Sunday, December 14, 2008

Dont think you are, Know you are

These are words from the movie "Matrix". If you have watched the movie, my favorite scene is the Kung Fu fight. Morpheus tells Neo these lines "Dont think you are, know you are".

How often do we think we can do it and don't make it. There is a difference between "I think I am in love" and "I know I am in love". You cant think that what I feel is love; when it is love, you will just know it. Those of you who have been there can understand this. The rest will have to wait for that beautiful day. But you may be able to relate to this with something else that happened in your life.
There are things that happen in our lives everyday that we just know. What does not happen is all that we just think about.

Every one of us has that special something within you, that treasure that is bigger and more powerful than anything you can fantasize about and yet we are all lost in a maze, the matrix of life. When you think you are, it is outside of you but when you know it, it is within you and you are the one in control.

When you look beyond you for something, you have to depend on the environment and the outside for support. We have the ability to create, develop and grow something really big but we wait for a creator so we do not have to take the first step because we have no belief in what we hold.

Everything in our life that was created by another man is not someone who is an extra-special creation but someone just like you and me. What do you think that he had that you and I do not have? But we are afraid to explore ourselves to find that special gift within us that can create the extraordinary.

At this point of time, your mind is questioning this and probably saying "I don't really have it". "It is not in me". "I am not one from that special pack". Just ask yourself why?
So you tried and you failed on some attempt at life. Maybe it was not meant for you or someone else's dream or the right thing but you did not give it everything.
Did you stop walking as a child because you fell down not once, twice but many times. You knew you could walk and you wanted to so you walked.

Well now you are saying, it is not a simple as walking. Why not? For a baby who could only crawl, walking was like climbing the everest, maybe? That it is simple or it is complicated, is only in your thinking and only you can change that.

Express your inner strength, build on what you find, and let it serve you and humanity to enrich the world you live in.

If all those people thought like you, we will still be in the dark ages hunting for food. Not that they did not do well, they survived with very little and used only their own abilities to grow our race.

This is not a one time event, a one day affair but something you have to work on everyday to get from where you are to who you really are.
Start with breaking down all those negative patterns that arrest your behavior and jail your thoughts within a very limiting space. Do not blame yourself for any of this because you were conditioned to believe that you have limitations. We are limited by our genes, our birth, our race, our religion, what our parents told us, what are peers show us, what our leaders taught us...

Tear down those walls that do not allow you to be. Build a new foundation, reinvent your structure of who you are, not who you think you are.

It is not as simple as I know "I am a mother", "I am a manager", I am a student. I cant even give you an example because that would limit you with my own thoughts beliefs and experiences. This is only about you, not what the world wants or thinks you are.

You may now say that it cant be me because I have family, duties and responsibilities. Yes you do. This is not about being selfish or acting irresponsibly. This about living completely but harmoniously with yourself and your world. You cannot take away from another one's life to live your own.

Know that you are the special one and in this world anything is possible.

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Thinking patterns

Did you know that your thinking may follow a pattern that many others may share? Though each one has a unique pattern, there is a standard classification available that makes your thinking fall into a particular pattern. Though the pattern may be adapted based on the environment, a predominant pattern is available that can really help one understand one's way of thinking. It can really help one come to terms with any stress that may be associated with one's thinking.
An important point is that no pattern is superior to another and all patterns have their plus and minus. If a thinking pattern is restrictive and an individual would like to break a pattern, an understanding of the pattern can help accept and evolve so your thinking can be tuned to your needs.

Based on the thinking, one may also have a language associated which could be an instant reaction. Identify your thinking and see if you have an associated language, a standard response to stimuli.

Why would one want to identify the thinking pattern?
Behavior is preceded by thinking. You always think before you act though it may seem at times like you acted before you think.

As an handwriting analyst, one can identify the thinking patterns by looking at the m's and n's.

A Cumulative thinker has rounded m's and n's without a marked "v" in the m. There are no sharp edges or lines. The person is a smooth thinker who builds on the thinking like they are building blocks. This may take longer with repetitive steps to confirm and absorb. This leads to better retention. They have the need to consider all the facts and figures, can be logical, will use previous knowledge and experience, take longer to grasp new facts and learn better with demonstration. They do not get bored easily.
They may not learn more than is necessary and may have a tendency to avoid learning new things. They may miss on opportunity to act because of the delay in the thought process yet they may show great patience.
If you are a cumulative thinker, look at how you respond to a new situation or new learning. If you stress out when you have to learn a new subject or get irritated when you take longer than others, be patient with yourself as you may not have to relearn as others may have to do. Identify situations where you have to act quicker and you can ensure that you do not lose out too.

A Curious and Investigative thinker has m's and n's that are sharper and extend into the upper zone from the middle zone. A promininet "v" can also be identified. These thinkers ask questions and learn with little efforts. They will dig for more information. They have a tendency to be good at math and science where facts are available. Solving problems can also thrill them.

A Comprehensive thinker has sharp m's and n's that stay in the middle zone and would stretch across the middle zone but does not extend into the upper zone. These thinkers are very active and makes instant decisions that may not involve others. They think and evaluate rapidly, are motivated and action oriented. This may also lead to them getting bored and can impact relationships too.
They may have difficulty relating to slow thinkers and a tendency to believe they are smarter can also be expressed. The way to deal with these thinkers may be to give them their space to perform.

A Surface thinker shares the qualities of the comprehensive thinker and is a quick thinker too but will take other people's opinions.

The analysis of my handwriting shows that I am a surface thinker. I analyzed my thinking to see if it matches the qualities.

I love to surf and learn a lot but I may pick up the gist of the subject rather than delve deep into a topic unless it really tickles my imagination. I have the tendency to move from one subject to another rather quickly. I may not be happy with limiting myself to knowledge only from one source. I google a lot about every subject of interest.
My professional life has also scanned more than one line of work and I have worked on excelling in each area but I do get bored and have to move. I do not like mundane and monotonous tasks.

I do have difficulty dealing with people who are slow talkers and who repeat their dialogs. I prefer to hear new things. I like to explore the new and the unknown. Change challenges me too but I may give up half-way at times if the interest wears out or if there is'nt something new to look into.
I do not remember everything I learn for too long and have to keep a record of my learning as reference. I can exagerrate my thinking and write pages with just a few points.
I have a special ability to write and play with the English language. I have more difficulty with very technical subjects and though I can grasp the basics, I do not enjoy researching more.

I think quickly and move from one subject to another that may be totally unconnected. I do not really look into the parts but think as a "whole" and attach words to visual images.

When I read or am exposed to something new, I get excited. I read and absorb the basics. If the subject interests me I would explore more. I tend to create connections between new knowledge and previously-imbibed knowledge to retain the information.

This may not define a surface thinker completely but it confirms why I am a predominant surface thinker.
I loved this exercise and it helps me understand my perceptions and behavior. It gives one's personality a lot of meaning.

Discover your own thinking pattern and enjoy the experience.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Terror in Mumbai

As I was watching a movie, last night and randomly switched to another channel, the news of Mumbai totally shook my senses.

It almost was like another movie at play. The images of blood, destruction, fire, and chaos made one feel as helpless as the police forces there. The unused guns in the hands of our police looked like toys in the midst of the weapon of a rather young terrorist but his gaze was like he was obsessed with an inhuman ghost. My body was tense as I watched the image of a police van driving in firing shots at people gathered in curiosity and a man fell down and I think he lost his life to curiosity.

Finally the tears fell as the news flash about the death of Hemant Karkare was confirmed. A few minutes earlier, he arrived at the scene and calmly placed his communication gadget in his pocket, tried the helmet and then wore the bullet proof jacket that did not seem to good enough to protect the officer. As he walked into the scene bravely, the image faded into what was only the mouth of death.
Three officers were dead within minutes and no one can tell us what happened inside to take these men away from our midst but India owes more than homage to the commitment of such men of valor.
If the images disturbed me so deeply, I imagined the plight of the family who watched their dear one walk into the dark tunnel of death. Do any one of us have the heart to send our loved one into the jaws of death.

When we question our police forces and the men in the army, let us remember that these men have done what one of us would not do. If they are not prepared for the attack or lost in the hands of terror, it is the organization and the system that has to be blamed but not on any individual policeman, officer, or chief. I sense their helplessness through the images as they try to win over this situation which is yet not over.
The truckload of army men were sombre and I wondered what would go their minds before they entered the hotels not knowing what waited for them. They could walk into gun shots, bomb blasts or fire but they knew that their mission was to try and save those inside. The life of another was more important than their own life. I do not know if I could ever do that for anyone. Can you?

If a small group of terrorists can make puppets of a huge force, the design and plan of such an attack questions our ability to protect our nation and counter terror. Let us not raise questions in front of our idiot boxes but look beyond news flashes and our instant reactions.
What will it take for us to think and act responsibly in the wake of such terror?

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Law of Attraction

I read the "Secret", almost a year ago and worked on changing my ways and life with limited success.

I did not realize that there are embedded elements in my personality that cannot be forced out by just reading the book. With all due respect to the content of the "Secret" that is a must read book by Rhonda Byrnne, I have to state that there needs to be a practical approach to the "Secret".

One of the things I managed to attract in my life since I read the "Secret" is change. I attracted change in big ways, quit my mundane job and took up life with a passion. I wanted to transform my thinking, my actions and my goals.

One of the best things I attracted is "The Handwriting Analysis" course. I am just at the kindergarten level of this course re-writing alphabets but I am back to school not to learn english but to learn a new way of life that can be more satisfying.
I am assessing my personality under the microscope through every stroke of my writing, in touch with my subconscious and tuning it to what I want rather than to what my environment and my past tuned in.

So what is the Law of Attraction about?

  • We attract what we think and want.
  • Our minds have powerful energy that attract what we believe in or focus in, so if you focus on lack of money, thats what we get.
  • We attract the same people, same things and the same life because our minds are limited to a small world, our comfort zones.
  • If I believe that I am not good enough or cannot be successful then I just cant.

To apply the law:

One has to write what he wants and focus on that, believe we have it, focus on only what you want and not on what you do not want.

Let us look at how the Handwriting analysis certification course is a practical approach to the Secret.

If you have a personality difficulty with low self-worth and this is etched in your mind, it is going to be very hard to get over it.
The first step is to acknowledge that this can be changed. Then you start practicing the T bars and each time you write the T, you tell yourself that you want Self worth, not once twice but many times every day and at some point the mind believes that is "YOU"

The second approach is attracting positive people, positive energy, thoughts and emotions that attract more positive energy so you are able to practice the "Secret". The course sessions are designed to create this environment and every member attending this course will vouch for the positive energy that is abundant in these sessions.
Watching Rafi is like a large mug of Boost - "Secret of our energy" :)

If you want this post to make more sense, pick up the book "Secret" and read it. I have a copy you can borrow, let me know.

Good luck and attract the best and abundance in your lives.

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Mother Teresa

Today, we studied the handwriting of a celebrity and beyond the words, the handwriting, and the traits that we discovered, I could see a passionate and a very giving person. Here was a very special person who was dedicated to her mission, dominant and emotionally expressive. She was not without imperfections or traits we would not expect in a woman of such acclaim.

The beauty of the exercise was to find that beyond our imperfections there can be a very beautiful strong and giving personality. Today, I wanted to know a little more about this woman, a saint in the making and I found beautiful verses that touched my soul written by a great leader and human being who lived in our midst:

Do not wait for leaders; do it alone; person to person

Everytime you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.

I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that He didn't trust me so much.

If we want a love message to be heard, it has got to be sent out. To keep a lamp burning, we have to keep putting oil in it.

If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one.

If you judge people, you have no time to love them.

It is not the magnitude of our actions but the amount of love that is put into them that matters.

The success of love is in the loving - it is not in the result of loving. Of course it is natural in love to want the best for the other person, but whether it turns out that way or not does not determine the value of what we have done.

Beautiful words that can stir us into action and simple ways to find happiness.

At HII, we do not not just love but we express love in words and in action. It is refreshing to smile and hug, the words "happy morning" make one smile. Love is loaded with all the wrong emotions and has become a cultural taboo in our country because it seems to be attached to lust rather than the pure emotions of the heart that can be felt for any human being.
So why do we stir with embarrassment to say the simple line, "I love you" to our families and friends.
When was the last time you said "I love you" to someone at home or even to your spouse and children. Let not these words be mere words but words that are born from the heart that naturally knows how to love.
Well, if you still stammer to say "I love you", then say it silently when you hug and if you cant hug, then just smile :)

RYB

An interesting part of the Handwriting Analysis course is the RYB follow-up sessions. Its a Recharge Your Batteries session that is offered as an add-on to the course for a year. For someone like me who has too many eggs in my basket, it is really helps to stay focussed so its not another instant dose of energy that fizzles away before the last sip has been tasted.

In today's world a lot of the knowledge we receive is instant and gone in a jiffy too. Well we can afford to overload our fragile brains with all the pages of not books anymore but gigabytes of information that google loads in minutes.

So as Rafi says, the only way to etch our minds with new found knowledge that we need for years is to rewrite outdated knowledge, understanding and stereotypes so we can upgrade our minds too. At some point, we all go through stagnation and forget how to flow.
If we had to revise our textbooks to score better in the exams that man has devised, how do we revise to score better in the exams that the universe sets for us?

Practice change and revise the answers to the lessons of life is what the RYBs do. I really do feel like I drive myself to a RYB to refuel my energy so I do not just steer my way through life but accelerate my life to overtake my limitations and create new destinations.

Friday, October 17, 2008

Hugs

Yesterday was Day One of our certification course and the best part was meeting up with the workshop friends. So many of the members walked up to me and said they missed me. To be missed is a beautiful feeling because it reminds you once again that you are special.
Hugging also seems to be a very energizing action as I have realized and I think its awesome that we hug at HII. If you are not comfortable hugging, try it today and see how it works.
In our culture, to hug is to be physical and that is something that is inappropriate but if you believe that body language speaks louder than words, you can tell based on the energy of a hug.

A warm affectionate outgoing person would hug tighter and harder than someone who witholds himself.
Yet, we cant blame the one who cant hug completely cause he may have grown up in a family that never hugs or expresses love in physical ways.
At HII, you can hug not just one person but everyone so you can practice hugging and spread hugs to those around you.
Its easy to hug friends but to hug parents, grandparents, in-laws and your own children takes extending more than your hands, it can be very embaressing especially when you have never done it before.
On the last day of the workshop when we hugged every member, many of them cried. One of the girls was sobbing and when I hugged her she called it magic. The hug managed to shake the strongest of souls and erupted a volcano of emotions.

Hug one person today who you have never hugged before and leave a comment on your experience.
Hugs to you.

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

My Intro to HII in August

I attended a seminar by Rafiullah Baig who is an expert in handwriting analysis and Grapho-therapy. He sold the concept well and ensured that the audience was well humored by his stage skills. It is possible that over the years he has learned to use the power of his mind to empower his life and business. His ease with which he sold the course and the strong belief in what he believed in is what a marketing person needs to learn. There were times that the seminar was tedious because of repeated lines both in English and Kannada.
The other interesting sight was the enthusiasm he had managed to stir amongst his students. As I entered the building, I was received by a line of volunteers who wished me "Happy morning" and it continued with a whole line of them wishing me until it was almost embarrassing but it was nice to see a whole lot of hyper predominantly young volunteers.
A couple of amazing insights were that Albert Einstein used only 7.5% of his brain and I wondered how much I was using and how I could extend that.
In my search to treat my subconscious, I had quit my job, moved away from my line of work, and was at the threshold of what is not on the list of most wanted careers. It seemed like I was being exposed to very interesting fields of study in this line of exploration of the mind after almost 15 years of completing my Masters degree in Psychology and not pursuing it as my career.
The students spoke about how analysis had changed and stirred their lives and they seemed very honest.
My curiosity is not only about who I am cause to a great extent I do know that but maybe I will found out something more that I do not know or not willing to acknowledge. Beyond that I want to see if I can tap my power to enhance my abilities, to open my mind more, see things from my third eye, and discover the mysteries of the universe.
I signed up for the course in October and will wait and see what I discover and learn. Until then I sign off in my own handwriting.