cakra
Sunday, 30 August 2009 at 21:57 | Edit note | Delete
Think more about love, about the heart. We call that chakra 'anahata' in yoga psychology.
There are seven chakras, and the anahata is just in the middle; three below it, three above it. The three below are muladhar, swadhisthan and manipur. Those three belong to an extrovert personality. In the west, the majority lives through those three chakras. And now in the east also, the majority is moving towards the western attitude of life. These three chakras are very easily available. They have a certain given function; you need not work much on them.
Without them, life will become impossible. They are survival measures, so nature has not given you a choice between them. From the moment you are born, those three chakras start functioning. They go on functioning until you die. The whole life is covered by those three chakras, and the extrovert person never comes to know that there is anything higher than these. Sex, money, power, prestige, respectability, name, fame -- they all belong to those three chakras.
And the centre of all those chakras is sex. People seek money in order to seek sex. People seek fame and power and prestige in order to seek sex. Sex remains the centre of the lower three chakras. Sex remains the centre of the extrovert personality. His whole mind revolves around sex.
Above the anahata, the heart, there are three chakras: visudha, the fourth centre, then ajna, between the two eyes, the third eye centre, and sahasrar, the last centre, the centre of samadhi, of ultimate unfoldment.
Between these two is the heart. Between the introvert and the extrovert, the heart functions as a door, it is a bridge. Just as sex is the centre of the extrovert mind, prayer -- or call it meditation -- is the centre of the introvert mind. But to call it prayer is more relevant. Between these two -- when a person is just in the middle, on the fourth chakra, at the door -- love happens. Love is between sex and prayer.
When sex is a little purified, it becomes love. When love is also purified, it becomes prayer. So it is the same energy, the sexual energy, which goes into higher formations. In the east people have tried to live an introvert life; they have tried to live above the heart. But both are lopsided. The western extrovert mind and the eastern introvert mind are both lopsided.
To become a total man, one needs the functioning of all seven. It is not a question of choice. It is a question of being capable of living in all the centres without any conflict. There is none -- we create the conflict.
A person can become an extrovert and can become an introvert very easily -- just as you go out of your house and you come in. But whether you go out or you come in, you will have to pass from the door, and that door is anahata. So my emphasis is always on the anahata, the heart centre, because that is the door and both the dimensions meet there.
If somebody tries to live just below the heart centre, he closes the door. Then he becomes very worldly. He cannot even think that god exists. He cannot even think that religion can mean anything. It is all nonsense, rubbish. He does not even believe in love. He thinks love is just a bait for sex, just a foreplay for sex. Just not to be rude one has to at least pretend love. But the basic thing remains sex. He does not believe in love, he cannot believe in love, because he does not know what love is. He has never functioned at that centre. He has never stood on the door between the two worlds.
The introvert person also becomes very lopsided. He also closes the door of the heart because he becomes afraid. From that door opens the world. So he goes on denying. He becomes a renunciate, a monk, anti-life, condemnatory, repressive, afraid -- continuously afraid of relationship, of moving with people, of creating any sort of love, because who knows? -- love may bring in sex. Once you open the door of love, then the whole three chakras become available -- the chakras of the below.
It is better not to open the doors so you can forget all about the lower world. Then one remains just inside -- but one's life becomes a morbidity. One becomes like an island -- cut off from everything . . . a dry bone. No juice remains. The very shape of life disappears, because if you don't love, life starts disappearing.
Life exists when you love. Love becomes the very foundation for life to exist. It can have its foothold there.
The introvert becomes more and more sad -- silent of course, but not happy. The extrovert is very excited; the introvert is never excited. He remains calm and quiet, but calmness and quietitude are not the goals of life. Ecstasy is the goal of life. Just to be calm and quiet can mean death, can mean suicide. You can dry up all the sources of life in you. You will become calm and quiet, all the fever gone, all the passion gone, all the lust gone -- but then you are also gone. You are just an empty room, a negativity, a sort of absence, not a presence. You are not fulfilled. You cannot dance -- you have nothing to dance about. You cannot sing. No song arises in your life because all songs dry up when love dries up.
The extrovert seems sometimes to be very happy . . . is more happy than the introvert, but never silent. More joyful -- it is a joy to be with an extrovert. You cannot live with an introvert long; that's why saints are so boring. It is good to pay respect to them, but you cannot live with them for twenty-four hours; they are really boring. And just to think about heaven where all the saints have gathered down the centuries.... One cannot believe how boring that place must now have become. It will be sheer boredom.
You can be with an extrovert, happily; you can relate with him. He is an excited being. He sings, he plays around... many games. He enjoys. Of course he is tense. He is never silent; that is his problem. Happiness is at a cost -- that he loses tranquillity, equilibrium, balance. His excitement becomes more and more feverish, and there is every possibility of it turning into a delirium. The extrovert can be mad at any time; the breakdown can come very easily to him. He is so excited and so tense. He has no centre -- just the revolving periphery.
To me, a real man or a real woman has to live in all the seven chakras together. Then you have the tranquillity of the introvert and the excitement of the extrovert. That's what a rich life has to be -- the silence of the introvert and the joy of the extrovert, the centre of the introvert and the periphery of the extrovert.
A centre without a periphery is poor. A periphery without a centre is poor. When the periphery and the centre both exist together and you don't choose -- you simply move from one to another enjoying both, not putting them as opposites to each other but balancing them as complementaries -- your life becomes tremendously rich.
That's what I call life abundant. Then you really live in luxury, because you have all that the extrovert can have and all that the introvert can have; you have both the worlds together. Yes, in this sense, you can have the cake and eat it too. Then you are very affirmative. You don't have any negations, any condemnations. Between samadhi and sex, between the muladhar, the first centre, and the sahasrar, the seventh, the whole sky is available to you, and whatsoever you choose, you can be. And it is good to go on changing. Why get fixed to one centre? Why not remain flexible, flowing, streaming like a river? Why become a pond? Why get stagnant and stale? Be dynamic.
That's why I insist on dynamic meditations. 'Meditation' and 'dynamic' are a contradiction in terms. That means I am trying to make a combination of the extrovert and the introvert. Meditation means passivity, meditation means just to be oneself. And dynamism means to do many things, to be active, to be flowing. Dynamic meditation is a contradiction in terms but it is only apparently so. It is possible to have both.
[Osho said it was good to live at the heart centre, sometimes moving to the centres below and sometimes to those above. He said the terms 'higher' and 'lower' did not denote any moral evaluation but were simply physiological descriptions. He said one should be like a rainbow -- all the colours -- and not obsessed with just one.
As one moved into all the centres, one saw that there was no contradiction in them and that the seven chakras were seven worlds . . .]
Sex opens a door into the world, the sexual world. The heart opens the door into the world of love. The throat centre opens the door into the world of expression, creativity. The ajna, the third eye centre, opens the world into clarity, vision, and makes one a master of one's life. That's why we call it ajna. Ajna means order.
Then you are within your own order. You have your own discipline, and whatsoever you say, goes. Now there is no more conflict in you. It is not that you want something and you have to do something else. It is not that you never wanted to be angry and still you have become angry -- no. When a person lives at the ajna centre, if he wants to be angry, he can be; no problem. If he wants to be angry, he can be even without any situation. He can be abruptly angry for no cause.
Gurdjieff used to play that game. He would be happy and talking and you could not even imagine that he would become angry. Everybody would be shocked at what had happened because there was not even a slight cause. Sometimes he would do the opposite. He would be angry, shouting, and then suddenly he would cool down so suddenly and so abruptly and the change would be so dramatic -- as if he had never been angry.
When you are at the sixth centre, ajna, everything goes as you want it to; there is no conflict. All these centres have to be used. No centre has to be sacrificed for another, because every centre is autonomous, has its own world. It does not exist for another, no. It is not a means for another. It exists for itself. It has intrinsic value.
from : osho (e-book)
31 Jan 2010
Tak ada akar, rotan pun jadi.
Tak ada akar, rotan pun jadi.
Tak ada kekasih, pacar pun jadi.
Manfaatkan aja apa yang ada.
Daripada kau jadi gila, karena terus memikirkan dia.
Mungkin dengan kekasih kau tak berjodoh.
Dengan pacar, kau bisa saling menghibur.
Bisa bernostalgia tentang kampung halaman.
Bisa juga berfantasi tentang seks.
Siapa tau dengan pacar ini bisa jadi kekasih.
ehm...
Soulmate jilid keberapa, nih?
Demikianlah aliran kehidupan.
Tak ada kekasih, pacar pun jadi.
Manfaatkan aja apa yang ada.
Daripada kau jadi gila, karena terus memikirkan dia.
Mungkin dengan kekasih kau tak berjodoh.
Dengan pacar, kau bisa saling menghibur.
Bisa bernostalgia tentang kampung halaman.
Bisa juga berfantasi tentang seks.
Siapa tau dengan pacar ini bisa jadi kekasih.
ehm...
Soulmate jilid keberapa, nih?
Demikianlah aliran kehidupan.
30 Jan 2010
Nabi Musa dan Para Ahli Ilmu Hitam
Kendati tidak sepaham dengan Nabi Musa dan malah ingin bersaing dengan beliau, para ahli ilmu hitam di Mesir tetap saja menghormati Sang Nabi. Mereka mempersilakan Nabi Musa untuk terlebih dahulu menunjukkan mukjizat. Sang Nabi menjawab, "Jangan saya, kalian saja yang mengawalinya.
Demikian, semakin bertambah rasa hormat mereka terhadap Sang Nabi, sehingga setelah melihat mukjizat Nabi -- mereka bertobat....
Di mana letak perbedaan antara Nabi Musa dan para ahli ilmu hitam yang mengelilingi Firaun? Mereka menunjukkan mukjizat, Nabi Musa pun menunjukkan mukjizat. Ilmu Hitam atau Putih -- bukankah semuanya berasal dari Tuhan? Mana ada kekuatan yang bisa menandingi Allah? Katakanlah yang "hitam" berasal dari Setan. Bisakah Setan berperan, jika tidak dikehendaki oleh Tuhan? Mampukah dia melawan Tuhan? Bisakah dia bersaing dengan Tuhan? Jelas tidak bisa...
Anggap saja "yang putih" dari Tuhan langsung dan "yang hitam" tidak langsung, karena harus melewati Setan. Jika ditarik benang ke belakang, sebelum ada Setan, sebelum ada ilmu hitam dan ilmu putih, siapa Yang Ada? Tuhan bukan?
Lalu apa yang membedakan Musa dan para ahli sihir? Para ahli ilmu ilmu hitam, para ahli sihir itu arogan, sombong, angkuh. Sedangkan Musa lembut, polos, tulus. Mereka suka pamer, Musa tidak. Mereka menggunakan kekuatan pikiran untuk mengadakan mukjizat. Dan pikiran itulah Setan -- energi sekunder yang sudah terkontaminasi karena interaksi kita dengan dunia luar. Sementara Musa menggunakan rasa, hati -- Energi Ilahi yang masih Murni, tidak tercemar.
Rumi menegaskan :
Manusia Allah bagaikan mulut. Tugasnya adalah menyampaikan Pesan Allah. Engkau yang masih harus belajar mendengar, janganlah membuka mulutmu. Jangan cepat-cepat meniru Manusia Allah.
Seorang bayi yang baru lahir harus belajar mendengar. Setelah mendengar untuk sekian lama, ia baru belajar bicara. Seorang bayi yang tuli, yang tidak bisa mendengar, menjadi bisu. Tidak bisa bicara.
Kita belum cukup mendengar, tetapi sudah cepat-cepat ingin bicara. Hasilnya apa? Suara-suara tidak karuan. Berisik, tak berguna! Tidak mau belajar, tetapi ingin menjadi guru. Tidak mau dituntun, tetapi ingin menjadi penuntun.
Padahal, kata Rumi :
Adam pun harus belajar -- ya, belajar menangis. Karena itu, ia turun dari ketinggian Taman Firdaus ke dunia fana ini.
Jika menganggap dirimu sebagai turunan Adam, belajarlah darinya : belajar menangis. Sirami Taman Jiwamu dengan air mata...
Sayang, kau belum bisa menghargai cucuran air mata. Kau masih mengejar hal-hal sepele yang tak berguna. Berhenti mengejar semua itu, maka kantongmu akan diisi dengan permata dan mutiara yang tak terhingga nilainya.
Kantong kita hanya satu. Dan sementara ini penuh dengan batu kerikil. Ada yang ingin mengisinya dengan berlian, dengan permata dan mutiara--tetapi mana kantongmu? Kamu harus mengosongkannya terlebih dahulu.
Sementara ini yang kita miliki hanyalah batu kerikil, sehingga yang kita bagikan juga kerikil. Mau membagikan berlian dan permata darimana? Bagaimana bisa membagikan sesuatu yang tidak kita miliki?
Rumi sedang bicara tentang mind, yang berisikan pikiran-pikiran kacau--"batu-batu kerikil pikiran" yang justru membebani jiwa. Pikiranlah yang menjatuhkan kita dari ketinggian Taman Firdaus. Pikiran pula yang "menjatuhkan" kita dari Allah Yang Maha Dekat Ada-nya. Pikiran yang sibuk mengejar bayang-bayang. Pikiran yang membuat kita lupa akan Dia Yang Terbayang. Pikiran yang membuat kita mencucurkan air mata untuk hal-hal sepele. Pikiran yang menghalangi pengembangan rasa, sehingga kita tidak pernah merindukan "Sang Maha Pemberi". Yang kita rindukan hanyalah "pemberian-Nya".
Dan untuk itu Rumi memberi peringatan :
Jika wajahmu masih murung dan tidak bercahaya, ketahuilah bahwa yang menyusui kamu adallah Setan. Cara kamu mencari uang tidak wajar. Dan makanan yang kau beli dengan uang itu tidak halal.
Cara Rumi menafsirkan istilah "halal" dan "haram" akan membingungkan para ahli agama. Rumi melampaui segala macam tafsiran dogmatis. Bagi seorang Rumi, agama sangat dinamis. Karena itu, perlu didefinisikan ulang dari waktu ke waktu. Ajaran agama harus bersifat universal, harus relevan dengan jaman. Sementara, dogma-dogma yang kita anut sekarang sudah banyak yang tidak relevan dengan jaman. Lagi pula sudah jelas-jelas tidak bersifat universal.
Bagi seorang Rumi, "halal" dan "haram" tidak sebatas cap di atas bungkus mie instant. Dia akan bertanya, uang yang anda pakai untuk membeli mie itu dipakai dengan cara halal atau haram?
Saya pernah kenal dekat seorang pejabat tinggi. Dia berkelakar, "Uang yang saya pakai untuk belanja keperluan dapur sudah pasti halal. Dari gaji saya koq."
"Lalu bagaimana dengan yang lain-lain...?" tanya saya, karena memang sudah kenal baik.
"Lha ya, tidak ada peraturannya koq. Untuk beli kaca mata Cartier, untuk beli ikat pinggang Dunhill, untuk beli jam tangan Piaget, dan untuk beli pulpen Mont Blanc--itu kan tidak dilarang. Bisa-bisa saja pakai uang lain, dong!"
Saya hanya bisa menggeleng-gelengkan kepala. Demikianlah cara kita mencari pembenaran. Demikianlah cara kita memisahkan halal dan haram.
Lalu, bagaimana dengan uang yang kita gunakan untuk menguliahkan putra-putri kita di luar negeri? Harus pakai uang apa? Kalau pakai "uang panas", berarti gelar yang mereka peroleh juga "haram". Lalu jabatan tinggi yang mereka duduki berkat gelar itu juga "haram". Kepemimpinan mereka pun haram. Keputusan-keputusan yang mereka ambil pun haram.
Tolak ukurnya apa? Dengarkan Rumi, "Jika wajahmu masih murung dan tidak bercahaya, ketahuilah bahwa yang menyusui kamu adalah Setan. Cara kamu mencari uang tidak wajar. Dan makanan yang kau beli dengan uang itu tidak halal."
Dengan menyumbang sekian persen dari uang hasil korupsi dan rampasan anda bisa saja memperoleh "sertifikat halal", tetapi bagaimana bisa menipu diri sendiri? Bagaimana bisa menenangkan pikiran yang tidak tenang? Bagaimana bisa menentramkan hati yang tidak tenteram? Bagaimana bisa menghapuskan tanda-tanda kemurungan dari wajah anda? Bagaimana membuat wajah anda berkilau, bercahaya?
Rumi melanjutkan :
Jika caramu mencari uang itu wajar, jika makanan yang kau beli dari uang itu halal, maka wajahmu akan berkilau, bercahaya.
Makanan yang halal, dan dibeli dengan uang halal, akan menghasilkan kesadaran, kebijakan, kelembutan dan kasih.
Rasa iri, tipu muslihat, ketidaksadaran, dan ketidakpedulian--semuanya dihasilkan oleh makanan haram yang dibeli dengan uang haram.
Kesimpulan Rumi berbeda dari para "ahli" yang mengatakan bahwa kerusuhan dan penjarahan terjadi karena kesenjangan sosial. Kesenjangan sosial bisa terjadi, tetapi jika kesenjangan sosial menimbulkan rasa iri dalam diri kita, jika kita mulai menjarah dan merampas harta orang, maka terbuktilah bahwa kita masih disusui oleh Setan pikiran. Kita masih merupakan putra-putri setan. Masih belum layak menyebut diri "turunan Adam".
Makanan adalah benih pikiran. Bila makananmu halal, kamu akan selalu memikirkan Tuhan. Akan selalu berupaya untuk melayani-Nya. Untuk mengabdi kepada-Nya.
Ada yang bertanya, "Bagaimana menjaga keseimbangan antara materi dan rohani, sehingga Tuhan pun selalu teringat dan kantong pun selalu terisi?"
Si penanya tidak sadar bahwa pertanyaannya berbau "syirk". Bagi dia, materi adalah isi kantong. Dan rohani adalah Tuhan. Dia sudah jelas-jelas "menduakan" Allah. Bagi dia, "isi kantong" dan "Tuhan" adalah dua hal yang berbeda, tetapi berdiri bersama. Dan dia ingin memiliki dua-duanya.
Pertanyaan seperti ini muncul karena penglihatan kita tidak jelas, karena pikiran kita tidak jernih, karena makanan kita tidak halal.
Kalau makanan kita halal, pertanyaan semacam itu tidak akan pernah muncul. Keseimbangan apa yang hendak kita bicarakan? Bisakah terjadi keseimbangan antara isi kantong dan Allah? Mustahil!
Jika makanan kita halal, kita akan senantiasa mengingat Allah. Tidak akan membicarakan keseimbangan. Tidak akan menduakan-Nya. Apa pun yang kita lakukan semata-mata untuk melayani Dia. Hidup ini menjadi sebuah pengabdian. Jangan memikirkan gaji. Itu urusan Majikan. Bisakah kita bersikap demikian? Bisakah saya dan anda, dan kita semua bersikap demikian? Kalau sudah bisa, ucapkan syukur Alhamdulillah... Dan berdoalah agar kesadaran anda tidak merosot, supaya anda selalu bersikap demikian.
Jika belum bisa, ketahuilah bahwa makanan anda belum halal. Cap di atas bungkusan mie tidak mampu "menghalalkan" makanan anda. Amal saleh dan perjalanan suci pun tidak akan mencuci dosa-dosa anda. Bertobatlah, berpalinglah ke jalan yang benar. Tidak perlu mencuci dosa pakai deterjen. Cukup mengakuinya dan tidak mengulanginya lagi. Dan yang terakhir ini penting sekali, "tidak mengulanginya lagi". Hanya mengakuinya saja tidak berguna sama sekali.
Layani suami, istri, dan keluargamu, karena mereka adalah makhluk-makhluk Allah. Bukan karena mereka adalah pasangan-"mu" atau anak-"mu" atau saudara-"mu" atau orang tua-"mu".
Kembangkan rasa peduli terhadap masyarakat, terhadap lingkungan, terhadap binatang-binatang tak bersalah yang anda sembelih, karena semua ciptaan Allah....
Sumber:
Masnawi (Jalaludin Rumi - Anand Krishna)
Demikian, semakin bertambah rasa hormat mereka terhadap Sang Nabi, sehingga setelah melihat mukjizat Nabi -- mereka bertobat....
Di mana letak perbedaan antara Nabi Musa dan para ahli ilmu hitam yang mengelilingi Firaun? Mereka menunjukkan mukjizat, Nabi Musa pun menunjukkan mukjizat. Ilmu Hitam atau Putih -- bukankah semuanya berasal dari Tuhan? Mana ada kekuatan yang bisa menandingi Allah? Katakanlah yang "hitam" berasal dari Setan. Bisakah Setan berperan, jika tidak dikehendaki oleh Tuhan? Mampukah dia melawan Tuhan? Bisakah dia bersaing dengan Tuhan? Jelas tidak bisa...
Anggap saja "yang putih" dari Tuhan langsung dan "yang hitam" tidak langsung, karena harus melewati Setan. Jika ditarik benang ke belakang, sebelum ada Setan, sebelum ada ilmu hitam dan ilmu putih, siapa Yang Ada? Tuhan bukan?
Lalu apa yang membedakan Musa dan para ahli sihir? Para ahli ilmu ilmu hitam, para ahli sihir itu arogan, sombong, angkuh. Sedangkan Musa lembut, polos, tulus. Mereka suka pamer, Musa tidak. Mereka menggunakan kekuatan pikiran untuk mengadakan mukjizat. Dan pikiran itulah Setan -- energi sekunder yang sudah terkontaminasi karena interaksi kita dengan dunia luar. Sementara Musa menggunakan rasa, hati -- Energi Ilahi yang masih Murni, tidak tercemar.
Rumi menegaskan :
Manusia Allah bagaikan mulut. Tugasnya adalah menyampaikan Pesan Allah. Engkau yang masih harus belajar mendengar, janganlah membuka mulutmu. Jangan cepat-cepat meniru Manusia Allah.
Seorang bayi yang baru lahir harus belajar mendengar. Setelah mendengar untuk sekian lama, ia baru belajar bicara. Seorang bayi yang tuli, yang tidak bisa mendengar, menjadi bisu. Tidak bisa bicara.
Kita belum cukup mendengar, tetapi sudah cepat-cepat ingin bicara. Hasilnya apa? Suara-suara tidak karuan. Berisik, tak berguna! Tidak mau belajar, tetapi ingin menjadi guru. Tidak mau dituntun, tetapi ingin menjadi penuntun.
Padahal, kata Rumi :
Adam pun harus belajar -- ya, belajar menangis. Karena itu, ia turun dari ketinggian Taman Firdaus ke dunia fana ini.
Jika menganggap dirimu sebagai turunan Adam, belajarlah darinya : belajar menangis. Sirami Taman Jiwamu dengan air mata...
Sayang, kau belum bisa menghargai cucuran air mata. Kau masih mengejar hal-hal sepele yang tak berguna. Berhenti mengejar semua itu, maka kantongmu akan diisi dengan permata dan mutiara yang tak terhingga nilainya.
Kantong kita hanya satu. Dan sementara ini penuh dengan batu kerikil. Ada yang ingin mengisinya dengan berlian, dengan permata dan mutiara--tetapi mana kantongmu? Kamu harus mengosongkannya terlebih dahulu.
Sementara ini yang kita miliki hanyalah batu kerikil, sehingga yang kita bagikan juga kerikil. Mau membagikan berlian dan permata darimana? Bagaimana bisa membagikan sesuatu yang tidak kita miliki?
Rumi sedang bicara tentang mind, yang berisikan pikiran-pikiran kacau--"batu-batu kerikil pikiran" yang justru membebani jiwa. Pikiranlah yang menjatuhkan kita dari ketinggian Taman Firdaus. Pikiran pula yang "menjatuhkan" kita dari Allah Yang Maha Dekat Ada-nya. Pikiran yang sibuk mengejar bayang-bayang. Pikiran yang membuat kita lupa akan Dia Yang Terbayang. Pikiran yang membuat kita mencucurkan air mata untuk hal-hal sepele. Pikiran yang menghalangi pengembangan rasa, sehingga kita tidak pernah merindukan "Sang Maha Pemberi". Yang kita rindukan hanyalah "pemberian-Nya".
Dan untuk itu Rumi memberi peringatan :
Jika wajahmu masih murung dan tidak bercahaya, ketahuilah bahwa yang menyusui kamu adallah Setan. Cara kamu mencari uang tidak wajar. Dan makanan yang kau beli dengan uang itu tidak halal.
Cara Rumi menafsirkan istilah "halal" dan "haram" akan membingungkan para ahli agama. Rumi melampaui segala macam tafsiran dogmatis. Bagi seorang Rumi, agama sangat dinamis. Karena itu, perlu didefinisikan ulang dari waktu ke waktu. Ajaran agama harus bersifat universal, harus relevan dengan jaman. Sementara, dogma-dogma yang kita anut sekarang sudah banyak yang tidak relevan dengan jaman. Lagi pula sudah jelas-jelas tidak bersifat universal.
Bagi seorang Rumi, "halal" dan "haram" tidak sebatas cap di atas bungkus mie instant. Dia akan bertanya, uang yang anda pakai untuk membeli mie itu dipakai dengan cara halal atau haram?
Saya pernah kenal dekat seorang pejabat tinggi. Dia berkelakar, "Uang yang saya pakai untuk belanja keperluan dapur sudah pasti halal. Dari gaji saya koq."
"Lalu bagaimana dengan yang lain-lain...?" tanya saya, karena memang sudah kenal baik.
"Lha ya, tidak ada peraturannya koq. Untuk beli kaca mata Cartier, untuk beli ikat pinggang Dunhill, untuk beli jam tangan Piaget, dan untuk beli pulpen Mont Blanc--itu kan tidak dilarang. Bisa-bisa saja pakai uang lain, dong!"
Saya hanya bisa menggeleng-gelengkan kepala. Demikianlah cara kita mencari pembenaran. Demikianlah cara kita memisahkan halal dan haram.
Lalu, bagaimana dengan uang yang kita gunakan untuk menguliahkan putra-putri kita di luar negeri? Harus pakai uang apa? Kalau pakai "uang panas", berarti gelar yang mereka peroleh juga "haram". Lalu jabatan tinggi yang mereka duduki berkat gelar itu juga "haram". Kepemimpinan mereka pun haram. Keputusan-keputusan yang mereka ambil pun haram.
Tolak ukurnya apa? Dengarkan Rumi, "Jika wajahmu masih murung dan tidak bercahaya, ketahuilah bahwa yang menyusui kamu adalah Setan. Cara kamu mencari uang tidak wajar. Dan makanan yang kau beli dengan uang itu tidak halal."
Dengan menyumbang sekian persen dari uang hasil korupsi dan rampasan anda bisa saja memperoleh "sertifikat halal", tetapi bagaimana bisa menipu diri sendiri? Bagaimana bisa menenangkan pikiran yang tidak tenang? Bagaimana bisa menentramkan hati yang tidak tenteram? Bagaimana bisa menghapuskan tanda-tanda kemurungan dari wajah anda? Bagaimana membuat wajah anda berkilau, bercahaya?
Rumi melanjutkan :
Jika caramu mencari uang itu wajar, jika makanan yang kau beli dari uang itu halal, maka wajahmu akan berkilau, bercahaya.
Makanan yang halal, dan dibeli dengan uang halal, akan menghasilkan kesadaran, kebijakan, kelembutan dan kasih.
Rasa iri, tipu muslihat, ketidaksadaran, dan ketidakpedulian--semuanya dihasilkan oleh makanan haram yang dibeli dengan uang haram.
Kesimpulan Rumi berbeda dari para "ahli" yang mengatakan bahwa kerusuhan dan penjarahan terjadi karena kesenjangan sosial. Kesenjangan sosial bisa terjadi, tetapi jika kesenjangan sosial menimbulkan rasa iri dalam diri kita, jika kita mulai menjarah dan merampas harta orang, maka terbuktilah bahwa kita masih disusui oleh Setan pikiran. Kita masih merupakan putra-putri setan. Masih belum layak menyebut diri "turunan Adam".
Makanan adalah benih pikiran. Bila makananmu halal, kamu akan selalu memikirkan Tuhan. Akan selalu berupaya untuk melayani-Nya. Untuk mengabdi kepada-Nya.
Ada yang bertanya, "Bagaimana menjaga keseimbangan antara materi dan rohani, sehingga Tuhan pun selalu teringat dan kantong pun selalu terisi?"
Si penanya tidak sadar bahwa pertanyaannya berbau "syirk". Bagi dia, materi adalah isi kantong. Dan rohani adalah Tuhan. Dia sudah jelas-jelas "menduakan" Allah. Bagi dia, "isi kantong" dan "Tuhan" adalah dua hal yang berbeda, tetapi berdiri bersama. Dan dia ingin memiliki dua-duanya.
Pertanyaan seperti ini muncul karena penglihatan kita tidak jelas, karena pikiran kita tidak jernih, karena makanan kita tidak halal.
Kalau makanan kita halal, pertanyaan semacam itu tidak akan pernah muncul. Keseimbangan apa yang hendak kita bicarakan? Bisakah terjadi keseimbangan antara isi kantong dan Allah? Mustahil!
Jika makanan kita halal, kita akan senantiasa mengingat Allah. Tidak akan membicarakan keseimbangan. Tidak akan menduakan-Nya. Apa pun yang kita lakukan semata-mata untuk melayani Dia. Hidup ini menjadi sebuah pengabdian. Jangan memikirkan gaji. Itu urusan Majikan. Bisakah kita bersikap demikian? Bisakah saya dan anda, dan kita semua bersikap demikian? Kalau sudah bisa, ucapkan syukur Alhamdulillah... Dan berdoalah agar kesadaran anda tidak merosot, supaya anda selalu bersikap demikian.
Jika belum bisa, ketahuilah bahwa makanan anda belum halal. Cap di atas bungkusan mie tidak mampu "menghalalkan" makanan anda. Amal saleh dan perjalanan suci pun tidak akan mencuci dosa-dosa anda. Bertobatlah, berpalinglah ke jalan yang benar. Tidak perlu mencuci dosa pakai deterjen. Cukup mengakuinya dan tidak mengulanginya lagi. Dan yang terakhir ini penting sekali, "tidak mengulanginya lagi". Hanya mengakuinya saja tidak berguna sama sekali.
Layani suami, istri, dan keluargamu, karena mereka adalah makhluk-makhluk Allah. Bukan karena mereka adalah pasangan-"mu" atau anak-"mu" atau saudara-"mu" atau orang tua-"mu".
Kembangkan rasa peduli terhadap masyarakat, terhadap lingkungan, terhadap binatang-binatang tak bersalah yang anda sembelih, karena semua ciptaan Allah....
Sumber:
Masnawi (Jalaludin Rumi - Anand Krishna)
Mengapa Kita Memerlukan Sebuah Sistem Dunia Baru?
Mengapa Kita Memerlukan Sebuah Sistem Dunia Baru?
Wednesday, 13 January 2010 at 20:41
Uploaded via Facebook Mobile
Mengapa Kita Memerlukan Sebuah Sistem Dunia Baru?
Oleh: Wandy Binyo Tuturoong
1. Sistem ekonomi global saat ini sangat bertumpu pada pertumbuhan (yang secara agregat dinilai berdasarkan Produk Domestik Bruto).
2. Selama ini, pertumbuhan tersebut dimungkinkan karena ekspansi kredit atau utang (sebagai catatan, utang tersebut tentu memiliki bunga yang harus dibayarkan di masa depan), selain karena mengandalkan persediaan sumber daya alam.
3. Utang tersebut hanya mungkin terbayar dengan syarat pertumbuhan ekonomi terus terjadi di masa depan (jika pertumbuhan ekonomi negatif, bukan saja terjadi kerugian bagi pelaku ekonomi, tapi juga pasti terjadi gagal bayar utang secara massif atau "default").
4. Masalahnya adalah, sumber daya alam, khususnya energi dan bahan baku industri, sebagai penopang pertumbuhan ekonomi tadi TIDAK MUNGKIN bertumbuh terus tanpa batas.
5. Dengan kata lain, Bumi ini memiliki keterbatasan, apalagi jika pertumbuhan penduduk bumi bergerak sangat cepat melebihi ketersediaan sumber daya alam. Pada suatu titik, pertumbuhan terus-menerus ini akan mengalami tren PEMBALIKAN ARAH dan mengalami kerusakan fatal.
6. Bila tren pertumbuhan sudah terlihat akan berbalik arah, maka otomatis ekspansi kredit pun akan menurun drastis bahkan terhenti (tak ada yang mau memberikan kredit jika tahu bahwa kemungkinan besar kredit tersebut akan gagal bayar).
7. Konsekuensi awalnya, harga-harga akan melonjak sangat tinggi karena terbatasnya penawaran (supply).
8. Setelah itu, daya beli akan menurun yang berakibat pada penurunan permintaan (demand) secara drastis.
9. Skenario berikutnya adalah kegagalan sistem secara PERMANEN...
10. Meskipun demikian, terdapat sejumlah variasi yang bisa menunda akhir dari skenario sistem yang sekarang ini.
11. Misalnya yang terjadi di AS, tahun 1970-an, ketika produksi minyak AS mencapai puncaknya. Yang mereka lakukan adalah mendorong konsumsi masyarakatnya sebesar-besarnya dengan memberikan utang secara massif (khususnya kartu kredit dan kredit rumah).
12. Namun ada saatnya, pertumbuhan utang konsumsi itu pun akan mengalami puncaknya bila dibiarkan terus berekspansi (yang ditandai dengan makin banyaknya warga NINJA, "no income-no job-no asset" yang boleh mengkredit rumah). Pada akhirnya, skenario ini akan meledak juga (kasus "sub-prime mortgage" di AS).
13. Akhirnya, negara yang akan menalangi utang-utang tersebut, yang menyebabkan rasio utang terhadap PDB di AS sudah sebesar 90% (USD12 trilyun lebih). Yang secara matematis, sudah tak mungkin terbayarkan.
14. Skenario lain yang bisa menunda (juga sudah terjadi di AS) adalah memindahkan investasi ke sektor finansial (saham, mata uang dsb.). Namun, "bubble" yang direkayasa dalam pasar finansial toh tak mungkin bisa bertahan lama tanpa adanya aset riil sebagai penopangnya. Dalam kasus AS, "sub-prime mortgage" para NINJA bahkan sudah dijadikan penopang (underlying asset). Akhirnya, runtuh juga dan kembali negara yang jadi penyelamat.
15. Selama ini, jalan keluar sementara yang diambil selalu adalah memberikan beban utang lebih besar pada negara. Namun, sampai kapankah negara bisa menanggung utang tersebut (mengingat sumber daya alam serta ekspansi kredit akan makin sulit diandalkan ke depannya)? Bukankah dibutuhkan "pertumbuhan ekonomi" yang harus terus positif agar utang tersebut terbayarkan?
16. Saya hanya membayangkan 2 skenario: Pertama, biarkan sistem ini runtuh dan kita mulai dari nol lagi...
17. Kedua, kita secara massif beralih pada "green economy" (meskipun waktu kita sudah sangat terbatas dan kita menghadapi fakta sulitnya mengharapkan negara-negara kapitalis besar untuk meninggalkan sistem yang sudah sangat dinikmatinya ini).
18. Di luar kedua skenario itu, kita perlu merenungkan kembali "akar" dari sistem ekonomi ekspansif yang sudah pasti tidak "sustainable" ini: Akarnya adalah sistem mata uang dunia saat ini yang memberi insentif pada semua orang untuk melakukan "akumulasi kapital" atau ekspansi.
19. Konsumsi sumber daya alam secara membabi buta selama ini, sesungguhnya, cuma memiliki satu tujuan utama: Akumulasi kapital, dalam bentuk UANG.
20. Coba seandainya, akumulasi terhadap uang dikenakan disinsentif, misalnya uang "tak boleh dibungakan". Sebaliknya, mereka yang memegang atau mengakumulasi uang justru dikenakan biaya atau "cost" (dikenal sebagai "demurrage" atau "negative-interest")...
21. Maka yang akan terjadi adalah, uang akan terus bersirkulasi dengan lancar. Bahkan berpeluang untuk terdistribusi secara adil. Ketimbang "mengakumulasi UANG", manusia akan cenderung menjaga lingkungannya supaya bisa terus memberikan "KEHIDUPAN dalam jangka panjang".
22. Misalnya, ketimbang menggunduli hutan untuk dijual kayunya (dapt uang dengan cepat, lalu kehilangan sumber daya alam), lebih baik memelihara berbagai jenis tanaman karena buahnya bisa dikonsumsi secara terus-menerus (kehidupan yang lebih baik untuk generasi mendatang).
23. Di sini, kekayaan manusia tidak lagi diukur berdasarkan seberapa besar uang yang dimilikinya. Tetapi, seberapa baik ia menjaga dan berhubungan secara saling menguntungkan dengan ekosistem lingkungannya sendiri.
24. Mungkin, itulah yang dipikirkan seorang jenius bernama Muhammad ketika di abad ke-7 Masehi ia mengharamkan riba. Mungkin ia tahu persis bahwa kejatuhan peradaban Mesir Kuno terjadi ketika mereka meninggalkan "demurrage currency" dan mulai beralih ke sistem uang dengan bunga.
Wallahu'alam bissawab...
Wednesday, 13 January 2010 at 20:41
Uploaded via Facebook Mobile
Mengapa Kita Memerlukan Sebuah Sistem Dunia Baru?
Oleh: Wandy Binyo Tuturoong
1. Sistem ekonomi global saat ini sangat bertumpu pada pertumbuhan (yang secara agregat dinilai berdasarkan Produk Domestik Bruto).
2. Selama ini, pertumbuhan tersebut dimungkinkan karena ekspansi kredit atau utang (sebagai catatan, utang tersebut tentu memiliki bunga yang harus dibayarkan di masa depan), selain karena mengandalkan persediaan sumber daya alam.
3. Utang tersebut hanya mungkin terbayar dengan syarat pertumbuhan ekonomi terus terjadi di masa depan (jika pertumbuhan ekonomi negatif, bukan saja terjadi kerugian bagi pelaku ekonomi, tapi juga pasti terjadi gagal bayar utang secara massif atau "default").
4. Masalahnya adalah, sumber daya alam, khususnya energi dan bahan baku industri, sebagai penopang pertumbuhan ekonomi tadi TIDAK MUNGKIN bertumbuh terus tanpa batas.
5. Dengan kata lain, Bumi ini memiliki keterbatasan, apalagi jika pertumbuhan penduduk bumi bergerak sangat cepat melebihi ketersediaan sumber daya alam. Pada suatu titik, pertumbuhan terus-menerus ini akan mengalami tren PEMBALIKAN ARAH dan mengalami kerusakan fatal.
6. Bila tren pertumbuhan sudah terlihat akan berbalik arah, maka otomatis ekspansi kredit pun akan menurun drastis bahkan terhenti (tak ada yang mau memberikan kredit jika tahu bahwa kemungkinan besar kredit tersebut akan gagal bayar).
7. Konsekuensi awalnya, harga-harga akan melonjak sangat tinggi karena terbatasnya penawaran (supply).
8. Setelah itu, daya beli akan menurun yang berakibat pada penurunan permintaan (demand) secara drastis.
9. Skenario berikutnya adalah kegagalan sistem secara PERMANEN...
10. Meskipun demikian, terdapat sejumlah variasi yang bisa menunda akhir dari skenario sistem yang sekarang ini.
11. Misalnya yang terjadi di AS, tahun 1970-an, ketika produksi minyak AS mencapai puncaknya. Yang mereka lakukan adalah mendorong konsumsi masyarakatnya sebesar-besarnya dengan memberikan utang secara massif (khususnya kartu kredit dan kredit rumah).
12. Namun ada saatnya, pertumbuhan utang konsumsi itu pun akan mengalami puncaknya bila dibiarkan terus berekspansi (yang ditandai dengan makin banyaknya warga NINJA, "no income-no job-no asset" yang boleh mengkredit rumah). Pada akhirnya, skenario ini akan meledak juga (kasus "sub-prime mortgage" di AS).
13. Akhirnya, negara yang akan menalangi utang-utang tersebut, yang menyebabkan rasio utang terhadap PDB di AS sudah sebesar 90% (USD12 trilyun lebih). Yang secara matematis, sudah tak mungkin terbayarkan.
14. Skenario lain yang bisa menunda (juga sudah terjadi di AS) adalah memindahkan investasi ke sektor finansial (saham, mata uang dsb.). Namun, "bubble" yang direkayasa dalam pasar finansial toh tak mungkin bisa bertahan lama tanpa adanya aset riil sebagai penopangnya. Dalam kasus AS, "sub-prime mortgage" para NINJA bahkan sudah dijadikan penopang (underlying asset). Akhirnya, runtuh juga dan kembali negara yang jadi penyelamat.
15. Selama ini, jalan keluar sementara yang diambil selalu adalah memberikan beban utang lebih besar pada negara. Namun, sampai kapankah negara bisa menanggung utang tersebut (mengingat sumber daya alam serta ekspansi kredit akan makin sulit diandalkan ke depannya)? Bukankah dibutuhkan "pertumbuhan ekonomi" yang harus terus positif agar utang tersebut terbayarkan?
16. Saya hanya membayangkan 2 skenario: Pertama, biarkan sistem ini runtuh dan kita mulai dari nol lagi...
17. Kedua, kita secara massif beralih pada "green economy" (meskipun waktu kita sudah sangat terbatas dan kita menghadapi fakta sulitnya mengharapkan negara-negara kapitalis besar untuk meninggalkan sistem yang sudah sangat dinikmatinya ini).
18. Di luar kedua skenario itu, kita perlu merenungkan kembali "akar" dari sistem ekonomi ekspansif yang sudah pasti tidak "sustainable" ini: Akarnya adalah sistem mata uang dunia saat ini yang memberi insentif pada semua orang untuk melakukan "akumulasi kapital" atau ekspansi.
19. Konsumsi sumber daya alam secara membabi buta selama ini, sesungguhnya, cuma memiliki satu tujuan utama: Akumulasi kapital, dalam bentuk UANG.
20. Coba seandainya, akumulasi terhadap uang dikenakan disinsentif, misalnya uang "tak boleh dibungakan". Sebaliknya, mereka yang memegang atau mengakumulasi uang justru dikenakan biaya atau "cost" (dikenal sebagai "demurrage" atau "negative-interest")...
21. Maka yang akan terjadi adalah, uang akan terus bersirkulasi dengan lancar. Bahkan berpeluang untuk terdistribusi secara adil. Ketimbang "mengakumulasi UANG", manusia akan cenderung menjaga lingkungannya supaya bisa terus memberikan "KEHIDUPAN dalam jangka panjang".
22. Misalnya, ketimbang menggunduli hutan untuk dijual kayunya (dapt uang dengan cepat, lalu kehilangan sumber daya alam), lebih baik memelihara berbagai jenis tanaman karena buahnya bisa dikonsumsi secara terus-menerus (kehidupan yang lebih baik untuk generasi mendatang).
23. Di sini, kekayaan manusia tidak lagi diukur berdasarkan seberapa besar uang yang dimilikinya. Tetapi, seberapa baik ia menjaga dan berhubungan secara saling menguntungkan dengan ekosistem lingkungannya sendiri.
24. Mungkin, itulah yang dipikirkan seorang jenius bernama Muhammad ketika di abad ke-7 Masehi ia mengharamkan riba. Mungkin ia tahu persis bahwa kejatuhan peradaban Mesir Kuno terjadi ketika mereka meninggalkan "demurrage currency" dan mulai beralih ke sistem uang dengan bunga.
Wallahu'alam bissawab...
Permainan
Gue serius,
dia becanda.
Gue nangis,
mereka ketawa.
Hahaha....
Sungguh lucu permainan hidup ini
Jangan terlalu serius,
hidup ini sebuah permainan.
Tapi kalo sedang main,
serius dikit, dong!
Hehehe...
Iseng banget gue...
dia becanda.
Gue nangis,
mereka ketawa.
Hahaha....
Sungguh lucu permainan hidup ini
Jangan terlalu serius,
hidup ini sebuah permainan.
Tapi kalo sedang main,
serius dikit, dong!
Hehehe...
Iseng banget gue...
29 Jan 2010
Heart
Heart
Hati
(When a sufi talks about "heart", he means "inner heart", the psychic heart. And this heart of ours has got nothing to do with physical heart. Indeed, a sufi goes one step further. A sufi's inner heart is essentially a loving heart, to which these verses are dedicated--a.k.)
(Hati yang dibicarakan oleh seorang sufi bukanlah hati fisik, melainkan hati "batin". Dan bagi seorang sufi, hati batin adalah hati yang mencintai. Ia tak mampu membayangkan sebuah hati yang tidak mencintai--a.k.)
The heart has its head on its own palm,
the face of the heart is veiled:
the heart's hands are bound with iron chains,
the feet of the heart are nailed.
Dengan tangan sendiri,
hati menutupi wajahnya.
Tangan dia pun terikat,
dan kakinya terpaku.
The eyes of the heart are never dry,
the heart speaks only through tears.
The ears of the heart are so keen
that the voice from a distance it hears.
Mata hati tidak pernah kering.
Ia berbicara dalam bahasa airmata.
Pendengarannya begitu tajam
suara dari kejauhan pun terdengar olehnya.
The voice of the heart is silent,
yet far-reaching is heart's cry.
The heart has no question nor answer,
the heart is expressed in a sigh.
Hati tidak bersuara, ia hening
tetapi jeritannya terdengar hingga jauh.
Hati tidak bertanya, dan tidak menjawab.
Ia hanya merintih, menarik nafas panjang.
The ways of the heart are mysterious,
the heart has the mind of the child.
The heart's breath is full of tenderness,
the heart's expression is mild.
Cara kerja hati ini sungguh sangat misterius.
Ia memiliki pikiran seorang anak--polos,lugu.
Lembut napasnya,
sopan pembawaannya.
The ideal alone is heart's deity,
a constant yearning its life.
The heart's not concerned with life or death,
the heart stands firm through all strife.
Apa yang ditujunya, itu pula dipujanya
rasa rindu adalah hidupnya
di luar itu, ia tidak lagi memikirkan hidup dan mati.
"Hati" tak tergoyahkan dan berdiri tegak
menghadapi segala rintangan.
Beauty is heart's only object,
it's inspires, its all.
The heart is all power that there is,
the angels attend its call.
Kekuasaan hati sungguh luar biasa,
malaikat pun hadir bila dipanggilnya.
Akan tetapi, ia sendiri mengejar keindahan.
Itulah sumber inspirasi dan segala-galanya baginya.
The heart is itself its own medicine,
the heart all its own wounds heals.
And none can never imagine
the pain that the loving heart feels.
Penderitaan hati tak terbayangkan.
Luka-luka hati tak terhitungkan.
Untung ia mampu mengobati diri.
Mampu menyembuhkan luka-lukanya sendiri.
The path of the heart is thorny,
but leads in the end to bliss.
Hope is the staff the heart holds in hand,
And the goal heart shall not miss.
"Jalan hati" penuh dengan duri.
Tapi itulah satu-satunya jalan menuju
kebahagiaan sejati.
Hati tak pernah putus asa,
dan pasti mencapai tujuannya.
Nirtan:The Dance of the Soul -- Hazrat Inayat Khan
Tarian Jiwa -- Anand Krishna
Hati
(When a sufi talks about "heart", he means "inner heart", the psychic heart. And this heart of ours has got nothing to do with physical heart. Indeed, a sufi goes one step further. A sufi's inner heart is essentially a loving heart, to which these verses are dedicated--a.k.)
(Hati yang dibicarakan oleh seorang sufi bukanlah hati fisik, melainkan hati "batin". Dan bagi seorang sufi, hati batin adalah hati yang mencintai. Ia tak mampu membayangkan sebuah hati yang tidak mencintai--a.k.)
The heart has its head on its own palm,
the face of the heart is veiled:
the heart's hands are bound with iron chains,
the feet of the heart are nailed.
Dengan tangan sendiri,
hati menutupi wajahnya.
Tangan dia pun terikat,
dan kakinya terpaku.
The eyes of the heart are never dry,
the heart speaks only through tears.
The ears of the heart are so keen
that the voice from a distance it hears.
Mata hati tidak pernah kering.
Ia berbicara dalam bahasa airmata.
Pendengarannya begitu tajam
suara dari kejauhan pun terdengar olehnya.
The voice of the heart is silent,
yet far-reaching is heart's cry.
The heart has no question nor answer,
the heart is expressed in a sigh.
Hati tidak bersuara, ia hening
tetapi jeritannya terdengar hingga jauh.
Hati tidak bertanya, dan tidak menjawab.
Ia hanya merintih, menarik nafas panjang.
The ways of the heart are mysterious,
the heart has the mind of the child.
The heart's breath is full of tenderness,
the heart's expression is mild.
Cara kerja hati ini sungguh sangat misterius.
Ia memiliki pikiran seorang anak--polos,lugu.
Lembut napasnya,
sopan pembawaannya.
The ideal alone is heart's deity,
a constant yearning its life.
The heart's not concerned with life or death,
the heart stands firm through all strife.
Apa yang ditujunya, itu pula dipujanya
rasa rindu adalah hidupnya
di luar itu, ia tidak lagi memikirkan hidup dan mati.
"Hati" tak tergoyahkan dan berdiri tegak
menghadapi segala rintangan.
Beauty is heart's only object,
it's inspires, its all.
The heart is all power that there is,
the angels attend its call.
Kekuasaan hati sungguh luar biasa,
malaikat pun hadir bila dipanggilnya.
Akan tetapi, ia sendiri mengejar keindahan.
Itulah sumber inspirasi dan segala-galanya baginya.
The heart is itself its own medicine,
the heart all its own wounds heals.
And none can never imagine
the pain that the loving heart feels.
Penderitaan hati tak terbayangkan.
Luka-luka hati tak terhitungkan.
Untung ia mampu mengobati diri.
Mampu menyembuhkan luka-lukanya sendiri.
The path of the heart is thorny,
but leads in the end to bliss.
Hope is the staff the heart holds in hand,
And the goal heart shall not miss.
"Jalan hati" penuh dengan duri.
Tapi itulah satu-satunya jalan menuju
kebahagiaan sejati.
Hati tak pernah putus asa,
dan pasti mencapai tujuannya.
Nirtan:The Dance of the Soul -- Hazrat Inayat Khan
Tarian Jiwa -- Anand Krishna
28 Jan 2010
Isak Tangis Semar
Sindunata :
Mangka darajating praja/ kawuryan wus sunya ri/ rurah pangrehing ukara/ karana tanpa palupi/ atilar silastuti/ sujana sarjana kelu/ kalulun kalatidha/ tidhem tandhaning dumadi/ ardyanengrat dene karoban rubeda.
Secuplik tembang Sinom di atas adalah petikan dari ramalan Serat Kalatidha karya Pujangga Ranggawarsita. Rasa-rasanya ramalan itu sedang menjadi kenyataan kita sekarang. Sebab sekarang kita berada dalam keadaan yang serba repot dan tak menentu. Nyaris tak ada tokoh yang patut dijadikan panutan. Kata-kata para tokoh simpang siur, penuh dengan janji kosong dan kebohongan. Sedikit pun tiada lagi rasa malu jika mereka melanggar aturan dan cita-cita kemasyarakatan. Para cerdik cendikia pun ikut tergulung arus zaman edan.
Dalam kacamata Serat Kalatida, keadaan serba repot itu tidak melulu dimengerti sebagai situasi zaman, tetapi sebagai kutukan zaman. Karena kutukan itu, segala niat yang luhur urung menjadi realitas. Dan pemimpin yang berniat mulia pun diselimpung oleh zaman dan menjadi ikut edan. Dengan kata lain, situasi repot ini bukan sekedar akibat dari ulah manusia yang tercela, tapi lebih-lebih adalah ekspresi dari kekuatan jahat yang sedang unjuk gigi. Kekuatan jahat itu tersembunyi, tapi terus beroperasi, membujuk dan menyeret manusia jatuh dalam kejahatannya.
Jelas keadaan demikian tak bisa diatasi dengan politik. Sebab akar permasalahannya bukan situasi sosial dan politik, tapi keruwetan batin manusia sendiri. Menurut tradisi Jawa, inilah saatnya kita harus menjadi seperti Semar. Sebab, seperti diyakini dalam kejawen, Semar iku asale saka basa samar, kang tegese ora samar ing umbak-umbuling lan wolak-walike jaman (Semar itu berasal dari samar, yang maksudnya tidak samar terhadap naik turun dan berubah-ubahnya zaman).
Memang Semar itu samar dari luar, tak jelas siapa dia, lelaki atau perempuan. Tapi dalam dirinya, ia menyimapan kejelasan manusia yang terdalam, yakni rasa eling lan waspada. Semar adalah kesadaran ilahi yang mengejawantah menjadi rasa eling yang manusiawi. Namun pada Semar, rasa eling manusiawi itu bukanlah kesadaran yang serba abstrak. Pada Semar, rasa eling itu menjadi konkret, yakni menjadi manusia dalam derajatnya yang terbawah: menjadi rakyat biasa.
Itu tidak berarti bahwa rakyat mempunyai kesadaran yang sempurna tentang segala-galanya. Tidak, justru sebaliknya, keadaan lahiriah mereka yang serba tidak sempurna adalah rasa, yang selalu meng-eling-kan mereka yang merasa diri sempurna, entah dalam pemikirannya entah dalam harta materialnya. Persis seperti Semar, yang terbilang buruk rupa karena dirinya hanyalah hamba, selalu meng-eling-kan bendara-nya, tuannya yang gagah, tampan, kaya dan berkuasa. Jadi rasa eling yang ada pada rakyat itu dengan demikian bersifat sosial, atau lebih tepat bersifat sosial-kritis.
Karena itu menurut filsafat Semar, jika rakyat masih miskin, maka mereka yang kaya harus eling bahwa kekayaan mereka tidaklah dibangun pada fundamen yang benar, karenanya juga akan mudah roboh dan sia-sia. Jika rakyat masih menderita karena ketidakadilan, maka mereka yang berleha-leha dengan harta berlimpah adalah penghina dan penista derajat manusia. Jika hak-hak rakyat masih tertindas, maka para penguasa sesungguhnya hanyalah tiran yang kejam, betapapun mereka mengaku sebagai pemimpin yang baik dan utama.
Begitulah dengan di-dunung-i, atau dihuni oleh Semar, rakyat mentransendir keadaan dirinya, dan menjadi potensi yang menentang ketidakadilan, ketimpangan, dan kekuasaan yang sewenang-wenang. Rakyat lalu kembali menjadi bagian dari sejarah dan menentukan sejarah. Lebih dari itu mereka juga menjadi bagian dari kekuasaan, dan menjadikan kekuasaan bukan lagi melulu sebagai otoritas yang steril, tapi otoritas yang berhati, yang mampu menjalin manusia satu sama lain, dan lebih-lebih mampu merangkul mereka yang selama ini tersingkir dan terpinggirkan. Ya, bersama Semar, rakyat menjadi kekuatan yang akan memaksa kekuasaan untuk eling.
Menjadi Semar tidaklah mudah. Untuk menjadi Semar, penguasa harusberani nyuwungke atau memgosongkan diri dari segala nafsunya. Dalam bahasa kejawen, ia harus menempuh marga sunya untuk menuju sampurna. Dan pada Semar, jalan sunya atau pengosongan diri itu tidak ditempuh dengan menyepi atau samadi, tapi dengan menjadi kawula. Maka penguasa yang ingin nyemar, menjadi Semar, tanpa berani merakyat, dan merasakan betul pahit dan susahnya penderitaan rakyat, ia hanya akan menemui kegagalan belaka.
Memang Semar itu nyata, senyata penderitaan rakyat. Karena itu, Semar tetap samar, jika ia hanya digembar-gemborkan sebagai visi politik yang pro-ekonomi kerakyatan dan antineoliberalisme. Maka, jangan mencari Semar dalam diri para pemimpin yang sedang mengobral janji. Semar tak usah dicari, ia sedang berada misalnya dalam isak tangis Sumariah, pedagang bakso, yang kehilangan anaknya tercinta, Siti Khoiyaroh (4 tahun) yang mati tersiram kuah bakso dan bara arang, saat hendak menyelamatkan diri diri dari kebrutalan Satpol PP kota Surabaya. Dalam penderitaan dan jeritan rakyat semacam itulah Semar berada, bukan dalam pidato-pidato calon presiden kita.
Kompas, 7 Juni 2009
Mangka darajating praja/ kawuryan wus sunya ri/ rurah pangrehing ukara/ karana tanpa palupi/ atilar silastuti/ sujana sarjana kelu/ kalulun kalatidha/ tidhem tandhaning dumadi/ ardyanengrat dene karoban rubeda.
Secuplik tembang Sinom di atas adalah petikan dari ramalan Serat Kalatidha karya Pujangga Ranggawarsita. Rasa-rasanya ramalan itu sedang menjadi kenyataan kita sekarang. Sebab sekarang kita berada dalam keadaan yang serba repot dan tak menentu. Nyaris tak ada tokoh yang patut dijadikan panutan. Kata-kata para tokoh simpang siur, penuh dengan janji kosong dan kebohongan. Sedikit pun tiada lagi rasa malu jika mereka melanggar aturan dan cita-cita kemasyarakatan. Para cerdik cendikia pun ikut tergulung arus zaman edan.
Dalam kacamata Serat Kalatida, keadaan serba repot itu tidak melulu dimengerti sebagai situasi zaman, tetapi sebagai kutukan zaman. Karena kutukan itu, segala niat yang luhur urung menjadi realitas. Dan pemimpin yang berniat mulia pun diselimpung oleh zaman dan menjadi ikut edan. Dengan kata lain, situasi repot ini bukan sekedar akibat dari ulah manusia yang tercela, tapi lebih-lebih adalah ekspresi dari kekuatan jahat yang sedang unjuk gigi. Kekuatan jahat itu tersembunyi, tapi terus beroperasi, membujuk dan menyeret manusia jatuh dalam kejahatannya.
Jelas keadaan demikian tak bisa diatasi dengan politik. Sebab akar permasalahannya bukan situasi sosial dan politik, tapi keruwetan batin manusia sendiri. Menurut tradisi Jawa, inilah saatnya kita harus menjadi seperti Semar. Sebab, seperti diyakini dalam kejawen, Semar iku asale saka basa samar, kang tegese ora samar ing umbak-umbuling lan wolak-walike jaman (Semar itu berasal dari samar, yang maksudnya tidak samar terhadap naik turun dan berubah-ubahnya zaman).
Memang Semar itu samar dari luar, tak jelas siapa dia, lelaki atau perempuan. Tapi dalam dirinya, ia menyimapan kejelasan manusia yang terdalam, yakni rasa eling lan waspada. Semar adalah kesadaran ilahi yang mengejawantah menjadi rasa eling yang manusiawi. Namun pada Semar, rasa eling manusiawi itu bukanlah kesadaran yang serba abstrak. Pada Semar, rasa eling itu menjadi konkret, yakni menjadi manusia dalam derajatnya yang terbawah: menjadi rakyat biasa.
Itu tidak berarti bahwa rakyat mempunyai kesadaran yang sempurna tentang segala-galanya. Tidak, justru sebaliknya, keadaan lahiriah mereka yang serba tidak sempurna adalah rasa, yang selalu meng-eling-kan mereka yang merasa diri sempurna, entah dalam pemikirannya entah dalam harta materialnya. Persis seperti Semar, yang terbilang buruk rupa karena dirinya hanyalah hamba, selalu meng-eling-kan bendara-nya, tuannya yang gagah, tampan, kaya dan berkuasa. Jadi rasa eling yang ada pada rakyat itu dengan demikian bersifat sosial, atau lebih tepat bersifat sosial-kritis.
Karena itu menurut filsafat Semar, jika rakyat masih miskin, maka mereka yang kaya harus eling bahwa kekayaan mereka tidaklah dibangun pada fundamen yang benar, karenanya juga akan mudah roboh dan sia-sia. Jika rakyat masih menderita karena ketidakadilan, maka mereka yang berleha-leha dengan harta berlimpah adalah penghina dan penista derajat manusia. Jika hak-hak rakyat masih tertindas, maka para penguasa sesungguhnya hanyalah tiran yang kejam, betapapun mereka mengaku sebagai pemimpin yang baik dan utama.
Begitulah dengan di-dunung-i, atau dihuni oleh Semar, rakyat mentransendir keadaan dirinya, dan menjadi potensi yang menentang ketidakadilan, ketimpangan, dan kekuasaan yang sewenang-wenang. Rakyat lalu kembali menjadi bagian dari sejarah dan menentukan sejarah. Lebih dari itu mereka juga menjadi bagian dari kekuasaan, dan menjadikan kekuasaan bukan lagi melulu sebagai otoritas yang steril, tapi otoritas yang berhati, yang mampu menjalin manusia satu sama lain, dan lebih-lebih mampu merangkul mereka yang selama ini tersingkir dan terpinggirkan. Ya, bersama Semar, rakyat menjadi kekuatan yang akan memaksa kekuasaan untuk eling.
Menjadi Semar tidaklah mudah. Untuk menjadi Semar, penguasa harusberani nyuwungke atau memgosongkan diri dari segala nafsunya. Dalam bahasa kejawen, ia harus menempuh marga sunya untuk menuju sampurna. Dan pada Semar, jalan sunya atau pengosongan diri itu tidak ditempuh dengan menyepi atau samadi, tapi dengan menjadi kawula. Maka penguasa yang ingin nyemar, menjadi Semar, tanpa berani merakyat, dan merasakan betul pahit dan susahnya penderitaan rakyat, ia hanya akan menemui kegagalan belaka.
Memang Semar itu nyata, senyata penderitaan rakyat. Karena itu, Semar tetap samar, jika ia hanya digembar-gemborkan sebagai visi politik yang pro-ekonomi kerakyatan dan antineoliberalisme. Maka, jangan mencari Semar dalam diri para pemimpin yang sedang mengobral janji. Semar tak usah dicari, ia sedang berada misalnya dalam isak tangis Sumariah, pedagang bakso, yang kehilangan anaknya tercinta, Siti Khoiyaroh (4 tahun) yang mati tersiram kuah bakso dan bara arang, saat hendak menyelamatkan diri diri dari kebrutalan Satpol PP kota Surabaya. Dalam penderitaan dan jeritan rakyat semacam itulah Semar berada, bukan dalam pidato-pidato calon presiden kita.
Kompas, 7 Juni 2009
27 Jan 2010
For the New Year, Meditation or Medication?
For the New Year, Meditation or Medication?
January 01, 2010
The word meditation comes from the Indo-European root “med,” meaning “to measure.” I do not know when and how it got into Latin, reincarnated as “meditatio,” and gained a totally new meaning: “physical and mental exercises.”
I prefer to connect meditation with medication, both sharing the same root “med.” Meditation and medication – both are the “aftermath of measuring.” Each, however, takes a different action.
Meditation leads us to the journey within, inside – whereas medication leads us to the journey without, outside. Meditation delivers its findings – the measurement – to you. Medication delivers the findings to your doctor.
Meditation, therefore, demands your total involvement. One has to be intelligent enough to decide what to do with the findings. While in medication, no such intelligence is required. For it is the doctor who decides what to do with the findings.
But who is the finder? Who is taking the measurement? What do you do when you fall sick? You make an appointment with a physician. Then, when you see him, his first question is usually, “How do you feel?”
Your doctor, your physician, is actually asking you to diagnose your illness. He is asking you to “make the measurement.” The medication he prescribes is based on the diagnosis made by you.
Both meditation and medication depend on the initial diagnosis you make, or the measurement you take. Later they take a different course of action. In meditation, you are fully responsible for the entire process of healing, whereas in the “way of medication” your responsibility ends with the initial diagnosis you make. After that point, it is your doctor’s responsibility.
What do we want to do this year, this New Year?
Are we prepared to take full responsibility of our life, i.e. follow the way of meditation – or follow the way of medication, and throw the responsibility on someone else?
I shall leave you to make the decision for yourself, for your life is, after all, your life. Who am I to decide for you? For the moment – since we are still in the process of “measuring” – let us be together.
How did we fare during the year just passed?
Are we richer? Not only materially, but also physically – am I healthier? This is the most important measurement to take. For without the support of a healthy body, you cannot do anything.
Next comes our emotions – how much richer are we? How did we respond to the emotional turbulences? And intellectually – are we getting more intelligent, or dumber?
Take the measurement, and then decide. What is it that you would like to do with those measurements? The way of meditation requires you to go within and contemplate deeply on those findings. And tailor your life accordingly.
A true teacher, a master, or a sadguru, will only point the way. You may get some useful tips from them. They may stand by you. Whenever you are about to lose hope, they may encourage and support you. But that is about it. They shall not cure you of your disease. For they know that you are both the cause and the cure of the disease.
The way of medication, on the other hand, leads you to outside resources for the cure. Such resources can make you feel comfortable, can ease your pain for some time, but cannot cure you. You will become dependent on such resources and lose control over your life.
The choice is, once again, in your hands.
Remember, it is your life.
* * *
Now let us move to Bali.
Bali is, at least to all of us who love the isle, our expanded identity. I am almost certain that we all share the same sentiment about Bali – for, otherwise, you would not be reading this paper, The Bali Times. There is no dearth of other times, why Bali Times?
We love Bali, yes, but I wonder how my Norwegian neighbour feels after being robbed by one of her employees, and losing all her jewellery. I would understand her resentment.
Or what do the relatives of the recently murdered Japanese woman in Kuta feel about Bali? I don’t know, and I don’t want to guess. From past experiences, however, I know this: If the culprit is caught and he/she happens to be a non-Balinese, most of my Balinese friends will take a sigh of relief, “See, they are outsiders.”
To most of the foreigners, especially those who are visiting Bali for the first time, Indonesians living on the isle are Balinese. They do not go about asking questions, “Where are you originally from?”
Any crime committed on the isle, by whoever, is a crime committed to Bali. My dear friends, your sigh of relief is self-deluding. Whoever commits the crime, it is the image of Bali that is tarnished.
At the same time, I must also advise the foreigners, both the visitors and the residents: Remain vigilant. Things have changed, are changing. Slowly but surely the disease of materialism is creeping into our society, and social system. You can no longer afford to leave your house open at all times, or your cupboards unlocked. Do not tempt the already materialistic with more matter and materials.
We all must work together to save Bali, to make her retain whatever beauty is left in her.
Later this year, Bali will most probably face its greatest challenge in decades, when Julia Roberts’ Eat, Pray, Love hits theatres around the world. I see more people, like the heroine of the story, coming to Bali out of “unripe spiritual curiosity.” And, I see more vendors responding to such curiosity. More muddy and dirty waters. God knows how long will it take to settle, although settle it must.
Bali is at a point where she must decide for herself, which road, which course of action she must take. Will it be the course of meditation, or the course of medication? Will it be the course of Paul Brunton of A Search in Secret India fame, or the course of novelist Elizabeth Gilbert, the writer of Eat, Pray, Love? Will it be the course of eating and loving prayerfully, meditatively – or the course of merely eating, praying and loving?
Eating and loving prayerfully and eating, praying and loving – these are two different courses. One leads us within. The other keeps us outside. One makes us independent, the other dependent. Again, the choice is ours. After all, it is our life.
The writer is a spiritual activist and author of more than 130 books, several in English (www.aumkar.org, www.anandkrishna.org). His organization runs Holistic Health/Meditation Centers, a National Plus/Interfaith School, a Charitable Clinic and a Public Reading Room in Bali. For more information, call Aryana or Debbie at 0361 7801595, 8477490.
January 01, 2010
The word meditation comes from the Indo-European root “med,” meaning “to measure.” I do not know when and how it got into Latin, reincarnated as “meditatio,” and gained a totally new meaning: “physical and mental exercises.”
I prefer to connect meditation with medication, both sharing the same root “med.” Meditation and medication – both are the “aftermath of measuring.” Each, however, takes a different action.
Meditation leads us to the journey within, inside – whereas medication leads us to the journey without, outside. Meditation delivers its findings – the measurement – to you. Medication delivers the findings to your doctor.
Meditation, therefore, demands your total involvement. One has to be intelligent enough to decide what to do with the findings. While in medication, no such intelligence is required. For it is the doctor who decides what to do with the findings.
But who is the finder? Who is taking the measurement? What do you do when you fall sick? You make an appointment with a physician. Then, when you see him, his first question is usually, “How do you feel?”
Your doctor, your physician, is actually asking you to diagnose your illness. He is asking you to “make the measurement.” The medication he prescribes is based on the diagnosis made by you.
Both meditation and medication depend on the initial diagnosis you make, or the measurement you take. Later they take a different course of action. In meditation, you are fully responsible for the entire process of healing, whereas in the “way of medication” your responsibility ends with the initial diagnosis you make. After that point, it is your doctor’s responsibility.
What do we want to do this year, this New Year?
Are we prepared to take full responsibility of our life, i.e. follow the way of meditation – or follow the way of medication, and throw the responsibility on someone else?
I shall leave you to make the decision for yourself, for your life is, after all, your life. Who am I to decide for you? For the moment – since we are still in the process of “measuring” – let us be together.
How did we fare during the year just passed?
Are we richer? Not only materially, but also physically – am I healthier? This is the most important measurement to take. For without the support of a healthy body, you cannot do anything.
Next comes our emotions – how much richer are we? How did we respond to the emotional turbulences? And intellectually – are we getting more intelligent, or dumber?
Take the measurement, and then decide. What is it that you would like to do with those measurements? The way of meditation requires you to go within and contemplate deeply on those findings. And tailor your life accordingly.
A true teacher, a master, or a sadguru, will only point the way. You may get some useful tips from them. They may stand by you. Whenever you are about to lose hope, they may encourage and support you. But that is about it. They shall not cure you of your disease. For they know that you are both the cause and the cure of the disease.
The way of medication, on the other hand, leads you to outside resources for the cure. Such resources can make you feel comfortable, can ease your pain for some time, but cannot cure you. You will become dependent on such resources and lose control over your life.
The choice is, once again, in your hands.
Remember, it is your life.
* * *
Now let us move to Bali.
Bali is, at least to all of us who love the isle, our expanded identity. I am almost certain that we all share the same sentiment about Bali – for, otherwise, you would not be reading this paper, The Bali Times. There is no dearth of other times, why Bali Times?
We love Bali, yes, but I wonder how my Norwegian neighbour feels after being robbed by one of her employees, and losing all her jewellery. I would understand her resentment.
Or what do the relatives of the recently murdered Japanese woman in Kuta feel about Bali? I don’t know, and I don’t want to guess. From past experiences, however, I know this: If the culprit is caught and he/she happens to be a non-Balinese, most of my Balinese friends will take a sigh of relief, “See, they are outsiders.”
To most of the foreigners, especially those who are visiting Bali for the first time, Indonesians living on the isle are Balinese. They do not go about asking questions, “Where are you originally from?”
Any crime committed on the isle, by whoever, is a crime committed to Bali. My dear friends, your sigh of relief is self-deluding. Whoever commits the crime, it is the image of Bali that is tarnished.
At the same time, I must also advise the foreigners, both the visitors and the residents: Remain vigilant. Things have changed, are changing. Slowly but surely the disease of materialism is creeping into our society, and social system. You can no longer afford to leave your house open at all times, or your cupboards unlocked. Do not tempt the already materialistic with more matter and materials.
We all must work together to save Bali, to make her retain whatever beauty is left in her.
Later this year, Bali will most probably face its greatest challenge in decades, when Julia Roberts’ Eat, Pray, Love hits theatres around the world. I see more people, like the heroine of the story, coming to Bali out of “unripe spiritual curiosity.” And, I see more vendors responding to such curiosity. More muddy and dirty waters. God knows how long will it take to settle, although settle it must.
Bali is at a point where she must decide for herself, which road, which course of action she must take. Will it be the course of meditation, or the course of medication? Will it be the course of Paul Brunton of A Search in Secret India fame, or the course of novelist Elizabeth Gilbert, the writer of Eat, Pray, Love? Will it be the course of eating and loving prayerfully, meditatively – or the course of merely eating, praying and loving?
Eating and loving prayerfully and eating, praying and loving – these are two different courses. One leads us within. The other keeps us outside. One makes us independent, the other dependent. Again, the choice is ours. After all, it is our life.
The writer is a spiritual activist and author of more than 130 books, several in English (www.aumkar.org, www.anandkrishna.org). His organization runs Holistic Health/Meditation Centers, a National Plus/Interfaith School, a Charitable Clinic and a Public Reading Room in Bali. For more information, call Aryana or Debbie at 0361 7801595, 8477490.
one can miss one's whole life
Sunday, 17 January 2010 at 12:53
Watch--one can miss one's whole life for ordinary, mundane things. To be spiritual means to understand that these small things should not be given too much importance. I am not saying that they are meaningless. I am saying that they are meaningful but not as meaningful as you think.
Money is needed. It is a need. But money is not the goal and cannot be the goal. A house is needed, certainly. It is a need. I am not an ascetic and I don't want you to destroy your houses and escape to the Himalayas. The house is needed--but the house is needed for you. Don' misunderstand it.
As I see people, the whole thing has gone topsy-turvy. They exist as if they are needed for the house. They go on working for the house. As if they are needed for the bank balance--they simply go on collecting money and then they die. And then they had never lived. They had never a single moment of throbbing, streaming life. They were just imprisoned in security, familiarity, respectability.
Then if you feel bored, it is natural. People come to me and they say they feel very bored. They feel fed up, stuck, what to do? They think that just by repeating a mantra they will become again alive. It is not so easy. They will have to change their whole life pattern.
Love, but don't think that tomorrow the woman will be available to you. Don't expect. Don't reduce the woman into a wife. Then you are living dangerously. Don't reduce the man into a husband, because a husband is an ugly thing. Let your man be your man and your woman your woman, and don't make your tomorrow predictable. Expect nothing and be ready for everything. That's what I mean when I say live dangerously.
What we do? We fall in love with a woman and immediately we start going to the court, or to the registry office, or to the church, to get married. I'm not saying don't get married. It is a formality. Good, satisfy the society, but deep in your mind never possess the woman. Never for a single moment say that "you belong to me". Because how can a person belong to you? And when you start possessing the woman, she will start possessing you. Then you both are no longer in love. You are just crushing and killing each others, paralyzing each other.
Love, but don't let your love degrade into marriage. Work--work is needed--but don't let work become your only life. Play should remain your life, your center of life. Work should be just a means toward play. Work in the office and work in the factory and work in the shop, but just to have time, opportunity, to play. Don't let your life be reduced into just a working routine--because the goal is play!
Play means doing something for its own sake. If you enjoy many more things for their own sake, you will be more alive. Of course, your life will always be in risk, in danger. But that' how life has tobe. Risk is part of it. In fact the better part of it is risk, the best part of it is risk. It is every moment a risk. You may not be aware... You breathe in, you breathe out--who knows whether the breath will come back or not? It is not certain, there is no guarantee.
Courage -- The Joy of Living Dangerously by Osho
Watch--one can miss one's whole life for ordinary, mundane things. To be spiritual means to understand that these small things should not be given too much importance. I am not saying that they are meaningless. I am saying that they are meaningful but not as meaningful as you think.
Money is needed. It is a need. But money is not the goal and cannot be the goal. A house is needed, certainly. It is a need. I am not an ascetic and I don't want you to destroy your houses and escape to the Himalayas. The house is needed--but the house is needed for you. Don' misunderstand it.
As I see people, the whole thing has gone topsy-turvy. They exist as if they are needed for the house. They go on working for the house. As if they are needed for the bank balance--they simply go on collecting money and then they die. And then they had never lived. They had never a single moment of throbbing, streaming life. They were just imprisoned in security, familiarity, respectability.
Then if you feel bored, it is natural. People come to me and they say they feel very bored. They feel fed up, stuck, what to do? They think that just by repeating a mantra they will become again alive. It is not so easy. They will have to change their whole life pattern.
Love, but don't think that tomorrow the woman will be available to you. Don't expect. Don't reduce the woman into a wife. Then you are living dangerously. Don't reduce the man into a husband, because a husband is an ugly thing. Let your man be your man and your woman your woman, and don't make your tomorrow predictable. Expect nothing and be ready for everything. That's what I mean when I say live dangerously.
What we do? We fall in love with a woman and immediately we start going to the court, or to the registry office, or to the church, to get married. I'm not saying don't get married. It is a formality. Good, satisfy the society, but deep in your mind never possess the woman. Never for a single moment say that "you belong to me". Because how can a person belong to you? And when you start possessing the woman, she will start possessing you. Then you both are no longer in love. You are just crushing and killing each others, paralyzing each other.
Love, but don't let your love degrade into marriage. Work--work is needed--but don't let work become your only life. Play should remain your life, your center of life. Work should be just a means toward play. Work in the office and work in the factory and work in the shop, but just to have time, opportunity, to play. Don't let your life be reduced into just a working routine--because the goal is play!
Play means doing something for its own sake. If you enjoy many more things for their own sake, you will be more alive. Of course, your life will always be in risk, in danger. But that' how life has tobe. Risk is part of it. In fact the better part of it is risk, the best part of it is risk. It is every moment a risk. You may not be aware... You breathe in, you breathe out--who knows whether the breath will come back or not? It is not certain, there is no guarantee.
Courage -- The Joy of Living Dangerously by Osho
Devotion
Devotion to the Lord--no matter how staunch and strong--must be energized by the company of the good, and godly. Otherwise the devotee becomes weak, and may fall.
Devotion must be complemented by a strong will power. Devotion must inject the devotee with strength to break away from all persons and circumstances that pose as hindrance to his or her evolution, growth, and progress. (The Hanuman Factor)
Devotion must be complemented by a strong will power. Devotion must inject the devotee with strength to break away from all persons and circumstances that pose as hindrance to his or her evolution, growth, and progress. (The Hanuman Factor)
Decorations Do Not a Hero Make
Decorations Do Not a Hero Make
December 11, 2009
A great nation never forgets to honour its heroes,” said Sukarno, our first president and one of the founding fathers of the modern Indonesian state. Bali has, perhaps, been the foremost in honouring her heroes. It was here on this isle that the ancient myth of Sutasoma was preserved for posterity. This is the same myth that gave us our national motto of Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity/Appearing as Many, but Essentially One).
From ancient myth to present-day reality. Here is a story of a contemporary hero, a man who lived in Java, but loved Bali dearly.
I agree with what you said, Pak. Medical science does not fully endorse the view, but yes, the mind exists outside the brain and controls it. So there must be another faculty controlling the mind.” I still remember those words spoken to me by a tall, well-built stranger.
1998: He was attending our public event. His language was simple, but his knowledge betrayed him. “You must be a doctor, Pak.” I said.
He paused for a brief moment: “Kebetulan saja,” a very common Indonesian phrase, meaning “coincidentally,” implying, “nothing great.”
He was a doctor.
“With a specialization in…” He giggled shyly. “Actually I know something about the human brain.”
The man was a neurosurgeon. That is the top in the hierarchy of conventional medical science. Later I discovered from one of his juniors that he belonged to the first generation of Indonesian neurosurgeons.
I remember commenting: “He must be well known,” implicitly meaning he must be well-to-do.
“The man is a bit eccentric. He prefers to work in the government hospitals. He just moved to Jakarta after spending most of his life in the remote areas.”
That was uncommon for a neurosurgeon. Another doctor friend of mine, working in a small town in Java, told me once, “It is so difficult to have an ENT specialist here. With no specialization, I must still take care of the tuberculosis unit, for lack of specialists.”
Dr Bambang Setiawan belonged to an altogether different genre of doctors. My second meeting with him, a couple of weeks later, confirmed my initial conclusion about him – out of this world. When I mentioned this to him, he laughed. He had a peculiar way of laughing, uniquely Setiawan. Like the neurotransmitters of his science, they were short, but intertwined, interconnected.
The man drove an old sedan, and would commute between Jakarta and Bandung, where his family lived. “You don’t get tired?” I asked him once.
“The body does need a rest,” he answered, “I try to rest between surgeries. That is important for me. I must be fully alert before entering the operating theatre.”
He often talked about when things went wrong. “When brain-death occurs, the patient is actually dead. Other organs begin to shut down one by one. Though some energy is still left to cause body reflexes. At that point, if the patient is given life support, his lungs and heart may show some activity. It is like pumping air into a balloon.
“Sadly, such clinically dead patients are often put under intensive care, and even treated with expensive intravenous infusions.” The reason? You guessed it.
It did not take me long to have firsthand experience of what he said. My sister was admitted to a private hospital for cirrhosis, under the care of a renowned internist. Dr Setiawan came, saw her and confided in me: “Medically speaking, nothing much that can be done. She may not survive longer than a couple of weeks.” He was right.
One afternoon, my brother-in-law called to inform me that my sister was being moved to the intensive care unit. I rushed to the hospital, saw her and felt that she was gone.
I immediately called Dr Setiawan, who came within an hour. It was around four in the afternoon – almost three hours after my sister was admitted to the ICU – and Dr Setiawan confirmed: “Her brain is dead.”
Why infuse a dead body with packs of albumin? It took us more than eight hours to get hold of the professor under whose “expert care” my sister had been, and two stern lines from Dr Setiawan over the phone line: “Professor, I am a neurosurgeon. And I know that brain death has already occurred” – to have the meaningless life support removed.
During those 12 hours in the ICU, my sister had been dead for at least eight of them, yet she helped enrich the doctors and the hospital with additional tens of millions of rupiah.
Corrupt practitioners are placed in “high places” where they dance to the tune of their masters. Dr Setiawan and I shared same frustrations and concerns over the fate of this nation. We discussed these things in private, and in public. Some of our recorded discussions were later published in book form.
What saddened him the most was the mental state of our people “up there”: “They are not sincere, not ready to serve. They like to be served.”
His frustrations, however, became his strength. On October 28, 2006, the spirited doctor – together with several of his friends – formed ForADokSi-BIP (Forum Pengajar, Dokter dan Psikolog bagi Ibu Pertiwi), the Forum of Educators, Doctors and Psychologists for Motherland.
ForADokSi consists of true sons and daughters of the soil, scattered all over the nation, ever toiling for Motherland. They go unnoticed and undecorated. However, they are too busy to be bothered by that.
This year, ForADokSi was to celebrate its 3rd anniversary at the National Defence Institute (Lemhanas), on October 29. Dr Setiawan was to talk on the need to transform our education system, so as to ensure a fear-free and more courageous generation. Alas, three weeks before the celebration, the man who had helped many live a normal post-stroke life had a fatal stroke.
Dozens of specialists attending to him – including his doctor wife – were amazed that he could stay alive in spite of a damaged brain stem. Interestingly, that had been the subject of his special interest.
October 29, 2009: More than 800 teachers, doctors, psychologists, and students gathered at Lemhanas. Dr Setiawan’s absence was being felt. Five minutes after the seminar commenced, we got the news that Dr Setiawan had left us. All of sudden, the feeling of his physical absence was replaced by that of his spiritual presence.
Dr Setiawan: An unsung hero, but he left singing and teaching us how to sing; undecorated, but decorations do no make a hero anyway. You are not with us physically, but you shall remain our inspiration. The torch of selfless service that you have left us with shall now be carried by our youth. You shall remain the light of many, many Little Torches, young Torch Bearers and adult Torch Guardians. A Fellowship of Light – that is your legacy. I salute you, Doctor.
The writer is a spiritual activist and author of more than 130 books, several in English (www.aumkar.org, www.anandkrishna.org). His organization runs Holistic Health/Meditation Centers, a National Plus/Interfaith School, a Charitable Clinic and a Public Reading Room in Bali. For more information, call Aryana or Debbie at 0361 7801595, 8477490.
December 11, 2009
A great nation never forgets to honour its heroes,” said Sukarno, our first president and one of the founding fathers of the modern Indonesian state. Bali has, perhaps, been the foremost in honouring her heroes. It was here on this isle that the ancient myth of Sutasoma was preserved for posterity. This is the same myth that gave us our national motto of Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity/Appearing as Many, but Essentially One).
From ancient myth to present-day reality. Here is a story of a contemporary hero, a man who lived in Java, but loved Bali dearly.
I agree with what you said, Pak. Medical science does not fully endorse the view, but yes, the mind exists outside the brain and controls it. So there must be another faculty controlling the mind.” I still remember those words spoken to me by a tall, well-built stranger.
1998: He was attending our public event. His language was simple, but his knowledge betrayed him. “You must be a doctor, Pak.” I said.
He paused for a brief moment: “Kebetulan saja,” a very common Indonesian phrase, meaning “coincidentally,” implying, “nothing great.”
He was a doctor.
“With a specialization in…” He giggled shyly. “Actually I know something about the human brain.”
The man was a neurosurgeon. That is the top in the hierarchy of conventional medical science. Later I discovered from one of his juniors that he belonged to the first generation of Indonesian neurosurgeons.
I remember commenting: “He must be well known,” implicitly meaning he must be well-to-do.
“The man is a bit eccentric. He prefers to work in the government hospitals. He just moved to Jakarta after spending most of his life in the remote areas.”
That was uncommon for a neurosurgeon. Another doctor friend of mine, working in a small town in Java, told me once, “It is so difficult to have an ENT specialist here. With no specialization, I must still take care of the tuberculosis unit, for lack of specialists.”
Dr Bambang Setiawan belonged to an altogether different genre of doctors. My second meeting with him, a couple of weeks later, confirmed my initial conclusion about him – out of this world. When I mentioned this to him, he laughed. He had a peculiar way of laughing, uniquely Setiawan. Like the neurotransmitters of his science, they were short, but intertwined, interconnected.
The man drove an old sedan, and would commute between Jakarta and Bandung, where his family lived. “You don’t get tired?” I asked him once.
“The body does need a rest,” he answered, “I try to rest between surgeries. That is important for me. I must be fully alert before entering the operating theatre.”
He often talked about when things went wrong. “When brain-death occurs, the patient is actually dead. Other organs begin to shut down one by one. Though some energy is still left to cause body reflexes. At that point, if the patient is given life support, his lungs and heart may show some activity. It is like pumping air into a balloon.
“Sadly, such clinically dead patients are often put under intensive care, and even treated with expensive intravenous infusions.” The reason? You guessed it.
It did not take me long to have firsthand experience of what he said. My sister was admitted to a private hospital for cirrhosis, under the care of a renowned internist. Dr Setiawan came, saw her and confided in me: “Medically speaking, nothing much that can be done. She may not survive longer than a couple of weeks.” He was right.
One afternoon, my brother-in-law called to inform me that my sister was being moved to the intensive care unit. I rushed to the hospital, saw her and felt that she was gone.
I immediately called Dr Setiawan, who came within an hour. It was around four in the afternoon – almost three hours after my sister was admitted to the ICU – and Dr Setiawan confirmed: “Her brain is dead.”
Why infuse a dead body with packs of albumin? It took us more than eight hours to get hold of the professor under whose “expert care” my sister had been, and two stern lines from Dr Setiawan over the phone line: “Professor, I am a neurosurgeon. And I know that brain death has already occurred” – to have the meaningless life support removed.
During those 12 hours in the ICU, my sister had been dead for at least eight of them, yet she helped enrich the doctors and the hospital with additional tens of millions of rupiah.
Corrupt practitioners are placed in “high places” where they dance to the tune of their masters. Dr Setiawan and I shared same frustrations and concerns over the fate of this nation. We discussed these things in private, and in public. Some of our recorded discussions were later published in book form.
What saddened him the most was the mental state of our people “up there”: “They are not sincere, not ready to serve. They like to be served.”
His frustrations, however, became his strength. On October 28, 2006, the spirited doctor – together with several of his friends – formed ForADokSi-BIP (Forum Pengajar, Dokter dan Psikolog bagi Ibu Pertiwi), the Forum of Educators, Doctors and Psychologists for Motherland.
ForADokSi consists of true sons and daughters of the soil, scattered all over the nation, ever toiling for Motherland. They go unnoticed and undecorated. However, they are too busy to be bothered by that.
This year, ForADokSi was to celebrate its 3rd anniversary at the National Defence Institute (Lemhanas), on October 29. Dr Setiawan was to talk on the need to transform our education system, so as to ensure a fear-free and more courageous generation. Alas, three weeks before the celebration, the man who had helped many live a normal post-stroke life had a fatal stroke.
Dozens of specialists attending to him – including his doctor wife – were amazed that he could stay alive in spite of a damaged brain stem. Interestingly, that had been the subject of his special interest.
October 29, 2009: More than 800 teachers, doctors, psychologists, and students gathered at Lemhanas. Dr Setiawan’s absence was being felt. Five minutes after the seminar commenced, we got the news that Dr Setiawan had left us. All of sudden, the feeling of his physical absence was replaced by that of his spiritual presence.
Dr Setiawan: An unsung hero, but he left singing and teaching us how to sing; undecorated, but decorations do no make a hero anyway. You are not with us physically, but you shall remain our inspiration. The torch of selfless service that you have left us with shall now be carried by our youth. You shall remain the light of many, many Little Torches, young Torch Bearers and adult Torch Guardians. A Fellowship of Light – that is your legacy. I salute you, Doctor.
The writer is a spiritual activist and author of more than 130 books, several in English (www.aumkar.org, www.anandkrishna.org). His organization runs Holistic Health/Meditation Centers, a National Plus/Interfaith School, a Charitable Clinic and a Public Reading Room in Bali. For more information, call Aryana or Debbie at 0361 7801595, 8477490.
25 Jan 2010
nangis
aku nangis, aku sedih karena kamu sedang sedih.
it's ok
aku nangis, aku sedih karena kangen banget pingin ktemu kamu.
ini agak egois sebenarnya, karena blm tentu kamu suka ktemu sama aku.
mungkin kamu bosan menemuiku atau kamu lebih suka bertemu dgn yg lain.
aku nangis karena cemburu.
aku sedih, aku nangis, kenapa kok aku sedih, padahal kamu sedang happy sama cewek lain?
ini emang nggak logis dan menyedihkan.
makanya aku nangis.
ah dasar cengeng!
hehehe....
it's ok
aku nangis, aku sedih karena kangen banget pingin ktemu kamu.
ini agak egois sebenarnya, karena blm tentu kamu suka ktemu sama aku.
mungkin kamu bosan menemuiku atau kamu lebih suka bertemu dgn yg lain.
aku nangis karena cemburu.
aku sedih, aku nangis, kenapa kok aku sedih, padahal kamu sedang happy sama cewek lain?
ini emang nggak logis dan menyedihkan.
makanya aku nangis.
ah dasar cengeng!
hehehe....
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