Spiritual Intelligence - Poem - With Reflections on the Challenges and the Quest for Solutions on Spiritual Path

 

Spiritual Intelligence

“You are such

That anybody

Would feel jealous

Of you ….”

She remarked,

Philosophically,

With a pensive,

Penetrating gaze ….

She was a Sadhvi,

Who wanted to

Learn Music from me,

But was finding it

Too difficult to

Stop analyzing me ….

I couldn’t doubt

Her appreciation of

My singing,

But, her inclination

To learning

Was absolutely lacking.

I have taught

And trained

Hundreds in Music,

This Sadhviji being

The most inattentive

Of all.

My silent surprise

Brooded over

Her ignorance

Or her carelessness –

Whatever be the case –

Towards

Her sympathies

With those

Feeling jealous of me,

Overshadowing

Her appreciation

Towards me ….

Behind her aspiration

To learn Music

Was some other

More intense motive,

More important concern,

That just could not

Help peeping

And prowling ….

I left,

Wondering and pondering ....

"Oh Krishna !!

What priorities

Do these

Undisclosable desperations

Of saint robed,

Seeker guised,

All knowing minds

Dictate, that

Validate such means

For desired ends,

That are

More important and

More Imperative

Than Truth and Trust ??!!"

- Vanita Thakkar (09^th November, 2019)

Reflections ....

Minds driven by mundane, materialistic compulsions suffer from deviations that are most unfortunate and sad to encounter.

The incident narrated here shows that even those who have dedicated their lives to eternal quest can loose track of the very fundamentals ....

It reminds of the dialogue from a very acclaimed Hindi movie titled Baavarchi - "It is so simple to be happy, but it is so difficult to be simple !!"

This incident, which took place in 2005, is also indicative of the fact that the abnormalities related to administrative malpractices prevalent in organizations are widespread. We may not come across exceptions even in religious and social work organizations. This is also true for domains of relationships and interactions in the society.

The role of the leader or the person whose priorities dictate a given situation as well as the individual strengths of those who support him and rely on him - both are extremely important in creating an overall atmosphere of progress, justice, love, harmony, peace and well-being.

Individuals have to be aware of their roles in the collective strength of groups, whether as a part of an organization or as a unit of human society. Truth is the path as well as the destination.

“When the lamp of truth is lit, darkness vanishes by itself. Stand up men and women, dare to believe in the truth, dare to practice the truth!”

– Swami Vivekananda

One more array of observations and incidents / experiences, where difficulties in discerning social and religious aspects of spirituality came forth, is narrated in another poem, written in October, 2021.

We come across many a narrations / experiences or news regarding difficulties / discrepancies in religious and social work organizations. Labels may be different.

As commoners, we have to be careful. Everything is not wrong everywhere. Right decisions regarding priorities are necessary.

May the Grace of Almighty bestow faith in goodness and love among all !! May Peace, Harmony and Well-being prevail everywhere !!

The Monk Who Lost His Way ....

A renounced man,

A revered man ….

Overall,

Affectionate and caring ….

Yet, so illogical,

So unreasonable,

In expressions

And expectations !! ….

Messing up on –

Excellence and Expertise,

Dedication and Devotion,

Professionalism and Volunteering,

Womanhood and Versatility,

Sponsorships and Grants ....

Complaining ….

Provoking complains ….

Unanswered concerns,

Unreplied queries

About what

Is troubling ….

What is it ??!!

The same old

Morbid mis-firings

Of ideals ??!!

Another (inadvertent ??!!)

Representative of

Blame gaming guilt-mongers

Weaving snares of

Identities and loyalties,

Inclusivities and exclusivities ??!!

Why ??!! ….

Perhaps,

A wrong turn of

Convictions ….

Misdirected administrations ….

From giving to extracting ….

Misled him

And he lost his way ….

So said Bharthrihari,

The essence of Sevaa,

Which means service,

Is deep and inscrutable,

The path, elusive ….

Very rare and blessed

Are those, who can

Discern it

And live up to it …. !!

Almighty !!

May the surge of Faith within

And the light of Hope in it

Be strong enough

To dispel the heavy gloom

Of piercing sore possibilities

Such facts bring along !!

May the bounty of

Your unfailing Grace

Steer the course of happenings

To the enlightened path

Of Realization and Integration !!

- Vanita Thakkar (October, 2021)

“The world contains a mixture of truth and untruth. Discard the untruth and take the truth. Even those engaged in worldly activities, such as office work or business, should hold on to the truth. Truthfulness alone is the spiritual discipline in the Kaliyuga. Dwell in the truth and you will certainly realize God.”

– Sri Ramakrishna

Remembering Oliver Twist - A Poem

 

Oliver Twist is a symbol of waning strength finding its way out to strive, to live on. Any attempt to emerge from such suppressions / compulsions reminds of his attempts to speak up, as one explores the right words / expressions that would create humane, compassionate, joyful and welcoming surroundings to be in ....

Vanita Thakkar (05-03-2021)

 

Remembering Oliver Twist

Old and bold,

Fit and set,

Fagin lives on

With his whip

Of punishment

Ready to strike

Anyone,

Who asks for more.

The roots of his reign

Stretch deep and wide

Across colonies of

Developed or developing

Civilized Jungles,

Where misused freedom

Tip-ties tongues

And overgrown independence

Asphyxiates;

And thronging webs of

Silence and sins

Flourish and stink ….

And amidst miseries

Of lonely crowds,

Poor Oliver’s

Dumb-found plight

Struggles for strength and might

To speak right for Right.

- Vanita Thakkar.

(05.05.2011, 10/07/2011)

Fagin .... from Oliver Twist (Charles Dickens)

From HubPages .... Published on 05th March, 2021

Poem - Forgive Me

 .... Forgive me for not being able to heal by bandages on legs for injuries on hands ....

FORGIVE ME

Forgive me

For being foolish enough

To give you enough

Grey areas to escape.

Forgive me

For being unable to be

Blind and deaf

To your obvious deceits.

Forgive me

For not being able to

Help you hide

Your open “secrets”.

Forgive me

For not being able to

Heal by bandages on legs

For injuries on hands.

- Vanita Thakkar (04.01.2012)

 

The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is an attribute of the strong.

- Mahatma Gandhi

Nobody rises to low expectations.

- Calvin Lloyd

From HubPages .... Published on 01st August, 2020.

Housekeeping : A Poem Inspired by Nepal Earthquake - 25th April, 2015 ....

 On Nepal Earthquake - 25th April, 2015 ....

HOUSEKEEPING

Arranging, rearranging,

Ordering, reordering,

Preparing, cleaning,

Acquiring, utilizing,

Storing, disposing ....

All these

And many,

Much more,

Routine, mundane chores

And cherished intricacies

Of home-making,

Of rearing a household,

A world of its own,

Are the duty, the delight

Of the lady of the home.

The home, the dreamland

Flourishes and shelters

Under the folds of care

Of able housekeeping

Of the lady,

The home-maker.

One such home-maker,

Engrossed in her chores,

Sadly ponders over

The pain,

The plight of

Fateful home-makers

Rendered homeless,

Utterly helpless,

When unforeseen quaky tremors

Surfaced from nowhere

And consumed their dreamlands,

Re-demonstrating transience,

Reinstating uncertainties,

Reverberating

In the awestruck,

Death-dipped silences,

The supremacy of

Nature's housekeeping.

- Vanita Thakkar (26/04/2015)

(On the Nepal earthquake)