Having been to a few too many swamiji speeches..the bugging question still remains. Why orange? Of all colours why do they wear orange? It must be a very important reason, or else, why would they wear the very same colour day after day. I'd get bored just wearing the same thing two days in a row.
My first point of call was wikipedia. Wikipedia - the answers to all life's questions! What a dissappointment. Well that was a dead end. Not even a mention of orange in swami.
My next advent..was to venture down the treacherous path of asking Swamiji's themselves. Surely they wouldn't blindly be wearing orange without a reason. My first attempt was a couple of years ago. A hot summery afternoon, having sat through 2hours, with slight dozes, I was looking forward to the end. Unfortunately, as it concludes, I get dragged to receive the blessing of the Swamiji. Yes, here's my one time opportunity, I think to myself. And with shaking nervousness, i ask in my pretty crappy Tamil, of why Swamiji wears orange.
I must say, not in a negative way, or in a way of disrespect, but Swamijis are almost as tactical as politicians. They have a way of answering questions, that seem so perfect at the time, and my humbleness adds to this, and then when you think back, man they haven't answered my question. Swamiji said, 'why do doctors wear a white coat?' A question for a question. With all due respect, I smiled and looked dumb. He continued ' It is a matter of identity, in the same way orange is our identity'. Iyoo, was i so dumb? Doctors, being the rich people they are, and after so many years of studying and having no life, don't wear coats cos they want to identify themselves as a doctor. I mean with their 99.95 enter, and brains, and all, at the end of their course, they'd know they are a doctor. They don't need a white coat to tell them. The lab coat, is for safety. So what is the orange code for? Back to square one.
Plan B...forget about it and stop demanding answers. Actually this wasn't on the plan. I guess the question, just went into hibernation mode. It didn't disappear, and a few years later, which is about a coupla days ago, another opportunity arrived. Carpi Diem, yup I seized the day. It was a youth special interaction session by another Swamiji. Although I'd name the spiritual discussion, as other things, which inconveniently lead to a person asking 'Whether BJP would consider renaming the Hindu religion, because it actually means a rogue'. What did BJP have to do with a youth discussion of the religion in Melbourne. Beats me. Anyways, to avoid this inconvenient circumstance, the organiser tactfully and thankfully altered the topic to his attire. Woot! Why miss the chance. My hand goes up asks "Y is it orange?" took a while for him to understand, but Swamiji, explained it was a colour signifying spiritual attachment. Ok all fine. But why????? Why does orange signify spiritual attachment? was the burning question. Of course I didn't ask.
And here i am still bugged with the question. What is it with orange? how come I don't feel all spiritual when i wear orange? Is it me, or doesn't anyone else ask why?
And then...I had this Bright spark. I had this light bulb flicker. Why not search orange in wikipedia. Yes! I mean how dumb! Its going to say Orange is colour. But as believer of following ur heart, I did it anyway. Orange. Wow only wikipedia could up with so inside out info on a colour. Did you know orange is the national colour of Netherlands and its not even on their flag.? Credit to wikipedia. and guess wht...Yes! my hopes and aspirations of wikipedia is not lost.. Under th
e title of mysticism orange is used to symbolically represent the swadhisthana chakra. Finally Ive found the reason. I can rest at peace. But not yet. Now i have to find out why orange symbolically represents the second swadhisthana chakra. Do life's questions ever end?
I'm glad for my little spiritual upbringing. I know what a chakra is, sorry folks not enough to explain it to u. Just search wiki...tht'll help u ;). alright,,,swadhistana chakra is the one associated with breathing. Alright tht was totally totally of the bulls eye. Swadhistana chakra is the chakra associated with genitals. Now it makes sense. According to wikipedia many saints have had to face the temptations of this chakra. No wonder they wear the symbollic colour of the chakra, so it'll help them control their temptations and remain in sainthood. Now it all falls into place.
My first point of call was wikipedia. Wikipedia - the answers to all life's questions! What a dissappointment. Well that was a dead end. Not even a mention of orange in swami.
My next advent..was to venture down the treacherous path of asking Swamiji's themselves. Surely they wouldn't blindly be wearing orange without a reason. My first attempt was a couple of years ago. A hot summery afternoon, having sat through 2hours, with slight dozes, I was looking forward to the end. Unfortunately, as it concludes, I get dragged to receive the blessing of the Swamiji. Yes, here's my one time opportunity, I think to myself. And with shaking nervousness, i ask in my pretty crappy Tamil, of why Swamiji wears orange.
I must say, not in a negative way, or in a way of disrespect, but Swamijis are almost as tactical as politicians. They have a way of answering questions, that seem so perfect at the time, and my humbleness adds to this, and then when you think back, man they haven't answered my question. Swamiji said, 'why do doctors wear a white coat?' A question for a question. With all due respect, I smiled and looked dumb. He continued ' It is a matter of identity, in the same way orange is our identity'. Iyoo, was i so dumb? Doctors, being the rich people they are, and after so many years of studying and having no life, don't wear coats cos they want to identify themselves as a doctor. I mean with their 99.95 enter, and brains, and all, at the end of their course, they'd know they are a doctor. They don't need a white coat to tell them. The lab coat, is for safety. So what is the orange code for? Back to square one.
Plan B...forget about it and stop demanding answers. Actually this wasn't on the plan. I guess the question, just went into hibernation mode. It didn't disappear, and a few years later, which is about a coupla days ago, another opportunity arrived. Carpi Diem, yup I seized the day. It was a youth special interaction session by another Swamiji. Although I'd name the spiritual discussion, as other things, which inconveniently lead to a person asking 'Whether BJP would consider renaming the Hindu religion, because it actually means a rogue'. What did BJP have to do with a youth discussion of the religion in Melbourne. Beats me. Anyways, to avoid this inconvenient circumstance, the organiser tactfully and thankfully altered the topic to his attire. Woot! Why miss the chance. My hand goes up asks "Y is it orange?" took a while for him to understand, but Swamiji, explained it was a colour signifying spiritual attachment. Ok all fine. But why????? Why does orange signify spiritual attachment? was the burning question. Of course I didn't ask.
And here i am still bugged with the question. What is it with orange? how come I don't feel all spiritual when i wear orange? Is it me, or doesn't anyone else ask why?
And then...I had this Bright spark. I had this light bulb flicker. Why not search orange in wikipedia. Yes! I mean how dumb! Its going to say Orange is colour. But as believer of following ur heart, I did it anyway. Orange. Wow only wikipedia could up with so inside out info on a colour. Did you know orange is the national colour of Netherlands and its not even on their flag.? Credit to wikipedia. and guess wht...Yes! my hopes and aspirations of wikipedia is not lost.. Under th
e title of mysticism orange is used to symbolically represent the swadhisthana chakra. Finally Ive found the reason. I can rest at peace. But not yet. Now i have to find out why orange symbolically represents the second swadhisthana chakra. Do life's questions ever end?I'm glad for my little spiritual upbringing. I know what a chakra is, sorry folks not enough to explain it to u. Just search wiki...tht'll help u ;). alright,,,swadhistana chakra is the one associated with breathing. Alright tht was totally totally of the bulls eye. Swadhistana chakra is the chakra associated with genitals. Now it makes sense. According to wikipedia many saints have had to face the temptations of this chakra. No wonder they wear the symbollic colour of the chakra, so it'll help them control their temptations and remain in sainthood. Now it all falls into place.
O But this just raises a thousand other questions about chakras. I suppose the thirst for knowledge is never ending. கற்றது கைமண் அளவு, கல்லாத்து உலகளவு. Till then forever pondering.
On a final note, something that i came across about the chakra, which I found interesting and pondering: on http://www.llewellynencyclopedia.com/article/253
'The main aspect of the second chakra, however, is sexuality. Sexuality is a life force. It is the water that softens the hard Earth and readies it for change. It is a force too often denied or perverted, and being robbed of our pleasure, we are robbed of our power. When we lose our desire, we lose our will. Power and will are attributes of the next chakra, and pleasure and desire are their seed. Sexuality is the flower of that seed. Power and will are its fruits. '
On a final note, something that i came across about the chakra, which I found interesting and pondering: on http://www.llewellynencyclopedia.com/article/253
'The main aspect of the second chakra, however, is sexuality. Sexuality is a life force. It is the water that softens the hard Earth and readies it for change. It is a force too often denied or perverted, and being robbed of our pleasure, we are robbed of our power. When we lose our desire, we lose our will. Power and will are attributes of the next chakra, and pleasure and desire are their seed. Sexuality is the flower of that seed. Power and will are its fruits. '
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