A humbling experience

I'm almost up there at the top
Somehow things automatically take shape
I know i'm far above the rung i actually deserve
Perhaps He knows best, maybe it's because of good Karma
It's a humbling experience
God is great.

Now try this

I'm almost down there at the bottom
Somehow things just don't fall in place
I know i'm far below the rung i actually deserve
Perhaps He knows best, maybe I'm still not ready for bigger things
It's a humbling experience
God is great.

Out-of-the-box thinking

We generally associate it with an idea or a solution which is more effective and radical when compared to the already set norms and beliefs with respect to the problem or issue at hand.

The focus is almost always on the final result but we need to analyze the thought process which throws up such thinking. One important aspect is that the ideator in these cases definitely have a 360 degree view of the problem at hand. He would see the problem in a different light and context altogether and at that moment he is not even concerned about the ultimate viewpoint. The final solution appears only after sharp focusing on that view a little longer.

So the next time you feel like giving an idea, ask a few questions

1) Was it spontaneous?
2) Is this the way you always felt about it?

If the answer is 'yes' to both the questions, then probably you have not even thought about the issue at hand. It was just a reflex thought born out of set patterns. Take a break. Revisit the entire situation and if possible start with diametrically opposite ideas and slowly drift back to the original idea, waiting in between, to check the probability of an entirely new solution. Of course you should learn to differentiate intuitions and gut feelings (not associated with thought) with in-box thinking to be a consistent and effective out-of-the-box thinker.

Events

Two important things happened in the last week

1) I'm a certified PMP (Project Management Professional) now. Cleared the examination on the 20th of this month and since then there is a vacuum - the type that always happens on the culmination of key events.

2) A fellow blogger of considerable repute (she has had visitors from 115 countries) has mentioned my blog in her list of recommended blogs. I'll repeat her words here for self-indulgence

Circle of Life (Rakesh. Introspective. Poetic. Passionate. To start with, I found this poem to be stunning and extremely moving.)

Coelho mentioned in one of his columns that writing is a courageous job as it's rewards are unpredictable. I just landed up with my first reward. Nimmy- thanks. In one stroke you have turned me into a serious and responsible blogger. I'll live up to it.

On Morality

The most effective contraceptive for mankind till date has been Morality.

On Inspiration

Inspiration is the cousin of plagiarism twice removed.

Hollow Spiritualism

If you read columns like ‘God in Gucci’ or ‘I AM’ in the prominent dailies, you would have definitely noticed the growing fad of spiritualism. Almost every star, actor, P3’ite, and even wannabes claim that they are no longer religious; they are all spiritual. And you start wondering what type of spiritualism they are all talking about. Is it any different from what you the Metro riding-Tiffin carrying-Spouse tolerating species perceive off, or is it something on a level which is beyond your grasp because of your material and social standing?

To start with it’s far easier to be spiritual than to be a God-fearing, principle following believer of any religion. There are no rules, no rituals, no discipline required to be spiritual and it suits….Oh so very much….all our pub hopping, gun trotting, skin revealing, two-minute fame seeking souls.

Don’t ever get fooled by all this grand talks of spiritualism, stay steady on the path of whatever religious practice you believe in and in the years to come by, you would definitely emerge as a better person if you go by the dharma of your religion whereas the en-vogue hollow spiritualism will leave you with nothing more than high levels of spirit in your body.

Your religion is a tool and technique to reach/discover the all important final destination and while you are in search of the end don’t abandon the means. The problem with that kind of pseudo-spiritualism is that you would never know when you fall from the path of righteousness. Spiritualism is not something that you adopt, its what you evolve into and I refuse to believe that we have so many evolved souls around us and that too all of them competing in that – BIG RAT RACE.