Nayana's Stories

  Many times when vendors or postmen ring a bell any time of the day and I wonder what makes them think I am going to be there to receive the parcel or sign the cheque? Especially in Indian practice, people drop in for such errands without even checking out whether the woman is at home or not. In our society, it is mostly the men who go to work and the women are at home. The percentage of working women has changed in the last few decades yet not significantly. So, I almost laugh at the person who comes home assuming that I am going to be home without really checking out on me. It’s a social and cultural mindset which we have that makes us assume that we knock at a women’s door anytime at of the day without really checking out whether she is free or not. The woman also has a lot of domestic work, child-rearing, cooking, cleaning, etc. while she is at home. Just because the man brings in the money it is assumed that he is busier and working more than his counterpart of hi...

  In all our lives we try to be at the top of the situation and not get consumed by it. If we are able to do that then we become masters of our own situations. The situation is challenging enough to absorb all the difficulties the self has to go through to be able to survive and sustain in a meaningful way. However, most of the time we discover that the self becomes so weak and so vulnerable that it gets consumed by all situations. Every individual has a different capacity and a different propensity to deal with situations. They become so small or large that they get consumed by the situation itself. If I were to reflect on my own orientation most of the time I do not allow the situation to overpower the self. But, in doing so I have to invest in my own self in terms of my thinking, my confidence, and the belief I have in myself in dealing with the situation.   Every individual is made different and responds differently to their context. At times I get irritated by the...

  This topic sounds very spiritual and philosophical. However, in day-to-day life, we encounter each moment different situations and outcomes which is the result of our karma. What is Karma? Karma is something that one has done in his lifetime as an act of goodness. We are answerable to ourselves through our own karmas. Karma also leads to an effect of consequences and events in life. Many times we tell ourselves or blame our own karmas for something good not happening. People also attribute causes to religions, rituals, and worshipping gods. These are the people who would go and worship the god every day so that they benefit from his karma. However, there are some people who are more focused on doings of the self and at each moment is in questioning and an inquiry mode whether he is doing something right or wrong. These people do not blame gods or temples if anything wrong happens. Some people also attribute the consequences to luck. Many times we end up saying bad luck or...