Entries from January 2007 ↓
January 9th, 2007 — People, Reflexion
Who is Ulrike Haage? A sound Artist, a German pianist and a composer. Over the net I had the chance of sampling her music which I found smooth and soothing to my ears and very relaxing. Selavy wrongly or rightly read :c’est la vie… Ulrike is spending some time in Mysore. Her first few days of Panchakarma must have been uneasy as she had to confine herself to her room.She is much better now as she now has her meals at the dinning hall.Her website www.u-version.com is worth a visit. Poetry in music or Poetry in motion music, would well be another title of her site. Her capacity to transport her audience to a well being dreamland in a repetitive music when one is recalled of the mantra of the main theme without being tired of it is what I enjoyed. Her composition from the piano and keyboard bring in new sounds which confirms her as a true sound artist made in Germany.
Her music reminds me of the emotions aroused in me when listening to M. Boulton, the BBC film music composer in his lesson on psycho-acoustics in his studio in Baath, way back in 1996.
Thank you Ulrike for stretching our potential of sounds to bring through your music therapy a haven of peace. Bravo to the avant-garde music that you are creating and Yes! the Afghans as well as Talibans have also right to peace. Music could be a means to bring them solace.
January 7th, 2007 — People
Chaque personne vit sa propre histoire.Les unes plus intéressantes que les autres, peut être. Les rencontres on en fait, mais là à Mysore, c’est inouï pour moi. Connaissez vous la fondatrice d’une chaîne de télévision Haute définition ? Une chaîne que pour la promotion de l’art ?
Et bien, j’ai eu la chance de partager un repas ayurvédique avec Elizabeth Markevitch, une grande dame battante, éprise par une passion que je souhaite plein de succés dans son entreprise émergente.
Je cite un extrait du Monde sur ikono.tv :
Ikono TV, nouvelle chaîne câblée allemande
consacrée aux arts plastiques
LE MONDE | 23.06.06 | 16h10 • Mis à jour le 23.06.06 | 16h10
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 la télévision, l’art passe mal. Comment expliquer un tel désamour ? Cette question est à l’origine du projet de chaîne Ikono TV, présenté à la Foire d’art de Bâle (Suisse, du 16 au 18 juin), et qui émettra à partir du 1er juillet via le satellite Astra. La chaîne, disponible également sur le câble allemand, ne montrera que de l’art, en continu et sans commentaire.
Paradoxalement, l’idée en est venue à sa fondatrice, Elizabeth Markévitch, en écoutant la radio. “Je me suis demandé pourquoi la musique était populaire. Autrefois, il était impossible de l’entendre autrement que physiquement, en réunissant un orchestre. Puis sont arrivés les moyens de radiodiffusion, et les plus grands concerts sont venus jusque chez les gens. La télévision peut jouer le même rôle pour les arts plastiques.”
Le principe est simple : des images en haute définition d’oeuvres d’art sur un écran, à la maison. Un système que Bill Gates, dit-on, a installé chez lui, mais qui serait, avec Ikono TV, à la disposition du public.
La chaîne va plus loin en demandant par exemple à des conservateurs de musée d’imaginer leur exposition idéale, qu’ils ne pourraient réaliser en vrai. Il est également possible de reconstituer une exposition qui a fait date ou encore de mettre à la disposition du public les collections, y compris celles conservées dans les réserves des grands musées : le MoMA ou le Guggenheim sont déjà partenaires.
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Le renversement de la direction qui pourrait intervenir pour le marche de l’art plastique me semble très intéressant. Jusqu’a l’heure, nous pourrions parler de ‘pull stratégie’ pour l’art, car le marche était réservé qu’aux initiés selects et exclusifs qui étaient à la recherche de sensations dans la contemplation des œuvres. Avec la Télévision telle conçue par ikono.tv nous vivrons bientôt, ‘un push stratégie’ comme les chaînes de radiodiffusion avec un accès grand public jamais connu avant. Tant mieux pour l’art et tant mieux pour la masse de gens qui ont été privés à ce jour des sensations qui leur sont légitimes. Bravo Madame Elizabeth Markevitch !
January 6th, 2007 — Messe, Reflexion
En lisant la lecture du jour de ce matin, je ne puis m’empêcher de penser que l’histoire de Caïn et Abel se renouvelle encore chaque jour. Je suis particulièrement touché et concerné, ayant consacré et écrit un blog dans le passe sur le sujet inspiré par Oded Eldad. Nous vivons encore cette haine, jalousie et violence. Notre éducation ne nous soulage pas de syndrome ? Notre lutte est elle permanente ? Le Mauvais est toujours à l’œuvre.  Redoublons nous d’efforts et soyons vigilant.
Je vous livre le texte de l’épître de St Jean pour réflexion :
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1 Jn 3,11-21.
Voici ce que vous avez entendu annoncer depuis le commencement : il faut
nous aimer les uns les autres.
Ne soyons pas comme Caïn : il appartenait au Mauvais et il égorgea son
frère. Et pourquoi l’a-t-il égorgé ? Parce que ses oeuvres étaient
mauvaises : au contraire, celles de son frère étaient justes.
Ne soyez pas étonnés, frères, si le monde a de la haine contre vous.
Parce que nous aimons nos frères, nous savons que nous sommes passés de la
mort à la vie. Celui qui n’aime pas reste dans la mort.
Tout homme qui a de la haine contre son frère est un meurtrier, et vous
savez qu’un meurtrier n’a jamais la vie éternelle demeurant en lui.
Voici à quoi nous avons reconnu l’amour : lui, Jésus, a donné sa vie pour
nous. Nous aussi, nous devons donner notre vie pour nos frères.
Celui qui a de quoi vivre en ce monde, s’il voit son frère dans le besoin
sans se laisser attendrir, comment l’amour de Dieu pourrait-il demeurer en
lui ?
Mes enfants, nous devons aimer, non pas avec des paroles et des discours,
mais par des actes et en vérité.
En agissant ainsi, nous reconnaîtrons que nous appartenons à la vérité, et
devant Dieu nous aurons le coeur en paix ;
notre coeur aurait beau nous accuser, Dieu est plus grand que notre coeur,
et il connaît toutes choses.
Mes bien-aimés, si notre coeur ne nous accuse pas, nous nous tenons avec
assurance devant Dieu.
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Ma prière ce matin est une supplication au Seigneur pour plus amour dans nos cœurs, mon coeur.Que je regarde ceux qui m’ont fait du tort avec compassion et amour, en vers et contre tout parce qu’ils sont mes frères enfants de Dieu. C’est peut être l’acte de vérité que le Seigneur Dieu me demande.
Et quid des frères qui sont dans le besoin ?
January 5th, 2007 — Entrepreneurship
There was a time when more educated Indians were turning to migration as the way to ensure their future.This was the case of Siraj Dhanani. In the early 90’s after brilliant studies, he made his way to the United States to pursuit his career. Today, he is one of the many who returned to mother India. Happy to live now home and to do business tapping the opportunity to service the world from India. Having worked as a pharmacist and gathered knowledge about the industry, now, with the abundant number of highly qualified scholars (over 200) in the Bangalore region his multi million dollars company is exploiting the niche of providing consultancy and intelligence to the world’s Pharmaceutical companies. The Indian brains are cheaper and at least equivalent in competency to their fellow overseas counter part and with technology,they are able to operate as if they are only,a telephone away!
What is the competitive advantage of having an outsource in India ?
“We offer our high-quality services at a significant discount to other consultants. This cost-differential is achieved by basing our execution team in India, and taking advantage of India’s low-cost and high quality work force. This advantage also allows us to over-resource on projects, thereby exceeding quality standards while retaining the cost-advantage for our clients.”
Siraj, definitely a smart entrepreneur, came to IVAC for a short holiday during the new year’s break days to benefit from a body detox. A sound mind in a sound body!I was happy then to have met him and exchanged with him.
May I wish Siraj and PharmARC Analytic Solutions growth and success in the coming years.
January 4th, 2007 — books, Reflexion
I have for quite a number of years( may be 10 years) signed off my emails by the words BE HAPPY.You may be wondering whether you are yourself Happy? If you are, then good for you. If you were not then,How do you become Happy? Just BE HAPPY! I would like to share with you an article from the mystic Anthony de Mello which might enlighten you early in this year and get you to be on the road to your happiness as from now.
The Most Important Minutes In Your Lives
Anthony de Mello, SJ
What I’m about to say will sound a bit pompous, but it’s true. What is coming could be the most important minutes in your lives. If you could grasp this, you’d hit upon the secret of awakening. You would be happy forever. You would never be unhappy again. Nothing would have the power to hurt you again. I mean that, nothing. It’s like when you throw black paint in the air, the air remains uncontaminated. You never color the air black. No matter what happens to you, you remain uncontaminated. You remain at peace. There are human beings who have attained this, what I call being human. Not this nonsense of being a puppet, jerked about this way and that way, letting events or other people tell you how to feel. So you proceed to feel it and you call it being vulnerable. Ha! I call it being a puppet. So you want to be a puppet? Press a button and you’re down; do you like that? But if you refuse to identify with any of those labels, most of your worries cease.
Later we’ll talk about fear of disease and death, but ordinarily you’re worried about what’s going to happen to your career. A small-time businessman, fifty-five years old, is sipping beer at a bar somewhere and he’s saying, “Well, look at my classmates, they’ve really made it.” The idiot! What does he mean, “They made it”? They’ve got their names in the newspaper. Do you call that making it? One is president of the corporation; the other has become the Chief Justice; somebody else has become this or that. Monkeys, all of them.
Who determines what it means to be a success? This stupid society! The main preoccupation of society is to keep society sick! And the sooner you realize that, the better. Sick, every one of them. They are loony, they’re crazy. You became president of the lunatic asylum and you’re proud of it even though it means nothing. Being president of a corporation has nothing to do with being a success in life. Having a lot of money has nothing to do with being a success in life. You’re a success in life when you wake up! Then you don’t have to apologize to anyone, you don’t have to explain anything to anyone, you don’t give a damn what anybody thinks about you or what anybody says about you. You have no worries; you’re happy. That’s what I call being a success. Having a good job or being famous or having a great reputation has absolutely nothing to do with happiness or success. Nothing! It is totally irrelevant. All he’s really worried about is what his children will think about him, what the neighbors will think about him, what his wife will think about him. He should have become famous. Our society and culture drill that into our heads day and night. People who made it! Made what?! Made asses of themselves. Because they drained all their energy getting something that was worthless. They’re frightened and confused, they are puppets like the rest. Look at them strutting across the stage. Look how upset they get if they have a stain on their shirt. Do you call that a success? Look at how frightened they are at the prospect they might not be reelected. Do you call that a success? They are controlled, so manipulated. They are unhappy people, they are miserable people. They don’t enjoy life. They are constantly tense and anxious. Do you call that human? And do you know why that happens? Only one reason: They identified with some label. They identified the “I” with their money or their job or their profession. That was their error.
Did you hear about the lawyer who was presented with a plumber’s bill? He said to the plumber, “Hey, you’re charging me two hundred dollars an hour. I don’t make that kind of money as a lawyer.” The plumber said, “I didn’t make that kind of money when I was a lawyer either!” You could be a plumber or a lawyer or a business man or a priest, but that does not affect the essential “I.” It doesn’t affect you. If I change my profession tomorrow, it’s just like changing my clothes. I am untouched. Are you your clothes? Are you your name? Are you your profession? Stop identifying with them. They come and go.
When you really understand this, no criticism can affect you. No flattery or praise can affect you either. When someone says, “You’re a great guy,” what is he talking about? He’s talking about “me,” he’s not talking about “I.” “I” is neither great nor small. “I” is neither successful nor a failure. It is none of these labels. These things come and go. These things depend on the criteria society establishes. These things depend on your conditioning. These things depend on the mood of the person who happens to be talking to you right now. It has nothing to do with “I.” “I” is none of these labels. “Me” is generally selfish, foolish, childish — a great big ass. So when you say, “You’re an ass,” I’ve known it for years! The conditioned self — what did you expect? I’ve known it for years. Why do you identify with him? Silly! That isn’t “I,” that’s “me.”
Do you want to be happy? Uninterrupted happiness is uncaused. True happiness is uncaused. You cannot make me happy. You are not my happiness. You say to the awakened person, “Why are you happy?” and the awakened person replies, “Why not?”
Happiness is our natural state. Happiness is the natural state of little children, to whom the kingdom belongs until they have been polluted and contaminated by the stupidity of society and culture. To acquire happiness you don’t have to do anything, because happiness cannot be acquired. Does anybody know why? Because we have it already. How can you acquire what you already have? Then why don’t you experience it? Because you’ve got to drop something. You’ve got to drop illusions. You don’t have to add anything in order to be happy; you’ve got to drop something. Life is easy, life is delightful. It’s only hard on your illusions, your ambitions, your greed, your cravings. Do you know where these things come from? From having identified with all kinds of labels!
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January 3rd, 2007 — books, Reflexion
I was again blessed to receive the visit of Fr. Micheal who brought to me yesterday, communion, our Lord’s gift to mankind. Thereafter,we had an interesting talk when we shared our thoughts and life paths.Then he presented to me the book of Anthony de Mello S.J. : The Song of the Bird which was first published in 1982 in India. Looking at the condition of the book tendered to me I could imagine to the number of hands this copy has been through and imagine the benefits the contents would have been drawn by the readers.Do I become some what mystical if I dare say ” I could feel the vibrations oozing to and from this apparently inert lump of stacked paper and dried printed ink each time it was read?” Yes, to see beyond the physical present state!De Mello is in eternity now, in the timeless,he passed away in 1987 and yet he is still communicating to us through his gospel, his writings….
In first inside cover page reads:
I imagine that today is the last day of my life.I ask for writing materials and compose for my friends and loved ones a sort of testament,a gospel of my life. The points that follow are possible titles to the chapters of that Gospel:
These things I have loved in life… Things I tasted….and looked at…and smelt…and heard…and touched…
The experiences I have cherished…
These ideas have liberated me…
These beliefs that I have outgrown…
These convictions I have lived by…
These things I have lived for…
These insights I have arrived at in the course of my life: insights into God,Christ,the world,human nature,love, prayer,religion…
The risks I have taken…
These sufferings have seasoned me….
These lessons have taught me…
These influences(persons,events,occupations,books,…)have shaped my life….
These scripture passages have lit my path…
These things I regret about my life…
These are my life’s achievement….
These persons are enshrined in my heart…
These are my unfulfilled desires….
The song of the bird is a book of short and numerous stories to be read and reread, to be reflected on,and perhaps discussed in small group to share the insights with each other….
The author Anthony de Mello wishes to create a silence within the reader and to let the story reveal its inner depth and meaning. A meaning beyond words and reflections,gradually giving a feel for the mystical.
So well and poetically said by the author:’allow the fragrance or its melody to haunt you”.
“Why does the bird sing?” said the Master.
A bird does not sing because he has a statement. He sings because he has a song.
The word of the scholar are to be understood. The words of the master are not to be understood.They are to be listened to as one listens to the wind in the trees and the sound of the river and the song of the bird.They will awaken something within the heart that is beyond knowledge.
My very good friend Andre would have loved to read more of Anthony de Mello!
January 2nd, 2007 — Ayurveda, People
I can only have wonderful souvenirs of the interesting conversations at the lunch & diners with the Lee Family, who bid me farewell at lunch time today.They are on the way back to Singapore and will be catching a flight from Bangalore late in the night. Mrs Penny Lee decided to have their last diner Indian meal this time at yet another Ayurveda center, SOUKYA near Bangalore.I had earlier understood that Mr. Lee after these ten days of strict vegetarian regime he was looking forward to a good hearty non vegetarian meal once out of the center.In these circumstances, the stronger sex has always the last word!
The Lees are half retired. Mr. Lee was an accountant before, now converted to his wife passion and work: Pottery. They create artistic pottery and have every 2 years a sales exhibitions. The rest of the time they spend traveling overseas. Penny just loves India and visits very often.She is right now preparing another trip to trek in the Himalayas.Yes this kind of expedition requires prior training both in terms of physical fitness and mental strength.
Thank you Mr & Mrs Lee. You have lightened the burden of my confinement. Hope to see you some other time.
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January 1st, 2007 — Ayurveda, Reflexion
I had a very quiet night lat night. They proposed a Indian violin concert from 6 to 7 pm just before dinner.All residents went for their meal thereafter. They were allowed dessert in spite of the strict regime being imposed on those who are being treated under Panchakarma. Life carried on as usual in the stillness of the place.We could hear from afar the muffled sounds of celebrations and could see all so often a glow from the fire crackers.
This was my New Year’s eve in Mysore.
Happy New Year to all of you