We create and destroy the world around us with our thoughts

As usual, I began my day reading the newspaper. Serif fonts communicating deaths, rapes, domestic violence, potholes and some more blahs to fill in the blanks. Not a very good way to start a day, I admit. Words poisoned. Words attacking. Words unrelenting.

How does consumption of all these stories affect us? Does it go deeper into our subconscious self? Does it create a new reality within and a new world around us? While these thoughts harass me, I arrive at real beauty – The Speaking Tree. Today, it spoke about ‘emptiness’; how, by being thoughtless you could realize more; by having a blank mind could in reality be more productive and fulfilling. Active thoughts, passive thoughts, no thoughts; wow! And then, sipping my morning chai, I arrive at a gem written by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. It said that our thoughts and feelings emit energy particles into the atmosphere around us. These energy particles remain behind as a residue even after we leave that place, and affect others who come within its vicinity. That answers a lot questions about why I feel my soul bursting at the seams with happy energy at some places and why I am completely sapped of my energy at others. We may call it vibes.

All these things happen involuntarily. We are affecting and being affected by our surroundings. We are simply victims of our surroundings with no strings attached. We take in loads of negative inputs from newspapers; fill our subconscious with strained energies taken from mind-bogglingly stupid and violent TV content (serials), and create a negative field of energy around us. We churn this energy through out the day and share it with others like a bumper offer. This vicious cycle is creating a massive ill-functioning society, which is quite evident all around us.

I have been told that certain breathing techniques break you from this vicious chain. It unlocks a space within yourself, which sets you on an auto-pilot mode, generating positive energy within and around you. Sounds good to me and I, for sure, am going to try it.

VIVA FIFA World Cup 2010

With my favourites for FIFA World Cup 2010, Argentina, out of the tournament, life has become pleasantly bearable. Watched 'Invictus' last evening, and all of a sudden the soccer arena on the South African terra firma became so much more meaningful. Perspective changed. A new paradigm appeared. Sports, though, is about defeating ones opponents it, unlike war, brings people close to each other.

I remember the other day, when Argentina lost to Germany, my buddy, clad in the Argentine jersey, had tears in his eyes. While, on the same evening, my Spanish-jersey-clad buddy was happy to blow the vuvuzela to the sleeping world. While others are awaiting tonight's Germany v/s Spain semi-final match.
A week ago, my charming Goan friends around the world were exposed to a horrific game of foot-and-ball by the Portuguese, though I personally feel they were severely impoverished of class and tactic to win any game in the tournament. That said, in the very next game the Brazilians left another pal limp with 6 vuvuzelas and 1 miniature Jabulani ball.

In a nutshell, thanks to FIFA World Cup 2010, the last 40 odd days have been fantastic. I, for one, am ok with any country winning the cup now. But, though more of a football fan than a cricket fan (I totally believe that cricket is a joke), I wouldn't want an Indian team to be qualified for world cup...ever. In such case the whole nation would blow conches or play dhols for India. That would be sad, as I would love the entire nation routing for teams of different nationalities. You see, in this diversity there is a sense of unity...a sense of celebration. And I wouldn't want to miss it for anything.