Swarna gauri Vritham.................Its origin......and how to observe.
Swarna Gowri Vritam or Gauri Vrat as the name indicates is dedicated to Goddess Parvati, the consort of Lord Shiva. This Vrat is known as Hartalika Vrat in North India. Gowri Habba and its rituals are of South Indian origin and is observed mainly in Karnataka. Swarna means ‘gold’ and in the ritual a golden image of Goddess Parvati is worshipped along with Shivlinga. In 2009, the date of Swarna Gowri Vratam is August 22. In many places a clay idols of Goddess Gowri and Lord Ganesha is worshipped on this day. It is later immersed in a pond.
There is an interesting legend involving Swarna Gowri Vratam and Ganesh Chaturthi. It is believed that Goddess Parvati comes to earth to answer the prayers of married and unmarried women during Swarna Gauri Vratam. Gowri Vrat day is followed by the Ganesh Chaturthi day. Hindus believe that Lord Shiva sends Ganesha to fetch his mother from earth.
Origin of Swarna Gowri Vratam.....................
The important legend associated with Gowri Habba is that of the birth of Ganesha. It is believed that Ganesha was created by Goddess Parvati from her own body. She asked her son to guard the doors of the house and went to take bath. Shiva appeared there and was stopped by the boy. Shiva did not recognize the boy and after few heated arugements and Shiva in a fit of anger chopped off the head of the boy. Soon Goddess Parvati arrived at the scene and demanded that her son be brought back to life. Shiva brought Ganesha back to life by placing the head of an elephant instead of the human head. Gowri Habba celeberates the power of Goddess Gouri.
In another legend, importance of Swarna Gowri Vratam was narrated to Lord Muruga by Lord Shiva. Parvati wanted to marry Lord Shiva but Shiva was in no mood to reciprocate her love as he was mourning the death of Sati. Parvati was determined to win the love of Lord Shiva. So, she started intense austerities in a forest, surviving on grass and fruits. Parvati continued this intense ‘tapas’ for long sixteen years. Finally, Lord Shiva was moved by Parvati’s intense devotion and love and married her.
According to Puranas, Gowri Vratam will bestow wealth and worldly well being to the people who observe it. Legend has it that the ‘Vrata’ is so powerful that even a dry tree will turn green after its observance.
It is believed that unmarried women performing Swarna Gauri Vratam will get good husbands and married women will have a peaceful and happy married life.
How to observe Gowri Habba or Swarna Gauri Vratam?........................
Gowri Habba or Swarna Gauri Vratam is a Hindu festival dedicated to Goddess Paravati, also known as Gaowri. The ‘Vrat’ is mainly observed by married and unmarried women and is mainly performed in Karnataka and other places in South India. An answer to How to do the Gowri Habba or Swarna Gauri Vratam is bit complex as there are numerous regional and community variations in performing the ritual. Gowri Habba 2009 is on August 22. The festival is also known as Ganesh Gowri or Ganesh Habba as Ganesh Chaturthi is on the next day.
Performing Gowri Habba..........................................
On the Swarna Gauri Vratam day, the house is cleaned thoroughly. After bathing married women and young girls in the family dress up neatly. Some people perform the puja at home; others at the houses of relatives or friends and some opt for the nearby temples.
A small temporary shrine is erected using banana leaves and banana stem. This is decorated with mango leaves, turmeric, tulsi and sandalwood paste. Those who already have a puja cabinet perform the ritual in it or in a separate temporary area.
Next is the installation of the idol of Goddess Parvati or Gowri. There are several methods for this. The indigenous method is to make an idol of Gowri with turmeric. Nowadays, people opt for the readymade idols of Goddess Gowri which is available in market. Some people opt for the family owned Swarna or gold idol of Gowri.
The idol of Gowri, which is decorated neatly with clothes, is placed on a bed of rice or wheat or other cereals. Some people place a Shivlinga and Ganesha idol along with the idol of Parvati. Flowers and green leaves are mainly used to decorate the idols. Some people also opt for a Purna Kumbh. A mirror is placed along with the idol.
A 16-knotted thread is prepared for the puja and some people tie it on their hands. (Perhaps indicating the 16 long years of intense austerities performed by Goddess Parvati to obtain Lord Shiva as husband).
Next is the preparation of special puja plates or thalas with various puja items also known as ‘bagina.’ The pooja thala or plate consists of turmeric, kum kum, a mirror, bangles, comb, various cereals, coconut, fresh cloth, rice, jaggery, the 16 knot thread, 16 different leaves and fruits. Some people prepare just one pooja thala for Goddess Parvati. Some prepare several ‘bagina’ and distribute among married women. (Please note that the number of items and those used varies from region to region.)
The main puja ceremony involves bathing the idol in milk, ghee, curd, honey and water. Some people only perform the simple Aarti and sing bhajans.
Then the prepared bagina is offered to Gowri and people recite the prayers dedicated to Parvati or the special phrases used during the occasion like ‘Savitri, Savitri, Bagina Tagoo.’ While taking away the bagina repeat the same prayers or say ‘muthiyadae, mutiyadae bagina kodu’
Various dishes are prepared on the day especially rice dishes.
Another important custom on the day is the sending of gifts by married women’s parents. Newly married girls also present ‘bagina’ to married elderly women.
It is believed that by performing this puja unmarried girls will get good husbands and married women will have a healthy and peaceful family life.
In some areas, people immerse the Turmeric idol along with Ganesha. (Gowri Habba is followed by Ganesh Chaturthi).
It must be remembered here that all these rituals are man made. It is easy to observe these rituals when you live along with relatives and friends. Today, most people live alone that too in countries alien to such rituals. A simple prayer to Goddess Parvati will be more than enough. Always remember the core concept of Santana Dharma is Brahman – the supreme soul present in all living and non-living - and realization of it is the ultimate aim.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Many ways of Giving.....................................
Many Ways Of Giving.........................
There are so many ways of giving. Arising before the Sun comes up, greeting and giving namaskara to the Sun is a part of hindu culture. Giving is built into all aspects of Hindu life.Giving to the holy man, giving to the astrologer, giving to the teacher, giving dakshina to a swami or a Guru for his support, over and above all giving to his institution, over and above dashamamsha, over and above giving to the temple. If the Guru has satisfied you with the fullness of his presence, you must satisfy yourself in equal fullness in giving back. You can be happy as these two fullnesses merge within you. By giving to the Guru, you give him the satisfaction of giving to another, for he has no needs except the need to practice giving.
Great souls have always taught that, among all the forms of giving, imparting the spiritual teachings is the highest. You can give money or food and provide for the physical aspects of the being, but if you can find a way to give the righteousness, the illumined wisdom of the traditions of the Sanatana Dharma, then you are giving to the spirit of the person, to the soul. Many Hindus buy religious literature to give away, because jnana dana, giving wisdom, is the highest giving and giving of religious literature changed the lives of individuals and brought them into a great fullness of soul satisfaction. Giving through education is a glorious fulfillment for the giver, as well as for the receiver.
Along with the gift comes a portion of the karma of the giver. There was an astrologer who when given more than his due for a jyotisha consultation would always give the excess to a nearby temple, as he did not want to assume any additional karma by receiving more than the worth of his predictions.Giving is also a way of balancing karma, of expressing gratitude for blessings received.
A devotee explained, "I cannot leave the temple without giving to the hundi, offering box, according to the fullness I have received as fullness from the temple."
Children should be taught giving at a very young age. They don't yet have the ten restraints, to worry about. They have not been corrupted by the impact of their own prarabdha karmas. Little children, even babies, can be taught giving to the temple, to holy ones, to one another, to their parents. They can be taught worship, recitation and, of course, contentment-told how beautiful they are when they are quiet and experiencing the joy of serenity. Institutions should also give, according to their means, to other institutions...................................
And think rightly and righteously to GIVE as we don't think to breathe, we breathe to think.
There are so many ways of giving. Arising before the Sun comes up, greeting and giving namaskara to the Sun is a part of hindu culture. Giving is built into all aspects of Hindu life.Giving to the holy man, giving to the astrologer, giving to the teacher, giving dakshina to a swami or a Guru for his support, over and above all giving to his institution, over and above dashamamsha, over and above giving to the temple. If the Guru has satisfied you with the fullness of his presence, you must satisfy yourself in equal fullness in giving back. You can be happy as these two fullnesses merge within you. By giving to the Guru, you give him the satisfaction of giving to another, for he has no needs except the need to practice giving.
Great souls have always taught that, among all the forms of giving, imparting the spiritual teachings is the highest. You can give money or food and provide for the physical aspects of the being, but if you can find a way to give the righteousness, the illumined wisdom of the traditions of the Sanatana Dharma, then you are giving to the spirit of the person, to the soul. Many Hindus buy religious literature to give away, because jnana dana, giving wisdom, is the highest giving and giving of religious literature changed the lives of individuals and brought them into a great fullness of soul satisfaction. Giving through education is a glorious fulfillment for the giver, as well as for the receiver.
Along with the gift comes a portion of the karma of the giver. There was an astrologer who when given more than his due for a jyotisha consultation would always give the excess to a nearby temple, as he did not want to assume any additional karma by receiving more than the worth of his predictions.Giving is also a way of balancing karma, of expressing gratitude for blessings received.
A devotee explained, "I cannot leave the temple without giving to the hundi, offering box, according to the fullness I have received as fullness from the temple."
Children should be taught giving at a very young age. They don't yet have the ten restraints, to worry about. They have not been corrupted by the impact of their own prarabdha karmas. Little children, even babies, can be taught giving to the temple, to holy ones, to one another, to their parents. They can be taught worship, recitation and, of course, contentment-told how beautiful they are when they are quiet and experiencing the joy of serenity. Institutions should also give, according to their means, to other institutions...................................
And think rightly and righteously to GIVE as we don't think to breathe, we breathe to think.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
The journey that begns from..................................
The journey that begins from "I" and ends in "We"................
This, then, is the final state of our journey: to recognise everything belongs to Him, and not to our little ego. The disillusion of possessiveness and pride will disappear, and we will discover that this search for pleasure, fame and recognition, and all the struggles born of it are just a case of ‘searching for the right thing at the wrong place.’
The search has been right but the method to obtain it was wrong. We search for the infinite in the finite, for the unlimited in the limited and for the eternal peace and joy in the momentary objects and person. After all trials and tribulations we discover that infinite can be found only in the infinite.
Having reached that stage, one arrives at the end of the journey which begins from ‘I’ and ends in ‘we’. The seeming I indeed becomes seeming and the journey reaches its culmination in ‘we’. Such a person is spontaneously selfless, strong and compassionate – and what else makes one spiritual?
Source –Vedanta Kari.........................................and
"What's right isn't always popular, and what's popular isn't always right."
This, then, is the final state of our journey: to recognise everything belongs to Him, and not to our little ego. The disillusion of possessiveness and pride will disappear, and we will discover that this search for pleasure, fame and recognition, and all the struggles born of it are just a case of ‘searching for the right thing at the wrong place.’
The search has been right but the method to obtain it was wrong. We search for the infinite in the finite, for the unlimited in the limited and for the eternal peace and joy in the momentary objects and person. After all trials and tribulations we discover that infinite can be found only in the infinite.
Having reached that stage, one arrives at the end of the journey which begins from ‘I’ and ends in ‘we’. The seeming I indeed becomes seeming and the journey reaches its culmination in ‘we’. Such a person is spontaneously selfless, strong and compassionate – and what else makes one spiritual?
Source –Vedanta Kari.........................................and
"What's right isn't always popular, and what's popular isn't always right."
The Art of Prayer.......................................
The Art of Prayer..................................
Prayer is a form of communication with the Divine.
One may pray to any form of the Divine one chooses and relates to best.
There is an ancient verse in the Vedas which says:
"Aakashath Pathitham Thoyam
Yatha Gachathi Sagaram
Sarvadeva Namaskaram
Keshavam Prathi Gachathi"
"As the water that falls down in rain from anywhere in the sky finally reaches the Ocean, the worship of any divine aspect ultimately reaches the Supreme Being."
1.Invoke the Presence.............................
Invoke the Presence of the Divine before you start the prayer. One way to invoke the Presence is chanting the Moola Mantra.
You may chant the Moola Mantra 3, 21 or 41 times and invite the Presence to fill you or take over you completely and request the Divine to fulfil your prayer even if there are flaws in your prayer or possible errors in your belief system.
2 Emotional Bond......................................
The first and most important thing in a prayer is the personal bond or relation you establish with God. Consider the Divine as your child, father, mother, friend or Guru. God is happiest if the relation you choose is that of a friend. But then, look at yourself and ascertain that you too are a true friend who responds to the request of your friends immediately. The response of the Divine will be similar to your response to the request of your friends.
3.Surrender and Helplessness....................................
The prayer should always be prompted by a feeling of surrender and helplessness. If you feel that you can manage even without Divine Grace and that you are just trying one more way, then, that is not the way of a genuine prayer. Surrender to the Divine will that you are prepared to accept whatever the outcome may be and that you are absolutely helpless. Whatever effort you put in is just as an instrument of the Divine and not as per your own volition.
4.Pray from the Heart not from the Head...............................
Prayer should come from the heart, not from the head. It is the feeling that is important, not the thought. When the feeling is intense, it creates waves of a higher frequency that get connected with the cosmic energy easily and make the fulfilment easily possible. The passion that you feel for God is very significant in raising the emotional intensity.
5.Clarity and Completeness....................................
Next, your request should be clear and complete in all respects. It is like a sort of communication with cosmic energy, and so, what you communicate is very important. If you communicate something different or incomplete, the response too may be what you do not expect. Hence before you pray, consider all aspects of your request and make it a perfect one.
6.Speak Internally................................................
As already mentioned, prayer is a communication. You have to speak internally to God. You can say it aloud also. But it is better to speak internally as it will not distract others. The involvement increases as you go on talking to God and there will come a time when you shall feel God with you everywhere, as an inseparable PRESENCE.
7.One Request at a Time....................................
You should see that you request for only one thing at a time. It is much similar to cooking a delicious dish. You should not mix two recipes at the same time. Because what we finally get will not be either of the two, but a third distortion of both. Hence stick to the principle of "one at a time".
8.Visualization...................................................
As you pray to God visualise the expected result of your prayer, that is, what you want to achieve in great detail. That means, visualise yourself in a state of having fulfilled your prayer, and then enjoy the happiness and joy. Accept that the situation has changed as you have been blessed.
9.Pray with absolute Faith.......................................
Such an acceptance comes from full faith in God. As you know, it is very important to have faith without which nothing can ever happen. Have full confidence in the efficacy of prayer and the benevolence of the Divine.
10.Enjoy the Feeling of Grace......................................
Enjoy the blessing and flow of Grace into you. And request the Divine to fulfil your prayer even if there are flaws in your prayer or possible errors in your belief system.
11.Thank the Divine for the Blessing Received.........................
Naturally, you shall be filled with immense gratitude for the Divine. Express it freely and sincerely to the Divine from the depth of your heart. Prostrate at the feet of the Divine in deep gratitude and total surrender.
And......................................
"If only you know yourselves! You are souls, you are Gods, if ever I feel like blaspheming, it is what I call you man."
Prayer is a form of communication with the Divine.
One may pray to any form of the Divine one chooses and relates to best.
There is an ancient verse in the Vedas which says:
"Aakashath Pathitham Thoyam
Yatha Gachathi Sagaram
Sarvadeva Namaskaram
Keshavam Prathi Gachathi"
"As the water that falls down in rain from anywhere in the sky finally reaches the Ocean, the worship of any divine aspect ultimately reaches the Supreme Being."
1.Invoke the Presence.............................
Invoke the Presence of the Divine before you start the prayer. One way to invoke the Presence is chanting the Moola Mantra.
You may chant the Moola Mantra 3, 21 or 41 times and invite the Presence to fill you or take over you completely and request the Divine to fulfil your prayer even if there are flaws in your prayer or possible errors in your belief system.
2 Emotional Bond......................................
The first and most important thing in a prayer is the personal bond or relation you establish with God. Consider the Divine as your child, father, mother, friend or Guru. God is happiest if the relation you choose is that of a friend. But then, look at yourself and ascertain that you too are a true friend who responds to the request of your friends immediately. The response of the Divine will be similar to your response to the request of your friends.
3.Surrender and Helplessness....................................
The prayer should always be prompted by a feeling of surrender and helplessness. If you feel that you can manage even without Divine Grace and that you are just trying one more way, then, that is not the way of a genuine prayer. Surrender to the Divine will that you are prepared to accept whatever the outcome may be and that you are absolutely helpless. Whatever effort you put in is just as an instrument of the Divine and not as per your own volition.
4.Pray from the Heart not from the Head...............................
Prayer should come from the heart, not from the head. It is the feeling that is important, not the thought. When the feeling is intense, it creates waves of a higher frequency that get connected with the cosmic energy easily and make the fulfilment easily possible. The passion that you feel for God is very significant in raising the emotional intensity.
5.Clarity and Completeness....................................
Next, your request should be clear and complete in all respects. It is like a sort of communication with cosmic energy, and so, what you communicate is very important. If you communicate something different or incomplete, the response too may be what you do not expect. Hence before you pray, consider all aspects of your request and make it a perfect one.
6.Speak Internally................................................
As already mentioned, prayer is a communication. You have to speak internally to God. You can say it aloud also. But it is better to speak internally as it will not distract others. The involvement increases as you go on talking to God and there will come a time when you shall feel God with you everywhere, as an inseparable PRESENCE.
7.One Request at a Time....................................
You should see that you request for only one thing at a time. It is much similar to cooking a delicious dish. You should not mix two recipes at the same time. Because what we finally get will not be either of the two, but a third distortion of both. Hence stick to the principle of "one at a time".
8.Visualization...................................................
As you pray to God visualise the expected result of your prayer, that is, what you want to achieve in great detail. That means, visualise yourself in a state of having fulfilled your prayer, and then enjoy the happiness and joy. Accept that the situation has changed as you have been blessed.
9.Pray with absolute Faith.......................................
Such an acceptance comes from full faith in God. As you know, it is very important to have faith without which nothing can ever happen. Have full confidence in the efficacy of prayer and the benevolence of the Divine.
10.Enjoy the Feeling of Grace......................................
Enjoy the blessing and flow of Grace into you. And request the Divine to fulfil your prayer even if there are flaws in your prayer or possible errors in your belief system.
11.Thank the Divine for the Blessing Received.........................
Naturally, you shall be filled with immense gratitude for the Divine. Express it freely and sincerely to the Divine from the depth of your heart. Prostrate at the feet of the Divine in deep gratitude and total surrender.
And......................................
"If only you know yourselves! You are souls, you are Gods, if ever I feel like blaspheming, it is what I call you man."
Mahavakyas can be applied in Management............
MAHAVAKYAS CAN BE APPLIED IN MANAGEMENT............................
It is interesting to see how the Mahavakyas can be applied for management purposes.
1. PRAJNAANAM BRAHMA................................
Consciousness is God. You do not necessarily have to go to temples and churches to find God. As a leader, think beyond your share holding, authority, personal pleasure, family, friends and cronies. Broaden your awareness to include all the multiple stake holders- the city, state, nation continent, world and cosmos.
2. AYAMAATMAA BRAHMA.............................
This soul, which is energising the otherwise dead and useless body, is God. My soul is part of the universal soul and I am an individual part of the Para Brahman.
3.AHAM BRAHMAASMI....................................
Iam God. NOT IN AN EGOISTIC SENSE. But in a profound, empowering sense. No sovereign government, investor, regulator, boss or any human can ever give me the power that god consciousness does. This power is not for any selfish ends. Then, it will come into conflict with the selfish powers of many other humans and get partly or wholly canceled out.
4.TAT TWAM ASI....................................
You are also that God. See divinity in all beings. Only such leaders can truly respect their colleagues, customers, business partners and society. Without this knowledge and belief, the ego will manifest itself in hypocrisy, condescension, contempt and exploitation...............And......
"The test of a man is how much he can bear , how much he can share , how much he can care and how soon he confesses a mistake and mends it."
It is interesting to see how the Mahavakyas can be applied for management purposes.
1. PRAJNAANAM BRAHMA................................
Consciousness is God. You do not necessarily have to go to temples and churches to find God. As a leader, think beyond your share holding, authority, personal pleasure, family, friends and cronies. Broaden your awareness to include all the multiple stake holders- the city, state, nation continent, world and cosmos.
2. AYAMAATMAA BRAHMA.............................
This soul, which is energising the otherwise dead and useless body, is God. My soul is part of the universal soul and I am an individual part of the Para Brahman.
3.AHAM BRAHMAASMI....................................
Iam God. NOT IN AN EGOISTIC SENSE. But in a profound, empowering sense. No sovereign government, investor, regulator, boss or any human can ever give me the power that god consciousness does. This power is not for any selfish ends. Then, it will come into conflict with the selfish powers of many other humans and get partly or wholly canceled out.
4.TAT TWAM ASI....................................
You are also that God. See divinity in all beings. Only such leaders can truly respect their colleagues, customers, business partners and society. Without this knowledge and belief, the ego will manifest itself in hypocrisy, condescension, contempt and exploitation...............And......
"The test of a man is how much he can bear , how much he can share , how much he can care and how soon he confesses a mistake and mends it."
How to attain serenity of the Mind.........................
.How to attain serenity of the Mind...............Bhagavad Gita says.............
Serenity of mind, good heartedness, silence, self-control, purity of nature – these together are called ‘mental austerity.’
Serenity of mind can be gained only when our relationship with the world at large is put on a healthy basis of understanding, tolerance and love. Further, one who is an uncontrolled sensualist can have little serenity or composure.
The mind runs out through the sense organs into the sensual fields to eke out its satisfaction. The driving force that sets the mind on its endless errands is an intellect ever seething with desires.
Quietude of the mind can be gained only when it is protected from both the inflow of stimuli from the tempting sense objects of the outer world and the whipping desires that march out from the intellect to drive the mind out into the fields of enjoyment.
One who has discovered for himself a divine ideal – in the contemplation of which his mind forgets to run about, or his intellect overlooks to send out new desires – alone can hope to win serenity of the mind.
Verse 16 chapter 17 of the Bhagavad Gita says about austerity and serenity of mind. (Chapter 17, Verse 16)........................................And
"We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give."
Serenity of mind, good heartedness, silence, self-control, purity of nature – these together are called ‘mental austerity.’
Serenity of mind can be gained only when our relationship with the world at large is put on a healthy basis of understanding, tolerance and love. Further, one who is an uncontrolled sensualist can have little serenity or composure.
The mind runs out through the sense organs into the sensual fields to eke out its satisfaction. The driving force that sets the mind on its endless errands is an intellect ever seething with desires.
Quietude of the mind can be gained only when it is protected from both the inflow of stimuli from the tempting sense objects of the outer world and the whipping desires that march out from the intellect to drive the mind out into the fields of enjoyment.
One who has discovered for himself a divine ideal – in the contemplation of which his mind forgets to run about, or his intellect overlooks to send out new desires – alone can hope to win serenity of the mind.
Verse 16 chapter 17 of the Bhagavad Gita says about austerity and serenity of mind. (Chapter 17, Verse 16)........................................And
"We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give."
Sunday, August 09, 2009
Finish what you begin...............................
Finish What You Begin.....................
We are not always sitting down concentrating on a flower in the search for the Self. Having decided that Self Realisation is the ultimate goal for us, go on living our normal life. Everything that we do in life can collectively be channeled toward the ultimate goal, for what we need is a dynamic will and strong willpower.
Will power is the channelling of all energies toward one given point for a given length of time. This will can be brought out from within in everything that we do through the day. It's a powerful will. It's available to everyone. It is channelling the rarefied energies of the body, of awareness itself, into attention and concentration upon everything that we do through the day.
How do we cultivate the willpower? What do we mean by will? Will means that if you're going to complete something, you complete it. Finish that which you begin. Finish it well, beyond your expectations, no matter how long it takes. If you are going to do something, do it well, no matter if it is a simple task or a complicated one. If you're going to read a book and intend to finish the book, then read the book, finish the reading of the book, and understand what it had to offer you, for that was the purpose for reading it.
It is not developing a strong will by having a lot of half-finished jobs. It is not developing a strong will by starting out with a bang on a project and then fizzling out- like............. "soda bottle enthusiasm". These only attach awareness to that which it is aware of and lead us into the distraction of thinking the external mind is real. Then we forget our inner goal of Self Realisation because the subconscious becomes too ramified with, basically, our being disappointed in ourselves, or the willpower being so diversified, or awareness being so divided in many different ways that whatever we want to do never works out because there is not enough will, or shove, or centralisation of energy, or awareness is not at attention over the project enough, to make it come into completion.
A tremendous will is needed on the path of Self Realisation, of drawing the forces of energy together, of drawing awareness away from that which it is aware of constantly, of finishing each job that we begin in the material world, and doing it well, so that we are content within ourselves. Make everything that you do satisfy the inner scrutiny of your inner being. Do a little more than you think that you are able to do. That brings forth just a little more will......................and when you feel you are being slow down or loosing interest seek advice and guidance from Guruji..........and this will just set right things..................and
"Do what you want and not what you know."
We are not always sitting down concentrating on a flower in the search for the Self. Having decided that Self Realisation is the ultimate goal for us, go on living our normal life. Everything that we do in life can collectively be channeled toward the ultimate goal, for what we need is a dynamic will and strong willpower.
Will power is the channelling of all energies toward one given point for a given length of time. This will can be brought out from within in everything that we do through the day. It's a powerful will. It's available to everyone. It is channelling the rarefied energies of the body, of awareness itself, into attention and concentration upon everything that we do through the day.
How do we cultivate the willpower? What do we mean by will? Will means that if you're going to complete something, you complete it. Finish that which you begin. Finish it well, beyond your expectations, no matter how long it takes. If you are going to do something, do it well, no matter if it is a simple task or a complicated one. If you're going to read a book and intend to finish the book, then read the book, finish the reading of the book, and understand what it had to offer you, for that was the purpose for reading it.
It is not developing a strong will by having a lot of half-finished jobs. It is not developing a strong will by starting out with a bang on a project and then fizzling out- like............. "soda bottle enthusiasm". These only attach awareness to that which it is aware of and lead us into the distraction of thinking the external mind is real. Then we forget our inner goal of Self Realisation because the subconscious becomes too ramified with, basically, our being disappointed in ourselves, or the willpower being so diversified, or awareness being so divided in many different ways that whatever we want to do never works out because there is not enough will, or shove, or centralisation of energy, or awareness is not at attention over the project enough, to make it come into completion.
A tremendous will is needed on the path of Self Realisation, of drawing the forces of energy together, of drawing awareness away from that which it is aware of constantly, of finishing each job that we begin in the material world, and doing it well, so that we are content within ourselves. Make everything that you do satisfy the inner scrutiny of your inner being. Do a little more than you think that you are able to do. That brings forth just a little more will......................and when you feel you are being slow down or loosing interest seek advice and guidance from Guruji..........and this will just set right things..................and
"Do what you want and not what you know."
Saturday, August 08, 2009
Teachings of Swami Vivekananda.................
Teachings of Swami Vivekananda........................
The Vedanta recognizes no sin, it only recognizes error. And the greatest error, says the Vedanta, is to say that you are weak, that you are a sinner, a miserable creature, and that you have no power and you cannot do this and that.
Every time you think in that way, you, as it were, rivet one more link in the chain that binds you down; you add one more layer of hypnotism on to your own soul. Therefore, whosoever thinks he is weak is wrong, whosoever thinks he is impure is wrong, and is throwing a bad thought into the world.
This we must always bear in mind that in the Vedanta there is no attempt at reconciling the present life with the ideal; but this false life must go, and the real life which always exists must manifest itself, must shine out.
No man becomes purer and purer; it is a matter of greater manifestation. The veil drops away, and the native purity of the soul begins to manifest itself. Everything is ours already – infinite purity, freedom, love, and power.
Swami Vivekananda....................................and
"There is never a wrong time to do a right thing."
J.K
The Vedanta recognizes no sin, it only recognizes error. And the greatest error, says the Vedanta, is to say that you are weak, that you are a sinner, a miserable creature, and that you have no power and you cannot do this and that.
Every time you think in that way, you, as it were, rivet one more link in the chain that binds you down; you add one more layer of hypnotism on to your own soul. Therefore, whosoever thinks he is weak is wrong, whosoever thinks he is impure is wrong, and is throwing a bad thought into the world.
This we must always bear in mind that in the Vedanta there is no attempt at reconciling the present life with the ideal; but this false life must go, and the real life which always exists must manifest itself, must shine out.
No man becomes purer and purer; it is a matter of greater manifestation. The veil drops away, and the native purity of the soul begins to manifest itself. Everything is ours already – infinite purity, freedom, love, and power.
Swami Vivekananda....................................and
"There is never a wrong time to do a right thing."
J.K
What do Upanishads teach us?????
What do the Upanishads teach us???? – By Edmond Holmes.................
The authors of the Upanishads did not all think alike; but, taking their meditations as a whole, we may say that they are dominated by one paramount conception’ that of the ideal of oneness of the soul of man with the soul of the universe.
The Sanskrit word for the soul of man is Atman and the word for the soul of the universe is Brahman.
‘God’s dwelling place’, says Professor Radhakrishnan in this exposition of the philosophy of the Upanishads, ‘is the heart of man. The inner immortal self and the great cosmic power are one and the same.’
Brahman is the Atman, and the Atman is the Brahman. The one supreme power through which all things have been brought into being is one with the inmost self in each man’s heart.’
What is real in each of us is his self or soul. What is real in universe is its self or soul, in virtue of which its All is One, and the name for which in our language is God.
In other words of one of the Upanishads: ‘He who is the Brahman in man and who is that in the sun, these are one.’
Source: An Introduction by Edmond Holmes to the Philosophy of the Upanishads.
Random Teachings from the Upanishads.....................................
Here are a collection of teachings from various Upanishads.
No one can understand the sound of a drum without understanding both the drum and the drummer.
Let one therefore keep the mind pure for what a man thinks, that he becomes.
The only way to know it is to become it.
Self-knowledge is the best of all forms of knowledge; through it, one attains immortality.
Know yourself, so what you’ve done won’t burn you. Nor will what you’ve left undone.
As is the human body, so is the cosmic body; as is the human mind, so is the cosmic mind; as is the atom, so is the Universe.
The spirit down here in man and the spirit up there in the sun, in reality are only one spirit, and there is no other one.
Out of abundance he took abundance and still abundance remained.
In a world where everything changes the divine is everywhere present.
Source:- Upanishads....................................and
"Being challenged in life is inevitable, being defeated is optional."
J.K
The authors of the Upanishads did not all think alike; but, taking their meditations as a whole, we may say that they are dominated by one paramount conception’ that of the ideal of oneness of the soul of man with the soul of the universe.
The Sanskrit word for the soul of man is Atman and the word for the soul of the universe is Brahman.
‘God’s dwelling place’, says Professor Radhakrishnan in this exposition of the philosophy of the Upanishads, ‘is the heart of man. The inner immortal self and the great cosmic power are one and the same.’
Brahman is the Atman, and the Atman is the Brahman. The one supreme power through which all things have been brought into being is one with the inmost self in each man’s heart.’
What is real in each of us is his self or soul. What is real in universe is its self or soul, in virtue of which its All is One, and the name for which in our language is God.
In other words of one of the Upanishads: ‘He who is the Brahman in man and who is that in the sun, these are one.’
Source: An Introduction by Edmond Holmes to the Philosophy of the Upanishads.
Random Teachings from the Upanishads.....................................
Here are a collection of teachings from various Upanishads.
No one can understand the sound of a drum without understanding both the drum and the drummer.
Let one therefore keep the mind pure for what a man thinks, that he becomes.
The only way to know it is to become it.
Self-knowledge is the best of all forms of knowledge; through it, one attains immortality.
Know yourself, so what you’ve done won’t burn you. Nor will what you’ve left undone.
As is the human body, so is the cosmic body; as is the human mind, so is the cosmic mind; as is the atom, so is the Universe.
The spirit down here in man and the spirit up there in the sun, in reality are only one spirit, and there is no other one.
Out of abundance he took abundance and still abundance remained.
In a world where everything changes the divine is everywhere present.
Source:- Upanishads....................................and
"Being challenged in life is inevitable, being defeated is optional."
J.K
Don't be God Fearing...............Be God Loving.
Don’t be God fearing..........Be God Loving........................
In English we have a word, ‘god-fearing,’ for religious people. A god-fearing person can never be religious, because if you fear God you cannot love him. Love and fear cannot exist together.
With fear, hate can exist, love cannot exist with fear, anger can exist, love cannot; with fear you can bow down, but you cannot surrender; with fear you can be in a relationship between a slave and a master, but there cannot be a love relationship.
Hindus and Buddhists have a totally different attitude, and that attitude is different because they think the whole existence is a cosmic play; you can be playful.
Source: Vedanta – The Supreme Knowledge
And if you can:-
"Be a good listener. Your ears will never get you in trouble."
Yours in Divine Friendship.
J.K
In English we have a word, ‘god-fearing,’ for religious people. A god-fearing person can never be religious, because if you fear God you cannot love him. Love and fear cannot exist together.
With fear, hate can exist, love cannot exist with fear, anger can exist, love cannot; with fear you can bow down, but you cannot surrender; with fear you can be in a relationship between a slave and a master, but there cannot be a love relationship.
Hindus and Buddhists have a totally different attitude, and that attitude is different because they think the whole existence is a cosmic play; you can be playful.
Source: Vedanta – The Supreme Knowledge
And if you can:-
"Be a good listener. Your ears will never get you in trouble."
Yours in Divine Friendship.
J.K
Thoughts on Happiness...........................
Thoughts on Happiness........................
On a careful analysis we find that man’s happiness is entirely a subjective phenomenon, for there seems to be a distinct and clear relationship between the state of his mind and the joy or sorrow that is experienced by him.
When the mind is agitated, sorrow is experienced and when it is tranquil, there is joy. Happiness, therefore, is measured by the tranquillity of one’s mind.
Man, the roof and crown of creation, has the unique capacity of quieting his mind without helplessly depending upon the objects around him. But this capacity now lies dormant in him and he, unaware of it, foolishly tries to procure happiness through the objects of the world, which have only a false glitter of joy. They can give, indeed, no enduring and everlasting satisfaction.
Our great religious books help to awaken and promote this dormant faculty in man. He need not run after the sense objects to attain some fleeting experiences of joy. He can get engaged in a more permanent and a fuller happiness, which is wholly independent of the availability of agreeable objects and environment.
(Source: Kindle Life By SwamiChinmayananda)............and remember.....
” You don’t think to breathe, you breathe to think.’
On a careful analysis we find that man’s happiness is entirely a subjective phenomenon, for there seems to be a distinct and clear relationship between the state of his mind and the joy or sorrow that is experienced by him.
When the mind is agitated, sorrow is experienced and when it is tranquil, there is joy. Happiness, therefore, is measured by the tranquillity of one’s mind.
Man, the roof and crown of creation, has the unique capacity of quieting his mind without helplessly depending upon the objects around him. But this capacity now lies dormant in him and he, unaware of it, foolishly tries to procure happiness through the objects of the world, which have only a false glitter of joy. They can give, indeed, no enduring and everlasting satisfaction.
Our great religious books help to awaken and promote this dormant faculty in man. He need not run after the sense objects to attain some fleeting experiences of joy. He can get engaged in a more permanent and a fuller happiness, which is wholly independent of the availability of agreeable objects and environment.
(Source: Kindle Life By SwamiChinmayananda)............and remember.....
” You don’t think to breathe, you breathe to think.’
Repitetion of Holy Name of God........................
Repetition of Holy Name of God.................& Guru.
Repetition of the Holy name of the Lord is very good. The mind will become pure through it. While repeating the name of the God you should keep remembrance of the God in your mind. Such repetition and remembrance will do much good. Mere repetition without the remembrance of the God will not be of much use, and its not that easy without concentration and dedication.
As we proceed with meditation we will see that we are, getting more and more realisation. There is no use in merely reading the Shastras (Sacred Scriptures) and discussing about them.
By meditation the mind will become pure, and when the mind becomes pure, realisation of God follows as a matter of course. Ordinarily, we hold our mind on worldly matters. No result worth the name comes out of this. But if we fix our mind in the pure thought of God, we will feel a taste of real bliss.
Swami Nirmalananda (1863 - 1938) A great disciple of Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.
And Remember...................................
"You have to see the INVISIBLE to do the IMPOSSIBLE."
Repetition of the Holy name of the Lord is very good. The mind will become pure through it. While repeating the name of the God you should keep remembrance of the God in your mind. Such repetition and remembrance will do much good. Mere repetition without the remembrance of the God will not be of much use, and its not that easy without concentration and dedication.
As we proceed with meditation we will see that we are, getting more and more realisation. There is no use in merely reading the Shastras (Sacred Scriptures) and discussing about them.
By meditation the mind will become pure, and when the mind becomes pure, realisation of God follows as a matter of course. Ordinarily, we hold our mind on worldly matters. No result worth the name comes out of this. But if we fix our mind in the pure thought of God, we will feel a taste of real bliss.
Swami Nirmalananda (1863 - 1938) A great disciple of Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.
And Remember...................................
"You have to see the INVISIBLE to do the IMPOSSIBLE."
No Gratitude..........No grace...............
No Gratitude, No Grace.........................
Once Mother Parvati and Easwara (Lord Shiva) saw a person sitting on the branch of a tree, which was about to break. Watching this, Mother Parvati pleaded with Easwara to save the man. Easwara teasingly remarked, “why should I protect him? Since You saw him first, it is Your duty to save him”.
But the Mother said, “How can I protect him without Your grace. I am the negative and you are the positive. Unless you shower Your grace on him, he cannot be saved. Please do not delay any further”.
Then Easwara replied, “Is it not his duty to call Me for help? How can I go to his rescue without being called? As the proverb goes, one should not attend a function without being invited”.
Mother Parvati, out of her motherly compassion, wanted to protect that person at any cost. So, she said to Easwara, “If that person, when he falls down, cries out amma (mother), I will go to his rescue; and if he cries out appa (father), you should protect him”.
Easwara agreed to her proposal. Both of them eagerly waited for the call. But the person fell down crying Ayyo (alas)!
The words amma or appa did not come to his lips, as he had never respected and revered his parents in his lifetime. Such was his fate!
How can God come to the rescue of a person who has totally forgotten his parents? Both our Mother and Father are verily God. And when with such feelings, we offer our gratitude to our parents, even God cannot refrain from helping us. Ane remember...........................................
"You only live once-but if you work and make it to LIVE right, once is enough.".......................Therefore live with Gratitude, Compassion, Love & Affection.
Once Mother Parvati and Easwara (Lord Shiva) saw a person sitting on the branch of a tree, which was about to break. Watching this, Mother Parvati pleaded with Easwara to save the man. Easwara teasingly remarked, “why should I protect him? Since You saw him first, it is Your duty to save him”.
But the Mother said, “How can I protect him without Your grace. I am the negative and you are the positive. Unless you shower Your grace on him, he cannot be saved. Please do not delay any further”.
Then Easwara replied, “Is it not his duty to call Me for help? How can I go to his rescue without being called? As the proverb goes, one should not attend a function without being invited”.
Mother Parvati, out of her motherly compassion, wanted to protect that person at any cost. So, she said to Easwara, “If that person, when he falls down, cries out amma (mother), I will go to his rescue; and if he cries out appa (father), you should protect him”.
Easwara agreed to her proposal. Both of them eagerly waited for the call. But the person fell down crying Ayyo (alas)!
The words amma or appa did not come to his lips, as he had never respected and revered his parents in his lifetime. Such was his fate!
How can God come to the rescue of a person who has totally forgotten his parents? Both our Mother and Father are verily God. And when with such feelings, we offer our gratitude to our parents, even God cannot refrain from helping us. Ane remember...........................................
"You only live once-but if you work and make it to LIVE right, once is enough.".......................Therefore live with Gratitude, Compassion, Love & Affection.
What's that hard to break??????
WHAT is it that's hard to break???.............. A Nice one to read.
Diamonds are hard to find but not hard to Break.
What is the hardest thing to break then?...........................
The answer is:...................... HABIT!
If you break the H, you still have A BIT. If you break the A, you still
have BIT. If you break the B, you still have IT!
Hey, after you break the T in IT, there is still the 'I'.
And that "I" is the root cause of all the problems. Isn’t it right?!..............................
Now you know why HABIT is so hard to break............................….
We have to respect each other's opinion and view; as We just need to wait and listen actively to others' point of view!.................and
"If you don't control your habit, habit will control you."
Diamonds are hard to find but not hard to Break.
What is the hardest thing to break then?...........................
The answer is:...................... HABIT!
If you break the H, you still have A BIT. If you break the A, you still
have BIT. If you break the B, you still have IT!
Hey, after you break the T in IT, there is still the 'I'.
And that "I" is the root cause of all the problems. Isn’t it right?!..............................
Now you know why HABIT is so hard to break............................….
We have to respect each other's opinion and view; as We just need to wait and listen actively to others' point of view!.................and
"If you don't control your habit, habit will control you."
Friday, August 07, 2009
Hospitality & Fullness............in dealing with Guest....................
Hospitality And Fullness........in dealing with Guest........as guest is = to God (Adhithi Devo bhava)
Hospitality is a vital part of fulfilling obligatory giving. When guests come, they must be given hospitality, at least a mat to sit on and a glass of water to drink. These are obligatory gives. You must never leave your guest standing, and you must never leave your guest thirsty. If a guest were to smell even one whiff from the kitchen of the scented curries of a meal being prepared, he must be asked four times to stay for the meal. He will politely refuse three times and accept on the fourth invitation. This is also an obligatory giving, for the guest is treated as God. God's veiling Grace hides, as we should know, He will come as a guest to your home, unrecognisable. You might think it is your dear friend from a far off place. That, too, is God in another costume, and you must treat that guest as God. Giving to God, God's own creation in your mind brings the highest rewards through the law of karma.
Even if you think you are giving creatively, generously, looking for no rewards, but you are giving for a purpose, that karma will still pay you back with full dividends. This is a positive use of the law of karma. This is not a selfish form of giving. It is the giving of the wise, because you know the law of karma, because you know the Sanatana Dharma,the divine, eternal laws. If you see a need that you can fill and have the impulse to give but recoil from giving, later, when you are in need, there will be someone who has the impulse to give to you but will recoil from giving. The wheels of karma grind slowly but exceedingly well the grains of actions, be they in thought, emotion or those of a physical nature. So, one can be quite selfish and greedy about wanting to practice obligatory giving, to accumulate the punya for the balance of this life, the life in-between lives, in the astral world, and for a good birth in the next incarnation.
The practice of obligatory giving is an investment in a better life, an investment that pays great dividends.
We are not limited by our poverty or wealth in practicing giving. No matter how poor you are, you can still practice it. You can give according to your means, your inspiration, your ability. When the fullness has reached its peak within you while preparing the gift, be it arranging a bouquet of freshly picked flowers, a tray of fruit, counting out coins, sorting a pile of bills or putting zeros on a check that you're writing, then you know that the gift is within your means. Gifts within your means and from your heart are the right and proper gifts...........................And bear in mind....................
"Always be the reason for some one's happiness,never be just a part of it. Always be a part of some one's sadness, But never be the reason for it."
Hospitality is a vital part of fulfilling obligatory giving. When guests come, they must be given hospitality, at least a mat to sit on and a glass of water to drink. These are obligatory gives. You must never leave your guest standing, and you must never leave your guest thirsty. If a guest were to smell even one whiff from the kitchen of the scented curries of a meal being prepared, he must be asked four times to stay for the meal. He will politely refuse three times and accept on the fourth invitation. This is also an obligatory giving, for the guest is treated as God. God's veiling Grace hides, as we should know, He will come as a guest to your home, unrecognisable. You might think it is your dear friend from a far off place. That, too, is God in another costume, and you must treat that guest as God. Giving to God, God's own creation in your mind brings the highest rewards through the law of karma.
Even if you think you are giving creatively, generously, looking for no rewards, but you are giving for a purpose, that karma will still pay you back with full dividends. This is a positive use of the law of karma. This is not a selfish form of giving. It is the giving of the wise, because you know the law of karma, because you know the Sanatana Dharma,the divine, eternal laws. If you see a need that you can fill and have the impulse to give but recoil from giving, later, when you are in need, there will be someone who has the impulse to give to you but will recoil from giving. The wheels of karma grind slowly but exceedingly well the grains of actions, be they in thought, emotion or those of a physical nature. So, one can be quite selfish and greedy about wanting to practice obligatory giving, to accumulate the punya for the balance of this life, the life in-between lives, in the astral world, and for a good birth in the next incarnation.
The practice of obligatory giving is an investment in a better life, an investment that pays great dividends.
We are not limited by our poverty or wealth in practicing giving. No matter how poor you are, you can still practice it. You can give according to your means, your inspiration, your ability. When the fullness has reached its peak within you while preparing the gift, be it arranging a bouquet of freshly picked flowers, a tray of fruit, counting out coins, sorting a pile of bills or putting zeros on a check that you're writing, then you know that the gift is within your means. Gifts within your means and from your heart are the right and proper gifts...........................And bear in mind....................
"Always be the reason for some one's happiness,never be just a part of it. Always be a part of some one's sadness, But never be the reason for it."
Thursday, August 06, 2009
The Power of Obesrvation.........
The Power of Observation..............the most vital power.
Observation is the first faculty to appear in the awakening of the super conscious regions. Observation, when perceptively performed, is cultivated by abstinence from excessive talk. Talk dissipates the energies of the aura and of the vital body of man. A mystic generally does not talk very much, for his intuition works through reason, but does not use the processes of reason. Any intuitive breakthrough will be quite reasonable, but it does not use the processes of reason. Reason takes time.
Super consciousness acts in the now. All super conscious knowing comes in a flash out of the nowhere. Intuition is more direct than reason, and far more accurate. Therefore, the mystic does not ask many questions or enter into lengthy conversations.
Let's Ponder over this and apply it to ourselves. Take this into ourselves and feel it is for us. Do not feel it is being shared with to simply know more about the mind and its processes. Apply it to ourselves, for us are on the spiritual path toward merger with Divine with the guidance and Grace of Guruji. Begin to feel that observation is one of our finest faculties, one that we most cherish. It is the first faculty of the awakening of our super conscious. Let's mentally say to ourselves many times, "I have good observation. Therefore, I am super conscious." This will help us to program our subconscious to accept the fact that, yes, we are a super conscious being, not a temporal being that is only on this planet a short span of years and then disappears forever.
Remember, our powers of observation are cultivated by abstinence from excessive talk. That is all we have to do to begin with and remain more silent and observing, not wasting or dissipating this most vital power.
Some people on the spiritual path cannot wait to talk about their meditations even before they come out of them. They really should stop doing this. It lessens their vital energies and proves to perceptive people that they are not super conscious beings.....................And remember to:-
"Make excellence a habit and not an act."
Observation is the first faculty to appear in the awakening of the super conscious regions. Observation, when perceptively performed, is cultivated by abstinence from excessive talk. Talk dissipates the energies of the aura and of the vital body of man. A mystic generally does not talk very much, for his intuition works through reason, but does not use the processes of reason. Any intuitive breakthrough will be quite reasonable, but it does not use the processes of reason. Reason takes time.
Super consciousness acts in the now. All super conscious knowing comes in a flash out of the nowhere. Intuition is more direct than reason, and far more accurate. Therefore, the mystic does not ask many questions or enter into lengthy conversations.
Let's Ponder over this and apply it to ourselves. Take this into ourselves and feel it is for us. Do not feel it is being shared with to simply know more about the mind and its processes. Apply it to ourselves, for us are on the spiritual path toward merger with Divine with the guidance and Grace of Guruji. Begin to feel that observation is one of our finest faculties, one that we most cherish. It is the first faculty of the awakening of our super conscious. Let's mentally say to ourselves many times, "I have good observation. Therefore, I am super conscious." This will help us to program our subconscious to accept the fact that, yes, we are a super conscious being, not a temporal being that is only on this planet a short span of years and then disappears forever.
Remember, our powers of observation are cultivated by abstinence from excessive talk. That is all we have to do to begin with and remain more silent and observing, not wasting or dissipating this most vital power.
Some people on the spiritual path cannot wait to talk about their meditations even before they come out of them. They really should stop doing this. It lessens their vital energies and proves to perceptive people that they are not super conscious beings.....................And remember to:-
"Make excellence a habit and not an act."
Swan Song................................
Swan song
Meaning
A final gesture or performance, given before dying.
Origin
This term derived from the legend that, while they are mute during the
rest of their lives, swans sing beautifully and mournfully just before
they die. This isn't actually the case - swans, even the inaccurately
named Mute Swans, have a variety of vocal sounds and they don't sing
before they die. The legend was known to be false as early as the days
of ancient Greece, when Pliny the Elder refuted it in Natural History,
AD 77:
"Observation shows that the story that the dying swan sings is false."
Nevertheless, poetic imagery proved to be more attractive than
scientific method and many poets and playwrights made use of the fable
long after Pliny's observations. Chaucer included this line in the
poem Parliament of Fowles:
The Ialous swan, ayens his deth that singeth. [The jealous swan, sings
before his death]
Shakespeare, the Swan of Avon no less, used the image in The Merchant
of Venice, 1596:
Portia: Let music sound while he doth make his choice; then, if he
lose, he makes a swan-like end, fading in music.
The actual term 'swan song', with its current figurative meaning,
doesn't crop up in print until the 18th century. The Scottish cleric
Jon Willison used the expression in one of his Scripture Songs, 1767,
where he refers to "King David's swan-song".
The poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834) turned the phrase on its
head in the poem On a Volunteer Singer:
Swans sing before they die; ’twere no bad thing
Did certain persons die before they sing.
If people ever did believe in the 'singing before death' story, few
would now claim to do so. 'Swan-song' is now used figuratively and
most commonly to refer to celebrated performers embarking on 'farewell
tours' or 'final performances'. Those ironic quote marks were never
more appropriate than in the case of Nellie Melba, whose swan song
consisted of an eight year long string of 'final concerts' between
1920 and 1928. This led to the popular Australian phrase - 'more
farewells than Nellie Melba'.
Meaning
A final gesture or performance, given before dying.
Origin
This term derived from the legend that, while they are mute during the
rest of their lives, swans sing beautifully and mournfully just before
they die. This isn't actually the case - swans, even the inaccurately
named Mute Swans, have a variety of vocal sounds and they don't sing
before they die. The legend was known to be false as early as the days
of ancient Greece, when Pliny the Elder refuted it in Natural History,
AD 77:
"Observation shows that the story that the dying swan sings is false."
Nevertheless, poetic imagery proved to be more attractive than
scientific method and many poets and playwrights made use of the fable
long after Pliny's observations. Chaucer included this line in the
poem Parliament of Fowles:
The Ialous swan, ayens his deth that singeth. [The jealous swan, sings
before his death]
Shakespeare, the Swan of Avon no less, used the image in The Merchant
of Venice, 1596:
Portia: Let music sound while he doth make his choice; then, if he
lose, he makes a swan-like end, fading in music.
The actual term 'swan song', with its current figurative meaning,
doesn't crop up in print until the 18th century. The Scottish cleric
Jon Willison used the expression in one of his Scripture Songs, 1767,
where he refers to "King David's swan-song".
The poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834) turned the phrase on its
head in the poem On a Volunteer Singer:
Swans sing before they die; ’twere no bad thing
Did certain persons die before they sing.
If people ever did believe in the 'singing before death' story, few
would now claim to do so. 'Swan-song' is now used figuratively and
most commonly to refer to celebrated performers embarking on 'farewell
tours' or 'final performances'. Those ironic quote marks were never
more appropriate than in the case of Nellie Melba, whose swan song
consisted of an eight year long string of 'final concerts' between
1920 and 1928. This led to the popular Australian phrase - 'more
farewells than Nellie Melba'.
Hearing.................................
Hearing........................? A Good one to read.
A man feared his wife wasn't hearing as well as she used to and he thought she might need a hearing aid. Not quiet sure how to approach her, he called the family doctor to discuss the problem. The doctor told him there is a simple informal test the husband could perform to give the doctor a better idea about her hearing loss.
'Here's what you do,' said the doctor, 'stand about 40 feet away from her, and in a normal conversational speaking tone see if she hears you. If not go to 30 feet, then 20 feet, and so on until you get a response.'
That evening when the wife was in the kitchen, cooking dinner, he says to himself, 'I'm about 40 feet away, let us see what happens.' Then in a normal tone he asks, 'Honey, what's for dinner?' No response. So the husband moves closer to the kitchen, about 30 feet from his wife and repeats, 'Honey, what's for dinners?' Still, no response. Next he moves into the dining room where he is about 20 feet from his wife and asks, 'Honey, what's for dinner?' Again he gets no response. He walks up to the kitchen door about 10 feet away. 'Honey, what's for dinner?' Again there is no response. So he walks right up behind her..
'Honey, what's for dinner?' 'James, for the FIFTH time I repeat, it's PIZZA!'
Moral: The problem may not be with the other person as we think, it could be very much with us..!
A man feared his wife wasn't hearing as well as she used to and he thought she might need a hearing aid. Not quiet sure how to approach her, he called the family doctor to discuss the problem. The doctor told him there is a simple informal test the husband could perform to give the doctor a better idea about her hearing loss.
'Here's what you do,' said the doctor, 'stand about 40 feet away from her, and in a normal conversational speaking tone see if she hears you. If not go to 30 feet, then 20 feet, and so on until you get a response.'
That evening when the wife was in the kitchen, cooking dinner, he says to himself, 'I'm about 40 feet away, let us see what happens.' Then in a normal tone he asks, 'Honey, what's for dinner?' No response. So the husband moves closer to the kitchen, about 30 feet from his wife and repeats, 'Honey, what's for dinners?' Still, no response. Next he moves into the dining room where he is about 20 feet from his wife and asks, 'Honey, what's for dinner?' Again he gets no response. He walks up to the kitchen door about 10 feet away. 'Honey, what's for dinner?' Again there is no response. So he walks right up behind her..
'Honey, what's for dinner?' 'James, for the FIFTH time I repeat, it's PIZZA!'
Moral: The problem may not be with the other person as we think, it could be very much with us..!
Different perspective..................................
A Different Perspective...................
A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which said: ' I am blind, please help.' There were only a few coins in the hat.
A man was walking by. He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words. He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by would see the new words.
Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy. That afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see how things were.
The boy recognised his footsteps and asked, 'Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write?
The man said, 'I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but in a different way.'What he had written was: ' Today is a beautiful day and I cannot see it.'
Do you think the first sign and the second sign were saying the same thing?
Of course both signs told people the boy was blind. But the first sign simply said the boy was blind. The second sign told people they were so lucky that they were not blind. Should we be surprised that the second sign was much more effective?
Moral of the Story: Be thankful for what you have. Be creative. Be innovative. Think differently and positively.
The most beautiful thing is to see a person smiling And even more beautiful is, knowing that you are the reason behind it.............................
&
"You only live once-but if you work and make it to LIVE right, once is enough."
Happy Reading. Keep Smiling.
A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which said: ' I am blind, please help.' There were only a few coins in the hat.
A man was walking by. He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words. He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by would see the new words.
Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy. That afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see how things were.
The boy recognised his footsteps and asked, 'Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write?
The man said, 'I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but in a different way.'What he had written was: ' Today is a beautiful day and I cannot see it.'
Do you think the first sign and the second sign were saying the same thing?
Of course both signs told people the boy was blind. But the first sign simply said the boy was blind. The second sign told people they were so lucky that they were not blind. Should we be surprised that the second sign was much more effective?
Moral of the Story: Be thankful for what you have. Be creative. Be innovative. Think differently and positively.
The most beautiful thing is to see a person smiling And even more beautiful is, knowing that you are the reason behind it.............................
&
"You only live once-but if you work and make it to LIVE right, once is enough."
Happy Reading. Keep Smiling.
The mind is complete in the light of awareness................
The Mind Is Complete.................in the light of awareness........if not mend your mind through sadhna.
Should we acquire the ability to identify as the experience instead of the experience, the true and valid nature of awareness and its patterns of movement in the mind become evident. We see the mind as a total manifestation, containing all of the past and future evolutions in the eternal now.
The mind is vast in its combinations of time, space and form. It contains every vibration from subtle to gross. Awareness is free to travel in the mind according to our knowledge, our discipline and our ability to detach from the objects of awareness and see ourselves as the experience of awareness itself. This explains many of the so-called mysteries of life.
There are people with the ability to look back into the past and ahead to the future accurately and in detail. That feat is understood clearly in the light of awareness travelling through the mind. The entire mind exists right now, past and future included. These psychically talented individuals have trained their awareness to flow into areas of the mind that are unavailable to the average person. They go into the mind itself to view these phenomena. Similarly, mind-reading and other mystical wonders are illumined by the knowledge that there is only one mind, and all phases of it are open to the spiritually awakened person.
What we term states of mind are, therefore, areas of distinct vibration. On the Earth we have continents, nations, regions, states and cities. Each is distinct and unique. We have five states of mind:-
1.conscious.
2. subconscious.
3. sub of the subconscious.
4. sub super conscious
and
5. super conscious.
and within each are hundreds and thousands of cities. In the subconscious area, the traveller can encounter fear, hatred, love and good memories. In the conscious mind area he can experience business, human relationships and intellectual, social vibrations. In the super conscious area, there are even more regions, and he comes into visions, light, sound, overwhelming joy and peace.
Should we acquire the ability to identify as the experience instead of the experience, the true and valid nature of awareness and its patterns of movement in the mind become evident. We see the mind as a total manifestation, containing all of the past and future evolutions in the eternal now.
The mind is vast in its combinations of time, space and form. It contains every vibration from subtle to gross. Awareness is free to travel in the mind according to our knowledge, our discipline and our ability to detach from the objects of awareness and see ourselves as the experience of awareness itself. This explains many of the so-called mysteries of life.
There are people with the ability to look back into the past and ahead to the future accurately and in detail. That feat is understood clearly in the light of awareness travelling through the mind. The entire mind exists right now, past and future included. These psychically talented individuals have trained their awareness to flow into areas of the mind that are unavailable to the average person. They go into the mind itself to view these phenomena. Similarly, mind-reading and other mystical wonders are illumined by the knowledge that there is only one mind, and all phases of it are open to the spiritually awakened person.
What we term states of mind are, therefore, areas of distinct vibration. On the Earth we have continents, nations, regions, states and cities. Each is distinct and unique. We have five states of mind:-
1.conscious.
2. subconscious.
3. sub of the subconscious.
4. sub super conscious
and
5. super conscious.
and within each are hundreds and thousands of cities. In the subconscious area, the traveller can encounter fear, hatred, love and good memories. In the conscious mind area he can experience business, human relationships and intellectual, social vibrations. In the super conscious area, there are even more regions, and he comes into visions, light, sound, overwhelming joy and peace.
The purity of Awareness.....................................
The Purity of Awareness....................
To the awakened mystic, there is only one mind. There is no "your mind" and "my mind," just one mind, finished, complete in all stages of manifestation. Man's individual awareness flows through the mind as the traveller treds the globe. Just as the free citizen moves from city to city and country to country, awareness moves through the multitude of forms in the mind.
Before we meditate, we view the cycles of our life and erroneously conclude that the mind changes, that it evolves. We view joy one moment, and despair the next and, because we feel so different in these states, assume we have changed. We grow up and look back on our childhood and again see the appearance of change. Through meditation, however, we observe that we have not changed at all. Awareness becomes our real identity, and it is pure and changeless. It was the same at seven years of age as it is today. It is the same in happiness as it is in sadness. Pure awareness cannot change. It is simply aware.
Therefore, you are right now the totality of yourself. You never were different, and you never will be. You are perfect at this very moment. Change is only a seeming concept created through false identification with the experiences we have in various areas of the one mind.
Everything in the world and everything in the mind is as it should be in a perfect state of evolution. Super consciously, we can clearly see this through the eyes of our soul. When looking at it through the instinctive-intellectual mind, we don't see this perfection. It is as if we have blinders on both sides of our eyes, like a donkey. The carrot of desire dangles right in front of our nose when we are in the instinctive-intellectual mind, and we are going after it, step at a time, step at a time, with our blinders on. We have to go in and in and in and reach an expanded state of awareness and gain that mountaintop consciousness where we perceive that there is no injustice in the world. There is not one wrong thing. All is in perfect order and rhythm in God's cosmic world................................And..................
"If only you learn the art of' INVOLVE', you will learn the science of 'EVOLVE'
To the awakened mystic, there is only one mind. There is no "your mind" and "my mind," just one mind, finished, complete in all stages of manifestation. Man's individual awareness flows through the mind as the traveller treds the globe. Just as the free citizen moves from city to city and country to country, awareness moves through the multitude of forms in the mind.
Before we meditate, we view the cycles of our life and erroneously conclude that the mind changes, that it evolves. We view joy one moment, and despair the next and, because we feel so different in these states, assume we have changed. We grow up and look back on our childhood and again see the appearance of change. Through meditation, however, we observe that we have not changed at all. Awareness becomes our real identity, and it is pure and changeless. It was the same at seven years of age as it is today. It is the same in happiness as it is in sadness. Pure awareness cannot change. It is simply aware.
Therefore, you are right now the totality of yourself. You never were different, and you never will be. You are perfect at this very moment. Change is only a seeming concept created through false identification with the experiences we have in various areas of the one mind.
Everything in the world and everything in the mind is as it should be in a perfect state of evolution. Super consciously, we can clearly see this through the eyes of our soul. When looking at it through the instinctive-intellectual mind, we don't see this perfection. It is as if we have blinders on both sides of our eyes, like a donkey. The carrot of desire dangles right in front of our nose when we are in the instinctive-intellectual mind, and we are going after it, step at a time, step at a time, with our blinders on. We have to go in and in and in and reach an expanded state of awareness and gain that mountaintop consciousness where we perceive that there is no injustice in the world. There is not one wrong thing. All is in perfect order and rhythm in God's cosmic world................................And..................
"If only you learn the art of' INVOLVE', you will learn the science of 'EVOLVE'
Contentment..................................................
Contentment..............The stronger you are in contentment, the greater will be your peace and happiness.
A very Good one to read.
How do we practice contentment? Simply do not harm others by thought, word or deed. As a practitioner of non injury, you can sleep contentedly at night and experience happiness throughout the day. Contentment is a quality that everyone wants, and buys things to obtain-"Oh, if only I had my house redecorated, I would be content." "A new wardrobe would content me, give me joy and serenity." "To be content, I must have a vacation and get away from it all. There I can live the serene life and have joyous experiences."
The righteous way is to look within and bring out the latent contentment that is already there by doing nothing to inhibit its natural expression, as happiness, the mood of the soul, permeates out through every cell of the physical body. Contentment is one of the most difficult qualities to obtain, and is well summed up within our food blessing mantra, from the Shukla Yajur Veda, Isa Upanishad invocation:-
"That is fullness. Creation is fullness. From that fullness flows this world's fullness. This fullness issues from that fullness, yet that fullness remains full."
This joy we seek is the joy of fullness, lacking nothing.
Life is meant to be lived joyously. There is in much of the world the belief that life is a burden, a feeling of penitence, that it is good to suffer, good for the soul. In fact, spiritual life is not that way at all. The existentialist would have you believe that depression, rage, fear and anguish are the foremost qualities of the human temper and expression.
The communists used to have us believe that joy and serenity as the outgrowth of religion are just an opiate of the people, a narcotic of unreality. The Semitic religions of the Near East would have us believe that suffering is good for the soul, and there is not much you can do about it. The Hindu perspective is that contentment is a reflection of centeredness, and discontentment is a reflection of externalised consciousness and ramified desire.
Maintaining joy and serenity in life means being content with your surroundings, be they meagre or lavish. Be content with your money, be it a small amount or a large amount. Be content with your health. Bear up under ailments and be thankful that they are not worse than they are. Protect your health if it is good. It is a valuable treasure. Be content with your friends. Be loyal to those who are your long-time, trusted companions. Basically, contentment, happiness, is freedom from desire gained by redirecting the forces of desire and making a beautiful life within what one already has in life.
The rich seeking more riches are not content. The famous seeking more fame are not content. The learned seeking more knowledge are not content. Being content with what you have does not mean you cannot discriminate and seek to progress in life. It doesn't mean you should not use your willpower and fulfil your plans.
It does mean you should not become upset while you are striving toward your goals, frustrated or unhappy if you do not get what you want. The best striving is to keep pushing along the natural unfoldment of positive trends and events in your life, your family life and your business. Contentment is working within your means with what is available to you, living within your income, being grateful for what you have, and not unhappy over what you lack.
There are many frustrated souls on the path who torment themselves no end and walk around with long faces because they estimate they are not unfolding spiritually fast enough. They have set goals of Self Realisation for themselves far beyond their abilities to immediately obtain. If people say, "I am not going to do anything that will not make me peaceful or that will threaten my peace of mind," how will they get anywhere? That is not the idea of contentment. True contentment is seeing all-pervasiveness of the one divine power everywhere. The light within the eyes of each person is that divine power. With this in mind, you can go anywhere and do anything. Contentment is there, inside you, and needs to be brought out. It is a spiritual power. So, yes, do what makes you content. But know that contentment really transcends worrying about the challenges that face you. contentment is being peaceful in any situation. The stronger you are in contentment, the
greater the challenges you can face and still remain quiet on the inside, peaceful and content, poised like a hummingbird hovering over a flower.
And
"Do things rightfully, gracefully, confidently & articulately- this will gratify many and astonish the rest."
A very Good one to read.
How do we practice contentment? Simply do not harm others by thought, word or deed. As a practitioner of non injury, you can sleep contentedly at night and experience happiness throughout the day. Contentment is a quality that everyone wants, and buys things to obtain-"Oh, if only I had my house redecorated, I would be content." "A new wardrobe would content me, give me joy and serenity." "To be content, I must have a vacation and get away from it all. There I can live the serene life and have joyous experiences."
The righteous way is to look within and bring out the latent contentment that is already there by doing nothing to inhibit its natural expression, as happiness, the mood of the soul, permeates out through every cell of the physical body. Contentment is one of the most difficult qualities to obtain, and is well summed up within our food blessing mantra, from the Shukla Yajur Veda, Isa Upanishad invocation:-
"That is fullness. Creation is fullness. From that fullness flows this world's fullness. This fullness issues from that fullness, yet that fullness remains full."
This joy we seek is the joy of fullness, lacking nothing.
Life is meant to be lived joyously. There is in much of the world the belief that life is a burden, a feeling of penitence, that it is good to suffer, good for the soul. In fact, spiritual life is not that way at all. The existentialist would have you believe that depression, rage, fear and anguish are the foremost qualities of the human temper and expression.
The communists used to have us believe that joy and serenity as the outgrowth of religion are just an opiate of the people, a narcotic of unreality. The Semitic religions of the Near East would have us believe that suffering is good for the soul, and there is not much you can do about it. The Hindu perspective is that contentment is a reflection of centeredness, and discontentment is a reflection of externalised consciousness and ramified desire.
Maintaining joy and serenity in life means being content with your surroundings, be they meagre or lavish. Be content with your money, be it a small amount or a large amount. Be content with your health. Bear up under ailments and be thankful that they are not worse than they are. Protect your health if it is good. It is a valuable treasure. Be content with your friends. Be loyal to those who are your long-time, trusted companions. Basically, contentment, happiness, is freedom from desire gained by redirecting the forces of desire and making a beautiful life within what one already has in life.
The rich seeking more riches are not content. The famous seeking more fame are not content. The learned seeking more knowledge are not content. Being content with what you have does not mean you cannot discriminate and seek to progress in life. It doesn't mean you should not use your willpower and fulfil your plans.
It does mean you should not become upset while you are striving toward your goals, frustrated or unhappy if you do not get what you want. The best striving is to keep pushing along the natural unfoldment of positive trends and events in your life, your family life and your business. Contentment is working within your means with what is available to you, living within your income, being grateful for what you have, and not unhappy over what you lack.
There are many frustrated souls on the path who torment themselves no end and walk around with long faces because they estimate they are not unfolding spiritually fast enough. They have set goals of Self Realisation for themselves far beyond their abilities to immediately obtain. If people say, "I am not going to do anything that will not make me peaceful or that will threaten my peace of mind," how will they get anywhere? That is not the idea of contentment. True contentment is seeing all-pervasiveness of the one divine power everywhere. The light within the eyes of each person is that divine power. With this in mind, you can go anywhere and do anything. Contentment is there, inside you, and needs to be brought out. It is a spiritual power. So, yes, do what makes you content. But know that contentment really transcends worrying about the challenges that face you. contentment is being peaceful in any situation. The stronger you are in contentment, the
greater the challenges you can face and still remain quiet on the inside, peaceful and content, poised like a hummingbird hovering over a flower.
And
"Do things rightfully, gracefully, confidently & articulately- this will gratify many and astonish the rest."
Keeping Peace & Happiness in the home..............
Keeping Peace & Happiness In the Home..........is = to keeping the sanadhana Dharma vibrant and alive.
A very Good one to read for the entire family members.
Happiness is the goal; righteousness, good conduct, remains the directing factors of how you should act and respond to fulfil your Duties. This goal is attainable by following the ten Vedic restraints:-
1. Not harming others by thought, word or deed,
2. Refraining from lying,
3. Not entering into debt,
4. Being tolerant with people and circumstance,
5. Overcoming changeableness and indecision,
6. Not being callous, cruel or insensitive to other people's feelings.
7. Above all, never practice deception.
8. Don't eat too much.
9. Maintain a vegetarian diet for purity and clarity of mind and thoughts.
10. Watch carefully what you think and how you express it through words.
All of these restraints must be captured and practiced within the lifestyle before the natural contentment, the happiness, the pure, serene nature, of the soul can shine forth. Therefore, the practice to attain happiness is to fulfil the rules. Proceed with confidence; failure is an impossibility.
The home is a sanctuary of the entire family. It should have an even higher standard of propriety. When we start being too casual at home and letting off steam, we say things that perhaps we shouldn't. We may think the rest of the family understands, but they don't. Feelings get hurt. We break up the vibration of the home. Young people also let off steam in school, thus inhibiting their own education. They behave in a way in the classroom that they would not in a corporate office, and who is hurt but themselves? It's amazing how quickly people shape up their behaviour when they sign a contract, when they get a job in a corporate office. They read the manual, they obey it and they are nice to everyone. This is the way it should be within the home. The home should be maintained at a higher standard than the corporate office.
The wonderful thing about Hinduism is that we don't let off steam at home; we let our emotions pour out within the Hindu temple. The Hindu temple is the place where we can relate to the Gods and the Goddesses and express ourselves within ourselves. It's just between ourselves and the Deity. In a Hindu temple there may be, all at the same time, a woman worshipper crying in a corner, not far away a young couple laughing among themselves with their children, and nearby someone else arguing with the Gods. The Hindu temple allows the individual to let off steam but it is a controlled situation, controlled by the pujas, the ceremony, the priesthood.
So as to not make more karma in this life by saying things we don't mean, having inflections in our voice that are hurtful to others, we must control the home, control ourselves in the workplace, keep the home at a higher vibration of culture and protocol than the workplace, and include the temple in our lives as a place to release our emotions and regain our composure.
It is making a lot of really bad karma that will come back in its stronger reaction later on in life for someone, the husband or wife or teenager, to upset the vibration of the home because of stress at school or in the workplace. It is counterproductive to work all day in a nice office, control the emotions and be productive, and then go home and upset the vibration within the home.
After all, why is someone working? It's to create the home. Why is someone going to school? It's to eventually create a home. It is counterproductive to destroy that which one works all day to create. That's why It is advisable, the professional mother, the professional father, the professional son and the professional daughter to use in the home the same good manners that are learned in the workplace, and build the vibration of the home even stronger than the vibration of the workplace, so that there is something inviting to come home to.
We have seen so many times, professionals, men and women, behave exquisitely in the workplace, but not so exquisitely at home, upset the home vibration, eventually destroying the home, breaking up the home. And we have seen, through the years, a very unhappy person in retirement, a very bitter person in retirement. No one wants him around, no one wants to have him in their home. Therefore, he winds up in some nursing home, and he dies forgotten.
The Sanadhana Dharma must be alive in the home, must be alive in the office, must be alive in the temple, for us to have a full life. Where, then, do we vent our emotions, where do we let off steam, if not in our own home? The answer is, within the temple....................................
AND
" Life is beautiful; Living is a gift and make best use of the beauty and the gift every Moment of your life."
Yours in Divine Friendship.
J.K
A very Good one to read for the entire family members.
Happiness is the goal; righteousness, good conduct, remains the directing factors of how you should act and respond to fulfil your Duties. This goal is attainable by following the ten Vedic restraints:-
1. Not harming others by thought, word or deed,
2. Refraining from lying,
3. Not entering into debt,
4. Being tolerant with people and circumstance,
5. Overcoming changeableness and indecision,
6. Not being callous, cruel or insensitive to other people's feelings.
7. Above all, never practice deception.
8. Don't eat too much.
9. Maintain a vegetarian diet for purity and clarity of mind and thoughts.
10. Watch carefully what you think and how you express it through words.
All of these restraints must be captured and practiced within the lifestyle before the natural contentment, the happiness, the pure, serene nature, of the soul can shine forth. Therefore, the practice to attain happiness is to fulfil the rules. Proceed with confidence; failure is an impossibility.
The home is a sanctuary of the entire family. It should have an even higher standard of propriety. When we start being too casual at home and letting off steam, we say things that perhaps we shouldn't. We may think the rest of the family understands, but they don't. Feelings get hurt. We break up the vibration of the home. Young people also let off steam in school, thus inhibiting their own education. They behave in a way in the classroom that they would not in a corporate office, and who is hurt but themselves? It's amazing how quickly people shape up their behaviour when they sign a contract, when they get a job in a corporate office. They read the manual, they obey it and they are nice to everyone. This is the way it should be within the home. The home should be maintained at a higher standard than the corporate office.
The wonderful thing about Hinduism is that we don't let off steam at home; we let our emotions pour out within the Hindu temple. The Hindu temple is the place where we can relate to the Gods and the Goddesses and express ourselves within ourselves. It's just between ourselves and the Deity. In a Hindu temple there may be, all at the same time, a woman worshipper crying in a corner, not far away a young couple laughing among themselves with their children, and nearby someone else arguing with the Gods. The Hindu temple allows the individual to let off steam but it is a controlled situation, controlled by the pujas, the ceremony, the priesthood.
So as to not make more karma in this life by saying things we don't mean, having inflections in our voice that are hurtful to others, we must control the home, control ourselves in the workplace, keep the home at a higher vibration of culture and protocol than the workplace, and include the temple in our lives as a place to release our emotions and regain our composure.
It is making a lot of really bad karma that will come back in its stronger reaction later on in life for someone, the husband or wife or teenager, to upset the vibration of the home because of stress at school or in the workplace. It is counterproductive to work all day in a nice office, control the emotions and be productive, and then go home and upset the vibration within the home.
After all, why is someone working? It's to create the home. Why is someone going to school? It's to eventually create a home. It is counterproductive to destroy that which one works all day to create. That's why It is advisable, the professional mother, the professional father, the professional son and the professional daughter to use in the home the same good manners that are learned in the workplace, and build the vibration of the home even stronger than the vibration of the workplace, so that there is something inviting to come home to.
We have seen so many times, professionals, men and women, behave exquisitely in the workplace, but not so exquisitely at home, upset the home vibration, eventually destroying the home, breaking up the home. And we have seen, through the years, a very unhappy person in retirement, a very bitter person in retirement. No one wants him around, no one wants to have him in their home. Therefore, he winds up in some nursing home, and he dies forgotten.
The Sanadhana Dharma must be alive in the home, must be alive in the office, must be alive in the temple, for us to have a full life. Where, then, do we vent our emotions, where do we let off steam, if not in our own home? The answer is, within the temple....................................
AND
" Life is beautiful; Living is a gift and make best use of the beauty and the gift every Moment of your life."
Yours in Divine Friendship.
J.K
Real Beauty............Like Father Like son.
Real Beauty......................Like father Like son........
When a first-time father cuddled his newborn son, he immediately noticed the baby's ears conspicuously standing out from his head. He expressed his concern to the nurse that some children might taunt his child, calling him names like 'Dumbo.' A doctor examined the baby and reassured the new dad that his son was healthy - the ears presented only a minor cosmetic problem.
But the nervous father persisted. He wondered if the child might suffer psychological effects of ridicule, or if they should consider plastic surgery.
The nurse assured him that it was really no problem, and he should just wait to see if the boy grows into his ears.The father finally felt more optimistic about his child, but now he worried about his wife's reaction to those large, protruding ears. She had delivered by caesarean section, and had not yet seen the child.
'She doesn't take things as easily as I do,' he said to the nurse.
By this time, the new mother was settled in the recovery room and ready to meet her new baby. The nurse went along with the dad to lend some support in case this inexperienced mother became upset about her baby's large ears.
The infant was swaddled in a receiving blanket with his head covered for the short trip through the chilly air-conditioned corridor. The baby was placed in his mother's arms, who eased the blanket back so that she could gaze upon her child for the first time.
She took one look at her baby's face and looked to her husband and gasped, 'Oh, Honey! Look! He has your ears!'No problem with mum. She married those ears . . . and she loves the man to whom they are attached.
The poet Khalil Gibran said - 'Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart." It's hard to see the ears when you're looking into the light.
Written by Steve Goodier
When a first-time father cuddled his newborn son, he immediately noticed the baby's ears conspicuously standing out from his head. He expressed his concern to the nurse that some children might taunt his child, calling him names like 'Dumbo.' A doctor examined the baby and reassured the new dad that his son was healthy - the ears presented only a minor cosmetic problem.
But the nervous father persisted. He wondered if the child might suffer psychological effects of ridicule, or if they should consider plastic surgery.
The nurse assured him that it was really no problem, and he should just wait to see if the boy grows into his ears.The father finally felt more optimistic about his child, but now he worried about his wife's reaction to those large, protruding ears. She had delivered by caesarean section, and had not yet seen the child.
'She doesn't take things as easily as I do,' he said to the nurse.
By this time, the new mother was settled in the recovery room and ready to meet her new baby. The nurse went along with the dad to lend some support in case this inexperienced mother became upset about her baby's large ears.
The infant was swaddled in a receiving blanket with his head covered for the short trip through the chilly air-conditioned corridor. The baby was placed in his mother's arms, who eased the blanket back so that she could gaze upon her child for the first time.
She took one look at her baby's face and looked to her husband and gasped, 'Oh, Honey! Look! He has your ears!'No problem with mum. She married those ears . . . and she loves the man to whom they are attached.
The poet Khalil Gibran said - 'Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart." It's hard to see the ears when you're looking into the light.
Written by Steve Goodier
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
Procrastination..............................................
Procrastination........A must read for Effective Time Management leading to Life Management.
There's an old saying.................................
"If the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning is eat a live frog, then nothing worse can happen for the rest of the day!"
Brian Tracy says that your "frog" should be the most difficult item on your things to do list, the one you're most likely to procrastinate on; because, if you eat that first, it'll give you energy and momentum for the rest of the day. But, if you don't...and let him sit there on the plate and stare at you while you do a hundred unimportant things, it can drain your energy and you won't even know it.
In Eat That Frog!, Brian cuts to the core of what is vital to effective time management: decision, discipline and determination. In 21 practical steps, he will help you stop procrastinating and get more of the important tasks done...today!
Brian is one of America's leading authorities on development of human potential. He speaks to over 250,000 people a year and has written over 25 books. Eat That Frog! is an international best seller, with over 500,000 copies sold.
We're pleased to say, however, that Simple Truths has taken a great book, and well...made it better! How? We've made it a little shorter; a little more engaging with great graphics; a little more "giftable" with an embossed hard cover, and of course, packaging that can create a "wow" effect! In short, we've turned a great book into a great gift for employees, customers, friends and family.
Here's a small sampling in Brian's chapter titled: Apply the 80/20 Rule to Everything. Enjoy!
An excerpt from...........Eat That Frog!.......... By Brian Tracy.
The 80/20 Rule is one of the most helpful of all concepts of time and life management. It is also called the "Pareto Principle" after its founder, the Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto, who first wrote about it in 1895. Pareto noticed that people in his society seemed to divide naturally into what he called the "vital few", the top 20 percent in terms of money and influence, and the "trivial many", the bottom 80 percent.
He later discovered that virtually all economic activity was subject to this principle as well. For example, this principle says that 20 percent of your activities will account for 80 percent of your results, 20 percent of your customers will account for 80 percent of your sales, 20 percent of your products or services will account for 80 percent of your profits, 20 percent of your tasks will account for 80 percent of the value of what you do, and so on. This means that if you have a list of ten items to do, two of those items will turn out to be worth five or ten times or more than the other eight items put together.
Number of Tasks versus Importance of Tasks......................
Here is an interesting discovery. Each of the ten tasks may take the same amount of time to accomplish. But one or two of those tasks will contribute five or ten times the value of any of the others.
Often, one item on a list of ten tasks that you have to do can be worth more than all the other nine items put together. This task is invariably the frog that you should eat first.
Focus on Activities, Not Accomplishments......................
The most valuable tasks you can do each day are often the hardest and most complex. But the payoff and rewards for completing these tasks efficiently can be tremendous. For this reason, you must adamantly refuse to work on tasks in the bottom 80 percent while you still have tasks in the top 20 percent left to be done.
Before you begin work, always ask yourself, "Is this task in the top 20 percent of my activities or in the bottom 80 percent?"
The hardest part of any important task is getting started on it in the first place. Once you actually begin work on a valuable task, you will be naturally motivated to continue. A part of your mind loves to be busy working on significant tasks that can really make a difference. Your job is to feed this part of your mind continually.
Motivate Yourself.................................
Just thinking about starting and finishing an important task motivates you and helps you to overcome procrastination. Time management is really life management, personal management. It is really taking control of the sequence of events. Time management is having control over what you do next. And you are always free to choose the task that you will do next. Your ability to choose between the important and the unimportant is the key determinant of your success in life and work.
Effective, productive people discipline themselves to start on the most important task that is before them. They force themselves to eat that frog, whatever it is. As a result, they accomplish vastly more than the average person and are much happier as a result. This should be your way of working as well.
There's an old saying.................................
"If the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning is eat a live frog, then nothing worse can happen for the rest of the day!"
Brian Tracy says that your "frog" should be the most difficult item on your things to do list, the one you're most likely to procrastinate on; because, if you eat that first, it'll give you energy and momentum for the rest of the day. But, if you don't...and let him sit there on the plate and stare at you while you do a hundred unimportant things, it can drain your energy and you won't even know it.
In Eat That Frog!, Brian cuts to the core of what is vital to effective time management: decision, discipline and determination. In 21 practical steps, he will help you stop procrastinating and get more of the important tasks done...today!
Brian is one of America's leading authorities on development of human potential. He speaks to over 250,000 people a year and has written over 25 books. Eat That Frog! is an international best seller, with over 500,000 copies sold.
We're pleased to say, however, that Simple Truths has taken a great book, and well...made it better! How? We've made it a little shorter; a little more engaging with great graphics; a little more "giftable" with an embossed hard cover, and of course, packaging that can create a "wow" effect! In short, we've turned a great book into a great gift for employees, customers, friends and family.
Here's a small sampling in Brian's chapter titled: Apply the 80/20 Rule to Everything. Enjoy!
An excerpt from...........Eat That Frog!.......... By Brian Tracy.
The 80/20 Rule is one of the most helpful of all concepts of time and life management. It is also called the "Pareto Principle" after its founder, the Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto, who first wrote about it in 1895. Pareto noticed that people in his society seemed to divide naturally into what he called the "vital few", the top 20 percent in terms of money and influence, and the "trivial many", the bottom 80 percent.
He later discovered that virtually all economic activity was subject to this principle as well. For example, this principle says that 20 percent of your activities will account for 80 percent of your results, 20 percent of your customers will account for 80 percent of your sales, 20 percent of your products or services will account for 80 percent of your profits, 20 percent of your tasks will account for 80 percent of the value of what you do, and so on. This means that if you have a list of ten items to do, two of those items will turn out to be worth five or ten times or more than the other eight items put together.
Number of Tasks versus Importance of Tasks......................
Here is an interesting discovery. Each of the ten tasks may take the same amount of time to accomplish. But one or two of those tasks will contribute five or ten times the value of any of the others.
Often, one item on a list of ten tasks that you have to do can be worth more than all the other nine items put together. This task is invariably the frog that you should eat first.
Focus on Activities, Not Accomplishments......................
The most valuable tasks you can do each day are often the hardest and most complex. But the payoff and rewards for completing these tasks efficiently can be tremendous. For this reason, you must adamantly refuse to work on tasks in the bottom 80 percent while you still have tasks in the top 20 percent left to be done.
Before you begin work, always ask yourself, "Is this task in the top 20 percent of my activities or in the bottom 80 percent?"
The hardest part of any important task is getting started on it in the first place. Once you actually begin work on a valuable task, you will be naturally motivated to continue. A part of your mind loves to be busy working on significant tasks that can really make a difference. Your job is to feed this part of your mind continually.
Motivate Yourself.................................
Just thinking about starting and finishing an important task motivates you and helps you to overcome procrastination. Time management is really life management, personal management. It is really taking control of the sequence of events. Time management is having control over what you do next. And you are always free to choose the task that you will do next. Your ability to choose between the important and the unimportant is the key determinant of your success in life and work.
Effective, productive people discipline themselves to start on the most important task that is before them. They force themselves to eat that frog, whatever it is. As a result, they accomplish vastly more than the average person and are much happier as a result. This should be your way of working as well.
Six Essentials of Life.............................
Six Essentials for Life
Our body was created to survive. How we survive depends on our conscious choices in the 6 Essentials for Life. If our choices are good we can lead a healthy life or else if made a bad choice the responses lead to pain, disease and death. It is your choice!
Evaluate..................................
1. What you eat :-
There are two kinds of foods Acid and Alkaline. Our body is designed to function in an alkaline state, which requires alkaline foods mostly fruits and vegetables. Eating too much of the acid foods makes your body acid, causing acute physical stress.
2. What you drink:-
Our body is majorly water and needs lots of liquids. Since our body regulates itself internally, drinking external stimulants puts added stress on your body and interferes with the regulation of blood sugar.
3. How you exercise:-
Our body needs exercise that increases heart rate, promotes muscle activity and aids neurological integration. Excellent exercises that achieve all three are swimming or walking correctly.
4.How you rest:-
Adequate, uninterrupted sleep each night is essential for cell repair. Do not consume large meals too close to bedtime or drink the wrong liquids throughout the day, which over stimulates our body. This makes uninterrupted, restful, repairing sleep difficult.
5. How and what you breathe:-
Correct breathing is important because it activates the diaphragm in a manner in which it was designed, which augments heart action. Correct breathing helps re balance the autonomic nervous system. Breathing is stressful. While the toxins in our food and liquids are cleaned by the liver before entering the bloodstream, the toxins we breathe from smoking or living/working in a smoke/smog filled environment, go directly into your bloodstream.
6. What you think about:-
Thinking about lemons fills our mouth with saliva. In anger or fear our body is as uptight as if we are fighting a ferocious animal. In worry our nervous system triggers more acid into our stomach producing indigestion and ulcers. And most of these physically harmful feelings come from replaying the past
Make your life & living Great with Right Choices.
Our body was created to survive. How we survive depends on our conscious choices in the 6 Essentials for Life. If our choices are good we can lead a healthy life or else if made a bad choice the responses lead to pain, disease and death. It is your choice!
Evaluate..................................
1. What you eat :-
There are two kinds of foods Acid and Alkaline. Our body is designed to function in an alkaline state, which requires alkaline foods mostly fruits and vegetables. Eating too much of the acid foods makes your body acid, causing acute physical stress.
2. What you drink:-
Our body is majorly water and needs lots of liquids. Since our body regulates itself internally, drinking external stimulants puts added stress on your body and interferes with the regulation of blood sugar.
3. How you exercise:-
Our body needs exercise that increases heart rate, promotes muscle activity and aids neurological integration. Excellent exercises that achieve all three are swimming or walking correctly.
4.How you rest:-
Adequate, uninterrupted sleep each night is essential for cell repair. Do not consume large meals too close to bedtime or drink the wrong liquids throughout the day, which over stimulates our body. This makes uninterrupted, restful, repairing sleep difficult.
5. How and what you breathe:-
Correct breathing is important because it activates the diaphragm in a manner in which it was designed, which augments heart action. Correct breathing helps re balance the autonomic nervous system. Breathing is stressful. While the toxins in our food and liquids are cleaned by the liver before entering the bloodstream, the toxins we breathe from smoking or living/working in a smoke/smog filled environment, go directly into your bloodstream.
6. What you think about:-
Thinking about lemons fills our mouth with saliva. In anger or fear our body is as uptight as if we are fighting a ferocious animal. In worry our nervous system triggers more acid into our stomach producing indigestion and ulcers. And most of these physically harmful feelings come from replaying the past
Make your life & living Great with Right Choices.
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
About "Achamana"- Its significance.......
About Achamana......................Its significance.
Achamana precedes all rituals or ceremonial sipping of water and touching the various parts of the body like eyes, ears, nose, chest head etc., with wet hand in the prescribed order. This process invokes the life-energy to protect the performer.
There are three types of Achamana-
PURAANAACH AMAN,
SHROUTHAACHAMANA
AND
SMARTHAACHAMANA.
The first three names of Keshava, Naraayana and Madhava are remembered and water is taken as BRAHMATHEERTHA. The next 21 names are taken to touch different parts of the body and it invokes the deity who protects that part. With this it is expected that the FIVE GNYAANENDRIYAS, FIVE KARMENDRIAS, FIVE MUKHYA PRANAS, FIVE SUBSIDIARY PRANAS AND THE MIND are purified. It is expected that with this, the mind also becomes calm.
There is a system where instead of Keshavaayaswaaha, RUGVEDAYASWAAHA, YAJURVEDAAYASWAAHA, SAAMAVEDAAYASWAAHA are repeated. The method normally adopted is the Puraanaachamana with the names Keshava, Naarayana and Maadhava.
It is believed that while touching the different parts of the body with wet fingures and invoking the names of the ADHIDEVATHE of that part, the body and mind becomes pure so that further rituals are successful. It is also believed that at the tips of thumb, the forefinger, and the small finger there is BRAHMA THEERTHA, DEVATHEERTHA ANDPRAJAAPATHITHEERTHA.
Achamana precedes all rituals or ceremonial sipping of water and touching the various parts of the body like eyes, ears, nose, chest head etc., with wet hand in the prescribed order. This process invokes the life-energy to protect the performer.
There are three types of Achamana-
PURAANAACH AMAN,
SHROUTHAACHAMANA
AND
SMARTHAACHAMANA.
The first three names of Keshava, Naraayana and Madhava are remembered and water is taken as BRAHMATHEERTHA. The next 21 names are taken to touch different parts of the body and it invokes the deity who protects that part. With this it is expected that the FIVE GNYAANENDRIYAS, FIVE KARMENDRIAS, FIVE MUKHYA PRANAS, FIVE SUBSIDIARY PRANAS AND THE MIND are purified. It is expected that with this, the mind also becomes calm.
There is a system where instead of Keshavaayaswaaha, RUGVEDAYASWAAHA, YAJURVEDAAYASWAAHA, SAAMAVEDAAYASWAAHA are repeated. The method normally adopted is the Puraanaachamana with the names Keshava, Naarayana and Maadhava.
It is believed that while touching the different parts of the body with wet fingures and invoking the names of the ADHIDEVATHE of that part, the body and mind becomes pure so that further rituals are successful. It is also believed that at the tips of thumb, the forefinger, and the small finger there is BRAHMA THEERTHA, DEVATHEERTHA ANDPRAJAAPATHITHEERTHA.
Clever Anagrams.................
Clever Anagrams.....................A Good one to Read...nd enjoy.
The last one tops the list!!!!!!!! !
This has got to be one of the cleverest E-mails I've received in a while.
Someone out there either has too much spare time or is deadly at Scrabble.
(Wait till you see the last one)!
PRINCESS DIANA.
When you rearrange the letters:
END IS A CAR SPIN
MONICA LEWINSKY
When you rearrange the letters:
NICE SILKY WOMAN
DORMITORY:
When you rearrange the letters:
DIRTY ROOM
ASTRONOMER:
When you rearrange the letters:
MOON STARER
THE EYES :
When you rearrange the letters:
THEY SEE
SLOT MACHINES:
When you rearrange the letters:
CASH LOST IN ME
ELECTION RESULTS:
When you rearrange the letters:
LIES - LET'S RECOUNT
SNOOZE ALARMS:
When you rearrange the letters:
ALAS! NO MORE Z 'S
A DECIMAL POINT:
When you rearrange the letters:
IM A DOT IN PLACE
THE EARTHQUAKES:
When you rearrange the letters:
THAT QUEER SHAKE
ELEVEN PLUS TWO:
When you rearrange the letters:
TWELVE PLUS ONE
AND FOR THE GRAND FINALE:........................................
MOTHER-IN-LAW:
When you rearrange the letters:.............................
WOMAN HITLER.............................................RRRRRR.
The last one tops the list!!!!!!!! !
This has got to be one of the cleverest E-mails I've received in a while.
Someone out there either has too much spare time or is deadly at Scrabble.
(Wait till you see the last one)!
PRINCESS DIANA.
When you rearrange the letters:
END IS A CAR SPIN
MONICA LEWINSKY
When you rearrange the letters:
NICE SILKY WOMAN
DORMITORY:
When you rearrange the letters:
DIRTY ROOM
ASTRONOMER:
When you rearrange the letters:
MOON STARER
THE EYES :
When you rearrange the letters:
THEY SEE
SLOT MACHINES:
When you rearrange the letters:
CASH LOST IN ME
ELECTION RESULTS:
When you rearrange the letters:
LIES - LET'S RECOUNT
SNOOZE ALARMS:
When you rearrange the letters:
ALAS! NO MORE Z 'S
A DECIMAL POINT:
When you rearrange the letters:
IM A DOT IN PLACE
THE EARTHQUAKES:
When you rearrange the letters:
THAT QUEER SHAKE
ELEVEN PLUS TWO:
When you rearrange the letters:
TWELVE PLUS ONE
AND FOR THE GRAND FINALE:........................................
MOTHER-IN-LAW:
When you rearrange the letters:.............................
WOMAN HITLER.............................................RRRRRR.
Monday, August 03, 2009
Pl read it as a Loving topic and not as...................
Please read this as a loving topic and not as scaring one as it has to and will happen to every one living inevitably without any exception. whatsoever.....................As
"No one can confidently say that he will still be living tomorrow."
How Should one View Death and Dying? & How does one best prepare for it.............It is as simple as righteously living.........for the departure.
Our soul never dies; only the physical body dies. We neither fear death nor look forward to it, but revere it as a most exalted experience. Life, death and the afterlife are all part of our path to perfect oneness with God.
For Hindus, death is nobly referred to as mahaprasthana, "the great journey." When the lessons of this life have been learned and karmas reach a point of intensity, the soul leaves the physical body, which then returns its elements to the earth. The awareness, will, memory and intelligence which we think of as ourselves continue to exist in the soul body.
Death is a most natural experience, not to be feared. It is a quick transition from the physical world to the astral plane, like walking through a door, leaving one room and entering another. Knowing this, we approach death as a sadhana, as a spiritual opportunity, bringing a level of detachment which is difficult to achieve in the tumult of life and an urgency to strive more than ever in our search for the Divine Self. To be near a realised soul at the time he or she gives up the body yields blessings surpassing those of a thousand and eight visits to holy persons at other times. The Vedas explain:-
"As a caterpillar coming to the end of a blade of grass draws itself together in taking the next step, so does the soul in the process of transition strike down this body and dispel its ignorance."
Blessed with the knowledge of impending transition, we settle affairs and take refuge in japa, worship, scripture and yoga-seeking the highest realisations as we consciously, joyously release the world.
Before dying, Hindus diligently fulfil obligations, make amends and resolve differences by forgiving themselves and others, lest unresolved karmas bear fruit in future births. That done, we turn to God through meditation, surrender and scriptural study. As a conscious death is our ideal, we avoid drugs, artificial life-extension and suicide. Suicide only postpones and intensifies the karma one seeks escape from, requiring several lives to return to the evolutionary point that existed at the moment of suicide. In cases of terminal illness, under strict community regulation, tradition does allow prayopavesha, self-willed religious death by fasting. When nearing transition, if hospitalised, we return home to be among loved ones. In the final hours of life, we seek the Self God within and focus on our mantra as kindred keep prayerful vigil. At death, we leave the body through the crown chakra, entering the clear white light and beyond in quest of
videhamukti. The Vedas affirm, "When a person comes to weakness, be it through old age or disease, he frees himself from these limbs just as a mango, a fig or a berry releases itself from its stalk."
"The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time."
And Remember..............
"What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and for the world remains and is immortal."
PS: Please pass it on to as many friends as possible as this is "Knowledge".
J.K
"No one can confidently say that he will still be living tomorrow."
How Should one View Death and Dying? & How does one best prepare for it.............It is as simple as righteously living.........for the departure.
Our soul never dies; only the physical body dies. We neither fear death nor look forward to it, but revere it as a most exalted experience. Life, death and the afterlife are all part of our path to perfect oneness with God.
For Hindus, death is nobly referred to as mahaprasthana, "the great journey." When the lessons of this life have been learned and karmas reach a point of intensity, the soul leaves the physical body, which then returns its elements to the earth. The awareness, will, memory and intelligence which we think of as ourselves continue to exist in the soul body.
Death is a most natural experience, not to be feared. It is a quick transition from the physical world to the astral plane, like walking through a door, leaving one room and entering another. Knowing this, we approach death as a sadhana, as a spiritual opportunity, bringing a level of detachment which is difficult to achieve in the tumult of life and an urgency to strive more than ever in our search for the Divine Self. To be near a realised soul at the time he or she gives up the body yields blessings surpassing those of a thousand and eight visits to holy persons at other times. The Vedas explain:-
"As a caterpillar coming to the end of a blade of grass draws itself together in taking the next step, so does the soul in the process of transition strike down this body and dispel its ignorance."
Blessed with the knowledge of impending transition, we settle affairs and take refuge in japa, worship, scripture and yoga-seeking the highest realisations as we consciously, joyously release the world.
Before dying, Hindus diligently fulfil obligations, make amends and resolve differences by forgiving themselves and others, lest unresolved karmas bear fruit in future births. That done, we turn to God through meditation, surrender and scriptural study. As a conscious death is our ideal, we avoid drugs, artificial life-extension and suicide. Suicide only postpones and intensifies the karma one seeks escape from, requiring several lives to return to the evolutionary point that existed at the moment of suicide. In cases of terminal illness, under strict community regulation, tradition does allow prayopavesha, self-willed religious death by fasting. When nearing transition, if hospitalised, we return home to be among loved ones. In the final hours of life, we seek the Self God within and focus on our mantra as kindred keep prayerful vigil. At death, we leave the body through the crown chakra, entering the clear white light and beyond in quest of
videhamukti. The Vedas affirm, "When a person comes to weakness, be it through old age or disease, he frees himself from these limbs just as a mango, a fig or a berry releases itself from its stalk."
"The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time."
And Remember..............
"What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and for the world remains and is immortal."
PS: Please pass it on to as many friends as possible as this is "Knowledge".
J.K
Why I am a Hindu ?........................
I got this as a forward and sending it as it is like that.
I don't know who wrote it. But, it is a very interesting conversation and explains "Hindutva" in very simple terms to a layman.
Read it in leisure, but don't postpone and forget.
You may or may not accept all his statements - but, look at the way it is presented!!!!!!!
With Love & regards,
Yours in Divine Friendship.
J.K
WHY I AM A HINDU........................................................
Four years ago, I was flying from JFK NY Airport to SFO to attend a meeting at Monterey , CA An American girl was sitting on the right side, near window seat. It indeed was a long journey - it would take nearly seven hours.
I was surprised to see the young girl reading a Bible unusual of young Americans. After some time she smiled and we had few acquaintances talk.I told her that I am from India
Then suddenly the girl asked: 'What's your faith?' 'What?' I didn't understand the question.
'I mean, what's your religion? Are you a Christian? Or a Muslim?'
'No!' I replied, 'I am neither Christian nor Muslim'.
Apparently she appeared shocked to listen to that. 'Then who are you?' 'I am a Hindu', I said.
She looked at me as if she was seeing a caged animal. She could not understand what I was talking about.
A common man in Europe or US knows about Christianity and Islam, as they are the leading religions of the world today. But a Hindu, what?
I explained to her - I am born to a Hindu father and Hindu mother. Therefore, I am a Hindu by birth.
'Who is your prophet?' she asked.
'We don't have a prophet,' I replied.
'What's your Holy Book?'
'We don't have a single Holy Book, but we have hundreds and thousands of philosophical and sacred scriptures,' I replied.
'Oh, come on at least tell me who is your God?'
'What do you mean by that?'
'Like we have Jesus and Muslims have Allah - don't you have a God?'
I thought for a moment. Muslims and Christians believe one God (Male God) who created the world and takes an interest in the humans who inhabit it. Her mind is conditioned with that kind of belief.
According to her (or anybody who doesn't know about Hinduism), a religion needs to have one Prophet, one Holy book and one God. The mind is so conditioned and rigidly narrowed down to such a notion that anything else is not acceptable. I understood her perception and concept about faith. You can't compare Hinduism with any of the present leading religions where you have to believe in one concept of god.
I tried to explain to her: 'You can believe in one god and he can be a Hindu. You may believe in multiple deities and still you can be a Hindu. What's more - you may not believe in god at all, still you can be a Hindu. An atheist can also be a Hindu.'
This sounded very crazy to her. She couldn't imagine a religion so unorganised, still surviving for thousands of years, even after onslaught from foreign forces.
'I don't understand but it seems very interesting. Are you religious?'
What can I tell to this American girl?
I said: 'I do not go to temple regularly. I do not make any regular rituals. I have learned some of the rituals in my younger days. I still enjoy doing it sometimes..'
'Enjoy? Are you not afraid of God?'
'God is a friend. No- I am not afraid of God. Nobody has made any compulsions on me to perform these rituals regularly.'
She thought for a while and then asked: 'Have you ever thought of converting to any other religion?'
'Why should I? Even if I challenge some of the rituals and faith in Hinduism, nobody can convert me from Hinduism. Because, being a Hindu allows me to think independently and objectively, without conditioning. . I remain as a Hindu never by force, but choice.' I told her that Hinduism is not a religion, but a set of beliefs and practices. It is not a religion like Christianity or Islam because it is not founded by any one person or does not have an organised controlling body like the Church or the Order, I added. There is no institution or authority..
'So, you don't believe in God?' she wanted everything in black and white.
'I didn't say that. I do not discard the divine reality. Our scripture, or Sruthis or Smrithis - Vedas and Upanishads or the Gita - say God might be there or he might not be there. But we pray to that supreme abstract authority (Para Brahma) that is the creator of this universe..'
'Why can't you believe in one personal God?'
'We have a concept - abstract - not a personal god. The concept or notion of a personal God, hiding behind the clouds of secrecy, telling us irrational stories through few men whom he sends as messengers, demanding us to worship him or punish us, does not make sense. I don't think that God is as silly as an autocratic emperor who wants others to respect him or fear him.' I told her that such notions are just fancies of less educated human imagination and fallacies, adding that generally ethnic religious practitioners in Hinduism believe in personal gods. The entry level Hinduism has over-whelming superstitions too. The philosophical side of Hinduism negates all superstitions.
'Good that you agree God might exist. You told that you pray. What is your prayer then?'
'Loka Samastha Sukino Bhavantu. Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti,'
'Funny,' she laughed, 'What does it mean?'
'May all the beings in all the worlds be happy. Om Peace, Peace, Peace.'
'Hmm ..very interesting. I want to learn more about this religion. It is so democratic, broad-minded and free' she exclaimed.
'The fact is Hinduism is a religion of the individual, for the individual and by the individual with its roots in the Vedas and the Bhagavad-Gita. It is all about an individual approaching a personal God in an individual way according to his temperament and inner evolution - it is as simple as that.'
'How does anybody convert to Hinduism?'
'Nobody can convert you to Hinduism, because it is not a religion, but a set of beliefs and practices. Everything is acceptable in Hinduism because there is no single authority or organisation either to accept it or to reject it or to oppose it on behalf of Hinduism.'
I told her - if you look for meaning in life, don't look for it in religions; don't go from one cult to another or from one guru to the next.
For a real seeker, I told her, the Bible itself gives guidelines when it says ' Kingdom of God is within you.' I reminded her of Christ's teaching about the love that we have for each other. That is where you can find the meaning of life.
Loving each and every creation of the God is absolute and real. 'Isavasyam idam sarvam' Isam (the God) is present (inhabits) here everywhere - nothing exists separate from the God, because God is present everywhere. Respect every living being and non-living things as God. That's what Hinduism teaches you.
Hinduism is referred to as Sanathana Dharma, the eternal faith. It is based on the practice of Dharma, the code of life. The most important aspect of Hinduism is being truthful to oneself. Hinduism has no monopoly on ideas.- It is open to all. Hindus believe in one God (not a personal one) expressed in different forms. For them, God is timeless and formless entity.
Ancestors of today's Hindus believe in eternal truths and cosmic laws and these truths are opened to anyone who seeks them. But there is a section of Hindus who are either superstitious or turned fanatic to make this an organised religion like others. The British coin the word 'Hindu' and considered it as a religion.
I said: 'Religions have become an MLM (multi-level- marketing) industry that has been trying to expand the market share by conversion. The biggest business in today's world is Spirituality. Hinduism is no exception'
I am a Hindu primarily because it professes Non-violence - 'Ahimsa Paramo Dharma' - Non violence is the highest duty. I am a Hindu because it doesn't conditions my mind with any faith system.
A man/ woman who change 's his/her birth religion to another religion is a fake and does not value his/her morals, culture and values in life. Hinduism was the first religion originated. Be proud of your religion and be proud of who you are.
Aum Shanti , Shaanti, Shanthi.
Send it to all who you think will find it interesting! !!!!!!!!! !
I don't know who wrote it. But, it is a very interesting conversation and explains "Hindutva" in very simple terms to a layman.
Read it in leisure, but don't postpone and forget.
You may or may not accept all his statements - but, look at the way it is presented!!!!!!!
With Love & regards,
Yours in Divine Friendship.
J.K
WHY I AM A HINDU........................................................
Four years ago, I was flying from JFK NY Airport to SFO to attend a meeting at Monterey , CA An American girl was sitting on the right side, near window seat. It indeed was a long journey - it would take nearly seven hours.
I was surprised to see the young girl reading a Bible unusual of young Americans. After some time she smiled and we had few acquaintances talk.I told her that I am from India
Then suddenly the girl asked: 'What's your faith?' 'What?' I didn't understand the question.
'I mean, what's your religion? Are you a Christian? Or a Muslim?'
'No!' I replied, 'I am neither Christian nor Muslim'.
Apparently she appeared shocked to listen to that. 'Then who are you?' 'I am a Hindu', I said.
She looked at me as if she was seeing a caged animal. She could not understand what I was talking about.
A common man in Europe or US knows about Christianity and Islam, as they are the leading religions of the world today. But a Hindu, what?
I explained to her - I am born to a Hindu father and Hindu mother. Therefore, I am a Hindu by birth.
'Who is your prophet?' she asked.
'We don't have a prophet,' I replied.
'What's your Holy Book?'
'We don't have a single Holy Book, but we have hundreds and thousands of philosophical and sacred scriptures,' I replied.
'Oh, come on at least tell me who is your God?'
'What do you mean by that?'
'Like we have Jesus and Muslims have Allah - don't you have a God?'
I thought for a moment. Muslims and Christians believe one God (Male God) who created the world and takes an interest in the humans who inhabit it. Her mind is conditioned with that kind of belief.
According to her (or anybody who doesn't know about Hinduism), a religion needs to have one Prophet, one Holy book and one God. The mind is so conditioned and rigidly narrowed down to such a notion that anything else is not acceptable. I understood her perception and concept about faith. You can't compare Hinduism with any of the present leading religions where you have to believe in one concept of god.
I tried to explain to her: 'You can believe in one god and he can be a Hindu. You may believe in multiple deities and still you can be a Hindu. What's more - you may not believe in god at all, still you can be a Hindu. An atheist can also be a Hindu.'
This sounded very crazy to her. She couldn't imagine a religion so unorganised, still surviving for thousands of years, even after onslaught from foreign forces.
'I don't understand but it seems very interesting. Are you religious?'
What can I tell to this American girl?
I said: 'I do not go to temple regularly. I do not make any regular rituals. I have learned some of the rituals in my younger days. I still enjoy doing it sometimes..'
'Enjoy? Are you not afraid of God?'
'God is a friend. No- I am not afraid of God. Nobody has made any compulsions on me to perform these rituals regularly.'
She thought for a while and then asked: 'Have you ever thought of converting to any other religion?'
'Why should I? Even if I challenge some of the rituals and faith in Hinduism, nobody can convert me from Hinduism. Because, being a Hindu allows me to think independently and objectively, without conditioning. . I remain as a Hindu never by force, but choice.' I told her that Hinduism is not a religion, but a set of beliefs and practices. It is not a religion like Christianity or Islam because it is not founded by any one person or does not have an organised controlling body like the Church or the Order, I added. There is no institution or authority..
'So, you don't believe in God?' she wanted everything in black and white.
'I didn't say that. I do not discard the divine reality. Our scripture, or Sruthis or Smrithis - Vedas and Upanishads or the Gita - say God might be there or he might not be there. But we pray to that supreme abstract authority (Para Brahma) that is the creator of this universe..'
'Why can't you believe in one personal God?'
'We have a concept - abstract - not a personal god. The concept or notion of a personal God, hiding behind the clouds of secrecy, telling us irrational stories through few men whom he sends as messengers, demanding us to worship him or punish us, does not make sense. I don't think that God is as silly as an autocratic emperor who wants others to respect him or fear him.' I told her that such notions are just fancies of less educated human imagination and fallacies, adding that generally ethnic religious practitioners in Hinduism believe in personal gods. The entry level Hinduism has over-whelming superstitions too. The philosophical side of Hinduism negates all superstitions.
'Good that you agree God might exist. You told that you pray. What is your prayer then?'
'Loka Samastha Sukino Bhavantu. Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti,'
'Funny,' she laughed, 'What does it mean?'
'May all the beings in all the worlds be happy. Om Peace, Peace, Peace.'
'Hmm ..very interesting. I want to learn more about this religion. It is so democratic, broad-minded and free' she exclaimed.
'The fact is Hinduism is a religion of the individual, for the individual and by the individual with its roots in the Vedas and the Bhagavad-Gita. It is all about an individual approaching a personal God in an individual way according to his temperament and inner evolution - it is as simple as that.'
'How does anybody convert to Hinduism?'
'Nobody can convert you to Hinduism, because it is not a religion, but a set of beliefs and practices. Everything is acceptable in Hinduism because there is no single authority or organisation either to accept it or to reject it or to oppose it on behalf of Hinduism.'
I told her - if you look for meaning in life, don't look for it in religions; don't go from one cult to another or from one guru to the next.
For a real seeker, I told her, the Bible itself gives guidelines when it says ' Kingdom of God is within you.' I reminded her of Christ's teaching about the love that we have for each other. That is where you can find the meaning of life.
Loving each and every creation of the God is absolute and real. 'Isavasyam idam sarvam' Isam (the God) is present (inhabits) here everywhere - nothing exists separate from the God, because God is present everywhere. Respect every living being and non-living things as God. That's what Hinduism teaches you.
Hinduism is referred to as Sanathana Dharma, the eternal faith. It is based on the practice of Dharma, the code of life. The most important aspect of Hinduism is being truthful to oneself. Hinduism has no monopoly on ideas.- It is open to all. Hindus believe in one God (not a personal one) expressed in different forms. For them, God is timeless and formless entity.
Ancestors of today's Hindus believe in eternal truths and cosmic laws and these truths are opened to anyone who seeks them. But there is a section of Hindus who are either superstitious or turned fanatic to make this an organised religion like others. The British coin the word 'Hindu' and considered it as a religion.
I said: 'Religions have become an MLM (multi-level- marketing) industry that has been trying to expand the market share by conversion. The biggest business in today's world is Spirituality. Hinduism is no exception'
I am a Hindu primarily because it professes Non-violence - 'Ahimsa Paramo Dharma' - Non violence is the highest duty. I am a Hindu because it doesn't conditions my mind with any faith system.
A man/ woman who change 's his/her birth religion to another religion is a fake and does not value his/her morals, culture and values in life. Hinduism was the first religion originated. Be proud of your religion and be proud of who you are.
Aum Shanti , Shaanti, Shanthi.
Send it to all who you think will find it interesting! !!!!!!!!! !
Sunday, August 02, 2009
Diet & Exercise for busy people........................
Diet and exercise tips for busy people ...........................simple ones.
No excuse for busy people!!
Use the following tips to incorporate exercise into your busy day, weather you are at home ,on the commute or at work.
Many of us have little or no time for a traditional workout. Given the demands of family, work and school, the thought of spending time at the gym or outside jogging can seem like a fantasy. But even the busiest people can find ways to stay fit by changing their daily routine. Fitness experts recommended a minimum of 20-30 minutes if exercise three times a week. Even the minimum recommended amount of exercise can drastically improve your health, give you more energy and reduce stress.
At home.............................
Prepare your own meal instead of ordering take-out. Not only will you burn calories ,cooking, you can also make sure you use healthy ingredients and limit portion sizes. Put away your television remote so that you have to get up to change channels. You can also try stretching or doing aerobics while watching TV. Clean the old-fashioned way. Vigorous mopping, scrubbing and dusting can burn calories and develop muscles the same way as "real" exercise.
If you have yard, use a hand-mower or other hand tools when gardening.
You will both benefit from the added exercise, fresh air and time together.
Play with your children outside instead of watching movies or play video games. No kid is going to turn down a chance to play tag or shoot hopes with Father & Mother, you get exercise to boot.Walk to corner store instead of driving, and walk as much as possible when running errands.
On the commute....................................
If you live close enough, walk to work. Even it is only a mile away, a brisk walk each way can count as your daily exercise. If you live a little farther away, consider riding your bike to work. Cycling is one of the most beneficial, rewarding and fun exercise activities. If you make it a part of your daily commute, you will get to work energised and will be able to burn off steam on the way home. If walking or cycling isn't option, use public transport. You will get some exercise walking to and from the stops. You will also save money, reduce mileage on your car and promote a cleaner environment. If you must drive, park a few blocks away or at least at the far end of the lot to force yourself to walk more.
At work...........................................
Take the stairs to your floor. If you work on a higher floor, walk part of the way and then take the elevator. Bring your lunch. This allows you to pack healthy ingredients and control portions, as well as save money.
It is OK to go out to lunch with the gang occasionally, just not everyday. Get out of the office on your lunch break. Even if you brought your own lunch, don't eat at your desk. Walk some where else to build in some easy exercise.
Drink water or diet soda. You can remove hundreds of empty calories from your diet per day if you avoid regular soda.Turn a coffee break into a walk around the office. Take a few minutes every two hours to do some light stretching at your desk.
No excuse for busy people!!
Use the following tips to incorporate exercise into your busy day, weather you are at home ,on the commute or at work.
Many of us have little or no time for a traditional workout. Given the demands of family, work and school, the thought of spending time at the gym or outside jogging can seem like a fantasy. But even the busiest people can find ways to stay fit by changing their daily routine. Fitness experts recommended a minimum of 20-30 minutes if exercise three times a week. Even the minimum recommended amount of exercise can drastically improve your health, give you more energy and reduce stress.
At home.............................
Prepare your own meal instead of ordering take-out. Not only will you burn calories ,cooking, you can also make sure you use healthy ingredients and limit portion sizes. Put away your television remote so that you have to get up to change channels. You can also try stretching or doing aerobics while watching TV. Clean the old-fashioned way. Vigorous mopping, scrubbing and dusting can burn calories and develop muscles the same way as "real" exercise.
If you have yard, use a hand-mower or other hand tools when gardening.
You will both benefit from the added exercise, fresh air and time together.
Play with your children outside instead of watching movies or play video games. No kid is going to turn down a chance to play tag or shoot hopes with Father & Mother, you get exercise to boot.Walk to corner store instead of driving, and walk as much as possible when running errands.
On the commute....................................
If you live close enough, walk to work. Even it is only a mile away, a brisk walk each way can count as your daily exercise. If you live a little farther away, consider riding your bike to work. Cycling is one of the most beneficial, rewarding and fun exercise activities. If you make it a part of your daily commute, you will get to work energised and will be able to burn off steam on the way home. If walking or cycling isn't option, use public transport. You will get some exercise walking to and from the stops. You will also save money, reduce mileage on your car and promote a cleaner environment. If you must drive, park a few blocks away or at least at the far end of the lot to force yourself to walk more.
At work...........................................
Take the stairs to your floor. If you work on a higher floor, walk part of the way and then take the elevator. Bring your lunch. This allows you to pack healthy ingredients and control portions, as well as save money.
It is OK to go out to lunch with the gang occasionally, just not everyday. Get out of the office on your lunch break. Even if you brought your own lunch, don't eat at your desk. Walk some where else to build in some easy exercise.
Drink water or diet soda. You can remove hundreds of empty calories from your diet per day if you avoid regular soda.Turn a coffee break into a walk around the office. Take a few minutes every two hours to do some light stretching at your desk.
The process of re-incarnation........................
The Process of Reincarnation?.................................
Reincarnation, punarjanma, is the natural process of birth, death and rebirth. At death we drop off the physical body and continue evolving in the inner worlds in our subtle bodies, until we again enter into birth.
Through the ages, reincarnation has been the great consoling element within Hinduism, eliminating the fear of death, explaining why one person is born a genius and another an idiot. We are not the body in which we live but the immortal soul which inhabits many bodies in its evolutionary journey through samsara. After death, we continue to exist in unseen worlds, enjoying or suffering the harvest of earthly deeds until it comes time for yet another physical birth.
Because certain karmas can be resolved only in the physical world, we must enter another physical body to continue our evolution. After soaring into the causal plane, we enter a new womb. Subsequently the old manomaya kosha is slowly sloughed off and a new one created. The actions set in motion in previous lives form the tendencies and conditions of the next.
Reincarnation ceases when karma is resolved, God is realised and liberation attained. The Vedas say:-
"After death, the soul goes to the next world bearing in mind the subtle impressions of its deeds, and after reaping their harvest returns again to this world of action. Thus, he who has desires continues subject to rebirth."...................................
&
Always bear in mind.....................
"Never take some one for granted. Hold every person close to your heart and in high esteem, because you might wake up one day and realise that you have lost a diamond while you were busy collecting stones."
Reincarnation, punarjanma, is the natural process of birth, death and rebirth. At death we drop off the physical body and continue evolving in the inner worlds in our subtle bodies, until we again enter into birth.
Through the ages, reincarnation has been the great consoling element within Hinduism, eliminating the fear of death, explaining why one person is born a genius and another an idiot. We are not the body in which we live but the immortal soul which inhabits many bodies in its evolutionary journey through samsara. After death, we continue to exist in unseen worlds, enjoying or suffering the harvest of earthly deeds until it comes time for yet another physical birth.
Because certain karmas can be resolved only in the physical world, we must enter another physical body to continue our evolution. After soaring into the causal plane, we enter a new womb. Subsequently the old manomaya kosha is slowly sloughed off and a new one created. The actions set in motion in previous lives form the tendencies and conditions of the next.
Reincarnation ceases when karma is resolved, God is realised and liberation attained. The Vedas say:-
"After death, the soul goes to the next world bearing in mind the subtle impressions of its deeds, and after reaping their harvest returns again to this world of action. Thus, he who has desires continues subject to rebirth."...................................
&
Always bear in mind.....................
"Never take some one for granted. Hold every person close to your heart and in high esteem, because you might wake up one day and realise that you have lost a diamond while you were busy collecting stones."
Good Karma & Bad Karma.......................
Good Karma and Bad Karma?..................................
In the highest sense, there is no good or bad karma. All experience offers opportunities for spiritual growth. Selfless acts yield positive, uplifting conditions. Selfish acts yield conditions of negativity and confusion.
Karma itself is neither good nor bad but a neutral principle that governs energy and motion of thought, word and deed. All experience helps us grow. Good, loving actions bring to us lovingness through others. Mean, selfish acts bring back to us pain and suffering. Kindness produces sweet fruits, called punya. Unkindness yields spoiled fruits, called papa. As we mature, life after life, we go through much pain and joy.
Actions that are in tune with righteousness help us along the path, while non-righteous actions impede our progress. The divine law is: whatever karma we are experiencing in our life is just what we need at the moment, and nothing can happen but that we have the strength to meet it. Even harsh karma, when faced in wisdom, can be the greatest catalyst for spiritual unfoldment. Performing daily sadhana, keeping good company, pilgrimage to holy places, seeing to others' needs-these evoke the higher energies, direct the mind to useful thoughts and avoid the creation of troublesome new karmas. The Vedas explain.................
"According as one acts, so does he become. One becomes virtuous by virtuous action, bad by bad action."
&
Always Remember......................................................
"Life is always unsafe and unstable like a drop of water on the Lotus Leaf. The Company of Pujya Guruji even for a moment can save and redeem us."
In the highest sense, there is no good or bad karma. All experience offers opportunities for spiritual growth. Selfless acts yield positive, uplifting conditions. Selfish acts yield conditions of negativity and confusion.
Karma itself is neither good nor bad but a neutral principle that governs energy and motion of thought, word and deed. All experience helps us grow. Good, loving actions bring to us lovingness through others. Mean, selfish acts bring back to us pain and suffering. Kindness produces sweet fruits, called punya. Unkindness yields spoiled fruits, called papa. As we mature, life after life, we go through much pain and joy.
Actions that are in tune with righteousness help us along the path, while non-righteous actions impede our progress. The divine law is: whatever karma we are experiencing in our life is just what we need at the moment, and nothing can happen but that we have the strength to meet it. Even harsh karma, when faced in wisdom, can be the greatest catalyst for spiritual unfoldment. Performing daily sadhana, keeping good company, pilgrimage to holy places, seeing to others' needs-these evoke the higher energies, direct the mind to useful thoughts and avoid the creation of troublesome new karmas. The Vedas explain.................
"According as one acts, so does he become. One becomes virtuous by virtuous action, bad by bad action."
&
Always Remember......................................................
"Life is always unsafe and unstable like a drop of water on the Lotus Leaf. The Company of Pujya Guruji even for a moment can save and redeem us."
Reasons for Vegetarianism...............................
Reasons for Vegetarianism.................to save planet Earth and maintain a good physical and mental health.
Vegetarianism has for thousands of years been a principle of health and environmental ethics throughout India. Though Muslim and Christian colonisation radically undermined and eroded this ideal, it remains to this day a cardinal ethic of Hindu thought and practice. A subtle sense of guilt persists among Hindus who eat meat, and there exists an ongoing controversy on this issue. The Sanskrit for vegetarianism is shakahara, and one following a vegetarian diet is a shakahari. The term for meat-eating is mansahara, and the meat-eater is called mansahari. Ahara means "food" or "diet," shaka means "vegetable," and mansa means "meat" or "flesh."
Amazingly, people define vegetarian as a diet which excludes the meat of animals but does permit fish and eggs. But what really is vegetarianism? It is living only on foods produced by plants, with the addition of dairy products. Vegetarian foods include grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, milk, yogurt, cheese and butter. The strictest vegetarians, known as vegans, exclude all dairy products. Natural, fresh foods, locally grown without insecticides or chemical fertilizers are preferred. A vegetarian diet does not include meat, fish, shellfish, fowl or eggs.
For good health, even certain vegetarian foods are minimised: frozen and canned foods, highly processed foods, such as white rice, white sugar and white flour; and "junk" foods and beverages those with abundant chemical additives, such as artificial sweeteners, colourings, flavourings and preservatives.
In the past fifty years millions of meat-eaters have made the decision to stop eating the flesh of other creatures. There are five major motivations for such a decision:-
1) Many become vegetarian purely to uphold dharma, as the first duty to God and God's creation as defined by Vedic scripture.
2) Some abjure meat-eating because of the karmic consequences, knowing that by involving oneself, even indirectly, in the cycle of inflicting injury, pain and death by eating other creatures, one must in the future experience in equal measure the suffering caused.
3) Spiritual consciousness is another reason. Food is the source of the body's chemistry, and what we ingest affects our consciousness, emotions and experiential patterns. If one wants to live in higher consciousness, in peace and happiness and love for all creatures, then he cannot eat meat, fish, shellfish, fowl or eggs. By ingesting the grosser chemistries of animal foods, one introduces into the body and mind anger, jealousy, fear, anxiety, suspicion and a terrible fear of death, all of which are locked into the flesh of butchered creatures.
4) Medical studies prove that a vegetarian diet is easier to digest, provides a wider range of nutrients and imposes fewer burdens and impurities on the body. Vegetarians are less susceptible to all the major diseases that afflict contemporary humanity, and thus live longer, healthier, more productive lives. They have fewer physical complaints, less frequent visits to the doctor, fewer dental problems and smaller medical bills. Their immune system is stronger, their bodies purer and more refined, and their skin clearer, more supple and smooth.
5) Finally, there is the ecological reason. Planet Earth is suffering. In large measure, the escalating loss of species, destruction of ancient rain forests to create pasture lands for livestock, loss of topsoil and the consequent increase of water impurities and air pollution have all been traced to the single fact of meat in the human diet. No single decision that we can make as individuals or as a race can have such a dramatic effect on the improvement of our planetary ecology as the decision to not eat meat. Many conscious of the need to save the planet for future generations have made this decision for this reason and this reason alone.
Vegetarianism has for thousands of years been a principle of health and environmental ethics throughout India. Though Muslim and Christian colonisation radically undermined and eroded this ideal, it remains to this day a cardinal ethic of Hindu thought and practice. A subtle sense of guilt persists among Hindus who eat meat, and there exists an ongoing controversy on this issue. The Sanskrit for vegetarianism is shakahara, and one following a vegetarian diet is a shakahari. The term for meat-eating is mansahara, and the meat-eater is called mansahari. Ahara means "food" or "diet," shaka means "vegetable," and mansa means "meat" or "flesh."
Amazingly, people define vegetarian as a diet which excludes the meat of animals but does permit fish and eggs. But what really is vegetarianism? It is living only on foods produced by plants, with the addition of dairy products. Vegetarian foods include grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, milk, yogurt, cheese and butter. The strictest vegetarians, known as vegans, exclude all dairy products. Natural, fresh foods, locally grown without insecticides or chemical fertilizers are preferred. A vegetarian diet does not include meat, fish, shellfish, fowl or eggs.
For good health, even certain vegetarian foods are minimised: frozen and canned foods, highly processed foods, such as white rice, white sugar and white flour; and "junk" foods and beverages those with abundant chemical additives, such as artificial sweeteners, colourings, flavourings and preservatives.
In the past fifty years millions of meat-eaters have made the decision to stop eating the flesh of other creatures. There are five major motivations for such a decision:-
1) Many become vegetarian purely to uphold dharma, as the first duty to God and God's creation as defined by Vedic scripture.
2) Some abjure meat-eating because of the karmic consequences, knowing that by involving oneself, even indirectly, in the cycle of inflicting injury, pain and death by eating other creatures, one must in the future experience in equal measure the suffering caused.
3) Spiritual consciousness is another reason. Food is the source of the body's chemistry, and what we ingest affects our consciousness, emotions and experiential patterns. If one wants to live in higher consciousness, in peace and happiness and love for all creatures, then he cannot eat meat, fish, shellfish, fowl or eggs. By ingesting the grosser chemistries of animal foods, one introduces into the body and mind anger, jealousy, fear, anxiety, suspicion and a terrible fear of death, all of which are locked into the flesh of butchered creatures.
4) Medical studies prove that a vegetarian diet is easier to digest, provides a wider range of nutrients and imposes fewer burdens and impurities on the body. Vegetarians are less susceptible to all the major diseases that afflict contemporary humanity, and thus live longer, healthier, more productive lives. They have fewer physical complaints, less frequent visits to the doctor, fewer dental problems and smaller medical bills. Their immune system is stronger, their bodies purer and more refined, and their skin clearer, more supple and smooth.
5) Finally, there is the ecological reason. Planet Earth is suffering. In large measure, the escalating loss of species, destruction of ancient rain forests to create pasture lands for livestock, loss of topsoil and the consequent increase of water impurities and air pollution have all been traced to the single fact of meat in the human diet. No single decision that we can make as individuals or as a race can have such a dramatic effect on the improvement of our planetary ecology as the decision to not eat meat. Many conscious of the need to save the planet for future generations have made this decision for this reason and this reason alone.
Keep pur surroundings by keepimg your Home Clean........
Keeping Pure Surroundings................by keeping your Home clean. A very Good one to read.
Cleaning the house is an act of purifying one's immediate environment. Each piece of furniture, as well as the doorways and the walls, catches and holds the emanations of the human aura of each individual in the home, as well as each of its visitors. This residue must be wiped away through dusting and cleaning. This regular attentiveness keeps each room sparkling clean and actinic. Unless this is done, the rooms of the home become overpowering to the consciousness of the individuals who live within them as their auras pick up the old accumulated feelings of days gone by. Small wonder that a dirty room can depress you, and one freshly cleaned can invigorate.
In these years, when both mother and father work in the outside world, the house is often simply where they sleep and eat. But if a home receives all of the daily attentions of cleaning it sparkly bright, both astrally and physically, it becomes a welcoming place and not an empty shell. The Deva's can live within a home that is clean and well regulated, where the routine of breakfast, lunch and dinner is upheld, where early morning devotionals are performed and respected, a home which the family lives together within, eats together within, talks together within, worships together within. Such a home is the abode of the Deva's. Other kinds of homes are the abodes of asuric forces and dis incarnate entities bound to Earth by lower desires.
It is very important that the samskaras are performed properly and perfectly , particularly the funeral, ceremonies so as to restore purity in the home after a death. Birth and death require the family to observe a moratorium of at least thirty-one days during which they do not enter the temple or the shrine room. Such obligatory ritual customs are important to follow for those wishing to restrain their desires and perfect cleanliness in body, mind and speech, keeping good company, keeping the mind pure and avoiding impure thoughts.
Purity and impurity can be discerned in the human aura. We see purity in the brilliancy of the aura of one who is restraining and disciplining the lower instinctive nature. His aura is bright with white rays from his soul lightening up the various hues and colours of his moods and emotions.
Impure people have black shading in the colours of their aura as they go through their moods and emotions. Black in the aura is from the lower worlds, the worlds of darkness.
Cleaning the house is an act of purifying one's immediate environment. Each piece of furniture, as well as the doorways and the walls, catches and holds the emanations of the human aura of each individual in the home, as well as each of its visitors. This residue must be wiped away through dusting and cleaning. This regular attentiveness keeps each room sparkling clean and actinic. Unless this is done, the rooms of the home become overpowering to the consciousness of the individuals who live within them as their auras pick up the old accumulated feelings of days gone by. Small wonder that a dirty room can depress you, and one freshly cleaned can invigorate.
In these years, when both mother and father work in the outside world, the house is often simply where they sleep and eat. But if a home receives all of the daily attentions of cleaning it sparkly bright, both astrally and physically, it becomes a welcoming place and not an empty shell. The Deva's can live within a home that is clean and well regulated, where the routine of breakfast, lunch and dinner is upheld, where early morning devotionals are performed and respected, a home which the family lives together within, eats together within, talks together within, worships together within. Such a home is the abode of the Deva's. Other kinds of homes are the abodes of asuric forces and dis incarnate entities bound to Earth by lower desires.
It is very important that the samskaras are performed properly and perfectly , particularly the funeral, ceremonies so as to restore purity in the home after a death. Birth and death require the family to observe a moratorium of at least thirty-one days during which they do not enter the temple or the shrine room. Such obligatory ritual customs are important to follow for those wishing to restrain their desires and perfect cleanliness in body, mind and speech, keeping good company, keeping the mind pure and avoiding impure thoughts.
Purity and impurity can be discerned in the human aura. We see purity in the brilliancy of the aura of one who is restraining and disciplining the lower instinctive nature. His aura is bright with white rays from his soul lightening up the various hues and colours of his moods and emotions.
Impure people have black shading in the colours of their aura as they go through their moods and emotions. Black in the aura is from the lower worlds, the worlds of darkness.
Claim the Being of Yourself...............................
Claim the Being Of Yourself..................................
We say, "I am sick," and in the English language that means my body is sick, or I am aware of this body not being in a perfect state of health. The mystic knows he is not this body. He can even remember dropping off the body many, many different times, getting new bodies through the process of reincarnation. We are not what we are aware of. We are separate from that which we are aware of. We are only flowing through these areas of the mind. If we live in Chennai, we're not Chennai. If we live in unhappiness, we're not unhappiness. That's only one of the cities and state of the mind. This is a great meditation. We can grasp this awakening in thirty seconds. We can grasp this awakening in thirty hours, or thirty minutes. We can grasp this awakening and have it come to us vibrantly in thirty weeks, thirty months, or thirty years or thirty lifetimes. It just depends upon our willpower.
As soon as we can understand awareness detached from that which it is aware of, we have a vibrant energy, a tremendous drive; a tremendous willpower is released from within us. And we live with the feeling that we can do anything that we want to do, almost as quickly as we want to do it. We want things to happen now, for we vividly see the area where they already exist within the force fields of the mind itself.
How do we live our life from this point? We begin to apply this philosophy in every department of our life. There are some habit patterns in our subconscious mind that have not caught up with this new perspective as yet. And we will be running up against them. As soon as we find awareness totally identified with a subconscious area that has become conscious, immediately turn inward, detach awareness from that which it is aware of and just be pure energy.
We can expect a beautiful life, a beautiful relationship with the being of our self. Claim the being of our self as we. WE have enough knowledge now. We don't have to discover the being of our self and keep looking for it. Just be the being of our self and travel through the mind as the traveller travels around the globe.
The wonderful story of awareness, could go on and on talking about it, because it is so very basic and so very, very important. This then makes an infinite intelligence and everyone the same. Only, they are living in different areas of the mind, or different houses.
We say, "I am sick," and in the English language that means my body is sick, or I am aware of this body not being in a perfect state of health. The mystic knows he is not this body. He can even remember dropping off the body many, many different times, getting new bodies through the process of reincarnation. We are not what we are aware of. We are separate from that which we are aware of. We are only flowing through these areas of the mind. If we live in Chennai, we're not Chennai. If we live in unhappiness, we're not unhappiness. That's only one of the cities and state of the mind. This is a great meditation. We can grasp this awakening in thirty seconds. We can grasp this awakening in thirty hours, or thirty minutes. We can grasp this awakening and have it come to us vibrantly in thirty weeks, thirty months, or thirty years or thirty lifetimes. It just depends upon our willpower.
As soon as we can understand awareness detached from that which it is aware of, we have a vibrant energy, a tremendous drive; a tremendous willpower is released from within us. And we live with the feeling that we can do anything that we want to do, almost as quickly as we want to do it. We want things to happen now, for we vividly see the area where they already exist within the force fields of the mind itself.
How do we live our life from this point? We begin to apply this philosophy in every department of our life. There are some habit patterns in our subconscious mind that have not caught up with this new perspective as yet. And we will be running up against them. As soon as we find awareness totally identified with a subconscious area that has become conscious, immediately turn inward, detach awareness from that which it is aware of and just be pure energy.
We can expect a beautiful life, a beautiful relationship with the being of our self. Claim the being of our self as we. WE have enough knowledge now. We don't have to discover the being of our self and keep looking for it. Just be the being of our self and travel through the mind as the traveller travels around the globe.
The wonderful story of awareness, could go on and on talking about it, because it is so very basic and so very, very important. This then makes an infinite intelligence and everyone the same. Only, they are living in different areas of the mind, or different houses.
Saturday, August 01, 2009
Philosophy of Life...................................
Philosophy of Life................For transformation of our lives.
"If you are born poor it's not your mistake, but if you die poor it's your
mistake".........................BILL GATES-
"In a day when you don't come across any problems you can be sure that you are travelling in a wrong path.................SWAMI VIVEKANANDA-
"Three sentences for attaining "success":-
1.Know more than other.
2.Work more than other.
3.Expect less than other........................WILLIAM SHAKESPHERE-
"If you win you need not explain, but if you lose, you should not be there to explain."....................ADOLPH HITLER-
"Don't compare yourself with any one in this world. If you do so, you are insulting yourself."..................ALEN STRIKE-
"Winning doe not always mean being first, winning means you are doing better than you have done before."....................BENNIE BLAIR-
"I will not say I failed 1000 times, I will say that I discovered there are 1000 ways that can cause failure."..................THOMAS EDISON-
"Every one thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself."............................LEO TOLSTOY-
"Believing everybody is dangerous, Believing nobody is very dangerous."....................... ABRAHAM LINCOLN-
"If some one feels that they had never made any mistake in their life, then it means they had never tried a new thing in their life."..........................EINSTEIN-
"Never break four things in your life- TRUST, PROMISE, RELATION & HEART because when they break they don't make noise, but pains a lot"......................CHARLES-
"If you start judging people you will have no time to LOVE them."....................MOTHER TERESA
"If you are born poor it's not your mistake, but if you die poor it's your
mistake".........................BILL GATES-
"In a day when you don't come across any problems you can be sure that you are travelling in a wrong path.................SWAMI VIVEKANANDA-
"Three sentences for attaining "success":-
1.Know more than other.
2.Work more than other.
3.Expect less than other........................WILLIAM SHAKESPHERE-
"If you win you need not explain, but if you lose, you should not be there to explain."....................ADOLPH HITLER-
"Don't compare yourself with any one in this world. If you do so, you are insulting yourself."..................ALEN STRIKE-
"Winning doe not always mean being first, winning means you are doing better than you have done before."....................BENNIE BLAIR-
"I will not say I failed 1000 times, I will say that I discovered there are 1000 ways that can cause failure."..................THOMAS EDISON-
"Every one thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself."............................LEO TOLSTOY-
"Believing everybody is dangerous, Believing nobody is very dangerous."....................... ABRAHAM LINCOLN-
"If some one feels that they had never made any mistake in their life, then it means they had never tried a new thing in their life."..........................EINSTEIN-
"Never break four things in your life- TRUST, PROMISE, RELATION & HEART because when they break they don't make noise, but pains a lot"......................CHARLES-
"If you start judging people you will have no time to LOVE them."....................MOTHER TERESA
The jury is still out..........................
The jury is still out
Meaning
Judgement has not yet been finalised on a particular subject;
especially due to information being incomplete.
Origin
'The Jury Is Still Out' has been a staple headline in US newspapers
for at least 150 years. For example, this from The New York
Daily-Times, May 1850:
"The [Gardiner Trial] Jury are still out, with no prospect of
immediate agreement."
The phrase has continued to be used in this literal sense. The
emergence of the figurative use of 'the jury is still out', i.e. as a
reference to a non-legal decision where no actual jury is involved,
began in the USA in the 1940s and has now become somewhat hackneyed.
For example, the expression was used in a report of a baseball game,
published in the Indiana newspaper The Terre Haute Star in July 1949:
The jury is still out on his [Orestes Minoso] batting ability.
There are a few examples of the phrase's use, mostly in a sporting
context, throughout the 1940s and 50s, but it was a specific event
that brought it fully into the language - the infamous Finch-Tregoff
murder trials in 1959/61. Dr. Bernard Finch was a middle-aged Los
Angeles surgeon and Carole Tregoff was described in newspapers at the
time as 'his shapely young receptionist'. The murder of Finch's wife
and the subsequent trials were a cause célèbre. At each of the the
couple's three trials the jury took their time in coming to a
judgement and hacks must have got tired of typing 'Jury Still Out'
each day. This newspaper cutting was typical of the hundreds of
stories that ran during 1959 to 1961:
At the third trial, during March and April 1961, the pair were finally
convicted of murder.
Had Dr. Finch kept his mind on surgery, we would probably not now have
the cliché 'the jury is still out' at our disposal. I'll leave it to
you to decide whether that's to the good or not.
Meaning
Judgement has not yet been finalised on a particular subject;
especially due to information being incomplete.
Origin
'The Jury Is Still Out' has been a staple headline in US newspapers
for at least 150 years. For example, this from The New York
Daily-Times, May 1850:
"The [Gardiner Trial] Jury are still out, with no prospect of
immediate agreement."
The phrase has continued to be used in this literal sense. The
emergence of the figurative use of 'the jury is still out', i.e. as a
reference to a non-legal decision where no actual jury is involved,
began in the USA in the 1940s and has now become somewhat hackneyed.
For example, the expression was used in a report of a baseball game,
published in the Indiana newspaper The Terre Haute Star in July 1949:
The jury is still out on his [Orestes Minoso] batting ability.
There are a few examples of the phrase's use, mostly in a sporting
context, throughout the 1940s and 50s, but it was a specific event
that brought it fully into the language - the infamous Finch-Tregoff
murder trials in 1959/61. Dr. Bernard Finch was a middle-aged Los
Angeles surgeon and Carole Tregoff was described in newspapers at the
time as 'his shapely young receptionist'. The murder of Finch's wife
and the subsequent trials were a cause célèbre. At each of the the
couple's three trials the jury took their time in coming to a
judgement and hacks must have got tired of typing 'Jury Still Out'
each day. This newspaper cutting was typical of the hundreds of
stories that ran during 1959 to 1961:
At the third trial, during March and April 1961, the pair were finally
convicted of murder.
Had Dr. Finch kept his mind on surgery, we would probably not now have
the cliché 'the jury is still out' at our disposal. I'll leave it to
you to decide whether that's to the good or not.
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