Trinity- Soul Mind Body

Mistakes

2011-12-20T09:54:00.000+05:30

A jug fills drop by drop.

--Buddha

I think that every person is in their own growth state, each takes his/her own time to learn and grow. So we need to respect that fact and allow nature to teach him/her or if we can help we should help and encourage him/her to grow. And I think it is very natural that we may be childish and immature during the growth state where we may commit mistakes without proper understanding or reasoning. Every person commits mistakes. It would be a miracle to find a person who has not made any mistakes in his life.

Committing a mistake is just one side of the coin; it has meaning only when you consider the other side – realising your mistake and correcting it - else it remains as black dots in your journey.

But once we have progressed in life towards a state of understanding, realizing or more mature thinking, it is important for us to introspect deeply about the mistakes that we have committed and if it can be fixed it should be fixed. One should make sure that he does not take it negatively and blame himself, because this will only damage his progress, instead he needs to take it in the right perspective and move ahead.

This is the positive side of mistakes, if a person realizes his mistakes truly and can change himself to become a better person then the learning that he gets from the mistakes he has committed becomes his wisdom.

Past is past, we cannot change the past. But we can change our future to become pure souls, better human beings by moving towards Divinity. Choice is yours!!!

Authored by GANDHARV

Photosource : courtesy blog.caplin.com/2011/07/27/the-psychology-of-ux-part-3/ ,Vanessa

Intelligence

2011-11-21T12:15:00.004+05:30

Seek Within,

You are the emblem of peace,

You are the ocean of love,

You are the fountain of bliss,

You are intelligence.

You can ask a question about something only when you know about it. If you don’t know anything about it what question can you ask? This is the state of unknowing. Knowledge takes you from state of unknowing to knowing.

Never fear or worry if you don’t know something, because you have immense potential and power in you to know and learn whatever you want in life.

Knock and the door to knowing will open for you. There is nothing that can stop you from understanding. Understanding is the basis and fundamental essence which gives meaning to life. Without understanding we are as good as any inanimate object.

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."
-Matthew 7:7-8

Authored by GANDHARV

Photosource : courtesy Elena Ray

Tree of Knowledge

2011-10-25T22:37:00.004+05:30

The Tree of Life

You, the human race are the best of my creations,

You will live and live,

And give and give till you are untied,

In happiness and pain!

My bliss will be born in you,

Love is a continuum,

That is the mission of humanity,

You will see every day in the Life Tree.

You learn and learn,

My best of creations.

---APJ ABDUL KALAM

Life is the biggest teacher.

When learning stops, you stop growing. You start to lag behind. You start to get frustrated with limited thought pattern. You start to lose interest and feel everything boring. You start to become dull. You start to become depressed. You don’t feel freshness in life.

There is no age limit for learning. Love learning, experiment, always be in learning mode. Learning should be a lifelong companion. Think that you are a student of life. Never have “I know everything” attitude.

Don’t learn for the sake of learning. Don’t try to compete with others. Learn because you want to learn and evolve. Learn because you want to truly understand about the subject at hand. Take your own time but learn it. Understand that each person is in his own stage of learning. So respect everyone. There will be something to learn from everyone. Each person is unique by himself.

Start the day by praying and with a thought to learn something new.

Learning is growth. It is very important for us to realize that there is learning in everything. Every struggle and situation you come across in life has something to teach. Learn it. There are 2 ways you can look at these situations

1. Grumbling, blaming and making noise about what happened and not learning.

2. Trying to see the positive aspect and inner workings, learning from them and moving ahead. You are the owner of your life and your life path depends on the choices you make. It is up to you to choose.

There is a Chinese proverb I remember “learning is a treasure that follows its owner everywhere”.

A wise man is one who uses all his energy towards growing and becoming an evolved being.

THINK ABOUT IT!!!!!!

Authored by GANDHARV

Photo source: courtsey http://themachoresponse.blogspot.com

Self- Knowledge Simplified

2011-10-17T14:10:00.000+05:30

Meditation is the first step in the path of realization of self, realization of GOD and being in touch with the soul. This is the path to Enlightenment.

When the person’s awareness level is at SOUL, then the person is said to be an Awakened person, a Complete Man- A person who remembers everything about himself ( about all his lives) and his connections with everyone and everything. This entire process of realizing or becoming aware of his true nature is Realization of the Self. This is Self-Knowledge. After this a person can become aware of his true connections with the Creator. And the process of realizing GOD or CREATOR is known as Realization of GOD. After all these a person is said to be liberated Soul. Such a person is out of the cycle of life and death, a person who has gone beyond life and death by decoding the secret of himself. Such a person is called Enlightened being. This is also known as Nirvana or Moksha or Liberation or Enlightenment.

Evolution-Growth- Knowledge, Self-Realization, GOD Realization, Our Connections (with everyone, universe) are the four important fundamental things that a person should explore in life. Only then can a person truly can know himself the TRUTH of reality and existence.

Authored by GANDHARV

Fable of the Porcupine

2011-09-16T13:15:00.000+05:30

Have you ever seen a baby porcupine?

It was the coldest winter ever. Many animals died because of the cold. The porcupines, realizing the situation, decided to group together. This way they covered and protected themselves; but the quills of each one wounded their closest companions even though they gave off heat to each other.

After a while, they decided to distance themselves one from the other and they began to die, alone and frozen. So they had to make a choice: either accept the quills of their companions or disappear from the Earth. Wisely, they decided to go back to being together. This way they learned to live with the little wounds that were caused by the close relationship with their companion, but the most important part of it was the heat that came from the others.This way they were able to survive.

The best relationship is not the one that brings together perfect people, but the best is when each individual learns to live with the imperfections of others and can admire the other person's good qualities.

The Moral of the story:

LEARN TO LOVE THE PRICKS IN YOUR LIFE!

The Knight in Rusty Armor

2011-09-02T11:10:00.000+05:30

I would like to share this inspiring short ebook "The Knight in Rusty Armor by Robert Fisher" to all my fellow blog readers. Happy reading !!! :)

This is a lighthearted tale of a desperate knight in search of his true self. His journey reflects our own - filled with hope and despair, belief and disillusionment, laughter and tears.Anyone who has ever struggled with the meaning of life and love will discover profound wisdom and truth as this delightful fantasy unfolds. The Knight is an experience that will expand your mind, touch your heart, and nourish your soul.The first chapter sets up the story, and from there, it's hard to stop reading this short story....

Click here to read the book ---- The Knight in Rusty Armor

Disclaimer: The contents of this post are for educational and informational purpose only.

The Eagle-an interesting, beautiful story!

2011-08-29T11:08:00.003+05:30

Our lives are not determined by what happens to us but by how we react to what happens, not by what life brings to us, but by the attitude we bring to life. A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events, and outcomes.It is a catalyst, a spark that creates extraordinary results.

When it rains, most birds head for shelter; the eagle is the only

bird that, in order to avoid the rain, starts flying above the cloud.

Source:Mail

Seven secrets of success

2011-08-03T12:10:00.000+05:30

Every thing depends on how you PERCEIVE and ACT

--GANDHARV

Photo source : Mail

Break Your Boundaries

2011-08-01T09:56:00.000+05:30

You are not limited,

You are unlimited,

There is a way,

Find it.

Don’t believe what your eyes are telling you. All they show is limitation. Look with your understanding and examine deep so that you don’t miss anything. Only by knowing can you get freedom from unknowing, it is like a light that clears the darkness in the room.

Freedom is the very nature of our being, whatever stands against that freedom must be set aside, be it belief or superstition or limitation in any form. It is our birthright to know the Truth of our existence. It is very important for us to understand our true roots and nature. We have to realize and awaken our true unlimited potential. We have to have that burning desire to learn and explore. Everything can be mastered but you should have true burning desire to learn.

What is certain? Everything looks uncertain and unclear…And the uncertainty becomes certain only when we explore the unknown territories of that uncertainty. Only Truth is certain. Go for it!

Authored by GANDHARV

Determination & Persistence

2011-07-08T14:02:00.001+05:30

BROOKLYN BRIDGE

In 1883, a creative engineer named John Roebling was inspired by an idea to build a spectacular bridge connecting New York with the Long Island. However bridge building experts throughout the world thought that this was an impossible feat and told Roebling to forget the idea. It just could not be done. It was not practical. It had never been done before.

Roebling could not ignore the vision he had in his mind of this bridge. He thought about it all the time and he knew deep in his heart that it could be done. He just had to share the dream with someone else. After much discussion and persuasion he managed to convince his son Washington, an up and coming engineer, that the bridge in fact could be built.

Working together for the first time, the father and son developed concepts of how it could be accomplished and how the obstacles could be overcome. With great excitement and inspiration, and the headiness of a wild challenge before them, they hired their crew and began to build their dream bridge.

The project started well, but when it was only a few months underway a tragic accident on the site took the life of John Roebling. Washington was injured and left with a certain amount of brain damage, which resulted in him not being able to walk or talk or even move.

"We told them so."

"Crazy men and their crazy dreams."

"It`s foolish to chase wild visions."

Everyone had a negative comment to make and felt that the project should be scrapped since the Roeblings were the only ones who knew how the bridge could be built. In spite of his handicap Washington was never discouraged and still had a burning desire to complete the bridge and his mind was still as sharp as ever.

He tried to inspire and pass on his enthusiasm to some of his friends, but they were too daunted by the task. As he lay on his bed in his hospital room, with the sunlight streaming through the windows, a gentle breeze blew the flimsy white curtains apart and he was able to see the sky and the tops of the trees outside for just a moment.

It seemed that there was a message for him not to give up. Suddenly an idea hit him. All he could do was move one finger and he decided to make the best use of it. By moving this, he slowly developed a code of communication with his wife. He touched his wife's arm with that finger, indicating to her that he wanted her to call the engineers again. Then he used the same method of tapping her arm to tell the engineers what to do. It seemed foolish but the project was under way again.

For 13 years Washington tapped out his instructions with his finger on his wife's arm, until the bridge was finally completed. Today the spectacular Brooklyn Bridge stands in all its glory as a tribute to the triumph of one man's indomitable spirit and his determination not to be defeated by circumstances. It is also a tribute to the engineers and their teamwork, and to their faith in a man who was considered mad by half the world. It stands too as a tangible monument to the love and devotion of his wife who for 13 long years patiently decoded the messages of her husband and told the engineers what to do.

Perhaps this is one of the best examples of a never-say-die attitude that overcomes a terrible physical handicap and achieves an impossible goal.

Often when we face obstacles in our day-to-day life, our hurdles seem very small in comparison to what many others have to face. The Brooklyn Bridge shows us that dreams that seem impossible can be realised with determination and persistence, no matter what the odds are.

Even the most distant dream can be realized with determination and persistence.

Source: I came across this on mail, thought everyone should read....

Mother Nature

2011-07-05T09:51:00.000+05:30

She's Alive.....Complex..... Beautiful... Finite... Hurting... Worth Dying for.

4 Pointers To Believe In AFTER LIFE -There is always life after life.

2011-07-04T14:59:00.004+05:30

This post is meant for people who are scared about death, for thinkers and for anyone who wants to enquire, learn and grow in life. This post should be treated as an outline pointer and it is left to each individual to experiment and find out the truth for himself.

1. Bhagavad Gita: As everyone knows that this is one of the most sacred texts of Hindus, written some five thousand years ago. A book that has stood the test of time for more than five thousand years itself shows the importance and greatness of the book. One of the scared wisdom it teaches is about Soul or Atma or the spirit that embodies the body. Let me quote few texts from it relating to our topic of discussion -

“Just as the embodied soul experiences the different states of the body like the childhood, adulthood and old age, so will it acquire another body after death. Learned person are never deluded about this”

“The bodies are for the soul just like clothes are for us. Just as we discard worn garments the soul discards worn out bodies and accepts new one”

For those who have not read this epic, this is a must read book at least once in your life time.

2. Past Life Therapy: In past life therapy we move backward in time and place where the original event has occurred. This can be achieved through hypnosis, guided imagery, or other states of deep relaxation where memories that are normally unconscious can be accessed. Here a therapist guides a person and takes him to deep relaxed state and helps him/her to review past lifetime.

It is mentioned in Upanishads and discussed in detail in Yoga sutras of Patanjali. Patanjali called the process of past life regression as Prati-prasav which means “Reverse birthing”.

Although past life regression dates back to 4th Century BC when Patanjali instructed how past lives can be recalled through meditation, it made a comeback in modern times around 20th century with Albert de Rochas, a French colonel who practiced hypnotism. Dick Sutphen, an American past life regression therapist popularized its use in 60’s. Raymond Moody, author of Life after Life and Coming Back, French educator Allan Kardec author of the book Heaven and Hell, Brian L. Weiss, a prominent psychiatrist, author of best-selling book Many Lives, Many Masters and many other eminent psychiatrists have written and spoken about this.

3. Child prodigy cases: There are so many child prodigy cases where a small kid remember his past life times and skills that he has learnt in his past life.

4. Meditation: For those who have gone deep within themselves know or remember their past lives. This is truly one way to remember all the wisdom that a person has accumulated in all his lives. A person who comes in touch with his soul can remember all his lives.

One may think why bother about what happens when we die or why think about after-life?

To answer this question, let us understand how this knowledge can change our thinking pattern -

The greatest fear of an old person is death. Once you realize that there is no death, fear of death disappears.
You may start to ponder or think about Karma, life and its working. Why some people suffer while some people don’t. How everything is linked? You may start to enquire about spiritual laws that govern creation.
You start to give more importance to things that are eternal.
The maturity that comes with knowledge can change your life forever.

To understand the true meaning of life, life should be viewed as a whole else you will miss the bigger picture of life.

By watching few clips of a movie can you understand the full movie?

Think about it. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Photo source: courtesy :http://photobucket.com/images/reincarnation/

Authored by GANDHARV

How to start to meditate ?

2011-06-23T13:00:00.000+05:30

If you have not read the above posts, read them before you read How to start to meditate ?

Everything starts with simple steps and as you progress these very simple steps become a foundation.

I have seen people planning but not implementing due to innumerable reasons. But unless you do you cannot accomplish. so JUST DO IT whatever it takes.

" Execution of a plan is more important than the plan itself "

As a beginer you may find it difficult to meditate but as time passes it will become as easy as drinking water. Never lose hope. Patience, perseverance and determination is necessary.

Start with 10 minitues a day. Then gradually increase it to 15-20 mins in the second week. Then 30 mintues in third week. Maintain this consistency of 30 minutes for a month or 2 months. This way you build a habit of meditating daily. Don't change techinques, don't expect everything to happen very fast, the progress depends on the intensity of meditation.

Do it with full heart and don't stop. You will succeed.

Lord Budhha: "There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting."

Authored by GANDHARV

Self Created Cage

2011-06-21T15:57:00.001+05:30

If you clearly examine our present times, people are fancied by the idea of becoming rich, gaining power and having popularity. But in reality all these ideas are created by whom?

All these are created by the people and now they are chasing their own fancied ideas.

Does the pursuit of these goals have any true meaning?

Is this life?

Is it worth wasting our valuable life chasing artificially created desires?

When we were born we had nothing. We came empty handed. When we die we will have nothing. We go empty handed. And in this short life the basic necessity that a person requires is food to fill his stomach, few clothes to cover his body, a small place to live. Keeping apart what people's beliefs are if you see in reality these are the only few basic essential requirements that a person requires for his survival.

Why should we not live in contentment with just enough to fulfill reasonably the few needs imposed by nature, devoting the time we could save thereby to the acquirement of assets of a permanent nature, which would be with us forever, a lasting ornament to the unchanging eternal Self in us instead of serving merely to glorify the flesh?

The real measure of a man's wealth is what he has invested in eternity

Think about it.

Is this all there is to life - going to work, making money, eating, watching TV and sleeping?

Or is there some thing we are missing or we are not seeing and we are ignorant.

What is the difference between us and animals then? Are we not living blindly like animals in our self created cage?

Photo source: courtesy h.koppdelaney @ flickr.com

Authored by GANDHARV

Stress Buster

2011-05-17T15:31:00.000+05:30

Simple Technique to calm your mind. Every effective stress buster.

The technique mentioned below acts as a foundation for all other breathing techniques. This technique is also called slow deep breathing or full breathing or complete breathing.

Sit comfortably in a cross-legged position on the floor or lie flat on your back in the Corpse pose. Place a cushion under the buttocks if you need more support when sitting on the floor. Hands may be relaxed by the sides or you may place one hand on the abdomen and the other on the rib cage to check that you are breathing correctly. Inhaling slowly through the nose, feel the abdomen expand first, then the rib cage, and finally feel the air filling the upper chest. Your abdomen will automatically be drawn in as the ribs move out and chest expands. Slowly exhale, emptying the lungs from top to bottom. Your shoulders and head should stay essentially in the same position throughout; don't raise your shoulders on the inhale or slouch forward on the exhalation. Your inhalation and exhalation should be about the same length of time. Do not hold your breath either at the top or the bottom of the breath but make the transition smooth. Repeat five times.

Benefits: This is the technique you will probably use most often to combat the tensions and stress in your life. You can use it anywhere, anytime to calm your mind and help quiet physical responses to stress - rapid heartbeat and breathing, and tense muscles. Use this technique to center yourself before your meditation and before asana practice to make them even more effective.

Note- You can also sit on chair but remember that your back should be straight.

Super-natural

2011-04-29T09:38:00.001+05:30

What seems obvious is not always the truth. Often truth lies concealed in the shadows, just out of reach of our keenest gaze.

Everything is Super – natural in its true form, only we are not aware of this.

People have coined the term supernatural since they don’t understand the laws behind it. A farmer who sees a mobile for the first time and comes to know that he can talk with people in distant lands through the mobile it is a supernatural thing for him. He feels it is a miracle. Similarly an advance science can be supernatural. This world is full of mysteries.

What is not a mystery? Birth is mystery. Death is a mystery. Laws that govern are a mystery. Life itself is a mystery.

Gravity always existed before man discovered it and it continues to exist even if man were to forget it. Just like gravity existed even before its discovery, similarly are the laws governing the universe. They exist irrespective of man’s discovery. These laws don’t depend on any person’s belief or perception. They are the building blocks of nature. They bring order in chaos.

Just like there are natural laws similarly there are spiritual laws. Everyone is aware of natural laws up to some extent but very few who have tried and explored the nature of their Self have discovered spiritual laws.

Now you must be wondering what this spiritual law is and why it is necessary for us to seek to know them.

The laws that govern the spirit are known as spiritual laws. It is necessary for us to know them because we are spirit embodied in this body. Our body is just a vehicle. Just like we change our clothes when it is dirty similarly we change our body when the body loses the capacity to hold the spirit or when the spirit finishes its allotted life span in that body. Spirit is also known as soul or atma in a living being. All the knowledge that a soul has learnt in its long journey (many lives) is stored in it. There are ways to access this knowledge. It is for this reason that knowledge of Self is known as Mother of Wisdom or it is also known as Brahmavidya, by realizing which, it changes his/her life forever.

Authored by GANDHARV

Self Excellence

2011-04-01T15:27:00.001+05:30

On this path effort never goes to waste, and there is no failure. Even a little effort toward spiritual awareness will protect you from the greatest fear.

--Bhagavad Gita

Every person goes through different stages of transformation and understanding. Just because a person does not always behave in a mature manner does not mean he is immature and dull. Every person has the power in him to change himself. He has the power in him to learn from his mistakes and implement them in his life. He can become a good person. He can become a pure soul – a holy soul. He has the ability to master himself to self perfection. Self mastery is the key. Meditation is the way. This world is like a playground where we give our best performance from the learning’s that we have acquired in our journey. There is nothing in life which can stop a person from realizing the true potential of what he is.

There is a saying that goes “Anything in life that is really worth is worth working for”. Every person gets what he seeks if he really works towards it. Listed here are a few pointers towards working on self-

Listen, keep your mind open to all ideas and what others have to say, reason it and take your own individual decision.
Express your thoughts only when required and think clearly before you speak or any action (Action – consequences).
Continuous sharpening of communication skills helps to express clearly and put your point across.
Consciously self introspecting about the actions and speech and working on building good and noble character traits.
Don’t advice until asked for.
Don’t expect others to behave the way you want. Value and respect their feels and their way of life. Don’t try to control other person’s life for your desires or expectations. His/ her life is their own and has the freedom to lead it the way they want it.
Should not have an attitude of “I know everything”.
Work on self mastery, to have complete control on one self’s thoughts and emotions. Don’t work for self excellence because you want to show off in front of others or because others want. Do it because you want to attain the highest perfection and want to be the purest of purest soul.

Authored by GANDHARV

Love & Smile

2011-03-23T11:07:00.001+05:30

We should not differentiate between people based on the work they do. He may be a CEO, software engineer, a clerk, peon or a toilet cleaner - at the end of the day each person is a human being. Everyone should be treated equally without differentiation.

GOD sees people as they are inside, not for what they do.

This world is a beautiful creation, where it is meant to be filled with love and happiness. Love is the very nature of the soul. Without love the soul dies and the world would too.

Every person wants to be loved. When you love a person without seeking anything in return or without any expectations, such a love is said to be unconditional love. Here you love a person because you love. When you do this and when you smile everything changes around you. You create a strong vibration of love and positive field around you. People start responding to you nicely, nature starts responding to you. It has been found by scientists that even plants respond when you love the plant and nurture it. And if you have pets you can understand what I am saying.

You feel good when you love whole heartedly. At the same time when people reciprocate you feel overjoyed but we should not worry about whether they reciprocate or not. One day or the other they will reciprocate. This is the beauty of love. Have you ever wondered why people like to love small babies and to play with them? It is because babies smile and love everyone around them without differentiation.

Authored by GANDHARV

The 4th State

2011-03-15T14:53:00.001+05:30

Dream is such a beautiful phenomenon - when we dream we don’t realize that it is not reality. We only come to know this when we wake up. In that state we experience and act as if we are living that particular dream. Each night we don’t go to bed with a story in our head, but our mind is so creative it creates a new story each time we go to sleep. Some dreams are pleasant and some may be scary. It is a world of its own reality. This is just a clue from nature how reality can alter and can make a person believe what he is experiencing as reality.

How many people have tried to figure out the secrets of Maya of this very existence and have found the truth of reality?

When we start to discover our self and world of reality in which we are living we come across so many questions and one gets lost in them. One such fundamental and curious phenomenon we experience is the states of reality. We all are aware and have experienced 3 states of reality namely, dreams, deep sleep: no dream state and waking state. Almost all our entire life, at any point of time, we can be found in either one of these three states. We would not have given much thought to it and would be busy in the daily rat race of life: Eat- Work – Sleep

Our scriptures say there is one more state of reality: Super conscious state. Westerners call it as Christ consciousness and easterners refer it to as Krishna consciousness or Awakened state or Transcendental consciousness. We are not "consciously" aware of this fourth state in the normal course of living. However, in certain moments that can only be described as sublime, we get a hint of this fourth state which exists within us, which is all ours to explore.

It is also called “turiya” experience of pure awareness.

“The fourth state of consciousness is beyond the states of waking, dreaming and deep sleep and stringing together all the states; the Metaphysical Consciousness distinct from the psychological or empirical self; the Saksi or witnessing consciousness; the transcendental Self”.

--Wikipedia

Yoga is meant to lead a person towards this direction, to experience the Truth as it is. Experience is the only direct way of understanding the truth. Without experience everything seems like a concept or a notion. The question here is how many are ready to come out of the rat race of life and know for themselves the reality of truth? If they are not experiencing this state of existence then they are missing the truth of life.

Authored by GANDHARV

Character

2011-03-07T11:45:00.002+05:30

A man shapes pottery as it turns on a wheel

Native American Pottery

Creating a vessel from clay is an ancient art. Since the beginning potters have come out with some priceless vessels that have withstood the test of time. Each step in the overall pottery process is an art in itself, the glazing process, firing techniques, preparing the clay and shaping process. Now you must be wondering why I am talking about art of pottery making? Character is similar to this process. It is how we mould our self to become perfect.

It has been said that CHARACTER is the foundation for all true success. A person may have money, position, or power, but unless he has "good" character he or she is not considered to be truly successful.

So, in the full knowledge that there may be other just as valid lists of character traits, I am presenting below one list that has been very helpful to me.

List of Character Traits

1. Alertness - Being aware of what is taking place around me so I can have the right responses.

2. Attentiveness - Showing the worth of a person or task by giving my undivided concentration.

3. Availability - Making my own schedule and priorities secondary to the wishes of those I serve.

4. Benevolence - Giving to others basic needs without having as my motive personal reward.

5. Boldness - Confidence that what I have to say or do is true, right, and just.

6. Cautiousness - Knowing how important right timing is in accomplishing right actions.

7. Compassion - Investing whatever is necessary to heal the hurts of others.

8. Contentment - Realizing that true happiness does not depend on material conditions.

9. Creativity - Approaching a need, a task, or an idea from a new perspective.

10. Decisiveness - The ability to recognize key factors and finalize difficult decisions.

11. Determination - Purposing to accomplish right goals at the right time, regardless of the opposition.

12. Diligence - Investing my time and energy to complete each task assigned to me.

13. Discernment - Understanding the deeper reasons why things happen.

14. Discretion - Recognizing and avoiding words, actions, and attitudes that could bring undesirable consequences.

15. Endurance - The inward strength to withstand stress and do my best.

16. Enthusiasm - Expressing joy in each task as I give it my best effort.

17. Faith - Confidence that actions rooted in good character will yield the best outcome, even when I cannot see how.

18. Flexibility - Willingness to change plans or ideas when necessary.

19. Forgiveness - Clearing the record of those who have wronged me and not holding a grudge. Letting go.

20. Generosity - Carefully managing my resources so I can freely give to those in need.

21. Gentleness - Showing consideration and personal concern for others.

22. Gratefulness - Letting others know by my words and actions how they have benefited my life.

23. Honor - Respecting each other

24. Hospitality - Cheerfully sharing food, shelter, or conversation to benefit others.

25. Humility - Acknowledging that achievement results from the investment of others in my life.

26. Initiative - Recognizing and doing what needs to be done before I am asked to do it.

27. Joyfulness - Maintaining a good attitude, even when faced with unpleasant conditions.

28. Justice - Taking personal responsibility to uphold what is pure, right, and true.

29. Loyalty - Using difficult times to demonstrate my commitment to those I serve.

30. Meekness - Yielding my personal rights and expectations with a desire to serve.

31. Obedience - Quickly and cheerfully carrying out the direction of those who are responsible for me.

32. Orderliness - Arranging myself and my surroundings to achieve greater efficiency.

33. Patience - Accepting a difficult situation without giving a deadline to remove it.

34. Persuasiveness - Guiding vital truths around another's mental roadblocks.

35. Punctuality - Showing esteem for others by doing the right thing at the right time.

36. Resourcefulness - Finding practical uses for that which others would overlook or discard.

37. Responsibility - Knowing and doing what is expected of me.

38. Security - Structuring my life around that which cannot be destroyed or taken away.

39. Self-Control - Rejecting wrong desires and doing what is right.

40. Sensitivity - Perceiving the true attitudes and emotions of those around me.

41. Sincerity - Eagerness to do what is right with transparent motives.

42. Thoroughness - Knowing what factors will diminish the effectiveness of my work or words if neglected.

43. Thriftiness - Allowing myself to spend only what is necessary.

44. Tolerance - Realizing that everyone is at varying levels of character development.

45. Truthfulness – Walking on the path of truth.

46. Virtue - The moral excellence evident in my life as I consistently do what is right.

47. Wisdom - Seeing and responding to life situations from a perspective that transcends my current circumstances.

Authored by GANDHARV

Learn to move on

2011-02-25T11:03:00.001+05:30

A wise man once sat in the audience & cracked a joke. All laughed like crazy.

After a moment he cracked the same joke again and a little less people laughed this time.

He cracked the same joke again & again, when there was no laughter in the crowd, he smiled and said,

"When u can't laugh on the same joke again & again, then why do u keep crying over the same thing over and over again”

Source: Mail

Excellence

2011-02-21T12:51:00.000+05:30

A German once visited a temple under construction where he saw a sculptor making an idol of God. Suddenly he noticed a similar idol lying nearby. Surprised, he asked the sculptor, "Do you need two statues of the same idol?" "No," said the sculptor without looking up, "We need only one, but the first one got damaged at the last stage." The gentleman examined the idol and found no apparent damage. "Where is the damage?" he asked. "There is a scratch on the nose of the idol." said the sculptor, still busy with his work. "Where are you going to install the idol?"
The sculptor replied that it would be installed on a pillar twenty feet high. "If the idol is that far, who is going to know that there is a scratch on the nose?" the gentleman asked. The sculptor stopped his work, looked up at the gentleman, smiled and said, "I will know it."

The desire to excel is exclusive of the fact whether someone else appreciates it or not. "Excellence" is a drive from inside, not outside. Excellence is not for someone else to notice but for your own satisfaction and efficiency...

Conquer Your Weakness

2011-01-25T10:45:00.001+05:30

This is a story of one 10-year-old boy who decided to study judo despite the fact that he had lost his left arm in a devastating car accident.

The boy began lessons with an old Japanese judo master. The boy was doing well, so he couldn't understand why, after three months of training, the master had taught him only one move. "Sensei," the boy finally said, "Shouldn't I be learning more moves?"

"This is the only move you know, but this is the only move you'll ever need to know," the Sensei replied. Not quite understanding, but believing in his teacher, the boy kept training.

Several months later, the Sensei took the boy to his first tournament. Surprising himself, the boy easily won his first two matches. The third match proved to be more difficult, but after some time, his opponent became impatient and charged; the boy deftly used his one move to win the match. Still amazed by his success, the boy was now in the finals.

This time, his opponent was bigger, stronger, and more experienced. For a while, the boy appeared to be overmatched. Concerned that the boy might get hurt, the referee called a time-out. He was about to stop the match when the Sensei intervened. "No," the Sensei insisted, "Let him continue."

Soon after the match resumed, his opponent made a critical mistake: he dropped his guard. Instantly, the boy used his move to pin him. The boy had won the match and the tournament. He was the champion.

On the way home, the boy and Sensei reviewed every move in each and every match. Then the boy summoned the courage to ask what was really on his mind. "Sensei, how did I win the tournament with only one move?"

"You won for two reasons," the Sensei answered. "First, you've almost mastered one of the most difficult throws in all of judo. And second, the only known defence for that move is for your opponent to grab your left arm."

The boy's greatest weakness had become his greatest strength.

Received on mail

3 principles that is making my life very easy

2011-01-06T10:24:00.003+05:30

Painter: Swaroop Roy

Painting details : These are the different emotional levels of person who is suffering from attachment, fear and expectation. The background shade from darker to brighter color shows the gradual coming out of these emotions..

You can never lead a peaceful life in fear, expectations and attachment.

Live a life without fear.

In fear you are always not yourself. You do things against your will. You do things because someone is forcing you to do so. You are scared. You cannot be free, there is no freedom. And freedom is the primary essential factor for a good life. Fear creates worries and tension. Think about it.

Truly loving another means letting go of all expectations.

Expectations result in disappointment and hurt. When you expect something from others it is again dependence. It may or may not happen as you expect. When it does not happen you feel depressed and frustrated. In reality we are the reason for our disappointment, we our self are drawing upon instability. The right approach would be - “Don’t expect anything from anyone”. When you follow this principle there is no chance of dependence, worries, disappointment or unhappiness. You tend to become more and more stable. And when you feel very good when you receive a gift unexpectedly, you learn to value the gift and at the same time experience the joy that comes when you are not attached to “expectation”.

Attachment gives rise to fear, addiction, pain, stress, possessiveness.

There are two extremes that one has to avoid in case of attachment. One extreme is like I am in water, I get so attached to the water that I feel I cannot do without it, and drown myself in my journey. The other extreme is renouncing everything and coming out of the water. The middle path that I follow is to be inside the water but still remain untouched like I am wearing a diver's suit. I can get into the water at my will and get out of it at my will. The water does not affect me in any way. I enjoy myself both inside and outside the water.

Authored by GANDHARV

Go Easy on LIFE

2011-01-03T15:30:00.002+05:30

Life should not become mechanical and monotonous - it loses its luster. This makes our life less interesting and boring. This makes us feel: Is this all life is about? But we never realize the fact that we ourselves have made our life this way. We forget that we are the captain of the ship.

We have billions of options to make our life interesting and enjoyable. For example-

Explore a new skill.
Try to take a break from your busy schedules and admire nature.
Work on developing yourself (Mind, Soul and Body) to raise your standards.“When we work on our self can we give out the best in everything”
Find out what you love to do the most.
Avoid falling in pursuit of materialistic things. “Everything is temporary”.
Go out with your family, enjoy a movie, a good meal etc. Treat yourself once in a while and enjoy the experience of every little moment of life.
Read a novel. I have found knowledge is wealth and developing reading as a habit is a worthy hobby. Books are one of the sources of knowledge. They helps us develop linguistic ability which plays an important role in our growth.
Meditate: Explore yourself.
Play a sport.
Listen to music.
Travel: Explore the world.
Do gardening.
Most of all have a noble mission in life; make life worth it by working towards it.

Enjoy!!!!!!

Authored by GANDHARV

Light Within

2010-12-23T14:27:00.007+05:30

Our body is a sacred temple which houses the Divine. To invoke this divinity one has to be pure and this purification of self can be done in the following ways

1. Meditation

2. Devotion

3. Self introspection and correcting oneself and moving towards goodness

4. Thinking good, doing good and being good and by service to humanity without expectation.

All the above 4 should be implemented in one's lifestyle to become the purest of purest.And this very purification makes himself aware of the DIVINE.

Authored by GANDHARV

Buddha

2010-11-30T11:36:00.005+05:30

"When the mind is unguarded, bodily action is unguarded; speech also is unguarded; thought also is unguarded. When the mind is guarded, bodily action is guarded; speech also is guarded; and thought also is guarded. "'

"By mind the world is led, by mind is drawn:
And all men own the sovereignty of mind."

"If one speaks or acts with a wicked mind, pain follows one as the wheel, the hoof of the draught-ox. "

"If one speaks or acts with a pure mind, happiness follows one as the shadow that never departs. "

One can read about life of Buddha and Dhammapada by clicking the below two links

Life of Buddha
The Dhammapada

Four Candles

2010-11-11T15:23:00.000+05:30

Four candles slowly burned, the ambiance was so soft one could almost hear them talking...

The first candle said " I am peace. The world is full of anger and fighting, nobody can keep me lit". Then the flame of peace went out completely"

The second candle said " I am faith. I am no longer indispensable, it does not make sense that I stay lit another moment ". Just then a breeze softly blew Faith's flame.

Sadly the third candle began to speak: " I am love, people don't understand my importance so they simply put me aside.They even forget to love those who are nearest to them". And waiting no longer Love's flame went out.

Suddenly a child entered the room and saw the three unlit candles " why aren't you burning? You are supposed to stay still lit till the end". Saying this the child began to cry.

Then the fourth candle answered: " Don't be afraid. I am hope. While I am still burning we can re-lit the other candles". With shining eye the child took the candle and lit other candles.

The greatest of these is LOVE.....but the flame of HOPE should never go out of your life. With hope each of us can live with Peace, Faith and Love.

Prayer:

Dear GOD,

You are light and salvation. You are my hope, please come into my heart , forgive all my wrongs, lead me to the right path. Help me be an instrument of Your love and cause Your light to shine others through me.

GOD bless All
--author unknown

Modes of vision

2010-10-21T13:46:00.001+05:30

In one of my previous posts, I spoke about why we are not able to perceive the beauty and splendor of our "Self" and the Almighty Intelligence behind everything. Those who have not read can read it here: Perception. In this post I attempt to explain three modes of vision.

If the doors of perception were cleaned every thing would appear to man as it is.

To understand and explore this beautiful existence we have been gifted by sight. There are three modes of vision or knowing: eye of flesh, eye of mind and eye of contemplation.

Eye of flesh discloses the material, concrete world; eye of mind discloses the symbolic, conceptual and linguistic world; eye of contemplation discloses the spiritual transcendental and transpersonal world. These are not three different worlds, but three different aspects of our one world, disclosed by different modes of knowing and perceiving.

These three modes of vision or knowing have a development sequence lower to higher. In the first year of a baby’s life, eye of flesh develops and evolves to disclose the material, concrete world of solid surfaces, forms, colors and objects. Slowly, as the baby grows, it starts to understand the world through eye of mind. The eye of mind will increasingly emerge and develop, disclosing in its turn the world of ideas, symbols, concepts, images, values, meanings and intentions. If development continues beyond the mind via meditative disciplines then the eye of contemplation opens and discloses the world of spirit, of subtle energies and insights, of radical intuition and transcendental illumination.

You have been gifted with these three modes of knowing, it is up to each person how he uses them to know the ultimate reality, to know the beauty and grandeur of creation, to experience the splendor of consciousness, to know his fundamental identity, to know his connection with all beings, all the things in universe and GOD.

Authored by GANDHARV

*collated from external sources

Swallows

2010-10-18T11:33:00.004+05:30

Here his wife is injured and the condition is fatal. She was hit by a car as she swooped low across the road.

He brought her food and attended to her with love and compassion.

He brought her food again but was shocked to find her dead. He tried to move her....a rarely-seen effort for swallows!

Aware that his sweetheart is dead and will never come back to him again, he cries with adoring love.

He stood beside her, saddened of her death.

Finally aware that she would never return to him,he stood beside her body with sadness and sorrow.

Millions of people cried after watching this picture in America, Europe and in Asia . It is said that the photographer sold these pictures for a nominal fee to the most famous newspaper in France . All copies of that
newspaper were sold out on the day these pictures were published.

And many people think animals don't have a brain or feelings?????

Keep Your Mind Open

2010-10-13T14:23:00.001+05:30

Keep your mind open,

Keep your mind open else you cannot open your mind.

Keep your mind open,

Keep your mind open else you cannot know the unknown.

Keep your mind open,

Keep your mind open else you cannot open the 7 doors of mind.

Keep your mind open,

Keep your mind open this can make you know who you are.

People should not limit their understanding and should be of open mind. When you limit your mind it’s like limiting your growth and learning. It limits your opportunities and obstructs the path you are traveling.

Life becomes very dull when the person does not explore the truth of his existence and creation. Each person has great potential in him. To know anything worthwhile in this life it requires great self effort. Just as we spend time in the study of other subjects similarly one should dedicate himself to study the nature of mind. It is this mind that can take you to the core of your being.

Don’t come to any kind of conclusion from the books you read or what you hear from others when you are investigating the truth of life. You would have read and heard about many sacred texts but it is similar to a blind man listening to what people describe. Different people write different things based on their level of understanding and experience. Observe, learn from everything and come to a conclusion only after your true experience.

Only when you start your search for truth can you study the nature of it. Keep your mind open to all the ideas and experiment on them. Without experimenting you can never know the truth of life, you can never know the splendor, the beauty of your existence.

Authored by GANDHARV

Sky

2010-10-01T10:39:00.001+05:30

Every person undergoes these two states: state of depression; state of happiness.

I want to share a small lesson that I learnt from watching the sky the other day.

Observe the vastness of the sky - that is how we should be. We should have a broad vision and a large heart. By large heart I mean a heart large enough to accept life as it is and face it courageously. And the clouds - sometimes the clouds are dark and sometimes they are white and they keep moving. Similarly a person’s life is filled with sadness like dark clouds and happiness like white clouds. They are moving all the time. We should learn to tolerate them and remain non- attached as the sky is detached from the clouds. And the glowing Sun during the day time and moon during the night represents the hope of light in everyone’s life – during difficult times.

I believe everything in life has a reason; it may be difficult to know what may happen in future or why it happened so in the past. But one day when time comes, we will definitely be able to connect all the dots in life.

Authored by GANDHARV

Teacher

2010-09-27T10:07:00.002+05:30

Lord Vishnu taught Arjuna on the war field which triggered him to fight for the truth and integrity.

Two lines of wisdom can alter your life for ever. It can change the course of your dreams and thinking pattern. Yesterday, I was thinking about teacher though it is personal, I thought of posting this on blog.

In my life, the greatest teacher has been GOD and life itself (This includes all the people that I have met, nature, books that I have read and everything that has happened until now). I deeply respect this and I am very thankful for this.

I want to share with you a small story from our scriptures in this context.

Why should the teacher be respected?

It seems, some friends of Arjuna, the mighty warrior in Mahabharata, asked him why he gave so much respect to his teacher Dronacharya. Drona was old, not as rich as Arjuna, and never ruled any kingdom. But Arjuna would always sit at his feet respectfully. When asked why, it seems Arjuna replied “In this life everything perishes over a period of time. Whether it be diamond, beauty, gold or even land. Only one thing withstands this destruction. It is knowledge. The more you give the more you get”. A teacher gives knowledge to students and I consider him the richest person. That is the reason a teacher is respected; not for his riches but because he is the source of knowledge.

I bow down with great respect to the Lord and all the great teachers in this world.

Authored by GANDHARV

Prayer

2010-09-20T11:00:00.002+05:30

Prayer is the purest form of love one can offer to the divine Almighty GOD. And prayer is at its purest form when expectations are not attached to it.

Prayer is a sacred expression of love to the divine and should be offered with deep conviction and love.

Everyone is so busy in their daily worldly life, that they have forgotten the value and sacredness of prayer. They have time for partying, eating, sleeping, shopping, movies, gym, beauty parlour etc and are busy in making money but they don’t have time for prayer. They can schedule everything into their list but cannot spend 10 minutes a day for prayer. When they are asked why? The standard answer you get is “I have no time and I am so busy”. Think about this. Is everything more important than GOD? This very existence is HIS great gift and don’t we have 5 minutes in a day to thank him for it. Realize how ignorant we are.

There is a saying in Kannada “ Kasta bandaga venkataramana” . It means when a person is in trouble or suffering he tends to pray to GOD. Is this not similar to shop keeping business? When you want to buy something what do you do? You go to a shop take the item you want and pay for it. Wherever there is any question of buying and selling, it is not love. So, when a man prays to God, "Give me this, and give me that", it is not love. How can it be? I offer you a prayer, and you give me something in return; that is what it is, mere shop keeping.

My intention of writing this article is to wake people who have forgotten the sacredness of prayer and is living in ignorance by valuing worldly things.

Authored by GANDHARV

Perception

2010-09-09T10:47:00.007+05:30

We are not just the body,

We are not just the mind,

We are much more than body and mind.

We are not able to perceive the beauty and splendour of our "Self" and the Almighty Intelligence behind everything is because our sensory equipment is designed the other way. The veil before our eyes is the creation of our senses. Our senses act only within a particular range. Areas beyond that range are completely shut out from us. And we live in this limited perception of life.

Just imagine how limited we are in our sense. A moth can smell its mate from even as far off as seven miles and a shark can scent blood two miles away. Bees find their way by polarized light imperceptible to human beings, and whales locate their prey with sonar-echo thousands of feet below the surface of the ocean. What worlds are hidden from us we cannot even imagine?

To add up with this from the time of our birth our schools have taught us to look outside and we have never been taught to silence our senses and to look deep inside our mind.

Is it not the time to become aware of our Self?
Is it not the time to know and experience the splendour and grandeur of consciousness?
Is it not the time for us to explore the beyond?

People who ignore will always remain in darkness. They can never come to know the truth and beauty of existence.

Yesterday, I saw a video from TED, I was very impressed by Alwar Balasubramaniam's works...

Authored by GANDHARV

*collated from external sources

Appreciate the Good

2010-09-08T19:07:00.001+05:30

We don’t have to embrace everything about a person in order to appreciate the good that he or she does. If we judged everyone according to things they have done that we don’t agree with, or by the sins they may have committed, we would miss out on a lot of very good things.

Every person has a part in him which is good. We should appreciate it and help him to build on that.

Encourage everyone around you. Help them to get the best out of them. Each person has a talent in him. Some are aware and are in nurturing state and some are not aware of their talents. Help them to identity them. Love and share their joy and yours. Let’s build a beautiful world filled with love and joy.

Appreciate and be grateful for this existence. This very existence is a gift of GOD. Lead a life with broad vision with no fear.

A small quote which I remember—

“Life is just like a sea, we are moving without end.
Nothing stays with us,
What remain is just the memories of some people who touched us as Waves”

Authored by GANDHARV

Words of Wisdom

2010-08-26T10:03:00.000+05:30

1. When Snake is alive, Snake eats Ants.
When Snake is dead, Ants eat Snake.
Time can turn at any time.
Don't neglect anyone in your life........ ...

2. Never make the same mistake twice,
There are so many new ones,
Try a different one each day.

3. A good way to change someone's attitude is to change our own.
Because, the same sun melts butter, also hardens clay!
Life is as we think, so think beautifully.

4. Life is just like a sea, we are moving without end.
Nothing stays with us,
what remain is just the memories of some people who touched us as Waves.

5. Whenever you want to know how rich you are?
Never count your currency,
just try to Drop a Tear and count how many hands reach out to WIPE that- that is true richness.

6. Heart tells the eyes see less, because you see and I suffer lot.
Eyes replied, feel less because you feel and I cry a lot.

7. Never change your originality for the sake of others,
because no one can play your role better than you.
So be yourself, because whatever you are, YOU are the best.

8. Baby mosquito came back after 1st time flying.
His dad asked him "How do you feel?"
He replied "It was wonderful, Everyone was clapping for me!"
Now thats what I call Positive Attitude

Simple Ways To Refresh Your Energy

2010-08-13T13:14:00.009+05:30

Energy is the most important of all, we continuously live on energy. Without energy there is no life. There are 5 main sources of energy food, water, sleep, deep breathing and Meditation. Usually people are familiar only with the first 3 types of energy i.e food, water and sleep, they are not completely aware of the benefits of deep breathing and Meditation.

We are using this energy for our body and mind activities like seeing, speaking, hearing, thinking and all physical actions.So more the energy more is the efficiency and we feel more lively, more active and strong.

Unfortunately there are many factors which are throwing us out of balance. Many may not getting good sleep, no proper nutrition, no proper sunlight, electrolyte or water. Many others like mental stress, physical stress, toxins in water, food, air, cell phone radiations, due to electrical lines, cables and lighting, all these diminish the energy level and reduces the efficiency.

Now then, how to keep our energy levels up all the time ? What is the remedy?

Do deep breathing and meditation.

By deep breathing and by meditation we can draw lots and lots of energy. When you draw more and more energy , you feel very strong, stable and lively.You can actually feel tingling of energy in your body.

* There are some other simple ways to refresh you energy too , I have listed them below try them

1. Spend one day a month in total silence! It may seem difficult at first, but I guarantee that you will find it refreshing and energizing. Imagine, just for a moment, what it might be like to give the chatterbox in your head a rest!

2. A simple and quick walk can do wonders for your energy level. Walking gets your heart a pumpin’, and once again, the blood rushes to your brain, energizing those tired, slumping brain cells!

3. Studies show that 20 minutes of sunlight can make all the difference in your energy level. Get as close to daylight as you can, and smile.

4. Smiling lowers your blood pressure, helps you to relax, relieves stress, exercises 15-26 facial muscles, makes you look younger as it lifts the face…and it fires up various parts of your brain.

5. Slouching can cause your brain to receive up to 30% less blood and oxygen. It also compresses your internal organs, compromising their efficiency. Hunching over your computer promotes shallow breathing. Break this!

6. Most people are “shallow breathers.” This type of breathing causes carbon dioxide to build up in your blood and make you doze-y, snooze-y and lethargic. By taking in a few deep breathes, you will get the oxygen moving through your system again. This will help you to become alert!

7. Trying to be perfect can be exhausting, and it can lower glucose levels in your brain, making it that much more difficult to function! When your “perfection gene” gets activated, remember to embrace imperfection. What a relief! Enjoy the wave of peaceful and calm energy that now flows through you.

8. Flowers are another one of life’s miracles! They have a wonderfully bright, positive, and warm energy that can lighten and energize any room and/or person. Try putting a white vase with red or pink flowers on your bedside table and just see how energy rises.

9. Watching funny movies decreases certain stress-related hormones! Stress slows us and drains us. Laughter energizes us. Enough said? Make a list of your top 10 funny movies, now! And watch them.

10. Human beings are made up of approximately 70 percent water. If you are not drinking enough, if you are dehydrated, then your body slows its circulation and, in turn, your energy goes tumbling on down. Drink a glass right now, so that you are energized while reading the rest of these refreshing tips! Bottoms up!

11. A quick splash of cold water, first thing in the morning, may energize you even better than a cup of caffeinated coffee! No kidding.

12. Sing, chant, hum, dance, prance, bang your drums, run in circles, skip, and/or walk backwards. Do what you have to do to shake the doldrums out of you!

Authored by GANDHARV

*Collated from external sources

The Big Rocks

2010-08-06T10:24:00.002+05:30

An expert on the subject of time management was speaking to a group of business students. He stood in front of these high-powered overachievers, pulled out a one-gallon, wide-mouthed Mason jar, and set it on a table in front of him. Then he produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar.

When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked " Is this jar full?"

Everyone in the class said, "Yes".

Then he said , "Really?"

He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. Then he dumped some gravel in and shook the jar, causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks. Then he asked the group once more, "Is the jar full?"

By this time the class was on to him. " Probably not," one of them answered.

"Good!" he replied.

He reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in and it went into all the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel.

Once more he asked the question, "Is this jar full?"

"No!" the class shouted.

Once again he said,"Good!"

Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim. Then he looked up at the class and asked.

"What is the point of this illustration?"

One of them raised his hand and said," The point is, no matter how much full your schedule is, if you try really hard you can always fill some more things into it!"

" No," the speaker replied," that's not the point. The truth this illustration teaches us is this

" If you don't put the big rocks in first, you'll never get them in at all."

What are the big rocks in your life?

Are you putting them in first?

Life is not just eating, work and sleep.There is so much to life.

First things first!

Pray to the almighty GOD your Creator. Meditate daily, keep some time for yourself, spend time in silence.

Work towards realization of Self and realization of GOD.

Lord Shiva in Meditation posture

Jill Bolte Taylor : A Stroke of Insight

2010-07-30T18:19:00.002+05:30

Many of you may have seen the Ted video by Jill Bolte Taylor, the neuroanatomist and spokesperson for the Harvard Brain Tissue Resource Center who survived a stroke in 1996, at age 37, to describe the shifts in her brain that took place as part of her recovery.

Fascinating stuff. And very useful and inspiring to not only those recovering from neurological disorders, but also psychological ones.

Right Brain:

Nonverbal
Thinks in pictures
Kinesthetic
Present moment
Holistic thinking
Seek similarities
Perceives energy
Compassionate
Noncontroversial
Time lost in the flow
Joy

Left Brain:

Thinks in language
Details
Linear/sequential
Past/future
Seeks differences
Critical analysis
Judges right/wrong
Competitive
Confrontational
On the clock
Stress
Sense of urgency

Reaction / Response

2010-07-22T12:41:00.000+05:30

Suddenly, a cockroach flew from somewhere and sat on her. I wondered if this was the cockroach’s response to all the glory that was spoken about it! She started screaming out of fear. With panic stricken face and trembling voice, she started jumping, with both her hands desperately trying to get rid of the cockroach. Her reaction was contagious, as everyone in her group got cranky to what was happening.

The lady finally managed to push the cockroach to another lady in the group. Now, it was the turn of the other lady in the group to continue the drama.The waiter rushed forward to their rescue. In the relay of throwing, the cockroach next fell upon the waiter. The waiter stood firm, composed himself and observed the behavior of the cockroach on his shirt. When he was confident enough, he grabbed and threw it out with his fingers.

Sipping my coffee and watching the amusement, the antenna of my mind picked up few thoughts and started wondering, was the cockroach responsible for their histrionic behavior? If so, then why was the waiter not disturbed? He handled it near to perfection, without any chaos.

It is not the cockroach, but the inability of the ladies to handle the disturbance caused by the cockroach that disturbed the ladies.

I realized even in my case then , it is not the shouting of my father or my boss that disturbs me, but its my inability to handle the disturbances caused by their shouting that disturbs me. Its not the traffic jams on the road that disturbs me, but my inability to handle the disturbance caused by the traffic jam that disturbs me. More than the problem, its my reaction to the problem that hurts me.

Lessons learnt from the story:

I understood, I should not react in life.

I should always respond.

The women reacted, whereas the waiter responded.

Reactions are always instinctive whereas responses are always intellectual

Om Mantra

2010-07-15T16:52:00.002+05:30

Before the beginning, the Brahman (absolute reality) was one and non-dual. It thought, "I am only one -- may I become many." This caused a vibration which eventually became sound, and this sound was Om. Creation itself was set in motion by the vibration of Om. The closest approach to Brahman is that first sound, Om. Thus, this sacred symbol has become emblematic of Brahman just as images are emblematic of material objects.
The vibration produced by chanting Om in the physical universe corresponds to the original vibration that first arose at the time of creation. The sound of Om is also called Pranava, meaning that it sustains life and runs through Prana or breath. Om also represents the four states of the Supreme Being. The three sounds in Om (AUM) represent the waking, dream and deep sleep states and the silence which surrounds Om represents the "Turiya" state.

Because the first of the three states of consciousness is the waking state, it is represented by the sound "A" pronounced like "A" in accounting. Because the dream state of consciousness lies between the waking and the deep sleep states, it is represented by the letter "U" which lies between the "A" and "M". This "U" is pronounced like the "U" in would. The last state of consciousness is the deep sleep state and is represented by "M" pronounced as in "sum." This closes the pronunciation of Om just as deep sleep is the final stage of the mind at rest.

Whenever Om is recited in succession there is an inevitable period of silence between two successive Oms. This silence represents the "fourth state" known as "Turiya" which is the state of perfect bliss when the individual self recognizes his identity with the supreme.

The Symbol Om

Just as the sound of Om represents the four states of Brahman, the symbol Om written in Sanskrit also represents everything. The material world of the waking state is symbolized by the large lower curve. The deep sleep state is represented by the upper left curve. The dream state, lying between the waking state below and the deep sleep state above, emanates from the confluence of the two. The point and semicircle are separate from the rest and rule the whole. The point represents the turiya state of absolute consciousness. The open semicircle is symbolic of the infinite and the fact that the meaning of the point can not be grasped if one limits oneself to finite thinking.

The Power of Chanting Om

The chanting of Om drives away all worldly thoughts and removes distraction and infuses new vigour in the body.
When you feel depressed, chant Om fifty times and you will be filled with new vigour and strength. The chanting of Om is a powerful tonic. When you chant Om, you feel you are the pure, all pervading light and consciousness.
Those who chant Om will have a powerful, sweet voice. Whenever you take a stroll, you can chant Om. You can also sing Om in a beautiful way. The rythmic pronunciation of Om makes the mind serene and pointed, and infuses the spiritual qualifications which ensure self-realization.
Those who do meditation of Om daily will get tremendous power. They will have lustre in their eyes and faces.

Kahlil Gibran

2010-07-14T11:52:00.003+05:30

Quote's from Kahlil Gibran

1. A little knowledge that acts is worth infinitely more than much knowledge that is idle.

2. Advance, and never halt, for advancing is perfection. Advance and do not fear the thorns in the path, for they draw only corrupt blood.

3. Faith is a knowledge within the heart, beyond the reach of proof.

4. If the other person injures you, you may forget the injury; but if you injure him you will always remember.

5. Knowledge of the self is the mother of all knowledge. So it is incumbent on me to know my self, to know it completely, to know its minutiae, its characteristics, its subtleties, and its very atoms.

6. Life without love is like a tree without blossoms or fruit.

Supercoherence

2010-06-30T13:24:00.002+05:30

The first step is to measure whatever can be easily measured.

This is okay as far as it goes,

The second step is to disregard that which cannot be easily measured

or to give it an arbitrary value.

This is artificial and misleading.

The third step is to presume that what cannot be measured

isn’t really important.

This is blindness.

The fourth step is to say that what can’t be measured

doesn’t really exist.

This is suicide.

-- Robert MacNamara

Everything in this world cannot be explained by logic or in scientific terms. But our system is such that a person looks for a scientific explanation for everything. Yes, by all means look for scientific explanations but don’t stop at that, it is not the end. Some things can only be explained by pure awareness of the being, logic and scientific explanations fail here. The person has to have a direct experience to understand. For example: Love

It is difficult to understand love,

But it is easy to feel it,

It is difficult to derive an equation and prove love,

But it is easy to experience and love.

Similarly realization of self is something that can only be understood when a person experiences it. Mind is the only connection to realize our true Self. Mind is the only starting point to uncover the hidden inner world. It is only by training the mind that a person can open the doors to his inner self within his mind.

Every person has the divine with him; it is left to each individual to uncover it. Only by looking inward can a person experience the reality of himself.

Authored by GANDHARV

Atisha

2010-06-25T11:34:00.000+05:30

The greatest achievement is selflessness.
The greatest worth is self-mastery.
The greatest quality is seeking to serve others.
The greatest precept is continual awareness.
The greatest medicine is the emptiness of everything.
The greatest action is not conforming with the worlds ways.
The greatest magic is transmuting the passions.
The greatest generosity is non-attachment.
The greatest goodness is a peaceful mind.
The greatest patience is humility.
The greatest effort is not concerned with results.
The greatest meditation is a mind that lets go.
The greatest wisdom is seeing through appearances.

Atisha (11th century Tibetan Buddhist master)

Unclear cleared

2010-06-14T17:52:00.003+05:30

A little boy was doing his maths homework.He said to himself, "Two plus six, that son of a bitch is eight. Three plus four, that son of a bitch is seven...."

His mother heard what he was saying and gasped, "What are you doing?"

The little boy answered, "I'm doing my maths homework, Mom.
"And this is how your teacher taught you to do it?" the mother asked.

"Yes," he answered.

Infuriated, the mother asked the teacher the next day, "What are you teaching my son in maths?"

The teacher replied, "Right now, we are learning addition."

The mother asked, "And are you teaching them to say two plus two, that son of a bitch is four?"

After the teacher stopped laughing, she answered, "What I taught them was, two plus two, THE SUM OF WHICH, is four."

Moral
“Things are not always as they seem”

Happiness

2010-06-03T12:36:00.002+05:30

Smiling is good for health. When you smile the world smiles with you but when you weep you have to weep alone. Isn’t that true?

Each person craves for happiness and peace of mind in his life. To acquire this people falsely assume that they will be happy if they have money. Initially they feel happy with what money can buy but as time passes money enslaves them and they lose their path. The irony is after having all the money also the person is not satisfied and he is not happy. Are all the rich people happy?

Happiness does not come from what you have, it comes from what you are, happiness resides within you. Happiness comes from doing what you love to do. Happiness comes from freedom. Happiness comes from love. Happiness comes from devotion and service to humanity.

But happiness depends on peace of mind. Can you be happy if your mind is disturbed?

In reality happiness too does not last long. Happiness should not be the destination. Happiness and sadness is a part of life. A wise person is one who knows to take this in his stride and remain unaffected by them.

It is the natural tendency of every human being to expect from others or from other things but by doing this we are depending on external attributes. Never depend on external attributes this brings hindrance to your stability. When we expect, the expectation may or may not be fulfilled.

What if you don't expect and accept whatever may be the outcome? This will make life easy because this way you are never hurt and without expectation if something comes to u, you will feel happy too... A person who has no expectation is the person who has more happiness and stability. When you don’t expect you face life as it is and accept everything that life throws at you. Acceptance is the key.

I would like to mention an excerpt from Bhagavad Gita which is worth mentioning in this context.

“The three modes of material nature, sattva, rajas, and tamas, condition the living entity, when he comes in contact with nature. Of these, sattva, the mode of goodness, is pure as it is enlightening and without sorrow. Those following this mode get conditioned by happiness and knowledge. Rajas, the mode of passion leads to unlimited yearnings and attachments, because of this, one gets attached to material actions. Tamas is the mode of ignorance that deludes all embodied beings. It leads to misapprehension and results in madness and laziness.”

Authored by GANDHARV

Inspiring Thoughts

2010-06-03T10:44:00.003+05:30

Anger is a condition in which The tongue works faster than the mind .

You can't change the past, but you can ruin the present By worrying over the future.

Love...and you shall be loved.

God always gives His best to those who leave the choice with Him.

All people smile in the same language.

The real measure of a man's wealth is what he has invested in eternity.

Man looks at outward appearance but the Lord looks within.

The choice you make today will usually affect tomorrow.

Take time to laugh, for it is the music of the soul.

Harsh words break no bones but they do break hearts.

Happiness is enhanced by others but should not depend upon others.

Duality of Life

2010-05-24T10:01:00.001+05:30

Observation is the key for unlocking the secrets of nature and life. It is these observations which gave rise to science and religion. Today I would like to present one such observation. If you analyse very carefully there is duality everywhere in this world. Positive/negative, Light/Darkness, Happiness/Sadness (pain), Success/Failure, Living /Nonliving, Knowing/ Unknowing etc. Both entities are interdependent; they give a meaning to the other.

This duality can be only be understood by knowing both the extremes. For example, if a person is born blind, he has no idea about light. All he knows is darkness. He is not aware of how light is. He can only assume it. Such a kind of person cannot understand about light when we tell him. So the key thing here is that to understand one extreme you should know the other extreme too. Else it is impossible for such a person to understand the real differentiation between them. Similarly pain and happiness, if a person does not suffer pain he will not be able to differentiate between pain and happiness. Think over it.

Unknowing/Knowing (Awakened state):

When we are born we don’t remember anything. Our mind starts from a clear state. It starts to learn from everywhere. As the learning increases the mind alters. It undergoes a gradual linear transformation. The nature of mind is such that once it is transformed it never returns back to the same original state. Every human being has a potential to reach and experience the extreme of knowing. Only then can he understand the grandeur of consciousness and preciousness of his life. But how many of us know this? We limit ourselves by closing our minds and by not exploring.

Knowing Vs realizing (experiencing),

Understanding Vs Implementing,

Ideas Vs Action,

Observe the above lines in silence, they have great meaning.

Knowing, understanding or by just having ideas nothing can be achieved. First realization or experiencing, the implementation and action are necessary. Only when a person experiences can he truly believe. That is the reason this life is a journey of experiences or experiences make life.

Authored by GANDHARV

Mexican Fisher Men

2010-05-17T13:45:00.012+05:30

A boat docked in a tiny Mexican fishing village.

A tourist complimented the local fishermen on the quality of their fish and asked how long it took him to catch them.

"Not very long." they answered in unison.

"Why didn't you stay out longer and catch more?"

The fishermen explained that their small catches were sufficient to meet their needs and those of their families.

"But what do you do with the rest of your time?"

"We sleep late, fish a little, play with our children, and take siestas with our wives. In the evenings, we go into the village to see our friends, have a few drinks, play the guitar, and sing a few songs.

We have a full life."

The tourist interrupted,

"I have an MBA from Harvard and I can help you!
You should start by fishing longer every day.
You can then sell the extra fish you catch.
With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat."

"And after that?"

"With the extra money the larger boat will bring, you can buy a second one and a third one and so on until you have an entire fleet of trawlers. Instead of selling your fish to a middle man, you can then negotiate directly with the processing plants and maybe even open your own plant.

You can then leave this little village and move to Mexico City , Los Angeles , or even New York City !

From there you can direct your huge new enterprise."

"How long would that take?"

"Twenty, perhaps twenty-five years." replied the tourist.

"And after that?"

"Afterwards? Well my friend, that's when it gets really interesting, " answered the tourist, laughing. "When your business gets really big, you can start buying and selling stocks and make millions!"

"Millions? Really? And after that?" asked the fishermen..

"After that you'll be able to retire,
live in a tiny village near the coast,
sleep late, play with your children,
catch a few fish, take a siesta with your wife and spend your evenings drinking and enjoying your friends."

"With all due respect sir, but that's exactly what we are doing now. So what's the point wasting twenty-five years?" asked the Mexicans.

And the moral of this story is:

Know where you're going in life.... you may already be there!!

Courage

2010-05-12T12:38:00.001+05:30

Courage to see,

Courage to explore,

Courage to know that is unknown,

Courage to fight for the truth,

Courage to accept and face life as it is,

Courage to believe in yourself,

Courage to go beyond the expected.

Every person makes mistakes but the person who courageously comes out learning from his mistakes is a wise person.....

People are always busy going about their daily chores without stopping for a moment to think. They adapt themselves to other people’s beliefs and start living life for other’s sake and commit all kinds of mistakes not thinking for a moment that it is a mistake. Their borrowed belief system says they are doing the right thing. They commit crime and are happy committing it. One day their fate changes...360 degrees change. Just 5 minutes is enough to wipe out everything- all the beliefs they had borrowed. And these 5 minutes of silence they find after they have committed the mistake and are reaping the punishment. At such times they cannot ignore their thoughts of guilt as their inner consciousness comes into play. They start thinking about all the deeds they have committed. They start analyzing and questioning their thoughts and beliefs - where it came and how it had conquered them. They realize that there is no better judge then their inner conscience and then start trusting their true conscience (self belief) because it brought them face to face with the naked truth and opened their eyes. From that moment of their life they acquire the strength and courage to leave behind the past and learn from their mistakes. This changes them forever and in the end they become the noblest of all.

Authored by GANDHARV

Calm Mind Clear Life

2010-05-10T14:50:00.004+05:30

“We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.”--Buddha

Everyday GOD puts something good in your life. Embrace it. Let all the other stuff fall away. The challenge we face is recognizing the answers to the most burning questions. It may be right in front of us, so keep your mind clear and open.

Enjoy every moment. They say “if you are sad for 60 seconds it means you are missing precious 60 seconds of happiness”. So be happy. Take things positively.

Mind is highly unstable - all the time it has to attach itself to something. This is the nature of mind. When you sit silently and observe your mind you can find numerous thoughts, it will be either thinking about the past or the future and rarely about the present moment. If a person is experiencing happiness it attaches to it, if a person is experiencing depression it attaches to it thus making us get attached to the situation. Happiness and sadness are like clouds, they keep moving. Can a cloud cover up the bright sun all the time? No. Happiness and sadness are temporary; they do not last for long. When you understand this it makes it easier to not be so attached to what you are experiencing.

Think about it - what if mind is made to attach itself to silence? What if mind is made not to think and to be in absolute thoughtless state? What if you are able to separate mind and your being?

How many people care to train their mind? They all know that mind is the cause of all problems. Mind can be a very good friend but it can also be the worst enemy. How many people are facing mental problems? How many people are stressed and tensed all the time? How many people have become slaves to drinking to escape from the problems they are facing? When a person is faced with problems, some can be solved but the solution to some problems are not in his hand. So it is natural that when problems increase his mind becomes disturbed and he may lose control of himself.

What if he gives even 1hr a day to train his mind, to go into a state of deep silence? All problems he faces can be thought over in a calmer state of mind in a more controlled way by not getting attached to the situation.

Yes, I agree training the mind is a difficult task but not impossible. When a person sees Mount Everest from its foot it is obvious he gets terrified by the idea of climbing it. But if he keeps one step ahead keeping his target in focus, he will definitely reach the top one fine day. Think about it. Training the mind becomes easy when you practice daily and keep one step ahead daily. A journey of thousand miles starts with one simple step you keep.

That is why all great people who have walked on this earth worked on their mind first. Mind is the key to everything.

I remember a quote mentioned in Bhagavad Gita which is worth mentioning in this context. Lord Krishna tells Arjuna

“Whether one attains elevation or degradation through one’s mind depends on oneself only, for the mind can be one’s friend or one’s foe. The mind is the friend of one who has conquered it. But for the one who hasn’t done so, the mind is his foe. For one who has conquered the mind joy, sorrow, pain and pleasure are the same. He attains peace and realises the Supreme Soul"

Authored by GANDHARV

Born Original - Created Copy

2010-05-06T10:01:00.002+05:30

My philosophy is that “we should have our own originality but should learn from everywhere”.

Each person is unique in his own way, when a person tries to copy others he is not only wasting his thinking power and creative mind he is losing himself. When he copies it always becomes a second copy and will never have the originality, uniqueness and soul of its own.

Just a thought.... think over it

Observe the creation of nature around you; it’s so beautifully carved. Every object or every living thing that is created by the Creator is unique in its own way and is not a copy. No two organisms are the same, no two intelligence of two persons are same, no two substances have the same purpose.

Every person is gifted with intelligence and is unique. Never underestimate yourself. If you have not explored yourself don’t worry. Start now. Better to be late than not to start. Find out who you are. Understand what you are. Your reality can be uncovered only by you. You are the owner of your life. This existence is precious don’t waste it.

Authored by GANDHARV