Arise Awake

‘Arise, awake and stop not till the goal is reached’ is a slogan made popular  by India’s Youth Icon, Swami Vivekananda. He took inspiration from a shloka of the Katha Upanishad where Yama advises Nachiketa. 

The English translation of the Sanskrit Shloka is ‘Arise! Awake! Approach the great and learn. Like the sharp edge of a razor is that path, so the wise say – hard to tread and difficult to cross. 

 

In normal situation of sleep, we awaken first and arise next. But in the realm of mindfulness, it is important to arise first… to step out of the comfort zone. Awake here is to open up the closed mind to learn and to understand. Such initiative and understanding needs to be backed by consistent commitment. 

 

Swami Vivekananda urged his audience to take initiative and involve in progressive action, to approach knowledgeable persons with an open mind to learn and to persist without pause till the desired destination is reached.

 

Arise, awake, don't stop or slow

Rest not till your goal will glow!

- Pravin K. Sabnis

 

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Four Freedoms

The Four Freedoms speech was delivered by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on 6 January 1941. He outlined four essential human rights that should be universally protected: Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Worship, Freedom from Want and Freedom from Fear.

Roosevelt's speech was to urge Americans to support the country's involvement in World War II. He argued that the four freedoms were fundamental to democracy and should be defended at all costs. The speech was a pivotal moment in history, inspiring a generation of Americans.

 

The speech had a lasting impact on international relations. It influenced the creation of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was adopted in 1948. The speech's ideals continue to inspire human rights movements around the world.

 

The speech referred to in the question appears to encompass key concepts related to individual rights, freedoms, and the role of government in upholding these. The speech emphasizes the importance of the nation's commitment to safeguarding the freedom and happiness of its people. 

 

It involves, among other things, ensuring the protection of human rights and democracy and maintaining a balance of power in the world. The speech delves into the grey area of government involvement and interference in the lives of citizens and how this affects individual freedom and liberties.

 

Roosevelt spoke of four freedoms, an apt chant

Of Speech, of worship, from fear and from want!

- Pravin K. Sabnis

 

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Perception

As a child, I loved all that my mother cooked, except idli. My mother had a strict rule that the first offering of all food had to be eaten, even if it was disliked. I would gulp down two idlis to ensure that the unpleasant experience was over at the earliest.

However, this strategy would boomerang at homes of other people. Seeing me consume the idlis in quick time, they would think I loved them and they would drop more idlis in my plate. Hence, I had to change my approach. 

 

I began put little pieces of the idli in my mouth and chew slowly to stretch the time. Interestingly, this made me indulge in the taste and eventually I developed a liking for the idli. Now idlis are my favourite food to eat!

 

I realised that my dislike for the idlis was due to perception rather than real experience of taste. Our likes and dislikes may be born of perceptions or even interpretation of experiences. We must give time to the experience to connect with facets that unravel only with deeper application of our senses. 

 

We need to consider whether our dislikes are mere inferences from erroneous perceptions made in a hurry. We have to find ways to escape hurried perceptions and experience the same with an open mind.

Stop succumbing to hasty hurried opinion
Don’t be confused by errors of perception!

 

~ Pravin K Sabnis

 

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Why & Wherefore

 

An Aesop’s fable is about the encounter of a wolf and a little lamb. Wanting to find reason to turn the lamb into lunch, the wolf growls: ‘last year you insulted me’! The lamb replied, ‘I was just born a few months back.’ 

 

The wolf retorts, ‘You grazed in my pasture.’ The lamb said, ‘I don't eat grass yet.’ But the wolf persisted, ‘You drank from my pond.’ The lamb replied, ‘The only thing I drink is my mother’s milk.’  

 

At that point the wolf ate the lamb saying, ‘Well! You certainly like to argue!’

 

The phrase ‘why and wherefore’ is in Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors: ‘Was there ever any man thus beaten out of season, When in the why and the wherefore is neither rhyme nor reason?’ 

 

So often, some of us defend the indefensible.  We scout for justifications based on our prejudice born of divisions that see one human being as lesser than oneself. Like the wolf finds many why and wherefores for his predetermined act of violence against the innocent lamb.

 

Every time, we indulge in irrational choice for our ‘why and wherefore’ we are walking the talk of murderous hate mongers. In the aftermath of the violent act, as time passes, we become complacent. And history repeats…

 

Vested interests, on all sides, start planting the seeds of hate again, under the garb of nationalism, religion, ethnic pride and more. Messengers of hate talk about ‘teaching them a lesson’. But lessons are meant to be learnt by us by challenging the divisive ‘why and wherefore’.

Why should humanity be trampled out of season

When in the why and the wherefore is no reason?

 

~ Pravin K Sabnis

 

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Centipede Effect

A centipede was happy

Until a toad in fun

Said, ‘Pray, which leg moves after which?’

This raised her doubts to such a pitch,

She fell exhausted in the ditch

Not knowing how to run!

 

The poem underlines the psychological ‘centipede effect’ that occurs when an otherwise unconscious activity is disrupted by consciousness of it. When asked how he played a certain passage of Beethoven, violinist Adolf Busch replied that it was quite simple – and then found that he could no longer play the same passage.

 

George Humphrey identified the effect as hyper-reflection and said that ‘no man skilled at a trade needs to put his constant attention on routine work... If he does, the job is apt to be spoiled’. Humphrey's law states that once performance of a task has become habitual, conscious thought about the task, while performing it, impairs performance.  

 

Habit reduces and then removes the attention required for routine tasks. This automaticity is upset by attention to a regular unconscious competence. For example, someone thinking too much about how they knot their tie may find their performance of the task impaired. Hence, we must not allow the centipede’s dilemma to derail what has turned a habitual performance.

The centipede need not reflect on keeping feet in line,

But if it starts to ponder they get twisted all the time!

~ Pravin K Sabnis

 

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Active Waiting

Boman Irani, the versatile actor has a remarkable story of perseverance. He was dyslexic, as well as having ADHD & a lisp he eventually overcame. Due to financial constraints, he dropped out of college and took up a job as a waiter at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai.

He worked as a waiter, struggling to make ends meet. Despite the challenges, he never lost sight of his passion for acting. He would participate in amateur theatre performances. In 1987, his life took a dramatic turn as director, Alyque Padamsee, offered him a role in a play. 

 

His breakthrough came in 2003 film ‘Darna Mana Hai’. His portrayal of Dr. Asthana in ‘Munnabhai MBBS’ brought him recognition. Since then, he appeared in many films, showcasing his incredible range as an actor.

 

Boman Irani's story teaches us valuable lessons. His journey from waiting tables to waiting for opportunities as an actor is a testament to his passion and determination. While his success is a result of his hard work, dedication, and willingness to learn... it is also his attitude to actively wait!

 

Waiting is not about staying idle. Rather, it is about being active and alert while little may be happening. Active waiting is a powerful mindset shift that can transform downtime into uptime. So, when you find yourself waiting, remember that you have the power to turn downtime into an opportunity.

 

Indeed active waiting is divine,

it turns downtime into a shine!

 

~ Pravin K Sabnis

 

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Recce

Sportsmen want to see the stadium, before they play. Singers, orators, performers want to see the stage, before they perform. Traders, entrepreneurs, sales persons involve in what they call a trial run. They use different words but what they are doing is a ‘recce’ 

‘Recce’ is a regularly used by those in trekking and mountaineering. Every time we plan a new trail, some of us undertake a ‘recce’ – an exploration to confirm the best possible route. We identify spots to visit as well as estimate the time budgeting. A well done ‘recce’ ensures success. 

 

The term derived from ‘reconnaissance’ refers to an exploration conducted to get information. Also known as scouting, it is a military idiom for a preliminary survey to gain facts. However, a ‘recce’ is more than a survey and analysis. It is about pre-experiencing the proposed plan to be better in responding to the challenges of the situation.

 

So often we plan to do embark on certain paths or projects. Quite often we do not start for lack of knowledge and experience. The path becomes familiar when we embark on a ‘recce’. 

 

Larger dreams are better realised by exploring the ‘recce’ experience that helps us understand the situation. Hence we are better prepared to tackle traps and plan strategies to optimise use of resources, including time.

 

Before every big excursion

Do the recce of exploration!

 

~ Pravin K Sabnis

 

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