FROM DILIP MUKERJEA

"Genius is in-born, may it never be still-born."

"Oysters, irritated by grains of sand, give birth to pearls. Brains, irritated by curiosity, give birth to ideas."

"Brainpower is the bridge to the future; it is what transports you from wishful thinking to willful doing."

"Unless you keep learning & growing, the status quo has no status."

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Braindancing Bytes: GOING WITH THE FLOW, by Dilip Mukerjea

In any situation, the brain, mind, and body opt to react in one of four ways; signals to the brain cause it to transmute the status quo.

We can Fight back against a perceived threat; Flee from the perception of a threat; Freeze into stillness, inert, inept, and trapped within inaction; or we can Flow with the circumstances, and co-exist harmoniously within the prevailing environment.

Imagine that you are on a beach, looking up at a friend perched high up in a hot air balloon. The wind is blowing briskly.

You have arranged with one another to light a few candles to illuminate the encroaching darkness. As previously agreed, you are to both strike a match at the same time. The matches are struck.

What do you imagine happens?

What really happens is that your match goes out almost immediately after striking up. The wind is too strong for a flame to be sustained. Meanwhile, a much stronger wind is blowing at the higher altitude, where your friend is sailing across the skies. You might expect that match to go out even faster; it is counter-intuitive to think otherwise.

Yet, amazingly, that match stays alight, and your friend is able to light up his candles.

Your friend is moving with the flow. This is because of the environment.

The wind is propelling him in his balloon, but not really as a separate entity. Wind and balloon have merged, united in a singular harmony of motion. The tiny flame is shielded by the wind from the wind.

David and Goliath have entered into a dance of the spirit. The environment has influenced the creation of harmony. Yet, where you stand, wind, the mighty Titan, has overwhelmed the puny flame. Harmony and hostility depend upon the environment that enfolds us.

Moving with the flow calls for cooperative coexistence, and inspires a state of productive tranquillity. Life is enhanced in such a state of composure. What dominates is not adversity, or danger, but opportunity and progress.

So what are you doing about keeping your flame alive?

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