New Year: 2015

When my well-wishers and devotees asked for a New Year message I wondered if I had anything relevant that the new generation has time and patience to hear and reflect on. To give a fitting context for the message:  I am only a month and a half short of three quarters of a century. When Gandhiji who influenced my life greatly was assassinated at 78, I was only about 2 weeks away from my 8th birthday. And Gandhiji born in an enslaved country in 1869 is still very relevant for me. Yesterday (December 29, 2014) I was reading a report of an American icon and great comedian, Bill Cosby, in the middle of a widely reported, terribly shocking sexual abuse controversy in the USA, hiring a team of lawyers, one of whom is paid an unearthly sum of  $850 per hour (Rs. 53550 at the exchange rate of Rs. 63 a dollar; $6800 or Rs. 428,000 for an 8-hour working day; and many of these lawyers work many hours more than 8 hours a day) to intimidate, discredit, insult or defame more than two dozen women, who have gone public, charging him with the crime of gross sexual abuse , I also wondered what a legal system wbn e are living in.  And many judges come from the rank of such lawyers. Besides many judges fraternize with such lawyers. 

Interestingly also most people in the legislature and governments, cabinets or ministries in the world are lawyers. If I am asked why I take an example from the USA, the obvious answer is our own high ranking and so-called famous lawyers in India model on the loud, pompous, talking down lawyers of USA, especially with regard to the fees. Their specialty, I dare say from experience, is in brow-beating, intimidating, and demolishing their opponents and cleverness in finding technical loopholes in law and not in searching for truth. Of course, I can only say that the legal systems of the oldest (USA) and the biggest (India) democracies are not far from total paralysis or ruin. If this is the condition of the two greatest democracies, need I say what is the condition of other countries?! If the most powerful persons in the country are rich lawyers and politicians and amoral actors and actresses flaunting their bodies, where is our civilization heading? If these are the models for our youth, are we surprised that they do not have time to imbibe value-oriented themes? What about persons in religions so materialistic and devoid of humanity and spirituality? Gandhiji was a lawyer, but he was a sad old man at the partition of the country whose freedom he fought for putting his own life at risk many times. He was also sad at the impatience of his co-workers jockeying for good positions in government. While the politicians of Gandhiji's time jockeyed for power, they were principled. Now we have a breed of corrupt and greedy politicians with no principles and, I might say, with very little conscience or purity of intention. This in brief is the status quo of the world for my briefest message. Presently we cannot also forget that we are all enveloped by the heavy sadness of Air Asia disaster where 162 lives perished.

After meandering a great distance in connection with the new year message, I would like to focus on an old theme, the purity of intention, as the message during the new year, 2015, that we can all benefit from living in a derailed and decaying civilization that is suffering from a lack of precious life-giving oxygen that is ethical and moral value-system and human rights common to all humans. We do not need to despair.  In spite of everything including the Islamic State and other inhuman groups of jihadist terrorists trying to outdo one another in cruelty in killing innocent humans, with purity of intention in our heart and mind we can put our civilization back on the track. We need to ask ourselves every time we do something why we are doing what we are doing, In other words, what is our intention for doing it? Our conscious intention makes our feelings, thoughts, and actions right or wrong. If our intention in its origin is sound and pure, everything - our plans and programs -  down the line will be fine. Purity of intention as the bed-rock of our spirituality needs to guide our every action for humanity to reach its true destination. Wish you all a God-filled, spirit-filled, love-filled New Year, 2015.

Swami Snehananda Jyoti

The Three Apprentices

A disappointing (?) 2014, in which we had invested a lot is fading off, reminding us that there is nothing called tomorrow. The moment we experience tomorrow, it appears to be today. What the upcoming 2015 might also tell us could be the same message - now is the right time to do what we propose. I remember the story of three apprentices. Three apprentices were one day making swords for their Master, who had commanded them to do so. The Master also had given specific instructions on how they were to be made. As the three apprentices worked, they debated over what were really the proper procedures and the many secrets of making fine steel. 

The day finally came when the Master arrived to check on their work and to collect their swords.  The three apprentices stood side by side anxious to see which sword the Master would choose to be his sword.  The Master stood in front of the first apprentice and took the sword from his hand.  He then drew it from its sheath. The Master looked up and said: "You thought you could fool me, but you have only fooled yourself.  It is plain to see that you did not apply enough heat to the metal and therefore you failed to burn off the impurities in the metal and it will not hold its’ shine for long. Leave me." said the Master.  "You have not heeded my words nor did you have the patience to even test my wisdom and see if it was true." 

The Master held the sword for a moment and then again did as he had done before by chopping the blade into a tree.  The Master looked up as the second apprentice in an inquisitive manner and said: "You too have deceived yourself.  You have done well in heating and folding the metal, but because you thought your wisdom was greater than mine you cooled the metal while it was still much too hot. "Leave me also," said the Master to the second apprentice, "for if a man were to use either of these first two swords in battle, they would have surely perished." The Master then stood before the third apprentice and took his sword also.  He then drew it from its sheath. The blade was smooth, brightly shined and there were also many characters and symbols beautifully engraved into the bottom. The Master then struck the tree with the flat of the blade not once, but five times, each time harder than the others.  The sword rang out loudly, but it did not break, bend or blemish in any way. Humbled by what he had just seen, the Master held the sword out for all to see and said to the third apprentice: "Come with me. For you have heeded my council and have endured the long hours of heat, pain and tempering and have produced a blade worthy of praise and because you have done this, I will show you even greater things. For you have now learned that through much time, heat, tempering and patience comes the finest metal and then it is ready to be used by the Master's hand."

I need not tell you the moral of this story; it is a known fact that the more we sharpen the axe the sooner is the wood cut. The more patiently we listen to our masters the stronger and exemplary our life becomes. What that is going to blossom are the roses that we cared yesterday.  Happy New year!

Joseph Mattappally

PK Silent

A man from the stars came here as a silent person. He transferred a language and started asking some basic questions. We felt disturbed and started asking him to keep silent. Man-made religions and many of their preachers only know how to talk, they can’t listen. Asking questions in front of these self-made preachers is a form of ridiculing their beliefs. Tolerance is something they can preach, but they are not supposed to practice. 

We have heard the ‘Blue Jackal’ story from ‘Panchtantra’ many times. For some of you who have never read this masterpiece, I recall this here. A hungry Jackal went in search of food to a village close to his jungle. While the village dogs chased him, he fell into a drum filled with blue dye. He turned completely blue and looked like a different breed. When he returned to the jungle, the lion asked him who he was and in response he declared himself as Chandru - protector of all the animals in the jungle. Chandru told the lion that he would only continue to protect the jungle if all the animals would give him food. Soon Chandru was sought after for advice by animals from other jungles. Animals sat at his feet and brought him the best of food. But as happens every year, the rains came, and slowly the blue dye vanished. He was just a normal jackal again. The animals soon realised this and then punished the jackal to death.

The story comes from our own land that alerts us against the ‘fear psychosis techniques’ used by some self labeled protectors. The movie PK tells us this simple story in a quite harmless and humorous way. Are we such an intolerant society that we want to make an expansion of PK as “Please Keep silent”.

Dr. Sunil Ji Garg

False Ceiling

I served as Managing Director of the UP Handloom Corporation during the year 1987-88. At that time, this job was considered to be important as well as glamorous. The turnover of the organisation was almost one hundred crores and it had a large number of showrooms all over the country. It was quite a challenging and interesting job to run them efficiently. Every year, a good number of showrooms were renovated and it involved a huge expenditure. One of the expensive items in the renovation was the ‘False Ceiling’. This term always amused me and I often wondered why such a beautiful piece of work was called ‘False’. Once I inspected a showroom during its renovation when the work on the false ceiling was in progress. I could, therefore, see the inside of the false ceiling and I found it in bad shape. The wiring, pipe-fittings, ducting, etc., were done badly, probably in the knowledge that they would not be visible after the false ceiling was fitted. The quality of wiring was also poor, which I leamt, was done deliberately in order to increase the frequency of repairs.

While I took the necessary steps to correct the situation in the process, I also understood the significance of the word ‘false’. Subsequently, I held many important posts which took me around the country and abroad frequently. I like meeting people and have had an interaction with a large cross-section with widely varying backgrounds. I can modestly claim that I have been able to understand human nature to a great extent and do not get upset easily when someone hurts me or behaves in an unexpected manner. I have found a large number of people who are apparently very well-behaved and project themselves as our well-wishers, while the reality is different. Initially, such a situation used to upset me, but now it is no more so. The incident about the false ceiling also helped me greatly to understand this aspect of human nature. Most people try to hide their faults with false behaviour and a disguised appearance. The reality is known only when we see them closely. Unfortunately, in today’s fast world, such opportunities are rare and whenever one tries to do so, the result is a clash or conflict. The only option, therefore, is to watch oneself closely and remove those faults, which we dislike in others.

There is a need to behave well and decently, a desirable quality of a good human being. Good behaviour becomes undesirable only when it is false, but sincerity and genuine goodness will reap rich dividends not only for oneself but for others too. Unfortunately, most of us feel that it is more important to appear nice than to be really nice. It may be true for a short while but it is not so when life is seen in totality. Sooner or later, the false appearance and poor contents inside are exposed and there is no option left but to discard the object in totality. Someone has rightly said, ‘It is good to be important but it is more important to be good’. If we believe in this, there would be no need for any

‘False Ceiling. The shortest and surest way to live with honour in this world is*to be in reality what we would appear to be. l You can cheat some people all the time, all people for sometime but not all the people all the time.

Rakesh Mittal IAS

Have Faith in God

Finding faith in God is one of the strongest desired desire for most people. They want to believe in God, but don’t want their belief to be based on blind faith. They sometimes wonder that if God is real, then why is it difficult to have faith in Him? Many wonder how to believe in God if He does not reveal Himself to them? They feel they do not have enough information or evidence to justify a decision to trust that God is real and then to commit themselves to a relationship with God.

The overwhelming view of modern science is that the universe began to exist roughly 14-15 billion years ago. Given the fact that the universe began to exist, it must have had a ‘cause’ that originated it. Skeptics and atheists counter that the universe may be on some space-time circular pattern, but the bottom line is that there must have been a ‘creator’ of this eternal universe. Only an independent, infinite, eternal and omnipresent cause is sufficient to account for the universe. Therefore such a being must exist. Life’s journey teaches us many things, but one of the major things we learn is that nothing stays the same and everything changes. Seasons change, day changes into night, people change from childhood to old age and time never stands still. Change happens every moment of each day but God never changes and remains the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. 

Learn to trust God, especially in areas you have never dared to trust him before and spend some time of solitude in remembering Him. You will feel the wonderful and miraculous things God will do for you. Meditate on His unchanging nature and pray, honour, revere and thank Him for everything. Run to Him for protection and safety through prayer and he will shower love and blessings on you, until you are filled with peace, rest and strength to live the life he has purposed for you.

God is omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient. Let Him take charge of your life, direct your path and order your steps.

If you have faith in God and His creation, you will not do anything to harm anyone. In fact you will do your best to help your fellow human beings. You will also try to follow the right path which leads you to God and away from sin. God lives in each one of us and if we truly believe in Him and follow our conscience, we will know right from wrong. If all of us love and appreciate the beauty of nature that surrounds us and respect the will of God, this world will become a much more beautiful place. 

Dr (Mrs) Archana Bharat

Formula for Life

Salvation for humanity consists in unity of humanity. Humanity's destination then is unity of humanity collectively, and self-realization coming out of exhausting all potentials one is endowed with to become what can be individually. How can we all live in a multicultural, pluralistic society and achieve unity of humanity? It is difficult all the more as differences like color, creed, race, ethnic origin, and class are more focused on than unifying forces like character, value system, human rights, equality, equity, and fairness. In a world where quality of life is measured by the extent and intensity of pleasure rather than by purposeful behavior, where material acquisitions and attributes are praised and publicized extravagantly rather than spiritual pursuits, materialism thrives. When a great deal of energy is spent on looks and appearances, and on manipulation by phony and deceptive advertisements, truth and other values are systematically eroded. In day-to-day life of increasing distractions from our real goal,  a righteous life common to all humanity becomes increasingly difficult. In spite of all problems and difficulties, there is a winning formula for living.

Right Thinking: Cognitively it involves correct understanding of realities as they unfold in day-to-day life. Concretely it involves acceptance of the entire creation as it is. Acceptance of all human beings and loving them, not necessarily liking them, for who they are is essential. Loving may lead to liking. It is very important that we do not make other persons' problems our problems. We need to look at every one from an empathic attitude that involves looking at life from the other person's view point. This can generate understanding and good will. We do not need to agree with the other person but we need to spend energy to understand things as he/she understands. The other person understands that we understand him/her. Sometimes we may need to let the other person know where we are. The important thing is that we have a genuine interest, and we care to understand. We are patient, transparent, and humble. While conveying our reality, we need to make sure that we respect other person  for where he or she is. We need to be willing to grant the other person the benefit of out where we are not sure while we rely on the solid data that we have when we are sure. Our effort to work toward a win-win situation for all never ceases. I am reminded of a situation in mid-1970s when I was undergoing a year of resident training in the department of Psychiatry of Louisiana State University Medical Center in New Orleans, as part of my Clinical Psychology program in the USA. A pastor with a doctorate in Pastoral Care came to my office for some emotional problem. He knew that I was a priest. From the outset he informed me that he was a homosexual and that he was not seeking help in that area. In those days homosexuality was a very controversial issue. He wanted to know what my view on homosexuality was. I told him I would like to treat him for his target problem in what was called sector therapy, and that I would tell him my view in our last session.  He remembered in the last session what I told him in our first meeting and wanted to know what I thought on homosexuality. I merely told him that I understood his sexual orientation, and that it was not my cup of tea. The important thing here is how to share our perspective without putting down the other person's.

Right Feeling: Affectively it involves feeling any feeling without acting out. We need to feel the whole spectrum of feelings. All feelings are valid and appropriate for the situations called for. In themselves, feelings are neither good nor bad, neither correct nor incorrect. Inappropriate affect can distinguish a normal person from an abnormal person. While we feel our feelings we need to manage them and channel them in appropriate and constructive ways. Inability to control our feelings leads to disastrous consequences. Herein comes impulse control. Poor impulse control is the bane of our civilization. Civilization is advanced by appropriate impulse control. Thus appropriate emotions can become a boon for humanity. Emotions truly are the motors that drive us to get what we want. Motors need to be guided by the steering wheel in the right direction. And that steering wheel is the reason. So we need to subject our emotions to reason. The greatest impediment that comes in the way of our growth and development is the expression of uncontrolled emotions. Uncontrolled emotions can create only enormous heat. Light for guidance can come only from reason. A mature person expresses his or her feelings appropriately with the right kind of intensity.

In sum, a truly mature and effective person is recognized by his/her correct thinking with the right modulation of feelings. This person is a lover of humanity, accepts all for who they are, is empathic, compassionate, honest, genuine, tolerant, forgiving, ready always to reconcile with others, unafraid, lives in the present, and enjoys and celebrates life with an attitude of gratitude. This is a person on the way to realization.

Swami Snehananda Jyoti

Kite in the Office

Some people do have strong belief in symbols. I had visited this office few years ago where a Kite was placed just outside the wall of the corporate office. It was a real kite. When I enquired about the reason, my friend in that office told me that his Managing director always believes in symbols and this time the symbol of company’s growth has been chosen as the kite. The vision is, the way the kite soars high up in the sky, the company’s financial results too will. This was quite interesting for me, as I knew that my friend’s company was actually not doing well. Few days later, I came to know that the company closed down. When I met my friend again, he used the same symbol to explain that the company’s kite was cut by the competitors and the market situation. He also told me that people in the company had used many other frills to save the company, but nothing succeeded.

I and my friend both had a lesson to learn. Symbols can motivate, but they cannot replace the actions required to get the work going. I know many people around me who strongly believe in symbols, but the success came to only those who really did hard work on the ground. Let us introspect, are we too obsessed with symbols.

Dr. Sunil Ji Garg

The 12th Disciple

How many disciples Jesus had is not worth a question. Everybody knows that Jesus had 12 disciples. Still, a very hot question is there. Who was His 12th disciple? As we learn from the Bible, it was Judas Iscariot who later betrayed Jesus. As Christmas rolled in once again, I tried to explore further. Who was actually the 12th disciple of Jesus? Bible says that Judas was substituted by Matthias, according to a joint decision of the other 11 disciples. Unfortunately, Bible has not mentioned this name once again. Nobody knows what Matthias did in his later years. Incidentally, there came up a man who declared himself anointed an apostle; that was St. Paul. He would have been an apostle but not a disciple, because every disciple invariably needs to be a student too. St Paul was not trained under Jesus. However, there are theologians who argue that St Paul was the choice of the Spirit. 

If somebody asks me about my role as a Christian, the answer I might give could be that I am His 12th disciple. A disciple who betrays the values Jesus taught and every evening choosing to finish into the darkness of oblivion, like Judas Iscariot; sometimes talking high on the relevance of discipline and commitment to attain realization, like St. Paul; and sometimes living unheard like Matthias. I do not find myself either in the row of disciples nor among committed promoters of the Word. I find more glimpses of my spirit in Judas who causes crosses and later repenting stronger than Peter, the Head. 

May the spirit of Christmas strengthen everyone to live the challenges, in God given purity of sublime surrender.

Joseph Mattappally

Silver Jubilee

I graduated in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Roorkee (now an IIT) in the year 1970. This university celebrates the silver jubilee of all its students twenty-five years after they graduate. Thus our batch’s silver jubilee was celebrated in November 1995. I was looking forward to this day with enthusiasm and also made efforts to ensure that many colleagues attended. As a result, as many as one hundred and forty-three colleagues turned up. The celebration went on for the whole day and we had a wonderful time. We recollected our old memories, forgetting our present positions and behaved with each other like we did in our university days.

The University of Roorkee is an old institution with great traditions. Its alumni are generally very close and celebrations like these are held without exception. In addition to the silver jubilee, there is a tradition of celebrating a golden jubilee after fifty years and a diamond jubilee after sixty years of graduation. All these celebrations are held simultaneously. At the time of our silver jubilee, there were twenty-four participants for the golden jubilee and four for the diamond jubilee. It was a pleasure to listen to their accounts of myriad experiences. All of them mentioned the traditions of the university, even though they had faded with time. I joined the university in 1966 at an early age after passing the first year of my B.Sc. I had been a good student and had topped in the entrance examination. Till today, this event remains the most pleasant surprise of my life. I came from a semi-rural background with little exposure beyond my class and family. Therefore, joining the University of Roorkee as a topper was something for which I was not exactly prepared. 

This university had a tradition of giving prominence to the topper, usually called ‘senior’ and he or she attracted the attention of all. I was no exception and became the victim of extra ragging as a result. Fortunately, form of ragging in those days was healthy and it helped the new entrants to shed their inhibitions. I was not very studious and coped with my studies in a relaxed, natural way. I also participated in games and other activities. Fortunately, I maintained my first position through and stood first at the final examinations. I was also declared the best all-rounder of the university and got the Chancellor's gold medal for that achievement. In all, I got nine medals and awards. Subsequently, I joined the IAS and was allotted the U.P. cadre. I was liked by most of my colleagues and they felt proud of my achievement. I noticed this during the silver jubilee celebration too. Twenty-five years is a long period in one’s life and that too, after graduation. This is the period when we have maximum interaction with the world which shapes our personality in the true sense. Close contact with colleagues is possible only rarely and most of us remember only some of their traits. This is true of everyone and one need not be upset if one's personality is not correctly understood by others. This is more so in the case of those who look at life deeply and develop their personalities beyond body and mind. Incidentally, I am one of them and, therefore, try to see a deeper meaning in every interaction. The silver jubilee celebration was no exception and I drew two positive messages from this celebration.

The first is from the fact that even after twenty-five years, my colleagues had great regard for my maintaining the first position throughout my university stay. This fact was proudly mentioned by them whenever I was introduced to anyone. I feel that it is true for all those who maintain their positions, in whatever field they are. Be it in the field of business or any other profession, those who maintain high standards throughout are revered by all, notwithstanding professional rivalries. Of course, the additional requirement is that such positions should be maintained by fair and natural means. Those who keep on shifting their positions are hardly respected. In other words, it is the stability which gives a shining quality to one’s personality and this is respected by others.

Rakesh Mittal IAS

Be Positive

All thoughts, good or bad, are creative and our experiences in life are the result of habitual and predominant thoughts. What goes on in your mind can really determine your actions and decides whether you are positive or negative. If you always think negative thoughts, you will always turn out to be a negative person. It is better to think positive thoughts. Focus your imagination and efforts on becoming a positive person. It is much easier to effect change if you just put your mind to it and change your thoughts. We cannot always control things that happen in our lives, but we can, with some effort control what we think in our minds. The only thing between you and your desire to be happy is the fact that you think negatively. This little known fact keeps many from reaching their goal of happiness.

Smile at strangers and although it may seem a little weird, it actually makes you feel more positive and happy. You may even brighten that other person’s day with just a smile. Listen to positive music as it is a great way to remain positive. Volunteer or help others as helping others leads to a happier outlook on your own life. You will feel great and will evolve as a good person. Replace negative thoughts with positive ones and look for the benefit in every situation. There are pros and cons to most situations and you get to choose which one you will focus on.

The more positively you will act, the earlier you will reach your goals and get rewarded. 

People often wonder how to be positive in their thoughts and actions, especially when they are unhappy and unsatisfied or when life is difficult and tough. Like every other subject, the know-how of how to be positive can be learned and the skill developed. Begin by becoming aware of your thoughts and exchanging your negative thoughts with positive ones. It is our mind that creates the kind of life we live. We cannot always have control over our external circumstances, but we can control our inner world of thoughts. Focus your mind on the good things you already have in your life. Appreciate your friends and people in your life who have stood by you through thick and thin. Feel lucky to have them with you. Look for the good in every situation. There is always something good or at least something useful to learn, even in difficult or unpleasant situations. The true test of an individual to remain positive is when challenges become difficult. Stop criticizing others. With a little work and effort you can change how you think, which will automatically change your attitude, expectations, actions and reactions which will lead to more motivation, happiness and an improved life.

Dr (Mrs.) Archana Bharat

The Funny Dream

This time I don’t want to surprise you in the end that this was a dream. From the very beginning I am telling you that this was indeed a dream. I was being carried to the heavens on a buffalo by the “Doot” of death God ‘Yamraj’. The journey had just started. The ride was quite wobbly. Very soon I fell down. Surprisingly even a bad fall like this could not wake me up from my dream. The “Doot” shouted on me first and then started murmuring to himself. I carefully listened to his self talks. I could understand that he was sulking. He was saying that his master has not made proper arrangements to carry a fat person like me. His buffalo is old. He had demanded to get a “Howdah” made for the buffalo’s back. But nobody listened to his genuine demands. In his anger, the “YamDoot” left me there itself and vanished away. 

So I woke up the same way as I get up every day. Even without falling from the bed, I remembered the dream to share it word by word with you. The fun of the story was soon over, when I decided to analyse this dream. I thought why such characters are coming in my dreams. Do I see lot of sulking people around me or is it something fishy inside my own personality. Was it a lesson to me from the creator’s side? After the analysis the message was loud and clear. Dreams do help us to find the darker side of our own personality. It is up to us to listen to them and take a corrective action, or we can keep finding faults even in our dreams.

Dr. Sunil Ji Garg

New Masters, New Nation

Rapes and rapes, it pains India too much. How are we going to solve this ethnic (?) issue?  Recently I happened to read one Daud Arif (a student of Jamia Millia Islamia, currently in USA), who wrote point blank that raping is my right. His post begins asking “Who am I?” See how he tries to answer his own question. He continued, “I am a male for whom my family might have killed my unborn sister, or perhaps sisters, till they got to know it is me who is going to come in this world. You see, how honored I am in the hierarchy even before I arrive on the earth? When I come in the world, I start learning at times by spoken words, at times by the things I see around. Few neighborhood families do take up the curse of giving birth to a female child. Oh yes, I heard females are curse in scriptures, Maybe God said it……”

Certainly, he is proving what he believes. If we look at the Indian Scriptures from a perceptive angle, I assure you that you will see yourself at the co-creator’s desk. The science of positive thinking says that you create what you wish. Buddist Suttha (Dhammapada) clarifies it by saying “You are your own master, and you make your own future”. Indian Scriptures say that Creator actually is the sum of everything in this universe, living or non-living. That means that you are responsible for all the experiences you go through here. They are invariably your own conscious creations.  Twin towers would not have fallen down unless there were enough to intend that. Unless you had yearned for tickling skin stories in dailies, there would not have been so much of sex abuses here. I don’t say that you begin intending positively right from now onwards; I just want you to look into the fact that if you change positively, definitely there will be at least one to shout, ‘raping is an offense’. 

Joseph Mattappally

Constructive Destruction

In September 1995, as Development Commission of Steel I accompanied by boss the Secretary (Steel) on has visit to Gujarat. It was a four-day visit covering a number of places. The visit was a combination of official work and a pilgrimage which made our schedule very hectic, and we had to travel long distances every day, starting early in the morning. This put pressure on our drivers also but fortunately they were very patient. One driver in particular was pious and seemed to have acquired wisdom as a result of his long faithful service. While travelling from Alang to Somnath, we were discussing several matters in which the driver also participated. During the course of the journey, he gave us a very interesting definition of GOD. The three letters of the word GOD, he said, show the three qualities or Gunas of the Almighty, ’G’ representing ’Generation’, ‘O’ representing ‘Operation’ and ‘D’ representing ‘Destruction’. This way they symbolised three in one name, Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh. The function of Lord Brahma is to Generate, Lord Vishnu Operates while Lord Mahesh’s function is to Destroy. If any of these activities is ever stopped, the cycle of life will come to a standstill. Thus, all the three activities are Godly and have equal importance. This sounded very interesting as well as logical.

It is easier to accept Generation and Operation as Godly activities but it is not so when we think of Destruction. When I reflected on this, it became clear to me that even Destruction is a dynamic activity and a necessary link in the chain of life. It also took my mind to Alang, the place we had visited that morning. Alang is a small port in the state of Gujarat which is known for its’ ship-breaking industry. The special features of the beach make this place suitable for ship-breaking, an activity which has grown at a very fast rate during the past few years and has contributed greatly to the country’s economy. The industry is also a major supplier of raw material to certain industries in the steel sector. The scale of activity at Alang is enormous and one can appreciate this only after visiting the place. While taking us around, the representatives of the industry showed a sense of pride in their contribution to the growth of the steel sector and rightly so.

If we look at the ship-breaking industry from a different viewpoint, it is only a destructive activity. The ships which are built with great effort are cut down to pieces and recycled. How can we call it a developmental or constructive activity? This doubt can be removed if we compare it with the destructive role of God. In this world or universe, whatever has been created has to be destroyed after a certain period. Then only is the flow of life possible. Thus, destruction is an essential part of the lifecycle. While this is true of God’s creation, it is equally true of man’s creation also. Whatever has been created has to be destroyed one day. And if the phenomenon is a natural one, it becomes a constructive activity. Thus, when a human life comes to an end after it has been lived fully, it is a happy phenomenon. Similarly, if a ship is broken after it has served its purpose, it becomes a developmental or constructive activity. In this way, the ship-breaking industry plays the role of ‘Shiv’ in the world of steel. Nature destroys and her destructions are always constructive.

Rakesh Mittal IAS

Smile

Smiling people lighten up the room, change the moods of others and make things happier. A smiling person brings happiness with him and people are drawn towards him. We want to know a smiling person and figure out what is so good. Frowns, sulky faces and grimaces push all people away. There is a famous saying “Frown and you frown alone, but smile and the whole world smiles with you”. Smiling changes our mood. Next time you are feeling down, try putting on a smile. There is a good chance your mood will change for the better. Smile can really relieve stress. It prevents us from looking tired, worn down and overwhelmed. When you are stressed, take time to put on a smile. The stress should be reduced and you will be able to take appropriate action. Smiling helps the immune system to work better. When you smile, your immune function improves, possibly because your are more relaxed. 

A smile causes a measurable reduction in your blood pressure. The muscles we use to smile lift the face, making a person appear younge. Don’t go for a facelift, just try smiling your way through the day and you will look younger and feel better.

Smiling people appear more confident so they are more likely to be approached and promoted and are generally more successful in life.

Smiling helps you stay positive and makes you stay away from depression, stress and worry. Smiles improve your appearance and it is an inexpensive way to change your looks. Smiles make things right again and say much more than words can.  If you have hurt someone, said something harsh, feel lost, alone or down, a smile can set things right again. A smile lets other people know that you are prepared to be open to them and you are willingly agreeing to set things right where needed. Smiles create trust and rapport. They make other people feel good. A genuine smile is accompanied by a general glow, smiling eyes and a reassuring demeanor, that helps the viewer to be more at ease in your presence. A genuine smile comes from being happy, positive and from drawing your feelings from the heart. Love the people around you and spread happiness. When you smile, it tends to make others around you smile. Even in the most stressful times, a roomful of smiles can brighten everybody’s mood. A fake smile can make you look phony and nervous, so don’t try it. 

Smiling is a good long-term predictor of happier outcomes. Smiling attracts health, happiness, friends, success and a longer life. So always keep smiling.

Dr (Mrs) Archana Bharat

The last Indian

A packed bus was moving in between Sonapet and Rohtak (Haryana state) on 30th November 2014, in which two girls from Rohtak also were travelling. On the way, three men tried to molest these girls. All the passengers except a pregnant woman remained in the bus, enthusiastically watching the proceedings. The incidents took a reverse sweep as the sisters bounced on the molesters with their belts flying around. The goons were finally driven off. It is not the report of these Haryana girls moving to Delhi to receive President’s Honour for extra ordinary bravery that caught my attention but the broad comment of a news reporter on Indian citizens. 

He called for an extensive introspection of a citizen’s civil sense. In a nation, in which every student repeats ‘India is my country and all Indians are my brothers and sisters’ on a daily basis and has a background of morality which is filled with the energy of Vasudeva kudumbakam’, the reporter asks us how the fellow passengers could have been so indifferent and complacent while two Indian girls were fighting for their lives and human dignity. The reporter continued saying that we see five types of persons here. The first is the goons who tried to molest these girls, next is the passengers who are indifferent; then comes the driver and the conductor - quite negligent, then the pregnant woman - a patriot or a fellow having some civil sense and finally two victims fighting for their lives and human dignity. 

All these readings prompt me to ask again and again, “Is there an Indian in this India?” There would be many who may answer, “Yes, I’m one.” But I’m sure that they too may not have another one near them to count in that category. If ever there are such Indians, I still doubt if they know that life on earth is in pairs and without causing another one of his kind, existence itself is in question. Have we chosen to be the last Indians? I remember a strange comment that a school boy passed, while visiting a museum. He stared at a few skeletons exhibited there and said, “Looks the same.”  Less Indians may mean to this School boy that the majority of citizens in this nation live in the abundance of having something. I assume that it is the passion for possessions that keeps each Indian always looks dissimilar. 

Joseph Mattappally

Talking Plants

‘Syngonium’ was telling ‘Caladium’ that you are far more beautiful as compared to me, but look the master loves me more as I have been put in more number of pots. ‘Dieffenbachia’ was a little nervous today, as the child in the family was sick after eating a part of him. ‘Coleus’ was planning to participate in a fashion show, but she has been asking the organizers if ‘Croton’ has also given her name for the show. The ‘Marigold’ was happy that he was no more required to share the same room with ‘Dahlia’. He thanked his master and was ready to bow in front of his master’s prayer idol.

‘Bougainvillea’ appeared too friendly with ‘Asparagus’, rising hand in hand this time. The ‘Portulaca’ was always afraid of being overshadowed by the ‘Wandering Jew’. The master was watching all this happening in his home garden. He was surprised the way plants were talking to each other. He decided to find the real name of every plant he has at his home, using the Internet. Incredible images of leaves, flowers and trees were seen by him. He carefully noted down every name and every detail about the plants he had.

Next morning when he came out of his house to look at his plants, he felt as if all plants were queued up to ask him, what he found about them. He pulled up a chair and sat down near them. He started calling each plant with their real names. He now knew all the names. He could feel the joy of talking to his own plants. No! This story won’t end the way such stories end, that he came out of his dream, or he fell down from his cot. Everything was real. I experienced it myself, so I decided to share it with you. Let’s talk to nature. We have so many friends around us.

Dr. Sunil Ji Garg

A Total View of Life

We see ‘LIFE’ all around us, yet few of us understand it fully. The perception of ‘life’ differs from individual to individual depending upon our experiences. To some, life is the greatest blessing and to some, the severest punishment. Others find it somewhere in between. If so, is there any common thread in all these perceptions? This question arose in my mind once and I reflected on it. It is said that half of life is ‘if’. Please note that the middle two letters in the word ‘life’ are ‘i’ and ‘f’. It is also said that three fourths of life is ‘lie’. Note that if ‘f’ is removed, the remaining word is ‘lie’. While this perception of life may be partially true, it does not serve a good purpose if we do not go beyond this.

Life has to be seen in totality without missing any letters. The four letters of ‘life’ should be seen as its four phases and if we follow them faithfully, life becomes enriching and leads us to its ultimate goal. Let us see what these phases are. 

The first letter ‘L’ indicates the phase of ‘Learning’. This means that the first phase of life is a period of learning. While life continues to be a process of learning all through, it is the initial learning which shapes one’s life. During this period, one acquires knowledge of various mundane matters. Right from

birth, we have to learn basic activities like sitting, standing, walking and eating as well as educational learning. Good or bad habits acquired during this period influence life in subsequent phases, and this is the time when one is influenced most by the environment one grows up in. It should be wisely guarded by those who are responsible for the upbringing of children. Having completed the period of learning, one becomes self dependent and steps into the second phase of life. This period may be called the period of ‘Indulgence’ and the second letter ‘I’ stands for it. During this period the society, by and large, gives us independence to lead our life in our own way. It is more so in the present time because individual rights are granted by the constitution and law. One acquires family, wealth, fame or social standing during this phase of life and enjoys them. One is strong physically and, therefore, there is no anxiety on that account.

Depending upon the upbringing, sanskars and associates, one also cultivates certain finer qualities but, generally, this is the time for action, for doing things. With the ups and downs of life, one may become more reflective and the process continues as one grows in age and wisdom. Thus begins the phase of ‘Finding’. This is what the third letter ‘F’ indicates. In most cases the period of indulgence is

necessary before the urge to find reality arises. In this phase we start understanding the temporariness of mundane matters and events and try to look for something permanent. Slowly, we start giving up the sense of ‘doership’ and consider ourselves as instruments of God. There may be occasional failures but this awareness is often restored.

Then begins the last phase of life which may be called the period of ‘Evolution’. The last word ‘E’ stands for it. Having understood the reality of life, one strives to achieve its ultimate goal and that is the real process of evolution. Every action in this phase of life becomes a step towards the goal and the vicissitudes of life no more bother one. They only appear as the events of a play on the stage. When we see life in its totality, it becomes a means to achieve the ultimate goal which is ‘evolution’ to the level of the ‘self’. This may also be called enlightenment, salvation or self realisation. When life is viewed this way it becomes enriching and every experience becomes a step to evolution. Then even the ‘ifs’ and ‘lies’ add to its excitement like the suspense of a stage-drama. Those who fail to look at life in totality get entangled in its ‘ifs’ and ‘lies’. For them ‘F’ stands for ‘Finish’ and ‘E’ for ‘End’. Like the drama show on the stage, they keep on repeating the show of life till they reach evolution.

¯

I expect to pass through life but once !

If therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being .....

Let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again !

William Penn

Rakesh Mittal IAS

Avoid Overspending

Sticking to a budget can be extremely difficult, particularly if your finances are tight and you are not inclined to be particularly organized or disciplined. However, you can successfully curb excess spending and keep your budget intact by following certain tips. Oftentimes, people spend money on spur of the moment purchases that they really should be saving for something else. The easiest way to avoid this bad habit is to portion out your money every time you get a pay cheque. Put your bill money (including credit card payments), grocery money and funds for other necessities in the bank. Take out in cash the remaining money which can be considered spending money. Having the funds in cash can often help you monitor your spending better as people often go overboard when buying things with a credit card because they don’t see the account balance shrinking in front of them.

Next time you head out on a shopping trip, plan to run all your errands at the same time. If you have a list of places to go and things to accomplish, you will be less likely to spend extra time shopping or browsing for items other than those on your list. Check your list before you leave your house and eliminate anything you don’t actually need. It will not only help you stay on track but will most likely make your entire outing more efficient and effective and will help you avoid forgetting something important and having to make an extra unnecessary trip.

Many people over-spend because they feel that shopping eases stress or relieves depression and they often buy things they don’t really want.

You might want to buy a device with a slick new function and you may want to upgrade your existing device. Ask yourself whether you really need it before buying it. Don’t buy something because you are worried about hurting the sales person’s feelings. Beware of sale items which make you feel that you have to take advantage of a special deal or a limited time offer.

It has been aptly said that an idle mind is the devil’s workshop. Do not allow your mind to wander unnecessarily as you might fall into the temptation of spending money to kill time. You could utilize your time in a creative and useful manner.

If you have a habit of overspending, you could let someone else take charge and shop for you instead. Encourage yourself to exercise restraint and buy only when you need something. Overspending may lead you into debt.

Dr (Mrs) Archana Bharat

The Art of Refusal

He is in his eighties. He is extremely talented. With my recommendation he approached an International school owner to experiment with his innovative language teaching skills. The lady school owner was impressed. She gave an assignment to this old gentleman. She even arranged home pick and drop service in her school van. The routine continued for four days and on fifth day the van didn’t come. He tried to contact the school, but no genuine answer was given. He understood that the school doesn’t want his services anymore. He narrated this whole story to me and therefore comes this post for you.

The art of refusal has gone this wild these days. A common practice is seen when a person stops picking the phone, when he starts avoiding someone. He will never-ever talk to you straight that he doesn’t want to talk to you anymore. He will make you understand this by his wild gestures like this. I am using the word ‘wild’ as to my knowledge this mechanism of avoiding is typically used by some wild animals. 

The art of refusal that doesn’t hurt other person’s feeling is a rare gesture these days. People may be much more networked owing to whatsapp, facebook and twitter, but somewhere their own network inside needs a re-engineering. Sometime people do it as a habit and they do not even know that they are hurting someone’s feeling. Some other people do it deliberately also. The first breed might have a little chance to get them reengineered. The deliberate attempters are definitely the harder ones to crack. Let’s hope that the best changes are yet to come.

Dr. Sunil Ji Garg

Back to Chaos

The world today knows about Isis activities in Iraq. Isis has the image of people clad in dark costumes, faces covered with black balaclava, machine guns on right hands, copies of Quran tucked into the pockets and both hands well gloved. Their activity stories that Medias show out comprise of sabotage, attacks, abductions, murder and conversions. Somebody has fit in a joke here. According to the story, a Christian family was moving through an Iraq city. They were caught by a group of Isis militants. The leader asked the man in the car if they are Muslims. The man answered, “Yes, we are”. Further, the leader asked for proof and suggested a quote from Quran. The man in the car quickly recited a verse from the Bible. The leader is said to have immediately let them off. 

As they rode off, the wife of this man, who also was there in the car with him, asked him why he took the risk of fooling them, which could have invited their wrath. The man answered with a smile, “This is not the only case of these Muslim brother militants. Most of the faith fanatics in every religion know not what they are told.” It is a known fact that religious intolerance is strangling most communities in this world. If some of the faith promoters are striving to spread their religion, some others struggle for reformation within, some others for absolute control over the community. No one is trying to zero in into the spirit of the Holy Messages. 

When a Zen monk was asked whether he was happy, he is said to have answered that a half monk can only be half happy. His stand was that we are only partially conscious and deserves only partial awareness and split moments of happiness. If we dissect the roots of faith related extremisms, it is easy to find that there are no traces of awareness anywhere. More terrorists are inside rolling in ash than those who are out playing with bombs. Both are sides of the same coin. Then, where are we going to? Neither to hell nor to heaven but to chaos! Isn’t it from chaos that everything was created and God was found sliding out?  

Joseph Mattappally

Discovery of a Friend

There is a saying, ‘In prosperity your friends know you and in adversity you know your friends’. It means that the attitudes of our so-called friends change when we are in trouble. All of us experience this reality some time or the other. If we analyse this in detail, we can prepare ourselves to face the situation in a dignified manner, without getting shocked when it happens. We have to accept the fact that one cannot pick a friend, or purchase a friend, or compel anyone to be a friend. A true friend has to be discovered. In our good times there is no dearth of superficial friends, while true friends may get distanced or even lost. In our ignorance we fail to distinguish between them and consider the former as true friends. The mistake is realized when we face trouble. By that time it may be too late and ourtrue friends may not return to us. The purpose of this analysis is to avoid such a situation.

Friends can be divided into four categories and the distinction is visible only during trouble. In good times it may not be possible to realise the distinction. Conversely, a false friend may appear more dear. We shall now describe these categories of friends. The first category of friends can be called ‘Rejoicers’. They not only rejoice or, rather, exploit our good days but also silently rejoice at our bad days. Outwardly they may show false grief in our trouble and if it persists and they see no early possibility of its going, they leave us like rats on a sinking ship. It would be no surprise if they also mutter the words, “Good, it happened to you”. This is the worst category of friends and in a sense, they are worse than an enemy. We must be careful about such friends right from the beginning as they often prove to be harmful.

The second category of friends are called ‘Sympathisers’. They are better than the first category. Such friends show sympathy in our trouble but do nothing beyond that. Secretly, they feel relieved, thinking, “Thank God, it did not happen to us.” If the trouble persists, they gradually distance themselves and disappear in due course. We may at best call them harmless friends. We need not be unduly concerned or upset about them and should accept their attitude as the way of the world.

The third category of friends can be called ‘Helpers’. In practical life this is the best category of friends and they may be called friends in the true sense. They are truly pained by our trouble and try to help us. They genuinely ask the question, “Why did it happen to you?” This is the category of friends we discover during our bad days. We can share our problems with them and also ask for their help, if required. Of course, we should not expect too much from them and only reasonable help should be asked for. It is also seen that many of such friends are those whom we do not consider so close during our good days.

The last category of friends is very rare. We may call this category the ‘Sacrificers’. They are prepared to make any sacrifice for a friend in trouble. They ask the question, “Why did it not happen to us?” ‘ Such persons can either be a relation like a mother, father, wife, daughter or someone falling in the category of ‘Mahapurusha’. The sacrifice of a close relation is generally out of attachment while the sacrifice of a ‘Mahapurusha’ is out of compassion. History has produced such great men from time to time. Persons like Gautama Buddha, Dadhichi, Mahatma Gandhi, Subhash Chandra Bose, Bhagat Singh, Guru Gobind Singh, Hazrat Mohammad, Jesus etc., all fall in this category. Their sacrifices were for the whole of humanity and in a way, they were universal friends. We should not expect sacrifices from our friends to help us in our personal troubles. Therefore, friendship should be restricted to the ‘Helpers’ and we should be happy if we have some friends falling under this category. The first category is rather worse than an enemy while the second category is no better than acquaintances, and we should accept them that way. Only the third category are true friends and we ourselves should also fall in the same category.

Thus, troubles help us to discover our true friends. Troubles are sent by God for some purpose and this is one of them. With the help of true friends we are not only able to face failures, sorrow, anxiety or other problems gracefully but it also eases the trouble. The famous poet ‘Rahim’ has rightly said:

It is good to have trouble for short time. It gives us an opportunity to know who is our well-wishes and who is not. Why not start to discover a friend right now, instead of waiting for troubles to come first?

A Smile is a gently curved line ..... ..... that can set a lot of things straight !

Rakesh Mittal IAS

Avoid Cell Phone Abuse

The invention of mobile phones, their upgrades to high-end smart-phones with many popular and fascinating features, their easy availability in the consumer market and their affordability have ensured that almost every person we meet on the streets can afford to carry a cell phone. With more and more companies providing connections and SIM cards at extremely affordable rates, almost every person tries to get hold of it. Cell phones are indeed one of the greatest and most useful inventions of mankind. Cell phones help people to stay in touch with others even in different corners of the world. They come equipped with web cameras, audio and video recorders, mobile gaming, PDA, internet, video and music players etc.

But there is another darker and graver side to the story too. Widespread use of cell phones has made way for its rampant misuse too, especially by the youth, anti-social elements, terrorists and other criminals. Camera phones, that come with MMS enabled facilities are used to take unauthorized explicit photos, shoot pornographic videos etc. and spread them. Moreover, since SIM cards can be easily available and there is no proper facility for fool-proof checking of one’s records, these phones are being misused by terrorists for various activities.

The young generation is so engrossed in sending SMSes, talking over the phone and spending most of their time in the virtual world that in the real world they are gradually becoming ill-equipped and repressive. This leads to communication problems and also cause disturbances as one is always busy texting and receiving texts.

When you use a cell phone while walking through the road, you may not see a vehicle coming close to you and since its use in public places increases the reaction time, you may not get time to move away from danger. Mobile phone use while driving may cause accidents as cell phone conversation distracts the driver’s attention, increases reaction time and reduces visual field attention.

Use of mobile phones in gatherings, meetings, entertainment places etc. disturb others. Imagine, you are in a public place trying to concentrate on something or in serious discussion with your friend or enjoying a peaceful moment, when suddenly a stranger starts talking loudly on his cell phone. Your concentration breaks or your conversation ends or your peaceful moment is disturbed, you become a victim of cell phone abuse. You get irritable or annoyed with the caller. With increased use of camera phones and multimedia facilities, cyber crimes such as fraud, theft and forgery are increasing.

We should educate our children to use cell phones moderately. Mobile phones are both a boon and a bane. It is up to us to use them responsibly and make them a boon for the rest of our lives.

Dr (Mrs) Archana Bharat

Canonization

A very close friend of mine, a Hindu religious man who has been living an intense religious life for the last forty years wanted to know about the canonization of Fr. Kuriakose Chavara and Sr. Euphrasia on November 23, 2014.  Well-disposed to Christ and Christianity, he wanted to know more specifically about the two miracles needed to reach sainthood. I told him that from all the news paper accounts I read, Fr. Kuriakose and Sr. Euprasia appeared to be great souls who deserve to be saints. Fr. Kuriakose, especially, was a remarkable visionary who ingeniously, creatively, and single-handedly helped advance the Kingdom of God by tirelessly and relentlessly working for the whole of humanity. It is noteworthy that he started a Sanskrit school in a land cursed by castes before the era of Sri Narayana Guru who proclaimed one caste, one religion, and one God for humanity. I told my friend that I do not think miracles are needed for someone to be proclaimed a saint as miracles can be questionable and as faith and science operate in different realms, and do not mix. I think it is inappropriate to bring science to validate miracles. 

All Christians in the early Church were called saints. As centuries passed, the saints were proclaimed for their extra-ordinary lives by popular acclamation. To me every person who lives a conscientious life according to the teachings of Christ, and discerns and follows the will of God is a saint. Canonization is a futile exercise that, in a world of enormous poverty and financial hardships, involves enormous energy and expense that could be better used for the oppressed and the down-trodden for whom mainly Christ came as he proclaimed in his manifesto (Luke 4, 18-19) read during the only one reported reading of scriptures from the Prophet Isaiah in a synagogue in a history-making event.  Canonization is a distracting anachronism from the decadent Middle Ages. What the Church currently needs are courageous and visionary holy men and women with vision who may not be recognized by the world but who, nonetheless, can tackle the much needed renewal and reformation of the Church. It is interesting that  saints, some of them questionable, are churned out in great numbers beginning from the last decades of the 20th century even as the Catholic Church is reeling from the Second Vatican Council, whose much needed reforms are benignly neglected. The Church has and will always have remarkable holy men and women whether the official, hierarchical, patriarchal church recognizes them or not. It is also interesting to note in passing that a modern pope who not only slowed down or stalled substantive and meaningful reforms advocated by the great Second Vatican Council in his autocratic, authoritarian style  but also was over-enthusiastic in considering Blessed Mary, mother of Jesus,  to be Co-Redemptrix with Christ. The Church is not the place where a person's, even if he is the pope, to impose a  private devotion, especially when that one is theologically erroneous.  This pope was rushed to canonization with undue haste even before the stipulated period of five years after his death. The question is not whether or not he is worthy of being publicly recognized as a saint. The question is whether we are making the changes needed to create a climate for preaching the Kingdom of God where the least person in this world is seen and treated as Christ.

I do not have any problem with saints who can be good models for humanity. From what I know I consider Fr. Kuriakose Chavara to be a good model, fully devoted to humanity and God. I do not think we need mediators (saints including Mary) between God and us. To me Christ alone, in fact he is one too many, is sufficient. The lives of saints can inspire us in our on-ward journey to God who is truly within us and in our midst if we take the time to be truly aware.

Swami Snehananda Jyoti