I am reading a Kannada book. By an author relatively unknown. He is a policeman. Must be a subedar or below in rank. I found this interesting book at a book fair in Bengaluru. I liked the catching title: Don't Live Disciplined; You will be healthy. I love the title.
It was 10th Jan. I wanted to gift myself something good to start the new year. I did have a particularly bad 2008. I underwent many a disaster. I wanted to change, change the way I live, change the way I think. I get a chance now. I jumped in to the fair and headed straight in to Kannada book category and looked for the best names. But this unknown book captures my imagination!
Nellikere Vijayakumar is an astonishing find. A practitioner of Siddha Samadhi Yoga. Writes prolifically in simple Kannada. He is a healer: Of mind & soul. At least for me.
The author narrates why we get decease. Because we think too much. Yes, I do think too much. Instead, he asks to live simple. Without complaints. If you like something it is okay. If you don't like, then too, its okay! If you have high blood pressure, it is just okay; no worries. If someone hurts you, it is okay as well. Live life without thinking too much. Life will not stop if what we plan doesn't happen! Then, why pain?!
What is discipline, by the way? What we have been taught by Indianized western education, discipline is sticking to time, waking up at 6 AM to reach the office a minute before 8 AM, Finishing the days work irrespective of how late we get, going back to home, have dinner, watch soap opera and sleep by, say 11 PM. For five days a week, if you work in a MNC. A half/ full day more if you are an "unlucky"person who works for an Indian company. How stressed are we, friends? Many, like earlier me, get disturbed if the schedule changes a bit. We blame our luck we get late to wake up,don't get newspaper at 6:30 AM, miss the company vehicle, report office ten minutes late, forget mobile phone at home, hesitate to leave office at 6 PM to meet a friend! If we miss a sleep a bit due to a friend calling late in the night, we think that we will not be fresh waking up next morning. We get stressed at each activity. To remain disciplined. To get angry, To harm ourselves.
Here comes Vijayakumar's "So What" sutra. He advocates the need of feeling good, irrespective of what comes in our way. Irrespective of we not being so called disciplined. Take the life as it comes, without wanting to act in a set frame of mind. Be open, be adaptable for change. Because, change is life! We are just actors of a bigger game. No need to panic, if something strange happens in your life. If you get cheated by some one, if you get health ailments, if we can't solve the problem. Let us just live with the problem, without cribbing!
Think that everything is okay in life, if you can't change that. Like a person spitting at the bus stand; someone digging the mines of his nose (!), omitting passenger on the bus, helmet less fellow bike rider, lovebirds kissing at Cubbon park, hotel server deliberately delaying your order. partner walking away from the relationship. You will be peaceful if you don't judge any one, if you don't want them to become disciplined enough.
Vijayakumar refers to a many modern disciplined practices and the cascading ill effects in a beautiful way. For the disciplined but stressed, his techniques of becoming "indisciplined" may help. At least, for me, it has been a very good help as I continue in the process of healing myself.
Good bye, discipline.
It was 10th Jan. I wanted to gift myself something good to start the new year. I did have a particularly bad 2008. I underwent many a disaster. I wanted to change, change the way I live, change the way I think. I get a chance now. I jumped in to the fair and headed straight in to Kannada book category and looked for the best names. But this unknown book captures my imagination!
Nellikere Vijayakumar is an astonishing find. A practitioner of Siddha Samadhi Yoga. Writes prolifically in simple Kannada. He is a healer: Of mind & soul. At least for me.
The author narrates why we get decease. Because we think too much. Yes, I do think too much. Instead, he asks to live simple. Without complaints. If you like something it is okay. If you don't like, then too, its okay! If you have high blood pressure, it is just okay; no worries. If someone hurts you, it is okay as well. Live life without thinking too much. Life will not stop if what we plan doesn't happen! Then, why pain?!
What is discipline, by the way? What we have been taught by Indianized western education, discipline is sticking to time, waking up at 6 AM to reach the office a minute before 8 AM, Finishing the days work irrespective of how late we get, going back to home, have dinner, watch soap opera and sleep by, say 11 PM. For five days a week, if you work in a MNC. A half/ full day more if you are an "unlucky"person who works for an Indian company. How stressed are we, friends? Many, like earlier me, get disturbed if the schedule changes a bit. We blame our luck we get late to wake up,don't get newspaper at 6:30 AM, miss the company vehicle, report office ten minutes late, forget mobile phone at home, hesitate to leave office at 6 PM to meet a friend! If we miss a sleep a bit due to a friend calling late in the night, we think that we will not be fresh waking up next morning. We get stressed at each activity. To remain disciplined. To get angry, To harm ourselves.
Here comes Vijayakumar's "So What" sutra. He advocates the need of feeling good, irrespective of what comes in our way. Irrespective of we not being so called disciplined. Take the life as it comes, without wanting to act in a set frame of mind. Be open, be adaptable for change. Because, change is life! We are just actors of a bigger game. No need to panic, if something strange happens in your life. If you get cheated by some one, if you get health ailments, if we can't solve the problem. Let us just live with the problem, without cribbing!
Think that everything is okay in life, if you can't change that. Like a person spitting at the bus stand; someone digging the mines of his nose (!), omitting passenger on the bus, helmet less fellow bike rider, lovebirds kissing at Cubbon park, hotel server deliberately delaying your order. partner walking away from the relationship. You will be peaceful if you don't judge any one, if you don't want them to become disciplined enough.
Vijayakumar refers to a many modern disciplined practices and the cascading ill effects in a beautiful way. For the disciplined but stressed, his techniques of becoming "indisciplined" may help. At least, for me, it has been a very good help as I continue in the process of healing myself.
Good bye, discipline.
