never gorge into the lunch box by ducking down and acting as if we've lost a pen nor go late to the library in the name of getting books to escape another lecture of course! Unfortunately due to the long period of holiday during the last semester the truth is yet to sink in. It still feels like a vacation with meeting friends often and having long chats. The gossip,the laughter,the fights and the misunderstandings,everything is no more. The long, interesting discussions in class,short hurried discussions in front of exam hall,group studies,last minute studies on the night before the exam everything have been paused. The group pic of the whole class on the last day is all I can cherish in the days to come. I repeat,its still yet to sink in..this vacation will never end. Adios!

P.S. So how's my life after engineering? Chk out in my next post ;)

Every true Indian must read this to know what is going on in our country.

1. Who is Anna Hazare?

Anna Hazare is a 72 year young ex-Indian army man. Fought 1965 Indo-Pak War

2. What's so special about him?

He built a village Ralegaon Siddhi in Ahamad Nagar district, Maharashtra

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3. So what?
This village is a self-sustained model village. Energy is produced in the village itself from solar power, biofuel and wind mills.

In 1975, it used to be a poverty clad village. Now it is one of the richest villages in India. It has become a model for self-sustained, eco-friendly & harmonic village.

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In August 9, 2006 (Mumbai): Anna Hazare has begun an indefinite hunger strike to protest against changes to the RTI Act (To make RTI less powerful against politicians).

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4. Ok,...?

This guy, Anna Hazare was awarded Padma Bhushan and is a known figure for his social activities.

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5. Really, what is he fighting for?

He is supporting a cause, the amendment of a law to curb corruption in India.

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6. How that can be possible?

He is advocating for a Bill, The Lok Pal Bill (The Citizen Ombudsman Bill) that will form an autonomous authority who will make politicians (ministers), bureaucrat (IAS/IPS) accountable for their deeds.

8. It's an entirely new thing right..?

In 1972, the bill was proposed by then Law minister Mr. Shanti Bhushan. Since then it has been neglected by the politicians and some are trying to change the bill to suit their theft (corruption).

7. Oh... He is going on a hunger strike for that whole thing of passing a Bill! How can that be possible in such a short span of time?

The first thing he is asking for is: the government should come forward and announce that the bill is going to be passed.

Next, they make a joint committee to DRAFT the LOK PAL BILL, 50% government participation and 50% public participation because you can?t trust the government entirely for making such a bill which does not suit them.

8. Fine, What will happen when this bill is passed?

A Lok Pal will be appointed at the centre. He will have an autonomous charge; say like the Election Commission of India. In each and every state, Lokayukta will be appointed. The job is to bring all alleged party to trial in case of corruptions within 1 year. Within 2 years, the guilty will be punished. Not like Bofors scam or Bhopal Gas Tragedy case that has been going for last 25 years without any result.

9. Is he alone? Who else is there in the fight with Anna Hazare?

Baba Ramdev, Ex. IPS Kiran Bedi, Social Activist Swami Agnivesh, RTI activist Arvind Kejriwal and True Indian Citizens.

Prominent personalities like Kapil Dev, Aamir Khan are supporting his cause.

10. Ok, got it. What can I do?

Least you can do for the man willing to die for a cause that is entirely for you and your future is spread the message. How?

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Word of mouth: talk about it to your family and friends. Make them understand what this is about.

Putting status messages, links, video, changing profile pictures on your social networking (facebook, orkut, gtalk, buzz etc).

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At least we can support Anna Hazare and the cause for uprooting corruption from India. (You can give a missed call to 02261550789 to register your support, it?s free)

At least we can hope that his Hunger Strike does not go in vain.

At least we can pray for his good health.

And at least have a positive attitude towards it. (I heard people say ?nothing can/will happen in India?, do not be such pessimistic)

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I am sending this out to all my contacts. My humble request to all is to do the same and spread the word.

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For more information visit: http://indiaagainstcorruption.org/

Patience is an Art!!

Recently I was day dreaming(!), seems to be the only thing I do these days :D. Anyways I was wondering about being patient and not to count the chicks i.e dreams before they hatch. So what does patience yield? These are some of my findings :

Patience is the companion of wisdom. – St. Augustine

Patience improves productivity because it creates a better state of mind, a clearer state of mind, for better decision making.Patience allows you to see the good things, the positive things in life. It helps you see the good in any situation and to realize the value that does exist.The ability to re-frame a situation by looking at it from a different point-of-view is another way to restore the art of patience.Often the gap of time between when you know something is going to happen and when it actually occurs can be one of the best times for self-awareness to take place. You can learn a lot about yourself during this period.

-The Devil's Dictionary, 1911
patience, n. A minor form of despair, disguised as a virtue

-He sows hurry and reaps indigestion. Robert Louis Stevenson

Patience is becoming a lost art. We sometimes feel others becoming more impatient with us if we are not quick to answer or respond right away which will only exacerbate our own impatience. However, most things worth having take time to obtain – they take patience. Art cannot be rushed and patience cannot be lost if the picture is to be finished. But Patience is the art of hoping as quoted by. Marquis De Vauvenargues. The interpretation of Hope may differ as a liter glass filled with 500 ml might be assumed to be half-full or  half-empty. 

The perspective might be pessimistic and impatient as half-empty or Optimistic and patient as half-full.

An interpretation of Patience as an Art:

Or this: