2013: Balancing the extremes

If you are reading this post then we have already called the "Mayan's doomsday bluff" and we are at the threshold of a New Year (2013 and Makara Shankaranti, as the case may be).  

Let me quickly wish you and your family a very happy, prosperous, healthy, fun-filled and peaceful New Year. I am sure some of you have been planning for the next year and I was wondering how the next year is going to be. 

As I looked around, I could only notice many of the nations and companies are either  looking down the economic abyss or staring into the eyes of other nations with an intention to fight for what ever reasons. I have been reading astrological forecasts for the oncoming months which predicts very high degree of civil unrest among citizens, warring nations, loss of peace and harmony, political instability, revolutions forcing government's fall and you can add other unpleasant things to this list. In fact it predicts difficult times from 15-Dec-2012 to till about 1st week of October 2013, with the worst period till 3rd week of Jan 2013.

Well, I had conflicting thoughts and those are very succinctly captured with some famous quotes below: 

Lets start with  Lao Tzu, who said, "Those who have knowledge, don't predict. Those who predict, don't have knowledge. Well its quite easy to reject the forecasts but what we see around us seems to confirm the prediction. In fact i would even ask as to what is so great about astrological forecasts as things are very evident. I fear, the protests in Delhi for the last few days seems to be early signs of what we may witness for much of 2013.

Consider Voltaire who quipped, "It is said that the present is pregnant with the future". As we see the present is pregnant with the seeds of conflict, poor governance, war mongering nations, economic meltdown, arrogant government, angry people, impatient minds and intolerant hearts. Then what 2013 would deliver is not a matter of rocket science / astrological forecast. Isn't? 

In any society conflicts are inherent, congenial, omnipresent and needs tolerance / acceptance and the ability to put up with extreme views. As HH Dalai Lama said, "In the practice of tolerance, one's enemy is the best teacher". I believe the ability to balance the extreme positions is a key leadership trait be it in an organization, government or life and it is probably more important in 2013. 

As a wise man said, "Good living is in balancing the extremes" and every change starts with the individual. So, what are an individual's extremes that one needs to balance? If you answer its his head and feet, you are wrong. An individual's extremes are his head and heart. So specifically for 2013, let me wish every one a cool head, a warm heart and an attitude to balance the extremes in life for a good living!.

Here are few lines from a Sanskrit poem called Mangala Prarthana: (meaning given below)

Swasthi prajabhya paripalayantham,

Nyayena margena maheem maheesa,

Gobrahmanebhyo shubhamasthu nithyam,
Loka samastha Sukhino bhavantu.

Kale varshathu parjanya,
Prauthwee sasya shalini,
Deso yam kshobha rahitha,
SAjjana santhu nirbhaya.

Aputhra puthrina santhu,
Puthrina santhu pouthrina,
Adhana sadhana Santhu

Jeevanthu sarada satham.

Sarvathra sukhina santhu,
Sarve santhu niramaya,
Sarve bhadrani pasyanthu,
Ma kaschid dukha bhag bhaveth.

Seasons greetings, Merry Christmas and a very Happy New year!

Happy reading!

Meaning:

Let all people live happily,
Let kings rule with justice,
Let cows and Brahmins live happily,
And let all the people of this earth live happily for ever.

Let the monsoon be timely and plentiful,
Let earth be covered with vegetation,
Let the country live without problems,
And let good people never have fear.

Let sonless people have son,
Let people with son have grand sons,
And let people who are poor or rich,
Live and see one hundred autumns.

Let people live with pleasure everywhere,
Let all people live without diseases,
Let every one feel themselves secure,
And let none have at anytime sorrow