Sparkling Joy

With Christmas and New Year around the corner most people are in a season of happiness and good cheer, like in other festive seasons. Who doesn’t need a break from the drudgery of daily life with an occasional uplifting experience or at least a perception of happiness? So I thought I will write something that will go with the positive mood in the misty air.

One of my friends recently sent me his latest article largely influenced by the Buddhist philosophy, his experience and wisdom. The underlying thought is that for lasting peace one needs to get into a state of still mind. This can be achieved by the practice of meditation and purposeful or passionate involvement in any activity that takes you into a ‘flow state’. This thought is very appealing, logical and probably experiential for many. In fact, most religions teach this principle in some way or other. The ultimate attainment of ‘salvation’ or ‘moksha’ is the absence of friction, conflict, duality etc., Such a blissful state of mind is like the quiet flow of a river or the still waters of a lotus pond.

We find fine and glittering sand particles on the sea shore and smooth and shiny pebbles on the riverside. Both are serene sights. The flows and ebbs of sea waves break rocks into fine sand and the continuous flow of river water makes rough stones into smooth pebbles. Possibly water is the smoothing agent. We also know that water doesn’t do this architect’s job intentionally, nor does the rock purposefully go for a swim in the river or the ocean. They happen to be there and the motion is influenced by other factors such as wind, gravity and air pressure etc.,

A recent video shared on Facebook showed a swift and amazing flow of broken stones and pebbles in a desert of the Middle East without a drop of water seen anywhere. So, to be in the flow, it is not necessary to be in the form of a liquid. A billion galaxies are moving in a near perfect flow state with occasional mis-alignments creating major and minor cosmic tremors.

Some years back during my first visit to the USA I had a small experience with ‘still water’ in a Dallas restaurant. While having dinner the waiter asked me if I would prefer ‘still water’ or ‘sparkling water’ to drink. That was the first time I was hearing the term ‘sparkling water’. I was more used to soda water, club soda, carbonated drinks etc., in India. So it did not instantly ring a bell in my mind that it is just another term for the humble soda water. Yet, the word sparkling ignited a spark and therefore, I opted for sparkling water without knowing what it was. Possibly my sub conscious mind would have processed the decision thinking that anything sparkling must be better than something still and dull. No doubt the dinner was a sparkling experience with lots of youngsters cheering their favorite players while watching an interesting baseball match on the large screens.

Fresh lime added with sparkling water and a few mint leaves provides a refreshing experience, just as the sparkling water when added to certain other liquids uplifts the spirits. Where does the water gain the sparkling quality from? Interestingly it is the air that is making the sparks. It is common belief that life forms evolved from water. Yet, we also know that life is just a matter of a breath (of fresh or polluted air). So we have breath taking ecstasies in life when we experience wonderful surprises and heart-stopping near death or real death when the wind refuses to travel back and forth the pipe!  

What is your preference? A still mind of ‘nothingness’ or a sparkling mind of ‘something-ness’? Either way you are blessed. Let life be a journey of alternating experiences between still joy and sparkling joy. Enjoy the season!

‘Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.’ – Abraham Lincoln