Whatever Reaches Your Space is Yours

I offer my obeisance to you Rev. Sri. Sri. Om Swamiji🙏 Wishing you good health, smiles and peace abundant 🕉🦢

Each day we re-enter our own domain to give  it a fresh start. For our sweet today opens up to better ourself than yesterday. It matters not how perfectly it shaped as long as we tried to the best of our ability to make it worthy and whole.

The day took off like a sweet warm up session, I feel for most of us it does! As cheerful as  it could get, I got into cooking some nice poha ( flattened rice mix with some chopped vegetables and peanuts )  for a quick breakfast , and thought of having some fresh fruit too. All engrossed in the chores I reached out  to open the refrigerator to get some fresh watermelon to oxygenate my system, all thanks to the Ayurvedic wisdom , “the bigger the fruit, much more is the oxygen one fuels in the system”.   

     A little hurried at that moment since the breakfast was being cooked on the gas,  I saw this big ceramic bowl of boiled rice kept on the uppermost shelf right in front of the watermelon.  And as always the human tendency that is, multitasking comes natural and so I managed to hold the casserole in my left hand and very efficiently and intelligently started to roll the watermelon with my right hand and finally made it plop on my right hand, only to realise that I almost now carried a 4 kilos (8.818 pounds) on my little palm . It almost weighed me down with a sudden jerk. I don’t know what made me decide to do that! For all I know I was just fixed in one position.

Icing on the cake was I had a foot injury few days back  and already taken a few steps backwards from the refrigerator  and there was no chance I could move an inch further to keep the bowl ( which too was bigger than my hand)  back on the shelf, for one move and I drop either of the two. It was all about breathing right and  remaining calm kind of situation and  taking action accordingly. Even though the rice bowl was lighter, but to maintain balance with the heavy fruit and an injured foot was unmatchable and  the chances of me dropping either of the two was sure. Gosh! Strange as it may sound a big enlightening life lesson showed up that very moment ( there are end no of enlightening moments that come as saviour ) . In life too heavy things weigh us down and make us anxious and stressed and toss us out of balance. Sigh!  But gathering my answer to all that was happening in that moment was thankfully quick . And there was this sudden surge in me to challenge that moment.  Wow!

     So all I did was at that point in time was to remember Hanumanji 😊( the childhood story telling started) Aah! He could lift a whole mountain on his little finger and it would be a shame if I could not even pick these two small things in my hands without dropping them and keep it in their respective spots. It’s such a good thing to revive your inner child that anyways awaits eagerly for a knock ! knock! 

To prove to the self I mustered all the courage brought the watermelon close to my tummy, cautiously moved a bit further and managed to somehow place the slipping rice bowl in the refrigerator. All this while the watermelon was snuggled tight to my stomach and that was not easy. Phew ! Well done!  and thank you Hanumanji 🙏

Finally, holding the watermelon with both my hands and placing it on the kitchen counter I  pondered,  if I saved its life or it saved my life for all I know had I dropped it imagine the after effect of cleaning it and the feeling of letting it go waste.  And finally, thanking God and promising myself to be bit more wise and aware next time , I heaved a sigh of relief and was able to enjoy the fruit with the sweet lesson it gave me. But also made me introspect that in either case scenario it  would require my polite acceptance to the choice I made in the first place.

Just like a body for it to function well a good immune system is important, so also at all times psychological “immunity,” for the mind is vital. It makes us prevent or resist debilitating distress and anxiety which frames us to either obsess over an issue or incident and overlook to reap the hidden benefits of its growth or fix the solution by consenting mindfully as a constant investment to all that takes place and remain joyful and at peace. At times it’s so important to take that leap of faith.

How we allow the lightness to not sway us unnecessarily and the heaviness to not weigh and throw us down requires our awareness  with  a big ‘YES’  to an untoward situation or outcome. 

“All that enters our space is here to better us, awaken us after all”.

A Zen master was given a beautifully crafted crystal cup. It was a gift from a former student.

He was very grateful. Every day, he enjoyed drinking out of his glass. He would show it to visitors and tell them about the kindness of his student.

But every morning, he held the cup in his hand for a few seconds and reminded himself: “This glass is already broken.”

One day, a clumsy visitor toppled the glass on its shelf. The cup fell down. When it hit the floor, it was smashed into thousands of tiny pieces.

The other visitors gasped in shock, but the Zen master remained calm.

Looking at the mess in front of his feet, he said: “Ah. Yes. Let’s begin.”

He picked up a broom and started sweeping.

So it is with life!  …”Let’s cleanse and begin afresh each day, each moment and enjoy the gifts of the fruits life offers us!”

Wishing the most beautiful and fruitful times to you my OS family. Each one of you is “Special”. Stay  healthy and joyful and May Sri Hari Bless you all abundantly🙏 With Gurupurnima round the corner everything in itself seems so Divine with the sweet, serene vibes of our Rev. Sri. Sri. Om Swamiji 😊🙏

Feeling Blessed🙏

Much Love and Peace to all

Siddhika Umesh

Pic courtesy: By Niday  Picture Library, ALAMY