Free to Stretch
Justice Nutalapati Venkata Ramana is the new Chief Justice of India since 24 April 21.
Ramanavami in Corona Second Wave times, mostly ritualistic. After Kumbh Mela gatherings and their consequences, ‘public’ Ramanavami has to be limited. Formal. And electronic.
Mahavir Jayanti. Thirthankar Vardhaman Mahavir is in thoughts. Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, Bramacharya, Aparigraha – are in thoughts. Jiva and Ajiva. Being sensitive to them.
Article 142 “provide(s) a unique power to the Supreme Court, to do “complete justice” between the parties, i.e., where at times law or statute may not provide a remedy, the Court can extend itself to put a quietus to a dispute in a manner which would befit the facts of the case. Article 142(1) states that “The Supreme Court in the exercise of its jurisdiction may pass such decree or make such order as is necessary for doing complete justice in any cause or matter pending before it, and any decree so passed or order so made shall be enforceable throughout the territory of India in such manner as may be prescribed by or under any law made by Parliament and, until provision in that behalf is so made, in such manner as the President may by order prescribe”. We hope Supreme Court uses this ‘article’, when required, to care Indians at large.
If all work is work, why some works get more and some less? Are we into a ‘machine’ and we got stuck there? Can we get out? Can we go minimalistic?
Climate Change requires local action. We need to facilitate this. For example, no Sunderbans would mean no Kolkata. We need global movement with local actions.
Corona is now in its extra aggressive second wave in India. Now, we have double mutants, triple mutants. RTPCR Test may not detect them. More young ones may be infected. Vaccination is in progress. Slower than what we would like. Vaccination reduces the infection, and the impact of infection. People have now become eager to get vaccinated. Vaccines are in short supply. Government opend vaccination for all above 18 years. Decreed vaccine availability outside Government’s free regime. State Governments have announced free vaccines, except for service charges in private hospitals. More vaccines, including, one dose, and nasal, are on their way in. Night, weekend Curfews, micro-lock downs are back. Stricter ‘rules’ are in. Lockdowns are coming in.
Against this backdrop, more infections are leading to needing more hospitalization, oxygen beds, and oxygen; remidesivir and other medication. More deaths. We ran out of beds, oxygen and medicines. Test kits too. CT Scanning is overloaded. Infrastructure increases, plants, equipment, beds etc., has not increased significantly. Plans have been missing; Plans did not materialize; logistics are giving away; and panick management has collapsed. We know above 92/93% saturation, hospitalization is not required and recovery happens on its own, with some paracetamol, some anti-biotics, and home isolation. For others, we need medication mostly, some may need steroidsm and blood thinners. Plasma benefit is extremely meagre. 99% should avoid hospital beds etc., so that 1% get them. Here is the issue. Dashboards have to be real. Needy ones should get admission if there is a dashboard vacancy. Oxygen is required to bring the patients to 93/94% staturation, No need to go full blast. Testing again and again has no value. 2 weeks isolation/ quarantine is fine to get going.
Corona is making us to reflect on our livelihoods, lives and destinies. Our purposes. Kind of works we do. It is therefore important for organizations to do the same. Larger work needs to be realigned to larger purpose of this world, this Universe. Individuals then plug in, in their own ways. Let the individuals reflect, connect. Let them articulate with no risk. Oases of individual purposes may not work. Alignment with the larger purpose works. We need to stretch, flex. Individually and collectively, at various places.
Individually, we need to do stretching. Static stretching. 30-60 second stretches. Bending over, touching toes, lifting hands, lifting a leg, hip flex, back stretch with hands on hip, shoulder stretch, folding one leg, lifting the torso up, et al. Without pushing ourselves hard. We can also do dynamic stretching. We need to walk, jog, run, cycle too. At least one of them.
We need to mental stretching too. Quality sleep, with consistent wake-up time. Set routine. Calmed mind through yoga, reflection, meditation, prayer, satsang, breathing exercises, tight fist exercises. Subtler simple language. Compassion practice. Body movements. Being in nature. Reduced and select tele/e-content, diet. Portfolio of activities with joy. Investment in Relationships. Being grateful. Showing humility from deep within.
Brain is ever-active and the boss of our mind and body. It needs of plenty of blood. Exercise gives this. Its active use needs micro-breaks, may be smaller than five minutes. Several times a day. It needs proteins, vitamins B and D. Sleep helps it. Novelty helps it to learn. Social connections make it healthier. It prefers interaction with diverse team members. It prefers focus. It needs optimism, positivity, seeing big picture and possibilities. It needs time in nature – water, trees, hills and valleys. At least 120 minutes a week. Then, we do not wear it our before its time.
We need to explore ourselves. Lessons from our own individual evolution, growth. Our impulses. The times and events that moulded us. Pool up candid feedback. Clarify our values. Our capabilities and frailties. Our opportunities, supports, friends, mentors. These slowly take us to our purpose and servant ‘leadership’ cornerstone. Our leadership style(s), gaps and opportunities. Therefore, leadership plans. Co-team(s). Initiate action to realize the Leadership plan. Towards True North. As an authentic leader.
Transiting to second but passionately preferred career early, or retiring early is an option we can exercise. If we did not get into a lifeworkership already. We can do this as early as 40, and as late as 65 years. Early may mean, the next ‘life’ lasts as long as the early life. So big a window to pursue what we want. This is guaranteed if our ‘spend budget’ is basic minimum and small during this period, if we have a portfolio of investments (mutual funds, shares, investing company, real estate, gold, start-ups et al), if we have some ‘passive’ income, and if we have insurance covers. If we maintain good health. If we eat healthy. If we detox our bodies. If we meditate. Then, go the transition way, with full vigour, and joy. Some 1,00,000 hours and more. With no pressure. No slavery. Bonus results for life, keep trickling, streaming, flowing, flooding. Towards ‘liberation’.
Let us not be disturbed by getting misunderstood and/or rejected. Most new ideas have to go through these. Let us evolve naturally, the way nature evolves. Genes from ‘parents’ and from ‘environment’. We see this in bacteria. In grasses. May be in all life. Jiva and ajiva. This means genetic engineering is going on naturally. Are we figuring out? We learn on our own, even if the parent/teacher does not tell us.
If we have curiosity and interest in the world; we love learning; we are open minded with critical thinking abilities; we show ‘common’ practical sense; we show a modicum of analytical, emotional and social intelligence;
If we remain accessible to others; we show courage; we persevere and are diligent; we have integrity; we are kind and generous; we invest in relationships; we love teamwork; we are fair, just; we are servant leaders; we exercise self-control, prudence, discretion; we are humble;
If we appreciate beauty and excellence; we are grateful; we have hope, faith; we have a sense of purpose; we forgive; we cry, smile and laugh; we are passionate.
Let us appreciate having a few great friends. Need not be more. Definitely not the toxic ones. Let us cherish the freedom and make choices about the life’s purposes. Let us get enlightened to grow and be better. Relationships happen around this in due course. Let us not hurry. Let us give. Give without expectation, whatsoever. Let us be grateful to the givers. Let us appreciate them, going out of our way. Even going back in time. Let us practice and talk only what we practice. Let us be proactive, thinking, reflecting, planning and working to realize the plans, again and again, even if it meant dealing with more rejections.
Can we transit to freer window? Can we evolve and learn in the ways of the nature? Can we invest in lasting relationships, around our life’s purposes? Can we be proactive, even if we get rejected? Can we stretch more?
Yes, we can. If we start stretching in N, physically, emotionally, mentally. If we seek freedom and choose N, deep inside, all over. If coexist with jiva and ajiva, embedded in N. Stretch to keep flowing. For 7L.
Join us in the world of yoga of free proactive equitable useful joyous coexistence – jivaajivayoga for 7L.
G Muralidhar