Women Empowerment Reality

I decided not to wait until 8-March to write this. 8-December is also fine as women are valuable and are to be cherished anyday and everyday. 

It has been a long ride in history on women empowerment and feminism. Talks about gender equality is a major topic of discussion and some works might portray women in right frame. But if you do a reality check there has been very less significant work done that changes the mindset of the larger population. This can be well noticed in movies. Women are shown as a victim who need to be rescued by man or powerless, damsel in distress or doing most stupidest thing that requires a man to correct her. If you think these movies are from 1900's  period go and watch recent movies like Bigil, Doctor, Enemy, Annaatthe, Indoo ki jawani, Sooryavanshi, Spiderman etc. The list of movies is longer than latest iPhone release que. And you will not disagree if watched these. In such movies, not limited to those named; women are portrayed just as objects and commercial bimbos (my apologies for the word usage). If the hero is so powerful why in first place have a heroine? 

Reason behind this anomaly is that 99% of movies are hero centric movies directed by men. Mass power of hero and upholding his image is the main purpose of the movie. So rest are collateral damage. Sad but that is the pathetic reality.

Let men under the pretext of equality and empowerment not downgrade and degrade women. The underlying truth is that they are trying to uplift their image. Media is mainstream and has huge impact on the human perspectives and how social understanding evolves. With such responsibility, for better understanding of the the other sex, they should stop casting women as glamour dolls and show admiration for inner beauty of women. 

The truth about gender equality is that there can never be perfect equality. Nature and our creator have designed human production line with differences for various reasons. So, women do not need to seek permission from men but require men: 

• Who can understand the differences, 
• Respect them for who they are, and 
• Support them grow in their endeavors. 

That is what would be real gender equality and achieving growth (developing to provide something to others :-  growth defined in nature terms). These start from home, let us respect the women in our life and cherish them anyday and everyday. Seeing this the future generation from which some who might be directors and story writers will have a different movie experience for their audience.

#conscientiouswarrior, #womenempowerment, #feminism, #movies 

Are you a New Follower?

Kannada Power Star Puneet Rajkumar passed away on 29-Oct-21 due to heart attack while exercising. He was 46 years old. The loss is grieved not just by his family but also by whole Kannada film fraternity and over millions of fans and film enthusiasts. He was known for his intense exercise regime that probably sculpted his body the way he was and looked fit as fiddle. But his death claimed to be due heart attack that he had while exercising has started a lot of retrospective discussions related to exercise. How a person fit as Appu (how Puneet fans addressed him) could die of heart attack? Isn't exercising good? How much is good enough? Is there a right approach to exercise?  

I know teetoatlers who passed away at 38years old by heart attack and also know chain smokers who had live past their 70years of age with no ailments. Does it mean being a tee toddler is not good enough and smoking causes no harm? Ironies of life. There is no right explanation that anyone could provide to any of these, because each are of their own kind. What works for others MIGHT NOT work for you. 

Frameworks, conceptualized structures devised by so called scholars, analysts based on research on a population set that they feel is representative of the whole population. There are many factors to the population set such as ethnicity, location, culture, food habits and so on. So be it diet plan or work out regime or study plan, any framework formed by someone not necessarily works for you. There are also contradicting reports that confuse you. Do not blindly try to emulate what others have done. 

Custom made personalized frameworks and plans are necessary. Right approach would be to start anything in moderation and along the journey keenly listen to your body. Know the key outcomes and procedures in the framework and tweak those to suit you while you keep listening. Analyze if it will be suitable for you, considering your character, attitude and habits. Like the dialogue in the Tamil movie Billa-2 "In my life, every day, every minute, even every second is sculpted by myself", build your unique self. The body is the best communicator. It can speak various languages to convey itself. It talks to you through appetite, sleep, excretions, pains, reactions. Start to read the indications, know your limits, feel the body.

Be it what you eat or what you watch or how much you exercise, all things are to be in moderation. Hear out what your body is trying to convey. Notice small changes in yourself and early warning signs that are been given. These could be subtle but responding to them correctly and taking appropriate actions are vital for healthy longevity. 

In the end you are in driver seat of your life journey. Listen to your body, be the New Follower. Stay safe and stay healthy. RIP Puneeth Rajkumar.

#newfollower, #conscientiouswarrior, #Puneet, #billa2, #framework, #following, #puneethrajkumar

Vernacular Language

Mahatma Gandhi speaking at Benares Hindu University, Varanasi on 4-Feb-1916 mentioned "Our vernacular languages are the reflection of ourselves, and if you tell me that our languages are too poor to express the best thought, then say that the sooner we are wiped out of existence". This speech has two parts, one which calls to take  pride to converse in vernacular language as they reflect us best and the other which fits well to understand if don’t use it leads pathway to that language's extinction. This blog is about the former pride part of Gandhi's speech. To understand more about language extinction, read my earlier blog about it. Both parts are real even after 95years of the speech and applicable for as long humans speak to communicate.

Languages are means for communicating our thoughts combined with emotions. Vernacular language gives the humane in us to get connected with others. The key differentiator between other living things and we humans, is the ability to speak our mind through language as words. Conversing in vernacular language provides one with identity, belongingness, togetherness. Conversations lead to connectivity, emotional bonding.

Every language has its roots. Different languages are like the fingers each with different lengths but all serving it's purpose. According to Ludwig Wittgenstein, famous Austrian Philosopher "The limits of my language are the limits of my world". None is better than other, and none has limit for the purpose they serve.

The more you learn different languages and dialects more you get connected with others at emotional level. Language enriches one. Knowing few languages makes us more closer with various communities. They provide us with opportunity to understand and appreciate others. As a proverb goes "to learn a foreign language is to have one more window from which to look at the world". In the present world which is extensively connected both physically and virtually this is very true. But learning other languages does not need to come at a cost of yours. Continue to speak yours while you learn others. Each language has literatures that stand long after the authors have gone. Preserve them, read them, share them.

If we don't uphold your vernacular language others would not care. Respect, dignity is lost and high chances of getting belittled by others. Your future generations will loose their identity by in-action today. Small actions matter. Speak up, Be proud to converse in your vernacular language as that is were your identity was formed from.

#vernacular, #language, #languageextinction, #gandhi, #conscientiouswarrior, #speakup

Medicine the new religion

Views and decisions based on religion are slowly being desquamated. That is wonderful news. How did this happen? 

Centuries back when literacy rates were low, for the practices to reach the illiterates these were made as religious practices by the learned people. People followed without questioning as those were in the name of God. Over time when practices were questioned, to maintain their relevance the religious literates exerted their dominance through the political system. Such religious evolution are seen from Egyptian, Indian, Greek and Roman history. This was a clever strategy to control the bigger group of illiterates by learned few: by FEAR. It was profane not to follow and considered blasphemy when challenged.  

The literate few are ravenous for power and dominance. Today the field where this is being exerted has spread. From religion it is felt now in medicine. From priests, preachers, religious leaders there are now pharma companies, beauticians, physiatrists, counselors, dietician, physiotherapist etc. "Everything is designed to make people feel worthless and insufficient - because only then do they become extremely susceptible to consumerism and drive the economy with their materialistic approach. They become much easier to control" ~ Ian Tuhovsky. People are swamped with information being thrown in the sea of social media under the pretext of medical research. There are numerous reports, tv programs, documentaries, advertisements pertaining to Pregnancy, dieting, coffee, chocolate, corn flakes, dairy, food consumption pattern, depression, anxiety, alcohol, sleep, beauty and about present pandemic situation with biased, conflicting and contradicting conclusions. Apart from confusing viewers and readers, such studies tend to bring also together like minded individuals and slowly form a group and forum.

Such topics for discussion are sensitive touch points that could be used to bring in unity and at same time grow aversion and hatred towards those against. You would notice increasing key board warriors (like religious fighters) sparing those who condone their groups/forum. In medical context ethics and morality seem to have thinned with the medical literates acting as bystanders watching the society going disarray. Some discussions go beyond medicine and drags race, ethnicity etc. which are totally unnecessary and heads into different dimension. 

Old grandma methods which keeps tablets/supplements away are termed primitive. Discussing such old methods are disparage. "Modern medicine is not scientific, it is full of prejudice, illogic and susceptible to advertising. Over the past 20 years the drug companies, with their enormous wealth, have taken medicine over and now control its research, what is taught and the information released to the public." ~ Abram Hoffer. Similar to religious literates in past, the medical literates are creating FEAR with medical jargons and driving the medical illiterate population to change habits, consume more tablets and supplements. All this seem contrary to what was mentioned by Father of modern medicine William Osler "One of the first duties of the physician is to educate the masses not to take medicine." Isn't then medicine per se a religion? 

Under the religious context, over years as the literacy rates increased, knowledge grew which made us look the same religious practices differently. And we live in a world today with most of us trying to understand the practices and the reasons behind those. We have started to understand the differences and having travelled through long journey we live in a much harmonious world. This is social progression where we are approaching to live in a world which is religion flat. Which has ultimately led to views and decisions based on religion being desquamated.

Presently healthcare workers are working extra hard to safeguard all from the pandemic. Under such circumstance this blog might seem to condemn and discard medical advice. On contrary it is written with the intention in avoid being pulled apart by various medical related data and reports that make your body perplexed, exhausted both physically and mentally. Beware of things those that belittle you. To avoid being a puppet in someone's show, follow three steps before jumping into the wagon:

1. Do a self-analysis which will make you self-aware both physically and mentally. Insights on self leads to acceptance of who you already are. 

2. Know your present consumption patterns, both in food and data. 

3. Get to know your destination both physically and mentally

After these consume the right information diligently that suits your demographic profile. Remember that never does one size fit all. 

Such approach will increase medical literacy amongst us which will allow our views and decisions related to medicine be taken appropriate. It would make one think twice before boarding the wagon in fear of being left out and let the control of life under literate few. Stay healthy, Stay safe.

#religionflat, #abramhoffer, #supersition, #medicinalreligion, #socialprogression, #williamosler, #modernmedicine, #self-aware, #self-esteem, #iantuhovsky

Seed I planted

 Ever felt cheated, back stabbed, a feeling of deceit when you had an idea and shared that to someone and they claimed the credit for it? You were supposed to be the one crowned. For example, it could be an optimization initiative for the organization that you happen to share with your colleague. Sly as a fox, he brings it up to management, takes credit and hits to fame. In kaliyuga all would have been through such encounter in some form.

Under such situation anger seeps in followed by disappointment and dejection. These negative feelings sink hard into oneself and begin to question the journey we are in. Mind starts to ponder was it worth the time and effort? As it was your idea, this question transforms into a palpable sense of thought. The foundation of self-esteem is shaken leading to lower self-efficacy. If left unattended this might lead into Why Me Syndrome and what not newer psychological terms out there to perplex you. Your condition is exemplifying for these newer psychological terms and tend to push you for therapy sessions. The moment you wear a victim tee shirt you are permitting circumstances and others to decide your destination.

Rosalind Franklin vs James Watson and Francis Crick were scientists in race for understanding the molecular structure of nucleic acids where the latter duo was awarded Nobel prize for Medicine in 1962. Rosalind was only accredited posthumously. Another such example is invention of radio which we know as Marconi while the original invention was done by Tesla. There are many such unsung heroes. 

Under such circumstances following the concept of Seed I planted will calm the mind. The mind must see it like a seed been planted by one of our forefathers for the tree which bears fruits that they will not taste. Credit, fame are the wants of conscious self. Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore mentioned "The one who plants trees knowing that he will never sit in their shade, has at least started to understand the meaning of life."

Focusing on the intent of the initiative rather on the outcome benefit claim works to heal the set back. Rosalind and Tesla didn't wear victim tee shirt and had probably told to themselves about the Seed I Planted concept and continued their journey. 

In 2010 comedian actor Vivek had launched the Green Globe movement and planted over 3.3million saplings until his demise. Today he is not alive to take any further credit and might go to others, but the act he initiated will live forever as grown trees.  

For those who are still unable to sleep well due to such untoward incident may further handle the situation as mentioned by Thiruvalluvar in Thirukural 630th verse " இன்னாமை இன்பம் எனக்கொளின் ஆகுந்தன் ஒன்னார் விழையுஞ் சிறப்பு". It translates to; when you show the grit to take pain as pleasure your esteem with enemy will elevate. Channel the creative energy in constructive ways and let it not get buried with you. Rosalind went on to work on RNA structure. She glowed as Gold when flamed. It took 40years for Watson to admit Rosalind's role in the discovery. Be strong as a bull and charge forward.       

From now on if it is your idea and credit go to someone else take it with a mindset of So What, that was a Seed I planted. Tell yourself that your idea lives and continue your stride with pride. You will be destined to do better and greater good, as "Give, and it will be given to you...for the measure you give will be measure you get back." Luke 6:38

#seediplanted, #thirukural, #rosalindfranklin, #jameswatson, #vivek, #tesla, #luke6:38, #whymesyndrome

Mental wellbeing through living spaces

According to world bank in 2019 over 55.7% of world population is living in urban cities and expected to increase over 68% by 2050. The growing urban population challenges architects to design living spaces that can accommodate more within available less urban area. Going vertical with smaller living spaces is on rise to meet this demand.

This trend is compounded by the less time which urbaners spend in homes. Keeping oneself busy at office indirectly reflects less time at home. Eating or buying out food requires less cooking space. These add up conveniently for an architect to think why need a big living space. But little do we understand the long term impact these small living spaces have on human life. Constrained space indirectly leads to constrained thinking and restrained cognition over time. "We shape our buildings and afterwards our buildings shape us", Winston Churchill.

Many people sharing small spaces are made to absorb each other vibes. This could be felt easily when taking a crowded train, the mood of the people around impacts the way you feel. We become and act like a pressure cooker with built up stress. Walking stress bombs. These vibes affect our mood. According to Jim Rohn, motivational speaker "You are the average of five people you spend the most time with".  With same people around over period that too confined in small spaces subconsciously alters behavior. Numerous studies have shown this and deduce that people living in smaller spaces tend to have increased mental disorders such as schizophrenia, depression and chronic anxiety. Children talking about stress, depression, rise in people seeking therapies for mental disorders are facts that none can deny which infer there is risk of mental wellbeing.

 Smaller living spaces will be there as long as population migrate to urban cities. Therefore instead of visiting therapists as after effect, mental wellbeing is required to prevent these effects. Pound the living spaces with more positive vibrations such as melodious music, devotional songs, motivational speeches, inspirational movies, comedies so that they absorb positivity and give back more. You become what you consume. With work from home a new norm, spend more time at home. Bond and laugh more with family. Cook and eat at home. Make the house a home and the home shall lead one to a mentally sound aged life.

#smalllivingspace, #workfromhome, #restrainedcognition, #positivevibrations, #mentalwellbeing

Spiritual lessons from AK movie

 Final touch or Last touch is a simple childhood act that everyone off us would have experienced. This is an exemplary act of ego starting from childhood, which reminds that ego is part of everyone.

Life without ego is the Yoga mentioned in Bhagavad Gita 2.48. Would be good but an idealistic view for most in the present world. It is something that humans with cognitive brain, giving importance to the self find difficult to avoid. With some effort could try to minimize giving harmony and peace. Especially help to find the balance of Yoga. 

Moral values are all around us. It is matter of picking to harness those that allows us balance better. Movies are a good start, as all movies tend to deliver idea/point/moral/act of good principles to the viewers of course alongwith other commercial aspects. 

Recently watched Ayyappanum Koshiyum (AK), a Malayalam movie portraying how a small incident is blown out due to protagonists ego and at end subtly vanishes.

The gap between athma (soul or sub-conscious) and conscious self widens due to acts performed by ego to satisfy the conscious self that pleases the five senses leaving the athma unsatisfied which gives birth cycles. Only when the conscious self acts as per the athma one reaches to selfless state. This evenness of mind is Buddhi-Yoga as mentioned in Bhagavad Gita. Could be termed as the state of Moksha.

The movie AK could be categorized as a spiritual movie (by the core message which I felt it was delivering). The movie clawed and dragged me into life incidents where my ego had played and is playing a part. Are we able to spare moments in our life to bridge the gap between athma and self, shelving the ego? How much are we noticing and absorbing the values around us in a world surrounded with excessive information and noise? Are we even digesting the information to be absorbed by the mind?

With growing on-demand video; if right morals are picked from movies maybe route to evenness of mind. Watch when you need might allow us to pick the good from the noise. Keep a healthy mind in yogic state for a rejoiceful spiritual journey towards Moksha.