Dare to Know

It is a great dictum of great philosopher Immanuel Kant. Every human being desires to know. But, only few dare to know. What I mean? Our desire to know springs from what is already there that is readymade knowledge. In other words, this does not involve knowledge risk, adventure and exploration. Human desire to know is only information that is disseminated by different tools such as news paper, television, books, and internet and so on. It is mostly about what is happening in the world and to people at large. The greatest misfortune of human life is that he never desires to know about him/her self.

Only few people in the world dare to know, that is dare to discover and explore about them. Knowing about oneself involves risk, adventure, kick and it is a greatest struggle. Thus, many people shun away from it. Dare to know but what? It involves two steps: 1) Dare to Know who and what you are that is what you are about in life, what is the purpose of life on earth, what is meaning of life. 2) Dare to know the fact that you are existing in the world that is each one is called to create their own life. 

Sana+ Sapiente+ Sancta = Holistic Life

The great Italian educator of 19^th century Don Bosco advised one of his benefactress saying thus, ‘If you want to be happy in life, Be healthy (Sana), Be Wise (Sapiente), Be Holy (Sancta). This isthe triple principle of holistic life.

Human being desires to posses more, have more, live more. This desire for ‘more’ reaches highest fulfillment in holistic life. The holistic life is when human being takes seriously the life on earth that is life of here and now seriously, namely Physical Body, Mental Mind and Spiritual Self. They are powerful in as much as they achieve communion and integration in human life.

Be Healthy: The three basic needs of any human being are: food, clothing and shelter. They are necessary to preserve the condition of the body. This calls for loving oneself unconditionally whatever one’s condition may be. The basic quality is acceptance of the self.  It also requires that one has an attitude of balance towards life and action.

Be Wise: Every human being is gifted with practical wisdom that is common sense. It is a gift. He/she lives in the world and develops the mind building on the common sense. Human being needs to prudent in the accomplishment of various projects that life has for each one.

Be Holy: Whatever one’s religion may be, the vocation of human being is to be Holy. Holiness is not only spending time with God in prayer but also engaging in the activities of charity and love. A holy person is the perfect blending of strength and weakness. He/she knows how to balance in life that is avoiding both the extremes.

The words of Don Bosco, Sana, Sapiente, Sancta is a universal call to live a life of wholeness. 

Fireproof

In the world of today, divorce, double life, unfaithfulness, broken relationships are common phenomenon.  It is because fundamentally there is no reconciliation. Each human being desires to be superior over the other and dominate the other. Consequently, it results in dislike, disgust, and hatred. The relationship of any sought may it be between husband and wife, two friends, parents and child, student and teacher have become fragile and weak. Life is taken casually: if not with this human being, I can relate with another human being. The relationships of today are on the basis of trial and error method. The present day relationships are as simple as that method. How long can humanity go on in this way?

The worth watchable movie, ‘Fire Proof’ is all about building relationships on love. Love should be the ultimate ground of relationship. Love has no choice. It is boundless and infinite even if the other person hates and rejects you. Love does not heed to the image of the person but to the self of the person.  Life is not about breaking but making, not collapsing but creating, not destroying but building in spite of struggles, hurdles and obstacles in love. Choosing this kind of path is really risky and challenging but it will create a person, it will make a human being. Life is generous giving of time, energy and space to others to touch and be touched by. Love touches. Love Heals. Love Creates. The movie ends inviting everyone to become symbols of ‘LOVE’.

Human Dignity

Human life is a choice. The choice of life is to be with other human being. To be with the other is to respect the other as he/she is. To respect the other is to give the other his/her due in a proper measure. To give the other his/her due is a way to realize the worth and dignity of human being. To realize the dignity and worth of human being is show love and concern in unrestricted fashion. To show love and concern is to become the child of God. To become the child of God is to be the image of God to all.

Though I was Catholic, as a boy I always eagerly waited for the celebration of the feast of Ugadi. It is a feast that brought joy and happiness into my life before the end of the scholastic year.

Ugadi is is also known as Yugadi. Yug means new era and Adi means beginning; together it means beginning of a new era. It is traditionally believed that Lord Brahma began the process of creation on this day. It is a feast that is celebrated with much vigor and enthusiasm in Andhra Pradesh and  Karnataka but in Maharastra the same feast is celebrated as Gudipadava. 

On Ugadi day, people wake up before the break of dawn and take a head bath after which they decorate the entrance of their houses with fresh mango leaves. The celebration of Ugadi is marked by religious zeal and social merriment. People perform the ritualistic worship to God invoking his blessings before they start off with the New Year. They pray for their health, wealth and prosperity and success in business too. Ugadi is also the most auspicious time to start new ventures. Special dishes are prepared for the occasion. In Andhra Pradesh, eatables such as “pulihora”, “bobbatlu” and preparations made with raw mango go well with the occasion.

Ugadi pachchadi, a pickle is a dish that has become synonymous with Ugadi. It is made of new jaggery, raw mango pieces and neem flowers and new tamarind. It is a combination of sweet, sour and bitter tastes. It reminds us that life is a mixture of different experiences such as sadness, happiness, anger, fear, disgust and surprise, which should be accepted together and with equanimity through the New Year. The feast invites everyone to face both good and bad, happiness and sadness with grace. Welcome everything. Consider everything for one’s own good. This is the message of Ugadi.

The Vineyards of Nasik

Enjoying the Beauty of Vineyard in Nasik

May life bring harvest through character

May life ripen to its fullness

May life be evergreen 

Grapes remind Celebration

See the sunshine coming through the Vineyard