New Year Resolution

My New Year Resolution IS as follows:

To be happy and keep others happy too.......

...in the following ways:

• Positive talks and actions - even when emotionally charged
• Watching the DEER PARK Thimphu Friday Movie at least once a month
• Spending at least five minutes every morning in silent meditation
• Reading about happiness at least once a month
• One piece of work/assignment at a time
• Spending quality time with my husband and children at least during the weekend
• Calling mom at least once in two weeks
  
• Treating myself to some fun activity at least once in three months
  

As you will notice, the points above have not been numbered but bulletted. This means they are all equally important and not in order of priority. In fact, they are a checklist of reminders for 2010. I reflected on 2009 and previous years and felt lacking of these might have diluted my happiness and happiness of others around me.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL reading/following my blog!

Preparing...

I wish to prepare for the New Year with the thought "I made it through 2009 and I shall make it through 2010 as well." I would like to believe in 'living' the moment and entering into new moments without having to worry or regret about the moments gone by and that there's something out there waiting for my treasure of knowledge and services. I have learnt the hard way to channel my anxiety through positive lanes - whether between shacks or tall buildings or open space or forested vastness, or while driving on rough stones or dusty environment, or while walking uphill. Thanks to a God-sent stranger angel, who was my mirror for six long months that we worked together by fate/destiny some years ago. Before I met this angel, I tended to feel more of misery than the goodness of life.

Above all, I have learnt 'there is no gain without pain' for most of us. What matters is how we can turn that pain into joyful moments, such as when we are walking long hours through the forest and we rejoice at the sight of the beautiful nature around us; when we are in the middle of a training as a trainer to a bunch of bored looking trainees and we suddenly come up with a brilliant idea of how we can keep our trainees interested; when we know the dislikeable habits of our students and yet we see and focus on their strengths; and so on. With all this treasured within yourself, 2010 has to be yet another great year!

And, yes, that’s no excuse for not making my New Year resolution(s)…the prioritization of the shopping list is still pending.

Shopping list

As I think of the arrival of the new year I'm wondering if I should make a few resolutions, or perhaps just one manageable resolution. My shopping list consists of the following (not in any particular order, though):

1. To look more into myself
2. To channelize my emotions into positive actions
3. To watch the DEER PARK Thimphu Friday movie every week without fail
4. To spend at least five minutes every morning in silent meditation
5. To watch less of TV and instead to read more
6. To be more patient with my parents and brothers
7. To spend less energy on little worries
8. To be more focused at work
9. To be more understanding of my husband's limitations even during rough times
10. To spend more quality time with my husband and children

I think my list needs prioritization and reordering in order of priority. Let's see if I can have one by the 31st of this month.

Honesty - or an Eyewash?

A man lying on his deathbed promised God that if he stayed alive and got well he would sell his palatial house and give away the money to the poor. Miraculously, the sick man began to recover and eventually got well. He remembered his promise but could not bring himself to part with his house. So he devised a plan. He advertised to sell his house for only a token sum of one silver coin on the condition that anyone who bought the house would also buy his dog for a million dollars. Very soon, he found a buyer. He sold the house, put the million dollars in his pocket and gave the silver coin to charity. - Shiv Khera, 2003

The man kept his word, but violated its spirit.

Which?

Which of the following, between the young and the old in the picture? (according to your own opinion)

1. 1. Competition
2. 2. Equality
3. 3. Sharing
4. 3. None of the above

What? Why? Where?

Would you like to guess what this group of people could be making? Why? Where?

Compromising school happiness?

With the initiation of Educating for GNH Workshop, I really hope we get to see 'happy' or 'happier' children and teachers in school. The messages I have got from listening to speeches about revamping the school curriculum to GNH orientation make me uncomfortable. However, I'm comforted a little after listening to the Education Minister clarify on TV yesterday that the idea is to "infuse" GNH values, "not overhaul" the whole education system.

Nevertheless, we seem to have begun with certain 'assumptions' about our existing education system and curriculum - such as, the need for incorporation of GNH values - don't we already have them? Are we going to acknowledge that? Didn't we long ago incorporate values (including appreciation for and preservation of the natural environment) into the syllabi and textbooks that were designed locally? Didn't we develop values education curriculum guidelines for schools and dedicate a period to it every week? Wasn't this intended to develop morally sound citizens, who could be trusted to participate well in promoting good governance? Didn't we Bhutanize our education system with the rationale that our children would be learning more relevant content (such as, culture and forest conservation)? We might not have specified GNH as the driving force for curricular revisions in the past, but the essence was GNH. The TV announcement that the workshop participants would be looking into "what was working and what wasn't" was comforting and I sincerely hope it's true. In addition, the Education Secretary's clarification on TV (BBS) this evening that "there might already be GNH in our curriculum" was quite encouraging too.

I remember we initiated a lot of changes/reforms in education over a course of many years with the rationale that later got named GNH. Both the rationale for educational reform in the past and GNH as a developmental guiding philosophy and uniquely Bhutanese ideology came from the same source (Monarch). That's how I looked at it. Today, it appears to me that we are attempting to put the old wine into new bottles with new brand names, earning new companies universal popularity unjustifiably (idiomatically speaking). First of all, it's surprising that 'GNH in Education' has suddenly hit the headlines when we were actually already learning and living GNH values (to my thought at least). What was perhaps not certain was whether we were maximizing individual potential to live a decent life. Do our people have adequate knowledge and skills to earn their livelihood? On this evening's Educating for GNH panel on TV (BBS), there was mention of the combination of head-heart-hand-home, which was refreshing to hear but again 'old talk with new garnishing.'

I had once listened to "Improvement of the same" on the national TV channel about a year ago. It seems to make a lot of sense now, justified by the so-called all time practical realities. I remember it had further been justified that our people did not want change. If we are still going to be talking about traditional teaching methodology in a 'democratic' setting, then our strategy for not changing is already designed. Nothing more to think of, nothing much to do... complacency well bred... critical thinking a matter of the head no more...

Above all, what I personally find ironical is that we are openly admitting we are behind in our GNH implementation or actions, while some of us had been feeling proud not just of the uniqueness of the ideology but also in the belief that we were making progress. Our major indicators as some of us see them are as follows:

- Our maintenance of 70% forest coverage...

- Our well preserved unique traditional culture and its ever expanding exhibition and recognition worldwide...

- Our more than three quarters households with access to basic social facilities and services, in the promotion of equitable development....

- Our radical political changes and system of local government, in the promotion of good governance...

- Our 'peace' grown from the germination of the seeds of values sown in us during our education at home and school...

- Our almost 100% population claiming to be happy, with about half claiming to be very happy according to PHCB 2005...

But, for our nation to sustain itself it must continue to mobilize resources through internal revenue generation. It is a wonder how that is possible without a huge export potential, which two of the pillars of GNH actually provide scope for. Need I point them out...?

If there really is fear of the consequences of consumerism in the GNH Land, then I suppose we will be led into proving ourselves good practitioners by not allowing our youth to study in international schools or universities, where they are exposed to western ideas and their association with democratic ideals and principles. Unless, of course, we are certain the whole world is now going to go the GNH way... In the same spirit, I suppose it will be ensured that no single individual or group - whether rich or poor, influential or not, powerful or not, authority or not, urban or rural - has excessive access to resources at the expense of others being deprived of the minimum basic requirement. How realistic or practical is this going to be? Isn't it more likely that the poorer sections of the society will continue to remain poor in the pretext of being non materialistic and the haves will have more by virtue of their self sustaining means, however, not affecting the GNH measurement?

Deep in my heart, though, I keep wondering if our school children and teachers are going to be seen happy after the ideas from the 'Educating for GNH' Workshop are implemented in schools in repackaged forms, giving the notion that they are doing different things when they are actually doing things differently. I imagine teachers feeling demoralized once again for lack of recognition of their GNH oriented efforts. (I leave that to teachers to confirm or rule out...)

In other words, are we going to be compromising on the happiness of our schools in aspiring for something that has always been a part and parcel of our society? I wonder...

We had the same thing happening when corruption started becoming a national concern with the identification of increasing number of corrupt cases. Schools and colleges became the target for ethics education, as if we didn't already have it!

Devika's story

Buddha said, “My actions are my only true belongings. I cannot escape the consequences of my actions. My actions are the ground upon which I stand.” This is what Devika’s story illustrates.

Devika started her adult life as a simple woman, with no ambition of becoming famous or rich but with the humble wish of conducting herself in the best interest of all sentient beings. She resided in a one-room quarter, which served the purpose of both bedroom and kitchen. It was in a remote place – in fact, one of the remotest – with no electricity those days. But, those were golden days for her. She had the satisfaction of having made her clients happy and one day wiser each day. From a rural setting, Devika landed in the most highly urbanized centre of the kingdom – the capital – not out of her own choice but by virtue of being the wife of a man whose time had arrived for a new posting. This virtue kept taking her back and forth from rural to urban till some unfortunate turn of events landed her in the capital once again and for the final time.

Her days of distress, however, began with the arrival of the lustful man named Ravan. Nothing she did was ever good to him. She was scorned. She was humiliated. She was made to feel little. She was made to feel vulnerable. Ravan was in power. He was in control of people’s movements within the empire. People were rewarded positions if they pleased him. People suffered from continued humiliation if they did not please him. Devika watched and waited while he made positions for people he favoured and denied her husband the position he deserved. She was nobody. Her husband was nobody. They both could do nothing. Ravan had the power to do everything. It was like a game of chess, but Devika was not the pawn in the game. Neither did she allow her husband to be so. Those who were did not realize it. They were perhaps blinded by the belief that their future was made in the hands of this self proclaimed super hero. The cynical truth was that he was mean to Devika because she did not respond to his dirty advances. He had wished to add her to his hundreds of mistresses.

What became of Devika eventually? She left the kingdom to make her own destiny. She got to where she desired to be. She was empowered. She owned her life. She did what she desired to do. She earned what she deserved to earn. She enjoyed recognition for her ideas. She built credibility in the international arena. She now resides happily among the devi-gods, her praises being sung on earth.

What became of Ravan? He landed where he never imagined he would ever be. His dreams were all shattered. His image was marred. His self esteem was destroyed. He was stripped of all power. He was sent in exile. He could only repent and spend his time in prayer. His spirit is said to be roaming still between heaven and hell, begging to be liberated while people on earth choose to erase him totally from their memory. He is their bad dream, their nightmare.

And, all those who played the pawn in Ravan’s chess game were neither in the palace nor on the streets. Neither were they capable enough to live a dignified life with a decent earning. They fell into the trap of dependence forever. Their spirit is believed to be roving in the hope of being rewarded a position among the devtas by Ravan’s spirit.

Devika appeared in people’s vision and said, “Believe in the spiritual force that has the power to pull you into the arms of warmth and kindliness or push you into the steely cold of the dark dungeon.”

Rights of the Child

My first post is dedicated to the commemmoration of 20 years of Convention on the Rights of the Child.

I think it is a moment for all of us to reflect on our actions and to restrategize our efforts with renewed vigour and spirit. Here in Bhutan, we now have the 'Constitution' that clearly states the basic principles, rights and duties related to the child; the new yet-to-be-formed local governments to take forward the cause; and the civil society gearing up to support the cause through resource mobilization and advocacy. I think we are more ready than ever before with our institutional strengths and driving forces.

At the individual family level:

Our emotional 'love' for our children cannot be debated, but what needs taking care is provision of an 'environment' conducive to the child's holistic development right from age zero. We forget what we are feeding the child when we mothers consume excessive alcohol with the child inside the womb. We forget what we are exposing the child to when we consume excessive alcohol in front of him/her on a daily routine basis and resort to violence. If we love our child as we claim we do and we know we do, we must love responsibly. This, I think, is a first step to child protection and not a responsibility of the government but an individual responsibility.