When I go for my daily morning walks and occasional evening walks, many join me in my neighborhood park. But only a handful interact while many turn to look away, avoiding eye contact. Maybe that is the nature of city dwellers.
When I went for the Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) courses, I realized all these simple everyday gestures and body language had a meaning to it. I learnt that by becoming aware of ourselves, we could incorporate them in our lives in a positive manner.
Then we were taught to think out of the box. I was amazed to see that these exercises brought a whole new perspective to the way I saw things till then.
Then we were taught to think out of the box. I was amazed to see that these exercises brought a whole new perspective to the way I saw things till then.
The NLP practitioner picked up a credit card and raised it in full view of us, or that is what I thought till then. He then asked each of us to describe the card that he held in his hand. The one sitting straight in front of him said he saw a line. The one to one side of him described in detail the printed words and graphics on the front of the card while the others seated on the other side described the back of the card. Then I realized that the subject was the same but when we see things from where we are, it appears different to each one of us; we see it in a different perspective;from a different angle. All the descriptions given by all of us was absolutely correct although it varied due to where we sat.
I learnt that day that all opinions are right from the perspective of that person, which is based or derived from his upbringing; the society he lived in; the knowledge that he had about that subject; his personal experiences; that would all go towards tainting or enhancing each person's opinion.
I learnt that day that all opinions are right from the perspective of that person, which is based or derived from his upbringing; the society he lived in; the knowledge that he had about that subject; his personal experiences; that would all go towards tainting or enhancing each person's opinion.
Then we were given another exercise. We were asked to draw an elephant. Since I was good at drawing I drew a beautiful detailed picture of an elephant that filled the A3 size paper given to us. It was shown to all and I gathered praises from my fellow course-mates and the practitioner. As usual I gave a tug on my collar hearing the appraisals pour in. Then there was one who drew a tiny picture of an elephant that almost disappeared from sight in the white sheet of paper. Another drew his version of the elephant so large that its body partially went beyond the edges of the given sheet. Yet another 's depiction of an elephant turned out to look more like a mouse. It was fun seeing each person's ability to put on paper what they saw or had retained in their memory.
Then the practitioner said he will now draw an elephant. He took his marker and placed a dot on a clean sheet of paper. "That is it!", he told us it was done. Now where is the elephant we asked him? He replied that that was his graphic representation of an elephant seen from outer space. And I realized that he was absolutely right.
Then he gave us a long list of items that we had to carry on our make belief journey by ship to a fake destination. He told us to list according to priority and importance, what would we throw off the ship, if in event the ship was to sink. I put on my thinking cap and started crunching my brain, deciding which item should go first. At the end of the task each of us presented our list to the class and explained why we chose to dispose them. Finally the teacher came up to us and reprimanded us, as to why we did not figure out to us those items to our advantage and plug the hole in the ship? That came as a blow! We never thought of using the things on hand to our advantage!
At the end of the course I came back a changed person, realizing how our outlook has been conditioned by our thinking, the society and other factors. I was trained to see things differently that day.
So when someone from the audience questioned CN Paramasivam if he could show god right there in the midst of his talk in London, Paramasivam replied that he could and in turn put a question back to the questioner. Paramasivam asked what was god according to his concept and received a favourable answer - that he was omnipresent and omnipotent. Fine. Then he put another question to the questioner, "Where are we now?" "In London", came the reply. Paramasivam questioned him if he could show London to all in the audience there and then. The questioner replied, "How am I to show you London now?" Paramasivam said that he could - on an atlas. But the questioner replied that it was only a pictorial representation of London. Then Paramasivam invited him to take a flight above London city and then he could show him the whole of London. Paramasivam told him that you need to leave London to see London. Similarly Paramasivam asked the questioner to take him to a place where god isn't there so that he could turn back and show him god.
We do not know whats beyond the blind corner or whats beyond the next ridge. Just as you do not know the extent of damage done by logging unless you take a flight over the forest, you have to be at a different altitude to see the world in full view; you have to step out of the problem to see a solution to it, the reason we have an arbitrator or a third party to settle our disputes; and you have to be unaffected by the situation to provide a just and fair opinion.
The Siddhas are able to look around the corner and beyond the cliff as they are watching from a different plane. Watching us they have full view of time and space before them hence are able to give us a long list of possibilities that could take place in the future and at the same time can provide a detailed revelation of every single minute moment in the past. We need to learn to use this predictions wisely, sensibly, and with caution, working towards positive goals that are not selfish in nature but rather those that will bring common good to mankind and nature alike.
Life would be pleasant if we learn to take on thing at a time. Thinking about the future might make some apprehensive and fearful. Thinking about the past might create bitterness and anger towards others. If at all there is a need to look towards the future, bring in positive vibes and thoughts. If at all there is a need to think and dwell over the past, think about the good and happy moments that you went through.
Jiminy Cricket's recipe for living carries much truth.
Everyone keeps askin'me
My recipe for livin'
It's simple as the ABC's
And hardly seems worth givin'
I've tried it out in every way
It always sees me through
It's made me what I am today
That's why I'm tellin' you
I'm a happy-go-lucky fellow
Ooh, doo, doo, doo
Full of fun and fancy-free
Doo, doo, doo
You can make the whole world seem mellow
If you take it in your stride like me
Ooh, doo, doo
Don't cross a bridge or peek 'round the corner
Until you're there
Just learn to smile and in a while
Doo, doo
You'll find trouble's a bubble of air
Get a happy-go-lucky feelin'
Doo
Keep it and I guarantee
Ooh
That you'll find you'll wind up livin' in the sun
So right
Full of fun and fancy-free
Full of fun and fancy-free
That's the way I wanna be
I don't let my troubles trouble me
Now some folks like the heavy stuff
With titles five feet wide
Not me, I'm always out for fun
Doo, doo, doo
I like the lighter side, yes, sir
Hooray
La, da, da, dee, la, da, da, dee
Don't let my troubles trouble me
Don't cross a bridge or peek 'round the corner
Until you're there
Just learn to smile and in a while
You'll find trouble's a bubble of air
Get a happy-go-lucky feelin'
("I'm a happy-go-lucky fellow" from Disney's Fun and Fancy Free written by Ned Washington and Eliot Daniel, performed by Cliff Edwards)