Monday, August 24, 2009

Taking Women's Rights Seriously

Women’s right seems like a gigantic struggle that most women face in developed, developing and under-developed nations. The issue is a walk on a tight rope, may not be as much for developed nations. However for developing and under-developed world it is a mammoth crisis. Poverty, lack of awareness and resources, social segregation and gender discrimination are some prominent parasites of change. Besides this education ranges from none to bleak. The hope for a brighter tomorrow comes with taking up such issues seriously at local and government level. The point that each man has to stand for his woman seems good but what are the chances of such change? An alternative however could be that each educated and empowered woman stands to change every other woman who feels under powered, powerless or even suppressed. In my view, any nation can succeed locally and compete globally if the ratio of contribution in the value chain ranges from men to women and women to women. Only a fraction of empowered women wouldn’t deliver much towards a nation’s competitiveness on the global map. So the principle of unity in diversity is yet again applicable, this time however with the aspect of unified composition of men and women on a diverse global scene.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Truth or False | Intent.com


I was raised with the ideals that truth exists and shall always prevail, perhaps an inherent characteristic of nurturing and parenthood. Over the years however I feel that truth is distinctive and yet requires evidences. Our values and beliefs or material cling are such evidences in a man-made courtroom but our consciousness is a truth in itself in the supreme courtroom. Truth, in my view is never right or wrong, only in ’favor of’ or ‘against of’. While writing this post, I reassure myself that truth is not created but discovered, just as the route to self-discovery or evolving in a conscious state. Truth may seem undercover in the moment owing to false impressions, artificial imagery, superimposed beliefs, myopic perceptions and manipulations, just as we seem to be undercover of our material being. Truth indeed is an eye opener to our current state of being where each day is critical content vs. spiritual intent.
Truth is the actual, as ‘I am’ and not artificial ‘what I should be’, it is the inevitable just like the cycle of life and balance of nature. However in this rush to live, we often fail to read signs and make choices that lead us to a false end. A gentleman once said to me, “ who has seen truth? I would believe what I see and not what is actual”, little did he knew that his experiences saw consequences as truth to the naked eye but an illusion to the spiritual eye. Moreover, our life is a gamut of experiences and often weighs truth or false in each incident.  Most of the time, in my view, truth is like the dust that is hidden under the rug just to let others know of the neat show.  However only a person attuned to his conscious being can make efforts to get rid of such dust without worrying for the neat show. Truth is also listening to our heart, being thankful for all the good things around and unfolding self to sink in the spiritual energy around. It is to touch base with ‘ I am’ and ‘ I do’ for truth is the sole beginning, as also the sole end.

Truth or False | Intent.com

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Tuesday, August 11, 2009

The Art of Giving | Intent.com

Is life always about yearning for more? Truly one, who loses it all, knows it all. Life at full speed often loses its purpose. Money, money and more money are the rules of the game. If this is the change that we yearn then why bother for soul search or the art of living? I however feel living starts by giving, when one attunes to sharing happiness, prosperity or a piece of bread with others. Faith in god, in oneself and in others is the connecting spirit in humanity and the act of giving. Faith never shares facts, and giving never requires any. If quality of life is defined through materialistic possessions then we sure have achieved a lot, but what about our inner fulfillment? In spite of all the good wines, traveling round the globe and designer pieces, why do we yet feel unfulfilled? Is then “giving” an obligation only of missionaries or charities?
Art of giving commemorates the purpose of existence. A heart that aspires for such acts truly embodies inner peace and an outer purpose. The act of proffering is truly aesthetic and ecstatic. One who has more, should give more and service before self, are values that are immortal. More importantly, in the whole wide world, our children need to be taught to imbibe the art of giving at a nascent and blooming age.  If a toddler today can share a bag of potato chips, I wonder what all he would yearn to give through his youthful years and the rest of his life.

The Art of Giving | Intent.com

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Monday, August 10, 2009

Women for Women

Women’s equality and empowerment has little to do with mythology in my view. For God, all creatures are equal and one. The past, as is the present in some regions of the globe, has witnessed women handing over the reins to men folk. We women have since centuries been living for our husbands, children and families, numbering our own selves at last. We have been enhancing ourselves physically or sexually to please our mates. Our grandma’s stories were full of God and his exquisite creation- the women. However are women folk still waiting for a divine intervention in order to respond to sexual discrimination, emotional abandonment or even conservatism?. God may have been a little bias in terms of physical power distribution to men. He however balanced the act by creating an emotional powerhouse the women. Bravo God! We women have to realize that role equalities emanate through a balance of physical, mental and emotional interplay. Jesus or Allah doesn’t ride their golden chariots and stop by corporate or homes or schools or universities or even shopping malls to stop power discrimination. A woman has to be the savior of women and of all others like her in the community or tribe or social group. It is indeed afflicting to see how a mother sometimes enforces prostitution on her own daughter or in most cases how a mother in law in connivance with her son and husband sets the daughter in law a blaze. Mothers, daughters and sisters have to fight back and fight it out but not fight amongst. We have to unite to cease the suppression. Modernism may only educate and aware but a spiritual and emotional arousal has to come within. If God could help, he rather wouldn’t until we helped ourselves. He can only share his might by his grace and his shine through inner power. The rest is on us to accumulate, assimilate and actuate.

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Sunday, August 9, 2009

Women really or rarely empowered?


Envisioning dreams in a conservative society sure needs guts. The 21st century however has experienced change in its societal domain. Gender studies, women empowerment and achieving a racial equilibrium have for long looked good in the dictionary, law journals and the university curriculum. These issues have also been voiced and opinionated for years. Amidst all the loud voices, feature presentations, social and international agendas, there are questions that still remain unanswered. In spite of the changing face of urban women, rural regions and conservatism is still a parasite. It is a shallow and pedantic hole that is each day digging the grave for the idea of change. If we are living in a technologically advance and modern society where women are now considered equal to men and where independence meets interdependence, then why do women still feel emotionally abandoned? Moreover, why do still dreams shatter? why isn’t the right to expression fundamental and most importantly why isn’t freedom still free of cost?

Writing about social issues is certainly not my profession but a predisposition. As a little girl, I was taught that womanhood is a gift of god as we have an innate nature to nurture, the perseverance to serve and the power to deliver. I have faint memories of my childhood where women were compared to Goddess Shakti or Durga (The giver of power in Hindu Mythology). I wonder if mythology has anything to do with our social and emotional cravings or is it just a superficial answer to the soul. I wish mythology could mitigate our pain, then we women wouldn’t still suffocate in a split society trying to keep up with religious pressures, and minority faiths or even bear male chauvinism. Wide angle’s documentary on Angelina Duah Fares on PBS perhaps is the root to my burgeoning questions. The story of this young aspiring woman narrates the tales of refined atrocities on women even in this 21st century world.

Further to the above, hailing from a country where women have longed for social and economic independence, I truly empathize with Duah Fares. In times where the world is defined as a single global entity, it is pathetic and emotionally averse to see the plight of women in some regions of the world. Like Angelina Duah Fares there are several other unknown names or faces across the world who still are victims of constant suppression and resentment. It is just that some stories are told while, as others remain half written. This subject of equality and empowerment is indeed debatable. It is important to analyze if the women of 21st century are really empowered or rarely empowered? Well for starters, there are numerous examples of great women achievers whose talents have been realized and recognized. This facet is like a sunshine with women of substance like Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Hallee Berry, or even the most recent achievers like supreme court justice Soniya Sotomayor and Dr. Sangeeta Bhatia, a pioneer in artificial liver invention. These women have truly exemplified thought provoking change and the need to mentor young minds. Needless to say, from scratch to sassy, these women have soared high in a so-called man’s world. This however seems like a mirage when young girls like Duah fares are forced to cease their aspirations. This means that there still exists a huge nascent gap, which needs to be filled with moral dignity and humanity.

Moreover, If all women are born equal and are capable to compete, then why does physical abuse and sexual harassment still exists? Cases such as Duah Fares may give in or give away to religious verdicts, for now but not for long. It certainly seems like a stop –gap and not a full stop. To conclude, as President Obama said in his inaugural speech, “we need to get up and dust ourselves”. In my view, however, this dust needs to transcend economics and politics and touch social issues of liberty and humanity at large. We all need to dust our minds first if we really are committed to enforcing such change in its total domain including the hue and cry of the women force.

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