The camera story

Well, I told chotoo today morning that he has to take the camera to school. That injected a new spring in his activities.. :).

 

He was under the impression that it is Archischa's bday today and he is going to take photos. He kept clinging to the camera.

 

I had to force it away from him before he got into the car promising him that he will get it in school.

 

I delivered the cake (From Ribbons & Balloons) with the camera in school today. Had the teacher practice on the camera and told her that she shouldn't give it to him.. :)

 

Let us see what transpired.. :)))

 

This touched me heart..

This is a true story that happened in Japan .

In order to renovate the house, Someone in Japan breaks open the wall. Japanese houses normally have a hollow space between the wooden walls. When tearing down the walls, he found that there was a lizard stuck there because a nail from outside hammered into one of its feet. He sees this, feels pity, and at the same time curious, as when he checked the nail, it was nailed 10 years ago when the house was first built.

What happened?

The lizard has survived in such position for 10 years in a dark wall partition for 10 years without moving. It is impossible and mind-boggling! !!

Then he wondered how this lizard survived for 10 years without moving a single step--since its foot was nailed!

So he stopped his work and observed the lizard, what it has been doing, and what and how it has been eating. Later, not knowing from where it came appears another lizard, with food in its mouth.

Ah! He was stunned and touched deeply.

For the lizard that was stuck by nail, another lizard has been feeding it for the past 10 years...
Imagine that? It has been doing that untiringly for 10 long years, without giving up hope on its partner.

Think, will you do that to your partner?

Think that will you do it to your Mom, Who brought you after a big struggle of nine long months? Or at least to your Dad, Friends, Co-workers, brothers
and sisters?

Imagine what a small creature can do that a creature blessed with a brilliant mind can't.
As information and communication technology advances, our access to information becomes faster and faster.
But the distance between human beings . . . is it getting closer as well?

Please never abandon your loved ones
Never Say YOU ARE Busy When They Really Need You...
You May Have The Entire World At Your Feet.....
But You Might Be The Only World To Them....
A Moment of negligence might break the very heart which loves you through all odds..
Before you say something just remember. It takes a moment to Break but an entire life to make...

Japanese keep their fish fresh - How?

The Japanese have always loved fresh fish. But the water close to Japan has not held many fish for decades. So to feed the Japanese population, fishing boats got bigger and went farther than ever. The farther the fishermen went, the longer it took to bring the fish. If the return trip took more time, the fish were not fresh. To solve this problem, fish companies installed freezers on their boats. They would catch the fish and freeze them at sea. Freezers allowed the boats to go farther and stay longer. However, the Japanese could taste the difference between fresh and frozen fish. And they did not like the taste of frozen fish. The frozen fish brought a lower price. So, fishing companies installed fish tanks. They would catch the fish and stuff them in the tanks, fin to fin. After a little thrashing around, they were tired, dull, and lost their fresh-fish taste. The fishing industry faced an impending crisis! But today, they get fresh tasting fish to Japan.

How did they manage? To keep the fish tasting fresh, the Japanese fishing companies still put the fish in the tanks but with a small shark. The fish are challenged and hence are constantly on the move. The challenge they face keeps them alive and fresh!

Have you realized that some of us are also living in a pond but most of the time tired and dull? Basically in our lives, sharks are new challenges to keep us active. If you are steadily conquering challenges, you are happy. Your challenges keep you energized. Don't create success and revel in it in a state of inertia. You have the resources, skills and abilities to make a difference. Put a shark in your tank and see how far you can really go! So, welcome your competitors...to keep you competent!!

 

Self Appraisal

Source: Speaking Tree: 13Feb11: Learning Tree   A little boy went into a drug store, reached for a soda carton and pulled it over to the telephone. He climbed onto the carton so that he could reach the buttons on the phone and proceeded to punch in eight digits (phone numbers). The store-owner observed and listened to the conversation: Boy: 'Lady, Can you give me the job of cutting your lawn? Woman: (at the other end of the phone line): 'I already have someone to cut my lawn.' Boy: 'Lady, I will cut your lawn for half the price of the person who cuts Your lawn now.' Woman: I'm very satisfied with the person who is presently cutting my lawn.' Boy: (with more perseverance): 'Lady, I'll even sweep our curb and your side-walk, so on Sunday you will have the prettiest lawn in all of Palm beach.' Woman: 'No, thank you.' With a smile on his face, the little boy replaced the receiver. The store-owner, who was listening to all this, walked over to the boy. Store Owner: 'Son... I like your attitude; I like that positive spirit and would like to offer you a job.' Boy: 'No thanks.' Store Owner: 'But you were really pleading for one.' Boy: 'No Sir, I was just checking my performance at the job I already have. I am the one who is working for that lady, I was talking to.

All Heart

Source: Speaking Tree: 13Feb11: Learning Tree   A class of junior school students was discussing a photograph that had been pinned up in the class by the teacher. In the photograph was a little boy whose hair color was different from the rest of his family. One of the children suggested that he was adopted and a little girl said, "I know all about adoptions because I was adopted". "What does it mean to be adopted?", asked another child. "It means that you grew in your mommy's heart instead of her tummy," was the little girl's reply.

Sleep like a baby

Source: Speaking Tree: 13Feb11 – Surakshit Goswami   Our health rests on the three intertwined pillars of ahaar or diet, neendh or sleep and brahmcharya or path to self-realisation. All three are responsible for our well-being. While diet and the path to self-realisation has been the focus of The Speaking Tree earlier, this time, we will focus on sleep — the various types, its importance and impact on our health. Sleep Is Divine Ask anyone who complains of insomnia, and you will know why sleep should be valued. Sleep is divine, and should be worshipped like a goddess, with respect. It's when we abuse our body, subjecting it to unnatural practices that sleep evades us — and we find it virtually impossible to sleep later, when we hit the sack. We have now opted for a lifestyle, in which our bodies remain sedentary, but our mind is restless. After a hard day's work, it is natural for our indriyas or senses to be tired, and to switch off automatically so that natural, deep sleep follows. But with innumerable changes in our lifestyle, we have managed to disturb the body's natural rhythms. Our jobs are generally sedentary, and our minds disturbed and agitated, battling with stress. We often hit the bed — not to sleep, but to lie awake, reviewing the day's activities. One thought leads to another, and the vicious cycle goes on. In such a scenario, is it any wonder that people have insomnia? The Right Time Ideally, you should sleep two to three hours after dinner. Aim to eat by 8 pm and sleep by 10 pm. After dinner, focus on deactivating the mind, so avoid stimulating conversation, or watching TV soaps or even the news. Concentrate on putting the mind into a restful mode. If the mind is restless, restless thoughts will follow you to bed and you will find it difficult to sleep. You should sleep soundly, not in fits and starts, so that you wake up refreshed, peaceful, satiated and energetic, ready to start a new day with enthusiasm. Sleep is a natural process — you will sleep when the body is tired and you wake up when your body feels fresh and rejuvenated. If you wake up tense and anxious with a heavy head and restless mind after a bout of tamasic sleep, the aim of sleep is defeated. Ideally, a person sleeps when the mind is empty of thoughts. However, our lifestyle is now inverted. Instead of resting after dinner, we head off for late-night parties, indulge in animated conversation. Worse still, sit in front of the TV or computer. Disturbing Dreams A rested and peaceful person, who works hard during the day, sleeps soundly. The other type, who leaves behind unfinished projects, or escapes from his regular duties might be plagued by restless dreams — for what are dreams but your mind's way of stringing together stray thoughts and images that are stored in your mind? In a dream-state, we are constantly recalling our samskaras or the actions of our kaaran shareer or causal body. Dreams stem from our causal body, from what is stored in our chitta. Dreams are the body's way of cleansing and washing off these thoughts. They don't let us sleep soundly, leaving us dull and heavy-headed, yearning for more sleep. Disturbed sleep patterns finally affect the body as they eat into energy levels and leave the body open to disease. A sound sleep, on the other hand, is the body's way of getting in touch with its consciousness. This translates into total peace — a state in which the mind, ego, intellect and the storehouse of memories or chitta is completely at rest. A sound sleep leaves you relaxed, energetic, and fresh. You might also have a short snooze in the day that leaves you well rested. At such times, you have touched your consciousness. Impact On Health When the body is deprived of quality sleep, you could suffer from indigestion, constipation, blood pressure, heart disease, Parkinson's, anxiety, eye trouble, nervous system disorders, and even memory loss. Hormones are also affected. This affects our creativity, making us less alert and fresh. Thinking negatively is then a natural corollary. Opt for a light dinner. Avoid overeating; keep portions a wee bit less than what you eat. Wash feet, hands, face, and sleep in fresh nightclothes. Keep your bedroom ventilated and tidy. The right mattress and posture is important. Chanting Aum a few times, and two minutes of bhraamari pranayam and shavasana before you sleep, helps.   Three Kinds of Sleep   Swabhavik Neendh: This is deep slumber that you are entitled to at the end of an active, working day. In this form, you doze off as soon as your head hits the pillow Vikaari Neendh: This is what your body needs when it is recovering from an illness. You sleep long hours, much beyond the six to eight hours that a healthy body usually needs. Your body takes energy from this sleep to enable speedy recovery. Tamasic Neendh: In this kind of sleep, you refuse to get out of the bed, and continue sleeping, getting up much beyond your usual waking hour. This gives rise to a certain heaviness both in the mind and in the body.

Divine Company

Source: Speaking Tree: 13Feb11: Soul Soup   A little boy wanted to meet God. He knew it was a long trip to where God lived, so he packed his suitcase with chocolates and six packs of fruit juice and he started his journey. When he had gone about three blocks, he met an elderly man. The man was sitting in the park just feeding some pigeons. The boy sat down next to him and opened his suitcase. He was about to take a sip of his fruit juice when he noticed that the man looked hungry, so he offered him chocolates. The man gratefully accepted it and smiled at the boy. His smile was so pleasant that the boy wanted to see it again, so he offered him a pack of fruit juice. Again, the man smiled at him. The boy was delighted! They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, but they never said a word. As it grew dark, the boy realized how tired he was and he got up to leave, but before he had gone more than a few steps, he turned around, ran back to the man, and gave him a hug. The man gave him his biggest smile ever.   When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later, his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face. She asked him, "What did you do today that made you so happy?". He replied, "I had lunch with God". But before his mother could respond, he added, "You know what? He's older than I thought, but God's got the most beautiful smile I've ever seen!"   Meanwhile, the elderly man, also radiant with joy, went home. His son was stunned by the look of peace on his face and he asked, "Dad, what did you do today that made you so happy?". He replied, "I ate chocolates in park with God". However, before his son responded, he added, "You know, he's much younger than I expected".

How Prithvi Came to be Named so

Source: Speaking Tree Dec 26,2010

 

Intellectual and emotional growth can help us follow a moderate lifestyle that neither plunders nor destroys the environment, writes Devdutt Pattanaik.

The Bhagavada Purana refers to a king called Vena who plundered the earth so much that the earth, in disgust, ran away in the form of a cow. This resulted in chaos. Plants refused to bear fruit and seeds did not sprout. There was hunger everywhere. Animals cried, humans wailed. Worried, sages picked up a blade of grass, chanted magical hymns, turned it into a missile and killed the greedy king.

They then churned Vena’s corpse, removed all that was savage and untamed in it and created a new king from the distilled and purified positive elements. This king was called Prithu, a form of Vishnu. The gods gifted him with a bow.

Prithu went to the earth-cow and requested her to provide milk for his people but the cow refused as she was still upset. So Prithu raised his bow and threatened to shoot her down with his arrow. She ran. He pursued her. Finally he caught up with her. “If you kill me,” said the earth-cow, “then nature will be destroyed and so will all life.” Prithu argued that without domesticating the earth, he could not feed humanity. He had no choice but to tame the earth, turn the forests into fields and route the water of rivers into canals.

“Do so then in moderation,” said the earth-cow. So Prithu promised to institute dharma through rules that allows culture to thrive without destroying nature. However, it is not an easy task because human life is validated when there is growth. Humans want more children and a longer lifespan and a better quality of life. The benchmark keeps rising. Animals have no such biological imperative. They are comfortable submitting to the laws of nature. Humans, however, overturn the laws of nature and plunder earth’s resources in order to fuel growth.

Growth of human civilisation might involve domestication of nature, uprooting of some trees and living off ecosystems. However, material growth can destroy the world if it goes unchecked. The only way to check it is by tempering it with intellectual growth and emotional growth, which are the two limbs of spiritual growth.

Dharma balances nature and culture between the needs of animals and the needs of humans. The symbol of dharma is the bow, which the gods gave to Prithu. The bow indicates balance — the string cannot be left loose or too taut. Prithu is described as the first responsible king of earth. That is why the earth is called Prithvi.

When the kings started bothering her again, earth once again took the form of a cow and went to Vishnu and said with tears in her eyes, “The ambitious kings are breaking my back. Their greed makes my udder sore. Save me,” Vishnu promised to descend on earth, kill the errant kings and relieve earth’s burden. That is why he took the forms of Parashurama with the axe, Rama with a bow and Krishna with a flute.

With the axe, he overcame kings who abused their power. With his bow, he demonstrated balance that demands discipline and sacrifice of desires. With the flute, he made cows give milk freely while offering them protection from all malevolent forces of the world. That is why Vishnu is called Go-pala, caretaker of Go-mata, the earth-cow. This is who the kings of the earth are supposed to be.

The Rock

Source: Speaking Tree - 26Dec2010

 

The Rock

 

IN ancient India there lived a sculptor. He was renowned for the life-sized statues of elephants he sculpted. With their trunks curled high, their tusks thrust forward, their thick legs trampling the earth, these pachyderms seemed to trumpet to the sky. One day, a king came to see these magnificent works and commissioned some for his palace.

 

Struck by their beauty, he asked the sculptor, "What is the secret of your art?". The sculptor replies, "Great King, Once I quarry a gigantic piece of granite from the banks of the river with the help of many men, I have it set here in my courtyard. For a long time, I do nothing but observe this block of stone and study it from every angle. I focus all my concentration on this task and don't allow anything or anybody to disturb me. At first, I see nothing but a huge and shapeless rock sitting there, meaningless, indifferent to my purpose, utterly out of place. It seems faintly resentful at having been dragged from its cool place by the rushing waters. Then, slowly, very slowly, I begin to notice something in the substance of the rock. I feel a presence, an outline, scarcely discernible, shows itself to me, though others, I suspect, would perceive nothing. I watch with an open eye and an eager heart. The outline grows stronger. Oh Yes, I can see it! An elephant is stirring in there!"

 

"Only then do I start to work. Days flow into weeks. I use my chisel and mallet, clinging to my sense of that outline, which grows ever stronger. How the big fellow yearns to be out! How he wants to live! It seems so clear now, for I know the one thing I must do: with an utter singleness of purpose, I must chip away at the stone. What remains in the end must be elephant."

 

My grandmother would tell this story. It was her way of telling me that we do not need to bring our real self, our higher self, into existence. It is already there. It has always been there, yearning to be seen and recognized.

- Eknath Easwaran in God Makes the Rivers to Flow

 

Breathe In, And Out

Source: Speaking Tree - 26Dec2011

 

When you practise pranayam, start with Anulom-Vilom, says yoga guru Surakshit Goswami.

We should practise some asanas before we sit for the practice of Anulom-Vilom Pranayam. According to Mahrishi Patanjali, yoga has eight parts including yam, niyam, asana, pranayam, pratyahara, dharna and smadhi. Asanas help us remove toxins from the body. They enhance flexibility and improve blood circulation. Mahrishi Patanjali gave four types of pranayam: Bahiya vritti, Aabhyantar vritti, Stambha vritti, and Bahiya Abhyantar Vishiyakshpi. Besides these, there are eight types of pranayam mentioned in the Hatha Yoga texts. These are Suryabhedi, Ujjayi, Sheepali, Seetkari, Bhastrika, Bhambri, Moorchcha and Plavini.

When you begin the practise of pranayam, start with Anulom-Vilom pranayam; this is also called Naadishodhan Pranayam. According to the Yog Shastra, pranayam should begin with Anulom-Vilom because it cleanses all the 72,000 blood vessels of the body and makes the three main nadis through which the prana or chi flows — the Idaa, Pingla and Sushumna
more supple. The best time to practise this pranayam is early in the morning, before breakfast. Anulom-Vilom helps in balancing breathing and also energises you.

Procedure: Sit in a meditative posture. Keep your back and neck straight and close your eyes. Now bring your right hand in the pranayam posture and keep it on the nostrils. To get into the pranayam mudra, keep the index and middle fingers straight and close the right nostril with the thumb. Place the index and middle fingers in the middle of the forehead, at the Ajya Chakra, and exhale air gradually through the left nostril. After inhaling as much air as you can, close the left nostril with your ring and small finger. Now remove your thumb from the right nostril and exhale the air gradually through it. Then inhale through the right nostril. Next, put the thumb on the right nostril and breathe out of the left nostril by removing the fingers from it. This completes one cycle of Anulom-Vilom pranayam.

Pace of breathing: While doing this exercise, no breathing sound should be audible. The speed of inhalation and exhalation should be so gentle that even a small wad of cotton placed near the nostrils would not move. Ensure that the time taken during rechak or exhalation is double the time taken during purak or inhalation.

Precautions: Those suffering from backache and pain in the knee should practise pranayam sitting on a chair.

Practise: Close your eyes during pranayam. Imagine that your Sushumna nadi is being awakened by friction of the Idaa and Pingla nadis and that energy is flowing right from the Muladhar Chakra or base chakra to the Shasraar Chakra or crown chakra. Believe that your entire body is being cleansed and made healthy.

Centre of Dhyaan: Ajya Chakra
Advantages: All blood vessels and veins are cleansed by the practise of Anulom-Vilom Pranayam. The energy in the body starts flowing upwards. It cures diseases of the muscular system and is beneficial in arthritis, flatulence and varicose veins, acidity and sinusitis. Your thinking becomes positive and you learn to overcome tension, anger, worry and forgetfulness, anxiety, uneasiness, high blood pressure, migraine and lack of sleep. With regular practise of Anulom-Vilom Pranayam, your concentration, patience, resoluteness, decision-making ability and creativity will soon increase.

Conversations with God

Source: Anonymous   Me: Why are we constantly unhappy? God: Your today is the tomorrow that you worried about yesterday. You are worrying because you are analyzing. Worrying has become your habit. That's why you are not happy.   Me: But how can we not worry when there is so much uncertainty? God: Uncertainty is inevitable, but worrying is optional   Me: But then, there is so much pain due to uncertainty God: Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional   Me: If suffering is optional, whey do good people always suffer? God: Diamond can't be polished without friction. Gold can't be purified without fire. Good people go through trials, but don't suffer. With that experience their life becomes better, not bitter.   Me: You mean to say such experience is useful? God: Yes, in every term, experience is a hard teacher. She gives the test first and the lessons afterwards.   Me: But still, why should we go through such tests? Why can't we be free from problems? God: Problems – Purposeful Roadblocks Offering Beneficial Lessons to Enhance Mental Strength. Inner strength comes from struggle and endurance, not when you are free from problems.   Me: Frankly in the midst of so many problems, we don't know where we are heading.. God: If you look outside, you will not know where you are heading. Look inside. Looking outside, you dream. Looking inside, you awaken. Eyes provide sight. Heart provides insight   Me: Sometimes not succeeding fast seems to hurt more than moving in the right direction. What should I do? God: Success is a measure as decided by others. Satisfaction is a measure as decided by you. Knowing the road ahead is more satisfying than knowing you rode ahead. You work with the compass. Let others work with the clock.   Me: In tough times, how do you stay motivated? God: Always look at how far you have come rather than how far you have to go. Always count your blessings, not what you are missing.   Me: What surprised you about people? God: When they suffer they ask, "Why me?", When they prosper, they never ask "Why me?". Everyone wishes to have truth on their side, but few want to be on the side of the truth.   Me: Sometimes I ask, "Who am I, Why am I here?". I can't get an answer. God: Seek not to find who you are, but to determine who you want to be. Stop looking for a purpose as to why you are here. Create it. Life is not a process of discovery, but a process of creation.   Me: How can I get the best out of life? God: Face your past without regret. Handle the present with confidence. Prepare for the future without fear.