Month: July 2024

Missed my part 3 yesterday because I was in a daze. Maybe I ate too many apples! But the final and amazing highlights today below.

• The powerful quote that influenced Steve Jobs’ life: living each day as if it were your last can help prioritize what truly matters.

• The use of death as a tool to make important life decisions and to avoid getting trapped by external expectations and the opinions of others.

• The reminder that death is a natural part of life and serves as a change agent, making way for the new by clearing out the old.

• The encouragement to not waste time living someone else’s life and to have the courage to follow one’s heart and intuition.

• The famous closing advice to ‘stay hungry, stay foolish’, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a sense of curiosity and not being afraid to take risks.

How cool were these!

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With all the wars around us, every nation only wants to add to its might and accumulate more weapons.

Because that is what defines a country’s strength.

Not the ability to give in and surrender, but to fight to the finish, and be the last one standing.

Or at least ensure the safety of its residents.

But in spirituality?

Maybe it couldn’t be more different!

The more one gives up and the more one surrenders to the higher power, the stronger the spiritual power within!

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More highlights today from an awesome Steve Jobs speech!

• The concept that you can’t connect the dots looking forward, you can only make sense of your life looking backwards, and the importance of trusting the journey.

• The experience of being fired from Apple and how it led to a period of immense creativity and personal growth.

• The founding of NeXT and Pixar after leaving Apple, and how these ventures contributed to Steve Jobs’ success and Apple’s renaissance.

• The idea that sometimes life’s most difficult experiences can lead to the most significant personal and professional growth.

Concluded tomorrow!

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The famous Stanford commencement by Steve Jobs for some reason walked into my YouTube feeds just now. Key highlights from that evergreen lesson on how to live life!

• Dropping out of college and trusting that things will work out okay can lead to valuable life experiences and learning opportunities.

• The importance of following one’s curiosity and intuition, even if it doesn’t seem practical at the time, can lead to significant innovations later on.

• The story of being put up for adoption and the promise made by the adoptive parents to send the child to college, setting the stage for Steve Jobs’ life.

• The impact of attending a calligraphy class, which seemed irrelevant at the time but later influenced the design of the Macintosh computer.

Continued tomorrow!

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Came across a super profound line today in a blog.

As we reflect on the everyday events and actions that we experience and ascribe ownership to, we realise that in almost all cases, our actions involve a thought, a call or an accidental meeting, over none of which we exercise control. Acknowledging this will, over time, help us reduce our entanglement with the sense of doership.

Was thinking about a good idea I had at work recently.

But where did the idea come from?

Really from me?

Why did it only occur then, and not one year ago? Or one year later?

How much control do we really have?

When we think from this perspective, undoing doership is not just easy but also obvious and absolutely necessary and mandatory.

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I’ve always wondered about Vipassana retreats and Mauna Vrat. Maun, or silence, is the language of true worship, capturing Ashabda Brahmn, the soundless word. In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna says, “maunam chaiva’smi guhyanam” – Of secrets, I am also silence.

Practicing Maun Sadhana celebrates the Divine within. By closing our senses, silence fosters deep self-understanding. Figures like Buddha and Mahavir, who embraced silence, significantly contributed to global peace.

There are at least 4 types of silent practices (I learn new stuff every day!).

Maun Sadhana starts with Vak Mauna, silence of speech. Next is Chitta Mauna, silence of the mind, including Buddhi Mauna (intellect), Ahamkara Mauna (ego), and Iccha Mauna (desire). Indriya Mauna is the silence of the senses.

Incorporating Maun Sadhana daily, even briefly, is said to bring inner peace and strengthen our connection with the Divine.

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A 90-year-old gynecologist who, despite her limited time left on the planet, was utterly dedicated to ensuring every baby she delivered was healthy. If that isn’t selflessness, then what is?

Similarly, an elderly oncologist, battling cancer himself, continues to work tirelessly to save his patients, embodying resilience. His commitment to his patients’ well-being, despite his personal struggles, speaks volumes about his character.

An aged cardiologist with a heart condition still oversees life-saving surgeries, reflecting true dedication. His unwavering focus on saving lives, even while managing his own health issues, highlights his exceptional commitment to medicine.

A retired pediatrician, despite suffering from arthritis, volunteers to care for sick children, showing profound compassion. Her willingness to endure physical pain to ensure the well-being of young patients illustrates a deep sense of empathy and love for her work.

Such amazing selflessness, I can only hope to have some day…

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I came across an interesting question on LinkedIn recently: “What was the best time in your life?”

Surprisingly, people recalled their toughest challenges, and not their most fun moments.

It seems we crave purpose and accomplishment.

Luxuries like exotic vacations and designer clothing undeniably fade away, but conquering challenges leaves lasting, cherished memories.

Yet then, why do we run away from the tough stuff?

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Intriguingly, even leadership styles can be compared to the three Gunas in Indian philosophy: Tamasik, Rajasik, and Sattvik.

Let’s start with Tamasik leadership. This passive, demotivating, and often egoistic style can create confusion and stifle progress. Leaders with this approach may struggle to inspire their teams, leading to a lack of direction and low morale.

Next, we have Rajasik leadership, which is transactional and driven by ambition and action. These leaders focus on goals and rewards, using clear structures and performance metrics. While this can boost productivity, it can also lead to stress and burnout if not balanced.

Finally, Sattvik leadership embodies transformative qualities. These leaders are wise, selfless, and aim for higher goals. They inspire and uplift their teams, fostering growth and harmony. Sattvik leaders create environments where everyone can thrive, balancing ambition with mindfulness.

By understanding these styles, leaders can strive to cultivate Sattvik qualities, promoting a more enlightened and effective approach to leadership.

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At a recent social function, a cute little kid was ravenous. So much so that as soon as the dinner counters opened, she went straight for the ice cream.

The happiness on her little face was telling, while a few adults joked about beginning the course with dessert instead of appetizers.

But funnily enough, a post (link) I came across today mentioned that in Indian culinary/medical tradition aka Ayurveda, there is a set sequence of what types of food one must ingest.

No prizes for guessing, that “sweet” comes right up top! Apparently sweet foods are the easiest to break down and hence eating them first is best. If they are eaten last however, just like most “modern and sophisticated” people tend to do, they get stuck waiting in line for other harder-to-digest appetizers and main courses to digest. The sweet food hangs around for long and then turns toxic.

Quite interesting I’d say, and it’s probably worth starting with a sweet, just like the kid!

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Be “alert to praise”! This was one of the key messages for success from my Guruji this Guru Purnima (today).

His message was not for spiritual success, but rather for the material successes that each one is craves so much.

How to get ahead in life? By getting along with people.

And how to get along with people? By making people like you.

And how to make people like you? By praising them of course!

If we can remain alert in all situations and find ways to praise others, we will win them over.

Doesn’t mean we need to deliver fake praise. But finding ways to genuinely praise others means we are automatically able to look at the best in others.

Win-win, if you ask me!

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When something good happens to us, like passing an exam or getting a promotion, we feel joy and spread happiness. But when others succeed while we fail, jealousy and anger take over, making us and those around us miserable. Why is it so hard to be happy for others?

It’s perhaps a matter of building our own qualities and self-esteem. Recognizing our worth reduces insecurity and makes it easier to be happy for others. This inner joy naturally extends to celebrating others’ successes.

Cultivating this joy begins with self-compassion and acknowledging our strengths. When we value ourselves, positive feelings emerge, making it easier to share in others’ happiness. This shift in perspective allows positivity to radiate.

So much so that letting go of negativity and constant criticism allows us to experience joy and wonder in our own lives.

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Here’s a nice speech of Mark Zuckerberg that I came across. Reproducing an excerpt verbatim:

Many people lament, Oh I don't know how to build a damn thing. I don't know how to get a million people involved in anything. I don't know this or that. 

Well, let me tell you a secret. No one does when they begin. Ideas don't come out fully formed. They only become clearer as you work on them. You just have to get started. If I had to know everything about connecting people before I got started, I never would have built Facebook.

Movies and pop culture just get this all wrong. The idea of a single Eureka moment is a dangerous lie. It makes us feel inadequate because we feel like we haven't had ours yet. And it prevents people with seeds of good ideas from ever getting started in the first place. 

What is the takeaway then? To just get started.

On your mark, get set, go!

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What is the real change agent?

Is it anxiety?

No, because anxiety cannot change the future, or present or past.

Is it regret?

No, because regret cannot change the past, nor present or future.

Is it gratitude?

Yes indeed, because gratitude can instantly transform the present. That in itself is a present!

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We can think of our minds like a phone, constantly pinging us with notifications. Not every alert is important, but some require our immediate attention.

To manage this, we should first determine our purpose, just as we decide which phone notifications are vital. This helps us filter out distractions and focus on what truly matters.

By treating our thoughts like phone alerts, we can pick those that align with our goals. This keeps us productive and focused.

Ultimately, we control which mental notifications to prioritize, ensuring our attention is spent on what truly deserves it.

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While some can have the most ostentatious parties and weddings, is wealth truly easy to manage? Is it easy to have 100s and 1000s of friends and relationships and acquaintances? Back to “surface area” for a bit.

As Shane says, our friendships also add to our surface area. The more friends we have, the less time we can spend with each one.

Wealth expands our surface area too, as managing various assets and investments requires effort.

When our surface area grows too much, people hire other people to help. He says that assistants and property managers, for instance, can mask the expanding surface area by abstracting it. Despite having so much, and delegating work to so many, is there real peace?

As our surface area increases, so do our responsibilities and mental burdens. Most truly happy people tend to maintain a smaller surface area. They focus on fewer things, leading to less work and more satisfaction. It appears that keeping our surface area small is key to maximizing enjoyment and reducing stress.

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It feels like all of India and many parts of the world are/were keenly watching what might easily be the wedding of the decade.

So many families, so many friends, so many invitees, so many celebrities, so many planners, so many cooks, so many drivers, so many valets, so many pilots and jets, so many chefs, so many politicians, and the so-manys can go on and on and on.

In this context, Shane Parrish’s views on “surface area” are very interesting!

Shane’s rule, is that the larger our surface area, the more energy we have to expend maintaining it. Of course, when most of us think of surface area, we think of a the area of a solid or square of figure. But there is a surface area of life, and that is all-consuming.

If we have only one house (not a mansion or castle please!), we have a relatively small surface area to maintain. If we buy another one, our surface area expands. But it doesn’t expand linearly—it expands more than that. It’s all the same work plus more. There’s mental stress involved too of having to take care of multiple things.

What should we do then? Go the billionaire’s way? Concluded tomorrow!

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Timothy Gallwey’s “The Inner Game of Tennis,” written by a renowned tennis coach, offers an interesting thought on learning, by silencing your internal critic.

They key principle?

Performance = Potential – Interference, where interference is your inner critic, whether it’s praising or criticizing yourself, both of which are unhelpful.

One key concept is the method of non-judgmental observation. By simply observing our actions without judgment, we create space for improvement. Visualize the desired outcome and trust our inner self to perform without the active interference of our critic.

The process involves observing changes and results without judgment and repeating these steps. This approach allows us to master necessary skills while letting our inner self take charge of the game.

Gallwey’s insights are not just for tennis but can be applied to various aspects of life, offering a means to enhance performance by quieting the inner critic.

This is similar to what our scriptures call saakshi-bhaav.

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Someone remarked recently about the importance of ensuring a “good time” is considered for auspicious events.

The Sanskrit shloka “Tadeva lagnam sudhinam Tadeva…” effectively states that whatever time is chosen, if dedicated to God, automatically becomes good.

Another wise man also said, “Everyday is a good day, because if it is not, then God wouldn’t have created that day”

Can’t argue with that!

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“What is the one thing that you should look for while choosing your life partner?”, is the question posed by investing legend Warren Buffet in a speech given by him.

Brains?

Humor?

Character?

Beauty?

“None of these!”, he says

“The one character that you should look for is low expectations!”

That alone will ensure the most beautiful married life ever.

Mr. Buffet, oh what a legend!

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The mind is an integral part of Maya, ensnaring us in its web of illusions. To find truth, we must go beyond it, a task that’s far from simple. Because our minds create attachments that seem inescapable.

Becoming a witness to our own minds helps. We learn to observe its patterns without getting caught up in them. This detachment isn’t about disinterest but about understanding the fleeting nature of thoughts.

Interestingly, the mind is adept at detaching as it naturally moves from one thought to another. Using this ability wisely can lead us to true liberation from its grip.

Mastering the mind involves embracing both its ability to attach and detach, steering it towards a balanced understanding of itself and the world around us.

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Who doesn’t love nectar?

No one, unless it is poisoned of course!

There’s a lot of this in our lives.

Things that appear cool and awesome on the outside, at the start. But such very nectar will often lead to a massive downfall and disgrace.

Many things come easy, only to unveil their dark sides later on.

Conversely, the best things in life only come after significant struggle. The nectar follows the poison. This is explained in verses 37 and 38 of chapter 18 of the Gita.

Which would you choose?

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Not the senior citizens we know generally, but the ones in offices. Not the seniors by age, but more by positions. The ones that call all the shots. The ones that are supposed to be leaders.

What is the one thing they are paid for? Not to know everything or solve every problem. But to simply make the right decision.

Decision making. That’s what they’re there for! But can they cut through the clutter and figure out the right decisions? Only if they stop talking!

When asked about his silence during meetings, Rockefeller often recited a poem:

A wise old owl lived in an oak,

The more he saw the less he spoke,

The less he spoke, the more he heard,

Why aren’t we all, like that old bird?

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In two varied situations recently, I came across 2 similar people.

The first was in a doctor’s clinic. While I was waiting for my turn, another elderly lady came in helped by her relative.

When she sat down in front of me, I realized that she was fully blind. And yet she had the widest smile on her face, as though everything in the world was just perfect.

The second situation was in a temple. It was super crowded that day, with a heavy dose of jostling and pushing. As I got closer to the sanctum sanctorum, I could see one muscular chap praying fervently. And then in the small crowd ahead of me, that person vanished instantaneously. Whoa, how’s that possible?!

A few seconds later, I saw him crawl past me, the Lord having given him just a torso, no legs, but also a supremely divine smile.

Did these people have a disability? By conventional metrics, most certainly. But this ability of smiling despite the odds stacked against them? If only this ability could be my superpower…

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There’s a lovely analogy I came across narrated by renowned astrologer and sanskrit scholar PVR Narasimha Rao.

As I always say, a servant carrying queen's jewelry box & trash can are not really different - sincerity & humility define a good servant & not the value of which property of queen one carries!!

A famous scholar of Jyotisha/Vedanta & a street beggar are mere servants carrying different possessions of Mother. Not realizing that and taking pride of temporary possessions can make one bounce between many such transient realities, while fully realizing that can set one free.

None of what we own is ours. Except our egos!

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Babies cry all the time.

But do they only cry because they are hungry?

Nope. Sometimes they cry so they can be held. Sometimes they cry because they have gas in their little tummies. Sometimes they cry just for attention.

So not all crying is equal!

Our minds may be similar.

The mind often cribs and cries for various things.

Is everything the mind presents to us always urgent, important and necessary? Hardly. We would do well to use our own intelligence to separate what is critical from when the mind is just playing it’s tricks.

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There’s a brand new ad going around.

The scene shows a small boy, presumably aged 7 or 8, and he’s wailing, throwing tantrums and being nothing short of a brat.

Instead of being reprimanded, what do his parents do?

Use their mobile phones to place an order for an expensive toy that would be delivered in less than 10 minutes by a quick-commerce unicorn startup of course!

What sort of messaging is this? Most adults today are already suffering from the repercussions of instant gratification. Kids aren’t going to be left far behind at this rate…

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There’s this outstanding video I just saw, again, after a gap of several years.

It’s of a horse, that is being led around by its master.

But not led by its reins.

Because there is no rope!

The equestrian simply enacts putting on the rope around the horse’s neck. And the horse simply follows her around, not realizing there is no rope at all.

Is there such an invisible non-existent rope that is tied to our minds as well? What all is it stopping us from truly achieving?

Here’s the amazing video if you’d like to watch it yourself! Link

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In the 17th chapter of the Gita, Lord Krishna says that a person and his prayer can be judged by 3 key markers.

What are these?

1. The deity one worships. Is it a God, a demi God or a negative spirit?

2. The mode of worship. Is it a divine offering? Or something unseemly?

3. The motive of worship. Is it sattvik? For the betterment of society and the world? Or is it purely personal? Or worse, is it harmful?

That’s detailed judgment for us!

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Legend has it that after creating the world, God wanted to see how people enjoyed his creation. Everyone he met praised the world but had a “but” and requested more. God realized that fulfilling one desire would just lead to another, like cutting off Ravana’s head in the Ramayana; another would appear.

So, God decided to hide. Knowing the human brain’s power, he sought the perfect hiding spot. After much thought, he hid within humans themselves, figuring that people take this place for granted as they’re always looking outward.

By hiding within, God ensured that only those who drop their worldly infatuations and calm their minds can find him. It’s a reminder that true connection with the divine comes from within, encouraging us to look inward for peace and fulfillment.

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Here’s a superb short video I just watched.

The interviewer simply asks a young bloke on the street whether he’d accept 10 million dollars.

The guy obviously says “yes!”.

Then he’s told, the only catch, is that once the 10 million is deposited into his account, that would be his last day. He would not wake up the next day.

What does he respond with?

“No thank you, you can keep your money!”

What does this mean? Simply that waking up the following morning is far more precious than getting 10 million dollars. And yet we’re running after millions? What should we do then?

Simply be super happy and super grateful anytime we wake up, because that is worth more than tens of millions.

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