Escape from freedom.

Humans constantly seek predictability. The stress caused by lack of certainty can be unbearable.

Take the case of air traffic controllers. These folks who pore intently over computer screens directing air traffic. They suffer from extremely high levels of stress and often take ill because of stress. The stress is caused not so much by the work but from being responsible for many lives and huge resources. Aircraft moving at high speed, the high possibility of aircraft colliding depending only on technology, common sense and training of humans.

Too much predictability and humans get bored, too much variety and uncertainty can exhaust us. We need the right balance to stay excited and satiated.
However excitement is an addiction. Like all addictions we need increasing doses to get the same high. This explains why we pay good money for stuff like adventure rides to people to spook us. Paying money to be frightened.

Rulers, governments, bureaucrats, organisations and the movers and shakers understand this aspect well, and none more than the priests belonging to all faiths. All of them amplify uncertainty and present answers and a predictable future, as means to assuage the masses and keep them on the straight and narrow path , to God only knows where.

Using Religion, morality, patriotism, social norms uniforms etc, they manipulate and manage the masses.
Most humans have an inkling that they are being toyed with but do not see any other option but to follow the so called 'leaders'.

Due to dramatic and constantly increasing influence of, technology and mismanagement by leaders, life looks increasingly uncertain with each passing day. Couple this with rapidly declining moral values and life looks dangerous. People feel trapped and helpless. We want to break free.

Ask most people what they want most and they will say they want to be free. If you ask them what do they mean by being free, you will be surprised with the answers. Most people only want to escape their present situation, but they have no idea what to do with that freedom.

Voltaire the great French writer and philosopher remarked "It is not enough to be free, it is more important to know what to do with one's freedom."

Freedom has two aspects, 'freedom from' and 'freedom to'. We often seek to be free of people, situations and problems, but lacking true thinking and self understanding we attach ourselves to a new set of beliefs imposed on us by society, family, friends, priests the government and the media. Only to wake up alarmingly one day that we are in the same situation but in a new environment. We then seek freedom from the new set of beliefs and situation.

"None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free". ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe


We painstakingly extract ourselves from one situation to mire ourselves in a new set of problems because we do not think. Thinking is a rare thing. I am not talking of animalistic thinking needed for survival, but the search for meaning in our existence, and ourselves. However it is only possible to think effectively when the mind is stilled and free from disturbances.

In today's world we are operating at high excitement and stress levels. Even catching the bus or the flight, getting to work or the children to school is now become an exhausting grind. There is no time to be alone with oneself and to come to terms with the inner person within us.

Most of us are rational human beings, yet we continue to escape from freedom and into bondage. Why?

Man is a social creature. If his economic, social and political condition do not provide him a sense of individuality while simultaneously depriving him of ties that provide him security then freedom becomes unbearable and creates powerful doubts. This situation gives rise to a powerful urge to seek submission by man to the world in some manner which promises relief from uncertainty and thus deprives the individual of his freedom.

The world as we now know it is extremely uncertain. Enveloped by turbulence born of hatred and greed we grasp at straws so as not to be overwhelmed by confusion and uncertainty

Let us teach our children that excitement is not joy, it is good to be bored so that we are able to find time to contemplate and better understand ourselves and our world. That more is not always better. To respect oneself and other human beings and all creatures with whom we share this planet. Life is not for consuming ourselves like a candle burning at both ends.

To live and work as an individual in harmony with the world not under compulsion but as an individual making independent choices. To do all this so as to be truly free. If we do this successfully, then we would make the world a better place for ourselves and our children.

Love it, then Live it.

My friend Vasant has been writing poetry for a long time. When we read his poems, both my wife Mohini and I were moved to tears. Such beautiful thoughts and expression that touched our hearts.

When we asked him why he had not shown us this aspect of his character for so long, he sheepishly replied; "I was afraid that it was not good enough to show others." Now he has tested the waters and as his poetry and writings are being published, I remembered the story of Emperor Akbar and the great poet and vocalist of Akbar's court Miyan Tansen.
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The Mughal ruler Akbar (1542 -1605), despite his illiteracy, valued great minds and souls. He surrounded himself with artists, intellectuals and creative minds.
Of the numerous courtiers nine were valued above all else. Known as 'Navratnas' (the nine gems) they were;

1. Abul Fazl, the poet and chronicler
2. Faizi, the poet and religious scholar.
3. Raja Birbal, the brilliant and intelligent advisor, poet and court jester
4. Raja Todar Mal, Akbar’s finance minister
5. Raja Man Singh, the trusted general in Akbar's army
6. Abdul Rahim Khan-I-Khana, a poet and astrologer
7. Fakir Aziao-Din, the mystic, and advisor to Akbar
8. Mullah Do Piaza, the intelligent advisor
9. Miyan Tansen, the musician, vocalist and poet

The emperor so loved to hear Tansen sing.
One day Akbar asked Tansen, "You are a magnificent singer, who is your teacher? Who could be this great person to instill such passion and sweetness to your voice? How great must be your teacher to have a student like you?"
I want to meet your teacher, fetch him and bring him to me. I wish to meet your teacher" demanded Akbar.

Tansen said "My Guru ji (teacher) is Swami Haridas ji, he dwells deep in the forest and lives all by himself". "He will not leave the forest and he obeys no one except Almighty God. I am afraid to say, but not even you, your majesty"

Akbar grew angry "I will have him beheaded if he refuses to come before me"
Tansen replied "He is a man of God and he fears nothing not even death. None can force Swamiji to do anything, if your majesty wishes to see him then your Majesty will have to go to him"

Akbar was fascinated. He felt compelled to go and meet Swami Haridas, Tansen's teacher. Akbar ordered his royal retinue to make ready for the march to the forest.
Tansen hurriedly intervened. "Your majesty, if my Guru ji sees you coming with arrogance he will definitely not meet you." He continued "We must go alone and meet him early in the morning at the ambrosial time (about 4 am).

Akbar was curious beyond belief. He agreed to all of Tansens's suggestions.
Very early the following morning they left the palace for the forest. Leaving the guards at the forest edge they rode on alone.
A distance from a large clearing near the river, they dismounted and crept up slowly and waited a small distance from where they could spy and eavesdrop on a small hut.

In a short while they heard the most fantastic and melodious songs. The Swami ji had arisen and started his bathing and recitation of his prayers. He sang hymns with such divine devotion that Akbar was captivated.

After a few enthralling hours the hermit felt silent having begun his meditation. The couple reluctantly crept away and rode back home.

On his return the emperor summoned Tansen and said " You are marvellous, but tell me, when you are your Guru ji's student, why can your voice not evoke the same feeling within me?"

Tansen bowed his head and said " Your majesty, I sing for your pleasure. I seek rewards and gifts from you. My song and poems are corrupted by the need for your appreciation.” “My teacher seeks no gain. He is filled with emotion which he expresses in his singing for his own pleasure and the praise of God".
Tansen concluded “ His song is rich because it is true and a reflection of the overflowing love and joy he feels.”

The emperor understood and he felt humbled. He gifted Tansen handsomely for a valuable lesson.

The lesson;
The stream gurgles musically. The birds sing and chirp melodiously because they are happy. The wind wafts and whistles through the forest without hesitation. They all do this without care of who will listen and who will appreciate them. They sing because it is their nature and they are happy. They are the way God has made them.

We human beings can also be happy if we choose to be.
However we often sacrifice our happiness by constantly seeking approval from others for our actions and even our thoughts.
If our actions do not harm others and make us happy we should pursue them.
Sing because we are happy, play because we want to, write poetry and blogs because they allow us to reach into the depths of our intellect and soul.

Nothing can cure the soul but the senses, just as nothing can cure the senses but the soul…
As the new year dawns, I wish you all good health, happiness and success.
May you be able to pursue your heart's desire without fear or shame

Howard Hughes - The poor billionaire.

TWA (Trans World Airlines) and Hughes Aircraft Company were two of the numerous companies that legendary multi billionaire Howard Hughes owned and built up into great organisations. An intelligent, hardworking and a result oriented person, Hughes ran a complex business empire achieving both personal and professional fame in numerous fields. He made significant industrial and aircraft innovations and broke several aviation speed records.

Howard Hughes an American aviator, engineer, industrialist, film producer and director, philanthropist, died in April 1976 under mysterious circumstances leaving behind an estate worth US$ 2.5 Billion, making him one of the richest men in the world at that time.

Hughes lived and worked in a manner and for results that challenged and pleased him. Brilliant and creative he was anything but conventional. His so called ‘eccentricity’ is evident in the manner he responded when awarded with the United States Congressional gold medal for his outstanding contribution to the advancement of aircraft technology. Hughes never even bothered to travel to Washington to collect the medal. Finally it was mailed to him by President Truman six months later.

Creative and brilliant people by nature are different. If one is wealthy, powerful or both this abnormal behaviour is tolerated and often even admired. After all the distance between genius and insanity is often measured by success.

Like all brilliant people Hughes loved to spend time alone, contemplating solutions to challenges he set himself. He shunned interruptions by visitors, telephone calls etc. Months would go by without even a glimpse of him by the outside world. Hughes let his aides handle all matters on his behalf. After a while the media which is more interested in entertainment than the pursuit of truth, lost most of its interest in Howard Hughes classifying him as a recluse.

By his 50th birthday Hughes empire had expanded considerably yet Hughes the individual was completely out of the public eye. To the world at large it appeared this was the lifestyle that Hughes himself had chosen, but in fact his aides took over his life completely. It is believed that Hughes was drugged and forcibly isolated from the world and made a prisoner in his own home. Issuing instructions and managing resources in his name, his aides became the de-facto owners.

To keep Hughes unsettled, homes, the environment and staff were constantly changed. It was impossible for any outsider to get a fix on what really was happening in the life of Howard Hughes. His aides had become Howard Hughes for all practical purposes. Even when he did appear in public Hughes was no more than a fragment of his former self. He appeared uneasy, confused and listless.

When brought to the hospital upon his death, Hughes appeared to be seriously ill and totally malnourished (his tall 6'4" frame weighed only 41 kgs). He had long finger and toe nails and had serious hygiene issues.

Subsequent to his death a mysterious handwritten will appeared. This will granted US$ 470 million to his aides and the remaining US$ 2 Billion to other individuals and institutions. The will was subsequently found to have been fraudulently drawn up and was dismissed. It did however show the aides in poor light.

In the ultimate, Howard Hughes was a multi billionaire only in name. He was no longer free and had to live a wretched life, imprisoned and trapped by his own aides and betrayed by the very people he chose to protect him.

This kind of situation is more common than one expects. This misfortune also befalls many rich elderly people when they become physically or mentally weak and become dependent on their aides. The caretakers isolate them and then manipulate them until they have sucked out all they can from the hapless individual before allowing them to pass on.

Most people spend a lifetime breaking their backs to create wealth and make savings so that they can live their old age with dignity and comfort and provide for their dependents.  However only fortunate people live to enjoy the fruits of their earnings or inheritance. The unlucky ones share the fate of Howard Hughes.

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