I wrote an article on how you can be free of ALL habits.
READ ARTICLE HERE
Do let me know what you feel about this.
READ ARTICLE HERE
Do let me know what you feel about this.
Sunday, October 19, 2014
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Does your practice of Reading lead you to Practice what you read?
Click here to check out my as lived experience of dealing with truckloads of information coming my way:
Thursday, July 24, 2014
Strap your helmets to your head while riding
The day before I was witness to an accident in which the rider on a motorcycle in high speed, banged into a car from the side and fell down. During the fall his helmet came off his head and rolled away. Essentially he had not strapped it or was loosely strapped. Fortunately he escaped unhurt.
No point in having a helmet, which is worn like a cap.
Strap it firmly in place so that, even you are upside down, it doesn't move...should be firm on the head. Check below link for more information on buying, wearing a properly sized helmet.
http://www.motorcyclecourse.com/HelmetInfo.pdf
No point in having a helmet, which is worn like a cap.
Strap it firmly in place so that, even you are upside down, it doesn't move...should be firm on the head. Check below link for more information on buying, wearing a properly sized helmet.
http://www.motorcyclecourse.com/HelmetInfo.pdf
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Are thoughts linked to your breaths?
During my meditation class, we practice stretches and pranayam to prepare our bodies for the deep relaxation. After performing about 15-20 minutes of stretches and pranayam, its much easier to get into that "zone" of a very quiet and peaceful mind. During our pranayam practice, our teacher will ask us to try and extend the "kewalkumbhak" (spontaneous pause in your breathing that is observed after you do a good round of "kapaalbhaati" or "Bhastrika"). She says thats the fruit of our practice. She made us notice that during this period, there are no thoughts at all and after this pause, when we resume breathing, thoughts almost always automatically rush in.
The second time I noticed a linkage is when, during a guided meditation by Sri Sri Ravishankar (Art of Living), guruji asks us to say OM. I noticed that even to say OM silently in my mind, I need to breath in deeply and during exhalation I can utter the OM. I am unable to silently uttter OM if I hold my breath.
I notice that during the "kumbhaks" (pauses between inhalations and exhalations), the mind is typically silent and free of thoughts.
During your pranayam practices, extend these "kumbhaks" pauses to get that inner peace.
The second time I noticed a linkage is when, during a guided meditation by Sri Sri Ravishankar (Art of Living), guruji asks us to say OM. I noticed that even to say OM silently in my mind, I need to breath in deeply and during exhalation I can utter the OM. I am unable to silently uttter OM if I hold my breath.
I notice that during the "kumbhaks" (pauses between inhalations and exhalations), the mind is typically silent and free of thoughts.
During your pranayam practices, extend these "kumbhaks" pauses to get that inner peace.
Am I talking TO or FOR?
I have noticed that when I am alone with my dogs, I dont really talk much to them (and dont even feel the need to) since we seem to silently understand each other quite well.
Although, I observed that when people are around, I end up talking a wee bit more to my dogs.
I wonder if I am talking to my dogs OR to the people who are around at that time ;-)
Although, I observed that when people are around, I end up talking a wee bit more to my dogs.
I wonder if I am talking to my dogs OR to the people who are around at that time ;-)
Sunday, December 29, 2013
The Fine art of Doing Nothing
It was almost 2 years from my last vacation, I was really looking forward to getting away this time around. A lot was done in the last 2 years, a lot was achieved and a LOT was still undone (there always will remain an undone part right to the end :-)). Normally our vacations have been about performing some activities, visiting different spots, meeting different people, etc.
This time around we planned our vacation such that we would DO NOTHING except rest. We decided to go to Goa (an old favorite), stay at our familiar resort and simply spend the whole day alternating between the Sun, Water and Shade. An activity which we call "bumming on the beach" :-). After the hectic very active life that we live day to day, we thought this would be an ideal method to recharge the drained out batteries.
However we found that we were such creatures of habit, that it was actually quite challenging to simply lie around on the beach and do nothing.
The first day was really tough with a high amount of restlessness creeping in and a deep desire to DO SOMETHING. While we may have been physically relaxed, mentally we couldn't adjust to this inactivity.
The second day we started the day with a walk, carried a book each to read and again tried to just BE on the beach. Despite adding some activities, it was still quite tough. I observed that while we were trying to just BE physically, the mind was all over the place. While we were supposedly resting, we were still restless.
By the third and fourth day, the part about doing nothing started to grow on us. And we actually started to be able to just relax without doing anything at all. The environment was very also very supportive viz. Ocean, other lazy people on the beach essentially doing nothing, the sun, no interruptions, chilled beer on demand :-) etc.
I realised that for people like us (I call them the DOERS), our mind is at rest when we are doing something. I feel more relaxed when I am active and engaged. The activity could be writing a document, taking a walk, folding clothes, dusting the house, cooking, or whatever. It took us 3-4 days of practicing DOING NOTHING to get used to the idea of Rest.
Most of our lives are lived mechanically. While we are doing, our mind is continually churning thoughts. We are in essence multi-tasking. Driving the car and thinking about work, cooking and thinking about the evening shopping appointment, talking to a customer and thinking about home, etc.
To give you an example, reflect on the time when you are driving. Are you really present in the car? Are you aware of every inch of the road you move on? Are you aware every time you manipulate the car's controls. Ever reached your home and realized that there is a gap in the memory of the part when you left your office and when you reached your home. You were possibly preoccupied with the problems of work and were missing in the drive. Your drove home in autopilot.
This continuous mental activity causes immense amount of stress, anxiety and body ailments.
Mind you, I am not talking about Sleep as a form of rest, which is a natural cyclic method to rejuvenate the body. Even during sleep, you may not really be resting. (Ever had dreams/nightmares; Ever woke up feeling very sluggish and grouchy; Ever kept tossing and turning on your bed; Ever found it difficult to find sleep).
Lying down, sitting down, reclining are simply methods to relax the physical body. More often then not, it does precious little to calm the mind. In fact, the fact that you are at rest, gives the mind excess energy to be more of a monkey that it already is.
Rest as we have come to understand is the mental relaxation, the slowing down of the incessant thought stream, possibly being thoughtless for a while, being aware. This is the practice of MEDITATION. This is the practice of DOING things meditatively. This is the practice of being fully PRESENT in every action.
I have come to realise that for most people to become restful, they need to practice the activity of being inactive (Something we don't learn in shool, college or at home (unless you are lucky). )
To rest, I recommend the following
To master the Fine Art of Doing Nothing, you have to Practice Doing Nothing.
Is this Paradoxical? Not in my opinion :-)
This time around we planned our vacation such that we would DO NOTHING except rest. We decided to go to Goa (an old favorite), stay at our familiar resort and simply spend the whole day alternating between the Sun, Water and Shade. An activity which we call "bumming on the beach" :-). After the hectic very active life that we live day to day, we thought this would be an ideal method to recharge the drained out batteries.
However we found that we were such creatures of habit, that it was actually quite challenging to simply lie around on the beach and do nothing.
The first day was really tough with a high amount of restlessness creeping in and a deep desire to DO SOMETHING. While we may have been physically relaxed, mentally we couldn't adjust to this inactivity.
The second day we started the day with a walk, carried a book each to read and again tried to just BE on the beach. Despite adding some activities, it was still quite tough. I observed that while we were trying to just BE physically, the mind was all over the place. While we were supposedly resting, we were still restless.
By the third and fourth day, the part about doing nothing started to grow on us. And we actually started to be able to just relax without doing anything at all. The environment was very also very supportive viz. Ocean, other lazy people on the beach essentially doing nothing, the sun, no interruptions, chilled beer on demand :-) etc.
I realised that for people like us (I call them the DOERS), our mind is at rest when we are doing something. I feel more relaxed when I am active and engaged. The activity could be writing a document, taking a walk, folding clothes, dusting the house, cooking, or whatever. It took us 3-4 days of practicing DOING NOTHING to get used to the idea of Rest.
Most of our lives are lived mechanically. While we are doing, our mind is continually churning thoughts. We are in essence multi-tasking. Driving the car and thinking about work, cooking and thinking about the evening shopping appointment, talking to a customer and thinking about home, etc.
To give you an example, reflect on the time when you are driving. Are you really present in the car? Are you aware of every inch of the road you move on? Are you aware every time you manipulate the car's controls. Ever reached your home and realized that there is a gap in the memory of the part when you left your office and when you reached your home. You were possibly preoccupied with the problems of work and were missing in the drive. Your drove home in autopilot.
This continuous mental activity causes immense amount of stress, anxiety and body ailments.
Mind you, I am not talking about Sleep as a form of rest, which is a natural cyclic method to rejuvenate the body. Even during sleep, you may not really be resting. (Ever had dreams/nightmares; Ever woke up feeling very sluggish and grouchy; Ever kept tossing and turning on your bed; Ever found it difficult to find sleep).
Lying down, sitting down, reclining are simply methods to relax the physical body. More often then not, it does precious little to calm the mind. In fact, the fact that you are at rest, gives the mind excess energy to be more of a monkey that it already is.
Rest as we have come to understand is the mental relaxation, the slowing down of the incessant thought stream, possibly being thoughtless for a while, being aware. This is the practice of MEDITATION. This is the practice of DOING things meditatively. This is the practice of being fully PRESENT in every action.
I have come to realise that for most people to become restful, they need to practice the activity of being inactive (Something we don't learn in shool, college or at home (unless you are lucky). )
To rest, I recommend the following
- PRACTICE taking frequent breaks from what you are doing and switch to another activity (Active Rest). This could be another aspect of your work, a short walk, or simply stare into the distance (your eyes will thank you for it)
- PRACTICE finding 2-3 slots of time a day, when you are sitting and simply observing your thoughts and not attending to them (Meditation). Over time and with regular practice, you will observe that the continuous stream of thoughts will be broken and will thin out.
- In your every day activities, PRACTICE slowing down and being fully present only in that activity (Being mindful)
To master the Fine Art of Doing Nothing, you have to Practice Doing Nothing.
Is this Paradoxical? Not in my opinion :-)
Saturday, January 26, 2013
The character Judgement of Lance Armstrong
Since I am a fan and close follower of Lance Armstrong, in a recent discussion with friends, I encountered the following "questions/allegations" (seeking my views on the topic)
- Lance Armstrong is a liar
- He cheated by taking performance enhancing drugs
- Its against the true essence of sport, which actually builds character
- Due to his actions, a lot of innocent people didn't make their grade
- So if the majority of the cyclists take EPOs, he is a great cyclist since he beat them all, but that doesn't absolve him of lying, cheating, etc
...and so on
My first reaction was to defend my hero, someone whom I have always looked upto, read both his books, who inspired me to get going on a bike. But I soon realized the futility of the whole argument.
Person A was commenting on the life of Person B and Person C was stepping in to defend Person B. Neither A, B nor C are connected in any way.
I would say that all of us are on are individual journeys through life with the sole objective of realizing and living our potential and growing within to become better and helpful human beings. This journey normally lasts multiple life times until such time as "we get it"
Our gurus have tought us that this "getting it" is all about unlearning all that we have picked up along the way.
We don't really build character, we uncover it by our Sadhana and our responses to life experiences.
I believe that no one human can comment on the journey of another. It would be a mere second hand judgement.
I also believe that while we unlearn our conditioning, we may not be perfect in the moralistic (wordly/society) sense of the word. We all would probably exhibit some character flaw or other. Most of us have some or the other skeletons in the cupboard. However standing in judgement of these flaws as we see in others, is a useless exercise and at best has gossip value and is also an indication of having those flows ourselves. Instead it would be good to reflect on all these experiences (even of observing others and reading about others) and seeing how we can improve our journey towards uncovering our beautiful character.
The observation is external but the application is internal
Moralhood is a fine state to visit once in a while, but we shouldnt get it home - Richard Bach
In essense, we need to observe and learn from the journey of others but work and focus on our own journey.
Am I a MORE peaceful, MORE loving, MORE joyful person today.
Side Note: As for Lance Armstrong, just like I acknowledged his massive strength in fighting cancer, enduring gruelling training rides (yes despite EPO, one needs to bust ones ass on the saddle to ride), dealing with turbulent personal issues, starting a cancer foundation,etc, I also acknowledge his weakness of falling prey to desires, lies, cheating, etc.
I choose to focus on the former and simply be aware of the latter.
- Lance Armstrong is a liar
- He cheated by taking performance enhancing drugs
- Its against the true essence of sport, which actually builds character
- Due to his actions, a lot of innocent people didn't make their grade
- So if the majority of the cyclists take EPOs, he is a great cyclist since he beat them all, but that doesn't absolve him of lying, cheating, etc
...and so on
My first reaction was to defend my hero, someone whom I have always looked upto, read both his books, who inspired me to get going on a bike. But I soon realized the futility of the whole argument.
Person A was commenting on the life of Person B and Person C was stepping in to defend Person B. Neither A, B nor C are connected in any way.
I would say that all of us are on are individual journeys through life with the sole objective of realizing and living our potential and growing within to become better and helpful human beings. This journey normally lasts multiple life times until such time as "we get it"
Our gurus have tought us that this "getting it" is all about unlearning all that we have picked up along the way.
We don't really build character, we uncover it by our Sadhana and our responses to life experiences.
I believe that no one human can comment on the journey of another. It would be a mere second hand judgement.
I also believe that while we unlearn our conditioning, we may not be perfect in the moralistic (wordly/society) sense of the word. We all would probably exhibit some character flaw or other. Most of us have some or the other skeletons in the cupboard. However standing in judgement of these flaws as we see in others, is a useless exercise and at best has gossip value and is also an indication of having those flows ourselves. Instead it would be good to reflect on all these experiences (even of observing others and reading about others) and seeing how we can improve our journey towards uncovering our beautiful character.
The observation is external but the application is internal
Moralhood is a fine state to visit once in a while, but we shouldnt get it home - Richard Bach
In essense, we need to observe and learn from the journey of others but work and focus on our own journey.
Am I a MORE peaceful, MORE loving, MORE joyful person today.
Side Note: As for Lance Armstrong, just like I acknowledged his massive strength in fighting cancer, enduring gruelling training rides (yes despite EPO, one needs to bust ones ass on the saddle to ride), dealing with turbulent personal issues, starting a cancer foundation,etc, I also acknowledge his weakness of falling prey to desires, lies, cheating, etc.
I choose to focus on the former and simply be aware of the latter.
Why is a WILL called a will
I think a will cannot be different from what you are living. Essentially it is just that you trust a few people to carry out what you would have done if you were living. Hence if you plan to give away all your money to charity once you are dead, you may want to do the same while you are alive.
I believe a will is about ensuring that all your "material" possessions are properly distributed as per your wishes to the relevant people. I also believe that a will is not about carrying on your legacy. If you want your lifes work to continue after your death, you would want to establish an organisation (system) which will continue to function as per your established "vision" even after you are gone.
It may not be a great idea to document your ideas in a will, while expecting that someone will work on them while you are gone. Its rare. People have their own "wills" to live by.
You may document your vision and share it with people. But at the risk of repeating, you may want to establish a system which will execute on these ideas even while you are away. E.g. a business, a trust, an NGO, a political party, etc (if you really care about these ideas to persist)
I believe a will is about ensuring that all your "material" possessions are properly distributed as per your wishes to the relevant people. I also believe that a will is not about carrying on your legacy. If you want your lifes work to continue after your death, you would want to establish an organisation (system) which will continue to function as per your established "vision" even after you are gone.
It may not be a great idea to document your ideas in a will, while expecting that someone will work on them while you are gone. Its rare. People have their own "wills" to live by.
You may document your vision and share it with people. But at the risk of repeating, you may want to establish a system which will execute on these ideas even while you are away. E.g. a business, a trust, an NGO, a political party, etc (if you really care about these ideas to persist)
Thursday, November 08, 2012
Knee health with Yoga
"Phut", the sound of a twig breaking, which I heard when I was 18, changed my life to a large extent. This was the sound of my ligaments in the left knee breaking/stretching, while I executed a twisting kick during my Tae Kwon Do practice. This injury left me with an unstable and painful knee which couldn't support me on lateral movements. I consulted several orthopedics and also a sports medicine specialist, who suggested arthroscopy to repair these ligaments to bring this back to normal. For all those who don't know, ligaments are like rubber bands, once they break or stretch beyond their normal range, it cannot be reversed.
One doctor suggested that I live with it and change my life preferences (read stop practicing TKD) and live a regular less active life (read couch potato). Not for me. I decided to try PT and see how much it helped me regain my normal strength in the knee (i understood that to support a weak body part, I would need to strengthen the muscles around it). Since then I have been regularly gymming with an emphasis on leg extensions and curls and also progressed onto weight bearing squats. This enabled me to feel a lot better and I could go back to my active ways of walking, cycling, swimming and trekking, feeling the occasional pain. Of course I cannot run for long and cannot practice TKD anymore.
Last 2 years however have seen another major turn point. I took to very long distance cycling, which involved hundreds of kilometers at a stretch for days on end. This put an all new burden on my knees and here is where I was lucky to try Yoga at Param Yoga. Its amazing how holding the poses builds strength in the entire body and it happens "invisibly". Means the body doesn't grow or may not shape up, but internally the organs, the musculature and joints become very strong. "Magically" due to the consistent practice, my lower back soreness (due to long sits in the saddle) is gone, my nagging knee is much better and allows me to pedal more than 100 kms a day, my trap muscles between my shoulders have relaxed a lot, and overall I saw a major shift in my capacity to endure the rides and normal ADL (activities of daily living).
As a side note: I am not recommending one form of exercise over another. Instead I am recommending the right proportion of multiple forms of exercise to achieve a balance in mind-body fitness. The proportions depend on your goals...E.g. if you want to be a swimmer, the proportions will be biased towards endurance and strength, if you want to be a runner, it may be biased towards cardio and weight management, and so on.
As of today, while I am biased towards Yoga, I also add in one day a week of specific gym work and also 1-2 days a week of hill climbing (besides the long rides). The cross training actually gives an "active rest" to the overused muscles. The combination of the 3 prepares me for my long rides.
Heres an article written by Dr. Renu Mahtani, founder of Param Yoga, on the health of knees and yoga.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Is your lifes purpose on earth over?
Richard Bach says that a simple test for this is "If you are still alive, its not over" :-).
But what happens when a person dies, can we say that their life's purpose is over?
The corollary to Richard Bach's test is that if you are reborn the purpose is not over :-). But who knows about this!!!
I can say for sure that Mr. Subir Das's purpose on earth is not over. He (passed away this morning) and his late wife Mrs Sunanda Das, both of whom nurtured the Blue Cross Society Pune so selflessly and by giving up all that they had, are what we all must aspire to be as human beings.
Their love and care for animals was exemplary.
We (animal lovers, animal care volunteers, animal charity funders, etc) must build solidarity to continue the work that these two lovely human beings started so that our furry friends have a wonderful life on this planet.
May Mr. Das's soul rest in peace
We already miss you
Sunil
But what happens when a person dies, can we say that their life's purpose is over?
The corollary to Richard Bach's test is that if you are reborn the purpose is not over :-). But who knows about this!!!
I can say for sure that Mr. Subir Das's purpose on earth is not over. He (passed away this morning) and his late wife Mrs Sunanda Das, both of whom nurtured the Blue Cross Society Pune so selflessly and by giving up all that they had, are what we all must aspire to be as human beings.
Their love and care for animals was exemplary.
We (animal lovers, animal care volunteers, animal charity funders, etc) must build solidarity to continue the work that these two lovely human beings started so that our furry friends have a wonderful life on this planet.
May Mr. Das's soul rest in peace
We already miss you
Sunil
Friday, August 10, 2012
Sounds of Yoga !
Slide your head back and align it with your back in a straight
line
Left thigh parallel to the floor, right heel going back, right leg straight, pulling upwards
Right leg straight, right knee unlocked, right hand behind right leg dangling, left hand reaching for the sky, look at left hand
Wrist, elbow, shoulder in one line, head in line with your spine, heels pushing back, belly not on a sunday, pull up the naval, no cavity between the shoulder blades, fingers spread, press with the mounds of you palms.
Press the pinky toe of your left foot into the mat.
Let your head hang loose, look at your thighs, now lift your heart up, look upward at something on the opposite wall, broaden your shoulders...
...whew...yoga teachers are quite talkative :-)
If Yoga is about silencing the mind through the use of the body, then is all this sound in the class really helping?
I have observed this about myself, that if I don't listen carefully to these instructions, the pose doesn't happen as expected. In fact its even more confusing to use the eyes to get instructed (watch the teacher), since the directions typically vary and the small nuances (angles, toe positions, head positions, etc) which make a big difference may be missed.
These instructions from the teachers carry a lot of significance to activate and make alive all the necessary muscle groups in the body, during each movement.
Our teacher always says, "don't watch and do, listen and do"
Listening to these instructions carefully and observing your body simultaneously actually silences the mind, as it stops creating thoughts, while waiting for the next instruction.
You don't need quietness in the surrounding to achieve inner thoughtless silence.
This is one sound, which leads to silence
Go Yoga
Best wishes
Sunil
Left thigh parallel to the floor, right heel going back, right leg straight, pulling upwards
Right leg straight, right knee unlocked, right hand behind right leg dangling, left hand reaching for the sky, look at left hand
Wrist, elbow, shoulder in one line, head in line with your spine, heels pushing back, belly not on a sunday, pull up the naval, no cavity between the shoulder blades, fingers spread, press with the mounds of you palms.
Press the pinky toe of your left foot into the mat.
Let your head hang loose, look at your thighs, now lift your heart up, look upward at something on the opposite wall, broaden your shoulders...
...whew...yoga teachers are quite talkative :-)
If Yoga is about silencing the mind through the use of the body, then is all this sound in the class really helping?
I have observed this about myself, that if I don't listen carefully to these instructions, the pose doesn't happen as expected. In fact its even more confusing to use the eyes to get instructed (watch the teacher), since the directions typically vary and the small nuances (angles, toe positions, head positions, etc) which make a big difference may be missed.
These instructions from the teachers carry a lot of significance to activate and make alive all the necessary muscle groups in the body, during each movement.
Our teacher always says, "don't watch and do, listen and do"
Listening to these instructions carefully and observing your body simultaneously actually silences the mind, as it stops creating thoughts, while waiting for the next instruction.
You don't need quietness in the surrounding to achieve inner thoughtless silence.
This is one sound, which leads to silence
Go Yoga
Best wishes
Sunil
Thursday, March 15, 2012
4 limbs and a mat
All my life I have been fairly active and have experimented with all forms of exercise. Right from running in school, martial arts in college, gym during my graduation college and work years, long distance cycling last few years, I thought I had been there and done them all.
For some odd reason I had stayed away from Yoga. The extent of my yoga exposure or practice during those years was pranayam when I enrolled for SSY training.
I used to hold this notion that Yoga is only to stretch, wont help weight loss, or cant help me with my athletic performance, and can be taken up when I grow older :-). Essentially I didn't think it was challenging enough for my "fit" body to take on.
However last year before I went on a very long ride, I overcame my resistance and enrolled for Power Yoga, at Param Yoga in Aundh (paramyoga.in). At this time I was in the peak of my fitness having a lot of training under my belt. However I was quite taken aback by the intensity of the class. After a year of doing this, I still feel challenged during a class. Every new asana introduced into the flow (vinayasa), is a new challenge altogether. Of course my teachers in Param Yoga are very good.
I observe the following key benefits (the three pillars of fitness) from the yoga training
1. It increases heart rate big time to provide cardio benefits.
2. The earth facing poses which are held isometrically provide strength gains.
3. The stretches provide the flexibility gains.
4. Holding the poses, creates a very still mind.
5. The pranayam helps to increase the metabolism and heal.
All with four limbs and a mat
(no running around, no equipment)
I recommend Yoga to people of all age groups, as a holistic health practice form.
For some odd reason I had stayed away from Yoga. The extent of my yoga exposure or practice during those years was pranayam when I enrolled for SSY training.
I used to hold this notion that Yoga is only to stretch, wont help weight loss, or cant help me with my athletic performance, and can be taken up when I grow older :-). Essentially I didn't think it was challenging enough for my "fit" body to take on.
However last year before I went on a very long ride, I overcame my resistance and enrolled for Power Yoga, at Param Yoga in Aundh (paramyoga.in). At this time I was in the peak of my fitness having a lot of training under my belt. However I was quite taken aback by the intensity of the class. After a year of doing this, I still feel challenged during a class. Every new asana introduced into the flow (vinayasa), is a new challenge altogether. Of course my teachers in Param Yoga are very good.
I observe the following key benefits (the three pillars of fitness) from the yoga training
1. It increases heart rate big time to provide cardio benefits.
2. The earth facing poses which are held isometrically provide strength gains.
3. The stretches provide the flexibility gains.
4. Holding the poses, creates a very still mind.
5. The pranayam helps to increase the metabolism and heal.
All with four limbs and a mat
(no running around, no equipment)
I recommend Yoga to people of all age groups, as a holistic health practice form.
Friday, August 12, 2011
Cost of freedom
Since I was a young boy, My dad used to take us to the aquariums in Balgandharva Rang Mandir in Pune. I recall that I used to always feel quite bad to see fish in an aquarium. I believe it was a cage for them and that they would be better off in the open waters. I felt the same way about any animal which was harnessed in any way. I never wanted to really keep any kind of such pets. At a very subtle level I also believe that our dogs (I have several of those at home :-)), even though they are not tied up at home, are still caged. That they would be freer outside on the road or a farm house at least. This is evident from the behaviour they exhibit when we take them for a walk. Its like they haven't been out in ages, smelling and picking at almost every thing. They are so repressed. Whereas their stray friends, who are always outside, don't pay much attention to the same elements (they are not repressed)
One can always argue that we are providing them food and shelter. Out in the open, they would need to fend for themselves. But I believe that by protecting them, we are actually stunting their growth (same for human kid as well...parents are you listening?) and making them dependent. Once they are dependent, obviously they will find it a challenge to fend for themselves in the open.
A couple of years back, I was gifted a small aquarium with fish. For some reason, I didn't resist it and accepted it and enjoyed it too. I enjoyed caring for the fish, watching them, cleaning the tank etc. So much so that I went and bought a big aquarium, and added more fish. One thing led to another and I kept adding elements to this (external filters, TDS meters etc). I found myself spending a lot of time and money on the aquarium and also observed that I wasn't really enjoying this as much. Maybe there was a nagging thought at the back of my mind about their captivity. Whenever I looked at them, I felt bad.
Sravanthi, actually planted the seed in my head of releasing the fish into their natural environment. I connected with this advice and did this for the fish in my small aquarium. I felt a great relief to watch them swim and play in the natural waters. Recently, I felt motivated to do the same for the bigger fish in the large aquarium. I felt they were really boxed in and also were not growing. It was as if for our little viewing pleasure, we have captured these live beings in a box. I took help of Rajesh, took them in a box and released them into Pashan lake. It was a pleasure seeing them swim.
of course in both cases I couldn't really go back to check on them, since it would be impossible to spot them. But I believe they are much better off, happier and free. They will have to work for their food no doubt, but isn't that what life is all about. Growth.
I did a rough calculation to note that in 2 years this hobby cost me about Rs. 50,000/-.
This is the cost of the freedom for the fish.
Or is this the cost of my freedom :-)
Some learnings/observations
- If you are about to start something new (whatever)
- Sleep over it
- Feel your gut for doubts (ignore fears)
- Sleep over it again
- If still feeling good, go for it.
- If you are into something and its not feeling good
- feel your gut for doubts
- If not feeling good, not your calling
- Drop it fast
One can always argue that we are providing them food and shelter. Out in the open, they would need to fend for themselves. But I believe that by protecting them, we are actually stunting their growth (same for human kid as well...parents are you listening?) and making them dependent. Once they are dependent, obviously they will find it a challenge to fend for themselves in the open.
A couple of years back, I was gifted a small aquarium with fish. For some reason, I didn't resist it and accepted it and enjoyed it too. I enjoyed caring for the fish, watching them, cleaning the tank etc. So much so that I went and bought a big aquarium, and added more fish. One thing led to another and I kept adding elements to this (external filters, TDS meters etc). I found myself spending a lot of time and money on the aquarium and also observed that I wasn't really enjoying this as much. Maybe there was a nagging thought at the back of my mind about their captivity. Whenever I looked at them, I felt bad.
Sravanthi, actually planted the seed in my head of releasing the fish into their natural environment. I connected with this advice and did this for the fish in my small aquarium. I felt a great relief to watch them swim and play in the natural waters. Recently, I felt motivated to do the same for the bigger fish in the large aquarium. I felt they were really boxed in and also were not growing. It was as if for our little viewing pleasure, we have captured these live beings in a box. I took help of Rajesh, took them in a box and released them into Pashan lake. It was a pleasure seeing them swim.
of course in both cases I couldn't really go back to check on them, since it would be impossible to spot them. But I believe they are much better off, happier and free. They will have to work for their food no doubt, but isn't that what life is all about. Growth.
I did a rough calculation to note that in 2 years this hobby cost me about Rs. 50,000/-.
This is the cost of the freedom for the fish.
Or is this the cost of my freedom :-)
Some learnings/observations
- If you are about to start something new (whatever)
- Sleep over it
- Feel your gut for doubts (ignore fears)
- Sleep over it again
- If still feeling good, go for it.
- If you are into something and its not feeling good
- feel your gut for doubts
- If not feeling good, not your calling
- Drop it fast
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Disturbance
I am reminded of a session I attended with guruji Sri Sri Ravishanker. This was a public session to introduce "art of living". During the Q&A session, a lot of people came up to guruji and ask for help with their problems like, inability to walk, family troubles, chronic medical problems etc. After listening to them, Guruji only gave one piece of advice, i.e. do your pranayam daily. At that point I found that advice quite disconnected.
Similary, when during our SSY programs, if any student is to ask our guruji about solutions to their problems (in this forum the problems presented are in the relationship, family and business zone and not much related to health), guruji would (after listening to them) eventually give them a common advice i.e. to be in silence (not to be confused with not speaking). Again I couldnt find the connection.
As of late during my disturbed states, I have observed myself "thinking" constantly about how to handle the "situations, people who are causing me distress". My mind is busy being angry with these people, forming conversations which I need to have these people, threaten them, show my authority over them, tell them what I think of them, correct them, fearing for the future, brooding over the past, etc.
Now I guess I would have been doing this all my life, but unconsciously.
It hasnt helped at all. Or else I wouldnt be distressed at all. I wouldnt attract toxic situations in my life. Why is it then that I go through ups and downs in my moods, my energy, my enthusiasm, my happiness, etc.
I now realise the value of the advice of the Guru. They are actually saying that you cannot solve the problems in the body and mind at that level. The constant stream of thoughts is creating the reality around you. And you are attempting to solve the problem created by thoughts by more thinking. Stop, and do your pranayam, and meditation. Go down to zero.
But don't I have to solve the problems I am facing, or confront a person who has hurt me, caused me a loss, etc.
No, going by the law of attraction, please note that these toxic and distressing situations (reality) are caused by an equally disturbed mind. So no point in using the same distressed mind to resolve this issue. Instead go beyond that and silence your mind. This will automatically lead to calmer, prosperous exteriors. Nothing needs to be done except practice of silence (being mindful) and breath awareness. This will reduce cluttering thoughts which will result in a reality which you actually want from within.
Osho also always said, that if you are angry, distressed, get away from other people since you will spread this to them. Go and hide somewhere and come out only when you are calm and centered. In hiding, do some dynamic meditation to rid yourself of the toxic energy by beating a pillow, doing physical activity, dance etc. Your anger, disturbance is your own. Nobody else can cause this. Now I understand why he invented the dynamic meditation.
Similary, when during our SSY programs, if any student is to ask our guruji about solutions to their problems (in this forum the problems presented are in the relationship, family and business zone and not much related to health), guruji would (after listening to them) eventually give them a common advice i.e. to be in silence (not to be confused with not speaking). Again I couldnt find the connection.
As of late during my disturbed states, I have observed myself "thinking" constantly about how to handle the "situations, people who are causing me distress". My mind is busy being angry with these people, forming conversations which I need to have these people, threaten them, show my authority over them, tell them what I think of them, correct them, fearing for the future, brooding over the past, etc.
Now I guess I would have been doing this all my life, but unconsciously.
It hasnt helped at all. Or else I wouldnt be distressed at all. I wouldnt attract toxic situations in my life. Why is it then that I go through ups and downs in my moods, my energy, my enthusiasm, my happiness, etc.
I now realise the value of the advice of the Guru. They are actually saying that you cannot solve the problems in the body and mind at that level. The constant stream of thoughts is creating the reality around you. And you are attempting to solve the problem created by thoughts by more thinking. Stop, and do your pranayam, and meditation. Go down to zero.
But don't I have to solve the problems I am facing, or confront a person who has hurt me, caused me a loss, etc.
No, going by the law of attraction, please note that these toxic and distressing situations (reality) are caused by an equally disturbed mind. So no point in using the same distressed mind to resolve this issue. Instead go beyond that and silence your mind. This will automatically lead to calmer, prosperous exteriors. Nothing needs to be done except practice of silence (being mindful) and breath awareness. This will reduce cluttering thoughts which will result in a reality which you actually want from within.
Osho also always said, that if you are angry, distressed, get away from other people since you will spread this to them. Go and hide somewhere and come out only when you are calm and centered. In hiding, do some dynamic meditation to rid yourself of the toxic energy by beating a pillow, doing physical activity, dance etc. Your anger, disturbance is your own. Nobody else can cause this. Now I understand why he invented the dynamic meditation.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Helping or Supporting someone
I became aware of this tendancy of mine to do things for people, make them comfortable, put them at ease, reduce their pain. It was "my way of expressing love" for them. While I have been doing this all my life (not sure where this tendancy/habit started), recently I actually saw how its actually crippling them. This is a selfish move on my part, I am doing this for my self, I am doing this to feel good, I am doing this to avoid conflict, I am doing this to distract others, quite unaware of how much damage its doing to the other and to myself.
But then, giving to someone and seeing them smile or use your gifts is so gratifying, right? Is it not what we are taught, give, share and that will bring happiness?
So there is a distinction which is kind of sinking in now:
If we are doing things for people such that it will make them happy or will make you happy, or make them dependant on you, etc...probably its a disservice to both.
If we are doing things for others out of being happy and peaceful and which ENABLE them to feel happy deep down (e.g. you help them discover their true calling, help them discover their worth, help them realise how much potential they have to help themselves go to another level...), then its love. Then supporting them monetarily will be to help them work on their potential. Said another way, supporting another is to help them be free and not a dependant.
Remember, however that the sun doesnt rise from your ass, so we should not claim credit to make others successful. Do your part since thats happening through you. It is Gods will and doing.
At another level, examine the motive behind your own actions, and do it only if its out of love. It will help you grow.
On Forgiving
The other night at dinner, Sushi our dog was begging our maid for food. The maid gave her food. However Sravanthi got really angry with Sushi and gave her a shouting. Sushi slinked away and hid. But Sravanthi couldnt handle this and called her back, gave her ice cream, petted her and then continued her dinner.
I observed that when a pet or an animal does something we dont want them to do, we do rebuke them but we forget it as fast. In fact it stays with us only as fond memories. However when a human in a relationship with us, does something we dont like, we hold it against them for a long time. We seem to have forgotten, but if you observe these instances keep coming up as flashes in our memory. Why is this? The common factor between both interactions is me, myself. So why cant I treat the human "mistakes" just like that, drop them and move on?
I have known people to not talk to each other for years. People may change but the issues linger on.
Our guruji explained this quite well; When our pet does any "mistake" even repeatedly, we internally understand that its not a deliberate act of malice towards me or my family, its unconscious. We can correct this by training, but that doesnt make it a conscious response, it only makes it a conditioned response.
When a human repeatedly performs the same "mistake", we feel its a deliberate act. Its also to be noted that most actions by humans are out of habit (conditioned actions). But our feeling is that "this person is not able to get it". We probably need to understand and observe that most actions by most humans are as unconscious and as conditioned, as a pets. Additionally, the focus cannot be on the other, it has to be on self. The other is my mirror image.
By holding on, we are harming ourselves more.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Become the Bike
Pune to Mangalore – The journey within
The Trip
This was a holiday of a lifetime. It stretched all my capacities in more ways than one :-), combined adventure, being in nature, and an indulgent recoup in Goa. I went upto Goa alone on a cycle and was joined by my dear friend Sravanthi in Goa. From then on I travelled by cycle along the coast line to mangalore while Sravanthi accompanied me by car. Along the way we experienced staying at beautiful locations like Marwanthe near Bhatkal in Karnataka where the NH17 road has a stretch with the ocean on one side and fresh water on the other. Over the 9 days on the road, I would start at 5 AM and ride an average of 100 kms a day, through some of the most beautiful roads and regions. At Mangalore we turned back to return to Goa and soaked up the ocean, sun and beer for a lovely recoup. Take my word, do this trip if not on a cycle, at least on a motor cycle. You will come back a different person :-)...Love...Sunil
The Journey
On this journey, I experienced how it feels to be the work that you choose to do (so the title). My day on the bike was akin to a day in my normal life where I had to continuously challenge my belief systems, make choices, mitigate risks, keep myself energised, be in the moment, take quality decisions and action, and most important of them all, love what I am doing. The love for cycling, for my bike and for nature, kept me going day after day even though my ass hurt like sin :-). There came a point, where I could wake up daily and cycle the 100 kms as if it
was a normal routine day. I could go on and on. I became the bike.
Pillars: Fuel, Stretch, Pranayam, Meditation and Rest:
This is what kept me going. Simple clean food during the ride and good stretching, meditation and sleep after the ride. This pretty much makes up the pillars of our lives (should be :-). Make this a life habit and you can keep going with high energy. I would strongly recommend Yoga for anybody serious of living a high energy and healthy life. The big difference this time was that my training was 80% about regular Yoga practice and the rest was hill climbing. Did almost zero gym work this time around. My rides were better and post ride recovery was good. Also at each pit stop, I would perform basic stretches, which I learnt in my yoga class, and then start again. Heartfelt gratitute to my committed teachers at Param Yoga, (paramyoga.in) who introduced me to this energising and refreshing form of exercise and relaxation.
Best wishes in your inner journeys, Love, Sunil
The Full Story:
Dear Friends,
Just like all my holidays this too had to have a challenging element along with an indulgent recoup thrown in. I decided to double the distance from my last years pune goa ride and go the distance upto Kannur in Kerala. However I aborted the trip on the last but one leg of the trip at Mangalore. The NH 17 road was not great going forward and also extremely crowded with a lot of diversions etc due to four laning activity.
I have documented my experience in 2 sections, one which talks about the changes within me and one which is about the external experience during the holiday.
Hope you enjoy reading this and can learn from this.
The Trip
Day 1: Pune - Panchgani: 100 Kms : 6 Hours 15 mins
This was an unnecessary diversion, however I had missed covering Panchgani in my training rides and felt a deep urge to get a strong and difficult start. Scaling this distance, boosted my confidence big time and set the tone for the days to come. I would recommend strongly Maitstone homestay in Panchgani. Very nice location, very cost effective, exptremely hospitable Virjee family. (Contact : 02168240256)
Day 2: Panchgani - Satara: 45 kms: 1 hour 45 mins
This was such a good location, that I was tempted to stay for an extra day. BUt I decided against it since by taking this diversion, I was making my Kolhapur ride nearly 150 kms. I decided to stay the night in Satara and then ride to Kolhapur the next day morning. I rode in the evening to Satara at an average speed of nearly 30 kmph, going all out to reach before the sun sets. I stayed at a highway hotel and kept my cycle in the room as a part of my luggage :-)
Day 3: Satara - Kolhapur: 129 kms: 5 hours
This was by far the best performance of the entire trip. Averaging 23 kmph, I did this like I was possessed. Was a steady horizontal ride on a very high quality road (no comments on the density of traffic closed to Kolhapur). I stayed in the Guest house of the Ford dealership on the highway which belongs to a cousin of mine. The guest house is one the emost tastefully done up place I have ever seen. And the stay was absolutely five star with the cook Santhanam giving me lovely home cooked food and being very attentive.
Day 4: Kolhapur - Amboli: 139 kms: 7 hours 30 mins
By far the toughest day of the journey. I dragged on the ride a few hours into the ride. Kept thinking it was to do with a fatigue level. However it turned out to be a slow puncture, which I noticed at the 70 km mark. I had the option to change the tube on the road itself or push air and continue until I reached Amboli. Chose the latter. This decision cost me in terms of energy since the tire never really remained hard and the road was uphill and rough. Reached 10 mins before lunch hour closes. Evening I replaced the tube and got ready for the next day. Stayed at whistling woods, which is a decent good hotel. Had dinner at Kamats, as dependable as ever.
Day 5: Amboli - Goa: 89 kms: 4 hours 30 mins
Hot, strong ride and smooth ride into the hotel at Calangute where I stayed. I stayed at ABC resorts. Cheap and best with a 5 min walk from the beach which is not too crowded. Had to leave after 6 AM (after the visibility was good). Descending the Amboli ghat in the dark is not advisable. The road is bein repaired and there are no markers.
Day 6: Rest
Day 7: Rest
Day 8: Goa - Karwar: 105 kms: 5 hours 45 mins
Couldnt leave at 5 AM from now on. on NH 17, which is a 2 lane highway, its better you are more clearly visible. But this meant a lot more riding in the heat. But by far this highway is the most scenic roads I have ever been on. You go through forests, come close to the ocean, backwaters, villages, all in one stretch. The road had its share of climbs, curves and descents and loads of traffic, especially till margoa (35 kms from goa). All along the road, one gets to see loads of stray cattle loitering across the road :-). Stayed at the Lotu resorts, where Vishal the manager was kind enough to give us a good discount considering the effort I had taken to get there :-). Karwar, on the border of Goa and Karnataka, is a place to settle down in. Very sparsely populated, pristine untouched beaches, islands which one can visit (i didnt do this). We had lunch at restaurant downtown called "Premier". Awesome local food (Karnatak south indian thali).
Day 9: Karwar - Bhatkal: 120 kms: 6 hours
A very beautiful ride again through similar territory described above. All along the higwhway one can stop and buy coconuts. I drank and ate a lot of tender cocunut to keep hydrated. This was a long and hot ride. We decided to go past Bhatkal and stay in Marwanthe, which is a small village where the ocean touches the highway and there is fresh water on the other side. The two dont meet. We stayed at Turtle bay resort and experienced Karnatak hospitality and tourism. Very warm people with a simple but working system. All food orders are placed at reception and time taken to deliver is in hours. Only one cook taking on the orders serially. Was fun though. BTW we had no electricity all through the night.
Day 10: Marwanthe - Mangalore: 100 kms: 5 hours.
This trip was the home run as decided about halfway to mangalore. AS I got closer to Mangalore, the traffic increased manyfold, and road got worse. At stretches, there was no road at all. All through our travel and stay through Karnataka, we kept looking for a Kamat to eat an original dosa. He eluded us until we reentered Maharashtra. Karanatak is full of duplicate Kamats :-). Even in mangalore after a lot of asking we were finally directed to a thalli joint for original mangalore food (Janata dining). This is in the heart of Mangalore and Was quite good. Instead of staying in Mangalore, we decided to pack up and drive back to Goa the same day itself. The rest of the holiday was spent bumming around in Goa and recouping from all that exertion.
Day 11 - 14: Indulge in Goa :-)
The Journey
===========================================
Below are some of my takeaways. Nothing new, except that these were experienced by me first hand :-) All of these will apply to any aspect of your life (daily). Its not just with the bike.
Break your mould:
To go to another level from experiencing what I did, you would need to push yourself out of comfort zone at the mind, body and emotional level. Dont be timid with life, choose experiences even if they appear tough and you will experience great freedom just doing those. Just like the body grows by resistance, the mind also needs challenges. BTW this can happen at work too.
Dont get stuck:
Our Guruji (Pujya guru Rishi Prabhakar of SSY), conducts these 21 days with Guruji programs. Although I havent attended any of these, I learn that he doesnt allow the troop to settle anywhere. As soon as they feel comfortable, he moves them away. This keeps people growing. Everytime I landed at any of my halts, I would feel like staying an extra day. But I would enjoy that 1/2 day and move on the next day. I realised that I enjoyed the riding as much as wanting to stay a little longer in that place.
Effort->Relaxation->Effort- cycle
I realised that only indulgence will sap your energy. Also that only exertion will sap your energy. However exertion followed by indulgence followed by exertion is a great combination to maintain health, grow and enjoy the "good" parts of life.
Risk
While riding on the highways, a few times I had some trucks come real close and actually startle me. After these incidents, I became aware that for some time I would be very anticipative while riding. This actually brought me away from the moment and got me into a "planning" mode. I then realised that actually risk is a future or a past concept. In the moment there is no risk whatsoever.
Mind limits and Mind expands
The choice is yours. I believed I could do it, and I did it. The reverse is also true.
Quality:
When Sanjay (my driver) picked up the freshly serviced car to bring it to goa, I observed that the fuel comsumption was 3/4th of the tank. I worked the math from a 40 litre tank and came to an average of about 15 kmpl. I was quite satisfied since it matched popular wisdom and the norm. However on the way back, I checked the tire pressures before leaving (found them to be 1/2 of what it should be) and then found out that the same distance can be done in 1/2 the tank. Thats a saving of 10 litres of fuel + the fact the car is very efficient at about 22-25 kmpl (which may not sound belieavable). At first I was a little upset with sanjay, but it was low quality on my part to accept the initial reading without a quick review on basics. Be aware, at every step you would need to exhibit quality. Quality is not an end result but a series of quality steps. Be there in what you are doing. Give it full attention or none at all. Dont do anything half baked.
Fuel, Stretch, Pranayam, Meditation and Rest:
This is what kept me going. Simple clean food during the ride and good stretching, meditation and sleep after the ride. This pretty much makes up the pillars of our lives (should be :-). Make this a life habit and you can keep going with high energy. I would strongly recommend Yoga for anybody serious of living a high energy and healthy life. The big difference this time was that my training was 80% about regular Yoga practice and the rest was hill climbing. Did almost zero gym work this time around. My rides were better and post ride recovery was good. Also at each pit stop, I would perform basic stretches, which I learnt in my yoga class, and then start again. Heartfelt gratitute to my committed teachers at Param Yoga, (paramyoga.in) who introduced me to this energising and refreshing form of exercise and relaxation.
Be present:
Rise above the mental chatter to be there and be aware of all what is happening. While riding from Kolhapur to amboli, I was unnaturally dragging. I kept feeling that fatigue has caught up with me (popular wisdom) although I was feeling strong. My average speed dropped from 25 to 19 or so. I thought I was bonking. I kept eating and drinking regularly to keep going. However when I got onto the bumpy state highway, I realised I had a flat. The rear wheel was slowly releasing air and it was half empty. Possibly I had this a long time back and was dragging because of that. Dont assume anything. Go with your feelings. I should have connected to my feeling of being strong and checked all other aspects of the ride.
Become the bike:
After the first couple of days, I got into the groove of waking up early, getting on the bike and going for 100 kms. Ater 8 days of riding like this, I was ready to go on. It was like going to work. I then realised that what I experience in that one day on the bike, we all would be experiencing in our days at work. Challenges, pain, joy, rest, et. al. Become the bike, become what you do. Love it.
Love your work:
My bike, body, mind went all the way with me because I loved them all. I nurtured them, cleaned them, maintained them and they served me well. Love whatever you are doing, whatever you are using, whomsoever you come across, just come from love.
All the very best in your journeys.
Packing list for solo trip:
The below list is a bare essentials list (trimmed as per my experience). I was a little heavier since I carried a spare cycling gear assuming that the clothes wont dry in 18 hours. BUt I found that they dry by the night.
1. Minimum toileteries (toothbrush, small toothpaste, shave kit, small soap & face cleanser, small bottle of moisturiser (doubles up as after shave also))
Buy shampoo sachets, whereever you are.
2. Shorts/pyjamas + a t shirt + a spare underwear to change into once you land up and shower.
3. Cycling gear, just what you are wearing, which you wash and dry before the next day.
4. Gatorade sachets, dates, raisins
Buy bananas, cocunut water, water along the way.
5. Tool kit, spare tubes, air pump
6. Camera (optional)
7. Cell Phone and charger.
8. Money, id, credit card, atm card etc,
9. A plastic bag/case for all electronic and paper items.
Cycling dos and donts as I learnt:
1. Start early at around 5 AM to beat the heat. Ensure that the headlamps and tail lamps on the cycle are functioning.
2. On the NH 17, start only after day break (around 6:30 AM), since its a 2 lane road, with no consistent border marking, making it very risky to be on in the dark.
3. Consistent, evenly paced, fuel and stretch breaks will keep you going longer. Stop every hour of cycling for 5 mins to stretch, pee, drink fluids (at least 300 ml). Eat every 2 hours or so (dates, bananas, potatoes, cocunut) to prevent bonking.
4. Dont cycle after 12 noon. It will be counterproductive and will actually sap all the energy fast. If you havent reached your destination yet, sleep below a tree or in a dabha until 4 PM and start again.
5. Be aware of the air pressures and slow punctures if any. You will feel the cycle dragging.
6. Pack the carrier bag such that the food, camera, phone and money are right on top and easily reachable without having to unharness the bag each time you stop.
Pune to Mangalore – The journey within
The Trip
This was a holiday of a lifetime. It stretched all my capacities in more ways than one :-), combined adventure, being in nature, and an indulgent recoup in Goa. I went upto Goa alone on a cycle and was joined by my dear friend Sravanthi in Goa. From then on I travelled by cycle along the coast line to mangalore while Sravanthi accompanied me by car. Along the way we experienced staying at beautiful locations like Marwanthe near Bhatkal in Karnataka where the NH17 road has a stretch with the ocean on one side and fresh water on the other. Over the 9 days on the road, I would start at 5 AM and ride an average of 100 kms a day, through some of the most beautiful roads and regions. At Mangalore we turned back to return to Goa and soaked up the ocean, sun and beer for a lovely recoup. Take my word, do this trip if not on a cycle, at least on a motor cycle. You will come back a different person :-)...Love...Sunil
The JourneyOn this journey, I experienced how it feels to be the work that you choose to do (so the title). My day on the bike was akin to a day in my normal life where I had to continuously challenge my belief systems, make choices, mitigate risks, keep myself energised, be in the moment, take quality decisions and action, and most important of them all, love what I am doing. The love for cycling, for my bike and for nature, kept me going day after day even though my ass hurt like sin :-). There came a point, where I could wake up daily and cycle the 100 kms as if it
was a normal routine day. I could go on and on. I became the bike.Pillars: Fuel, Stretch, Pranayam, Meditation and Rest:
This is what kept me going. Simple clean food during the ride and good stretching, meditation and sleep after the ride. This pretty much makes up the pillars of our lives (should be :-). Make this a life habit and you can keep going with high energy. I would strongly recommend Yoga for anybody serious of living a high energy and healthy life. The big difference this time was that my training was 80% about regular Yoga practice and the rest was hill climbing. Did almost zero gym work this time around. My rides were better and post ride recovery was good. Also at each pit stop, I would perform basic stretches, which I learnt in my yoga class, and then start again. Heartfelt gratitute to my committed teachers at Param Yoga, (paramyoga.in) who introduced me to this energising and refreshing form of exercise and relaxation.
Best wishes in your inner journeys, Love, Sunil
The Full Story:
Dear Friends,
Just like all my holidays this too had to have a challenging element along with an indulgent recoup thrown in. I decided to double the distance from my last years pune goa ride and go the distance upto Kannur in Kerala. However I aborted the trip on the last but one leg of the trip at Mangalore. The NH 17 road was not great going forward and also extremely crowded with a lot of diversions etc due to four laning activity.
I have documented my experience in 2 sections, one which talks about the changes within me and one which is about the external experience during the holiday.
Hope you enjoy reading this and can learn from this.
The Trip
Day 1: Pune - Panchgani: 100 Kms : 6 Hours 15 mins
This was an unnecessary diversion, however I had missed covering Panchgani in my training rides and felt a deep urge to get a strong and difficult start. Scaling this distance, boosted my confidence big time and set the tone for the days to come. I would recommend strongly Maitstone homestay in Panchgani. Very nice location, very cost effective, exptremely hospitable Virjee family. (Contact : 02168240256)
Day 2: Panchgani - Satara: 45 kms: 1 hour 45 mins
This was such a good location, that I was tempted to stay for an extra day. BUt I decided against it since by taking this diversion, I was making my Kolhapur ride nearly 150 kms. I decided to stay the night in Satara and then ride to Kolhapur the next day morning. I rode in the evening to Satara at an average speed of nearly 30 kmph, going all out to reach before the sun sets. I stayed at a highway hotel and kept my cycle in the room as a part of my luggage :-)
Day 3: Satara - Kolhapur: 129 kms: 5 hours
This was by far the best performance of the entire trip. Averaging 23 kmph, I did this like I was possessed. Was a steady horizontal ride on a very high quality road (no comments on the density of traffic closed to Kolhapur). I stayed in the Guest house of the Ford dealership on the highway which belongs to a cousin of mine. The guest house is one the emost tastefully done up place I have ever seen. And the stay was absolutely five star with the cook Santhanam giving me lovely home cooked food and being very attentive.
Day 4: Kolhapur - Amboli: 139 kms: 7 hours 30 mins
By far the toughest day of the journey. I dragged on the ride a few hours into the ride. Kept thinking it was to do with a fatigue level. However it turned out to be a slow puncture, which I noticed at the 70 km mark. I had the option to change the tube on the road itself or push air and continue until I reached Amboli. Chose the latter. This decision cost me in terms of energy since the tire never really remained hard and the road was uphill and rough. Reached 10 mins before lunch hour closes. Evening I replaced the tube and got ready for the next day. Stayed at whistling woods, which is a decent good hotel. Had dinner at Kamats, as dependable as ever.
Day 5: Amboli - Goa: 89 kms: 4 hours 30 mins
Hot, strong ride and smooth ride into the hotel at Calangute where I stayed. I stayed at ABC resorts. Cheap and best with a 5 min walk from the beach which is not too crowded. Had to leave after 6 AM (after the visibility was good). Descending the Amboli ghat in the dark is not advisable. The road is bein repaired and there are no markers.
Day 6: Rest
Day 7: Rest
Day 8: Goa - Karwar: 105 kms: 5 hours 45 mins
Couldnt leave at 5 AM from now on. on NH 17, which is a 2 lane highway, its better you are more clearly visible. But this meant a lot more riding in the heat. But by far this highway is the most scenic roads I have ever been on. You go through forests, come close to the ocean, backwaters, villages, all in one stretch. The road had its share of climbs, curves and descents and loads of traffic, especially till margoa (35 kms from goa). All along the road, one gets to see loads of stray cattle loitering across the road :-). Stayed at the Lotu resorts, where Vishal the manager was kind enough to give us a good discount considering the effort I had taken to get there :-). Karwar, on the border of Goa and Karnataka, is a place to settle down in. Very sparsely populated, pristine untouched beaches, islands which one can visit (i didnt do this). We had lunch at restaurant downtown called "Premier". Awesome local food (Karnatak south indian thali).
Day 9: Karwar - Bhatkal: 120 kms: 6 hours
A very beautiful ride again through similar territory described above. All along the higwhway one can stop and buy coconuts. I drank and ate a lot of tender cocunut to keep hydrated. This was a long and hot ride. We decided to go past Bhatkal and stay in Marwanthe, which is a small village where the ocean touches the highway and there is fresh water on the other side. The two dont meet. We stayed at Turtle bay resort and experienced Karnatak hospitality and tourism. Very warm people with a simple but working system. All food orders are placed at reception and time taken to deliver is in hours. Only one cook taking on the orders serially. Was fun though. BTW we had no electricity all through the night.
Day 10: Marwanthe - Mangalore: 100 kms: 5 hours.
This trip was the home run as decided about halfway to mangalore. AS I got closer to Mangalore, the traffic increased manyfold, and road got worse. At stretches, there was no road at all. All through our travel and stay through Karnataka, we kept looking for a Kamat to eat an original dosa. He eluded us until we reentered Maharashtra. Karanatak is full of duplicate Kamats :-). Even in mangalore after a lot of asking we were finally directed to a thalli joint for original mangalore food (Janata dining). This is in the heart of Mangalore and Was quite good. Instead of staying in Mangalore, we decided to pack up and drive back to Goa the same day itself. The rest of the holiday was spent bumming around in Goa and recouping from all that exertion.
Day 11 - 14: Indulge in Goa :-)
The Journey
===========================================
Below are some of my takeaways. Nothing new, except that these were experienced by me first hand :-) All of these will apply to any aspect of your life (daily). Its not just with the bike.
Break your mould:
To go to another level from experiencing what I did, you would need to push yourself out of comfort zone at the mind, body and emotional level. Dont be timid with life, choose experiences even if they appear tough and you will experience great freedom just doing those. Just like the body grows by resistance, the mind also needs challenges. BTW this can happen at work too.
Dont get stuck:
Our Guruji (Pujya guru Rishi Prabhakar of SSY), conducts these 21 days with Guruji programs. Although I havent attended any of these, I learn that he doesnt allow the troop to settle anywhere. As soon as they feel comfortable, he moves them away. This keeps people growing. Everytime I landed at any of my halts, I would feel like staying an extra day. But I would enjoy that 1/2 day and move on the next day. I realised that I enjoyed the riding as much as wanting to stay a little longer in that place.
Effort->Relaxation->Effort- cycle
I realised that only indulgence will sap your energy. Also that only exertion will sap your energy. However exertion followed by indulgence followed by exertion is a great combination to maintain health, grow and enjoy the "good" parts of life.
Risk
While riding on the highways, a few times I had some trucks come real close and actually startle me. After these incidents, I became aware that for some time I would be very anticipative while riding. This actually brought me away from the moment and got me into a "planning" mode. I then realised that actually risk is a future or a past concept. In the moment there is no risk whatsoever.
Mind limits and Mind expands
The choice is yours. I believed I could do it, and I did it. The reverse is also true.
Quality:
When Sanjay (my driver) picked up the freshly serviced car to bring it to goa, I observed that the fuel comsumption was 3/4th of the tank. I worked the math from a 40 litre tank and came to an average of about 15 kmpl. I was quite satisfied since it matched popular wisdom and the norm. However on the way back, I checked the tire pressures before leaving (found them to be 1/2 of what it should be) and then found out that the same distance can be done in 1/2 the tank. Thats a saving of 10 litres of fuel + the fact the car is very efficient at about 22-25 kmpl (which may not sound belieavable). At first I was a little upset with sanjay, but it was low quality on my part to accept the initial reading without a quick review on basics. Be aware, at every step you would need to exhibit quality. Quality is not an end result but a series of quality steps. Be there in what you are doing. Give it full attention or none at all. Dont do anything half baked.
Fuel, Stretch, Pranayam, Meditation and Rest:
This is what kept me going. Simple clean food during the ride and good stretching, meditation and sleep after the ride. This pretty much makes up the pillars of our lives (should be :-). Make this a life habit and you can keep going with high energy. I would strongly recommend Yoga for anybody serious of living a high energy and healthy life. The big difference this time was that my training was 80% about regular Yoga practice and the rest was hill climbing. Did almost zero gym work this time around. My rides were better and post ride recovery was good. Also at each pit stop, I would perform basic stretches, which I learnt in my yoga class, and then start again. Heartfelt gratitute to my committed teachers at Param Yoga, (paramyoga.in) who introduced me to this energising and refreshing form of exercise and relaxation.
Be present:
Rise above the mental chatter to be there and be aware of all what is happening. While riding from Kolhapur to amboli, I was unnaturally dragging. I kept feeling that fatigue has caught up with me (popular wisdom) although I was feeling strong. My average speed dropped from 25 to 19 or so. I thought I was bonking. I kept eating and drinking regularly to keep going. However when I got onto the bumpy state highway, I realised I had a flat. The rear wheel was slowly releasing air and it was half empty. Possibly I had this a long time back and was dragging because of that. Dont assume anything. Go with your feelings. I should have connected to my feeling of being strong and checked all other aspects of the ride.
Become the bike:
After the first couple of days, I got into the groove of waking up early, getting on the bike and going for 100 kms. Ater 8 days of riding like this, I was ready to go on. It was like going to work. I then realised that what I experience in that one day on the bike, we all would be experiencing in our days at work. Challenges, pain, joy, rest, et. al. Become the bike, become what you do. Love it.
Love your work:
My bike, body, mind went all the way with me because I loved them all. I nurtured them, cleaned them, maintained them and they served me well. Love whatever you are doing, whatever you are using, whomsoever you come across, just come from love.
All the very best in your journeys.
Packing list for solo trip:
The below list is a bare essentials list (trimmed as per my experience). I was a little heavier since I carried a spare cycling gear assuming that the clothes wont dry in 18 hours. BUt I found that they dry by the night.
1. Minimum toileteries (toothbrush, small toothpaste, shave kit, small soap & face cleanser, small bottle of moisturiser (doubles up as after shave also))
Buy shampoo sachets, whereever you are.
2. Shorts/pyjamas + a t shirt + a spare underwear to change into once you land up and shower.
3. Cycling gear, just what you are wearing, which you wash and dry before the next day.
4. Gatorade sachets, dates, raisins
Buy bananas, cocunut water, water along the way.
5. Tool kit, spare tubes, air pump
6. Camera (optional)
7. Cell Phone and charger.
8. Money, id, credit card, atm card etc,
9. A plastic bag/case for all electronic and paper items.
Cycling dos and donts as I learnt:
1. Start early at around 5 AM to beat the heat. Ensure that the headlamps and tail lamps on the cycle are functioning.
2. On the NH 17, start only after day break (around 6:30 AM), since its a 2 lane road, with no consistent border marking, making it very risky to be on in the dark.
3. Consistent, evenly paced, fuel and stretch breaks will keep you going longer. Stop every hour of cycling for 5 mins to stretch, pee, drink fluids (at least 300 ml). Eat every 2 hours or so (dates, bananas, potatoes, cocunut) to prevent bonking.
4. Dont cycle after 12 noon. It will be counterproductive and will actually sap all the energy fast. If you havent reached your destination yet, sleep below a tree or in a dabha until 4 PM and start again.
5. Be aware of the air pressures and slow punctures if any. You will feel the cycle dragging.
6. Pack the carrier bag such that the food, camera, phone and money are right on top and easily reachable without having to unharness the bag each time you stop.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Creatures of Habit
Today while bathing, I came into the present (one of those rare moments) and observed how I dried myself using exactly the same movements, sequence, pressure, and time like I do every time. It was uncanny to perform this observation. It was like observing the observer. Meaning, I knew I was repeating the movement in exactly the same way “while I was doing it” and I also knew at that point that I could simply shuffle it up for a change.
Try it out the next time you bathe J or perform any action.
Lets change our ways, there is always a better way to do things…believe this first.
Sunday, March 08, 2009
Creativity, Compassion and Care
"How does it feel to be beaten to death?" When Neha asked me this question on the way back from the rescue, shudders ran up my spine as I imagined how it would feel. To think that there are countries where death by stoning is part of their legal system.
What happened?
On saturday afternoon, when Neha frantically called me to join her on a resq call, and told me that a bunch of people were beating a dog with sticks, all kinds of thoughts were flashing through my mind, while I rushed to join her for this call.
My mind conjured up images of the poor dog, the people who called to report the incident, the mob, the detached bystanders.
The feelings were of anger, helplessness, revenge, and anxiety to be able to get there quickly.
This call came from a lady (Anita), who was passing through Pashan road with her family and they observed a bunch of guys with sticks, who had surrounded a dog and were beating it severely, just oustide the DRDO gate. A mob of bystanders were simply standing there and watching (as is usual on Indian roads), without anybody really intervening to put an end to the brutality.
Anita, her husband Amarjeet, their friend and couple of more poeple, who had the guts to step outside of themselves, rushed there and tried very hard to stop these guys (security guards outside the DRDO complex, along with some DRDO employees), but to no avail. While these guys were at it, their colleagues from within the DRDO were actually standing by and encouraging them to beat even harder and ensure that the dog is dead.
Meanwhile, she also managed to call Neha, who got me and we landed there. A little too late though; the dog was no more. They had managed to beat it to death. It was a small, starved weak looking dog, who probably had gone looking for food or water. She hadnt bargained for this. According to Anita, even while they were beating her, she was wagging her tail, probably telling the assailants that she means no harm.
We were all livid. Gone were the thoughts of handling the situation with calm. I was shouting all over the place. While the Police were called for, Neha had already called MOnoj Oswal the head of PFA (Peaple for Animals, an organisation by Meneka Gandhi) in Pune, so that we could take some legal action against the concerned. We were in no mood to let this incident be swept under the carpet.
Not relenting to the diplomatic attempts by the DRDO top brass to convince us to ignore this issue, we decided to press charges. Cruelty to animals is a cognizable offense which is punishable by law. In addition we also wanted to set an example for people to learn from. Once we decided to press charges, however, we got full cooperation from DRDO...Thanks.
After identifying the suspects, we had them arrested by the police. The witnesses were kind enough to wait through all this and make their statements to the police. Parallely we took to the dog to the Aundh veterinary hospital for a post mortem and inquest panch nama. We got good coooperation by Dr. Lokhande there, to complete the proceedings, despite it being a saturday.
Shweta asked me to name this dog so we can remember her for her bravery and also the impact she would have had by being the instrument to setting an example for people to see. At this point I can only think of calling her "braveheart".
Why did this happen?
People standing around were trying to say that since these people were not educated, they didnt know any better. I say, this is no excuse to kill any life form. I think such barbaric acts stem from living at a very low level of awareness (I observe that most people fall into such a category...educated or not). In addition it can also be attributed to an Innate deeply held frustration and pent up energy. Add to this, the Mob psychology, where each one draws up energy from others and act like sheep, losing all sensibility and clarity of thought.
Surprising !
All it needed was one guy from within their organisation to stand up there and stop them from doing this.
Hats off
To Anita, her family and the other gentleman, who stopped and tried to control this situation. We need more such people, who can step outside their comfort zones for somebody/something else. Anybody listening?
Possible Solutions
-Education and sensitising the masses about the care for life.
-I feel that all corporates & organisations should institute programs to nurture the 3Cs (Creativity, Compassion and Care) in all connected employees, contract workers, etc. People no matter at what level should be given an opportunity and a platform to create something of value, connect to their inherent compassionate selves, and care for some life. This could be humans, animals, environment or whatever. This will keep the energies of people channalised for connecting to their larger divine self. Unfortunately most people live like machines, and never really grow to their true potential. So people like us should create that environment in our vicinity...thats all that is required.
- Corporates and organisations should make it mandatory for all employees and workers to undergo spiritual and self development trainings (besides the skill developments) like SSY (Siddha Samadhi Yoga) and Art of living. The difference it has made to people in our organisation cannot even be described.
- More people like Anita and her family to standby what they believe in, no matter how much pain or discomfort it causes them.
For more information about Resq activities...http://www.resqct.org
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