Heart'n'Soul
Thursday, August 28, 2008
A Matter of Faith
Today, I was driving back from work... late at night and there was hardly any other vehicle on the road. It was scary and yet I did not feel like going home. I just wanted to drive and go along with the road instead. There was nothing on my mind. I felt numb, lifeless and drained of all my emotions and energy. Nothing happened to make me feel this ways. Except for the fact that I had a long hard day, it was good. In fact a little better than the usual days at work. So i don't know why I felt this ways, but I did. I realised I need to visit that one place, the only place that invokes a sense of inner peace in me and so I did. And it worked too, it really did!
Its Bangla Sahib Gurudwara in Delhi. No no no, I am not a religious person at all. My concept of religion is very different and I shall leave that topic for some post some day. But I do owe it to my religious background and my family to have introduced me to this place. The vast expanse of sparkling white marble, the golden dome and detailed carvings, the small silent pond and the calm and quiet fishes in it... Siiiiiiggggghhhhh!!!! All kinds of people come here... all sects, all status, all religions.. just about everyone.
What struck me today especially was a lady rite in front of me who couldn't walk properly. She was very very old and couldn't bend her knees. So to do something as simple as sitting down - she had to first bend from her waist, place her hands on the floor, lie down on her stomach, turn to her side while bending her legs inwards from the waist and then sitting up. She still took the pain to come all the way, without any one's help and all alone at 11:30 PM in the night. There must be something about this place, or the religion, that her faith in it is so strong. I have seen too many people doing 'Seva' (service) there. The richest of women clad in the designer clothes and diamond jewellery swipe the floor while the men who drive Mercedes and BMW's serve by taking the visitor's shoes and keeping them in stands. I have seen people getting their new borns here directly from the hospital, even before he/she is taken home, when doctors strictly advice them to keep the infant away from public places. People standing in hot sun and serving water to other visitors, people cleaning the left overs and the "Langar" plates with their own hands and people drinking water from the pool meant for washing the visitor's feet.
What is it about this place or the religion that they need to do all this? I believe its their faith - blind or otherwise. It made me think how I have faith in nothing anymore. How my belief system is not that strong anymore. And that there is nothing and no one that I truly truly have faith in and believe in. Yes I do have faith in certain people and certain ideals, but I don't have COMPLETE FAITH even in myself anymore. Some faith and belief, here and there...but nothing more nothing less. I don't COMPLETELY believe in Love, Friendship, Life, Family, Religion, Hard Work....nothing at all. Everything seems to have exceptions attached to it! Maybe I am too skeptical, Maybe I have seen only exceptions, Maybe I myself am an exception. But whatever it is, there is really nothing that I have complete faith in - no person, no relation, no concept, no ideal - Nothing.
Its Bangla Sahib Gurudwara in Delhi. No no no, I am not a religious person at all. My concept of religion is very different and I shall leave that topic for some post some day. But I do owe it to my religious background and my family to have introduced me to this place. The vast expanse of sparkling white marble, the golden dome and detailed carvings, the small silent pond and the calm and quiet fishes in it... Siiiiiiggggghhhhh!!!! All kinds of people come here... all sects, all status, all religions.. just about everyone.
What struck me today especially was a lady rite in front of me who couldn't walk properly. She was very very old and couldn't bend her knees. So to do something as simple as sitting down - she had to first bend from her waist, place her hands on the floor, lie down on her stomach, turn to her side while bending her legs inwards from the waist and then sitting up. She still took the pain to come all the way, without any one's help and all alone at 11:30 PM in the night. There must be something about this place, or the religion, that her faith in it is so strong. I have seen too many people doing 'Seva' (service) there. The richest of women clad in the designer clothes and diamond jewellery swipe the floor while the men who drive Mercedes and BMW's serve by taking the visitor's shoes and keeping them in stands. I have seen people getting their new borns here directly from the hospital, even before he/she is taken home, when doctors strictly advice them to keep the infant away from public places. People standing in hot sun and serving water to other visitors, people cleaning the left overs and the "Langar" plates with their own hands and people drinking water from the pool meant for washing the visitor's feet.
I admit, I have never done anything there, I just visit once in a while. I don't have the reason I guess.
What is it about this place or the religion that they need to do all this? I believe its their faith - blind or otherwise. It made me think how I have faith in nothing anymore. How my belief system is not that strong anymore. And that there is nothing and no one that I truly truly have faith in and believe in. Yes I do have faith in certain people and certain ideals, but I don't have COMPLETE FAITH even in myself anymore. Some faith and belief, here and there...but nothing more nothing less. I don't COMPLETELY believe in Love, Friendship, Life, Family, Religion, Hard Work....nothing at all. Everything seems to have exceptions attached to it! Maybe I am too skeptical, Maybe I have seen only exceptions, Maybe I myself am an exception. But whatever it is, there is really nothing that I have complete faith in - no person, no relation, no concept, no ideal - Nothing.SO you tell me now....
What is it that you have COMPLETE faith in?
Why do you have so much faith in it?
Are there really no exceptions that have challenged your faith?
And if not have you never thought about these exceptions?
And if yes, how do you stick to your faith without faltering?
Lemme know - Lemme know what you think, and I will try picking up the answers that make me rethink about my belief system and put it up in my next post :)
46 Comments:
I have faith in u Div
u've been thr 4 me alwz
n i kno u'll alwz be!!!
Eh!! ya
I dunno rlly sim... ppl chng n so can I... all i cn say is thnks n i shll try :)
This comment has been removed by the author.
Im like u...I dun believe much in many things/people/religions/God anymore...guess its the experiences in my life that hv lead to this shattered faith kinda feeling...BUT...yes there is a BUT :)
I believe, I hv faith in, I trust, I follow...MY INSTINCTS. I guess thats the only thing I can hv total faith in.
wutever, wherever, whenever, my Instincts r there to guide me, teach me wuts the best thing to do, how to handle situations, how to find my way and how to just get on with it. And even if it took me to a wrong/sad place, I BELIEVE it's meant for me. Cos Instincts is the only natural map in life that I hv been gifted with, so I follow it RELIGIOUSLY. And I have total faith in that, cos it dun hv conditions that limit me. It only tells me of real things. To me, thats God.
Keshi.
Religion is a very touchy topic. There is a lot of variety as well as a lot of similarities between religions. There are some differences as well, but most superficial. Essentially, they all teach us to be good human beings. Whether or not we visit the place of worship is not of utmost importance. What is essential is to live life COMPLETELY. I do believe in a higher power. I have faith that whatever happens, happens for the best. That keeps me going.
What is it that you have COMPLETE faith in?
My inner-voice
Why do you have so much faith in it?
Because it is truth always.
Are there really no exceptions that have challenged your faith?
My mind.
And if not have you never thought about these exceptions?
I know it may be True or may be not but inner-voice is always true.
And if yes, how do you stick to your faith without faltering?
NO, I sometimes pass my inner-voice and I am wrong but yes I try to stick to it but the duration of inner-voice is too less. Just Listen or ignore, its upto person.
the light shines the brightest
that is what i believe in :)
**What is it that you have COMPLETE faith in?
**Why do you have so much faith in it?
I do think nothing would be better than the words by Keshi “I believe, I hv faith in, I trust, I follow...MY INSTINCTS. … And I have total faith in that, cos it dun hv conditions that limit me. It only tells me of real things.”
**Are there really no exceptions that have challenged your faith?
Dear, actually we need exception so that we can measure up the degree of our faith. Because faith is like radar that sees through the fog. Faith and doubt both are needed - not as antagonists, but working side by side to take us around the unknown curve.
**And if yes, how do you stick to your faith without faltering?
Faith makes things possible, not easy. Faith is that thing which helps you to sing when the dawn is still dark. I’d again quote Keshi, “instincts is the only natural map in life that we hv been gifted with, so we should follow it RELIGIOUSLY.”
You know -- people do keep faith every day, they just don't recognize it. It’s FAITH that helps you to think, your friends will read this post & comment you back – when you’re going to work, it’s the FAITH that helps you to think, “Today I’ll come back home again & have mummy-ki hath ka khaana.”
“And when you think of trust
Does it lead you home?
To a place that you only dream of
When you're all alone - keep the faith”
~ Michael Jackson (Keep The Faith
oh ya btw see this...wrote it some time back :)
http://visheshunni.wordpress.com/2008/08/13/god/
Faith is such a relevant topic...always subject to change - no matter where it lies in.
Be it in yourself, be it in your beloved, be it religion, be it pride.....time n again you will question it, n then try it to the extreme, where it will either survive you or give away.
What matters is holding onto it just a lil longer just when you think you cant no more. Nd its in those macro seconds of an extra effort for enduramce comes the moment of redemption.
This what has happened to me. And this is how I feel.
Have a nice day girl. Loved this post of yours.
:)
i sooo love going to gurdwara bangla sahib. its like d only place where i find true sense of calm n peace!
also if uve seen this movie called Khuda kay liye, d priest tells a guy who was questioning one's faith in god, dat wen u love a girl, u do not ask fo logic, reason etc, thn y do u need logic to love god?
makes a lotta sense to me! think about it :)
Hi Divkiran...
Hope you got some sleep last night... well, looks like we all need some answers...
But do keep that smile and hope on :)
Have a nice day... cheers mate...
first of all...even i agree that bangla sahib is a great place to find some inner peace...though i m not a sikh but i would love to go there agn and agn....
now coming bk to ur question....i have complete faith in myself...coz i knw i will never ditch my own self...n there has never been any exceptions or situations where i have let myself down....
cheers
parul
Yeah, Faith will always be dere.
And *exceptions* will also b dere.
So, if u jus leave the 'exceptions' behind... Faith wud b lot more simpler to bleve n understand.
And u said ki....u felt NUMB.
I guess, feeling NUMB duz not mean dat ur sad or not happy.
Its close to feeling BLANK. And its perfectly normal dat way.And even re-reading old sms-es or catching a drink or an ice-cream or jus walking on d grass can make u feel better.
I think the best way is to spend some ME-time ..with yourself.
And feel ur faith.. rise.. all ova again !
you know i have this faith.. i believe in love, in friendship, in myself.. one doesnt have to experience it in the present moment. It is enough just to know they exist as concepts.
And having doubts is a natural state of human mind. Without doubts there is no moving forward.
And like they say exceptions just prove the rule !!
At least have this faith in yourself, it will make life a lot less complicated
Hmm...Bangla Sahib..I like!
What is it that you have COMPLETE faith in?
My aspirations/dreams.
Why do you have so much faith in it?
Cos nothing else in this world guarantees me a place in the world I want for myself.
Are there really no exceptions that have challenged your faith?
My failures. But Ive been a rebel. But I do it in my own way.
And if not have you never thought about these exceptions?
Said it all...
Nice post anyways :)
Cheers!!
That lady's faith is so moving.The Gurudwara sounds like a lovely place.Glad it soothed you dear.
I have complete faith in myself.No matter how I am tossed about by the waves of life,it is that faith which always brings me back on track,sooner or later.There have been times when it wavered when I was disillusioned.But the flame never died,though it flickered.As to why I have this faith,it's because I know He will always guide me when I am lost.
Hope the day comes soon when that flame burns strong for you :)
Take care sweetie!Hugsssssssssssssss
***Everything seems to have exceptions attached to it!
It's the truth.
'N I think, I think the way you think.
I don't have COMPLETE faith in anything, but what's closest is fate. Well, I've only seen a bit of life and yet to see lot, so my belief may change and I am open to change :)
What is it that you have COMPLETE faith in?
ans:in my parents
Why do you have so much faith in it?
ans:they brought me in this world I am a part f 'em ...
Are there really no exceptions that have challenged your faith?
ans:No why there wud be any?? they never harmed me, they can't ever do that ..!
And if not have you never thought about these exceptions?
ans:these exceptions if present wud be nothng more than my own false assumptions....so I can't blame anyone other than myself!!
And if yes, how do you stick to your faith without faltering?
ans:the day it happens I vil let u knw :)
btw I have added ur blog
Divkiran,
I am not at all religious. First of all i am not comfortable with the idea of naming the supreme power with thousands of names and attributing thousands of characters..
how disgusting..!!i only believe in one super power who might be the creator of all these things which fascinates me,..living beings, nature, space blah blah..
and coming to your question..i am at the same position as you are..i mean, having lost my father and brother in the same year, i dont know what is faith. My mom is a firm believer, but i think her so called GOD's were sleeping then..As per my belief, good deeds never pays you bad.. But then, i am confused..my brother, a teenager, was worth more than that end... So what is it that i should believe in? Still remains a question...
But yeah, i cant put a blame on anything..be it religion or any god or deeds...
One thing i realized is that think and live like there is no tomorrow...Love everyone in a way as if you never may be able to make them realise how much you love them later... Enjoy every happiness and share them as if there is no more chances for you..Cut the irritating thoughts and dejection's as if you don't have time to waste for all these.. live a life in the way you feel so that the very next moment if death is in front of you, you dont need to panic...
i think its what i believe...i dont know how to sum these things..but yeah, its a life..just have faith in it..!! Never expect anything from your faith..I bet, you are only gonna reap happiness from your faith..!!Faith in life..
i think i wrote some abrupt words..mmmm...
having faith in oneself is the only remedy for saving all other faiths..!!
I guess its experience that helps in keeping faith in certain things....
Faith is spiritualized imagination
To “keep” the faith, (and also to grow in it), one must use it. Faith is not meant to be passive; it strives on calamities, weaknesses, shortcomings and all things that we are afraid off and seam impossible.
Most destitute soul on the face of this earth is one that lost the hope, faith is framed by it.
Keep in mind that your instinct, intellect or wisdom will not suffice for faith. It is the faith, which ultimately triumphs.
It is like a ship, although safe in harbor that is not why it was made. Faith needs you to trust off, cut the ropes and push a way.
You must find things to believe in yourself, for a life without faith in something is too narrow a space to live.
For me faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens.
And so faith for me is closing my eyes and following the breath of my soul down to the bottom of life, where existence and nonexistence have merged into irrelevance. All that matters is the little part I play in the vast drama. To being able.. to listen to my conscience to what i really what...
The universe seems wondrous to me, with or without God. It has powerful and uncompromising ways. Patience Endurace and time sit like sages on the planets, strong and impersonal. Along with the faith in myself... above all things... the sense of purpose ... hope this helped...
We human beings are very questioning we want all reasons all proof for what we believe.
I truly believe that there is God I mean someone up there.
It might not be the way we assume but there is.
I was an atheist but then I thought if we don't really question friendship, love hatred then why do we question faith.
If love can make us so into it that we forget to do things then why can't love towards god make us so devoted to GOD.
I just want to say faith hasn't to hav reason but ur reason has to have faith.
Hmm nice post.
Cerebral refreshment :P
Naw, seriously its pretty moving.
Disable the comment verification please.
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@Keshi - i used to bel in them too, till thy proved me wrong... and yes i agree
totally to the fact that its all about ones experience
@Sol - i do bel in higher power on n off but if it really is thr, thn y so much
sufferin for so many ppl who don deserve it? m not questionin u or neone who believs
in god but just a question tht a whole lot of us have
@Hobo - inner voice again :)
but has it never failed u... i don mean the time u did not follow em ... but the
times whn u did n still went wrong!!!
@Vishal - hmmmm... din get tht exactly but m guessin u r talkin about god!
@Roy - u said:- "we need exception so that we can measure up the degree of our
faith."
So true, thts y no bel no faith nemore.... n thts the esceptions i was talkin
about... i stopped belivin cuz my faith failed me
@Cindy - glad u liked it
but how wud u define "just a little longer"... isnt it relative?
btw...loved the way u have put it down :)
@gunj - u in del? kool
maybe we can have a bloggers meet delhi chapter :)
ya hav seen the movie - but again, just like love needs to be reciprocated and
proven time n again or else a person gives up n moves on....isnt it same for the
faith in god or for tht matter nethn else!!!
Has it never been tht your prayers havent been answered?
@Arv - yeah I slept at 4 Am finally....lol
@Parul - welcome :) n thnks for droppin by
n its gr8 tht u have never let urself down.. but has it never been tht ur belief in
in sumthn has changed over time... like i used to bel that commitment is above love, though over the time i have realised tht its actually not.
@Deb - ME time...thts all i have these day... n once in a while its good but it sucks rite now...LOL
but true words ya... doin small little thngs i like, does make me feel better
@Lena - hmmmmm...nice thoughts!!! shall try to follow for sure :)
@Comfortably Numb - btw i love ur name :)
and so means u in del too!!!
glad u liked it... n hope ur aspirations n dreams do come true
@Sam - u change the pic...nice nice
whn u come to del i will take u thr if u hav enough time :)
***though it flickered
so it did, and u regained it back rite?... HOW?
@Aneesh - my friend... chalo atlst sum1 thnks like me...lol
and bout fate - don u think its more like an excuse for not tryin to find out whts and whys?? Urgggh...u all must hate me, M full of questions rite now
@Peter - you know i was waitin for sum1 to say tht thy have faith in thr parents... cuz we all do in our own ways and degrees... i trust em with thr intentions too... but i doubt i can completely believe em cuz sumtimes the generation gap makes it really hard for em to see my issues n concerns... but yes, if i have to pick the strongest of all faiths n bel, i wud pick my parents too.. :)
@Vinu - I dont know what to say... except tht i totally agree and kind of understand your pain
And wts with all mom's... GOD's thr fav wt come may
And yeah i have the same confusion too... u bel in sumthn/sum1 strongly tht u wud goto any length to defend it/thm and thn the same thing will let u down... so wt to do now?? ANd like u said, sometimes its no ones fault!!!
***Love everyone in a way as if you never may be able to make them realise how much you love them later...
I know what you mean, i wish people wud understand tht and value the ppl who love em and value the love this world around us has to offer.
thnks buddy, loved ur reply totally... n though i havnt met ya, just feel so connected!
@Rakesh - thnks for droppin by
hmmm, spiritualized imagination... love tht term
@Samby - ok i get it... i guess :)
but my question still remains that once u let the ship out of the harbour, in to the sea, with the faith tht it will complete its journey, though it may not be easy... but it will sail throuh...fitin off all storms... wt if it sinks
wt do u do thn... wudnt ur faith falter and wudnt u be afraid of sailin another ship ? how do u keep on belivin in sumthn despite the failure of the belief?
but i absolutely agree with the importance of having a the sense of purpose ... i guess thts exactly wt keeps me going at the end of the day :)
Thnks samby for sharing your thoughts here :-)
@Priya - but dont we question love? don we need proof for tht too? don we do away and drift apart from frnds who havnt proven to be good ones and/or have not put in enough effort in frndship... so the same ways, with so many innocent lives being taken evryday, shud my mind not question the belief tht someone up there dealin with this all is being unfair? or infact thrs no one up there?
don mind girl, no offence to anyone... just tryin to get some answers... u r entitled to ur belivs just like I am and so i appreciate you sharing this with me. Infact, I do bel in god... and so i am in a way questionin my faith too :)
@Mihir - thnks...and how do i disable this? tried sumthn but din seem to work!!!
I am so sorry I am in a hurry. But the post is my fav. (I mean anything on beliefs is good to read.)
btw I changed my url:
http://sachi-stayingalive.blogspot.com/
Hi,
Ok, your faith failed you, and that’s why u stopped believing, right?
Noooooo!! U didn’t stop believing!
Actually you hv developed a new BELIVE that your faith wont succeed you anymore.
If you stop believing, then why not stop believing this – faith won’t succeed you anymore – stop believing this too.
What’s a disbelief? A disbelief is BELIEF which isn’t come true yet.
Cheers!
The ship sinks when u die.... sumtimes after a bad experience u feel as tough the ship has sunk whereas it has not...look carefully..u'll find it battered all right..but still sailing..just change the direction.....or if u think ur course is right...recuperate and sail forward...
no wprries sachi..shall update
@Roy - yeah tht i agree with... i see the logic and i totally agree to the logic as well
... but basically the idea was tht drivin factor in ppls life tht makes thm do just bout the toughest task possible.
it was more on those lines
@Samby - thnks da... makes sense, but do u think evrythn or evry person is worth tryin hrd over n over again... or do u define boundaries and rules that some thngs u shud nvr give up on n thr r sumthngs tht r not wrth it!!!
if yes thn well how do ya do it?
he he he.... i am becomin a quiz master with so many questions...sowwwwwwy
Why do one feel the need to have complete faith?? y this craving...situations change,u change so can ur faith...bt wats imp is you can have faith !!!ne depend hw u judge faith...do u measure the essentials of bible by the length and the breadth of the paper its inscribed in?? or do u hv faith in wat it teaches... it can be anythin..u can have faith in a river..its present at every point at every time in its course.
How do i do it... that is the want of your own heart... u know na when u want sumthing that u are willing to risk another time for....
welll...nice post...but u know waht???perceptions differ and so why do u wanna have complete faith?? think its better to be optimistic n move on...please don regret..
u r being missed! I tagged u in my previous post..check it out :)
Keshi.
@Woolgathering - welcome n thnks for droppin by
so u mean its ok to have some faith in sum thing or sum1 even if its not complete? rite?
@Samby - and u win the quiz competition...all questions answered
AYE AYE SIR!!!
@Rajesh - m not regrettin nethin ya... just a question of sorts as in wt u do whn ur faith is broke...how do u revive it or do u let go>?
@Keshi - shall update today evenin...no weekedn this time, work work n some more work :(
Nice post! I am still coming to grips with the questions you've raised.
I have complete faith in myself.
Thats cos I cannot betray myself, so I keep the faith!
Exceptions are always there, and that is what makes the faith stronger; fighting these exceptions and rising above them. There are times my faith is challenged and thats what spurs me on?!?!!
Awww Bangla Sahib Ji...Me too share that with you...Not at all religious but when it comes to heaven on earth, I have my own believes!
I believe in existence of my ownself...A relation that I have with myself is something that I can never have with someone else...
I though have a complete faith in existence of God too...I feel He's there keeping a watch how I handle this thing called life...
For once, I fell in a relationship and that's when I realized I need to be with myself more than anyone else...And that's when I got a stronger faith in God...
Besides, every time when I emerge as a winner in the most unexpected situations, my faith strengthens...
my prayers have always been answered!! god might hav given a "no" fo an answer but he always had better things in store fo me!
n sure we shud plan a delhi bloggers meet :)
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