The Lightness of Being

 Who doesn't appreciate the genius of Leo Tolstoy? Through his beautiful writing the sagely author continues to inspire millions even after a century. Undoubtedly a great human being. But his wife had a diametrically opposite view of him. To her he was the same normal, almost oppressive, husband. Does it mean that all of us are essentially the very same poor humans after we enter the privacy of our room, shed the clothes and behavioural bearing? We don't just cover ourselves with clothes. We wear multiple layers of thoughts, attitude, behavior, calculating mind, scheming intellect and maneuvering to maintain an image. This is a subtle clothing. Hardly visible like the clothes we wear. But this is the primary steel armour that we carry with us. Maybe it's necessary to wear it to survive in the struggle as a human. We have our jobs, duties, responsibilities to fulfill. There we need this subtle steel armour. But we get habituated to keep it on us, always, day and night, even within our walls. Its weight crushes relationships. No wonder we feel tired even while lying on the bed. Its weight crushing the soft petals of relationships. It challenges our own essential faith. The armour is still sitting on our chest as we enter the domain of our intimate people where we are supposed to be open, free and light. So why not go for complete disarming at least within the privacy of our rooms, in our little intimate group, with our closest dear ones? Join them as a very light being, almost naked like a baby with all your vulnerabilities, flaws, fears, insecurities, anxieties. To feel very light, to be disarmed of the heavy battle shield, to almost float in your secure, personal bubble. Drift like a cloud with your vulnerabilities within the security of your cosy bubble. Lay bare your soul open. Lift the iron chains from it. And just be. Becoming something is a necessity I know. But put it on as you come out. But stay light, open, honest, frank, see-through among the people you trust. Share your pain. Talk your miseries. Shower your ecstasy. Offer your smile. Show your tears. Present your kindness. Drizzle your pure emotions. Then one can feel the soothing solitude within the safe bubble. Make your little capsule of solitude and peace among all this meaningless crowd and intimidating chaos. It can be done anywhere with faith, love, care and share among the chosen few. And float lightly in it, like a balloon drifting to the ceiling fan's wind within a safe room. If we make it with a Lightness of Being, it's possible. Do it with vulnerable gentility, disarming smile, openness and baby-type nakedness after shedding the steel armour of 'becoming something' that we need to wear once we come out of our cosy bubble. Then go out with your behavioural clothing and perform the essential tasks and come back, put off everything and enjoy the Lightness of Being. This is the little workshop in the art of the Lightness of Being. The enlightened sages are the ones to whom the entire existence becomes such a cosy bubble. The entire humanity becomes merely an intimate, cosy bubble. They float freely without the need to become something. They shed the steel armour forever and turn baby soft. No wonder they float so restfully. That is a high degree in the university of the Lightness of Being. We the common people are in the schooling stage of the same stream. We have to pass the higher and senior secondary school exam in the art of the Lightness of Being. It's a low grade exam. It doesn't require research scholarship. It's a tiny assignment--to enjoy the Lightness of Being within a carefully nurtured little bubble. But believe me it carries the taste of the cosmic bubble. Trainee fighter pilots learn and practice in simulated indoor environment and then fly freely in open skies. If we learn the art and craft of the Lightness of Being in our tiny intimate bubble, maybe one day we will be floating free among the vast expanses of this existence.