Sipson Lane

As I do often, I took a taxi from Station for Bhawan. It was raining and I was already late, so didnt prefer to do the bus journey followed by 15 mins walk. The lady at the taxi stop checked with the taxi driver if he knew where Sipson Lane was. Driver without a second thought nodded - Yeah. We started our journey, and half way through he took a right turn. Generally the route for bhawan is to travel more straight and then take right. Well, its possible that driver wants to approach from other side of bhawan, I kept quiet. Not until we reached Heathrow CBT, where I checked with driver that we are far away from Sipson Lane, If you dont know the way lets check with some one. And driver was talking in his own english accent, I didnt understand what his non-asian and non-european tongue spoke. Round and round we went and I started getting furious in thoughts - Already late for sangat and now the driver's gimmicks to overcharge. I just have 29 pounds in my wallet and the journey normally is paid as 5 pounds. Seems like namaskar money would also go to driver but what if he asks more than 29. Who would be mahapursh at the gate? Before that how do people fool each other these days. Its grace of satguru that I'm silent else who can keep silent these days. But I am going to remind the driver that its always better to admit one's shortcomings and better check the route before making a travel else one person like me would end up paying 29 pounds for a journey costing 5 pounds. When I was caught up in these thoughts, the driver was busy making rounds and rounds. Finally he halted in a place, and I said - Can we go back to our starting point? Driver showed me the map and asked where I wanted to go Shipsone Lane or Sipson Lane. And I was lets go back. Driver some how convinced me to see the map and locate my destination. And the began our journey on the starting street and then he took the cab from my normal route. He commented that once I have also dropped my friend on Sipson Lane days ago. Listening his comment, I wanted to add so what happened today? Forgot the route? Why acting smart to charge more? Anyhow we reached bhawan almost 20 mins late, and he started speaking that Sorry I didnt understand the accent perhaps. Well It was none of business to listen to his excuses, so I asked ' how much do I pay ?' and he said '4.50 pounds'.

Steve Sunil - Bhai Bhai

I met Steve in one of the Interfaith Meetings that are held every month here in Swindon. Steve, almost of my grandfather’s age, carries a modest pose and is such a beautiful soul that I have fallen in love with his personality. Generally I long to meet souls who can feed me spiritually. It’s not that I don’t believe in ‘world in me’ concept; it’s just that I enjoy ‘our world’ philosophy too. Khair, I also enjoy having a sip of Starbucks Caramel Macchiato in company of such great souls. One fine Saturday, Steve and I met for a coffee and we started discussing our work places, home towns, families etc etc. Don’t know when and why Steve asked me “Sunil, Do you believe in rebirths? “ Knowing that perhaps he had a different view point on this, I kept my view after taking few precautions of not hurting any of his sentiments. However, my smartness I would say that towards the end of our conversation, I closed with a thought “Steve, I haven’t read what you have read on this, but I know that something would be behind your philosophy which will take you to my philosophy” Steve didn’t disagree but neither did he appreciate my reply.
However, while I was making my return journey I was disturbed by my inner self. “Sunil, not done. It’s true that you believe in rebirths and Steve holds a different opinion. But were you trying to prove your point to him? Wasn’t this approach of differentiating between his philosophy and your own philosophy? This is not what real religion is all about. It’s about uniting. No matter you would hear different philosophies, different concepts but yet try to find similarities. If your approach is of similarity, even diversity becomes a beauty. Was there a need to quarrel, if you believe in rebirth and Steve doesn’t… perhaps you should have looked at the point that both of you believe in this birth. Of course no one could have ever mentioned the experiences of life after death but at least you have heard of life before death. So concentrate on it and beautify this life, even if you are not worried for the next life! Make sure that more important than rebirths or no rebirth is this birth where you have a responsibility to beautify your own world. “
Though am doing my course on how to pick up all goodness from different philosophies, I yet humbly, at the same time strongly put forward “All is well that ends well but if it isn’t well now, believe me it’s not the end now. “
- A Learner.

Of the Sun and the sons.

Not long ago on Infosys Spirituality group, floated a question ‘Why does Earth revolve around Sun?’ Generally I find myself as not the right authority to comment on any such questions. No one other than the creator has a perfect answer for it. But still after reading this question, my inner self tried to look for a possibly good reason from creator’s point of view for setting up such an arrangement. Without the involvement of Intellect, heart had to say probably Creator wanted to teach me that even if Earth has Moon revolving around it, the Earth doesn’t stop revolving around the Sun. Quite strange as it could sound but fitted perfectly for a person like me who at many times gets into a trap of all-knowing highly qualified individual. It always has been easy for me to get into ego now and then, and in those moments I rarely have cared to put an ear to wiser people. Leave aside wiser people, I haven’t left the room for God also. I remember once hearing, Aksar kehte hain ki daane daane pe likha hai khaane waale ka naam, kaash kabhi yeh bhi soch aa jaaye ki daane daane pe likha hai dene waale ka naam. Whenever I come across a thought that mind is the most powerful instrument in the human system, don’t know why the mind in me puts a question but what about the One who gave us these minds? And then what about those, who have different abilities with their minds?
Also I have met great souls who talked of the oneness of the viewer and the viewed. I salute those souls for their oneness with this Almighty, but at the same time when I think for myself I always feel that state is yet to arrive... Am I actually one with the guy whom I see in office, if yes why does my family hold more importance to me then? Why isn’t my love same for all then? I am reminded of Lord Rama who left His own property for His brother. While worshipping His existence why doesn’t it ever come to my mind that proving my colleague wrong in the workplace just to have a better appraisal doesn’t show that I am One with this Supreme? If I am actually One, I would reflect the qualities of the supreme, tolerance, mercy, compassion, broad mindedness, love, humility, kindness and many others. A drop of ink if merged in ocean also is called ocean but it takes its time to become a part of ocean in real sense. Until drop loses its own identity, it hasn’t become one with the Ocean. And the issue with me is that this Earth is happy seeing Moon revolve around itself, forgetting that there could also be a Sun around which it needs to revolve too.