Truth

Divinity, now

2010-06-17T18:26:00.000-07:00

Here stands a man, full of splendor and pomp
His walk has a swagger and his face a smile
Nothing can stop his progress forward
As he wins, whether through wile or guile

His plans are made on a majestic scale
And he amasses wealth day and night
Success is an elixir that he drinks anon
As he climbs constantly to new heights

God doesnt figure in his scheme of things
He scorns at those who are spiritual
Indolent layabouts he thinks in disgust
Dismissing their efforts as ineffectual

He loves the possessions in his life
His car, home, work and his love
Everything fits together so perfectly
Like a hand nestling in a silken glove

And then arrives the appointed time
When a loved one departs forever
Leaving a void that cannot be filled
As he struggles painfully to recover

Now he turns his eyes heavenward
And even then curses rather than pray
God looks on with infinite compassion
As she readies a place for his stay

Chasm's edge

2009-06-08T19:25:00.001-07:00

Life exists behind a colorful patina
As reality dances its blissful gig
Seeming order creates an illusion
Of pain filled pleasurable imprints

Here stands a pristine flower
Just blossomed in nature's womb
Evening brings along its quiet fall
As it wilts silently into night's tomb

A seeming peace exists in homes
Parents, children, family, friends
But there is a quiet despair lurking
That surfaces and calmness ends

Truth is not this play of contrasts
It smiles delightfully in the void
As life winks on and off eternal
Witnessing ever, quite over joyed

I stand on the brink cautious and clean
Clinging to the nebulous strands of life
While bliss beckons from the deep chasm
Inviting me to dive in, freed of strife

A homeless person, unclean and drunk
A shiftless beggar standing quite forlorn
In a street wise woman of wily charm
I see God in her many colorful forms

There is a need to tear free of bondage
Opening the heart to love's deluge
Which shall sweep away life's memories
Revealing truth that fills nature profuse

Master's advent

2009-06-02T09:07:00.001-07:00

Time had come for a change in life
A waiting that had started long ago
Came to an end as spring blossomed
With the advent of a master's force

Travelling through aeons from afar
Crossing star strewn fields of light
Unerringly towards a promised tryst
He came to me as if an arrow in flight

Cosmic mother's compassion was his form
And stern admonition was quite his norm
A glance from him was enough to release
Life's torments and mind's painful disease

Energy filled the very environment around
Lifting up with effortless ease to heights
Where angels look on in ceaseless envy
As he folds creation in love and delight

He made me forget myself, space and time
As I sat entranced by his form and speech
Effortlessly he transmitted his energy to me
And struck silent I almost forgot to breath

As heaven folded into hell, sky into ground
Creation's frenzy was revealed within self
As time's fetters were struck in spirit's forge
Master's grace put me under Samadhi's spell

Anguish

2008-12-29T03:26:00.000-08:00

Spirit dons a cloak as per its whim
Now of a colorful hue and now dull
It starts forth as per its fancy
Seeking to fulfil destiny's pull

Bursting forth unbridled in force
Casting aside worlds found unworthy
Shaping anew in creation's frenzy
Leaving befuddled mortal lives aplenty

A raging mind stands at the brink
Looking askance at a divine presence
While oscillating between two banks
Of a river that runs wild and torments

Now and then is a glimpse of light
As spirit shows itself in many hue
Death follows life in cycles eternal
As cloaks are doffed yielding to new

Who is it that cries at final parting?
There stands a sentinel at heaven's door
She welcomes us to lasting peace and love
As earthly bonds cease at infinity's shore

Infinity's mask

2008-09-21T17:27:00.001-07:00

Time flows ceaselessly past in a steady rhythm
Sculpting new forms and discarding the old
In an endless cycle of creation and destruction
As living beings come and go in nature's fold

Relationships are formed in emotional need
And friends and family form in quick order
Only to drop off as time weaves her magic
Consuming friend and foe as death's fodder

And then comes the evening as dusk falls
Quietness pervades the busy thoroughfare
Solitude spreads her silence all around
As people return home quite unaware

And then you are left wondering at life
Where did these varied forms go you ask
And as peace envelops us in death's embrace
We realize, God smiles behind infinity's mask

Idea's echo

2008-08-25T10:07:00.000-07:00

Ideas from our own mind are shunned
But they shall come back unsummoned
Perhaps from a more learned source
And now appreciated with more force.

Listening with awe to such an idea
And showing its glossy insignia
Is good, but shall it really suffice
If the mind doesnt leave its confines?

Truth is not meant for appreciation
It is that which channels our life
And one who gives up all for God
Is truly free from knowledge's vice

Discard the need for outer counsel
Quieten the mind in inward quest
God speaks softly in our heart
And if we but listen shall be blessed

God's gift

2008-07-05T19:27:00.000-07:00

I heard about her abode in a place of peace
Everyone was visiting her to seek blessings
They came back to talk ceaselessly of her
About her grace and beauty all encompassing

I was intrigued by these stories of her grace
And wanted to pay her a visit once myself
My schedule was quite full and I had to wait
For an opportune moment to present itself

The day finally came when I could fit it in
And I started making careful detailed plans
My dress should be perfect and in good taste
And my appearance should reflect quiet elan

And then arose the question of what to take?
I heard that others were pouring in great gifts
I too did a careful analysis of my possessions
And picked an antique acquired by thrift

I set off for the tryst and the way was long
Misled for a while I trudged wearily on and on
A thief waylaid me and relieved me of the gift
My clothes were torn and soon covered in filth

I reached my destination in tatters and rags
Deeply ashamed I decided to quietly turn back
Still trusting my luck I decided to take a chance
Perhaps from afar, I could maybe get a glance

To my surprise I was allowed to walk in
With faltering steps I made it to her presence
Shamefully bowing my head I asked forgiveness
I was bereft of gifts, and my appearance an offense

Her graceful smile was like a balm to my soul
You gained rightful passage here - she said
Your beautiful inner grace is the greatest gift
And it had been obscured by a show of wealth

God's graceful presence is always within us
Veiling its expression is the swaggering ego
Parting the chains wrought by life's ebb and flow
Behold her beautiful presence glowing above

Life's seasons

2008-06-03T21:44:00.000-07:00

There is a time to live and then a time to die
Such is the secret of God's plan for all life
Knowing this as truth leads to a blissful state
Which is marked by a complete absence of strife

Life's seasons are marked by varied activity
And each act is rung in and out of the stage
An actor who refuses to leave shall be railed
As upsetting the natural rhythm and pace

Engage in life with a detachment absolute
Knowing that we are spirit's manifestation
As conduits of God's immense flow of grace
Our lives are totally devoid of imperfections

Supplant ego from the center of universe
It is rightfully her place of blissful repose
A wily transgressor shall not gain control
Nor shall on simple life attachment impose

As the vessel completes its quiet journey
Traversing stormy oceans of unknown depths
A state of peace awaits beneath a flowering tree
Where life surrenders its last and final breath

Secret of Prayer

2008-04-16T17:40:00.000-07:00

Human prayers are countless and fervent
They ask for a specific result or an event
Some ask for riches and dawn of health
While others want increase in life's length

All such prayers reach their source divine
Which is compassionate and always present
But some are seemingly answered instantly
While others arent, God being stoic and silent

But every prayer that is made for a result
Combines a divine portion with its contrast
And God receiving all such pleas equally
Will from ego's trap, holiness surely extract

And that will be delivered to source per plan
Which will cause the right event to transpire
At times contrary to a mere human's desire
Leading to angst and railing against God

But we dont understand all of God's plan
Our ego is alas quite diminished in scope
A prayer is needed even if it is unanswered
Because God's grace flows from quiet hope

Trackless path

2008-04-09T20:05:00.000-07:00

What do you do when you have nowhere to go?
There doesnt seem to be a destination in sight
At least not in the sense that the world sees
But there is one beyond mere shade and light

A world that is shining and filled with bliss
Inhabited by denizens that are made of love
In an arc that spans creation and destruction
There spins a wheel of eternity quietly above

There is a chasm that opens up in front slowly
As life moves inexorably towards its climax
There is a trail that winds through tall peaks
Now up and now down with a dual impact

But it is a mere pause in an infinite journey
That links together limitless lives eternal
In a sparkling diadem of God's grace and love
That allows hope to spring forth perennial

Where is God?

2008-03-20T10:52:00.000-07:00

Silence enveloped me like a comforting cloak
From its still, profound depth subtly she spoke
It was perhaps the dawn or maybe the dusk
Time ceased to matter as it merged into source

I was waiting on the cusp of two infinities
For a gracious prescence to arise from within
It had been immanent in my life's moments
But now it was time to see it apparent and pristine

I had heard it in the rushing noise of a stream
As in the intricate vista opening up yonder
The cyclical rhythm set in motion at birth
Was further proof of divinity's blissful order

God is not a judgemental entity sitting at a distance
She has been with us across timeless existence
As a lotus she blossoms on the stillness of mind
A Fundamental truth that is our blissful essence

Eclipse

2008-02-20T19:51:00.001-08:00

Light suffuses the darkened sky
Bright ruler has left his kingdom
Leaving behind a pearly jewel
Casting subtle light as a diadem

She waxes and she wanes quite
That is her rhythm of blissful life
Serving as inspiration for a poet
Lightening the load of great strife

Reflecting a greater glory beyond
She teaches us the truth of freedom
Our life is a reflection thus of truth
That leaves us in life quite seldom

Now and then a shadow is cast
Plunging the orb into an eclipse
But like life's challenges will pass
As God pulls us out of the abyss

Tread softly

2008-01-09T12:41:00.000-08:00

Dont hold on to life with grim purpose
Maximizing length is not its final goal
Keep a gentle hand on the rudder
Steer life clear of treacherous shoals

Desist from planning the last detail
And measuring every step to the end
Lose track of yourself and meander
Wandering into every turn and bend

Thirst not for understanding nature
While diligently labelling its variety
A rose shall smell no less fragrant
Whatever the name given by society

Labor not trying to save up for morrow
Cataloging and figuring out best deals
The sands of time shall run as per norm
And despite industry, our life it shall steal

Live many lives across time's labyrinth
There are plenty of chances for creation
God perfects a single wild flower in aeons
And lives are infinity's constant summation

Final Visit

2008-01-02T22:44:00.001-08:00

I wait in eager expectation for her arrival
She is the beloved who haunts my dreams
But she is coquettish and shall not comply
And is fleeting like the lightning gleams

I sit by the window looking out in front
Maybe I will see her coming in the distance
Then I shall have time to check my home
Is it in a fit state to receive her presence?

Alas it is not yet to be, and my wait is in vain
She deigns not to visit my abode so decked
From my vantage point I see her presence
In the falling leaves, and as age's dread

I have expressed my desire to meet her
In countless ways perhaps since I was born
But in spite of the many trysts in the past
I still wait with eagerness heart quite torn

Everyone that I accost has a story to tell
About how they met her graceful form
I know that I too shall one day be thus
Breathless as she arrives in the early morn

Hope

2007-12-23T22:17:00.000-08:00

Grace leaves quietly without bidding farewell
When the offered truth is cast aside sans care
If there is a mental transition it might change
And transform its final good bye into an aurevoir

Truth slips quietly through the daily thoroughfare
It plays hide and seek as we sift through life
As our grasp tries to clutch futilely on a mirage
The sands of time move inexorably as in a sieve

An opportunity is presented to deal with love
But is quickly squandered as we prefer rules
Conditioned responses are the norm of of life
Even though they constantly render us fools

As the infinite arc of heavenly splendor proves
Spirit is the moving force behind all our lives
But we forget it every moment of our busy days
And struggle vainly in our pursuits as ego thrives

A barren landscape can be the final result of strife
But even that may be a harbinger of faith and hope
Because replenishment is the code of infinite nature
As the Divine mother applies portrait's final stroke

Eternity's refrain

2007-12-12T22:11:00.001-08:00

An unbroken sequence of moments leads to my death
She awaits with patience at the end of a winding road
The goal might be obscured at times by valley and crest
But there is no escaping the final tryst as time flows

There are some who travel the high road of pious morality
And then some who struggle on the low road of addiction
But the river of time nonetheless doesnt recognize plurality
And guides every life, low or high, to the ultimate destination

Struggling with the burden of talent, the low road is painful
An assumption of innocence deadens the pain on higher path
But both are still only illusions, as evidenced by heart's trouble
Failing to understand this, conflict blossoms as a repeated act

Surrendering the illusion at the feet of blazing blissful light
A lightness of spirit manifests as a slowly spreading sight
Cutting asunder the cloying embrace of attachment's pain
Death comes to teach us lessons that are eternity's refrain

Cessation of Fear

2007-11-05T07:15:00.000-08:00

I had a ritual that I indulge in at times
Driving my car to a park not far off
I run through a verdant landscape
On a trail that winds among woody outcrop

It is a long trail - of perhaps 10 mile length
And swinging through trees and verdant bushes
It offers an experience of spirit quite blessed
The mind tends to free itself of confining meshes

It is a blissful time spent in solitude - people rarely seen
One such day I was running under the sun's bright sheen
I made my circuit and came back to my parking spot
I leaned against the car and turned my eyes heavenward

The world seemed a calm and peaceful place - full of love
I sensed a movement nearby and opened my eyes to look
A man was standing nearby - he seemed an ominous crook
There was noone else nearby and I sensed fear in truth

He approached soon enough and quickly pulled out a gun
Holding it against my forehead he uttered a quick threat
'Give me your wallet m** fu**' - profanity wide spread
I was too stunned to think, transition from peace to dread

I somehow looked into his eyes and saw a surface of hatred
But then deeper within I saw other emotions quite suppressed
His father not known, and his mother a drug addict hopeless
She financed her habit by selling her body, to men shiftless

The child was thrown on the living room rug, quite neglected
He yearned for affection and looked on, feeling quite rejected
His mother was rarely lucid, and made him feel very unloved
Pretty soon he was on the streets, by fate pushed and shoved

All this I sensed in a flash, not quite knowing what to do
He became impatient and his hands jerked in a staccato
I realized then that the transaction couldnt be completed
I didnt have my wallet - and his purpose seemed defeated

He was enraged at my tardiness and slashed at my face
The gun barrell hit me on the left cheek causing blood's race
'Why dont you bring your wallet mo** fu**' - he cursed
And then said - 'I will take your car then pri** in its place'

I somehow couldnt feel any pain and looked into his eyes
He seemed disconcerted at my direct glance deep inside
Grabbing my shirt he slashed at my face again on the right
And I felt blood spurting out from a gash symmetric each side

I fell to the ground and rolled over as he snatched the keys
Jumping into the car he uttered more hate filled speech
With a screaming of tortured tires he pulled out of the lot
And pumping the gas, he left, as my blood started to clot

I lay there for a while and the surroundings were peaceful
After a while I managed to sit up - fighting oblivion's pull
Thanks to a good samaritan passing by I contacted the police
Quite soon they arrived and started taking down my stories

I went back to my daily routine after filing the proper complaint
A neighborhood doctor attended to my face and reduced inflame
With stitches on both sides, I could hardly move my facial muscle
Every move I made reminded me of the harsh morning tussle

Soon enough I got a call from the authorities - they had him
I went to the police station and saw my car parked in front
Going into the station I was told to identify the assailant
I requested a meeting with the desperado - reaction different

Why? - asked the inspector in charge - he was somewhat alarmed
I responded with a shrug - 'I dont know' - an act to be performed
I was led into the room where he was seated and he stared at me
His eyes were filled with desperation as he stared quite balefully

'What are you going to do mo** fu**?' - he said spitting on the floor
'How do you like them stitches?' - he laughed as saw my facial sore
Once again I found myself looking at a rejected child left to grieve
I stared at him without speaking for a while and then turned to leave

His derisive laughter was ringing in my ears as I approached the inspector
He was anxious to see justice served and looked at me as an avenger
'I am not pressing any charges' - I said to his utter disbelief and shock
'Why on earth not?' - he said - but I was not in any position to talk

I walked out and went to my car and leaning against it looked heavenward
I saw a movement out of the corner of my eye and it was the freed bird
He came closer and said : 'What you pri** - you think you are quite noble?'
'I think you are just a piece of sh**' - he said with slurred speech wrathful

I said - ' I am waiting here to complete our transaction - did you forget?'
'What transaction mother f**?' - he said, reaching inside for a cigaret
'You had wanted my wallet a few days ago when I didnt have it on me'
'Here it is now - you can take it as a gift and it is quite filled with money'

He laughed aloud - ' You must be one of those sick hin** mo** fuc**'
'You are a wimp man and you deserve to be robbed you weak pushover'
So saying he grabbed the wallet from my extended hand, and ran
I stood my ground awhile and wondered at this strange divine plan

Several days later I was back at my old ritual and started to run again
My face had healed well and I was able to smile and even sing in refrain
I somehow didnt feel any trepidation at visiting the scene of my assault
Nature was unchanged and in its impeccable beauty - never did default

I finished my run on one such day and came back to the parking lot
I leaned against the door and noticed a small note stuck in the wiper slot
Fishing it out I looked at it - in almost illegible writing it said - 'thanks'
Puzzled for a moment - I looked around at trees standing in silent ranks

Realization then dawned on me as I understood who had written the note
It was unsigned but nonetheless its author's identity was never in doubt
I felt bliss flooding through me at the second interaction's contrasting hue
I looked heavenward and said - 'Not me divine friend, but thank YOU'

Release

2007-10-21T22:33:00.000-07:00

There are those who struggle to meet deadlines
Without realizing that their life shall become one
While their moments are spent in this pursuit
They have no time to play and gambol in the sun

Knowledge is sought in amounts that are large
And its means are supposedly defined in schools
But it seems to be very difficult to hold and confine
As its essence seems to slip away not subject to rules

Every gathering that I am invited to seems the same
I hear people talking about their activities of import
They seem to want to achieve and therein be happy
But their goal seemed to me a very exacting despot

I saw children equipped by their own parents for this
A life of milestones: hypertension and attendant disease
Material possessions abundant, yet, impoverished soul
Prematurely aged children saddled with pain unreleased

I staggered home seeking release from control's shackle
The very love that should comfort shall alas also confine
Love's sweet voice shall be drowned in stern admonition
A quiet heart shall stand on the sidelines, silent in pain

Time

2007-10-11T20:56:00.000-07:00

Time is like a flowing river that winds its way to sea
Its current is measured in ancient rhythms quite slow
But its sense of purpose is unerring as it slips effortless
There is neither joy nor despair in its ebb and flow

There is a place under a spreading banyan tree
Which is located at a nostalgic spot on its banks
A broad jetty is set at that point for a ferry pier
And people congregate there in daily swelling ranks

I have sat at a point not far from the jostling crowd
Witnessing the passing throng of varied visage and hue
Their pace is frenetic as they approach the crossing
But the river quietens them with its showering dew

She doesnt distinguish between the sinner and saint
But gladly escorts them on her back to their goal
And when the dance finally ends she embraces them
Drawing a final curtain on the drama enacted ashore

Monday madness

2007-09-24T07:34:00.000-07:00

A rising sun traces the mountain's silhouette
It takes it time to perfect the lustrous outline
A bird raises its head from under its wing
And debates whether to wake, rise and shine

Every plant and flower are slowly transforming
Gently easing into the day forming ahead
Maybe they will bloom or perhaps fall to earth
Either outcome is possible, none quite preferred

But between arching sky and the solid earth
There seems to be a state of great confusion
Well, it has been determined that it is Monday
And beings of intelligence are out in profusion

They need to go to work, and do so with angst
Not one among them are filled with happiness
And they struggle and moan through the day
And defying natural instincts, court dreariness

God's service

2007-09-23T21:31:00.000-07:00

What do you do when you are one with ego?
There is no alternative but to battle fiercely
Limits are imposed on that which is infinite
And an abundance is deluded as being scarcely

We take arms against self created devious foes
And wage war with conviction born of ignorance
Contradictions rise up on all sides mocking us
Yet our spurious beliefs are our main sustenance

What do you do when you are one with God?
There is no alternative but to provide service
Because you see only yourself everywhere
And you cannot help but be boundless peace

There are no delusions in such a world view
And as a result there are no contradictions
A life starts out on a rising arc of blissful light
And traces a loving pattern in distant constellation

Self delusion

2007-09-19T19:46:00.001-07:00

Fear gripped the soul of the tormented man
He was separated from his family and friends
A sequence of events transpired causing this
And he had no power to enable life to transcend

He had to leave his secure life and home behind
And his mind forced him to leave for distant land
There he suffered from self created mental blight
And berated himself and the world in daily rant

I cant come back to a lonely home: he cried out
And reached back to see if a chasm could close
He weakened himself through self piteous grief
And denuded himself of divinity's power and force

I come home to an apartment that is in solitude
And I never once feel that I am quite alone
Because God's grace is all pervading without limit
And thus it is impossible for me to be forlorn

Impenetrable self

2007-09-18T09:01:00.001-07:00

Life as we see it is a mere projection of the mind
But the imagery is created such that it seems real
The creative power of the universal mind is thus
It makes us believers in our own illusory veneer

Elation and depression rise up as if waves in a sea
One moment riding on crest and next in a trough
The individual life seems chaotic and quite random
As if like an autumn leaf tossed about in a tempest

No matter where life may take us in its journey
Whether in a joyous enclave of family and friends
Or in solitude amidst the eternal silence of grace
We are ever the indestructible truth in essence

When love departs unannounced taking final flight
As attachments chain us to grief that is intolerable
Remain confident that your essential self remains
It is inviolate and pure, and by sorrow impenetrable

Purpose

2007-09-04T11:35:00.000-07:00

A flock of birds cut across the sky on a migration path
Trees swayed in the wind that swept across the hills
Flowers essayed their sweet fragrance in natural shower
While bees plyed their minstrelsy in voices quite shrill

Day followed night with a periodic rhythm undisturbed
High cliffs presenting a proud visage crumbled to dust
While plains were lifted aloft to form the next new crest
Life's cycles moved per a timeline that remains untouched

Birds decided to court and mate as per their natural instinct
Nature provides them with the material to build their nest
And quite soon it is filled with life waiting to move aloft
No sense of attachment between parent and offspring is felt

Life always manifests in nature as per an unseen plan
There is a purpose that drives the creation of new life
All the resources needed for fulfilment are provided
And when the goal is met the soul shall always take flight

My purpose is becoming clearer with the passing of time
I was in error regarding my goal but that was rectified
An unsolicited message came from a source that I trust
Which showed me the final steps in a dance of blissful light

Cutting loose

2007-08-27T22:48:00.000-07:00

I used to stand on the sidelines and mock at the warriors
They were on the battle field holding back the daemons
I was the pretender to enlightenment laughing aloud
As carnage and pain manifested in plenty without reason

Stopping beside a warrior who was fallen and dying
I preached to him about the futility of war and death
His weapon slipped from his hand and his eyes closed
He was beyond pain and hearing, his life off in stealth

As I moved on, the battle's fury continued unabated
Men who didnt hate each other stood opposed in battle
One of them called to me for help: Take arms if you can
Preaching can wait, the fight is on, come show your mettle

I paused and then goaded by his voice picked up arms
As I stepped out into the field bedlam arose around me
Engulfed in its gory violent fury, I wielded my weapon
Striking with might I struggled on to vanquish the enemy

I recalled the advice given by the God head long ago
But it was difficult to keep emotions out of my heart
I understood that the soldier had a code of his own
It was ingrained into his being and was never apart

I stopped the preaching that was a part of my mind
And participated in battle with fully focused strength
I cut down enemy after enemy in my forward march
Until as per law I encountered a nemesis in my front

With a single stroke she cut my armor into tattered slice
And with a deft thrust and parry my sword to ground
Receiving a mortal wound at her hand I fell to earth
As I lay dying, her form enveloped my being all around

I realized then that the path to enlightenment was legion
There was the calm sanctuary of the forest and its peace
And then there was the brutal field of battle with death
Both ways led to the same goal, leading to final release

Mountain and me

2007-08-27T10:56:00.000-07:00

The hills were wearing their summer's brown coat
Dust was rising from the roads in a timeless dance
Trees bent their heads in obeisance to the wind's flow
A timeless peace enveloped nature's green expanse

Travelling up a winding trail that led to highlands
I saw the valley below appear intermittent in view
There were the sleepy denizens of nature all around
Life pulsated from leaves and flowers laden with dew

Pausing awhile near a rocky outcrop on a hillside
I leaned against nature's shoulder for a brief respite
Her breath was soft on my face as a gentle breeze
And her caress brought peace to a heart in fright

Time seemed to stand still losing its artificial divisions
Seconds, minutes, hours, and days coalesced seamless
There was no distinction between me and the mountain
We had combined into creation's graceful union of purpose

Seaside Stroll

2007-08-20T11:02:00.000-07:00

I walked aimlessly on a beautiful beach today
The eternal roar of the waves a primordial echo
They were relentless in their pursuit of land
Never once did they take a respite from overflow

I watched the constant ebb and flow of current
Bringing in water from distant shores sightless
Timeless vistas are opened up to these liquid dunes
Their might shall form and fell worlds effortless

I had nothing else to do, no deadlines awaited
My mind was crouched still as a waiting leopard
An infinitesimal thoughtful impulse was enough
To unleash the creative surge of thought outward

The sea was a patient sculptor forming the earth
Its task takes timeless aeons but perfect in the end
I let time move past me in waves sculpting me thus
Creating as it will without interfering in its intent

Paternal grief

2007-08-15T20:58:00.001-07:00

And then there was the little boy who was his life
He was a jolly soul who never had a moment's grief
I marvelled at his emotional strength quite immense
He seemed immune to any upheaval long or brief

He never seemed to miss anyone and was content
Life's little pleasures were enough for his bliss
Wherever he was it was a content environment
He never desired anything that was not to be his

But then one day a vile serpent got into his heart
He happened perchance to sight a beautiful girl
The base emotion called "love" entered into him
And on his impregnable heart missiles began to hurl

I watched him go from a cheerful being to miserable
His mind was obsessed with the being of enticement
I remained bereft of weapons to combat this enemy
Who praised to defile a pure soul, with great infamy

I watched with despair as he went from bad to worse
His being was entirely taken over by this malaise
I had the power to move heaven to satisfy his wish
But in this case I remained powerless to assail

I was standing on a rainy day by the side of a willow
Watching the group disperse after assigning a hollow
To a marvelous human being who was a casualty
Of that despicable emotion of love filled with perfidy

I resolved then to become strong like never before
This was a game that had to be played some more
Aeons shall pass and I shall come again to overcome
That which tore life apart when bliss was to blossom

What might have been...

2007-08-11T22:13:00.000-07:00

When my love came calling I was not at home
She waited awhile and left with a broken heart
Her visit was to shower my life with great love
But I was too self focused and decided to be apart

There was a garden that might have flowered
It was filled with potential to give ample bliss
But I was its gardener indulged in self analysis
I was neglectful and in my duty quite amiss

There was a symphony that could reach crescendo
It was a soaring leap of music to dizzying heights
I was the conductor responsible for its conception
But I misplaced the notes stopping it in mid flight

There was a life that was waiting to be fully lived
It had the capacity to fill an universe with love
I stopped the heart beat from fulfilling itself
As I turned away an angel who came from above

Life's passing

2007-08-10T17:55:00.000-07:00

There was a moment in time when I was young
But that refers only to the external gross sheath
My inner spirit appears to be ageless in time
And has been pristine as life's experience reveals

Love beckoned to me very early in my life
It came with a rush that was quite unstopped
While to the observer it might seem a travesty
I basked in its glory and considered it an amnesty

Imperfection was given to me which was felt a curse
Accusations were made that I had conspired to cheat
But later events in my life proved that it was a blessing
That helped me overcome forces that timelessly repeat

Afflictions nestled in the vast expanses of mind and grew
There was no respite in their attacks all encompassing
But as I moved through life I learned to love them hugely
They were the sentinels guarding me from trespassing

Revelation

2007-08-09T12:32:00.001-07:00

My vision cleared while musing on past life
Certain aspects were more easily understood
Cause and effect were revealed in the play
And many of my existing beliefs were disproved

Knowledge was revealed as an arbitrary closure
Several of them exist concurrently with other
Their attraction is powerful to an unwary mind
And for lifetimes can entrap the careless traveller

Life's attachments were revealed as self created
At each point there exists a clear karmic choice
Our hearts sometimes deceive us in false selection
And then the divine symphony is filled with noise

World was revealed as an extension of the mind
It didnt have any other basis rooted in reality
Introspection and solitude sharpened the tool
Creating a crucible manifesting heavenly sanctity

Moment of weakness

2007-08-08T13:45:00.000-07:00

A date was set for the marriage of a fine human
I went there to witness the ceremonial union
My heart was not uplifted during the occassion
I was struggling with emotions that were alien

I felt a deep disturbance that was instinctual
Perhaps the result of a life spent in seclusion
My constant companion has been my mind
And I knew it well enough to accept conclusion

The conclusion was the harbinger of distress
It seemed to me that a trap was being closed
But to see a valiant virile hero thus chained
Was to me a climax that seemed quite forced

My mind went into a tail spin as is its wont
I went into seclusion again to face its wrath
The chaos was of monumental proportions
And needs strength to hold it together fast

My reasons are quite certainly superficial
But there are times when the instinct speaks
And in this case there was an inner force
That seemed to speak strongly of a disease

A life seems to have manifested in the dark
It cause was purely physical and not planned
This perhaps is the reason for the surface act
Which is not revealed to the eye that is biased

Perhaps there is a path that will be shown
When ages meld into lives that shall be gone
During which the causes will be fully revealed
And a single eye shall see truth as it is conceived

In the interim I will continue to be of service
To a person who holds me in a web of bondage
I will continue to work in the field of grace
To send harmony their way for pain to assuage

But I shall not become weak again as I was before
The chinks in my armor shall never become deep
My goal is set and I shall transform myself complete
To fulfil my destiny that is with grace entirely replete

Last Act

2007-08-07T19:12:00.001-07:00

I posture on the grand stage of life to a packed audience
My act is involved and is conducted in grand ambience
The settings are elaborate and the music is scintillating
The echoes of my emotions are loud and reverberating

I create scenes of great pathos and expect applause
And the ebb and flow of emotions continues unpaused
Sometimes the audience responds and at times not
Drama is needed to sustain my boisterous ego aloft

I invest great effort in creating the story and drama
And think there is no one like me on terra firma
But then I get carried away by the clever intellect
My pomposity swells to a crescendo and insurrects

Today I check that insurrection and put it to death
The stage is cleared and the drama comes to an end
Audiences are turned away and the theatre is empty
No more shall a convoluted plot elicit mob's sympathy

Fateful task

2007-08-07T10:41:00.000-07:00

Eternity beckons from a distance far in time
Its appearance is shrouded in nebulous mist
Ghostly forms appear and disappear in its midst
But its true form plays a game of will-o-wisp

I erect barriers between it and self by bonds
Fragile as they are they offer a sort of shield
To protect me from my destiny that haunts
A state of Grace can be forbidding indeed

Finality needs the strength not to look back
At the long road paved with life's dual experience
A door once closed should not open even a crack
When time has come to give up our preference

Memories serve as aids to strengthen the barrier
And redirecting the mind helps focus thought
It is time to break and free fetters quite inferior
A difficult task indeed, but one fate has brought

Untold stories

2007-08-06T16:20:00.000-07:00

I recently visited the ancient land of China
My passion for teaching took me out there
The country was covered with spiritual patina
And the ancient sage's compassion unimpaired

People were industrious and many in number
Their attire was neat and friendly their demeanor
There the Tower of Babel collapses in its entirety
I was forced to fall back on signs of primitivity

There were contrasts in the extreme in great city
Towering sky scrapers rubbed elbows with poverty
Tourists spun by seeing the overflow of extravagance
Carrying with them a false impression of decadence

The true spirit of the country was in its villages
Amongst the poor and the impoverished people
Who toil daily for survival in their little acreages
Their lives are filled with untold stories ample

Final tasks

2007-08-06T10:41:00.000-07:00

A land exists shrouded in the mists of time
It is suffused with the spiritual force sublime
Setting foot in its soil immediately gives peace
Disharmony is removed leaving us at ease

A journey needs to be undertaken there soon
There are destinations waiting to give a boon
Sages are at hand ready to give their blessing
And even a bystander can give spiritual training

It is a portal that can transport to real world
A World full of light and in sea of bliss immersed
Service is the passport needed to enter the realm
And a simple way of life is a condition for freedom

I have a task waiting for me there to complete life
It is a period when I shall be a humble servant
Following which I shall traverse country wide
Immersing myself in spiritual bliss on every side

Freed bird

2007-08-06T10:25:00.001-07:00

Freedom came unasked for in the evening of life
At the time I was struggling with bonds of love
I didnt ask for it as I was unaware that I should
But it was given at a time when I needed it most

I wanted a sign from the Divine showing the path
I desired it to be dramatic as a bush burning fast
But over the solitude of a summer weekend's muse
I realized that my life's events were grace infused

All the long days and turbulent nights were directed
Leading to a time when attachments shall quietly wane
Removing the disillusionments that were my life's curse
And leaving a silence that is complete in its wake

Future unlocked itself based on the secrets of past
Summer's uproar is followed by winter's silent frost
Quietness permeates the chaotic life leading to peace
A freed bird leaves its cage never again to suffer grief

True Freedom

2007-08-03T17:30:00.000-07:00

I was in a prison, in fetters behind dark walls
My spirit chafed and desired to escape outside
I explored every little nook to seek a loop hole
But there seemed no way out of grim stronghold

Suddenly I was liberated and found myself free
Birds were singing and sun was shining on trees
I danced with joy and ran about like a lunatic
My cup of joy overflowed and colors shone prismatic

But I felt ill at ease after a while of this pure liberty
I would like to don the fetters again I felt morbidly
Complete freedom is not what it is made out to be
A daemon or two are not bad and can be company

I realized that peace of mind was decided internal
A calm mind originates strength that is phenomenal
Whether incarcerated and whipped by passion deep
Or in liberated glee, the detached mind is truly free

Multiplying needs

2007-08-03T11:45:00.000-07:00

Life is driven by ambitions and well defined goals
Those who have a family are intent on their care
And those alone have themselves to tend as fare
Needs are created to keep life moving to the fore

Progression is always defined in terms of movement
And that shall not cease no matter what the deterrent
Alongwith movement shall come the material glut
There is a lack of space to store this in palatial hut

What happens when all needs are satisfied in life?
There is a temporary lull as mind is free from strife
But then we fear this state more than death itself
And our creative force is used to manifest desires

Once again the merry run around starts unceased
Age doesnt pose a hurdle and is jumped with ease
Till the last curtain drops and life's stage empties
Our play doesnt pause as need constantly multiplies

Resentment

2007-08-03T08:59:00.000-07:00

Resentment arises at times when we lack awareness
It is like a silent wolf that preys in total darkness
An imagined insult, a contrived fault are its causes
Subtle are its manifestations that lead to many losses

A message that was misinterpreted leads to anger
It blocks flow of love and makes friend as stranger
We create our own mental prisons as its outcome
In it we sit as the self piteous forms we have become

A comfortable cloak of martyrdom slips easy on us
There is no dearth of emotions ready for us to fuss
Lifetimes can effortlessly slip by under its control
And life's lessons are re-learnt in classes we enroll

Our resentment prevents the expression of love
And an assumed air of sacrifice can be our reward
It makes life miserable for us and our close family
Why hold onto a cactus and complain of great agony?

Forgiveness and compassion can lead to a quick remedy
Otherwise life shall become a soap opera's lame parody
Filial affection and maternal love shall hopefully transform
A struggling soul into a great force with duties to perform

Vanquished daemons

2007-08-02T18:44:00.000-07:00

And then there were those who fell into the trap of love
Their hearts are fickle and dont obey edicts from above
Seemingly noble they think of themselves yet quite base
Their obsession is with physical and difficult to erase

Their sights are set on one but they betroth another
And struggling with their emotions stray a bit asunder
Physical union seems to be an extreme constraint here
And it acts as a straight jacket creating a great barrier

Unable to understand the true purpose of the union
That is it for procreation and not recreational reason
They tie themselves into a knot unable to escape out
And still think that their objectives are without doubt

Peace deserts such a distressed soul as water in sand
There is no sight of clear truth from where they stand
Unnecessary words are spoken that are not from heart
They stand opposed as enemies that love has torn apart

There was a time when I was caught in such a trap
Until a gentle soul came along to show different path
She was in anguish and yet deigned to help poor soul
Her life is guided by Master's transmission from above

Under such guidance my life underwent a transformation
I moved from a vale of darkness to a hilltop of light
The daemons of yore fell back in impotent rage defeated
As life dawned anew with unconditional love reinstated

Life's lessons

2007-08-02T14:36:00.000-07:00

Higher institutions of learning are widely prevalent
All of us have a hankering to send there our children
That has become a goal in itself, just to reach there
What happens after equipping thus is up in the air

Is it really a higher education that is imparted within?
What does this equip us to perform in life's precincts?
Perhaps it gives us the qualifications to earn a living
But is that the goal of life for which we shall be aspiring?

Nowhere in Nature is there a need to earn one's keep
All are accepted without reserve and never in need
In return Nature doesnt hold on tight to its denizens
They are free to enter and leave without limitations

The greatest lessons I learnt are in mundane environs
In temples, in bazaars, in homes, and in transit stops
The teachers were simple folks who taught quite a lot
About life and its pains, and how to overcome travails

Silent Infinity

2007-08-02T13:50:00.000-07:00

There is a seamless net that cradles creation
It is a subtle force that defies comprehension
Universes cycle through its gentle current
There is no strain as it brings forth present

Thought fashions reality in primordial matrix
All of time stands revealed within its ambit
A distant effect is linked to a nearby cause
And all points in space are one without pause

God exists at all points in this infinite web
It is her awareness that is in its central hub
She is thus all knowing and all pervasive
Her grace permeates all of life quite invasive

When we give up our preferences for an outcome
Our minds stop vacillating and becomes silent
And then we see this subtle light within creation
Our heart expands limitlessly in silent subjugation

Happy Birthday to Hema Chava

2007-08-01T16:05:00.001-07:00

There are times when life decides to manifest
Supremely holy are such glorious instants
It is a mystery as to why it happens thus
But Divinity has its own plans nevertheless

Such occassions are cherished in life
By your parents and your family groups
They are blessed to be in your company
As you are also nourished by those roots

A birthday is a celebration of creation's glory
Because it tells of progression in divine story
When Spirit decided to manifest to fulfil goal
Set in ancient times perhaps on distant shore

On this occassion I take pride in wishing you
For a great life ahead that is granted to few
And may you be blessed by God, dear Hema-ji
For bringing to your friends boundless energy

God's children

2007-07-31T10:51:00.000-07:00

Life might have its ups and downs incessant
Keeping the final goal in mind is important
That is the emancipation of the trapped soul
Which gets born and trapped in deep shoals

Life is a continuum and never in isolation
Today's thoughts are future's foundation
Thus never be overwhelmed by life's pace
It is a spiritual crucible that destiny makes

Our heart has to be filled with love unconditioned
That is the goal of all our spiritual development
Manifesting a specific outcome is quite tempting
But without proper foundation it is exhausting

Awesome power visits us when we are thus
But this is not of the kind that overpowers
It is the subtle force that causes all creation
Aligned with it we become God's children

Unconditional love

2007-07-30T23:10:00.000-07:00

There is a cause behind everything that is material
It is a wonderful thing that is subtle and ethereal
Unseen it creates wonders of light and color fill
The holy and the profane are unified in its imprint

It creates the barren outcrop of shattered rock
And the verdant layers of forest on the hilltop
The parched desert sands are rolled into dunes
While the boiling lava shatters out as dense fumes

Nothing is left out of its love filled immense ambit
Everything is unified by its grace as lofty flight
Wonderful colors unify in brightest beams of light
Visible to a new born but unseen by elderly sight

Unconditional love it is called by inadequate word
It is that which the Divine Mother gives to us
Rejection and indifference are repaid in its currency
And filling my heart with it is the greatest sanctity

False life

2007-07-30T16:33:00.000-07:00

I crave for freedom from the confines of time and space
There doesnt seem to be any peace within its grey walls
I have been looking actively for a chink in its grim visage
But the expanse is seamless leaving no escape path at all

I keep thinking about what lies beyond the twin fetters
Surely I dont have to die to experience freedom endless
Sleep seems to relax the rules of time and space daily
But I am unaware of their operation as I slumber deeply

The prison seemed to me external and thus I chafed
Who created these walls that conspire thus to restrain?
It is intolerable that we are offered a few grains of gold
In return for submitting ourselves to bondage of soul

It finally dawned on me that the prison couldnt be without
Because I create my own gilded cage, with mind's support
I read into life meanings that are quite contrived and false
Thus rejecting an offered hand of love for a life full of dross

Pristine State

2007-07-30T15:23:00.000-07:00

I am the infinite, that from which all flows
My home is that of Spirit, subtle, pulsing glow
Its origins are the foundations of immense bliss
And in that I reside self aware without limits

Time has ceased to exist as is confining space
There is only a seamless reality creating grace
A mere thought triggers a flurry of manifestation
And colorful Worlds spring up in a single instant

A veil drops down as if on a vast sweeping stage
And Spirit is separated from itself in divided state
Bewildered and confused roam the children of Divinity
Seeking comfort and peace they forge bonds of fragility

When roaming through the corridors of worldly prisons
The Heart struggles vaguely remembering old visions
Turning away from that which is outside to dive within
A silver lining is seen leading to Graceful state pristine

Overflow of grace

2007-07-30T08:04:00.001-07:00

There is a time to manifest what is needed in life
The way is not one of stress or one of great strife
A subtle force exists underlying this vast universe
Its action is the cause of all that rises up manifest

The highest possible action is one of harmony
That is in alignment with truth as a symphony
Everything works together in a perfect dance
The partners swirl together as if in a trance

The greatest belief is in the innate power within
Its expression is directly proportional to faith
Grieving over past and future worries are needless
Meditating on the inner grace is a pursuit matchless

The power of Spirit is waiting quietly to be unleashed
It causes miracles in our daily life that is unceased
I am a gatekeeper of a portal that shall remain open
Creating a conduit through which grace will overrun

Fallen warrior

2007-07-29T23:39:00.000-07:00

The struggle was on to get an answer to some questions troublesome
Was the spiritual way the right one or was it a refuge from impotence?
These were fundamental questions that released the mind seldom
It was the rise of the marauding hordes that blocked all deliverance

This is a battle that is faced all alone as the journey was started thus
The hand is empty bereft of weapon and the warrior stands defenseless
His fortitude was the cloak of peace conferred by an iron clad belief
In the worthiness of purpose that was like a scimitar in its silken sheath

The inner doubts start gnawing at the irresolute soldier on the field
Leaving him hollow and sinews straining on the brink of utter defeat
Looking up for guidance at the distant star of kindly life giving light
He utters a prayer seeking the solace of Divinity's true path bright

The lessons taught paled into insignificance faced with lessons to learn
A dual faced tempstress felled him from within with a slow keen burn
Knowing that his life is not interrupted but is a seamless smooth tapestry
His eyes close slowly shutting out external stage unable to witness travesty

Dark night

2007-07-29T08:02:00.000-07:00

Depression came unbidden as I sat through the dark hours of night
It was quiet all around as the day was done and sun was out of sight
I had completed a journey from a far off land where I went to serve
There was a person whom I had to uplift to a level that he deserved

On return there were the familiar surroundings of a simple dwelling
I had spent a long time in its confines and it seemed time for an ending
A new age was required to start and change always bring forth stress
But nothing is accomplished without change which leads to a redress

My energy levels were low as I sat in the familiar alcove in prayer
I seemed to have reached a spiritual isolation leading to moods greyer
The bliss that I seeked was playing hide and seek, taunting me on
I strived to hold it close using meditation as my constant companion

The long hours of night slowly melded into the grey shades of dawn
I placed the questions troubling my mind at the feet of divine icon
The phobias, the neuroses, and the worries were my humble offering
Divinity was non-judgemental and accepted them returning a blessing

Dangerous interlude

2007-07-25T04:46:00.000-07:00

My wish is to transcend that which is material in nature
Life has proceeded along predictable lines into future
Now the time has come to relinquish and to finally rest
Doffing the tattered and worn mask after passing test

Several moments have coalesced thus forming days
Life's building blocks have been created in many ways
Roles have come by in succession as dictated by fate
Now the tasks are done and it is time for a clean slate

Unmanifest at times when there is a lull in the waves
And manifesting only to fulfil tasks as karmic slaves
Not accumulating any moss as I speed as spear thrown
In my life thus far I have been a simple rolling stone

There havent been attachments of any great intensity
Neither corporeal or material have had such propensity
But my mind's greatest foe now is that of indolence
I struggle greatly with this menace for my deliverance

Beckoning goal

2007-07-19T18:42:00.001-07:00

I had gone to the ancient land with the intent of severing bonds
Summoning the divinity within I prayed for an intervention
Assuming a stance that was truly ego beguiling me in its folds
I thought that I could quickly manifest a clean separation

Attachments were stifling and ego chafed at the bondage
Seeming happiness beckoned from the frontiers of freedom
And I was ready to make the leap forward with great courage
At last I would be free to roam about in a blissful kingdom

But as my meditation progressed there was a moment of respite
Severing the bonds were not the answer to torment of soul
My captivity was not the result of clinging by external sources
But was my response to an environment imposed by force

Cleansing my mind and filling my heart with unconditional love
Caused my mental clouds to be dispelled and clarity to restore
A way ahead became clear as to leave me spell bound with joy
I saw a future that was miraculous and boundless as the sky

Healer's dilemma

2007-07-18T00:23:00.000-07:00

Healing is an important aspect of the awakened spirit's chores
It is a measure that is significant only in these terrestrial shores
Many are the efforts undertaken by humans in its great attempts
But erroneous ways of healing cause greater damage than it prevents

A true healer is one who believes completely in the Spirit's power
Perception of the highest order is an accompaniment to provider
There is no element of doubt in the mind of one who shall heal
A true understanding of nature shall hidden pathways reveal

Rearranging nature's ways are not to be undertaken lightly
There are times when the natural order of things are inviolate
And exerting effort to transform it shouldnt be done blindly
Thus causing more damage to future lives that are implicate

Seeing a loved one suffering can be a traumatic experience
And seeking to remove its cause a natural human instinct
But the enlightened soul sometimes holds itself in check
Seemingly callous, yet observing unfolding destiny's imprint

Final tryst

2007-07-18T00:08:00.001-07:00

A new pact has been formed between me and the Supreme
It is based on unconditional love and complete surrender
There are no fine print in the contract to review and screen
And no force is powerful enough to tear this bond asunder

I finished one of my many journeys around the blissful world
It was a spiritual journey in company of one of my divine masters
I was a careful and earnest student and lessons were multi-fold
At every stage my mind was opened to vistas where spirit enters

The importance of unconditional love was made clear to my mind
Through lessons that were small and large coming in succession
Many messengers arrived bearing divine symbols of differing kind
Their arrival was unheralded and were woven in life's procession

I learnt the art of prayer and the way to ask questions of the Spirit
When my entreaties werent responded to, I tended to quickly despair
But the Master at every stage was on hand to decipher Divinity's limit
And my life's journey advanced quietly towards the final blissful tryst

Peaceful chaos

2007-07-14T23:54:00.000-07:00

I sometimes fret and fume captive to thought
The mind has its own capricious way no doubt
A heaving mindscape is not suited for reflection
It carries with it life in a spate of confusion

I have to take pause to establish a reference
Vantage point of peace as a lighthouse resort
Unconditional love needs to manifest constant
Standing as a bulwark against thoughtful assault

Life's simplicity is constantly obscured by Ego
It is ready to take up arms and position offensive
The meditative stance is the counter to help forgo
That which is oppressive and stifling, reprehensive

I became a convert recently to a different view
A state of bliss and love is its premise anew
Nowadays my constant strife is to maintain balance
As my vessel battles storms in mind's ocean immense

Unasked boon

2007-07-12T07:10:00.000-07:00

A supremely holy force beckons with intensity
I came to this ancient land with other goals
But I have been transformed within in entirety
Alchemy of the highest order has been performed

I saw glimpses of a future state of deep peace
There was only unconditional love to release
Neither foe nor friend was exempt from its flood
Its pull was inexorable as was its blissful spread

Never before had I experienced anything so holy
I am blessed to have been chosen for such bounty
There was no remembrance of having asked for boon
It was a precious gift given not an instant too soon

The way ahead suddenly became quite simple and clear
A lifetime of stress vanished alongwith resultant fear
The spiritual forces rise up constantly to enlighten
Nature rejoices outside with rain as accompaniment

Transformation

2007-07-10T21:26:00.000-07:00

For a while I strained to modify world external
My meditation was focused on manifesting result
I was trying to bend the world to my will and wish
But its evanescent nature was not amenable to effect

Frustrated I turned away from meditation in disgust
I wanted immediate gratification of all my requests
Shouldnt God just manifest in and fulfill my desires?
After all my intentions noble, other's good to transpire

Soon I realized that external world cannot be changed
Not by mere thought evidenced in weak meditation
A transformative hold on other's life is a ego's wish
No matter how lofty the intent seeking manifestation

A true moment of epiphany burst forth at that moment
I transformed my meditation into a process of cleansing
Alchemy was needed to convert the martyr to messenger
My heart was filled with grace through complete surrender

Ecstasy

2007-07-08T02:26:00.001-07:00

Sometimes the path ahead seems a bit confusing
It appears that forces are controlling the way
But the truth is that God is always in charge
Even though it appears that chance holds sway

Our choices may appear to be many and equal
But they are in truth guided by plan eternal
One of them is the right choice for our life
And that is the path which has the least strife

Surrender is all that it takes to travel there
A strong belief in the grace of the Divine Spirit
Our willingness to give up all attachments is key
And then Spirit will guide us to our final destiny

But our fear can sometimes hold us back indecisive
And then our spirit chafes, restless and in agony
We feel that our current state is not to be forfeit
But grace inexorable pulls us towards personal ecstasy

Grace

2007-07-08T02:24:00.000-07:00

An effulgence of grace shall manifest itself
Where I move in timeless moments of eternity
My very presence is meant to comfort and heal
Those souls which torment themselves needlessly

As lives struggle on bereft of hope and joy
When there is a deep yearning within for bliss
I come as a dawning light in the eastern skies
Heralding the onset of brand new joyous times

There is no strain or associated stress in this
It is like the unfolding of a flower at dawn
As sun shine blossoms forth from an early morn
Hope springs anew in every heart waiting long

The power to transcend limitations of mere matter
An ability to assume the natural power lying within
Come, join with the Supreme, in transforming life
From a sequence of days, to moments of joy sublime

Destiny's voice

2007-06-30T21:42:00.000-07:00

There lived a person in a small town who was with friends
They all were intimate and were inseparably entrenched
They swore to each other that they will never be separate
No matter what their lives bring their friendship inviolate

But attachments are always fragile and cannot withstand time
As and when opportunities come they start drifting aside
Life's chances do not repeat themselves especially in love
When a bright future does present itself as if from above

Holding oneself back for mere selfish considerations not wise
Thinking of the greater good is always quite a noble choice
Those moving on and those left behind are not held in trial
There are neither aggressor nor victim in this game terrestrial

The correct way then to protect onself is to be without attachment
Not only from a spiritual perspective but also to avoid detriment
Relying on external relationships can prove to be a fatal choice
Especially when those depart who have to listen to destiny's voice

Deserted perch

2007-06-29T22:00:00.000-07:00

Seasons were changing and nature was doing its shuffle
Landscapes underwent transformations quite colorful
I was seated at my favorite alcove by the window sill
My pasttime was to watch life move by gently tranquil

All those that I knew and cherished were moving on
They had their own lives with great tasks to perform
I was satisfied with my perch on the banks of this river
There was no special goal for me or tasks to deliver

Life was eternal and would always be ready to relinquish
But that was just one aspect as it would also replenish
Migrating birds would come to this lake filled with bloom
And task done would fly away to their distant home soon

Summer reigned forth with its searing heat and fine dust
Monsoons came with their cleansing rain and rainbow crest
Trees shed their autumn leaves in an endless cycle of life
Before long my simple perch shall be deserted and quiet

Echoes of silence

2007-06-24T18:57:00.000-07:00

I set foot in a land of ancient temples and present day bliss
I was engulfed in a current of grace and divinity's imprint
Power of great forces surged within my entire being's core
There was no differentiation in my sight, spirit came to fore

I had identified a set of problems that were for me to solve
But on sitting down in meditation they all did slowly dissolve
I was transported to a divine mountain side in grace's presence
Silence echoed off the lofty peaks in nature's crucible immense

Intention was transformed to thought and action in a moment
Creation was waiting to offer its services in endless instants
Time started to slow down and finally spiralled into stillness
In the heart of divinity's bliss there was a silent bright presence

All powers were accessible to me at that single moment of truth
I saw clearly there are no problems in life: God's blissful offshoot
Spirit curves in on itself and creates endless, seeking its experience
Chaos and order, grief and pleasure are all one in its presence

Saint within

2007-06-17T07:16:00.001-07:00

I have heard about a saint who lives in the higher reaches
His abode is shrouded in clouds where the holy river rises
It is rumored that he is ageless and stands outside time
Countless messiahs have been his disciples in their prime

There are people who claim to have met the divine one
And they all feel that their lives were changed then on
Hearing such reports I felt a deep urge for his presence
Could I come face to face with the divine saintly essence?

I started thinking actively about this as night followed day
Sometimes I meditated on him and at other times did pray
An avatar in our midst: he could answer questions mystic
All of life's problems could be resolved by this divine ascetic

I travelled to distant land and made a pilgrimage to shrine
It was a difficult path through deep vales and steep incline
I wandered about without success and with a wild surmise
My hopes were dashed fimally and I returned without prize

I came back to my little apartment and entered my door
There were the same walls and a ragged carpet on floor
While hanging up my travel clothes my gaze fell on mirror
Reflected was a presence I had searched outside in error

False roles

2007-06-16T12:04:00.000-07:00

Comfort arises when dealing with routines of daily life
They become habits and provide a bulwark from strife
We start relying on certain things showing up always
And the absence starts to cause us a subtle distress

We seldom think of our lives before their advent
Our proclivity for creating attachment is immense
More than the object it is attachment that is dear
We hold onto our web of attachment out of fear

The fear is not that of losing the object of desire
But in its absence we are forced to look interior
And the fear is about what will face us in truth
We are unwilling to enjoy our inner divine fruit

Turning away from our true role as Creator
We assume false roles of spouse and lover
And profess ourselves to be in a state of bliss
While truth waits till we give up our deceit

Creative gifts

2007-06-12T12:28:00.000-07:00

In life success is measured at times by a mere numeric quantity
The number of people who know your work blesses with sanctity
And that is the norm for almost any measure of success in life
More of certain quantities are prescribed as the winner's prize

But fame is a fickle mistress and shall deal out pain with pleasure
No sooner obtained than it becomes a prison of painful measure
The receiver starts behaving to satisfy the wants of the many
And in the process loses his creative ability and descends to infamy

Any talent possessed in small or great measure is paraded for show
And has to be compulsorily recognized by society's ebb and flow
Where is the scope for a skill to be nurtured in such state of duress?
There is no means for the inner spirit to blossom while in distress

A creative gift is to be assumed with nonchalance and disregard for fame
There is no appropriation needed to exercise God's gift given away
A hidden treasure is still of great value and this is found in its essence
Exploiting it is needless as its mere existence provides bliss endless

Subtle Investment

2007-06-12T12:07:00.000-07:00

Investments are made for posterity in the name of wealth
But more often than not they are for us quite in stealth
We cease to question our motives after a while in weariness
But unasked questions shall fester leading to drab existence

Our power is trammelled quite by our own admissions of guilt
And it waits in quite supplication, only requiring end of deceit
Manifestation is effortless to the unfettered soul of divine essence
A life burdened by ego's sacrifices can never step into its presence

Our responsibility is immense and so are the powers that we acquire
There is no life that can have an experience that it did not aspire
Every occurrence close to life's origin is blessed with subtle light
As we create an arrow of time, its flight causes separation and fright

My investment is now beyond the material plane and is energy's form
I am focusing that behind the varying appearance to become the norm
Travelling on beams of endless light I look back at universal cataclysms
I can choose order or chaos without guilt as universes perish in paroxysms

Cycle's end

2007-06-02T16:23:00.000-07:00

There is no greater abomination than a cycle that refuses to end
In life there is a purpose behind every aspect that is apparent
And when that purpose is served the life shall cease to extend
Such is the divine law which guides creation and serves as portent

When creation shuffles through the magic of life and death ceaseless
Eternal patterns are created ever anew in vibrant color matchless
As aeons coalesce into dense matter, inner spirit radiates as light
Taking flight through vast reaches of mind it arrives now in sight

A dazzling bright orb is hung in the sky as a symbol of its grace
And life entire depends on its self sacrifice to maintain its state
But that orb shall also flicker and silence itself on finishing work
Causing existence to fold up and replenish itself for future spurt

Mortal coils can be shrugged off at will and not at mercy of age
Realize life's purpose and fulfill it in its entirety at every stage
And when you have completed that goal embrace death in bliss
Life's creative force shall attain fulfilment in you with that release

Silent bliss

2007-05-31T20:31:00.000-07:00

I was standing at a point in the long road of life and taking stock
There were many wants and desires in my mind running amok
Turbulence was a hallmark of the emergent mindscape's norm
I didnt know which way to turn as they swirled as dancing forms

Sometimes I felt the need to have a surplus of material abundance
And that was quickly followed by the need to live a life of abstinence
Then there were the usual passions related to life's attachments
Son here, lover there, the usual limits of nature's many adornments

At this stage of my journey I saw a glow on the horizon faraway
It seemed to have an attractive quality that placed me in sway
I ran there and saw the gateway to heavenly abode brightly lit
At last here was my chance to get my prayers answered forwith

I busily cataloged all the things that I should ask of the inner deity
And ran through the gateway to her divine abode of great piety
But when I reached there I forgot everything and dissolved in bliss
I was speechless in front of her grace and was peaceful and still

The awareness lasted for what seemed like an eternity and vanished
I was back at the side of the road where I was, in awe and astonished
I now realized my folly in not asking anything regarding my many needs
But try as I might I now couldnt remember any of my desires to please

Divine grace is a state beyond duality of success or failure, woe or glee
Its presence is not to be used as a means for success in our live's spree
It visits us at times least expected as we struggle on life's many byways
But in silence it provides us with great strength, peace and bliss always

Last steps

2007-05-31T12:48:00.001-07:00

There was no work to be done as I sat quietly in relative solitude
All around me was the hustle and bustle of daily life with attitude
There were deadlines being fashioned and goals being defined
People acted with a purpose directing their lives in manner refined

There was a danger that I would lapse into a state of total inertia
And in that soporific state would become prisoner to inner dementia
A nihilistic state seemed to beckon in which existence ceases total
And nothing would be left to experience in an absolute silence fatal

There is a danger zone that has to be crossed when moving to sublime
It is a state of spiritual wilderness that can trap the unwary in prime
A period of intoxication and self destruction can quickly follow in state
And the life spins out of control into a free wheeling dive towards waste

This is the time when the aspirant has to summon inner strength
And with a great effort focus attention on the final stages of ascent
The quietness of mind is suddenly achieved with blossoming light
Existence is torn asunder and mind folds in surrender without a fight

Womb of creation

2007-05-29T17:42:00.000-07:00

When the infinite manifests in the World of time, space, as a norm
It acquires some tools such as ego, mind, intellect and a visible form
At that time a sudden veil drops down over creation causing illusion
And that is the basis of reality as experienced by sense's confusion

Each of these tools are needed by the manifested to achieve goals
These were prescribed by destiny as a part of creation's furore
Life goes unerringly towards final objective known to the Spirit
But our confusion draws it away into side tracks of great deficit

But always a conduit is left open to the greater infinity of source
This never closes behind us inspite of creation's immense force
A great maelstorm of turbulent emotions shall buffet the pure
But the greatest waves shall not vanquish the spirit for sure

There is a quiet place in the universe where form meets spirit
It is a place of creative peace where silence echoes without limit
This womb of creation is in the vast reaches of our own mind
And reaching it daily we need to transcend limits to seek infinite

Threadbare cloak

2007-05-29T08:41:00.001-07:00

It is a bright cloak that I wear intermittently now and then
The colors are vibrant and confers some power quite sudden
Engrossed in its captivating folds I sometimes lose perspective
And start thinking it is as real as the underlying objective

I notice time seems to be acting up on its glossy fabric
There appear to be signs of wear and tear quite tragic
I patch the cloak with great care and ensure that it lasts
But it is a losing battle as the present slips slowly to past

Time passes and days merge quietly without any fanfare
The cloak has slowly lost its sheen and turned threadbare
I now hang it up more often than wear it for outside trip
The periods are more infrequent as age tightens its grip

One day perchance I happened to pick another fine garment
My closet was full of such finery like a store's department
It was not the cloak but underlying form that was quite real
Now I shuffle through multiple cloaks without shedding a tear

Message of Detachment

2007-05-22T20:11:00.000-07:00

Sometimes love is forgotten because we focus on attachments
The most sacred of bonds then are transformed into entrapments
Guilt arises as a silent companion and adds to the life's drama
Entire lifetimes spin past as we repeatedly subject to its trauma

I am becoming aware of such clinging attachments hiding as love
And am facing the daemon without trepidation and filled with resolve
I am confident of cutting asunder the treachery and freeing self
But it is a struggle as the attachments are strong and I need help

While struggling with a turbulent disease of mind and body recently
A being rose up from within the deeper recesses of heart's ecstasy
I requested the being for assistance in sending the right message
The effulgent form agreed, and will bring release from bondage

There is a place in heaven waiting where there is no insecurity
And God will come in all her finery to escort to that sanctity
But an attached heart will not allow entry to the Divine Form
I pray that the attached will depart and allow peace to be reborn

Power of Age

2007-05-21T18:16:00.001-07:00

Age slows down life and makes the strongest will to become weak
We expect this to happen and life obliges by giving us what we seek
True, our bodies start to become infirm and our vitality declines
We start slowing down, steps soon weaken, and posture inclines

But there is nothing in our DNA that says that such is the law
Only in our minds is the notion that advanced age is last straw
Reality is as we fashion it in our thoughts and is quite malleable
Our power lies in shaping them so as to make our life valuable

Old age is a welcome phase in which our experience distills wise
A power thus unknown visits those who focus attention precise
There is a vast storehouse of experience that can be tapped into
And countless lessons can be learnt from memories infinitude

Do not view old age as a period of decline and state of insecurity
Viewing it thus is a disservice to your own life and that of posterity
Unleash then the power of age's wisdom to light the flames of eternity
In doing so you shall serve life's purpose and fulfil ultimate destiny

Sudden Fork

2007-05-20T17:26:00.000-07:00

I reached a fork in the road beset on my long journey
This shouldnt have been here at this point of epiphany
I thought my journey was near to a close but not so
There was no way I could sneak in with shadow in tow

On the one hand was a shorter path to a peaceful summit
It was bestrewn with flowers and fragrance filled alcoves
Gentle breeze stroked the traveller and provided relief
A long journey could finally end in a state of total release

The other fork was darkness personified and led to hell
It was spattered with blood from ancient foes who fell
A fierce wind whipped the dark foliage to a great frenzy
There was only the frenetic beckoning of fury's insurgency

I cannot come to your presence with this monster within
A release has to be sought by travelling a path of cleansing
The crimson tide shall swell in a roar of thousand lives lost
As I shall assume the role of a shadowy evanescent ghost

A million lifetimes of birth and death shall certainly follow
But then a long journey does start with a single step and slow
If the direction is right then the destination shall be in sight
I trust the Divine Mother to guide me through turbulent night

Divine oasis

2007-05-15T19:08:00.000-07:00

Lights wink past at high speed as the road unwinds below wheels
There is a constant streaming blaze, mesmerized my mind reels
Infinity's end is approaching as a brilliant arc suspended ahead
There are no more way stations at which I can break for a rest

An awesome presence waited with patience at arc's end
It cannot be escaped and shall be met on sacred ground
A clean severance awaits the soul wandering through time
The relentless rhythm of time's cradle shall finally die

Looking back I see a transcendent globe of roaming light
Was that the place that I called home for a brief while?
The momentous struggles and complex problems fade
There was nothing left of them but dappling shades

All that I believed to be a constant vanished in an instant
My truths dissolved alongwith my disbelief into essence
The Supreme Grace showed up to reveal reality's basis
And there was nothing of me left to seek in divinity's oasis

Purity's essence

2007-05-13T12:36:00.000-07:00

There are founts of purity in this World, if you but look
They receive the impure and transform them into gold
Such are the great souls which can send love to hatred
They can convert even the most profane into sacred

Such a transformation is truly an alchemy well achieved
I have seen in my life such an amazing miracle conceived
All through these byzantine lays a force was moulding
The depraved emotions being modified into a healing

I was ready to devastate life in its entire scope and sweep
But at every instant her grace stopped me from fatal leap
She never turned her face away inspite of my deep insults
Her heart bled when she saw me rant from rage's onslaughts

When I came back battered from the daily battle of life
She was there to welcome me with a kind and loving smile
As the wounds of ancient battle bled to a lasting peace
There she was, waiting to welcome me into blissful release

Five sentinels

2007-05-10T21:27:00.000-07:00

And then there were the five who came into life
They appear to be the last sentinels of inner light
Amongst them were the bulls and the horned ram
Each had a role - as of teacher as well as student

They brought a rigor into life's meandering ways
When the source is beckoning, attention shall pay
When freedom is near, focus is needed for success
Otherwise the cup of victory shall be of bitterness

As the shackles of material attachments fall apart
The freed spirit comes out uncertain of timid heart
The sentinels stand all lined up on both sides of path
And the triumphant spirit runs with integrity intact

As the last light dawns on the horizons of infinity
Thanks are due to the five sentinels sent by divinity
As breaths continue to quicken and then fall off slow
A farewell is bid to the group, bereft of joy or sorrow

Brighter depth

2007-05-09T20:00:00.000-07:00

Today I realized the trap that the ego creates for the unwary
It manifests as daily duties that exact from us quite an usury
It is never done while we live and is like the Augean stable
That can never be cleaned even by the lofty and the noble

I saw people walking and running along with their pets
Not to be left out, I took my body along for a quick spurt
It came along obediently and seemed to be cooperative
At times it did fade away and was seemingly deceptive

But I did manage to grasp it firm and finally got it home
I quickly created a framework of space-time in a globe
Then I populated it with denizens of my choice to interact
I got carried away with my own cleverness and lost tact

I had to then check myself and get back to contemplation
I roamed the byways of consciousness in deep meditation
The single eye throbbed with the stirrings of deeper self
All around light cascaded in rippling falls of brighter depth

Waiting to recover

2007-05-08T10:22:00.000-07:00

When the eastern skies were lighting up in anticipation
I was sitting at a small alcove deeply immersed in thought
Stillness was in the sky preceding dawn, laced by light shaft
What would the day bring? - the mind chattered without tact

I was frustrated: I was only seeing the day moment by moment
I was like a man in a fog, groping his way through impermanent
Things became clearer only on approach: and journey was random
Where is the goal? There was no clarity and end I couldnt fathom

There was no guide or a map provided to aid in this life journey
We fashion short term plans and hope it will result in a epiphany
A light will blaze then, we hope, and make everything quite clear
And we will then look back, laugh, at those things that we fear

But I want to be in control of my destiny, not just live on in hope
My manifestation has a purpose and is not just of random scope
As a red light stained the western skies, I broke free of my reverie
Moments had slipped by, I shall wait yet another day for recovery

Spirit's rendition

2007-05-07T07:08:00.000-07:00

Dont question your essence: it is something taken for granted
Your birthright is not lost because of your ignorant attitude
If a king chooses to behave like a beggar sitting quite forlorn
While in a palatial surrounding: it is a situation for great scorn

Why create a cage made of gold and hold yourself trapped within?
And then while there, why cry for someone to free you from prison?
We are limited only by our own sense of restraint and feeling of weakness
This makes us inferior and provides an environment of great darkness

Our daily life is one of struggle: with ourselves and with our peers
Needless comparisons are the norm, and resultant are our fears
And we create illusory universes quite without basis every day of life
And then wonder why it is that we are bereft of peace, always in strife

Like the seagull that dared to breakaway our goal must be aimed high
No matter what the environment predicts as rational, higher do fly
Because rationality is just an assumed convenience, one way of prediction
There is a spontaneous fulfilment of desires, that of pure spirit's rendition

Single fruit

2007-05-06T10:24:00.000-07:00

I travelled to a land that is quite distant from my current home
It was a land filled with castles and evidence of little gnomes
A verdant country it is, with a lush greenery filling every corner
In it lives a hardy populace that is friendly towards a weary stranger

I lived for a few days amongst the denizens of quite a small town
It was on the coast and had a small population calling it their home
They worked hard during the day and then congregated in local pub
There was much singing and dancing to local music, quite a jolly club

They loved the outdoors and were ready to play football and rugby
Their climate was rain filled and yet their spirit shone quite strongly
I had taken the California climate along and the sun shone during stay
The entire populace soaked it up as per the proverb: they made hay

I wandered around the single main shop street going nowhere particular
All around me surged the happy people chattering in their Gaelic vernacular
I went in to a jewelery shop and purchased a trinket quite on a whim
It was a symbol of Irish culture and would be suited for a seraphim

On my meanderings I came across many different groups of people
They were all equally friendly and were ready to help the needful
I went around a corner and saw a man in a tattered dress and bowl
He was of universal nationality and was in reality a divine simple soul

My journey convinced me of the unity of all human beings in truth
There were superficial distinctions based on language and roots
But the inner light that shone from them was the same among groups
There is a tree that has many branches but still bears single type of fruit

Single eye

2007-04-25T15:40:00.000-07:00

Change is a fundamental constant of this universe, much as gravity
Nothing remains constant and there is a chronic change of parity
This is balanced every now and then by cyclical forces of creation
That create and destroy in a magnificient way of divine inspiration

On a personal level this is true of our own bodies: changes are within
There is no cell that remains alive for more than a few seconds
Containing just enough to fulfil their purpose they are intelligent
And wink in and out of existence in a dance that is so evanescent

And that is the framework on which we stand while in pursuit
Life's goals appear to be permanent but not when light infused
When our eye appears single, the entire body is filled with light
And in its brilliant glow truth fills all that our eyes see in sight

It is then that we can say with confidence that we are always one
There are no troubles that beset us as our lives unfold under the sun
Day follows day in a cycle that is constant and shall never stand still
But our vantage point is outside and reveals a truth quite immutable

Beckoning shores

2007-04-24T08:38:00.000-07:00

I am waiting for a vision of God: she has been implied in my life
Now it is time to take down the veil and reveal the greater light
It is quite exciting to know that soon the answers will arrive
To Questions that have plagued me for centuries yet to survive

A life that is rough as the white foamed rapids is a great source
There are no attachments in such context, so great is the force
Ordinary comforts dont form a warm, secure, cocoon of illusion
Thus there is no fear of its loss as could happen through separation

A thief can come into my home and take away all that is inside
I shall not stop him as there is no need for these props that fade
Life has to be without any fear and with complete trust in Divine
There is no way I can live any further without the vision sublime

I have few obligations left and there are one or two attachments
These are tenuous and becoming slowly ready for detachment
A boat stands tethered to pier, tugging slowly at its mooring
A gentle wind has arisen, ready to take me to shores beckoning

Grace's fount

2007-04-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

Life is sustained by a divine force from within
Its power is sublime and is quite strength filling
Our activities are many during the day and night
But underlying all is the power without respite

Here is a monk sitting on the banks of the river
There is a spreading banyan tree: a shade giver
His eyes are closed and he is deep into prayer
An inner bliss is in touch and he prays with fervor

Passersby look at the silent monk in curiosity
Some bow down before him in deep piety
Others throw down some alms as a charity
He is unmoved by either act - deep in samadhi

His presence raises the level of consciousness
Divinity starts to awaken in every awareness
God's grace forms a shining lattice all around
And in its center is the Soul - grace's fount

Anchors aweigh

2007-04-22T18:55:00.000-07:00

Life is defined by its many anchors, they provide us reference
When a child our parents and siblings were our preference
And then came the hormonal changes along with adolescence
Our life was then anchored by friends and their exuberance

Then came the need to study and we attended the university
Our anchors then were cyclical semesters with group study
We defined ourselves as students and had the goal of degree
Which when obtained was to serve as proof of our pedigree

Then came a job and our anchors were our employer and peers
Our status was defined by a set of rules and by related fears
Being with a job was an anchor and without one we were desolate
Stress was a defining anchor that accompanied us to our distaste

An emotional relationship was the next anchor, our critical need
We needed physical love and nourishment for our minds to feed
Our lives were divided into work and love, arbitrary distinction
And these anchored our lives and stabilized it to great perfection

But everytime a new anchor was formed it also served as a prison
Our need for a fulcrum was also the source from which fear is risen
And when the time comes to raise the anchor and proceed onwards
We dont want to let go: we are afraid of where the journey will take us

It is better to live a life that is free of the need for any such anchors
Nature teaches us that is the true way to live without any rancor
Be like a summer bloom that holds onto grim rock for a brief while
And after fulfilling God's purpose, fades away silently into winter night

Humble song

2007-04-22T11:51:00.000-07:00

Life was tumultous and triumphant, with frenetic action all around
Victories were streaming into his life without ever running aground
Friends abounded around him at all times, some true and some not
But since his star was on the rise there was no time for any thought

He lived in a great house, that looked out over the rolling park land
When he was hungry there was no dearth of food, ready at hand
There were many sources of entertainment when he felt quite bored
And they were all accessible to him whether alone or with those adored

But there was a sight that disturbed him now and then on the roadside
There was a man who was homeless, dressed shabbily, for all to deride
A sense of depression came over him at that sight, a harbinger of change
What are the reins holding life together? - he wondered at sight of ravage

He even paused to give the derelict some charity to make him well
But the man was far gone and couldnt between day and night tell
Why is he like this? - wonder arose in the successful man of world
Is this my future too? - morbidity started in his heart to unfold

During his journey he came across another sight: this time of a monk
He was also dressed in tattered clothes, but had eyes blazing strong
There was no roof over his head and he also lived on society's alms
But there was no self pity in him and his life was without qualms

Why is it that the derelict is in despair and you are in a state of strength?
I am afraid of his state and feel that it would be my future's final end
Acute depression and fear visit me when I think of loss of life's props
I shall die alone bereft of all my friends and the life's luxury and gloss

The monk smiled at me and said: the derelict man is holding onto desire
Unfulfilled desires are haunting him, causing him despair his life entire
I on the other hand have overcome desire and live in this world at will
Nothing affects me, neither the act of pleasure or of opposite pain's fill

You are afraid because you are attached to the life that you now live
But try being like the lotus leaf that despite in water, not wet still
When you can be thus, the home will be the same as the arching sky
And day will merge into night, and alongwith the stars you will fly

Encouraged and enlightened thus I returned back to my home alone
But from then on I started the process of giving freely all that I own
I combat depression with thoughts of the sublime as told by the monk
And wait patiently for the time when destiny shall fulfil my humble song

Simple joys

2007-04-22T11:03:00.000-07:00

There was a time when the country side was in full bloom
Our fields were green with the crops waving their plumes
Farmers had constructed channels for nourishing water
Fields soaked up the sun and moisture becoming fresher

There were simple folks walking on the raised land fill
Arriving to perform their daily work to plow and till
They would come as a family and set up camp nearby
Children would run about and play while time passed by

Their work was quite taxing and involved heavy labor
But being out in nature and under the sun made it easier
The day passed without complaint and time just flowed
At its end while the body was tired, the spirit just glowed

These simple folks were not rich in terms of material wealth
Their clothes were tattered and their children played in dirt
But they enjoyed a life that was immensely enriched by love
Life doesnt deal them a raw hand, guided as they are from above

Arrow of time

2007-04-19T10:34:00.000-07:00

Life's expectation is progress and enlightenment is its goal
Many are the byways of life's progress as it makes to shore
Each one of these wanderings have an ultimate aim to reach
And it will seek this target and many lessons to us will teach

But these are not always pleasant experiences that give bliss
Sometimes they are bitter pills meant for us to heal and assist
Our growth in life after life: the common thread is not visible
But it is there, subtle as that holding a pearl necklace integral

When reaching the end of a given measure of life's earthly tenure
It is customary to look back on events that have transpired
Here is a good experience, I wish I could relive that: says the mind
That is a bitter experience, I wish I could change it by life's rewind

But time's march is inexorable and is always in flight like an arrow
It is remorseless and doesnt stop for either a friend or a angry foe
So dont stop to look back on a past moment, it is a disservice to present
Moment after moment, live now, so that time's travails cease to torment

Torment's end

2007-04-18T17:49:00.000-07:00

As we were once in a state of innocence, playing together as children
We shall never be again: time had come by to alter us as different
What happened to that child that was so carefree and free to play?
Could it be that it died without fanfare and a goodbye one fine day?

There was a time when we took our existence in this world for granted
No questions of self worth troubled us or made our minds disgruntled
Our existence was all the proof needed that we were quite self worthy
No external approval was needed by us to acknowledge our purity

There seemed to be a divine hand that provided for us without fail
We didnt even need to pray for fulfilment: our intentions prevailed
No one was suspect in our eyes, there were no divisions of friend or foe
All were equal in our eyes and we lived a life of bliss in Grace's flow

But subtly we transformed into so called "Grownups" with time's pass
We have lost all the skills that we had possessed as tiny little tots
If only we have the capacity to retrieve even a little of those moments
Our world would be transformed magically, with an end to our torments

Forest vision

2007-04-17T16:19:00.000-07:00

When the rain drops fell in a gently cleansing mist on the forest green
The sun's rays created a riot of color through the effervescent sheen
Not wishing to be left behind, flowers displayed their blooming charms
A divine hand no doubt is behind the creation of such colorful forms

Trees were in profusion everywhere, mingling with arching branches
Their crowns were waving in the wind performing erratic dances
No one was in attendance to trim their foliage or their unbridled growth
Yet they were more perfect than a gardener's work could put forth

Birds were in attendance in every possible shape, size, and dazzling color
Their varied shrieks and raucous cries were causing a real Babel's tower
Swooping down in perfect dives they pounced on prey quite invisible
Their lives in astral plane were coordinated by a force that is incredible

Wild animals were also at home in the forest coexisting in perfect harmony
There was no needless killing here, either for sport or for greater hegemony
A very delicate ecosystem was in place for centuries without any guidance
Knowledge of lower kind was not needed: either for survival or for defense

Prayer for the Living

2007-04-16T18:31:00.000-07:00

Peace was shattered by the disturbed mind's outpouring of violence
Many lives were brought to an abrupt end as a result of its turbulence
People who thought that their time hadnt yet come were rudely wakened
Many a young life that had a promise of future bloom was now quietened

There was a sense of deep shock and resulting gloom that pervaded
No one could understand why this happened and their peace invaded
Who could be so disturbed that he had to resort to violence as an end?
Were there not other means that he could use to closure in its stead?

Parents on hearing the news were anguished and fearful of loss
Were their children amongst those killed or the rumors false?
Friends were saddened by the news of the cold blooded massacre
Were their loved ones amongst the lucky group of survivors?

It is difficult to come to terms with an outrageous act of hatred
But it is at these times that we need to reach towards that sacred
In God's plan there are no mistakes leading to loss and great pain
Everyone is counted and taken care of whether living or slain.

Mundane Obsessions

2007-04-15T21:44:00.000-07:00

Sometimes life cuts a groove and imprisons us in its path
We are unaware that we are its prisoners held quite fast
There are several distractions that keep us preoccupied
And thus by sleight of hand we are inveigled and petrified

Certain rules spring into being almost overnight unannounced
These didnt bind us earlier but now have become paramount
Death is the price one has to pay seemingly for a violation
None dare question these absurdities of mind's aberration

Families cherish their new born with a great deal of joy
But yet are ready to sacrifice them in society's employ
Youngsters are gladly sent to battle front to kill and die
And their death is considered the right price for a life

Children are not allowed to live a life as a child should
Instead they are forced into a competitive early manhood
There is no time for them to pause, play and be in wonder
No sooner they are born than plans are made to conquer

A new born child is a divine manifestation seeking fulfilment
The greatest favor we can do is to prevent its disillusionment
We dont have to do anything to make a child become a "success"
Just allow divinity to flow through without becoming obsessed

Respite from battle

2007-04-14T14:48:00.000-07:00

The warfront was very frenetic today and the casualties many
I longed for the sun's demise, so that I could rest from the agony
Deep scars had been made during the course of the battle's rage
I needed to sit in solitude awhile and make an attempt to assuage

The enemy was in the shadows, lurking in deepest shades of black
Not clearly seen is the foe, and none can say when it shall attack
Is it real or is it merely a figment of my imagination: I give pause
But the pain of its thrust is very real as I recoil from its claws

The divine armor is not strong enough to hold its force at bay
It is devious and strikes both from within and without in relay
I had practiced earlier to deflect its thrust and parry quite well
But when the battle front is reached sometimes lessons dont jell

I have a moment of respite now from its incessant demands on life
I have doffed my helmet and shed my tattered armor cut into slice
Dropping into a hallowed corner in a silent chapel filled with peace
I close my tired eyes and pray for cessation of torment and release

Holy light

2007-04-12T22:56:00.000-07:00

There was a light in the Eastern Sky that beckoned to me
I presumed it was the usual sun and ignored its entreaty
But the light was not harsh as from the giant yellow star
I could look directly at it and not be blinded from afar

It was a magical light that constantly accompanied self
While I went about my daily activities it followed in step
My routine was filled with many activities and worries
At times I was active and at other times caught in reverie

Sometimes yearning set in and I longed for a specific result
And when that didnt transpire I groaned in deep disgust
I was always quick to castigate myself and be a good critic
There was no dearth of drama in the long saga of life's epic

Such was my preoccupation with life's mundane routine
That I never had time to look up and see the light pristine
It never faded inspite of my callous disregard of its value
My entire life from birth to death was illumined by its view

Divine Help

2007-04-11T17:20:00.000-07:00

The path to enlightenment is not one that is traversed by accident
It is a purposeful journey undertaken deliberately without reticence
No one can be forced to walk down this path as it is done only by choice
And likewise those who start will not be distracted by any other voice

On this path the journey can be tortuous for some and blissful for rest
But in either case the ultimate goal it leads to is the same and blessed
There can be many hurdles in this path leading towards bliss and joy
But the assurance is that divine help is available at all times for employ

On this path the right aspirant is one who stumbles and falls at times
But still rises up after each such fall to resume the journey yet again
No sense of remorse should fill the heart at each such fall from path
The Divine hand is always extended so that we can grasp it quite fast

When our mind is troubled by thoughts of guilt at our tardy progress
We fail to see the Divinity that accompanies us at each step onwards
And that is the single greatest mistake that we can make in our journey
Because Divinity never judges and transforms us with a magical alchemy

Warfront Advice

2007-04-10T14:09:00.000-07:00

I have always wondered how one reacts to adversity
What can be done when evil threatens our sanctity?
When an innocent life is brutalized and bullied by evil
What can our reaction be in a situation of such peril?

It is nearly impossible to maintain calm and be loving
When our near and dear are in danger quite involving
We instantly regress to our earlier origin of lower life
And wish to attack and tear asunder our cause of strife

All the teachings of saints suddenly fall as if on deaf ears
Our thin veneer of civilization is sloughed off as inferior
We expose our atavistic tendencies to defend by attack
There is no room for grace to cause our mind to retract

But the real reason why such adversity arises is to teach
It is an opportunity for us to practice what we always preach
There are no random acts of cruelty or violence in this world
It is a carefully planned experiment that makes us evolved

It teaches us how to act with complete detachment to results
We act with complete faith and to divinity our actions entrust
This is the truth that was taught in a grim battlefiled of yore
It is a practical advice that in daily life we need to bring to fore

Fear at Bay

2007-04-09T16:11:00.000-07:00

Fear grips the heart at times when thinking about the future
It is an irrational fear that afflicts the senses, part of our nature
There is no identifiable cause for the distress that assails us
More often than not it is imagination's frenzy creating an excess

Whenever we try to follow our heart's passion it is prevented
The fearsome shadow looms over the heart's desire unbounded
It casts its spell on happy moments and turns future into shambles
And seems to present a dark path leading to inextricable tangles

I have had such moments rarely in my life: I havent desired much
You see, my life has been directed by unseen force with a soft touch
Many a time I have realized that my situation was exactly that desired
And that the desire was latent in me and realized only when transpired

So my future fears are mostly undone by past experiences of miracles
They didnt seem as miracles then, but do so on reflection from pinnacle
This is where I have been placed by their inexorable advent into life
I didnt ask for them, yet by Divine Grace they have removed all strife

This is what gives courage not only to me but also to an observer
Because Miracles are not personal, they are of an universal nature
Seek out miracles in daily life and revel in their holy appearance
For it is through these that you keep fear at bay with assurance

Choices

2007-04-08T21:28:00.000-07:00

What is the meaning of Yoga? - I asked God's messenger one day
Yoga is the cessation of mind's fluctuations she replied ceasing play
How do you remain such a playful entity? I asked with yearning
It is my natural state: she said. It is not the result of great learning

What is the purpose of life? - I asked her, filled with frustration
Enlightenment: she replied looking at my state with compassion
But what is this enlightenment that you speak of: I asked wearily
It is quite literally the expansion of light: she said very softly

I asked her to show the way that leads to this expansion of light
She said: The path is before you, clear your mind for true sight
How can I clear my mind, pray tell: I entreated her for an answer
Give it an object to hold its attention: she said, making me tenser

What is that object? How can I find it?: I implored her with agony
It can be a divine form, or a drug, or a chanting: was her repartee
I selected a chant from the choices offered and started on my way
On the tortuous path of life I am goal bound by starting to pray

Monk's advice

2007-04-08T09:40:00.000-07:00

There was once a knowledgeable man with a large library
Every topic under the sun was member of his book treasury
He used to read widely and was engrossed by his erudition
Nature was differentiated into illusory group quite in tradition

The pundit used to gather around him others of the same ilk
And as a past time they would discuss about knowledge intrinsic
Their cleverness grew with the passage of time and held captive
Not knowing the chains they wrought they were not perceptive

Sometimes the debate grew into heated discussions and battle
Ego gloated over these interactions at they cause mind to unsettle
Any activity that causes an attraction to the so called outside World
Will be embraced by the Ego and cause creation's rampage widespread

Thus the scholar one day while walking along came across a monk
He was dressed in clothes threadbare, yet stood out from the throng
Wrapped in his clouds of illusory knowledge the pundit bumped sage
Snapping out of his reverie he glared at the monk with great rage

Do you know who I am? - he asked the holy one with boiling anger
First, pray tell me whether you know the answer - retorted stranger
Of course: I am the learned one, revered by all for his great intellect
My fame is widespread as the knower - he said to great effect

But the monk seemed unmoved and looked at him without emotion
Serenely he asked: Does Nature have any of knowledge's divisions?
Does the bird flying in the sky above know of its name or its category?
Or does Nature itself care if you know of it by one or other allegory?

But my knowledge is born out of study of truth - exclaimed the scholar
How can it be in error or irrelevant he questioned the serene master
All your knowledge is not self-evident: said the monk with a soft voice
You accept your parents as your own as you were told to without choice

Stop building a prison out of the mere lower forms of knowledge
It is evanescent and shall die before it has left your book's page
Seek truth and it shall remain, now and forever as your friend
So saying the monk left: transforming learned one into a student