Mita's Space of Reflections

"Grace"

2012-01-17T21:37:00.000-08:00

Beneath Your Makeup
And Your Fashionable Clothes
Behind The Tears
And The Scars Of Every Yesterday You Hold
Underneath Your Perfectly Painted Nails And Toes

And Every A+
And College And Graduate Degree You Own
From Every Job You Ever Had
And All Of The Titles You Earned That Gave Pride To Your Dad

In Every Breath
Between the Cigarette You Smoke
Lies The Hurts And Fears
That Buries And Blocks Your Soul
This Is The Mask That We All Mold
To Wear To The World That Tells Us "No"

Yet When You Strip Away The Layers Of Every Insult You Were Told
And You Question It
You Loosen Its Hold
When You Take It All Apart
And You Uncover Your Heart
You Find A Core That Cannot Be Broken
You Find A Self That Is In Control
And You Discover That Grace Is Who You Are
Pure And Whole.

~Mita

"The Holidays are Here!"

2011-12-27T04:31:00.000-08:00

Situations Change And People Do Too
Yet All I Can Control Is You
You Who Lives And Dwells Within Me
The Spark of a Candle
That Lights Up My Eyes
That Fills My Heart With Laughs And Tears
And Reminds Me That The Holidays Are Here
For Hugs And For Cheers

When A Small Child Wishes Us "Merry, Merry"
And A Cousin From Far Travels Near
When A Friend Calls You Up
And Wants You To Come Here
When An Uncle Asks,
"How Was Your Christmas, Dear?"
You Tell Me That The Holidays Are Here

As Parents Cook A Meal With Love
And Christmas Trees Light Up Your Home
You Captured Those Snaps And Flashes With Smiles
And Brought The Jingle Back Into Their Lives!

Happy Holidays!
~M

"The Royal Female"

2011-12-01T22:38:00.000-08:00

I Am More Than I Thought I Could Be
I Talk to My Girls
When They Are Down
But I Understand Even if They Don't

That We Are Much Deeper
Than The Boys Who Cannot See
That A Woman is a Queen Being
Of Sensitivity Of Light
And She is Full of Might

She Threatens Them To Their Bones
As They Cower and They Crouch
And They Try to Cut Her Down

But Still Her Spirit Grows
An Angel That Flies
High and Wise
And Never Dies

I Am Strong
And Yes I Win
Because My Power Lives
Eternally Within.

"With Liberty and Justice for All"

2011-09-22T20:58:00.000-07:00

A System We Call Justice
Where A State Grants Itself
The Authority to Kill
When Reasonable Doubt
Is a Moving Standard

When the Plea of the World
Is A Cry that Nobody Hears
Where Our Own President
Turns Away
From the Calls
Of His Own Brother
And the Life of A Policeman
Means More Than a Black Man's

In A Country
Where an African Immigrant
Came to Be Free
And is Shot 41 Times by the NYPD
And Later We Find
It Was All a Mistake Made By the Police
Diallo Diallo
Is Finally Free
And Resting in Peace

As Troy Davis Dies
Parting From His Family
Let the Words of the Amnesty President Say
The Light of His Darkest Days
Is Greater Than Any Manmade Court Date
And That the True Place of Justice Is
In the Hearts of Those Where God Lives...

-In memory of Troy Davis who was sentenced to the death penalty on 9/21/11 despite the reasonable doubt surrounding his conviction, despite claims of his innocence, and despite a worlwide outcry of a grave human rights violation committed by the state of georgia in sentencing him to death. Also in memory of Amadou Diallo-an innocent African immigrant from Guinea who was shot 41 times in NYC by the NYPD, and for the many others who are a testament to the injustice of the criminal justice system and whose light and lives may inspire us to live rightly in freedom.

"A-Live"

2011-09-07T01:41:00.000-07:00

Now is Living
And All the Nows that Ever Will Be
Make Up Your Life which is Eternity

Will You Promise Then to Make them Your Best
And Tell the Past and Future to Take Rest?
For They are Myths that Don't Exist

And Let Your Mind Take its Right Place
So You Can Observe That Space
Where Stillness Speaks
And Silence Sings
And Your Heart Teachs You a New Way to Live.

"The Texture of Living"

2011-08-20T17:50:00.000-07:00

Have You Ever Been With Someone
Who Stopped All Of Time?

Or Realized That You Had Tears
But Don't Know From Where They Had Come?

Is This Grace
To Know The Softness Of Living
To Feel The Space
That Rests In Every Moment
Like The Quiet Churning
Of The Night's Black Ocean Waves

What Does It Mean to Live?
Is Life In The Breath?
Or Is It In A Mind That Is Free
A Heart That Is Open
And A Soul That Flies?

"To You"

2011-06-20T19:58:00.001-07:00

On My Own Is The Place To Be
Whether In My Studio Alone
Or With Friends Surrounding Me

A Phone Call From An Aunt
Then A Drink With A Friend
A Day With My Client In Court
Or Relating With My Coach of Life

It Does Not Matter To Whom I Go
Because It Is I Who Always Knows
That The Light Will Surely Show
As My Heart Continuously Glows.

~Mita

"Perfect As I Am"

2011-06-05T21:46:00.000-07:00

I Am Already Everything I Need to Be
What is This Striving That Everyone Says We Must Reach?
As If We Are Never Truly Free

All I Ever Wanted To Be Was Me
Not Chasing All Those Rats
In A Race that is Never Won

Or Climbing A Ladder of "Success"
That Ends in A Wealth of Stress, Unrest,
And a Life Of Funds Never Spent
Wondering Where All of My Time Went?

People Say They Don't Have Choices
That This Is What Their Life Must Be
Because They Have Bills to Pay and Mouths to Feed
But I Invite Them to Listen
To Hear the Voices of Those Who Have No Life Regrets
And How They Created Their Own Life Steps

And Then Ask Yourself
How Is It That You Have No Choices Left?

"Heartache"

2011-05-15T20:00:00.000-07:00

Do You Ever Feel All Alone?
Like All You Wanted Was to be Welcomed Home?
Learning to Make It On Your Own
Can Sometimes Take Its Toll
A Bus Ride, A Morning in Court, A Loud Remark
And Friends Too Far Apart,
A Lonely Heart
That Sheds a Tear,
Wishing You Were Here.

"What Is Love?"

2011-05-05T00:41:00.000-07:00

Is Love Really Blind?
Or Is It There In Front Of Your Eyes?
And Is It The Same For All Of Mankind?

Is It A Mother Patiently Listening To Her Child
As She Whines To Her On The Other Line
Or A Brother Protecting His Sister
From A Boy Or A Bee About To Sting Her?

Does It Come Through The Gift Of Friendship
Or In A Sisterhood That Lasts A Lifetime?

And If It Comes In The Form Of A Man
Bending Down On One Knee
Saying "Will You Marry Me?"
Then Love Can Come From Strangers
Who Turn Into Family.

"Deep Rhymes of Boston"

2011-05-05T00:20:00.000-07:00

Relying On Me
That's How I Choose To Be
Got Jesus, My Father, And The Sun With Me
A Greater One Who Does Protect
From The Harm The Material World Projects

I Earn, I Clean
I Weep And Shriek
I Party With All My Heart
And Bleed For My Green
When Every Celtic Game Starts

I Believe Kindness Should Be Highly Regarded
And We Treasure The Life Of Those Now
Along With Ones Departed

Because Big Hearts Are Rare To Find
When I See One
It Will Combine With Mine.

How Does It Feel?

2011-03-28T22:02:00.000-07:00

What Is It That You Find
Looking Through All Four Corners of Your Mind?
From Self-Doubt To Blame
To Telling Others What They Did To You That Day

And How It Hurts You
And It Doesn't Matter If They Never Meant To
Because What You Feel Is What You Feel
And What You Feel Is Real

And I Always Tell My Mom
That Even Though I Speak Up And Say
What I Felt From The Words That They Say
The Feeling Of That Pain
Doesn't Just Fall Away

And So It's Something I Work On Each Day
And Pray That Someday Will Go Away
For Life Is Surely Not Meant To Be Lived This Way Each Day
As I Wait For Love To Wash The Pains Of Every Yesterday.

~M.P.

"Two Hearts"

2011-02-20T11:46:00.000-08:00

Two Little Girls
White Like Snow
Sweet like Lollipops
Playing on the Swing Sets
Wild Honey that Sticks To Your Heart
Sisters Together
Despite the Years Apart
In a Life of Wonder
There Is a Quest to Find
Truth and Love
True Love. <3

"MLK Day"

2011-01-17T20:45:00.000-08:00

On This Day for the Reverend King
A Leader Dedicated to Letting Others Sing
So A New World Could Begin

With Oprah as the Richest Woman
And Obama as our Modern-Day King
When the Voyage of a White Man from PBS
Presented the DNA which We Could Plainly See
That the Black Man was His 'Brother'
As He is to You and Me

A Name of Affection and Love
To Show Kinship and Hope
That We Can Now See
That Day Has Come
And Shows That We Have Overcome...

"Purity"

2010-12-20T01:05:00.002-08:00

A Return to Light
The Third Eye of Insight
Blinded by Those
Who Carry Black Hearts
With a Crack Inside
The Light Seeps Through
And a Subtle Energy Pours Into You
A Cloak of Healing that Was Always You
Innocence Once Again
Is Restored And New
Deep Vast Eyes that Sparkle
Radiant and Alive
They Smile For You...

"A Texan Voyage"

2010-12-03T21:01:00.000-08:00

Large Portions
Chunks of Barbeque
A Spoonful of Gumbo
A Bite of Pork Ribs

A Stroll through Faith
At Lakewood Church
A Celebration of Second Cousins
Reuniting with a Dear Uncle
After the Tolling of a Decade

A Journey through Texan History
With a Poignant "X"
Marking The JFK Assassination in Dallas

Face to Face with NASA Mission Control
Atop a Vast Houston Skyline
I See Tall Buildings Amidst a Warm Hazy Breeze

Late Night Cups of Chai and Chit-Chat
In the Land of Sugar
The Texan Experience of
"Big, Warm, and Friendly,"
Comes to a Close
Until My Return...

"Autumn in November"

2010-11-15T20:28:00.000-08:00

A Shy Smile
And then a Lingering Tear
Shimmering High in Pink
In the Royal Spotlight on Stage
And then Crushed Down
By the Loss of a Grandma
Traveling to a City of Lights, Cameras, and Babies
Longing for the Protective Voice
Of an Older Brother
Making those Timely Payments
On the Brink of a New Business
And the Passion of a Romantic Adventure
An Autumn in Boston
From a Freezing Girl
With Ankle Booties
Struggling to Feel Whole

"A Ma to Remember"

2010-11-03T23:36:00.000-07:00

From the time when dowries and domestic work
Were your ticket to life
Your love for something deeper
Sprouted a Samaj of sisters

They toiled in the streets
Without the basic amenities of sanitation
They walked in the gulleys
Clad in soiled saris
Lives of submission
Barefoot and unknown

Yet through the marches of sisters
You led them along Boring Road
With the branded scars of their husbands
The female voices of Mahila Samaj
Collectively echoed from the streets of Bihar

And when you were behind bars
For a worldwide mission
You began a Pachamba House tradition

And in your heart
You buried within
The key to empower
Your sisters
To sing.

-In honor of my loving grandmother, Urmila Prasad, who among her many roles, was a dedicated social activist and President of Mahila Samaj, a women's rights activist group in Bihar.

Reflections on An American Dream

2010-10-24T21:57:00.000-07:00

What Really is a Dream?
A Floating Fantasy?
A Static Goal that Must Materialize?
Is it Just 1 Wish that Must Come True
Or Many that Can Evolve as We Grow?
Aren't We Dynamic Beings with a Zest for Something Greater than Attaining Just One Thing
With a Yearning to Reach for Something
More than Ourselves?

Are the Shackles that Confine us Really Real?
The Stuffiness of Prestige, an Image,
The Reputation Assembled by Our Careers,
Is it Talent, Trust, and Heart
Or Creative Craftiness, Savviness,
And Being a Clever Game Player
That Really Makes Us What We Are
Can We Really Stand Tall at the Gates of Morality
And Say We Are Totally Responsible
For Helping Another
Or Is the Credit to Go to the One Who Truly Suffered and Toiled through that Existence?

Is Politics just Something that Happens in Elections
Or Is it the Poison
That Runs through the Veins of Business Executives
Of Corporations and So-Called Nonprofits
Dependent on the For-Profits
The Fuel that Funds Foundations
Which Kowtow to Influential Donors,
And Compels Families
To Want to be Linked with Wealthier Ones

What Is It that Drives Us?
Have We Ever Asked Ourselves this Question?
Is this the Life that We Want?
Have We Not a Choice?
And if We Do Not Give Ourselves that Choice
Are We to Bootstrap Our Children from Making Theirs?
And What of Their Children Who Are Yet to Be Born?
In This Land of Opportunity
The Land of the Free
And the Home of the Brave

When it Seems to Me
All We Have Done is Lost Our Way
So Far that We No Longer Know the Land
In Which We Live So Freely
Nor Do We Know Our Own Home
And What It Really Means to Be Brave.

Peace.XO.
~M

"An HSP"

2010-09-28T22:22:00.000-07:00

I Feel I am Finding My Own Home
It Rests Within Myself

A Highly Sensitive Person
Is A Different Breed
With Feelings So Deep
That We Cannot Speak
In A Touch, In A Word, In A Tone
That Sings to Us Or Breaks Us
But Does Not Leave Us Weak

A Caution that Takes Everything In
With A Wrench that Twists with Depth
And a Wand That Sparks Magic Inside

We Laugh
We Cry
We Long for a Truth
Someone Who Can Understand
What We Are Going Through

I Have Come to See
And To Tell All of You
That A Highly Sensitive Being
Like You Like Me
Is Certainly Not A Shame
But Truly A Blessing to Be

"My Heart"

2010-09-12T00:22:00.000-07:00

You Were Always With Me
Never Far Away
But One Day I Said Goodbye to You
And Locked You Up For Decades

Like a Treasure Lost at Sea
You Were Only Meant to Be Found
You Cried Out To Be Heard
But Harsh Waves of Life
And Crashing Tides of Fear
Multiplied All Your Tears
And I Could No Longer Come Near

The Damp Clumps of Sand
Weighed Heavily On My Feet
And the Coarse Texture of its Grains
Crept in Between My Toes
And Kept Shouting At Me "No!No!No!"
And I Was Washed Ashore

But Somewhere Somehow I Still Heard You
In the Quietness of a Seashell
And Felt You Through
The Calm Light of the Moon
This Led Me to Dive Head First Into An Ocean
Of Cool Midnight Blue

Dark and Scared
I Felt I Was So Alone
But Just Once
I Looked Up Above
To Plea To Something Greater Than Me

When Lightly Touching My Tender Feet
I Felt A Sparkling Ruby
A Radiant Jewel
So Fiery and Bright
And I Knew It Was You This Time

Patiently Waiting
Always Present There Beneath My Feet
Yet The Only Thing
That Stood Between You and Me
Was The Way That I Had Seen.

"A Momentary Revolution"

2010-08-22T21:18:00.000-07:00

Did You Know That Mama Shaq
Is A Remarkable Woman
Who Encourages Us All to Walk with Purpose?

Do You Realize You Have the Power to Renew Your Mind
And Can Tap Dance Your Way to Inner Freedom?

There is a Current in our Cultural Waters
A Movement that Yearns for a Life Beyond Material Gain
When a Six-Month Old Baby
Reaches for You with Wide Open Arms
And Strangers Can Smile at You on the Train

Did You Know that Musicians of Yesterday and Today
Could Feel this Too
And the Famous Tunes of U2 Had Biblical Roots
Where John Lennon Was Not The Only Dreamer
And Frank Sinatra Said We Could Live 'Our Way?'

Did You Know That Annie Really Meant It When She Said
'The Sun Will Come Up Tomorrow'
And That 'We Are The World' Was A Call
For Us To Awaken
And Be More Than We Thought We Could Be?

Did You Know That Professors of Psychology
Are Studying the Power of Presence
And Teenagers Learn Yoga in School
And That There is Real Value
In Just This Moment
Between Me and You?

"A Living Dream"

2010-08-08T20:52:00.000-07:00

She Sits Quietly On a Pew
Right Outside the Judge's Courtroom
With Small-Framed Glasses and Little Endearing Curls
Checking her Iphone and Peering Below the Rail
For a Client at Family Court in Need

I Come Upon Her with a Smile
A Memory of this Cheerful Being
With a Vision to Lawyer on Her Own Terms
To Help and To Empower
The Voiceless with a Voice
To Restore a Family with a Child
To Help a Woman Secure her Freedom
To Give a Grandmother her Grandchild Back

This Petite Young Woman
In a Business Suit
Sparkles with Joy
Ignites Me with Hope

She is a Little Bulb of Bright Light
A Luminary of the Law
Awakening me to See
A Piece of Me
In Her Too
And Now I Know
My Dream Will Come True

~Inspired by a 'run-in' with a little lawyer/friend in the Suffolk County Probate&Family Court last week.

"A Light in the Cafe"

2010-08-04T22:20:00.000-07:00

A Precious Baby
With a Golden Hue
A Purple Onesie
And a Bib with Purple Polka Dots too

A Little Tongue with an Open Mouth
Looking for the Nourishment of Sweet Milk
The Elixir of Life
Contained in a Baby Bottle
As her Papa Cradles her in his Arms

Her Chubby Thighs and Plump Cheeks
Those Dented Elbows and Miniature Feet
Wiggle Around in a New World

She Begins to Gnaw on her Little Fingers
And Her Big Deep Black Eyes
Look Up as they Sparkle
And Light Up All Around

-Inspired by a little baby in a purple jumpsuit, having her lunch @ Au Bon Pain in the middle of Harvard Square...

"Corner Store Wisdom"

2010-08-01T23:58:00.002-07:00

Wisdom can be just around the corner. I went to my favorite local convenient store in my neighborhood of Brighton, 'The Father & Son Market.' The owner who manages the store has rather chubby cheeks and cheerful eyes. He has a jovial demeanor which is useful in brightening the days of the customers who come in with harried and glum expressions, suggesting they are leading miserable or mundane lives as they buy large quantities of ice cream drumsticks, complain about their husbands, and purchase lottery tickets with a cynical mind, and openly state how they know they will lose. The customers continue to flow in and out of the store as the door chime rings, signaling the entry and exit of each new cusomter. After a few minutes, the friendly store owner, whom I call, 'uncle' begins to share a story with me about 'Shakti' after I mentioned to him I just came back from a yoga retreat, and felt rejuvenated and bright. He tells me that many people in his store spend their days cramming their minds with thoughts and then try to find their blessings in junk food, lottery tickets, and beer after feeling abnormally tired after only one day of work. He eagerly summons me to listem to him. He had a story to share. So he starts to tell me the story of two men. Here it goes:

One peaceful man sat beneath a tree. An angry man came to him shouting an onslaught of horrific words to him for three straight hours. Surprised that the peaceful man remained quiet and did not flinch or become reactive, the angry man questions him saying,"How is it that after all of the insults I have slung at you, you are not angry with me and never replied back to me?" To this, the peaceful man says, "Sir, if you gave me $1 as a gift and I did not want it, then surely I would return it back to you, right?" The angry man, reples, "Yes." Then the man of peace says, "Well, your three hours of angry words was a gift I did not want. So, instead of receiving it, it has been returned back to you. You may keep your anger." And with that, the peaceful man left the puzzled angry man and his anger, behind.

The store uncle had told this story in his own language (in Hindi). With an animated facial expression of both joy and wisdom, and with one hand gesturing in the air, in Hindi, he continues to say, "I only shared this story with you because you mentioned, yoga..." Thankful for the wise words, I expressed my gratitude and left the store with my cup of coffee in one hand and my grocery bag in the other, thinking, maybe one day, the customers too, will awaken to what the uncle is saying.

"Angels of the Universe"

2010-08-01T23:13:00.000-07:00

A Little Girl On Her Path
Tiptoes and Whispers
Like A Child Lost in Fear

A Delicate Newborn
Pure and Pliable
With Tiny Hands and Little Toes
A Toothless Smile
And a Tender Heart
Is Born into a Coarse World
With Harsh Tongues
And Rough Edges

Open to Love but Gripped by Fear
Seeking with Wide and Innocent Eyes
Until Comes the Humble Embrace
Of A Brazilian Angel and A Yogi from Uzbekistan
The Understanding Voice of A Master from Maine
And An Indian Valley Girl of Law
The Light-Hearted but Powerful Humor
Of An African-American Girl of Chicago
And the Reflection of Herself
In a Petite Blond Professor of Art from Santa Cruz

All Ready to Awaken Her Eyes
And Open Her Arms to Love and Light

"Blessings in Boston"

2010-07-18T20:01:00.000-07:00

I Came to You Seeking
With a Troubled Soul
Wide Eyes and a Shameful Heart

A Studio on Commonwealth Ave
My Humble Abode
The Church of Trinity
And One of Unity
Open Doors of Light in Copley Square
Friends from Many Moons Ago Emerged
A Priest with an Open Heart
And an Eternal Mother
Always Loving and Ready to Forgive

A City Abundant with Pride
A Train that Brings all Colors Together
An Everlasting Care from Lifelong Family Friends
I Thank You for the Blessing
From A Girl with a Lawful Heart
Ready to Serve.

From Boston to You

2010-04-11T21:37:00.000-07:00

A Girl Wanders on Tremont Street in Black Rain Boots with Checkered Ribbons
The Purring Sound of the T Pulls the Crowd of Subway Commuters Closer Together,
Boston Commons is Alive with Homeless Men, Law School Students,
Scientists, Barristas, and Policemen too,
Strangers of the City Sitting Side by Side along the Park Benches
Bright Rays of Light Come Down and A Crisp Breeze Cuts Through the Day
Tourists Take Pictures of City Hall which Looks Rather Underwhelming than Stately,
Starbucks Fills Up with Customers for Caffeine
Taxachusetts is Vibrant
Brimming with Faces from All Over the World
Bundled together on a Cool Spring Day...

"From Boots to Chuppuls"

2010-02-12T12:48:00.000-08:00

A Purse from Patna's Disneyland
Rests on the Chair of Starbucks in Cupertino
A Digital Camera clicks through Delhi, Mumbai, and Patna
Capturing the faces of Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Grandmothers
Nieces, Nephews, Babies, Streetchildren, and Domestic workers
Two Floral Suitcases Circled the Globe,
Traveled Continents,
Books of Eastern Philosophy were Read from India to the U.S.
Jewels from Janpat
Incense from Delhi
Chuppuls from Huthua Market Landed on my Feet,
I Have Returned Home
Loved and Stronger
With a Heart more Open and Feet more Grounded.
Thank you.

Christmas in the Bay

2009-12-27T20:36:00.000-08:00

Tables, Chairs, Shoes, and Tunes
I journal at Starbucks comfortably in my Black Boots
With Teenagers to my right
Spreading small town tales of Boys and Girls,
A couple of Indian uncles converse behind me in Hindi
A group of Asian boys with Red Caps circle together
With Handshakes and many topics to share
A Round Old Man in a Blue Sweatshirt stares at his laptop
As He is propped up on his Stool
The Starbucks Princess with her Crown,
Lights up the Caffeinated atmosphere
In the Winding days of a California Christmas.

"Soaring"

2009-12-27T20:27:00.000-08:00

Learning to let go
All the fears buried deep inside
Like a Bird with wounded wings
Emerges into the sky once more
Ready to soar despite the scars
Of many yesterdays
It is free once again
And a new life is born.

My 2-Day Experiment!

2009-09-29T00:38:00.000-07:00

It's been quite a while since I've blogged about life, but I felt compelled to do so because I just engaged in a 2-day life experiment. After having trotted the globe domestically and internationally, from Boston, to LA, to Italy and back, I was in great need of some inward solo time. Seeing that no upcoming 3-day Vipassana sits were approaching, I just decided to simulate a 2-day solo sit at my home in Cupertino and oh yes, while having my parents around. I laid down the ground rules for them which basically was, "no talking to me for a 30-hour period." I purchased the necessary fruits, vegetables, and grains, for a veggie-based diet. In fact, I ended up juicing the fruits (strawberries, oranges, bananas, including the pulp and orange peel-big mistake!) and veggies (zuchinni, carrots, onions, celery-pulp included) from my recently bought JackLaLane Juicer to make for a nutritious, balanced, and incredibly digusting liquid-based breakfast and lunch respectively! I then, printed out the Vipassana timetable to serve as a structural guideline for my meditation, and then just let it all unravel within.

Here are my post 2-day impressions:

First of all, I highly recommend it for anyone who feels confused or mired in chaos, needs time for themselves, wants to cleanse, is short on cash, and needs more self-loving. What I don't recommend is juicing your fruits and veggies for your cleansing process! While healthy and quick, those juices did quite a number on my taste buds. I could barely swallow it. In fact, I tried to swallow it directly so I didn't have to taste it. 2 slices of wheat bread with peanut butter and a glass of milk, was the highlight of my 2-day diet-it was my dinner! :) I of course, got my needed Vitamin A, C, Betacarotene, Boron, and Natural Aspirin from those juices, but the process of getting them was so painful! It truly was super-nasty!! I think I was just too excited about this juicer I got from this infommercial that I thought this 2-day was the perfect time to inaugurate the machine. While the machine itself worked well, there was quite a discrepancy between how the fruit and veggie juices were described in the infommercial (i.e. they said it "tasted great,") and the reality of their taste!! Vipassana got the diet part right. Their food was good and thus, getting through those meditation sits, provided a comforting reward when meal time came. Sadly, I couldn't experience the same joy. I found my green tea with honey and jugs of water to be my liquids of comfort! Oh well! I did live and learn through it! Next time.

Okay, enough about food. Back to the actual sit.
This is what I initially felt&wrote after my sit:

I have just emerged from my 2 day sit. It was quite a life experiment. In fact, I ended up looking at my home with a fresh perspective, (literally from different angles during my breaks, when I would head outside in our backyard, lie under the sun on the grass, and stare at our lovely peach-colored Mexican-styled home). I did things I had never done before (like, take a bubble bath lol). I just immersed myself in introspective silence and read Krishnamurti's 'Reflections on the Self' during my tea and meals breaks. I even did an exercise I learned from a Korean-based yoga workshop I had recently done (where you stare at yourself in the mirror for 10 minutes). This exercise was random and rather comical for me. I ended up being really goofy during that part and making funny expressions. ;) Anyways, as far as the actual sit goes, I did roll through a range of varying thoughts, trying to connect with my breathing, mapping out my next life phase, surrendering, producing minimal tears, and showering myself with 'metta' or wishes of love and kindness to myself by sending nourishing positive thoughts my way.

One cool thing that arose, the night before I sat down on my meditation blanket with my multi-colored shawls to meditate, was that I felt like I had a sense of my passion and what I truly want to do right now in this chapter of my life--that is teach kids at the J. Krishnamurti school in Chennai. I feel in so many ways, that ever since I left India in '06, I've been desperately trying to make my way back there (or my intuition keeps telling me that, and there are so many subtle and not so subtle reminders that keep signaling me to as well). Now, I feel I have a purpose in returning to India, not just to contribute the lives of others, but to grow internally, to feel how those children can enrich and contribute to my own, and because ultimately, it is the only thing that makes sense for me right now, when I reflect upon my life and how I want to live it.

Another interesting point to note is that my parents had to adapt to the unusually silent environment for a 30 hour period. You can even ask my parents about their experience as witnesses to the experiment. In fact, they had to creatively orient themselves to the new environment their daughter had cultivated around them. The little things that occurred were rather funny since the interaction had to be non-verbal. For example, my mom would patiently wait for me to finish using the kitchen sink when I was washing my dishes or find something else she could do in the kitchen to utilize her time. My Dad tried to cause me to react by making smily faces, wildly flailing his arms, and making childlike gestures at me. All in all though, they listened and tried to respect the silent space.

Anyways, those are some initial impressions, post-2day. Hope you all enjoyed it and let me know if you try the experiment at your home! Peacefully.
~M

"My New Buddy"

2008-07-07T00:34:00.001-07:00

I came downstairs after several hours of hitting the books (I’ve been studying for the Cali bar exam) and saw a lovely, plush, soft golden teddy bear, with floppy doglike ears sitting on our rotating stool chairs in the kitchen. I felt compelled to pick it up with love and hug it close to me as I felt the gentle stuffed animal’s fur. Wondering exactly who it was for, thinking that it must be for a baby within our community of family friends, I ran over to my (older) nephew, and before I could say anything, he said, “hey did you see that little teddy bear there?” After I said, “yes,” he said it was for me. In that moment, the little girl trapped inside a 28-year old leaped with joy! I was so excited that I awkwardly hugged my nephew and seeing that I had one more round of studying to go, I decided that this precious little animal, that I just named, “pooky” could make the whole process a little softer….Since I planned to study the last hour in a café, I carried my new friend with me, safely buckled him with a seatbelt, in my Honda civic passenger seat, and blazed off to coffee society with a smile! It felt good to embrace the kid within! LOL!

A Gift of Gratitude

2008-07-01T00:52:00.000-07:00

So I got my bills for the month, and you know what that usually feels like. I just first look at them sitting on my counter and pretend they don’t exist. I leave them sealed in the envelope, untouched and abandoned. Yet, I still mentally keep track of when they most likely will be due, so I don’t incur a late fee and compound the problem. So, today became the day I would pay my therapy bill since I was going to see my therapist. Instead of quickly scribbling down the check amount after analyzing the itemized break down of his billing rates to make sure there were no financial errors, I rushed out my open front door into change. While I still was in a hurry to make it to my 6:00 pm appointment in downtown Palo Alto, I was hurrying to reach something new…Inspired by the spirit of those karma kitchen cooks, I wrote the check for my therapist, but this time, I tacked an extra little hundred onto the payment, tucked the check into an envelope, left it with him after my appointment, and ran off, leaving him with a gift. The gift was not about the money, but the gratitude I felt for his sincerity in helping me improve how I live my life.

That, to me, is priceless. :)

"Sparkly Smiles"

2008-06-30T00:15:00.000-07:00

I went to get my pearly whites, whiter the other day and had a moment with the hygienist. so, as she cleaned my teeth with her technical instruments (do not know dentist nomenclature), we started talking about a series of random topics that ranged from how the ancient chinese believed the best time for bed is around 10pm because your internal organs function better since you’re more biologically aligned for digestion (LOL), to talking about true friendships and the strong foundation that lies beneath them, to showing me a picture of her precious newborn baby….in fact, we seemed to be talking so much, that I hardly felt the pricks of these slender metallic pencil-like tools, or the gritty flavored paste that polished my teeth, and we laughed so much that I was not even ready to leave. As a token of my joy, I tagged her! Although not anonymous, I wanted to leave behind a smile, since she so kindly put one back on my face!

Btw, no cavities!!! :)

"In Honor of Father's Day: Remembering Tim Russert"

2008-06-15T22:26:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone and especially to all of the Fathers of the world:

As your Father’s day comes to a close wherever you may be, I thought I would honor the day through remembering a father in particular who was perhaps a father in more ways than he realized.

The tragic news of hearing of the passing of MSNBC’s beloved star of Meet the Press, Tim Russert, deeply moved me, in fact to tears. It was hard to capture the rationale behind how or explain why I felt so deeply about his loss until I dug a little deeper. It’s as if I didn’t have to personally know or meet him to cry about his passing. He was just someone who you knew was a good person because his presence seemed to shine through the television screen. The smile he brought with his prosecutorial-like cross-examination questions to politicians on both sides of the spectrum had the paradoxical effect of being both intimidating yet sweet, akin to what some might call, “a velvet hammer.” I saw him as one of those journalists who brought joy and enthusiasm to his profession by seeking ultimately what was important —“truth” but always with a smile.

As someone who has only more recently become engaged in politics, I felt that since January of this year in our family’s ritualistic nightly viewings of the tumultuous and exciting Democratic primary season on the local networks, Tim was a fixture in “our family’s living room,” as he was to many others across the country.

While TV is often considered an addictive, distracting, passive mode of entertainment, for some reason, this guy seemed to turn all that around as he livened up the television set, (and in turn enlivened the viewers as well) through the probing questions he asked to his guests who came on his show and took “the witness stand.” His dedication to sticking to the facts, the proof , (the truth), combined with his demeanor as a chubby-cheeked, middle-aged, home-town, father, with a sharp wit and a constant grin, made him lovable and endearing or as the “Meet the Press” crew called him, “beloved.”

On the night of June 3, 2008, when Barack Obama clinched the Democratic Nomination for President, I noticed that while many of the news anchors were excited to announce that Barack Obama had won, Tim, for some reason stood apart from the rest. In fact, he was glowing with happiness that day saying that he was so excited to be a part of this primary season in politics that it made him feel almost compelled to go to classrooms and teach children about how history was being made in politics in that moment. You could just feel the sincerity of his presence. It was almost as if, (and I said this that day to my nephew), that, “this man is so happy right now, I think he might just jump out of the television screen.”

I was so crushed to hear during my lunch break on Friday, June, 13, 2008, that Tim had tragically died due to heart failure and when I started to connect with others about it, I began to see how this wave of empathy for the loss swept across many of our hearts which opened up to the moment as it gripped our country. I began to understand more clearly that this man affected us more acutely because while he made a great contribution to our lives through his work, I think he affected us even more through the way he treated others. He was perhaps one of the few journalists who did not personally attack those who held differing views from his own and he even willingly went on Fox News to be interviewed by the often criticized “Bill O’Reilly” and “Hannity & Colmes!!

Having been so impacted by the loss of this inspirational figure, I even briefly spoke about it with my bar exam instructor, who left me with two positive remarks which I thought were profound. He said that “he raised a wonderful son” and that “those who have passed on are still teaching us. They are still here teaching us, just not in the same form---not through the same dimension.”

To many of us, Tim was the “Father of Meet the Press,” but as I just recently learned, he was first and foremost, the Father to his son Luke who just graduated from Boston College and despite the passion for politics this man imparted to us all, he cared most deeply for his family first. He seemed to be so grateful for the values of what his own father taught him about working hard, having discipline, following his dreams, and doing what he could to make sure his son received an education, namely working two jobs, (one of which included the humbling role of a garbage collector.)

As ironic as it may seem that I genuinely cried for what some might say was a “television personality,” or someone who I didn’t really know, I would say that I didn’t just see him as just another figure on television casting news, because to me, he wasn’t a personality. He was a person. To me, he was real---and that’s personal.

I will leave all of you with this touching and inspirational clip that captures Father’s Day through Tim’s words as they can again enliven us all, and this time, speaking not about his understanding of politics, but rather his understanding of the unconditional love of a father.

I wish you all a very Happy Father’s Day!

With Love,
~Mitu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dwy-c2um5ZI

“A Moment to Heal”

2008-05-23T03:57:00.000-07:00

I began my evening with what I thought would be completing the mundane task of picking up my flat iron that I had left at a fashion designer/new acquaintance’s house. After a 20 minute jog, eating half a pita bread with hummus, a gulp of lemonade, and a quick shower, I dashed off, feeling disoriented not just because I was physically malnourished but also because I carried with me a cluttered mind (one stuffed with three “to do” items---1. buy my friend’s wedding gift at BB&Beyond, 2. pick up my flat iron, and 3. collect my medication from the pharmacy). My evening probably couldn’t get more banal than that—until I just so happened to arrive at the home of this new woman in my life—and realized that I had entered much more than her home and had arrived there and received so much more than an opportunity to collect my hair straightening iron!

After a kind offer by her to come in to share some words together, have some sugary and creamy coffee with just the right amount of froth, and after watching our fashion show video which we had worked on together, I was fully content. I thought this was a pleasant experience, something I had just needed to sooth my harried mind and body…I was satisfied with that exchange, as unplanned, welcoming, and present as it was. I could not have expected anything more.
Yet, it didn’t stop there…

As we hugged and she walked me outside to my car, we somehow started talking about our lives, families, relationships, and being assertive. We learned about each other through a realm beyond the material world---literally beyond clothes, blowdryers, catwalks, etc. :) In fact, I learned from my new friend, which I truly believe she now is, of the healing powers of reiki and the gift that comes through an awareness of the life force energy that exists among all of us within the universe. As we both shivered under the moon and stars in her neighborhood, we let our conversation with each other flow. Just being open to the moment, I not only learned so much from the words this new healer of mine had said on very basic steps I could take on improving my life emotionally, but I also felt that it was more than just her words that had the power to heal—it was in her silence, in her careful listening, in her willingness to shiver in the night with me(as silly as that may sound), and the honesty that she herself brought to this conversation of us two young girls exposing our life experiences to each other. I knew that this moment, (that I never could have known would take place,) just did. Simply because of the randomness of timing, a phone call, a decision to run an errand, and an openness between two spirits—I knew the moment was a gift. I returned home transformed from something as simple as a conversation, and not worried about completing tasks 2 and 3. :)

Thank you to my new friend!!!

"Going Green"

2008-05-23T03:16:00.000-07:00

often times I have noticed that being a part of a collective that evokes the spirit of giving (such as the beautiful space I share with those on www.helpothers.org), I end up talking a lot about giving (which is great), but while we talk about giving, we cannot overlook the very moments of giving that come to us amidst this chatter of generosity. In fact, those moments come as gifts, sometimes packaged in people you may have least expected…I myself felt this surprise while speaking on the phone with my brother (who lives in LA) the other day. while I was sharing with him the news of my amazing experience during the 10-day silent meditation retreat I just returned from which focused on purifying the mind of deeply-rooted negative thought patterns and operating out of a place of love and compassion, I was on the verge of missing a beautiful moment when my brother spoke to me of service… Had I been so caught up in my ‘preaching,'I may not have realized that he had just started to explain to me that this upcoming Memorial Day weekend he and his wife, Jen, had decided to ‘go green’ all weekend—meaning no driving, no high powered electricity usage, no needless usage of paper napkins, to honor and protect the planet in which we live. It was then I realized, any given moment, could bring with it a lesson in service, and space must also be given to let those moments arise from others.

Happy Memorial Day! Let's Remember our Earth! :)

"MLK---The Message of Love"

2008-04-07T23:44:00.001-07:00

a new friend of mine with a fresh sense of energy invited me to attend this human rights conference at stanford university last saturday to honor mlk (since april 4th marked the 40th anniversary of his assassination). i was so excited to go. seated at the kresge auditorium on the stanford law school campus, seeing the video clips of king and hearing his words vibrate within us listeners, i was just so happy to be there, holding my cup of coffee in one hand and gripping the armrest of the wooden auditorium chair with my other hand. later, i heard one of the speakers there, a woman by the name of reverend deborah l. johnson, and i was literally--- blown away. in fact her remarks impacted me so much, that i stood up to the mic in front of everyone in the auditorium and told her that. (i noticed i was shaking with anxiety symptoms after doing that--but i felt moved to--so it was worth the pain). :)

here's a moment from her speech that i recalled:

the reverend had said that the way king really spoke of the notion of "loving thy neighbor," or the notion of "love" itself was that "the love he spoke about was not a love based on family bonds, or kinship, or brotherhood, or some common link you experienced with another person, but rather a deep love for any person-- even if you don't like that person, or even if he is your enemy." she told us that this love is one where "'you love that person as if he were yourself" because ultimately we are one indivisible whole.

those words were so compelling for me that i couldn't hold them inside--i had to share them with you. :)

"A Cat Socializer"

2008-03-17T01:03:00.000-07:00

hi everyone!
i thought i'd share this lovely moment i had today with my virtual world of helpers! i decided that i wanted to create a space in my life for the human-animal bond. it is a relationship that i never directly experienced in my life but considering the fragmented and often emotionally disconnected ways in which we live our lives, i think there is therapeutic value that can be generated from the bond between human beings and our companions in nature which could perhaps help to heal these man-made divisions. in fact, i've never been a pet owner, but for the past year, i had started to fall for the idea of having my own cat---but i couldn't explain why. initially i thought it would be low maintenance to have a cat rather than a dog, since cats are more independent and cleaner and i could go on vacation without them feeling too sad. lol. however, before i could become a cat owner, i realized that i need to know how to be responsible for one. i felt it was important for me to learn about them first---not just play with them and cuddle them, but also learn how to feed and clean them, and slowly begin to understand their world. on top of that, i feel that it could be another opportunity for me to cultivate more compassion in my life, so that while i can give my affection to the kitty, i could build gratitude into the experience by seeing the ways that the kitty could be giving to me. so i stopped into petsmart today, but the 'adopt a cat fair' was over and i couldn't pet the cats unless i was seriously considering adopting one!! instead, the lady told me about 'the humane society of silicon valley' in santa clara and said they need people who want to do exactly what i was looking to do---" be a cat socializer!" lol!
so, there i went---off to the animal shelter and discovered a cute little world of creatures i had never known much about. i talked to a woman, breanne, who said, all i had to do was sign up, attend an orientation, and come whenever i was available. after following the 'paw tour' throughout the shelter, catching a glimpse of kitties, rabbits, some grown-up doggies, and having a pleasant conversation with a nice lady (with a cool european accent) who worked there as a 'dog socializer,' and meeting a friendly asian couple who told me about the two cats they adopted and the rabbit they also had, i was so excited to jump into this new role!! i tucked a smile card and two 1 dollar bills into the donation box and picked up the volunteer sign-up sheet and drove off with a smile!!!
just thought i'd share the little joys of today with you all! :)

"Smiling Subway Sandwiches"

2008-03-07T00:42:00.000-08:00

it's lunchtime!! it was going to be a quick one today, so with great determination, i stepped into 'subway' with the intention to secure my sweet onion teriyaki sandwich order with the deli ladies and make my swift exit. as i neared the cashier, i instead, turned to the portly asian man standing beside me, and asked him, "can i do something for you?" as he gave me a peculiar look which included a slight frown, i then said, "i'm part of this group which spreads kindness in the world, so can i buy you your sandwich?" his face softened, his teeth began to show again and he was reading the smilecard that was now in his hands which were also lightly gripping the plastic bag which showcased his lunch! the cashier looked at me a bit puzzled as well when i told her i was buying his sandwich for him---but then, i got a smile from her too! lol! the man, while perhaps still processing the experience, added, "hey thanks," and i scurried off and ran back to my smile-mobile as i made my escape from subway sandwiches! :)

"A Jumpstart to Easter"

2008-02-29T02:07:00.000-08:00

i saw a man in the distant parking lot of san jose,
right off of first street near 'le boulangerie,'
he was lifting boxes and muttering words,
his skin was golden with experience,
and his eyes were dark and likeable,

wrapping his fingers around the cardboard and crouching down to lift each box
he continued to put little pieces of himself into each lift and onto each stack,

one by one
box after box,

he lifted them until he heard:
an, "excuse me sir,"

and when he paused and i walked,
he watched me approach him with a brown paper bag suprise,
and say, "since you're working hard, would you eat cookies?"

smiling with an "oh thank you," he received a thick, green-frosted easter egg cookie with sprinkles all over the sides
i had no idea the spirit of easter was already upon us but it just so happened to be that day at least on the inside! :)

"A Dedication to the World"

2008-02-26T01:25:00.001-08:00

i was listening to some soothing tunes on the radio last night. to be exact it was 98.1, which captures easy R&B listening in the Bay Area. there was a listener out there who made a request, which i thought i'd share. usually, when listeners call in, you know, they make their request for the dj to play a song for their sweetheart, or their best friend, or their parents, or a warrior overseas. while these requests of course capture a love that we share for those most immediately connected to our lives, this man took that notion a step further. he collected this love that we each share for our respective families and friends, and made a special request, when he said, "hey brother, i'd like to make a request," and the dj said, "sure," and the listener, said, " i want to dedicate this song to the whole world." the dj, a bit taken a back, said, "the whole world?" i think the dj was perhaps thinking in strictly literal terms, and mentioned how that was not realistically possible. (i.e. that a song on a radio can only reach those listeners within the local geographic region which covers that frequency). yet, i disagree with that. here, came this listener who took himself out of the limitations we impose upon ourselves to love only those who we are supposed to love, and extended a heartfelt dedication which reached further than his own brother, his own child, his own wife, or father. he sent a song to the universe. i say, the waves of generosity are more powerful than the vibrations of sound...

"Cinema Smiles"

2008-02-16T02:48:00.001-08:00

my nephew and i thought we'd have a relaxing evening at the cinemas. following the recommendation of my loving elder brother, ( the film connoisseur who knows the sentimental needs of his baby sister), we went to see "definitely maybe." i of course, had to have a mixture of my sweet and salty fix, so i got my coke, my popcorn, and my sour strawberry belts while my nephew humbly kept to a bottle of red-colored gatorade. :) as we neared the cashier, i pulled out a couple cards-one being a credit card for payment and another being a smilecard for a different kind of transaction. :) i explained to the cashier that i wanted to pay for the two young girls behind me, and he said, "um, sure, ok." as my nephew let me take the lead, i turned around to the girls and for me it felt a bit brave to ask them "can i do something for you? can i buy your popcorn and your drink for you?" they looked at me with a variety of emotions which included--shock, confusion, humour, and said "uhh, okay." after that, i handed one girl the card and started explaining how the act, the card, and kindness all fit together. still a bit perplexed, one of the girls looked at me and said so innocently, "wait, so you guys just do nice stuff for people? that's so cool. thanks!" "i was like, yeah, that's kinda the idea to spread kindness." we parted from the girls and left hearing one of them say: "oh we definitely have to check this (meaning the website) out"-. i then returned to my smiling nephew and we scurried over to the film since it was almost show time! i laughed out loud during the movie, i cried softly in it too, just the way my brother had planned it! :) btw, i totally recommend the movie--well and of course, increasing smilecard transactions!!!!! SMILE! :)
"

"A Week of 5 Dollar Smiles"

2008-02-15T00:05:00.001-08:00

so, this week i decided to up the smilecard notch a bit more. i usually would affix a $1 dollar bill to the smilecard prior to tagging the recipient, but this week, i felt moved to increase the monetary value and see if that increased the value of good feelings that arise within us when we give!
so, on my way home from work, i cruised up the onramp to 880S and looked for the homeless man who stands alongside the cars right before the traffic signal--- there he was. i rolled down my window, connected with the eyes of this middle-aged latino man, and handed him a 5 dollar bill...then in the middle of the week during lunchtime, as i exited le boulangerie cafe in downtown san jose, i began to head back to my car to go back to the office. however, when i saw anti-war sentiments smacked onto a neighbhoring car in the form of two bumper stickers, i felt compelled to express my resonance with this driver's thoughts through a tag. making sure the coast was clear and the driver was nowhere in sight, i took out a smile card from my wallet, wrapped a 5 dollar bill around it, and carefully tucked the wrapped card behind the windshield wipers on the dashboard of the car. Luckily the wind wasn't blowing that day :)....To put a friendly close to this $5 dollar week, I went to my weekly spot at the "It's A Grind" cafe this evening and after purchasing my moroccan mint tea, i asked the cashier if i could give her something...surprisingly, the smilecard transaction flowed so naturally, as i simply explained that i was giving her something called a "smile card "(after which she automatically started smiling :), along with 5 dollars which is for the next customer to use..she safely secured the "tag" beneath her register, before i left, seeming to have so seamlessly kept the concept of kindness spreading."
i realized that it was not so much the increase in monetary value this week but rather the belief that i personally felt i had more capacity to give, that deepened my experience this week and expanded those positive feelings inside! just thought i'd share the good news! :)

"A Homeless Man Was My Valentine!"

2008-02-15T00:02:00.000-08:00

i launched on to the ramp yet again today on 880 south and this time i was looking for my new friend who stands alongside the highway. with his eyes worn with life, and his wrinkles lightly carved into his face, he stood there with a cardboard sign, and still he had hope, a glimmer in his eyes that someone somwhere might care...not knowing what i would have for him today, i just pulled out what i had from the insides of my lime green wallet. it wasn't much but it was a dollar, and as i automatically rolled down my window and greeted my old friend, i gave him the dollar and i gave him my smile. i then, gleefully added, "happy valentine's day." he smiled back and pointed to me with a grin saying something i didn't really hear very well since i had my radio tunes blaring too loudly in the car! Lol! however, the words we exchanged mattered less than the expressions we saw reflected on each others' faces. i knew one thing though- that when we both connected in a shared moment of fully extended smiles, that meant more than the small token i had reached out to give him in the first place. today, i found my valentine and I hope you found yours too! :)
happy valentine's day! :)

"A Toast to Life"

2008-01-28T23:59:00.000-08:00

What is happening to the community?
The loss of a middle-aged uncle
And a young brother on the brink of life
And a mother ailing for the past several months
Each life within a year of the other

Is this just the fragility of life itself?
Was this simply the physical frailty of our bodies one day weakening in old age?
Or is it this idea that there are only so many precious fleeting moments of life that even a young person has to live?

And yet we live our lives each day
Making sure we watch the SAG awards
And planning our Super Bowl parties
Driving to work after our morning cup of coffee
Making our monthly payment on our home mortgage
Watching history take place in U.S. politics on CNN,
Truly believing that just maybe these moments just might last forever

And though we live with this feeling of immunity
Let us instead challenge ourselves to wake up to our life
With our eyes open and our hearts clear
So the tears we shed for others cut more deeply
And our smiles become more valuable as we fully extend them from cheek to cheek
As we celebrate this life
And the treasure that it is

-In memory of a loving uncle-Ram and a loving brother.-Raja. Both people were part of two different Indian families in our community of family friends in the South Bay. The two individuals had passed away approximately within a year of each other. They are survived by their respective families.

"In Honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr."

2008-01-21T23:43:00.000-08:00

i started out this dr. martin luther king jr. morning, initially thinking how lucky my friends with whom I had just shared a wonderful dinner celebration the night before, were for not having to go to work today. Stumbling out of my bed into the universe, those thoughts of the drudgery and stress of my work tasks which lay ahead of me began settling in my mind. yet, as i come to the close of this special day, at night, i am feeling something different. i knew i had felt compelled to do something today in his honor, but i didn't know exactly what. what is it that i could do to honor the legacy of justice and equality that dr. martin luther king jr. had brought to this world? i began perusing the charity focus blogs, and came across a wonderfully inspiring quote that linked up to a great article by the reverend's friend, Marian Wright Edelman, an activist and winner of the Albert Schweitzer Prize for Humanitarianism. in her efforts to bring a sense of life to the symbol that dr. martin luther king jr. has become to many of us, she came to the heart of what mlk was all about-he was a man who lived to serve and died in service---whether it was during the struggle he lead to fight against segregation through galvanizing communities through faith, peace, and solidarity, or through the montgomery bus boycott, or through speaking at black universities, or preaching to a church congregation. so, as marian edelman, leaves us with this thought to use this yearly holiday as a "day on, not a day off," her wisdom suggests to me that to truly honor such a man, would be to serve. now, as i reflect upon my day and consider my role as a legal advocate for a nonprofit domestic violence agency that serves battered women in the south asian community, i realized that i had the answer to my question all along...by helping a client, or working on a funding project, or answering a phone call to respond to a victim in need, i was in fact, honoring the legacy of dr. mlk jr. in the best way i could-in service. so, perhaps, i was the lucky one today after all! :)
i have attached the link to marian's article here for reference as a source of inspiration to all.
http://www.louisianaweekly.com/weekly/news/articlegate.pl?20060123j
i'll close with a quote by the great man himself which is taken from the article and hints at how the ability to spark positive social change is literally at our fingertips:
"If you want to be important-wonderful. If you want to be recognized-wonderful. If you want to be great-wonderful. But recognize that he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. That's a new definition of greatness. And this morning, the thing that I like about it: by giving that definition of greatness, it means that everybody can be great, because everybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve. You don't have to know about Plato and Aristotle to serve. You don't have to know Einstein's theory of relativity to serve. You don't have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve. You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love."
-dr. martin luther king jr.
~in peace&service,
mitu

"An Angelic Mother"

2008-01-17T23:33:00.000-08:00

so i heard this amazing story on the radio, and i knew i had to share. if any of you are bay area folk, you may have heard of the radio dj host 'delilah.' she's this incredibly kind woman with a soothing voice who listens to the stories of people in the south bay who phone in and selects an uplifting song to honor each person's story...so when i switched my radio dial to 94.5, this is what i heard:
a woman with a genuine and quivering voice explained that she was the biological mother of her 38-year old son, randy, who was adopted when he was 7 days old by a warm-hearted soul named, mrs. lancaster. randy's biological mother so humbly began to describe randy's adopted mother as this woman who raised 200 children (not sure how, but that's what she said), and adopted 7 of them as her own. randy was the last one she adopted when she was 53 years old (even though the state tried to prevent it since they thought she was too "old"). despite that, she succeeded in the adoption and randy lived with her all of her years and cared for her until she recently passed away at age 90 this past december. the son's biological mother then proudly began to share to the radio waves that her son was always called the "daddy" in his family because he was the one all of his brothers and sisters looked up to since their own father had passed away from parkinsons' disease. the woman was teary-eyed as she closed with the final remarks that "i know that randy has given been the gift of happiness from this mother of his, that he could not have experienced in even one day with me."
by the end of her heartfelt story, i too was teary-eyed. after that, delilah, then honored mrs. lancaster, the woman she called, "an angel," with the song, "testify" (testifying about love). :)

“Driving Down a Different Path”

2008-01-13T23:47:00.001-08:00

My car was parked in the lot on Castro Street in downtown Mountain View just outside the Shambhala Meditation center. Anxious to move along on my Sunday afternoon, my efforts to move my car were immediately halted. A triple AAA truck that stretched more than a stretch limo was literally blocking my path to exiting. My initial feelings of “I’m upset” and “How could someone just box me in like that?” began to surge, but then, I paused. I took a look at Sakyong’s face (my new favorite Tibetan Guru) as he looked at me from the cover of his book, titled, “Ruling your World.” In that moment, I remembered, I have a choice. I decided to make that mental switch that Sakyong often refers to, and just gave myself a chance to experience what taking a step down that road might feel like. So, I listened to some tunes in the car, read a little more wisdom, and waited for the Triple AAA guy to help the elderly woman get her car back in gear. Incidentally, a few seconds later, he knocked on my window, smiled, and handed me back my cup of starbucks coffee that I had placed on top of my car and forgot about. (Lol). I thanked him laughing, asked him if the lady was all set with her car, and after his positive response and another exchange of smiles, he moved his truck up forward and I happily drove away in no time (like 2 minutes later)! :)

"Sharing Christmas in Boston"

2008-01-04T00:22:00.000-08:00

while on a roadtrip to boston for the holidays, i certainly couldn't live without my periodic coffee breaks amidst those crisp east coast winters. so, while i was embracing the warmth of family by engaging in lively animated discussions with my fellow passengers including my mom, my aunt, and my uncle (who are essentially my 'second parents'), we stopped for a few moments to refuel the car. i seized the moment to do what i felt was right---secure my coffee fix (of course) in the convenient store that bordered the gas pumping station...however, as i approached the counter at the coffee shop and completed the caffeinated transaction, i glanced down at the 'ronald mcdonald' sticker that housed the faces of small children with lost and forlorn faces affixed on a plastic container. at first, i sprinkled in a few coins to add some 'jingle' to these little souls. yet, then i thought perhaps i could do something more, and tucked a smile card into the opening of the plastic ronald mcdonald's house. i left the shop with the hope (as tiny as it may be) that they too, can also feel the warmth and love of parents, and perhaps even "second parents" during their holidays one day.
Happy New Year!

-this holiday moment reflects the concept of spreading 'anonynous acts of kindness' to others. by taking a positive step to help someone else and accompanying the gesture with a 'smilecard,'you become a part of the phenomenon of increasing generosity in our world. to learn more about helping others, simply go to http://www.helpothers.org/.

"An Open Tank on El Camino!"

2007-11-25T23:23:00.000-08:00

I stopped at shell on el camino ready to fill up my empty tank with 87 unleaded. as i swiftly unscrewed the lid of my gas tank and firmly affixed the gas pump to my car, i watched the rapidly increasing numbers on the pump compute my gas price and my gasoline consumption in dollars and gallons, respectively, as I responsibly nourished my car. :) with my errand complete, i quickly exited the station and caught a glimpse of yet another fellow el camino driver's open tank of gas, the black plastic cap with its cord dangling pitifully against the side of the car, with the car's gaping hole exposing its gasoline to the world! hoping to resolve the situation, i felt compelled to signal through "friendly" honking to the poor yet, now alarmed driver what was happening. through my frantic gesticulating, i pointed to the rear of his car. fortunately, the long-haired stranger rolled down his window as i rolled down mine, i yelled out in words what i had displayed through my facial and hand expressions, and his bewildered expression instantly dissolved. with a quick "thanks," we were on our separate paths again on a sunday in downtown PA. :)

-this mini-story captures a funny moment i experienced today which reminded me of the small ways you can help others, even strangers. to learn more about helping others, simply go to www.helpothers.org.

"A Sparkling Young Mother"

2007-10-26T00:50:00.000-07:00

just last night, i attended my weekly charity focus wednesday and had the opportunity to be humbled as the "gandhi of sri lanka," dr. ariyaratne, graciously honored us with his presence, wisdom, and inspirational anecdotes. although (due to my ignorance), it was initially less than fortunate to not have the slightest idea that the group gathered in nipun's living room had come together to individually "donate" kind acts of service to the sri lankan leader and his cause to eradicate poverty in his homeland, an idea arose...i slowly slipped off the curvy silver bracelet from my wrist, handed it to dr. ariyaratne's nepali assistant, shishir, enclosed a small note, tucked a smile card within, and whispered to him that i wished to add a little sparkle to the life of a young village girl in Sri Lanka. he gladly agreed to bring it to a young teenage mother in sri lanka. now, as this small token travels thousands of miles and a couple of continents, i am thinking of the long-distance bond it is creating, extending from one sister in cupertino to another sister in sri lanka. i'm so glad i went and could enjoy the spontaneous opportunity to give! thanks! :)

-this anecdote describes my wednesday night meditation experience with a spiritually-inspiring service group of which i am a member. to learn more about spreading kindness and fostering stillness in your life, please visit http://www.charityfocus.org/

"A Kind Festival"

2007-09-16T22:41:00.000-07:00

Walking along the streets of Castro,
A day of art and wine,
A time to smile with anonymous souls,
And browse at the paintings from Italy,
And try on flowery hair accessories,
And admire the photography from East Asia to Napa Valley,

While listening to an African American baby girl of two,
Belt out some soulful blues,
I heard the news of a Filipina woman,
Fighting for the tribal rights of California Indians,
And signed her political petition,

Then the musical notes of a guitarist arose,
And he received a series of dollars in his instrumental suitcase,
And while on my solitary stroll through this multicultural street,
I gave a dollar wrapped with a 1x2 inch smile,
With the hope that it just might add,
A little more than monetary value,
To this old man's day in the South Bay.

-from my smile-card experience at the annual Art & Wine Festival on Saturday, September 8, 2007 in downtown Mountain View on Castro Street. For more information on spreading anonymous acts of kindness through the delivery of smile cards and generous acts, visit http://www.helpothers.org/.

So, Is it a Grind?

2007-09-02T20:46:00.000-07:00

It's a Grind is the name of the place,
and perhaps the name of your life sometimes,
but when you stop and take a chance,
and make someone else on the inside, dance,
it may be different and feel weird at first,
and it might sound a bit like work,
but all it took was a few dollars, an exchange of words,
and a little white tag,
to produce two coffee drinks,
which made a mother and son glad,
so, next time,
when you think your regular routine needs some spice,
maybe you could think about doing something nice?

-A tribute to smilecards-in the spirit of anonymous acts of kindness.
For more info., please check out http://www.helpothers.org/

"Ma"

2007-07-08T23:36:00.000-07:00

Embarking on a journey halfway across the globe
for the love of a grandson,
Carrying with you
a wisdom of maternal strength,

from the time when dowries and domestic work
was your ticket to life
but your love for something deeper
had sprouted a Samaj of sisters
who toiled in the streets
without the basic amenities of sanitation,
with what felt to them as they walked in the gulleys
clad in soiled colors of saris
barefoot and unknown
a life of a will suppressed,

that you led them to unlock

through the marches of sisters
along Boring Road
who wore the branded scars of their husbands
the female voices of Mahila Samaj
collectively echoed from the streets of Bihar

and when you were behind bars
for a worldwide mission
a Pachamba House tradition had begun

As I saw you unlock your suitcase of compassion in our home,
a collection of pink and cream colored saris and madhubala prints unraveled
as soothing herbal tea leaves, kajal containers, and dangly earrings sparkled,
inside there,
you carried within,

the key to empower your homeland sisters

in this land,

to sing.

-July 8, 2007

in honor of Urmila Prasad-My Grandma who was the President of Mahila Samaj a women's rights group based in Bihar which fought for the socio-political and economic liberation of women.

"My Co-Passengers"

2007-06-01T00:50:00.000-07:00

I drove along the 101,
listening to the somber solace of the repetitive chants,
from the monks of bhodgaya,
taking a piece of soulful wisdom along with me,

rolling on in my personal adventure
with the wheels of my silver civic,
I noticed the dark brown hides of the cows,
and maybe baby calves,
trucking alongside me,
caged in a moving wooden prison,
escorted by their driving warden,
seeing their black eyes, blank in oblivion,
not knowing where they came from,
unable to fear where they were going,
huddled together they stood in their docile state,
innocent and soft,
I was still, with them, for just a moment,
before we parted ways,

Me to the comfort of my destined home,
with my father awaiting my arrival
with a warm glass of his favorite chilean cabernet,
and my mother, with the enticing aroma of her spiced indian potatoes,
drawing closer to the warmth of a loving abode,
my fellow co-passengers trudged along,
aimeslessly,
to the trenches of their home,
of slaughter.

Flight 587

2007-05-17T00:58:00.000-07:00

And Another Today,
A Crash in New York City
Is this a life of normalcy?
Are we forced to become desensitized
So we can get on with our lives?
Or live each day with the guilt that
Only luck saved our lives,
And we are fortunate to not have to say,
"Mi hijo esta muerto," today.

-in memory of the victims of Flight 587 which left JFK Int'l Airport in New York City on November 12, 2001 en route to the Dominican Republic and crashed into an apartment building in Queens at around 9:15 am. Around 150 Dominicans were killed. A total of about 250 people were on board.

An American Tragedy

2007-05-17T00:44:00.000-07:00

And how can I explain
What I feel today
I grieve for you
Who burns the flame of life
the one reaching beneath the rubble
whose screams were never heard
the guy who went to work
the fireman who gave his fire
Father Judge who left a following behind
"Frasier" won't be the same without you
A tv anchor crying "what should the pilot do?"
A tragic phone call saying "honey, I love you."

Long Live Che

2007-05-17T00:42:00.000-07:00

On T-shirts and buttons
Across the U.S.A.
A man of ideals
Drowning in an ironic capitalistic sea,
A bleeding crucified body,
In La Paz Bolivia lies this man,
Where the U.S. was part of the plan
So, now who reaps the royalties
of this dead man?

Rajiv Uncle

2007-05-17T00:31:00.000-07:00

Is this the way life is today?
A slow degenerative consumption of the body?
A torture that wrenches the very heart of a family?
And if it is, then I don't understand life today.
Only 44 years and then he passed away,
He had so much more to say,
But it was already in the 4th stage,
How could it be this way?
He was the baby of a family,
that grew up where my mom used to play,
Always smiling and dancing freely,
A Director at Altera, his company,
A Father with a loving family,
A look like Kevin Costner
my brother and I used to say,
So happy, he was, I remember
that day,
Could you please tell me,
then, why he was taken away?

-in memory of Rajiv Kumar who died from lung cancer on November 24, 2001. He is survived by his wife and 2 children.

Aaliyah

2007-05-17T00:25:00.000-07:00

A time of tragedy
When a star of today
Shattered by tomorrow
No time to digest the sorrow
What will her parents do?
What will her boyfriend say?
When their baby doesn't come home today?
No camera, cut, or mic can take away
What happened the day before yesterday
No time to get her B.A.
To be more than a face in L.A.
But listen to the songs and
Ambition of what could have been
A girl who knew how to do a lot more than sing.

-August 27, 2001- in memory of Aaliyah

The Vanishing Race

2007-05-17T00:17:00.000-07:00

It does not matter if you let your hair down
Your chin held high without a smile,
Or tighten your hair into 2 long braids,
Or say that you didn't drink a drop of alcohol;
Or tell everyone your mom makes the best frye bread in town,
And that casinos and reservations were not always around,
And that the Alcatraz was not always a prison ground,
Or that parts of your ancestors are on display,
It does not matter what you say,
Even if dreamworks actually made nightmares
And the Road to El Dorado was
Actually The Road to El Infierno
And you can't remember the last time
Thanksgiving gave
Only when it took your lives,
Your land, your liberty,
With Treaties and lies,
Broken Promises,
Broken Bones,
It does not matter what you say,
Cuz' you're not relevant anyway.

An Ode to Mom

2007-05-15T00:49:00.000-07:00

I hope you are enjoying your special day
because even when I'm miles away
or even when I feel stuck at home
It does not matter where I roam
because a mother will always lie miles ahead
as inside her I was born and bred
and a mom's love will always stand apart
because I hold a special place
reserved for her in my heart.