Acquire-Hoard-Guard

The single most important driver of mankind today is acquisition. We all are in a nerve wrecking acquisition spree acquiring one or all of money, fame, health, knowledge, intelligence, love and affection. At any point in time given a chance we look for our gain in either one or all of the above parameters. Although there might be some more elements that I may have missed but broadly everything under the sun will fit in the above list. We are caught in a process of acquire-hoard-guard which in turn creates whirlpool of emotions bringing us closer to being a slave of this process itself.
A man who wishes to acquire his lady-love worries constantly in pursuing her. First he worries whether the lady will accept his proposal or not. After the ‘Yes’ he is engaged in keeping her happy to be with her always. This constant give and take is the basis of human endeavour in every field. Even the way we build our interpersonal skills is in constant give and take relationship. On a gross level the mapping of our body inside our brain in so strong that in some cases of amputation the amputee still feels pain or sensation in their lost limbs. These limbs are termed as ‘Phantom Limbs’. A mirror box technique is then used to convince the amputee that the limb is absent.

In cases like these, where a person can see clearly what she is clinging to is not the reality but just a perception, it is difficult to achieve the desired goal. In complete reverse cases some patient claim that one of their limbs is not theirs. This condition is called Apotemnophilia. A patients suffering from this condition might say that his left arm is not his arm but ‘his mothers arm’. Most patients with ‘Apotemnophilia’ end up with an actual amputation.

Think about this. If as humans we are unable to differentiate rationally on basis of simple cause and effect what would be the state of affairs on a more subtle levels?

What would be the conviction, the confidence and strength of our useless beliefs, dogmas and rituals? Most individual have very strong views about the governments, other people, places and religions which may or may not be true. Even if we can see that we are wrong how many of us has the ability to change? At the gross level it is very difficult to do for some people. At a more subtle level it would be nearly impossible for most of us to even question our convictions. We carry such massive baggage about our family, friends and colleagues that we are unable to see the actual picture. When we are ready to drop our perception we are ready to see things. Earlier whenever I looked at anything I looked and probed. I probed more and more to understand and get something out of it. In our current culture we have this beautiful concept of getting to the bottom line of everything. This is a dangerous approach as it takes away the possibility of seeing the reality as it is. An approach that has worked wonders for me is to just see. However, if I were to claim that I can do this all the time then all what I have written here is a plain lie. In order to break the chain of acquire-hoard-gurad one must not start an activity desiring the fruit at all instances but can have subtler goals. Like a teacher can teach not to gain fame or money but to render her pupil with all she has and still keep them ready to receive more. Every desire can be replaced with a higher desire and this process would weaken and eventually break.

When we acquire and hoard we are in a constant fear of losing everything. By earning loads of money we buy physical comfort like a house, cars and other gadgets and machines that help us in reducing our work. If we were to lose all of these in an instant what will be our state of mind? Are we enslaved by our mobiles phones, cars, houses and gadgets? If the answer is a yes than sit alone, feel your breath and question yourself – Am ‘I’ alive?

We have been taught – thinking, fasting and patience - the triad of life.

Sahil Kapoor

Power of Thought – A talk by Smt. Janki Santoke

‘Dog and the Biscuit’

Recently I had a chance to be more social than usual due to the glorious festival of lights, Dipawali. During this period I noticed how we have completely turned outwards. Our behaviour is not governed by our goals or principles but by a concept that I learned when I was a kid. It’s a simple ‘Dog and the Biscuit concept’. You give the Dog a Biscuit and it will shake hands. We conduct ourselves largely on the basis of what we get in return. We want food that is to our liking, people to talk things we want to hear, markets to sell stuff that we want at a huge discount and they should be unique. If these things turn out the way we want we do the ‘Handshake’. Just like the Pooch shakes it’s Hand if you give it a biscuit. Otherwise everything in the world from food, businesses, governments to people come under our fury. For some people it becomes so important to acquire, hoard and guard things that they become emotional to the point of hurting their dear ones emotionally. Sometimes it is quite amusing to see how we miss to live in this whole commotion.

If we don’t get what we want. It’s OK . . . Our desires change everyday. The most important part of life is this moment. This moment is all what life is because it is only this very moment that would always be. The past is already gone and futures would never come. So when people do not behave in the manner we think is right then it is important to be peaceful and calm. Sometimes it appears to me that the very essence of living is hidden in how strong an urge you have for reaching your goal? A human mind ignited with single pointed goal never focuses on things that distract him from marching towards his goal. The various enjoyments, pastimes and habits appear to him as mundane and without any foundation. A man with a purpose has his mind filled with only one thought. The thought of his goal and his intellect guides him in every aspect to reach to it. This power works within and without.

The key change I have noticed after getting married is that the amount of time spent in mundane activities rises exponentially. However, I also noticed that this very time is the best time for a man to test his convictions. If I can fulfill my duty to best of my ability and still have my goal as the driving force, I come closer to my goal moment to moment. It is a difficult thing to do. The higher the goal the easier it gets. But too high a goal generally vanishes in the clouds. So each activity that appears mundane to me due to my own historical data feed has the power to transform me and take me closer to my goal. There is a always the better way of doing only what takes us closer to our goal but when we live in a society we have to practice compassion. So mould yourself in a manner where everything you do, do it in a manner that helps you to be nearer to your goal.

When fire of desire is burning it consumes everything and still is insatiated. But when a man burns all his desires in the fire of knowledge, the sight of the soul, enlightenment nears.

Hari Om
Sahil Kapoor

Gaze no more!

Every second of our life we are continuously expecting. If for a second I stop and think – What importance does the current event has? It vanishes. Think for a moment to explain your joy when you are laughing your lungs out. During the experience the physical, gross reality vanishes completely. As soon as you stop, think rationally, there is nothing real in the experience left. The event is as ephemeral as the experience. One emotion changes to another and the experience changes.

It is quite possible up untill now that all that I have learnt is also transitory and unreal. Because if my own convictions change then there is nothing real about them. If our state of mind depends on this statement – “If I had this one thing, I would be happy” – then happiness and equanimity will never come. The story of Greek Orpheus and Eurydice clearly points to this. When Orpheus walks from the lower world to the upper with Eurydice following (on the condition that he would get his wife, Eurydice, back only if he doesn’t look behind whether she is following) he operates on the principle that he would be happy only if he gets his wife back. This thought creates so much agitation that he finally looks back and looses her forever. When we keep gazing from one want to another and then to another, we miss the whole point of life. Life is in living not in craving.

Every new moment is a new beginning. Every grand scheme of day and night, life and death, manure and plant is replicated in every moment. Every new second is the death of the last. That’s why its called second. Living each moments makes life whole.

Out of the grand universe, galaxy, solar system, planets and then to animals. We have the opportunity to be rational. When we rationally analyse and use our faculty of intellect the agitation’s cease and experiences disappear. What is finally and ultimately left is not only Bliss but The Only Reality.

Monday Surprise in Indian Equity!!!

2011 is nearly 2010 + 500 to 600 points for Indian Equity Index S&P CNX Nifty 50.
Second Monday of June 2011 can be surprise upday.
Here is the chart.

S&P CNX Nifty 2010 and 2011 Trend Similarity

Currently Nifty is trading @ 5488.

Best to your trading!!!
Sahil Kapoor

Take Control

There is this small story that I read about a man who is riding a horse. A man standing-by asks the horse rider. “where are you going?”.

He says “I don’t know, ask the horse”.

In our lives we often are like this man riding the horse. We don’t know where we are going. The horse is our foolishly or mindlessly driven habit or something thrust upon us which we never question. The first indication of some activity in ones intellect is the rise of doubt. If we want to take control of our lives we need to question ourselves.

But why take control? Why not just go with the flow? Why not enjoy with whatever comes up? Why to crack your head on something if it will happen anyway?

The reason is the flow. It doesn’t come until we participate with our complete attention and sincerity. Nothing comes up until we deploy our faculties to it. Nothing happens of its own accord. We form an important ingredient for anything to happen. Do you like to travel in a bus which is out of control? What do you prefer when you have choices?

Most of our everyday decision are based on the mental recording we have been given by our parents, family, friends and people we do not even know. Our world is the sum total of all the good & bad and what we like / don’t like and what we absolutely LOVE doing or HATE doing. Daily routine is generally made without any plan, thinking or implementation. We go about our everyday affairs in an unbelievably casual manner. We if observe objectively most of us live our lives as if we are not concerned where we want to reach. Our outlook doesn’t have a goal, our actions are random or based on no valuable analysis of our own experience (at least, this sounds logical to do) and we only tend to drive pleasure or pain out of whatever we do.  Just see how many times do we repeat ” I like this”, “I don’t like this”.

It is important to analyse our everyday schedule and look for any pattern that we have developed. If there is a pattern which makes us responsible enough to look at ourselves it is a good start.

How to take hold of your life?

If currently  you don’t have any goal in life which drives you, there are chances that you would feel bored, frustrated or you would constantly look for external stimuli in the form of partying, movies, doing some activity like fitness class, or anything that keeps you busy. You need constant stimuli from outside to keep your senses entertained. Please beware Newton told us that a body in motion remains in motion and a body at rest remains at rest until an external force acts on it. Therefore if you get into the habit of repeating this again and again you will feel miserable if there is no external stimuli or entertainment. Conversely over exposure would again repel you.

You have no goal in life or even any identifiable desire. You are completly driven by what you are told to do or are expected to do. You are neither concerned anything new that you can learn nor excited by what you do presently.

 If this the present situation, then there is a serious problem. But if you can identify that you have any of these then you are on the right track.

Where to start?

There are a few simple steps

 

1. Smile all the time – it repels boredom and creates a conducive environment for excitement in the work
2. Identify – what are you most interested in, focus and make a short term plan to move towards it ( for example, losing 5 kgs could be a 3 month goal)
3. Be genuinely interested in the work at hand, focus – whatever you are doing should warrant your complete attention, even if you are drinking tea it should be with your complete awareness
4. Eat – at exactly the same time every day, this would make a rough schedule which can be filled in later

 

In the beginning we need to be aware of a few things –

 

1. Expect change and discomfort – you are completely comfortable doing something new then there is a problem, check it
2. Do not expect new results from old habits and activities – you would get new results only if you change or improve what you do. This is pretty much straight.
3. Give it some time, be patient – whatever you plan to do in the short term, give it a minimum time frame. Say a few months. Do not check back on results everyday or every week.

 

We have be taught,

 

Patience, thinking and Fasting!!!

Sahil Kapoor

US 30 Yr T-Bond have peaked

The downtrend is going to take hold again. Potentially the wave 4 has ended and another downleg is going to unfold.

US 30 Yr T-Bond looks toppish

Best to your trading!!!
Sahil Kapoor