The Silence Within And Beyond

While I ate my dinner, I got a call from India. From who? Better left unsaid.

I was happy to talk to her, since I hadn't for some time now. I'm usually happy chatting up and catching up on the happenings back home.I like her as a person. No person is bad. But, this was an experience I wanted to bring up to highlight that side of us humans that is better left unexposed :-)

After all the casual exchanges on how each one of us was doing, there is this conversation on how her recent trip to another close relative of our's was. I was happy to hear those details as well, and to know that those relatives were doing well both in health and in wealth!

Then the conversation went on about how this place in India and the homes and the schools there were 'almost' like in America, how everything else was 'almost' like in here. I was a little surprised.

Why the 'almost' factor? Not that I cared how one fared against the other. Never gave it a thought so far into the conversation, as I was busy lapping up the details of the place etc. As it was being shoved into my face, I then woke up and took notice.

I was a little embarrassed when I realized the deliberate attempt....Details about how much they now have, the great vacations they are taking, the schools they send their kids to etc. etc.

Hmmmm I thought. Why this now? I honestly, from the bottom of my heart do not care about who is doing what - if they are happy very good. If something is wrong, may good times come to them. That's all would be a thought.

Who has the time - our lives are busy as they are :-) right?

BTW, this is not an unique experience - I (and am sure you too) see it all the times. At parties, at casual meetings, at work, in a class. A very contemplated attempt to either show-off or an effort to de-value the person opposite.

I always have and will attribute it to a feeling of insecurity from within. nothing more and nothing less.

When will we emerge from this self spun web of superficial egos? When will we open our eyes to the beautiful world around us?

When will we stop and listen to the silence within and beyond us...

On how to experience that silence. Try this and trust me - this works:

Sit quietly in a silent room (even your work place is fine). Focus on your breath for about 4 minutes. Just observe your breathing. Do nothing.
Inhale the cool air and exhale the warm. Let your mind wander for a minute and then slowly begin shutting off the switches to your thoughts. Push out all the negative and keep only the positive. Happy thoughts, good thoughts!

At the end, chant the "OM" a few times ...very slowly...and stop...

Enjoy that silence after the "OM"...that is the silence we all should strive for...the eternal peace...nothing more and nothing less...




PS:please note that the OM has no religious references - it is a wonderful sound that has magical reverberations on the human mind and body. Enough reserach exists to that effect.