Editorial Editorial Editorial Editorial

_______________ A song of sorrow A song of sorrow A song of sorrow A song of sorrow

.ah! Life so beautiful and tempting yet
it has its own share of gloomy moments.
.what a beauty life holds in its swarms
and in the isolation. A lone tree on an
isolated mound in a remote far-off land
knows this; a tiny flickering candle
glowing in an immense darkness knows
this too.
.the living ones hold a frightening sense
of existence! With all the lonely
emptiness of the void they hold in their
terribly weak heart, they are condemned
to live in this barren endless eternity.
They live on awfully shaken, consuming
half-filled desires, shedding wasteful
degraded life moment by moment. Their
lone joy is to search for meaning in this
meaningless world.
(Contd. Next page)

No. 1/2012 . SPIRITUALITY OF SORROW July-August 2012

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Above all things let us never forget that mankind constitutes one great brotherhood; all born
are to encounter suffering and sorrow. Therefore we are bound to sympathize with each
other.
Albert Pike

.a flock of birds flies high up in the air and in the evening return with
vacant bellies and look for next morn sun enclosing young ones under
their cold wings. Skinny herds of cattle abandon dried up meadows and
move miles on in the blazing sun looking for fresh green grass and
waterholes.
.desires swarm up and flourish in the hideous chambers. Before that
they have stomached horrible loneliness to the extent of annihilation.
Now they are greedy enough to suck up the last drop of charm from
the broken vessel of life.
.a little life germinates in the putrid drain and yet happy to survive
consuming half-decayed matter. It survives in its vain hope for the day
when it will get liberation from soggy surrounds.
.Beauty delights every other. Beauty they say is the life of life! Yet
bleak sorrows survive in the most beautiful minds. The beautiful minds
are forever condemned to be alone. Masses of people most often
swarms up around ugliest expression of desires. They never value
aesthetics of immaculate beauty yet nevertheless crowd up for
sensuous delights.
.a little joy wells up in a dreary mind. A flying eagle of misery comes
down and catches hold of it. Happy she is to eat the joy and waiting
for the next joy to come to life.
.feelings in the long run create indifference to their own beings. Old
worn out emotions dont live long. They merely produce masked faces.
Some truly great emotions have atrophied themselves for the want of
proper expressions.
.liberation of the souls is in the hands of those who first discipline
the souls. They first put heavy chains to many innocent natural needs
of the soul then ask her to say I am free.Dr. Swaran J. (Bulletin
Editor)


A Cup of Tea
Nan-in, a Japanese master during the Meiji era (1868-1912), received a university professor
who came to inquire about Zen (Japanese Philosophy of balanced mind). Nan-in served tea.
He poured his visitor's cup full, and then kept on pouring. The professor watched the
overflow until he no longer could restrain himself. "It is overfull. No more will go in!"
"Like this cup," Nan-in said, "you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I
show you Zen unless you first empty your brain?"

On Joy and Sorrow
Kahlil Gibran
Your joy is your sorrow under the mask
And the very same wells from your laughter
was often times filled with your tears.
And how else can it be?
The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.
Is not the cup that holds your wine
the very cup that was burned in the potter's oven?
And is not the lute that soothes your spirit,
the very wood that was hollowed with knives?
Kamilah, Kahlil's mother. Painting by Kahlil Gibran
When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find
it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.
When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that
in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.

Some of you say, "Joy is greater thar sorrow,"
and others say, "Nay, sorrow is the greater."
But I say unto you, they are inseparable.
Together they come,
and when one sits, alone with you at your board,
remember that the other is asleep upon your bed.
Verily you are suspended like scales between your sorrow and your joy.
Only when you are empty are you at standstill and balanced.









About this author
Khalil Gibran (born Gubran Khalil Gubran; January 6, 1883 April 10, 1931) also known as Kahlil
Gibran, was a Lebanese American artist, poet, and writer. Born in the town of Bsharri in modern-day
Lebanon (then part of the Ottoman Mount Lebanon mutasarrifate), as a young man he emigrated with
his family to the United States where he studied art and began his literary career. He is chiefly known
in the English speaking world for his 1923 book The Prophet.
THE CAUSE OF SORROW

J. Krishnamurti J. Krishnamurti J. Krishnamurti J. Krishnamurti
All men desire to discover for themselves, with certainty, what is the purpose of life. This discovery
can only be made by living and not by mere intellectual theorizing. After the discovery of that
purpose they can work for it one-pointedly. But to do this they must be rid of all philosophies,
dogmas, creeds, religions, particular rites -everything, because no one can, for a single moment,
discover his true purpose in life, or life itself, with all these encumbrances. When man has
completely detached himself from all unessential things, he can begin to discover what it is that he is
seeking. It is as an individual, that he must make the discovery.
Each man is seeking to free himself from sorrow. Desire is life, and that desire is constantly battling
against limitations. It seeks to be free. In search for happiness it is constantly breaking away from
limitations.
Men are all the time looking for perfection. Imperfection is a limitation, and the individual life, which
begins in limitation, which goes from corruption to corruption, is ceaselessly seeking incorruption and
freedom. So long as there is limitation there is sorrow, and it is from sorrow that all men would
escape. They are trying to find a way out of suffering, out of their entanglement in the wheel of
sorrow and pain. In the attainment of perfection is liberation to be found, and in nothing else.
Seek perfection therefore rather than philosophies, theories, dogmas, religions and objects of
worship -which are all unreal, childish, unessential. Men, distracted by all these, do not attack the
one problem which lies at the root of all that suffocates them, which creates havoc in their self-
expression, in their individual growth.
Do not waste time with shadows, which vanish as the morning mist.
So, we come back to that dynamic thing which is desire. You may worship false gods -and all gods
are false- you may cling to the unreal, but desire will grow and overwhelm you, unless you
encourage that desire towards perfection. With the thought of perfection alone you must dwell,
because that is life; that alone will overcome the chaos, the unrealities to which men cling, instead of
to the real.
What is the cause, therefore, of sorrow? With that we must concern ourselves. Sorrow and joy, pain
and pleasure, light and shade, are the same thing. Sorrow must exist, as pleasure must exist. It is
useless to try to escape from either. Only when you are absolutely undisturbed by either will true
perfection abide in your heart and mind.
The self is ever climbing towards perfection by self-assertion. It asserts "I am" as it climbs the
mountain of experience. That self-assertion of "I am" creates echoes and those echoes return as
sorrow, pain, pleasure. That self-assertion of "I am" is inevitable. You cannot escape from it. Self-
assertion in imperfection creates individuality. You are all the time asserting "I am", "I" think so and
so, "I" feel this, "I" am much greater than someone else. The "I" is all the time creating this vast
whirlpool of echoes, which return to you and bind you. But when you have attained the fulfilment of
life, your "I am" will no longer create echoes, no longer create whirlpools. In the process of self-
assertion, the love of life, which is the whole -to which all life, individual or universal, must come- is
forgotten.
What is self-expression? You express yourself not knowing your true self. You express whatever
comes into your mind, and hence there is this combative chaos of the different selves. As a tree in
the forest steals the light of its neighbour, so do you in your self-expression steal the light, the
understanding, the happiness of another, and so create sorrow, misfortune, and weariness. True
self-expression must be the outcome of the love of life, which is freedom, which is perfection. Then
you cannot come into conflict with another. Then you will have true friendliness for your neighbour.
Then you will know that unity of which you speak so glibly. The moment you lose the love of life and
interpose your self-expression between you and the eternal, in your limitation you are bound to
suffer, to create pain for yourself and others. For that reason you should know what is the final
fulfillment of all life. When once you have a vision of perfection, as part of yourself, in translating that
vision -which again is self-assertion- lies true creation. Creation to most people means building
houses, painting pictures, writing poems. That is not true creation; that is only the creation of the self
in limitation. True creation is the outcome of that harmony which is perfection, the delicate poise of
reason and of love. Life itself is creation; life itself is the greatest artist. Directly you are able to attain
perfection, you are also becoming the true creator because you are one with life itself.
You cannot escape from self-assertion, because existence itself is self-assertion. But the self must
be made perfect through self-assertion, through the realization that as long as that self-assertion is
within bondage, within limitation, it is bound to create sorrow and pain. When you break down that
limitation, because you have understood, you will have fathomed the love of life.






Leave me be
Sorrow, sorrow why must you take me so
Why have you left me in such a big hole
Sorrow, sorrow when will you leave my soul
And let me finally breath so
There is nowhere to go
If you keep beating on my heart so
Sorrow, sorrow its your time to go
Let your heart leave from my soul


















































Philosophical themes- a new series [III]
Existentialism
Jean Paul Sartre: Pioneer of existential philosophy
Human beings perhaps are the only animals who define themselves through the act of living. Without life there can be
no meaning; the search for meaning in existentialism is the search for the self. In other words, we define ourselves by
living; suicide would indicate you have chosen to have no meaning.
Existentialism is about being a saint without God; being your own hero, without all the sanction and support of religion
or society, so says Anita Brookner (b. 1938), British novelist and art historian. Existentialism is not dark. It is not
depressing. Existentialism is about life. Existentialists believe in living and in fighting for life. Sartre, Camus, and even
Nietzsche, pioneers of existential philosophy were involved in various wars because they believed passionately in fighting
for the survival of their nations and peoples.
Existentialism believes that mankind has the free will. The man once separated from its creator is free, free to choose
and free to accept the tension and responsibility of his choices. Life is a series of choices and our choices create stress.
For existentialism, responsibility is the dark side of freedom. When individuals realize that they are completely responsible
for their decisions, actions, and beliefs, they are overcome by anxiety. They try to escape from this anxiety by ignoring or
denying their freedom and their responsibility. The existentialists insist that individuals must accept full responsibility for
their behavior, no matter how difficult.
If an individual is to live meaningfully and authentically, he or she must become fully aware of the true character of the
human situation and bravely accept it. Existentialism assumes we are best when we struggle against our nature. Mankind
is best challenging itself to improve, yet knowing perfection is not possible. Religions give us rules, yet the believers in
religions know they cannot live by all of those rules. The sin-free life is beyond human nature. Is that any less reason to
live and to try to be good, generous, caring, and compassionate? Perfectionism is considered unhealthy both by
psychiatrists and existentialists. Existentialism requires the active acceptance of our nature. There are certain things which
are absurd and without explanation.
Professor Robert Olson noted that we spend our lives wanting more and more. Once we realize the futility of worldly
desire, we try to accept what we have. We turn to philosophy or religion to accept less. We want to detach from our worldly
needs but we cannot do so. It is the human condition to desire; to want, to seek more, even when that more is more of
less. There is a desire to prove something to ourselves, as well as to others.
Olson writing in Existentialism [p. 14] says further, The existentialists mock the notion of a complete and fully
satisfying life. The life of every man, whether he recognizes it or not, is marked by irreparable losses. Man cannot help
aspiring toward the goods of this world, nor can he help aspiring toward the serene detachment from the things of this
world which the traditional philosopher sought; but it is not within his power to achieve either of these ambitions, or having
achieved them to find therein the satisfaction he had anticipated.





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-=4| -=4| -=4| -=4| . .. .

:| = vra| r | mm| 4r r +|

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|a|i: = =i+n : +e |z r. a =r|n :| +| :| =r|n ||z| v ||4a nr|, |y nr|, == zira
nr|. ||z| = +a| r m|n | m|n = +a m r ||z|1 +|n |n i+a n i+a + vr|4 +| 4= i+|
m|n a| =|| =|m-:|+ =|n4| aan| +|, =|n4a| +| vi +|. a|z +za| =|| aan| +|, vi +|. m|n a|
=|| +4= 4|: |z 4|: =| =r|-m|n =r|-mm| +| =r| ||z|, a4|: + 4|r+ |z i44|:| a :z.

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+r an 4|: | ++es r| m r |z an a4|: i+ =|zs =|+z += s m r. =e e| r
;|a|+|z| a s|= e r m|a|| a. |:=| 4r| =+| r| r, |-=| 4r| a|s| r, |z| ian| :z r
zan| r| v|rz1

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a|n| +|:m. 4 a|z =|+ + =|+ + ;|a|+|z1 4 z|e| z|e| m|n + v|en 4|=1 4 a|z n|ia +
m|n4|n1 4 m|n + n|iam1 | +| z| a| +|| m|in r| |a| r-va av a r= n| m|n mm| | +|
: s|=a| r. m|n +| i4=aa mm| = n| m|n ia +zn nr| ++ s|=n + :| = +ra| r-

r mm1 ... a= a| m|n +| =r|a|mz r|1 = n| a-e m|n a ia +z zr| r.'

v m| mm| =|, v|a = a|a z|+, v|=|z| a| z-a|z| i= z| sa| r-

No. 1/2012 . =|nia+ 4 =|nia+ 4 =|nia+ 4 =|nia+ 4 |i-=+ |i-=+ |i-=+ |i-=+ i4a|z :|n i4a|z :|n i4a|z :|n i4a|z :|n July-August 2012
+|| |z i+an| s|=|m |z i+an| ai:| a+. =z |z |z =z |z van 4|= =z v-a| +| m|n +|
nr| m|n a in+|=n +| =za r...'
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m|n| a1 |m| za qa av|i|a r|m|1 i:+|i=a1 ra+|11 ...-=|a mm a|111 q+ q+ |: |s +z
+ra| r.

|r1 mm +| +r i:|1 +| +r zr| r|..'

mm| | +| v|=|z 4|i|-
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+za r|. |: += r =z 4| +|| n an | a|... n| r|=| :| |z n| +|n +||...'

m|n| i++a;i4=s, +ra| +e nr|. >4a ...vs |a| r mm| | + |a. ss = +| ||z| || =|n4 ==
a ||=| r| a+| r za+| :r |z |-=| :|n| +| i+|m| zr| r1

m| mm| z4|a-
=i| =in =|m| n ...=z v-a1 4:| +| z||| +| zan| +|. n m|n a a= i+| =|n4 =n. z|
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av zn +ia + |z|, +4= ==+|a a-4| +| :4-4 :n 4|=, zn =r|-=in| =r|-=i|| n |n| - m|n
a =|| +| n|| nr| r|a|1 vie+ m|n a =|| v sm a =|i>a r| |a| r1 m|n a =|| +| |z
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+| |z|1

mm| +ra| zr|
a| zn =|m| n, 4:|a +| zin|:| +| zan| +|. m|n a v|rz in+=n +| i+a va| =|n4 +|. m|n
|in | |n i=|. | |n i=| za +| ie|n +| +|v +zn +| sm vs| |a|n| a =n a|a| =a| r.
=r|-=i|| n m|n +| +4= vi +| a= =|n| |z n+|ia +| z-aa=.
:
va|| i+ |+ia + a- +|
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a- +4= |-=| (Self) +| a= = |a| r. :| |-=| +|| s a| +||s vna| r. +4= q+ |-=|1 +4=
q+ |zvr=1 +4= q+ a|z +4= q+ z|=a|1 a4|: a vna| r r= 4|: i+z i44|:. m|n| +|, +|+a +|,
a4|: ia+ za a r|a| r ia 4r |nn| a|ra| r-|-=|, ae+ | |zvr=. 4r n| =|= =4, =4
+| m=, a|: +| |z|. i+a| - =|=, m= +| |z| +| a m|n a +| iza| nr|.

mm| +ra| zr|-m|in ana| zr|

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|in| z, =z i+n|z| z zn n|n +|+a| +| =|n + i=1 z| a|a| q+ i:n = i+an1 q+ a|= =
i+an1
+e |z m|n q+ a|=| +a zr =a r =|n4 =n = +e |z m|n q+ a|=| +a zr =a r =|n4 =n = +e |z m|n q+ a|=| +a zr =a r =|n4 =n = +e |z m|n q+ a|=| +a zr =a r =|n4 =n =

|z i+an| ai:| a+1 =z v-a1 +4= =|n4 == +| v|a nr| +z zr|, za = s| =m|. 4 an +| ==
++ | =n +|, a+| +|| z4|r nr|1 z an| |a||a1 an| a|=-|=1 an| =|i=e+1 an i:1
an| v|ia|1 an +=-+= | a=m|1 r=aini=a :4| :4| +| ia=|1 n av a = =|na| r i+
=sa| r1 = =s a| +| v|s =|z +| ea| r = a|e||a |+ia r a=r|z =i:z +| ia=| nr|, +||
=z a|=| n a|=|. i+z an =|m| +| an| m|is|1 zn av + +=-| mr, 4 a|z +|za||n1
a|:-a|n| +|, a| +| a=| +| vs| vs| ++eiz| 1 zn a in+=a| z|a||+ rz1 | |m| =z
|in| = a| +| r|= r|m| = = va =z |i|| +| +||za +|z = r| nr|, i44 +|z = = =za |i|
+| |a v|a| r1 z = =4 |i| +| =- +| +|z| vn1 = |+||imn +| +| || +| +||imn vn|a
r|

=+ mm| +| 4|i| m|n| ana| zr|. za + +|n| = za nr| ir|=| a|a| s= zr| =||, ||:1 || : zr| =||
za arn| ::1

mm| +ra| zr|-
|z a=r|z m|n| m| +4= |zvr= +| z|=a| r| nr| va|a. ia |zvr= +| =i-:z ia+ |-=| r|a| r
|za| z 4 va|a r =i-:z r| nr| 4r| vnm|1 |z r| a zs +z i+a :|| i4:|| +|m4|n +| r|z a|sn|
r. i+an i:=| +| a|sn| r. av +| ira|v vn| za|| r av ;4==|| +z za|| r. =|n4 == +| v| = s|
=m|. z =|n4| +za| + a =||r == +| 4 =z |in| = ++ |a r1 4 av m|n| m|1 an| vs|
r= a| za|a r. 4|: +| += a|z +za r |z i44|:| +| |:|....1 a= z= |-=| +| a|| +za
r| z= |-=| +| a|| +zn 4|=| +| =:: +za r| an|, an a+a r| mz1 z=|-=| a=r|z |:| +
sz + n|a :v| s| r1 |-=| a=r|z m|n + n|a iaa+ zr| r1 4r =|a|| +z|s| +|+a| +| +|m:s1 ||
+az r|a| r, r| a= =|a|| +| +||s +es| +za r| 4 ar+a |i|1 a= =|m +|= |a r| = nr|
+|=a|. =|n4 an| a-e r a=r|z i=1 =|n4a| an| e|e| r +|

mm| =+e 4|i| = +ra| zr|.
m|n| +||4+ r| m|.

+e v|=a n vn|. 4r| a zs a|s| r|

za sz =mn =m| i+ 4r| vs| zr| a| =|n4| == +| | ||: =|n4| =n +| +| ir=a| e|s :m|
mm| | = r|=n + i=1

+|| a+ +e ||z| a| va| r-a|+1 =4-e1

+|| a+ +e m|n a| va| r-|1 ||4a1 =r|na= a-1
=|n4| +s||, =|n4| r=, |z =|n4| =n a +||i4a1 | i+a| + in=| + >ma r| aa =
zaz| |z a| || 4a| v|e i:| m|

z +e +ra n vn|. 4r| a zs a|s| r|

r=| 4an i:|-
ai= ||4a mm| +| a|| +z
ai= ||4a mm| +| a|| +z.
mm|. |... | riz:4|z + |a, rizy|z =|r|v|: am= + |a a r
+|z|v|z1 | =||s| z-az i:|| = +|e+1 | ||4a mm| +| a|| +z1 +r| a+ a=m |
.... mm|>| | m|=a| a+1 mm| | +| z:m= ==||n1 | =i+ =a
||4a nr|.r| +|| vzan sv|a r =|m, r|=| +||
|a=|n a zaza| vza|| r| | ||4a mm| r |a=|n a zaza| vza|| r| | ||4a mm| r |a=|n a zaza| vza|| r| | ||4a mm| r |a=|n a zaza| vza|| r| | ||4a mm| r
=+: = a| v+1 | vza|| +| r=+| +r|z1 |z| arz z =mn :1 arz z, :r z, |-=| z1 z|
zz |a=|n +| |z :a|1 |a=|n a zaza| vza|| +| :a|1 4r| a i4z= mm| | ||z| vr zr| r1
|a=|n a zaza| mm|1 =4m a |za| z |a| mm|1 | ||4a mm|1 =m-4i:
a- m +| +i=m = vra| mm|1 4r =|n4 == zira mm|1 +4= n| a i=1 ||: +rm |-
r =4m a |a| mm|1 z ...r a| 4r| mm| r ia+ :|n ia +| ra|a = n r|z +| =sz z
...eza z, |||s = ...m|4| ....+
| ||4a mm|1 |z = mm| ....
-=4| .
[ :a= |z n+|ia' m|n4|n =|m| = vra|a n =|-=
=|-=| +| n+|ia |in Realisation
4r| a zs a|s| r|.
za sz =mn =m| i+ 4r| vs| zr| a| =|n4| == +| | ||: =|n4| =n +| +| ir=a| e|s :m|
+|| a+ +e ||z| a| va| r-a|+1 =4-e1 in==1
+|| a+ +e m|n a| va| r-|1 ||4a1 =r|na= a-1
=|n4| +s||, =|n4| r=, |z =|n4| =n a +||i4a1 | i+a| + in=| + >ma r| aa =
zaz| |z a| || 4a| v|e i:| m|. a=| |ma a=||ma1
4r| a zs a|s| r|.
=r|n+||41 ||4a mm| +4= |n| +| mm| nr|.
| riz:4|z + |a, rizy|z =|r|v|: am= + |a a r| +z a= i: 4|ia n r|z n
+|z|v|z1 | =||s| z-az i:|| = +|e+1 | ||4a mm| +| a|| +z1 +r| a+ a=m |
mm|>| | m|=a| a+1 mm| | +| z:m= ==||n1 | =i+ =a. =||s| |z zz a=1 mm| | r| +||
r| +|| vzan s v|a r =|m, r|=| +||. =||s| |z zz a=1 4r| r| =+: v+ +| a|:z ive| r1

|a=|n a zaza| vza|| r| | ||4a mm| r |a=|n a zaza| vza|| r| | ||4a mm| r |a=|n a zaza| vza|| r| | ||4a mm| r |a=|n a zaza| vza|| r| | ||4a mm| r
vza|| +| r=+| +r|z1 |z| arz z =mn :1 arz z, :r z, |-=| z1 z|
zz |a=|n +| |z :a|1 |a=|n a zaza| vza|| +| :a|1 4r| a i4z= mm| | ||z| vr zr| r1
|a=|n a zaza| mm|1 =4m a |za| z |a| mm|1 | ||4a mm|1 =m-4i:+ mm|1 |z|i|+ mm|1
a- m +| +i=m = vra| mm|1 4r =|n4 == zira mm|1 +4= n| a i=1 ||: +rm |-
r a| 4r| mm| r ia+ :|n ia +| ra|a = n r|z +| =sz z
+||:| =, a|= + vra a|z i:n, = +za| r1 =z a| |a =|| r mm|1 r
....4r i4> n:| +| a|| =, ra |a| =||, riz:4|z
a= |z n+|ia' m|n4|n =|m| = vra|a n =|-=| +| a=| |in Understand
Realisation +| r. }
za sz =mn =m| i+ 4r| vs| zr| a| =|n4| == +| | ||: =|n4| =n +| +| ir=a| e|s :m|
=|n4| +s||, =|n4| r=, |z =|n4| =n a +||i4a1 | i+a| + in=| + >ma r| aa =
| ||4a a- +|
| +z a= i: 4|ia n r|z n
+|z|v|z1 | =||s| z-az i:|| = +|e+1 | ||4a mm| +| a|| +z1 +r| a+ a=m | :rz|:n
=||s| |z zz a=1 mm| | r| +||
=||s| |z zz a=1 4r| r| =+: v+ +| a|:z ive| r1

vza|| +| r=+| +r|z1 |z| arz z =mn :1 arz z, :r z, |-=| z1 z|
zz |a=|n +| |z :a|1 |a=|n a zaza| vza|| +| :a|1 4r| a i4z= mm| | ||z| vr zr| r1
+ mm|1 |z|i|+ mm|1
a- m +| +i=m = vra| mm|1 4r =|n4 == zira mm|1 +4= n| a i=1 ||: +rm |-
r a| 4r| mm| r ia+ :|n ia +| ra|a = n r|z +| =sz z
||:| =, a|= + vra a|z i:n, = +za| r1 =z a| |a =|| r mm|1 r
4r i4> n:| +| a|| =, ra |a| =||, riz:4|z ...+||| .....am=111
i+| r. ia+ +e q+ n
Signs and Symptoms of a Coffee Addict
He grinds his coffee beans in his mouth.
He sleeps with his eyes open.
He has to watch videos in fast-forward.
The only time he is standing still is during an earthquake.
He can take a picture of himself from ten feet away without using the timer.


He has worn out his third pair of tennis shoes this week.
His eyes stay open when he sneezes.
He chews on other people's fingernails.
The nurse needs a scientific calculator to take his pulse.
He so jittery that people use his hands to blend margaritas.
He can type sixty words per minute with his feet.
He can jump-start his car without help.
He don't sweat, he percolates.
He walks twenty miles on his treadmill before he realizes it's not plugged in.
He forgets to unwrap coffee candy before eating them.
He has built a miniature city out of little plastic stirrers.
People gets dizzy just watching him.
Instant coffee takes too long.
He channel surf faster without a remote.
He has a picture of coffee mug on his coffee mug.
He can outlast the Energizer bunny.
He shorts out motion detectors.
He doesn't even wait for the water to boil anymore.
His nervous twitches register on the Richter scale.
He helps his dog chase its tail.
He soaks your dentures in coffee overnight.
He first-aid kit contains two pints of coffee with an I.V. hookup.
He skis uphill.
He gets a speeding ticket even when he is parked.
He answers the door before people knock.
He hasn't blinked since the last lunar eclipse.
































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Poetry Extraordinary
A JOURNEY BEYOND SORROWS
-Dr. Swaran J
Son Chidi [The Golden Sparrow] is an extraordinary piece of poetry from Aassis fifth and last
anthology NIRDESHAK, published posthumously. Aassi [1964-2001] who died at the very young age of
37, was a Punjabi poet of great possibilities.
In the present verse Aassi talks of a journey, a journey through
the dark recesses of the mind. Why he undertakes such a journey? In
a journey of thoughts and journey with thoughts one is helpless to talk
of a choice. A choice between continuous voyage or to be held back! It
is a state of progress, which only moves forward.
But this sort of progress further advances into two identical
states with often very diverse and dissimilar consequences. Most of
the thinkers regress in a cyclical path. Here identical thoughts keep on
repeating themselves causing much distress to the thinker. But a
thinker in a truly meditative poise continues with the journey without
any preconceived notion.
Contemplation of such kind occurs only in a heightened state of awareness, an awareness, in which
one is never tense or hurried. Zen master Yasutani Roshi describes this state in similar words. For him
this is the mind of somebody facing death. Let us imagine that you are engaged in a duel of
swordsmanship. As you face your opponent you are increasingly watchful. Were you to relax your
vigilance even for a second you would be cut down to pieces. He relates this analogy with the outer life. In
the inner world you nevertheless are in a frame of warrior but here war is among thoughts. Your
opponent is the counter thought or the thought that dissociates from the original thought. By doing so it
tends to kill the former. You become the battle ground of thoughts, a dark arena of ignorance. That
seems the exact situation as Aassi describes:
In that gloomy thick forest; unable to ferret out way
I sink in the sea of darkness; no hope, no gleam, no ray
Heroically I fight back; for how long would I stay
I receive back the hurts; for hurts that I pay
But this battleground, this you, this awareness is separate from the mob of warrior thoughts. You
will have to keep them separate. Mostly the thinkers join with battle. They join with the thoughts; either
the same or the opposite thought. The wakeful distress of being the battleground


Literary merit and also the
aesthetic aspect of this
remarkable piece of poetry
are to be decided by the
laureates. Here we are
discussing the incorporeal
and supposedly spiritual
aspect of this journey of
thoughts. A sort of journey
which sometimes each of
us undertakes but often
held back before taking the
final plunge. -Swaran J.




















































SON CHIDI
-Aassi
Hanehere da sanghana jangal
rah nazar na aave
jind daraya kalakhch gote khaave
kise yuddhch soorme vangoon
main zakham khavan, var jhallan
meri aas bandhave eh leh-lahaunda
vejayee jhanda
roshani da son parcham
eh thartharaundi hoi nimani mombatti
es de garam tepiyan noo main talian te
buchchan
kasees vattan
bebassi kahar dhave hava shikhr di
chanani di laat kambe
meri soch kambe aukaat kambe
khelhan noo jalavatni mere hisse aayee
rangan da jhutha sachcha aassra
main sirj liya
kite tan udeekada hoega budda Dashrath
kade taan mukkega banvaas Chandra
kite taan hoegee Kaushalaya tatpar
karke ghar di munder te deep raushn
nal na koi Lashman shashtardhari
turdi hai tan mahaz ek agg vichari
kade tharthrave kampkampave
bujhan hi lagge akhari chingari vi
antim sahara vi
agle hi pal dolh deve mere upper
umeedan da pura samundar
chehkade parinde vangoon kholh deve
mere sanhven kise naven
brahmand da darvaza
te meri ungali pakar ke
badali di ek sarani banaun da val sikhave
mere lahuch balada diva, sookde tufan
phir vi tor riha hai mainu
jiven har gote pichhon dariya
uchhalada hai jiv nu upparali sateh val
kadam dar kadam, safar dar safar
janam dar janam
eh kaun hai jo mere nal hai
piranch paruche hoi vi ek Jamaal hai
jo samarpit hai mainu pani mitti agni samet
SON CHIDI [THE GOLDEN SPARROW]-
Translated by-J.Swaran
In that gloomy thick forest
unable to ferret out way
I sink in the sea of darkness
no hope, no gleam, no ray
heroically I fight back
for how long would I stay
I receive back the hurts
for hurts that I pay
I hopefully hold that beaming flag
and in my hands it lay
agonizing pain of hot wax
that makes me loose my sway
of the tiny flickering candle
I carry on my way
my helplessness and fury of wind
with trembling thoughts they play
which make me quiver like flame
I carry on the way
It was altogether an exiled existence
I endured to this day
yes, I had some old delights
with them I however play
There may be waiting that old Dasharatha
along anxious Kaushalaya and they
may be putting lamps on the house roof
in the past foregone way
and with me now is no one
nor armed Lakshmana who slay
only trembling tiny flame
that walks with me anyway
About to get extinguished
last remains of candle that stay
with its last bit to rely! Yes, you can say
whole stockpile of hopes come apart
the moment next and they
open for me the door to eternity
enormous bliss and joy
lead me to the place [where I can]
arrange my nights and day
the alert that aflame my blood
still pushes me through anyway
as waves that push the drowning ones
to the sea-shore they lay
or sun that rouse me every morn
and open my next day
to the next step, the next beginning
or the next genesis! You may say
In whose enchanting presence [now] I am
wholly dedicated to me? Pray!
has turned it into a great ecstasy








of thoughts is now replaced by pleasure or sorrow of the thoughts. This sort of pleasure or sorrow
does not open new vistas. It comes and goes on cyclically.
But this concentrated awareness is the only light you have on this unlit murky path. This itself may be the
source of distress, for to remain in the sustained state of awareness you have to put an effort to it. As
points out Aassi:
agonizing pain of hot wax; that makes me loose my sway
of the tiny flickering candle; I carry on my way
my helplessness and fury of wind; with trembling thoughts they play
which make me quiver like flame; I carry on the way

Thinker in Aassi does not satisfy himself with this linear journey. He adopts many ways and many
forms and during the journey. While in an emotional mould his thoughts create images of fellow
journeyers who have been separated long back. He is distressed by their absence:
There may be waiting that old Dasharatha
along anxious Kaushalaya and they
may be putting lamps on the house roof
in the past foregone way
Or he takes another turn of partially compromising with the situation and finding help from within:
and with me now is no one;
nor armed Lakshmana who slay
only tiny trembling flame [of consciousness]
that walks with me anyway
Literary merit and also the aesthetic aspects of this remarkable piece of poetry are to be decided by
the laureates. Here we are discussing the incorporeal and supposedly spiritual aspect of this journey of
thoughts. A sort of journey which sometimes each of us undertakes but often held back before taking the
final plunge.
But Aassi takes the risk of entering into the perils of unknown. This final decision does not come out
of the logical mind. Neither this is the act of will nor that of wisdom. It is the moment where every
jischon talashada han main
apne hon di paribhasha
main te meri mombatti
kina suhavana hai eh hanehra
jo de riha hai mainu
pukhatagi bhariya eh sukhad dukh
that distress of thorny way
who now will define my new being
is it me, my candle or say?
how blissful is now this bleak darkness
how joyful are woes of the day!!

-Translated by-J.Swaran
rationality of the mind is to be kept away. It is the end of everything known. It comes instantaneously. It
is the end of both acceptance and rejection.
About to get extinguished; last remains of candle that stay
Its last bit to rely! Oh! yes, you can say
Whole stockpile of hopes come apart; the moment next and they
Open for me the door to eternity; enormous bliss and joy
Lead me to the place [where I can]; arrange my nights and day
While talking about this transition from the rational worldly mould to the higher thoughtless mould
Aassi does not elaborate much on this point. Perhaps nobody is able to. Any description of it will come
out only from thoughts and memory, the things which are in the frame of time. So how can Aassi talk
about the things which are timeless? How can a thoughtless state be described with the activity of
thoughts? But still he claims it to be the act of forces within his very being:
The alert that aflame my blood; still pushes me through anyway
As waves that push the drowning ones; to the sea-shore they lay
Or sun that rouse me every morn; and open my next day
To the next step, the next beginning; or the next genesis! You may say
Is this the end of journey or its beginning? For him definitely this is the beginning. He does not even
hesitate to call it the next genesis [birth]. This contact with the ultimate reality is only to be perceived;
only to be experienced. This is not to be conceptualized or described within the framework of worldly
languages. You cannot taste sweet simply by uttering the word sweet. Neither can you describe
sweetness in a way that others can experience similar sweetness. For the correct understanding you will
have to eat something sweet. As he says:
In whose enchanting presence [now] I am; wholly dedicated to me, pray!
has turned it into a great ecstasy; that distress of thorny way
who now will define my new being; is it me, or my candle, say?
how blissful now this bleak darkness; how joyful are woes of the day!!
Aassi has experienced this sweetness. For him now even woes are now blissful. He is now with his
real existence. This is the end of sorrow, as Buddha, the enlightened one once spoke about this sphere of
real existence of man for our understandings. For me this Son Chidi is what his
real existence is. The existence, where he now acts from an all empty and free consciousness and not from
one that is sullied by memory and ego and with restricted choices. This symbolic weightless, golden
sparrow is now separated from the heavy, worldly ego. Though he is not unresponsive to the painful
consequences of his choices in this new existence, but he is free now. Free to choose and free to accept the
tension and responsibility of his choices.
A Tear And A Smile By: Khalil Gibran
I would not exchange the sorrows of my heart
For the joys of the multitude.
And I would not have the tears that sadness makes
To flow from my every part turn into laughter.

I would that my life remain a tear and a smile.

A tear to purify my heart and give me understanding
Of life's secrets and hidden things.
A smile to draw me nigh to the sons of my kind and
To be a symbol of my glorification of the gods.

A tear to unite me with those of broken heart;
A smile to be a sign of my joy in existence.

It would rather that I died in yearning
and longing than that I live Weary and despairing.
and it is sweeter than the sweetest melody.

The life of a flower is longing and fulfilment.
A tear and a smile.

The waters of the sea become vapor and rise and come
Together and area cloud.

And the cloud floats above the hills and valleys
Until it meets the gentle breeze, then falls weeping
To the fields and joins with brooks
and rivers to Return to the sea, its home.

The life of clouds is a parting and a meeting.
A tear and a smile.

And so does the spirit become separated from
The greater spirit to move in the world of matter
And pass as a cloud over the mountain of sorrow
And the plains of joy to meet the breeze of death
And return whence it came.

To the ocean of Love and Beauty----to God.


EXPRESSIONS
A periodic bulletin of
psycho-spiritual
thoughts.


FOR CIRCULATION
AMONG FRIENDS
ONLY

Suggestion and
new ideas are
invited. You may
send them via e-
mail or SMS.
Creative work in
any form i.e.
poetry, short story
or article are also
invited


BULLETIN EDITOR
- Dr. Swaran J.
Associate Prof.
Physiology Deptt.
Govt. Medical College
Amritsar
[M] 9815621557
e-mail
omcawr_sj2@indiati
mes.com

There is a story which Sayyad Jalaluddin Rumi tells of an ant thats
creeping across the carpet in a mosque, and the ant complains to
God saying: what is this, these bumps, and strange colors, and
patterns, this must have been created just as a meaningless obstacle
course, what a futile thing to have made. But of course the carpet
maker, looking at it from above can see the patterns and the purpose
of it, and can see that the whole thing is perfect and is good. And
Allah is often like that. We often cant make sense of the misfortunes
we encounter most often because we are two dimensional, we are at
ground level, we cant see what it all means, but God knows even if he
cant always see that this is a manifestation of Allahs will which is
always good and always perfect and always beautiful.

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c/ c/ c/ c/ . .. .





. PSYCHO-SPIRITUAL THOUGHTS
July-August 2012 BULLETIN EDITOR - Dr. Swaran J.
[M] 9815621557
e-mail omcawr_sj2@indiatimes.com