CONSCIENCE

The world would be a better place if everyone looks out for the safety and well being of others. For instance walking along the road I find a piece of nail or screw that I know will puncture the next car that comes along. I bend to pick it up and throw it away from harms way. It is rather a very simple gesture or effort on my part, that can relieve the trouble and save another the cost of having to repair the puncture. There are many similar ways in which we can help each other without even having to know the person personally, or the need to be present on the spot. You must have seen the following video that exemplifies these circumstances.

Sometimes I lay 

Under the moon 

And thank God I'm breathing 

Then I pray 

Don't take me soon

'Cause I am here for a reason 

Sometimes in my tears I drown 

But I never let it get me down 

So when negativity surrounds 

I know some day it'll all turn around because... 

All my life I've been waiting for 

I've been praying for 

For the people to say 

That we don't wanna fight no more 

There will be no more wars 

And our children will play 

One day 

It's not about Win or lose

'Cause we all lose 

When they feed on the souls of the innocent 

Blood-drenched pavement 

Keep on moving though the waters stay raging 

In this maze you can lose your way (your way) 

It might drive you crazy but don't let it faze you, no way (no way)

Sometimes in my tears I drown 

But I never let it get me down 

So when negativity surrounds 

I know some day it'll all turn around because... 

All my life I've been waiting for 

I've been praying for 

For the people to say 

That we don't wanna fight no more 

There will be no more wars 

And our children will play 

One day 

(Source: Matisyahu's official music video for 'One Day'.at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRmBChQjZPs)

Then again something we do now, this instant, is bound to affect another either positively or negatively. Our actions sent ripples or has a domino affect around us. An action in a corner of the universe sparks a chain of actions in other places. So chose wisely what we intent to do.

I accidentally came across the following video of a very popular nursery rhyme that we all grew up with while searching for this particular song that my granddaughter was asking for. Watching it together with her, I never knew the boy, the girl and the old man they sing about are those living on the streets. I re-learnt the nursery rhyme that day, learning a new meaning to this song, that of inculcating the noble idea of sharing, caring and helping another, early in life through nursery rhymes for the children.

These days we expect God to come in person. But God is always around us, has always been with us, and in us and others too. When I succumbed to a sudden pain in the chest and was figuring if I could go out to purchase the groceries for the families that PTS was sponsoring that weekend, Suren offers to shop for them relieving my duties. I saw God's play then, caring and showing concern for me. 

When the doctors initially suggested certain procedures for my daughter, the senior doctor came along to reverse the earlier decision. I saw God's play then and, there again, caring and showing his concerned for us.

God is present in nature. He keeps us alive by providing for us and all our needs through nature. Take away the natural habitat and we are lost of God's gift. Just as God showers his treasures through the trees, plants and animals that we are dependent on, learn to see God in others too. Learn to see god performing through others too. Bring God within us too and serve others just as nature serves us. But what do we do? We upset the very ecosystem that we are dependent on and bring harm to all. The land that was once dominated by animals, trees and plants is being slowly replaced by man and his man made structures. Where do the animals turn too for food and shelter then if not gate crashing into the dwellings of man?

Life's lessons cannot be taught in a classroom. On has to follow the parent, mentor, guru or others and pick up the lessons along the way. Occasionally one might get an answer or explanation from them. But most of the part we need to observe and learn by example. So is it with spiritual lessons. I tagged along with Supramania Swami and Tavayogi and learnt some precious lessons too.

Nature teaches us too. Watching nature we learn several lessons and pick up skills. We learn survival skills as in the plants, trees and animals. We learn to give without expecting in return, again from watching the plants, trees, animals. 

We forget to smile these days. Some are so afraid to smile, fearing that they would invite trouble through eye contact that they chose to look away. Many shut themselves up in their air conditioned homes never wanting to look beyond the walls of their homes. Children are given the smartphone to keep themselves occupied while the adults attend to their work and chores. The child misses the bare foot walks on the grass covered with the morning dew. They miss watching the butterfly fly from a blade of grass to another. They miss watching the squirrel hop from branch to branch. They miss the birds that chirp away noisily as the mother feeds the young. They miss to look towards the night sky and watch its occupants shine upon us brilliantly. Although we did not go far, my parents and I watched natures marvel from the verandah of our home those days. Today I take my granddaughter on our regular morning and evening walks around the neighborhood and park watching natures beauty. This precious time spent with a growing kid brings much joy. Joy is also in having our parents, upon hearing we are coming home, prepare the tastiest dishes and serve us like royalty. These are the moments in life we cherished.

A man who goes out giving money away, giving food and serving others becomes divine in their eyes. This is the first step towards moving towards divinity - the reason for our elders to stress on these virtues and values. Only then can we bring the divine within to move us towards reaching the higher states.

Rather then put on the garb of a spiritual man and begin preaching about values and service, one needs to work with the society first, looking after their needs. He will understand better the problems of people when he takes on the role in an ashram later. Swami Sivananda when he was serving as a medical officer in then Malaya served the people before he made his way to Rishikesh to start his a monastery and his missionary work. Today he continues to live in our hearts and in our thoughts.

Our perspective of live and the world changes with modern discovery. With the advent of technology we are exposed to new things we never saw before. If prior to these, we were satisfied with what we had with and around us, then several pioneering travelers took to the road less traveled and came back with stories of the world beyond their frontiers. They traveled over the hills, across the seas and recently even beyond the world and into space. Sharing their journeys and discoveries, they changed our perspective of our world. Hence we got to see people in the likes of Marco Polo, Christopher Columbus, and Yuri Gagarin. Such accomplishments and achievements of these great and courageous men is carried by Paul Simpson in the "Independant" at https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/the-10-greatest-travellers-of-all-time-6104262.html. 

Just who is the world's greatest traveler? A question posed by Wanderlust magazine to prominent personalities bagged these answers.

Nominated by Michael Palin: "Xuanzang travelled alone on a pilgrimage to discover the origins of Buddhism. The scope, scale and significance of these travels for Chinese and Indian history have never been equaled." XuanZang was a Chinese Buddhist monk who went on the mother of all pilgrimages and pioneered travel writing. 

Travelling style: "He was curious, courteous, determined, intelligent and courageous," says Palin. Places visited: Xian, the deserts and mountains of western China, Afghanistan and Pakistan, all of India. Hardships suffered: hunger strikes, often caught by bandits, nearly died of thirst, survived an avalanche. Changed-the-world rating: "He left a priceless legacy in the record of his journeys and translations of Buddhist writings that might otherwise have been lost," says Palin.

Michael Palin himself is a great traveler having brought us several wonderful documentaries and books including the As seen on BBC "Himalaya". 

Nominated by Sara Wheeler, travel writer: "Captain Cook discovered more of the earth's surface than any other man and excelled as a scientist, cartographer and surveyor. Travelling style: Precise - an excellent navigator, he always drew up accurate charts; indomitable - when his ship, the Endeavour, ran aground in the Coral Sea, he beached and repaired it; shrewd - he averted scurvy by forcing his crew to eat fruit and sauerkraut; open-minded - his notes show genuine interest in other cultures."

Yuri Gagarin was the first man in space. Nominated by Mark Ellingham, Rough Guide's founder: "He took the greatest leap into the unknown since Columbus - or at least since Laika, Sputnik 2's dog." On 12 April 1961 Yuri was blasted into space in crude terms - in a seat on top of a tin can, which was itself on top of a bomb. Places visited: Around the Earth and 315km above it. Changed-the-world rating: Fuelled the space race. 

These are only some of the travels documented. There could be many more from all over the world who might have journeyed and never returned to tell their tale or it was not documented or forgotten in time. 

Today without us realizing or being aware, we are being watched. There are men and instruments watching the ground and world below from above at each moment, flying in the air in airplanes and cruising around in space stations.

What we were accustomed with seeing at ground level, today has changed further with the advent and coming of drones. We now get to see a new view and over a greater expanse of the hills, dales, cliffs and the peaks. Earlier we had to board the plane to see a larger view of the ground.

As Marina Otero Verzier says in the following video "Drones are like an extended consciousness, its almost like an extra eye that allows us to reach places that otherwise we would never reach", our perspective of all things will definitely change. It looks like we have to accept change and be prepared to drop old beliefs in view of new challenges and discoveries. The drone has come to be a game changer where we get to see the fifth elevation as explained in the video.

Natural geographic and other movie makers bring us the world from their perspective that is mind blowing. The advancement in science has given us extra eyes to see things our fore fathers did not even imagine.

The siddhas too have a unique means to look into the past and future, a vision that goes beyond the corner, rises above the tallest buildings and the greatest peaks and beyond space into a file-room that holds the Akashic Records. They tap into its huge volumes of files kept about every individual who has taken birth and yet to take, we are told. They reveal them when the correct moment comes. I was blessed to have several readings. Coming to see the nadi, Agathiyar explained to us in detail the cause of our sufferings. He told us that it was due to our past karma. He showed us the means to diffuse the effect of our karma so that the sufferings stop or are lessened.

To begin with, we place a token of appreciation to the siddhas for willing to open up our nadi and peer into it to look into our past, so that we could know the reasons for events to take place in current times and if needed the remedies to bring change henceforth. This token or Nadiku Dhanam serves as payment to the nadi reader too. We are asked to donate towards the temple undil or funds while visiting the numerous temples mentioned in the nadi. We are to part with our money by giving a small token of appreciation as dhaksanai or fees for the archana that goes towards the upkeep of the temple and ensures the pujas go on besides being an income for the temple priests. The money spent on purchasing archana items means the small peddlers can bring home an earning too.

Through this act of performing parikaram we learn to part with our money and give it to another. Indirectly Agathiyar is opening our hearts to give. I went on a similar pilgrimage to temples to perform the parikarams or remedies stated in the nadi. I was shown another land, the land of my forefathers and ancestors. I was shown poverty and hardship endured by a portion of its citizens. My eyes teared when I saw the smile of gratitude and love in the eyes of its children when I fed them at Kallar ashram. When I went marketing with Tavayogi prior to feeding I saw that my money could buy much in India. When I returned to Malaysia, I was more thrifty in terms of spending as I became calculative, thinking what else I could get for these children in India for the money I spent here on luxuries.

Then Agathiyar sets us to do charity. We began by looking for children's homes and old folk's homes where we could look into their needs. We began to cook and serve food for the inmates of these homes and purchased and delivered groceries and other items requested. It was sad to see babies, toddlers and kids left behind by their parents who could not look after them, having brought them to these homes in the hope that their needs would be taken care of and their survival guaranteed. We could see the children looking forward towards us for love, to be cuddled and played with, which they missed in these homes. Sad.

As for those senior citizens in the care of these homes, we found them slowly adopting themselves to stay with total strangers, having being deserted and left behind by the very children whom they raised up without deserting them even in their toughest times. We could see that they had many stories to share with us. We realized and understood that in old age we need each other, a companion to talk to. Sad.

Along the way we picked up the cue from Sri Krishna to feed the homeless on the streets too. We went out giving cooked food and later switched to distributing buns and drinks to them. Our initial assumption that these were runaways or lazy bumps looking towards an easy life, not wanting to venture to look for jobs but rather being contended with receiving the handouts given, was wrong. We came to learn that they took up odd jobs and were paid but the measly salary could only sustain their existence and not pay for the high rental in the city and the bills that came with the utilities. Hence they hit the streets, slowly taking up their regular spot on the pavements when businesses close down for the day. Whatever food we provided was a saving for them for they need not spend for a meal. Sad.

Then we decided that we should take the cue from Vinthamaray Stan and family in feeding those struggling to make ends meet again with only a measly earning but a huge responsibility on their shoulders. We began to provide groceries for them. Then as we entered these homes and interacted with them, we found their homes in pathetic conditions, without even the basic needs, a pillow, a bed, etc. We came across family members bedridden for years. We came to realize that the enormous responsibilities of taking care of the needs of the family had fallen on the shoulders of grannies or young married women when the men in their houses deserted them. We saw a school going child take care of her infant sibling while the elders went to work or to do other chores. Sad.

Now we understand why Agathiyar directed us to feed and help the poor and unfortunate. He opened our eyes to yet another world beyond the comfort of the four walls of our homes, a real world with real people that existed right below our nose which we did not realize till now. Agathiyar has opened our hearts to extend help to these unfortunate society. But these are no great feat on our part for we only spend a moment with them listening to their problems. We do still return to the comfort of our homes, the air conditioned rooms, the cable tv and good food and entertainment.

If Agathiyar opened our eyes to the reality that was around us, here is one man who was visibly shaken by seeing the large number of the world's population go hungry that he chose to remind us and others who watch him play football that there are many going without food today. He chose to tattoo his body with the names of the hungry. Would we do it?

On 14 February 2015, Paris Saint-German played against Caen at Parc des Princes. For most players this game was just another day on the job. For Zlatan Ibrahimović this was his most important game to date. Underneath his sweater he had 50 new names tattooed. Names of people he’d never met, but still wanted to keep close. Names of some of the 805 million people suffering from hunger today. These people don’t often make the front page, yet hunger and malnutrition are the number one risk to health worldwide - greater than AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined. This is a campaign from the World Food Programme, the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. In emergencies, they get food to where it is needed, saving the lives of victims of war, civil conflict and natural disasters. WFP is part of the United Nations system and is voluntarily funded. On average, WFP reaches more than 80 million people with food assistance in 75 countries each year. About 11,500 people work for the organisation, most of them in remote areas, serving the hungry. Support The United Nations World Food Programme and Zlatan Ibrahimović’s fight against hunger at http://WFP.org/805millionnames

When I returned from our last and latest feeding program sponsored by PTS, I was visibly disturbed too at seeing the deplorable condition my own kind and fellow humans were staying in. I wrote in the AS group.

Thank you to all those who came to distribute the groceries to 7 families at the PPR flats at Kampong Muhibbah this afternoon. Thank you for all the monetary contributions from all contributors to Amudha Surabhi (AS). But above this we would appreciate if you could come and join us personally in dispersing the aid and seeing for yourself the pathetic condition our society is living in. We cannot snap photos to show you. You need to see for yourself. We intend to focus in this place and contribute more towards many more families. Today we received requests for aid from another 4 families. We will hold the next potluck annadhanam (another feeding program) in conjunction with the Siddhar Jayanthi not in the streets but in these flats. It falls on Sat 30 March. Please cook a meal and come in person and serve these families.

Agathiyar has made us stop complaining over petty things, complaining about the lack of luxuries, complaining over unfulfilled desires and wishes, complaining over delayed responses and actions, and complaining about how life is not fair to us. Showing us that there are way too many out there who lived in substandard conditions without even the basic amenities and struggling to keep alive, he has made us become grateful for all the things he has showered on us. We appreciate all the little things and moments in life now.

Agathiyar tells us that our sufferings are not forever and that the mist would go away one day. He brings us to see the light beyond the mist. He too gives us the courage to face life. If it would bring some solace to the bleeding heart, poet laureate Kannadhasan assures us that we are not the only ones suffering and that there are many worst off, in the lyrics to a song for the movie Sumaithangi.

மயக்கமா கலக்கமா

மனதிலே குழப்பமா

வாழ்க்கையில் நடுக்கமா

வாழ்க்கை என்றால் ஆயிரம் இருக்கும்

வாசல்தோறும் வேதனை இருக்கும்

வந்த துன்பம் எதுவென்றாலும்

வாடி நின்றால் ஓடுவது இல்லை

எதையும் தாங்கும் இதயம் இருந்தால்

இறுதி வரைக்கும் அமைதி இருக்கும்.

மயக்கமா கலக்கமா

மனதிலே குழப்பமா

வாழ்க்கையில் நடுக்கமா

ஏழை மனதை மாளிகை ஆக்கி

இரவும் பகலும் காவியம் பாடு

நாளை பொழுதை இறைவனுக்கு அளித்து

நடக்கும் வாழ்வில் அமைதியை தேடு

உனக்கும் கீழே உள்ளவர் கோடி

நினைத்து பார்த்து நிம்மதி நாடு.

மயக்கமா கலக்கமா

மனதிலே குழப்பமா

வாழ்க்கையில் நடுக்கமா

(Source: http://lyricsofgoodsongs.blogspot.com/2013/06/mayakkama-kalakkama-lyrics-with.html)

Its translation.

Are you dazed and queasy?

Is there confusion in your heart?

Is there uncertainty in your life?

Life has thousands of problems in it

Every one’s house has anxieties (not just you)

Whatever the trouble is

If you wilt and stop, they don’t go away

If you have a heart that can endure anything

There will be peace until the end 

Make the poor heart a palace

Sing poetically about night and day (sadness and joy)

Dedicate tomorrow’s time/worries to god and

Look for peace in your present life

There are crores of people worse off than you

Think about that and feel grateful and peaceful

Translation Courtesy of: http://jaydei.wordpress.com/2011/07/30/mayakkama-kalakkama-lyrics-and-translation/

If Kannadhasan soothed the hearts of those in pain, living in fear and uncertainty about their future, through his numerous songs, then comes along Jiminy Cricket assuring us too of a better future. Jiminy brightens our life and world by giving us hope to live.

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'

(Source: "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)

Pinnochio too brings cheer to us.

I've got no strings to hold me down
To make me fret, or make me frown
I had strings, but now I'm free
There are no strings on me
Hi-ho the merry-o
That's the only way to be
I want the world to know
Nothing ever worries me

(Read more at https://genius.com/Walt-disney-records-ive-got-no-strings-lyrics)

Fate is kind
She brings to those who love
The sweet fulfillment of
Their secret longing
Like a bolt out of the blue
Fate steps in and sees you through
When you wish upon a star
Your dreams come true

(Source : https://www.letssingit.com/disney-feat.-brian-white-and-magna-jazz-band-lyrics-when-you-wish-upon-a-star-ms4bp4q )

How heartening and nostalgic it is to know that Jiminy Cricket speaks about conscience in the Walt Disney movie Pinocchio way back then.

We were told about conscience and told that each one has it. Our parents spoke about that. The movies depicted that. We were brought up to respect our conscience then. Our conscience itself tells us the do's and don'ts, tells us apart the right and wrong. We did not need anyone to tell us the right and wrong. We were very much connected with the soul and its past experiences. It tells us to stay away, to beware, warns us of dangers etc. Sadly we have lost our conscience these days. The day we lost it, there was a need for law and order. Man needed something to restrain him, hold him back from doing wrong. Now we have rules to restrain us, to keep us in check, something that the conscience did in us back then. This conscience was God then.

Just as the fairy gives life to Pinnochio and gets Jiminy to be his conscience, that is how we too have been sent off from Erai's kingdom with the soul as our conscience, on a journey of discovery and in which we are expected to learn from our experiences all that is productive and stay away from those that are destructive.

In the following scenes from Sumaithangi and Magizhampoo, we are shown how our conscience deals with us, comes to console us, set things right and clears our clouded vision. At times it stops us from taking a wrong turn, making wrong decisions and at other times pushes us to take positive action, mooting us to take a new direction, setting us back on the path.

As Jiminy explains to Pinocchio the right and wrong, our conscience comes to our aid and saves the day if only we let it speak, the reason the wise ask us to shut up and sit in silence. In silence our conscience dwells into the deeper reaches of our consciousness and brings forth the answers to all our doubts and questions and queries, enlightening us without even the need for an external guru then. Once we attain Atma Balam, our soul begins to teach us from within in silence. Lets take this journey then into the world of silence and let it do its wonder at least for once.