The Road Less Traveled

This book written by Scott Peck is another masterpiece in the field of psychology. It refers to the difficulties in life, our perceptions and attitudes towards most of the stimuli. It talks of the upbringing by our parents and the effect of their behavior on our molding into a matured personality. Also the vivid discussions with respect to Love, religion and grace and the method of solving our own problems are some of the major highlights of the book.

The book starts with a dialogue “Life is difficult”, and this is the essence of what the author conveys to us in the whole book. We keep on cribbing for our problems and try to prove that they are the most troublesome among all. But each one has his/her share of problems and we ourselves have to find their solutions. We must accept that the life is difficult and we have to find solutions to our problems. Problems and solutions exist together.

Then the specific areas are discussed with help of the cases of the clients of the author and how he got the clue of what was the root cause of their problem. They bring a live conception of the complexities of our mind, and at the same time, they also reflect the causes of problems by sending some signals. These signals are interpreted by the author with amazing perfection. He also discusses the Phenomena of Love in exquisite details where he explains the true love in a different way. He says that it is an act more than feeling. When we extend ourselves to attain spiritual attainment and help other person to achieve it alongside, then we actually love. The act of love can be extended to any number of people. It is more of a rational decision than just an attack of Cupid.

It also gives a new dimension to the religion. He says that despite being adhered to certain religion by birth, we may have an entirely different belief system and that forms our religion in our heart and mind. The incidents have been explained beautifully where a person worships God in different ways than others around him do. People also fear God and they have a different imagination of God based on their experiences and consistently felt emotions.

In all, the book gives a lot of space to think differently about our problems and the various issues related to our day to day lives. Moreover, it also gives us a positive direction to lead our further lives and removes a lot of doubts through insights on controversial topics like love, which has so many different ideas for different people. It is a mind-boggling read for the people who like the psychological realm in their choice of books.

The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran

Kahlil Gibran better known for 'spirits rebellion' is the author of the book titled ‘the prophet’..first part of a trilogy..

In a society confused and riddled with choices and diversions where sometimes what really seems to be missing from life is life itself..the book is like a guiding light and a must read for almost anybody ,particularly a young mind who is all the more baffled…

Not everybody will enjoy this book simply because it is again ‘religious philosophy’ and thus is in its own way miles apart from practical life and all the more from professional …
But if you choose to dare..
And dare to see the present life in the mirror of ancient wisdom and see the ugliness of it all…..

Buy this book and read it..
This book is in the form of a dialogue with the prophet ‘almustafa’ who has waited twelve years in the city of orphalese for his ship that was to return and bear him back to the isle of his birth..as the book reads …(but actually it means that a great spiritual master ls going to shed his earthly garment to take up the divine form…)

And the people of oraphalese are asking this great saint about every possible aspect of life..be it love, marriage, beauty, children, giving, eating ,drinking..so on and so forth…
And the language as if flows like a cascade and takes you with itself to merge in the ocean of utter bliss ..

Only if you can learn to flow with it…

I can’t help but quote a few stanzas so as to elucidate the beauty of the contents…

About clothes…
“forget not that modesty is for a shield against the eye of the unclean.
And when the unclean shall be no more, what were modesty but a fetter
And a fouling of the mind?
And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds
Long to play with your hair”

About love..
“Love has no desire but to fulfill itself.But if you love and must needs have desires,Let these be your desires:To melt and be like a running brook that sings itsits melody to the night.To know the pain of too much tenderness.To be wounded by your own understanding of love:And to bleed willingly and joyfully...And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heartand a song of praise upon your lips..”

To my knowledge the book is a masterpiece …
..a true work of art….and as they say all artists are closer to god..
It is undeniably a vehicle to …divinity..or at least much better worldliness….

To read this work you can go to this link http://www.kahlil.org/prophetpf

The Witch of Portobello- Paulo Coelho

The book written by Paulo Coelho is another attempt towards spirituality as he has made in his other books, in a manner that slowly takes you into an altogether different realm.

It is one of the masterpieces in terms of language and style, written in an innovative manner. It consists of several opinions and perceptions of people about Sherine Khalil, the protagonist, commonly known as Athena. The story builds upon the various aspects of the same person’s personality because each one has a different perspectives related to what they observed in Athena, a witch, a magician, a challenger, an object of love, selfish women, based on their experience. The way it consolidates various stories, knits them into one of the most wonderful voyages of a women, who was left by her gypsy mother in the childhood and had to struggle though drastic situations to emerge as a spiritual mother in the community, is really captivating.

Athena was named by her parents as Sherine Khalil but she liked herself to be called Athena. She was staying with her parents in Lebanon. Civil war broke out, and she predicted that it will be a very long affair, taking away various lives and causing huge bloodshed. This made her parents to leave the place. They went to Europe.

There she lived a normal life for quite sometime. Meanwhile, she was told that she was an adopted child and her mother was a gypsy. But things restored to normal after that. She fell into love with a person named Peterson in the college, and urged him to marry her at a tender age of 19 years. She wanted her child to have a low generation gap so that they can be friends like, understanding each other in the best possible manner. She wanted to become a mother. Once she achieves her aim by marrying her husband, he gets a feeling that she married him for her own selfish aim. He leaves her and she does not react very strongly. This made him more intent on leaving her. Later, she joined a job and tried to put an end to the emptiness in her life. She loved her child Viorel a lot and tried to keep him off all her worries.

The house she lives in has a person named Pavel Podbielski practicing dance ceremony in his house. This enchanted Athena very much. She feels a spiritual freedom during dance and her energy level reaches to the maximum which makes her feel satisfied and let her concentrate on the bright spot. This also improves her efficiency at work with her colleagues. She lets them learn the same dance which makes her popular to a great extent in the office that her boss envies her. The productivity increases to a record level. This showed her employer that she had a lot of substance in her practices. She helps him get the deserved appreciation through helping him make a presentation of a very spiritual path followed by her, so as to be implemented in other branches as a performance improvement method. The basic concept was that people were happy in their life and were trying to achieve the maximum potential after realizing it in the spiritual dance.

Later she learns calligraphy in the desert by Nabil Alaihi. He helps her learn very quickly and help her attain spiritual feeling during that writing art. He tells her to enjoy it and make it her very own way to realize herself. She follows the technique as well as the art behind it. But in spite of all this, there were times when she felt that there were big gaps in her life. She was not convinced in her life. She is told by the calligrapher that there are blank spaces in her life which are meant to be filled. This makes her decide that she needs to meet her mother, her birth mother who left her to the fate.

While going to the gypsy town, she meets Edda, a woman who knew why she was here and had come to help her understand her life in a better way. She also meets Heron, a journalist, who falls in love with her. All this time, she has fallen in love with some Scotland Police Officer. But his name is told afterwards. She meets her mother Liliana Seamstress and sought her love and questioned her as to why she left her like this. Her mother feels delighted to see her again and tries to answer all her questions. She also wanted her to prosper mad leave the place as soon as possible.Hence she returns to her home. Then she went to meet the woman she met on the way, Edda to learn more about herself and the solutions to her problems. Since then, she learned the art of getting all peace she wanted within herself, performing all sorts of magic and teaching people to think differently and strangely, completely out of any rulebook or leaving behind all perceptions. This brought her to a different platform.
She became the mother, Hagia Sofia, to solve all problems of each individual, though she was the same. She felt a completely different identity within herself. She had a chain of followers, who felt the change within themselves due to her teachings and lectures.

Moreover the journalist helped her wherever she needed him, and loved her silently. His girlfriend Andrea too followed Athena earlier. But then she thought she was a witch who wanted to attract attention and using everybody for political gains. Still she went to Athena and learned from her as the teacher and could learn all methods of teaching others, what she herself didn’t know and learning in the process. This made Andrea, a play actress, an even better performer of such events. During all this process, she was defamed in the city by a person who filed a suit on her that she was violating Christian laws and was a witch. She was terrorizing atmosphere. There were updates on the newspapers and gossips from all sides. Suits were filed for the succession of the child, Viorel. She was troubled by that. She did not want to lose her child and was not ready to subdue to all the rumored news.

She got recorded with her lover Heron’s help, her testament, which contained all her commitments to Heron himself as well as what she needed to tell the world. Her cause, her ambitions, her power and everything that was needed to be told was recorded. Later on she got disappeared and newspapers expressed one day that she was brutally murdered by some gang. This really upset the journalist. Later in the story, the police officer comes across as a spy or the person who collected information through various perspectives understood through a dialogue. It’s Athena’s birthday which is being celebrated on her home. The Scott wanted to gift her record collected by the perspectives discussed in the book.

She did not die but to recover safely from all the problems, she was pretended to have died. So that suit ends there and then. She was sent to another country because she wanted to have a peaceful, contented life with the Scott after all this. Andrea was better at handling the goal of knowledge, thus satisfying the motto of Athena. Hence the story ended as well.
The book explains all the mystery which prevents us from enjoying our life in the fullest manner. It explains the inquisitive and never satisfying qualities of a human. The spiritual learning is very well explained. It is a book which is a must read for all those who have a philosophical bent of mind.

Reiki ...

Reiki is a form of spiritual practice, proposed for the treatment of physical, emotional, mental and spiritual diseases. Mikao Usui developed Reiki in early 20th century Japan, where he said he received the ability of 'healing without energy depletion' after three weeks of fasting and meditating on Mount Kurama.

Principles of Reiki

• Just for today i will live the attitude of gratitude
• Just for today i will not worry
• Just for today i will not be angry
• Just for today i will do my work honestly
• Just for today i will show love and respect for every living thing

It is gods love in its purest form

It is completely unconditional

It demands nothing of the giver nor the receiver

It propounds no creed or dogma

It requires no specific belief or in reiki itself

Used in its traditional form, as developed by Dr. Usui system of natural healing, reiki heals the body and emotions, brimging them into balance and promoting health, happiness, prosperity and long life.

How to go about Reiki?

• Look for a right/ traditional master; there are lot of fake master who have made this a profession for money... they will give advertisement in papers etc and make fake claims of curing diseases. Reiki dont claim anything ... it is just the grace of reiki which cures all this
• There are different levels of Reiki - Level 1 & 2 and then if you are interested you can yourself become a master and take a pledge to make other people learn and practice Reiki, who are interested in it
• Level 1 & 2 are both 2 days workshop, where the master will sensitise you with the philosophy of Reiki, different bodies in a human being, chakras in body and trasform Reiki into you by opening chakras. The Reiki transfered to anyone will remain with oneself throughout life
• After 2 days workshop of Level, there is 21 days purification process where one has to spend 3 minutes on all 24 points, starting from Eyes to Root Chakra (that means 72 minutes in all everyday). This process will heal all the body parts and will positively effect your mental, emotional and spiritual being
• If after practicing for 21 days, you feel that you want to continue, you can ask your master for the next Level 2 workshop. After level 2, your powers will increase 4 times and one will be able to practise distance healing (which is not there in level 1, where one can practice only touch healing)

Let me share my personal experience with Reiki. I was sensitized with this practise in my MBA days from one of my junior, Abhijeet Bhagwat. I was always interesting in learing it but coudnt get time and the right master. After i came to Kolkata, i explored about a traditional master here, and was lucky to get in touch with my master - Parul Datta. It was an enriching workshop in my tight schedule here and convinced me to practice Reiki sincerely, 72 minutes a days. It's been 2 weeks now and have seen positive changes in myself.

I would recommend if you people are interested in Reiki, you can contact my motherly master.

Parul Datta

5, Lake East, 3rd Road, Santoshpur

Kolkatta - 700075

Contact - 033-24169868, 09831021793

With lots of love and light,

Nitin Kochhar (09831055237)

The Fountainhead - by Ayn Rand

Ed: This post was originally made on May 18, 2005 at my blog. This is a reproduction of the same.

Most B-schoolers discover Ayn Rand classic during their MBA preparations. In fact it is probably a matter of prestige for B-schoolers to have 'The Fountainhead' as their favourite book. But I have met quite a few people who call 'The Foutainhead' their favourite just because everyone else does so. By doing so they go against the very philosophy that this book tries to teach. Such people are the living copy of the character - 'Peter Keating'.

Relievingly, I have found many people who have a mind of their own and do not feel ashamed to confess that they either do not understand Rand or the book itself is complete bullshit!

I just completed my 3rd reading of the book. I had failed to complete it 2 times and had to restart every time. After completing the book I felt that the core of the book is the testimony given by Howard Roark (the protagonist of the story) in the court at the end of the story. However, Roark's (or rather Ayn Rand's) ideas are so fundamentally challenging to the dogmas of the society that Ayn Rand had to create a story filled with extremely unnatural characters to explain it.

This is one reason why many people start reading the book but give up in the middle finding the story too absurd or extreme. I myself came very close to being one of such people and know at least two of them.

I feel that such people can read the above mentioned speech and try to understand the concept presented here. I had earlier pasted the text of the speech on my blog but it was too long to be posted here. So I have made good use of my Yahoo! ID which works on all Yahoo! affiliates like geocities by creating a webpage dedicated to Howard Roark's Testimony.

Cosmic Dance

by Joyce Rupp & Mary Southard

The writer in me that has been hard done by his shear ignorance…has today decided to vindicate himself …..and as I sit on a matrix laden with all kinds of small knick knacks…that due to my laze and there bad luck could not find there deserved place in my retiring area that I dear not call a home ….as it does not have any remotest of resemblance to it…..I once again find myself trying to give words to a void…..
Because all the mirth is long gone …n all that is left is a void…
Is it that ‘been there done that’ thing....nope I think am very far from it..Guess I am waiting for something or rather I should be waiting for something..Because its neither my age nor my prerogative…to sound tired as if I have seen a lot….
But what else is there to see apart from an unending cycle of joys and sorrows…...
However small or big..Whether it be a life of a rickshaw puller…or..a corporate leader…whether..it be a rag or a business attire..that is what all of it ultimately boils down to…
Dark nights and Bright days….

This is ME….but HE was somebody else…
..Have been reading lately about Lord Krishna …a perfect embodiment of a person that had won both the worlds , who denied nothing ….neither this world nor that ..and everything was so very simple for him…who would not shy away from playing a trickster nor from revealing the inner most secret of life.. who could compete without pride…who could fight without anger…who could love without possession …Who would live where he had arrived and nowhere else…who had no friends …and still reflected back the love he received seven folds….who was not a sadhak.. because he had nothing to achieve…
A mystic that is the most difficult to understand…….He was different from any other mystic and had found a way that was different from any other and all the more complete…a mystic of highest caliber who had mischievousness of a child intact in him till the very end…a complete paradox…a festivity in the name of a man..who knew the art of ‘just being’..like the wind, the water ,the sun…and he said ..let Man be one with this ‘Cosmic celebration’…It does not mean the End of work.. but he gives more importance to ’being ’ than ‘doing ‘.Who saw the birth and death together and so all that was in life was nothing but a celebration to fill the void.
Krishna’s language has been defined as twilight language where there is neither days nor nights, where everything is fluid ,vague, mystical, so no body till date could find a clear cut meaning to his sayings. They have to end up giving conflicting statements.
In fact nobody has been able to accept the whole of Krishna ,Surdas could only except Balkrishna because he could not imagine a young Krishna with the gopis…

And one of these gopis was Radha , it is said that there is no greater pain in this world then the pain of love….
It wipes you out completely …..there is no other pain .. as profound ..it means the end of ego….and true devotees ask for love’s suffering…and so was Radha….
A whole sect of ‘Sufis’ prey as if it was there long lost love with passion that defies all descriptions…n howsoever improper it may seem but ‘Sufis ’are one of the very few sects who understand true devotion………therefore krishna
and so I hope,

That, As I know the darkness of night
And the brightness of day
I’ll.. One day know the twilight…..

as I learn the hollowness of an argument…
And the loneliness of silence….
I’ll … one day know poise…

And as I know the pleasure lurking behind every pain…
The pain hiding in shadows of pleasure……..
I’ll … one day know calm …..

as I learn to see what joys…sorrow brings..
And the grief hidden behind all rejoice…
. I’ll … one day know bliss………




And as I know the delight of ….SUDAMA..
And the agony of ……RADHA..
I’ll…. Perhaps… one day…….know…….KRISHNA….

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Sidhartha

By Hermann Hesse

This book was recommended by one of my friends, who claimed that has read only one book out of course curriculum. He further told me that it carries all the elements, which enables a person to learn everything about life. So, I picked it. Before starting it, I was of the notion that it is based on the life of Gautam Budha. But, it wasn’t so. It was by German writer Hermann Hesse, who was highly influenced by Indian history and culture. I think this work was created more than a century ago. The best part about it is its conciseness.

The story is based on the life of a person named Sidhartha, who lived in contemporary times of Lord Budha. As Sidhartha reached adolescence, his heart was filled with only one desire to know underlying truth of life. Soon the drive became irresistible, and he asked for the permission of his parents to start his journey to find truth. As he was the only child, it was very tough decision for them. But, seeing his drive and unhappy state of mind, his parents granted him his wish.

He started his journey, and was accompanied by one of his friends Gopal, who revered him. Both of them started visiting number of temples and Ashrams of famous saints. They underwent lot of austerities, which according to Indian saints brings one closer to God. But according to Sidhartha, he only developed the ability to fast and to write.

Finally, they reached the ashram of Lord Budha. Gopal, joined the followers of Lord and started living at his ashram. During the stay, Sidhartha and Lord incidentally met in the garden. The Enlightened one asked, whether he came here to get sermons from him or to learn something specific. To this, Sidhartha replied “No one can teach anybody anything. One has to learn it on his own.” And Budha agreed with him.

Now, Sidhartha with Gopal gone, continued his journey alone. Almost after a decade of following austere life, he couldn’t see his search being satiated with his present lifestyle. So, he went to one of the cities and became a merchant. He went to city empty handed, and owing to his abilities of fasting and writing, he became richest businessman of the city. He also left his celibacy, as he came in contact with one of the courtesans of the city. He also was blessed with one son, which he came to know about quite late in the story. Initially, he use to treat business as game, and acted as a detached player. But, as time passed, he started getting emotionally involved. His personality underwent a complete change. He started drinking, gambling, and womanizing. He became short tempered and proud ness overtook his personality. One, fine day he just realized the sort of life he was living. It was like waking up from dream. On this realization, he left the city empty handed and restarted his journey to achieve the sole goal in his life.

Finally he met a boatman, who used to live on river bank and earned his living by helping people to cross the river. The boatman was a simple, unassuming and kind hearted fellow. While conversing with Sidhartha, he told that river is like life to him. At times, it’s very placid and at times very turbulent. If one really wants, one can learn about the philosophy of life by it. On hearing this, Sidhartha made up his mind to live as a boatman for rest of his life and to search the truth via river. He joined the boatman and started living his lifestyle. Both of them started growing old. And at the same time, they were become popular for their wisdom even in the far off places.

Sidhartha, started observing all the moods of the river. By this sole act, he begins to understand the basis of life. And finally, a day came, when he couldn’t differentiate between himself and river. And further, he couldn’t differentiate between him and any other thing around. It was all same to him. This is how he achieved Enlightenment.

The lesson I learnt from this story is that one can learn everything from anything or activity. Only thing required is will. This reminds me of another book ‘Book of Five Rings’ by Miyamoto Musashi. It says ‘An art is not an art, if its approach can’t be applied to another art’.

I recommend this book to all the people who have thirst to discover the underlying philosophy of life.