Criticism –

Criticism can be constructive and destructive; it depends on the way how you react to it.    In my opinion, criticism is essential for personal growth and success, though the person’s tone and manner are too harsh, it gives us an opportunity to grow and correct our flaws.  It is good to give time to reflect on the criticism, find out is there anything you could take on to improve yourself, otherwise, ignore it completely.  This is how I react.  It is a waste of time to argue back blindly. One thing is certain, your growth depends on the feedback and criticism, some people comment exactly what is in their mind, it can definitely help you to grow, always move on from the refined comments gracefully.  Be more open-minded to criticism,  often we mistake people who criticize, some people are born with that kind approach, they cannot change themselves for you, accept them as they are to maintain peace.   It is a great talent to accept the people as they are,  this is the thing I often advise my son, it is a really hard process but we all can do it with regular practice, it can reduce stress in the family,  colleges, and workplace as well.    Sometimes, I do feel really sorry for them.  Do not argue with people who criticize, if possible start a gentle conversation, ask them to be more specific, so that you can improve and correct your mistakes, anything that hurt your self-respect should be ignored right out. 

Time is too precious and limited as well.  We often tend to realize that we have wasted our precious time on unsuccessful activities, gone is gone…. It is irreparable; in the future, we can be cautious and act wisely.  Planning is essential, but do not wait for the perfect timing for the execution of work…keep doing things which you feel good.  Prioritize the work, always work on things which are important at that moment, not getting involved in unimportant activities and leaving the important task behind is not a great idea.  Never wait for inspiration, first of all, it is difficult to obtain in this busy world, no one has the time to improve other’s life, hence the act of self-motivation is the best.  In every household we could sense the trouble of doing everything by one person; it can cause mental and physical fatigue, irritation, chaos, etc... so start delegating work to each member of the family, the collective contribution would bring amazing results and overall well being.   I would say never worry about what people will talk about you, it is none of your business, you cannot control everyone’s thought process, every individual has a different way of thinking, so never expect that they should think alike, it is groundless.  Live your life at the fullest, do all that makes you happy, listen to your heart and intuition.  Failures and success, happiness and sorrow, loss and gain, are part of life, learn to accept them gracefully, never be afraid of indifferent results, it should not hold us back from our goal and hard work.  Complaining about the circumstances or people when things go unfavorable is not a good idea, or blaming others for your failures is an act of a cowardness, so be courageous and face it.  When you try to please someone, always remember that it is an impossible task you are into.  Never compare yourself with others, you are truly unaware of their journey, always believe in yourself.  We all make mistakes in life, but repeating the same mistake over and over is an act of foolishness.

Achievement -

The achievement will not come in an easy package; it needs lots of hard work.    Planning, proper execution of the task and hard work are effective tools for achievement. The added qualities are not wasting time feeling sorry for themselves and move on quickly from unpleasant acts, keeping good control over the responsibilities and not giving away the power, the technique of adaption with the knowledge that changes are inevitable and embrace changes quickly and welcome challenges, keeping oneself calm and happy, not wasting energy on the things which cannot control.    Usually, great achievers are  kind and compassionate, they are fair in every dealing, they are  unafraid to speak up,  they don’t waste time on pleasing others, they are willing to take calculated risks, they invest their energy on the present and they do not dwell on the past, they take complete responsibility for their  behavior and actions, and will not make same a mistake over and over, they enjoy their solitude, they are hardworking and forbearing,  they think productively and engages in productive thoughts in this way they replace their negative thoughts.

I am a big follower of Warren Buffett who is a Philanthropist, I blindly follow whatever he says J  his advice on emotional reaction is something fascinating if you have an emotional reaction on whatever said to you, it will bring continuous suffering, the true power is sitting back and observe things with logic.  If words can control your inner-peace means everyone else can control.  So be calm and breathe it out.  Always surround yourself with people competent and better than you.  Keep reading and reading, knowledge is like a vast ocean, your life is not enough to get a glimpse of it.  Planning is essential in all walks of life, sometimes it may not work, never get disappointed, meeting the unanticipated things with braveness that is count.  Always save space and time for the people who are close to heart, do not invest your precious energy on people who cannot accept changes, keep your circle small it can improve the intimacy, acceptance is the key to success, move out of things which are not under control and leave behind what is not good for you and be positive always.  Effective communication is essential for success in all fields, we all are supplemented with strength and weakness, better familiarize with it.   Time is limited and wealth is precious, therefore use both of the things wisely.

Causes of grief

Grief is something comes out as the price of love, desire, attachment, and affection.   It never ends, but it keeps passing from time to time, it is predictable in everyone’s life.   During the period of grieving, acknowledging the pain and giving assurance that you will be there to listen whenever needed, ready to support physically and mentally are graceful gestures.    It is not advisable to show them a brighter side of life or burden with personal experiences.  We all have that instinct of survival and it will come out on the surface in due course of time.  As we always believe ‘Time is the best healer’, you could see them moving out of the grief confidently as if nothing has changed in their life.  Yes, It is true, nothing has changed, and our approach has changed over the situation.  As I said earlier, we all are innate with the skill of survival and sense of acceptance; the earlier it would be better.  Though the person has to undergo stages like disbelief, denial, anger, sorrow and finally they will come to accept the fact.  I think acceptance is a great relief, constant brooding over the unpleasant past is better than moving out of it completely.  During this period, it is advisable to follow meditation and breathing techniques which will work wonders to get back to normalcy.  The beauty of mindful meditation is it helps to achieve the sense of attachment with detachment, it constantly teaches that nothing is permanent in this world, all those material and immaterial things, every little thing in this world has to undergo constant changes.  This post is dedicated to all those who are grieving over the loss of their beloved ones.

Secret of Happiness

There are few techniques which can keep you happy throughout your life, be kind to everyone, never be judgmental; it can change the whole situation into appealing.  Food is life source, therefore eat well, and eat all those which will make you feel happy, give preference to more nutrients intake.   Regular exercise and meditation give a new meaning to life, it gives a whole new perception about life.   Most of the time we want to be honest in life, sometimes things may go out of hand, I feel white lies to make another person happy does not cost anything.  Always  dream big and take initiative to fulfill your dreams, sometimes it may take years altogether but  be patient and remember that hard work always pays,  smile often, self-love is important, forgiveness is the act of virtue, develop sense of gratitude… admiration towards supreme spirit, nature, five essential elements, and people surrounded by you.    Positive thinking is necessary to achieve all those benefits of mindful meditation, drink plenty of water to keep your skin shining, it prevents aging and has a lot of cleansing benefits, believe in yourself, keep yourself unbiased, sometimes it is necessary to put your needs first,   choose faith over fear during the critical moments and  unexpected  incidents in life, presence of mind can be achieved with intense meditation, self-discipline keep you shine out of the crowd,  never compare yourself with others because often we don’t know the struggles and sufferings they have gone through in their lives,  turn your failures as an opportunity to achieve success, keep inspiring yourself and never demotivate, never be repentant and let go things which can’t be changed, finally, keep a  healthy sleeping schedule that will allow you to get a good night sleep.

An ordinary hindrance to a mindful meditation is restlessness, sleepiness, lack of belief, desire, emotional dependence, aversion, hatred, anger, and passion.  I repeat it is an ordinary obstacle, you can keep practicing it until you achieve the fruit, therefore never leave the daily practice. It will entirely change the notion of happiness and sorrow, pain and pleasure, gain and loss, praise and blame, fame and disrepute which is ever present in one’s life.  Mindful meditation helps to lessen the talk and listen more J  it augments the sense of love, compassion and helps to remain non-hypercritical.  Our brain and heart also considered as the shrine of kindness, transformations do not mean outer appearance, it is the way of perception, insight, and awareness, being kind means lift the fallen, restore the broken, and heal the pains.  Meditation enhances positive thinking, kindness, generosity, and happiness.   It removes the three poisons such as anger, greed, and ignorance.   It purifies sense organs, it improves generosity, morality, self-discipline, patience, diligence, concentration, wisdom and insight, always remember that nothing can be done about yesterday and tomorrow, therefore today is the right day to live and love! 

Beautiful teachings of Lord Buddha

 One beggar happened to meet Lord Buddha and asked ‘Why I am so poor?’

Lord Buddha says “ You are not poor at all.  You have not learned the habit of giving and you are not willing to give away.”

Beggar “ I have nothing to give away.  I am born as poor.”

Lord Buddha says “You have things to give, not less at all.   You have face to smile, you have eyes to enjoy visuals, look at others with compassion and keep yourself happy.  You have a mouth to converse with people, you can speak with humility, kindness, compassion, love.  You can motivate people and pacify them with sweet words.  You have a heart; you can be open, sincere, truthful and kind.  You have a body to utilize it for labor and even help others. Therefore you are not poor at all.”

Mindful meditation  - slow breathing techniques

Mindful meditation is an effective relaxation technique that relieves mental as well as physical ailments, it brings inner peace, happiness, a sense of well-being and free from sufferings.   It boosts self-confidence, increases insight, improves breathing, reduces stress, anxiety, and depression, it gives self- control and self- awareness as well.  This practice does not cost anything other than a few minutes of your valuable time; in return, it will bring plenty of benefits to your mental and physical health.  Choose to sit in a place where you feel comfortable, keep your spine erect, soften your gaze and close your eyes, concentrate on your breath, you can sense the slightest movement of the abdomen, let the mind wander and label it sound, thought or feeling, and concentrate on your slow breathing.    This breathing technique will give you lots of benefits, such as selflessness, self-mastery, selfless service, awareness relieves the mind from a cluster of thoughts, creates a sense of generosity, a sense of non-attachment,  peace, and serenity, and humility.   Morning meditation helps to access stillness without much effort; mid-day meditation helps to reactive the brain and sharpens the senses, late day meditation helps to easily fall asleep, it helps to meet the anger with sympathy, contempt with compassion, cruelty with kindness, grimaces with smiles, it also helps to  forgive and forget about fault finders.  Happiness and Love is our nature, therefore spread happiness and love!

Who does not want to be beautiful? Worship of Sun in the early hours of dawn who is the Lord of the day brings an abundance of spiritual and health benefits.   It awakens all the living beings on Earth with its brilliant rays.  You must have noticed chirping of birds, it awakens trees and wildlife as well.   Sunlight is the life source that cures most of the critical illnesses and skin diseases, it rejuvenates the life energy and the whole body undergoes the process of purification.  It has infinite rays which have curing properties, it helps to elevate mood, it plays an important role in curing anxiety and depression, it has a rich source of Vitamin D and it is essential for revitalizing mood, it encourages the growth of hormone endorphin which promotes feeling of well-being and satisfied, it is good for the nervous system, hence it reduces stress anxiety, nervousness and depression, therefore it is essential to get more sunlight in daily life.  Sun gazing is an ancient technique for mental as well as physical health.  The energy of the sun creates a sense of peace and tranquility, followed with a sense of gratitude.  It is the rich source of production of melanin which accelerates the increase of metabolism; this pigment improves the natural colors to skin, hair, and eyes.  The list of benefits from the Sun lights goes endless, it reduces the chances of breast cancer, colon cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, high blood pressure, heart ailments, multiple sclerosis, ovarian cancer,  prostate cancer, psoriasis, rickets, tooth decay, tuberculosis, etc… So practice sun gazing right now! Live a healthy and beautiful life!

Devi Kausalya asked Rama ‘Did you kill Ravan’ when Rama returned after fourteen years of exile from the Kingdom of Ayodhya.  Rama’s astounding reply was ‘ Mahagyani who is highly scholastic, Mahaprathapi who has great splendor, Mahabalashali who is most powerful, Akhandapandit who has vast knowledge and wise, Mahan Shivabhakth, who  is an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva, composed the marvelous verses praising the splendor of Lord Shiva in Shivathandava Sthothram..... The mighty Lankesh was killed by his Ego.”

 It is essential to know about Ego, it is a sense of entitlement, tendency to put blame on others, criticize in every possible manner, spreading rumors without knowing the after effects, looking out for the best, breed negativity, value material possessions, fear of changes, constantly worries about something or the other or something which does not exists at all, self-centered, hypercritical on every subject and compares with other people,  seeking justification for anger,  and stamp themselves as a victim of circumstances, self- denial,  and  always have a sense of living in scarcity and resentment.

Kundalini Yoga – Dhyanachakra/meditation – Chakras – fine balance – unfavorable balance.

The seven chakras are Mooladhara/Root chakra, Swadhishtana/Sacral Chakra, Manipura/Navel chakra , Anahatha/Heart Chakra, Vishuddhi/Throat Chakra, Ajna Chakra /brow chakra, and Sahasrara/Crown Chakra.  These are the energy centers which have a great influence on mental as well as physical wellbeing of a subtle body.  These chakras are brought in perfect balance with the regular practice of Yoga, meditation and positive thinking.  Overactive of any of these Chakras causes an adverse effect on overall health.

Mooladhara/root chakra – it has an influence on survival and health,  blockage of Root Chakra causes clumsiness, sleep issues, fear, insecurity, instability, poor blood circulation, infertility, low metabolism, and feeling stuck.  This chakra can be unblocked by Yoga practices, meditation, liking towards red color, spend more time in the open place, getting more sunlight and fresh air.  The good balance of this Chakra causes to feel secure and happy.   Unusually active chakra can cause greed, lust for power, aggressive, cynical and materialistic.

 Swadhishtana/Sacral chakra – It has an influence on sexuality, desire, and reproduction, blockage of this chakra causes lower back pain, infertility, digestive problems, lack of energy, Kidney, and gallbladder problems.  It can be unblocked by Yoga and meditation, consuming oranges, positive thinking, and drinking more water.  The good balance of this chakra brings passion, creativeness, and balanced sexuality, optimism, and openness.   Unusually active chakra can cause over-emotional and manipulative.

Manipura/Navel Chakra influences on power, determination, purpose and action.  The blockage of this chakra causes indigestion, panic disorders, liver problems, frequent illnesses, and high blood pressure.  It can be unblocked by Yoga and meditation, consumption of Chamomile tea, and positive thinking.  The good balance of this chakra causes confidence, feeling controlled and a great self-image.   Unusually active of this chakra can cause hunger for power, dominating and turn out a perfectionist.

Anahatha Chakra/ Heart chakra influences on love, unity, balancing act and healing.  The blockages of this chakra cause chronic fatigue, upper back pain, heart-related issues, anxiety/depression, and respiratory ailments.  It can be unblocked by Yoga and meditation, consumption of green food, liking towards green color, and positive thinking.  The good balance of this chakra causes peace, loving, compassion, tolerant, warm and open.  Unusually active chakra can cause jealous, dependency and self-sacrificing.

Vishudhdhi Chakra/ Throat chakra influence on communication, expression, and creativity.  The blockage of this chakra causes throat problems, neck stiffness, cold symptoms, thyroid imbalance, and breathing difficulties.  It can be unlocked by Yoga and meditation, consumption of blueberries, and positive thinking.  The good balance of this chakra causes confidence, expansive, excellent communication skills, creative and diplomatic.  Unusually active chakra causes narrow-minded, loud, grave, spreading rumors, and verbal abuse.

Ajna Chakra/ Brow chakra influences on perception, intuition, and imagination.   The blockages of this chakra cause ear and eye issues, balance issues, sleep paralysis, learning disabilities, and hormone dysfunction.  It can be unblocked by Yoga and meditation.  The good balance of this chakra causes imagination, intuition, clear insight, visualization.   Unusually active chakra causes nightmares, illusion, hallucinations, and possessiveness.

Sahasrara Chakra/Crown chakra influences on knowledge of spirituality, transcendental state, and enlightenment.  The blockage of this chakra causes dizziness, vision issues, cognitive and memory problems, and nervous system imbalance.  It can be blocked by Yoga and meditation, consumption of herbal tea, ginger and positive thinking.  The good balance of this chakra causes strong faith, Universal love, and intelligence, excellent insight, wise and understanding.   Unusually active chakra causes inflexible, hypercritical, spiritual addiction.

Morning Prayer

I arise a day with great enthusiasm and happiness!

With the blessings of the luster of Moon that provide coolness of rays which has spiritual and health benefits, such as alleviate mood and reduce the stress!

 Radiance of Sun that cures the illnesses, spread cheerfulness, brings mental, physical health and overall well being! 

The splendor of Fire which helps to purify the soul, performance of sacrificial rite and homage to ancestors!

The freshness of Wind that has a purifying effect and brings goodness to health!

Rain and flash of Lightening which removes water scarcity, adds coolness to the air, richness to soil thereby enhance the quality of crop and lightning that creates a sense of admiration!

Food which is life source!

The shelter which is essential to stay safe!

The sea brings a sense of calmness!

Soil that cleanses water, recycles nutrients, and home for a multitude of organisms 

The sky which is the abode of planets and stars,  

The earth that brings a sense of stability and fearlessness!

 Ether that has the nature of vastness!

Water which is the essential element and life-giving, it cleanses the outer impurities!

Green space which purifies air, add coolness to temperature and strengthen the soil!

I shall reverentially prostrate before the Universal spirit who bestows All!

Many are having trouble with sleep; I am also finding the same for several years now.  There are a few techniques which help to fall asleep, I consume a lot of honey with fruit salad or with ginger.  I have experienced that meditation and slow breathing techniques do wonders to keep the mind calm, keeping bed space stuffed with pillows and quilt makes comfortable, keeping a low temperature in the room and sticking on a fixed time to go to bed helps a lot.    The toxic poisons like anger and ignorance also definitely contribute a lot to sleep disorders,   spending quality time with the family so that we won't regret that we had spent little time with them.  Early to bed will definitely help to fall asleep easily, we all know it is essential to have good sleep for mental and physical well - being.   I think give a kick start to our passion helps a lot to remove difficulties in falling asleep.  During the day time taking short breaks from the work will not drain our energy.   I  shed tears when I really want to, acceptance is the key to let things go otherwise it will clutter our brain, practice to stay calm,  be authentic and express our emotions,  and last but not the least seek help when we really needed.   Always focus on what you have and don’t chew over what you have lost.  The excellent technique to tune our happy hormones by meditation, good sleep, regular exercise, the practice of gratitude, spending solid hours with nature is the best method to achieve overall well-being…stay healthy & cheerful!

I feel I should write every detail of my grandmother’s vast garden.   We have a small cottage adjacent to the main building, it is surrounded by full of greens, long pathways, a big well, and flower garden protected with high walls on both sides.  She had a vast collection of flower plants like Parijatha, Rose, holy basil, fierce cracker, variety of jasmine, chrysanthemum white and yellow, red and off-white Hibiscus, etc…  There is one coconut tree, many clusters of plantain, Yam, and a few papaya trees.  The second part of the long pathway is full of the same flower plants, big mango and tamarind tree, the cluster of Papaya and Yam..etc. Her creeper garden is just too close to the cottage where we spend our afternoon playing board games with our grandmother.  She does not like us to wander out of the house with our friends in the afternoon, so she compulsorily makes us sit and play snake and ladder, board game, and some traditional board games, most of the time the game ends up with big chaos and we all leave for an afternoon nap.      Actually this cottage is used for storing wooden logs, cow dung patties, big vessels for cooking on special occasions like marriage, yearly homage to ancestors and fire sacrifices. 

Buddhist Prayer for Peace!

Courtesy - net

May all beings everywhere plagued with sufferings of body and mind quickly be freed from their illnesses!

 May those frightened cease to be afraid, and may those bound be free!  

May the powerless find power, and many people think of befriending one another!  

May those who find themselves in trackless, fearful  in the wilderness – the children, the aged and unprotected – be guarded by beneficial celestial, and may swiftly attain Buddhahood!!

Are you a nature lover? I am so excited about the idea of tiny living close to nature, these are environmentally friendly and custom type brings back the old style of living where our ancient sages were engaged in meditation and Yogic practices.  Does not that sound appealing?  Fortunately, I had most of my childhood days living with nature, my grandparents were true to nature’s fan, and they had a beautiful house in the village with vast open space.  We visit our village home during our summer holidays,  my grandmom is too good at gardening, she asks us to work in her garden, in return, she will give us treat like roasted peanuts, candies, fruit salad/garden fresh, etc… honestly, we have to work our butt out to enjoy the treat.  The work includes watering plants, clean the workspace, remove the unwanted shrubs, picking loads of fresh flowers, etc… She will make us work in two shifts in a day…one or two hours in the morning exclusively taking care of vegetable plants, rooted vegetables, plantain,  papaya, picking mangoes and tamarind from the ground, these works should be finished before bath.  Evening two hours are allotted to take care of creeper plants like long beans, ash guard, pumpkin and broad beans, and plucking loads of fresh flowers.    I and my sister will be ready with baskets by four in the evening and return home by six.   My grandmom will not move an inch from our side, I think she loved her plants better than us…Ha Ha Ha.   She cooks a delicious meal for us, she has to wait for another year to meet us again, though she won’t spell it out…we could sense that feeling from her eyes while saying good-byes.  My granddad assists me with English lessons and writing a documentary for the college magazine. We spend solid hours sitting in silence after dinner… Oh! My God, that’s if truth be told it is a torture for me, instead of that I would have preferred to work for her one more hour in the garden, they do not talk much… strictly follow the to-do list; in this way they made us practice the art of observing silence.   I think people lived over that period of time were following a healthy living style, I would say better than us, and they were mentally and physically in a very good state.  All those disciplines I have learned from them helped me a lot to love solitude and follow a disciplined life. While living with them we cannot freely move around or go out with friends or visit ponds, too many restrictions, we were children so they do worry about us a lot,   I have really enjoyed being with them.  They must be watching from heaven…Amen!  It was one of the most wonderful time living with your darlings! I will always cherish that moment.  

We all welcome changes in life, if you follow the same old practice, relaxation techniques, approach, etc… wouldn’t be dreary?  We all have the ability to accept changes in life, you may get surprised…Yes... The truth is that we are made up that way, so why to worry about changes? It is inevitable. A small initiative makes big changes in our life,    stop complaining about what you are lacking and appreciate how lucky you are to have, as I always say embrace loneliness, it is not hard as you think, initially, it may scare you, but in the end, you will feel it is really a blessing to be away from all the emotional drams, it will help reinvent yourself in the process and will take you closer to your ultimate objective.  I am pretty sure in this process you will attain long lost peace.  One thing we always have to make sure to   keep away from things and people who are consuming our good energy,  cultivate the habit of finding  positive  even the worst times, never stop reading, it will definitely improve your mindset,  listening to more truth-seeking lectures are bliss, it will  improve the perception, and  finally writing down your feelings and emotions, Awwwwwww! It is a great feeling.  Always remember to put all your efforts on things which make you happier.   Daily exercises keep you mentally and physically fit, sweat every day to boost your inner energy.  Be willing to learn from mistakes and never repeat the same. When things get tougher always remember that we had overcome our most difficult challenges, therefore we can face this too, if everything is easy life won’t be enjoyable isn’t it, things will be changed when you get up the next morning or be patient, time is the best healer, life is like a roller coaster there are two options either scream or enjoy the ride…I do both J

I  have found that waking up at the same time every day gives a sense of enthusiasm.  If it is before the sun rise, it is perfect.  Keeping a fixed time for meditation on a regular basis helps me mindful, calm and creative.   Drinking more water improves physical as well as mental health, it helps the skin glow and removes dryness, it de-stress and removes dehydration, believe me it prevents aging too J Winking!. Writing is my passion; I wake up with a fresh idea to write, most of the time I get marooned with numerous ideas, finally end up in writing whatever comes to my mind at that moment.     I always pre-plan the activities of the day, if it gets disorderly I feel very frustrated.  I love to cook my favorite meals on holidays.  My Dad introduced me long walks in the morning, it makes me feel top of the world.  There was a time, I used to drive hours to visit the library and get a handful of books,  I love reading fiction, fairy tales, creative writing,  self-help books, history, classic tales,  and the list goes endless….but no thriller or suspense.   I always make sure to get good sleep; I can stay hungry but not without proper sleep.  I always want to make myself update with financial status and personal documents on a regular basis.  I think it is very important for all to thoroughly understand their financial status so that you will get an idea of how much you can allocate for contributions and charity…..Living for giving is a wonderful feeling,  cannot express in words.  All that earned is not ours, it is a blessing from Almighty so I make sure we three are spending as much as we could for charity purposes.  It will definitely create a sense of gratitude and it is essential in all walks of life.   Once in a while declutter kitchen items and clothing helps to create more empty space, it will give us an opportunity to get things you really love to have in your home at the same time it will help to satisfy the requirements of people in need.  Every day will teach you some lesson; eventually, good ones keep you happy and bad ones help you grow stronger.    It is my earnest opinion, never be afraid of solitude, if you embrace it, it will help you to grow mentally, give a chance to know what’s inspiring you the most, you will build up your own beliefs, and learn new skills.