Chasing independence

It's easier to find joy in dependence, 

When the feelings come from within,

While independence gives the power,

To make choices, pursue our dreams,

Yet, everything comes with a price,

We have to take accountability,

When we try to control decisions, 

Dominate flow of conversations, 

We can't escape the responsibility,

that comes with such actions,

Our words, values, desires,

Takes us into that direction,

We only put hurdles or resistance,

On things we don't prioritize,

Chasing obscure labels, blaming others,

To protect insecurities & incompetencies,

While putting invisible conditions, 

To invest ourselves on interactions,

Or building relations,

Are we truly seeking independence?

Social filters

There are unwritten rules,

followed by societies & individuals,

like habits, teachings and principles, 

acting as internal brakes,

dictating our expressions. 

Social filters . . .

They are the psychological boundaries, 

that encircled our inner world,

where raw impulses and thoughts,

are kept out from the sights,

when we interact with others.

We learn to monitor our speech,

to not blurt out intrusive thoughts, 

while emotional outbursts & raw drives,

are contained in public & workspace,

make adjustments depending on persons.

Social filters . . .

Some of them are universal,

needed to maintain balance, 

but most were man-made systems,

built over centuries, in local customs,

for proper functioning, minimize frictions.

Yet, these lines shifts with time,

loosen or tighten with generations, 

being part of mental conditioning, 

or broken away, when disillusioned,

showing honest self, deepest of desires.

P.S. 

People can be conservative or liberal,

depending on personality and cultural,

we decide when to screen or share,

our intimate thoughts & moments...

Which had to pass through community standards. 

Sonder

There's a quiet pull,

listening to ordinary people,

sharing their daily lives.

Of villagers tending lands,

artists speaking of crafts,

struggles & joy of occupation.

Their simplicity resonates,

provide comfort and solace,

indulging our curiosity. 

For, their purposeful labor,

felt genuine, & sincerer,

than abstract social metrics.

We possess an innate drive to explore,

understanding how our world works,

across various ecosystems & disciplines.

So, we gravitate towards such stories,

which are authentic, sometimes nostalgic, 

reconnecting us with something tangible. 

Sonder . . .

The weight of lived experiences, 

they are as vivid, complex & real,

in the way, we have experienced.

And that's what reconnect,

breaking the disillusionment, 

inspiring hope, once again!

A humbling realization

There's a humbling realization, 

comes with a sense of powerlessness,

When we see people we care,

Deliberately taking a wrong turn,

Shedding their vibrant qualities, 

Which once connected deeply,

As a subject of admiration.

We might feel betrayed,

When they drastically change,

Slowly losing their shine,

Becoming difficult to identify, 

Erasing some good memories, 

With their fixation to activities, 

That sow doubts, breaks harmony,

For personal aspirations.

So, it's better to choose silence, 

When they have become blinded,

Prioritizing our peace & happiness, 

Over dwelling on disappointments, 

Let them be, the way they please,

Following their heart's true calling,

And we keep the past in memories,

Protecting our values & aesthetics, 

Towards a life, of bliss & tranquility. 

Subh Deepawali

The festival of lights,

illuminating in the nights,

brings joy in our hearts,

meeting friends & families,

to spend time together.

Subh Deepawali . . .

In our worships & devotions,

we invoke gods and goddesses,

or gather to celebrate traditions, 

decorating rooms with colorful rangoli, 

placing glowing diya on window sills,

infused with our wishes & prayers.

Our ways of celebrations varies,

but we feel common connection,

as our history has been blended,

absorbed into familiar patterns,

of being part of our community, 

participating in activities together. 

Our involvement is constantly changing,

childhood had admiration & adventures, 

of getting gifts, playing with firecrackers, 

adulthood brought us joy and happiness,

of spending time with our families,

exchanging sweets and new cloths.

Subh Deepawali . . .

In this auspicious occasion,

May our home shines brighter, 

Together with our loved ones,

We create memorable moments. 

 

Mood determines contents

Our mood determines contents, 

when we are content or agitated, 

for, a content person values peace,

while agitated ones seek action.

An irritated mood,

alters how people consume,

information that's being shared,

becoming vulnerable to care,

negative and polarizing things.

While the ones being calm,

enjoy serenity and harmony, 

not swayed by unpleasant event,

that steals joy & peace of mind.

Individuals in state of heightened arousal,

either from sleep deprivations, or traumas,

lean heavily towards conflict driven content,

as brain subconsciously seek external stimuli,

that matches or validates their internal state.

And it creates feedback loop,

irritable moods seeks negative news,

which further amplify stress response,

(releasing adrenaline and cortisol),

leaving them even more agitated.

The change is not immediate, 

but irritation reduces mental stamina,

for understanding nuances, or empathy,

having less tolerance for gentler approach, 

as they gravitate towards higher stimulations,

of outrage inducing, or high-stake narratives. 

 

Too literal a person

Too literal a person,

I have become,

ignoring the nuances,

hidden conditions  

I have seen inconsistencies,

playing out in real life,

where words were not trusted,

for, actions were contrary.

Too literal a person, 

I had to be,

where lies & excuses,

sow seeds of doubts.

People call it games,

of solving the puzzles,

but it's their way,

of testing the waters.

Too literal a person,

I have my reasons,

hiding my hesitancy, 

of stepping onto the stage.

For, it requires clarity, 

with conductive environment, 

so that I don't get exhausted, 

by deciphering meanings.

Too literal a person,

is the way I deal,

when I couldn't see,

efforts with sincerity. 

The world requires actions,

so I maintain a discerning eye,

bearing the weight of words,

which were spoken or implied.

Subh Dhanteras

On the thirteenth lunar day,

Of the waning moon(Trayodashi),

In the month of Kartik,

Lets all welcome wealth, 

Into our lives.

Subh Dhanteras . . .

To mark the start of Diwali,

we celebrate sacred festival,

inviting wealth & prosperity, 

as goddess Laksmi & lord Kubera,

blesses home and businesses, 

with good fortunes & stability.

We bow to lord Dhanvantari,

revered physician of gods,

to bestow upon us divine knowledge, 

for protecting health & well-being,

as we clean and decorate homes,

lighting clay diya for illumination.

Many purchase precious metals,

newer utensils and kitchenware,

to bring good luck to families,

as if embarking on fresh ventures,

to refresh, renew our energy,

for health, wealth and prosperity. 

Subh Dhanteras . . .

May this auspicious day,

brings good health & opportunities, 

And we have a wonderful time,

celebrating with friends & families. 

Mudita

It's a conscious practice,

to find genuine happiness, 

in other's success & well-being. 

Mudita...

In dharmic philosophies, 

there's a virtue for human values, 

of cultivating gladness & joy,

towards fortunes, other experiences. 

It's not easy to overcome, 

psychological hurdles of our mind,

feeling jealous or envy inside,

when compared to our life.

Be it the virtues of Yoga Sutra,

or Brahmaviharas of Buddhist philosophy, 

our ancients shared this wisdom,

to attain serenity of our soul.

Mudita..

A joy unadulterated by personal gain,

it helps us become grounded to reality,

while developing cordial relations,

growing together with community.

P.S.

So, to the ones, I have known,

I am happy that you found your happiness :) 

Master of animal

A thought crossed my mind,

as I watched Konkan petroglyph, 

being discussed & shared. 

A motif too familiar, 

recurring in ancient traditions, 

shared across the globe.

Master of animals . . .

A central human figure,

gripping or being flanked,

by large feline creature.

Be it Mesopotamia or Greeks,

Pashupati of Indus seals,

all pointing common origin.

From Mesolithic age,

they survived to modern age,

a memory passed down generations.

And I wonder if a common deity,

revered by human ancestors,

shared between distant civilizations.

We might know them as Pashupati,

precursor to Rudra, our lord Shiva, 

who knows what name they had.

Still, it could be something else, 

a universal symbol of human courage,

of survival & dominance over nature. 

 

Petulant

She wants to be heard,

of her wishes and concerns,

suddenly acting annoyed, 

when demands not met,

sulking & throwing tantrums.

Petulant . . .

Refusing to cooperate,

expecting others to submit, 

she was completely out of touch,

of how people perceive her acts,

taking serious notes of behaviors. 

For, it showed in her expressions,

small snaps, and brooding silences,

in the foot taps, pouting cross arms,

wanting to spread message across,

when things don't go as she desired.

She might take pride in her personality, 

oblivious of these character flaws,

exposing brittle ego that easily cracks,

under the weight of minor inconveniences,

revealing the vulnerable, impatient child . . .

Beneath the surface of adult visage. 

Duality of human experiences

We can be victim in our story,

but perpetrators in someone's else,

where our actions, or lack of,

hurt ourselves, cause other pain,

no matter the choices made,

there's a duality in human experiences. 

We tend to look at our lives,

from a subjective lens,

our hardships, our wounds,

things we have gone through, 

which seems unjust & unfair,

stealing our joy & happiness. 

Yet, when we step outside,

and listen their point of view,

we will find contradictions, 

in the narratives we built,

for, they too were hurt by us,

by conscious & unconscious acts.

It's not the malicious intents,

when we act in good faith,

devoting self for our dreams,

makes us unavailable for others,

when they need our presence,

attend to concerns & vulnerabilities. 

Duality of human experiences . . .

We fiercely pursue our survival,

but trample on feelings of others,

no one is purely a hero or a villain,

in this grand tapestry of relations,

recognizing it, is a sign of maturity, 

for, it deepens capacity for empathy. 

So, let's look beyond ourselves, 

to understand, & extend our grace,

to ones tangled in the mess,

of wounding & being wounded.

Casual racism

'Are you going to Chinese restaurant with them?'

I said nonchalantly,

she paused for a moment, 

objected vehemently, 

'You know it's racist to say,

mentioning a specific place,

when they belong to same region'

I was taken aback,

never thought deeply enough, 

just because of her Chinese friends,

I made a casual remark,

and in return, received lesson,

of inherent racist bias.

Casual racism . . .

Masked as harmless observation,

they are part of cultural conditioning, 

where people absorb stereotypes, 

manifesting as default reflexes,

but didn't carry malicious intent,

having normalized in the community. 

It might be influenced by our brain,

categorizing world for easier understanding, 

forming lazy mental shortcuts, 

by making sweeping assumptions, 

where groups were more noticeable, 

than engaging with individuals. 

Casual racism . . .

Even if we make such mistakes,

being defensive is counterproductive, 

for, intent may be absent,

but impact is real, pervasive, 

so, we need to be discreet,

let our act not cause discrimination.