Business to the Buddha

Tag: Fateh Chohan

  • How to fix your mindset?

    My colleagues Akshay Chalke and Gaurav Thosani are full pictionaries of movies. While our group has some discussion, they relate to some or the other sequence of a movie, say, the dialog and start laughing amongst themselves. At times, we’re clueless what transpired, other times few other friends also start laughing when present context and movie sequence is clear. Initially, I used to look at Akshay and Gaurav with confusion, what the heck? What’s the meaning, what’s so special in that? At times, when they used to inform about the movie sequence (mostly I’d not watched) I used to feel what’s funny in that? In some chats, when I’d watched the movie, I went back about quarter of a century (I’m very old!). These small incidents helped me learn how can you fix your mindset?

    My story

    It was 1997, I’d just started traveling, that too alone – a distance of 500km (overnight bus journey) for my engineering. Being the youngest in family, naturally, I had lived in lot of protection and guidance. On top of that I was emotional & quick to get nostalgic. Those days, about 25 years back, video coach buses were cheaper and used to provide entertainment by playing a movie till mid night.

    It’s a nuisance if you don’t like the movie and a headache if you want to sleep for next day’s college. On top of all this, my mindset and disappointment with my present situations, made me uncomfortable and disappointed by the world in general. Though, the movies used to be light comedy like- Ishq or Govinda- movies of 90s. Some movies used to be slapstick comedy – no sense, just laughter rides. But, my mental condition, disappointments and nostalgia made me hate these movies. I never liked some hit comedy movies of that time, such as Ishq, Dulhe Raja, Auntie No. 1, Bade Miyan chhote miyan etc. In fact some songs made it to the list for example song of movie Ishq Nind churayi Meri kisne o Sanam; although I always liked singer Udit Narayan over others of that time.

    You can read other blog on “Situation.” how this single word sentence changed my approach to life.

    Read more about teachings of my professors about satisfaction.

    Read another one on how our sanskara‘s create our reality and possible Karma

    Lessons

    I started giving some thoughts on the incidents when Akshay, Gaurav and colleagues laughed on that movies sequences etc. I realized, if one’s mind is disturbed anything around doesn’t feel good. In fact the association with situations and mindset can be as long as decades. The next thought was now when I know it is mind’s problem, how to fix your mindset?

    I’ve watched few of those movies in last few years. Now I wonder those were not as bad, in fact, few were hit of that period. Slowly I realized, these are small moments of fun and lightening the mood. At the end of the day, one must be happy that’s the bare minimum one can have in life.

    How to fix your mindset?

    The point is, how can one be beyond one’s mental state and situations and still be happy / balanced in tough times?

    1. one way is to be in the present moment (tough hum?)
    2. learn to differentiate between the situation you are facing currently with the general state of your mind that’s created by other situations in life. You must have heard of keep your work and personal life separate (Easier said than done right?)
    3. fake happiness (balance or equanimity) as in the movie Three idiots “All iz well”
    4. look at learning opportunity in this tough time. Focus on lesson than the pain (easier)
    5. meditate daily (the best)

    Fixing your mindset become easy if you start any of the above steps. In my opinion is a better method of fixing mindset. Otherwise we become headless chicken driven by the situations around us. Still, if you’re unable to make your mind, reach out to me, we can speak on this lesson. Lastly read this simple telephonic discussion that could give you an idea or this may give some drift.

  • My Favorite Fictional Character







    Have you ever thought about fiction and reality? Fiction is something untrue, made-up or imaginary. How can I say that the Buddha or Krishna or Jesus was someone who actually walked the face of earth. Is it a possibility that these were imagination of someone? This thought puts me to another thought, what if I myself am is some imagination and a reality is somewhere, something else.

    Have you ever had a dream, Neo, that you were so sure was real? What if you were unable to wake from that dream? How would you know the difference between the dream world and the real world? Morpheus The Matrix

    What makes something real? Is it because I think, see, feel (perhaps smell or hear) and my mind makes me feel that this is something real because I can sense it? Or something is real because it exist without someone’s ability to sense it or no. Take an example of light – we cannot see light beyond a certain frequency range. Does it make the light non-existent?

    These questions remind me of a very interesting movie – The Matrix.

    “…The Matrix is everywhere. It is all around us. Even now, in this very room. You can see it when you look out your window or when you turn on your television. You can feel it when you go to work… when you go to church… when you pay your taxes. It is the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth…”

    I have had a couple of Morpheus in my life to teach me. I have written about almost everyone on this blog. I would want to be Morpheus too, for someone or few in future. I love the character of Morpheus from The Matrix the most. Morpheus is a believer, he courageous. The best part is, the kind of confidence Morpheus has in Neo, it makes me feel that I want to be Neo too. Laurence Fishburne played the role so well that I keep on watching his teachings (dialogs) whenever I feel I should. There are a lot of learnings in those dialogs – “Do not think you are, KNOW you are.” I have written on the movie (red pill) earlier too. I was so fascinated with the movie that I used to tell people that I am fine being a spot-boy for the movie – alas I am in India :(. The movie is so philosophical and spiritual to me that I repeatedly watch it.

    Instead of me talking (writing), I would want to share some videos of the movie (Youtube), not sure about the copyright permissions there.

    I see many of my teachers in Morpheus – they are indeed my Favorite (they are real) human beings, this blog post is dedicated to all of them. This was the title of this weeks Friday Loose Bloggers Consortium. Con You can read other LBC bloggers thoughts here – Rummuser and Shackman.

  • Saint in Suit







    It was Feb or March of 2011. We were just completing our MBA and as would be the case with any other B-school companies were visiting campus for recruitment. A big company was scheduled to visit one day. One of my friends – Jaydutt – was among the most likely candidates to be selected. However, he did not even attend the presentation of the company. Everyone was curious, why?

    I – besides others – was shocked it! I went to his room and asked him, why did not you attend the presentation itself forget the recruitment process?

    He said – “I know the company well, and I have firsthand experienced working there. Pravin, as confident you were, other friends too were confident and I was under pressure to make a decision, it was a enormous confusion I was also not able to make a choice. So, yesterday night when I was about to go to bed, I asked myself this question – ‘if I join them, would I be happy getting up every day in the morning and going to office? Would I enjoy working there? I would invest at least 8 hours per day there, which is 33% of my daily life or close to 50% of my hours awake in a day, am I really keen to go there?’ My conscience told me NO! I decided to skip the company.”

    MeditationThis small conversation with Jaydutt made me think – those points were such that even after full 5 years I still remember the discussion. I recalled that small discussion with Jaydutt when I planned another of my journey from Business to the Buddha to Saint in Suit. I realized whenever I say Business to the Buddha, there seems to be a gap between Business and the Buddha. There seems to be a movement from one place to the other. It requires separate effort or action.

    When I met Fateh uncle recently, I realized that it is not going from one place to the other. It is “being” that. He is a successful businessman and a spiritual person. The title Saint in Suit actually came in my mind when we met once and he was wearing a suit! Now or in future we’ll have to be professionals with the spiritual connect. We need to be saints in the form of professionals. That awareness will either sprout or if does not, we need it to be developed. Though, unfortunately currently I don’t have time to commit to this and keep writing regularly there besides keeping my pace here too.

    Saint in Suit concept is spirituality and business are together. In this concept the plan is to write about how business works (or should work) on spiritual practices, how it can work on spiritual practices, sharing any model related spirituality and business, sharing or defining model related to spirituality and business in any business function e.g. Board level to line executive from marketing to HR to suppliers etc.

    I’m hoping to bring like minded people on this platform to start writing about being saint in suits. your contributions are welcome there create your login.

    Image source – http://www.bravefury.com/six-reasons-men-should-do-yoga/

  • Work is worship







    I was speaking with Fateh uncleji for more than 1/2 an hour. We were talking about many things from Indian politics to my work. When we were to conclude the talk after these long discussions, I told him I called you because I connect with you on spiritual level, I didn’t want to talk about Indian politics, corruption and my work.

    The voice from the other side said – “Work and spirituality live in the backyard of each other” The conviction in the voice was tremendous. I asked “seriously? Is that? It never happened to me.” (I was not sure if it had happened to me)

    When I blog on business to the Buddha – I see the relationship at a macro level. The daily struggles of activities does not make me realize if operationally it is happening.

    The conviction was tremendous. I was puzzled. It was already a long call so we concluded the call. But the resounding words were enough for me to lose my sleep. I felt is it really happening with people? I could not find the relationship at operational level. Am I missing something? Am I missing something in my daily execution? How do I achieve it? What do I do differently?

    As usual, I called Saxena Sir (Dr Anand Saxena, my Engineering college professor), in general and specially to discuss this one sentence – “Work and spirituality live in the backyard of each other”. I have always found that he adds a perspective on my questions; opinions that I never thought. He changes my paradigm of thinking, always.

    I called Saxena sir and told about my meeting with Fateh uncle and my telephonic conversation. When I said “Work and spirituality live in the backyard of each other”, and continued that it has never happened to me as such. He responded without a second’s delay – “Pravin, do you remember the logo of MITS?” [Madhav Institute of Technology and Science is my engineering college where I studied and Dr Saxena was HoD of my Department]

    MITSI responded – “yes of course.” I had the pictures in my mind, snakes and sun, water, it’s easy to remember pictures.

    He asked – “what is written on the logo?” I knew what is written on the logo. I got the drift, because until a second back I was thinking of the pictures on the logo but now I was thinking – “Work is worship.” I understand where he is going.

    It was a very small, straightforward and simple explanation. Saxena sir always surprises me. He makes things look easy, adds a perspective and takes me to a different plane.

    Perhaps, these discussions were very commonplace for you; however these two telephonic conversations made me unclutter myself a bit. There is still a lot of room to do that.

    Saxena sir and I concluded the call. And I questioned myself – am I making things complicated? Is it really too simple? Perhaps.

    That is where the real Business to the Buddha lies. Is not it look so simple? The Buddha also suggested that what he achieved could have been achieved without taking Sanyas. Perhaps that is why he proposed The Middle Path. What is your take?

    Did it occur to you – “Work and spirituality living in the backyard of each other?”