Terrariums that I made

So I got very intrigued by the Terrarium workshop, and thought if I can also make one.

And yes! Look at this beautiful thing! :-)

The cute little boy...

After having a heavy dinner at a wedding, I got some ice cream as dessert. There were rows of chairs being arranged, as they are in most indian weddings for guests to sit and watch the bride and bridegroom on the stage. There I noticed a cute little boy roaming around, bored (so was I) in the wedding. I call him and ask him animatedly, would you like to have some ice cream? He is obviously shy, and hesitates. I feed him some ice cream and he smiles!
He walks away towards his father who is seated two rows ahead of me. Shows him he got ice cream, his father smiles back. Then he again comes where I am seated. I ask him the same question again, he agrees to have ice cream this time. Again he returns to his father and shows his ice cream.
Now he runs and comes to me for more ice cream. I laugh at him when I look at him from a distance. He now knows the drill and laughs in a playful and shy manner. We both know what we want. He to have ice cream from me, and me to just watch him relish and enjoy his spoonful of ice cream.
This is now being repeated four to five times, and both of us enjoying it whenever he comes. Now my parents call me as I need to be on stage to wish the couple for a bright married life. I stand and walk towards the stage, little realising about the boy.
The cute little boy as usual goes to his father after having a spoonful of ice cream, then when he comes back, searches for me. He can't find me now. He looks after me row after row, two and fro; he feels lost. I can look at him from the stage finding for me, and I feel so sorry for him. I feel bad to leave him alone. My family who knew the whole episode have the same feeling as I have. One look at him, and there was his lost face, the eagerness to meet me all over again was so evident in his walk. I try to wave out to him, indicating I am here and will be back again, but in vain. I feel sad, so does he.
Later, I wish the couple and then when I step down, I don't find him. Neither does he. Now me searching for him. Row after row; two and fro.
The eagerness of the boy trying to find me, touched me so much! I just can't forget the scene where he is finding me at those same rows where I was seated. I felt that I am needed.
But then I think again, and ponder over it. Did he need me or just the ice cream?
Yet, I continue to feel that whatever it was, the feeling that he needs me is so amazing!

I also deduced that repetitive action makes you feel something for the other person at the end. We are sure to have the same feeling for those few people in our life whom we talk to or meet on a regular basis.
The question is, will those people search for you as eagerly as the cute little boy?

What is right, what is wrong?

One always says, this is the right thing to do this is wrong. Stealing is wrong, donating is right.
But do all of us believe in this right wrong principle? I think donating is not always right. If one donates to a trust, and demands his name to be flashed. It's not right. Donating in that way is wrong.
So is there anything right or wrong in this world? I certainly don't think so.
To test the right or wrong with your peace of mind. If you do this, it gives you your peace of mind? Go ahead. No? Back out now.
How do you know all this? The answer is conscience, logic. Not high logic. simple plain reason and logic.
We all have an inner voice, which is called conscience. Some hear it aloud, some can't. But it is very much present in all of us.
Now, lets be clear with the help of an example. Is Attachment is right or wrong? Some perceive attachment as love. But it ain't so. Attachment is when you cannot function without that individual. Love is where you can.

Attachment=selfishness+love
Love=Attachment-selfishness

When people perceive attachment as love, they say attachment is good. But the truth is, attachment is no love. Many don't even know the difference between the two. Cannot accept there is a difference between the two. Cannot segregate attachment and love.
Once they do that, there will be peace.
Peace of mind is the litmus test of doing right or wrong.
Hence nothing is right, nothing wrong. As long as it gives you the peace of mind each of us deserve.

Realized? How many things we are neutralized to!

To begin, lets see what neutralization is:
Neutralized is when one gets used to that thing so much that one doesn't value it when one has it, but when it is taken away, one starts valuing it much more and ultimately he/she can't live without it.
We are neutralized to our eyes, limbs, nose; almost all our body parts. If we lose it we can't live without it. Yet, when we have it, we don't value it much.
But how can we live without being neutralized to our body parts? How is that possible? Can I keep saying: oh look at my limbs I am so grateful to have my limbs, I keep moving my limbs because I know the value of my limbs. Now, why would I do that? I would be considered insane if I would do such a thing, right?
So what should you do in order to not get neutralized? Or what is unhealthy neutralization?
Now a days couples spend so much time together, over indulge then after a point of time they say 'they simply lost interest' why does that happen? Because of overindulgence, after a point of time due to constant indulgence they get neutralized. Hence, having too many desires and feeding to it periodically and indulging to that extent will make you 'lose interest'. So how do I tackle this? Simply indulge at an optimum level. Know where your limits are.
In the west, after marriage, people go for honeymoon. Soon India, or the east has also started adopting that. But what is the Indian culture? 'Pag phere ki rasam' which is, the bride goes to her mother's place right after marriage. It is just the opposite to honeymoon. Where honeymoon is indulgence, Pag phere ki rasam indicates indulgence to a limit. I am not against indulgence but overindulgence, I just mean to say is, judge for yourself, use your intellect. You don't have to follow the heard.
Observe, question, decide: Will I be neutralized by doing this? 

Fixation + consistency

I used to always come up with a solution that the main problem with me is consistency. It is just consistency that is spoiling everything that I do. But I now know that I am not fully right.
Well, consistency is a factor, but in addition I have discovered that it is 'fixation'. To be fixed to my goals. The main reason why I or anyone cannot pull that off is because we are not fixed. Mind wanders, so does our action, thus results. So to get it all in place. I have to be fixed.
When I have to wake up at 5am in the morning, if there is a flight to catch or a lecture to attend. I will wake up instantly, and just one alarm is more than enough. But when I have to wake up at 5am just to study, I won't wake up that instantly. Reason? Fixation.
I am fixed in my mind that I have to wake up otherwise I will miss my flight or lecture. But in the other case if I don't wake up, it will be ok because it is just self study.
Now, I name my alarm 'flight to catch' and before sleeping remind myself 'flight to catch' and The results (positive of course) tell it all.
Just to imagine if everything goes as fixed and with consistency! Near perfection it will be!

Independent in the true sense.

Does being independent or self sufficient only amount to being so monetarily? If that would be the case, most of us are, and one day eventually will be independent. It is not a major task and requires very less effort for a few of them (ones who thrive on parents money) I am sure.The question remains, are we independent internally?
When your close friends whom you are so habitual to talk to on a daily basis, don't talk. You are off the Internet, whatsapp, sms etc. Then does it affect you? You are very much dependant on other people for your happiness. He/she didn't talk today at all, mood swings? Then you are not independent in the true sense. Which will ultimately lead to a so called void that some time or the other you will face in some aspects of your life.
Is it ok to depend on other people for your happiness? To not depend on others, is this a practical concept? It is great spending time with others, but make sure it doesn't become such a habit that without them you feel a void. If the void is seen, then you are not independent.
The 'affecting you because the habitual talk is missing' cannot be eradicated, but can be replaced with something better, subtler, unselfish than what was prevalent.
In a survey, a group people were given $20 to spend on themselves and the other group was given $5 to spend on others. It was seen that the ones who spent on others were reported to be more happy even if they spent less, but just because they spent on others they were happier. So it is not about how much money you have, but about giving whatever little you can give. Thus, giving in small proportions does divert your mind and make you independent.
How else would one be independent? Being objective. Not having an axe to grind everyday. Read a book, watch a movie all alone, work on creative aspects all alone, write contemplate. Not watch TV and laze around, but do anything all alone with a somewhat productive approach.
Great going to an independent life!

To let go

When that person is bothering you, no its not your family member, your close friend or anyone close in particular but yet you make a fuss about it, contemplate, waste more energy thinking and pushing and analyzing in deep. All for what?
This post is just to tell myself and you, 'to let go'
Often people say how can I just ignore, how to just let go. Its irritating, frustrating. It sure can be but don't you want to get out of the frustration? Solve the issue? So why focus on the problem but not the solution. It is very difficult to get people out of the problem they are focusing on, to not get out of the situation but just out of their mind, with me too; and that is because the problem that we all think about seems to be too big. In short we personalize it to such an extent that we overlook to even search for the solution.
Ideally, when in a fix, the first thing is to look at problem at large, not personally and then try to resolve it, think of the solution instead of the issue. Try and solve it, use the intellect to crack it. And after all that is done to try and fix the issue; understand that I must let go.
Let go of the issue, 'move on' as it is famously known as. Apply it, literally move on.
Another reason why it is difficult for people to move on, is there isn't much to do in life. So go and explore, find what you can do in life. Exploring, discovering and if you are already aware; going and doing it, will definitely help you "to let go".

Get high on rain...

Its raining... Everyone seems to be so happy! New hopes, new smiles, happy faces everywhere.
Through I don't enjoy the rains so much, but this is for those who just live it up for the mumbai rains.
Those first showers, the first drops parched on the skin can give someone a high. And it gets better with every downpour. Creative minds come out, filter coffee starts brewing. One does things what one does not even do when there are no rains.
Talking about mittiki khushboo or sondhi sondhi si khushboo,the rain on earth kind of smell can now be brought in a bottle! Yes, thats right. Walk into a shop in the bustling Teen Darwaza area of Old Ahmedabad, and ask for 'Mitti' attar also called 'itr-e-khaki'.
Im sure it can't beat the original all natural mitti ki khushboo, but hey this one is unique!
Go guys, explore your inner happiness, now get high on rains!

In a situation. Blame myself.

I always do that. Blame myself. Is it right to do so? I used to feel it is right to always say it is your fault because then you improve. But excess of blaming yourself will make your morale really low. Give you low self esteem. Make you cry.
So how do you tackle this situation? The immediate effect would be to just stop thinking about yourself. Think about anything or anyone else but not yourself. We are all selfish, self-obsessed idiots! And in a situation when you are all stressed out or crying then the first thing to do is, just stop thinking of that 'me','I', 'myself'
But the question is, if One stops thinking about oneself then how do you occupy that mind? Distraction? I guess distraction would help.
Or just lying down and then catching on sleep would be the best alternative. Tried and tested :-)
So summing up, mostly blame yourself but not in every situation because that will make you a weak person overall. And if it does make you a weak person then remove the 'i' in you. Trash it!

Work for work's sake.

Now, one would wonder, what does this mean? Work for work's sake?
What is work's sake? It is something not for your own sake or for someone else, but just for work per se. No reason to work but just work because you are in this world to do your best. So just do your best and forget the rest. Sounds too clichéd, right? But true and very much practical.
Do your deed, don't worry about the fruit. As you will think about the fruit while you work, your work gets hampered, affected. Ultimately you suffer, you worry. It bothers you. Your work then bothers you. It no longer becomes pleasurable. Work becomes a load. A heavy burden load.
Get your intellect in between your mind and action, put it to the best use,for what it is best for-reasoning! Reason, think, intervene. Don't just go with the flow, get carried away but intervene, stop right there. Think!
A lot of disturbances will enter in between, irritate you. But all this will only make you sharp. A knife becomes sharp only by rubbing against a rough side. So get on to the rough side of disturbances, distractions, attractions but get sharp! Not blunt.
But how do you do that? How do you try to get your intellect in between your mind and action? How do you intervene? Only If you are constantly reminded, alerted. That is possible only by studying in the morning or reading daily on how to rise above the fall of the intellect.

Even this shall pass away

Once in Persia reigned a king,
Who upon a signet ring,
Carved a maxim strange and wise,
When held before his eyes,
Gave him counsel at a glance,
Fit for every change and chance:
Solemn words, and these were they:
“Even this shall pass away.”

Trains of camel through the sand
Brought him gems from Samarcand;
Fleets of galleys over the seas
Brought him pearls to rival these,
But he counted little gain,
Treasures of the mine or main;
“What is wealth?” the king would say,
“Even this shall pass away.”

Mid the pleasures of his court
At the zenith of their sport,
When the palms of all his guests
Burned with clapping at his jests,
Seated midst the figs and wine,
Said the king, “Ah, friends of mine.
Pleasure comes but not to stay,
“Even this shall pass away.”

Woman, fairest ever seen
Was the bride he crowned as queen,
Pillowed on the marriage-bed
Whispering to his soul, he said,
“Though no monarch ever pressed
Fairer bosom to his breast,
Mortal flesh is only clay!
“Even this shall pass away.”

Fighting on the furious field,
Once a javelin pierced his shield,
Soldiers with a loud lament
Bore him bleeding to his tortured side,
“Pain is hard to bear;” he cried.
“But with patience, day by day,
Even this shall pass away.”

Towering in a public square
Forty cubits in this air,
And the king disguised, unknown,
Gazed upon his sculptured name.
And he pondered, “What is fame?”
“Fame is but a slow decay!
“Even this shall pass away.”

Struck with palsy, sore and old,
Waiting at the gates of gold,
Said he with his dying breath
“Life is done, but what is Death?”
Then as answer to the king
Fell a sunbeam on his ring;
Showing by a heavenly ray
Even this shall pass away.”

Snapshot of human nature

The bhagavad gita is a manual guide to control your
mind.
If your relationship is in a bad phase then it is
because you do not know how to control your mind.
If your carrier is in a bad phase then it is because you
don't know how to control of your mind. If you get angry after success, it is because you do
not know how to control your mind.
Our life is not encrypted and set, like the life of an
animal.
A photographer tries to photograph a ray fish
underwater and the tail of the ray fish hits his body and he dies on the spot.
His wife and kids wont blame the ray fish for his death
because they know that is its nature.
The nature of an animal is its ferocity.
Human beings are different than animals in various
ways. If you study an animal then you can generalise about
the rest.
For example, if you study a cockroach then you can
generalise about the nature of the rest of the
cockroaches.
That is because animals are homogeneous in nature. But this is not in the case of human beings.
We have different type of natures.
Two siblings living in the same house, having the
same kind of nourishment and caring but have
significantly different nature.
Even twins have different nature!
There is often confusion regarding the behaviour pattern in human beings.
For example a mother is upset that her 16 yr old
daughter does not share things with her but rather
shares it with her friends!
She says I being your mother lived with you every single day and I am the last person to know it!
A person wants to leave his wife, and be with
someone else.
And the reason his wife is upset is not that he is bad
and infidel, but why is he bad with her, whereas he
has the good qualities and can remain good with an another woman.
This is the confusion...
We all have good and bad qualities,
for example, during riots a bus goes, and rioters are
hitting stones, and their leader says don't hurt the
driver, don't hurt the driver! We all have that little humility in us, that conscience
which is good.
Everyone has a different nature, a top actress who
finds out that her husband is infidel wants to make
sure that he is monetarily empty.
It is because that actress has a bad nature it triggers and she wants to act upon it.
If her nature is calm and serene then she will say
human beings make mistakes and so what if he has
made a mistake, let me forgive him.
Who knows he might realise his mistake because of
her generosity...
In any relationship, what a person wants is 'to accept
however he\she is'
You cannot change the nature of any human being
then how can you relate to that person or work in
harmony? As everyone of us living in a society have
to work in harmony and co operation. Observe what that person likes or dislikes,how he
reacts to all the things.
If you get your ego in between and say no, it happens
like this and the solution that I am giving is the way it
supposed to be and you must act according to me!
Then you are attracting hatred, either the person will be submissive and go away or become aggressive.
So, observe without being critical, just plainly observe,
don't judge if he/she is good or bad, right or wrong.
If you want to work with the person in harmony, how do you handle?
Observe what triggers the person to act, and in what
way can you relate to him. For example, see... Ok he/she likes it if I offer him
work in a polite manner so I must be polite and kind.
You should relate to it, act according to that person,
see what triggers him/her to act and what triggers
him/her to get annoyed
And then work with him/her accordingly. In fact, the aspect that you are changing and acting
according to the other person and relating in that
way, that is called Love...
When you yourself cannot change after attending so
much of self improvement lectures, then how can
you expect the other person to change, the one who is not even attending those lectures !?!

PS: This is a lecture by Adi Kalyaniwala, I have just made an attempt to write and compile it down.

Knowledge is always taken never given.

Parents always tell their children, do this do that. They pressurize them to the core and the result all of us are seeing is the suicides happening everywhere. It is a very sad thing that is happening around today.
Even I hate it when people just advice me even when I didn't ask them anything. I call that 'free advice'; why do that? Why not just do our own respective work and carry on.
At times it ok to offer a helping hand, but after looking at the receivers negative reaction, do you still want to offer that help?
My sir used to always observe that friends help others even if they have not asked help. He used to say, 'that person is not your friend who helps you when you are not asking him for help; He is just trying to prove that how intelligent he is'. If he is not helping you then he is purposely doing that so you can prove it yourself!
Is there bliss in getting help from others and then saying hey! I am done with my work?
Or is there bliss in saying that hey! I am done with my work and that too all by myself!
I am not against the act of helping, I am against free advice givers!
Ok fine you see someone in pain and then you ask do you need help? if he says yes I do.
Earlier even I used to help others, even if not asked, but then I realized this fact

Is it practical?

We come across so many quotes and sayings, but do we apply them is our daily life?
I try and apply them, and one must, I feel, if you listen to it believe in it then why not apply it?
What is the use in just listening and going ahead? Doesn't make sense according to me.
So, here are some lines that really did inspire me.
'Your happiness should not be dependent on others'
I completely agree with this sentence. But no one applies this one. They say it is difficult to apply. Hey, no pain no gain! Besides this one is really very beneficial and if applied there wont be any attachments to anyone. This will solve almost half of our problems. Just think about it, the pain that a person goes through if someone loses someone. It would be great if his/her happiness would be dependent on others. It does not say that don't love others, it just says that don't be attached to them. Now people would come up and say, this is not practical! ohh yes it is, if you would try to apply, give a try. Such people are just deciding what will be the outcome! You can't decide that. No one can. Try and then wait and watch, the results will be amazing.

Do the deed don't worry about the fruit.

I always wondered about this statement. How is this possible, how can one not bother about the fruit and still concentrate about the deed. But it is true in its own sense.
If we worry about the fruit and do the deed our whole concentration is diverted to the result i.e the fruit and we eventually fail to perform well so, the outcome is negative.
But as we are always tensed and curious to know what will be the outcome of this and that. We tend to worry about the fruit. But isn't all that a waste of thought? Who knows what will happen next?
Lets live life and enjoy as if tomorrow is the end. One must be satisfied with oneself if one has to die tomorrow.
It is difficult to apply this, but not impossible for sure.

It is not in your hands, accept, trust and wait! (and then watch) :)

Something very unexpected has happened in our lives we are tensed, sad and then slowly depression shows its ugly head.
This is what is happening every where, it should not happen like that, this is not natural. We assume that this is natural, obviously we will be depressed if we lose some closed one. But no this is just our belief system that we have created in our minds. Just a mere illusion that is created by each one of us! We can stay normal. Yes it is very difficult but not impossible, and it is practical.
It is written in the bhagavad gita that one shouldn't be attached. Yes this is where we are lacking behind, we get emotionally attached to others and then fear losing them and after we have lost them we are unable to accept it and depression shows its ugly head.
The bhagavad gita is not just mere imagination, it is reality it is historical! And if applied in daily life will do us wonders to us! We have taken it for granted as it is widely available to us.
Trust God, he will do good to you.
Whatever happens happens for the best.
We may not realize this now, but may be tomorrow or may be some other day. At times, we humans don't even have that intellect to see the good part in whatever happens to us. in such situations patience is the key!
Accept, trust and wait, everything will turn out to be right. Getting involved in other activities also helps in a great way, well it did to me!