It's a cloud!

It's a cloud

It was just there

It had unique shapes

The forms 

That hinted something

It dissipated 

As if it was never there

It's the air

It's the wind

That still has it in it

And it is everywhere

It's the breath

That goes in 

It's the breath 

That comes out

It is the very essence 

Of us

It is something

Which wasn't there

Which came for a flash

And yet is everywhere

Anything is there

Until it is there

The moment it isn't

It is everywhere and

Yet it is nowhere

Existense may become nonexistent

Non-existence always exists

And it is everywhere

Embrace it while it is there

It will be gone soon

And absorb a part of it

When it is everywhere

Jaya Sonkar MD MPH

4/17/2022

©All rights reserved. Jaya Sonkar  2022

Aese Kaise Jeevan Saathi

Na Tum mere sukh ke saathi

Na Tum mere dukh ke saathi

Aise Kaise Jeevan saathi

Kehte hain diya aur baati

Na Tum man ki jyot jalate 

Na hi man ke bhitar aate

Aahat par peechhe hat jate

Choodi par laathi barsate

Sun ve o Kutumb ke raja

Yaadein door Hain phir bhi taaza

Kaise Khushboo ne ghar ko saaja

Dhoom dhaam aur gaaja baaja

Sundar Swapna salone se

Mala mein moti pirone the

Ret ke hi to gharonde the

Kuch paaon ne raunde the

Aaj saaj phir chedda hai

Kya phir wohi Jaal bikhera hai

Sannata hai andhera hai

Ek chhota sa basera hai

Ek Pyar Jo sirf Mera hai

Phoolon ne Rasta Moda hai

Kaaton ne Saath ab chhoda hai

Man mein dar phir bhi thoda hai

Pad chinnhon ne bhagya parosa hai

Ek nayi leher aayi hai

Phoolon se bhari ek kyaari hai

Usme ek gudiya pyari hai

Aur pyari si kilkaari hai

Saath mein Bahaar hai

Baahon ka ek haar hai

Akarshak preet ka taar hai

Ek adbhut si raftaar hai

Usme leen ho jaaun main

Manmohak raagein gaaun main

Paani pe haath firaun main

Ek baar phir se ji jaun main

Jaya Sonkar MD MPH

4/14/2022

©All rights reserved. Jaya Sonkar  2022

Good or bad? Right or Wrong?

Good or bad? Right or wrong?

Is one good? Is one right?

If one thinks, one is good, is one really good?

If one thinks, one is right, is one really right?

If one thinks, the other person is fortunate to have one in life, is that other person really lucky?

Goodness and Righteousness are relative to a certain extent.

Let's says, if we are kind to someone but that someone is misusing that kindness, then that kind act, even though good, is not really good, because it is causing the other person to not stay good.

Where, if one is a little strict, but if that causes the other person to stay calm and behave nicer, then that strictness is better than kindness.

Intentions matter more than the act. A bad outcome with good intentions can be considered right but a good outcome with bad intentions is not right. Of course, a good outcome ( from the recipient's perspective) with good intentions is both right and good.

So, what is right and what is good?

Right is something, that doesn't cause physical or mental harm to anyone and good is what brings physical, mental and spiritual joy. And right is when intentions are good.

Are others fortunate or is one fortunate?

Whether or not other people are fortunate to have someone in their lives, is for the other people to decide. One can only do the right deed, and this right is relative.

Whether other people are fortunate or not, is for other people to decide. If they feel miserable or if they do not feel fortunate  then that fortune is questionable.

However, what is true is that one is fortunate to find oneself. To have a physical body for certain years where one can make efforts to lighten the soul, is a very fortunate thing to have. And one and all should cherish that. And if one is able to attain self realization and self awareness as well as awareness of the surroundings, one is very fortunate. And all of us have the potential to be this fortunate. All that is needed is exploration within, with dedication.

The gist is that one should do things that in one's belief, will cause no harm to others and if possible, will bring joy to others and which are done with one's best intentions in the hopes of outcomes that are considered right and good not just by one but by all or almost all.

Jaya Sonkar MD MPH

4/13/2022

©All rights reserved. Jaya Sonkar  2022

Money, Money, Money!

Money Money Money

What is money?

Is money important?

What can money do for us?

How much value should we give to money?

Money is basically the symbol of effort and work. However, how much effort and how much work is equal to one unit of money is not standardized.

Some people get it for showing bright teeth on screen, some people get it for doing a little or a lot of brain work and some people get it for a little or a lot of physical work.

It is important in a way because this is the unit that is used to exchange for food, clothing, shelter and luxuries.

If one doesn't have the basic necessities of life, then it becomes extremely important to be able to survive.

If one has enough to meet the basic necessities of life, then the abundance of it can or cannot be worthwhile.

If one has enough to meet all basic necessities of life, then it matters a lot, who are you sharing those basic necessities of life with.

Is the home filled with life and love. If you have abundance, do you have the loved ones who can celebrate that abundance with you.
If you do not have abundance, life can still be happy and very satisfying.
If you don't have love and the right company, the abundance might not be able to do much.

So if one ever thinks about the resources spent on or given to someone, s/he should also think about what joy the acceptor added to that moment. And the acceptor should be thankful and should realize that someone valued them enough to give away luxuries or may be their own basic necessities to take care of the acceptor. The joy of companionship and support and love is beyond any money.

Givers and takers! While the taker clearly benefits from the giver's generosity, it must be noted that a giver can never feel the joy and pride of being able to provide if the taker is not willing to accept that generosity and feel obliged.

Every relationship is transactional, be it a transaction of love, care, support or resources.

After all, the very first feelings of care and love are generated in us when someone showers love and efforts without expectations and that leaves a deep imprint on our souls.

In today's world, where everything boils down to the bottom line, and which is inevitable since that is the way people are able to butter their breads to meet the basic necessities of lives, it is very important to realize how much value should be given to it.

We should value it enough to be able to pay gratitude to the body in which one lives and also to the other lives around who have played a meaningful role in one's evolution but just beyond that, we need to pause and ponder before giving it any more importance.

Certain things are priceless and nothing can buy those.

Love
Care
Affection
Empathy
Respect
Body
Mind
Soulful experience
Feeling of fulfillment

And these are the things that people feel and cherish till eternity.
Everything else stays behind.

Nobody carries jewelry to the grave. They only pass it on to the living and they chose the recipient based on the amount of love and care they have for them
More often that not, it is passed on to the children.

Nobody carries a house or a car or anything loaned from mother earth, to the grave. They only pass it on to the living.

Everyone does carry the feelings of joyfulness and sadness to the grave and that determines how easy would it be to close the eyes for the final time.

Money can only give some perks to love but it can never get love.
Love alone is capable of creating joy and happiness. When love is there, money can be the cherry on the cake but nothing more.

Enjoy your lives with the love you have. If you do have a cherry, decorate your cake. Also remember, cake can be enjoyed alone and maybe sometimes only cherry is enjoyable, however, cherry can never make a complete cake.

Jaya Sonkar MD MPH
3/27/2022
©All rights reserved. Jaya Sonkar  2022

 

What if...!

What if,

The sun didn't rise today

What if,

The moon left us

What if,

The planets deviated and collided

What if,

The earth moved from it's path

You see, routine is as much important, if not more, as adventure.

What if, 

An external meteor or an internal quake broke the earth down into pieces

What if ,

One of the enormous possibilities that can end life, happened today

What if,

Life ended

What if,

Survived but were the only one to survive

Today,

Is a beautiful day

Today,

Is a blessing

Today,

Most of the things, if not all, are following their routine

Today,

I will enjoy the fresh air and make them an unforgettable memory

Today, 

I will cherish the colors and absorb them into beyond the physical existence

Today,

I will hear the melodies and imbibe them into the soul

Today,

I will walk as if the legs were wings and there was no restriction

Today, 

I will dress up and celebrate the physical form of life

Today,

I will feel the touch of the grass, air, water and silk

Today, 

I will sleep a very calming sleep

Tomorrow, 

Will be a new day again

And if the routine stayed

I will live the life to the fullest again

In the end,

No one will be there even though so many are there

In the beginning

We come alone

In the end 

We will go alone

In the middle,

We meet many

We are all passengers to an unknown

Our experiences within

Are all alone

We can express and share but can feel alone

Live with all and love all

Stay happy within

Within is just you and only you.

Within is an unknown, waiting to be found!

Jaya Sonkar MD MPH

2/20/2022

©All rights reserved. Jaya Sonkar  2022 

Illustration by Riya Agarwal

Lord vs Dark Lord

Lord vs Dark Lord

What is the difference between the Lord and the Dark Lord?

Lord grants the wishes and so does the dark lord.

Lord is powerful and so is the dark Lord

Lord is the ruler and so is the dark lord

Lord punishes and so does the dark lord

Lord does justice and so does the dark lord.

Justice...

What is justice? Can it mean different things?

Justice is subjective. It could mean different things to different people.

What is justice is ones eyes could be unfair in the others.

Lord punishes and is kind, the dark lord punishes and is cruel

Lord rewards and doesn't bribe, dark lord bribes for rewards

Lord will sacrifice, dark lord will be pleased with a sacrifice

If the fear of punishment is more than the joy of reward, something is not right.

If the joy of reward is more than the fear of the punishment, that is a positive environment.

Lord encourages and motivates to follow the right path, the dark lord manipulates to follow the wrong path.

Lord earns love and respect and the dark lord earns pretention.

Lord is pleasant at all the time.

 Dark lord is pleasant when pleased.

Lord listens to what his devotees want to say. Devotees say to the dark lord what he wants to hear.

Lord is loved. Dark lord is feared.

There are many lords and so many dark lords.

Not everyone can be a Lord or dark lord. But there is a little bit of Lord and little bit of Dark Lord in everyone. Everyone has a good side and a bad side.

Anyone could mean a lord or a dark lord to someone.

Anyone who is a provider to someone could mean lord to that someone. If what is provided is transactional, it is not godly. And if that transaction interferes with the free will and has negative consequences, then it is dark.

When someone's desires interfere with someone's harmless free will, it brings sadness and misery.

Happiness can only prevail when the joy of reward is more than the fear of punishment.

May happiness prevail!

Dr. Jaya Sonkar MD MPH

2/17/2022

©All rights reserved. Jaya Sonkar  2022 

Illustration by Riya Agarwal

What is the reality of life?

Is the target shaped rainbow in the picture real? We can't touch it, we can't even feel it. It is not commonly heard of. It is transient and it will fade away. Who knows how many times it appears and disappears above the clouds. The evidence of it's existence exists only if it is captured in a way that one of our sense organs perceive it! This time it is our eyes. Could there be more complicated things that we don't have the sense organs to perceive or if we have them we haven't learned to use them yet?

_______________

What is the reality of life?

Bereavement hurts, separation hurts.

Especially, if you are not the one causing it and especially if it is brought upon you despite all efforts!

It's ok to mourn and heal. It's ok to take the time to get back to normal.

And it's very important to not feel vulnerable at such times and gather as much support as you can even if you feel that solitude might be the answer.

Although, it is easier said than done.

Just based off of the ageing process, a lot of things that didn't feel could ever happen, happen and then there you are, left with no other option but to accept the harsh reality of life.

What is the reality of life?

Is it just a random life that we got out of sheer luck and lived it. Are we nothing more than the products of a perfectly designed chemical process. Or is it a planned journey?

Do the words like reincarnation and avatar actually mean something. The forces of nature are strong but can they design something like life. And if there is a positive force that brings the life, does it's contrary exist? Do the dark arts exist that we need to stay protected from?

What is the ultimate goal of life? If it is just continuation of race, it doesn't make sense. And if it is then why is it? Why do all creatures generally have an instinct for continuity of race?

It has to mean more that the continuation of race. It has to mean continuation of race for a purpose. 

What is that purpose?

Some people say they know the answer. 

How would we know that what they know is the right answer?

The only way is to experience it yourself. 

How would you experience it?

Is meditation the answer?

Sometimes during meditation , you may experience things that are beyond explanation. Now, could that be a dream or something to do with the sleep cycle?

Speaking of sleep, it's interesting too. Sometimes the dreams are totally unrelated. Sometimes the dreams feel like they have a meaning. Some dreams feel like they want to enlighten you. Are those dreams just dreams?

Is sleep a form of meditation?

Is sleep a transient coma?

Medical knowledge explains certain things and so does physics. But a vast majority is untapped and undiscovered.

The earthians know about resonance, magnetism, electricity, light, sound, gravity, density, pressure, latent heat, medical sciences, etc. There are a lot more parameters that still stand to be tapped or discovered.

What is this feeling of "me" within us.

Are we separate from our physical forms? Is soul a real thing? If it is, then what is its purpose and why does such an energy exist? 

This is very intriguing.

People say that we will find the answers one day. Our final day. Will we? Again, we don't know. Some people may, who knows.

So what should we do?

When we don't know what to do, where to go, what to think, the best way is to be mindless, thoughtless, and still and just follow the course without resistance.

Just go where it takes you with a little navigation towards positivity.

When the negative thoughts try to deviate, just think positive and become positive.

If we don't know the above answers, there must be a reason. And even if there isn't one, it seems like that is how it is meant to be.

What other option do we have?

So, should we follow the arbitrary course and experience the learnings in the process, stay focused and positive and walk this tight rope through the end and prevent any falls on the way. Probably yes.

Who knows what reward awaits us at the end. But we do know that if you successfully walk the tight rope through the end, without falling, it would be thrilling and it would be an achievement.

When we assume this life, we should leverage it to feel accomplished.

What is accomplishment? It's not the money or material and perhaps not even love. Is it probably just calming this energy "what we call is me, my or mine" towards dissolution and non existence.

Eventually the sun will also burn into ashes. And unless the new sun emerges or the humanity transcends, that is probably how much time we have to discover it all.

Its an enigma. We can only walk this walk in pursuit of enlightenment.

Om Shanti Om!

Jaya Sonkar MD MPH

2/14/2022

©All rights reserved. Jaya Sonkar  2022