Inspired by Abhinav and Amit, I am learning Tableau. Here is my first Viz:
Celebration of our diversity! Better attitudes through knowledge! A community dedicated to self-help.
Upanishads say that he who says he knows, knows not and he who says he doesn't know knows something. The meaning is that the reality cannot be grasped by the senses and if somebody says that he doesn't know it, he at least has come to a state in which he has understood the limitations of the senses. This takes him on a journey of self discovery in which he goes to his core.
He negates all the manifested things through the process of 'neti neti' ( not this, not this) and ultimately reaches the pure consciousness which is the ever existing reality. Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi said that we should abide in that Self and that was jnana. In that state only the Self exists.
Isavasyopanishad says he who sees himself in others and others in him has no sorrow, worry or trouble. He sees only the Self. There is nothing other than the self.
I had a discussion with Dr. Sachin recently. I knew that he also read Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi a lot and slowly the discussion went into the Bhagavan and Indian philosophy. When it came to the point of abiding in the Self, he told initially he was not sure whether to abide in the stammering self or his non stammering self. Later on he realised that the Self was beyond all these.
When we came to the point of discussing the concept of 'he who says he knows, knows not', he told if a person says he is a stammerer he is wrong; if he says he is a non stammerer, again he is wrong. He is beyond all these.
Yes we are beyond all these concepts. The real recovery from stammering happens when we understand this reality. It doesn't happen through any technique. All the techniques like bouncing, prolongation etc should be discarded at one point; to borrow the words of the Maharshi once again, like the stick used for stirring the fire getting burnt in the end.
As Sri M, the great yogi of our time, says in his talks and in his writings, one of the sparks for anybody to go along the path of Self discovery is depression or sorrow. This is corroborated by the fact that the first chapter of Bhagavat Gita is known as Arjuna Vishada Yoga.
So let's consider the stammering as the necessary spark for us to go on the path of Self discovery and achieve the real recovery. In that state where only the Self exists, is there anything called stammering self or non stammering self?
Every year a few staff members of BSNL Shimla get appreciated for their work..I had not achieved this distinction in the first 14 years of my job.. Finally got it this year.. Happy to share :)
I overheard this interesting conversation between a Communication expert and a young B.Tech student, who I think, stammered but communicated quite well:
Student: What is it that happens to me sometime? and why?
Expert: You mean "stammering"? You see some genes cause speech center in our brain to develop in such a peculiar way that...
Student: You mean my father, who also talks like me- gave me his genes to me and not to my brother?
Expert: Well, your father did not do it on purpose but the way genes get distributed, sometime ..
Student: So, you mean to say that it is a genetic disease?
Expert: No, no, no- you see, genes are not important- but when you speak in a particular way over the years, you develop a manner..
Student: You mean it is a habit?
Expert: No, no- try and understand: when people react when you stumble, it makes you develop a mindset..
Student: You mean it is a mental health issue?
Expert: Of course not. And remember : it is only the "crazy" people who change the world (-the expert made an air quote gesture stylishly -).. But that is not the point. It is the society which cheers when Marlon Brando speaks with a horrible accent but ridicules Porky the pig, when he stutters! Why does society reacts differently?
Student: So, you mean society is at fault for my stammering. The society has stigmatised a normal variation in speech behaviour. It is a social evil, can we say then?
Expert: No, no- dont go that far. Society can say anything. They can say that our politicians are corrupt but who cares? But when they say- go get your stammering fixed then we will give you a job.. Now, that is a different matter. Isn't it?
Student: You mean to say, there is politics involved here? People ganging up on one poor stammerer in the play ground? and in the interview? Should we make a political party, burn some tyres and block some highways?
Expert: Please dont talk of burning things here. I am an asthmatic. I get my wheezing attacks when they burn the rubble on the other side of the moon. In the first place, why are you so interested in stammering? You are talking fine.. Are you concerned about your father? Is that the reason? In that case you better send him.
The student looked confused and finally went away. I kept wondering: do I also talk like that expert sometimes? doing exactly opposite of communication?
Anyway, I had a good laugh afterwards about the whole conversation and understood why communication is more important than just talking in English!
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Practicing Pausing Technique after eating Chocolate |
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Sheet 1 Goal Setting |
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Sheet 2 Goal Setting |