I’m
writing this blog post to introduce to you my first book, a non-fiction titled Strings of the Soul.
A
few days back, after dilly-dallying its publication and hoping to find a non-me
publisher for a little over a year, I put it out on Amazon.com as a Kindle book
(besides the Kindle reader, it can be read on any device supporting the Kindle
app). My thoughts: better to suffer the ignominy of being a self-published
author than allow the book to gather digital dust.
Not
that it’s not gathering dust now: it’s one among millions of books carried in the
mighty sweep of "the Amazon," hidden in some corner somewhere. But chances,
however tiny they may be, do exist that it will be discovered, bought and (I
sincerely hope) enjoyed by readers across ages and nationalities.
So
let me talk about Strings of the Soul,
which comprises 16 pithy chapters on a few things in life that really matter:
Beauty, Wisdom, Truth, Love, Childhood and Happiness, among others.
(What follows reflects
the Introduction to the book, plus some excerpts.)
As
an evolved species, human beings have achieved great material progress and the
wheels of science have rolled on long enough to blur the lines between fiction
and reality. But somehow, things just don't seem quite right.
If
we look around carefully, much of the wealth is confined to a few. Most people
on the planet seem willingly or unwillingly indulgent in a massive loot, and we
are caught in a global epidemic of greed. The poor want a little more, the
middle class want a lot more, the rich want even bigger enrichment and the
super wealthy want every goddamn thing!
The
entrails of Earth are being churned viciously to provide for an accelerating
cycle of greedy consumption. Social institutions and ethical values are
undergoing monumental changes. And much more is getting produced than at any
other point in human history.
Yet,
in the midst of our apparent abundance, the human soul seems barren and hungry.
Who
amongst us is taking pleasure in the scent of real flowers instead of gloating
in artificial perfume? Where are the kindred spirits who spoke of such virtues
as Truth, Love and Wisdom? How are we to experience the true joys of life
through Nature's bounty when we are bent on shutting ourselves into concrete
boxes in city upon city?
I
agree that in the current structure of society, it is difficult to pull away
from the lures of what most people deem a good life. But, what really is
a good life? Is it just to have money to buy all kinds of stuff we probably
don't need? Is it to flaunt the wealth generated from abuse of the planet? Or
is it to live a decent life of quiet bliss and collective harmony?
I
think it is time we took a hard look at our notions of goodness and ideas about
what constitutes holistic – and not just materialistic – progress.
We
are all children of joy but, alas, most of us end up as miserable adults –
uncomfortable with who we become and what we achieve in life.
It
wouldn't be to wise to become a Luddite, nor is it practical to try and reverse
the march of industrialization (except, perhaps, make the march less
indiscriminate). But it might not hurt to go over the pristine notions of a few
things in life that really matter. To sit back, to take a little while and to
think about the so-called abstractions: Beauty, Balance, Faith, Childhood,
Happiness...and to consider how we relate – or want to relate – to them.
I
do not profess to be a Buddha, nor are the thoughts expressed in my book free
from flaws and faults. But I have put them down with a sincere and unabashed
belief in some inherent, eternal things that make us what, according to an
ancient Hindu text, sometimes even gods envy to be: human.
I
hope this little pond of meditation will be able to nurture a few tiny ripples
that can help us return to our truer, more celebrated selves.
Book Excerpts
Here
are some thoughts culled from Strings of
the Soul:
Wisdom
is the knowledge that at any given moment, the right choice is the one that
helps the most number of conscientious creatures. And what separates wisdom
from mere knowledge is the courage and humanity to make that choice.
***
Knowledge
has to be acquired; wisdom comes.
***
When
you think of wisdom, there's a warmth in your mind. When you speak wise words,
there's love on your tongue. When you do something wise, there's a silent
applause all around you.
***
Do
not give me wisdom at the cost of kindness.
***
I
may be wise or I may not be. But if I profess to be wise, I might actually be a
fool.
***
Happiness
is a state of mind, all right. But how do we attain it? For one, we should stop
trying too hard – because it is that state of mind which requires the least
amount of effort.
***
Happy
is he who laughs in the innermost sanctums of his mind.
***
Never
laugh at someone else's misery but always smile at your own troubles.
***
Each
time I see a child laugh delightfully, I know that nothing else in life can
matter more than this. And that we must do everything in our power to keep her
laughter alive.
***
Laughter
is the magic with which we can bring the dead to life.
***
To
cry sincerely is as important as to laugh freely. Perhaps more.
***
Like
misery, laughter loves company, but it does much more: it creates companions
all around.
***
The
quality of our laughter reveals the constituents of our character.
***
To
my mind, there are three kinds of beauty: one that appeals to the senses, one
that captures the intellect and one that touches our soul.
***
The
beauty that Character bestows on us surpasses everything else.
***
Beauty
doesn’t exist anywhere as a complete entity. But fragments of beauty can be
found just about everywhere.
***
A
thing of beauty can enslave our mind just as we ourselves can be the master of
something beautiful. Yet both the master and the slave can enjoy an amazing
association with beauty.
***
Nothing
is too beautiful or too ugly for the senses to experience.
***
I
have learned that we must not always despise what people call ugly, and we must
not blindly worship what’s thought of as beautiful. We can, of course, see true
reflection of the ugliness or beauty of something through the prism of our mind
– but only when it is steeped in the light of knowledge and the warmth of
wisdom.
***
When
I look at the world with a child’s eye, everything looks beautiful to me. And
whenever and wherever I look at children – they just look beautiful to me.
Children are one way that nature continues to replenish us with beauty.
***
Beauty
can make us laugh with pain; it can also make us weep with joy. Isn’t it
remarkable that this is not a stark contradiction but a unique human
experience?
***
If
you’ve read this far, you may want to go a bit further as well :) I’m giving
the Amazon.com link to Strings of the
Soul below: buy the book for yourself, for someone in your thoughts or
maybe just share the link with your dear ones…
