point of life, home, the sea and the fish

it was really nice of a reader to offer a suggestion for a post.. (Thankee).. but it was sort of Huge.
the point of life?
oh my!

so if i think about life in 4 parts.. sort of as the traditional way goes

childhood


youth/studying


the domestic life


and the Spiritual :) ie. letting go of attachments

somehow i think the 4 actually go together.. there is always the active joyful child in us.. regardless of our years.. and in fact, as a wee baby we always want to be "old enough".. and as we shoot up in height and uh weight.. we want to retain the happiness that comes from the little things..
of course I've been studying uh till.. well, now.. and onwards.. and one doesn't stop learning, right?
the domestic is also a huge part of life as i see it.. regardless of who inhabits that domesticity.. parents, grandparents, in-laws, friends.. you name it.. there is normally someone there.. even if it is paid-part-time-help.. as with their presence comes interaction.

so all three require immense interaction with people, situations and frankly, our own limitations.
and this is where, throughout our life, Spirituality enters. my own weaknesses put me in touch with what hurts me.. or rather :).. what hurts me makes me realize where my weakness is.. and the desire to free myself from self inflicted hurt.. the desire to be free of conditional love for self and others.. the desire to protect myself from feeling undesirable.. the purely seemingly selfish desire to never let myself be hurt again.. THAT puts me in touch with the connection that Can source Unconditional love... and that Has worked for the enlightened ones.. that Is working for the enlightened ones.. and whether we connect to Their journey through satsang, books, youtube videos, the sacred texts, the vedas.. any religion.. it doesn't matter. what matters is finding that tool to help me feel peace as im a child, as i play the role of a student/wife/daughter/person/girl/whatever.. as i play all my roles at all ages.. and somehow, and this is the Miraculous part, from a place of "meme peace"... it becomes easier to share it and wish it for others.
sure, there are mistakes made along the way.. but they're bigger learnings right?
and when i was personally ridden with guilt at stumbling and screwing up even after knowing better.. i came across (amazingly) an article by Yogananda ji.. and it spoke about how when someone is Seeking to be better... there can still be pitfalls but to move on and not judge yourself so harshly.. what i take from it is that the journey for inner perfection isn't a one day trip so let not other people (or yourself esp) hold the hurt of screwing up.. move on, do better :)
and truly.. i feel we're all on our own paths.. and as long as we're trying to get somewhere better internally.. we'll find peace as we keep at it.. and when we're ready and willing.. we'll be led to someone who'll help us further.. share all the love it takes to keep us going.. that's about all i can say :)

and the sea is awesome. the sea salt is purifying and fish are great too :)
thanks deluded.. for the Inspiration to pen this down.. have a feeling it'll help me too one day :)
(3 sentences ending with a smiley..whoa!)
love

also, Importantly.. seriously recommend "Autobiography of a Yogi" Paramhansa Yogananda Ji
if you want to trust any word of this.. let it be this recommendation!
love

Leela o Leela...

Offering some thoughts on Ram Leela (the movie, not well... anything else)

So this is the first movie I've watched in a theatre since.. Vicky Donor (OMG.. google tells me that was mid 2012. OMG~!)

Somehow movies have just lost their charm.. esp Srk ones.. I don't know about everyone (clearly). but the Idea that srk is able to buy off cinema halls and fill em up with Only his shows puts me off actually Watching his movies.. I'm obviously in a minority acc to the success of his movies.. but i haven't honestly watched anything he has been in since... Kal Ho Na Ho? (2003. wow.) or maybe Chak De (2007)... yes. but i enjoyed the lack of focus on him.

Anyway, have recently (maybe with This movie) become a Huge admirer of Deepika Padukone.. the woman is simply Gorgeous! and i could Not stop gushing about her Throughout.. oozing talent, hard work, effortless grace and just Beauty.. even as a girl... i have never found another woman so beautiful.

and Ranveer, while not my cup of tea, i sort of liked for his confidence, acting ability and just this youthful energy bursting out of him.. it somehow seemed to come through that he was absolutely Loving every second of acting.. and that joy became infectious and almost palpable even through a projection of his image!

The movie seems to serve violence with art which when consumed still leaves me queasy..
the tendency to still use the woman's body as a site for violence disturbed me the most i think.. often leaving me holding my hands up to my mouth in horror at what might happen..
the idea that the sexually bold character (deepika's) was made to lose steam by conforming to the virgin ideal didn't really sit well with me either.. why couldn't she be sustained as sexual as ranveer's character?

in parts it Was like a salman khan rowdy, crude, sexual movie titillating the masses with foreplay.. but the fabulous acting saved it.. as well as D's beauty. Bhansali was clearly aiming to please the public and rake in the moolah

i would say it was well made.. but i would also not be watching it again.
(spoiler ahead)
we knew where this ride was heading the moment he climbed up the tree and hopped onto her balcony..
but i'd still hoped for a happier ending and a less pointless death..

an eye for an eye truly makes the whole world blind
i just wish we'd stop calling women bhabhi* and then attempting gang rape.. even in movies.


*literally meaning sister-in-law, but also suggesting respect for the wife of a beloved friend