Bourbon’s and me

As a kid I was as fascinated with chocolate, as much as 'Charlie' was with 'Willy Wonka’s' chocolate bar. The protagonist 'Charlie' in the movie 'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory' only dreamt about having a bar of chocolate and winning a chance to visit his chocolate factory. Albeit 'Charlie' never adopted any unethical practices, unlike other kids in the movie, to get a chance to visit Wonka’s factory.

I was around 14 years old, but my hunger for chocolates was never ending. It was Autumn and I was visiting my grandfather, who was being treated in a hospital in Delhi. Thankfully he was recuperating well. After I visited my grandfather, there was nothing much for me to do, in the hospital. While my father, spent a lot of time with his father; he asked me to wait in the open area outside the hospital ward.

It was my lucky day. Not only was I happy to visit my grandfather, I also had some pocket money to spend. Chocolates were on top of my wish list. I went to the small canteen, which was bang in the middle of the open area and picked up a pack of my favourite Bourbon biscuits.

I paid 10 Rupees to the shopkeeper and got 4 Rupees back as change. I went into a corner where all 2-wheelers were parked. I sat on a scooter (Bajaj Chetak) and opened up my prized possession. The pack too was very fancy, with images of sandwiched chocolate and sugar sprinkled biscuits adorning it beautifully. The packaging looked as luscious as the biscuits themselves.

I took the first biscuit in my hand as if it was my newfound treasure. I felt it's texture, looked at the sugar coating atop the biscuit, looked at the sandwiched chocolate cream and admired every piece and bite of it. Every biscuit got the same royal treatment. I parted some of the biscuits so I could lick into the sandwiched chocolate cream. I was totally engrossed in consuming my Bourbon's. It was indeed a delectable and a heavenly experience. The whistling trees, the cold breeze, the chirping birds and the blue sky all added to this savoury experience.

Swami Vivekananda once said, "Playing football will take you more closer to God, than reading any religious text". What he meant by this was, that while a player is on the field, his mind, body, heart and soul are all set upon the goal. Same adage also applies to a pack of Bourbon biscuits "Relishing Bourbon's with full conscious will bring you more closer to God than the chanting of any hymns or prayers".

#InLoveWithBourbon

Out of the box thinking is the mother of all innovation

Wright Brother’s idea of a manned flight was once an irrational and insane idea.

However, the same idea today has made the world a small place to live in.

Lessons of life

Lessons of life are like a shot of vodka - small, hard and intoxicating.
Show some grace and take them with a pinch of salt.

Discover yourself

It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles (Gautam Buddha). 

Mediation is a way to look deep within to find a balance and equilibrium in your life. It helps find perfect Harmony of mind, body and the soul.

Imagine a one-winged bird. How do you think it will fly? Obviously, it will fly in a circular pattern, deeply meddled in its viscous circle. A two-winged bird on the other hand will flap its wings and soar high into the sky. The wings of the bird represent the external material world and the inner self. Only when these two are in perfect balance, can we attain harmony and be at peace with ourselves and our external world.

Buddha sat under the Bodhi tree for 7 weeks. He meditated and reflected on his life's experience, thus unearthing the truth. From that moment on he was called the "Enlightened one".

We have talked about the “what” and “why” of mediation. Now let's talk about the “how” and “when” of mediation.

Breath is the foundation of all life and we will do a guided meditation on breath for about 5 minutes or so. Sit comfortably; gently close your eyes. Breathe in and exhale gently. Now focus on your breath (focus on each inhalation and exhalation). This will unplug your mind from the mundane and bring your attention to the foundation of life (breath). After this meditation on breath, you will feel that your mind, body and soul is relaxed and rejuvenated. You can do this for 5-10 minutes in the morning and repeat in the evening, to discover your true self.

Perception

Whatever we think of people and this world, is our own perception of them.
It is neither real nor surreal, it is just our creation. 

Nest

A nest is built with twigs, but everyone living in it has to put in their heart, to make it a beautiful home.

When life throws lemons at you ...

When life throws lemons at you, take it with a pinch of salt and a shot of Tequila! Elixir! 

If I had a chance to travel the world...

If I had a chance to travel the world, I would make the best of it. I would visit all the 7 wonders of the world, both the ancient wonders and the current ones. I would visit all the places that I have only heard of, or dreamt of, like Alaska, Antarctica, Siberia, Sahara desert to name a few.

I would specifically love visiting:
a. Norway, to see the Northern Lights
b. Antarctica, to see miles and miles of snow and the scientific observatory on the south pole
c. Siberia for it's -55 °C chilly winters
d. Hawaii for it's active volcanoes - (trust me there's nothing on earth, more beautiful than a volcano)

Finally I would end my globe trotting right in the lap of the Holy Ganges, taking a dip in it's divine waters to redeem myself of the sins committed during my international sojourn. Bon voyage.
(Micromasters Table Topics Marathon - If you had a chance to travel the world)

Attempt the Himalays

Speak not only of the brave hearts who successfully climbed the Himalayas,
speak also of the folks who attempted climbing it. 

Attachments and detachments

All through our life we keep on accumulating things, and then spend all our resources maintaining it, whether it be our feelings or material possessions.
Detachment is the key, difficult to practice but not impossible. Stay light stay Buddha.