Meandering thoughts - Sita Sreeraman

I came across Shonda Rhimes' book "Year of Yes",  a few years ago.  The blurb introduced the author as the creator of Grey's Anatomy and other series. I am not familiar with the series but nonetheless was curious enough to flip through the pages though not the entire book. I told myself good idea, I should also try and say Yes when I can and try to do more diverse things, attempt new things especially ones that I am bit scared of or am uncomfortable doing. Anyways, that was that. I left it at that, I do remember my trying new things and then Covid struck and that was such a closed phase for the entire world.  Many years later today, I got a summary of the book via The Four Minute books. You can read the sumamry here -  https://fourminutebooks.com/year-of-yes-summary/ .   Here is a quote from the book: “I'm not merely lucky. No one who succeeds is merely lucky. Lucky implies I didn't do anything. Lucky implies something was given to me. Lucky implies that I ...

Manifestation, Visualization, Affirmations - these words have been doing the rounds in my conversations with many friends and family. For some reason, this topic has been more acute the last few months. I have read The Secret, the Alchemist, Louis Hay's books, Monk Who Sold the Ferrari, The Courage to be disliked - among many others which talk of the effect of our inner most thoughts on our Talk and then our actions and hence our life/life choices. And its quality. Closer home, the effect of our innermost throughts is mentioned by almost all Gurus though they tend to phrase it more as to how to tame the monkey mind, reduce our thoughts (99 percent of our thoughts are repetitive in nature) as the starting point of all change. And how Meditation, Yoga Kriyas and Pranayamas can help with over-thinking and calm a person down, develop focus and discpline among other things. There are true believers as are sceptics. While I believe having goals, lesser thoughts, being in the present help...

Sometimes things happen unplanned - spontaneously and effortlessly.  The unexpected Darshan of Guruvayoorappan after a dozen years was one such. And the December 2024 Margazhi at the MAA, TTK Road was another, days of beautiful concerts by the best of the best in a Concert Hall known for its acoustics, ambience and renown and where only the best get to perform. The MAA awards the Sangeetha Kalanidhi every year to the best Carnatic musician - vocalist or Instrument vidwans. More info @ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sangita_Kalanidhi  The Academy set at the end of TTK road in Madras evokes so many emotions in me - nostalgia, reverence and awe; the level of expertise, dedication it demands of its artistes is the highest in the country. Artistes are aware of this honour too; they perform at their best here. And in the traditional format as laid out for the concert, starting with Varnam and then Krithis in familair and unfamiliar ragas with Alaapana, including heavy weight ragams...

 Isn't that why we get hurt? Hurts, disappointments, anger and other emotions are part of life and happen because we didn't expect it from that someone. We expected them to behave better, handle things more maturely. They have an education, are sophisticated, cultured, well-read talented  and so on and so forth. We have this expectation somewhere that they are better than us . But it is a myth, isn't it - why we expect this from others. Is it because we think they are better than us and can count on them to behave well?  I have come to believe though that there is no one better or worse.  No one is perfect. No one is better or should know better.  Everyone has strengths and in equal measure, weaknesses. Everyone has their own insecurities and things not working out. No matter what one achieves, there is also a hunger for more.  After all, we are all human. And  we all have our days.  Somedays we cope well, somedays not that well. So the choice ...

Navaratri . the nine nights of worship culminating in Vijaya Dashami. Navaratri is celebrated across India from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, Gujarat to Bengal in various different ways. Rama Krishna Paramahamsa, is one of the first names that comes to mind as a Devi devotee - Kali Bhakta,  and of couse we have Kalidasa of the yore, who was blessed by the Goddess. Bengal and Kashmir have been the home of Sree Vidya and Devi Tantra(Kaula and Shakta),  along with Bengal.  Coming South, of the musical trinity,  Muthusawmi Deekshitar and Shyama Shastry were Devi devotees and have many compositions on the Goddess. (Thayagaraja's Ishta Daiva being Lord Rama). Shyama Shastri devoted his many Kritis to the the Goddess. Kamakshi and used the mudra Shyama Krishna(think Shyamala). An anecdote devoted to Deekshitar says as he neared his end, he called one of his disciples and asked him to sing the composition "Meenakshi Memudaham", as the disciple sang Meenalochani Pashamochani, he as...

I have come to believe GRATITUDE makes a huge impact in one's attitude in life, to one's happiness and to the others around us. Instead of wallowing in Why me when something unfair happens, why not me especially when God/Life has been kind enough to give me so so much - good family, education, decent lifestyle, good house and city to live in, food, clothes, places, books, friends, good air, quality life and health, so so so much. If I were to start making a list, it would run into millions of items for which I could be grateful. I sometimes hear myself, my family members, friends complaining about the unfairness of life in general. I have been through this many times as well - a late marriage (and the inevitable condemnation and comments from family members about looks, skills etc when this happens), struggling to conceive, health issues, not being able to contribute where I want to, not valued enough(there will always be a few).  Yet, when I choose to really see life through G...

I was reading the Sai Tapovanam today when one sentence caught my attention and stayed - Some people cannot understand the love of one mother, how can they understand the love of a thousand mothers?  This sentence has been in my thoughts. And I kept wondering what it means - mother's love. I spoke with my mother and the conversation stayed with me. I realised a mother is the only person who asks the question - How are you, are you happy? Santoshama iru, Santhosham ka undu - this benediction comes from her heart, genuinely asking for our happiness and well being. Before she talks about herself, it is always about her children, are they ok, are they happy? Always the children first. When we ask her, how are you - we do hear her problems, but somehow she brushes them away as insignificant and is all ears for our words and our well being.  There is never  - you didn't do this for me, you behaved badly, you are this , that, you didn't buy this for me or that, you did'nt supp...