The Filtered Mind: A Lesson from a Bangalore Morning

 The Filtered Mind: A Lesson from a Bangalore Morning

Taking an early-morning walk in a park in chilly weather after a filter coffee at any of those Karnataka Udupi-run eateries in Bangalore is a rich experience by itself. After finishing an aromatic coffee that lingers on the tongue, you start walking, with the chill breeze dazzling on your face and cutting at your ears—it’s nostalgic and addictive, too.

During my recent visit to Bangalore, I experienced exactly that and began pondering why so many people in South India prefer filter coffee, compared to the rest of the country. My curiosity led me to a search, and I found that while the rest of India prefers tea, the south—especially Karnataka and Tamil Nadu—prefers coffee. The next question was: why filter coffee and not instant coffee? The search revealed that filter coffee is fresher, more aromatic, provides instant energy, is customizable, and above all, it is a hallmark of a true coffee lover.

While reading about filter coffee, my mind kept oscillating toward the word filter—and eureka, I found something similar between filter coffee and the mind. Just as filter coffee has its own benefits, I realized a filtered mind does, too.

Do we filter our thoughts? Do we filter the information that goes into our minds? Do we filter our words before they turn into conflict? The answer is yes and no—some do, some don’t. An unfiltered mind becomes a place for littering thoughts; unfiltered words become toxic. We do have the choice of what should go in and what should go out. But once we realise the consequences of being impulsive and understand why we should filter, our lives become much more aromatic—like the coffee. Our presence will linger in people’s minds, and our lives will be filled with fresh energy, like a freshly brewed cup.

As you sip your next cup of filter coffee, decide with each sip what needs to be filtered in your life. By the time you empty the cup, walk away with a resolution and an affirmation that you are forever a filter coffee lover—and a filtered person in life.

Happy filtering, and keep brewing in life.

M.L.Narendra Kumar