Many Lives Many Masters

– Another example of an overrated book!

This is a very popular book and has received applauses from all over the world. It was in the list of classic bestsellers for quite a while. Its reviews and description from cover page made me buy this book in first sight. However as I started reading, it made me wonder - seriously? How can so many people believe in anything they read, without giving a second thought? Here are my objections to this book.

1.    First of all, this book claims to be a TRUE story. It’s a story of a Psychiatrist, his patient Catherine (whose identity has not been revealed so far), her journey to past 86 lifetimes and the time in between those lifetimes. Yes you read it right, 86 lifetimes! And here I don’t even remember what I did on last 86^th day of my this lifetime!!!

Jokes apart, Catherin does remember most of her lifetimes from Cave era to the period of Second World War. However, there are no means to cross verify whatever she claimed for in each lifetime. The author (who is a scientist) could not get any proof of any of her lifetime. Agreed and accepted that nobody can go back and validate the things from Cave / BC eras, but how difficult it would be to check the Second World War period? Yet there is no mention of any kind of evidences. Sorry Dr. Weiss, I don’t think this is how a Scientist’s mind works!  

2.    Catherine also recalls what she did during the period of her death and rebirth. I have read many books so far related to near death experiences and this book has no different story. The same story of a soul floating above the body after death and getting attracted to a bright light. However, in addition, Catherine encounters Masters during this phase who guide her on how a human should live! Really? There are so many creatures on this planet and who knows how such planets are there in this and many more galaxies, and god would only care about a human?

3.    The third interesting thing that has been claimed here - a group of souls reincarnate together. That means some of the people around us in this lifetime were around us in last many lifetimes too. Well, I would love if this happens :P  Again, there is no evidence, no proof, and no other soul in Catherine’s this lifetime recollects what she remembers!        

If writer would have sold this book as a fiction, I would have loved it. The language used in book is very simple and some quotes are just awesome for people who are spiritual. Some of the concepts also relate to Hindu mythology which states a cycle of life – karma – death – spirit – rebirth – moksha. I would also love to get myself hypnotized and find out about my past life (if possible). However, even if I find out who I was during my past lifetime, I wouldn’t believe it unless I get any proofs. Because human mind is very strong and has a capability to build and destroy things, thoughts and situations too!   

So, my objection here is for selling this story as real, that too by a well-known celebrity scientist.

P.S. - I couldn’t read the complete book despite many attempts. I just couldn’t digest this much of nonsense!    

Travel Diaries 4 - Louisville, Kentucky

It’s been more than a month I am here and snow doesn't seem to leave Louisville. With the two snow storms during this period, I haven’t experienced a temperature more than 5 degree Celsius for around 35 days. I do like this kind of weather and I am in complete love with the snow fall. No matter how many times I see and feel it, every time it’s a treat for me.  But on a bad side, this is freezing cold and doesn’t allow me to step out of my hotel!

I think, this is a type of time I might not get back in India, all alone, all to myself which makes it introvert. Many people go on mountains or on remote beaches to meditate and dig at the inner self. But I can assure you, when you are forced to stay indoor with a freezing weather which doesn’t seem to rise to even a 0 degree Celsius, gives the same feeling excluding the fresh air part as all the air I am breathing so far is a warm one from heaters!

So here I am, meditating, reading some good books, trying my hand on paintings, watching some senseless movies, trying weird foods and being nostalgic. Yes, I miss my home and my people too (sometimes :P).

Queen in me...

It’s not much latest movie by now but it’s been the most talked movie for last 2-3 months. Queen is a mild and sweet film about 'Growing Up'. A story of an overprotected middle-class girl, who is stood up by her fiancee just two days before her wedding.  Instead of getting inside a cell of self-pity, she decides to go on her honeymoon alone and invents herself. The journey to Paris and Amsterdam turns into a journey of her self-realization. 

When I came out of the theater, I had a smile on my face and I could see the smiles on all other faces as well. It kept my mind hacked for next few days reminding me of my ‘Queen’ moments.

The moment when I started leaving away from home all by myself, when I did things such as trekking, river rafting, waterfall rappelling etc. for the first time, my first onsite at France, when I started meeting ‘wanna be grooms’ by myself, when I switched my first company, when I traveled to US alone changing 4 different flights and stayed there alone for 2 months, when I toured the unknown cities of US on my own without any company, when I had a drink with unknown Russian and African people! So many countless moments which didn’t actually changed my life. But they provided me a confidence that I can do whatever I want.

It’s not about the gender equality or women empowerment. But I feel, being able to take your own decisions or realizing that you can do a particular thing or even the confidence that you can do something all by yourself is what makes you happy. This kind of queen or king is present inside all of us. We may realize many things about ourselves at any point of time. It’s an ongoing process which gives us the ‘king’ or ‘queen’ moments.

A Different View

This is a summary of quite an old story, probably written during India-Pakistan partition time.

A woman named Malika goes to the hospital for treatment. While filling out the initial form, nurse asks her: "Who's your 'Malik'?" 

Malika gets angry and says, "I am not a cycle or clock to have a Malik!"

Annoyed Nurse asks: "What is the name of your husband?"

Malika answers: 'I don't have a job.'

This time surprised nurse asks for explanation and Malika says: "Every person has some job assigned to him/her. Like you are doing a job of nurse. This doctor has his profession in medical science. In the same way, when we get married, husband gets a job of being a husband and wife gets a job of being a wife! I don't have a job means I am not yet married."

Now the nurse gets confused. So Malika continues, "every job in the world has appraisals, promotions and increments. A Field Marshal becomes General someday, a General becomes Lieutenant General someday. But this does not happen in Marriages."

Again annoyed, nurse asks, "So what are you expecting? What's there in the marriage which would count for this appraisal or promotion? How are you going to justify this?"

Malika smiles and says: "Yes, there is a system. It's very simple and straight but very difficult to find out. Even I haven’t seen any such case. Promotion would refer for a husband from being a husband initially, growing into a lover. Being a lover and finally growing to a god for his wife!"

Pretty different thought, isn’t it? Linking a very complex relationship with such a simplified bond!

This is the magic of Amrita Pritam!