Talking about God in times of COVID Pandemic

Talking about God in times of COVID Pandemic

In times like these, it may seem like God has abandoned us. Or maybe that God doesn’t exist after all. Many have recently said that there is no God and if there is one, it is our Doctors. No. Not so. The Doctors had teachers, the medical researchers find remedies and cure. Someone built the hospital on the money raised from the wealth-creating work of others. The police and indeed the politicians and bureaucracy have helped keep more people from harm's way than the numbers infected.

No. God is not a person or a set of people or this or that one thing. She-He exists as the strength in us, the inherent capacity we have to heal ourselves, the intelligence, the courage, the compassion in us, the capacity to overcome our fears, the ability to think beyond our own selves.

We may even question why the suffering if there indeed is a benevolent God? It shakes up our beliefs. But, perhaps it is that our idea of what God is is mistaken. As per the Sanatan Dharma, God is all - the creator, the preserver, and the destroyer. She-He is the great force that is responsible for the existence and that which shapes our lives. The forces that we must submit to. The flow of power in which all things move and drift. Lao Tzu and the Zen masters call it - Tao or The Way. The one that we must understand and flow in harmony with. Guru Nanak called it the Will of God that we must live by ( Hukum rajai chalna Nanak likheya naal).

The Avatars - Ram, Krishna, Budhha, all talked about and were bound by immutable laws of nature. Shakti fought and overcame the demons who multiplied and mutated, after a long long battle.

That same force that takes away also gives. All it asks us is to stay attentive to acknowledge it, to make the effort to flow with it.

But, if you think you know it all, that you have or can master it all, that money or power over others frees you to live as you please, go inhale deeply you know where to learn the truth.

All in flow

Nothing I can hold on to

Nothing to let go

Life flows

Sometimes a hurry

Sometimes slow

Could've done this

It could've been so

My mind goes back

To and fro

I cry I weep

So much again I will never know

I watch as it passes by

All I see is a flow 

I too am so

I too am so 

The Warriors of the Sky

They first came in ones and twos
Growing in numbers with every passing day
Wave upon wave they came
Till the skies could hold them no more
They thundered, roared and poured upon the land
Charging through every street and stream
Conquering every little patch turning them to green

Gratitude and delight in every eye
All of life celebrated the return of the warriors of the sky

Purpose

What is the purpose of a river but to flow;

What is purpose of a tree but to flower;

What is the purpose of a mountain than standing tall;

What is the purpose of a bird than to sing;

I am made of these things.

They are me.

What is purpose of life but to be. 

Somewhere between earth and the sky

Sometimes nothing and no one can can bring my heart any rest
I long for what is past, what I couldn't and what is lost
Sometimes my heart with love so swells I cannot wait I cannot stop
High up it soars without a shade of doubt
As if I had just begun as though it was just the start
Sometimes I can hardly walk, sometime I fly
Somewhere I stand between the earth and the sky

Grounded by my fears, bound by my thought I can hardly move
Weighed down by guilt, I count all my loss
All my follies, all my shame, hold me there and still
Through the thick veil of doubt the road ahead I barely see
Then for no reason at all, I recall, I remember it all
All that I have learned, All that I can see
All that I may become, All that I can start
The days of my deeds are done, I stand high above it all
Looking down I can only laugh
At how with strings of thoughts I tie-up myself in many knots
Sometimes I laugh sometimes I cry
Somewhere I stand between the earth and the sky

As I rush through my days, towards some promise high
I am stopped by a moment of endless grace
This is the end, this is end
My heart is sure, it won't pretend
I wonder if it's true and why?
Somewhere I stand between the earth and the sky

At times I wonder at these bonds so strange

They hold me close won’t let me go

Sometimes I helplessly watch all pass me by

Sometimes I wish 

Sometimes in gratitude I lie

Somewhere I stand between the earth and the sky

Have I come here to unlearn or to learn anew
Have I come here to be or to become
Have I come here to see or to do
Have I been here forever or am I passing through
Have I risen from the earth or come from some place high
Somewhere I stand between the earth and the sky

Maya vs Love

That which belittles you, that which promises you happiness and but makes you unhappy instead, that, the more of which leaves you emptier than before, that which takes you away from truth...is Maya (delusion).
That which takes you towards your better self, that which connects you to your purpose, that which rids you of the weight of your self, that which takes you closer to truth...is inspiration, love, blessing...
Maya is not in things outside...it is in us...so it is with love.

Nirvana Shatakam

मनोबुद्ध्यहङ्कार चित्तानि नाहं
न च श्रोत्रजिह्वे न च घ्राणनेत्रे ।
न च व्योम भूमिर्न तेजो न वायुः
चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ॥१॥

न च प्राणसंज्ञो न वै पञ्चवायुः
न वा सप्तधातुः न वा पञ्चकोशः ।
न वाक्पाणिपादं न चोपस्थपायु
चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ॥२॥

न मे द्वेषरागौ न मे लोभमोहौ
मदो नैव मे नैव मात्सर्यभावः ।
न धर्मो न चार्थो न कामो न मोक्षः
चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ॥३॥

न पुण्यं न पापं न सौख्यं न दुःखं
न मन्त्रो न तीर्थो न वेदो न यज्ञ ।
अहं भोजनं नैव भोज्यं न भोक्ता
चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ॥४॥

न मृत्युर्न शङ्का न मे जातिभेदः
पिता नैव मे नैव माता न जन्मः ।
न बन्धुर्न मित्रं गुरुर्नैव शिष्यं
चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ॥५॥

अहं निर्विकल्पो निराकाररूपो
विभुत्वाच्च सर्वत्र सर्वेन्द्रियाणाम् ।
न चासङ्गतं नैव मुक्तिर्न मेयः
चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ॥६॥

Once there was me

Once there was you
Once there was me
I was lost without you
I was all at sea

But as the days roll by
Through dusk and dew
There is more of you
There is less of me

Once lost without you
Now lost in you
where is the me
I once could see

Once there was you
Once there was me

Who's the real Guru?

What I learn from one Guru I do on the basis of what I've learned from another.
So how can I say who is better.
How can I say who is the real one.

Searching for Love

I looked for it in despair
I thought of it in weather fair

I looked ahead
I looked in days that were gone and dead

I searched for it high and low
What it was I could not know

Rushing searching everywhere
I could not find it anywhere

But  it seems all so clear now
When I look back in times that are past
My days with you they were lost
You were the love I was searching everywhere

The Tiger's Pride

The dog stirred from his rest
Oh! my legs they hurt so much
Sleep is never quite enough
I wonder today what I'd get to eat
Hope I can find some tasty meat

The mouse who neither had much heart nor a mind
Ran in just about in time
The cousin cats spoke in whispers low
He's always busy just scurrying this stupid mouse
Wonder if he's ever in his house

The mouse squeaked to the squirrel by his side
I hope all this ends very soon
I have many to meet before it's noon

Sitting down made the monkey itch
I think I'd feel better if I swing a little
jump and switch

As all the timid creatures sat down
without a sound
The tiger took his place on higher ground

I never slip I cannot fall
I am the first amongst you all
All creatures faint with my little roar
I do better on any score

I have swam across a rising tide
Not a scratch I have anywhere on my hide

And just as he was to begin another story
of greater feats and bigger glory
The crow sitting in pretense on the tree up high
Dropped something dirty in the tiger's eye

The tiger could not roar or scream
Didn't even know if he should cry

It is time and I must go
I have bigger things to do he said
as he turned around and sped

With us and within us

True, Good, Beautiful, Strong, Affectionate, Joyful, Grateful, Giver, Doer, Awakened, Unconstrained, Steady, Clear, Radiant, Alive, Valiant, Perceptive, Persistent, Forgiving, Exuberant, Fair...are just a few qualities of Vishnu.

Vishnu has thousand names and even that does not encompass all that can be said about him.

Call him God. Call it an element in the universe. But there is no denying that these qualities exist all around. It existed before anything came into being. Or how else could it have manifested itself. It will exist even after the universe comes to an end. Because it is not contained in anything and everything contains it. Every atom is filled with his presence.

Whenever and wherever we encounter these qualities it enriches our life.These qualities exist in everything around us and in us. To the extent that we are able to realise these qualities in ourselves, we lift ourselves and touch with grace the lives of those around us. To the extent that we realise these qualities we move closer to him.

Whenever you see exceptional grace, beauty, intelligence, strength, persistent...know that you are looking at him.

He is with us and in us. Always. We need to only wake-up and realise that.

The Donkey and the Meadow

It was a beautiful morning bright and new
The meadow shone as the sun lit up the morning dew

The squirrels ran up and down
On the few tree that were around

The butterflies skipped from flower to flower
The crickets screeched out in a loud roar

The birds sang free as they dashed around
The bees passed by with a humming sound

The Donkey busy and unhappy was thinking to himself
O poor me O poor me

Why can't there be some donkeys more
They would know just how I feel for sure

The world is such a burden for all to see
Why can't all these creatures be just like me

Look at the flowers they just stand around
And hurt my nose as I reach for the ground

The grass it just grows too short
My neck it hurt from reaching out such a lot

There is so much to do and long miles for me to pound
I wish I could turn off all this hurting sound

The owl sorry at the Donkey's fate
Called out to him - hear me my mate

There's a need for everyone there is a place for all to be
The world's so pretty just look up and see

I can't, I have much to do you see
My shoulder drop for all the weight on me

Oh! what a shame no one can see
O poor me O poor me

Quieter Stiller Stronger Now

Standing quite calm and still
She loves the ground on which she lives
Wondering if she could touch the sky
Never vain just in a sincere honest try

She once danced with every passing breeze
Greeted every morning's sun with glee
She's quieter now, more still and strong
As though listening for some deeper sound

But when the sky is a purple hue
And sometimes in the early winter dew
You can see her glow and shine
Like at first when she was just new

And She Flows

As I stand and watch her rushing by
Sometime quicker sometimes a little slow
I whisper a little cry
You look so fresh and new
Will you be with me for moments few?
She smiles at me as she passes by

I call out again
Can you not a moment spare
O! Won't you wait?
She turns a little as if to say
I have to rush I am already late

I ask again now with a little despair
But where do you go?
Where do you stay?
I go far and for long
To where the ocean's deep and blue
But it's not my home
There I do not stay

With rain and with winter dew
I will be soon back with you
But now I must run I must go
To the trees and farms I want to flow
I can't stand I can't wait
I must run free
That's the only way I'll ever be

The Bloom

The Sky is blue the Sun is bright
The winter now is far behind
As she swings a little side to side in the early morning air
She stands happy, spreading cheer
To big and small all who come near

Sometimes when the rain's too hard
Or the Sun too strong
She closes up a little as if in despair
But when the sun mellows down
the rain is gentler and returning home again
I watch with pleasure
and sometimes I stare
As she's back to laugh and to share

Forgive Them

Forgive those who've hurt you.
Forgive those who have used you.
Forgive those who have tried to take things from you.
Forgive those who let you down.
Forgive those who've deceived
Forgive those who've been ungrateful
Forgive those who've been unkind
Forgive those who've been unfair

Forgive them because they are unfortunate
Forgive them because they have been hurt themselves
Forgive them because they were never taught any better
Forgive them because they do not understand any better
Forgive them because they are empty inside

Forgive and be free

Can You?

You maybe having fun but are you happy?
You might be popular but can people trust you?
You are expressive but do you make sense?
You are intelligent but are you sincere?
You have ideas but can you follow them to the end?
You can make friends easily but do old friends value you?
You want to teach but can you learn?
You want to talk but can you listen?
You have the energy but do you have the direction?
You have a job but are you doing good work?
You want to have things but can you also give them away?
You can run but can you stand still?
You want to be loved but can you love?

Silence is the Answer

Even words are not possible without the space in between. Even speech is not possible without the silence in between. You cannot work cannot go on endlessly without rest. Like wise, new thoughts are not possible without pausing to think. You cannot change direction without stopping to run. Even the heart cannot go one without the rest in between every beat.

Meditation is about bringing the mind to silence. Meditation is about stilling your mind. Only when your mind is still can new thoughts come in. Only when your mind stops racing in a certain direction can it turn to something else.

This pause, This stillness, occurs all the time, but is so brief that it goes unnoticed. Meditation is about stilling the mind for longer, more often. It is when the mind is still for longer that more profound thoughts appear. It is when you can still the mind more often that it becomes possible to learn and do new and different things.

Meditation starts by observing your thoughts. Slowly you begin to notice the silence in between. Then the silence, the pause grows in length. Then it to happen more often. As this happens, a deeper and deeper understanding builds up.

But then, you may ask, where do these thoughts come from? Where does this understanding come from? The answer to that is to be found in the meditation itself. The answer to it is the sames as the answer to the questions - Where did life come from? Where did this universe come from? Where did this existence come from? Where did it all come from?

Silence is the answer.

But to understand the answer, you must experience the silence first.

Seeking God

Those who seek God for worldly goods are fools. Those who think that achievement and wealth can bring them happiness are fooling themselves. Their pursuit is certain to end in disappointment.

God must be sought for what he is. The creator of all things. The greatest joy in life is to understand the mysteries of life and the universe around us. The greatest of the joys lies is creating something of value. The greatest of the joys in life lies in being of use to the world. Knowing the mysteries of life is knowing God. Creating is being God like. Being of help to others is doing like Him.
Whatever comes to you as a result of that - love, riches, respect, power is incidental. It cannot be the purpose for which you do things.

To know the mysteries of life take interest in whatever you do. To create something, keep an open mind. To be of help to others look out for those who are in need.