Satvik

The world is made of five elements and so is all matter and life that exists in the various permutations and combinations of these elements.
Whilst the origins and the basic construct remains the same, each species differs from each other and also the experiences and quality of existence within a species vary so differently. The evolution also varies quite dramatically.
Why is one human happy, other not, why is one good, other not!! Why are we happy one minute and despondent the next minute. Why is it that we fail to succeed in what we wish to do or regret what we do with all our zest and conviction.
As I believe nature has all answers. So we seek what happens when the elements of nature face different scenarios and the outcomes. The laws of nature are the ultimate truth and no amount of power or wisdom or disbelief can make us escape the rewards or penalties of this law of nature. Yet we exist in debelief and our pompous ego that "Iam" different so my outcome will also be different irrespectivw of what has happened in the past.
Law of Nature humbles all. The best way to be happy and blissful is to recognise and abide by the laws of nature and bask in its bounties and splendour rather than deny the supremacy of the very source that brings us into existence.
So we look at few examples. What happens when the wind blows over garbage and what happens when it blows over flowers. Well wind will stink in the first case and smell wonderful in the second case. So if wind is wind why does it change in these two scenarios! Why does it have to carry the good and bad. Well that is the vaery intrinsic nature of wind, isn't it? So why would it not behave in accordance with its intrinsic nature.
What happens when we put a stone in fire and what happens when we put some wood in fire. Well fire burns and it will burn both, stone a lot and make it very veey hot, perhaps turn it black or into dust or make it crack. The wood would be totally burnt and reduced to ashes. So fire has intrinsic nature to burn. The severity may be different for stone and wood, but superficially, fire does harm them and they both burn.
What happens if we walk through water, do we believe that we will remain dry. What happens to crystal clear water when one puts a drop of ink in it. We do get wet, we cannot remain dry. The color of wtaer changes with a drop of ink permeating through it. Water cannot remain unaffected from color that taints it. Water will flow and reach far and wide and make waves and make everything that it comes in contact with wet.
When we plant a seed in bad soil and one seed in good soil, both the seeds will become plants and give fruits. Which tree will yield better fruit!! Well the tree cannot escape the qualities of the soil it is planted in.
The state of mind, joy, happiness, sorrow and all our feelings, failures and success depend entirely what environment we create for our body, mind and soul. The wind, fire, earth, water in us will be impacted and remain impacted by the environment we provide them.
Also we will find bliss which also means harmony and equilibrium of mind and soul and body once we understand the intrinsic value of these elements and use their values constructively. Like water to quench thirst and wood to cook and air to breathe.
So we can damage oursleves with anger but channelise the anger by recognising the intrinsic value and convert that into energy and drive.
We can learn to manage our behaviours, our interactions, our desires, our environment, our thoughts and our fears by understanding what satsang and what satvik means. These terms do not mean sanyas. It one chooses not to indulge it does not mean the person has become a sanyasi. If one learns to understand the difference between joy and happiness, one will be able to see clearly that momentary joy can cause cravings and indulgence and anguish. True happiness comes from equilibrium in the constitutent elements and this is achieved by not stretching these elements to bring out their damaging traits.
Satsang illuminates our environment. Company of good positive people creates positive aura around us. Negative persons can impact our environment and therefore cause ripples in our harmony and impact our thinking and therefore actions. If someone has many bad habits, and influences our environment it is not possible that we can remain unaffected. The degree and timing may vary but impact will occur. In our culture and heritage that is why it has always been highlighted to avoid surroundings that can cause harm. However today it is fashionable to visit pubs, discs and other means of recreation as a source of joy. Normal sources of joy such as good music, good literature, fine arts, sports etc are no longer treated as sufficient or fulfiling. Today TV programs are considered bad but are watched by many as there is nothing better to watch. So we make the choices. If we don't have satsang we settle for something less without understanding the impact on us.
Satvik is what keeps the system manageable. If we have too much tamsik food, it will cause disharmony in elements which causes health problems, craving and mental stress, addictions etc. But abstenance from tamsik is seen as not having fun in life albeit at expense of bliss and harmony. So the learned propounded what is satvik. Satvik food is also fabolous and full of variety and balance to even satisfy the palate but it is human nature to push to extremes and not to try and remain in harmony with nature and hence the suffering. Satvik therefore includes all that which does not impact harmony.
Law of nature is dharma or dhamma which means that nothing is permanent and everything changes. It says only change is constant. Our life is the experiences we go through during these constant changes and the way we react to these changes. If change is given, the truth is not having any aversion or cravings as the very source of these reactions will not remain permanent. Hence these reactions are unwarranted.
The disharmony affects the mind which then reacts and all the physio chemical reactions convert the mind into matter and impact the body. The harmony and strength of mind therefore comes from discipline or a trained mind which is supported by satsang and satvik which in turn are again supported by disciplined mind. If the chain breaks the harmony is lost.
Make choices to achieve balance and harmony in the elements. Don't make choices with ego and foolish impressions that mind is strong and one can avoid cravingss or hatred with ease. That is not the case. Law of nature will prevail. One can learn from one's mistakes but cannot take a view that I will make mistakes now but Iam strong enough to get out of these mistakes at free will. It is almost impossible to change deep rooted behaviour pattern inherited and or acquired in secondary school. A liar is a liar. Today will tell a lie for some small matter and tomorow that attribute will take gigantic proportions and become habit pattern and it will be behaviour to lie compulsively. Short term success or ease of convenience will add fuel to fire and will push a person to lie one more time, lie on bigger things and then make the person a liar by nature. Compulsive lying will impact satsang, will impact satvik and will impact discipline and it will then only be a matter of time before ot causes grief. Bad company or bad sang will impact discipline, cause temptations or confusion in mind, tamsik will cause loss of control and impact discipline. Result disharmony and unhappiness.
Open all avenues of life by understanding simple laws of nature while there is time yet!

Boiling and reaching melting point

Pick politics and econmics sections of any international mags, Time, Economist etc and you will find that there is crisis in every possible hemisphere, longitude and latitude. Detailed articles by writers and responses by readers providing deep insights to who is to blame, what is going wrong and what will be 2009 like, mostly statements spelling dooms day if a certain path or course of correction is not followed.

Human survival instinct is quite unique and I am sure with centuries of experience in the DNA system of surviving guilt, insult, war, misery, agony, starvation, thirst, jealousy, etc etc, humans will find a way to survive or live in hope clinging to the smallest possible thread there is to latch on to.

With many globally who may have lost their savings, their retirements plans and pension funds due to global meltdown are very dejected and helpless. Nevertheless hard work and efforts to be gainfaully employed and recreate some of what has been lost will be natural correction plan. As the global situation deteriorates, it may be challenging to be gainfully busy for all and it seems from the estimates that a large portion may also become umemployed across economic sections and geographies. The pundits say it will be very trying times for many who will have to come down many steps in the manner of existence they are used to.

I am quite surprised that there is not much being said about or discussed about the fundamental core matter which is fundamental to all the crisis currently prevailing ie accumulation of wealth and power. The roller coaster rides in the last so many years must have scientifically proven over and over again that wealth and power are always temporary and a mirage which one chases all life. There is not much rethinking of way of living, the very way of human existence, how individual and clusters and group can exist in eco friendly manner so that the roller coaster rides are less harmaful and existence is more peaceful and harmonius.

There are many spiritual books and many recent authors have also dealt with the subject of giving away all they had accumulated by way of wealth and status and realligning themselves to a more humble and simple way of life which brought them, their surroundings better peace and harmony.

There are also many thoughts around education systems being career driven and not geared for making us better humans to exist peacefully with the environment and lead a more contended life. But in today's difficult times and more challenging times ahead, there is likeey to be a forced realisation that the rat race is endless and one needs to find a more simpler equilibrium in the way of living. It is time for greater awakening of the world for the true knowledge of what is good, and what is bad, what is the science of living that will bring better heath of mind and body and lead to better human existence.

I discussed last year with some close friends and like minded persons, is it possible that the world could adopt a Science Of Living (SOL) code across the world like one international way of life, similar to many international treaties and resolutions, this is not a religion of a sect or a group, it is a simple way of life. It is not intended to encroach on anyone's freedom. Currently the art of living or the handbook of life is really prescribed by various religious books ie Quran, Bible, Vedas etc etc. They all contain the SOL. Experts who have done deep study of all these valuable scriptures state that the core science of living in these ageold scriptures is qute similar. Unfortunately the leadership around these documents have perhaps not done justice in creating the right awakening and guiding the people they are responsible for to understand, appreciate and live by the values. Rather it appears that there is more of misguidance and mistrust and lack of any appreciation of the basic values that exists in all guidance available on art of living.

Perhaps as the world comes to a boil, there are is an opportunity to benefit from a melting point of ideas and values. With today's science of faster communication and sharing of information and knowledge perhaps there is merit in making available to the young generation the information and analysis of not only the art of living they are born in but also of other arts of living so that they can create a better understanding and have better opportunity to lead a more peaceful life as compared to today's scenario where the world lives like a stone on boil, ready to burn but not to melt.