Hindi Poem जाने कौन है जो मेरे भीतर

यूँ तो कुछ भी नहीं है बदला

लेकिन सब कुछ बदल रहा है

जाने कौन है जो मेरे भीतर 

मेरे ही नाम से रह रहा है

मैं जी रहा हूंँ अपना जीवन

सही ग़लत वो चुन रहा है

जाने कौन है जो मेरे भीतर ...

मैं‌ था कभी कुछ और ही तब

ये कौन मेरे नाम से चल रहा है

यूँ तो कुछ भी नहीं है बदला

लेकिन सब कुछ बदल रहा है

3 Jan 25

रतीश

बिलासपुर

© Ratish

#Poetry #Poem #कविता #काव्य #kavita #kavya #Hindi #हिन्दी #हिंदी 

मुरझते फूल

मुरझते फूल फूल ही तो हैं

पंखुड़ियों के रंग मद्धम हैं

रहते अभी भी उन्हीं शाखों में
जहां हरे पात जडे़ नम हैं

उसके प्राण जीवनक्रम है

रश्मि धरा व्योम सहचर हैं

बीज से उसके बनेंगे पौधे

मुरझते फूल ही जीवन है

रतीश

22 Jan

बिलासपुर

© Ratish

#Poetry #Poem #shayri #couplets #कविता #काव्य #शायरी #kavita #kavya #Hindi #हिन्दी #हिंदी

Social Media Activism, Shannon and the 4 Villains

Social media can be used to accumulate and amplify our beliefs and preferences. Our interests, associations and interactions in the virtual world can shapes our world view. 

Some have appropriated this platform for activism - to present an argument, prove a point and further their cause. They carry their personal biases into the virtual world. Content (words,links, images, videos) that resonates with, strengthens and vindicate their viewpoint is widely circulated.Often they feed off people who hold similar views or defend against opponents of their cause. 

We face a constant onslaught of misinformation promulgated by fixated individuals. We inadvertently add noise to the system acting on our natural impulses. There is a need to develop a method that will filter out these distortions. 

Communications theory can be used as an approximate model to describe the issue .The fundamental problem of communication is that of reproducing at one point either exactly or approximately a message selected at another point. The terms used in communication theory (noise, information, capacity, channel and bandwidth) can't be referred in exact context in social media parlance but it presents an interesting parallel.

Shannon [1] was concerned with transmitting messages through a channel even in the presence of noise.

• Noise and distortion may be differentiated on the basis that distortion is a fixed operation applied to the signal, while noise involves statistical and unpredictable perturbations 
• Distortion can, in principle, be corrected by applying the inverse operation, while a perturbation due to noise cannot always be removed, since the signal does not always undergo the same change during transmission 
• If the noise is increased over the value for which the system was designed, the frequency of errors increases very rapidly 

In recent times the tone, tenor and quality of the social activist discourse leaves much to be desired. How do we stop being another noise source and contribute to clarity of the message? On which criteria we should act or deliberately choose not to react. The Four Villains of decision Making [2] presents a strategy (WRAP) to counteract our natural tendencies and arrive at better choices.

1. Narrow Framing - Narrow framing means that you are not considering all the alternatives available to you and defining your choices too narrowly. 
• Does the argument or position covers a narrow cross-section or presents it in binary terms.
• Does it not even consider options that may be better? 
• Is there a tendency to put a spotlight on specific aspect while neglecting positions that do not support the argument or are contrary? 
• Action: Widen Your Opinions
2. Confirmation bias - Confirmation bias means that when you want or believe an idea to be true, you pay more attention to the information that supports that belief. People naturally tend to select information that supports their pre-existing attitudes, beliefs and actions.
• Does the viewpoint feed to our confirmation bias? 
• Action: Reality Test Your Assumptions
3. Short term emotion - Short-term emotion clouds thinking. When you are emotional about a decision, you might replay arguments over and over until you can’t think straight, even though the facts have not changed. 
• Does the argument only panders to your emotions or asks you to take immediate action on some issue without proper consideration 
• Action: Attain Distance Before Deciding
4. Overconfidence. Overconfidence is believing that we know what the future holds. Being overconfident leads to not considering alternatives or what might happen if your choice doesn't work out well. 
• Are the views projecting any foregone conclusions for a future event? 
• Action: Prepare to Be Wrong

Social media can be used to seek information, test hypothesis and  broaden our outlook. Activists tend to have a rigid opinion, seek supporting arguments, have high emotional stake and unwavering allegiance to their cause. They intentionally or unintentionally contribute towards higher noise  and loss of communication fidelity. Take a pause and reflect before spreading content that should not be amplified.

I end by quoting Robertson Davies "Be sure you choose what you believe and know why you believe it, because if you don’t choose your beliefs, you may be certain that some belief, and probably not a very credible one, will choose you."

[1] Communication in the Presence of Noise: CLAUDE E. SHANNON
[2] Decisive: CHIP & DAN HEATH

© Ratish

Notes to myself: Intent vs. Action

Most of us have good intent in life. Many of us do not deliver against our intent consistently.

How do we translate the intent into action? The velocity of outcome can be tracked through FPS:

• Focus on why: A strong "why" that will keep you driven. The clarity will help you choose among the options on how this can be best achieved. It will eventually help you coming back to (or not) it if it needs getting done or it may be superseded by alternatives. 
• Prioritise: Know what the "must haves" are in given situation and time frame. Think about the 80/20 rule. It may be OK to put a few things on the back burner for a while and define what success would look like for things that matter 
• Score: Measure the progress against desired outcomes. This will help you realign and provide the necessary inputs to course correct.

Challenge yourself to follow-up. Consistent follow-up is the differentiator between a dreamer and achiever.

© Ratish
Didcot

Spiritual Equation

I picked up Emotional Equations book by Chip Conley after a long while. This prompted me to think an equation that can act as a guide in my own life. The variables are well known the infinite self and self.

This seems to be a well traversed path. Seekers through the ages would have pondered over this. One verse that stands out is:

ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदम् पूर्णात् पूर्णमुदच्यते |
पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ||
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ||
Translation:
That is perfect, this is perfect, this (perfect) comes from that (perfect)
Take perfect from perfect, the remainder is perfect
May peace and peace and peace be everywhere
*Perfect can be replaced by complete, whole, infinite and absolute etc.
Interpretation:
Supreme Being is perfect; you are made in his essence are also perfect. This realization by you does not diminish the completeness of the absolute being. 

 May there be peace around your (external world), extra sensory world (Psychological) and internal worlds.

I was reminded of solving algebra/trigonometric equations earlier in life were we were to prove left hand side equals right hand side. This was achieved by performing various operations such as expansion, and substitution etc.

One particular instance I recall where one of my classmate took a very simple way of solving a particularly complex trigonometric test question. He was able to prove left hand side equals right hand side. His solution was to divide both side by zero. So both side of equations become infinity..

But it did not go very well with our Math teacher. He was enraged by the inventiveness and audacity of the solution. The student was shouted at for sure  and may  even have been canned for his ignorance. Even after all these years I recall the words  which went something like "At least you should have multiplied both side with zero but why divide it?".

This incident gives me a good way to model my spiritual equation. At one side is of the equation is infinite on the the other side self
1 = ∞ 

Then the next logical step is to have zero as denominator of 1. As attachment to self tends towards nothingness self tends to infinity.

 1 =  ∞                
 0
 Self              = Infinite
Nothingness

As long as you associate yourself as an individual being there is a barrier between you and the universe (ie. 1/1=1). When your association dissolves with the body and your actions are not as a doer then something magical happens.  Shunya  a concept that was discovered by Indians was much more than zero a mathematical number. In philosophical construct it is closer to nothingness, emptiness, void or even pure consciousness .

People in all walks of life experience this momentarily when the denominator becomes zero. They experience heightened sense of being, disappearing sense of time and exhilarating feeling of transcendence. Typically this occurs when they are doing things they really like to do. The ancient Greeks called ecstasy ie. "stand outside oneself". This is also being researched in modern times as state of consciousness called flow.

© Ratish

Why do we all believe in things that we believe in?

 Values and beliefs are something fundamental to each individual. It reflects their upbringing, exposure and often is a guiding factor in making decision over a period of time.
Many a time an individual will defend their position because they believe it resonates with their core principles. At time they also seem to limit  alternate options that a person can exercise in a given situation.
Now let us consider a few questions

• What vales or principles you will not give up or compromise

•  If you think that you have a valid reason for your belief or find some logical inconsistencies in the alternate argument

• Even if there exists conclusive evidence against your viewpoint

• What will take for you to change your core beliefs

• To what extent you will go to shield someone from the consequences of their misplaced beliefs

• If a person is a stranger or acquaintance

• If a person is someone close to  you

 

© Ratish

Daddy what is Future?

Rudra asked  me - "Daddy what is Future?". We were only two people in the room. I was trying to finish my Mojitos and watch a random friday flick on TV. Rudra was busy playing and thinking about impossible things.

 Between the dialogs I responded "Future is time that is yet to come". Then he came and sat next to me and persisted with his line of questioning. I was giving him curt responses, when I could. Then I realised that something more important was happening right in this room. So I turned the volume down.

By now Rudra had challenged me to explain future without time. I think at this point I was trying to explain today is present, tomorrow is future and yesterday is past.So in the next few minutes I tried to explain the concept in more ways while Rudra was seeking clarification.

Rudra then was able to link this conversation with concept he was familiar with - Days of the week. He even went further to deduce that future repeats it self, as the days do. I was frantically searching for a Calendar to show that days do repeat but date, month and year do not. Our further conversations diverted to when is Christmas and Halloween.

 Today I was just wondering how easily we pass our own preconceived notions as truths. The calendar itself is our interpretation of measure of time and each calendar has an arbitrary reference point.  If we all agree we can make today any hour, day, date or year. We do this type of exercise for daylight savings don't we?.        
            

Coming back to future - what is future, how do you define it, from where did you learn this concept, what misconceptions will you choose to spread when some one asks you Daddy what is future?

There is another way to look at it consider what you are investing today now for your uncertain future.And what stories have you brought into?

Anyways when I checked with Rudra today about our conversations on future got point blank response - I don't know. In few years who knows what we as society will teach him 


© Ratish

Nature must change

I am a nature enthusiast since the time of my earliest recollection and possibly even earlier. In my childhood I used to accompany my father, a forest officer, in his tours. The forest - its unique sights, sounds and smell always fascinated me. 

I would sneak out of the rest houses and explore the nearby area. I used to often return with strange shaped rocks, wild fruits and berries (mango, guava, tamarind) and sometimes even a treasure like a peacock feather. 

I would happily sit in the back of a jeep, on bumpy dirt roads, as we drove through the forest. Sighting of wild animals in their natural surroundings was always special. I became adept at scanning the woods and spotting the wildlife. I had the good fortune to being in close proximity of the king of jungle, the majestic Gaur (Indian bison), and to marvel at the fireflies synchronously light up a tree in dead darkness of the night.  

Mountains, woods, water bodies, grassland and sea shores are among of my frequented haunts. Natural environment tends to replenish and center me. It provides me with an opportunity to focus and reflect on fundamental things in life. 

 There was a phase in my life where I refused to take any pictures. I believed that this inhibits us from connecting with the moment. Then came a phase when I wanted to capture nature in all its magnificent details. I took my manual SLR camera with it myriad lenses along and was immersed in my surroundings often loosing track of time. 

In the race to grow, hoard and consume we are putting extreme stress on our environment. We have made this whole world our dumping yard. No matter where you go some thoughtless person has already desecrated the place. Even the highest peaks of Himalayas have not been exempt from this nuisance. Our careless actions are tilting the balance in the fragile ecosystems and are causing irrevocable damage.

“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children” – has this realization dawned upon us yet?  We should reflect on how we treat nature, how to consume responsibly and what conscious choices we need to make in order to reverse this downward trend.  

Do you think that nature is worth preserving? To restore the balance we require massive action by each of us - TODAY.  What are you doing about it?

 

© Ratish

Pratyabhijna 101

Pratyabhijna proposes a process of self-knowledge based on reason and common experience. Reality has two inseparable aspects: consciousness and being

The main tenets of Pratyabhijna philosophy

• Ultimate reality is non dual - Shiva contains all reality in a pure unity - One who knows that he knows (Prakasa, 'light, illumination' or 'awareness' )
• Consciousness is his nature - Shakti  is the  essential nature of awareness (recognitive judgment  vimarsa)
• All actions are by conscious free will (svatantrya) The Freedom  to obtain whatever s desired
• You are Shiva - Realization of identity with supreme (Tanmayata) is Pratyabhijna. Pratyabhijna means recognition of our true universal consciousness (Chaitanya)

The dichotomy of means (upaya) and goal (upeya) is an illusion of grossness of cognition. It is Shiva’s free will (svatantrya shakti) that  is the cause of both bondage and  liberation

Pure wisdom (suddhavidya) is the awareness that self is the source that emanates all objective reality:
“If the object did not have the nature of awareness (prakasa), it would be without illumination (aprakasa), as it was before its appearance. Awareness (prakasa)   cannot be different than the object. Awareness (prakasata) is the essential nature of the object.”

One could never experience another subject outside one's own awareness.

Translation of verses on Pratyabhijna and Kashimir Shaivism thought

I become what I desire to be – complete consciousness or limited consciousness, realized being or one who is constrained. I am neither in past nor in future – I am self illuminated, omnipresent formless being.

 
http://shivyogi.blogspot.com/2010/03/yathechaami-tatha-bhami-mahamahopadyay.html

Where you are not present? When you are not present? What is there that becomes illuminated without you? I bow to this realized state of mine as highest form of prayer

http://shivyogi.blogspot.com/2010/03/kutra-naasi-kada-naasi-mahamahopadyay.html

© Ratish

Story board - Realization and life after realization

 

There have been seekers and then there have been "The Ones" who have found the pot on the other side of the rainbow.

Going back to available literature this story has multiple external variations. But at the core there seems to be a unifying thread.

The real life experiences of realized individuals have been diluted over a period of time. In many case it has been replaced by myths, legends and plain veneration. Each legend has spawned a set of followers equally misguided and totally clueless on how to interpret the message. They hide this ignorance by clinging even more strongly to some one else’s ideas, beliefs, thoughts and vision.

The quest is yet on. If you were a seeker and chanced upon that fabled pot at the other end what will you do?

• How would you live your life when you become an equal will all  former masters?
• What would you choose to do?

© Ratish

Who will survive this voilence

Yes you can kill me, take me hostage or try to show how inconsequential I am. You can be brazen and laugh at how ill prepared I am now.

If you don't succeed to kill me you will only strengthen my resolve to live. To try and build a better place a better system and rectify my deficiency.

Collectively I have mutated, collectively I have evolved. You too will strive for your reason for existence. For sure will work towards achieving newer lows.

I don't think this is new at all. We have been through this often times in the past. Different place, different times and different era. Some of the stories have now become fables, some legends and some even newsprint.

The day you are strong enough to strike you will and harm me. Then you will become casual in your acts, killing at will.

Seeing the implications a few of you will flee, some will be swayed enough to trap and fight against their former selves.

We will continue to build our world, heal our wounds and go about normal life.

In the end neither can you debilitate us nor can we exterminate you.

Be aware it is your time to lie low and die slow.




© Ratish

The Dog

The Dog

The cynic lives here no more!! Like everything around, he  too has evolved. 

Stranger still, his own motives are under the scrutiny......

Somewhere, somehow a seeds of idea were sown . Now they are sprouting branches every which way and competing for space. Each plant acquires its distinct shapes and size with passage of time. The dead leaves and branches are shed and the plant adapts to its external environment.

The fort of reason and logic have crumbled. These walls were built to keep things out and give a semblance of security and grandeur.  Amazingly it was not due to any enemy attack, but by a natural process in which the wilderness has taken over. Small growth here and a small growth there, a rock breaks free from its place and gradually the wall gives way.

I may be compared to a hunter who has stopped using his skill to kill for fun.He is assured of his ability to wield the gun, when desired.

  Dog - "the cynic " in me has been relegated to insignificant part and this fact amuses me :)

ciao

 

© Ratish

Quest

The whole concept that there is something to be comprehended is a fallacy. This statement may not be true if u consider information about different stuff. But words like knowledge or wisdom do they have any validity? 

All you can gain with any effort is information. Your width and depth of information may be so vast that you may even begin to think that u possess knowledge. So what then is knowledge – this issue itself has been debated to death and all we have is conjectures. 

Probably the reason we believe that there is stuff to be known stems from the fact that after birth, everything we learn to survive on some level come from external impulses. We confuse the learning process, like learning to act or read or gaining information of the new things - by assuming we are gaining knowledge. 

Human beings think that they are superior to others; hence their life should have some special purpose. How much more absurd can we get? Why the humbling experiences in life are always thrown away in the dustbin. We try to negate all the information that does not fit with the way we think and only change our behavior when we cannot totally discard the facts. 

How does one get away from the things he thinks he knows?

How does one realize his limitations of thinking, even when his thinking has not got any clarity?

Is there anything known as an “improved thinking”, as one knows what one knows and all that one gains with time is merely information?

If I am not informed about a particular stuff does that mean that I have “wrong information”?

Should I be informed about everything around me?

What is the limit of things that I can be informed with that are relevant to me? 

Is the quest itself flawed? Does the answers to all these questions lie in dropping of the question itself rather than gaining of any more insight about the issue? And would it matter to anyone if we never thought about these issues????

© Ratish