The Resolve To Say No Vs The Etiquette Of Submission

I was wondering what could be the apt name for an article which draws heavily from Milgram’s experiment on the conflict between authority and personal conscience. Stanley Milgram called it the’ Perils of Obedience’ Lets us set the context for the article first. Karl Adolf Eichmann, sometimes referred to as “the architect of the Holocaust”, [...]

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Lateral Views: Corporate Herds!!!

According to Wiki…The term herd mentality is derived from the word “herd,” meaning group of animals, and “mentality,” implying a certain frame of mind. However the most succinct definition would be: how large numbers of people act in the same ways at the same times. Herd behavior describes how individuals in a group can act [...]

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Le fabuleux destin d’Amélie Poulain

The Fabulous Destiny of Amélie Poulain  Initially I thought of putting the review in the PB recommend section. But this movie deserves more than a few random praises. I watched it a couple of years back when I was surfing channels randomly and the narration caught my attention. It is one of those movies which [...]

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The Indian Juggernaut

The elections in India are over. The dust has settled. For me one of the most enduring images of the elections was a policewoman guarding a locked room where the electronic voting machines were kept. She was one of the two million security personnel whose job was to ensure free and fair elections. We Indians [...]

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The Quarter Life Crisis

I first read this article in 2005 and have re-read it dozen of times after that. I am producing this article in the main section and not in the “Coffee Break” section because it captures almost every emotion we go through in our daily life. It’s truly the best of times. And worst of times.  [...]

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Hopeless Emptiness- Is there a way out ?

“Plenty of people are on to the emptiness. But it takes real guts to see the hopelessness.”

I did not fully comprehend what the words meant while watching the movie ‘Revolutionary Road’. However the sentence sounded relevant especially in the context of the movie where the protagonists (Kate Winslet and Leonardo De Caprio) find all attempts to break from their lackadaisical life futile and get sucked into the same routine despite attempts to break free.

Hence on a Sunday afternoon between elections news and IPL, I decided to chew the cud – bring back my semi digested understanding of the phrase ‘ hopeless emptiness’, chew it properly for better understanding, ask a few questions and then put my perspective into what I think are the major reasons for hopelessness and a possible prescription.

I had attended an Art of Living workshop at the behest of my friend who is a member of the foundation. The Art of Living is founded by Spiritual Guru and new age Hindu evangelist Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and has a strong network around the world. What I find most interesting is the revenue model where the foundation charges for a number of its unique programs –Art of Living Course Part I (this is a 6 days course with emphasis on correct breathing techniques. I found the breathing exercises really fascinating though I never ended up practising it post the workshop), Art of Living Course Part II, Breath-Water-Sound Program, Youth Empowerment Seminar etc.

In the words of the foundation “The Art of Living conducts several self-development and stress elimination programs that empower people to face life’s challenges gracefully. These workshops equip the participants with skills, and techniques that enhance the quality of their lives.
At the core of these unique programs is the Sudarshan Kriya, a powerful revitalizing breathing technique gifted to the world by His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar after spending 10 days in deep contemplation, and silence. The technique is proven to facilitate physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being.

This workshop was unique because it was conducted by the guru himself. After the initial breathing exercises and Satsangs (devotional Speech and chanting of hymns), there was a question and answer session. I found this session extremely discomforting. The questions were very specific with participants wanting solution to their existential problems. Some wanted to forget the memory and the pain from the death of a beloved. Others wanted to know why they have been singled out for a certain handicap or how can they discipline their wayward kid, or how can they assuage the pain of cancer or a terminal disease. I could also discern the discomfort in the voice of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar as he patiently attempted to answer these questions. He did not delve too much into the cause of the suffering as into the solution of continuing to meditate and practise breathing exercises. The funniest incident was when a woman insisted in hugging the guru (he was on a dais) and he kept on explaining that it was not required.

This incident left me with strong contrasting emotions. The first one was of disgust about how could someone discuss their pain and suffering in a public forum and ask for sympathy so openly. My first reaction was if you can’t solve your own problems, how can some one else solve it for you.

The second emotion was more mellowed and I realised I was lucky and privileged not to have been through the same suffering and hence I had no right to comment on the same.

I realised that organisations like the Art of living served three important needs of human being – the need to socialize ( we are gregarious by nature ) , the need to share and seek positive reinforcement and the need for an emotional crutch, a purpose and belief in a power bigger than self confidence and self motivation. My perspective changed and I felt how important a role was being served by such organizations.

I will not try to oversimplify such a discussion around emptiness and hopelessness. But I will try and establish my theory around the same and how I believe by questioning three assumptions in our life which we take for granted and through one attitude change we can deal with negative emotions much easier.

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Lateral Thinking: Good, Bad or Ugly!!!

I must confess at the outset that I am a misfit on this blog for this space belongs to Lateral thinkers! I can hardly think, leave alone do lateral thinking and -writing –well, is restricted to the documentation that one has to do to make a living. So, one could well understand my plight when [...]

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