Meandering thoughts - Sita Sreeraman

Some words say it all, a simple word yet they mean so much. One such words for me is sangfroid, the pronunciation is a struggle for me, as is embodying it. The word means being unflappable, having composure in dangerous or trying situations. Angela Merkel, the ex-Chancellor of Germany, had it in plenty. She was not easily excited or excitable, it was so remarkable how calm and collected she was, the poise.  Same with Queen Elizabeth. They hold it all together even in the most trying of situations, and under constant media glare. Closer home, my Amma has it in plenty. I have never seen Amma say anything out of turn or anything harsh or something she would regret later, ever in public. Tears and emotions, insults and quarrels, Amma is a witness to all. Yet, Amma always has a smiling, gentle demeanour and is soft-spoken.  A big joint family: with many people, conflicting interests, shifting inter-group dynamics, dilemmas; needs tact and diplomacy, sacrifices done quietly and a fa...

Many of our tasks are mundane and boring. And yes, routine - be it washing dishes, picking after oneself, laundry, cleaning, putting things away once done. Or office work like records, accounts. Or exercise and meditation, music practice etc. And at home the tiny arguments continue. And we see it around us, especially the younger gen eagerly gearing up for the next great project on the career front and working for hours on their fav project but unwilling to take their coffee mugs to the kitchen or sort their laundry or keep their room clean or lend a hand even when the parents are sick. This is rarely the case with greats like Gandhiji who had no problem cleaning toilets himself every day. We  also see this when working in voluntary service teams and get-togethers (informal settings, where structure is poorly defined), there are the exemplary few who choose the boring over the shiny, the few who do what needs to be done rather than the high-visibility tasks. I have been reading som...

Indian epics and Puranaas are tales of good vs evil and so thoroughly enjoyable(Amar Chitra Kathas of our younger days for example or Chandamama) and also have such hidden gems/nuggets. My son is especially fond of the story of Bhasmasura. He finds it hilarious. We often talk of the Law of Karma, what we sow we reap if not in this life, in the next. And he asks why did Gods grant boons to the asuras who were wicked by nature. And I often say(with my limited knowledge) it is Law of Karma, if you meditate with single point focus whoever you are, the Gods have to grant boons.  Action begets response. But the difference lies in the choices made once the Gods appear. Asuras invariably chose boons that granted them great power - and they used it to destroy the world and themselves in the process, be it Bhasmasura or Ravana or others.  The saintly, wise chose closeness to God on the other hand. And this automatically led to enlightenment and greatness without their seeking. They serv...

We just finished celebrating Navarathri, 2021. I received many forwards about Navarathri - the significance, dress colour code, stories and more! The energy during Navarathri is generally high - it is a festival where women tend to dress in rich bright colours, the music slokas, pujas all add to a general lift in energies. Meeting friends, singing/chanting together, sharing prasadam, subtly we are all uplifted and in higher spirits, more smiles, more laughter, more singing, it is an uplift of energies. When we feel good about ourselves and our spiritual energies are high, we can handle any setback with greater dignity and grace. We can handle successes also with a greater balance and grace, both ways. Either success or challenges, we handle them with a grace. Vice versa, when our energies are low, even a tiny challenge can shake us more than it should. We do go through cycles. When my 12 year old asked about the three Goddesses - Parvati, Lakshmi and Saraswati, and asked me if they are...

 The Bhakti tradition in India has seen a renaissance in the last few decades. With the rise in the Bhakti and pujas, the conduct of ancient Vedic rituals like Soma Yagams have declined to almost zero. Most Puja rooms in our grandparents times were simple rooms with a few pictures of Gods/Goddesses, the oil lamp, the kolam or rangoli with home grown flowers and fruits and the food cooked at home being offered as neivedhyam. There was no room for ostentation. There was an emphasis on personal hygiene (madi/acharam), simplicity and individual practice/ritual be it Shiva Puja to the Saligramam or daily prayers.  With the rise in material prosperity, the temples became yet another way to display wealth especially by families who came into wealth recently - be it as the 1008 prasadams, manicured lawns, silk clothes and jewelry to the Gods/Goddesses, the many change in ensembles(Alankarams) to the Gods with fruits, vegetables, savouries etc. And the annual ustavams/functions with ma...

Hinduism, pre-independence and a couple of decades after, was mostly a religion of subtraction. From material wealth to the reduction/subtraction of the six evil tendencies, it was about subtraction.  --- Lust or desire ( Kama), Anger (Krodha), Greed ( Lobha), Attachment (Moha) , Arrogance (Mada), Jealousy (Matsarya)  The four Ashramas/life-stages in life was about subtraction   --- Brahmacharya (student), Grihastha (householder), Vanaprastha (retired) and Sannyasa (renunciate)  A way of life to move from outer experiences to inner! Ostentation was eschewed. Appa used to jokingly remark that silk sarees were worn to create jealousy and want in other women. And how his mother had only 2 silk sarees and she was content with it, though she had the resources to buy more.  Wise words, jokingly said, but so true!  On a serious note, Kanchi Maha Periyava, Jagadguru Chandra Sekara Sarawati and also Sringeri Maha Periyava Chandra Sekara Bharati, Ramana Maharishi are...

This year, autumn has been spectacular! The harsh summer has given way to a extended autumn this year and the colour changes to scarlet, yellow, gold, orange have been the most vivid I have seen thus far. I came across this quote from Gretchen Rubin 's blog, whose newsletters I subscribe to and have read her books. "Oh! Old rubbish! Old letters, old clothes, old objects that one does not want to throw away. How well nature has understood that, every year, she must change her leaves, her flowers, her fruit and her vegetables, and make manure out of the mementos of her year!" – The Journal of Jules Renard This quote fits in so neatly with the current themes of my life -  autumn leaves wherever I walk and themes of decluttering/minimalism that are running through me (Marie Kondo books, Mimimalist sites etc).

A tree stays put, it grows roots and stays in one place. Unlike a bird or animal it can't move. In summer, it bears the heat. In winters, it bears the cold. During rains, it welcomes the showers and also bears the thunder and lightning. It has no refuge, no shelter for it cannot move.  Yet, it offers sanctuary, be it heat or cold or rain to many. It's flowers and fruits are a source of joy and nourishment to many! It might not be a traveler yet many a traveler seek refuge under its shade! Whatever happens, it takes it all in - serenely, solemnly, quietly, without judgement.  How like a woman/mother is the tree - nourishing, nurturing, a refuge from the storms of life!

When I was growing up in Cement Nagar, I was part of a small family of about 100-200 families in a small township. Families kept an eye on all children - it was not a my child only culture - as these days. We shared our food, played together, went to school together. If you did something wrong or unsafe, any elder could admonish you.. It was all part of growing up in a big family! People appreciated you, scolded you, accepted you as a family member. No one took offense. When we moved to Trikkur-Trichur, it was my father's family and village that became our world.  It was again a tale of  a big family, lovely gatherings, song and music. And again, anyone could admonish us, scold us, tell us off - be it my Chitappas, Athais, Periammas, Thatha, Paati, the neighbours. No one took unnecessary offense - the child or the parent. If there was a pattern, it would be addressed in the right way.  Most of the time, we ignored what was said. We did not fly with praise, fall with sco...

Nothing new here, but it is a good reminder for us to practice every day. Stress is a normal part of life. Every day we are faced with countless tasks that they sometimes become overwhelming and cause us to stress out.   Here are 15 ways you can overcome daily stress and maintain a happy life. 1. Eliminate unnecessary commitments 2. Stop over analyzing and start doing. 3. Do one thing at a time. 4. Learn to say no and really mean it. 5. Don’t compare yourself to others. Life is not a contest. 6. Find reason to laugh. Even laughing at yourself helps. 7. Let go of trying to control everything. 8. Walk away from anything or anyone that makes you miserable. 9. Practice gratitude. That you are alive is still a gift 10 Control over expectation to avoid disappointment. 11.Stop being a perfectionist and move on. 12. Don’t stress out trying to get everyone to agree with you. 13. Stop longing for the past and start living in the present. 14. Don’t trade sleep for work and do...