Power

I was having a very difficult conversation with someone who advised me that I should watch out when talking to people more powerful than me.

This set me thinking on how we understand power. The most commonly understood definition of power is the ability to influence. But this is incomplete as it doesn't speak of the subject. Influence whom?

Perhaps it remains unsaid, but depends on the context. The subject is typically an organisation, team, or even the world, and typically the situations in these contexts. Not surprisingly, many well known journals publish the list of the 100 most powerful people and so on..

But is it necessarily so? Why should it be something external ? I wanted to tell her that those are powerful who can have the greatest influence on the self. Influencing external situations is easier than influencing the self. The situations are ultimately the means but the state of mind is the end. Far more powerful that  those who think they are set to change the world, are those who can change themselves. And the most powerful are the ones who see beyond the I-ness of the body, mind and the intellect and hit at the roots of the ego which causes these illusions.

The next time you speak of power, watch out!

Or...

Reflection and Conviction, 

Loquacity and Stunning silence, 

Aggression and Restraint, 

Serendipity and Disaster,

Where do the extremes lie? 

Some organisational dilemmas

Is it a disincentive for people working in an organisation who manage their personal situations(and crisis)  better than the rest? Is there an incentive for those who are weak in managing their personal issues? 

Or, is it right for organisations to mirror the real world and follow the "might is right" funda? 

How do organisations cope if they do not have enough resources to respond sensitively to people's hard life situations? 

Celebrating freedom from facebook

This 15th August, as the country celebrates its Independence day, I would have more than one reason to celebrate my freedom. It would be 6 months of freedom from facebook. I am sure some might ask -  "Facebook never held you hostage, you opted for it, why complain about it? ". Well, I would say the same holds good for the country too, we "invited" others to rule us. I know its a little too far-fetched analogy. :)

How have these 6 months been? I must say that I have felt extremely relieved. I have been cycling a lot since then, also meeting up with a lot of interesting people, mind you - real people and not the virtual ones; playing a lot of cricket, listening to some good music, learnt writing kannada, watched a series of kannada films(especially Appu-centric) and have been performing better in my professional life. More than anything else, I am less bothered about others' lives and in those time space,  I have been reflecting a lot. I have been able to respond to some of the more serious challenges of life more rationally and less emotionally.  Bottomline - I have been doing better. :)

What have I missed? Too many birthdays. Also too many updates of others' lives. Who's getting engaged, who are the neo-parents, who had been to where for what and so on.. And yes, I have gladly miss a forum to brag about myself. :)

The curiosity of trying to track how many people visit and read my blog hasn't left me yet. I feel a little low about the visitors count and stats. I also feel glad that when an acquaintance with whom I had spoken to 6 years back pings me out of the blue, and shares that he loved reading my posts. Neither of this is a good feeling. Its the same social need that Facebook exploits with its all its "likes". Its time I get over this and write for myself. But as they say - Let not the perfect become the enemy of the good. 

Happy Independence Day to all !

Patterns in decision-making

I have been trying to analyse the patterns that run in the mind when it comes to decision-making and it boils down to just a few-

Classification - Putting the facts on hand or the previous experiences into separate boxes. We might also be classifying the anticipated responses to a decision. 

Prioritisation - Giving the inputs to decision-making and the possible outcomes varying levels of importance. Figuring out which of them has to be worked on and what has to managed or ignored.

 

Connections- Might seem a contradiction of classification, but the mind seeks to interconnect or link these distinct elements. 

Environment - Looking for the environmental factors which have an influence on the decision.And also how the key element has a bearing on the environment. The environment gives the historical footprints of the key element in question. What impact has one element on other. What are the relationships and counter-relationships?  

Incrementalism -  Lastly, we would want the decision-making to take cognisance of the present and would generally go for incremental change. The concept of sunk cost generally influences the process of decision-making. Evolutionary approach, ensures a sense of continuity with what generally works.

Is there more to it? Any thoughts?  I am all ears.. 

Energy drink

It must be a spontaneous flow of thoughts(or perhaps beyond thoughts)  in the state tranquility. Bow to you DVG for providing me a helpline whenever I needed one! 

Here is one of my favourite kaggas which pumps me with more calories than any energy drink!

shakti mIrda parIkShegaLanu vidhi niyamisire ।

yukti mIrda prashnegalanu kELutire ॥
chittavanu tirugisu oLagaDe; nODu nODalli ।
sattvada achChinna jhari - Mankutimma ॥ 556 ॥

"If life throws difficult tests at you or asks you tough questions, turn your thinking inwards. There; Right there you will find all answers - the continuous flow (stream) of cosmic truth. We should know how to tap it." - Mankutimma

I subscribe to -  http://wordsofwisdom.in/mankutimmanakagga/

One night at a ..

A few years ago, we decide to do yet another unplanned trip and head to B.R Hills. On reaching there and exploring Dodda-sampige and posing for a few photos (for orkut?), we decide to stay put at the Hills.

Being an unplanned trip, we hadn't done any groundwork on the accommodation availability. We run out of luck as most of the prominent lodges(there are very few!) are full. It is getting late.Need to stay somewhere. We finally  meet one local guy who promises to arrange an accommodation.

He takes us to a place on the rathadbeedhi (Car-street). We begin our regular bargaining with the caretaker of the lodge. He tells us that this is a place for family people and so we guys shouldn't make a lot of noise. We accept and leave our luggage in the room. The room is extremely untidy and there is only one small double-bed.

As we go out for a stroll, we meet a few local people who ask us where we are put up. Everytime we mention rathadbeedhi, people give us a weird stare. Unable to decipher it, we head back to the room.

At night, we see couples coming in late in the night and hear funny noises. It is only now that we are able to connect the dots- "Family people", "weird stares", "double bed", and "funny noises" - ghosh! We were staying in a brothel! 

Crossroads

Has it happened to you ? 

• x buys a big car and you feel low. 
• y does something "not so good" to you. - humiliates you perhaps. 
• You are left behind in an intense competitive world. 
• You are taken for granted. 
• Love, ditch. Or your crush is getting married.

Or think of any recent instance or moment which you felt bad about.( I am sure there would be thousands such moments for us common mortals. :)  )  

Such thoughts potentially give rise to different set of emotions in different combinations. There are two ways for the mind to go about.

1. One is to give in to it- krodha(anger), lobha(greed), moha(desire) and perhaps the most dreaded one which is - irshe(envy); nurture it and ultimately let it cause pain. 

2. The other is to examine where it is coming from. Go deeper into source of the thought, beyond the sheaths of body,mind, intellect and see the root of the ahankara or ego, the I-Consciousness. Remind ourselves about "who am I?". Once this is realised, the thought no longer causes pain. You will laugh over it.  You will feel much lighter. This however requires constant consciousness as it requires taking control of the mind from its natural flow. 

Most of us instinctively pick option one and after a time lag move on to option two. What matters is how quickly we are able to make this switch and reduce the duration of pain. It ranges from hours to weeks to even a lifetime. The sooner it is, more evolved we are. If we are able to do it as soon as the thought arises and nip it in its bud, and just shrug it off, it is perhaps the state of budha.

"Serenity and Wildness Within"

I was searching for some specific archived mail when I  came across this empty mail which had the subject - 

"nin jote aavatt maataadi tumba khushi aaytu......nenskotaa idde, adakke mail maad-de"

( Was very happy to speak to you, was remembering that, so I mailed) 

He would confide with me a many things. He was a very dear friend of mine.  Few knew that we were this close. 

I used to hang around a lot with him at college. Full of josh, never low on energy he was.  He used to try his best in convincing me during those boring classes on how exciting F1 & EPL were. I wouldn't agree, but he wouldn't give up so easily.

He used to call me frequently from States. One of the few long-distance calls that I used to get. This was the last time that we spoke. 

His memories is the only reason I am still on orkut. Keep peeping into his profile which reads - "Serenity and Wildness Within". 

I know that life isn't eternal. Everyone has to leave. But still... 

A message in death

The death of a young cop from the elite IPS in MP in a display of valour is indeed a very sad story. A handful of such people have stood their ground. And perhaps we owe our lives to them. 


Earlier it was Manju, Dubey and now its Kumar. People like these take on the system, compromise on their personal lives and work for a larger public good. What is it that gives them the courage? What drives them? Is there a message for us in their deaths?  


"Cowards die many times before their deaths,
The valiant never taste of death but once."
                                                                             -Caesar

Nature and God

I was reminded of Tagore's Gitanjali when I heard the Meera Bhajan. I feel they have a common underlying theme - Seeing God in nature. Divinity personified!

Have you not heard his silent steps?

Have you not heard his silent steps?

He comes, comes, ever comes.

Every moment and every age, 
every day and every night
he comes, comes, ever comes.

Many a song have I sung 
in many a mood of mind, 
but all their notes have always proclaimed, 
He comes, comes, ever comes.'

In the fragrant days of sunny April 
through the forest path 
he comes, comes, ever comes.

In the rainy gloom of July nights 
on the thundering chariot of clouds 
he comes, comes, ever comes.

In sorrow after sorrow 
it is his steps that press upon my heart, 
and it is the golden touch of his feet 
that makes my joy to shine.

And below is my all-time favourite Meera Bhajan.

Below is the lyrics and meaning -

Hari aawan ki awaaj,Aaj suni mein Hari aawan ki awaaj
Today I repeatedly hear the foot steps of approching Hari (Lord Krishna).

Mahalan chadi chadi jowoon mori sajani,Kab aawey maharaj. Hari ........

I keep on climbing up the high terraces of my palace and look for Lord Krishna again and again. 

Daadur more papiha bole ,koil madhure saaj,

Koyaliya,koyaliya,koyaliya, koyal madhure saaj,Hari aawan ki awaaj,

The frog,the peacock,the Papiha(a song bird favourite of lovers) all started making sound to the accompaniment of the Cuckoo's melodious musical call. 

Surely I hear the arrival of lord Krishna. 

Barsey budharia megha bole daamini chodi laaj,
aaj suni mein hari aawan ki awaaj

Even the nature has become ecstatic,the raindrops have started to fall the clouds have started to roar and the lightening is flashing renouncing all its modesty. 

Lo! I hear the footsteps of Krishna approaching today! 

Dharti roop nawa nav dharia,Dharti roop nawa nav dharia,Dharti nawa nav dharia,

piya milan ke kaaj,
The earth has worn a new attire and appearing with a new look just to welcome my lover Lord Krishna. 


Meera ka chit dheera na maaney,beyg milo maharaj

Meera can no longer wait ,she is increasingly growing impatient! 
Oh Lord come and meet her quickly. Sure I hear the footsteps of the arriving Lord Krishna today!

A fussy foodie

Sometimes self-acceptance comes very late. For the last many years I thought I had very little preferences of  food. All that changed after I moved out of the comfort zone.

1.
A couple of years ago I had been to Delhi. I stayed there for over three months. People had given me a heads-up about the food which I then felt was exagerrated. Day-1 at Delhi was great. Had Parotha + Palak Paneer. A college treat in Mysore would typically be that. Day-2 was even better - Chole Batura. I thought how wrong people were. Day-3 was again some Aloo stuff. By Day-4, I was longing to eat Anna-Saru/Sambhar. I started thinking that perhaps my advisers had a point. But by Day-5, I had almost given up. I had realised that I am very fussy about food.

Two months passed on. The routine repeated itself. More paneer, more aloo, three times a day, seven days a week ! And then one day I and my roommates decided to take a rik to the nearest udupi which was half an hour away. Conversing to the waiter in Kannada was a unique feeling! Once the Anna - saaru was served, we were all speechless. After having the first sip of filter coffee, we were literally jumping, as if we were doped!

We then got many packs of "MTR ready to mix" sambhar and rasam and had our Rice-Sambhar feasts every Sunday. Heaven on earth experience it was!

2.
My curiosity of Italian foods took me to an Italian restaurant in Bangalore with my friend. The only Italian foods I even knew were pizza and pasta. When we looked up the menu, we could hardly read any of the delicacies! Finally we ordered one 7.4 and two 5.3s! It looked all colourful. But, I could hardly have more than a bite! I was trying to push myself to have more, but couldn't pursue my tastebuds to have more.We  concluded the dinner with a strong dose of coffee.

Call it social conditioning, or whatever, the hard reality is I am a fussy foodie !

Listening to self

There have been quite a few times when people have messaged/told me "thank you" after having a deep  conversation with me. Others acknowledge it differently. They tell me they feel much lighter. To be honest, I feel delighted to  hear such compliments showered on me!

They don't come to me with a "problem" or  seek a solution. Some just want have a conversation. I lend them an ear and sometimes a bit more. I often fear overstepping the boundaries and wonder of I am giving them unsolicited advice. But, they do feel relieved.

It however bemuses me when I am perturbed with a trivial thought. And lose my peace of mind. Why is it so?

Perhaps because when we listen to other's thoughts, we see it objectively. We don't lose the sense of discrimination. However, when it comes to us, we are overly attached. We cannot see where we are erring.  We don't have to succumb to the reality, but learn to accept it. This we fail to do.
We complain -
"But still, how could he say that!".
"I didn't expect this from her! "
"Why is this happening with me?"
and so on...

We only want to speak to ourselves. Shouldn't we also listen a bit?

A lonely exploration

Travelling alone is such a joy. More so when it is unplanned. I had recently been to Sringeri without a plan or a purpose. In a single day, I had many such interesting encounters. 

Meeting Statue-man Babu who poses for long hours as Gandhi, seeing first-hand a solar panel installation at a village near Kigga, watching the Khadi being spun and weaved by hand by the industrious Rathnamma , seeing the sun set in the crimson horizons at Agumbe, watching couples enjoy those moments, a kiss from a little sweetheart on my cheek and finally travelling to Mysore sitting next to an drunk anti-Naxal force sub-inspector listening to stories of naxalites, intelligence and magzines! I couldn't perhaps have hoped for a more eventful Sunday! 

It also gave me the time to reflect on Myself, engage in a conversation with myself, and enjoy the solitude amidst the crowd. Life is beautiful. 

Adios Facebook

Living in Mysore, away from my friends, facebook  helped me connect with many set of friends, lost friends from my school days, SJCE friends, fellow volunteers from Divyadeepa, family diaspora separated by the  oceans, former colleagues, other interesting people and numerous acquaintances such as  Free Software Movement folks, Homeschooling group and so one.

I would indeed miss networking with 350 odd people. But I would also gladly miss the expectations and the feeling of envy, jealousy, complexes, and so on through numerous feeds that spam your wall.

Someone "likes" someone's photo and I feel bad. I add a post and expect others to "like" it or comment on it. And keep checking for status updates every now and then. Its your birthday and you expect your dear ones and some "special" ones to wish you. If they don't, you feel low.

Inner noise is such a bad thing. It keeps talking to itself and you lose control over it. The source of this noise is the virtual world. We see numerous objects and get attracted by it. We crave to have it, thus living in the future. If we don't get it, we lose sleep over it, thus being in the past. In between this swing between the past and the future, we forget the now.  To live in the state of now, I have decided to quit facebook.

Yes, I do agree that like anything else, FB is only a tool, and it depends on how we use it. There are perhaps many of you who are able to truly use it as just a tool. You might call it my weakness, but so what? I am not shy of admitting it. Perhaps, perhaps, when I learn to control my mind, I might connect again.But for now, I want to be with myself, and lead myself into the reclusive realm of the void.



ದೇವದಾನವರ ರಣರಂಗ ಮಾನವಹೃದಯ ।
ಭಾವ ರಾಗ ಹಠಂಗಳವರ ಸೇನೆಗಳು ॥
ಭೂವಿಭವಜಯಗಳ ಭ್ರಾಂತಿಯಲಿ ಮರೆಯುವರು ।
ಜೀವಾಮೃತವನವರು – ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ ॥ ೧೯೨ ॥

The human heart is a battle front of gods and demons.
The fighting force is feeling, emotions and stupidity.
In the delusion to conquer wealth and the world,
Forgotten is the life's ambrosia - Manku Thimma

Mystery of the maya

Oh Almighty Lord, 

What pleasure do you get? 

By causing me to crave for the nectar,

In the oceans of salt.  

I know that it is unreal, 

Yet something tricks me, fools me, 

Keeps me in this delusion. 

From which I wake up,
Every now and then.

Mystery it is. 

Maya it is.. 

In my quest to unravel it, 

I slip and fall,

Determined to raise again.

Aye

What I see isn't real,
For my mind sees what I want to see. 

Watching the mind see what it wants to see,

Is  the path to freedom.

Freedom from pleasure and pain alike. 
Freedom from feeling good, from feeling bad. 


What is good? What is bad?What is it to feel? 

Who defines it? Who is the who to define?

Is it the I-ness of the I? 

And if so, who am I? 

In realising this, lies the freedom,

Freedom from the body, 
And the mind,

Shackled by the feeling of the I. 

Beyond the realm of I,

Beyond the illusions, 

Lies the unthinkable, the undefinable, the timeless,

That alone is real! That alone is real!