Events and ideas that catch the attention. These result in observations about any specific aspect. There is also an attempt to see the relation of aspects of a matter or event to the whole system it is a part of.
It is really my wish from the writing of this piece, that those who read it come to think of The Waltz Garden as having a permanent place among the gardens they know of. That they come to think of it as unique. By no means has this garden reached its zenith. It is still growing, still changing, and has so much more to offer. There is that promise in that magical place. There is that potential.
One thing, though, is the repeated attempt toward good and the desire for such. Yes, one does think of finally having arrived at a place, to a state of solution from which evil no longer rises. Philosophers have wanted that; religious texts speak of it. Both of these in the ideas of Utopia, of Paradise, or of Heaven (Hell, even, as a symbol of judgment) are ideas of that finality. It is the human desire for relief, again manifest in what humans think and aspire for as societies and individuals.
The ability to perceive, and to look deeper than mere appearances is a truly wonderful gift. Deeper insight is in the very constitution of some from birth. For others, it can at best be a gained skill. While for the former it comes effortlessly and naturally, for the latter it comes as a labored, deliberate […]
We have the basis today for a life hardly conceivable even a few decades ago. Great strides have been made, thanks to science, architecture, and the development of the arts through its expressions. A young person today can work at home, and then, walk to the nearest coffee shop. There he can sit alone or […]
There is a lot in life that depends upon realization. We have the information before us a lot of the times. The judgments as to whether that information is correct or not are important but remain secondary. The more important factor is to move from interacting with the information and move on to the point […]
I remember, as a young boy, this fascination with wristwatches. At the time, there was no deep philosophical reason for it. Watches simply were machines to be fascinated with. The way these were designed; how methodical and systematic was the movement of the hands to show the minutes, hours, and seconds! Specifically, some of the […]
We are surrounded by tools. From the ordinary nail cutter to the kitchen knife, to our smartwatches, mobile phones, Wi-Fi routers, and computers. Tools of all different kinds are all around us as evidence of human ingenuity and entrepreneurship. Somewhere, someone saw a need and decided to create a solution for it. In that creating […]
In sharing this story, I take a particular pleasure. What this man did for us is of truly lasting value. He worked diligently at our place for just a few days. In those few days, he endeared himself by the way he worked, his mannerisms, how he paid no attention to supervision, and in all […]
There is something inherently easy, comforting, and natural in reading what Thomas Carlyle has written. Insofar as I reached the point of his writing about “Worship” and the “devotion” that mankind has been familiar with, these words have been outstanding: Worship is transcendent wonder; wonder for which there is now no limit or measure; that […]
Maturity isn’t a quality of only the mind. The simplicity of this understanding can have a transformative effect on an individual. It need not have any such effects on society. It might even be childish in itself to consider those ideas that can bind societies and lift them up. There have always been individuals in […]
I would like to share with you today this short story. It’s true and from this morning itself. This morning, though, is only a passing moment in the story of this vegetable vendor. In this city of New Delhi, on this day after an early morning rain and now the sun shining through brightly, this […]
At a certain time in life, and not necessarily as a cause for or a result of an existential crisis, one might be confronted by certain questions. Those questions are about what one perceives of this world and his own attempts at making sense of what is the reality of our personal and collective existence. […]
There isn’t a greater art and more of it needed at this time than of engaging with people. Engaging with people should be considered the end of all philosophy, systems of belief, or even the systems of society. When a person engages in thinking out solutions to issues or attempts to foresee the end of […]
It has been observed in recent times, how the more we discuss matters the more we move away from peace. This cannot possibly be created by any one person or group of persons. The masses of millions of people who take out a portion from their own time to engage in arguments and debates have […]
It is that image that has always appealed to me. Yes, it brings back to mind the burning bush, the one Moses saw, and from there, his life changed. This is not about Moses though. This is about the bush. An angel is said to have descended upon the bush, manifesting the Almighty God himself. […]
Existence is about life. Existence is the spiritual journey of a man who is traveling through time. It is experiencing one’s own existence in the larger reality of history and of anticipated visions for the future. Existence is sensing the poetry. Existence is about being a boy, growing up to be a man. He discusses […]
A [creative] boy will toil up hill with a toboggan for the sake of the few brief moments of bliss during the descent; no one has to urge him to be industrious, and however he may puff and pant he is still happy. But if instead of the immediate reward you promised him an old-age pension at […]
A true community is not just about being geographically close to someone or part of the same social web network. It’s about feeling connected and responsible for what happens. Humanity is our ultimate community, and everyone plays a crucial role. ~ Yehuda Berg It is a particular trait among thinkers and of their thinking to […]