Random Thoughts on Random Words - Day 26 Zen State of Mind

   

We have come to the last day of the Blogchatter Challenge and to the last alphabet Z. As I pondered over the subject to end this series of 'Random words',  images of the havoc caused by the Corona virus all over the world popped up in my mind.  The deadly virus has been with us now for more than a year. In our own  country,  in the initial stages we thought that showing  lights and making a lot of noise by beating vessels would scare Corona  and it would run away for good. we followed it up with a 21 day lock down thinking "Now, all would be well". Unfortunately, this has not happened. On the contrary, the virus has come back with a bang, so much stronger in the second wave.  

After the first wave, we were feeling very proud that while the so called first world countries were struggling with the pandemic, we were in a much better position. Did this lead us to become complacent?  Complacent to the extent that we did not plan and order for the number of vaccines that a huge country like ours would need? Complacent enough to run around without masks, participate in  religious festivals like the Kumbh mela in large numbers ? If all this wasn't enough, we decided to hold elections involving congregation of huge numbers in election rallies! This meant our leaders who should have been focusing on planning to fight the pandemic by organizing hospital beds, ensuring sufficient availability of oxygen cylinders and PPEs for our hospital staff were running around the length and breath of the country shouting and howling at each other. 

The impact of the total failure of all the arms of administration of the nation viz legislature, executive,  judiciary, the so called fourth estate (Press) and the election commission (elections having been declared)  has been devastating. The mockery of the situation can be understood from the fact that high courts have made scathing censures on the election commission, (long after the voting / completion of  election process) for "not doing enough to ensure that political parties were following appropriate Covid protocols amid the surging second wave." The observation was similar to the situation in our Indian films, where  the police men come only at the end, after the villain has been beaten up by the hero. 

This is a time when we are all physically, mentally and emotionally shaken with reports of the death of a dear one, or one in our  social/ literary circles. The situation is expected to worsen in the days to come. Even if most TV channels try to play it down or the authentic figures of death and the conditions in hospitals are not revealed/ shared by them, you get some idea of the horror from pictures of mass cremations of the dead on the internet. The hospitals struggling for want of oxygen cylinders are asking the relatives of the patient to get them, who in turn are queuing up before oxygen manufacturing companies begging them for a cylinder. 

Apart from the problems that we discussed above, most people are reeling from the economic blows handed down by the pandemic. When it looked like things were getting better, many states like in Karnataka where I live, another lock down has been declared as the number of cases are rapidly increasing. In such a situation, what we need is a calming of our nerves, a respite from the thoughts of anxiety, fear and uncertainty. what we need is to experience a "Zen state of mind", a mind not fixed or occupied by thought or emotion. In the words of  D.T. Suzuki, scholar & Author " "being free from mind-attachment". 

According to the Merriam- Webster dictionary "Zen is a state of calm attentiveness in which one's actions are guided by intuition rather than by conscious effort"- Like when you engage in the Zen of gardening, you become one with the plants, lost in the rhythm of the tasks at hand. It is not being suggested here that we need to  essentially adhere to only the teaching and practices of Zen developed by the  the Chan school of Mahayana Buddhism ( influenced by Taoist philosophy).  We are simply  looking for a "Zen state of mind" by any means that works for us  be it various types of meditation, mindfulness, pranayama, sudarshana kriya or laughter yoga. The said state of mind may also be evoked by being  present while listening to instrumental or classical music.  

Habits of calmness will help us in this journey towards a "Zen state of mind". This includes having a calm morning ritual involving meditation/ mindfulness, observing your response to stressful situations to learn from it, being grateful for the many things you already have in your life, not taking things personally, focusing on one task at a time and reducing the 'noise' in your life literally and in the form of thoughts. Practicing mindfulness involves use of breathing methods, guided imagery and other practices to relax the body and mind, and reduce stress. 

Some of the things we can do as we journey towards a "Zen state of mind" are (1) removing the physical clutter- get rid of all the things at your desk/space that you don't need. This includes getting rid of tasks ( Scrolling on social media) that no longer have any meaning, unsubscribing from newsletters to reduce clutter in Email.  (2) removing the mental clutter- disassociating from those who deliberately put you down or engage in mindless gossip (3) Thinking before you act is an important Zen principle which advises you to slow down before reacting (acting in anger) to a situation making a well thought out response possible (4) Taking a 10 minute break from your desk/whatever you are doing for deep refreshing breaths /having a few moments to yourself/ being in the present.   It is important to hit "Pause" button as we go through our day when things seem to be going topsy turvy and we feel tense/ irritated/ overwhelmed. we can resume activity after having recharged ourselves.

The journey during the blogchatter challenge was a great experience requiring intensity, love, discipline and commitment.The dedicated team of blogchatter and their constant support  has made this possible for us! I enjoyed reading the posts of friends, some old, some new who wrote  in various interesting genres. In fact, it is the support and encouragement that members gave to each other that  made it possible for us to successfully complete this exciting challenge. 

As a parting line, I would urge readers to reach for and retain a "Zen state of mind" at all times . This  would serve us very well as we negotiate through the traffic of life. In the demanding times that we live in, we need a "Zen state of mind" now as never before!  

NB: This is powered by Blog Chatter's # A2Z Challenge   Blogchatter A2Z Challenge 2021       

Random Thoughts on Random Words - Day 25 "Yes to Life"

As we wade through our journey of  life on this earth,  most people believe that the "Grass is greener on the other side of the fence." We envy others thinking that they are having it easy, with a rich father or one with lot of political clout and connections. When we focus on and complain about the lack , we forget to say "Yes" to life. While we feel this way, a daily wage earner  may be thinking "These guys are having it so easy". The chain can be never ending. There is no one in this world who does not have his or her own problems. To think that we alone have problems and everyone else is having a gala time can be the most absurd thought. Yet people tend to have such thoughts all the time. A person with an overweight problem thinks all his life's problems can be traced to his obesity and that once it is addressed all problems will vanish! Does it mean that people with no weight issues have a  problem free life?

A major part of our life is lost forever, as we complain about the glass being  half empty and use it as an excuse, to  not say "Yes" to life. Excuses can be many-  "My parents did not give me a good education", "I grew up in a village", "I have a nagging spouse", "My father treated me badly in my childhood". The father would have long left for his heavenly abode,  yet, it is still given as the reason  for being mediocre in life.  When you say "Yes" to life, you acknowledge/accept the pluses and minuses of your life (everyone has them) and then move forward to do what needs to be done to be in the flow of life, and experience the spontaneous joy that we discussed in the last post on X Factor.  

Even as we wallow in self pity, we see people who have had lot more reasons to complain, refusing to allow adversities to come in the way of their life's passion/ mission. Ms Sudha Chandran, Bhartanatyam  dancer and TV personality, lost her leg in an accident at the age of 16 years. she learned to perform Bharatanatyam with her prosthetic leg and is today, one of the most acclaimed classical dancers in the country. In 2011,  Ms Arunima Sinha lost her leg when some robbers pushed her out of a moving train. This however, did not deter her from becoming the first woman amputee to climb Mount Everest. She went on to climb Kilimanjaro in Africa, Elbrus in Europe and Kosciuszko in Australia.

Muniba Mazari of Baluch, Pakistan married at the age of 18, to fulfill the wishes of her father. At 21, her  life  changed drastically when she met with a car accident that left her paralyzed from hip down. She was in hospital for over two years.  Fighting excruciating physical pain and various types of fear, she triumphed to become an accomplished artist, mother of an adopted son, television anchor and motivational speaker. I am sharing this video that gives details of her journey and also covers quite a bit of what I wanted to convey in my post on saying "Yes" to life.   

 Saying "Yes" to life  would mean making the most of every situation and opportunity that comes one's way. There are people who refuse to move out of the city they have lived in since childhood even when big opportunities are offered elsewhere. It would also mean stretching one's comfort zone in terms of experiences and assignments, saying "Yes" to possibilities for new adventures & challenges, for learning something new about oneself and others, building friendships, connecting with strangers and so on. It also means saying "Yes" to all those things that give you joy- Finding time to go on a trek,  visiting your picturesque native place, listening to music, writing, singing , dancing, playing with your children.

In this connection, it is to be clarified that what we are discussing here is about saying "Yes" to life and not to the many requests that people make at a personal level. In an office, it is possible that a person who is unable to say "No" may end up being saddled with a lot of  ordinary routine work without any challenging element in it. Accommodating  requests from others should not be at the expense of meeting one's own  professional and personal goals.  Saying 'Yes' to life also means, you say 'Yes" to what you want and make sure that you do not say 'yes' to what you don't want (then resenting, grumbling about it) .

In her maiden book "Year of Yes" Shonda Rhimes, American TV serials writer ( Grey's anatomy, Scandal, How to get away with murder etc.)  shares her experience on deciding "to say 'yes'  to everything that scared me" and acting upon it for one whole year. A workaholic who worked 15 hour weekdays with no weekend breaks, she learned to loosen up and relax when she started saying "yes" to her children's request "Can we play mama?".  Other areas that the decision impacted were attending social functions which she used to avoid because she was shy, introverted and embarrassed about her excess weight. After one year, during which period she had broken through the comfort zone to socialize, not only did she have more friends, but also shed 110 pounds of weight (saying 'yes' to health).  "I said 'Yes' to less work and more play" she says  and it has made a big difference to the happiness, health and well being.    

I would like to conclude this post by reminding and summarizing for  readers, the pivot of our discussion: In order to  say "yes to life" you have to say "yes to those  life experiences" that ordinarily scare, intimidate or bore  you. Here, breaking out of the comfort zone is the key. Dear readers, so  say "Yes to life !"It unifies our desires and deepest intentions transforming our lives forever.   

NB: This is powered by Blog Chatter's # A2Z Challenge   Blogchatter A2Z Challenge 2021       

Breaking Point

Denial, burying your head

deep inside the sand

shooting the messenger, will all do no good

how many messengers will you shoot? 

Having allies who will clap, sing for you

discourage, shout down others speaking against you

will do no good either... one by one

when it starts hitting them also where it hurts ...

when their own get affected 

on account of your incompetence

arrogance, apathy and misplaced priorities

they would desert you too... 

In the face of such gross incompetence

a company CEO would have lost his job long ago! 

Random Thoughts on Random Words - Day 24 X Factor

As we approach the end of the Blogchatter challenge, there is a feeling of excitement. At the same time, you wonder whether it is going to get tough towards the end as you are required to write posts  starting with "U" and "X" alphabets. I did manage "U" pretty well, with the word "Utopia" springing to mind just in time. Now, here is another tricky alphabet X on which today's post is to be written. . The first word that came to mind when thinking of the alphabet 'X' was Xmas. But, then, I thought that perhaps many writers would write on the subject. Moreover, the history of the birth of Christ and associated stories are quite familiar to most people. Of course, one could write on Xmas, but focus more on the idea of  "Christ consciousness" which goes beyond the incidents in the life of the prophet. I was pondering over this when suddenly a thought came to mind "Why not write about the X factor?" 

X Factor is a variable in a given situation that could have the most significant impact on the outcome. As for example, let us look at these statements: (1) 'The votes of women' may turn out to be the X factor in this tough election - It draws attention to the most significant factor that would influence the outcome. (2) My father definitely has the X factor that most great mechanics have. (3) Google search algorithm system is the real X-Factor behind the success of Google. (4) John .F. Kennedy was a politician who had the X Factor. (5) This doctor performs accurate surgeries in the shortest possible time which is his X Factor.

Now the question arises as to "what is X factor in a person?". According to the Cambridge dictionary " X factor is a quality that you cannot describe, which makes someone very special." To put it in other words, X factor differentiates you from anyone else. It is a pointer to the unique way you approach your work. A person who has found his/her X factor has been described as "a work of art in motion", doing things that defy explanation and stunning people by their mastery.

It is to tap into this unique something that makes a person special that the X Factor television music competition program was conceived by British producer Simon Cowell . It originated in the United Kingdom, and has been adapted in various countries including US and India. Like most reality music TV shows, the contestants are selected through auditions conducted in various cities across the country followed by competition amongst the selected 12 finalists. The X Factor program has thrown up many talented stars like Melanie Amaro who secured opportunities to sing for Simon Cowell's company Syco Music. In the Indian version, X factor India, the winner was Geet Sagar from Gwalior who won 50 Lacs, a car and an opportunity to sing the song "Dramebaaz" for the Karan Johar movie "Nautanki Saala".

We have heard of similar competitions happening in other areas as well, such as the Master chef competitions. In India, the multinational company 3M organizes "Young innovators challenge award" in collaboration with CII and at the end of a grueling selection exercise, the persons with the X Factor for innovation are identified. It is important whether competitions are available or not , to identify that unique specialty / X factor that differentiates each person from others so as to leverage the same to its maximum potential. While the musical program looks out for the X Factor in the area of music, we need to search for it in whatever it is our forte- just as it is cricket for Mahendra Singh Dhoni, science for APJ.Abdul Kalam or medicine for Devi Shetty.

Although, I have taken well known names here, there are so many people with the X Factor who are contributing in their area of expertise and passion, be it as a teacher in a Government school, a SME entrepreneur or artist creating sculpted art forms. I would like to take readers back to the first post of this challenge wherein under "Ability" we discussed how we can arrive at our passion/ zero in on our X factor by paying attention to our areas of interest and what we are curious about. It is never too late to pursue what comes to us naturally, easily and effortlessly. Singer and music composer, Srinivas (Srinivasan Doraiswamy) had worked for 10 years as a chemical engineer and marketing professional. He gave it up when he realized that his X Factor and passion was in music.

So go for it dear readers, pursue that, in which you find your X factor! It is not about being rich and famous. It is about being happy and leading a fulfilling life.How does one know whether he/ she has found the X factor? You will notice it in the flow, experiencing effortless joy even as you engage in it.

NB: This is powered by Blog Chatter's # A2Z Challenge   Blogchatter A2Z Challenge 2021      

Random Thoughts on Random Words - Day 23 Wedding

A wedding is a ceremony where two people are united in marriage. Wedding is a collective name used for all the ceremonies and rituals that take place to provide social acceptance to the relationship between two people, whereas marriage is the name for the life long institution, which begins soon after the wedding. The ceremonies may vary between religions and geographical areas but essentially a wedding has ceremonies associated with it. It could be exchange of wows as in a Christian wedding, transfer of 'mehr' ( an obligation imposed upon the husband as a mark of respect for the wife)  to the bride in a Muslim wedding or exchange of garlands, taking of  7 steps together as a couple in a Hindu wedding. 

The scale and number of days of celebration could vary depending on the local/diverse customs and financial strength of the parties concerned. While the marriage is held a contract in some faiths, it was held as a sacrament in a  Hindu marriage. According to sociologist R.N.Sharma Hindu marriage is " a religious sacrament in which a man and a woman are bound in permanent relationship for the physical, social and spiritual purposes of dharma, procreation and sexual pleasure". However, with the codification of Hindu laws and provisions made for divorce, remarriage of widows etc, it can neither be called a contract nor a 'sacrament' but a combination of both. 

To bring home the point that wedding practices can vary considerably in a diverse country like that of ours, I would like to relate an experience. After passing out of the Madras School of Social Work with Personnel management specialization in the year 1980, I enrolled for the LLB course in Pondicherry. One day, I received  at our Law college hostel,  a redirected wedding card addressed to me . When I opened it, I was skeptical as to whether this was  genuine invitation since the text  in the card read as follows:  "Marriages are made in heaven. But we, Ramamurthy and I have decided to make it on earth. Do come to our wedding at 6 AM on 5th May 1980 at the  Venkateshwara hall, Pondicherry- Radha and Ramamurthy"  

I read and reread the card; the name of the  bride indicated in  the card, Radha (name changed) was our immediate senior in college. She was gregarious, tomboyish by nature and not at all like the typical girls of that time. Was she trying to play a prank on me? After all, the language in the card was unconventional.  Further, who would have the wedding Muhurtam so early in the morning at 6 AM? ( Here, I was making a  blind assumption based on  my knowledge of the typical Kerala Hindu weddings which  are held  between 11 AM and  1.30 PM. OK, may be some  at 9 or 9.30 AM but certainly not at  6 AM). 

 Although I was aware of north Indian weddings being held in the night, I did not know, in spite of spending  five years as a student in Tamilnadu that often muhurtams  are fixed early in the morning in the state. It was about a week later when I saw someone (with a gentleman) from afar, who looked like Radha that I realized that the wedding card  must  have been  genuine. I moved fast towards the couple to speak to them but they  got into a cycle rickshaw and departed. I kicked myself for missing out an opportunity to attend a wedding that would have been so easy for me since I was already in Pondicherry. 

A lot of things have changed over the years when it comes to weddings. These days they are organized in a much more grand manner. I remember in those days the wedding meal in Kerala called the "Sadya" was always vegetarian and the items of the meal served on plantain leaf was more or less the same. If a person wanted to show his financial clout, he could at the most increase the number of Payasam (Kheer) to three/ four instead of one which was the mandatory part of the 'sadya'.  Today, particularly in the urban weddings more items are finding a place. The rich, like the film stars are opting for international locations such as Italy for their wedding. 

The preference for arranged marriages have declined; in fact the youngsters in the urban areas are reluctant to get married. They would like to postpone the wedding to as later a date as possible since there is a feeling  that they would lose their freedom and space on getting married. The love, respect, care and sanctity originally associated with wedding/ marriage is slowly and steadily eroding. On the one hand, financially the couple are lot more comfortable today compared to earlier times;  on the other hand the spirit envisaged in the union of two souls is missing most of the time. I wrote a poem titled "Crumbling Institution"  describing this phenomenon. 

    https://rajeevianlinesandverses.blogspot.com/2015/03/crumbling-institution.html   

Weddings are a lot of fun; you get to meet many of your  relatives and friends at one time under the same roof. There is music and dance (north Indian weddings), fun and frolic in the air! The atmosphere of happiness and gaiety of Indian weddings have been captured in many feature films. Wedding is also  a very special occasion for the young couple. They are happy and excited; yet have their own private fears as to whether the big  decision, having long time implications is the right one - whether the journey forward would be smooth or would it be tumultuous?

 In such a scenario , one would think that everyone would want to make their big day hassle free and comfortable. Sadly, you see undesirable behaviour from even close relatives, adding to the woes of the young couple by exhibiting king sized egos . Often times, trivial matters pertaining to hospitality or protocol are blown out of proportion ( "I was not invited to eat in the first batch"  "We were promised that the bride would wear golden waste band . where is it?" "The accommodation provided to us was not up to the mark.")  and egos tend to get precedence  over the happiness and well being of the young couple. I discussed this matter in my poem " Wedding". You can read it at the link below:   

https://rajeevianlinesandverses.blogspot.com/2017/02/wedding.html 

A successful marriage is not about living together for years; it is really about  living  happily with each other. Priorities tend to change over the years, particularly with the arrival of children; yet what the partners look for in a marriage are a continuous connect, commitment, , respect, trust and intimacy. In Hyundai Motor India where I worked last before my retirement, the company organizes a program every  quarter for the newly married employees. They attend the gala event along with their spouses. It is a whole day program with elements of fun and frolic. However, in the morning soon after the customary greetings from the top management,  the couple listen to a talk by an eminent personality who gives them an idea as to what to expect  in the journey forward and shares some useful tips as well. 

During a program organized on 18th February 2010, noted speaker Sugi Sivam, based out of Chennai gave some solid guidelines to the newly married couples that included (1) not allowing a third person to enter your marital space be it a mother, friend or sibling (2)  not attempting to change the basic nature of your spouse - For example he/she is  religious (3) retaining in the long run, the chemistry of the initial days (4) toning down expectations (5) never comparing your spouse with anyone else (6) overlooking  faults and limitations of partner (7) giving undivided attention to spouse when in group with others and (8) avoiding "being self centered". When you look back at life it is only those "moments of love" that will ever matter, he concluded. It was a pleasure for me to note down all that he said to be able to share it with young people embarking on their journey together after the wedding. 

I would like to conclude this post on a lighter note drawing attention to an interesting aspect of Indian weddings. You travel long distances to be able to attend the wedding; manage to obtain front seats only to find that you are unable to watch the main wedding  ritual of "tying the thali/ knot". The only thing visible  are the posteriors of photographers who completely block the view of the 'mantapam'. If this  situation continues,  there is no point in going physically to the venue. One can save a lot of time and money by blessing the couple on Zoom, a platform, we are getting more and more used to courtesy, the Covid19 pandemic. Here is the link to my poem " Random thoughts on an Indian Wedding " which discusses this subject. 

As of now, in spite of changes, modifications, and threats from various quarters, the institution of marriage has survived and is still seen as "haven in a hapless world" Will it continue to be relevant in future, providing the love and security expected from the institution?  A lot will depend on the attitude of the spouses themselves- whether or not  they will perceive  it  as sufficiently worthwhile. If yes, it would be protected with spouses exhibiting flexibility, and an attitude of give and take/ accommodation. If not, well time alone can tell...  

NB: This is powered by Blog Chatter's # A2Z Challenge   Blogchatter A2Z Challenge 2021      

Random Thoughts on Random Words - Day 22 Visualization

Visualization has gained a lot of attention in recent times all over the world, particularly after the publication of the book 'The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne in 2006.The book discusses the "Law of attraction" for the application of which, the technique of visualization and an attitude of gratitude are  key requirements. In today's post, let us try to understand as to what exactly is "Visualization" and to what extent  we can use it in our lives to attract success in various dimensions such as health, wealth, career or relationships.  Visualization can be simply defined as  " the technique of using your imagination to create what you want in life"  

In the visualization process you close your eyes and imagine in detail whatever it is you want in your life, with all the five senses. It involves not only 'seeing' the pictures in your mind's eye, but 'hearing/ listening' to the words spoken, 'feeling' and experiencing the related 'smell/taste' etc.  'visualization'  propels the associated emotions within, that  inspires/ motivates you to act  for achieving your goals. The more detailed your visualization, the closer your goal will appear to you. As for example, if you would like to be a successful orator, you visualize yourself standing confidently before the mike, see your audience listening to you in rapt attention. In  the 'Visualization' exercise, you also hear your voice as you speak, the applause from the audience as also experience the feelings of elation even as you catch the smell of the perfume sprayed in the air conditioned auditorium. 

Long before 'Visualization' was introduced to me as a formal concept, I had come across traces of the idea when I listened to a trainer Dr Mathew speak of his experiences in a training program. At that time, I was working in BEML Ltd Bangalore as HOD of Training and development. One day the Director (HR) called and told me "I have come to know that a Dr Mathew, a psychologist, who is based out of Ernakulam district Kerala undertakes training programs which are effective. You contact him and if you find him suitable, arrange a program; if it is good we can consider more programs." I contacted Dr Mathew and came to know that one of his flagship programs was for "Employees retiring in 3-4 years" wherein he would give inputs for psychologically preparing  participants for the many changes ahead and also equip them with financial information that would enable them to plan for a secured life after retirement.  

In his program Dr Mathew shared lot of personal stories. He belonged to a middle class agricultural family which consisted of nine siblings including himself. Therefore their aspirations were modest. However, one of the older brothers, got an opportunity to visit Japan in a work related assignment. On his return, he explained in detail about his trip, including visits to the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki before all the members of his large family, who listened in wonder and rapt attention.

 Years later, Dr Mathew got a scholarship to study in Manila from where he made a visit to Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the cities bombed by the US during the second world war. When his brother was giving details of his visit years ago, Dr Mathew had visualized the pictures in his mind and had an intense desire to visit those places himself. The story does not end here. Dr Mathew on returning from Japan recounted his experiences before all family members. A few years later, his younger brother got an opportunity to visit Japan. When he returned, he told Dr Mathew "Brother, remember you were narrating to us so many years ago about your trip to Japan; I was imagining myself then of going there too with intense feeling and expectation and now it has happened.  Dr Mathew says he was shocked to notice the pattern and was convinced that if we 'see' ourselves as achieving something, accompanied by an emotion of ardent desire, we would achieve it. 

The program was very well received by the participants who were very appreciative and thankful that the management cared for their welfare post retirement as well. We did a few more programs when the Director Marketing objected to doing them for two reasons (1) Training programs should be given only to those who can give back something to the company. Training employees with  less than 4 years of service is a sheer waste, more so as content of this program is useful to the employee and  not to the company (2) There are no dearth of trainers in Bangalore city, then why go in for a trainer from far away bearing his travel cost as well. Although we had to discontinue the  program, I believe  that such programs  go a long way in  raising the brand image of a company. The retired employees would recall such gestures with fondness and serve as the company's brand ambassadors for life. 

Studies show that visualization increases athletic performance by improving motivation, coordination and concentration of the athletes. It helps to reduce fear and anxiety. Visualization helps sports persons to do what they have already done so many times in their imagination; this gives them the confidence, poise and perfection. Visualization was first applied during the 1984 Olympics; Russian researchers found that the those who practiced visualization experienced a positive impact on their biological outcomes and performance. A pre- performance Visualization routine accomplishes 3 main physical goals (1) Stabilizes the motor pattern (2) Adds consistency and (3) Establishes a rhythm. Steve Nash, NBA's (National basket ball association of America) all time free throw percentage leader, imagines the ball going through the basket and also feels the shot during his imagination/ visualization exercises.  

Visualization can be similarly employed for attracting wealth. health or relationships. The only problem in relationships is that you cannot ask for the love and affection from a 'particular' person as it also involves the free will of the other person. Instead, you can visualize the various qualities that you would like to see in your partner and the universe will bring you someone most suitable and better than what you could have imagined. The emotion while visualizing should be of a positive expectancy. Many people do the exercise from a place of lack and feelings of frustration and anger. They find that their goal is elusive because the high vibration of what they want and the low vibration of what they are feeling now do not match. The trick is to get into the feeling and vibration of having already attained whatever it is that you want.   

My own experience with visualization has been pretty good. I first attempted it along with my team members while working in the corporate office in BEML Ltd in 2000. we visualized working harmoniously and supporting each other. Later in 2009 while working as the HOD of learning and development in Hyundai Motor India Ltd we engaged in a visualization exercise focusing on better attendance at the training programs, getting required resources and support from management for our department and harmonious working. Remarkable improvements were noticed in all these areas within 30 days of the exercise.

Energized by this success, I spoke to a few team leaders of the plant/ factory departments who were open to the experiment . visualization exercises were introduced to a few team members in their departments. The visualization included (1) imagining your internal customer coming and congratulating you for great service (2) everyone working with proper safety precautions and wearing PPEs (3) Each member supporting each other to achieve targets etc. 

One of the requirement of the visualization exercise is consistently practicing  everyday for 15 to 20 minutes for a minimum of 21 days ( Practicing something for 21 days, makes it auto pilot and it gets registered in the subconscious mind). We did the exercise for 21 days, but the challenge was to get the same people everyday for the visualization exercise. On the shop floor, employees work in shifts with one set of employees  moving to another shift in the succeeding week.  Although the team leaders reported some positive changes, it could not be pursued in an optimum manner since it clashed with shop floor priorities. At an individual/personal level, I would give visualization a lot of credit for my success and recognition as a writer/poet.

I would like to end this post with the assertion that 'Visualization' is a virgin area, yet to be explored for its full potential. At an organizational level, it has been difficult to experiment and practice as most people still consider new path breaking techniques like Neuro linguistic programming (NLP), Law of attraction and Emotional freedom technique as woo- woo. Whatever, experiments, I did was done quietly without fanfare with a hope of bringing it to mainstream after benefits are noticed and acknowledged by my internal customers in the organization.

Readers may like to experiment for themselves and come to their own conclusion as to whether this technique  is 'their cup of tea' and whether it works for them. We can start with small goals in the beginning and set bigger goals with each success. . Apart form Rhonda Byrne 's book, "The Secret",  readers may also like to check out "Power of the subconscious mind" by Joseph Murphy, "Ask and it is given by Esther Hicks & Jerry Hicks and "Creative Visualization" by Shakthi Gawain. 

Happy visualization!  May you have abundance in all areas of your life!

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Random Thoughts on Random Words - Day 21 Utopia

 

Today, on the 21^st day of the challenge, I would like to discuss with readers  the interesting concept  of “Utopia”. The word was first coined by Sir Thomas More, (1477 - 1535), an English lawyer, statesman, writer to describe a perfect imaginary world. It is a basic human nature to not be  satisfied with the existing state of affairs and desire a better and more egalitarian form of society.  Utopia visualizes a society that is perfect and ideal, akin to the imaginary “garden of Eden” where all beings including the plants, animals and humans live in harmony without conflicts.

 The concept of Utopia is believed to have shaped books, philosophies and political movements as varied as Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe (Defoe's political philosophy with the emphasis on individualism), Mahatma Gandhi’s doctrine of passive resistance (nonviolent resistance) and the founding of the state of Pennsylvania (tolerance for all religions, a founding principle of Pennsylvania State.) Although Thomas More coined the word “Utopia”, the idea was mooted much earlier by Plato in the book “The Republic” in 380 BC wherein thoughts of his master Socrates are outlined. It speaks of a communistic, egalitarian city state ruled by philosopher kings called ‘guardians’. The guardians consist of both men and women.   

Every year the guardians leave the city for a wild sex orgy to beget children who would be brought up by the state. They do not know their real parentage and later become the new generation of guardians when they grow up. We can see here, a desire for an egalitarian society where no one has a privilege because of their parentage. In later years also, in the writings for a Utopian society, a desire is clearly visible to break down barriers such as rich - poor,  men - women, with everyone having an equal chance for a fulfilling life.  

One can see traces of the same philosophy in the “fraternal polyandry” that was practiced in parts of Kerala till the late 19^th century, wherein the parentage of the child was not known. One of the brothers in a family married and brought home a wife who would be the wife for all the brothers. The children born are treated as children of the family. They call all the male members as fathers (Raman father. Lakshman father) and everyone in the big family are treated in a just and equal manner.

In Thomas More’s Utopia, private property is abolished. Every three months, the people pile up loads of stuff in the market place; anyone can come along and take what they need.  The aim was to create a fair society, which did not benefit only the rich. The concept developed in the subsequent periods in history and was reflected in the books, and popular art forms. It got a fillip in the 17^th century when many Utopian societies were suggested, one of which was “Christianopolis”, mooted by German theologian mystic Johann Valentin Andrea  who advocated for a Christian Utopia. Perhaps the ideas of “Muslim state”, “nation without Jews”, “Hindu Rashtra” etc germinated and developed on these lines with each Utopian leader and their followers believing they would create/ form a community of the perfect and ideal society.

 

Italian writer and Dominican friar Thomas Campanella published his “City of the Sun”  sharing his ideas of an Utopian society in 1623. Then came the book called “New Atlantis” in 1627 written by polymath and Lord Chancellor of England Francis Bacon proclaiming science as the saviour. He talked of a tech-based utopia featuring aeroplanes and submarines.

We had Utopian concepts that suggested man should not be working at all. All the resources should be publicly available so that anyone can eat, drink and make merry as they please.  A Utopian community, Cockaygne was a land of no work, equality between men and women and no authority figures. It envisaged Free love in the society with Monks and nuns cavorting freely.

Some of the 19th-Century Utopian Communities in the United States were the following:

1. Brook Farm (1841-1846): The Transcendentalist Romance. Site of Brook Farm in West Roxbury, Massachusetts. ...

2. Fruitlands (1843-1844): The Farm without Farmers. ...

3.New Harmony (1825-1829): The Boatload of Knowledge. ...

4. Oneida (1848−1881): The Complex Marriage. ...

5. The Shakers (1745-): The Simple Life.

 Suffice it for us to understand for our purpose, that the various Utopian groups believed they had the “best interests “of the people when they set out to create ‘perfect’ communities.. The Osho community established in Pune and later in the Wasco county Oregon, US can be seen as one such  Utopian community that was aiming to create a perfect society for mankind. We also have the Auroville Village in Puducherry that seeks to have representatives of the whole world living in a self sufficient “meditation focused village” in harmony.

 Famous Utopia literature includes “Republic” by Plato, “New Atlantis” by Francis Bacon, “Gulliver’s Travels” by Jonathan Swift, “A Modern Utopia” by H,G,Wells, “City of the Sun” by Thomas Campanella, “Erewhon” by Samuel Butler, “We” by Yevgeny Zamyatin, “Island” by Aldous Huxley, “Ecotopia” by Ernest Callanbach and “News from Nowhere” by William Morris.

 

As we think of white, it’s very opposite black comes to mind as well. When we dwell on light, it is to be noted that it is followed by darkness. In being preoccupied by “our” Utopia, we may discount or be unaware that what we think as Utopia may not be “Perfect/ideal” in someone else’s eye or experience. An anti-Marxist, anti-Semitic and anti-democratic community may be seen as Utopia by Adolf Hitler, while it may be deemed as hell by others affected by its implications.

 

 This brings us to the idea of “Dystopia”. A dystopia (anti-utopia) is a fictional community or society that is undesirable or frightening. It is often treated as an  antonym of utopia. Many communities that we may want to create as Utopias may in realty turn out to be dystopia. Famous dystopia literature include "Fahrenheit 451" by Ray Bradbury, "The Children of Men"  by P.D. James, "We" by Yevgeni Zamiatin, "A Clockwork Orange" by Anthony Burgess and "The Giver" by Lois Lowry.

 It is argued by some, that the concept of Utopia is necessary for improvement of the human condition. Yet, it is to be noted that there is an inherent contradictory nature in the very idea of utopia- One man’s food can be another man’s poison. If wrongly applied, it could have dangerous consequences. After all,   it is the imperfect humans who are aiming for perfection in terms of various dimensions such as personal, political, economic and social. Therefore, the  chances are high for a failure. It is likely to throw up repressive and overbearing systems, and end up as failed social experiments!

 

To my mind, instead of going about trying to"perfect" the world, we would all do well  to perfect ourselves first. After all, Utopia is seeking to have an egalitarian society. We are also contributing to the same objective when we, as individuals, treat everyone equally with love and respect.  When you interact with anyone, make sure you treat them well. Let the words that come out from your mouth be sweet as honey instead of harsh words. Smile more often than you frown; have compassion for others. When everyone focuses on himself / herself and become better human beings individually, as a collective, we become a harmonious loving community, which  is the very  objective of Utopia. 

Having said that, we can certainly take  inspiration from those Utopian communities that have survived the test of time (like Freetown Christiania, Copenhagen, & Open house colony, Dial house, Essex) and are doing yeomen service in society. At a time when Governments are failing and disappointing  citizens  repeatedly, one need not be surprised if the society takes on the role of taking care of itself by forming effective and harmonious communities, choosing not to depend on Governments formed though a dysfunctional political exercise. 

 Of course, we need to learn from the past experiences of the Utopian communities in order to avoid the pitfalls.  

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