The Seer and the Seen - Rishona Chopra

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The question about who we really are often bugs me. Who are we? Are we the mind? The body? Or are we the soul? 

There is a simple philosophy to finding this out. "The Seer Is Not The Seen". If I am seeing a plant, that means I am not the plant. So I, the seer, am not the plant (the seen). Now, I can see my body, that also means that we are NOT our body. We know our feelings and thoughts so in a way we can see our thoughts. But if we can see our thoughts that means we are not our thoughts so if we are not the body and not the mind, who are we? 

We are the conscious; our soul. But is my soul different from yours? No, we are all the same conscious and have the same guiding lights within us. We are only so different in our thoughts and body but we are all the same. 

The "God" we look for in temples and photos is within us. Our conscious and guiding light is God. Going by the definition, God is the creator and the light within us, in fact, the creator is the very reason for our existence. God is not living on Jupiter and noting our deeds in his long register. It's a power within us and that's what makes humans so special. We have the power to choose and to create. 

Let us take the example of two pots kept in a room. In that room air flows. Both pots also enclose air in them. But can we see that the air in one pot is different from the other? No, not at all. The air in both of them is just the same. Can we also say that the air enclosed within the pot is the "pot's air" alone? The same air is enclosed in the room too. 

Similarly, consciousness is one, but we assume each has a different soul by looking at different thoughts and looks. But the soul in each is the same and one. 

Rishona Chopra

Grade VII 

Gyanshree School

Love To Serve - Rishona Chopra

It is said that what we do comes back to us. Karma, as some of us would call it. A good act of kindness comes back to us. It may be true and correct, but it should not be our cause to do something good. We shouldn't give, help, care or be kind, just believing that we will do good so good will come to us.

The law of karma isn't something that can be fooled. It is just a power of the universe. It looks at the thought behind it and not just the action. 

When we give something, do we expect something in return? Well, I did, and I realised that when you give someone something - not an item but even an act of kindness and care, not many return the same to you, and we have to live with it. The only way to yet be happy is to first accept it and then know that your deed of kindness has helped somebody. 

When God blesses you financially, don't raise your standard of living. Raise your standard of giving. - Mark Batterson

It is true what Mark Batterson has said, we should give not only when we are rich in our everyday lives, we should raise our standard of giving, it may not be just giving money, even giving a toy to a person who needs it or a book is an act of giving too! 

A small act of giving could mean everything to a person. Giving not only makes the other person happy but also makes us happy. As said,' make others happy, and you will be satisfied the same way give and give, and you will feel better.

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Do we have this life entirely for ourselves? Are we given this life just so we can enjoy and live happily? Well, we are absolutely nothing alone. One cannot be anything alone at all. Mahatma Gandhi alone did not defeat the British. Mother Teresa alone did not help the people. No one has ever accomplished anything alone because it is simply not possible. As brave and fascinating as doing something alone sounds, it isn't. We are all connected; we are all one. We say Unity in Diversity, but do we mean it from our hearts?

We may differ in colour, race, background, education, age, and height, but we are still the same. We are just one soul. 

So why do we believe that all our actions must be for ourselves? Can't it be for others? Will that do us any harm? 
To check, let us just list out what could happen. 

DEED: LOSS
I gave a child my pencil: I had another one
I helped someone tie their laces: No loss
I donated money to charity: I earned some more
Meeting my sick friend: No loss
Gave food to a homeless: Spent little money
Helped someone study: No loss
Complimenting someone and appreciating them: No loss
Sat with someone and listened to them: No loss

These are a few examples of deeds of giving. I may have lost money, pencils and a few more little things, but all these deeds made me happier and were defiantly worth it. These deeds may have taken out some of my time, but they all make me happier. 

What we do for ourselves dies with us, but what we do for others lives on forever. 

Rishona Chopra

Grade VII

Gyanshree School