Thaikkudam Night @ Technopark

Dead line and the angry looking bug did not matter anymore. With the last line of code committed, I bid a quick good bye to my team mates and rushed outside.

One of the best performing bands of the country….They were already on stage setting up instruments when I arrived at the amphitheatre. As I watched them test this mic and that speaker, little did I know that I was just a few minutes away from an enchanting night which I would cherish in the archives of my memory forever…

It began with a bang. The Thaikkudam bridge, was there on stage. What a sight!!! We held our breath and melted into the ambience as they presented an instrumental feast. The music definitely touched our heart and more so, when Siddharth came up with a beautiful melody. How I wished, the moment would stay forever…

Thus, it kept on flowing. As “Chekele” rose the whole show to another level, the Ilayaraja hit just stole our heart and soul…But it was Peethambaran Sir, who did the real magic. The whole amphitheatre roared to life and swayed to the rhythm of "Appozhe paranjille". “Beat It” flowed in, just in time, to prepare us for the unexpected. Vian, who was wild on the guitar asked us, weather we would stay or leave, if it rained. “Definitely stay” came the reply in unison, from the thousands who had gathered. The audience cheered for “Fish rock”, the bands famous originals. With the wonderful night sky witnessing it all, and even as the beautiful crescent smiled down at us, we began to see little droplets of water shining like diamonds as the flood lights fell on their way. The sight was overwhelming. We stood awe struck. Then it happened…Unstoppable rain…

The breeze was strong and it made the rain slant. As the instruments where being sheltered safely, we forgot all about umbrellas and jackets and rain coats. Each and every drop that fell on us filled us with life. It was chilling out there. But nothing would stop us from enjoying the spell. It seemed like it would rain for eternity. Though the show had to be inevitably stopped, it felt magically complete… And there, standing among thousands of people, I could not help but wonder “Is this how God creates his master pieces?”

Love,

Athma Rama…Rejoicing within :)

A Close Encounter With Life

She was shivering slightly as I held her hands. Two intense eyes stared at me expressing a mixture of surprise, shock and disbelief. I do not know how long it has been since someone shook hands with her, or held her close. It was a bright Friday morning and she had come to our office to collect the books, toys, schoolbags, water bottles and geometry boxes we had bought for kids staying in a shelter for those who have the weakest immune systems. There is a virus in their blood stream that keeps damaging their immune system.

Her voice was steady and calm as she spoke. “I lost my husband a few years ago. I have two little boys for whom I live. But I do not know if I will be alive to see them grow, for I am entering the 17^th year of my life with AIDS. I was never bold. The diagnosis is what made me so bold.”  Despite her failing health, she is working hard and doing all that she can to send those kids who number over a 100 to school and find enough money to cater to their daily and medical needs.  

The tinted glasses I was wearing hid my wet eyes. Standing before me was life, in the form of a mother, a woman who was fighting her way through the real tests of life, a real life heroine. I thanked her for being there and speaking to me, wished her the best under the sun and went back silently praying for her. But her voice would just not leave my ears.

“This is my life”, she said. This is every body’s life. Life never promises you anything. It surprises you with gifts and shocks you with unexpected tests and lessons.  

Find love, spread love, laugh to your heart’s content, cry your heart out when you feel really sad, be yourself, express yourself, and do not be afraid, fly high.

Love,
Athma Rama...Rejoicing within :)

A page from her diary!!!

He told me,"Wait for what life has to offer you and not for what you expect!!!"

When the worst pain hits, I am left totally helpless, screaming inside and aloud when possible, for help. I would find some corner to curl up.  I do not know if my calls have ever been answered to, but I live through it. When at home, I find myself curling on the ground at a spot where he had stood, with me in his arms. 

I nodded. “Let life unravel itself before me.” But will I have the strength to wait for so long, I wonder. Nature is quite slow. And I do not know for how long I would be able to hold on. At times, a few minutes or seconds is all that I get to bring back the fake smile and the cheerful mask. But so far, I have handled it pretty smartly. They say, practice makes man perfect, and that time heals every wound. But this is one particular thing that you can never be perfect in. The more you practice, the weaker you become. And to me it seems like…”Even time will not be able to heal this.”

If “Seeing Is Believing”, Then “Experiencing Is Understanding”

For those who believe in God :-)

 

Lord is not someone who gives us whatever we ask for. Nature gives us what we deserve. We just need to be patient enough to wait, and trust the laws of nature. Lord, in the mean time, is there to hold our hands when we feel alone, to help us up when we fall, to give us strength when we are too weak and tired to wait in peace.

When bad times hit our lives, we blame God, shout at Him "Why me???"..We fail to realize He is just there by our side, probably trying to calm us down. Lord always throws us a rope to hang on to when we are in trouble. It is our duty to first believe He will definitely throw the rope, be patient enough to wait for it, then be sensible enough to find it and then trust Him as to let go of the worry we are holding on to. Then you will find yourself clinging to Lord like a baby, with our heart filled with trust, love and hope.

When we are certain that Lord will come to the rescue, why not observe the issue a bit deeply? Experiences, both joyful and painful, come packed with lots of lessons. Understanding these lessons and learning from them will mould us into a better person.

Accept pain and joy as nothing but passing feelings. No one is going to be permanently happy or permanently sad. As day turns to night, and night turns to day again, life has its own ways of showing you the two sides.

You wish to hug Lord and cry your heart out when you feel let down, sad and hurt...Do you wish the same out of joy when things become all right again?

Be thankful to Lord...for all you have, and for all that you experience. No one except Lord is going to be there for you till death and beyond. Trust Him...he knows what is good for you better than you. Trust Him like a baby and He is sure to bless you in plenty.... :-)

Love,

Athma Rama...Rejoicing within :)

PS. I have shared this post in http://www.speakingtree.in as well

       http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/god-and-i/he-will-never-leave-our-side

 

Lessons For Life, Through Pain

Pain is just a feeling. It will fade with time. What stays are shadows of the pain. The memory of a painful experience may cast dark shadows on your thoughts. It is not to hurt you, but to remind you of the lessons the experience came packed with.

Accept the reality of what you have experienced. Tell yourself “It was just a new lesson, though a bit tough.” We may not have the patience or presence of mind to think so broad minded when in the middle of such a chapter in our life. Let it pass. Thinking about a bad experience is like reliving it. But once it is all over, it is just a memory. Now you have the freedom to revisit each and every moment, as many times as you like. Most often, such revisits and retrospection will not be needed. You will learn what you were destined to learn automatically, even without your conscious knowledge.

It takes less than a fraction of a second for scenes to change in your life. Each such scene offers you tremendous opportunities of life and learning. Make use of such moments. Learn from them. Do not get lost in an experience. Emerge from it like a Phoenix. Fly high, afar and beyond the pain, and whisper to yourself “Now you are a winner.” :-)

Love,

Athma...The Soul within...

Sing And Dance In Blissful Love

“I want my husband to wander as free as the wind that shapes the dunes. And, if I have to, I will accept the fact that he has become a part of the clouds, and the animals and the water of the desert.”

                                                        -The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho

Love is such. Love is not the fetters that hold you grounded. Love never chains you down. Love is not something which holds you back from pursuing your destiny.  Love gives you the courage and will power to chase your dreams. Love gives you the strength to fly high, beyond the boundaries that you have never even imagined of. Love is the ultimate freedom of the soul. 

“True love takes you closer to your destiny.”

Listen to your heart and follow your dreams. You will find all the answers you seek. If you fail to listen to your heart, it will find its own ways to keep on reminding you of all the missing things in your life. Do not be afraid of love. Open up yourself to universal love… an eternal unconditional love that transcends all limits… that joyful everlasting emotion which completes you.  The eternal happiness that comes packed in love is the ultimate joy a soul can ever find. 

Love lets you find the beauty of the world. The flowers swaying to the tune of the breeze, the butterflies dancing to the rhythm of the wind, the stars that twinkle to the music of the sky and the sun that gleams down at us…all look beautiful when looked upon with love.  There cannot be a language better than the language of the soul…Love…

Immerse yourself in love. Fill your heart and soul with Love. It’s a beautiful world that you live in. Make it more beautiful with love. 

Love,

Athma...The soul within...

We Meet By Choice And Not By Chance

Relationships are born and not made. It is impossible to plan and execute a relationship. It just happens. People do not meet each other by chance. It is already written somewhere, probably a choice the soul makes. The soul has its own way of expressing its desires and acquiring what it wants.

A relationship may not necessarily return what you had wanted out of it. But if you would just let it happen, and wait patiently, giving all the time it needs to evolve; it may turn out to be the most brilliant of surprises. 

Selfless, unconditional love alone returns bliss. There is a big difference between being in love and possessing something you love.

“If you love a flower, don’t pick it up, because if you pick it up it dies and ceases to be what you love. So if you love a flower, let it be. Love is not about possession. It is about appreciation.” -Osho.

Not being able to be with a person you love dearly, will certainly cause pain. But the deepest and truest of connections is not physical…It is from soul to soul. Real love is not felt when you are close together. Real love is when, even at unreachable distance you could feel the connection, without distortions you hear the voice, and realize the wounds in your heart caused by the pain of separation, slowly being filled with bliss. 

It is the void that is left behind when someone very dear to us leaves, that hurts the most. Those who experience this void and pain, often lift their hand and feel the void as if the person is still there. Not finding the person there, can increase the pain. Understand that physical closeness is just one of the possibilities of love. Look beyond physical closeness and realize how deep your love really is. Explore the unexplored dimensions of your love. 

Love never hurts. There is no pain associated with love. Love is meant to give you happiness and soul filling bliss. Separation is painful. Pain is inevitable. But suffering is not. In an article about Suffering and Pain posted in www.speakingtree.in, the writer said “Pain is inevitable. But suffering is a choice.” Transform the pain to unstained love. Tap the energy you spend suffering and utilize it for activities which would heal your heart. 

Pain can take on various expressions. Listen to songs which you can sing along. Try to dance your pain out. Try painting, drawing, sketching, cooking or gardening. Anything creative can ease the pain. The best medicine you can have is to talk about your pain to someone who can understand you and be a good listener. Often writing down your feelings will also help.  Always be engaged and keep your mind busy with positive and happy thoughts. Soon, you will learn that being happy is actually very easy. That is when your love takes on a new face. It stops hurting to be in love. Missing someone will not exhaust you anymore. It will only make you feel more fortunate for having met someone worth missing and loving. Every morning, you wake up with a smile, feeling thankful for such a beautiful soul warming love. The void ceases to be a cause of pain, and becomes the space where you actually feel the love and store it. 

Life is beautiful. Love, is what makes it beautiful. Trust your soul, trust your love, trust the universe; wait for the relationship to evolve. Above all, if you believe in God, trust Him and surrender unto Him. 

“Though the mills of God grind slowly;
Yet they grind exceeding small;
Though with patience he stands waiting,
With exactness grinds he all.”

                               -Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 

With love

Athma...The soul within…

Mirror that sees a lot more than we do, and reflects all that it sees...

Will you be doing what you are doing now if you knew this is going to be the last day of your life?

Life is like a game of connecting dots. If you managed to get the right dots connected, you will find yourself gazing at a wonderful picture. If not, you will end up being confused trying to correct the mess. Life is not about getting all that you want. What makes life meaningful is how you enjoy being alive with what you have. Setbacks are nothing but lessons to learn.

We are often too busy complaining about what we do not have, forgetting to Thank God for what we have. Every time we fall, it feels like forever…But then, the stone that gets chipped and hammered the most, becomes the best sculpture.

Hope is the essence of life. There cannot be a better tomorrow without hope. You may get dragged, beaten up and hurt. But like a sprinter, you have to get up and run again…Hurdles may keep getting tougher. But the tougher hurdle you cross, the better “YOU” is born .

If you believe in God, hold on tightly to the faith you have in Him. Trust Mother Nature. She gives you all that you deserve. You just need to show the patience.

In the famous book The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho quotes…”When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it."

Love

Athma..The soul within...