The storm - and the exile

Running fervently in what appeared to be a futile spiral path, the ant, blind as it is, was attempting to defy laws of physics in a bout with the never-ending wall. "How pitiful a predicament I've put you through little one, not unlike the turmoil I've faced," mumbled Aravind as he tightly held the ceramic bowl in place, trapping the innocent invertebrate scurrying on his table.

It had been weeks, perhaps months, since the yogi had last written. Looking out of his window, he couldn't help but wonder what drove his urge to write in the most trifling of occasions. Turning around, he faced the pile of brand new shirts he'd purchased, clearly satisfied with his selection of clothes at the summer sale on West Main. He stood up and walked towards the pile, watching the ant struggle towards the edge of the table and dive into a tiny niche of the window sill when he released his prisoner. As he began to fold his shirts and tuck them away in the closet, he thought he saw something move from the corner of his eye. Turning around, he stared into the face of a young man, who would have appeared to be in his late teens if not for the unkempt beard and protruding eye balls. The man wore a somber look, and his weary expression told the tale of an intractable past.

The yogi had not realized that the intense brooding over the upcoming months had reflected on his appearance. He walked away from the mirror, heedlessly throwing the last of the folded shirts onto the rack and slamming the closet door shut. The hap-hazard attempt at arranging his wardrobe didn't seem to bother him. "Why can't they all just tell me what to do instead of showering me with scraps of advice and leaving me clueless on the matter?"

Making a firm decision about the path he would take in his life was something Aravind was trying to evade ever since he was forced to choose. The doctor had recommended that he dedicate the first few years training himself in the art of machine and electronic design. Doing so would render him to be an indispensable tool for the federation. He would then have to resort to becoming a workaholic and a social servant; all hopes of leading a life of normalcy crumbling henceforth. His family and friends suggested otherwise, pressing that maintaining a balance between his duty to the federation and to himself was paramount. Everybody, including the yogi, knew that he would never tread the path of common folk, and had always aspired for a higher purpose. Why then was his mind in such torment?

Plunging into retrospection, the yogi realized that the life he led thus far was a perfect deviation from his long standing ambition. Cherishing his freedom from mandatory assignments and tests, and all the strings attached to them, he had been indulging in mundane activities which brought him nothing but short lived pleasure. Essentially, the yogi was getting accustomed to his newly acquired lifestyle, causing him immense displeasure at the thought of parting with it.

And then there was the girl; the women in his mind, her imaginary silhouette being the only proof of her existence. Every now and then, she would show herself teasingly, morphing into the most magical person he'd ever seen. Her enchanting face glowing in the twilight, and her silky black hair exuding the fragrance of pine and cherry blossom, she would sneak up behind him and whisper sweet nothings into his ear. She held an uncanny resemblance to several girls he knew or had seen before, and it seemed to him as though she was a supernatural being fabricated from bits and pieces of these personae.

And yet today, this women took the distinct figure of someone he knew dearly, someone who was far away in a distant land. What she had said troubled him, and although he would think about her or talk to her often, never until now did he have the desire to physically present himself in front of her and spill his heart out. Hot blood rushed to his face as he pictured himself telling her how he felt, proclaiming his undying love for her, and what she would make of it. The anxiety and confusion was slow poison to his heart, and he battled fervently to regain what composure he possessed but a few moments earlier.

After what felt like an eternity, the yogi drew his quill, and fighting his shaking hand, started writing.....for hours he poured his emotions and thoughts into his diary until he felt nothing but emptiness, as a lake drained of its water by the unforgiving sun; The yogi knew now why he needed to write; why it had to be done then, on that very day. The storm had cleared in his mind, and sent on exile were those thoughts that corrupted him.

....The yogi had made his choice.

An anniversary beckons

TLY wishes the whole world a HAPPY NEW YEAR - overly belated in a sense, and yet perfectly legitimate if one considers the point in time when Aravind first set out on this journey. Starting on a happy note, he believes, will cleanse his mind and allow him to fulfill the duties which he cannot evade. The world wonders, with great interest, why the yogi had disappeared for so many months....for him however, it feels like only yesterday that he had last etched out his thoughts in the virtual world.

Over the last eight months, the yogi's life has changed immeasurably. Writhing in his mind, he attempts to piece together his thoughts in a logical manner, so that none may be missed as he writes the latest chapter of his so-called auto-biography. The yogi was last seen during the auspicious week of Diwali, where he offered his prayers to the gods, in hopes that all the uncertainties in life may be washed into the oblivion. At that particular moment, his anxiety to graduate successfully and get a job was the only feeling nested in his being. Little did he know that as he would go about his daily routine, certain facets of his life would change dramatically. November 2007 was a month in history he would never forget, for it was then that a new character was introduced in his life, so intricately woven into the story as if it were the Rasleela itself. For the 2 months that followed, he hit the highest and lowest peaks in emotion in his life. At the end of it, he learned to love, albeit shortly. Nothing more can be said as the yogi does not see the need to elaborate - an action for which he begs forgiveness.

In the second month of the current year, the yogi achieved his most important goal - a golden start to his professional career. Going through several days of agony and uncertainty, the yogi finally landed the job of his dreams - as an electrical engineer in one of America's biggest firms. Although he had to pass through several interviews and assignments, he would not have been able to emerge victorious if it were not for a miraculous event on the night of his graduation - it was during a gathering that night that he met a complete stranger who was willing to help him in return for nothing but the yogi's eternal gratitude.

Ever since that month of february, Aravind has gained a wealth of knowledge in every aspect of life. His interest in the automobile industry and power electronics has soared. The yogi appreciates the compensation for his hard work, but the opportunity to travel frequently while at work is the most rewarding aspect in his opinion.

Many other tales are left to be told; however, the yogi can only write so much before dropping to the point of exhaustion - driven by 10 hours of office work and 2 hours of racquetball. So till the next time he feels the itch to narrate, he bades his readers farewell.

/*The rebelling mind*/

Has it really been so long since the mind gave up? Does it really take no more than meaningless thoughts for the mind to wander?

Several millenia have passed since Lord Rama vanquished Ravana and Sri Krishna fell the evil Narakasura, and the denizens of bhuloka still celebrate this auspicious day. The Yogi offers prayer to Lakshmi, goddess of wealth, and Vishnu, the supreme godhead, to guide him in his path to true understanding.

Yet, the gods do not seem to care - and why would they? - the yogi has taken no step to help himself. Self motivation, passion for success, and perfection were once his forte - But alas, his mind has rebelled, and anarchy looms over his being.

In penning down his thoughts, he hopes to rid his mind of negative elements which have been pulling him down and build within him the motivation required to accomplish a herculian task - one which needs to be achieved before the following dawn. The yogi is running out of time, and although he didn't manage to convey much through this passage, he will not leave the topic for open discussion. That said, the return of the yogi is imminent - for he always finishes what he sets out to accomplish.

Asatoma Sadgamaya
Thamaso Maa Jyothir Gamaya
Mrithyor Maa Amrutham Gamaya
Aum Shanti Shanti Shantihi

Lead me from the unreal to the real

Lead me from darkness to light

Lead me from death to immortality

May there be peace everywhere

- TLY

Back in the groove

Every second makes a difference, every alley has a secret, and every mind has an answer. The Yogi has lived the last 3456000 seconds in high spirits, although he overdid the celebrative act a little too much. Days were spent in a variety of recreational activities, most of which where not very productive. Living in the imaginary, virtual world leads a person to a path which ends only in illusion. The mind does not process that fact, however, and only those who realize the evil of video games will attain a clear mind.

Yet, the yogi feels like he is not his usual self today, mainly because he spent the whole day doing productive work, a trait very rarely observed in his character these days. Yesterday, engineering opportunity day reminded him of the toil he has to go through to prove himself. Despite this phase being nothing alien for any budding youngster, the yogi does not want to tread the path of commonfolk - a resolution he made to prevent the possibilities of a mundane life. Ahieveing something without putting in effort is a sorry excuse for slackers, but it does not necessarily have to be so bad if one uses his mind more effectively.

There is nothing the mind cannot conquer, and it is never truly over till one gives in to failure. With that said, the lone yogi decides to put behind the days of lethargy and bring into his life a sense of passion and success.

By the way, the yogi has made it clear to several people including himself that the project he has been working on this semester has taught him exceptionally, and the dream of one day being able to understand how 0s and 1s control what he sees on his monitor has finally come true. Keep it up TLY, and please do not burn your microcontroller!

Twenty three days to blame for...

In a world where time stops for none, the Yogi has been put through various tests, and apparently he has passed all of them with flying colors. He says there is nothing better he could have achieved with the time he had, and yet, an uneasy feeling overshadows his being.

Insecurity is something he has to learn to overcome - insecurity about his future..but then again, who doesn't have it? The Yogi has to concentrate on his goals, and aspire to gain immense knowledge, for that is the path which will lead him towards self-realization; that is indeed what all living beings should aim for.

TLY has many things going on for him in the coming months - the FE exam, his senior design project, one of the toughest courses of his degree, and the constant challenge of finding a good job. Looking back, he feels that he has achieved what he set out for in summer - he did his best in the course he took, excelled at work and had a good share of play. Times have changed, and a few weeks will beckon the dawn of a new chapter in his life, albeit not that much different from what he has experienced in the past.

May his soul guide him in the right direction, and may his will stand with him through the test of time.

- The Lone Yogi signing out.

Volley Ball Frenzy!

Has it indeed been over two weeks since the yogi last presented himself? Alas, having to work, play and study all at once is time consuming, tiring, and inevitable. He's had a piece of the volleyball pie, so to speak, for he often plays this sport with newly made friends - a definite plus in his life at the moment.

According to him, things couldn't get any better, except ofcourse his bad luck in the constant job search. The antaryami once approached TLY in his dreams, and told him that his karma will soon bear fruit...TLY would like to take that as a positive sign - the writer agrees (an irony, for TLY himself is the writer...)

Big plans were made for the summer, half of which haven't even been put into action. He claims to have a valid reason for the slack, but reveal it he will not. Whatever the situation, the yogi definitely has to start learning some programming....for his own good. This, everybody knows, is necessary for him to get a job that he has been eyeing for over 3 weeks now...Good luck TLY.


By the way, he has been performing well in his class recently, certainly a good thing. Yet, for some evil deed performed earlier on, he has been punished by having his sole music companion, the IPOD mini, stripped from his possession. And this was done in such a place where nobody would even imagine a theft taking place (OK, a little bit of exaggeration).

The yogi would love to continue his tale, but a demanding game of volleyball has sucked the life out of him (not to mention a red rash on his forearms!)..therefore, till next time, TLY bids farewell

Bigger challenges

The Yogi lied. Well, atleast uptill now. Before, he really wasn't all that busy, whiling away time by indulging in various activities which did not serve any purpose. Looks like that's all going to change - atleast he hopes it will.

Two days back, the Yogi was forced to meet an old pal, an individual he used to spend a lot of time with during his regular semester. Patrick, a truly well-natured gora with a big brain, escorted him to the Stryker Headquarters, where the yogi was to be reminded of his true purpose of returning to Kalamazoo - his senior design project. The circuit drawings and schematics shown to him were amazingly alien to him, despite him being an electrical engineer. You might think it's funny, but the yogi feels bitter about it. "Now I will have to prove my intellectual prowess once again - and to do so, I have to stay in the game." Thus saying, he acknowledged the fact that he had wasted enough time and the day had come when he had to buckle up and start being a little more serious about his academics, project, and career.


"Many errors have I committed hitherto; they shall all be fixed in the due course of time...." -TLY