4. Journey.

ATTITUDES are more important than facts – Dr Karl Menninger.

I do come across so many people who tell me – “You always say, BE POSITIVE but what is the gain?” I ask them what the gain in being NEGATIVE is.

Earlier, I use to wonder what a positive thought can do to me. Off late, I started digging more on that - If not positive then what I will think. Of course, it would be negative. Have I ever thought what a negative thought can do to me? Then, why do I keep on thinking the same about positive. Given a choice, why should I not think positive always?

Also, at times I feel what is negative and does it really exist? Isn’t it just the absence of positive? I feel, there is nothing like darkness, it’s just the absence of light. Well, but it is still called “darkness”, though. Isn’t it? True, but the focus is on darkness if I think about it. On the other hand, if I think, it’s the absence of light, my focus will be on “light” and I will strive to get it somehow.

This is a mind game. Mind just understands pictures. Whatever I say or may be think, mind will create a picture and as it is the controlling media, it will concentrate on the picture and accordingly act upon. Let’s assume that there is a problem and I am looking for a solution. Now, what if I concentrate on the problem area? Mind will constantly create a picture of problem within and make me always feel down. If I transcend and think about the solution, mind will start acting upon.

This develops a bundle of self-confidence and makes the mind feel superior. A superior mind will always invite superior thought and reject those gloomy ones. Auto-suggestions start flowing through and a world full of positivism is created within.

Some folks ask me, what is the power of prayer? I say – Prayer is the most vital element of positivism. I define prayer as an input to myself in front of any positive source. I can get the energy by prayer or from the source in front of which I pray. That’s all. Rest is my task. Energy is everywhere. It’s all a matter of faith, which source do I choose? Hence, prayer with self-action does work.

Also, Prayer can be thought of as a commitment; a commitment in front of a source I have faith in. Since I have faith in that source, it implies that I will not break any trust from my side either. I can also commit myself in front of my near-dear ones and/or throw a challenge. This really helps in boosting up.

A thought about postponing the activity will take me away from positivism. I will start getting the thought of refraining from the activity immediately after the thought of postponing it. Eventually, I will start disliking the activity and in no time, the thought will go out of the mind, may be forever. This is where a phobia comes into picture. A new phobia has started shaping up.

This happens with a prevailing phobia as well. For instance, swimming. The fear of water exists. Now, more I postpone the idea of getting rid of it, it will grow stiffer.
To get rid of any phobias, the first step is building an attitude. The first step is a feeling of I CAN and the next is I WILL.

Some men see things as they are and say “why”;
I dream of things that never were and say “why not”;

The above lines from GB Shaw are awe-inspiring. Positive thinking creates a feeling of I CAN and the next step is initiation of implementation, which is I WILL. If I think about a feeling, I can feel it actually and once I get into “I CAN” domain, I can step up and swiftly enter into the “I WILL” domain. This transition is like a kick-start of an automobile. The journey has begun.

Do I realize that all that happened till now has happened inside? Inside the mind. The journey begun in the mind and now it will continue outside. The concrete implementation is in the outside world with a constant velocity from within.

I call this as a journey from Positive thinking towards Realistic implementation.

I would like to quote a couple of lines from a famous hindi poem followed by it’s translation.

Kuch bhi nahi Asamambhav jag me, Sab kuch sambhav ho sakta hai,
Kaarya Hetu yedi kamar baandh lo, to Sab kuch ho sakta hai.
Tu Sooraj hai pagle phir kyon, Andhakar se darta hai,
Tu to apni ek kiran se, Jag pradipta kar sakta hai.

Everything is possible in this world.
If I start working on an objective, everything can happen.
You are sun, then why are you afraid of darkness.
You can enlighten the entire world by just a ray of your light.

The entire poem is pretty stimulating and worth implementing.

3. Completeness.

Completeness is being 100%. Sounds excellent but being what? This is the question of a lifetime.

Who will think over it? Of course, it’s me. So, I need to ask myself, what I want to be and Am I really being what I want to be?

I am back to square one. This is where all this started with a topic titled “Ask Yourself”
(Right at the beginning of the very first blog titled "So What")

Completeness, according to me is just that. It doesn’t have to do with “everything” or “nothing”. It is just being what I want to be and doing what I want to.

Adding “Complete” before “Responsible” makes me Complete Responsible and so on for Independence, Celebration, Forgiveness et al. I can be Completely Independent or Completely Celebrative or a combination of these and all above and may be the highest of all, Completely Complete, rather COMPLETE.

2. Jodha Akbar.

Expectation was one thing which I left home when I went to see this period drama titled Jodha Akbar. Although, as per previews and the background of the production house, cast and crew, it was supposed to be a highly recommended flick, I had gone there for the only reason that I could comment on it before anyone does.

Stunning performance by Roshan as J M Akbar and impeccable direction by Gowariker were 2 things for which I whole-heartedly give a standing approbation.

Technically, this one was a pretty edifying fare made on a grand scale with a vertical confidence of downright success and turns out to be true to a greater extent.

On the editing front, I personally feel, it was a bit lengthy though. Nevertheless, the spectacular sets, flamboyant costumes and dazzling jewelry made the entire flick a visual treat.

The commentary by Bachchan Sr was a delicacy to ears. Rahman’s music was enchanting as well. Besides Roshan, there were some sterling performances by Arun as Maham Anga and Sood as Sujamal. Although Rai was eye-catching, I was expecting a mammoth feat from her side, which was kinda missing.

Overall, a Ashutosh Gowariker extravaganza.

My Verdict - 8/10

1. Influence.

At this point, I don't know what the purpose of life is. Of course life is made of small purposes at times but I feel nothing comes closer to what is going on at this point.

The fact is I am pretty much happy, content, satisfied with what I am where I am how I am. No cribbing whatsoever but still I know this is not the purpose.

Honestly, I don't feel like giving 100% to my work. (Infact, I m not giving 100% as well)

I am focusing on work since I give more than 1/3rd of my life to it. There ain't anything which
makes me feel that I should grow in the so called professional world, be a part of the rat-race as I haven't come across anything which makes me break this belief - There is nothing on the TOP.

Life, I experience, is pretty much influential.....

A patriotic movie makes me feel for a while that I should do everything for the nation in which I took birth. A beggar makes me feel I should get down from my car feed him and talk to him. A visit to an orphanage/old-age home makes me feel I should very much regularly visit that place and spend a lot of time there. A business idea makes me feel that I should quit what I am doing and mint money. Stock trading makes me feel I should look forward for high risk, high returns. Parties and Clubbing makes me feel I should just chill and hangout. Dating with a female makes me feel I should just spend my time relaxing on a sea shore or sitting at a wonderful sea-side restaurant for hours. Spiritual surroundings make me feel that I should give up all the above and entirely engross myself in the self.

I am not spending time in finding the purpose of my life. It might just happen that once I realize the purpose of my life. That moment onwards, I will live that purpose and no influence will work.

As of now, I am enjoying life and having a great time and shall continue to do.

Have I diluted a lot all of a sudden? May be, but that was not intended to influence :)