Our deepest fear ...

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do.

The passage by Williamson finished with the following sentence:

As we’re liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

https://quoteinvestigator.com/2019/06/30/deepest/

deepest fear

powerful light

[The above images are "generated" by AI ... from "deepest fear" to "powerful light" :-) using https://experiments.runwayml.com/generative_engine/]

ultimate truth - death?

who knew? - when I wrote "Thank GOD! I'm Alive :)" some dozen+ years ago ... that it is beginning of a "story" ... https://uniqideas.wordpress.com/2007/07/02/thank-god-i-am-alive/

well - it did unfold - in its own mysterious way - with what I want to consider a 'very happy ending' .. :-)

one thing that has been a great learning and help is "Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra" [ महामृत्युंजय मन्त्रः ] .. it is as follows (from https://greenmesg.org/stotras/shiva/mahamrityunjaya_mantra.php)

ॐ त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनम्

Om Tryambakam Yajamahe Sugandhim Pustivardhanam

Sri Shiva

ॐ त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे
सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनम् ।
उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान्
मृत्योर्मुक्षीय मामृतात् ॥
Om Try-Ambakam Yajaamahe
Sugandhim Pusstti-Vardhanam
Urvaarukam-Iva Bandhanaan
Mrtyor-Mukssiiya Maa-[A]mrtaat ||

Meaning:
1: Om, We Worship the Tryambaka (the Three-Eyed One),
2: Who is Fragrant (as the Spiritual Essence), Increasing the Nourishment (of our Spiritual Core);
3: From these many Bondages (of Samsara) similar to Cucumbers (tied to their Creepers),
4: May I be Liberted from Death (Attachment to Perishable Things), So that I am not separated from the perception of Immortality (Immortal Essence pervading everywhere).

[PS: I guess this update has been long pending here - but better late than never]

perception?

it was a simple trip to local grocery store y'day - in fact, not even necessary - just that my son wanted to try out his newly acquired driving skill - now endorsed by 'learning permit' :-)

we both picked up one item of same type and noticed that the two queues at the checkout counters were looking similar - hard to guess which one will get us back to the car faster - so, it just occurred to me - let's both try separately and then later join whoever gets first to the clerk - he hesitated at first thinking 'how will others think?' - people usually do not like to see the system being 'played' with ...

i tried giving it a positive spin - i explained - look at it this way .. "we are giving opportunity to either your queue or mine (by those who join behind you or me after this point) - to feel momentarily happy that their wait has just been shortened - since we both will be checking out the items together at one go - and I guess he did not have counter-argument or choice but to let me be the 'weird' shopper 

and people did join behind both of us in no while ... and then eventually, it appeared his turn to be served by the clerk will be faster ... feeling happy that i can shorten someone's wait time (those behind me) I sneaked next to my son ... 

guess what happened? maybe i was too busy communicating with my son (grinning at him) or I did not 'ask' with proper gestures/nods to lady behind him or whatever happened - she did not seem to be happy :( 

the perception that i had now increased her wait time OR i had 'jumped the queue' OR we 'gamed' the system was apparent from her mumbling comments - i politely explained her that we both had same items (and just 2 in total) - but we are OK if she wants to go ahead of us - and probably that did solace her and she stood patiently for her turn eventually :-) 

it made me ponder - maybe things that make us 'unhappy' are just our temporary 'perceptions' where we are so caught up that we fail to easily see the 'bright side' or the 'big picture'? 

let's hope and pray everyone gets to see the light - and we can 'increase' the total global happiness 

ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः

[Image above from Google search "6 or 9"]

satyameva jayate

Among many other soul searching facts and quotes at https://www.samuraicenter.org/ for https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/symposium-on-global-terrorism-in-light-of-kashmiri-hindu-forced-exodus-tickets-88061222487# yesterday - I was feeling hopeful listening to 'satyameva jayate' - in the end truth prevails :)

The sun or the ultimate truth can never be hidden for long ... so, if we think we have our inner bright light covered due to some temporary clouds - let's remind ourselves - dawn is just around the corner - reminds me of my childhood favorite 'bhajan' sung by my mother often ... :-)

રજની જશે ને પ્રભાત ઉજળશે ને સ્મિત કરશે પ્રેમાળ 

https://www.swargarohan.org/gujarati/005 

beings

read this in between heap of social media forwards :-)

We are NOT human beings going through spiritual experiences BUT we ARE spiritual beings going through human experiences!

a very positive uplifting perspective - gives more energy to get up despite of many falls and get back on the upward journey ...

मनुष्य तू बडा महान है भूल मत
मनुष्य तू बडा महान् है

giver

giving is nature - nature is full of givers - be it trees, be it the river, the sun, the moon ... the list goes on

every pure soul is a giver - and every giver will get purer

a flower is a giver of fragrance - without expectation or discrimination - yet it is not aware at times - and it does not have to put in any effort - it just has to be itself to give - all those who come in the vicinity get the positive experience - whether they are aware of it or not, whether they like it or not, whether they appreciate it or not ..

[above from - https://www.flickr.com/photos/3point141/5514123242 ]

a mother is a giver, a friend is a giver, a teacher is a giver ...

imagine if we all start giving - the world will certainly be a better place :-)

in worldly ways, giving might be exhausting - and giving 'costs' but when we go beyond - giving is uplifting - giving is actually 'rewarding' - there is blissful joy in giving ... isn't it said - what goes around comes around?

From Isha Upanishad - [as mentioned on http://sanskrit-texts.blogspot.com/2006/05/isha-upanishad.html]

ॐ ईशा वास्यमिदँ सर्वं यत्किञ्च जगत्यां जगत् ।
तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथा मा गृधः कस्यस्विद्धनम् ।। १ ।।

ॐ iishaa vaasyamidaM sarvaM yatki~ncha jagatyaaM jagat |
tena tyaktena bhu~njiithaa maa gRRidhaH kasyasviddhanam || 1 ||

Everything animate or inanimate that is within the universe is controlled and owned by the Lord. One should therefore accept only those things necessary for himself, which are set aside as his quota, and one must not accept other things, knowing well to Whom they belong.
http://www.stephen-knapp.com/sri_isha_upanishad.htm

[the flowers above also reminded me (in hindi) - फूलों से तुम हंसना सीखो, भंवरों से तुम गाना ... ]

i am blessed to be surrounded by givers - and i will put in extra efforts to give whatever i can/have

[From - http://mcjoshi21.blogspot.com/2016/07/todays-subhashita_27.html]

जीवने यावदादानं स्यात् प्रदानं यत् ततोSधिकम्  |
इत्येषा  प्रार्थनास्माकं  भगवन्परिपूर्यताम् ||  - संस्कृत सुभाषितानि

jiivane yaavadaadaanaM syaat pradaanaM yat  tatoSdhikam  |
ityeShaa  praarthanaasmaakaM  bhagavanparipuuryataam ||  - saMskRRita subhaaShitaani

i.e. O God Almighty!  it is my humble desire that whatever I earn during my life time, I should give  (in charity)  more than that. I, therefore pray to you to fulfill my this humble desire.

why did the bird cross the road?

It was so refreshing to witness a bird and five of its young ones cross the road in the midst of busy morning commute ... The bird was hurt on one of its legs and was seemingly hesitant to risk crossing four lanes wide road ... not sure how but it 'communicated' its need for assistance to a pedestrian - and the person happened to figure out what to do :)

He just stood by the birds - at a comfortable distance and started to stop few cars one lane at a time - the bird felt secure enough to trust and take the leap of faith - and slowly but steadily they all were on the other side - safe and sound

It was re-assuring to see a live demonstration that 'help will come when it is required'

Just go ahead with FAITH (Father Almighty Is There to Help) and GRACE (God Reaches out & Cares for Everyone) will flow!