My Father KK

My Father KK

We will always remember him for his 3 Ss --
Straightforwardness, Simplicity and Soft spoken approach.

We all lose a few loved ones to death in our lifetime. I too have. The most painful of course was the death of my best and childhood friend Sachin – with whom I grew up – in the year 2006. But the most defining has to be the passing away of your parent, because of whom we inherit this world.

The past week has been flooded with memories of my father Mr KK Subramanian, who passed away on April 18. He was a soft spoken and hard working individual who passed on simple but very essential behavioural prescriptions to both his sons. “Never tell a lie,” he would say. So simple, yet in the context of today's world it seems like a re-discovered truth.

Having studied in the Tamil medium in school, I always found his English impeccable. He developed it over time and served as an inspiration to us brothers to pick up nuances of the English language. He had a wonderful music sense too and was very fond of carnatic music. I too love singing and have a talent to spot similarity of ragas when listening to different songs. Some effect of the genes I suppose.

When I reflect on my father's personality, one thing stands out – his simplicity and loyalty. He was not the one to invite any kind of complexity into his life – his sons are filling that gap of course. Like an individual bred on typical middle class values, he served one government organisation for 30 years and built his career accordingly. He wanted both his sons to emulate this approach, but we were made of different mettle and continue to experiment with our careers even twenty years after we started working. Like many fathers in our country, I am sure he was not amused with this `current generation` style of living.

One of the aspects I feel my father missed out on developing was his creative side. He used to make sketches occasionally and I found him to be very good at that. Maybe somewhere he was trapped into the focused way of living and not giving vent to his creative potential, which might have required sacrificing the beaten path a little.

While he went through the normal struggles and frustrations of life, he was blessed that he could travel the world. In his lifetime, he visited some amazing places like Rome, Geneva London, Hong Kong, and Osaka, besides having put in a professional stint in Africa. Having worked for Air India for three decades, he loved being air borne and taking us all too.

In the last few years, my father suffered a lot with his health and his last few months were immensely painful. In death, he found deliverance from both suffering and bondage. April 18 however would forever remain a solemn day in our life.

We will always remember my father for his 3 Ss -- Straightforwardness, Simplicity and Soft spoken approach. My brother and I are grateful for whatever he did for us. Though he may not have always agreed with our ways, till his last breath he stood by us.

Thank You Appa. May You Remain In Eternal Bliss. Will Miss You Always! 

The Politics Of Politics

The Politics Of Politics

The incessant debate on governance is a good sign for a country which is a role
model for democracy in the world. But for political parties, the intent
on development will face its biggest test at the hustings in 2014.

It's in the air, elections I mean. While India goes to the polls in 2014, Pakistan is bracing itself up for May 2013, when the country will undergo a test which will tell the world whether it is going march forward with its fractured democratic setup or return to dictatorial ways. These indeed are interesting times in the sub-continent.

The buildup to the 2014 elections in India is extremely significant, as the country has seen tumultuous times in this ongoing UPA term, which retained its bastion in 2009. In this term, corruption scandals have tumbled out of the cupboards with alarming regularity, inflation has shot through the roof, citizens have regularly taken to the streets to demonstrate against one or the other injustice, and the aam aadmi has been actively voicing his discomfort with things that obstruct his harmonious day-to-day living.

The Indian voter has always been unpredictable. He has this uncanny ability to upset political parties' and poll pundits' calculations. But I suspect that what differentiates the 2014 elections from the ones before is the build-up. The voter is now more aware and more informed due to social media and television. There is already a buzz for political personalities who should inherit the prime ministerial throne in Delhi. While India culturally has been personality-centric, where people believe one individual can ameliorate them from their sufferings, the Narendra Modi V/s Rahul Gandhi debate is acquiring more of a presidential form than that of stuff seen in a typical parliamentary democracy. Nitish Kumar too, on the back of his success in Bihar, is highlighting his credibility as a politician of substance.

A significant aspect of the 2014 elections is the Indian demography itself – the size of the country's youth population, with more than 65% of its populace being below the age of 35 (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_India).

It is also significant that the youth of our country have been far more vociferous on national issues than any other young generation in the past. They are likely to have a major impact on the 2014 election results. But in terms of the options in front of the populace, nothing really seems to have changed fundamentally. It is still Congress versus the BJP, with both parties unlikely to get an absolute mandate. The politics of politics in terms of forging coalitions based on convenience is likely to continue as a buildup to the 2014 elections.

In terms of political maturity of a nation, India is still looking for a credible opposition whose agenda is simply not to come to power, but to participate in the larger development of the nation. The word development has been the most frequently used in political circles of late. The incessant debate on governance is a good sign for a country which is a role model for democracy in the world. But for political parties, the intent on development will face its biggest test at the hustings in 2014.

As for the two principal parties, strategically, the challenges are huge. While the Congress has a humungous task to explain to the nation its misconducts on various fronts, the BJP seems to be ripped by internal schisms. The regional parties are all on their guard to lap up any opportunity to get closer to the power centre in Delhi.

All in all, the nation seems to be gearing up slowly but surely towards an IPL like contest at the hustings. The prospects of a single winner-takes-all appears bleak. The era of fragile but inevitable coalitions is likely to continue. The nation awaits, but not with bated breath, not yet!

Reiki – My Life, My Purpose

Reiki – My Life, My Purpose

It pains me a lot when I see people suffering from poor health and the financial burden it imposes. If everyone learns Reiki, they can at least take some control of their health and life. The system is easy, effortless and non-invasive, and more importantly, takes just a day to learn. 

Two spiritual incidents changed my life forever – the day I met my Guruji in Pune in 1989 and the day I learnt Reiki in 1993. Take these two days out of my life, and I wonder where I would have been and what I would have been doing. It is said that when the student is ready, the teacher comes. But I can say from personal experience that whether the student is ready or not is not decided by the student, that is known only to the Guru.

It is said that we are the masters of our own destiny. But when I look back at my life, I can only say that I have been plain lucky. I neither planned to have a Guru nor to learn Reiki. In fact, when I got to know about Reiki from my master, that was the first time I had even heard about it. Without my Guru's blessings/diksha and Reiki, I don't even know what I would have done with my life. Maybe, my karmic equations were stacked in my favour, and therefore I received so much spiritual abundance in my life. My head bows in gratitude in front of the divine for bestowing its blessings on me.

My life is divided into two parts – the years before 1989 and the years after, with 1993, the year I learnt Reiki, being another landmark one. Pre-1989, I led a life of lack – in health, in mind and in heart. But once I started meditating and practicing Reiki, my life underwent an unimaginable change. Now, I cannot imagine life without doing my regular meditation and practice and teaching of Reiki. The journey over the past 24 years has been incredible. I have changed from the core. I have developed myself way beyond my own imagination. I couldn't have planned the transformation, and it just seems like a continuous process of evolution.

I have come to realise two things in life: one, a life without a spiritual base is no life at all, and two, we are mere mediums in the hands of the divine, we are not the doers. I believe I am a medium to spread Reiki and help people take care of themselves, so that through the divine energy, they can not only be healthy, but also feel connected always to their real self.

Reiki, which means Universal Life Energy in Japanese, is probably one of the simplest meditation and healing techniques, which helps people feel energised physically, and relax mentally and emotionally within minutes. The great purpose of my life, besides the other things I dabble in, is to spread Reiki far, wide and deep. So far, I have just managed to scratch the tip of the iceberg. It pains me a lot when I see people suffering from poor health and the financial burden that imposes. If everyone learnt Reiki, they can at least take some control of their health and life. The system is easy, effortless and non-invasive, and more importantly, takes just a day to learn.

To know more about what is Reiki, you can watch my video on youtube (link given above).

Also, if you want to learn Reiki, mail to lifetransformation69@gmail.com.

May the divine energy provide you with health, healing, happiness and prosperity – ALWAYS.

Cricket And The Art Of Adaptability

Cricket And The Art Of Adaptability

When co-related with the game of life, people in our country, in the face of rapid technological innovations, are facing challenges of adaptability never experienced before. It is visible in all departments of life – in professional areas, in parenting, in relationships. 

Few days back I finished reading this masterpiece of a book `TheWinning Way` by Anita Bhogle and Harsha Bhogle. The book essentially draws management lessons from sport, with cricket of course forming a major part of it. The authors touch upon various aspects with great incisiveness as well as in an interesting manner. A must read!

We are a cricket crazy country, with the mood and performance of our cricket team determining the happiness quotient of the nation. Nothing perhaps best captures the intrinsic nature of our countrymen better than the behaviours that get reflected post a significant victory or defeat of our cricketers. The emotional volatility that the nation goes through in a matter of weeks, or sometimes even minutes, depending on the performances on the cricket field, presents an interesting facet about our people and life here. A much questioned cricketer can in a matter of just an innings or a bowling performance raise his value stakes to a level which is both illogical and irrational. The reverse also happens with equal speed, where yesterday's hero could find himself at the wrong end of a stick for one poor performance. Why this happens is a queer phenomenon and will reserve its analysis for another day.

But beyond the thrills of a victory or the morose feelings of a defeat lies one of cricket's greatest lessons on life and management – and that is adaptability. This presents a scientific side to both the sport as well as life. India, after having climbed to the No. 1 spot in test cricket came crashing down, losing back-to-back test series – whitewashed actually -- in both England and Australia, primarily because they could not adapt to the different conditions that prevail there in terms of pitch, nature of bounce, swing, etc. Sometime back when England toured India, they upfront got a taste of conditions here as they lost the first test quite badly, but bounced back to win the series because they remarkably adapted to conditions here. Australia, who are currently touring India, too are struggling to adapt to the conditions here.

While cricket as a sport offers many lessons, adaptability is at the heart of it. Players who built a reputation by performing in certain conditions tend to lose it all as soon as they are faced with challenges in an unfamiliar territory. The greatness of players like Tendulkar, or Dravid, or Ricky Ponting, or Jacque Kallis lies in their ability to adapt to different conditions by modifying their temperament, game and technique. This applies to great bowlers too like Glen McGrath, Dale Steyn, Anil Kumble, and Zaheer Khan, whose ability to bowl differently in different conditions to produce the desired results for their team brought them richly deserved laurels.

Adaptability requires two critical elements: an ability to rise above the mere fruits of talent and be ready to reinvent oneself from time to time. Never has reinvention been more critical than in the last few years with the burst of 20-20 cricket, as cricketers now have to constantly juggle between not just different conditions, but also different formats.

When co-related with the game of life, people in our country, in the face of rapid technological innovations, are facing challenges of adaptability never experienced before. It is visible in all departments of life – in professional areas, in parenting, in relationships. The world in the last twenty years has incredibly changed, and India, in the post-liberalisation period, looks and behaves as if it has had a DNA transplant. Both success and failure are shortlived. The threat of redundancy and challenges to existing skillsets are incredibly intimidating. A world, driven by information and knowledge, is challenging yesterday's paradigms and questioning established cultures like never before.

The living-on-the-edge syndrome now has a new partner in `walking on your toes`, for the moment you feel it's time to settle down, conditions change unrecognizably. The rewards of talent too are fast paced, making the reasons for today's success irrelevant in the march forward, thereby calling for immediate reinvention and re-adaptability. This can be seen in the surfeit of success stories that get created constantly through reality shows, only for many of the participants to disappear into oblivion.

But amidst the constantly changing context of life, one thing has not changed, and that is, success, still comes and stays with those who are in it for the long haul, and are not carried away by the glamour of instantaneous achievements. Just as in cricket, where the true worth of a cricketer is still measured by his performances in test matches, life will always shower the highest reward to those who are ready play the game of life like a test match, but imbue it with the spirit of the 50 and 20-20 formats.

So, always be in anything for the long term, for success may or may not be as grand as a multi-storey building, but it is for sure a multi-storey journey. Contexts may change, but this fundamental truth will never change.  

You Don't Need To Know Music To Appreciate Music

You Don't Need To Know Music To Appreciate Music

Hi Friends. This is the link to my article on music in eambalam website. Ambalam is a Chennai-based organization which promotes carnatic music and dance forms. I was invited as a guest writer to share my thoughts on music. Just cut-paste the link to your browser. Looking forward to your comments.

http://www.eambalam.org/samaagamaa/featuredarticles.php

I Am Experiencing Labour Pain

I Am Experiencing Labour Pain

While women experience physical labour pain at the time of delivering a baby, anybody with an intense desire to create something out of just but a wishful of ideas also experiences labour pain of a different kind, which lasts much longer and causes at times incomprehendible pangs.

 It was a bit of a bad day today. I behaved like a bad boy, picking up a fight with an associate and sending a sarcastic SMS to a friend. Generally felt low and spoilt my own mood. But as the day naturally started to fade, giving way to the night, I felt I was experiencing pangs of a journey which always promised excitement, but was never going to be easy.

These are what I call as labour pangs, born out of a desire to manifest an aspect of creation which is deeply entrenched in my mind, heart and consciousness. While women experience physical labour pain at the time of delivering a baby, anybody with an intense desire to create something out of just but a wishful of ideas also experiences labour pain of a different kind, which lasts much longer and causes at times incomprehendible pangs. This kind of labour pain is not reserved just for the one sex, it entraps anyone who is undertaking a conscious journey of giving expression to an imagery which is purely his or her own.
Over the last three-and-a-half years, I have been intensely engaged in recreating myself as well as trying to create an institution which will cater to the holistic learning needs of humanity. Accompanying this grand vision is a not-so-grand but critical endeavour of surviving mentally, physically, emotionally and financially till such time the grand idea finds a right context and time for delivery into a larger space in the world, and then keeps growing from thereon. I wonder whether the time has now come for me to give expression to my grand vision in a manner which goes beyond my own self and starts taking baby steps towards encompassing a larger mass of people into its fold.

The restless energies within are urging me to take the next big step towards growing my vision and adding fuel to the idea of establishing a legacy-creating institution. It has been a courageous journey so far, but perhaps the time has now come to move beyond courage and into a deeper and more substantial context, a context which, for someone brought up on strong middle class values, is as intimidating as a vast, stretched out desert.

Even as I exist in the world outside, the world within is perhaps making a clarion call to begin to move into the future in a more substantive way. The calling perhaps is to make the year 2013 count, and mark it out as a year which will lay the foundation for the construction of a grand life and an even grander institution.

The journey, in a way, has already taken a certain toll, yet it has just started to shake the foundation within me to erect a profoundly elevated life. My labour pain is very similar to the physical one, where the mother is relieved to have delivered the baby, but knows this is really only the beginning.

Quite simply, my journey has just started, and what lies ahead is very exciting, but the challenge has grown just a bit bigger. Time to move on with an even greater sense of purpose and vigour.  

 

Thirteen Books You Should Read In 2013

Thirteen Books You Should Read In 2013
Happy Reading And Happy New Year!

Books have been my constant companion for many years now. There are some outstanding books in my library which have left an indelible impression on my mind and heart. Just as physical exercise is essential for the body, reading as a habit is essential for the mind. As life is best led with a holistic attitude, here is a list of thirteen books from various genres that I recommend for this year:

1. Autobiography Of A Yogi – By Paramahamsa Yogananda
2. Living With The Himalayan Masters – By Swami Rama
3. The Story Of My Experiments With Truth – By MK Gandhi
4. How To Win Friends And Influence People – By Dale Carnegie
5. Think And Grow Rich – By Napoleon Hill
6. Secrets Of The Millionaire Mind – By T Harv Eker
7. Rich Dad, Poor Dad – By Robert Kiyosaki
8. Cashflow Quadrant – By Robert Kiyosaki
9. How I Raised Myself From Failure To Success In Selling – By Frank Bettger
10. What Got You Here Won't Get You There – By Marshall Goldsmith
11. Freedom At Midnight – By Dominique Lapierre And Larry Collins
12. The Present – By Spencer Johnson
13. The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People – By Stephen Covey

All the books have been selected from the perspective of developing oneself. They provide incredible perspectives and ideas. They are not just books, but treasure troves of knowledge, a heritage which will guide humanity towards fulfillment for generations to come. Hope you will lay your hands on them and soak in their essence.

Happy Reading And Happy New Year!

PS: And here's one more, from your's truly -- Honey, I Love Money, Success And You! -- By Hariharan Iyer And Samuel Talari.