Greetings To All

Wishing You All

The Best of Everything

Throughout the coming year.

Happy New year To All!

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Coming together to forgive and heal (2 of 2)

For Shvetambars, the final day of Paryushan is Samvastsari Pratikraman, the annual confession. The ritual of asking forgiveness from the teacher is widened in scope to include family and friends and, finally, all living beings. The culmination of confession is receiving forgiveness from all living beings and also granting forgiveness to all.

This ritual of forgiveness is sometimes called the rite of “universal friendship”. The spirit of the day is contained in this verse: “I grant forgiveness to all living beings, May all living beings grant me forgiveness; My friendship is with all living beings, My enmity is totally non-existent. Let there be peace, harmony and prosperity for all”.

One cannot consume any fruits or even a grain during the fasting period or upvaas, informs Nun Mallipragya. Wouldn’t it be difficult to remain without eating any food? Divya Mehta, who has fasted for 31 days at a stretch, says: “We live in a sea of energy. Our bodies gain energy indirectly from the food we eat, while we gain direct energy from the cosmic energy that flows into us through the medulla oblongata at the bottom of the brain. But this kind of acceptance of energy depends upon our mental set-up. The greater the will, the greater would be the flow of energy.”

Penance is given high importance to purify one’s soul. In the time cycle, Lord Rishabh started the penance for one year at a stretch. The same tradition is followed even today. During the process of penance, all the accumulated toxins in the cells of the body over a period of time start to melt away.

Since the body’s energies are concentrated in cleaning and detoxification during the fasting process, rest becomes a necessary adjunct. The body parts are recharged and relaxed. This minimizes physical ailments, increases strength and keeps body, mind and the hormonal balance intact. – The Times of India

The writer is a Law student at the University of Mumbai.

Coming together to forgive and heal (1 of 2)

Good morning friends. When people have pain, the best thing to do is by coming together. By doing that you can forgive and then you’ll heal.

Paryushan is the most important annual Jain observance.

For both Shvetambars, who observe the festival over a period of eight days, and Digambars, for whom Paryushan Parva lasts 10 days, this is a of intensive study, reflection and purification. It takes place in the middle of the rainy season, a time when Jain monks and nuns cease travelling and stay with a community and are available to them for instruction and guidance.

Paryushan means “abiding” or “coming together”. It is also a time when the laity takes on vows of study and fasting with a spiritual intensity similar to (temporary) monasticism. Paryushan concludes with confession and forgiveness for the transgressions of the previous year.

The most important part of Paryushan is daily meditation and prayer, which provides an opportunity for looking within and towards the teachings of the Tirthankaras for guidance. Beginning on the fourth day of Paryushan, it is customary for Murtipujak Shvetambars to read from the Kalpa Sutra, a scripture which recounts the life of Mahavira — the 14 dreams of his mother before his birth, followed by the story of his birth, life and liberation. It also recounts the lives of other Tirthankaras and the rules of Paryushan. Among Mahavira’s teachings are those that advocate gender equity, of the importance of ensuring equal status to both women and men.

The book of scripture would be carried ceremonially through the streets, water sprinkled in its path along the way, purifying the entire town. Jains often take time off from work during this period and eat a much simpler diet than their usual vegetarian diet. Jains avoid eating root vegetables like potatoes, onions and garlic — as harvesting them for food would entail destroying the entire plant.

Everything is possible with divine grace (2 of 2)

Scott ascribes a lead position to the role played by Divine Grace, which in some cases operates throughout a person's life. The remarkable survival stories of Jewish prisoners of war in concentration camps substantiate this. The assertion of Jesus Christ that "Many are called, but few are chosen", can also be interpreted as "All of us are called by and to Grace, but few of us choose to listen to the call."

Grace transports one from the platform of understanding of Truth to its full realization. Speaking of the unpredictability of Grace, Jesus is reported to have told Nicodemis, a believer in Christ as the true Messiah, amongst the Pharisees, a sect of non-believers, "Just as you can hear the wind but can't tell where it comes from or where it will go next, so it is with the Spirit. We do not know on whom He will next bestow this life from Heaven." Suffice to say that we are vastly limited from the dimension of our minds to find answers to the ways and workings of the omnipotent force.

Ramana Maharshi said that to try and understand the nature of Self-realisation with the mind is presumptuous. Dependent as the intellect is on the light of the Self, it is incapable of understanding the magnificence of the entire manifestation, of which it is but a limited part. It is like trying to measure the sunlight at its source by the standard of the light given by a candle.

Instead of limiting oneself to the intellect, the wise one opts for the path of devotion or inner reflection, conscious of a higher power. The door of Grace unfolds when the mind bows in wonder, reverence and gratitude to the power of the divine. – The Times of India

Everything is possible with divine grace (1of 2)

Good morning friends. They said that everything is possible with divine grace. Yes it’s true, even some don’t believe in it.

Grace plays a significant role in our spiritual evolution. So say seers and scriptures. The Katha Upanishad mentions that only one who is chosen by the atman or consciousness, realizes the Truth.

Ramana Maharshi mentions that God's ways are inscrutable. In the presence of the Sun, which is ever shining, some buds blossom, not all. The fault however does not lie with the Sun, though it is true that the bud cannot blossom by itself. It requires the sunlight to do it. Grace is thus recognized as a key ingredient for deliverance.

Faith and unconditional surrender help us to receive Divine Grace. Whether it is meditation, prayer, introspection or self-enquiry, the route used would depend on a person's temperament and inclination. What is encouraging is that sincere steps taken on the spiritual path lead to progress that we might not even be aware of.

Psychiatrist Scott Peck who wrote The Road Less Travelled reveals an interesting perspective to the aspect of Grace and healing. He points out that much as one examines, the workings of Grace cannot be ascribed to a set pattern. Try as we might to obtain grace, it may elude us, yet it might find us when least expected. He talks of neurotic patients who, on an average, are easier to treat than those who suffer social behavior disorders.

Surprisingly, he also reports of cases of complete turnaround amongst psychosis patients, while those suffering from the milder forms of neurosis have made insignificant progress, despite prolonged treatment. The element helping the revival process has been identified as the "will to grow" akin to earnestness and faith demonstrated by a spiritual aspirant. This concept again has an element of mystery shrouding it as evidence is rather inconclusive on the dominant role of parental nurturing and love.

Direct your actions for the common good (2 of 2)

The Buddha said: “May all the merit of this offering/ Go to these pretas/ May they be rid of their ugly bodies/ And obtain the happiness of higher worlds!” No sooner than he uttered these words, all the pretas died and the Buddha explained to the people that they were reborn in higher worlds.

“Therefore, bear in mind that all actions ought to be from a pure mind and so arising, be dedicated to bring benefit to those they are intended towards for any small reason. Be it the family’s well-being, parents’ good health, for the peace of the dead or to bring enlightenment for all sentient beings. Whatever is your meritorious action, small or big, if it is dedicated without conceptualization – pure in intention and motivation – it will bring benefit to the people you have in mind. If not, it is like having wholesome food mixed with poison! Also bear in mind that all actions are illusory, by nature empty and magical. Therefore, have no attachment towards them. Only then that dedication would be non-toxic.”

Jetsun Mila, Tibet’s yogi and poet, says: “Between the hermit meditating in the mountain/ And the donor who provides his sustenance/ There is a link that will lead them to enlightenment together/ Dedication of (pure) merit is the very heart of that link.” Not just this. The benefits go further as Chagme Rinpoche says: “When we hear about (unconceptualised) good done by others, if we cast out all negative thoughts of jealousy and really rejoice in the depth of our hearts, it is said that the merit we gain will be equal to theirs.”

Such is the nature of genuine feeling towards pure actions. Therefore, let raise the bodhichitta – mind of enlightenment – within yourself. Do merit worthy actions with purity. Dedicate the act to the end in view. Bear in mind that all of it is empty by nature, illusory and dream-like. And revel in the goodness done by others. You will then experience bliss within. - The Times of India

Direct your actions for the common good (1 of 2)

Good morning friends. It’s said that, it is in our actions that we can direct ourselves to common good. It’s true that it depends to our self if we want to make it good or to make it bad. We have to clear our mind that we have to direct our actions for the common good all the time.

On many occasions we may have a feeling to perform a virtuous or meritorious act to instil ‘the feel good’ factor. This is a noble thing to do and one can increase the benefits arising from such actions by being mindful of a few things.

Often when actions of such nature are performed they may arise out of a feeling of guilt, of pride in doing good deeds, or to fuel ambitions in this life. While such feelings will bring no benefit at all, those that arise out of a pure mind, uncontrived, unconditioned and unconceptualized, the merits of such actions can be magnified.

Actions by themselves have no direction of their own; they have no capacity to bring merit unless the action is dedicated from an arising from the source, towards a particular person or people and the goal of directing the dedication.

One day, the residents of a town invited the Buddha to a meal. Soon after they left, 500 pretas – those born in the hungry ghost realm – arrived and requested him to dedicate to them the merit of the alms the people would offer to the Buddha. On asking the reason, the pretas said they were the parents of these residents and were reborn as pretas due to their miserly behavior. The Buddha agreed on the condition that they accompany him. On seeing them the people were horrified. On the Buddha’s explanation and reassurance to them they calmed down. The Buddha made a request for dedicating their sources of merit to the pretas. The people agreed unanimously.

Overcome ego, be happy (2 of 2)

When a person regards the fruits of action (success or failure) as ‘mine’ and performs focused on the object, he is automatically worrying about the fruit.

Moreover, in doing so, he fails to abide the law of God, which says that one does not have right to the fruits. What you have to really do is to steady your intellect with the thought that the fruits of actions are of God. And when the fruit accrue in the form of success or failure, joy or sorrow, you have to mentally renounce the fruit to God. Since you do not contemplate the objects, you will not be attached to them. You will break the chain that starts with attachment and gives rise to desire, anger, delusion, confusion of memory, loss of intellect and death. Your intellect will become steady.

Krishna calls the wisdom of steadying your intellect by renouncing the fruits of action to God as Buddhi-yog or discipline of intellect. In this state you can be freed from constant births in different bodies. If you don’t, you are bound by actions. You lose your intellect due to attachment, desire and anger and perish, only to take another birth in a new body.

To steady our intellect we have to bring change in our thoughts. We have to remain engaged in usual actions and enjoyments as earlier but with a steady intellect fixed on the thought that all fruits of action are of God. This will free us from desire and ego, and gain eternal peace and happiness.

The same wisdom that will give peace and happiness to us will also give us Self-realization and make us immortal. It will lead our world to a new age where we will live in peace, happiness and oneness, realizing that we are in union with God. – The Times of India

Overcome ego, be happy (1 of 2)

Good morning friends. We are all aware that everybody has an ego. If we feel we are right in the things we did, we fight for it. That can be good. But if you always think to overcome your ego, then there will always be a happiness. It’s not hard to do. we just have to accept everything in a lighter way. Who doesn’t wish for happiness? Can money buy happiness? Do great achievements bring true happiness? Riches, success and achievements may bring name, fame and pride, but they do not always bring happiness.

If lack of money and success creates sorrow and suffering, their possession does not give happiness either. The question then is how can you be peaceful and happy, irrespective of whether you are a success or failure in life?

Krishna says in the Bhagvad Gita: “There is neither intellect nor bhavna (feeling for God) for the ayukta or the one who is not united, and to one devoid of bhavna , there is no peace. To the one without peace, how can there be happiness?” Krishna says, clearly, that unless a person is tuned into God he cannot have peace and without peace, he cannot be happy. Krishna also says that an un-united person does not have intellect.

So if you want happiness, unite with God. For this, you don’t have to abandon the pursuit of riches, success and achievements. God is self-knowledge and wisdom of sameness towards all beings because all are God. An egocentric person remains alienated from wisdom that is God. If you are free from ego, you look at all beings as God and so are united to the wisdom that is God. You will be free of sorrow and will attain peace and happiness.

Krishna says that we do not have right to the fruits of action and, therefore, we should perform actions, leaving the fruits to God. How can you avoid worrying about the fruit while performing actions?

Romancing the soul

Good morning friends. In everyone’s life, we experience many things. We encounter the hardship in life even if we did our best. The important is that we should know how to cope with it.Life has been a great learning experience.It has taught me that there’s something wrong if spiritual practice and demands from daily life are not in harmony.

Spirituality should be able to put the

Everyone has their way of connecting with God and for me it’s through prayers. I have always drawn strength from prayers, without which I feel incomplete.

For me, a spiritual lifestyle and a material one are two different things. It may not be a conscious philosophy, and one may even declare that they’re non-believers, but in the depths of one’s consciousness, there is a spiritual stream of energy that’s constantly in motion.

Comprehension between both worlds is necessary as the entire spiritual trip is a fantasy, a hallucination — one sceptical question from a doubter and one’s whole spiritual life collapses like a house of cards.

One doesn’t have to lead a simple life to be spiritual. For me, romance with my soul is important as the way to attain contentment. Suffering of the innocent gives me a lot of pain.

Spirituality does not manifest in our clothes, it’s within us. One will find happiness and joy if one learns to balance both spiritual and material lives wisely. –The Times of India

timeslife@timesgroup .com

The only way out is in, so look deep within (2 of 2)

The nature and basis of your experience is within you. Pain and pleasure, joy and misery, agony and ecstasy happen only within you. The very seat of your experience is within you. So why try to extract joy from outside? At best, the outside can provide a stimulus.

If you depend on the outside to bring joy to you, understand that the outside never happens a hundred per cent the way you want it. Those who think that there is something like an ideal situation are not in touch with reality. No situation or person will ever happen a hundred per cent the way you want it. But at least you should happen the way you want yourself to be. Then there would be no need for you to be in pursuit of your happiness. So the question is not of intention or direction, but of doing that which works.

If you did happen the way you want yourself to be, joy would be the natural choice. What we refer to as inner engineering means not seeing joy as something that we could achieve in our life but seeing joy as the very basis of our lives. Joy is not the goal; it is the square one of our life. Other things can happen only if there is joy. Otherwise, you will live constantly with the fear of misery striking at you.

What great things you achieve in your life will depend on your capabilities, the situation, and the prevailing times. Regardless of what you do or don't, my wish and blessing is that your experience of life is pleasant and graceful. - The Times of India

The only way out is in, so look deep within (1 of 2)

Good morning friends. We constantly seek a deeper experience of life, one way or the other. Whatever one may seek God, alcohol, drugs, meditation or an thing that one feels will provide relief, give pleasure or fulfillment you are only seeking to have a larger slice of life.

The intention is always the same, somehow to have a deeper experience, to extract a little more out of life, to find access to that which is not yet for you. The question is not of the intention as the intention is always the same; it is only of whether it works or not.

Everything you've done in your life so far has been in pursuit of joy career, business, making money or starting a family. From when you were a child till now, is your joy increasing or decreasing? Now that you have grown up, you have your own life, your own family, your own bank account, everything of your own ^ has your joy multiplied? In the last 24 hours, how many moments of joy have you known?

When you came into this world, you came with no investment. So whatever happens in your life, anyway you are in profit. But the reason people are in various levels of distress is because there is no life-sense, only ego-sense. If you are miserable, it is because life is not happening the way you think it should happen. If everything happened the way you think it should, the whole existence would happen within the limitation of your limited thought. Is it not wonderful that so many things that you could never imagine are happening? What you enjoyed, your parents were distressed about. What you are distressed about, your children are enjoying.

Live life joyfully (2 of 2)

Odds are that if you're reading this you have enough to eat. Most of us don’t eat gourmet food three times a day, but we are blessed with sufficient food, and I don’t just mean enough to provide the basic calorie intake to keep us alive. We are blessed with all the associations of a loving mother that comes with the taste of some food, the memories of discovering new wonderful tastes every time we eat them again, and the love that we imbibe with food made by those who care enough about life to prepare good food, a spouse or a friend. I believe that food made by people who love to feed people has special nutritional properties.

If you think that nobody cares enough about you to prepare delicious food, let me invite you to go and get a banana, and pay attention to it.

What a marvel of packaging, flavor and nutrition. I am not implying that that particular banana was grown just for you as an act of love, or maybe I am. It grew, it made its way to you and it will sustain you. Now I can hear you arguing that it was provided by a chain of commerce. What if that chain was forged to get that banana to you without any of the links being aware of the chain’s purpose? Might be, and even if it isn’t, the banana is still pretty amazing in its color, utility, taste and ability to keep us alive. I once knew a man named Rudy who only ate bananas, all different kinds and he was very healthy. And think about bread. I know that it is not much more than grain and salt and water but think about what that means. Bread, naan , chapatti, tortilla, pain, hobz, brot, or whatever you call it provides us with the elements of the earth. The process of growing, threshing and milling the grain transforms the earth into a form that we can use. – The Times of India

Live life joyfully (1 of 2)

Good morning friends. No matter what happened to our life, good or bad, with sorrow or happiness, we have to live our life joyfully. It’s not easy to do, but if we will give our best to live with joy, nothing is impossible.

If you are reading this, you have many more reasons to be joyful than you might think. You are alive, which is probably pretty basic, but all too often we don't realize that it is the most basic things that bring us the greatest joy.

We often forget to celebrate the things that are most important because they are so much with us. One of the few really wise people I have ever met once asked with great puzzlement, “Why isn't everyone dancing with the sheer joy of being alive?” Everything we do celebrate is a celebration of life, whether it is a birth, a wedding, or an anniversary. Religious festivals all celebrate some aspect of life as represented by the attributes of the deity, or the passage of some event of our lives. What we need to do is remind ourselves to consecrate every day, take time out at least once a day to quietly experience being alive. And the simplest way to that is to just pay attention to our breathing, which is another wonderful reason to be joyful. Breath is the key to life and almost every spiritual discipline starts and ends with the breath, as does life itself. Every moment we are meditating. With every breath we are partaking of all the mysteries of the universe. Mathematically there are six molecules of Buddha in every square foot of air. A foolish friend of mine used to like to breathe in real deep to try and get some Buddha in him.

It seemed to work for him. Just for a few minutes pay attention to a gentle indrawn breath. Within that action is the key to sustaining our life. How does that happen? Whenever I think I need a miracle just to keep going, I stop and pay attention to one or two breaths. Each breath feeds the fire of the heart. Amazing.

Get connected with the power of silence (2 of 2)

Every week St Francis of Assisi, who is called the second Christ, used to go to a cave in a place called Portiuncula and remained there in silence. M K Gandhi observed silence on all Mondays. For sheer adventure, writes Patricia Clifford in her introduction to Sitting Still, exploring the inner space of the human spirit has to equal the exploration of outer space. Inner space holds a realm of existence not readily apparent when we are in the grip of a strident external world. A powerful launching vehicle for the discovery of the realm within is silence. It is in the vessel of silence that inner transformation can appear.

Silence can be acquired by just letting go of thoughts, distractions, and images. Forced silence is of no use. You can try chanting mantras or prayers what is called centering prayer to enter silence. Attention is to be given to the correct pronunciation and intonation of the mantra. Sacred vibrations by their very nature have the power to put our spirit at rest. To fix our eyes on an object, preferably a sacred object and to gaze at it constantly, is called as icon prayer. What is basic is the act of gazing. Gazing by its very nature has the power of placing our spirit at rest to achieve intrinsic silence.

Just as we care for our bodies with good food and rest, so we must also care for our spiritual selves, that part of us that is connected to God. If we are spiritually ill, our bodies and minds also become sick. This is why regular prayer and times of silent contemplation are necessary parts of our daily lives. Periodic self-examination and learning help too. Meeting God becomes more achievable in an atmosphere of complete silence. - The Times of India

Get connected with the power of silence (1 of 2)

Good morning friends. Sometimes it reached to our life that we want to be alone. We want to be silent in the center of the earsplitting surroundings. Sometimes we want to get connected with the power of silence. With that, we feel that the world suddenly stopped.

What is silence? It is to retreat in wordless prayer, gazing out the window of your heart, and going for slow meandering walks in a garden.

You can look for silence in two ways: inner silence and outer silence. Outer silence helps us find inner silence. But inner silence is more precious. There are two kinds of inner silence: passive and active. In passive inner silence the heart and mind are at rest at the unconscious level whereas in active inner silence the heart and mind are at rest at the conscious level. We are consciously quiet and this is necessary to experience God.

In silence, we feel the presence of God though we may not see Him. Suppose we are seated in a room during the night and talking to one of our dear friends. Suddenly the lights go off. In the darkness as we are seated by the side of our friend, we do not hold our friends hand, we do not talk to him; we do not see him yet we feel his presence and that feeling implies strength, love, joy, peace, togetherness, and support. The same thing happens during the period of silence.

Silence is wordless prayer. Silence transcends thoughts, concepts, images and reasoning. It is a state of consciousness in which there are no words or images. In silence, if at all there are words or images, they should merge from inside and not from outside. Silence recharges body and mind.

In pursuit of happiness

Good morning friends. Happy Diwali to all. It’s time for each and every one of us to be happy. Some may not notice that happiness is just around us. Some search for an extravagant happiness. Big or small happiness, it is all depend on us how we are going to feel that. I have read an article of one fashion designer on how he quest for happiness. Here’s how he express his story.

I believe you can see God anywhere - in your garden, on the road or by the seaside.

But since I like Gucci shoes, I don't think of God in connection with the label. I believe one can really be in love with luxury as well as be meditative, because one is not exclusive to the other in any way. But putting life on hold to go off on a journey in pursuit of happiness or even seeking spiritualism outside the realm of daily concerns would be a bit dull.

Life comes in many colors and one need to enjoy all of them. In India, there are very few strict spiritual templates and you can afford to believe anything without moving out of your cultural backdrop. It is a culture that believes in Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma and the tantric ethos. I went to the Kumbh Mela recently and really got a sense of how diverse our culture is in its spirituality and beliefs in God. There is nothing like wrong or right except truth and honesty. I actually stopped living up to somebody else's expectations of me, though it came a bit late in life, but I am glad to have done it now. – The Times of India

(Ritu Kumar is a well-known fashion designer)

Matar: Where health is the only wealth for docs, News - City - Ahmedabad Mirror,Ahmedabad Mirror

Matar: Where health is the only wealth for docs, News - City - Ahmedabad Mirror,Ahmedabad Mirror

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Peace and harmony in daily living (2 of 2)

Every action is happening according to a Cosmic Law and not because of something ‘done’ by an individual human being. If this is accepted, it also has to be accepted that no one can blame anyone for whatever happens through any body-mind organism. Therefore, he need not blame himself for any action, need not feel guilt or shame for any action; he need not also hate anyone for whatever might hurt him in life. The result is that anyone who is able to have this acceptance in his day-to-day living would carry no burden of guilt or shame, nor any burden of hatred and malice, jealousy and envy. In other words, the result is that he is anchored in peace and harmony: he is continuously comfortable with himself and also comfortable with others.

Perceiving in phenomenology is an impersonal, nominal function of the manifestation of the phenomenal universe. Such perceiving is pure perceiving because there is nothing seen, and there is nothing that perceives. We are nothing but illusory dream-figures. All phenomenal existence itself is merely an appearance in Consciousness, and all the characteristics of sentient beings – the form, the perceiving, the knowing, and the feeling – are also nothing but movements in Consciousness as in the dream.

The dream that is the phenomenal manifestation occurs in Consciousness. It is perceived and cognised in Consciousness and is interpreted by Consciousness through the duality that is the basis for all phenomenal manifestation: the subject-object relationship. This duality of subject-object relationship is merely the mechanism or the instrumentation (like space-time itself) through which the manifestation occurs – and is, of course, a concept – with the result that the perceived can be nothing other than the perceiver. Consciousness is all there is: the subject and the object, inseparably united when unconceived and unmanifested, only appear as dual and \separate when conceived in the phenomenal manifestation. – The Times of India

Excerpt from Ramesh S Baklsekar’s ‘Peace and Harmony in Daily Living’.

Peace and harmony in daily living (1 of 2)

Good morning friends. We must always have peace and harmony in daily living. It has a big role in our life. Without this our life will not be a good one as we expected even if we tried a lot. Seems all our problem can’t be solve even if it is just an easy one.

There have been moments in almost everyone’s day-to-day living when one has experienced the true joy of living, with calm, peace and tranquility. What has usually disturbed these moments are memories of guilt and shame, carried by the ego and which resurfaces every now and then, causing discomfort. These feelings could be because of one’s own (mis) deeds or another’s.

What if you can be totally convinced that no action is anyone’s doing, that all action was merely a happening that simply had to happen?

This is what spiritual seeking is all about. Masters may talk about enlightenment or Self-realization, but what it means is to be able to experience the peace and tranquility that the sage enjoys in his day-to-day life.

A sage is considered a sage because he seems to be anchored in peace and tranquility while facing the pains and pleasures of day-to-day living in his chosen field of activity, like any other ordinary person.

'Self-realization’, to the sage, simply means the realization – the absolute, total conviction – that ‘events happen, deeds are done, but there is no individual doer thereof,” as Buddha put it. Both the sage and the ordinary person respond to their respective names being called. In both cases, therefore, there is identification with body and name as an individual entity separate from all others. The difference is that whereas the sage knows that “events happen, deeds are done, but there is no individual doer thereof,” the ordinary person has the conviction that each individual performs his action and is responsible for it.

Happiness is sleeping well

Good morning friends. Some of you may ask how can we be happy if we are sleeping. Some may think it’s a silly question to ask. But actually it’s not. There are some people who love to sleep. They got their happiness with it rather than going to the malls, watching movies, party at night and others. I have read one article and he found his happiness in sleeping well.Spiritualism or happiness is not a physical object, therefore cannot be described by labels or brands or, at the other extreme, by simplicity.Both are states of being felt by an individual. If wearing Gucci makes someone happy, that may be the person’s way of being happy. Another person might find happiness in meditation or in leading an austere life, that’s his way of achieving the same goal.

Spiritualism transcends oneself. It is a state of being where one thinks not about self-happiness but happiness of others, wellness of the environment , harmony of nature and metaphysical things such as the meaning of life, birth, death, etc.

Being religious means believing in the existence of God and following a particular faith to supplant this belief. Being rich or materialistic has nothing to do with being religious. Any one form of happiness does not preclude us from being spiritual or religious. It is left to the individual to find happiness.

People wear God in amulets and pendants. That doesn’t make them non-spiritual or more spiritual; to each his own. The problem arises when one decides to wear God on, say briefs. Physical displays of disrespect should be avoided as they intrude upon other people’s beliefs and sentiments.

In the day-to-day context, it is important to do good deeds like sharing your happiness, loving others just as you would have them love you, making decisions that are holistic rather than selfish. It also means finding a purpose of living that is larger than earning and consuming and making every decision with this in mind.

My idea of happiness is being able to sleep well every night knowing that the day was well-lived and experienced to the fullest. – The Times of India

(Sabeer Bhatia is the co-founder of Hotmail and an entrepreneur)
timeslife@timesgroup.com

Spirituity is within

Good morning friends. They said that spiritually is within. I agree with that. It should start within us. We have all different theology in our life but the important is that we know the divinity of it. It’s our faith and belief that made us closer to God.

I believe in a Supreme Power, which is more powerful than human beings.

I love life and am thankful to the Supreme Power for being so benevolent. Every night, I pray to Him and thank Him for all that He has done for me. My life has never been just a bed of roses. I have had my share of traumatic experiences. Whenever I am in a spot, I seek His intervention. However, I do not believe in any rituals. For me, the Supreme Power stands in the form of a dot - like Omkara. You do not have to abandon material things to engage in spiritual practice. Even if you are totally materialistic, you will find that there is already a part of your mind that is flowing in a spiritual direction . It might not be your conscious philosophy; but in the depths of your consciousness there is a spiritual stream of energy constantly in motion. There is no value to life without joy. There is a joy that pierces through every moment of our lives. Love is the reason to act even when no final purpose can be perceived. I believe we should live with a free-flying emotion that allows us pure clarity and energy to work without self-interest . It's a simple task, but very difficult. – The Times of India

More leisure time means more health and happiness

Good morning friends. More leisure time means more health and happiness. I did agree with this. Because if we have more free time to ourselves and to others, we can feel the difference of being always busy in our daily routine all the time. There are things that should be given priorities but whatever it is, we should always think of time to be in our best time and best moment.

A new study has confirmed what many people already knew: the more time spent doing different types of enjoyable activities, the better a person's health tends to be.

The study says taking time for leisure activities apart from the demands of work and other responsibilities helps people function better physically and mentally.

"People who are engaged in multiple enjoyable activities are better off physically and psychologically," said study co-author Karen Matthews, Ph.D. She is a professor of psychiatry, epidemiology and psychology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. The study appears online in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine: Journal of Biobehavioral Medicine.

To reach the conclusion, 1,400 adults reported how often they participated in a variety of leisure activities, including spending time unwinding, visiting friends or family, going on vacation, going to clubs or religious activities or playing sports.

Adults with higher scores - indicating the most time spent in different leisure activities - had lower blood pressure, waist circumference, body mass index and cortisol measurements, all markers of good health.

"When one is under stress, the usual thing is to cut back on enjoyable activities because you're feeling uncomfortable and you need more time to deal with the stress. But these data suggest that is the wrong thing to do and that continuing enjoyable activities you do can be helpful," Matthews said.

People who spent more time doing diverse leisure activities also reported stronger and more diverse social networks, more feelings of satisfaction and engagement in their lives and lower levels of depression. Those who logged the most leisure time also slept better and exercised more consistently, the authors say. – The Times of India

Just enjoy life! (2 of 2)

We believe that these differences should not only be respected but celebrated as well. Hence, as a family we celebrate all festivals. Our friends tease me that Parsis just need any excuse for celebration!

We are often puzzled and sometimes amused at the arrogance of some of our fellow humans. Sometimes, on account of wealth or knowledge or power — men behave as though they were God themselves. Ordinarily, this would be so amusing were it not to have tragic consequences on the lives of others. We thank God for granting us humility and pray for His guidance in ensuring that we never become arrogant.

Rajesh believes that God has a great and sometimes naughty sense of humour. He believes that God created megalomaniacs who go about strutting their wealth and power for His own amusement as well as for ours. Sometimes when I try to coax Rajesh into sneaking out for a movie, he says, “Life is such an ongoing spectacle full of entertainment, let’s enjoy it instead!”

Secularism permits us to live in harmony and we should celebrate our similarities as well as our differences. Besides, we should treasure the sanctity of every moment and show gratitude to God. – The Times of India

(Dr Firuza R. Parikh, director, department of assisted reproduction and genetics, Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre, Mumbai)

Just enjoy life! (1 of 2)

Good morning friends. I read an article. It’s nice and I believe on what it was written there. It says that “God has a great and naughty sense of humour”. Look what was written.

As a devout Zoroastrian, I try to live by our prophet’s adage of ‘good thoughts, good words and good deeds.’ I have learnt the profound truth of this guiding principle.

Good thoughts are important for filling ourselves with positive energy. Good words make our interactions with the world pleasant. Good actions such as work and charity are what make our time on earth worthwhile.

I begin my day with prayers to God thanking Him for all the happiness my family and I have been blessed with. I know that God listens to all our prayers. That is the foundation of my spirituality.

My husband Rajesh is the most secular human being that I have come across. Curiously, we started discussing religion and spirituality in one of our earliest evenings together when we were teenagers. Over 35 years of close friendship and 25 years of marriage that discussion still continues.

Swappy, Manu and Nikki our three children and our numerous friends have over the years often contributed towards these conversations. Rajesh has an in-depth knowledge of the major religions. We dwell not just on the similarities between religions but on their differences as well.

Faith makes us human

Good morning friends. Do you believe in faith? Some of us never thought that faith can’t help oneself to be human. Maybe with those people who thought of that was the one who experience bad things in life that’s why they can say that faith has nothing to do in one’s life. I have read one article and it is very nice. I want to share this with you.

It is our belief in God that makes us human, says Chetan Bhagat.

There are some questions that I don’t have answers to. Like, why does faith help? Or, why do we have faith? But I realize that it’s very important to strike the right balance between science and spirituality. If you become too scientific, too analytical and insist that everything has a reason, then you probably are trying to be all-knowing and all-powerful, which you as a mortal being cannot be.

Anything can happen anytime. Life is uncertain, relationships are uncertain, success is uncertain and so is health. Our belief in God is an acknowledgement to that sense of vulnerability. It makes us more human. I would like to pray more but I don’t get the time.

Our faith should not make us dogmatic or agnostic. Instead, it should channelize positive energy so that society benefits from it. Faith should comfort people, not antagonize them. God does not decide things for us on a day-to-day basis. He has given us a mind that can reason and an ability to think for ourselves.

This is what makes us superior to other living beings. Even if there is destiny, there is also a lot of free will. God has His place, an individual his. Hence the need to strike a balance between science and spirituality is all the more important. – The Times of India

Life is like a flowing stream

Good morning friends. We know that life is hard. There’s always a hardship while we are still living. But we can all consider life is like a flowing stream As we can go with the flow of our life. I have read one article and I want to share that with you. It’s a nice article and it might help to those people who have the agony in life.

I am a religious skeptic and don’t concern myself with the question of the existence (or non-existence) of God in everyday affairs.

I don’t look for Him and He doesn’t for me. I never found Him in any gurudwara , temple, church or mosque. But, I easily find him everyday in the music of a composer, in the voice of a singer, in the painting of a painter, in the writing of an author. He’s there in a monument, in a sculpture, in a piece of fashion garment, in a manuscript that lands on my desk for publication. I see Him in the innocent smile of that child standing half-naked with nose running in some far off village. I find Him in my friends who have taken me into their lives, their world, who are always there for me, who stand by me, who tolerate my various moods and eccentricities. I would much rather look at the beautiful formation of a cleavage than the cross that hangs close to it.

You can discover God by reconciling your different selves — the good, the bad and the ugly. Remember Graham Greene’s words: “...If there is a God who uses us and makes his saints out of such material as we are, the devil too may have his ambitions; he may dream of training even such a person as myself...” I guard and protect myself from being influenced by the teachings and preaching of any baba, any guru, any mata , any moral brigade on how to be pious.

For me, God is there within; certainly not in the distance, but here and now. I don’t waste time in prayers or in meditation. The only prayer to me is my work. My meditation is not to hurt anyone. It helps me have a clear mind. It gives me a good night’s sleep. And I enjoy the fruits of work to the hilt.

Uncertainty drives people to seek answers in religious practice. One turns to God to find solace from one’s misfortunes or seek favors for whatever one aspires for. Happiness or that “sense of inner peace” does not come from the realization of desires. I accept life, situations and people around me for what they are and not what they should be. I never think of yesterday. For me, everything is now. That’s what makes my tomorrow. This does not mean that one doesn’t strive to improve life, to look into matters that are obviously wrong. It means that there are limits on how much an individual can take. It also means that we limit our wants as there is no limit to greed. You cannot have God and Mammon on the same pedestal.

We all have our contradictions and multiple identities. There are many selves within each of us. Which Self will assert itself at any given point depends on what has influenced us at that particular stage. We are constantly evolving. What we are today is not what we were yesterday. Life is like a stream which has to flow forward on its journey. The minute the water gets stagnant it gets polluted. Change is the only certainty and acceptance of it is what gives one peace of mind. – The Times of India

(The writer is CEO & MD, Hay House Publishers India)

timeslife@timesgroup.com

Happiness comes after unhappiness

Good morning friends. Do you believe that happiness comes after unhappiness? Many said thein all our sad moments of life there is always a happy times afterwards. I did proved of that in my own experience.

God is in the small things. In the smile of a new-born baby and in the gaze of my grandmother whose face is lined with a smile. I can’t see God everywhere. I feel Her in spaces small and large.

What stops us from being sexy, as well as religious; materialistic, as well as spiritual; happy, as well as sad? We’ve forgotten that our Gods, Rama and Krishna, were princes and wealthy. They lived in luxury and their women, Sita, Kausalya, and Urmila were regal. Jewels, personal maids, expensive wardrobes and luxe living surrounded them. Ayodhya was a kingdom encouraging masculinity and war; Mithila, Sita’s home, encouraged education, world philosophy and equality between the sexes.

We can hold on to faith and still live in luxury. We have a warped notion of spirituality and truth as being states of deprivation. In a society that’s aspirational, like middle-class India, one is seemingly from the West (material wealth) and the other homegrown (spirituality). We’re caught in this mire and coagulated confusion.

Hanuman on my crotch makes me uncomfortable. Maybe Durga on my kurta or my sari pallu works for me. My body is my personal space and even God doesn’t need to validate my sexuality. To be open to adventure, to hold on to the bubble of laughter; never to despair and to remember anger and darkness — these are emotions cut from the same cloth from which beauty and harmony are woven. To be conscious of my breath and the feel of my feet on the pavement anywhere in the world.

To be happy means that one has to also experience unhappiness. I can’t be happy anywhere like the yogis and gurus. I need my home, room, garden and rhythm to find my inner flame. I’m easily distracted and need to consciously focus and withdraw from external stimuli to remember that I have every right to be happy every minute of my life. – The Times of India

timeslife@timesgroup.com

Happiness is a good night’s rest’

Good morning friends. Some says that when you have a good night rest, the following day it will be a perfect one. When the day is perfect and no problem at all then we will have the happy time. It was a story of the author which I want to share id with you after I read it. It’s a nice article.

My spiritual quest began rather early in life and progressed into academic study when I decided to major in religion and philosophy in college.

The choice was made with the intention of finding a few answers to my many questions, to study the ‘different’ religions of the world. I oscillated from believing to not believing to questioning the faith I was born into.

May be there was a better alternative for me? One that I was to choose for myself and hence be more willing to accept. There was a moment in my life when I contemplated conversion — when I was drawn to a particular faith. It was introspection that made me realize that what I sought was not a path, what I sought was a union with the constant evolution that surrounds us.

The fact that our reality, ourselves and our beliefs are in constant flux. That there is an impermanence that is ever present and our ability to cope with it, has more to do with our changing self than a path we choose. As it turned out I chose to stay in my faith, to understand it for myself and to be free in the understanding that the essence of all religions is the same. In times of peril, there are many verses I recount, I make annual pilgrimages, not all of these are to temples.

Do I practice my faith? Yes, I do. My practice is in the interactions I share with people. My spiritual quest continues. Do I view material possessions negatively? Not necessarily — I am however cautious of not letting what I possess define me, nor judge others by their possessions. It is one of my spiritual victories, to be able to do that very easily. There are other things that I struggle with; often I struggle with as much of the good in my life as I do the bad.

At times I feel grateful and then on some days undeserving — of the good and the bad. Today, there are enough and more things we encounter, a lot of times it isn’t so much about choice, it’s more about learning what to step around — with practice, I side step pretty easy now and sleep well. And isn’t happiness above all else a good night’s rest? - The Times of India

(Advaita Kala is an author)

In pursuit of happiness

Good morning friends. Anywhere you go, anything you do, I believe you can see God anywhere - in your garden, on the road or by the seaside.

But since I like Gucci shoes, I don't think of God in connection with the label. I believe one can really be in love with luxury as well as be meditative, because one is not exclusive to the other in any way. But putting life on hold to go off on a journey in pursuit of happiness or even seeking spiritualism outside the realm of daily concerns would be a bit dull.

Life comes in many colours and one needs to enjoy all of them. In India, there are very few strict spiritual templates and you can afford to believe anything without moving out of your cultural backdrop. It is a culture that believes in Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma and the tantric ethos.

I went to the Kumbh Mela recently and really got a sense of how diverse our culture is in its spirituality and beliefs in God. There is nothing like wrong or right except truth and honesty. I actually stopped living up to somebody else's expectations of me, though it came a bit late in life, but I am glad to have done it now. – The times of India

Be content and let go

Good morning friends. Life itself is synonymous with growth. Various events in my life have been spiritual lessons from which I learnt and grew as a person.

I believe that each individual is guided by a special force that helps him grow and move ahead in life. There have been many ups and downs in my life, like when my mother passed away. That was a difficult situation for me but I found solace in the supreme force called the Almighty.

Contentment and purity lie within oneself and one cannot hunt for it in the outside world. Our relationship with the Supreme Being gives solace and for some, this comfort is found in temples. It’s completely up to individuals to choose their way of connecting with the Supreme Power.

Many fears that we sustain within us also come from our insecurities. So, at this juncture, when the world is seeing so much chaos and unhappiness, I would love to ask God to show us the path to overcome these insecurities. Everyone should keep in mind that material happiness is fleeting and the only constant thing that is here to stay is inner bliss and satisfaction, which is the main wealth one earns in a lifetime.

Looking outwards or going to a spiritual guru may not be the solution for me, but it works for some people who turn to them for attaining peace and contentment. I believe the true nature of spirituality is that silent understanding you have when you “just flow”.

I have discovered that as I endeavor towards my spiritual quest in life, it’s important to be ever so vigilant of the ego. I’m not out to prove that my belief is better than anyone else’s, only to understand what the Great Spirit has communicated. – Jay Panda

Contentment better than bliss

Good morning friends. I came across with an article. It's about contentment. How it is better than bliss. I nice article and I'm sure tha after reading it, even you will agree. I want to share it with you.

I believe spirituality is common to all religions, but religion is very often dealt with in a non-spiritual mindset .

I personally find short-term contentment better, so long live the desire for a new Gucci...if it’s what makes me happy! The equation between spirituality and materialism actually depends on one’s thought process.

If you buy something which makes you happy, you experience contentment. Bliss, however, exists on a much superior level. Donating huge sums of money to religious institutions does not make a person spiritual.

In a fast-paced world, it might be a short cut to nirvana, but most people indulge in charity to justify their ‘bad conscience’ hoping they’ve ‘washed away their sins’! That’s blasphemy.

The mind is like a wild fire with many thoughts running through it simultaneously. Whether a person donates his money for charity or splurges it on the latest Chanel outfit is purely his own decision. Spirituality can be analyzed according to actions, not words. Regarding the presence of God, He is omnipresent as He exists in the mind of every human being.

As a designer, I’ve come across innerwear with God’s images on them. Some of these attract attention. I believe, religious trinkets and symbols are always encouraged by the society. These include tattoos, amulets, bracelets, etc, with the exception of underwear. It’s usually not done as it hurts religious sentiments.

Being ‘here and now’ is about the body being united with the soul in time. Spirituality is the connection to everything, including oneself. -Hemant Sagar

timeslife@timesgroup.com

Overcome stress as children of bliss (2)

That is meditation. Meditation is a non-doing entity where you are simply a seer, witness, an observer of the minds happenings. To watch is our true nature. It is a natural, non-doing state. No effort is required to watch. We all have full potential to look within directly as we all are blessed with the Third Eye.

Meditation is mind-management. It is not forcing the mind to be quiet. It is to find the quiet that is there already. We are children of bliss. We suffer from stress and strain because we gave all the powers to the mind and made it our master. Not only that, we consider ourselves nothing but the mind.

Mind is matter. It has no power of its own. It is useful in the external world but in the spiritual, internal world, it has to be left far behind. Otherwise we will be the victim of mental and heart diseases. Meditation is seeing the mind as a witness, a neutral energy. It is not interfering with the intricacies and doings of mind. Let the mind go into the dead past or uncertain future in meditation. Just be a seer, be a witness. We just stay in our own source, in our true nature: All-bliss.

We are happy when the mind is cheerful. We are depressed when mind is gloomy. We are at the mercy of the mind that waxes and wanes. We consider ourselves nothing but mind. It is very unfortunate and a great blasphemy to consider ourselves as the victims of some unforeseen incident when the un-ending BLISS is flowing within all of us. Meditation is mind-management. Meditation is a homecoming. – Swami Vishvas

(Courtesy: Vishvas Foundation. Website: www.vishvas.org.)

Overcome stress as children of bliss (1)

Good morning friends. Our mind is the one who told us what to do. It’s so powerful. It can dictate us. We can’t do anything if our mind told us things to do or to think. I have a good reading on one article with regards to overcoming our stress. Let me impart it with you. The mind is compared to a monkey drunk with the wine of desire, stung by the scorpion of jealousy and possessed with the demon of pride. Lust, greed, jealousy, anger, ego, tensions, reactions, grudges, depression, stress and strain are the symptoms and not the disease.

When we are afflicted with a disease like malaria, we don’t treat each symptom like fever, pain and shivering, one by one. We just treat the disease and the symptoms automatically vanish. So deal directly with the mind and the symptoms of stress and strain will disappear. Vishvas meditation is mind management. There is no attempt, however, to control the mind; the idea is to go beyond it.

The common misconception is that meditation is concentration of mind and techniques are taught to achieve this. Meditation has got no technique. There are techniques for concentration. Concentration is a mental exercise between the mind and the object of attention. But meditation is neither a mental exercise nor a practice. Meditation is a direct and natural process beyond mind itself. Meditation is not concentration; it is the mother of concentration.

Remember, concentration is where one tries to control the thoughts. Meditation is where thoughts get dissolved naturally, enhancing your concentration power, memory power, will power, right thinking and fitness power automatically.

When thought current is interrupted which means that all the thoughts are fixed on one object, it is concentration. But when the flow is uninterrupted which means that the thought is not fixed on any one object, rather we just remain a non-doer and directly watch the thoughts as a neutral energy, without any judgment, analyses, participation, visualisation, imagination, contemplation, suppression, repression, condemnation or concentration. – Swami Vishvas

(Courtesy: Vishvas Foundation. Website: www.vishvas.org.)

Hello nature, thanks for everything (2)

You have to thank God for the langurs. I am having a tough time trying to describe them. Just saying dark grey fur, darker spectacled face, long legs, very long tail is not enough. When they move or run, they are so graceful and fluid whether on the ground or in the trees.

For the moment I become a Langur, otherwise there is no way I can experience the energy flowing in its body, which is the same energy flowing in me, and which flows through the whole Universe – a single, powerful, living energy this, which unites everything, visible or invisible to the eye. And the rider beam of this energy is Love. I am put to shame when I think of what we humans are doing in the name of progress.

Progress is good, but not when it involves annihilating the very Earth that provides for our every need. Only if one loves this Earth with unbending passion, can one release ones sadness says Don Juan, A warrior is always joyful because his love is unalterable and his beloved, the Earth, embraces him and bestows upon him inconceivable gifts. Sadness belongs only to those who hate the very thing that gives shelter to their beings.

This lovely being which is alive to its last recesses and understands every feeling, soothed me, as balm to my pains, and finally when I fully understood my love for it, it taught me freedom. Here warrior is a person treading the spiritual path to becoming an Impeccable Warrior. I am walking this path, and it has been a long walk, and yet I am far from being an Impeccable Warrior. But I have every intention of reaching that goal even if takes me another hundred or thousand lifetimes. –The times of India

Hello nature, thanks for everything (1)

Good morning friends. How I love nature. It makes me feel good and at peace whenever I’m looking to one nature. It’s one of God’s creation that I love most. God takes good care of his creation as He takes care of us.

As a driver I have this uncanny ability to look out for something that stands out from the normal.

Whether in the city, or on a road winding through a jungle, I am absorbing details which an average person would not even notice. Innumerable times the passenger in the back, would say How can you drive, and still notice something like that? When I pointed out something. Of course the jungle roads beat the city roads by a long margin you get to see something beautiful, and I would feel so peaceful, and at ease.

Nature, wildlife and the environment, have always been close to my heart, because it is here that the Divine truly manifests. The roads through Bandipur, Madhumalai and to Kabini have always given me much joy and pleasure when as a taxi-driver I took customers there. A couple of emperor mongooses, lovely dark brown, standing still at the edge of the jungle, the sun glinting on their silver shoulders, a porcupine racing across the road in front of my car, as my passengers scramble for their camera (and losing the race), as it ducks down a tunnel. A herd of elephants crossing the road ahead of us, a rare scene, as we watch the babies ambling in the middle, my excitement peaking as I slow down.

How beautiful. Once I caught sight of a male deer between clumps of scrub brush and bamboo, stocky, dark brown with medium-sized antlers. We stopped and watched, and suddenly it bounded away, using all four legs in a delicate ballet too fast for camera, again. Later when we described the buck and even pointed out a picture in the forest personnels catalogue they refused to believe us, and said we were mistaken because this particular deer hasn’t been seen here. Well I am happy I saw it. –The times of India

Find the right track to achieve bliss (2)

In other words, we have the choice. Until we try ourselves to get rid of the "shackles of misery", no divine power can come to our rescue. Our gurus can only show us the way, but the real "action" is in our hands.

Therefore, the Buddha presented the path of Sila or ethical conduct, Samadhi or meditation and Panna or wisdom as the means to purify the mind. These are quite often referred to as the threefold training or tividhasikkha system; but none of these is an end in itself. Each one is only a means to an end. And these three means go together.

Sila strengthens one's mental discipline. So does samadhi. And the two lead to panna. It is wisdom that differentiates us from other life forms. It enables us to see life as it is, arising and passing away. The materialistic world has too many temptations. Our desire for fame, name, wealth and power has led us far away from the path of deliverance. Hatred, distrust and violence is the outcome of the lack of understanding of life. Our love for the gratification of senses has led to our experiencing bankruptcy of mind.

However, a little more determination can still put us on to the right path. The Buddha's Eightfold Path can help us realise our objectives. The path to deliverance is difficult only for those who avoid it. Constant heedfulness and mindfulness can make the path easy to track. These practices are a way of life, and not just an "add-on" to life. Those who try to live life through moral, spiritual and intellectual perfection are the ones who will be the ultimate reapers of happiness and bliss. Self-discipline in body, mind and word go a long way in helping one get closer to reality of life. –The Times of India

Find the right track to achieve bliss (1)

Good morning friends. There are a lot of ways for us to be blissful. It’s not easy but when we have the will to do it, nothing is impossible. Always think positive for the good result to aim.

The core of all religious philosophies dwells on understanding the purpose and meaning of life. Understanding is at the root of development that leads one to ultimate deliverance or nirvana.

Gifted as we are with intelligence, we should try to understand everything we have to deal with in our day-to-day life. It is important because a lack of understanding is the root cause of all that dogs us today.

According to the Buddha, understanding has two layers, anubodhi and pativedha. Anubodhi is what we call 'knowledge'. It is nothing but accumulated memory, an understanding of a particular subject on the basis of data or observation. It is therefore superficial. Real understanding comes from pativedha or deep penetration into the core of a subject. It enables us to understand an object in its true nature and colour. In it, all the exterior labels like name, fame, money and power have zero value.

This kind of understanding can be developed only through rigid training of mind through meditation. One has to strive to be, first of all, free from all kinds of impurities that tend to derail us from the right path.

A person, on reaching this stage of penetrative wisdom, can see everything in the right perspective. He acquires the capability to make a distinction between what is desirable and correct and what is undesirable and incorrect. Such a person also develops the ability to acquire habits that enable his mind to see and believe nothing but the good of all.

The Buddha's philosophy of life revolves around the purification of mind and giving us deliverance from worldly attachments. The Buddha says every human being has the innate qualities and ability to come out of the world of ignorance and move towards the world of enlightenment. –The Times of India

Devotion leads to Happiness (2)

Good Morning friends, we are talking Happiness through Devotions. We talk little of this in previous post. We continue our post with the same topic.

Begin your devotional time by quieting yourself. Take a few deep breaths and become still. Some people light a candle or say a simple prayer such as, “O God, open my heart to hear your message to me in the words I read.”

Then read a short passage in the Bible and some additional reading. A resource such as Daily Bread and The Upper Room can guide you in choosing scripture passages, and its witness from other believers can help you connect the words of the Bible with concerns of everyday life.

At the end of your reading time, be silent and wait to see what words, feelings, or images rise in your heart or tug at your thoughts. Notice what situations or people come to mind.

Consider how the words or images connect with your life; then pray and ask the Holy Spirit to help you to see what God may be saying to you through what you have read, thought, and felt.

Devotion leads to Happiness (1)

Good Morning Friends. We are talking happiness. When we have devotions for anything or act done with devotion leads towards happiness. Let’s talk more about Devotion leads to happiness.

Happiness is what we are looking for. Everyone dreamed of that. There is this happiness for praying, happiness for singing, happiness for sharing, happiness for reading. It’s with ourselves that makes us happy. As for now, I want to talk with you about devotion which leads to happiness.
The phrases “doing devotions” or “having devotions” may sound foreign or weird. These phrases are simply ways people describe spending time with God by reading the Bible (and other Christian literature) and praying. Why bother to read the Bible and pray? Why is having a regular time with God important? We spend time with God in order to deepen and strengthen our relationship with the One who created us and yearns to be with us.

But because we are all different and because each of us has a unique relationship with God, no one devotional pattern will work for everyone. And no one way works for anyone all of the time. Experiment until you find the time of day, content, and length of time spent that helps you feel connected with God.

Keep on Smiling...

It's fun to smile. So keep on smiling and your day starts with a good way. They are cousins but they consider themselves as friends also. Always stays together whenever they have time to play. Sharing toys in each other. I'm happy to see them and take a picture. Can you imagine if all the people will smile at each other, there will be no anger, hatred, fight. The world will be so good. Keep on smiling.

Happy Together

These is the team volunteers for the Medical Camp Mission at Matar. As you can look at those men, they seems to be very happy and enjoying what they are doing. You can't see in their eyes the tiredness, instead all you can see is the smile in their face. it means there is a smile in their hearts. It's good to look at them with all their gestures.

How does self-respect contribute to our happiness? (3)

Every day of your life you make choices about what you will or will not do.

I've listened to countless stories in the counseling room of people who create tensions for themselves because of their own actions. No one knows their secret. But they know.

Consider what the Bible has to say:

Each one examine his own work…in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another (Gal. 6:4).

Want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise of the same…if you do what is evil, be afraid…for…an avenger…brings wrath upon the one who practices evil (Rom. 13:3-4).

I have found guilt is only a problem with people who pretend to be sorry for something they have done, but intend to do it again. Guilt is no problem to the repentant person, no matter what he has done, if there is a willingness not to repeat the mistake.

If you follow God's commandments, you will watch your self-respect grow, and you will be on the way to becoming indestructible. -Henry Brandt. Visit him at www.BiblicalCounselingInsight.com

How does self-respect contribute to our happiness? (2)

The prophet Isaiah and the great leader Joshua add more insights

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Well-being and Righteousness

If only you had paid attention to My commandments! Then your well-being would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea (Isa. 48:18).

Prosperous and Successful

This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success Josh. 1:8).

Searching out all those commandments will lead you into a lifetime study of the Bible. Also, it will guide you into conduct pleasing to God and will contribute to your own self-respect.

That's worth a lifetime of study! Why not commit yourself to a lifetime of doing what is right? Just as people who are physically fit spend a lifetime seeking out fitness principles and following them, so contented people learn the principles that will enable them to build self-respect…to love themselves.

The Bible furnishes us with some broad guidelines to help us make choices, but what it says puts the responsibility for our daily actions squarely on our own shoulders:

All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable…I will not be mastered by anything (1 Cor. 6:12).

All things are lawful, but not all things edify (1 Cor. 10:23).

To one who knows the right thing…and does not do it…it is sin (James 4: 17).

The work of righteousness will be peace, and the service of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever (Isa. 32: 17).

Insight, Knowledge of Sin, Prosperous, Righteousness, Self-respect, Stumble, Successful, Tears, Testimonies,Understanding,Well-being.-Henry Brandt. Visit him at www.BiblicalCounselingInsight.com

How does self-respect contribute to our happiness? (1)

One part of your life that either builds self-respect or tears it down is behavior–the choices you make. Everyone is involved in a multitude of choices every day and your self-respect depends on the quality of your performance.

You do your best.
You do poorly.

You do it right.
You mess it up.

You do what is required.
You cheat.

You follow instructions.
You disobey.

You give it all you've got.
You do it half-heartedly.

You keep your agreements.
You go back on your word.

These and more are choices you make day after day, according to the principles that guide you.

Consider some statements from wise King David:

Knowledge of Sin

Thy word have I treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against Thee (Ps. 119:11).

Insight and Understanding

I have more insight than all my teachers, for Thy testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the aged, because I have observed thy precepts. I have restrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep Thy word (Ps. 119:99-101).

Peace and Stability

Those who love Thy law have great peace, and nothing causes them to stumble (Ps. 119:165).

How can I find happiness in my life? (2)

Without complaining, he went to his job every day. At night he returned, his attitude as positive as if he had his old job. One night he got to talking enthusiastically about the fine art of digging ditches and how he was enjoying the opportunity of working outdoors and using his strength to accomplish a task. "I've never felt better in my life," he commented.

We boys were so fascinated by his enthusiasm that we went to watch him. Most of the men who worked with him were leaning on their shovels, looking miserable. Not our neighbor. When he saw us, he stopped to take us on a quick tour. He told us how to dig a ditch. Then he showed us his handiwork. His ditches were straight…uniformly deep - with firm sides. "Aren't they beautiful?" He was proud of his ditches.
One night, he announced that he had been made foreman. He was filled with compassion and pity for his men. They refused to accept their lot in life and spent the day moaning and complaining. Our neighbor now had a new zest for his job the challenge of lifting his men out of despondency and showing them how to be thankful they had some work to do.

As I watched this highly skilled craftsman who could find a challenge and satisfaction in anything he did, I realized he had mastered a pivotal principle: it was not the task that was important, but the spirit he brought to that task. He brought an undaunted spirit to every task and experience. As a result, he was happy and successful.

This man had a faith that sustained him. His faith could be summed up in these verses from the Bible:

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight (Prov. 3:5-6). -Henry Brandt. Visit him at www.BiblicalCounselingInsight.com

How can I find happiness in my life? (1)

Good evening friends. How can we find happiness in our life? Maybe a tough question to someone. But somebody else it’s not. If I were to be asked, for me it’s easy to find happiness in my life. Ourselves is the one ruling us. Let me share you one article which was written by Henry Brandt. You can visit him at www.BiblicalCounselingInsight.com. Let me share with you one of his topic. It’s a nice one.

A line of research concerning a group of young people called "indestructibles" was once reported in a leading psychological journal.

These indestructibles lived under extreme poverty, and came from very bad home conditions that were located in slum neighborhoods. Yet, they were well-adjusted and good students.

That research got me to thinking of some people I've met in my life who fit the description of “indestructibles.”

It is true that we cannot prevent troublesome or sorrowful events from intruding into our lives. But some people live heartily, joyfully, considerately one day at a time. They rely on their power of choice, whether their problems are solved today or not.

My first encounter with an indestructible was when I was a teen-ager.

The man was one of our next-door neighbors. It was during the height of the Depression. People by the droves were out of work; they were losing their life savings as a result of bank failures and were being evicted from their homes. Suicides were frequent. Nervous breakdowns were common.

My neighbor was a highly skilled (and highly paid) tool-and-die-maker. Suddenly, he was without a job or a paycheck. The best he could do was get a job with the WPA, a governmental agency which gave menial jobs to as many people as possible. His assignment: dig ditches.

This seemed a terrible thing to me. Imagine this top-flight craftsman digging ditches!

Make Space in your Life

For many of us, dreams may seem like a luxury or something unattainable, but in the long run ignoring your needs and interests can led to frustration and unhappiness. Going after your dreams means you are using your unique talents and first, and living life to the fullest. “without our dreams, all we have is reality.” People with dreams live longer, healthier lives.

Starting today, make a promise to yourself that realizing your goal will top your to-do list. To achieve this, you’ll have to clear your schedule of some unnecessary clutter. You need to create space in your life for your dream. Use passion as the barometer for deciding what to quit. Say no to something you don’t need or want to do, and say yes to your dream.

Follow Your Dream

Good morning friends. There are certain things to live by. One of it is to follow your dreams. Some says that if you will not follow your dream as if you will die. I came across with the article compiled by Natasha Persaud. It’s a good one. Those who gave more importance to their dreams, you have to aim for that. I want to share it to you.

Each of us has the power of transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary—the everyday into the special. - Johnnetta B. Cole

I’ve always tried to go a step past wherever people expected me to end up. - Beverly Sills

To be true to yourself take some action—no matter how small. - Barbara Braham

As soon as you feel too old to do a thing, do it. - Margaret Deland

We can be anything. Maybe this entire experience is a series of lessons to learn that you can—yes, you can. - Maya Angelou

It’s where we go, and what we do when we get there, that tells us who we are. - Joyce Carol Oates

Those born with a talent which is meant to be used find their greatest joy in using it. - Johann von Goethe

We don’t know who we are until we see what we can do. - Martha Grimes

When people say, “It can’t be done” of “you don’t have what it takes,” it makes the task all the more interesting. - Lynn Hill

Compiled by Natasha Persaud