King

There was once a king who asked,

Is there a gift in all the worlds,

that can make me sad when I am happy,

and happy when I am sad?

Then a sage came to the king and in his hands he put a ring,

upon which four words were cast,

that made the king sad when he was happy,

and happy when he was sad.

Smiles they wiped and tears they dried,

the words were wise, but wisdom is bitter-sweet.

'This too shall pass' the ring would read.

This too shall pass indeed.

What is this life, why does it seem,

so laden with strife, no lasting gleam?

No certain future, but endless hopes,

is this all it is - a cruel joke?

Your life may be different,

so feel free to disagree.

But I shall pass and so will you,

then how different will we be?

Is it not my right to search for happiness,

for eternal bliss and timeless life?

Be practical, for no such thing exists they say,

to dreamers and sages alike.

Life it comes and it goes,

and sometimes we're left standing still.

Life becomes a passerby,

whose glimpse we seldom care to steal.

Rare are those who dare to try,

who call out or seek to catch it's eye.

And once they have life by their side,

they sit down and speak for a while.

Then with tears in its eyes,

life says to those who listen,

I have been waiting for so long my friend,

for you to ask this very question.

Death and I are everywhere,

we never began and shall not cease.

But there is Truth beyond us both,

for those who simply seek.

Be gladdened, enlightened soul,

for the Truth yearns to meet with you too.

In loving exchange you shall embrace,

what in your heart, you always knew.

Life grew silent, stood up and said he would leave soon,

the king now had to choose.

Would he follow life and death once again,

or would he choose to seek out the Truth?

Lessons from a Dream

Sweat gushed down my face and chest. My heart pounded so hard, it threatened to pop right onto the dusty road under my bare feet. Mindlessly I ran, trying to put as much distance between me and those horrid men as I could. But they were unrelenting. Like a pack of wolves hunting a baby boar. Soon enough, I could hear their thundering steps closing in on the kill; I dared not look back. Then, all too soon, I stumbled and came crashing to the earth. Dust rose all around me, and tall, grim silhouettes loomed in every direction. The stench of death was overpowering. And just as a cruel hand plunged for my neck, I woke to the soft hum of an air-conditioner  and the moist touch of my pillow.

It was only a dream; but it felt mighty real. So real in fact, that it got me questioning what I considered reality. There are two major differences between the dream world and the "real world". First, that the dream world is short lived. And second, that it is not shared with others in the "real world". But the point is, that dreams feel completely and undeniably real until we wake up.

Dreams may be just a construct of our minds, or even some would say, an alternate dimension of existence. However, that is not what I wish to bring up. I wish to ask myself what truth we can glean from the human experience of dreams?

Although in dreams we never consider a world or existence beyond that present moment, we know after waking up, that such a world beyond that present does exist. Similarly, in the "real world", even though we hardly ever consider the possibility of an existence beyond the "real world", there is all likelihood that such a world beyond the "real world" does exist. This concept of existence beyond the real world, can be likened to life beyond death. And just as the "real world" is a higher dimension of reality in comparison to dreams, similarly, there is all the chance that life beyond death would also then be a higher dimension of life and reality when compared to the "real world".

So in contrast to the notion that there is no life beyond death, which is not backed by any logical inference, it is infinitely more likely that there is indeed life beyond death, just as is seen in the analogy of 

dreams vs. the "real world".

I am not suggesting that life is a dream or an illusion, but I am suggesting that life as we know it, doesn't end with the death of the body. Upon coming to this realization in one's spiritual journey, the next obvious conclusion then is... that we're not this body. Because if life doesn't end with the death of the body then obviously, we are not the body but something that is embodied.

In the words of C.S. Lewis, "You don't have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body." 

Every day we live our lives as if we're the body, and we 'have a soul'. Thinking thus, we go to the ends of the world trying to satisfy our body. However,  if we 'are a soul' and  'have a body', rationally speaking, we should be trying to satisfy our soul and not our body. Maybe that is the reason why there is no lasting happiness in this world, because we're trying to satisfy something that is not really who we are. 

Endless Toil

Of fair maidens and virtuous kings,

there might indeed, a time have been.

When sunlight laced with golden hymns,

would cast a spell upon the wind.

When men would walk a righteous path,

and teach their sons, the song of truth.

And in a mother's warm embrace,

a child would learn what love could do.

What need for wealth then would there be?

Would then any man be plagued by greed?

If such a time there ever was,

then one must wonder how it was lost.

For now that man has gone astray,

the hour is dire, the sky is gray.

Blood is spilled for peace' sake,

and horror lurks at every place.

Bullets seem to mete an easy end,

as still worse terrors man invents.

Enslaved by the sight of money,

we live in endless toil,

lust keeps our eyes wide open,

but we're blind, so blind.

Let not this sickness,

that has overcome the earth,

numb you into believing,

that all is well.

For ignorance is bliss, 

only for a little while,

till it sneaks up behind you,

and wipes your smile.

How long will it be,

till this madness catches up with me?

As the world spins into disarray,

I wish to rise above the fray.

And  so I search,

for answers absolute.

With a hope that I'll find,

peace beyond the horizon.

The beginning of the search for truth.

In this ever morphing universe, one is oft faced with the question, what is the absolute truth about the purpose of existence?

This is probably the hardest question out there; one with too many answers, or none at all?

However, since almost everyone 'believes' in some answer to this question, that is what I wish to address.

When asked about the absolute truth, many say, "this is what I believe..." But such an answer is relative. All of us have made such statements at some point in our lives, but now is the time to challenge them. If you don't care about the truth, then read no further. But if you do, then read carefully.

What you believe, is inconsequential in the search for the absolute truth. Because what you believe doesn't change the nature of the transcendent reality.

Just as in a physics classroom, the statement, "I believe the earth is flat", has no room because no matter what one believes the earth will remain an oblate spheroid. Similarly, the statement, " I believe..." has no room in the search for the absolute truth, because belief that is not backed by proof means little. However, 'proof' in this sense needn't be physical or mathematical, but it definitely needs to be reasonable and experiential.

So, with this abandon of biases, preconceived notions, and unchallenged beliefs, and with an unadulterated thirst for answers only, can one be successful in finding and distinguishing between what is true and what is 'an opinion'.

In summary, whether I am Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Zoroastrian, Buddhist, Jain, Sikh, Jew, atheist, agnostic, or identify with any other group of people who fall under a particular belief system, it won't change the ultimate or actual nature of reality. Whether I 'believe' this or not is another matter altogether.

So now ask yourself, having let go of your previously upheld but unchallenged beliefs, who am I? Why am I here? Is there a God? Why do people suffer? ...

It is now that the search for the truth has begun in true earnest.

And when you find an answer, you will not say, "I believe..." you will say this, " I know... "

Illusion: stream of consciousness.

Illusion: a state or condition of being deceived.

Why is it that most of our expectations turn out but a far cry from how we had imagined them in our minds?

And although sometimes this may be a pleasant surprise, on every other occasion, it's just cruel.

For a moment, right now, just think about it.

Expectation:

It's the perfect illusion.

Gradually build up in your head the most logical impression of how things are going to turn out for you, and the next thing you know, you've fallen into the trap. Now you have this delicious looking expectation that you burden under for a while till the fateful day when it plays out to be something completely different from what you had in mind. Maybe better, maybe worse, but a product of illusion at any rate.

SO what is up with the world?

Why are we all running after mirages?

Aside: Makes me wonder whether things are predetermined; Whether the stars hold value apart from celestial aesthetics? Or maybe the correct question is, how much of it is predetermined?

And I'm tired of hearing, "there is no right answer". Because there is, there has to be.

Aside: We cannot be a product of randomness. There is rhyme and reason to everything. Science has shown us that beyond doubt.

So coming back to illusion. I am convinced that we are laboring under some subtle but gripping kind of spell. It convinces us that we need to "be successful", we need to "be cool", we need to be "sexy", and so on and so forth, and to be able to do those things we need to learn about celebrities and movies, and math, and economics, and go to the gym, and every other ridiculous human attempt at being happy. And finally it, ie illusion, doesn't stand up to its promises.

Oh wait, and then if we're "lucky" (which incase you haven't noticed, most people are not) we'll live to be a hundred. But we'll still die. And then no one knows? End of story, end of everything. Waste of a life? You tell me.

The right question is not, Where are these answers?

OH NO!

Consider this.

Suppose the answers are there, and we do find them, or rather, we discover them, probably in plain sight... will we still seek them?

Are these questions important enough to us, that we would be ready to let go of our preconceptions and step into the freaking light already!?

forever young

I was young and the walls seemed taller,

the faces stranger, but the world smaller,

when ma was the safest I had ever felt,

the safest I would ever feel.

Then one day they sent me away,

the world was an ominous tune.

Upon it's roads prowled the meanest of men,

in step with their demon, by the light of the moon.

But the light wasn't borrowed, 'twas stolen,

and what he does is never unseen,

Not once, but again and again, I walked away,

but each time, lesser than what I had been.

I forget now how this part played out,

but I remember somewhere along that road,

I stepped out of the shade,

but not alone, never alone.

They say friends are for life,

but I was to learn otherwise.

They said a lot of things,

No one spoke of the soul.

One fall, I fell in love,

or so they had me believe,

They said love lasted lifetimes,

they were fools and so was I, as I watched her leave.

Love grew old,

as all things do,

men who walked the earth as Gods,

even me and you.

Time, illusions greatest accomplice,

slipped past our self-ordained brilliance,

leaving nothing,

nothing to pursue.

The death bed was no different from the tiny hospital gurney,

from so many years past,

vulnerable as ever,

who knew what would come to pass?

Maybe if I had a second chance,

I'd stop for a while,

find some answers,

to questions that beguiled.

I had heard these questions before,

from inside what was probably my soul,

but at the time too uncomfortable they had been,

for me to pause and behold.

And now, I know it's too late.

I am spent from trying to chase my youth.

Forever young, is a lie my fellows,

ask yourselves, and demand the truth.