Do it! Umer get used to "Do it!"

Before they do it all!

We need to live this dictum as a nation, at least i do... I read an American writer say that people don't like getting out of their comfort zones, hence its true to assume that most of humans don't wanna do things that cause them pain, not the physical pain, but the pain of worry, anxiety, going against the routine, covering an extra mile, etc. We lie when we say we don't get opportunities, 'cause we can easily create opportunities.

For instance, you work for a company: Can you get a world-class professor train your employees for free from a leading world university say from MIT for many hours? We know how much consultants or trainers cost these days; and some of us would laugh at it, admitting their own shyness. Well, a 2nd-year student at my university arranged a 3-hour session to train university employees and faculty via webinar, by a senior MIT professor for free... And he had never met him, he had no relations with him.

Every day Allah creates opportunities of wealth, learning, growth, etc. out of nowhere. Its our shyness and laziness that fails us, and 5 years or 10 years from now we'll regret. May Allah save us from laziness and lack of courage to sail in rough and harsh seas...

Extreme Sun, Extreme Man

Sunspot.

For past one century, for past one decade, humanity has seen such crises bigger than any crisis in civilizational history, other than the flood of Nuh or such incidents. Conditions in world have become extreme producing extreme reactions by people of any world-view. One important 'out of control factor' is the catalytic effect of Sun's energy on human mind, just as sun plays a predominant - which is too small a word - in every physical happening and variation; just as sun can destroy space satellites, annihilate electricity in Canada, nullify semiconductors - it also tinkers with sensitive electric currents of human brain.

If we see past 250 years of history of sun's activity - its storms, its 'sunspots' (which emit electro-magnetic rays and flares out of it) - it has reached its peak in 20th century (see photo below in which timeline is given along with sunspot cycles). Its heat and energy emissions have become more intense than anytime before. Sultan B. Mehmood, a Pakistani atomic scientist, could not understand why the effects of sun and its magnanimous variations should not be studied on human mind and behavior. This led him to study human history and sun's history, side-by-side, of past 250 years. He penned the book, in 1997-8 (?) and came out with startling predictions which turned out to be remarkably true.

The core prediction was about the rise of agitation, restlessness, aggression and terrorism in next decade; about the physical, earthly disasters we'd see from 2008-2017 along with political turmoil and violence. Studying the 'cosmic effects' of sun spots and sun storms on human mind and moods, he said back then that next decade would manifest extreme human behaviour which if not controlled will create havoc and crises. The bottom line is: if you can have control on your charged emotions, it turns into positivity - creativity, productivity, life, thought and civilization. He adds, "Make the hay while sun shines." Hence, extremism in behavior and outlook, is a major human problem everywhere.

When the attacks of 9/11 took place, intelligence agencies arrested Mr. Method and interrogated, "What you wrote in your book has turned out to be remarkably true. Maybe you are the master-mind behind these attacks." The author only had to say, "When i wrote the book (in '98) I also sent its copies to President Bill Clinton, PM Tony Blair and other heads of state urging them to show leadership to ensure peace." (These are not exact quotes as I am relying on memory.)

The book is written in a very acute scientific manner which is, nonetheless, highly readable by laymen. It is also punctuated by such sections on Sun's role in 'the choice of marriage and children', etc. It has useful advices for people from all walks of life from politicians to entrepreneurs It is very statistically and methodically written with case histories of events occurring in past 250 years both on sun and earth.

Sunspot cycles and timeline

Procrastination and Impatience

I came across this piece of research somewhere which shows a positive corelation between procrastination (laziness) and impatience. It means that both are to be found in a same person at a time.

I talked to a competent psychatrist about it and he noded in yes stating that one is the cause of the other and vice versa. Procrastination is destined to lead one to become impatient, irritated and haphazard. However, what are the causes of it? According to him, procrastination is caused due to following set of reasons:

1. Lack of priorities.
2. Abscence of time-frame in which to accomplish work.

Have these and you're prone to procrastinate. And when the time limit comes to near end, instantly one becomes active, so to say over-active, becoming impatient. Cure one, and you cure the other.

The Certainty of our Running away from Death the Certain

Why we run away from something too certain as death? I don't. But for large period of my life, I did. "More certain is death than even taxes." Even so, why?

The grace of human kindness vs. machines ( part of discourse on intrinsic morality)

image source

There are many things in the world that capitalism cannot give you, and i am talking specifically about those things on which it has its claims fixed. i am living in exile. in another city. i live on the upper story with my father, who stays here half a week and does work in his office beneath my dwelling (called philosopher's corner, excluding other typical corners), and for the rest of the week goes back hometown. the tea i take is made by the man of the home and office, who does all sorts of work quite singlehandedly. made in an electric kettle, as most of the time, or even if i 'cooked' properly on fire, i always feel, in the words of hamza yusuf, "the anxiety of the cook, my cells can feel the anger (rage)." No soothing feeling do i induce, it's not to be unthankful, but comparing it to the kind of tea i experience back at home - its way different. last time i went to my home after the strokes of stress at the hands of academics and out of indulgence in vain activities, the cook (at home) - a happy, little man who somehow detecting some good in me is very, very nice and humble towards me, i feel sorry for him though - cooked some tea and said, "You won't taste a tea like this." And yes i didn't, and i won't, insha Allah :). the only magic it had, in terms of effect, was that it put my senses in a calm state; i felt a joy, a joy that can only be produced when somebody does a good to you, not for social consequences, but out of generosity - of course not a mere materialistic joy, which is quite profane often times. my claim is: you may never get these feelings out of machines, if not tempered by human kindness and bounty; or at the hands of human beings devoid of a value called "care" . i like to think in this way, it may never be like that, though.

The Love of Woman

If you rule your wife outwardly, yet inwardly you are ruled by her whom you desire,

This is characteristic of Man: in other animals love is lacking, and that shows their inferiority. [1]

The Prophet said that woman prevails over the wise, while ignorant men prevail over her; for in them the fierceness of the animal is immanent.

Love and tenderness are human qualities, anger and lust are animal qualities. Woman is a ray of God: she is not the earthly beloved. She is creative: you might say she is not created. [2]

Rumi, Mathnavi. I, 2431.

To this beautiful and intelligent poem must be added a few notes by R.A. Nicholson, the translator.

[1]. Although animals relatively to man are deficient in love, they "know what love is" and "he that is blind to love is inferior to a dog" (Math. V, 2008).

[2]. Sweeping aside the veil of form, the poet beholds in woman the eternal Beauty, the inspirer and object of all love, and regards her, in her essential nature, as the medium through which that Beauty reveals itself and excercises creative activity. Ibun'l-'Arabi went so far as to say that the most perfect vision of God is enjoyed by those who contemplate Him in woman.

A Thoughtful Sitting

March 11, '09.

Today's experience with a serious and thoughtful sitting, unlike any silly, futile chit-chat between retarded "buddies", forces me to pen down the thoughts I could gather from the participants who were dying to be self-critical. Thoughts so rudimentary, so practical that I wish to keep them somewhere in the backyard of my human memory, and more to share them and spread. Today was a beginning of a new day in my quest of my Self. A quest to find 'meaning' in this otherwise, apparently, haphazard life in which to question the very disorder of it. We have formed a little society, headed by a sociology teacher, who speaks of his own science nothing more than a thin layer of ice over an iceberg! And he is very true. Because the very purpose of this informal sitting group is to penetrate the symbols of life. Thus, owing to this serious aim, the whole base of the group's medium of expression tends to be of metaphysical nature, which is very profound. Here's the problem for us. Metaphysics is the supreme science, as S. H. Nasr says. Therefore, it requires a lot of spiritual preparation to open up our intelligence, in order to know the existence and the nature of reality. Metaphysics never weds itself to clever thinking, it weds to a pure heart and to the intelligence whose functioning is proper and receptive to this supreme science.

This realization has still to dawn upon the imagination of many in our group. However, some took a brave start today and found themselves giving a voice to their own ongoing journeys, sometimes forgotten and in places like these, revisited. And one such voice triumphed in my eyes, no matter how poorly.

"What is life?," when asked the gentleman replies, "I used to ponder on this. And I concluded after observing the ever absence of jinns in the present scheme of this universe. Then I pondered on why humans were created in place of jinns? We know that they were very violent and enmity always prevailed among their communities. And that among jinns there was no peace and love conceivable. God hoped from this man that he would maintain peace among themselves. He would know what angels never knew. That he would love his fellow beings. I don't think there's a hell." He finishes presenting his views on the purpose of life here, although most of the time we were much preoccupied by the very question of purpose's possibility in human life. A view so real and persistent, I can never think why I never thought of it. A strict Muslim may call the last part of the conversion a blasphemy, and he or she may. But the existence of peace and love as a purpose of human beings is as much real to me as I am.

How Hopelessness Creeps In

Mind does what it prioritizes. Our memory tends to flag the prioritized actions, ideals or activities. And therefore works according to them. Sometimes this act of 'prioritizing' can be very unconscious, notes Prof. Ahmed Rafiq. One who is lost in the trap of the space and time, and thinks that the attainment of bodily needs is an end in itself, would always search and run after them. He is bound to lurk after those aims, as anyone who focuses on his or her own fixed priorities. The point of difference, however, is that the former man, with his desires of flesh, luxury, becomes a slave to his own impulses and this terrestrial life.

We later find such a man imprisoned by the forces which require no serious reflection; found to be naturally residing within him. And it is also possible that such a man does not lack the knowledge of religious realities, rather a sound knower of the metacosmic Reality. Even after years of fulfillment, his hunger would not die, instead escalate, as a virus does, because he has let those forces to dominate him. We find his carnal soul dominating his basic, good nature. And, the end result, which he never contemplated, is absolute helplessness and despair. Nothing else but hopelessness, restlessness at heart and despair. His fate now resides in the darkness of an abyss, a world so futile and full of impossibilities he cannot leave.

The Philosophy of Life

Everyone is a seeker of truth. Besides physical and material needs there is a distinct and unique urge in everyone, a sort of 'hunger', to know the truth. That is, to find out the purpose and meaning in one's life. A person who is deviated from this higher purpose fails to find contentment and a sense of fulfillment out of the material possessions he or she comes to possess after so long enthusiastic struggling. But if such a person had given some time to know his or her purpose of life and the deep values their nature yearns for; if they had listened to that natural call which comes from the inside to find out the cause and purpose of his or her life and the universe around them, along with material things necessary to sustain life, they would not have failed to achieve their best state of humanity. A state of peace and rest.

Personalities & Intellectuals

1. No personality is identical to another, not necessarily in terms of rank or social order. History doesn't seem to be producing leaders that match in characteristics, style and personality traits. It is so mainly because of different life-stories every person has. We do not find a leadership model that can encompass all sorts of life-stories. There may be similarities in thought patterns or common values shared by a large number of such leaders. Yet there is no prototype, in this sense, one can follow and imitate and by the bliss of imitating whom, he can easily become like 'him'. At least not a purely earthly man can be such a prototype.

2. But on the other hand, the matter with intellectuals and scholars, broadly classified under the same Arabic term 'alim, is evidently different. We find no 'alim in the past ever greater than the one in the future. To me it is the nature that passes the baton of supremacy to every new alim according to it's will for the sake of goodness of general humanity. This again proves that we cannot have absolute education. If it were opposite to what is now, it would have been a situation which no man of impulses and curiosities could willingly accept. 

But 'What a piece of work is man!' (Shakespeare, Hamlet)

Memory of Feelings

Memories contain more than mental pictures, words, incidents and voices. Some memories can be without words, voices or any particular incident/event. It may simply be a scenery which contains a 'feeling' attached with either the environment, or issued by the 'beholder's eye', so much so fresh that whenever one recalls it, he feels it even though it's only a memory.

Contemplation & Symbolism

Image source.

1. A symbol is like a shadow. If one can decode the shadow, he actually detects the metacosm, i.e, the phenomenon of whose shadow he has interpreted, e.g, the microcosm and macrocosm being shadows of the metacosm. This is a subtle world. And, the elements of man are also very subtle. Take man's brain. His brain has a tendency to alter reality in order to preserve its survival. Therefore, there has to be some meaning in the world man lives for his guidance in day-to-day matters. Of meaning. Imperatively.

2. The need of symbolism is ever more greater. Because what lies in this world also corresponds to each element which lies in man, therefore it's important for the sake of his own welfare that he gets rational understanding through contemplation over the 'shadow', this world, a need he can barely avoid. As the Sufis say, 'The Universe is a great man, and man is a little Universe'. This statement approves the latter view. 'Under the veil of each particle is concealed the soul-refreshing beauty of the Face of the Beloved. To that one whose spirit lives in contemplation of the Vision of God, the whole world is the book of God Most High' (Shabistari, Reading from the Mystics of Islam, by M. Smith).

3. Noway could this presence of Being in nature better be expressed than by the following verse.

Being, with all its latent qualities,

Doth permeate all mundane entities,

Which, when they can receive them, show them forth

In the degrees of their capacities

Jami, 'Abd al-Rahman,

Lawa'ih.

Humanism: A Comparison with Psychoanalysis & Behaviorism

Introduction

"Humanistic psychology is regarded as the "Third Force", Psychoanalysis and Behaviorism being the first two"*. Humanism at some points agrees with the other two forces in 'human psychology' (note that I used word human, it is explained in the conclusion section), and differs from them widely on some other points. "HUMANISTIC approaches to personality rely upon FIELD-THEORY ORIENTATION, a HOLISTIC view of personality, and empathise personal experience, growth, motivation, and SELF-ACTUALIZATION."** Thus as per Philip G. Zimbardo, humanism gives central place to man and his/her 'subjectivity'. But, "humanistic psychology doesn't deny values, intentions and meaning..."***

 What's the need of its comparisons? Its comparison with Psychoanalysis and Behaviourism, as per a scholar, 'further enlightens its features'. 

Humanism vs. Psychoanalysis

Humanism views man basically 'good' in nature. "Humanistic Psychology shares with psychoanalytic theory the belief that humans are endowed with innate needs and desires, but it differs from psychoanalysis in its assumption that the core of human nature is kindly, cooperative, and prosocial."**** It is no surprise that psychoanalysis project our inner being as dark and pessimistic that we tread to mention them. Whereas humanism denies this projection as baseless.

Humanism vs. Behaviourism

What Humanistic psychology shares with behaviorism is the "belief that humans can expand their interest and activities in an almost infinite variety of direction but, it differs from behaviorism in its assumption that an inner self freely initiates many of these choices."***** Dr. Nazir Qaiser adds in his A Critque of Western Psychology...., "To humanists man is not a machine and robot."

It is worth mentioning, why behaviorists consider man a sole function of his environment/learning/conditioning, when they are very scientific in their methodology? Writers like S. Covey and Barbara Engler have quoted the same experiment carried out by the behaviorists, which led them to the preceding conclusion I questioned. It was the Skinner Box or operant conditioning chamber experiment and like many others. What the results of this experiment suggest is that it's not the 'person' rather "the variables and forces in the environment that influence a person,"******  and BEHAVIOURISM/RADICAL BEHAVIOURISM is founded on this principle. That there is no world of Selfhood poet-philosopher Iqbal conceives of (I may write an articale on it in future). That man is not a proactive animal, only reactive. That although he can learn from the enviornment, he has not capacity of unlearning it.

Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow are two great upholders (that doesn't mean that they're "great") of humanism. They and other humanists "suggest that the study of neurotics or infrahuman species is not particularly enlightening for the study of the personality."******* And, then the dividing line is drawn in the following sentences by Barbara Engler. A difference so important that it gives birth to two utterly different and wholly differentiable streams of paradigms of thought, which later on translate into concrete actions. (Thus, knowledge precedes action.) The missing link: as Barbara Engler writes, "There is a radical difference between a rat in a Skinner box, and a human being in the every day world."******* I must repeat the difference of opinion between Humanism and Behaviorism here in case you're if lost in thoughts: "Humanism differs from behaviorism in its assumption that an inner self freely initiates many of the choices [he has at his disposal]." That, as Stephen Covey says, between operant enviormental influences/stimulus and the consequential action/reaction lies a quality only man on earth possess is his own 'free will'. A freedom of initiation.

Conclusion

What may lie beyond Humanism must be probed as Humanistic Psychology is centered on human beings only. I do not mean to say that animal psychology must be linked with human psychology, because there lies a concrete difference in both these fields of study for man is blessed with rationality  and animal is not. Yet, there can be other things which have a one-to-one/direct relationship with human psychology. And, the study of which may yield benefits, be it of health or understanding.

Notes:

* Encyclopedia of Psycholgy ed. Raymon J., Corsini

** Philip G. Zimbardo, Psychology and Life, p. 494

***  Dr. Nazir Qaiser, A Critque of Western Psychology...., p. 35.

**** William Samual, Personality, p. 89.

***** Ibid.

****** Carl Rogers, article in Theories of personality, Ed. by Gardener Lindzey/Calvin S. Halll, p. 473

******* Barbara Engler, personality Theories, Introuction, p. 302.

Oh! Its The Same Old Man

(Image Source)

Yes, I wish to tell you my friends, if you wish to listen this from me. Oh! that its the same old man, the same old morning in which he rises and same old gratifying - sometimes diabolical - pleasures. The net which catches man, be it from nature (good) and anti-nature elements (bad), is even the same, as it were for ancients, medievalists and you. The preventions; the prescriptions are the same. No surprise.

I realized this fully when I saw this, read it, absorbed which and thereby, was touched, motivated to utter away the discovery, the insight. For I couldn't keep it to myself. Just for that sake:

"IN the morning when thou risest unwillingly, let this thought be present—I am rising to the work of a human being. Why then am I dissatisfied if I am going to do the things for which I exist and for which I was brought into the world? Or have I been made for this, to lie in the bedclothes and keep myself warm?—But this is more pleasant.—Dost thou exist then to take thy pleasure, and not at all for action or exertion? Dost thou not see the little plants, the little birds, the ants, the spiders, the bees working together to put in order their several parts of the universe?"

Wait. He, the man who lived probably between 121-180 A.D, further pens:

"And art thou unwilling to do the work of a human being, and dost thou not make haste to do that which is according to thy nature?—But it is necessary to take rest also.—It is necessary: however nature has fixed bounds to this too: she has fixed bounds both to eating and drinking, and yet thou goest beyond these bounds, beyond what is sufficient; yet in thy acts it is not so, but thou stoppest short of what thou canst do." 

Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, The King of Rome, from his The Meditations, Part V.

A Mesmerizing Answer On Success

PS: If you could choose one characteristic you have that brought you success in life, what would it be?

Master Khuram: Well, actually I still have to get success. I have been failed in getting many “achievements”. But “success”, in a better sense, is beyond some minor achievements. The actual state of being “successful” may never be “achieved” as well. In the words of Hazrat Wasif Ali Wasif, “destination” is the name of “being in journey”. Actually we are successful as long as we are trying to pursue success. Stage of “success” may never come however. We actually fail … when we stop doing efforts.

Another person, mentor and guide to me, said, similar to what said in preceding penned lines, "The pleasure of [this] journey shall dissolve the desire for destination." Don't mistake yourself by glancing on these words causally. Feel them and decode the symbols.

Beauty of Chinese Landscape Art

1. Seyyed H. Nasr says that man has deep roots in this world and it is difficult, very difficult for him to detach from his root (i.e, this world) for a 'thing', or purpose which demands him to detach for its own sake. 

2. However, if man's existence were to be analyzed, we find there are two realities connected to it: one is tiny being, traveller ; and, the other is the 'background', or the 'environment' through which this mortal man journeys. This is the duality that always persists. And, Nasr adds, "It is the basis of every human experience, whether it be physical, psychological or religious."

2 (a). This distinction has been observed centuries ago especially during Tang dynasty, when it started to cripple down and its men of arts and scholarship retreated into the nature. They made paintings of nature, which we call 'landscape art of Chinese'. These, Chinese, landscape paintings portray the huge physical or external world 'through which a physically minute traveller is passing' (same thing has been capitalised on in Mr. Bean's Holiday, in which the small funny figure of Mr. Bean is shown passing through the vast vistas of non-urban France, which on gigantic cinema screen must be unique an experience). Following are some Chinese landscape paintings, in every painting there is a being you've detect .

Images Source

Immortality

I believe, this thought of Aristotle resonates in the hearts of those how wish to leave behind themselves a legacy of their own, who do not merely desire of food, clothing, and all benefits of matter. I did felt this urge of very minute magnitude a few years ago and now its dim almost to darkness.

"We must not listen to those who urge us to think human thoughts since we are human, and mortal thoughts since we are mortal; rather, we should as far as possible immortalize ourselves and do all we can to live by the finest element in us - for if in bulk it is small, in power and worth it is far greater than anything else."

-Aristotle

Nicomachean Ethics

If not words, what then?

And, even if with words, what's worth enough? This is the answer that I found satisfying

"A knight proves his worthiness through his deeds."

Freak The Mighty, (a movie adaption of the novel by Rodman Philbrick).

What do you think?

On Logic of Induction and Cause

(There is no formal, or even informal definition or explanation of either logic or inductive logic, its sub-branch. But a simple discussion.)

Master Agha:

I told you before that saying of Voltaire that even if there was no God, man would have created it.....!

.... Look, J. S. Mill has tried to fooled the whole world with an illogical argument. When we talk about humans, we're forced to acknowledge something is behind him, of course inductively, whereas deductive language is 'formal' enough not be discussed here. The thing that is behind him (i.e, man) cannot be like him, it thus follows. It is acknowledged by these logicians that there must be some criteria of the Perfect and how 'it' is to distinguished from the 'relative' and 'imperfect'. Man is imperfect. It is a burning human rights issue that why man has no independent will over the choice of his birth? That he should have the liberty to choose to be born or not to be born? But he has, practically, no control over it and like on many other things. So man is imperfecter than 'he' who created him and sustains him. Thus, inductively even J. S. Mill, whose blunder I'll mention later, could not refute the argument that following must be the criteria for the perfecter being who created imperfect man:

He must be infinite,
He must be eternal, independent of time,
He must not procreate, i.e, all-powerful,

Read Surah -e- Ikhlas from the Koran, you'll find the same logic. It is but natural that the thing which is the 'final cause' of all causes must have no 'cause', as Aristotle said. J. S. Mill refuted this argument by putting forward his counter-argument like this way:

'monday' comes before 'sunday'. Is 'sunday' the cause of 'monday', he questions? That is, did 'sunday' create' monday', or did 'saturday' create 'sunday' and so on and so forth? Obiviously not.

We ask him, k bhai, time is indivisible, you're dividing time into separate things. Moreover, time is a separate thing from something which could be behind man. We have divided time into days and months for our own comfort, time does not become divisible by saying so. This is how his argument, that there can be nothing behind man who is the final cause of all causes, becomes invalid, without going into further dtail.

So, Mr. Umer now you understand that he who knows himself knows his Lord?

Quality of Relationship

Quality of relationship among humans matters everywhere, where ever humans are to interact. That's the universality of it, which we might ignore due to our likeness or idslikeness, or what we call as having 'narrow visions of our mnd'. Previously, and regretfully, I thinked of importance of 'quality of relationship' as a prime variable in persoanl matters alone, more than anywhere else. How wrong I was, I realised when I read the following paragraph somewhere: 

"The Gallup Organization, which has polled millions of empolyees and tens of thousands of managers, has found that the single most important variable in employee productivity and loyality isn't pay or benefits or workplace environment; it's the quality of the realationship between employees and their direct supervisors."

Source: K. A. Tucker and V. Allman, "Don't Be a Cat-and-Mouse Manager,' The Gallup Organization, September 9, 2004. Visit the website.