The Art of taking rejections,...

I wonder why is it so hard to take a rejection.

Perhaps, because we all think very highly of ourselves. We often take ourselves to be the center of the universe. We put attach undue importance to our woes and worries and treat them to be over and above those of others. We often think that world has been unfair to us, without ever contemplating on what we have or could have done to make it fair. We all need to feel special, loved and appreciated to get going. To achieve this, we shy away from our shortcomings. We picture and project ourselves as something or someone what we are not. All that to seek acceptance. It is therefore that a rejection hurts us.
However, if we had been more comfortable we what we are, it would have been more easier to take rejections. Knowing our strength and weaknesses , accepting and cherishing them is the key. We should accept ourselves as we are, rather than seek acceptance. Be loving rather than seeking it out. There is absolutely no harm in getting inspired from and appreciating others. In fact it a very enriching process.
Its okay to be rejected, move on and work harder. Rejections and failures accelerate our learning. But, only if we are will are willing to learn and improve , rather than being in denial of our shortcomings.

It is only by accepting our shortcomings that we would overcome them. Rejections are masked opportunities to contemplate, introspect and rise.

Being comfortable with ourselves, we would never mind other's perceptions of ourselves. It would not bother us that much. If we know ourselves well enough we would know how to differentiate between constructive and destructive criticism. We would then benefit from the former and reject the latter. We could simply take things in stride rather than creating a hullabaloo about our wounded self esteem.

Instead of feeling "Rejected" or be dejected we should reject the feeling of being insulted or hurt due to other's perception of us or of our work. Nothing is absolute, nothing is completely objective. Life and perceptions are subjective. There are shades of grey rather than everything being in black and white. What someone may perceive as ugly may be perceived as beautiful by the other. Know your worth, be comfortable and confident, consider the fallacies of life and be accommodating. See if rejections still bother you.

The Woman of Tomorrow

The Woman of Today took efforts to nurture her self esteem. Her efforts have paved a way for the Woman of Tomorrow.

The Woman of Tomorrow knows how to start afresh and is willing to take chances.

She has long broken away from the painful, binding and demeaning bonds which were pushing her backwards.

She is independent and liberated. The world welcomes her arrival.

The Woman of Tomorrow is sensible and is aware of her capabilities.

She trusts her intelligence and instincts and knows how to tap her abilities to move forward.

She is full of aspirations. She has the freedom to enter the "man’s" work force, freedom to hold bank accounts and get mortgages and loans.

Her financial freedom enables her to play a greater role in society. She is a potential contributor to country's development and social welfare.

She is accountable, assertive and confident.

The Woman of Tomorrow is kind, compassionate, accommodating and empathetic.

Rather than ignoring, she actually acknowledges her sentiments and emotions. She knows that they drive her towards empowerment.

She is good manager at home and at work. She loves her family and respects her work and colleagues.

She is more comfortable with herself and her surroundings than ever.

The woman of tomorrow is open-minded and progressive.

She is not afraid to put forth new ideas, experiment and be a trailblazer. And yet she is equally enthusiastic about other's ideas.

She respects and considers the perspective of others however conflicting the perspective might be.

The Woman of Today is challenging and questioning the society. She is pushing the society towards introspection.

The Woman of tomorrow is bound to take legacy forward. She would work towards improvising the society.

The woman of tomorrow knows that her role is changing and it is changing for the better.

Beauty of Sorrow

Why does a person come back to his or her ground state only in sorrow or sadness.

We are hyperactive, enthusiastic, bubbly in happiness. Such an excited state cannot remain forever. It would wear us out. Drain us of all our energy.
Sorrow bring balances us. Why do we despise sorrow ?
Isn't it an integral part of our life. Our system of being and behaviour.
Sorrow lends creatively to the one who bears it. Suddenly he or she starts analyzing, philosophizing.
My father used to listen Kishore's/Mukesh's dard bhare geet. They are mesmerizing, beautiful. The same singer, the lyrics from the same lyricist sound different and shallow in a another song sung in a irrationally happy mood. Why the sorrowful mood lend soberness, serenity, graveness and depth to the songs.
The great poems, The most meaningful and beautiful ones come from an author in sorrow.
Sorrow is ubiquitous and omnipresent. It part of everybody's life. Everyone can relate to it.
Sorrow has the potential to bring people.
Feelings of sympathy and empathy are more meaningful than binding that shared joys.
My regards to 'the sorrow' which balances our life. To 'the Fear' which makes us sincere.
To 'the thorns' that protect the rose


Wrote for triond : http://authspot.com/poetry/beauty-of-sorrow/

IshtaDevaaye Namah: The history and significance of the Ishtadevatas

The particular title on Helium caught my attention and I felt an instinctive pull to make a contribution to it. The term 'Ishtadevtaa' is a Sanskrit word and is related to Hinduism. Sanskrit is one the oldest languages of the world and Hinduism one of the oldest religions.

The term 'Ishtadevtaa' is composite and is formed by joining the two words 'Istaa' and 'Devata'. The former means 'Favorite' and the latter means 'God'. The term translates as 'Favorite God'. Hindusim is a religion based on sense of gratitude and well being. In Hinduism, an entity which gives you something but does not take anything in return is a God. In that respect, the trees, the rivers, parents, teachers , cows are revered and worshipped. God is Omniscient and omnipresent. There is not a place or time where God is not. There is God in everything and everybody. The concept of Devil as in Christianity and Islam does not exist. In Hinduism the creator (Brahma) is a God, the preserver (Vishnu) is God and the Destroyer (Shiva) is a God too. This is to recognize Destruction as an integral part of the Cycle of Life. Destruction is necessary for Construction and to maintain Equilibrium .The all-powerful trinity of the Creator 'Brahma', the Preserver 'Vishnu' and the Destroyer 'Shiva' form the basis of Hinduism.
The Hindu Mythology, as evident in the written scriptures and great epics, talks about millions of Gods and demi-Gods. There are the nature Gods like the sun , the moon, Rivers, Rain, Mountains , Wind and Sea which are worshipped. There are the 'Avatars' (Human manifestations of the God who come up to the earth to destroy the evil and set example for the mankind) like Ram, Krishna, Sita, Radha, Hanuman, Pashu Ram who are worshipped fervently. And then, there are the reincarnations of the celestial beings who are worshipped in many forms. Each of the Gods have a different and ditinctive personality. While Ram is patient, calm, obedient and truthful, Krishna is playful and manipulative. The offerings to be made and rituals to be performed for each of the Gods is different (and in accordance with their personality and origin).

So Many Gods to be worshipped, So less time. The Concept of 'Ishtadevtaa', enables you to choose your God and devote your life unto him. I might choose the fun-loving and auspicious son of Shiva , the elephant God 'Ganesha' as my 'IshtaDevta' and find happiness in worshipping him, reading his stories, listening to the hymns composed in his honour and offering 'laddu' (sweets) to him. And You could chose the Goddess Kali, as your 'Ishta' and devote your life fighting again deceit and wrong since that is what Kali signifies. Choose your Path. Choose your God. The religions Buddhism and Jainism have much in common with Hinduism especially with the concepts of moksha (liberation) and ahimsa (non-voilence). Hinduism is has multitude of philosophies which are at times contradictory. While there is a concept of ahimsa (non-voilence), there's also a concept of 'Bali' or life- sacrifice. Another irony is the philosophy of 'One God' in Hinduism. All the Hindu Gods are said to be facets of one supreme God. The religion can be moulded any which way and has a lot of scope. The believers of contradictory Hindu philosophies co-exist and share mutual respect. That is why the religion still lives and breathes.

Concept of 'IshtaDevaa' reminds me of a documentary is saw on the Indian National Television a few years back. The Documentary was about a Hindu from Bengal who worshipped Christ. He loved Christ with all his heart. He read Bible , composed songs for Christ and yet he stated that he was essentially Hindu. Hinduism was not only a religion but a way of life to him. To him, being Hindu meant he respected his elders, loved his juniors. That he showed gratitude to nature and That he could chose his God. His 'Ishtadevtaa'.

Wrote the article for helium.com : http://www.helium.com/items/2130122-ishtadevata-hinduism-sanskrit-ishta

God and You

A man knocked the door of the house where God resided.
"Who are you", came God's voice from inside.
"Your devotee... lover." replied the man.
"Sorry. There isn't space for two," was what God had to say.

The man left the place. He came back after sometime and knocked the door again.
"Who are you", asked God.
"You," replied the man.
God opened the door and hugged him.
The story signifies that we are closest to God when we realise that we are actually a part of him. A true prayer is not a wish-list but the aura, the moment when you forget yourself and feel the presence of God. The concept is age-old. Our ancestors tried to achieve the same ambience through Yogic meditation. An ambience where atma dissolves unto paramatma (the supreme, God), both of which are within you. This is to say that God is a part of yourself rather than the other way round.
'Kasturi kundal baase' , the phrase is has a significance.
The musk deer chases the fragrance which lies in his very own belly. It is in a confused state. So are we. It never realises that it itself is the source of the fragrance, it has been trying to explore. God too does not have to be searched in anywhere. He is with you, forever.
In true love you acknowledge the mistakes of your lover as your own and forgive them. Ego, does not come into picture.
"Drop", said Buddha to the King who came up to present the largest diamond of his kingdom and a lovely lotus to Lord Buddha.
The king dropped the flower, taking it to be insignificant.
"Drop", said Buddha again. The King, being a little confused, dropped the diamond too.
"Drop", repeated Buddha.
The king was perplexed. He had nothing to drop.
"Drop your ego son. This is the most valuable offering."

Two people in love are often expressed as "One soul trapped in two bodies". Loving God is to accept that either you are a part of God or that God himself is a part of you. Thus loving God makes you a better person. When you realise that God is forever with you, ( i.e. he is with you when you help others or abuse them.), you would definitely not like to make your most beloved and revered God to be a party in your misdeeds. Would you? So you would stop doing them.
Now the question comes: "Does God really exist?"
"No, he does not. For I have never seen him."
"Do you exist?"
"Of course I do. What kind of question is this. I am sitting next to you, you can see me, touch me." So you believe in your existence when you know that you won’t be here, 70-80 years from now. Anyway, does your existence count or make a difference in a universe with billions of galaxies, each galaxy having billions of stars, and each star capable of supporting many solar systems?
But still, you exist, since your presence can be felt.
God exists for those who can feel his presence, who believe in his presence.

Wrote the arcticle for Indiatimes. http://spirituality.indiatimes.com/articleshow/779124.cms

Stay Foolish, Stay Hungry, Stay Young

A young lady of sixteen could not help feel proud when she received a poem on her beauty from an admirer. Her father remarked at her vanity 'The beauty at sixteen is a gift from nature. Beauty at 65 is your own'.
The words make more sense to be now. The energy, the beauty and the vitality of youth is not hard earned. It’s natural and indiscriminate. You could put in long hours of consistent physical effort in youth. Your body could take it all without complaining. You had the burning desire to conquer the world and make your mark. No failures could deter you. The self -motivation was so strong. You had a very casual attitude towards your looks which were taken for granted. You believed that looks do not matter and its content which counts. You were a dreamer. Dreams, which were more powerful an influence than the harsh realities of the world.
As you grow older you recognize the limitations and imperfections of your body. You also recognize, approve of and resign to the far from perfect world you live in. Your unpleasant experiences make to wary of people and of life. You may lose faith in others, more so in yourselves. Maintaining yourself becomes a necessity in order to survive. This necessity of maintaining yourself pushes you to think about your youth. You lost something down the years. However, not everything can be lost.
The zeal, the passion, the ambitions of your youth should not die. The curiosity, the innocence, the faith should not be lost. The positive attitude, the absurd idealism, the irrationalism should be maintained and carefully nurtured, specially so, as you age. The healthy routine of getting up early, exercising, eating good should be incorporated. Take good care of yourself. Love yourself. Look good. Introspect and Reflect about yourselves. Worship daily, believe in goodness. Be in awe of nature and life. Connect with nature to release stress.
Take risks just like you did in your youth. Follow your heart. Do not let the worldly pragmatism kill your soul and your individuality. Take it easy. Slow down when you feel like. It’s a marathon not a sprint race. You need to conserve energy. Reuse and Recycle it.
Work passionately, Love passionately. Help others and be useful. Cheer others when they are down.
Aging can be difficult. It can be de-motivating and de-moralizing at times. But practice, discipline, faith and love can turn it into the most beautiful experience.
Wish us beauty and happiness in aging.

http://www.helium.com/items/1715304-staying-young-by-maintaining-the-trends-of-your-youth

Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder.

And Cinderella said to the Prince "Do you love me because I am beautiful, or Am I beautiful because you love me ?"
Aren't the people you love, the most beautiful people in the world. They may not be so to the others.
Beauty is very subjective. We judge a person's beauty based on our own perceptions. Perceptions which may differ person to person. Perceptions which are built on our instincts, upbringing, culture , background and practical experiences. To me, short could be cute , To you it may be unattractive.
A person however physically unattractive may be most appealing to you after you get to know him. His nonchalance could intrigue you. His innocence could make a special place in your heart. You may find an unconventional personality very challenging and attractive, even though others may find him unacceptable. Each to his own. A person's personality which complements your own could make him or her attractive to you. Every person is special in his or her own unique way. There is beauty in everybody. Only if one have eyes to appreciate the beauty.
I remember having read a story about a cosmetic firm which floated a competition encouraging people to write about and send in a picture of the most beautiful lady they knew. One of the competition entries was brought to the notice of the CEO of the firm. It was by a boy of thirteen. The boy had written ' Delima is the most beautiful lady I have known. She lives just across the street. She waits for me every evening after my classes and bakes the most delicious cookies for me. She talks to me and motivates me when I am low. She listens to me when I wish to be understood. She has the most beautiful smile and the face of an angel. I would like to be married to a lady like her when I grow up.' Enclosed was a picture of a 80 year old lady seated comfortably in a cane chair. Her wrinkles, toothless smile and eyes beaming with content marked her face. The CEO remarked that he could not use the picture. It would show the world that the firm's products are not necessary to make a person beautiful.
It is, no doubt, the beauty in the eyes of the beholder which beautifies you and me more than any make up could.

I Wrote this article for a competitive entry at heliim.com
http://www.helium.com/items/1698552-beauty-lies-in-the-eyes-of-beholder