Could You Please Guide Me?

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A long road…Empty!
As I walk through the road
Strange fears confuse me
I stare into wilderness
Straining my eyes,
Full of expectations….
I trudge on.
Is this journey endless?
Is there no destination?

I took this path
I knew it was thorny
I stumbled, I moved on…
Enduring all the pricks, the pain
Undeterred, hoping….
We’ll surely meet…One day….
You will recognize my face
You will acknowledge my contribution
You will welcome me to my destination.

I reached…I waited…
When will I enter?
I wondered…
‘Keep the baggage out!’
I looked around
‘But I don’t have any!’
Confounded, I looked around
The door didn’t open.
I waited………
When will I enter?
‘Have patience’,
A fleeting thought…

So I stood at His door.
I looked around
Why am I alone?
I couldn’t find anyone familiar
A sea of faces,
A whirlpool…kept pulling me
‘Calm down’
I told myself.
Could you please guide me?
I asked a stranger
A smile, a pat…
The only reassurance!
© Balroop Singh
All rights reserved.

One of my earliest poems, this is an excerpt from my book Sublime Shadows of Life by Balroop Singh. Please click on the link to read more such poems.

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Emotional Constraints Of Circles…How To Break Free?

circles-of-life

Playing in circles have been the games of children, the most memorable one – ‘I wrote a letter to my father, on the way I dropped it…’ Circles never release us even when we grow out of those childhood games.

Emotions define us and make us human but they weaken us, as they possess the power to drag us down and go round and round in circles.

Life itself is an uncanny circle, William Shakespeare described it so well in his poem “The Seven Ages Of Man.” Can you escape it? Can you separate the emotional aspects of spheres that keep entangling you?

Natural gifts of the sun and the moon accentuate the role of circles in our lives. Whosoever thought that a marriage can be solemnized by going around in circles around the holy fire (fire-deity) must have got inspired from these truths of nature.

They overlooked the fact that moon doesn’t appear to be in its form all the time and the sun is too hot, symbolic of the heat generated by a marriage. They also ignored that when a sun is enclosed by clouds, it becomes powerless.

When you go round and round in circles, you don’t reach anywhere. It can be very agonizing and frustrating. Nothing seems to work according to your wishes and plans.

Whether it is a marriage or a stressful relationship, a job that you can’t afford to quit or family affairs that make you go round and round, offering no viable solution, life can become a struggle.

“Round and round in circles we go, clutching at successes we never grasp, endlessly tripping over the same old failures. Truly, life is the misery we endure between disappointments.” – Joe Abercrombie

All you need is change but it could seem impossible, scary and grim. My friend Lisa Thomson often speaks about it and how liberating change can be. But there are caveats attached to life-changing decisions and they are not easy. Emotional restrictions raise their heads most fiercely.

The struggle continues and sucks life out of you every single day.

When stepping out of the circles is not possible, liberation from asphyxiating circumstances can be done in our own way by the following steps, one at a time. Remember – ‘a single step can make the longest journey.’

Acceptance: If you don’t want to change, you need to accept the fact. It would bring some mental peace and calmness in the charged atmosphere. Certain things never change. Some people refuse to accept their role in creating unpleasantness. Learn to find your strength and confidence by leaving them with their perceptions. You can never change them.

Set your standards: Live according to your own desires and principles. Don’t sacrifice yourself and your own happiness for others, whosoever they may be. Never feel fettered to the ground situation. Think positive and follow the sunshine. Dark clouds have to disintegrate one day.circles-of-life

Live life in your own way: Don’t get intimidated or influenced by the emotions of others. Do what seems right and start taking your own decisions. Nurture self-love for healthy mental attitude. Compassion for our own self is equally important. Stop accepting excuses.

Lower your expectations: You may remain your former self and let your goodness permeate your surroundings. Be positive but don’t expect anything in return. Let that message pass around to all who try to annoy you with their petty acts.

Nurture hope. If you don’t have any hope from people around you, if they have disappointed you each time, have faith in yourself. You deserve better surroundings and better opportunities. Eventually you will find them. Karma steps in you reward you for your patience and benevolence.

Life may be circular but its circumference keeps getting wider for us to grow.

I am sure you can relate to these circles of life. Have you tried to step out? I would call that a very valiant attempt. Getting off the merry go round and boarding it again is indeed intrepid. Please share your thoughts about it.

Thank you for reading this. Please add your valuable reflections, they are much appreciated.

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Balroop Singh.

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Freedom At Last

freedom

Walking uphill,
In search of my true self
Guided by the will to self-reflect
At last!
 
I follow the steady stream
Of consciousness, asking all the time
Is it the right time?
Do I need this?
 
Lost in tentative thoughts,
I fail to notice my mates
Lugging along,
Eager to offer succor
 
I tell solitude:
‘I have had enough of you
You can stay away
Let me move ahead.’
 
Determined to abandon distress
I ignore its presence
In the valley, on the side
Disregarding its alacrity to pull backwards
 
Tears refused to subside
They overpowered my spirit
I sat down in the company
Of my oldest confidants
 
Detachment and defiance at last
From the shackles of subjugation…
I soar freely with my new friends
To explore the wide world
 
Hope offered its camaraderie
Positivity promised to permeate around
Acceptance assured affinity
Confidence closed in compliant collusion!
 
© Balroop Singh
All rights reserved.

You can click on Sublime Shadows of Life by Balroop Singh to read more such poems.

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Thank you for your support. Please add your valuable reflections, they are much appreciated.

How The Power Of Serenity Can Lead Us To The Path Of Spirituality

serenity

Have you ever experienced the power of serenity?

Hard to envisage in this competitive, fast paced, digital world, in which staying connected is as natural as breathing!

With smart phones in each hand and the urge to get ahead in life, serenity is just a word, which most people park in their backyards. It sits quietly within the trees even when the rustling is calmed by the fall. It waits patiently and is ready to embrace you whenever you feel the need.

A discerning eye can see it in the dewdrops, in the wildflowers, in each petal that can lend color to our eyes.

Look at the rainbow…a quintessence of serenity.

Look at the calm waters of lakes… they breathe immeasurable tranquility.

Look at the snow-covered mountains in winter…the serenity and contentment they communicate is transcendent.

Look at the dawn, breaking slowly at the horizon.

They calm our mind in an unimaginable manner.

The mind is always racing, planning to execute all our wishes quickly. Serenity is seldom its goal but a secret wish in turbulent times, when the storm becomes unbearable.

Prudent are those who take care of keeping their mind calm, who don’t take mental health for granted, who know that our mind can easily get perturbed and shouts often, for serenity.

Enlightened are those who nurture the patience to listen calmly. The pleasure is not just theirs but they breathe a sense of contentment, they pass on an aura of wisdom to all those around them. When they speak, each person listens and values each word!

“The more tranquil a man becomes, the greater is his success, his influence, his power for good. Calmness of mind is one of the beautiful jewels of wisdom.” – James Allen

Serenity has to be desired, nurtured and practiced and once we acquire that state, all anxieties and pressures melt away.

There has to be an intention to bring in calmness. While being busy is very important, at the same time we have to take out some time for imbibing calmness, which comes very slowly.

It is so difficult to remain calm in a charged atmosphere, I know that is what you are thinking right now and I agree with you. We can learn to calm our mind but before that we have to practice:

Calmness of heart: Calmness is actually the quality of the heart. It is the heart, which communicates with the ephemeral sphere, and the body absorbs it. Words are controlled by the mind but only if the heart is trained to confine them within.

Calmness of body: Calmness can be imbibed through meditation. Human body is under constant stress, which can be reduced if we learn to meditate, which focuses on positive energy, calming down of nerves and reduces high blood pressure.

Calmness of words: The choice of words can soothe many emotions. All anger melts down when it meets thoughtful words, used for diffusing a tense or electrifying situation.

Calmness of mind: A solitary hour with oneself, self-confabulation and meditation can take us into the realms of serenity. The mind stops racing when we take a nature walk or just look at the clouds that disintegrate at the horizon.

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A serene person is often mistaken to be a weak personality but nobody can fathom the depth of his thoughts, which bring those tranquil moments.

It is only the calm mind that can look forward to ethereal blessings, which eventually lead us to the path of spirituality.

Are they connected? Yes, serenity can lead us to spiritualism!

When we start discarding negative thoughts, when we begin to understand the feelings and emotions of people around us, when we adapt to changes without any grunts, when we adopt a positive approach to life, when serenity and self-healing becomes our goal – we may be gearing towards spiritualism.

The key lies in training your thoughts and emotions…say to yourself – calm down, calm down…a few times. This training is not easy but achievable.

Do you have a calm mind? How do you achieve that blessed state?

Thank you for reading this. Please add your valuable reflections, they are much appreciated.

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Serenity makes us sentient!

Balroop Singh.

 

Lessons Of Life

Lessons Of Life

Visual effects were almost complete
Eyes half closed, one hand invisible
A dried tear, a veiled vanity
A relationship gone awry
The picture was ready…
 
The painter – a half winged bird
Struggling to fly yet feigning finesse
Besieged by promises
Eternal wait…. edgy encounters
Enigmatic appearance after ages!
 
Misty mornings of camouflaged hopes
Eerie silence, long walks
Through the woods
What is this place? So familiar!
Nostalgia is painfully pleasant
 
Emotional fetters couldn’t affect
Art and inspiration
Forgotten façade couldn’t fade
Memories of hypocritical love
And gratitude for lessons of life.
© Balroop Singh
All rights reserved.

You can click on Sublime Shadows of Life by Balroop Singh to read more such poems.

If you have liked this poem, please share it at your favorite social networks.

Thank you for your support. Please add your valuable reflections, they are much appreciated.