Bird's eye view of change

A keen observation in the advancement of the changing civilizations, emerging civilizations, allows us to reach to a conclusion that  there is a spherical lifecycle associated to it. The birth of a civilization, the advancement, the zenith, the downfall, the end and the rebirth of a new civilization on the debris of the old one, drive this lifecycle. I don’t intend to delve into the annals of History because you can find a plethora of facts and figures on this.

History has witnessed the ages (pal eolithic, Neolithic, ancient, Vedic, medieval, modern) to  suffice the above assertions. Egyptian civilization which is the genesis of all civilizations has little say in the world affairs today. Even as individuals, we tread across different stages in life which are similar as described above. There was a sea named Tethys at the same place where the Himalayas stand today. Australia was uninhabited few centuries ago. America was very recently discovered by Columbus in 1492, and has become a superpower leaving behind the greatest civilizations to follow it.

Similarly many civilizations succumbed to one or the other natural disasters, to be found only through historical excavations. This process of natural selection and rejection is by and large a result of the same spherical lifecycle which reflects the very nature of “Change”. This is an exemplification of the bird’s eye view of change.

Nevertheless, we, human beings, have witnessed this course of change since time indefinite, we are resistant to change. There are other forms of change like Big Bang, earthquakes, wars, famines, draughts, epidemics etc that change the course of history and still we acclimatize to it. Here, we can make one more assumption, that threat, shock, trauma are also the drivers of change.

Now within this pan global Change phenomenon, we identify the so called organizational change, economic change, social & cultural change and a host of other micro level changes which are trivial in nature as they are not capable of changing the course of history. Such changes ought to be defined and redefined, have to be well thought, re-engineered, as these hold well for a very short interval of time. Here, the concept of change (Organizational Change) gives a better understanding of it being a continuous process. Organizations have to keep pace with the changes posed by its surroundings for existence. This continuous change at micro level, initiated by an individual/group confronts resistance in its acceptance because of the following reasons:

• Under normal circumstances, people hate to accept change All of us are not visionaries who are capable to peep into the future
• Those who can’t peep into future, are always apprehensive of the acquired state(future).
• There is no coercion, threat or shock involved in bringing about change.

Therefore in order to carry out such man made changes successfully, the simulation of the factors that bring about the so called Pan Global Change, is necessary.

Change has to be understood as an ongoing process. It has got no defined limits. When I say, change has got no defined limits, I mean, Change in itself keeps advancing with respect to the changing requirements.We can draw a comparison with the stars. The stars have been receding from each other since time indefinite. The moment one stops, it is lost into the world of oblivion.

Some facts about change:

It creates and organized interim anarchy before the final, stabilized and expected state is realized.

A well thought out, man-made change is always for good.

Change poses threat to status quo.

Evolution

We all express our feelings in different ways.

There are occasions when these feelings are superlative in nature and so exotic that they become inexplicable. Your thoughts, ideas are immature to express the wildness of your feelings. Sometimes facts are more difficult to express than wild imagination. Experiences, feelings have to be familiar to facilitate your thoughts to take the shape of words for expression. For a new born every feeling is novel in nature. This intensity of similar experience at different times forces him to familiarize with the medium to express his desires and feelings. This is the whole story of the invention of different languages across the world. The genesis of any language is the result of the ecstasy of humans to express themselves. This basic medium, started to merely express desires, feeling and experiences evolved at different stages. Smoke, alarms, drum beat, telephone, print media, audio visuals, internet (chat, emails, Facebook, linked in etc.) and a myriad of others are the examples that articulate the evolutionary stages of a medium of expression that was primarily meant to answer the call for expressing feelings and desire.  Today, we live in a world where this “medium of expression” has reached the pinnacle of maturity. This voyage of expression, after treading across several ages and civilizations, across different geographies, became so entrenched that it bridged the gap across all the civilization and brought people closer. The point I want to drive home is the essence of evolution. It is that form of change that is hardly felt, however it has the potential to transform an existing state to a completely different state. The transformation of ice to water and water to vapor is a perfect example to understand the concept.

Observation

We never realize the seed that germinates into a seedling, treads a journey till it becomes a plant and then eventually a tree; was it sown, the way it should have been! No matter how we sow the seed, the tree is invariably rooted inside the earth and its stem shoots above the earth. We never realize, if our eyebrows and eyelashes had grown with the same pace as our hair. The best of architects can point out huge defects or can show room for improvements even in the wonders of the world like taj mahal however none of us has the guts to point out even a hairline defect in the sky or propose for a better earth to live in. What shall happen if the forces of nature; wind, water, sun, earth go haywire for some time?  Who is maintaining this natural equilibrium across the universe?  Is this, the self-declared nature that adjusts it to maintain this ecological, astrological and geological balance? Was there a start of this universe as a whole? If there was a start, shall there be an end to it? Where do all humans go after death? How is this universal balance maintained impeccably? Is there someone supreme beyond our imagination, who is taking care of all these? If there is one supreme power, his potentials should be infinite to overpower, maneuver   and exercise the control of this lethal world which can be worn out in shambles with the slightest disturbance in the planetary motions, with a turbulent sea uncontrollable for few days, by the wrath of the wind if blown at an uncontrollable speed. I don’t think nature itself has the resistance and intelligence to guide such colossal forces. Nature may be the result of some supreme power but certainly it cannot be acknowledged as the driver of this world.

There are many other things, like a dead earth coming to life with the rainfall, the silence of nocturnal darkness turning into bright sky, the dead egg hatched into chickens, a lifeless drop of sperm reaching the zenith of human potential.  What more can we think to exemplify the infinite power of the Supreme? If this course of life is predetermined; that a germinating seed can live the life of a tree and perish one day, a human sperm will turn into a complete man or a woman and die one day, then, is it not prudent that this world that nourishes generations, communities and civilizations for ages should come to a finite end within this infinite stretch of time and space. We often fail to understand the reason, an indomitable heavenly body that was supposed to collide with our earth with sudden precise velocity missed it by chance and the world was saved. How many times we have heard this story “ the world would come to an end by 2001, 2004, 2012……” Is it a man made world that would come to an end by our whims, fancies, predictions and study of the planetary motions? Or, is earth a wild beast that we can learn to exercise control on it by undergoing circus training?

If something is good, why do we feel it morally, similarly if something is evil/wrong who prompts us about it? Who has fed in us the faculty of conscience to distinguish between right and wrong? Who has taught the new born to suckle its mother’s breast? If this was taught why other things were not taught to the new born? What is the purpose behind such planned and thoughtful creations? Why was this planet prepared with all natural and material things before the last creation (human)? We should learn from the faithfulness of dogs and horses. In olden days, we know that the horses were used in wars. With the slightest allusion from its master the horse used to steer through the enemy like anything. In that course, the horse was wounded; it even used to die for no reason. The horse had no enemies still it used to fight for its master who merely fed it time to time. How ungrateful are humans, who at some point even dare to question the existence of the Supreme power, who is the creator, the saviour and the destroyer? From where has this faculty of thinking bestowed that is so impudent to question about HIS sovereignty?

The world however is governed by material laws. Material law often takes precedence over moral laws. If someone tastes poison, he knows the immediate consequence, but we keep lying as it does not taste even an iota of bitterness in our tongue. We can’t swallow fire in our stomach but we keep on filling our bellies with the food earned by unjust means because it doesn’t burn the stomach. A keen and honest observer sits on the fence to decide, if good is good, why it is so, and if bad is bad why it is so. Additionally if a good is good, is there any reward for following it and if a bad is bad is there any accountability for treading on its path. We see many offenders trespassing the law and order with utmost impunity. Some are punished and some go scot-free until the tentacles of death traps them. However many innocent suffer in the hands of injustice, and they relentlessly struggle with their miserable condition for following the path of honesty and eventually go pass unnoticed in this world. If there is so much of disparity in this world, is it for a purpose, or this world is like a battlefield, where might is the only right? How many lives today our governed by moral principles? In this world of cut throat competition how many of us get the time to assess our deeds at the end of the day? Is it a struggle for existence, where humans behave like animals, to cater only for their personal needs? Is death an end of everything for the pseudo visionaries or is it only a break in life, where life continues further.  Have we thought, that this is the only life, grab what best can we get for ourselves? The million dollar question is, if we extend our observations, we can arrive at a conclusion that everything in our surroundings has been pre planned except our pseudo visions that come to an abrupt end with the end of or lives.

I would like to share an anecdote with you. During the time of Moses, an old lady came complaining, about the death of her sons at a tender age. Some reached 60, some 70, some 80, and so forth. Moses replied her that you are grieving for your sons who have lived the length of their lives; a time will come when the average age of humans would be between 60-70. That old lady was perplexed on this and enquired whether people would still build houses for themselves to live in. Moses replied, the buildings in those times would be so colossal that the naked eye would shy away to view the height of its magnificence. She vowed that, had God sent her in that time she would have comfortably spent her whole life under a tree.

If this world is so organized naturally, if we accept that there are good and evil forces, there is an organized chaos, planned anarchy, well thought out natural disparity across all spheres, then isn’t there a meaningful objective behind this? Should there be an end of all this, where the good and evil brought accountable for their actions or is it a child’s play where we take birth, enjoy ourselves and die one day without being accountable. Is it emotions, instilled moral values that control our behaviour in a sane way? Is it because of the feeling that we shall definitely be held accountable for our good deeds or bad deeds one day, drives our behaviour.

If there is no an eternal reward or penalty what should guide are behaviour on this earth. We have tremendous examples to ape, where the just have never been rewarded till their end and on the contrary many malefactors remained invincible till their final journey. Is this world a playground to take birth either with a silver spoon or empty stomach, lead life with a wishful thinking, sing, dance, rejoice and die.  We can plan for next 50 years, 100 years or for our 7 more generation, we have the insight to change the course of this world for our forthcoming generations.  If our visions are so immortal that can endure the atrocities of this world after us, why are we so myopic in thinking beyond our mortal end with the endorsement of death. Is death a break in life which continues thereafter which is hidden from our naked eyes or it is the end of everything. If death takes away from us all that we have acquired, all our plans remain disarrayed, all the enthusiasm and victories become meaningless as the destiny approaches us silently without giving us any ultimatum, how fragile is our intelligence and innovations. We are not even asked about our unfinished assignments, we are never prepared to die, no matter whenever it knocks our door. There is always some or the other unaccomplished task to be done before everything is taken away. Do we take rebirth? Are we incarnated as different human beings or altogether an entirely different species? If that is so, who shall be held accountable for the deeds we had done in our past lives? A person who was an outcast, lead a miserable life, was cheated throughout his life, is there anything for him after his death. The deaf, the blind, the lame the handicaps who were at the perils of nature in all states throughout their life, is there any compensation for them? Shall not there be a final judgement where all were meted out equally for their deeds (good or bad)?

Khwahish

Maazi hone se pehle mustaqbil ko haal mein jee le
iss haseesn shab ke qaleel hone se pehle se apni hasraton ko sanjo le

.......to be continued

Maine ek Mela Dekha

MAINE EK MELA DEKHA
LOGON KA JHAMELA DEKHA
ZAMEERON KO MURDA DEKHA
KHWAHISHON KA TARAPNA DEKHA
KHUD KO AKELA DEKHA
MAINE EK MELA DEKHA

DUNIYA KA DAMAKNA DEKHA
NAFSON KA MACHALNA DEKHA
KHUDPARASTI KI INTEHA DEKHHA
KHUDEE KO AKELA DEKHA
MAINE EK MELA DEKHA

APNON KO BICHARTA DEKHA
DILON KA BADALNA DEKHA
HASTIYON KA MITNA DEKHA
KHUD KI KHUDEE KA KHATAM HONA DEKHA
KHUD KO AKELA DEKHA
MAINE EK MELA DEKHA

MEHBOOB KI KHWAHISHON KA PARWAN CHARHNA DEKHA
KHUD KI KAMZORIYON KA DAM TORNA DEKHA
DARDE DIL KA BILAKNA DEKHA
ZAKHMON KA HARA HONA DEKHA
AANSUON KA KHUSHK DARIYA DEKHA
KHUD KO HAR LAMHA TANHA DEKHA
MAINE EK MELA DEKHA

ISEE MELE MEIN GUM HO JAANE KI TAMANNA DEKHA
HAALAAT KE ZANJEERON MEIN KHUD KO JAKRA DEKHA
HIJAB MEIN CHUPE HUE  CHEHRA KA RANG DEKHA
APNE NEK AUR PAAK UMMEDON KA ANDHERA DEKHA
QISMAT KE AFTAB KA GHUROOB HONA DEKHA
MAINE EK MELA DEKHA
KHUD KO TANHA DEKHA

TAREEKH KA BADLNA DEKHA
TAREEK KA GHALBA DEKHA
NAFSPARASTI KA NAZARA DEKHA
ZAHAANATPARASTI KI IBTEDA DEKHA
MAINE EK MELA DEKHA
KHUD KO AKELA DEKHA

TASAWWUF

Five things that one should remember.
· Expect from none but ALLAH.
· Fear none but your wrong deeds.
· Never fail to say "I don't know" in case you don't know something.
· Never hesitate to seek knowledge for things you don't know.
· Go to AHLE-ZIKR for seeking knowledge.
The difference between AHLE-ZIKR and AHLE-ILM.
AHLE-ILM are those who have knowledge of things but the guarantee of remembrance may be absent however AHLE-ZIKR are those who know as well as remember.
There are three states of QALB (Heart).
· AL-QALBUL-HAYYEE (Dil-E-Zinda)
· AL-QALBUL-MAYYIT (Dil-E-Murda)
· AL-QALBUL-MAREED (Dil-E-Mareez)
The first state is one which is filled with AWAMIR.
The second state is one which is filled with NAWAAHI.
In the third state both AWAMIR and NAWAAHI are present as mixture.
The QALB lies in between NAFS and ROOH.
Each one of the two wants to rule over the QALB and a continuous fight ensues between them. The QALB finally rules over the JISM. Eventually it is either NAFS or ROOH which are the decisive elements in monitoring the ZAHIRI acts performed by the JISM. If the ROOH rules the QALB the eyes are able to see only the bounties of ALLAH, the generosity of ALLAH with KHUSHOO and KHUZOO however if the NAFS take precedence in the above battle the eyes see Fahhashi, Behayayi. Similarly the hands are also involved in dirty acts. The feet also become insolent. Thus the overall orientation becomes disarrayed.

Change

The law of nature:
Nothing but change is constant.
Humans are always resistant to change.
This states that the human aspect of nature defies this very law.
The question arises why we are not resilient to change?
Let me summarize the possible reasons for this:-
1) Change poses threat to status quo
2) Change brings in new things which challenges the existing state
3) Change talks about future; the envisaged state that has to be attained.
4) Change reflects badly upon the existing state which may have no perils in the present.
5) Change may talk about abandoning the existing principles and values.
Now let me explore the human element with respect to change.
Management theorists and so called Gurus have discovered that People do not want to work.
An existing state can be considered as a state of monotony and comfort where people are up the learning curve and the state is as easy as the state where none of us are working.
Now let's discuss about the process of change.
Let me exemplify this with the act of adding color to ice.
If you directly add color to ice only the upper layer will be colored.
Metaphorically an unplanned change may go in vain.
However if you melt the ice and then add color to it and then refreeze it, color will delve to the lowest layer.
My point is if change is carried out in these three steps ie
First the proponents of change should be endowed with enough vision and wisdom to make others realize the shortcomings of the present state
The next step is to convince them that the envisaged state is for the betterment of all.
Then the changes should be swept across without any further resistance.
The best way is to design the plan of change in such a way whereby change passes by continuously at each stage without being experienced much by the stakeholders of change.
If the objective of change is attained unnoticed at the lower levels in an organization
The outcome of this drive can be phenomenal.
The general psychology of human is actually driven by the ease by which any objective can be fulfilled. One in a million would like to give up the comfort and ease of status quo which has given nothing but a mental comfort and physical discomfort over a period of time.
The devilish acceptance and persistence of status quo in human mind is the absence of zeal and the insecurity of the envisaged future.
Stockholm syndrome is yet another example that is evident of the challenges the human mind can face in the acceptance of Change.
Human mind is nourished by a host of factors before it comes to a stage of maturity where some values and principles take a formal precedence in any future action.
Hereditary factors that are dominant at the time of birth, start taking backstage when an individual starts meeting people in different institutions at different stages of life. Most of these changes graduate slowly in the human and inadvertently he becomes a victim to this gradual metamorphosis.
These small changes in human development slowly perpetuate in the creation of a solid framework of mind and the individual cannot transgress this limit until and unless there is a vigorous quiver that disturbs the placidness of his thought process."Man cannot outgrow his skin".
Change is a natural, continuous, gradual and irresistible process.
Individuals keep changing mentally as well as physically from birth till death.
A retrospective analysis of Change can show us that every existing state is always a result of change that may be either a natural phenomenon or a man made phenomenon.

Why Human mind is so resistant to change when he himself is a result of continuous change?
Now, we are at ease to segregate change in two broad categories.
1) Forcible Change
2) Inadvertent Change
Forcible Change:
Changes brought about by nature:-
· A Volcanic eruption
· An Earthquake
· A sudden storm in the sea
· The 'Big Bang' , that resulted in the formation of the seven Continents and the formation of the Great Himalayas in place of Tethys.




..................................To be continued