Vivriti Blog

Four reasons to question marriage love ideals

Love idealsIntimate relationships and love ideals are a touchy topic anywhere, but the consequences of marriage, relationship breakups, and vengeance for rejection should make us willing to scrutinize our beliefs.  Ideals should not blind us to facts. In some countries, divorce is almost impossible due to the force of custom, but custom itself does not make any belief true.

Love ideals tend to hide when the ideals are merely self-serving and when they, in fact, don’t serve us

  • We forget concepts are mental and treat love ideals as facts.

Love ideals are conceptual and like the concept of a sweet cake, we never taste the conceptual cake and this metaphor holds true Continue reading Four reasons to question marriage love ideals

Why is wonder important for a beautiful life? 4 reasons

Wonder in a dictionary might say something like; the emotion aroused by something awe-inspiring, astounding, or surprising, but what does that mean for us?

 

1. There can be no surprise without discovery.

Discovery is like a free fall; a new understanding of something previously taken for granted; a surprise affection, something beautiful or new knowledge. With discovery we are thrust into the moment. The experience is vitalizing, it awakens our senses. Think of a child who first sees a butterfly, they chase it, its colors are so beautiful, it’s dance is so erratic. We can envision the child laughing and even shouting with delight. If the butterfly flies away the child might burst into tears. That’s a part of discovery too. It’s not just children that discover. Our wonder might come as a dance, a beautiful song, a sunrise or a new friend or lover that thrusts us into the moment.  Continue reading Why is wonder important for a beautiful life? 4 reasons

Do you want intimate relationship? Try the truth

intimate relationshipMany of us want deep intimate relationship with others. We long for shared connections and affections involving our whole body, senses and mind because intimacy is part of a good life. Why does such communion seem so elusive? The question invokes ideals built mostly on social influences and our past. To be unaware of how we conceive intimate relationship leads to treating our questionable beliefs as fact. Let’s look at some problems and then solutions. Continue reading Do you want intimate relationship? Try the truth

How Sex is Inflaming Indian Youth Suicide

Youth SuicideYouth suicide involves personal, medical, family and social matters. A complex subject and worse for a foreigner, but I’ll offer a different, perspective. I’ll focus solely on sex as one part of the issue. Let’s view the touchy subject of sex in perspective of some of the largest worldwide suicide rates among educated youth. Let’s be brave and have a rational discussion.

One night in 1985, my friend Mike Neff hit his girlfriend. I disapproved. My mistake was assuming there would be a tomorrow.

He chose a permanent solution to a temporary problem. He hung himself.

Continue reading How Sex is Inflaming Indian Youth Suicide

Kabir Project Discovery

kabir projectI had the fortune to discover the Kabir Project and meet Shabnam Virmani and Vipul Rikhi in Bangalore last weekend. Their wonderful work video records the oral tradition of Kabir that passes down the generations through song. They also give their videos with subtitles. Kabir fiercely defended life and love Continue reading Kabir Project Discovery

Facing Death (With Compassion)

Facing DeathThe phone rings, if it’s a friend or family calling, we answer casually. But a tone in the voice compels our attention to bad news. We get the message we are facing death and the shock of loss. We need to know how to face death with compassion because someone we know is gone forever. All their hopes and plans, at a full stop. When we hang up and our first response to the news subsides, our attention turns to those most affected, the lovers, family and other friends. Consider facing death with compassion so we can Continue reading Facing Death (With Compassion)

Find New Life

Find New LifeHow to find new life? You follow the impulses toward a better life, even when it’s hard. That is what I do, and it’s not easy but the alternative is a prison of routine and amusement seeking to avoid feeling dead. Remember the sprout struggles out of the seed. The chick struggles out of the shell, the bud struggles to open, the fledgling struggles on the edge of the nest, for the sky beckons. I’m sure it’s terrifying, those wings have never had the chance before. It’s not easy. Maybe you think you’re Continue reading Find New Life

Understanding Pain Nurturing Love

Understanding pain
When we mistake ideas for facts.

Understanding pain is vital if we wish to bring relief to useless suffering. To reduce useless pain is nurturing to love.  But what does that actually mean?

 

 

We should understand two sources of suffering. Continue reading Understanding Pain Nurturing Love