Shades of Being Alive

Dearest Family Member,  I hope January is bringing newer and healthier energy in you to pursue what your heart calls for.  While we were in Kutch, I met an elderly Dadi, she called herself 101 years old but never counted her age :) I asked her if she was scared of death and she said  'सब कुछ राम का है, जब चाहे ले लें '  (everything belongs to God and he can take it whenever he wants). Witnessing her, I felt she treaded lightly while being true to the role that she was given in her life. I have been thinking for myself, while I try to live my purpose a 100% -  what does it take to tread lightly? To not be a weight on the planet - physically, emotionally, spiritually . :) In our country and the world, there's remarkable polarisation, ego and fear and to us the most important way to engage with it - is to live our lives with very different anchors - of trust, acceptance and fearlessness.  What we also need is to cultivate a community that supp...

Learning from and observing my sister’s experience - I have come to understand that the bureaucracy trains people how to behave with power and how to be with power. And if you are wise, how to use power well. It inducts the candidate into the power structure that the country-people are serving for over 200 years.   It does not even touch (or touches very little) on how to empower, those you are serving.  The mindset with the bureaucracy has been more or less similar as it was during the colonial period. Hence, bureaucrats are to rule over the people. Although ironically they are called Civil Servants.  Having said that, if the governance part of this country is running - it is because of some amazing bureaucrats. There are numerous who have been able to get breakthrough implementations done with knowledgeable and wise decision-making and cooperation. And negotiation with other power-holders and power-brokers.  As most systems set up by British (like...

While surviving (financially) in this allegedly competitive world is important, my question to all those toiling away their time to earn money is what is the actual contribution you are making to the journey of humanity? Are we playing a small role in researching how to create better face recognition in the selfie camera? Or is figuring out how to sell a particular detergent in rural market? Or is guessing what the exchange rate would be tomorrow and therefore where to invest money for best returns? While they have a place in the whole structure, the question to ask is does it really bring a tiny movement upwards in the well-being of people or the planet? A simple way in, is to become aware of one’s own experience of doing the job. Is it fullfilling, enabling you to bring creative potential? Is it bringing you joy? Is it bringing you more self-knowledge? Do you look forward to the Mondays? When did our livelihoods got reduced to jobs that are done by human-doings who are replaceabl...