Archive for 'Miscellaneous'

How To Serve People Better

Those people whose work involves serving people need to be strong , stable, and genuinely peaceful.They need an inner balance which is crucial for peace work.They should not try to help others in an effort to escape their own sorrow, despair or inner conflict.If they lose their own mindfulness and are not peaceful and solid within, their contributions will not be useful.

They must first practise mindfulness and grow compassion in themselves, so that peace and harmony are there within them, before they begin in work effectively for social change.Every time they are able restore even a small amount of peace within themselves, they have already made a positive effect on their family and society.

Many people who want to help are challenged by their own pain.Several doctors, social workers, psychotherapists, and teachers are suffering, yet do not know how to recognize and transform their pain.They should learn the art of transform their anger, for example, into something more wholesome, like understanding.They only have to observe it with love and attention.If they take care of their anger in this way, without trying to run away from it, it will transform itself.This is peacemaking.They can deal with depression, anxiety, fear, or any unpleasant feeling in the same way.

Those who are in the service industry have a wonderful opportunity to generate peace, compassion and understanding.One of the best ways of doing this is through speech.How one speaks to others can offer them joy, self-confidence, hope and enlightenment.When there is no communication, sickness spreads to other people too.

For proper communication, they should first learn to look deeply into the nature of their anger, despair and suffering.Many are not capable of releasing the past.Howver, by living deeply in the present, they can understand the past better.

Increasing The Concentration Level

Engaged Buddhism intertwines traditional meditative practices with peaceful social action.It is spirituality in everyday life, in the midst of society and not just in a retreat centre.The mindfulness teachings include practicing meditation while doing regular chores.

It is the practice of stopping and becoming aware of what we are thinking and doing.It is the energy of being awake to the present moment.The more mindful we are of our thoughts, speech and actions, the more our level of concentration.We are then able to develop insight into our own suffering and others too.

Mindfulness makes us recognize our state and helps us embrace and touch it.While a positive state is healing, a negative one needs to be transformed into positive.When a mother hears her baby cry, she runs to her and cuddles her.The baby gets an immediate relief in her mother’s arms.The mother may not know yet, why the baby is cry, but she holds the baby tenderly till she is able to find out the problem.

Our anger is like our baby.We have to recognize its presence and embrace it tenderly.Once the seed of anger or fear is watered, we will know how to recognize it.Fear and anger need to be treated in the most non-violent way.Becoming angry at anger only makes us suffer more.

The following points sums up the thought:

• Our life is in the present moment.
• In observing life deeply.
• It is possible to see clearly all that is..
• Do not pursue the past.
• Do not lose yourself in the future.
• Th past no longer is.
• The future has not yet come.

Give Your Mind Some Rest

Education teaches you how to use the mind and not how to stop it so that it can relax.Even when you are asleep it continues to work; the mind knows no sleep.However, it is possible to turn the mind off when it is not required.This is helpful in two ways: One, it will give you peace, silence, which you have never known before, and secondly, it re-acquaints you with yourself, which had not been possible till now, since the chattering mind had always kept you engaged.

Learn how to say, it is enough-now go to sleep.I am awake, don’t be worried.Use the mind only when it is needed; then it remains fresh, young and full of energy.This gives your words authority, truth, sincerity and meaning.The same words that you had been words that you had been using before will now acquire more power and energy.

What the world knows as charisma, is simply a mind which knows how to relax and let the energy collect.Such a mind need not give any evidence or any logic-just its own energy is enough.A mind that is working day and night  is bound to become weak, dull, unimpressive, and dragging.At the most it, would become utilitarian, just useful enough for you to go about your daily activities.It won’t have power to do anything more.Many people thus often lose their chance to become impressive by allowing their mind to get crowded and worked up.

Give your mind the rest that it needs so desperately.This can be done simply, by becoming a witness to it.The mind then slowly learns to be silent and consequently powerful.Words then attain a richness, validity and quality that they have never had before.They will bypass and logical barriers and will touch the very core of the heart.

Live Life As A Celebration

This week, Janmashtami, Lord Krishna’s birthday will be celebrated around the country.Krishna’s fundamental message is to live life as celebration.Krishna set the example with his own life which was colorful and multidimensional.By imbibing the spirit of celebration in our daily lives, we could be practicing Krishna’s message.

If one knows that art of celebration one is in meditation forever.Unfortunately, today people prefer to sit back and be entertained rather than be part of a celebration.Makes a distinction between being entertained and participating in entertainment one is only a passive spectator.For example, one may entertain oneself by watching a dance performance and on the other hand one can dance and enjoy.There is a world of difference between dancing and watching.

One can feel rejuvenated and refreshed by participating in an activity and celebrating life.Obsession work and other daily concerns have taken away celebration from our lives and deprived us of the excitement and thrill that comes with celebration.Suffering the become the basic tone of mankind.For Krishna, work is play.And for the modern man even play has become work.Even while watching films we tend to enjoy the various emotions at display, be it love, friendship or joy.

However, watching these emotions at display cannot substitute for actually experiencing them.Krishna is all for celebration; he takes life as a great play, a mighty drama.Let this world be filled with song and dance, with music and festivity.That will be a real tribute to Lord Krishna.

Chai Gazing!

For centuries, tea has been associated with mysticism and spirituality.The Japanese and Koreans have rituals focusing on the art of making and drinking tea!But do you know that tea also allows for psychic readings?

Tasseography is the ancient art of fortune telling by looking at shapes that uses tea leaves assume.The process of reading varies from person to person, culture to culture.The first step, everywhere, is to pour hot water into a cup containing tea leaves.Ideally, you should light scented candles in the room, there should be a white table cloth, low-back chairs and lots of flowers to create an ethereal, serene ambience.

After sipping 90 per cent of the tea, swirl the cup from left to right three times, turn the cup upside down on the saucer and allow the water to drain out fully.Now, when you gaze into the cup, you will see the leaves sticking to the inner walls of the cup and forming various shapes.Their placement represent the time frame-the rim is the present, the sides are the near future and the bottom, the distant future.

If they take on the shape of an aircraft, it implies a rise in position.A bird signifies good news, clouds mean happy surprises, flowers are for happiness, fish implies good fortune and a heart would , of course, denote love.

CHAI HO JAI!

Both green and black tea are good for health, as they contain antioxidants as well as cardio protectives.But green tea has more antioxidants.One can have as many cups of tea as one wants in a day but the sugar and milk levels have to be kept in mind.I always recommend tea without milk or sugar.Even children can have tea, as it is good for health.

The very fact that tea grows in mists and mountains lends the brew certain mystical powers, like being able to predict the future.Tea has uses everywhere: In the garden, kitchen, cosmetics, medicines..Use it to dye clothes, to condition hair, for an eye spa, to color hair..It is also a great gift option.Wrap it up tastefully and there..You have the perfect gift for a loved one!Some people prefer it over a bottle of wine!Research shows that tea contains antioxidants, minerals, vitamins and calcium.Tea helps boosts your concentration and determination.So keep drinking tea and make it a good habit.I am come across a drink that is as versatile as tea.

Mantra For Safe Diving

As the summer peaks, the number of people reporting to hospitals with devastating injuries due to diving accidents increases.Very often such injuries leave them paralyzed beneath the neck, for life.While in urban areas these accidents occur in swimming pools, in rural areas it usually happens in canals, lakes, ponds, rivers and sea.

Studies have shown that the majority of these injuries occur while diving into shallow water.Generally the diver strikes his head at the bottom of the pool/water body; however, diving injuries can also occur after striking another swimmer or a hidden object under water.

The bones(vertebrae) of the neck get compressed between the abruptly decelerated head and the force of the oncoming trunk.This result in a spinal cord injury due to which the individual becomes paralyzed below the neck.Since the spinal cord cells do not regenerate, the individual generally remains paralyzed for life.

Other diving related injuries include pelvic fracture and rib fracture.These accidents can be prevented by increasing awareness of the potential risks, safety precautions that should be taken while diving and use of appropriate diving skills.Here are few tips:

• Don’t dive into a pool with water less then twice your height
• Don’t dive into unfamiliar water
• Don’t drink and dive
• Be careful while trying unusual types of dives
• Aim to surface in as short a distance as possible by maximizing the fight path and targeting for a low entry angle
• As you enter the water, your arms must be extended over your head with hands flat and aiming up.Hold the head up and arch your back.This helps you steer up away from the bottom.

Safe diving can thus prevent a devastating calamity.Community awareness programmes have helped reduce diving accidents considerably world wide.

Developing Will Power In Children

Will power is the strength and capacity which allows one to move ahead in life.However, developing will power depends a lot on developing a sense of trust and autonomy.

Parents need to develop this sense of trust in their children by responding to all their needs-both physical and emotional.This way they will also learn to trust the world and gradually develop a sense of autonomy.By the age of two or three, a child learns about self control.It is at this stage that they also experience will power.

Here the role of parents becomes important as it is under their guidance that the child will learn to make the right use of his will power.What he learns will determine his conviction as a person and develop his sense of initiative, purpose and strength.

This is the time when children develop their physical and cognitive skills, their sense of responsibility and their relations with other.The right guidance by parents at this stage will go a long way in building a rounded individual.If the children fail to learn the appropriate skills they could end up feeling insecure and inferior.

One of the most important requirements of any relationship is time.For any relationship to grow and become secure, the individuals need to spend time with each other:

• Going for walks, playing games together.This way not only will they remain active but also develop friendship with the parents
• Children could learn to be responsible by helping out in the household chores
• Communication between parents and children is very important.Keep aside a time when the entire family can sit together and share thoughts
• Watching television can be a great activity as everyone can come together and watch their favourite programmes
• Parents should inculcate a reading habit in children.They can read out stories to them.

Caring In Formative Years

The formative years are important for everyone as they influence and affect an individual’s behaviour in later years.Children should feel secure and loved right from conception.It is important for them to learn values, like sharing, talking to one another kindly etc.Parents should take time out to be with children and teach these values by setting an example at home itself.

They should learn to respond to each child as per his/her needs.Rather than imposing their expectations on the children, they should allow each child to grow at his/her own pace and nurture and cultivate their talents.

Starting from pregnancy, the first four to five years are crucial in the life of an individual.How a child bonds with his mother through the feeding and nappy changing sessions and with the father, who should help and care for his wife and child, determines how secure, loved and cared for he will feel.These are important, irrespective of whether children are young or grow up.

Spend time together as a family, however busy you may be; children need to learn and feel at ease communicating without any fear of being misunderstood or retribution.Television, and even cellphones should be turned off to cut unnecessary distractions.Substitute the time with broad games, walks and other activities which help you to bond better.

Meal times must be seen as sacred family time, when members come together to share the days happenings.Do this at least two or three times a week.Communication should be positive and appreciative.

Show that you care.It is important to tell children how you feel and not take it for granted that it’s understood.Children should also feel comfortable telling you the same.Being tacitly expressive is also important; a pat on the back, a warm hug, all can go a long way in building a confident and loving person.

Expand The Spirit Of Giving

There are two currents of energy and consciousness in life.On is expansive; the other, contractive.Expansion, whether of outer success or inner feelings of love or happiness, inevitably alternates with its opposite, for such is the inevitable flow of things.

Marriage, also has its ups and downs and couple need to make the best of it.This “best” is determined by how intelligently a person reacts to whatever happens.An inward contraction of the ego always brings with it a sense of loss, suffering and pain-the consequence of mental and spiritual suffocation.Marriage is wholesome only when the expansiveness it was designed to promote, continues outward to embrace the world.By limiting their sympathies to one another, couple become psychically ingrown.An expansive marriage recognizes the need both individuals to pursue their individual interests and embrace the world.

Contraction and expansion must be understood as directions.For a marriage to be fulfilling, one must not mentally shut the windows to the world.When couples love each other in a spirit of giving, and not just taking, their relationship strengthens.They discover a natural need to embrace the world lovingly, without fear, secured in their sense of belonging to one another.

The “us four and no more” consciousness is only delusively expansive.It creates a cozy nest, psychologically where littleness is exalted to the level of a principle, and the bright intelligence of one’s early years withers gradually into old age.

An expansive attitude, on the contrary, generates self-awareness.This, partly, is what makes marriage and family such an important human institution.Marriage, in the greater scheme of things, was never meant to be a “closed corporation”.It was meant to expand our consciousness from the narrow confines of self-love, that we inspired ultimately to embrace universal, divine love.

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