Month: August 2007

Ruminal Thread

I try to maintain a healthy habit of meditating every day. I try. There are sometimes during the meditation process I would come to a state where I am totally aware of my surroundings and also in a deep sleep like state. It’s a very difficult thing to explain but I am aware that I am meditating, but at the same time I am seeing things like I do in my dreams.

Yesterday while I was half a way through my meditation – I was in such a state. During that time, for a very brief period of time I was asking myself or the Self the question, “why am I here?” and it also felt like I was asking, “Why are we all here?” Then there for a very split moment I knew. I knew why. It was for a split second and then a word came to my mind – “Ruminal Thread”. I saw a square shaped cloth and it’s threads being unlocked one line after another.

I have never heard that word before “Ruminal”, I was so surprised that I saw that word. By now I am wide awake and totally forgot the answer for my question. I only have a feeling of how it felt when I knew the answer, but not the answer. All I am left with is a word – Ruminal Thread. May be Universe it trying to say something to me?

Ruminal adj. of word rumen – meaning: “The first division of the stomach of a ruminant animal, in which most food collects immediately after being swallowed and from which it is later returned to the mouth as cud for thorough chewing. Also called paunch.” From dictionary.com

Inspired Action

It’s been such a long time, I have been wanting to write about Inspired Action. Sangita arrived and we happily got back to our good old discussions. Earlier they used to take place while we hike Oakland hills, now they just happen when we travel in a pollution filled tar roads of Hyderabad. But never the less, the quality is same.

We were discussing what is the difference between Action and Inspired Action. Lot of people know what Action means. They do it all the time. Their job, work, home stuff etc. We are all familiar with action concept. But is this what defines great people? Why was Mother Theresa inspired to so much work? What makes Narayana Murthi tick? How does Steve Jobs go about his day? Irrespective of what field you choose, you will find some people who are front runners. Not because someone asked them to do so, but they are inspired and driven from within.

Action people wait for some orders to come along. Inspired action people don’t wait for opportunities they are part of the opportunity. They are so engrossed and in love with what they do that they don’t see the part of doing at all. They are just in a state of being. Inspired action leads to being and becoming of what one dreams.

As the auto wallah took a tipsy turn, I talked about my new job and how action and inspired action fit into it. When I joined I was inspired and I was charged. As the days went by and I hit road blocks one after another, I kinda got down to action level. I realized that I was functioning from action mode – where I wait for things to fail and then I go fix them. This works fine and would probably be good enough to earn my salary. But it leaves me with deep dis-satisfaction. I realized that this was also the reason why I didn’t enjoy my previous job. After some time it becomes monotonous and trite. I won’t be able to live my dreams if I function from the place of action. So, during the discussion I realized that how only couple of days of insipid and boring tasks can bring my whole morale down.

So, I realized it and switched to Inspired Action. Submerged inside my project and thinking ahead of the situations kept my head above the water. After doing it consistently now I am beginning to like what I am doing and also not put off my roadblocks. Inspired action is the way to go!

People skills of a butcher

Today, as my mom planned to cook Biryani for all us, I got up early to go to a butcher to buy some meat. In India it’s not like the meat is sold in a store. There is your traditional butcher and usually there is one in your neighborhood. The meat is usually certified by some Govt. organization and almost all of the time it’s Halal – even though it doesn’t make a big difference for me.

At 7:00AM, the place is packed. As usual in India we don’t have any lines or the concept of patience. Everyone there just falls on top of the butcher and is demanding meat.

“Mohan bhai, when are you going to give me my 1/2kg meat? Should I just leave?“, threatens one guy. Another guy, who is chewing pan and stinks says in his loud voice (in the process almost spat on me) “Mohan bhai, take the money first. I have calculated it to be 240Rs and give me the meat“. Employing the age old trick of paying first and thereby inducing guilt in the butcher so that he can get served first. There were couple of old people who stood in silence. You know by their silence that they are very well known by the butcher and also these are the people who buy large amount of meat.

In all this chaos – I was amused to see how the butcher – Mohan manages the whole thing. His public skills are amazing. No matter who asks or yells, he talks in a hurried but nice tone. He calls everyone “bhai”(brother) and treats them as the most important person for his business. He has 4 people under him working and he reveals that he is paying them 300Rs (7$) per day wages. He puts it out as if he has to pay them a lot of money. Playing the guilt card when some guy refuses to pay the price quoted for meat. There is not fixed price. The price is fixed by Mohan bhai and usually it’s cheaper on Sundays as there would be at least 1000 people who buy it from him. 1 kg (2.2pounds) is Rs.180(4.5$), probably cheaper than US. But he is going to sell at least 500kg today – earning more than what a Software guy can earn in 2 weeks.

I got out of my thoughts, as Mohan asked me – “Kitta hona bhai?” (How much brother?). I said, “2 kgs”. As he prepared the meat for me, I was holding back the falling of at least 5 people on top of me. One guy almost poking under my armpit.

The lesson one could learn from Mohan bhai is – Treat your customers with praise and love even though they yell at you. But be assertive when it comes to price.