Exploring the Inner world of Consciousness

In recent years, consciousness has become a significant area of research in the fields of psychology, neuroscience and metaphysics. Consciousness studies have also branched into several subsets like animal consciousness, artificial consciousness, the consciousness of trees and plants (However minimal it may be), measurement of consciousness and the factors that contribute to consciousness.

In the 17th century, western scholars- metaphysics turned philosophers- Des Cartes (1596-1650) and Locke (1632-1704) tried to comprehend the nature of consciousness, Thereafter, several studies followed on the same line (Sir. Roger Penrose et al). But in India such ruminations date right back to the Vedic Days,

Five sheaths cover the self of a human being, Yama tells Nachiketa in Katha Upanishad. They are Annamaya (the Gross Body), Pranamaya (The layer of Vital energy), Manomaya (The layer of Mind), Vijnanamaya (The realm of intelligence) and Ananadamaya (The Realm of bliss).

For the eternal question of "Who Am I?", the seeker was given proper guidance when the sages of yore differentiated the Self that interacts with the outside world in the wakeful state ('Jagrat'), from the self that indulges in the inner world in the dream state ('Swapna') and the  self that draws a total blank during the dreamless Sleep ('Sushupthi'). These are the three different states of consciousness of an ordinary human being.

But a spiritual seeker with his regular practice or 'Sadhana' might be able to reach a state beyond these three called 'Turiya' (Transcendental State). It is on state that the American philosopher Henry Thoreau expounded his theory of Transcendentalism that motivated Mahatma Gandhi. In 'Turya' consciousness in its pristine purity merges with the all pervading universal or Cosmic consciousness called Brahman in Indian philosophy. Mandukya Upanishad gives us a detailed account of the pursuit of liberation or 'Moksha' through these steps.

Patanjali starts Yoga Sutra with the statement that yoga is 'Chittavritti Nirodha' i.e., the elimination of turbulence of the mind. This is the path of a yogi to reach he cosmic source of wisdom and energy. The yogic exercises are based on the concept of the seven 'Chakras' or centres where the cosmic energy in a human body whirls constantly.

Yogic anatomy identifies 5 of these lower chakras with a corresponding nerve plexus on the central channel of spinal cord called Sushumna Nadi starting from the base of the spine (Mooladhara)  where the 'Kundalini' lies in a state of stupor. When aroused through yoga, it moves up through the spots slightly above the base (Swadishtana),  at the level of the navel (Manipura), at the level of the heart (Anahata), and at the neck (Vishuddha). And the the uppermost two, the Ajna, (between the twi eyebrows) and Sahasraara (Below the top central scalp of the head) are intimately connected with the functioning of the two tiny ductless glands, the pituitary and pineal glands in the brain.

The Ajna chakra is used by an accomplished yogi as a transmitting station to send messages in the form of thought waves to other humans and 'Sahasrara' is the receiving station wherein cosmic uplink is possible for him. Sree M, in his book Jewel in the Lotus gives us a lucid description of all these. In Shri M. K Ramachandran's travelogue Thapobhumi Utharakhand, he tells us how, near Gomugh, he saw a young sanyasin belonging to navanath sadhu sangam receiving messages like this. Paramahamsa yogananda also gives us an account of this in his 'Autibiography of a Yogi'. All these provide us the evidence of the presence of being with such superhuman consciousness even in todays world although they are very rare now.

Contemplation and meditation are the processes by which we bring about the sublimation of our consciousness, elevating it to higher levels of awareness. In this process man's knowledge also gets transformed. At the lowest , there is 'Ajnana' or ignorance when one's impressions are restricted to those obtained through the sensors. Higher than that there is Jnana  or knowledge of the Self and other things acquired through intellect , scriptures and teachers. Still higher is 'Vijnana'  discriminative knowledge that is able to differentiate the veiled but real (Truth) from the apparent but the unreal illusion.

Reaching out towards greater perfection, one attains the intuitive experience of Brahman where the duality of the knower and the known ceases to exist. This relationship is achieved when the mind which is only a continuous stream of thoughts is transcended. "I am daily making myself what I am", says Robert Thurman, the eminent Buddhist scholar at Columbia University.

To the question "Where does the soul go after it leaves the body?" Dr. Brian Weiss gives the following answer: "I see the soul as a body of energy, the splits off again, intact, when it returns to a new life". This doctor, who runs the Weiss Institute, Florida, is the author of a series of books beginning with Many Lives, Many Masters. He uses regression therapy- helping a patient through hypnosis to go back to his earlier births- as a tool to heal his present ailments.

He tries progression therapy too by enabling people to peep into the various options that future births offer them and to exercise their choice by regulating their present action. For him, hypnosis is a technique of meditation to gain access to the subconscious. Dr. Larry Dossey, in his book Reinventing Medicine, observes that among heart patients, those who were prayed for from a distant place by their kith and kin had better clinical recovery that those who received only medical attention. This well-connectedness is the principle behind empathy too.

Dr. Weiss' conception of God is as a loving, wise energy that is in every cell of our body. In India, Dr. B M Hegde, through his innumerable articles and lectures propagates his contention that the human body is a huge colony of lakhs of cells which are conscious individually and ready to work in unison for the well being of the whole body. 'Deepak Chopra', the author of 'Quantum Healing' started as an endocrinologist but ended up founding the Chopra centre of wellbeing based  on Ayurveda and on his ideas of mind-body relationship. Opposing the reductionist thinking modern medicine, he argues that it is  consciousness that is the key to evolution and feels confident that it will soon be proved.

With consciousness studies thus embracing a whole spectrum of human activity, time is  ripe enough for us to use their insights for the betterment of the present human predicament on earth. We realise that prayer helps us to be  at peace with ourselves, our vibrations improve and our judgement becomes sounder. We feel a sense of security and  our spiritual quotient improves. The world now is torn with divisive tendencies arising from freaks and cranks with a variety of psychological abnormalities like lopsided notions and frenzied ideas. The ultimate solution for their malady lies in the sublimation of human consciousness through a collective effort to build a society of greater sanity and  perfect mental health.

Ms. P Latha

Compiled from Bhavan's Journal,

15, 2015

Empowering people with Positive Thoughts

Thoughts that people harbour in the inner recesses of their minds are either negative or positive. Negative thoughts are dark depressive and can even be destructive. A person with a negative mindset can view things only in their negative form. To him most things are painted black. There is no porosity for sunshine to filter in. Hence the thoughts and actions which germinate from such a mindset are generally reprehensible in character. Its physical manifestation is always ugly and it generally results in a colossal damage and destruction. Hence negative thoughts must never be entertained or encouraged for they are harmful and cause much suffering to those who become victims. Moreover, it is always seen that the individual harbouring such thoughts get equally affected too by their vileness. The velocity of their destruction is far greater than any mechanical or explosive device can cause. Its destructive power is all the more worrisome because it actually has the human psyche in its grip.

Human beings are social animals. We are naturally gregarious. hence by natural law  we interact with each other without being judgmental. In the process of interaction human beings influence each other as thoughts are not confined in the recesses of the individual's mind only. Thoughts are what we are and we are what our thoughts are . The two are intrinsically bound and hence the resultant synergy finds expression in our speech and actions. How we look upon people, what our behaviour is towards them, our reactions and so on. We have enough historical evidence, both past and present show us the destruction, the mayhem that people with discordant minds can cause. How many wars have have the world fought? How many riots ? How many acts of revenge have been perpetrated? It is time we learnt from our past experiences and tried to change not only ourselves but also mentor  others to change.

This is perhaps the only effective way that a change can be brought about. But success will not be easily achieved. The road will have many twists and turns. We have to introspect deeply and find ways to change out thought process. We must also stop being in the company of negative minded people and try to be with people who have positive characteristics. A laborious and uphill task this will be but we must try nevertheless. Since the human psyche is resistant to change, our efforts need to be stepped up to the point of being convincingly persuasive.

Studies and research have shown that the mind can be empowered with positive energy in order to improve our mental wellness. By self-analysing and mentoring by the people who are positive minded,om we can control our negative thoughts and feelings. By constant vigilance we can prevent ourselves from being overtaken by negative feelings of anger, jealousy or thoughts of revenge. This is why it is always heartening to meet a person who always upholds a positive perspective of life.  A person who can easily smile, appreciate others' success, can readily compliment people, exudes a confidence which is infectious. His confidence makes others feel confident and invigorated. If we can change the direction of our negative energy and channelise our thoughts into positive energy we can extradicate much of the negativity that exists among us. As someone said, "Your mind is a garden, Your thoughts are the seeds. You can grow flowers or weeds."

Surendralal Mehta

Bhavan's Journal, 31, 2o13

10 Reasons why we should learn to play an Instrument

-Sonja Park

Music is therapeutic. It has the power to heal, inspire, create love, harmony and friendship across the world; But also to help you in everyday life if you start learn one. There are many reasons why you should play and instrument, as well as it just being something to do. It can teach you the skills and be spiritual for the mind. Here are my 10 best why one should learn an instrument, irrespective of age.

1. Improves performance on cognitive tasks

You can teach an old dog new tricks for people over the age of 66, after four or five months of playing a musical instrument for an hour a week, there are strong changes in the brain- the parts that control hearing memory and the part part that controls the hands, among others, all become more active. The effects are long lasting too- for adults aged 66-80 the more years a person had spent playing an instrument, the better they perform on tests of word recall, nonverbal memory and cognitive flexibility. Other results show that playing an instrument can help your IQ increase by seven points

2. Increases the capacity of your memory

Adults and children can both benefit from learning to play an instrument because it helps the mind to be alert and remain acive eventually helping to sharpen the memory. This makes learning a foreign language easier and makes you more perceptive to interpreting the emotions of others. This is due to the fact that learning an instrument requires you to learn about tones and scores which increases your ability to store audio information. Therefore it becomes easier to pick up other languages and have a better verbal memory in your own language.

3. Refines your time management and organisational skills

In order to learn an instrument successfully you have to learn how to be organised and manage your time wisely. To progress quicker, a musician will learn how to use his or her time efficiently and plan different challenges to work on. When you see yourself continuously improving, you will be motivated and ready to take on those new challenges

4. Enhances your co-ordination

If you learn how to play an instrument the parts of your brain that control motor skills grow and become more active. By reading musical notes on a page your brain muct convert that note into specific motor patterns while also controlling breathing and rhythm as well. Also, for most instruments, you have to be able to have your fingers and.or limbs each performing different tasks simultaneously. 

5. Betters your mathematical ability

In order to read music  you have to count notes and rhythms, which has the effect of improving your mathematical skills. Learning music theory includes many mathematical aspects so its not surprising that it can help you understand things like fractions more effectively. 

6. Fosters your self-expression

The more advanced you become on an instrument, you’ll begin to be able to play what you want and however you want. Since is an art form, you can easily play a piece and use it as an outlet for your emotions. Playing an instrument of your own will not only help you relax, but can help buld confidence and give you a sense of achievement.

7. Provides health benefits

Playing music acts as a form of therapy, having a calming effects on the mind and body. In particular, music has been found to reduce blood-pressure levels while other studies suggest that music therapy helps children and teens with attention deficit disorder, insomnia, and depression. It can also be good for exercise, with varying degrees of fitness depending on the instrument. 90 mnutes of drumming burns am many as 500 calories. 

8. Teaches you discipline responsibility and perseverance

Learning to play an instrument takes time and effort, which results in you learning patience and perseverance. To get a musical phrase or entire song down with as few mistakes as possible takes great focus and repetition since most people will not be able to play a piece of music perfectly for the first time. In fact, the majority of musicians have to work on difficult sections of music multiple times in a row before they can play it correctly. Since it is such a challenge, this teaches you self-discipline and the importance if maintaining a steady practice schedule.

9. Relieves Stress

Music can soothe not only others but the musician as well. The sound combined with the release of creativity and emotion, as well as the simple vibration of an instrument against a players body, can significantly lower a musicians stress levels. Playing any instrument can actually help release the endorphins in your body, which will also result in reduced levels of stress.

10. Its Just Fun

Even after learning the simplest three chords, you have the ability to write your own song, So many famous song writers have written severa well-known songs using only a few chords and there is nothing like playing a song you just learned or wrote for a friend or playing it with friends. You don’t have to be Beethoven or Mozart here, you just have to have a desire to learn! So go and pick up your desired instrument today. 

Ofcourse, I would always say that the best instrument is the piano

Sonja Park performs regularly at special events and for the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra. She also has a scheme to get young people involved in playing music. Please visit www.movingyoungerartists.com

NB: Please note this was forwarded by a friend, we thought this would be a good article to all.

5 Steps to turn Wishes to Goals

Setting Goals has two valuable assets-- a sense of originality and stepping stone to illuminate the path. Goals put one at the helm of life: pursuing them acknowledges a better future situation. They help to steer a course of life rather than simply drifting along and letting things happen.

Setting goals may appear easy, but for some it is quite challenging. Fear of failure may be avoided in the absence of any goals. After all, one has to decide what he wants to achieve in the end.

To turn wishes into goals, experts recommend a five step approach.

First the goal should be specific. If it is building a house, what exactly is the capacity and how long can it stretch.

Second, is the goal measurable? We must be able to count or mark the outcome in some way. if playing football our exact role and position has to be clearly defined.

Third, is the goal attainable and reachable? We cant become President or Prime Minister, but can hope to hold the office of an important socail worker and deliver results.

Fourth, is the goal realistic? Remember, there is a thin line between reaching the stars and losing grip on reality. The best way to test whether the goal is realised or not is to make a presentation before the self  and others too.

If defensive and not aggressive, the goal perhaps lacks realism. We must have the clear picture in mind and must have the ability to adhere to that picture.

Fifth, the goal should be time-based. If there is no time-frame, we postpone it and it never gets done.

For example, to reduce weight we know how to go about. But without consistent action, it never becomes a reality. It may be exercise, diet and stress-free thoughts. All these have to be practiced and implemented without hesitation, doubt or indifference!

Visions, wishes, intentions and dreams are all valuable. They spark imagination and encourage us to define where we want to reach. In order to get there, however, we need to bring down life images down to earth and plan to execute our strategies.

The quality and quantity of energy we put forth, directly impact the results. Life is something like a trumpet. If we don't put anything in, we can't get anything out.

Today is when everything we have wanted should happen, the day when all excuses expire. It is the day when we are standing one step away from success or one step away from disaster. The majority in this world will never do anything and never get anywhere close to their true potential. Remember, winning takes time and it demands discipline.

It takes just an instant to start, but it takes forever to count to infinity.

The number that counts is number one. Subsequent numbers are just figures- and the impact much less. The place where the results led us is not as significant as the fact that we have arrived. There is no point in thinking what is not possible.

Thrill is in stretching the parameters and making it happen. Life is story that we experience and narrate. Know where the ending is and try to reach there somehow.Life is  what one makes of it. It is not the parents, teachers or bosses who make and shape our lives; it is ourselves. Life is really simple. 'Rules to live by' is the place, we must find out and reach there before others. Integrity, character, respect etc all come from the rules book. It is the convention, tradition that pronounces who we really are. 

Success is walk in the dark. Finding the right footing, precisely mastering the skills and getting to the next place, all depend on how we approach and tackle the problem. The best way to get from where we are, to where we want to be is to find the footing of our next step when we take the next step, it should support and hold us without a crack!

My father used to say: "Treat others, the way they want to be treated. then they will treat you the way you want to be treated. The way others act towards usually reflects how you act towards them. If you apply a higher level of skill and treat others the way they want to be treated, you will see rapport developing. Then, you become a team instead of an individual!

Variation contributes to life's richness and stimulates learning, enabling us to develop new insights and self-awareness. So why not practice and get the benefit?"

T G L Iyer

Gayatri Mantra: Its Significance

"Ohm Bhoorbhuvah Suvaha

Tat Savithurvaraenyam

Bhargoo devasya dheemahi

Dhiyo yo nah prachodayath"

All things in the universe obey what we call laws of Nature. In other words, they automatically obey the commands of Gods. The evolution of planets and stars, the recurrence of seasons, the growth and decay and  decay of trees, the ripening of corn and the behaviour of birds and beasts- all these are subject to the will of the immanent God. There is a single exception to this common rule. And that is the mind of man. In this domain alone the divine law is kept in abeyance. For man is endowed with a will of his own. He alone has the freedom in the universe either to obey or disobey God. His highest happiness, according to the teaching of all religions, would consist in his falling in line with the rest of the universe and making his free will coincide with the will of the creator. He would then be doing voluntarily what the other orders of creation are doing automatically.

But man, in his ignorance, thinks his happiness consists in going according to his own will even when he knows that it is against the divine law. This is his fundamental 'Ajnaana' or ignorance. From this Ajnaana arises his sin and sorrow and all the ills. So his best prayer should ever be that his free will might be prompted not by his own desires, but by the will of the Immanent spirit and that he should be a willing instrument in its hands.

This is exactly what the gayatri mantra teaches us to do.

For, in it we meditate on the luminous Prescence of the creator of the universe in the form of the SUN so that he might prompt our minds according to his own creative will.

The Gayatri Mantra means, "Om, the eternal pervades the earth and the heaven and all that lies in between. on his adorable and divine radiance we meditate. may he prompt our minds".

gayatri mantra, which derives its name from its metre, may be said to contain the essence of the hindu philosophy in the form of a common prayer. At the very outset, the three words, viz.Bhooh, Bhuvah and Suvah which are called 'Vyahritis' in sanskrit represent all the lokas or the worlds.

These three words therefore convey that the Supreme spirit designated by the letter OM is immanent in the universe-in all the worlds known to us. the mantra is one of the oldest available Divine hymns.

Even though many revolutionary changes have taken place in our religious beliefs, the Gayatri continues to persist and has even today a compelling charm of its own to almost all Hindus. This has been attributed to the fact that it has been the experience of many that the repetition of this mantra with the right understanding of its sacred meanings, removes all negative tendencies in the human mind.

This mantra is never chanted for the purpose of material gains, either physical or otherwise. its very invocation concludes with an appeal to the Paramatmum to illumine our mind and heart. in other words, it is a prayer unto the self to unveil itself and come to manifest as pure wisdom in our life.

The speciality of the Gayatri is that it contains the essence of Jnana yoga, bhakti Yoga and Karma Yoga. It is the essence Jnana Yoga because we are no longer subject to the primal 'Ajnana' of preferring our own transitory desires to the purposes of the Supreme Spirit. It is the essence of Bhakti Yoga because we willingly surrender ourselves to the sovereign Ruler of the universe. And it is the essence of Karma Yoga because we are to be prompted in all our activities not by self-will, but by the will of God.

The mantra thus contains in a nutshell the highest religious philosophy of the hindus.

It is chanted in the twilight hours both in the morning and evening. As Brahman is the supreme Reality of everyone, as the sun belongs to all, the Gayatri Mantra is a precious spiritual wealth of every human being who realises the value and significance of this great mantra.

It is the common practice to chant this Mantra a minimum of 108 times as in the evening.

Our ancient Rishis discovered that during sunrise and sunset there is a special subtle vibration in the energies emanating from the sun and this has significant positive effects on the life-current in all beings. Therefore, if the Gayatri is chanted at these times it will have beneficial effects.

There is another, greater significance concealed in the Gayatri Mantra. this may be traced to the contrast between the two words 'Bargah' and 'Dhiyah', which occur in the mantra. 'Bhargah' the light of the sun, which symbolises divine consciousness.

And 'Dhiyah' phases of individual consciousness. Therefore, the meditation on the mantra should be considered as an endeavour on the part of the individual consciousness to grow into Divine Consciousness

Thus the Gayatri Mantra may be said to contain the quintessence of Religion

--B M N Murthy

Bhavan's Journal

Feb, 2014

Focus is essential to move ahead

As a victim of failure we wonder why we have not succeeded as well as many who are less deserving, and we hold fate to be responsible. If that be the case, the best advice one can give is to look back into our past.

At times we take up many things together but fail to finish even one, because there is disarray of thoughts and actions. These are the real causes of failure. One can attempt many things simutaneously and end up doing nothing well.

The popular saying "Jack of all trades and master of none", describes those who find themselves left behind on the road to achievements and who enviously stare at those who keep zooming past.

But there is never a soul so lost that it cannot get back on to Truth's roadway if it tries persistently enough. What needs to be done is to come out of the quagmire which one has landed in due inaction, indolence, and indifference.

The turnaround commences when one realises that no sooner one begins a piece of work he also gets seized with a feverishdesire to do something else. As a result one rushes through what one has started to accomplish, at a breakneck speed, undermining the work in hand for the work in mind.

Thought initiates action, thought is power and when thought is dissipated in doing something other than what one started out to do in the first place, thinking gets wasted.

The road to success lies along the path of decision. and up the hill of endeavour and across the bridge of patience.

We should take the first step  with conviction and take it right now and stay on course. Once we are already walking on the the path it will certainly lead to success.

-Sunderlal G Mehta

Old Indian System Transcends New Science

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."

-- Martin Luther King

Ayurveda, the great Indian wisdom, system of medicure, in its treatise avers "Aapthopase vibhavetaarogyam..." which translates to "love everyone as your own and good health shall be yours".

Of course western sciences care two hoots for this. Western sciences do not make sense in many areas. Scientifc findings, perforce keep changing faster than you can keep a tab on.

This is understandable. Even the concept of space and time of both Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein have been shown to be seriously flawed. When we think of the reductionist medical science of mostly statistics, one really wonders if medical science is a real science.

One reads in the newspapers and "so called" science journals about many studies that give at times diametrically opposite results. 

"This makes one healthy" says a study, which is immediately overtaken by another which says: "Ha, it does not, wait, does it?" "Maybe, but alas no", and so on. These drips and drabs are making people lose faith in those short term. cross sectional cohort studies.

The longest study that we have to date is the MRFIT study which analysed the risk factor data in two groups of healthy men-one with intervention to set things right, and the other, a control group.

Alas, the study proved to be a boondoggle, making a mockery of the risk factor hypothesis which is being sold in our medi-business, netting billions of dollars. MRFIT showed that while the risk of premature deaths loom large, there are no true risk factors. This has upset out apple-cart.

Longitudinal observational studies running into decades and centuries are the bedrock of Indian wisdom. Indian wisdom has come up with certain aphorisms for a healthy and happy life which are for all times, and are unalterable.

Curiously there are a couple of very long term (In the context of western science) studies in western science which have been observing two groups of individuals for nearly eight decades- The Grant study of 284 Harvard sophomores which started in the 1930's  and spent more than 20 million dollars over the years, overseen by more than three people at different times since the beginning of the study.

There is another equally long stanford study which initially gathered 1444 children selected from schools in the area with the idea of studying geniuses. This was called The Terman Study in 1921. Lewis Treman was one of america's well known child psychiatrists. Soo it became evident that the Terman study could throw light on how people lived to be happy and healthy.

Today when many people around the world are living into their tenth decade, the longest longitudinal studyof human development ever undertaken offers some welcome news for the new old age: our lives continue to evolve in our later years and often become more fulfilling than before.

This interestingly echoes the indian wisdom's salient ideas. Now George Valliant follows that cohort into their nineties, documenting for the first time what it is like to flourish far beyond conventional retirement years.

Reporting on all aspects of male life, including relationships, politics and religion, coping strategies and alcohol use (Its abuse being by far the greatest disruptor of health and happiness for the study's subjects), "Triumphs of Experience" shares a number of surprising findings.

For example, " People who do well in old age did not necessarily do so well in midlife", and vice versa. While the study confirms that recovery from a lousy childhood is possible, "memories of a happy childhood are a lifelong source of strength. Marriages bring much more contentment after age 70, and physical ageing after 80 is determined less by heredity than by habits formed prior to age 50.

The credit of growing old with grace and vitality, it seems, goes more to ourselves than to our stellar genetic makeup. 

What do these two studies show? "Quit smoking , stop drinking, exercise, keep warm and healthy relations with your friends and family, and know that money doesn't necessarily make you happy. But mostly importantly, keep in mind that you will transform and progress constantly until you die."

To sum up longitudinal studies mentioned above and Indian wisdom, these following conclusions could be drawn:

• Happiness is life. Full stop
• The only thing that really  matters in life is your relationship with other people.
• Being laid back and lazy could kill you. Hard work helps
• A number of longitudinal studies agree on the quality most connected to a long and successful life: conscientiousness. Who lived the longest in the Terman Study? The conscientious people.
• A little worry is good for health and happiness. Good to be optimistic.
• Moderate worrying often confers real benefits to health. An example: James, tactful and sensitive, was some what of a worrier throughout his life. But it turned out that his concerns prompted him to take better care of his health, especially after the death of his wife.
• There is always hope in life.
• Time and Time again in the Grant study showed that those who come from loving homes do much better than the less fortunate.

These and other studies have given some tips for survival under difficult situations: So when life is daunting and we need resilience, keep in mind:

• "Percieve and believe
• Manage your emotions
• Be a quitter
• Be delusional
• Prepare...even if its too late for preparation
• Stay budy, busy, Busy
• make it a game
• Get help ad Give help."

All there read like the ancient Indian timeless wisdom which beats western reductionist cohort studies hollow.

Longitudinal studies take a holistic attitude unlike our reductionist sciences.

" I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear."

Martin Luther King Jr.

The Sweetness of Rectifying ourselves...

Swami Vivekananda advises: "Never show temper,or harbour jealousy, or backbite another in secret. It would be  the height of cruelty and hard-heartedness to take note of others' shortcomings instead of rectifying one's own." 

Jesus Christ said: "Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgement ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again".

Holy mother Sarada Devi have said: "It is in the mind alone that one feels pure or impure. A man first makes his own mind guilty and then sees another's fault. Can you injure anybody by enumerating his faults ? You only injure yourself."

We have a wide-ranging inclination to tittle-tattle, to disparage and judge others, why do we have such bad inclinations? It is because it puffs up our own sense of self image.

At the back of our censure we have the sentiment that we don't have this flaw.

We are superior to others. As a rule, the fault we seem to notice in another person stay alive only in our own polluted thoughts. How many of us can in truth look into the rock bottom of another human being and see all the motives which are prompting him to take steps in a fussy way? Yet we are raring to go to judge and implicate wicked intention!

Harmfulness of gossip: - Backbite is the other name of gossip. Gossip may appear very blameless; nevertheless it causes mammoth injury in human social order, and predominantly to those who indulge in it.

Those who dwell on the faults of others build up the same faults themselves; for in the psyche of every personage both good and bad impressions and tendencies are stored up, and if we condemnanother person for a certain blunder, and go no criticising, similar tendencies which are hidden in our subconscious mind are released and turn out to be lively. When a man sees defects in others his own mind gets polluted. What does he gain by finding faults in others ? He only hurts himself by that.

As you think, so you act. As thoughts of love help in expanding the self, so do thoughts of anger, jealousy lead to its contraction.

Gossip is a deadly poison. A backbiter cannot bear others welfare and happiness. His heart breaks to see others progressing.

Sweetness of Rectifying:-

If we make seeing the good in others, a habit our own good tendencies are released and strengthened. So for our own sake as well as for the sake of others we must criticize, gossip or judge.

Holy mother Sarada Devi said : "If you want peace of mind, do not find fault with others, learn to make the whole world your own. No one is a stranger; this whole world is yours.

The fly sits on filth as well as on honey, but the bee seeks only honey and avoids filth. Therefore we should take a vow to follow the example of the bee, not that of the fly.

As we progress in our habit of seeing good in others, we learn to have love, sympathy and compassion for all. Real good men have that attitude in life. If they see the least bit of goodness in anybody, they see an ocean of goodness with that drop.

We consider a person sinful today, but tomorrow by the grace of God he becomes a saint tomorrow. Heaps of cotton can be burnt with one matchstick; similarly, one gracious glance from God can wipe out mountains of sin. Therefore, we must make our life sweet by rectifying our nature of backbites.

Ways to rectify our nature of backbites:-

Jesus and other great teachers of the world ask us to correct our own defects before we try to correct others. We are hypocrites as long as we rationalise our weakness and find others worthy of forgiveness, yet we remain unwilling to bear with our brothers imperfections. Sri Ramakrishna gives the illustration of a sword made of steel, which is touched by the philosophers stone and turned into gold. The sword retain its form but with that sword of Gold no harm can be done. just as the quality of the sword changes, so also the quality of our body and mind changes. That is what we find when  we practice not finding fault with others.

We must all be aware of the pitfalls of a fault finding nature, and strive to transform our character which results in moral purity and strength, thus preparing ourselves for higher life.

Human personality consistes of both good and evil. The evil is to be eliminated step by step and the good fostered.

If we can think of God, we will be able to stop backbiting. Let the strong wind of dispassion rise in our minds, that the trees of desire be uprooted. Then even as birds fly from the shelter of trees before a strong wind, will the ignorance of selfishness, jealousy, hatred and egoism take flight from our hearts. Then shall peace follow and fill our lives, even calm follows the storm.

Normally, when someone speaks ill of us or tries to harm us, we instinctively want to appease our ego rather than please God; and so we feel the urge to retaliate.

But if we give in to this urge, we hurt not only someone else, but ourselves as well; for when we are angry and resentful, we cut ourselves off from the thought of God.

Therefore all the great spiritual teachers have taught us, as Christ did, not to retaliate, not to resist evil, but to pray for those who revile and persecute us.

-Swami Sudarshanananda

Is there Something more to fruits and vegetables...

You are what you eat, so eat well. A stupendous insight of civilisations past has now been confirmed by todays investigative, nutritional sciences. they have shown that what was once called 'The doctrine of Signature' was astoundingly correct. It now contends that every whole food has a pattern that resembles a body organ or physiological function and that this pattern acts as a signal or sign as to the benefit the food provides the eater. Here is just a shortlist of examples of whole food signatures.

Avocadoes and Pears target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the female-they look just like these organs. Today's research shows that when a woman eats 1 Avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight and prevents cervical cancers. And how profound is this?..it takes exactly 9 months to grow an avocado from blossom to ripened fruit. There are over 14,000 photolytic chemical constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods (modern science has only studied and named about 141 of them.

Celery, Bok choi, Rhubarb and more look just like bones. These foods specifically target bone strength. Bones are 23% Sodium. If you don't have enough sodium in your diet the body pulls it from the bones, making them weak. These foods replenish the skeletal needs of the body.

Figs are full of seeds and hang in two's when they grow. Figs increase the motility of male sperm and increase the numbers of sperm as well to overcome male sterility.

Olives assist the health and function of the ovaries.

A Tomato has four chambers and is red. The heart is red and has four chambers. All of the research shows tomatoes are indeed pure heart and blood food.

A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye. the pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye...and yes science now shows that carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes.

Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. Each grape looks like a blood cell and all of the research today shows that grapes are also profound heart and blood vitalizing food.

Walnut looks like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums. Even the wrinkles or folds are on the nut just like the neo-cortex. We now know that walnuts help develop over 3 dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function.

Kidney beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes, they look exactly like the human kidneys.

Onions look like body cells. Todays research shows that onions helps clear waste materials from all of the body cells. They even produce tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes.

Sweet Potatoes look like the pancreas and actually balance the Glycemic index of diabetics.

Disclaimer: This information is based on Ayurvedic scriptures and compiled from other sources. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any diseaseor condition, this should not be used for any self diagnosis or treatments. Please do contact your GP for any impending conditions

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Benefits of Morning Walk

Regular walking may reduce the risk of a heart attack by half. It can help to lower the risk of coronary heart diseases as there is a link between vigorous physical exercise and a low incidence of heart failure.

By increasing the strength of your heart and lungs, walking increases your ability not only to exercise longer and harder but also to perform everyday task without tiring. It strengthens the immune system and keeps diseases at bay.

Regular walking can reduce high blood pressure - hypertension - by making the heart work more efficiently and by improving the circulation.

Regular walking can increase the levels of "good" cholesterol in the blood, reducing chances of a heart attack.

The oxygen that you get early in the morning also gives you great amount of energy especially to your joints.

When you feel fit and healthy your self-confidence increases and you feel more able to cope with the demands made on you. Time spent in walking means time taken off from the stresses of daily life.

Taking a walk regularly is one of the best things you can do for your back. It promotes muscular development, increases circulation, and speeds up the release of endorphins which provide a natural "high".

All walkers develop a moderate amount of endurance, which enables them to exercise longer before becoming exhausted.

Walking energizes you, awakens you and stills your mind to fully relax. With the change of mind your moods change and you experience a physical and a spiritual upliftment.

Walking four times a week, 45 minutes each time, an average person can lose 8 – 10 kg in a year with no change in diet. Walking can help you trim fat as well as tone your muscles.

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Ambition

The word ambition has many connotations. The definition changes according to the person's level of desire. Ambition is a driving force.

Ambition is what propels people to act, to do things better than others. Ambition is a desire to achieve, a passion to do what others have not done. Ambition urges you to be a pioneer, to think of things which others have not thought of before. Ambition is the ability to dream on a higher scale.

Hence ambitious people can never be compalcent, timid or lazy. They never dither, never procrastinate or vacillate. An ambitious person never says: I can't. An ambitious person always says, I have to.

To realise your ambition you have to be proactive, you have to strive in order to rise above mediocrity, above the humdrum and the stereotype. Ambition is to excel, to create, to progress or just to attempt things others have not ventured.

President Theodore Roosevelt said, "men with ambition are souls who know neither victory nor defeat". Such people are men and women of action.

They are fighters and strugglers who become the butt of critics. They are the people who will err and stumble, but will valiantly resume their march.

People with ambition are those who toil with great conviction and zeal. They will spend themselves for a worthy cause and even if they fail, at least they would have failed for a higher cause.

Hence their place will never be with those who have neither failed nor succeeded because they have never even tried.

And so said Mark Twain, "Keep away from those who try to belittle your ambitions. 

Small people always do that, but the really great people make you believe that you too can become great."

This has been demonstrated over and over again when we read the astonishing success stories of rags to riches, metaphorically speaking.

In the fierce rat race of today, when competition has escalated many folds with globalisation, having an ambition is crucial in order to merely survive and hence the buzz word has become survival of the fittest. without ambition it will be impossible even to hold out in the ever intensifying rat race.

just as it ca be commendable, ambition can also be despicable if not sublimated with idealism.

Raw ambition exudes negative energy, greed and selfish ruthlessness. History has shown to us time and again the ugly face of ambition.

Adolf Hitler's ambition to create a pure Aryan race: Napolean Bonaparte's ambition to be emperor of all of Europe and Aurangazeb's ambition to be emperor of India are all examples of devastating ambitious greed.

The perspective of 'Come what may', or 'at all costs', or 'the end justifies the means', ;eaves behind blazing trail of destruction.

Ambition without idealism becomes an ignoble desire. Literature has many illustrations. William Shakespeare's 'Macbeth', Christopher Marlowe's 'Dr. Faustus', Oscar wilde's 'Picture of Dorian Gray' and R L Stevenson's 'Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde' are all instances of power hungry individuals who eventually destroy themselves.

As Buddha said: " Because of this craving for riches the fool undermines himself", Absent from idealism ambition transgresses into greed and the end becomes your nemesis.

Sunderlal G Mehta

What causes Bad Breath

What you eat affects the air you exhale. Certain foods, such as garlic and onions, contribute to objectionable breath odour. Once the food is absorbed into the bloodstream, it is transferred to the lungs, where it is expelled.

Brushing, flossing and mouthwash will only mask the odour temporarily. Odours continue until the body eliminates the food. People on a diet may develop unpleasant breath from infrequent eating.

If you do not brush and floss daily, particles of food remain in the mouth, collecting bacteria, which can cause bad breath. Food that collects between the teeth, on the tongue and around the gums can rot, leaving an unpleasant odour.

Dentures that are not cleaned properly can also harbour odour causing bacteria and food particles.

One of the warning signs of periodontal (gum) disease is persistent bad breath or a bad taste in the mouth. Periodontal disease is caused by plaque, the sticky, colourless film of bacteria that constantly forms on teeth. The bacteria produce toxins that irritate the gums. In the advanced stage of the disease, the gums, bone and other structures that support the teeth become damaged.

Bad breath is also caused by dry mouth (xerostomia), which occurs when the flow of saliva decreases.

Tobacco products cause bad breath, stain teeth, reduces one's ability to taste foods and irritate gum tissues. Tobacco users are more likely to suffer from periodontal disease and are at greater risk for developing oral cancer.

Bad breath may be the sign of a medical disorder, such as a local infection in the respiratory tract (nose, throat, windpipe, lungs), chronic sinusitis, postnasal drip, chronic bronchitis, diabetes, gastrointestinal disturbance, liver or kidney ailment.

Smoking or chewing tobacco-based products causes bad breath and can also stain teeth, irritate gum tissue, and exacerbate tooth decay.

Overnight, bacteria accumulate in the mouth, causing bad breath that is commonly referred to as 'morning breath.' Some people breathe through their mouth at night, which can cause dry mouth and worsen morning breath.

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