the secret of getting real rich!

u don't get rich by earning MORE.
u don't get rich even by saving more.

strange statements?
not really!

lets see why.

when you earn more
you spend more.

according to the corollary of parkinson's law

"spending will increase to match the increase in income."

try not spending more
while trying to earn more.

there is strong chance that
so much of negative energy will accumulate inside you
that you will blow it all up in one shot.

the mentality or motivation of "earning more"
is basically an emotionally driven state.

"earn more" is a "feel good state"

so, u r not "earning more"
if you are not "feeling like earning more"!

therein lies the paradox.

you don't and won't consider yourself rich
even if you become one
till you feel rich.

and how to feel rich after gaining the riches?
simple....by spending!

to feel equivalent rich
you have to spend
and wrap yourself
in equivalent comfort and luxury.

and the moment you do that
you slip back to the earlier financial state.

only difference,
this time you may be worse
having gathered debt!

so, it is pretty clear
- you don't get rich by "earning more"

but why do i say that
you can't get rich by saving more?

even this is simple.
the psychology of "saving more"
is rooted in the mentality of "starving"

mind is a dog which is most dangerous
if "starved"!

it is most obedient
if "tricked, trained and befooled!"

the more you "starve" your ego by "saving more"
the more the "feel good" state deteriorates.

and it all collapses
at the wrong time
burying you under!

so?

what's the way to become rich?
real rich?

keep doing what you do.
keep earning what you earn.
consciously keep improving and keep looking for opportunities to grow
but don't de desperate!

don't be conscious to "earn more" or "save more"

just ensure
that you don't waste anything.
all wastage in life
translates into money.

as you eliminate waste
you will realise your real needs.
this will surprise you further
when you will realise that you are much more satisfied and in abundance
than you always felt!
and when this feeling of abundance comes
you will feel better and better.

when this happens
you would have automatically
acquired the state of
feeling rich without having to spend
or without having to possess.

--

u don't get rich by earning MORE.
u don't get rich even by saving more.
u get rich
by wasting less and less
and in the process
unshackling and relieving
your income
from the drags of reckless consuming.

from here on
whatever you earn
will multiply!

and the funny part is
you won't feel the g-force
of becoming rich!

retired before 40

i once attended a seminar
where i was hypnotised and asked

"what are your big dreams in life?"

with a little effort
i listed them

big house
big car
world tour
fat bank balance
freedom to buy anything
long vacations
no need to be in a job
retirement at 40

--

i came back
and as hypnotised
wore the eye-blinders like a horse
and entered the rat race!

while i was moving forward
i met some rats
returning from where i was heading!

the look on their faces were not so inspiring.

i slowed down
and eventually stopped.

"how's the place u r returning from?"

the rat i talked to
didn't reply.

he handed me his walkman

i put on the headphones.

it was jagjit singh's voice

"patthar ke Khudaa patthar ke sanam
patthar ke hii insaaN paaye haiN
tum shahar-e-mohabbat kahate ho
ham jaan bachchaakar aaye haiN

but-khaanaa samajhate ho jisako
puuchcho na vahaaN kyaa haalat hai
ham log vahiiN se lauTe haiN
bas shukr karo lauT aaye haiN"

i quickly handed him back his walkman
and i became a runman
back!

back home
i took out that dream list
and made some changes.

house in place of big house
car in place of big car
mental balance in place of bank balance
'wisdom to buy what i need' in place of 'freedom to buy anything'
'living as if on vacations' in place of 'long vacations'
'loving and enjoying my job' instead of 'no need to be in a job'
'google earth and earthtv.com' in place of 'world tour'

i am yet to turn 40
and i am
truely retired!

amazing quotations on poetry

always be a poet, even in prose.  ~Charles Baudelaire

poetry is a song without music

A poem begins with a lump in the throat.  ~Robert Frost

Poetry heals the wounds inflicted by reason.  ~Novalis

Poetry is the tunnel at the end of the light.  ~J. Patrick Lewis,

Poetry, like the moon, does not advertise anything.  ~William Blissett

Poetry is everywhere; it just needs editing.  ~James Tate

Breathe-in experience,
breathe-out poetry.
~Muriel Rukeyser

To be a poet is a condition, not a profession.  ~Robert Frost

The poet is a liar who always speaks the truth.  ~Jean Cocteau

Poetry is frosted fire.  ~J. Patrick Lewis

Poetry is language at its most distilled and most powerful.  ~Rita Dove

“Poetry is to prose as dancing is to walking”
 John Wain

“Poetry is thoughts that breathe, and words that burn.”
 Thomas Gray

A poet looks at the world the way a man looks at a woman.
Wallace Stevens

Poetry is a way of taking life by the throat.
  Robert Frost

why? how?

i can say this in detail

and in much more words

but that would be contra to the stuff i am going to say.


what i want to say is this


the ultimate purpose of life is to enjoy life! period.

if you don't enjoy it, it isn't worth it!


and there are two ways to do this

either live it in total peace and satisfaction

or live it in total tranquility of a passion.


all paths in-between

are sheer wastage

of the opportunity to live!

overcoming fear!

have you ever feared anything?

what did you do?

i bet you never pounced on your fear....

nobody does that

otherwise it is not fear

but anger!

so what did you do when you last time feared something?

chances are, you felt like

running away!

changing your path!!

altering your plans!!!

did you feel good when you did so?

again, the chances are

you felt even worse!

so, what happened thereafter?

nothing?

chances are,

you must have kept worrying

caught in the stalemate!

the fear not leaving

and your ego not forgiving you for running away!

--

fortunately

there is a way out.

next time you come across a situation

you are not comfortable with,

a matter you fear

a thought, a person, an act that is troubling you

....don't run!

neither fight

nor flight!

just stay put!

do nothing!!

just stay there!!!

coolly, calmly

but determinedly.

like a cool rock.

chances are

the fear will diminish

and get exposed.

chances are

you will be free

without a external fight.

with just a small but intense

internal battle!

it's different!

nobody is good or bad

only different!

and when different people

are compatible with each other

they become "good" to each other

otherwise they look at each other

as "bad"

and are repelled!

same person who may be "good" for someone

is likely to be "bad" for others

for no real fault of his or her!

so,

nobody is good or bad

just different!

when you have a feeling about someone

as to how bad he/she is

just tell your mind

it is just a compatibility issue!

hopefully

this will help in avoiding

yet another

unintended mindless useless clash

and thus

help in reducing stress levels

in your part of the world!

the soil

the wandering fakir
reached a village
and sat under a big tree
on the outskirts!
--
he looked around
and saw fields loaded with crops
swaying with the wind
birds playing in the air
and early morning sun
spraying its warm shine!
--
it was so refreshing...
the fakir was very tired
after walking miles
since his previous abode!
--
he put down his stick
spread his worn out shawl
on the grass under the tree
lied down
and slipped into deep sleep!
--
a boy passing by
saw the fakir sleeping under the tree
and told his mother on reaching home.
the mother told her husband.
the man immediately informed his neighbourer.
both immediately went to the house of the village sarpanch.
soon, over a hundred men, women and children gathered!
the restless gushing river of the villagers
started moving towards the sea of blessing!
--
a fakir had visited
the haunted village
after a long long time!
the village was prosperous
but sans happiness!
everyone in the village was healthy
there was enough water in the village
and
fresh air
food
and milk
but no happiness!!
symbols of well-being
had filled every home.
many youth from the village
had got top jobs
in government and in the corporate world!
wealth was being ploughed back into the village,
but somehow
everyone in the village
young and elderly
men and women
was stung by
unhappiness!
--
the wave of the jinxed villagers
encircled the tree
under which the tired fakir
lay asleep
with face lit with
enlightenment!
--
everyone looked at the sarpanch
who whispered
"let's wait till the great soul rests!"
-
an hour and half passed
everyone kept standing with folded hands
waiting for the good-luck messenger to wake-up!
--
and then
he woke up!
--
when he looked around
he saw the wall
of unhappy faces
standing in front of him
the fakir!
--
he smiled...
and his smile magnetically attracted
the god's sad children!
--
the sarpanch touched the fakir's feet.
fruit and milk were offered to the holy soul!
--
the fakir blessed them all
and asked for the reason of their coming!
--
"o holy soul!
bless this village
for this village is jinxed!
everyone is prosperous
but seems to have lost their happiness
everyone seems to have forgotten the art of being happy!
nobody knows how to be happy
in these times
when everything around is full of stress, falsehood and pain!
o holy soul! pl tell us
where has the happiness vanished!
it is nowhere to be seen around!"
--
the fakir looked carefully at every face in the crowd
picked up his shawl
took his stick in hand
and started to walk towards the fields!
--
the sarpanch started walking briskly after him
followed by the wave of melancholic faces!
--
the fakir entered a big field
loaded with the ripe crops
of vegetables and fruits!
--
everyone behind him stopped
and stood in rapt attention.
they knew
the fakir had a message ready for them
which might put an end to their sorrow!
--
the fakir pointed towards the soil of the field
and asked
"what's that!"
"that's soil, o noble soul!"
"what's its colour?"
"muddy!" replied the perplexed village sarpanch!
"what's that?"
"that's a tomato, o saint!"
"what's its colour?"
"red" the sarpanch got confused further!
"what's that?"
"it is a ladyfinger, o blessed soul!"
"what's its colour?"
"green!"
"what's that?"
"onion, my saviour!"
"how does it taste?"
"bitter!"
"what's over there?"
"mangoes! o great teacher!"
"what's its taste?"
"sweeter than the sugar!"
"have you ever put soil in your mouth? how does it taste?"
the sarpanch was totally blown out!
he couldn't reply.
"what are those?" the fakir continued asking.
"oranges! o great spirit!"
"what's inside them?"
"the oranges are loaded with juice!"
--
the fakir turned his head
and looked staright into the sarpanch's eyes!
and smiled!
the sarpanch was still clueless!
the fakir looked at the mankind behind the sarpanch.
they too were silent like a rock!
--
and then
the fakir asked them all
"if the soil is muddy
where did the tomato get its brilliant red colour from?
if the soil is soiled
where did the ladyfingers get their bright velvet green colour from?
if the soil tastes terrible
where did the mangoes get there sweetness!
if the mangoes got their sweetness from the soil
where from did the onions get their bitterness?
if all the soil has
is muddy water
where did the oranges get their juice from?"
--
two hundred eyes
and one hundred minds
stood shocked
on hearing those words!
--
"o dear villagers
your life and the world around you
is like your soil
and you are like its plants!
joy or sorrow
sweetness or bitterness
tears or smiles
juice or dryness
red or green
all colours
all tastes
good or bad
are always there in it!
it is what you see!
it is what you seek!
it is what you attract!
it is what you accept
that decides
what colour you turn
what taste you become
what juice you carry!"
--
saying these immortal words
the fakeer
turned back
pierced thru the liberated souls
and walked away
into the woods
for the next village!

happy birthday to me!

future is a dream

past is a memory

--

both are a myth!

they never come

--

both are

clever

dress rehersals

by today!

--

past came as today!

and so will come the "tomorrow"!

--

every night

when you retire to bed

and your eyes shut the consciousness

you seize to exist

till morning!

"you" are helpless

"you" for "you" are "not there"!

--

every morning

you are born again!

albeit

with memories of your last birth

of yesterdays!

--

everyday is your birthday!

--

life is like day-trading.

whether you plan a swing-trade

or investment

a day is all you have got

today!

--

don't run after tomorrow

for there is

none!

--

today is the tomorrow you were waiting for!

say hello to it

and do what you wanted to do!

--

every morning

say

"happy birthday to me!"