Small Habits Big Changes

Small Habits Big Changes

What our sarasar vivek ie power of discretion suggests to bring in transformation in life.

I think being integral part of this entire universal system, we must have this basic awareness - like universe, I shall make every effort to keep myself and every living entity around me happy,peaceful and joyful.

Small Habits Big Changes - Respect to every living entity !

Do we cause harm even to the small insects?

Small Habits Big Changes - Rising  Sun through the water bottle !

Are we able to see through the things or simply rely on what appears ?

Small Habits Big Changes

Small Habits Big Changes - Pet Cat !

Do we have compassion for our domestic animals ?

Small Habits Big Changes - Skyline that makes one introvert

I have experienced and learnt the reality that by implementing the above feelings in practice I have been able to -

• give due respect to supreme values of life like freedom, peace,love and compassion.
• honor and respect every living entity.

Small Habits Big Changes - A silent dove !

• understand significance of polarities in values like truth and untruth, moral and amoral, justice and injustice, ethical and unethical.
• make right choices while making decisions in life.
• accept the consequences of own decision making in life.

Small Habits Big Changes

So one will realize that  this small yet effective and significant habit will bring transformation in life.


What do you think ?


Next time .....

Seeking Happiness

Seeking  Happiness

Man's Quest for Happiness

Seeking Happiness - Man's Quest for Happiness

Seeking Happiness

Man is in next stage of evolution compared to animals which are controlled by four instincts- aahar, nidra,bhaya, and maithuna ie food,sleep,survival and procreation.

Man is one step ahead in that he seeks happiness. The meaning and significance of happiness for every individual varies.

For example one may get happiness indulging in non-veg food. Another may seek happiness in veg food. The right one is obvious!

Our sarasar vivek ie power of discretion indicates that seeking happiness not at the cost of happiness of others is necessary.

And seeking happiness is natural instinct in human being.

Seeking Happiness

Generally one is unaware whether the happiness he is seeking is worth or not.

Next problem is one generally seeks happiness originating from external factors in the world. And realizes that those factors are not in his control and permanent one. This realization leads to frustration, disappointment and depression.

In fact,happiness is within us. Let us not forget, being happy is more important than becoming happy involving unnecessary efforts and needless hard work.

But being unaware one goes on trying to seek happiness from the world around.

In the process one realizes that such happiness is momentary. Consequently one looks for next kind of happiness. And this process is a continuous one. And we wonder why one constantly runs towards happiness putting in all possible efforts.

And we must not ignore the fact that we must discover happiness in small small things in life we can experience but unfortunately we ignore the same.  For example, seeing sunrise, sunset, observing kids, flowers and so on.

We can find a number of such small small things in life wherein we discover happiness.

Seeking Happiness

Next point is while craving for happiness of different types,one is not able to set out priorities.

Also, one often fails to understand the significance of type of happiness one is seeking. Whether it is healthy,positive,achieved in a non-violence means and so on.

And having achieved happiness is not enough as one also wants to share it.

I think all this complexity can be avoided if one is aware of -

• meaning and significance of supreme values of life -freedom,peace,love, compassion.
• meaning and significance of polarities in values like truth and untruth, ethical and unethical, healthy and unhealthy, violence and non-violence, moral and amoral and so on.
• having understood the above,one should make right choices while making decisions
• necessity to develop preparedness to accept the consequences of one's own decision making.

Having implemented the above,one will not constantly run after happiness but applying sarasar vivek achieve good,healthy,positive happiness towards transformation in life.

Next time ...

Books That Will Change Your Life For The Better

Books That Will Change Your Life For The Better

And You Will Definitely Read

As my dear readers know well, One's downfall in the life can be avoided by Sarasar Vivek i.e. power of discretion.  

For this, quality reading is essential  to strengthen  Sarasar Vivek i.e. power of discretion.

In this context, I am eager to introduce my dear readers with the books that will change our life for the better.

Of these, the first two books I have read  in the recent past and felt that I must keep posted my readers of the same.

1. Inner Engineering- A Yogi's Guide to Joy by Sadhguru

Around the time when I decided to retire voluntarily, certain queries were rising in my mind - like Who I Am ?, What is relation between mind and body and their interdependence, why it is essential to maintain balance and rhythm between them ? What is energy field ?  How it can effect us ? What is spirituality?

Post retirement I had enough time to devote to my passionate hobby of quality reading.  In that period, my son present the above book by Sadhguru which I eagerly read and got familiar with the transformational concept of Inner Engineering.

This is the powerful practice that enables the reader to synchronize mind and body with energies around and within towards infinite power and the possibilities.

Part Two of this book is significant which contains insightful revelation on Body, Mind, and Energy. The last chapter Joy is really meaningful.

Even a light and casual reading of this book will change one's life for the better.
    

2.   Dying to be Me: My Journey from Cancer, to Near Death, to True Healing

Last month only I read Marathi translation of this book.  The books is about the author's own experience of her self-realization, her near death experience leading her to a significant insight, her ability to effectively interpret her interaction with the power within and foresee effective cure from cancer, and most important, her identifying the real cause of cancer.

The author, shares her life spectrum right from her birth to her near death experience and back to normal life and the significant changes that she experienced in her post recovery life. All these are really pearls of wisdom related to suffering from cancer, illness, existence of fear in mind, pure love and its tremendous power, and the humanity.  And I am sure an  avid reader would not like to miss.


3.  What if This Is Heaven? How Our Cultural Myths Prevent Us From Experiencing Heaven On Earth.   


The Author, Anita Moorjani, after her near death experience as shared in her book Dying to Be Me, shares her insight on truth that is beyond and above awareness of the common people. While dwelling upon the conditioning one is subjected to right from childhood for generations together, and which are assimilated as truth without any inquiry, the author  here emphasizes the importance of analyzing this mind conditioning on the way to self realization, and how our cultural myths prevent us from experiencing heaven here itself.  And to substantiate the same the author here shares  her own experiences in life that lead to revelation of the need to understand the real crux of such upbringing in life.

I have not read this book.  But after reading the brief introduction of the book, being eager to read, this book is on my list to read in 2019.



Next time .....

Is It Normal To Not Feel Normal ?

Is It Normal To Not Feel Normal ?

HOW TO OVERCOME THIS ABNORMALITY ?

Not to feel normal on a daily basis is not normal. 

If we apply our sarasar vivek, we find the obvious reason for the above symptom.

It may have two probable aspects. Health of body and /or mind.

If one is physically not alright then one needs medical advice.

Second  probable reason is no sound mental health.

For physical health 

• one must pay attention to physical hygiene. 
• Taking daily bath,once or twice a day
• drinking pure water 
• no outside food 
• observing strict diet as per doctor's advice 
• maintaining clean nails, etc.
• physical exercise

And one pays too much attention by opting for bath soap, Ayurveda and  herbal soap.

However, for mental health one has no clear  and effective ideas to be implemented. 

For mental health 

First of all, one is not aware of mental health and how to achieve it.

As in case of physical health, the way one is aware of the quality of food intake,for mental health also one must be equally aware of what one needs to feed own mind.

And how can healthy feeding of the mind be achieved?

The five sense organs one uses to perceive the world around can be used effectively.

One must -

• see good and healthy things 
• read quality books
• watch quality movie,TV show
• befriend quality people 
• always be in the company of wise people
• hear healthy thought (satsang), music etc.
• touch healthy things, avoid touching garbage and dirt etc.
• smell-one must have the sense of quality thing and able to detect bad things immediately to discard at once.
• tongue to be used for healthy speech which is good for oneself and for others also.
• painstakingly ensure that the mind is engrossed in positive thoughts, things,scene,vision,company.

Is is normal to not feel normal?

And most important and effective thing is never forget quality reading.  And of course, reading only is not enough.  The wisdom learnt by quality reading must be implemented in practice. 

This will ensure leading a normal life where it is normal to feel normal every day.

Correct ?  Please comment.

Next time .....

Do We Regret Being Born ?

Do We Regret Being Born ?

Do We Ever Wish We Were Never Born?

Life is very strange - the famous saying.

It is always advised to be aware of our sarasar vivek ie power of discretion and apply the same on the path of transformation in life.

In childhood one gets introduced to several aspects of life - love of parents,company of siblings and attachment thereto-the peers- the beauty of mother nature-the concept of the Guru-

In teen age,one is a bit rebellious,dream pursuer, always miles away from reality,the natural attraction towards opposite gender,

In later stage one gets engaged in pursuing career, getting settled etc.

Then follows the inevitable sansara and related botheration.

And then efforts to fulfilling obligations,responsibilities,the success and failure in meeting the same and the resultant frustration,helplessness, anxieties.

And the stage is reached when health problems come up due to ageing.

The Atma, the soul starts feeling “Enough now!”.

The great Marathi Saint Tukarama has said “ Ya samsarachya paee Harinam athavat nahi.”- Meaning, the Atma is so much engaged and busy in mundane issues of life that there is no time even to think about God.

Add to this the suffering related to ageing,the soul gets fed up,frustrated,hopeless and the resultant dominant feeling of “ Why I was born at all!”

And thus there is dominant feeling I was never born.

The Hindu religion's concept of life reincarnation is very significant in this context. The soul goes through 84,00,000 life cycles going through evolution from single cell living entity to complex human being,the last stage of evolution. The recent research revealed this number as 87,50,000. Therefore, it is always advised not to waste human life by downfall to lower form of life to avoid going through rigors of life cycle again and again.

Thus,ultimately the concept of Moksha, the great salvation,liberation from life cycle.

And surprisingly this revelation is realized at the Sandhya Chchaya  stage of life, ie. old age.

Therefore, one must always be aware of own sarasar vivek ie power of discretion and apply the same effectively to achieve transformation life towards spiritual progress.

That's the life.

What are your feelings?

Next time .....

Who Is Afraid of Ageing ?

Who Is Afraid of Ageing ?

One of my colleagues approached me, confiding that he was very much worried of getting older every day.  The gap between the teeth is widening, he observed. 

I told him it is natural.  A new born child, a kid, a teenage, a young man, a middle aged man, an old man and ultimately death is the life process.  And we should respect the natural process. And of course, we have no option. Be aware of what our sarasar vivek tells us.

And I cautioned him, "if you allow your mind to get dominated by such  fear of ageing, you will only accelerate the process which will be too much visible in your personality."

What he could do?  He wondered.  

So  I offered him a few words of encouragement to face the reality and reach such a state of mind where he would be able to enjoy the process of ageing.  

Who Is Afraid of Ageing ?

Who Is Afraid of Agening?

I feel as if the above tree is telling me, look, I am bending, yet I enjoy growing and growing!

Unfortunately, at that time I could not show my friend the above photograph of an old, tired tree which I recently added to my mobile photo album.  But I find it speaks a lot. It is expressing - I am growing, though precariously.  I may bend here and there but I enjoy growing and growing to my fullest.

Who Is Afraid of Ageing ?

This is flower Gokarna -saying I am having that sense of fulfillment in life.

Who is Afraid of Ageing?

My better half pointed out it to me when we were enjoying our morning walk. One can see the challenging circumstances it has bloomed in to the fullest.

We must seek inspiration in our life from such natural happenings around us. That is what our sarasar vivek ie power of discretion tells us.

Now I have realized recently that the above thought is equally applicable and worth considering for any one who is worried about getting older day by day.  And I am confident that for any  one who is worried  about the inevitable ageing process, the above thoughts are meaningful  and will prove significant  as well as inspirational.

And I am sure, one will at once throw away one's own feeling of sadness and disappointment towards the inevitable process of ageing. And be enthusiastic to enjoy the life process to the fullest.

What do you say ?

Next time ......

Keep The Channel Open Martha Graham

Keep The Channel Open Martha Graham

There is a vitality, a life force !

Dear Readers,

The activities like 

• finding the areas in which I am able to help others to  make them aware of their strength and weaknesses, 
• and develop their ability to achieve life of their own dream, 
• to be able to make right choices in life, 
• to understand their inner strength and 
• to develop  and apply the same on the path of achieving their goals, 
• to pay attention to the inner voice,

all these things are proving  fruitful and it gives me tremendous satisfaction. 

This is what our sarasar vivek i.e. power of discretion is all about !  

What else I want ?

One of such feedback introduced me to Martha Graham, a Choreographer who invented her own style of performing art of dance.  And significant thing is Martha Graham has had a great influence on dance still today.

Martha Graham

"There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated though you into action ...," her famous quote.

In this famous quote she sums up her philosophy of creation : 

• that each one of us has a power
• a vitality inside
• a force that is beyond us

which makes us unique and distinct.  

This power gives us -

• ability to express ourselves in our own special way
• we may not identify it, but we have this thing in us
• it is for us to use it or not. 

Her message is crystal clear to -

• encourage us have better trust
• self-confidence
• self-forgiveness 

with the idea that -

• nothing that comes from us in vain 
• because it is and will always be unique and genuine 
• therefore we should stay open

to welcome who we are and what we do ("Keep The Channel Open")

As I read it again and again, I felt immensely that this approach is most relevant not only to the artists, but even more so also to every individual, especially the one who is in doubt or in search of oneself or who is facing dissatisfaction.

I was suggested to see the first video made around this Martha Graham quote by Screenwriter and Musician  Hadryen Berstel and Sebastien Matuska, directed by Tunes & Tales. This video is available on You Tube.

The video "Keep the channel open" will help others blossom and realize themselves through this poetic and inspiring video.

Next time .......

Being Alone !

My own experience

A Blessing !

-Being Alone - 

When I came across the above tree in my morning walk, I felt as if it was telling me - I am alone and I enjoy it. It is really  a blessing for me. Come, take from me, whatever you can. I have still some thing useful for you. I am hopeful and waiting for the rain so that I can flourish more and give back more and more.

Being Alone- A blessing

Having applied my own sarasar vivek ie power of discretion, I made decision to opt for voluntary retirement 2 years before superannuation, my well wishers asked me, ' what are you going to do ? you will become mad!'. Other things included various problems I may face like -

• may have health problems
• may go in to depression
• may suffer from loneliness
• do not forget, man is a social animal
• may get bored
• who will wake you up in the morning?
• who will help you when you are sick?
• may get scared often
• may become psychologically sick

Well, I did not react but thanked them for their considered opinion.  I had thoroughly considered the situation and all other factors were convenient for my decision and therefore I went ahead with the same. 

What I learned from my friends' suggestion was almost all of them had this man's egoistic approach. Being head of the family, you will be reduced to an isolated, good for nothing entity in the family. No body will care or bother for you.  No body will speak to you.  You will be totally neglected.  You will feel as if you are not existing.  Well, that was all that fear of a typical  man's psychology.  

Of course, there were a few  who encouraged me to go ahead while being careful not to give any impression of  crossing  the boarder to interfere in my own business.   

Being Alone - A Blessing 

On my part, I was confident that being alone will enable me to -

• de-clutter my mind
• give significant rest to my mind
• rejuvenate my mind and body
• nourish my mind with positive thoughts
• utilize my time at optimum level
• enjoy constructive hobbies and activities.
• go in the company of the mother nature. (This is the time I realized that for many years I had not witnessed sunrise or sunset.)
• observe pet animals
• kids going to and coming from their school
• to develop my concentration
• discover my own inner personality
• introspect my life to improvise
• identify the wisdom of my own life
• understand any problem thoroughly and find effective solutions 
• identify the relations which are significant for me and my family
• go for meditation and thus tap the sources of  my inner wisdom 

And things now have been as I was expecting, thanks God.  Now I have lot of time at my disposal to 

• I can spend a lot of time in observing the mother nature !
• indulge in my favorite hobby of reading the  insightful books in my continuous efforts to learn 
• meditate
• follow the practice of Yoga Nidra
• follow daily routine of my exercise, pranayama, morning walk and thus maintain good health
• take care of my mental bath
• utilize time at my disposal optimally
• introspect myself fruitfully
• share my life learning with those willing  to receive
• help others whenever required
• realize that still I have lot of scope to develop and flourish
• feel that life is meaningful and significant for every living entity
• understand the real meaning of supreme values of life

And, yes, THANKS for visiting and reading this post.

Next time ......

Ikigai Book

Ikigai Book 

Ikigai Book- An  Introduction

As my dear readers are  well aware, our sarasar vivek suggests us to learn from  life experiences of others also. 

Because, you know, to learn by own experiences only, one life is not enough!

Therefore, quality reading is essential in life. 

And having come across such an interesting book which has significant potentials to transform one’s life, I am committed to share with my readers recent information collected by me about this interesting book.

What Is Ikigai ?

It is understood that in Japan, the country famous for health and longevity of life, such healthy old people have ikigai, meaning a reason to get up eagerly and enthusiastically every morning.

The Japanese term ikagai can be easily understood by equivalent term,  " a reason for living the life (meaningfully)". 

  

If one is fortunate to  live life engaging in -

• what one loves, 

• what one’s mission in life is, 

• what one is good at to do and 

• what one can get livelihood from, 

that healthy status in life can be achieved when one can get up in morning with eagerness and enthusiasm. 

And thus, one is able to have not only happiness but also fulfillment and thus able to make one's own life actively longer. 

And I have read words of wisdom that one has ideal healthy  life if one is able to go to sleep at once at the scheduled time and can get up in the morning  enthusiastically as per one’s own will.

This books I introduce you is  the internationally bestseller on ikigai, the Japanese secret of long and healthy life.

In Japan, they believe that every individual has his  own ikigai - a reason to jump out of bed each morning.  And according to the people of Japanese island Okinawa, known as the world's home of longest living people, finding out own ikigai and practicing the same in daily life is the path to a  healthy, longer and fulfilled life.

Some times one wonders what is the purpose of life? Why one has to do what one is doing?

If you ask the people are they satisfied with their job, majority will confess, yes, they do not have the job satisfaction.

Even some may express repentance to have spent their entire life in doing the work they hated the most.  Sounds contradictory ?  But it is reality. 

What this books contains ?

The book introduces the term ikigai, its meaning, the significant ways to find out our own ikigai, addressing to many issues in one's mind, i.e. what to do, what to avoid, understanding the purpose, the significance of having loving and caring peers and immersing our self in our passions.  

It is needless to say that by bringing the wisdom learnt in this books in daily life  one can make life meaningful and joyful with ikigai , leading to fulfillment .

The book  is  by  Authors - Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles.

By reading this useful significant book, we will be able to find out our own ikigai.

Is What You Do More Important Than Why You Do It?

Is What You Do More Important Than Why You Do It?

Is Why You Do More Important ?

I think, and it is my experience, that intention of our every act is important. 

The intention should be healthy and harmless to others. 

Even if we gain something out of that,it should not cause any discomfort to others. 

That is what our sarasar vivek expects us. 

Unfortunately,we observe that negative intention do overtake the positive ones,thereby neglecting our sarasar vivek.

And generally such acts are nothing but hypocrisy.

I often recall one incident that happened in the past when my two sons aged 12 and 17 years put all out efforts to save a squirrel stuck in our toilet block.  

The things happened very fast.  I was sitting in the hall reading newspaper.  A squirrel entered the hall from the glass sliding doors.  I was worried, thought that it may go towards the kitchen and it went like that. I wondered if it will cross over the passage and enter the toilet since the toilet door was open.  And whether it will fall down the drain.  And the same thing happened. I suddenly remembered the saying ' what you think,  happens'.  I rushed to the toilet and could see head of the squirrel at the bottom of the outlet in the commode.  

I then rushed towards my sons in their room and informed them about the situation. They ran to the toilet and read the situation carefully.  All we three were trying to find some ways to rescue and get the poor creature up back to the ground level. 

Both my sons applied all possible tricks to do so one after another immediately. Fortunately, after six attempts the seventh one proved fruitful and the poor creature was rescued.  That was a great moment not only for my sons but it was more so for me.  I still remember the expression of fulfillment on their face.

The incident is significant in the present context.  My sons did not do with any intention. It was merely an act out of compassion, the intense feeling to rescue the poor creature. 

Why they did was more important than what they did.

Why You Do Is More Important Than What You Do !

We notice that school children are made to take out procession for creating awareness regarding corruption,cleanliness,water saving measures and what not,least caring about their we'll being or health hazards likely to create problems for them. At the same time people accountable for the same go scot-free. And good for nothing sort people get their images projected at the co st of these innocent students. Such people are concerned more about their public image.

We often see some one collecting donations for construction of some religious places. But their hidden agenda is obvious to be noted easily.

Apparently such similar activities are innocent, constructive but in fact are with Ill intention. But no body has control over such wrong acts of these handfuls.

Therefore, what we do is not important but the intention of doing something is more important. 

And we are fortunate if it is good, and healthy.

Next time