Author: Rhea

Someone messaged me yesterday, a person I have only met briefly on zoom while we were working on a project together. And have briefly exchanged two or three  general messages. She wrote saying, she dreamt of me and so was just checking how am I. Something about the warm concern in her tone made me feel warm inside. She was barely a friend. Normally I could just also send a message,  but I decided to call her in the evening. She, Nasreen is an effervescent and joyful person, childlike and wise at the same time. There was no agenda for…

Yesterday while randomly browsing through a mall, I happened to see a sight which is not too uncommon, and yet it’s kind of sweet. One man was sitting or trying to, with his two boisterous little boys, just outside the women’s fitting room. His wife was trying different clothes, the kids were trying his patience, while he was trying desperately not to draw attention to himself. And failing miserably. If it was not so painful to see him struggle, it would have been amusing. The two boys must be about 6 and 4, perhaps. And they were, jumping, and shouting…

After almost 18 months, we had our Drum Circle yesterday. I have been a bit out of sorts last couple of days, and I almost declined. But then since it was right next to my house, St Stephens Church steps, I picked up my Djembe and went. When I started to play, it felt like an effort. But when you are sitting with 5-6 other players and the beats start  get louder, one just cannot help. Something strange happened. Slowly as my own body and mind started to tune into the drum beats, I began to come to the present.…

The End of Nine days of Devi festival, is celebrated with a lot of aplomb in India. It is the festival of Dussera. Where a 10 headed giant, sometimes 30 feet tall, effigy of Ravana is burned. And Like many things the Rituals are symbolic. I have for one, been quite intrigued by this character. Infact several years ago I attended a theatre workshop which uses the epic Ramayana as the central theme. In the beginning we each had to choose a character and then study it and build and depict a scene to bring out the nuance of that…

Being a Parent, a mother, is tough work. Having a child, is like having a piece of your heart outside of you, beating, exposed vulnerable to all kinds of things, hurts and bruises included. And yet it is the most rewarding.  I remember, My Son was born, almost on cue. August 15th. The doctors had given me 28th as the date, but I remember talking to him and asking if he can come earlier, August 15th – India’s Independence Day. He did. I have told him the little story many times. It was freeing. It made me something I had…

Speaking to a client, the central theme of the conversation, which is the central to most organizations and life, is problem solving. “They are not Solution oriented”. The frustration is understandable and palpable. I have, and still do, think of my professional journey as one of problem solving, the problems just changed in nature and magnitude. And yet today when I look back, I wonder if I “solved” problems. A Math problem is solved. A Puzzle is solved, a crossword is solved.  Meaning, there is nothing more left to do in it. Left hand side is Equal to right hand…

I happened to watch the series “Self Made” as I was browsing. I got hooked. It is a series based on the amazing life of Madam C.J. Walker. She was an African American entrepreneur, in the 1800’s, a philanthropist, and political and social activist. She is recorded as the first female self-made millionaire in America in the Guinness Book of World Records. Walker’s story is inspiring, from a humble beginnings as a washerwoman who lost her hair to stress, and then making a U turn and making her fortune by developing and marketing a line of hair care products and…

Last one week or so has been quite a churn, what with the house hunt for my son, another situation with my friend and her life, what is going on in our country and the furrow over force fitting an advertising campaign to religion agenda and so on. Listening to my son and his angst over how somethings are NOT ok, and how so many are not ok with that, brings up many things and memories. The fruit did not fall too far from the tree after all. I was taking to his house agent, a really nice professional woman…

My Son and I were in a conversation about Anger, and sharing notes of Anger and its role and movement. I have very closely known this emotion. And have often used it as a front end for other emotions like frustration, fear, sadness and helplessness.  I have had to move from Being angry -to Feeling angry – to embracing Anger. It has been a long arduous journey, that I still continue. Anger in a way has been a pilgrimage. I had to come face to face with what was really important and pay attention.It has brought the gift of Clarity.…

I have been meaning to reflect on this for a while. After a conversation yesterday with a dear friend Kiran, it felt like an Invitation – finally. It is incidental that The Invitation by Oriah Mountain dreamer is one of my all time Favourite Poems. Definition: A written or spoken request for someone to go somewhere or to do something. : the act of inviting someone. : something that encourages someone to do something or that makes something more likely to happen. This last bit was very interesting for me. An invitation in my line of work, often is an…