Resource Person - Dr. Geeta Malhotra
Country Director
RURAL EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT(READ) INDIA
/ rural-education-and-development-read-india
/ readindia

What is life?
We have a body. We breathe. Our body parts function. If anything happens to us like any disease or fever, we go to the doctor and get it treated to keep our body intact.
We take care of our body because we are a living creature in this world and our birth and death are in God’s hands.

Now, God has also given us mind and soul around which the whole process of our mere existence revolves. This is life chakra. But are we conscious of this phenomenon?

There are many studies, write-ups and books available by various authors.
The main thing which I would like to share with you are our thoughts, our actions and in return the reactions.

We say that every thought is followed by action which create causes. When causes are created, we feel the effects. Causes are something that we do and effects are the responses from the universe. The whole process of life is cause and effect.

Are we doing every action or creating the causes with the wisdom (budhimata)?
Let us think on this. If we think first before taking any action and anticipate its reaction, then this world will exist at a different level.

Now, let us talk something practical. To whom we converse with or create causes or do our action. Sometimes, it’s one to one, sometimes it is one to many; many to many and if we realize at every step, we can very well introspect Where do We Stand?

We say that our luck is not supporting us. We put blame on our environment, society, our stars etc. They do matter to us but at the same time the Karmas we create is another bank balance to support us in these tough times when we are in the thought process of luck not supporting, society is not supporting etc.

Some practical tips:
Heart to heart conversations to understand, absorb, think, and act. It takes time to base our conversations on these steps. Normally our reactions are very fast, without listening properly, absorbing, and understanding, we react. If we understand this aspect of life, at least, “ME” as an individual can control what I am doing. This is the testing point for me specially when the nature has chosen me to work in the development sector.

During the passing time, the social contributions made by our elders for good of the society is vanishing day by day. Still it exists in rural areas when elders sit at the crossing morning and evening and share the value systems and have an eye on the village good.

If we talk about monetary contributions, still people devote so much for temples and social welfare. We in the READ World is also supporting the causes of uplifting the marginalized communities in more than 300 villages. If we contribute positively with positive attitude, understanding, absorbing, guiding, mentoring and enabling each individual to get back from the society or the invisible reality all positive reactions, which enables the individual to live a life of dignity, self-respect and with values, that is the real transformation we are talking about.

With changing time, the time with us is too short. We are in the race of winning, leaving behind many important aspects as we are impatient, adopting improper methods, resulting in inadequate means of living. Here I mean not luxury but inadequacy in our richness of life. Peace (Shanti) starts from within if we keep our balance no matter whatever the external environment is. Here the role of faith comes, the faith in the spiritual power, and faith in one’s own self. It is important to cultivate compassion (Karuna) in our thoughts – a strong wish for a desire to contribute to people’s happiness and to develop our own humanity.


Summarization of the discussions on the previous day: Seema and Jyotsna

What is life?
One to one action and reaction.
What is our focus?
Improve thoughts, actions
Heart to heart conversation, understand, absorb, reaction.