Friday, July 25, 2025

Lakegala and Remotest Village in Kandy District-Meemura

This just to record the climbing of Lakagala in 1975.
I was was working as a secondary officer in the University.
I had support from one my friend who was 2 years junior to me. 
His name Dr. Wimalawansa and he is resting ding in USA. He was the vice captain of the hockey tea. He was our brave Goalie. We did not lose a single match.
We stayed in Meemura for two days and I did a full medical examination of the senior citizens. Except with oldest gentleman who was over 80 who had cataract nobody had any medical problems. No diabetics on testing. 
Healthy lot I felt it was a waste of investigating such a population.
Except for the post office and the school there were no public offices and no boutiques.
I saw a YouTube presentation the road is much better than it used to be.
Regarding the climb of the Lakagala which was not a big deal for me. 
They team selection was bad and I was not involved but I was responsible for the team. There were few bad eggs varying from timid to macho guys. We were late to begin with and 1PM. Certain portions one has to climb on all four. Crawling to be precise. Rock was burning hot and I did not have ropes to help a guy in difficult. 
In the midst a guy was almost crying and was bringing the morale down of the five with me. Sent a message through the other guy and got a small rope. I found a crack and advanced to an advantage point. I sat firmly (included two girls) on the edge and got the two girls to saftey with the help of the rope. I had to pull them up. Finally with a firm reprimand on his ear I said I am not going to help you again. 
Do not bring fears to the team members.
Climbing down on the other side of knuckles to Teldeniya was easy. I ran down quickly and we were the first five to reach the bottom. There was nothing left in the boutique except few buns. We managed to catch the last bus from Teldeniya to Kandy. May be at 4.30PM.
That was the last time I joined such a mountain climbing until once or twice in New Zealand with the whole family. 
Of course, we had a trip to Dunhinda and Ella before coming to Australia. 
Such escapade are getting for me in my twilight years but won't say no to an invitation. 
I lost 1.5Kg in my last outing due to dehydration. It was nearing 2.5% of my weight and and anything above 5% is critical. 
I weigh myself regularly due to muscle injury following Coronavirus Moderna Jab. I have almost recovered. It is certainly not due to old age.

Myths, Mirage and Marriage

Sunday, February 24, 2013
Myths, Mirage and Marriage
 It is said married life with kids (not without) prolong one´s life of existence.
I reproduce here posted in asokaplus at wordpress where no one visits.
I cannot remember when I posted this or ever had written this being a married man.
All the same it is worth repeating with some editing and formatting.
The 3Ms here have common ancestry.
None of can be achievable and each one of them is shrouded in mystery.

For example one who is lost and disorientated in desert sand would not know for certain he is arriving at a water hole or not.

Myths of can be expanded to any direction or dimension one who is seeking the miracle go to any extent to believe what in reality is not achievable and where there the reality is the major casualty.

Some common practices and beliefs merge into day to day life sometimes almost imperceptible to reality.

Marriage is an institution that has gained such a reputable credence that writing anything against is amounting to desecration and sacrilegious.

That is the myth I am going to expose and explode.

There is no intention of disrupting any healthy harmony that may exists in any relationship or institution.

Healthy relationships can exist and lasting friendships can be developed without this institution existing its power over individuals but when something is institutionalized and when it is bound to the common law and practices and finely tuned with ethical and moral practices of a culture aforesaid myth and mirage also will get entangled with it.

Idea here is to disentangle certain myths associated with marriage.
1. Marriage is a perfect union
2. Marriage works because of give and take
3. Marriage is a stable institution
4. There is freedom in marriage
5. It does not grow old but remain live
6. It gives security
7. It has common goals
8. It makes life complete
9. Without this institution human relationships cannot be developed
10. Everyone must commit to this institution at one stage of his or her life

This list can go on but suffice is to disentangle the entangled myths.

These arguments are not for one who is already entangled since with the wedlock there is a legal deadlock.

This is for one who leaps into deep water without addressing his or her own issues.

The first casualty in war is truth.

Similarly the first casualty in marriage is freedom.

If you love freedom and lot of hobbies thinks twice before taking the plunge.
1. The first casualty is your hobbies.
2. The second casualty is your friends.
If you have lot of friends and love their company think twice.
3. Third casualty is one’s finance (unless both are bankers with good investment funds for life like the Murdoch).
If you cannot manage finances alone two of you will not mange it better.
4. Fourth myth is the stability and security.
There are no institutions in this world which is stable and secure.
Even the best banks can bust.
In marriage finances would bust first, especially when the kids come home.
5. It makes life complete is the biggest myth of all.
It makes simple life more complicated in marriage life and you never complete the set targets or your obligations, even if you live beyond 100 years.
6. In marriage more you give in more you have to give and less you have to take.
One never get a chance to take in, if you are the giver.
It is like putting water into a bucket with hole in the bottom.
7. Marriage does not get old.
It is not true it is the institution that gets older by the minute.
Moment you tie your nuptials and finishes the honeymoon it is old enough to be called a marriage.
That is why we have so many marriage jubilees from its inception.
This is written with the impending royal wedding in mind.

As long as you are a commoner please do not do what royals do.
Remain a commoner for life and you may advise the royals (couples) in trouble.
Better still you become a divorce lawyer.
Hope the royal couple reads this one day after the honeymoon (too late by then).
I wish Good Luck to them all the same.

Why Do We Dream?

 Why Do we Dream?

Dreams are sequences of images, ideas, emotions and sensations that occur involuntarily in the mind during sleep. They are a normal part of sleep, particularly during the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) stage. While their exact purpose is still debated, dreams are thought to play a role in memory processing, emotional regulation, and even problem-solving.

Dreams are essentially mental experiences that occur while sleeping, involving a variety of sensory and emotional content.

The most vivid and memorable dreams tend to occur during REM sleep, characterized by rapid eye movements, increased brain activity, and temporary muscle paralysis.

Dreams can be realistic or fantastic and they may include elements from waking life or entirely new scenarios.

One prominent theory suggests that dreams help consolidate and process information gathered during the day, potentially aiding in memory formation and learning.

Dreams may also be involved in processing and regulating emotions, helping individuals cope with stressful experiences.

Some researchers believe that dreams can facilitate creative thinking and even help with problem solving by allowing the mind to explore different possibilities and connections.

There are other theories, such as the idea that dreams have no specific purpose, or that they are simply a byproduct of brain activity during sleep.

There is not a single, universally accepted theory to explain the meaning of dreams.

Dream interpretation is highly subjective, with various approaches including psychoanalysis, symbolism, and personal reflection. Some recurring dream themes, such as flying, falling, or being chased, may have common symbolic interpretations.

In summary, dreams are a fascinating and complex aspect of sleep, with ongoing research exploring their potential roles in memory, emotion, and overall brain function.

I have my own interpretation of dreams based on Buddhist Concept of Rebirth

There are incidents in history where children recite their past life experiences. They are able to do that until about 7 to 9 years age, until they learned to suppress them voluntarily. Say for example a guy who remembers his past life was French in the past life is born into a English family. The child has to make a choice of learning English and integrate with the current family instead of living in his dream like state of the past life. 

This is a logical choice for child. 

However, he or she retains the ability to learn the language of past life effortlessly. 

There were children under five who were able to speak several languages without prior exposure.

I have my own reservation about hypnosis and past life regression analysis and their interpretations. 

Simply because and according to Buddhism the number of past lives are numerous and picking a single incident or two in the past is statically not valid unless of course, what is related is traumatic and painful and comes from the immediate past life.

I also do not believe in this subconscious mind saga at all. 

Mind is a constant stream and flows without a break and it does nor break even in ones sleep. In my analysis the dreams are a way to get rid of the confusion that may arise due to unintentional regression to a past life incident and one can pass it as a dream.     

It is extremely difficult to prove or disprove rebirth.          

I would leave it at that but would maintain it as a plausible scenario.

Why does Buddhism has such a literary impact on Jataka (Kata) stories?

Why did Buddha tend to take past life experiences in his daily sermons? 

Past life regression is a therapeutic technique that utilizes hypnosis to access and explore what are believed to be memories of past lives. While not scientifically recognized as a way to access literal past lives, it can be a powerful tool for self exploration and personal growth. A past life regression session typically begins with hypnosis, a state of focused attention and relaxation. Under hypnosis, the individual is guided to explore their subconscious mind, where they may recall memories, emotions and experiences from what they believe are past lives.

The information gathered during the session is then interpreted to gain insights into current life patterns, relationships and behaviors.

Past life regression can offer new perspectives on current life challenges and help individuals understand their behaviors, fears and relationships.      It can help release unresolved emotions, trauma and fears that may be carried over from past lives. Some individuals find it facilitates spiritual growth and a deeper understanding of their soul's journey.

While some believe in reincarnation, experts generally regard claims of recovered memories of past lives as fantasies or delusions. The memories accessed during past life regression are subjective and can be influenced by imagination, suggestion, and personal beliefs.

It is important to approach past life regression with an open mind, understanding that it is a tool for self exploration rather than a literal recounting of past events.

In essence, past life regression can be a valuable therapeutic tool for self discovery and emotional healing but it is crucial to approach it with a balanced perspective and realistic expectations.