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Connecting The Dots

Discussion in 'Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction)' started by Viswamitra, Sep 14, 2019.

  1. Viswamitra

    Viswamitra IL Hall of Fame

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    Connecting the dots in life has been traditionally a subject-matter for discussion for many decades. But Steve Jobs in his famous “Connecting the dots” speech in Stanford University not only captivated the young minds who attended the graduation event but also many others in the world. I am a big believer that our thoughts, relationships, events that unfold in life, experiences we gain out of it, etc. are interconnected and communicating something powerful giving us an opportunity to unfold our purpose. Invoking our own passion out of layers of encryption and finding the opportunities that are buried in the events unfolding are the two big challenges in life.

    The ancient Sanatana Dharma philosophy indicates finding the life’s purpose comes from knowing one’s Dharma, i.e. true nature. It is a process of self-development that is enjoyable, fulfilling and amazing journey. In Sanskrit, “Swabhava” means one’s own nature and being. “Swa” means self and “bhava” means feeling. To simply rely on the limited thinking mind is to search for answers in the areas of our life that we already know. Sometimes we must search outside the areas we are familiar with to gain a perspective that helps us to recognize that we already have the answers.

    In our body, mind and spirit complex, we have intuitions, feelings, emotions, experiences, habits, thoughts, bundle of desires, passions, principles, and many more. Every experience that happens in our lives involve one or more of the above and resultant lessons we perceive through our own self-analysis or introspection. All the above are just tools that helps us understand the reflection of our encryption and doesn’t reflect who we really are. The human life makes constant journey between pleasure and pain and when it enjoys pleasure, the mind does everything to celebrate and prolong the happiness and when it suffers the pain, the mind does everything to alleviate the pain quickly. Sometimes, the pain one experiences is so severe that has a life-changing effect.

    To find life's purpose and dharma, one should forge a relationship with the unconscious parts of self and with the knowing mind, to spark one’s deeper intuition and connection to the highest self. When one steps outside of the boundaries of one’s comfort zone into the subconscious and unconscious areas of one’s being, one can explore parts that one does not yet fully know and parts that one cannot yet imagine exist. Much joy and release from anxieties comes from discovering one’s greater self and the unknown parts of oneself.

    Root cause of one’s suffering is the result of not analyzing and reflecting the one’s inherent nature and not the hostility of lives around us nor the adversity created by the events unfolding in our lives. Fulfilling life can’t be expected from the people we love or have great friendship with, but from how we develop the affinity for them in our hearts through self-refinement. Our own intuition, the experiences we had encountered in our lives, the passions that keeps flashing in our minds from time to time, the opportunities that are hidden behind the adversities we encounter are all connected and failing to see that connection deprives us from a great sense of fulfillment.

    Our life, with forgetfulness of our encryption, ability to withstand the pain, intellect to find the opportunities hidden behind the adversities in life, disciplined thinking to uncover the passions buried in our thoughts, etc. appear to be a complex set of conditions. However, there is a common thread called self-discovery. We have the hidden power to unfold all of them and connect the dots and once we do that, our life will be extremely fulfilling. That ability is gifted to us and self-discovery is the primary goal in life. Once we begin pursuing self-discovery, everything that need to happen will fall in place.

    In conclusion, connecting the dots is about simplifying the ability to think about the purpose, analyzing thoughts that are relevant and brushing aside thoughts that are immaterial. This ability is present here and now.
     
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  2. Balajee

    Balajee IL Hall of Fame

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    Viswa, according to the so called Sanatana (a k a ageless I am using " so-called" because nothing is ageless or constant. Everything evolves) Dharma. the individual's "Dharma" is decided by birth and not Swabhava or a person's nature. or millennia people were resigned to having there fate decided by birth and not by swabhava.
    Yes I agree with you. We must be constantly auditing our thoughts weeding out the negative and keeping the positive. You have made a call for a rigorous intellectual exercise Viswa/ In an increasingly passive world spoonfed by various media, intellectual laziness is the order of the day. People seek safety behind the prison bars of tried and tested beliefs instead of breaking free.
     
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  3. Viswamitra

    Viswamitra IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Balajee,

    Thank you for your first response and like. I agree with you that we need to be courageous and break free from the ancient beliefs and practices. Sanatana Dharma never orders what is right living and they are just a set of suggestions and guidelines. How freewill is used, determines how well the life is led.

    Regarding fate decided by birth Vs Swabhava, I believe Swabhava is formed from thoughts that are coming from our encryption. They are synchronized automatically. While executing the Swabhava, learning how we are not this body and mind (that is bound by desires and attachments) but soul (which is free always) is the effort everyone makes.
     
    Last edited: Sep 14, 2019
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  4. Thyagarajan

    Thyagarajan IL Hall of Fame

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    :hello:
    Sir,
    I find it difficult to sit and meditate in one place and concentrate with question “who am I” uppermost in mind seeking answer(s).

    2. I agree to what you say about self introspection and your detailed explanation logically ok but too difficult at least for me to practice.

    3. Numerous questions crops up in the mind leaving me in utter confusion. When I am happy as it is why I should go for something that calls for extra or extraordinary effort like keep happiness only in credit and throw away the negatives. Experiences can not be wished away as they are not commodities. Mind remembers more strongly the negatives than few positives in human life.

    4. Is it that easy to begin self discovery? Is it that easy to put only positives in sub conscious? Is it so simple to shrug comfort zone? To get to know “I” - self discovery- one has to constantly think over it . But is it possible? If it was so simple why then Rishis and munis for pursuing this goal gone into caves in tall mountains, distanced themselves From their brethren and family? Was it not selfish to leave their kith and kin to pursue this “I”? Finally is it all relevant here?

    Regards.
     
    Last edited: Sep 14, 2019
  5. Viswamitra

    Viswamitra IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Thyagarajan Sir,

    I have no ability to write about salvation of the humanity as I have not found a way to find my own transformation. What I attempted here is the steps to discover the purpose why we came here, as encryption with which we came to live is not in our memory. I believe our thoughts, things that unfold in our life, experiences we encounter, lessons we learn, opportunities hidden behind the adversities we encounter are all saying something to us and finding that thread would help us to reduce our Karma. They are manifested for us to eliminate our Karma. I am extremely limited in my thinking and I am incapable of thinking how hard or how easy it is to conduct an inquiry to discover Self and what is the best way to do it. I have limited this discussion to what can find solutions to reduce our sufferings as opposed to ultimate liberation or realization of the soul.
     
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  6. HariLakhera

    HariLakhera Platinum IL'ite

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    The subject is complex. Our scripts and epics have been interpreted in many ways. One thing is however common-the pursuit of finding the truth which is the one and only message of Hinduism. This has to be individual journey.
    King Trishanku was blessed by sage Viswamitra to proceed to heaven alive. Indra stopped him in between and since then he is hanging in the space.
    This is to show that we can get salvation through our own efforts and not by the mercy of someone.
    The journey of connecting the dots is very lonely, only some blessed one can venture into it.
     
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  7. jayasala42

    jayasala42 IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Viswa,
    The topic under discussion is complex and,contemplative.True we come with encryptions,unrevealed.
    With a common idea, if we connect the visible dots we may get a geometrical or regular shape, but if we connect the invisible dots we may get stranger or even the most unexpected shapes and sizes.
    Applying the connecting dots to spirituality is quite interesting.
    When things fall apart and are in a mess,it is time to sit and contemplate on past.It is time to stop looking to the future
    but to the past.we start peeling layer after layer and analyse the dots hidden and start thinking whether we have omitted to connect the hidden dots anywhere.
    The dots had been there hidden all along and we have omitted to see..

    We all encounter transitions in our lives when we must struggle to make sense of the dots of our past. We make decisions to either wallow in their disarray, sweep them into the dustbin and start over, or carefully arrange them into some semblance of order. And there is order if we sharpen our pencils and do the work.

    We connect the dots lest we wander and suffer. They consist of our core values, scattered with the breadcrumb trail of our decisions, a sprinkling of our hope and trust for what is possible, bound together by a thick black line of acceptance for what we cannot change. There comes a point when we choose to no longer suffer with the guilt or regret of our past and to brush away the dust to find the lessons. Then we move forward. That is the work.

    When we start dusting the past , and find out hidden dots, is it not contrary to the normal advice of living in the present, and not to look to the past which is already gone.The present is the future of the past and the past of the future. All are dependent on each other.
    Normal people may not understand the significance of encryptions etc.
    In the light of present discussion, does the standard teaching'live in the present' hold good?


    jayasala42
     
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  8. Thyagarajan

    Thyagarajan IL Hall of Fame

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    Thank you Sir.
    Regards
     
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  9. Viswamitra

    Viswamitra IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Hari Sir,

    It is and I have no ability to understand it completely. Mostly, I post whatever comes to my mind and it is the comprehensive responses of the readers that completes the snippet. I agree with you that it is a lonely journey but that is the goal. Life unfolds with pleasure and pain and sometimes makes us think there is no way out. We venture into both known and unknown territories and face the results. Connecting the dot is a recommendation to understand the purpose of life so that every thought, experience, lesson, etc. is understood and accepted.
     
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  10. Viswamitra

    Viswamitra IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Smt. Jayasala:

    It is always interesting to read your responses as it stimulates more thinking in the spiritual direction. I agree with you delving into the past sometimes results in regrets and depression. Similarly, introspecting our past actions also violates the advice of living in the present moment. It is my understanding that the advice with respect to living in the present moment is primarily to accept the life as it happens with a smile and observe everything as it happens. If we connect the dots to unfold a little about our encryption, we begin to understand our thoughts, passions, things that unfold in front of us, experiences we encounter, adversities we face, etc. there could be a common thread of why they are all coming into our lives. This might help us lead a healthy life of acceptance and surrendering to the Law of Karma. Living in the present moment with an intent to observe everything as a Gnani would become meaningful and easier to accept with a smile. That is my humble view.
     
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