Anand Krishna’s Writings
“I would like to share my hearing with you – that is if you permit me to do so!”
Archive for the 'Bali Times' Category
Meditating on the Media
Author: Anand Krishna
The media is the most powerful entity on earth,” said the American black militant leader Malcolm X, popular in the 1960s. For, in his own words, “They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that’s power. Because they control the minds of the masses.”
How does the media do this? How does it control the minds of the masses? By repeating one thing over and over. In the words of my very dear friend the late Dr Setiawan, a neurosurgeon par excellence, “The mind can be manipulated and controlled by intensive repetition.” Read the rest of this entry »
read comments (1)Science Meets the Arts
Author: Anand Krishna
Hardly? Impossible?
Not in Bali.
Here, science and the arts are not poles apart. Here, science and the arts are not opposed to each other. On this beautiful isle of gods, the two not only meet, but also complement each other.
This is the inner significance of Saraswati, the Goddess of Knowledge and Music. The Balinese are quite naturally drawn to this particular form of the Divine for She represents the totality of human experience. She is the very personification of power and beauty.
Read the rest of this entry »
Celebrating Silence
Author: Anand Krishna
We normally associate celebrations with noise, loud music, singing, partying and of course crowds of people.
Not so with the Balinese; not always.
Here, on this isle of gods, silence and solitude are celebrated too. Indeed, the most important celebration here is that of silence. Read the rest of this entry »
Living Meditatively
Author: Anand Krishna
There is very famous Zen anecdote of a disciple asking his master, “Master, Master, what were you doing before your enlightenment?”
And, the Master answered, “I was tending my garden.”
“And,” the disciple asked again, “what did you do after your enlightenment?”
“Don’t you see,” the Master asked back, “I am still tending my garden.” Read the rest of this entry »
Becoming Mastermind
Author: Anand Krishna
Having written last week that “hypnosis or hypnotherapy can be used as tools to open one to meditation,” or to strengthen an already weakened brain, I must, once again, emphasise this. Hypnosis and hypnotherapy are not the only tools; there are several other, much, much safer ones, including but not limited to certain yogic exercises.
Why do I say “much, much safer tools”? Do I imply that hypnosis or hypnotherapy is not safe enough as a tool?
Let me try to explain what I mean by “safer.” Read the rest of this entry »
What Is Meditation?
Author: Anand Krishna
There was a vigorous debate last year whether yoga and/or meditation were part of certain religious rituals, belief systems, science or some sort of physical training.
The census among those who raised the issue was that as long as yoga was done for physical wellbeing only, and without any chanting etcetera, it was safe for practice by people of their faith.
The census, however, was not clear on the issue of meditation. Many still felt that meditation was a ritual, involved the chanting of mantras etc, and therefore part of a certain belief system.
Must meditation involve chanting? Read the rest of this entry »
The Quintessence of Religion
Author: Anand Krishna
Atmano Mokshartham Jagat-Hitaya cha. Those in Bali who are still committed to the spiritual values and cultural heritage of their ancestors consider this the quintessence of their belief. Iti Dharma: this is righteousness; this is religion.
The Dynamics of Balinese Society
Author: Anand Krishna
When we say “it depends,” we do not normally explain the “what” of it. We do not find it necessary to do so, and people are too busy to bother. So we get away with a blank cheque; we can fill it in ourselves. It depends on whatever; it can even be on our mood.
In Bali, however, the “what” does matter. “It depends” does not stand on its own. “It depends” depends on desha, kala and patra.
The Material and the Immaterial (Part 1)
Author: Anand Krishna
I remember reading Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936) when I was in junior high school: “East is East, and West is
West, and never the twain shall meet.” I must admit, I had, until then, neither seen much of
East, nor of
West. So I had no clear idea of what he was actually referring to.
The Ultimate Freedom
Author: Anand Krishna
Moksha – The Ultimate Freedom, Salvation or Liberation – is the fourth and the last purushartha, the four pillars holding our life structure. The first three has been discussed before, Dharma or Righteousness, Artha or Wealth and Kama or Passion.