be yourself

I would like to dedicate my haiku to my Guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and all the holy men and women I have met in my life who bring so much clarity to my life.

Please enjoy my Haiku below and remember – it’s a very personal and cathartic expression. I have explained in a small note after the haiku ends – for those who are interested.

be yourself


The wind blows
beyond will
The River flows
remaining still.

Mumbai
21/02/2010

Read the inspiration, and what I think the haiku means

As you may know, Haiku is a japanese form of meditative poetry.

Given the ability of the Japanese words to express complex scenes ( a single Japanese word may describe what we may use 3-4 english words for), the original Haiku was meant to be written in 17 words and typically in 3 lines (5-7-5). The inspiration of the best Haiku poets was usually Nature. Haiku is commonly found in Osho’s books and essays. Basho is the grand master of Haiku. Read more by googling Haiku.

Haiku is not the poetry you would recite in school and win elocution competitions with.

The few words are pure and distilled contemplation – I believe a 3 line  Haiku poem would take months of ‘meditation’ to complete.

This is my first Haiku that took me almost 18 months to write. Given that I ‘think’ in English, I have taken a poetic license to use 10 words in 4 lines (3-2-3-2).

Quick trivia about my haiku:

The first line  came to me in the shower over a year back.

I though the second part would come if I thought about it, but the more I thought, the tougher it became.

Then, when I contemplated, I understood that it would ‘come’ – maybe immediately, maybe in a few months or years.

Many months passed. One day, a colleague sent me one of those random messages ‘about life’ that float around – I read it, chuckled and deleted it with that ‘yeah – I know that feeling’. I woke up around 4 am and before I opened my eyes, the second part was in my head.

Explanation:

be yourself

The wind blows
beyond will
The River flows
remaining  still.

Mumbai
21/02/2010

Be Yourself- What I believe it means ( your interpretation could be different!)

I guess in my life, like everyone else, I want to make things ‘happen’ in my time.
Yet things rarely happen when I want them to.
Like the wind that blows  at its own will.
Having said so, events keep happening and life rushes past
Almost like a River that remains where it is, yet always flowing

So it’s just about being yourself.
Things will happen when they ‘have to’.
Don’t pause for them – just keep going.
Be yourself.
Like the wind or river,
your life will be fulfilling.

Print PDF

Related posts:

1. My Mental Demolition Derby
2. Calling Confucius…
3. Jing’an Temple