KIVA TREAT AND KASHMIRA

I have been thinking over last one month, what is that ONE thing that I absolutely HAVE/WANT do as a treat to myself?

The first option was sponsor another child to go to school?
Second, learn guitar?
Third, travel to Mexico or Egypt or Congo?
Enter, professional swimming team??.
Buy a new pair of shoe !!
How about a book??
.
....
......

Except for option 1 and 2 everything seemed lame and a bit impractical at this point. I cannot enter a professional swimming team without more training. That will need more work.

Cannot go out of US for few months. No holidays.
Book and Shoes, ULTRA- lame to give myself a treat!! It's not special.

Another child, ummmm.. have been thinking about it, but this time I want to make a more significant effect in a child's life. Not just sponsor! Did not feel the pulse for it..

The only 'TREAT' that went through my filtering was 'Guitar'. Yupp, I am IN, and finally learning to play myself. I cannot wait for the day, when I can really pick up a song by myself!

It has been about two weeks that I am into my treat, when I finally ran into something which just felt/sounded 'PERFECT'

KIVA

A big thanks to Kashmira. She had put up her loan profile on Facebook, and it caught my attention. This morning was dedicated to them :) . I read through their program, opportunity and work flow. It's achievable, workable and impactable. I have always wanted to work/contribute to Africa. KIVA just gave me that opportunity.

A few disappointments though -

1. No loans on education
2. No local agents or chapter in INDIA !!!

It does not take a lot of time and effort. Just a little bit of organization and networking. I am going to write to Firoz, Kshitiz and Moon to give it a thought. For now my treat is well spent. You made my day Kashmira, 2nd entry to my Hall of Fame :)

Scientifically Enlightened !

A month back, I had a realization, that needed a dedicated space here. I haven't come across any references that suggests the same, but am sure I am not the first person realizing or proposing it! It just came to me all of a sudden, out of blue. Just like that ! **Switch On**

Two precise moments, where I had exactly the same experience, out of blue. Off course there are some additional moments on similar lines, but those were forced, prepared, or like I say - training for it, similar to training for marathon or triathlon!!

Anyway, so my recent encounter was a month back. It reminded me of Nov 2002. I cannot give a full description of both the moments, but to me they were close to bliss within my lifetime. Something intense, very over powering, stronger and beyond my limited self. An impression that can be only felt, but cannot be captured by our retina. It could be an impression or hallucination of the mind, but it' something very strong and intense. It cannot be understood by anyone, other than who has felt it. Scientifically, I will define it as -

A reaction initiated only under extreme conditions of intense gratitude and submission. Something that charges (electrifies) our brain to it's maximum capacity, making it 100% aware. It is under this condition that we have the most intense experiences which philosopher's define as bliss and science as cognitive knowledge. Just giving us insight to something big. This insight is not because we start seeing something new, but because our brain reaches the state of maximum excitation and energization. In the religious world it is called enlightenment. Professionals, popularly known as sages learn to reach this stage of maximum excitation and energization through meditation. Our normal untrained brain also has the potential to enter the same zone for very short and focused time periods under extreme gratitude, happiness and submission. It is a result of extremeness - extreme hopelessness or hopefulness; whenever we are along the edges and outside the mean. Letting the brain bloom. Letting go of your own control over the brain, coming to a full stop. Sorry, I went and became too technical on my experience. Anyway, this was a side track. All I wanted to say is, I felt the same. The presence of something bigger, intense and stronger, when I received the call that evening.

I can and will never forget these two turning moments and experiences of my life, one in 2002 and the other in 2010. Inspite of knowing the science behind it, the feeling is overwhelming. And I have lot of people to thank in this whole journey.

Now am I Enlightened? Scientific or Scientifically Enlightened ?
I am positive of being the *later* :)