Sitting Aboard Life's Merry-Go-Round, by Karl Renz

हिंडोला

- कार्ल रेंज (10 सितम्बर, 2012)

आपका स्वागत है| इस मेले मैं आपका स्वागत है| मैं देख रहा हूँ कि आप तो पहले से ही हिंडोले पर बैठ चुके हैं| आप इस हिंडोले को बहुत अच्छी तरह चला रहे हैं| आप हिंडोले की एक बहुत ख़ूबसूरत गाड़ी मैं बैठे है जिसमें एक्स्लरेटर भी है और ब्रेक भी| लेकिन इस गाड़ी कि सबसे बड़ी ख़ासियत है उसका स्टीअरिंग व्हील, जिसे आप जैसे चाहें वैसे घुमा सकते हैं, और आप यही कर भी रहे हैं| पर हैरानी की बात यह है आप स्टीअरिंग व्हील को घुमाने, गाड़ी की रफ़्तार को बढ़ाने या फ़िर उसे रोकने की जितनी भी कोशिश करते हैं, गाड़ी फ़िर भी बस एक ही दिशा मैं चलती रहती है|

आपका "अहम्" इसी गाड़ी की तरह है| ये कभी दायें को घूमता है तो कभी बाएं को, लेकिन वो किसी नतीज़े से पूरी तरह संतुष्ट नहीं होता| वो सोचता है, "मैं ज़रा देखूं की दूसरे लोग अपनी-२ गाड़ी कैसे चला रहे हैं? ये आदमी क्या कर रहा है या वो आदमी मोड़ आने पर निश्चित ही अपना सारा भार एक खास तरीके से एक ओर डाल रहा है| मुझे भी शायद ऐसा ही करना चाहिए|" पर ऐसा करने से कुछ नहीं बदलता| गाड़ी तो बस गोल- गोल ही घूमती रहती है|

कभी कभी हिंडोला कुछ रुक जाता है| यह एक अल्पविराम है जिसे तिब्बती लोग "बार्ड़ो" के नाम से बुलाते हैं| फिर आप किसी दूसरे वाहन की खोज करते हैं| "चलो अब इस घोड़े पर चढ़ कर देखा जाए| थोड़ी देर घोड़ा ही दौड़ाया जाए| शायद यही मेरे भाग्य में है|" काफी अच्छा सोचने का तरीका अपनाया है आपने| या फ़िर अगर आप ज़रा समझदारी से काम लें तो आप शायद एक छोटे स्कूटर को ही अपनी सवारी चुनें क्योंकि इन सब गाड़ियों को चलाने की दौड़ धूप ने आपको थका दिया है और आपके विश्वास को कुछ हिला दिया है| इन गाड़ियों के सञ्चालन ने आपके अहम् को अत्यधिक परिपक्व कर दिया है और कहीं संयोगवश आपकी गाड़ी भी उसी तरफ जा रही है जिधर हिंडोले का रुख है, फ़िर तो आप काफी गर्व से कहेंगे," वाह, मैंने तो कमाल कर दिया! अब तो मुझे सब बहुत अच्छे से समझ आ गया!" अब आपने जान लिया है कि ये सब कैसे चलते हैं| "देखो, ये अब पूरी तरह से मेरे नियंत्रण मैं है|" आप पूरे ब्रह्माण्ड से एकलय हैं , पूरी सृष्टि से अनुरूप| वो अहम् जो इतना सरल मालूम होता है, हमें उसी दिशा मैं धकेलता रहता है जिस दिशा मैं हिंडोला घूम रहा है| " देखो, मैं कितना बढ़िया सञ्चालन कर रहा हूँ! ये पूरा हिंडोला इसी लिए चल रहा है क्योंकि इसे मैं ऐसे चला रहा हूँ! अरे, मुझे देखो!"

अगर आप इस कला मैं इतने खास तरीके से माहिर हो गए हैं तो फ़िर और सबको भी यह बता सकते हैं कि वो अपनी गाड़ी कैसे चलाएं| " आपको भी बस वही करना है जो मैं कर रहा हूँ|"

अब आप एक पूर्ण रूप से जागृत ड्राइवर बन गए हैं| "उसकी तरह चलो|" पीछे से कुछ लोग उत्साहित हो कर कहते हैं| सबसे अच्छी बात तो ये होगी कि आप पूरे हिंडोले को ही घेर लें: " आप सब अन्दर आ जाइए और मेरे पीछे बैठ जाइये! मैं और ये हिंडोला अब एक ही हैं!" अब आप एक गुरु बन गए हैं|

अगर आप चुपके से और कार्यरत होना चाहते हैं तो आप कोई महत्वपूर्ण कार्य संभाल सकते हैं जैसे कि फायर ब्रिगेड या एम्बुलेंस चलाना| या फिर अगर आप सतर्क रहना चाहते हैं तो भले ही आप सिर्फ एक एम्बुलेन्स का पीछा कर सकते हैं!

यहाँ सबसे महत्त्वपूर्ण बात ये है कि आप इस पूरी प्रक्रिया को अपने दिमाग मैं बिठा लें - आप सही वक्त पर एक्स्ल्रेटर यो ब्रेक दबाएँ और सबसे बड़ी बात ये कि आप स्टीअरिंग व्हील को बहुत माहिरी से घुमाएँ | इससे औरों को भी मदद मिलेगी| इस प्रकार न ही आप अपनी गाड़ी को एकदम ठीक रास्ते पर रख सकेंगे बल्कि आप पूरे हिंडोले के ठीक चलने कि कामयाबी में भी योगदान देंगे| काश हर कोई इस तरह ये गाड़ी चला सकता| आपने सब कुछ नियंत्रित कर लिया है| और एक दिन अचानक आप स्टीअरिंग व्हील से अपना हाथ हटा लेते हैं| अरे! अब आप हैरान हैं कि गाड़ी तो स्वयं ही चल रही है| ये तो अपने आप ही चलती है| हाँ, अहम् ही गाड़ी चला रहा है| आपको ज़रा भी ज़ोर लगाने कि आवश्यकता नहीं है| आप बस आराम से बैठें और इस सवारी का आनंद लें| ये हमेशा सुख की राह पर ही चलेगी|

-कार्ल रेंज

Seed Questions for Reflection

What has been your experience with the reflection that the Self "always drives directly to happiness?" The author contrasts the more visible driver to the quiet driver - how do you choose who you want to be? Can you share a personal experience where you found yourself aiming in the same direction as the merry-go-round (or united with it)?

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Add Your Reflection

10 Past Reflections

Katrina Piehler

Sep 20, 2012

What lovely timing for me to read this post today! I have found myself in a mode of trying, trying, trying lately. Once in a while, I do step back and experience a deep sense of trust - in my Self, in the flow of the universe. Wrote a blog post myself about that very thing - http://living-from-center.com/lifes-ups-and-downs-find-contentment/ . Thanks for the reminder and the invitation to take my hands off the steering wheel a bit today.

Ganoba

Sep 12, 2012

To understand the life situation we often use metaphors. If the metaphor is a part of the reader's/listener's experience then there is a flash of understanding. The problem with scriptural writing is that the metaphors are outdated and don't make sense.
If the metaphor is man made then it does not quite capture the life situation which is organic and dynamic. It is more evocative to use a natural metaphors.
Having said this, I find the write up quite interesting.

M K Krishnaswamy

Sep 11, 2012

As Swamy Vigyananda observed, the analogy is not apt. A Katha Upanisad (1.3.3-4) compares the the human body to a chariot drawn by horses running on a rough road with the owner seated as the soul and the ego as the driver holding the reins. reflects our life more correctly. To live a blissful life, the ego must guide the horses with the reins held according to the advice of the Owner.

Narendra

Sep 9, 2012

What has been your experience with the reflection that the Self "always drives directly to happiness?"...... The 'Self' or 'Bliss' appears to be an experience of the field of consciousness, in a trance. Peaceful happiness is the 'Bliss of self' in the physical world. I experience the Self as 'excitement' through the Ego and as a 'pleasure' through the Body. ......The author contrasts the more visible driver to the quiet driver - how do you choose who you want to be?......I am driven by body instincts and subconscious (soul) emotions. I can spend a lifetime fighting these two, looking for 'Moksha or Nirvana' or, enjoy all three modes of happiness: pleasure, excitement and peaceful happiness, with a manageable 'witness' attitude or presence of mind - as a path of Dharma. I chose the latter because, it is my hope that, with diligent practice, I will experience the elusive ... View full comment

rainbowSmiles

Sep 7, 2012

This piece is beautiful as in a subtle way, giving merri go around example, it presents life's ultimate truths. Do I really need to strain myself or should I even feel that I am driving and taking things further. Can I support others in the journey and take the journey with others caring for their comfort?
What would happen if I leave my hands off the steering wheel and just let it be.
Thought provoking indirect messages, thanks for posting.

david doane

Sep 7, 2012

My self is genuine me. Trusting my self and going where self takes me may result in problems for me, such as my standing out as different from others and being criticized and possibly alone, but it results in a deep happiness. It typically takes courage for me to trust my self and go with my self, and it results in satisfaction and happiness which are worth the price. I think it was Janis Joplin who said don't compromise yourself, your all you've got. I've compromised my self plenty over the years which has typically resulted in a superficial fitting in, feeling cowardly and not being happy, and I've sometimes trusted and been myself which has resulted in feeling good about myself and experiencing a deep happiness. There's no doubt that for me, being myself is the road to happiness.

Narendra

Sep 7, 2012

What has been your experience with the reflection that the Self "always drives directly to happiness?"...... The 'Self' or 'Bliss' appears to be an experience of the field of consciousness, in a trance. Happiness is the 'Bliss of self' in the physical world. I experience the Self as 'excitement' through the Ego and as a 'pleasure' through the Body. ...... The author contrasts the more visible driver to the quiet driver - how do you choose who you want to be?......I am driven by body instincts and subconscious (soul) emotions. I can spend a lifetime fighting these two, looking for 'Moksha or Nirvana' or, enjoy all three modes of happiness: pleasure, excitement and happiness, with a manageable 'witness' attitude - as a path of Dharma. I chose the latter..... Can you share a personal experience where you found yourself aiming in the same direction as the merry-go-round (or united with it)? ......When I str... View full comment

conrad P. Pritscher

Sep 7, 2012

I don't know. My total life experience and genes, and in particular, my experience with people like those from awaken.org helps me choose to want to be a quiet driver.
By accepting things as they are, paradoxically, while changing those that are unjust and unkind, I can notice that it is never myself that is doing any doing.. Rather, it is my participation in the larger Self , of which my ego is but a very small and hopefully nonexistent part.
Not knowing has been very helpful for me so that whether I'm going in a circle or straight, the direction is in my mind, rather than in the universe. I do not know how things really are, and my not knowing is helpful and helps me peacefully accept where I am and the direction I seem to be going.

Swamy Vigyananand

Sep 7, 2012

The fundamental fault with this analogy is that (a) A Merry-go-Round is static, passive amusement with circular repetition, i.e., no direction! (b) Life is a linear graph against time where the person or being in control to the extent of the knowledge, intelligence and technique (KIT) and opportunity. Life is an art of drawing without an eraser (i.e., ‘turning the clock back’) It would be unfortunate & tragic if someone has to passively go through life (more like the mundane water-wheel Monday-to-Friday, 9-to-5’) or ‘sorry-go-round’ cycle! But is impossible for anybody on a merry-go-round to attain the status of a bus-driver Guru, s/he is on the same merry-go-round, ‘in the same boat’, in the same rote! It is defeatist, wicked & pompous at the same time for some ‘guru’ to use such an instrument of passive merriment as analogy to one’s journey of life, let alone to try and draw useful conclusions from it, or claim... View full comment

Austin Correia MSFS

Sep 7, 2012

As I read this merry-go-round... the first thing I saw was a round wheel in my hands, which is different from the steering handle/s I operate with on my motor-bike...

and the beauty of it is I sometimes ride my bike like I would sail a ship, mostly ride it like I would fly a plane and at crosses and U turns ride it as I would hover like a helicopter...

the other day my satellite launching debut failed, when my bike which was parked amidst cars was carted off by the traffic police for being incorrectly parked in space reserved for cars. I got misled by a lack of knowledge, by incorrect and/or out-dated information. I retrieved my bike after admitting my mistake and paying the fine.

Have been thinking for some time that I have to get to a four-wheeler, as it is I am already learning and enjoying chair-dancing... this morning I learnt that I could gallop with the muscles that inform my lips... try it! use a mirror to assure thyself it is true!

My experience with the Self "always drives directly to happiness" is that it took me nearly forty to begin to discover my Self... I began in my 39th year and now at 47 happiness is something I carry within when I do and when I don't.

It may be that I am bugged by this piece that unless I trust my driver completely, I have to be alert whether or not I am in the driving chair. I am the driver of my life, if not of this car. I would insist on remaining aware until I hit the bed. Yes, many a time I don't bother where in my own self-circumscribed area, the driver takes me because I know to enjoy the ride without being in the driver's chair. The chair may not be mine. My life is. And as in Hindi I would say, Meri Jan Pyari, meri-my, jan-life, pyari-beloved. My life is beloved.

And yes, this was about the merry-go-round and reminded my of a novel by Somerset Maugham (?) by that title, The Merry-Go-Round... and what I liked most in that novel besides a very dim remembrance of the names, is the fact that in that novel the author also spoke of a hub... that's where the rub is...

In the minutes as my body goes completely numb, after my last exhalation and no water has flooded into my lungs... as and when I surrender completely that is, I may think differently... I may just even KNOW! Hide full comment