Perfectly Imperfect

 

Aiming for progress and improvements is often more fulfilling than perfection. Embracing imperfection can indeed lead to a more fulfilling and balanced life. Recognizing that perfection is an idealized concept and that imperfections are part of being human can alleviate unnecessary pressure and stress. Embracing imperfection allows growth, resilience, and a deeper appreciation of life's journey. 

Let's make meditation a part of our daily routine. As we continue practicing mindfulness with meditation, our awareness of ourselves grows slowly and we begin to accept even our imperfections. With that, we start to think perfectly about ourselves. Meditation helps us dig deeper within ourselves and find the truth that each one of us is special, perfect with unique qualities.

Meditation for healthy living.

Keep calm and look at yourself.

In today's fast-paced world, it can be challenging to keep our minds calm due to constant external stimuli. However, there are several practices and strategies that can help promote mental calmness.

One useful way to promote mental well-being is through mindfulness and meditation. Regular practice of these techniques can help cultivate a sense of inner peace and calm. Find a quiet place, sit comfortably, and focus your attention on your breath or a specific object. When thoughts arise, acknowledge them without judgment and gently bring your attention back to the present moment.

Remember to limit technology and screen time. Excessive use of technology, such as smartphones, computers, and social media, can contribute to mental agitation. Set boundaries by limiting your screen time, taking regular breaks from electronic devices, and engaging in activities that don't involve screens.

Engage in physical activity. Physical exercise is not only beneficial for the body but also for the mind. Engaging in regular physical activity, such as walking, jogging, yoga, or any other form of exercise, can help reduce stress, promote relaxation, and improve overall well-being.

Establish a routine. Creating a daily routine can provide a sense of structure and stability, which can contribute to mental calmness. Plan your day including time for work, leisure, self-care, and relaxation. Stick to a consistent sleep schedule to ensure adequate rest.

Practice deep breathing. Deep breathing exercises can help activate the body's relaxation response and calm the mind. Take slow, deep breaths, inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth. Focus on the sensation of your breath and allow it to bring a sense of calmness to your body and mind.

Cultivate gratitude and positive thinking. Practicing gratitude and positive thinking can shift your focus away from stress and anxiety. Regularly reflect on the things you are grateful for and consciously choose to focus on the positive aspects of your life. This can help cultivate a more peaceful mindset.

Prioritize self-care. Taking care of yourself is essential for maintaining mental calmness. Engage in activities that you enjoy and that promote relaxation, such as reading, listening to music, taking baths, or practicing hobbies. Make self-care a priority and set aside dedicated time for it.

Remember, the mind should be calm to see everything as it is. The creativity of the mind is possible only when it is calm and clear.

Delicate Life

Life of you and me and the collective life of all in nature can manifest in any form. It can be in the form of small cells at the biotic level which we even can’t see directly. It might be in the form of you and me and the form of huge creatures like Dynasores. 

Whether it is plants or insects all living beings that take birth, grow, and die are all manifestations of the same source called life. The lovely taste of sugarcane takes the form of sugar grains after processing and we put it in the tea then it becomes the taste of tea, in candy it’s the taste of candy, and in cake, it's the taste of cake which is sweet. Tea, candy, and cake are the only forms in which we take the taste of sweetness and it is basically from sugarcane, and sugarcane itself is a form of sweetness. There are numerous examples but you need to be yourself/innocent to feel it and assimilate this profound reality which is impossible to come into being in your understanding as long as you are very cunning and just work through your logic.

In totality nature is life, and everything within it, including you and me, are its expressions. We are not separate from each other, but deeply connected. Through deep meditation, we can begin to feel more related to existence.

One day full of life…..

It's difficult to define what it means to truly live. When we try to find meaning in life using our logic, it becomes more confusing as our mind starts playing tricks on us. The mind tends to swing between positive and negative thoughts, and meditation is one place where the mind disappears.

We feel that life is light and smooth when we are happy. In those moments of heartfelt happiness, maybe we are living in the true sense.

There is an interesting story about living which goes like this: Once, a person was very upset about his problems and used to say, "I am not alive," claiming that his life had become like that of a dead person due to his problems. Most of the time, he never felt like he was truly living. One day he died, and after a few seconds of death, he suddenly realized that he was alive. At first, this story didn't make sense to me as well. But after some days, I realized the following.

We are all admitted to school at a very early age, and in school, we learn all the necessary skills to understand the world, society, and people to live a better life in the future.

We spend 10-12 years in school learning these basic skills. Then we start our professional learning in colleges to acquire skills so that we can earn a living, and another 5-7 years of life are spent on learning professional skills.

Now, armed with knowledge and skills, we enter the professional world (job, business, professional field, etc.) to earn money or a living. Over our professional lives, we work hard to accumulate or try to accumulate means of luxury (cars, houses, property, etc.) to enhance our standard of living.

After 25 to 30 years of professional life, we retire and then suddenly realize that "Oh, all my life I just learned and prepared for a better life, and now I don't have enough time to live." Most of our lives are just spent on these preparations and learning, and in the meantime, we may be missing out on life in the true sense.

A single day full of life is better than years of preparation for a better living because we keep missing out on the happy moments of our lives.

Destiny and Accomplishment

A water drop in the ocean may get bored with its stagnant state or may wish to rise. It begins to sway with the wind waves, eventually evaporating and ascending to the sky, leaving behind all its comforts. It rolls with the clouds, faces thunderbolts, travels far away exploring new directions, and finally encounters the coldness and chilliness of altitude. As it cools down, loses its lightness, and falls on the slopes of mountains, plains, and dense forests as rain or again as water drops. Sometimes the water drop is caught up in the form of snow, but it does not like to remain solid; rather, it melts and flows. Now it loves to rush to low land where it can mix itself with the river and flow faster towards its origin. As a river, it crosses valleys and ranges of mountains, falls as waterfalls, and sometimes just gets lost underground, but all its moves and turnings are headed towards somewhere with dedication and determination that even rock dams can't stop it for long. Finally, the water drop reaches the ocean. Destiny accomplished. A small, hard object like the seed of a plant no longer wishes to remain in the shield of its protective layer. It bursts out of its secure zone, turning itself into tiny delicate seedlings and peeking out its head from underground darkness. There are a thousand and one risks as the tiny and delicate seedlings have to face adverse weather and many chances of being uprooted and plugged out, but still, it opens up itself to express its total potential. With time, the tiny hard seed expresses itself into a small plant with a few leaves and a still fragile stem. It faces the chill of winter, heavy rainfall, and horrifying storms but keeps on the struggle. Slowly, its fragile stems grow stronger, green leaves become dense, and the seed turns into a fully grown, tall, and strong plant. With the coming of spring, buds in the plant begin to sprout, and it doesn't stop there; finally, it widely opens up and blossoms into colorful flowers, spreading its sweetness, fragrance, and scent all around. Now, one small, hard, and grounded seed completely expresses itself into its full potential, turning into free, fragrant, and replicating into hundreds of similar seeds. Destiny accomplished. What about us as human beings, the finest creation of nature? Peace and satisfaction are only there when we know our true selves and express ourselves up to our full potential. The very first step towards it is keeping our mind calm using meditation as an instrument.