Music inspires, music invigorates, and music heals. But the deepest spiritual experience is the blissful silence that the self feels amidst those harmonious waves. And in that silence, the soul rejoices, dances and celebrates.

Silent Music & Celebrative Dance

pure, divine,
rhythmic notes,
toucheth the chord
of inner meaning…

cymbals, accordions,
even windy chimes,
bestir in it
a celebrative being…

O God! I revel in
all that You make,
Yet, it is in the harmony
of music,
that my soul doth wake!

This is a poetry by Sri Sri Ravishankarji - Art Of Living foundation.

PROMISE
If I had to promise you something, what would it be?

I can’t promise that you would always be comfortable…
Because comfort brings boredom and discomfort.

I can’t promise that all your desires will be fulfilled…
Because desires whether fulfilled or unfulfilled bring frustration.

I can’t promise that there will always be good times…
Because it is the tough times that make us appreciate joy.

I can’t promise that you will be rich or famous or powerful…
Because they can all be pathways to misery.

I can’t promise that we will always be together…
Because it is separation that makes togetherness so wonderful...

Yet if you are willing to walk with me,
If you are willing to value love over everything else,

I promise that this will be the most rich and fulfilling life possible.
I promise your life will be an eternal celebration.

...

From - http://bookstore.artofliving.org. Thanks.

Jamba Juice is a popular fresh juices shop out here. Today was my first time at Jamba Juice. I was amazed by the variety of fruit cocktails they serve over there. Especially the names of the 'EnLightened Smoothies'. They were - 'Strawberry Nirvana', 'Mango Mantra', 'Berry Fulfilling' and 'Tropical Awakening'. And the description of these drinks ran like these - 'a heavenly mix of..', 'a mind-opening medley of..' and 'a harmonious whirl of..' among others. But the one that led the lot was 'a Zen blend of passion fruit, oj,....'. Now, that was really really interesting.

Talking about fruit juices, I was a big fan of Fruit Shop on Greams Road back home. I can never ever forget the mango juice; the pure mango pulp sans ice and sugar. A nice long sip of it with my eyes closed - the pure taste of mangoes was a taste of heaven itself - almost a glimpse into the soul.

Everytime I think I have understood what death is all about, he strikes right on, blows me down, makes me gasp for breath and forces me down to my knees and stays on until I let go and say - 'All right, you've won again'. All the Gita and Upanishads in this world seem to lend no help when he decides to strike on the bull. He catches you unawares, tramples all of the hope that is left, and nails you down. The damage at the end of it is devastating. And if time heals, why does it stop now. When the sheer reality of death and its morbid consequences dawn, time seems to stop. Just when the coast appears to be clear, death storms in all its power and regality. Yes, in his own way, the great leveller is regal, sparing no one. But he never gives me a chance to understand what he really is, and remains one more of the several mystifying mysteries. Peace.

Well...am back again..and am sure all of you who read my blog are bored big time by this statement of mine. I know I just disappear for quite sometime and then make a comeback (if you can call it that). Ok, that apart, a lot has been happening over the past month, but then I'll be writing about Chandramukhi in this post.

Brrrr...I am still shivering after watching that movie. I have never had a penchant for horror movies. And I dint know that this one would be scary either. Had I known, I would have never watched it on full screen. I have always been a sucker for breezy romance and emotional tableaus over horrors and thrillers. So going by my standards, this one was pretty scary. I know many of you would have laughed through the movie. But I have this tendency of getting deeply engrossed with what happens on the big screen and end up laughing and crying with those imaginary characters. Needless to say, during 'Chandramukhi', I ended up hiding my eyes every now and then from "scary" Jo's eyes.

Well, since Chandramukhi, I've been wondering why my mind gets so scared and hallucinates long after the movie is over. I am ordinarily afraid of the dark and no amount of persuasion can make me stay alone after watching a horror movie. I remember my childhood days when I would watch a horror movie with a cushion in front of my face, vieling and unvieling it suitably as and when the 'devil' strikes. And now, even a sudden increase in the hum of the airconditioner scares the hell out of me.

I am not scared of roller coaster rides. I am not scared of cockroaches. I am not scared of brinjal and bitter gourd. I am not scared of my erstwhile Maths teacher. I am not scared of fire and water. But I am dead scared of 'non-existent' spirits. Any help ?