The way I see it

 Life has been kind to me. That is a fact very clear to me. And yet my daily struggles are many. If one is not challenged by unkind circumstances, does the internal conflict become too hard to ignore? I wonder about that a lot. The struggles of my daily existence stem from internal conflict and confusion more than external unkind events.  I have tremendous freedom in my life right now. I am one of the two adults in my household who can pretty much have a whim and the household will have to oblige to that whim. There are no older generation folks living with me who would judge and act as my external authority. I no longer have a time based job that could dictate my day in terms of schedule and priority. I really am my own boss!  When you have this kind of freedom, you can really fly if you are able to. For one who is used to be in a prison guarded by external authority, this freedom can be daunting. It can make you lazy and unmotivated. In such a setting of freedom, one mu...

I've been contemplating intentions lately and the profound power they hold. It might sound like an exaggeration to claim that there's no force in the Universe capable of hindering a person with clarity of intention. I acknowledge the Universe's complexity, surpassing my understanding, so let me express it differently— the Universe bows down to those individuals with a clear sense of purpose and intent. When one possesses a crystal-clear intent, willpower takes a back seat, requiring less exertion and struggle, if any. To reach this state, the intention must stem from a place of profound understanding and perception. This involves deep self-knowledge, a complete grasp of one's thoughts, beliefs, and values. It requires understanding your life with its priorities, needs, and responsibilities—knowing what can be compromised and what cannot. A comprehensive understanding of the facts surrounding your life enables insights to emerge, guiding both intention and subsequent act...

All religions emphasize the pursuit of permanence. We witness impermanence in life, and our yearning for lasting stability is rooted in our desire for certainty. Isn't this the reality? We possess a profound longing for certainty and permanence. Religions recognize this, offering permanence as a reward at the culmination of a virtuous life. It's remarkably straightforward. Follow the commandments, and you attain an everlasting heaven; endure suffering, and you transcend the self to discover a super-Self that is eternal and beyond mortality. It's all very obvious. But why cling to permanence at all? Why crave certainty and permanence? Wouldn't it be more sensible to embrace impermanence and construct a life grounded in this truth? Life and everything it encompasses are inherently impermanent, and becoming attached to fleeting things inevitably leads to the painful reality of losing them one day, with that attachment burdening you with sorrow, only deferred in time. Let g...

Matthew Perry, renowned for his portrayal of Chandler Bing on the beloved TV series "Friends," passed away on October 28th, 2023. As a long-time fan of both the show and his character, the news of his death hit me deeply. While I was aware of his struggles with addiction, I realized I knew little about the man beyond his public persona. That's when I came across his memoir, "Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing," available on Audible in his own voice. Hearing his story from him directly lent a profound authenticity to the narrative. The memoir delves into Perry's extraordinary journey to fame and success, particularly his iconic role in "Friends." However, it commences by exploring his early life and the childhood trauma that shaped his psyche. Raised by divorced parents living on opposite sides of North America, he grappled with profound feelings of abandonment, insecurity, fear, and constant anxiety. It's a narrative that resonates wit...

 I gazed above at the midnight skies, A million stars gazing back at me, From the deep darkness of my campsite. No division of constellations, Their countless numbers merging into a starry sea. What a magnificent sight it was, Behold the Star Goddess in all Her Glory! Now, back in the city lights, The dark heavens diluted to a gentle gray, Constellations marking their territory. I yearn for my Celestial Friends, Aware they still reside there, Gazing back at me. Do they still see me through all this noise? Perhaps they too long for me, Conscious of my own longing. We shall reunite, When I go back in nature's embrace, Then, we shall be ONE again...

 Most of us lead busy lives. We like it that way and yet we like to complain about it. I am one of those creatures, who rebelled against busyness and chose to experiment with slowing down of time. I had read abundantly about slowing down time and noticing things inside and outside you from the many spiritual books that I read, but never had I experimented with it this boldly - by taking ownership of my time with a career break.  The beauty of slow living is abundantly recorded in human history and I spoke about it in my earlier post. But what is it that happens when you slow down? The most significant thing that I noticed was the art of noticing itself! When you reduce the pace of your activities, you gain the opportunity to observe and truly pay attention to the present moment. What makes this appealing is that it allows you to notice even the smallest details. This attention is what liberates from the monotony of daily living. Is it not?  As life speeds up, it very quic...

For the past few days, I've been wrestling with a subtle undercurrent of anxiety that seems to linger through most of my waking hours. I've always been in tune with my sensations and emotions, so I found myself pondering the root cause of this unease, which wasn't immediately apparent. I decided to sit down at my writing table and delve into the truth of the matter. Why was I feeling anxious? Anxiety isn't a frequent visitor in my life. It's been nearly a year since I left my full-time job at Fender. I took that career break back in October last year. The recent release of the Fender ToneMaster Pro series led me to watch some marketing videos, which in turn, transported me back to the wonderful memories of working on products, followed by the satisfaction of watching the videos and reading the reviews. I was overwhelmed by nostalgia. I began to reflect on what I had lost and, conversely, what I might have gained during this hiatus. What I'd lost was quite eviden...