We have heard the term “Guru” since childhood, but we never really knew the actual meaning of this beautiful word. We generally use it for a school teacher, trainer, tutor, etc., but we have actually distorted its deeper significance.

Let’s understand what “Guru” actually means.
“Guru” is a Sanskrit word that is often understood as a guide, mentor, master, or one who dispels ignorance. It is much more than simply being a teacher.

In the book Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 6, Acharya Prashant explains the significant difference between three roles that we often overlap with the Guru:

1. Knowledge Provider (Teacher)
2. Trainer: Focuses mainly on our body and skills: how to take care of the body, develop healthier habits, improve performance, etc.
3. Guru

The word “Guru” should be used very carefully. We cannot call just anyone a Guru.

Throughout history, we have seen many well-known Guru–Shishya pairs, for example:

•Krishna-Arjuna
•Ramakrishna Paramahansa – Swami Vivekananda
•Yama – Nachiketa (Katha Upanishad)
•Swami Ramananda – Kabir Das
•Sant Ravidas – Mirabai

Question: What is the difference between a teacher (knowledge provider) and a Guru, since both work with the mind?

Please explain your answer as well in comment section below:⬇️

Sant Lalleshwari was a 14th-century Kashmiri saint and poet. Hindus called her Lalleshwari, and Muslims called her Lalla Arifa. But both lovingly called her Lal Ded “Grandmother Lal.”

She is best known for her vaakhs: short, poetic verses. She is considered one of the most important figures in Kashmiri Shaivism and the Kashmiri literary tradition.

One of her vaakhs, in an English version by Coleman Barks:

Dance, Lalla, with nothing on
but air. Sing, Lalla,
wearing the sky.
Look at this glowing day!
What clothes
could be so beautiful, or
more sacred?

~ Lal Ded

“Dance, Lalla, with nothing on but air.”

Here, nakedness is not about the physical body. It is a metaphor for inner freedom. Without the coverings of fear, attachment, expectations, social approval, or pretence, one can dance like a mad person, full of joy.

Dancing means not trying to reach somewhere or arrive at a specific destination. It is to do the right action in the direction of truth, without being driven by profit or a particular purpose.

Normally, one says, “When I achieve a specific goal, I will be happy.” But a person without psychological coverings may say, “I am happy; that is why I am dancing.” Every day becomes a dance floor for such a person.

“Sing, Lalla, wearing the sky”

Here, the sky points to the vastness and immensity of existence, the wholeness of life itself. You do not need an external source for protection, you are held by existence itself.
One who is close to their inner centre cannot be shaken from within. The physical body can be harmed, but from within it remains untouched.

“Look at this glowing day!”

Look at the beauty of existence as it .

“What clothes could be so beautiful, or more sacred?”

In the usual sense, clothes can represent something socially manufactured, something human beings have created and society has approved. But one who is closer to the centre may be less ruled by social identities and pretence, and therefore less afraid of psychological vulnerability.

We normally seek protection, or our “clothing” from others. But what we may forget is that the one from whom we seek protection can also begin to rule us.

This vaakh, as I understand it, suggests something different: if you are protected by nothing, then you are truly protected.

Just look at your own life and ask yourself:

What external sources do i seek protection from?
It can be anything money, a spouse, parents, society, knowledge, or intellect.

And ask yourself:

Can I live without treating these things as my only source of protection or security?

This Interpretation, as I understood it, is based on Philosopher Acharya Prashant’s article and YouTube video.

Sources:
YouTube: https://youtu.be/iLTauEoOCwQ?si=-3qkRU59wkz8urhI

Article : https://acharyaprashant.org/en/articles/dance-and-dance-naked-on-saint-lalleshwari-1_5f18f55

Philosophy is the love for wisdom.
Philo means love and Sophia means wisdom.

I was reading about Albert Camus’ work and found one of his famous lines:

“There’s always been war,
But people get quickly accustomed to peace.
So they think it’s normal.
No, war is what’s normal.”

At first, I thought here war meant war between nations, which is what Camus was actually referring to in the literal sense. But I found a deeper philosophical meaning in one of the YouTube videos of philosopher Acharya Prashant.

The deeper meaning I understood is that the war can also be understood as our inner, daily psychological conflict. Peace is not the default, but inner conflict is actually the default state.
If we honestly look at our mind, there is always a pull between “Should I do this or that?” along with guilt, comparison, restlessness, and indecision. This churn inside the mind can be referred to as a kind of war.

In the video, Acharya Prashant’s exact words are even more insightful:
“War is what is normal: conflict, basic inner fragmentation, lack of total flow, indecision, our fractured movements. Basic duality, the presence of two-ness. The mind is split into two, and two means twenty thousand. So there is no smoothness in its functioning………………..”

I found this philosophical interpretation worth reflecting on.

Full video source: https://youtu.be/kikHMAuf_4Q?si=1MzpP-D7xkqlvF4G

The Turnspit was a short-legged, long-bodied dog that was once an important part of kitchens in Britain, from the 16th to the 19th century. They were bred to run on a wooden wheel, called a Turnspit wheel, to turn roasting meat so that it could cook evenly.

They were also known as kitchen dogs, cooking dogs, or turnspit dogs. Sometimes, a pair of dogs were used in shifts, so that if one became fatigued, the other could be used.

These dogs were bred for as long as they were useful to humans. During the 19th century, mechanical roasting devices gradually replaced their work. Afterwards, they were no longer bred for this purpose, and over time the breed became extinct.

In book by Charles Darwin : On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection: he used Turnspit as an example of SELECTIVE BREEDING.

After reading about the history of this dog, I had a lot of questions to reflect upon:

How do we humans use another living being for our own use without thinking about its pain or feelings? And how, with time, does it become normal for us to use them?

When it comes to our consumption, we can become blind to seeing another being as a being with emotions and feelings. The same happened with the Turnspit dog. It was used and bred for as long as it was needed. When it was no longer useful, it no longer had the same importance. It was not bred like before, and with time it became extinct.

Even when I see pet dogs and cats around me, they are often chosen for particular breeds because of their cuteness or special body features, so that they look aesthetic in a home or with an owner. People rarely choose to keep mixed breed or rescue animals.

The history of the Turnspit dog is from the 16th century, but even in the 21st century we feed and breed animals mainly for what they can give us: cows and buffalo for milk, hens for eggs, and animals for meat. And other animals which are of no use to us receive less care, attention, or protection.

This is not simply nature. Much of it is shaped by human convenience.

For nature, every animal has its own place, from a small ant to a human being. But we humans create separation between ourselves and other species. This sense of separation has made us violent, both from inside and outside.

The history of the Turnspit dog turns our focus inward:

Why are we still repeating similar patterns from the 16th century in the 21st century? Has the Human only changed from outside, but his inner tendencies are still the same ?
Why can’t we live in greater harmony with other animal species?
Why it has become normal for us to use other living beings for our own convenience?
Is there any way to live in harmony with other beings?

Historical Sources:

National Trust, Dog wheel
Turnspit Dogs: The Rise and Fall

On September 28,

Remembering Veer Bhagat singh on his 119th birth anniversary 🇮🇳

Bhagat singh, a legend who still lives in our hearts.

A freedom which we are experiencing today was made possible by these legends who sacrificed their lives so that we could live freely.

We can learn lot from his life. One of them is living an outrageous life.

What we think of as an outrageous life was actually a natural free flow of life for our legends.

It was natural to him because he had clarity about what was most important to him. Freedom was his top priority. As he said “Meri Dulhan Azaadi Hai”.

He didn’t have fear of social disapproval, expectations or even death. He had love for freedom.

He lived his life without fear.

He is such an inspiration for everyone, especially the youth.

You have one life. live it fearlessly .

Freedom should be our top priority.

The first step towards freedom is looking within and becoming aware of our own tendencies. From there, freedom begins to reflect in the way we live.

Heartfelt gratitude to him on his birth anniversary.

“Self love is not about feeling good, but about being ruthlessly true to oneself”

[Chapter 4 of Book Truth Without Apology by Author Acharya Prashant ]

Let the world chatter. People are entitled to their noisy opinion: on your accent, your skin, your clothes, your voice. These are externals. Let them say what they will.

When it comes to your basic worth as a person, no one has the right to decide your value, not even the people closest you. Protect that part of yourself and never let anyone define it.

Only you know who you are . Be your own strict examiner: honest and uncompromising. When you do that, the world’s judgements don’t affect you.

Next time when someone flatters you, do not swell. or if someone criticises you, do not shrink. Both are just flickers. Just take it as a feedback, nothing more than that.

Don’t let other people decide how you see yourself.

That is self love: an awareness about yourself.

Nuggets (2014), a 5 min short animated film by German director Andreas Hykade, produced by Studio Film Bilder.

It is a visual metaphor for progression of any addiction.
In this Kiwi discovers a golden nugget and tries it. On first experience he turns bright yellow and floats in euphoria and feels intense lightness. Then it keeps returning for another nugget. With time his each subsequent high becomes shorter, while the crashes become harder. The feeling gradually fades, but he still wants that nugget. His world becomes darker and his health deteriorates.

Nugget can represent any addiction: coffee, smoking, shopping, drugs, sleep, any food, entertainment, social media, notifications, social media, likes and follows, selfies, gambling, work and achievements and many more. It is an endless list.

Brain Pathway Behind Addiction:

Trigger - Dopamine/reward signal - Motivation/ craving - Behaviour - Reward/ relief - learning - Stronger craving.

One Example From Daily Life :

Stress - Craving for social media - scrolling - temporary relief/ pleasure - Brain learns that scrolling helps when i feel stressed - next time stress occurs - craving appears faster .

Every time we act on a craving, the pattern becomes stronger and more automatic and makes it harder to resist next time.

The key is not to fight the craving but to see it clearly and when you have seen your pattern, then your intention matters.

A Self Aware Person Observes his pattern.

Stress - craving arises - observe “ what exactly am i seeking right now” - observe the sensation/ thought- don’t immediately follow it - understands the pattern.

Awareness creates a gap between craving and response. With time an automatic response decreases.
It is a continuous process, one craving may go and another may take its place.

Live Consciously, rather than being driven by every craving.

When I completed my undergraduate studies, I was very unclear about what to do next whether to take a job or pursue postgraduate studies. I felt like I was the only one in my batch who was so uncertain about the future.

Everyone around me seemed to have a clear path. Comparing myself with others made me lose my self-esteem and increased my anxiety. I didn’t have any strong passion in my heart, so I decided to take a break.

Then I watched many videos to gain clarity about my career and came across this question in one of Acharya Prashant’s videos:

“If you want to know which work is better for you for your whole life, ask yourself: Which work would you do even if you were not paid for it?”

This question made me think deeply.

We spend major part of our lives working, so I believe our work should be something we genuinely care about. We often make important life choices under the influence of others and may lose touch with what truly matters to us.

Find your calling first: work that genuinely beckons you.
It took me some time to find my calling, but it was worth it.
Choose your career wisely. Take some time, sit with yourself, and ask:

“Which work would I do even if I were not paid for it?”

Video source where i came across this question :

https://youtu.be/8RzHUgQNHC8?si=Y5deJie6RTxwQGvu

Just finished 3 chapters of this book.This is truly a wonderful book.
I read :

1. Man’s Search- The Tortured Mind…..Freedom from Authority
2. Learning About ourselves-simplicity and Humility- Conditioning.
3. Consciousness -The Totality of Life - Awareness

Reading Journey is Ongoing

This dialogue is from Season 2, Episode 2 of DUCKMAN animated sitcom directed by American illustrator and cartoonist Everett Peck.

Our normal pop philosophy for money is to make more and more money until the end of life.

This kind of philosophy has increased both consumerism and profit driven behaviour.

Why can’t we just stop at one amount like this much savings is required to fulfil some of my responsibilities and some for my old age ?

The main irony is that even very young people save money for old age.🙄

Instead of focusing on making more money we should actually focus on where that money is coming from and where i am using that money.

After a certain amount ,one should use his/her money where it is needed the most.

We are Mortal Beings. What is the use of making so much money and that too for next 2..3 generations?
Doesn’t it feel ridiculous?

The simple sound of papers is so satisfying to ears.
For others it may be a noise, but for every book lover it will be a music.🎶

When Shakuni teaches the Gita, it becomes a way to achieve some profit.
But what is the Gita actually teaching?
It asks us to look at the doer to understand ourselves first.
When you understand the doer, your actions become clearer and more right.

So whenever you see capitalism, self-interest, or profit being justified in the name of the Gita or any scripture, be aware.
They may be using Krishna’s name, but are they really following his teaching?

Don’t use the Gita to strengthen your ego. Use it to understand your ego.

“MAN” (2012) shows a human character progressively exploiting, consuming and destroying animals and the natural environment.

This short animated film made me wonder how easily we call something “progress” when it gives us more comfort, more consumption, and more control.

We keep taking from nature as if we are separate from it, as if the forests, animals, rivers and oceans exist only for our use.

But perhaps the irony is that the more we try to dominate nature, the more we damage the very system that keeps us alive.

The problem isn’t simply that humans are destroying nature.
The deeper problem is that WE HAVE FORGOTTEN THAT WE ARE NATURE TOO.

And that is the real tragedy: in trying to conquer the world around us ,we are destroying the very world that sustains us.

Choose wisely which Krishna you want to worship for your whole life: the one in the stories or the Author of the Bhagavad Gita (the one present on the battlefield of Kurukshetra)

1️⃣ Krishna of our stories:
These are the stories we have been hearing since our childhood. They can be interpreted and told differently by everyone according to their understanding and interests.When you go to one place, the Krishna story is different, in another place, it is different. Stories can change even within a few kilometres.
When we listen to these stories, it depends on us which part we want to keep.
The best way is to filter these stories. The part which tells us something about ourselves, which can become a mirror to us, is the part worth keeping.
The part which is just a story or entertainment, or which brings only a superficial change in us like changing our dressing sense, reciting mantras day and night, or simply telling us to follow certain rules we can question whether that is really helping us understand ourselves.
Mostly, from these stories, we create an image of Krishna in our minds how he used to be in his childhood, the Ras Leela, and many more.
We form our whole world around such stories.
On the day of Janmashtami, it becomes even more visible how we form our world around these stories.
Small children are dressed up like Kanha, with a flute in their hands, alta on their hands and feet, peacock feathers, and sometimes even eating makhan.
Just think for a second:
What are we learning from all this?
If we are not learning anything about ourselves, then what is the deeper meaning of all this?
Perhaps it only gives us a short escape from our own inner suffering.

2️⃣ Krishna of Bhagavad Gita:
Have you ever thought about why very few people actually read the Bhagavad Gita?
In Hinduism, the Bhagavad Gita is considered one of the most important scriptures. Everyone knows about it, but very few read it, and out of those who read it very few try to understand it deeply.
I know the same thing can happen with the Gita too. It can also be interpreted by people according to their own interests and beliefs .
And perhaps everyone is not ready to hear the truth that Krishna is telling Arjuna.
That truth can shake the foundation on which our beliefs and comforts lie.
But we have been given a brain with millions of neurons. I think we should use it.
If we try to see clearly, without any preset belief in our minds, we can see which teaching is actually teaching us something about ourselves and which is talking about everything except us.

This Janmashtami, try reading and understanding the Bhagavad Gita.
Try to understand what the Krishna of the battlefield is trying to say to Arjuna.

Our life is also a battlefield.

Make Krishna your charioteer. Give the strings of your life into the hands of Krishna. You still have to act and fight your own battle, but let Truth guide your chariot.

Life is very short .
Let this Janmashtami be a day to stop for a moment and see ourselves.
See how we have been living our life and ask:

Am I genuinely happy with the life I have lived till now?
Do I actually want to live the same way for the rest of my life?
Can I live with lightness inside me?

We keep aquariums in our homes as décor, for calmness, or even as therapy. We enjoy watching the colours, the movement, and the peacefulness they create.

But have we ever stopped to think about the tiny living beings inside?

Do they want to live in that small glass tank?
What about their natural behaviour?
What about the environment they evolved in?
What about their social relationships?
What about their freedom to explore?

What harm can aquarium captivity cause?

🔸Loss of freedom: They cannot move, explore, or choose where they want to go.
🔸Limited space: Even a large aquarium is tiny compared with their natural habitat.
🔸Stress: Transport, handling, confinement, noise, bright lights, and unsuitable tank mates can cause stress.
🔸Unnatural surroundings: A tank cannot fully replace the complex environment of nature.
🔸Limited natural behaviour: They may not be able to migrate, hunt, explore, hide, or search for food naturally.
🔸Social problems: Some animals may be kept alone when they naturally live in groups, while others may be forced to live with unsuitable tank mates.
🔸Poor stimulation: A simple tank may not provide the variety and challenges an animal experiences in nature.
🔸Constant human presence: Being displayed in a home or public aquarium can expose animals to continuous human activity and disturbance.
🔸Handling and transport: Moving animals between shops, homes, and aquariums can cause injury and stress.
🔸Artificial breeding: Some animals are bred mainly to supply the aquarium trade rather than for their own benefit.
🔸Wild capture: Some aquarium animals are taken from their natural habitats, which can harm both the individual and wild populations.
🔸Early death: Poor water quality, inappropriate food, disease, overcrowding, or unsuitable conditions can shorten their lives.
🔸Loss of natural relationships: In nature, animals interact with many other species and their environment. An aquarium can greatly reduce these interactions.

Survival is not the same as well-being.
Keeping an animal alive does not necessarily mean we are giving that animal a good life.
Aquatic animals 🐟🦐🐙🐌🦀⭐️🦑🪼🐡 are not ornaments.
They are living beings with their own needs, behaviours, and experiences.

We may see beauty.
They may experience confinement.

What we call “aesthetic” can come at the cost of autonomy.
What we call “calming” may be someone else’s captivity.

Instead of asking ourselves:

“How beautiful does this aquarium look in my home?

We should ask oneselves:

“If the beauty we enjoy depends on another living being losing its freedom, can we still call it beautiful?”

POT MARIGOLD
Scientific name : Calendula officinalis

Interesting facts:
🌻It isn’t a true marigold.
🌞Its flowers follow the light.
🍛Its Petals are edible.
🐝It supports pollinators.
🍀It has a long history of traditional use.