Rings of Power

What is power and what makes a thing or a thought a powerful one in our society. Who is behind a thought, is there an institution or a person behind it ?  Lets try to understand the rings of power.

Sex : Sex is good for good and bad for bad people. To some sex is love to some sex is lust. To some sex is biological need, to some it's the only way that helps the universe get going. However, there are people among us who view sex as a power play tool.  There are people who believe more you have sex with more people longer you live in life. Is that true ? the existence of superior sex and inferior sex is based on this thought who is powerful on bed ? Who can dominate one another on bed ? Why two different sex can't co-exist under the same roof when they have to share just one bed ? The whole concept of sex should be on union not on fighting for power play.

Money : There is this famous saying, money is not god but is not less than God also. When it comes to money there are whole world divided in two groups, one worships money as if it's god; as it solves half the problem on earth and other group view it as root of all evil. How come one takes it as supreme power and another sees it as root of evil ?  instead of knowing the root of its cause, we have people who will run after money or and some plainly blames it for all the bad things that happens in our society.

Religion: The thought of God is very personal and it is all about faith. People are always seeking to be in the like minded circle. A reason to talk and share view and believes when it comes to God. people are divided in many groups of religions. And there are feelings of supremacy among the many types of religions. It's really interesting to watch two group when one religious group beliefs my religion is better than yours. Religion is a kind of groupism. More people have been killed in the name of religion than in wars.

Politics : Politics is absolutely for people who like the game of power, because for them it's a center of power. Some like to be in the opposition of power and like to challenge the people in power. Everyone choose the kind of party that represent their own thought pattern. Some stick with politics purely because they are afraid of being  left out.

Education : Education is answer to all kind of darkness. It is education which can give us freedom for all types of shackles. We have all kind of education center there are all kind of faculty nowadays that are being taught in schools and colleges. Some, some gives importance to science and technology and some give importance to art and literature, gives importance to spiritual study. Paranormal science is some interested and I went to study commerce even if I had keen  interest in psychology.

Entertainment/ businessmen / science and technology : celebration is one of the most important part  of our life. Under this we can put all forms of art, sports, music, dance, literature and other way to express us. Celebrities are viewed and respected like god in some society because they do not talk about the other power games but just teach us to express us freely. They teach us to let some of our emotions flow. Game help unite all community regardless of caste, creed and nationality, celebration is above all kind of groupism which breaks all barriers that is build around us by other power players. When one sings a song our emotion melts down, when we dance fear flies out from window, when we read some books it unclogs some of our brain nerves and connect us to that part of life where we have never been. All these makes us feel more normal and that is what the entertainment industry do. Business covers also science and technology not just the other business in our society.

Movie, television, singing, dancing, literature, sports, painting, sculpture and other arts. Some worship the art and some artist shines like a bright star.

Media [public communication] : There are intellect people in media who can help the mass to understand what is going around us, in the society we live. They tell us about the new books, new technology, new invention, new leader, new hero or the rising star in sports. They are the one who help us to understand the cult in religion. They help us to understand the corrupt politicians and how this powerful politician’s handsome son is in broil of sex scandal. Although, there are good journalist there are also some journalists who never get tired of talking negative things around us and they think busting scam is their main job. Luckily, in every society there are some journalists and intellectuals who show us the right path to future.

What is interesting is a politician needs a religious guru for guideline, a religions guru needs a politician to amend some bill for the better society. A journalist needs a politician’s help to  crack some news and a politicians always needs journalists to rise and shine in news. A businessman needs a powerful politicians to get some deal approved, and a spiritual guru to realize some problem in his life. A religious guru needs donation from a businessmen. Every education institution needs mass to come and study what they teach in their universities. Every star needs general public to come and enjoy his/her art or talent. Every man and woman need each others back to support each other and move on in life and create a new life. So, who is in the center of power of ring of power ?

Note : This article has already been published in Our Society in August 2016

Comedians and God

Couple of years ago there was this participant on the great indian laughter comedy show.  He sure was one of the best and on the day of final, he opened the show saying that I did not pray to god to make him winner today. What If, I pray and I miss out one god out of 360 million; and what if that left out god gets angry ? I might lose the competition. That year Suresh Albela won the competition.    

It is rather interesting to watch comedian and hear their views on god. As they are good at their views not only tickle our funny bones at times it makes us think long and hard about the subject God which is the talk of daily life. Here are some glimpse of it. 

When Hari Bansha Acharya lost his first wife, he was so mad with god; as He gave him a deaf ear to all the prayer he was making to Him during his grieving time. It was that time, he just wanted to change god, [as if He is a politicians who needs to be changed every four year or so]. He also had written a poem on it also but the publisher of his famous autobiography, China Harayako Manchhe  took a very smart decision to remove it from the book when it came out. However, Rabindra Mishra, a popular journalist then, who was at that book release event had published and shared that poem on his facebook wall post. I read that poem , and trust me if you use your basic conscience then you will understand the common sense used by the publisher to omit it from the book. 

God is not someone you blame when things goes wrong or give all the credit to him for all the efforts you have put on it, during all these years; to be or get what you have. The very famous comedian shares in his book very candidly that he never believed in God when he enjoyed tremendous success in his life. Born as a poor, he achieved all, like the dream job, career, love of his life as a wife and has two boys; yet he said God do not have anything to do with all his achievements. That is absolutely understandable because not everyone gives credit to god for all their hard work. 

Then; why he was so angry with God, when he lost his wife ? Why god has to be his anger bag at times, when he is super frustrated ? Who will worship the god which he might pick up one day when he is sad or one day when he is happy with his other wife ? This somewhat offered me answer to that perplexing question which bugged me for years; why there is 360 million Hindu God ? And, we have journalist; even if he has experience of working with BBC for more than a decade found sense in replacing god.

However, it's not just him who has such conflicting idea of existence of god. Comedians  around the world keep giving you their viewpoint to think on the subject matter, and that is God. It's pretty interesting to know that comedian's take on god is a rather hilarious. And sometimes it's more than hilarious, like Ricky Gervais says, if there is god, then why he made me an atheist ? I watched Animal by Ricky Gervais who is a British comedian. In one of his show once he said Jesus is a free babysitter [my mom could not afford]. Other of his opinions on god is equally hilarious. He always find god or the people who tells us story of God are funny and gives us his take on Bible too, which will make you think hard. 

God is forgiving, so forgive and forget concept has been going on for some time in Christians society. One day, Howie Mandel was talking with Ellen on her show, out of nowhere he said, I forgive you. She asked why ? He said, I forget. He repeated this line not once, not twice but more than three times in that small video cut of about less than five minutes show. It's not hard to guess where it came from. It was his take on this thought which normally religious gurus preach. One of the reason it was said is, to heal yourself or free yourself from unnecessary worries that chews up your mind, you should forgive and forget. However, how that advice works on people who are worry wart ? how practical it is, is the big question in itself but when a comedian raise issue relating to God it's really funny and that really makes you to ponder over about god and religion. Howie Mandel is a Canadian Comedian.  He is also good with his understanding on how to achieve what you want.

Steve Harvey is another world famous comedian whose comment on God makes the church ladies rebellious. What is more interesting here is; they feel that way on his show not in their church. It's even more interesting for me to watch his show as more and more god believing and church going people mostly women come to his show regularly, even if this is Ask Steve not ask Pastor program. There comes a girl to ask him question like this, me and my boyfriend go to the same church which is also attended by his ex. She still eye him and  sending message to my boyfriend at night, what should I do ? Or on other day an  old woman who goes to church regularly asked him, I lied once to my friends of 50 years  and now they think I lie all the time, what should I do ? He has to face question like this in his show and he is not even that religious person. On his show, he talks things that is not appropriate to talk with those who are god believing. However, it's pretty interesting to hear him speak candidly, especially; when it comes to his take on, God as a giver. What more you need to know about this comedian is that he is raised by a mother who was a Sunday school teacher.

Ellen's famous call to God for her being gay; changed her life upside down. As a gay woman it was not easy for her to be accepted by the society, then. She was dumped and her show was cancelled when she came out as a gay. It was then she had this talk with God on one of the famous show of America. That changed her life forever. One of her friend had asked her how everything has changed after you were out of all the shows ? Her response was that I am a writer and I can write anything to change the story. She now is much loved person in America. Be kind to one another is one of her life motto. 

Law of Karma - A Fool's Logic

Ancient Hindu religion proclaims the law of karma; we reap in this life the fruit of the actions of our past life. I read this line the book Learn to Live, Vol. 2 by a Swami Jagadatmananda which is translated by Dr. N. Thirumaleshwar Bhat.

Karma is a psychological law and acts primarily in the psychological realm, the physical circumstances being merely the means whereby the psychological purpose is fulfilled. What the entity is today is the result of what is has been in days and experiences ages and eons past. For life is continuous and weather it is manifested in materiality or in other realms of consciousness. It is necessary for its enforcement. Edgar Cayce.

I myself grew up under Hindu philosophical believe, which strongly believes in law of karma than other religious groups. Karma law nail hammers in your mind, your sufferings, success, failure, your present condition [good or bad], your relationship with people around you depends entirely on your previous life results. Ever since I was so young; I have been hearing it all. My young mind soaked up the karma concepts like a blotting paper. Hindu philosophy also tells you everything is predetermined and nothing can be changed or hoped for. Having been raised in Bal Mandir which is an orphanage; do I have to tell you how much I abhorred this philosophy, which tells me why I am in this condition and denies me all the good things in life; especially money, success and everything that comes with it.  

As I grew more, I become an avid reader; who was in search of why of perplexing questions in life. Then, I found some really good books that do have power to shape our minds at any age which also offers some answer to our perplexing questions and what we should do about it. Needless to tell you, I started reading these books again and again, especially by world famous religious leaders from both side of the world. I mean Christian as well as Hindu, also those who are not religious not even remotely interested in God yet they are hugely successful in life. Then it started making sense to me, some may say it that was the eye opening moment in my life. One of the best part of the study was gaining some intrinsic knowledge which I learned only after reading those who were not Hindu nor they were religious but yet advocating prosperity, success and money in life. Reading books like Rich Dad Poor Dad, Think and Grow rich, A Brief History of Time, Magic of Big Thinking, The power of Positive Thinking and The Fourth Dimension drastically changed my whole thinking after that, no need to tell you those books acted like a thought cleanser for me. 

How I wish, I had read these books long time back, when I was still a teenager; because just because I know, things do not change dramatically around me nor I will be able to change things drastically; just because I now have understood and gained confidence. It really takes time to choose one for us, especially the one that will prove to be good in long run of life. We as an average people do get lost when we hear 'respected people' or 'so called expert' in the subject matter. There are times we as an adult have to choose one like whom to believe a Pastor like Dr Norman Vincent Peale from the west or a Swami from the east. It is up to us to choose one from Yogananda or Dr Yonggi Cho. It is up to us to choose, one from two viewpoints, as both sides do have valid reasons to say or believe what they say. Both have a lifetime of experience to say or preach what they believe. There comes a time in our life, we just pick one and move on rather than get lost in what we could not understand or that make any sense to us.  

It sure will not be easy to choose one, especially when you see you are the only one who is siding the other side of the tide. I may be minority in this society but this is a right of all to hope for better life and to work for it. It is also our right to understand, why should I be deprived of all the good things in life ? Why some get it and why some do not !   

Why leave everything in the hand of Karma, when we have human brains to solve the problems. Let me quote Pastor Norman Vincent Peale here; it's from his very famous book the power of positive thinking. "Its pity that people should let themselves be defeated by problems, cares and difficulties of human existence and it is also quite unnecessary. In saying this, I certainly do not ignore or minimize the hardships and tragedies of the world, but neither do I allow them to dominate." Here in another line without terming it Karma he is talking about strongly against the law of karma, "you can permit obstacles to control your mind to the point where they are uppermost and this becomes the dominating factors in your thought pattern."  

If you read this book you will know that he believes in life after death, deathless life and infinite life. Yet he did not believe that karma should be blamed or given credits for all your good work or effort you put or should put in life. He is one of the most respected religious leaders of the past century and if you read his book The Power of Positive Thinking, you will understand why he is so respected around the world; not just in the Christians diasporas but outside of the circle also.  

A fool do not know nor want to know that law of Karma is retirement from even trying to understand true human potential and power of our brain. It's also lazy mind saying rather than trying to understand real answer that troubles us. It's a viewpoint of those who do not see the world with 360 degree but super confidence with 180 degree view of the subject matter. Law of karma do not tell us the story of those who got it without caring what was buried in the past but tries of offer you vague answer of question that bugs us in life. Did you read in Edgar Casey saying Karma is 'psychological realm?' No doubt, there will be people who will believe him and some will go on with Pastor[s] who leaves you with a thought to ponder over, why allow obstacles dominate your thought ?