An easy introduction to Hindu Philosophy

OK. When it comes to spirituality, we are talking about personal growth. There can BE NO GOAL SETTING while starting out here, because you don't know what you will like when you have grown! Kameie Ngati Oel ? Do you see me ?

OK. Sit back and let me tell a story.

Lets say that you want to learn to play an instrument. Now you haven't had much experience with playing instruments before but you think it would be cool to be able to play some strings and do your own Californication. So you join a nice place called The Everlasting Tune, because hey, its in your city and everybody goes there.

So in the beginning, there are basic classes that teach no specialized instruments but just you know the basics of music like timbre, tone, emotion, rhythm, harmony, notes etc.

And you kind of throw your hands and say hey! I just want to play something not learn about music. But everybody in the school is doing it and the teachers seem great, so you say OK, why not.

So time passes on and you learn at your own pace and by the time you're done you are really happy that you joined because without the basics, how far can one go? You see many basic mistakes done by students of other random small schools who can already play an instrument but cannot identify the difference between distortion and even harmonic distortion. You even replace your ipod dock with a proper tube amplifier and decent speakers. Now music starts to really give the feel. The music seems to have taken on some weight and takes centrestage not a means to show off your gear.

BUT the most important thing you learnt was that now you can choose the instrument better. Now and not before doing these basic classes. Now you know about music more and also about your likes and your nature. You even might have stopped thinking about impressing girls with the guitar and started dreaming about the violin and its beautiful tones!

With me still? Good. 

But hang on…

Meanwhile you hang out with others and interact with seniors and have a look around and you discover that although everybody might be going there because its local but its a really huge and a special place to those who care to appreciate that with all kinds of variety and people in there.

By the time these basic classes are over, you say at last! I will get to choose my instrument!

But wait. That's a bit far off. You have to go through Intermediate classes first and they are about different kinds of music out there. You decide to take a leisurely walk to the buildings housing the six branches to choose from:

1) Classical Music ("Strings in Unison. Ostinato on A...Confutatis...Maledictis..". Real atomic. aka Vaisheshika)

2) Ethics of Music (emphasising about correctly conducting the music and highlighting ethics in a very here and now style. Someone hands you out 50 Cents as you ponder. aka Mimamsa)

3) Rules of Music (very specific about rules; says good music results from following rules and conducting well. As images of the struggles of Andrew in Whiplash flood your mind, you are hardly able to muster the courage to enroll here. aka Nyaya)

4) Architecture of Music (describes the ins and outs of both the musician and the music he creates. With a statue of a rock musician with his fender in front of the building, it seems heavy! aka Saankhya)

5) Derivation of Higher Music (says that all music here is a lesser form of the music of higher realms. Pink Floyd, Nirvana … you got it. Just be smart to enough understand. aka Vedanta)

6) Union with Music (all mystical and otherworldly. Immediately, the escapist in you escapes to Middle Earth with Enya's "May It Be" playing in your mind. Ahh The Celtic Music in The Lord of The Rings !; aka Yoga)

Aargh! No more of these choices. You are at your wits end. But your teacher convinces you that this is the way to go. Have patience otherwise, you will be lost in a maze of incorrect perceptions and confusions and become like other average musicians.

Somehow you resolve to walk this path and go through the struggles.

Lets say that you got really enthusiastic and chose Union with Music.

You struggle with these strange 'words' and otherworldly messages and styles that are totally alien to you but extremely beautiful when understood. Even if a small part is understood, the resulting harmony in your style and life is mind-blowing.

As your old shallow instrument-player dies and your true self, the inner musician emerges, it has taken years and finally you get to the end of it. Ahh!

And then on your passing day you catch up with your teacher and reveal your final choice of instrument : The Harp.

And he smiles and with a look of bewilderment wonders "Does he want to teach here?".

After waiting for a few moments for you to realize but seeing no progress he says, "My son! You are a graduate of The School of The Everlasting Tune. Invent your own instrument".