Tag: psychology

Marathi poem with translation – मनाचा आरसा (Mind’s mirror)
Marathi · Poem · Poetry · Spiritual

Marathi poem with translation – मनाचा आरसा (Mind’s mirror)

radhikab

मनाचा आरसा

आपल्या सर्वांमधे असतो एक आरसा
हा कधी दिसत नाही
पण आपल्या असण्याची
जाणीव नेहमी करून देतो

ज्या भावना आपण स्वतःशी लपवतो
त्यांचं प्रतिबिंब हा दाखवतो
कधी स्वप्नांमधे,
कधी ह्या जीवनाच्या स्वप्नात

हा सगळं शोधून काढतो
आणि मग ह्या मोह-माये मधे
त्या भावनांना व्यक्त करतो
चांगल्या-वाईट परिस्थितीनमध्ये झोकतो

हे सगळं हा आपल्यासाठीच करतो
आपण आपल्या भावनांचे मान करावे
त्यांना शुद्रांसारखे दूर न ढकलता
त्यांच्यामधे पूर्णपणे एकरूप होऊन
त्यानां आपलाच भाग बनवावे
हीच या आरश्याची इच्छा

आरसा म्हणतो,
आरे माणसा, ज्या दिवशी
माझ्यामध्ये मला काहीच दिसणार नाही
त्या दिवशी मी फुटणार आणि
माझ्यासोबत तू ही मुक्त

राधिका

Here is a rough translation of the poem in English :
Inside all of us, there is a mirror – mind’s mirror
We cannot see it, but it makes it’s presence felt.
Whichever feelings we suppress,
This mirror shows us it’s reflection
Either in dreams or in this illusionary world that we live in.
The mirror pushes us into worldly situations
Where we are made to feel these suppressed emotions again
It does this so that we see this feeling, acknowledge it and make it a part of our own being instead of disowning it.
The mirror tells us ‘Human, the day I see no reflection in myself – I will get destroyed and along with me, you will be free from this cycle of Samsara (life, death and rebirth)’
Image credit : https://teejaw.com/self-reflection-can-be-good-for-you/
Hafez poem interpretation – The Warrior
feel good · Hafez · love · Poem · Poetry · Spiritual

Hafez poem interpretation – The Warrior

radhikab

Here is my interpretation of Hafez’s poem ‘The warrior’

The warriors tame

The beast in their past
So that the night’s hoofs
Can no longer break the jeweled vision
In the heart.

Hafez says that the warriors are the ones who introspect and heal all of the pains of their past. They do this healing so that they are no longer in the vibration of hurt. Once they have done this healing – no other pain from the world can break the beautiful love which lives in their heart. They know that all the important battles are fought inside oneself.

The intelligent and the brave
Open every closet in the future and evict
All the mind’s ghosts who have the bad habit
Of barfing everywhere.

He says the truly smart people are the ones who go into all their thoughts of the future and remove the expectations which live here. He calls these expectations as ghosts and say they basically ruin everything. The smart ones do not expect much from the future.

For a long time the Universe
Has been germinating in your spine

But only a Saint has the talent,
The courage to slay
The past-giant, the future-anxieties.

Hafez says that this strength has been building in the warrior’s spine – growing steadily. Spine because it is from the spine that the energy moves up the body. He says that only a Saint though has the guts to heal all of the past hurts and issues and calm all the future anxiety. He emphasizes that a true warrior is also a saint. He is like a Samurai who has his sword tucked away in it’s sheath – but he always has a hand on it and can wield it effortlessly when required.

The warrior
Wisely sits in a circle
With other men
Gathering the strength to unmask
Himself,

A warrior is one who knows himself truly, who can completely unmask his own ego – not just in solitude but also in front of a group of men. It is someone who can be himself completely in front of any audience or when alone.

Then
Sits, giving,
like a great illumined planet on
The
Earth.

This warrior-saint then becomes like a light giving planet who spreads the light wherever he goes and keeps enlightening this world. He becomes a channel for the Divine’s service with the only purpose of giving. This is similar to what Krishna advices Arjuna in the battlefield – do your duty but do not be attached to the results. Become a channel for God’s divine energy to flow through you – whether it be in the battlefield or elsewhere. Follow your dharma.

Translated by Daniel Ladinsky

Image credit : https://pixshark.com/spartan-warriors-in-battle.htm

Rumi poem interpretation – The Guest House
Poem · Poetry · Rumi · Spiritual

Rumi poem interpretation – The Guest House

radhikab

Here is my interpretation of Rumi’s poem ‘The Guest House’

This being human is a guest house.

Every morning a new arrival.

Rumi says that being a human being  and returning to this state of being in the body of a human is like coming to a guest house. We sleep every night and in the deep dreamless sleep state we get in touch with our true nature, i.e., we become pure consciousness. But in the morning – we wake up again and come back to this illusionary world.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,

some momentary awareness comes

as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!

In this illusionary state, we will go back to being who we were before we slept. We will experience various feeling that come to us. Some due to our own accord, some due to others. Rumi says enjoy all of these feelings. These are simply vibrations – feel them and entertain them as guests in your house.

Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows,

who violently sweep your house

empty of its furniture,

still, treat each guest honorably.

He may be clearing you out

for some new delight.

If these feelings are uncomfortable, away from your true nature of joy and peace – still honor them. They might feel overwhelming and shake you to your core. However, such feelings are necessary too. We need to experience the whole spectrum of life in order to live it fully. Creation gives it all to us. Once we have fully enjoyed and experienced a feeling, we are clearing space for a new feeling to take it’s place. A new experience, a new energy, a new vibration. We need to experience it all.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice,

meet them at the door laughing,

and invite them in.

Similarly for any other so called ‘bad thoughts/feelings/energy’ go through them. Feel them. Stay with them.

Be grateful for whoever comes,

because each has been sent

as a guide from beyond.

Gratitude is an alchemic quality. So use it. It will alchemize your being. Whatever you feel in this human form is a message that Universe, Creation is trying to send to you. Listen to it, understand it, interpret it. It is a guide for you to walk in this human path, so use it as it is meant to shape you and take you to your ultimate purpose.

Taken from The Essential Rumi

translated by Coleman Barks

Image credit : https://parade.com/7476/viannguyen/top-10-cities-with-the-greenest-homes/