Axis of rotation matters (poem)

When a place a cylindrical container on the ramp,
I need to watch out the axis along which I place it.

If I don't want it to roll down, I need to place it carefully,
along an axis which is perpendicular to its axis of rotation.

When I am in my mind ans surrounded by people in their mind,
I find my mind and body in stress, with anger, fears and desires.

If I don't want my mind to roll away, I need to anchor it carefully,
onto my Krishna to be steady and then deflect Divine blessings to all.
 
***
Aum Tat Sat (God is Truth)

Raising Funds for Nourishing the Needy

We are the world, lets make it a better place, just you and me...

To honor another, is honoring ourselves. This is the mission of my nonprofit organization - Follow Thy Heart. It is also an experiential evidence of Newton’s 3rd law, namely, action and reaction are equal and opposite. In real world it translates to, whatever we send out, returns to us.


As of Feb., 2012, with the support from friends and generosity of restaurants, honoring humanity by offering nourishing food BEGAN. The very first time it was to the students in an underprivileged school in East Palo Alto (read story below). Ever since then, sometimes, it is to the gardeners and other times, to the cleaners. At times, to the construction workers operating under extreme heat/traffic on San Antonio Road. Very often, it is to the garbage man, mailman, car mechanic or to the fence painters. Once, it has been to someone hungry-and-cold standing outside Walmart begging for food and to the cancer patients. And, twice to the day workers waiting for work outside the local retail stores. In India, it was to the young kids who earn by picking up trash and to the servants. The food may vary from young coconuts, watermelon slices, home-cooked-food or Thai food/frozen yogurt from restaurants. But, the goal has been the same - to respect humanity and to nourish the needy population with something, most of us have been blessed with.


Each time a sharing or serving inside McDonald/restaurants (in India) was made, there has been a conspicuous transformation. The shift was visible, in sudden uplift of their spine, teary softness in their eyes, warmth in their waving byes and a shy-smiling nod.
However, this honoring of humanity is not just restricted to the underprivileged. And surprisingly, each time it has been offered to an average socioeconomic status neighbor/stranger in their moments of need, the impact has been exactly the same.


We are the creators of our world. How about creating a world full of honor?


If it inspires you, kindly pray that the mission finds all that it needs for blossoming. You may also contribute by offering a heartfelt donation, volunteering in person or honoring someone in your own world.  If it touched you, I would love to hear. So, please do call me up or write an email.
Namaste,
(this Hindi word means: the divinity within me bows down to the divinity inside of you.)


Name:Dr. Gunjan Raizada Chakravarty  
Email:gunjanfeelsinspired@gmail.com
Organization:Follow Thy Heart Title:Incorporator
Address: 174 Oberg Court City:Mountain View Zip:94043
Telephone(Day):650-279-7124 Telephone(Night):650-967-4160

STORY- At an elementary school in East Palo Alto, Ca

(Feb. 2, 2012)

I reached school with Lana (a young mom from my kids school) to a public school, in East Palo Alto; a school for needy kids whose parents are working 2 or more shifts to make ends meet.

It took us almost 20 minutes to set up the tables with plates full of pad Thai noodles, forks, napkins and a cup of water inside the library. We invited those 22 4th/5th graders inside around tables of 4. They were surprised by the treat as well as the dish they had never seen or heard about. I was surprised with their reactions. Other than a girl in yellow jacket and one boy, everyone tried it gingerly, loved it and asked for second helpings.

***
After that, I sat with my plate on a table with 2 girls and a boy. Lana sat on another table with 3 girls. Everybody was giggling, talking and eating.
I closed my eyes to pray, before eating.
The boy on my table asked me, “Do you always pray before eating?”
“Yes”, I answered smilingly to the shocked boy.

I asked them what kind of food they liked and they took turns to answer shyly.

“Where do you live?”, the boy asked me very inquisitively.
I had my mouth full of noodles, so I signaled with my hands to wait for my answer till I finish chewing.
One of the girls understood my signal and explained what I meant to him and the girls continued to talk.
When I was done, I looked at him to answer.
“Why can't you talk with your mouth full?”, he asked me skipping his previous question.
I just looked at him, for all through those few minutes I was chewing he was looking at me. His looked confused and angry, as if I were from another planet; doing things he had never seen or heard about.

***
We got onto the floor in a big circle holding hands. I introduced my self and kicked off the Physics workshop about gravity and gravitational force. When I asked them if anyone has heard about it, only 1 girl and 2 boys shot up their hands.

When I asked them, if they would like to explore science with balls, weighing themselves and tissue roll; all but one boy (who did not try the food) screamed yes. So, he decided not to participate and left the room.

We talked about knowing air is in the room and how can we feel it. Some of them answered through the sound of the fan, by moving hands and feeling it in their hair. We blew the air out of our mouths and then blew out the air onto the tissue paper in front of our face. Everyone raised their hands to see the impact of air and nodding that they all experienced it.

Next, we dropped two books one small/light and another big/heavy from the same height in pairs. They got back excitedly to share their observations about the sound it made, whether they hit the floor together or not etc.

Passing the ball to their partner in all possible ways got them rocking. The screams, the laughter, the excitement filled up the room. They got back together in a circle to share whatever way they shot the ball, it came down following a path like a rainbow, even if it did not hit the ceiling. So, we were all convinced that something invisible is pulling the ball down.
“That invisible force is Gravitational force”, I whispered and they looked at each other amazingly.

In the last exercise, I told them to place one book on the weighing machine and note down its weight. Then keep on adding 1, 2, 3 and 4 books and to read its corresponding reading on the scale. I showed them how the machine showed the change in my weight with 1 palm, 2 palms, 1 knee etc.


I gave them this as an exploring assignment to find a weighing machine at home, school, hospital or in grocery stores and play around with it carefully noting down the numbers. The machine gives their weight, which will be different on moon. For, the weight of the same person using the same machine depends on gravitational force, which is way less on moon.
I kept on iterating during the workshop, that they are are all awesome, wonderful and born scientist. Just keep exploring and just keep asking questions. Their eyes would light up and spine lift up each time I said those words. I noticed that it was more pronounced in the girl students.

***
To wrap up, I asked them to draw or write on a sheet of paper what they liked most in our time together. They spread out all over the room, lying down with ease on the carpet. They started scribbling with colors and peeping into each others sheet. 


I walked around the room and saw meticulous drawings of ball exercise, dropping of books and precise layout of food in the plate, with fork and water cup neatly placed on each napkin.

When I announced, its time for me to go. Surprisingly, the girl in yellow jacket (who had given a cold shoulder, when they had walked in) spoke. She uttered lovingly, softly with her focus on the drawing “No, I don't want you to go. I won't let you go. Why do you have to go?”
My heart was touched by the transformation visible in her words.
“May be I will come back soon again to do more science and get some more food, how about that is , if you like it.”, I asked.
They all screamed happily, “Yes.”

Then, I asked them to take their colorful sheets home to share it with their parents. I was shocked to see a sudden drop in their faces, the sadness surfaced all over. The energy in the room dropped from laughter to pain. A pain, I heard it in their silent turning (away from me bodies) and walking towards the back wall.
“My parents don't care for me....”
“They will put it in a trash bin....”
“They will be mad, if I show them something...”
I heard them mumbling.

Sensing their dejection, I immediately said, “Hey, give me all your colorful drawings, I would love to have them, see them, keep them.”. All but 3 boys, ran forward with joy and gave me their masterpieces.

At the end, I stood at the door to say bye to them and give them a button, “I love Physics” with my contact information. Almost all girls hugged me very affectionately, most boys waved bye, shook hands or gave me a hi-five. While hugging them, I felt a familiar love and an extreme closeness. Our hearts felt connected.

As they formed the line outside, I blew out kisses to them and most of them blew it back. All, but one (the boy who sat next to me on my table while eating) were smiling with eyes lit up. He was the last one in the line, he left gazing at me as if I were still a strange creature.

***
I drove to pick up my kids, feeling all calm. There was no exhaustion, even though my body was physically tired. Physically, I was not dancing to my favorite music while driving, but I was joyful. I was sitting amidst noisy traffic stuck at the red light, getting late to pick up my kids (which usually freaks me out), but here I was feeling a strange calmness in each and every cell of my body; similar to what I experience only in deep meditation.

I heard myself say, “This is fulfillment. To honor, is the purpose of my life. This is bliss.”

***


Then, I returned back to their school just before Valentines day. I took with me some valentine cards with kisses taped on top, which I felt motivated to make for them.
I was there, just to hand them over in 5 minutes and leave. But, first in the rush of running students was the boy who kept on staring at me when I was eating on his table. He run and simply hugged. And so did everyone, together in groups of 3 or 4.
We walked inside a room, to hand over the cards. But their eyes were searching something around me.
“What are you looking for?” I asked.
“The Thai food.” I heard.
***
Aum Tat Sat (God is Truth)

Everyone needs to do what they need to...(poem)

Just as I feel devotion is the best thing to do,
so does everyone think its best to do what they are.

Its not point in me judging and making wrong,
everyone about what they are doing or what I am.

Its no point in me expecting and wishing everyone,
to do what I am doing, b'cos it may not be best for them.

Its no point in me trying to please or fear everyone,
and do what they wish me to do, b'cos they think its right.

***
Aum Tat Sat (God is Truth)

What makes it pleasant or detestable is mind's judgement (poem)

Its all a sound,
whether its melodious birds chirping or the noisy huge truck backing.

Its all a smell,
whether its fragrance of rose or the stink of  a burning food in kitchen.

Its all a sight,
whether its the beautiful Taj in moonlight or emptying of garbage bins.

Its all a touch,
whether its a desirous tickle or a painful breast exam under machines.

Its all a taste,
whether its a sweet-thick-Greek-yogurt or overcooked-bitter-gourd.  

***
Aum Tat Sat (God is Truth)

Keep off hot water, till the boil is healed (poem)

Until my specific emotional wound is totally healed,
I cannot be at ease with the person who inflicted it on me.
And, I will continue to be uneasy around similar people/situations.
The only way out is to seek Healing directly from God and then heal all.

***
Aum Tat Sat (God is Truth)

Follow Thy Heart and Honor Thy Differences (poem)

Its so easy to get along with people who are like me.
Its so difficult to get along with people who are different from me.

Its so easy to honor the people who think even little like I do.
Its so difficult to honor the people who think strongly different than I do.

Its the mind, which based on my patterns, creates - my likes or dislikes.
Its the heart, which is ever longing to love and is in pain when its not permitted by the mind.

Its the mind, which creates my judgement of rights/wrongs or this is mine/not yours.
Its the heart, which guides me to allow default Divine oneness with God and all its creations, manifest.

***
Aum Tat Sat (God is Truth)

Follow Thy Heart and Listen to Thy Body

Senses may like the aroma,
but,
when the temple of the body can no longer digest it
-its no point eating that.

Mind may desire a dream relationship,
but,
when the temple in the heart is no longer cherishing it
-its no point chasing that.

***
Aum Tat Sat (God is Truth)

Bhunna hua bhutta, what a bliss (poem)

On this cloudy-cold morning,
when my belly rang the bells of hunger,
I stripped off the leaves and gently revealed its soft-white skin behind the silky hair.
The moment the flames touched its bare skin, the aroma made me close eyes in heavenly bliss.

***
Aum Tat Sat (God is Truth)

Do I really wish to be, what I was in Hindu College? (poem)

This morning, these words on a 2 page printout of a handout (from Course in miracles) spoke to me-

Only our mind can produce fear.
It does so whenever it is conflicted in what it wants,
producing inevitable strain because wanting and doing is discordant.

Determine not to be as you were.
Use no relationship to hold you to the past, but with each one each day be born again.

***

My best time was in Hindu College,
coming home to mama, family and so many friends.
I laughed, sang, danced just anywhere and everywhere.
But, when I look back, do I want to be the same person I was?

The answer is a clear no, for, back then I wasn't aware of the God within.
I was protected by family, I was fine with my fears and the fact God is outside me.
Now, that I feel I have been reborn, with Grace, I am finding the courage to walk through fears.
And I know that there are only two emotions, love (which is real) and fear (which is only an illusion).

***
Aum Tat Sat (God is Truth)

Perception matters (poem)

When an 8 oz. glass has 4 oz. of water,
I can see it in two ways,
either as half empty,
or as half full.

With the same water in the same glass,
my choice of perception matters,
it could be with pessimism,
or with optimism.
***
Aum Tat Sat (God is Truth)

What am I here to love? (poem)

I had saved 3 boxes full of baby clothes of my daughter,
for my next baby and for my own attachments with the memories.

The apartment was small and the storage space was lesser,
but, I held onto those clothes till my son was born, for almost 5 years.

It was then I was forced to give them away to the neighbor & friends,
(who had a baby daughter), to the preschool and some even to the goodwill.

All through, I knew, that she will never wear these clothes again, but I was attached to clothes.
All through, I didn't know, that I am here to love child (not the clothes) and soul (not their bodies).

***
Aum Tat Sat (God is Truth)

God, tell me what to do? (poem)

"Do not dwell in the past."

"Do not waste energy into explaining."

"Do not dig out the reason why this is happening."

"Just be with God and radiate Divine blessings in your Universe."

***
Aum Tat Sat (God is Truth)

Body is speaking, stop everything and listen (poem)

When clothes do not feel comfortable, I need to stop wearing them.

When a touch does not feel loving, I need to stop it from happening.

When interactions do not feel respectful, I need to stop communicating.

When circumstances do not feel peaceful, I need to stop the war going on.

***
Aum Tat Sat (God is Truth) 

Loving heart vs Judging mind (poem)

When my heart is loving,
I feel ease and am breathing deeply.
Then, I can (surprisingly) overlook all my dislikes,
and genuinely feel like sharing blessings towards all beings.

When my mind is judging,
I feel cold and am hardly breathing.
Then, I am (helplessly) trapped in all my desires,
and desperately feel like fleeing away from all that I dislike.

***
Aum Tat Sat (God is Truth) 

Child reborn (poem)

When a baby is born,
its joyful for the mother to simply follow infants cues.

When the child within is reborn,
its joyful for the adult to simply follow that baby's signals.

***
Aum Tat Sat (God is Truth)

Why do we appreciate people only after they are gone? (poem)

God has made us.
God is perfect and He has sown Divine essence in all creations.
God has made each one of us unique, whole, perfect, complete yet different.
God honors and loves us just the way we are, without judging any part of us as bad.

I judged myself and presumed I was bothered by others judgement.
I wanted myself and others around me to be perfect, SOMETHING BETTER.
I was so wrong, for God has made me this way, just the way I am for a specific purpose.
Now, I honor myself and am choosing to honor each person in my Universe, before they are gone :))

***
Aum Tat Sat (God is Truth)

...And it went down the drain (poem)

I plan and wish,
so much for an interaction to happen.

But, when it doesn't go that way,
it leaves me feeling extremely disappointed.

So, what's the lesson learned from this?
Be present - stop living in the future or in the past.

Its like, on seeing a beach ball rolling ahead,
deciding to drop the one in hand and chasing it down the steep ramp.

***
Aum Tat Sat (God is Truth)

I feel like screaming out loud... (poem)

With 

God, 

I 

can 

do 

any/

every

thing. 

***
Aum Tat Sat (God is Truth)

How to come out of victim self? (poem)

What makes you feel like a victim?
My thoughts.

What makes you feel like a God?
My thoughts.

Who is choosing your thoughts?
Me.

How would you choose them?
By TURNING.

***
Aum Tat Sat (God is Truth)

Where lies the root of uneasiness? (poem)

I feel uneasy,
due to my own fears.

I feel fearful,
when I am not loving.

I feel unloving,
due to my own victim self.

I feel victimized,
when I am not manifesting Self.

***
Aum Tat Sat (God is Truth)

What makes me uneasy? (poem)

I feel drained in energy, and I feel like running away from him.

I feel startled in body, and I feel like protecting myself from him.


***
Aum Tat Sat (God is Truth)

These keep me from loving...(poem)

my wounds,
my justifications,
my expectations,
and my uneasiness.

***
Aum Tat Sat (God is Truth)

Awareness is not enough (poem)

Mind fools.
Body guides.
Heart blesses.
Soul connects.
***
Aum Tat Sat (God is Truth)

My mind is overruling the wisdom in my body. (poem)

My mind kept me from loving, the one my mind desired.
My mind kept me from listening, to what my body spoke.

My mind continues to keep me from blessing, the one my mind hates.
My mind continues to keep me from tuning, into what my body needs.

***
Aum Tat Sat (God is Truth)

What lives? (poem)

Sometimes
hearts unite,
but
bodies may not.

Always,
love lives,
and
bodies do not.
***
Aum Tat Sat (God is Truth)

What is really real? (poem)

A real relationship is between souls (not family),
who support each other in their struggles.

A real connection is between hearts (not blood),
who feel each other's joy as well as pain.

***
Aum Tat Sat (God is Truth)

Outside is nothing but a reflection of what is inside (poem)

As long as I have my own desires, I will be uneasy around people who are lustful.

As long as I have my own fears, I will be uneasy, even thinking about people who are scary.

As long as I have my own should(s), I will continue to be uncomfortable around people who are imposing.

The only way towards my ease is, to become aware and then think/speak/do something new in old situation.

***
Aum Tat Sat (God is Truth)

Seeking Happiness (poem)

All those years,
I seeked happiness from relationships.

But, I was human,
and so were the dear people in my life.

Therefore, my love,
as well as theirs, was finite and conditional.

Now, I am experiencing,
the bliss of Universal love, in unconditional giving.

***
Aum Tat Sat (God is Truth)

Relationships...(poem)

are neither about pleasing,
nor about controlling another.

but, are about honoring Divinity,
within our own selves, and the other.

***
Aum Tat Sat (God is Truth)(

Just a friendly reminder... (poem)

Body will die,
but, the love will not.

Mind will fear,
but, the heart will not.

***
Aum Tat Sat (God is Truth)

When I gave my fears of ... (poem)

of enormous scary eyes,
of others judgement,
of getting startled,
of molestation,
and
asked for,
unconditional love,
I was blessed with Thy Love.

***
Aum Tat Sat (God is Truth)

Remember the monk story, "Who knows what is good or bad?"

While driving back home, I could see two street lights.
My eyes were focused on the second one, which was green.
But, suddenly I had to brake, when I noticed the first one was red.
And when I drove to the second light, that had turned red too, no longer green!!

Why did I do such a foolish thing to focus on the second light instead of the first?
Why do I keep doing such a foolish thing to focus on the next moment instead of the present?
Why do I keep judging this moment as "I don't like it"  and keep on wishing that the next moment be better?
Why do I keep on thinking that, "this isn't good", when I absolutely trust that "who knows what is good or bad?"

***
Aum Tat Sat (God is Truth)