Inner Management

Once I was travelling from Delhi to Lucknow by the Lucknow Mail. I had a booking in the AC first-class coach and my berth was the lower berth. On the opposite lower berth, there was another gentleman whom I did not recognise. Both the upper berths were vacant to begin with, but just before the train started moving, two gentlemen entered the cabin, kept their briefcases on the upper berths and soon left the cabin. This created an impression that both of them were unauthorised passengers and did not have any reservations. However, I didn’t take any notice of it but the other passenger was certainly not happy about it. Since both left the cabin almost immediately, he could say nothing to them. Early in the morning, I heard some harsh exchange of words in the cabin. It had so happened that both the upper berth passengers had returned to the cabin in the early hours and put on the light. This disturbed my co-passenger and he objected to it somewhat angrily. This was not liked by the other two passengers and they too responded in the same tone. On this, my co-passenger accussed them of unauthorised travelling with the connivance of the railway staff. This was too much for them and all this resulted in a heated exchange of words. 

By this time, I was fully awake and wanted to understand the situation. Firstly, I tried to calm them down with a firm and polite request. Somehow, they responded to my request and we started to discuss the matter. As a result, the following facts came out. The two passengers who had occupied the upper two berths were railway officers occupying the post of executive and superintendent engineers. They were on official duty and were to conduct certain studies on the engine in the moving train. That is why they had left the cabin right after keeping their briefcases. After completing the study, they came back to the cabin in the early hours and were quite tired. Since it was the winter season, the cold had added to their fatigue. So, they were in a hurry to take some rest and in the process disturbed my co-passenger. After getting to know all these facts, both sides felt sorry about their hasty response. 

The surprising fact was that my co-passenger was the director of a reputed management institute of Lucknow. I knew him by name and had talked to him over the phone several times, but had never met him. The acquaintance made him feel guilty also, but I tried to convince him that such mistakes were normal and one only needs to learn lessons from such incidents for the future. Incidentally, the train was quite late and this provided us an opportunity to know each other more closely and when we left the Lucknow railway station, there was a tough competition between the two sides for realising their mistakes. I told my co-passenger that it was a problem of ‘inner management’ which is perhaps more important than ‘outer management’ taught by him, all through his life. 

Rakesh Mittal I A S

Save Fuel

We all would like to save fuel, whether it is for a noble cause like saving the planet, or for a selfish cause like not burning a hole in the pocket. There are several ways to maximize your fuel efficiency and minimize your visits to the petrol pump.

Do not use the clutch too much and switch the vehicle off at red light stops. You should drive in the gear corresponding to the speed and get your vehicle serviced regularly. A poorly tuned engine and under inflated tyres can increase fuel consumption. Avoid unnecessary steering wheel movement and abrupt stops. Ensure that you maintain a steady speed. Accelerate slowly on gravel or slippery roads.

Avoid unnecessary braking. Using the Air conditioner at lower speeds and changing spark plugs regularly can save a lot.

If you watch how you drive, it can improve your car’s mileage per liter, cutting global warming and pollution.

Make sure you travel light as extra weight decreases fuel economy. Air conditioning can decrease your fuel efficiency so use it only when required.

Check oxygen sensors, air filters, hoses and belts regularly and have your wheels aligned and keep your tires properly inflated.

Consider running all your errands in the same area in one trip rather than making separate trips. People should carpool and use public transportation when possible. If you share your rides and use other means to get to work, you will save yourself money, reduce congestion on the roads and cut global warming and pollution. Commuters can also work from home at least once a week.

Unless serious thought is given to fuel efficiency, we shall exhaust all the natural oil and gas resources and travel and transportation which is so convenient due to fuel driven cars, buses, autos, scooters and even aero planes shall come to a standstill. Save fuel if you do not want your future generations to travel by bullock carts.

Mrs (Dr) Archana Bharat 

Consciousness Living

Persons are who they are and where they are intellectually and emotionally. They live at the level of consciousness they have. Their functioning is primarily determined by their given state of consciousness which in turn is directed by the cumulative experiences of their past and their aspirations for the future. As they are driven by their past programming that work as an impenetrable fortress around them, and a future-related purpose, tragically their presence is a mere pseudo-presence that is in reality composed of the past and the future. Buddha diagnosed this problem centuries ago, and developed Vipassana, a meditative experience to see things as they really are in order to heal human suffering by living mindfully and consciously in the present. I became keenly aware of this lack of living in the here and now (present moment) as one unnecessary conflict after another consumed my time and energy in the Shantisadan Siddhasharm that I live in. I have been putting out one fire after another, and sometimes making reparations for the abuse or violations of human rights suffered by innocent parties. Often there is neither shanti (peace) nor siddhi (realization). Instead what are there are loud cacophonies and destructive shouting matches that attract the attention of the ashram workers and neighbors. Change needed to occur for the viable and healthy continuation of the organization. So I got into deep, prayerful reflection, and  extensive analysis to remedy the situation.

What I came up with is: At the root there is no unifying ideology or unity of purpose that bind all together. Strong personalities with so-called entitlements clash even for insignificant things that snow-ball into big battles for power and control. Some strong personality in the group sabotages healthy compromises or consensus building and cooperative decision-making. In the given case diagnosis was easy, but remedy proved to be very difficult and expensive emotionally and financially. When persons say strong actions are required, they often do not realize decisions taken cannot be put into practice without the cooperation of the parties concerned in a democratic set-up with one standard and one level of care.

I also found for myself: coercion or subtle and opportunistic manipulations do not work as they are not good for the spirit life. Authority must come from within as a result of lived life, modeling, and normative experience. I cannot change anyone. Each one has to change oneself from within. Most persons are good and well-intentioned, and even generous. They are very good toward persons that they like. These are persons to be guarded against. They can be your close relatives such as parents, children, brothers or sisters, even spouses and friends. If they do not get what they want from you, you may lose their favors or their admiration for you. That is why at one time when Christ’s attention was called to his mother and brothers wanting to speak to him while engaging a large crowd, he asked who is my mother? and who are my brothers? and he himself replied: Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, and sister, and mother (Matthew 12: 46-50). Resisting them is not in one’s own emotional and material interest. But resist you must. Because of their unwillingness or inability to change added to their skeptical and even cynical view of the world coming from unresolved painful past, they are condemned to live in the past. They cannot get out of the hard shell of the past programming. While they need not be judged, getting along with them is difficult even though emotional sharing is very rewarding. Well-thought out reasons do not work as they are predominantly guided by their strong emotions, narcissistic hurts, and blind loyalties. A generous supply of love and tolerance is essential to deal with them. We have to be vigilant that we do not get into reacting and playing their games. While letting them be who they are, letting them know what you think and how they affect you with compassion and empathy are truly divine. In the coming few years that I have left,  I am  making it a priority to practice it with conscious living in the present moment, the only precious moment I am privileged to have.

Swami (Dr) Snehananda Jyoti 

Name Tattoo

I know an old man who is very creative, and unlike other creative people he always likes to share the techniques and tools of his creation with other people around him. With his experience of teaching, he has created innovative techniques to teach Hindi to beginners. The methods he has devised are more useful for adults, who already know spoken Hindi, but cannot read or write. He decided to test his techniques by teaching the rickshaw-pullers in the area. He went to the roadside and asked them to join his class. In first go, all of them refused or gave some excuse. Now, he started camping on the roadside itself to show his teaching models to people who stayed on the roadside. With his consistent efforts, some people joined his roadside class and agreed to come every day for learning. His small class began. Magic started happening. Within a span of fifteen days his pupils gained knowledge of Hindi alphabets. After about a month, a rickshaw puller came to him and said, “I have come to know, why people were often making fun of me”. He further said, “I can now read the name written as a tattoo on my hand. It has been written as Rum Singh and not Ram Singh”. (Readers are requested to imagine how Ram Singh will read like Rum Singh if an ‘aa’ sounding maatra is removed from the alphabet ‘ra’ in hindi).

This episode inspired many other local rickshaw pullers to join the Hindi class. That is the magic of literacy. Literacy missions in India need people like me and you to join them and take a vow to teach at least one person every year.

Dr. Sunil Ji Garg

Prompt Action

Many fine things can be done in a day if you don’t always make that day tomorrow. Prompt action is important in life and that leads people to succeed in life. Opportunity waits for none. If you don’t take a decision at the appropriate time later on you will have regrets. Timely action is like a rupee saved. Because a rupee saved is a rupee earned. Prompt action requires awareness and vision. It is not a blind decision, instead a calculated, well thought and mature decision. Each time you delay your action you are lagging behind and when you take timely action you travel hundred miles ahead of future, sowing seed of better opportunities. If you don’t utilize the opportunity then there is someone else to take  your opportunity somewhere in the world.

Why delay your decision? Be quick and act timely. So no regret can haunt you. Life is possible only out of decisiveness, commitment and involvement. If not, you are always a spectator- you never participate in anything. Decide for yourself whether you want to be spectator or a doer?

A pretty young woman approached Immanuel Kant and asked, “I would be immensely happy if you could accept me as your wife.” He listened to her and he said, “I will think it over.” And he thought for three years- all the pros and cons. He wrote long treatise- what are the advantages and disadvantages of being married. And finally he arrived at a poor conclusion—almost not a conclusion at all. There was one more point in favour, and that was the point that by being married you will know what marriage is-good or bad. So he went, knocked on the woman’s door. The father opened the door and asked, “Why have you come?” He said, “I have decided, because one more point is in favour of marriage. There are three hundred points in all: three hundred against, three hundred and one for- so I have decided to marry.”The father laughed. He said, “It is too late. She is already married- and not only married, she has a child too! You came a little late.”

Sr (Dr) Lilly Thockanattu SJL

Rituals & reasons-1

Rituals have an important place in human life. Human mind is such that it takes recourse to many seemingly unnecessary activities so that the harshness of life’s journey is mitigated. In the course of man’s long history thousands of such rituals have been developed. I would even like to call them plays. If they are taken playfully they add juice to life, they become occasions of celebration. And if we take them too seriously they become pathological, an aberration. 

It was D-day in the whole life of human race when fire was discovered for the first time. It is the greatest discovery ever made throughout man’s history. Though we don’t know the discoverer, he brought in the greatest revolution. Even the splitting of atom or landing on moon is not that important compared to the fire. Now the same fire is so ordinary that we captured it in the tip of match stick- that we cannot comprehend its pristine glory. Human civilization is essentially the product of fire, rest all inventions came after and through this fire. Fire is foundational to everything in our life. Naturally when first invented the human race danced around the fire in utter ecstasy. This celebration now turned into ritual in many occasions. It was in those days so natural and spontaneous, as if it has exploded on us from nowhere. There was no other way to express our gratefulness to existence except by dancing and celebrating. 

Every religion in ancient times grew around fire or sun. The darkness of night was frightening and the day of light was comforting. So human started worshiping Sun as God. When fire was invented it heralded the human victory over darkness. So he started to love fire & sun over anything in the world. Songs and dances, love and festivities grew around fire and sun. When Yuri Gagarin returned from voyage into space, the first man to enter outer space, the whole world rejoiced it. Many even named their child with his name. There used to be stampede, where ever he went. People wanted to have a glimpse of him. The advent of new fills man’s heart with delight and joy and we always celebrate the occasion with great fanfare. That is how it should be. It will be a sad day when world cease to enjoy over new and I would say it would be the death of all that is meaningful and vital in life. 

I explained all this to show how Yajna came into being and how it became so significant in our life. Yagna was our way of celebrating the discovery of fire. We offered to it every good thing of our life. More details will follow …

Wishing you good health & happiness,

Dr. Dwarakanath, Director, Mitran foundation- the stress management people

Anil Ambani’s Lunch

Mr Anil Ambani used to be a member of the UP development council during a particular regime. This was the highest body responsible for taking important development decisions in the state. Many well-known persons in the fields of industry, banking, media and commerce were members of this body. The council used to meet at various places and senior officers of various development departments were also invited to attend these meetings. 

At one such meeting held in Delhi, I was also present as a special invitee. At that time, I was posted as the Principal Secretary of the medical and health department. The meeting was held in the Ashoka hotel and went very well. After the meeting, we all were invited to join the buffet lunch, which was arranged quite lavishly. I normally take a light lunch but the menu being quite rich, I had no option but to take what was served by the hotel. 

Soon after I started my lunch sitting on a side table, I noticed Anil Ambani also coming to the same table and occupying a seat. He had not taken his lunch but immediately, a battery of bearers along with their boss approached him to seek orders. To this, his response was very interesting. He refused to accept any item already served. Instead, he ordered for two pieces of idly along with some sambhar. Of course, it was promptly served to him and that was all he had for lunch. While his simple lunch created some envy in me as I had missed this opportunity, it also made me contemplate on the matter. Most of us feel that the goal of life is to increase our consumption level and we feel envious of those who are wealthy. But wealth does not necessarily mean that our consumption will also go up. Our basic needs remain the same and if they are comfortably met, that should be reason enough for our happiness. Any acquisition beyond need becomes a burden if it is not shared with others or utilised for a higher cause. All those who acquire wealth, position, fame, etc., can remain happy only when they use such acquisitions for others. 

It is even more true in the case of food. Hazrat Mohammad Sahab used to say that food should be taken only when one is very hungry and only half the stomach should be filled. If one does so, he will always be healthy. A well-known naturopath of India says the same thing in other words. According to him, half the food we take keeps us alive and the other half keeps the doctors alive. If one follows this advice, he himself remains happy and lets others also be happy. Anil Ambani’s lunch proved this fact amply and also revealed the secret of his good health and mind. 

Rakesh Mittal I A S

Save Electricity

The inconvenience during the frequent power-cuts is being experienced by most of us. But have we ever tried to analyze the reason for this? Actually the production of power is lower than its consumption. The only way to come out of this situation is to conserve electrical energy. If all of us make efforts to save electricity, it shall make a great difference.

Switch off the fans and bulbs in the rooms which are not being used. Always turn off your A.C. when you are not in that room. Make sure your filters are clean. Try setting your thermostat to run less frequently.

Consider increasing your energy efficiency when buying appliances. Buy appliances with less energy usage. Turning off T.V.s, lamps, computers, VCRs, ovens and other appliances when no one is using them can reduce electric energy consumption. Wash and dry only full loads of clothes in your washing machine.

Saving electricity doesn’t just save money, it also saves the environment. The real key to preventing climate change is reducing energy use. Solar energy usage is a good alternative, as sun’s energy shall never diminish.

Switch off the computers when leaving the working place so that radiation can be beneficially reduced.

Consider using LED light bulbs (CFLs) as they use a lot less energy than fluorescent tubes. Keep the door closed while using the A.C. to prevent loss of energy. Shade windows during summer to keep sun off the glass.

Use fans for relief from hot weather. Fans cost much less to run than A.C.s.

Put the fridge in a well ventilated position and buy the size you need as extra capacity uses extra-power. Use dimmers as they save power and enable you to obtain pleasant changes of mood in your lighting.

Saving electricity may not make you rich, but it will help you cut down costs and prevent blackouts and power shortages in your community.

Dr Archana Bharat

Counter-Culture

Culture relates to training and development of moral and spiritual values, shared religious beliefs and attitudes, aspirations and hopes, rites and rituals, and social customs and manners in a given society, and transmission of these learned practices and their theoretical under-pinnings from one generation to another.  Most people in a culture go with the flow. The old saying, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do”, encourages all to be in conformity with the culture of the place one lives in. Frequently cited sayings such as “Nadodumpol naduve odanam” (When the whole village runs, run in the middle), “Chera thinnunna nattil cherayude nadumuri thinnanam” (where rat snakes are eaten, eat the main part of the snake) in Malayalam also promote culture. The great leaders and sages that changed the world for the better belonged to the counter-culture whereby they challenged the establishment and its guardians to create a better and more equitable world for its inhabitants. These extraordinary leaders were Gautam Buddha, Jesus Christ, Sri Narayana Guru, and Mahatma Gandhi, to name a few. They are masters of humanity, and can be claimed by all on account of the broad, all-inclusive, universal values they stood for. They all had to swim against the current, and pay the price for the values they stood for.  Buddha coming from a kingly background became a mendicant renouncing his immense wealth and power to liberate people from the clutches of unhappiness. Christ, the best example of counterculture, challenged the powerful religious leaders, scholars, and lawyers of his time to free the oppressed, and to establish the Kingdom of God. Narayana Guru preached the religion of humanity to uplift all from the tyranny of caste system and social and moral degradation. Gandhi dismantled the immoral foundations of a mighty colonial  empire preaching equality of persons and amity of nations.

The counterculture movement started in the 1960’s paved the way for the end of an immoral Vietnam War, the desegregation of races, and the establishment of civil rights for African- Americans in the USA. The same counterculture movement brought women and other deprived sections of society to claim their legitimate rights in society. The counterculture persons with the right-thinking moral people helped to banish discriminations that we abhor today but were the norm of the day in an earlier unenlightened era. Speaking of myself, I was always in the fringes of society conforming just enough to get by. I remember in the early 1980’s I went for a badly needed job interview in the USA for an important position in a hospital as a clinical psychologist. With my long hair and long flowing beard with a suit jacket with no tie I was not conventional. I always felt uneasy about tying something around my neck.  My well-wishers were not too positive about my appearance. I did get the job, and all along I did manage to set a minimum socially acceptable dress code for myself. In all things in life one has to find one’s own compromises as well as one’s own bliss.

Non-violent counter culture forces that respect everyone’s freedom and right need to be urgently unleashed in five fundamental areas that glue our society together so that our society can be  radically reformed and transformed:

1. Currently religions suffer from lack of ethics and professionalism. They need to come together so that they can develop a strong and healthy spirituality that would purposefully guide and serve the entire humanity  and the One God of the universe.

2. Politics presently are in disarray as they are without principles. Political parties, while they have distinct world-views, need to abide by basic human values and serve all instead of whipping up emotions of people to serve vested interests and particular communities.

3. Present education unfortunately is not geared to impart a value system and thus train and develop the best moral, ethical, spiritual, conscientious, and humanistic person. It teaches its trainees to be the best manipulators. Its motive is profit and production of wealth and getting the best jobs in the market economy of the world.

4. The medical field with all its fine and praiseworthy advances is out of control, and does not benefit the vast majority of people. It frustrates the poor that cannot afford its expensive services. Prescription of expensive and unnecessary tests and procedures has become the order of the day. Recently a very close friend of mine suffering from dengue fever and was on the verge of death due to dramatic drop of platelet count was going to be wheeled for C. T. (Computed Tomography) Scan at the mere mention of a  headache. Were it not for the timely intervention of her well-informed husband, she would have lost precious time needed for stabilizing her platelet count. Not long ago person declared to be clinically dead, but kept on the respirator, was stopped in time from being taken for dialysis by his relative. All these happened in well-known hospitals in Kochi. We have also become victims of drug companies and physicians who are patronized by them.

5. The entire legal system is spinning out of control with anachronistic procedures and unnecessary technicalities. Justice is denied by undue and indefinite delays and prohibitive costs. It is not for revealing the truth of the matter at hand, and meting out justice but for a tool to aid the unscrupulous rich and powerful to delay through spurious law-suits the legitimate rights of the ordinary person.

I have indicted all the pillars that support our culture. Obviously there are many honest and conscientious persons in these systems. But they do not have the guts to bring about the needed changes. I see only a non-violent, conscientizing counterculture movement as the only answer to create the critical mass for change.

Swami (Dr) Snehananda Jyoti

Your Wish Will Come True

When I was a kid, my family thought that I had some special powers of predicting the future of people. Actually, I used to sit in front of the place of worship in my house for quite a long duration, which was unusual for a child of my age. I was around six or seven at that time. I remembered lots of religious prayers, mantras and hymns. I used to repeat them all everyday in front of the pictures of our Idols. Once I was asked to predict, whether my uncle would get selected in his second attempt of banking examinations. I went to the worship place, asked GOD. ‘Yes’ came the intuitive reply and the same I repeated in front of my family members. Fortunately for me and my uncle, he got selected. People were very happy and credit was given to me and my intuition driven prediction. In another such incidence my answer was a short ‘NO’ and this time also it came out to be true. Slowly many requests started coming to me and I used to say ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ out of my random choice. People, whose work got successful, gave credit to me. Other people, for whom my answers did not match their expectation, never discredited me, as they thought that I was just a child.

Today, no one believes that I am a gifted person. I still make predictions for my personal events and I feel that the success rate of my predictions is still the same as it was in my childhood. I still sit in front of the place of worship in my house. I still pray to GOD and ask him for favors. Now I am just an ordinary GOD fearing individual. I am no more the equivalent of the great prediction maker, Nostradamus, to the people around me. Today I stand firmly against the astrologers. I treat astrology as a way of giving satiety to human curiosity. I do not care about predictions as they are not based on any scientific fact or knowledge. A gifted child has now become a believer of ‘karma’ theory. You choose your own theory; I have chosen mine for ever.

Dr. Sunil Ji Garg

Confidence

“Confidence comes not from always being right but from not fearing to be wrong.” Peter T. Mcintyre

When we chase things they elude us. When we are confident and ready to face the reality of life, it comes to us. Because we are not bothered or shaken by it. When you are strong like a rock nothing will shake you. So be firm in whatever you do and leave the rest of your life to God and let Him control it. Being strong and confident in life as well as in whatever you do is a sign of success. Most of us are weaklings who have no guts to face reality. Our confidence starts shaking as we get closer to reality. We only speak and when it comes to the real test get away faster than the speed of lightening.  Certainly you must have come across a number of such characters in your life! What is your reaction to them? Are you comfortable with such characters? Now let us check- am I also such a character? Do I run away from the realities of life? Am I ready to take the responsibilities and challenges of life? It is always better to be confident and face problems than hide like a coward. The option is left to you!

Some of us have a good case of the “can’ts” too. Stop being bitter,  “I can’t!” One of the devil’s greatest tools is to try  and   erect a stronghold in our minds to make us think we can’t do something, God has told us to do. Do not give the devil a foothold. Stay true to yourself! Be faithful to the talents you are blessed with. Be positive in your attitude. Indeed you Can do many things that you think you Can’t! You CAN!

A mad solider came in to the village cutting down men, women and children, and terrifying everyone .Arriving at the doors of a Zen monastery, he smashed down the door with the hilt of his sword. Striding up to the Master who was sitting in ZAZEN, he raised his sword and was just about to kill him, when something of the Master’s stillness touched him. And angrily he shouted, “Don’t you realize that standing in front of you is a man who can cut you in two without the blink of an eye!”

The Master quietly said, “Don’t YOU realize that sitting in front of you is a man who can be cut in two without the blink of an eye? So go ahead. Don’t be restricted by my silence, do whatsoever you have decided to do.” These words of the Zen Master transformed him. He surrendered his sword at the feet of the great Master and became a disciple.

“If my mind can conceive it, and my heart can believe it, I know I can achieve it.”-  Jesse Jackson

Sr (Dr) Lilly Thockanattu SJL

Scientific Discipline 6

Krishna says, “Na hanyate hanyamane sharire: nobody is killed when his body is killed.” In the first place Krishna says that violence is impossible, it is a misnomer. But it does not mean that we should freely indulge in violence. While violence itself is not real, violent mind is real. It is the truth, ‘you can desire to kill someone, although he cannot be killed’. This is a different thing- that one cannot be killed- but if we desire to kill him then this desire is real, and this desire is sinful. At the core violence is not a sin, but the will to violence, the violent mind is certainly a sin. It is different thing that we cannot kill, but our desire to kill is in itself sinful. In the same way it is a virtue if we desire to save someone. Whether he will be saved or not is a different matter, but the fact that we want to save him is enough unto itself- this desire is virtuous. For example, someone is dying, he is a terminal case, and we are trying to save him. He is going to die the next day, but we have already earned the merit by trying to save him. 

The desire to hurt others is sinful, and the desire to help others is virtuous. But Krishna sours still higher and expects Arjuna and us to sour to that level. He says one can transcend both violence and non-violence, vice and virtue, pleasure and pain, and then there is nothing- neither violence nor non-violence, neither vice non virtue. They all are illusory. If we know for ourselves they are illusory, and then in very knowing- realizing, all our violent thoughts and feelings will drop, we will be free of them. When we realize no one is killed, then why will we think of killing? When we know that no one is saved, we will not be bothered with the problem. And if, in the light of truth, we know our mind with all its urges and emotions, we will attain heaven. Then it is not a question of going to heaven in some future time, we are already in heaven. 

When we attain to a state where pleasure and pain, gain and loss, victory and defeat are all alike, when we transcend all dualities and divisions, when we realize the integrity and oneness of life then we are in heaven. This state of equanimity and evenness itself is heaven. According to Krishna, this samatvabuddhi, this balance and steadiness, equanimity and evenness of intelligence is called Yoga. Krishna says there are two kinds of illusions. One is that we can kill someone or save some one, and the other illusion is we can kill or we can save someone. When we are released from the first illusion, then the second illusion will drop by itself. The idea of vise and virtue is part of the same ignorance which makes us believe that life and death is a reality. If life and death is an illusion, then what is, is. Then vise and virtue are equally illusory. And to know the false is false is knowledge. It is wisdom. And one established in wisdom does not do a thing on his part; he allows everything within and without to happen on its own. It is a state of total acceptance. Let us contemplate not just to understand the words but to realize the ultimate reality- the truth. 

Wishing you good health & happiness,

Dr. Dwarakanath, Director, Mitran foundation- the stress management people

Mitran foundation- the stress management people

NCC Camp

In the year 1965, I attended a National Cadet Corps (NCC) camp for about fifteen days. At that time, I was in the first year of my graduation. My elder brother was also in the same college studying in the second year of graduation. We both were supposed to attend that camp. Since the camp was to be held just before the Deepawali festival, it meant being away from home during the festival, which certainly did not make the occasion very welcoming. In view of this, many students applied for exemption including my elder brother. The exemption was sought mainly on medical grounds, which required a fake medical certificate. It was not difficult to get one even during those times. My elder brother also resorted to the same practice and managed to get exemption.

The idea of seeking exemption did not even occur to me and doing so on the basis of a fake medical certificate was even more remote to me. As a result, I had to attend the camp, though I was not very happy about it for reasons mentioned above. This was my first experience of collective living and that 

too, in somewhat uncomfortable conditions. Waking up early in the winter season (at that time Deepawali days used to be quite cold and more so in the open ground), taking bath in cold water, strict adherence to meal timings as well as the quantity, the poor quality of food, etc., were the factors which always gave a regretful feeling. At that time, thinking of the comfort of those who had sought exemption on one ground or the other used to add salt to the injury. There was no option but to undergo all the drills. Not only this, the behaviour of our friends occupying some rank in the NCC was even worse than the real officers. 

Somehow, the days passed and we started enjoying the so-called suffering. Many aspects of such a life were new to us, which we would have missed, had we not attended the camp. Gradually, the envy of those who had sought exemption started disappearing, with a feeling of being fortunate replacing it. Though we were given an option to spend the Deepawali day with our families, the evening celebration was in the camp only. The fun we had during that celebration is still a memorable event. Overall, this camp imparted me a good lesson of life, which helped a lot in leading a successful one. It has been rightly said that there is no elevator to success; the path is through the staircase. The heights achieved through the elevator are equally short-lived. The NCC camp taught me this secret very convincingly. 

Rakesh Mittal I A S

Do Not Litter

Litter can cause a whole range of problems for everyone in the community. It is a threat to public health as it is a breeding ground for bacteria. Items such as broken glass and syringes can be a health hazard in public places. Accumulated litter and carelessly discarded cigarette butts are potential fire hazards. Litter negatively affects the image of places, especially tourist locations. Litter harms our waterways. It travels through the storm water drainage system to our bays and oceans, where it can cause harm to wildlife. Animals can get their heads trapped in glass jars and metal cans when trying to lick out the contents. Put the lids back on jars and crush metal and plastic food containers before recycling them. Animals can even get entangled and killed by fishing lines that have been discarded carelessly. Never throw food or litter out of a car window. It attracts animals to the road where they can be killed or injured by other cars.

You may adopt some simple ways to help prevent littering which is a serious environmental hazard.

Make sure your waste is thrown in the garbage can. Sweep paved areas and pick up all the garbage, rather than hosing it down into drains and gutters which can be choked.

Always dispose of unwanted chemicals, paints, thinners, drugs, garden pesticides and herbicides responsibly as they are poisonous. Use a cloth or paper bag while shopping instead of plastic bags. You may organize a litter patrol. Get your family, friends and neighbours to help you. Each person should carry a sturdy bag for collecting cans, papers and bottles along the road. Recycle, what you can. 

Remember, besides looking awful, litter can do serious harm, so make sure you dispose of your garbage properly. Never litter.

Dr (Mrs) Archana Bharat

Cute Little Puppy

This is just a folk story. An old man of Baghdad dreamt that a great treasure lay hid in a certain spot in Egypt. He accordingly journeyed to Egypt, and there fell into the hands of the police. The police beat him severely on suspicion of being a thief. He told the police, all the particulars of his dream. On hearing him, one of them said, "You must be a fool to journey all this distance merely following a dream. I myself have many times dreamt of a treasure lying hid in a certain spot in Baghdad, but was never foolish enough to go there." The spot in Baghdad named by this person was none other than the house of this dream walker of Baghdad. This old story came to my mind as a saw a post of my friend in face book. He had given three pictures. On the first there was a few dots spread all over. In the next, an effort to connect these dots through lines was shown. In the third was the cute picture of a puppy which was shaped when all the dots were properly connected. The comment below read, “Knowledge alone is not useful unless we can make connections between what we know." 

This friend of mine, Shri Midhun is a just passed out engineer, who could successfully orient knowledge and experience into a beautiful theme. He is now the proud owner of http://fullforms.com/ the world’s first structured platform for Full forms. Every society we encounter thinks that it is great by the virtue of their bank balance and the preciseness of their manner management. They miserably lose in connecting knowledge and experience. 

Just last day, I read a few lines from one of the most successful entrepreneurs in Kerala. He was commenting on a remark of the Indian Prime ministerial candidate Shri Modi. He wrote, “Even though I am not agreeable to his political stands, but his comments ‘Hard work matters, not Harvard’ is good. It is true, hard work is more important than qualifications.” Shri Kochouseph, I should say, began his career selling his homebrew gadgets on a scooter and his knowledge blended with experience could make him the proud owner of many challenging enterprises. 

Knowledge precisely is the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject while experience is the knowledge of something gained through involvement in it or exposure through it. The more we try to successfully reinforce knowledge into product through hard earned experience; the world turns ours, whoever we are. A trip after a hidden treasure far off never pays.

Joseph Mattappally

Fruit Bearing Trees

I am a member of an association of alumni students of the graduation college from where I passed out. In our executive body forum we decided that every year we shall plant some trees in memory of our late president, who himself was a great nature lover and organised many tree plantation drives under his leadership.

Now the question came, which is the best place to do so? As we searched around premises of various organisations or societies, we also came across a question regarding the variety of trees we should plant. Our usual answer was that we would be interested in planting fruit bearing trees, like guavas, mangoes, jamun, lemon, pomegranate, etc. All these varieties grow well in the climate of our city Lucknow. We thought that this choice would be welcomed by most societies or organisations. But, we were surprised to hear that fruit bearing trees add to nuisance value in the area when people start plucking them for their own use, without the societies getting the direct benefit. Most of the bodies gave stress on planting decorative trees only.

We analyzed the situation ourselves. It was evident that we are living in a different world now. People do not want the trees to be planted for others. Gone are the days, when we thought that trees are planted by a generation for their subsequent generations to reap its benefit. Every penny we spend, we want to utilize its full value ourselves.

Finally, as a member of current world's society, we decided that both decorative and fruit bearing plants would be planted in the premises of a particular organization. It was not a matter of decorative plants versus fruit bearing plants; it was about the reasoning given behind not doing anything for other's interest. Today also people do nice things, but many of them do it for their own interests only.

Let us keep planting trees, tomorrow will definitely change. Even the attitudes will change.

Dr. Sunil Ji Garg

Generosity

Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore wrote, “All that is not given is lost.”

Nothing speaks to others more loudly or serves them better than generosity from a leader. True generosity isn’t an occasional event. It  comes  from the heart and permeates every aspect of a leader’s life, touching his time, money, talents, and possessions. Effective leaders, the kind that people want to follow, don’t gather things just for themselves; they do it in order to give to others. .Cultivate the quality of generosity in your life.

Give something away. Find out what kind of hold your possessions have on you. Take something you truly value, think of someone you care about who could benefit, and give it to the person. Genuine charity does not evaluate an action by its bigness or smallness. It evaluates it as an act of love, an act that makes us discover the greatest good: God Himself!

Put your money to work. If you know someone with the vision to do something really great- something that will positively impact the lives of others-provide resources for the person to accomplish it. Give generously and you will receive much from your giving. Give a smile to everyone you meet and you’ll receive smiles. Give kind word and you will receive kind words. Give appreciation and you will be appreciated. Give time for a worthy cause and you will be richly rewarded. Give hope and you will be made hopeful. Give happiness and you will be happy. Give encouragement and you will be encouraged. Give prayers and you will receive blessings.

When an earthquake happened in China, a farmer was standing on a hilltop surrounded by his rice fields. Suddenly he saw the ocean rush away from the shore like some large animal crouching for a leap. He saw his neighbours working in the low rice fields, and when that tidal wave came back, they would be swept away by its force. Somehow he had to call them to the safety of his hill. So without thinking twice, he set fire to his straw stack furiously rang the temple bell. His farmer neighbours thought his farm was on fire and rushed up the hill to help him. They had  hardly   reached the top, when they heard and saw the swirling wall of water swish through the field they had just left. Then it was that they realized how the farmer had saved their lives. From that day on, they went to the temple to pray for their neighbour to whose generosity they owed their lives.

God in his generosity really loves us, cares for us, heals us and watches over us.

Sr (Dr) Lilly Thockanattu SJL

Scientific Discipline-5

The opposite has great attraction. Let us look at it from different angles. Often people who love good clothing are becoming disciple of naked fakir. People who love delicious food are attracted and become disciple of starving/ fasting master. It is ironic that the followers of a renunciation attained saint comprise those who are known for their indulgence. It deserves of serious consideration that Mahavira, a great Thirthankara’s remained naked; most of the jainas chose to sell clothes. It is surprising but true that Mahavira renounced a kingdom and became a monk and the Jains are the richest community of India. This happening is not accidental. When Mahavira renounced his kingdom and wealth, he did give away every bit of his worldly possessions. It was the wealthy class which was impressed by this sacrifice. He became god in their mind. 

A person already in renunciation would not be influenced by Mahavira.  Even one who cannot give up a thing cherishes a desire to give up, so the renunciation becomes his ideal, his dream. He knows in his heart of hearts that clinging is painful and he dreams of the day when he will be capable of renunciation. So a renunciate becomes his polestar. And he worships him as his God. This is how renunciates are surrounded by those who are steeped in indulgence.  The opposite works like a magnet, it is magnetic. And it works on its own as every scientific law does. If we understand correctly we can divide the whole world into different magnetic fields of consciousness, as physicists do in regard to matter and energy. Then we will know how consciousness is distracted by mind, drawn and formed and then disappears. Very strange things happen in the world of consciousness when mind plays the mediators which are not apparent. 

So whenever we are attracted to someone, we should know well that he/ she is not our type, but the opposite, our complimentary. That person can never help us in our spiritual journey. The person can however be helpful in our worldly life. And can also help us in a way to know our type. We must remember, Spiritualism is a search of the self, of self-nature. We have to know who we are. And once we know who we are, we attain to inaction without quitting action. We will attain to truth without leaving this world. The world will remain as it is, but will undergo a mutation. Everything will remain as it is, but we will not remain the same, we will be transformed. And the day we are transformed, everything is transformed for us because what we see is our world. Our realization of self creates the perception of our world. 

Let us contemplate on this concept to realize the true-self of us. 

Wishing you good health & happiness,

Dr. Dwarakanath, Director

Mitran foundation- the stress management people

Pet on the Road

Once, I was staying with a nephew of mine at New Jersey in the USA. I used to get up early there also, and go for a morning walk. The place around was very clean and scenic but there used to be hardly any person on the road. Even if there were any, there was hardly any exchange of words except a greeting by waving of the hand and, that too, from a distance. 

One day, during such a walk, I saw a lady with her small pet, on the other side of the road. As usual, I greeted her by waving my hand. To this, her response was different and she responded by uttering some nice words. Somehow, I felt that she was keen to talk to me and since I also find such conversations very educative, I also made the same gesture and we started walking together. Soon, I noticed that she was interested in India because her father had been an army officer during the British rule. As a result, she had spent a few years of her childhood in India. Perhaps, that was the reason why she showed interest in me, as she had guessed that I was an Indian. Anyway, we exchanged many things about India and British life and overall, it was a very good exchange. 

While we were walking on the footpath, she noticed that her pet was about to attend to the nature’s call. I also noticed the same and was keen to see how she would handle the situation. But I was pleasantly surprised to note that she had came prepared for the same and immediately took out a polythene bag from her pocket and took the excreta of her pet in that bag. This was her reflex action without being conscious of my presence. Then she wrapped the polythene bag and put it in a paper bag and kept it back in her pocket. When she finished all this, she was back in conversation with me. I was amazed to notice all this and conveyed my feelings to her. It was a surprise to her that in India people take out their pets only to use roads and pathways as toilets for them. What a difference between the two cultures! While we may boast of our ancient culture and spiritual heritage, we fail badly in displaying modern culture and civic sense in our day-to-day living. This is the reason why our ancient values are losing their meaning and in the process life is becoming difficult. 

Who says we have nothing to learn from the West? Culture is not a monopoly of one country or race. Each society has a culture of its own and in modern times when the world is becoming smaller and smaller in terms of communication and reach, we must take the best from every society. Then only our scripture’s message of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbkam’ will have any meaning. Otherwise, it will remain just a scriptural phrase. 

Rakesh Mittal I A S

Save Water

The most essential among all the natural resources on earth is water. A step to conserve water is a step to secure the future. If each one of us makes efforts to save water today, it will save us later. We can improve the efficiency of use of water and reduce losses and waste by following some simple tips.

We should avoid leakage of taps and toilets and get them repaired immediately. Turn the tap off when not in use, especially when you brush your teeth and wash clothes or utensils. Water supply should be limited in those areas which enjoy unlimited water supply.

Try to educate the mind of people in the rural areas to save water. Promote the conservation of water through media and wall posters. Never throw water unnecessarily, instead use it for gardening and cleaning. Avoid unnecessary flushing of toilets. Treated waste water should be used for flushing in toilets and in gardening. Use a broom instead of a hose to clean the side walks. Use economical washing machines to wash your clothes and make sure you use it when you have a full load of clothes. Install small shower heads to reduce the flow of water.

The advantages of conserving water are multifold. If you save water, it can save your money bills. Reduction in interior water use cuts waste water flows, especially overflowing of gutters which contaminates the environment. It also helps in improving the quality of your drinking water. Water conservation is the most effective and environmentally sound method to fight global warming.

If we keep using water without checking its wastage, very soon we shall be facing a severe scarcity of this precious elixir of life. We should also use technical methods like rainwater harvesting which utilizes rain water for domestic purposes. Steps should also be taken to deepen the village ponds and dumping of sewage and garbage in these ponds should be avoided. Please save water for our future generations.

Dr Archana Bharath

Snails of the Earth

One day, a man heard a knock on his house door. As he opened the door, he saw a snail. “Why are you here again?” The man asked the snail. The snail replied, “Six years back, I had knocked at your door and you threw me away that time. I want to know why you did it to me.” It is interesting to know that all the past six years, this little snail was on its’ march back to the house, burning with fury over the injustice that man did to it. A snail generally is a creature that has a coiled shell that is large enough for it to retract completely into. Those without shells are called slugs or semi-slugs. A snail according to Greek traditional belief symbolizes rebirth. Usually we refer to this creature to describe a slow and inefficient process. Since they feed on a wide range of agricultural wastes, they are helpful to humanity. In many parts of the world, snails are used as food. How much a snail is useful or how they live were not the problems that troubled me. What that disturbed me was the mere truth that the snail was spoiling half of its’ life span or rather all the pretty fruitful years of its life travelling back to the house burning in anger. I asked myself, ‘was not me the snail?’ I understood that I mostly live on past hurts and injuries. Whoever comes to me, I see them through lenses of conditionings. Whatever happens in my life I judge them through the many filters in my mind. Past ….. past …. Past…., it is in the past that I mostly live.

Living in the past is not an effortless process, I know. It is not a dream of the future that makes any head heavy but thoughts of past incidents. Thoughts are heavy especially if that are of anger and grief; they make our heads hung with weight. The scientific truth is that we spoil most of our body energy reserved for growth, over sustenance of subtle cerebral activities. It is said that a peaceful mind can think better than a worked up mind. A thoughtful mind is much more damaging to one’s existence. Why not we live in the cool and serene state of now? Years back when Swami Sachidananda Bharathi (Indian Thoughts, Patron) initiated Dharma Bharathi School of Forgiveness and Reconciliation (DBSFR), I didn’t know that forgiveness and reconciliation was that crucial in human growth. Now I dream and wish a life with a mind absolutely clear of a painful past. 

Joseph Mattappally

Providence

Providence is the care God takes of all existing things- St. John of Damascus

The well of Providence is deep. It’s the buckets we bring to it that are small. We may rest assured that nothing whatever happens on earth without God’s permission. What a source of consolation to know that even the sufferings and adversities which God send us are for our very best, and have in view  our eternal salvation. Do not look forward to what might happen tomorrow; the same Everlasting Father who cares for you today will take care of your tomorrow and every day. Either He will shield you from suffering, or He will give you unfailing strength to bear it. Be at peace then put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginations. Praise Him therefore, whether in His gifts or in His scourges. The praise of the scourges is the medicine for the wound.

God sends us nothing that is too hard or painful to bear. He proportions all to our strength and abilities. Our trials are suited to our needs as the glove to the hand of the wearer. All things will contribute to our sanctification if we but cooperate with the designs of Divine Providence. The farewell address of Abraham Lincoln upon leaving Springfield, for the White House, contains this touching testimony to his trust in God. “I now  leave, not knowing when, or whether ever, I may return, with a task before me greater than that which rested upon Washington. Without the assistance of that Divine Being who ever attended him I cannot succeed. With that assistance I cannot fail. To his   care commending you, I bid you an affectionate farewell.”

The great St. Teresa of Avila, who did big things with small means, once wanted to build a large orphanage. She had only three shillings to start with. Some friends told her that she should be more wise and wait for more funds before beginning the construction. This is the answer Teresa gave: “With three shillings Teresa can do nothing, but with God and three shillings there is nothing that Teresa cannot do.”

Please, dear God, do not bless us as we deserve, we couldn’t along on so little.

Sr (Dr) Lilly Thockanattu SJL

Scientific Discipline-4

Spiritualism, if allowed to grow on the basis of its natural laws, that is to say if the seekers choose their disciplines rightly, in accord with their types, it will lead to explosive action in the field of religion. Krishna is in full accord with his own type. He does not deviate from his self-nature. So is Buddha and Mahavira too. For this reason Krishna’s life is crammed with action of a particular style. Not that Buddha lacks in action, his life is filled with different kind of action. Mahavira keeps moving from village to village for a full forty years. It is true that he does not take part in war, he engages himself in a higher kind of war, waged on a different level. Buddha does not play a flute, but his discourses resound with a note that is different from that of flute. It does not make a difference because Buddha is fully established in his own self-nature. He has found his authentic being at its highest. Krishna has found his sublime reality, his truth, and he is complete and contented. But their followers are often erring in discovering their own authentic true self-nature, they become confused. To find our intrinsic nature is of the highest in spiritualism. And I repeat Krishna’s words: “It is better to perish in one’s self-nature than to accept another’s, which is perilous.”

Now the core question arises, “How can we know our own distinctive type?”

It is not that difficult to know one’s type. One way is to remember this simple maxim: that which attracts us is not our type; it is the opposite of our own nature, because the opposite attracts. So beware of opposite, reflect for a while on it and know that is not your cup of tea. It seems paradoxical and difficult too, to understand that what repels you is your type. How a man does know he is a man? Another man does not attract him, while a woman does. Same goes with the women, women are attracted towards men. So if we take it for one rule: we are not what attract us, but we are its opposite. We are really that which repels us. It is really arduous to figure out this paradox, but life is paradoxical. It is difficult to believe that what we detest and condemn, what we want to avoid, keeping at arm’s length, is invariably our own thing. It is within us. I mean to say that as a first step of knowing our true self, it is almost always our opposite that seems inviting of us. So beware of it and know that it is not our type. 

Let us contemplate on many things of our life we are attracted to and also the things we are not. We will understand the basic of it. Further we shall go deeper and other methods of finding our self-nature. 

Wishing you good health & happiness,

Dr. Dwarakanath

Director, Mitran Froundation- the stress management people