Lessons from the Banyan tree

The other day, I was standing at my backyard. The main occupant of our backyard is a Banyan tree, quite old. Not counting the rings, I guess it existed even before the construction took place around it. If you have ever noticed a banyan tree, it is intriguing. A fully grown tree as this is, is immense in size. Its foliage dense and the canopy extends all around like a wide green umbrella. The most distinct feature would be the striggly staggly prop roots which grow downwards like stilts towards the soil, supporting the tremendous growth of the trunk and branches. This particular tree is as much a part of our lives as the other things scattered around. Perhaps, that is why my attention was never drawn pointedly towards it. But this day was different. I was in a melancholic mood. Downcast for no particular reason and was just churning over thoughts senselessly in my mind. My mind was drawn to an allegory on the tree that ‘nothing grows under the Banyan Tree’ . Now, nothing seemed further from the truth. For I could see that the Banyan tree was the epicenter of life around it. Somehow I sat their and started thinking - What lessons can I draw from the Banyan tree. A tree that starts out as a mere seedling and grows into this giant must represent something wondrous which we can draw upon. When I really thought about it a lot of parallels came to my mind.

A Banyan tree like other trees too starts out from a seed…little by little it grows…and one day stands before all as a giant. Can’t we all grow similarly…little by little…growing tiny ‘roots’ here and there. Trusting time to make us grow. Our ‘little roots’ could be the love and support of the relationships we nurture over time.
he tree’s branches continually shoot out new roots into the ground, seeking growth…shouldn’t we also try to grow like the ‘roots’, forever progressing. Rooted to a spot ( the idea of culture, family, morals) can’t we spread ourselves around.
Can we not endevour to grow like the banyan tree…giving sustenance to those below us. Helping them also to grow along, a symbiotic relationship of nurture and caring.
When the tree has grown to its full height, it is rooted in its own strength, giving shelter to other plants and creatures. If one notices, the growth under and around a Banyan tree is a micro world in itself. This metaphor could suggest the moral of humility as a virtue for us humans. More often than not as we grow in life we distance ourselves from those who are less fortunate than us…maybe those who need our very support at that time.

That is why in many cultures it is revered for this symbolism. The Banyan tree is a veritable symbol of calm and wisdom. It is also a tree under which the Buddha is said to have meditated.

In the end to quote:

To study a banyan tree
You not only must know
Its main stem in its own soil
But also trace the growth
Of its greatness in the further soil
For then you can know the true nature of its vitality

- Rabindranath Tagore

Perhaps if we follow the example of the Banyan tree, we will achieve an iota of what the tree finally represents - Longivity.

Walk your way around the Writer's Block

It is more common than I originally thought it would be. The malaise affects us all who pick up the pen or tap the keys to write something. I also thought that writer's block is just figment and nothing more. We write for pleasure and it's as natural as breathing for most of us. We don't suffer from breath block or fun block...so why should their be a 'writer's block'. The only thing I know I suffer from is verbal diarrhea. I know that I can wake up on a Sunday morning and start tapping on my keyboard just for the pleasure of writing. So I guess I thought myself totally immunized to the so-called block. I was a bit off the mark. Just a few days into my content writing freelance career, I was struck down by this malady. I could put something on the screen no doubt, but it was all incomprehensible. It didn't make sense at all to me. I loved writing. How could I not string together my thoughts into a sentence of words! A bit fazed, I started to a bit of research into the reasons and the cure for this which had laid low my pen-chant (pun intended) for writing.

I guess writer's block happens because we,

i) Run out of ideas...
ii) Don't feel inspired or motivated enough...in other words get a case of the writing blues.
iii) Just cannot string together our thoughts and ideas into words.

Their is surely no magic pill. But their are lots of tiny things we all can do. Of course what works for me when caught in a rut might not be what works for you. A cup of tea sometimes for me...in someone else's case it could be a bout of boxing! But the important thing is we all can find out an activity or a combination of activities that take us out of the rut.
For me at least, I found out this prescription,

1. I take long walks just to unclog my brain. Sometimes just observing other people around us makes me think of something new to write about or allows the old ideas to reshape.

2. Every morning for this blog I think aloud, what is one topic which if I write about would advance me somewhere. It could be an article on learning something new, some new inspiration or something just to increase my fun quotient.

3. I try to read a lot. When I can't write for my life, I just pick up a book or go on the net to read something. I always have found that some quality input often acts as a catalyst for some output.

4. I maintain an ideas book. Its like a scrap book, filled with top of the head ideas to write about.

5. I try to just think about the title of a particular piece and carry on from their.

6. Sometimes on a piece of paper, I scribble everything that is going through my mind...its like doodling with words, half of it is pretty non-sensical but it works to clear up the clogged channels of the mind.

7. Just write 5 lines. I take it by the numbers. 5 lines or sentences don't take much out us. As in all things, the first steps are the hardest, then its all Newton’s law of momentum.

8. Sometimes just chilling out is the best solution. As they say, take a break.

These are not complete solutions by themselves but they do help me to break the idling of my brain and give it a jumpstart. Do comment on ways you use to break free from your version of 'writer's block'.

The Power of the 101 List

I don't exactly recollect where I first heard about this. But to me it sounded quite interesting. Think about this...

If you knew that whatever you could wish for would come true in your lifetime what wishes would you make? Their must be an entire treasure trove of wishes you would like to go for. Call this is a Mega List for you life. God has given all of us our own personal calendars. With our years, days and hours page marked. Instead of making minute lists of mundane activities why not create a super dream list. As we go about our lives I have realized that micromanaging each day sometimes makes me lose out on 'LIFE'...with a capital 'L'. Instead of micromanaging I have put the milestones I want to achieve in the form of the Super List of 101. The 101 things I want to do before I die. Theirs a quite finality about that title. My own personal list is populated with 'dreams' from the trivial to the arcane. Things like just learning technical writing to the adventurous sport of bungee jumping. I want to travel to Antarctica at least once. Want to learn the harmonica. Want to just play cricket again. Or just buy a good book a month. Oh yes! Writing a blog is certainly there too.
I haven't reached the figure of 101 yet, its just 50 at the last count...but I know that even if I achieve 25-30 of those wonder goals I would have made it for myself on the journey of life. I carry the list around with me in my wallet. Sometimes, I take it out and wonder about all the dreams I have put down on paper. It does give me a slight booster charge. I look forward to my time in dotage taking out this time worn list and striking out all that I have reached and hopefully surpassed. And I do hope I get to cross out my goal number 23: Bungee Jumping!