Wisdom Calling

In my early twenties, I was helplessly looking for opportunities and skills that would help me grow in my career and gain success. Reading self-help books was my favourite pastime, and luckily, I had access to many from our college library where I worked. One day, I came across The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success by Deepak Chopra. My first introduction to spirituality was through the Brahma Kumaris. Though I never joined the organisation, watching interviews of Brahma Kumaris teachers helped me make peace with relationship issues and failures. So, when I saw this book, its title naturally intrigued me. It was concise — I could finish it in just an hour. At first reading, it didn’t change me much. But after returning to it again and again, I began to understand its real essence. Though small in size, the wisdom is unmatched — a must-read for anyone who wants to balance material success with peace of mind. The seven laws are: 1. The Law of Pure Potentiality We are spiritual beings leadi...

A delegate once visited a mental asylum. As he walked through the wards with a doctor, he noticed a man trying to hang himself while crying out the name Laila . Curious and concerned, the delegate asked the doctor what had happened. The doctor replied sadly, “He was in love with a girl named Laila. But he couldn’t marry her. The heartbreak drove him mad.” The delegate sighed, feeling sorry for the man. But as they walked further, they saw another patient doing the exact same thing—same noose, same name— Laila . Shocked, the delegate exclaimed, “This Laila must have been really special. Looks like this man too couldn’t win her love.” The doctor, however, shook his head and said, “No, no. You’re mistaken. This man married Laila.” This story is darkly amusing, but if we look deeper, it offers some profound insights into human psychology and personal growth: 1. You Own the Laila Someone Else Longed For This isn't just about romantic love. It applies to life in general. The lif...

During my student life, finding my true calling was a faraway thought. Coming from a high-class family with middle-class income, my aim was to earn money, no matter what the job or place was. I never imagined that later, I would choose a profession I truly enjoy and a place close to my heart. Recent meet up with my former students   After finishing my studies, I joined the teaching profession near my native place. Most of my friends who studied engineering and other courses went to Bangalore. I often wondered if Bangalore had enough space for all of them. The population keeps increasing day by day. People often say that life in a metro and life in our native are as different as Earth and Jupiter. Busy roads, traffic signals, high food prices, and a fast lifestyle are common in Bangalore. I believed for many years that life in our native was far better. But after my recent visit to Bangalore, I started thinking differently. Many of my friends, students, and relatives now live in Ban...

  "You're hired," declared the institution head after concluding the interview process. While I knew he held the role of the sole owner, with decision-making power centralized in his hands, I was taken aback when he indicated that my performance would be evaluated by the management, potentially impacting salary increments. To gain deeper insights, I consulted colleagues, some of whom I knew from previous positions. They affirmed my understanding that, despite the existence of other management members, their presence on the campus was minimal, and he remained the predominant authority for nearly all decisions. Several years later, I engaged in a conversation with the principal of a renowned institution, exploring the possibility of striking a deal for my services. Although acquainted with his virtues (or lack thereof) and vices, I approached the discussion with tempered expectations, influenced by another acquaintance's suggestion. Instead of delving into a discussion...

Imagine you're on a world tour, and in a foreign city, you unexpectedly run into an acquaintance. It's a delightful surprise, a chance encounter that leaves you astonished. Days later, in another country, you cross paths with the same person again. This time, while you're pleased to see them, the surprise has faded. Why? It's because the initial surprise of encountering them unexpectedly had already occurred. This phenomenon isn't limited to chance meetings; it applies to various aspects of life. When an unusual event repeats in slightly different ways, it gradually becomes ordinary and ceases to surprise you. Reflecting on my past, I once held strong moral beliefs about relationships, insisting they should only lead to marriage. My friends perceived me as a moralistic preacher, which strained our friendships. It took time, but I realized that love isn't always calculative. I've since become more accepting of different relationship dynamics. This shift in mi...

I was reading "The Almanack of Naval Ravikant," last night. In one of his tweets, Naval Ravikant  intriguingly suggests, "you should be too busy to "do coffee" while still keeping an uncluttered calendar." This tweet sparks an important insight: often, people mistake busyness for productivity, finding solace in the feeling of being constantly occupied. In this relentless pursuit of busyness, we tend to neglect what truly matters to us. Ravikant's wisdom suggests that being busy, in itself, doesn't lead to wealth or happiness. The key lies in discerning which tasks hold genuine value in your lives. As employees, you may overextend ourselves, saying "no" to family and friends who stand by you. Or may be due to too much of family obligation, you overlook social life. Ravikant urges to make conscious choices about whom and what to say "no" to. Life cannot be lived without making choices; it's crucial to ensure that your "no...