Tag: Thoughts

enraptured in the moment

Posted on by Ajmal

While playing with my son, these days I tend to notice how him at play becomes completely enraptured and absorbed in the present moment. With pure, unclouded fascination, they fully immerse themselves in the sheer bliss and wonder of whatever captures their interest and imagination. As adults, we too often lose touch with that innocent capacity for soul-reverent joy and presence. Our daily routines and obligations cast a sort of seriousness trance over us, causing us to forget the soul-igniting passions and curiosities that once set our hearts afire. We start listening more to the voices of duty, fear and resignation rather than the spontaneous movements of our own authentic enthusiasm and excitement. We resign ourselves to lives of quiet desperation, sacrificing our deepest aliveness on the altars of conformity and responsibility. Yet our callings, our most vibrant soul-seedlings, lie patiently waiting to be revived and nourished.

They never truly abandon us, but rather remain as smoldering embers within, hoping to be stoked by the breath of our loving attunement once again. Just as a bonfire needs an endless supply of fuel to stay alight, our souls require the continual kindling of pursuits that impassion us and spark our unique creative genius. When we withhold that sustenance by disregarding or denying our true joys, we slowly dim our radiance and inner luster as beings. A chance encounter with a book, a piece of music, a work of art or even just the play of light through a forest’s canopy can be the spark that breathes life into the embers of our long-suppressed inspiration. From there, simply staying in intimate regard with that ignited passion and serving it with wholehearted devotion will cause it to blaze with increasing intensity. For consciousness ever follows the tenor of our deepest interests and prayerful pursuits. What we most revere and adore, we become. So if your life currently feels extinguished and monochrome, like a dead campfire’s ashen greys, cease looking outside yourself for the perfect set of reigniting circumstances. Simply turn your gaze inward and ask your heart “What rekindles my joy and childlike awe of existence? What activities and interests resuscitate me with their thrillingly alive textures of being?” Then follow those clues relentlessly down their luminous trails, allowing each encounter with beauty, intrigue, and breathtaking mystery to refuel your soul’s ascendant resurrection fires. For as you do, you’ll burn away the soot of accumulated fears and stale stories to rebirth yourself into the radiant, infinitely faceted shape of your most wild and rapturous essence.

a serene shelter of words

Posted on by Ajmal

I have always thought of this writing space as a beautiful sanctuary that I am building for you to rest and read. The routines we have, can feel like a tempest at times – a ceaseless barrage of demands, distractions and urgencies swirling around us. We get buffeted by the incessant winds of work, family obligations, digital overstimulation and our own swirling thoughts. It’s so easy to get swept up in the frenzy and lose touch with any sense of inner calm or groundedness. In the midst of this storm, we desperately need a place of shelter and reprieve – a quiet inner sanctuary where we can take refuge, settle our beings, and rediscover the peace that is our true essence. Just like a snow globe, we require the ability to remove ourselves from the swirling turbulence outside and let the flurries gently come to rest so we can regain clarity.This metaphorical sanctuary is a place already within us, no further away than our next conscious breath. It is the still, silent space of pure awareness that lies beneath the choppy surface of thoughts, feelings, and sensations. A realm of vast, uncluttered presence that is our true abode.To access this inner sanctuary, we must become like skilled navigators or surferapists, riding the perpetual waves of experience without getting overtaken by them.

Rather than flailing against the rolling tides of thoughts, emotions and cravings, we learn to witness them arising and passing away, without judging, grasping or submerging into their undertow.Imagine yourself an old sea captain who has spent a lifetime riding out storms on the vast ocean. You have learned to read the patterns in the roiling winds and cresting waves. You know better than to blindly fight against their power or wish them away. Instead, you skillfully adjust your vessel’s sails and rudder, riding up and over the swells, allowing each rolling surge to sweep underneath as you remain centered and unperturbed.In this way, you cultivate a deep inner refuge – a place of unshakable poise and equilibrium no matter how wild the squalls become on the surface. From this space, you can take wise and grounded action, while never allowing the turbulence to unseat you from your core of abiding serenity.With practice, this sanctuary becomes a waking refuge we can enter anytime, day or night, no matter the external circumstances. A quiet fortress compound within our own being where the rampant monkeys of compulsion and restlessness are dethroned, and we are liberated into the open, spacious awareness that is our deepest nature.

From this liberated interior, we gain a grounded clarity and sovereignty over our lives. We become like still, unruffled pools reflecting the moon – able to bear witness to the magnificent dramas playing out across the waters, while remaining rooted to our essence as the depths beneath. Problems and difficulties no longer appear as crises to reactively combust over, but rather as emblematic waves to wakefully navigate with wisdom and aplomb.. The endless gyres of experience can churn as intensely as they may, but they cannot shake us loose from our moorings to the bedrock of serene being. For in reclaiming this inner sanctuary again and again, we awaken to our ultimate nature as life’s very cradle of stillness itself.

untamed eyes and perception

Posted on by Ajmal

The other day, I was taking my 3-year-old son Ehan for a walk in a park. Gazing at his curiosity is my biggest fulfilling pleasure these days. Do you remember what it felt like to be a child, newly arrived in this strange and miraculous world? When every tiny thing seemed invested with magic and mystery? The way a simple dandelion puff could become a vessel for impossible wishes carried off by the wind. Or how an ordinary cardboard box could instantly transform into a spaceship, time machine or magical castle simply through the alchemy of your imaginings? As children, we existed in a state of perpetual awe, our senses constantly flooded with the pure rapture of being alive. The velvety texture of a rose petal, the delicious explosion of sweetness from a berry plucked straight off the vine, the kaleidoscope of colors splashed across a sunset sky – all of it was a grand carnival for our eager awareness to drink in.

In those early years, the universe felt wide as the sky, brimming with sublime possibilities and laced through with astonishment at every turn. We viewed the world through a lens of radical presence, utterly consumed by the magnificence of now in a way that alienated us from no aspect of the experience arising. Then, inevitably, we began growing up. Somehow, despite our parents’ and teachers’ best efforts, the world started getting smaller. The magical thinking that had once caused us to see tooth fairies and snipes in the garden gave way to the concrete, rational mind. The inherent mystery and divinity of all life became obscured by the endless looping of our conceptual stories about it all. Slowly, modern society’s trance of disenchantment sedated our childlike perception of reality as a living wonderland.

The bureaucratic, consumerist mindset deadened our senses and walled us off from the profound truth that we are in fact surrounded by absolute miracles at every turn. The very air we breathe, the astonishing natural intelligences collaborating within every breath to sustain our life force, became just “air” – something so rudimentarily taken for granted that we lost all cognizance of its staggering prosaicness. Our flesh, knitted together by trillions of cells cooperating in unfathomably complex biological symbioses, became a mere object of critique and judgment in the mirror rather than a seamless embodiment of the sacred cosmic choreographies that risened us into manifestation.

Even the stars twinkling in their grand galactic vaultings, the dizzying mysteries of spacetime and dark energy, became just twinkling lights in a vacant sky – no longer an abyssal ocean of wisdom and igniting forces whose secret languages our souls were forged to one day remember. Yet that bright, unarmored gaze we once turned upon this world with pure astonishment never truly goes away, no matter how many layers of jadedness and desensitization accrete upon it. No, it remains there in our secret hearts, pulsating insistently like a tiny seed awaiting the chance to thrust itself outward into a blossoming of rapture rekindled. All it takes is the willingness to pause, set down our catalogues of assumptions for just one powerful moment, and breathe our perception back into that primordial spaciousness. To return to seeing all of life not as a series of inert facts, but as an endless unfolding of miracles and total hospitable magic, no matter which way we happen to turn our newly untamed eyes.

small steps, big changes

Posted on by Ajmal

We’ve all heard the saying, “You can tell a lot about a person by their shoes.” But what if the secret to a more organized life lies not in the shoes themselves, but in how you treat them? In Japan, where shoes are removed upon entering a home, the state of the entryway reveals a fascinating truth. Neatly lined-up footwear paints a picture of a calm, organized household. A jumbled mess of shoes, on the other hand, suggests a cluttered mind and a chaotic flow within those walls. This isn’t just about keeping your house tidy. There’s a deeper wisdom here, one captured in an old saying: “Look carefully at what is under your own feet.” It’s not just a literal reminder to mind your step, but a metaphor for self-awareness. By ignoring the details of our daily actions, we lose sight of the bigger picture – the direction our lives are taking. Here’s the beauty of this philosophy: it starts small. Imagine returning home. You kick off your shoes, feeling the day’s stress melt away with each step out of them. Now, instead of leaving them in a heap, take those three precious seconds to line them up neatly by the door. This seemingly insignificant act has a surprising ripple effect. It becomes a tiny seed of order, a conscious choice to bring a touch of calm into your space. Over time, this simple habit becomes a stepping stone, leading you towards a more organized and mindful way of approaching all aspects of your life. It may sound like an exaggeration, but this is the power of intention. By tending to the “under your feet” moments, you cultivate a sense of awareness that spills over into everything you do. It’s a reminder that every little step, every conscious choice, contributes to the bigger journey. Next time you kick off your shoes, take a moment to consider the metaphorical message. It’s a chance to pause, to find your center, and to start lining up the next steps towards a more beautiful and organized life.

less can be more at times

Posted on by Ajmal

Ever feel like you’re running on fumes, both physically and emotionally? We all know the drill: the endless to-do list, the constant feeling of being behind, and the dreaded “I’m too busy” response that becomes our default. But here’s the thing – are we truly that busy, or are we creating this frantic pace ourselves? In Japanese, there’s a hidden truth – the character for “busy” is literally made up of symbols for “lose” and “heart.” It’s not that we lack time, it’s that our hearts are overflowing, leaving no space for the things that truly matter. The answer, my friend, might surprise you: it’s not about squeezing more into your day, but creating space for less. Imagine this: waking up just 15 minutes earlier, a small gift of time for yourself. Sit up tall, lengthen your spine, and take slow, deep breaths from your belly. Feel your breath calming your mind, washing away the frenzy. Now, grab a cup of coffee or tea, savor the warmth, and peek out the window. Listen for the birdsong, the gentle murmur of life outside your bubble. In this quiet space, something magical happens – your mind unwinds. Fifteen minutes, that’s all it takes to break free from the busy trap. It’s a reminder that true peace doesn’t come from cramming our days, but from creating space for our hearts to breathe. So, give yourself the gift of a quiet start, and see how much lighter your day feels.

finding you in the quiet

Posted on by Ajmal

Let’s be honest, haven’t we all dreamt of having a “think about nothing” button? Between work, errands, and the constant social media buzz, our brains feel like a hamster on a never-ending wheel. We race through life, barely glancing at the scenery, let alone ourselves. But here’s the thing: true happiness might not lie in checking off more boxes, but in creating space for…well, emptiness. Imagine this: ten whole minutes. Just you, a comfy spot, and permission to let your mind wander. Picture yourself sitting on a park bench, the sun filtering through the leaves. You hear the joyful chirping of birds, the gentle rustle of the breeze, and the calming rhythm of your own breath. Now, thoughts might pop up like uninvited guests at a party. Don’t fight them, just acknowledge them politely and send them on their way. It’s in this quiet space, free from the usual mental traffic, that you start to rediscover yourself. The you that’s been buried under deadlines and “shoulds.” You might be surprised by what you find – a forgotten passion, a spark of creativity, or simply a feeling of peace that washes over you like a warm wave. This is the magic of doing nothing. It’s not about laziness, it’s about giving yourself permission to breathe, to reconnect with the simple joys in life, and most importantly, to reconnect with yourself. So ditch the to-do list for ten minutes today. Find your quiet corner, and see what treasures you unearth within the beautiful silence.

brighter skies are ahead

Posted on by Ajmal

Let’s face it, life can feel like a dark tunnel sometimes. You keep pushing forward, but the walls seem to close in, and it’s hard to see any light at the end. But here’s the thing: tunnels do have ends. There is always light waiting for you on the other side. Ponder of hope like a tiny seed. It might seem insignificant, especially when you’re buried under a pile of worries. But that seed, if nurtured with a little belief, has the potential to blossom into something incredible. It can push through the cracks, reach for the sun, and surprise you with vibrant flowers. Believing in a higher power, the Almighty as you call it, is like giving that seed the perfect growing conditions. It’s the sunshine that warms its leaves, the rain that nourishes its roots, the trust that allows it to unfurl its petals. When you have faith, you’re essentially saying, ” I trust that you have something amazing in store for me, even if I can’t see it yet.” And guess what? Almighty tends to reward that trust. It might not happen overnight, but slowly, things will start to shift. Opportunities you never knew existed will appear. Challenges you thought were insurmountable will find resolutions. It’s like the clouds parting after a storm, revealing a breathtaking view you couldn’t have imagined while you were huddled under cover. Remember, when you feel lost in the darkness, remember the seed. Hold onto that flicker of hope, nurture it with belief, and trust that there’s a whole world of sunshine waiting for you on the other side. Just keep pushing forward, and you’ll be amazed by what you find.

the everyday joy

Posted on by Ajmal

Imagine waking up to a brand new notebook. Crisp, clean pages waiting to be filled with your story. That’s what each day is – a fresh start, a chance to write a new chapter. The Almighty, in his infinite wisdom, has gifted us with another 24 hours. Isn’t that amazing? But sometimes, life throws us curveballs. We get bogged down by yesterday’s mistakes or stressed about the blank pages of tomorrow. We forget to appreciate the beauty of the open page in front of us – the present moment. Here’s a secret: true contentment isn’t found in chasing some grand tomorrow or dwelling on a faded yesterday. It’s about savoring the present moment, the inkwell full of possibilities right at your fingertips. Think about it like this: have you ever gotten so caught up in scrolling through your phone that you miss a breathtaking sunset happening right outside your window? It’s a metaphor. Gratitude is like stepping away from the screen of everyday noise and turning your gaze to the real wonder unfolding before you, the blessings specifically catered for you that you don’t notice. Look around. Notice the tiny details – the warmth of the sun on your skin, the sound of laughter in the distance, the vibrant colors of the world. There’s always someone who has less than you, even if it’s just a roof over their head or a full belly. Taking a moment to appreciate these blessings, big or small, shifts your perspective. It reminds you that you’re already rich in ways that matter most. Connecting with the Almighty is another powerful tool for finding contentment. When you acknowledge a higher power, it puts your worries in perspective. You realize you’re part of something bigger, and that can bring a deep sense of peace. So, while you read the blog for today, let’s decide something. Today, let’s close the photo album of yesterday and stop flipping through the worry pages of tomorrow. Let’s open the fresh notebook of the present moment, fill it with gratitude, and connect with something bigger than ourselves. That’s the recipe for a truly content and joyful day. Remember this when hardship hits you. Come back again to read. I will be waiting for you in this garden of words and hope. God bless.

rowboat in the hurricane

Posted on by Ajmal

As a writer, I have always tried to be an instiller of hope to my readers. I don’t want anyone to feel down. We’ve all been there. You know the feeling: adrift in a sea of troubles, waves crashing over the deck, and the horizon lost in a thick fog. Helpless. Hopeless. Powerless. Like you’re just a tiny rowboat caught in a hurricane. It’s easy to want to throw in the anchor, curl up in the bilge, and wait for the storm to pass. But here’s the thing: giving up is never the answer. Even when the fiercest gales are howling, there’s always a flicker of hope, a tiny ember glowing in the heart of the storm.

Think of hope like a stubborn lighthouse. It stands tall amidst the chaos, its beam cutting through the darkness, reminding you that there’s still land ahead. It might be faint, barely a speck on the horizon, but it’s there. And that is enough. Because that tiny speck is where your destination lies, a calm harbor waiting to welcome you after the storm.

Now, we all know storms can be disorienting. Sometimes, the crashing waves make it hard to see where you’re going. That’s where faith comes in. It’s the hand on the tiller, steady and strong, guiding you through the roughest seas. It’s the unwavering belief that even when you can’t see the way forward, there’s a higher power watching over you, a captain who knows the course even when the charts are washed away. Cling to that hope, my friend. Cling to the faith that there’s something bigger than the storm, a calm that awaits you on the other side. Because even the fiercest tempests eventually run out of steam. The sun will peek through the clouds again, and you, battered but not broken, will find the strength to steer your ship towards calmer waters. Remember, you’re not alone in this journey. I wrote this so that next time you feel like you’re drowning in a sea of troubles, take a deep breath, and look for that glimmer of hope. Think about what you just read. At that stage, it might be a kind word from a friend, a beautiful sunset, or a simple act of compassion. Hold onto it, nurture it, and let it be your guiding light and rely on the divine. After all, the bravest sailors aren’t those who never face storms, but those who weather them with hope in their hearts.

advancing to new chapters

Posted on by Ajmal

We’ve all been there – relentlessly replaying past hurts and mistakes over and over in our minds like a broken record. Maybe it was a missed career opportunity, or simply harsh words said in the heat of the moment hampering relationships. No matter what it was, you can’t seem to let it go. The memories keep you up at night, rehashing those painful scenarios and “what ifs” until your mind is utterly exhausted. Dwelling on the past is like dragging a heavy anchor behind you everywhere you go. With all that extra weight, it’s impossible to move forward and enjoy the journey ahead. You’ll just get stuck spinning your wheels in the mud, expending tons of energy but going nowhere fast. Life becomes an endless cycle of looking backward instead of being present and appreciating what you have right here and now. I get it, letting go is hard. Our past experiences, good and bad, have shaped us into who we are today. Rehashing them provides a strange sort of comfort, like putting on a ragged old sweater you’ve had forever. While it may be frayed, faded, and doesn’t fit quite right anymore, there’s still a familiarity to having it wrapped around you. But at some point, you’ve got to be willing to take that sweater off and toss it in the donation bin. Why? Because there are so many better things awaiting you when you finally let yourself advance to a new chapter.

Just think about a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis. If it stayed too fixated on the caterpillar way of life, it would never experience the profound beauty and freedom of flying. Those days of inching along on tiny legs and munching on leaves have served their purpose. Now it’s time for something far greater – soaring high above it all with a breathtaking new perspective. Each phase has its purpose, but you can’t fully embrace the next one while trying to cling to the last. The universe has this funny way of putting obstacles and detours on our path to help re-route us towards something better, even if we can’t see it at the time. So instead of dwelling on past pains and mistakes, look for the signs revealing your new way forward. Maybe it’s a chance encounter, a nagging intuition, or a door that keeps opening back up. There’s an amazing new adventure on the horizon, one that’s custom-designed just for you. But you’ll never discover it if you don’t let go of what’s already behind you. Have courage and take that first step into the great unknown.