Category: Personal Growth (Page 7 of 8)

What time is it Buddha?

May 25, 2018 / Sreenath Sreenivasan / 0 Comments

I have a little polaroid camera in my bag. Whenever I find a kind and helpful person while travelling, I click a Polaroid picture for them as a gift.
I had the fortune of meeting a kind bicycle mechanic, Nu, in Chiang Mai.
He helped me even when his shop was shut for the Thai new year.
Moved by his desire to help, I clicked him a nice Polaroid picture with one of his cats in his lap.
He took out a marker to write the date at the bottom of the picture.
It read ‘13-4-2561‘

For a moment I was taken aback.
Was it possible that I was time travelling and breached past the time-space continuum to a point in future?

Nu sensed my curious mix of surprise and disbelief.

‘It is the Buddhist calendar date. Don’t worry !’ he shared smilingly.

I was relieved and a tad disappointed at the same time. Wouldn’t it be fun to have time travelled after all !

The year in which we live is also relative to our set of beliefs. I am sure there will be remote tribes where it would be another calendar year, if they believe in calendar years at all.

That night, back at my hostel, I was sitting in the lounge and writing on my laptop. My laptop still displayed the Indian standard time on it while my cellphone had the Thai time.
I looked at the laptop of a friend sitting next to me. Her clock showed the time in Germany. I looked at another friend who was waiting for sunrise in the west coast of USA so that he could call and talk to his family. It was late at night in Thailand but in our minds we also had the time of the places where our friends and family lived.

I wondered, well,
even time, at the same instant,
Is relative to where a person is.

The other day someone shared an article with me that asserted that time is merely a concept of our own making. Our sense of time is a locally agreed upon reality here on earth. Our understanding of time warps when viewed in the grand timelessness of the cosmos.

How do I make sense of time after all these stimuli broadening my perspective within a span of a day, which is also a local cosmic reality.

I found myself in a Buddhist temple the next morning.
Sitting in front of Buddha’s statue, I asked,

‘What year is it now Buddha?’

He chuckled and replied,
‘There is no real answer for that question.’

‘What day is it then?’

‘ It is today.’ he said matter of factly.

‘And what time is it?’

‘It is now.’

‘What does that mean?’

‘The only true, non negotiable, non relative time, in now. No matter where you are on earth, that stands true, doesn’t it?’

‘Hmm…so ‘now’ is the correct time in your opinion.’

‘It is not my opinion. It is a truism.’ he said.

‘I see, Now is the right time.’

‘Yes, Now is the right time, to do what truly matters to you most.’

We shared the same half smile, the Buddha and I.
I clicked a Polaroid picture with the Buddha. I felt no need to put a date stamp on it.

Enlightened by the profoundly simple sermon, I got up with enthusiasm,
‘To do what truly matters to me, in the present moment.’

‘Now.’

On an artist’s state being

May 24, 2018 / Sreenath Sreenivasan / 0 Comments

‘So what music are you listening to these days?’ I asked my friend Vijay over a phone call.’

‘Ah, I must share this artist’s music with you. His playing is absolutely mesmerising. It is a wedlock of poetic expression with reckless abandon. He plays as if he doesn’t care who is listening or not listening for that matter. He just does his thing. I wonder how long it would have taken him to have that state of being.’

‘Sounds fascinating ! Do share his music with me !’

‘I will, when we hang up.’

And we went on with our friendly, fruitful conversation.

The way Vijay described the musician’s state of being made an impression on me.
I remembered a phrase a dance teacher used to say when people were shy to sway. He would say,

‘Dance as if nobody is watching.’

While that helped people for a while, of course their conscious state of mind came back to them in no time.

But when kids dance, they know the whole world around them is watching. Their expression spouts out in bountiful measure nevertheless.
They don’t dance as if nobody is watching !

Maybe the way to dance best is to dance with a subtle awareness. An awareness that people might be watching. Or not.
Consciousness is such a gift. It should never be stifled by being ‘conscious’!

As a musician, I have also felt this state of being ‘conscious’ while playing. It happens even to the best of us.

We all fall in that trap of trying to be ‘good enough’ as someone. That someone could be your favourite artist, a contemporary or your own mentor.
But in reality we can only be as good as our best selves. We can never be as good as someone outside our own being.
We can only push further and reach the heights we are capable of. The moment we stop having an external benchmark, a sense of emancipation will dawn on us.

While you should always strive to learn from everyone,
from a master to a novice,
The goal should always be to reach your best possible expression,
Your truest artistic splendor.

And it is best achieved by not striving to ‘be like someone.’
Surprisingly, it is not even achieved by striving ‘to be the best version of yourself.’

The most natural way to progress is just by ‘being’.

It might sound psuedo-spiritual.
And I must admit that it is a difficult state of being to win back.

But we had that state of being as kids.
I am not talking about mastery. Kids are not masters at an artform per se.
I am talking about that subtle awareness.
And the state of just ‘being’,
and expressing until you’re spent for the moment, for the day.

We all had that state of being.
We just have to unlearn.
Unlearn the habit of self-doubt, comparison, and the state of being ‘conscious’.

Now that I wonder about my friend’s question of,
‘I wonder how long it would have taken him to have that state of being’,

I think that the artist preserved the childlike ‘being’ he had as a kid.
Maybe he has always had that state of being.
Like we all did once upon a time.

And we can all strive for that state of being.
In the interest of our best artistic expression.
In the journey of being the best human we can be.

Sometimes the fastest way to learn,
Is to Unlearn.

How to open up your heart

May 23, 2018 / Sreenath Sreenivasan / 0 Comments

I had the fortune of volunteering at ‘Mindful Farm’, a little community nestled among hillocks in North Chiang Mai, Thailand.

One of the things I liked most about being there was the nutritious breakfast we used to eat, seated on the floor, in complete silence, mindfully.

After breakfast, one of us would read a little story about mindfulness in daily life to everyone else. The founder, Pi Nan, had a wonderful collection of stories to be read out loud every morning.

On a particular morning, my friend Alice was reading out a story. She read the story with such an endearing cadence that all of us just wanted to keep on listening. Giving space and emphasis as it deemed fit, she beckoned us all on a journey, like Pied Piper would with his pipe.
After she finished reading the story, we all were secretly wishing that she kept on reading !

We got up from our places and continued on to work on the farm.
While we were busy working, I took a moment to compliment her about the way she read the story.

‘Alice, how did you learn to read like that?’

‘Ah, did you enjoy it?’ she asked.

‘Yes, indeed. It was read with such empathy and emotion. I felt as if I was a kid in a nursery and my teacher was reading a gripping little tale to me.’

‘Well, I am a teacher back in Myanmar. I teach kids. I have to be able to read engagingly, don’t I?’

‘Ah, that explains it!’

‘You know, I feel that we assume that we no longer need to be read to once we learn how to read. But isn’t it a joy to be be listening to a story read with the right emotion and flow?’

‘By all means !’ I assented.

And we carried on our work in the little patch of the garden.

Yesterday, my friend’s father and I sat down to share time and space. I narrated a short story to him I had written a few days ago. He recited a few of the couplets he had composed.
He had such joy in his spirit when he recited his own poetry composed in an agreeable melody.

Once he was done reciting he spoke,

‘You know, my wife has insomnia. When she cannot fall asleep at night, I sing my poetry as a lullaby to her. Before she knows, she falls asleep like a content baby.’

‘How do you think that works Uncle?’ I asked.

‘You know, I think we all feel that only little babies need lullabies to fall asleep. But, we could all use a lullaby in our life.’

Smiling gently to his wise observation, we enjoyed the evening breeze.

These two experiences with Alice and my friend’s father got me thinking about the things we do away with as we grow up.

Most experiences we consider so precious as kids are deemed to be childish.

Who doesn’t remember sleeping to a lullaby? Or a short story performed by Granny in the dark theatre of the night, that soothed us into a dream filled sleep?
The caressing on our ruffled hair by Mom, when we were down with fever? Her peculiar scent that made you feel you’re home in her arms?

As we grow up we do not let these experiences into our lives. We dare not to sleep in our mother’s lap, rationalizing our fear, fooling ourselves out of what we might truly need.

After an age, subconsciously we seek the same feelings as we did as a child, from a partner.

Yes, we need to listen to someone with deep anticipation and intent, just how we used to listen to those childhood stories.
We need to listen to them whisper in our ear, to lead us to a sound sleep, just how a lullaby used to do back in the day. We need to be touched, lovingly, like we allowed our mother to once upon a time. We need that embracing scent of our beloved, to feel home, no matter where we are, just like our mother’s scent made us feel.

Our adulthood comes with a baggage. The inertia of all those walls that we build between us and our guileless heart.
Our heart was open to love as children.
But as we grew up, we even started feeling awkward when embracing our own parents, something that used to be so natural !
How is this growth in any sense of the word?

Sometimes, growth means to retreat.
Retreat to a state of pure being,
Of having an open heart,
An all embracing soul,
That touches and let’s itself be touched.
That seeks out an embrace,a lullaby, a story, the scent of home…

Choosing the right path

May 19, 2018 / Sreenath Sreenivasan / 0 Comments

I was due to leave Thailand in a couple of days. Wondering how to get my bicycle packed in a case, I looked around for a bike shop that could help me.
Fortunately, I found a bike shop, ‘Bok Bok Bike’ run by a kind gentleman named Ma.

I went in to be greeted by his warm, welcoming smile. I felt as if I had arrived at the right place.
I asked him if he could help me get a cardboard casing for packing my bike for the flight back home.
He readily agreed and said I could come on the day I had my flight and pack it up the way I wished.
I felt relieved on hearing his offer.
I asked him for the best way to get the bicycle and my luggage to the airport. He got wondering. He seemed to be thinking of ways I could transport my bike. He suggested that I could book a big cab to the airport.
The following day I reached his shop at 2pm. The box was already waiting for me inside. He helped me pack up my bicycle in the best manner possible.

I asked him what I owed him for his help. He smiled, just the way he did the first time we met.

‘It is free for you. Enjoy your ride back home!’

And I knew I could never make an even offer with money.

‘Ma, can you help me book a cab?’ I asked.

‘Oh, one of my friends stays close to the airport. He will be visiting me in the evening.
You can go with him to the airport in his pickup truck. Just pay for the toll.
You’ll save time and money.’

At that moment I felt grateful and helpless at the same time. Grateful for him abundant kindness and helpless for I could think of no way to make up for his help on an immediate basis.

I rushed to my bag and took out my Polaroid camera.

‘Ma, I have a little project I wish to share with you. I click pictures for all the kind and helpful people I meet on my journey.

Can I click a picture for you?’

He readily agreed and I clicked a candid picture for him in his shop.
I hugged him goodbye with sincere hope of meeting him in India when he bicycles here on a tour.

Today, I reached Kolkata, India.
Here, I am staying with my childhood friend’s family.
I had issues with my SIM card not being active when I came back to India. My friend’s father sent me with his driver to the mobile store to get my sim reactivated. The driver, Ratanjeet, a chatty Bengali folk made good conversation all throughout our ride to the store.
He helped me communicate with the mobile store staff in Bengali.
We were told that the SIM will be activated only 48 hours later.
As we were leaving the shop Ratanjeet asked me,

‘Sir, it would be so much trouble to not have a phone for two days.
We can get a new SIM for you in my name. You can use it for two days and then give it to me when you leave.
I’ll use it later as needed.’

I was pleasantly surprised by his eagerness to find a solution.

‘Thank you so much Ratanjeet, but I think it will be okay for me to not have a number for a couple of days. ‘

In the evening, I sat back and wondered about these two incidents that happened with a span of 24 hours in two different countries.
Two complete strangers went out of their way to help me in the best manner possible. In fact, it wasn’t even about me. I am sure they would have gone out of their way to help someone they thought they could help.

Then I realised,
These kind humans,
are not going out of their way at all.

Helping people in need, is the only right way in their eyes.

We often hear elders tell us to choose the correct path in our life. After meeting these two gentlemen, I am convinced that the correct way,
The noble path,
Is one where there are avenues to help others.

Grateful for the profound lessons my friends Ma and Ratanjeet introduced me to,
I too am enthusiastic to join their tribe,
Of kind strangers,
On the noble path,
Of helping people with an open heart.

How to find a good teacher

May 18, 2018 / Sreenath Sreenivasan / 0 Comments

In my eyes, the most powerful group of people, who can make the maximum impact in the world are teachers.
A teacher is like a skillful potter, who can mould the the psyche of an entire generation. She can steer the course of thought of curious and aspiring minds.
What a gift it is to be a teacher !

I’ve had the fortune of having met teachers who have changed my life in profound ways. The way I have evolved in life is undeniably a function of the influence my teachers have had on me.

After a point in life we move out of the brick and mortar university. But we must not forgo the possibility of being an eternal student of life. In fact we should actively seek out teachers to learn from.
Even our friends are but teachers,
who we learn from constantly.

But how to find a good teacher?
In the pursuit of finding a teacher/mentor, strive to ask these two questions to them:

a) What more can I learn from you apart from what you promise to teach?

b) Do you consider yourself more a teacher or a student?

Citing an example, the way I play drums and approach music has been deeply influenced by my mentor. Not only by her playing which is spellbinding in itself, but also by her philosophy, worldview and personality.
While choosing a teacher, seek someone who has a worldview you find fascinating, a personality that you would like to integrate. For even if you want it or not, these things will seep into your being while you are learning from someone.
Better to choose someone who you admire deeply, both for their expertise and the way they lead their life.

Secondly, I firmly believe that,

‘The best teachers are eternal students.’

My mentor had such a curious spirit of learning that she would learn things from me if she found I was working on something new. My lessons with her always felt as if two students are learning at the same time, albeit at different stages in their lives. It made me confident about my creative energy as a musician. My discoveries were always received avidly with an intent to learn from it if she found value in it.
And while learning from her I also picked up this aspect of her personality that made me a better teacher and human being.

Remember,
Learning will preserve your youth.

Find good friends, sincere mentors and curious students. Explore the possibility of being a student and teacher throughout your life.

And ask those two questions to all your teachers,
And be in a position to answer those two questions for all your students.

In the spirit of eternal learning,
Let’s aspire to design,
An Epic University Of Life!

The seed we are all sowing…

May 17, 2018 / Sreenath Sreenivasan / 0 Comments

Each tiny seed has a mighty tree waiting inside it.
A single seed being a microcosm of all of what the tree it came from is like.
Many seeds,
Many trees,
The possibility of a thriving forest!

Now, consider this.

Each of your actions is your own seed,
Your own karmic fingerprint.
Each little action is a microcosm of all you are, all your future could be.
Many actions,
Many stories,
The possibility of a thriving life!

Once you realise this,
The smallest of actions can only be done with greater love.
Being responsible at every moment will become second nature.

And each of the seeds we plant,
Each of our little actions,
Will manifest into its highest possible expression.

We can start small.
How about listening to someone with complete attention?
Or keeping an organised living space?
Or smiling with an open heart?
Or playing and learning from children?

Little steps.
Little actions.
With a little smile throughout,
We’re planting a forest of the future after all !

May it thrive !
Realising all of its expression.

Let us begin my friend.
Let us begin.

The wisdom of a Tree

May 15, 2018 / Sreenath Sreenivasan / 0 Comments

I was riding my bicycle merrily in a lush park in Bangkok. In an upbeat mood, I started to hum my favourite songs while breezing through a tunnel of trees.
I looked around at the trees and wondered,
‘ I wish the trees could also move,
I wish they could sing and dance when happy !’

I stopped under a mighty Peepal Tree and rested myself against its bark.

‘Why do you seem so low all of a sudden my friend?’ asked the tree, swaying to the wind.

‘Oh Mr. Tree, I wish you could also sing and dance. Travel freely and enjoy looking at the world beyond your vistas.
While I am grateful I can sing, and dance and travel around, I feel bad that you cannot.’

‘My friend, Thanks for your concern.
You are right. I cannot sing, or dance or travel freely around the world.
But I choose to not feel sad about it.
Instead, I grow with complete devotion and faith in my ability, in the universe.
You know what happens when you do that?’

‘What?’ I inquired.

‘ By growing with all my creative energy, a voiceless tree like me becomes an arena from where the birds choose to sing with all their heart every morning.
Yes, I do not have a song to sing,
But I foster so many mellifluous singers in my canopy!

I cannot travel. But when a traveller spots me from afar, he is brim with hope. He gets shade and shelter in my shadow.
Yes, I cannot travel,
But I foster faith in travellers to keep travelling, assuring that trees will provide a resting space once they’re tired.

I do no let my limitations bog me down.
I stay true to my own nature, grow with all my heart, and I foster people to do things that I myself am not able to.’

With the blowing wind, the birds sang, assenting to the wisdom the tree shared.
Resting in the tree’s cool shade,
I made a little choice in my heart,

To choose to sing when I can.
And if I cannot,
I should become the arena that fosters singing.
The stage that enables others to thrive.

Swaying gently,
The tree flirts with the wind.

No wonder, Buddha got enlightenment while meditating under a Peepal tree !

When you feel you are not good enough…

May 14, 2018 / Sreenath Sreenivasan / 0 Comments

‘Am I good enough?’
‘You know,
Maybe I’m not good enough.’
‘Maybe I should not pursue this at all. There are people out there who are way better than I am.’

Sounds familiar?

In life, we often find our self in situations when we question our ability. It happens way more to people who consider themself an artist.

While it is easy to bow out and not pursue something that you’re involved in, it is seldom the best choice one can make.

Before making a decision to quit anything that you’re currently pursuing ask yourself,
What kept me involved with this activity/art for such a long time?
Does my growth in this field matter to me?

If you hear a voice staying ,
Yes! My growth in this field matters to me,
Ask yourself,

How is the decision to quit going to take me any closer to the growth that matters to me so much?

As humans, we are prone to make irrational and impulsive decisions.
But when you question your own ability at an art form, and you are close to quitting, thinking there are people way better than you out there and you must not continue,
Think about,

What led you so far into it?
Does your growth matter to you?
Does quitting make you any better?

Once you can answer these questions with conviction, making a decision becomes much easier.

Most likely you will continue with the art form and work hard at it.

You are not the only one who loses faith in himself from time to time. Even the best of us fall for this trap.

The ones who march on despite this, are the ones who get better.

Don’t quit yet.

Comparison never fosters art.

I’m reminded of a story about a father and son looking at two mango saplings in their garden.
The son asks,
‘Which one of the two will bear more fruit Daddy?’
The father smiles and answers,
‘It is too early to tell son,
Let me just say,
they’re both growing !’

We’re all growing, at our own pace. And we shall all bear fruit in our own reality , in our own capacity.

No tree ever curtails its own creative expression. Why should you?

March on.
For your life is,
a masterpiece in progress…

The Power of Everyday – May Update

May 11, 2018 / Sreenath Sreenivasan / 0 Comments

Hello there!

It’s been 10 days since I’ve been involved in ‘The Power of Everyday’ experiment. I had the following five tasks I promised myself I would do every single day no matter what.

1) Watch the sunrise everyday and write a page about it with the left hand

2) Daydream for half an hour and write a page about the experience

3) Celibate

4) Practice Yoga every single day

5) Write and publish a blog post every single day

Ten days of the month have passed. I am happy to share that I have been able to accomplish all of these tasks, every single day so far.
It is challenging to keep up with it since I am traveling. I start my day with the first task of watching the sunrise and end it with writing an article and publishing it. While it is challenging to be consistent, once I finish the day’s tasks, that’s when I truly feel a sense of closure.

This challenge has put me in a frame of mind of ‘earning my sleep.’

Sometimes, I’m tired from a 7 hour day of bicycling and fall asleep as soon as I find shelter. But I wake up in the middle of the night and finish whatever is left before sleeping again. It might seem a bit too difficult from a third person’s point of view. But trust me, at this juncture, it is more difficult to not do these tasks.

I wouldn’t sleep well if I didn’t!

It is fascinating to feel how the brain chemistry can be influenced by our decisions.
Inaction only leads to lethargy and depletion while being active and focussed surprisingly keeps you more energised and replenished.

I’m learning a lot through this project and am also getting better at the tasks.
I will keep sharing my progress every tenth day. I also hope it inspires you to take one little task that you’ve always wanted to do, one that might add value to your existence, and do it every single day.

Start small. You can choose to do it discreetly.

But, do it!
Even in failing, there are as many lessons to learn.
And the aim is always,
to be learning !

I’ll give another update in ten days time.
Until then, I wish you luck with your journey of harnessing
‘The Power of Everyday.’

The two paths

May 9, 2018 / Sreenath Sreenivasan / 0 Comments

Change is the most constant thing in the world. It applies to all things around us, and of course, within us.
With every experience, every interaction, we are changing.
Regardless of whether we are aware of it or not, the evolution is underway.

We all desire for positive personal changes. But working towards them consciously isn’t what we are best at.
We often take ‘the path of least resistance’ in doing something.

Citing an example of this phenomenon in nature, water always flows from high altitude to low altitude since it needn’t face any resistance in doing so.
In human behavior, the path of least resistance is the one we are on at the moment. We are satisfied with the status quo not wishing to do much about improving a situation since it will be met with resistance.
For instance, choosing a smartphone over a book is an easier way to get a dopamine rush.
So we find the path of least resistance to gratification. But this path doesn’t challenge us. It does not foster our creativity or make us a better version of our self.
It does not help us to grow as a human being.

Yes, we are changing, evolving at every moment, but are we influencing the change by our mindful choices or just letting life happen ?

There’s a better way than ‘the path of least resistance.’
It is called ‘The path of maximum learning.’
We can choose if we want to stream hours and hours of self improvement videos (the path of least resistance) . Or we can actively pursue the smallest self improvement plan we can devise.

When you are confronted with a choice that will inevitably change you,
Ask yourself,
Is my decision, the path of least resistance? Or is it the path of maximum learning?
Start with the smallest everyday choices that you make in life. It could be your diet, your data consumption, your parenting…

A choice made in the favour of maximum learning will make sure you evolve in the direction that serves you and the people around you best.

To your eternal learning spirit.