The Voice within the Silence

Silence answers some of the most difficult questions, that too with a smile. The silence of the skies, the stillness of oceans - Have you wondered why it brings someone peace, even if it is just a fleeting peaceful moment? Maybe our true, innate nature is that of silence and peace. But looking at our outer world today, it is difficult to believe so. I do believe that, ''What you seek is what you find''. When you are looking for something, your entire focus is on finding that one thing which is at that moment of utmost importance to you. All your energy is concentrated on bringing that aspect which you desire to life. And why this desire? Because you feel that aspect when enriched will bring with it what you truly desire - Happiness.

Our own voices keep talking to us, telling us things which mostly aren't true. Playing make believe with us and inducing fear. If we can learn how to silence these, and listen to what the voice of silence has to say to us, slowly we'll become aware of our inner nature which guides us through everything we face and holds the answers to all our questions. 

Unless we give anything a chance, we can not experience its potential. How many times do we choose being silent over blaming and accusing, whether it is with others or with ourselves. How many times do we stop to become aware about what we are speaking or the thoughts that are constantly running through our heads? I don't know how it works for everyone, because everyone is unique and will encounter and explore every experience in their own way. But I do know that it does work for all those who choose to give it a chance. One day, for one hour, try to make it not about 'my needs and problems'. For one hour at a time, one day at a time, learn to forget your constant worry and doubt and just see what you already have. Trust and listen to the voice inside your heart, which will only grow louder as you silence your own self. 

• © Sneha Singh 2010

Live your bubble inside out

''At the end of life we shall be judged by love, according to the love we have practised toward our Fellow man'' : Mother Teresa

What a beautiful thought from a wonderfully blessed woman who dedicated her life toward upliftment, healing and bringing joy to every person she met. 

As we know, Mother Teresa had her share of difficulties when she tried to work for Missionaries of Charities. She lived through a time not very different from today. At that time too, in every corner of the world there were sick, hungry, poor and orphaned. This day too, it is the same. It is easy to shrug these realities of the world off and live in your own bubble - which is what most people do. Or others get depressed and question the existence of God and the cause of all this suffering in the world. 

But at every step in our life we have a choice. A choice to adopt an attitude. A choice to let our heart guide our mind and our inner divine nature to lead our actions. If you choose to live your bubble inside out, you create a path of sharing, growing and prospering. As an analogy, if we look at our bodies, that itself should be a huge source of wonder and awe to us from the viewpoint of creation and growth. We all start out as one microscopic unimaginably tiny cell. And then that cell divides. And it divides again. And again. Creating beautifully what we call 'me' today. The source and stuff we're all made of is the same. We all are in essence, the same. Mother Teresa and other great spiritual individuals and healers recognise this oneness. They are aware of the true needs of an individual, which are nothing but happiness and love. We have a choice - To choose to first Love ourselves, then Love our families, then Love our neighbours, only because they all (including yourself) are beings looking for Love. 

Live your bubble inside out.

I believe that if you heal a person with Love and Compassion, that individual will awaken to Love and want to bring abundance in their own life by doing something worthwhile. Criticism is something our minds react to but Love is something our heart and our soul reacts to. There is no logic in Love. Because, Love just is.

It is difficult for people to walk this path of Love because, (in the words of Rumi), the flame of pure unconditional Love burns down the house of the Ego. All the stories we tell ourselves about not being good enough, about lack, about being incomplete are threatened. But, ones who realise that Love is the oxygen for nourishing the Soul and that it is the Soul that lives through our body, declining the stories in our head become easier.

The source of our existence, both physically and spiritually is Love. Let's cast away what the voices in our head tell us we are and believe what our Heart knows we are. :)

• © Sneha Singh 2010

No one over the other

I spent most of yesterday repeatedly listening to Bulleh Shah's poetry beautifully sung by none other than Abida Parveen.

And I think that one song has everything I've ever read or understood about surrender to God.

Bulleh Shah says: You've read a thousand books, but have you ever tried to read yourself? You've visited all the temples and mosques, but have you ever visited your own soul? Every day, you fight evil and negativity - but have you tried to fight your own negative intentions and your own ego? You aim to reach and touch the sky but have you tried to touch that which resides in your heart? Listen, my dear human being, you can destroy the temples and mosques all you want, but please to don't break someone's heart. Please don't break someone's heart, for it is therein that God dwells. 

Even Rumi said, that it is only from the heart that one can truly touch the sky. 

This knowledge, this awareness has been with us since centuries in the form of poetry, songs and sermons. Not just through the Sufi approach, but the Buddhist approach, the Hindu approach, the Christian approach. They all fundamentally talk of One thing. The One formless, Divine, Beautiful power of God. It is our conditioned habit as human beings to keep separating. Dividing. Looking for a separate self, then a separate city, a separate country. And we think that creating our world in this world will bring us joy.

Is it doing that? 

There is no superior motive. No competition. Who are you competing against? What will you get? How far will you go? Today you climb the ladder, tomorrow someone else will. We're only here for a short time. So, instead of measuring success by the number of ladders 'I' climb, try for once, to measure success by the number of people you help get up. My very amazing friend once profoundly said to me, ''Sneha, if you win the rat race, it just shows that you are a very fast rat.'' :) Well said my friend!

Your only job is to be true to yourself. That's all. Really. And if you don't know what to do, ask for help. Asking is not a sign of weakness or being a victim. It means you want to do something, and you're ready to do all it takes to get there.

Internally, we all know who we are, what we do and why we do it. Take responsibility, forgive yourselves and begin new. Every day, every moment presents you with an opportunity to start over. 

© Sneha Singh 2010